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Art Criticism, Scholarly Interpretation, And Curatorial Intent: A Reassessment Of The 1998 Jackson Pollock Retrospective At The Museum Of Modern Art, Andrea Alvarez Dec 2012

Art Criticism, Scholarly Interpretation, And Curatorial Intent: A Reassessment Of The 1998 Jackson Pollock Retrospective At The Museum Of Modern Art, Andrea Alvarez

Theses and Dissertations

In 1998, the Museum of Modern Art held a retrospective exhibition of artworks by Jackson Pollock. Curators Kirk Varnedoe and Pepe Karmel worked in an art historical context that had been significantly shaped by the early critical writings by Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg. The curators’ stated intention for the exhibition installation was to provide “a fresh chance for new generations of artists to come to terms with a legendary figure” and to enable “the broader public to reassess a quintessentially American artist in light of three decades of new scholarship,” without “ hewing to any particular critical dogma.” Despite …


Commonwealth Times 2012-12-03 Dec 2012

Commonwealth Times 2012-12-03

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.


Performing Taboo: The Creation Of An Aesthetic Through The Exploration Of Censorship In Theatre And The Challenges Of Directing Killer Joe, David Todd Zimmerman Nov 2012

Performing Taboo: The Creation Of An Aesthetic Through The Exploration Of Censorship In Theatre And The Challenges Of Directing Killer Joe, David Todd Zimmerman

Theses and Dissertations

This document explores the performance of taboo on the stage. The exploration is focused around the establishment of my personal aesthetic, which was developed through my studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. Starting with my first trip to Broadway, my journey goes through the class work that I did at VCU and the two plays that I did on the Shafer Street Alliance Laboratory Theatre stage: my performance and use of latex costumes in Funnyhouse of a Negro, and my direction and the troubles with producing Killer Joe. The exploration concludes with a look at the theatre in parts of Virginia …


Perceived Stress And Surgical Wound Cytokine Patterns, Valentina Lucas Nov 2012

Perceived Stress And Surgical Wound Cytokine Patterns, Valentina Lucas

Theses and Dissertations

Normal wound healing is a complex process that occurs in overlapping phases and depends upon interactions of the patient, environment and a large number of cells, growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, and other biochemical mediators. Psychological stress has been shown to adversely affect the normal wound healing process through its impact on cellular immunity. Cellular immunity impacts wound healing through the production and regulation of many of the above biochemical mediators of wound healing. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the relationships among pre- and post-operative psychological stress experienced by women who were undergoing either immediate or delayed …


Commonwealth Times 2012-11-29 Nov 2012

Commonwealth Times 2012-11-29

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.


Relationship Between Principals’ Sense Of Achievement And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Principals’ Leadership Behaviors, Javaid Siddiqi Nov 2012

Relationship Between Principals’ Sense Of Achievement And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Principals’ Leadership Behaviors, Javaid Siddiqi

Theses and Dissertations

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRINCIPALS’ SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT AND TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR PRINCIPALS’ LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS By Javaid Siddiqi, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2012 Major Director: Cheryl Magill, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership School of Education The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between principals’ sense of achievement and teachers’ perceptions of their principals’ leadership behaviors. This was determined by examining job satisfaction of principals and leadership style using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and the School …


"Being Certain": Moral Distress In Critical Care Nurses, Marian Baxter Nov 2012

"Being Certain": Moral Distress In Critical Care Nurses, Marian Baxter

Theses and Dissertations

Published literature has focused on understanding moral distress from a descriptive standpoint. Missing from the literature is an exploration of the role a nurse can play in his/her/own moral distress.A qualitative study with an interpretive design incorporated Clandinin and Connelly' narrative methodology. Results highlighted assumptions were made by participants in the absence of resources, which led them to" know the right action to take" from their own perspective.


Nobody’S Perfect: A Qualitative Examination Of African American Caregivers And Their Adolescent Daughters’ Perceptions Of Adolescent Girls’ Body Image, Michell Pope Nov 2012

Nobody’S Perfect: A Qualitative Examination Of African American Caregivers And Their Adolescent Daughters’ Perceptions Of Adolescent Girls’ Body Image, Michell Pope

Theses and Dissertations

The increasingly high rates of body dissatisfaction among adolescent girls are alarming. Research suggests that cultural norms emphasizing thinness and unrealistic standards of beauty may be contributing to this growing problem. This is concerning given the link between negative body image and a host of unhealthy behaviors in girls. Although historically African American adolescent girls have exhibited higher levels of body satisfaction than their counterparts, there is growing evidence to suggest that this may be changing because of the body-related messages they receive from their parents, peers and the media. The present study examines these messages from both maternal caregivers’ …


