Browsing by Author "Henry, Kimberly L., committee member"
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Item Open Access Attentional biases and time course of emotion processing in depression(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Bastidas, Stephanie P., author; Troup, Lucy J., advisor; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Draper, Bruce A., committee memberDepressive mood is associated with differential patterns in emotion processing, but it is unclear which stages of processing differ in depressed individuals. The current study explored the nature of biases in early vs. late components of attention. Experiment 1 examined attention biases in orienting to and disengaging from positive and negative emotional stimuli behaviorally. Depressed participants presented greater overall biases than controls in the dot-discrimination but not in the dot-detection task. Positive and negative affect were associated with greater orienting bias and reduced disengaging bias for happy faces in the detection task and smaller bias for happy faces and greater for sad faces in the discrimination task. Experiment 2 explored differences in the time course of emotion processing, with focus on early P3 component differences during implicit and explicit processing. Results showed greater P3 for happy than neutral trials over midline frontal electrodes and the opposite pattern over parietal electrodes in depressed but not control participants during implicit processing. P3 was slower in depressed than controls during explicit processing over lateral sites. Midline electrodes showed slower P3 for happy than neutral during implicit processing and for sad than neutral during explicit, independent of group. Results suggest the presence of attentional biases in depressed individuals independent of emotion. These biases might be better reflected during intentional than incidental emotion processing. Future study is needed to fully understand the relationship of emotion processing for different degrees of depressive symptoms, emotions, and with regard to other modalities of intention in emotion processing.Item Open Access College students coping with loss(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Adams, John, author; Rosén, Lee A., advisor; Dik, Bryan, committee member; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Biringen, Zeynep, committee memberApproximately 22 to 30 percent of all college students have experienced the death of a friend or family member in the last 12 months (Balk 2008, 2010; Hardison, Neimeyer & Lichstein, 2005). Grief caused by a death loss significantly impairs the academic performance, social functioning, and emotional health of college students (Balk & Vesta, 1998; Balk, 2008; Servaty-Seib & Hamilton, 2006). There are many ways to cope with and process grief. Posttraumatic growth can result in feeling a greater appreciation for life, feeling closer to loved ones and overall more self-confident (Davis, 2008). However, research has yielded mixed results regarding the impact of posttraumatic growth on grief symptoms, with some studies finding that posttraumatic growth decreases grief symptoms and others finding that it has no impact on grief symptoms or increases symptoms (Davis, Nolen-Hoeksema, & Larson (1998); Linley, Joseph, & Goodfellow (2008); Calhoun & Tedeschi (2006)). Continuing bonds is an approach to grieving that aims to redefine the relationship with the deceased, maintaining it symbolically, spiritually, and/or in memory (Attig, 1996; Hedtke & Winslade, 2003). Previous studies exploring the impact of continuing bonds on grief symptoms have also had mixed results (Neimeyer, Baldwin & Gillies (2006); Rando (1993)). This study sought to explore how both approaches to grief impact grief symptoms in a college aged population that has experienced a death loss in the past year. Additionally, this study also considered another outcome variable uniquely relevant to college students: college adjustment. This study examined how both of these approaches to grieving impacting college students' social, academic, and emotional adjustment to the college environment. When the control variables age, gender, and type of loss were considered, the contributions of the linear regression model to adjustment variance was nonsignificant. Posttraumatic growth had a nonsignificant effect on grief symptoms. Continuing bonds scores were found to have a significant positive relationship with grief symptoms. These findings suggest that continuing bonds contributes to increased grief symptoms for college students, discouraging the use of continuing bonds based interventions for bereaved students in college counseling centers. Future research could examine why continuing bonds has this impact on college students and what approaches to processing grief could help reduce grief symptoms in college students.Item Open Access Deep transfer learning for prediction of health risk behaviors in adolescent psychiatric patients(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Kentopp, Shane, author; Conner, Bradley T., advisor; Prince, Mark A., committee member; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Anderson, Charles W., committee memberBinge drinking and non-suicidal self-injury are significant health-risk behaviors