Digital Commons Network^™

Rural Parents Mental Health Service Delivery Preferences: Overcoming Barriers To Care., Jeffrey H. Ellison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unique barriers prevent parents in rural areas from seeking mental health services for their children. The implementation of innovative models of service delivery may reduce these barriers' impact on rural parents' treatment seeking.

The purpose of this study was to determine: 1) parents' willingness to use innovative service delivery models; 2) barriers that parents perceive to seeking treatment in each of the 4 service delivery models, and; 3) the relationship between perceived barriers and willingness to seek help in the context of 4 service delivery models.

Surveys were distributed to parents of children attending school in several counties in rural …

An International Reformer: Jessie Ackermann And American Progressivism., Michael Jonathan Sheffield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Jessie Ackermann traveled throughout the world representing numerous American reformist organizations during the Progressive Era. Over the course of her lifetime, she promoted progressive reforms in foreign lands. This study examines Ackermann's career a progressive in an international context. The Jessie Ackermann Collection in the Archives of Appalachia holds various records that document Ackermann's career. Ackermann also authored three books during her lifetime. This thesis employs these primary materials along with other appropriate primary and secondary sources dealing with Ackermann and the Progressive Era. Several historical studies have surveyed Ackermann's work as a reformer; however, none have sought exclusively to …

The Reality Of The Greene County School System Preschool Program., Kathryn E. Crumm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

State funded preschool programs are recent phenomena in the United States and the state of Tennessee. The intent of the researcher was to explore the implementation of the preschool program in the Greene County Schools system and to develop a better understanding of the effects of this process at the classroom level. This study may provide significant information for other pre-k programs in the state of Tennessee or nationwide programs in partnership with Head Start.

The preschool program in the Greene County Schools system consisted of 16 classes with nine of the classes in partnership with Head Start and one …

Forgiveness Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms And Locus Of Control In A College Sample., Elizabeth Conway-Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although forgiveness has been associated with reduced anxiety in several studies, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder, the potential association between forgiveness and obsessive-compulsiveness has been generally unexplored. The current study examined the association between three dimensions of forgiveness and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms as mediated by locus of control (LOC) in a college student sample (N = 241). Forgiveness of self (FS) and of others, but not feeling forgiven by God, were associated with overall OC symptoms and with a majority of symptom subscales. LOC was limited in its role as a mediator that was restricted to associations with …

Psychopathy And Gender Of Serial Killers: A Comparison Using The Pcl-R., Chasity Shalon Norris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Psychopathy and serial murder are 2 of society's most devastating and least understood tribulations. Even less is comprehended with regards to the differences in the way these ills are expressed between the genders. In this study, psychopathic personality traits are considered in a sample comparison of male and female serial murderers. Traits are measured using questions derived from Hare's Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R, 1991). A content analysis was performed to score the components for each subject, using known and accepted biographical and personal interview materials. Findings showed a distinct difference between the sexes, with females scoring lower than their male …

Identifying Interventions That Work In Juvenile Justice: An Analysis Of The Moral Kombat Program., Thelma Deneen Mcgowan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective intervention programs play a fundamental role in reducing rates of juvenile delinquency. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that is strongly supported by research (ACT, 2010). Moral Kombat (MK) is an intervention that combines character-building and CBT concepts in programs for at-risk and delinquent juveniles with the goal to change their belief systems, thus improving their behaviors (Marchant, 2009). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the extent to which MK incorporates the principles identified in the literature as necessary for a CBT program to be successful. The occurrences of the 11 CBT principles identified in …

Initially Budgeted Stimulus Funds For Special Education By Local Education Agencies In East Tennessee., Martha Hughes Murray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B funds in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) were initially budgeted for sustainable or unsustainable purposes by the 50 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in East Tennessee in 2009-2010. Federal guidance for use of ARRA funds suggested funds should be spent quickly to create or save jobs and support education reforms. Thoughtful investment in order to avoid the funding cliff when ARRA funds ended was also stressed. The one-time funds presented a substantial increase in federal dollars and provided opportunity for LEAs to …