Effects Of Imagery Training On Language In Expressive Writing, Therese Verkerke Cash Nov 2012

Effects Of Imagery Training On Language In Expressive Writing, Therese Verkerke Cash

Theses and Dissertations

Research examining language in written and oral trauma narratives indicates that exposure and cognitive processing are important processes responsible for therapeutic change. Bio-informational theory, which defines emotions as the activation of response, stimulus, and meaning units in memory, provides a meaningful structure for evaluating language in traumatic and neutral essays. This study examined the effects of imagery training procedures designed to prime activation of response or stimulus units on word usage. The effect of writing instructions on activation of meaning units was also investigated. Unscreened undergraduates (n=246) were randomly assigned in a 2 writing condition (traumatic or neutral) x 3 …


Successful Emergent Literacy Head Start Teachers Of Urban African American Boys Living In Poverty, John Michael Holland Nov 2012

Successful Emergent Literacy Head Start Teachers Of Urban African American Boys Living In Poverty, John Michael Holland

Theses and Dissertations

This integrated methods study used a sequential explanatory design to explore the culturally relevant teaching beliefs of successful emergent literacy Head Start teachers of urban African American boys living in poverty. The study utilized emergent literacy gain scores as a measure of success, a survey of culturally relevant teaching beliefs to describe variation in beliefs within the sample, and two rounds of interviews to explore the context of teacher agency with urban African American boys living in poverty. The four teachers interviewed expressed culturally relevant beliefs integral to their teaching practices. These beliefs were conveyed through descriptions of relationships with …


Ecological Momentary Assessment And Time-Varying Factors Associated With Eating And Physical Activity, Amy Jeffers Nov 2012

Ecological Momentary Assessment And Time-Varying Factors Associated With Eating And Physical Activity, Amy Jeffers

Theses and Dissertations

The obesity epidemic is a significant problem in the United States. It is well established that lifestyle factors, such as unhealthy eating and physical inactivity, are key contributors. These causes are generally voluntary activities and it is important to examine health decision-making with respect to these behaviors. The current study examined time-varying factors of stress and mood and their relationship with healthy eating and physical activity in a sample of undergrads (N = 26). Ecological momentary assessment via one's cell phone was used to collect multiple measurements over six days. Positive mood was found to follow physical activity episodes for …


Heart Failure Symptom Clusters And Functional Status, Janet Herr Nov 2012

Heart Failure Symptom Clusters And Functional Status, Janet Herr

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract HEART FAILURE SYMPTOM CLUSTERS AND FUNCTIONAL STATUS Janet Kay Herr Ph.D A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University 2012 Major Director: Dr. Jeanne Salyer, Ph.D., R.N., F.N.A.P Associate Professor, Adult Health & Nursing Systems Clinical assessment of heart failure includes symptom identification and the evaluation of the relationship of symptoms to functional status. Symptom clusters are groups of at least 2 or 3 co-occurring symptoms that are related but are independent of other groups of symptoms. The objectives of this study are to: …


Commonwealth Times 2012-11-26 Nov 2012

Commonwealth Times 2012-11-26

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.


A New Approach To Dried Blood Spot Analysis For Newborn Screening Using High Resolution Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry, John H. Miller Iv Nov 2012

A New Approach To Dried Blood Spot Analysis For Newborn Screening Using High Resolution Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry, John H. Miller Iv

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of newborn screening is to quickly identify children that are at risk of having a specific disorder in order to start treatment, prevent early death and reduce the chances of permanent physical or mental damage. The current and widely accepted approach used for identification of metabolism disorders involves a flow injection analysis with mass spectrometry detection of acylcarnitines and amino acids. Although this approach is widely accepted and has shown to be sufficient for identification of multiple metabolism disorders the method is not fully quantitative and results often have to be confirmed by second-tier tests. The primary …


School Counselor Training: Differentiated Site Supervision Based On Prior Work Experiences, Rachel Loving Nov 2012

School Counselor Training: Differentiated Site Supervision Based On Prior Work Experiences, Rachel Loving

Theses and Dissertations

Over a decade after the regulation change in Virginia allowing individuals without teaching experience to pursue school counseling careers, no known study had focused exclusively on differences site supervisors observe when training school counselors from different professional backgrounds and the extent to which those counselors employ a tailored supervision approach in the clinical setting. While site supervisor training has been an area of interest in recent articles (e.g., Dollarhide & Miller, 2006), its relationship to supervision philosophies and technique differentiation has not been previously addressed. The researcher investigated those topics using a mixed-method research design shaped by suggestions from recent …


