MA, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

The purpose of this study was to assess first-generation college students' perceptions of peer mentoring for social integration. Most previous research on first-generation college students has been focused on their academic outcomes. Less attention has been paid to social integration into campus life for first-generation college students. The participants in this study were 58 first generation adult college students. Participants' reported social integration to college and their perceptions of peer mentoring for social integration were assessed through an online Qualtrics survey. The findings showed that only one-third of respondents felt mostly or completely socially integrated into college life. Nearly half of the respondents were either moderately or very interested in participating in a peer mentoring program aimed at promoting social integration for FGCSs. Almost two-thirds reported increased social connections and friendships and better understanding of campus resources as likely benefits of a peer mentoring program. When participants were provided characteristics of peer mentors, supportiveness/encouragement was rated very or extremely important. Recommendations for future programming and research were provided

Committee: Maureen Blankemeyer (Advisor) Subjects: Higher Education; Individual and Family Studies; Social Structure

Master of Arts, Case Western Reserve University, 2023, Psychology

Depression is a powerful risk factor associated with suicidality, but determining who goes on to die by suicide remains unclear. Social support has been identified as a protective factor against suicidality, however the mechanisms involved are not well understood. The current study utilizes a new instrument to measure aspects of social support to determine how they impact the likelihood of dying by suicide. Clinical, diagnostic, and social support factors were measured utilizing psychological autopsy procedures to determine association with cause of death in 100 depressed adults. Results indicated suicide decedents were more likely to be male, experience thoughts of suicide, and experience interpersonal conflict than natural deaths. Natural deaths were more likely to be socially connected than suicide decedents. Socially isolated or conflicted individuals were more likely to experience alcohol abuse and endorse feeling guilty or worthless than socially connected individuals.

Committee: James Overholser Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Arin Connell Ph.D. (Committee Member); Norah Feeny Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2018, Counselor Education (Education)

Social network sites have become integrated into individuals' daily lives, particularly members of Generation Y, defined as individuals born between 1981 and 1999, who have been surrounded by technology their entire lives. As a result, individuals of Generation Y are among the largest group of social network site users. According to modern Uses and Gratification theory, members of Generation Y are motivated to fulfill their social interaction needs through social network sites. A question that remains is to what extent Generation Y's investment in multiple social network site use is affecting their social connectedness, as well as their wellbeing. This study explored the mediating effects of social connectedness on Generation Y's investment in multiple social network sites and wellbeing. Participants included 736 members of Generation Y that have accessed a social network account (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram) within the past month. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was planned to explore the direct and indirect effects between social connectedness, wellbeing, and investment in social network sites; however, SEM procedures could not be performed due to low correlations amongst variables. Exploratory analyses were utilized to examine the hypotheses for each research question. Regression analyses were performed to determine whether the predictive effect of investment in social network site use on wellbeing is mediated by social connectedness. The current study's findings revealed there were mediating relationships between investment in social network sites, social connectedness, and wellbeing, but this was limited with respect to certain aspects of wellbeing. This study provided information on how social connectedness impacts a Generation Y person's investment in specific social network sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and their total level of wellbeing so that counselors can increase their knowledge and awareness and respond therapeutically by educating indiv (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Tamarine Foreman (Advisor); Christine Bhat (Committee Member); Gordon Brooks (Committee Member); Mona Robinson (Committee Member) Subjects: Counseling Education

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

Historically, rural America has been branded as a dangerous and unaccepting locale for minority populations, including queer people and people of color. This framing is borne from decades of knowledge production about queer lives that adheres to metro-centric and urban-rural hierarchies presenting metropolitan areas as “gay-friendly” and rural spaces as the opposite, but some research suggests otherwise. Much of the literature on social connectedness and community connectedness among and between lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people seeks to understand how social and community connectedness impact LGBT people's mental health and well-being, but the measurements of social and community connectedness often lack inclusion of the role of geographic location. It is the goal of this research to identify how and if rurality moderates the relationships between LGBT people's feelings of connectedness to the LGBT community across variables such as involvement in LGBT groups, outness, race, and gender identity. Multivariate analysis revealed that being a rural resident had no significant impact on social connectedness, nor did it moderate how involvement in LGBT groups, outness, race, or gender identity impacts individual experiences of connectedness to the LGBT community. This is consistent with a small number of LGBT studies that show that LGBT people in rural space are not necessarily experiencing less social connection to the overall LGBT community and sets a foundation for more research that explores how metronormativity might be obscuring important information that can only be found in rural queer space.

