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Assessing The Efficacy Of A Modified Therapeutic Community On The Reduction Of Institutional Write-Ups In A Medium Security Prison, Lee Maglinger

Dissertations

This study explored the impact a modified Therapeutic Community (TC) had on reducing institutional disorder as documented by institutional write-ups. Substance abuse treatment programs are typically evaluated in terms of their ability to prevent relapse and reduce recidivism. The current study examined the efficacy of a modified TC in relation to these parameters but also explored its overall impact on prison safety and security for both the inmates and staff of a medium security prison located in Kentucky. Specifically, the number of institutional write-ups exhibited by clients participating in a modified Therapeutic Community was compared with the number of write-ups …

A Theoretical Approach To Legitimizing Collaboratively Constructed Knowledge: A Content Analysis Of Wikipedia Science Articles Based On Accidental Collaboration, James Patrick Hutchinson

Dissertations

This study involved an analysis of 147 Wikipedia science articles using content and social network analysis to explore authorial relationships between articles and test a theoretical approach to using accidental collaboration as a tool to legitimize collaboratively constructed knowledge. Contrary to Wikipedia’s tagline of “anyone can edit,” this study found that articles had a small number of prolific contributors and that these contributors had educational background and edit history suggesting they were knowledgeable about the topics to which they contributed. Results also showed that articles found via accidental collaboration tended to be scientific in nature and often had direct subject …

Direct And Indirect Effects Of Social Class On Career Expectations And Likelihood Of Compromise In An Adolescent Sample, Sarah Wilson

Dissertations

The current study investigated the application of classic attainment models, both direct and indirect effects, in the predication of career expectations and likelihood of compromise. The results indicated that among high school students (N=200) in grades 10-12 there is no direct effect of socio economic status (SES; as measured by parent education and occupation) on career compromise (aspirations exceeding expectations). Similarly, educational expectations are not directly related to the compromise of occupational expectations. Results of exploratory analysis suggest that career compromise is best explained by academic achievement and parent expectations. In an analysis of the process by which social class …

Identifying Competencies Of Aoda Clinical Supervisors For Integration Into Rehabilitation Counselor Training Curriculum: A Delphi Study, Marissa Mckee

Dissertations

This study preliminarily identified clinical supervision competencies needed for alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) clinical supervisors for integration into rehabilitation counselor training (RCT) curriculum. The Delphi method via LimeSurvey® was utilized to identify competencies specific to AODA clinical supervision. A panel of six experts in RCT and AODA clinical supervision completed five rounds of data collection beginning with an open-ended question. Consensus and stability of responses were calculated following Rounds 2-5 of data collection. Panelist fatigue resulted in data collection being discontinued after Round 5, prior to a consensus or stability of responses being reached. A total of 115 …

Transformational Learning For Organizational Change: Exploring Employee Experiences With A Student Affairs Workplace Professional Development Program, Katherine Erin Vahey

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore a professional development curriculum in an institution of higher education. This case study advocates that all student affairs employees undergo continuous professional development training to provide collective understanding of essential workplace concepts necessary for effective organizational development. The research question-- How do student affairs employees experience workplace training as it contributes to organizational development?--addresses the confluence of two areas of higher education literature: transformative learning for education practitioner's professional growth and best practices for higher education organizational development. Using a constructivist, case study-narrative design, this research explores employee experiences with a professional …

All I Am: Defining Music As An Emotional Catalyst Through A Sociological Study Of Emotions, Gender And Culture, Adrienne M. Trier-Bieniek

Dissertations

This dissertation, "'All I Am': Defining Music as an Emotional Catalyst through a Sociological Study of Emotions, Gender and Culture", is based in the sociology of emotions, gender and culture and guided by symbolic interactionist and feminist standpoint theory. A primary focus is on understanding the emotional and empowering relationships women build with music that is written and performed by women, especially if they are using the music for emotional support or as a means to heal themselves. This study examines the cultural, emotional and gendered role music plays in day-to-day social life using data collected during forty-two semi-structured interviews …

Barriers And Enablers Of Interdisciplinary Research At Academic Institutions, Leslie Suzanne Thornton Butler

Dissertations

This research study examines the factors that motivate and lead to the success of faculty members who conduct interdisciplinary research. Because a comprehensive study of the research patterns of interdisciplinary researchers has not been conducted, the main intent of this research project was to create an instrument that would measure research habits and attitudes. It is important that such research be conducted using individuals who are interdisciplinary researchers as well as disciplinary researchers. One intent of the research study was to provide comparisons between disciplinary researchers and interdisciplinary researchers. Another intent was to provide university administrators with a better understanding …

An Analysis Of Burmese And Iraqi Resettlement Location And Assimilation In A Midsized City: Implications For Educational And Other Community Leaders, Donna Schiess Renaud

Dissertations

Refugees face different circumstances than other immigrants regarding housing in initial resettlement in the U.S. Refugees have no choice of their initial residence as this is determined in advance by the resettlement agency. Refugees who belong to minority ethnic groups and who have little education or skills may experience discrimination and hostility from local citizens. Resettlement areas that are high in population density, rental units, minorities, crime, unemployment, inadequate transportation, and low income may present additional barriers to cultural and economic assimilation.

