Determinants of Well-Being: Applying the Easterlin Paradox, Life Expectancy, Carbon Emissions, and Education across Countries

This study estimates well-being as a function of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, life expectancy, primary education completion rates, and carbon dioxide emissions per capita using panel data from 78 countries from 2006 and 2009. We find that well-being increases at a decreasing rate as GDP per capita increases, which is consistent with the Easterlin Paradox. We also find a statistically significant, positive relationship between well-being and life expectancy and a negative relationship between well-being and carbon dioxide emissions

Program Assessment – Implementing a Cycle of Continuous Improvement

Presenter and participants will discuss challenges of assessment processes and best practices available to assessment coordinators, department chairs, and administrators to support a culture of assessment for continuous improvement. The presenter will share how adjusting the timeline of assessment reporting provided for increased data collection and more meaningful discussion and reflection on data trends

Repellant Beauty: A Rational Inquiry into 21\u3csup\u3est\u3c/sup\u3e Century Patented Lode Mine Use

Rationalistic, incentive-based redevelopment objectives must comply with regulatory entitlement requirements that enmesh broader community goals. These community goals include site reclamation, environmental protection, and smart growth land use development measures. The focus of this dissertation is to better understand both the economic and community factors affecting the use of approximately 3,500,000 acres of patented lode mine (PLM) lands in the West. Study methods use a unique dataset compiled from BLM land patent documents, Idaho property assessment records, USGS mineral resource data, and GIS-derived surface estate measures to analyze effects of a set of jurisdictional, mineral estate, surface estate, and control variables. Findings provide evidence to the role economically-liberal policies have on the use of PLMs. Additionally, factors affecting other prominent PLM uses, such as active mining and neglect, are complicated by policies that create information asymmetries around PLM’s mineral estates. As such, conflicts between economic and non-market dimensions of PLM use in Idaho provide significant insights into land use choices and redevelopment across the West

Potential of Pathway Partnerships with High Schools

Presenter and participants will discuss current and emergent trends among colleges and universities in working with high school students. Presenter will share one approach to developing partnerships and career pathways with communities and school districts. Data from three semesters of implementation will be shared

Sex differences in achievement strivings: an examination and application of four models

The current research was conducted to determine the accuracy of four models of gender differences in achievement orientation, and the extent to which the models are redundant. Bakan\u27s (1966) model suggests that men strive for mastery and self-enhancement (agentic orientation), whereas women are interested in social goals (communal orientation). Stein and Bailey\u27s (1973) model portrays women\u27s achievement strivings as directed at the attainment of excellence in social-affiliative activities (social focus), whereas men strive for mastery of objective tasks (task focus). Kipnis\u27 (1974) model suggests that women feel successful to the extent that personal goals have been met (inner-directed), and that men evaluate their performance in relation to that of their peers (other-directed). Veroff\u27s (1977) model predicts that women focus on how something was accomplished (process emphasis), whereas men are primarily interested in what was done (impact emphasis). Self-reports of success and failure experiences of female and male undergraduates were examined by trained raters. Scores derived from the content analyses revealed that males\u27 experiences showed greater impact orientation and less inner-direction than did those of females. No gender differences were found for agentic, communal, task, social, process, or other-directed foci in achievement. Thus, Kipnis\u27 and Veroff\u27s models seem more accurate than Bakan\u27s and Stein and Bailey\u27s in predicting gender differences in achievement. Factor analyses revealed overlap among the eight dimensions based on the four models, since only two important achievement focus dimensions were found. Task and agentic vs. social and communal foci provided a domain dimension. A performance evaluation dimension was determined by impact and other-directed vs. inner-directed and process foci. Further analyses involved measures of subject\u27s masculinity-feminity (Personal Attributes Questionnaire; Spence et al., 1974), achievement motivation (Work and Family Orientation Questionnaire; Helmreich & Spence, 1978), and causal attributions. The results of this research indicate: (1) sex-role stereotypes are intimately related to the domains of important achievement activities; however, men and women do not differ in the kinds of activities (domains) that they report as successes or failures, and (2) women and men differ in how they define success and failure, but these performance evaluation styles are not related to sex-role stereotypes

Assessment of contributing factors to the reduction of diarrhea in rural communities of Para, Brazil

