Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Couples Making The Transition To Parenthood And The Meaning They Ascribe To Brief, Couple-Focused, Preventative Interventions, Dolores D. Michael

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this research study was to investigate how meaningful it would be to provide relationship therapy from a marriage and family therapist to couples going through the transition to parenthood. The participants in this study all received four therapy sessions before the baby was born and one therapy session after the birth. A total of five couples participated in this study. Data was gathered from the assessments they took before each therapy session and at the final interview.

As a result, the participants in this study all remained stable or increased in their marital satisfaction when measured four …

An Adolescent Journey: Expressive Letter Writing Through A Wilderness Adventure Therapy Program, Ava M. Crump

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the key themes of an adolescent journey during a wilderness adventure therapy program through expressive letter writing to their parents. Ten complete sets of letters (five boys and five girls) totaling over 400 pages were analyzed by four independent coders until saturation of themes were reached. There were five overarching themes that emerged from the data: impact of wilderness experiences, desires for improved relationships, apology and accountability, negative emotions, and positive growth and coping. These themes were presented in the chronological pattern that they appeared in the letters. The findings represent the adolescents’ experiences written …

A Multimedia Intervention To Increase The Likelihood That University Students In Need Will Utilize Counseling Services, Todd W. Lindsley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The primary objective of this study was to create and test an intervention designed to increase students’ positive attitudes toward utilizing mental health services. A review of the literature was conducted to establish the guidelines for creating an intervention that would effectively influence attitudes while being relatively easy to customize and adapt to different settings. The content of the intervention was informed by the literature, reviewed by a panel of experts, and tested with a focus group of students before being finalized. In order to test the effectiveness of the intervention, and experimental study was designed which included an experimental …

Park Valley, Utah's Shivaree Tradition: A Rite Of Social Acceptance, Rosa Lee Thornley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This investigation of the ritualized tradition of shivaree found in the isolated ranching community of Park Valley, Utah presents a unique version of the practice. The marriage custom of charivari/shivaree evolved from a punitive form of social control in Europe and Great Britain, to a raucous American celebration that welcomed newlyweds into a community. The cultural landscape combined with the contemporary rural society sets the backdrop to argue that Park Valley’s impromptu performances went beyond just offering a hand of welcome; their shivarees, performed after the formal marriage festivities, functioned as a complex rite of social acceptance.

The analysis of …

Evaluating The Smart Steps For Stepfamilies: Embrace The Journey Program, A Hierarchical Examination, Katie L. Reck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over the past decade, relationship education has grown as a means of enhancing couple relations. This study examines the experiences of 2,828 ethnically diverse and low-income adults who participated in the Smart Steps for Stepfamilies: Embrace the Journey program, a 12-hour stepfamily education program. Self-report measures of relationship quality, couple commitment, and relationship instability were gathered prior to and immediately after the Smart Steps intervention as well as six weeks, six months, and one year post-program. Results suggest that stepfamily participants experienced increases in relationship quality; however, these increases reduced to near pre-program levels one year after the programs completion. …

Computer Self-Efficacy, Cognitive Actions, And Metacognitive Strategies Of High School Students While Engaged In Interactive Learning Modules, Harry Budi Santoso

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research was to investigate high school students’ computer self-efficacy, cognitive actions, and metacognitive strategies in a self-regulated learning (SRL) framework while utilizing an interactive learning module. The researcher hypothesized that computer self-efficacy is correlated positively with cognitive actions and metacognitive strategies while the students are engaged with interactive learning modules. This research used a mixed-methods approach to answer the research questions. Two research questions guided this research: (1) How is students’ computer self-efficacy related to cognitive actions and metacognitive strategies while using interactive learning modules?; and (2) How do students plan monitor their cognitive actions, and …

Longitudinal Analysis Of Resource Competitiveness And Homelessness Among Young Adults, Mathew F. Prante

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Homelessness occurs when individual resources are not enough for the demands of a given environment. It is not an arbitrary state of being, or a class of individual, it is a marker that signals a person has fallen to the extreme low end of a continuum of poverty. Perceiving homelessness as a point on a spectrum versus a discrete state, leads to research and explanations concerning how someone goes from being housed to being homeless, which can lead to more meaningful results than conceptualizing the homeless population as a class of people. It allows for the exploration of identification markers …

