Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Mother And Father Stress On Child Externalizing Behaviors, Allison Mccobin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The impact of parental stress on child behavioral problems has often been examined through research. A large majority of research indicates a strong correlation between parenting stress and an increase in child behavioral difficulties. However, most studies have focused only on the impact that one parent’s stress has on the child’s behavior, rather than both or comparing the two. Using two separate cross-lagged structural equation models, data from the Fragile Families Child and Wellbeing Study (N = 1010) were analyzed to examine the differences between mother and father parenting stress on child externalizing behavior problems over time (ages three and …

Posttraumatic Growth: The Lived Experience Of Recurrent And Multiple Trauma Survivors Of Kenya’S Skirmishes, 2007 Post-Election Violence, And 2009 National Level Oil Tanker Fire Explosion, Jane C. Lang'at

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current research has associated the benefits of posttraumatic growth (PTG) with high levels of stress and trauma that challenge the victim’s assumptive world. The literature reveals that extensive research on PTG has been done on the American, European, and Asian continents but not on the African continent. Yet, how trauma survivors make meaning out of their lived experiences may not be the same globally. This universal phenomenon may also have varied interpretations based on the frequency, intensity, and scope of the traumata, along with the survivors’ socio-economic status (SES) and other benefits and risk factors. In addition, anticipation for high-risk …

Examining The Legacy Of Transgenerational Trauma And Its Effects On Contemporary African American Adults In Parenting And Caregiver Roles To African American Adolescents, Amy E. Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The system of institutional enslavement in North America has produced myriad effects on the contemporary African American community via the transmission of individual, familial, and collective trauma across generations (Carter, 2015; DeGruy, 2005; Weingarten, 2004). This research explored the roles of parent and caregiver within this cultural group in an effort to determine how past traumas have influenced the lived experiences and world view of African Americans in these roles.

While research on certain historically marginalized cultural and religious groups is plentiful, there is a clear lacuna of scholarly investigation into the African American experience, particularly as it relates to …

Re-Queering The Trans Binary: Gender Nonconforming Individuals’ Experiences In Counseling And Therapeutic Settings, Michael Stephens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to unearth the narratives of gender nonconforming (GNC) individuals’ experiences of mental health services. The term gender nonconforming refers to individuals who do not identify with a strictly male or female concept of gender identity. There is an insubstantial research that has been conducted into the provision of effective mental health services for gender nonconforming individuals. Most of the studies in the literature review used the term transgender to highlight gender minority experience of counseling.

This study used gender nonconforming to separate from this terminology confusion. Individuals who identify with the identity label of transgender can be …

Self-Assembling Bioaffinity Hydrogels For Localized Antibody Delivery, Wen Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The scope of illnesses that are being treated using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has been expanding from cancers to autoimmune diseases due to their high specificity to their molecular target. Because many of the new mAbs are aimed to modulate the immune system, an emerging concern is that patients with chronic illnesses are subjected to immune-related Adverse Events (irAEs). Loss of immunological tolerance to self-antigens or increased susceptibility to infections have been documented in some mAb treatments. Localized sustained release of mAb at disease sites might mitigate the risk of such toxicities. Antibody drugs are formulated typically for parenteral delivery because …

Psychological And Family Variables Associated With The Treatment Of Pediatric Idiopathic Pain, Rachael Hoffman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined variability in treatment outcomes of children with idiopathic chronic pain. Specifically, the biopsychosocial model was used as a framework to consider the way that symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as parent response to pain contributed to the change in a child’s confidence in participating in daily activities following treatment in an inpatient chronic pain treatment program.

Wellness And Karate, Cristina Kumpf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The promotion of wellness is an integral part of the counseling field and is considered to be a central focus to the counseling process (Barden, Conley, & Young, 2015; Myers, 1992). The counseling profession adopted the concept of wellness because it harmonizes with many of the founding principles of the ACA and is seen as a process of questing toward optimal health and well-being in body, mind, and spirit (Barden, Conley, & Young, 2015; Myers, 1992; Myers, Sweeney, & Witmer, 2000). Additionally, ACA Code of Ethics (2014) state that counselors “engage in self-care activities to maintain and promote their own …

The Myth Of Promiscuity: Examining Black Male Sexual Narratives And Sexual Identity, Seth Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black masculinity and sexuality are common topics across areas of philosophy, psychology, cultural studies and others. Yet, these topics are dedicated to the racial narrative of hypersexual Black male, the sexual objectification of Black men, and their presumed promiscuity. While such topics are important, there is little qualitative research that looks at the complexity and emotionality of African American men’s sexual experiences. Using the theoretical research on black masculinity and sexuality as its backdrop, this dissertation explores how heterosexual, African American men experience their sexuality. The study incorporates narrative inquiry and in-depth, semi-structured interviews to gather stories of five African …

Workplace Bullying, Nurse Practice Environment, Patient Outcomes: A Descriptive Study, Noreen Houck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Better nursing practice environments are associated with improved patient safety, yet little is known about the nurse’s experiences of bullying or flourishing within the practice environment. This study described nurses’ experiences of workplace bullying and flourishing and identified associations with patient outcomes.

