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Speaking Silence Fluently: Encouraging Student Understanding Of Counterhegemonic Strategies In African American Literature, Kathleen S. Decker

Masters Theses

This thesis suggests that while mainstream multicultural education claims to promote both diversity and equality, it fails to adequately address, let alone improve, the living conditions of minority students. It further suggests that when teachers help students read through the lenses of critical multiculturalism and critical whiteness studies, students can better see that both canonical and non-canonical African American authors deliberately employ nuanced strategies to resist white supremacy. Specifically through the use of purposeful and discreet silences, these authors serve to promote new and actively counterhegemonic ways of thinking in the classroom.

Each chapter pairs two texts--one canonical and one …

Mediators Of The Relationship Between Mindfulness And Alcohol Use, Melissa Lafferty

Masters Theses

Mindfulness is the act of "paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally" (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p.4). Mindfulness training has been shown to produce beneficial effects for a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms, including substance abuse (Baer, 2003). The current study attempted to test a working model of how mindfulness can enhance psychological well-being developed by Hölzel et al. (2011) within the specific context of alcohol use. It was hypothesized that higher levels of mindfulness would be associated with less alcohol use and less alcohol-related problems experienced. In addition, this study investigated whether …

Resolving The Nutritional Requirements Of The Bile Acid-Dehydroxylating Gut Bacterium Clostridium Scindens, Oindrila Paul

Masters Theses

Compared to the other parts of the human body, the gastrointestinal tract harbors a complex microbiota. The impact of the indigenous microbiota on host physiology is most pronounced in the colon, where the primary bile acids chenodeoxycholic acid and cholic acid are converted, via 7α-dehydroxylation, to the toxic secondary bile acids lithocholic acid and deoxycholic acid, respectively, by Clostridium scindens, an obligate anaerobe. Interestingly, other than bile acid dehydroxylation, little is known about the basic physiology of C. scindens. Understanding the metabolism of C. scindens will hopefully provide much-needed information as to how this gut bacterium impacts human health and …

Flavored Milk Consumption In School Systems And Its Effects On The Body, Kayla Brandt

Masters Theses

Media has portrayed chocolate milk negatively and has been removed in some schools due to added sugar. However, it contributes only 3% of total added sugars in children's diets (Murphy, Douglas, Johnson, & Spence, 2008). It also provides all nine of the essential nutrients as white milk, three of which are vital shortfall nutrients (Mahan & Escott-Stump, 2008). The purpose of this study is to determine if the presence of chocolate milk affects the calcium intake of school- aged children in Nebraska. A convenience sample of approximately 300 children and adolescents, K-12, participated in a three-day quantitative study. The study …

Personality And Substance Abuse, Juliana Gonzalez

Masters Theses

The Big Five have shown to be distinct personality traits that do not overlap and have universal applicability, so this study examined whether there are specific personality trait differences in users of Marijuana, Pain Medication, Sedative/Hypnotics, and Stimulants.

Study was placed in the 50 most visited Craigslist pages in the United States. Anonymous web users (N = 547) were recruited through Craigslist. High Neuroticism was associated with Marijuana and Stimulant use. Low Conscientiousness was associated with Marijuana and Stimulant use. High Extraversion was associated with Pain Medication use only. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research were discussed.

Relational Aggression: The Relationship Between Parents' Perceptions And Adolescents' Perceptions And Actions Involving Relational Aggression, Mallory Foster

Masters Theses

Relational aggression, best defined as behavior that is meant to harm or significantly damage another's friendships, has been shown to peak in adolescence. Additionally, the parent-adolescent relationship has been shown to be related to relational aggression in adolescents' relationships in several ways. The purpose of this study was to examine adolescent relational aggression and how such behaviors are related to the parent-adolescent relationship. Specifically, this study assessed whether parent perceptions of relational aggression were similar to adolescent perceptions of the same behaviors. Moreover, the study examined whether there was a relationship between parent perceptions of relational aggression and whether or …

Pubs, Temperance, And The Construction Of Irishness In James Joyce's Ulysses, Leslie Sweet Myrick

Masters Theses

Ulysses can be read as a bar crawl; three episodes and part of a fourth are set in public houses, while various characters walk to and from drinking activities and establishments throughout the day. However, Ulysses' main character, Leopold Bloom, is an extremely moderate drinker and not considered "a regular" patron at any public house. His practicing of temperance is one example of how Bloom does not embody the typical Irish masculinity. However, the drinking culture in Ulysses has not been fully explored in context of the temperance movement which was an ongoing cause in 1904 Dublin despite Guinness's Brewery …

Coping Strategies Related To Obsessive-Compulsive, Social Anxiety, And Depressive Symptoms, Andrew M. Obritsch

Masters Theses

The relationship between coping strategies and psychological symptoms has been studied for decades. The purpose of the current study was to examine how coping strategies relate to obsessive-compulsive, social anxiety, and depressive symptoms as well as how these three symptom domains influence chosen coping strategies. Participants were administered the COPE, Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS), Social Phobia Scale (SPS), Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Revised (CESD-R). Given the symptom comorbidity between these three symptom domains, regression analyses were conducted to control for comorbidity among both symptom domains and coping factors. This study found that …

