Digital Commons Network^™

Mental Contrasting With Implementation Intentions As Applied To Motivation In L2 Vocabulary Acquisition, Lindsay Michelle Stephenson

Theses and Dissertations

Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions (MCII) is a self-regulation method shown to increase goal achievement through a combination of positive visualization and planning to overcome anticipated obstacles, specifically in time management, physical fitness, smoking cessation, dieting, social interaction, and classroom performance (Duckworth et al. 2013; Oettingen & Reininger 2016) Because second language (L2) acquisition is highly influenced by learner motivation, this study investigated whether MCII could be applied to motivation to acquire L2 vocabulary in beginning Arabic classes. A control group was compared to two treatment groups, one receiving vision-oriented MCII training that asked them to recall what first motivated …

Humor Production And Coping On Distress And Help-Seeking Attitudes Among Polynesian Americans, Augusto D. Gancinia Ii

Theses and Dissertations

There is a need for more psychological studies that inform culture-specific adaptations in psychotherapy among Polynesian Americans. The use of humor has been identified as a potential adaptation in psychotherapy. Humor can be a catalyst for building and strengthening a healthy working alliance between counselor and client. The utilization of humor in therapy has significantly reduced mental health-seeking stigma. Evidence of the use of humor exists among Polynesian people prior to western colonization of Polynesia which suggests humor to be a culturally salient practice. The current study explored attitudes of seeking mental health counseling among Polynesian Americans while investigating the …

Understanding Public K-12 Building Principals' Perspectives On The Greatest Successes And Challenges In American Education, Buck Ekstrom

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted in a suburban intermountain school district. The research purpose was to (a) solicit narratives from principals about the greatest successes and challenges in American education; (b) conduct deep insightful analysis to find emerging themes from the interviews with principals; and (c) to provide important information for policy and law makers. The findings focused on data collected from interviews asking 25 principals to share perspectives and examples from their work in schools and education in general. The principals were asked about educational successes. Those cited regularly highlighted positive cultures, doing tremendous work with minimal funding, and …

Warning! Explicit Material: The Effects Of Adolescent Pornography Use On Risky Sexual Behavior Over Time, Emily Jensen-Schvaneveldt

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the longitudinal effects of adolescent pornography trajectories on risky sexual behavior, as well as predictors of pornography trajectories. Data was taken from Waves V-X of the Flourishing Families Project, which included a sample of 463 families. A zero-inflated Poisson growth mixture model was run to determine class participation and growth trajectories. Findings revealed that gender and religiosity significantly predicted class participation, and class participation significantly predicted risky sexual behavior. While this study did have limitations, this study adds to the previous literature by examining adolescent pornography trajectories over an extended period of time.

Student Retention And Persistence In Certificate-First Programs, M. Troy Martin

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the effect that earning professional certificates has on student confidence, motivation, and persistence. For this study, the focus is the student motivation and persistence of nontraditional students who seek to earn a bachelor's degree despite considerable obstacles and challenges. Specifically, this study evaluates the matriculation rates between two cohorts of students who participated in the online PathwayConnect program. The first cohort was encouraged to complete the program and apply for an online bachelor's degree program at BYU-Idaho. The second cohort was also encouraged to apply to an online program, but only after earning a professional certificate in …

Disability In Lee Han's Social Integration Films, Dasom Han

Theses and Dissertations

The thesis examines four films by Lee Han—Wandeugi (2011), Thread of Lies (2013), A Melody to Remember (2016) and Innocent Witness (2019)—that highlight disability problems in contemporary South Korea. While exposing the prejudice against and misunderstanding of people with disabilities embedded in society, these motion pictures promote social integration through development of trusted relationships and effective communication within familial structures. The representations of disability indicate that the cinematic images of exclusion can reinforce disabled characters' marginalized identity and promote inclusive efforts among the viewer at the same time. Through textual, cultural, theoretical analysis, it is argued that the films progressively …

Effects Of Parent-Implemented Interventions On Outcomes For Children With Autism: A Meta-Analysis, Wai Man Cheng

Theses and Dissertations

Parent-implemented interventions (PIIs) can be useful in promoting parents’ knowledge of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and in transferring necessary skills to children with ASD. Individuals with ASD can directly and indirectly benefit from PIIs in terms of academics, ASD symptom severity, behavior improvement, cognition, communication, and social skills. Many studies have explored the efficacy of PIIs; however, they have tended to report mixed effects. Previous meta-analyses and systematic reviews have been characterized by limited search terms and literature search procedures, emphases on published manuscripts, dependency on parent reports, dated findings, and comparisons across of different types of control groups. This …