The study used an exploratory cross-sectional survey design following Donabedian’s Quality Framework of structure-process-outcome and informed through critical feminist theory. The study took place at a large medical facility in the northeastern United States. A multi-instrument survey included four sections. The demographic section and the Practice Environment Scale of the Nurse Work Index (PES-NWI) were used to measure …

The Effect Of The Movie Time Social Learning Method On The Emotional Inferencing Skills In An Adult With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jenna Reade

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty finding employment and maintaining social relationships. Professional and personal interactions require individuals to make inferences, or read between the lines. Inferencing is a challenge for individuals with ASD because it requires complex information processing. More specifically, it involves the integration of cognitive and linguistic information. There is a lack of research using complex stimuli to treat inferencing. An A-B-A-B design with one adult with ASD was used to examine the effectiveness of a movie-based method, Movie Time Social Learning(Vagin, 2012), on improving the emotional inferencing skills of one young adult with …

Structure And Thermodynamics Of Polyglutamine Peptides And Amyloid Fibrils Via Metadynamics And Molecular Dynamics Simulations, Riley Workman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aggregation of polyglutamine (polyQ)-rich polypeptides in neurons is a marker for nine neurodegenerative diseases. The molecular process responsible for the formation of polyQ fibrils is not well understood and represents a growing area of study. To enable development of treatments that could interfere with aggregation of polyQ peptides, it is crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms by which polyQ peptides aggregate into fibrils. Many experimental techniques have been employed to probe polyQ aggregation, however, observations from these studies have not lead to a unified understanding of the properties of these systems, instead yielding competing, fragmented theories of polyQ aggregation. This …

Ultrasound Visual Biofeedback And Accent Modification: Effects On Consonant And Vowel Accuracy For Mandarin English Language Learners, Courtney Armstrong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The number of individuals in the United States who speak languages other than English continues to increase. With the increase of language diversity comes a potential rise in communication challenges for those who speak with non-mainstream American English accents as English language learners. A portion of these individuals may elect to seek accent modification services, perhaps due to decreased intelligibility or communication breakdowns. Thus, speech-language pathologists must research and provide effective techniques to enhance intelligibility of all American English speakers for optimal communication. Few approaches employ a variety of treatment methods to improve speech sound accuracy, naturalness and intelligibility to …

Building Resilience Through A Positive School Climate, Charles Fleischmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present study is to explore the potential for schools to promote resilience and protective factors through a positive school climate and a focus on school connectedness. Data from the California Healthy Kids Survey was used to analyze differences between children who reported high versus low school climate and school connectedness, and their reported levels of resilience based on four traits: empathy, problem-solving skills, self-awareness, and self-efficacy. The research questions addressed in the present study are: Is there a difference between students with different levels school climate perception when examining resilience-linked traits? And is there a difference …

The Association Of Prescription Opioid Exposure And Patient Factors With Prolonged Postoperative Opioid Use In Opioid Naive Patients, Jennifer Lanzillotta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background

Research suggests prolonged postoperative opioid use occurs in 4-13% of opioid naïve patients and is related to factors other than surgical pain. However, it is unclear which patient factors and prescribing practices are associated with prolonged use after surgery among opioid naïve patients.

Objectives

To identify factors associated with prolonged postoperative opioid use (refills 90-180 days after surgery) in opioid naïve patients in two domains: specific patient characteristics (demographics, smoking status, comorbidities, etc.) and exposure through postoperative opioid prescriptions (in oral morphine milligram equivalents [OME]).

Methods

An electronic medical record dataset analysis of inpatient and outpatient opioid naïve adult …

Effects Of Natural Antioxidants On Motor And Cognitive Deficits In An Animal Model Of Aging And Obesity And Dopaminergic-Like Sh-Sy5y Cell Line, Sneha Potdar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aging is a universal phenomenon. One of the greatest challenges faced by the elderly population is to sustain a healthy standard of living. Advancing age is associated with increased motor and cognitive deficits. Loss of balance, falls, hip fractures, and poor memory all contribute to a decline in the quality of life of the aging population. While ongoing research is making advances to find therapeutic interventions for neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, there is a pressing need to address deficits associated with normal aging.

