Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring A Tailored Approach For Coordinated Early Intervening Services ( Ceis ) Designed To Address Struggling General Education Students Targeted For Special Education, Denise Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative causal-comparative study examined whether early recuperativeDepartment of Education (DOE) Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) could significantly impact the number of underperforming general education students targeted for special education services resulting from not meeting Math and Reading grade-level state standards. Approximately 1400+ students were randomly selected from several elementary, middle, and high schools and enrolled for four years in CEIS in the Equliebeh School District. This study's findings were generated in response to several research questions that provided valuable insights into CEIS factors that impacted students' academic performance within the context of its programming. For instance, although some data …

The Accuracy Of Expected Goals In The Premier League, Max Mian

Economics Student Theses and Capstone Projects

Expected Goals are an analytical tool used in soccer which have picked up a lot of value in recent years. They are used to asses teams' quality to create goal scoring opportunities and converting them. Expected goals are commonly used at the end of games to give further insight on who deserved to win based off their goal scoring chances that they had or gave up. In this thesis I am researching the accuracy of expected goals predicting teams finishing position in the Premier League 2014-15 season. This thesis will show of expected goals and expected goals against in a …

An Analysis Of Nfl Betting Strategies: A Look Into High Value Bets, Brady Trenchard

Economics Student Theses and Capstone Projects

This paper uses data from NFL games throughout the 2013-2019 seasons and analyzes the profitability of several correlated parlays and straight bets. Independent variables such as temperature, wind, prime time, and divisional game status were incorporated. Using OLS regression analysis, several strategies are presented that would have been profitable throughout the sample period. Results suggested that wagers on the under in divisional games with high wind were profitable. Furthermore, it was profitable to wager on a home favorite and over parlay in prime time and non-divisional games. Results also indicated it was profitable to wager on a home underdog and …

How Does A Player's Involvement In Their National Team Given Their Ethnicity Affect Their Market Valuation In The Top-Five Leagues?, Kamal Ibrahim

Economics Student Theses and Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates player involvement in national team and how it effects their market valuation as it relates to ethnicity. Previous research has evaluated other factors that affect player market valuation such as age and position. However, this paper seeks to see if there are discriminatory effects on player market pricing based on a player’s ethnic origins. The three ethnic regions of focus for this paper are South America, African, and Europe. The focus of this paper is to determine whether European players are favored in relation to the other two regions of the world. Regression models consider player …

Navigating Generosity: A Comparative Analysis Of Charitable Donations Around The Great Recession Of 2008, Micah Blomberg

Economics Student Theses and Capstone Projects

This paper studies donations to non-profit organizations in the US and how they reacted to The Great Recession of 2008. I find statistically significant drop-offs in multiple donative subcategories, including religion, education, human services, public society benefits, and arts, culture, and humanities, making up over 50% of total donations. Donation levels after the 2008 crash tend to be slightly downward sticky, meaning the rate of increase is larger after the treatment effect. These increased rates of return allow for market correction post-recession but still reveal a deadweight loss when comparing trends in OLS betas before and after the recession, meaning …

Childhood Sexual Abuse And The Role Of Experiential Avoidance In College Alcohol Use, Regina Montes

Honors Capstones

Childhood trauma has been related in numerous studies to maladaptive behavior as well as risky behaviors in adulthood, such as alcohol use. However, few studies have focused specifically on the relationship between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and alcohol use. Moreover, experiential avoidance has been shown to be an important factor in poor behavioral outcomes in young adults with a history of childhood trauma. The present study explores experiential avoidance as a mediating factor of the relationship between CSA and alcohol severity in college students. Data for this current investigation was collected as a part of a larger study of undergraduate …

Exploring Early Language Acquisition Through English And French, Rebecca C. Aguilar

Honors Capstones

Knowing that there is no singular event that leads to learning a language, and factoring in the extent an individual’s culture can affect language learning, this study emphasizes the importance of a cross-linguistic approach to continue to broaden the scope of language acquisition research. The primary objective is to identify and analyze the critical commonalities in the initial stages of learning English and French as first languages through two major categories: speech/language and culture. This project carried out an analytical review of 24 pieces of relevant literature, in both languages, in an effort to highlight key findings. Those findings include: …

Culturally Responisve Teaching Practices To Support Students With Visual Imapirments, Genesis C. Miranda

Honors Capstones

This project examines education for children with visual impairments and those from racial, cultural, and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Taken separately, they result in a unique educational experience for the individual. This projedct also looks at the intersection of visual impairment and diversity and how students who fall within these groups are taught. The value of culturally responsive teaching practices is presented and applied to teaching children with vision loss to provide educators with strategies to create inclusive environments that promote learning and empowerment.

