MS, Kent State University, 2016, College of Architecture and Environmental Design

The sense of community is one of the significant theories in sociological and psychological research that investigates people's feelings, conducts, and interactions in a community. McMillan and Chavis (1989) defined the most accepted definition and theory for sense of community which described it as “ a feeling of belonging, a feeling that others matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that personal needs will be met through a commitment to being together.” The four components of membership, influence, integration and needs' fulfillment, and shared emotional connection collaborate to maintain or improve sense of community among community members. The thesis with using the ethnographic research methods evaluates the role of physical environments in strengthening people's quality of interaction and sense of community in residential neighborhoods. Specifically, with looking at three distinct residential areas in the city of Tehran in Iran. Case studies—Ekbatan Residential Complex, Sheikh Hadi Residential Neighborhood, and Vanak Garden Residential Complex— selected based on architectural style and community scale. The thesis divided into two parts: the first part investigates the role that design features such as public spaces, buildings' layout, and green areas can play in improving individuals' sense of community and social ties. As well as, indicating the importance of the balance between socio demographic and physical factors in creating a robust community by considering the users' social conditions and knowing what physical elements meet their needs. The second part of the thesis introduces an alternative factor a “place attachment” to prior research elements in measuring sense of community by using symbolic interactionism theory to fill the gap between a person and built environment. Specifically, the role that physical environments can play in influencing individuals' perception and shared meaning in reinforcing sense of community. It is one of (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: William Willoughby (Advisor); Adil Sharag-Eldin (Advisor); Richard Adams (Committee Member) Subjects: Architecture

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2024, Counseling Psychology

Health service psychology (HSP) students are at a high risk of burnout and physical and mental health problems (El-Ghoroury et al., 2011; Rummell, 2015). Research has begun to explore environmental factors within training programs that cause or prevent burnout (e.g., Kovach Clark et al., 2009; Swords & Ellis, 2017). Using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model of burnout (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017; Demerouti et al., 2001), the present study assessed the relationships between demands, resources, and burnout symptoms in a sample of HSP doctoral students. Structural equation modeling was used to test the JD-R model and compare the relative contributions of perceived workload, weekly work hours, sense of community, work environment, and relationships with academic advisors and clinical supervisors to students' symptoms of exhaustion and disengagement. Analyses of variance were used to explore demographic group differences to better understand the experiences of diverse students, especially those with minoritized identities. Participants reported high levels of burnout symptoms, especially exhaustion. The hypothesized JD-R model, which contains unique and separate pathways representing the processes by which job demands sap energy and job resources promote engagement, did not yield interpretable parameters and thus was not a good fit to the data. However, an alternative model containing additional pathways between job demands and resources and burnout symptoms fit the data well and collectively predicted about half (50.8%) the variance in exhaustion and about a third (31.8%) of the variance in disengagement. The results demonstrated HSP doctoral students' experiences of burnout are highly linked to environmental factors. High demands impair students' health and create exhaustion, while lacking resources impair motivation and create disengagement. Perceived workload, sense of community, and the work environment had the largest effects on burnout sym (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Margo Gregor (Advisor); Joelle Elicker (Committee Member); Ingrid Weigold (Committee Member); Varunee Faii Sangganjanavanich (Committee Member); John Queener (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Education; Health Sciences; Multicultural Education; Occupational Health; Psychology; School Counseling

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Arts and Sciences: Psychology

