Digital Commons Network^™

The Dangerous Women Of The Long Eighteenth Century: Exploring The Female Characters In Love In Excess, Roxana, And A Simple Story, Jillian Bailey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Long Eighteenth Century was a period in which change was constant and proceeding the Restoration Era; this sense of change continued throughout the era. Charles II created an era in which women were allowed on the theatre stage, and his mistresses accompanied him to court; Charles II set the stage for the proto-feminist ideas of the eighteenth century that would manifest themselves in Eliza Haywood’s Love in Excess, Daniel Defoe’s Roxana, and Elizabeth Inchbald’s A Simple Story. These novels showcase the enlightenment of women and some of their male contemporaries and the beginning struggles of female …

'A Dream Of Completion': The Journey Of American Working-Class Poetry, Lacy Snapp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This survey follows the development of working-class poetry from Whitman to contemporary poets. It begins by considering how the need for working-class poetry emerged. Whitman’s “Song of Myself” sought to democratize poetry both my challenging previous poetic formal conventions and broadening the scope of included subjects. Williams also challenged formal expectations, but both were limited by their historical and socioeconomic position. To combat this, I include the twentieth-century poets Ignatow and Levine who began in the working class so they could speak truths that had not been published before. Ignatow includes the phrase “dream of completion” which encapsulates various feelings …

The Effects Of Two Novel Anti-Inflammatory Compounds On Prepulse Inhibition And Neural Microglia Cell Activation In A Rodent Model Of Schizophrenia, Heath W. Shelton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have shown elevated neuroinflammation in a large subset of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. A pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), has been directly linked to this neuroinflammation. This study examined the effects of two TNFα modulators (PD2024 and PD340) produced by our collaborators at P2D Bioscience, Inc., to alleviate auditory sensorimotor gating deficits and reduce microglial cell activation present in the polyinosinic:polycytidylic (Poly I:C) rodent model of schizophrenia. Auditory sensorimotor gating was assessed using prepulse inhibition and microglial activation was examined and quantified using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy, respectively. Both PD2024 and PD340 alleviated auditory sensorimotor gating deficits …

Evolving Mediums: Over The Garden Wall And The Divine Comedy, Karissa Doughty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dante Alighieri’s transcendental work the Divine Comedy is masterfully appropriated in this cartoon mini-series titled Over the Garden Wall in order to explore the issue of suicidal ideation and depression while contradicting Dante. Through different textual and conceptual appropriations, the show invokes the imagery of the Divine Comedy while creating an ending that is the complete opposite of its source text, turning Dante on his head and becoming an anti-Divine Comedy. The different characters of the epic poem are reimagined for these purposes, and the result is a work of art that makes the personal into the universal.

Fir-Flower Petals On A Wet Black Bough: Constructing New Poetry Through Asian Aesthetics In Early Modernist Poets, Matthew Gilbert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Critics often credit Ezra Pound and his Imagist movement for the development of American poetics. Pound’s interest in international arts and minimalist aesthetics of cross-cultural poetry gained the attention of prominent writers throughout Modernist and Post-Modern periods. From writers like Wallace Stevens and Gertrude Stein to later poets like Jack Kerouac and Gary Snyder, image and precise language has shaped American literature. Few critics have praised Eastern cultures or the Imagist poets who adopted an East-Western form of poetics: Amy Lowell and William Carlos Williams. Studying traditional Eastern painting and short-form poetry and interactions with personal connections to the East, …

Teacher’S Attitudes And Willingness To Refer Sexual Minority Students To Special Education, Diane' Forney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that cultural minority students are over-represented in special education services based on teacher bias and attitudes towards these cultural minority students. A cultural minority that has not been as widely researched is the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ). The purpose of this study is to determine if teacher’s bias and attitude towards LGBTQ students interferes with their ability to make special education referrals for sexual minority students (Hebl, 2000), who are students identified as LGBTQ. For the purpose of this study, a variety of teachers were asked to complete, two qualifying questions, a detailed demographic questionnaire, …

Risk-Taking, Thinking Styles, And Criminality: A Fuzzy-Trace Theory Perspective, Adrienne Machann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preferred modes of thinking, otherwise known as biases, have been well documented in adult reasoning and decision-making (Evans, 2003; Gilovich, Griffin, & Kahneman, 2002; Reyna & Brainerd, 2011; Tversky & Kahneman, 1986). Researchers have explained these biases by proposing that the basis for them is a system of thought that relies mostly on intuition and “gut feelings” rather than logical analysis of the situation (Reyna & Brainerd, 2011; Tversky & Kahneman, 1986). According to standard dual-process theories, intuition is described as a thought process so quick, it is automatic and, at times unconscious; conversely, analytical thinking is slow and steady, …