A Quantitative Analysis Of General Education Teachers Perceptions Of Their Knowledge Of Special Education Law Processes And Procedures., Linda Karen Tilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined general education teachers who have taught students with disabilities and their perceived knowledge of special education law, processes, and procedures. Results obtained from the study's 15 research questions were examined using independent samples t-tests and ANOVAs based on differences in teachers' gender, education level (Bachelor's Degree, Advanced Degree), current grade level teaching assignment (K-8, High School), years of experience (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15+), and current subject teaching assignment (Academic, Nonacademic).

Results show that across the 3 areas regardless of demographics only 1 of the 15 research questions had a statistically significant finding. No significant differences were …

Biopharmaceutic And Pharmacokinetic Studies Of Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate As An Excipient For Oral Drug Delivery., Martin Ray Tant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB), a randomly substituted sucrose approximating sucrose diacetate hexaisobutyrate, is produced by Eastman Chemical Company for a variety of applications. SAIB is widely used in the food industry as a weighting agent to disperse flavoring oils in primarily citrus-based soft drink beverages. Additionally, SAIB is currently being marketed by another company as a parenteral drug delivery system. The studies reported here focused on investigating SAIB as an excipient, or delivery vehicle, for use in oral delivery of several drugs, including ibuprofen, saquinavir, and clarithromycin. Dissolution experiments were conducted using both ibuprofen and caffeine, and results suggest that …

The Performance Of Intercultural Communication: China's "New Face" And The 2008 Beijing Olympics, Patrick Shaou-Whea Dodge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores Chinese communication practices. I focus on the performance of intercultural communication and how the "New Face" of China was performed to the world and in day-to-day intercultural communication encounters during the 2008 Olympics. I analyze the Olympic Volunteer Training Manual as performative text as well as interviewed Beijing Olympic volunteers about their encounters with international visitors. Specifically, I discuss why the Olympics were a crucial moment for China to unveil its "New Face" to the world, what the "New Face" of China entails, and the reasons why China is in need of a new image on the …

Transforming Atypical Challenges Into Innovative Solutions: A Gendered Analysis Of The Un Interagency Rehabilitation Program In Nepal, Sarabeth Harrelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nearly five years after signing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended ten years of civil war in Nepal, key issues are still unresolved and political progress on implementation has been slow at its best. While every disarmament demobilization and reintegration (DDR) operation is unique, Nepal's DDR process has included atypical conditions such as no government support, continued military command over program participants, an unusually long time spent in cantonments prior to discharge, and the absence of an adequate pre-planning phase. This analysis is presented in the form of a case study and examines the United Nations Interagency Rehabilitation Program …

Posttraumatic Growth Following Cancer: The Role Of Cognitive Processing, Anxiety, Depression And Perceived Threat, Jennifer M. Caspari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored several predictors of posttraumatic growth (PTG) in a sample of 169 breast, prostate and colorectal cancer survivors. The first aim was to determine the influence of Anxiety, Depression and Perceived Threat (defined as the combination of Life Outlook Threat, i.e., the degree a cancer diagnosis challenged a survivor's assumptive world, and Physical Threat, i.e., threat to mortality and physical well-being) in the prediction of Positive and Negative Cognitive Processing. The second aim was to examine the effect of Anxiety, Depression, Perceived Threat, and Positive and Negative Cognitive Processing in the predication of PTG.