Climate change is underway with its effects felt everywhere but the consequences vary greatly by location. Cities are crucial focal points as more than 265 million people, or 80% of the U.S. population, live in urban areas, making the ability of cities to adapt to climate change critical for the majority of U.S. citizens (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). Climate planning and policymaking in cities must recognize that disinvested communities with aging infrastructure and minimal tree canopy can expose residents to radically hotter temperatures than residents of other neighborhoods (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2008; Shandas et al., 2019; Hoffman et al., 2020) and is an example of how social and economic inequalities are exacerbated by climate change. Much climate planning to date has been top-down and city-wide, which overlooks neighborhood disparities and specific needs of communities, thus there is a need for research on equitable engagement strategies within cities that incorporate resident perspectives and share decision-making with residents. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the impacts of Climate Safe Neighborhoods (CSN), an equity-focused neighborhood-level climate planning program, on participating Cincinnati residents and resident and organizer perspectives on how CSN may promote community resilience in the face of climate change. 14 interviews with residents (n = 6) and organizers (n = 8) were analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to explore how resident perceptions about local issues changed through their participation in CSN, how CSN participation affected residents' potential to act as advocates for their community, and barriers and catalysts to implementing locally relevant community change as identified by both residents and organizers of CSN. Key findings were that residents gained a deeper overall understanding of how climate issues in their community connect to each other and to their own personal lives, and t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Carlie Trott Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Stacie Furst-Holloway Ph.D. (Committee Member); Anjali Dutt Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Educational Studies

For many years, systemic academic achievement gaps between first-generation college students (FGS; e.g., students whose parents/guardians do not have four-year college degrees) and continuing-generation college students (CGS; e.g., students with at least one parent/guardian who has a college degree) have been documented. However, this literature does not consider the matriculation pathways of FGS in higher education. This is important, as many FGS begin their college careers in community college prior to transferring into four-year universities. The studies examining the educational psychology and academic performance of FGS only focus on FGS who matriculate into four-year universities as first-year students. Thus, it is necessary to examine how community college matriculation and transfer relates to the beliefs, perceptions, behaviors, and academic achievement of FGS in four-year universities. Researchers suggest that FGS, who often come from lower- and working-class backgrounds, tend to espouse collectivistic motives for attending college. These reasons can include wanting to make their families proud, honor their family names, and/or give back to their communities. This is in contrast to CGS, who tend to espouse more individualistic motives for attending college including identity exploration, personal enjoyment, and personal financial gain. According to cultural mismatch theory, the prevailing cultural value systems at four-year universities align more with the beliefs of CGS than FGS, which results in psychological and academic issues for FGS. However, there is preliminary evidence that community colleges offer a better fitting cultural environment for FGS, with the implication being that FGS who matriculate into community colleges prior to four-year universities may be buffered against the negative outcomes of cultural mismatch often documented in the literature. This prospect is, as yet, untested. To address this gap in the literature, I examined the (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Shirley Yu (Advisor); Eric Anderman (Committee Member); Christopher Wolters (Committee Member); Minjung Kim (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Psychology

Bachelor of Arts, Walsh University, 2022, Honors

Over the past few years, the nationwide protests over the long-standing plague of racism in our country, most recently manifested in the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor, have placed our nation before a “fork in the road.” We stand on the precipice of monumental change or devastating regression in the area of race relations within our nation. This has been most vivid in the relationship between law enforcement and the African American community. What comes next between these two parties will depend on how law enforcement responds to the cries of the people in these affected communities. Historically, particularly in African American communities, there has been an intimate connection between social movements and sensitives to injustice and faith. At the same time, there appears to be a decreasing appreciation of faith among law enforcement officers. If the disparity between the attitude towards faith by law enforcement and the significance of faith in communities of color continues to increase, it will undoubtedly lead to more tension between these two communities. I hypothesize that reconciliation between law enforcement and African American communities can be achieved through the inclusion of religious literacy in the training and formation of law enforcement officers. As a disclaimer, it is important to understand that the building of trust and the reparation of relationships is an effort that requires the cooperation of both sides. This means that there has to be a willingness and an understanding from both law enforcement and communities of color for any real difference to be made. It is also important to recognize that this is not a “black versus white” issue, this is an issue that affects society as a whole. This understanding will be made present throughout this research, but the primary focus will be on the inclusion of religious literacy in the formation of law enforcement officers.