Discovering How Community Organizing Leads To Social Change: Developing Formal Practice Theory For Social Workers Engaged In Empowering Community Organizing, Shane Brady Nov 2012

Discovering How Community Organizing Leads To Social Change: Developing Formal Practice Theory For Social Workers Engaged In Empowering Community Organizing, Shane Brady

Theses and Dissertations

Community organizing as an area of social work practice has historic roots in challenging inequality, building capacity, and meeting the needs of local peoples through taking collective action. While the literature of community organizing is rich in conceptual frameworks, practice approaches, and case studies, it lacks the level of formal theory that exists in clinical social work. Formal practice theories provide social workers with evidence informed guidance about “what to do”, “how to do it”, and “what to expect”; however, social workers engaging in community organizing have little formal practice theory. The results of this study build the beginning foundation …


Commonwealth Times 2012-11-05 Nov 2012

Commonwealth Times 2012-11-05

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.


Inspiration: Examining Its Emotional Correlates And Relationship To Internalized Values, David Jennings Ii Nov 2012

Inspiration: Examining Its Emotional Correlates And Relationship To Internalized Values, David Jennings Ii

Theses and Dissertations

The study of inspiration as a psychological construct has received little empirical attention to date. In the present dissertation, I review the empirical literature on inspiration and present a theoretical model and definition of inspiration. In two studies, I tested a Value-Congruent Model of Inspiration and my proposed definition. In Study 1 (N = 134), I explored inspiration’s emotional correlates and tested whether individuals experience greater inspiration if the inspirational content is concordant with individual meaning and values. As predicted, state inspiration was positively related to state levels of admiration, awe, and elevation, and value-congruent stimuli significantly predicted self-reported experiences …


The Multiple Perspectives Of The Lived Experience Of Civil Detainment, Linda Love Nov 2012

The Multiple Perspectives Of The Lived Experience Of Civil Detainment, Linda Love

Theses and Dissertations

Civil detainment can be confusing, frustrating, and scary especially if the criteria for civil detainment are being applied inconsistently. A constructivist inquiry, using qualitative techniques as the primary information gathering method, was conducted to gain a better understanding about the experience of civil detainment. Twenty-five stakeholders participated in this research effort. Questions regarding the meaning of civil detainment were explored in five stakeholder groups; individuals with mental illness, families, mental health professionals, first responders and judicial professionals. Civil detainment is described as a “necessary evil” however, mandated treatment is also described as a means to restore dignity. Implications are included …


Personality And Interpersonal Predictors Among Ministers: Preference For Pastoral Counseling Tasks, Jessica Young Brown Oct 2012

Personality And Interpersonal Predictors Among Ministers: Preference For Pastoral Counseling Tasks, Jessica Young Brown

Theses and Dissertations

A review of vocational assessment in ministry populations revealed that since the 1950s, ministers have been assessed using psychological and vocational assessments in an effort to ascertain goodness of fit for ministry tasks. However, ministers consistently produce profile reports that are significantly different from the population as a whole. In addition, while there has been much research on the general ministerial vocation, there has been little research on particular ministerial roles and the predictors for ministers who will excel in those tasks. The literature on ministers is outdated and has not taken into consideration the peculiar characteristics of the ministry …


Relationships Among Acculturation, Self-Positivity Bias, Stigma, And Condom Use In A Sample Of Urban College Students, Molly Neff Oct 2012

Relationships Among Acculturation, Self-Positivity Bias, Stigma, And Condom Use In A Sample Of Urban College Students, Molly Neff

Theses and Dissertations

Despite an increase in interventions targeted at lowering the rate of HIV/AIDS among college students, the rate of HIV/AIDS infections has not decreased. The purpose of this study was to identify factors (i.e., HIV-sexual knowledge, self-positivity bias, peer norms, acculturation, perceived risk of HIV, HIV-related stigma, and condom use) that may affect condom use among college students who live in an area where the prevalence of HIV is relatively high. The current study utilized a sexually active sample (N=397) of diverse college students (predominantly African American and White) in an urban setting to examine the relationships. Path analysis was used …


Care For The Socially Disadvantaged: The Role Of Race And Gender On The Physician-Patient Relationship And Patient Outcomes In A Safety Net Primary Care Clinic., Daniel Baughn Oct 2012

