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The Memphis Gambling Screen: A Clinical Validation Study Of An Enhanced-Readability Self-Report Measure For Gambling Disorder, Natasha Bourgoin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Precise identification of gambling disorder can be difficult when commonly used screeners vary in clarity and diagnostic accuracy. The Memphis Gambling Screen (MGS) was developed as an enhanced-readability self-report measure to improve item comprehension and strengthen the diagnostic accuracy of DSM-5 gambling disorder. This study evaluates the psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy of the MGS with a combined sample of individuals seeking treatment for problem gambling or substance use disorder and college students with a recent history of gambling (N = 232). Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the MGS, and another commonly used measure, the Problem Gambling Severity Index …

Race, Sex, And Age Disparities In Homicide Clearance Rates In Tennessee: An Intersectional Approach, Teliyah Cobb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Demographic factors can influence homicide solvability. This study examines the relationship between victim characteristics and homicide clearance rates in Tennessee from 2001 to 2023. Using an intersectional approach, it assesses whether victim characteristics both individually and in combination are related to case solvability. Variables of interest include: (1) victim race, age range, and sex; (2) year the case was reported; (3) crime type; (4) whether the case was cleared; and (5) the circumstances leading to clearance. A total of 11,534 homicide cases from the Tennessee Incident-Based Reporting System were analyzed.

Findings indicate that individual victim characteristics do not significantly predict …

Characterization Of Catechol-Type Siderophore(S) From P. Mosselii Cfml 90-83, Kemper R. Rasnake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Iron is essential for many biological processes, where it is used as a cofactor. Even though it is abundant in the Earth’s crust, it is in an insoluble form unavailable to microorganisms in the soil. To overcome this, bacteria produce siderophores, which are secondary metabolites that have a high affinity for iron. This allows bacterial cells to obtain insoluble iron that is essential for survival. Pseudomonas mosselii, a Gram negative bacterium, was isolated from soil. It was selected for further analysis as it was found to produce siderophore(s) under iron-limited conditions, which have not been characterized previously. Therefore, we aimed …

The Kings Are Dead. Long Live The Kings: The Legacy Of Roman Kingship In The Republican And Imperial Periods, Dylan Hillebrand

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From Romulus through Tarquinius Superbus, Rome’s kings occupied a major place within the collective cultural imagination of the ancient polity long after the office was abolished. For generations, no accusation was as odious as “king” and the entire period was seen as a cautionary tale. While the legacy of the kings remained an essential part of Roman identity, how the people related to that legacy changed eventually resulting in a restoration of kingship. A complete picture of the establishment-rejection-restoration cycle becomes clear through examination of the works of Roman (and Greek) historians. Central questions which guide this study: Why were …

Health Professions Students’ Perceptions Of Medical Laboratory Scientists: Professional Practice And Scope Of Practice, Thomas W. Williamson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Medical Laboratory Scientists (MLSs) are vital yet often overlooked members of the healthcare team. This study investigated perceptions of MLSs among students in medicine, pharmacy, and nursing programs. Grounded in professional identity theory and literature on interprofessional stereotypes, the study utilized a quantitative survey distributed to 1,113 students, with 71 responses analyzed. Nine research questions explored differences in perceptions of MLSs’ professional practice, scope of practice, entry requirements, value as team members, and consultative roles. Results indicate students generally value MLSs as members of the healthcare team and acknowledge their contributions to patient care; however, their understanding is frequently restricted …

Kindergarten Aimsweb Ela Composite As A Predictor Of Third-Grade Reading Proficiency In A Rural, High-Poverty School District, Christi J. Gentry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a critical milestone as students transition from learning to read to using reading as a tool for learning. In Tennessee, this proficiency is especially significant because promotion and retention decisions are linked to student performance on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) ELA assessment. This quantitative, longitudinal study examined the extent to which kindergarten readiness, operationalized as kindergarten AIMSweb ELA Composite scores, predicts third-grade reading proficiency status in one rural, high-poverty school district. Using archival student-level data, this study analyzed kindergarten AIMSweb ELA Composite scores and third-grade TCAP ELA proficiency. Logistic …

