9319 research outputs found
Sort by
Navigating Peril: The Impact of Modern-Day Somali Piracy on Global Shipping Industries
No full textThis thesis addresses the issue of modern-day Somali piracy and the impacts it has had on the global shipping industry. As a persisting problem in the 21st century, piracy has had dramatic effects on the global economy, with billions of dollars being spent in reaction to the crisis. Piracy has become a resurging problem in recent years, and it is essential to understand the logistical and financial implications of piracy in the past so that the problem does not persist.
Piracy in Somalia, is ultimately a result of state failure, demonstrated by the lack of government effectiveness and scarce employment opportunities for the youths. Because of this, piracy has thrived in the Horn of Africa, causing many problems for vessels travelling through the Suez Canal. In response, the shipping companies have opted for the Cape of Good Hope route, also proving many disadvantages.
Many international responses have been taken to suppress piracy, but the root cause lies in Somalia’s failure. To fully eradicate piracy in Somalia, the international community must focus on long-term enhancements to give citizens more employment opportunities and improve the nation as a whole
Traditions and Transitions: Intergenerational Family Relationships and Gender Roles in Appalachian Families
No full textFor hundreds of years the people of the Appalachian Mountains have come under scrutiny for their “backwards” and “outdated” customs. Often seen as inferior by the wider world, much nuance of Appalachian culture is overlooked and reduced to harmful stereotypes. Terms such as “hillbilly” or “redneck” serve to single out and label the people of Appalachia as “other.” Recent scholarship has taken to try and work around such stereotypes yet often fails to observe Appalachia through the eyes of its people, not generalized statistics. The practice of conducting and collecting Oral History serves to situate a select group of people’s voices into the broader historical network; in this study, eleven members of the same Appalachian family sat down to answer a series of questions pertaining to three vital categories: Kinship Ties, Economic Status, and Gender Roles. Each participant was asked these questions to address the overall research questions, “How has the customs surrounding the family unit in Appalachia evolved from the mid 20th into the 21st century?” As a result, this study shows that yes, Appalachian family dynamics and customs have largely remained similar to that of the past, but it also shows the subtle change and influence that outside forces have had on the region throughout the years
Pedagogical Ingredients that Support the Professional Identity Development of a Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy
No full textOutcomes and professional characteristics of doctorate level occupational therapy graduates have been examined, yet there has been limited study of professional identity development. This paper highlights outcomes emerging from secondary analysis of data gathered in a qualitative study on the professional identity development of post-professional occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) students. Participants included 16 graduates of a post-professional OTD program. Transcripts from focus groups and final reflection papers were analyzed. Findings revealed a key theme of “Pedagogical Ingredients” that supported the development of professional identity and leadership capacities among Doctors of Occupational Therapy, and the following sub-themes: 1) Mentorship, 2) “Stepping outside of my comfort zone”, 3) “Context is everything”, 4) Extended time in context, and 5) Choice and customization: “Making my own way”. The findings provide a deeper understanding of the pedagogical approaches perceived by graduates to support their professional identity development and leadership capacities. Further study is needed to examine doctorate level pedagogy and respective outcomes
Belonging and the Lived Experiences of Underrepresented Occupational Therapy Students
No full textBelonging has been explored in research in higher education with a focus on student engagement or performance and the impact of psychological aspects on individuals\u27 learning. Few studies focused on underrepresented occupational therapy students’ belonging. Our research aimed to explore the lived experience of occupational therapy students regarding belonging at university. This phenomenological study was conducted with six occupational therapy students from the United Kingdom who volunteered to participate in semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was carried out through Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA). Three themes were constructed: Theme 1: Representation and belonging - “I was the only non-white person in the room”; Theme 2: Navigating between being and doing - “we\u27ve done a lot of talking, what are we going to do?”, and Theme 3: Societal and Institutional Oppression - “Are they even aware?”. The sense of belonging appeared to fluctuate according to individuals, places, and cultures. Our analysis suggests considerations for further occupational therapy education regarding effective strategies to enable belonging, as well as inclusive practices in higher education
