Education Commons^™

The Imagery Experience Of Korean Gim Therapists' Reactions Toward Their Clients' Resistance, Jung Pyo Moon

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand how Korean professional therapists who practice the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) understand their clients’ resistance through the imagery experience.

Participants in this study were six Korean GIM therapists living and working in South Korea. Two more Korean GIM therapists were recruited to take charge of guiding a total of six participants to examine this inquiry. Each GIM guide helped three participants. All six participants and two GIM therapists were regular members of the Association for Music and Imagery and the Korean Association for Music and Imagery. The researcher …

Four-Week Foundational Mindfulness Curriculum For Small Businesses, Madeleine Pizey

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Abstract

This creative thesis is for trained mindfulness instructors and facilitators to offer small businesses a curriculum to reduce burnout among their employees and strengthen their inner-resilience through a four-week mindfulness training in the workplace or virtually. This thesis contains a rationale paper which includes a literature review. The focus of this thesis is on offering a four-week foundational mindfulness training for small businesses of twenty-five or fewer employees. It will include the purpose of having this type of training and how it will be of service, the benefits of this type of training, the current epidemic of burnout occurring …

Overcoming Challenges In The Assessment And Treatment Of Problem Behavior In Adults With Autism, Julia A. Iannaccone

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Problematic behaviors, such as self-injurious behavior or aggression, demonstrated by adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), create many significant life complications, some life-threatening. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is established as an evidence-based approach to treat problem behavior for children with ASD and shows promise as an effective treatment for adults, yet little research has been conducted within the adult population. Assessment and treatment of problem behavior with adults is often challenging due to funding limitations, increased severity and complexity of problem behavior, and underqualified staff. The purpose of the present study was to overcome these challenges by (1) identifying a …

Reducing The Incidence Of Pressure Injuries In Adult Icu Patients At Mcallen Medical Center With The Implementation Of A Pressure Injury Preventive Bundle: A Quality Improvement Project, Cheryl Cruz

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Pressure injuries (PIs) are a significant healthcare problem globally. Adult patients in the intensive care setting are especially vulnerable to the development of PIs given the acuity of their diagnoses requiring extensive treatments, procedures and the use of multiple medical devices.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was, “In adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients, how does the effect of implementing a pressure injury prevention bundle compare in patients who received the bundle, and patients receiving standard pressure injury prevention in reducing the incidence of pressure injuries after two months?”

Evidence: Evidence exist that bundle implementation …

A Curriculum Framework At Glsm, A Canadian Medical School, Jeff Bachiu

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Medical education has seen minor changes over the decades, but a dynamic movement towards competency-based medical education (CBME) has swept across the field in recent years. Organizing medical education curriculum to respond to these changes can be challenging due to many factors, in both content and context. The public rightly expects that graduating medical students be competent physicians, ready to deliver effective health care. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) looks at a relatively new medical school’s lack of an outcomes-based curriculum framework. The Problem of Practice (PoP) is focused on the difficulty of moving the school toward the development of …

Implementing Innovative Mental Health Supports And Services At A Post-Secondary Institution, Adam K. Lawrence

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

In 2020, the Government of Ontario published a report entitled In It Together: Foundations for Promoting Mental Wellness in Campus Communities. This document outlines that the priority of post-secondary institutions should be the health and well-being of students by ensuring that students receive the supports they need to be successful. Most importantly, the document outlines a community approach needed for students to access mental health supports and services on their campuses. Many post-secondary students are becoming increasingly aware of their own mental health needs prior to enrolling at university or college. This has resulted in a culture on post-secondary …

Building A Co-Curricular Wellness Program For Medical Students At A Canadian Medical School, Renea D. Leskie

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The increasing number of medical students who present with mental illness and burnout is becoming a very real challenge among medical schools nationally and globally, prompting a need for medical schools to address this very real problem. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) seeks to help solve this problem by means of a co-curricular wellness program aimed at preventing mental illness and burnout from happening. Rather than being reactive as students self-identify as having a mental illness, this OIP argues for preventative measures that help to prevent mental illness and burnout from occurring at all.

