98 research outputs found
Impact of exposure on the willingness to work with dog breeds
No full textIn 1961, Dr. Boris Levinson’s therapeutic animal work was presented to the American Psychological Association (APA), later serving as the catalysis for what is now known as animal assisted interventions (AAI) (Altschiller, 2011). However, animals were long before assisting humans physically and emotionally. Since 1961, many animals have been introduced into therapeutic settings, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, prisons, and more (Granger & Kogan, 2006), with dogs being the most commonly integrated animal. Addonisio (2020) found that “bad” (e.g., Pit Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Mastiffs) and “neutral” (e.g., German Shepherd, Dalmatian) reputation dog breeds were rated significantly lower on therapeutic qualities (e.g., nonjudgmental, approachable, engaging) than “good” reputation dogs (e.g., Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers). Based on the parasocial contact hypothesis (Schiappa et al., 2005), it was hypothesized that an individual’s perception of a specific dog breed would become more positive with parasocial contact (i.e., indirect contact via media). To date, no study has examined the impact of a breed specific exposure on the perception of bad reputation dog breeds. A two-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed to examine the interaction effect of the dog breeds and exposure (IVs) on perceived therapeutic qualities and likelihood of working with a dog (DVs). An exploratory Pearson correlation coefficient matrix was conducted to evaluate the relationship between therapeutic qualities ratings and the five M5-120 personality domains. No significant interaction effect between exposure groups or breed of the dog on the combined dependent variables was found. There was a significant positive correlation between two personality domains (Openness to experiences and Agreeableness) and therapeutic qualities ratings. Further research is needed to explore potential modifications that may combat the negative perceptions of dog breeds that are often utilized in AAI
For Ashley: A Plan of Care for her Chronic Illness Illustrated in a Blog
No full textabstract: This past summer, I met a young lady named Ashley (name has been changed) who has been diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease. Upon researching this condition in greater detail, I learned that many medical providers who base their practice on the best evidence do not support treating patients for a chronic Lyme infection, the existence of which has not been substantially supported with research. I inquired about the process that led her to seek treatment for chronic Lyme disease at Jemsek Specialty Clinic. I learned that after many inaccurate diagnoses and years of unhelpful treatments, Ashley finally rejected the help offered by traditional medical doctors because she felt they were uncaring and inattentive, and went somewhere she felt heard. What she deserved, however, was both care that was based in scientific research and care that felt compassionate, as has been promoted by the nursing field. Despite the lack of a confirmed medical diagnosis, Ashley's day to day symptoms and struggles could be addressed with nursing care. I then constructed a nursing care plan to be implemented by Ashley's family and friends to help her feel her best and live a fulfilling life despite chronic disease. Patients should not have to choose between a healthcare provider who utilizes the strongest scientific evidence and one they feel understands them, though many do. Nursing can unite these mindsets by alleviating the daily challenges patients face. Please see the website http://careplanforashley.blogspot.co
Integrated sequence stratigraphy of the Paleocene-Lowermost Eocene, New Jersey coastal plain: implications for eustatic and paleoceanographic change
No full textThis study uses a high-resolution integrated sequence stratigraphic method to determine the paleoecologic, paleoceanographic, and sea-level changes during the Paleocene-early Eocene. One of the more intriguing problems in paleoceanography is determining the cause of large sea-level changes of > 20 m in < 1 Myr during the "greenhouse" interval. The principal hypotheses presented here suggest a glacioeustatic mechanism for sea-level change during the Paleocene-earliest Eocene. A multidisciplinary approach was implemented utilizing sequence stratigraphic core description, carbon and oxygen isotope analysis, benthic foraminiferal biofacies, and biostratigraphy (nannofossils) to evaluate the magnitude of sea-level changes and possible eustatic mechanisms. The bulk of this study was conducted on the New Jersey coastal plain because of its well-known geologic history, excellent microfossil preservation, and well known sequence stratigraphic framework due to the drilling efforts of ODP Legs 150X and 174AX. The foundation of this study (Chapter 1) includes a detailed sequence stratigraphic analysis of Paleocene-lowermost Eocene sequences. This study identified seven Paleocene-lowermost Eocene sequences and corresponding paleodepths. Paleodepths were ~80 m during the early Paleocene, with a maximum water depth of 100 m at Bass River. A long-term shallowing of ~20 m is observed through the middle-late Paleocene toward the earliest Eocene. The shallowing trend reverses, with a water depth increase to ~120-150 m (Chapter 2). The New Jersey sequences correlate with those in other localities and δ18O increases in deep sea (Chapter 3), suggesting a glacioeustatic mechanism for sea-level change during the Paleocene-earliest Eocene. The New Jersey coastal plain also provides an excellent record of the Paleocene- Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and Carbon Isotope Excursion (CIE). The PETM/CIE is distinguished by the occurrence of an unusual assemblage of coccolithophorids, referred to as the "RD". This study tested the first appearance of the RD in relation to a CIE precursor found in the New Jersey coastal plain and utilized paleodepths to construct one of the few sea-level records calibrated to the PETM and the mechanisms responsible for a 30-60 m eustatic rise during this interval.Ph.D.Includes abstractVitaIncludes bibliographical referencesby Ashley D. Harri
