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The evolution of nonreproductive castes is a defining characteristic of eusociality. The function and developmental regulation of the altruistic worker and soldier caste is the central element contributing to major advantages of eusociality over solitary animals. The soldier caste is the first evolved sterile caste in termites. Their primary function is believed to be colony defense. However, the function and development of termite soldiers remains largely unknown. Because of their apparent morphological adaptation for fighting and their limited behavior repertoire, our understanding of colony defense by termite soldiers is limited to their physical defense. In addition, we know little about the molecular mechanisms mediating soldier development. In Chapters 2 and 3 I discuss the role of the soldier caste under competition risk. By exposing the Eastern subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes to cues of a competitor termite species, I found that exposure to competitor cues reduced feeding, compromised growth and survival of R. flavipes workers. The presence of R. flavipes soldiers largely ameliorated these negative impacts. At the transcriptional level, R. flavipes soldiers can counteract the effects of competitor cues on worker head gene expression. This counteracting effect seems to be associated with genes in metabolism and immunity. These studies demonstrate that competition can affect a termite colony’s fitness by either competitors physically invading the colony and causing damage or cues from competitors inducing a stress response in termite colony members. More importantly, soldiers can contribute to colony fitness by physically engaging in combat, but also by enhancing colony members’ survival under competitor-cue exposure. In Chapter 4, I describe the molecular mechanism mediating soldier-caste differentiation. I cloned the full length cDNA sequence of the R. flavipes Methoprene-tolerance (Met) gene, a gene encoding a putative receptor for juvenile hormones. Using RNA interference, I studied the function of Met and found that this gene essentially mediates the JH-dependent soldier-caste differentiation in termites.

This study tested the relationship between Social Support, Psychological Distress, and Illness Stress in individuals who report cancer as a health condition. This study was based on archival data obtained from the Wave 1 of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The HRS provides a nationally representative sample of individuals aged 51 to 61 in 1992 and their spouses. The study sample was limited to cancer patients with a spouse or partner (n = 503). A structural equation modeling analysis procedure was used to test the theoretical models. Measures of social support were limited to variables assessing the participant's satisfaction with social support. Evidence was found for the Stress Prevention and the Support Deterioration models. This is congruent with previous research using measures of social support perception. Both the Stress Prevention and the Support Deterioration models predict a negative relationship between Illness Stress and Social Support. In addition, a univariate analysis of variance was used to test the stress buffering model. Similarly to other studies measuring the individual's degree of integration, or its perception, in the social network, the present research supported the only the Main Effect model and not the Stress Buffering model.

The stress-buffering model was used as a framework to explore the ways in which perceptions of social support are related to student-athletes’ stress, self-efficacy, and performance in their academic and athletic lives. Ninety-seven student-athletes were asked to complete a survey that measured these constructs with regard to a specific academic and athletic event. Results showed a significant negative relationship between stress and self-efficacy in an academic context and a significant positive relationship between self-efficacy and performance in both an academic and athletic context. Received social support was not significantly related to self-efficacy. The overall results showed moderate support for the stress-buffering model. Future research should explore the harmful and beneficial effects of stress for SAs, whether received or perceived availability of social support is helpful to SAs, and where social support rests in the stress-coping process. / A thesis to be submitted to the graduate division of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Communicology August 2012. / The author thanks the Graduate Division at the University of Hawaii at Manoa for the funds provided towards the completion of this thesis.

The purpose of this study is to examine the role of social support as a moderator between dating abuse and student engagement. Informed by the positive youth development perspective and the stress-buffering model, this study will examine the effects of dating abuse victimization on student engagement and the buffering role of social support in that relationship. Specifically, this study will use self-report measures from a rural/semi-rural, high school sample and multiple regression analysis to determine the effect of dating abuse on student engagement. If a significant relationship is found between dating abuse and student engagement, this study will then use multiple regression analysis to determine the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between dating abuse and student engagement. Research on the protective effects of social support on student engagement is critical to the design and implementation of interventions which have the potential to significantly improve the health, mental health, social, and education outcomes for adolescents who have experienced dating abuse. / text

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The purpose of this study was to identify if the rate of behavioral health rehabilitation services (BHRS) impacts depressive symptoms of mothers with children receiving these services and if the perception of social support moderates the severity of depression. The stress-buffering hypothesis and Bowen's family systems theory were used for the theoretical framework. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from mothers of children receiving BHRS Provider 50 services in northeast Pennsylvania. The Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were used to assess depression and perceived social support. A self-made demographic form was used to identify the rate of BHRS and demographic characteristics. Linear regression and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to identify relationships between the study variables. According to study results, the rate of BHRS did not predict the severity of maternal depression, and perceived social support did not moderate the relationship between rate of BHRS and maternal depression. However, it was found that perceived social support was negatively correlated with the severity of maternal depression. This study provides information to the behavioral health community about maternal depression and raises awareness of the importance of caregiver well-being within the BHRS Provider 50 programs. Specifically, mothers caring for a child with special needs may benefit from additional support within a wraparound program.

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