Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Assessing And Meeting The Mental Health Needs Of Student Athletes - A Case Study Of The University Of Northern Iowa, Samantha Bennett

Honors Program Theses

It is my hope with this work to shed light on these grave issues facing our student-athletes at UNI, and to more greatly inform community members about the real experiences of this population. Readers should come away with an understanding of why greater action is necessary to help our student-athletes and remedy the disparities our campus is seeing in terms of mental health resource need and acquisition.

For stakeholders and institutional leaders at UNI, I hope this paper may provide a helpful and informed
framework for responding to the issues being presented by our athletics community.

Changes In Brain Oxygenation Of Rugby Players Before And After Head Trauma, Megan Benmore

Honors Program Theses

Clinicians often rely on simple neuropsychological and balance tests to diagnose concussion and determine return to sport. These tests are not fully comprehensive and lack a measure of brain physiology, warranting the need for an objective biomarker, especially in sports with frequent head trauma (e.g., rugby). The high number of concussions occurring in recreational sport necessitates an affordable and accurate biomarker to easily assess the severity of trauma. The purpose of the present study was to address this issue, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to assess relative changes in oxyhemoglobin (O₂Hb), deoxyhemoglobin (HHb), total hemoglobin (tHb) and hemoglobin …

Best Practice For Treatment And Prevention Of Ankle Sprains In Ballet Dancers, Sara Bergin

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Selective Mutism In Immigrant Children, Lauren Cummings

Honors Program Theses

Selective mutism is a highly debilitating anxiety disorder that is characterized by a child’s lack of verbal speech in certain situations, despite having the ability to speak (Elizur & Perednik, 2003). Children with selective mutism may present with a variety of symptoms, including high levels of anxiety and isolation, which significantly impacts their social and
language development, educational and occupational achievement, and mental health (Elizur & Perednik, 2003). Children who are diagnosed with selective mutism in early childhood often have communication or cognitive difficulties and may display higher rates of psychiatric disorders later in life compared to children without selective …

The Effects Of Acute Aerobic Exercise On Motor Cortex Activation And Piano Performance, Maya Deuso

Honors Program Theses

Previous research has shown that an acute (single) bout of aerobic exercise performed immediately before a fine motor task can improve the performance of that particular task as well as alter motor cortex (M1) activation. However, the intensity of exercise may influence the extent of motor skill acquisition and M1 activation. The primary aim of the current investigation was to compare the impact of moderate-intensity training (MIT) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on whole-body motor skill acquisition via a piano task. We also aimed to determine if M1 activation was a potential mechanism for any changes in piano performance. Nine …

College-Age Students' Attitudes Toward Essential Oils, Alternative Medicines, And Modern Medicine, Taylor Nicole Brown

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the attitudes of college-age students on the use of essential oils, alternative medicines, and modern medicine. Essential oils are natural oils that contain the essence/fragrance of a plant and are often used for cleaning purposes (e.g., in soaps, detergents, disinfectant sprays) and therapeutic purposes (e.g., relieving aches and pains, calming a person, healing illnesses and injuries, improving mood). Although essential oils are primarily used in alternative medicine, some oils have also been used on an experimental basis in modern medical settings (Corner et al., 1995).

College-age students took part in an …

The Impacts Of Adolescents' Leisure Activity Types On Psychological Well-Being, Academic Self-Efficacy, Self Esteem, And Stress, Dongyub Back

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Korean teenager deviance, school violence, and school dropout caused by academic stress are serious social issues within the country. High levels of student stress are likely to bring about depression and suicide resulting in a significant effect on their psychological well-being and life satisfaction. It is of particular concern for middle school students experiencing rapid physical and psychological developmental changes without proper support. Forty-five percent of Korean students’ indicated stress in their life and 27% experienced depression (Statistics Korea, 2019). Also, Korean middle school students (27.3%) have suicide impulse (Youm & Kim, 2019). These youth development issues are considered social …

How Exercise Affects The Musculoskeletal System In The Biological Sexes: A Literature Review, Lauren Connolly

Honors Program Theses

Exercise has countless benefits for the human body. Physical activity increases overall health and reduces the risk of developing many chronic diseases. While the entire body is impacted by exercise, the musculoskeletal system is perhaps targeted most directly. Muscle contraction is required to complete any form of exercise, which helps build muscle mass and consequently strengthens bones. The physiology of musculoskeletal growth after exercise is the same for all individuals. However, the magnitude of this growth is not the same for men and women. Men have a profound ability to gain muscle mass that most women are not capable of …

A Familiarization Protocol: Repetitions In Reserve, Elvert A. Wise

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Research suggests RIR is a valid and reliable method to prescribe and manipulate RT intensities. However, the literature reviewed revealed that a protocol had not been developed or introduced that allows practitioners to educate athletes or recreational populations to implement the RIR scale. Purpose: Thus, this study aimed to develop a familiarization protocol through synthesized research-study findings and evaluate its efficacy in resistance-trained populations.