In developing communities the occurrence of diarrhea has been reported at elevated levels as compared to those communities in more developed regions. Diarrheal diseases were linked to over one million deaths in 2012 throughout the world. While multiple pathways are present for the transmission of diarrheal diseases, water has been the focus for many aid organizations. Point-of-use (POU) water treatment methods are a common tool used by aid organizations in efforts to provide potable water. The CAWST biosand filter is a POU tool that has shown removal effectiveness of pathogenic microorganisms ranging from 90-99%. However, minimal literature was found that reported on the effectiveness of the filter within the larger body of the complex system found in all communities. Therefore a hypothesis was derived to confirm that the intervention of a CAWST biosand filter is the most significant factor in the reduction of the diarrheal health burden within households in developing regions. Communities located along the Amazon River in Para, Brazil were selected for study. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized to aid in representing the complex set of relationships within the communities. The Mahalanobis-Taguchi Strategy (MTS) was also used to confirm variable significance in the SEM model. Results show that while the biosand filter does aid in the reduction of diarrheal occurrences it is not the most significant factor. Results varied on which factor influenced diarrheal occurrences the greatest but consistently included education, economic status, and sanitation. Further, results from the MTS analysis reported education as the largest factor influencing household health. Continued work is needed for further understanding of these factors and their relationships to diarrhea reduction. --Abstract, page iv

Contributing factors to child stunting in Guatemala: A systems analysis focused on enteric disease transmission and mycotoxin exposure

Child stunting -- low height-for-age -- is a United Nation\u27s indicator for chronic malnutrition that has been linked to both acute and chronic health problems. Data from Guatemala suggests for children under five years of age, 49% are classified as stunted. This dissertation tests the following hypotheses, among children in Guatemala 1) environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is correlated with height-for-age, 2) aflatoxin B (AFB) exposure is correlated with height-for-age, and 3) AFB exposure is correlated with EED. A network analysis was conducted on data from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) collected in 2012 to identify trends in a height-for-age model and an EED model. These results were then combined with a literature review, field observations, and informal interviews to hypothesize two structural equation models (SEM). Additionally, a third SEM was hypothesized for the AFB exposure model. The models were tested with data collected by the San Vicente Health Center in Totonicapán in October 2016 and February 2017. Finally, five geographic specific SEMs were built with the USAID 2012 data and tested with USAID 2013 data. Results of the hypotheses include 1) mixed findings on a correlation between EED and child height-for-age, 2) a confirmed correlation between AFB exposure and child height-for-age, and 3) no correlation between AFB exposure and EED. Furthermore, improved prenatal health and improved sanitary child play areas were correlated with child height-for-age. For the EED model improved water treatment was correlated with reduced EED. Finally, improved maize purchase habits, post-harvest practices, and maize storage were correlated with a decrease in AFB symptoms. Field practitioners and policy makers must account for local and regional suitability for interventions and policies on child health --Abstract, page vi

Measuring Multidimensional Poverty in a Complex Environment; Identifying the Sensitive Links

The central hypothesis of this study is that a holistic, systems-based approach employing multiple analytical tools is useful for identifying the most sensitive links within complex communities to down-scale global development priorities such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Results of latent factor regression, canonical correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling were compared for multiple, publically-available data sets for two rural regions in Brazil and Guatemala. The results of this study confirm previously reported findings, and collectively support the central hypothesis demonstrating a pathway for linking global priorities with the complex realities of \u27on-the-ground\u27 development conditions in specific communities

Utilizing Structural Equation Modeling in the Development of a Standardized Intervention Assessment Tool

There are numerous approaches to measuring multidimensional poverty; these include the Human Development Index and the Multidimensional Poverty Index among others [1]. However, a gap in the literature is found when intervention assessment tools are investigated. The idea of creating a standardized assessment tool would allow for a deeper understanding of poverty on a per community basis. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) offers a robust platform in which to establish such a tool. An overview of SEM and several other general approaches to data aggregation are addressed. The notion of a standardized intervention assessment tool is discussed; this is focused on utilizing the SEM platform for this tool. Further, previous works by Divelbiss [2] and Voth-Gaeddert [3], [4] are discussed. To date SEM has shown to handle adaptability of differing environments positively. Divelbiss reported on the SEM multivariable poverty model within villages of Guatemala and Voth-Gaeddert reports on the applicability of this model used in a dissimilar environment in Brazil. These findings suggest feasibility in the utilization of a SEM platform for a standardized intervention assessment tool