<p> The purpose of this study was to conduct a community health risk assessment of the city of Long Beach, California specific to the 90813 ZIP code by utilizing an adaptation of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (2013) model for community health assessment to identify the most imperative risk factors for the chronic homeless population in the 90813 ZIP code of Long Beach. Data on three domains (physical health, mental health, and housing) measuring 16 risk factors were gathered from both archival data and major public sources. Data from Long Beach 90813 ZIP code were compared to data from Los Angeles County, California, and the United States. Risk factors that are the utmost concerning for the community appeared to be difficulties in obtaining health care, infectious diseases, both ER and hospitalization rates due to alcohol abuse and high poverty rate. Efforts to reduce the amount of both sheltered and unsheltered chronic homeless individuals should target all three domains. Recommendations for evidence-based programs and interventions to reduce the most salient risk factors are provided.</p><p>

<p> This study sought to unearth the narratives of gender nonconforming (GNC) individuals&rsquo; experiences of mental health services. The term gender nonconforming refers to individuals who do not identify with a strictly male or female concept of gender identity. There is an insubstantial research that has been conducted into the provision of effective mental health services for gender nonconforming individuals. Most of the studies in the literature review used the term transgender to highlight gender minority experience of counseling. </p><p> This study used gender nonconforming to separate from this terminology confusion. Individuals who identify with the identity label of transgender can be gender nonconforming, but not always is this the case due to the varied individual meanings of these terminology. In order to uncover the narrative of the target population, the participants of the study were purposefully selected to include only those who hold a nonbinary definition of their gender identity. This hermeneutic phenomenological study was informed by Queery theory and Hycner&rsquo;s (1985) guidelines to phenomenological research. The study was conducted with a total of nine interviews who identified with the study&rsquo;s definition of gender nonconforming. The results of the study identified themes that address the participants queer identity development, internal and external barriers for therapy, and factors that promoted positive and negative experiences of counseling. The limitations, implications of the study, suggestions for future research, and questions for future research are included.</p><p>

<p> <i>Mindfulness</i> practices build an attentive awareness of the present moment and appear to support the kind of well-being school communities seek to cultivate. Currently there are increases in demands for the services offered by crisis counselors, who work to serve students&rsquo; emotional needs. Students are increasingly reporting levels of chronic sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation. This is reflected nationally with high school students around the country reporting increased incidents of stress and depression. This issue represents larger educational problems, which correlate increased stress levels and ineffective teaching of coping skills with more serious problems such as increased risk of teen suicide. The problem of practice addressed by this dissertation is how schools might best integrate mindfulness practices, the learned attentive awareness of the present moment, into this void and evaluate whether this approach to increasing students&rsquo; ability to pay attention to their immediate experience, helps mitigate the problems affiliated with increased levels of stress.</p><p>

<p> A noted discrepancy between the skills demanded by industry and the skills engineering graduates are proficient in has engendered a push for reform in undergraduate engineering curriculum. As a result, many institutions are now implementing supplemental leadership development programs to better prepare students for the collaborative work and leadership roles they will encounter on the job. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of one such program, and then to measure self-perceived success of program alumni when compared to a non-leadership-program control group. Archival survey data and focus groups were utilized to confirm proposed hypotheses. Obtained results suggested significant improvements in engineering undergraduate students following leadership development exposure. Following graduation, these improvements persisted as increased self-perceived competency and a heightened awareness of the importance of leadership, teamwork, and communication in the workforce. This research suggests formalized leadership development training as a complimentary curriculum for engineering undergraduates facilitates the successful transition into the workplace following graduation.</p><p>

Increasing numbers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are being educated in mainstream schools and literature reflects a need to address how best to support this process. Previous studies exploring perceptions of mainstream education for children with ASD have highlighted the importance of the teacher’s role. This research recognises the importance of the Early Years and addresses a lack of research around supporting children with ASD in the first year of school. Interviews were conducted with six reception class teachers with the aim of gathering an in-depth picture of their perspectives around including children with ASD in a mainstream class. The purpose of this was to gain an understanding of their experiences which can be used to guide future thinking around support for teachers in this position. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to shape an exploration of the teachers’ accounts resulting in the identification of key themes across the group. Two overarching themes derived from the analysis: ‘The psychological and emotional process of striving to meet the needs of the child as part of the class’ and ‘Being a part of the system of support’. The associated themes are discussed wit h reference to the developing research base around supporting children with ASD in mainstream schools. Opportunities to support reception class teachers and the associated implications for EPs are presented.