Forecasting Inundation Extents In The Amazon Basin Using Srh-2d And Hand Based On The Geoglows Ecmwf Streamflow Services, Christopher Hyde Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

Floods are the most impactful natural disasters on earth, and reliable flood warning systems are critical for disaster preparation, mitigation, and response. The GEOGloWS ECMWF Streamflow Services (GESS) provide forecasted streamflow throughout the world. While forecasted discharge is essential to flood warning, forecasted inundation extents are required to understand and predict flood impact. In this research, I sought to expand GESS flood warning potential by generating inundation extents from streamflow forecasts. I compared Height Above Nearest Drainage (HAND), a method beneficial for flood mapping on a watershed scale, to a 2D hydrodynamic model, specifically Sedimentation and River Hydraulics – Two …

Uncertainty Quantification, Douglas Cook

BYU Research Development Office Research Networking Conference

What are the limitations of scientific models? Uncertainty quantification, Sensitivity analyses, Theory-based and statistical modeling, Systems thinking, systems analysis

Inclusive Mentorship At Byu, Alisha H. Redelfs

BYU Research Development Office Research Networking Conference

Health disparities, Latino health, Obesity, Biomarkers of fruit & vegetable intake, Physical activity, Schools as intervention sites

Heat-Induced Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Biogenesis And Vascular Remodeling: A Countermeasure For Human Disuse Atrophy And Aging, Robert D. Hyldahl

BYU Research Development Office Research Networking Conference

Exercise science, chemistry and biochemistry, nutrition, dietetics and food science

Mental Health Services And Implementation Science, Cole Hooley

BYU Research Development Office Research Networking Conference

Scaling up mental health services, Dissemination and implementation science, Systems science (system dynamics, social network analysis, agent-based modeling, etc.)

Examining Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Faith Communities Of Color, Kari O'Grady

BYU Research Development Office Research Networking Conference

Resilience sensemaking processes, social determinants of family and community health, vaccine hesitancy, Covid-19 medical frontliner burnout and resilience, applications of statistics in public health and medicine, exclusionary mechanisms and factors that facilitate negative socio-economic and health outcomes for black immigrants in the United States

Using Generalizability Theory And The Erp Reliability Analysis (Era) Toolbox For Assessing Test-Retest Reliability Of Erp Scores Part 1: Algorithms, Framework, And Implementation, Scott A. Baldwin, Peter E. Clayson, Kalie A. Carbine, Joseph A. Olsen, Michael J. Larson

Faculty Publications

The reliability of event-related brain potential (ERP) scores depends on study context and how those scores will be used, and reliability must be routinely evaluated. Many factors can influence ERP score reliability; generalizability (G) theory provides a multifaceted approach to estimating the internal consistency and temporal stability of scores that is well suited for ERPs. G theory's approach possesses a number of advantages over classical test theory that make it ideal for pinpointing sources of error in observed scores. The current primer outlines the G-theory approach to estimating internal consistency (coefficients of equivalence) and test-retest reliability (coefficients of stability). This …

Executive Functioning, Caregiver Monitoring, And Medication Adherence Over Time In Adolescents With Chronic Kidney Disease, Cyd K. Eaton, Kara Mcrae Duraccio, Michelle N. Eakin, Tammy M. Brady, Cozumel S. Pruette, Thomas Eckmann, Susan R. Mendley, Shamir Tuchman, Barbara A. Fivush, Kristen A. Riekert

Faculty Publications

Objective: To evaluate associations between executive functioning and caregiver adherence monitoring with objective antihypertensive medication adherence over 24 months in adolescents with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: Adolescents (N = 97, 11–20 years old) with CKD taking antihypertensive medication and their caregivers were recruited from three pediatric nephrology clinics. At baseline, adolescents and caregivers reported on adolescents’ executive functioning and caregivers reported on their adherence monitoring. Antihypertensive medication adherence was objectively assessed via electronic monitoring at baseline and every 6 months after for 24 months. Associations between executive functioning, caregiver monitoring, and longitudinal adherence were evaluated with linear mixed models. …

Psychometric Investigation Of The Attachment To God Inventory And Its Implications For The Psychology Of Religion And Spirituality, Justin Paul Zamora

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to conduct a psychometric investigation of the Attachment to God Inventory (AGI; Beck & McDonald, 2004) using a national sample of socioeconomically and religiously diverse young adults commonly referred to as millennials (i.e., persons born between 1980 and 1996; Pew Research Center, 2018). Confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) results failed to yield satisfactory fit for the AGI model using the entire sample and a Christian-only subsample. Alternative model specifications that accounted for method factors, higher-order factors, and bi-factors also failed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) suggested alternative factor solutions that were cross-validated using CFA. Support for …

