Digital Commons Network^™

Activities Eligibility: Building A More Equitable Approach To Support Students, Cory Holten

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, the researcher analyzed the impact of traditional cocurricular activityeligibility practices on minoritized students, students with disabilities, and students receiving free and reduced lunches. The researcher issued a survey to staff members at Horizon Middle School in Moorhead, Minnesota to gain an understanding of the perceived impact of participation in cocurricular activities and the impact and observed disparities existing as a result of traditional eligibility practices. As a result of the findings, the researcher proposes an alternative approach focused on identifying lagging skills through the collection of student data related to academic achievement, attendance, and behavior. Instead of …

Examining Barriers And Motivation Toward University Stem Faculty Research Success, Jordan A. Jaeger

Theses and Dissertations

All university faculty pursuing scholarly goals tackle complex tasks over long periods, yet some must overcome additional adversity and challenges to succeed. Recent studies have measured faculty research success according to their self-reported accomplishments in research activities, publications, and grant writing, and motivation was a predictor of success (Stupnisky, BrckaLorenz, et al., 2019; Stupnisky et al., 2023). This dissertation describes a three-study program of research that examined how faculty navigated barriers to research success through the lens of different theories of motivation.Faculty face barriers in completing research because it often involves a lengthy and emotion filled process, from research design …

The Mediating Role Of Emotion Regulation On Attachment Styles, Relationship Quality, And Internalizing Symptoms Among Emerging Adults, Summer Rae Lardy

Theses and Dissertations

Internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, impact a substantial number of emerging adults each year. Previous literature has examined relationship quality’s impact on internalizing symptoms but has yet to include emotion regulation. Therefore, both intra- and interpersonal emotion regulation’s impact on the well-established association between relationship quality and internalizing symptoms was assessed. Two-hundred and fifty-nine emerging adults were surveyed on the factors of: Relationship Quality, Attachment Style, Relationship Maintenance Behaviors, Intrapersonal Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Emotion Regulation, Depression and Anxiety symptoms. As hypothesized, results found a negative, moderate correlation between relationship quality and internalizing symptoms (r = -.54). Additionally, there …

An Evaluation Of Naaps During Canadian And U.S. East Coast Smoke Events In May And June 2023, Taylor Mchone

Theses and Dissertations

An unprecedented number of wildfires occurred across the Canadian mainland during May and June 2023 due to unusually hot and dry atmospheric conditions. As a result of these wildfires, smoke was transported over large areas of North America, posing significant threats to visibility, air quality, human health, and the economy. The global Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System (NAAPS) model was the first model of its kind to predict global aerosol transport, including, among others, wildfire smoke. Operationally, NAAPS produces predictions of the horizontal and vertical distribution of smoke and how it diffuses through space and time. This study evaluates …

Co2-Storage Trapping In Deep Saline Aquifers: Numerical Modeling On The Broom Creek Formation, Christopher Nkansah

Theses and Dissertations

Carbon dioxide (CO2) storage in deep saline aquifers holds promise as a viable solution to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Bulk-CO2 injection and sequestration in deep saline aquifers is a complex geological process. Previous studies have shown that bulk-CO2 injection into deep saline aquifers provides sufficient aquifer storage efficiency. In North Dakota, the Broom Creek Formation exists in the subsurface as the upper unit of the Minnelusa Group.This study presents a simulation study of bulk-CO2 injection and storage in a saline aquifer belonging to the Minnelusa Group in the Broom Creek Formation by providing insights into and evaluating the efficiency …

Opencast: Cyanobacteria Growth And Correlations With Predictive Factors In Creation For Harmful Algal Bloom Formation, Devarshi Nikhil Patel

Theses and Dissertations

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems, public health, and local economies due to their production of toxins and negative impacts on water quality. This thesis investigates the correlations between cyanobacteria growth and environmental variables, including wind conditions, surface temperatures, and nutrient levels. This research uses machine learning and statistical modeling to predict HAB occurrences by analyzing these variables' historical and near real-time data. The findings indicate that wind speed, surface temperature, and nutrient levels influence cyanobacteria dynamics, with specific thresholds identified for predictive accuracy. The developed HAB predictive models and the graphical user interface (GUI) …

