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Everything won’t be okay: The impact of therapists’ justification of the mental healthcare system on their racially minoritized patients
Get PDFDespite advances in mitigating explicit biases, research finds that therapists’ implicit bias has not significantly decreased in magnitude or impact on their clinical work over the past several decades. This bias propels, among other harms, misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis, weaker therapeutic alliances, poorer quality of care, and re-activation of racialized trauma among patients of color. Because of these disparities, many individuals develop experience-based cultural mistrust toward the healthcare system, which clinicians often misinterpret as psychopathology, perpetuating the mistreatment-to-mistrust cycle. This dissertation was the first to apply system justification theory to clinical process research, investigating whether and how therapists’ justification of the mental healthcare system impacts their patients’ cultural healthcare mistrust within the alliance. To this end, participants reported on their racialized stress, cultural mistrust, and healthcare system distrust, then were exposed to an experimentally manipulated vignette “therapist” at one of three levels of system justification (low, high, non-responding), and described their working alliances with their assigned therapist. The negative effect of racialized stress on working alliance was found to be partly mediated by healthcare system distrust, though not by cultural mistrust. Low therapist system justification emerged as significantly beneficial to working alliances, particularly for participants with more racialized stress and healthcare system distrust. Non-responsiveness to patients’ mistrust had the most significant negative effects across all analyses. These results speak to the importance of therapists’ capacity to openly address minoritized patients’ mistrust and to manage their own instinct to justify the systems within which they operate. Exploratory results, clinical implications, and future directions for research are discussed
Experiences of discrimination and the role of intrapsychic protective factors in Black Americans
Get PDFResearch has established a relationship between experiences of discrimination in Black Americans and negative outcomes in physical and mental health. Studies in this branch of the literature have largely relied on self-reports or qualitative methods for assessing these relationships. This study took a different approach and utilized an experimental model, presenting video vignettes depicting microaggressions as a stimulus meant to activate the affective reactions that arise when individuals experience microaggressions in the real world. Experiences of microaggressions and perceived racism were used to assess participants’ lifetime experiences of discrimination and compared to their levels of explicit and implicit negative affect at baseline and after viewing the vignettes. Mentalized affectivity, self-compassion, and self-worth were proposed as potential intrapsychic protective factors that could protect against an increase in negative affect following viewing the vignettes. Results showed a significant increase in implicit negative affect after viewing vignettes however there was no significant change in explicit negative affect. Mentalized affectivity and self-worth did not moderate the relationship between experiences of discrimination and negative affect, while selfcompassion only buffered the relationship between experiences of microaggressions and explicit negative affect. The discussion emphasized studying the discrimination – outcome relationship in Black Americans in an experimental design
Zara and the strong gauntlets
Get PDFMy creative fiction thesis, Zara and the Strong Gauntlets, is the first part of a full length novel in the fantasy genre. The story follows Zara, a servant to a high member of society which she spends every day serving. Zara’s world is turned upside down when she walks into her master’s assassination. Zara is tossed out of her home, and with nowhere left to turn, tries to find a way to be able to stand up on her own two feet, and through her trials, discover a sense of self that will determine her new path in life.