that are often initiated during adolescence and contribute to a host of negative outcomes later in life. Selective prevention strategies are targeted toward individuals most at-risk for developing these behaviors. Traditionally, selective interventions are tailored based on risk factors identified by human experts. Machine learning algorithms, such as deep neural networks, may improve the effectiveness of selective interventions by accounting for complex interactions between large numbers of predictor variables. However, their use in psychological research is limited due to the tendency to overfit and the need for large volumes of training data. Deep transfer learning can overcome this limitation by leveraging samples of convenience to facilitate training deep neural networks in small, clinically relevant samples. The author trained deep neural networks on data from a sample of adolescent psychiatric inpatients to retrospectively classify individuals according to their history of alcohol misuse and nonsuicidal self-injury. Next, the performance of these models was compared to deep neural networks that were pretrained in a convenience sample of college undergraduates and fine-tuned in the sample of psychiatric patients. Deep transfer learning did not improve classification accuracy but buffered against overfitting. The deep neural networks that were not pretrained maintained maximum classification accuracy for a very small number of training epochs before performance deteriorated due to overfitting the training data. Conversely, the pretrained networks maintained their maximum classification accuracy across many training epochs and performance was not hindered by overfitting. This suggests that convenience samples can be utilized to reduce the risk of overfitting when training complex deep neural networks on small clinical samples. In the future, this process may be employed to facilitate powerful predictive models that inform selective prevention programs and contribute to the reduction of health risk behavior prevalence amongst vulnerable adolescent populations.Item Open Access Dispositional and contextual resources as predictors of need for recovery(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2010) Gardner, Paige, author; Chen, Peter Y., advisor; Gibbons, Alyssa M., committee member; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Rosecrance, John, committee memberThe current study considered how dispositional and contextual resources relate to need for recovery across time. This study extends the need for recovery literature by integrating need for recovery, the concept of resources from Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources theory, and models of personality and social support in the stress process. It was hypothesized that dispositional resources (conscientiousness, emotional stability, optimism, and self-esteem) as well as contextual resources (positive social support) would predict need for recovery at Time 1 and Time 2. These hypotheses were partially supported. Dispositional and contextual resources were negatively related to need for recovery at Time 1 but did not predict need for recovery at Time 2 while controlling for need for recovery at Time 1. These results suggest limited roles played by dispositional and contextual resources, at least for the variables studied in the present study, in reducing need for recovery. Implications and opportunities for future research are discussed.Item Open Access Employee nonwork support-marshaling: scale development and validation(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Wong, Jacqueline R., author; Crain, Tori L., advisor; Gibbons, Alyssa M., committee member; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Faw, Meara H., committee memberSupervisor support for employees' nonwork lives positively impacts a variety of outcomes for both employees and organizations. Despite growing evidence for the importance of family-supportive supervisors, the current literature fails to fully capture the supervisor-employee support process by neglecting the role of the employee. To begin addressing this gap, the current study aimed to develop and validate a self-report scale to measure the behaviors that employees perform in order to manage the support they receive from supervisors for nonwork issues. Specifically, the scale draws on support-marshaling literature to capture direct and indirect behaviors that are enacted either to increase support (i.e., approach behaviors) or to decrease nonsupport (i.e., avoid behaviors). Thus, the scale uses 16 items to measure four dimensions of employee support-marshaling: direct-approach, direct-avoid, indirect-approach, and indirect-avoid. Results from an MTurk sample provide initial evidence of reliability (i.e. internal consistency) and validity (i.e., appropriate content, internal structure, and relationships with other variables).Item Open Access "En frente de la batalla": centering the voices of Latine frontline workers in defining, understanding, and addressing community needs and solutions in tourist regions in Colorado during the COVID-19 pandemic(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2022) Lucci-Rimer, Elizabeth, author; Conner, Bradley T., advisor; Muñoz, Susana M., committee member; Riggs, Nathaniel