Digital Commons Network^™

Practitioners' Evaluations Of Theraplay As An Effective Tool In Serving Foster And Adopted Children And Their Families, Rana Hong

Dissertations

Several studies have shown that foster and adopted children have high risk of developing severe mental health problems (Blome & Steib, 2004; Golden, 2009; Leslie, Hurlburt, Landsverk, Barth, & Slyman, 2004; McMillen. Scott, Zima, Ollie, Munson, & Spitznagel, 2004). On the other hand, evidence-based models are limited and less accessible for practitioners working with foster and adopted children (Dorsey, Kerns, Trupin, Conover, & Berliner, 2012). The goal for this study is to explore the practitioners' evaluations of Theraplay®, which is a relationship based model for meeting the pervasive clinical needs of foster and adopted children and their families. Exploring Theraplay …

The Symptom Experience Of Patients Receiving Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors, Josephine Ann Howard-Ruben

Dissertations

This study explored the symptom experience of patients receiving epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs) for breast, colon, head and neck, and colon cancer. EGFRIs are targeted therapies used at various points along the treatment continuum for these solid tumors, and may be first, second or third-line agents which can be used as single agents or in combination with other therapies. The most common side effect of these agents include dermatologic effects, such as rashes, hair, and nail changes, but they can also contribute to other side effects such as fatigue, anxiety and diarrhea. Most previous work has addressed the …

The Impact Of Insulin Management On Quality Of Life In Type 2 Diabetes, Sandra Ellen Mccormick

Dissertations

Complications of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are severe but can be minimized through excellent glycemic control, optimally achieved by using intensive, or basal-bolus, insulin management. The quality of life (QOL) effects of basal-bolus insulin management are not fully known. This cross-sectional, observational study was based on the Revised Wilson and Cleary Model for Health Related Quality of Life, which measures five QOL domains (biological function, symptoms, functional status, general health perceptions, and overall QOL). The study aims were to describe, compare, and predict QOL in persons with T2DM based on type of insulin management (oral meds only, basal insulin only, …

Moderating Variables In The Treatment Effects Of Second Step, Gregory Eugene Moy

Dissertations

Youth violence is a problem which has been studied through theoretical frameworks based on social ecological models of development. This has coincided with the development of programs intended to prevent and reduce the occurrence of youth violence and its negative effects. One approach to preventing youth violence has been to deliver social emotional learning programs to children and adolescents in school settings. Social emotional learning programs are designed to provide children with skills and strategies for increasing self awareness, social awareness, emotion management, problem solving, and thoughtful decision making. Increasing students' familiarity and use of these prosocial strategies are thought …

Social Media And Reflective Thinking: A Case Study Of Generation Y Business Students, Stacy Neier

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Peripubertal Binge Ethanol, Age And Sex Modulate Microrna Expression In The Ventral And Dorsal Hippocampus Of The Adolescent Rat, Sarah Arianne Prins

Dissertations

Adolescent binge ethanol (EtOH) abuse induces long-term changes in gene expression, resulting in an increased risk for the development of adult mood disorders. microRNAs (microRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by translational repression. microRNA altered in response to EtOH and puberty in the developing brain. The biogenesis of mature 22-24 nucleotide (nt), single-stranded microRNAs involves Drosha and Dicer enzymatic processing of microRNA precursors. A mature microRNA imperfectly base pairs with messenger RNA (mRNA) target genes,which leads to mRNA cleavage or translational repression. Our lab has found that repeated binge EtOH exposure alters gene expression in the hypothalamus …

The Hidden Costs Of Success: A Mixed Methods Approach To Examining Achievement Pressures In Affluent Youth, Lea Ventura Travers

Dissertations

Within the last ten years, researchers have begun to recognize that youth from affluent backgrounds report elevated adjustment problems (Csikszentmihalyi & Schneider 2001; Luthar & Lantendresse 2005a), yet contributing factors have rarely been investigated. The present study explored various parenting variables and their influence on adolescents from affluent communities, including two parent-focused parenting variables (i.e., parental perfectionism and parent life satisfaction) and three adolescent-focused parenting variables (i.e., perceived parental pressure, parents' future goals for their children, and parental involvement in their children's lives). Using a mixed methods approach (i.e., quantitative and qualitative data), both linear and curvilinear relations between parenting …

