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No description available.

The present study integrates Social Cognitive Career Theory and Psychology of Working Theory by considering the role of work volition within a social cognitive model of academic satisfaction. Vocational psychology research has highlighted the significance of sociocultural variables on career outcomes for Latinx young adults. This study explored a collectivistic familial perspective on career development for a sample of 224 Latinx college students. Ethnic identity, acculturation, enculturation and four family influence variables were exogenous variables while career decision self-efficacy, work volition, and academic satisfaction were endogenous variables. Results from a path analysis indicated that both acculturation and enculturation were associated with academic satisfaction. Higher endorsement of informational support was positively related to career decision self-efficacy and work volition while greater endorsement of family expectations was negatively related to career decision self-efficacy and work volition. Acculturation was positively related to career decision self-efficacy while financial support was positively related to work volition. Both career decision self-efficacy and work volition were positively associated with academic satisfaction, and career decision self-efficacy was positively related to work volition. Indirect relationships and an alternative model were examined. Implications for future research and clinical practice with Latinx college populations are discussed.

Objective: The study examined alcohol consumption among college women ages 18 to 24. It helped to answer who, when, what, why and how much college women drink. It also examined how "girls gone wild" kinds of portrayals influence college women in excessive drinking and "outrageous" behaviors. Theory: A combination of drench hypothesis (Greenberg, 1988) and social cognitive theory (Bandura, 2001) was used as the guiding framework to understand the dynamic relationship of environmental and personal factors in learning and imitating behaviors seen in the media. Method: Two online studies were conducted. The first study was a structured interview conducted with 38 women and 29 men. Study 2 was a survey. A total of 449 college women took part in the survey. Some men (N=174) also took part in the study to provide men's opinions and some perspective on women who drink and behave outrageously. Results: The survey results show that 42% (N=169) of college women in the sample engage in heavy episodic drinking every weekend at house parties. As a result, some have gotten into fights, missed classes, experienced hangovers and vomiting, and have driven drunk. Nearly 14% (N=55) of the women in the study reported being sexually assaulted while they were drunk. In addition, the findings of the study shows that "girls gone wild" kinds of portrayals are perceived in different ways by different college women. Most college women view the behaviors as negative. However, some college women do evaluate the portrayals as positive. These women are likely to engage in similar outrageous behaviors. The "girls gone wild" kinds of portrayals are less likely to influence alcohol consumption among college women. A multiple regression analysis showed that outrageous behavior correlated with self-control, sexual outcome expected, positive evaluation of the "girls gone wild" portrayals and sensation seeking tendencies. Drinking on the other hand correlated only with sensation seeking tendencies and how much value was placed by the respondents on being social. The findings of the study also show that men assess drunken women as vulnerable and "easy." Conclusion: Interventions that include strategies for better self-regulation and explaining of potential negative outcomes are likely to be effective in drinking and drinking-related behaviors. Media literacy programs might help in critical evaluation of media content and thus reduce its negative influence. / Mass Media and Communication

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This study employed an experimental design intended to be an analog to the workplace to examine a person by situation interactive effect on OCBs, which were evaluated as prosocial behaviors. This study also sought to provide initial empirical support for the two-stage social cognitive model of OCBs proposed by Hauenstein and Kalanick (2008). Participants were 194 undergraduates. The study was a 2 (Helpfulness) by 2 (Fairness) design. After completing distracter tasks 1 and 2, participants received either a helpfulness prime or a control prime (task 3). Participants then either experienced either a fair manipulation or an unfair manipulation. Results indicated a distinction between the decision to help and helping effort, which has not been thoroughly examined in literature on OCBs. Results revealed main effects for the helpfulness prime and fairness manipulation on the decision to engage in helping. The nature of these effects was that participants helped more when they were primed with helpfulness and when they experienced fairness. However, once helping commenced, there was an interactive effect between helpfulness and fairness such that the helpfulness prime had a stronger effect on participants treated unfairly. Implications for future research on OCBs are discussed. / Ph. D.

