Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating The Relational Element Of Trust In Teacher-Principal Relationships: An Autoethnographic Case Study, Angela Bradley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This autoethnographic case study was designed to investigate the relational aspect of trust, a characteristic of servant leadership, in the teacher-principal relationship. This trusting bond is an often overlooked, foundational element of a school’s success. I examined the role that trust plays in enhancing a school’s culture and how trust is established and maintained among one principal and teachers under my supervision. In addition, as researcher, I sought to uncover specific indicators that trust was present on a school campus. Finally, I sought to examine trust’s effects on collaboration and organizational commitment.

Through weekly reflections, I sought to examine my …

Narcissism And Risk-Taking For Others, Tyler B. Cowley

LSU Master's Theses

While prior findings demonstrate that narcissists are excessively risk-seeking for themselves, research does not yet understand if their risk-seeking behaviors extend to others as well. This paper examines the role of narcissism in risk-taking on behalf of others. I hypothesize that narcissists will take more risks when deciding for others because they lack empathy and perspective taking. Therefore, narcissists are more likely to take risks based on their personal preferences, rather than the recipient’s desires. To test my hypotheses, participants completed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) for themselves, another individual, and an anonymous individual, followed by completing the Narcissistic …

Overcoming Gifted Student Underachievement Through Teacher Best Practices, Samantha Simmons Webre

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of this study is to collect the best practices being utilized by gifted teachers affecting change amongst their gifted underachieving students. Data collected will explore trends deemed significant among the successful best practices being utilized by academically gifted certified teachers.

The researcher will administer surveys, conduct interviews, and classroom observations to collect data from a sample of participants who are currently employed as academically gifted certified teachers. This study will focus on these academically gifted certified teacher’s definitions and recognition of underachievement, identified causes for underachievement, best practices employed to re-engage underachieving students, as well as perceptions of …

"A Sort Of Pain, Which Is New": Unresolved Grief In British Romantic Literature, Eta Farmacelia Nurulhady

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the cultural phenomenon of mourning in relation to British Romantic Literature. In chapters on the work of William Wordsworth, Jane Austen, Felicia Hemans, and Charles Lamb, it argues that the Romantic period, as a time of increased mobility due to three revolutions, wars, and the expansion of empire, was a moment when unresolved grief became a common experience. Using the psychologist Pauline Boss’s concept of “ambiguous loss” as a lens for a new reading of British Romantic writing, and distinguishing this concept from the modern concept of “nostalgia,” this dissertation analyzes poetry, novels, and essays written by …

Evaluation Of Noise Regression Techniques In Resting-State Fmri Studies Using Data Of 434 Older Adults, Norman Scheel, Jeffrey N. Keller, Ellen F. Binder, Eric D. Vidoni, Jeffrey M. Burns, Binu P. Thomas, Ann M. Stowe, Linda S. Hynan, Diana R. Kerwin, Wanpen Vongpatanasin, Heidi Rossetti, C. Munro Cullum, Rong Zhang, David C. Zhu

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Subject motion is a well-known confound in resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and the analysis of functional connectivity. Consequently, several clean-up strategies have been established to minimize the impact of subject motion. Physiological signals in response to cardiac activity and respiration are also known to alter the apparent rs-fMRI connectivity. Comprehensive comparisons of common noise regression techniques showed that the “Independent Component Analysis based strategy for Automatic Removal of Motion Artifacts” (ICA-AROMA) was a preferred pre-processing technique for teenagers and adults. However, motion and physiological noise characteristics may differ substantially for older adults. Here, we present a comprehensive comparison of noise-regression …

Identity Composition: A Qualitative Study Of Community College English Composition And Lgbtq-Inclusive Pedagogical Practices, Lucas Michel Gassen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research investigates the identity-based practices and experiences of English composition instructors who teach at community colleges and assesses the extent to which LGBTQ-inclusive pedagogical approaches are undertaken to meet the needs of sexual and gender minority students. The participant pool was comprised of community college instructors within the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) who have taught English composition courses within the past five years. This study aims to answer the following research questions: 1. In what ways and to what extent is identity-based instructional content incorporated in community college English composition courses? 2. In what ways and …