This mixed-method study had a twofold purpose. The first was to describe quantitatively how the initial resettlement address …

Development Of An Instrument Measuring The Perceived Attributes Of Using A Healthy Diet Innovation, Holly Ann Federico Huye

Dissertations

The Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) is a rural region that is rich in agricultural resources but is one of the most impoverished areas in the US. Prior research has indicated LMD adults as having higher rates of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases as compared to US adults. While the need for dietary intervention in the LMD is evident, the first step in designing effective interventions is the assessment of one’s perceptions of dietary behaviors. The purpose of this research was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to assess individuals’ perceived attributes of using a healthy diet. Using the Diffusion …

The Impact Of The Mississippi Department Of Education's Dyslexia Grant Program On Third Grade Achievement, Cena Windham Holifield

Dissertations

Dyslexia is the most common reading disability and is non-discriminatory, affecting learners of all races and cultures (Shaywitz, 2003). Scientific data reveals dyslexia affects 70-80% of students with poor reading skills (Moats & Dakin, 2008).

The Mississippi Legislature appropriates funds yearly to support the Mississippi Department of Education, (MDE) Grant Pilot Program (MDE, 2009). The purpose of this dyslexia grant program is to support general education teachers in meeting the needs of regular education students who have been identified as having dyslexia and related disorders (MDE, 2009).

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the MDE …

Women's Cognitive Appraisals Of Their Birth Experience As Predictive And Maintaining Factors Of Postpartum Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Severity, Lauren Carr Spooner

Dissertations

Empirical support has accumulated for evidence of posttraumatic stress symptoms following approximately 30% of childbirth experiences (Olde, van der Hart, Kleber, & van Son, 2006). Researchers have suggested that there is a complex relationship among predisposing, precipitating, and maintaining factors that impact postpartum PTSD (Slade, 2006). Anxiety, perception of support, and negative cognitions are such factors that have been shown to significantly correlate with PTSD symptoms (Foa & Rothbaum, 1998; Olde et al., 2006; Soet, Brack, & Dilorio, 2003), but have not been studied together in relation to PTSD associated with traumatic birth. The current study controlled for trait anxiety …

Feminist Advocacy In Community Based Responses To Domestic Violence: Gendered Identity, Ideology And Practices, Andrea J. Nichols

Dissertations

The anti-domestic violence movement began as a feminist grassroots effort. Early feminist advocates relied on survivor-defined and social change practices rooted in feminist identity and ideology. Advocacy has evolved over time, moving from grassroots efforts into professionalized organizations, and now includes collaboration with the justice system in community based responses to domestic violence (CBR). Through inductive analysis of interviews with 26 domestic violence victim advocates and drawing from a gendered organizations framework, I examine how advocates’ feminist identity and ideology shape their practices in CBR. Findings indicate that advocates both resist and reproduce various gendered practices within traditionally feminist anti-domestic …

Death In Irish Prisons: An Examination Of The Causes Of Deaths And The Compliance Of Investigations With The European Convention On Human Rights, Colette Barry

Dissertations

Death is a tragic and unfortunately unavoidable aspect of life in a prison. The death of a prisoner raises significant questions in relation to the conditions of confinement and the conduct of the prison authorities. Robust investigations into these deaths can enhance accountability by shedding light on deficits in both institutional and systemic practices, as well as providing families of the deceased with a sense of closure. In Ireland, the investigative responses to prison deaths are neither robust, nor do they allow for significant scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the death. The causes of deaths in custody and the compatibility …

A Policy Analysis Of The Criminal Justice (Community Service) (Amendment) Act 2011, Fionnuala Lawlor

Dissertations

The Criminal Justice (Community Service) (Amendment) Act of 2011 is legislation which is aimed at encouraging a greater use of community service orders for people convicted of minor offences. It places a requirement on Judges when considering the imposition of a sentence of 12 months or less to consider the alternative sanction of community service first. This is the first legislation for a number of years which is aimed at diverting offenders from prison and very little is known about the reasoning behind its introduction. This thesis will utilise the framework of policy analysis set out by Kingdon (1995) and …