<p> The workplace has entered an international era where the need for proactive, globally-aware employees has become increasingly crucial. More than ever, employees are responsible for agentically investing in their own development and work outcomes&mdash;including job satisfaction. This study investigates the relationship between agentic career practices, organizational support, and job satisfaction. Better clarity is needed to understand the career management skills and practices that individuals can develop to navigate the modern workplace. This study compared 2,870 individuals across 73 nations. Five Career Development Practices (CDPs) (connecting with others, planning for development, branding, adapting, and stretching) were found to be meaningfully connected to job satisfaction (<i>R</i>² = .46) where connecting with others emerged as the most potent CDP. Furthermore, the order of the CDPs&rsquo; potency in explaining job satisfaction varied by global region to indicate practices vary by culture. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this research was to explore the nature of teachers&rsquo; experiences of burnout and teacher self-efficacy, and the relationship between these two constructs. Although the research has demonstrated a well-established relationship between burnout and teacher self-efficacy, the exact dynamic between these two constructs is open to debate (Skaalvik &amp; Skaalvik, 2010). Additionally, most of the existing research around burnout and teacher self-efficacy is quantitative. Therefore, this study investigated these two constructs qualitatively in order to gain a deeper understanding of the way teachers construct meaning about their experiences of burnout and how they feel, think, and explain their behavior based on their perceptions of their environment and beliefs about their abilities to be successful. </p><p> Using in-depth interviews, I conducted a multicase study of three New Hampshire middle school teachers based on the following three research questions: What meaning do three New Hampshire middle school teachers ascribe to their experiences of burnout and teacher self-efficacy? How are burnout and teacher self-efficacy manifested? How are burnout and teacher self-efficacy related? </p><p> I analyzed my results using the language and lens of audit. Audit refers to programs and technologies that aim to formalize accountability practices by focusing on standards and outcomes (Power, 1997, as cited in Shore &amp; Wright, 2000). The main premise is that the transplantation of financial accounting practices into fields such as education have redefined accountability and transparency, as well as undermined professional autonomy for teachers &ndash; all of which have unintended dysfunctional consequences (Shore &amp; Wright, 2015; Gill, 2009; Taubman, 2009), including burnout. By linking burnout to audit practices, I hope to move the educational psychology literature forward by historicizing and politicizing the cognitive constructs of burnout and teacher self-efficacy.</p><p>

<p> A chronic condition causes many psychosocial and emotional impacts to children and adolescents who are diagnosed. However, various interventions, including camp programs, have been developed to promote coping. The intention of this study was to examine the benefits of camps for children and adolescents with chronic conditions from camper-first perspectives. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of seven participants who attended a camp for children and adolescents with chronic conditions. Results of this study indicated campers experienced many benefits. Further, this study brings an awareness to the impact and importance of camp programs long after the week-long session has ended. Further, it displays camp programs should serve as an intervention utilized by Child Life Specialists and other medical staff to promote optimal growth and development.</p><p>

<p> Given the growing research base for Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) with children, programs that involve Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) are increasingly prevalent across many community settings, from hospitals to libraries and public schools. The increasing popularity of AAI in public schools appears limited to service animals and canine-assisted reading programs however, as animal-assisted therapy in school-based therapeutic and special education settings is less common. Although anecdotal support exists for therapy animals in the school setting, most educators are unaware of the growing body of empirical support for using animal assisted activities and therapy to address a variety of student needs related to academic performance, communication, attention, motor skills, behavior, and social-emotional functioning. In order to assess the viability of AAI in public schools, a sample of educational professionals working in California (N = 23) was presented with a review of the literature and current practices in AAI. Following this presentation, participants were asked to provide feedback on the perception, potential value, and practicality of AAI in the public school setting, specifically for students with disabilities and special education needs. Results indicated that a majority of respondents felt that AAI, including both AAA and AAT, are worth pursuing in public schools, despite potential drawbacks and challenges. Most respondents reported that AAI would be well-received by stakeholders in their district, as well as provide a valuable benefit to students. Along with the current literature, these findings suggest that AAI may be an adjunct strategy for school-based therapeutic and classroom objectives that districts should consider exploring. However, problems specific to the IEP process and a need for more research continue to present obstacles to the expanded use of AAI in public schools.</p><p>

<p> Obesity is a risk factor for chronic diseases among the ethnic minorities for adult immigrants in the United States. There have been many research studies conducted to examine the relationship between the predictors and obesity in minority groups in the United States, that relationship was unknown in Meskhetian Turk (Ahiska) immigrant populations. Guided by social ecological model and acculturation theory, this study examined the predictors of obesity in the Meskhetian Turk (Ahiska) immigrant population in the western United States. Data were collected from 109 participants using CDC&rsquo;s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Stephenson Multigroup Acculturation Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. Participants were recruited through flyers in a public setting and data were analyzed through SPSS using logistic regression and Spearman&rsquo;s correlation. The result of the study showed no statistical association between obesity and the predictors of age, gender, socio-economic status, physical activity, acculturation, and perceived stress. This study, however, showed a significant association between daily vegetable, fruit, and hamburger, cheeseburger or meat loaf consumption and obesity, and weekly vegetable consumption, monthly hamburger, cheeseburger or meat loaf consumption and moderate/morbid obesity. The study findings suggest that, through targeted community-based intervention and education programs, there is positive social change in the value of healthy lifestyle and the impact of the predictors of obesity, especially diet of Meskhetian Turk (Ahiska) immigrant population in the United States. Further investigation should focus into other causes of obesity using a larger sample size.</p><p>