Case Study Of The Impact Of Teacher Efficacy On Select Pk-3 School Faculty In A South Louisiana School: A Perceptual Investigation, Tara L. Alfred-Pellerin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This single case study explored the perceptions, feelings, and ideas of a select group of PK-3 certified teachers in a small, south Louisiana elementary school. As educators, perceptions and opinions often go unrecognized within the central school board and in the district. In order for teachers to be successful, it is imperative they are equipped with professional development and opportunities for collaboration in order to increase their self-efficacy to become more invested. This study focused on steps to increase self-efficacy, the importance of teacher collaboration, and professional development within an elementary school. It was grounded by theoretical frameworks of self-efficacy …

Investigating The Theoretical Orientations Of Select Louisiana Preservice Teachers Regarding Teaching Reading: A Mixed-Methods Study, Megan Jenny

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Teacher quality is one of the most significant factors contributing to student success, and Teacher Preparation Programs (TPPs) are traditionally responsible for teaching preservice teachers how to teach reading. Effective reading instruction is responsive, complex, and equitable. Acknowledgement of a disconnect between preparation programming and critical teacher knowledge for teachers of reading indicated a need for this exploratory mixed-methods study. The purpose of the current study, grounded by the theoretical framework of Sociocultural Theory, was to investigate what a select group of 21 preservice grades 1-3 elementary teachers were taught about teaching reading, preservice teachers’ theoretical orientations for teaching reading, …

Of Language And Thought: American Political Discourse, Normative Reason, And Essentially Contested Concepts, Riley Clare Valentine

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes progressive liberalism and neoliberalism as forms of normative reason that redefine specific political concepts, which are central to American liberalism – equality, liberty, the role of the State, and the pursuit of happiness. I contend that language is an important expression of normative reason. Language is how political reason and the norms accompanying it are expressed. I move through Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Barack Obama, exploring shifts in language and interpretations of political concepts through progressive liberal and neoliberal forms of normative reason. I argue that a tension emerges between progressive liberalism and neoliberalism, and a …

Fashion Or Function: Examining Consumers' Perceived Values Of Mass-Customized Menswear Via A Content Mining Approach, Yuli Liang, Snigdha Rangineni, Chuanlan Liu

Faculty Publications

Mass customization has been used in various clothing products including T-shirts, dress shirts, jeans, sports shoes, accessories, etc. However, even though the concept of mass customization has been accepted among scholars and business practitioners, and the application of mass customization has been practiced in the fashion industry for more than two decades, the acceptance among ultimate consumers and the market of MC in the apparel industry has not taken off yet. To this end, this study intends to fill the identified gap through a content mining exploratory qualitative study using customer value theory to evaluate individual consumers' actual customization experiences. …

Transitioning In A Time Of Crisis: Understanding The Impact Students’ Prior Online Learning Experiences Have On Online Course Achievement, Clayton F. Benton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This quantitative study examines the impact that selected academic and personal demographic characteristics had on the successful completion of online coursework during the Covid-19 pandemic. Focused on a high-research university in the Southeastern United States during the Fall of 2020, this research looked the potential influence that prior online learning experiences had on students’ abilities to transition to the online modality during a time of crisis.

Data for this study was retrieved from institutional sources and the sample consisted of 5,739 second-year students at the institution. After describing the sample and population, exploratory regressions were conducted to establish models for …

Academic Program Recommendations For Graduate Degrees In Medical Physics: Aapm Report No. 365 (Revision Of Report No. 197), Jay W. Burmeister, Nathan C. Busse, Ashley J. Cetnar, Rebecca R. Howell, Robert Jeraj, A. Kyle Jones, Steven H. King, Kenneth L. Matthews, Victor J. Montemayor, Wayne Newhauser, Anna E. Rodrigues, Ehsan Samei, Timothy V. Turkington, Mary P. Gronberg, Brian Loughery, Alison R. Roth, Michael C. Joiner, Edward F. Jackson, Paul A. Naine, Leonard H. Kim

