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Environmental Values And Landscape Architecture: A New Ecological Paradigm Study, Emmet J. Pruss

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In recent decades, landscape design theory has been affected by an increase in pro-environmental values. Largely, this trend has been associated with notions of ‘sustainability’ and ‘ecosystem services.’ These notions involve sustaining current human behaviors within the constraints of ecological limits and maximizing the benefits that humans receive from ecosystems, respectively. In this way, they involve high evaluations of the instrumental values of ecosystems, yet remain predominantly anthropocentric. As such, they are characteristic of shallow ecology worldview.

In order to assess whether the pro-environmental, yet essentially anthropocentric values involved with modern landscape architecture theory are reflected in the environmental worldviews …

Increasing Parenting Knowledge: A Pilot Study, Kandice Olson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Research shows that parenting interventions make a significant difference in the lives of children with behavioral and emotional problems (de Graaf et al., 2008a; de Graaf et al., 2008b; Phaneuf & McIntyre, 2011; Roberts et al., 2006; Whittingham, Sofronoff, Sheffield, & Sanders, 2009). However, not all parents need intensive interventions. There is little research that has evaluated the effectiveness of a brief parenting handout intervention on parenting knowledge. The goal of this study was to determine if a brief informational handout about parenting increased parenting knowledge in college students. Students were asked to complete the pre-intervention survey that measured their …

An Investigatory Study Of Relationships Among Selected Theoretical Components Of Letter-Writing Fluency, Pamela C. Reutzel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research that shows the need for letter-writing fluency as a foundation for being able to attend to higher-level thinking skills in writing calls for more research as to what the components of letter-writing fluency actually are and how they are related to writing efficiency. To study the components of letter-writing fluency, four assessments were used to evaluate 49 kindergarten students’ letter writing abilities. These assessments were made in December of their kindergarten year. The first assessed subskill was letter-naming fluency (LNF), which has previously been shown to be predictive of reading ability. The other two subskills that were assessed focus …

The Use Of Feedback In Group Counseling In A State Vocational Rehabilitation Setting: A Pilot Study, Saara Grizzell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Thirty individuals with disabilities receiving services at a vocational rehabilitation state agency attended a ten week skills based group counseling program. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: feedback or the treatment-as-usual. Prior to each session, participants filled out the Outcome Questionnaire-45, a questionnaire that provides measures of four different aspects of counseling outcomes: level of symptom distress, problems with interpersonal relationships, social role performance, and mental health functioning. Reports were then generated showing each participant’s scores and progress over time. Group counselors and participants in the feedback condition received these weekly reports. At the end of the …

Examining The Impact Of Different Virtual Manipulative Types On The Nature Of Students' Small-Group Discussions: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Case Study Of Techno-Mathematical Discourse, Katie L. Anderson-Pence

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the influence of different virtual manipulative types on the nature of students' techno-mathematical discourse (TMD) when working with a partner. The research used a concurrent mixed-methods design using identical samples to compare and synthesize the results. For this study, six fifth-grade students participated in nine sessions of mathematics instruction using virtual manipulatives. The study compared three virtual manipulative types: combined (multiple representations, open environment), pictorial (single visual representation, open environment), and tutorial (multiple representations, structured environment). Students' levels of discourse in generalization, justification, and collaboration were measured as well as students' use of physical and computer gestures …

A Qualitative Study Of Women High School Principals' Career Life Histories, Jan Bradshaw Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Gender inequalities in the workplace continue to plague aspiring career-directed women. In public education, it is established that there are fewer women high school principals than there are men. In a profession predominantly employing women, the question remains, “Where are the women high school administrators”? This study examines the sociopolitical genders systems and psychological dynamics that perpetuate gender inequality. It then discusses the encumbered or constrained choices women make that are burdened or made more complicated by gendered sociopolitical or psychological dynamics. This study explored the unintentional career journeys of seven women high school principals and analyzed their career life …

Examining Written And Spoken Fast-Mapping Abilities In Children With And Without Language Impairment: A Feasibility Study, Brooke Rice

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Linguistic skills foundational to literacy success are skills such as phonology, morphology, and orthographic knowledge. Phonological awareness, the awareness of specific units of sounds within words, and morphological awareness, the meaningful units which make up words, have been studied in depth and received recent attention in research. Phonological awareness has been attributed to increased literacy abilities of written word decoding, syllable analysis, and word recognition (Stackhouse, 1997). Additionally, morphological awareness has been attributed to increased literacy abilities of sight word reading, decoding, reading comprehension, and spelling (Carlisle, 1995, 2000; Carlisle & Nomanbhoy, 1993; Wolter, Wood, & D’zatko, 2009). Orthographic awareness, …

A Qualitative And Evaluative Study On Recruiting And Retaining Students In College Computer Science Programs, Matthew Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Computer science is a discipline that is increasing in importance and value in our society, yet we are still failing to graduate a sufficient number of students to keep up with the demand required in the United States economy. We research several ways to retain students. We also discuss ways to increase students’ interest in the major, i.e., those who normally would not know about computer science. We discuss ways to increase female participation as well as overall participation in the major.

