There is no current research on the relationship between texting frequency, social competency development, and the moderating effect of gender in adolescents. A quantitative study involving a moderation design using multiple regression assisted in determining the relationship between cell phone texting and gender and whether or not the interaction of these variables predicted social competency development. The theoretical base that grounded this study was the taxonomic model of social competence, which identified the importance of examining social awareness abilities such as communication, an essential component for the development of social competency. The study included 74 participants. The participants were parents who completed observation checklists of their adolescent children and reported on skills related to social competency development using the Social Emotional Assets and Resilience Scales-Parent Form. A general measure of cell phone use was also reported by participants. The results showed that frequency of texting and gender predicted adolescent social competency. Adolescents who texted frequently had lower social competency scores. Adolescent females had higher social competency than adolescent males. Gender was not found to moderate the relationship between the variables. The results can be used to development curricula, programs, and screening tools for counseling psychologists and other professionals to use to improve the lives of adolescents.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a public health problem in several countries such as Angola, India, China, Kenya, and Nigeria. Due to the increasing high burden of MDR-TB, most of these countries do not have adequate capacities to manage MDR-TB patients effectively. This study investigated the effect of model of care; human immunodeficiency virus comorbidity; and demographic factors such as age, gender, and marital status on the treatment outcomes of MDR-TB patients in Nigeria. The study was based on the analysis of secondary data of 402 MDR-TB patients accessed from the data systems of the National Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer, and Leprosy Control Program. The theoretical framework for this study was the health belief model. The results of the study showed that treatment outcomes were similar for hospital and community-based models of care. Age was the only factor found to be significantly associated with treatment outcomes; age > than 40 years was a predictor of unsuccessful treatment outcomes among MDR-TB patients at a p-value of 0.026. In the multivariate logistics regression analysis, age and model of care were found to be significantly associated with treatment outcomes at p-values of 0.043 and 0.048, respectively. Marital status, gender, and HIV comorbidity were not significantly associated with treatment outcomes. Implications of the findings of this study for social change in a health care program include opportunities to help reduce the number of patients on waiting lists for MDR-TB treatment. These strategies may ultimately help to reduce the spread of MDR-TB infection as well as the mortality associated with late treatment.

Juvenile crime among females is on the rise in the United States and is currently at an all-time high. Girls who are at risk for committing juvenile crime are at greater risk than boys for experiencing sexual trauma and exploitation as well as depression. Additionally, adolescent females have a higher rate of status-offense reoffending than do adolescent males. Using Kubeka's conceptualization of trauma theory, the purpose of this case study was to determine whether Everlasting Peace (EP), an evidence-based counseling program in Georgia, successfully provided gender-specific treatment for female juvenile offenders. Data were collected through interviews with 20 parent/guardian of juvenile female offenders who had been referred to EP by the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice for treatment. These data were inductively coded and then subjected to a thematic analysis procedure. Results suggested that girls who received gender-specific treatment services from EP showed a positive change in behavior. EP addressed trauma, depression, and sexual abuse as seen in these female offenders. This study may contribute to positive social change by making direct policy recommendations to the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice to enhance and support programming options for girls who have experienced trauma in order to reduce opportunities for future delinquency.

Children diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) are at a higher risk to develop other serious problems based on reoccurring symptoms such as; aggression, hostility, and lack of empathy for others. Based on the emotional intelligence theory, it may be possible that understanding emotional intelligence in children with ODD could help reduce future psychological and social problems. This quantitative study addresses the problem of poor or low Emotional Intelligence (EI) in children diagnosed with ODD. A correlation between parenting style, as defined by Baumrind's parenting style theory, and the development of emotional intelligence has been found in current research. However, there is limited research which addresses the potential moderating effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on the relationship between parenting style and level of emotional intelligence in young children (4-8 years) diagnosed with ODD. Parents of children aged 4-8 years old, with a diagnosis of ODD, were sampled and asked to complete three surveys: Kuppuswamy's Socioeconomic Scale, Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire, and The Parenting Rating Sclae from Childrens Emotional Intellignce (4-8). There were 85 surevys completed. A multiple regression analysis with a moderator was used and the results did not show statistically significant impacts of SES on the relationship between parenting styles and level of emotional intelligence in young children diagnosed with ODD. Social change impacts may include: access to behavioral/mental health resources for families in low income neighborhoods and parent education/training.

In low-income, suburban Black communities, the prevalence of diet-related chronic illnesses is alarming. Various influences often increase diet-related illnesses among this population. One influence is the use of SNAP benefits to purchase food. In this study, the influences of SNAP as well as other influences affecting food purchase decisions among the study population was examined. A qualitative multicase study approach was used and, face-to-face interviews were conducted, to understand the experiences of 20 low-income, current recipients of SNAP who were Black and lived in suburban, New York. The data indicated the most significant influence, communicated by the participants, was that children in the household had a great deal of influence over food purchases. This was followed by health issues and concerns of those in the household and, the SNAP benefit amount. The study results shed light on multiple issues faced not just with buying food, but with trying to buy healthy food on a SNAP budget. The findings are consistent with previous studies which suggest food choices are often influenced by personal and cultural ideals, and controlled by present income, family structure, and the health of family members. The study findings also support Bandura's conceptual framework which believes before changes in behavior can take place, factors that can possibly influence behavior must be considered. In conclusion, providing guidance for both public health and social service providers on the influences that effect behavior among specific populations may impact social change and lead to greater success in the prevention of diet-related chronic illnesses.

