Digital Commons Network^™

An Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Student’S T-Test Under Heterogeneity Of Variance, Hayden Nelson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Within the field of psychology, few tests have been as thoroughly investigated as Student’s t-test. One area of criticism is the use of the test when the assumption for heterogeneity of variance between two samples is violated, such as when sample sizes and observed sample variances are unequal. The current study proposes a Monte Carlo analysis to observe a broad range of conditions in efforts to identify the resulting fluctuations in the proportion obtained significant results for two conditions: no mean difference (𝜇􀬵 = 𝜇􀬶) compared to the set level of alpha, and small-to-moderate mean differences (𝜇􀬵 ≠ 𝜇􀬶) compared …

Effectiveness Of A Peer-Supported Digital Brief Intervention: Reducing Alcohol Use & Related Harms In Young Adults With Histories Of Interpersonal Trauma, Caitlin Mcgettrick

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Alcohol is the most frequently used substance in the United States, and young adults ages 18-25 have the highest rates of heavy alcohol use. Heavy and persistent alcohol use is associated with a host of negative outcomes in young adults, including poor mental health, lower life satisfaction, cognitive impairments, poor academic performance, increased risk for motor vehicle accidents, and substance use disorders. Brief interventions (BI) are low-resource, short-term interventions designed to reduce problematic substance use and mitigate the substantial harms posed by heavy and persistent use of substances such as alcohol. BIs have limited effectiveness in trauma survivors despite trauma …

Change In Academic Self-Efficacy Across Gender And Year In School For Undergraduate Sport Management Students, Jarid Morton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Academic self-efficacy (ASE) is a construct derived from social cognitive theory developed to assess an individuals perceived competence in academia. It has been found to significantly relate to academic achievement. Students scoring higher in ASE are more likely to obtain higher cumulative grade point averages and higher test scores. Studies assessing ASE have examined degree programs such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (i.e., STEM), business, and the humanities. Despite the wide scope of fields studied, sport management programs have yet to be assessed. This study aims to fill this gap. Part of the study aimed to construct a valid …

Investigating The Association Between Incivility Variability And Burnout At Work, Tamia Eugene

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Incivility is a prevalent workplace stressor for many employees in the workplace. Over time, exposure to stressors may lead to increased burnout, which can be costly for organizations. However, variability in uncivil experiences may be more detrimental to employees than chronic exposure to incivility due to the uncertainty associated with it. Using previously collected data from a larger grant, I examined the direct effect of incivility variability on burnout. Specifically, I hypothesized that employees who experienced incivility frequently but sporadically will report more burnout. Furthermore, I hypothesized that a perceived organizational climate that supports civility will moderate the direct effect …

A Process Model Of Workplace Cyber Incivility Spillover, Cora Hurt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cyber incivility is a pervasive problem, affecting individuals not only while at work but also at home. It has been found to spillover to the home domain in the form of aggression and withdrawal, affecting the target and their partner, but the mechanism behind this association has not been examined. This study examines work-related affective rumination as a spillover mechanism between experienced cyber incivility and aggressive and withdrawn behaviors at home. I hypothesized that daily experienced cyber incivility will be positively associated with both aggressive behavior and withdrawn behavior at home, and work-related affective rumination will mediate this relationship. Using …

Bidirectional Relationships Between Use Of Popular Social Media Platforms And Anxiety, Depression, And Social Support, Olivia Dick

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The relationship between social media use and mental health outcomes among young populations has been a cause for increasing concern in research. However, the directionality of these relationships remains ambiguous due to existing literature being largely cross-sectional and having limited focus on individual platforms. This study aimed to explore the bidirectional relationship between social media use across prominent platforms and various mental healthrelated outcomes among young adults. A sample of 203 young adults, ages 18-29, completed baseline and 6-month follow-up assessments measuring social media use across Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, as well as measures of depression, anxiety, and perceived friend …

Classroom Technology Policies, Technology Usage, And Mind-Wandering, Halley Stecht

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Technology usage has been rapidly increasing in college classrooms since 2019. This has shown to be a challenge for educators in higher education due to the increase in off-task usage. Many educators try to combat technology usage in their classrooms through technology policies in their syllabus, in hopes of reducing off-task behaviors such as mind-wandering. The purpose of this study was twofold: first we determined whether classroom technology policies impacted students’ technology usage. Then, we investigated whether access to technology in the classroom was associated with more mind-wandering during class. Two hundred sixty-eight college students completed an online survey that …