Perceptions And Expectations Of Residence Halls, Christopher M. Hardin

Masters Theses

The study examined perceptions of the residence halls, how those changed over the course of the first semester living in a residence hall, and how the residence halls were meeting the needs of the students. The experimenter utilized the past literature of Arthur Chickering and Linda Reisser (1993) regarding vectors of student development and the work on human needs written by Abraham Maslow (1943). Nine undergraduate students were randomly chosen during orientation days and interviewed about their perceptions of campus. Two follow-up interviews occurred to examine how perceptions changed over the course of a semester. Participants initially expressed concern with …

Assessment Of Adolescents' Knowledge Of Suicide Warning Signs In Their Peers, Jennifer Larson

Masters Theses

The present study examined the knowledge adolescents have about suicide warning signs. Participants included 188 students (79% female and 21% male), 18 to 20 years old, from a Midwestern University. Participants anonymously completed an online survey. Results indicated that adolescents did not show knowledge of suicide warning signs. They also did not correctly identify suicide risk levels in three scenarios. Furthermore, direct exposure to suicide was not related to adolescents' knowledge of suicide warning signs or risk factors; however, adolescents who looked up information about suicide online were better at identifying suicide warning signs. Finally, those who had a family …

Studies Of The Structural Boundaries Of Solid-State Photodimerization Reactions Via Isocoumarins And Heteromeric Assemblies, Mihiri S. Weerasinghe

Masters Theses

The study of molecules in crystals has gained considerable attention in the field of structural chemistry. Much interest has focused on the use of molecular crystals for the construction of materials with specific functional properties. Because the design of such materials requires a critical understanding of intermolecular interactions, use of the building-block approach continues to offer an important strategy to multimolecular frameworks. Though the use of template and metal-ligand interactions has provided successful opportunities to organize chemical reactions in solids, these methods require secondary molecules and are limited to achiral starting materials. As such, exploring chiral synthesis with simplified precursors …

Perceptions Of International Orientation, Payge Schagemann-Jones

Masters Theses

Using qualitative methodology, the researcher analyzed the perspectives of students attending a mandatory Office of International Students and Scholars, sponsored orientation. One week after classes started, four international students and one observer were interviewed on their perceptions regarding the orientation. Themes such as cultural adjustment, understanding professors, prejudice and discrimination, academic advising, and structured entry were presented.

Effectiveness Of Diversity Training: A Mixed Methods Approach To Evaluating A Residence Life Staff Training Program, Alex Dresen

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Self-Compassion As A Mediator Between Coping Styles And Psychopathology, Yamini Bellare

Masters Theses

Self-compassion helps an individual to respond to suffering or pain with mindfulness, common humanity and self-kindness. It has been identified as a protective factor, which promotes physical and mental health. Self-compassion was examined as a potential mediator in the relationship between coping strategies and psychopathology. A literature review of the existing research on self-compassion and its links with specific coping strategies, depression and anxiety is presented. Findings indicate that self-compassion partially mediates the relationship between avoidance-oriented coping and social-anxiety. Self-compassion also was associated with lower levels of psychopathology and avoidance-oriented coping and higher use of adaptive problem-focused coping. The probable …

Montessori Principles: Do Montessori Parents Understand Their Significance And Apply Them To Their Family Lives?, Cody Davis Sanantonio

Masters Theses

This study was designed to offer insight to Montessori educators regarding the grasp that parents who choose Montessori for their children possess of the basic Montessori principles. These principles, which are applied in Montessori schools around the world each day, serve as the underpinning of Montessori philosophy, and since parents are the most significant teachers in their children's lives, it makes sense that parents are working in harmony with the guiding principles of their children's schools. Montessori schools have enjoyed a long history of serving children and families, and have often maintained waiting lists of prospective families who want the …

Dolus's Doctrine, Gretchen Schaible-Smith

Masters Theses

Marta Hoyle has lived her entire life in the safety and security of the New Republic where she tries to live a life that is in accordance with The Book of Law and Faith. Her Radical parents put her under the government's constant scrutiny, and even though she's resided with her pious Aunt Grace for over five years, she finds herself in danger of being tried and eliminated as a Radical.

When Marta receives a warning from a soldier of the danger in store, she decides to risk a visit to a Radical meeting in hopes of finding safety and …

The Effects Of Chemical Treatment And Light Exposure On Pah Concentrations In Biochar, Fathima Nadheesha Muhammed Khalid

Masters Theses

A series of experiments quantifying extractable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in biochar before and after various treatments were conducted. The analytical approach included solvent extraction of PAHs with toluene, further isolation and column cleanup before gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis. The treatment methods include exposing biochar samples to sunlight and UV radiation with and without additives and reacting with hydrogen peroxide.

