Interpersonal Violence in the form of school shootings is prevalent in American society and can negatively impact the mental health of survivors. Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) tend to bear the worse outcomes following such events due in part by effects of complex trauma (e.g., minority stress). Using the Andersen Model of Behavioral Healthcare Use within a sample of 4,627 students who were enrolled at the time of the Virginia Tech 4/16 shooting, the current thesis sought to: (1) examine predisposing factors as a mediator of the relationship among racial identity and help seeking, (2) to examine enabling factors as a mediator of the relationship among racial identity and help seeking and (3) to examine need factors as a mediator of the relationship among racial identity and help seeking. Using negative binomial regressions within a mediational framework, the relationships among racial identity and help seeking were assessed, with variables capturing predisposing, enabling, and need components of the Andersen Model of Behavioral Healthcare Use entered as mediators. The results showed that predisposing factors mediated the relationship among racial identity and help seeking behavior in Asian, Black, and White students, but not Latinx students. Enabling factors mediated the relationship among racial identity and help seeking in Asian and Latinx students, but not Black and White students. Need factors mediated the relationship among racial identity and help seeking behavior in White students, but not in Asian, Black or Latinx students. Clinical implications of these results and future directions are discussed. / M.S. / Mass shootings in educational settings negatively impact the mental health of survivors, especially Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) who often bear the worst outcomes to these events. Individuals who are survivors of mass shootings don’t often utilize mental healthcare services despite their effectiveness in trauma exposed populations. This study uses the Andersen Behavioral Model of Healthcare Use to examine the help seeking behavior of students following the Virginia Tech 4/16 shooting. The results of this study indicated that Asian, Black and White students’ functioning in several areas of their life (e.g., social life, academic life) prior to the event explained the relationship between racial identity and help seeking behavior. Social support factors also explained the help seeking behavior of Asian and Latinx students. Lastly, students’ need as measured by their posttraumatic stress symptoms explained the relationship among racial identity and help seeking behavior in White students. Clinical implications stressing the importance of widened outreach following mass trauma are discussed.

The older female segment plays a critical role in society's fabric, as women past retirement volunteer a significant amount in their communities and provide essential caregiving to family members and friends. Moreover, older females outnumber older males and with the baby boomer population aging over 65, this segment is becoming more influential. Yet there is surprisingly little marketing research that focuses on this older female segment, their lived experiences, and their well-being. Working within the tradition of consumer culture theory, this project is an ethnographic exploration of the Red Hat Society (RHS), a brand community which focuses on celebrating older women. This research adds to the theoretical understanding of older female consumers by exploring how older women negotiate the meaning of aging, gender, and identity. Extending on brand community literature, I suggest how the RHS manages to create a supportive, 'safe space' in which members are able to engage play and learning. Play performances, enacted in through costuming and other rituals within the brand community, are extended beyond the bounds of this 'safe space' to influence the identities and well-being of these women. / Ph. D.

Research surrounding older adults, social support, and emotional well-being are richly researched topics. However, literature is devoid of qualitative studies and research focusing specifically on community centers and older adultsâ social networks, which are integral for understanding the growing needs of older adults in todayâ s society. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of phenomenology, activity theory, and ecological theory, four in-in-depth interviews were conducted and then coded for themes. The central themes highlighted family connection, connection with others, resiliency, helping others, type of activity, restoring self, community connection, exploration, convenience, and life stages. Suggestions for future research and possible impacts for clinical practice are discussed. / Master of Science

Yes / Asylum-seeking and refugee women currently residing in Europe face unique challenges in the perinatal period. A range of social support interventions have been developed to address these challenges. However, little is known about which women value and why. A critical interpretive synthesis was undertaken using peer reviewed and grey literature to explore the nature, context and impact of these perinatal social support interventions on the wellbeing of asylum-seeking and refugee women. Four types of interventions were identified which had varying impacts on women’s experiences. The impacts of the interventions were synthesised into five themes: Alleviation of being alone, Safety and trust, Practical knowledge and learning, being cared for and emotional support, and increased confidence in and beyond the intervention. The interventions which were most valued by women were those using a community-based befriending/peer support approach as these provided the most holistic approach to addressing women’s needs.