A Geometric Morphometric Analysis Of Acetabular Shape Variation Across Bat Families, Jordan L. Huff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bats are the only mammals capable of powered flight, and research is concentrated on this adaptation. Their non-flight locomotion has received comparatively little attention. Previous studies show that non-flight locomotor behaviors vary across families. Members of Pteropodidae are efficient climbers but cannot effectively walk, whereas Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae are better at terrestrial locomotion but show reduced arboreal capabilities. The non-flight locomotion of Hipposideridae and Rhinolophidae is less understood, although rhinolophids exhibit limited terrestrial locomotion. This study examined whether differences in locomotor behavior are associated with variation in acetabular morphology. A geometric morphometric analysis of acetabular shape was conducted across multiple …

Weathering More Than Storms: Understanding The Mental Health Disparities Of Black Farmers In The Appalachian Region, Aliyah Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black farmers in Appalachia represent a vital and historically marginalized population within one of America’s most economically distressed regions. Black farmers have endured generations of systemic racism, resulting in land loss, economic hardship, and mental stressors. This study examines the intersection of race, agriculture, and behavioral health to illustrate how structural barriers and cultural stigmas shape the mental well-being of Black farmers across Appalachia.

Findings from the analysis will guide the development of a conceptual model based on constructs from the Social-Ecological Model (SEM), Intersectionality Theory, and Critical Race Theory (CRT). This study will use Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) conducted …

Effects Of Peer-Mediated Constant Time Delay Instruction On Science Vocabulary Acquisition For Students With Moderate Intellectual Disabilities, Amy S. Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of combining peer-mediated embedded instruction with constant time-delay (CTD) procedures to improve Agriscience vocabulary learning among secondary students with moderate intellectual disability who were educated in an inclusive Agriscience classroom. A multiple-probe across participants design was conducted with three students with moderate intellectual disability. Trained peer tutors provided embedded vocabulary instruction during naturally occurring classroom activities. Results showed an increase in independent correct responding for all participants following the implementation of the intervention. Procedural fidelity, interobserver agreement, Tau-U effect size, and social validity data further demonstrated that the intervention was implemented consistently and was viewed …

Testing P300-Based Biometric Authentication Paradigms, Jordan Razzak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bench research suggests that P300 amplitude is greater in response to self-relevant stimuli compared to familiar stimuli. This effect could enable a novel method of biometric authentication based on the self-relevant P300. This dissertation aims to: (1) determine the optimal presentation paradigm for leveraging self-relevance in P300-based biometric authentication, and (2) investigate P300 responses from self-relevant stimuli versus stimuli learned over the course of a week.

Two presentation paradigms were compared – rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) and matrix presentation (MP). Participant-specific RSVP and MP classifiers were trained by applying stepwise linear discriminant analysis to data collected during presentations of …

An Exploration Of The Psychological Impacts Of Code-Switching, Cristina Culler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the lived experiences of four Black American adults who have frequently engaged in code-switching. Historically, code-switching has been perceived as a necessary skill that helps marginalized folx adopt the norms and practices of the dominant culture. As a result, code-switching has become a routine practice specifically for Black Americans who often occupy white spaces. Since code-switching has been perceived as a skill, the oppressive origins of code-switching often go unnoticed. Therefore, this dissertation examines code-switching through a critical lens that deems this practice a product of racist ideologies that prioritize whiteness. Through …

The Rending Of The Temple Curtain In The Gospel Of Luke: Its Relocation And Implications, Kim Kai Chan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rending of the temple curtain at Jesus’s death is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels, yet Luke relocates the event from after to before Jesus’s death, creating interpretive challenges. While Mark connects the curtain’s tearing to the rending of the heavens at Jesus’s baptism through the verb σχίζω, this study argues that Luke reframes the tearing motif by linking the curtain’s rending to the tearing of the new garment in the parables of Luke 5:36–39, likewise employing σχίζω.

