Thesis (Psy.D.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in School Psychology." "UMI number 3373363"--t.p. verso. Includes bibliographical references (p. 86-91).

M.A. / Using the concept of resilience, this study investigates mechanisms and strategies used by young men in Zola, Soweto to cope in adverse circumstances. The study breaks with the preoccupation of social science research with 'youth as trouble' issues and resonates with the United Nations' objective to drive forward notions of human development which aim at sustaining support and collaboration in assisting people to develop their full potential. In specific, the study asks the question “What are the mechanisms and strategies that young men in Soweto use to cope in adverse circumstances?” The study, contrary to most resilience studies worldwide, employed a qualitative methodology and relies strongly on data collected in 2007 through in-depth interviews and participant observation among young men of 18-24 years of age in Zola, Soweto, just outside of Johannesburg. The findings highlight how notions of masculinity contribute to the legitimisation of crime and the high uptake of criminal responses to adversity in a context of poverty and inequality – a process I discuss in light of Michael Ungar's notion of 'hidden resilience'. The project's contributions to research are threefold: Firstly, the study contributes to the international body of resilience literature by providing a context-specific account of risk and adaptation among young men in an urban township environment in South Africa. Secondly, it adds to recent discussions on the appropriateness of different methods in studying resilience by reflecting on some of the most common approaches to researching resilience among children and youths. Lastly, the project takes a glance at potential fields of interest for policy and programme development that emanate from the study's innovative perspective on 'youth at risk' in Zola.

archives@tulane.edu / Background: Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the United States. The rate among Black Americans is disproportionately higher than that of White Americans. Ct acquisition is influenced by factors at different levels of the social-ecological model. Methods: Data was collected through Check It, a community venue-based screening study for Black men aged 15-24 who have sex with women, in New Orleans, Louisiana between 05/17/2017-03/16/2020. Latent class analysis identified classes (patterns) of behaviors and relationship traits. Regression mixture modeling assessed associations between covariates and distal outcomes within classes. Path analysis examined mediation of neighborhood factors on Ct by sexual behaviors. Results: At the individual level, five classes of risk behaviors—including substance use, condomless sex, and multiple recent partners—were identified among 1872 men; Ct prevalence ranged from 7.3%-13.6%. Age and education beyond high school were significant risk factors for two classes and health insurance was significantly protective against Ct for two classes. Among 2906 partners reported, five relationship classes emerged with Ct prevalence ranging from 10.1%-18.3%. Community members provided diverse descriptions of the classes. Age, education, substance use, multiple partners, health insurance, and time in a detention facility were predictive of class membership. The effects of three neighborhood and institutional level factors (everyday discrimination, neighborhood safety, and time in a detention facility) on Ct prevalence were mediated by behaviors (substance use, multiple partners, and condomless sex). The three neighborhood and institutional factors were highly interrelated. Conclusion: This work describes the unique characteristics of this population and can be utilized in risk assessment and delivering sexual health services to young Black men who have sex with women. Understanding risk factors across levels of the social-ecological model supports the need for policy changes that address unequal environments and opportunities that increase the risk of Ct acquisition. / 1 / Megan Clare Craig-Kuhn

This study examines how family socialization and religiosity are associated with young men's intention to someday become a father. Data from the National Survey of Families and Households are used to measure the influence of family connection, family regulation, family psychological autonomy and public and private religiosity on young men's fatherhood intentions. Family connection and private religiosity are associated with young men's fatherhood plans.

