Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Higher Education Administration

Student affairs professionals help students who experience trauma. Repeated and prolonged traumatic exposure has significant adverse effects on other helping professionals; burnout is one consequence of trauma exposure. Burnout as a construct has not been quantitatively researched in the student affairs profession recently. This study provides a new way to investigate burnout: by looking at the role of job demands, job resources, and exposure to trauma. Through an anonymous survey, 883 student affairs professionals reported their levels of job demands, job resources, exposure to trauma, and burnout. In addition to descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and regression analyses were conducted. Professionals with high job demands and low job resources are susceptible to burnout. Exposure to trauma significantly contributed to burnout scores and certain professionals are more susceptible to burnout than others; however, student affairs professionals in various functional areas experienced burnout. The results of this study confirm that helping professionals experience burnout and need more resources to continue this work. These findings can be used by institutions of higher education to inform supervision, training, hiring, and retaining these skilled professionals.

Committee: Maureen E. Wilson (Advisor); Patrick D. Pauken (Committee Member); Jessica M. Turos (Committee Member); Mary Jon Ludy (Other) Subjects: Higher Education Administration

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2019, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Health Education

In the last decade, we have witnessed a marked shift in the value placed on vocational services in treatment planning for substance use disorder because of the “opioid epidemic in the Midwest.”(Center for Substance Abuse Services (2000). Because of this, the welfare reform act has placed stricter requirements to obtain public assistance for those with disabilities, along with the elimination of federal disability benefits for addiction alone. As a result, employment has become increasingly important. Recovery can work and people in recovery want to work. Studies show that people with chronic disorders specifically “substance use disorders” can and do often want to work if for no other reason than maintaining their basic needs and social interaction to maintain sobriety in spite of the addiction. Employment is an essential element for most individuals and sometimes for people with substance use disorders (Platt & Metzger, 1985). Unemployed clients in substance abuse treatment programs face many challenges and barriers in getting and keeping jobs after recovery. These clients will need help identifying these barriers that may prevent them from gaining employment and solving stresses in the work environment to maintain employment. Nevertheless, services such vocational services are not available in treatment programs (Goldenburg, 1972). Vocational services for individuals with a disability is a mandate, to empower individuals with disabilities to maximize employment, economic self-sufficiency, independence, and inclusion and integration into society (Rehabilitation Act of 1973). According to a survey sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), most treatment programs provide no vocational services; half of the programs reported had no full-time vocational staff and no budget for vocational services (Hubbard & Hardwood, 1981). Employment before or during substance use disorder treatment could be related to both longer retention in treatment and (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Rebecca Vidourek Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Keith King Ph.D. (Committee Member); Ashley Merianos Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Education

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2019, Psychology

Previous research has shown that residence in a non-metropolitan area is associated with lower access to preventative care and poorer heath. However, this research has been largely restricted to the general population, despite data demonstrating people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience disparities in health care and service utilization as well as important markers of health. The current research explored the effects of urbanicity on these variables in people with IDD to provide a clearer picture of factors affecting access to care, focusing specifically on three outcome variables: access to services (e.g., transportation, healthcare coordination), utilization of preventative healthcare (e.g., most recent eye exam, most recent physical exam), and health markers (e.g., high blood pressure, BMI). Data was drawn from the National Core Indicators 2015-2016 Adult Consumer survey, which was the first wave of data collection to include Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes. This allowed for the analysis of urbanization as a predictor for the aforementioned variables of interest. Logistic regressions were run, which produced odds ratios for each of the outcome variables dependent on the urbanicity of the participants' residence (i.e., metropolitan, micropolitan, or rural/small town). Overall, the current research suggests that, despite all participants in the sample being connected to state level disability services, health outcomes and access to care generally follow patterns similar to those observed in the general population, with those in non-metropolitan areas having lower access to services, lower healthcare utilization, and poorer health status. While there are some exceptions to this trend, suggesting that there is some recognition of the problem and attempts to remedy it, this research suggests that the effects of rurality are too significant to be completely mitigated by current efforts.

Committee: Marc Tasse PhD (Advisor); Susan Havercamp PhD (Committee Member); Luc Lecavalier PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology; Public Health

Master of Arts (MA), Wright State University, 2018, Educational Leadership

Due to the continuous growth of diverse student bodies on college campuses, creating accessibility for each unique student needs to be considered. Students who have a disability or disabilities are a substantial part of this growing diverse student body. Since disability resource specialists play a significant role in creating accessibility for such students, they can consider implementing practices that qualify as Universal Design. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore where disability resource specialists fall on Lewin's (1951) continuum of change and Reynold's (2009) levels of expertise in regards to implementing practices that qualify as Universal Design. Six participants were included in this study out of eight who were invited to participate. Out of those six participants, the study showed that all participants demonstrated a strong presence in the Unfreezing stage of Lewin's (1951) continuum of change. Also, the study showed that all participants showed a level of knowledge as the second tier to Reynold's (2009) levels of expertise. Limitations as well as recommendations for future research included recruiting a larger sample of participants to provide greater analysis of the study.

