Digital Commons Network^™

Acute Effects Of Advocare Spark® Energy Drink On Repeated Sprint Performance And Anaerobic Power In Ncaa Division I Football Players, Nnamdi I. Gwacham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sports drinks, such as Gatorade and Powerade, have been designed to refuel athletes during and after their performance. Specifically they are designed to have optimal levels of carbohydrates to replenish electrolytes and prevent dehydration. In contrast, energy drinks are reported to increase mental alertness and physical performance during exercise. These drinks are designed to have substantial levels of caffeine as the main ingredient. For some years, energy drinks have become widespread both in recreational and trained athletes, because of their presumed influence on physical performance. A variety of energy drinks are currently on the market today and are purported to …

Outcomes Of Rotator Cuff Surgery In Utah Workers’ Compensation Patients, Jennifer R. Grewe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The rotator cuff is responsible for the lifting function of the shoulder and the circular movement of the arm. Rotator cuff injuries are the most common problem for the shoulder and account for approximately 4.1 million annual physicians visits. Approximately 20.7% of the population has at least one rotator cuff tear and more than 75,000 individuals will have rotator cuff surgery each year. Medical and compensation costs associated with a rotator cuff surgery are increasing and current estimated annual costs exceed 2 billion dollars. The increasing prevalence and cost associated with rotator cuff injuries in the United States population represents …

Evaluation Of The Usu Retirement And Savings Seminar, Diana Burk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Consumers need to acquire financial knowledge and confidence in order to take effectual actions to accumulate adequate retirement wealth and improve their overall financial well-being. Thus, quality financial education programs are needed to empower consumers to achieve these goals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Utah State University (USU) Retirement and Savings Seminar as measured by participant satisfaction and participants‘ financial knowledge, financial confidence, and financial behavior change compared to a similar group of non-participants. The program evaluation was guided by a logic model developed for the seminar.

Data for this study were collected …

A Pilot Study Of Solution-Focused Brief Therapeutic Intervention For Couples, J. Wade Stewart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A program was set to provide two 2-hour relationship consultations for couples. The purpose of this program was to attract couples that would not normally seek traditional therapy and/or relationship enrichment programs. The consultations were scheduled a month apart and were designed to be collaborative; the couple offered ideas for behaviors that they wanted to work on. Before the first consultation, each individual filled out several questionnaires about their relationship. In the initial session, the consultant reviewed the results with the couple pointing out the strengths of the couple. In addition, during the initial session, the couple also collaboratively created …

Have Introduced Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta) Affected Native Aquatic Vertebrates In Western United States Streams?, Nora K. Burbank

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The introduction of exotic species to areas outside of their native range is one of the greatest threats to the biodiversity of native freshwater organisms. Exotic species have outcompeted native species for resources such as food and shelter, and in some cases these interactions have resulted in local extinctions or reductions in abundance of those native species. Brown trout are native to Eurasia, but have been introduced to much of the rest of the world, including the United States. In some parts of their introduced range, brown trout have substantially reduced the abundance and home ranges of some native fish …

Class-Wide Respect And Social Support Skill Training To Increase Peer Interactions Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Melanie Orton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The demand for effective social skills interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders is a pertinent issue for school-based professionals. One approach to increase appropriate social skills is to involve peer support by training a few socially competent children to positively interact with a student with an ASD. Potentially, training larger groups of children could result in increasing the number of different peers who would actively support positive interactions with their classmates with ASD. Thus, the present study investigated the effect of a class-wide peer-training strategy on the percentage of positive social interaction and number of peer contacts for three …

Predictive Modeling And Analysis Of Student Academic Performance In An Engineering Dynamics Course, Shaobo Huang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Engineering dynamics is a fundamental sophomore-level course required for many engineering students. This course is also one of the most challenging courses in which many students fail because it requires students to have not only solid mathematical skills but also a good understanding of dynamics concepts and principles.

The overall goal of this study was to develop a validated set of mathematical models to predict student academic performance in an engineering dynamics course taught in the College of Engineering at Utah State University. The predictive models will help the instructor to understand how well or how poorly the students in …

A Comparison Of Caregiver Report And Performance-Based Measures Of Functional Ability In Dementia: An Examination Of Moderating Variables, Christine M. Snyder

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the association between data collection techniques used to measure functional abilities in individuals with dementia. Cognitive, functional, and behavioral data were collected through the Cache County Dementia Progression Study for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. The caregivers’ reports of care recipients’ functional status were compared with the care recipients’ scores on a performance-based measure of functional abilities. Analyses showed moderate correlation between caregivers’ reports and objective measures, with no significant effect of caregiver demographic or mental health factors. However, care recipients’ sensory motor impairments reduced the association between the two assessment methods.

