Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Early Intervention On The Cognitive And Social Development Of Kindergarteners, Jennifer Foster Pope

Dissertations

Research has, for years, linked early intervention with student achievement. Students coming from an appropriate developmental preschool program are at an advantage and are readily able to face the rigor of elementary school (Campbell & Ramey, 1994). This study investigated whether there were statistically significant relationships among preschool attendance, gender, free/reduced status, and ethnicity and the cognitive development of kindergarten students as measured by AIMSweb Progress Monitoring and Response to Intervention System. This study also investigated the relationship between social skills competence and the cognitive development of kindergarten students as measured by the School-age Social and Emotional Adaptive Skills Inventory. …

Folate Receptor-Targeted Delivery Of Small Interfering Rna To Cancer Cells, Yilin Zhang

Dissertations

The vitamin folic acid (folate, FA) has been extensively explored as a targeting ligand to deliver a variety of diagnostic/prognostic/therapeutic agents into various tumors through the assistance of its receptor – the folate receptor (FR). FR is over-expressed in many types of human cancer and can mediate internalization of FA-conjugates through an endocytic pathway. The discovery of small interfering RNA (siRNA), which is cable of inducing potent gene silencing in a sequence-specific manner, provides an excellent molecular tool to suppress aberrant gene expression in malignancies, and therefore siRNA has the potential to revolutionize cancer therapeutics. Towards the goal of developing …

A Psychometric Investigation Of The Young Adult Social Behavior Scale (Yasb), Michelle Rene Augustin

Dissertations

Aggressive behavior is a serious public health concern that has resulted in several problems in contemporary society. Despite a considerable body of literature on human aggression, both popular and scientific, a focus on overt physical aggression has obscured other forms of aggression. As a result, considerably less is known about other, more subtle forms of aggression, such as relational aggression. Moreover, research on relational aggression, particularly among older adolescents and adults, has been hindered by the lack of psychometrically sound measures. Research in this area would be enhanced by the availability of such a measure, facilitating comparison of data across …

The Impact Of Self-Efficacy And Motivation Characteristics On The Academic Achievement Of Upward Bound Participants, Brenda Leigh Brown

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of self-efficacy and motivation characteristics on the achievement of at-risk students. Seventy-nine Upward Bound program participants completed self-efficacy, motivation, and demographic questionnaires. The relationship between GPA and self-efficacy was significant, negative, and low in strength. High GPA was associated with high self-efficacy (as shown by lower numbers on the survey). Gender, length of time in the Upward Bound (UB) program, length of participation in the UB summer program, college sponsor (community or four-year college), self-efficacy characteristics, and motivation characteristics significantly predicted academic achievement as measured by GPA. The relationship between …

Examining The Effect Of A Year Of Service In Americorps On Members' Attitudes Toward Attending College, Jessica Lucky Roberts

Dissertations

This study had two purposes. First, this study sought to determine how a year of service in the America Reads-Mississippi (ARM) AmeriCorps program impacted members’ perceptions and attitudes toward the non-monetary value of earning a college degree, the importance of earning a college degree in obtaining employment, and the influence of service in the ARM AmeriCorps program on members’ motivation to attend college. Second, this study sought to determine if a year of service in the ARM AmeriCorps program impacted members’ decisions to use the Segal Education Award they earn upon the successful completion of their year of service. Through …

The Relationship Between Leader Decision Making And Student Achievement At K-3 Title I And Reading First Elementary Schools, Emily Kathleen Richmond

Dissertations

This mixed methodology study investigated the relationship between administrator and teacher perceptions of leader decision making regarding five variables (reading training, reading curriculum, program evaluation, financial support, and student assessment) and student achievement (in the single content area, reading, at the 3rd grade level) in Title I K-3 schools receiving Reading First Grants (RFGs) and Title I K-3 schools not receiving RFGs, in four states (Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, and Oklahoma). Respondent data and district data regarding percentages of students achieving proficient and above on state third grade reading assessments were analyzed via Pearson Correlations, Multiple Regression Analysis, and a MANOVA. …

Older Adults And A Writing Workshop: A Phenomenological Study, Jennifer Lynn Alex

Dissertations

This study examines how older adults experience the phenomenon of participating in a writing workshop and how older adults interpret their experiences, understandings, and realities of writing. Ten older adults, ranging in age from 62 to 83 with varying degrees of experiences in writing, participated in this study. Through a semi-structured interview, each participant related his or her experience first as a writer and then as a member of a writing workshop offered through a Community Literacy Center in a mid-sized Appalachian city.