Temporal Occupational Patterns Amidst COVID-19: A Comparative Analysis of Occupational Therapy Graduate Students’ Self-reports
No full textThis study employed a qualitatively-driven mixed method approach to exploring temporal occupational patterns among occupational therapy graduate students in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collected from cohorts in 2021 and 2022 were contrasted with those previously reported for 2019 and 2020, highlighting how these patterns evolved over time. Notable changes in time use were identified between the 2021 and 2022 cohorts. In 2022, students reported increased time spent in class and in driving/community mobility, while their time dedicated to physical activity, health maintenance, and family interactions declined. The analysis revealed the complexity of students\u27 time use due to multi-tasking or interruptions and a dissonance between desired and actual time use, similar to that reported for 2019 and 2020. Differences were noted in how occupations were categorized as \u27main\u27 and \u27hidden\u27, indicating shifts in student priorities and roles. The study provides valuable insights into the impacts of the pandemic on the lived experiences of occupational therapy students and illustrates how their perceptions of time use evolved over this period. Implications for occupational therapy education are discussed. This article highlights the fundamental role of time management, occupational balance, and technology use in student well-being, especially during crises. The researchers advocate for a broader focus in occupational therapy education, including leisure, social participation, and technology proficiency, to enhance student well-being and future performance
Predictors of NBCOT Examination Pass Rates: The Role of GPA, GRE, and OTKE Scores in Occupational Therapy Education
No full textGiven the critical role of National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification in occupational therapy (OT) practice, this study examined predictors of NBCOT examination success to inform program improvement. Analyzing data from 59 Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) graduates at a single institution over the course of three years (2020–2022), a retrospective design with logistic regression assessed undergraduate grade point average (GPA), prerequisite GPA, within-program GPA, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, and pre- and post- Occupational Therapy Knowledge Examination (OTKE) scores as predictors of first-attempt NBCOT pass rates. Of 58 students with reported outcomes, 56% passed on the first attempt. OTKE pretest (OR=1.105, p=0.032) and posttest (OR=1.189, p=0.027) scores significantly predicted success, with each one-point increase raising pass odds by 10.5% and 18.9%, respectively. A typical female student with mean scores had a 62.2% pass probability, while maximum scores yielded 99.4%. GRE scores and GPAs showed no significant association. Despite a 100% aggregate pass rate, first-attempt rates declined from 81% (2020) to 38% (2022), possibly due to COVID-19 disruptions. These findings highlight the OTKE’s value in NBCOT preparation and question the GRE’s utility in admissions. Future research should investigate admission processes, test preparation strategies, qualitative admissions factors, and how OTKE integration can advance OT education by enhancing curricula and student readiness
Identifying, Organizing, and Prioritizing Ideas on How to Support the Entangled Relation between Theory and Practice in Occupational Therapy Education: A Group Concept Mapping Study
Full text linkTransfer of learning from an academic setting to clinical practice and vice versa represents a challenge. The aim of this study was therefore to identify, organize, and prioritize ideas on how to support the entangled relation between theory and practice in occupational therapy (OT) education. To gain broad perspectives on the topic, Group Concept Mapping (GCM) was applied among OT students, lecturers, and fieldwork educators. GCM included six phases: Preparing (formulating a focus prompt), Generating ideas (brainstorming based on focus prompt: “To support the relation between theoretical and practical elements in the OT program there is a need for...”), Structuring statements (sorting and rating importance), Analyses (multidimensional scaling analysis and cluster analysis), Interpreting the map (validation meeting), and Utilization (developing a conceptual model). A total of 39 participants generated 123 unique ideas. Next, 30 participants sorted and rated the ideas, resulting in a cluster rating map. At a validation meeting the cluster rating map was discussed and adjusted. The results revealed seven clusters (i.e. themes) with included statements: 1. Collaborative knowledge exchange (n=17), 2. Experience-oriented teaching (n=17), 3. Theory-practice integration in learning (n=20), 4. Integrating clinical practice in education (n=25), 5. Collaboration on the joint task (n=12), 6. Professional development for fieldwork educators (n=17), and 7. Conditions at the fieldwork placement (n= 15). The themes provided the basis for developing a conceptual model on how to support the entangled relation between theory and practice in OT education. The model is useful during the process of planning and developing OT education
