Digital Commons Network^™

Detecting User Demographics In Twitter To Inform Health Trends In Social Media, Christopher R. Markson

Dissertations

The widespread and popular use of social media and social networking applications offer a promising opportunity for gaining knowledge and insights regarding population health conditions thanks to the diversity and abundance of online user-generated information (UGHI) relating to healthcare and well-being. However, users on social media and social networking sites often do not supply their complete demographic information, which greatly undermines the value of the aforementioned information for health 2.0 research, e.g., for discerning disparities across population groups in certain health conditions. To recover the missing user demographic information, existing methods observe a limited scope of user behaviors, such as …

The Effect Of Embedding The Restricted Interests Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Text On Reading Comprehension, Brittany Marshall

Dissertations

Reading comprehension deficits are common for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the rise in prevalence of this disorder has resulted in an increased demand for evidence-based strategies for teaching reading comprehension to this population. Research has found an increase in desired behaviors when a restricted interest (RI) or interests, a diagnostic feature of ASD, is utilized in intervention techniques. In a pilot study, El Zein, Solis, Lang, and Kim (2016) found that embedding the RI of a student with ASD in text increased that student’s reading comprehension performance. The current study further investigated the effect of embedding the …

The Fort Mcmurray Wildfire 2016: Risk Perceptions And Behaviours Among Evacuees, Christopher James Kearns

Dissertations

The devastating wildfires in the Fort McMurray, Alberta, region in May of 2016 forced the evacuation of almost 90,000 people from their homes. This study examines and compares risk perceptions and evacuation behaviours between young adults, 18 to 24 years of age and older adults, 25 years and older, and between genders. The study participants (n = 299) were students and staff at Keyano College in Fort McMurray. They indicated only slight differences in their perceptions of risk and their evacuation behaviours between both the age groups and by gender. Environmental cues were significant indicators of risk for all participants. …

Working On What Works (Woww) : Classroom-Level Impact On Teacher And Student Outcomes, Laura B. Wallace

Dissertations

The Working on What Works (WOWW) school-based intervention applies solution-focused theory and techniques to improve learning at the classroom level. This study evaluated WOWW's impact on student and teacher outcomes. Thirty classrooms were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions, then compared on teacher-completed measures. Students who received WOWW experienced lower levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors, including lower anxiety (p=0.000), sense of irrelevance (p=0.002), inattention (p=0.049), hyperactivity (p=0.044), impulsivity (p=0.044), and need for behavior correction (p=0.000). Overall externalizing behavior was also lower in students who had received WOWW (p=0.018). However, students in the treatment condition also scored lower on …

Translation And The Validation Process Of The Hemingway: Measure Of Adolescent Connectedness (Mac) Into Turkish, Yasir Kurt

Dissertations

Adolescent connectedness has been studied by researchers around the world because of its positive associations with academic, behavioral, and emotional indicators of positive youth development. Researchers in several countries also have found that it could serve as a protective factor against several health risk problems. The Hemingway: Measure of Adolescent Connectedness is one of the few assessment tools to measure connectedness across the adolescent social ecology, capturing connectedness in school and at home, in the present and in the anticipated future. The need for such instrument is particularly great in Turkish society where the scarcity of such psychometric scales constrains …

Perceptions Of Academic Advising And Student Retention, Stacy Renaee Soden

Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine student and academic advisors’ perceptions of advisement techniques to determine the connection between academic advising strategies and student retention. If student retention rates are not addressed, higher education institutions are at risk of losing students, which is costly to the institution and the student (Himes, 2014). Most college students are in a state of change and need academic advice to achieve success during a college transition (Tinto, 2012). Academic advisors can assist students in finding the right career for students’ specific strengths. This qualitative study utilized Tinto’s (2012) theories of student …

The Impact Of A Community-Based College Access Program At A Midwestern Institution, Ryan Ronald Gonzaga Reed