Radical Empowerment And Evolution In Fay Weldon’S Menippean Satire: The Life And Loves Of A She-Devil (1983), Jackson A. Rivera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This master’s thesis explores Fay Weldon’s implementation of Menippean satire in her 1983 novel, The Life and Loves of a She-Devil. The present discussion argues Weldon utilizes this specific satiric mode within her novel in order to convey a story of radical female empowerment and evolution that critiques gendered stereotypes of marriage and female roles in society. To make this argument, this thesis applies satire theory, most prominently Mikhail Bakhtin’s ideas about Menippean satire, as well as marriage and family psychology, to Weldon’s characterization of wives, husbands, and mistresses throughout the novel. Through this discussion, Rivera demonstrates the effectiveness of …

The True Cost, Emily Garrett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The True Cost is a short novel set in a pre-dystopian society. The novel centers around three siblings: Lyle, Bridget, and Paul, along with their friend Reid. The group is living in the middle of an eighty-four-year war that has destroyed their society. Shortly before his murder, Jerry tells the gang to get out of Nork and to find the fabled DOCs. Throughout their journey to the DOCs the group fights through ambushes, deals with death and the destruction of war, all the while trying to figure out the truth behind the war.

Facies And Diagenesis Analyses Of The Fort Terrett Formation Of The Lower Cretaceous Edwards Group, Near Junction, Texas, Richard Alden Urwin Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Fort Terrett Formation was deposited on the western edge of the Comanche Shelf in central Texas. The predominate lithology of the Fort Terrett Formation is limestone which caps the hills that surround Junction, Texas. Deposition of the Fort Terrett Formation occurred within shallow, quiet waters during the Lower Cretaceous. Rose (1974) developed a general stratigraphic correlation and lithostratigraphic framework for the Cretaceous Shelf and established a regional correlation. Four stratigraphic divisions have been recognized in the Fort Terrett Formation. These are: a basal nodular unit, a burrowed unit, a dolomitic unit, and the Kirschberg evaporites. Wilkerson (2018) provided the …

The Relations Of Religiosity, Social Support, And Acculturation Attitudes Among Refugees, Carolyn H. Casada

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Refugees are entering the United States in increasing numbers. Identifying factors that promote successful acculturation is an important task for those working to help refugees. As religiosity and social support have previously been linked to better mental health outcomes in refugees, they should be considered when examining acculturation. Using the Duke University Religious Index, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Acculturation Attitudes Scale, this study examined the relations between religiosity, perceived social support, and acculturation strategies. Additional variables examined were number of migrations, language of religious services currently attended, and religious services demographics. Hypotheses were that scores …

An Exploration Of The Factors Contributing To Self-Sufficiency Post-Homelessness: A Detailed Look At Commonalities And Barriers, Ellie C. Roberson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Housing First approaches such as Rapid Re-Housing allow those experiencing homelessness to obtain shelter and support efficiently, perhaps completing steps towards making the experience of homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. This study aimed to determine the most challenging factors of self-sufficiency post-homelessness, in an attempt to provide better services in an agency offering Rapid Re-Housing services in Texas. This exploratory and descriptive study used the agency data for a sample of ten individuals who had previously experienced homelessness and had been enrolled in this program when the data was collected. The factor of self-sufficiency post-homelessness was measured using the Service …

The Influence Of Premarital Counseling On Marital Satisfaction For African-American Couples, Christian Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many factors influence marital satisfaction (Ayub, 2010). Some couples prepare themselves with premarital counseling and try to help increase the likelihood of marital satisfaction. When looking at African-American couples, should researchers assume that some African-American couples take premarital education to increase their marital satisfaction? Prior literature has stated that premarital counseling has decreased marital discord and increased marital satisfaction (Parker, 2007). This study will be a qualitative study using a phenomenological design. The researcher collected data from seven participants. Once the interviews were completed, the researcher was able to analyze the data by identifying common themes as well as capturing …

Enmeshment In Military Families, Alexus Hamilton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While most research regarding enmeshment has been decidedly negative, researchers analyzing diverse cultures have found that enmeshment can act as a healthy tool for family members. This thesis examines the limits of healthy enmeshment and focuses on military families. It strives to answer whether enmeshment can be a tool utilized to keep the family safely together. This thesis combines narrative and grounded analysis to determine that military families can experience variations of enmeshment that can be healthy and safe.

