Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing Perspective-Taking Skills In Youth With Autism, Angelica Coumanova Kim

Dissertations

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are known to have deficits in the areas of social interaction and social communication. One postulated explanation for the challenges seen in these areas is an underdevelopment of Theory of Mind (ToM). Research in the area of ToM and the mediation of perspective-taking interventions on social interactive and communicative skills has yielded a wide range of results and needs to be further explored. Thus, the present study aimed to contribute to the field of research by implementing a perspective-taking intervention with children who have ASD, with the goal of enhancing positive outcomes related to …

Opportunities To Learn The General Education Curriculum: Literacy Instruction For Students With Significant Support Needs In Inclusive Settings, Heather Leigh Fitzpatrick

Dissertations

Students with significant support needs (SSN) have often been denied the breadth and depth of literacy instruction compared to their nondisabled peers. However, exposure to academic literacy increases when students with SSN are educated with their peers without disabilities within inclusive settings. While exposure is the first step to accessing grade level content, it does not necessarily mean that students with SSN will have the same opportunities to learn (OTL). Students with SSN require additional adaptions and supports to learn and make progress in the general education setting. Conversely, these supports are not always provided or used effectively to meet …

Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching In Co-Teachers At The Post-Secondary Level: A Cognitive And Enacted Approach, Lida Marie Lavelle Bentz

Dissertations

Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT), the knowledge used by a teacher to teach mathematics, has often been examined as a cognitive construct in K-6 teachers, but little research exists examining MKT in the post-secondary teaching context. Schoenfeld (2020) extended the definition of knowledge and thus MKT to include tacit and explicit perceptions. In doing so, Schoenfeld created the terms "big K" mKt and "little k" mkt, where mKt refers to the tacit and explicit perceptions used by a teacher to teach mathematics and mkt includes the teacher's understanding used in teaching mathematics (similar to cognitive MKT). Building from Schoenfeld’s conceptualization …

Teacher Perceptions Of Competence In Supporting Lgbtq+ Students, Christina Beushausen

Dissertations

LGBTQ+ students continually express concerns about safety in school. This population experiences various forms of bullying and harassment from not only their peers, but from their teachers. Teachers are unaware of the unconscious bias and heteronorms they carry into their classroom that alienate these students. Teachers express that they do not have adequate training to feel confident in their competence to intervene in the issues their LGBTQ+ students face. This study examined how teachers’ perceptions of their competency changed after participating in role-playing simulations as part of professional development. Participants included Midwestern middle school teachers who voluntarily participated in role-playing …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Virtual Instruction For Medication Administration Skill Acquisition In Prelicensure Nursing Students, Jenna E. Davis

Dissertations

To better meet student needs, nurse educators must explore alternatives to traditional educational approaches that will accommodate student needs while still providing essential instruction and feedback for students. Virtual skills instruction is one flexible option for practicing the clinical skill of medication administration, but the effectiveness in developing skill acquisition is not known. The influence of students' self-efficacy as well as personal and professional factors such as healthcare experience and nursing program type are also unknown.

The purpose of this study was to describe the medication skill acquisition of prelicensure nursing students who participated in virtual medication skill instruction at …

Coastal Geomorphic Response To Sea-Level Rise, Storms, And Antecedent Geology: Examples From The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Clayton Dike

Dissertations

Sea-level rise and tropical cyclone activity are threatening coastlines around the world. Past geologic coastal responses can be used to inform future scenarios. This three-part study examines the response of coastal systems to sea-level rise, storms, sediment supply, and antecedent geology over the past ~ 140 ka.

The first study is of the Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, coastal system along the northern Gulf of Mexico incorporating sediment supply, subsidence, and antecedent topography paired with an examination of geologic response to sea-level fall and rise. I used core and geophysical data that resolve incised valleys and other subsurface deposits from ~ …

The Relationship Between The Quantum Consciousness And Depression, Yarone Grabiner

Dissertations

Depression is a prominent issue in mental health. This research will attempt to improve the quality of available therapies by offering additional helping options and introducing a new perception of depression. Different fields (psychology, quantum mechanics, and Kabbalah) have been integrated with data collection through personal interviews to support the research hypothesis. The subject sample consisted of five people with Kollel experience or similar educational experience in the present or in the past. All participants were orthodox Jewish men, 30 years old or older, married with children, with a high level of education. Participants presented attitudes, life conduct, and perceptions …

Trauma-Informed Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Substance Abuse, Whitney Nasse

Dissertations

The high co-morbidity of trauma and substance use disorders has prompted the need for more trauma-informed care within the available substance abuse treatments. The purpose of this research was to dissect and identify the strengths of two empirically studied treatment approaches for trauma and substance abuse. Furthermore, a suggested protocol was defined, showing the integration of these two models as a proposed treatment modality for trauma and substance abuse populations. Implications and recommendations for further research on this topic are also highlighted.

