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Studying Eye Gaze Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders In Interaction With A Social Robot, Huanghao Feng Aug 2014

Studying Eye Gaze Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders In Interaction With A Social Robot, Huanghao Feng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) experience deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication skills including motor control, emotional facial expressions, and eye gaze attention. In this thesis, we focus on studying the feasibility and effectiveness of using a social robot, called NAO, at modeling and improving the social responses and behaviors of children with autism. In our investigation, we designed and developed two protocols to fulfill this mission. Since eye contact and gaze responses are important non-verbal cues in human's social communication and as the majority of individuals with ASD have difficulties regulating their gaze responses, in this thesis we …


Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome And Neuropsychological Dysfunction: Understanding The Impact Of Obesity, Chelsea A. Hilsendager Aug 2014

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome And Neuropsychological Dysfunction: Understanding The Impact Of Obesity, Chelsea A. Hilsendager

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is the largest risk factor for the development of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), which is a common sleep-related breathing disorder that is associated with cognitive dysfunction. A growing body of literature suggests that obesity is related to negative neuropsychological outcomes independent of other health problems known to impact cognitive functioning (e.g., type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease). The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of obesity on the cognitive functioning of individuals with OSAS. Specifically, this study aimed to examine whether or not differences existed between obese and non-obese persons with OSAS on a battery of …


Longitudinal Perspective Of Participation In A Double Blind Placebo Surgery Trial, Jessica Kuhne Aug 2014

Longitudinal Perspective Of Participation In A Double Blind Placebo Surgery Trial, Jessica Kuhne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurological disorder that causes both motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms in individuals. Overall, PD impacts the physical, emotional and social functioning in the lives of those impacted by the disorder. In 2001, Freed et al. investigated the effects of fetal tissue transplantation in participants with PD by conducting a double-blind sham-controlled surgery trial. The quality of life (QoL) study was conducted concurrently by McRae et al. (2004) in order to determine whether QoL improved in participants in the transplant group compared to the sham group after the one-year period of the double-blind. …


Self-Esteem, Spirituality, And Acculturation And The Relationship With Depression In Latinos, Fernando M. Avila Aug 2014

Self-Esteem, Spirituality, And Acculturation And The Relationship With Depression In Latinos, Fernando M. Avila

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the relationship between acculturation, self-esteem, spirituality and its association with depression in a community sample of Latinos. Previous research with Latinos has identified these factors as potentially being correlated with depression and with quality of life. The weight that these three variables can have on depression may be profound. Self-esteem and spirituality have been identified as protective factors that may assist individuals with depression by enhancing an individual's sense of worth. Acculturation is a construct that has been shown to influence Latinos in various ways. These variables have been established as predictors …


Toying With Americanization: The Impact Of Corporate Paternalism On Immigrant Children In Early 20th Century Colorado Coal Mining Communities, Jamie Devine Aug 2014

Toying With Americanization: The Impact Of Corporate Paternalism On Immigrant Children In Early 20th Century Colorado Coal Mining Communities, Jamie Devine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the early 20th century coal miners' lives in Southern Colorado were fraught with violence and hardships. Many immigrant men brought their families to remote areas to live in company towns and work in coal mines. The Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I) attempted to assimilate these ethnically diverse immigrants into American society. One method was to impart American values onto the children living in these company towns. CF&I purchased American toys for the children during Christmas and created kindergartens for the children to attend with the intent of imparting American values. In contrast, the parents of these children …


Breaking Your Own Heart: A Qualitative Study Of Grief After Initiating A Breakup, Laura P. Finkelstein Aug 2014

Breaking Your Own Heart: A Qualitative Study Of Grief After Initiating A Breakup, Laura P. Finkelstein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how young adult initiators of romantic relationship dissolution experience grief and support through the breakup process. Participants were six female and three male undergraduate students at The University of Idaho, all of whom had initiated a breakup within the past six months. Initiators responded to a variety of questions about their experiences in a semi-structured interview. Based on a qualitative analysis of these interviews, a variety of themes emerged highlighting the often minimized experience of initiating a romantic relationship breakup in early adulthood. Additional analysis compared themes based on participant gender and age. Results suggest that initiators …


Development Of A Brief Screening Measure For Depression And Problem Drinking, Chris Wera Jan 2014

Development Of A Brief Screening Measure For Depression And Problem Drinking, Chris Wera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the psychometric characteristics of a brief assessment measure for screening for depression and alcohol use on a college campus prior to primary care medical office visits. The measure was adapted from two widely used measures: the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4) and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-C). Impulsivity, which has been associated with both depression and problematic alcohol use, was also examined through additional questions. The research study investigated the psychometric properties of the PHQ-4 and the AUDIT-C, and explored if eight impulsivity items from the UPPS-P measure could enhance screening for depression and problematic alcohol …