Dissertations

Low-income, first-generation, urban students are typically underprepared academically for college-level course work and lack knowledge, which most non-first-generation students possess (Ward, Siegel, & Davenport, 2012). Success in higher education depends on students effectively navigating and transitioning into an institution (Pike & Kuh, 2005). Community-based nonprofit organizations support first-generation, low income, urban students as they navigate through the provision of college access/readiness programs (Smith, Benitez, Carter, & Melnick, 2012). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of one community-based college access program on the persistence, retention, and matriculation of its participants. Quantitative data included retention rates and grade …

The Doll Project As A Liberatory Art Intervention For Conscious Raising And Trauma Relief In A Chicago Marked By Violence, Rochele A. Royster 5453127

Dissertations

Abstract

This community/arts based participatory research project encompassed communal art making practices (art as therapy) to build community, heal and resist systemic oppression and community violence; as well as promote self-care, empowerment, and a sense of purpose. Participants engaged in community-based art therapy to build and heal communities impacted by gun violence; using an ecological model. This "Doll Project" developed as a grassroots approach to arts-based social change, an ongoing cycle of creation, reflection and action with the hope to create a wave of healing and understanding through impacted Chicago communities. This process was intended to engage communities and embody …

The Use Of Audio Stimulation To Affect Sensorimotor Learning, Gregory Nicholas Ranky

Dissertations

Sensorimotor learning for the hand and fingers can be conducted using both hardware and software components, but the training regime is also important. Using repetitive sequence tapping allows measurement of defined metrics in a controlled, safe environment, and therefore statistical indications for subject improvement.

The process of entrainment, when a subject’s own movements synchronize to an external signal, has been tested in prior studies for memorization and recognition, but has not been investigated for correlation with sensorimotor learning.

This is tested with selected custom isochronic audio tones, combined with sequential finger tapping on a standard computer keyboard.

Whilst there were …

The African American/Black Racial Tapestry: Black Adolescents' Private, Independent School Experiences And Racial Identity Development, Angela R. Birts

Dissertations

While private, independent schools are homes to students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, the subjective experiences of African American students within these spaces are distinct. Twelve African American high school students attending ten different private, independent schools were asked to describe their racial and ethnic backgrounds, and explain how race is manifested in their schooling experiences. A methodological bricolage, including ground theory methods, is intricately woven into the fabric of this study to reflect the rich tapestry of African American/Black youth identities and their experiences in independent schools that underscore youth’s interpretation of contemporary black culture and my personal …

Motivation To Persist: The Role Of Hope, Academic Self-Efficacy, And Sense Of Belonging On First Generation Latinx College Students And Their Intent To Persist, Deanna Peck

Dissertations

The landscape of higher education is changing. More diverse students are attending universities at higher numbers, yet these students are not graduating. This quantitative study uses linear regression, stepwise regression, and then exploratory factor analysis to examine three constructs - hope, academic self-efficacy, and sense of belonging - in first generation Latinx college students to see if these constructs made a difference in their intent to persist. While these constructs were positively statistically significant, their effect sizes were weak and do not explain the all the reasons why first generation Latinx college students intend to persist to graduation. In addition, …

Fiscal Transparency In The Era Of California's Local Control Funding Formula: An Analysis Of Funding Levels, Expenditures, And Student Achievement, Blanca Baltazar-Sabbah

Dissertations

This research presents an analysis of California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) before and after implementation (AY 2013 to AY 2016). Funding allocations, expenditures, and student achievement data were analyzed across nine school districts in Northern California. Findings revealed a significant increase in state and local funding after implementation of LCFF for all districts. Statistical analyses showed larger districts received the greatest increases in funding and per pupil funding increases with the number of students who were eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL). While these trends were consistent both before and after the implementation of LCFF, the percent of …

Academic Supports Preferred By Academically Struggling African American Students At A Predominantly White University, Ellen E. Meadows, Joan H. Ruppert

Dissertations

Academic supports offered by Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) meet the needs of individuals who achieve standards such as high grade point averages and high standardized test scores, and who can negotiate traditional college institutions. Evidence indicates that retention and graduation rates for underrepresented minority students may be lower in comparison to White peers at the same institutions. Observations indicated that academic supports offered by a Midwestern PWI, may not provide the services preferred by African American students who struggle academically in two colleges, the College of Education and the College of Nursing.

