Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, Social Work

Mental health and risky health behaviors issues are a growing concern among Asian American adolescents in the United States. Prior studies have shown that Asian American adolescents are at greater risk for depressive symptoms and substance use, particularly when they face difficulties adjusting to a new or unwelcoming culture. Research has indicated that social cohesion, sense of belonging, and community safety are significant predictors for the level of immigrant adolescents' depressive symptoms. A number of studies have found that depressive symptoms have a strong influence on substance use among Asian American adolescents. Therefore, the pathway of social cohesion, a sense of belonging, community safety, depressive symptoms, and substance use needs attention based on an understanding of unique Asian culture. This study tested the influence of social cohesion, sense of belonging, and community safety on depressive symptoms and substance use. A systematic scoping review of the impact of acculturation on depressive symptoms and substance use. And a hierarchical multiple linear regression was performed to examine the regression effect in the relationship of social cohesion and community safety to depressive symptoms. Lastly, structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to examine in the relationship of social cohesion, sense of belonging, and community safety to substance use mediated by depressive symptoms among Asian American adolescents. A systematic scoping review results showed that Asian American adolescents reported high depressive symptoms but low substance use. Family, school, peer relationships, and neighborhood and community environments were strong acculturation related protective factors for depressive symptoms and substance use. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis research result showed that higher social cohesion and community safety level is statistically significantly associated with Asian American adolescents' depressive sympt (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Joseph Guada (Advisor); Kathryn Maguire-Jack (Committee Member); Arati Maleku (Committee Member); Susan Yoon (Committee Member) Subjects: Social Work

PHD, Kent State University, 2014, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Sociology and Criminology

The United States continues to be polarized by debates concerning the relationships between institutionalized inequality, race and ethnicity, and orientations toward life (e.g., behaviors, values, and outlooks). Drawing on three theoretical frames—Social Structure and Personality (SSP), Ecological Systems theory, and Broken Windows theory—I explore the empirical associations between neighborhood conditions, discrimination, self-efficacy, and future orientation among urban youth. I suggest that the daily realities of institutionalized racism, embodied in the physical conditions of neighborhoods, shape the way that racial and ethnic minorities envision the contours of their futures and the control they have over their lives. Specifically, I argue that 1) institutionalized inequality manifests in the conditions of neighborhoods in the form of visible disorder—e.g., more trash, dilapidated buildings, vacant lots, and other physical signs of disorder and disinvestment; 2) neighborhood physical disorder is likely to serve as a daily reminder (or proxy) for institutionalized racism and/or generally constrained life chances; 3) neighborhood physical disorder should bear on the way that adolescent neighborhood residents envision their futures (future orientation) and perceive the amount of control they have over their lives (self-efficacy); and 4) physical neighborhood disorder should exacerbate the potentially negative relationships between perceived discrimination and both future orientation and self-efficacy. I utilize multilevel modeling to examine how both individual and neighborhood level predictors shape the future orientation and self-efficacy of adolescent residents in Chicago.

Committee: Richard Adams PhD (Committee Chair); Jeffrey Ciesla PhD (Committee Member); Kristin Mickelson PhD (Committee Member); David Purcell PhD (Committee Member); Christopher Was PhD (Committee Member); Juan Xi PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Ecology; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Social Research; Sociology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, Human Development and Family Science

A large number of the nation's youth live on the streets, with estimates of up to 2.8 million. Homeless youth face numerous challenges including substance abuse and mental and physical health problems. Homelessness is embedded in a social system. Regardless of this, interventions for homeless youth have focused on individual characteristics associated with homelessness. The current study proposes to develop and evaluate an intervention for homeless youth, namely the Fogo process. Fifteen youth (between the ages of 18-24 years) were recruited from the streets and homeless service agencies in the Columbus area. Questionnaires were administered and a life history interview was conducted with youth. Information from interviews was used to develop a video. Three groups of two to four youth per group participated in approximately five sessions of video making. During the final video-making session, questionnaires were administered and a focus group interview was conducted with youth. The video was shown to five policy makers and a focus group interview was conducted afterwards. The purpose of showing the video to policy makers was to provide homeless youths' voices to policy makers. The findings of this study suggest that a variety of factors in homeless youths' ecological environment influence the onset and maintenance of homelessness. In addition, this study found that youth experience homelessness not only as a material loss but also as a loss of self. Further, the study details the strategies youth utilize in order to persevere under adversity. Finally, this study found the significance of the video in influencing policy makers' perceptions about homelessness. This finding supports a bottom-up approach rather than a top-down approach to policy making.

