2021 Poster Presentations

Kaltam Alkuwari, Qatar University

The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Practice For the Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorders

Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common disorders that cause many psychological and behavioral problems. CBT investigates the interaction of physical responses, behaviors, and thoughts in order to treat different types of anxiety disorders. Qatari society needs more scientific evidence about the effectiveness of CBT in reducing social anxiety disorders with children. Therefore, the researcher (Al-Kuwari, Kaltam Jabr) designed a cognitive-behavioral therapy program that reduces social anxiety disorders whit Qatari children. It was applied to a sample of five Qatari children with social anxiety disorder, who are victims of psychological traumas, mainly family violence. The program was conducted in a residential facility affiliate to the government protection & social rehabilitation in Doha. The researcher used four separate measurement tools to determine the results of the program : (H A M –A ) Hamilton Anxiety Rating scale, The liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), Social phobia inventory (Mini-S p t n) (Connor et al, 2001), Social interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS). Intervention sessions with children began from 1/6/2016 to 1/7/2016.

Jessie Arellano, El Paso Community College; Yannick C. Atouba, University of Texas at El Paso

Why do employees fail to speak up? Examining Barriers and Factors Associated with Perceptions of Barriers to the Expression of Voice Among Employees in Higher Education

Employee voice behavior is central to the effectiveness, the development, and the adaptability of organizations to their environments. Employees speak up to communicate ideas not only to colleagues or project team members but to upper management as well. However, many employees fail to speak up to share ideas or point out problems. This study examines barriers to employee voice as well as factors associated with perceptions of barriers to employee voice in institutions of higher education. Chi-square analysis results from 811 employees at a community college in the southwest of the United States show that employee category and status were significantly associated with employee’s perception of barriers to the expression of voice in higher education. Preliminary analysis of open ended responses from participants shows that the most frequent barriers to voice are organizational structures, culture of unfairness, and supervisor communication.

Fitsum Ayele, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

The Dimensions of Meta-Mood Experience

Meta-mood refers to the reflective process in which individuals monitor, evaluate, and change their mood. The Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS) measures individuals’ self-perceptions of these abilities. To determine the number and nature of factors underlying the TMMS, we conducted a principal component analysis. 217 adults (68 male, 149 female, 18 to 49 years old, mean 22.6) completed the TMMS as part of a larger online study. The scree test and parallel analysis suggested five factors, while the minimum average partial test suggested three. All three of those methods are typically accurate to within one factor; therefore, we extracted four factors. We named these factors Attention, Clarity, Repair, and Emotional Sensitivity. The first three correspond to the original factors of the TMMS. The fourth factor is new. Future researchers may wish to calculate scale scores based upon all four of these factors to provide a more detailed description of meta-mood.

Stephanie Boys, Indiana University

Social Work Practicums: A University Model to Prepare Students for Policy Careers

Recent events highlighted the racial, financial and health-related inequities in America. A large, Midwestern university answered the resulting call by creating a Policy Field Unit (PFU). The model of the PFU has many educational benefits for social work students, as well as benefits to society through the development of competent social justice advocates. Structure of the PFU is student-centered, which both increases student interest in policy issues and their likelihood of being politically active following graduation. Challenges for any school of social work desiring to implement a similar model include adhering to political advocacy regulations, stimulating student motivation for self-driven projects, and securing administrative support. This poster will describe the Policy Field Unit’s origin, leadership, activities, and overall practicum model completed by social work students in its inaugural year. Further, the presenter will chronicle student experiences, explore practicum benefits, and discuss encountered barriers and solutions for overcoming these challenges.

Yan Ciupak, Northern Michigan University; Hannah Kuehnau, Northern Michigan University

Undergraduate Research: The Students’ Perspective

The benefits of undergraduate research (UR) are well-documented in the literature. However, there is limited research to explore the challenges and practical strategies to enhance undergraduate research participation and experience. As a concerted team effort involving undergraduate student researchers, faculty Undergraduate Research Advisory Board, and the administration, Northern Michigan University embarked on its first institutional research on UR in 2021. The project adopts a sequential mixed method design to survey and interview students, faculty, and department heads. This proposed presentation/poster will report the process and result of Phase I and will highlight students’ perspectives. Data analysis is based on 1172 student survey responses, approximately 18% of the undergraduate population. The paper further discusses the undergraduate students’ participation in research, motivations, challenges, and strategies.