Perceptions Of Naturalized Playgrounds: A Qualitative Study, Jeffrey C. Hamarstrom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Play is an important part of childhood as it helps to develop social skills and ensure proper mental and physical development. Electronic media, stranger danger, and urbanization have reduced both the time and access children have to play in natural areas. Many people believe that this is an integral part of childhood and, therefore, concern that children are not interacting with the natural world is becoming a popular topic. Research has shown that natural environments can have various benefits such as reducing anxiety and promoting developmental skills. Play providers are now creating playgrounds that attempt to recreate natural settings, referred …

An Alternative Futures Study For The Uintah Basin: Exploring 2030, Nicholas E. Kenczka

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The Uinta Basin is located within the Colorado Plateau consisting of various ecosystems ranging from high elevation mountainous regions to sage and juniper woodlands. The basin rests in the northeast corner of Utah with the largest communities being Vernal, Roosevelt, and Duchesne. Other key features include the Flaming Gorge Recreation Area, Green River, and Dinosaur National Monument. The basin historically has been a major region for natural resource extraction, and the population fluctuation has mirrored the "boom" and "bust" cycles of the industry. The Uintah Basin has recently recognized the need for developing a comprehensive plan for identifying the critical …

Cow Insurance Vs. Human Insurance: A Comparison Study, Corlan Fawcett

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This paper will compare the premiums to insure cows and humans for n-year term, n-year endowment, and whole life insurance. It will go into more depth for whole life premium s that would be charged, such that the insurance company is 95 percent confident that they will not lose money. In particular the paper will look at how the variance affects the premiums for an insurance company insuring 100 cows.

Heritability Of Cognition And Memory Loss In The Cache County Memory Study Cohort, Cassidy P. Allen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The Cache County Memory Study (CCMS) is a longitudinal study of the elderly in Cache County, Utah, that was initiated over twelve years ago to explore the role of APOE genotype and other environmental factors in dementia risk and cognitive function. Collaboration between the CCMS and investigators with the Utah Population Database (UPDB) at the University of Utah has revealed a significant number of sibships among the original 5,092 CCMS participants, along with complex pedigrees that include additional thousands of ancestors and relatives not enrolled in the Cache Study. Information about these families and pedigrees raises the potential for studies …

Occupational And Biopsychosocial Risk Factors For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Case-Control Study, Jason Talley Goodson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study was designed to assess the risk factors associated with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Toward this end, a wide range of putative occupational, biological, and psychosocial correlates of CTS was investigated using a case-control methodology. Cases were 87 patients from an orthopedic clinic with clinical symptoms and electrodiagnostic testing results suggestive of CTS. Controls were 74 gender-matched patients from the same orthopedic clinic, without clinical symptoms of CTS and normal electrodiagnostic testing results. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire that included eight potential occupational correlates (i.e., repetition, force, vibration, typing, lifting heavy loads, and standing on feet), 10 potential …

Sir Nicholas Throckmorton: A Diplomatic Advisor To Queen Elizabeth, Kenneth M. Kisner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study concentrates on Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, a resident ambassador sent to France in the first years of Elizabeth's reign. He had never held a high level government position before this time, but was remembered for his ability to give advice on matters of foreign policy. Typically historians have approached the subject of the Queen's policy from a top down perspective. This thesis attempts to redress this view by looking at how diplomacy was conducted through the eyes of a diplomat.

The culture of diplomacy created statesmen and foreign policy advisors out of the diplomats in Elizabeth's reign. Ambassadors and …

A Longitudinal Study Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms In Preschool-Age Children, Jessica Nicole Greenson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most common reasons for referral to children's mental health clinics, with an estimated prevalence of 3% to 5% in the general population of school-age children. Children who exhibit the requisite behaviors may obtain a diagnosis of ADHD at any age; however, symptom onset must occur before age 7 and persist for at least 6 months. Despite these temporal requirements for diagnosis, little empirical information about the manifestation and stability of ADHD symptoms in preschool children exists. This study provides information about the initial presence and stability over one academic year of ADHD behaviors …

The Geography Of Exploration: A Study In The Process Of Physical Exploration And Geographical Discovery, Joseph St.Onge

