Digital Commons Network^™

Child-Directed Learning In Varying Contexts: An Examination Of Preschools In The Philippines, Teri J. Pardue

MSU Graduate Theses

While it has long been recognized that child-directed learning is a central feature of effective early childhood education, the impact of culture on its implementation is only recently gaining attention. In Asian contexts specifically, previous studies have documented challenges in implementing child-directed learning styles. This study applies holistic analysis to a collective case study of six Filipino preschools, documenting and analyzing their pursuit and implementation of child-directed learning. The study uncovers significant discrepancies among Filipino preschool directors and teachers regarding the meaning of “child-directed” and “play-based” learning, and it identifies apparent cultural barriers to implementing child-directed learning more effectively. The …

A Literature Review: Applied Behavior Analysis And Performance; The Past, The Present, And The Future, Molly Patrice Fields

MSU Graduate Theses

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and sports performance has been a topic of research since as early as the 1960s. ABA principles and interventions have been used all over in sports from enhancing athlete performance on the field, court, or course, sportsmanlike behaviors off the field, court, or course, and even looking into coaching behaviors. The purpose of this paper is twofold; to assess and analyze the current research for applied behavior analysis and sports and to use what literature is already established and systematically set the framework for future avenues of research and support a strong insert of applied behavior …

Understanding Grief In Adults Whose Sibling Died During Childhood: A Qualitative Study, Amanda Marie Mccarthy

MSU Graduate Theses

This retrospective, phenomenological study investigated how bereaved siblings believe the death of their brother impacted their development. Through semi-structured interviews, five adults whose brother died during their adolescence discussed how their grief changed over time and the factors that influenced changes in grief. Participants experienced periods of lack of acceptance, independence and isolation, and finding contentment. Factors that influenced changes in grief include sibling’s cause of death, family reaction, establishment of a support network, remembering the deceased, and milestones and dates. These findings provide a glimpse into how grief changes over time in the context of development. Furthermore, the results …

The Impacts Of Race And Video Angle On Judgments Of Police Interactions, Shelby Gabrielle Wynn

MSU Graduate Theses

With the invention of video recording on cell phones and the increased use of social media, the ability to record and distribute instances of police misconduct has become much easier. In recent years, such videos have captured White police officers using extreme force towards black citizens, many times leading to their deaths. Despite the increase in access to these videos, many of the officers involved are not convicted (or even indicted) of any crimes. Researchers have begun to examine variables that impact how people judge videotaped police/civilian interactions. For example, it has been found that when viewing interrogation videos, people …

Trait Conscientiousness And Agreeableness In Relation To Positive And Negative Mood Self-Perceived Altruism, Justin Thomas Robertello

MSU Graduate Theses

While much research has been done on altruism and people's perceptions of the altruistic tendencies of others, perception of altruism as it relates to self, especially in relation to the influence of internal states, lacks similarly extensive investigation. This study aims to explore how the stable internal states of personality and the fluid states of mood play a role in our own perceptions of our altruistic tendencies. Participants were provided with a personality questionnaire and exposed to image sets designed to induce positive or negative mood. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) was administered post mood induction to verify …

Using Behavior Skills Training To Increase Quality Parent Talk During A Read-Aloud, Britnea Monaco

MSU Graduate Theses

Reading to children is one way to engage a child in high-level conversations that go beyond the explicit message of the book. There is a positive correlation between the amount of high-quality caregiver/child joint attention activities and language development. The purpose of this study was to use Behavior Skills Training to teach parents seven component reading skills in order to increase parents word count and quality of words read during read-alouds with their children. Results showed as parents mastered the seven reading components they increased their overall word count. Implications of these findings are discussed within the context of caregiver/child …

Cell Phone Use And Class Participation: An Interdependent Group Contingency, Heather R. Becker