After this story, there is a critical essay called “What’s in a Detective Novel?” Here, I present a discussion of the detective character and how they have been interpreted through the first half of the twentieth century, invoking both the works and essays of detective fiction writers such as Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Mickey Spillane and S. S. Van Dyne. The essay investigates the guise of the detective character, and how stories that share the same iconic aesthetics and moods can vary so differently to each other
Understanding the development of Rafflesia using a transcriptomic study of seed and flower bud in comparison to Arabidopsis thaliana
Get PDFThe holoparasitic plant genus Rafflesia is of interest for producing the largest single flowers in the world, though efforts to conserve it have been challenging with not much success in ex situ propagation due to the little that we know of its biology. Further study and understanding of the growth of Rafflesia species is necessary in order to preserve these endangered plants. Due to its potentially long growth cycle, there is a definite difficulty in studying the growth cycle through observation alone. Transcriptomic study is one tool which can be used to understand how Rafflesia species change throughout different stages of growth. Using data from the NCBI SRA database, along with data from a recent study which is pending publication/review, the transcriptome of Rafflesia speciosa seed and Rafflesia cantleyi flower bud was obtained by De Novo assembly in Geneious Prime and processing in OmicsBox. The transcriptomes of Rafflesia seed and flower bud were compared to the transcriptomes of the seed and flower bud from Arabidopsis thaliana, respectively, to gain insights on transcriptome dynamics from seed to flower in a flowering non-photosynthetic parasite compared to a “typical” photosynthetic plant. The proportions of transcripts related to active pathways were compared across the different growth stages of Rafflesia and Arabidopsis and trends that conflict between these two were further investigated, e.g. higher proportion in Rafflesia seed than flower bud, with the inverse being true in Arabidopsis seed versus flower bud, and vice versa. These trends were explored and compared to literature about the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as what is known about the growth of other holoparasitic plants such as Orobanche and Striga. Some pathways in Rafflesia seed are of note, including increased gluconeogenesis processes in the seed compared to its flower, as well as the elevated “carbon fixation” processes, despite being nonphotosynthetic. Glutathione metabolism was also higher in the Rafflesia seed which may be related to amelioration of oxidative damage in the seed as the seed germinates in the host and counterattack its immune response. Transcripts for “starch and sucrose metabolism” were proportionally higher in the Rafflesia bud, which makes sense as it proceeds with floral development. Inverse trends were seen between Rafflesia and Arabidopsis in certain pathways such as increased gluconeogenesis in Rafflesia seed more than its flower bud, but the opposite was true for Arabidopsis, while there was increased transcription for RNA and lysine degradation, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, and plant hormone signal transduction in the Arabidopsis seed compared to its flower bud that was not the pattern observed in Rafflesia. The potential implications of these findings are discussed
Sierra Mixe
No full textSierra Mixe is an indigenous corn found in Oaxaca, and it’s quite the marvel. Using careful growing and breeding techniques over thousands of years, the Ayuukjä’äy grow this corn, which fixes its own nitrogen from the air, by way of gel secreting, reddish, aerial roots. The corn does not need external fertilization, or very nutrient rich soil, in order to thrive. It also grows in colder, northern ecosystems.
There is so much wisdom and agricultural tech knowledge that industrialized countries can learn from indigenous people.
The Sierra Mixe region of Oaxaca is named for the people who live there (who call themselves the Ayuukjä’äy). Zapotecs, Aztecs, and Spanish conquistadors did not conquer them in the past. When peoples are conquered, culture is often decimated. It’s not “lost.” Agriculture is part of culture. Colonization and conquests have ramifications we don’t even know how to measure.
My quilt block is a visual invitation to look for creative techniques in growing food crops, be it in the traditions of the Ayuukjä’äy, in one’s kitchen container herb garden, community gardens, or large scale farming.https://digitalcommons.liu.edu/community_usquilt_2023/1006/thumbnail.jp
Business Hacking: A Case Study of Business Information Systems
Get PDFThis study aims to explore, understand, and explain the hacking of business information systems (BIS) and the measures managers can take to secure their systems. Eight research questions guide the study: 1. What are managers\u27 perceptions of hacking business information systems? 2. What types of attacks do business managers perceive as current and potential dangers to their organizations? 3. What issues prevent participants from participating in BIS security research studies? 4. What protocols are in place to prevent hacking? 5. What measures can managers take to secure their business information systems against hacking? 6. How can knowledge management and information technology specialists collectively work to identify backdoors and vulnerabilities? 7. What are some of the vulnerabilities or limitations that prevent managers from securing their business information systems? 