Committee: Carla Goar (Advisor); Tiffany Taylor (Committee Member); Austin Johnson (Committee Member); Susan Fisk (Committee Member) Subjects: Sociology

Master of Arts, University of Toledo, 2023, Psychology - Clinical

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychological diagnoses globally, with over 30% of the United States population experiencing an anxiety disorder at some point during their lifetime (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013; Bandelow & Michaelis, 2015; Ruscio et al., 2017). Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-5; APA, 2013), and symptoms of GAD have been increasing more recently with the COVID-19 pandemic (Barzilay et al., 2020; Marroquin et al., 2020; Twenge & Joiner, 2020). Although present models attempt to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of GAD, data are limited on how those with GAD perceive and experience social situations (Piedmont, 2015) despite the benefits of social behavior for physical and psychological well-being (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2017; Inagaki & Orehek, 2017). Given an increase in technology usage in social environments, through smartphone usage, and lack of literature surrounding how those with GAD utilize smartphones socially, the present study explored this gap in the literature. Informed by theoretical and empirical work on GAD the present study proposed a serial mediation model through which emotion regulation and social connectedness explain relations between GAD symptom severity and social smartphone use. A path analysis did not find adequate fit based on the proposed model, though the serial mediation analysis was revealed to be significant. This supports previous theoretical models of GAD theory (Borkovec, 1994; Borkovec et al., 2004; Mennin et al., 2002; 2005; Newman & Llera, 2011) and models of interpersonal interactions like Social Exchange theory (SET; Homans, 1958, 1961, & 1974; Thibaut & Kelley, 1959; Blau, 1964) and Internet-use with the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model (Brand et al., 2016).

Committee: Jon Elhai (Committee Chair); Peter Mezo (Committee Member); Jason Rose (Committee Member); Jason Levine (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2021, Psychology - Clinical

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a chronic disorder characterized by excessive and difficult-to-control worry, has been shown to be associated with a global pattern of avoidance, emotion dysregulation, negative affectivity, dysfunctional social cognition, and maladaptive interpersonal behavior. However, limited research exists examining functioning and connection during social interactions. The present study aimed to investigate how individuals with GAD respond while engaged in an intense, online social interaction aimed at increasing level of connectedness. Participants were adult females (N = 101) with and without GAD who engaged in either an evocative or non-evocative/control online interaction. Results revealed that individuals with GAD experienced lower positive affect, higher negative affect, and perceived their interaction partner more negatively (hostile-submissive, hostile, submissive) compared to those without GAD during the interaction. Relatedly, individuals with GAD were perceived more negatively and less positively by their interaction partner during the interaction. However, GAD status did not predict participant likeability, desire to engage in future interaction, intimacy, openness, or commitment to the relationship with their interaction partner. Individuals with GAD further reported experiencing lower levels of connectedness with their interaction partner while engaged in a deep and intimate interaction aimed at fostering connectedness. Results support the notion that the pathology associated with GAD interferes with the ability to engage in prosocial behavior and cultivate close connected relationships. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Committee: Jason Levine (Committee Chair); Matthew Tull (Committee Member); Kim Gratz (Committee Member); Jason Rose (Committee Member); Chad Wetterneck (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2019, Educational Leadership

Studies reveal that low-SES male students struggle to succeed in classrooms far more frequently than their mainstream classmates --- additionally, they have histories of truancy, transiency, anger issues, behavioral problems, and their middle-class educators claim they possess subpar language, academic, and social skills --- all of which collectively disadvantage them further in schools as compared with their middle-class peers (Aliakbari & Faraji, 2011; Darder, Torres, & Baltodano, 2017; Filmer, 2000; Gabrenya, 2003; Gorski, 2013; Greene, 2008; Hamre & Pianta, 2001; Jensen, 2010; Lemon & Watson, 2011). The lived realities of males with low SES routinely leave them vulnerable in traditional schools, as class structures, unexamined common sense assumptions, and privileged social conditions are found to act as agents that elevate middle and upper class students' successes while reducing educational access and opportunities for low-SES males (Entwisle, Alexander, & Olson, 2007; Filmer, 2000; Giroux, 2009; Hannon, 2003; Jensen, 2010). The pronounced class differential compounds low-SES students' burdens, since middle-class teachers are largely unaware and inexperienced with the life challenges these students routinely navigate; too often they are assigned blame for failures out of their control (McGregor, Mills, Riele, Baroutsis, & Hayes, 2017), deteriorating their membership with schooling, and leaving them to cope with their barriers in isolation (Catalano, Oesterle, Fleming, & Hawkins, 2004; Sorrels, 2015). This qualitative backyard study interrogates the experiences of five low-SES, at-risk males in an alternative school who failed in traditional schools, to gain insights related to the influence of gender, meritocracy, social class, life circumstances, and wealth in schooling from their first-person, narrative, storied perspectives as outsiders in educational spaces. Concluding recommendations focus on strengthening adult/student connectedness, eliminating punitiv (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Thomas Poetter (Committee Chair); Denise Baszile (Committee Member); Joel Malin (Committee Member); James Shiveley (Committee Member) Subjects: Education Policy; Educational Leadership

