Digital Commons Network^™

Domestic Violence As A Contributing Factor To Juvenile Substance Use, Victoria Felicitas Sophie Danz

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between witnessing violence in the home and juvenile substance use. Data was used from an existing study and variables were recoded to be of best use for this particular work. This study found that witnessing acts of violence can lead a juvenile into drug use, but other factors are more likely to have influenced this behavior. The study shows that family and peer use of drugs is a major predictor for juvenile substance use and has a bigger influence on the juvenile's life than witnessing violence. No significant impact on drug use was found between …

An Art-Based Psychoeducational Group For Pregnant Teenagers, Lauren Burinsky

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This thesis began as an art-based psychoeducational group for pregnant teenagers, and two out of ten sessions were completed. However, due to several limitations, the study had to be turned into a proposal for the group. The goal of the proposed group is to increase pregnant teenagers’ preparedness (as measured by both knowledge base and competence) for the rest of their pregnancy and for motherhood. Over the course of five weeks, six girls would participate in ten sessions. This group will be hosted at Healthy Families in Hampton, Virginia, and the participants will be members there. The first part of …

A Three Dimensional Green's Function Solution Technique For The Transport Of Heavy Ions In Laboratory And Space, Candice Rockell Gerstner

Mathematics & Statistics Theses & Dissertations

In the future, astronauts will be sent into space for longer durations of time compared to previous missions. The increased risk of exposure to ionizing radiation, such as Galactic Cosmic Rays and Solar Particle Events, is of great concern. Consequently, steps must be taken to ensure astronaut safety by providing adequate shielding. The shielding and exposure of space travelers is controlled by the transport properties of the radiation through the spacecraft, its onboard systems and the bodies of the individuals themselves. Meeting the challenge of future space programs will therefore require accurate and efficient methods for performing radiation transport calculations …

Incorporating Physical Fitness Through Rushing Can Significantly Affect Tactical Infantry Simulation Results, Elaine Marie Smith Blount

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Physical fitness is accepted as an influence on the outcome on the battlefield; yet, research indicates that it has not been incorporated into tactical infantry simulations. Including physical capabilities may have a significant impact upon the results of a tactical simulation. Several battlefield tasks were reviewed, and rushing was selected to implement in tactical infantry simulations. A preliminary spreadsheet model was created that indicated rushing velocity would impact a tactical simulation. Two tactical infantry simulations were created: a helicopter extraction scenario where 13 soldiers rushed to extraction site while two enemies were shooting and a rushing scenario that consisted of …

From Victim To Abuser An Analysis Of Child Sex Offenders, Ava M. Adinolfi

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify potential risk factors for becoming a child sex offender, more specifically for sexually offending against a girl versus a boy victim. The 2004 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities was used for this study. Data were drawn from 11,569 one-hour computer assisted interviews with male inmates.

The results from this study confirm one of the two hypotheses set out in this research. Compared to rapists and female object sex offenders, boy object sex offenders were more likely to report a history of sexual abuse prior to age 18. The etiological factors …

Social Issues In Living With Sickle Cell Disease Pain, Jeannie L. Miranda

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The chronic painful episodes associated with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) can have serious psychological consequences that can reduce patients' ability to cope with the illness. The purpose of this exploratory research was to examine issues faced by sickle cell disease patients. In addition to providing descriptive information about this population, pain, stigma consciousness and helpfulness of disclosures about the illness were examined in relation to pain self-efficacy, benefit finding, and depressive mood.

Seventy-three SCD patients completed a self-report questionnaire. They reported an average of 8.6 SCD pain episodes in the last 12 months with an average level of pain intensity …

Writing Program Design For Esl Writers, Kacie M. Kiser

English Theses & Dissertations

Research and scholarship in the field of second-language writing have suggested that English as second language students (ESLs) require different modes of instruction than their native English speaking peers within the composition classroom (Matsuda, 1996; Silva, 1994). Yet ESL students are commonly marginalized in institutions' writing programs due to several commonplace beliefs shared by administrators that ESL students can be taught according to the same standards as mainstream students. Therefore, writing program administrators and instructors often do not have specific knowledge of ESL writing issues and, thus, do not know how to pedagogically accommodate these students or design a program …

Clergy Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, And Art Therapy, Joanna Harris Tarr

