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Shifting Views, Shaping Outcomes: Exploring Relations Between Educators’ Neurodiversity-Affirming Perceptions and Their Autistic Students’ School Experiences
No full textSchool environments frequently serve as a source of socialization but also stigma and socioemotional distress for autistic students. Against this backdrop, teachers can be crucial sources of neurodiversity-affirming views and support. Teachers’ perceptions of students can also shape the quality of their relationships with students and students’ emotional and behavioral adjustment in school. This study focused on understanding how general education teachers perceive autistic students and how these perceptions shape their students’ school experiences. This study sought to investigate the degree to which teachers endorsed three dimensions of neurodiversity-affirming perceptions of their autistic students: (a) strength/deficit-based, (b) holistic/reductionist, and (c) social/medical model of disability. Next, this study sought to explore how the degree of endorsement for each of these neurodiversity-affirming perceptions might be associated with their student-teacher relationship quality and their students\u27 socioemotional well-being. Finally, this study sought to assess how the degree of endorsement for these three dimensions of neurodiversity-affirming perceptions combine to predict student-teacher relationship quality and students’ socioemotional well-being. Participants included 99 K-2 general education teachers with at least one autistic student in their classroom, all enrolled from 2021 to 2025 in an autism professional development program. The degree of teachers\u27 neurodiversity-affirming perceptions was coded based on their written responses when asked to write a description of their autistic student; these codes captured the degree to which these responses reflect strength/deficit-based perceptions, holistic/reductionist perceptions, and social/medical models of disability. Teachers rated student-teacher relationship quality using the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) and students’ socioemotional well-being using both the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS) and the BASC-3 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS). The majority of teachers’ responses were neutral to strength-based and partially to fully holistic, though the plurality aligned with the medical model of disability. Following a multivariate regression analysis, the strength-based holistic composite emerged as a significant predictor of student-teacher conflict (β = -.34, p \u3c .001) and closeness (β = .25, p = .02), as well as students’ social behaviors (β = .41, p \u3c .001), emotional behaviors (β = .39, p \u3c .001), externalizing problems (β = -.32, p \u3c .001), and internalizing problems (β = -.28, p .003). Another multivariate regression analysis revealed that the social/medical model dimension emerged as a significant predictor of student-teacher conflict (β = -.30, p = .002), as well as students’ social behaviors (β = .23, p = .02), externalizing problems (β = -.27, p = .007), and internalizing problems (β = -.21, p = .03). When considered together in a combined model, only the strength-based holistic composite remained significant in predicting student-teacher conflict (β = -.26, p = .02) and students’ social behaviors (β = .39, p \u3c .001), emotional behaviors (β = .43, p \u3c .001), externalizing problems (β = -.25, p = .02), and internalizing problems (β = -.23, p = .03). Findings extend the growing body of research advocating for the value of neurodiversity-affirming frameworks, specifically in educational settings. The present study emphasizes the importance of strength-based, holistic, and social model perceptions by teachers, and their links with more favorable relational and socioemotional well-being for autistic students
Massachusetts Community Mediation Center Grant Program Fiscal Year 2024 Report and Evaluation
Get PDFIn FY2024, the Commonwealth allocated 149,674 carried over from FY2023, for a total of 2,542,100 (76%) was awarded to Centers in grants and technical assistance, with Centers leveraging these funds to secure an additional $2,199,813 from private foundations and other state, local, and federal sponsors. These grants supported Centers’ participation in CMC Grant Program related statewide programs, including the Housing Mediation Program (HMP), Reentry Mediation Program (ReMAp), Youth Conflict Resolution and Restorative Practices Program (Youth Program), and DEI organizational capacity-building initiatives. These grants bolstered staffing infrastructure, enabling Centers to meet community needs and accounting for over half of their collective revenue, making this state funding vital for Center sustainability and statewide access to dispute resolution for Massachusetts residents.
The CMC Grant Program had a significant impact in FY2024. The HMP preserved 355 tenancies and 103 housing subsidies across 1,487 mediated cases, helping 1,188 landlords and 1,376 tenants avoid eviction or housing loss. As one tenant shared, “Thanks to mediation, I’ve been able to get things under control. I will definitely recommend it to others, this is a wonderful program.” A pilot partnership with MassHousing’s Tenancy Assistance Program (TAP) expanded the program’s reach by mediating 12 upstream cases involving issues like noise complaints and discrimination and conducting community-building workshops to equip residents at TAP-enrolled sites with conflict resolution skills. ReMAp worked with 12 DOC and Sheriff facilities, providing pre-release mediation and expanding post-release support to reduce recidivism and strengthen family ties. Party feedback reflected the program\u27s impact, with one noting, “Today was a good day,” and another commenting, “This was great and productive.” The Youth Program showed significant gains in student social and emotional learning skills, with one administrator highlighting the program’s long-term value: “These are lifelong skills that can be applied in both school and life situations.” The DEI Initiative further enhanced the Program’s impact, with Centers improving language accessibility, program flexibility, and policies to support inclusivity and equity. For example, this included the development of Spanish-language conflict resolution workshops, which led to an increase in inquiries from Spanish-speaking individuals. As one Center noted, “We’ve been able to better train staff and volunteers and provide services in ways community members understand.