Mandi Clark, Murray State University

COVID-19 and It's Effects on Psychological Distress Among US adults

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on mental health conditions of US adults. It is important to understand the effects of fear of COVID-19, isolation, unemployment, and financial distress on psychological distress during the pandemic. Participants (N=314; mean age = 37; 61% male) recruited through the MTURK database answered a survey that assessed fear of COVID-19, financial distress, isolation, coping strategies, and psychological distress during the pandemic. Results from regression analysis indicate that there was a significant positive association between fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress (β=.44, p<.001). Regression analysis revealed that there was a positive association between isolation (β=.36, p<.001), financial distress (β=.25, p<.001), and employment (β=.13, p<.05) rather than unemployment with psychological distress. Findings show that all three types of coping strategies partially mediated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and distress.

Zayda Costa, Albizu University

The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Self Efficacy within the Higher Education Population

The following literature review examines the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and self-efficacy among the higher education population. Furthermore, this literature review examines if both constructs contribute to student success within higher education programs and if self-efficacy is more influential than EI as a contributing factor to student success. For this study, a total of eight articles were analyzed. The selected articles examine both constructs, together and separate, within the higher education context. This literature review demonstrates a correlation between the two constructs and that both constructs contribute to student success. And that self-efficacy is not more influential than EI in contributing to student success.

Bailey Dodd, Murray State University; Jessica Criddle, Murray State University

Parental Lies and Insecurity in Young Adulthood: The Role of Social Cognitive Bias in Anxious Friendship Attachment

This study hypothesized that parenting by lying would be positively associated with anxious friendship attachment in adulthood, and that this relationship would be mediated by social cognitive biases. 328 undergraduate students were sampled across two semesters at a University in the southern USA. As part of a larger study, participants completed three self-report measures indicating the extent to which their parents lied to them in childhood, their current level of social cognitive bias, and their level of anxious attachment to their peers. The results found that individuals who reported higher levels of parental lying in childhood were more likely to report higher levels of anxious attachment with their friends in young adulthood. This relationship was partially mediated by social cognitive bias.

Chris Eisenbarth, Weber State University

Associations Among Daily Hassles, Optimism, and Depression in First-year College Students

First-year college students report higher levels of stress and depression compared with other undergraduate students. The present study aimed to determine if daily hassles and optimism influence levels of depression among this high-risk group. Participants included full-time students (men = 141; women = 146), 18-20 years old, mostly living in residence halls. A cross sectional, self-report survey was used for data collection, and respondents completed previously-validated measures of daily hassles, optimism, and symptoms of depression. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that daily hassles were a strong first-order predictor of depression (p < .01). The second-order interaction of optimism and daily hassles also was significant (p < .05), and indicated that decreases in optimism increase symptoms of depression in instances of high daily hassles. The findings suggest that interventions designed to assist students to cope with hassles, and increase their positive view of the future may help to lessen symptoms of depression.

Michael Friedson, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater; Cassondra Pockat, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

The Relationship of Socioeconomic Status to the Black-White Gap in Premature Adult Mortality during the 1990s and 2010s

One key indicator of racial inequality is the racial gap in odds of dying prematurely. This paper assesses how this gap changed during recent decades. Using National Health Interview Survey (n≈35,000 per annum) mortality data that includes educational attainment as an indicator of socioeconomic status (SES) and population-based CDC mortality data, this study calculates rates of premature mortality for Black and White adults in the early 1990s and 2010s. It is found that Blacks and Whites with similar SES levels died prematurely at similar rates during the more recent period. This contrasts with the early 1990s, when premature mortality rates were substantially greater for Blacks than Whites with similar SES levels. Across races, premature mortality rates are elevated among individuals with lower SES compared to their higher-SES counterparts. These findings support a greater focus of public funding and policy initiatives on reducing morbidity and mortality among lower-SES individuals of all races.