A phenomenological analysis method was used to identify and analyze themes of meaning that emerged in the …

Regulation Of Biofilm And Antibiotic-Resistance By The Modulator Of Sara (Msa) In Staphylococcus Aureus, Antony Schwartz

Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that is the causative agent of life-threatening diseases such as endocarditis and osteomyelitis. The ability of S. aureus to thrive as a successful pathogen can be partially attributed to its ability to form biofilm. Biofilm is an extracellular polysaccharide, protein, and DNA-based slime layer that protects the bacterial community. The global regulator sarA is essential for biofilm formation. Since the modulator of sarA (msa) gene regulates several virulence factors and is required for the full expression of sarA, the capacity of the msa mutant to form a biofilm was examined. The mutation of …

Evaluating Summer School Programs And The Effect On Student Achievement: The Correlation Between Stanford-10 Standardized Test Scores And Two Different Summer Programs, Brian J. Koop

Dissertations

School districts looking for ways to minimize summer learning loss have implemented a variety of programs to combat this problem. Since No Child Left Behind and the need for school districts to meet the goals of Adequate Yearly Progress, it is no longer enough to limit summer learning loss. Now school leaders find it necessary to use the summer months to increase student achievement and prepare students for rigorous learning in the coming school year. This collaborative, quantitative study is an examination of one district’s attempt to improve summer programming in order to meet the need for increased student achievement. …

The Effect Of Enrollment In Middle School Challenge Courses On Advanced Placement Exams In Social Studies And Science, Katherine Glaude-Bolte

Dissertations

Educators seek to guide students through appropriate programs and courses that prepare them for future success, in more advanced coursework and in other challenges of life. Some middle schools offer Challenge, or honors, courses for students who have demonstrated high ability. High schools often offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which are taught at the college level. This study examined the correlation between enrollment in middle school Challenge courses and subsequent AP exam category scores in social studies and science in a suburban school district. The independent variables were the number of years of enrollment in middle school social studies or …

School Resource Officers In Missouri Public Schools: School Safety And Academic Success, John W. Link

Dissertations

This study was designed to explore the relationship between the presence of a school resource officer and a safe school climate, as well as, increased student achievement. Additionally, the perceptions of public school superintendents regarding the impact of school resource officers on safe school climate and academic success were investigated using the Correlates of Effective Schools as a framework. The research was divided into sections to observe two sets of data. Section I included an examination of Missouri school districts with a student population of 2,000 or less, comparing 20 schools with school resource officers to 20 schools without school …

Mothers Who Use Illicit Drugs:An Exploration Of Professional Workers’ Perceptions Towards Mothers Who Use Illicit Drugs, Julieann Lane

Dissertations

Although much has been written in recent times about women’s drug use, there has been a scarcity of research into motherhood and drug use in Ireland as it remains both a complex and sensitive issue. Since the 1980’s Ireland has seen a dramatic and unprecedented increase in the availability of illicit drugs. This increased availability reflects rising consumption of illicit drugs amongst women. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions that a sample of professional workers hold of mothers who use illicit drugs in Ireland. The study reviews the literature applicable to the area of drug use …

Early School Leaving : An Exploration Of The Factors Contributing To School Non-Completion, Jennifer Mcgarr

Dissertations

This study is of an explorative nature, investigating early school leaving in Ireland today. Despite a range of interventions to address school non-completion, approximately 14% of students (as of 2007) continue to leave school without completing their education every year (Byrne & Smyth, 2010). A disproportionate amount of these young people come from disadvantaged backgrounds (Barnardos, 2006). Education is a powerful predicator of life chances and opportunities. Those who leave school with little or no formal education have less opportunities in later life, are more likely to be unemployed, have lower levels of general health and are at a greater …

“It’S Like Throwing A Pebble Into Water And There Is A Ripple Effect Throughout The Entire Pond” The Effect Of Drug Use On The Family System, Aoife Stack

Dissertations

Alcohol and drug problems affect not only those using these substances but also family members of the individual substance user. There has been a historic neglect within the addiction sphere of both research and practice pertaining to the effect of drug use on the family. Each family member is uniquely affected with negative outcomes ranging from economic hardship to violence being perpetrated against them (Csiernik, 2002). Thus, treating only the individual with the substance problem is limiting and serves an overly narrow orientation for the enhancement of both family and community health. This study addressed an important gap in literature …

Opting In And Staying In: Older Teenagers’ Decisions On Becoming And Remaining Involved In Youth Services In Dublin City., Kerri Martin

Dissertations

It is widely recognised in Ireland and internationally that the engagement of young people in the youth work process brings with it a range of positive benefits and outcomes, both for the young people involved and society in general. However, it has also been found that young people aged 15-19 participate less in youth services and therefore do not gain the associated benefits. This dissertation explores the perspectives of young people aged 15-19 who are engaged in youth services in Dublin City, in relation to their decisions to become and remain involved in youth services. The aim of this research …