Using a three-pronged leadership approach of …

Development Of An Academic-Service Alliance To Address New Graduate Registered Nurses’ Practice Readiness, M. Dianne Norman

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

New Graduate Registered Nurses’ (NGRN) lack of practice readiness is a Problem of Practice (PoP) impacting hospitals. Stemming from the evolving complexity of today’s healthcare environment and the generalist nature of the baccalaureate nursing program, the lack of NGRN practice readiness increases hospital-based orientation costs, patient safety risks, and NGRN attrition. There is currently no formal structure in which key stakeholders can address the NGRN lack of knowledge, skills and judgment and the associated implications for the safety and quality of patient care. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) examines NGRN practice readiness within the organizational context of the Health Centre …

The Impact Of A Holistic Admissions Review Process In A Doctor Of Physical Therapy Program, Carrie Hawkins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Holistic admissions processes in doctor of physical therapy (DPT) education programs are perceived as a means to increasing the diversity of the profession. While previous research has correlated the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to success on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and the grade point average (GPA) to success in the program coursework, the impact of a holistic admissions process on the academic factors or on the demographics of the applicants offered admission has not been extensively studied for DPT education programs. This study was conducted to determine if the addition of a holistic application review process rubric to …

Promoting Community Engagement Through Basic User Tutorial Of Epa Geospatial Screening Tools, Jonas Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Social inequalities are riddled with health disparities and outcomes leading toward lower life expectancy. Communities of color, low income, and rural neighborhoods lack the voice and resources to effectively oppose industrial settlement which would likely lead to the release of toxic wastes into the water, air and ground ultimately affecting residential health. Empowering members through community engagement is a relatively new strategic process where researchers are finding mutual benefits in design, implementation, and results. This study aims to identify and promote tools for community engagement within the scope of environmental justice by working with EPA geospatial screening tools and designing …

Improving Care Experience Of Total Joint Home Recovery Patients Through Nursing Education, Earvin Ledi

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: At a Northern California hospital (NCH), there is a current effort to ensure the perioperative patients are satisfied with their care. These patients receive the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) survey after surgery. The scores regarding discharge process and patient knowledge over the last five quarters have fluctuated between the 10th percentile and the 36th percentile. NCH relies on patient satisfaction scores to better serve their members.

Context: NCH understands the higher the scores, the more members they will retain and the higher the overall income. Based on the low OAS …

Understanding The Importance Of Formative Assessment Programs In Undergraduate Medical Education, Matthew Gentile

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to investigate the impact and relationship formative assessment in undergraduate medical education has on summative assessment performance. Previous research has investigated the important role formative assessment has on the broad education process (Menéndez, Napa, Moreira, & Zambrano, 2019). This research study examined that role in undergraduate medical education. This research study utilized a preexisting de-identified data set consisting of 332 third-year medical student assessment records from five different cohorts. The initial analyses investigated the differences in summative assessment performance for students who completed a formative assessment program during their third year of …

A Mixed Methods Evaluation Of An Intersectional Bystander Program Against Sexual Violence Using The Integrated Model Of Behavioral Prediction Within A Cluster Randomized Control Trial, Rose Hennessy

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Sexual violence is a critical public health problem that is particularly salient on college campuses. Bystander intervention is a prevention approach that teaches students who are not directly affected by a situation to take action to help others. Research is needed to understand the relationship between bystander training and changes in behavior to intervene against sexual violence, racism, and unhealthy alcohol outcomes.

Methods: A cluster randomized waitlist control trial was used to evaluate the bystander program Our School TAKES ACTION. Upper-level undergraduate students were randomized by housing floor from buildings of a private, midwestern university. Data was collected in …

Athletic Training Education Reform, Caroline Hanson, Joan Rocks Dr.

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Athletic Training Education Programs are in the midst of major clinical and educational reforms following the release of the Strategic Alliance Degree Statement under the direction of the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Athletic Training has historically been a bachelor’s-level entry degree. The new degree standards under CAATE will make the profession a master’s-level entry degree. Limited research exists on how the Strategic Alliance Degree Statement and the transition of the degree will affect the profession of Athletic Training in the short or long term due to the limited number of programs who have already completed the …

Dialect Use, Language Abilities, And Emergent Literacy Skills Of Prekindergarten Children Who Speak African American English, Erika Rose Baldwin

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the complex relationship between spoken language and emergent literacy skills for children who speak African American English (AAE). Therefore, this study examined children’s language proficiency, dialect use, and emergent literacy skills at the beginning of Head Start preschool and throughout the entire academic year.

Methods. This study analyzed scores from a database of 120 preschool children who spoke AAE. Data included narrative retells of the wordless picture book Frog Where Are You? that were transcribed utilizing Systematic Analysis of Language Transcript (SALT) Software. Narrative retells were then …

Investigating The Impact Of The Fava Well-Being Protocol On Perceived Stress And Psychological Well-Being With At-Promise High School Students, Renee L. Fensom

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

An elevation in stress levels can be caused by many contributing factors, which can ultimately interfere with the learning of young people. Fortunately, an increase in well being can help promote resilience, creating a buffer to stress. Therefore, the current study investigated the influence of a positive psychology intervention aimed at lowering perceived stress and increasing well-being among at-promise students. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Ryff’s Model of Psychological Well-Being (PWB). The specific intervention used was the Well-being Therapy School Protocol developed by Fava and associates, based off of Carol Ryff’s Model of PWB (Fava, 2016). …