Two biochar samples from the Eastern Illinois University bench-type gasifier and commercial biochar were analyzed. Analyzing of three biochar types revealed that plant biochar has lower total PAH concentration than wood (W) biochar or wood and plant (giant …

Upvoting The Audience: A Burkean Analysis Of Reddit, Doug Urbanski

Masters Theses

My thesis examines the Internet community Reddit through the rhetorical framework of Kenneth Burke, specifically his work with identification between individuals and how identification shapes communities. I focused on three sections of Reddit: World News, Ask Reddit, and Politics, and analyzed the best-voted comments of top posts from each section, focusing on how anonymous users communicate with one another and how their anonymity might influence the ways they interact. Additionally, I propose a method for instructors to use Reddit in the classroom, taking advantage of the medium's systematic anonymity.

Effects Of Yoga On Caregiver Stress And Feelings Towards Caregiving, Laura M. Castelon

Masters Theses

This research addressed the issues of caregiver stress and feelings towards caregiving. The following research questions were addressed: 1) Do caregivers who participate in yoga exercises feel less stress about their caregiving duties? 2) Do caregivers who participate in yoga view their caregiving duties as a more positive experience than caregivers who do not participate in yoga? 3) Is the relationship between stress level and positive feelings different between the yoga and non- yoga participants? A total of 21 participants had an equal chance of being selected to participate in either a yoga group or a non-yoga group. The subjects …

A Strategic Communication Campaign To Build Effective Relationships, Lauren Kluge Padillo

Masters Theses

This creative thesis discusses a strategic communication campaign that will help build effective relationships with the use of several communication strategies and marketing plans. I used our department's move to a new location as an opportunity to initiate dialogue to solve communication problems that are currently an issue. A brochure was developed as a tool that can be later used for reference. The project was successful and did bridge the communication gaps. Based on the success of the project, we will continue to use the literature and make visits to our internal and external customers.

Hysteria, Sexuality, And Their Influence On Male Authority In "Carmilla" And "Good Lady Ducayne", Rachel Walls

Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

How Does Culture Influence Housing Choices And Behaviors Of Residents Of The Pine Ridge Reservation? Preliminary Results, Dana Denise Tell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The current study used a case study research design to investigate how the culture on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota affects housing choices and behaviors. After a visit to the Pine Ridge Reservation, the principle investigator observed the housing situation and became inspired to examine the relationship between the culture and the housing conditions. An interview was set up with a resident on the reservation using a structured interview protocol with probes. The interview protocol was developed after a careful review of the existing literature on culture and housing. The findings revealed three important themes: 1) family cohesion, …

Social Story Intervention For Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard-Of-Hearing, Kaylee Mccollum

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Originally developed for children with mild autism, a Social Story is a short story that describes an ambiguous or troublesome situation and provides an appropriate response to that situation. Several research studies have confirmed the effectiveness of Social Stories in decreasing undesirable behaviors in children with mild, moderate, and severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, limited research has been conducted to determine the efficacy of Social Stories in modifying behaviors of children who do not have autism. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Social Stories in decreasing undesirable behaviors in children who are deaf or …

Using Multisensory Input To Supplement Articulation Intervention, Caitlin A. Maxheimer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of multisensory input on the discrimination and production abilities of a preschool aged child with a speech sound disorder. The study examined the effect of Van Riper's traditional articulation intervention approach supplemented with multisensory cues taken from the Sound Strategies for Sound Production resource (Treatment B), in contrast to Van Riper's traditional articulation intervention approach alone (Treatment A). One male child, aged 4 years, 4 months, diagnosed with a mild-moderate speech sound disorder, participated in this single subject, alternating treatment study. Treatment was provided for 30 minutes, 3 days a …

Feminist Science Fiction Of The 1970s, Mia Tapella

Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Intervention Approaches Using The Ipad, Meredith Healy

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Research has indicated that an interactive, naturalistic style of instruction facilitates vocabulary learning (Armbruster, Lehr, & Osborn, 2010; Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2005; Brett, Rothlein, & Hurley, 1996). Evidence also suggests that direct instruction is effective for children with language impairment (Jenkins, Pany, & Schreck, 1978; Boehm, 1986; Siefert & Schwarz, 1991). A reduced fast-mapping ability is characteristic of children with language impairment (Rice, Buhr, & Nemeth, 1990), necessitating additional support when providing vocabulary instruction (Steele & Mills, 2011) . As many forms of technology are being integrated into educational settings, it is imperative to consider the effects of technology …

The City Upon A Hill: Boston As God's Bulwark Against Piracy, 1630-1720, Kimberly A. Lorton

Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Free Will In "Beauty And The Beast": The Overlooked Lesson And First Step Into Adulthood, Kelly Jo Nicholson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

First, Shelby Koehne

Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Executive Functions As Rated By Teachers Of Preschool Children With Language Impairment And Typical Language Skills, Karissa Genenbacher

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Executive functions (EFs) comprise an array of higher order cognitive skills which are important for the development of self-control and effective participation in home and school environments. Research has begun to identify executive function deficits in children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and in children who are at-risk for language impairment. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in executive functioning skills of children with SLI, children demonstrating at-risk language, and children with typical language, based on teacher ratings of the Behavioral Rating inventory of Executive Function- Preschool (BRIEF-P). The relationships between executive functions and language skills …