College students engage in poor dietary behaviors which put them at risk of weight gain and subsequent future health problems. This necessitates implementation of nutrition interventions which target dietary behaviors in college students so that healthy dietary patterns can be adopted and maintained through adulthood. Dairy intake is one of the many dietary behaviors which has declined substantially in young adults (18-30 years of age) - a period which includes the college age population. According to 2005 dietary guidelines for Americans three or more than three servings of low-fat/fat-free dairy foods is recommended for young adults, which is associated with overall nutrient quality of the diet and several health benefits. Still dairy consumption in this age group is below two serving per day. As emerging adults, college students may be more receptive to health advice than young adults older than traditional college years whose health habits are more established; nutrition intervention to improve dairy intake may be well received. Psycho-socio variables from Social Cognitive Theory (self regulation, social support, self-efficacy and outcome expectations) have been associated with adoption of healthy eating habits in college students and are associated with dairy consumption in adolescents. A series of studies were conducted to assess and improve dairy intake in college students by changing the mediating psycho social variables from Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) of behavior change including social support, self efficacy, outcome expectations and self regulation. A pilot web based nutrition education intervention was conducted to improve dairy intake in college students using SCT. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the intervention on self efficacy, outcome expectations, self regulation, behavior and dairy product intake. Two hundred and ninety four students participated in the study and data on dairy intake and SCT variables were collected using 7 day food records and questionnaires. A 5 week electronic mail intervention was conducted. The intervention improved some social cognitive factors such as self regulation and self efficacy regarding increased dairy intake in college students, though dairy intake did not change. Next, to understand factors associated with dairy intake in college students, qualitative data were collected using focus group discussions (n=3), elicitation interviews (n=13) and online asynchronous discussion forums (n=3) using identical questions. Fifty students participated in the study and the aim was to identify relevant barriers, motivators and facilitators to dairy and low-fat dairy consumption. The results indicated that there was widespread lack of clarity regarding amount of dairy/calcium required and whether students felt they were getting enough. Major barriers to consuming dairy foods included short shelf life, storage issues, taste and accessibility to dairy foods on campus. Major facilitators included constant reminders, knowing immediate benefits, more accessibility and breakfast consumption. The aim of the final study was to improve social support, self efficacy, outcome expectations, self regulation and behavior related to dairy intake in college students using Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). One hundred and ninety one students participated in the study which included 8 week electronic mail intervention. Data collected included 7 day food records and for dairy intake and questionnaires for SCT variables. The intervention resulted in significant improvement in total dairy intake and use of self regulation strategies by college students. Taken together, these results suggest that theory-based nutrition education interventions can improve nutrition behavior in college students, a population prone to poor dietary habits. Developing mastery experiences to improve self efficacy may enhance self regulatory skills like goal setting, planning and monitoring to improve dairy intake in college students. Health care providers should aim at dietary behavior modification via theory based intervention. / Ph. D.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) is a major public health issue. Diabetes prevalence is growing and is the 7th leading cause of death in the US. Virginia has a slightly higher prevalence than the national average. Community-based diabetes lifestyle management programs that include a physical activity component are effective at improving glycemic control and influencing lifestyle behavior changes among people with T2D. The Balanced Living with Diabetes (BLD) program uses an active learning approach to improve glycemic control and healthful lifestyles. The Lifelong Improvements through Fitness Together (LIFT) program uses behavioral strategies to improve functional fitness, participant engagement, and program adherence. Participant retention is a challenge for community-based program. Participants may start the program, but then fail to complete the program and/or adhere to program recommendations. Two pilot studies were conducted to evaluate strategies for increasing participant retention and improving outcomes. The first evaluated the implementation and impact of a retention plan implemented in BLD programs conducted from 2015-2017. There were more participants returned to the reunion class session prior the development of the retention plan. There were improvements in some health behavior and self-efficacy indicators in programs that used the retention materials, however, impacts on outcomes were mixed. Preliminary findings showed that the retention plan could be a tool for providing additional support to participants, however strategies for dissemination of the retention plan needs to be reevaluated. The second study evaluated the impact on participant engagement and program outcomes when the LIFT program is incorporated with the BLD program. There was an increase in participant retention, self-efficacy and one health behavior for physical activity and health behaviors related to diet in BLD+LIFT programs. Extension Agents are willing to implement the BLD+LIFT programs, however, clarity of program logistics is needed prior to implementation. Extension Agents indicated that implementation of these programs in locations with older adults that have greater disability may not be the best locations. Having larger studies on the effect of incorporation of LIFT with the BLD with older adult populations that have fewer co-morbidities are needed to determine the impact of addition of the LIFT program with the BLD program on program outcomes. / Doctor of Philosophy / Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body does not use insulin as it should or does not produce enough insulin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that the prevalence of diabetes was 23.1 million among US adults in 2015. The prevalence of diabetes in Virginia is slightly higher than the national average. Community-based diabetes lifestyle management programs that include a physical activity component are effective in improving glycemic control and influencing lifestyle behavior changes among people with T2D. The Balanced Living with Diabetes (BLD) program uses an active learning approach to influence better glycemic control and healthful lifestyles. The Lifelong Improvements through Fitness Together (LIFT) program uses behavioral strategies to improve functional fitness, participant engagement, and program adherence. The challenge with implementing community-based programs is retention. Participants may initially agree to participate in a program, but then fail to complete the program and/or follow program recommendations. Two pilot studies were conducted to evaluate strategies for increasing participant retention and program outcomes. The first evaluated the implementation and impact of a retention plan implemented in BLD programs conducted from 2015-2017. There were more participants returned prior to the development of the retention plan. There were improvements in some health behavior and self-efficacy indicators in programs that used the retention materials, however, impacts on outcomes were mixed. Findings showed that the retention plan could be a useful tool for providing additional support to participants, however distribution of the retention plan needs to be reevaluated. The second study evaluated the impact of program outcomes when the LIFT program is combined with the BLD program. There was an increase in participants' self-confidence to perform physical activity and making changes in their diet in BLD+LIFT groups. Extension Agents were enthusiastic about conducting more BLD+LIFT programs, however, program procedures and the time commitment needs to be understood before doing so. Expanding the conduct of BLD programs that incorporate the LIFT program can be effective in improving glycemic control and increasing physical activity, however, working with organizations that service people that have diabetes with fewer health conditions that limit physical activity may be more effective.