R., committee member; Henry, Kimberly L., committee memberLatine workers make up a significant proportion of the U.S. frontline workforce, with disproportionate representation in lower-earning positions that offer less job security. Throughout the pandemic, Latine frontline workers have faced disparate rates of COVID-19 illness, severe health impacts, death of loved ones, and economic losses. These circumstances have increased mental health difficulties, including chronic stress, depression, and anxiety. During the pandemic, Latine frontline workers in tourist communities in Colorado have suffered severe economic losses and ongoing health risks associated with frequent COVID-19 exposure and inequitable healthcare access. The present qualitative study used liberation psychology and Latino critical race theory to center the stories of Latine frontline workers in a tourist community in Colorado. Interviews were conducted with eight Latine frontline workers or spouses of frontline workers and five agency workers from nonprofits or the public sector in a tourist community in Colorado. Latine frontline community members were asked to share their stories of how their communities had experienced the pandemic, their definitions of the community's needs, and their ideas for solutions. Agency workers were asked to provide their perspectives and context. Analysis was conducted using critical qualitative inquiry and an interpretive analysis based on the theoretical frameworks. The resulting themes included community member's experiences and definitions of strengths, problems, and solutions. The results were shared in the community and recommendations were given to local agencies. This study advocates for employers, landlords, nonprofit and local government agencies, schools, and healthcare organizations to engage in equity-based structural and operational change and to assume an advocacy role in addressing underlying causes of health, mental health, educational, housing, and economic inequities.Item Open Access Engaging key stakeholders in climate change: a community-based project for youth-led participatory climate action(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Trott, Carlie D., author; Harman, Jennifer J., advisor; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Chavez, Ernest L., committee member; Peek, Lori, committee memberFew studies have examined how youth think about, and take action on climate change and far fewer have sought to facilitate their engagement using participatory methods. This dissertation evaluated the impacts of Science, Camera, Action! (SCA), a novel after-school program that combined climate change education with participatory action through photovoice. The specific aims of this study were to: (1) Evaluate the impacts of SCA on youth participants' climate change knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors; (2) Examine how SCA participation served to empower youth agency; and (3) Explore SCA's influence on youths' science engagement. Participants were 55 youths (ages 10 to 12) across three Boys and Girls Club sites in Northern Colorado. SCA's Science component used interactive activities to demonstrate the interrelationships between Earth's changing climate, ecosystems, and sustainable actions within communities. Photovoice, SCA's Camera component, was used to explore youths' climate change perspectives and to identify opportunities for their active engagement. Finally, SCA's Action component aimed to cultivate youth potential as agents of change in their families and communities through the development and implementation of youth-led action projects. Action projects included local policy advocacy, a tree-planting campaign, a photo gallery opening, development of a website, and the establishment of a Boys and Girls Club community garden. To evaluate SCA impacts, a combination of survey and focus group methods were used. Following the program, youth demonstrated increased knowledge of the scientific and social dimensions of the causes and consequences of climate change, as well as its solutions through human action. Though participants expressed a mix of positive (e.g., hope) and negative (e.g., sadness) emotions about climate change, they left the program with an increased sense of respect for nature, an enhanced sense of environmental responsibility, and a greater sense of urgency towards the need for climate change action. Further, participants reported increased engagement in personal pro-environmental behaviors, an enhanced sense of agency in the context of climate change, and provided strong evidence of their role as agents of change in family and community contexts. Through SCA, participants gained a deeper appreciation for science (e.g., in school, careers, and society) and reported increased interest, participation, confidence, and performance in school science. Findings contribute to the vast and growing psychology literature on climate change perceptions and action, and from the understudied perspective of youth. Through a combination of innovative methods and interactive projects, the youth in this study gained a number of psychosocial and educational benefits, while tangibly contributing to the sustainable transformation of their families and communities. Findings of this dissertation