Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, 2020, English

1950's author, Shirley Jackson, wrote of the daily housewoman's life with a Gothic turn. Beginning with domestic life magazines and later extending her works to the international press, Jackson wrote of the familiar and sometimes welcoming image of domesticity in a way that demonstrates the complex and ambiguous relationship women hold with their domestic roles. Though for some her writing inspired the breaking away from the housewife image, for many it brought a desire to embrace the housewife identity with writings that shared their experiences and made light of their domestic roles. Feminist readers debated whether women could truly be happy in these domestic roles or if the attempt to make light of the household duties was a denial of the limitations placed on them by a patriarchy. In Jackson's writing, there is a combination of support for the agentic housewife and the belief that domesticity brought personal destruction. Through this essay, it is shown how Jackson's literature, including her penultimate work, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, provides insight into the historical questioning behind the domestic woman, simultaneously showing the positive and negative components of domestic life.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1971, Graduate School

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2024, English

My dissertation scrutinizes literary representations of the Romany, referred to as “the Gypsy trope,” in Victorian and Modernist works by Walter Scott, Charlotte Bronte, George Eliot, and Virginia Woolf, emphasizing the need for a critical analysis of the complexities of this trope. Existing criticism of the trope focuses heavily on its discriminatory aspects, arguing that it embodies non-Romany writers' cultural fantasies of otherness, reflecting their imperialist mindset. Given that gypsy characters are often associated with Eastern culture and portrayed as victims of discrimination, oppression, and harassment, this post-colonially inflected perspective provides a framework that could aptly encompass many possible interpretations of the trope. However, interpreting the trope solely through its discriminatory measures overlooks a key geopolitical aspect that sets the Romany people apart from their Eastern associates: the Romany have been present in or around English regions since the early sixteenth century, making their lifestyle and culture less “exotic” than internal to the British Isles. In contrast to colonial subjects whose physical distance from the metropolitan center functions to define a boundary line of otherness, the Romany's nearness and visibility were key elements in their representations as literary or symbolic characters, especially as domestic and internal others; this closeness endowed the gypsy characters with an exoticism that was simultaneously familiar. Therefore, to consider this complex interplay of domestic and exotic, this dissertation examines how the interactions of gypsy characters with other characters and communities variously operate within the trope. The authors under my scrutiny represent Romany people not merely as racial and cultural others, but also as drivers of transformation in the non-Romany protagonists' racial, class and gender identities. The familiarity of the gypsy characters allows for seamless engagements with the pr (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1975, Graduate School

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1980, Graduate School

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2005, Graduate School

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 1976, Graduate School

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Arts and Sciences: Communication

In Ghana, sexual communication is frowned upon, and this is evident in the sexual scripts that guide the behaviors of partners in a relationship. Although this restriction affects both genders, women are at a disadvantage compared to men. This study looks into the different ways that sexual scripting has served as a barrier to asserting sexual needs from the point of view of women. To better understand how this script inhibits women from expressing their sexual needs, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 Ghanaian women. Findings from the interview revealed that cultural and interpersonal scripts, reinforced by societal attitudes, often limit women's agency and contribute to barriers to open communication about sexual needs and desires. Despite these challenges, there are indications of evolving attitudes and practices driven by changing media representations, content, and societal norms. This has made it possible for women to initiate sex using both direct and indirect strategies comfortably. The study underscores the importance of challenging restrictive sexual scripts and promoting environments that empower women to assert sexual autonomy.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Arts and Sciences: Sociology

This dissertation is guided by two questions that drive all three substantive chapters: (1) do some types of extracurricular activities benefit educational attainment more than others? And, (2) do these distinct types of extracurricular activities have more of an advantage for students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds (racial/ethnic minorities and females) than for those from historically advantaged groups (whites and males)? I employ three main theoretical approaches to educational attainment. In Chapter 2, I use Hirschi's social control theory to assess whether involvement and engagement in extracurricular activities are beneficial for a higher cumulative GPA while in high school. Chapter 3 embraces James Coleman's multiple role theory, which argues that the more roles a student takes on while pursuing their education can allow them to be more dynamic, educationally successful and add to previous roles they have already acquired. Finally, Chapter 4 implements Pierre Bourdieu's Cultural Capital Theory which states that the more exposure to activities that are considered “high-brow” are more beneficial for educational attainment. Data for my analyses in all three substantive chapters come from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Add Health is a nationally representative survey of 7th through 12th graders and their parents and school administrators, first administered during 1994-95 academic year with multiple follow-up interviews of the students. The study used a multistage, stratified, school based, cluster sampling design, including students from 80 public and private high schools, as well as students from one junior high or middle school feeding into each high school. Over 90,000 students completed an in-school interview during a 45- to 60-minute class period between September 1994 and April 1995. All students in the eligible grades were supposed to complete in-school questionnaires, and their responses are th (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

