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Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Cover - Table Of Contents

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Cattle Grazing On Woodlands In Central Iowa, Cathy Mabry

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Iowa's forests have undergone a dramatic decline in area since settlement by Europeans. Most of the remaining forests have been degraded by an assortment of human impacts, with cattle grazing the most prominent among them. Using a matched pairs study designed to control for environmental differences among plots, I examined the impact of cattle grazing on the forest understory, canopy trees, and tree regeneration. There were distinct groups of understory species associated with ungrazed and grazed plots. Species associated with ungrazed plots were all native and tended to be perennial herbs with fleshy roots. Ungrazed plots also had species preferring …

Science Safety Status In Iowa Schools, Gerlovich A. Jack, Rahul Parsa, Bruce Frana, Theresa Stiner

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Between May and December 2001, 574 Iowa science teachers participated in a statewide science safety project supported by financial assistance from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Part one of the project focused on assessing the status of safety in Iowa secondary science programs. Part two was to provide teachers with information, tools, and training to address the identified needs. Three safety concerns were identified: one was associated with the age of lab facilities and two were related to safety training of teachers.

Awards And Recognition, Iowa Academy Of Science, 2002

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Issues Impacting The Quality Of Mental Health In Older Adults, Rachel I. Pettit

Graduate Research Papers

Older adults are confronted with a variety of developmental and unexpected issues that can impair or strengthen their mental health. Affective and anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and suicide are some of the mental health issues when older adults experience difficulty with the aging process. On the other hand, the quality of their physical and mental health, their support system, the resolution of grief and loss issues, and the strength of their spirituality assist older adults in recreating meaning. Thus, they are able to live their senior years with purpose. These issues will be addressed and recommendations will be described with …

Losing Faith : The Process Of Converting To Atheism, Jennifer J. Jacobi

Graduate Research Papers

The current study examines the process of converting to atheism and the counseling issues associated with it. It is argued that conversion to atheism can be conceptualized according to the model of religious conversion that Paloutzian, Richardson, and Rambo (1999) suggested. Research on atheism is reviewed in terms of how it fits into the stages of this model, and implications for counseling are discussed.

Book Review - North American Box Turtles: A Natural History, Neil P. Bernstein

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

While I have only studied box turtles for four years, from the beginning, I was quickly impressed at the many studies and observations that had been published on North American box turtles. At the same time, I was also frustrated by the lack of syntheses of the material. For the beginning researcher or interested layperson, organizing the studies into a cohesive whole was daunting, and I attempted my own loose compilation that took me most of a summer. However, there is now a new book that provides the background and overview that I sought. C. Kenneth Dodd, a longtime researcher …

Book Review - The Guide To Iowa's State Preserves, Cornelia F. Mutel

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The Iowa State Preserves System gives the highest protection afforded by law to sites "dedicated for maintenance as nearly as possible in [their] natural condition." To date, ninety sites have been dedicated as biological, geological, archaeological, scenic, or historic preserves, declaring that such use is the site's "highest, best, and most important use for the public benefit" (State Preserves Act of 1965). In a state as dramatically altered as Iowa, such remnants are of intense interest to professional and amateur naturalists of all inclinations, as well as to anyone who appreciates nature. Yet understanding the basic qualities of these preserve …

School Climate : A Review Of Literature, Sarah Galloway

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature and research on school climate to determine how school climate affects achievement, social, emotional and behavioral development, school safety, and school attendance and completion. Reviewing these outcomes for students leads the author to address principles for school climate measurement and improvement, as presented in the school climate literature. The measurement and improvement programs are reviewed in the context of school psychologists contributing to climate interventions.

Personal Growth Groups For Therapists, Vicky A. Knapp

Graduate Research Papers

Since the birth of psychotherapy, the need for therapists to attend to their own personal healing and growth has been recognized. This tradition of personal therapy has been incorporated into many current programs that train therapists/helpers in this country. Freud and a large number of subsequent practitioners have also advocated periodic or ongoing personal therapy throughout the therapist's career span. Self-exploration groups can be an excellent means to keep helpers in touch with their humanness, to further their personal and professional growth, and to reduce toxic consequences of practicing therapy.