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how art therapy can benefit clergy who are at a greater risk for experiencing burnout and compassion fatigue due to the unique personal stressors of their profession. As members of the helping professions who support people in the community through the local church during times of stress, death, birth, marriage and other important life junctures, they are often overworked (Strumpfer & Bands, 1996). Studies have determined that many clergy experience burnout and some may decide to leave the ministry, adding to the already declining numbers of those who decide to enter the …

Supervision Competencies For Counselor Education Doctoral Graduates: A Delphi Study, Anita Ann Neuer

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counselor educators and supervisors are familiar with the use of competencies for training future clinicians but the extant literature lacks a set of competencies for use in training future counselor supervisors. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a list of supervision competencies experts agree should be demonstrated by new doctoral counseling graduates for their work with master's students, pre-licensed or licensed counselors, and doctoral students. The research design included two expert panels, an amended Delphi poll, and a content validity assessment. These procedures resulted in a consensus list of 33 supervision competencies that appear to be …

Memory, Identity, And The Rhetoric Of Quilts, J. Jane Amelon

English Theses & Dissertations

Quilts have been documented as artifacts of past experiences and social circumstances, but the rhetorical aspects have been largely unexplored. In this study, I establish quilting as a form of knowledge about memory, one of the canons of rhetoric. This task requires a rhetorical framework of memory to accomplish its end.

In order to create a rhetorical framework for the study of memory, I examine preservative and generative memory as represented in women's quilts. Previous quilt studies have not addressed these two facets of memory, and previous memory studies have paid little or no attention to quilts. Additionally, this study …

Dispersion Or Re-Segregation: A Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of Public Policies And Their Impact On Urban African American Mobility, Brandi Lynette Blessett

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

This study seeks to test Hirsch's second ghetto thesis in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. Hirsch suggested that the role of government, public policies, and administrative discretion were responsible for the re-segregation of African Americans into second ghetto communities in Chicago. Many scholars have used Hirsch's framework to explain ghetto formation. This investigation seeks to extend the literature in several ways. First, several national policies were investigated to determine their impact on African American mobility in Baltimore: the Housing Act of 1937 (public housing), the Housing Act of 1949 (urban renewal), and the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 (transportation). Second, …

Warranty And Price As Quality Signals: The Effect Of Signal Consistency And Unexpectedness On Product Perception, Sultan Alaswad Alenazi

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

This dissertation investigates the effect of signal consistency/inconsistency and signal unexpectedness on a consumer's evaluation of a product. It consists of two studies. Study One examines the effect of signal consistency/inconsistency on product quality, where consistent signals are those of the same valance. Prior research has found that a positive cue not only was unable to improve product quality perception, but also had a negative effect on perceived quality when a positive cue was combined with a negative one. The results of Study One indicate that when signals are inconsistent, consumers engage in an attribution process to explain inconsistency. If …

Shared Leadership As A Function Of Role Assignment And Task Difficulty In A Distributed Computer Game, Alexandra Proaps

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The use of computer game based architectures may help provide a safe, controlled environment in which geographically dispersed military units can develop leadership skills while rehearsing a specific task such as search and rescue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among task difficulty, team task performance, role assignment and emergent leadership within a shared leadership model using a modified version of the popular video game, Half Life 2 ™. The researcher assessed leadership emergence through verbal content analysis methods that have only been employed in email and message boards media formats. Across levels of task difficulty …

Social Networking And Individual Performance: Examining Predictors Of Participation, Michael Anthony Brown Sr.

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation addresses relationships between social networking and individual performance. The "act" of social networking is a process and practice by which people and organizations are drawn together by family, work or hobby to interact via websites. The explosion of these new network connections in the workplace suggests the need for an exploration of the various ways organizations can affect and improve performance and productivity.