Christianity In Conversations About Sexuality: Influences Of Parental Communication On Young Women’S Navigation Of Nonconsensual Sexual Experiences, Danielle Piggott

Theses and Dissertations

Women are forced to cope with the reality of sexual violence in multiple ways throughout their young adult life. This study sought to understand the influence of parental messaging on how young women understand consent and their own vulnerability to sexual assault, how they respond to friends who disclose to them about experiencing sexual assault, and how they personally conceptualize and recover from sexual assault. A sample of 384 college-aged women completed an online survey with questionnaires about messages from and relationships with their parents, beliefs about sex and sexual assault, sexual history, and mental health related symptoms. Regression analyses …

Pl 93-638: Utilizing The Indian Self Determination And Education Assistance Act (Isdeaa) To Enhance And Improve Oral Health Outcomes In A Tribal Community, Adriann Darlene Ricker

Theses and Dissertations

American Indians and Alaskan Natives experience the worst oral health outcomes. However, we are transitioning to a new era where Indigenous communities are reclaiming the narrative and health. This dissertation in practice was inspired by tribal self-determination and reclamation of health found through the newly established Fort Peck Tribal Health Dental Department utilizing the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act (PL 93-638). The guiding framework for the Fort Peck Tribal Health Dental Department and this dissertation is the Indigenous Primary Health Care Delivery Model which illuminates elements of community, empowerment, and self-determination with culture as center to all healthcare …

The Potential Value Of The Mcmi-Iv And Pid-5 In Physical Violence Risk Assessments, Courtney Tindell

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to explore and identify factors from two common personality measures, the Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID-5) and Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-IV (MCMI-IV), to aid in the prediction of lifetime physical violence. Contemporary violence risk assessments center around structured professional judgment, which often includes risk management factors. The MCMI-IV was developed to provide insight into an individual’s motivations, needs, and behaviors based on their personality type. Thus, the MCMI-IV was thought to have the potential to provide unique insight into treatment protocols for violence reduction and prevention. Based on previous research and theory, four facet and two …

Numerical Investigation And Seismic Performance Evaluation Of Liquefied Natural Gas (Lng) Cylindrical Steel Storage Tanks Under Earthquake Loading, Shafqat Ullah

Theses and Dissertations

Cylindrical steel tanks are an important structural components of various industries, power plants, oil refineries, and other lifeline facilities. These liquid-filled reservoirs are prone to local instability (buckling) when exposed to lateral seismic forces. This thesis aims to study the seismic buckling performance of an empty and partially filled cylindrical steel storage tanks using finite element modeling (FEM) approaches. To validate the accuracy of the FEA ABAQUS software, the cylindrical tanks are considered for both static linear buckling, non-linear, as well as dynamic (seismic non-linear) analysis. A total of 3 cylindrical shells having 1 perfect model without carbon fiber reinforced …

Administering Psychological Tele-Assessment: A Delphi Study, Amanda Willyard Walkowiak

Theses and Dissertations

The Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak increased demand for telehealth services for mental health providers (Zhou et al., 2020). To our knowledge, conducting psychological assessments through tele-health platforms has limited empirical and ethical support (Wright et al., 2020; Stifel et al., 2020; American Psychological Association [APA], 2020a). Moving from traditional to remote testing administration requires preparation, training, and practice (Joint Task Force for the Development of Telepsychology Guidelines for Psychologists [Telepsychology Task Force], 2013; Wright et al., 2020). Even if psychologists have access to test materials and the necessary technology to conduct tele-assessments, they may not have the training and clinical …

Perceptions Of Interpersonal Communication Skills In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Raquel Ann Zeidlik

Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare is analogous to a team sport where effective communication is vital for the success of all members of the team. If communication is ineffective – or absent – between members of the healthcare team and their patients, then issues move beyond the concern of patient satisfaction, to matters of life and death. Patients who put their well-being in the hands of a healthcare team deserve to feel safe and to receive high-quality care, delivered by the most compassionate and qualified care team possible. Barriers to effective communication continue to challenge healthcare teams, further compromising the nurse-patient relationship. A total …