Committee: Fr. Louis Bertrand Lemoine O.P. (Other); Cary Dabney (Advisor) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Behaviorial Sciences; Criminology; Divinity; Law; Legal Studies; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Psychology; Religion; Religious Education; Religious History; Sociology; Theology; World History

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2022, Arts and Sciences: Psychology

Immigrants, migrants, and refugees are severely underrepresented at all levels of political decision-making in the United States. Furthermore, these groups face significant barriers to civic and political engagement, despite their strong commitment to community engagement. There is an urgent need to address immigrant integration and underrepresentation through transformative means that go beyond voting, to create a more equitable and socially just society. This study provides insight from a local community program designed to aid immigrant integration and increase migrants' access to civic engagement through a community based participatory action research design process that centered the voices, experiences, and wisdom of refugees and immigrants, and transformative values. CARE Cincinnati's Refugee and Immigrant Civic Leadership Program was a five-course program designed by and for refugees of the Cincinnati community in collaboration with a local government representative and University of Cincinnati researchers. This study analyzes 30 semi-structured interviews conducted with all program participants through a desire-based framework.

Committee: Anjali Dutt Ph.D. (Committee Member); Farrah Jacquez Ph.D. (Committee Member); Stacie Furst-Holloway Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2022, Arts and Sciences: Psychology

This thesis examines migrant workers' perceptions of their workplace, labor, and labor organizing/organizations. Ample literature details the discrimination and oppression migrant workers face in the workplace, provides overview of various forms of labor organizing, including labor unions and community-unionism, and explains the effects they have on worker wellbeing. This research sought to fill the large gap in the literature considering migrant workers' own perceptions on these topics, as well as avenues of possible action to address migrant worker discrimination. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews with migrant workers over video calls, and interviews were analyzed utilizing Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Findings indicated that migrant workers reported some form of exploitation at their workplace, though specific manifestations vary across participants. Participants also had widely varying perceptions of labor unions, and were generally unfamiliar with worker centers and community unionism. Ways forward indicated by the participants indicate working on policy to address discrimination as well as having more information available to migrant workers in regards to labor organizing/organizations and their labor rights.

Committee: Anjali Dutt Ph.D. (Committee Member); Carlie Trott Ph.D. (Committee Member); Stacie Furst-Holloway Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Social Psychology

Bachelor of Music, Capital University, 2022, Music

Theatre is an art form with the capacity to enact real change in our communities. Because of the wide array of topics theatre explores, it can help us to hold up a mirror to real life, critique and comment on proceedings within it, hold space for human emotion and therefore catharsis, and get viewers invested in a good story. This begs a responsibility for theatrical professionals to tie in aspects of community outreach to create a more enriching show, and harness the true power of this art form. In this project, I will be producing and directing Indecent, as well as creating opportunities for community outreach through talkbacks, service projects, and campus engagement opportunities. I will be creating a directorial concept, choosing actors, designing a rehearsal plan, finding costumes, set design elements, lighting, sound, and anything else needed to produce the show, all while organizing the opportunities for community engagement, complementary to the show's themes of LGBTQ+ rights and the history of Yiddish theatre. I have received permission also to conduct interviews and surveys of audience members directly after the show as well as check-ins to measure how the themes resonated with them, and later, how they have noticed them appear in their lives since, or any changes they have made. In the final paper in the execution semester, I will then explore these effects through the findings of this production and outreach components to demonstrate that theatre has the ability, and therefore responsibility to benefit others.

Committee: Joshua Borths (Advisor); Jens Hemmingsen (Advisor); Chad Payton (Advisor) Subjects: Art Criticism; Art Education; Art History; Arts Management; Behavioral Psychology; Communication; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Dance; Demographics; Design; East European Studies; Education; Education Philosophy; Educational Evaluation; Educational Psychology; Educational Sociology; Educational Theory; Ethics; European History; European Studies; Fine Arts; Folklore; Foreign Language; Gender; Gender Studies; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; History; Holocaust Studies; Industrial Arts Education; Intellectual Property; Judaic Studies; Marketing; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Modern History; Modern Literature; Music; Music Education; Performing Arts; Personal Relationships; Social Research; Social Work; Teacher Education; Teaching; Theater; Theater History; Theater Studies; Theology; Womens Studies

