Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between Recurrent Placental Pathology And Recurrent Poor Pregnancy Outcome, Cara Krulewitch

Dissertations

Poor pregnancy outcome (PPO) is a top agenda item in health and political arenas. Most prominent PPOs are low birth weight (LBW) and preterm delivery (PTD). Effective interventions to maximize pregnancy outcome will diminish their negative impact. The placenta is a diary of the infant's prenatal experiences. Changes in the placenta provide clues to the uterine environment during the pregnancy. Each placental pathology represents a different insult, including severity, duration and type. The Collaborative Perinatal Project of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke was a longitudinal study of obstetric outcomes in women. The study was conducted …

Effects Of Anxiety Reducing Interventions On Performance Anxiety In Graduate Nurses, Georgita L. Tolbert Washington

Dissertations

Every new nursing graduate is challenged to successfully transition from student to professional nurse. The stress involved in that transition can manifest itself as performance anxiety, a type of anxiety occurring when someone is the focus of attention and is fearful of interactions or of being humiliated or embarrassed. It occurs only in specific situations. The new graduate's performance is the focus of attention and evaluation. Further, the need to interact with other professionals, patients, and families can create anxiety about performance. No studies have examined performance anxiety in graduate nurses. Use of cognitive behavioral therapy, progressive muscle relaxation, and …

Attitudes Of Nurses Toward Children With Disabilities, Kathleen A. Marsala-Cervasio

Dissertations

The attitudes of U.S. nurses toward children with disabilities have not been adequately measured over time and after an educational intervention. Disability content has not been a priority in nursing education and, if present, the focus has been on adults with disabilities. The attitudes of nurses play a significant role in the provision of quality healthcare services they provide for children with disabilities. This quantitative, experimental research measured the attitudes of graduating nursing students (N= 88) toward children with disabilities utilizing the Attitudes Towards Disabled Persons Scale (ATDP-B) before and after disability education.

Attitudes, Subjective Norms, And Perceived Behavioral Control: Critical Care Nurses' Intentions To Provide Culturally Congruent Care To Arab Muslims, Stephen R. Marrone

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among critical care nurses' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions to provide culturally congruent care to Arab Muslims. A purposive convenience sample of 208 critical care nurses participated in this investigation. Data were collected using four Likert-scale instruments. Each subject received an attitude score, subjective norms score, perceived behavioral control score, and intention score.

Down Home: An Ethnography About Community Process And Health Of Older Persons In A Rural Setting, Carol A. Craig

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand how rural-dwelling elderly people describe their health and to gain an understanding of rural community processes as they relate to the health of older residents. Although community health nursing practice supports community-level interventions, the influence of communities upon the health of older community members is not well known. Ethnographic design and methods were employed to study the health of older residents in a Western Plains farming community of about 500 people.

Prenatal Breastfeeding Education: An Intervention For Pregnant Immigrant Hispanic Women, Jane W. Schlickau

Dissertations

This experimental study tested a one-to-one Prenatal Breastfeeding Education (PBE) intervention for primigravid immigrant Hispanic women who received prenatal care at a public health clinic. The study framework was derived from the Health Promotion Model. Specific aims were: (a) to test if the intervention increased breastfeeding initiation, (b) to test if the intervention increased breastfeeding duration and (c) to discover if breastfeeding self-efficacy mediates the effect of the intervention on breastfeeding initiation and duration.

Mathematical Literacy And Video Games, Craig Carrigee

Dissertations

Mathematical literacy refers to the ability of a person to be able to comprehend and conceptualize real-world data and mathematical situations to make informed decisions. Minimal research exists compared to the explosion of video games available to the public over the past two decades. This study investigates the relationships between playing video games and the ability of a person to answer real-world questions about mathematics as well as the person’s attitude toward mathematics, including their self-confidence, perceived value, enjoyment, and motivation. Previous studies have shown mixed results related to the influence of playing video games on cognitive math ability, but …

Morphological Study Of Voids In Ultra-Large Models Of Amorphous Silicon, Durga Prasad Paudel

Dissertations

The microstructure of voids in pure and hydrogen-rich amorphous silicon (a:Si) network was studied in ultra-large models of amorphous silicon, using classical and quantum- mechanical simulations, on the nanometer length scale. The nanostructure, particularly voids of device grade ultra-large models of a:Si was studied, in which observed three-dimensional realistic voids were extended using geometrical approach within the experimental limit of void-volume fractions. In device-grade simulated models, the effect of void morphology; size, shape, number density, and distribution on simulated scattering intensities in small- angle region were investigated. The evolution of voids on annealing below the crystallization temperature …

Social-Emotional Difference Given Disability, Grade, And School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports, Edith A. Hayles

