Digital Commons Network^™

Social Cognitive Well-Being Model With Native American Students: Exploring Racial Identity And Internalized Racial Oppression, Megan Kay Smith

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, Lent’s (2004) social cognitive model of well-being (SCWB) was employed to examine the academic and social domain of satisfaction and life satisfaction with 121 Native American college students. They completed measures of positive affect, Native American identity, internalized racial oppression, and life satisfaction along with domain-specific (i.e., academic and social) self-efficacy, goal progress, and satisfaction. Using path analytic techniques, results indicated that the academic SCWB model was a close fit to data and the social SCWB model was a good fit to data. For both models, the relations among constructs accounted for large portions of variance for …

Decentering From Distress In The Moment: A Brief Randomized Control Trial, Sheila Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

The utility of mindfulness techniques to regulate emotions and enhance distress tolerance is an area of expanding research interest. Decentering, a mindfulness mechanism believed to exert therapeutic influence, is the realization that thoughts, feelings, and reactions are transitory patterns of mental activity. Existing research indicates that decentering may occur through brief mindfulness interventions. Most studies concerning brief mindfulness induce a state of mindfulness prior to a task to examine its influence on dependent variables, such as cognitive or emotional outcomes after mindfulness. This study is novel and fills a gap in the literature regarding the utility of inducing state mindfulness …

Perceptions Of Consensual Sexual Student-Faculty Relationships, Olivia Pottschmidt

Theses and Dissertations

Consensual, sexual relationships (CSRs) involving university faculty members and students are not uncommon (Richards et al., 2014). Given the increased attention of sexual harassment on college campuses, a number of universities have implemented CSR policies that generally fall into three categories: total ban, limited ban, and discouragement. Despite the intention of these policies,--the prevention of sexual assault and harassment--they have been criticized for being vague and too general (Bellas & Gosset, 2001; Jafar, 2003). Examining student perceptions can provide inside into university culture and inform policymaking. To this end, participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions stemming from …

Girls In Stem, Carrie Leopold

Theses and Dissertations

The recruitment and retention of women in STEM have historically been a struggle. Several causes, such as social factors, stereotypes, and classroom environments, all play a role (Blackburn, 2017). Recruitment efforts are often focused on middle school students. Nevertheless, research shows that children as young as kindergarten already have a preconceived notion about math (Ceci et al., 2014), such as it is too difficult or girls are not 'smart enough' to be successful. By the time some of these girls enter middle school, it can be challenging to change their mindset. Therefore, we need to focus not only on the …

Bridging The Transition Gap: Student Perceptions Of Middle To High School Transition Practices And School Connectedness, Amanda Quintus

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was two-fold: first, to understand perceptions of high school students regarding their transition from middle school into high school. Grounded theory research methods were used to construct theory from data obtained from the study. Secondly, the researcher wished to advocate for North Dakota high schools for implementing school-wide transition programs to bridge the transition gap during a period of pivotal importance in the lives of our students. A review of North Dakota Century Code 15.1 revealed no statute has been developed requiring North Dakota schools to implement school-wide programs or activities focusing on students transitioning …

Virginal Apprehensions Within The Liminal Monastic Space Of The Nun Of Watton, Aimee Alicia Melicher

Theses and Dissertations

The Nun of Watton is a treatise by Ælred of Rievaulx focusing on the scandalous affair of a nun becoming pregnant by a lay brother, and through a series of events is miraculously transformed back into a virgin like state. In my thesis, I will be examining the properties of the space that the nuns of Watton inhabit and how the functions of the space affected the events that occurred by applying Henri Lefebvre’s spatial theory. Additionally, I will be arguing that the Nun received a miraculous abortive churching. Those actions protected the purity of the monastery and the people …

The Role Of Religion In Rape Acknowledgement And Disclosure, Danielle Marie Piggott