A mixed-methods design was used to determine what …

Telemental Health Versus Face-To-Face Treatment: An Examination Of Operation Enduring Freedom And Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans’ Preferences For Mental Health Services, Nicholas Brown

Dissertations

Despite high estimated prevalence rates of PTSD, depression, and alcohol use disorder, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans exhibit relatively low rates of engagement in mental health treatment. Research shows that OEF/OIF veterans’ treatment-seeking is affected by attitudes towards mental illness and meant health treatment, logistical barriers to care, and severity of illness, thus providing support for Andersen’s proposed model of health service utilization. Previous literature has suggested that telemental health (TMH) has the potential to address some of the factors that make treatment-seeking challenging for OEF/OIF veterans. However, little is known about the degree to which …

A Functional Algorithm For Weight Loss And Obesity Practice: Guide For Clinical Decision-Making For Treating Women, Jennifer A. Tice Williams

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Background

Overweight and obesity have significant impact and consequences on women leading to reduced quality of life, comorbid conditions and premature mortality. Many healthcare providers lack adequate training and the time to properly treat overweight and obesity. Algorithms have been shown to improve clinical knowledge and save time.

Objectives

To develop an algorithm for weight loss assessment and treatment to aid in the clinical decision-making process while improving the quality of care for overweight and obese clients in an efficient manner that can be replicated.

Methods

After an extensive literature review to identify best-practice guidelines for weight loss a …

How Exemplar Female Business Leaders Utilize The Six Domains Of Conflict Transformation To Establish Common Ground And Produce Breakthrough Results: A Phenomenological Study, Alida Stanowicz

Dissertations

The purpose of this thematic, qualitative phenomenological study was to discover and describe the lived experiences of exemplar female business leaders and their use of the six domains of conflict transformation behaviors (collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, ethics, problem-solving, and process). It explored how the domains were utilized to achieve common ground to transform conflict and achieve breakthrough results. This study considered the experiences, perceptions, and interpretations of exemplar leaders by way of interviews, observations, and the collection of artifacts. The need to research and study these leaders to discover how they were able to transform conflict and the interplay of …

A Video Intervention For Professionals Working With Transgender And Gender Nonconforming Older Adults, Allison R. Warren

Dissertations

Abstract

There is consensus that providers who work with transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) older adults should use the language preferred by the older adult; however, self-efficacy in this particular context is unexplored. The current study compared the efficacy of three online interventions for aging-focused professionals designed to increase knowledge of TGNC-related terminology, decrease self-reported negative attitudes towards TGNC individuals, and increase self-efficacy for affirmative interactions. Employees and volunteers of area agencies on aging across the United States (N = 155) were randomly assigned to one of three interventions: written educational information, a video demonstration, or both the written educational …

Neuroimaging And Cognitive Outcomes In Adults With Human Immunodeficiency Virus And Early Life Stress, Laurie M. Baker

Dissertations

Brain abnormalities persist in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) despite the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). To date, limited work has focused on the association between early life stress (ELS) and brain integrity in individuals with HIV, although ELS is highly prevalent in this population. The present study was conducted to determine whether ELS corresponds to the expression of persistent HIV–related neuroimaging abnormalities and cognitive dysfunction. A total of 130 HIV+ individuals on HAART and 76 HIV– individuals underwent 3T structural magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and neuropsychological assessment. Individuals were free of major psychiatric illness …

Birth Record Analysis Of Gestational Diabetes: Applications For Intervention Planning, Elizabeth L. Macquillan

Dissertations

Gestational diabetes (GDM) rates in the U.S. and in Michigan have increased over the past several decades, along with the increases in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and obesity. GDM is associated with adverse health outcomes for mothers and their offspring. Many current maternal-infant health (MIH) programs in Michigan do not target women with GDM. This study aims to assess state-level rates of GDM in pregnancy with a combination of statistical and spatial analyses using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the purpose of informing content and location of public health interventions.

