Digital Commons Network^™

Early Life Factors And Health Outcomes In Children And Mothers, Olubunmi Olufunke Orekoya

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focused on early life exposures and their impact on children and mothers’ health. It consists of three distinct studies with an overarching goal of understanding how early life factors influence health outcomes among children and mothers. The broad aims are: 1) to examine the association between maternal gestational weight gain and offspring weight at 1 year, while assessing the mediating role of birth weight; 2) to determine the association between breastfeeding practices and development of allergic conditions (eczema/skin allergy, hay fever/respiratory allergy, and asthma); and 3) to examine the association between breastfeeding and postpartum weight retention at 12 …

Formative Assessment Strategies For Mathematical Thinking: A Qualitative Action Research Study, Benjamin J. Sinwell

Theses and Dissertations

Developing Formative Assessment Strategies for Mathematical Thinking is a qualitative action research study that investigates how one mathematics teacher implements formative assessment strategies aimed at impacting students’ mathematical thinking in two geometry classes a southern Title I public high school. This study is predicated on the notion that when students share their mathematical thinking in class, it stimulates classroom discussion and discourse and provides evidence vis-à-vis formative assessments that the teacher can use to improve mathematics curriculum and instruction. The study is theoretically grounded in Wiliam and Thompson’s (2007) Five Key Formative Assessment Strategies that include: 1. Clarifying and Sharing; …

African American End-Stage Renal Disease And Medication Adherence: What Are The Effects Of Everyday Racism?, Tamara Estes Savage

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the racial medication adherence disparity in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Prior research suggests that there are poor rates of medication adherence in the African American ESRD population. However, the reasons for this racial inequity are not understood. This dissertation explored the impact of everyday racism in the healthcare system in general and dialysis centers in particular on medication adherence. To gain an understanding of the possible contribution of everyday racism to medication nonadherence, Critical Race Theory (CRT) was used as the theoretical foundation of the study.

A total of 46 African American ESRD patients participated in …

An Exploration Of The Availability And Implementation Of Undergraduate Degrees In Conducting In The United States, Erik Lee Garriott

Theses and Dissertations

The art of conducting musical ensembles has grown since conductors such as Louis Spohr, Carl Maria von Weber, Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Wagner, and Hector Berlioz popularized it in the classical and romantic eras of music history. However, there appear to be discrepancies between the prevalence of conducting throughout music history and the availability of bachelor’s degrees in music performance centered around conducting in the United States. Europe has a strong tradition of training conductors from a young age, and Asia is beginning to develop a strong tradition of its own. The United States is a worldwide leader in many degree …

Towards Gender Inclusive Representation In The Theatre: The Actor And The Spectator, Jeanette Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This piece of writing is aimed at theatre practitioners who might not have a background in feminist critical theory. Its main function is to help these practitioners to aware of how they might- in the theatre- propagate gender stereotypes. It provides thorough and accessible explanations of the concepts central to feminist critical theory. It argues that in order to create a truly inclusive theatre, the spectator and the actor must be resistant towards gender-based oppression.

Three Essays On Capital Structure And Product Market Interactions, Ying Zheng

Theses and Dissertations

Capital structure can have important consequences for firm value. High leverage increases firms’ probability of bankruptcy, and is shown to be the primary cause of financial distress. As suggested by a strand of literature on capital structure and product market interactions, high leverage is costly because financial weakness could induce unfavorable actions by product market participants such as customers and competitors. While the costs of high leverage are well documented in the extant literature, little is known on the factors that influence the costs of high leverage. This dissertation addresses this gap in the literature by examining how the costs …

Assessment Of Patient Satisfaction With The Provision Of Fertility Information In Women With Lynch Syndrome, Rachel Elizabeth Hickey

Theses and Dissertations

Lynch Syndrome (LS), one of the most common hereditary cancer syndromes, is primarily known for its substantially increased risks for colorectal cancer. The incidence of gynecologic cancers (endometrial and ovarian cancers) equals or exceeds the incidence of colorectal cancers in female patients with LS. The prevention and treatment methods for these cancers can drastically affect fertility and reproduction. Previous studies with cancer patients have revealed challenges in acquiring information related to these topics; thus far, no research has assessed whether there is an informational gap regarding fertility information for women in the LS population. The purpose of this study was …

The Theatrical Laboratory: A Methodology For Educating Empathy, Anna Lee Percuoco

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to highlight the need for universal theatre exposure and experience in secondary education and to recommend a methodology for using theatre education to help students become engaged and empathetic adults. This task must be accomplished early in the young person’s life and should not be left to college professors with no training in pedagogy. The high school teacher, regardless of content area, is most equipped for developing empathy in students. He can best reach this goal with the help of dramatic literature and exploration.