Cancer survivors who were …

School Refusal Behavior: A Phenomenological Study Of Latino/A Children's Experiences, Mary Ashley Angelo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School refusal behavior (SRB) is a subset of absenteeism in which children either altogether refuse to attend school or experience great difficulty remaining in class for the duration of the school day. Child motivated SRB is a growing problem that now affects between 5% and 28% of children and adolescents at some point during their lives. The effects of SRB can extend well beyond the classroom. Long-term, SRB can lead to delinquency and psychiatric, occupational, and marital problems in adulthood. Additionally, children who consistently exhibit SRB are more likely to drop out of school, thereby limiting their career choices and …

A Longitudinal Study Of Fetal Tissue Transplantation Surgery For The Treatment Of Parkinson's Disease: Can Quality Of Life And Optimism At Baseline Predict Patient Outcome 10 Years Later?, Emily B. Fazio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive condition that affects the physical, emotional, and social functioning of individuals. Freed et al. (2001) conducted a double-blind sham-controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of fetal tissue transplantation for the treatment of advanced PD. The authors of that study examined the effects of the surgery across the dimensions of physical and neurological functioning. A quality of life (QoL) study was conducted to determine if there were differences in QoL when comparing those who received the fetal tissue transplantation with those who received the sham surgery (McRae et al., 2004).

While there is …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Conscientiousness, Self-Awareness, And Occupational Stress Outcomes In Culinary Chefs, Tanja M. Hinterstoisser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether, and to what extent, Conscientiousness, as part of the personality construct, and Self-Awareness, as part of the emotional intelligence construct, influence the occupational stress outcomes of absenteeism and burnout in culinary chefs. The research method and design selected for this study was a quantitative correlation and regression. The researcher selected the Self-Awareness factors from the ECI - 2.0, and the Conscientiousness factors from the NEO-FFI to measure the individual and interactive effect on absenteeism and burnout. The experience of burnout itself was measured the Maslach Burnout Inventory - GS, and absenteeism …

To Get The Shot Or Not: Narratives, Rhetoric, And The Childhood Vaccination Crisis, Katherine M. Hurley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parents in developed countries like the United States are questioning the need for and safety of childhood vaccinations. Incidences of disease have risen as fewer parents have vaccinated their children. Perhaps the most significant public figure to reinforce the choices of parents not-to-vaccinate is Jenny McCarthy, whose best-selling book details her theory about the cause of, and cure for, her son‘s autism. As I demonstrate, the study of the narratives is vital for understanding the vaccination crisis, not the least because of the extent to which McCarthy‘s (2007) story has echoed through parenting communities. I examine whether chosen anti- and …

Analysis Of Trauma Symptomology, Trauma-Informed Care, And Student-Teacher Relationships In A Residential Treatment Center For Female Adolescents., Amy Backert Gonshak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although there is a vast body of literature to support multiple positive outcomes related to positive student-teacher relationships, no prior study has investigated student-teacher relationships within the context of a residential treatment center for abused and neglected adolescents, students who theoretically could benefit from this relationship the most. The first goal of this study was to investigate the effects of student trauma symptomology, teacher beliefs about trauma-informed care, and teachers' emotionally supportive behavior in the classroom on student-teacher relationship quality. Results revealed that teacher beliefs about trauma-informed care and student trauma symptomology, particularly as it is related to 'Other-Control,' are …

Arsenic-Induced Developmental Changes In The Liver And Adult Cardiovascular Disease., Ntube Nini Olive Ngalame

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic arsenic exposure is associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD). Prenatal arsenic exposure at 49 ppm arsenic accelerates atherosclerosis underlying CVD in ApoE-/- mice, but the mechanism is unknown. This dissertation examines the mechanisms by which prenatal arsenic exposure accelerates atherosclerosis. Arsenic is a hepatotoxicant, and liver disease increases atherosclerosis risk. I hypothesized that prenatal arsenic exposure alters liver development and primes the liver for susceptibility to other environmental insults, predisposing to liver disease and accelerated atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice. I showed that prenatal arsenic exposure caused subtle but significant liver damage in 10 and 24 week old ApoE-/- mice, …