Visits occurred at the …

The Effects Of Early Identification And Intervention On Language Outcomes Of Children Born With Hearing Loss, Catherine A. Callow-Heusser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study included a comprehensive review of the literature in which the effects of early identification of hearing loss and intervention on language outcomes were investigated. Previous reviews of studies were not comprehensive in their coverage and did not include a common measure for comparing results across studies. Without a more rigorous analysis of the primary research, conclusions drawn from these reviews are tenuous. The review of primary studies showed they exhibit many methodological problems including weak experimental designs, small sample sizes, attrition or questionable sample selection methods, differences in length of treatment and characteristics of the participants, and inadequate …

Assessment Of Colorado’S Wilderness Areas: Manager Perceptions And Remoteness Modeling, Gary D. Vaughn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study assessed visitor use levels and resource and social conditions in wilderness areas across the State of Colorado using existing and collected spatial data. This is the first attempt to spatially assess wilderness conditions at the state level. A state-wide assessment of wilderness conditions allows local and regional managers to make informed regional decisions and to prioritize and direct their time and energy efficiently. This assessment clarifies the recreational use and impacts across the state. This study consists of two projects: 1) managers’ perceptions of the location and extent of resource and social condition problems; and 2) a geographic …

The Relationship Between Family Functioning, Family Resilience, And Quality Of Life Among Vocational Rehabilitation Clients, Kristi P. Openshaw

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

While there has been extensive research on the quality of life for people with disabilities, very little research has been conducted on the way in which families impact the quality of life of these individuals. This study focused on how family dynamics impact the quality of life for people with disabilities who are clients of state vocational rehabilitation agencies. Specifically, family flexibility and cohesion, as well as family resilience, were the independent variables; quality of life was the dependent variable.

It was found that family functioning and family resilience play an important role in the quality of life for people …

Attitudinal And Experiential Factors Of Interethnic Romantic Relationships Among Native American Emerging Adults, Merrill L. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Doctoral student in psychology at Utah State University, Merrill Jones, and his major advisor, professor and licensed clinical psychologist, Renee V. Galliher, surveyed a sample of Native American individuals in the 18- to 25-year-old range about their romantic relationship attitudes and experiences with ethnically-different dating partners. The survey measured the participants’ past dating experiences, with an emphasis on which social influences and individual characteristics might impact their current attitudes about choosing dating partners who are not Native American. The responses of the participants will also be analyzed to identify how these factors relate with the other factors, and which factors …

Mexican American Youths’ Academic Outcomes: The Role Of Ethnic And Academic Socialization In Buffering Discrimination, Spencer M. Richards

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An increasingly diversifying educational landscape in the United States has accompanied distressing academic disparities among ethnic minority youths. As Latinos represent the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group within the U.S., particular attention to their academic outcomes is warranted. Alarming educational statistics have been reported for Latinos, with some estimating that nearly half fail to complete high school, and only a fraction go on to complete a degree in higher education. As Latinos grow to represent an increasing segment of the American educational system, more attention is required to understand what leads Latinos to engage (or disengage) in the …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Adolescent Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Andrew Ben Armstrong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is growing support for the use of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) as a treatment for adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). No research has been published to date on the use of ACT as a treatment for adolescent OCD. To begin investigating ACT for youth OCD, a multiple baseline study was conducted. The primary measure was self-monitoring of compulsions and assessor completed (CY-BOCS). Three adolescent participants, ages 12 to 17, were treated with 8 to 10 sessions of ACT (without exposure). Results showed that the intervention was successful for all participants, with a 40% mean reduction in self-reported compulsions. …

Effect Of Voluntary Exercise And Diet On The Unfolded Protein Response In The Brain Of Mice, Yu Ho Kim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The medical costs for many chronic diseases are increasing dramatically and placing a major financial burden on nations and individuals in both developed and developing countries. A number of chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and some neurodegenerative diseases are all attenuated by a history of physical activity suggesting that they may be interconnected in some way. It has been suggested that cellular stress is a major factor promoting these chronic diseases.

Cellular stress occurs in a specific compartment within the cell, the endoplasmic reticulum, whose normal function is in the synthesis and folding of proteins into the …

Newlywed To Established Marriage: A Longitudinal Study Of Early Risk And Protective Factors That Influence Marital Satisfaction, Daniel Alfred Moen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This current study took questionnaire information from couples as newlyweds through five years of marriage in an attempt to discover the most significant predictors of marital satisfaction.

This study also used additional information from these couples to help understand how problem issues change from newlywed to established marriage (five or more years of marriage). This study found that experiencing a difficult transition to marriage as newlyweds was the only significant predictor of marriage satisfaction five years later. Meaning, couples who experienced a difficult transition to marriage as newlyweds tended to report lower levels of marital satisfaction five years later in …

The Relationship Of Acculturation And Acculturative Stress In Latina/O Youths’ Psychosocial Functioning, Marsha Tafoya

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was conducted to better understand how acculturation and acculturative stress are related to self-esteem, depression, substance use, and substance use problems in 206 Latina/o youth. Acculturation is the social and psychological process of change that occurs when an individual or group comes in contact with a different culture. The acculturation process can be positive, improving one’s life chances in the new culture, or it could be negative due to the challenging nature of change and adaptation to new cultural and social expectations. This difficulty creates a type of stress, called acculturative stress that has been found to be …

The Impact Of Team-Based Learning’S Readiness Assurance Process On Virtually Isolated Adults, Matthew W. Barclay

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of the readiness assurance process of team-based learning (TBL) in virtually isolated settings. Many Internet sites offer courses for adults to use on their own without access to mentors or other learners. However, educational theory suggests that people learn better with others than by themselves. The focus of this investigation was whether the inclusion of the readiness assurance process would increase participants’ levels of learning based on Bloom’s revised taxonomy within the limits of virtual isolation.

In this study an experimental pretest-posttest design was employed. Using a 2- day mini-course …

Reflective Redo Within A Three-Dimensional Simulation And Its Influence On Student Metacognition, Reflection, And Learning, Jon M. Scoresby

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects on a student’s metacognition, reflection, and learning in a specifically designed educational simulation supported by unique technology. The simulation allows players’ actions to be recorded for the purpose of review to identify mistakes. The simulation also allows students to start at and redo actions while fixing previous mistakes instead of starting over at the beginning of a new scenario. When starting at the mistake or point of failure, as identified by a facilitator, during the redo of the initial saved scenario, students reflect on the actions performed during the initial …

Testing Mediated Effects Of A Sex Education Program On Youth Sexual Activity, Paul James Birch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Empirical investigations have identified hundreds of factors that predict whether youth engage in sexual activity (YSA). To promote optimal health and the avoidance of unhealthy or problematic outcomes that can result from YSA, sex education programs have been extensively developed and evaluated. Many evaluations have identified the effect of the program on immediate outcomes such as attitudes and intentions, others have examined subsequent behavioral and health outcomes, and some have done both. The purpose of this study was to extend the evaluation literature by testing a mediated effects model. A sex education program was found to have significant immediate effects …

"When They Called Us Jie Mei (Sister)" An Autoethnographic And Narrative Study Of Religious Development In Emerging Adulthood, Katie Nichole Ball

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The years from the late teens through the twenties increasingly have become an important area of study. The age range between 18 and 25 makes up a new, distinct developmental period that is referred to as “emerging adulthood.” Recent work has suggested that individuals engage in their most extensive identity exploration during emerging adulthood. This study uses autoethnography and narrative biographical material to study emerging adulthood in the contexts of spiritual and personal growth. The study explored adult development among young women serving abroad as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The sample consisted of …

Using Graphic Organizers With Scriptural Text: Ninth-Grade Latter-Day Saint (Lds) Students’ Comprehension Of Doctrinal Readings And Concepts, Mark D. Potter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the effect of instruction that included graphic organizers on LDS seminary students’ ability to understand scriptural text and their ability to identify doctrines in scriptural text, utilizing a repeated measures, quasi-experimental design involving 209 ninth-grade student participants. The participants were randomly assigned by class to one of two treatment groups. Participants in the treatment group received instruction using graphic organizers with the standard curriculum and participants in the comparison group received instruction using only the standard curriculum. Three different measures were employed to measure the effectiveness of the graphic organizers intervention: (a) a multiple-choice test of LDS …

A Functional Assessment Of The Use Of Virtual Simulations To Train Distance Preservice Special Education Teachers To Conduct Individualized Education Program Team Meetings, Lee Landrum Mason

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The individualized education program (IEP) is a critical component of providing special education services to children with disabilities, outlining the services and modifications that will be provided to help them make progress towards the general curriculum. While simulations have been shown to be an effective means of teaching special education policies and procedures, this can be challenging when working with distance students. The purpose of this study was to identify and examine how virtual simulations function to train preservice teachers learning to conduct IEP team meetings.

