Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of Variables That Attract Certified Special Education Substitute Teachers To Selected Urban School Districts In The State Of Michigan, Patsy Ann Fox

Dissertations

Demand and supply of certified special education substitute teachers in the Middle Cities Education Association in Michigan was examined to determine the difference between supply and demand and to describe the factors that attract these teachers to substitute teach in the public schools.

A four-item letter of inquiry was used to acquire information from the membership of the Middle Cities Education Association in regards to supply and demand. Twenty-eight usable returns were received for a 100% response rate.

Questionnaires were distributed to certified special education substitute teachers in 19 school districts. The questionnaire consisted of two parts. Seventeen items related …

Comparison Of The Effects Of Biofeedback Assisted Treatment On The Reduction Of Stress Among African-American And White Employees, Ollie O. Barnes Iii

Dissertations

Seventy-four employees at an internationally based Fortune 500 corporation participated in a comparative biofeedback study. The study was designed to determine whether there is a difference in the way African-Americans and white Americans respond to biofeedback-assisted stress management treatment. The study also serves as a springboard for increasing the quantity of empirical literature in the area of biofeedback in general and biofeedback using African-Americans as subjects, in particular. The researcher randomly assigned the employees to one of three groups (biofeedback, traditional, control). Each subject was assessed on six variables: state anxiety, trait anxiety, heart rate, skin temperature, blood pulse height, …

Self-Preserving: Patterns Guiding The Experience Of Interpersonal Conflict For Female Nursing Faculty, Kathleen L. Harr Dnsc, Msn, Rn, C

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify a substantive theory to explain and predict interpersonal conflict as it is experienced by nursing faculty. Gaining an understanding of this process may assist faculty and administrators of nursing education programs in dealing with interpersonal conflict in more constructive and helpful ways. It may also provide the basis for further development of formal theory and the potential for theory testing. The grounded theory method described by Glaser and Strauss (1967) and Glaser (1978) guided data collection and analysis. The sample was comprised of 18 full-time nursing faculty members from the field site …

Nursing Care Through The Eyes Of The Patient, Donna May Fosbinder Dnsc, Msn, Rn

Dissertations

Ethnographic methods were used to examine the nurse-patient interaction for the purpose of developing descriptive and explanatory theory of patient satisfaction based on patients' perceptions regarding their nurses' interpersonal skills. A private acute care hospital was the setting for 40 patients and 12 nurses who were study participants. Four processes provided the framework for the themes that emerged: "translating," "getting to know you," "establishing trust," and "going the extra mile." I labeled the action of nurses informing, explaining, instructing, and teaching patients the translation process. Informing and explaining were described by both patients and nurses as very important to the …

Intracellular Degradation Of Ribosomes In A Mesophilic And A Thermophilic Species Of Bacillus, Joe William Davis

Dissertations

The rates of intracellular degradation of ribosomal proteins were compared in a mesophilic and a thermophilic species of Bacillus. Cells were grown under various incubation conditions in the presence of a 14^C-protein hydrolysate m order to label the ribosomes. Rates of ribosome degradation were evaluated in terms of changes in the specific activity of in vivo ribosomes as a function of incubation time. The results indicated that, under most conditions, ribosomes were degraded (in vivo) at similar rates in both the mesophile and the thermophile. In some studies, ribosome degradation rates were slightly faster for the thermophile than for the …

Within-Subject And Between-Subjects Evaluation Of The Effects Of Hallucinogenic Drugs In Pigeons Responding Under Two Variations Of A Fixed-Consecutive-Number Schedule, Rodney D. Clark

Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was twofold: To determine the effects of LSD (0.03 - 1.0 mg/kg), mescaline (0.3 - 5.6 mg/kg), and DMT (0.3 - 3.0 mg/kg) on the performance of pigeons under two variants on an FCN schedule and to determine whether these effects differed substantially as a result of experimental design (i.e., within subject or between-subjects). Under this schedule, food was delivered whenever subjects responded between eight and 12 times on one response key (work key), then responded once on a second key (reinforcement key). Under one version, (FCN-S^D), an external discriminative stimulus was correlated with …

Self-Reported Leadership Styles Of Higher Education Administrators In Venezuela As Related To Selected Demographic Variables, Julian Serafin Martin

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the self-reported leadership style of higher education administrators in Venezuela as related to six selected demographic variables: age, sex, highest academic degree earned, years of experience in either colleges or technological institutes, marital status, and union experiences. The subjects of the study were 58 directive council members of three colleges and five technological institutes in Venezuela. Eighty-three percent of all potential subjects participated in the study. Two instruments--the LBA-II-Self (Spanish version produced by Blanchard Training and Development, Inc.) and a demographic data form--were used to gather data.

