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Exploring the Influence of Cultural Participation on the Subjective Well-Being of Victims of Crime in Mexico:
Get PDFThesis advisor: Margaret LombeThesis advisor: Oscar Alfonso Martínez MartínezThe influence of cultural participation (in this study, attendance, engagement, and consumption in cultural and artistic activities) on the subjective well-being of victims of crime has not been thoroughly studied. Considering the increasing incidence of crime in Mexico, for policymakers and practitioners, it is necessary to understand the strategies and adaptations that persons utilize in response to crime victimization and the effects of this on their subjective well-being. With data from the 2012 Self-reported Well-Being Survey (BIARE, n=10,654) and through a generalized structural equation modeling analysis, the main purpose of the dissertation is to understand whether cultural participation can moderate or mediate the effects of victimization on individuals’ subjective well-being. Results from the study show an overall positive influence of the cultural participation activities on the subjective well-being of victims of community and structural violence (but not of domestic violence), because, for those who reported higher levels of cultural participation, the probability of better subjective well-being was higher. This has implications for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners in the improvement of the general quality of life of crime victimsThesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Social Work.Discipline: Social Work
Slices of Surfaces in the Four-Sphere:
Get PDFThesis advisor: Joshua E. GreeneIn this dissertation, we discuss cross sectional slices of embedded surfaces in the four-sphere, and give various constructive and obstructive results, in particular focusing on cross sectional slices of unknotted surfaces. One case of note is that of doubly slice Montesinos links, for which we give a partial classification.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Mathematics
Measuring Teachers' Promotion of Sociocultural Integration in K-12 Schools in the United States: A Scale Development Using Rasch/Guttman Scenario Methodology
Get PDFThesis advisor: Larry H. LudlowIn 2019, as in previous years, White students outperformed African American, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Natives in a variety of K-12 outcomes (Darling-Hammond, 2007; de Brey et al., 2019; Jacob & Ludwig, 2008; National Education Association, 2015). The urgency of the opportunity/achievement gap is clear, as the current cohort of students under 5 years of age marks a turning point in student population demographics as the first in which 50 percent are part of a minority race or ethnic group (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). Sociocultural integration (SCI) is included in the frameworks of successful bilingual programs (Howard et al., 2007; Scanlan & López, 2014). SCI considers the dynamics of relationships with oneself and others as being built in the context of one’s racial/ethnic, cultural, and linguistic background (Brisk, 2006; Feinauer & Howard, 2014). Acceptance and appreciation of cultural difference is critical for teachers (Bennett, 2003) and a number of pedagogical frameworks center teachers’ role of cultural brokerage as a pathway to fostering positive student outcomes (Grant & Sleeter, 2006; Suárez-Orozco & Suárez-Orozco, 2001; Villegas & Lucas, 2002). In this dissertation, I defined sociocultural integration in a teacher-centered way, and explicitly incorporate teachers’ racial/ethnic identity development in the evolution of their actions to support SCI. Second, I operationalized this definition and built a scale for measuring SCI using innovative “lived experiences” scenario items according to the Rasch/Guttman Scenario scale development methodology (Ludlow et al., 2020). The SCI Scale for Teachers showed desirable psychometric properties and is well suited to increase use due to ease of interpretability.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation
Characterizing the role of Toxoplasma gondii FER1 in microneme transport and recycling:
Get PDFThesis advisor: Marc-Jan GubbelsToxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite capable of invading virtually any nucleated host cell. It is known clinically as the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, a disease that can have disastrous consequences for patients with an impaired immune system or for vertically infected fetuses. Currently available treatments for toxoplasmosis are lacking in long-term efficacy while none target the dormant stage formed by the parasite during infection. Toxoplasmosis results from unchecked completion of the lytic cycle. This cycle is driven by the calcium-dependent processes of host cell invasion and egress. Following a spike in cytoplasmic calcium, apically localized organelles, the micronemes and rhoptries, will secrete their contents and thereby facilitate these events. While much of the signaling pathway leading to microneme secretion is known, there are question marks surrounding microneme trafficking and membrane fusion. Mammalian Ferlins, C2-domain containing proteins, are well-known for facilitating trafficking and membrane fusion events in a calcium-dependent manner. Of the three Ferlin family proteins encoded by T. gondii, FER1 is studied in this thesis. Conditional FER1 overexpression induced premature egress due to an untriggered burst of microneme secretion. Additionally, live imaging micronemes in FER1 overexpressing parasites suggested an additional role for FER1 in trafficking of microneme organelles. Taken together, these data support a role for FER1 in microneme trafficking and the membrane fusion event driving their exocytosis, which are essential for egress, invasion and the successful completion of the lytic cycle.Thesis (MS) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Biology
Ellacuría’s Tripartite Salvation: A Historical-Soteriological Response to the Crisis of Neoliberalism