Dissertations

Students with disabilities as a group remain behind in academic achievement when compared to students without disabilities. Without the right school-based interventions, many students with disabilities will experience academic failure, disciplinary infractions, social isolation, self-doubt, school disengagement, and school dropout. Additionally, social-emotional intervention helps older students to improve executive functioning, develop self-regulation skills, and score better on achievement tests than the students not receiving any social-emotional programming. Moreover, students enrolled in schools that implement evidence-based educational interventions to facilitate students’ social-emotional competencies demonstrate more positive behaviors and social-emotional interactions. Students with social-emotional competencies have also described feeling safer and happier …

Social And Literacy Development Of School-Based Pre-Kindergarten Students, Stewart Smirthwaite

Dissertations

In order to meet the demands of college and career ready standards, students are expected to enter kindergarten knowing more than ever before. A need exists to examine data that provides evidence of desired social and literacy outcomes for students in kindergarten. In order to address the need for further study of school prekindergarten opportunities for young children, two different sets of data were collected, examined, and discussed. Literacy proficiency was measured by using data from the Mississippi K-3 Assessment Support System’s (MKAS²) Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). Social competence was measured using the Behavior Assessment System for Children, …

Effects Of Flipgrid For Training On Job Satisfaction In Adjunct Clinical Nursing Faculty In A Baccalaureate Nursing Program, Maria Quimba

Dissertations

Given the critical shortages of nurses in the United States and the corresponding shortfall of qualified faculty, the need to support adjunct faculty to meet the challenges of higher education is paramount. Comprising nearly half of the professoriate across institutions of higher education and nearly 50% of instructional time in associate and baccalaureate programs, adjunct clinical nursing faculty play a significant role in nursing education. Despite empirical research to support the need for training, development, and mentorship, ample evidence indicated lack of institutional support. Consequently, adjunct faculty experience numerous challenges accessing institutional services, struggle in their roles, and report job …

Students Of Size: An Exploratory Case Study On A Hidden Climate, Braelin Pantel

Dissertations

Colleges and universities often espouse values related to equity and inclusion for diverse students (Harper & antonio, 2008; Torres, Arminio, & Pope, 2012;). Student affairs practitioners are frequently responsible for working towards inclusive environments (American College Personnel Association (ACPA), & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), 2015). An estimated 31% of college and university students are classified as overweight or obese (American College Health Association, 2007), yet body weight or size is rarely a consideration in work related to student equity and inclusion on campus. Limited research exists on the experiences of students of size in college and university …

Group Differences In Motivation And Achievement Outcomes Within A First-Year Seminar, Selani D. Flores

Dissertations

This intervention study explored potential motivation, achievement, and gender differences among students within an existing first-year program (n = 388). This intervention program (FYE 101) was chosen because it has a diverse population and a large number of underserved students, it fosters content that is grounded in motivational research, and it has had a positive impact on increased student GPA and fall-to-fall persistence. Prior research showed that FYE 101 was effective in mitigating academic outcomes for students within the course when compared to students who did not participate, however, we do not know if it would be equally effective for …

A Qualitative Investigation Of The Andragogical Teaching Methods Used In Adult Group Piano/Organ Instruction, Deborah Timpone Curran

Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored adult keyboard (piano/organ) students in a group environment at a piano/organ store in the Midwest United States. Included in the study was a Level 1 Piano class, a Level 2 Piano class, and one Seniors’ Organ class. The researcher explored the use of andragogical principles in the group keyboard classes based upon the programming and instruction, especially in connection with Knowles’ six assumptions and eight processes of andragogy. In addition, the researcher also focused on the presence of trust in the relationships between instructor(s) and student participants, or the lack thereof. The use of Henschke’s …

Gender And The Enactment Of Suicide Bombings By Boko Haram, Jordan N. Galehan

Dissertations

The Boko Haram terror group has utilized more women as suicide bombers than any other group in history. While prior research has examined why this phenomenon is occurring, and what makes Boko Haram a unique terror group, the present study examines how these attacks are being perpetrated, or enacted, by the female bombers. Utilizing the Global Terrorism Database (GTD), which is the largest terrorism incident database available, the study examined the incidents of female suicide bombings perpetrated by Boko Haram. The open-sourced citations provided by the GTD were compiled and turned into a complementary qualitative dataset. Overall, there were 151 …

Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Via Frequency Up-Conversion Technology, Amin Abedini