Counting the Cost of Training Up Children within a Large Christian Fundamentalist Family
No full textFor four episodes of the TLC reality TV show 17 Kids and Counting a behavioral coding scheme was devised and applied. Behavioral data for the four oldest Duggar children (2 male, 2 female) was collected and analyzed, in order to explore themes of Christian fundamentalist parenting within this sample. Parenting practices were postulated to have biblical roots- such as parenting goals of obedience and faith-keeping, and common parenting practices of corporal punishment, enforcement of traditional gender roles and isolation. In addition to coding child behavior during these four episodes, the current whereabouts and functioning of the four children (now adults) were noted during this case study and also used to consider the outcomes of this kind of parenting style. The hypothesis is that children growing up within this kind of subculture may experience negative later life outcomes. The findings of this study were that parenting was primarily concerned with religion and obedience to authority, and that there were gendered differences in parenting practices/opportunities for child behavior, as well as a lack of time spent with parents alone or spent doing educational endeavors. The outcomes for adult children seemed to relate to whether they remained within the parental faith. For children who did not keep their childhood faith, there were fewer negative outcomes noted. However, struggles were noted for all four children studied as they entered adulthood
The Dark Triad and Digital Politics: Personality, Behavior, and Parasocial Bonds in the U.S 2024 Election
No full textIn a time when online interactions are so ubiquitous and frequent, understanding the dynamics between individuals engaging in online discourse, through their personality traits and parasocial relationships, has become increasingly important. While research has been conducted on these constructs separately, little is known about how they interact. This study aims to determine the effects of Dark Triad personality traits (psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism) on online behaviors and parasocial relationships with U.S presidential candidates in the 2024 election. With an expected total of 425 participants, the sample will be recruited from the undergraduate participant pool at Eastern Kentucky University and Prolific. All participants will complete questionnaires about perceived severity of abuse and victim blaming, political parasocial relationships, Dark Triad traits, self-control, and political extremism. It is hypothesized that individuals scoring high in Dark Triad traits, who regularly engage in politics, will demonstrate more political extremism and resulting parasocial relationships. It is also predicted that psychopathy and machiavellianism will be more predictive of engaging in negative online behaviors, and that self-control will moderate the associations between Dark Triad traits and negative online behaviors
Investigating the bioactive properties of the genus Lygodium through phytochemical composition analysis
No full textMany of the secondary metabolites produced by plants serve as a chemical defense mechanism against herbivory, some of which have been utilized by humans for medicine (Kusari et al., 2014, Facchini and De Luca, 2008). While many phytochemicals have been identified in angiosperms, other major land plant lineages have received less attention despite their taxonomic diversity and putative utility. For instance, some species of monilophyte (ferns), are used medicinally by indigenous cultures to treat various ailments (Wong et al., 2018). Of focus in this manuscript is the genus, Lygodium (Sw.) which is comprised of climbing ferns exhibiting worldwide distribution. Previous studies on Lygodium venustum and Lygodium flexuosum indicate medicinal usage in Mesoamerica and India (Morais-Braga et al., 2012, Achari et al., 1986). We investigated the bioactive compounds in two North American species, Lygodium palmatum and Lygodium japonicum. Metabolites were identified using acetonitrile and hydrochloric acid extracts from fresh and herbarium tissue samples, analyzed through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Our results identified the presence of two flavonoids; quercetin and kaempferol in L. palmatum, and the absence of kaempferol in the herbarium samples of L. japonicum. We found that kaempferol production can vary significantly among individuals from different populations, which may be correlated with the biosynthesis of phenylalanine as a result of differing environmental stressors (Kumari et al., 2023). Future work will include other Lygodium species, such as L. microphyllum and L. venustum, with the goal of constructing a chemical phylogeny to better understand the evolution of secondary metabolism in the genus