Existing data from 2013 Michigan birth records (107,743 births) were …

Social Health Insurance And Maternal And Child Health Outcomes In Developing Countries: The Case Of Ghana, Ama Agyeiwaa Abrokwah

Dissertations

About 25% of all maternal deaths occur during pregnancy; 99% of these maternal deaths occur in developing countries and half of these occur in Sub-Saharan Africa (WHO 2015). Two of the eight Millennium Development Goals are to reduce infant mortality and improve maternal and child health outcomes. To improve health outcomes and reduce the financial burden on households, a number of developing countries, including Ghana, Botswana, and Croatia, have introduced social health insurance programs which are heavily subsidized. This dissertation is a collection of three essays evaluating how maternal and child health care-seeking behavior, utilization and outcomes changed as a …

Evaluating The Self-Efficacy Of Novice Educators In Nursing And Allied Health Care Programs As It Pertains To Faculty Development, Amanada Lea Doneski

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the self-efficacy of novice nursing and allied health educators as it pertains to their overall desire to enhance their knowledge of educational instruction. Many nursing and allied health faculty transition from clinical practice to teaching with little to no formalized knowledge in education (Cangelosi, 2014; Gresham-Anderson, 2015). Bandura’s (1977a) theory of social learning and self-efficacy was utilized as the theoretical framework for the study. This study was guided by four research questions used to investigate how the self-efficacy of nursing and allied health professionals changed as participants became more experienced educators, …

The Effects Of Religiosity On Parent-Adolescent Communication About Sex And Sexuality : A Multiple Regression, Marlon C. Robinson

Dissertations

Most studies on parental religiosity have focused on specific adolescent sexual behaviors (i.e. sexual initiation), family cohesion, greater supervision, and higher moral expectation while parent-adolescent communication about sexual matters remains understudied. The purpose of this study was to examine the relative influence of parent variables such as relation, education level, communication style (degree of openness, extent of problems), and religiosity (public, private) on sex communication and the age at which parents began conversations about sexual matters. A sample of 170 parents and caregivers from the Continental United States who had at least one adolescent 13-18 years old completed questions on …

Exploring Teacher’S Attitudes And Behaviors In Implementing Instructional Technology Into Curriculum, Letitia Walters

Dissertations

This program evaluation explored how effective integration of technology resources and systems with teacher training and curriculum development can occur despite teachers limited technology competencies. Theses competencies increase when teachers have desire and opportunities to become better acquainted with utilizing digital tools. Perceived technology integration skills of teachers solely, cannot predict the effective integration of technology in student products to address new learning (Ertmer, 2005). Technology integrated lesson plans, the relationship between teachers' beliefs and their use of various strategies to integrate technology and a model that teachers can use to guide them through the necessary changes they will need …

The Undergraduate In The “New Urban University”: Recognizing The Role Of Agency And Its Correlates In The Student’S Academic Life Story, Karen Galea

Dissertations

According to the U.S. Department of Education (2016), only 36% of first time college students enrolled at broad-access institutions graduate within six years, compared to 60% at all universities. The vital role of academic agency is universally accepted; however, debate remains over a shared definition. The purpose of this study is to determine which combination of non-academic attributes generate, grow, and support academic agency for undergraduate students at a broad-access, minority-serving “New Urban University.” Three questions are examined:

1. Which attributes define academic agency, and how do they relate to conceptually similar variables?
2. Assuming academic agency exists along a continuum over …

Spatial Analysis Of Time Between Two Consecutive Dental And Two Consecutive Well-Child Visits For Foster Care Youth, Chenyang Shi