Dissertations

Ambient energy harvesting has attracted significant attention over the last years for applications such as wireless sensors, implantable devices, health monitoring systems, and wearable devices. The methods of vibration-to-electric energy conversion can be included in the following categories: electromagnetic, electrostatic, and piezoelectric. Among various techniques of vibration-based energy harvesting, piezoelectric transduction method has received the most attention due to the large power density of the piezoelectric material and its simple architectures. In contrast to electromagnetic energy harvesting, the output voltage of a piezoelectric energy harvester is high, which can charge a storage component such as a battery. Compared to electrostatic …

Visual Saliency Analysis, Prediction, And Visualization: A Deep Learning Perspective, Ali Majeed Mahdi

Dissertations

In the recent years, a huge success has been accomplished in prediction of human eye fixations. Several studies employed deep learning to achieve high accuracy of prediction of human eye fixations. These studies rely on pre-trained deep learning for object classification. They exploit deep learning either as a transfer-learning problem, or the weights of the pre-trained network as the initialization to learn a saliency model. The utilization of such pre-trained neural networks is due to the relatively small datasets of human fixations available to train a deep learning model. Another relatively less prioritized problem is amount of computation of such …

Achieving Musical Peak Performance: The Impact Of An Online Self-Efficacy And Performance Anxiety Management Program Based On Maslow’S Hierarchy Of Needs, Melynie Joy Campbell

Dissertations

Every musician should be encouraged to strive for peak performance; however, many musicians do not know how to achieve it. Although there is a significant amount of research done on music cognition, music therapy, and musical behavior, the research that aims to expose the inner workings of the performer’s brain is still in its infancy. In the field of Sports Performance Psychology, there have been many performance-based studies designed to discuss this idea among athletes; however, to date, there has not been a correlation for how to attain peak performance results among musicians. To bridge the relationship between the theories …

Effects Of Two Types Of Creatine Feeding And Doxorubicin On Skeletal Muscle Apoptotic Markers, Zoltan A. Torok

Dissertations

Doxorubicin (Dox) is a widely used anthracycline antibiotic used to treat a number of hematological and solid tumor cancers. Dosage however, is limited due to its toxic effects in healthy tissues. Negative consequences include myotoxicity in skeletal muscle, which may limit mobility and activities of daily living. Doxorubicin increases the formation of reactive oxygen species, which triggers apoptosis in the tumor and healthy tissue. Skeletal muscle undergoes apoptosis in response to Dox treatment, via the activation of the cleaved caspase-3 and its downstream target, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Creatine monohydrate (Cr), a naturally occurring chemical, when taken exogenously, can improve athletic performance. …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Moral Injury Among Female Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans, Tricia Mercaldi Steeves

Dissertations

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological qualitative study was to investigate the construct of moral injury among a female Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veteran sample. Moral injury has been defined as the “lasting psychological, biological, spiritual, behavioral, and social impact of perpetrating, failing to prevent, or bearing witness to acts that transgress deeply-held moral beliefs and expectations” (Litz et al., 2009, p. 697). Moral injury also includes experiences of feeling betrayed by others (e.g., leaders and/or peers) while serving in high-stakes situations such as theater (Drescher et al., 2011; Litz, Leslie, Gray, & Nash, 2015; Shay, 1994). A …

Check-In/Check-Out With High School Students, Ashley Murphy

Dissertations

Check-in/Check-out (CICO) has been shown effective in reducing problem behavior (PB) and increasing academically engaged behaviors (AEB) for elementary and middle school students (Mitchell, Adamson, & McKenna, 2017); however limited research has included high school students. The current study sought to evaluate the effectiveness and social validity of CICO for four high school students in a general education setting. During the initial intervention phase, two students refused to participate in the CICO process (i.e., did not attend check-ins or check-outs despite multiple efforts); therefore, CICO was ineffective for these students. For two other students, CICO was ineffective for improving behavioral …

The Impact Of Traumatic Brain Injury On Neuropsychological Functioning And Tau Accumulation Later In Life In Military Veterans, Lindsay Eatman

Dissertations

Abstract The following study examines aging veterans that experience a TBI while in service and

compares to older veteran without a history of TBI. The objective is to look at cognitive profile later in life for military veterans with moderate to severe TBI different and compared to older veterans with no history of TBI. Is there a difference in tau accumulations on neuroimaging in military veterans with moderate to severe TBI compared to older veterans without a history of TBI? What is the relationship between the cognitive profile and tau imaging correlates for military veterans with moderate to severe TBI …

The Utility Of Music-Based Interventions In Dementia Care, Adriana C. Doerr

Dissertations

While research has investigated the impact of music-based interventions on management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), there is limited discussion of which music-based interventions are most effective for various levels of dementia severity, or of how to determine which music-based interventions are both accessible and feasible for caregivers and nursing staff. This review sought to identify the benefits of music-based interventions in dementia care within various domains of functioning and determine whether music-based interventions are effective for various levels of dementia severity. Peer-reviewed articles and studies that evaluated the effectiveness of various music interventions or demonstrated music's …