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has demonstrated the dramatic effect trauma can have on religiosity. This study sought to extend this understanding by examining how rape influences religious beliefs and behaviors as well as how religiosity influences acknowledgement and disclosure of rape. The overwhelming majority of the United States population is religious, and religiosity has been associated with several important health indicators, yet very little research has examined the connection between religiosity and specific rape recovery outcomes. A sample of 310 college-aged women completed an online survey with questionnaires about personal religiosity, the religiosity of their surrounding support system, and their sexual history. …

An Assessment Of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Training Methods And Measures, Zachary Waller

Theses and Dissertations

The collegiate aviation programs of higher education are seeking to adapt their capabilities and expertise toward educating a generation of airmen who will operate Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The collection of studies presented in this dissertation address this interest as higher education programs investigate the value of modalities and pedagogies, tune the application of instructional aids, and assess novel measurements for how students interact with their training. Three studies were completed in building this program of research. Study I, Waller et al. (2016), was published in a peer-reviewed journal and is adapted for reprint with permission. Study I established the …

Characteristics Of School Success As Identified By School Leaders, Dave Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how school leaders in the state of North Dakota define success in their schools or districts without using test scores as a measurement. The information shared by these school leaders will be shared with other school leaders in North Dakota with the intent that test data becomes less of a driving force in schools and student engagement, while positive climate and culture become more emphasized for school and district leadership.

This study’s purpose was to diminish the emphasis on state assessment as a singular resource that defines success in schools. Communities, staff …

Validating Nde Dataset And Benchmarking Infrared Thermography For Delamination Detection In Bridge Decks, Eberechi Orie Ichi

Theses and Dissertations

We collected and developed an SDNET2021 dataset, a rare combination of annotated non-destructive evaluation (NDE) data, from five in-service bridge decks in Grand Forks as a feed for validating, benchmarking, developing, training, and testing artificial intelligence (AI) models to evaluate, monitor, and assess bridge conditions. The developed dataset, which serves as ground truth, contains sound concrete as class 1 and delaminated sub-surface concrete as classes 2 and 3. The SDNET2021 dataset consists of 488 delaminated (class 2 and 3) and 1,448 sound (class 1) Impact Echo (IE) signals, 214,943 delaminated (class 2 and 3) and 448,159 sound (class 1) Ground …

Negative And Positive Attention Bias In Anhedonia And Anxious Arousal: Can Depression And Anxiety Be Distinguished By Patterns Of Engagement And Disengagement Bias?, Helen Sawaya

Theses and Dissertations

Negative and positive attention bias (AB) is the preferential allocation of attentional resources to negative and positive stimuli in the environment, respectively. AB has been studied in various clinical and non-clinical populations and the process has been linked to symptoms of depression and anxiety. Findings so far suggest that negative AB is a trait-based factor that predisposes individuals to anxiety and depression. Positive AB appears specific to a depressed state, yet findings generally remain mixed. Measures of AB have been recently critiqued for their poor psychometric properties. This study addresses three gaps in the literature to further our understanding of …

Literacy Development In Early Intervention: Confidence And Knowledge Of Occupational Therapists, Roberta Carrlson

Theses and Dissertations

Literacy is an essential component of education and impacts learning potential through life. Development of literacy begins in infancy, and children who experience delays in their development are also at high risk of having delayed literacy development. Multiple programs have been designed to help at-risk children meet their developmental milestones and require literacy development to be explicitly addressed. One such program is Part C of the IDEA, also known as Early Intervention (EI). Occupational therapists (OTs) are one profession that supports families under this program. Occupational therapy academic standards do not require literacy development as part of the curriculum, nor …

Military Combat Veterans, Sentencing Reform, And Problem-Solving Courts, Andrea Sivanich

