Digital Commons Network^™

The Use Of A Values Affirming Intervention: Does It Impact Math Scores And Semester Grade Point Averages In A Student Support Services Population, Amy L. Debruler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

College students who are from low income families, have disabilities, or are the first in their family to attend college are more likely to struggle socially and academically in a college setting. Promoting college graduation within these disadvantaged populations is critical for increased life wellness. Previous researchers studied to see if when students wrote about their personal beliefs if it would lead to higher levels of academic confidence and better academic performance (as measured by grades). This study expanded upon those previous studies to look specifically at whether a values-affirming writing intervention provided to at risk students in a federally …

Organization Of A Community Garden Program Through Utah State University Food $Ense And Master Gardener Extension Programs For Low-Income Families In Logan, Utah, Jackie Hendrickson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Nearly 12.3% of American households are food insecure. In Cache County, Utah, specifically, the rates of food insecurity are even higher (15%). Addressing the issue of food insecurity improves physical/mental health outcomes, childhood cognitive/physical development, family environments, and decreases healthcare costs. Evidence-based strategies to improve food security include increasing one’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables and improving self-efficacy. Community gardens are recognized as an initiative that improve participant’s levels of food security. In Utah, a number of community gardens exist, but none focus on food insecure individuals or include a curriculum of basic gardening and nutrition skills. Utah State …

The Effects Of A Novel Sport-Based Intervention On Lower Body Muscle Function In Older Adults, Camille H. Dennis

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of a novel, small-court racquet sport, Pickleball, on lower body muscle power and functional performance of older adults, aged 60-75.

Background: Physical inactivity in the older adult population is associated with increased risks of falls, chronic illness, and decreased quality of life. Sports participation may have multiple benefits for improving these risks and have the added benefit of increased adherence among older adults. Pickleball, a popular new sport, is a small-court racquet sport that is moderate intensity, widely accessible, cost effective, and enjoyed by many older adults across the nation.

Methods: Five …

What Does The Snake Eat? Breadth, Overlap, And Non-Native Prey In The Diet Of Three Sympatric Natricine Snakes, Emily E. Virgin, Richard B. King

Biology Faculty Publications

We investigated diet breadth and diet overlap in three sympatric snakes of similar body size: Dekay’s Brownsnakes (Storeria dekayi), Red-bellied Snakes (S. occipitomaculata), and sub-adult Common Gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis), by examining recently consumed prey (n = 388) collected from wild-caught snakes (n = 263) in northern Illinois. Storeria occipitomaculata were dietary specialists, feeding nearly exclusively on slugs. Storeria dekayi fed predominately on slugs but also consumed snails and earthworms. Sub-adult T. sirtalis fed predominately on earthworms but also consumed frogs and small mammals. Diet overlap was extensive between Storeria species but relatively low between …

Faculty Senate Agenda, April 29, 2019, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC Monthly Report - April 4, 2019
• University Policy on Dissent | Free Speech on Campus
• Koch Resolution
• Update on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Calendar Committee Annual Report
• Faculty Diversity, Development & Equity Committee Annual Report
• Committee on Committees Annual Report
• Honorary Degrees and Awards Annual Report
• Close nominations for President-Elect
• Faculty Senate President & President-Elect Coverage for 2019-2020
• College Caucus to Elect FSEC members

Utah State University Commencement, 2019 - Eastern Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2019 Commencement Ceremony for the Eastern Campus of Utah State University.

An Iranian Study Of Group Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Versus Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Adolescents With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder On An Optimal Dose Of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, Mohammad Javad Shabani, Hamid Mohsenabadi, Abdollah Omidi, Eric B. Lee, Michael P. Twohig, Afshin Ahmadvand, Zahra Zanjani

Psychology Faculty Publications

Conducted in Iran, participants included 69 adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who were on a stable selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) dose and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: group acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)+SSRI, group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)+SSRI, or continued SSRI treatment. Assessment occurred at pre-, post-treatment, and three-month follow-up and included the Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS), Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-8), Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ), and Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). ACT+SSRI and CBT+SSRI conditions demonstrated significant reductions in OCD severity that were maintained at follow-up …

Baseline Cultural Competence In Physician Assistant Students, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Paula B. Phelps, H. Cathleen Tarp

