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Maladaptive perfectionism and regulation of negative affect after failure: The influences of self-esteem and mindfulness
Get PDFThe aim of the present study was to investigate the use of emotion regulation strategies among adaptive and maladaptive perfectionists and determine if there are differences. It proposed a model that maladaptive perfectionists experience heightened negative affect in response to their perceived deficiencies, and that both self-esteem and mindfulness contribute to emotion regulation strategy choice. A sample of 336 participants, ages 18 and older, completed online self-report measures related to perfectionism, self-esteem, mindfulness, current affect, and emotion regulation strategy choice, along with a manipulated failure task. Results showed that after a perceived failure, maladaptive perfectionists had lower odds of choosing adaptive emotion regulation strategies than adaptive perfectionists did, and were more likely to use maladaptive strategies; and, conversely, adaptive perfectionists had lower odds of choosing maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, and were more likely to use adaptive ones. However, neither self-esteem, or mindfulness, contributed to this proposed model. This study demonstrates that after being confronted with failure, maladaptive perfectionists engage in emotion regulation strategies that are considered maladaptive as opposed to adaptive perfectionists, adding to the literature that supports a multidimensional view of perfectionism, and that some dimensions can be considered maladaptive
Analyzing the Nexus: Political Infrastructure and Communication Strategies in Shaping Public Response to London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone
No full textIn 2015, the United Kingdom, along with 195 other states, committed to reducing carbon emissions as outlined in the Paris Agreement. Now, well into the journey to- wards the 2030 deadline, London, like many cities, faces challenges in implementing sustainable transportation solutions to achieve carbon neutrality, and has specifically struggled with striking a balance between effective policy implementation and gaining community support, particularly evident in the August 2023 expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). This transdisciplinary qualitative case study examines how the policy communication strategy used by The Greater London Authority to promote the ULEZ has influenced the current relationship between policymakers and the impacted community in the Greater London area. The data was collected over a three-month period between September and November 2023 from participant observations on existing public modes of transport in London, inter- views with policy, electric vehicle and sustainability experts, a survey targeted to- wards uncovering Londoners’ perceptions of the ULEZ, public consultation and political polls, and archival research in the Transport for London (TfL) database. The primary finding of this study underscores the significance of a post-implementation communication strategy to sustain uptake and justify environmental policies, which may be as crucial, if not more so, than pre-implementation efforts aimed at public education. The shift from pre- to post-implementation is significant as it moves from speculative estimations to factual data that substantiates the actual benefits of the policy, which serves to bolster public support and ensure policy longevity. Furthermore, while public support may not be a prerequisite for an environmental policy to be initiated, it may be necessary to sustain the political infrastructure that the policy relies on. The significance and purpose of this research is to remind future policymakers of the importance of well-tailored communication strategies to gain public support when implementing environmental policies
Anayzing the Conceptualization and Implementation of Te Awa Tupua in the Context of the 2023 General Election
No full textIntroduction: Internationally, there has been an Indigenous-led movement towards implementing environmental policies enumerating the rights of nature, representing a shift towards legislation that recognizes Indigenous ontologies surrounding water stewardship. Spearheading this movement is the 2017 policy, Te Awa Tupua, (Whanganui River Claims Settlement Bill), which grants legal personhood to the Whanganui River in Aotearoa. Research surrounding Te Awa Tupua predominately relates to the philosophical foundations and historical context for the implementation of the policy, but there is a gap in research analyzing the success of the policy’s implementation in the context of national politics. This three-month qualitative case study analyzes the conceptualization of Te Awa Tupua, and the impact of the policy in local commerce and governance in the context of the 2023 election.
Methods: The theoretical frameworks of this study are defined by Decolonial Theory and Kaupapa Māori, which encourage research to be conducted through the lens of a Māori worldview and Critical Race Theory which identifies the impact of race in governance and sociolegal perceptions of Te Awa Tupua. Data were obtained through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, surveys, bibliographic research, and archival sources.
