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Family Behaviors As Unchanging Obstacles In End-Of-Life Care: 16-Year Comparative Data, Renea L. Beckstrand, Jasmine B. Jenkins, Karlen E. Luthy, Janelle L. B. Macintosh

Faculty Publications

Background Critical care nurses routinely care for dying patients. Research on obstacles in providing end-of-life care has been conducted for more than 20 years, but change in such obstacles over time has not been examined.

Objective To determine whether the magnitude scores of obstacles and helpful behaviors regarding end-of-life care have changed over time.

Methods In this cross-sectional survey study, questionnaires were sent to 2000 randomly selected members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Obstacle and helpful behavior items were analyzed using mean magnitude scores. Current data were compared with data gathered in 1999.

Results Of the 2000 questionnaires …

Effects Of A 4-Week Dynamic Balance Training With Stroboscopic Glasses On Postural Control In Patients With Chronic Ankle Instability, Hyunwook Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) rely more on visual information during postural control due to impaired proprioceptive function. The increased reliance on visual information may increase the risk of injury when their vision is limited during complex sports activities. Stroboscopic glasses may help elicit sensory reweighting during postural control. Therefore, we assumed that the glasses would induce and train CAI patients to reweight sensory information for the somatosensory system during dynamic balance training. Purpose: (1) to identify the effects of the 4-week dynamic balance training on the reliance of visual information during postural control in patients with CAI …

Physical Activity Motivational Factors Of Activity Trackers For Young Adults, Amy L. Dalton

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Physical activity for the majority of individuals is below recommended levels despite strong evidence of its significant health benefits. Activity tracker devices present as a promising and affordable tool to help promote physical activity and active choices. Additionally, young adults present as an ideal age group to implement behavior change interventions. OBJECTIVE: To determine what features of activity tracker hardware and software are helpful in motivating active choices. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 149 participants ranging in age from 18-29 years old who wore an ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer for one week. They then continued to wear the accelerometer in …

Aces And Substance Use: Understanding The Influence Of Childhood Experiences On Substance Use In Adolescence Across Race And Ethnicity, Tacey Micole Matheson Shurtliff

Theses and Dissertations

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect numerous outcomes in adulthood, but relatively few studies examine their implications for adolescents. Understanding the effects of ACEs is important since adolescent behaviors affect subsequent life course milestones and transitions. One area of the ACEs research that is deficient involves adolescent substance use. In addition, there is a paucity of studies addressing whether the association between ACEs and substance use differs by race/ethnicity. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this study aims to fill these gaps by (a) examining whether adolescents who experience more ACEs tend to be at higher risk …

Social-Emotional Outcomes In Children With Hydrocephalus, Vanessa L. Wall

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrocephalus can impact all areas of health, including physical, cognitive, and social-emotional functioning. The social-emotional health of children who have had surgery for their hydrocephalus is not well characterized. This study examined social-emotional and behavioral functioning using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3) and the Hydrocephalus Outcome Questionnaire (HOQ) in children aged 5-17 years old. BASC-3 parent report scores were compared to the BASC-3 normative sample using one-sample t-tests to evaluate overall social-emotional functioning. BASC-3 scores were correlated with the social-emotional domain of the HOQ using Pearson's r to determine if the HOQ accurately captures the social-emotional …

Client Experiences Of A Brief Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Protocol, Sheilagh Fox

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the experiences of clients who completed a brief heart rate variability biofeedback protocol. The purposes of this study were to (1) learn about client experiences of biofeedback because almost no previous research has done so and (2) explore the potential role of common factors in biofeedback. Fifteen clients were interviewed and their data analyzed according to the methods of Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR; Hill, 2012). CQR relies on the use of group consensus to construct representations of participant experiences and categorize themes within the data. The results of the study showed that participants generally experienced the HRVB+ …

A Test Of The Whytry Program On Youth Resilience, Travis Guy Price

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the WhyTry program in enhancing adolescent resilience. Ninety-four adolescents in grades seven–nine had been screened for Tier two intervention at the local junior high. The school assigned these students to either a WhyTry treatment group or an alternative treatment group. The students were all from economically disadvantaged situations and were predominantly Hispanic. The treatment group participated in the WhyTry program, led by a trained facilitator at the school. Students in the treatment and comparison groups completed a pre-test and post-test using the Social Emotional Assets and Resilience Scales (SEARS). …

Youth And Staff Perceptions Of Modifications Made When Implementing Strong Teens In A Residential Treatment Center, Melissa Rae Bennion

