Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Relationship Between Adventist Hospital Board Chair Leadership Behaviors And Effectiveness, Anthony M. Stahl

Dissertations

Problem and Purpose. There is a lack of empirical research regarding the leadership behaviors that predict an effective community hospital board chair. Researchers indicate that an effective organization normally has a well-led board. However, the chair role has been largely neglected in the research of board functions and operations. With many hospitals facing reorganization or closing, it is important to understand and identify effective chair behaviors. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between hospital chair leadership behaviors and effectiveness, and the relationship of effective chairs to effective hospitals.

Method. This study used an ex post …

Actions, Practices, And Workplace Conditions That Characterize High-Engagement Workgroups In A Hospital Environment, Barbette Weimer-Elder

Dissertations

In the United States a large number of people are not engaged at work. The lack of engagement affects the service outcomes as well as financial bottom line of organizations. The cost of actively disengaged employees in the U.S. is about $300 billion a year. Research cites the importance of examining business units that scored high on employee engagement to learn about actions and practices that drive business outcomes.

Between 2005-2010 The Community Hospital (TCH), part of a Healthcare Corporation in Valley Town, USA (pseudonym), assessed employee engagement using Gallup’s Q12 survey. Some groups scored in the top quartile and …

Creating Political Leaders: Lawyer Stories About Transitioning Into Political Office In Canada, Ralph A. Chatoor

Dissertations

Problem. Sustaining healthy democracies requires citizens to successfully transition from civilian life into political leadership positions. Despite the need for this transition to take place, little is known about the transition. Globally, lawyers are the most represented professional group inpolitics, therefore, a study of their transition acts as a good starting point in understanding the process. This study used the Nicholson Transition Cycle (NTC) to explore the transition of 65 lawyers into Canadian politics.

Method. An exploratory multiple case study approach was used to gather data from face-to-face interviews, phone interviews, public archives, email, and websites. Interviews were transcribed, coded, …

The Role Of Religious Orientation And Ethnic Identity On Religious Coping Among Bereaved Individuals, Luis G. Cruz-Ortega

Dissertations

Problem: The literature suggests that religious orientation and ethnic identity inform the religious coping process, which is better understood in the context of a particular stressor. However, research on this topic is limited, particularly among ethnic minorities.

Method: A survey was used to collect data on religious orientation, ethnic identity, and religious coping from a sample of 319 adults who had lost a significant other within 36 months of the study. A total of 11 variables were measured using The Means-Ends Spirituality Questionnaire, the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised, and the Brief RCOPE.

Results: A canonical variate labeled "religious engagement" was …

Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior As A Predictor Of Radiologic Technologists' Use Of Patient Radiation Protection Best Practices: A Regional Study, Brenda L. Boyd

Dissertations

Problem. A growing concern exists that patients are receiving an increase in radiation exposure while undergoing medical imaging exams. According to a March 2009 report by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), the U.S. population's total exposure to ionizing radiation has nearly doubled over the past two decades. With the introduction of new digital radiology equipment, patient dose is on the rise. Possible reasons for a radiologic technologist's behavior include: influence by availability or lack of equipment, policies, social pressure, attitudes, and a safety culture. Little research has been done in this area, specifically with applying a …

An Evaluation Of Performance As It Relates To The Adventist Community Services Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program In The United States, Sung Kun Kwon

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to understand the effectiveness of the Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program (NLCP) by examining the relationship between an individual’s completion of the program and their individual performance growth in attitude, knowledge, and skills. Since the program represents a major financial investment on the part of the Adventist Community Services (ACS) organization, ACS leaders need to know if the time, resources, and effort that have been poured into this leadership program are actually improving the participants’ performance in skills and knowledge, and if they have effectively contributed to changes in leadership attitude.

