Beethoven Symphony No.5 In C Minor, Op.67: Connecting Tonality To Tempo, Character, And Interpretation, Chyh Shen Low

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Abstract

Beethoven’s metronome markings aroused much controversy among musicologists and performing musicians. For Beethoven, tempo is a fundamental element of the music’s character. Beethoven included metronome markings in his music to communicate his ideas concerning tempi in a more specific manner. Ironically, his metronome markings are often ignored by many performers and conductors, as evidenced in the recordings and live performance reviews. There is a group of scholars and performers who tend to disregard Beethoven’s metronome markings, while another group believes they are sensible and workable.

This paper discusses the metronome markings and the Affective Key Characteristics in the music …

Leading From The Field: Funded International Nongovernmental Organizations And The Participatory Development Of Long-Term Impact Assessments, Geary A. Cox Ii

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Leaders of international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) must contend with multiple accountability regimes while balancing responsibilities to stakeholders. While many accountability mechanisms are donor-led, this study sought to understand the capacity that NGOs have as agents of change to influence measurement and evaluations activities. The study focused on NGO applications submitted to a donor-government during competitive award announcements for conventional weapons destruction activities.

Using a parallel convergent mixed methods approach, this study examined the ways in which NGO leaders develop their organizations’ capacity to implement long-term impact assessments. A direct entry logistic regression of applications showed evidence of organizational characteristics influencing …

Theatre As An Intervention For Empathy Development Among Undergraduate Students, Jonathan Stewart

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Empathy is the ability feel into, or put oneself in the place of another. It is the ability to walk in someone else’s shoes. Studies have shown that this ability is decreasing among today’s college students and on the rise as a desired trait for today’s leaders. This dilemma provides an interesting opportunity to explore how institutions of higher education can help develop the leaders of tomorrow by increasing empathy among students. Specifically, this research explores theatre as an intervention for empathy development among college students.

Theatre, as a program of study, is unique within the college experience in that …

Music And Peacebuilding: A Survey Of Two Israeli Ensembles Using Music And Dialogue To Build Understanding, Empathy, And Conflict Transformation, Benjamin Philip Bergey

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the work of two Israeli ensembles that bring diverse musicians together through music and dialogue. Dialogue is a key tool for transforming conflict and building peace that hinges on critical, empathetic listening.[1] Music ensembles, with their opportunities for participants to practice listening, are contexts in which participants and instructors can learn how to communicate and engage in dialogue to improve interpersonal relationships in pursuit of peace.

The Polyphony Foundation and the Jerusalem Youth Chorus bring Arab and Jewish youth together in Israel to make music and practice dialogue. This thesis examines …

Are All Cognitive Items Equally Prone To Position Effects? Exploring The Relationships Among Item Features And Position Effects, Thai Quang Ong

Dissertations, 2014-2019

One type of context effect is a position effect, which implies parameters of an item are influenced by the position of the item on the test. Researchers often discuss two types of position effects: negative position effects and positive position effects (e.g., Albano, 2013; Debeer & Janssen, 2013). Items exhibiting negative position effects become harder when placed later on the test, whereas items exhibiting positive position effects become easier when placed later on the test. Researchers have primarily examined the underlying causes of position effects through an item or person perspective (e.g., Bulut, 2015; Kingston & Dorans, 1984; Qian, 2014). …

Music For A New Era: Selected Works Dedicated To Flutist Louis Fleury (1878-1926), Lydia Carroll

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Louis Fleury (1878-1926) was a skilled flutist, respected writer and critic, prolific music editor, and new music enthusiast in France at the turn of the twentieth century. Unfortunately, Fleury’s legacy has been overshadowed by figures such as his teacher Paul Taffanel (1844-1908), as well as his contemporaries, including renowned flutists Philippe Gaubert (1879-1941), Marcel Moyse (1889-1984), and Georges Barrère (1876-1944). Fleury studied with Taffanel at the Paris Conservatoire from 1895-1900. Today Taffanel is regarded as having established the modern French Flute School, which is a tradition of flute playing and pedagogy. The legacy of the French Flute School of the …

