Digital Commons Network^™

Social-Cognitive Predictors Of Physical Activity Initiation In Type 2 Diabetes Following Diabetes Self-Management Education : Application Of The Health Action Process Approach., Jason E. Bonner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes presents a public health crisis and a global pandemic. Successful management of diabetes requires engagement in a daily regimen of self-care behaviors to achieve optimal glycemic control and to reduce the severity of diabetes-related complications. Regular engagement in physical activity has been demonstrated to improve glycemic control and overall quality of life among patients with diabetes. Diabetes self-management education (DSME) has become the hallmark for instructing patients with diabetes to engage in physical activity, yet physical activity patterns of DSME patients remains largely unknown. Further, it is unclear what factors could account for such behavior change in …

More Real Than Real : An Anthropological And Phenomenological Exploration Of Imagistic Sacred Space In The Contemporary Elegy And Fine Art Photograph., Amy Liann Tudor 1968-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The creation of liminal spaces has been used for centuries cross-culturally to create sacred or taboo meanings in rituals, people, places, or objects. Liminality is constructed by the overlapping of cultural categories and "ruptures" an object or event's connotations, imbuing it with new and often transcendent or spiritually charged meaning. The photograph is an example of liminal space, since it freezes even the living in a state of corpse-like stasis. With the invention of this new medium, as well as its application to memorializing the dead, previous forms of commemorating death such as the eulogy and the poetic elegy were …

Critiquing The Soul Of White Supremacy And The Spiritualities Of Whiteness: Narrative And Everyday Praxis, Dean J. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that whiteness and the oppressive structures it creates are maintained, managed, and justified by the religio-cultural tools of white Christians in greater Fort Wayne, IN. This dissertation studies the relationship among the repertoires of white Christians, racism, and white privilege by analyzing the life narratives of selfidentified white Christians. I have divided this work into two parts. Part one, comprising Chapters One and Two, outlines the frameworks, theories, and methods I use to analyze the life narratives of the white Christians that I interviewed. In Chapter One I focus on how my research builds on and contributes …

Family Income, Maternal Marital Status, Maternal Employment, And The Development Of Overweight And Obesity During Childhood., Shaoqing Gong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the longitudinal associations of family income level, maternal marital status, and maternal employment with body mass measurements and the development of overweight and obesity. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to assess the effects of the exposure variables on weight status with simultaneous adjustment for the exposure variables and the covariates. Key findings include: Children in families with incomes below the poverty line at child's 24 or 54 months of age were at a higher risk of becoming overweight and obese at child's third grade than children in families with incomes above the poverty line; longer …

Rural Versus Urban: Tennessee Health Administrators' Strategies On Recruitment And Retention For Allied Health Professionals., Derek Ray Slagle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a growing interest in understanding recruitment, retention, and turnover of allied health professionals considering employment trends and workforce mobility, an increased need to understand the healthcare delivery system, and the dynamic nature of the allied health workforce especially for rural areas. A survey was sent to allied health administrators across a variety of allied health disciplines from the state of Tennessee hospitals in order to gauge opinions on retention and recruitment strategies. Overall successful strategies for recruitment and retention of allied health professionals were reported as well as differences between urban and rural areas, differences among allied health …

East Tennessee State University Faculty Attitudes And Student Perceptions In Providing Accommodations To Students With Disabilities., Terre D.M. Byrd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine ETSU faculty attitudes and student perceptions in providing academic accommodations to students with disabilities.

Participants of the study were ETSU students with disabilities who are registered with the Disabilities Services office and faculty members of ETSU. Students with disabilities were interviewed. An online survey was sent to faculty members via the ETSU email system. Disability law and disability compliance year books served as the primary documents that were reviewed for pertinent information.

