Digital Commons Network^™

Breastfeeding In Public: Perceptions Of College Students In South Mississippi, Kaitlyn Sierra Kendall

Honors Theses

Breastfeeding rates have increased and declined throughout time. Perceptions of breastfeeding are mixed, with those finding it to be inappropriate and others finding it to be natural. The purpose in this study is to gain a better understanding of how college students in south Mississippi perceive breastfeeding. The Iowa Infant Feeding Attitudes Scale (IIFAS), a 17-item questionnaire aimed to explore an individual’s attitudes toward infant feeding. The Breastfeeding Behavior Questionnaire (BBQ) presented 12 scenarios of breastfeeding in public as a means to explore how participants would react to those encounters. Data was collected from 151 college students through an online …

Addiction Treatment Outcomes And Religiosity: What Is The Relationship?, Sidney Harrington Smith Iii

Honors Theses

This study examines how religiosity, specifically, church attendance, prior to admission into an addictions treatment facility (Teen Challenge) is related to the treatment outcomes of completing the program and the participants’ length of stay in treatment. Additionally, the study investigates how other factors such as marital status, ethnicity, alcohol and drug use, and level of education may be related to treatment outcomes. Using archival data of 388 enrollees in a Teen Challenge program in southern United States, the results show that religiosity prior to treatment admission is significantly related to program completion. However, the second outcome variable, length of time …

The Relationship Between Employment And Diabetes Self-Management, Josie Allison Lami

Honors Theses

Diabetes Mellitus is a disease that is becoming more prevalent in the world each day, and it can be deadly if it is not properly controlled. There are multiple aspects that go into self-management of diabetes such as diet, glucose control, physical activity, and lifestyle choices. This study focused on the physical activity aspect of diabetes self-management. Fifty-four subjects completed a survey that questioned time spent sitting while at work, physical activity done outside of work each week, and the results of their most recent Hemoglobin A1C check. The study found that over 50% of the participants who spent more …

Planned Activity Checks: Teachers’ Perceptions Of Social Validity For Class-Wide Behavior Assessment, Jacquelynn Elizabeth-Sidnie Johnson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if the implementation of Planned Activity Checks (PACs), which were a newly proposed method of behavioral observation which had been implemented by teachers in an elementary or high school setting, had the same results as a direct research observation in the classroom. The current system in place for behavioral assessment is a direct observer, either a social worker or counselor, coming into the classroom and directly observing a single student or a group of students for the entire class period. Most observations fall into three main categories: standardized rating scales, systematic direct …

Becoming Evil: The Shaping Of A Nazi Female Consciousness From Weimar Through The Third Reich, Maria T. Murphy

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Diastereoselective Synthesis Of 2,4,6-Trisubstituted Piperidines Via Aza-Prins Cyclization, John A. Hood

Honors Theses

The nitrogen heterocycles are shared amongst 59% of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved small molecule pharmaceuticals with the six-membered piperidine representing the most common moiety. Given the versatility and potential to yield derivatives with broad biological activities, the discovery of new chemical methods to generate these heterocycles in a more time and cost-efficient manner is desired. While there are existing racemic methods to access this class of molecule, the objective of this research is to pioneer a new novel six-step method to generate 2,4,6-trisubstituted piperidines with stereoselective control.

The first step is a condensation between a nonenolizable aldehyde and …

Effect Of American Football Helmet Chin Strap Placement On Measures Of Blunt Impact, Terrie Lane Jackson

Honors Theses

Approximately 1.8 to 3.6 million concussions occur annually across all sports.3 Although concussion is prevalent and is a growing concern, the mechanism behind this brain injury is still vaguely understood. The purpose of this research was to determine if chinstrap attachment location effects standard measures of helmet performance associated with concussion. To test this, three Schutt F7 American Football Helmets were impacted at the front, side, and rear locations under two conditions (high and low chinstrap attachment). Each helmet was fitted to an anthropometric test device outfitted with a 3-2-2-2 accelerometer and impacted by a steel impactor head affixed to …

The Moderating Effects Of College Stress On The Relationship Protective Behavioral Strategies Has With Hazardous Alcohol Consumption And Negative Consequences, Bobbi Lynn Lee

