Digital Commons Network^™

Interpersonal Influences On Interpretation Of Workplace Sexual Harassment, Rachael E. Purtell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how women interpret and respond to incidents of sexual harassment at work, in the context of both their romantic relationships and workplace cultures. Incorporating Ambivalent Sexism Theory (Fiske & Glick, 1995) to measure sexist attitudes, I presumed that their own, their partners’ and their presumed workplace’s sexism scores for both subsets would be linked to the women’s perceptions and behavioral intentions in response to being sexually harassed at work. Participants were 145 heterosexual adult women, employed full-time and in self-defined committed heterosexual relationships. Each completed a survey that included the Ambivalent …

Exploring The User Experiences Of A Bird Id Mobile App Among College Students In Western India, Jayvijay V. Raol

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explores user experiences of a sample of college age young adults from western India, with a bird ID mobile app. Mobile apps provide an attractive and interactive access to information and their reach and versatility can often bypass challenges of poor infrastructure and lack of access to sources for information. Studies that examine the influence of mobile apps on users’ knowledge and awareness are still in their infancy. Mobile phones and mobile applications have become increasingly prevalent in the educational setting, not only as technology for instructional delivery, but also as a means of improving user experience when …

Internalization Of Sociocultural Standards Of Beauty, Perception Of Career Barriers, Depression, And State Physical Appearance Anxiety Among College Women, Adrionia Molder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Women experience barriers that impede progress in a career and career goals, resulting in reduced career-related outcomes. Although gender discrimination has been identified as a contributing factor to the differential career development of men and women in the United States (U.S.), women’s career-related outcomes may be better explained by unaccounted for career barriers. Most notably, internalization of sociocultural standards of beauty, depression, and anxiety have been found to reduce women’s career-related outcomes. Therefore, the goal of this study was to explore career barriers that currently impact women’s career development in the U.S. Based on Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent, Brown, …

Joby Talbot’S Path Of Miracles: Musical And Dramatic Analysis, Joseph Stuligross

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project investigates Joby Talbot’s choral composition Path of Miracles, focusing on interpretive insight as well as musical and extra-musical understandings related to the subject matter, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain known as the Camino de Santiago. It explores the sources and methods of generating dramatic intensity and seeks to understand how the composer achieved particular dramatic effects. The project proceeds along two related modes of inquiry. The first involves musical evaluation, particularly of pitch, motive, harmony and rhythm techniques, in a somewhat traditional analysis. The second investigates the ways in which musical techniques generate the …

The Shifting Scheme Of Athletic Fundraising: Investigating Private Giving Under The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act, Kirsten Nicole Brown

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With a consistent decline in state funding to public higher education, institutions have become more reliant on private funding to institutional support. The shift in government policy through the introduction of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) (2017) created financial uncertainty within athletic departments and university foundations. The TCJA eliminated the 80 percent tax deduction on season ticket donations and increased the standard deduction. With these policy changes, athletic development officers speculated a decline in donations in 2018 and beyond. Using quantitative methodology and a longitudinal approach, this study examined athletic donations from January 1, 2013 to July 31, …

Associations Between The Adult Adhd Self-Report Rating Scale And The Test Of Differential Inhibition And Attention, Andrew Benton Darling

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) ranks among the most common mental health disorders in adults (APA, 2013). ADHD assessment is complicated by heterogenous symptoms, gender and age differences in diagnosis, variability in symptom manifestation across the lifespan, and comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders and medical conditions (Asherson, 2016; Willcut, 2012; Williamson & Johnston, 2015). The stop-signal task (SST) identifies ADHD clinical groups in children and adults (Lifffijt et al., 2005), yet it remains unclear whether SST performance reflects general deficits in attention (Alderson et al., 2007) or a selective deficit in motor response inhibition (Aron & Poldrack, 2005). Studies of SST often …

Exploring The Relationship Between Hardiness And Performance In Collegiate Baseball Players, Kevin R. Lou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of the individual personality characteristic of hardiness on trait anxiety and objective performance within NCAA Division I collegiate baseball players. An updated version of the PVS III-R was used to measure hardiness after a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted. Of the total 389 players that participated, 171 met inclusion criteria requirements and were split into two groups – hitters (N=94) and pitchers (N=80) – to identify differences in skills and how sub-constructs of hardiness affected performance through a descriptive correlational prospective design. The results show …

Neuromechanical Tuning For Arm Motor Control, Russell Lee Hardesty Jr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Movement is a fundamental behavior that allows us to interact with the external world. Its importance to human health is most evident when it becomes impaired due to disease or injury. Physical and occupational rehabilitation remains the most common treatment for these types of disorders. Although therapeutic interventions may improve motor function, residual deficits are common for many pathologies, such as stroke. The development of novel therapeutics is dependent upon a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms that govern movement. Movement of the human body adheres to the principles of classic Newtonian mechanics. However, due to the inherent complexity of …