The theatre ought to be viewed as a laboratory that …

Adoptees’ Experiences With Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing: Emotions, Satisfaction, And Motivating Factors, Anna Childers

Theses and Dissertations

Public awareness of the role of genetics in disease continues to expand along with the use of direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT). One subset of customers taking advantage of the growing DTC-GT market is adoptees. Prior research has shown that adoptees appear to be more motivated than non-adoptees to learn about their genetic disease risk but have similar responses to health-related information acquired through DTC-GT. In this exploratory qualitative study, fourteen adoptees were asked about their motivations for pursuing DTC-GT; satisfaction with results; emotions throughout the process; and interest in meeting with a genetic counselor. Motivations for pursuing DTCGT fell into …

Dimensionality And Instrument Validation In Factor Analysis: Effect Of The Number Of Response Alternatives, Alexander G. Hall

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the great prevalence in both research and application of Factor Analysis (FA), widespread misinterpretation continues to pervade the psychological community in its application for the development and evaluation of psychometric tools. Fundamental measurement questions such as the number of response alternatives needed, and the power to detect poor model fit in non-normal or misspecified data, still remain in need of further investigation. For example, the power of the chi-square statistic used in structural equation modeling decreases as the absolute value of excess kurtosis of the observed data increases. This issue is further compounded with discrete variables, where increasing kurtosis …

Urban Accessibility Measurement And Visualization — A Big Data Approach, Yuqin Jiang

Theses and Dissertations

Accessibility measurement has always been an important question in different areas including transportation, urban planning, politics, and sociology. However, how to measure transportation accessibility in different areas have been limited to data availability and technology. Recently, with increasing availability in public transportation data, we found a gap between current methods and large volume of data now available. This thesis developed a new method to measure multi-mode transportation data, including taxi, bus, and subway. Based on this measurement, we can visualize and understand the spatiotemporal patterns of accessibility in New York City (NYC). With historical travel records and public transit schedule, …

“Porque Hací Ya Conocemos”: Dialogic Ways Of Knowing Through Digital Learning Communities And Critical Coaching, Melissa Summer Wells

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative action research case study was to create dialogic, power-sharing spaces that recognized the diverse ways of knowing that teachers, families, and students brought to mutually-constructed learning environments through two strategies, digital learning communities and critical coaching. Specifically, the study explored how families, teachers, and students engaged in digital learning communities; how these parties exercised power in these digital spaces; and how critical coaching partnerships formed between teachers and literacy coaches. The researcher (a literacy coach) engaged in a critical coaching partnership with an early childhood educator over the course of four months. Engagements in this …

The Decision-Making Process For Individuals At Risk For Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer, Alexa Prose

Theses and Dissertations

Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) is caused by mutations in the CDH1 gene. Individuals who carry mutations in the CDH1 gene have as high as an 80% lifetime risk for gastric cancer. To reduce the high lifetime risk of gastric cancer, CDH1 mutation carriers are recommended to undergo a prophylactic total gastrectomy (TG). Individuals within this at-risk population face a difficult task of deciding whether to have genetic testing for the CDH1 mutation and to have a prophylactic TG. Currently, there is little research that examines the factors influencing decision-making for this population and their specific informational and support needs. …

Framing Perceptions Of Justice In A Public Goods Dilemma, Hatice Atilgan

Theses and Dissertations

Provision of public goods often requires sufficient contributions from group members, and improper contributions are likely to produce feelings of injustice. Building on previous research, I develop a justice theory that explains how framing social comparisons in particular ways will make actors more or less sensitive and reactive to departures from fair contributions. In turn, this is predicted to impact justice-restoring behaviors such as reducing subsequent contributions to a public good, punishing group members, or exiting the group. This integrated theory shows how varying the way key pieces of information are framed affects fairness perceptions and subsequent behaviors in social …

Recipients’ Perspectives Regarding Expanded Carrier Screening Of Gamete Donors, Erika Kristy Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This study explored the perspectives of intended parents regarding genetic carrier screening of a gamete donor. The main goal of this study was to determine how much genetic carrier screening information a recipient would prefer to receive about potential donors. The study also aimed to identify factors that potentially influence a recipient’s choice of donor based on genetic screening results. Methods: An online questionnaire was developed to assess intended parents’ preferences regarding expanded carrier screening (ECS) of their donors. Participants were recruited from various online support groups and were eligible if they had previously utilized or were currently utilizing …