The Effects Of Communication Overaccommodation On Non-Native English-Speaking Employees In The U.S. Workplace, Elizabeth Curtis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Communication overaccommodation (CO) takes the form of baby talk, speech mimicry, and overcommunication, and its effects on recipients have been studied in physician/patient relationships, civilian/police officer relationships, manager/employee relationships, and native and non-native speaker communications. This study focused on CO in non-hierarchical relationships between native English-speaking and non-native English-speaking employees in the U.S. workplace. I investigated the effects of CO on non-native English-speaking co-workers, regarding their feelings of exclusion and satisfaction with their job. I also investigated the potential moderation effect of English proficiency on non-native English-speaking employees’ feelings of being excluded. It was found that the level of English …

Impact Of Framing Depression On Illness Perceptions And Coping Strategies, Abby Mcginnis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study aimed to adopt an experimental design used by Schroder et al. (2023) to investigate how framing of depression (as a disease vs a functional signal) impacts illness perceptions and coping strategies. Participants were given the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42) to assess depression severity and prime participants for the framing condition. Each condition had five videos describing depression and the corresponding frameworks. Perceived control, timeline, and causes of depression were measured using the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R). Participants were given the brief-COPE questionnaire to measure coping strategies, such as avoidant and problem-focused. There were no differences …

Teacher Perceptions Of Gifted Middle School Students, Tom Wimsatt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Middle school students who fall under the gifted and talented category are often perceived as being “self-sustaining, easy to handle” students. Research into the nature of gifted and talented students over the last 40+ years has proven otherwise, demonstrating a wide range of social and emotional issues as well as the need for advanced academic challenges. However, middle school teachers have shown mixed opinions about the specific needs of gifted and talented students, oftentimes seeing GT students at the middle school level to be less student and more “student helper”. This study was conducted to determine the current trends and …

Parent Experiences In Advocating For Their Advanced Children In Elementary Schools, Kathryn Adams

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The amalgamation of underachievement, underidentification, lack of state and national mandates and definitions, and the unique social, emotional, and academic needs of gifted and advanced students has resulted in a system fraught with issues that leave parents with the role of advocating for their child’s best interests at school. According to the National Association for Gifted Children, schools may not be completely effective in providing services for gifted children, leaving many parents feeling that their children’s needs simply are not being met (Harris, 2017). Parents of gifted or advanced children have noted several areas in which they feel unsatisfied with …

Building Bridges: An Improvement Science Approach To Fostering Cross-Group Connections And Friendships Among Elementary School Students, Cody Russelburg

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The persistent issue of limited cross-group connections and friendships among diverse elementary school students is addressed, specifically in a district with five elementary schools that converge into a single middle and high school. The tendency for students to maintain selfsegregated social circles from their zoned elementary schools into middle and high school highlights the need for an intervention designed to foster cross-group connections. Utilizing the Improvement Science framework, this research incorporates two intervention cycles to refine and enhance outcomes related to cross-group connections. Fifth-grade students from two distinct elementary schools had intentional and direct intergroup contact utilizing an adapted version …

Refining The Goals Of Public Education In The United States: An Exploratory Single-Case Embedded Study Of A Student-Centered Path-Goals Setting, Tuan Pham

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The public higher education system in the United States has inherited a multitude of aims and missions in order to fulfill its social and educational objectives. As a result, many higher education institutions suffer from unclear goals. Nevertheless, the researcher identified the student's goal-oriented process as the fundamental aspect of this educational system from its inception until the present. The exploratory single-case embedded study conducted at a regional comprehensive institution highlighted the differences, difficulties, and issues faced by students, administrators, and the institution itself in its pursuit of specific goals in higher education. Indepth interviews were employed to investigate the …

Application Of Lean Six Sigma For Improving Quality Laboratory Process, Sarmad Al Hilli

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Oftentimes, manufacturing companies concentrate on improving the production processes and neglecting other processes like purchasing, IT, quality control, etc. Just like production processes, uncontrolled and non-optimized of any of these processes could be main reasons of product defects, late deliveries, and high costs. Recently, an automotive OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in the southeastern United States faces difficulties in performing quality control operations in a way that matches the production pace. This inadequacy has increased due to changes in customer requirements and launches a new assembly line for a new customer. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to apply Lean …

Exploring The Role Of Gender, Race, First-Year College Gpa And Passing Stem Advanced Placement Exams And The Likelihood Of Graduating With A Stem Degree: A Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis, Amar Patel

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers are projected to grow beyond the normal pace of job growth (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021). Many of these careers will require degrees in STEM fields, but, currently, there is a significant underrepresentation of Blacks and females in both STEM degree programs and careers. The purpose of the current quantitative study was to explore the strength of the association between AP Exams, first-year GPA, race, and gender in science achievement. Research Question 1 investigated the relationship between taking AP Exams and the time taken to graduate. For students who took an AP Exam, …