Concealed Campus Carry: Perspectives From Administrators, Faculty And Firearms Instructors On Generating Campus Policy, Diana Villarreal Barfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School shootings have become prominent throughout the Unites States. This is an issue not only in primary schools but also in postsecondary educational institutions. The states of Utah and Colorado passed laws allowing students to carry guns on publicly funded college and university campuses. In 2015, the Texas legislature also proposed a similar campus carry law, which was not passed in 2015. In 2016, when the Texas 84th Legislature made a second attempt, the law was passed. With the passage of this law by the Texas state legislature, a 21-year-old was now allowed to carry a concealed handgun on campus. …

Validity Of Graymatters: A Self-Administered Computerized Assessment Of Alzheimer's Disease, Emily C. Hicks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The need for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease has been well established in previous literature. As technology has spread across all professional fields, computerized screening instruments for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease have begun to draw attention. Research has noted that computerized screeners of dementia should be implemented in primary care physician offices, as the majority of elderly persons see their PCP more frequently than other health professionals. Specifically, self-administered computerized screening instruments that have acceptable psychometric sturdiness are needed for these offices. GrayMatters is a self-administered computerized screening measure that has previously been shown to have acceptable reliability …

Evaluating The Impact Of Training Employees To Identify Victims Of Human Trafficking, Emily Roman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human trafficking is a global epidemic that steals the freedoms away from those who have been oppressed by it. Providing victims with resources begins with identifying them. Unfortunately, identifying victims is not an easy task. Trafficked victims are controlled and protected by their traffickers, and recipients may not even realize that they are victims of human trafficking. Also, the vague nature of trafficking makes it difficult for service providers, such as those in law enforcement, healthcare, and social services, to identify victims readily. Furthermore, research efforts imply a general lack of training provided for employees to know how to identify …

Rumination And Worry: Exploring The Specificity Of Depressed And Anxious Negative Thoughts, Yi-Hsuan Lin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression is the most common mental disorder in the United States and is a leading cause of disability worldwide, contributing to the substantial global economic burden. Research identifying effective and cost-efficient intervention programs has been generally successful, yet the heterogeneity of depressive symptoms and their co-occurrence with other conditions complicate these efforts. This, “specificity” question, here understood as the ongoing search for distinct clinical symptoms associated primarily with depression rather than anxiety and other disorders has remained a more elusive challenge. Depression and anxiety frequently co-occur, and research has been designed to identify symptoms and syndromes specific to each condition. …

An Examination Of Multiple Risk Factors Contributing To Student Dropout Risks Using An Ecological Systems Perspective, Karla Denise Carrasco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students who do not complete high school are at risk of higher unemployment, lower wages, and higher incarceration rates. Not only do these impact the individual, but their families and society as well. There are several academic and non-academic factors that can potentially put a student at risk of dropping out of high school. Currently, eligibility criteria for identifying at- risk students, which are used by many Communities in Schools (CIS) Affiliates in Texas that provide a dropout prevention program, are mostly academically based indicators. Incorporating an ecological systems perspective, this study aimed to explore the impact of academic and …

Power Shift Within A Couple’S Journey Through Addiction, Carly Brack Marketto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Addiction is a rapidly growing problem for many couples, but most treatment plans focus solely on the individual with a substance abuse diagnosis rather than taking a systemic approach. Investigating the power dynamics of couples who have been through addiction and recovery could assist future treatment plans to include underlying factors in relationships instead of only addressing symptoms of the problem. This grounded theory research study strives to understand the power shift within couples when one partner goes from being in active addiction to being sober for one year or more. Power is viewed through the four aspects that Knudson-Martin …

Marvin Gaye's What's Going On And The Civil Rights Movement: A History And Analysis, Jacob Barnhill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Marvin Gaye’s first self-produced album, What’s Going On is a timeless work in American popular music. This thesis illuminates many of the intricacies that went in to the creation of the album and discusses its relevance during the Civil Rights Movement. Chapter 1 provides a background in popular music analysis and the genre of Soul music. Chapter 2 includes a biography of Gaye and a brief history of the Detroit record label known as Motown. The collaboration of musicians and engineers at Motown, along with Gaye’s influences from his personal life and music career, had profound effects on the outcome …

From Choir To Band: Analysis And Application Of Adaptation Techniques As Demonstrated In Works By Whitacre, Ticheli, And Johnson, Deshmond D. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the adaptation techniques of composers Frank Ticheli and Eric Whitacre. As a means for that exploration, it includes an original choral work by the author as well as a band transcription that was done using adaptation techniques found in the Ticheli and Whitacre pieces. The application of those techniques sheds new light on the subject of band transcriptions by showing a variety of possible approaches. Musicians, conductors, and composers will be able to use these materials to enhance the composition and performance of a choral work and its band transcription.

Effloresce, Rebecca Lee Schneller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effloresce is a series of oil paintings and charcoal drawings containing the human figure and natural imagery and forms. This pairing represents the intersection of the inner realm of human emotion and spiritual experience with the external realm of nature and the world.