Toward An Understanding Of The Professional Work Of Ncaa Division I Soccer Coaches, Lynda Ellen Bowers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Very little is known about the professional work of NCAA Division I (DI) coaches, which poses challenges for coach educators to create relevant professional development opportunities for coaches in this context. The present study looked at the full scope of work of NCAA DI FBS head women’s soccer coaches. The aim of this project was to explore the coaches’ perspectives of their jobs to improve our understanding of the contextual nuances of working in a DI environment. In this qualitative study, four participants were interviewed in-person utilizing a vignette-style, semi-structured interview guide. Data were analyzed using an interpretivist- constructivist approach …

Predictors Of Self-Control During Emerging Adulthood: The Roles Of Implicit Beliefs And Early Risk, Katy L. Delong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explored how early adverse experiences (i.e., low socioeconomic status, household chaos, attachment insecurity) and implicit beliefs about self-control (i.e., whether self-control is a limited or nonlimited resource) were associated with trait and momentary self-control in a sample of college students. As the first study to explore these factors together, individuals’ implicit beliefs were tested as a moderator and meditator of the association between early risk and self-control. Participants (N = 214) first completed a baseline survey with the main predictors and trait self-control, followed by one week of experience sampling to assess momentary self-control, or success resisting …

The Immunological Response To Chronic Stress In Obese Mice, Matthew Corey Parsley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Obesity and psychological stress are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and have a positive correlation with vascular dysfunction. This functional deficit has been linked to a pro-inflammatory milieu, exacerbated by an upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Febuxostat, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, has been shown to rescue vascular impairment in these models. The purpose of this study was to examine the individual and combined effects of obesity and chronic stress on neuroimmune cell populations, and assess if febuxostat is able mediate immune alterations.

Male mice (n=48) were assigned into either normal chow (lean) and high-fat diet (obese) groups. The lean animals …

Three Essays On The Effect Of Pain-Of-Payment On Consumers' Financial Decisions, Farnoush Reshadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the past few years, we have witnessed a growing level of consumer debt. Although being in debt increases consumers’ stress and reduces their financial well-being, many consumers still take on high levels of debt and hold on to it even when they have financial resources to pay off the debt. Thus, it is of utmost importance to study factors that may influence consumers’ debt repayment. In this dissertation, I study consumers’ debt repayment behavior through the lens of the double-entry mental accounting theory (Prelec and Loewenstein 1998). This theory argues that consumers’ debt repayment behaviors are driven by pain-of-payment--negative …

The Effect Of Blended Learning On Language Proficiency Of An Efl Class: An Empirical Study, Jamile Sulam Tango Rojas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The combination of online learning and face-to-face lessons have become a relevant learning model in English Language Teaching in the last years. The goal of this research study was to investigate the integration of such a blended learning approach in an EFL class in Bolivia. The study was conducted at a binational language institution, and it focused on the effect of blended learning on the students’ overall language proficiency and each language skill individually. Data was collected via a proficiency pre-test at the beginning of the experiment, two quizzes during the module, and a final exam, all of them to …

Using The Social Ecological Model To Build A Path Analysis Model Of Physical Activity In A Sample Of Active Us College Students, Jonathan J. Stewart

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objective: To examine how achievement goal orientation, perceived barriers and benefits, self-efficacy, on-campus residence, transportation, and binge drinking impact physical activity. Participants: Five hundred and twenty (70.23% female) college students participated in the study during Fall 2014. Methods: Students completed an online questionnaire that measured environmental and psychosocial factors, and physical activity behaviors. Results: A path analysis revealed that self-efficacy, episodes of binge drinking, use of active transportation, and use of public transportation all had significant direct effects on physical activity. Meanwhile, perceived barriers had a significant negative direct effect on physical activity. Conclusion: Results indicate that both environmental and …

The Role Of Flavors In Electronic Cigarette Abuse Liability In Tobacco-Naïve Young Adults, Ilana Haliwa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A primary public health concern associated with the use of electronic cigarettes (ECIGS) has been the risk of product initiation by vulnerable young adults who are largely naïve to tobacco. The use of ECIGs among such individuals may be influenced by the wide variety of sweet flavored liquids available for purchase. Previous work suggests that one flavor, menthol, increases the likelihood of abuse of cigarettes. Thus, the United States Food and Drug Administration has requested input from the research community regarding the abuse liability of flavored ECIGs in order to inform future product regulation. Using a double-blind, within-subject study design, …

"Yo, I Like Your Walk-Up Song": Music Integration In Professional Baseball Gamedays, Seth Swary