With the growing popularity in video games, there has been increased concerns over the prolonged exposure to the entertainment medium. Problematic gaming is defined as a pattern of gaming behavior that causes significant impairment in personal, social, other important areas of functioning, often characterized by preoccupation and loss of interest in other areas. This study examined how problematic gaming behaviors may be influenced by insecure adult attachment and perceived social support from differing sources. It was hypothesized that avoidant attachment would have a significant direct and indirect effect (via perceived social support) on problematic gaming. In addition, perceived social support from online friends and from offline friends were hypothesized to moderate the relationship between attachment and problematic gaming, Participants were recruited from both SONA (n = 151) and Amazon's Mturk (n = 264) to complete an online research questionnaire that measured variables of interest. Results indicated that the direct and indirect effects of attachment avoidance on problematic gaming were supported in both subsamples but the moderator effects were not. Further exploratory analysis found that anxious attachment demonstrated a similar pattern as avoidant attachment, but with a significant moderator effect of perceived social support from online friends (enhance) on the attachment anxiety and problematic gaming relation. Additionally, anhedonia and depressive symptoms were found to be significantly correlated with problematic gaming. Limitations, future research directions, and clinical implications are discussed.

Positive parenting promotes children's proper cognitive and personality development and supports high academic performance and achievement. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between social support and positive parenting practices among two-parent, African American families of preteens. This study was based on Baumrind's model of parenting behaviors. Survey and correlation methods were used to gather data from a convenience sample of 103 2-parent, African American families with preteens (aged 9-11 years) from different income neighborhoods in a Northeastern metropolitan region of the United States. Logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted. According to study findings, social support (coparenting support and perceived functional support from friends and family) significantly predicted positive parenting practices (quality of the parent/child relationship, parental monitoring, and consistency of parents' disciplinary practices). When the independent contributions of each of the social support variables were examined in the regression analyses, only perceived functional support from friends and family on parental monitoring and consistency of parents' disciplinary practices was statistically significant. Implications for positive social change include a need to educate 2-parent, African American couples on the importance of maintaining positive relationships among themselves and with social support networks and the role that coparenting support and functional support from friends and family has on positive parenting.

Veterans are at a greater risk for suicide compared to the general population. Suicide risk further increases for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS) states that a combination of higher perceived burden and lower thwarted belonging increases risk for suicidal ideation (SI), and when SI is present, higher acquired capability for suicide (ACFS) increases risk for suicide attempt. The IPTS is well supported in samples of the general population, but understudied in military samples. The current study tested the IPTS, using PTSD severity in place of perceived burden, and bothersomeness of negative social support (BNSS) and satisfaction of positive social support (SPSS) in place of thwarted belonging, and the original measure of ACFS in 290 military service members/veterans. We observed that higher PTSD and BNSS and lower SPSS were associated with SI and higher suicide risk. BNSS demonstrated a nearly equivalent association to both SI and total suicide risk compared to SPSS. Neither the combined effect of PTSD severity and BNSS/SPSS on SI nor the combined effect of PTSD severity, BNSS/SPSS and ACFS on suicide risk were significant. Findings suggest that PTSD and SPSS/BNSS may not be useful variables for testing the IPTS, but that they are useful individually to assess suicidal behavior. Moreover, given the nearly equivalent association of BNSS and SPSS with suicide risk observed in the current study, clinicians and researchers should attend to both the positive and negative facets of social support in place of measuring only aspects of positive social support.