MSU Graduate Theses

Students face distractions in their learning environments. This is true for all students, including college students. One such distraction for college students can be their cell phones. The purpose of this study was to decrease cell phone usage of college students in class using an interdependent group contingency with a multiple baseline research design across three classes. The study also collected data on class participation to discover if decreases in distraction might lead to increased class participation. Results of this study provide evidence to support the use of an interdependent group contingency to decrease student cell phone usage in class. …

The Use Of Animal-Assisted Therapeutic Interventions In The Hospital Setting During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alicia Cesare

MSU Graduate Theses

Handlers of therapy and/or facility dogs working within hospital settings have experienced various barriers and challenges within their practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Animal-assisted interventions, specifically therapeutic working dogs, are a valued source of support to individuals, communities, hospital settings, and disaster sites during times of community distress. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers and solutions to the continued use of animal-assisted therapeutic interventions in support of patients and families within the hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. This researcher’s position within the research is the knowledge and experience of being a facility dog handler within the …

Examining The Convergent Validity Of The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test - Third Edition And The Woodcock-Johnson Iii Tests Of Achievement - Form A - Standard Battery, Trent Howard Walters

MSU Graduate Theses

The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Third Edition (WIAT-III) and the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement (WJ III ACH) are two commercial standardized tests of academic achievement that are utilized in many settings, including educational, research, and clinical settings. Both measurements purport to measure academic achievement across a variety of curricular areas. Both instruments yield subtest and cluster or composite scores in the modes of percentile ranks, standard scores, stanines, normal curve equivalent scores, and age/grade equivalent scores. In the current study, similar subtest and composite or cluster standard scores were correlated to determine the degree of convergent validity between the two …

Using Visual Prompts And A Raffle To Increase Recycling On Campus, Heather Marie Felske

MSU Graduate Theses

Landfills pose a risk to the current level of human development and population growth. Leachates have the potential of polluting the ground water which can cause severe birth defects and decrease the population. When municipal solid waste breaks down it produces methane gas creating debilitating health problems that are fatal. More attention will have to be directed towards sustainable growth by reducing the amount of recyclable materials being discarded as waste. Part of the public affairs mission of Missouri State University is to engage in pro-social behavior and incorporate the student body and community whenever possible. One way of modeling …

Influence Of Career Orientation And Expectations On Levels Of Burnout In Law Enforcement Officers- An Exploratory Study, Kelsey A. Keady

MSU Graduate Theses

Law enforcement officers will encounter many stressors in their careers. These stressors originate from a variety of sources and prolonged exposure can result in many negative outcomes, including burnout. This is especially concerning, as burnout can result in poorer work performance and more negative interactions with those whom these individuals serve. While burnout should be a significant source of concern, there is relatively little research on different factors that may contribute to burnout. In 1980, Cherniss proposed four career orientations: Self-investors, Social Activists, Careerists, and Artisans. Research has supported that different orientations experience different outcomes and levels of burnout. Another …

Socialism's Specter: The Effect Of Persuasion On Implicit Attitudes Towards Socialism, Amber Yanez

MSU Graduate Theses

Anti-socialist propaganda and media have swayed individuals to skepticism and fear about socialism. The propaganda, however, does not reflect necessarily the truth about socialism, in its persuasion against it. Media often uses persuasion techniques to influence opinions and beliefs. The primary focus of this study was to assess whether persuasion could be used to persuade participants’ implicit attitudes towards socialism. Participants were persuaded with pro-socialism content, anti-socialism content, and neutral content; and then completed an Implicit Association Test. It was hypothesized that the participants in the pro-socialism condition would have an implicit bias towards socialism, the participants in the anti-socialism …

Quality Child Care In Missouri: The Intersections Of Policy And Teachers' Perceptions Of Quality Child Care, Catherine Slade