Perception of dog breeds in a therapeutic setting
No full textAnimal Assisted Therapy (AAT) has been documented in the United States dating back to 1944, when farm animals interacted with soldiers suffering from physical injuries or psychological trauma (Altschiller, 2011). Today, several different animals are being used in AAT for a variety of populations, such as individuals with autism, mood disorders, and other psychological concerns. Many animals have a natural tendency to bond with humans, but an effective therapy animal seeks affection and interaction with the client while promoting a warm and safe atmosphere (Nimer & Lundahl, 2007). Dogs are known to be one of the animals that can create this atmosphere, but it is reasonable to assume that not all dog breeds will elicit the same reaction. To date, no study has examined how dog breed and reputation impacts perceived therapeutic qualities of a dog (i.e., therapeutic qualities a dog is thought to possess). The purpose of the current study was to examine the initial perception of dog breeds with good, bad, and neutral reputations on perceived therapeutic qualities and state anxiety. This study aimed to use a generalizable sample, standardized measure, and include a control group to address the gap in the literature on the impact the initial perception of dog breed has on anxiety and perceived therapeutic qualities. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to test hypotheses one and two with self-report therapeutic alliance and self-report state anxiety being the two dependent variables. Results from the MANOVA found statistically significant difference between reputation groups on the combined dependent variables; however, when variables were considered separately, the only difference to reach significance, was perceived therapeutic qualities. Results found that participants rated good reputation dog breeds significantly higher on perceived therapeutic qualities compared to all other conditions. No significant differences were found between bad and neutral reputation groups on perceived therapeutic qualities. This study will begin to address the gap related to the impact of dog breed on therapeutic alliance
Middle school student perceptions of mathematics motivation and teacher support in a higher-income setting
No full textDecrements in mathematics motivation across early adolescence are a concern in the United States, particularly for females and African Americans given their underrepresentation in math-related career pathways. Disturbing trends highlight the need to further understand student motivation during the middle school years, when motivational losses begin. Teacher support is a key contextual factor associated with motivation, however less is known about the role of teacher support as a protective factor against motivational decrements specifically among African Americans and females. The current study utilized a cross-sectional design to examine relationships among mathematics motivation, teacher support, and student characteristics (i.e., race and gender) for 1021 fifth through eighth grade students from a New Jersey school district in a relatively higher-income community. The students completed a survey measuring four aspects of mathematics motivation and two aspects of teacher support. Multiple regression analyses did not replicate previous research showing straight-forward declines in motivation across the middle school years. Unexpectedly, across race and gender, students in later grades reported lower costs associated with math effort and higher expectancy for math success than those in earlier grades. That said, analyses did reveal a concerning trend about two aspects of motivation for females. Comparing responses across grade level, females did not differ in their valuing of math or their future interest in math. Males in later grades, in contrast, reported higher valuing of and future interest in math compared to their male peers in earlier grades. This suggests a gender motivation gap might be initiated toward the end of middle school. Also noteworthy was that teacher support was found to be positively associated with motivation for all students, regardless of gender and race. Thus, teacher support was promotive for all, but not a unique protective factor for African American and female students. In fact, analyses showed that teacher help had a stronger association with the expectancy aspect of motivation for males than for females. Overall, these results highlight the importance of teacher support in math motivation as well as the unique relationships between contextual factors and motivation based on student grade level and gender.Psy.D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Ashley Marie Dombrowsk
Adjustment and alleviation in Chile: neoliberal economics and social sector programs
No full textThesis (B.A.)--Boston University. University Professors Program Senior theses.PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at [email protected]. Thank you.2999-01-0
Promoting U.S. Community Colleges in Sweden
No full textIn this study, the author used a qualitative case study research method to explore Swedish educational agents' perspectives of the community college system in the United States, their experiences in marketing community colleges in Sweden, and the factors that may lead to or prohibit the success in recruiting Swedish students for U.S. community colleges. The findings revealed that agents are aware of the key benefits of attending a U.S. community college: affordability, simple admissions process, and university transfer options. Disadvantages were also noted, which included the absence of experiencing a typical American college experience and lack of on-campus housing. The marketing tactics that the agencies used ranged in size and scope. The results of this study can be used to develop successful international student recruitment and marketing strategies in Sweden. </jats:p