8. What are the purposes of hacking business information systems? This study presents a broad view of systems hacking, its evolution, and its transformation from different perspectives. The literature review infers a learning process comprised of knowledge management (KM) and computer programmers working collectively to design, develop, and implement business systems from third-party technology components. Data was collected from the Fortune 500 companies in the US, the DEF CON hacker community, and HackerOne members. DEF CON and HackerOne were combined to form one group. Subsequently, two groups represent the participants of this study. Separate questionnaires were developed for each participant group in the first phase of the data collection. In addition, Separate interview questions were developed for each group of participants who volunteered to participate in the second phase of the data collection. The survey questionnaires, and the interview data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings of this study show that hackers used readily available tools to hack BIS. For example, of the respondents, the hackers (97.20%) say social engineering and business users (71.58%) say software is the top method to introduce attacks in BIS. Also, 89.72% of hacker respondents say software and 69.47% of business user respondents say social engineering is the second top attack method utilized to attack BIS, respectively. In addition, 45.74% of business user respondents say social engineering is the method that poses the most significant threat to their organizations. The hacker respondents (72.90%) primarily utilized social engineering to exploit business systems. The findings indicate that to get the attention of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), the system risks must be converted to business risks associated with the company\u27s value propositions and profitability. Once the perception of hacking has changed and is in the CEOs\u27 grips, the system security problems can be addressed, and measures will be developed to secure BIS. Also, employees\u27 education training and security awareness (including mindset) on social attacks are measured that can be taken to secure BIS from hackers\u27 threats. In addition, incentives for employees to practice safe cyber habits and cyber hygiene can be used to secure the systems. The findings show that BIS\u27s internal design, development, and implementation would depend on several factors. Even though the systems would be more secure, they would be costly and difficult to maintain, and organizations should acquire good-quality systems. The term backdoor is confusing based on the two words, intentional and unintentional. Business users understand that backdoors are left intentionally or unintentionally by the developers and manufacturers of the systems. In contrast, hackers understand backdoors as intentionally designed methods or software defects to gain access to the systems later. The findings show that business professionals are concerned and reluctant to participate in business systems security studies due to job security and advancement. The study\u27s findings highlight systems architecture and designers\u27 shortcomings. In addition, the study\u27s insights from hackers and workers contribute to business systems security and information science improvement
The connection between CPTSD and eating disorders
Get PDFEating Disorders (EDs) are serious mental health conditions proposed to be multifactorial in nature. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma history, and childhood maltreatment have been noted as possible predictive factors for their development. Research on complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) in relation to EDs, however, is limited. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between childhood maltreatment and ED psychopathology, in relation to CPTSD symptomatology as defined by the ICD-11. Relationships between ED symptomatology and the trauma responses associated with the stress or “fight-or-flight” response were analyzed. 167 female participants, aged 18-25, who reported having experienced at least one event on the Life- Events Checklist 5 (LEC-5) were recruited through a research program at a northeast urban university, and Prolific, an online research platform. Participants filled out a series of self-report questionnaires: the shortened Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (EDDS), the Fight Flight Freeze Questionnaire (FFFQ) and the Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale (SF-CDS). Childhood trauma was positively correlated with both CPTSD and PTSD symptoms. ED symptoms were not significantly related to childhood trauma scores, apart from small correlations between ED symptoms, emotional abuse, and physical neglect. An indirect relationship between childhood trauma and ED symptoms was mediated by CPTSD symptomatology. ED symptomatology was associated with both the freeze response and codependency. These findings provide support for the relationship between childhood trauma and CPTSD symptoms and highlight the mediational significance of CPTSD symptoms in the relationship between childhood trauma and ED symptomatology
Teen Pregnancy
Get PDFBackground. In 2015, more than 200,000 babies were born to women aged 15-19, a record low for teens in the United States. However, it remains substantially higher than in other western industrialized nations. The highest rates of teen pregnancy occur in the rural areas of the Southern states. Black and Hispanic teens are more than twice as likely as White teens to become pregnant. Factors that contribute to teen pregnancy include (a) low socioeconomic conditions, (b) lower education, (c) low income levels, (d) decreased healthcare access, and (e) being on welfare. The U.S. government has been working to combat these issues through The President’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (TPPI) and the Surgeon General’s Healthy People 2020.
Methods. Information was gathered utilizing Google search engine with the following search terms (a) teen pregnancy, (b) teen pregnancy prevalence, (c) teen pregnancy rates, (d) outcomes of teen pregnancy, (e) The President’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, (f) TPPI, and (g) Healthy People 2020, for articles published between 2013-2018 in English.