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During competition, athletes are consistently regulating their own emotions (Friesen et al., 2013a) and the emotions of their teammates (Tamminen et al., 2016). Athletes have identified music as a strategy used for both intrapersonal (Lane, Davis, & Devonport, 2011) and interpersonal emotion regulation (Friesen et al., 2015), while also using music for association/dissociation, enhancing performance, facilitating flow, and improving their qualitative experiences (Gabana et al., 2019). Though theories have been proposed on athletes’ individual (Bishop, Karageorghis, & Loizou, 2007) and group music use (Karageorghis et al., 2018), they are yet to be widely applied to other sports. Further examination is …

Assess The Performance Against Ets And Pm1 And Evaluate The Users’ Experiences Of Comfort Of Nasal Filters, Ibrahim Almuhaidib

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many cities around the world experience severe air pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 7 million people die annually from exposure to small airborne Particulate Matter (PM) that is found in atmospheric pollution. Particulate matter in atmospheric pollution is one of six classifications of common air pollutants and is typically referred to as PM₁ and PM_2.5. Particulates designated as PM₁ and PM_2.5 refer to particles having aerodynamic diameters of 1 or 2.5 micrometer (µm), respectively. These size ranges of particles are the most commonly found in air pollution. It is hard to differentiate …

Health Outcomes Associated With Gulf War Illness, Shannon K. Barth

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background:

Nearlythirty years after the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War a definitive case definition for Gulf War Illness (GWI) is lacking. The objective is to explore health outcomes associated with GWI using currently accepted classifications in order to better understand GWI by examining pre-war medical conditions as predictors of probable GWI, mortality outcomes of veterans with probable GWI, and female-specific medical conditions among women with probable GWI. Additionally, we utilize an alternative GWI case definition.

Methods:

Data come from theDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA)1995-1997 National Health Survey of Persian Gulf War Era Veterans, a population-based survey of deployed …

Behavior Coaching In Pennsylvania Schools Implementing School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports At The Universal Tier One Level, Lisa Anderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a multi-tiered system of student support that emphasizes the use of positive behavior strategies for a school’s students. Schools are adopting SWPBIS because it gives staff the opportunity to teach desired behaviors to students and emphasizes the enhancement of instructional time by minimizing disruptions. SWPBIS uses a support framework that includes a building-level behavior coach and a core team made up of an administrator, parent(s), and professional school staff. Staff and student training is bridged with implementation efforts to sustain a positive school climate and prevent student behavior problems. The SWPBIS coach …

Understanding Academic Relevancy: Linking Practice To Classroom Through Adventure Stem Education, Alice Morgan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this research paper was to examine the relationship between vocational relevancy and adventure STEM education in the context of a four-day adventure STEM camp. Middle school students participated in a variety of adventure activities designed to teach STEM concepts. Using a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design, 246 students completed pre- and post-surveys that assessed changes in attitudes related to STEM interest, career interest, STEM career knowledge, STEM identity, STEM self-efficacy, and STEM value. Fourteen students and eight teachers participated in semi-structured interviews to further examine the role of vocational relevancy in curricula. Overall, results indicate some support …

An Appraisal Of The Evolution Of Western Art Music In Nigeria, Agatha Onyinye Holland

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nigeria has greatly evolved as an intercultural society given her history of colonization, the influence of foreign religion (Christianity and Islam, primarily) and the impact of globalization. Africa had her socio-cultural practices and art idioms before these foreign influences. For instance, music existed in everyday Africa as part of culture, religion, vocation, and drama. However, music never existed as an entity on its own. The culture of stage performers and audience never existed. This status quo changed with the introduction of Western art music through Christianity and education by the missionaries; since then, music assumed a bi-cultural status. This research …

The Effects Of Instructor Self-Disclosure On Students’ Cognitive Learning: A Live Lecture Experiment, Stephen Michael Kromka

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the causal influences of relevant (and irrelevant) instructor self-disclosure on student affect and cognitive learning. Relevant self-disclosure involves the instructor directly relating personal disclosures to important lesson content, whereas irrelevant self-disclosure involves the instructor’s personal disclosures straying from the lesson topic. Given previous correlational self-disclosure research, the researcher predicted that relevant (compared to irrelevant) instructor self-disclosure would lead to increased reports of affect toward the instructor. The researcher also predicted that instructor self-disclosure relevance (compared to irrelevance) would enhance lesson coherence, and in turn, foster students’ cognitive learning. The researcher conducted a …

Asthma-Copd Overlap: Economic Burden And Medication Adherence, Mona Nili

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In many older adults, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) coexist as “Asthma-COPD overlap” (ACO). This dissertation pursued three Aims: 1) estimate the economic burden of ACO and its contributory factors; 2) evaluate the association of ACO to “cost-related medication nonadherence” (CRN); and 3) identify adherence trajectory patterns and examine the impact of initial maintenance therapies (IMT) type (inhaled corticosteroids monotherapy (ICS) vs. fixed-dose combination of ICS and long-acting beta agonist (ICS/LABA)) on adherence trajectory patterns among older adults Medicare Beneficiaries. The first and second Aims were cross-sectional studies by using Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data. For the third …

