Psychology Commons^™

Movements, Resource Selection, And Risk Analyses For Parasitic Disease In An Expanding Moose Population In The Northern Great Plains, James J. Maskey Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Little is known regarding moose ecology in North Dakota, and a decline in moose in northeastern North Dakota may be linked to parasites of white-tailed deer (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis and Fascioloides magna). I investigated the ecology of moose, including the potential effects of parasitic disease. I used global positioning system collars to estimate home ranges and habitat selection and collected fecal samples for diet estimates. I reviewed historical data and examined livers moose for evidence of F. magna infection. I examined 3730 white-tailed deer for P. tenuis and investigated whether prevalence had increased since 1991. I modeled the relationship …

The Fit For And Interest In A Proposed Doctoral Program In Business Administration By Retirement-Eligible Military Commanders, Anthony B. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

From 1954 to 2003, a rapid expansion of colleges and universities offering doctoral degrees in Business Administration has occurred. This considerable growth, coupled with increasing business school faculty member retirements, have led to a national shortage of academically-qualified faculty members. This study was conducted to determine if retirement-eligible Air Force commanders would be a good fit for and interested in a proposed doctoral program in Business Administration. This proposed Doctor of Business Administration concept program was designed to enable these commanders to accept a faculty position in a school of business while completing their doctoral degree. This is accomplished through …

The Professional Development Of Teachers For International Contexts: A Case Study Of Concordia Language Villages' Study Abroad Programs, Michelle L. Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

In the face of globalization, educational institutions the world over have developed institutional learning outcomes that seek to graduate students who are culturally competent. To accomplish this goal, colleges and schools must have a faculty who is prepared to facilitate student growth in this regard or provide the faculty with professional development opportunities to achieve that end.

Concordia Language Villages, an intensive language and culture education program sponsored by Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, is intentional in its mission to prepare young people for responsible citizenship and has professional development opportunities available to personnel in their programs and educators; however, …

Cortisol Response Of Non-Suicidal Self-Injurers Versus Non-Self-Injurers Exposed To A Social Rejection Laboratory Stressor, Patrick L. Kerr

Theses and Dissertations

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSI) represents a growing area of concern in a variety of clinical settings, yet remains a poorly understood phenomenon. An influx of research on the functions of NSI over the past decade has suggested a biopsychosocial emotional regulation model of this behavior. This model proposes that self-injurers engage in NSI to reduce negative emotions, and presupposes that self-injurers are characterized by emotional dysregulation. The present study evaluated the biological component of this model by assessing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPAA) functioning in a group of self-injurers(n=26) and non-injuring healthy controls (n=28). HPAA functioning was assessed via measuring salivary cortisol levels …

Effects Of Motivational Interviewing On Levels Of Physical Activity In Older Adults, Anna M. Pignol

Theses and Dissertations

In Canada, 68% of women and 53% of men 65 and older are inactive. Physical activity is crucial for older adults being able to maintain physical and mental health, as well as quality of life. Even the frail, chronically ill, and very old adults can increase mobility and functioning through physical activity. The current study examined the effects of Motivational Interviewing (MI) on levels of physical activity in older adults. A total of 86 participants aged 55 and older were recruited in Prince Edward Island. Participants were randomly assigned by gender to the intervention plus information or to an information …

Know Your Audience: An Assessment Of Preferred Learning Styles Of Freshman Students At Red River High School In Grand Forks, North Dakota, Kelly D. Peters

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to identify theories and describe characteristics of learning styles, assess characteristics of freshman students at Red River High School using data from the CAPSOL (Computerized Assessment and Prescription Styles of Learning) Style of Learning Assessment, MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) Scores, GPA (Grade Point Average), and North Dakota STARS (State Automated Reporting System), and justify a pedagogical and philosophical change in instruction to adapt instructional strategies to match and strengthen students' learning styles.

The research investigated the relationships between learning style scale scores, GPA, gender, RIT (Rasch Unit) Scores, and socioeconomic factors. This study …

A Meta-Analysis Of Adolescent Rampage Shootings And The Potential Interconnectivity To Gifted/Talented Children With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Meghan M. Salyers

Theses and Dissertations

On the tenth anniversary of a series of school rampage shootings in Springfield, Oregon, Littleton, Colorado, and Conyers, Georgia, the purpose of this study was to determine whether there were indications of intellectual, academic, or creative giftedness with emotional/behavioral disorders in the perpetrators. In addition, through historiographical methods, this study was designed to allow for themes to surface from the authentic writings of the adolescent shooters.