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2020, Leadership and Change

This dissertation serves as a counter-narrative to the standard deficiency model in published research that characterizes most first-generation college students as feeble and unequipped when it comes to thriving in, persisting in, and graduating from college. This is one of the few studies that examines the success of first-generation college students from the students' perspective. First-generation college students who graduated from college participated in a Delphi study that addressed this question: What factors influence first-generation college students' ability to graduate college? Three rounds of data collection resulted in ten themes, roughly in order of importance based on feedback from study participants: Self Starter, Financial Support, Finding a Passion, Social Network, Self-Development, Cultural/Identity Development, Family, Campus Resources and Programs, Work, and Service. The dissertation concludes with three sets of recommendations for improving outcomes of first-generation college students, aimed respectively at secondary school personnel, college officials, and first-generation college students themselves. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/etd.

Committee: Jon Wergin Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Elizabeth Holloway Ph.D. (Committee Member); Michael Stebleton Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Higher Education

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2018, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

Mental health issues among school-aged children are a growing concern and subject of intervention and prevention studies nationwide. While several implementation and service delivery models exist for school-based mental health services (SBMHS) they are often localized, population or program specific, and do not adequately address the issues related to stigma. Building on Cook and Kilmer's 2012 article integrating community psychology principles and systems of care values, a review of the literature is conducted to identify issues and barriers from stigma in current school-based and mental health service delivery. Key guidelines and specific considerations are presented to address identified limitations and augment the current implementation models for collaborative SBMHS through the practical application of community psychology principles. The creation and function of a coalition in the spirit of collaboration uniquely provided by partnering systems of care & community psychology principles is a central component. While the main focus and application of these objectives is at the micro and exosystem levels for change, the local community and school, school district and state, they can also be integrated at the macrosystem level for initiatives, legislation, and policy changes.

Committee: Jane Harmon-Jacobs Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Mark Russell Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Member); Jamila Brown Psy.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology; School Counseling

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2018, Antioch Santa Barbara: Clinical Psychology

Burnout is best defined as a condition consisting of symptoms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment (Maslach, 1982). It has been characterized as a process that develops through a variety of work and individual factors. Furthermore, it has been shown to impact one's career, physical health, and mental well-being. Much of the literature on burnout has been studied on psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers, with a paucity of studies focused on marriage and family therapist (MFTs). The lack of burnout literature on MFTs is in spite of their employment in many diverse clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of Associate MFTs (AMFTs) working in community based agencies and identify factors that contribute to feeling burned out. Moreover, the study sought to identify ways AMFTs recognize, prepare for, and manage burnout. Research has identified risk and protective factors of burnout and self-care is a topic routinely discussed in the mental health field. However, this study attempts to elucidate the burnout phenomenon by unearthing lived experiences of clinicians experiencing work stress and understanding what it is about the nature of self-care that is effective for clinicians in managing its impact. This Dissertation is available in Open Access at AURA: Antioch University Repository Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu and OhioLink ETD Center, http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd

Committee: Brett Kia-Keating Ed.D. (Committee Chair); Christopher Howard Psy.D. (Committee Member); Kyle Killian Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Occupational Psychology; Psychology; Psychotherapy

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2017, Psychology/Clinical

The present study explored the nature of social justice discussions on the social networking site Tumblr using publicly available data from Tumblr posts generated between March 16, 2016 and March 30, 2016. Posts were self-identified by users with at least one of five common hashtags related to social justice identified in a pilot study on Tumblr. These hashtags were #Black Lives Matter, #Feminism, #Racism, #Social Justice, and #SJW, an abbreviation for “social justice warrior” a phrase used to label individuals who engage in social justice discussions online. Findings indicated that posts about social justice are common on Tumblr with 15,160 public posts created by 8,794 users across the two weeks. However, not all posts reflect a positive attitude toward social justice with 8.6% of posts expressing disagreement or even hostility toward movements promoting equality. Data from the present study were compared to data collected in the pilot study to describe consistency and differences in results using the same methodology at two different time points for two different lengths of time. Implications of study findings for clinical and research purposes are discussed.