Immigration policies such as temporary protected status and deferred enforced departure can serve as suitable humanitarian solutions to help displaced individuals. Notwithstanding, when implemented in the course of many years, the uncertainty and stress of living in limbo can pose significant challenges to beneficiaries and create a multifarious scenario for government leaders. This qualitative study examined the experience of Liberians, a group designated with temporary immigration protection in the United States since 1991, who have consequently formed lives in the United States while in temporary status. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the effects of temporary immigration policy, implemented as a long-term solution on the security of Liberians and their successful integration in the United States. The study was designed with a case study approach, which yielded a breadth of data collected through semistructured interviews of 9 members of the Liberian community. The research question aimed to understand the perceived effects of long-term implementation of temporary immigration policy on Liberians and their ability to feel secure and integrate into U.S. society. The data were analyzed using content analysis and revealed that irrespective of the challenges and angst of living in limbo, and evidence of some degree of marginalization, Liberians have progressed in many ways and are contributing members of U.S. society. The social change implications of this research include providing a voice to Liberians and others in similar circumstances and the potential for policymakers to consider how temporary immigration policies are implemented in the future.

Immigration may be an effective survival strategy for individuals from countries involved in war or political unrest.However, the immigration process may exacerbate a number of physical and psychological health symptoms. There are limited data on the health status of new Canadian immigrants, and some social support networks are not formally connected to settlement programs.The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to assess the level of stress and self-esteem of 400 recent and older immigrants in Canada, and to investigate the impact of social support networks on the mental well-being of recent immigrants.Cultural care and general adaptation theory provided the theoretical frameworks for the study. Results from logistic regression analyses indicated that there were no significant differences in stress and self-esteem levels between recent and non recent immigrants. Results also indicated marginal significance for new immigrants with Hispanic ethnicity, who had lower stress scores than African immigrants (OR:0.196, 95%CI: 0.034-1.150, p<0.071). Afro-Caribbean recent immigrants had4.36 odds of having low self-esteem compared to African recent immigrants (OR:4.36, 95%CI: 1.113-17.078, p<0.05). Implications for social change include providing information to immigration and public health authorities on factors affecting stress and self-esteem of immigrants to promote the best possible integration outcomes.

Public opinion polls have shown the public lacks confidence in U.S. police to use appropriate amounts of force and treat racial minorities fairly, which undermines police legitimacy and the quality of life of all citizens. Although rules have been shown to positively constrain police uses of force, researchers have not demonstrated the effect of rules on racially influenced policing (RIP). In 2005, the RIP directive which prohibits officers from using race as a factor in taking discretionary actions was promulgated in New Jersey. The purpose of this study was to determine through the theoretical lens of Lipsky's street-level bureaucrat theory the influence of the RIP directive on municipal police officer uses of force upon non-Whites. A quantitative nonexperimental retrospective design was used to examine a stratified, proportionate random sample of 301 use of force reporting forms from municipal police agencies in one New Jersey county for a 5-year period before and after the enactment of the RIP directive. A binomial logistic regression indicated that the RIP directive had no influence on the use of force upon non-Whites. Suspect race did not significantly influence force outcomes. Scholarly implications include producing research based upon existing policy to better help inform evidence-based policymaking. Policy implications include police practitioners and policymakers actively monitoring officer uses of force for racial bias and broadening their examination to other issues affecting the problem of trust. Implications for social change include framing the problem within the public policy paradigm to promote political discourse, evidence-based decision making, and improved civilian oversight of the police, which could strengthen trust and police legitimacy.

People living in rural Haiti lack access to basic health care services due to poverty. Rural poverty in Haiti particularly affects women's health because Haiti has had the highest maternal mortality and infant mortality rates in the Americas, in addition to some of the worst health statistics in the Western Hemisphere. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to cultivate a greater understanding of the poverty factors that affect access to health care services specifically among poor women living in rural Haiti. This study was based on the social ecological model for population health development, theorizing that a person's health is influenced by factors at multiple levels including intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and public policy and community roles. The main research question in this study explored potential relationships between poverty and poor health among women in rural Haiti as it relates to health status and access to health care services. Using semi structured interviews and Moustakas's modified van Kaam 7 steps method for phenomenological analysis, I explored the poverty phenomenon and various aspects of the lived experiences of 12 poor women in rural Haiti. The research findings indicated that factors such as barriers to health care, alternative health care, and poor living conditions contributed to the way that the poverty phenomenon affects the health and lives of poor rural Haitian women. The social change implication for this study includes development of new programs in rural Haiti that improve access to basic health care services together with more accessible clinics and staff on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week that will positively influence women's health outcomes and health status.

Blacks in the United States have the highest rates of hypertension in the world, and their cardiovascular disease mortality rates are higher than for any other population group as a result of traditional risk factors such as obesity and stronger family history. However, additional underlying factors, such as social determinants of health (e.g., socioeconomic status [SES]) and macrosocial factors (e.g., racism), also correlate with adverse health outcomes. This study investigated whether the interaction between SES mobility over the lifecourse and lifetime racial discrimination influenced the extent to which hypertension contributed to the cardiovascular disease health disparities observed among Blacks in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS). Using a socioecological framework, cross-sectional data collected from the baseline period on a cohort of 5,302 JHS participants were analyzed with multiple regression techniques. The study findings indicated that SES mobility, as measured by education, predicted both the racial discrimination exposure and the burden that individuals experience. However, neither SES mobility nor racial discrimination had any effect in moderating the relationship between hypertension and cardiovascular disease when examined individually or collectively. This study examined a new approach for measuring the influence of racial discrimination on health outcomes. Multidisciplinary public health and research partners should continue to advance understanding of the complex health impact of such experiences on individuals and the dynamics that create racial factors in order to effect social change.