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Analyzing The Change And Development Of Simulation Self-Efficacy Among Practical Nursing Students, Moulay Abdelkarim Moukrime

Dissertations

The goal of this dissertation was to contribute to research on practical nursing students’ self-efficacy and the sources that build self-efficacy including mastery experience, vicarious learning, social persuasion, and physiological and affective states (Bandura, 1986). Specifically, the focus in this study was on students’ self-efficacy change and development through the measurement of students’ confidence in ability to engage in medical surgical simulations during the last semester of a practical nursing program. The results of this study revealed perceived self-efficacy did not change, but participants indicated an overall strong sense of efficacy to engage in medical surgical simulations. Additionally, students relied …

Mathematicians' Evolving Personal Arguments: Ideas That Move Proof Constructions Forward, Melissa Louise Troudt

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Simulation Anxiety And Learning Styles, Karyl Lujean Yockey

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Stress, Anxiety, And Coping In A Live Supervised Individual Counseling Practicum: A Grounded Theory, Ernest George Zullo Iii

Dissertations

This study represents the initial attempt to create an emergent theory of how counseling students cope with the stress and anxiety inherent in a live supervised individual practicum from CACREP accredited training programs. This research followed the qualitative research traditions surrounding emergent theory creation and involved nine participant masters’ students throughout the entire practicum semester. This study found 16 themes separated into three categories. Sources of anxiety: (a) anticipatory anxiety and fear, (b) meeting obligations outside of practicum, (c) interpersonal conflicts, (d) the live supervision environment, and (e) feedback. Modifiers and influencers of stress and anxiety: (a) practicum social environment, …

Sexuality Workplace Issues Among Direct Service Personnel Working With Populations Who Are Intellectually Disabled In Community Integrated Living Arrangements: A Case Study, Anita Sego

Dissertations

TITLE: SEXUALITY WORKPLACE ISSUES AMONG DIRECT SERVICE PERSONNEL WORKING WITH POPULATIONS WHO ARE INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED IN COMMUNITY INTEGRATED LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: A CASE STUDY MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Roberta Ogletree Background: The purpose of this study was to explore DSP workplace experiences, preparation, employee training, emotions, and perceptions in regards to types of sexual and affectionate behaviors exhibited by intellectually disabled adults in their care in the CILA setting. The study focused on analyzing these topics in relation to sexuality/affectionate behaviors experienced in the CILA workplace using a qualitative case study method. This analysis provided an understanding of what ideas and values …

Assessing Biogeochemical Impacts And Environmental Conditions Associated With Cross-Shelf High Chlorophyll Plumes In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Erin Brooke Jones

Dissertations

The northern Gulf of Mexico is a complex marine system subject to episodic physical phenomena such as loop current eddies. Flow fields generated by these eddies can result in cross-shelf exchanges between riverine influenced shelf waters and the offshore water column. This study considers the impacts of high chlorophyll plumes (HCPs) resulting from cross-shelf exchanges to the bio-optical properties of affected waters and how these plumes are influenced by their environment. The seasonal, interannual and decadal chlorophyll cycles of the Gulf of Mexico and the northern Gulf of Mexico are described to provide context for evaluating the ecological effects of …

School Connectedness And Racial-Ethnic Identity Among Alaska Native Students: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study, Robert J. Picou

Dissertations

This study was conducted from a theoretical foundation of Feagin’s (2010) racial framing and Brayboy’s (2005) tribal critical race theory. The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of school connectedness as those perceptions relate to racial-ethnic identity among Alaska Native students in a large, predominately White school district. A quantitative phase in which School Climate and Connectedness Survey data were used to evaluate perceptions of school connectedness was followed up by a qualitative phase in which two focus group interviews were conducted to evaluate the degree to which Alaska Native students attributed their perceptions of school connectedness to …

Regulation Of Vancomycin Resistance And Stress Response By The Msaabcr Operon In Staphylococcus Aureus, Dhritiman Samanta

Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is the predominant cause of public health problems around the world. Vancomycin has been an important antibiotic against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. However, Vancomycin Intermediate S. aureus (VISA) strains have been reported. These strains are characterized by thick cell walls, reduced autolytic rate, reduced PBP4 activity, and increased amount of D-Ala-D-Ala termini in the cell wall. In this study, we show that the msaABCR operon regulates vancomycin resistance in two clinical VISA strains. Deletion of the msaABCR operon in strains Mu50 and HIP6297 resulted in a significant decrease in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for vancomycin. …

