Digital Commons Network^™

Use Of Emoji In Pain Level Assessment In Pediatric Dental Patients, Manpreet K. Dhillon

Theses and Dissertations

USE OF EMOJI IN PAIN LEVEL ASSESSMENT IN PEDIATRIC DENTAL PATIENTS

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of a pain scale with Emoji images in comparison to the commonly used Wong-Baker FACES® pain scale. Methods: Healthy, English-speaking patients aged 4-17 presenting to the VCU Pediatric Dental clinic and the operating room and presenting to the MCV Pediatric Emergency Room were asked to rate their pain using the Wong-Baker FACES® and Emoji scales. These patients were then asked to select which pain scale they preferred. Results: A total of 151 children were enrolled in the study. …

Work-Life Factors That Impact Job Burnout And Turnover Intention Among Athletic Academic Support Professionals, Jennifer Gellock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to investigate factors in the work environment that impact job burnout among academic support professionals who work with college student-athletes. Specifically, the factors of job control match, fairness march, rewards match, and workload match were explored. Additionally, the extent to which emotional exhaustion and depersonalization had an effect on turnover intention was explored. Job burnout has been found to have negative impacts on professionals in human services professions. The sample consisted of academic advisors and learning specialists affiliated with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I programs. Results suggest academic support professionals experience …

The Impact Of A Culturally Responsive Intervention On Perceived Career Barriers, Ethnic Identity, Student Motivation And Engagement, And Career Decision Making Self-Efficacy Of Middle School Minority Females, Marsha L. Rutledge

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of a culturally responsive intervention on perceived career barriers, ethnic identity, student motivation and engagement, and career decision making self-efficacy of middle school minority females. The author analyzed data from the Female Leadership Academy for Minority Excellence (FLAME) program at a local rural middle school. Data was collected from 34 Black female middle school students who participated in the program. The study was a repeated measures quasi-experimental, quantitative single group pre-test, mid-test, and post-test design. According to results from a series of repeated measures ANOVAs, significant differences were found between pre-group, mid-group, and post-group scores. …

“The Ground On Which I Stand” Healing Queer Trauma Through Performance: Crafting A Solo Performance Through The Investigation Of Ritual Poetic Drama Within The African Continuum, Ashley W. Grantham

Theses and Dissertations

“The Ground On Which I Stand”

Healing Queer Trauma through Performance:

Crafting a Solo Performance through the investigation of Ritual Poetic Drama within the African Continuum.

By: Ashley W. Grantham

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Performance Pedagogy at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University

April 16^th, 2019

Thesis Adjudicator: Dr. Tawnya Pettiford-Wates

Committee: Dr. Keith Byron Kirk, Director of Graduate Studies and Karen Kopryanski, Head of Voice and Speech

How does this method of Ritual Poetic Drama within the African Continuum, by extension, solo performance, …

Assessing The Degree Of Access To Urban Public Parks For Older Adults In The Villages Metropolitan Area Of Florida, 2017, Yingsong Wang

Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid urbanization, the urban residents' demand for urban public parks is increasing. As a unique and representative age group, older adults put forward new requirements for the evaluation and rational planning of urban parks. Park accessibility is an important index reflecting the rationality of park layout, the accessibility of residents to the park and the social equity of park services. In this paper, buffer analysis and network analysis based on the ArcGIS platform were selected to analyze service accessibility and green transportation accessibility of The Villages metropolitan area of Florida respectively and then make a summary analysis. In …

The Committee On Taste And Leisure, Katherine E. Barrie

Theses and Dissertations

Within my studio practice I have been examining the aesthetics of leisure spaces, the implications of good and bad taste, and what it means to live one’s best life. Considering the history of design motifs and the influence of color upon the human psyche, my thesis exhibition of abstract paintings contains references to patterns, design movements, and modes of artifice that have historically been seen as brazen and tacky. These include nods to the Memphis Design group, faux marble, terrazzo, stucco, and artificial sand. Each has held an important place in the history of designed spaces, and at one time …

Bantaba: Designing The Sacred Circle, Tashiara Scott

Theses and Dissertations

MOTIVATION In Richmond, there are 1.21 times as many African Americans as any other ethnic group. Yet 63.4% of African Americans live in poverty (Richmond, VA). African Americans face greater exposure to stress due to low socioeconomic status and poverty. In these communities, “discrimination and deprivation undermine individuals’ ability to accumulate the social and material resources to mitigate the effects of stress” (Brondolo, 2018). In this city’s African American community, where stress levels are high and consequential health concerns are prevalent, dance can be a remedy for managing stress and improving health (Hanna, 2006).