Preventative Behavioral Parent Training In A Primary Care Context: Initial Evaluation Of A Universal Prevention Program For Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Jessica L. Malmberg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One of the biggest challenges parents face is effectively managing their child’s engagement in various disruptive behaviors including noncompliance, tantrums, and aggression. Typically when children begin exhibiting disruptive behaviors, parents will express their concerns to their pediatricians; however, there are significant barriers to parents gaining adequate guidance due to clinic time constraints, insurance reimbursement issues, and the limited training pediatricians receive in addressing these concerns. As such, children are generally referred to outside mental health clinics where additional barriers arise including waitlist delays and mental health stigmatization. The treatment for conduct problems (CP) that has proven most effective is referred …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For The Treatment Of Posttraumatic Stress Among Adolescents, Michelle R. Woidneck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The prevalence of exposure to traumatic events among youth in the United States is alarmingly high. Trauma exposure has been linked to numerous negative outcomes, including the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problematic posttraumatic stress symptomology. Effective trauma-focused treatments for children and adolescents have been identified; however, these treatments also possess various limitations, including a substantial number of individuals who do not respond, show minimal responsiveness, or drop out before completing treatment. Such limitations indicate that investigation into alternative treatment modalities is warranted.

In collaboration with Utah State University (USU), a psychology professor, Dr. Michael Twohig, and a …

Characteristics Of 4-H Participants And Their Psychosocial Development, Lauralee Lyons

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Volunteerism is an important component in the 4-H program. It was initially used as a method to help agents reach the many youth interested in participating in 4-H. Community service has since become a required component for every club project. Research shows that volunteering can impact youth in many different ways. Other research shows that 4-H youth are more likely to contribute or do some type of community service.

The present study uses the Modified Extended Version of the Object Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOMEIS), the Cognitive Autonomy and Self-Evaluation (CASE) inventory, and an instrument specifically designed to study …

Procedural Rates, Economic Costs, And Geographic Variation Of Primary And Revision Lumbar Total Disc Replacement, Anthony J. Wheeler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Lumbar total disc replacement (TDR) surgery is a new procedure that treats degenerative disc disease, a remarkably common, disabling, and costly condition. Three distinct studies were conducted to address the longevity, costs, and geographic variation of the lumbar TDR procedure.

These three studies found lumbar TDR to have a revision burden and economic revision burden that has remained consistent since this procedure’s introduction in the
mid-2000s. The economic revision burden made this a lower-cost procedure than lumbar fusion, with a tradeoff in terms of revision burden being higher for lumbar TDR. The overall rate at which this procedure is performed …

Integrating Technology, Curriculum, And Online Resources: A Multilevel Model Study Of Impacts On Science Teachers And Students, Lei Ye

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This scale-up study investigated the impact of a teacher technology tool (Curriculum Customization Service, CCS), curriculum, and online resources on earth science teachers’ attitudes, beliefs, and practices and on students’ achievement and engagement with science learning. Participants included 73 teachers and over 2,000 ninth grade students within five public school districts in the western U.S.

To assess the impact on teachers, changes between pre- and postsurveys were examined. Results suggest that the CCS tool appeared to significantly increase both
teachers’ awareness of other earth science teachers’ practices and teachers’ frequency of using interactive resources in their lesson planning and classroom …

Measuring The Environmental Cost Of Hypocrisy, Elliot Jordan Anderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis proposes a method for quantifying hypocrisy's environmental costs. The question naturally arises, why attempt to measure people's hypocrisy? The answer is that the possible spillover effects associated with educating people about their quantified hypocritical choices in life likely far outweigh those that would be obtained through standard price incentives. Hopefully the business adage “that which gets measured gets managed”, holds true in this case. Through deeper introspection, we would be taking personal ownership of the externalities to which we contribute, perhaps with a longer-lasting effect on our consumptive behaviors.

The survey will be administered at four different coffee …

Jack London: Landscape, Love, And Place, Kristin Yoshiko Ladd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In Jack London: Landscape, Love, and Place, American Studies theories and methods formed the prime basis for analysis of London's biography, historical context, and literary significance. Particularly, the ideas of agrarianism, the Turner Thesis moment, Western literature, American masculinity, Victorian ideals, and sustainable farm practices in America were used to understand London's motivations for writing and creating his farm, his influence on American literature, and his texts' abilities to open avenues between literature and place-based education. Key concepts that influenced how London's works could be incorporated into and applied to didactic theory included David Sobel's seminal works in place-based education. …

Selected Neuropharmacology Of Resurgence, Adam D. Pyszczynski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The reemergence of problem behavior (i.e., relapse) is a key concern in most behavioral interventions. Resurgence refers to the reappearance of a previously rewarded behavior when reward for an alternative behavior is also discontinued. It is especially relevant to the reappearance of problem behavior because many behavioral interventions discontinue reward for aberrant behavior while simultaneously rewarding an appropriate response.

Understanding the underlying neuropharmacology of behavioral phenomena such as resurgence is important because it helps elucidate the neural processes at the root of such behavior, and also has implications for pharmacotherapies. Existing information about the neuropharmacology of resurgence is scarce, but …

Assessment Of Consumer Motivations To Attend Farmers' Markets, Their Preferences, And Their Willingness To Pay For Differentiated Fresh Produce: Three Essays, Jean Dominique Gumirakiza

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this public abstract is to present research objectives, societal benefits, and costs associated with this dissertation. This dissertation is one the outcomes of a three-year $155,450.86 project whose number is UTA01008. Kynda Curtis, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Economics proposed the project to assess consumer demand and purchase motivations for differentiated produce across direct marketing outlets. In general, this dissertation seeks to analyze consumer primary motivations for attending farmers’ markets, their preferences, and their willingness to pay for differentiated fresh produce. To accomplish this task, we develop three essays.

Specific objectives for the first essay are to …

Relationship Between Occupational Complexity And Dementia Risk In Late-Life: A Population Study, Daylee Rose Greene

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

According to cognitive reserve theory, challenging and/or stimulating cognitive activities can build a theoretical reserve, which may lead to a delay in the clinical expression of dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease. These cognitively stimulating activities are thought to build cognitive strategies and neural pathways that are more efficient, enabling the individual to live symptom-free for a longer period of time. One mechanism through which cognitive reserve can be built is by participating in an occupation high in cognitive complexity. When individuals hold an occupation that is high in complexity, they may build their cognitive reserve in such a manner as to …

"Idilemmas" And Humanities Education: Redefining Technology Literacy Pedagogy And Practice, Steven Richard Watts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Humanities educators at U.S. colleges and universities face sustained challenges in building effective technology literacy practices. As theories of technology literacy evolve, humanities topics are increasingly relevant in technology discussions, as rhetorical and critical analysis, textual analysis, and student learning theory are deeply embedded in current definitions of technology literacy. As such, humanities scholars have dramatic opportunities to become more involved in technology studies generally, and have a voice in technology policies that affect their institutions and students.

However, critical research, classroom teaching methods, and curricula in ICT literacy have fallen behind current needs, and many institutions struggle to define …

Using Video Modeling Delivered Through An Ipod Touch To Teach Purchasing Skills To Students With Severe Cognitive Disabilities, Sarah M. Stone

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Video modeling is a recent buzzword in the vocabulary of special educators and other professionals who work with individuals with disabilities. This type of modeling has proven effective in many studies specifically for individuals with autism. Recent studies show the effectiveness of acquiring skills through observing a video recording of a model (themselves or another person) performing the skill correctly. The technique used in this study is video modeling with another individual as the model (VMO). The researchers looked at the acquisition of purchasing skills based on viewing the video model in the grocery store. The VMO was presented using …

Perceptions Of Interethnic Dating Among College Students, Elisaida Méndez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Department of Psychology at Utah State University proposed to examine the intersection of demographic variables. This phenomenon was studied in the context of power differential in relationships under the framework of social exchange theory and a racial hierarchy. The study examined the role of ethnicity, income, and gender in status and power balances in the perception of success of dating relationships. Social exchange theory explains the exchange of traits or resources in interpersonal relationships and relationship formation and based on a racial or ethnic hierarchy, race or ethnicity is seemingly overlooked when considering other valued traits.

The Interethnic Couples …

The Relation Between Parenting Beliefs, Behaviors, And Acculturation On The Social Skills Of Prekindergarten Hispanic Children, Peter C. Winstead

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research related to the importance of social skills in children shows that they are important to children's development and performance in school. Research on problem behaviors in children, such as bullying, have been shown to be related to negative outcomes later in life for children such as lower performance in school, and juvenile and adult criminal behavior. What parents believe and how they act on those beliefs have been found to be related to fewer problem behaviors, and to higher social skills in children. However, the research we have has focused on the parenting behaviors and social outcomes in children …

The Effect Of Daily Released-Time Religious Education On Academic Achievement, Trace W. Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Various methods, programs, and efforts to educate students in effective and efficient ways have been employed and studied for many years in the United States. Many teachers, administrators, and communities seek to gain a better understanding of and implement programs that will help achieve the academic goals of their respective organizations. Previous research indicates a correlation between some types of classes, programs, and characteristics of students and their academic achievement. Data indicating academic information for three hundred and fifty suburban secondary school students were collected and analyzed to support or refute previous research in this area of study. Grade point …

