Digital Commons Network^™

Feasibility Of Implementing Technology-Assisted Intervention For The Treatment Of Mental Health-Related Problems In Rural Communities, C. Scott Roper

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In recent years advances in technology have begun to permeate the everyday lives of citizens in the United States. Technology has affected the way people send and receive information, communication, and entertainment. The world is more connected today than at any other time in history. However, despite this connectivity, there are still rural populations in the United States that remain underserved and disconnected in many areas, including mental health services. This study seeks to understand the feasibility of serving the mental health needs of rural residents through a method of delivery called technology-assisted intervention (TAI). This study polled referral sources, …

The Relationship Between Education About Dress Practices And Change In Perception Of Self-Concept Related To Dress, Jennifer L. Nielson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The influence of an individual's dress practices on his/her sense of self has been studied for many years. Courses such as the Dress and Humanity course at Utah State University have been developed to educate students on the impact of dress on society. In this study, students in the Dress and Humanity course were given a pre-course and post-course survey to determine if self-perceptions related to dress practices underwent a change over the duration of the semester. Significant differences were found in the categories of body image, evaluating self-esteem, and communication of self to others. A relationship was found between …

Perceived Effectiveness Of Booster Sessions Following A Stepfamily Education Course, John Mitchell Vaterlaus

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The study's purpose was to determine if participants reported that booster sessions following a stepfamily education course were effective. Agencies in northern Utah that provide services to low-income (including minorities) families were used to recruit a sample of 487 males and 560 females. Participants were required to be in a relationship that formed a remarriage or to have children from a previous relationship, forming a stepfamily. Booster sessions were educational meetings that occurred four to six weeks after the completion of the stepfamily education course. Intervention theory states that as protective factors are implemented through prevention education they lessen the …

The Effects Of A Four Week Single-Leg Balance Training Program On Balance Error Scoring System Scores Of The Trained And Untrained Leg, Roger J. Davies

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 4-week single-leg stance balance training program on balance error scoring system scores of the trained and untrained leg and to determine any differences between genders for balance performance and cross education. Participants (N = 35) between the ages of 18 - 31 from Utah State University were tested three times over a 4-week period and those in the training group trained for a total of 22 minutes over that same time. Results showed balance improved for the trained leg and the untrained leg as well (p = …

Determining The Knowledge And Attitudes Of 18- To 26-Year-Old Women Regarding Cervical Cancer, Human Papillomavirus, And The Human Papillomavirus Vaccine, Ashlee Cooper Holguin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study applied the constructs of the health belief model (HBM) to assess women's knowledge and attitudes (i.e., perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits and perceived barriers) regarding cervical cancer, HPV, and the HPV vaccine and determine whether they predict women's intentions to receive the HPV vaccine. Women aged 18 to 26 years were surveyed from a convenience sample, and were primarily well-educated White women. Using Polytomous Universal Model (PLUM) ordinal regression, it was determined that the constructs of this model could not predict women's intentions of receiving the HPV vaccine.

Maladaptive Schemas As A Predictor Of Residential Treatment Outcomes In Females With Eating Disorders, Jodi Leigh Cullum

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between maladaptive schemas and treatment outcomes of adolescent and adult women with an eating disorder receiving residential treatment. Existing data were obtained from 67 females aged 11 to 47 years (m =18.61) that had entered residential treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), or eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) at a Western United States residential eating disorder treatment facility. Pre- and posttreatment data were collected by the personnel at the facility on eating disorder symptomatology, mood, and core beliefs. Three hypotheses were tested: (a) that maladaptive schemas would be …

Latinos' Collectivism And Self-Disclosure In Intercultural And Intracultural Friendships And Acquaintanceships, Audrey Liz Schwartz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Self-disclosure is the process of sharing personal information with others and varies according to relationship intimacy, cultural norms, and personal values. Collectivism, defined as the tendency to define oneself in terms of social/cultural roles, may impact self-disclosure in intercultural relationships. The present study investigated whether Latinos/as reliably self-disclose more in intracultural versus intercultural friendships and acquaintanceships. An additional question was whether cultural variables such as collectivism, ethnic identity, and acculturation are related to self-disclosure differences. Data were collected via an online survey from internationally born Latinos and Latino Americans. Results of linear mixed effects model testing revealed that relationship type …

Application Of Electrified Fladry To Decrease Risk Of Livestock Depredation By Wolves (Canis Lupus), Nathan J. Lance

