Digital Commons Network^™

Port To World, Samuel M. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Among those that are ill for long periods, there is often a mistrust created not only in one’s own body but in the institution that promises a cure to the malady. Often this stems naturally from the dogma of the institution paired with one’s desire for wellness, for the institution's goals are many besides the overall health of the patient. Even when a patient is cured of an ailment, this is often just the first step in the actual healing process. The body can quickly change, and the mind takes time to catch up with the body's condition. My work …

Paul By Paul By Paul, Paul Finch

Theses and Dissertations

In 2020 flamboyant fashion is associated with queer performativity. Psychologist Alan Downs and queer theorist madison moore understand this to be a response to a culture that is hostile to sexual behaviour and gender expression that falls outside a rigid binary. I study the history of flamboyant aesthetics and camp sensibilities from an intersectional perspective, and locate designers and artists who have produced clothes in ways that materialize the political implications of fashion. As a studio-based artist, I employ traditional sewing techniques, digital technologies, and performance to create clothes and new media works that demonstrate a circular understanding of time, …

Legal Permanent Residents In The Us Labor Market: Occupational Mobility Of High-Skilled And Low-Skilled Immigrants, Larissa Ferreira Coelho

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the vast research concerning immigrants and occupational mobility, little is known if the patterns for high-skilled and low-skilled workers differ. In this project, I analyze the pre-to-post migration occupational mobility of legal permanent residents in the US by using occupation and migration histories from the New Immigrant Survey. I contrast the first occupation in the US to the last occupation abroad using descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and multinomial logistic regression models. Findings show different patterns of occupational mobility for low-skilled and high-skilled workers. High-skilled immigrants were less likely to experience downward occupational mobility than their low-skilled counterparts. The high-skilled …

Moving Parts, Andrew Lowrie

Theses and Dissertations

Material bodies, human and non-human, exist in a constant state of doing and undoing. As bodies change over time, so too do the objects they wear. In this way, a jewelry object is never finished and is constantly being made. In contemporary art practice, this is described as relational ontology by Amelia Jones, who reaches this terminology through the eco-political writings of Jane Bennett and Karen Barad. Through this framework we are able to understand the way artists like Gabriel Orozco and Helen Carnac resist the notion of a finished object or artwork. By engaging with the ways that process …

Transforming Trauma: Performing The Works Of William Shakespeare As Rehabilitation For Incarcerated Individuals, Elyssa Mersdorf

Theses and Dissertations

This paper is the summation of my research and exploration into the history, social ramifications, and individual psychological impact of incarceration and the use of theatre as a vehicle of rehabilitation. Throughout my studies, I encountered evidence in the forms of personal accounts from theatre practitioners, scholarly articles, inmate testimonials, and historical journals regarding the success of such carceral theatre programs in the reformation of the prisoners they serve. How have past prison procedures and strategies hindered or helped inmates in their preparation for their transition from life in a penitentiary to reintroduction into larger society? What are the financial …

Relationship Of Demographic Characteristics Of Occupational And Physical Therapists Towards Their Knowledge And Attitude On Person-Centered Care In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Sadashiv R. Aggarwal

Theses and Dissertations

The study aimed to assess the relationship of specific demographic characteristics of occupational (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) with their knowledge and attitudes towards principles of Person-Centered Care (PCC) in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The study further examined if knowledge and/or attitudinal differences exist between OTs and PTs towards PCC. The proposed descriptive study used the Person-Centered Care theory, which is a holistic (bio-psychosocial-spiritual) health care delivery approach. PCC delivers services that are respectful and individualized, allowing negotiation of care, and offering choice through a therapeutic relationship where persons receiving care are empowered to be involved in health decisions at …

Feasibility And Acceptability Of Focused Breathing For Management Of Anxiety In Parkinson’S Disease, Susan K. Chandler

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Anxiety is recognized as a predominant nonmotor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD) which greatly diminishes quality of life. Current treatment is largely pharmacologic and is recognized as rife with undesirable and unsafe side effects. Reviews commissioned by The Movement Disorder Society Task Force on Evidence-Based Medicine and the American Academy of Neurology revealed there was insufficient evidence to make recommendations for the treatment of anxiety. A review of the literature confirmed anxiety in PD is underdiagnosed, undertreated, and under studied. A common element in many of the non-pharmacologic self-managed interventions used by the studies included in the review was …

Jazz, Improvisation & The Importance Of Collaboration, Laurie Marcotte

Theses and Dissertations

Project Statement

As one of the least popular, yet highly influential and pervasive, musical genres of modern times, jazz will help inspire impressionable high school aged students in cultivating individual expression and collaboration through an environment of musical and social interaction. The project is designed to be a safe haven for these students where the ambiance intends to promote a sense of self-worth, security, and curiosity through the engagement of jazz music.