Toward A Theory Of Full Life Cycle Recruiters, Michael C. Campion

Theses and Dissertations

Despite their operational and strategic importance to their firms, recruiters remain virtually invisible within management scholarship today. In this dissertation, I draw on research from a variety of theoretical perspectives and use role theory as a foundation for developing a theory intended to generate insight into the major individual, social, and contextual factors that underpin their behavior and performance. I define full life cycle recruiters as quasi-agentic brokers of resources among parties internal and external to a firm who operate at the intersection of social systems, are involved in recruiting, assessment, and onboarding processes, and adopt multiple micro roles with …

Odor And Power In The Americas: Olfactory Consciousness From Columbus To Emancipation, Andrew Kettler

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes discourses concerning odor within the Atlantic World from approximately 1492 until 1838. Numerous historians and philosophers have described how the Reformation’s emphasis on texts and an increased concentration on visual science during the Enlightenment influenced Western Europeans to heighten the importance of the eye to the detriment of the lower sense of smell. This dissertation begins by thinking about materialist contours of this olfactory decline through a linguistic analysis of sulfur within seventeenth century England. It then proceeds to examine how in the early Americas such a repudiation of the sense of smell did not occur. The …

The Effect Of Social Exclusion On Shoplifting, Christopher Ling

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the effect of social exclusion on shoplifting. Shoplifting is a serious problem for marketers, yet surprisingly little attention in the literature has been paid to its underlying social factors. The current research therefore seeks to document conditions under which, and the process through which, consumers may engage in aggressive behavior in the form of shoplifting. Supporting the proposition that shoplifting is an antisocial response to social exclusion that depends on prior shoplifting experience, four studies provide evidence that prior shoplifters (vs. nonshoplifters) are more likely to shoplift again when they are socially excluded because they expect that …

Exercise Recommendations For Active Adults At Risk For Sudden Cardiac Death: “Can I Continue To Exercise?”, Kacie Lynn Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) is due to genetic conditions associated with cardiac ion channelopathies and cardiomyopathies. Many of these conditions have exercise guidelines regarding eligibility and disqualification recommendations for competitive athletes through the American Heart Association and the American College for Cardiology. This study investigates how medical professionals communicate these exercise recommendations to patients, and in turn, how well patients understand these recommendations. The study also explores motivations for either continuing or discontinuing an exercise practice after a diagnosis. A questionnaire was distributed through cardiac disease-focused support groups and organizations. Data from 67 individuals with a SADS condition were …

Engendering Ethics Through Practice In The Project-Based Business Communciation Course, Jonathan H. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Business related degrees perennially make up roughly 20% of all college degrees awarded. At the same time, business ethics continues to be a much-discussed problem. I capitalize on the close connection between communication and ethics in order to offer a partial solution to the problem in the form of a project-based business communication class. After establishing a complementary view of business ethics, I go on to suggest the ethical focus for the project-based communication class. I then argue for the special suitability of business communication for such an approach, after which I go on to discuss the work of Wittgenstein …

A Little Help From Our Friends: The Benefits And Challenges Of Mandatory Teacher Collaboration, Jesse Leahn Barrett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore secondary English teachers’ perceptions of the benefits and challenges of professional learning communities (PLCs), with particular focus on what they considered to be characteristics of effective PLCs. Through a qualitative study in grounded theory using individual interviews among a subgroup of ten secondary English teachers, various factors distinguishing successful professional learning communities emerged. Examining what these teachers have learned from personal experience created a better understanding of what high schools can do to improve the effectiveness of teacher collaboration and, consequently, the academic success of high school students. The study determined that …

Manifestations Of Corporal Oppression – Embodiments Of Culturalpolitical Resistance: The Representation Of The Body In German Literature Of The Long Nineteenth Century, Hans Niehues

Theses and Dissertations

The “long nineteenth century” was subject to various social, economic, political and cultural changes that were propelled by the Enlightenment and industrialization. This alteration of human life also had a physical dimension. It generated new bodypolitics and conceptions of labor which had a significant impact on the human body. This project is concerned with the changing experience of human physicality in the long nineteenth century and how it is reflected in German literature of the time. I study the trope of the body in Gerhart Hauptmann’s Die Weber, Georg Büchner’s Woyzeck and Franz Kafka’s Die Verwandlung. I reveal how the …