Yadira Gallegos, California State University, Long Beach; Francis Roberts, California State University Long Beach; Lisa Jennings, CSULB School of Social Work

Righting the Wrongs of Measure H: A Case Study and Alternative Policy Ideas

Measure H was passed in 2017 to address Los Angeles County’s growing homeless population by providing funding for a variety of homeless services, including affordable housing, outreach services, housing subsidies, and homeless prevention services. However, despite the influx of funds and services, homelessness continues to increase and the development of affordable housing fails to meet the rising demand. The purpose of this paper is to provide an alternative policy that builds on the strengths of Measure H but addresses the gaps in service. The researchers explored the existing policy and utilized a policy analysis process to develop alternative ideas for the best utilization of Measure H funds. The alternative policy seeks to reduce homelessness while addressing issues of equity and discrimination. The researchers suggest several key changes that will strengthen the policy by making the persons experiencing homelessness the primary beneficiaries of the funds and providing more direct services.

Courtney Gasser, University of Baltimore; Morgan Vice, University of Baltimore

Career Adaptability: Relationships with Career Thoughts and Barriers

Career adaptability has been conceptualized as career-related coping (Rottinghaus et al., 2012). A sample of 292 people (75% women, 50% African American, 80% single) was obtained via a university research pool which received course extra credit in exchange for participation. College student volunteers were administered the Career Futures Inventory-Revised (CFI-R; Rottinghaus et al., 2012) to measure career adaptability, the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI; Sampson et al., 1996) to measure dysfunctional career thinking, and the Career Barriers Inventory (CBI-R; Swanson, Daniels, & Tokar, 1996) to measure barriers. Results indicated support for hypotheses: as career adaptability increased, dysfunctional career thoughts decreased, and negative career thinking was associated with greater barriers. This research may help inform future research directions as well as provide guidance to career practitioners.

Rosalba Gomez, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Joshua Z. Chang, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Zain N. Raja, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Fitsum A. Ayele, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Assessing the Quality of Correlation Estimates Based upon Censored Variables

Data censoring occurs when some values are not fully known. For example, researchers might know participants are at least 55, but not know their exact ages. Censoring distorts correlations. The R package lava estimates correlations between uncensored variables based upon data from censored variables. This study examined whether those estimates are biased. We examined 10 values for the correlation and four censoring patterns. For each of these 40 cells, we conducted 1000 trials with 300 cases from a multivariate normal distribution. Lava estimates were biased when there was at least 70% censoring on both variables, but unbiased when average censoring was no more than 50%. If researchers are interested in moderate to large correlations, they should ensure there is no more than moderate censoring.

Leah Harley, Murray State University

Useful Premarital Counseling Topics among Ghanaian Couples

Premarital counseling is a program designed to equip couples with strategies that can facilitate healthy marriages and relationships. This research sought to examine topics that participants who had received premarital counseling found useful in their marriage. In a study of 241 Ghanaian couples living in Ghana (74%) or abroad (26%), 99% attended premarital counseling at some point before marriage. Each participant gave up to three responses to the focal question. The qualitative data was coded using the Thematic Analytic approach (Maguire & Delahunt, 2017). Results showed that fourteen themes emerged. The top five themes were: Finances, Values in Marriage, Sex/Intimacy, Marital Relation, and Communication. Findings from this study will benefit marriage counselors by providing empirical data on topics to prioritize during premarital counseling sessions. Secondly, findings will help develop/improve on current premarital counseling training manuals.

