Digital Commons Network^™

The Key Actions Of School Leaders That Contribute To Effective Implementation Of Restorative Practice, Amy L. Starzecki

Theses and Dissertations

A growing number of students are faced with significant social, emotional, and behavioral needs that translate into a variety of problem behaviors in schools. These behaviors often result in suspension or expulsion. Exclusionary discipline practices such as suspension and expulsion negatively impact student outcomes and achievement. Additionally, these practices are often disproportionately applied to specific student populations (i.e., students of color, students with disabilities, and boys). Schools across the United States are looking for alternatives to exclusionary discipline practices that remove students from classroom instruction. Restorative practice can be an alternative to traditional punitive discipline approaches by promoting strong interpersonal …

Multinomial Logistic And Negative Binomial Regressions Of Campus Instructional Modes, Institutional Characteristics, And Covid-19 Case Counts In Fall 2020 In The Midwest, Katherine Marian Tyler

Theses and Dissertations

In spring of 2020, a global pandemic shifted American institutions of higher education into a crisis with unprecedented unknown information, guidelines that changed continuously, and impacted the personal and professional lives of students, faculty and staff. This study examined the relationships (1) between campus size, geographic setting, locus of control in Midwest and Mountain American higher educational institutions and their instructional mode in fall 2020, and (2) between those institutional characteristics and the number of reported campus COVID-19 cases in the fall of 2020. Using a multinomial logistic regression and a negative binomial regression with an estimated parameter dispersion, the …

Examining Relationships Between Wellness And Student Success: Recommendations For Integration Of Wellness At A Community College, Heather Dewaard-Flickinger

Theses and Dissertations

Wellness, persistence, and retention in higher education have a common goal of student success. Colleges and universities explore various methods to help students succeed and continue towards degree completion. Most of the research has focused on traditional predictors (e.g., high school GPA, ACT/SAT scores) of persistence and success. There is limited research regarding the relationship among student persistence, retention, academic achievement, and a holistic approach to wellness. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between student wellness and student success outcomes at a community college. Wellness is a multidimensional and active behavioral process that includes personal choices …

Development Of The Share Your Story Program: Understanding How Self-Stigma And Mental Health Storytelling Influence Mental Health Experiences On College Campuses, Kyle Cromer Elliott

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health is a growing concern faced by college administrators. Self-stigma is a major barrier preventing mental health utilization and recovery on college campuses. The purpose of this research study is to understand how self-stigma influences the mental health experiences of college students.

The research study builds upon narrative inquiry—Honest, Open, Proud (HOP)—and the author’s lived experiences with mental health conditions to answer the research question: “How does self-stigma influence students’ mental health experiences on college campuses?”

Findings indicate that self-stigma and self-acceptance impacted if, how, and with whom research study participants shared their mental health conditions. Findings also show …

The Role Of Tribal Funding In American Indian Postsecondary Success: Inquiry Into The Problem Of Practice, Delana Lynn Mclean

Theses and Dissertations

The rising costs of college attendance and the diminishing availability of viable funding sources cause students to incur debt in order to pursue postsecondary education. This dissertation in practice examines how one tribal education funding program contributed to the successful transition between high school and college for the enrolled members of the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara (MHA) Nation in North Dakota. I used a quantitative method to examine which pre-college and in-college characteristics were associated with the success outcomes, such as retention and academic achievement (as measured by the first-year college GPA) after the first year of transition to a postsecondary …

A Survey Of Research Administrators To Identify Areas Of Administrative Burden In Federal Research Grant Management, Jessica Lynn Schiller

Theses and Dissertations

Many processes in higher education are complicated by administrative burden and proceduralinefficiencies. The federal government and research universities partner to advance science and technology, but the federal research grant process is criticized for its lack of efficient and streamlined procedures. Staff and faculty alike lament losing valuable time to bureaucratic regulations, cumbersome processes, and burgeoning reporting standards. As the cost of higher education is increasingly scrutinized, current procedures must be analyzed to identify areas of excessive administrative burden and redesigned to maximize efficiency. To address this issue, a Qualtrics survey was deployed to research administrators to identify areas of administrative …

Programming To Help At-Risk Youth Find Success In And Outside Of The Classroom, Nora Carlson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Senior Portfolios: A guide to Help Students Plan for the Transition to Adulthood Nora Carlson, OTDS, Dr. Andrea Young, OTD, OTR/L, Faculty Advisor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of North Dakota School of Medicine Health Sciences, 501 North Columbia Rd, Grand Forks, ND 58202

Purpose: The purpose of the project was to assist at-risk students attending an alternative learning center (ALC) with secondary transition planning into adulthood to promote a successful first year out of high school. Planning is essential to ensure a smooth transition (Mankey, 2011). This project also aimed to showcase occupational therapy’s role in transition services, …

Care For The Caregiver: A Rural Perspective, Michaela Claire Gerving

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Care for the Caregiver: A Rural Perspective

Background: Informal caregivers in rural communities have multiple challenges. First, they have limited access to caregiving training yet are expected to perform tasks at skilled levels (Morelli, Barello, Mayan, & Graffigna, 2019). Second, they have limited access to supportive services, such as respite, which keeps them on-call 24 hours a day (Pfankuch, 2018). Finally, this continual status of caregiving around the clock encroaches on their own engagement in personal health management (Hewitt & McNiesh, 2019).