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Exploration has been a common literary topic throughout the history of humans. However, much of this historical tradition has possessed a fairly narrow focus, emphasizing the drama and heroics of an individual explorer or concentrating on a description of a particular exploration. There has been little attempt at understanding the process of exploration and placing this important process in context with the historic and geographic phenomena that both affect and are affected by it. In this thesis, the author has broken the process of exploration down into a theoretical structure that is presented in a holistic model. This model has …

Riparian Zone Protection: The Use Of The Willingness-To-Accept Format In A Contingent Valuation Study, Catherine A. Broadhead

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The contingent valuation method (CVM) is used to evaluate the minimum compensation landowners require to forego production on farm riverbanks areas. The elicitation format used in the survey is a yes-no participation question followed by an open-ended question.

Chapter 2 presents the results of the survey. The Heckman approach is used in the econometric analysis to take care of the self-selection problem arising with this formatting of the questions. Chapter 3 is devoted to further examining the potential for undertaking valuation exercises using the willingness-to-accept format (WTA)

WTA estimates obtained with open-ended format are compared to WTA estimates obtained when …

Evaluation Of A Collaborative Model Using A Case Study Analysis Of Watershed Planning In The Intermountain West, Gary Bentrup

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Planning methods that involve collaboration are gaining popularity and currently being applied in a variety of resource management issues . Based on current planning theory, researchers have proposed a conceptual collaborative model for environmental planning and management . This thesis evaluates the usefulness of the model to describe the range of factors important for the establishment and operation of collaboration in environmental planning. This iterative model suggests that collaboration emerges from a series of antecedents and then proceeds sequentially through problem setting, direction setting, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation phases. The evaluation was based on three case studies of watershed-based …

Effects Of Perceived Sugar Or Chocolate Intake On Self-Reported Food Cravings, Mood States, And Food Intake: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study, Lara J. Schultz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many dieters and compulsive overeaters report that sugar and chocolate are the most commonly craved foods. Further, many individuals have proclaimed themselves to be "addicted" to sugar or chocolate. It remains unclear, however, what factors lead to report of specific food addictions. A number of researchers have suggested that highly repetitive consumption of sugar and chocolate may result from various physiological processes (e.g., neurochemical imbalances, glucose/insulin malfunctioning). However, there is also considerable evidence that psychosocial factors (i.e., expectancies, classical, and operant conditioning) play the major role in the development and maintenance of excessive sugar/chocolate intake. Empirical studies examining factors that …

Predicting Lumbar Fusion Surgery Outcomes From Presurgical Patient Variables: The Utah Lumbar Fusion Outcome Study, M. Scott Deberard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Lumbar fusion surgery is a commonly used procedure to treat severe spinal pathology and associated chronic disabling low back and leg pain. Despite the common incidence of spinal fusion surgery, few studies have examined patient outcomes or predictive correlates of this procedure. The objectives of this study were to characterize Utah workers who received lumbar fusion surgery in terms of relevant presurgical and outcome variables and to identify presurgical correlates of patient outcomes. An archival prospective research design was utilized consisting of a retrospective medical chart review and a postsurgical telephone outcome survey.

Subjects were 203 workers' compensation patients from …

A Descriptive Study Of The Relation Between Domestic Violence And Pet Abuse, Claudia V. Weber

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This was a descriptive study that examined the relation between domestic violence and pct abuse. Participants were questioned about their styles of conflict resolution with partners and how pets were treated in the home. Information was gathered using the Conflict Tactics Scale, and three surveys were developed for this study: the Battered Partner Shelter Survey, Families and Pets Survey, and the Child 's Observations and Experience with Pets. Four groups were recruited: (a) women in crisis shelters who chose to include one of their children in the study (n = 39), (b) women in crisis shelters who did not …

An Empirical Study Of The Real Exchange Rate Misalignment And Its Effects On The Macro-Economic Performance Of Bangladesh, Md. Shahnawaz Karim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This paper provides empirical study of whether there was a misalignment of the real exchange rate (RER) in the Bangladesh economy during 1976-1991. The time series of multilateral and bilateral RER indexes were computed for the period 1976-1991. The computed series of RER were indexed to a base year of when the RER attained its highest level and thereby appeared to be closer to the actual long-run equilibrium RER.

