Digital Commons Network^™

Promoting Healthy Family Transition And Support In Somali Refugee Parents: Outcomes Of A Community-Based Program, Vanja Pejic

Dissertations

Refugee families encounter significant acculturative and resettlement stressors as they attempt to rebuild their lives in the host country. These stressors are exacerbated by histories of trauma, violence, and loss making them highly vulnerable to psychological distress. The Somali Parent Program was a culturally specific, 8-week parent program designed to empower mothers to increase their family resilience by engaging in cultural and social exchange, adapting their parenting strategies to their host country, and learning about community resources. Ten Somali refugee mothers were recruited to participate in weekly 2-hour sessions that incorporated a psycho-educational lesson, an experiential activity, and a closing …

Narrating Transitions: Experiences Of Individuals And Couples Regarding Relocation Into Assisted Living Communities, John Scott Branson

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the experiences of older adults regarding the process of transitioning into assisted living facilities. A constructivist epistemology, narrative methodology, purposeful sampling, and dialogic performance analysis were used to generate the final representations. Data for the study were collected through transcribed video and audio-recorded interviews, member checks, and researcher journals. Data analysis involved recursive movement between written transcripts, video recordings, researcher journals, and cultural contexts. The initial outcome of this this study was a written narrative that interweaves data analysis with narratives of gaining access, sampling, conducting interviews, and member checking. …

Exploration Of Intergenerational Ambivalence, Parenting Practices, And The Impact On Grandparenthood Dimensions, Janae Raquel Sones

Dissertations

Changing population demographics have important implications for intergenerational relationships. While research abounds on certain family relationships, less attention has been given to the relationship between an aging parent and her or his adult child. Two theoretical constructs that have consistently been useful for examining these relationships include intergenerational ambivalence (IGA) and, to a lesser degree, dimensions of grandparenthood. Thus, the purpose of this study was to suggest new measurement strategies for these constructs, expand on the correlates of IGA and a grandparent’s perceived ambivalence regarding her or his adult child’s parenting practices, and bring new perspectives to the experience of …

Effects Of Exercise Training On Physiological And Psychological Measurements Of Cancer-Related Fatigue, Trista Manikowske

Dissertations

While exploring the differences in psychological and physiological fatigue among cancer survivors is not completely novel, the relationship between muscle function and perceptions of fatigue in cancer survivors remains mechanistically unclear. Furthermore, the effect of exercise on objectively measured muscular fatigue has yet to be studied in cancer patients. PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between subjective self-reported psychological fatigue measures and objectively-measured muscular fatigue in cancer survivors following a 24-week exercise intervention. METHODS: Cancer survivors were asked to complete two measures of fatigue prior to and following 12 and 24 weeks of an exercise intervention. Participants completed the revised Piper …

Examining The Influence Of Modified Tennis Equipment On Young Players’ Enjoyment, Perceived Competence, And Intention To Participate In Tennis In The State Of Kuwait, Abdullah Akbar

Dissertations

Children’s sport needs to be designed in ways that is developmentally-appropriate to maximize the possibilities that participants will have positive experiences that will result in sustained interest and motivation. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to compare the impact of playing with modified or traditional tennis equipment on children’s perceptions of enjoyment, perceived competence, and intentions to continue participation in the sport of tennis in the State of Kuwait. Focus group interviews were used to understand children’s perceptions of their tennis experiences through the utilization of the modified and traditional tennis equipment. The quality of children’s skill acquisition was …

Readiness Of Counselor Education And Supervision To Provide Master's-Level Suicide Training, Jenny L. Cureton

Dissertations

The Counselor Education and Supervision field serves to prepare counselors-in-training to practice counseling. The Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs includes suicide training in its standards for accredited counseling programs (2009, 2015). Counselor educators and supervisors have an obligation to use the latest knowledge in the counseling profession and their professional competence to provide counselor training on ethical practice (American Counseling Association, 2014) including suicide-related counseling situations. The Counselor Education and Supervision field needs to change master’s-level suicide training. The field’s previous master’s-level suicide training appears lacking. Recent developments impact the field and master’s-level suicide training, …

Attachment Styles And The Interpersonal Psychological Theory Of Suicide: An Examination Of Interrelationships, Jason A. Kacmarski

Dissertations

As suicide rates have increased over the past decade, it has become increasingly important for researchers and clinicians to develop a better understanding of the factors that may influence suicide-related behavior. The present study investigated the interrelationships between attachment styles, constructs of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide, and self-reported suicide risk among a sample of undergraduate college students (N = 435). Structural equation modeling was utilized in order to develop a well-fitting model based on collected data. Results showed that attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were positively associated with higher levels of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, but not the …

First Person Perceptions On Intelligence, Cognition, And Sensory Processing In Autism, Marlo Payne Thurman