Grounded theory using a constant-comparison methodology served as the conceptual framework for the study. The grounded-theory approach allowed for the …

"Knowing Where I Am At": The Experience Of Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose For People With Non-Insulin-Requiring Type 2 Diabetes., Dana Elisabeth Brackney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Eleven participants living with non-insulin-requiring Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) discussed their self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) experience. All had been recently diagnosed (< 2 years) and treated for diabetes with a self-regulating SMBG guideline for primary care practice. Their digitally-recorded interviews and photographed logbooks were analyzed thematically and interpreted through the lens of numeracy literature to answer 2 questions: 1. What is the meaning of SMBG among people with non-insulinrequiring T2DM? 2. How do people with non-insulin-requiring T2DM perceive the function of SMBG in diabetes self-management? The meanings of SMBG were patient competence, "It is easy, just a little pin prick"; patient control, "I can control it. It doesn't control me"; and patient security, "It is not that way anymore." Three periods of lived time were observed: Diagnosis "The numbers say I have diabetes"; "I just can't figure out why it does that"; and Routine "I make my numbers." Prominent numeracy functions emerged by time period. During Diagnosis primary numeracy functions included comparing SMBG results to target values. Participants expressed this experience as, "I am some kind of O.K." During applied numeracy functions included taking medication correctly. SMBG readings were experienced as a clue to the diabetes mystery, sometimes confusing the participants, "I just don't …

Middle School Student Records As Dropout Indicators, William Sherman Gregg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dropping out of school is associated with a wide array of negative outcomes and the extraordinarily high United States dropout rate has brought the issue to the forefront of American education.

This study investigated normally collected middle school data from a suburban Colorado school district to determine the predictive value toward students dropping out or graduating from high school. Accessed was a longitudinal data set of first year in middle school records, 7^th grade, from 1999-2003 for students that graduated or dropped out from a Colorado suburban high school from 2003-2007. Discriminate function analysis was utilized on 2,195 student …

Walking On The Red Brick Path: A Portrait Of African-American Women's Experiences With The Built Environment Of A Predominantly White Institution, Stephanie L. Krusemark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“Space, like language, is socially constructed; and like the syntax of language, the spatial arrangements of our buildings and communities reflect and reinforce the nature of gender, race, and class relations in society” (Weisman, 1992, p. 2). While institutions of higher education have granted physical access to African-American women over the last 150 years, their presence on American campuses has not been readily reflected in the physical design of the walls within which they learn. In examining the historical foundations of institutions of higher education, we cannot deny institutions consciously embed their values and basic assumptions within their physical manifestation …

The Personal And Social Benefits Of Airplane Piloting As A Serious Leisure Activity For Women., Frances Louise Shupe 1956-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Serious leisure theory (Stebbins, 1992) is used to frame this examination of women's long-term involvement in airplane piloting. Through in-depth, semi-structured telephone and e-mail interviews with women having over 15 years experience as private pilots, this study examines their leading motivations and their personal and social benefits realized through airplane piloting as a leisure activity. Women's participation in amateur airplane piloting displays the six characteristics of serious leisure. In addition to the durable benefits ascribed to serious leisure, the respondents demonstrated several other personal and social benefits. The interview data revealed that women pursue airplane piloting as independent, interdependent, or …

An Examination Of Caregiving Dyads: Community Dwelling Chronically Ill Older Adults And Their Caregivers, Jessica E. Haxton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increases in life expectancy among older adults raise important concerns about the availability of resources for an aging population living with chronic and debilitating illnesses. Living longer is complicated by the fact that many elders prefer to reside in their homes until medical or other conditions require an alternative living arrangement. The strong desire to remain at home expressed by older persons in the United States has in turn created an increased demand on informal caregiving. Consequently, adult children often bear the burden of providing care to their aging parents. In view of this demand it is critical that research …

Where Have All The Utopias Gone? Ritual, Solidarity, And Longevity In A Multifaith Commune In New Mexico, Linda Prueitt Hansen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Utopian experiments creating new forms of community have dotted the globe throughout human history. Despite grandiose visions, a majority of communal experiments have faded quickly into oblivion. A wealth of scholarship has focused on reasons why communes typically fail. My research of an ecumenical commune in northern New Mexico examines what has facilitated its perpetuation for over 42 years. I participated in this community for different periods of time for over three years. With the assistance of a resident oral historian, I was able to expand my study into a diachronic view that spanned decades. I conclude that there are …