Committee: Natasha Slesnick (Advisor); Stephen Petrill (Committee Member); Adrian Rodgers (Committee Member) Subjects: Developmental Psychology; Ecology; Education; Families and Family Life; Mental Health; Personal Relationships; Social Research

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch Seattle: Counselor Education & Supervision

This study examines the lived experience of the perinatal population to understand how they can be supported from the lens of different ecological systems and what counselors can do to better serve people with uteruses during their perinatal experience. Furthermore, this study aims to utilize an inclusive framework for capturing the perinatal experience of people with uteruses and to explore barriers and facilitators to care through an ecological systems framework. Fifteen participants who have experienced infertility, conception, pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, stillbirth, and postpartum were recruited through various means throughout the United States. Thematic analysis was used, with semi-structured interviews and photovoice, to gather and analyze participant narratives through oral and visual means in two phases. The first phase resulted in eight themes: (1) social and cultural influences, (2) navigating transitions and changes, (3) support networks and resources, (4) discrimination and stigma, (5) advocacy and empowerment, (6) mental health and well-being, (7) interactions with medical systems, and (8) impact of systems and policies. The themes identified in phase two were: (1) meaning making, (2) the emotional impact of perinatal experiences, (3) navigating roles and identities, (4) pressure and expectations, (5) advocacy and empowerment, (6) social support and community, (7) prevalence of infertility and miscarriage, and (8) challenges in healthcare. Implications of this study indicate a need for collaborative, interdisciplinary communication among providers interacting with the perinatal population and perinatal mental health competency training. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Committee: Stephanie Thorson-Olesen (Committee Member); Angela Mensink (Committee Member); Katherine Fort (Committee Chair) Subjects: Counseling Education; Counseling Psychology; Developmental Psychology; Education; Gender; Health; Health Care; Higher Education; Mental Health; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Public Health; Public Policy; Therapy

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch New England: Marriage and Family Therapy

While severe mental illness (SMI) is extensively studied, less attention focuses on the relationship between people with SMI and their families and the impact this may have on treatment. Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory conceptualized the treatment and recovery of people with SMI and their families. This study proposes that if family members getting social support contribute to a person's treatment plan, the individual's treatment outcome will improve rather than the individual enduring the treatment process individually. By applying ecological systems theory, mental health professionals and policymakers can better grasp the systemic nature of individuals, their family members, and surrounding external circumstances. Future research implications and recommendations aim to increase knowledge and awareness of family involvement during SMI treatment approaches.

Committee: Denzel Jones Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Tomoyo Kawano Ph.D. (Committee Member); Stewart Gilbert M.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Counseling Psychology; Families and Family Life; Occupational Health; Social Research; Therapy

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

Survivors of domestic violence (DV) often experience several adverse mental and physical health outcomes related to their victimization, including physical injury. While several factors, such as perpetrator substance use and history of mental illness, have been associated with an increased risk of DV, it is less clear whether these factors contribute to the victim experiencing a physical injury in these incidents. Using an integrated theoretical framework that combines social disorganization theory (SDT) and ecological systems theory (EST), this dissertation aims to examine the risk of victim injury in DV cases using multilevel modeling techniques to explore the role of both individual and neighborhood characteristics. The data for this dissertation originates from three different sources: the Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team (DVERT) calls for service data, official Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) incident data, and U.S. Census data. Individual-level variables examined include victim demographics, victim histories of abuse, perpetrator history of DV convictions, perpetrator substance use, and perpetrator mental illness. In comparison, neighborhood-level variables include social disorganization measures such as concentrated disadvantage, racial/ethnic heterogeneity, and residential instability. Finally, implications for this research include reducing injury in DV cases and providing justification for the continued funding of second-responder violence intervention programs such as DVERT.

Committee: Valerie Anderson Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Cory Haberman Ph.D. (Committee Member); Bonnie Fisher Ph.D. (Committee Member); Leah Daigle Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Criminology

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Administration

This study utilizes an intersectional ecological systems theory to explore social support network formation amongst Black women cancer patients and survivors though the use of critical ethnography. Critical ethnography is employed to discover the lived experiences of this demographic as it impacts the unique needs they require in a culturally responsive support program. Black emancipatory action research is utilized as a framework to propose an intervention aimed at improving the mental well-being and increasing the social support experienced by this demographic. Results indicate that shared community reflective of their cultural experience, an open conduit of information, and kinship with individuals who have shared a similar burden of critical illness, are key elements necessary in providing a culturally responsive intervention.

Committee: Davin Carr-Chellman (Committee Chair); Geleana Alston (Committee Co-Chair); Matthew Witenstein (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: African Americans; Black Studies; Health

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Educational Studies

The purpose of this study was to understand how faculty and staff at Catholic institutions navigated interfaith in light of the Catholic mission. It advances our understanding of the efforts of faculty and staff toward the integration of interfaith into their work. The theoretical framework of ecological systems theory was used to contextualize and analyze the data from multiple environmental perspectives related to culture, programming, and individual integration of interfaith. This study employed qualitative content analysis (Krippendorff, 2019) and a priori structural coding (Saldana, 2016) to explore a secondary data set of interview transcripts from faculty and staff within four Catholic colleges and universities originally collected as part of the qualitative case study component of the Interfaith Diversity Experiences and Attitudes Longitudinal Survey. The four key findings of this study are: 1) faculty and staff at Catholic institutions rely on Catholic Church authority (i.e., documents from Vatican II) to justify interfaith engagement on campus, 2) faculty and staff organizationally locate responsibility for interfaith externally, 3) faculty and staff integrate interfaith work into their individual ministry in a cyclical manner, and 4) time plays an important role in creating environments conducive to interfaith engagement. These findings are relevant to research because they advance the use of ecological systems theory into the exploration of interfaith on Catholic campus environments. Furthermore, the findings revealed that individual programmatic efforts, i.e., interfaith dialogue, cannot be utilized in isolation to promote pluralism. Rather, a demonstration and acknowledgement of the successes and challenges related to interfaith across multiple environments should be embraced on campus. The findings of this study provide context and implications for faculty, staff, and leaders on Catholic campuses who wish to develop intentionally inclusive climates to (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Matthew Mayhew (Advisor); Penny Pasque (Committee Member); Amy Barnes (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2021, Environment and Natural Resources