Unique And Combined Contributions Of Callous-Unemotional Traits And Parental Incarceration On Juvenile Delinquency In An At-Risk Sample, Lacey Loy Herrington

Dissertations

The current study examined the interrelations among callous-unemotional (CU) traits, a history of parental incarceration, and juvenile delinquency. More specifically, although research suggests that both CU traits and parental incarceration are predictors of juvenile delinquent behaviors, their interaction in influencing such behaviors had yet to be investigated. Two-hundred thirteen (213) adolescents (201 males, 12 females) who were enlisted in a residential program designed for adolescents that dropped out of school participated in this study. Participants ranged in age from 16 to 19 (M = 16.92; SD = .77). Higher levels of overall CU traits reported by the adolescent significantly …

The Relationship Between Professional Preparedness And Long Term Teacher Retention, Deborah Ann Smith

Dissertations

In an effort to identify relationships between certain demographic variables (i.e. age, years of experience, type of certification) and long-term retention, a group of public school teachers from a South-Central district of Mississippi were surveyed and asked to provide both demographic and opinion data that was compared to their response to a question asking how long they expected to remain in the teaching profession.

One purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a relationship between certain demographic factors and the amount of time teachers spend in the profession. Another purpose of this study was to examine the …

Coping, Hardiness, And Parental Stress In Parents Of Children Diagnosed With Cancer, Kathryn Lynch Bigalke

Dissertations

Previous research has demonstrated a significant increase in stress for parents with a child in active cancer treatment. As the number of children diagnosed with cancer continues to rise, there has been a call to identify factors that may contribute to positive outcomes in these families (e.g., Sloper, 2000; Streisand, Kazak, & Tercyak, 2003). Certain effective coping strategies, particularly related to more problem-focused forms of coping and hardiness, appear to be negatively related to parental stress. However, little is known about how these strategies may impact parental stress in families of children in active cancer treatment. The current study assessed …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Use Of School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports At Reducing The Presence Of Bullying In Middle Schools, Kristine Marie Harper

Dissertations

Each day students throughout the world are exposed to bullying in many different ways and on many different occasions. Bullying has received such a great amount of attention through the media, that it leaves parents and community members with the belief that bullying has become a bigger problem today than it ever has before Austin, Reynolds, & Barnes, 2012; Carrera, DePalma, & Lameiras, 2011; Packman et al., 2005; Rigby & Smith, 2011). Nearly every state in the nation has passed laws regarding bullying and increasing the responsibility of schools and districts to implement programs to prevent and/or address bullying on …

Cybervictimization As A Predictor Of Aggression And Cyberbullying Among Adolescents: Examination Of Potential Risk And Protective Factors, Laura Ashley Cook

Dissertations

The current study examined how cybervictimization is related to aggression outcomes among adolescents. The current study also examined various potential risk and protective factors, including depressive symptoms, anger rumination, impulsivity, social support, and gender. It was hypothesized that the relation between cybervictimization and aggression or cyberbullying would be intensified when levels of depressive symptoms, impulsivity, and anger rumination were higher and that the relation between cybervictimization and aggression or cyberbullying would be attenuated when levels of social support were higher. Gender was examined as a research question, with no specific directionality hypothesized. The data for the current study were collected …

Predictors Of Binge Eating In College Women, Emily E. Prather

Dissertations

Binge eating has received increased attention in the psychological literature, as the health consequences are becoming increasingly well known. The prevalence of subclinical binge eating (i.e., binge eating that is not associated with a diagnosable eating disorder) is elevated among college women, some of whom will go on to develop more serious problems. Thus, improved understanding of subclinical binge eating in this population can help to inform prevention and intervention strategies.