Method

This study …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Availability And Need Of A Support Program For Students With Learning Difficulties Attending Elementary Schools In The Atlantic Union Conference, Lileth Althea Coke

Dissertations

Purpose of the Study. Support programs have been known to be very effective in helping students succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of the availability and need of a support program for students with learning difficulties who attend elementary schools operated by the Atlantic Union (AU) Conference. The study also identified elements of a support program that teachers perceived as both available and necessary for the academic growth and development of these students.

Method. This study employed a survey research methodology in which survey questionnaires were used to gather information …

The Relationship Between Parental And Adolescent Religiosity Factors And Adolescent Sexual Risk-Taking Among Older Adolescents In The Anglophone/Latin Caribbean, Karen Christoffel Flowers

Dissertations

Problem: Sexually active youth across the Anglophone/Latin Caribbean have been identified as among the most-at-risk for HIV infection. Studies conducted in the United States have identified parental and religiosity factors associated with adolescent sexual risk-taking, but these relationships remain largely unexplored in the Caribbean region.

Method: This cross-sectional study, based on survey data generated by the Seventh-day Adventist Caribbean Youth Survey, investigated the relationship between parental and adolescent religiosity factors and sexual at-risk behaviors reported by adolescents ages 16-18 years attending Seventh-day Adventist Church-operated secondary schools across the region. Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to assess the …

Beyond Retention: Exploring Mental Health Benefits Of Living Learning Programs, Christopher Zaddach

Dissertations

The transition to a university setting can be a particularly challenging and stressful experience for a significant proportion of first-year students who may struggle to cope with dramatic changes in academic and social demands. Despite available resources and services, universities continue to report significant attrition rates and increases in severity and intensity of mental health issues among first-year students. Living learning communities (LLCs) have long been recognized as programming options with the ability to support students' academic and social adjustment. The current study aimed to expand the literature on LLCs by examining the possible mental health benefits of living learning …

Emergency Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes And Preventive Practices Regarding Firearms And Firearm Injury Prevention For Children, Dorothy Ann Gomez

Dissertations

In 2010, there were 134 deaths attributed to unintentional firearm injuries of children under 19 year and 3,019 nonfatal injuries (CDC, 2011). Nurses are expected to identify potential dangers in the community and protect those at risk. It was found that there is limited research on the effectiveness of current firearm injury prevention practices of nurses. The study was designed to examine the knowledge, attitudes and practice characteristics of Emergency Nurses toward firearm prevention practices. A convenience sample of 189 emergency nurses completed a voluntary, anonymous survey on practices regarding childhood gun safety. Seventy-one percent of respondents agreed that firearm …

Interventions That Help The Helpers: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Interventions Targeting Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress And Vicarious Traumatization In Mental Health Workers, Melissa Lynn Bercier

Dissertations

Compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress and vicarious traumatization have received widespread attention in the literature due to an increased awareness of negative effects mental health workers experience when working with people who have been traumatized. Mental health workers become more vulnerable to significant stress when they work with trauma victims, which can lead to many negative consequences that can affect their own health as well as their treatment of their clients. While there is much that we are learning about the causes and outcomes of mental health workers' exposure to their clients' trauma, there has been less focus on effectiveness …

Critical Functions Specified By The Mll Cxxc Domain Determine Leukemogenic Capacity, Noah Warren Birch

Dissertations

TheMixed Lineage Leukemia(MLL) gene can participate in chromosomal translocations which generate a fusion protein leading to acute leukemia. A better understanding of how MLL fusion proteins contribute to leukemia is necessary in order to develop more effective treatments. In my dissertation project, I investigated the functional role of amino acids within the MLL CXXC domain to determine how specific residues contribute to leukemogenic capacity.

MLL fusion proteins retain the amino-terminal portion of MLL including the CXXC DNA-binding domain while the carboxy-terminal portion is comprised of a fusion partner. The closest homolog of MLL, MLL2 (alternatively named MLL4), also contains a …

How Do Professional Learning Communities Foster Strong Career And Technical Education Programs Of Study In Illinois Public High Schools?, Wendy Custable

Dissertations

This research study examines how Illinois public high school Career and Technical Education educational leaders employ best practices in providing all students rigorous, relevant, and equitable learning experiences within a professional learning community structure.