MSU Graduate Theses

A child’s health and well-being is supported by the environment in which they learn and develop. For an average of 36,000 children in Missouri, their environment includes an out-of-home child care program. Child care regulations are designed to protect the health and safety of children in child care. Using a constant comparative method, this study examined the extent to which the child care licensing regulations in Missouri align with the 13 Indicators of Quality Child Care published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This study also examined how effective teachers working in child care programs felt …

Evaluating Changes In Peak And Iq Scores In Children With Autism Following A Peak Treatment Program, Megan Nicole Kimzey

MSU Graduate Theses

The present study evaluated the relationship between scores on the Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge Pre-Assessments (Equivalence & Transformation Modules; PEAK) in one individual with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their corresponding performance on standardized IQ tests (WPPSI-IV Short Form), their performances on PEAK assessments following 10 weeks of treatment with four hours per week, and the corresponding obtained relational deceleration coefficient. The data indicated a strong, significant relationship between participation in PEAK treatment and an increase in scores on PEAK and IQ tests. The relational deceleration coefficient score did not change significantly. These results have the implications PEAK …

Parents' Experiences Of Camp For Siblings Of Pediatric Oncology Patients, Kristen Lauren Krueger

MSU Graduate Theses

The diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer is oftentimes a stressful experience for individuals other than the patient, such as parents and siblings of pediatric oncology patients. Parents and siblings may be impacted in many ways, but there are interventions to help. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand parents’ lived experiences of having a child who has attended a camp designed for siblings of pediatric oncology patients. Parents (n=5) of siblings that have attended camp for siblings were interviewed with open-ended questions. Data was analyzed using phenomenology procedures. Results from this study indicated that mothers and fathers …

A Pilot Investigation Of The Relationship Between Derived Relational Responding And Challenging Behavior Function, Kaitlin N. Beason

MSU Graduate Theses

The study evaluated the relationship between participants derived relational responding across arbitrary stimuli and parent or teacher endorsed functions of challenging behavior as assessed on the Questions About Behavior Function (QABF). Supplemental analyses were conducted to directly observe the frequency and intensity of challenging behavior using the Challenging Behavior Index (CBI), as week as direct observation of presenting autism symptoms in session using the PEAK Autism Symptoms and Behavioral Observation Summary (PAS-BOS). Derived relational responding was assessed using the Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge Equivalence Pre-Assessment (PEAK-E-PA) and the Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge Transformation Pre-Assessment (PEAK-T-PA) taking …

Development And Validation Of Implicit Measures Of Organizational Climate, Kailey Ann Meyer

MSU Graduate Theses

Organizational climate is the shared perceptions that employees hold about their experiences in the workplace. The current research on organizational climate relies upon explicit (self-report) measures, which can be contaminated by impression management and inaccurate self-knowledge artifacts. This research used Implicit Association Test (IAT) procedures to develop implicit measures of selected aspects of organizational climate. The study examined the relationships of the implicit organizational climate measures with theoretically related explicit measures according to a multitrait-multimethod design. A series of confirmatory factor analyses of latent trait models were used to assess convergent and discriminant validity evidence. While results provided some construct …

Leaving The Good Place: Examining Organizational Exit In Nonprofits, Michaela Lauren Sees Plummer

MSU Graduate Theses

This thesis examined the prescribed culture and prescribed network of a national nonprofit organization to better understand organizational exit and retention. This nonprofit organization has teams of long-term volunteers that serve in various schools throughout the country, but one Midwest location served as the site of this study. Because this organization has a clearly defined prescribed culture and organizational network, it is an interesting site for data collection. Through two rounds of interviews with ten members from various school teams, I was able to identify key issues that affected members’ decisions to stay with or leave the organization. The data …

The Effectiveness Of Implementing A Collaborative Mental Health Approach On Quality Of Life For Individuals Of Low Socioeconomic Status, Tyler Z. Tooley