Seven preservice special education teachers enrolled in a mild/moderate distance degree and licensure program …

Social Factors That Influence Religious Motivation Of College-Age Lds Young Adults To Read Religious Texts: A Qualitative Study, Dustin R. West

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This qualitative study investigated the religious motivation of college-age LDS young single adults. In particular, this study sought to answer the following question: “What are the contexts and social factors that influence religious motivation of college-age LDS young adults to study religious texts?” To examine this question, a phenomenological approach was used to explore what participants had in common with feeling motivated to read religious texts. The primary sources of data came from one-on-one interviews that describe the personal experiences and perspectives of 10 college-age LDS young single adults. Sociocultural theory guided the analysis and interpretation of data and findings. …

"Struggling" Adolescent Writers Describe Their Writing Experience: A Descriptive Case Study, F. Jean Mcpherron

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Four adolescents identified as struggling writers in an English language arts classroom were interviewed about their perceptions of a writing task--how they judged their capability to succeed, how they ranked their passion, persistence, and confidence about writing, and how they responded to classroom activity. Student perceptions of self-efficacy and the related self-beliefs of motivation and interest as well as self-regulation were stated and implied as students described a planning worksheet, instructional scaffolding, peer interactions, and ownership of their writing. Wersch's view of mediated action and Engestrom's model of activity systems were the lens through which the students' descriptions were analyzed. …

Comprehensive High School Reform: The Lived Experience Of Teachers And The Smaller Learning Community Initiative, Richard K. Nye

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In an era of comprehensive school reform, it appears that the voice of teachers is seldom solicited or recognized in the process of planning and implementing school-wide reform. The primary purpose of this study was to report the lived experiences of teachers at Timberton North High School (pseudonym) as it related to the Smaller Learning Community (SLC) reform initiative. Research questions addressed how the faculty experienced the SLC initiative and how their experiences were different from their perceived notion of what SLCs were trying to accomplish and in what ways SLCs initiated a socially constructed understanding of educational purposes. This …

Using Mixed-Reality Technology To Teach Techniques For Administering Local Anesthesia, Kami M. Hanson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The ability to perform local anesthesia on dental patients is an important clinical skill for a dental hygienist. When learning this procedure in an academic situation, students often practice on their peers to build their skills. There are multiple reasons why the peer practice is not ideal; consequently, educators have sought the means to simulate the practice of local anesthetic procedures without endangering others. Mixed-reality technologies offer a potential solution to the simulated procedure problem. The purpose of this research was to determine if students could learn the techniques for providing local anesthesia using a mixed-reality system that allows them …

Orchestrating Classrooms: A Collaborative Inquiry Study Of Novice Teacher Community Building, Leah G. Welte

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Creating a community of learners with and among students in a collaborative classroom environment provides the keystone for developing the skills necessary for success in the 21^st century. Some preservice teachers envision that community building can enhance the learning experience for them and their students and want to learn and employ the necessary strategies. This study examined whether such a desirous group of novice teachers could identify the key factors they believed comprise community building and could successfully establish a community of learners during their first full year of teaching, supported by participation in a collaborative inquiry group.

Four …

Examining The Effects Of Reinforcement Context On Relapse Of Observing, Eric A. Thrailkill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Attentional biases occur with various psychological disorders, including drug addiction and anxiety. Conditioned reinforcement likely plays a role in maintaining attentional biases to stimuli associated with reinforcement for unwanted behavior. The observing-response procedure is considered a model of attending as reflected by responding maintained by conditioned reinforcement. Effects of primary reinforcement on the persistence of observing have been studied in the framework of behavioral momentum theory. Studies have shown observing-responses to be more resistant to
change in contexts arranging relatively higher rates of primary reinforcement. Recently, behavioral momentum theory has been extended to describe the effects of primary reinforcement context …

The Social Validation Of Institutional Indicators To Promote System-Wide Web Accessibility In Postsecondary Institutions, Heather Ann Mariger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Internet is an integral part of higher education today. Students, faculty, and staff must have access to the institutional web for essential activities. For persons with disabilities, the web is a double-edged sword. While an accessibly designed website can mitigate or remove barriers, an inaccessible one can make access impossible. If websites that provide necessary information are not accessible, those with disabilities will be unable to independently complete their daily tasks or compete in the modern world.

Project GOALS (Gaining Online Accessible Learning through Self-Study) has developed a document outlining a set of four institutional indicators of Web accessibility. …