Dissertations

Foster care youth is a medically vulnerable population. Poor dental health and irregular well-child visits may cause serious health-related issues, such as mental disorder, nutrition imbalance, tooth damage, etc. Michigan requires all youth in foster care to receive annual dental and well-child visits. Usually, the study of foster care well-child and dental visits include two parts: time between two consecutive visits (gap time) and number of visits. For this study, a longitudinal-spatial model that has the flexibility to analyze the well-child/dental gap times and number of visits was developed. The longitudinal data (2009-2012) on Michigan foster care youth from 10 …

Chemotypic Variation Of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds In Midwest Forest And Atmospheric Role Of Peroxyacyl Nitrates In Southeastern U.S., Shino Toma

Dissertations

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOC), including isoprene and terpenes, impact atmospheric processes such as production of tropospheric ozone, formation and growth of secondary organic aerosol (SOA), global climate change, and human health. Although estimated emission rates of total biogenic VOC exceed anthropogenic emissions, there are many challenges to direct measurements because they are very reactive with atmospheric oxidants and some are still difficult to detect by current analytical techniques. Therefore, high uncertainties lead to discrepancies between individual and total biogenic VOC budget with atmospheric oxidants and an underestimation of SOA formation.

White pine (Pinus strobus) was once a dominant species …

Structures Of Metallacarboranes And Coordination Complexes: Coordination Sensors Based On Rhodamine B And Quinolines, Agozie Nnaemeka Oyeamalu

Dissertations

Rhodamine-based ligands that can complex different metals has been designed and synthesized. Using Rhodamine B as starting material, we synthesized and characterized quinoline precursors as well as successfully carried out the oxidation of methyl and aldehyde groups on the quinoline ring, and on the hydroxyl moiety of the quinoline spirolactone ring. These turn-on/off rhodamine fluorescence probes sense Cr³⁺ and Ni²⁺ with high selectivity and sensitivity. These probes can be applied to detect other metal ions that are present in chemical, biological and environmental settings. They were designed to fluoresce when bonded to ions such as cyanide in detecting …

Discriminative And Reinforcing Effects Of Cocaine-Levamisole Combinations, Zachary J. Zimmermann

Dissertations

The behavioral and neurochemical effects of cocaine are well established, and it is one of the most widely abused illicit drugs. Illicit cocaine is often adulterated with levamisole, which is an anthelmintic that was withdrawn from the U. S. market in 2000. It has been hypothesized that levamisole, unlike other common adulterants which are added as simple bulking agents, has effects of its own which may be responsible for its use as an adulterant. Although these effects are speculative, the addition of levamisole to cocaine has become an increasing public health concern, as serious adverse effects (e.g., vasculitis, neutropenia) of …

Development Of Traditional And Rank-Based Algorithms For Linear Models With Autoregressive Errors And Multivariate Logistic Regression With Spatial Random Effects, Shaofeng Zhang

Dissertations

Linear models are the most commonly used statistical methods in many disciplines. One of the model assumptions is that the error terms (residuals) are independent and identically distributed. This assumption is often violated and autoregressive error terms are often encountered by researchers. The most popular technique to deal with linear models with autoregressive errors is perhaps the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA). Another common approach is generalized least squares, such as Cochrane-Orcutt estimation and Prais-Winsten estimation. However, these usually have poor behaviors when fitting small samples. To address this problem, a double bootstrap method was proposed by McKnight et al. …

A Meta-Analysis Of Energy Savings From Lighting Programs In Michigan, Teryila Ephraim Amough

Dissertations

In order to fill the gap in aggregates savings, the challenges faced by electric utilities for the demand of lighting energy are addressed by lighting efficiency programs. The shrinking capacity and electrical grid reliability call for improved ways to evaluate energy saving programs with evaluation methods that are robust in determining the impact of lighting programs. This study employed meta-analysis as an evaluation method to determine energy savings, impact, emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), pollutants, and health effects from lighting programs in Michigan. The findings of the study showed the programs impact in Hedges’ g of 0.36 for the overall …