Purpose: The product of this scholarly project is an interprofessional (IP) telehealth wellness program for informal caregivers …

Impact Of Co2 Storage On The Geomechanical And Geophysical Properties Of Bakken Formation, Ogochukwu Ozotta

Theses and Dissertations

The world is currently experiencing a higher demand for low-carbon technologies, and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) is an important CO₂ emissions reduction technology. Studies have shown the potential for CCUS in shale formations either as a caprock or as a reservoir storage unit. However, there is limited knowledge of the changes in shale reservoirs after long-term exposure to CO₂, and the resulting impacts on storage permanence. This study coupled experimental and numerical modeling methods to investigate how long-term CO₂ storage in shale formations might alter pore structure and minerals, which might cause a resultant …

Fostering Emerging Online Learner Persistence In Teacher Candidates: The Role Of Online Discussions, Staci Ann Gilpin

Theses and Dissertations

As the popularity of online learning continues to grow, so do concerns about online student success. This study aims to contribute to the continuous improvement of online learning and improve outcomes for a distinct group of online learners. Utilizing social presence, the expectancy-value theory of motivation, and capitalizing on innovative technologies, I advance a new framework that expands online discussions for emerging online learners, undergraduates enrolled in online and on-campus courses, and the predominant consumer of online courses. The emerging online learners in this study were also prospective teachers (n=80) enrolled in a teacher preparation course at a small midwestern …

An Evaluation Of The Relationships Between Resilient Safety Culture, Safety Risk Parameters, And Mindfulness In The International Air Show Community, Emmanouil "Manolis" Karachalios

Theses and Dissertations

A convergent mixed-methods approach with data triangulation was utilized to assess the strength of relationships between operational risk factors, hazardous attitude, and resilient safety culture when mediated by mindfulness in the international air show community. An anonymous online survey of respondents’ perceptions, semi-structured interviews of air show experts, focus-group on air show performers, field observation at an air show, and a documentary analysis of air show safety event data was used to collect data. The quantitative findings suggest a good fit of a hypothesized structural model showing the relationships between study variables using structural equation modeling (SEM). Mindfulness (MF) significantly …

The Relationship Between Growth Mindset, Perceptions Of Academic Stress, And Substance Use In First-Year Law Students, Bradley Parrish

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental correlational study was to examine the relationship between growth mindset, perceptions of academic stress, alcohol use, and drug use in first-year law students during their first semester of study. Previous researchers found law students reported levels of mental distress during the first semester of law school that were significantly higher than those reported before starting law school. Some commentators have theorized that the stressful nature of law school contributes to – if not creates – this mental distress. This study sought to explore that relationship. Among its 205 participants, this study found a significant positive …

An Innovative Method For Estimating Planting Dates Using Remotely Sensed Data, Jacob Edward Zanker

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate planting dates are a critical component of several processes in agricultural research, such as crop modeling, agricultural monitoring, and yield forecasts. Yet, field-scale estimations of yearly planting dates on a larger spatial domain are still a challenging task. Using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) coupled with Growing Degree Days (GDD) calculated from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) dataset, methods for estimating planting dates over individual fields are attempted over corn fields across North Dakota. Through these methods, mean statewide planting dates from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop …

Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy: From Theory To Practice, Yvonne H. Cannon

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the relationship of pre-service teachers’ perceptions of self-efficacy and functioning to their confidence in their teaching abilities before the student teaching experience. This phenomenological study with a sequential mixed-methods approach seeks to answer the following research question from a sample of pre-service teachers completing the final semester of coursework before student teaching: How do pre-service teachers describe their lived experiences of their relationships between self-perceptions of teaching efficacy and functioning to their confidence in their teaching abilities? Additionally, the study attempts to identify emerging gaps in the transition from coursework to fieldwork to assist Educator Preparation Programs …

Physical Therapists' Decision To Practice In Vestibular Rehabilitation And Concussion Management: A Qualitative Study Of Influences, Michelle Lea Keller

Theses and Dissertations

Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) and concussion management (CM) is currently not a specialty area of physical therapy practice, but it is an area that many physical therapists (PTs) choose as their primary clinical practice area. Because there is a need for vestibular rehabilitation practitioners, it is important to understand the factors that influence a PT’s decision to practice vestibular rehabilitation and concussion management physical therapy. On May 19th, 2021, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) announced that it denied the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy’s request to create a Vestibular Clinical Specialist Certification. The ABPTS stated that vestibular practice …