Both contemporary and historical painting and drawing traditions serve as inspiration for this body of work, particularly the natural symbology found in Medieval and Renaissance Art. I employ painting techniques inspired by contemporary painters Alex Kanevsky, Mia Bergeron, Helene Delmaire, and Zoey Frank, as well as historical painters John Singer Sargent, Joaquin Sorolla, Rembrandt Van Rijn, Lucian …

Determined To Make A Difference: A Critical Autobiography Of An African American Male Principal In The Deep South, Derrick James

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this critical autobiography study was to examine how my educational experiences have made me into the man and educational leader I am today. As an African American Male, raised and educated in rural East Texas, this research study allowed me to examine my life experiences as an African American youth, teacher-coach, principal, husband, father, and scholar-practitioner. In the autobiographical narrative, I speak in my native dialect of African American Vernacular English, using my voice to share my lived experiences with the reader.

I utilized Critical Race Theory (CRT) as the lens to guide my methodology. Using …

Using The Forestry Reclamation Approach For Reclaimed Surface Mineland In The Western Gulf: Effects On Pinus Taeda Seedling Growth And Survival, Cassie Phillips, Jeremy Stovall, Hans Williams, Kenneth Farrish

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While land reclamation efforts of surface mines have considerably increased soil stability since the implementation of SMCRA (Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act), research suggests that resulting soil compaction hinders the productivity of forests post-mining. The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) was developed to improve forest health in the Appalachian region through a five-step process that minimizes soil compaction and establishes a productive forest. The FRA has not yet been tested in the western Gulf Coastal Plain (GCP). The higher clay content of some GCP soils and the dearth of coarse fragments (e.g. cobbles, stones and boulders) may affect reclamation practices …

Comparison Of Post-Activation Potentiation Methods On Power And Sprint Acceleration, Aaron Piper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a stimulus used to enhance performance by performing specific interventions prior to subsequent explosive movements. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of different PAP methods on power and sprint acceleration in resistance trained, college-aged men and women. A total of 13 subjects participated in the study. After determining back squat 1 repetition max, subjects returned for testing on separate days to complete one of four interventions (dynamic resistance, weighted plyometric, isometric, or control) in a randomized order. A standardized warmup was given, followed by a baseline countermovement jump (CMJ) and 20-meter sprint. …

The Moderating Effects Of Adaptive Coping Styles And Locus Of Control On Stress Outcomes By Reported Level Of Masculinity, Technology At Work, And Level Of Perceived Stress, Dawn Lowe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of adaptive coping styles and locus of control on reported stress outcome. Findings suggest that perceived stress, time spent using technology at work, and level of masculinity significantly predict job productivity and somatic symptoms. Only perceived stress and level of masculinity significantly predicted sleep quality. Internal Locus of Control and Adaptive coping with initial independent variable composites did not have significant moderation effects. When independent variables were separated, three significant moderations were found. Individual’s with high Internal Locus of Control and more time spent using technology at work reported improved sleep quality. Also, when Internal …

Outdoor Education’S Relationship To Adolescent Behavior And Academic Performance In Two East Texas Middle Schools, Trenton Stiefel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Historically, a key part of a child’s development was their exposure to and relationship with the world outdoors – nature. The current movement to promote the inclusion of environmental and outdoor education into curricular and extracurricular activities stems from the mounting evidence that experiences in the outdoors may improve a child’s behavior and mood, as well as improve their academic performance. This mixed-methods study hoped to discover whether or not, on average, children improve their academic performance and/or their individual behavior in school when provided with outdoor education learning experiences. The mindset used in outdoor education research may have to …

Eclectic: A Recording Project Of Original Crossover Compositions, Chance Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Music makers have always borrowed one another’s influences, across philosophies, across culture, and thus, across genres. Since the 1950’s, a time when classical music was at its farthest reach from popular music, the rift between these two “worlds” has shrunk, and music crafters from each category are free to take from the other as they please. As a figure who stands between the cultivated and vernacular traditions, my aim for this thesis is to give an introduction to some of the ways genre hybridization has been achieved since 1950, present a collection of my own compositions (along with recordings) that …

An Analysis Of Musicals By Lynn Ahrens And Stephen Flaherty, And An Original Musical, Fly Like An Eagle, Donna Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty have written musicals together for several decades. This thesis contains an in-depth discussion and stylistic analysis of several songs each from Once on This Island, Ragtime, and Seussical – three Ahrens & Flaherty shows chosen specifically because of their variety in style and subject matter. This analysis includes, among other things, the lyrics and lyric setting, textures, harmonic settings, accompaniment styles, rhythms, and harmonic progressions. The central portion of this document contains the music for nine songs of an original musical titled Fly Like an Eagle. This script is written by Daris Howard and is …