Improving Parental Engagement For Kindergarten Readiness: An Improvement Science Study, Sarah Johnson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Every child deserves the opportunity to come to school ready to learn with the skills needed to take on the content in kindergarten. Students, who are not ready for kindergarten, have a higher chance of needing additional support services with academics and behavior (Fitzpatrick et al., 2020). In Kentucky, less than 50% of the kindergarten students were considered kindergarten ready based on the 2022 Kindergarten Readiness data (Kentucky Department of Education, 2023). In the district where this study took place, 43% of students were determined to be kindergarten ready (Kentucky Department of Education, 2023). Knowing the implications and long term …

Student Mental Health During And After The Coronavirus Pandemic, Olivia Harner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The educational setting serves as an influential force when considering the impacts that school can have on student mental health. Following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, research revealed negative effects on mental health for a variety of populations across the globe; however, comprehensive reviews about the effect that the pandemic had on the mental health of American K-12 students are limited. Consequently, the purpose of this specialist project is to evaluate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the mental health of American students in grades K-12 through a review of literature. Utilizing PRISMA procedures, 19 articles were selected …

Conditions Affecting Adjunct Teaching Performance: A Descriptive Study, Terry Baggett

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Colleges and universities have been undergoing long-term structural changes and among these is the ever-increasing reliance on adjunct faculty. The most important goal of higher education is student success and faculty are one of the biggest influencers of student learning success. As a result, factors affecting faculty can also have secondary effects on students. The purpose of the study is to describe various conditions within selected institutions that are affecting adjunct faculty instructional performance as perceived by adjunct faculty themselves.

This study used a survey methodology with a descriptive design. Results from four community colleges and one university were collected …

Petition - State Street, Bowling Green, Kentucky (Sc 3723), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3723. Petition signed by property owners and residents in the vicinity of the 100 block of State Street, Bowling Green, Kentucky, opposing the proposed rezoning of land at 130-134 State Street from a light industrial to a heavy industrial district for use as an auto body and repair shop.

Royal Knights - Bowling Green, Kentucky (Sc 3721), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3721. Minute book of the Royal Knights, a men’s auxiliary club for the State Street Baptist Church, Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Ladies Art Club - Bowling Green, Kentucky (Mss 762), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scans (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Collection 762. Minute books of the Ladies Art Club, an African-American women’s club in Bowling Green, Kentucky, whose objectives included social and charitable activities and annual exhibits of sewing work.

Dent, Emory Gleason, 1878-1945 (Sc 3724), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3724. Clippings, telegrams of sympathy to his widow, and funeral flower list relating to the death on 19 April 1945 of Bowling Green, Kentucky druggist, businessman and public servant Emory G. Dent.

County Of Warren Public Judiciary Corporation - Warren County, Kentucky (Sc 3722), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3722. Articles of incorporation and minutes of one meeting of the County of Warren Public Judiciary Corporation, a non-profit corporation acting as agent for Warren County, Kentucky, in the planning and development of new judicial and correctional facilities. Includes a letter to a Louisville, Kentucky architectural firm inviting a proposal for the project.

George Washington Carver Club - Bowling Green, Kentucky (Sc 3720), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3720. Miscellaneous material relating to the George Washington Carver Club, Bowling Green, Kentucky, founded by Ashula P. Williams and her daughter Dolores (Williams) Moses to serve local children. Includes children’s activity plans; meeting agendas and budgets; and workshop invitations.

Moses Family Papers (Mss 763), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 763. Personal papers of the Moses family of Bowling Green, Kentucky, and of related Covington and Williams family members. Includes some materials relating to the Southern Queen Hotel, operated by the families to serve African American guests from 1945-1975.

Lost River Cave Oral History Project (Fa 1414), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1414. Recorded interviews with 16 informants regarding their memories of the nightclub operated at Bowling Green, Kentucky’s Lost River Cave.

Winstead, Sara C. (Fa 1413), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Folklife Archives Project 1413. “The Shaker Chair,” a paper written by Sara Winstead for a WKU folk studies class.

Simmons, Mary Jean (Fa 1412), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Folklife Archives Project 1412. “Shaker Music as a Genre of Folk Music,” a paper written by Jean Simmons for a WKU folk studies class.

Minton Family Papers (Mss 761), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 761. Primarily personal correspondence of John Dean Minton, a Trigg County, Kentucky native who served as fifth president of Western Kentucky University, his father John Ernest Minton and brother Layton Wilson Minton.

The Challenge: Magazine For The Center For Gifted Studies (No. 56 Spring 2024), Elizabeth Joyce Editor

Gifted Studies Publications

Magazine created by and about the WKU Center for Gifted Studies.