Minimum wage setting and standards of fairness

We examine the setting of minimum wages, arguing that they can best be understood as a reflection of voters' notions of fairness. We arrive at this conclusion through an empirical investigation of the implications of three models, considered in the context of policy setting by sub-units in a federation: a competing interests group model; a constrained altruism model; and a fairness based model. In the latter model, voters are interested in banning what they view to be unfair transactions, with the notion of fairness based on comparisons to the "going" unskilled wage. We use data on minimum wages set in the ten Canadian provinces from 1969 to 2005 to carry out the investigation. A key implication of the models that is borne out in the data is that minimum wages should be set as a positive function of the location of the unskilled wage distribution. Together, the results indicate that minimum wages are set according to a "fairness" standard and that this may exacerbate movements in inequality.

The Impact of Social Wellness Integration on Fifth Grade Students’ Positive Social Behaviors

In recent years, schools across the United States have encountered increased pressure to focus solely on academic performance (Dillow & Snyder, 2007). Therefore, time allotted to developing fundamental social skills needed to improve the well-being of children in elementary school has decreased. However, social skills are essential to educating the overall well-being of children (Clinton, West, and Wilson, 2017). Benefits associated with social wellness education include relationship skills, responsible decision making skills, and consideration of well-being of self and others. These are all important to lifelong success (Burrow, Patrick, Kyzer, & Mckelvey 2016). To address these concerns, this study examined the impact of social wellness integration strategies into an academic unit on fifth grade students’ positive social behaviors. All participants were in the same fifth grade classroom at an elementary school in Northwest Mississippi. Twelve observations were completed from October 20, 2017- November 29, 2017 from 1:10 p.m.- 2:40 p.m.. The first six observational periods examined the students positive and negative social behaviors when academic lessons included social wellness integration, and the last six observational periods examined the students positive and negative social behaviors when academic units did not include social wellness integration. Participants positive and negative social behaviors were documented in 10-minute intervals throughout each 90-minute observational period. Results indicated that integrating social wellness standards and strategies into a fifth grade academic unit increased positive social behaviors in the classroom

The Impact of Social Wellness Integration on Fifth Grade Students\u27 Positive Social Behaviors

In recent years, schools across the United States have encountered increased pressure to focus solely on academic performance (Dillow & Snyder, 2007). Therefore, time allotted to developing fundamental social skills needed to improve the well-being of children in elementary school has decreased. However, social skills are essential to educating the overall well-being of children (Clinton, West, and Wilson, 2017). Benefits associated with social wellness education include relationship skills, responsible decision making skills, and consideration of well-being of self and others. These are all important to lifelong success (Burrow, Patrick, Kyzer, & Mckelvey 2016). To address these concerns, this study examined the impact of social wellness integration strategies into an academic unit on fifth grade students\u27 positive social behaviors. All participants were in the same fifth grade classroom at an elementary school in Northwest Mississippi. Twelve observations were completed from October 20, 2017- November 29, 2017 from 1:10 p.m.- 2:40 p.m.. The first six observational periods examined the students positive and negative social behaviors when academic lessons included social wellness integration, and the last six observational periods examined the students positive and negative social behaviors when academic units did not include social wellness integration. Participants positive and negative social behaviors were documented in 10-minute intervals throughout each 90-minute observational period. Results indicated that integrating social wellness standards and strategies into a fifth grade academic unit increased positive social behaviors in the classroom

Gender and Age Considerations in the Relationship of Frequency of NSSI and Emotion Regulation in Comparison to SSI

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a pervasive problem within our society and has been increasing since the late 1980s. NSSI is the deliberate destruction of body tissue without the intention of suicide. In comparison, suicidal self-injury involves the intention of suicide. A sample of 8-18 year olds (N=519) were studied to explore how differences in age, gender and emotion regulation impacted their engagement in NSSI and SSI. Participants were grouped into NSSI, SSI and control groups. Findings indicated that emotion regulation abilities did not significantly differ between groups, the SSI group were significantly older than both NSSI and control groups, the frequency of self-harm was significantly higher for the NSSI group, and gender did not significantly differentiate any of the groups. Finally, emotion regulation ability was the only factor found to impact all groups in terms of frequency of self-harm. Overall, the findings point to the importance of emotion regulation skills in reducing self-harm

