A Meditational Analysis Of Marital Quality And The Intergenerational Transmission Of Conflict And Support, Skye Suzanne Shelton

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Alabama Educators' Perceptions Of Electronically Delivered Professional Development Modules, Joel Wayne Mccay

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover which technological delivery media (web-based, CD-ROM, PDF documents as downloadable files for print from the Internet) Alabama public school educators select most often for delivery of their own professional development, as learning modules, why they select them, and whether or not they prefer those modes of professional development to the more traditional modes previously experienced. There were 28 participants in this study.

The questionnaire which attempted to assess the role of the media for delivery of professional development learning modules was specifically designed for this research. Demographic information collected from the 28 …

The Political Roles Of Presidential Children: Kennedy Through Clinton, Tabitha Alissa Warters

Doctoral Dissertations

Many facets of the institution of the presidency warrant examination. Individual presidents, cabinets, staffs, and first ladies have all been studied in-depth, but one aspect of the presidency remains fundamentally unexplored: the political activities of presidential children.

Role analysis using case studies was the method of examination used. Role analysis was the method used in early studies on first ladies and is replicated in this study on presidential children. The basic assumption is that all presidential children from Kennedy through Clinton have performed political roles. By examining the repeated political activities of the 24 presidential children, five political roles were …

Tennessee 4-H Center Summer Residential Camping Programs: Settings For Positive Youth Development As Perceived By Youth Campers, Jill T. Martz

Doctoral Dissertations

Adults involved in residential camping for children claim that the camp experience enhances children’s development in a variety of ways but there is little empirical research to document their claims. The purpose of this research was to explore the nature of the impact of residential camping on youth campers. The relationship between attributes of life skills practiced and the contextual features of the camp environment was the primary area of examination. The demographic variables of grade and gender were also examined to determine if significant differences in program effects existed.

The study population included fourth through sixth grade youth attending …

The Evidence Does Not Lie: A Forensic Investigation Program To Bridge The Gaps Between Crime Scene Investigation And Forensic Science, Jacqueline Trinkle Fish

Doctoral Dissertations

There is a heightened pubic awareness of the importance of forensic science to crime scene investigation. This study examined current graduate programs in forensic science and criminal justice in the United States to determine if higher education provides curricula that meets the needs of crime scene investigators.

Using data collected from an online questionnaire, interviews, and a literature review, the researcher examined the perceptions of 51 crime scene investigators and practitioners affiliated with the National Forensic Academy at The University of Tennessee. The data gathered was used to identify and rank the skills most important for accurate processing and collection …

The Role Of Self- And Functional Congruity On Online Retail Patronage Behavior, Minsung Kim

Doctoral Dissertations

Three research objectives were determined for this study. The first objective was to explore online store image using both qualitative and quantitative methods to compare traditional store image dimensions and online store image dimensions. The second objective was to explore the relationships among self-congruity, functional congruity, online retail patronage behavior, and the possible moderators between to two types of congruity and online retail patronage behavior. The last objective was to compare the observed relationships based on the second objective between two types of online retailers: General merchandise online retailers vs. Specialty online retailers.

To collect the data, in-depth interviews as …

Selected Perceptions Of Second Career Novice Teachers, Lucile Faulkner Maples

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain insight into the perceptions that second career novice teachers have about their preservice training and their preparedness for taking on the challenges of teaching during their first semester as “real” teachers. Through an increased understanding of novice teachers’ perceptions and experiences, teacher educators may be better equipped to structure preservice learning that is both relevant and meaningful for teacher education candidates.

Four second career novice teachers were involved in this study that spanned the first semester of teaching after their graduation from a fifteen-month alternative program. Qualitative methods of data collection …

Nutrition Education Intervention And Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes, Louise Patricia Grant

Doctoral Dissertations

The objectives of the current research were to assess the use and extent of nutrition intervention in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) substance abuse treatment (SAT) programs and to determine an association between nutrition intervention and SAT outcomes. The research was divided into three parts. A descriptive, single, cross­ sectional survey was developed and tested to measure associations with nutrition services and changes in Addiction Severity Index (ASI) domains. Nutrition services most likely to be offered included nutrition screening, nutrition assessment, nutrition education, drug­ nutrient interaction instruction, meal service, individualized supplemental feedings and physician-prescribed vitamin/mineral supplementation. Positive associations between individualized …

