Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2006, Graduate School

MA, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

Heart disease (HD) remains the leading cause of death (LCOD) in America. Despite public health campaigns, awareness of this fact decreased from 65% in 2009 to 44% in 2019 among women over the age of 25 and was only 10% for women aged 15-24. Declines were greater for women younger than 65, Hispanic, and Black. In 2021, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) issued a notice of special interest in promoting cardiovascular health earlier in life. The current cross-sectional study compared awareness of HD as the leading cause of death (LCOD) and greatest health problem among Black and White women and men aged 20-39. Given that Black women have a higher risk of HD than White women, we were particularly interested in possible race and sex differences in HD awareness among young adults. We hypothesized that women would be less aware that heart disease is the LCOD and the greatest health problem for people of all ages. We also expected Black women would be less likely to identify heart disease as the LCOD and the greatest health problem and would report lower levels of motivation to improve their CVH and reduce their risk for CVD compared to young White women. The online survey was conducted using QualtricsXM panels. Respondents (n = 404) included Black women (25.0%, 29.0 ± 6.1 yrs), White women (24.3%, 26.4 ± 4.3 yrs), Black men (24.8%, 30.6 ± 5.2 yrs), and White men (25.9%, 32.8 ± 4.5 yrs). Correct identification of HD as the LCOD was similar for women and men whether choosing from a list (24.1% vs. 26.8%) or by ranking the top 5 LCODs (17.6% vs. 20.0%) [χ2(1, 404), p ≥ .53]. Whereas 31.7% of males correctly identified HD as the LCOD for people whose birth sex is male, only 15.6% of females correctly identified HD as the LCOD death in people whose birth sex is female [χ2(1, 404) = 14.5, p < .001]. Likewise, only 13.6% of females correctly identified HD as the greatest health problem for people whose birth sex is female, compared to 29.3% of males that cor (open full item for complete abstract)

MFA, Kent State University, 2023, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of English

Kids Can Be Cruel is an action Young Adult novel that uses domestic horror and subversive comedy to investigate the connections between people. YA novels cover many different topics, but in distillation, they work to explore relationships between people. Inspired by Daniel Handler's semi-absurdist drama A Series of Unfortunate Events, Bryan Lee O'Malley's very-absurdist action/romance Scott Pilgrim series, and Hiromu Arakawa's politically conscious fantasy adventure Fullmetal Alchemist (among others), Kids aims to emulate these works' bending of genres and conventions — and their relationship themes. Protagonist Maria may not always understand it, but her world is one where relationships are created, tested, and broken in sparks of fire.

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2022, College of Education

This dissertation researches the lived experience of Black males ages 18-39 and their level of participation with the Baptist church in Columbus, Ohio. Recent researchers have identified specifically the mass exodus of Black men leaving the church (Lampley, 2017). The PEW Research Center reported in a 2014 Religion Landscape Study that the decline in the presence and engagement of the young adult population within Christian religious communities has become a worldwide issue, not limited to a single denomination, race, or location. Recent studies suggest that the church has always satisfied the spiritual need to help Black men in providing leadership to their families and community (Collins et al., 2015). However, this study will identify and understand the mitigating factors absent in past research that motivate this group of Black men's commitment to attending and participating in church. This dissertation uses Ryan and Deci's (1985) self-determination theory and Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory (1943) as frameworks within which to understand this phenomenon.

Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, 2021, Psychology

Self-sufficiency can be defined as a state in which one has enough resources to care for herself and/or her family. With information from a focus group study and other regional agencies, 17 barriers to self-sufficiency were identified in a group of women. In this study, these 17 will be further narrowed to three or four barriers that, if addressed, would positively impact the women in this county. It is hypothesized that participants will rank childcare, parenting support, and financial literacy as the barriers that would make the greatest positive impact and that participants will rank chronic disease, reproductive health, and women in prison (in terms of both themselves and women in their lives) as the barriers that, if addressed, would make the least positive change. In the present study, participants were shown a wheel with the 17 barriers and then asked to rank the three with the largest and three with the least impact. Participants gave a higher rank value for greatest positive change to mental health, fair living wages, and career planning. Participants gave a higher rank value for least positive change to women in prison, housing, and transportation. Future research is needed to further narrow down the barriers that agencies should focus on within this particular area.