Pulling A Rabbit Out Of A Hat, Where Do Policies Come From? An Examination Of The Criminal Justice Policy Processes Behind The Building Of The Dóchas Centre (Ireland’S Largest Women’S Prison), Eoin Carroll

Dissertations

There is an increasing need to understand the processes in which key decisions are made within the criminal justice system. While women in the Irish prison system are still very much in the minority they are the fastest growing population in prison and are currently experiencing overcrowding unknown in living memory in Irish prisons. It is too soon to comprehensively examine the origins of the recent policy decision to retrofit bunk beds and dormitories in Ireland’s largest women’s prison (Dóchas Centre) and what other possible solutions were explored, for example, why a proposed new facility was cancelled. However, it is …

Emerging Adulthood In Ireland: Is The Quarter-Life Crisis A Common Experience?, Mairead Murphy

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of young people between the ages of eighteen and twenty-eight in Ireland to establish the prevalence of what has become known in popular culture as the quarter-life crisis. This transitional period in a young person’s life is academically referred to as emerging adulthood and is a time of great change and personal growth. The study utilised a qualitative approach; individual interviews and focus groups were carried out with the identified research group. The findings of the study indicated that indeed, emerging adulthood is a challenging time, and for some, …

Understanding Forgiveness Through The Application And Extension Of The Enright Forgiveness Inventory To Female Caregivers And A Community Sample Of Female Spouses, Lauren Nicole Decaporale

Dissertations

Despite recent increased attention to the construct of forgiveness, measures of forgiveness have been limited by inconsistent use of a single operational definition. One measure of forgiveness, the Enright Forgiveness Inventory (EFI), has shown strong psychometric properties in numerous studies and across diverse samples. However, limited research has explored the conceptualization and measurement of the forgiveness process with older adults and caregivers. The current study examined the utility of the EFI within a sample of 118 middle-aged and older female spouses, including a subset of dementia family caregivers (n = 29). Participants completed measures of religious coping, depression, state and …

Economic Returns Of The Occupational Education Experience Based On Two Missouri Community Colleges, Dianna Parker

Dissertations

A commonly held belief is that formal education has a strong positive association with earnings (Sanchez, 1998). The motivation for individuals to pursue and complete an education beyond high school is likely founded in the hopes of higher paying jobs or a higher position. The “economic benefits” of a community college education can be defined as the gain in personal earnings over time because of the skills and knowledge acquired, as reflected in credit hours completed, at the community college. The purpose of this study was to determine how the skills, knowledge, and credentials obtained in community college occupational courses …

They Returned, But Will They Stay? Exploring The Influence Of College Experiences On Adult Students’ Persistence, W.A. Locke

Dissertations

This study explored how college experiences, as perceived by adult students, influenced their decisions on persistence. Specifically, the role students’ perceptions of their college experiences played in their decisions to persist in college or voluntarily depart without completing a degree was examined. A grounded theory approach was used involving 26 current, completed, and non-completed students between 40 and 65 years of age. Of these 26 students, 23 had returned to college to obtain masters or doctoral degrees, two had recently obtained their bachelors degree and were now seeking graduate certificates, and one was completing her bachelors degree after a 39 …

Bilateral Asymmetry In Incisors: Implications For Miocene Hominoid Species Diagnosis, Candace Ann Davis

Dissertations

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF CANDACE A. DAVIS, for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in ANTHROPOLOGY, presented on March 31, 2011, at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. TITLE: BILATERAL ASYMMETRY IN INCISORS: IMPLICATIONS FOR MIOCENE HOMINOID SPECIES DIAGNOSIS MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Robert S. Corruccini The primary purpose of this dissertation is to show how knowledge of variation and asymmetry in incisor antimeric pairs of living great ape genera can be utilized as a "yardstick" for pairwise comparisons of isolated Miocene ape incisors from the two genera Kenyapithecus and Equatorius . The research was designed to help determine whether these …

General Fan Perceptions Of Rival Teams In Intercollegiate Athletics, Cody T. Havard

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Beyond Sentiment: A Descriptive Case Study Of Elementary School Teachers' Experiences Selecting Children's Literature For Read-Alouds, Stacy Mae Loyd

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Media Portrayals Of Athletes In Televised Sports: A Content Analysis Of Ice Hockey Broadcasts During The 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Heather A. Muir

Dissertations

The Winter Olympic Games are probably the best time for casual sports fans to watch women's ice hockey at its finest, and the commentary of sports broadcasters can greatly shape viewers' impressions of the sporting event. This study explored ways in which the NBC broadcasts of the 2010 Winter Olympic ice hockey tournament differed based on the sex of the ice hockey players including differences in production value, the use of gendered language, and the commentators' portrayals of female and male ice hockey players. The primary method for ascertaining differences was content analysis using a mixed-methods approach to analyze the …