Similarities in previous research results are reported in the meta-analysis, and categories derived from my analysis of the writings of Kip Kinkel, Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, and T.J. Solomon are indicated in the analysis …

Assessment And Accountability: An Exploration Of Teachers' Practices In Assessing English Language Proficiency, Mari B. Rasmussen

Theses and Dissertations

Assessment is an important component in an education program. Current educational policy includes large scale assessments with stringent accountability requirements. All students are expected to meet standards for achievement, including those who have historically not been successful.

Students from non-English language backgrounds are one of the populations of students who do not achieve academic success at the same rate as other students. This population of students is increasing in our nation's schools, causing this achievement gap to be of greater concern. Added to the concern is the requirement that English Language Learners (ELLs) must meet rigorous standards in both academic …

Explicating Global Wellbeing In College Students Using Health Risk Behaviors And Adjustment To College, Jeanine S. Mcdermott

Theses and Dissertations

Priority health risk behaviors including binge drinking, unsafe driving, and unprotected sex are often times established in adolescence, extend into college life, are interrelated, and negatively impact wellbeing. A paucity of research exists associating behaviors with perceptions of wellness. Without baseline knowledge of how college students' life-style choices, behaviors, and adjustment influences their sense of wellness, professionals do not have standards to evaluate the effectiveness of wellness-oriented interventions.

The purpose of this study was to explicate global wellbeing in 18-24 year old college students. Explaining global wellbeing was based on the influence of specific health risk behaviors and adjustment to …

A Behavioral Intervention Targeting A Reduction In Child Distress During A Routine Immunization, Matthew P. Myrvik

Theses and Dissertations

The present study evaluated the relationship between adult behaviors and child behaviors, the effectiveness of distraction as coached by parents in reducing distress during routine immunizations, and two cost-effective means of teaching distraction techniques to parents. Ninety-seven children between the ages of 18 months and 72 months and their parents were recruited and were randomly assigned to one of three groups. (1) Routine Group—parents received no education regarding distraction and were instructed to aid children as usual (n=32); (2) Distraction Taught by Instructional Handout Group—parents received education about distraction via an instructional handout and were instructed to use distraction with …

Convergent And Discriminant Validity Of Biculturalism And Depression Among Northern Plains American Indians, Laiel I. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

In order to further develop the Northern Plains Biculturalism Inventory-Revised into a more valid and reliable research instrument for providing data regarding cultural orientation and identification among Northern Plains American Indians, convergent and discriminant validity was investigated. Two hundred and one Northern Plains American Indians between the ages of 18 and 76 participated in the study.

Convergent validity was established in that both the European American (EA) (r = -.801) and American Indian (AI) (r = -.621) subscales of the Northern Plains Biculturalism Inventory-Revised (NPBI-R) were strongly and significantly correlated with the similar subscales of the American Indian Biculturalism Inventory-Northern …

Democracy And The Press In The Middle East, Badreya Al-Jenaibi

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines relationships between Arab media and several different institutions including government in general, democracy specifically, and Islam. The primary purpose of this research is to gain not only broad, but also in-depth understanding of Arab governments and their control of media. One of the key issues discussed is the role of the Arabic media channel, Al-Jazeera, in the Arab region.

A literature review has been provided that serves the purpose of providing valuable background on Islam and democracy, Arab media history and the new Arab media. The literature review provides a context for the use of normative theories, …

A Historical Study Of The Kindergarten And First Grade Programs At The Minot State University Laboratory School (1969 - 1990): A School Ahead Of Its Time, Valeria Noel Wax

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses archival sources and oral interviews to construct a history of the kindergarten and first grade programs at the Minot State University Laboratory School (MSU) from 1966 – 1990. The length of the study is based on the time the kindergarten was in existence at the MSU Laboratory School. The school was unique in North Dakota because it was the last laboratory in the state. A variety of educational methodologies and techniques were developed in an effort to improve instruction. The school also developed and refined an individualized instruction program that was used with all children enrolled in …

Postpartum Depression In Anishinaabe American Indians, Natalie M. Nicholson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to better understand the personal experience of postpartum depression among Anishinaabe American Indian women and further examine how various resources such as family, friends, Traditional healing, local and healthcare options were utilized. In addition advice was sought from a Traditional leader as to how these women can care for themselves in the postnatal period and how providers can properly manage their care.

A descriptive qualitative analysis approach was used. Interviews were conducted in 1-1.5 hours in the home of the Anishinaabe American Indian women who are from Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indian Reservation. …

An Investigation Of The Ecology Of Nesting Golden Eagles In North Dakota, Anne Marguerite Coyle

Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have focused on golden eagles nesting in North Dakota. This project investigates the ecology of, and the potential effects from energy development on, nesting golden eagles in North Dakota, by collecting historical data, conducting nest checks and surveys (2002-2006).

