Theses and Dissertations from UMD
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New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
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Item Quiet Country(2021) Hensley, Alannah; Arnold, Elizabeth; Creative Writing; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Quiet Country is a collection of poetry exploring love, violence, and grief. These poems examine the way poverty, addiction, and inter-generational cycles of abuse shape the landscape of rural Arkansas, and address patterns of violence toward children, animals, and women. The collection also includes a six-poem, Queer reimagining of the myth of Cassandra of Troy.Item Social Enterprise Development: A preventative approach to homelessness and displacement in Point Breeze, Philadelphia(2019) Huntington, Cassandra Aaryn; Gabrielli, Julie; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Social enterprise development focuses on creating economic value to help solve social problems. This thesis tests the viability of this concept by creating a mixed-use, mixed-income property in a low-income neighborhood in South Philadelphia. A profit-sharing financial model is used to support both affordable housing and transitional housing for homeless adolescents. The thesis uses biophilic design principles and values to explore architecture’s role in healing from adolescent trauma and preventing future health issues. This thesis presents a preventative solution to social issues rather than a reactive solution. Prevention of chronic homelessness and prevention of displacement are key to addressing social injustice and help break cycles of poverty in low-income communities. This thesis exemplifies architecture’s ability to provide equal access to both housing and services to help the most vulnerable members of society and help them become self-sufficient and contributing members of the community.Item THE SYNDEMIC EFFECT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL AND STRUCTURAL FACTORS ON HIV TESTING AMONG BLACK MEN AND THE MODERATING EFFECT OF SEXUAL IDENTITY(2018) Turpin, Rodman Emory; Dyer, Typhanye; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Black populations experience the highest incidence and prevalence of HIV in the United States. It has been posited that numerous structural and psychosocial factors contribute to HIV disparities among Black populations, these factors can have an adverse effect on healthcare utilization, including HIV testing. Given the burden of HIV rates among Black men, especially Black gay and bisexual men, it is important to consider possible barriers to HIV testing in this population. Syndemic theory posits a mutually reinforcement of social and structural conditions that cumulatively affects disease outcomes. While syndemic theory has been applied to HIV acquisition, this framework has not been utilized for HIV testing. We tested for a syndemic of depression, poverty, and a lack of healthcare access impacting HIV testing and tested sexual identity as a moderator of healthcare access in a nationally representative sample of Black men. Participants with 2 or 3 syndemic factors were significantly more likely to have never been HIV tested compared to those with 0 or 1 (49.2% to 31.7%). Having 3 syndemic factors was associated with greater prevalence of never having been HIV tested (aPR=1.46, 95% CI 1.09, 1.95). Gay/bisexual identity moderated the association between health insurance and ever having been HIV tested in adjusted models (aPR=4.36; 95% CI 1.40, 13.62), with not having health insurance being associated with HIV testing among gay/bisexual participants only (aPR=4.84, 95% CI 1.19, 19.70). Using latent class analysis, four syndemic classes were identified as significant predictors of having never been HIV tested. In adjusted log-binomial models, compared to the class with the lowest proportion of syndemic factors, the highest prevalence of never having been HIV tested was among the class with the highest proportions of syndemic component factors (aPR=2.27, 95% CI 1.83, 2.82). Overall, there is evidence of a syndemic of depression, poverty, and a lack of healthcare access that negatively affects HIV testing among Black men, with a lack of healthcare access being a significantly greater barrier to HIV testing among gay/bisexual men compared to heterosexual men.Item Income Inequality, Government Welfare Effort, and Subjective Well-Being: Three Essays(2017) Livani, Talajeh; Graham, Carol; Swagel, Phillip; Public Policy; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation consists of three essays on the relations of income inequality and government welfare effort with subjective well-being. The first essay introduces the concepts, reviews the literature linking income inequality and government welfare effort to subjective well-being, and identifies the research gaps. The paper concludes that the relationship between income inequality and subjective well-being is determined by how inequality is defined and what it signals. Similarly, the relationship between government welfare effort and subjective well-being is determined by factors such as ideology, quality of governance, and the magnitude of social assistance “stigma” effects. The second essay examines whether the relationship between life satisfaction and income inequality or government welfare effort differs by country income group, that is, low-income, lower middle-income, upper middle-income, and high-income countries. It further provides insight into the role of governance in mediating the relationship between inequality and life satisfaction. The essay concludes that the relationship between inequality and life satisfaction is similar (significant and negative) across all country income groups when inequality is perceived as or signals inherent unfairness. Similarly, the association between government welfare effort and life satisfaction is similar (significant and positive) across all country income groups when the government is perceived to be doing enough for the poor. Finally, it appears that confidence in national institutions and leaders may reduce the adverse effects of inequality. The final essay examines whether social protection spending is predictive of life satisfaction in Iraq, a conflict-affected and resource-rich developing country. The main finding is that there is a negative association between life satisfaction and the receipt of most types of public transfers. This negative association is mitigated and, in some