Lower extremity alignment and back and lower extremity pain during pregnancy

Over 50% of women experience musculoskeletal pain in the low back or lower extremity during pregnancy. Further, 31% of these women experience continued pain after giving birth. Many women also report changes in foot length and arch height during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to determine if changes in foot anthropometry during pregnancy are related to low back and lower extremity pain. A secondary aim was to determine if added weight alone explains changes in lower extremity alignment, or if other factors mediate these changes. Methods: Fifteen primigravid women were recruited to participate, along with thirteen weight-matched nulliparous controls. Several measures of foot and lower extremity alignment were assessed during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters, as well as post-partum. These measures included: foot length, foot width, arch index, arch height index, arch rigidity index, arch drop, rearfoot angle and pelvic obliquity. Musculoskeletal pain was assessed using a Visual Analogue Scale. Controls and participants who had not yet reached the full weight of pregnancy repeated measurements weighted with a pack worn over the anterior trunk. Results: Over the course of a first pregnancy, significant changes were seen in foot length, arch index and pelvic obliquity. Added weight alone produced significant changes in arch drop and arch rigidity index only. Changes in foot width, standing arch height index and pelvic obliquity were related to pain at the low back, hip and knee during pregnancy. Conclusion: Pregnant women experience changes in lower extremity anthropometry and alignment that may contribute to musculoskeletal pain

Influence of Gluteus Medius Strength on Interlimb Asymmetry in Female Recreational Runners.

PURPOSE: Running-related injuries are most often single-sided and are partially attributed to lower limb movement and loading asymmetries.1 Gluteus Medius (GM) plays a significant role in lower limb alignment, especially in the frontal and transverse planes by its influence on the pelvis and the femur.2 Female runners are more prone to GM weakness which has been proposed to be a risk factor for overuse injuries.3 These strength deficits contribute to abnormal lower limb kinematics and kinetics during dynamic tasks like running and jumping.4 These changes include an increase in peak hip adduction angle (HA), hip internal rotation angle (HI), knee abduction moment (KA) and rearfoot eversion angle (RE).4 Symmetry Angle (SA) is a commonly-used, robust measure of determining symmetry.1 No study has evaluated the role of unilateral GM strength on interlimb asymmetry for HA, HI, KA and RE during running. We hypothesized that female runners with stronger GM would demonstrate decreased interlimb asymmetry for HI, HA, KA and RE during running. METHODS: Thirty healthy female recreational runners (Age: 35.40±10.52 yrs, Height: 1.66±0.06 m, Weight: 61.61±7.31 kg) running at least 10 km per week participated in this study. Isometric GM strength was measured using a handheld dynamometer for the right lower limb and participants were divided into two groups of stronger and weaker. 3D gait analysis was conducted as participants ran on an instrumented treadmill at 2.98 m/s. Peak HA, HI, KA and RE were generated for the bilateral lower extremities and interlimb asymmetry using SA was calculated for all variables. A Shapiro-Wilk test for normality was conducted and it showed that all variables were not normally distributed. Wilcoxon Two-Sample Test was performed to look at differences between the two groups for HA, HI, KA and RE. RESULTS: Female runners with weaker GM demonstrated significantly increased asymmetry for HA (18.80±24.11 vs 12.20±24.11 %, p=0.02), HI (18.47±24.11 vs 12.53±24.11 %, p=0.03), and KA (18.33±24.11 vs 12.67±24.11 %, p=0.04). For RE, the weaker group had greater asymmetry (16.13±24.11 vs 14.87±24.11 %, p=0.35), but the relationship was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that runners with weaker GM on one side exhibited increased interlimb asymmetry during running for certain kinematic and kinetic variables. Future studies should determine how unilateral and bilateral strength deficits contribute to interlimb asymmetry and running biomechanics in healthy and injured runners.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1290/thumbnail.jp

Surrogate Power: The Agency of the Replacement Mother in Mid-Victorian Literature

Throughout the mid-nineteenth century, literary representations of replacement maternal figures helped normalize forms of surrogate motherhood within Victorian childrearing and caregiving structures. Through cultural and literary study, this dissertation articulates the dialectical relationship that developed between fiction and society as maternal norms developed and shifted. Through an analysis of advice texts and the social influence of Queen Victoria’s performance of maternal norms, this work expands previous understandings of how motherhood came to be imagined and idealized in the early years of Victoria’s reign. It then demonstrates how literature highlights the need to revise and expand prevailing understandings of maternity. Next, it reveals how fictional surrogate mothers establish power to overcome the threats they pose to social, familial, and maternal constructions. It ultimately demonstrates that surrogate mothers help revise maternal norms by playing integral roles in enhancing the future prosperity of the middle and upper classes of England. By unmooring motherhood from biological constraints, fictional surrogate mothers call into question the intrinsic nature of dominant maternal norms and open up spaces for female social agency

The Relationship between Classroom Distractions and Off-Task Students

Classroom distractions occur on a daily basis and prevent students from being fully engaged with their teacher’s instruction. In this session, elementary education candidates discuss the results of a study in which they documented the sources of students’ inattention