Key Words: Premarital Counseling, Ghana, Marriage, Relationships, Intimacy, Thematic Analytic Approach, Qualitative Research

Joseph Herzog, University of West Florida; Erin King, University of West Florida

Piloting a Community Survey at CICLOVIA

While the helping professions often pride themselves on a “person-in-environment” approach, there is surprisingly little literature about individuals’ attachment to places or to environmental factors that may influence outcomes for individuals. The purpose of the current study was to pilot a community survey during a local Ciclovia event to collect data related to the meaning of place in participants’ lives. This survey focused on individuals’ perceptions of Pensacola as well as their individual neighborhoods. This research collected data through intercept surveys administered by University of West Florida (UWF) faculty and students. Participants responded to questions related to their overall view of the community, the quality of schools, the local economy, their connectedness to the community, and the potential for making a difference in their neighborhood. A majority of participants held a generally positive view of Pensacola (91%). While 63% felt welcomed in Pensacola, fewer participants (54%) felt connected to the community. Approximately 60% of participants believed they could make a difference in their neighborhood. Results of this study provide a foundation from which to further explore the topics of attachment to place and community involvement.

Cassandra Hoffman, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Eden K Thiess, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Fitsum A Ayele, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Censored Data: Evaluating Two Methods of Estimating Correlations within R package Lava

Censored data, which occur when exact values of variables are unknown, can distort statistical results and invalidate conclusions. Holst et al.’s (2015) R package lava can be used to estimate bivariate correlations for censored data using a correlation model or a regression model. To compare these two models, the present study simulated normally distributed data with various correlations and sample sizes, and then censored them to the required degrees. For both models, lava always converged on an estimate and bias was minimal unless both variables had 80% censoring and the correlation was large and negative. Moreover, bias decreased when sample size increased from 500 to 1000. Although both models produced unbiased correlation estimates when samples were large and censoring was low to moderate, the regression model ensured estimates were valid (between -1 and 1). Future research may wish to investigate lava’s performance for non-normal distributions and smaller sample sizes.

Dawson Holloway, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

The Transformation of Lev Vygotsky

Students of psychology typically explore Vygotsky’s theories of scaffolding and the zone of proximal development. However, Soviet pedologist Lev Vygotsky did not develop these theories. After growing up a resentful citizen of the Russian Empire, Vygotsky graduated university in 1917, as the Romanov family fell, and entered a professional world that was completely different from what he had spent his youth in. Vygotsky, fascinated with the idea of a perfect Communist society, dedicated his life’s work to achieving it. Many facets of Vygotsky’s theories had to do with the development of what he dubbed a socialist “Superman”; the type of citizen who could preserve a perfect Marxist society. These theories have nothing to do with what students of psychology discuss, and have nothing to do with education. It was only after Vygotsky’s theories of Soviet super-citizenry were redeveloped by American social scientists that the misattributed theory of education was formed.

Severin Hornung, University of Innsbruck

Paradigm Wars in Critical Management Discourse – an Update

This contribution reignites debate concerning the plurality and diversity of approaches to social science in the field of management and organizations. Appropriating concepts from philosophy of science, past controversies have been interpreted as “paradigm wars”. This discourse, developing self-reflexive capacities and pluralistic understanding, has subsided. The proposition is that current discourses resemble a new phase of paradigmatic disputes between post-positivist (functionalist), interpretative (constructivist), postmodern (dialogical), and critical (structuralist) approaches. Developing this argument, theorizing on research paradigms as meta-theoretical representations is reviewed, including ontological, epistemological, and axiological dimensions, paradigm incommensurability, integration, dissolution, pluralism, and interaction. Subsequently, these concepts are applied to recent debates in the literature on critical management studies. Paradigms signify modes of meaning-making and knowledge-creation, structural demarcations, and contested battle lines. Analyzing antagonisms and tensions from a meta-theoretical perspective promises more self-reflexive scholarship and navigation of the management and organizational literature as an ideologically contested domain of social science.

