Digital Commons Network^™

An Examination Of Age Labels In Music Related Dissertations And Theses: 2009-2016, Phillicia Jackson

Masters Theses

The life expectancy rate of advanced age individuals has increased dramatically in recent years, creating a greater need for research topics related to this segment of the population. Smith (2009) completed a content analysis of the use of age labels describing this advanced age group using dissertations and theses produced between 1983 and 2008. This current investigation replicated the process used in the earlier study using dissertations and theses completed between 2009 and 2016. The same search procedure, inclusion criteria, and analysis protocol was used, in order to be able to evaluate changes which may have occurred over time. A …

Contribution Of Monoaminergic Mechanisms To The Discriminative Stimulus Effects Of 3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (Mdpv) In Sprague-Dawley Rats, Harmony I. Risca

Masters Theses

3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is a popular synthetic cathinone reported to have a high abuse potential and comparable pharmacological actions to those of cocaine. The aim of this study was to evaluate a variety of monoaminergic agents for substitution, potentiation, or antagonism in rats trained to discriminate MDPV. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate 0.5 mg/kg MDPV and a variety of monoaminergic drugs were tested for substitution and/or potentiation of the MDPV cue. In separate experiments, stimulus antagonism tests were conducted with selected dopamine antagonists or serotonin antagonists in rats trained to discriminate 1 mg/kg MDPV. Full substitution for MDPV was …

Beta-Testing Of An Interactive Multimedia Computer Program Of Exposure Therapy For Ptsd, Marie C. Barrett

Dissertations

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) results in significant impairment for the individual and substantial costs to society. Research indicates that cognitive behavioral psychotherapy (CBT) is the most effective treatment for PTSD and that among CBT treatments, exposure therapy is the treatment technique with the strongest evidence to recommend it for PTSD treatment. Computerized programs that deliver evidenced-based treatments offer a potential solution to barriers that prevent individuals from accessing and completing treatment. The present study evaluates the clinical and practical functionality of a computer-based program designed for the treatment of PTSD. Results indicate that completion of the program is associated with …

Asd Program Development In Special Education Teacher Preparation: An Exploratory Study, Christine Dewildt

Dissertations

The process of developing a program for an endorsement in a teacher preparation program is complex, with various influences and requirements involved. Regulatory compliance, standards for practice, and university influences are key considerations within program development. Curricular factors and content delivery must also be considered. This study explored the process of program development leading to an endorsement in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at a university, shedding light on what some of the key aspects to program develop entail.

This study explored the complex process of teacher preparation program development in ASD through inquiry rooted in a qualitative approach. At the …

(Don’T) Stand By Me: Social Regulation Of Response To Threat In Interracial Dyads, Carmelita Sharonique Foster

Dissertations

A number of factors contribute to retention among college students, including social support and feelings of belonging (Rayle & Chung, 2007). Although college campuses are among the most racially diverse settings in our segregated society (Fischer, 2011), students differ in their perception of the racial climate on campus (Chavous, 2005). Social Baseline Theory (SBT) proposes that human functioning under stress is dependent on adequate social support and that, at baseline, biological systems are adapted to operate interdependently rather than independently (Hughes, Crowell, Uyeji, & Coan, 2012). Specifically, the substantial empirical support for SBT shows that stressful situations are less toxic …

Primary Care Physician Delivered Brief Behavioral Intervention For Adult Obesity And Associated Health Conditions, Julia C. Huston

Dissertations

Obesity is a chronic health condition with prevalence rates that have continued to rise steadily over the past 30 years to the point that it has now been declared a global epidemic and a serious public health concern. Obesity is associated with significant physical and economic costs, primarily resulting from co-occurring health conditions that increase the risk of morbidity including type II diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, stroke, coronary heart disease, and respiratory problems. Despite the dissemination of several obesity treatments, including pharmacotherapy, lifestyle modification, and bariatric surgery, the prevalence and severity of obesity continues to rise. Federal guidelines recommend the use …

Demonstrating Functional Analytic Psychotherapy As An Independent Variable In Efficacy Research: A New Measure Of Treatment Fidelity, Lindsey E. Knott

Dissertations

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) is a contextual behavior therapy that takes an in session, in vivo focus to improve client outcomes. This in vivo (IV) focus is distinctive of FAP and involves the therapist utilization of contingencies in session to decrease problematic response classes and increase more adaptive response classes (i.e., a differential reinforcement procedure). This contingent responding is proposed to be FAP’s mechanism of action leading to client change. FAP efficacy research mainly consists of small n single-case studies or group designs combing FAP with another CBT intervention. Maitland & Gaynor (2012) offered recommendations for increasing FAP efficacy research, …

The Integration Of Creative And Expressive Arts In A Young Adult Problem-Solving Court, Ricky J. Pope