Results and Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate that Te Awa Tupua empowers Maori communities to share the ontologies underpinning their relationship to the Te Awa Tupua with Pākehā, and has provided a platform for Māori and Pākehā collaboration in protecting the Te Awa Tupua which has already begun to impact local governance. However, Te Awa Tupua is limited by the constraints of the colonial legal structure it is embedded in, in addition to specific limitations to the scope of the policy. Additionally, the new coalition government opposes Māori political rights and environmental regulation, which may potentially impact the implementation of Te Awa Tupua
Implementation and Promotion of Digital Citizenship in K-12 Schools: A Case Study of Selected Schools on Long Island, New York
Get PDFThe advances in technology in the past decades have revolutionized the field of K-12 education, and its widespread implementation has given rise to the concurrent need to educate students about its responsible usage. The concept of digital citizenship as applicable to schools includes elements like digital access, digital communication, digital literacy, digital etiquette, digital rights and responsibilities and digital security. This study examined how twelve randomly selected school districts in the Long Island region of New York presented and promoted digital citizenship on their websites. A content analysis of these school district websites was conducted to identify which elements of digital citizenship were presented. These findings were correlated with the need-to-resource capacity index of the selected school districts in order to ascertain its impact on their ability to provide digital citizenship education. In addition, major digital citizenship websites and the digital citizenship discussion forum of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) were examined to identify best practices that can aid schools in their efforts to enhance digital citizenship within their community. This study found that while there were definite signs that schools are making efforts to promote it, there was a wide variation in the presentation and number of resources related to digital citizenship. Therefore, more needs to be done to reduce the disparity. Some elements of digital citizenship were given more importance compared to the others. Digital etiquette, digital rights and responsibilities as well as digital literacy had the largest number of resources. This indicated that schools were following federal and state guidelines and also making efforts to facilitate the access and use of technology for their stakeholders. Additionally, there was evidence that the need-to-resource capacity index had an impact on the number of resources in each category of the school districts (low/average/high need). However, the variation found among the schools within the same category suggested that this cannot be considered as the only factor influencing the school’s ability to promote digital citizenship. Finally, the extensive best practices identified can serve as a repository for any K-12 school to continue to improve their efforts in implementing digital citizenship
E-supplement 1: Final articles retained from database searches after application of inclusion/exclusion criteria. From: Lotka’s Law of Scientific Productivity Across the Research Disciplines. A review
Get PDFThis is the E-supplement 1: Final articles retained from database searches after application of inclusion/exclusion criteria for the article Lotka’s Law of Scientific Productivity Across the Research Disciplines. A review
LEADING IN LIPSTICK: HOW GENDER BIAS AND LOOKISM IMPACT THE CAREERS OF FEMALE SUPERINTENDENTS
Get PDFThis study investigates the impact of gender bias and lookism on female superintendents\u27 careers on Long Island. Despite comprising the majority of teachers, women hold a significantly lower proportion of leadership positions. The research employed a mixed-method approach with quantitative and qualitative phases to explore this disparity. The findings reveal that gender bias and lookism significantly influence the career trajectories of female superintendents. Participants reported experiences of sexism, lookism, and ageism. They also highlighted the prevalence of code-switching, adapting communication styles to navigate professional settings. Mentorship emerged as a valuable resource for career advancement, while acknowledging the additional challenges faced by women in leadership. The study emphasizes the need for systemic changes to address gender bias and promote equity in educational leadership. This includes dismantling deeply ingrained stereotypes, creating inclusive environments, and fostering mentorship programs tailored to women\u27s needs. Future research recommendations include longitudinal studies, intersectional analyses, and comparative studies to gain a deeper understanding of these dynamics
In the Religious Closet: A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Experiences of Jewish Ultra Orthodox Nonbelievers