Student Engagement In Lds Seminaries, Thomas P. Aardema

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This qualitative study examined student engagement in seminaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). This study sought to answer the following question: "What are seminary teachers, who have been identified by content experts as having high levels of student engagement, doing to generate high levels of student engagement in their classrooms?" Ten LDS Seminary teachers were selected as participants for this study. The findings from this study were organized around the concepts of: competence, school membership, clarity of purpose, fairness, personal support, caring, authentic work, extrinsic reward, intrinsic interests, sense of ownership, connection to real-world application, …

Facebooking For Social Support: An Experimental Test Of Relational Regulation Theory, Odessia Knowles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Transitioning to college can be difficult. While some individuals choose to attend a college that is local to their home, others move away from their family and friends to
attend their college of choice. This move adds additional stress to the already stressful nature of attending college. Research suggests that having social support can help with this additional stressor. However, individuals who move away from their family and friends may have difficulty receiving social support in their new, unfamiliar environment.

Facebook is a well-known, widely used form of social media with a significant number of users worldwide. College students spend …

The Influence Of Widowhood And Sociodemographic Moderators On Dementia And Alzheimer's Disease Risk, Daniel Joseph Hatch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are dramatic public health problems. In recent years, researchers have uncovered evidence demonstrating that chronic stress can lead to these conditions. Because of this, researchers have also investigated whether widowhood, one of the most stressful life events, may also lead to dementia and AD. However, these studies are conflicting, and few have investigated whether the influence of widowhood on dementia and AD varies in different contexts associated with aging and widowhood. For instance, evidence suggests that widowhood may exert greater influence among males and among those with a history of depression. Other such contextual factors …

Exploring Three Fifth-Grade Teachers' Understanding Of Historical Thinking: A Case Study, Deanne Rigby Murray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Deanne R. Murray at Utah State University conducted a qualitative case study aimed at examining the understanding and practice of historical thinking of three fifth-grade teachers. These three teachers had each been a participant for 3 years in a federally funded Teach American History (TAH) grant project aimed at increasing teachers' historical knowledge and classroom practices. This TAH project in Utah was particularly focused on teachers learning to use cultural tools in socially mediated settings with the ultimate goal of improving their students' performance in history.

This study sought to understand the development of these three teachers' historical thinking through …

Utility Of An Error Analysis And Performance Deficit Assessment For Selecting Brief Interventions To Increase Math Fluency, Aaron John Denison

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children who struggle with math fluency are typically not provided with the appropriate motivation and instruction for their needs in the regular education classroom. Because of their lack of math fluency skills, these children can be negatively affected throughout their education and can continually fall further behind their peers. It is clear that children who struggle with math fluency should be provided with interventions specific to their needs in order to thrive in a school environment. Thus, it is critical that school psychologists and researchers develop effective strategies for children who are struggling with math fluency in order to help …

The Role Of Psychological Flexibility In Eating Disorders In A Residential Treatment Sample, Phillip Ryan Mitchell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise specified) have a dramatic effect on the lives of people who struggle with them. Individuals struggling with these diagnoses often suffer from cardiovascular problems, hormonal irregularities, and gastrointestinal issues, such as wearing away of the esophageal lining. The biggest concern to clinicians is mortality resulting from physical complications related to an eating disorder or suicide. There is a growing body of research that attempts to describe the cognitive and emotional aspects of these diagnoses. Research has illustrated how suppressing emotions and thoughts, or avoiding situations that may make these …

Factors That Influence Secondary Students To Join The Collegiate Ffa, Sara Vanderbos

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Student involvement on college campuses is important for the professional growth, leadership development and learning of today's college student. This research sought to determine the factors that influence former high school FFA members' reasons for joining and participating in the Collegiate FFA.

The study showed that students who are involved in the National FFA at the secondary level are more likely to join Collegiate FFA while attending a university that offers the Collegiate FFA option. These students were actively engaged on campus and were interested in helping others. Collegiate FFA programs, the National FFA, and universities across the country should …

Resilience And Resistance In Academically Successful Latino/A Students, Dennis Heaton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this case study was to examine and explain the success of a group of Latino/a students whose educational success substantially exceeds the success of their peers. Ten middle school students, their parents, and selected school personnel who worked with them were interviewed. The student participants were purposefully selected based on their grades, attendance, and test scores. The adult participants were selected based on their relationship to the student participants.

The student participants were interviewed twice and the adult participants were interviewed once, using a semi-structured format designed to allow the interviewees to go beyond the interviewer’s initial …