The Impact Of A Reflective Thinking Intervention On Nursing Students In A Child And Family Nursing Course, Vicky Holle Becherer

Dissertations

With the ever-changing healthcare systems, nursing students need to think at a high level by applying their knowledge from theory to the clinical setting by prioritizing, delegating, and problem solving to provide safe, competent, quality nursing care. Using action research, nursing students participated in R.A.V.E. (Reflective Thinking Allows Variety for Excellence) Reviews to see how they used their past experiences, knowledge, and beliefs to arrive at the appropriate answers and/or solutions to exam questions and real life situations. A purposive sample of 65 nursing students in a Child and Family Nursing course from the Spring 2010 and Fall 2010 semesters …

Further Validation Of The Larson Driver Stress Profile, Michael Paul Moore

Dissertations

Much of the literature on unsafe driving has focused on studying the role of single variables (e.g., driving anger, sensation seeking, etc.) and the degree to which they may increase one’s propensity to engage in aggressive or otherwise risky driving behavior. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that motor vehicle accidents and accident-related behavior are sufficiently complex as to require the use of multiple predictors. The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Driver Stress Profile (DSP; Larson, 1996), a brief self-report scale designed to assess four variables of interest in the driving literature. The DSP and measures of …

Factors That Contribute To Persistence And Retention Of Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Students In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem), Sidney Kirk Mitchell

Dissertations

The objective of this research was to identify specific factors that contribute to underrepresented minority (African American, Hispanic, Native American) undergraduate students‟ success in STEM disciplines at a regional university during the 2007-2010 timeframe. As more underrepresented minority (URM) students complete STEM degrees, many will possess the skills to become part of the domestic human capital needed to meet U. S. workforce demands and enhance the nation‟s STEM innovation. According to Burke and Mattis (2007), the lack of URM students in STEM education and in the workforce is one of the major contributors to STEM shortages in the United States. …

Exploring The Relationship Between Myers-Briggs Type And Instructional Perspectives Among College Faculty Across Academic Units, Pamela Jean Moehl

Dissertations

Education has the opportunity to play an integral role in sustaining the health of our economy in an increasingly competitive, global market. A review of the issues and trends impacting higher education reveals growing pressure placed on faculty to advance instructional outcomes among more diverse populations. Imbedded is the challenge to create new knowledge about how to improve instruction. As diversity among college students in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity continues to increase, psychological type provides a means for examining important differences in choice of academic discipline(s), persistence, learning style, and teaching style preferences. Faculty members face increasing pressure …

Community College Presidential Transitions: Enhancing The Process By Understanding Stakeholder Perceptions, Jeffery Clay Bradford

Dissertations

A leadership crisis is pending at America’s community colleges. Presidents are serving shorter terms (Stanley & Betts, 2004) and retiring rapidly (Duree, Ebbers, Santos-Laanan, Curtis, & Ferlazzo, 2008). Weisman and Vaughan (2006) project that 84% of current community college leaders will retire by 2016. New chief executives need to be effective at implementing the goals set by the board of trustees in a timely manner. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify stakeholder perceptions during a community college presidential transition and strategies for assisting in a smooth transition.

In-person semi-structured interviews were conducted at three medium-sized Midwestern …

From The Border To The Boardroom: The Journey To The Community College Presidency For Mexican-American Women, Yesenia Noreeka Avalos

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative cross-case analysis study is to examine the professional pathways of female Mexican-American community college presidents. The Hispanic/Latino population has grown immensely in the United States since 2000. The demographic profile for community colleges has evolved to reflect the population changes within the country. Community colleges grew tremendously during the 1960s and 1970s and now thirty to forty years later these institutions are searching for new executive level leaders. Looking to the future, there is an opportunity for the face of community college leadership to change.

Similarly to other women, Latinas are moving into education leadership …

Cao Perspectives: The Role Of General Education Objectives In Career And Technical Programs In The United States And Europe, Jennifer Ballard Schanker

Dissertations

Globalization is changing the way students prepare for careers in the United States and Europe as competition for highly skilled workers is increasing among companies, regions, and nations. Success in this environment requires skills beyond the ability to perform job-related tasks. Skills of this nature are described as “liberal arts,” “basic” or “soft” skills or more broadly, “general education.” This international comparative study examines the processes used to identify, embed, and assess outcomes related to general education within career and technical programs in selected institutions in Europe and the Midwestern United States through the perceptions of their Chief Academic Officers …