On the one hand, these parables in Luke 5 represent Jesus’s reasoning with his critics that to resist him and his …

Teacher Self-Efficacy And Its Relationship To Student Achievement: A Quantitative Analysis Using Map Growth Data, Joseph Todd Holzmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One factor that has been widely studied is teacher self-efficacy. Teacher self-efficacy is often considered an indicator of teacher effectiveness and has been linked to a variety of positive educational outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and student achievement. Additionally, the study investigated whether teacher self-efficacy differed based on years of teaching experience, grade level taught, and subject area taught. The Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), developed byTschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy, was used to measure teacher self-efficacy among 88 participants with corresponding student MAP Growth data available for analysis. Results …

Kindergarten Teachers’ Perceptions, Experiences, And Challenges Using Visual Supports For Children With Autism, Jasmine M. Mcnair

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined kindergarten teachers’ perceptions, experiences, and challenges related to the use of visual supports for students with autism spectrum disorder in East Texas. Grounded in cognitive load theory, the study explored whether visual supports enhance learning outcomes by reducing cognitive overload. Four research questions addressed teachers’ perceptions of effectiveness, implementation challenges, the influence of teacher attitudes, and differences based on teaching experience. The researcher collected data through semistructured interviews with 10 kindergarten inclusion teachers and supplemented by classroom observations. Thematic analysis revealed five primary themes: emotional impact and student growth, visual supports as essential instructional tools, …

Neurotypical And Neurodivergent Traits As Predictors Of Memory Performance, Maranda N. Willis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traits associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been observed within neurotypical populations to influence a range of cognitive and behavioral characteristics, including attention to detail and the need for cognition (NC). The present study assessed traits commonly associated with ASD with the 42-item Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory (CATI) for 111 participants. The relations between ASD-like traits, attention to detail, as afforded by the Minnesota Clerical Aptitude Test (MCT), and memory, as measured by vignettes, were examined. Memory performance was assessed using 12 multiple-choice questions on vignette details. Participants read one of three randomly assigned 25-sentence vignettes of varying themes …

Illuminating Sanja Matsuri: Lived Religion And Festival Practice In Asakusa, Caleb R. Merckle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines Sanja Matsuri, a major Shintō and Buddhist festival in Asakusa, Tokyo, through the lenses of lived religion, participant observation, autoethnography, and anthropology. Departing from institution-centered approaches, it foregrounds the experiential dimensions of festival participation, showing how physical devotion, collective movement, and festive intensity function as expressions of spiritual meaning. Ethnographic fieldwork conducted in 2023 and 2025 included participant observation, informal interviews with local and foreign participants, and Reflexive Discourse Analysis of fieldnotes and bilingual transcripts. Analysis reveals a dynamic interplay between formal sacralization strategies — such as mitama-ire rituals and structured processions — and spontaneous, informal participant …

The Effectiveness Of Writing Professional Development For Instructional Leaders On Student Academic Outcomes, Kourtney Y. Lavergne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how elementary instructional leaders in a Southeast Texas school district perceived and utilized the R.A.C.E. (Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain) professional development training as an instructional tool to improve student writing performance. The study was guided by two research questions: (a) How do elementary instructional leaders perceive the R.A.C.E. professional development training as an effective English writing curriculum tool to improve student performance? and (b) How do instructional leaders utilize the R.A.C.E. professional development training to improve student writing performance in their classrooms? The study was grounded in adult learning theory …

Evaluating Special Education Teachers’ Competence In Inclusive Education: A Study Of Behavior Management, Level Of Confidence, And Training Needs, Kourtney Guthrie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to examine the competence of special education teachers in rural East Texas, focusing on their experiences, perceptions, and professional development needs related to behavior management and inclusive education. Quantitative data were gathered through questionnaires given to special education teachers and elaborated upon through focus group interviews, where themes emerged. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used to develop a better understanding of teachers’ preparedness and the problems involved in the implementation of inclusive practices. The findings may inform more effective teacher training, policy-making, and support systems in rural educational settings by highlighting professional …