Dissertations

Interaction with the criminal justice system exacts substantial costs on human potential, and alternative practices are emerging to address this social issue. This research explores the integration of creative and expressive arts in a young adult problem-solving court. The Young Adult Diversion Court (YADC) was created to help young adults 17- 20 years of age complete requirements for probation. Successful completion of the program provides participants the opportunity for the initial criminal charge to be dismissed and made non-public on the criminal record. This qualitative study is informed by interpretive interactionism and narrative inquiry to provide a method to understand …

Facebook Intensity Use Related To Gender Identity And Self-Esteem Among Female College Students, Li Zhang

Masters Theses

As a popular social media platform, Facebook has already become a vital part of college students’ social lives. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among Facebook use, gender identity and the level of self-esteem among young female college students (from age 18 to 23). Previous studies have argued that Facebook has the ability to enhance or reshape gender identity by providing control over online self-presentation. In addition, by using Facebook intensively and frequently, users gain popularity (a larger network of Facebook friends), which also increases users’ self-esteem and the feeling of being connected with others. In …

The Effects Of Decoding Instruction On Oral Reading Fluency For Older Students With Reading Delays, Gaige J. Johnson

Dissertations

Struggling older readers often have difficulty with early decoding skills (Tolman, 2005; Toste, Williams, & Capin, 2017). If they are unable to master decoding, they may have difficulty with more complex skills, such as passage reading fluency. The current study extends research on reading fluency for older students by evaluating the combined effects of a phonics procedure and a fluency-building strategy on their reading fluency. Participants were older students with below grade level reading performance who had deficits in oral reading fluency and decoding. Dependent variables were the number of correctly sorted word patterns and the number of correct words …

Application Of A Three-Lever Drug Discrimination Method To Differentiate The Interoceptive Stimulus Effects Of 3, 4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone And 4-Methylmethcathinone In Male Sprague-Dawley Rats, Trent Bullock

Masters Theses

Psychoactive “bath salts” represent a continuing drug abuse problem. The synthetic cathinones, 3, 4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and 4-methylmethcathinone (4-MMC) are popular constituents of “bath salts” in the United States and the United Kingdom, respectively. Addiction to these substances has proven difficult to treat, possibly requiring targeted therapeutics. Drug discrimination is a preclinical assay that may aid in treatment development. Thus far, two-lever (drug vs no drug) discrimination studies have exhibited asymmetrical substitution patterns between 4-MMC and MDPV. Therefore, a three-lever discrimination method was employed in which 12 male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate 0.5 mg/kg MDPV, 2.0 mg/kg 4-MMC, and …

Evaluation Of Generalized And Specific Token Reinforcement Using A Paired Stimulus Preference Assessment And Progressive Ratio Schedules, Haily K. Traxler

Masters Theses

Skinner (1953) stated that the effects of generalized conditioned reinforcers should maintain longer than specific conditioned reinforcers because their effects are not dependent on a particular motivating operation. Tokens easily model different levels of generality because tokens can be paired with one or more back-up reinforcers. In the current study, three types of tokens were assessed that could be exchanged for either salty snacks, food and drinks offered in a small marketplace, or money on a gift card. Token preferences were assessed using a Paired Stimulus preference assessment and a progressive ratio (PR) task. The results of the preference assessment …

A Parametric Analysis Of Choice Under Risk, David W. Sottile

Masters Theses

Accurate assessment of risk propensity is important because risky choices underlie a broad range of behavioral problems. The Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) is an assessment that measures propensity to engage in risky choice. While this is a useful assessment, the BART changes two variables that affect risky choice simultaneously, probability of an undesirable outcome and stake size, which cannot be separated within the context of the BART. The goal of this study was to evaluate the separate and combined effects of key factors that are likely to risky choice (Magnitude of payoff, probability of an undesirable outcome, and stake …

What Provides For Me As I Provide For Others? A Study Of Homeless Shelters Employees Within Kalamazoo, Michigan, Melanie Jezior

Masters Theses

Homeless shelters run on one thing: workers. Without workers there is no supportive aid for the homeless. A daunting and emotional job that is taken on by thousands, but why? Is the goal in entering this line of work to make an impact on homeless populations, a lasting difference? Everyone has their own personal reasons, however what are the main reasons for people going into a job like shelter work? What is it that motivates these workers to continue this line of work or motivates them to leave? It is a job that offers low pay, and emotional settings. A …

The Effects Of Gateway Width On Driver Yielding To Pedestrians: A Systematic And Parametric Analysis, Jonathan M. Hochmuth

