Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationAnthropogenic climate change presents a pressing need for a deepened understanding of the factors contributing to vulnerability to natural hazards. This study contributes to understanding of the social dimensions of rapid-onset natural hazards by addressing the following research questions: How have historical developmental processes shaped hazards vulnerability? What are mechanisms underlying household vulnerability to rapid-onset hazards? How do large-scale, rapid-onset natural disasters influence long-term development outcomes for subjected communities? This study's first empirical analysis focuses on livelihoods as mechanisms of household resilience from Hurricane Mitch, utilizing the Nicaraguan Living Standards and Measurement Survey (LSMS). Findings indicate specific livelihood profiles to variably predict long-term recovery of disaster impacted households, with households reliant upon agricultural wage production exhibiting a lowered improvement in condition in comparison with households reliant on other livelihoods. This study's second empirical analysis, examining the hurricane's influence on international migration, finds international migration following Hurricane Mitch to be associated with heightened positive selectivity according to capital access. Although these specific livelihood related resilience mechanisms indicate resilience to be associated with high levels of capital ownership, analysis of recovery outcomes at the municipality level indicates a reduction in poverty in impacted communities and increases in consumption shares of those in lower consuming segments. The findings of this study's separate analysis, which appear at odds, are reconciled in discussion of other likely influencing factors

Master of Science

thesisThis study assesses how the composition of migrant workers from the Philippines varies with migration prevalence within Filipino communities. In doing so, this study tests the hypothesis of past cumulative causation scholars that increased migration prevalence results in a decline in migrant selectivity. The Philippines has a social, political and geographic context; different from that of many other countries characterized by high migration. This study considers whether these different context;s and contingencies might alter the process by which the social phenomenon of cumulative causation occurs. Multiple fixed effects models were constructed at the municipality level with the dependent variable in each model relating to individuals' ability to secure a job or to ties and responsibilities that individuals have to their origin community (marital status, age, sex, years of education). This study finds that consistent with cumulative causation theory as posited by Douglas S. Massey, increased prevalence did yield a decline in selectivity for education and marital status. However, migration prevalence had no effect on the gender composition of migrants, while time did impact the gender composition, suggesting sustained selectivity by gender

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for older adults with worry symptoms and co-occurring cognitive dysfunction.

BackgroundMindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has the potential to reduce worry and improve cognitive functioning.ObjectivesIn this treatment development project, we examined MBSR in older adults with worry symptoms and co-occurring cognitive dysfunction. We examined (i) acceptability of MBSR, (ii) whether MBSR needs to be lengthened providing more repetition, (iii) MBSR's benefits for worry reduction and cognitive improvements, and (iv) continued use of MBSR techniques during follow-up.MethodsTwo sites (St. Louis and San Diego) enrolled individuals aged 65 years or older with significant anxiety-related distress plus subjective cognitive dysfunction, into traditional 8-session MBSR groups and 12-session groups that had the same content but more repetition of topics and techniques. We examined measures of mindfulness, worry, and a neuropsychological battery focused on memory and executive function before and after the MBSR program, and we followed up participants for 6 months after the completion of MBSR regarding their continued use of its techniques.ResultsParticipants (N = 34) showed improvements in worry severity, increases in mindfulness, and improvements in memory as measured by paragraph learning and recall after a delay, all with a large effect size. Most participants continued to use MBSR techniques for 6 months post-instruction and found them helpful in stressful situations. There was no evidence that the extended 12-week MBSR produced superior cognitive or clinical outcomes, greater satisfaction, or greater continuation of MBSR techniques than 8-week MBSR.ConclusionsThese preliminary findings are promising for the further testing and use of MBSR in older adults suffering from clinical worry symptoms and co-occurring cognitive dysfunction. These are common problems in a broad range of older adults, many of whom have anxiety and mood disorders; therefore, stress reduction intervention for them may have great public health value