In a sample of 472 college women this study evaluated the relationships among four theoretically relevant factors hypothesized to predict binge eating: trait anger, anger suppression, impulsivity, and emotion …

Special Education Teachers' Knowledge Of The Discipline Section Of The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Of 2004 As It Relates To Functional Behavioral Assessment And Behavior Intervention Plans, Tricia Michelle Cox

Dissertations

This study explored the overall special education teachers’ knowledge of the discipline section of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) as it relates to Functional Behavioral Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans. The variables associated with this research included the special education teachers’ route of certification, level of education, years or experience, and the type, quality, and time of training associated with Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans. The participants were special education teachers in the state of Mississippi. The research revealed no significant differences or relationships between any of the variables identified above. However, even though the study …

Medication Non-Adherence In Community Dwelling Older Adults With Dementia: An Educational Intervention For Family Caregivers, Nika Renee George

Dissertations

Older adults with neurocognitive disorders are at high risk for medication non-adherence, while being vulnerable to great injury from regimen deviations. Informal caregivers often aid in healthcare management for these individuals. The current study compared the efficacy of two online health education interventions designed to increase caregiver health related knowledge for use with care recipients. Women (N=35) assisting a cognitively impaired older person with medications were randomly assigned to one of two online health education conditions (1) written materials and narrative vignettes depicting actors encountering common medication challenges or (2) written materials and didactic video clips of information from medical …

A Nation Divided: Assessing The Regional Effects Of Institutions, Social Capital, And Civic Culture On Tax Morale In Italy, John William D'Attoma

Dissertations

Using the 2004 Bank of Italy Survey of Household Wealth and Income, I undertake a comparative study assessing the regional effects of social capital and political culture on tax morale in Italy. I demonstrate that Southern Italy is significantly different than Northern Italy with regards to tax morale, and that social capital and civic culture positively affect tax morale. To compliment the Bank of Italy survey, I use controlled laboratory tax compliance experiments and a Social Value Orientation task to test if Southern Italians are consistently different than Northern Italians with regards to their tax compliance even when presented with …

Decision Making And Association In Hoarding, Brianna Dora Mann

Dissertations

Hoarding is a serious and debilitating disorder that has a chronic course, is difficult to treat, and has a high treatment dropout rate. The most notable feature of hoarding is excessive clutter, which is driven by excessive acquiring of objects and difficulty discarding them. Two little researched factors that appear to be particularly central in contributing to acquiring and difficulty discarding are decision-making deficits and association. This study examined decision making and association, using self-report measures, a computerized decision-making task, and an association task, in a sample of 62 participants, consisting of 39 hoarders and 23 non-hoarding controls. These individuals …

Neural Correlates Of Rumination In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Before And After Cognitive Processing Therapy, Katherine Ruth Buchholz

Dissertations

The utilization of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques to examine biomarkers and neural activity patterns related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has provided a way to investigate mechanisms that underlie the development, maintenance, and recovery from PTSD. Studying the neural correlates of individual differences related to transdiagnostic factors has the potential to provide clinically relevant information beyond that of diagnostic categories. Rumination is one such factor. Rumination, defined as repetitive, negative, self-focused thinking is considered to be a transdiagnostic factor that is associated with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. In individuals with PTSD, rumination serves as a cognitive avoidance factor …

The Relationship Between Hope And Career Decision Readiness In Adolescents With Emotional Disturbances Or Behavior Disorders In An Alternative School Setting, Joseph Sonis Pangelinan

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between hope and career development in students with emotional disturbances or behavior disorders who were attending an alternative middle and high school. Additionally, this researcher wanted to see if students’ participation in career counseling had an interactive effect. A total of 65 male and female middle and high school students were recruited to complete the Hope Scale, Children’s Hope Scale, My Vocational Situation, and a demographic information sheet. The data analysis included calculations with Pearson’s Correlational Coefficient, regression, and t-tests. Significant relationship was found between hope and career development. Statistical …

A Descriptive Study Of The Formation And Structure Of Behavioral Intervention Teams At Colleges And Universities, Alicia C. Golston

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of A Head Coaching Change On Intercollegiate Student-Athletes, Stacey A. Forsythe

Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to discover the impacts on intercollegiate student-athletes subsequent to a head coaching change. One research question guided this study: What is the impact of a head coaching change on intercollegiate student-athletes? This qualitative study utilized eight case study interviews in order to achieve a rich description of the phenomenon of a head coaching change in one mid-major NCAA Division 1 institution in the Southeast. Using inductive analysis and the constant comparative method, three emergent themes were identified: (1) Student-athletes seem to accept head coaching changes, (2) Head coaches are essential to team success, …