No full textThesis advisor: Andrew L. PrevotThis dissertation in the area of Christian Systematic Theology offers a critique of the political-economic, philosophical, and cultural framework of neoliberalism through the framework of Ignacio Ellacuría’s liberation theology. The project grounds itself in Ellacuría’s theological vision of historical soteriology, where one understands salvation as the persistence of Christ’s salvific act through history and in which all are called to participate through cooperative grace. It is through this theological lens, in conjunction with Ellacuría’s philosophical and political thought, that a full critique of neoliberalism’s various facets is accomplished. The project offers this critique through an analysis of neoliberalism’s false promises of prosperity, stability, and salvation from impoverishment. Chapter 1 offers a definition of neoliberalism as manifesting in three ways: a political-economic theory that manifested in the policies of the Reagan administration in the United States and the Thatcher Government in the United Kingdom, a philosophical high theory critiqued by thinkers in the Marxist and Foucauldian traditions, and a cultural framework that is open to theological critique. The chapter serves as a survey of significant figures of each facet of neoliberalism. Chapter 2 outlines the focal points of Ellacuría’s philosophical thought, most importantly his theory of historical reality. Using these philosophical tools, Ellacuría is put into dialogue with the philosophical critics of neoliberalism to show the philosophical claims implicit in neoliberal thought are untenable. Chapter 3 explores Ellacuría’s theology with a focus on historical soteriology and engagement with reality. The theory of historical soteriology then serves as a critical tool to examine neoliberalism’s underlying tenets that offer a false promise of salvation. Chapter 4 develops a political theology of dissent drawing from Ellacuría’s work in “Utopia and Propheticism in Latin America,” in which Ellacuría offers one of his strongest critiques of the civilization of capital. The political theology of dissent offers an alternative framework to the contemporary neoliberal conception of political economy, focusing on discernment and community. Finally, Chapter 5 synthesizes the Ellacurían Critique from Chapters 2-4 and puts it into conversation with other theological critics of neoliberalism. This dialogue shows the Ellacuría Critique to be a complimentary to other critics of neoliberalism while adding a unique Catholic liberationist voice to the conversation.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Theology
Examining the Comparative Measurement Value of Technology-Enhanced Items:
Get PDFThesis advisor: Michael RussellThe growth of computer-based testing over the last two decades has motivated the creation of innovative item formats. It is often argued that technology-enhanced items (TEIs) provide better measurement of test-takers’ knowledge, skills, and abilities by increasing the authenticity of tasks presented to test-takers (Sireci & Zenisky, 2006). Despite the popularity of TEIs in operational assessments, there remains little psychometric research on these innovative item formats. Claims regarding their potential to provide better measurement are seldomly explored. This dissertation adds to this limited body of research by developing theory and proposing a methodology to compare TEIs to traditional item formats.
This study investigated how to judge the comparative measurement value (CMV) of two drag-and-drop technology-enhanced formats (classification and rank-ordering) relative to stem-equivalent multiple-choice items. Items were administered to a sample of adults and results were calibrated using a 2-parameter logistic IRT model. Moreover, the utility of the TEIs was evaluated according to the TEI Utility Framework (Russell, 2016). Four indicators were identified as the most valuable characteristics to judge CMV and then combined into a hierarchical decision protocol. When applied, this protocol provides a CMV judgment and a recommendation of the preferred item format. Applying the protocol to the items revealed that most TEIs examined in this study showed decreased CMV, indicating that in a real-life scenario the multiple-choice format would be favored for most of these item pairs. Recommendations for the use of the CMV protocol and directions of future related research are discussed.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation
Exploring Students’ Motivation for Attending College: A Fundamental Needs Perspective
Get PDFThesis advisor: David MieleThis dissertation adopts a fundamental needs perspective to examine the associations between first-year students’ reasons for attending college and their well-being. It extends Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT; Ryan & Deci, 2017), by proposing that (a) meaning, safety, and status (in addition to autonomy, competence, and relatedness) are fundamental needs that students aim to satisfy in college, and (b) the salience of particular needs influences students’ goal-directed behavior and well-being. The first phase of the dissertation involved the development of three novel measures which were used in the second phase to explore different profiles of salient needs and their associations with college students’ experiences of need satisfaction, need conflict, and four outcome variables (GPA, intentions to persist toward graduation, psychological distress, and overall well-being).A latent profile analysis of the first wave of data (N= 512) identified three profiles based on students’ reasons for attending college: Weaker Reasons, Balanced Reasons, and Stronger Reasons. Subsequent analyses examined whether profile membership at Wave 1 predicted need satisfaction, need conflict, and the student outcomes at Wave 2 (n = 219). Results indicated that the Stronger Reasons profile was associated with higher levels of need satisfaction compared to the other two profiles, whereas the Balanced Reasons profile was associated with lower GPA and intentions to persist.