This study utilized a mixed method two-tier case study methodology. Tier one consisted of a survey administered to 605 Illinois public high school Career and Technical Education leaders, outside of the Chicago Public School system, with 72 leaders who responded. This survey asked the leaders questions about what CTE programs their schools offered students and how they provided these students rigorous, relevant, and equitable learning experiences …

Toward The Development Of The Stereotypical Roles Of Black Young Men Scale, Amber Hewitt

Dissertations

There is a significant amount of literature on identity development in general, but there is a dearth of research focusing on identity development in relation to how other processes and constructs influence the identity development of African American young men. One such construct is the presence of stereotypical roles. The primary purpose of this study was to create a reliable and valid measure of the stereotypical roles of African American young men. This study explored the relationship between the endorsement of stereotypical roles, stigma consciousness, and masculinity of African American young men. African American young men (n = 164) between …

Stereotypes And Patient-Provider Communication: Testing The Effects Of Depression, Socioeconomic Status, And Race, Amy N. Kerr

Dissertations

The current project included a pilot and primary study with experimental designs to explore the impact that a patient's race, mental health and socioeconomic status (SES) have on impression formation, affective reactions, and communication with patients. The

medical literature shows that health disparities exist for minorities and individuals with low socioeconomic statuses (Adler & Ostrove, 1999). In addition individuals with severe mental illness receive low quality care for their physical health in comparison to those presenting only a physical illness (Lawrence & Kisely, 2010).

To explore this phenomenon, pilot study participants read one of eight descriptions of a man visiting …

Liberian Refugee Women's Personal Narratives On The Effects Of War On Motherhood, Florence Wanjiru Kimondo

Dissertations

One major effect of displacement by war and subsequently living in a refugee

camp is the disruption of the social, cultural, economic and legal institutions of

communities; this affects parenting and a child's development. Few research studies

address the effects of war, political upheaval, and displacement on parenting, specifically

the experience of motherhood and the cultural socialization process of children. Yet, most

research points at the undeniable connection between social and cognitive competence

and the social and physical context, with changes in these contexts influencing the

competencies parents' inculcate in their children. Furthermore,

there is sparse literature focusing specifically on …

Psychosocial Distress Mediates Immune Dysregulation Through Alterations In Global Epigenetic Patterns And Chromatin Remodeling Proteins, Karen Krukowski

Dissertations

Psychosocial distress, characterized by increased perceived stress, anxiety and mood disturbance, is a common response of women to a diagnosis of breast cancer (Northouse, 1992; Pettingale et al., 1988; Stark and House, 2000; Witek-Janusek et al., 2007). This psychosocial distress leads to activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and increased circulating glucocorticoids (GCs) (Chrousos, 2000; Chrousos and Gold, 1992; Schoneveld and Cidlowski, 2007). Increased psychosocial distress and increased HPA activation can lead to immune dysregulation consisting of reduced natural killer (NK) cell activity (NKCA) (Biondi, 2001; Kiecolt-Glaser et al., 1987; Kiecolt-Glaser et al., 2002; Witek-Janusek et al., 2008; Witek-Janusek et …

The Game They All Played: Chicago Baseball, 1876-1906, Patrick Mallory

Dissertations

This study examines the development of baseball in Chicago from 1876-1906, analyzing the growth of the top-flight professional organizations, the development of amateur and semiprofessional baseball, youth teams, high school and college nines, the rise of African-American baseball, the birth of both the National and American Leagues, and the zenith of the city's control and devotion to baseball, the 1906 World Series. The sport attracted players and fans from the growing immigrant population, laborers from factories, white-collar employees of the downtown business district, and African-Americans.

