Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Social Work

As two of the most prevalent developmental problems among American children, internalizing and externalizing symptoms are closely associated with negative outcomes (Bitsko, 2016). Although neighborhood factors strongly influence children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms, few studies have focused on understanding the influences of various neighborhood environment on such symptoms. To fill this research gap, this study systematically captures the influences of different types of neighborhood factors on behavioral problems in different developmental stages. Three research topics were examined in this dissertation: (1) the influences of two types of neighborhood factors (neighborhood structural and process factors) on internalizing and externalizing symptoms in early childhood; (2) the gender differences of the influences of neighborhood factors on adolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms; and (3) how the two types of neighborhood factors affect the longitudinal development of internalizing and externalizing symptoms from early childhood to adolescent. Using the six-wave longitudinal dataset from Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, Structural Equation Model was conducted to answer the first two research questions and Latent Growth Curve Model was used to answer the third research question. Findings of this study extended the existing knowledge on child behavioral symptoms and help inform both macro- and micro-level interventions.

Committee: Susan Yoon (Committee Co-Chair); Kathryn Maguire-Jack (Committee Co-Chair); MoYee Lee (Committee Member) Subjects: Social Work

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

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2019, Arts Administration, Education and Policy

This study explores the individual, sociocultural impacts of informal, community-based culturally relevant art education for Korean-American elementary students through a case study of an art class that the author taught at Korean Church of Columbus (KCC), a Korean protestant church in Columbus, Ohio, in Fall 2018. The study primarily focuses on investigating the potential impact of community-based culturally relevant art education in developing Korean-American elementary students' cultural competence and critical consciousness. It also explores the long-term impact of such education for their successful acculturation. Moreover, to consider the impact of this study beyond the horizons of the classroom at a macro-level, the author identifies the study's policy implications by situating the case study in the wider policy arena. In doing so, the author utilizes an analytical framework that brings together the discourses of culturally relevant education and social impact of the arts. The study finds that community-based culturally relevant art education helped Korean-American elementary students explore and increase the understanding of their unique hybrid self-identity as Korean, American, and Christian, which positively impacted their cultural competence. However, while students had a clear understanding of the social norm around diverse social identities and groups of people in society, they did not actively critique the social structure that validated it. Meanwhile, the study finds that the definition of “successful acculturation” for second-generation Korean-Americans aligned mostly with that of cultural competence. The author thus argues that culturally relevant art education, with adequate curriculum, pedagogy, and long-term engagement, is expected to contribute to students' successful acculturation. The study also highlights the social dynamics that were created within and outside the ethnic Korean church where the culturally relevant art curriculum was deliv (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Joni Acuff (Advisor); Christine Morris (Committee Member); Dana Kletchka (Committee Member); Margaret Wyszomirski (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education; Arts Management; Asian Studies; Ethnic Studies; Multicultural Education; Public Policy

Master of Arts (M.A.), Xavier University, 2018, Psychology

This study examined the relationship between perceptions of group cohesion, collective efficacy, and social loafing. A mediational model was proposed, identifying collective efficacy as the mediator between perceptions of group cohesion and social loafing. A sample of 88 college students participated in this study. First, participants were asked to read a vignette asking them to imagine themselves working in a group setting. They were then asked to complete measures of perceived group cohesion, collective efficacy, and social loafing. Results indicated that perceived collective efficacy mediated the relationship between perceptions of group cohesion and perceived social loafing according to the Baron and Kenny (1986) methodology for determining a mediation model. By increasing the awareness of the importance of collective efficacy within work groups, organizations can enhance the likelihood their work groups' success. Future research should seek to replicate these findings within actual work groups as well as clarify the definition and measurement of group cohesion and collective efficacy.