Concept Statement

The project celebrates harmony and individual expression through the improvisational and collaborative efforts of jazz music.

Motivation

It is commonly accepted that music education has a …

Spooky Stuff, Petra A. Szilagyi

Theses and Dissertations

A real imaginal exploration of the aesthetics of the supernatural.

Quality Of Medical Care For Adults With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, Priya Chandan

Theses and Dissertations

QUALITY OF MEDICAL CARE FOR ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL/DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

By Priya Chandan, M.D., M.P.H.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of

Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2020.

Director: Director: Gloria J. Bazzoli, Ph.D.

Bon Secours Professor, Department of Health Administration

People with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) are difficult to identify in administrative data, limiting the ability to study the quality of health care provided to this population. This study utilized clinical diagnoses to define a sample of hospitalized patients with IDD in the largest publicly available all-payer inpatient care database—the …

Analysis Of Stigmatic Content In State Mental Health Legislative Proposals, David L. Conley

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the proven effectiveness of mental health interventions, services remain limited across the country. Social workers have repeatedly advocated for increased funding, but mental healthcare gaps persist. Disparities could be addressed through the policy process, but critical proposals often do not pass. One of the biggest barriers is the concept of stigma, which could extend into legislatures and influence mental health-related policy outcomes as a form of structural stigma. Factors that influence legislator voting behavior are found in the literature, but studies have not explicitly focused on structural stigma or mental health-specific policy outcomes. Thus, the present study aimed to …

Can School Be A Source Of Trauma? Assessing Academic Traumatic Stress As A Mechanism Underlying The Health Outcomes Of Black Undergraduate Students, Ebony A. Lambert

Theses and Dissertations

Research examining Black students’ school experiences demonstrates that exposure to oppressive power dynamics in schools may lead to adverse physiological and psychological consequences. Recent conceptualizations in public discourse further posit that traumatic educational experiences, operationalized here as academic trauma or the cumulative toll of adverse and oppressive experiences in academic settings, may influence Black students’ wellbeing even after they have graduated. However, academic trauma has yet to be investigated empirically, and the health contributions of such educational harm remain unstudied. Moreover, little is known about how culturally-relevant personal characteristics (e.g., emotion regulation strategies) influence Black students’ reactivity to academic trauma. …

Impact Of Performance-Based Budgeting On Quality Outcomes In U.S. Military Healthcare Facilities, Kimberly L. Decker Virginia Commonwealth University

Theses and Dissertations

Performance-based budgeting (PBB) is a variation of pay for performance that is applicable to government programs. It works by increasing or decreasing funding based on pre-established performance thresholds, which incentivizes organizations to improve performance. In late 2006, the U.S. Army implemented a PBB program in all of its healthcare facilities due to rising concerns over costs and quality in its facilities. The U.S. Army’s PBB program tied hospital-level funding decisions to performance on key cost and quality-related metrics. This study examined the impact of this program and a subsequent PBB program on quality improvement in U.S. Army healthcare facilities. Drawing …

Securing A Successful Future For Children With Developmental Disabilities In Ghana And Zambia: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Parental And Service Provider Expectations, Princess-Melissa T. Washington-Nortey

Theses and Dissertations

Studies suggest that parental expectations can influence the developmental trajectory of a growing child. However, the role of parental expectations in the lives of children with disabilities such as intellectual disabilities or autism, and children in Africa in general, to date, has received little attention. Using a cultural psychology framework, the current study examined parental and service provider expectations for children with intellectual disabilities or autism in two African countries: Ghana and Zambia. A mixed-method approach involving the use of concept mapping and quantitative strategies was used. A total of 20 parents and 16 service providers participated in four separate …

An Exploration In Accountable Care Organization Structure, Contingency And Performance, 2015-2017, Siriporn P. Satjapot

Theses and Dissertations

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 enacted one of the most significant reforms seen in the United States healthcare landscape. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) led transformation efforts in regulatory reform and coverage expansion across the U.S. population. Since 2010, care delivery systems have been shifting from episodic, decentralized and fee-for-service models to value-based population health models, like accountable care organizations (ACO). ACOs have been specifically primed for local response to improve the health of their communities. ACO research has traditionally focused on performance measures like mortality, readmissions, quality outcomes and savings. ACO organizational characteristics …