The Importance Of Practice: Learning To Teach Student-Centered Labs With Confidence, Linda Nix

Dissertations

This quantitative research study examined the relationship between science teachers’ science education experiences (high school, undergraduate science courses, teacher education program science methods courses, in-service teaching, and professional development) regarding exposure to student-centered labs and science teacher self-efficacy in teaching student-centered labs. This research study also examined the relationship between science teachers’ opportunity to practice teaching student-centered labs during their science teacher experiences (teacher education program science methods course, in-service teaching, and professional development) and science teaching self-efficacy in teaching student-centered labs as they relate to the social constructivist and experiential learning theories.

A modified version of the Science Teaching …

Molecular Responses To Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Contaminants In Estuarine Fish, Elizabeth Jones

Dissertations

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill resulted in the oiling of approximately 2100 km of shoreline. During that time, resident organisms had to contend with the effects of multiple contaminants and suboptimal environmental conditions. This research examines the molecular effects of DWH oil spill contaminants in estuarine fish (CyprinodonvariegatusandFundulusgrandis) across multiple life stages, contaminant concentrations, and in conjunction with environmental stressors.

Our results indicate that:

1. Oil elicits substantial transcriptional effects across life stages in C. variegatus. In adults, exposure to low concentrations of oil and dispersant results in transcriptional effects related …

Determining Readiness To Take The National Council Licensure Examination For Registered Nurses®, Heidi Elizabeth Monroe

Dissertations

Numerous studies have examined the association between pre-admission and/or during nursing program variables and the outcome on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®; National Council of State Boards of Nursing [NCSBN]; 2015) but very few studies have examined post-graduation variables. This study examined post-graduation variables associated with the outcome on the NCLEX-RN® examination. The purpose of this exploratory field study was twofold. The first aspect was to identify the benchmark score on a post-graduation test (the Kaplan RN Readiness Exam; Sanders, 2014) correlated with passing the NCLEX-RN® examination. The second aspect was to explore factors that the …

Constraints And Context: Testing The Effects Of Anthropogenic Noise And Social Factors On Avian Signaling Behavior, Erin E. Grabarczyk

Dissertations

Rapid human-generated environmental change has irrevocably altered the natural world. Understanding how animal populations respond and persist within these modified landscapes is critical for mitigating associated negative environmental impacts. For organisms that rely on vocal communication, anthropogenic noise masks signals, reducing the area over which vocalizations can be heard. For birds, noise overlaps with songs males use to defend breeding areas and attract mates, both critical aspects of reproduction. In response to noise, males adjust their song structure, but whether they actually benefit from song changes is unknown. Moreover, it remains unclear whether noise disrupts communication by affecting interactions with …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Women’S Infertility And Miscarriage Grief Experiences, Tristan Mcbain

Dissertations

Infertility and miscarriage are reproductive losses that often produce grief reactions in affected women. This phenomenological study investigated the grief experiences of infertility and miscarriage through the ambiguous loss and disenfranchised grief frameworks in order to better understand both the obscurity of reproductive loss and how the resulting grief may be invalidated.

Sixteen women volunteered to participate in this study and each fell into one of the following three categories: women affected by infertility without miscarriage (4); women affected by miscarriage without infertility (4); and women affected by infertility and miscarriage (8). A phenomenological hermeneutic approach was utilized to uncover …

The Underlying Psychophysiology Of Pedophilic Disorder And The Implications For Treatment Approaches, Tonise Florexil

Dissertations

Sexual crimes are a persistent and significant social dilemma that continues to plague our society (Lee, Jackson, Pattison, & Ward,2002). Past research has made considerable advancements in terms of the types of interventions that clinicians can utilize when they work with individuals who have a history of child sexual offenses. However, current literature lacks an understanding of the risk factors that influence the development of Pedophilic Disorder. A history of sexual trauma also affects families. The children of traumatized individuals have more adjustment difficulties than their counterparts who did not have a parent(s) with a sexual trauma history. This clinical …

A Single Session Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy To Promote Health-Related Behavior Change: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Monica Barreto

Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified physical activity, nutrition, and sleep as three key health-related behaviors that can help the prevention of chronic disease. Only a fraction of the population met the recommended guidelines across these domains. It is important to develop interventions that can be simultaneously focused, flexible, efficient, and efficacious as a means of impacting population health. This study examined the efficacy of a single 60-minute Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) session targeting health-related behavior change and compared it to an information-only wait-list (WL) control condition. Forty-five collegians (Mage = 22.35 [6.91], 78% female, 56% …