Theses and Dissertations

There is compelling evidence that helping adolescents develop certain traits (especially related to resiliency) can mitigate the confounding effects of suicide. Specific demographics of youth appear to have higher rates of suicidal behavior including those with mental health diagnoses and educational disabilities that affect students' academic achievement. We looked at evidence based social and emotional learning programs (SEL) that fostered adaptive coping skills and resilience. We identified Strong Teens (Carrizales-Engelmann, Merrell, Feuerborn, Gueldner, & Tran, 2016) as a program that could be easily administered and adapted into traditional and nontraditional school settings. This study was conducted in a residential treatment …

Success Off The Field: Academic Strategies Of High-Gpa College Athletes, Ashlynn Erbe

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the strategies academically successful college student athletes use to do well in their class work, where academic success was defined as a 3.5 GPA for 12 or more credits for the two semesters preceding the study. Data were transcriptions of individual interviews with five male and five female athletes in seven sports at an NCAA Division I university in the western United States. Independent coders analyzed the data and agreed upon themes related to challenges to academic success and strategies to meet those challenges. Findings add to the literature by detailing self-regulatory habits that academically underprepared athletes …

Nurses' Experiences Of Organisational Learning: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Bret Lyman, Marisa E. Biddulph, V Grace Hopper, Julie L. Brogan

Faculty Publications

Aim: To explore the validity of and expand upon a model of organisational learning in hospitals.

Background: Organisational learning is a positive change in an organisation's collective knowledge, cognition and/or action, leading to improved hospital performance. A current model offers an evidence-based, theoretical representation of organisational learning in hospitals, yet the intricacies of organisational learning in clinical practice are not fully understood. Additional guidance is needed to effectively foster and study organisational learning.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were used to gather 15 first-hand experiences of organisational learning from 14 nurses. Data were analysed via deductive thematic analysis.

Results: Organisational learning was …

Predictors Of Psychosocial And Physiological Distress In Colorectal Cancer Patients, Hyrum Eddington

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Distress among cancer patients has been broadly accepted as an important indicator of patient well-being. However, questions remain such as what patient characteristics are associated with high distress and whether patient-reported distress is correlated with distress biomarkers. To answer these questions, we performed a survey study of 238 colorectal patients in which we assessed patient-reported distress, possible contributors to that distress, and patient anxiety and depression. We also abstracted demographic and clinical information from patient charts and collected measures for salivary cortisol and sarcopenia. We conducted bivariate statistical analyses between patient demographics, clinical factors, and psychosocial measures with our three …

Type One Diabetes Mellitus In Immigrant And Minority Pediatric Populations, Kristina Nielson

Student Works

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a prevalent chronic illness affecting children and adolescents. Globally, it is estimated that at least 1 million children under the age of 19 years are affected by T1DM. Immigrants and minorities have worse diabetic outcomes than the majority population. The purpose of this article is to identify common challenges in children with T1DM who are part of immigrant or minority populations. Major health challenges for children with T1DM who are immigrants or minorities include issues regarding access to healthcare, communication, and cultural adaptation. Access of children with T1DM to high-quality healthcare and new diabetes …

Treatment Engagement And Effectiveness Using An Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy At A University Counseling Center, Meredith S. Pescatello

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health disorders are a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide. Mental health services do not meet demand due to accessibility issues, financial burden, and increasing needs. Technology can provide affordable, accessible mental health care and some research suggests internet-delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy (iCBT) may be an effective treatment. In iCBTs, participants typically complete Cognitive Behavior Therapy modules and videos and are supported by a therapist. Advantages of iCBT over face-to-face therapy include lower cost, no travel time, easy access, no waitlists, and trackable progress. To our knowledge there have been no naturalistic studies of iCBT programs. Therefore, this …

Information Geometry And Model Reduction In Oscillatory And Networked Systems, Benjamin Lane Francis

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I consider the problem of model reduction in both oscillatory and networked systems. Previously, the Manifold Boundary Approximation Method (MBAM) has been demonstrated as a data-driven tool for reducing the parametric complexity of so-called sloppy models. To be effective, MBAM requires the model manifold to have low curvature. I show that oscillatory models are characterized by model manifolds with high curvature in one or more directions. I propose methods for transforming the model manifolds of these models into ones with low curvature and demonstrate on a couple of test systems. I demonstrate MBAM as a tool for …

Lcm Permeability Characterization Over Mold Curvature, Benjamin Grant Betteridge

Theses and Dissertations

Composite flow simulation tools for LCM processing can be expensive and time-consuming but necessary to design a mold system with proper placement of resin inlets and vacuum outlets. Composites manufacturing engineers would benefit from data regarding the impact of mold curvature radius on resin flow. This could help determine whether or not a particular part and mold would require expensive simulation software designed to handle complex flow paths through curved fabric architectures exhibiting variable permeability over the curvature, or if simple flow modeling would provide accurate enough simulations for sound tooling setup decision making. Four molds, with double curvature having …