Making Implementation Last: Understanding The Sustainability Of An Evidence-Based Treatment, Carrie Beth Jackson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although advances have been made in facilitating the implementation of evidence-based treatments, little is known about the most effective way to sustain their use over long periods of time. Prior systematic reviews and research have suggested that organizational characteristics and training methods may be strategies that support sustainability, yet this has remained relatively unstudied in the field of behavioral health. The current study examined the sustainability of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy following a statewide implementation trial testing three training methods. Participants included 100 clinicians and 50 administrators from 50 organizations across Pennsylvania. Multi-level path analysis was utilized to examine the role …

Exploring Aspects Of Science Literacy Demonstrated By Early Undergraduate Stem Majors Through A Manuscript-Style Writing Assignment, Samantha Lynn Jusino

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Over the past twenty years, scientific literacy amongst undergraduates has not improved despite their exposure to higher education science classes. Underlying mechanisms of science literacy development are poorly understood; however, exposure to authentic practices in science has been demonstrated as a means to fostering science literacy development. A unique approach to studying science literacy is through examining the three domains of the science literacy conceptual framework developed in this study, Science as Access, Science as Process, and Science as a Sociopolitical Factor and their components as they emerge through the process of writing a manuscript-style writing assignment. In …

Barriers And Facilitators Of Seeking Psychological Help For Muslims In The United States, Sarah R. B. Milam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Due to increased social, cultural, and political struggles for Muslims in the United States (MUS), affordable, accessible, and culturally appropriate mental health care is important for these individuals (Aloud & Rathur, 2009). MUS are an underrepresented group that use mental health services at low rates (Ciftci, Jones, & Corrigan, 2013; Khan, 2006). MUS, especially those with mental health concerns, hold a number of stigmatized identities, often including their race and ethnicity, religion, and mental health status that can result in discrimination (Ciftci et al., 2013). The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to self-stigma for seeking psychological …

Morally Injurious Experiences Of Combat Exposed Veterans Of Iraq And Afghanistan: Moderating Effects Of Self-Forgiveness On Feelings Of Shame And Guilt, Timothy Swiger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Moral injury is a construct developed to explain a unique symptom profile of individuals who may have perpetrated, witnessed, or learned about events that transgress their held moral beliefs. Among combat exposed Veterans, particular attention has been focused on the ambiguous nature of recent military conflicts and the increased moral conflicts associated with more recent, unconventional combat tactics and strategies. This study examined the relationship between moral injury and feelings of shame and guilt among a large sample (n=198) of Veterans who deployed in support of conflicts in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Additionally, this study sought to examine self-forgiveness …

It’S All Fun And Games Until Somebody Dies: Grief, Mortality Salience, And Coping In Meaningful Permadeath, Mckay Steven West

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Because part of the enjoyment of video game experiences is rooted in their ability to afford players to fail but still reattempt gameplay with relatively little consequence, the appeal of playing games with permadeath seems paradoxical. This dissertation proposed that players’ motivations for playing these games with permadeath stem from an enhanced sense of appreciation garnered by players through the meaningfulness of permanent character death, rather than just through simple, hedonic enjoyment. Enhanced appreciation was expected to arise from permadeath through the grief players experienced toward the loss of their characters and through their contemplation of their own mortality. Grief …

Women Veterans’ Descriptions Of The Patient-Provider Interaction With Civilian Providers, Billie S. Vance

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

BACKGROUND: Women veterans require care for unique gender, and war-related health issues. Concerns exist regarding non-Veterans Health Administration (VHA), civilian healthcare providers’ preparedness to deliver care to the veteran population. Health outcomes are influenced by the quality of care provided to patients. There is a significant gap in the literature with regard to woman veterans’ perspectives about the quality of the patient-provider interaction between women veterans and non-VHA, civilian providers.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe women veterans’ perspectives about interactions between themselves and civilian providers and to critically analyze the veterans’ data to further inform the …

Adolescents’ Interpretations Of Parental Psychological Control: The Role Of Beliefs And Disapproval On Problematic Outcomes, Katelyn F. Romm

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Parental psychological control has consistently been found to be associated with problematic outcomes among adolescents, including substance use (Galambos, Barker, & Almeida, 2003), risky cyber behaviors (Li, Li, & Newman, 2013), problematic eating behaviors (Soenens et al., 2008), and depressive symptoms (Romm & Metzger, 2018). However, few studies have examined how adolescents reason about and react to psychological control. Recent research has suggested that adolescents vary in their beliefs about parental motivations for using psychological control, as well as their level of disapproval of psychological control (Camras et al., 2012; Kakihara & Tilton-Weaver, 2009). These cognitive factors (i.e., beliefs about …