The purpose of this study was to explore and identify the high-impact practices that football coaches, within the Greater Dayton Area (GDA), were utilizing to develop life-skills in their athletes. This qualitative study will add to the base of knowledge surrounding life-skill development (LSD) in adolescents, while also supporting local football programs by providing a starting point for the inclusion of LSD in their daily routines. This study utilized the Basic Needs of Coaching Paradigm (BNCP) as the framework to maintain focus on the optimal outcomes for the student-athletes through the behaviors of coaches and the impacts those behaviors have on student-athletes. Through the course of semi-structured interviews, coaches took the time to explain how they viewed their role, how they viewed their relationship with their athletes, and what life-skill development meant to them. What resulted was an opportunity to create something meaningful that could be used as an aid to help the entire coaching community. More specifically, this study will lead to the creation of the Life-Skill Development Toolkit, which will become a valuable resource for coaching staffs to help them learn about LSD and how to implement it within their programs, which will lead to the development of life-skills in high school athletes and further development of coaching staffs.

Master of Science, Miami University, 2024, Computer Science and Software Engineering

The increasing utilization of intelligent agents has led to a growing demand for policy frame- works to govern their behavior. AOPL (Authority Obligation Policy Language) stands as a well- established policy framework within the logic-based AI (Artificial Intelligence) community. This thesis evaluated the suitability and effectiveness of AOPL by comparing it against other prominent policy frameworks. The evaluation assessed their capacity to effectively express policies, including role-based policies, and their ability to analyze policies. The methodology comprised a series of literature policy scenarios designed to test the scalability and efficiency of the policy frameworks. Additionally, the AOPL framework was extended with missing features identified through comparison with EPA (Expressive Policy Analysis) and other logic-based policy frameworks. The outcome of this research contributed to a better understanding of the strengths and limitations of these policy frameworks, providing valuable insights for the development of future policy-based intelligent agent systems.

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, 2024, Psychology

Asian American men may have body image concerns related to masculinity expectations, attraction ideals, negative body image, and drive for Western masculinity (Liao et al., 2020). Adherence to masculine norms may be rooted in expectations, cultural norms, and gender roles emphasized in Asian households (Ai et al., 2021; Chang & Subramaniam, 2008; Kramer et al., 2002; Lipson et al., 1996; Liu & Iwamoto, 2006). The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between conformity to Western masculinity norms, body dissatisfaction, and depression among Asian and Asian American men. Data were collected from 150 Asian and Asian-American men living in the United States (M age = 32.03 years, SD = 9.40; range = 18 to 64 years). Participants identified their ethnic background as Chinese (28.7%), followed by Korean (14.0%), Vietnamese (13.3%), Indian (12.7%), Filipino (12.0%), Multiethnic (8.7%), Japanese (4.0%), Other (4.0%), Bangladeshi (2.0%), and Lao (0.7%). Results indicated that conformity to the Winning and Violence masculinity norms were not significantly correlated with depression, whereas conformity to the Playboy and Self-Reliance masculinity norms were significantly positively correlated with depression. Despite winning masculine norm conformity not being related to depression, the results of this study indicated that male body dissatisfaction mediated the relationship between Winning masculine norm conformity and depression. Potential explanations and implications of this study are discussed, and directions for future research are presented.

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2024, Arts and Sciences: Communication

As more women become exposed to educational and technological tools, alongside international and intercultural affiliations, African women are increasingly deviating from the proscribed societal roles. Through this, we witness the rise of fresh sociocultural perspectives that often create and influence identity formation and reformation. This thesis explores the experiences of Nigerian female entrepreneurs who take on the dualized roles of financial providers and homemakers. To understand this phenomenon, this study employs the theoretical linings of the feminist standpoint theory, nego-feminism model, and the communication theory of identity (CTI). The study specifically investigates how the increase in financial contribution impacts the role negotiation of these women while examining how they negotiate and communicate their identities and boundaries. For this study, a total of 12 women were interviewed. The findings from this research show a strong societal and social influence on participants' perceptions of themselves and their identities as women and financial contributors.