Psychology Faculty Publications

Purpose

Cultural competence is a critical component in health care services. The relationship between health disparities and prejudice and discrimination is well documented. Prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behavior are modifiable through training yet few programs have evidence-based training. No published data has reported on baseline levels of cultural competencies in medical trainees which is necessary for tailoring programs appropriate to the audience. This manuscript fills that gap by reporting on data from three cohorts of first-year Physician Assistant (PA) students (N = 216). We examined students’ baseline levels with special attention to differences in cultural competence constructs across age, …

Professionalism In The Writing Center: Combining Compassion And Composition, Carrigan Price

Tutor's Column

Much is demanded from peer tutors if they are to be perceived as professionals; they must be a listening ear, a helping hand, and an expert writer in order to effectively help students. However, tutors’ behavior must adapt to each individual student, paper, and session. Truly professional tutors ignore traditional definitions of professionalism in favor of providing students the help and advice they most need. Tutors need to pay attention to students’ initial behavior, students’ body language throughout the session, and their own feelings of comfort or discomfort in order to appropriately react to the private and personal content of …

Making Sandcastles With The Sands Of Time, Sophia Thimmes

Tutor's Column

Rushing through a tutoring session can seem alluringly efficient, but this theorized efficiency is a faulty conception. In a tutoring session, moving through content too quickly can lead to discussion based only on surface level observations. By being fully present and taking the time to explore ideas in depth, a tutor is able to supply a Writing Center visitor with much more helpful and in-depth insights.

First Among Equals: The Pre-Nicene Christian Eucharist In The Context Of Greco-Roman Mystery Cults, Jacob Hayden

Student Research Symposium

The Eucharist, a ritual meal which is also called communion, the Mass, and the Lord's Supper, is, for many Christians, the central activity of their worship. This study examines the phenomenon of the Eucharist in its early, Greco-Roman context, focusing on the period between the missions of Paul up to the First Council of Nicaea (approximately 50 C.E. to 325 C.E.). First, it describes the early practice of the Eucharist and then compares it to other ritual meals celebrated in Greek and Roman religion, especially the "mystery cults" of Demeter, Isis, Mithras, Cybele, and Dionysus. Christians of this period, the …

The Effects Of Photographic Activity Schedules On Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity In Children With Asd, Lorraine Becerra

Student Research Symposium

Obesity rates in children who live in the United States have increased 17% in the past few decades and affects approximately 1/3 of U.S. children (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2012). Occurrence of obesity in children with disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), were found to be 40% higher than for children without disabilities (CDC, 2014; Hinckson et al. 2013; Curtin et al. 2010). Regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is likely to reduce many risks associated with obesity in children (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). The Observational System for Recording Physical Activity codes (OSRAC; Brown et al., …

Depression Mediates The Association Of Disordered Eating Behaviors And Sexual Function In Female Service Members And Veterans, Whitney Livingston

Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Poor sexual function is comprised of diminished sexual desire and arousal, presence of sexual pain, inability to reach orgasm, and loss of satisfaction. Worse sexual function is associated with disordered eating behavior; however, the mechanism through which this association exists remains unclear. Theory suggests that depression mediates the association of disordered eating behaviors and poor sexual function in female service members and veterans. Indeed, veterans with depression have almost 12 times higher odds of having an eating disorder diagnosis and 7 times higher odds of having a sexual dysfunction disorder, relative to those without depression. The purpose of the …

Listener Impressions Of Individuals Who Use Alaryngeal Communication, Kate Scott

Student Research Symposium

For individuals with laryngeal cancer, a multimodal treatment approach is commonly used, which often includes a total laryngectomy. Total laryngectomy involves surgical removal of the entire larynx, the muscular and cartilaginous structure in the neck, also known as the voice box. Subsequently, a hole is surgically created in the front of the neck and trachea (or windpipe), then a small tube and valve called a stoma is inserted into the hole. The purpose of the stoma is to reroute the respiratory pathway from the mouth and nose to this opening. For individuals who require a total laryngectomy, the ability to …

The Effect Of Religious Priming On Rape Victim Blame, Emma Heath

Student Research Symposium

Rape victim blame contributes to unreported incidents and failure to support victims (Ahrens, 2006). This study investigated the relation between religious priming and victim blame. Religious priming is when someone is exposed to ideas of God or religion. Studies show that when participants are primed with religion, they engage in more prosocial behavior (Shariff & Norenzayan, 2007). The present study aimed to examine whether the benefit of religious priming extends to reducing rape victim blame. Data were collected using a Qualtrics Panel (N=260). Analyses revealed Religious Fundamentalism (i.e. level of religiosity) to be significantly correlated with victim blame (r(259) = …