A Taxonomy Of Customer Dissatisfaction-Related Coping Tactics Based On Dissatisfaction-Related Goals, Andrew B. Artis

Doctoral Dissertations

Practitioners who want to strengthen their market position and avoid greater government regulation would benefit from research that helps them to effectively resolve the problems experienced by their customers. Unfortunately, research efforts to explore, understand, and ultimately predict the responses of dissatisfied customers have been sporadic and have failed to lead to a sustained program of research. This problem is due in part because classification and taxonomical issues have not been sufficiently resolved. Without a theoretically-supported method to categorize and differentiate the various ways that customers respond to dissatisfaction, research into this phenomenon will continue to be slow and erratic. …

An Analysis Of The End-Of-Life Choices Of Elderly Patients And Their Healthcare Providers At A Community Hospital In Tennessee, Elizabeth Harder Dobbins

Doctoral Dissertations

The Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 was expected to popularize the use of advance directives (living wills and durable powers of attorney for healthcare (DPOA-HC)). Since the law was passed, researchers have found that the use of the documents has not increased as expected and that the documents, when present, were not always respected by healthcare providers.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the end-of-life choices of elderly patients and their healthcare providers in a community hospital setting. The subjects of this study were 160 patients, aged 65 years and older, who died in a community hospital in …

Bad Is A Central Player In Cell Death And Cell Cycle Regulation In Breast Cancer Cells, Romaine Ingrid Fernando

Doctoral Dissertations

BAD is a Central Player in Cell Death and Cell Cycle Regulation in Breast Cancer Cells

The estrogen, 17-b estradiol (E2) can stimulate proliferation or induce differentiation or death depending on the cell context. In MCF 7 cells, an estrogen receptor (ER) positive human breast cancer cell line, E₂ has been shown to stimulate cell proliferation and may have an anti-apoptotic effect. E₂ rapidly activates mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in mammalian cells in an ER dependent fashion. The mechanisms underlying and the physiological significance of the signaling through MAPK remain to be determined. This signal pathway may …

The Quality Of Black Legislative Life: Perceptions Of Black And White City Councilors At The Beginning Of The New Millennium, Gregory Glen Neddenriep

Doctoral Dissertations

Although scholars have become increasingly interested in the black legislative experience, they have largely overlooked black city councilors and the environment in which they serve. I utilize two nation-wide surveys to address this gap in the literature. I sent one survey to black city councilors in 2002 and the other to their white counterparts in 2003. The two instruments were similar in content and question wording so that I could compare the two groups in terms of their perceptions and personal profiles.

My data show that the two sets of councilors generally have similar backgrounds and profiles. However, their perceptions …

Nutrition Education Intervention And Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes, Louise Patricia Grant

Doctoral Dissertations

The objectives of the current research were to assess the use and extent of nutrition intervention in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) substance abuse treatment (SAT) programs and to determine an association between nutrition intervention and SAT outcomes. The research was divided into three parts. A descriptive, single, cross-sectional survey was developed and tested to measure associations with nutrition services and changes in Addiction Severity Index (ASI) domains. Nutrition services most likely to be offered included nutrition screening, nutrition assessment, nutrition education, drugnutrient interaction instruction, meal service, individualized supplemental feedings and physician-prescribed vitamin/mineral supplementation. Positive associations between individualized and group-nutrition …

Multicultural Initiatives At Aca Colleges, Cara Everett Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations

This study, conducted in two phases, examined the extent and scope of multicultural initiatives at Appalachian College Association (ACA) colleges and the experiences of 15 students, faculty and staff members, and administrators at one predominantly white college in central Appalachian. In the first phase, data was gathered by surveys completed by a random sample of ACA faculty. The purpose of the survey was 1) to examine the extent and scope of multicultural initiatives at ACA schools, and 2) to select one ACA College where a qualitative study of multicultural initiatives could be conducted. The survey findings offer demographic and descriptive …

Forgiveness And Rumination: Their Relationship And Effects On Psychological And Physical Health, Kimberly A. Edmondson