General Education Teachers' Self-Reported Response To Overt Student Problem Behavior In The Classroom, Ingrid Lewis Shurtleff

Theses and Dissertations

The need for teachers to respond effectively to student problem behaviors is vital for positive student outcomes. This study examined how general education teachers respond to different problem behaviors, what variables possibly predict those responses, and if dealing with problem behaviors plays a possible role in teacher attrition. Results were reported using descriptive and statistical analyses. Three-hundred sixty-three elementary and secondary teachers in five school districts were invited to participate in a survey. Findings indicate that teachers primarily use individually directed responses to problem behaviors and the responses had little differentiation according to intensity of behavior. The data revealed some …

Individual Experience, Individualized Help: A Case Study Of Three Siblings Whose Father Died By Suicide, Caitlin Cotten

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study describes the disparate experiences of how three siblings reacted and were affected by their father's suicide death. Specifically, through individual interviews, this study explores the siblings' individual memories, emotions, and perceptions of support connected with the time directly before and after their father's death. In addition, the researchers considered the long-term effects of their father's death by suicide as lived by the sibling survivors. In seeking to understand the siblings' experiences, this study also explores each sibling's reaction as they were presented with a group of children's picture books that were developed to help children express …

Ems Mutagenesis In Quinoa: Developing A Genetic Resource, Brian James Cox

Theses and Dissertations

Chenopodium quinoa, a South American pseudocereal, has valuable agricultural traits such as salt tolerance and drought tolerance, and it has beneficial nutritional properties such as high protein content and a complete amino acid profile. However, problems including disease susceptibility, low harvest index, lodging, seed shattering, low heat tolerance, and saponin content plague quinoa. Genetic resources for quinoa are needed to fix these problems and make quinoa more available throughout the world. We used ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) to create a mutant population of QQ74 quinoa (USDA GRIN PI 614886) of 5,030 mutant families. We did whole exome sequencing (WES) on 44 …

Insomnia Symptom Severity Is Associated With Increased Suicidality And Suicide In A Psychiatric Sample, Zachary Alan Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

Insomnia is a risk factor for suicidal behavior including attempts and suicide. We investigated whether insomnia symptom severity predicted suicidality and suicide in an at-risk sample. The sample included deceased psychiatric patients seen at Weber Human Services since 2008 (N=180) who completed the Outpatient Questionnaire-45.2 (OQ) prior to death. Insomnia symptom severity was assessed using item 41 from the OQ. Manner of death was determined by death records and autopsy reports. History of suicidal ideation and prior suicide attempts were determined through review of electronic medical records. Cases were grouped into 4 categories: no history of suicidality (n = 30), …

Observing The Impact Of An Engineering-Based Unit Of Instruction On 6th Grade Students' Attitudes Towards Engineering As Theyengage In Building Electric Bikes, Gregg Allred Olsen

Theses and Dissertations

In the past few decades, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education has become a driving force for innovators throughout the world (Atkinson & Mayo, 2010; Bybee, 2010). STEM education has also become an economic factor in developing countries (Kennedy & Odell, 2014). Currently, many countries are struggling with how to effectively promote STEM education. The United States (U.S.) provides an interesting case study. Despite being one of the global economic leaders, it is behind in STEM education compared to other nations (Atkinson & Mayo, 2010; Dugger, 2010). STEM education helps to build world leaders including marketable and knowledgeable employees …

Effects Of Positive And Negative Emotional Valence On Response Timeduring A Confrontational Naming Task: Findings From People With Aphasia And Young Adults, Corinne Jones Loveridge

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to determine the effect of emotional arousal and valence on linguistic processing of adults with aphasia and neurotypical young adults. Nine people with aphasia (at least 6 months left hemisphere stroke and presenting with word retrieval deficits) and 20 young adults (reporting no evidence of neurological injury) participated. All participants completed a confrontational naming task during three conditions that were manipulated according to emotional arousal and valence: positive (high arousal, positive valence), negative (high arousal, negative valence), and neutral (low arousal, neutral valence). Average response time was measured for pictures named accurately within …

Efficacy Of An Online Self-Compassion Training For Improving Well-Being And Body Image: A Randomized Waitlist-Controlled Trial, Lauren Benyo Linford

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the efficacy of the My Best Self 101 (MBS101) self-compassion module, an internet-delivered self-compassion training within a non-clinical general population sample. Using a randomized-waitlist control design, this study examined whether module participants experienced significant improvements in self-compassion, well-being, and body image compared to waitlist controls. Participants were 228 adults (mean age 30.3, 23.5% male and 76.5% female). At pretest and posttest, both groups completed self-report measures of self-compassion, subjective well-being, and body image. Repeated measures mixed model analyses revealed that compared to waitlist controls, participants who used the MBS101 self-compassion module reported significant improvements in self-compassion, well-being, …