Plastic Pollution in Green Infrastructure: A Curriculum Framework
No full textThis project developed a curriculum framework for a new microcredential course on plastic pollution in green infrastructure (GI), created through a collaboration between the University of Massachusetts Boston’s School for the Environment and the Urban Harbors Institute. The course is part of the UMass Boston Grand Scholarly Challenges project, Evaluating the Ability of Nature-Based Solutions to Improve Stormwater Quality with Regards to Plastic Pollution and Develop Education for Effective Green Infrastructure Management.
Green infrastructure uses natural systems—such as rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavements—to manage storm water, reduce flooding, and improve water quality. Recent research shows that these systems can also trap and filter microplastics, but there is limited understanding of how effectively they do so or how maintenance practices affect performance. Addressing this knowledge gap, the proposed microcredential will enhance knowledge of plastic pollution in GI and train a skilled workforce to maintain GI systems to ensure their effectiveness for keeping Boston’s waterways cleaner and communities more resilient.
The curriculum was developed using the ADDIE instructional design model and informed by peer-reviewed research, professional handbooks, and interviews with experts in green infrastructure education and employers who manage GI systems in Boston. The research identified a key gap in available training—most programs focus on design or construction rather than long-term maintenance and pollution management, particularly in the entry-level workforce.
The resulting curriculum framework introduces a pilot module titled Green Infrastructure Plastic Pollution Management. It integrates Boston-specific materials from organizations such as the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the Boston Water and Sewer Commission.
Designed for entry-level workers, experienced landscapers wanting to advance their career in the green industry, and underemployed residents, this program blends online learning with field-based experiences, community engagement, and practical skill-building. By aligning environmental research with workforce development, this curriculum provides a replicable model that supports Boston’s climate goals, promotes local job creation, and advances environmental justice through accessible, applied education
Something to Say: Nativism, Prohibition, and the Loss of Political Alignment in Davenport, Iowa’s German-American Community 1848-1922
No full textThis thesis ends with the municipal elections of 1920 in Davenport, Iowa. Amid the First Red Scare, the Socialist Party was swept into power. The party won under inauspicious national conditions thanks in part to a successful campaign on local concerns; the party had something to say. An examination of the years prior to the election, however, reveals that other factors contributed to political unalignment for the city’s large German descended population. Frustrated with Republican and Democratic parties that seemed to have no place for them, these voters had something to say as well. Ultimately the opportunity that this unalignment granted the Socialists was squandered, but the preceding process of German-Americans abandoning or being abandoned by the dominant political parties are revealing. Where previous analyses of the 1920 election have recognized the role that wartime nativism played in its outcome, this work expands the scope to include pre-war nativism and the complex local and state history of prohibition. The argument of this work is that the 1920 election results were more a reaction to nativism and Iowa’s long conflict over prohibition than they were from an admittedly positive response to a campaign focused on local economic concerns
Investigating the Associations of Cognitive Health, Health Behaviors, and Personality in Older Community-Dwelling Adults
Get PDFCognitive decline poses a significant public health challenge, with profound implications for aging populations. This dissertation investigates the associations between health behaviors, leisure activities, personality traits, and cognitive function in older U.S. adults, using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Consumption and Activities Mail Survey (CAMS). This work comprises three studies that explore both cross-sectional and longitudinal perspectives on cognitive aging.
Study 1 examines the complex interactions between personality traits, education, health behaviors, and cognitive function. The study is divided into two parts: Study 1a explores the role of health behaviors—smoking, alcohol use, and physical activity—as mediators in the relationship between personality and cognitive function. Findings reveal that higher conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness are positively associated with cognitive function, with significant indirect effects through education and health behaviors. Study 1b investigates the role of leisure activity participation in cognitive function, identifying five distinct activity profiles ranging from low to high engagement. Results indicate that individuals in high-activity profiles exhibit better cognitive function, with education serving as a primary mediator in fostering cognitive resilience. Personality traits such as conscientiousness and openness further support cognitive health by promoting education and engagement in intellectually stimulating activities.