Causes Of Nonattendance And Its Effect On Student Achievement At The High School Level, Kelly D. Bracht

Dissertations

Many high schools in America have issues with student nonattendance. The researcher designed this mixed methods study to determine the affect of nonattendance on student achievement and to ascertain whether home-related factors or school-related factors were more significant causes of nonattendance. Both the high school in this study and other similar schools may use the results to develop effective nonattendance intervention programs. The researcher used cluster sampling to determine the sample population. She then collected attendance data (the number of absences each student had during one semester) and achievement data (each student’s Grade Point Average during that same semester) about …

A Comparison Of The Career And Technical Education Programs In A Us Community College And A Chinese Institution, Harry Hou

Dissertations

This research study explores and compares the career and technical education programs offered in a US community college and the vocational/career and technology education programs offered in a comparable Chinese postsecondary institution. The study sought to find positive transferable characteristics of the career and technical education programs in each country, which could be shared by similar institutions in China and the US.

Under the impact of globalization, international cooperation and collaboration between institutions and programs becomes more and more important, particularly considering there are many shared problems and thus the potential for shared solutions. This research offers insights and information …

A Qualitative Study Of The Psychological Impact Of Unemployment On Individuals., Marie Conroy

Dissertations

This research study examines individual’s experiences of unemployment from a psychological perspective. It presents the different psychological and financial effects of unemployment and presents the different theories developed on the effects of job loss on the individual. It will also examine the central role which work contributes to an individual’s life. Finally, it will investigate how a person deals with unemployment and copes with the transition. A qualitative approach was selected as the research method for this study, through the use of six semi-structured interviews.

The research findings indicate that unemployment can affect an individual’s psychological well-being. Unemployment can leave …

Lost Relationships : An Exploratory Study Of The Factors Associated With Non-Resident Parents Losing Contact With Their Children Following Separation/Divorce, James (Sé) Fulham

Dissertations

Irish society, through its laws, institutions and civic organizations, promotes the primacy of the family, as the environment for the development of the loving, secure, supported child. Ireland, in keeping with most western societies, has witnessed a steady increase in family breakup since the 1960s. The impact of parental separation and family breakup on the child has been found, generally, to be very negative, with the exception of children in highly conflictual parental homes. Little attention has been paid to date, to the factors leading to loss of contact and to the views and experiences of absent parents, those who …

Development Through Interaction During The Early Years The Adult And Child As Co-Constructors, Thea Norton

Dissertations

By their very being, significant adults both impact upon and shape the young child’s development. This research explores what is known, understood, respected and reflected upon in the practises of early childhood professionals, with an emphasis on the interactive style of the adult, emotional development and the potential impact of adult-child interactions on the child’s holistic development. Through drawing on interdisciplinary research, including emerging theories of brain and emotional development, the work of past and current theorists and an examination of contemporary and best practice, the importance of the empathic adult who engages in positive interactions with the young child …

Design Of Novel Drug Delivery System And Optimal Dosage Regimens, Kwang Seok Kim

Dissertations

Three representative drug delivery systems were analyzed to emphasize the roles of mathematical models and computer-aided simulations in pharmaceutical research. In the first project, a protocol was developed so that the optimal regimen, consisting of the intravenous boluses and subsequent infusion of theophylline, could be obtained once information on the pharmacokinetics became available. The method was based on a two-compartment model of the human body. A module was created and posted on a website for free access. The second project dealt with the transdermal heat-assisted delivery of corticosterone. Heat conduction and drug diffusion through the patch and the skin were …

The Public Understanding Of Climate Change : A Case Study Of Taiwanese Youth, Shih-Yun Kuo

Dissertations

Global climate change is likely to be the most challenging environmental dilemma of the 21st century because its impacts on ecosystems and human society are transnational in scale and long term in scope. Due to its high scientific complexity and uncertainty and high political and economic sensitivity, mitigating the problem will require interdisciplinary cooperation and collective and sustained efforts on the part of all nations. Sufficient domestic support from both government and the lay public will not only be significant to the success of an international climate regime, but also crucial to the effectiveness of potential domestic climate policies.

