Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Moderate Sedation Regimen (Diazepam, Meperidine, And Hydroxyzine) Dosages On Patient Behavior And Outcome Of Sedation In Pediatric Dentistry: A Retrospective Study, Taibah M A M J Albaker

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine if behavior at consult visit and sedation medication dosages are associated with the success of sedation visits and patient’s behavior using the diazepam, meperidine, and hydroxyzine (DMH) regimen.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 324 VCU Pediatric Dentistry Department patients who underwent 404 moderate conscious sedation visits with DMH regimen from April 2017 to June 2022. Sedation visits were graded as “Successful” or “Unsuccessful” and “Good” or “Poor behavior.” The primary variables of interest included Frankl behavior at consult visit and the sedation medication dosages. Logistic regression models were used to determine if these factors …

Do Coverage Expansion And Patient-Centeredness Care Delivery Improve Patient Health Outcomes And Care Quality?, Shiva Salehian

Theses and Dissertations

Although correlated, improvement of patient health outcomes and quality of care is a result of health care delivery, performance, and healthcare policies that intend to impact health outcomes (Porter, 2010; AHRQ, 2015). This dissertation focuses on a special model of care delivery (Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH)) and two programs (Addiction and Recovery Treatment Services (ARTS) and Medicaid expansion) to examine the correlation and impact of these programs on cardiovascular-related preventive care, healthcare expenditures, and health behavior hospitalizations as patient outcomes.

Secondary English Teachers’ Experiences Of Agency: Connections To Shifting Educational Contexts During Covid-19, Kristina Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic caused schools around the world to enter uncharted territory. Due to the unprecedented nature of the educational crisis, it was important to examine how teacher agency may have been affected. Teacher agency can have important implications for school climate, policy, and the experience of stakeholders. The main focus of this study was to cultivate an understanding of secondary English teachers’ perceptions of agency as they navigated teaching throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. An ecological framework was used to examine teachers’ experiences of agency in the context of COVID-19. The study utilized a basic qualitative design with in-depth interviews …

“There Was Some Sort Of Missing Middle”: Lived Experiences Of Jewish Youth With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Aliza Lambert

Theses and Dissertations

Though religion and spirituality contribute to overall well-being (Koenig, 2012; Koenig & Cohen, 2002), social support (Biggs & Carter, 2016; Koenig & Cohen, 2002; Taub & Werner, 2016), quality of life (QOL; Myers & Sweeney, 2000), coping strategies (Krok, 2008), and lower rates of depression and anxiety (Brown et al., 2013; Young et al., 2000), religion and spirituality are seldom included in curriculum in counselor education and supervision doctoral programs (Adams et al., 2015; Henriksen et al., 2015). In the present study, the researcher uses a multiple-case study design to describe the lived experiences of Jewish youth with intellectual and …

Perceived Discrimination And Mental Health Outcomes In College Students: The Mediating Role Of Preventive Health Behaviors And Social Support, Sarah C M Morton

Theses and Dissertations

Perceived discrimination has been linked to adverse mental health outcomes, increased risk-taking behaviors, and poor engagement in health promoting behaviors. College students may be especially susceptible to negative mental health outcomes associated with discrimination due to the unique stressors faced by young adults (e.g., prolonged transition to adulthood, onset of mental health disorders, changes in social support). The current study examined the mediating and moderating roles of health behaviors and social support on the association between perceived discrimination and mental health outcomes (e.g., anxiety, depression, suicidality) in college students. A total of 709 college students (42.8% White; 72.2% female; 30.2% …

Special Education Teacher Retention: The Importance Of Teacher Working Conditions, Erica Ross

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher retention, or why teachers stay, is an important area of study considering the impact teacher attrition and turnover can have on student outcomes (Hirsch & Emerick, 2006). Teacher attrition and turnover are even more concerning for those that are special education teachers (SETs), and it is noted as a priority to address in the state of Virginia (Solenson et al., 2018). Through an adapted organizational theory lens, this study addresses the following aims: 1) Determine if there are differences in perceptions of teacher working conditions (TWCs) between special education teachers (SETs) and teachers of other content areas and 2) …