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Hd-Tdcs Of Primary And Higher-Order Motor Cortex Affects Action Word Processing, Karim Johari, Nicholas Riccardi, Svetlana Malyutina, Mirage Modi, Rutvik H. Desai

Faculty Publications

The contribution of action-perception systems of the brain to lexical semantics remains controversial. Here, we used high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) in healthy adults to examine the role of primary (left hand motor area; HMA) and higher-order (left anterior inferior parietal lobe; aIPL) action areas in action-related word processing (action verbs and manipulable nouns) compared to non-action-related control words (non-action verbs and non-manipulable nouns). We investigated stimulation-related effects at three levels of semantic processing: subliminal, implicit, and explicit. Broadly, we found that stimulation of HMA and aIPL resulted in relative facilitation of action-related language processing compared to non-action. HMA …

The Impact Of Social Support Sources On Lgbtq Adolescents, Kaitlyn C. Mccauley

LSU Master's Theses

Research demonstrates that adolescents social support plays an important role in protecting against adverse events (e.g., Brewin & MacCarthy, 1989; Muzik et al., 2017). LGBQ adolescents have been shown to experience greater adverse experiences such a daily microaggressions and higher rates of both childhood adversity (Baams, 2018) and peer victimization (Kosciw et al., 2014). Increased stressors often lead to poorer outcomes in this population. Social support research for adolescents has shown that different sources of social support have shown to buffer these reported issues (e.g., greater parent and peer support buffers suicidal ideation, Fredrick et al., 2018). Studies with LGBQ …

Effects Of Sensory Cues On Product Acceptability And Consumer Perceptions, Emotions, And Behavior, Cristhiam Gurdian Curran

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Visual and cognitive cues can affect overall liking (OL) and consumer perceptions, emotions, and behavior. The first study explored the effect of product color difference on the liking, perception, and purchase intent (PI) of cheese-flavored-tortilla chips (CFTC) formulations (A and B) on serving plates (plastic, foam, and paper). Color differences between formulations influenced crunchiness and saltiness liking and perception, which together with overall flavor liking and formulation, mainly determined CFTC OL. Although having similar fracturability (N) and sodium content, formulation A had higher crunchiness and saltiness likings. PI was influenced by crunchiness, saltiness, and OF liking with 37, 49, and …

The Double-Edged Sword Of Safety Training For Safety Behavior: The Critical Role Of Psychological Factors During Covid-19, Xin Ning, Jiwen Huang, Chunlin Wu, Tong Liu, Chao Wang

Faculty Publications

Safety training (ST) is the primary means of avoiding unsafe behaviors, but it has not achieved the expected impact on improving workplace safety because of the high psychological stress it brings to workers. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) further threatens workers’ psychological conditions, thereby diminishing the effectiveness of ST. However, the existing literature has mainly laid emphasis on the bright side of ST and neglected examining its impact on safety behavior (SB) from detrimental psychological factors. Drawing from the conservation of resources theory, a novel two-staged model was established to understand how these psychological factors mediate and moderate the association …

Applied Nutritional Investigationeffects Of Acute Arginine Supplementation On Neuroendocrine, Metabolic, Cardiovascular, And Mood Outcomes In Younger Men: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial, John W. Apolzan, Jesse A. Stein, Jennifer C. Rood, Robbie A. Beyl, Shengping Yang, Frank L. Greenway, Harris R. Lieberman

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objectives: Arginine is an amino-acid supplement and precursor for nitric-oxide synthesis, which affects various biologic processes. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of arginine supplementation on growth hormone (GH) and metabolic parameters. Methods: Thirty physically active, healthy men (age 18–39 y; body mass index: 18.5–25 kg/m2) were randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Arginine (10 g) and placebo (0 g) beverages were consumed after an overnight fast. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 1.5, 3.0, and 24 h after supplementation. The primary outcomes were serum GH and metabolomics. Also, amino acids, glucose, insulin, triacylglycerols, …

The Effects Of Covid 19-Related Social Media Hate Crime On Asian And Asian Americans' Self-Esteem, Saachi Chugh