Exploring Clinical Implications Of Consensual Non-Monogamy: A Proposed Intake Assessment Tool, Rebecca Tuttle

Dissertations

Relationships in the United States are often assumed to adhere to heteronormative and mononormative standards, which is problematic because a significant minority of individuals are neither heterosexual nor monogamous (approximately 4.5% and 4% of the United States population, respectively). As a result of mononormative biases in particular, alternatives to monogamy, such as consensually non-monogamous relationships, are often socially stigmatized and clinically pathologized. The existing research on consensually non-monogamous individuals indicates, despite negative assumptions, those who engage in consensually non-monogamous relationships demonstrate psychological well-being, physical health, and levels of relationship satisfaction comparable to their monogamous counterparts. While engaging in consensually non- …

Application Of Deep Learning For Medical Sciences And Epidemiology Data Analysis And Diagnostic Modeling, Somenath Chakraborty

Dissertations

Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence have made significant progress concurrent with new advancements in hardware and software technologies. Deep learning methods heavily utilize parallel computing and Graphical Processing Units(GPU). It is already used in many applications ranging from image classification, object detection, segmentation, cyber security problems and others. Deep Learning is emerging as a viable choice in dealing with today’s real-time medical problems. We need new methods and technologies in the field of Medical Science and Epidemiology for detecting and diagnosing emerging threats from new viruses such as COVID-19. The use of Artificial Intelligence in these domains is becoming more …

Using Nudges To Increase Engagement With Suicide Prevention Resources In An Online Sample Of United State Military Veterans, Brian W. Bauer

Dissertations

Suicide rates have continually increased from 1999 to 2019 in the United States, with populations such as military Veterans showing substantially higher suicide death and attempt rates than civilians. Behavioral economics researchers have demonstrated that people regularly make decisions that are not aligned with their own self-interests (i.e., irrational decisions). These irrational decisions often stem from humans having bounded rationality (i.e., limited computational power), which produce reliable cognitive biases that occur outside of people’s awareness and influence the decisions they make. There are many important decisions leading up to a suicide attempt (e.g., whether to engage with suicide prevention resources), …

Exploring The Impact Of Simulation Anxiety On Clinical Judgment For Nursing Students, Janet M. Reed

Dissertations

Research literature provides evidence that new graduate nurses are often deficient in clinical judgment (CJ). One way to increase CJ is by using simulations. However, the literature is replete with descriptions of the high anxiety that simulation triggers. It is not currently known how anxiety in simulation affects clinical judgment for undergraduate nursing students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the effect of different types of anxiety on the clinical judgment of undergraduate nursing students in simulation.

This research project used a one-group repeated measures quantitative design to answer the research questions using the conceptual framework of …

The Effect Of Implementing A Cultural Change Toolkit On Burnout Among Emergency Nurses, Isabella Nassif

Dissertations

Burnout continues to be a significant problem that negatively affects healthcare providers, especially nursing staff in acute care settings, such as the emergency department. Burnout is the state and experience of continued and prolonged exposure to depersonalization, loss of motivation, emotional exhaustion, and reduced personal accomplishment (Harris & Griffin, 2015; Hutson Hendy, 2016). Burnout is manifested through depersonalization, having a loss of compassion and concern, a decreased sense of personal accomplishment from work, and emotional exhaustion from feeling emotionally drained (Li et al., 2018). The literature on burnout lacks a systemic analysis of evidence-based interventions that can mitigate burnout among …

Immune Cell-Protein Interactions In Alzheimer’S Disease, Kapur Dhami

Dissertations

Misfolded protein aggregates are one of the significant contributing factors in many neurogenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and others. My PhD research project was to study various aspects of amyloid-β peptide, a 40-42-residue peptide and the primary component of the senile plaques found in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brains. One objective of my research was to purify and characterize the intermediate Aβ42 species using an array of biophysical techniques like size exclusion chromatography, fluorescence assays, circular dichroism, cellular assays, and protein assays. The other major research thrust of my project was to study the role of microglial …

A Managerial Ecosystem For Excellence In Hospital Administration, Denish Gangasingh

Dissertations

Major healthcare systems and hospital organizations face a myriad of challenges in today’s business environment, having to provide very complex and more comprehensive medical care with fewer resources. In this study, we investigate determinants of hospital performance in critical dimensions and propose an information infrastructure intended to promote excellence in clinical performance while sustaining a solid financial footing.

