Suggestions from the self-determination theory and extant literature suggest the fulfillment of basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) is necessary for well-being and to prevent ill-being. Autonomy is the perception that an individual is the source of their own behavior and can act in ways congruent with his or her sense of self. Competence is the sense of confidence one has in his or her abilities to be effective in their interactions within the environment. Relatedness is the sense of connection to important others, that one cares for and is cared for by others. Emerging adulthood is a unique developmental stage marked by instability, in which many common psychological disorders (i.e., ill-being) reach their peak. This dissertation explored the interconnections between basic psychological needs and well- and ill-being during emerging adulthood, using two distinct samples. The first study used a latent profile approach to identify subgroups of emerging adults based on their levels of basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration; the subgroups, known as profiles, were then compared with regard to their reports of well-being (i.e., life satisfaction and vocational identity) and ill-being (i.e., anxiety and depression). Using latent profile analysis, a two-profile solution was found using an exploratory sample of college students (N = 177). The first profile had significantly lower levels of basic psychological need satisfaction and higher levels of basic psychological need frustration than the second profile, both seem to generally reflect the theoretical notion that needs exist on a continuum from satisfied to frustrated. The two-profile structure was verified using a confirmatory sample of college students (N = 375). Significant group differences were then found using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), in that members of the profile with lower levels of basic psychological need satisfaction and higher basic psychological need frustration had significantly lower levels of life satisfaction and vocational identity and higher levels of anxiety and depression. Implications for theorists, clinicians, and college administrators and educators are discussed. The second study examined the role of an autonomy-thwartive environment, specifically hostile deployment experiences, and its' influence on soldiers' competence, conceptualized as performance, and mental health, as well as how these relationships differ based on relational environments. A sample of combat-exposed soldiers between the ages of 18 and 25 from the restricted military personnel Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience among Servicemembers (STARRS) dataset (N = 5,284) was used. Findings suggested that higher levels of hostile deployment experiences were found to be related to a greater likelihood of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Higher levels of hostile deployment experiences were also linked to poorer military performance. Poorer military performance was, in turn, related to a greater likelihood of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Using moderated mediation structural equation modeling, buffering effects of the detrimental impact of hostile deployment experiences were found for both unit cohesion and interpersonal relational experiences. Implications for those working with military service personnel, specifically marriage and family therapists, are focused on ways to bolster unit cohesion and healthy interpersonal relationships as a protective factor for young service members. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2017. / March 20, 2017. / Basic Psychological Needs, Emerging Adults, Mental Health, Military, Relationships, Well-being / Includes bibliographical references. / Mallory Lucier-Greer, Professor Directing Dissertation; John Reynolds, University Representative; Ming Cui, Committee Member; Lenore McWey, Committee Member.

Establishing stable, high quality romantic relationships is an important developmental task during emerging adulthood with prognostic significance for future relationship development such as marriage (Fincham & Cui, 2011). Studies suggest that considerable challenges exist for African American men in developing and maintaining healthy romantic relationships. These studies suggest that man African American men may be more likely to pursue a sexual partnership trajectory that involves multiple and/or concurrent sexual partners at the expense of committed monogamous romantic relationships (Bowleg, 2004). Such patterns of involvement increase the likelihood that as young adults, African American men will place themselves at risk of contracting and transmitting sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS (Adimora et al., 2004). Individuals enter into romantic relationships already having exposure to numerous developmental influences that affect their behavior. Exposure to adversity during childhood, such as abuse, neglect, and other stressors, is one important factor in understanding the development of satisfying and committed romantic relationships (Miller et al., 2011; Walker, Holman, & Busby, 2009). Informed by the internal working model persepctive (Hazan &Shaver, 1987) and research on abuse and other adversities (e.g. Burton & Jarrett, 2000; McLoyd, et al., 2000; Umberson, Williams, Thomas, Liu, & Thomeer, 2014), we hypothesized that young men with elevated levels of adversity would evince relationships characterized by one of two patterns. The first involves avoiding deeper levels of commitment and participating in relatively superficial romantic relationships. The second pattern involves participating highly committed relationships, but projecting their anxieties and fears in ways that create volatile and conflictual interactions. For men with low levels of adversity I expected that there relationships would conform to a more healthy pattern as characterized by commitment, low levels of conflict and supportive relationships. Hypotheses were tested with data from men in committed relationships in the African American Men's Health Project (AMP), which included 361 African American men between the ages of 19 and 22 years. To better understand the kinds of relationships that young, African American men participate in, I conducted a person-centered analysis which confirmed the expected relationship patterns. I identified three profiles or relationship types: (1) healthy relationships, (2) volatile relationships, and (3) superficial relationships. The participants in healthy romantic relationships are characterized by high commitment and support and low criticism and conflict. The volatile group is characterized by high commitment, criticism, conflict, and low support. The superficial group is characterized by low commitment, support, criticism, and conflict. Further analysis confirmed that more adverse childhood experiences predicted increased odds of belonging to a volatile instead of a healthy relationship. Findings suggest targets for preventive interventions designed to foster healthy relationships among African American men. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2015. / June 17, 2015. / African American Men, Childhood Adversity, Romantic Relationships, Schema, Street Code / Includes bibliographical references. / Melinda Gonzales-Backen, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Steven Kogan, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Karin Brewster, University Representative; Marsha Rehm, Committee Member; Ming Cui, Committee Member.