have implications for educational programs, youth organizing, and interventions aimed to strengthen youths' active engagement with critical social and scientific issues that impact their lives.Item Open Access Facilitating solutions to conservation management challenges through an understanding of human perceptions of nature and wildlife(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2010) Dietsch, Alia, author; Teel, Tara L., advisor; Manfredo, Michael J., advisor; Henry, Kimberly L., committee memberNatural resource managers traditionally relying on biological expertise to understand and respond to today's conservation challenges (e.g., biodiversity loss, habitat fragmentation, climate change) are finding increased impetus for utilizing social sciences to inform decision-making. All too often, management decisions have been unsuccessful when they failed to address the polarizing values of stakeholders, the economic and political context of decisions, and the cultural significance of resources to local people. An understanding of these social considerations can be facilitated by an examination of human-nature and human-wildlife relationships, which often form the basis for conflict over management issues. This thesis presents two manuscripts designed to contribute to this area of inquiry by considering how public opinion may be influenced by broader conceptions of the natural environment. Such perceptions of nature are further influenced by ideology, or the way people assess meaning to their lives through consensually-held beliefs. Drawing upon Cultural Theory and the Myths of Nature, Chapter II of this thesis explores how people think about nature in three distinct areas of the western United States. To better understand such human-nature relationships, we explored a new measurement approach for capturing the Myths of Nature. Consistent with our objectives, we tested such an approach and found that five distinct perspectives regarding nature exist; that these perspectives are consistent with the Myths of Nature literature; and that results are stable across three study areas. Chapter III outlines a need for natural resource agencies wanting to ensure continued public support to have a better understanding of the diverse publics they represent. Two social science approaches (i.e., wildlife value orientation theory and the Myths of Nature) explore the influence of ideology on conflicting beliefs related to wildlife and wildlife use. Consistent with hypotheses, wildlife value orientations were found to be related to the Myths of Nature, indicating they likely draw upon similar ideologies (e.g., egalitarianism). Additionally, results indicated that people believing in a myth of Nature is Ephemeral were significantly less accepting than others of lethal control of wildlife, whereas as those believing in a myth of Nature is Benign were more accepting of lethal control. Findings as a whole corroborate that ideology, as reflected in value orientations about wildlife and the Myths of Nature, influences human thought about wildlife use, and that human thought about the natural environment can be used to enhance our understanding of public attitudes and behaviors in a wildlife-related context.Item Open Access Improving first-year intervention strategies at universities by focusing on meaning and purpose in life(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Shin, Joo Yeon, author; Steger, Michael F., advisor; Dik, Bryan J., committee member; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Kuk, Linda, committee memberResearch has increasingly appreciated the potential benefits of having a higher sense of meaning in life for positive college student development. Drawing on Steger's (2009) meaning development model, this study investigated the effects of a 6-week web-based intervention designed to enhance a sense of meaning in life among college freshmen. The results from a randomized controlled trial with 285 U.S. college students (n = 142 for the intervention group, n = 143 for the control group) revealed that the rates of growth of meaning in life within the two groups did not differ over a period of 8 weeks. The current study also examined the relationships between self-concept clarity, goal progress, and meaning in life. Higher self-concept clarity was associated with a higher sense of meaning in life, and this relationship was found both in between-person and within-person contexts. Additionally, the changes in self-concept clarity and meaning in life were positively related over the course of 8 weeks. Higher goal progress was associated with a higher sense of meaning in life in a between-person context. Overall, these results suggest that self-knowledge and goal pursuit serve as a firm context for cultivating a sense of meaning. Finally, a higher sense of meaning was associated with reports of fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, but not with a higher GPA and retention to sophomore year. The role of meaning in life in enhancing college students' mental health and educational experiences was discussed. Directions for future intervention efforts to promote a sense of meaning in life among college students were also suggested.Item Open Access Long-term outcomes associated with participation in school-based