cases, becomes positive for individuals in the lowest income quintiles. These patterns are also observed for families considered to be vulnerable based on region of residence and the gender of the household head. A noteworthy finding is that income assistance from private sources is also associated negatively with life satisfaction while income from property ownership and assets is associated positively with life satisfaction. This supports the idea that the source of income matters to individuals, even in the context of a conflict-affected resource-rich developing country like Iraq. This research aims to contribute to the current base of knowledge and to policy questions of interest to academia, research institutions, developing country governments, donors, and the public at large. The findings shed light on how socio-economic contexts are predictive of life satisfaction as well as on how social policies can be designed or modified to improve welfare in developing countries.Item Evaluation of an Alternative School's Impact on the Graduation Rate Overall and for Students Receiving Free or Reduced Price Meals in One Local School System(2017) Zimmerman, Wendy Lynn; Imig, David; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Free and reduced meals (FARM) students in one Maryland school system are dropping out of school at a rate almost five times greater than non-FARM students. In order to address the overall and the FARM subgroup dropout rate an intervention program was implemented. The program invited students with the greatest risk of dropping out to attend. Small class sizes and faculty that focused on building relationships and meeting each individual student’s social and emotional needs are hallmarks of the intervention. The effectiveness of the program was established through three tests: 1. Finding the average overall dropout rate before the inception of the program compared to dropout rate after the implementation; 2. A logistic regression to determine the probability of a student graduating from high school based on data from a group of students who attended the intervention as compared to a demographically matched group of students who did not attend; 3. A logistic regression to determine the probability of a student graduating based on data from a group of students who attended the program as compared to a pooled group of students who where invited to attend, but did not. The results suggest the program is effective; however, the reader should be cautioned as the results are based on a small sample size. The county experienced a 5.35% decrease in the overall dropout rate and a 6.80% decrease in the FARM dropout rate after the implementation of the program. Matched students who attended the program were almost fifteen times more likely to graduate than their peers who did not attend the program, and matched FARM students were fourteen times more likely to graduate. Students who attended the program had an almost nine times greater chance of graduating, and FARM students had an eight times greater probability of graduating, than students who were invited to attend but did not. The results show a relationship between the implementation of the dropout intervention program and a decrease in the dropout rate for the county and for the FARM subgroup.Item The Impact of An Online Learning Credit Recovery Program on the Graduation Rate of Students Receiving Free and Reduced Meals(2017) Heibel, Jake; Imig, David G.; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Low-income students are five times more likely to drop out of high school than their high-income peers (Chapman, Laird, Ifill, & KewalRamani, 2011). While race, geography, economic conditions, access to high quality teachers, gender, and age are measures often used to determine if a student is likely to drop out of school, economic conditions are the single variable that most closely predicts dropout potential (Mid-Atlantic State Department of Education). As an intervention tool, “online coursework may lead to increased self-efficacy in at-risk students if adequate supports are in place to help them to succeed” (Lewis, Whiteside, and Dikkers, 2014). According to Lips (2010), “Online learning could address many discrepancies in American education in terms of the disparate access to high-quality teachers and instruction caused by socioeconomic and geographic differences” (p. 4). Describing the impact of online learning on at risk students, Archambault et al. (2010) said, “Virtual school programs find that taking advantages of the technology, various curriculum programs and being able to individualize instruction are effective strategies for meeting the needs of at-risk students” (p. 7). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an online learning credit recovery program on the graduation rates of students receiving free and reduced meal benefits at a high school in the Great Lakes Public Schools (a pseudonym) located in Mid-Atlantic State. The study compared the graduation rates of FARMS students who participated in the APEX online learning program against FARMS students who did not participate in the program. The results failed to reject the null hypothesis indicating that there was no statistical difference between the two groups. This study may be useful as the district seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of its intervention programs for struggling students.Item AREA-LEVEL POVERTY AND CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK AMONG UNITED STATES ADOLESCENTS: A HIERARCHICAL ANALYSIS OF PATHWAYS TO DISEASE(2017) Williams, Andrew David; Shenassa, Edmond; Family Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Background: In the United States, 26% of deaths are attributable to cardiometabolic diseases. Cardiometabolic risk in adolescence tracks over time and can presage cardiometabolic health during adulthood. Area-level determinants of cardiometabolic risk among adolescents are underexamined. This study contributes evidence regarding the association between area-level poverty and cardiometabolic risk among U.S. adolescents. Methods: 1999-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data was linked via census tract with 2000 Census data and 2005-2009 and 2009-2013 American Community Survey data. The sample included 10,415 adolescents, aged 12-19 years. Area-level poverty was parameterized by percent population living in poverty, grouped into quartiles for analysis. Cardiometabolic risk was parameterized by summing z-scores