Theses and Dissertations

Military veterans involved with the criminal justice system may have unique behavioral health and physical needs, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI), and could benefit from sentence mitigation that emphasizes rehabilitation. This research is related to sentencing reform and how it may support problem-solving court sentencing, as a subset of community-based treatment options within the criminal justice system. This research is important in that it attempts to determine whether the law distinguishes veteran offenders, as a specific population, from other offenders with treatment needs. To do that, this dissertation examines the role of legal texts in …

Career Aspirations Of Collegiate Aviation Students, Shayne A. Daku

Theses and Dissertations

Three studies in this dissertation examined the career aspirations of collegiate aviation students: student motivation with respect to career aspirations, military aviation career aspirations, and student perceptions of career pathway programs. Findings from each of these studies are valuable to students pursuing careers in aviation and industry partners seeking to fill pilot positions. Each of these reports highlights the desire of current collegiate aviation students to have a career that supports their values of remaining close and connected to their family and friends. In the first research, aviation graduates report crew base and hourly pay as the most important factors …

Literacy As A Means Of Stress Relief In A Domestic Violence Homeless Shelter: Listening To Childrens' Voices, Vonda L. Dahl

Theses and Dissertations

It is well-documented that children who experience housing insecurities, transience and homelessness, whether short or long term, may suffer from anxiety and/or chronic stress (Perry, 1997, 2004; Jensen, 2009). What is less known, or researched, are ways to address that anxiety through the efforts of volunteers and other non-custodial persons and the simple act of reading a book together. This study is social science in nature with a focus on phenomenological research with children that explores the affective value that a literacy event may have on a child’s perceptions of their own level of stress. Participants were recruited from a …

"The Last Major Front": Special Education's Transition To Adulthood And North Dakota, Matthew David Mccleary

Theses and Dissertations

The thesis examines the development and implementation of special education’s transition policy in the United States and North Dakota from the 1980s to the 1990s. Researchers have primarily sought to further evidence-based practices in preparing adolescents with disabilities for adulthood, but the history of this effort has rarely been discussed. In the late 20th century, policymakers, researchers, and educators attempted to turn around negative socio-economic outcomes for people with disabilities by helping youth with disabilities and their families plan for the future and get connected to post-school services and employment. Assumptions about people with disabilities influenced transition programming and the …

Reducing Produced Water Disposal Via Effective Treatments Methods And Re-Use: Proposed Sustainable Application For Bakken, North Dakota, Olusegun Stanley Tomomewo

Theses and Dissertations

It is true that the advancements in both the hydraulic frack and directional drilling technologies led to less time and a bit easier ways to develop unconventional oil and gas assets worldwide. In the Bakken North Dakota, the result of these breakthroughs and advancements in technologies are that they drastically reduce the time it takes to drill and complete a well leading to more wells (347 in 2004 to 16,300 in 2020). In 2019, the United States became the largest global crude oil producer, and the unconventional Bakken Play in North Dakota is one of the major contributors to this …

Narratological Limitations Of Telling Trauma: A Case Study Of Lorena Bobbitt And Sexual Assault, Brittney Christy

Theses and Dissertations

There are many barriers that women face when they tell their stories of sexual assault, namely—that they will not be believed. A number of factors hinder believability, many of them related to the broader relationship that narrative plays in our lives. Narrative expectation, cultivated by the texts we consume, shapes what we find believable or “tellable” in the words of scholar Amy Shuman. Difficult narratives are often rendered “untellable” because they contain unfamiliar patterns or because they fall outside recognizable frameworks of understanding. Sexual assault narratives are rendered untellable for many reasons, including social misunderstanding of the problem and the …

Teacher Demoralization, Mental Health, And The Moderating Effect Of Shame Resilience, Chelsie Terez Hultz

Theses and Dissertations

The first purpose of this study was to extend the literature on teacher demoralization (Santoro, 2011) by providing the second attempt to measure the phenomenon done by Carlson-Jaquez (2016). Exploratory factor analysis was used to analyze construct validity of an original self-report instrument for the assessment of teacher demoralization analyzed as three sub-scale constructs: shame, lack of autonomy, and uncertainty. Data was collected from a population of K-12 educators in one mid-western public-school district. Participants completed a self-assessment survey shared via email and rated their level of agreement on twenty-one questions. Five demographic questions began the survey’s 26 questions. Data …