Prediction Of The Vaginal Microbiome Using Urine Samples, Christopher R. Diachok

Theses and Dissertations

The vaginal microbiome is associated with women’s health, including but not limited to the pathogenesis of bacterial vaginosis, adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth and sexually transmitted infections. However, there has been very limited research on the urinary microbiome and its relationship to the vaginal microbiome. We sought to predict the vaginal microbiome profile using clean catch urine samples from the same person. Here, paired vaginal and urine samples were collected and sequenced by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. Alpha and beta diversity analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the paired vaginal and urine microbiomes. In fact, a …

Anticholinergic Burden And Risk Of Cognitive Impairment In Older Adults, Syeda Hashimi

Theses and Dissertations

Studies reveal that 10-27% of older adults chronically use anticholinergic medications. Increased cumulative anticholinergic burden scores are associated with increased risks of dementia. The mechanisms by which anticholinergic drugs negatively impact cognition remain elusive. However, researchers speculate that the drug’s impairment of cholinergic neurons promotes neuroinflammation.

We hypothesize that drugs with anticholinergic properties will induce inflammation in the brain. MCP1 and IL 6 are chemokines that contribute to neuroinflammation. We investigated the influence of diphenhydramine (Benadryl) on the production of MCP1 and IL-6 in Normal Human Astrocytes and Paroxetine on the production of MCP1 in Normal Human Astrocytes and Normal …

An Intuitive Eating Intervention For College Women With Disordered Eating: Evaluating Two Accessible And Affordable Approaches, Carolyn B. Burnette

Theses and Dissertations

Undergraduate women of all racial and ethnic groups engage in disordered eating behaviors (DEBs) at alarming rates. Most women do not receive treatment, with the largest disparities observed in women of color and those at higher weights. Prevailing interventions have limitations that could exacerbate these disparities, such as an emphasis on the thin ideal, which is often considered less relevant for some women of color. This is concerning, as disordered eating is often chronic and symptom crossover is common. Thus, a transdiagnostic, inclusive secondary prevention approach could enhance outcomes by addressing the spectrum of DEBs in diverse women. The purpose …

The Roles And Benefits Of Using Undergraduate Student Leaders To Support The Work Of Summit-P, Janet Bowers, Bryan D. Poole, Caroline Maher-Boulis, Ashley Schwartz, Angelica Bloomquist, Erica Slate Young

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

The article by Poole, Turner, and Maher-Boulis (2020) describes one way in which undergraduates have been used to support the SUMMIT-P goal of investigating examples of how mathematics and statistics are applied in partner discipline courses. Two other universities in the SUMMIT-P consortium, San Diego State University and Oregon State University, also use undergraduates in different ways to support the work of integrating science applications into math classes. In this article, we compare and contrast these three uses to further highlight this somewhat untapped resource.

Emanata Presents: Hindsight (2020)

Emanata, 2014-

Started by illustrator and comics artist Chris Kindred in 2014 with Weird, Vol. 1, Emanata is VCU’s first-ever comics anthology.

Cissexism And Precarity Perform Trans Subjectivities, Kevin Jenkins

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

Precarity is not experienced by all. Rather, as Judith Butler (2009) notes, it is the extreme state of precariousness—a heightened exposure to institutional and social violence imposed on marginalized populations such as people of color, non-white immigrants, people of non-Christian faiths, and LGBTQ+ people. Nor does precarity impact the people in these groups evenly.

The three digital artworks in this series highlight some of the ways in which trans people navigate precarity and are performed by it. The lifetime suicide attempt rate for trans and gender non-conforming people averages at 41% with the highest rate at 46% reported by trans …

Curricular Change In Institutional Context: A Profile Of The Summit-P Institutions, Mary D.R. Beisiegel, Suzanne I. Dorée

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

There is a national call to improve the mathematics curricula in the first two undergraduate years to improve student success and engagement. But curricular change happens in an institutional context: Who are the students, and what do they need to succeed? What is the climate for change? Does the department regularly revise its courses and curriculum? Is it common for different departments to collaborate on curricular change? What supports or obstacles does the department, college, or university have for changing the curriculum? Who are the institutional stakeholders, and what practices build their buy-in? In the SUMMIT-P project, nine different institutions …

Counting On Collaboration: A Triangular Approach In The Educator Preparation Program For Teachers Of Mathematics, Jason Robinson, Patricia Mcclung, Caroline Maher-Boulis, Jennifer Cornett, Beth Fugate

Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations

This paper outlines the process of establishing a stronger and more reciprocal partnership for collaboration between an education preparation program and a local education agency. The essential partners identified included the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the College of Education at Lee University and stakeholders in the local school district. First, this paper will discuss a theoretical framework that speaks to the importance of dialogue and a dialogic approach to teaching mathematics. Secondly, the processes and methods of the project involving collaboration through partnerships are described. These partnerships gave rise to the realization that coursework would be more …