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wolf (Canis lupus) predation on livestock can cause economic and emotional hardships for livestock producers, complicating the balance of wolf conservation with other human interests. New management tools that decrease risk of predation may offer additional flexibility or efficiency for both livestock producers and management agencies. I examined 1) the efficacy of electrified fladry compared to fladry at protecting a food source from wolves in captivity, 2) the efficacy of electrified fladry for reducing wolf use of pastures and preventing depredations, and 3) the applicability of electrified-fladry. In captivity I tested the reaction from 15 groups (46 wolves) …

Social Acceptability Of Conifer Control And Sagebrush Restoration In The Northern Rocky Mountain Region, Cameron G. Nay

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the past two centuries, woody plant species have increased in density and extent throughout the rangelands of North America. This encroachment generally has undesirable effects on hydrological function, forest resources, and plant community composition. Encroachment of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) into sagebrush communities is occurring in the Northern Rocky Mountain region. Removal and restoration treatments are often proposed to manage this issue, mainly prescribed fire, mechanical destruction, and/or herbicide use. Several contextual factors may affect public level of acceptability for such treatments. The issue frames used to present this problem to …

Anti-Semitic Folklore Motif Index, Sita Bell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Anti-Semitism, or Jew hatred, much of which is expressed and communicated through folklore, has a long history and continues unabated today. Incendiary opinions, deadly misconceptions, and insidious accusations have plagued Jews throughout history. Anti-Semitic expressions and incidents are scattered throughout countless texts, but no single comprehensive reference work that compiles all forms of anti-Semitic folklore motifs exists. This thesis attempts to fill that gap by supplying an index of anti-Semitic motifs.

To establish a baseline of already catalogued anti-Semitic motifs, all six volumes of Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folklore-Literature: A Classification of Narrative Elements in Folktales, Ballads, Myths, Fables, Mediaeval …

The Analysis Of An Integrated Model Of Therapy Using Structural And Gottman Method Approaches: A Case Study, Taylor Cameron Herrin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of an integrated model of therapy for one therapist. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered from three family dyads. Ten therapy sessions were coded and analyzed to evaluate fidelity to the treatment model. Several themes emerged from the data that provided a foundation for analysis and clarification of the integrated model. The results of this research are organized into four research categories: fidelity to the integrated model, clients and change, how one session or case informs another, and how therapeutic decisions were made. Results indicate that the therapist maintained fidelity …

Combining Information To Answer Questions About Names And Categories, Ginger L. Kelso

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children's language and world knowledge grows explosively in the preschool years. One critical contributor to this growth is their developing ability to infer relations beyond those that have been directly taught or modeled. Categorization is one type of skill commonly taught in preschool in which inference is an important aspect. This study explored the development of specific types of inferences within a categorization relation: those among naming items and categories, selecting items based on their names and categories, and answering questions that relate names and categories. Children learned names and categories for a set of unfamiliar cartoon characters through one …

Indoor Outdoor Relationships At The Residential Scale, Benjamin H. George

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

The indoor-outdoor relationship has been important to mankind since the dawn of recorded history. Over the ages, and despite continual changes in culture, style and technology, the relationship has continued to endure and play an important role in the design and construction of both interior and exterior spaces. Despite its continued relevance little research has been done on the relationship.

This thesis examines the indoor-outdoor relationship in three distinct sections. The first section defines the relationship and discusses the various theoretical merits of the relationship. The second section is a broad overview of the historical treatment of the indoor-outdoor relationship. …

Patterns Of Psychosocial Functioning And Mental Health Service Utilization In Children And Adolescents With Chronic Health Conditions Or Physical Disabilities, Sara M. Hunt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was designed to further understand the psychosocial functioning of youth with chronic health conditions or physical disabilities, their need for and use of mental health services, and possible barriers to receiving needed services. Previous research has suggested these youth experience poorer psychosocial functioning compared to peers without special health care needs, and they also underutilize needed mental health services. A mixed-methods design was implemented consisting of a quantitative parent survey and a qualitative semistructured interview with young adults with special health care needs.