Helping Families To Capitalize On Literacy In Their Homes, Paula K. Azinger

Graduate Research Papers

Literacy events of some sort occur most everyday in every home. Most schools have not considered some children's homes to be a source of rich literacy experiences, yet literacy practices are embedded within the daily routines of almost every family (McCarthey, 1997). The opportunities provided for children's participation in literacy practices in the home environment are closely related to parents' own literacy use at home. This article presents case studies of four families that each had a child involved in America Reads, a federally funded after-school program. The case studies are the result of an ongoing investigation of families' perceptions …

School Age Bullying : The Victim's Point Of View, Jacquelyn L. Miller

Graduate Research Papers

Bullying is a common problem in schools across the world including in the United States. This paper focuses on the problem of bullying from the victim's point of view. Bullying can be defined in a variety of different ways and occurs in a variety of different situations. Victims of bullies suffer from a wide variety of academic, social, behavioral, and emotional problems. A comprehensive approach that includes school counselors, teachers, administrators, and parents is needed to combat bullying within the school. Bully prevention and intervention programs can help victims more effectively if they change their orientation from focusing on the …

An Overview Of Bibliotherapy As An Intervention For Young Children, Lisa Ludwig

Graduate Research Papers

Young children can benefit from therapy to deal with disabilities, abuse, normal developmental issues such as famiily problems, and social-emotional issues. One approach to helping children manage psychological issues is bibliotherapy. In its simplest form, bibliotherapy can be described as the practice of using books in treatment, or helping with books (Pardeck & Pardeck, 1993; Pardeck & Pardeck, 1987). The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on bibliotherapy and to examine its possible applications, its effectiveness, and best practices in carrying out the intervention.

School-Based Bully Prevention And Violence, Catherine T. Mclallen

Graduate Research Papers

This paper reviews the literature available on several bully prevention/violence awareness programs. Also discussed is the significance of prevention programs and the roles they can play in today's school systems. It includes a definition of bullying behavior and describes the several types of bullying prevalent in schools today that most programs attempt to address. Additionally, it includes a brief history of bully prevention programs, with a look at the zero tolerance movement, an initiative that has not been overly successful in the past with regards to aggression in schools.

The paper also explores the effects of bullying on the victim …

Creating A User Friendly Website For The Boys & Girls Clubs Of Black Hawk County, Kimberly M. Carter

Graduate Research Papers

Website design can be overwhelming for many viewers. Many times viewers discontinue using sites, because it.is not easy to navigate through the site. In creating the website for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Black Hawk County, user-friendliness was the focal point of the project. The Chief Professional Officer along with the staff at the Boys & Girls Clubs assisted with the development of a website by providing information that was to be included on the site. To ensure a professional look the designer relied on the four basic principles of design: contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. The design simplicity …

A School Psychologist's Role In Decreasing Eating Disorder Prevalence In School-Aged Children, Natalie Muth

Graduate Research Papers

Eating disorders have dramatically increased over the last 20 years, resulting in prevalence rates exceeding other high-incidence medical conditions treated in the educational setting. Chapter 2 presents a review of literature covering eating disorder identification, history, prevalence and epidemiological data. Theoretical perspectives, risk and protective factors, symptoms, and medical complications are also reviewed. Current assessment measures used for screening and diagnosing anorexia and bulimia is additionally presented along with a summary of school-based primary prevention programs. The second chapter concludes with a brief overview of eating disorder treatment.

A summary is presented in chapter 3 along with implications for school …

How Does Childhood Incest Affect The Interpersonal Relationships Of Adult Females, Lyle Potter

Graduate Research Papers

Incest has been occurring in families for many years, often behind a cloak of secrecy and fear of disclosure. More recently, the taboo in talking about incest has diminished, and many survivors of incest have come forward with their experiences to seek needed help. A major portion of the research has dealt with trying to understand the family dynamics. But a growing number of studies are beginning to look at the long term effects of the abuse, and some of them focus on adult interpersonal relationships. It is in this direction that this literature review and study will focus.

The Importance Of Behavioral Interventions And Stimulant Medication Effects On Reducing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Elizabeth Alvarez

Graduate Research Papers

Overall, various avenues of research state that ADHD is a complex disorder that requires treatment by multiple modalities. Most research states that a combination of medication and behavior therapy is necessary to resolve the symptoms. It should be noted that the dose of stimulant medication prescribed to a child with ADHD should be adjusted based on the child's response to a behavioral intervention, as well as the combination of the behavioral and pharmacological treatments. Rapport et al. (1982), as well as others, have found that medication alone will not "cure" ADHD. But with multiple methods of treatment the symptoms will …