A Technology-Based, Mixed Methods Approach To Examining The Psychosocial Determinants Of Maternal Health Disparities, Hannah M. Ming

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Exposure to racism and discrimination in the U.S. increases Black women’s risk for experiencing maternal health disparities. Additionally, racism and discrimination affect maternal psychosocial well-being, creating evidence for a biopsychosocial relationship between racism and maternal health outcomes. However, current research does not define the psychosocial Black maternal self well. Given the dynamic relationship between racism, psychosocial well-being, and Black maternal health outcomes, research must comprehensively examine the Black maternal self. The operationalization of a comprehensive construct for Black maternal psychosocial well-being can improve understanding of the relationship between racism, psychosocial well-being, and Black maternal health outcomes.

Purpose: …

Caregiver's Nicu Experiences And Its Impact On Services, Crystal L. Hence

Theses and Dissertations

Having a child spend time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is documented as a stressful experience for caregivers. Previous literature documents caregivers’ difficulties navigating the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, showing that this problem has persisted for close to 20 years. Early Intervention can provide benefits to infants born prematurely, who may be more at risk for developmental delays and since the goal of Early Intervention is to provide services that help families in their daily lives, it has benefits for caregivers as well. Yet, Early Intervention enrollment remains low across the state of Virginia. This study using a qualitative …

Tummy Time In Infancy: Real-World Assessments And Associations With Developmental Outcomes In Early Childhood, Ketaki Inamdar

Theses and Dissertations

Tummy time or awake, supervised, prone play is an important developmental play position in infancy. Engaging in more than 15 minutes of tummy time per day is associated with a lower risk of plagiocephaly, lower body mass index, and achievement of higher motor scores in full-term and at-risk preterm infants. However, there are significant gaps in the measurement of tummy time in current literature. Conventionally used subjective parent reports have not been validated against gold standard direct observation, and the feasibility and real-world validity of objective solutions such as wearable sensors has not been examined in full-term and at-risk preterm …

Authenticity, Care, And Relationships: Ethical Decision-Making In Criminal Justice Education, Robert B. Lehmann

Theses and Dissertations

Many events in recent history have demonstrated the need for addressing the training of law enforcement and other public servants commonly referred to as criminal justice professionals in the United States. Reckoning with the imperfect history of the criminal justice system, specifically the history of problematic relations with marginalized people, and developing a system that is better equipped to meet the needs of an equitable and just society is at the forefront of many discussions of criminal justice reform. Improving ethical decision-making training in criminal justice education is one avenue to addressing these needs for current and future professionals. Conceptually, …

Mending Art Classrooms: An Exploration Of The Benefits Of Collaborative Artmaking For Underinvested Black Youth In Richmond, Virginia, Jazmine M. Beatty

Theses and Dissertations

This arts-informed research study explored the experiences of local community artists and educators working to radically transform and heal the experiences of underinvested Black students in Richmond through collaborative arts engagement. Through a series of seven one-on-one interviews with Black teaching artists in the Richmond community, I was able to uncover how collaboration has and can continue to improve the well-being and livelihoods of Black students in Richmond. Also, by tapping into the local Mending Walls mural project, I was able to make a tangible connection between the Richmond community, art, and collaboration. An analysis of the interviews led to …

Sleepiness: Clinical Correlates, Association With Performance, And Effects Of Performance Feedback, Spencer Nielson

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Daytime sleepiness is a common and debilitating phenomenon. Sleepiness is associated with increased symptoms of insomnia, depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Daytime sleepiness is commonly associated with cognitive performance, including performance on the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). The PVT includes performance feedback, and that feedback may influence an individual’s report of their sleepiness. Whether the feedback on the PVT influences an individual's self-reported sleepiness is unknown. This study sought to investigate how sleepiness was associated with clinical symptoms and performance, whether there are sex differences in sleepiness, and whether manipulating feedback on the PVT influenced an individual’s self-reported sleepiness. …