A Social Networking Space : A Study On The Productivity Of Twitter In Museum Practice., Cara C. Lyons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the evolution of social networks and technological innovations, services such as Twitter provide a platform for increased dialogue and participation. Micro-blogging features enable individuals and organizations to communicate directly, providing a new source of individual commentary that breaks the barriers of traditional communicative paradigms. This research targets museum social networking through close examination of the history of Twitter in museums, as well as its benefits, strategies, and goals in utilizing technology to foster an authentic museum experience. Another aim of this study is to highlight the challenges and obstacles museums face in constructing a social network that positively supports …

An Analysis Of Teacher Efficacy, Resident Efficacy, And Teacher-Student Relationships With Behaviorally Challenged Youth In Residential Treatment Settings., Andrew J. Nichols

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation contributes to the existing body of research investigating teacher efficacy, collective teacher efficacy, academic efficacy, and teacher-student relationships within residential treatment centers (RTCs) for adolescents. While past RTC research identifies a link between positive resident outcomes and supportive relationships with RTC staff members, no prior studies have investigated this link from the perspective of classroom teachers. Additionally, although specialized trainings strengthen interpersonal relationships between RTC residents and staff members, most are directed toward therapeutic and milieu staff, not teachers. The purpose of this study was threefold: (a) to examine whether teachers' individual and collective perceptions of teaching efficacy …

Mechanistic Insights Into Copper-Induced Regression Of Heart Hypertrophy., Katherine Bourcy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have shown that copper (Cu) supplementation at physiologically relevant levels reverses cardiac myocyte hypertrophy induced by phenylephrine (PE), and that this effect was VEGF-dependent. Yet, the amount of VEGF in the media was unchanged. However, we observed that Cu caused an increase in the ratio of VEGFR-1:VEGFR-2 as well as an increase in PKG-1 activity. PKG-1 activity is associated with the regression of cardiac myocyte hypertrophy. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that VEGFR-1 is associated with PKG-1 and their association is involved in Cu induced regression of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Human cardiac myocytes (HCM) in …

Worry In Children : Proposal And Test Of A Cognitive Model., Sarah Jane Kertz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although worry is common in children, little is known about its development and maintenance. The current study reviews several areas of the literature to inform a comprehensive cognitive model of clinical worry in children. Parental influences on child anxiety broadly are reviewed, followed by a discussion of empirically supported cognitive models of worry in adult samples. Next, the potential impact of cognitive development on childhood worry is presented. A cognitive model is then proposed, and empirical support for the model is reviewed. Finally, a portion of the model is identified and tested empirically. Specifically, this study tests the hypothesis that …

Generational Differences In Perceived Lip Protrusion Esthetics., David Butler 1979-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Facial esthetics plays a major part in diagnosis and treatment planning in orthodontics. One aspect of facial esthetics that orthodontist can drastically change, for better or worse, is that of lip position. What is considered esthetic, however, may vary from person to person based on a multitude of variables. Hypothesis: It is hypothesized that the esthetics of lip protrusion differs with age, with a younger layperson preferring a more protrusive lip position than an older person's ideal lip protrusion. Methods: 208 lay people, ages 12+, with no background in the dental field, were surveyed and asked to rank from …

The Beta-2 Adrenergic Receptor Polymorphisms And Risk Of Breast Cancer Among Hispanic And Non-Hispanic White Women From The 4-Corners Breast Cancer Study : A Population-Based Case-Control Examination., Avonne Elish Connor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polymorphisms in the adrenergic receptor beta-2 (ADRB2) gene have been studied in relation to risk of Type 2 diabetes and obesity, but few studies have investigated associations with breast cancer. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the primary hypothesis that ADRB2 variants (rs1042713-Arg16Gly and rs1042714-Gln27Glu) are associated with breast cancer risk in non-Hispanic white (NHW) and Hispanic (H) women using data from a population-based case-control study conducted in the southwestern United States: 'The 4-Corners Breast Cancer Study'. A total of 1,244 NHW and 606 H cases with incident primary breast cancer were ascertained and 1,330 NHW and 728 …