Mindfulness And Its Impact On Adaptive Coping And Psychological Well-Being: An Intervention For Undergraduate Students, Charles Bradley Freligh

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The concept of mindfulness has been shown to positively impact psychological well-being, and one application of mindfulness-based interventions has been the development and implementation of courses specifically for college students, a population that has been shown to be particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of stress. While these interventions have displayed beneficial outcomes, the mechanisms of how mindfulness exerts its impact remain unclear. One potential mechanism of mindfulness’ enhancement of well-being may be through its cultivation of an adaptive coping style in which an individual becomes more likely to approach and investigate stressors rather than avoid them. In this study, …

Assessing College Students’ Perceived Risk For Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Carletta Weatherspoon

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

This study assesses the effectiveness of an evidence-based educational intervention affecting the perception of the risk for developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in college students and examined relationships between demographic factors and perception of risk for T2DM. Seventy-seven students from the Georgia College Association of Nursing Students (GCANS) and the Personal Health and Fitness Class participated. Of these, 43 participants completed the post-educational email survey. Instruments measured demographic characteristics, perception of risk for developing diabetes, and diabetes risk. The Risk Perception Survey for Developing Diabetes (RPS-DD) assessed students’ perception of risk at baseline and one week post intervention. There was …

Core Content Items And Constructs To Inform Student Nurse Handoff Communication, Kelley Mcafee

Doctoral Dissertations

This study describes nurse educators’ perceptions of content items for a high-risk, high frequency process essential for entry as a nurse generalist into clinical practice. The process of interest is student nurse handoff communication. Research Questions:

1. What do nurse educators identify as core content for successful student nurse handoff communication?
2. Do nurse educators identify with one handoff communication tool for student use?
3. Are student nurses expected to engage in nurse handoff communication during simulation experiences and/or clinical experiences?
4. What educator characteristics are associated with his/her perceptions of the core content?

A Strategic Plan To Thread Genomics Competencies Into Undergraduate Curriculum, Holly Mathis

Dissertations

Problem: Genomics in undergraduate nursing education has experienced slow adoption in the United States. Various approaches have been proposed but do not address barriers to successful implementation.

Methods: A strategic plan was developed to increase the amount of genetics and genomic content in the curriculum of an undergraduate nursing program. A gap analysis was performed on the curriculum revealing a paucity of content. A SWOT analysis informed the strategic plan, which included a faculty education program using the ANA/ISONG’s Essentials of Genetic and Genomic Nursing: Competencies, Curricula Guidelines and Outcome Indicators (2^nd ed.) (2009) as a foundation.

Results: Faculty …

The Influence Of Instructor Mental Illness Disclosure On The Perceptions Of Mental Illness, Classroom Climate, Teacher Credibility, Homophily, And Social Attraction, Kirsten L. Bridgemen

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses the lens of Communication Privacy Management theory to analyze the impact an instructor’s depth of disclosure of their mental illness can have on mental illness stigmatization, classroom climate, as well as teacher credibility, homophily, and social attraction. Participants responded to a series of quantitative-based questions regarding a hypothetical syllabus with varied levels of a teacher disclosing their mental illness. Results indicated that none of the investigated dependent variables were negatively affected by the hypothetical instructor’s disclosure, and mental illness stigmatization was lessened. Implications, limitations, and areas for future research are discussed.

Temporal Discounting And The Assessment And Treatment Of Academic Procrastination, Anthony Concepcion

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many individuals engage in procrastination at some point in their lifetime. Although procrastination is usually not detrimental, for college students, academic procrastination is correlated with adverse health effects (e.g., anxiety, depression, sleep hygiene) and poor academic performance (Akinsola, et al., 2007; Ferrari, et al., 1995). Furthermore, the prevalence of academic procrastination is high with reports of up to 95% of college students engaging in detrimental amounts of procrastination (Hussain & Sultan, 2010). Notably, students enrolled in online courses are likely to be at greater risk to experience adverse consequences associated with procrastination (Elvers, et al, 2003). Previous studies have focused …

Ethical Considerations For Outpatient Behavioral Healthcare In North Texas, Carolyn B. Guillory

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study was to examine caregivers’ perceptions of practices for outpatient behavioral health care. Effort was made to gain insight into the components of ethical service delivery. Significant data on the providers’ perceptions of care was identified in literature reviews, though it was not the case for perspectives of consumers or caregivers. This population has been identified as one which is likely to experience unaffordable, fragmented, and confusing behavioral health systems (Baker, 2015). Attempts to inform research by addressing the quality of treatment was a focus. The Research Problem: Since 2016, the suicide …

The Adult Public’S Perception Of The Utility Of Play Therapy, Margaret L. Hindman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children communicate through symbolism and play as toys are children's words and play is their language (Landreth, 2012; Oaklander, 1988; Piaget, 1951; Ray, 2016). Play therapists facilitate developmentally appropriate support for children (Landreth, 2012). Often parents are unaware of the importance of play in children’s counseling (Brumfield & Christensen, 2011; Landreth, Bratton, Kellam, & Blackard, 2006).