How Four Reform Initiatives Helped Develop Attitudes Regarding Change In Two Middle Schools In East Tennessee., Vicki Ann Clevinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools and districts are implementing more change initiatives because of an increase in accountability through national, state, and city requirements. Teachers and administrators are responsible for adhering to change initiatives and producing the results to bring the reform initiative to a successful fruition. This study explores the attitudes that are prevalent in the schools regarding reform initiatives and the change process.

A qualitative research method was used to explore the prevailing attitudes about change among teachers and administrators. Teachers were not opposed to changing if their students would benefit from the change; however, changing just for change sake was not …

Access To Algebra I, Gateway To Success: The Impact Of Eighth-Grade Algebra I., Emily Jean Skelton Darling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An understanding of Algebra I and the role that this foundational course plays as an entry to the college preparatory pathway in secondary education and its influence on mathematical achievement is an integral component for the education of American youth in the global world of science and technology. Achievements in high school curricula are cumulative; each course completed determines which paths will be open to the student and which postsecondary education options will be available. In today's world, these options are necessary for the competitive world market. Algebra I is the prerequisite course for subsequent high school math pathways. Students …

Surviving Cancer In Appalachia: A Qualitative Study Of Family Cancer Communication And Changing Personal Identities Through The Cancer Journey., Kathryn L. Duvall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Appalachian region is known for its beautiful mountains, close-knit communities, and health care disparities including higher rates of cancer and premature mortality. Being diagnosed with cancer in the region may present a unique experience for survivors in regards to family cancer communication and changing personal identities. In a multiphasic study, the stories of 29 female Appalachian cancer survivors were collected through either a day-long modified story circle event (n=26) or an in-depth interview (n=3). Qualitative content analysis was used to identify emergent themes in the data. The analysis revealed 5 types of family cancer communication and five barriers to …

Overcoming: A Theory Of Accelerated Second-Degree Baccalaureate Graduate Nurse Transition To Professional Nursing Practice., Sandy K. Calhoun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A plethora of stressors are known to be related to the process of transition to professional nursing practice as the neophyte registered nurse (RN) transitions from student to professional nurse. Although not new, accelerated second-degree baccalaureate nursing (ASDBN) programs have opened in record numbers in recent years in the wake of the current nursing shortage. Little is known about the experience of professional practice for accelerated second-degree baccalaureate graduate nurses (ASDBGNs). The stressful graduate nurse transition, current nursing shortage, and lack of an empirical base for ASDBN programs illustrate the significance of the research problem. This modified grounded theory study …

Peter L. Berger's Early Conception Of Agency: Exposition And Evaluation., James Greene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Peter L. Berger's conception of agency in his earliest writings (c.1954-1960) is logically and empirically inadequate. At the root of this inadequacy is an idealism that prevents him from providing a compelling account of actual empirical agency. Chapter 1 asserts that Berger's earlier works warrant analysis. Chapter 2 discusses Berger's earliest influences, particularly Max Weber and The Swedish Lund School of motif research. Chapter 3 identifies a unique commitment to Christian Humanism at the base of Berger's conception of agency. Chapter 4 clarifies how Berger's Christian humanism interacts with his Weberian, and Parsonian-inspired functional analysis of the American religious establishment. …

Project 3rd Grade Environment: Descriptive Phenomenological Study Of The Physical And Learning Environment In A Transformed 3rd Grade Classroom., Charity Gail Hensley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is a descriptive phenomenological study of a 3rd grade classroom in East Tennessee that was transformed in late spring 2009 to be consistent with principles incorporated in the 21st Century Model for Teaching and Learning and Educational Change (Evanshen, 2010). The objectives of this study were 1)to document the current physical and learning environment and 2)interview the participant regarding a classroom transformation in relation to teaching and learning. Methods of data collection included: interview questions related to the classroom environment pretransformation and posttransformation, observation field notes, and photographs of the current environment. In addition, archival photographs of the pretransformation …