Youjin Jang, Michigan State University ; Sunyoung Park, Michigan State University; Sandi Smith, Michigan State University

The Role of Interpersonal Communication in a Social Norms Campaign

Social norms campaigns have been effective in correcting students’ misperceptions about drinking norms and reducing harms from risky drinking, including reducing the amount of alcohol consumed. Previous studies argued that not only direct exposure to campaigns but also interpersonal discussion about campaigns influence alcohol consumption. In order to understand the role of interpersonal communication in social norms campaigns, the current study tests the moderating effect of interpersonal communication on the relationship between campaign exposure and perceived descriptive norms (PDN) for alcohol consumption by analyzing the secondary data from a cross-sectional survey (n = 863). The results showed that PDN went down over time as respondents reported more exposure to the campaign. However, this was not the case for those who engaged in interpersonal communication, and there was a trend for PDN to increase after talking about the campaign.

Patricia Lowe, University of Kansas

Examination of Alternative Models of the DASS-21 in Singapore Students

The internal structure of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) using a structural equation modeling framework was investigated in the current study. The DASS-21 was administered to 511 higher education students, 250 males and 261 females, ages 18 to 26, from Singapore online. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were conducted on the responses of the higher education students. The target model consisting of three (Depression, Stress, and Anxiety) factors and four competing models, including a one-factor model, two-factor model, and two different bifactor models were examined. The results of the five CFAs performed indicated that a bifactor model with a general negative affectivity factor and three specific factors was found to be the best fitting model for higher education students from Singapore.

Joseph McFall, State University of New York - Fredonia

Conceptualizations of Adulthood Confidence: A Mixed Methods Study

To understand how adults conceptualize adulthood, we conducted a mixed-methods investigation involving an experimental manipulation, a quasi-experimental analysis, and a qualitative analysis. We utilized quota sampling across the USA to recruit 694 adults aged 18-73. They rated percent confidence of a hypothetical adult, whose age was randomly assigned; rated their own adulthood confidence; and answered the question, "What defines adulthood?" We conducted linear regression analyses to analyze quantitative data and coded qualitative responses to full agreement across multiple coders. As expected, we found a strong positive effect of Target’s Age on Percent Confidence Being an Adult. Respondents’ age was a weak negative predictor of targets' adulthood confidence, suggesting that older participants rated younger targets with less confidence as an adult. Respondents’ age was strongly associated with own confidence ratings of themselves being adults. Older respondents indicated that Age does not make you an adult; whereas younger respondents highlighted Independence themes.

Mustapha Momoh, University of Maiduguri

Causal Effects Of Favoritism and Victimization in Nigerian Universities: A Case Study of University of Maiduguri

The incidences of favoritism or victimization abound in Nigerian universities but largely under-reported. Many studies dwells on the occasions and effects of discriminatory behaviors in the academics and universities in particular with little or no cogent documentation of empirical evidence of these act of discriminatory practices in Nigerian universities. This paper empirical investigates the causal effects of favoritism and/or victimization in University of Maiduguri. The study adopted discursive taxonomy, and a cross-sectional survey design using structured questionnaire to elicited data from a sample of one hundred and twenty (120) experienced academicians. The resultant data were screened, calibrated and analysed with Multi-inferential statistics. The Chi-Square value of 108.633 at Alpha P ≤ 0.005, it founds incidences of Favoritism/Victimization in the university. The study recommends effective and transparent information dissemination with documented sanctioning mechanisms to prevent and punish erring leaders.

Keywords: Favoritism, Victimization, Causal effects, Spillover effects, Nigerian academics

Marcia Nichols, University of Minnesota Rochester; Andrew Petzold, University of Minnesota Rochester

Heteroglossia in the Science Classroom: A Bakhtinian Approach

Learner-centered approaches strive to license students to create their own knowledge and to feel empowered in the classroom; however these attempts butt up against the realities of institutional and disciplinary power in the classroom. This situation may be especially true for the science classroom, where learner-centered approaches butt up against a culture that has traditionally seen science as an authoritative discourse. Instructors in the sciences might take a page from humanities classrooms that employ a Bakhtinian pedagogy that embraces learning as dialogical. Such an approach acknowledges students’ home discourses as legitimate and actively helps students learn to choose among competing discursive choices to best fit different situations. We argue that such an approach could transform the science classroom by helping students see science not as a distant, monologic or authoritative discourse, but rather as a heteroglossic and contingent one that they have the power to enter.