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2024, Organizational Behavior

Job engagement remains a pervasive challenge for organizations, with just over one-third of U.S. employees fully engaged in their work according to Gallup (2024). This dissertation seeks to enhance our comprehension of job engagement by examining the influence of time-related factors. While conventional perspectives emphasize the allocation of energy based on job demands, resources, and psychological factors (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017; Kahn, 1990; Rich et al., 2010), this dissertation takes a novel approach by incorporating time perspectives (Bluedorn, 2002; Lewin, 1948 & 1951; Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999) and social roles (Abele, 2003; Eagly, 1987; Koenig & Eagly, 2014). This integration offers a comprehensive understanding of job engagement as a dynamic, flexible, temporally relative, and social construct. Comprising two studies with survey samples, Study 1 involved 491 U.S. employees through a cloud research platform. Building on these findings, Study 2 further investigated the topic using multi-wave data from 80 current business students and alumni at two East Coast Universities. The results illuminate several significant insights. The findings from both Study 1 and Study 2 provide robust support for various aspects of time perspectives and their impact on psychological antecedents and job engagement. Specifically, current temporal focus demonstrates positive links with both psychological antecedents and job engagement. Additionally, future temporal focus is found to positively influence job engagement, while past temporal focus has a negative impact on it. Positive feelings towards different timeframes are shown to contribute positively to job engagement while negative feelings have negative impact. Finally, individuals with a future temporal focus tend to exhibit communal behaviors, highlighting the importance of fostering such behaviors in the workplace. Overall, this dissertation emphasizes the importance of considering time perspectives as critical antecede (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2024, History

This dissertation offers a new look at the Age of Jackson to better understand the influences that women and gender roles had on American politics during the 1820s and 1830s. It offers a counternarrative to a historiography that has focused predominately on Whig Womanhood, which developed in opposition to Andrew Jackson's presidency. Instead, it looks at the women who were passionate supporters of Jackson to see what drew the “common woman” to the complicated figure who was once heralded as being a champion of the “common man.” Additionally, this research looks at how conforming to normative gender roles was a useful political tool. Jackson's reputation as a martial figure often came coupled with the idea that he was a protector of women, and his supporters responded to this narrative. At the same time, Jackson's opponents argued that he was dangerous to women, while also denigrating the womanhood of female figures close to him. This dissertation thus argues that women were integral to the electoral strategies of the Democrats as well as the Whigs during the Jacksonian period, which, therefore, cannot be fully understood without far greater attention to the neglected Jackson women.

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Arts and Sciences: Biological Sciences

The Darwin-Bateman paradigm theorizes that males maximize their reproductive success by mating indiscriminately and often, while females benefit by investing in the selection of a smaller number of high-quality males. However, there is increasing recognition that sexual selection occurs on both male and female traits, even within species, and that sex roles operate dynamically on a continuum influenced by numerous factors. Even so, much variation in the strength and direction of sexual selection remains unexplained. This study examines variation in sex roles across the animal kingdom by conducting a synthesis on existing sexual selection research where we model the relative strength of sexual selection between sexes using generally-available predictors including potential reproductive rates and mating systems. The results demonstrate that (1) the commonly-invoked potential reproductive rate is important in modeling sex differences in the Bateman gradient and opportunity for sexual selection, while the importance of sex ratios appears in this study to be eclipsed by other variables, and (2) sex-role models are significantly more robust when interactions between variables are accounted for. We conclude that sex roles are highly context-dependent and should be modeled according to a mix of population and life-history characteristics.