Dissertations

In this study, beginning with a comprehensive review of the evidence-based literature, I employed a qualitative, grounded theory methodology, interpreted within Social Constructivism to explore the perceptions of 17 adults with autism spectrum disorders for their thoughts on the topics of intelligence, cognition, and sensory processing. Using a three-stage coding procedure, I arrived at 52 initial categories that narrowed and condensed into one foundational category and five primary categories supported by a number of secondary categories. Then, using the five categories of sensory, focus, memory, cognitive, and social, I arrived at a Theory of Sensory-Cognitive Difference that I believe to …

Evaluation Of The Phase Training Model Of Cancer Rehabilitation, Jessica Marlene Brown

Dissertations

Exercise is a well-established method of alleviating cancer-related toxicities during and following treatment in cancer survivors. Due to this clear evidence, exercise-based rehabilitation programs have begun to emerge. Of concern, specific recommendations of exercise prescription for patients at different time points on the cancer continuum have not been developed, and available guidelines are broad and unclear. The Phase Training Model of cancer rehabilitation was created to address this issue and replace our previously used method of exercise-based prescription and intervention. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of the Phase Training Model on cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength (MS), and cancer-related fatigue (CRF) …

Latino Students: On Dropping Out And Reentering School, Shawn Rios

Dissertations

While research exists that examines the underlying factors related to Latino underachievement, the research on reengaging Latino students who previously dropped out is lacking. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the phenomenon of dropout and reentry of Latino students. It also highlighted underlying factors that affected their achievement. The overarching research question was, “According to participants, what factors contribute to Latino student reentry in school after dropping out?” This study was conducted in a rural resort Rocky Mountain region. Nine participants were from alternative high schools and one from a traditional school. To meet the selection criteria, participants had to have …

Barefoot Vs. Shod: Effects Of Trunk Loading And Body Mass Index On Walking Mechanics, Kevin D. Dames

Dissertations

In this dissertation, the impacts of increased mass and footwear on walking mechanics and energetics were investigated. In the first study, non-obese individuals were asked to walk on a treadmill with added load to the trunk (~15% of body mass) and with and without shoes. Metabolic costs of walking increased ~12% with added load, but walking barefoot did not significantly change metabolic costs. Trunk loading increased knee and hip range of motion but failed to alter spatiotemporal measures. In study 2, non-obese individuals were asked to complete the same tasks, but this time they walked overground instead of on a …

The Influence Of Attachment And Career Calling On Career Decision Self-Efficacy, College Adjustment, And Life Satisfaction In Undergraduate Students, Dylan Firsick

Dissertations

Emphasizing purpose and meaning in work, career calling has experienced substantial growth in vocational research among college students due to beneficial effects on academic and life satisfaction. Application of vocational theory is needed and this study investigated calling from an integrated social cognitive career theory (SCCT) and attachment theory perspective. Using structural equation modeling in a sample of 433 students, competing theoretical models were tested. The alternative model best fit the data, finding anxious and avoidant attachment to have direct negative effects on career decision self-efficacy (CDSE), and college adjustment, and indirect negative effects on life satisfaction. Avoidant, but not …

Postsecondary Education For International Undergradute Students With Learning Disabilities In The United States, Reem Alabdulwahab

Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine the experiences of international undergraduate students who are identified with learning disabilities and enrolled in universities in the United States. There is a dearth of studies investigating the unique needs and challenges of this population. This is the first study to explore the phenomenon of international undergraduate students with learning disabilities that identified the challenges related to supporting their unique needs. This study was conducted through the use of qualitative data collection and analysis methods that included in-depth interviews and review of documents. Study participants consisted of five professionals working in the …

Mind The Gap: Examination Of Elementary Students' Individual Education Program Goals, Shehana Alqafari

Dissertations

The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed-method study was to gain an indepth understanding of the processes that special education teachers used to determine reading goals for students with learning disabilities in elementary school. The first phase consisted of a quantitative investigation into existing Individual Education Program (IEP) reading goals for elementary school students with learning disabilities while the second phase consisted of a qualitative investigation involving interviews with special education teachers to explain the findings from the quantitative data analysis. The quantitative analysis included 44 IEP reading goals and the qualitative analysis, conducted through interviews, with four special education …

Oxytocin: Biomarker Of Affiliation And Neurodevelopment In Premature Infants, Ashley Marie Weber

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to 1) describe oxytocin levels in plasma, urine, and saliva in premature infants through 34 weeks gestation and 2) determine if oxytocin levels vary with maternal-infant interaction, neurobehavioral organization, and infant stress exposure. Thirty-seven premature infants, born gestational ages 25-28 6/7 weeks, were longitudinally followed until 36 weeks gestation. Plasma and urine samples were collected at 14 days of life, then weekly until 34 weeks. Data on infant and environmental variables were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Infant social engagement behaviors was measured by the Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment, during a videotaped feeding …