Committee: Catherine Stein Ph.D. (Advisor); Dale Klopfer Ph.D. (Committee Member); Carolyn Tompsett Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2017, Psychology/Clinical

The present study examined how citizens in Detroit Michigan work to promote social justice and individual well-being in their city. Detroit is a city with a history of serious social and economic problems that has been experiencing a revitalization through citizen participation in the past decade. Using a conceptual framework of wellness as fairness articulated by Prilletensky (2012), the present study examined four psychosocial processes that are said to compel individuals to confront social justice: critical experiences (events that leave a strong impression), critical consciousness (the perception and critique of oppression), righteous comparisons (evaluating one's own injustices while perceiving others as having better opportunities), and critical action (citizen participation to actively confront injustice). A sample of 128 adults who were members of non-profit organizations involved in Detroit's social and economic revitalization completed an online questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression techniques were used to examine the degree to which individual-level perceptions of injustice (self-reports of personal discrimination and righteous comparisons) can account for variance in adults' views of critical consciousness beyond that of demographic characteristics. The study also investigated the relative contribution of demographic characteristics, individual-level perceptions of personal injustice, and sense of community and critical consciousness in accounting for variation in participants' reports of perceived empowerment, well-being, and life satisfaction. Results suggest that higher scores of perceived personal discrimination and righteous comparisons best predicted adults' scores on critical consciousness. Additionally, a greater sense of community was the best predictor of empowerment and well-being scores, while greater levels of critical consciousness predicted higher life satisfaction levels. Implications of findings for research and practice a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Catherine Stein Ph.D. (Advisor); Dryw Dworsky Ph.D. (Committee Member); Michael Zickar Ph.D. (Committee Member); Anita Simic Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2017, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

Income-based indicators of happiness have been shown to be limited in their ability to predict happiness. Alternative measures of happiness have been gaining prominence in happiness research, and two predictors of happiness were investigated in the current study. The extent to which happiness (measured by affect, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being) could be predicted by gender and perception of community safety was investigated with 19,644 participant responses to The Happiness Alliance Survey. Multiple linear regression models indicated that gender and community safety are significant predictors of affect, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being. The effect of the predictor variables was similar for all three of those happiness measures. B values indicated that both predictor variables had the greatest impact on psychological well-being and the least impact on life satisfaction. While all three models were statistically significant, they did not similarly predict the satisfaction with affect, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being scores. The results suggest that while gender and perceptions of community safety should be considered as part of the whole picture that supports a full life, there are likely other variables and life domains that have stronger influences on happiness.

Committee: Suzanne Engelberg PsyD (Committee Chair); Alejandra Suarez PhD (Committee Member); Laura Musikanski J.D, M.B.A (Committee Member) Subjects: Mental Health; Psychology; Public Policy; Social Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1974, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Sociology

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2010, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of)

Today's fast-paced urban society is marked by busy schedules and repetitive routines, with most people being unaware of the affects they have on their surroundings, and how the built environment, in turn, affects them. Spaces that we occupy on a reoccurring basis, such as public transit hubs, tend to fade into the background as the user disengages from their environment and becomes more inwardly focused. These spaces, intended for public use, are only about passing through, rather than truly creating a sense of place. Despite this increasing isolation, it is natural for humans to identify themselves as being part of a community. This thesis will examine how designers can extract the psychological attributes of community organization and implement them as direct drivers in the design process. A building design for a community engagement center and public transit hub will be produced on an urban site, presented in models and drawings, and documented in a critical essay that discusses the increasing need for spaces that engage community members directly through active participation in the creation of their environment, and increase building use through flexibility of program. As a result, urban dwellers will become active members in their environment by participating in the design process of their spaces. The ability for users to leave their mark on the spaces in which they inhabit will result in a greater sense of ownership for the community.

Committee: Michael McInturf MARCH (Committee Chair); Patricia Kucker MARCH (Committee Chair) Subjects: Architecture