Next, structural equation models were estimated to examine the relations between need satisfaction, need conflict, and the four outcomes. Results indicated that need satisfaction was positively associated with intentions to persist and well-being, but negatively related to distress, whereas need conflict positively predicted distress. Contrary to expectations, need conflict and need satisfaction were not significantly associated.
Although additional research is needed to examine motivation profiles, findings from this dissertation study suggest that students attend college with different patterns of need-based motivations, and these profiles are related to important student outcomes. The dissertation also adds to the literature examining the association between need satisfaction and well-being, and suggests that need conflict is a construct worthy of additional inquiry.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology
Revising the Role of the Ventrolateral Periaqueductal Gray in the Fear Circuit:
Get PDFThesis advisor: Michael A. McDannaldThesis advisor: John P. ChristiansonThe ability to accurately evaluate and respond to threats is vital to survival. Disruptions in neural circuits of fear give rise to maladaptive threat responding, and have clinical implications in fear and anxiety disorders. To better inform therapeutic interventions, it is imperative that roles for regions classically associated with fear continue to be refined, and that novel nodes are incorporated into what is most certainly a larger fear circuit. In the canonical view, threat estimates are generated at the level of the amygdala and sent to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG), which organizes an appropriate behavioral response, most notably freezing. Despite a multitude of studies successfully linking the vlPAG and Pavlovian fear behavior, evidence of a direct neural correlate for fear expression in the vlPAG is lacking. By contrast, a role for the caudal substantia nigra (cSN) in fear, stands apart from its canonical associations with movement and reward processes. Although there is new interest in examining a role for the nigra in fear modulation, this is essentially an uncharted area of discovery. The goals of this dissertation are three-fold. First, to propose a role for vlPAG activity in threat estimation, a function previously restricted to the upstream amygdala. Second, to scrutinize vlPAG neural activity using a novel multi-cue Pavlovian procedure and identify the long-anticipated, direct neural correlate for fear expression. Third, to present causal evidence supporting the cSN as a potential node in a circuit that most certainly extends beyond regions canonically associated with fear.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Psychology
Long-term Effects of Parental Migration on Income: Evidence from Indonesia
Get PDFThesis advisor: Paul CichelloMigration is becoming increasingly common in the developing world. A growing body of literature seeks to address the effects of migration on the families of migrants; namely, the effects of migration on the children of migrants. This study uses the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) panel dataset to quantify the long-term impacts of experiencing parental migration as a child (aged 5 to 18) on the income of working Indonesian adults. To address the issue of endogenous migration, the out migration rate of an individual’s birth Kabupaten (Regency) is used as an instrumental variable. The results of this study indicate that the proposed instrumental variable strongly predicts an individual’s parental migration status. However, the wide standard errors on the coefficients of interests prohibit any conclusive remarks to be made on the effects of parental migration on future income. This study illustrates how extensive panel datasets, such as the IFLS, can facilitate analyses on the long-term effects of parental migration. The author recommends further research on the topic of parental migration be performed on other outcome variables such as education, measures of health, and subjective wellbeing.Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Departmental Honors.Discipline: Economics
Testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis for Emissions: What Can We Learn About the Pollution-Income Relationship and Pathways Toward Sustainable Development
Get PDFThesis advisor: Christopher MaxwellReducing carbon dioxide emissions and strengthening the economies of developing countries are among the most pressing issues within Sustainable Development. In order to enact effective policies to move toward Sustainable Development Goals, a deep understanding of the pollution-income relationship, and how it differs between developed and developing countries, is imperative. Using advanced panel data analysis techniques, and using the IPAT and EKC models, my results find that the relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and economic development differs for developed and developing countries. Additionally, my analysis uses carbon dioxide emissions, a global pollutant, to proxy environmental quality. My results, however, oppose those of existing literature which use local pollutants as the proxy. This may suggest that the utility gained from reducing local pollutants differs from the utility gained by reducing global pollutants. Further exploration of the differing pollution-income relationship for local and global pollutants serves as an area for future research.Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2021.Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Departmental Honors.Discipline: Economics