Results. Teenage mothers are (a) less likely to achieve a high school diploma, (b) more likely to experience health problems, and (c) are at a higher risk of facing unemployment resulting in welfare. Pregnancy was noted as the reason by 30% of girls who drop out of school. Only 40% of teen mothers finish high school with \u3c 2% graduating college by age 30. Teenage mothers are at an increased risk of complications including (a) anemia, (b) toxemia, (c) high blood pressure, (d) placenta previa, and (e) premature birth. Even after delivery, complications continue and include (a) anxiety and depression symptoms, (b) delayed or halted education, (c) child neglect, and (d) financial troubles. Children born to adolescents also face particular challenges being more likely to have poorer (a) educational, (b) behavioral, and (c) health outcomes. The most common complications of teen pregnancy are (a) low birth weight, (b) premature delivery, (c) jaundice, (d) respiratory distress syndrome, and (e) neonatal mortality.
Conclusions and Recommendations. In 2010, TPPI launched through the Department of Health and Human Services with the goal to financially support targeted groups with high teen pregnancy rates with prevention and education. TPPI successfully established 3,800 community partnerships and trained 6,100 facilitators reaching predominantly Hispanic and Black teens ages 14 or younger. Teen pregnancy has decreased since 2010; however, prevention improvements can still be made. TPPI practices community wide approaches tailored to local needs. Another recommendation is to increase access to contraceptives through locally and culturally oriented healthcare services, such as having condoms in school nurse and primary care offices. Mandating sexual education at the state level ensures knowledge to avoid teen pregnancy. Primary care office hours must accommodate an average teen’s schedule extending hours if necessary. Organizations should visit schools to hold information sessions or doctor’s offices can hold community sessions to educate on available services, prevention methods, and consequences of teen pregnancy
All Shook Up: A Review of Sport-related Concussions in High School Athletes
Get PDFBackground: Concussions comprise 24.8% of the total injuries in high school athletes, putting developing brains at risk for neurocognitive dysfunction. Recent research has been geared towards finding the most effective process for (a) diagnosing, (b) treating and (c) preventing concussions. The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 329,290 children were diagnosed with a sports related concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 2012.
Methods: A systematic review of current literature was performed using the Long Island University online library database and Google Scholar. Search terms included: (a) concussion, (b) sports, (c) high school; (d) screening; (e) risk factors; (f) symptoms; (g) complications, and (h) pathophysiology, including the years 2011 to 2018 and in the English language.
Results: A concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury resulting in transient neurologic impairment that can resolve spontaneously or have lingering symptoms without structural changes on routine neuroimaging studies. Concussions are the most common injury among high school student-athletes, rising from 9.1% of all injuries in the 2005-2006 school year to 24.8% in the 2016-2017 school year. The overall prevalence is 2.5 concussions per 10,000 athletic exposures (competition or practice). Football has the highest overall rate of concussion with 6.4 per 10,000 athletic exposures, while soccer has the highest rate among girls’ sports with 3.4 per 10,000 athletic exposures. In gender comparable sports, girls have a higher rate of concussion than boys. In general, concussion rates are higher in competition than in practice. Current protocols center around early recognition of symptoms and removal from the field of play. Several screening tools have been developed, including the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT-5) to aid in identifying potential concussions on the sideline and initiating proper treatment. Gradual return-to-school and return-to-play criteria have been developed to allow adequate healing time and prevent re-injury. Concussions, especially repetitive, may have long term effects such as (a) post-concussive syndrome, (b) post-traumatic seizures, (c) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and (d) decreased neurocognitive function. The CDC offers recommendations for concussion prevention based on each sport, but in general, strict enforcement of the rules and proper protective equipment are key.
Conclusions and Recommendations: Prevention and early recognition of symptoms can help reduce the number of concussions as well as long term effects. Athletes should wear all required protective equipment and the equipment should be fully functional. For contact sports, emphasis should be placed on proper form and safe techniques, as well as a limit on the number of full-contact practices per season. These measures can help to prevent concussions from occurring. In addition, officials should be trained to look for concussion symptoms and not hesitate to remove a player from action if they suspect a concussion. Athletes should not be permitted to return to play unless they are cleared by a medical practitioner and there should be stiff penalties for coaches who pressure players into returning prematurely
Are We Ready for This?: Students’ Introspection on Clinical Preparedness
Get PDFThis poster describes graduate student clinicians\u27 self-assessment of preparedness for off-campus pediatric and adult externships in speech-language pathology by examining the reported positive components as well as perceived areas of development in their graduate-level preparation. The subsequent feedback has implications for enhancing the clinical preparation aspect of speech-language pathology graduate programs