The validity and reliability of …

Applications Of The Tap Te Chino Of Lao Tzu To Psychotherapy Theory And Technique, Thomas E. Hranilovich

Dissertations

Existing paradigms in psychology are almost exclusively founded upon the hypothetico-deductive scientific tradition. As a consequence, prevalent psychotherapy theories and techniques are also founded upon this tradition. In recent years the realization has been growing, even among its adherents, that the hypothetico-deductive method is not the only avenue to knowledge about the nature of existence. An alternate avenue is provided by the mystic tradition, as exemplified by Zen Buddhism, Hesychasm, Indian and Tibetan Yoga, Sufism, Christian mysticism, Hindu mysticism, Jewish mysticism, and Taoism. This study is an examination of the central beliefs of tao chia, or the Taoist school, and …

A Trend Analysis Of Occupational Therapy Treatment Outcomes Following Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Surgery, Richard G. Cooper

Dissertations

A trend analysis of treatment outcomes was completed for a single group of subjects who participated in a staged occupational therapy rehabilitation program following carpal tunnel surgery. In addition, the enabler skills of range of motion and muscle strength were compared with the outcome skills of motor function and occupational performance. Thirty-one subjects participated. Data were collected before surgery, and three months, six months, and nine months after surgery.

The findings from this study indicated that: (a) differences in range of motion, gross grasp, motor function, and occupational performance occurred in linear trends; and (b) increases in enabler skills were …

Stimulus-Specific And Stimulus-Nonspecific Reinforcement: Effects On Tact Training With Severely Mentally Impaired Young Adults, Steven J . Braam

Dissertations

The effects of specific or similar physical properties between discriminative stimuli and reinforcers in tact training were studied. Stimulus-specific reinforcement and stimulus-nonspecific reinforcement conditions were compared using a matched-groups design. When subjects correctly tacted in the former condition, the experimenter gave reinforcers with identical physical properties to the training stimuli. When subjects correctly tacted in the latter condition, the experimenter delivered reinforcers with different physical properties from the nonverbal training stimulus.

The subjects demonstrated no overall differences in learning trials. Only one subject, trained with stimulus- specific reinforcement learned tacts in consistently fewer trials than his counterpart trained with stimulus-nonspecific …

Graph Products And Covering Graph Imbeddings, Ghidewon Abay Asmerom

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Improving Networks Reliability, Jamal H. Nouh

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Shape Preserving Piecewise Cubic Interpolation, Thomas Bradford Sprague

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Essential Characteristics Of Advocacy Associated With The Nurse-Client Relationship: The Client's Perspective, Victoria Louise Cole Schonlau Dnsc, Mpa, Bsn, Rn

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe clients' lived experiences of advocacy associated with the nurse-client relationship. The sample consisted of ten non-hospitalized adults, 19 to 72 years of age, who had a hospitalization or ambulatory relationship with a registered nurse within the previous six months. Data were gathered via interviews initiated with the same open-ended question. Georgi's five step method was used for data analysis. Four essential characteristics of advocacy associated with the nurse-client relationship were identified. Described by clients as nurse attributes, behaviors, and actions, they were labelled: Competent Knower, Competent Doer, Humanizer, and Communicator. Clients …

Well-Being Of Elderly Women: Rural-Urban Differences, Betty J. Gale Dnsc, Ms, Rn

Dissertations

Using a stress-coping theoretical framework, this path analytic study examined the effects of hardiness, self-esteem, social support, and stress on coping, service utilization, and well-being of elderly women. Fifty-five rural and fifty-five urban females living in the community comprised the sample whose mean age was 75 years. The overall level of well-being of these women was high. Hardiness was associated with greater social support and well-being. Self-esteem was related to lower stress. Hardiness and self-esteem were also associated with decreased use of emotion-focused coping. Stress had a positive relationship with service utilization and a negative relationship with well-being. Problem-focused coping …

The Experience Of Female Nurses Being Cared For: A Phenomenological Analysis, Sharon Lu Skinner Shetlar Dnsc, Ms, Bsn, Rn