Methods: Participants were males (n = 9) with > 3 years of RT experience. The study consisted of 5 sessions. Participants performed the bench press and v-squat for four sets each at varying intensities. The PG followed …

Assessing The Comfort Level Of Speech-Language Pathologists In Assessing And Treating Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Children, Kaitlyn Burkamper

Honors Program Theses

When a child is diagnosed with a hearing loss, there are many different facets of their diagnosis to consider, and all of these facets are affected by the configuration, type, and severity of the hearing loss. Because of the patient's age, all decisions are at least impacted, if not made, by their parents or guardians. Depending on these factors, there are options for assistive devices, such as hearing aids, and one of the main concerns is access to language. While signed language is a completely valid path for a child with hearing loss, some parents make the decision that their …

Methods And Evaluation Outcomes In Speech, Language, And Hearing Camps, Lindsey Paige Carter

Honors Program Theses

This investigation explores survey information on speech, language, and hearing camps throughout the United States. Thirty-seven speech-language pathologists from the United States agreed to complete the survey about their camp and thirteen completed the entire survey. These camps are growing in popularity and express benefits of attendance. There is currently limited research on assessment measures taken pre- and post- camp to determine the effectiveness of these camps. The purpose of this study was to investigate the structure of these camps, pre- and post- camp evaluation methods, how success is defined, and the impact these camps have. Results from the survey …

Pre-Service Students Understanding Of Professional Roles, Anne Whalen Gradoville

Honors Program Theses

This study aims to begin understanding how well pre-service speech-language pathologists and teachers understand their roles in collaboration in the schools. Data were collected from a survey completed by undergraduate and graduate students in the Communication Sciences and Disorders and Education departments at one middle-sized university in the Midwest. Results indicated a wide range of understanding and preparedness. Several themes emerged as to what students feel confident about in terms of collaboration, as well as what they believe they still need to learn before they can be confident in collaborating in the schools. The data provides insight into what pre-service …

Identifying Spanish-English Cognates As Intervention Targets For Speech Sound Disorders With Bilingual Children, Janessa A. Klein

Honors Program Theses

The focus of this thesis was to generate a comprehensive list of age-appropriate words to use in therapy for children ages 3-8 years old. Additionally, the research involved identifying words that are cognates in both Spanish and English. Word similarity was analyzed across languages to identify cognates using a well-known tool, the Crosslinguistic Overlap Scale of Phonology (COSP; Kohnert et al., 2004), which will be described in the methodology. Ideally, these target words will be used in speech therapy by a SLP who is serving preschoolers and early elementary-aged students with identified SSDs. As such, the research question addressed was: …

Precarious Enjoyment: Suicide Contra Schizophrenia, Mohammed Rawwas

Honors Program Theses

Mainstream psychology denies the unconscious, and is therefore unequipped to properly address the problematic of mental health, instead providing the coordinates for the symptom-formation of mental unwellness as a reaction to the inherent split of the subject, through the installation of the myth of the self-identical I. This same myth is perpetuated through capitalist individualism and the imperative to enjoy, and in the University through the discourse of science. The aim of psychoanalysis is to traverse the fantasy of this symptom-formation, and return the split to the subject. Finally, suicide is posited as the inevitable result of a self-identical notion …

Maternal Mortality In The United States: Focusing On Societal Impacts And Potential Solutions, Grace Petrzelka

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this research thesis in the format of a literature review is to explore in a multifaceted approach the material that is available on the main causes of maternal mortality in the United States; the social, environmental, and cultural determinants that play a role in past and present mortality rates; and finally, how the possible implementation of solutions to the maternal death rate in America could occur.

A Workbook Presenting Fluency Shaping And Narrative Therapy Strategies For School-Age Children Who Stutter, Bailey Nicole Rustad

Honors Program Theses

Stuttering occurs when there are frequent and effortful disfluencies in speech. People who stutter may have individual difficulties with particular sounds, but the research showed that some commonalities exist. Fluency shaping may be a helpful strategy for those who stutter to reduce the occurrence and frequency of and tension in stuttering. The majority of struggles that people who stutter have are related to negative thoughts and feelings about their stuttering, so this is also important to be targeted in therapy. Narrative therapy is a possible option to reduce these negative thoughts and feelings.