Master of Arts in English, Cleveland State University, 2017, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

In recent years, there has been a trend in young adult adaptations of Wuthering Heights to amend the plot so that Catherine Earnshaw chooses to have a romantic relationship with Heathcliff, when in Bronte's novel she decides against it. In the following study, I trace the factors that contribute to Catherine's rejection of Heathcliff as a romantic partner in the original text. Many critics have argued that her motives are primarily Machiavellian since she chooses a suitor with more wealth and familial connections than Heathcliff. These are indeed factors; however, by engaging with contemporary research on adolescent development, I show that the primary reason she rejects Heathcliff is because he has exhibited a propensity for violence and other abusive behaviors. I also analyze the consequences of reversing her decision in the updated young adult versions, which include the made-for-television film MTV's Wuthering Heights (2003), the Lifetime original film Wuthering High School (2012), and the novel Catherine (2013). The most significant consequence of this change is that in order to make Heathcliff a “chooseable,” twenty-first century hero, the writers of these works have to romanticize his violent tendencies through the perspectives of their female protagonists. When the young women begin to question how secure they are around their partners, they ultimately decide that fidelity to their “soulmate” relationship is more important than safety or autonomy, with the writers using Catherine Earnshaw's famous “I am Heathcliff” speech to support their protagonists' conclusions. I argue, though, that while Catherine does allude to the type of otherworldly love these young women are venerating, Bronte uses her speech to confront the limitations of that love, not to hold it up as an ideal.

BA, Kent State University, 2017, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of English

Nadia Montgomery is unapologetic. She tells it like it is and does what she wants, but on the inside she suffers from her emotionally painful past, which she refuses to confront. One day, she decides to drop out of college and run away by herself, a young woman's journey for self-discovery. She winds up in Washington, D.C. looking for fun and adventure, but the trip is not what she expects. Along the way, she is urged to face her true emotions and her unpleasant past. Nadia tells the story of a young woman's journey of running away in the 21st century and the feelings of inadequacy, isolation, and longing for something "more" that so many of her peers experience today.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2017, EDU Teaching and Learning

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Latinx population has become the largest minority group in the United States, at seventeen percent of the population in 2014. While young adult literature featuring Latinx young adult has grown in the past couple of years, there is still a need for representation, especially young adult Latina protagonists. The representation of Latinas in young adult literature has begun to grow, portraying the multiple layers and challenges Latina young women face in their formation of identities encased by the ruptures created by their surrounding environments in their cultural identity, gender and sexual identity, and social identities. Furthermore, the exploration and formation of identity in young adults is not only influenced by their exposure to media and books, but also, their understanding of current discourses and stereotypes and the ways that these are problematic. This research seeks to open conversations about Latina representation in young adult literature, as well as analyze the way these representations can be explored through the lens of Gloria Anzaldua's borderlands. The lack of focus on young adult Latinas in both young adult publishing trends as well as scholarship calls attention as to why most of these discourses go unnoticed or unmoved. As the representation of Latina young adult literature grows, so should the scholarship aiding upcoming authors in the way that these representations can be improved and promoted to empower young adult Latinas in identifying themselves in these texts. With these representations comes the responsibility of ensuring that they are accurate and authentic in order to challenge and break through stereotypes in mainstream discourses.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1980, Graduate School

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2017, Leadership and Change

Young adults between 18 and 24 years of age with mental illness are significantly less likely to receive mental health services than adults in older age groups. Nationally, higher rates of depression, substance abuse, and psychiatric issues are reported in this age group. A therapeutic model referred to as young adult transition programs has emerged to better address the unique developmental challenges found in this age group. This study examined 317 critical incidents that supported or hindered young adults in a therapeutic transition program. The research design used a combination of an instrumental case study and critical incident technique (CIT). Using interviews and the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2, the study explored indepth the experiences of 17 young adults who were alumni of a young adult transition program. The research focused on critical incidents that supported or hindered the young adult in their process of growth and change while in treatment and whether meaningful change lasted beyond treatment. Its objective was to better understand the transition experience from a participant perspective and, through the findings, inform program development and evaluation for young adult transition programs. Several significant findings emerged from the data, among them the importance of interpersonal relationships, experiential education and adventure, individualized programming, and community and culture. An understanding of these findings leads to a discussion on transformational mentoring and leadership as well as relational cultural practice and how this can support leaders of transition programs in further research and program development. The limitations of the study are discussed and suggestions for future studies are offered. This dissertation is available in open-access at OhioLink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd and AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2016, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