The Relationship Between Formative Assessment And Student Engagement At Walters State Community College., Cary E. Jenkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a relationship between formative assessment and student engagement at Walters State Community College. Additionally, a secondary purpose examined differences in the in the dimensions of student engagement dimensions (skills engagement, emotional engagement, participation or interaction, performance) based on gender, school classification (freshman, sophomore), and age.

Two hundred thirty-nine Walters State Community College students taught with face-to-face pedagogy comprised the population for the study. The survey instruments included a 15-item formative assessment survey selected from the Walters State Community College Student Opinion of Teaching and Course (WSCCSOTC) and the Student …

Disclosure, Social Reactions To Disclosure, And Mental Health Outcomes Among Adult Child Sexual Abuse Victims., Holly E. Hopson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a frequent problem in American society associated with a wide range of negative mental health outcomes. Some evidence suggests that disclosure may moderate the relationship between CSA and mental health. However, the specific reactions a victim receives following disclosure may directly affect the impact that disclosure has on mental health. The current study directly and simultaneously evaluated the roles of disclosure and social reactions in relation to mental health outcomes. The sample consisted of 652 undergraduate students at East Tennessee State University who completed an on-line, self-administered questionnaire. Forty-four (6.75%) of the participants reported experiencing …

Graduation Rates: A Comparison Of First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen Who Entered A Community College Prepared And Those Who Entered Underprepared For College-Level Work., Kathy Jo Yates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Each year millions of young people graduate from high school and enroll in colleges and universities across the country, and many of these students are underprepared for the demands and academic rigor of college-level courses. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were significant differences in graduation rates between students who entered college academically underprepared and those who entered academically prepared to enroll in college-level courses.

The subjects of the study were a selected group of students enrolled at a public, 2-year comprehensive community college located in Northeast Tennessee. The criteria used for selecting the subjects included: …

The Door In The Threshold., Ani Kristine Volkan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper is the supporting document for the Master of Fine Arts exhibition, The Door in the Threshold, held in the Slocumb Galleries at East Tennessee State University from March 15-19, 2010. The exhibition contains twelve pieces of artwork, mounted on the wall. The paper expands upon such themes as memory and family as explored by the work in the gallery. The title of both the paper and show reference the impact of my Armenian heritage on my creative process. Doors in Armenian folklore were sacred places containing the threshold to the spiritual. Thus, my pieces are meant to …

Bum Hunters : The Simulations And Neutralizations Of Negative Actions Taken Against The Homeless On Youtube., Elizabeth Anne Griffith 1986-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to of the rise in numbers of persons experiencing homelessness, communities are working to restrict access that homeless individuals have to public spaces. Many cities across the nation have criminalized aspects of homelessness in attempts to 'beautify' the areas. Starting in 2001, four videos were created and sold illustrating "bum fighting" in which homeless people were depicted fighting or performing stunts in return for alcohol and/or drugs (NCH, 2007). The National Coalition for the Homeless directly links the release of these videos to the increase of attacks against the homeless, many videotaping the ordeal, imitating the original videos. In …

The Changing Discourse Of Death : A Study Of The Evolution Of The Contemporary Funeral Industry., Lisa Suzanne Crabtree 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Within a cultural context of postmodernism and individualization, funerals in America have taken on a new appearance amidst increased freedom of expression and diminished adherence to tradition. This thesis examines how the funeral industry has evolved along with these social and cultural changes. Articles randomly selected from a leading funeral industry trade journal, Mortuary Management , are explored utilizing a combined quantitative content and qualitative textual analysis approach. Examination of selected articles (1963-2009) reveals that the funeral industry has steadily attempted to maintain sociocultural relevance through adaptation to a postmodern ethos of informalization and mercuriality. Possible mitigating factors for identified …