Increase in oxidative stress and a decline of antioxidant mechanisms with aging have been …

The Psychology Of Self-Surrender: A Contemplative-Hermeneutic Study, Danny Sharara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the psycho-spiritual significance of self-surrender as a mode of being and experiencing. The author seeks to generate meaningful knowledge of self-surrender through a methodology that follows from the distinct nature of self-surrender as a psycho-spiritual/religious phenomenon that is grounded in direct experience. As such, this study draws on an integrative methodology that synthesizes elements of applied hermeneutics with autoethnography and contemplative practice. The author conducts an applied hermeneutic analysis of two psycho-spiritual texts; one that is rooted in the Zen Buddhist tradition and the other from the Sufi tradition. This is followed by a thematic analysis that …

Illuminating The Trauma Of The Closet Among Sexual Minorities: A Cinematic-Phenomenological Study Of Existential Rights, Nisha Gupta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a phenomenological research study about the lived experience of being in the closet as a sexual minority. This study’s research findings are represented in two distinct but overlapping ways: a traditional written hermeneutic interpretation, and a short film called “Illuminate” which cinematically brings to life the closeted lifeworld. To produce this film, I developed an innovative research method called “cinematic-phenomenology.” As a researcher, I conducted phenomenological research interviews with five self-identified sexual minorities about their lived experiences of being in the closet. During interviews, I helped participants describe their felt sense of the closet through symbolic imagery, …

The Zombie Apocalypse Has Already Happened: Queering Subjectivity In Zombie Film, Jessica Dunn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation traces the encounter between psychology as a human science and the viral zombie film genre using the collaborative works of Deleuze and Guattari in conjunction with the queer anti-humanist theories of Colebrook and Halberstam. I interwove thematic (i.e. plot, dialogue, character development) and cinematographic (i.e. shot composition, editing, lighting, musical score) analyses of fourteen viral zombie films with theoretical arguments regarding the deterritorialization of the human subject and its relevance to psychology as a human science. The films were selected from the plethora of viral zombie films released after the turn of the 21st century. The selection was …

End-Of-Life Care Practices In Two Cultures: A Comparative Ethical Analysis And Recommendations, Nora Alharbi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This dissertation examined the similarities and differences between the end-of-life care strategies employed in the United States and Saudi Arabia. End-of-life care has emerged in recent decades as a medical practice specialty. It has taken on enhanced significance in the United States in tandem with the aging of the Baby Boomer generation, but it is also a significant focus of practice and research in other countries as well. In the context of Saudi Arabia, however, end-of-life care is still very much an emerging phenomenon that is being shaped and informed by Saudi culture, tradition and the Islamic faith.

This …

The Effectiveness Of Best Management Practices On Water Quality In The Attoyac Bayou Watershed Of East Texas, Cheryl Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the Attoyac Bayou Watershed Protection Plan, best management practices (BMPs) were developed for livestock, wildlife, and on-site sewage facilities (OSSFs), using bacteria source tracking (BST), spatially explicit load enrichment calculation tool (SELECT) model, as well as a cost benefit analysis. An evaluation of these BMPs was conducted on the Attoyac Bayou (AB), Big Iron Ore Creek (BIO), Naconiche Creek (NC), Terrapin Creek (TC), and Waffelow Creek (WC) to see if they were meeting their designated use criteria for elevated Escherichia coli (E. coli). Water quality parameters were monitored for five sample locations within the Attoyac Bayou Watershed during March …

The Effects Of Power And Religiously Motivated Ingroup Preference On Social Affiliation, Hernan Escobar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human beings are fundamentally social animals motivated by a need to establish and maintain close social relationships. The creation of these relationships inevitably leads to the creation of groups, along with a desire for power as a method of determining how resources are to be allocated within these groups. Most groups are characterized by individuals who belong to the ingroup and those who are relegated to an outgroup, and one powerful motivator of ingroup favoritism is religious affiliation. Although research has shown that feelings of low power increase the drive to socially affiliate, research has not yet explored how religious …

Economics Of Managing Loblolly Pine Plantations For Increased Wildlife Biodiversity, Melissa Griffith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this thesis was to identify the differences between the costs incurred and revenues gained from managing loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations in East Texas for strictly timber production or a combination of timber production and wildlife biodiversity. Management regimes evaluated had varying planting densities, thinning frequency and intensities, prescribed burn intervals, and site indices. Economic analyses used to evaluate management regimes over a range of nonindustrial private landowner (NIPF) alternative rates of return (ARRs) and site indexes were net present worth, land expectation value, and equal annual annuity. These economic analyses demonstrated that altering management …

