Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute
Rutgers University Community RepositoryNot a member yet
58345 research outputs found
Sort by
Effects of childhood maltreatment on adult threat processing
No full textChildhood maltreatment (CM) is a major risk factor for developing psychopathology. It has been suggested that hyperactivity during threat-processing acts as a mechanism linking CM to later psychopathology, particularly transdiagnostic symptoms of anxiety. However, few studies have directly tested the relationship between CM, neurophysiological signatures of threat processing, and symptoms of anxiety. One barrier to progress in the field is the lack of understanding of human threat processing across the threat imminence continuum. Thus, work presented in this thesis aimed to first expand our knowledge of neural circuits involved in threat imminence processing, and then assess the relationship between CM and anxiety using the newly identified neural correlates. To do so, the Risk-Reward Interaction task was adapted for humans and allowed an investigation of two threat processes: responses to distal (low imminence) and proximal (high imminence) threat cues. Using this task, the first study utilized electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate the temporal and oscillatory responses to threats. This revealed two putative biomarkers of threat processing, namely right posterior theta for proximal threats and midline parietal gamma for distal threats. The second study utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging to localize the neural circuitry. Consistent with the literature, proximal threats engaged stronger midcingulate cortex, thalamus, and periaqueductal gray activity. Moreover, activity that covaried with anxiety severity involved brain regions related to self-referential spatial processing in response to all cues in the task. The final study investigated whether CM was related to symptoms of anxiety through alterations in the EEG biomarkers identified in the first study. I demonstrated that midline parietal gamma fully mediated the relationship between CM and anxiety, and that this mechanism is specific to CM individuals. These findings suggest that midline parietal gamma reflects hyper-awareness of threats in a spatial environment and provides a neural mechanism through which anxiety may develop in CM individuals. Therefore, midline parietal gamma has the potential to be used clinically to identify at risk individuals and improve clinical endpoints. Overall, this thesis expanded on existing research about threat-imminence related processing in humans and revealed novel neural markers of anxiety vulnerability associated with CM.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical reference
A way out of no way: the labor and activism of Black Queer women and transgender people in Newark, New Jersey, 1970s - present
No full text“A Way Out of No Way” sheds new light on Newark, New Jersey’s history by tracing the labor and activism of Black queer women and trans people in the city from the 1970s to the present. LGBTQ+ Newarkers have a long tradition of activist organizing, entrepreneurship, and spiritual labor that has been fueled by creativity, collaboration, and traditions of racial and gender affirmation. Using oral histories from the Queer Newark Oral History Project (QNOHP) along with a variety of sources including visual materials, local newspapers, magazines, and newsletters, this dissertation foregrounds the importance of community established bars and clubs, parties, churches, publications, and local businesses as critical sites of labor and activism. My work draws from the fields of African American history, labor history, urban history, LGBTQ+ history, queer theory, trans studies, and public history to bring attention to the queer and trans history of a majority Black postindustrial northern city that remains understudied. Looking at Newark reveals how, over time and in different ways, Black queer and trans people collectively forged spheres of labor and community amid structural inequality and larger oppressive economic forces and policies. “A Way Out of No Way” is also attentive to the distinctive shape and dynamics of poor and working-class Black queer urban life. Newark’s LGBTQ+ history is unique in that the city’s LGBTQ+ organizations have been predominantly founded, staffed, and led by Black queer women and trans women. In contrast to many national gay and lesbian organizations that were mostly male-dominated in the crucial 1970s-to-2000s period. Newark’s LGBTQ+ history also differs in that Black trans people, especially Black trans women and drag performers, have been integral to erecting spaces and establishing resources for queer and trans community care. In tracing this history, I argue that that through their labor and grassroots organizing, poor and working-class Black queer women and transgender people in Newark have carved out spaces where they aided their own and each other’s economic survival, shaped and reshaped the urban landscape of Newark, influenced U.S. and international culture in terms of fashion, music, and queer theory, expanded ideas around Black queer women and trans personhood, rejected heteronormative patriarchal Black respectability, and advanced LGBTQ+ rights locally, state-wide, and nationally.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical reference
The charter school movement in New Jersey: a case study of dynamic change in public education