Wooyake Winyan: The Experience Of Three Native Women In Higher Education Leadership At 4-Year Institutions In The Midwest, Raven Gray

Theses and Dissertations

Native women in higher education have faced many challenges and disparities, specifically within 4-year institutions. This research used a qualitative method known as storytelling to identify ways of progression for Native women in higher education leadership while being supported by the theoretical framework of aspirational capital. Additionally, this knowledge is explained through cultural ways of storytelling, with hope of gaining perspective of Native female leadership and how this impacts Native communities within higher education. Through this research, it portrayed the experience of Native women in Higher education leadership which included their successes and challenges. Each participant shared their background of …

Saudi Acceptance Of Digital Communication And Satisfaction With Mobile Government Services (M-Government), Samah Alotaibi

Theses and Dissertations

Governments throughout the world are using developments in mobile technology to enhance electronic governance (e-government) by digitally providing government information and services. This is often known as mobile government (M-government), which caters to the needs of individuals, corporations, and governmental institutions. The main objective of this dissertation is to examine the integration of mobile government services into the government's digital communication revolution. It specifically aims to investigate the level of satisfaction and acceptance among Saudi citizens regarding the mobile applications developed by the government. The dissertation delves into their perspectives and assessments of the digital communication channels offered by the …

The Experiences And College Readiness Of Native American Students Who Participated In Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment And Transitioned To Higher Education, Krystal Marie Caldwell

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study employed the Diverse Learning Environment Model to examine how dual credit/dual enrollment course participation by Native American students impacts their college readiness and transition to college. Literature shows that students who take dual credit/dual enrollment in high school are more likely to graduate from high school and transition to college and have less time to degree completion. Furthermore, dual credit/dual enrollment course participation also increases students’ college readiness and improve student’s self-efficacy. The guiding notion of this paper are the overwhelming benefits to students who participate in dual credit/dual enrollment coursework in high school and how …

Protective Factors For Suicidal Ideation In Transgender Adults Living In Rural Communities, Genel Gronkowski

Theses and Dissertations

Transgender adults living in rural communities within the USA may be at an increased risk for suicidal ideation compared to their cisgender peers. Meyer’s Minority Stress Model postulates that this may be due to unique stressors that result from a minoritized identity that may lead to poor mental health outcomes, such as suicidal ideation; individual and community level protective factors may buffer or protect from poor health outcomes. The purpose of this study is to identify protective factors that may be unique to transgender adults experiencing suicidal ideation in rural communities. Utilizing a grounded theory approach, a homogenous group of …

Mcmi-Iv And Pid-5 Antecedents To Self-Reported Sexual Perpetration, Katya Maureen Mickelson

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual perpetration is a pervasive public health concern with various theoretical models used to account for the developmental trajectory of this form of behavior. Personality traits have been incorporated into both etiologic and violence risk assessment predictive models. Contemporary personality inventories have not been examined extensively as risk indicators of self-reported sexual aggressiveness. The current study examined links between self-reported sexual perpetration and selected scales from the Millon® Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI®-IV) and Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5). Data from an initial pool of respondents (N = 1,408) was segregated after protocol interpretability exclusions into men who self-reported past sexual …

Evaluating Pressure Distribution Of Surgical Support Surfaces For Pressure Injury Prevention: Small-Cell Alternating Pressure Mattress, Standard Foam Mattress, And Gel Overlay, Victor Moreno Lozano

Theses and Dissertations

Pressure injuries are a significant problem in the health care system for patients undergoing long surgeries due to the prolonged time they spend on the surface without moving under the anesthesia effect [6]. This can lead to the occurrence of pressure injuries and can negatively affect patient outcomes and the healthcare system [3]. Current methods for preventing pressure injuries in the operating room include repositioning the patient, using sponges or small gel pads at pressure points, and the use of support surfaces [2]. There is not enough conclusive evidence that states that the use of support surfaces is effective in …

Engaging Telepsychology As A Culturally Appropriate Communicative Approach For Mental Health Intervention For Women In Ondo State, Nigeria, Toyosi Motilola Olola