Creating Library Learning Spaces That Support Twenty-First Century Pedagogy And Student Learning, Deborah Lynn Christoffersen

Theses and Dissertations

University libraries struggle to keep up with rapidly changing technology and the associated change in teaching strategy. Most administrators and librarians are often not trained to assess space needs and struggle to reassign library spaces for non-traditional library use. As such, they often embark on expensive and time-consuming feasibility studies, using (typically) hard-earned monies to complete the research or to pilot a new space. What academic research library administrators and staff lack is an analysis tool for discovering and planning needed renovations and improvements in aging library facilities. The purpose of this research project was to determine how students use …

Barriers To Prenatal Care For Hispanic Immigrants In Utah County, Maren Monson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines four barriers that may inhibit Hispanic immigrant women from receiving care in Utah County, including language, insurance, documentation, and education. Six clinics in Utah County were contacted to determine how the services they provide account for these barriers. Nine Hispanic women were then interviewed about their experience with prenatal care in Utah County with respect to the four barriers. Interpretation services were offered by each clinic, though none of the women interviewed used professional interpretation—either their husbands translated, or they met with a Spanish-speaking doctor. Every clinic accepted insurance and Medicaid, while one clinic had a flexible …

Declines Of Black-Billed Magpie (Pica Hudsonia) And Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile Atricapillus) In The North-Central United States Following The Invasion Of West Nile Virus, Stephen J. Brenner, Joel G. Jorgensen

Western North American Naturalist

West Nile virus (WNV) is an introduced pathogen, transmitted by mosquitos, that spread across North America following its arrival there in 1999. Birds host the virus, but consequences of the disease to bird species have been variable. A small number of avian species are especially susceptible to WNV, experience high mortality rates when infected, and have shown regional declines apparently because of the disease. Other species have seemingly been unaffected. Transmission of WNV is associated with climate, with higher incidence of transmission in dry areas with warm winters. The north-central United States is an area that exhibits clines in temperature …

Pedagogical Approaches And Instructional Content That Predict Increased Acceptance Of Biological Evolution In University Students, Clinton Thomas Laidlaw

Theses and Dissertations

Evolution is the central organizing theory of biology. Without evolutionary theory, biology becomes a somewhat tangential assemblage of facts about living organisms, which is precisely how it is viewed by many students. Many teachers teach evolution in a limited capacity or avoid it entirely due to fear of opposition, lack of confidence in their own understanding, or lack of acceptance of the theory themselves. When evolution is not taught, or is not accepted, it cannot be utilized to make sense of the field, and is quickly forgotten by students. While some studies have shown a correlation between instruction about evolution …

Stack The Deck: A Self-Monitoring Intervention For Adolescents With Autism For Balancing Participation Levels In Groups, Lauren Elizabeth Lees

Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects the lives of 1 in 54 children in the United States. By definition, these children often have social communication deficits as well as restrictive and repetitive behaviors that are socially isolating. Inclusion of participants with disabilities such as ASD in classroom or group settings with peers is a high-priority goal for building skills that lead to independent living and higher quality of life for all. Balancing an individual’s class or group participation is not always easy with different levels of social skills, however. In a classroom, this can translate to difficulty in knowing how to …

The Effects Of Distracting Background Audio On Speech Production, Camille Margaret Cowley

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined changes in speech production when distracting background audio is present. Forty typically speaking adults completed a repetitive sentence reading task in the presence of 5 different audio conditions (pink noise, movie dialogue, heated debate, classical music, and contemporary music) and a silent condition. Acoustic parameters measured during the study included vowel space area (VSA), vowel articulation index (VAI), formant transition extent, formant transition rate, and diphthong duration for /ɑɪ/ and /É‘ÊŠ/. It was hypothesized that there would be significant increases in vowel space area and vowel articulation index as well as an increase in formant transition measures …

Longitudinal Predictors Of Helicopter Parenting In Emerging Adulthood, Laura M. Padilla-Walker, Larry J. Nelson, Ryan D. Mclean

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this exploratory longitudinal study was to examine stability and change of helicopter parenting throughout the first few years of emerging adulthood and to examine child and parent–child relational factors that might predict helicopter parenting. Participants included 453 emerging adults from a northwestern city in the United States (51% female, 33% single-parent families) who participated in a 10-year longitudinal study, with the current study examining ages 19–21. Results revealed that (a) for both mothers and fathers, helicopter parenting decreased over time, (b) some child and relational factors predicted initial levels of helicopter parenting, but (c) the findings were …