No full textThis qualitative case study examined the development of the charter school movement in New Jersey, documenting its historical trajectory and the growing relevance of charter schools as a viable option in public education, particularly in urban school districts, from 1990 -2022. The study used Ganz’s (2010, 2011) social movement theory to examine the processes anchoring the emergence and sustainability of charter schools and the trajectory of charter schools in spearheading dynamic change in public education in New Jersey. Spanning from the theoretical perspective that social movements impact social policy directly (Ishakanian, 2022), the study embedded elements of policy research to better understand the relationship of social policy and social movement theory in the factors, policies, political dynamics, actors, and actions that created opportunities for charter schools to emerge and grow in New Jersey. Accordingly, I emphasized the actions of individuals and coalitions that joined to transform the ways in which public education was organized and delivered in some of the most challenged communities in the state. The study used the specific trajectories of the cities of Camden and Newark in developing a robust charter sector that serves some of the most vulnerable students in the state. I derived primary data from two main sources: document review and interviews. This dissertation represents the first case study of the charter school movement documenting New Jersey’s trajectory in advocating and legislating for policy action—resulting in significant change in organizing and delivering public education across the state. Understanding historical trajectories, organizing approaches, and policy impacts was fundamental to broadening discourse on how to best position and establish alternatives for improving K–12 education in urban communities. This study contributed to social movement theory by providing a greater understanding of how and to what extent the charter school movement in New Jersey promoted charter schools as a viable and credible component in public education systems. This study is an important contribution to the fields of social movement and social policy, as it advances understanding of how a combined perspective of these frameworks can enhance social and policy change.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical referencesIncludes vit
Complexity and perspective taking: young adult literature 2000–2020 and social justice
No full textBook banning in public schools and libraries is on the rise across the country, and extremist anti-democratic ideologies have become more pervasive in American culture over the past ten years, working to dismantle inclusive, participatory democracy. This dissertation seeks to examine how young adult literature published between 2000 and 2020 provide diverse representations of individuals and groups historically excluded from dominant American culture and narratives, and how these books can contribute to the larger project of social justice through their inclusion in classrooms. This qualitative study first analyzes the content of young adult books and trends broadly through several critical lenses, including settler colonialism; racial capitalism; feminist, queer, and crip theories; and how resistant readings of these texts can help surface issues of systemic oppression and injustice. Then, a survey of sixteen high school English teachers from across the continental United States who use student-selected diverse books for student independent reading was analyzed through simple percentages and constructivist grounded theory. The questions, adapted from existing social justice scale tools, allowed for an examination of the results through teachers’ perceptions of student reactions associated with social justice mindsets. The data supported teacher observations that self-selecting diverse books increased students’ beliefs associated with social justice. This research demonstrates the value of both access to diverse texts through independent reading and also offers direction for meaningful professional development for educators to show students how to read about other cultures ethically, to expand student awareness of social justice, and increase the likelihood of students becoming active participants in an inclusive democracy for all.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical reference
Strengthening the third pillar of Rutgers University: exploring practical institutional self-assessment and data collection practices in support of a public service mission
No full textThis dissertation intends to inform self-assessment and data collection practices within Rutgers University and act upon the encouragement of university leadership to advance the potential of the public service mission. These goals are accomplished by exploring relevant questions to inform the practices of institutional research (IR) and institutional effectiveness (IE) professionals. These questions include ●What IR and IE pursuits would have the most significant impact on supporting the long-term growth and success of Rutgers’ public service initiatives? ●What data and measures can be utilized for tracking institutional performance and stakeholder activities vis-à-vis Rutgers’ public service mission? Several additional supporting questions provide further areas of exploration (see Appendix B). Using a qualitative design, this research combines interview feedback from within and outside of Rutgers University, as well as evidence and data from publicly available research, publications, and secondary sources. Ultimately, this evidence informs the design of a dissertation writeup that conforms to a problem