Disparities Between Native Americans And Whites In Trajectories Of Functional Independence And Life Satisfaction Over The 5 Years After Traumatic Brain Injury, Jack Watson

Theses and Dissertations

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have a host of negative consequences including impairments to motor and cognitive function and can result in a decrease in quality of life (i.e., life satisfaction). TBI is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide and disproportionately affects Native Americans, who have the highest rates of TBI among all races in the U.S. and elevated likelihood for fatality and severe complications. The current study used a subsample of the national TBI Model Systems Database of 80 demographically and injury severity matched Native American and White individuals (total n = 160) to …

Supporting The Mental Health Of Black Students: A Framework For Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Systems, Shenita Williams

Theses and Dissertations

School-based mental health is plagued with two primary challenges: (a) design and (b) service delivery. The design of school-based mental health is often comprised of fragmented, individual programs and services, and the delivery of mental-health services and support are culturally insensitive. The purpose of this Delphi study, grounded in African-centered thought (Afrocentricity), was to identify essential components of a comprehensive school-based mental-health system necessary to adequately address and support the mental health of Black students in K–12 public school settings. Through the cultural lens of Black experts, the needs of Black students along a continuum of mental health was highlighted. …

Intergenerational Transmission Of Alexithymia As A Predictor Of Child Posttraumatic Stress Outcomes During Covid-19, Casey Burton

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to test the role of parent alexithymia in explaining why some children are functioning relatively well during the COVID-19 pandemic while others are experiencing poor mental health. Participants were 88 U.S. children (M_age = 9.94 years; 54.5% female; 59.1% White) and their parents/caregivers (68.2% female; 59.1% White). Two models were tested: a path model in which the association between parent alexithymia symptoms and child COVID-19-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) was mediated by child alexithymia symptoms, and a moderator model in which the association between parent alexithymia symptoms and child PTSS was moderated …

Adaptations In Orthodontics For Current And Future Covid-19 Best Practices, Jordan Lamb

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine what adaptations orthodontists made in their practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to safety recommendations and to determine which of these adaptations orthodontists plan to continue to implement after resolution of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: An original 34-question survey was sent by mail to a randomized and geographically proportionate selection of actively practicing orthodontic specialists (N = 1000). Questions asked orthodontists about the changes they made during the pandemic in four overarching categories (infection control, social distancing, appliance use, and tele-orthodontics) and whether they anticipated keeping those changes post-pandemic. The data were compared between categorical responses …

Exploring Digital Equity Through Parent Perceptions Of Students’ Use Of 1:1 Devices: A Mixed Methods Approach, Joy Washington

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last two decades, 1:1 initiatives, in which each child in a school building is provided a school-issued device, have increased dramatically around the world. However, the outcomes of such programs are not always clear and studies regarding 1:1 one programs have found mixed results. It is important to ensure that1:1 initiatives are equitable and do not perpetuate the digital divide. Many studies exist that examine use of 1:1 devices in schools from a teacher or student perspective. However, only a few studies examine the experience of 1:1 initiatives from a parent perspective and also focus on equity. The …

Changes In Physical Activity And Relationships To Submaximal Exercise Capacity And Cardiac Function During Breast Cancer Therapy, Moriah P. Bellissimo

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Breast cancer (BC) survivors are at high risk for heart failure due to curative cancer therapies. In non-cancer populations, physical activity is a first line treatment for preventing cardiovascular disease. This study examined whether more physical activity was associated with better submaximal exercise capacity and cardiac function during the first three months of cancer therapy.