Essays On Portfolio Choice And Risk Management, Yi-Chin Hsin

Dissertations

Globalization increases the access to financial markets and provides expanding opportunities for investors to diversify internationally. As suggested by the Modern Portfolio Theory (Markowiz, 1952), rational investors should use one of the following two strategies to achieve portfolio diversification: (1) Investing in asset classes thought to have low correlations or (2) increasing the sizes of their portfolios in multiple markets. In the early 1970s, diversification was referred to as the “free lunch” in investment. However, French and Poterba (1991) show that investors still tend to hold a disproportionate part of domestic equities in their portfolios. This phenomenon is called “the …

The Implementation Of Systematic Promotion And Retention Procedures And Its Impact On District-Wide Practices In Elementary Schools, Roger Anthony Le Blanc

Dissertations

Student retention has been consequential to students through an assortment of disparaging labels derived from the retention process. It served to marginalize the academic status of those students considered for retention through such practices as ability tracking, inferior labeling, and other discriminatory measures, as they moved through their respective academic journeys. And while both research current to the time of this writing and past research continued to be overwhelming in its stance that such policies and procedures were filled with negative unintended consequences, there was still little or no effort to abate such practices (Allensworth, 2004). This research explored whether …

Promoting And Selecting Culturally Relevant Teaching Materials And Pedagogy In Our Schools, Ebony R. Davis

Dissertations

In the twenty-first century, African American males continue to be negatively defined in society, in the media, and by educators. These males face many challenges in their educational careers. Hence, this study explored two African American male students and their perception of contributing factors that motivate them to succeed academically. The study was also focused on their perceptions of their relationship with key influencers that help them to succeed academically. The study consisted of an analysis of their perception about teacher quality, student behavior, and parental involvement. In fact, study results showed how these African American male students maintain a …

Piloting A Screening Tool For Eating And Eating-Related Behavior, Michael N. Reynolds

Dissertations

Obesity is a common medical condition associated with negative health and social outcomes. Obesity has a primary malleable behavioral cause, eating more calories than are metabolized. While metabolic rate is malleable with exercise, eating can more quickly add calories than exercising can subtract them. In the past, behavioral weight-loss treatment studies relied on multi-component package interventions that have shown reliable patterns of participant weight-loss during treatment and weight-regain in follow-up. Those findings could be conceptualized as an ABA withdrawal design, eating behavior returns to baseline after the prosthetic contingencies of the treatment study are withdrawn. We must develop ways to …

The Rwandan Diaspora In Canada And The United States: Reconciliation And Justice, Jennifer J. Marson

Dissertations

This dissertation analyzed the attempts at achieving justice and reconciliation among the Rwandan diaspora located in Canada and the United States. Following the 1994 Rwandan genocide, many Rwandans fled and a modest diaspora found a home in various locations throughout Canada and the United States. The diaspora, located thousands of miles from the institutional mechanism of justice and reconciliation in Rwanda, are subject to many of the same concerns regarding justice and reconciliation as those who remain in Rwanda. This research focused primarily on how this specific diaspora attempted to achieve justice and reconciliation, if institutional mechanisms (gacaca) in Rwanda …

A Transdiagnostic Approach To Emotion Regulation: The Development And Validation Of Two Scales Of Emotion Regulation, Lauren M. Borges

Dissertations

To address limitations of existing emotion regulation measures, the goal of the present study was to develop new measures of emotion undercontrol and emotion overcontrol. These measures were created from 305 undergraduate participants who completed preexisting scales of emotion regulation. Analyses were applied to determine which regulatory strategies were most predictive of personality disorders associated with emotion overcontrol (i.e., AVPD and OCPD) and emotion undercontrol (i.e., BPD and ASPD). The variables most predictive of these disorders and related traits were included in the item pools for factor analysis. Exploratory factor analyses were implemented to determine which factors were associated with …

Examining Teachers' Perceptions Of The United States Social Class System, Tracy M. Stevenson-Olson

Dissertations

As the number of school aged children living in poverty increases, the inherent inequities within the United States class system continue to grow. Teacher perceptions regarding the United States social class system are examined through focus group interviews with four teachers in an urban high school. A critical qualitative methodology was used to explore how the participants make sense of the complex social class system and how they perceive the impact of social class within the school context. The findings include two overarching themes that influenced these teachers’ perceptions and interpretations of social class; their own personal narrative /identity construction …

A First-Year Implementation Of Mindquest21, A Project-Based Paradigm Shift To Deeper Learning: A Program Evaluation, Deborah R. Esparza