Dissertations

The focus of this phenomenological inquiry was the question: What is the meaning (essential structure) of the experience of being cared for as lived by female nurses? The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experience of being cared for. Phenomenologic methodology was used for this study. Data analysis was patterned after the guidelines set out by Colaizzi, and Miles and Huberman. Fifteen female nurses described their experiences of being cared for during two interviews with the researcher. Through analysis of the first audio-taped interview metathemes describing the phenomena and a unity of meaning emerged. During the …

Variables Related To Faculty Attitudes Towards Computing At Western Michigan University, Marianne P. Vakalis

Dissertations

The purpose of this study were: (a) to describe characteristics of faculty at Western Michigan University who hold favorable or unfavorable attitudes towards computing with respect to the 13 variables used in previous research; (b) to investigate other selected variables which could be used to describe faculty who are likely to have favorable attitudes towards computing at Western on which little, if any, research has been reported in the literature; and (c) to develop implications of findings for identifying possible interventions with faculty who hold unfavorable attitudes towards computing at Western Michigan University.

A Computing Favorability Scale (Shields, 1984), used …

Performance And Satisfaction Ratings By Nurses, Supervisors, And Patients In Jordanian Government And Private Hospitals, Diab Mousa Al-Badayneh

Dissertations

This is a study of performance and satisfaction ratings by supervisors, patients, and nurses in the Jordanian government and private hospitals. Comparisons of total performance ratings scores as well as individual performance items were made between (a) registered nurses vs. supervisors and registered nurses vs. patients within government and private hospitals and in all hospitals combined^ (b) combined as well as separate ratings of registered nurses, supervisors, and patients between government and private hospitals; and (c) total performance ratings scores only between registered nurses vs. supervisors and registered nurses vs. patients within each hospital. Comparisons of total satisfaction ratings scores …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of A Linear And An Exponential Performance-Pay Function On Work Productivity, Shezeen Oah

Dissertations

This study examined how work productivity was affected by the way in which individual monetary incentives were related to performance. Two types of relationships, or performance-pay functions, were compared: a linear function in which a specific per piece incentive was provided for each piece completed in excess of a performance standard and an exponential function in which the amount of the per piece incentive accelerated as productivity increased. Forty college subjects were randomly assigned to one of the two pay conditions. Each subject participated in 15 forty-five minute sessions. Subjects performed a computerized work task that simulated the job of …

Members Of Minority Student Organizations And Their Perceptions Of Their Academic And Social Integration, Oris Tamaria Griffin

Dissertations

Hundreds of studies of student retention have been conducted at colleges and universities over the years, and invariably they have focused on identifying student characteristics and other factors related to retention, as well as on causes of attrition which can help us identify ways to improve this situation.

Importantly the literature on student retention has identified academic and social integration as playing key roles in student retention, although admittedly some studies have shown more promise on these variables than others.

The purpose of this study was to determine if members of any one of three organizational types (social, professional, ethnic) …

A Woman For All Seasons: A Biography Of Julia Catherine Stimson (1881-1948), Mary T. Weber Sarnecky Dnsc, Mn, Bsn

Dissertations

Little is known or written about one of nursing's most enduring and productive leaders, Julia Catherine Stimson. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the life and character of Miss Stimson and to identify the many, diverse contributions which she made to the profession of nursing and to humanity. Additionally through an analysis of her leadership qualities, a profile of an effective nursing leader evolved. The historical method was used in this investigation. Data was collected for the study from the National Archives, the Center of Military History, the New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center Archives, the New York Historical …

A Theoretical Integration Of Robert Kegan's Developmental Psychology And Heinz Kohut's Self Psychology, Wilmar Vanderpol

Dissertations

Theory and research about psychological development tends to be dichotomized into two broad approaches that have never been integrated. The one is Piagetian-based cognitive-developmentalism, and the other is Freudian-based psychoanalytic developmentalism. The first predominates in academic research and application and the second in clinical research and therapy. This dissertation is a theoretical integration of the Piagetian-based theory of Robert Kegan with the Freudian-based theory of Heinz Kohut known as self psychology. A rationale for the integration of these two theories is given, along with an overview of each theory with respect to their developmental aspects. Analysis of their respective basic …

The Effects Of Anabolic Steroids On Measured Personality Traits Of Male Weight Trainers, Kraig Libstag

Dissertations

This research was undertaken to explore the effects of anabolic steroid use on the measured personality traits of male weight trainers. The use of these drugs by competitive and non-competitive athletes worldwide has grown to enormous proportions. Anecdotal case reports that discuss various psychological manifestations associated with the use of anabolic steroids by athletes have been presented in professional journals and in the popular press in recent years. However, there have been few studies that systematically examine the psychological consequences of steroid utilization.