Subjective Differences Between Premium And Mid-Level Digital Hearing Aids, Dakota Sharp

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This study compared perceptual differences between premium and mid-level hearing aids from a major manufacturer in normal hearing listeners. Limited literature currently exists comparing perceptual differences between premium and mid-level digital hearing aids. This information is highly important in decision-making for clinicians and patients alike. Barry et al. (2018) evaluated four major hearing aid models’ noise reduction properties and determined that one manufacturer’s premium and mid-level devices demonstrated significant differences in noise reduction gain in frequencies associated with human speech. We programmed this device for a mild sloping to moderately-severe SNHL using the manufacturer’s proprietary fitting formula and noise reduction …

The Ei Leadership Model: From Theory And Research To Real World Application, Kelly Dyjak Leblanc

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Whether a leader or the led, we all can point to examples of ineffective leadership – poor decision making, a lack of vision, inattention to morale, ineffective communication, systemic tendencies toward obstruction, and so forth. Similarly, most of us can identify characteristics that we do and do not esteem in the leaders we have known. The consequences of not attending to what actually is happening at these deep, complex, and interacting levels can mean the difference between success and failure from a leadership and organizational standpoint. The overarching purpose of applying the present leadership model to a real world organizational …

Let The Church Say Amen! A Qualitative Study Exploring The Experiences Of African American Pastors Providing Mental Health Support, Tiffanie D. Sutherlin

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how African American Pastors experience their role as mental health supporters. Researchers are continuing to conduct research to better understand some of the challenges and barriers African Americans may experience that impacts their attitudes towards mental health services. Many African Americans identify as spiritual or religious and implement coping skills based on their spiritual or religious connection to a High Power. This researcher focused on four male and four female Pastors who identified as African American and were located in the Eastern Region of the United States. The participants engaged in …

A Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Exploration Of Practitioner Use, Development, And Satisfaction Of Theoretical Paradigms In Sport Psychology, Christopher E. Bilder

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to identify the use, development, and perceived satisfaction of current theoretical paradigms by sport psychology practitioners. Participants for the quantitative portion of the study were 170 (95 women, 65 men) sport psychology practitioners.

Results of a frequency analysis revealed that most practitioners use an integrative paradigm type, and the most commonly used paradigms were CBT, ACT, and humanistic. A descriptive analysis revealed that theoretical paradigms are developed across all developmental levels. Independent between-groups ANOVAs indicated that primary training background significantly impacted the principles perceived to be necessary (i.e., sport science …

Audiologists’ Preferences In Programming Cochlear Implants, Leanne Browning

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Cochlear implants have become a viable option for those with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss who gain little benefit from hearing aids and have poor word recognition ability. However, the techniques audiologists use to program these devices are not standardized (Sorkin, 2013). There is little data available which analyzes how audiologists handle clinical cochlear implant programming between the top manufacturers. These companies supply default settings in their products but is it unknown how often audiologists use these in practice in the United States.

In the present study, a questionnaire based on previous European data from Vaerenberg et al. (2014) …

Sojourners In This Place: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study Examining Foreign-Born And Immigrant Experiences Of Acculturation And Professional Identity Development In Counseling, Mina Attia

Dissertations, 2014-2019

There are 42 million foreign-born individuals residing in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013), making up a total of 13% of the population. Within the counseling profession, the latest demographic information (Data USA, 2017) reports that Caucasians make up 70.4% of counselors in the United States while African Americans make up 19.5%, Asians 3.4%, and shared ethnicity is 3 %. American Indians make up 0.6%, Hawaiian 0.1%, and the remainder (2.8%) are identified as “other.” The immigration experience is marked by a sense of loss and a process of acculturation. However, there is scant literature that discusses the adjustment …

Failure To Launch?: Advancing The Case For Financial Literacy Interventions In Postsecondary Education, Cathleen Snyder

Dissertations, 2014-2019

For college undergraduates, the thought of managing money is often new, exciting, and terrifying in the same breath. Some students have learned well from their parental and prior academic influences, and yet others may be overwhelmed by a lack of those same resources. As postsecondary institutions endeavor to level the proverbial playing field, helping college graduates launch into meaningful, financially independent lives, it begs additional consideration on the intervention methods that might be most impactful.