In order to provide a resource for …

Halo Sport Ergonomic Effects On Older Adults' Cognitive, Balance, And Motor Performance, Kristina Cavey

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Purpose: To determine if acute application of transcranial direct current simulation (tDCS), administered via the Halo Sport device, influences performance during cognitive, balance, and a motor task in healthy older adults. In addition, the purpose was to determine if tDCS altered PFC activation during any of the three task domains. Methods: Twelve healthy older adults (50.4 ± 5.1 years old) volunteered to participate in two separate trials of cognitive, balance, and a motor task following 20 minutes of tDCS via the Halo Sport or a Sham condition. Results: There was a significant increase in performance of the non-dominant motor task …

Effects Of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Of The Motor Cortex On Cycling Time Trial Performance And Prefrontal Cortex Activation, Abigail Hope Auten

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulatory technique that delivers low levels of a constant current via scalp electrodes to specifically targeted areas of the brain. The effects of tDCS on whole-body exercise performance has been of interest in recent literature. Purpose: To investigate if tDCS, administered via Halo Sport, influences time trial performance in trained cyclists, and if changes in exercise performance are associated with prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation and/or muscle oxygenation (SmO2). Methods: Twelve recreationally trained cyclists volunteered to participate in two 10km time trials following 20 minutes of tDCS or a sham condition. Results: T-tests showed …

Translation Into Spanish, Cultural Adaption And Content Validity Of The Bristol Copd Knowledge Questionnaire, Vilma Gómez

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

COPD is the major cause of respiratory mortality world-wide. The treatment of COPD includes education and self-management to enable patients to control the symptoms, handle the treatment, manage the physical and psychosocial consequences of the disease, and adopt the necessary lifestyle changes for dealing with a chronic condition. Measurement of results of interventions is necessary to demonstrate their effectiveness. Questionnaires help clinicians measure the level of knowledge before and after treatments. However, there are no questionnaires available in Colombian Spanish to measure knowledge of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This research resulted in the translation into Spanish, cultural adaptation, and …

Agrochemicals And Rural Women's Health In The Volta Region Of Ghana, Sedomda Kpikpitse

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Steered by the demand to improve and increase farm production, agrochemicals are regularly used by many farmers globally. However, agrochemical usage has contributed to many chronic illnesses experienced by users such as reproductive disorders, different kinds of cancers, and some chronic respiratory diseases. There are several regional and global coalitions to regulate the prevalence of agrochemicals to ensure their safe usage. Even though people can have access to some approved chemicals, the proper handling of these chemicals is not guaranteed. Many qualities of the person handling the chemical could increase or reduce the risk associated with agrochemicals. The behavior of …

Treatment Of Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy With Active Release Technique In Collegiate Track Athletes: A Case Series, Madison Hagedorn

Honors Program Theses

It is imperative that healthcare professionals implement evidence-based practice into their professional practice to provide the best patient-centered care. Evidence-based practice is a systematic approach to making decisions about patient care that includes patients’ preferences and values, clinical expertise acquired through clinical experience and practice, and relevant research evidence in making decisions about patient care. A common challenging condition for clinicians to treat is a chronic injury. Proximal hamstring tendinopathy (PHT) is a common chronic condition among running athletes that is often characterized by pain in the upper hamstring or buttocks during repetitive activities. Proximal hamstring tendinopathy is typically treated …

Analysis Of Gene Expression In Early-Stage Pancreatic Cancer And Investigation Of 1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-Galloyl-Β-D-Glucopyranoside As A Therapeutic, Zachary R. Heinzman

Honors Program Theses

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the deadliest cancers among both men and women. However, if it is detected early, there is a significant increase in the 5-year survivability of the disease1 . Currently, there are no truly efficient detection mechanisms available to detect earlystage PC when treatment options are more viable. The first objective of this project was to determine the expression levels of AHNAK2, IGHG3, EPPK1, CTHRC1, CEL, PLA2G1B, and GNMT—all known to be aberrantly expressed in PC cell lines—in early-stage PC tissue and assess the feasibility of their use as potential biomarkers for PC. To accomplish this, …

Effects Of A Sport Nutrition Education Intervention On Nutritional Knowledge, Dietary Behaviors, And Self-Efficacy In Ncaa Division I Softball Players, Kylie Wilson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Optimal nutrition is vital in sport. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a sport nutrition education intervention (SNEI) on nutritional knowledge, dietary behaviors, nutritional self-efficacy, body composition, and performance in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I female softball players, and to measure retention and effects of this knowledge after the SNEI period. Seven participants were assessed using a Dietary Behaviors and Nutritional Knowledge questionnaire, Self-Efficacy questionnaire, BodPod measurement, exit velocity, and weekly intention surveys. Two-way mixed repeated ANOVAs were used to determine the impact of a five-week SNEI on an intervention group as compared to …