Historical information was not sufficient for population estimates. Nest checks/surveys indicated that nest densities, occupied nest sites and territories was greatest near the riparian river bottoms. There were 176 potential extant territories. The average minimum distance between occupied nest sites was 6.32km (7.20km to 3.85km). The mean territory area was 8.95 km2 (SD = 4.25 km2, min = 3.09 …

Childless Women In The Plays Of William Inge, Tennessee Williams, And Edward Albee, Suzanne Macdonald Winkel

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an examination of three major twentieth-century American playwrights—William Inge, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee—and their dramatic use of childless women characters in Come Back, Little Sheba (1950), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955), and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962) respectively. Although the plays of Inge, Williams, and Albee have been analyzed individually by numerous scholars, they have not been studied together as works about procreation and childlessness. The study's historical focus is the post World War II era during which time the three plays proposed for analysis were written and produced. Commonly called the baby boom …

The Effects That A One-To-One Laptop Initiative Has On Student Academic Performance And Achievement, Allen Aloys Burgad

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how a one-to-one laptop initiative in a small, rural North Dakota school effected student academic performance based on the perceptions of participating students, teachers, and parents. Existing Northwest Evaluation Association Measure of Academic Progress student test results also were used to determine if the laptop initiative had any significant impact on student achievement in reading, language arts, and math. The primary focus of the study was based on pre-existing data regarding students', teachers', and parents' perceptions of academic performance versus academic achievement. Perceptions of academic performance were utilized by the researcher primarily …

Swimming In The Shallows: Drowning The Standard Conventions Of Directing, Debra A. Berger

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the challenges I encountered while directing Adam Bock’s play Swimming in the Shallows. Specifically, this thesis addresses staging issues that stem from the problematic conventions required by Bock’s specific instructions regarding any mounting of the play. In particular, Bock suggests an abandonment of some traditional conventions in the fundamentals of directing, particularly the creation of three- dimensional picturization for the use of stage depth. In Bock’s staging notes, he proposes that contrary to fundamental principles: The action should be pressed flat. Like a screen. The actors’ physical work should be vertical and horizontal rather than three-dimensionally horizontal. …

A Study Of Asian Dust Events Using Surface, Satellite, And Aircraft Measurements During Intex-B, Rebecca L. Obrecht

Theses and Dissertations

Asian dust events occur frequently during the northern hemisphere spring season. Some of these events can transport dust downwind to North America within 7 days’ time and turn a regional impact into one of a much larger scale. To further quantify the transpacific transport and evolution of Asian dust to North America and assess the impact on regional climate, NASA led a field experiment called the Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - Phase B (INTEX-B) during April-May 2006 over the eastern Pacific Ocean. This study documents the physical and optical properties of Asian dust, as well as its strength and evolution …

Public Prekindergarten: An Implementation Model For Public Schools In States That Do Not Fund Prekindergarten, Sharon A. Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this comparative case study was to develop a prekindergarten implementation model for public school districts located in states without state-funded prekindergarten. The two public school districts selected for the study were located in a rural Midwestern state and differed on the presence or absence of a prekindergarten program within their school settings. This study utilized qualitative case study methods to identify (a) factors that supported and impeded voluntary initiation, implementation, and continuation of a prekindergarten within two public school settings; (b) the role of key stakeholders; and (c) the effects resulting from the implementation or lack of …

An Exploration Of Satisfaction, Psychological Stress, And Readiness For Interprofessional Learning In Medical, Nursing, Allied Health, And Social Work Students In An Interprofessional Health Care Course, Anne M. Haskins

Theses and Dissertations

Medical errors are a prominent problem in health care systems in many countries, including the U.S. One source of medical errors is communication and collaboration between health care team members. Many medical, nursing, and allied health care programs have implemented interprofessional health carecourses to improve communication between future team members. However, a dearth of literature on the effectiveness of interprofessional education and the variables that may influence its efficacy continues to persist.

This survey research explored medical, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and social work students' achievement of knowledge, psychologicalstress, and satisfaction in an interprofessional health care course. Ninety-six students …

The Social Change Model Of Leadership Development: Differences In Leadership Development By Levels Of Student Involvement With Various University Student Groups, Chastity Beth Gerhardt

Theses and Dissertations

The development of students as leaders is a priority for most institutions of higher education and research suggests that students' leadership skills increase as a result of engagement in the collegiate environment. Given the scarcity of leadership models and instruments designed specifically for college students, research regarding leadership development among college students is lacking.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the differences in leadership development among various levels of student involvement within several student groups as measured by self-reported scores on the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership instrument. The basic research question was: Were there significant differences between student …

Cultural Identity, Communication, And Cultural Reentry: Experiences Of American Students, Yuliya Kartoshkina