Adolescent and young adult oncology (patients aged 15–39 years old) is an emerging group of patients that are recognized to have distinctive qualities concerning their cancer treatment, including intensified psychosocial needs compared to their adult and child counterparts (Bleyer, 2012). The quality of life for adolescent and young adults during and after cancer treatment is disproportionally worse than what is reported by adults and children and the incidence of cancer in this population is steadily growing (Bleyer, 2011, 2012; Pritchard, Cuvelier, Harlos, & Barr, 2011; Rosenberg & Wolfe, 2013; Siegel, Naishadham, & Jemal, 2013; Wein, Pery, & Zer, 2011). Palliative medicine refers to an interventional service that specifically targets improving a patient's quality of life throughout their care and has been specifically tailored in the oncology treatment guidelines and care principles for adults and children. The healthcare system, however, has been slow to notice how palliative medicine could positively contribute to adolescent and young adult oncology care. Consequently it has been under considered for this patient group. It has yet to be studied in depth as a viable and beneficial service to this cohort. Using a comprehensive literature review, this dissertation explores current shortages in palliative medicine among the adolescent and young adult oncology population. Employing multiple search modalities for key terms of the research topic resulted in 28,832 article returns. Titles and abstracts were reviewed and 36 articles were used in the literature review along with seven grey literature publications. Aspects of palliative care delivery and quality were investigated. Several themes emerged from the literature as well as specific clinical considerations for working with this patient group. Systemic barriers influencing the identified shortages were also examined. Recommendations for remediation are discussed where applicable, as well as the current state of a (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2016, Theatre

Shakespeare's plays are often a staple of the secondary school curriculum, and, more and more, theatre artists and educators are introducing young people to his works through performance. While these performances offer an engaging way for students to access these complex texts, they also often bring up topics and themes that might be challenging to discuss with young people. To give just a few examples, The Taming of the Shrew contains blatant sexism and gender violence; The Merchant of Venice features a multitude of anti-Semitic slurs; Othello shows characters displaying overtly racist attitudes towards its title character; and Henry V has several scenes of wartime violence. These themes are important, timely, and crucial to discuss with young people, but how can directors, actors, and teachers use Shakespeare's work as a springboard to begin these conversations? In this research project, I explore twenty-first century productions of the four plays mentioned above. All of the productions studied were done in the United States by professional or university companies, either for young audiences or with young people as performers. I look at the various ways that practitioners have adapted these plays, from abridgments that retain basic plot points but reduce running time, to versions incorporating significant audience participation, to reimaginings created by or with student performers. I also examine programming that occurs alongside productions, such as pre or post-show workshops and post-show discussions. I conclude by offering a collection of best practices, gleaned both from my study of these individual productions and from research in fields like applied theatre and educational theory.

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2016, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Health Education

Study One Abstract Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine the social determinants of recent alcohol use (past 30 days) and episodic heavy drinking among African American young adults aged 18 to 25 years.Methods: A secondary data analysis of the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) was performed in this study. African American young adults (n = 2,573) completed the survey. Approval to conduct this study was granted by the university'sinstitutional review board. Results: Results indicated that 51.9% of African American young adults reported recent alcohol use and 27.3 % reported episodic heavy drinking. Those at highest risk for recent alcohol use were male, had less than a high school diploma, had a family income of less than $20,000, had worked in the past 12 months, lived in a large metropolitan area, had good/fair/poor self-reported health status, and had used alcohol, tobacco and marijuana before age 21. Discussion: These results should be considered when developing public health efforts to prevent alcohol abuse among African American young adults. Study Two Abstract Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine the social determinants of recent alcohol use (past 30 days) and episodic heavy drinking among Hispanic young adults aged 18 to 25 years.Methods: A secondary data analysis of the 2012 NSDUH was performed in this study. Hispanic young adults (n = 3,452) completed the survey. Approval to conduct this study was granted by the university'sinstitutional review board. Results: Results indicated that 51.8% Hispanic young adults reported recent alcohol use and 35.0 % reported episodic heavy drinking. Those at highest risk for recent alcohol use were male, had some college or more, had a family income of $20,000 or more, had worked in the past 12 months, lived in a large metropolitan area, had excellent/very good self-reported health status, and had used alcohol, tobacco and marijuana before age 21. Discussio (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2015, Sociology

