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16. Relationship among Sleep, Food Security Status, Financial Factors During the Early COVID-19 Experience
Get PDFBackground Many factors affect college students’ health and wellness, including sleep habits, nutrition and financial stress. The COVID-19 experience can be considered an unprecedented experience influencing these factors. Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship among length of sleep, food security status, financial factors and risk of negative health outcomes during the early COVID-19 experience. Method Network sampling was used to conduct a cross-sectional online survey of college students as part of a research course experience. A subset of items related to food security status, sleep changes, family financial support and employment were analyzed for this study. Result Of the 282 respondents, 19.4% reported decreased sleep time, 40.3% reported increased sleep. Prior to the pandemic, 24.5% reported getting at least 8 hours of sleep, this decreased to 17% during May 2020. Thirty-four percent met the criteria for being food insecure as measured by the six-item USFSSM, which is consistent with current literature. Independent sample t-tests showed no statistical differences in change in sleep hours when comparing family financial support to no support, eligibility for stimulus check or higher risk for negative outcomes with COVID-19. No clear relationship was found with food security status. When comparing sleep time, those lacking family financial support, and those with higher health risks, averaged less than six hours of sleep compared to almost seven hours for others. Conclusions Additional research further characterizing changes in college students’ financial needs, food security status, and wellness indicators is needed to determine effective intervention strategies
20. Analysis of Clapper Rail Habitat Suitability in Coastal Louisiana
Get PDFThe Clapper Rail is a marsh bird that nests in tidally influenced wetlands of coastal Louisiana, especially those with established emergent vegetation. These habitat characteristics have been used to develop a habitat suitability index (HSI) model for the rail. Based on preliminary data collected near Cocodrie, Louisiana in August 2019, however, we hypothesized this HSI model did not fully explain nesting habitat suitability for the Rail. Thus, we conducted meta-analyses of the 2019 data to evaluate the influence of other habitat variables on Clapper Rail nesting habitat suitability. These variables the distance from the water’s edge and the elevation at which the Clapper Rail is most likely to have a high rate of nest success. Results of our meta-analyses indicate percentage of edge habitat from tidally influenced water is a significant factor to Clapper Rail habitat. Percentage of emergent wetland vegetation may also be affected by the area’s elevation, according to species. Distichlis spicata had very little distribution, with observed plant growth occurring above sea level. Juncus roemerianus showed similar growth patterns, with \u3e10 plants observed below sea level. Spartina alterniflora is the most widely distributed of the three species, with plants observed at high levels across the elevation range. Future objectives of our research include gathering further Clapper Rail nest site locations and activity to confirm the possible adjustments to the habitat suitability model for Clapper Rails in Louisiana marshes
Exploring the Effect of Practice on Adverse Impact using a Measure of Cognitive Ability
Get PDFCognitive ability testing and cognitively loaded measures in employee selection have been utilized, developed, and improved upon for over a century; however, it is not without its faults. Two major problems facing cognitive ability tests are their tendency to produce adverse impact when used in selection systems and the costs associated with creating a well-constructed measure. This paper proposed that Automated Item Generation (AIG) may provide a solution to both of those problems. The first study focused on the construct validation of the Katyem Object Tracking Assessment (KOTA), a nonverbal AIG measure of fluid intelligence, that would allow test takers to practice as much as they want, comparing it to the emotionality portion of the HEXACO and to the short form of the Hagen progressive Matrices. After cleaning and removing careless responders from the sample of 458 participants, 89 remained, far below the 200-participant sample size needed to find a medium effect size. The data were analyzed using the Multitrait-multimethod matrix. Support for the hypotheses were not found. Afterward, the measure was used in a second study to determine if allowing participants to practice reduces adverse impact in a hypothetical employment situation. After cleaning and removing careless responders from the sample of 172 participants, 56 remained and were analyzed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA, Chi-squared goodness of fit test, Fisher\u27s Exact test, and the four-fifths rule. The hypotheses concerning group differences and practice effects were unsupported, however, the hypothesis for the KOTA not having adverse impact was supported. Directions for future research are also provided
Perceived Organizational Justice and Trust as Mediators Between Perceived Gender Discrimination and Organizational Outcomes
Get PDFMany people, especially women, have experienced gender discrimination in their work lives (e.g., Eagly & Diekman, 2005; Morrison et al., 1987). Gaining an understanding of how perception of gender discrimination is related to organizational outcomes is very important for organizations. In this study, I reviewed extant literatures on perceived gender discrimination, perceived organizational justice, perceived external organizational justice, trust in organization, trust in supervisor, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, turnover intention, and corporate social responsibility. I proposed and used structural equation modeling to test the models of the relationships among these constructs to understand how people’s perceived gender discrimination is related to turnover intention through the other constructs based on a sample of 880 U.S. participants. Results showed that employees’ perception of gender discrimination was related to turnover intention indirectly through distributive, procedural, and interactional perceived organizational justice, perceived interactional external organizational justice, trust in organization, trust in supervisor, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. I also studied how COVID-19 impacted people’s work and life. I discuss the implications, limitations, and directions for future study based on the findings of this study
An Examination of COVID-19 on Performance and Engagement Scores of Professional and Frontline Employees
Get PDFThe year 2020 has been a year of change and adaptation largely due to the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in the way we live and work have impacted us all to varying degrees. This paper explores the changes in the workplace of a food-and-beverage company to determine the impact on employees due to the pandemic. Specifically, this paper explores the impact of workplace changes on professional and frontline populations (as defined in the Method section) by examining their levels of engagement and performance. The role of age and gender is also examined in relation to engagement and performance. Results are mixed and are in the opposite direction of the hypotheses examining the role of population, gender, and time on engagement and performance scores. There is partial support for the research questions that explore the role of generation on engagement and performance scores. A discussion and implications of findings follows
Welcome to Neverland
Get PDFLauren Washington is a native to Ruston, Louisiana. She is studying English with a concentration in technical writing. She has always had a passion for reading and writing and hopes to one day work in the publishing industry
Drained
Get PDFSavannah Barker is a freshman from Shreveport, majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing. She has been writing poetry for about five years. She enjoys many forms of art such as painting, but Savannah’s biggest dream is to publish a poetry book someday
Asia Sunset
Get PDFTiffany Clinton is a sophomore, majoring in graphic design and minoring in studio art. Making art has always been a passion as well as a stress reliever for Tiffany. Her favorite mediums are acrylic paint and colored pencil
Fibro Frog
Get PDFKayla O’Neal is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in studio art with an emphasis in drawing and illustration at Louisiana Tech University. After completing her undergraduate degree, Kayla interned as a photographer through the Disney College Program. Her photographs have also been displayed in several galleries, including the LoosenArts Gallery based in Rome, Italy