Neuroinflammation Levels Measured By Microglial Cell Activation, Emma G. Whitlock, Linda S. Yasui

Honors Capstones

Neuroinflammation is an inflammatory response in the brain that can be caused by different stressors such as diseases and/or external factors such as traumatic brain injuries. It is important to note duration and intensity of neuroinflammation levels when determining the impacts of these stressors to the brain environment. During neuroinflammation, a type of immune cell that becomes activated in the brain is called microglial cells. Microglial cells play a role in progression of the pathophysiological effects from the brain stressor. Studying changes in microglial cell shape provides evidence of the degree of neuroinflammation in the brain. Researchers can quantify neuroinflammation …

Addressing Stroke Care Disparities Through Patient Education, Christina Annerino

Honors Capstones

It has been found across current studies and evaluations of stroke care and patient outcomes that there is a disparity in disability and mortality between male and female patients who have experienced stroke. The aforementioned studies did not identify the cause of this disparity, although a number of hypotheses for this phenomenon were provided. This study then conducted a preliminary survey of 130 participants, both men and women, aged 18-80 years old, to evaluate potential barriers to accessing stroke care and receiving treatment effectively. Preliminary survey data demonstrated consistent gaps in knowledge related to stroke risks, stroke symptoms, and when …

Toilet Training And Teaching Self-Initiations To Children With Autism Who Use Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Darcy A. Douglass

Honors Capstones

Within this project, we address the challenges faced by individuals, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), during toilet training, which often takes longer than neurotypical children. Practitioners who use traditional methods often overlook teaching children how to request bathroom use, especially among those who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. Drawing from literature and expert recommendations, we summarize the importance of teaching independence in bathroom use for children with complex communication needs by incorporating their AAC devices when teaching toilet training.

Inspired by Perez et al. (2020), who demonstrated positive responses from individuals with ASD to reinforcement-based procedures, …

A Multi-State Look Into Early Intervention Speech-Language Pathologists’ Confidence Identifying And Diagnosing Autism, Adelaide Parr

Honors Capstones

Although autism can be reliably diagnosed by 18 months of age, long wait times and limited access to qualified providers prevent families from obtaining diagnostic services. Trained speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are qualified to diagnose autism, ideally as part of a multidisciplinary team. SLPs working on early intervention (EI) teams are well-situated to help close this diagnostic wait time gap. The purpose of this survey study was to explore EI SLPs’ experiences serving autistic children on their caseloads, confidence in identifying and diagnosing autism, and potential barriers/facilitators to increasing diagnostic confidence and decreasing wait times. 287 EI SLPs from 23 states …

Building A Business: A Close-Knit Relationship Between Marketing & Entrepreneurship, Gabrielle O. Ysteboe

Honors Capstones

This project explores how best to build a knit blanket business with respect to several parameters including market research to determine price point, where to sell the product, with options including Etsy, brick and mortar, larger retail stores, personal website, craft fairs, and pop-up retail locations, and determining the target market and demographics, which will shape the marketing strategy to be used. It shows the ties between the 4 P's of marketing and entrepreneurship. Through surveys and primary research, data was found that allowed for one option for business placement to come out on top. It also allowed for the …

Test Anxiety Inflation, Brian Podkulski, David P. Valentiner

Honors Capstones

Mental health conditions are higher than ever worldwide, despite best efforts to increase public awareness and deliver informed solutions. To account for this rise, some suggested models argue that measures taken to ameliorate mental health problems are actually contributing to their inflation through iatrogenic effects. The current proposed study seeks to identify the possibility of iatrogenic effects on test anxiety as a product of psychoeducational material. The scope of this study includes the immediate effects of viewing a typical short-form informational video on core and adjacent symptoms of test anxiety. Participants will engage with our study entirely through an online …

Detection Of Unauthorized Transmissions In A Frequency Spectrum Using A Wireless Sensor Network, Benjamin Roehrig, Joel Brinkman, Dylan Zupec, Jannette Gonzalez

Honors Capstones

A prototype for a wireless sensor network has been designed to detect and identify unauthorized wireless transmissions in a frequency spectrum. This prototype design is intended to detect unauthorized transmissions within the FM band of frequencies independently at individual nodes with Software Defined Radio receivers and transmit that information to a fusion center for aggregation using a Bluetooth Low Energy mesh network. Aggregated results will be displayed to the user through a Graphical User Interface at the fusion center.