Using data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) this study used two sets of analyses to explore both closeness and conflict between parents and adult children (n=878). This study had three primary goals: (1) to understand how returning to and never leaving the parental home as a young adult influenced parent-adult child relationships; (2) to assess how parenting strategies (i.e., support and monitoring) mediated associations between social class and parent-adult child relationships; and (3) to explore whether economic efficacy (i.e., the perception that the young adult is financially confident about his or her future) mediated the relationship between social class and parent-adult child relationships. Regarding the first research goal, I found that returning to the parental home, compared with living independently, was associated with greater conflict, but was not associated significantly with parental closeness. In addition, staying in the parental home was associated with more conflict compared with living independently. Regarding the second research goal, parental support mediated the relationship between social class and parental closeness. Young adults from more, compared with less, affluent backgrounds reported higher levels of parental support and subsequently higher levels of closeness. Although monitoring of adolescents was related to less conflict, monitoring did not mediate associations between social class and parental conflict. Finally, economic efficacy mediated the relationship between social class and parental closeness. Young adults from more affluent backgrounds had higher levels of economic efficacy and subsequently greater closeness with parents compared with less affluent young adults.

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Ohio University, 2015, English

This paper examines the use of young adult literature of and about the Middle East in the secondary English Language Arts classroom as a means to dispel stereotypes about the region and welcome multicultural themes and topics into literary discussion. The work is made up of five chapters, each of which address a different piece of literature of five sub-genres: fiction, memoir, poetry, short story, and graphic novel. The books of study are broken down and analyzed in each chapter, exploring potential strategies for studying the books, such as symbol analysis, Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), and psychoanalytical theory, as well as offering potential teaching strategies for educators to use in the 7-12 classroom. The work is rounded out with 6 appendices made up of ready-to-use lesson plans, project ideas, and models paired with each of the five novels, provided for language arts teachers to utilize in their own classrooms when teaching about the Middle East and its literature.

DMA, University of Cincinnati, 2006, College-Conservatory of Music : Piano

Robert Schumann's piano music for children, including the Kinderszenen, Album for the Young, Waldszenen, Three Piano Sonatas for the Young, and three piano duets Twelve Four-Hand Piano Pieces for Small and Big Children, Ball Scenes, and Children's Ball, has remained the most characteristic and successful example of his engagement with the theme of childhood, a popular topic in Romantic art and culture. Although the techniques required within these collections are not as difficult as those found in Schumann's other piano works, they embrace some of the finest and most rewarding instances of Schumann's piano writing, and demonstrate their innermost poetic quality and evocative imagination. The purpose of this document is to explore the expressiveness of these works by revealing the sources of their emotional content, their musical originality and characteristics through a historical study and musical analysis. The first chapter addresses Schumann's personal and family life and the influence of childhood on him to explain why the theme could have affected his affinity for music related to children. The second chapter provides an overview of Schumann's music for and about children in genres other than piano. This chapter also discusses the quality and styles of Schumann's late works, with emphasis on Hausmusik, a German term suggesting domestic music making found throughout in his piano music for children and many of his late compositions. The following two chapters present detailed studies of Schumann's four piano solo works for children. To uncover their musical effect and characteristics of the theme of childhood, the compositional background, thematic treatment, harmonic design, and formal structure are analyzed in detail, as individual pieces and coherent sets. The last chapter is devoted to the three piano duets for children, and identifies their musical traits that are found throughout Schumann's other works related to childhood. Appendices contain selected revie (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education, University of Toledo, 2012, Educational Administration and Supervision

Women with children in the U.S. often drop out of high school, and the country has limited opportunities for those women who want to complete their high school diploma requirements. To understand what options might be possible for these young women who have dropped out of traditional high school, this study explored young women's experiences in online schools in the United States in their quest to achieve a high school diploma. This study investigated the online learning experiences for young women with and without children in the United States in order to determine if their experiences helped those young mothers to complete the high school requirements, obtain a diploma, and then go on for further education in college and better opportunities in workplace. Data for the study were collected through survey questions that were distributed to young women with and without children who are currently enrolled in online high schools. Results of this study provide valuable information about the online learning experiences of young women with and without children that might be applied to improving educational avenues for young mothers in the U.S. and in general.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2011, EDU Teaching and Learning