extracurricular activities for at-risk adolescents(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Montoya, Andrea L., author; Rosén, Lee A., advisor; Suinn, Richard M., committee member; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Butki, Brian D., committee memberThe current study sought to explore the long-term outcomes associated with participation in extracurricular activities for at-risk adolescents. Participation was divided into four categories; sports, non-sports, multiple (sports and non-sports), and no activity. Psychological, educational/economic, and deviant behavior outcomes were measured, and the major conclusion that emerged from was that participation in high school extracurricular activities (especially multiple activities, including both sports and non-sports activities) was associated with a number of positive long-term effects in a variety of domains. With a few notable exceptions that deserve further inquiry, participation in high school extracurricular activities appeared to be beneficial for at-risk youth and should be encouraged by parents, in the way of modeling, verbal praise and encouragement, financial resources, time, etc., and by communities, in the way of funding, opportunities for low-cost activities, and through the promotion of an active/involved lifestyle starting in childhood.Item Open Access Reflections on turnover amidst turmoil: a qualitative exploration of the "Great Resignation"(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Wong, Jacqueline R., author; Prasad, Joshua J., advisor; Crain, Tori L., advisor; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Faw, Meara H., committee memberAfter the COVID-19 pandemic began in March of 2020, workers faced drastic changes to their work environments, home environments, and health. In turn, record numbers of individuals voluntarily quit their jobs. Journalists, economists, and organizations have labeled this the "Great Resignation," and many have attempted to understand this trend and the extent to which it was unique. However, the organizational sciences have yet to fully test existing theories of turnover as they apply to these resignations, and existing data collections (through large-scale surveys) have been limited in content and overwhelmingly quantitative (e.g., offer narrow options for why someone quit). Thus, the current study uses a qualitative, exploratory approach to examine the psychological experiences of 35 people who quit a job during the pandemic, and specifically, explores how (i.e., process) and why (i.e., values, identity, and meaning) people left jobs amidst a global crisis, as well as what they are thinking about work upon reflection. This study uses individual interviews and the phronetic iterative approach for qualitative analysis and interpretation. The results of this study indicate needs for more nuanced turnover theory, a broader understanding of why people quit jobs, and more consideration of human needs in the context of employee retention goals. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and potential future research directions are presented.Item Open Access The development of a scale to measure diet-culture beliefs(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Davidson, Kenzie, author; Rickard, Kathryn, advisor; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Faw, Meara, committee memberIn the United States, it is widely assumed that dieting is a healthy practice and a thin body represents physical health (Bacon, 2010). Many people believe that a person's body size is a direct result of their behaviors related to food and exercise, dismissing the impact of other factors that influence body size (e.g. genetics) (Chrisler & Barney, 2017). It is common for people to view food as "good" or "bad" based on how the food is thought to impact a person's body. "Bad" foods cause weight gain, while "good" foods result in weight loss or maintenance (Vartanian, Herman, & Polivy, 2007). Research demonstrates that women tend to experience negative moral emotions such as guilt and shame after eating foods society characterizes as "bad" or after eating more than they view as acceptable (Sheikh, Botindari, & White, 2013). Along with health and morality, dieting and thinness holds significance in the area of social status. Thinness persists as the ideal body type in the U.S. and dieting offers a path to achieve that socially prized body type. Dieting and health, moralization of food and bodies, and dieting and status are three aspects of diet-culture. This study sought to examine how women experience diet-culture and create a tool to measure women's diet-culture beliefs. I consulted previous literature and conducted focus groups investigating women's experiences with diet-culture. The focus groups revealed important themes related to diet-culture that were subsequently used to generate items for the Diet-Culture Beliefs Scale (DCBS). DCBS items were administered to a sample of psychology students (n = 517) who identified as women. I conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a parallel analysis, which both pointed to a three-factor structure for the DCBS. I then conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) specifying three factors and selected items based on psychometric quality. After