Theses and Dissertations

In 2003 the National Education Association annual survey revealed that male teachers currently make up 35% of America's kindergarten through 12 th grade classroom teaching cadre. In grades kindergarten through sixth grade, men comprise 9% of the classroom teachers, and only 2% of classroom teachers inkindergarten through third grade are men. In 1994 Sadker and Sadker published Failing at Fairness, which examined gender biases in American kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms, including the effects of the overwhelmingly-female faculties. At the National Education Association's 2002 Representative Assembly, members adopted a measure to "identify, recognize, recruit and retain," more male teachers, …

Department Of Psychology: The Last 25 Years (1983-2008), Jeffrey E. Holm

UND Departmental Histories

This departmental history was written on the occasion of the UND Quasquicentennial in 2008.

Changes In Preservice Elementary Teachers' Personal Science Teaching Efficacy And Science Teaching Outcome Expectancies: The Influence Of Context, Richard P. Hechter

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how retrospective-test/post-test perceptions of science teaching self-efficacy differ according to personalscience expectancy and science teaching outcome expectancy among preservice elementary teachers when exposed to a science teaching methods course. Preservice elementary teacher candidates (N=69) enrolled in Spring and Fall 2007 sessions of an elementary science methods class were asked to assess their science teaching self-efficacy using the Science Teaching Expectancy Belief Instrument (STEBI-B). The survey was administered three times using pre-test, post-test and retrospective-test methodology. The 23-item instrument contains a Likert-scale with a 1 to 5 range of "strongly disagree" to "strongly …

Molecular Characterization Of Dopamine Transporter Phosphorylation And Regulation, Balachandra Kumar Gorentla

Theses and Dissertations

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is a presynaptic membrane phosphoprotein that terminates dopaminergic synaptic transmission by clearing dopamine (DA) back into presynaptic neuron by a reuptake process. DAT is also a molecular target for psychostimulants such as cocaine, amphetamine (AMPH) and methamphetamine (METH) that increase DA synaptic levels either by blocking reuptake or by inducing DA efflux. DAT phosphorylation and transport down regulation are best demonstrated with the treatment of Protein kinase C (PKC) activators such as (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) PMA. Serine(s) and threonine(s) are known to be involved in DAT phosphorylation.

Pretreatment with psychostimulant substrates such as AMPH and METH …

Assignment Of Meaning In The Male Breast Cancer Experience: A Phenomenological Study, Marlys Joy Bohn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain an understanding of the lived experience of being a male diagnosed with breast cancer. With almost 200,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed annually in the United States, a fact often overlooked is that approximately one percent of the newly-diagnosed patients are male. Because of their small numbers, however, very little is known about how males are affected by a diagnosis of breast cancer. In order to provide holistic nursing care to affected men and their families, it is important that nurses have an understanding of the male experience with breast cancer. …

Critical Factors For Training In Rural Psychology, Christine M. Boulton-Olson

Theses and Dissertations

Students in graduate level psychology training who intend to work in rural settings must be familiar with and educated in how rural life and identity impacts clients. Currently, there are few doctoral training programs in psychology that offer courses specifically tailored to rural populations despite the fact many psychologists are employed, or work with people, in rural settings. As such, there is a need to understand how to best prepare students in doctoral training in psychology for competent work as psychologists in rural areas. Given the nature of rural culture, rural mental health, urban versus rural characteristics, the current status …

Characteristics Of Male Pre-Service Elementary Education Candidates In North Dakota: An Exploratory Study, Daphne S. Ghorbani

Theses and Dissertations

In 2003 the National Education Association annual survey revealed that male teachers currently make up 35% of America's kindergarten through 12 th grade classroom teaching cadre. In grades kindergarten through sixth grade, men comprise 9% of the classroom teachers, and only 2% of classroom teachers inkindergarten through third grade are men. In 1994 Sadker and Sadker published Failing at Fairness, which examined gender biases in American kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms, including the effects of the overwhelmingly-female faculties. At the National Education Association's 2002 Representative Assembly, members adopted a measure to "identify, recognize, recruit and retain," more male teachers, …

Catholic Identity And Mission In Post Ex Corde Ecclesiae Catholic Highter Education: The Perceptions And Experiences Of Lay Faculty At A Jesuit University, Dan T. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

The history of Catholic higher education in the United States details the substantial contribution of bishops, priests, brothers, and sisters dedicated to teaching and leadership at Catholic institutions of higher education. The past several decades have seen a decline of religious members' involvement and the laicization of faculty members at Catholic colleges and universities. Opponents of this transition fear the loss of religious identity that is critical to the mission of Catholic institutions. Others argue that lay faculty members can sustain the mission of adhering to religious traditions and identity while fostering a high quality academic environment. The purpose of …