Using Animal-Assisted Therapy To Treat Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mary Strong

Student Research Symposium

This paper looks at the studies of the relationship between those with autism spectrum disorder and therapy animals in order to determine how effective therapy animals are in reducing problem behaviors and increasing social interaction. For this literature review, nine different studies have been reviewed to answer the research question over a variety of settings. In the nine different studies that were reviewed the animals used were either dogs, horses, or guinea pigs. These studies were used to determine which of these animals were more effective in a therapeutic setting, and more effective in the improvement of the symptoms in …

A Place For Everyone: Assessing Recreational Opportunities For Children In Urban, Suburban, And Rural Communities Across The United States, Emily Cook

Student Research Symposium

Despite an increased need to remain physically active, data suggest that fitness levels decrease across childhood and adolescence (Cooper, 2010). While anecdotal reports often blame this phenomenon on a normalized increase in meal portion size and adolescents' inclination toward screen time (e.g., gaming, media, entertainment), researchers are beginning to investigate the community and family level barriers that may limit or prevent structured and unstructured physical activity among children and adolescents. In line with these efforts, the present research was designed to address the potential link of community infrastructure and youth well-being across a range of communities in the United States. …

Antisocial Behaviors In Everyday Life Of A College Student, Ari Romo, Tiana Rowley

Student Research Symposium

Some Scholars have posited that antisocial behaviors associated with maladaptive lifestyles. Previous experiments identify correlations between prosocial traits and antisocial characteristics using statistical methods of data from a variety of personality tests and surveys. We know prosocial and antisocial behaviors have traits that affect everyday relationships, but there is limited research on how certain characteristics (e.g. psychopathy, heroism, impulsivity, rule breaking, etc.) in antisocial behaviors influence an individual's everyday work and school environment. By conducting an experimental design based off of a series of personality questionnaires and surveys pertinent to possible influencing factors of antisocial behaviors (such as psychopathy) on …

Music And The Mile: Measuring Athletic Performance Coupled With The Power Of Music, Garrett Nielsen, Stephen Burraston, Keaton Lamont

Student Research Symposium

The influence of music on physical output has been well-studied, resulting in many conclusions that the presence of music has a tendency to improve athletic performance. This study addresses the effects of music, or the lack of music, on one's athletic performance and attitude during said performance. A certain number of participants, who are experienced runners, will be selected to run one mile three times over a three-week period. Week one, mile one, will be a baseline collection without music for their run. Week two, mile two, the participants will be assigned to two groups: one running one mile with …

Konaway Nikka Tillicum Native American Youth Academy: Cultural Identity, Self-Esteem, Academic Optimism, Tammie Barrett

Student Research Symposium

Through using a Positive Youth Development framework and culturally based education program, Konaway Nikka Tillicum Native American Youth Academy aspires to mentor and prepare Native youth through high school and on to higher education. This community-based participatory research partnership investigated cultural identity, self-esteem, and academic optimism of Native American youth attending the academy. The variables examined were found to be significantly related to one another and to have increased significantly from baseline to post-intervention. Additionally, none of the measured factors were predictive of participants overall GPA at baseline. Lastly, the relationship between cultural identity and academic optimism appeared to be …

From Chod To Feeding Your Demons: A Western Approach To Tibetan Tantra, Tanner Mcalister

Student Research Symposium

"From Chod to Feeding Your Demons: A Western Adaptation of Tibetan Tantra Tanner McAlister and Dr. Dominic Sur (Mentor), Religious Studies. This research examines how Chod, a tantric Buddhist ritual traced to eleventh-century Tibet, has been altered in the West by Buddhist teacher, Lama Tsultrim Allione. The analysis aims to uncover whether the soteriological dimension of Chod has been altered from buddhahood to psychological well-being. Chod's transmission to the West and its scope as a non-traditional practice is a recent phenomenon tracing back to just the last decade of the twentieth century. Although publications on Chod as practiced in Tibet …

Automaticity Of Place Value Processing In Dual Language Immersion Second Graders, Emily Speed