LSU Master's Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people communicate, live, socialize and perhaps the way they feel about the Asian population. The United States has seen a rise in the Asian hate crimes on online and offline platforms since the beginning of the pandemic which has affected the overall well-being of the Asian population. To our knowledge, the present study is one of the first studies to address the effects of COVID 19-related online perceived racial discrimination on the self-esteem of Asians. Additional objectives were to reveal the different coping mechanisms being used by the Asian population to cope with …

The Effects Of Covid 19-Related Social Media Hate Crime On Asian And Asian Americans' Self-Esteem, Saachi Chugh

LSU Master's Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people communicate, live, socialize and perhaps the way they feel about the Asian population. The United States has seen a rise in the Asian hate crimes on online and offline platforms since the beginning of the pandemic which has affected the overall well-being of the Asian population. To our knowledge, the present study is one of the first studies to address the effects of COVID 19-related online perceived racial discrimination on the self-esteem of Asians. Additional objectives were to reveal the different coping mechanisms being used by the Asian population to cope with …

Understanding Consumers' Use Experience On Electrically Heated Jacket: A Study On Online Review Using Topic Modeling, Md Nakib-Ul Hasan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The demand for heated jackets is anticipated to be fuelled by frequent temperature drops, severe winter weather, and increasing outdoor activities. Electrically heated jackets (EHJ) are primarily marketed through online distribution channels and expansion of online sales channels is expected to boost the global market. Consumers are increasingly relying on online reviews from other consumers to help them decide what to buy. Businesses also actively monitor and manage their online reviews to build trust in their brand and make it more likely that customers will buy. Traditional approaches for assessing customer behavior, such as market research surveys and focus groups, …

Understanding The Views Of Beef Show Cattle Parents And The Reasons Why Their Children Participate In Beef Cattle Shows, Matt Schiel

LSU Master's Theses

The population for this qualitative study were 10 families who participated in showing a heifer at the 2022 Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo during the junior heifer show weekend. The families were all from Texas. This study examined why parents allow their children to participate in showing cattle using a case study design. The study was grounded in human capital theory. Interviews and observations were used for the study’s findings. Results showed that the children who showed beef cattle learned responsibility, interpersonal skills, character development, and hard work.

Future research topics include further case studies using the same methodology …

The Influence Of Selected Personal And Academic Demographic Characteristics On Persistence To Degree Completion Among Traditional-Age Undergraduate Students At A Research University In The Southeastern United States, Michael Eugene Mckey Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A college education has never been more important than it is today. With nearly two-thirds of jobs in the future requiring some form of advanced education, and approximately one-third of those requiring a bachelor’s degree, it is imperative that research be undertaken to address the factors that contribute to the success of students in college, more so regarding the persistence and retention of those students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected personal and academic demographic characteristics on the persistence to graduation, specifically, within six years. A causal-comparative research design was used as the …

Longitudinal Associations Between Housing Instability, Primary Caregiver's Mental Health, Parenting Skills, And Child Behavior Problems: A Latent Growth Modeling Approach, Xi Du

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Children who grow up in disruptive environments have heightened vulnerability to psychological and behavioral difficulties, which may influence overall well-being through the course of their lives. This study combined a life course perspective with Conger’s family stress model to investigate the longitudinal associations between housing instability, primary caregiver’s mental health, parenting skills, and child internalizing/externalizing behavior problems by unpacking dynamic change from a focal child’s early childhood to adolescence in each factor.

Data came from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and its Child Development Supplement survey. The analytic sample comprises 783 children who aged 3-7 at enrollment with consistent …

Covid-19 In The United States As Affective Frame, John Protevi

Faculty Publications

In this paper I attempt to contribute to the developing field of “political philosophy of mind.” To render concrete the notion of “affective frame,” a social situation which pre-selects for salience and valence of environmental factors relative to a subject’s life, I conduct a case study of a deleterious socially instituted affective frame, which, during the early days of the COVID19 pandemic in the United States, produced individuated circumstances that came crashing down on “essential workers” who were forced into a double bind. We saw here an untenable and ultimately fatal situation that forced a choice between, on the one …

Relational Turbulence And Social Network Engagement During The Summer Of Covid-19: A Repeated Measures, Dyadic Analysis, Kellie S. Brisini, Denise H. Solomon