From Hashtags To Regime Change: How Ai-Driven Social Media Algorithms Fueled Youth Protests Against Authoritarianism In Bangladesh But Stalled In Pakistan (2020-2025), Rafia Nishan Abbasi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this research, it has been investigated that how and why youth protests were amplified by AI based social media algorithms in Bangladesh; however, their impacts resulted in occasional and isolated resistance in Pakistan during 2022-25, taking in account the differences in state regulations, platform governance, and civil society networks. While utilizing Mixed-methods approach, this study employs comparative discourse analysis, a structured survey (N=466), semi-structured interviews, legal and policy tracing, and platform data. This research has proposed a novel theoretical framework of Algorithm Regime Mediation (ARM). ARM considers platform algorithms as politically intermingled intermediaries which can determine socio-political outcomes by …

Congestion Pricing: A Comprehensive Look At International Congestion Pricing Models And Applying Them To The United States, Ian Ertel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urban traffic congestion imposes large costs through wasted time, excess fuel consumption, air pollution, and lost productivity. Although congestion pricing has been recognized as the economically efficient remedy since Pigou and Vickrey, implementation has been rare. This thesis examines the conditions under which congestion pricing succeeds by analyzing three pioneering cases: London, Singapore, and New York City. Across all three, charges reduced traffic volumes and improved speeds within the priced zones. Benefits extended beyond cordon boundaries, with measurable improvements on untolled suburban roads. The distributional effects depended on how revenues were recycled rather than on the charge itself. Political viability, …

Neoliberalism & The Care Economy: Exploring The Gendered Impacts Of Social Protection Systems, Rachel Carruthers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how neoliberal transformation of social protection policy influences gender dynamics within the care economy. Care is necessary for well-being, but traditionally excluded from economic thinking. This thesis completes a historical overview of how care has been incorporated or excluded by different economic paradigms and is anchored in feminist political economy that emphasizes care as a central consideration. A comparative analysis across California, Texas, and Sweden demonstrates how social protection, specifically access to paid parental leave, varies across regimes and results in inconsistent care outcomes. The findings suggest that social protections can reduce some inequalities, but inadequately address …

Some Results In Maximal Pattern Complexity, Casey Schlortt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For a finite alphabet 𝒜 and a sequence 𝑥 ∈ 𝒜^ℕ_⊬ , Kamae and Zamboni combined the ideas of block complexity and topological sequence entropy to define the maximal pattern complexity, 𝑝^∗_𝑛 (𝑥). They defined an aperiodic sequence 𝑥 over two letters as pattern Sturmian if it had the lowest possible maximal pattern complexity, 2𝑛. Later, Kamae and Rao extended their definition of pattern Sturmian sequences to be sequences over ℓ ≥ 2 letters which are not periodic by projection and have maximal pattern complexity ℓ𝑛.

This dissertation answers a question posed by Kamae and Zamboni …

Induction Programming For Novice Special Education Directors: The Significance Of Informal Supports In The Absence Of Formal Structures, Julie E. Rottier-Lukens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role and responsibilities of a special education director are unique and highly complex when compared to other district-level leadership roles. Since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) passed in 1975, states gradually increased requirements for certification of these administrative roles, more clearly defining the criteria and standards to incorporate within preparation programs. Despite improvements in preparation programs for special education directors, there continues to be variation in preparation and certification requirements across states and persistent challenges with shortages of special education directors. After completing a preparation program, what support exists for novice special education directors to help them …

Otherness And The Trinity: Toward A Critical Reimagining Of Christian Divinity From A Postcolonial Ethos, Taylor Muma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I address the Trinity’s potential as an emancipatory relational archetype in the philosophy of religion, while at the same time recognizing the complicity of Christian doctrine in colonial conquest. My dissertation will be a reimagining of trinitarian theology as an ecotonal paradigm of multiplicity and alterity that provides a generative means of moving beyond the enmeshment of divinity with constructs of mastery.