Children demonstrating poorer psychosocial adjustment in this study experienced more problems related to social functioning …

Consistency Of Cognitions In Remarriage: A Test Of The Consistency Tenet Of The Multidimensional Cognitive-Developmental Model, Janae Elise Campbell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Remarriages have been increasing over the last several decades, yet little has been done in establishing theories and interventions specific to remarried couples and stepfamilies. Fine and Kurdek proposed a model specific to individuals in a remarriage situation. In an effort to validate their model, this study tested a key tenet, the tenet of consistency in cognitions, across spouses. Data were analyzed from the "Relationship Quality and Stability in Utah Newlywed Remarriages" study. With a sample of 449 couples, a series of correlations and backward regressions were completed. The results indicate that individual perceptions are more predictive of remarital quality …

The Effectiveness Of Institutional Intervention At Minimizing Demographic Inertia And Improving The Representation Of Women Faculty In Higher Education, Amanda V. Bakian

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

Across all science and engineering disciplines, women currently receive 46% of the doctoral degrees granted annually. Despite gains in doctoral degrees earned by women over the past 30 years, they remain under-represented among full time tenured /tenure-track science and engineering faculty compared to their presence among degree recipients. The inequality gap is widest among full professors at 4 year research universities where women account for a mere 16% of all S&E full time full professors. Multiple hypothesis have been proposed to account for women's under-representation relative to men including those based on human capital/economic theory, feminist theory, innate biological gender …

An Evaluation Of The Allocation Of Funding For Assistive Technology: A Case Study, Cindy L. Ollis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Although benefits of assistive technology (AT) to people with disabilities are widely apparent, barriers, primarily funding, still inhibit access to needed AT. All agencies receiving federal funding are required to show no discrimination with regard to age, race, disability, and gender. This case study of a state run agency providing funding for AT to enable independent living among people with disabilities involved analyzing spending data from 2003 2008 to determine who used the fund, what was purchased, and whether it was equitably distributed according to age, ethnicity, gender, and population density. Additionally variables predictive of amount spent per person were …

Cognitive Inference And Resulting Behaviors In Response To Ambiguous Threat In The Coyote, Canis Latrans, Sarah Shawnee Dawson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

While antipredator strategies have been a focus of behavioral research for decades, scientists generally study the responses of prey toward overt, explicit threat. However, risk can also be significant when a threat is covert, such as when an ambush predator may be nearby or a secondary threat remains after a predator's departure. Little is known about the mechanism that prey use to assess risk in a predator's absence. Tests were conducted to determine the manner in which coyotes respond to these ambiguous threats. Specifically, I tested whether coyotes respond to prior anthropogenic activity that has occurred near their only food …

Brief Application Of Contingent Reversals: Treatment Utility In Increasing Appropriate Classroom Behaviors, Jaclyn King Knapp

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Identifying positive behavioral interventions for students who display disruptive behavior in the classroom has become a critical issue for schools due to the high frequency of these behaviors and recent changes in legislative requirements. To address this issue, the present study investigated the utility of brief experimental analysis approach as a means to identify the most efficient and effective interventions for three students displaying problem behaviors in the classroom. By using a multi-element design, the brief experimental analysis was conducted by randomly applying interventions for three common functions of problem behavior in the classroom: teacher attention, peer attention, and escape …

An Evaluation Of Referral Patterns And Therapy Outcomes At A University Counseling Center: Analysis Of A Dialectical Behavior Skills Training Group, Eri Suzuki Bentley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was designed to answer two research questions. First, factors associated with placement decisions to three treatment modalities in a university counseling center were examined; the skills training group for dialectical behavior therapy plus individual therapy (DBT), the interpersonal process group plus individual therapy (IP), and individual therapy only (IND). Individual therapy in all three conditions did not follow a specific theoretical orientation. Of 203 participants (55 males, 148 females), 83 were in DBT, 53 were in IP, and 67 were in IND. Client information included demographic variables (e.g., age, gender) and clinical variables (i.e., diagnosis, and scores from …

Grandparents As Adult Mentors On Reported Adolescent Risk-Taking Behaviors, Thane R. Goodrich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adolescent risk-taking behaviors, both negative and positive, continue to be a point of interest for researchers and of concern for society. Negative risk-taking behaviors threaten healthy adolescent development and may have deleterious effects on the remainder of the adolescent's life. Positive risk-taking behaviors promote healthy development and can aid in pro-social outcomes. Mentoring has been an established means of assisting adolescents through this sometimes difficult stage of life. Researchers have identified those elements which tend to make the greatest impact in mentoring programs. Among those known elements are adults who are found in "naturally" occurring settings. Teachers in schools, religious …

Individual Endorsement Of Remarriage Beliefs, Consistency Of Cognitions Between Spouses, And Outcomes In Remarriage, Lyndy Sue Agee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite the increasing prevalence of remarriages over the last several decades, little work has been done in establishing theories and models specific to remarried couples and stepfamilies. To address this gap, the multidimensional cognitive development model for individuals in stepfamilies was utilized. To evaluate the model, this study tested the consistency tenet, which is central to the model. Consistency of cognitions is assumed to be of primary importance in stepfamily relationships and a balanced system is one that is defined by consistency of cognitions. Data were analyzed from the "Relationship Quality and Stability in Utah Newlywed Remarriages" study. With a …

Teacher Educators' Computer Technology Integration At Utah State University, Jiayi Wan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research is to develop a deep understanding of Utah State University teacher educators' perceptions and lived experience with computer technology integration. Ten methods course instructors in secondary education participated. Data were collected using the phenomenological research method: (1) conducting one-on-one in-depth interviews, (2) classroom observations of the four participants, and (3) examining artifacts, such as syllabi and presentation evaluation forms used by the participants.