English Cottage Style Homes In America: Expressions Of Architectural, Technological And Social Innovation, Audra Bellmore

Dissertations

This dissertation examines contemporary English Cottage Style dwellings in America. First developed in Britain by English domestic architect Charles Voysey in the late 19th century, this house style was characterized by a simplification of design, a rationalism of plan, and a structural integrity reminiscent of rural medieval buildings. English Cottage Style homes gained popularity in Britain and later in America as a middle-class house type, promoted by Progressive Era housing reformers, including Gustave Stickley. Sheathed in concrete, to mimic the naturally occurring stuccos used in the 13th and 14th centuries, English Cottage Style dwellings utilized the latest in concrete reinforcement …

Speaking Of Right And Wrong: Black Girls And Moral Development, Tonya Bibbs

Dissertations

Our current approaches to moral development were generalized from the experiences of white males and females. This study draws upon existing theory in order to consider its relevance to Black girls' everyday lives. The study draws upon the moral reasoning gathered from ethnographic dilemma interviews with 8-11 year old girls and their mothers to develop a grounded theory of moral development. The contents of the resulting theory suggest that, while there are aspects of existing moral development theory that appear to be consistent across contexts, the particularity of Black community and middle childhood culminate in a theory of moral development …

Predicting Emotion Regulation In Early Childhood: The Impact Of Maternal Well-Being, Infant Crying, And Dyadic Mutuality, Tiffany Burkhardt

Dissertations

Learning adaptive emotion regulation skills in early childhood has been identified as fundamental to social competence, academic success, and psychological well-being. Because children learn to regulate their emotions through interactions with their caregivers, dyadic mutuality between the mother and infant may influence child emotion regulation capacity more than maternal behavior alone. To better understand the impact of maternal well-being and infant crying on the development of emotion regulation, parenting stress, maternal self-efficacy, maternal depression, and infant crying were examined with dyadic mutuality in the parent-child interaction to predict emotion regulation capacity.

A racially and socioeconomically diverse community sample of 149 …

Remember The Good Times: Does Savoring A Previous Intergroup Interaction Increase Whites' Positive Intergroup Emotions And Willingness To Develop Future Intergroup Friendships?, Patrick R. Harrison

Dissertations

Although racial prejudice remains a prevalent social phenomenon, research has demonstrated that positive contact - most notably intergroup friendship - predicts decreased prejudice. Whites, however, may be hesitant to develop intergroup friendships because they experience negative emotions like anxiety when faced with the prospect of interacting with outgroup members (i.e., Blacks). Past research has countered this obstacle by relying on manipulations that reframe how individuals feel about intergroup interactions to increase willingness to engage with outgroup members. Building on this framework, I tested whether savoring a previous intergroup interaction could increase friendship willingness by increasing positive intergroup emotions (Study 1) …

Perceptions Of Value And Perceived Strengths Of Arts Education During An Age Of Accountability: Conditions And Qualities That Shape A Citizenry - Implications For Leadership, Stephen Tyler Plank

Dissertations

This research examines the perceptions of arts education during periods of educational efficiency and accountability focusing specifically on the arguments made by advocates for the value of arts education within the Chicago area. It is intended to help leaders understand how we can learn from our past through revealing cyclical behaviors that can guide future decisions about how best to lead a school.

This study utilized a mixed methodology of historical documentary with oral history to compare two distinct time periods in education focusing on schools that operated in opposition to the norms of the time. Historical documentary was used …

The Fashionable Life: Fashion Imagery And The Construction Of Masculinity In America, 1960-2000, Kelly Ann O'Connor

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Expertise, Democratic Values, And Tolerance, Erika D. Price

Dissertations

Political tolerance (the willingness to extend civil liberties to disliked groups) has been disturbingly low among the American public since measurement of tolerance began in the 1950's. The few voters who do exhibit tolerant attitudes tend to be people who know a great deal about politics (i.e. people high in "political expertise"). Researchers have theorized many explanations for why political experts are more tolerant on average; for example, experts may place more value on the legal and normative `rules' of democracy (i.e. "democratic norms"), which guarantee free speech, or they may consider democratic norms to be more important than non-experts …