Monolayer Sorption Isotherm Model For Surface Tension Of Aqueous Surfactant Solutions Containing Electrolytes And Organic Mixtures, Kaiser Ahmed Bhuiyan

Theses and Dissertations

The surface tensions and compositions of aqueous aerosols dictate surface-mediated processes, especially the growth of aerosol particles into cloud nuclei and interfacial chemical reactions. Surface tension is also an indirect proxy for the partitioning of organics to the surface due to enhanced organic activity, driven by a reduction in solubility. Model predictions are generally not available for most surfactant-laden multi-component aqueous solutions, despite the importance of surface tension. Our recent multi-component surface tension model uses competitive adsorption at the interface, but these results are not consistent with salting out.1 We have now applied these techniques to surfactants in pure water …

North Dakota's New Frontier: Unmanned Aircraft, Matthew D. Dunlevy

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned Aircraft, or drones, represent a modern-day frontier, one that is, as yet, neither fully explored nor fully developed. The state of North Dakota has moved into the frontier and is deeply involved in its exploration and development. The state has invested tens of millions of dollars in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) industry, an investment that has helped to attract tens of millions of additional dollars from military sources and from private business firms. The University of North Dakota’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, long-recognized as among the leading aviation schools in the nation, is at the …

Development Of Metal-Containing Nanoparticles For Chemical Analysis And Bioanalysis, Juan Han

Theses and Dissertations

Metal-containing nanoparticles (MCPs) have been applied in fields ranging from environmental monitoring to biomedicine. This breadth is due to the outstanding behavior of MCPs as catalysts and imaging agents, and the ease with which nanoparticle morphology, composition, and reactivity (such as agglomeration) can be controlled. The work described in this dissertation will have two fundamentally different foci that are both essential for further development of MCPs as tools for chemical and bioanalysis. The first focus is on particle-by-particle characterization MCPs and the second focus is on creation of new composite MCPs. A total of four projects are included in this …

Criterion-Referenced Cut-Points In Cardiorespiratory Fitness Associated With Metabolic Syndrome In Adult Americans, Nicholas Gabriel Kavadas

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To identify criterion-referenced cut-points in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a nationally-representative sample of young- and middle-aged American adults. Methods: The analytic sample comprised 3302 Americans aged 20–49 years who participated in the 1999–2000, 2001–2002, and 2003–2004 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. CRF was assessed by a submaximal run/walk test on a treadmill. MetS was determined using American Heart Association criteria, measured as the presence of three or more risk factors (high waist circumference, high blood pressure, high fasting triglycerides, high fasting glucose, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Receiver operating characteristic …

Eating Disorder Symptoms On Female Collegiate-Level Athletes And Non-Athletes, Kennedy Victoria Kidd

Theses and Dissertations

In previous research, it found that the risk of developing an eating disorder (ED) is much higher in females compared to males (Dunca, Ziobrowski & Nicol, 2017; Raevuori, Keski-Rahkonen, & Hoek, 2014; Lewinsohn, Seeley, Moerk, & Striegel-Moore, 2002). Similarly, research has shown that the prevalence of EDs is much higher in female athletes compared to male athletes (Johnson, Powers, & Dick, 1999). Despite the risk of developing an ED being higher in females, research has not provided a strong understanding of the prevalence of EDs comparing female student-athletes and female student non-athletes. There is research that shows that athletes may …

Concentration-Streamflow Relationship In The Red River To North Near Grand Forks, North Dakota, Kabamba Nancy Ngoyi