Sleep/Wake Activity And Energy Expenditure In Overweight And Obese Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients : A Pre- And Post-Cpap Comparison., Pamela A. Mccullough

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Overweight and obesity is a major contributing factor in an estimated 70% of all obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) cases. Approximately five percent of the adult population has OSA, and the numbers continue to soar with the rising prevalence of obesity. As a primary therapy, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has demonstrated improvement in many comorbidities associated with both OSA and obesity. Although anecdotal and clinical references support increased energy, activity, and weight loss as a potential benefit of CP AP treatment, there remains little evidence to endorse CP AP as a significant weight-reduction measure for overweight and obese OSA patients. …

Interproximal Reducation In Conjunction With Plastic Aligner Therapy : A Retrospective Pilot Study., Adam Chorak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: For more than 10 years, Invisalign has been a treatment alternative to traditional bands and brackets for the treatment of malocclusion. In order to relieve crowding in the dentition, interproximal reduction (IPR) or stripping is often required. Invisalign dictates how much IPR should be done per case. Hypothesis: The hypothesis is that less tooth structure is removed by IPR during treatment than is advocated by Invisalign. Methods: Subjects will be patients from the University of Louisville who were treated with Invisalign. The mesial-distal width of the teeth on pre and post treatment models will be measured and compared against …

Examining The Relationship Between College Football Season Ticket Holders' Service Personal Values And Their Behavioral Intentions : The Moderating Effect Of Team Identification., Gary Peng-Liang Tan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recently, some college football programs have experienced unsustainable attendance growth, increases in revenue discrepancies, stagnant "revenue growth", and increased operating costs (Brown, 2009; Fulks, 2009; Fullerton & Morgan, 2009; Jackson, 2005; NCAA, 2009, 2010). These problems can be examined from customer service, social identification, and consumer behavior perspectives (Curtin, 1982; Katona, 1974; Wann & Branscombe, 1993; Zeithaml, 1988). This study's research purposes are to understand service personal values antecedents and outcomes, and team identification's moderating effect on the relationship between service personal values, and both consumption satisfaction perceptions and behavioral outcomes. A sample of college football season ticket holders at …

Data Center Resilience Assessment : Storage, Networking And Security., Yehia H. Khalil Mohamed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Data centers (DC) are the core of the national cyber infrastructure. With the incredible growth of critical data volumes in financial institutions, government organizations, and global companies, data centers are becoming larger and more distributed posing more challenges for operational continuity in the presence of experienced cyber attackers and occasional natural disasters. The main objective of this research work is to present a new methodology for data center resilience assessment, this methodology consists of: • Define Data center resilience requirements. • Devise a high level metric for data center resilience. • Design and develop a tool to validate and the …

Regression Methods For Survival And Multistate Models., Farida Mostajabi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A common research interest in medical, biological, and engineering research is determining whether certain independent variables are correlated with the survival or failure times. Standard statistical techniques cannot usually be applied for failure-time data due to the lack of complete data or in other word, due to censoring. From a statistical perspective, the study of time to event data is even more challenging when further complexities such as high dimensionality or multivariablity is added to the model. In this dissertation, we consider the predicating patient survival from proteomic profile of patient serum using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) data of …

Mitigating Cisplatin Resistance In Ovarian Cancer., Clarisse S. Muenyi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Epithelial Ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of gynecological cancer death in the USA. Recurrence rates are high after front-line platinum chemotherapy and most patients eventually die from platinum-resistant disease. P53 plays an important role in cellular response to platinum-DNA damage. It transcriptionally activates XPC, a platinum-DNA damage recognition protein in the global genome repair (GGR), sub-pathway of nucleotide excision repair (NER). The goal of this research is to investigate the effect of a novel combination of cisplatin, sodium arsenite (NaAs02) and hyperthermia (CPA 39 DC) on EOC cells with different p53 status. Human EOC cells were treated with …