Indices Of Metabolic Stress Following Resistance Exercise, Steven Alexander Long

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was twofold: 1). to evaluate the metabolic responses to varying volume load (VL), manipulated through relative training intensity and 2). to evaluate the metabolic response to training via direct and indirect methods to assess the application potential of non-invasive methods. Recreationally trained male weight lifters (n = 11) volunteered to participate in this resistance training (RT) study. During three separate testing sessions, participants completed three sets of repetitions of the barbell bicep curl exercise to technical failure with short inter-set rest intervals (60 seconds). Participants were randomly assigned one of three training intensities immediately prior …

Respiratory Differences In Spontaneous And Scripted Speech Among Bilingual Adults, Anna Irene Sagan

Honors Program Theses

This investigation explored respiratory differences between a speaker’s first language (L1) and second language (L2) during spontaneous and scripted speech in six adult bilingual speakers (two native bilingual speakers and four non-native bilingual speakers). Respiratory kinematic data using Respitrace respiratory inductance plethysmography and acoustic recordings were collected during five tasks: tidal breathing at rest, scripted speech in L1, spontaneous speech in L1, scripted speech in L2, and spontaneous speech in L2. Results indicated a significant interaction effect between proficiency and syllables produced during spontaneous speech, but no other significant differences were found among inspiratory/expiratory duration, task, proficiency or language. The …

Physiological Performance Characteristics Of Universal Tennis Rating (Utr), Savanna Storm Hunt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to create a physiological profile based on UTR through a series of tests to aid coaches in improving the performance of their athletes of any UTR level and to prepare the athletes physiologically for the level above. The UTR patent details skill and tactical development of players at each level as well as a few psychological skills. Physiological skills are only vaguely mentioned and not quantified creating a desire for a physiological profile. It has been previously agreed upon that high capabilities in linear speed, agility, power, anaerobic, aerobic, and strength are correlated with …

Efficiency Of Low-Tech Augmentative And Alternative Communication (Aac) Access Methods, Brittany Davis

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) implementation and intervention continues to be a critical component of the speech-language pathology scope of practice (ASHA,2020a). As communication has be come increasingly technological, there is a growing need for individuals using AAC to participate remotely using their preferred method of AAC (DeRuyter et al., 2007). Research on use of low-tech AAC systems in telecommunication and the instruction of low-tech communication AAC methods via telepractice is limited. This paper focuses on participants’ experience with learning a modality of communication, low-tech AAC,over Zoom (Zoom Communications Video Communications Inc.,2020). Using a descriptive-comparative design to evaluate efficiency, three …

The Relationship Of Walkability, Social Capital And The Built Environment In A Blue Zones® Demonstration Site Community, Thomas Manford Flack

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Today, communities throughout the world seek to design, develop, and organize their natural and manmade features to promote a higher quality of life and community livability. The term “built environment” includes both natural and manmade areas, facilities, and structures but also social and cultural factors which are unique to a given community; this term is used to frame a dialog around this topic (Flack et al., 2013). Increasingly, greater attention has focused on crafting the built environment to promote more walkable streetscapes, and opportunities for community engagement and social capital have become more prominent in the minds of citizens, community …

The Relationship Between Psychological Factors And The Gait Analysis Of A Total Knee Arthroplasty Patient: A Case Study, Tyler S. Rogers

Honors Program Theses

Rehabilitation through the use of physical therapy for the total knee arthroplasty (TKA), or knee replacement,procedure can be an arduous process. The purpose of this study is to identify any relationships between various psychological factors and angular variables observed during the functional activity of gait for TKA patients. Application of these results may be utilized by physical therapists to maximize the quality of personal patient care provided while allowing patients the opportunity to successfully return to the functional activity of walking. Psychological factors that were examined included those noted in the self-determination theory studied by Ryan & Patrick (2009): motivation, …

The Effect Of Arch Height On Variances In Gait Phases: A Kinematic Analysis, Mackenzie J. Haag

Honors Program Theses

Millions of individuals suffer from pain or injury as a result of structural abnormalities of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot and/or improper footwear. A majority of the research on abnormalities of the medial longitudinal arch is focused on how the arch alters foot kinematics during gait but does not ask how abnormalities may contribute to deviations in knee kinematics as well. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of foot arch types on deviations in healthy biomechanical gait in addition to the implications of orthotics in order to ultimately aid in the decrease of arch-attributed …