Victim Silencing, Sexual Violence Culture, Social Healing: Inherited Collective Trauma Of World War Ii South Korean Military “Comfort Women”, Mijin Cho

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

The unresolved reconciliation process for WWII South Korean military “comfort women” presents a case of nationally inherited collective trauma, in which South Koreans far removed in time and space from the historical tragedy feel its implications and obligations for reparations and social healing. In examining the South Korean comfort women redress movement and systemic concealment of WWII military sexual slavery, this study investigates a pattern of victim silencing, characterized by institutional patriarchy and ineffective government involvement, from 1945 to 2019. Following the South Korean government’s formal rejection of the 2015 agreement with Japan regarding a final and irreversible conclusion to …

Investigating Equity Practices And Teaching For Global Readiness In A K-12 School District, Jamie M. Schlais Dr.

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated K-12 educators’ (N=154) teaching for global readiness practices; perceptions of individual global competencies; and supports needed to provide all students an equitable education. A fully mixed, concurrent triangulation, equal status design, combined Vessa’s (2016) Teaching for Global Readiness Scale (TfGRS) and McCain et al.’s (2014) Globally Competent Learning Continuum (GCLC) to examine educators’ perceptions of teaching for global readiness. Perceptions of district equity initiatives were obtained through teacher interviews and central office administrator questionnaires. Survey results for the second semester of the 2018 school year reported teachers engaged in critical literacy and transactional practices from “never” to …

The Basic Rules Of Doing A Good Search And Search Tips, Roy E. Brown

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

This is a handout that is used as a reference for those who are learning to more effectively search databases for assignments and evidence-based practice projects.

Please contact the author for a version that can be reused and rebranded.

Exploring Whether Contextual Factors Relate To The Hoped-For And Feared Possible Selves Of Latinx Youth, Stephanie M. Romo

Theses and Dissertations

Youth’s hopes and fears for their future (i.e., hoped-for and feared possible selves) are related to their academic and health behavior outcomes. Much of the literature on possible selves focuses on African-American and European-American youth. In a sample of 132 Latinx youth, the present cross-sectional study utilized widely-used measures (i.e., Possible Selves Questionnaire, Beliefs about Education, Youth Risk Surveillance Survey) to identify the content and characteristics (e.g., strategies, balance) of their possible selves; investigate the relationship between contextual factors (e.g., sex, immigrant status) and possible selves; and, explore whether possible selves predicted youth’s beliefs about education and sexual risk behaviors. …

Hidden Gem: Realizing The Value Of Community In Healthcare Environments, Nicole Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Holistic approaches in healthcare address a problem from its root causes. The American healthcare model – both its treatment and distribution methods – is among the many issues that divides the nation. We have found ourselves with millions of uninsured people among a growing population where chronic illness is on the rise among adults and children, especially within low-income demographics (Goodman & Conway, 2016). Though this is a widespread epidemic, only recently has there been any effort to question and reform traditional healthcare.

The way that wellness is assessed in America has been detrimental to patient outcomes …

Behavior Change Techniques To Promote Smoking Cessation During Pregnancy: A Theory-Based Meta-Analysis, Caroline A. Orr

Theses and Dissertations

Despite significant progress, smoking during pregnancy remains one of the leading preventable causes of adverse fetal and maternal health outcomes. Using the current best practice standard of psychosocial counseling, only about one out of every 20 pregnant women quits smoking, and relapse rates are very high. Developing more effective interventions to promote smoking cessation during pregnancy is a critical public health priority that requires a thorough understanding of behavior change and its complex pathways and determinants. As such, the purpose of this three-part study was to conduct the first systematic theory-based evidence synthesis of smoking cessation interventions during pregnancy, and …

Why Them: The Informal Caregiver's Transition To A Cancer Diagnosis, Rebecca Hoppe, Marcia A. Winter, Tara A. Albrecht

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Hematologic malignancies (HM) are life-threatening cancers associated with high mortality, numerous symptoms, and lengthy hospitalizations. Informal caregivers (family or friend; IC) of adults with various diseases experience negative quality of life and poor psychological well-being. However, there is scant research exploring the IC experience.

Objective: To learn how ICs adapt to patients’ diagnosis of HM and their caregiver role.

Methods: The current study used a qualitative descriptive design to analyze the semi-structured interview responses from ICs (N=28) within six weeks of the patients’ HM diagnosis. A content analysis was conducted to generate common themes.

Findings: Several themes emerged related …