Student Research Symposium

Differences in levels of numerical system transparency in Mandarin Chinese and English may affect how children learn and process two-digit numbers. Mandarin has a very transparent system in which the spoken and written system map precisely onto the base-10 structure in a predictable and regular pattern. In contrast, English has an irregular number system; historical sound changes have created irregularities in number-naming through the -teen and decade numbers that make it difficult for young children to learn to count and process two-digit numbers. Typically, English-speaking children up to about age 9 or 10 use decomposed sequential processing, in which two-digit …

Socioenvironmental Factors And The Birthplace Effect: An Exploration Of Community "Sweet Spots" In Elite Level Basketball, Jaxson Webb, Marcus Myers

Student Research Symposium

Past research has indicated that both the population and population density of an athlete's hometown can impact their chance of reaching the elite levels of their sport. Termed the birthplace effect, this phenomenon is sport-specific, with varying population parameters leading to elite performance across sports and cultures (Côté et al., 2006; Hancock et al., 2017; Imtiaz et al., 2014). Vierimaa, Hancock, and Budziszewski (2018) recently studied the birthplace effect in basketball, and found that cities with populations ranging from 100,000 to 999,999 and with population densities between 1,000 and 4,999 sq/km were especially adept at cultivating elite players. The present …

Response Inhibition And Reactive Balance In Older Adults, Derek England

Student Research Symposium

Response inhibition involves stopping undesired and automatic actions allowing for behavioral flexibility. This ability is theoretically able to contribute to fall prevention, which older adults are known to have difficulty with. Although much has been learned from cognitive psychology regarding response inhibition, translation to the challenge of balance recovery is unclear. Recently a correlation has been found between performance on a standard test of response inhibition called the Stop Signal Task (SST) and a balance test that required inhibition of a reactive step in young adults. This highlights a neural mechanism for stopping action across different behavioral contexts in young …

Gender Differences In Workplace Jealousy, Garrett Nielsen

Student Research Symposium

Sex differences in jealousy may be a well-studied topic in regard to relationships, but there are relatively few studies on jealousy in the workplace in comparison. This study aims to address the sex differences in how jealousy affects interpersonal relations in an office environment. Recent studies have already shown that there are sex differences in what causes an employee to become jealous of a supervisor or an employer, with men having jealousy more evoked by social dominance and physical dominance and women having jealousy more evoked by social dominance and physical attractiveness, but few studies, if any, have gone to …

The Role Of Tourism Impacts On Cultural Ecosystem Services, B. Derrick Taff, Jacob Benfield, Zachary D. Miller, Ashley D'Antonio, Forrest Schwartz

Environment and Society Student Research

Parks and protected areas are recognized for the important ecosystem services, or benefits, they provide society. One emerging but understudied component is the cultural ecosystem services that parks and protected areas provide. These cultural ecosystem services include a variety of benefits, such as cultural heritage, spiritual value, recreation opportunities, and human health and well-being. However, many of these services can only be provided if people visit these parks and protected areas through tourism opportunities. However, with this tourism use comes a variety of inevitable resource impacts. This current research connects potential impacts from tourism in parks and protected areas to …

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes, April 4, 2019, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Program Proposals

• Offering a Bachelor of Science in Human Experience Design and Interaction
• Discontinuing all K-6 degree programs leading to licensure
• Changing the specialization name in Literature and Writing to Creative Writing
• Restructuring Climate Adaptation Science
• Changing the department name from Geology to Geosciences

Semester Course Approval Reviews

Other

• Appoint committee chair for 2019-2020 academic year

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda, April 4, 2019, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Program Proposals

• Offering a Bachelor of Science in Human Experience Design and Interaction
• Discontinuing all K-6 degree programs leading to licensure
• Changing the specialization name in Literature and Writing to Creative Writing
• Restructuring Climate Adaptation Science
• Changing the department name from Geology to Geosciences

Semester Course Approval Reviews

Other

• Appoint committee chair for 2019-2020 academic year

Educational Policies Committee Agenda, April 4, 2019, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards committee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Appoint committee chair for 2019-2020 academic year.

Educational Policies Committee Minutes, April 4, 2019, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Curriculum Subcommittee report
• Academic Standards Subcommittee report
• General Education Subcommittee report
• Appoint committee chair for 2019-2020 academic year