DESIGN PROBLEM How can an intentionally …

The What If Collection, Aisha J. Daniels

Theses and Dissertations

The What If Collection is a visual narrative that confronts white supremacy, the social, economic, and political ideology used to subjugate black civilization via colonial rule and enslavement in history and via structural racism today. Many white people have been socialized into a racial illiteracy that fosters white supremacy. This racial illiteracy fails to realize and understand the destructive effects of Western dominance on the rest of the world, particularly on past and present Africa and her diaspora. In response, utilizing discursive design, the collection constructs a counter-story that depicts a shift in the power structure in which the white …

Untitled Unknown, Taylor Simone Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

This article is the first of a series exploring domination culture through the ways narrative has been indoctrinated as reality and weaponized as a holding cell for captives. Within this exploration, the narrative of domination is placed in relation to higher dimensional realms of the unknown; this being the before and after of domination culture. This positioning will allow for the reality of a simultaneous existence within the labyrinth of domination and a higher dimensional unknown to be framed. Within this series of articles, I question the roll of the rogue characters shamanistic agents of resisting domination, the fear of …

A Case Study Of Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of A Principal’S Behaviors That Influence School Climate, Classroom Practices, And Student Achievement In A Title I School, Kristy F. Budny

Theses and Dissertations

Public schools have increasingly transformed throughout the years, and the growth in suburban areas has brought many diversified schools that sometimes mirror schools in an urban setting (Kneebone and Berube,2013). Building principals, particularly those in charge of Title I schools, face numerous challenges each day within their buildings (Kahlenberg, 2001). Not only have the demands of high-stakes testing increased over the years, other external factors also present challenges within the school setting. While the school stakeholders play an integral role in how the school is shaped, the building principal’s behaviors ultimately serve as the overarching guide in shaping how the …

Effects Of Practice-Based Coaching Intervention On Preschool Teachers’ Responses To Black Boys’ Negative Emotion Expression, Evandra Catherine

Theses and Dissertations

Current research indicates that caregivers’ responses and behaviors to young children’s emotion expressions communicate messages that teach young children how to understand, label, recognize and modify emotions in socially desirable ways. This process is referred to as emotion socialization. This topic is timely and relevant due to the large numbers of preschoolers suspended and expelled each year. Several reports indicate that 50,000 preschoolers are suspended each year and that Black boys are the largest recipients of such actions. Black boys comprise just 19% of preschool enrollment, but 45% of male suspensions. In addition, data show that preschool teachers expect challenging …

Same Question, Different World: Replicating An Open Access Research Impact Study, Julie Arendt, Bettina Peacemaker, Hillary Miller

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

To examine changes in the open access landscape over time, this study partially replicated Kristin Antelman’s 2004 study of open access citation advantage. Results indicated open access articles still have a citation advantage. For three of the four disciplines examined, the most common sites hosting freely available articles were independent sites, such as academic social networks or article sharing sites. For the same three disciplines, more than 70% of the open access copies were publishers’ PDFs. The major difference from Antelman’s is the increase in the number of freely available articles that appear to be in violation of publisher policies.

Research Methods In Sport Syllabus (Fall 2019), Gregory Greenhalgh

Open and Affordable Course Content at VCU

No abstract provided.

Racism, Healthcare Provider Trust, And Medication Adherence Among Black Patients In Safety-Net Primary Care: A Strength-Based Approach, Mickeal Pugh Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Integrated primary care has been incorporated into a variety of healthcare settings. The benefits of these services are empirically supported by a plethora of studies, which highlight the integration of behavioral and physical healthcare to be beneficial for both patient and healthcare providers. Integrated care models are typically incorporated in Veterans Affairs hospitals, general primary care facilities, and community clinics. Community-based clinics, such as safety-net clinics, typically serve underrepresented populations, and research has shown several mental and physical health disparities to exist among minority populations. Further, the minority stress model posits that distal and proximal minority-based stress processes can result …

Liaison Librarianship, John Glover

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

This book chapter describes the work of liaison librarians. After reading this chapter, you will be able to describe common qualifications and responsibilities of liaisons in order to determine whether liaisonship is suitable for your needs and interests as a new librarian or LIS student. It will allow you to articulate skills and expertise requisite for liaison work in order to evalu¬ate your ability to provide services most effectively. You will be able to establish a plan to gain relevant skills and expertise in order to compete successfully for liaison job openings. It provides information about how to connect with …

Amendment Literary And Art Journal + Medical Literary Messenger: Ablation (2019)

Amendment, 2004-

A zine companion to the Amendment and Medical Literary Messenger.