Committee: Dalia Diab Ph D. (Advisor); Mark Nagy Ph D. (Committee Member); Morrie Mullins Ph D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Management; Organizational Behavior; Psychology; Social Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2017, Social Welfare

Neighborhood disorder is a social welfare issue that is associated with multiple negative outcomes for individuals including increased substance use, increased exposure to violence and crime, and mental health challenges. Collective efficacy is a widely studied predictor of positive community-level outcomes including lower levels of neighborhood disorder. However, relatively few community interventions based on collective efficacy have been developed. Further, studies evaluating interventions based on collective efficacy have reported mixed findings. A possible reason for the difficulty of operationalizing collective efficacy may be our current conceptualization of collective efficacy. The current understanding of collective efficacy views the concept as a combination of social cohesion and informal social control. However, recent research suggests that social cohesion and informal social control are unique constructs that are best conceptualized and measured separately. Further, research suggests that there may be factors that mediate the relationship between social cohesion and informal social control. This dissertation seeks to advance our understanding of collective efficacy in order to increase its utility for social work practice. A key component of collective efficacy is a community's shared belief that collective action will be successful. Although this belief has been discussed conceptually, it has yet to be measured in collective efficacy research. To address this limitation, I develop a concept called, “Mutual efficacy,” which is defined as, “community members' beliefs that collective action will be successful at attaining group goals.” This dissertation utilizes data from the Seattle Neighborhood and Crime Survey (SNCS) to explore mutual efficacy's role as a mediator between social cohesion and informal social control. The SNCS is a survey of 3,365 residents in Seattle, Washington. The factor structure of social cohesion, mutual efficac (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mark Joseph (Committee Chair); Claudia Coulton (Committee Member); Mark Singer (Committee Member); Darcy Freedman (Committee Member) Subjects: Social Psychology; Social Research; Social Work; Sociology

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2020, College of Education

This study examines group processes and leadership of a zoo executive team at a Midwestern zoo while determining what type of animal images are ethically appropriate and ethically conflicted for use in social media (Instagram). Using the four animal and human associations, this study examined how group processes are used to establish a mutually agreed-upon set of standards for what is ethically appropriate for social marketing imagery of zoos. The instrumentation used included one-on-one interviews, survey, a questionnaire and a focus group. The results of this study suggests that effective group processes include: behavior modification, cohesion, feedback, leadership, fostering perception change, and fostering learning. The results also suggest how zoo professionals navigate in reaching decisions for policy development and common goals for the organization more efficiently and effectively.

Committee: Judy Alston Dr. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Animals; Behavioral Psychology; Educational Leadership

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2019, Gerontology

Although previous studies find a relationship between childhood socioeconomic adversities and weight change, few examine mediators or moderators of this relationship using a nationally representative older adult sample. Using a life course framework, this study examines causal pathways and whether these pathways are modifiable. Using data from the 2006-2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (n=8193), a nationally representative survey of adults aged 50 and over in the United States, this research utilizes a structural equation modeling approach to examine whether physical activity and allostatic load mediate the relationship between childhood SES adversities and weight change. This research also examines the potential role of neighborhood social cohesion, or the mutual trust and solidarity among neighbors. Utilizing multiple-group analysis, this study also examines sex differences in the hypothesized relationships. The results indicate that childhood SES adversities are not directly related to later life weight change. Childhood SES adversities are related to lower levels of neighborhood social cohesion in later life. Low neighborhood social cohesion is related to lower levels of physical activity; it is also indirectly related to allostatic load through reduced levels of physical activity. There appear to be no sex differences in the hypothesized relationships. These findings indicate that the differential assortment into neighborhoods by socioeconomic status is important to consider when examining the role of neighborhood social cohesion and health

Committee: J. Scott Brown PhD (Advisor); Jennifer Bulanda PhD (Committee Member); Jonathan Vivoda PhD (Committee Member); Sara McLaughlin PhD (Committee Member); David Prytherch PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Gerontology

MA, Kent State University, 2017, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Sociology and Criminology

Previous research finds that breast cancer is less stigmatized than cervical cancer based on the different factors contributing to each disease. Utilizing data from the 2013 National Health Interview Survey, a nationally representative survey on broad health topics, I examine (1) whether a stigmatized cancer diagnosis results in greater psychological distress; and, (2) the extent to which the relationship between a cancer diagnosis and psychological distress is moderated by perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion. I hypothesized not only that women with cervical cancer experience greater distress, but also that they perceive themselves as more socially isolated compared to their counterparts suffering from breast cancer. Controlling for sociodemographic and neighborhood characteristics, I employ OLS regression to test my hypotheses. Findings show that women with cervical cancer do, indeed, experience more psychological distress than women with breast cancer. Moreover, for women with cervical cancer, perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion act as a buffer, thus narrowing the mental health gap between women with cervical and breast cancer. These findings add to the growing literature involving the stress process and neighborhood characteristics on psychological distress. They also have the potential to inform practitioners and policy makers about the benefits of focusing interventions at the neighborhood level in order to alleviate mental health disparities among subgroups that may be more vulnerable to psychological distress.