Masters Theses

The gateway in-street sign treatment has been demonstrated to be a cost-effective method for increasing driver yielding behavior at crosswalks. In the present study, wide and narrow gateway widths were compared at two sites to determine if there was a differential effect on driver yielding behavior. Then, the relationship between width and yielding was refined with a parametric analysis at one of these sites. Gateway width was varied in two-foot intervals from 12ft to 18ft. The results indicated an inverse relationship between gateway width and driver yielding behavior. There are likely two variables related to this effect. First, because drivers …

Emotion And The Seduction Of The Senses, Baroque To Neo-Baroque, Lisa Beaven, Angela Ndalianis

Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Culture

Emotion and the Seduction of the Senses, Baroque to Neo-Baroque examines the relationship between the cultural productions of the baroque in the seventeenth century and the neo-baroque in our contemporary world. It asks the question: "Is the baroque a recurring phenomenon that has returned in aspects of contemporary global culture, or is it something specific to the early modern period?" It argues one of the common and central features of both styles is their appeal to emotion. This volume illuminates how, rather than providing rationally ordered visual realms, both the baroque and the neo-baroque construct complex performative spaces whose spectacle …

New Vice President For Diversity And Inclusion, Edward Montgomery

WMU President Edward Montgomery

President Edward Montgomery's message about the new vice president for diversity and inclusion.

16-09 Transportation Mobility Among Low-Income, Transportation Disadvantaged Older Adults Living In A Low Density Urban Environment Using Innovative Data Collection Methods, Noelle Fields, Courtney Cronley, Stephen Mattingly, David Levine, Vivian J. Miller, Erin R. Murphy, Marcus Crawford, Lubia Gwak, Saeed Reza Ramezanpour Nargesi, Ziaur Rahman, Meenakshi Balasubramanian

Transportation Research Center Reports

This study investigates the transportation disadvantage that low-income, older adults face on an individual basis. To accomplish this, research team members custom designed an innovative “travel diary” app, MyAmble, which tracks planned, completed, failed/uncompleted trips, and unserved trips in its Trip Planner module. In addition to the typical transportation planning data (e.g. origin, destination, mode), MyAmble collects data related to the completed or failed/uncompleted trip’s impact on the participant’s mood and quality of life. MyAmble utilizes 3 additional modules (Challenge Logger, Travel Buddy, and Travel History) to collect qualitative data related to the role that transportation plays in the participant’s …

How Service Dogs Enhance Veterans’ Occupational Performance In The Home: A Qualitative Perspective, Terry K. Crowe, Mylinh T. Nguyen, Brenda G. Tryon, Stephanie Barger, Victoria Sanchez

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This qualitative study explored the lives of veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI) and how the partnerships with their service dogs supported improved occupational performance in their homes.

Method: Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with six veterans with PTSD and/or TBI who graduated and received their service dogs from the Paws and Stripes Program in Albuquerque, NM. Home activities of daily living (self-care, household tasks, leisure activities, and family and friend relationships) guided the interview questions. The individual interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded using qualitative data analysis software. Preliminary themes were …

Levels Of Arousal In Positive Moods: Effects On Motor Performance, Carolina Valencia, Krista Currier, Sarah Lindsay, Pamela Lemperis, Titus Hughes, Jeanne Sowers

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The use of simple preparatory methods, such as listening to relaxing music, may decrease negative emotions and enhance performance. The purpose of this research was to explore whether certain types of music, as a preparatory task, could enhance motor performance.

Method: Fifty-six participants were randomly assigned to a condition before completing a pre and postdexterity test using the Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT). Performance was assessed with the PPT and arousal of mood was assessed with the Affect Grid. During the postdexterity test, the participants heard no music or specific music based on their condition. The experimental conditions …

Increasing Competency For Parents Of Adolescents With Executive Functioning Deficits: Enhancing Occupational Performance With Mindfulness, Kimberly S. Mollo, Bernardo A. Merizalde, Jennifer E. Lape

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Executive functions are higher order cognitive processes occurring in the frontal lobe that influence cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functions. Adolescents with executive functioning deficits are at risk for difficulties in all domains of occupational functioning. Parents of these adolescents often live in a persistent state of stress that leads to highly reactive exchanges with their children. Studies have shown that a mindful approach to parenting can enhance a parent’s caregiving ability and self-awareness in the family unit.

Methods: A pretest/posttest study evaluated the effectiveness of a 6-week mindful parenting program. Four parents of adolescents with executive function deficits participated …

Journey Interrupted: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Miscarriage, Marit A. Watson, Vanessa D. Jewell, Sarah L. Smith

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Miscarriage is a significant life event that impacts occupational performance, identity, and competence and that influences perceptions of motherhood. Because of the lack of social rituals often attributed to the death of a loved one, miscarriages may result in disenfranchised grief, which impedes coping.