modifications, analyses suggested a good model fit for the nine-item, three-factor scale. This scale is a useful first step in empirically measuring diet-culture, though additional research must be conducted to further validate the DCBS.Item Open Access The moderating role of posttraumatic growth on suicide risk among trauma exposed undergraduate students(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Sheline, Kelly T., author; Rosén, Lee A., advisor; Swaim, Randall C., committee member; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Biringen, Zeynep, committee memberResearch has suggested that exposure to traumatic life events is one of the major risk factors for suicide. With suicide ranking as the second leading cause of death among college students, this study assessed the role that posttraumatic growth played in moderating the relationship between traumatic life events and suicidal ideation and behavior, suicide risk, and college adjustment in a sample of 557 undergraduate students. The results from multiple linear regression analyses showed that posttraumatic growth moderated the relationship between severity of traumatic life events and suicide risk such that individuals with the most severe traumatic life events were less likely to have high suicide risk in college if they had experienced posttraumatic growth following their trauma. In addition, posttraumatic growth moderated the relationship between severity of traumatic life events and college adjustment such that individuals with the most severe traumatic life events were more likely to have better college adjustment if they had experienced posttraumatic growth following their trauma. The role of posttraumatic growth in ameliorating the effects of trauma-inducing suicide and facilitating college adjustment has significant implications which are explored in the discussion.Item Open Access The personal as the professional: a mediational approach to understanding disclosure of sexual orientation(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Agbeke, Della V., author; Cleveland, Jeanette N., advisor; Kraiger, Kurt, committee member; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Conroy, Samantha A., committee memberLesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals experience high rates of interpersonal stressors in the form of mistreatment. Through disclosing one's sexual orientation, one increases the visibility of their marginalized identity, thereby increasing risk for mistreatment. Due to this risk, disclosure has been named as one of the main workplace challenges for LGB individuals. However, one's work life is not siloed from their nonwork life. Disclosure in one domain may affect outcomes and processes within the other. Thus, there is a need to take an integrated perspective in understanding LGB disclosure and outcomes. The current study sought to test the applicability of work-nonwork strain, identity threat, and anticipated work discrimination as mediating variables in the relationship between cross-domain disclosure and work and nonwork outcomes. Additionally, this study sought to assess the conditional indirect effects when coworker support, supervisor support, and nonwork support as moderators between mediating strains and subsequent outcomes. Results suggest that there is a specific indirect effect of work-nonwork strain in the relationship between cross-domain disclosure and physical health, substance use, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions, respectively. Results also suggest that moderated mediation may not be present among the tested relationships.Item Open Access The process by which combat-exposed student veterans achieve a meaningful and purposeful life(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Kinney, Adam R., author; Eakman, Aaron M., advisor; Schmid, Arlene A., advisor; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Coatsworth, J. Douglas, committee memberBackground: Studies investigating risk and resilience among combat-exposed student Veterans emphasize the impact of combat exposure upon negative health-related outcomes (e.g., depression or posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]). Little is known regarding the risk that combat exposure poses to positive outcomes, such as meaning in life, and protective factors that promote such outcomes despite combat exposure. In particular, there is a lack of research investigating whether activity engagement promotes student Veterans' resilience. Objective: The purpose of this dissertation was to test a series of theoretical propositions that explain the process by which student Veterans achieve resilience. First, I investigated whether combat exposure poses an indirect risk to student Veterans' sense of meaning and purpose in life, through its association with health-related symptoms. Second, I investigated whether protective factors, including indicators of activity engagement, promoted student Veterans' sense of meaning and purpose in life despite combat exposure and health-related symptoms (combat-related risk). Protective factors were considered to operate in two models of resilience: 1) a compensatory model, whereby protective factors promote life meaning independently of combat-related risk, or 2) a moderator model, whereby the protective