Such …

The Evolution Of Self-Directedness In An Undergraduate Ethics Course: A Comparison Of Three Course Delivery Methods, Shawna Leigh Strickland

Dissertations

Many studies have investigated relationships between self-directedness and various indicators of success in university coursework but few have explored the evolution of self-directedness that may or may not occur in these settings. This study sought to discover how self-direction in learning of participants in an undergraduate healthcare ethics course evolved. Emphasis of this evolution was placed on the learner’s perspective. The study also examined the relationship between course delivery method and degree of evolution of self-directedness during the studied semester. A traditional section, a blended section, and an online section of the healthcare ethics course were studied. Within three sections …

Coping And Assumptive World Views: Comparing Parents Of Murdered Children And Parents Of Missing/Returned Children In The Management Of Their Grief, Miriam Joy Anderson

Dissertations

This study investigates the relationship between psychological coping, religious coping, and assumptive world views of parents of murdered children and parents of missing/returned children. The latter group refers to parents who had a missing child who was returned prior to participating in the study. A sample of 82 parents of murdered children and 14 parents of missing/returned children completed a series of self-report measures assessing grief, coping, and assumptive world views. Due to statistical power limitations in the missing/returned group, proposed hypotheses were examined using only data from parents of murdered children. The hypothesis that longer time since the event …

Emotional Response Patterns And Emotional Numbing In Adult Female Victims Of Sexual Assault With Ptsd, Tristan A. Robinson

Dissertations

DSM symptoms of emotional numbing appear to have a major impact on the course and outcome of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet the construct definition of emotional numbing itself has not been clearly established. Two opposing conceptualizations of this construct have been proposed in the traumatic stress literature. One holds numbing to be a form of non-effortful emotional avoidance, akin to dissociation, that results in diminished responsiveness to emotional stimuli in general (Foa, Zinbarg, & Rothbaum, 1992; Foa & Hearst-Ikeda, 1996). The other suggests that numbing entails a deficit in responsiveness to positive emotional stimuli but not to negative emotional …

Consistency Of Written Trauma Narratives Over A Course Of Trauma-Focused Therapy, Juliette Marissa Mott

Dissertations

Several of the procedures commonly used in trauma-focused therapies are similar to techniques that have been shown to influence the consistency and accuracy of memory in experimental settings. These techniques include verbalizing a non-verbal memory, repeatedly recalling an event, and recalling an event in the presence of another person. In an effort to examine the impact of such techniques on memory for a traumatic event, and in turn the impact of traumatic memory change on treatment outcome, the present study examined changes in written trauma narratives created over the course of trauma-focused therapy. Participants were PTSD-positive female survivors of interpersonal …

Pregnant Job Applicants And Employment Interviews: The Consequences Of Stigmatization And Absenteeism And An Examination Of Strategies To Overcome Them

Dissertations

Discrimination against pregnant applicants may be partially explained by concerns about a pregnant employee missing work and possibly quitting (Cunningham & Macan, 2007). The purpose of the first study is to explore further the notion that pregnant applicants receive less favorable reactions during the selection process due in large part to concerns regarding potential absenteeism. This study explores whether applicants who need an equivalent amount of time off, but for different reasons, are perceived and rated similarly as a pregnant applicant. The results showed that all applicants requesting time off, regardless of reason, received less favorable hiring ratings compared to …

Defining The Balance-Supportive Supervisor: The Antecedents, Actions, And Outcomes Of Supervisor Support For Employee Work-Nonwork Balance, Jessalyn L. Arnold

Dissertations

Work-nonwork conflict remains a crucial concern for both employees struggling to balance work and non-work roles (Bond, Thompson, Galinsky, & Prottas, 2002) and companies seeking to enhance their ability to attract, retain, and leverage talent (De Janasz & Behson, 2007; Towers & Perrin, 2006). Research has demonstrated that factors such as supervisor support for work-nonwork balance can reduce employees’ experience of work-nonwork conflict. Few studies, however, have investigated the individual characteristics of supervisors who are most likely to provide work-nonwork support. This study extends previous research by investigating the relationships between supervisors’ identity salience, work-nonwork support attitudes, and perceptions of …

Influence Of Financial And Policy Environments On The Business Strategy Of Biotechnology Companies In India, Sumesh Mohan Arora

Dissertations

The biotechnology industry thrives on innovation and new knowledge creation, but is also capital intensive with a complex regulatory environment (Hine and Kapeleris 2007). It is seen as a sunrise industry by the Indian government (Natesh and Bhan 2009). Current literature on the business strategy of Indian biotechnology companies and the influence from external factors is very limited. The objective of this research was to qualitatively test the applicability of the Miles and Snow (1978) theory of organizational behavior which describes four strategy choices: prospector, analyzer, defender and reactor, in the context of the Indian biotechnology sector. Research on Western …

Monticello Rising, Charles Edward Campbell

Dissertations

Monticello Rising is a compilation of fiction accompanied by a critical preface. The pieces within were all composed during my studies at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Writers between the years of 2008-2010. The collection is about aspects of growth, initiation, and loss in human relationships.