Comparison Of Reading Development Across Socioeconomic Status In The United States, Beatriz Michelle Macdonald Wer Jan 2014

Comparison Of Reading Development Across Socioeconomic Status In The United States, Beatriz Michelle Macdonald Wer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is well known that higher parental socioeconomic status (SES) predicts better child reading outcomes, but little work has been done to unpack this finding. The main overall question addressed by this project was whether cognitive models of the two main reading outcomes, single word reading (SWR) and reading comprehension (RC), performed similarly across levels of parental SES. The current study predicted a differential relation between parental SES and both predictors and outcomes because of the known large relation between parental SES and child oral language development. Three questions examined the mediating effects of cognitive predictors on the relation between …


Validation Of The Item-Attribute Matrix In Timss-Mathematics Using Multiple Regression And The Lsdm, Lin Ma Jan 2014

Validation Of The Item-Attribute Matrix In Timss-Mathematics Using Multiple Regression And The Lsdm, Lin Ma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many cognitive diagnostic models, the item-attribute matrix (or Q-matrix) is an essential component which displays the relationship between items and their latent attributes or skills in knowledge and cognitive processes. However, it is a challenge to develop an effective Q-matrix.The purposes of this study were (1) to validate of the item-attribute matrix using two levels of attributes (Level 1 attributes and Level 2 sub-attributes), and (2) through retrofitting the diagnostic models to the mathematics test of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), to evaluate the construct validity of TIMSS mathematics assessment by comparing the results of …


Parenting Influences On Depression: A Moderated Mediated Model, Caroline W. Oppenheimer Jan 2014

Parenting Influences On Depression: A Moderated Mediated Model, Caroline W. Oppenheimer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the developmental processes through which parenting factors may influence clinical depression among youth. This study investigated whether parenting influences the onset of clinical depression through the mediating mechanism of negative attributional style, particularly under conditions of high stress, in a community sample of children and adolescents (N = 289). Results supported a moderated mediation model in which low levels of observed parent positive regard and sensitivity to distress during a youth stressor task were indirectly associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing an episode of depression over an 18 month period, through the mediating influence …


A Young Child's Anxiety And Math Performance: Enhancing Cognitive Behavioral Intervention With Conjoint Behavioral Consultation, Kirsten L. Brown Jan 2014

A Young Child's Anxiety And Math Performance: Enhancing Cognitive Behavioral Intervention With Conjoint Behavioral Consultation, Kirsten L. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Partnering with families, school personnel, and community resources is an important step to supporting the child and family, especially when children might suffer from debilitating anxiety concerns. However, little research examines the impact of anxiety on math performance for young children participating in school-based interventions enhanced by family components. The following research questions were addressed in the study: 1a) Will a young child with elevated levels of anxiety show a decrease in anxiety symptoms with a Cognitive Behavioral framework intervention program for children? 1b) Will anxiety be reduced with the addition of a Conjoint Behavioral Consultation with the family and …


The Transportation Industry: Investigating Women As An Underutilized Workforce In A Traditionally Male Industry, Rachel Anne Mulholland Jan 2014

The Transportation Industry: Investigating Women As An Underutilized Workforce In A Traditionally Male Industry, Rachel Anne Mulholland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated women's interest in the transportation industry. Staffing shortages coupled with disproportionate gender distributions were cause for concern within transportation. Surveys were used to investigate occupational preferences, work values, sex-type identities, self-efficacy, and perception of barriers present among women. These findings were then analyzed for significant correlations and predictive value resulting in a job profile for women that may be interested in transportation. Several predictors of interest were found to exist including age, self-efficacy, work values, and specific occupational types.


Predictors Of The Risk For Aberrant Drug-Related Behavior In Chronic Pain Patients: A Mixed Methods Design, Courtney Renee Morris Jan 2014

Predictors Of The Risk For Aberrant Drug-Related Behavior In Chronic Pain Patients: A Mixed Methods Design, Courtney Renee Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of opioids for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) remains controversial (Manchikanti, 2008; McQuay, 1999). Controversy surrounds the type of conditions that should be treated with opioids, whether the treatment can be generally safe and effective, and what the clinical goals should be. If providers can predict those patients who will be most at risk for aberrant drug-related behavior, efficacious changes in chronic pain management could be initiated and fewer patients potentially at risk for addiction. The current study explored the role of self-efficacy of pain, severity of depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and ethnic identity as …