Committee: Manacy Pai Ph.D. (Advisor); Richard Adams Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Kristen Marcussen Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Sociology

Specialist in Education, Miami University, 2017, School Psychology

Research abounds that explores the impact of economic disadvantage on youth and their families. An increased likelihood of the development of assorted negative outcomes has been revealed, yet researchers have also presented various protective factors for these families. The current study employs a correlational research design to investigate (a) the relationship between family cohesion and social competence among a large and ethnoracially diverse sample of U.S. families living in poverty, and (b) the potential moderating role of grade level on that relationship. The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES IV; Olson 2011) and Harter's Perceived Competence Scale (Harter, 1985) were adapted to measure family cohesion and social competence. Results revealed that family cohesion was significantly and positively related to social competence among the sample. A regression analysis demonstrated that grade level did not significantly moderate the relationship between family cohesion and social competence. Practical implications and future research directions are provided.

Committee: Amity Noltemeyer Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Anthony James Ph.D. (Committee Member); Kevin Bush Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Psychology; Families and Family Life

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2011, Communication

The social contract is one of the primary mechanisms for explaining how civil society forms and maintains itself over time (Hobbes, 1651/1996; Locke, 1689/1980; Rousseau, 1762/1997). This dissertation follows Keeley (1988) in applying Social Contract Theory to voluntary groups. Specifically, it employs perceived voluntary group cohesion (PVGC) as a means of explaining the strength of the individual's commitment to a contract created with a voluntary group. PVGC is grounded in a Lockeian (1689/1980) view of the social contract and is an expansion of Festinger, Schachter, and Back's (1950) conceptualization of group cohesion. PVGC is a measure of an individual's assumptions and comprehensions about his or her cognitive, emotional, and communicative attachment to a bound collective with which he or she voluntarily interacts to achieve a goal or goals not attainable through individual action. In a previous study a 9-item PVGC scale received support of its reliability and validity (Geidner, 2010). This dissertation seeks to expand on this earlier study. Specifically, the goals of this dissertation are to replicate the model fit of the proposed higher-order factor structure of PVGC in a new sample and to further define the relationships between PVGC and some of its antecedents (e.g., size and procedural justice), correlates (e.g., perceived cohesion), and consequences (e.g., future commitment to the voluntary group, public participation associated with the voluntary group, and willingness to impose sanctions on group members who break group rules). To accomplish these goals, primary data from a national cross-sectional survey were examined. The survey (N = 1,032) probed participants' history with and feelings toward a voluntary group to which they were members (e.g., a church group, a sports club). The 9-item PVGC measure did not display good model fit. Instead, an 8-item version of the PVGC measure showed good model fit and was employed in all analyses. The majority of (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: R. Lance Holbert PhD (Committee Chair); WIlliam P Eveland PhD (Advisor); Gerald Kosicki PhD (Advisor); Dongyoung Sohn PhD (Advisor) Subjects: Communication

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2006, Psychology/Industrial-Organizational

The aim of the current study was to advance the knowledge on cohesion within work units by looking at the influence of social identity, similarity in quantity of reported occupational stress, and domestic working location or international working location as factors influencing individual perceptions of cohesion. The study included data from 38,400 employees in manufacturing organization. Hierarchical Linear Modeling was used to analyze individual and group level influences on individual perceptions of cohesion. A linear relationship between organizational identity and cohesion was found; a curvilinear relationship between individual perceptions of quantitative work overload was found. It was found that domestic location intensified the relationship between organizational identity and perceptions of cohesion. This study highlights the importance of considering social identity and occupational stressors as factors influencing cohesion and the importance of considering the context of the study environment when considering relationships between individual level predictors and outcomes.

Committee: Steve Jex (Advisor) Subjects: Psychology, Industrial