The creatures and gods of ancient and traditional myth have been included in young adult and middle grade children's literature for as long as those literary designations have existed. Often allusions and metaphors draw a reader's attention to think of a Greek god, a Norse myth or a monster from Homer's Odyssey. Within the last several years, particularly between 2005 and 2010, a significant number of young adult and middle grade children's novels have presented the gods and creatures of various cultures' traditional myths in modern realistic settings, raising the question of how myth and its characters are presented in these novels. These mythic figures interact with young protagonists and exist within a reality that is familiar to the reader, taking on ideological present-day meanings. This study is a description of the analysis of the resulting ways and positions characters of traditional or new myth and mythic tensions are presented within this publishing trend. Content analysis of the shared motifs and themes within a sample of 40 young adult and middle grade children's novels, the inclusions and re-presentations of these mythic figures extends the realms within which myth is traditionally understood. Myth is expanded in terms of these novels' use of time and place and its categorizations as fantasy or reality. The realms of myth are also broadened by the ideological implications the novels are steeped in; whether they include messages about nationalism, environmental conservation, the privileging of the myths of one culture or the interaction among myths of multiple cultures. The realm of myth is also extended in terms of the varied relationships explored among the mythic figures and human characters and whether the gods are positioned as absentee parents to the young protagonists, as friends or as antagonists. Although few young adult and middle grade novels within my sample depict the mythic figures of popular contemporary religions, the inclusion of angels (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2006, Educational Theory and Practice

The young adult fiction of Robert Cormier (1925–2000) has been influential in writing for young adult readers. In particular, Cormier's manipulation of narration transcends the accepted conventions in the field of young adult literature and enables him to move toward multiple voices and perspectives. Yet Cormier's YA novels have never been analyzed systematically in terms of their narrative merits. Applying contemporary narrative theory, this study explores the reciprocal relationship between Cormier's narrative techniques and his treatment of controversial themes in his young adult fiction. It is based on the assumption that theme and narration are not separate components, but complementary elements. That requires appropriate amalgamation. The dissertation begins by investigating the critical context of Cormier's works in relation to the field of young adult literature. Then the study turns to a close examination of the narrative techniques employed in Cormier's young adult novels The Chocolate War (1974), I Am the Cheese (1977), After the First Death (1979), The Bumblebee Flies Anyway (1983), Beyond the Chocolate War (1985), Fade (1988), Other Bells for Us to Ring (1990), We All Fall Down (1991), Tunes for Bears to Dance To (1992), In the Middle of the Night (1995), Tenderness (1997), Heroes (1998), and The Rag and Bone Shop (2001). Among the salient textual features identified in Cormier's YA novels are Bakhtinian dialogue achieved through multiple focalization, a polyphonic effect produced by free indirect discourse, and suspense generated by means of gaps and delay. Cormier utilizes diverse narrative techniques to elaborate the significance of his works and thus achieves a unique correspondence between form and content. This study also demonstrates Cormier's contributions to young adult literature: the introduction of modern and postmodern techniques of narration and the pioneering use of sophisticated narrative strategies. This dissertation concludes with a di (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2003, Educational Theory and Practice

This study examines the intertexual relationship between select young adult (YA) African American womens literature and literature within the broader African American womens literary tradition. Given that many secondary teachers are committed to teaching works by and about African American women, particularly those written for an adult audience, it is necessary that scholars discuss the connection that exists between African American womens literature written for adults and literature classified as YA literature. One of the goals of this study was to contribute to this discussion. The study examined select works by Angela Johnson, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Jacqueline Woodson from a black feminist perspective in an effort to situate the novels within the already established African American womens literary tradition. The following six novels, two by each author, were analyzed: Angela Johnsons Toning the Sweep (1994) and Heaven (1998), Rita Williams-Garcias Blue Tights (1988) and Like Sisters on the Homefront (1995) and Jacqueline Woodsons The Dear One (1991) and I Hadnt Meant to Tell You This (1994). The novels were analyzed to see if the works illustrate any of the tenets of black feminist thought, with emphasis on tenets related to individual or cultural identity (i.e., multiple oppressions of race, class, and gender in the lives of young African American women, cultivating sisterhood, discovering voice and subjectivity, etc.). The data gathered for this study included: six YA novels, published interviews, book reviews, biographical sketches of each author, and articles written by and about authors of the books in this study. The data were analyzed through content analysis. Literary analysis revealed that there were indeed thematic connections between the novels listed above and select literature within the African American womens literary tradition. Literary analysis demonstrated that three themes, in particular, are shared: family, African American expressive cul (open full item for complete abstract)