Doctoral Dissertations

Forgiveness has recently become a popular focus of research in psychology. In addition to philosophical and theological explorations, psychologists have extended the study of forgiveness into physical and psychological health. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between forgiveness and rumination, as well as the associations among these two factors, health and acute physiological responses. Sixty females participated in a betrayal narrative as well as a rumination period. Two measures of state forgiveness, one measure of trait forgiveness, and two measures of trait rumination were used. Blood pressure and cortisol reactivity were assessed. State forgiveness was associated …

Online Atmospherics: An Investigation Of Feeling And Internet Purchase Intention, Kelly Price Rankin

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the online atmospheric cues of color and music and their impact upon feeling, attitude and purchase intention of consumers in the online environment. The research design was experimental and used data from a questionnaire. A pilot test of the instrument was conducted. The final questionnaire contained 39 items and a demographic section. A total of 200 questionnaires were collected. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups. Each group of 50 participants was exposed to a specific set of online atmospheric elements. The results indicated that Hypotheses 1, 3 and 4 were rejected while Hypotheses 2 …

Insulin Sensitivity And The Onset Of Hyperphagia In Fatty Rats, Holiday Agnes Durham

Masters Theses

Hyperphagia emerges suddenly after 22 days of age in Zucker fatty (fa/fa) rats, and fatties become visibly obese within days. This rapid increase in growth rate is likely to be associated with substantial changes in glucose metabolism. The objective of these experiments was to determine the relationship between insulin resistance and the onset of hyperphagia. Insulin tolerance tests showed that fatties were remarkably insulin resistant prior to the onset of hyperphagia, hyperinsulinemia, and obesity, but become as insulin sensitive as their lean littermates after the onset of hyperphagia. Furthermore, fatties became increasingly insulin resistant prior to the onset of …

Cultural Identities Of Chinese American Adolescents, Yan Cao

Masters Theses

This study examines the cultural identities of five Chinese American adolescents in a Chinese school in a southern city of the United States. This is a story of how the informal Sunday Chinese school setting, the regular school settings, the Chinese American community and the family shaped the identities of these Chinese American adolescents. It is a story of how they deal with two different cultures (American & Chinese culture) in everyday life and how they give meanings to their lives.

This study employs the qualitative research method and ethnographic tradition. Using data collected from interviews, observations, and a literature …

Personal Narrative Views Of Mothers And Their Children: Setting Events For Mother-Child Interactions?, Meredith P. Schwartzman

Masters Theses

The personal narratives of mothers and children were examined for coherence and richness. Both were assessed for commonalities in narrative structure and possible links to mother’s responsiveness to child’s aversion behaviors. Narrative structure was empirically manipulated to assess changes on responsiveness and child negativity. A sample of thirty mother-child dyads were recruited for participation from normal populations and ten mother-dyads were recruited through the University of Tennessee Psychological Clinic. Measures include the Child Behavior Checklist 9CBCL; Achenback & Edelbrock, 1983), Personal Narrative (Castlebury & Wahler, 1997), and the Standardized Observation Codes-Revised (SOC-R, see Cerezo, 1988). Mother and child narratives were …

Paternal Involvement: Effects On Delinquency, Porche' Teshia Wynn

Masters Theses

Despite the numerous research studies published regarding the influence of parenting on delinquent behavior, there is yet a clear understanding of how fathers’ parenting practices specifically influence behaviors. Because the majority of previous studies have solely focused on how mothers’ parenting practices affect adolescent behavioral outcomes, research has failed at specifically defining characteristics of fathers’ parenting practices and their influence on behaviors. Because this has been a debatable topic of research for several years, the purpose of the present study is to determine if fathers’ involvement, in the adolescent years, contributes to more favorable behaviors than when fathers are not …

“Participation And Life Skill Development Of The Tennessee Junior Livestock Skillathon Programs, Amy Margaret Powell

Masters Theses

This study examined the Tennessee Junior Livestock Skillathon Program and its objectives. Research was conducted to determine what motivates or deters youth participation, how youth prepare for the skillathon and life skill development in the areas of communication, critical thinking and self-confidence. A self-developed, eleven question, likert scale survey was mailed to 200 randomly selected youth that exhibited livestock in the 2003 Tennessee Junior Livestock beef, sheep or market hog shows. Fifty-two percent (112) participants responded.