Study 2 applies growth curve modeling to examine the long-term effects of health behavior combinations on cognitive decline. Findings indicate that individuals engaging in all three positive behaviors—nonsmoking, moderate drinking, and regular physical activity—exhibit the highest baseline cognitive scores and the slowest decline over time. Gender and racial/ethnic disparities are evident, with non-Hispanic Whites displaying the highest cognitive scores and engagement in moderate drinking, while non-Hispanic Blacks show the lowest cognitive scores and highest rates of physical inactivity. The results highlight the cumulative impact of health behaviors and emphasize the need for targeted public health interventions to mitigate cognitive decline across diverse demographic groups.
Study 3 employs sequence analysis and optimal matching techniques to explore longitudinal leisure activity patterns and their associations with cognitive function. Five distinct leisure activity trajectories are identified, with participants in the All Activities cluster demonstrating the highest cognitive scores, while those in Gradual Cessation of Activities or Household-Only Activities experience significant cognitive decline. Personality traits influence engagement in leisure activities, with conscientiousness and openness promoting sustained participation. Moreover, leisure activity patterns serve as mediators in the relationship between personality and cognitive function, underscoring the importance of maintaining diverse and consistent engagement in later life.
By examining the interplay between personality, health behaviors, and leisure engagement, this dissertation contributes to the understanding of cognitive aging and highlights potential intervention strategies. Findings underscore the need for personalized approaches that promote education, encourage health-positive behaviors, and facilitate sustained leisure engagement to support cognitive health among older adults
Amplifying the Voices of Immigrants: Nonprofits’ Advocacy and Mobilization of African Immigrants for Political Participation in the United States
No full textDespite significant research on immigrant political behavior, African immigrants’ political engagement remains underexamined, particularly with respect to how nonprofit organizations might influence this behavior. This dissertation fills that gap by investigating the political participation of African immigrants in the U.S., focusing on the role of immigrant-serving nonprofits in policy advocacy and political mobilization. The study uses a mixed methods approach consisting of surveys of African immigrants (N = 127) and interviews with nonprofit leaders (N = 33) in Worcester, Massachusetts. The study examines three types of nonprofits– human services, religious groups, and community groups – to determine their impact on African immigrants’ political engagement. Findings indicate that African immigrants participate in electoral and non-electoral activities. However, broader participation is limited by individual and systemic barriers, including discrimination, economic challenges, immigration status, and time constraints. Immigrant-serving nonprofits primarily focus on service provision, with advocacy as a secondary function to improve resource access rather than direct policy change. The study introduces the concept of “nonprofit connectedness” to examine how nonprofit engagement influences immigrant political participation. Findings reveal that immigrants’ connections with religious groups and human services nonprofits positively impact non-electoral and overall political activities but do not independently influence electoral participation. This study deepens our understanding of African immigrants’ political behavior and nonprofit advocacy. It offers practical insights for strengthening immigrant political engagement and refining nonprofit mobilization strategies in the U.S
MICROPLASTIC PRODUCTION AND TOXICITY OF MARINE ROPES ON NANTUCKET ISLAND, MASSACHUSETTS
Get PDFMarine environments have been affected greatly over the last 50 years by anthropogenic marine waste, particularly plastic. Plastic waste in the oceans comes from many sectors, such as textiles, shipping, and the fishing industry. As plastic litter degrades, it produces microplastics, including five major forms: foam, films, fragments, beads, and fibers. Fibers are the most prevalent microplastic type and are often formed from marine ropes, which are frequently discarded or lost at sea. These ropes contribute to entanglement, ingestion hazards, and microplastic pollution. While the shedding of microplastic fibers from ropes during active use has been studied, much less is known about fiber production from stationary or beached ropes. Additionally, the toxicity of microplastics and their environmental impacts are growing concerns. In this study, I investigated fiber production and associated toxicity from four commonly used marine ropes in a six-month passive sand environment on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. Monthly sand samples were analyzed for microplastic fiber content, while rope subsamples were evaluated at months 0, 3, and 6 for toxicity using Vibrio fischeri bacteria bioassays. Polyester rope produced the highest number of fibers and caused the strongest and most prolonged inhibition of bacterial luminescence throughout the study. In contrast, polypropylene rope produced the fewest fibers and showed minimal toxicity, including stimulatory effects on bacterial luminescence, suggesting it may pose a lower environmental risk among the ropes tested
OF CORDIAL LADIES AND INDEPENDENT WOMEN: AN ANALYSIS OF THE CERAMIC ASSEMBLAGE OF THE 19TH CENTURY COOPER-FROST-AUSTIN HOUSE