In the early 1900s researchers began to examine various dimensions of the human personality. Throughout the years this research has solidified the notion that there are several master traits that every individual possess to some degree or another that can adequately account for most of the between person variation in personality. One of the most well-known models is the five-factor model of personality. This model divides the personality of an individual into five master traits: extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to experience. The five-factor model has garnered a plethora of empirical support and has been found to be stable over the life course, manifest across cultures, and apply to all demographics of people. Research has also demonstrated that certain behaviors, such as drug use and criminal involvement, vary by where someone falls on the personality spectrum for each trait. While this type of research is not new, it is rarely done in the field of criminology. As such, this dissertation seeks to address this gap in criminological knowledge by exploring whether drug use outcomes and criminal outcomes vary by across personality traits. Specifically, it will examine whether 12 drug use measures and 13 criminal involvement measures are affected by personality traits. The focus of this dissertation will be to highlight the personality differences that emerge for different types of drug use and criminal involvement. This is important because prior research has emphasized that relationships exists rather than comparing relationships between personality traits and different measures of drug use or crime (i.e. neuroticism affects marijuana use, but not alcohol use). Additionally, this dissertation examines the effects of personality traits measured as both a continuous variable and a series of quartiles to determine whether the effects of personality on drug use and criminal involvement vary by level of personality traits. The findings suggest that the effects of personality on drug use and criminal outcomes do vary by the type of drug or crime measured. There were also significant differences between analyses that examined personality as a continuous variable and the quartile analyses. This dissertation also discusses implications for criminological theories, policy, and future research. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2017. / April 6, 2017. / Crime, Drug use, Five-Factor Model, Personality / Includes bibliographical references. / Marc G. Gertz, Professor Directing Dissertation; Maxine D. Jones, University Representative; Kevin M. Beaver, Committee Member; Carter H. Hay, Committee Member.

Latinos account for 80% of all farmworkers in the United States (U.S.) (Hernandez, Gabbard, & Carroll, 2016). Based on the latest National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS), there are young farmworkers ages 14 to 21 years old who account for 10% of the farmworker population. Youth who come to work in the U.S. by themselves – without their parents – are also known as emancipated migrant youth (EMY; Peoples et al., 2010). These EMY are part of a larger vulnerable community of migrant and seasonal immigrant farmworkers (Arcury & Quandt, 2009). EMY are in their great majority males (89%), lack of work authorization (70%) (NAWS, 2016) and are at great risk for negative health outcomes from agricultural work (Cooper et al., 2005). To better understand the individual and the family expectations contributing to Latino youth entrance into the agricultural workforce, and the physical and psychological consequences of that decision, the following two papers addressed the gap in the literature of emancipated migrant youth in the U.S. Paper 1 consisted of two studies; Study 1explores the contributing factors (e.g., cultural values, familial values, and needs) that were included to the decision for youth to come to the United States to perform farm work. Study 2 identifies emancipated migrant youths’ personal choice –that is the level of contribution to the decision to come to the U.S. and work as a farmworker, familism, EMY’s role as provider through financial remittances, and family dependency. Paper 1 followed an exploratory design (Plano Clark et al., 2008; QUAL→quan) whereby the first component of the study (i.e., Study 1) consisted of n = 20 in-depth interviews with emancipated migrant youth that can help understand the decision making process for these youth’s migration to the United States and entrance into the agricultural labor force. These interviews later informed the creation of the culturally appropriate quantitative questionnaire (i.e., Study 2) based on Study 1 findings. Specifically, Study 2 (n = 36) identified the associations