Dissertations

This program evaluation examines MindQuest21, a project-based learning (PBL) model that was implemented in a Chicago, Illinois suburban community. It began with a summer institute experience with a group of approximately seventy teachers in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. These teachers volunteered to attend a four-day MindQuest21 professional development seminar where they actively participated in a facilitated PBL model of instruction and collaborated on the development of PBL units within their district. A pre-post survey was used to compare teacher confidence increases and PBL understanding after the summer institute. This was followed by teacher interviews, follow-up sessions, classroom visits, and …

The Influence Of Racial Socialization On The Academic Achievement Of Black College Students, Vanessa R. Laurent

Dissertations

Black college students continue to have difficulties reaching academic success in various domains; however, understanding the nature of how academic success is cultivated by Black college students is vital for counselors, educators, and university administrators. The objective of the study was to understand how racial socialization influenced academic success. Research suggests that racial socialization contributes to positive long-term outcomes among African Americans and may be connected to academic achievement (Bowman & Howard, 1985; Boykin & Tom, 1985; Davis & Stevenson, 2006; Neblett, Terzian, & Harriott, 2010; Stevenson, 1994, 1995). Participants were 349 Black college students from a predominately White institution …

N-Terminal Domains Of Copper Atpases In Plasmodium Falciparum, Dictyostelium Dicsoideum, Human Atp7b And A Chimera Of Atox1 With Metal Binding Domain Four Of Atp7b, Javan Kilango Kisaka

Dissertations

Copper transporting ATPases (Cu-ATPases) are essential for mediating copper uptake, maintaining cellular copper levels and prevention of accumulation of toxic copper. The most studied copper ATPases are the Menkes and Wilson proteins in eukaryotes, CopA and CopB found in bacteria. The precise interaction of the metal binding domains with their copper donor, the association of each metal binding domain within the N-terminal portion of the protein, how they communicate with each other, and the eventual metal ion translocation across the membrane, is little known. The variation in number of the cytosolic metal binding domains may also offer clues on the …

Flexographic Printing Of Conductive Silver Inks Onto Pdms: Surface Treatment And Novel Processes For Creating Printed Electronic Devices, Michael James Joyce

Dissertations

For the continued advancement of the field of printed electronic (PE), there is a need for a better understanding of the interactions between functional inks and substrates, which is required to optimize printability, mechanical, and functional properties for the creation of more robust and efficient printed devices. This body of work aims to advance the knowledge of the material properties of poly-di-methyl-siloxane, PDMS, films, their interactions with flexo inks, and their flexographic printability. As the printing of metals (i.e., Ag & Au) is a known area of interest pertaining to PE, this work focused on the characterization and optimization of …

Work Stress: A Review, Analysis, And Extension Of The Job Demands-Control (-Support) Model, Marcus J. Fila

Dissertations

Occupational stress and health literature is devoted to understanding and predicting the phenomenon of stress in the workplace, given its costly implications to individual and organizational health and well-being. The job demands-control (-support) (JDC(S)) model has been highly influential in occupational stress and health literature for over 37 years, and has been the theoretical foundation of more empirical studies than any other work stress model. To date, over three-hundred published studies have examined relationships between various forms of demands, control over work, and support on numerous physical and psychological strains. However, several issues concerning the model have yet to be …

Four Year Old Kindergarten Should Not Be Optional, But A Necessary Program For Low Performing School Districts, Edward Todd Beadle

Dissertations

The Wisconsin Engaging Early Education (WEEE) Policy outlines a school readiness funding intitative that can help to close the achievement gap in underperforming school districts. Research has shown that students from lower social economic status do not have the same access to high quality early education compared to more affluent communities. The WEEE Policy will help to provide resources and structure to Wisconsin school districts in need of improvement and support Wisconsin's goal of closing the achievement gap.

Systematic Implementation Of Full-Day Kindergarten In A Large Suburban School District: A Change Leadership Plan, Brad Edward Carter Mr

Dissertations

The purpose of this change plan document is to provide a rationale and structure for shifting from half- to full-day kindergarten. Patricia Clark’s (2009) synthesis of multiple research studies on full-day kindergarten outlines the reoccurring findings that implementation of full-day kindergarten prevents long term academic struggles for students. Closing the achievement gaps when at its smallest, which is early in the educational career of a student, ensures long term academic, social, and emotional success.

The Effectiveness Of Juvenile Boot Camps And Their Impact On Minority Youth, Gregory Tyrone Williams

Dissertations

The proposal examines the effectiveness of juvenile boot camps and their impact on minority youth by examining literature and by extensive research using mixed methods of two separate programs in Wisconsin. In-depth interviews were conducted, and surveys were administered to staff and boot camp participants. Based on the analysis of the data, generally, participants reported positive short-term changes in attitudes and behaviors; they also had better problem solving and coping skills.

The Challenge Academy responds to the demands of this proposal and fiscally demonstrates that it is a good Return on Investment (ROI) offering a more inclusive program of character …