of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin, waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol. Hierarchical linear models were used to examine the relationship between area-level poverty and cardiometabolic risk. Cotinine levels and physical activity were assessed as mediators. Post-hoc analysis explored associations between area-level poverty and family poverty-to-income ratio. Analyses were conducted for the overall sample and by race/ethnicity. Results: For the overall sample, compared to the first quartile of area-level poverty, residence in second (.218, 95% CI: .012, .424), third (.438, 95% CI: .213, .665), and fourth (.451, 95% CI: .204, .698) quartiles of area-level poverty was associated with increased cardiometabolic risk. Area-level poverty was associated with cardiometabolic risk among non-Hispanic Whites and Mexican Americans, but not among non-Hispanic Blacks. No evidence of mediation was observed. In post-hoc analysis, overall mean family Poverty-income-ratio declined from 3.34 in quartile 1 to 1.42 in quartile 4 (p< .001), however, this differed by race/ethnicity. Discussion: Residence in the highest area-level poverty quartiles was associated with increased cardiometabolic risk. Race/ethnicity specific analyses are consistent with literature on the Hispanic Paradox, and exposure to adversity among non-Hispanic blacks. Evidence suggests specific biomarker choice results in different cardiometabolic profiles within the same racial/ethnic group. Post-hoc analyses suggest the effect of area-level poverty on family PIR is greatest among non-Hispanic whites. Efforts to improve cardiometabolic health and reduce racial/ethnic disparities in cardiometabolic diseases should include targeted community-level investments aimed to improve the social conditions for all residents.Item From the 1996 Welfare Law to the Great Recession: Essays on the Effect of Safety Net Changes on Employment and Income Trends(2016) Trisi, Danilo Leandro; Graham, Carol; Public Policy; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The United States safety net has undergone significant changes over the last three decades. In the early 1990s the Earned Income Tax Credit was expanded. The 1996 welfare law dramatically reduced access to cash assistance. SNAP (formerly food stamps) declined in the aftermath of the 1996 welfare law but rebounded during the 2000s. This dissertation analyzes how these safety net changes have affected the employment trends of single mothers and the income trends of families with children. The first essay examines different ways of measuring how cash assistance changed after the 1996 law. It reviews previous approaches and introduces two measures that meet the objectives of capturing the benefit level and accessibility of a safety net program independent of economic conditions and allowing for variation by year, state, and family size. The essay concludes by discussing how this methodology can be adapted to measure changes in SNAP and EITC policies. The second essay examines the employment trends of single mothers. The descriptive analysis shows how single mothers with the least educational attainment and those with the youngest children increased their employment the most between 1992 and 1999. The econometric analysis uses the safety net measures developed in the first essay to analyze the effect of safety net changes on the employment of single mothers. It finds that the EITC accounted for 36 percent of the employment increase among single mothers with a high school education or less between 1992 and 1999. The economy accounted for 20 percent, changes in cash assistance for 10 percent, and SNAP changes for 4 percent. The third essay examines how the level and composition of incomes of families with children changed between 1993 and 2012. These data show how the safety net has become more focused on supporting families with earnings and less helpful to families during periods of joblessness. Changes in the safety net drove a 16 percent decline in post-tax post-transfer family income of the poorest five percent of children between 1995 and 2005. The paper concludes by looking at the characteristics of children at different points in the income distribution.Item The Public Conscience of Chicago: The Chicago Reporter and Four Decades of Investigating Race and Poverty(2015) Brune, Thomas; Feldstein, Mark; Journalism; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)ABSTRACT Title of Thesis: THE PUBLIC CONSCIENCE OF CHICAGO: THE CHICAGO REPORTER AND FOUR DECADES OF INVESTIGATING RACE AND POVERTY Thomas Brune, Master of Arts, Journalism, 2015 Thesis Directed By: Richard Eaton Professor of Broadcast Journalism Mark Feldstein, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland The Chicago Reporter is a small nonprofit news organization founded in 1972 to use investigative and data-driven journalism to uncover and highlight racial and economic disparities in Chicago. It is written for local elites who can implement reforms. Its stories have prompted changes, and it has trained a diverse group of journalists in the process. But it never has built a broad readership or developed a business plan that doesn’t rely on charity. The question of this thesis is: How has the Chicago Reporter survived for four decades? A review of its history and interviews with its publishers found the Reporter still exists because it has a base at a stable nonprofit, and its reporting on race and poverty draws support from a core group of funders, leaders, and academics. Yet its singular focus has limited expansion, and its recent move to an all-digital operation poses challenges for its future.Item Fords of My Dreams: Stories(2014) Dorland Perry, Dawn Chryselle; Casey, Maud; Creative Writing; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Fords of My Dreams: Stories is a literary manuscript-in-progress featuring girls and women rising up from rural poverty. These linked stories bear witness to coming-of-age as a ritual marked by extreme rejection of others and even violence; to the adulthoods shaped by invisible pasts of need and neglect; and to the survivor's guilt that plagues those who sacrificed or abandoned others whose futures weighed less in order to rise. In the tradition of Dorothy Allison's Trash, these stories complicate the assumption that arriving at a higher economic class always outgains the emotional cost. With Fords of My Dreams, the author seeks to open a new set of questions around the American dream of class ascendance.