Methods: This phenomenological study explored the impact of miscarriage on relationships, perceptions of motherhood, and the meaning of occupation in the context of grief. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews (N = 4) and completion of a brief demographic questionnaire. The interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and reviewed to ensure accuracy. Using inductive thematic …

Ecological Momentary Assessment: Enriching Knowledge Of Occupation Using App-Based Research Methodology, Niki Kiepek

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This paper introduces occupational therapists to ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and outlines factors that guide the process of designing a project. EMA methodology is a research methodology that uses electronic devices and specially designed software, or Apps, to collect real-time data. This methodology may enhance the ecological validity of research by collecting data about daily occupations in situated contexts. EMA data collection provides access to highly detailed and specific data and has the potential to reveal longitudinal patterns of change over a short period of time. It is valued as a means to examine events, precursors, and consequences. EMA methodology …

The Impact Of Online Video Cases On Clinical Reasoning In Occupational Therapy Education: A Quantitative Analysis, Lynne F. Murphy, Wendy B. Stav

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Clinical reasoning, the cognitive process of a skilled occupational therapist, is a complex and necessary component of evaluating clients and implementing interventions that facilitate each client’s achievement of relevant and meaningful participation in daily occupations. Clinical reasoning encompasses a set of skills that must be integrated into college curricula for the preparation of occupational therapists, but it is not easily taught in a classroom setting. This quasi-experimental, quantitative research explored how specific instructional techniques, constructed on the tenets of case-based reasoning, influenced the development of clinical reasoning in occupational therapy students. The experimental group with video cases improved significantly in …

Perceptions Of Older Adults On The Use Of An Interactive Video Game In Promoting Health And Well-Being, Maria Cruz, Julie D. Kugel, Liane Hewitt, Arezou Salamat

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This study explored the perceptions of older adults on the use of a custom built interactive video game (IVG) in promoting health and well-being among the older adult population.

Method: This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach and enrolled 10 older adults over the age of 65 years in a client-centered, custom-built interactive video game program. This program was designed to promote activity tolerance, balance, range of motion, cognitive skills, and enjoyment through physical activity. The participants completed up to 12 Coin Catcher IVG sessions over a 4-week period. A postprogram, semi-structured, and audio-recorded interview explored their perceptions and …

Leisure Reading Behaviour Of Young Children In Singapore, Shaheen Majid

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Leisure reading is important for personality development and mental growth of children. Reading habits developed during early childhood are likely to continue rest of the life. The main purpose of this study was to investigate leisure reading habits and preferences of young children in Singapore. A questionnaire was used for data collection and 254 children, aged between 6 to 12 years, participated in this study. It was found that reading was among the top five leisure-time activities of the surveyed children. Mostly mothers, followed by fathers, encouraged children to read books. The major reasons for leisure reading were to learn …

Special Elements Of Excellence: Summer 2018, Department Of Chemistry

Chemistry News

• From the Chair's Desk
• 1st Collaborative Research Gathering
• Emerging Scholar Award
• Associate Prof Andre Venter reports on his sabbatical at the University of Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris, France
• 2017 Spring Award Recipients
• James Kiddle, Recipient of the Local Section Outreach Volunteer of the Year Award

July 2018, Global News, Haenicke Institute

Global News

• WMU local history expert to appear on popular PBS series
• Women's aviation team places first among collegiate competitors
• Fulbright specialist envisions more conflict as Arctic ice melts
• WMU appoints new VP for diversity and inclusion
• Take advantage of global engagement opportunities in August
• Global and Languages Community provides new student housing option
• WMU to launch intercultural and anthropological studies institute
• University partners with city to promote 'shared prosperity' for residents

Teaching Writing From The Inside Out: Teachers Share Their Own Children's Books As Models In Elementary School Classrooms, Ryan Colwell

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This article describes The Bare Book Project, a writing and research project that challenged pre-service and in-service teachers to create their own original pieces of children’s literature, and use aspects of their personal writing as models for students in elementary school classrooms. Building on research regarding teacher modeling in writing classrooms, the author investigated teachers’ purposes for, and methods of using their own writing as models, as well as the benefits and challenges that teachers experienced when they incorporated their own writing during classroom writing instruction.

Unpacking Japanese Culture In Children’S Picture Books: Culturally Authentic Representation And Historical Events/Political Issues, Su-Jeong Wee, Kanae Kura, Jinhee Kim

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This study investigated culturally authentic representations and perspectives on historical events and political issues presented in children’s picture books on Japanese culture. Our analysis of the representation of Japanese culture in the texts and illustrations was based on a sample of 37 children’s picture books written in English or English/Japanese and published in the United States between 1990-2016 for ages 3-8. The majority of the sampled books were found to portray a visible and concrete level of Japanese culture, including clothes, food, holidays, festivals, and traditional activities, some of which had outdated and inaccurate descriptions and illustrations. Social customs and …