The findings of this research show that the subjects regard computer technology as a powerful instructional tool. They also realize it is important to prepare preservice teachers with computer technology for their …

Disordered: A Tale Of The Body, Elizabeth M. Benson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

While a body of creative nonfiction writing exists regarding experiences with various psychological disorders, few personal accounts have been written about the physical complications of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Some memoirs tell a tale of serious illness in a straightforward narrative line. On the opposite end of this spectrum, other memoirs intentionally blur the lines of truth and heighten the confusion of a disorder. This thesis is as much a narrative of my experience with Generalized Anxiety Disorder as it is a response to the void in creative nonfiction surrounding this specific disorder and the narrative forms others have chosen to …

The Cult Of True Motherhood: A Narrative, Jacoba Lynne Mendelkow

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis consists of five chapters including a traditional introduction and four chapters, which investigate cultural interpretations of motherhood within the genre of memoir and personal essay. In the introduction, I discuss my research as it relates to the larger collection and detail how this work is different from other works within the "mother memoir" genre. Chapters II thru V, then, are all essays which begin to explore the major themes of cultural motherhood: ambivalence, loss, legitimacy, morality, and sin. These chapters, especially chapter II, identify and detail the traits of true motherhood as patience, compassion, sacrifice, and strength.

Chapter …

"Big, Smelly, Salty Lake That I Call Home": Sense Of Place With A Mixed Amenity Setting, Carla Koons Trentelman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Drawing from literature on place, this dissertation studies place dynamics in relationships between people and a mixed amenity place. Using Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, as a case study, I use a social constructionist approach to examine the sense of place held by those who live nearest to the lake. I analyze qualitative interview and focus group data as well as quantitative survey data to discern the meanings the lake holds for these nearest neighbors and to examine distinctions between people who see the lake differently.

This study is relatively unique in its examination of relationships with a mixed amenity …

Intuitive Eating And Its Relationship With Physical Activity Motivation, Amy Campbell Nielson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research has shown that restrictive eating, or dieting, can be devastating to one's health. A new paradigm, intuitive eating, suggests that individuals eat based off of their physiological cues, and not for emotional or social ones. To date, restrictive eating has been extensively researched, but intuitive eating has not. The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between intuitive eating and its relationship between physical activity motivation and physical activity maintenance, using the self-determination theory.

Participants completed a survey to determine their intuitive eating level, their physical activity motivation, and their physical activity maintenance (n = …

A Case Study Of Learner Support Services In The Turkish Open Education System, Murat Ozoglu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine and identify support service needs and preferences of distance learners studying at the Turkish Open Education System (OES). In order to fulfill this purpose, views and perceptions of OES students on importance and accessibility of student support services at the OES were investigated through a mixed-method approach that uses both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods.

Data collection took place in three distinct phases. In the first phase, available learner support services were identified through review of the literature, investigation of institutional artifacts, and interviews with the institutional representatives. In …

An Epistemological Checkup: The Explication, Application, And Evolution Of An Integrated Theory Of Couples Therapy, Mckenzie Leigh Christensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

When clinicians practice therapy without a clear theoretical foundation, they lack direction and purpose. When training to be a marriage and family therapist, understanding and clarifying one's integrated theory and practice of therapy is essential. This mixed methods study was designed to elucidate and apply my theory of therapy in order to identify fidelity to my model as well as understand the effects it has on clients. This study also focused on how experiences in each session of therapy influenced the next session.

Three couples who presented for therapeutic services at the Utah State University Marriage and Family Therapy clinic …

Empirically Examining Prostitution Through A Feminist Perspective, Shyann Child

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this thesis is to empirically explore prostitution through a feminist perspective. Several background factors are explored on a small sample of women in the northeastern United States. Some of these women have been involved in an act of prostitution in their lifetime; some have not. This research will add to the body of knowledge on prostitution, as well as highlight the unique experiences of women. The goal is to understand whether or not these life experiences have had a hand in women's choices to engage in prostitution.