The post-structuralist and postcolonial methodologies in this project emerge from the work of such scholars as Homi Bhabha, Jacques Derrida, Emmanuel Levinas and Gloria Anzaldúa. They foreground critical ideations of otherness and multiplicity in ways …

Tracing The Flow Of Value In Ecotourism: A Case Study Of Lekki Conservation Center, Lagos, Nigeria, Queen Oluwatobi Olafadehan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the flow of value in ecotourism at Lekki Conservation Center (LCC) in Lagos, Nigeria, using a political ecology framework to analyze how economic benefits, participation opportunities, and environmental impacts are distributed among different community groups. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 16 community members, participant observation, and photographic documentation, the study investigates how surrounding communities perceive and experience ecotourism, how revenue is understood to be distributed, and in what ways communities are included in or excluded from conservation decision-making. The findings reveal that ecotourism at LCC generates benefits that are unevenly distributed, that community participation in governance remains …

Evaluation And Distillation Of Source Code Generation Tasks By Large Language Models, Danny Brahman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Large Language Models (LLMs) are predominantly assessed based on their common sense reasoning, language comprehension, and logical reasoning abilities. While models trained in specialized domains like mathematics or coding have demonstrated remarkable advancements in logical reasoning, there remains a significant gap in evaluating their code generation capabilities. Existing benchmark datasets fall short in pinpointing specific strengths and weaknesses, impeding targeted enhancements in models’ reasoning abilities to synthesize code.

To bridge this gap, this thesis introduces two novel contributions: CodeEval and CodeQual. CodeEval is an innovative, pedagogical benchmarking method that mirrors the evaluation processes encountered in academic programming courses. It comprises …

Defying Impossibility: Critical Qualitative Reorientations To Black Lgbtqia+ Sense Of Belonging, Olivia H. Hunte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Belonging is a human need central to survival and can be cultivated within all spheres of life. Social environments are vital for experiencing a sense of belonging. In some social environments, Black LGBTQIA+ people encounter greater impediments to their daily lives with consequences for survival, including threatening their belonging needs. Within the United States, systems of oppression create and inform conditions within social environments that can potentially thwart pathways to belonging for Black LGBTQIA+ people. Thus, fulfillment of belonging needs for Black LGBTQIA+ people is one of nuance, pain, resilience, hope, harm, trauma, resistance, and healing; scant research is available …

Higher Education Institutions In U.S. Blockchain Innovation Governance Documents, Clarissa Terracciano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Blockchain technologies have attracted growing attention as an evolution of digital recordkeeping, prompting interest in higher education governance, credentialing, and data management. Yet, no systematic analysis exists on how U.S. government blockchain documents define institutional roles and governance authority within higher education institutions. As the national blockchain innovation system expands through governance infrastructure, the inclusion of higher education institutions as governing actors is imperative for coherent and equitable deployment. This qualitative study examines what roles the U.S. government blockchain documents assign to higher education institutions within the national blockchain innovation system.

Using innovation systems theory, particularly the triple-helix model of …

Voice And Choice: Exploring The Role Of Student Agency In High School Math Course Placement, Anne Patia Carpenter Sterry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how students make sense of the mathematics placement process within a high-rigor independent school. In contexts where placement decisions shape access to advanced coursework, students’ interpretations of these decisions may influence both their academic trajectories and their developing mathematical identities. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to understand the experiences of students who enrolled in mathematics courses that differed from placement recommendations, focusing on their motivations for self-selection, their interpretations of feedback from adults and peers, and how these experiences shaped their mathematical identities.

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 high school …

Enhancing K-2 Teacher Effectiveness In Reading Instruction: An Improvement Inquiry Into The Roles Of Self-Efficacy, Growth Mindset, And Evidence-Based Practices, Kellie F. Dawson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School districts across the United States have increasingly adopted structured literacy initiatives in response to growing concerns about early reading outcomes and policy mandates grounded in the science of reading. Despite substantial investments in professional development, less is known about how teachers experience implementation demands within authentic classroom contexts. This improvement study examined how evidence-based professional development influenced K–2 teachers’ self-efficacy, the barriers teachers encountered during structured literacy implementation, and the supports teachers perceived as most critical for sustained instructional change within Eagle Stone School District.

Grounded in Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory and Dweck’s Mindset Theory, this qualitative study explored teachers’ …