The Affective Consequences Of Expressing Moral Convictions, Lisa Diana Sandberg

Dissertations

This project examined the affective consequences of expressing moral convictions to an opposing majority. It was predicted that moral conviction would function as a buffer to the common negative emotions that occur when speaking out against majority opinion (e.g., fear; Asch, 1956; Berns, et al., 2005). It was also hypothesized that moral conviction would enhance positive feelings among those who speak out (e.g., pride). Two studies were conducting using two different research paradigms. Study 1 used a normative influence paradigm modeled after Hornsey, Smith, and Begg (2007). Participants' opinions and strength of moral conviction about the target issue (torture of …

Fitting Things Together: A Grounded Theory Study Of Clinical Judgment In Nursing, Mary Elizabeth Wilber

Dissertations

Safe and appropriate patient care hinges on the nurse's skill in assessment and interpretation of data to support accurate clinical judgments; however, a review of nursing literature reveals the lack of an empirically derived theory of clinical judgment or methods to teach the skill. Progress has been limited because of the difficulties inherent in measuring cognitive work in complex practice environments, as well as the tendency of nursing authors and researchers to substitute a wide variety of terms for clinical judgment. Knowledge development in any discipline is hampered when terms are not clearly defined and the distinction between related concepts …

An Ethnographic Study Of Psychiatric Assistants: The Social Processes Involved In The Subordination Of Workers In A Psychiatric Hospital, Terrence Allison

Dissertations

This research examined how the structure of a modern day psychiatric institution shapes the work experiences of subordinated, non-licensed-workers. I found that that the work experiences of PAs are shaped by their institutional positions. The PA position by default is one of subjugation and servitude, and these carry meanings. PAs are positioned on the ward to service and control patients. In spite of their absolute importance to the day-to-day running of the hospital, frontline PA work is devalued institutionally. This devaluation is internalized rationally (what bureaucracies do) by PAs, who often work understaffed and underappreciated. I found that PAs lack …

Anxiety In Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Current Research And Implications For Practice, Rebecca Harkema, Gina Coffee

Education: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Infant/Toddler Professional Preparation And Development Using Blended Practices And Tiered Supports, Adam S. Kennedy, Anna T. Lees

Education: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

The Profanation Of Revelation: On Language And Immanence In The Work Of Giorgio Agamben, Colby Dickinson

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This essay seeks to articulate the many implications which Giorgio Agamben's work holds for theology. It aims, therefore, to examine his (re)conceptualizations of language in light of particular historical glosses on the “name of God” and the nature of the “mystical,” as well as to highlight the political task of profanation, one of his most central concepts, in relation to the logos said to embody humanity's “religious” quest to find its Voice. As such, we see how he challenges those standard (ontotheological) notions of transcendence which have been consistently aligned with various historical forms of sovereignty. In addition, I intend …

Response: “Unsafe Politics And Risky Connections”, Suzanne Bost

English: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Are Groups More Pro-Self Than Individuals? Individual-Group Comparisons On Social Value Orientation And Ethical Decision Making, Zhenyan Shi

Master's Theses

Research has shown that groups tend to be less cooperative in prisoner's dilemma games compared to individuals. One hypothesis to explain this effect stems from groups' natural tendencies to protect themselves from harm and enhance their relative standing. However, an alternative hypothesis is that groups are more rational in game situations. The current study attempted to distinguish between these two hypotheses by testing whether groups score higher than individuals on measures of competitiveness and pro-self (group) behavior, and lower than individuals on measures of prosocial behavior. The study also attempted to assess whether the pro-self tendencies of groups lead them …

The Perceived Threat Of Secularism And Militancy Among Religious Fundamentalists, Chase Wilson

Master's Theses

Religious fundamentalism has been found to predict endorsement of aggressive counterterrorism techniques, such as the use of severe interrogations and pre-emptive military attacks (e.g. Barnes, Brown & Osterman, 2012). The present study tested whether a perceived increase in secularism constitutes a psychological threat to American religious fundamentalists, and thus increases endorsement of such counterterrorism tactics. Replicating previous research, religious fundamentalism was found to positively predict endorsement of aggressive counterterrorism techniques, even when controlling for ideology and party identification. Contrary to hypothesis, the secularism prime had no effect. An unpredicted finding of this study was that religious fundamentalism only related to …

Understanding The Mechanism Behind Social Tuning Of Automatic Prejudice: Attitudinal Alignment Or Social Norms?, Amanda Renee Daniel

Master's Theses

To explore the effect of social tuning on individual's implicit prejudice, college students were brought into a lab to perform several tasks. Likability of the experimenter was manipulated in order to motivate individuals to socially tune or not (likable, dislikable). Ostensible attitudes of the experimenter were also manipulated (egalitarian, no known attitude). After these manipulations, students completed several Implicit Associations Tests (IATs). Results were analyzed using a factorial ANOVA design (2 (affiliative motivation: high, low) X 2 (views: egalitarian, control), revealing no interactions of likability or attitudes. I discuss the implications of these findings and explore possible solutions.