The Effects Of Sex And Professional Experience On Superintendent Selection Decisions By School Board Chairpersons, Patrick Jarrett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects that a superintendent candidate’s sex and professional background and school board chairpersons’ sex have on resume screening decisions. School board chairpersons were selected randomly from across the United States to receive one of six types of hypothetical superintendent candidates’ resumes and respond to a survey which requires subjects to rate the likelihood they would recommend the candidate depicted in the resume for an interview. Variables examined were candidates’ sex (male vs. female), professional experience (business vs. education vs. military) and sex-similarity with school board chairperson. An ordinal regression was used …

Faustus Revisited: A Cultural, Historical, And Artistic Study, Ryan Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines plays by Christopher Marlowe, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and David Mamet about Faustian figures. All three authors use the idea of a “deal with the devil” as an inspiration to examine human nature and hubris, but did so in distinct ways shaped by their personal styles, historical eras, and personal philosophies. By examining the common ground, and the areas of deviation, in these three plays separated by hundreds of years, this study will isolate and identify the key aspects of a Faustian Pact. Whereas Marlowe views Faustus as a rebel, whose fall from salvation comes due to …

The Perceived Utility Of Personalized Genomic Medicine In Individuals With A Family History Of Heart Disease: A Pilot Study, Dana Margaret Mittag

Theses and Dissertations

According to the World Health Organization (2005), cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death in most countries. Assessing a patient’s risk for heart disease may include incorporating factors such as their gender, age, weight, tobacco history, cholesterol, blood pressure, family history, and more recently, genetics. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have made it possible to identify risk loci for many of the common, complex disorders, including coronary artery disease (CAD). As the medical genetics community undergoes a shift from a genetics focus to a genomics oriented focus, genomic medicine is becoming more accessible. Research has begun to examine …

Costume Design: Communication Through Dress, Rachel Amanda Harmon

Theses and Dissertations

Costume Design: Communication Through Dress represents my experience as a candidate in the University of South Carolina’s Master of Fine Arts program in Theatre Design, with an emphasis in Costume Design and Technology. During my time in this program, I worked closely with Professors Lisa Martin-Stuart and Nic Ularu to practice text and character analysis, rendering techniques, communication and the execution of designs from concepts on paper into three fully realized productions.

This thesis explores the design process behind three shows produced by the University of South Carolina’s Department of Theatre and Dance: Translations by Brian Friel, Blithe Spirit by …

The Reflection, Tamara Joksimovic

Theses and Dissertations

The Reflection– focuses on analysis of two realized Production of University of South Carolina Theatre, and my learning experience during my Professional Internship in The Theatre Company- La Fura Dels Baus, Barcelona, Spain. The Productions that will be the subject are Scapin, written by Bill Irwin and Mark O'Donnell, and directed by Louis Butelli, school year- 2015/2016; and Grounded, written by George Brant, and directed by Robert Richmond, school year- 2016/2017. The analysis will explore the importance of collaboration within the Production process and an understanding of the text and its transposition to theatrical space. It will deal with important …

Pedagogical Practices In Homogeneous And Heterogeneous Ability Grouped Classrooms, Theresa Marie Kinsey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to describe one sixth grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher’s pedagogical practices in her heterogeneous grouped classroom and her homogeneous grouped classroom. The focus of this study was on instructional practices in two classes, one homogeneously grouped based on high English Language Arts ability; the other heterogeneously grouped. Through the data generated, the participant-researcher reflected upon the English Language Arts instruction in both classes and described the teacher’s instructional practices in this middle school. Semi-structured interviews, a questionnaire, field observations, videotapes and lesson plans provided the qualitative research data for this …

The Thought. The Force. The Love. The Joy. The Hope: An Ode To The Seldom Heard, Candace Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the methods used in creating my original solo performance piece entitled The Thought. The Force. The Love. The Joy. The Hope: An Ode To The Seldom Heard. I will describe in detail what specifically inspired the spine of my work, the research performed, the writing process, and how I hope it will grow in the future. Included in the body of the thesis is the script as it was performed on December 2nd thru December 4th, 2015 at the Center for Performance Experiment on the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia, South Carolina.

Partisan Polarization, Social Identity, And Deliberative Democracy In The United States, Ryan Strickler

Theses and Dissertations

As of late, political theory, research, and practice have taken a deliberative turn, extolling the benefits of public discourse guided by norms such as inclusion, respect, and open-mindedness. Can these ideals, though, be approximated in the current era of partisan polarization? If so, what factors contribute to high quality, productive discourse?

These are the questions this project addresses, assessing how partisanship and polarization impact the public’s propensity to adopt the key deliberative attitude of reciprocity (or mutual respect) towards political argumentation. Drawing on social identity theory, the project conceptualizes partisan attachment as containing interrelated, yet separate ideological and social identity …