Senior executives must be knowledgeable in both business and clinical aspects of hospital administration because their decisions ultimately affect patient care and clinical outcomes. Key performance indicators (KPI) are necessary on both dimensions to inform their decisions. Financial and operational aspects of …

Marching Forward: A Qualitative Examination Of Adapting Enlisted Veteran Leadership Skills In The Corporate Environment, Casey W. Jensen

Dissertations

planning, resource utilization, and conforming to corporate policies all required adaptation. Veterans primarily adapt their leadership skills through internal and external networking, mentors, coaches, managing and resetting expectations, and understanding light and dark ambiguity. The theoretical contributions of this research are in paternalistic leadership and veteran enlisted research. The practical implications assist veterans in understanding how to adapt and strategies to adapt their skills. In addition, managers and peers may use this research to understand veterans' challenges better when leaving military service. Next, talent acquisition professionals can use this research to better identify military veteran candidates for specific roles and …

Perceptions Of Instructor Caring Behaviors Between English As A Second Language And Non-English As A Second Language Nursing Students, John C. Dike

Dissertations

English as a second language (ESL) nursing students have a significantly higher attrition rate and lower National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate than their non-ESL counterparts. Instructor caring behaviors (ICBs) are the ways nursing instructors treat students with respect, taking care to avoid prejudices, stereotyping, and judgments in the teaching-learning process which present prelicensure faculty to grapple with the challenge of effectively meeting the learning needs of both ESL and non-ESL students. The purpose of this cross-sectional, comparative study, guided by Watson's theory of human caring, was to explore the differences in perceptions of ICBs between ESL and non-ESL …

Influences Of 12-Hour Shifts On Unhealthy Eating Habits Of Acute Care Nurses, Ruth Sawdy

Dissertations

Shift work is a necessary part of a nurses' work schedule to patients who need 24 hours of continuous care. Eating habits of nurses are influenced by working long hours, not having adequate time to take a meal break, and not having access to healthy food choices which can cause stress and exhaustion and results in weight gain and obesity. The purpose of this quantitative logistic regression analysis, guided by the health belief model and the theory of planned behavior, was to determine if there was a relationship between shift work and the unhealthy eating habits/obesity rates of acute care …

Choices Related To Maximizing Quality Of Life At End Of Life, Theresa Lynn

Dissertations

Humans, including those residing in the United States, can live in denial of their own mortality. Because of this, futile care is sometimes provided, often at great monetary expense and for little or no return in terms of quality or length of life. At least two opportunities exist for making choices regarding care at the end of life in the U.S.: completing advance directives and choosing hospice care.

Relationship Of Leader-Member Exchange On Role Stress And Burnout: A Public Accounting Perspective, Sammie Parsley

Dissertations

An issue that concerns public accounting firms, both large and small, is that of employee burnout within the workplace. As a service-oriented industry, accommodating client needs is pivotal to long-term success. With that in mind, meeting client demands often means accountants must work long and strenuous hours, an attribute inherent to the industry. Consequently, public accounting firms often find themselves struggling with voluntary turnover as a result of burnout and opportunity for increased financial incentives elsewhere. The busy season in public accounting can be especially difficult, as accountants can find themselves working very long hours for weeks on end. This …

Long-Term English Learners In Middle School: Perspectives On Growth In Language Acquisition And Academic Learning, Barbara Doerfler

Dissertations

Middle schools in the United States today have a large population of English learners (ELs), and many of them have been educationally labeled as long-term English learners (LTELs). In some middle schools, over half of the ELs in seventh and eighth grades meet the criteria for classification as LTELs. This is especially concerning as these students will shortly be moving on to high school with limited English proficiency, which will continue to affect their academic performance and may limit their choices in higher education and career paths. This study explored the educational experience of LTELs in middle school by seeking …

Cortisol Administration Normalizes Aberrant Functional Connectivity In Women With Depression, Adam C. Runyan

Dissertations

Previous resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) research has identified aberrant connectivity in several large brain networks in depression, including the default mode (DMN), frontoparietal (FPN), and salience networks (SN). Connectivity of these networks is also related to depressive symptom severity and is affected by cortisol levels. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the effects of acute cortisol administration on rsFC of DMN, FPN, and SN in individuals varying in depression history and severity. We collected resting-state fMRI scans for 74 women with and without a history of depressive disorder after administration of cortisol and placebo using a …

Implementing Recova® To Adjust Estimated Dry Weight In An Outpatient Hemodialysis Clinic, Ayomide Aruwajoye