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Assessing the mental health issues among Nigerian women is complex due to cultural norms, stigmatization, and traditional beliefs, which often lead to the concealment of mental health problems. Mental health issues are frequently seen through a spiritual or supernatural lens, exacerbating stigma and preventing proper medical care. There is also a lack of comprehensive data on help-seeking behaviors, with many women relying on religious leaders and traditional healers for support. Telepsychology can solve these communication challenges by offering a confidential and accessible platform that bridges traditional beliefs and modern mental health care. This study explores cultural influences on help-seeking …

A Student Co-Creation Lab As A Sustainable System For Oer Development, Sarah Ann Stokes

Theses and Dissertations

Open educational resources (OER) are digital and non-digital resources for teaching, learning, and research that are available for no cost and licensed with various open licenses, permitting their widespread modification and use. While these resources afford benefits to post-secondary students in terms of reduced cost, ease of access, and potential for customization, faculty members in Ontario, Canada face many barriers to creating these resources for their classes. While many post-secondary institutions have engaged in some form of OER-development initiative, the initiatives are typically not sustainable in the long term. This study explores the model, including the tools, techniques, and workflows, …

A Document Analysis On The Role Of Innovation In The Strategic Plans Of Small Private Liberal Arts Institutions, Jillain Kaye Veil-Ehnert

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study provides interpretations of the nature of strategic plans at small private liberal arts institutions. The study explored the concepts of innovation, entrepreneurship, and transformation detailed in the plans. This study included a specific cohort of eight United States small private liberal arts colleges with similar characteristics regarding academic programs, enrollment, and fiscal stability. The research was conducted through document analysis of the institutions’ publicly available strategic plans. The data collected illustrates what the documents indicates about innovation, entrepreneurship, and transformation at small private liberal arts colleges. Key findings on innovations in the plans included a focus on …

Healing Through Decolonized Learning: The Transformative Journeys Of Online Indigenous Health Ph.D. Students, Stephen Wyatt

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the transformative and healing experiences of doctoral students enrolled in the first fully online Indigenous Health Ph.D. program at the University of North Dakota. The research aims to understand the unique experiences and supports influencing the success of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in this program. The qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 23 Indigenous Health Ph.D. students (N = 23) to explore their lived experiences. By fostering a sense of community, incorporating cultural relevance into the curriculum, and providing robust support systems, the Indigenous Health Ph.D. program facilitated significant personal and academic growth …

Encompassing ‘Himdag’ (Indigenous Way Of Life) To Address Cardiometabolic Disease In American Indian And Alaska Native Communities Through Research, Policy And Action, Heather Medicine Bear

Theses and Dissertations

Cardiometabolic diseases (CMD), encompassing conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, present a significant health burden within American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. This dissertation, through the culmination of three products, including a scoping review, policy brief and strategic planning toolkit, seeks to understand and address CMD in tribal communities through an Indigenous lens. Product #1, Interventions for Cardiometabolic Health in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: A Scoping Review, entails a thorough review of implemented CMD interventions targeting AI/AN communities to understand programmatic, clinical, and community-based prevention strategies. By synthesizing available evidence, …

Is It Really A Neuromyth? A Meta-Analysis Of The Learning Styles Matching Hypothesis, Virginia Clinton-Lisell, Christine Litzinger

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

Learning styles have been a contentious topic in education for years. The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of the effects of matching instruction to modality learning styles compared to unmatched instruction on learning outcomes. A systematic search of the research findings yielded 21 eligible studies with 101 effect sizes and 1,712 participants for the meta-analysis. Based on robust variance estimation, there was an overall benefit of matching instruction to learning styles, g = 0.31, SE = 0.12, 95% CI = [0.05, 0.57], p = 0.02. However, only 26% of learning outcome measures indicated matched instruction benefits …

Premenstrual Dysmorphic Disorder/Premenstrual Syndrome Luteal Phase Treatment, Shelby Gawarecki

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• PMS/PMDD symptoms affect many women's emotional and physical wellbeing.

• SSRIs, progesterone, and sepranolone are luteal phase treatment options.

• Studies were all peer-reviewed, including randomized control trials or a meta-analysis.