of practice dissertation standard and addresses challenges within a particular professional context with practical practice and policy proposals. This research asserts that if we evolve an IR culture, we can better understand ourselves as an ongoing supporter of public service and community engagement. IR offices can also explore what data, measures, and assessments can be employed for tracking institutional performance and stakeholder activities vis-à-vis a public service mission. This dissertation also offers several larger practice and policy recommendations, including connecting equity and social mobility ideals to its public service mission, evolving the university’s bureaucratic structures to support public and community engagement, and developing a university-wide expectation that every school and unit identifies how they engage with the public.Ed.D.Includes bibliographical reference
The implementation of elementary professional learning communities: a mixed methods study
No full textTwenty-first century teachers need to be adaptable and open to change in order to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. As such, professional development that supports teachers’ continuous growth is vital. One of the most promising forms of professional development that provides teachers with ongoing opportunities for collaboration and critical reflection are professional learning communities (PLCs) (Dufour, 2014; Owen, 2015; Tam, 2015; Vescio et al., 2008; Wells & Feun, 2013). While there is evidence of the potential of PLCs to improve the quality of instruction in schools, the favorable outcomes of PLCs are dependent on their implementation. This mixed methods study examined PLC implementation in one New Jersey school district to inform how it might be improved. This study also aimed to learn about stakeholders’ perceptions of PLC practices and to compare these perceptions with DuFour et al.’s (2010) critical attributes of effective PLCs. By merging quantitative survey data with qualitative interview data, two cases were selected and compared to gain an understanding of the factors mediating PLC implementation.
Data analysis revealed two themes: 1.) principal leadership is crucial to developing effective PLCs and includes providing supportive structures for collaboration and granting teachers the autonomy to direct their PLCs, 2.) PLC teams need to establish collaborative cultures through structured accountability, trusting relationships and engagement in collective inquiry. The implications of these findings for the school district include supporting principals in leading PLCs through ongoing professional development, developing a repository of PLC materials in the district to support teachers in developing collaborative PLCs, encouraging teacher leadership and principal-teacher collaboration through formal structures and yearly evaluation of district PLCs. Implications of these findings are also considered for principal preparation in higher education. Keywords: professional learning communities, teacher leadership, distributed leadership; collaborationEd.D.Includes bibliographical reference
Implementing an early mobility (EM) protocol to prevent post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) in Patients admitted to the critical care unit (CCU)
No full textPurpose of Project: A large body of literature points to the prevalence of PICS and its negative impact on physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being after an ICU admission, with long-standing and detrimental effects to patients. Early mobility (EM) is recommended by the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) as a part of their ICU Liberation Bundle. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the impact of an EM protocol on Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS). Methods: An EM protocol was implemented in the CCU and PICS was measured in discharged patients with use of the Healthy Aging Brain Center Monitor Self-Report (HABCM S-R). Unit-specific metrics, including length of stay, number of ventilator days, number of physical therapy (PT) consults, and cost of sedation, were compared before and after the project implementation. Descriptive statistics were used.
Results: 30 patients were enrolled into the EM protocol. Five patients (average age 71.5 ± SD 16.4 years old) met criteria for follow up phone calls. The average score on the HABCM S-R was low. Unit Metrics showed the decrease in length of stay, number of ventilator days, and cost of sedation after the EM protocol was implemented. PT consults were increased after project implementation. No adverse events occurred.
Implications: This project highlighted that EM can be done safely with interdisciplinary efforts. Education could empower nursing as a key discipline to implementing EM and that education could improve the perception, confidence, and knowledge of nurses in using an EM protocol. Further research is needed on PICS prevention through an EM protocol.D.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference
Final DNP project manuscript
No full textPurpose of the Project: Reduce HIV transmission in Newark, New Jersey by addressing educational gaps of people living with HIV/AIDS. Develop process by which providers may better understand the specific educational needs of HIV patients seen at a community health center (“Clinic”).Methodology: Developed HIV needs survey with Clinic staff. Implemented survey via paper and electronic media over initial six-week period. Evaluated and summarized data collected to inform on suggested engagements moving forward.