Committee: Carol Patitu Ph.D. (Advisor); Suzanne Franco Ed.D. (Committee Member); Stephanie Krah Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Community College Education; Community Colleges; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Design; Education; Education Policy; Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Engineering; English As A Second Language; Experiments; Instructional Design; Intellectual Property; Labor Relations; Management; Mass Communications; Mental Health; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Multicultural Education; Occupational Health; Occupational Therapy; Personal Relationships; Public Administration; Public Health; Public Health Education; Public Policy; Reading Instruction; Recreation; Rehabilitation; Robotics; Robots; School Administration; Secondary Education; Special Education; Speech Therapy; Systems Design; Teacher Education; Transportation

Doctor of Education (EdD), Ohio University, 2018, Educational Administration (Education)

This study focused on what persistent factors contribute to adults with learning disabilities sustaining enrollment in college. The number of students who enter higher education programs with learning disabilities continues to increase (Eckes & Ochoa, 2005; Madaus & Shaw, 2006; Newman, Wagner, Cameto, & Knokey, 2009). This study explored approaches for meeting the unique needs of students with disabilities by examining their experiences, and their efforts of earning a college degree. While also including their parents' perspectives, the observed information offers suggestions that may help sustain a more fluid transition from the K-12 setting to a postsecondary college environment for other students. To understand these experiences, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with five young adults with learning disabilities, and their parents. Information gained from this qualitative case study provided pertinent insights for future students with learning disabilities when preparing to attend a postsecondary college environment. This research also provides insights regarding how students with disabilities can access and use disability services on college campuses, what kind of individual characteristics a person needs to help promote persistence (self advocacy and self-determination), and lastly, what impact did their parents have on their persistence to complete their degree. In addition to interviews, campus visits were made to each of the participant's prospective colleges to compare the differences and similarities from what the office of disability services advertised to what each participant experienced while on those campuses.

Committee: Dwan Robinson (Committee Chair); Krisanna Machtmes (Committee Member); Leena Landmark (Committee Member); Scott Sparks (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Continuing Education; Education; Educational Leadership; Secondary Education; Special Education

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2013, Psychology

The current study explores social outcomes for adults with ASD in comparison to adults with other disabilities by investigating the relationships between social relationships, community inclusion, access to services/supports, and choice to address the following research question: how do individuals with ASD differ from individuals with other disabilities in their reported levels of social relationships and community inclusion? How do reported levels of choice and access to services/supports relate to social relationships and community inclusion for individuals with ASD? Are these relationships different for individuals with disabilities other than ASD? The National Core Indicators Adult Consumer Survey 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 datasets were used as a population from which two samples were drawn, individuals with ASD and individuals with other disabilities. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the measurement model of the latent constructs of interest, then structured means analysis was used to compare latent variable means, and SEM was used to test a structural model of the relationships of the constructs of interest. Results indicated a measurement model differing from the factor structure consistent with the organization of the NCI survey yielding three novel factors: Social Determination, Social Participation and Relationships, and Personal Control. Individuals with ASD had lower levels of Social Determination and Friendships than individuals with other disabilities. SEM analyses yielded significant relationships between constructs of interest. Results provide insight with regards to novel statistical, theoretical, and practical approaches to the study of social outcomes for individuals with ASD.

Committee: Marc Tasse (Advisor); Susan Havercamp (Committee Member); Betsey Benson (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2012, Medicine: Genetic Counseling

Research on adult use of genetic services largely focuses on predictive cancer, prenatal or adult-onset settings. This study assessed non-predictive use of genetic services by adults to characterize the population. Methods: A query of adults who accessed non-predictive genetic services over a nine-year period was completed to identify demographics, diagnoses and care provided. A retrospective chart review of a sub-cohort of adults with cognitive disability (CD) with and without genetic diagnoses was then completed to identify management patterns. Wilcoxon's rank sum test (two-sided, a=0.05) was used for comparison. Results: 2141 adults accessed services. 77% were seen in specialty clinics and 23% were seen in general clinic. The majority of adults seen in specialty clinics traveled >40 minutes for long-term disease-specific care and did not have CD. Most adults seen in general clinic had not seen genetics previously. 3% (n=65) had CD and underwent in-depth review. There was no difference in the amount of total genetic testing (p=0.202) or recommendations given (0=0.841) based on diagnostic status. Conclusions: There is a large adult population that can benefit from non-predictive genetic services. Genetic providers need to seek out this population to coordinate care and address unmet needs.