Binge drinking as one of the alcohol consumption patterns, affects the quality of life of the drinker, significant others and the society in general. It contributes to negative social, economic and health effects on social support networks. This sub-study of the five year trans-disciplinary Alcohol study analysed the existing quantitative data of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. The broad aim of the Alcohol study is to gain a better understanding of the alcohol consumption patterns and the causes and consequences of binge drinking amongst South African. The overarching aim of this sub-study was to identify the socioeconomic effects of binge drinking on support networks with a view to contributing to a development of a relevant, integrated and coherent strategy to address alcohol abuse and misuse in the selected areas of the study. The study adopted a mixed methods approach by combining the qualitative and quantitative paradigms to understand the phenomenon of binge drinking and its effects on support networks more adequately. A literature study was undertaken to firstly understand the broader context of the social aspects of alcohol abuse in South Africa, and secondly, to understand social support, social support networks and social network analysis in relation to binge drinking from a conceptual and theoretical framework. Unpacking of the concepts social support, social support networks and social network analysis provided a base to argue that social support networks are affected by binge drinking because the drinker and networks such as family and service providers are interrelated and interdependent. Relevant theoretical frameworks that support this view that person and environment are related and cannot be separated because one affects the other as well, were used to substantiate the argument. Binge drinking was further cross tabulated with other relevant variables to further understand the alcohol consumption patterns. The profile of social problems from the PURE data provided a picture of the challenges in the demarcated areas. As such poverty, low educational level and income were used as markers of socio-economic position. Having identified binge drinking as one pattern of alcohol consumption used in the communities, the study further identified the socio-economic effects experienced by support networks through semi-structured interviews with a schedule and focus groups. The family members and service providers as key informants were identified as support networks. The identified family support network representatives were children, spouse, parents and a sibling and they explained their experiences with a binge drinker. Specific themes of social support were used to describe their experiences of support. These themes are: types of support provided; recipient perception, reciprocal support and behaviour of the provider. The results indicated that support networks are negatively affected by binge drinking because social support is not provided as expected. Performance of roles is compromised and binge drinkers socially constructed views of being justified to abuse of alcohol in that they themselves were exposed to the same situation as children, thus the children are expected to accept their drinking and the socio-economic situation. The community support networks were interviewed to obtain information on the alcohol abuse and socio-economic conditions in the selected communities and to identify the intervention strategies employed to combat the alcohol abuse problems. Suggestions to enhance intervention strategies are proposed focusing on assessment of risk and risk environment, targeted interventions, multi-level synergistic intervention and multi-disciplinary roles and partnerships. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Binge drinking as one of the alcohol consumption patterns, affects the quality of life of the drinker, significant others and the society in general. It contributes to negative social, economic and health effects on social support networks. This sub-study of the five year trans-disciplinary Alcohol study analysed the existing quantitative data of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. The broad aim of the Alcohol study is to gain a better understanding of the alcohol consumption patterns and the causes and consequences of binge drinking amongst South African. The overarching aim of this sub-study was to identify the socioeconomic effects of binge drinking on support networks with a view to contributing to a development of a relevant, integrated and coherent strategy to address alcohol abuse and misuse in the selected areas of the study. The study adopted a mixed methods approach by combining the qualitative and quantitative paradigms to understand the phenomenon of binge drinking and its effects on support networks more adequately. A literature study was undertaken to firstly understand the broader context of the social aspects of alcohol abuse in South Africa, and secondly, to understand social support, social support networks and social network analysis in relation to binge drinking from a conceptual and theoretical framework. Unpacking of the concepts social support, social support networks and social network analysis provided a base to argue that social support networks are affected by binge drinking because the drinker and networks such as family and service providers are interrelated and interdependent. Relevant theoretical frameworks that support this view that person and environment are related and cannot be separated because one affects the other as well, were used to substantiate the argument. Binge drinking was further cross tabulated with other relevant variables to further understand the alcohol consumption patterns. The profile of social problems from the PURE data provided a picture of the challenges in the demarcated areas. As such poverty, low educational level and income were used as markers of socio-economic position. Having identified binge drinking as one pattern of alcohol consumption used in the communities, the study further identified the socio-economic effects experienced by support networks through semi-structured interviews with a schedule and focus groups. The family members and service providers as key informants were identified as support networks. The identified family support network representatives were children, spouse, parents and a sibling and they explained their experiences with a binge drinker. Specific themes of social support were used to describe their experiences of support. These themes are: types of support provided; recipient perception, reciprocal support and behaviour of the provider. The results indicated that support networks are negatively affected by binge drinking because social support is not provided as expected. Performance of roles is compromised and binge drinkers socially constructed views of being justified to abuse of alcohol in that they themselves were exposed to the same situation as children, thus the children are expected to accept their drinking and the socio-economic situation. The community support networks were interviewed to obtain information on the alcohol abuse and socio-economic conditions in the selected communities and to identify the intervention strategies employed to combat the alcohol abuse problems. Suggestions to enhance intervention strategies are proposed focusing on assessment of risk and risk environment, targeted interventions, multi-level synergistic intervention and multi-disciplinary roles and partnerships. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Thesis (M.G.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Sociology and Gerontology, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF document. Document formatted into pages; contains [1], vi, 69 p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-69).