Results: Six surveys (n = 6) were collected using paper surveys and experience management software Qualtrics ©. 83% of respondents identified as black, 50 % identified as gay/lesbian, 33% identified as bisexual, and 17% identified as heterosexual. The most common requested education was “What to expect in the year ahead” (66%). The mean number of requested education items was 2.66 per patient.
Implications for Practice: Clinical practice may be shaped to reflect the unique needs as identified by patients. This project created a mechanism by which a community clinic can gauge patient needs in real time. Staff may change assessed needs based on current trends. Data collected will allow the clinic to develop targeted programming appropriately and address the unique educational needs of the local population. Data can also be used to justify funding requests for such customized programming. The low burden of staff in survey completion means sustainability for this project after the project period has ended. Additionally, the goals set by this project are directly in line with current federal HIV/AIDS Strategy (The White House, 2021), supporting policy change at the local level.D.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference
Improving intravenous access: pairing procedure requirements to catheter size and location
No full textPurpose of Project: The aim of the project was to improve the quality of IV access for patients entering the OR via the Same Day Surgery (SDS) Unit scheduled for elective robotic procedures to decrease total peri-operative time and resource utilization, as well as increase patient satisfaction.
Methodology: Patients admitted into the SDS unit scheduled for elective robotic surgery. Inclusion criteria: patients between ages 18-65 and scheduled for an elective robotic procedure. Exclusion criteria: inpatients, current pregnancy, patients undergoing hemodialysis, and patients with mediport access.The study was a quality improvement project using convenience sampling and collecting data via chart review from 50 patients.
Results: Before implementation, 4 out of 50 (8%) received a 22g in the ac with 2 of the 4 (50%) not receiving a second IV. After implementation, 6 out of 50 (12%) received a 22g in the ac with all patients (100%) receiving a second IV.
Implications for Practice: Although the target population showed interest in implementing the practice change, a change agent likely would have increased adherence to protocol. Since a major EHR change affecting workflow was instituted during implementation, future studies regarding this practice change should be done at a less turbulent time. In addition, financial and workflow efficiency data can be investigated to further determine the benefits of standardizing 20g or higher IV for patients in the SDS unit scheduled for elective surgeryD.N.P.Includes bibliographical reference
Improving sexual orientation and gender identity data collection in the emergency department
No full textPurpose of the Project: This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to increase the collection of patient sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in the emergency department (ED) by implementing a nonverbal demographic intake form inclusive of SOGI questions. Additionally, the project aimed to increase the ED staff’s allyship when caring for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sex and gender minorities (LGBTQ+) through educational modules. Procedures: A pre-post design was used. The nonverbal intake form was implemented for 6 weeks. Patient SOGI documentation was collected a week before implementation and 6 weeks after. A Chi-square test of independence and a run chart were employed to evaluate the data. The staff participated in the Ally Identity Measure (AIM) survey before and after implementation. This survey used a 5-point Likert scale (scaled from strongly agree to strongly disagree). A higher score in the AIM survey indicates a higher level of LGBT allyship, with scores ranging from 19-95. A Mann-Whitney U test evaluated the survey scores. Staff demographics were also collected and analyzed using frequencies and percentages.
Results: There was a statistically significant association between nonverbal SOGI collection and SOGI documentation, χ2(6) = 17.20, p = .009. While the mean AIM scores increased from 67.11 to 69.62, the increase was not statistically significant (p = .289).
Implications for Practice: In the ED setting, patient SOGI data collection may increase when collected nonverbally through inclusive demographic intake forms. Online LGBT health educational modules may need to be augmented to increase ED staff allyship.
Keywords: emergency department, sexual orientation, gender identity, nonverbal data collection, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, LGBTQ+, allyshipD.N.P.Includes bibliographical referencesIncludes vit