Get PDFThe visibility of individuals losing faith in Jewish ultra-Orthodox communities is increasing, with previous research explaining the unique challenges faced by nonbelievers in these communities. Existing literature identifies a group of individuals called “double lifers,” or those “in the closet,” who have internally disavowed Jewish Orthodox beliefs yet remain within their communities to avoid the consequences of disclosing nonbelief. Due to limited research on double lifers, this study seeks to explore the lived experiences of Jewish ultra-Orthodox double lifers through a phenomenological research approach. Twelve self-identified double lifers from ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities between the ages of 28-49 were recruited via online social groups and snowballing. The primary researcher conducted interviews with each participant focusing on the experiences of being a double lifer, reasons for staying in the community, and implications of their decision to stay utilizing a semi-structured interview style. Transcriptions of interviews were analyzed by the primary researchers and two coders using Phenomenological Reduction to derive meaning units, themes, and subthemes from the text to create a description of the double life phenomenon. The findings suggest that double lifers\u27 experiences revolve around family considerations, social consequences, mental health issues and coping, contemplating leaving and staying, and negotiating dissonance and inauthenticity. These findings underscore the need for clinician awareness and education around the double lifer phenomenon, both within and outside of ultra-Orthodox communities, to reduce stigma and improve treatment for such individuals. This research can prompt future research as well as development of culturally-informed mental-health interventions for this population. Keywords: double lifer, in the closet, covenantal community, religious de-identification, phenomenological researc
In-vitro study on cellular damage of chemobrain
Get PDFChemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI), commonly referred to as Chemobrain , represents a significant challenge for cancer survivors, affecting their quality of life by impairing memory, attention, and executive function. This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms behind CICI and evaluate the efficacy of potential neuroprotective agents in mitigating its effects. By focusing and developing in-vitro models, including differentiated SH-SY5Y neuron-like cells, undifferentiated SH- SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and co-culture systems with astrocytoma CCF-STTG1 and human microglia HMC3 cells, this study provides insights into the cellular and molecular alterations induced by chemotherapy and explores the protective capacities of selected compounds.
Chemotherapy drugs such as 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), Methotrexate (MTX), and Doxorubicin (DOX) were used in this study, they are known for their cytotoxic effects not only on cancer cells but also on healthy neuronal cells, contributing to the development of CICI. To investigates the response of both differentiated and undifferentiated SH-SY5Y cells to these drugs, highlighting the impact of chemotherapy on cell viability, apoptosis, and neurite outgrowth. The differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells into a more mature neuron-like phenotype induced by retinoic acid (RA) is examined for its potential to confer resistance against chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity.
Four compounds with the potential neuroprotective effects were evaluated: LM22A-4, ibudilast, ebselen, and resveratrol. Through a series of assays measuring cell viability, inflammation markers, and neurite outgrowth, the research assesses the ability of these agents to counteract the detrimental effects of chemotherapy drugs. Among these, ibudilast emerges as a particularly promising candidate, demonstrating significant protective effects against DOX-induced cytotoxicity and the ability to promote neuronal health and functionality.
Using co-culture systems can reveal the complex interactions between neuronal and glial cells in the presence of chemotherapy and neuroprotective compounds. This approach shows the differential sensitivities and adaptive responses of cells to treatment, underscoring the importance of the cellular microenvironment in mediating the effects of chemotherapy and the potential benefits of neuroprotection.
In addition to cytotoxicity assays, this study explores the production of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β, investigating the role of ibudilast in modulating the inflammatory response to chemotherapy. The findings suggest that ibudilast not only protects neuronal cells from direct cytotoxic effects but also reduces inflammation, potentially alleviating one of the pathways through which CICI develops.
Furthermore, this research highlights the capacity of ibudilast to encourage neurite outgrowth in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to DOX, indicating its potential to support neuronal differentiation and network formation. The ibudilast\u27s action in neuroprotection and the promotion of neurite outgrowth, offering a promising avenue for addressing the symptoms of Chemobrain.