This dissertation suggests a social networking participation model that may help organizations predict and understand the value proposition that affects acceptance or rejection of participation. Innovation adoption, governing by network and social capital are important …

The Effects Of Expressive Writing On Anxiety, Mathematics Anxiety, Stress, Cognitive Processes And Psychological Processes On The Virginia Standards Of Learning (Sol) On A Sample Of Urban High School Students Failing Mathematics, Claudia Lorene Hines

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

High school students who fail one or more mathematics' classes tend to be more likely to fail the Virginia Standard of Learning (SOL) tests and thus delaying their graduation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of expressive writing on general anxiety, math anxiety, stress, cognitive processes and psychological processes on the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) on a sample of urban high school students failing mathematics. The participants (n=93) male and female students in grades 9-12, ranged in ages from 14 to 19 years of age, from various socio-economic backgrounds. The intact classes were used to …

Attitudes Of Counselors Regarding Ethical Situations Encountered By In-Home Counselors, Justin Douglas Lauka

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

This survey study explored the attitudes of in-home and outpatient counselors in Virginia regarding ethical situations encountered by in-home counselors. Differences in responses were examined across several variables to identify any relationships among those constructs that are salient to in-home counseling and ethics. Of 108 participants, no significant differences were found between the two groups. One variable was found to predict counselors' responses: the percent counselors provide counseling services compared to case management. The item seen as most ethical involved telling a client to apply for needed services, surprising, given its directive nature that runs counter to the counseling profession. …

The Preparation Of Master's Level Professional Counselors For Positions In College And University Counseling Centers, Brian M. Shaw

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

College and university counselors are tasked with performing a multitude of roles and meeting a variety of client needs unique from other counseling settings. It is important to examine the ability of counselors who work in these settings to determine if they have been adequately prepared. This study investigated the adequacy of preparation of entry-level master's level professional counselors for work in college and university counseling centers. Adequacy of preparation was examined by surveying college and university counseling center directors about their perceptions regarding the ability of entry-level master's level professional counselors to perform specific roles and meet relevant client …

Utilizing A Web-Based Career Development Workshop To Address Career Decision-Making Difficulty Among Community College Distance Learners, Johanna Michele Brown

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Career decision making difficulty, as it relates to undecided college students and career indecision, has been a concern for counselors and academic advisors for decades (Gordon, 2006; Mau, 2004). Individuals struggling with career indecision often seek assistance via career counseling, self-help tools, and/or computer-assisted career guidance systems (Gati, Gadassi, & Shemesh, 2005). The past decade has brought a large increase in the development of a number of web-based career guidance systems (CGS) (Bobek, Robbins, Gore, Harris-Bowlsbey, Lapan, Dahir, & Jepsen, 2005). Despite the rapid growth in the type and use of computer-assisted CGS, little empirical research has been conducted on …

A Cultural Approach To Understanding Professional Experiences Of Foreign-Born Faculty In U.S. Educational Leadership Preparation Programs, Iryna M. Khrabrova

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate professional experiences of foreign-born faculty members serving in U.S. educational leadership preparation programs utilizing a cultural approach to discern their lived experiences related to professional life. Cultural values reflected in professional life experiences were explored. The information gathered through phenomenological approach was used to analyze the influence of national background on the professional experiences of foreign-born faculty in educational leadership preparation programs.

A Field Experiment To Test The Effects Of Automated Feedback And Monetary Incentive On Speeding Behavior, Ian J. Reagan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This field experiment tested the effects of two systems on speeding, mental workload, and driver acceptance of the systems. Using GPS technology integrated with GIS referenced speed limit information, eight vehicles were instrumented in a manner that allowed real time knowledge of vehicle speed relative to the speed limit. Fifty participants drove these vehicles, with each individual driving his or her assigned vehicle for a four week trial. During one week, 40 participants experienced an automated feedback system, which provided visual and auditory alerts when they sped five or more mph over the limit. Twenty of these 40 individuals experienced …

The Association Between Depressive Symptoms, Relationship Satisfaction, And Self- And Partner-Attributions, Amy Harrison Smith

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Attributions of partners have been examined in the depressive symptom-relationship satisfaction literature, while attributions of self have not been adequately addressed. In the present study, attributions of self and partner were investigated as mediators of the association between depressive symptoms and relationship satisfaction. A student and community sample of 270 adults in heterosexual romantic relationships completed an online survey consisting of depressive symptom, relationship satisfaction, and relationship attribution inventories. Pearson's product-moment correlation and multiple regression analyses were utilized to assess meditational pathways. Depressive symptoms were significantly negatively correlated with relationship satisfaction. Self- and partner-attributions were significantly positively correlated with relationship …

Family Art Therapy: A Case Report Of A Family With A Child With Autism, E. Lange Eve

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder can experience a wide range of difficulties due to social and communication impairments. These challenges also affect the child’s family and can cause stress and disturbances within the family system. This case report describes an eight-week art therapy experience with a family who has a child with autism. A Projective Imagery Family Evaluation (PIFE) was conducted, followed by a discussion session with the family and then six one-hour art therapy sessions. The sessions occurred once a week and were implemented to address the specific concerns demonstrated by the family. Participants included a mother, …

Annual Research Report, 2010-2011, Office Of Research

Annual Research Reports

Annual report of collaborative research projects of Old Dominion University faculty and students in partnership with business, industry and government.