factors weaken the effect of combat exposure upon life meaning. Method: This dissertation is composed of three studies, each of which analyzed data obtained through an online survey of 153 combat-exposed student Veterans at two time points. The online survey contained psychometrically sound assessments of: combat exposure, health status (PTSD; depressive; somatic symptoms), meaning in life, and six protective factors (social support; instructor autonomy support, coping ability; academic self-efficacy; social and community participation; and meaningful activity). In study one, I considered meaning and purpose in life as an inferential construct, whereby a meaningful life was operationalized as high levels of composite indicators of belonging (social support; instructor autonomy support), self-understanding (coping ability; academic self-efficacy) and doing (social and community participation; meaningful activity). I used path analysis to explore whether baseline health status mediated the relationship between combat exposure and belonging, self-understanding, and doing at follow-up. In study two, I considered meaning in life as student Veterans' self-appraisal of their lives as meaningful and purposeful. I used path analysis to: 1) explore whether baseline health status and life meaning mediated the relationship between combat and follow-up life meaning, and 2) test whether protective factors operated in compensatory and/or moderator models of resilience. In study three, I classified student Veterans by level of combat exposure (high/low) and self-reported meaning in life (high/low) at follow-up, which yielded four possible classifications (e.g., resilient group: high combat exposure and high life meaning). I fit linear mixed models to obtain adjusted means for the six protective factors and the health-related conditions for each classification. I used independent samples t tests to examine differences between classifications with respect to adjusted levels of protective factors and health-related conditions. Patterns of differences between groups provided insight into whether the protective factors operated in a compensatory or moderator model of resilience, and whether health-related symptoms influence student Veterans' adaptive response to combat exposure. Results: All three studies revealed that health-related symptoms help explain the risk posed by combat exposure to student Veterans' sense of meaning and purpose in life. Specifically, greater combat exposure was associated with more severe health-related symptoms, which in turn was associated with less meaning and purpose in student Veterans' lives. Studies two and three provided evidence that coping ability and meaningful activity operate in compensatory models of resilience, and that social support operates in a moderator model of resilience. Study two also provided evidence that instructor autonomy support, coping ability, and academic self-efficacy operate in moderator models of resilience. Conclusion: This dissertation supported my initial theoretical propositions. This dissertation revealed that health-related symptoms help explain the risk posed by combat exposure to student Veterans' sense of meaning in life. Thus, this dissertation supports an expanded conception of combat-related risk, in which the effect of combat exposure upon positive outcomes, such as a sense of meaning in life, is emphasized. This dissertation also revealed that the majority of the proposed protective factors, including personally meaningful activity engagement, fostered student Veterans' sense of meaning in life despite combat-related risk. I 1) expand upon these findings, 2) discuss implications for research and practice, and 3) explain how these findings advance occupational science and rehabilitation science.Item Open Access Understanding organizational injustice: are injustice and justice polar opposites?(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2010) Palmer, Christa E., author; Byrne, Zinta S., advisor; Gibbons, Alyssa M., committee member; Henry, Kimberly L., committee member; Hogler, Raymond L., committee memberThe goal of this study is to clarify our understanding of organizational injustice. It appears that the extant research has assumed that organizational justice is bipolar, with injustice being its opposite construct. Based on this assumption, organizational injustice has been equated with low levels of organizational justice, and has been measured accordingly. However, the bipolar assumption has yet to be empirically tested, giving validity to the use of existing scales of justice for the measurement of injustice. The present study removes all assumptions of the relationship between organizational justice and injustice. A model and understanding of injustice is developed based on qualitative analysis of employees’ experiences of both justice and injustice. Semi-structured interviews are conducted to extract experiences of organizational injustice, and the role of emotion in the experience of justice and injustice. The qualitative data is analyzed using the grounded theory approach, and it is concluded that organizational justice and injustice are not bipolar constructs occupying a single continuum of perceptions. Results call for a more accurate measurement tool of injustice.