Understanding Effectiveness Of A Diverse Board In The Nonprofit Sector: The Role Of Board Inclusion & Critical Mass Of The Diverse Board Members, Suparna Dutta

Theses and Dissertations

Using rated responses from nonprofit CEOs who participated in the 2016 BoardSource national survey, this study investigates whether nonprofit board inclusive behavior or board inclusive practices are positively correlated with nonprofit board effectiveness. It further examines whether a critical mass of racial and ethnic minority or women board members may moderate the relationship stated above. To answer these questions, the study tested six hypotheses using principal component analysis, followed by hierarchical regression analysis, and found no evidence of statistical significance in main or moderator effects. The study recommends that policymakers should frame policies that ensure mandatory quotas for women and …

Elementary Teachers' Definitions And Usage Of Inquiry-Based Mathematics Instruction, Heather Nunnally

Theses and Dissertations

Current educational leaders call for students to build his or her own mathematical understanding from experiences, coupled with feedback from peers, teachers, and themselves and gain a conceptual understanding of mathematics. Researchers agree that inquiry in the elementary mathematics classroom can help increase conceptual understanding.

This case study focused on how elementary teachers define inquiry-based mathematics and implement it in their classrooms. Interviews, observations and lesson analysis were used to investigate what identities, relationships and activities look like in an elementary classroom that uses inquiry.

All of the participants felt "problem solving" and "working collaboratively" were essential for inquiry but …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Indirectly Affect Child Telomere Length Through Self-Regulation, David Sosnowski

Theses and Dissertations

The goals of present study were: (a) to examine associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and telomere length during childhood using ACE composite scores both with and without “new” adversities (i.e., parental death and poverty), and (b) to determine if ACEs indirectly affect telomere length through children’s self-regulatory abilities (i.e., effortful control and self-control). The analytic sample consisted of national data from teachers, biological parents, and their children (N = 2,527; M_age = 9.35, SD = .36 years; 52% male; 45% Black). Results from linear regression analyses revealed a statistically significant main effect of updated (but not traditional) …

Perception Of Patient Cooperation Among Dentist, Guardian, And Child, Cole A. Staines Dds

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Evaluate behavior assessment and agreement among dentist, guardian, and child. Evaluate child behavior by appointment type.

Methods: Patients recruited from the pediatric dental department at Virginia Commonwealth University for this convenience sample. Inclusion criteria: patients presenting for clinical exams and/or restorative treatment without the use of advanced behavior guidance between August 29, 2018, and March 7, 2019; ages 4-12-years-old; and scheduled with a single clinician. Appointments were stratified by difficulty. Behavior was assessed by dentist and caregiver using the Frankl Scale. Patient self-assessed cooperation using an age-appropriate modified Frankl Scale, developed for this study. Agreement assessed among the 3 …

The Effect Of Repeated Opioid Dosing On The Gut Microbiome, Anne K. Rowe

Theses and Dissertations

Opioids are prescribed to millions of people each year, especially to help patients cope with chronic pain, something from which more than a fifth of U.S. adults suffer (CDC). Unfortunately, opioid use and abuse has become a national emergency as the number of opioid prescriptions, opioid misuse, and opioid-related drug overdoses and death have drastically increased in the last twenty years (HHS). Because of the emergent state surrounding opioid use and misuse, the effects of opioids on all aspects of the human body has been an increasingly large focus of research scientists. This study focuses on the possible effect of …

The Walls We Put Up - Loneliness And Belonging In Urban Co-Living, Richard Rozewski

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Concurrent issues of social isolation and loneliness have long been recognized as problems that affect seniors but it is also being proven to affect young people as well, specifically with the rise of new technologies and a perception of connectedness. Co-living provides one alternative design solution to traditional housing models which can unlock a range of social benefits.