Faculty Publications

Background/Purpose: Relational turbulence theory suggests that changes in and around relationships create the potential for relational turbulence when everyday routines and scripts are upended and communication becomes polarized. In turn, perceptions of a romantic relationship as chaotic or tumultuous can influence a person’s engagement with their social network. Alternately, previous research also suggests that engagement with friends and family has the potential to influence married partner’s relationship quality. Research Design: This study examined these propositions among a sample of married couples (N = 64, 128 individuals) whose daily experiences and relationship dynamics changed during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Results/Conclusions: Based …

Nutritional Quality Of Calorie Restricted Diets In The Calerie™ 1 Trial, Susan B. Racette, Valene Garr Barry, Connie W. Bales, Megan A. Mccrory, Kathleen A. Obert, Cheryl H. Gilhooly, Susan B. Roberts, Corby K. Martin, Catherine Champagne, Sai Krupa Das

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objectives: The aim was to determine the nutritional adequacy of calorie restricted (CR) diets during CR interventions up to 12 months. Methods: The Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE™) phase 1 trial consisted of 3 single-site studies to test the feasibility and effectiveness of CR in adults without obesity. After baseline assessments, participants who were randomized to a CR intervention received education and training from registered dietitians on how to follow a healthful CR diet. Food diaries were completed at baseline and during the CR interventions (~6, 9, and 12 months) when participants were self-selecting …

Obesity Management In The Primary Prevention Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Elizabeth R.M. Zunica, Elizabeth C. Heintz, Christopher L. Axelrod, John P. Kirwan

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary hepatic malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related death globally. HCC is associated with an indolent clinical presentation, resulting in frequent advanced stage diagnoses where surgical resection or transplant therapies are not an option and medical therapies are largely ineffective at improving survival. As such, there is a critical need to identify and enhance primary prevention strategies to mitigate HCC-related morbidity and mortality. Obesity is an independent risk factor for the onset and progression of HCC. Furthermore, obesity is a leading cause of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the fasting growing etiological factor of …

The Curve Not Taken: Effects Of Covid-19 International Comparison News, Seon Woo Kim, Martina Santia, Raymond J. Pingree, Ayla Oden, Kirill Bryanov, Jessica Wyers

Faculty Publications

International news can inform people not only about what is happening in other countries, but also about how their own country could benefit from policies that have proved successful elsewhere. Specifically, international policy comparison news, or news that compares the policies of two or more countries on the same issue, is a potentially important but underutilized and understudied form of news content. We use an experiment to test effects of exposure to news comparing the COVID-19 pandemic policies of the U.S. versus South Korea, and find that this increases knowledge of policy differences between the two countries, support for adopting …

Detrimental Changes In Health During Menopause: The Role Of Physical Activity, Ryan M. Hulteen, Kara L. Marlatt, Timothy D. Allerton, Dragana Lovre

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Midlife women experience changes in cardiometabolic, physical, and psychosocial health during menopause that negatively impacts their overall quality of life. Factors that contribute to these increases in cardiometabolic risk include weight gain as well as increases in fat mass (particularly abdominal adiposity), insulin resistance, and vascular dysfunction. Other deleterious changes in physical health (e. g. reduced sleep health, bone density, and balance) as well as changes in psychosocial health (e. g. mood, anxiety, and depression) often coincide and are linked to these increases in cardiometabolic risk. Physical activity and exercise are important lifestyle components that have been demonstrated to improve …

Qualifying Factors That Predict Weight Loss Success Within Diet Interventions, Jordan Losavio

LSU Master's Theses

Evidence-based diet strategies lead to weight loss for some, while for others, the same diet approach could result in trivial weight loss or even in weight gain. This prompts the underlying research question: what factors predict that a given diet strategy will be efficacious for some, but not for others? This research was a secondary analysis of clinical weight loss studies to determine which factors influence an individual’s weight loss success for three diet intervention strategies: low-carbohydrate, low-fat, and low-calorie. A combination of physiological, psychological, behavioral, and dietary factors was evaluated for each diet study. Multiple linear regression and logistic …