• SSRIs are a consistent primary treatment for symptom alleviation especially cognitive symptoms. SSRIs are the current mainstay, recommended for luteal phase treatment of PMS/PMDD.

• SSRIs, including citalopram, sertraline, escitalopram, and fluoxetine, were examined to determine their efficacy in relieving mood-related symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, and depression during the luteal phase.

• Data on progesterone treatment in the luteal phase is inconclusive. • Allopregnanolone levels and …

Comparing The Efficacy Of Heart-Conserving Measures And Retransplantation For Chronic Rejection In The Pediatric Population, Lacey Zeiszler

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Coronary allograft vasculopathy is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among pediatric heart transplant recipients and faces unsuccessful treatment for prevention and management. Post-transplant immunosuppressive therapy has been modified over the years to determine the most effective regimen for rejection. Tacrolimus has been the superior immunosuppressant used for rejection since the early 2000s. It has been shown to have substantial immunosuppressive effects, least number of adverse effects, and decreased comorbidities compared to other regimens. Despite these advantages, CAV is still prevalent. Heart retransplantation is currently the only curative treatment. We used Google Scholar, PubMed, ClinicalKey, ScienceDirect, Elsevier, Wiley Online …

Autonomous Image-Based Corrosion Detection In Steel Structures Using Deep Learning, Amrita Das, Sattar Dorafshan, Naima Kaabouch

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Steel structures are susceptible to corrosion due to their exposure to the environment. Currently used non-destructive techniques require inspector involvement. Inaccessibility of the defective part may lead to unnoticed corrosion, allowing the corrosion to propagate and cause catastrophic structural failure over time. Autonomous corrosion detection is essential for mitigating these problems. This study investigated the effect of the type of encoder–decoder neural network and the training strategy that works the best to automate the segmentation of corroded pixels in visual images. Models using pre-trained DesnseNet121 and EfficientNetB7 backbones yielded 96.78% and 98.5% average pixel-level accuracy, respectively. Deeper EffiecientNetB7 performed the …

The Effects Of Blood Flow Restriction On Electromyography Activity Of Proximal And Distal Upper Extremity Musculature, Sami Dullum, Clyde Jensen, Connor Remus

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Purpose/Hypothesis: Blood flow restriction therapy (BFR) has become a popular strength training and intervention method. Research shows BFR increases muscular hypertrophy and strength, mostly attributed to vascular occlusion. The purpose of this study is to examine BFR effects on proximal and distal muscle electromyography (EMG) activity to evaluate characteristics of fatigue in the infraspinatus (INFRA) and extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) during resistive side-lying shoulder external rotation (ER). Number of Subjects: 51

Materials/Methods: Fifty-one college students, 31 females, and 20 males participated in the study. Shoulder ER peak force was identified in side-lying utilizing a MicroFET. Participants completed shoulder …

Prosocial Behavior, Sean Fernando, Claire Leach, Danielle Haake, Debra Bigelow-Davis, Jillian Stokes, Aj Kalawai'a, Nore Heinitz, Grace Bates

Psychology Student Publications

Prosocial behavior is a widely researched area of social psychology. It can be defined as the voluntary actions performed with the goal of benefiting others. This concept of helping others includes a wide range of actions, from simple acts such as holding the door open for someone to larger acts like donating money to charity (Peetz & Howard, 2022). This chapter will explore the topic of prosocial behavior by identifying the main types of prosocial behavior and the measure used to assess them, explaining the motivation behind prosocial behavior, and discussing various benefits and counterarguments to prosocial behavior.

Visualizing Victory: The Role Of Imagery In Empowering Athletes Battling Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Sydney Raboin

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Student Publications

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most common mental health disorders that can make activities of daily life more challenging, as well as adversely impact wellbeing. OCD is an anxiety disorder that presents as uncontrollable and unsolicited thoughts, mental images, and sensations, followed by obsession over them and an irresistible need to complete compulsive behaviors in attempt to challenge them and find relief. It causes fear of both one’s own thoughts and the world around them. OCD shows its place in the athletic realm where it can impact an athlete’s mentality, attention, behaviors, and goal orientation, which may potentially …