Methods: Participants included 223 women with stage I-III BC before therapy and after three months of undergoing treatment and 126 controls. Leisure time physical activity was reported using the Godin Sheppard leisure time exercise questionnaire. Cardiac function was assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance, and …

The Value Of Educating Teachers, Coaches, And Athletic Trainers On The Management Of Dental Trauma., Laura Satoski

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the baseline knowledge and assess the benefit of educating teachers, coaches, and athletic trainers about the management of sports-related dental injuries.

Methods: Teachers, coaches, and athletic trainers working in youth sports activities across the city of Richmond and the Greater Richmond Region were recruited via email. Participants answered a pre-seminar survey to evaluate their baseline knowledge and determine whether they experienced dental trauma with their athletes previously. The survey also indicated whether they participated in a public or private sports facility. The participants watched a pre-recorded virtual seminar educating them on …

Objectified: Forced Marriages And Bitter Reality Of Violence Against Women In India, Anurag Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Domestic violence against women is an ongoing problem in India. With cases rising ever higher, the time has come to talk openly about the uncomfortable truths behind arranged marriages, which foster injustice and often lead to violence against women. The wedding dress is a symbol of purity in traditional Indian weddings, but in the case of marriages that turn abusive, it can become a symbol of oppression and patriarchy. During the research phase of this investigation, women once stuck in abusive marriages—treated as objects—talked about the objects that made them feel trapped and explained how these everyday objects became silent …

The Abuse Liability Profile Of An Unflavored, Sucralose-Sweetened, Electronic Cigarette In Combustible Cigarette Smokers, Sarah F. Maloney

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of sucralose and nicotine in otherwise unflavored PG/VG ECIG liquid solutions, via a 30-watt ECIG, using multiple measures predictive of abuse liability to provide a basic understanding of the effects of sweeteners and perceived sweetness on ECIG abuse liability in reference to combustible cigarettes. Fourteen dependent smokers completed five independent study sessions that were within-subject, Latin-square ordered, and were identical in regards to all aspects but the product used. In each session, participants were given either their own brand of cigarettes or one of the four ECIG conditions: 0 mg/mL …

Once Upon A Time/There Was A Story That Began: Novelty, Endings, And Chronotope In John Barth’S The Tidewater Tales, Zachary K. Gibson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the use of frame tales, genre blending, multi-voiced narration, and circular structure in John Barth’s 1987 novel, The Tidewater Tales. It tracks the isomorphy of Barth’s general aesthetic project, set forth in his essays, “The Literature of Exhaustion,” “The Literature of Replenishment,” and “Very Like an Elephant: Reality Versus Realism,” onto the theoretical aesthetics of Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin. Both Barth and Bakhtin praise the novel its omnivorous capability to accommodate, and juxtaposes conflicting genres against one another; they each see the novelist as an “arranger” or “orchestrator,” who reassembles pre-existing forms to make them …

An Exploration Of Differences In Veteran Suicidality, Philip A. Weisbrod

Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is an important issue of public health, with Veteran suicide being a somewhat unique sub-populous at high risk. This research aims to explore the factors involved in Veteran suicidality that may raise or lower one’s risk. This analysis was conducted with the National Survey for Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) 2020 (N=1173) dataset through use of Binary Logistic Regression (BLR). The analysis showed that having a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) in the past year was the greatest predictor of increased suicidality, while marriage was the strongest buffer by decreasing the likelihood of suicidality increasing. Being a War on Terror …

The Lived Experiences Of Higher Education Academic Advisors With Counseling Degrees In Addressing Their Role In Student Success, Shajuana Isom-Payne

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine the lived experiences of academic advisors with a counseling degree in addressing their role in student success. If student retention rates are not addressed, higher education institutions are at risk of losing students, which is costly to the institution and the student (Himes, 2014). Most college students are in a state of change and need academic advising support to achieve success during a college transition (Tinto, 2012). Academic advisors can assist students in finding the right career for students’ specific strengths. Academic advisors with counseling degrees address advising through the lens …

Snapshots Of A Fictional Past: Photographic Nostalgia In The Early 20th Century Art Novel., Harry A. Jones Iv