Resistance training (RT)-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy is partly responsible for the RT-induced increase in strength. Previously, we reported that exercise repetition load played a minimal role in the promotion of RT-induced gains in hypertrophy and strength gains in RT-naïve participants performing RE to volitional failure. Thus, the main aim of this study were to determine the effects of 12 weeks of RT on muscle strength and hypertrophy in a trained population. 49 resistance-trained men (mean ± SEM, 23 ± 1 years, 85.9 ± 2.2 kg, 181 ± 1 cm) were randomly allocated into a lower load-high-repetition group (HR, n=24) or a higher load-low-repetition group (LR, n=25). Repetition load was set so that volitional lifting failure was achieved within the repetition ranges of 20-25 (~35-50% of 1RM) for HR or 8-12 for LR (~70-85% of 1RM). Strength as one repetition maximum (1RM) was assessed pre and post. Changes in lean body mass (LBM), appendicular lean mass (ALM) and leg lean mass (LLM) were assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). There were significant increases in strength in all exercises with no differences between groups (p > 0.05) with the exception of bench press where LR showed a greater increase in 1RM than HR (p = 0.012). Similarly, LBM, ALM, and LLM increased significantly following training in the HR group (1.0 ± 0.9kg, p < .001; 0.8 ± 1.1 kg, p < 0.05; 0.7 ± 0.9 kg, p < 0.01 respectively) and the LR group (1.6 ± 1.4 kg, p < .001; 1.0 ± 1.2 kg, p < 0.05; 0.7 ± 1.0 kg, p < 0.01 respectively) with no significant differences between groups (all p > 0.05). These data show that RE performed to volitional failure using either HR or LR induces similar adaptations strength and lean mass accrual in young resistance-trained men. / Thesis / Master of Science in Kinesiology / Resistance training (RT) results in an increase in muscle growth and an increase in strength. Previously, we have shown in young untrained males, that when exercise is performed until failure, or until the weight can no longer be lifted, that gains in muscle and strength were similar with the use of either light or heavy weights. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of 12 weeks of RT on muscle growth and strength in young men who were already regularly participating in resistance exercise when performing either lower load high repetition RT (HR) or higher load low repetition RT (LR). Maximum strength and changes in muscle mass were assessed prior to and upon completion of the training protocol. Following 12 weeks of RT both groups increased muscle mass and strength to a similar extent with the exception of bench press which increased more in the LR group.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, Nepean, 2001. / "A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the School of Teaching and Educational Studies, University of Western Sydney, Nepean." "January 2001" Bibliography: leaves 252 - 262.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Covenant Theological Seminary, 2009. / Includes abstract. Bibliography: leaves 129-131.

No abstract or preliminary pages submitted on disk

My interest in coping and survival of young men is my main motivation for undertaking the field study which this thesis describes. It developed from my concern at the continuing high level of young male suicide. I begin with some background discussion which shows some examples of how the community has been informed, particularly on youth suicide, by reviewing some of the media and government attention to these issues. Because suicidal behaviour is a gendered social phenomenon, this is followed by a discussion of some of the problems inherent in the hegemonic masculinity of young men. I then set out the underlying assumptions, the purpose, aims and theoretical framework of the study. The main theoretical underpinnings of the study are the theory of poststructuralism, as explained by the noted writer on gender and education, Bronwyn Davies. The other major components are Aaron Antonovsky's concepts of Salutogenesis and the Sense of Coherence. Minor but nevertheless important reference is also made to Edward Sampson's idea of the dialogic nature of the self. Following this are two critical reviews of relevant literature. The first addresses studies of resiliency and coping, while the second examines papers given at recent Australian conferences on suicide prevention. Following that I describe the methodology of the study before undertaking an analysis and interpretation of selected transcripts of interviews. This is an exploratory attempt at applying postructuralist discourse analysis to the social problem of male coping skills and male youth suicide. The results describe various discourses young men used in unstructuied interviews to explain how they cope when they feel down or depressed. The main conclusion from the results is that formation of small, confidential, supportive discussion groups for marginalised young men can be useful for sharing and developing coping skills and improving their management of stressors, which are everpresent in the environment. It is argued that the proliferation of such support groups for young men could have long term benefits in reducing the statistics of young male suicide by encouraging young men to share their techniques or behaviours of coping with their peers.

Irregular migration is one of our times challenge and the news about migrants dying in the Mediterranean Sea seems to be more and more common these days. African migrants are risking their lives migrating by routes through the desert on trucks packed with migrants to get to Libya; this route is called the back way. From Libya they are crossing the Mediterranean Sea in small over loaded boats with the hope to reach Italy. This study focus on young Gambian men who say that they are prepared to risk their life by going the back way in order to reach Europe. Gambia is a small country in West Africa, a country that has been free from violence and war, a peaceful country. Yet the back way is something that is on everybody’s lips in Gambia today and a lot of people, especially young men, are trying to get to Europe through that way. This research is looking into why these young men are prepared to risk their lives to reach Europe; it is showing what it is that make people take their decisions to go. In order to find answers to this, interviews with young men in Gambia has been done and the material have then been analyzed with the help of the push and pull model, the rational choice theory and Charles Tilly’s ideas about durable inequality. What can be understood from the findings in this research is that people migrate in order to improve their lives. They consider the back way only because that is what is available to them since the legal ways of getting to Europe are few and hard to get for somebody from the developing world. The research also shows that your position in the family and in the society plays a crucial part in the decision of going or not going.