The Role Of Conflict Management On Virtual Team Performance And Satisfaction, Pilar Pazos, Anil Ustun, Rolando Delaguila

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The role that input factors from project planning processes play on conflict emergence and conflict resolution in virtual teams is not well understood. Of particular interest for this paper is the role that factors during planning stages play in preventing interpersonal conflict, supporting conflict resolution and ultimately enhancing team outcomes in virtual team settings. This study examines the relationships among commitment to team goals, conflict management and team outcomes in virtual teams. First we provide an in depth review of relevant empirical findings. Next, we describe a study examining the relationships between three sets of variables: 1) goal commitment, 2) …

Minutes Of The Virginia Academy Of Science Council Meeting

Virginia Journal of Science

Full proceedings of the Council Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science at the Science Museum of Virginia, May 27, 2011.

An Analysis Of Donor Involvement, Gender, And Giving In College Athletics, Stephen L. Shapiro, Lynn L. Ridinger

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Involvement has been examined extensively within the consumer behavior literature. However, limited research exists concerning involvement and charitable contributions. Additionally, because of women's growing financial power, college athletic departments are increasingly interested in understanding how to attract greater numbers of female donors. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in donor involvement using Zaichkowsky's (1994) Personal Involvement Inventory (PII). Several demographic characteristics of donors were also compared by gender. A sample of 1,664 donors from three NCAA Division I universities participated in this study. The PII was found to be an adequate measure of donor …

The Football Factor: Shaping Community On Campus, Stacy Warner, Stephen L. Shapiro, Marlene A. Dixon, Lynn L. Ridinger, Scott B. Harrison

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Many American universities continue to invest in expensive intercollegiate football programs, and specifically cite the sport’s ability to foster a sense of community (SOC) as justification for the cost. This study sought to assess the importance of SOC and the influence of football on the cultivation thereof. A pre-post test design utilizing an online survey compared SOC levels for students (N = 886) before and after the implementation of Division I football on a large university campus. No significant differences were found in SOC levels before and after the football season (regardless of attendance). Post-test SOC perceptions differed based on …

Review Of The Multi-Level Factors Contributing To Fruit And Vegetable Consumption In The U.S., Qi Zhang, Liuliu Fu

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V) has a significant protective effect in reducing various cardiometabolic diseases. In recent years, the U.S. government has made a lot of effort to promote F&V consumption through different projects and programs, including the MyPyramid food guidance system supported by the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, and the Fruits & Veggies More Matters program (previously called the 5-A-Day for Better Health program), supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public and private agencies. However, modest success has been achieved in promoting healthy diets among the American public. …

International Graduate Student Powerpoint Presentation Designs: A Reality Check, Alla Zareva

English Faculty Publications

The present study set out to examine what novice international graduate student presenters consider to be effective PowerPoint slide design practices and the extent to which these practices are in agreement with experts’ advice. The analysis focused on three main features of students’ PowerPoint presentations – organisation, style and typography. The general conclusion is that we can mostly rely on students’ intuitions concerning ‘relevance’ and ‘simplicity’ of PowerPoint presentation designs, but we should draw their attention to ‘consistency’, i.e., the systematic application of the organisation, style and typological features to their PowerPoint presentations.

Redefining Faculty Workloads In A Physical Therapy Department: A Case Study, Douglas C. Keskula, Shelley Mishoe, Elizabeth T. Wark

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The purpose of this case study is to describe the creation and implementation of a sustainable workload model in the physical therapy department, as well as the outcomes resulting from that structure. Between 2002 and 2009, both scholarly productivity and faculty practice activity increased as a result of the redistribution of faculty efforts created by the new workload structure. This case demonstrates how the department has been able to successfully expand research and faculty practice while maintaining a high quality educational experience. The workload guidelines have enabled the collective core faculty to be productive in teaching, research/scholarship and service.;