MSU Graduate Theses

The ultimate purpose of this study is to provide insight and education to mental health clinicians, politicians and the general public of the numerous effects poverty has on mental health, in addition to the most beneficial ways to combat those insidious effects. The specific barriers met by individuals of low socioeconomic status severely affect psychological and physical health, as well as social and environmental relationships, which therefore diminish overall quality of life. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of implementing a collaborative mental health approach for low income individuals on length of engagement in services and …

Effects Of Chair Testing In Orchestra On Student Motivation: Student Perspectives And Applications From Motivational Theories, Rosanna Christine Honeycutt

MSU Graduate Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine how string students perceive achievement on chair testing through the lens of attribution and achievement goal motivational self-theories. A teacher survey was administered to identify the goals of chair testing in two high school and seven middle school orchestra classrooms. A student survey was used to collect data in those same classrooms on (a) the reasons why students do and do not do well on chair tests, (b) the perceived goals of chair testing and (c) the ratings of motivation and self-achievement. Qualitative techniques were used to analyze attributions within both …

Evaluating The Construct Validity Of The Peak Comprehensive Assessment: Measuring Language And Cognition, Nicole Rae Mcdonald

MSU Graduate Theses

The purpose of the current study was to conduct a pilot investigation of the internal construct validity of the four modules of the PEAK Comprehensive Assessment (PCA). The PCA has been developed through robust research over the past five years (Dixon et al. 2017) and is designed to evaluate language and cognitive skills of individuals with developmental disabilities, including neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Although the PCA contains four modules exemplifying four distinct learning processes (Direct Training, Generalization, Equivalence, and Relational Learning), these four processes may represent one singular learning construct, described loosely as “executive functioning” or “cognitive …

Allyship As An Act: The Performative, Power-Laden, And Contradictory Co-Cultural Strategies Of Straight Allies, David Dooling

MSU Graduate Theses

While the study of queer communities underscores the importance of responses to heteronormativity, this dual-method study challenges positionality by examining the co-cultural strategies of straight allies in predominantly queer conversations and spaces. Using Orbe’s Co-Cultural Theory as a lens, this study examines the co-cultural strategies and factors that influence straight allies’ communication when entrenched in queer ontology and dialogue (Study 1). Additionally, co-cultural strategies are measured among straight allies in hypothetical workplaces that are either predominantly queer or predominantly straight (Study 2) using Lapinski and Orbe’s (2007) Co-Cultural Theory Scales. Together, the results of these studies contribute to the ideas …

A Needs Assessment For The Utilization Of Child Life Specialist Bereavement Support Services In An Emergency Veterinary Hospital Setting, Jared R. Negin-Fryers

MSU Graduate Theses

Studies indicate that there is an affective attachment bond, and related emotional involvement that exists between the companion animal and their human owners. Patient companion-animal death within the veterinary hospital, is a daily occurrence, with death rates per patient being significantly higher than in human health care. This comparatively higher death rate is due to the commonplace utilization of professionally sanctioned euthanasia to relieve animal pain and suffering. Companion animal death, may elicit grief reactions that are identical to what is experienced upon the death of a family member. A void currently exists in family centered veterinary care in terms …

Diversity Pep-Talk: Finding Strengths In Differences – An Examination Of Diversity Workshops In Middle School, Taylor S. Smith

MSU Graduate Theses

Negative views regarding diversity can lead to bullying, decreased empathy, and overall detrimental academic and social environments. The aim of this study was to implement and evaluate diversity workshops designed to raise awareness about and illuminate barriers among middle school children that manufacture from real and/or perceived differences. These workshops utilized activities that fostered communication between students about diversity but also the commonalities among themselves. A goal of the discussions was to prevent issues associated with infrequent peer group intermingling, because infrequent contact can result in diminished empathy, unmet basic needs, and reduced effectiveness of contact hypothesis. Specifically, the design …

Returning To Complex Strategic Analysis: A Discussion On The Diminishing Window Of Opportunity For United States Nuclear Policy Preparation With Respect To China, Christopher Keith Giuliano

MSU Graduate Theses

American upheaval over the Chinese technologically advanced strategic threat permeates throughout the government and political culture. The response to this fear is a somewhat nascent reactive U.S. policy toward China as it relates to strategic weapon systems. The U.S. currently is responding by attempting to revitalize an aging nuclear architecture, and re-prioritize strategic weapons in U.S. defense spending. However, U.S. policy must move beyond justifying nuclear weapons and requesting increased funding. What is necessary for this balance beyond an arms race is the intellectual prescription for the calculated employment or fielding of those arms.