Performing Original Arrangements Of Jazz Repertoire, Spencer M. Mackey

Honors Capstones

My goal with this Capstone project was to encapsulate my four years of music and jazz education at Northern Illinois University into a senior recital. I picked repertoire that spanned my whole college career and decided to arrange for jazz combo settings which is something I enjoy doing a lot. Arranging is an important concept in jazz music. My research for this project took a relatively simple approach; I listened to jazz music. Specifically, I listened to multiple versions of the tunes on my recital, compositions by the composers I was featuring on my recital, and other various recordings that …

A Study Of Children With Autism In Illinois General Education Elementary School Classrooms, Zachary V. King

Honors Capstones

The purpose of this study is to gather survey-based information from parents of children with autism who are currently in elementary schools in Illinois to determine whether or not their children are receiving the needs they should get. The parents are asked about their perceptions as to whether or not their children are getting the necessary help with educational, stimulatory, and sensory needs. The survey’s response, though limited, found that while accommodations and support for children with autism have improved in the past 20 years, the matter of addressing maladaptive behaviors may still need some work. This shows that while …

Sensory Approaches With Serious Mental Illness: Capturing ‘Sanism’ In Mental Health Treatment, Margo Seiden

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis examines the relevance of sensory approaches in adults with serious mental illness. Furthermore, it approaches mental illness from a critical psychology perspective, inquiring who is considered mentally ill and why, the stigma attached to this label, and the oppression of mentally ill individuals as a minoritized group, known as sanism (LeBlanc & Kinsella, 2016). This topic was studied by facilitating therapy groups using sensory-based artmaking and sensory psychoeducation. Three group sessions with three different groups of 5-12 individuals at a partial hospitalization program (PHP) were conducted. Artmaking and thought processes of the group participants and myself as a …

Mindfulness, Music, & Art: Development Of A Mindfulness Based Expressive Arts Therapy Method For Adults In A Short-Term Psychiatric Hospital Setting, Annabelle Lord-Patey

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Existing literature shows that mindfulness is a modality that promotes human mental wellbeing, as is the use of creative forms of expression such as art and music. There is some emerging evidence that these two modalities are particularly useful when used in conjunction with one another. Utilizing such methods has been found to have notable results in the context of clinical mental health counseling. This kind of research, while promising, remains to be relatively new and there is a significant need for more data to be collected on this topic. To further explore the use of these modalities in clinical …

Aesthetic Attunement To Client Resistance: The Art Therapist's Hand, Bella Silva

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The topic of client resistance in therapy has garnered significant attention over time across various theoretical orientations. However, within art therapy, there remains a notable gap in the comprehensive consideration of client resistance and the effectiveness of art therapy interventions in addressing this phenomenon. This capstone thesis aims to identify that gap by conducting a brief literature review concerning (a) the multifaceted underpinnings of client resistance, (b) the psychological functions of client resistance in therapy, and (c) competencies specific to art therapy training that are beneficial in addressing client resistance. The following review uses information from the existing literature to …

Culture Matching And Its Impact On The Therapeutic Relationship: A Literature Review, Taylor Marsyla

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

As cultural competency and cultural humility move to the forefront of therapeutic treatment so does a need for understanding the effects of culture on the therapeutic relationship. Often individuals who belong to minority groups are less likely to seek mental health care and more commonly receive subpar treatment. This project attempts to examine the effects of matching patients and therapists based on a shared identity and/or culture as a form of culturally responsive treatment – also known as culture matching. In this literature review, the selected peer reviewed articles considered the perspectives of both therapists and patients. Research was divided …

Improving The Power Efficiency Of Woodward’S High-Power Inverter (Hpi) Using Algorithmic Part Selection., Jaron Holder, Ali Al Gazwi, John Childers, Jose Soublett

Honors Capstones

Woodward Inc. is a secondary aerospace manufacturer based in the USA that specializes in aircraft power and control systems. This senior design project was concerned with a power systems platform currently in development by Woodward, the High-Power Inverter (HPI) system. In this report, the senior design group from Northern Illinois University (NIU) demonstrated the creation of an algorithmic part selection process to choose more power-efficient electrical components, the prototyping using MATLAB Simulink, and the practical testing that showed an increase of 7% in the power efficiency of the HPI system.