This study examined a for-credit, curriculum-based intervention specific to personal finance topics. It attempted to answer several key questions: How knowledgeable are students relative to …

Cultivating The Sustainably Gendered Self, Patrick Kenny

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Traditional gender roles, and the extent to which they are rigidly enforced in a social context, can limit individual and group welfare and are linked to serious social issues such as mass-incarceration, domestic abuse, gang-participation, female genital mutilation, and honor killings (Abramsky et al., 2011; Hackett, 2011). This chapter focuses on the social construct of gender and the ways in which individual and societal beliefs about gender impact the well-being of the global community. A three-pronged approach (individual psychotherapy, group interventions, and education policy) offers a way to address the myriad gender-based challenges present in a number of cultures worldwide. …

Building Teachers’ Emotional Competence: A Transactional Training Model, Caroline Fulton

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Classrooms are complex entities, where the emotions of students and teachers interact to influence learning, relationships, and students’ social emotional development. Teachers’ understanding of emotional processes within the classroom is critical to effective teaching, promotion of healthy child development, and attaining desired learning outcomes. Further, emotions have powerful consequences for teachers themselves. They affect teachers’ well-being, self-efficacy, and ultimately whether teachers remain in the profession or not. Therefore, teachers need skills to recognize and respond to emotional experiences in the classroom. In the present research project a set of emotional competences relevant to educational practices were developed. These competencies include …

Voice Quality As A Predictor Of Dysphagia, Lindsay Griffin

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The clinical swallowing evaluation (CSE) is a non-instrumental exam that informs speech-language pathologists about a patient’s cognition, readiness for instrumental evaluation, and swallowing symptoms. Because of the common neuroanatomy and physiology of the larynx during voicing and swallowing tasks, coughing or throat clearing after food and drink may indicate swallowing impairment. Also because of the shared mechanisms of the larynx, some clinicians also attribute voice changes after swallowing to dysphagia although many studies to date demonstrate conflicting results on the effectiveness of post-prandial voice assessment. The aim of this study was to assess if dysphonia and/or voice change after swallowing …

Improving Parent-Child Interactions And Generalized Problem-Solving Skills In Families Of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Through Adapted Parent Child Interaction Therapy, Carly Bobal

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent parent reported diagnosis among children 3-17 years of age. Parents of children with ADHD often evoke more coercive or negative interactions to help manage their child’s behavior. In addition, they report increased levels of family conflict and higher stress levels, which can place stress on couples and other members within the family system. These interactions may lead to negative reinforcement cycles that maintain or worsen problem behaviors of the child. PCIT is well documented in producing positive outcomes for children with other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, or …

The Test-Retest Reliability Of Binaural-Processing Tasks At Home Versus A Clinical Environment, Logan Grace Faust

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Objective: Investigate the reliability of a custom-designed, portable, stereo-hearing testing system (as in the Ganev, 2017, Au.D. dissertation) when subjects self-administer two different stereo-hearing tasks at home. Results obtained under known and supervised conditions at a university clinic or lab versus unknown conditions at the participants’ homes were compared. Intra-subject comparison, and inter-subject trends, discerned the reliability of patient setup and self-administration of the two tasks.
Design: Ten subjects were evenly split among two conditions: five subjects each setup and self-administered the tasks first at home and then received direction in the clinic, and five received direction and did the …