Ultimately, this paper suggests the U.S. …

Alternative Production Practices And The Role Of Consumer Choice: Willingness-To-Pay Analyses, Amanda P. Wecker

MSU Graduate Theses

Production choice is often viewed as driven by the resources and methods known to the producers. However, recent discussions focus on the other factors leading to production choice such as consumer preference, measured by factors such as willingness to pay (Tait, Saunders, Guenther, and Rutherford, 2016). This study evaluates the role of diet preference and age in driving a consumer’s willingness to pay for food produced with specific method. The data analyzed are from the 2016 U.S. Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) Consumer survey. A total of 1042 individuals were asked whether they were willing to pay 10% more …

Does Aging Identity Moderate The Impact Of Experiences With Familial Ageism On Well-Being?, Emily E. Kinkade

MSU Graduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to begin investigating the effects of ageism in the family context. The current literature has documented the negative impacts that negative stereotypes and negative perceptions of aging has on older adults’ health, mortality, and well-being (Levy, 1996; Levy, 2003). However, the majority of extant research on ageism focuses on age discrimination in the workplace and in healthcare despite the majority of peoples’ time being spent in the family context. Therefore examining experiences of ageism sourced from family members merits study. Walker, Bisconti and Kinkade (in preparation) found evidence that the experience of ageism within …

Delay And Geographic Discounting Exert Multiple Control Over Climate Change Policy Preference, Celeste Noelle Unnerstall

MSU Graduate Theses

The procedures were informed by a pilot investigation conducted by this research team that is described below. In the primary study, students attending Missouri State University chose between a policy with no restrictions or taxation on their carbon emissions versus a restriction on the amount of mileage driven per month and taxation related to the mileage. The main study also included an added variable of the influence a redistribution taxation policy into different geographic distances would have on policy preference. Results were interpreted in terms of a multilevel hyperbolic discounting model using the “R” program. The results suggest that there …

Effects Of Peak Equivalence And Transformation Treatment On Derived Relational Responding As A Generalized Operant And Iq, Lindsey Schneider

MSU Graduate Theses

The present study examined Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge Relational Training System; Equivalence (PEAK-E) and Transformation’s (PEAK-T) effect on a participant with ASD’s derived relational responding, intelligence scores (WPPSI-IV; Weschler 2012), and the deceleration coefficient. One participant with ASD was given 10 weeks of PEAK-E and PEAK-T treatment for four hours a week, along with probes throughout the study for IQ scores and deceleration coefficient scores. The data indicated a significant relationship between PEAK-E and PEAK-T treatment and IQ scores, as well as a relationship between PEAK scores and a participant’s deceleration coefficient. This indicated that PEAK-E and …

A Feasibility Study On The Implementation Of A Web-Based Intuitive Eating Program In A University Setting, Jaime Gnau

MSU Graduate Theses

This research reports on the feasibility of implementing a web-based intuitive eating (IE) program to employees through a university employee wellness department at Missouri State University (MSU). Barriers and facilitators to program participation were also identified and discussed.

Background: Ten IE principles present an evidence-based strategy for reducing incidence of weight cycling and improving one’s relationship with food and self, and reducing health risks associated with chronic dieting and weight regain. Offering web-based programming reduces barriers to program enrollment but is also associated with high rates of attrition.

Methods: The program was developed utilizing the PRECEED-PROCEDE model with application of …