In the empirical part of this thesis, five different RER indexes were computed: multilateral real exchange rate index 1 (MRER1), multilateral real exchange rate index 2 (MRER2), bilateral real exchange index …

The Relationship Between Weather And Children's Behavior: A Study Of Teacher Perceptions, Carrie Dabb

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The weather is an ever present and uncontrollable element in our lives. Only a handful of studies has addressed the relationship between weather and the behavior of children, although anecdotal and intuitive evidence of this relationship abounds. The purpose of this study was to observe the behavior of groups of elementary school-aged children in their classroom ecology during different phases of the weather cycle as observed by their teachers, observe any behavioral differences between girls and boys, and observe if any weather -related differences exist between the behavior of younger and older children. A model of the direct and indirect …

A Multivariate Study Of Marital Quality, David W. Bradley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Marital quality has been defined as the subjective feelings of happiness and satisfaction that a spouse experiences when considering all current aspects of his/her marriage. This study examined five dependent variables regressed on ten independent variables. The sample for this study came from the National Survey of Families and Households. Five hypotheses were found to be supported , with at least three of the five dependent variables showing statistical significance. Age at the time of marriage, education, health and well-being, and couples ' satisfaction in the parenting role were positively related to marital quality. The length of the marriage was …

An Analytical Study Of The Short-Run Variability Of Korea's Balance Of Payments, 1961-85: Application Of Keynesian And Monetary Approaches To The Problem, Dong Yeub Kim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationships among the balance of payments and other macroeconomic variables in the Korean economy for the period 1961-85 are analyzed in this study. Theoretical studies on the effects of government policies on the economy and the balance of payments were conducted under both the Keynesian and monetary approaches. The Keynesian approach concentrates on the commodity and capital market adjustment factors and does not focus on the money market factors, whereas the monetary approach considers the balance of payments adjustments as a symptom of money market disequilibrium alone.

The basic assumptions of those two approaches, taken seperately, are not fully …

Early Career Development Processes Of Women And Men Resource Managers In The Usda Forest Service, Joseph Anthony Mincolla

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to understand the similarities and differences in the early careers of women and men resource managers in Regions 4 and 6 of the U.S. Forest Service (FS). Since the early family socialization of boys and girls has been shown to differ, it was hypothesized that differences would also be found in the early career goals of men and women and in their ability to fit into an organization like the Forest Service, experience personal satisfaction, and become contributing, productive members.

Although more similarities than differences were observed, women had slightly different definitions of two …

Impact Of Development On Traditional Pastoralism In Somalia, Abdulkadir A. Handulle

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The Somali pastoral nomads live in an environmental condition of risk and uncertainty. The scarce and unreliable rainfall is the primary element ·which determines the existence of nomadic pastoralism. The lands devoted to pastoralism in Somalia are those arid and semi-arid areas that could not sustain cropping, so that pastoralism may be considered the only rational utilization of the land resource. Nomads live in an environment where the survival of both animals and plants are constrained by many factors such as droughts. Yet, both nomads and their animals have evolved by learning numerous adaptive strategies to cope with their harsh, …

A Comprehensive Treatment Program For Abusive Parents: An Exploratory Study, Marvin Kim Marvel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Estimates of the incidence of child abuse range from 200,000 to 500,000 (Light, 1973) to over one million children each year (O'Brien, 1980). Child abuse is a leading cause of childhood death and injury (Starr, 1979). Demographic studies (e.g., Steele & Pollock, 1968) suggest that parents who abuse their children were often abused or neglected themselves. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that many of the present victims of abuse will become abusing parents in the future unless the cycle is broken. The need for effective interventions to reduce this pervasive social problem is obvious.

Belowground Resource Exploitation In Semiarid Plants: A Comparative Study Using Two Tussock Grasses That Differ In Competitive Ability, David M. Eissenstat

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relative competitive abilities of Agropyron desertorum and Agropyron spicatum were compared using Artemisia tridentata transplants as indicator plants. Although these two tussock grasses have similar shoot growth forms and shoot physiological characteristics, they have substantial differences in their competitive abilities. Artemisia had lower survival, growth, reproduction, and water potential when transplanted into neighborhoods of A. desertorum than in neighborhoods of A. spicatum.

Plant attributes associated with the differences in competitive ability were explored. Agropyron desertorum and A. spicatum have remarkably similar potential growth rates at warm soil temperatures. In a prolonged cold soil temperature treatment in the greenhouse, …

A Study Of The Effect Of A Child's Physical Attractiveness Upon Verbal Scoring Of The Wechsler Intelligence Scale For Children (Revised) And Upon Personality Attributions, Paula Theisler Wheeler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research was to investigate possible examiner bias in scoring the Verbal subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) due to the level of facial attractiveness of the child. Sex of the child and sex of the research subject were also included as independent variables. No main effect for attractiveness or sex x attractiveness interactions were found. Thus, little evidence emerged to suggest attractiveness stereotyping effects in an intelligence testing context. However, female children received significantly higher Comprehension and total Verbal scores than did male children. In addition, while male subjects did not provide differential …