Since adults often make decisions for children, it is important to know adults’ perceptions of play therapy utility. There is little research on parents’ knowledge of mental health services especially research specific to play therapy (Gallo, Comer, & Barlow, 2013; O’Connor & Langer, 2018). …

Long-Term Impact Of Child-Centered Play Therapy On Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Examination Of Academic Success In At-Risk Elementary School Students, Brittany D. Massengale

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the long-term impact of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) implemented through Primary Project on at-risk second-grade elementary school students. The qualifying group received ten 30-minute play therapy sessions during one academic semester during their second-grade year. In a longitudinal analysis for academic growth, MAP testing was used to determine if there was a long-term impact on both the third grade and fourth-grade years for the original qualifying students. The findings reveal implications for identification of and interventions for at-risk elementary students and CCPT as an intervention for academic achievement; specifically, reading and mathematics scores. Recommendations for future research …

Evaluation Of The Basic Science Pre-Clerkship Curriculum In Medicine At Western University, Madeleine E. Norris

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Basic sciences are a cornerstone of undergraduate medical education (UME), upon which the clinical sciences are built, however, research indicates that students’ basic science knowledge is not well retained. Additionally, UME curricula vary with respect to which basic science content is delivered, the depth in which it is taught, and the employed instructional methods, which could influence trainees’ knowledge retention. Thus, there is a need for an educational model that ensures students are competent in the fundamentals prior to entering a clinical setting. This investigation provides insights into current strengths and potential areas for improvement with respect to basic science …

Investigating Elementary School Food Programs: Impacts On Child Knowledge And Dietary Behaviours, Paige Colley

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Good nutrition is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A balanced diet can promote positive health outcomes, protecting against health problems caused by nutritional deficiencies. Canada has reported poor diet quality and high rates of overweight and obesity among children. Obesity has been linked to several non-communicable diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. Efforts to improve lifelong, healthy eating behaviours must be implemented.

This dissertation investigated the impacts of school food programming on child nutrition. A Centrally Procured School Food Program (CPSFP) was implemented at 30 elementary schools in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. …

Characterizing Middle School Students’ Physical Literacy: A Sequential Mixed Methods Study, Yang Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation study was (a) to characterize middle school students’ levels of physical literacy (PL) and PL domains by gender, grade, socioeconomic status (SES), weight status, race, and ethnicity; and (b) to capture PL trajectory change as a result of receiving a theory-informed pedagogical workshop. Participants (N = 350) in sixth and seventh grades were recruited from a public middle school located in a southeastern U.S. state. These students completed the second version of the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy (CAPL-2). A subsample (n = 49) received a pedagogical workshop (four sessions over eight weeks), …

Environmental Changes Following The Implementation Of The Childcare Physical Activity (Play) Policy, Victoria Tran

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Environmental factors such as the infrastructure and equipment in childcare centres can influence the physical activity levels of young children. This study explored if implementing the Childcare PhysicaL ActivitY (PLAY) policy resulted in unintended environmental changes that were conducive to physical activity in childcare. Childcare centres were randomized to an experimental (n = 5) or control (n = 4) condition. Three Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation Self-Report (EPAO-SR) tools were used to measure 12 best practice items in relation to the childcare environment and early childhood educators’ (ECEs) practices. Descriptive statistics and mixed-effects logistics regression models were …

An Exploration Of Leadership Qualities Demonstrated During Level Ii Fieldwork, Amy Maurer, Summer Besteman, Jessica Mooney, Katelyn Campbell

Education

Background. Occupational therapy (OT) students are expected to demonstrate leadership qualities throughout their Level II Fieldwork experiences; however, it has been reported that students lack this quality. The purpose of this project was to identify the leadership characteristics that master’s-level OT students demonstrate and develop during their Level II Fieldwork experiences.

Method. This study utilized an online survey tool, Qualtrics, to understand the perceptions of Fieldwork Educators (FWEds) who have taken a Level II Fieldwork student within the past five years. A code-recode procedure was used to analyze open-ended questions. The frequency and mode of responses were used to report …