Theses and Dissertations

For the last 15 years, the nutrient concentrations have fluctuated in both particulate and dis-solved forms. The increasing concentration of sulfate and chloride in the North Great Plain Basin impose threats to water quality in the Basin. During this spring snowmelt season of 2021, water samples were collected three times daily in the Red River at Grand Forks, North Dakota to de-velop a concentration streamflow relationship for sulfate, nitrate, chloride, and fluoride. The 2020-2021 winter was very dry as a result the snowmelt streamflow was very low, the rising limb period was short, but the streamflow increased rapidly from 75 …

Synthesis Of A Gemini Monomer And Cyclobutane-Containing Bifunctional Building Blocks For Novel Materials, Rahul Kumar Shahni

Theses and Dissertations

Gemini monomer, a new monomeric class that consists of two monomeric units connected by a covalent linker, can offer a highly dense polymeric framework. Moreover, their ability to form twice the number of covalent bonds than the conventional monomer can afford polymers with high thermal and mechanical strength. The desired Gemini monomer, ethylene 1,2-bis (2,4-pentadienoate) (EBP), was synthesized in two steps. First, an acid precursor 2,4-pentadienoic acid was synthesized by the condensation of malonic acid and acrolein. Second, ethylene glycol was used to connect two 2,4-pentadienoic acid units to obtain the monomer. Later, EBP was polymerized in ambient and solvent-free …

Transcriptomic And Pharmacological Characterization Of A Murine Line Harboring An Antidepressant-Insensitive Serotonin Transporter, Meghan Alicia Rodriquez

Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal depression is a complex mood disorder often treated with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, which block the serotonin transporter (SERT) and alter synaptic serotonin concentrations. The serotonergic system is highly plastic and serotonin regulates the growth and maturation of neurons and signaling systems from conception through end of life. Notably, interference with serotonin levels during an SSRI sensitive window (SSW) of development in humans and rodents has been linked to neurovegetative effects which increase susceptibility for the manifestation of anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors and can be persistent throughout life. We hypothesize the persistent behavioral perturbations resulting from acute …

The Evolution Of An Institution And Student Misconduct Polices: A Study Of Minnesota State University Moorhead (Msum), 1887-2007, Ashley Jo Atteberry

Theses and Dissertations

An institution of higher education holds certain beliefs about the personal growth of students while they are enrolled. The behavior prohibited within the student misconduct policies reflect the norms within the larger society as well as the expectations specific to the learning environment within the institution. Students adhering to the expectations defined in these policies are perceived as embracing these beliefs, which enhances the character and resulting community member the student becomes upon graduation. In an opportunity to understand and resolve the concern of having an overly legalistic published policies for student misconduct, this qualitative study reviewed the content of …

Latinx Immigrant Health And Well-Being In The United States: Examining Legal Status As A Social Determinant Of Health, Ayli Carrero Pinedo

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Much of the body of research on Latinx immigrant health has focused on border states or coastal shoreline regions and less is known about the health experiences of Latinx immigrants in the Midwest. Objective: Using a social determinants of health framework, the first aim of the study was to examine a model of Latinx immigrant health and to determine whether the relations from acculturation and enculturation to subjective health and well-being are partially or fully mediated by perceived discrimination and acculturative stress. The second aim was to investigate if and how legal status moderates the relations within the retained …

Understanding Decision-Making Styles Of Part 135 Pilots In Remote Settings And Their Impact On Aviation Safety: A Qualitative Enquiry Of Alaskan Operational Environments, Dana Atkins

Theses and Dissertations

Aviation is a vital component of the State of Alaska’s transportation system. Air transportation is frequently the only means to move goods, services, and people across the state. Historically, air taxi and non-scheduled/charter air operators (14 C.F.R. Part 135) form the bulk of service providers in Alaska and have poor operational safety records through high rates of accidents. The problem is still prevalent despite numerous initiatives by the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce adverse safety events. Accident investigation reports have nominally attributed causal factors of these accidents to pilot error and at-risk behaviors such as violations. Extant research in aviation …