Committee: Robert Hopkin MD (Committee Chair); Katherine Healy MS (Committee Member); Valentina Pilipenko PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Genetics

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2006, Educational Services and Research

This study examined the composition and status of disability support services (DSS) among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). A national census was conducted via the dissemination of a web-based self-report questionnaire to 103 designated DSS administrators. Data was collected to capture the institutional landscape and availability of accommodation provisions for students with disabilities (SWD). Procedures were executed to control for the primary four sources of error (coverage, sampling, measurement and nonresponse) relative to survey research. The two research questions posited were as follows: (1) What is the status and composition of support services for SWD at HBCUs? (2) How can services to SWD at HBCUs be developed and implemented? Analyses were guided by four primary research objectives that correspond to the research questions and produced results as follows: 1) A test of two proportion comparisons revealed significant differences in the organizational structure of DSS Offices and the variation in accommodation provisions. Results revealed a need for more centralized, formal DSS Offices and additional accommodation provisions. 2) Data suggested that the general distribution of types of disabilities (self-disclosed) in the population of SWD within HBCUs varied substantially. 3) A chi square test of independence was employed to evaluate the influence of accommodation provisions for SWD at public and private HBCUs. No significant difference was observed. 4) The general linear model was robust for performing the analysis of variance (ANOVA) of unweighted means. The ANOVA for differences within the types of institutions and organization structures of DSS Offices on eligible SWD revealed a significant main effect of the DSS structure, but no statistically significant main effect for institution type. Findings of this study described and validated the efficacy of establishing DSS programs where absent or underdeveloped. Theoretical applications a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Bruce Growick (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2005, Physical Activity and Educational Services

The purpose of this study was to examine service delivery and outcomes for individuals with visual impairments. The study sought to examine whether differences existed in service delivery and outcomes based on agency structure within the state-federal vocational rehabilitation system. Within the state-federal vocational rehabilitation system there are two major agency structures that serve as service delivery vehicles for persons with visual impairments. There is a combined agency structure, providing vocational rehabilitation services to individuals of all disability types, including those with visual impairments. The other major service delivery system is the separate/blind agency structure. This system provides vocational rehabilitation services to individuals who have visual impairments. This ex-post facto study utilized national data from the state-federal vocational rehabilitation system in federal fiscal year 2002. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was selected for evaluating the relationship between agency type and variables such as weekly earnings, hours worked, number of types of services, case expenditures, and number of services. Furthermore, chi-square analysis was utilized to study any statistical differences in the type of services that individuals with visual impairments received from the agency structures providing vocational rehabilitation services to that population. The MANOVA and chi-square results of the study showed that statistical differences existed between the agency structures in vocational rehabilitation outcomes and service delivery for individuals with visual impairments. MANOVA analysis found that consumers of combined agencies had higher means on all variables studied. Of note was that consumers of combined agencies had higher weekly earnings, $365.54 vs. $354.73, and more hours worked per week, 34.09 vs. 31.93. Ths chi-square analysis found statistical significance in virtually every type of service category with consumer (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Michael Klein (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Guidance and Counseling

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2007, Higher Education Administration

The purpose of this research paper was to understand how students with learning disabilities made sense of their experiences in post-secondary education. More specifically, this study aimed to identify what students with learning disabilities perceived as the challenges and successes they encountered in higher education at a university in Ontario. To understand the essence of the of students' experiences, six students with learning disabilities from a post-secondary institution who were in line to graduate were recruited to contribute to this study. Findings indicated that the participants faced two key challenges while at university: They had to cope with parental separation and learn to become more independent as they adapted to the university life; and they had to come to grips with their learning disabilities and deal with preconceptions of parents, peers, and faculty as well as their own in order to succeed in higher education. In terms of success, four themes emerged from the research findings: the influence of family and school personnel motivated the students to enroll in a post-secondary institution; support from faculty, who reduced barriers and made learning more accessible, facilitated the students' positive achievements; strong support through an office of disability services was key in the students' success; and, most importantly, the value of the participants' own determination and desire to succeed was indispensable in their academic journeys.

Committee: Robert DeBard (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Higher

Master of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 2013, Social Work

Objective The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with academic outcomes among undergraduate students with disabilities. Factors examined included student characteristics (i.e., demographic characteristics and disability status), academic experiences (i.e., major and enrollment pattern), and services provided by the Office of Disability Services (i.e., accommodations provided and length of support). Academic outcomes included graduation (both at all and within six years of admission) and final grade point average. Methods A retrospective cohort study design was used to examine academic performance among a split-half, random sample of 233 students who enrolled into the Ohio State University Office of Disability Services (ODS) from 7/1/2003 to 6/30/2005. ODS staff compiled a de-identified data set from administrative and academic records for these 233 students from their date of admission into OSU through June 2012, the end of the quarter academic calendar at OSU, and provided these data to the author for analysis. This study was reviewed and approved by the OSU Behavioral and Social Sciences Institutional Review Board (Protocol #2012B0425). Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analytic techniques were used to analyze these data, including: ranges, frequencies, means and standard deviations to describe the sample; chi-square, t-test, and ANOVA to identify bivariate correlates of academic performance; and, binomial logistic regression and ordinary least squares linear regression to identify multivariate predictors of academic performance. Results A majority, 74.2%, of the sample graduated from OSU, and of those that graduated, 91.3% earned their degree within six years. Minority students and students with a higher grade point average at intake were more likely to graduate. Older students and students enrolled part-time were less likely to graduate or graduate within six years. Students who registered for accommodations during the (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Alvin Mares MSW, Ph.D (Advisor); Terrell Strayhorn Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Social Work