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I argue that the proliferation of a mass codependent relationship with nostalgia in the twentieth century shares a parallel history with the widespread adoption of the reproducible image being used by collective audiences as a supplement for natural memory, or what Proust names “voluntary memory.” This conflict between nostalgia-hungry consumers and artists inspired groups such as Alfred Stieglitz’s Photo-Secessionists and artistically minded authors like Henry James, who employed increasingly complex photographic and literary practices to resist the images’ tendency to debase the aesthetic quality of their own work. Authors such as Marcel Proust and William Faulkner used …

Processes Underlying Black American College Students’ Mental Health: Examining The Roles Of Mental Health Literacy, Ethnic-Racial Identity, And Mental Health-Related Behaviors, Chloe Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Addressing the mental health of college students is a persistent and increasing priority (Auerbach et al., 2018), especially among Black American individuals. Given prevalent mental health disparities, it is critical to understand the association between Black American emerging adults’ mental health literacy (MHL) and mental health outcomes including promotive mental health-related behaviors (MHRBs) and symptoms (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms), and the modifiable underlying factors that inform them. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) and the Identity-based Motivation theory (Oyserman & Yoder, 2007), the present study aimed to examine the relation between mental health literacy and mental …

Viral Overexpression Of Rprd2 In Mouse Nucleus Accumbens Induces Anxiety-Like Behavior And Regulates Genes Associated With Microtubule Transport, Claire Nuhad Atiyeh

Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental illness in the United States with many individuals underdiagnosed and undertreated (Anxiety & Depression Association of America, 2021; Bandelow et al., 2017). While stress is a known risk factor for developing anxiety disorders, there is emerging evidence that biological variability in the expression of key proteins in the brain may contribute to regulating an organism’s stress-related behaviors. Earlier work from our laboratory identified a protein, called Regulation of Nuclear Pre-mRNA Domain Containing 2 (RPRD2), that was differentially expressed in the brain of mice stratified in terms of their phenotypic response to chronic stress …

Varied Levels Of Fructose Consumption Induce Physiological, Cognitive, And Mitochondrial Alterations In Aged Female Rats, Emilie L. Bjerring

Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1970s, fructose consumption has dramatically increased within the United States, as well as the world. While adolescents tend to be the largest consumer of fructose, mostly seen in the form of sugary beverages, the consequences of a high fructose diet started in adulthood can also have severe implications on physiological parameters as well as cognition. Several studies have linked fructose consumption to metabolic syndrome, a clustering of symptoms related to overall health, with particular emphasis placed on obesity, type II diabetes, and the relationship with Alzheimer’s Disease. These findings largely stem from the outcomes of studies on cognition, …

Parental Attitudes Regarding The Primary Dentition, Dental Decay, And Trauma, Kathryn Dundervill

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the ability of parents in the VCU Pediatric Dental Clinic to recognize signs of decay and trauma and to determine their knowledge regarding the primary dentition.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that determined parental attitude and knowledge toward the function of primary teeth, childhood dental decay and dental trauma. Study data was collected through REDCap, a secure web-based survey application. Parents who brought their child to the VCU Pediatric Dental Clinic for a new patient examination or a recall examination were included in the study. The survey was only formatted …

Challenges Among Latine Daca Recipients And Anxiety: A Systematic Meta-Analytic Review, Isis A. Garcia-Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Immigrant-origin Latine young adults (ILYAs) face a challenge that is specific to their developmental period. As ILYAs transition from high school to beyond (e.g., workforce, college, etc.), they begin to grapple with participating in normative experiences for all young adults in the U.S. (e.g., obtaining a driver’s license, getting their first job at 16). The lives of ILYA, particularly those who are DACAmented or DACA eligible, are characterized by the legal and social contradiction that arises from growing up in the U.S. yet facing barriers to full participation in U.S. society. The nonexistent synthesis of the exponentially growing literature in …