Modern environmental problems pose unique management challenges since they are usually interdependent in myriad, complex ways. Climate change is the ultimate example of a problem that forces environmental managers to confront highly interdependent challenges, such as invasive species, rising temperatures, and habitat loss. A growing area of interest in understanding complex, polycentric governance systems has been to analyze the engagement of stakeholders in policy issues and the participation of stakeholders in policy forums. In this thesis, I focus on climate change adaptation governance in Ohio, USA as a model study system to evaluate conditions and incentives that drive actors to manage for interdependent issues or to participate in forums in ways that are collectively beneficial. To answer questions about actor management strategies in complex, polycentric governance arrangements, I analyze climate change governance as a three-mode network of interrelations among actors, forums, and policy issues related to climate change adaption in Ohio. I draw upon the Ecology of Games Theory (EGT) and an Institutional Fitness framework to formulate hypotheses that uncover the conditions, incentive structures, and attributes that prompt actors to engage with issues and participate in forums in ways that promote adaptive capacity. Chapter 2 tests whether actors are likely to simultaneously manage environmental policy issues that are highly interdependent (such as nutrient management and water quality, which are connected through the process of eutrophication). Then, Chapter 3 tests for how different types of theorized closure structures (i.e., unique situations of actor benefits) – lead actors to participate in decision-making forums. To tackle the questions at hand, both chapters utilize Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs), which is a tool for inferential network analysis. The results indicate that actors are more likely to manage for pairs of interdependent polic (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ramiro Berardo Ph.D. (Advisor); Matthew Hamilton Ph.D. (Advisor); Jeremy Brooks Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Management; Environmental Studies; Natural Resource Management

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.), Franklin University, 2020, Health Programs

Extended foster care (EFC) programs have emerged as a way to provide continued financial and case management support and improve well-being outcomes for young adults who have aged-out of foster care. Research has suggested that young adults who participate in extended foster care programs after aging out of care, are more likely to experience better well-being outcomes, such as stable housing, delayed pregnancy, employment, financial stability and higher levels of education. There is growing support that extended care programs are effective in aiding young adults in their transition to adulthood, however retention in these programs have not been studied. The present study set out to examine a new, statewide extended foster care program in Ohio to better understand the population and patterns of termination, re-entry, and retention among those enrolled. To address a gap in literature, this research analyzes termination and group differences through the use of a survival analysis. The sample consisted of 1162 cases. Termination was analyzed using seven variables: placement setting count, total number of days spent in foster care, eligibility criteria, service region, tier level, age, and gender. Re-entry was assessed across the three age groups: 18, 19, and 20-year olds. Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory was used to discuss as a framework for understanding human development in relation to the influences of time, individuals, and proximal processes. Finally, opportunities for future research are addressed with respect to the study's limitations and study findings.

Committee: Jonathan McCombs (Committee Chair); Leslie Mathew (Committee Member); Christopher Washington (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Care Management; Social Work; Welfare

Bachelor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2010, School Of Interdisciplinary Studies - Interdisciplinary Studies

Using examples from community nutrition, this project shows that health is best understood through an ecological systems model. Furthermore, this model contains both an ethical and epistemological imperative to generate health-related knowledge through participatory action research. First the ecological systems model of health is simultaneously described and illustrated with examples from nutrition. This model is one that understands individual well-being as the result of complex interactions within and among nested systems of environmental influence. Thinking about health this way acknowledges the impact of stress, social support, membership in community organizations, the built environment, agricultural subsidies, genetically modified organics and more on the health outcomes of individuals. Also, this model of health highlights a number of the positive, multi-level effects that could come about if local food systems were comprehensively integrated into nutrition assistance programs. The analysis next examines the implications of such a model that acknowledges the agency of individuals to impact both their physical health and larger systems of which they are a part. These elements of ecological systems theory demand research that is both participatory, so that the divisions between researchers and subjects are renegotiated, and action-oriented, so that research actively works for systemic change. Finally, my work evaluating the Oxford Farmers Market Uptown's (OFMU) Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) federal food assistance program is presented as a case-study. Using Empowerment Evaluation (EE), a participatory research technique, to identify and address barriers toward using EBT at OFMU, it became clear that OFMU could provide nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods to low-income members of the Oxford community, given more targeted advertisement and outreach. EE provided flexible and effective tools for evaluation but fell short of comprehensively i (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Chris Wolfe PhD (Advisor); William Newell PhD (Committee Member); Kathleen Johnson PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Public Health