OSU Libraries Digital Journal Publishing (Ohio State University)
Not a member yet
5423 research outputs found
Sort by
Food, the Production of Normalcy, and the Archive of Autism
No full textIn the 1970s, precursors to present-day autism therapies were often centered around food. Psychologists and other professionals forced children to fast, fed them mega-doses of vitamins, and/or forced them to cooperate with therapeutic protocols in order to earn the right to eat. These actions were performed in the name of “curing” their neurological condition and making them “normal.” Mistreatment of autistic people has often been couched under the misleading guise of “treatment,” yet there are numerous parallels between autistic subjugation and that of other minoritized groups. Examining this history brings food studies and disability studies into productive conversation, revealing the correlation between food control and social standing. The archive that documents this history includes clinical case studies, therapeutic and diagnostic manuals, and the life-writing of non-autistic observers. These materials document observed behavior without demonstrating curiosity about or awareness of autistic interiorities. Scholars have the obligation to read these sources creatively to piece together autistic histories, and the vast autism medical-industrial complex has the opportunity to use these insights to reevaluate current autism therapies, which often have the same ideological underpinnings of these earlier techniques and make autistic access to food conditional
The Interactive Role of Music as a Facilitator for Mother–Infant Bonding in Early Motherhood
No full textThis two-part study explored if mothers’ uses of music in everyday life enhanced and facilitated the quality of mother–infant interactions, and consequently influenced maternal bonding. Study 1 was an exploratory qualitative study, which analysed the patterns of the mothers’ general uses of music and general experiences of motherhood. Study 2 analysed and explored the effects of mothers’ self-selected music on the quality of mother–infant interactions. The second study was based on a two-week trial with a mixed-method design including quantitative and qualitative approaches. It examined how mothers’ self-selected uses of music (maternal singing and listening to music) might influence parental stress, maternal attachment, and the quality of mother–infant interactions over the two-week period. The general findings suggested that mothers’ self-selected uses of music during daily mother–infant interactions can enhance face-to-face interactions. Furthermore, it served as an effective tool for promoting mothers’ sense of well-being. Finally, a cycle of three elements was observed: mothers’ musical responses influenced the infants’ musical responses by the synchrony of behavioral parameters between mother and infant
Drawn to the light: Cinematic and Performative Ecologies in Stan Brakhage's Mothlight (1963) and Eiko Otake's Night with Moths (2019)
No full textThe purpose of this essay is to explore the evocative use of moths within cinematic and performative contexts. To do so, two moving image works were chosen, each framed within in a comparative context to the other: the first, the historic and iconic masterwork of avant-garde cinema by the legendary filmmaker Stan Brakhage titled Mothlight (1963), and the second, a contemporary performance video titled Night with Moths (2019) by the interdisciplinary movement-based artist, Eiko Otake. With their attraction to light, along with their fluttering, nocturnal flights, moths seem to have a strong kinship with not only the moving images of cinema, but also with the movement focus of dance and performance. Indeed, the very presence of moths in both moving image works, invites us to witness compelling cinematic and performative collaborations that move across species and ecologies.
Twyla Tharp’s Making Television Dance (1977) and the Technologized Dancing Body
No full textThis article looks at the technologized dancing body on television, particularly in videodance. It asks and begins to answer the question: What were emerging technologies of the late twentieth century able to do with, to, or for the dancing body that was not possible previously, and which built the foundation for the ways today’s digital technologies interface with the dancing body? In beginning to answer this question, the article closely examines Twyla Tharp's Making Television Dance (1977) and argues that Tharp's piece condenses and summarizes the experiments of videodance during the late twentieth century, highlighting its foundational shift from using technology to exclusively do things to the body or extract things from it, to instead using the body to interface with and demonstrate the capabilities of a new technology—triggering the machine’s capabilities using the body’s cues. In other words, videodance reframes the body as a (technologized) tool. Ultimately, this article reveals that late 1960s and 1970s videodance was a transitional interstice between two more enduring forms of screendance: celluloid dance film and digital dance data
Mathematics of Peace
No full textAs high school students approach voting age, it’s crucial to equip them with the mathematical skills to engage with important issues. This paper presents an activity designed to inspire students as future leaders, policy-makers, and informed citizens in some of the largest and youngest democracies. By analyzing real-world data, students enhance their mathematical abilities and develop the capacity to make decisions that impact their futures and the world
Preliminary Results of a Workplace Health Promotion Program in Higher Education
No full textBackground: Employees of higher education have an increased risk for stress, burnout, and turnover. Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) programs have been shown to improve quality of life, reduce individual health risks, improve morale, reduce health care costs, and increase employee retention.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of a WHP initiative on employee intent to stay, life/work balance, and work-related quality of life.
Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design at a Midwestern university. All faculty and staff were invited to participate in an Employee Wellness Hour, which allowed them to take an additional hour per day to participate in wellness-related activities. Those who chose to participate were required to track their wellness activity on a weekly basis in Qualtrics and invited to participate in a survey examining their intent to stay, life/work balance, and work-related quality of life. Analyses were conducted to determine whether participation in the Employee Wellness Hour had an impact on employee intent to stay, their life/work balance, and work-related quality of life.
Results: Results indicated that those who participated in the Employee Wellness Hour were more likely to stay with their current employer and rated their working conditions more positively.
Conclusions: The cost of employee turnover is immense, making it imperative that employers develop and implement innovative solutions to retain employees and improve working conditions. This study provided preliminary evidence that WHP programs can have a positive impact on retention and working conditions among those employed in institutions of higher education
Research Brief: Experiences of Microaffirmations in an Online Degree Program
No full textBackground: Microaffirmations are brief statements of support and inclusion that can have a powerful influence on students, particularly those who feel disconnected.Aim: The aim of this pilot study was to explore self-reports of microaffirmations from adult students in a nursing degree program offered in an online format at a large public institution of higher education.Methods: Responses from online students, collected as part of a larger study on microaffirmations among undergraduate students across all instructional modalities, were gathered and framed as a pilot study to appreciate experiences of virtual microaffirmations and to determine if a study focused specifically on microaffirmations among online learners would be feasible and fruitful.Results: Results indicated that students who received microaffirmations reported higher levels of connectedness and belonging as well as positive mood and self-efficacy.Conclusions: Implications for practice include infusing microaffirmations as part of discussion boards, feedback on assignments, and routine check-ins with students. Rich insights from analysis suggest that a large-scale study of microaffirmations in online learning environments would be productive and worthwhile
Eight Dimensions of Wellness: Undergraduate Student Behavior
No full textBackground: Mental health and well-being are important public health issues. College students are vulnerable to mental health and other wellness issues as this population is often making lifestyle choices autonomously for the first time and many are balancing new responsibilities, priorities, and situations in life.
Aim: This study sought to gain an understanding of college students’ behavior when provided time and autonomy to focus on their wellness needs.
Methods: Students completed a self-selected activity that corresponded to a dimension of wellness. A chi-square goodness-of-fit test was performed to determine distribution of responses. A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine relationships between dimension of wellness and gender, year of enrollment, and the interaction of gender by year of enrollment.
Results: All dimensions of wellness were reflected in student responses with physical, social, and emotional dimensions selected more frequently. A significant relationship was found between dimension of wellness and gender and the interaction effect of gender by year of enrollment. No significant relationship was found between dimension of wellness and year of enrollment.
Conclusions: This study highlights the need for diversity in wellness programming and provides valuable insights to optimize student support