This dissertation brings together the multiple layers of baseball in Chicago and explores the deep …

Reducing Narcissistic Defensiveness Through The Activation Of Belonging, Jennifer Lee Smith

Dissertations

People with high levels of narcissism possess extremely positive self-evaluations that may mask underlying feelings of inferiority and a need for love and acceptance. People with high levels of narcissism defend their inflated self-evaluations through chronic self-enhancement processes, which can have negative consequences for their relationship functioning. The current research examined the effects of acceptance affirmation on self-enhancement of people with high and low levels of narcissism. Study 1 found that affirming acceptance reduced self-enhancement on trait ratings for people with high (vs. low) narcissism when they had a low need to belong, but the acceptance manipulation increased defensive self-enhancement …

Binge Alcohol And Recovery After Traumatic Brain Injury, Ian Vaagenes

Dissertations

An estimated 275,000 Americans are hospitalized following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year, 80,000 of whom develop a long-term disability. The factor that places one at perhaps the greatest risk of suffering a TBI is alcohol intoxication. 30-50% of TBI sufferers have a blood alcohol level above .08 mg/dl at the time of injury, the legal limit in most U.S. states. In fact, the presence of alcohol at the time of TBI more than doubles the risk of a repeat head injury in the two years following the injury. Given the large population of TBI sufferers with alcohol intoxication …

Remembering The Cultural Trauma Legacies Of Slavery: African American Young Adult Perceptions On Racism, Ethnic Identity, And Racial Socialization, Kimya Pearl Barden

Dissertations

The purpose of this research investigation is to explore cultural trauma theory on African American young adult development. Cultural trauma theory asserts the adverse cross-cultural encounter, North American slavery, reproduces intergenerational psychosocial legacies for contemporary African Americans. Accordingly, cultural trauma theory is used to explore with African American young adults three "slave" legacies: ethnic identity formation, perceptions of racism, and racial socialization experiences. A qualitative case study approach is used for (N=26) participants enrolled in either college or a GED program. Each young adult participates in either an individual or focus group interview. To aid in data triangulation, older African …

Funk My Soul: The Assassination Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And The Birth Of Funk Culture, Domenico Rocco Ferri

Dissertations

Few can deny that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s untimely death had a profound impact on American life. In this dissertation, I argue that the assassination inspired musicians, producers, artists, and consumers across the nation to reconstruct soul music and, in its place, construct the cultural idiom known as funk. Narrating the process by which black artists' embraced and popularized funk modes of expression, this dissertation traces how the genre extended directly from post-assassination trauma and attempted to provide a purposeful announcement of black solidarity and an uncensored narrative of the black American experience. In telling the story of funk, …

The Effects Of Organized Activity Involvement On Latino Adolescent Well-Being, Maria D. Guzman

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between organized activity (OA) involvement, as measured by 10th/12th grade intensity and consistency of involvement, and 12th grade Latino adolescent well-being, as measured by self-perceptions (i.e. locus of control & self-worth) and academic perceptions (i.e. educational expectations & school belonging). Further, the moderating effects of primary home language, sex, and family SES, on the relation between OA involvement and 12th grade well-being were assessed. Finally, we examined a model of predictors of participation in which 10th/12th grade individual factors (i.e. academic and self- perceptions) predicted OA involvement in 12th grade, …

Mothers' Nonstandard Work Schedules And Young Children's School Readiness, Kelly Haas

Dissertations

As the United States continues to move toward a 24/7 global economy, there is an increasing demand for employees to work outside of the traditional 9-to-5 weekday work schedule. However, scholars have only recently begun to address how these types of work arrangements may shape young children's development. The overarching goal of this study was to examine whether mothers' nonstandard work schedules were associated with preschool-aged children's early reading and mathematics skills and externalizing behavior problems. The current study investigated whether these linkages were especially salient for some groups as opposed to others. Specifically, the moderating roles of mothers' work …

Perceived Social Class, College Interest, And Post-Secondary Goals: An Application Of The Scat Interest And Choice Model, Jason Daniel Hacker