Thomas O'Connor, Austin Peay State University

Once Again, What is Security?

Conceptual ideas are put forward to synthesize various definitions of security (national security, human security, etc.), including buzzwords and idioms like “cohesion” and “power” with this research continuing a long line of social science inquiry into the ambiguous symbolism (Wolfers 1952), paradigm shifts and hot air (Paris 2001), and just plain What is It (Buzan & Hansen 2009) of security. The argument is made for a tri-sector model (physical, social, and financial) which consolidates extant standard five or seven-sector approaches, with implications examined in terms of utility and/or feasibility for interdisciplinary teaching (in Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, and Criminal Justice), and those results further analyzed for implications in forming a grand strategy that addresses the consolidated issues, concerns, and wicked problems in the model.

Stella Olowodunoye, Adekunle Ajasin University (Nigeria)

Predicting Psychological Well-being from Work-family Conflict and Job Motivation: An Empirical Analysis

The following literature review examines the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and self-efficacy among the higher education population. Furthermore, this literature review examines if both constructs contribute to student success within higher education programs and if self-efficacy is more influential than EI as a contributing factor to student success. For this study, a total of eight articles were analyzed. The selected articles examine both constructs, together and separate, within the higher education context. This literature review demonstrates a correlation between the two constructs and that both constructs contribute to student success. And that self-efficacy is not more influential than EI in contributing to student success.

Samuel Sabaka, Goshen Valley Foundation

Racial Equity in School Discipline Resolutions and PBIS Implementation Fidelity

While Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) has long been shown to be effective in reducing disruptive behaviors, the relationship between PBIS implementation fidelity and equity in discipline resolutions across student subgroups is less well established. Discipline data for students (N = 22,736) attending 28 public schools was analyzed in relation to the individual school’s scores on the Tiered Fidelity Inventory. 16.8% of the sample were identified as students with disabilities, 46.6% were economically-disadvantaged, 55.0% identified as White, 27.6% Black, 10.9% Hispanic/Latino, and 5.3% Multi-Racial. Results suggested only high levels of PBIS implementation fidelity are impactful in lessening behaviors across student subgroups and increasing equity in disciplinary resolutions. Schools with low to moderate levels of implementation fidelity continued to disproportionately report behavior and assign more intense disciplinary resolutions (i.e., out of school suspension vs. in school suspension) for students who were racial/ethnic minorities, economically-disadvantaged students, or students with disabilities.

Olivia Sanchez, California State University Los Angeles

First-generation Students Falling Through the Cracks of Higher Education

The percentage of first-generation college students enrolling in universities regardless of whether they are in the private or public sector has been increasing over the years. However, the percentage of first-generation students who continue past the first year is significantly lower than their peers. The contributing factors that influence the withdrawal of these students include students’ overall adaptation to college, financial barriers, and family ties. This poster presentation aims to provide an analytical framework for a larger research project that is still in its conceptual stages. An analysis of the experiences these students have is crucial to the development of policies and services that help fuse the gap through which these students are falling through. The global spread of COVID-19 has permanently altered the overall role of education. Over the past year first-generation students have had to transition and adapt to the world of online learning in addition to the challenges they face within their intersecting identities. The rise in an online presence on behalf of the student population has paved the way for a significant increase in surveillance capitalism essentially altering the path to social change.

Randy Seevers, University of Houston Clear Lake

Building Classroom Discussions through Student Self-reflection Feedback

This session addresses practices that help faculty facilitate pre-service teachers’ discussions in the classroom. Seventeen teacher candidates enrolled in an undergraduate special education course were given a series of questions related to their participation during class discussions. The primary purpose of the questions was to prompt the teacher candidates to critically reflect upon their active participation in classroom discussions. A preliminary analysis of the data suggests that candidates were more effectively engaged in discussions when presented with a self-grading guide to complete after each discussion. Results also suggest that students contributed to discussions more frequently by demonstrated engagement (e.g., summarizing key takeaways or insights, etc.) and added comments (e.g., introducing a counterargument, etc.) than posed questions or added resources. Reluctant contributors were identified, and strategies implemented to encourage participation. All learners were encouraged to set personal goals to increase their level of engagement during discussions.