Youth that participate in the skillathon do so because they want to see how much they know about their project and they felt the …

Berlin’ Movies In Post-Wende Berlin And Germany, Alissa Hope Nesbitt

Masters Theses

Historian David Large concludes his narrative study of modern Berlin by questioning how Germans can come to term with their new national identity. He suggests that the renewed political and social emphasis on Berlin may be key: “It might just be that Berlin, the city where the Germans have experienced the peaks and depths of their national experience, can help to show the way” (Large 647). One of the ways to see how Berlin and the German identity are interlocked is in the cinema, due to its influence on collective consciousness. Furthermore, films can also serve as a valid and …

Attitudes Of Resident Assistants Toward Homosexuality And Gay And Lesbian Students: A Study At A Southeastern Research University, Melissa Scandlyn Smith

Masters Theses

This purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of resident assistants at a large southeastern research university towards homosexuality and gay and lesbian students, as well as about the training they received on dealing with the issues that these students face. Attitudes in this descriptive census study were collected from 133 respondents by the distribution of a quantitative survey that utilized a Likert scale. In addition to their attitudes, the resident assistants were also asked to provide their gender, the amount of prior experience they had with lesbians or gay males, and the number of years they had …

Does Alliance Formation Between National Labor Unions And National Environmental Organizations Exist?, David Foster Steele

Doctoral Dissertations

Does alliance formation between national labor unions and national environmental organizations exist? Seven national labor unions and seven national environmental organizations that are representative of the two movements are selected for examination by this study to address this question. The project gathers and analyzes three types of data: documents on the web sites of the selected organizations, interviews with high ranked officials from many of the organizations examined and the hyperlinks or web links from each organization’s web page. An analysis of the document of the web sites and interviews with high ranking officials identifies three issues that national labor …

Mother-Loss: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Experience Of Losing A Mother, Catherine Trayer Shafer

Doctoral Dissertations

The death of a mother can be devastating to a child. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore the experience of early maternal loss for adult women who were younger than 4 years old when their mothers died. This study focused on the phenomenon as it was perceived by these women and how the loss has impacted their lives across time. The theoretical frameworks used to guide this study were attachment theory, symbolic interaction theory and family stress midrange theory, and risk and resilience midrange theory. An adult women who has grown up without a mother indeed may …

The Effect Of Official College Athletic Web Sites On The Job Of Division I Sports Information Directors, Karen J. Bielak

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of official college athletic Web sites on the job of Division I sports information directors. Specifically, it focused on how often the site is updated, who is responsible for performing that duty, and whether a position has been created solely for the purpose of maintain the Web site. The target population included all 327 Division I sports information directors. Directors from Division I schools were chosen because of the high probability that their school maintains an official Web site that it has had an impact on the sports information director …

The Effects Of Nursing Back Rub On Pain And Wound Cytokines And The Relationship Between Pre-Cabg Mood And Post-Cabg Wound Cytokines, Kathlene D. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations

This study, guided by psychoneuroimmunology theory, examined the effects of a 10-minute nursing back rub in 20 coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients on pain and four proinflammatory wound cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α). It also examined the relationships between the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the proinflammatory cytokines. A control group (n = 8) received time with the researcher, and an experimental group (n = 12) received a slow stroke effleurage back rub. All participants initially completed the POMS and after surgery, wound fluid was collected from the mediastinal chest tube before and after the intervention. Analysis …

Networker 2004 Fall Issue, Commission For Women

The Networker

No abstract provided.

Interface, Fall 2004, School Of Information Sciences

Interface Newsletter

The School of Information Sciences has been awarded a $446,988 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to provide models to help librarians maximize their use of data on the use of electronic resources.

Dr. Carol Tenopir, the principal investigator on the three-year grant, will work with Gayle Baker and SIS graduate Eleanor Read of UT Libraries, Donald W. King, at the University of Pittsburgh, and SIS students to help librarians compare different ways of collecting data about how their users use electronic resources. Along with analyzing data collections, they will examine levels and techniques of …

Footnotes (2004), Department Of History

Footnotes

No abstract provided.