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of perceived social class (PSC) in the educational development of 176 racially and economically diverse high school students. PSC was defined based on the tenants of differential status identity theory (Fouad & Brown, 2000) and then incorporated as a person variable in the interest and choice model of social cognitive career theory (Lent & Brown, 1996; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994). The study first examined the relation of PSC to students' choice intention to pursue a college degree via cognitive self-evaluations (college self-efficacy, college outcome expectations, college interest). Alternatively, PSC …

Personal And Contextual Resilience Factors And Their Relations To Psychological Adjustment Outcomes Across The Lifespan: A Meta - Analysis, Kristen Lamp

Dissertations

Research concerning resilience following trauma and adversity indicates that resilient adaptation occurs more often than originally hypothesized. Correlational studies have identified resilience factors including social support, self-efficacy, self-esteem, spirituality, and optimism. However, these studies have evidenced mixed findings regarding the relationships between resilience factors and adjustment outcomes including adjustment to trauma, psychological adjustment, and posttraumatic growth. In the present study, definitions and concepts in resilience research were clarified, and findings from the past five decades of lifespan resilience research were reviewed. A meta-analysis designed to summarize the existing research and uncover the true nature of the relationships among resilience factors …

A Survey Study Of Prepare Workshop Participants' Application Of Knowledge, Confidence Levels, And Utilization Of School Crisis Response And Recovery Training Curriculum, Brian Richard Lazzaro

Dissertations

This survey study investigated the effects of the National Association of School Psychologists PREPaRE Workshop 2 training on workshop participants. PREPaRE is a comprehensive crisis prevention and intervention model that is specifically designed for schools. This study evaluated the impact of the PREPaRE model and the training of school psychologists in terms of (a) can school psychologists apply the knowledge gained when responding to crisis situations as a result of the PREPaRE training? (b) what are school psychologists' perceptions of their confidence in responding to an actual crisis situation? (c) and have school psychologists utilized PREPaRE response and recovery techniques …

Exploring Predicted Vs. Actual First To-Second Year Retention Rates: A Study Of Evangelical Lutheran Church In America Colleges, Brenda Porter Poggendorf

Dissertations

Retention of students is a critical area of much needed attention on nearly every college campus. It is important to students who want to succeed in college and beyond, to institutions that desire high efficiency and prestige, and increasingly to state and federal leaders. Retention of students in college affects a broad range of stakeholders, from the self-esteem and financial stability of students to the fiscal health, well-being and leadership of our country.

Using Astin's model of inputs-environment-outputs (1993) as a guide, this study seeks to understand institutional environmental factors that may impact the retention of students from their first-to-second …

Effectiveness Of Graduate Training In School Psychology: Perspectives Of Graduate Practitioners, Mary S. Satchwell

Dissertations

While trends in graduate training in school psychology indicate a movement towards an increasing emphasis on consultation and decreasing emphasis on assessment (Anton-LaHart & Rosenfield, 2004), there remains a gap between training and practice for professional school psychologists (Harrison, et al., 2004). The present study provided an examination of practitioner views for graduates of both specialist and doctoral training programs from 2006 through 2011 at a single NASP-approved, NCATE-accredited university setting. The primary purpose of this study was to examine alumni practitioners' perspectives of the effectiveness of their coursework and fieldwork experiences in preparing them for their professional roles as …

The Effects Of Acculturation, Health, Socioeconomic Status, And Perceived Respect On Older Adult Depression: Analysis Of Korean American Older Adults In Chicago, Kyungsoo Sim

Dissertations

This study explored the extent to which acculturation level, health condition and SES influence depressive symptoms mediated or moderated by perceived respect and current geographical background of 121 Korean-American older adults in the Chicago metropolitan and its suburban area.

A multi-method approach was imported to analyze self-collected quantitative survey data from two groups of 80 participants in Chicago and 41 in the suburbs, qualitative interview data from 4 focus groups, 2 in-depth interviews and GIS (Geographic Information Systems). In the survey, Suinn-Lew Asian Stress-Identity Acculturation Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale-30, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, Health Perception Questionnaire-36, 13-item questions …