Randy Seevers, University of Houston Clear Lake

The Power of Praise Notes

Being proactive vs reactive is a very powerful approach in generating positive behaviors. Specifically, pre-service teachers delivered praise notes to students, friends, co-workers and/or their families and described how the praise notes impacted those receiving the notes. As a result of these praise notes, the participants reported a high degree of satisfaction in their implementation. Descriptively, 86% of candidates report the praise notes had a strong or somewhat positive impact on behavior while 14% of the candidates found the praise notes had little no impact on behavior. The findings suggest the importance of creating a caring and positive environment and it also provides information about how individual actions can influence the behavior of others.

Mercedes Sherman, Fordham University; LaTrese Adkins, Executive Director

Pastoral Counseling and Faith-Based Applications of CBT: Conceptualizing Healthy Self-Help for Black Women of Faith

Recognizing behavioral health needs among members of a small Black faith community in Connecticut, a female African American minister in New England instituted “Mental Health Mondays,” a free and open resource for her small congregation of about 40 members. The concept of “Mental Health Mondays” also resonated with her first cousin, an African American female Pastor who serves a small Black faith community in North Central Texas. Both ordained ministers are licensed social workers—i.e. a LMSW and a LCSW. Both clinicians utilize CBT; and, when combined with their spiritual knowledge and religious duties, both have begun to identify overlapping and complementary connections between CBT and belief systems of Black faith communities. Reaching out to a Black history scholar who also is an ordained minister, all three African American women surmise that traditional stigmas against behavioral health treatments can be overcome by affirming/validating how some Christian teachings align with CBT.

Nava Silton, Marymount Manhattan College; Mindy Schwartz, Yeshiva University; Grayson Stranko, Glastonbury High School

Assessing the Efficacy of the Realabilities Comic Book Series and Addy & Uno Musical in Enhancing Typical Children’s Behavioral Intentions and Cognitive Attitudes towards Children with Disabilities

Thirty-six fourth grade students (15 males and 21 females) from an elementary school in Glastonbury, Connecticut took pre and post cognitive attitudinal (The Adjective Checklist [ACL]), behavioral intention (Shared Activities Questionnaire [SAQ]) and knowledge measures both before and after viewing the Addy & Uno Musical or reading the first or last six books of the Realabilities Comic Book Series. Both the Addy & Uno Musical and the Realabilities Comic Series seek to teach children about empathy, kindness and about the beauty of difference. Following the intervention, the students showed enhanced knowledge of disabilities, t (35) = 4.091, p <.001, and more positive attitudes towards individuals with visual impairment on the ACL, t (35) = -2.865, p <.05 and more positive behavioral intentions towards individuals with Autism, t (35) = -2.731, p <.01 and a trend toward more positive intentions towards individuals with visual impairment, t (35) = -2.019, p =.051.

Paris S. Strom, Auburn University; Robert D. Strom, Arizona State University; Tricia Sindel-Arrington, Chandler-Gilbert Community College; Renee V. Rude, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Chih-hsuan Wang, Auburn University

Stress of Community College Students and Gender Differences

The study identified gender differences in sources of stress among community college students. The 351 subjects (210 females, 141 males) attended the same community college; most (69%) lived at home with parents. They self-administered the online College Stress Poll. Poll data were analyzed using a series of Chi-square independence tests to compare gender responses with Cramer’s V applied as the measurement of effect size. Females, significantly more often than males, reported family relationships as stressful and felt greater pressure to earn higher grades than classmates. Females were more often exposed to stress from peers who interrupted them during study time. Both genders identified as a major stressor the push to earn good grades while acknowledging poor time management and lacking understanding in some courses. Results identified ways to reduce stress with workshop topics chosen that students wanted the college to provide for parents, teachers, and students.