MA, Kent State University, 2023, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of History

Between 1473 and 1666, the printing industry in London was heavily regulated by the Stationers' Company, but after the 1660s, the Company became unable to effectively regulate printed texts. This thesis compares the depictions of masculinity which appeared in early modern English books between periods of heavy regulation and periods of loose regulation. Changes to the printing industry, including changes to the laws surrounding censorship and economic changes in both the market and England as a whole, contributed to changes in how social ideologies are represented in the books that the market produced. During the early period of heavy regulation, narratives of masculinity across texts were relatively consistent and cooperated with one another to create a cohesive, hegemonic version of masculinity. However, as the market grew and opened, there was no longer a reasonable expectation of regulation, and more, often differing versions of masculinity were able to compete with the traditional hegemonic narrative.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Counselor Education

Burnout is both an occupational and ethical concern for Disaster Mental Health (DMH) practitioners due to the high trauma exposure associated with disaster response work, yet little research has focused specifically on burnout in this population. Using an existential theoretical framework, relationships between burnout and DMH practitioner demographic variables, meaningful work, gender role attitudes, and growth-fostering relationships were assessed in a survey-based study that included 248 American Red Cross DMH practitioners. Results indicated a moderate to low negative correlation between meaningful work and burnout in the sample. The prevalence of burnout in the sample was also significantly lower than hypothesized.

Doctor of Nursing Practice , Case Western Reserve University, 2023, School of Nursing

Problem: Evidence-based practice (EBP) attributes are significantly associated with EBP implementation science, which improve patient care outcomes. Nurses influence EBP, yet little is known of the specific EBP attributes of pediatric nurses in their clinical sub-specialties. Aim: To investigate the relationship between nursing academic degree, years of experience, and clinical specialty, with mean survey scores on EBP belief, organizational culture, and implementation scales, across all levels of nursing in a Children's Hospital. Methods: A convenience sample of nurses (n=185), participated in a descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational study in May 2023. The electronic surveys comprised 11 demographic questions and nine survey items from the short-version EBP Beliefs Scale (Cronbach α = 0.81), Organizational Culture and Readiness Scale for System-wide Integration Scale (Cronbach α = 0.87); and EBP Implementation Scale (Cronbach α = 0.89). Findings: EBP belief scores were notably higher in nurses working in neonatology (m=4.33); critical care (m=4.47), and among nurse leaders (m=4.50). There was a statistically significant difference in EBP organizational culture among nurse leaders (m = 3.95, p=0.039), compared to clinical nurses (m = 3.34), and advanced practice nurses (m = 3.34). EBP implementation was favorable in neonatology (m=4.20), acute care (m=4.05), and nurse leaders (m=4.33). No significant difference or correlation was found in EBP belief, organizational culture, or implementation mean scores related to nurses' age, academic nursing degree, or years of experience in our cohort (EBP beliefs (r = -.06, p = .400), organizational readiness (r = .02, p = .770), and implementation scales (r = .01, p = .867). Conclusions: This study identified nurse's EBP attributes in a Children's Hospital using key variables studied with EBP social cognitive and learning theory. Magnet status, shared governance structure, specialty certification, and nurse l (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2023, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

Research focusing on body dissatisfaction and its contributing factors, such as internalization of body shape ideals (i.e., thin-ideal and muscular-ideal), remains sparse among women in middle adulthood. Furthermore, social life roles (i.e., parental and marital status) and achievements (i.e., educational attainment), typically substantiated in middle adulthood, may represent important factors that moderate the relationship between internalization of body shape ideals and body dissatisfaction among women in middle adulthood. The present thesis sought to examine the association between internalization of body shape ideals (i.e., thin-ideal and muscular-ideal) and body dissatisfaction in a sample of women in middle adulthood. This study also sought to examine whether social roles (i.e., marital status, parental status, and educational status) moderate the association between internalization of body shape ideals (i.e., thin-ideal and muscular-ideal) and body dissatisfaction among women in middle adulthood. Analyses were conducted utilizing cross-sectional data of 349 women in middle adulthood (mean (SD) age=50.17 (9.61) years; age range=35-65 years) who completed assessments evaluating for thin-ideal internalization, muscular-ideal internalization, and body dissatisfaction. Models for moderation were examined with age and BMI as covariates. Higher levels of thin-ideal internalization and muscular-ideal internalization were associated with greater levels of body dissatisfaction among women in middle adulthood, above and beyond age and BMI. However, the association between muscular-ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction was diminished without BMI in the model, suggesting statistical suppression. Neither marital status and parental status significantly interacted with body-shape ideal internalization in predicting body dissatisfaction. Education status significantly interacted with thin-ideal internalization, but not muscular-ideal internalization, in predicting b (open full item for complete abstract)