High-Stakes Testing: The Student Voice, Julianna Marie Cechowski

Master's Theses

There has been an intense debate about standardized testing since they were first introduced into public schools in the nineteenth century. In this research, it is important to know why standardized tests were created and how they have been debated. Roy C. Owens said. "We cannot know where we're going if we don't know where we've come from." Past information is important in this research because it will show how far we have progressed since the start of the standardized testing movement.

What started out as standardized testing later changed into high-stakes testing. The high-stakes were created by tying student …

The Effect Of Semantic Clustering On Idea Quality In Individual And Group Ideation, Amanda Christine Egan

Master's Theses

Rietzschel, Nijstad, and Stroebe (2007) have demonstrated the benefits of "deep exploration" on creative idea generation. The current study attempted to refine this understanding by differentiating whether this effect is due simply to the number of ideas generated within a specific semantic category (fluency) or the way in which semantic categories are explored (clustering). Four conditions compared maximum versus minimum clustering crossed with nominal and interacting groups, with total quantity and fluency held constant. The unique effects of these manipulations on the total number of high-quality ideas generated, as well as the specific number of highly original and highly feasible …

Effects Of Instruction And Parent-Child Conversation On Children's Stem Learning And Transfer, Maria Marcus

Master's Theses

This study examined the effects of direct instruction and parent-child conversation on children's STEM learning, transfer abilities, and remembering. A total of forty mothers and their 5- to 6-year-old children (M = 5.87) participated in this study. Mother-child dyads were randomly assigned to one of two conditions that differed in the amount of engineering information they received prior to engaging in a building activity in a museum exhibit. The provision of engineering information fostered dyads building activities and their long-term recall of the museum visit. Implications for museum research and practice are discussed.

Teacher Attrition: The Job Choices Of Ex-Teachers, Becky Wock

Master's Theses

Teacher attrition is a phenomenon occurring in education systems throughout the world. As education policies alter and add to the demands of teachers, one solution for teachers is to leave the profession all together. While not all teachers have the option to find alternative employment and explore new careers, some regions boast plenty of employment opportunities. This research project focuses on the job choices of ex-teachers in the southeast region of Saskatchewan, Canada. The oil industry has made jobs plentiful throughout the province. This study seeks to further understand the factors impacting decisions to leave teaching and presents findings that …

Self-Objectification And Self-Surveillance In African American And Latina Girls: Links To Body Dissatisfaction And Self-Worth, Kimberly A. Burdette

Master's Theses

Drawing on a sample of low-income African American and Latina girls, the goal of the present investigation was to examine the relevance of self-objectification and self-surveillance to body dissatisfaction and self-worth. Body mass index (BMI), ethnicity, and perceived athletic competence were examined as moderators of these relations. Participants were 10- to 14-year-old African American and Latina girls recruited from a summer camp targeting low-income, urban girls. Surveys that include measures of self-objectification, self-surveillance, body dissatisfaction, self-worth, and perceived athletic competence were individually administered to participants by a research assistant. Height and weight were measured to calculate BMI. Ethnicity information was …

Posttraumatic Stress, Family Functioning, And Adjustment In Urban African American Youth Exposed To Violence: A Moderated Mediation Model, Kyle Deane

Master's Theses

Exposure to community violence is a pressing public health issue that disproportionately impacts poor, urban, and ethnic minority youth. It has been associated with a multitude of negative externalizing and internalizing symptoms, most frequently with posttraumatic stress. This study investigates the role that posttraumatic stress has in mediating the relation between exposure to community violence and other adjustment difficulties. Moreover, because not all adolescents experience these difficulties in the face of significant violence exposure, the study examines the moderating role of family cohesion and support in buffering the effect of violence and posttraumatic stress on later adjustment. A sample of …