Get PDFThis thesis explores the transformation of Susan Austin’s (1807-1885) household in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from a private family home into a boardinghouse, challenging traditional distinctions between domestic and economic spaces. Using feminist and queer theoretical frameworks, it examines how Austin’s decisions blurred public and private boundaries, creating an intimate boardinghouse. Through ceramic analysis of two occupational phases and a documentary examination of the household members over time, this study identifies shifts in material culture that reflect changing household practices, social relationships, and status negotiation. Austin intentionally created an environment where commercial spaces took on a domestic appearance, integrating elements of familiarity with the functional demands of a boardinghouse. This strategy is evident in a ceramic assemblage that is more diverse in porcelain and utilitarian vessels than in the earlier period dominated by her parents, particularly her mother, Martha Austin. By selectively using ceramics known to her to reinforce domesticity while also adopting newer styles to maintain social relevance, Austin asserted her autonomy over shifting household dynamics. In doing so, she not only blurred the boundaries between familial and commercial spaces but also challenged the idealized bourgeois notion of the private home as a retreat. The findings highlight the complex interplay between tradition and adaptation in Austin’s material world, revealing how ceramics functioned as tools for both respectability and practicality. Ultimately, this study illustrates the entanglement of gender, labor, and social adaptation in nineteenth-century boardinghouses, offering new insights into the ways material culture negotiated shifting household structures
GENDER, SOCIOECONOMIC MARGINALIZATION AND GRASSROOT ORGANIZING IN KENYAN FISHERIES
No full textWomen are critical to fisheries economies and communities. While men tend to play the role of the main catchers of fish, women provide most of the post-harvest labor in roles such as traders/sellers and processors. Despite women’s key roles in small-scale fisheries, such as in advancing sustainable fisheries practices globally and in Kenya, they experience a host of gendered challenges including inequalities, underrepresentation in decision-making, low wages, insufficient recognition for their contributions, and gender-related violence. Furthermore, women’s situations often become more precarious when fish catches are low. These issues spark global debates around possibilities of reducing gendered-related inequalities in fisheries and fishing communities. Greater gender equality is needed for women in fisheries, including narrowing gender gaps in fisheries, and increased pay and income to ensure sustainable fisheries economies and livelihoods.
Using access theory and radical utu, a gendered indigenous approach that centered women’s equality in ‘personhood’, I comparatively examine whether, how, and why women have been socioeconomically marginalized in the Kenyan Coastal and Lake Victoria fisheries. Despite women being recognized as important contributors to fisheries economies and communities, they remain socioeconomically marginalized through a set of specific factors, including gender and cultural norms, and barriers to women’s access to fish and fishing resources, land ownership, and money. Through a national multilayered case study, this research draws on fieldwork conducted in 2022 and 2023. This field research builds on the author’s 12 years of experience researching and working on fisheries and aquaculture issues and communities in Kenya (and elsewhere). I conducted a total of 212 semi-structured interviews, surveys, focus group discussions, participant observation, and government and NGO reports to examine the complex lived experiences of women and listen to those voices most researchers and policymakers would otherwise not be able to hear. This research adds to our understanding of the politics of fish and the gendered power dynamics that shape access to resources for women and girls. It explores the way underexplored influences such as gender and social cultural norms, legal and illegal mechanisms of restriction, social relationships and (in)formal arrangements, and grassroots organizing, shape how women access fisheries resources at the local and national levels. This research challenges the invisibility that persists in scholarship about women and gender in various spaces and processes. It also centers women’s empowerment, agency, and resistance to oppressive social, economic, and gendered inequalities
A Qualitative Meta-Analysis of the Experiences of Clients in Psychotherapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An Empirically Based Process-Oriented Staged Model
Get PDFPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent and can be highly complex. Guidance for the treatment of PTSD has typically been based on quantitative meta-analyses of randomized controlled trial findings and has focused on the comparative efficacy of specific treatments, rather than how to deliver treatment. There is a need for clinical guidance that highlights moment-to-moment, in-session psychotherapy processes for psychotherapists working with clients with PTSD. In the current study, I conducted a qualitative meta-analysis, focusing on the qualitative literature investigating clients’ perspectives in order to develop an understanding of the preferences, values, and experiences of clients in individual psychotherapy for PTSD. Thirty-nine studies were included in the meta-analysis. I used critical-constructivist grounded theory to build a hierarchy to represent patterns across included articles’ findings to understand PTSD psychotherapy processes and outcomes. I then conducted a hermeneutic analysis of the hierarchy to generate process-based principles for practice. Results included one core category, six clusters, 15 categories, and 15 principles for practice. Findings indicated that clients progressed through a developmental process of first establishing relational security as well as collaborative treatment. They then gained a sense of groundedness, also learning to turn toward and transform trauma-related reactions. Their expanded capacities facilitated their deep emotional experiencing and meaning reconstruction. This progression represents a staged model encapsulating clients’ central process of developing their agency upon a foundation of therapeutic safety to liberate themselves from trauma and related pain. I discuss the implications of this staged model for practice, training, and research