Dissertations

Problem: The purpose of this project is to implement the Recova® tool to adjust estimated dry weight supporting interdisciplinary team management of fluid overload in dialysis patients. Fluid overload can lead to high rates of morbidity and mortality. A total sample of 26 hemodialysis patients in an outpatient clinic located in a metropolitan city in a midwestern state was included in the project. Data collected shows there was poor knowledge familiarity with how fluid should be managed in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. The nurses utilized the Recova tool for a period of 8 weeks to help aid in …

Factors Influencing The Adoption Of Smart-Home Appliances: Users' Perspectives, Prakash Shahi

Dissertations

Smart appliances will be a significant part of the annual $300 billion smart-home market by 2025. Their use is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 31% for the foreseeable future. Currently, 12-16% of households use smart-home products in the U.S., including thermostats, TVs, refrigerators, coffee machines, garage door openers, and vision-equipped doorbells. Smart appliances provide significant benefits to us over traditional appliances. Smart appliances simplify our lives by automating various tasks in our homes and allowing us to monitor and control them remotely from our offices, grocery stores, and wherever we may be.

Despite the usefulness …

The Lived Experience Of Parents Of Children With Special Healthcare Needs On Public And Private Insurance: A Phenomenological Study, Regine P. Reaves

Dissertations

Due to recent advances in medical technology, the number of children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) is steadily growing in the United States. CSHCN comprise more than 40% of overall healthcare costs nationwide, even though this group is only comprised of 16% of the U.S. child population. There are significant differences between private and public health plans in terms of cost, adequacy, and parent satisfaction. As an added benefit, some public and private health insurance plans offer nursing care coordination (or nursing case management) services. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of parents of CSHCN enrolled …

The Impact Of Emotional Intelligence On The Leadership Of Chief Human Resources Officers In The California Community Colleges System, Tonya Davis

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of chief human resources officers (CHROs) in the California Community Colleges System regarding the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on their leadership in four areas: self- awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study described the lived experiences of CHROs as those experiences relate to the impact of EI on their leadership. A random sample was selected from the target population of 24 CHROs located in the Central and Southern Regions of California. The instrumentation used in the study was semistructured interview questions adapted …

The Lived Experiences Of Minority Nursing Students: Perceived Barriers To Success, Strategies For Success, And The Role Of Grit, Sherry Ann Koenigsman

Dissertations

The education and graduation of minority nursing students is needed to meet the healthcare needs of the people of the United States. However, more minority nursing students are lost to attrition than are white students. The purpose of this study was to seek to understand, from the perspective of the minority nursing students themselves, what barriers they face, their strategies for success, and the role grit plays in their nursing school journey.

Adolescent Depression: Experiences And Meanings Of Being Parented And Parenting, Terri Jean Farmer

Dissertations

Major depression affects up to 40% of U.S. adolescents in mild to severe forms, compromising emotional, academic, and relational functioning, including that of interacting with parents. The purpose of this study was to explore the parent-adolescent relationship during an episode of depression in order to elucidate the adolescent experience of being parented and the parental experience as it contributes to the context of the adolescent. Research questions included: 1) What are the depressed adolescent's meanings and experiences of being parented? 2) How do the meanings and experiences of parenting contribute to the context of the lifeworld of the depressed adolescent? …

Lean Accounting: A Connection To Strategic Partnership & Collaboration Between Management Accountants And Operations Managers, Colleen Mpofu

Dissertations

Technological advances, such as automation and artificial intelligence, have transformed the accounting profession. There is a consensus in the academic and practitioner literature that management accountants must move from their traditional role into one that serves as a strategic partner. However, literature that examines how management accountants have moved from this traditional role to one that is more strategic is limited. This study combines concepts from three different literature streams to explore how utilizing lean accounting practices relate to management accountant’s participation in strategic decision making, partnership with operations managers, and overall operational performance in manufacturing firms utilizing a lean …

An Examination Of The Influence Of Select Non-Cognitive Variables On The Intention Of Minority Baccalaureate Nursing Students To Complete A Baccalaureate Nursing Program, Dena B. Evans

Dissertations

On college and university campuses nationwide, understanding the phenomenon of student retention has become an institutional imperative. The loss of any student is costly to a college or university, resulting in considerable financial loss (Siedman, 2005). For some programs of study, such as nursing, retention is paramount, not only for the institution but for the communities which are served by its graduates. Moreover, retaining minority nursing students is of particular importance because it holds the key to the resolution of a long-standing absence of minority representation in the nursing profession, the nursing shortage and the elimination of health disparities among …