Unresolved adverse and traumatic experiences in parents can amplify the risk of perpetuating intergenerational transmission of trauma. Parents’ positive and adaptive practices such as self-care might act as a protective factor against this ripple effect. This study investigated whether self-care moderated the relationship between parental ACEs, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and parental reflective functioning in mothers who are experiencing high psychosocial stress (n = 59) residing in rural Appalachia. Within our sample, there was no statistically significant linear relationship between our predictors, ACE score and PTSD symptoms, and our outcome of interest, maternal pre-mentalizing. We did not find empirical support for self-care serving as a protective factor in the context of ACEs and PTSD symptoms. Despite the null findings in the main study hypotheses, the results of this study contribute to the literature on maternal trauma history and parenting outcomes. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

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This project successfully designed, fabricated and characterized two highly reflective distributed Bragg reflectors for use with long wavelength vertical cavity surface emitting lasers. The first reflector consisted of 20 pairs of alternating lnP/Ino.64Gao.36Aso.777Po.223 layers grown on an InP substrate with a theoretically predicted normal incident reflectivity of 96.6% at a center wavelength of 1550nm. The second DBR had 20 pairs of alternating GaAs/Ino.484Gao.5i6P layers grown on a GaAs substrate with a theoretically predicted reflectivity of 94.9% at a center wavelength of 1550nm for normal incident light. Experimental results obtained using a specially designed reflectivity measurement setup confirmed reflectivity models and predictions at both normal and variable incident light angles. However, these measurements revealed a discrepancy between theoretical and experimental layer thickness values for both DBR structures. Applying perturbations to the theoretical models, the actual layer thicknesses of the DBRs were determined. X-ray analysis was employed to examine the periodicity of the super-lattices along with the accuracy of lattice matching to the substrate. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that no detectable drift in layer thickness was apparent during growth of the DBR structures. Photoluminescence was used to investigate any compositional variations of the quaternary layers in the first DBR stack. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

This study of the dance experiences of related men and boys pursues overlapping and related research goals. It is an investigation about reflective teaching practice in the process of developing an emergent curriculum for this multi-generational group of men and boys. It is an investigation about the communicative moments between participants through which members expressed their pedagogical regard for each other, their needs, desires and their dance learning. And it is an investigation about this group of men and boys as an example of aesthetic community, a community engaged in expressing and mediating individual style and dispositions through a group process and resulting in deeply shared aesthetic meanings and group style. Fourteen participants in six family groups danced together on seven Saturdays in a small community north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Participants ranged in age from five-years old to more than forty-five years old. Dance curriculum was designed in reference to the teacher's knowledge and experience of creative movement for primary aged children, and in reference to the teacher's dance performance and choreographic experiences and experiences of parenting. Based on detailed transcriptions of two-camera video documentation of the seven sessions, a narrative analysis thickly describes significant movements of participants, before, during and after the sessions, as well as interactions and participants' utterances. Post-session captioned drawings are discussed in detail following each session. Major findings are then presented as related to three research goals: reflective practice for emergent curriculum design, intersubjectivity as it occurred in this example of inter-generational dance education and an examination of this group of learners as an example of aesthetic community. Findings are discussed in relation to relevant literature and recommendations posed for further research. / Dance