The Lived Experience Of Chinese International Students Seeking Internships During Optional Practical Training (Opt) Program, Yue Lyu

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of Chinese international students currently in search of internship positions during their Optional Practical Training (OPT) program after completing their degrees in the United States. Specifically, this study employed an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) for exploring participants’ experiences during the internship-seeking process—encompassing aspects such as their perceived employment barriers, the impacts of this experience on their mental and physical well-being, as well as their resources, and coping strategies. A total of four (4) superordinate themes emerged from the results. Participants described their perceived external and internal barriers that led to adverse impacts on …

A Face Recognition Method Using Deep Learning To Identify Mask And Unmask Objects, Saroj Mishra

Theses and Dissertations

At the present, the use of face masks is growing day by day and it is mandated in most places across the world. People are encouraged to cover their faces when in public areas to avoid the spread of infection which can minimize the transmission of Covid-19 by 65 percent (according to the public health officials). So, it is important to detect people not wearing face masks. Additionally, face recognition has been applied to a wide area for security verification purposes since its performance, accuracy, and reliability [15] are better than any other traditional techniques like fingerprints, passwords, PINs, and …

Higher Education Professional Staff Engagement: Looking In And Beyond The Great Resignation, Sarah Owens

Theses and Dissertations

In 2021, there were 68.9 million job separations. Of those, 47.4 million people willingly left their jobs (Romans, 2022). As the “Great Resignation” in the COVID-19 era continues, many professional staff in higher education are re-examining their relationship with work (McClure, 2021). Higher education professional staff, often feeling undervalued and unappreciated, are less likely to engage and more likely to intend to turnover; leaving institutions to bear the costs of lost productivity and staff replacement. This study examines the relationship between university professional staff members’ self-reported levels of psychological engagement (meaningfulness, safety, and availability), employee engagement (cognitive, emotional, and behavioral), …

The Impact Of Betrayal Trauma On Sexual Assertiveness In Women And The Examination Of Trust And Self-Esteem As Mediating Factors, Alexandra Rehovsky

Theses and Dissertations

There is a significant body of research that links sexual assault to a decrease in sexual assertiveness; however, there is a gap in research exploring how other forms of trauma that involve a violation of trust and security within close relationships (i.e., other forms of betrayal trauma) may also negatively impact sexual assertiveness. In the current study, 310 female participants were assessed for a history of betrayal trauma, as well as self-reported sexual assertiveness. In addition, three potential mediators were included in the study (relational trust, sexual self-esteem, and global self-esteem) to further explore the relationship between betrayal trauma and …

Restorative Justice Practices In Middle School Settings In North Dakota, Carly Theis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to provide an understanding of the nature of restorative practices within the framework of restorative justice, successful strategies utilized in middle school settings, and the impact restorative justice can have on a school’s climate and culture. This study focused on three North Dakota middle schools that implement restorative practices. Interviews were conducted with three teachers and three principals. The participants identified the successful strategies used in their schools and the impact of effective restorative practices on their climate and culture. In addition, the research gathered was used to create professional development workshops for teachers, …

Road To Recovery: Social Acknowledgement, Disclosure And Self-Labeling Of Victims/Survivors Of Sexual Violence, Madison Waldron

Theses and Dissertations

Object: Sexual violence affects 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men. The purpose of the current study was to assess the effects of social acknowledgement, self-labeling, and disclosure on active coping after experiencing sexual violence. Method: A sample of 174 young adults completed an online study which included questionnaires about past unwanted sexual experiences, social acknowledgment, disclosure, self-label, a timeline follow-back, and coping. Results: The results indicated that there was a significant main effect for social acknowledgement scores based upon label (p = .009). Participants who chose the “both” label felt more socially acknowledged compared to those who …

Occupation, Dissociation, And Queer Identity, Katie Christopherson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Queer youth and young adults are more likely to experience trauma and are at a higher risk of developing mental health conditions and experiencing dissociation that negatively impacts occupational engagement (Keating & Muller, 2020; Tankersley et al., 2021). This disparity is attributed to environmental factors, such as discrimination (Keating & Muller, 2020). The goal of this project is to advocate for queer youth and young adults through educational resources. The resources were designed for an audience of healthcare professionals who work with queer youth in mental health settings in order to have a broader impact on the target population. The …

Protecting Against Pain And Stress In The Nicu: An Evidence-Based Eye Examination Guideline, Heather Jo Bowman

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to create an evidence-based Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) eye examination guideline and associated resources that supported use of non-pharmacological interventions and emphasized the importance of parent education and involvement from both an interdisciplinary and occupational therapy perspective.