The underlying assumption of this study was that anabolic steroids would affect the measured personality characteristics of …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Differential Behavioral Strategies On Therapeutic Compliance: Making And Keeping Appointments, Shara Johnson

Dissertations

The present research grew out of a larger study, The Transgenerational Project for Parents and Children (TG) (Epps, 1986), which was conducted at the Howard University Child Development Center in Washington, D.C. This study provided the model for simultaneously addressing the needs of parents as well as their preadolescent children who exhibited specific learning disabilities that significantly decreased achievement levels. The present research compares the effectiveness of combining behavioral strategies, which previous research has shown to individually contribute toward enhancing patient compliance, in order to increase parental compliance with referrals for child psychotherapy.

Twenty-one parents or guardians of children whose …

Causes Of Juvenile Delinquency In Jordan, Ayed A. Irfaifeh

Dissertations

This dissertation sought to examine the extent to which a set of social bonding factors were helpful in preventing delinquency in the Jordanian society. A sample of 147 juveniles (male eleventh-graders) from seven public high schools in the Tafielah Covernate and its localities completed a self-reported survey. Their answers were useful in ascertaining whether or not Hirschi's (1969) social control theory was indeed applicable cross-culturally, especially in a society dissimilar to the United States. Within the theoretical confines of Hirschi's theory, the descriptive data suggest that Jordanian youth have similar cultural beliefs, values, attitudes, and affiliation to the convention order …

Demographic Characteristics, Rehabilitation Outcomes, And Family Concerns Of Individuals Who Are Older And Blind, John E. Crews

Dissertations

This study was conducted to create a description of the demographic characteristics, rehabilitation outcomes, and concerns of the family members of a group of people who are older and blind. The sample for this study included 112 people who were blind and over the age of 55. In addition, the study included a description of the concerns of 40 family members who had a spouse or parent who was older and blind.

Five instruments were used to gather data for this study. A survey instrument provided demographic data and reported levels of productivity for each client. A functional assessment form …

Highway Deicing Salts And The Mobilization Of Selected Heavy Metals From Stream Sediments, Harlie David Cole

Dissertations

This study was undertaken to: (a) determine the effect of sodium chloride concentration on mobilizing cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc from stream sediments; (b) determine if chloro-metal complexes may play a role in any such mobilization; and (c) determine the correlations between chloride ion and each of these metals in an urban stream during winter road-salting periods.

The drainage basin of the Red Run, an urban stream draining all or parts of several cities north of Detroit, Michigan, was chosen as a study site. Stream sediments containing the five heavy metals were stirred with sodium chloride or sodium nitrate …

Enumerating The Orientable 2-Cell Imbeddings Of Complete N-Partite Graphs, Bruce P. Mull

Dissertations

This dissertation develops formulas for the number of congruence classes of maps of complete, complete bi-partite, complete tripartite, and complete n-partite graphs; these congruence classes correspond to unlabeled imbeddings. The method employed for the enumeration is an extension of that used by Mull, Rieper, and White in 1988. We let the automorphism group act on the set of rotations and use Burnside's Lemma to count orbits for these rotations. Compatible permutations are introduced to determine those automorphisms actually contributing to the number of orbits.

The complete n-partite formula is shown to generalize those of the other three families of graphs. …

Effects Of Performance Feedback And Goal Setting On The Productivity And Satisfaction Of Clerical Workers, Leslie Ann Wilk

Dissertations

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Performance Management (PM) intervention designed to improve the productivity and job satisfaction of clerical employees in a university admissions department. During the first phase of the intervention, supervisors applied a PM program which included an individualized daily goal setting and verbal feedback program. During phase two, graphic display of individual performance levels was added to the goals and verbal feedback program. Productivity was measured via daily self reports of tasks completed. Job satisfaction was assessed by taking measures prior to and following the intervention using the Work …

On Distance In Graphs And Digraphs, Songlin Tian

Dissertations

One of the most basic concepts associated with a graph is distance. In this dissertation some new definitions of distance in graphs and digraphs are introduced. One principle goal is to extend certain known results involving the standard distance function on graphs to the field of digraphs with an appropriate concept of distance. Several parameters as well as subgraphs and subdigraphs defined in terms of distance are investigated.

Chapter I gives a brief overview of the history of distance and generalized distance in graphs. By presenting a listing of major results in this area, it provides a background for the …