Considering Social Impact When Engineering For Global Development, Hans Jorgen Ottosson

Theses and Dissertations

Every manufactured product has an environmental impact, a social impact, and an economic impact. As engineers, we should do our best to understand how our design decisions influence these impacts (the three pillars of sustainability), and at the same time make decisions that collectively lead to maximum positive impacts, or minimum negative impacts on the economy, environment, and society. Many times, engineers show interest and want to design for all three pillars of sustainability but are often constrained to focus on the environmental and economic aspects, leaving out social sustainability due to lack of understanding and resources. In practice, this …

Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Available Services In A Rural Community To Effectively Educate Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Candice Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased 150% over the last 20 years, affecting all communities, with future projections of further rise. This is a particular concern for the public education system, where laws mandate that schools provide meaningful education to all students. Resources must be in place to provide the level of support children with ASD require for a successful educational experience. These resources are often expensive and require specialized training to secure. Rural schools face unique barriers meeting the standards set forth through federal law. To determine the most productive use of available resources as well as …

Physical Health As A Predictor Of Change In Self-Reported Presenting Problems In Couple Therapy, As Mediated By Emotional Regulation, Janette J. Driscoll

Theses and Dissertations

Recent literature in couple therapy has demonstrated the effects of physical health on some common presenting problems; however, few studies have considered progress as a construct on its own, irrespective of client-identified presenting problem. The current study used an Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediated Model to determine the connection between each partner's physical health and their own and their partner's self-reported progress in couple therapy, mediated by each partner's emotional regulation. Physical health was measured every four sessions using the Health-Related Quality of Life scale, and progress was measured by the Presenting Problem Progress Questionnaire given each time a couple attended therapy. …

Grazing Rotation On Restored Rangeland As A New Tool For Medusahead Control, Casey Spackman, Clinton A. Stonecipher, Kip E. Panter, Juan J. Villalba

Western North American Naturalist

Intake of medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski) by livestock is typically low given the poor nutritional quality of the weed, but utilization may increase through the provision of supplemental nutrients. This study compared cattle that initially grazed on a supplemented pasture (SUP) of established cool-season perennial grasses and forbs to nonsupplemented cattle that grazed only medusahead-infested rangeland (NSUP) in order to determine whether supplemental nutrients could increase use of medusahead. The quality of different forage types in the plant community and grazing events on these forage types were assessed. Supplemented animals grazed medusahead to a greater extent than NSUP …

Assessment And Expansion Of Laboratory-Based Testing Of Biomass Cookstoves, Cameron M. Quist

Theses and Dissertations

Biomass cookstoves are a significant source of various pollutants, such as CO2, CO, and particulate matter (PM). To mitigate the issues surrounding cookstoves, significant research has been undertaken on improved cookstoves (ICS). This research can be performed in a laboratory setting, in the field, or a combination of both. This work concentrates on the purely laboratory testing. Laboratory testing has both advantages and disadvantages when compared to field testing (e.g. decreased cost and increased consistency). However, field applications are variable, environments can be significantly different (for example wind and ambient temperature can be very different in the field vs. a …

Synthesizing Phylogeography And Community Ecology To Understand Patterns Of Community Diversity, Trevor J. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Community ecology is the study of the patterns and processes governing species abundance, distribution, and diversity within and between communities. Likewise, phylogeography is the study of the historic processes controlling genetic diversity across space. Both fields investigate diversity, albeit at different temporal, spatial and taxonomic scales and therefore have varying assumptions. Community ecology typically focuses on contemporary mechanisms whereas phylogeography studies historic ones. However, new research has discovered that both genetic and community diversity can be influenced by contemporary and historic processes in tandem. As such, a growing number of researchers have called for greater integration of phylogeography and ecology …

"It's Like Being Pulled In Two Directions": Experiences Of Transgender Latter-Day Saints, Morgan Monet

Theses and Dissertations

This study qualitatively examined the experiences of transgender individuals who also identify as active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (N=10). Researchers took an interpretive phenomenological approach to elicit factors which allow trans Mormon folks to hold their apparently conflicting religious and gender identities simultaneously (and the consequences of doing so). Overall, we aimed to answer the broad question, “what is it like to be transgender and Mormon?” Following a process of semi-structured interviews, transcription, and coding, the broad categories which seemed to connect many elements of the trans/Mormon experience were 1) a sense of being …

Parent Anxiety, Parental Psychological Control, And Adolescent Anxiety: Mediation And Bidirectional Relationships, Iesha R. Gibbons

Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is the most common mental health diagnosis for adolescents. Among important etiological factors are parent anxiety and parenting behavior, which can increase anxiety in adolescents. Adolescent anxiety can also act as a source of stress for parents that then increases parent anxiety and negative parenting behaviors. Using the Family Stress Model, this study aims to examine the longitudinal and bidirectional relationship between parent and adolescent anxiety with parental psychological control acting as a mediator. Structural equation modeling was used to examine these relationships across five waves of data for 457 families. Adolescents (51.86% female, mean age 13.34 at wave …

Modeling Current And Future Windblown Utah Dust Events Using Cmaq 5.3.1, Zachary David Lawless

Theses and Dissertations

Windblown dust events can be defined as windblown dust emitted from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere. These events have significant impact on local air quality. Predicting the location and magnitude of these events is vital for Utah air quality assessment and planning. Previous modeling studies have focused only on past dust events. This work utilized a state-of-the-science software framework based on the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) v5.3.1 modeling system to predict dust events in Utah. The framework was verified using previous studies for dust events in April 2017 and March 2010. Once verified, the framework was used to …

Increasing Introductory Biology Students' Modeling Mastery Through Visualizing Population Growth Models, Samantha Rae Wasson

Theses and Dissertations

In introductory biology, college students are taught to predict how populations will grow and change over time by using population growth models. These models are commonly represented as mathematical equations. However, students consistently struggle when math and biology concepts intersect in the classroom, and these struggles lead to suboptimal understanding of how mathematical population models are designed and used. Education literature suggests that students may struggle with population modeling because of math anxiety, the high cognitive load of the task, and the lack of scaffolding for abstract concepts. In our study, we sought to improve student mastery modeling exponential growth, …

Exploration Of Constant-Force Wristbands For A Wearable Health Device, Thomas Alexander Naylor

Theses and Dissertations

Wearable Health Devices (WHDs) are an emerging technology that enables continuous monitoring of vital signs during daily life. Issues with constant and consistent data acquisition have been found while WHD technology has developed. The force of the measurement area and movement of the sensors are key mechanical issues that need to be solved for WHDs to become a viable way to continuously monitor health conditions. This work explores Constant-Force Mechanisms (CFMs) as a solution to problems the current WHD industry faces. Additionally, the relationship between force provided from the mechanism, sensor pressure on the wrist, patient comfort, and sensor readings …

Stress-Induced Plasma Cortisol Concentrations In Infancy Are Associated With Later Parenting Behaviors In Female Rhesus Macaques (Macaca Mulatta), Colt Halter

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Few studies have longitudinally assessed the relationship between infant stress reactivity and future parenting styles. Stress-induced plasma cortisol concentrations are stable over development and can be utilized as a marker for stress reactivity. This study investigates the relationship between stress-induced plasma cortisol concentrations in infancy and later parenting behavior in a translational nonhuman primate model. We hypothesized that higher stress-induced cortisol levels in infancy would predict impairments in maternal behaviors in adulthood. Subjects were rhesus macaque females (N=122; Macaca mulatta), assessed as infants and again as mothers. At three-to-four months of age, subjects underwent a standardized BioBehavioral …

Methods To Stop Caffeine Use And Minimize Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms In The State Of Caffeine Dependence: A Literature Review, Morgan Behling, Blaine Winters

Student Works

Caffeine is the most consumed psychoactive drug in the world and those who consume it frequently become dependent. Even if individuals desire to quit caffeine, they may not be able to due to withdrawal side effects, or a lack of knowledge of how to quit. Harmful effects of long-term caffeine consumption include fatigue, irritability, headaches, nausea, and depression. The goal of this literature review was to explore current evidence on different methods to quit or reduce caffeine use and minimize caffeine withdrawal effects in those who are dependent. A literature review of studies from 2014 to 2020 was conducted using …

Sexual Beliefs In Couple Relationships: Exploring The Pathways Of Mindfulness, Communication, And Sexual Functioning On Sexual Passion And Satisfaction, Sierra Moore

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this study I examined the understudied area of sexual beliefs. Two central types of sexual beliefs, growth and destiny, have been found in past research to be differentially associated with sexual and relationship outcomes; however, past research has not explored these beliefs with dyadic data nor considered common intervening variables that might be pathways through which beliefs influence outcomes. Consequently, I used dyadic data to analyze how couples’ specific sexual beliefs (growth and destiny) influenced their sexual mindfulness, communication, and functioning within their couple relationships and how all of these variables influenced sexual satisfaction and sexual passion in a …