Music And Speech Perception In Children Using Sung Speech: Effects Of Neurocognitive Factors, Victoria A. André

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The current study aimed to explore normal-hearing children's ability to utilize pitch and timbre cues and how these findings correlate with neurocognitive factors. Participants were recruited if they had English as their first language and no formal musical training or 3+ years of formal musical training. Twenty normal-hearing children, age 7.5-14.5 years (mean = 10.5; n=20) were recruited for the study. Nonverbal intelligence, receptive vocabulary, and auditory working memory were assessed using subtests of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test-2, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4, and Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing-2, respectively. Raw scores were used to analyze these neurocognitive abilities in …

Simultaneous Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Pcit) And Teacher-Child Interaction Training (Tcit) Interventions Using Distance Coaching: A Pilot Study, Kirstin Drucker

Dissertations, 2014-2019

When providing intervention to children with emotional and behavioral difficulties, it is important to consider how to best address the child’s behaviors across a number of contexts. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT) have been shown effective at reducing a child’s behavioral difficulties by improving the relationship between the child and their caregiver (parent or teacher). This feasibility study adds to the research on interventions for young children with emotional and behavioral difficulties by addressing parent and teacher interaction techniques simultaneously. Using HIPAA-compliant software, a coach provided instruction to a parent and a teacher, to implement a …

Attachment In Middle Childhood Among Foster And Adopted Children: Preliminary Validation Of A Behavioral Observation System, Somer George

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Abstract

The study of attachment in middle childhood, especially among foster and adoptive children, is a critical and timely one. An assessment that helps us understand the behavioral manifestations of attachment for these children, while considering the link with caregiving behavior and parental reflective functioning (PRF) can help to provide effective and efficient intervention leading to security and relational healing. This study examines the attachment patterns of 39 foster and adopted children (ages six to twelve) in the Modified Strange Situation Procedure (MSSP), with their caregivers. Association with caregiving patterns, PRF, and caregiver reported child behavior are analyzed using Pearson’s …

Tone Production, Musicianship Training, Repertoire Development, Performance Practice: A Pedagogical Overview Of Selected International Children's Choirs, Janet Hostetter

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Abstract

Directors of children’s choirs benefit greatly from understanding the pedagogical processes used in internationally-recognized children’s choirs. The sharing of ideas and resources among children’s choir directors is especially critical in the United States where diverse populations are the norm. Cross-cultural collaboration produces inspiration for new repertoire and exposes developing singers to the established performance practices upheld in choral communities of other nations. The effort to incorporate musical practices across regions builds meaningful relationships as directors and singers learn to understand, respect, and perform music of other lands. Finally, when children’s choir directors understand the pedagogical practices embraced by global …

Auditory And Somatosensory Pre-Pulse Inhibition In Mice, Anna Louthan

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Both hearing and somatosensation are sensory responses to vibrations, and here we show a way to investigate such mechanoreceptive psychophysics alone and in combination. Pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) is a well-known, unconditioned, and reflexive technique for measuring sensory thresholds with a wide variety of stimuli and laboratory animals. In this paper, we explore interactions between auditory and somatosensory PPI in normal mice. Fifteen C57/BL6J mice were tested three times each. Ages varied between one and six months. Testing followed published procedures from our lab and others, except the pre-pulses were auditory, somatosensory (vibration of the test chamber), or both. The auditory …

Perceived Principal Servant Leadership And Teacher Stress, Donald Harris

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Stress is one of the major factors in teacher attrition, a continuing problem in education. Further contributing to teacher stress are state and federal accountability measures, which put added pressure on schools and teachers to increase student performance. School leaders must navigate not only how to keep pace with these accountability practices, but how to do so in a manner that does not increase the stress on their teachers. To seek answers in how this might be accomplished, this paper investigates the relationship between perceived principal servant leadership characteristics and occupational stress in teachers. Data was collected using the Wilson …