Literature Review: Although medically necessary, researchers and practitioners in the NICU interdisciplinary field have discussed pain and stress associated with preterm infant eye examinations (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2016; Fierson, 2018; Francis, 2016; Pollaci et al., 2020; Samra & McGrath, 2009). Pain and stress likely impact sensory and overall brain development (AAP, 2016; Brummelte …

Aquatic Therapy: An Interprofessional Resource Focusing On Children With Developmental And Intellectual Disabilities, Mackenzie Martha Brokaw

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) experience impairments with physical development, learning, language, and behavior (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2021b). These impairments lead to impacts with day to day functioning and meaningful occupations such as play, education, social participation, and activities of daily living (ADLs) (CDC, 2021b). Occupational therapy has the skilled knowledge to assist with these challenges from a variety of approaches. Aquatic therapy is one tool shown to be beneficial as the physical properties of water create an environment that can be very supportive to an individual and their needs (Pocius & Riley, …

Addressing Autism Spectrum Disorder In A School Based Setting, Grant Baker

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that is currently estimated to be diagnosed in 1 in every 59 children (Baio et al., 2018). It has been established that it is important for individuals with a diagnosis of ASD to receive occupational therapy services (McGuire et al., 2015). Due to the high prevalence of an ASD diagnosis and the importance of occupational therapy services for children with this diagnosis there is a need for occupational therapy practitioners in all settings that work with these children to be competent in evidencebased approaches. Currently, students with ASD are receiving occupational therapy …

An Occupational Therapy Practitioner’S Intervention Guide To Increasing Occupational Engagement In The Virtual Setting With Individuals Diagnosed With Serious Mental Illness, Oluwafeyikemi Deborah Adewoye

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to ultimately reduce psychiatric readmissions by enhancing tele-health services to those diagnosed with a serious mental illness (SMI). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) brought attention to the barriers regarding public health policies and lack of a national pandemic response approach as care was moved to the virtual context (Robinson et al., 2021). Due to the restrictions set in place, many individuals lost their ability to engage in meaningful occupations (Hoel et al., 2021).

Methods: An in-depth literature review was conducted to better understand the supports and barriers that are affecting effective service care …

Referral And Outcomes In An Equine Facilitated Occupational Therapy Program, Julie A. Juracich

Occupational Therapy Capstones

A miscommunication between referral sources and therapists can lead to difficulties for both parties, as such the purpose of this study is to better understand the perspectives of primary care providers regarding the referral and communication process to equine facilitated occupational therapy. A phenomenological qualitative design was used, seven physicians were recruited through purposive sampling. Each physician participated in a 15-minute interview consisting of 10 open ended questions designed to explore their experiences and perspectives regarding referrals to an occupational therapy program utilizing equine movement. Themes identified in 4 categories were referrals, payment, education and marketing, and communication and updates. …

The Effects Of Retained Primitive Reflexes On Students’ Occupational And Academic Performance In The School Setting, Molly Banks

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Primitive reflexes (PR) are survival responses necessary for infants’ health and safety and are the foundation for higher motor skills (Desorbay, 2013). While they usually integrate a year after birth, there are instances when these reflexes stay retained. The retention of PRs often indicates a higher probability of a disruption/delay in motor and cognitive-emotional development. This disruption/delay can be observed in a school setting and can negatively impact a student’s academic performance and behavior in school. There is significant research on the impact of retained primitive reflexes (RPR), but there is a gap in research about effectively implementing reflex integration …

A Sensory-Based Toolkit For Health Management Of Patients With Aggressive Behaviors In Acute Care, Meghan Janssen

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: A Sensory-Based Toolkit for Health Management of Patients with Aggressive Behaviors in Acute Care

Introduction: Patients who have aggressive behaviors in acute care have limited engagement in health management and social participation (Beattie, Griffiths, Innes, & Morphet, 2018; Harwood, 2017). There is current evidence stating aggression and difficult behaviors can be caused by a dysregulated sensory system, a specific condition or an internal/external stressor (Bowman & Jones, 2016; Harwood, 2017; Scheydt et al., 2017). The purpose of this scholarly project is to promote patient engagement in health management and social participation through the implementation of a sensory-based toolkit that …

The Development Of A Transition To Motherhood Education And Support Program: Elevate Motherhood, Chloe R. Haas

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background The transition to motherhood is a transformative event. The postpartum period is a significant timeframe that challenges a mother in all areas of her life through occupational, physical, hormonal, emotional, and cognitive changes. Although most mothers receive routine care throughout their pregnancy, it is known that standard education and support are typically inadequate, placing mothers at a greater risk for postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, and other challenges of the postpartum period (Howell, Mora, Chassin, & Leventhal, 2010; Martin, Horowitz, Balbierz, & Howell, 2014). Research findings indicate that sufficient education and support prior to birth and through the postpartum period …