A multi-method approach to understanding higher education in the non-traditional classroom: navigating the institutional norms at the intersection of higher education and corrections
No full textIf one goal of higher education in prison includes promoting access and opportunity to enroll in higher education, the conditions for student registration and participation for incarcerated students should mirror higher education on campus. Yet, the tensions at the intersection of the university operating in the correctional environment present a unique set of constraints related to the successful implementation of higher education in prison programs. Since 2016, over 20,000 students have accessed postsecondary higher education programs while incarcerated (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). Such programs typically hire university- level instructors to enter the prison facility each week to provide students with courses similar to those offered at an on-campus accredited university. Institutional support for these programs is driven by their capacity to decrease recidivism (Denney & Tynes, 2021; Edwin, 2018; Evans et al., 2018; Gaes, 2008; Kim & Clark, 2013; Newton et al., 2018; Pompoco et al., 2017), increase taxpayer savings (Davis et al., 2014; Henrichson & Delaney, 2012) and facility and public safety (Pompoco et al., 2017), and ability to promote labor market success (Bozick et al., 2018; Cho & Tyler, 2013; Duwe & Clark, 2014; Ellison et al., 2017). Yet, the limited research available on student and instructor experiences with these programs often conceals the complexities of navigating the tensions that exist between providing access to higher education while navigating the restrictions of the correctional environment (Castro & Brawn, 2017; Warner, 2007). The intersection of providing higher education in the correctional environment presents unique challenges to understanding whether the foundational motivations of higher education can be achieved or reproduced in such an environment. This dissertation considers these tensions, restrictions, and challenges to understand instructor experiences teaching in the correctional environment. Higher education in prison programs remain fragile, with uncertain funding and ever-changing conditions on their use; this dissertation highlights how this fragility and uncertainty may reduce the potential for in-prison higher education programs to affect long-lasting and sustainable change. The reflections of instructors highlighted in this dissertation provide a glimpse into the day-to-day functioning of these programs, offering their knowledge and insights on how to best offer high-quality higher education programs under uniquely challenging circumstances.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical reference
Powerful and Powerless Language in Health Media: An Examination of the Effects of Biological Sex and Topic Focus on Language Styles
No full textPowerless language has been shown to influence audience perceptions, and the media has
been shown to influence health behaviors. However, little research has looked at
powerless language in health media. This study expands current research regarding
powerless language through an examination of written health media. A content analysis
on the use of powerless language in health-related articles was conducted for 12 popular
magazines over a one-year time span. Analysis compared differences in use of powerless
language relative to three variables: biological sex of the author, the biological sex of the
audience, and the magazine's overall topic focus. Female authors and health-focused
magazines used more powerless language than male authors and generic-focused
magazines. Powerless language was more often directed towards a female audience than
a male audience. Implications of such findings and suggestions for future research are
also discussed
Sarah Fielding: Satire and Subversion in the Eighteenth-Century Novel
No full textThis study of Sarah Fielding (1710―68) is an original contribution to Fielding scholarship that has a dual purpose: to support those who are striving to re-introduce her to the modern literary landscape in an effort to restore her eighteenth-century literary standing, and to firmly establish Fielding as an early feminist writer. It is argued here that throughout her oeuvre Fielding challenged prevailing traditions that denied women a choice, particularly in education, employment and marriage. These themes are also considered in the political treatises of Mary Astell (1666―1731) and Mary Wollstonecraft (1759―97), who are now widely recognised as feminist writers.
It is further argued that Fielding’s subversion in fiction of the English patriarchal system is underscored by her unorthodox performance in the literary arena. This is fully explored alongside her use of sentimentalism as a literary tool with which she challenges her seemingly inhumane society. Fielding’s interest in ‘the Labyrinths of the Mind’ (in modern terms, human psychology) will also be addressed as will her placement in the history of feminism and her placement in the sentimental novel tradition. Fielding’s performance as a literary critic will be compared with the few female authors who, like her, dared to publish literary criticism during her writing career. Accordingly, extracts from Fielding’s novels and her two critical pamphlets will be thoroughly examined.
An updated biography of Fielding that is also included here will provide evidence for a further claim, that her fiction is autobiographical in part. A comprehensive account of Fielding’s performance as a literary critic forms the final chapter of this work. It is the first full-length examination of her contribution to the genre and includes an appraisal of her recently unearthed critical pamphlet entitled A Comparison Between the Horace of Corneille and The Roman Father of Mr. Whitehead (1750) that is yet to be formerly attributed to her. Ultimately this study of Fielding will go far beyond what has previously been written about this remarkable eighteenth-century author, particularly regarding her feminist activity
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