Evaluating Rater Effects In The Context Of Ethical Reasoning Essay Assessment: An Application Of The Many-Facets Rasch Measurement Model, Madison A. Holzman

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Performance assessments are an often desired type of assessment due to their potential for alignment between the assessment and reality. However, due to the rater-mediated nature of scoring (Eckes, 2015), performance assessments have psychometric challenges that cannot be ignored in testing and assessment work. Specifically, performance assessment scores are prone to rater effects, or systematic differences in how raters evaluate performance assessment products (Myford & Wolfe, 2003). The purpose of this project was to evaluate ethical reasoning essay scores for rater effects. The Many-Facets Rasch Measurement (MFRM) model was used to evaluate ethical reasoning essay scores for rater leniency/severity effects, …

The Effects Of An Interprofessional Emergent Writing Intervention For Preschoolers, Danika L. Pfeiffer

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This pre-post design study explored the effects of an emergent writing interprofessional education (IPE) experience for preprofessional speech-language pathology (SLPs) and occupational therapy (OT) students. Six preprofessional SLP students and three preprofessional OT students participated in the study, which had two conditions: (a) unpaired SLPs, and (b) SLP and OT pairs. The preprofessional students delivered 8-10 emergent writing interventions to preschoolers in small groups. The preprofessional students’ learning about emergent writing concepts and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPP) was supported through structured debriefs with their clinical supervisors after each session, as well as facilitated discussions to discuss supplemental readings and their …

The Art Of Couple Satisfaction, Kristy Koser

Dissertations, 2014-2019

ABSTRACT

It is estimated 10-15% of women aged 20-45 or 1 in 4 to 6 couples are unable to get pregnant after one year of trying to conceive. This failure to conceive within 12 months without contraception meets the requirements for a diagnosis of infertility (Association for Reproductive Medicine [ASRM], 2014). With such a large percent of the United States population navigating the world of fertility treatment, the field of mental health must also evolve, offering new areas of specialty to address this specific client population. Couples face significant concerns while undergoing fertility treatment as they cope with complex decision-making, …

The Influence Of Engaging Centralized Student Support On The Academic Achievement Of Student Veterans, Paul Morgan

Dissertations, 2014-2019

As more veterans and service members enroll in higher education, institutions are investing greater resources in the establishment and enhancement of centers to support them. However, little is known about the outcomes associated with utilization of the centers. Furthermore, researchers have consistently aggregated veterans and service members under “student veterans” with little regard for potential differences. Using regression analyses and analysis of variance, this case study explored the effect of visits to a veterans center on grade point average (GPA), the effect of academic need on frequency of visits, and differences in academic achievement for different types of military-affiliated students. …

An Exploration Of A Mentoring Program On The Experiences Of African-American Students At A Predominately White Institution, Cierra Davis

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Many African-American college students face struggles that make a successful college career and retention difficult or impossible. Financial struggles, lack of preparation, racial climate on campus and nationally and absence of faculty of color plague the lives of students. Being an African-American student at a Predominately White Institution (PWI) can pose additional challenges. Many minority students report experiencing various acts of prejudice including lack of nurturing and resources to help them adjust successfully. Students also report the absence or scarcity of minorities in the faculty, curriculum and population as a barrier to connection, knowledge and support. Considering the important role …

Effectiveness Of High-Fidelity Human Patient Simulation In Learning To Manage Medically-Complex Infants, Erin Clinard

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Survival of preterm and medically-complex infants has dramatically increased over the past thirty years due to significant advances in medical care and technology, however the developmental costs of survival are substantial. Comprehensive care of premature babies is critical and there is a need for more neonatal therapists, including speech-language pathologists (SLPs), with the knowledge and confidence to provide that care.

Students in graduate SLP programs often receive little clinical experience or dedicated coursework in pediatric feeding and swallowing, especially with medically-complex infants. However, hands-on and experiential learning can support the development of the necessary foundational knowledge and confidence of students …