between whether EMY contributed to the decision to migrate to the U.S. and live as a farmworkers, familism, frequency of financial remittances, and family financial dependency. Similarly, Paper 2 consisted of two studies; Study 1 explored the work-related experiences of doing farmwork and living in the U.S. by emancipated migrant youth. Study 2 identified the day-to day challenges and stressors of the farmworker lifestyle that impact emancipated migrant youth’s overall health and well-being. Paper 2 also followed an exploratory design (Plano Clark et al., 2008; QUAL→quan) whereby the first component (i.e., Study 1) consisted of in-depth interviews with emancipated migrant youth. Such interviews helped understand the work-related experiences work in the United States, and living in the U.S. without their families among emancipated migrant youth. These interviews further guided the construction of the second, quantitative component (i.e., Study 2) to identify the effects of daily challenges and stressors on emancipated migrant youth psychological and physical health. Results from Paper 1 provided an insight and better understanding of the health “realities of the field” emancipated migrant youth experience as well as the underlying forces (i.e., personal, family values, financial need) that may have impacted EMY’s decision to leave their home countries and work in agriculture abroad. Specifically, thematic analysis highlighted four major themes for Study 1. Group differences emerged by EMY’s country of origin (i.e., Guatemala, Mexico) as well as age (i.e., 15 to 17 years old and 18 to 20 years old). A total of four major themes were identified: (1) “It was the best thing I could do,” (2) “It was my decision,” (3) “Farmwork just made sense,” (4) “This is just temporary.” In addition, Study 2 results showed no associations between the decision to migrate to the U.S. and work in farmwork with EMY’s familism, frequency of financial remittances and family financial decency. Results from Paper 2 provided an insight and better understanding of the work-related experiences of working in farmwork and living in the U.S. Specifically, thematic analysis highlighted five major themes for Study 1. (1) “You have to keep pushing forward,” (2) “It feels ugly but it’s all worth it,” (3) “The sun is unbearable, but we have to keep working,” (4) “I just take some medicine and it goes away,” (5) “I have to do everything on my own.” In addition, Study 2 results showed significant associations between the EMY’s MFWSI, loneliness, social isolation, and depressive symptoms. There were no significant mean differences based on EMY’s age group (i.e., 15 to 17 years old, 18 to 20 years old). / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2018. / May 21, 2018. / Emancipated Migrant Youth, Family and Child Sciences, Farmworkers, Latino, Mixed-Methods / Includes bibliographical references. / Melinda A. Gonzales-Backen, Professor Directing Dissertation; Richard K. Wagner, University Representative; Ming Cui, Committee Member; Joseph G. Grzywacz, Committee Member.

Sociologists affiliated with three universities in Western Canada were interviewed in a study designed to explore important influences on current research interests. Categories of influence were constructed and subjects were grouped according to similarities in mentioned influences. It was found that subjects who mentioned similar influences on their research interests displayed other similarities in the way in which they related to their research topics and to the discipline. A typology based on subjects' research orientations to their research topics was constructed. Evidence presented in the thesis suggests that the particular research orientation of any sociologist may represent an important factor in determining the kind of research that he or she produces. The small sampling in this study prevented systematic analysis of the influence of factors such as citizenship and graduate school training as determinants of research interests. However, data presented suggests that the research orientation of sociologists should be included, as a variable, in any large-scale study of the effects of citizenship and graduate training on the research carried out by sociologists in Canada. / Arts, Faculty of / Sociology, Department of / Graduate