Specialist in Education, Miami University, 2019, School Psychology

With mental health as a growing concern in universities, it is important to understand what school experiences relate to college students' mental health. School connectedness has been positively related to mental health for middle and high school students. There is limited research exploring this in college student populations. The current study examined the relationship between school connectedness and psychological symptoms in college students. In this sample, it was found that students with lower school connectedness experienced more depression, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety. It was also found in this sample that White students experienced higher school connectedness than Asian / Pacific Islander students. This study was limited in the number of participants, diversity of the sample, and methods of measurement. In future research, exploring international students, a more robust definition of mental wellbeing, and more specific measurements of academic engagement and achievement will improve the understanding of school connectedness and mental health in college students.

Committee: Kristy Brann Ph.D. (Advisor); Erin Harper Ph.D. (Committee Member); Amity Noltemeyer Ph.D. (Committee Member); Dawna Cricket Meehan Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Psychology; Mental Health; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2017, Management

What drives business leaders to pursue greater purpose in business? What motivates them to exercise compassion and caring in the workplace? Under what conditions do business leaders transform their organizations into “positive impact companies” committed to generating prosperity for all, achieving regenerative environmental outcomes, and improving human wellbeing? This exploratory research aims to uncover common elements of those business leaders who seek to create a positive impact through their work and through their organizations. It is based on a mixed-methods approach combining findings from three studies: an initial qualitative study based on interviews with 21 business owners and senior executives from a cross-section of industries; a survey-based quantitative study with 322 respondents consisting of business owners, senior executives and middle managers from a cross-section of industries; and a third qualitative study based on an additional 21 interviews across seven case study companies. It also incorporates inferences from interviews with 48 business owners and senior executives as part of the Quantum Leadership Project at the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit. The overall findings suggest that the core of positive impact leadership resides in a shift in the mindset of leaders toward one of connectedness. Defined as a “consciousness of connectedness,” such a mindset and way of seeing the world begins with an awareness of how one's attitudes and actions impact all life on earth and future generations. The results of this study suggest that practices of connectedness - both personal and organizational – play an important role in the emergence of a consciousness of connectedness. The results also suggest a close correlation between several core indicators of a fundamental shift in consciousness about the role of business in society: shared values of human wellbeing, a common shared vision, an emphasis on collaboration and caring in (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Chris Laszlo PhD (Committee Chair); Richard Boyatzis PhD (Committee Member); Kalle Lyytinen PhD (Committee Member); Roger Saillant PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Management

Master of Fine Arts, Miami University, 2016, Art

The research paper is about maintaining social connectedness through hanging out using Facebook Messenger. This research explains how young adults and adults, age 18-29 years, connect with friends by hanging out. The definition “hanging out” does not mean speaking the entire time when friends meet up. Hanging out means being and establishing familiarity through a series of “chit chats” while engaged in other activities. The paper is mainly focused on how people define hanging out and how young adults are currently utilizing Facebook Messenger to maintain those social connections digitally. A total of 51 young adults participated in the survey to discover how people are hanging out physically and digitally. 6 survey participants were interviewed. Both methods are created to discover design opportunities the Facebook Messenger. The research outcome is a prototype conversation generator. Usability tests are conducted with the prototype to confirm its capabilities to identify the feature usefulness in messenger hangout settings.

Committee: Silas Munro (Advisor) Subjects: Communication; Design; Technology

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2007, Psychology

Bullying at school is prevalent in the United States and worldwide, but little is known about the relationship between students' experiences with bullying and their perceptions of school climate. This study investigated the link between bullying and three elements of school climate—social support from teachers, social support from peers, and school connectedness. The study used MANOVA analyses to confirm differences between students categorized as bullies, victims, bully-victims, and bystanders. Findings indicate that students who are not directly involved in bullying perceive more social support and school connectedness than all other students. Students who are bullied perceive less social support from peers than other students, while students who bully perceive less social support from teachers and connection to school than other students. Findings from this study support strategies to increase social support and school connectedness, as well as the meaningful involvement of both teachers and students in bullying prevention efforts.

Committee: Paul Flaspohler (Advisor) Subjects: