Digital Commons Network^™

Attitudes Toward Immediate Annuities, Devon K. Robb

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Retirement security for Americans is one of the most critical public policy and personal financial issues and will be for decades in the future. Individuals that retire today can live an additional 30 or even 40 years with less secure income as corporations shift to defined contribution plans to fund retirement. Based on the life cycle savings hypothesis, immediate annuities should be appealing to retirees because they insure against the risks of outliving retirement assets by converting funds into a lifelong stream of income. However, research has found that retirees are reluctant to annuitize their wealth. This study examined the …

Environmental And Developmental Indicators In Early Childhood: Relations To Second-Grade Reading Comprehension, Gina A. Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Reading success has been linked to high school completion, future job success, and future generations of children who can read. Unfortunately, children who are unable to read on grade level by the end of first grade are at a great disadvantage and unlikely to catch up later. Without the ability to read and comprehend text, all aspects of schooling become progressively more difficult and the challenge of poor reading ability can be so difficult to overcome that many poor readers will not complete high school. For these reasons, it is important to identify early experiences in a child's family environment …

Ordinary Spirits In An Extraordinary Town: Finding Identity In Personal Images And Resurrected Memories In Lily Dale, New York, Mary Catherine Gaydos Gabriel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Every summer, Lily Dale, New York, a community founded on spiritualist beliefs and steeped in an eccentric explosive past, hosts thousands of visitors seeking to communicate with dead friends and relatives, while the residents lead ordinary lives in the midst of the supernatural hype permeating their town. Their stories are considered by most to be secondary to the illustrious trappings of the community in which they occurred. My research employs oral histories prompted by personal photographs to showcase the residents' everyday experiences amidst the town's infamy, illuminating the undervalued individual experience of those living in communities of such extraordinary repute. …

Integrating Digital Technologies In The German Language Classroom: A Critical Study Of The Technology-Integration Experiences Of Three Secondary German Teachers, Stephen Van Orden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

German language teachers are gaining increased access to smart classrooms and digital technologies that offer teachers and students greater access to authentic cultural and language materials and enable more student target language communication. Teaching with technology changes the teaching and learning environment in many ways. Little is known about how integrating technology into the daily German-language-teaching curriculum changes the implicit power structures embedded in all classroom interactions. Because of the central, decision-making role of the teacher, this study uses a critical theory of technology lens to examine the daily technology integration experiences of three secondary German language teachers. This study …

Facilitator Assessment Following A Stepfamily Education Course, Heather Sparks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effectiveness of the facilitators of a stepfamily education course, based upon facilitator self-report as well as participant report. Agencies in northern Utah that provide services to low-income minority families were used to recruit a sample of 152 facilitators and 1,134 participants of which 519 of the participants were male and 613 of the participants were females. Additionally, 21 of the facilitators were male and 131 of the facilitators were female. Requirements for participants included having been previously married with no children or having children from a previous relationship that formed a current …

Statistical Analysis Of The Usu Lidar Data Set With Reference To Mesospheric Solar Response And Cooling Rate Calculation, With Analysis Of Statistical Issues Affecting The Regression Coefficients, Troy Alden Wynn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Though the least squares technique has many advantages, its possible limitations as applied in the atmospheric sciences have not yet been fully explored in the literature. The assumption that the atmosphere responds either in phase or out of phase to the solar input is ubiquitous. However, our analysis found this assumption to be incorrect. If not properly addressed, the possible consequences are bias in the linear trend coefficient and attenuation of the solar response coefficient.

Using USU Rayleigh lidar temperature data, we found a significant phase offset to the solar input in the temperatures that varies ±5 years depending on …

Parenting Practices And Child Mental Health Among Spanish Speaking Latino Families: Examining The Role Of Parental Cultural Values, Melissa Renee Donovick

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate observed parenting practices among first-generation Spanish-speaking Latinos living in Utah. Participants included 50 families with a child between the ages of 4 and 9. Parents and their child engaged in a behavioral observational task that was coded for parenting dimensions and styles to determine if they predict child outcomes among Latino families. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist to assess for behavioral problems. Observations were coded using the Parenting Scale, developed specifically for this study. In general, parents received high ratings on warmth and demandingness, and lower ratings on autonomy granting. Parenting …

Factors Affecting Reading Outcomes Across Time In Bureau Of Indian Education Reading First Schools, Heather J. Chapman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Regardless of age, background, or socioeconomic status, children must learn to read in order to be successful in school and in their future careers. Reading is an essential skill necessary to be successful in all other academic content areas. Despite the importance of this skill, American Indian children consistently score below the national average on tests of reading ability and reading comprehension. During recent years, many schools in the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) system requested funding through the Reading First initiative. Schools used the funding and support provided by the BIE Reading First grant to attempt system-wide change at …

Connection, Technology, Positionality: An Inside Look At Women Faculty's Positionality Toward "Connection" And "Technology", Wei Zhai

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Women faculty members have been reported rating their level of knowledge and experience in using technologies lower than male faculty members. A closer examination revealed that women faculty members were likely to use technologies that fit into their pedagogy, met students' learning styles and needs, and facilitated their interactions with colleagues and students. So women faculty's choices of particular technologies can be assumed to reflect their particular instructional beliefs and perspectives, represented as a connected approach to learning and teaching. Gender alone is inadequate to explain women faculty's use of technology.

The purpose of this study was to explore women …

Examination Of The Relationship Between Perfectionism And Religiosity As Mediated By Psychological Inflexibility, Jesse M. Crosby

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationship between perfectionism and religiosity is clarified when the adaptive and maladaptive dimensions of both constructs are compared. Literature in both areas implicates the idea of a rigid and inflexible personality style as a possible mediator in the relationship. This investigation examined the relationship of perfectionism and religiosity, using adaptive and maladaptive dimensions, as mediated by psychological inflexibility.

Measures of perfectionism, religiosity, and psychological inflexibility were given to 376 undergraduate college students in an anonymous online survey. Adaptive perfectionism was found to be significantly correlated with adaptive religiosity. Maladaptive perfectionism was found to be significantly correlated with maladaptive religiosity. …

The Relationship Between Premarital Advice, Expectations And Marital Satisfaction, Cicile M. Rios

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the significance between advice, marital expectations, and marital satisfaction. This study also explored the sources couples use to gather information, or rather where they receive premarital advice, and if it was helpful. Included in this study were husbands (n = 56) and wives (n = 56) who had been married less than one year, to classify them as newlyweds. The relationship between sources of information and expectations was found to be highly significant for variables related to family of origin. It was also found that a high percentage of couples …

Does Empathic Accuracy Mediate The Relationships Between Individual Psychological Characteristics And Adolescent Romantic Relationship Functioning?, Charles George Bentley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated empathic accuracy in adolescent romantic relationships. The project examined the relationships between psychological characteristics and relationship outcomes (i.e., satisfaction and aggression) to determine if the relationships were mediated by empathic accuracy. Participants were 92 heterosexual couples aged 14-18 years old who lived in rural areas in Utah and Arizona. Couple members completed surveys assessing attitudes and behaviors in their relationships and a video-recall procedure in which partners rated their own and their partner's behaviors during problem-solving discussion.

Empathic accuracy was generally not related to psychological characteristics or outcomes. It became apparent that there were limitations with the …

Latter-Day Saint Religiosity And Attitudes Towards Sexual Minorities, Cory John Myler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Existing research has revealed a robust relationship between high religiosity and negative attitudes towards sexual minorities. To date, however, there have been few studies investigating this relationship within the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS Church). The unique history, doctrine, and organization of this religion, along with its large size, rapid growth, and sizable influence, indicate that a study of homophobia among church members will provide additional information about the relationship between religiosity and negative attitudes. These data will shed additional light on the make-up and nature of homophobia, offer insight into the relationship …

The Effects Of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia On Social Competence: An Investigation Into The First Three Months Of Treatment, Rachel L. Duchoslav

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children under 15 years of age. Despite a growing survival rate for childhood cancer, psychological research of this population has lagged behind medical advances in treatment. The research that does exist in the psycho-oncology literature is plagued with inconsistency in conclusions and methodological limitations. Focus has been given to measuring maladaptive symptoms with few firm conclusions. Conclusions in the area of social competence of children with cancer have been considerably more reliable than in other domains. Previous research suggests that children with cancer exhibit significant difficulties in the areas …

Detecting Malingering In Compensated Low Back Pain Patients: An Analog Study, Jennifer R. Grewe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Given the prevalence and cost of low back pain, particularly among workers' compensation patients, it is advantageous to understand how various psychological constructs may be related to prolonged disability and failure to return to work. Malingering is a psychological construct that is clearly relevant for worker compensation populations and is a construct that is well suited for experimental control within an analog study. Malingering is the intentional exaggeration of physical or psychological symptoms that are motivated by external incentives such as time away from work. The ability to detect malingering in such a population with psychological assessments is unclear. An …