The Perfect Formula: Benchmarks That Best Predict Retention In Selective Admissions Programs, Nadine Joy Menser

Dissertations

This study ascertained the admissions criteria utilized by Radiography programs with high graduation rates and determined whether a relationship exists between admissions criteria and graduation rates. With the high demands for healthcare professionals, preserving the number of students accepted into a cohort throughout the two-year program can be an overwhelming task. These programs should make every effort to admit and graduate those who meet the needs of the public, needs both diverse and subject to change. Radiography program directors and admissions committees are considered the “gatekeepers” of the profession. Yearly, more candidates apply than seats available. Therefore, the directors and …

The Effect Of A Student Success Seminar On Student Retention At A Regional University, Cindy L. Clemson

Dissertations

With approximately half of all students who enter colleges and universities graduating, the problem of student attrition continues to challenge higher education officials. Decades of research studies have been completed on the causes of student persistence and retention, but significant changes have not occurred to increase those numbers. This study attempted to integrate current research with a practical application to increase retention of first-year students. A first-year seminar, known as a student success seminar, was created at the university to teach advanced academic behaviors to incoming freshmen. This study involved a program evaluation of the new seminar as the independent …

A Study Of The Perceptions Of First-Year Trio Student Support Service Participants, Raquel Annette Morrow

Dissertations

This qualitative study was designed to investigate the perceptions of participants in the TRIO Student Support Service (SSS) program, a government-funded student retention program for first-generation college students, low-income students, and students with disabilities. There was little research on the perceptions of students who represent the target population in this government-funded program. Tinto’s (2012b) model of student departure was used to interpret the findings. The study was guided by three research questions used to investigate possible barriers or benefits to the participants while attending the university, and also asked participants for suggestions to improve the TRIO SSS program. Interviews with …

The Factors Affecting The Retention Of Adult Basic Education Teachers In Kentucky, Alma K. Combs

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that affect retention of adult basic education teachers in Kentucky. This qualitative study utilized data from interviews conducted with former or retired adult basic education teachers in Kentucky. Vrooms expectancy theory was examined as the theoretical framework to review the outcomes and their relationship to this theory. Results from this investigation determined several significant findings, with low salary being the main determining factor that affects retention of adult basic education teachers in Kentucky. There are additional factors that affect retention of adult basic education teachers in Kentucky such as: (1) …

The Branch Campus Contribution To The Mission Of The Main Campus In Kentucky, Caroline L. Atkins

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of branch campuses on the mission of their main campuses in Kentucky. An online survey and key informant interviews were conducted with administrators. Both research methods identified strategies to minimize the impact of institutional, situational, and dispositional barriers (Cross, 1981) that impede the successful academic and social integration (Tinto, 1975; 1993) of nontraditional students who frequent these campuses. In addition, institutional research offices provided student enrollment and credit-hour production data for analysis by site. The study classified demographic information on administrators, including gender, full- or part-time capacity, administrative title, and …

The Impact Of Trio Student Support Services At A Midwestern Institution, Tajuan Rakeem Wilson

Dissertations

First-generation, low-income, and disabled college students are an increasing population (Tinto, 2012). TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is an academic support program funded by the U.S. Department of Education that seeks to support this demographic to overcome challenges and thrive while in college (Coffman, 2011). Utilizing a mixed methods approach, the goal of this study was to examine the student success outcomes of retention and grade point average of TRIO SSS students compared to students who are similarly qualified but not being served by TRIO SSS at a Midwestern, large, public, four-year institution. In addition, TRIO SSS seniors were interviewed …

Exploring How Older Adults Who Qualify For The Association On Aging With Developmental Disabilities (Aadd) Programs And Services Learn To Successfully Age In Place, Tina Grosso

Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the ways in which older adults with developmental disabilities (DD) learn to successfully age in place. As more persons with DD reach old age and outlive their natural caretakers, such as parents, it is becoming apparent that there are a multitude of age-related challenges and educational needs that must be addressed. However, information pertaining to the unique learning needs of older adults with DD is scarce. Andragogy (the art and science of teaching adults) and geragogy (teaching the elderly) provided the theoretical frameworks for this study. The main research question in this study was: How …

A Day Without Laughter Is A Day Wasted? The Relationship Between Different Types Of Humor And Different Educational Outcomes, Moshe Machlev

Dissertations

No abstract provided.