Transforming The Past : Luciano Berio's Appropriation Of Folk Materials And Idioms In "Folk Songs" (1964)., Jamison Tyler Fritts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this preliminary search for a coherent and continuous cohesion of western art and folk music-cultures, Berio utilizes folk songs from seven distinct as the basis for composition. The technique for combining western classical and folk music is one that Berio modified throughout his career, although it is with Folk Songs that the appropriation of vernacular musical idioms is most transparent. In the arrangement of the songs for this cycle, Berio circumvents his earlier handling of the vocal line as evident in Circles (1960) and Epifianie (1961/65). The unencumbered lyricism demonstrates a desire, on some level, to preserve the identifying …

The Second Year Itch: An Examination Of Pre-Entry Factors That Contribute To Second-Year College Persistence., Nora Allen Scobie 1967-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The persistence of second-year college students is gaining attention nationally. Vast resources have been dedicated to the retention of first-year students only to lose them at some point during the second year. Much of the research about the second-year experience is qualitative and focused on institutional inputs. This study examined pre-entry variables that predict second year attrition. The pre-matriculation factors and background characteristics as outlined by Tinto (1993) served as the focus of this study. The participants of this study were first-time, full-time freshmen that attended the University of Louisville 2004 summer orientation, participated in the College Student Inventory Form-B …

Experiential Learning : A Review Of College Health Centers., Elizabeth J. Greaney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study was conducted using a descriptive design and examined the use of college health centers for academic internships and clinical rotations. In addition, the study examined the relationship among health center director and school characteristics and the presence of academic internships or clinical rotations and the directors' satisfaction with these activities. The population consisted of 267 health center directors responding to a survey containing 21 questions. The demographics of the directors consisted of 64 (24%) males and 203 (76%) females; school classifications; 106 (39.7%) Research/Doctoral, 68 (25.5%) Masters, 87 (32.6%) and 3 (1.1%) Associates/Community College, 147 (55.1%) Public …

Context Matters : A Multilevel Analysis Of Patterns Of Mobility To Non-Poor Neighborhoods For Poor Renter Households., Stacy M. Deck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this longitudinal, multilevel study was to develop a better understanding of poor renter households' mobility patterns by identifying the relative importance of individual and contextual variables. Variability in neighborhood poverty rates (NPR) was analyzed for 1564 poor, renter households living in 179 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) across the continental U.S. during the 1990s. Household heads were typically black (73%), middle age (mean=37 years) females (59%) who had 12 or fewer years of education (77%). Each household completed three to nine Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) surveys. Using geocodes, census data were linked with survey data to …

Representational Crisis In Psychiatry : Corporate Hegemony And Postmodern Knowledge, James Andrew Whitaker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I have undertaken a sociology of knowledge study pertaining to the corporate construction of psychiatric knowledge in relation to biomedicalization. I have conceptually connected the “crisis of representation” in psychiatry with the larger alteration of knowledge within postmodernity. I have defined postmodernity as itself a more general “crisis of representation.” Both of these representational crises are viewed as emerging from the transformation of political economic realities in the course of the twentieth-century. A discussion is undertaken to explicate the nature of this transformation and its relation to previous analogous transformations. I have undertaken a content analysis study …

Politically Divided : A Comparative Analysis Of German Right-Wing Extremist Voter Support., Carolyn Marie Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite twenty years of political reunification Germany remains a politically, socially, and economically divided country. This has fuelled inequalities, which are used by extreme political parties to garner votes from citizens who have become disappointed with the effects of reunification. I aim to examine voter behavior in eastern and western Germany in respect to extreme right-wing parties. Furthermore, I isolated specific factors, such as unemployment and immigration, and test their impacts on latent support for right-wing extremist parties in the two regions. Using Politbarometer 2005 data, I employed logistic regressions to examine voter support for extreme right-wing parties. The analysis …