MOTIVATION

Loneliness is an unfortunate reality of modern life and it is something that most people experience at least once in their life (Cacioppo & Patrick, 2008). A study carried out by Berguno, Leroux McAinsh, Shaikh (2004), showed that 80% of …

Design And Testing Of An Agonist-Antagonist Position-Impedance Controlled Myoelectric Prosthesis, Christopher Aymonin

Theses and Dissertations

Intuitive prosthetic control is limited by the inability to easily convey intention and perceive physical requirements of the task. Rather than providing haptic feedback and allowing users to consciously control every component of manipulation, relegating some aspects of control to the device may simplify operation. This study focuses on the development and testing of a control scheme able to identify object stiffness and regulate impedance. The system includes an algorithm to detect the apparent stiffness of an object, a proportional nonlinear EMG control algorithm for interpreting a user’s desired grasp aperture, and an antagonistically acting impedance controller. Performance of a …

Associations Between Ethnic-Racial Identity, Family Factors And Alcohol Problems Among Diverse Emerging Adults, Chloe Walker

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined how multiple dimensions of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) were associated with alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms and how these relations varied by individuals’ ethnic-racial group among 1850 diverse emerging adults (M = 18.46, SD = .38). Further, measurement invariance of the Ethnic Identity Scale-Brief (EIS-B) was tested across Latinx, White, Black, Asian, and Multiracial students. Additionally, alternative models were examined that tested whether family factors (i.e., parent education and family history of alcohol problems) moderated the relations between ERI and alcohol problems to further examine nuances in these relations. Results indicated that the …

Enhanced Proteomics Resolves Kcc2 As A Novel Therapeutic Target For Traumatic Brain Injury, Pavel N. Lizhnyak

Theses and Dissertations

The development of traumatic brain injury (TBI) therapeutics and effective translation to clinic remains stubbornly elusive despite the high prevalence of TBI within the United States and across the globe. Interventions must be devised around testable targets, appropriately timed to intercede on secondary results. Here, we have utilized temporal neuroproteomics as an ideal approach to inform on the complex biochemical processing in order to address the well-recognized temporal evolution of TBI pathobiology and interrogate a novel therapeutic target in a mild-moderate rat Controlled Cortical Impact (CCI) within perilesioned somatosensory cortex. First, our findings revealed 2047 proteins significantly impacted within the …

Between The Lines, Yu Su

Theses and Dissertations

Belonging comes from the act of active listening that goes beyond borders of nationality, gender, race, sexuality, beyond the first glance. Listening creates a bond of trust that helps us find understanding and compassion.

I feel I belong when I am listening and being listened to, when both ends extend towards the other and meet half way, when neither part is afraid. I belong thanks to my friends that together have helped me create a home in a multitude of displacement.

Look, listen. Look beyond the images, listen between the lines.

Loneliness And Sleep Disturbance In Older Americans, Sarah C. Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

Loneliness is a risk factor for premature mortality but the mechanics of this relationship remain obscure. A potential mechanism is sleep disturbance. The present study aimed to examine the association between loneliness and sleep disturbance, evaluate loneliness as a risk factor for sleep disturbance and vice-versa, model effects between loneliness and sleep disturbance over time, and evaluate a mediation model of loneliness, sleep disturbance, and health. Data came from the 2006-2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally-representative study of older Americans; participants > 65 were included (n=11,400). Analyses included (i) linear regressions accounting for complex sampling and (ii) …

Arab Americanesque, Hannah W. Shaban

Theses and Dissertations

Culture, as defined by Edward Said, is a concept of identity selectively curated through imperialism. Through my ceramic practice, I explore what constitutes my cultural identity as a first generation Arab American. My work, primarily influenced by family narrative was initially expressed through investigations in the figure and viewer relationships with my sculpted figures. As my research progressed into Western Imperialism, I began noticing extensive evidence of colonialism’s lasting effects, especially within Western consumer markets. Interest in the writings of Said, works by French Orientalist painters, family memory, and a general displeasure with the plethora of Middle Eastern design used …

Bending Educational Reality, Mariam Rafehi

Theses and Dissertations

Virtual reality (VR), an emergent technology, affords experiential content delivery in education by evoking emotive responses in users, which can be prohibitive via traditional media. This thesis explores VR for the development of grit – passion and perseverance, which are essential characteristics in education and long-term success. The research proposes design strategies to stimulate senses for emotional engagement and a physiological response. In the project, two interactive environments position the user in emotional states to build passion and perseverance. To develop passion, the virtual world is designed to engage in creativity using 3D-spatial audio and visual effects. In contrast, to …

Vcu Campus Tree Plan, Bilal Damaj

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Throughout the past several years VCU has grown tremendously as a large public research university and an anchor institution within the city of Richmond However, VCU also has been working towards a more sustainable future and is committed to furthering sustainability in its community and campuses. While VCU has several long-range plans dedicated towards different aspects of the University’s planning and design initiatives, the University does not have any plan dedicated specifically towards its campus trees or tree canopy. An analysis of the existing conditions on VCU’s campuses found that there is low amount of urban tree canopy cover, high …