Care For The Socially Disadvantaged: The Role Of Race And Gender On The Physician-Patient Relationship And Patient Outcomes In A Safety Net Primary Care Clinic., Daniel Baughn

Theses and Dissertations

Compared to the general population, socially disadvantaged patients have higher rates of chronic illness and require more complex medical care. They also endorse higher levels of psychological distress and tend to engage in behavioral risk factors such as poor diet, physical inactivity, and smoking. These issues are particularly concerning given that this population tends to adhere less to medical recommendations, has limited access to health resources, and receives poorer treatment from providers. In an effort to address this disparity, The Affordable Care Act will expand health care access to an additional 23 million uninsured and 17 million underinsured Americans. However, …


Commonwealth Times 2012-10-15 Oct 2012

Commonwealth Times 2012-10-15

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.


On The Genetic And Environmental Associations Between Body Composition, Depression Symptoms And Smoking Behavior., Roseann Peterson Oct 2012

On The Genetic And Environmental Associations Between Body Composition, Depression Symptoms And Smoking Behavior., Roseann Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a serious public health crisis and recent estimates of its incidence are the highest in United States history, with 35% and 17% of American adults and children affected, respectively. The clinical definition of adult obesity is operationalized as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2. Although the prevalence of common obesity has increased dramatically over the past 30 years–largely thought to be due to changes in the environment, such as high calorie diets and sedentary lifestyles—twin and family studies have shown consistently that relative body weight is under considerable genetic influence in both children and adults, …


Commonwealth Times 2012-10-04 Oct 2012

Commonwealth Times 2012-10-04

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.


Stakeholder Views On Children’S Mental Health Services, Adriana Rodriguez Oct 2012

Stakeholder Views On Children’S Mental Health Services, Adriana Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Identification of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) has been an important development; however recently, some shortcomings of the approach have been highlighted. These complexities have led to a surge in transportability research in mental health services science with goals of identifying needed strategies to encourage the adoption of innovations. The mental health system ecological (MHSE) model is an approach necessary to assist with closing this gap effectively as it integrates mental health contexts: client-level, provider-level, intervention-specific, service delivery, organizational, and service system characteristics. The aim of this study is to use the MHSE model to examine perspectives of mental health stakeholders on …


Examining Alcohol Dependence And Its Correlates From A Genetically Informative Perspective, Laura Hack Sep 2012

Examining Alcohol Dependence And Its Correlates From A Genetically Informative Perspective, Laura Hack

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol dependence (AD) is a serious and common public health problem that contributes to great societal, medical, and legal costs. It has taken work from multiple disciplines, including developmental psychology, genetic epidemiology, and molecular genetics, to achieve our current understanding of environmental and genetic risk factors for AD as well as its variable developmental trajectories. Nevertheless, there is still much to be learned in order to improve treatment outcomes. One approach to augmenting our understanding of this disorder is through genetically informative study designs that either examine risk in aggregate or assess specific susceptibility variants. In this dissertation, we utilize …


Commonwealth Times 2012-09-27 Sep 2012

Commonwealth Times 2012-09-27

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.


The Impact Of Ambiguous Versus Blatant Race Related Stress On Ego Depletion In African American Adults, Benita Belvet Sep 2012

The Impact Of Ambiguous Versus Blatant Race Related Stress On Ego Depletion In African American Adults, Benita Belvet

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the current study was to examine variations in the impact of ambiguous versus blatant race related stressors on ego depletion in a sample of African American adults. Blatant race related stress was compared with ambiguous race related stress in regards to the relative impact on the constructs of ego depletion and perseverative cognition. Perseverative cognition was also examined as a potential mediating variable in the relationship between race related stress and ego depletion. Additionally, attributional ambiguity was hypothesized to moderate the effect of race related stress on perseverative cognition. The study implemented an experimental design, and assessed …


Using Genetic Information In Risk Prediction For Alcohol Dependence, Jia Yan Sep 2012

Using Genetic Information In Risk Prediction For Alcohol Dependence, Jia Yan

Theses and Dissertations

Family-based and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of alcohol dependence (AD) have reported numerous associated variants. The clinical validity of these variants for predicting AD compared to family history has not yet been reported. These studies aim to explore the aggregate impact of multiple genetic variants with small effect sizes on risk prediction in order to provide a clinical interpretation of genetic contributions to AD. Data simulations showed that given AD’s prevalence and heritability, a risk prediction model incorporating all genetic contributions would have an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) approaching 0.80, which is often a target AUC …