While the number of children born in cohabiting unions has greatly increased, studies have shown that cohabiting unions are significantly less stable than married unions and that the unions instability is negatively associated with the children’s wellbeing. To support fragile families—to provide more secure and lasting family environment to their children—it is important to better understand how cohabiting parents’ commitment and relational experience affect the union’s stability over time. The focus of this study was to explore how cohabiting mothers’ and fathers’ plans to marry their partners, along with their coparenting experience, are associated with their later relationship status, both that of getting married and continuing in cohabitation 5 years after their child’s birth. Based on commitment models and the Family Systems perspective, it was expected that both parents’ marriage plans would be associated with later relationship status (H1); the associations between marriage plans and later relationship status would be dependent upon parents’ coparenting experience (H2); and the effects of marriage plans would be indirectly associated with later status via coparenting experience (H3). The results from multinomial logistic regression analyses of data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study showed that the marriage plans of mothers, but not those of fathers, at the child’s birth were significantly associated with parents’ marital status—being married—5 years later; also, the difference between the effects of mothers’ and fathers’ marriage plans was statistically significant. In addition, cohabiting mothers’ and fathers’ joint marriage plans were significantly associated with marital status. However, the mothers’ and fathers’ joint marriage plans were not associated with continued cohabitation. The results from testing the second hypothesis showed that the effects of father’s marriage plans were significantly associated with both being married and continued cohabitation when they, as well as their partners, were more satisfied with coparenting. The effects of mothers’ marriage plans were also dependent upon coparenting satisfaction, predicting later continued cohabitation but not being married. From testing the third hypothesis, there was no significant mediating effect of coparenting satisfaction in the associations between marriage plans and later relationship status among either the mothers or the fathers. Clinical and research implications of the findings are discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2016. / June 13, 2016. / cohabitation, commitment, coparenting, marriage plans, rellationship stability / Includes bibliographical references. / Ming Cui, Professor Directing Dissertation; Anne Barrett, University Representative; Lenore McWey, Committee Member; Mallory Lucier-Greer, Committee Member.

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have gained increased scholarly attention due to their increased popularity as a social and communication phenomenon. SNSs have altered the expectations and standards for interpersonal and intrapersonal communication perceptions and processes. As visual social mediums, SNSs such as Facebook and Instagram use have been examined under the theoretical lenses of social comparison theory (Frampton & Fox, 2018; Hendrickse, Arpan, Clayton, & Ridgway, 2017; Perloff, 2014) and self-discrepancy theory (Bessenoff, 2006). However, there are few studies that have examined the associations between Instagram users’ self-discrepancies, photo manipulation frequencies, and romantic relationship outcomes. Thus, guided by self-discrepancy theory (Higgin, 1987) and recent work on romantic relationship outcomes and social media usage, the aim of this thesis is to examine a sequential correlation between self-discrepancy, photo manipulation, Instagram-related relationship conflict, and negative romantic relationship outcomes among Instagram users. Specifically, it was predicted that increased actual-ideal self-discrepancies would predict negative romantic relationship outcomes through increased Instagram photo-manipulation and Instagram-related conflict. A total of 264 Instagram users aged 18 to 63 years (M = 21.34, SD = 4.99) completed an online survey questionnaire. Analysis of a serial multiple mediator model using bootstrapping methods indicated that actual-ideal self-discrepancy was sequentially associated with increased photo-manipulative behavior and Instagram-related conflict, which was related to increased negative romantic relationship outcomes. These findings suggest that when Instagram users alleviate an actual-ideal discrepancy in the form of photo-manipulative behaviors on Instagram, risk of Instagram-related conflict and negative romantic relationship outcomes may follow. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / 2019 / November 1, 2019. / Body Image, Instagram, Personality, Romantic Relationships, Self Discrepancy, Social Networking Sites / Includes bibliographical references. / Russell B. Clayton, Professor Directing Thesis; Felecia Jordan-Jackson, Committee Member; Arienne Ferchaud, Committee Member.