Investigating The Reliability And Validity Of The Consortium On Reading Excellence (Core) Phonics Survey, Lorilynn B. Brandt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Phonics was identified as one of the critical components in reading development by the National Reading Panel. Over time, research has repeatedly identified phonics as important to early reading development. Given the compelling evidence supporting the teaching of phonics in early reading, it is critical to make sure that instructional decisions in phonics are based upon valid and reliable assessment data. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Consortium on Reading Excellence (CORE) Phonic Survey and was designed to establish instrument validity and reliability. Analyses indicated moderate to very strong validity and reliability coefficients. Additionally, a D study using …

Learning Ability And Factors Influencing Nest Establishment Of The Solitary Bees Osmia Lignaria And Megachile Rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Cory A. Vorel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over the last several decades, the use of solitary bees as an alternative to honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) for pollination of commercial crops has increased, in part as a response to ongoing problems faced by commercial honey bee populations. Two solitary bee species have exhibited great commercial potential: the blue orchard bee, Osmia lignaria Say, and the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). However, growth of O. lignaria and M. rotundata populations is limited in commercial systems, mainly due to low establishment of females at provided nesting sites, possibly due to mortality, dispersal, or other causes. …

Finding, Nurturing, And Instilling Hope In Family Therapy, Joseph Daniel Tschudy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The development of a personal theory of therapy and change is an integral part of the training and educational philosophies of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Utah State University. This personal theory attempts to identify and explain each student's beliefs regarding the specific mechanisms by which change occurs, thus providing a therapeutic backbone from which one may integrate various interventions, ideas, concepts, and approaches to therapy. As one engages in the process of integration, it becomes critical for students to evaluate their performances. A thorough self-evaluation that includes the utilization of scientific methods leads to the development of …

An Evaluation Of A Physical Activity-Based Residential Treatment Program, Eric Alan Mikkelsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study evaluated a physical activity-based residential treatment program. It explored the current literature on adolescent treatment implementing physical exercise with parental participation, specifically at residential treatment centers. While the current literature strongly supports physical exercise and family involvement in adolescent treatment, research on combining physical exercise with family involvement is insufficient at best.

The data were obtained from Telos Residential Treatment Center, an all-boys treatment program that incorporates a triathlon into their treatment curriculum and keeps pre- and posttest scores of the Youth Outcome Questionnaire for their students as well as completed questionnaires from students' parents. Research questions addressed …

The Ecological Influences Of Community Trail Use And Physical Activity Among Female Trail Users, Sarah N. Moulton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite great effort to improve physical activity, little success has come to pass. Due to this, some researchers have shifted from individual approaches to promoting physical activity to multilevel environmental approaches. One of these multifaceted environmental approaches is through community trails. A small body of research has suggested that community trails may be a successful ecological approach to promoting physical activity. However, the research is minimal and inconsistent in supporting effectiveness of community trails for promoting physical activity.

This study sought to examine ecological factors to learn if and how they might influence trail use among women. The ecological factors …

What Impact Do Culturally Competent Teachers Have On The Social Inclusiveness Of Their Students?, Jacqueline Thompson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study explored the social inclusiveness of classrooms with culturally competent teachers who were identified both by their participation in in-service diversity training and by principal nomination. The design of this study was primarily quantitative using a one-way ANOVA to analyze whether fourth and fifth grade students (N = 125) in classrooms with teachers identified as culturally competent are more inclusive in their mutual friendships than students (N = 117) in classrooms with not trained teachers at the same schools. Sociometric questionnaires were used to collect data on mutual friendships. Observations of students in lunchroom settings were also …

Relationship Between Cognitive Reserve And Rate Of Decline In Alzheimer’S Disease: A Population Study, Katherine Treiber

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

According to the theory of cognitive reserve, cognitively enriching aspects of life experience (e.g., education, occupation, and leisure activity) foster the development of more efficient neural networks and cognitive strategies, enabling individuals to cope more effectively with the pathology of dementia. Using extant data from a population-based study, we examined: (1) the effect of reserve accrued through middle life on course of neuropsychological decline; and (2) the role of ongoing engagement in mentally stimulating leisure activities in rate of general cognitive and functional deterioration.

In linear mixed models, level of occupational attainment did not affect rate of cognitive or functional …

Students' Perceptions Of Coercion In Research, Azure L. Midzinski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine how students perceive the most common methods of recruitment for research participation, and whether these recruitment strategies are perceived by the participants to be coercive. Ethical research guidelines prohibit the use of coercion in recruiting participants. Previous studies in this area have either focused on the perceptions of the researchers, or have approached the concept of coercion in a limited way. This study treated coercion as a multidimensional construct and examined student perceptions. Additionally, participant responses indicated which recruitment practices resulted in a decision to participate in the research. Findings indicate that …

Altering Positive/Negative Interaction Ratios In Relationships Of Mothers And Young Children: A Preliminary Investigation, Andrew B. Armstrong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Based on classic marital research of John Gottman, a popular notion exists that interpersonal relationships thrive when the number of positive interactions outweighs negative interactions by a ratio of five to one. Though many have given similar advice for parents and caregivers, Gottman's findings and methodology may not generalize to relationships of parents and young children. Were similar ratio findings to be validated for parent-child relationships, explicit ratio advice may be incorporated as a component of clinical practice (e.g., behavioral parent training). To begin investigating potential clinical implications, a project was conducted that examined mothers' ability to achieve prescribed ratios …

Common Characteristics Of Young People Who Text: The Connection To Autonomy, Identity And Self-Esteem, Elizabeth M. Davis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the relationship between adolescents' use of texting and their level of identity development, cognitive autonomy, and self-esteem. One hundred and nineteen Utah State University students participated in this study by filling out a questionnaire that included a section designed specifically to learn the texting habits of the participants, and also included sections derived from previously existing measures on identity, autonomy, and self-esteem.

The results show statistical significance of age and texting. Participants who were 23 years+ sent significantly less than those participants who were 19-22 years. Areas of gender, identity, and self-esteem were also analyzed. Implications of …

Expanding The Horizons Of Educational Pair Programming: A Methodological Review Of Pair Programming In Computer Science Education Research, Keith B. Rimington

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Educators and researchers continue to explore the benefits, real or imagined, of implementing pair programming as part of the computer science pedagogy. Current reviews of computer science educational research practices do not focus on educational pair programming. This thesis presents a review of the research methods used in recent educational pair programming research. The primary purpose of this review is to inform the ongoing dialogue about and to provide evidence-based recommendations for improving educational pair programming research.

Replicating the design of a previous computer science education methodological review, this study inspected a sample of 108 articles from a population of …

Kindergarten Teachers' Developmentally Appropriate Beliefs And Practices And Their Perceptions Of Children's Kindergarten Readiness: Comparing The Beginning And The End Of The School Year, Rachelle Ernest Wright

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined 180 matched pretest/posttest surveys of kindergarten teachers' perceptions of the transition children experienced upon kindergarten entry. Investigations of changes in the percentages of children perceived as not being ready for kindergarten and percentages of children who were rated as having had a very successful, moderately successful, or difficult transition from the pretest to the posttest were conducted. Additionally, changes in teachers' developmentally appropriate beliefs and practices from the beginning of the school year (pretest) to the end of the school year (posttest) were explored. Further analyses were conducted to find differences and associations between teacher and classroom …

Interaction, Internet Self-Efficacy, And Self-Regulated Learning As Predictors Of Student Satisfaction In Distance Education Courses, Yu-Chun Kuo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Online learning research is largely devoted to comparisons of the learning gains between face-to-face and distance students. While student learning is important, comparatively little is known about student satisfaction when engaged in online learning and what contributes to or promotes student satisfaction. Emerging research suggests there are a few strong predictors of student satisfaction, and other predictors that may or may not predict student satisfaction. None of the existing research examines predictors together, or statistically controls for course differences. This study examines the influence of various factors on student satisfaction including three types of interaction, Internet self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning. …

Financial Management Practices And Conflict Management Styles Of Couples In Great Marriages, Amanda Marie Horrocks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study presents findings on the financial management practices and degrees of conflict of couples in great marriages. Qualitative data from a national sample of couples in great marriages were collected using a 31-page questionnaire. Of the 81 couples who responded, 40 fit the criteria for this study in that they discussed their level of agreement about financial issues in marriage. Their responses were coded to discover which financial topics are pervasive and whether or not couples agreed over these topics. Responses about conflict were also analyzed to determine the degree of agreement between spouses in different categories. Findings from …

"All The World's A Stage": Parental Ethnotheories And Children's Extracurricular Activities, Mary Annette Grove

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the United States, educators, parents, policy makers, politicians, the media, researchers, and practitioners in many academic fields have taken an interest in outcomes for children aged 6 to 14 who participate in extracurricular activities outside of school time. Very little research examines parents' beliefs about and behaviors surrounding their children's participation in extracurricular activities. Yet, it may be parents' beliefs that guide choices about and persistence in extracurricular activities. This study used a phenomenonlogical and qualitative approach toward understanding parents' ideas and beliefs about their child's participation in extracurricular activities. These ideas and beliefs or parental ethnotheories are what …