In conclusion, this thesis contributes critical insights into the pathophysiology of CICI and the search for effective neuroprotective strategies. The findings make known the potential of ibudilast as a multifaceted agent capable of combating the neurological side effects of chemotherapy, offering hope for improved interventions to enhance the cognitive well-being of cancer survivors. Future research should focus on validating these in-vitro results through in-vivo studies and maybe clinical trials, exploring the drug\u27s pharmacokinetics, dosing, safety profile, and impact on cognitive functions in cancer patients, thereby paving the way for the development of comprehensive treatment to address both cancer and its cognitive sequelae
Predicting Empathic Ability and Post-Traumatic Growth Among Anxiously Attached Therapists: A Moderated Mediation Examining the Role of Self-Differentiation
No full textThe proposed study examined empathy via emotion identification, anxious attachment, self-differentiation, and post-traumatic growth, in therapists-in-training to understand if self-differentiation explains the relationship between anxious attachment and empa- thy, and to assess if post-traumatic growth strengthened this relationship. A sample of 94 therapists-in-training between, ages 21 to 68 years, who self-reported relational trauma, were recruited via academic and university related listservs online. The online Qualtrics survey included: Experiences in Close Relationships scale (ECR-R; Fraley et al., 2000), Differentiation of Self Inventory—Short Form (DSI-SF; Drake et al., 2015), Revised Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET-R; Baron-Cohen et al., 2001), and the Post Traumatic Growth Index (Garcia da Silvia, 2018; Tedeschi, 1996).
To evaluate the hypotheses, a moderated mediation analysis was conducted, regressing Empathic Ability, Self-Differentiation, and Post Traumatic Growth on Anxious Attachment. Analysis of Hypothesis 1 found a relationship in the opposite direction to what was expected b = 0.39, 95% CI [0.8908, 0.0998], p = 0.12, such that when therapists-in-training self-reported Anxious Attachment was high, Empathic Ability through emotion identification of combined neutral- and negative-valanced scores was found to be low. A medium effect size was found (β = -.60) and suggested the test was under- powered. Self-Differentiation was not found to mediate the relationship between Anxious Attachment and Empathic Ability and Post Traumatic Growth was not found to moderate the relationships between Self-Differentiation and Empathic Ability b = - 0.003, 95% CI [-0.0255, 0.0186], p = 0.75. The small effect size (β = .31) suggests that when Self-Differentiation is high, Post-Traumatic-Growth does not strengthen Empathic Ability. Post-hoc analyses demonstrated a similarly negative relationship between Empathic Ability and Anxious Attachment for both negative and neutral valanced emotion identification assessed separately, b = 0.39, 95% CI [0.8908, 0.0998], p = 0.12. The findings were inconsistent with the literature and suggests more research needs to be done on understanding how therapists with early relational trauma heal, how they are characterized, and their effectiveness
The Exclusion of Black Girls: A Quantitative Study
Get PDFExisting research consistently indicates that Black girls are assigned disproportionately exclusionary disciplinary consequences such as, suspension and expulsion rates, surpassing their White counterparts and Black boys. According to the Report to Congressional Requesters, (United States Governmental Accountability Office, 2018), exclusionary discipline is any type of removal from a student’s normal educational setting. This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between the racial demographics within a school\u27s student and personnel populations and occurrences of suspensions faced by Black female students in grades 9 through 12. Archival data were used from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) website. NYSED data are publicly available and provides information regarding the New York State Board of Regents, New York State education certifications, learning standards and instruction, data and reporting, and school business. The sample was comprised of 80 high schools from Long Island, NY with solely grades 9-12. The study used descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression models for data analysis. The descriptive statistics showed Black girls were assigned disproportionate in-school and out-of-school suspensions. This study sought to understand the relationship between the racial demographics of a school and the suspension rates of Black girls in grades 9 – 12. The overall model of the first dependent variable of out-of-school suspensions Black/African American and the second dependent variable in-school suspensions Black/African American was statistically significant. Student race of Black/African American was a significant predictor of out-of-school and in-school suspensions for Black girls. Additionally, the study sought understand the relationship between the racial demographics of the school personnel and the suspension rates of Black girls in grades 9-12. The overall model for the dependent variables, out-of-school suspensions Black/African American and in-school suspensions, was not statistically significant. The study’s findings indicated how race plays a major role of suspensions for Black girls on Long Island. The implications of the study show that school suspensions are related to long term negative consequences for Black girls on Long Island. Keywords: Black girls, school personnel, exclusionary discipline, school suspension, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspensio