Digital Commons Network^™

Validation Of A Brazilian Portuguese Measure Of Family Resources In A Sample Of Parents To Children With Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome, Sarah Barker Ladd

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In the aftermath of the 2015 Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, thousands of children and their families continue to face challenges associated with Congenital Zika Syndrome, a developmental condition associated with microcephaly and other serious birth defects affecting the central nervous system. Family-centered rehabilitative care is critical to optimize the trajectories of children who have significant developmental disabilities like CZS. These services involve assessing for the presence of family resources that may help to promote positive outcomes for children. Little is known regarding family resources in the context of caring for a child with CZS in Brazil due to the …

The Evaluation Of Comprehensibility In Non-Native English Speakers, Quianna Javernick

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As of 2020, accent modification instruction was added to a speech-language pathologist's Scope of Practice. This elective service is for individuals who wish to change or modify their speech patterns to increase speech clarity. In developing assessment and instructional programs geared towards accent modification instruction, considerations must be made for the listener and the speaker. A range of accent modification assessment materials and instruction programs currently exist. The purpose of this study was to determine if a simplified Likert-type rating scale, ranging from "not comprehensible" to "comprehensibility unaffected," could serve as a quick tool to measure a non-native English speaker's …

Neurobehavioral Correlates Associated With Melodic Intonation Therapy For Adults With Nonfluent Aphasia, Caitlin Norquist

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Recent trends in neuroimaging, as it relates to the field of communication disorders, have shed new light on the nature of neuroplasticity and reorganization of brain function as it pertains to recovery from nonfluent aphasia following Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT). However, demographic limitations in these client populations necessitate synthesis across individual studies to form meaningful patterns for application to clinical practice. We conducted a systematic review of all studies involving pre-and post-treatment neurological and behavioral measures following MIT treatment for adults with nonfluent aphasia. Ten studies were identified for synthesis involving a variety of languages, treatment conditions, and neuroimaging and …

Understanding The Needs And Knowledge Base Of Developing Speech-Language Pathology Programs: A Preliminary Mixed Methods Survey In The United States, Elaine Williams

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The field of speech-language pathology provides important rehabilitation services for communication and swallowing disorders. Unfortunately, these services are lacking around the world, specifically in Majority countries, formally known as third world countries. This is significant given the high proportion of people with disabilities in Majority countries. While speech-language pathology services are actively being introduced to these areas, it is often with the inappropriate transfer of Minority world values. In an effort to provide a less biased and more formal approach to collaborating with countries requesting help to establish speech-language pathology services, the author of this thesis is proposing a process …

Belonging: A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Communication Coaching Workshops On Participation And Self-Esteem For International Students With Non-Native Accents At The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Michaela Reddel

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The current study explored survey results of 17 participants who were international students with accents at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. These participants participated in a communication workshop hosted by the researcher who is a Speech-Language Pathology graduate student. The Acculturation Model (Berry, 1997), the work by Dai and Chen (2014) in Intercultural Communication Competence, and evidence-based practices from the field of Speech-Language Pathology informed the creation of this study and the workshops. The workshops were designed for participants to learn various communication strategies with the purpose of increasing communication participation and self-esteem. The goal of increasing these two constructs was …

Honorable Firsts: The Experience Of First-Generation Students In Honors Programs, Kali S. Lenhoff Sloup

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This constructivist, qualitative research study explored the experiences of first-generation students in honors programs and colleges. This study seeks to fill a gap in the literature regarding students who are both first-generation students and enrolled in honors programs. First-generation students are estimated to be 56% of the college student population (RTI International, 2019), but only 28.6% of the honors student population (National Collegiate Honors Council’s Admissions, Retention, and Completion Survey as cited by Mead, 2018). Two, semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant. The participants in this study included one current student and four recent alumni who were first-generation students …

Exploring Supervisor Experiences Of Hope In Clinical Supervision: A Phenomenological Approach, Robert Byrom Jr.

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Supervisory experiences have been identified as one of the primary resources for the clinical training of psychotherapists with respect to both the development of necessary skills and the ability to cope with encountered difficulties. This phenomenological study explored the experiences of clinical supervisors in a current supervisory relationship with one or more supervisees. Specifically, this study explored how supervisors experience their supervisory relationships, how supervisors conceptualize hope as it relates to supervision, how supervisors express hope for their supervisees, and how supervisors promote hope within supervision. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with between 3 to 15 individuals recruited from counseling psychology …

The Effects Of Bilingual Education On Dual Language Learners' Academic Outcomes, Lauren Thayer

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The population of dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States continues to grow. As the population grows, so does the need to research their unique development. Additionally, considerations for their education come to the forefront. This meta-analysis will analyze one option for DLLs – bilingual education programs. These programs offer the opportunity for DLLs to receive educational support in both of their languages. However, there has been controversy over the division of languages; specifically, concerns that children will not become proficient in the language of majority (e.g., English). This meta-analysis seeks to aggregate research on the effects of bilingual …

Estimating School-Level Achievement In Belize, Betty Jean Usher-Tate

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation consists of five chapters: introduction, literature review, methodology, results, and discussion with final thoughts. The research design of this dissertation study attended to structures, cultures, and characteristics associated with, and specific to, the Belize education system. The processes for data collection and types of analyses were appropriate, yielded meaningful results, and served as a segue for national application. The Belize Educator Survey was developed to capture the educators’ voices and illuminate their relationship to educational achievement in Belize. The Belize Educator Survey was piloted and revised with direct input from educators and experts who work in the Belize …

Well-Being In Trans And Gender Diverse Individuals: An Investigation Of Chosen Family Support, Kendal Cassidy

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Trans and gender diverse (TGD) individuals experience unique minority stressors that increase their experiences of psychological distress, and prior research has suggested social support may have protective factors for these unique stressors (Başar et al., 2016; Bockting et al., 2013; Clements-Nolle et al., 2006; Hull & Ortyl, 2018; Pflum et al., 2015; Lombardi et al., 2002; Staples et al., 2018; Tebbe & Moradi, 2016); however, little is understood about chosen family for TGD populations, and how chosen family might relate to minority stressors and mental health. It is also understood that mental illness and well-being reside on separate continuum, but …

Experiencing Voice-Activated Artificial Intelligence Assistants In The Home: A Phenomenological Approach, Valerie K. Jones

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Voice-controlled artificial intelligence (AI) assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Assistant, serve as the gateway to the Internet of Things and connected home, executing the commands of its users, providing information, entertainment, utility, and convenience while enabling consumers to bypass the advertising they would typically see on a screen. This “screen-less” communication presents significant challenges for brands used to “pushing” messages to audiences in exchange for the content they seek. It also raises questions about data collection, usage, and privacy. Brands need to understand how and why audiences engage with AI assistants, as well as the risks with these …

Individualized Instruction In Letter Name Identification For A Student With Cortical Visual Impairment, Holli Luff

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Students with cortical visual impairment (CVI) have difficulties participating in literacy activities and the reading process. An evidenced-based curriculum was adapted and modified to teach letter naming to a student with CVI. A multiple probe design was used to determine whether the instruction was effective with a student with CVI and if instruction in letter identification support identification of letter sounds for a student with cortical visual impairment. There was a functional relationship between the explicit instruction and the students immediately recorded correct responses, but the skill was not maintained.

Advisor: Mackenzie Savaiano

Speech-Language Pathologists' Assessment And Treatment Of Dementia: A Mixed Methods Study, Alyssa Mount

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The intent of this research was to investigate how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are assessing and treating people with dementia (PWD). To examine this the researcher first completed a literature review to determine prominent evaluation and treatment procedures for dementia. Then the researcher set out to identify whether there was a gap between the external evidence found in the literature and the practice patterns of SLPs, and subsequently attempt to delineate potential reasons for the differences.

Using a mixed-method design, the researcher conducted 10 phone interviews and 114 SLPs participated in an online survey. The researcher engaged in grounded theory coding …

The Domain-General And Domain-Specific Profiles Of Computation And Problem-Solving Difficulties, Xin Lin

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of the study was to explore the domain-general and domain-specific profile of two important mathematics difficulties. Three domain-general measures (working memory, processing speed, reasoning), and three domain-specific measures (language comprehension, mathematics vocabulary, math fluency) were completed among 125 Chinese 4^th grade students. Of these 125 students, 28 were classified as students with only calculation difficulties (CD), 34 were classified as having problem-solving difficulties (PD), 20 were classified as students with calculation and problem-solving difficulties (CPD), and 43 were typically developing (TD) peers. Multivariate analysis showed that, compared to TD, CD was associated with weakness in working memory …

Effects Of Implicit Bias On Teachers’ Expectations Of Student Relationships, Colin Michael Mcginnis

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Numerous studies have considered the implications of child characteristics such as race and gender on the relationships with and expectations of students held by teachers. Yet, few studies among this body of research have focused on using direct measures of implicit associations held by teachers, and considered how these implicit beliefs may impact their interactions with students. The present study examined differences in teachers’ expectations of relationships and likelihood to intervene in typical and disruptive behaviors as a result of differing race and gender of students. Results indicated that teachers report being less tolerant of Black student’s disruptive behavior than …

“A Doctor Is Less Valuable Than A Working Truck”: A Phenomenological Study Exploring International Immersion Experiences Of Primary Care Physicians Trained In The U.S., Julie M. Shasteen

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This phenomenological study describes the experiences of primary care physicians trained in the United States who participated in an international clinical immersion rotation during medical school or residency. Five central themes emerge relating to their experience: (a) Participants chose the international rotation for developmental purposes. (b) The lifestyle in their destination country was different than in the U.S., and this had an impact on participants. (c) There were positive outcomes for participants and their future practice. (d) Harmful external forces (at the rotation site) shortened patients’ lifespans and had a negative impact on their quality of life. And, (e) participants …

Cultural Self-Identification Among Extension Educators' And Cultural Competence In Cooperative Extension, Ruddy Y. Benavides

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As immigration and globalization are increasing, the number of people in our country who speak more than one language is also increasing (Center for Public Education, 2012). These trends are creating needs for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students and families in schools, specifically, the need for culturally responsive pedagogy and culturally competent teachers. In addition to formal educational contexts, non-formal educational contexts such as Cooperative Extension need to adapt to cultural changes as well. The purpose of this study was to explore the personal beliefs and professional experiences of present Extension Educators (EEs), and the techniques they practice in …

An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Examination Of Empathy And Multiple Intelligences Among Youth Involved In Bullying, Heather Schwartz

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Bullying is a significant issue among school-aged youth, and it is important to examine the underlying mechanisms of these behaviors. Studies have shown that one characteristic found among some children who bully is a lack of empathy. Previous literature examining empathy and bullying has typically relied on the use of self-report data. Few studies have included other ways of evaluating empathy. Self-report data can be limiting, particularly for individuals who possess strengths other than verbal/linguistic. Drawings have been found to reveal insight into children’s emotions and may be more suited to assessing empathy. Studying children’s drawings of bullying, and their …

Parent-Teacher Relationships And Communication In Early Childhood: A Comparative, Mixed Methods Study Of White And Ethnic-Racial Minority Parents, Kimberly A. Blitch

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This explanatory sequential mixed methods study compared parents’ and teachers’ perceptions and experiences regarding (a) parent-teacher relationships and (b) parent-teacher communication according to parents’ ethnicities and races. Non-matched, quantitative data about parent-teacher relationships were collected from parents (White and ethnic-racial minority) and teachers (those reporting on their relationships with either White or ethnic-racial minority parents) at two early childhood programs (N = 72). Twenty-four participants were observed during morning and afternoon transitions (child drop-off and pick-up). Thirteen participants were then interviewed, as well as each early childhood program director. Analyses of co/variance were used to analyze the quantitative data. …

Psychological Factors That Underlie Hazing Perceptions: A Mixed Methods Study, Jenna Strawhun

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The quantitative phase of this mixed-methods study examined psychological predictors, including previous bullying involvement, moral disengagement, the need to belong, and their influence on students’ perceptions of hypothetical hazing behaviors. The following qualitative phase was used to explain and contextualize Phase I results through an understanding of the psychological processes related to participants’ constructed meanings of their experiences as perpetrators, witnesses, and/or victims of bullying and hazing. Study participants for Phase I and Phase II included undergraduate students enrolled in psychology courses who participated in the study for research credit. Phase II participants also received a $25.00 gift card as …

The Moderating Role Of The Home Environment And Parenting Beliefs On The Early Achievement Outcomes Of Children With Difficult Temperaments, Kenji R. Madison

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study examined the relationship of children’s temperamental attention and activity (at 4-and-a-half years old) and proximal processes (parenting beliefs) and home environment in relation to children’s achievement outcomes. Emphasis was placed on the moderating role of the home environment and parenting beliefs on the relationship between children’s temperament (activity and attention level) and their academic achievement. The use of regression analyses specified that children’s activity and attention were associated with achievement in reading and mathematics at 4-and-a-half years and reading, mathematics, and phonics achievement in the 1^st grade. Analyses also depicted home environment and parenting as associated with …

Sources Of Self-Efficacy Information For Writing: A Qualitative Inquiry, Mary E. Holmes

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explored the sources of information that inform students’ self-efficacy beliefs in the area of writing. A qualitative phenomenological case study approach was use to capture the experiences of gifted middle school students.

Writing is a critical skill for success in school and beyond, and many students in the United States are not able to adequately write extended texts (Bruning & Horn, 2000; National Center for Education Statistics, 2012). Understanding students’ motivation for engaging with writing might provide insight into how to better support students’ experience with writing in school. Self-efficacy is a key construct within motivation, and it …

Unpacking Conjoint Behavioral Consultation: Predictors And Conditions That Support Parent-Teacher Relationships, Shannon R. Holmes

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Empirical support confirms interventions with the goal of building partnerships between families and schools are effective methods for addressing childhood social-behavioral concerns and academic delays (for reviews see Jeynes, 2012). Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC; Sheridan & Kratochwill, 2008) is a problem-solving based intervention that seeks to remediate childhood behavior problems by enhancing working relationships between parents and teachers. CBC consistently yields positive effects for children, families, and teachers (Sheridan, Eagle, Cowan, & Mickelson, 200; Sheridan et al., 2012; Sheridan et al., in submission; Sheridan, Ryoo, Garbacz, Kunz, & Chumney, 2013) and these outcomes are achieved through supportive parent-teacher relationships (Sheridan …

Shame And Resilience Among Mental Health Trainees: A Scale Construction Study, Claire T. Hauser

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Contemporary research has revitalized interest in the construct of shame, and the pervasive nature with which it impacts psychological functioning. It has been argued that mental health professionals encounter shame regularly in the therapeutic milieu and must be equipped to assist clients in developing shame resilience. The process of learning to provide shame attendant therapy begins during graduate training, as mental health trainees (MHTs) gain first hand experience with feeling shame through the evaluative nature of the training process. Although shame in the MHT role has been discussed in prior literature, it is difficult to study due to lacking instrumentation. …

Tacit Cultural Knowledge: An Instrumental Qualitative Case Study Of Mixed Methods Research In South Africa, Debra Rena Miller

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Notwithstanding the dramatic expansion of mixed methods research, research methodologies, methods, and findings are culturally situated. Problematically, studies conducted outside the global north often embrace canonical methodologies aimed at understanding concepts more explicit than tacit. Learning about the needs of researchers and participants in South Africa may bring to light taken-for-granted assumptions in Anglo-American orientations of mixed methods. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore aspects of tacit cultural knowledge that contextualize mixed methods research in South Africa.

In-person interviews among South African professors as well as a corpus of books, sections, journal articles, and theses informed the …

Children's Implicit Beliefs About Intelligence, Carly Champagne

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Young children are commonly perceived as highly optimistic and confident, and therefore seldom arouse concern as to how they are impacted by academic failure. However, there is evidence to suggest that young children can indeed be negatively affected by failure experiences. Implicit theories of intelligence can provide individuals with a framework by which to perceive failure, though little is known about when these theories begin to develop. The current study explores whether children as young as three and a half to four years of age demonstrate patterns indicative of incremental or entity theories of intelligence as a response to challenge …

Parent-Teacher Relationships Across Community Types, Amanda Witte

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Children with social-behavioral problems are at high risk for developing long-term, pervasive adjustment problems. Home–school relationships may be critical to alleviating the negative effects of behavior problems and to fostering student success. The environment or community in which homes and schools are situated represents an important influence on the home–school relationship. Despite the evidence supporting positive parent–teacher relationships and the association between community context and educational practices and student outcomes, little is known about the relation between community context and parent–teacher relationships. The manner in which cumulative risk factors and child behavior problems influence the link between community type and …

Student Experiences Of The Community College Developmental Writing Classroom, Janet Kirchner

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The low success rate of students in community college developmental education classes has caused not only institutions and their instructors but also those outside of the classroom to search for alternative programs and delivery methods to improve student outcomes. As college completion rates become increasingly tied to state funding, many community colleges are re-thinking their programs, considering acceleration of coursework, learning communities, and supplemental instruction as replacements for the traditional developmental sequence. While these programs have shown success in some community colleges, much of the research is quantitative in nature and based on completion rates. The purpose of this study …

Community College Pathways: A Narrative Inquiry With One Student, Philip Ross

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Developmental education is a field that has a long history in higher education in the United States. Some have called it remedial education, but the field promotes a pedagogy that addresses what it claims is broader in the development of the whole person, his or cognitive, social/behavioral, and vocational growth. This study, set in a Midwestern community college, acknowledges the absence of recognition of the role of developmental education in higher education and responds to a lack of qualitative research in this area. A six-month study using narrative inquiry results in the documentary Crossroads Community College: Flying Solo and following …

Perceptions Of Positive Youth Development Experiences Related To Rural Hispanic Youth Academic Success, Jill A. Goedeken

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding the struggles rural Hispanic youth face academically, learning more about their perceptions of positive youth development experiences relating to their academic success connects the essence of the two experiences. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore rural Hispanic youths’ perceptions of positive youth development experiences as they relate to their academic success. The phenomenological design was chosen to explore the essence of the shared experiences of positive youth development experiences among rural Hispanic youth in the Columbus, Nebraska, community. To understand a possible perceived connection between positive youth development experiences to academic success, 28 Hispanic youth from …