Imran Syed, Ball State University

Examining Dark Triad – Could This Triad Be Good For Business?

Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy are considered as the core components of the dark triad. Individuals that are high on one or more of these dark triad characteristics tend to be usually self-focused, manipulative, and callous. They usually are willing to do anything to achieve their goals and tend to believe that the end justifies the means. It is sometimes perceived that individuals that have more of these characteristics (which potentially includes some famous entrepreneurs) could be good for their ventures. There is not yet much empirical evidence regarding the impact of the individuals with these characteristics on business. This presentation explores what these characteristics are, what we currently know about their impact on business, and what might be their potential implications for business. An interesting implication for business might be the contradictory effect dark triad components might have on business. As an example, initial empirical work done by the author shows that dark triad components have a positive effect on intentions to start a new venture but might have a negative effect on venture success mediated through individual-level variables like the entrepreneur’s grit.

Amber Thomas, California State University, Long Beach; Yasmine Shahbaz, University of California, Long Beach; Lisa Jennings, CSULB School of Social Work

A Case Study of the Fair Housing Act: Addressing Protections for the LGBTQIA+ Community

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 aimed to eliminate housing discrimination and promote residential integration by creating federal protections for citizens based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and/or disability—but the law’s exclusions surrounding gender identity and sexual orientation allow housing discrimination to continue for the LGBTQ+ community. This cases study explores the ways the FHA falls short in its effort to provide broad-reaching protections and remedy the damaging legacy housing discrimination has left behind. In this exploration, amendments are suggested to expand protections to the LGBTQ+ community and supplement the law in its ability to provide housing resources to communities vulnerable to discrimination. These amendments seek to fill in the gaps left by the FHA, expand institutional power to address and prevent housing discrimination, and create a more equitable future for housing.

Linnea Visher, Southern Oregon University; Madison Griffinpowers, Southern Oregon University

Differences in Quality of Life Among Developmental Stages During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study measured quality of life in distinct developmental stages during the beginning period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (n=110) completed an online survey that included the Quality of Life Scale (QOLF). Results indicated significantly greater quality of life scores in late adulthood compared to other developmental stages, F(2,107)=4.14, p<0.05. This result is consistent with previous reports in the literature.

Dimitrios Xefteris, University of Cyprus; Efthymios Lykopoulos, University of Cyprus

Pandora's Rules in the Laboratory

In theory, search conditions are a key determinant of Pandora's rule i.e. of the optimal search pattern. For instance, the optimality of inspecting first a riskier option, than a safer one, depends on whether the subject is constrained to choose only among previously inspected options or not. But are these formal results pertinent to settings of applied interest, or do subjects choose their inspection patterns ignoring the search conditions (e.g., by following rules of thumb like the order dictated by the options' expected payoff, etc.)? We conduct a comparative analysis of different search conditions in the laboratory and we find strong evidence that they matter a lot for inspection decisions. Subjects are more conservative at the beginning of the search, and their search pattern is more sensitive in parameter changes when they are constrained to make a choice only among the inspected alternatives, than when they are not. To our knowledge, this is the first paper that demonstrates the empirical relevance of these salient Pandora's rules.

Laura Young, Georgia Gwinett College

Collective Memories and Distrust in Science

Although prior research established differences in age cohorts’ views of science, what led each cohort to their respective attitudes? Analysis of existing survey data shows that collective memories, specifically those related to negative scientific events and institutional deceit during one’s formative years, predict negative views of science for certain age groups. Specifically, we find those aged 65 or older are more likely to distrust science as a result of a series of events and counter-movements they experienced in the 1950s - 1980s. Younger individuals, not experiencing these same events, are more likely to trust science as a result. The findings reinforce the importance of trust in institutions when it comes to policymaking and provides insight as to why some may oppose policies or view them with skepticism.