This thesis is about musicians in the city of La Paz, Bolivia, and how they pursue professional careers through the performance of a diverse range of musics in a wide range of settings. The subjects of this research are mostly classically trained, highly accomplished performers, and many hold positions in Bolivia’s National Symphony Orchestra or at the National Conservatory. Many if not all of them also perform in a wide variety of other musical contexts, including as members of jazz, cumbia, folkloric, and popular music groups. Additionally, many also perform other jobs to make a living. My primary research question was to ask why classical musicians in La Paz perform such a wide diversity of musical genres and styles compared to their counterparts in, for example, the United States, and why they also situate themselves in multiple roles within the local music industry and other industries. I hypothesize that the answer to this question has different scenarios: first, that their career choices are also primarily driven by necessity, since it is virtually impossible to make one’s livelihood in Bolivia by playing classical music exclusively; second, that their musical plurality is in part a product of the fact that these musicians also enjoy performing in many different styles, settings, and roles; third, that the musicians’ lifestyle is a product of a system that has long been in place and is now ingrained and coherent as a modus operandi of musicians in La Paz; and fourth and finally, that through acting in different musical roles and contexts, musicians in La Paz intentionally embody and perform a type of musical identity that is uniquely syncretic, neither Western nor Andean but rather a product of encounter and dialogue between these and the other nodes of musical personhood of which they are comprised. Keywords: classically trained musician, artistry, identity, work, education / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music. / Spring Semester 2018. / April 11, 2018. / artistry, classically trained musician, education, gigging, identity, work / Includes bibliographical references. / Frank Gunderson, Professor Directing Thesis; Michael Bakan, Committee Member; Steven Kelly, Committee Member.

Many community-dwelling older adults spend a significant amount of time in their homes, neighborhoods, and nearby areas. Much is known about the effects that the physical environment has on older adults, but comparatively less is known about neighborhood social environments. The neighborhood is an important unit for study because it is a microcosm of greater social processes and smaller interpersonal relationships. This doctoral case study examined the characteristics and functions of social relationships for older adults in three socioeconomically different New Orleans, Louisiana neighborhoods that were differently affected by the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster. The study also explored differences between older adult-serving networks across neighborhoods. Older adults comprised a majority of storm-related deaths from Hurricane Katrina. Over a decade post-storm, residential life in the study neighborhoods has entered a new normal, but for older adults, recovery has been difficult. The constant throughout the recovery period has been relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and informal ties in the community. Findings suggest that apart from family and friends, relationships with neighbors and those known from informal community settings serve important supportive and social roles for older adults. Participation with older adult-serving networks enables individuals to stay active, social, and intellectually engaged. Formal networks including senior centers and community organizations operate official programs to meet needs, but engage with participants in an informal manner, thereby increasing participation. Findings reveal that having neighborhood-based community resources empowers older adults to socialize with others, maintain their health and wellness, and remain thriving, productive community members near their homes. These resources promote rich social lives and successful aging in the community. Additionally, special districts and partnerships affect the flow of resources and opportunities into neighborhoods, which influence how different networks in different neighborhoods in this study function. Planners and local governments recognize the neighborhood as an important unit of the community and are empowering them to secure resources and meet needs on a small scale. Policymaking bodies are supporting the community in these endeavors by supporting legislation that empowers neighborhoods to leverage resources to help themselves. These efforts are having significant impacts on the greater community as recovery in these neighborhoods progresses. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2018. / February 26, 2018. / aging, disasters, neighborhood, older adults, social networks, social relationships / Includes bibliographical references. / Jeffrey R. Brown, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jean Munn, University Representative; Rebecca Miles, Committee Member; April Jackson, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study was to explore how employees' reflect organizational identification strategies in their everyday talk at a big-box retailer. Previous studies on organizational identification have mostly been organization-centric, focusing on the strategies organizations employ to induce employee identification. This study fills this gap by exploring the employee side of the identification process. Using ethnographic methods, the researcher conducted complete participant observation and textual analysis to understand how employees reflect, mock, and/or rebel against the organization's identification strategies in their narratives and rites. This study used a three phase approach to gain a deeper understanding of how employees used everyday discourse to reflect their connection with an organization. In Phase I, complete participant observation and informant interviews were conducted during the 2011-2012 holiday season at a big-box retailer, Big Alpha. Data were coded using thematic analysis. The second phase consisted of textually analyzing organizational artifacts to determine how Big Alpha employed organizational identification strategies. In the last phase, participant observation and informant interview data were compared to the strategies found in Phase II to determine what identification strategies employees reflected in their everyday talk. Findings indicate that employees enact specific identification strategies that reflect identification and disidentification. Additionally, employees utilized the tactic of espoused shared values, indicating their identification with their work group more than with Big Alpha. This study extends organizational identification theory by revealing specific five new tactics and one new strategy that employees use that connect them or disconnect them from the organization. This study also extends research on temporary workers as findings indicated that seasonal, part-time, and college student workers may not perceive themselves as having "real jobs." Finally, this study found that there may be a worker class system that influences the extent to which employees may or may not identify with the organization. These findings suggest practical implications and areas of future research.