Expressive Therapies And Resiliency – Resistance In Mental Health: A Literature Review, Gabrielle Lopez

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This review evaluates the current literature on psychological resistance amongst human service professionals experiencing burnout and the effect of Expressive Arts interventions on resiliency. Concepts include identifying the main symptoms, risk factors, causes, and treatments for burnout in education faculty, medical staff, and clinicians. Qualitative, quantitative, and meta-analysis studies are included to identify the most prevalent intervention frameworks for reducing stress including Arts-Based and Mindfulness-compassion based techniques. The effectiveness of Arts-based tools on strengthening identity, self-esteem, emotional regulation, and meaning-making in combating burnout is presented. Based on analysis of the literature, the author proposes a three-step intervention framework for utilizing …

A Multi-Modal Intervention To Decrease Hpv Vaccine Hesitancy And Increase Uptake In Young Adult Women, Rylee Cartales

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of cervical cancer worldwide and the most common sexually transmitted disease, yet hesitancy towards the HPV vaccine remains high and uptake of the HPV vaccine remains remarkably low (CDC, 2021b). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to determine if the implementation of a multimodal intervention including a motivational interview, strong provider recommendation, and educational materials will decrease HPV vaccine hesitancy and consequentially increase uptake of the vaccine. Eleven young adult women ages 18-26 from a rural outpatient Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) clinic in Indiana participated in this project. After agreeing …

Implementing An Insomnia Assessment And Management Algorithm In A Rural Pirmary Care Clinic, Rebekah Gaffin

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Insomnia is the most common sleep complaint and significantly impacts quality of life and productivity. The accumulated total of direct and indirect healthcare costs related to insomnia is estimated to be as high as $100 billion/year and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Primary care providers play a critical role in identifying and implementing early interventions to address insomnia. However, this can be time-consuming, and providers may be unaware of the latest treatment guidelines and available resources. This project provided a research-based algorithm to identify and initiate treatment for patients 18+ with chronic insomnia in …

Promoting The Incorporation Of Regional Anesthesia To Improve Pain Management For Lower Extremity Surgeries, Kendra Knaga

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Opioid addiction in the United States is a healthcare crisis and continues to increase yearly. Multimodal pain management is a priority intervention that needs to be implemented to manage pain with less intra and postoperative opioid use. Peripheral nerve blocks are one alternative that can be used to decrease opioid use and assist in controlling pain for foot and ankle surgeries. This project aims to educate, develop, and create a protocol for popliteal nerve blocks at Hillsboro Area Hospital in Hillsboro, Illinois. As a result, the long-term goal is to reduce opioid administration and improve pain control. An educational PowerPoint …

A Gender-Based Ufc Demand Analysis, Nolen Michael

Economics Student Theses and Capstone Projects

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has grown rapidly since its inception in the early 1990s. An important aspect of understanding the explosion of Mixed Martial Arts into mainstream appeal is the relationship between consumer demand and specific attributes of the sport. The UFC first began featuring female events in 2013. A robust division of women’s UFC fighters has developed in the years since. In this study I will be using econometric methods to evaluate the degree to which specific gender related variables influence consumer demand for the UFC. The Pay-Per-View format of UFC events is of critical importance because it …

A Study Of The Impact Of Social Trust On Economic Growth And Defining A Potential Threshold For ‘High Trust’ In Economic Research, Isaac Carey

Economics Student Theses and Capstone Projects

This paper seeks to 1. evaluate findings from previous literature that demonstrated evidence of social trust having a positive relationship with economic growth in the form of Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDPpc) and 2. evaluate potential trust levels that can be used as a threshold for considering a country ‘high-trusting’ when conducting economic research. The study gathered data to measure social trust levels from World Values Survey where respondents answered yest to the question “most people can be trusted”. Then the study evaluated the relationship between trust and GDPpc with control variables including technology, education, labor, investment, and external …

Exploring The Bass Trombone, Liam Kantzler

Honors Capstones

The purpose of the capstone is to provide a performance on the bass trombone that explores many different styles of music. I will use different techniques to evoke many different styles, as well as performing pieces outside of the standard repertoire, and some that aren't written for the instrument. The process for this capstone began long before the project began, although the preparation for the performance included daily practice and study of each of the pieces. Many rehearsals were put together, including music for chamber music portions and a few to put solo parts with piano accompaniment. The performance itself …

Ketamine Infusion Protocol & Patient Education Pamphlet For Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Ricardo Aranda, Giles Howard

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), formerly known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) and causalgia, is a debilitating neurological disease accounting for 1.2% of all chronic pain conditions, with eighty percent being severely disabled (Zhao et al., 2018). Altered pain pathways in CRPS patients result in resistance to traditional methods of analgesia, contributing to poor quality of life and unanticipated hospitalizations. Multiple meta-analysis studies suggest ketamine infusions effectively lower chronic pain scores in CRPS patients. Despite the evidence, a lack of standardized ketamine infusion protocols creates a barrier to provider implementation. This Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia project aimed to develop a …