Adventure-Based Therapy: Couple Intimacy With Christian Spirituality, Edward Boyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adventure-Based Therapy (ABT) models have been used for many years in the United States and beyond, primarily in adolescent and young adult populations. This project seeks to explore the experiences of couples on an ABT trip. Couples were asked to share their lived experiences as it pertains to marital intimacy, nature, and Christian spirituality. Seven themes emerged as the interviews were transcribed and confirmed by the couples: appreciation for nature, building community, care shown by partner, connecting with God outdoors, leaving technology, preparation together, and shared activity. These themes form the backbone of potential new outcomes as couples’ work is …

The Effects Of Christianity On Adult Resiliency When Overcoming Grief, Mia-Tiara S. Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grief seems to affect everyone in some way over the course of life. This research conducted a thematic analysis using grounded theory methods to understand the process in which Christians overcome grief when losing a loved one. A total of six participants volunteered to be able to share their stories. The questions to be answered included: “What is the process of growing resilience among Christians who experience grief due to losing a loved one?” and “How does one’s faith impact this process of overcoming grief?” Utilizing Strauss and Corbin (1990), the data collected in this study was analyzed by open, …

The Buffering Effect Of Mindfulness Between The Stressors And Perceived Stress In Faith-Based University Students, Amber Glantz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of study was to research the buffering effect of mindfulness between the stressors and perceived stress in faith-based university students. Literature suggests that as mindfulness increases, stress decreases. This study attempts to provide information on college students’ perceived stress levels, stressors they face, and mindfulness awareness. A multiple linear regression was conducted to examine the association between perceived stress, stressors, and mindfulness levels. A sample of 91 students in the Spring of 2018 at a faith-based university in Texas were asked to participate in an online survey. Some findings were not congruent with the literature. The results of …

Role Of Executive Function And Alcohol-Sex Schema In The Relationship Between Alcohol Use And Sexual Assault, Michelle Seulki Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Heavy alcohol use and sexual assault are significant problems among women attending college. The current study examined the relationship between sexual assault and alcohol use across a four-month period and the role of executive function (EF) and alcohol-sex schema in this relationship. Participants were 176 women undergraduate students with a mean age of 19.50 years (SD = 1.30), with 85 participating in a second survey four months later. Participants completed self-report questionnaires regarding alcohol use and sexual assault, a battery of EF tasks, and a lexical decision task assessing alcohol-sex schema. Sexual assault significantly predicted alcohol use four months …

Performance Evaluation Of Logistic Regression, Linear Discriminant Analysis, And Classification And Regression Trees Under Controlled Conditions, Cahit Polat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Logistic Regression (LR), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), and Classification and Regression Trees (CART) are common classification techniques for prediction of group membership. Since these methods are applied for similar purposes with different procedures, it is important to evaluate the performance of these methods under different controlled conditions. With this information in hand, researchers can apply the optimal method for certain conditions. Following previous research which reported the effects of conditions such as sample size, homogeneity of variancecovariance matrices, effect size, and predictor distributions, this research focused on effects of correlation between predictor variables, number of the predictor variables, number of …

An Examination Of The Impact Of Racial Ideology And Conversations About Race On Relationship Processes Among African American Couples, Aleja M. Parsons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study aimed to explore how considering unique cultural factors and experiences may advance the fields knowledge on relationship dynamics among African American couples. In a sample of 172 self-identified African American adults who were in opposite sex relationships, the current study explored how individual’s own and perception of partner’s racial ideology are associated with romantic processes, if, when, and how African American couples talk about race within their relationship, and the association between “dyadic racial ideology” and relationship processes. Results indicated one’s own racial ideology, conceptualized by individual subscales and cluster profiles, and discrepancy between one’s own and …

Play And Exhibitions: Expanding Definitions Within Museums, Helena Sizemore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an exploration of the utilization of play, as a method for visitor engagement, within the context of the museum. Play, as a method for learning and engagement, is often a contested topic between scholars and practitioners within the museum field. This is in part due to the ambiguous nature of defining play, the ever-present dichotomy between work and play, and the struggles museums find in balancing education and entertainment. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Denver, Colorado names play as part of one of its core values. Using anthropological theoretical and methodological approaches, I examine …

Fuel Specific Emissions Trends For In-Use Medium And Heavy-Duty Vehicle Fleets In California, Molly J. Haugen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

New heavy-duty vehicle regulations have caused significant reductions in hazardous air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x), due to better engine management and utilization of advanced after-treatment systems. The University of Denver has collected data for gaseous and PM emission measurements from on-road heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs). The On-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicle Emissions Measurement System (OHMS) collected fuel specific emission information on individual HDVs of in-use fleets at two California locations in the spring of 2013, 2015 and 2017. These complimentary fleets, studied over multiple years, produced 7,075 measurements of gaseous and particle emission data providing …