Honors Theses

Hazardous drinking continues to be a problem on college campuses especially when considering the increased negative consequences often associated with use at these levels. Although alcohol use is viewed as normative behavior among college students, many factors may predict increased or decreased use and negative consequences. Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are related to decreased hazardous drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences. Specifically, controlled consumption PBS (PBS-CC) are related to less hazardous drinking while serious harm reduction PBS (PBS-SHR) are often related to fewer alcohol-related negative consequences. Stress is also linked with hazardous drinking as students may drink to cope with this …

Exploring The Relationship Between Personality Characteristics And Eyewitness Memory: A Test Of The Weapons-Focused Effect, Emily Jean Stahly

Honors Theses

Eyewitness accuracy is of vital importance in crime scene investigations; however, accumulating evidence suggests that eyewitnesses often show memory inaccuracies. One type of eyewitness inaccuracy is the weapons-focused effect which occurs when the presence of a weapon as part of a crime scene compromises an individual’s ability to recall other details about the event or scene (Erickson, Lampinen & Leding, 2014). Given the weapons-focused effect negatively affects eyewitness accuracy, the purpose of my thesis is to examine the extent to which the weapons-focused effect is moderated by certain personality traits. Of particular interest were the neuroticism and conscientiousness factors in …

Head Impact Biomechanics Of Collegiate Football Players, Samantha Eshleman

Honors Theses

This research study focused on the descriptive head impact biomechanics of collegiate American football players. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were statistical differences in the frequency, peak linear acceleration, and peak rotational acceleration between player position and impact location on the helmet during practice sessions. There were 31 players from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Division I football team that participated in the study. Participants were divided into four groups based on position: defensive skill, defensive line, offensive skill, and offensive line. The Head Impact Telemetry (HIT) System was incorporated with the Sideline Response System …

From Perfect Daughter To Feminist: How Culture Disguises Disney’S Recycled Formula In Mulan And Moana, Aricelia Arcadia

Honors Theses

Film is a relatively young art form and industry compared to others, such as music and dance. Its origins go back no more than 150 years, yet criticism surrounds film over the lack of originality. The Walt Disney Company, or Disney, is one of the most well-known companies in the industry, and it too is accused of recycling some of the same narrative elements and images in its films. This recycling of themes, characters, animation, plot points, and more are known as formulas that Disney uses to ensure financial success. In recent years, the film industry, but more specifically Hollywood, …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience, And Coping Of Foster Parents, Jacqueline Rush

Honors Theses

Foster parents are people who are caregivers for children in foster care. Resilience is a trait that is developed by the exposure of stress, and adversity (Cicchetti & Garmezy, 1993). Some foster parents remain resilient and others do not. The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has any impact on foster parents’ resilience, coping, satisfaction, and intent to continue fostering. This study included 114 current foster parents from across the United States. The study at hand found that 59.6% of foster parents experienced one ACEs or more, which is lower than the …

Foster Parent Disciplinary Strategies And Child Behaviors, Tamarah Taylor

Honors Theses

Foster parents are tasked with creating a safe and stable environment for the youth while also trying to parent and address challenging behaviors (Elgar, Mills, McGrath, Waschbusch, & Brownridge, 2007). Although these behaviors can also be found in youth in the general population, they are more common among foster youth (Van Holen & Vanschoonlandt, 2017). This mixed-methods study involved using an Internet questionnaire to measure influential factors of parenting (i.e. stress, satisfaction, involvement) and the qualitative questions explored foster parents’ experiences with behaviors and which parenting strategies have been helpful and non-helpful. The quantitative results of this study concluded that …

No More Blurred Lines: Tennesseans Deserve High Quality Sexual Assault Education, Sara Leach

Honors Theses

This study seeks to build on pre-existing literature about the impact that bystander intervention training has on deterring sexual assault from occurring on college campuses. Anderson and Whiston’s 2005 study revealed that sexual assault trainings were more effective if a bystander approach was taken and a good relationship among the presenters and recipients was established. The psychology department at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga created a course dedicated to implementing the Empower the Bystander training (Johnson et al. 2015) for the undergraduate population in the fall of 2017. A peer led-program, this course educates participants on how to be …

Predicting And Preventing Common Volleyball Injuries With Functional Tests, Madison Marshall

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a compilation of screening tests best suited for predicting and preventing volleyball’s most common injuries. Research displays a gap in knowledge pertaining to volleyball-specific injury prevention tests. A literary analysis was completed for information regarding; correct volleyball techniques, incorrect techniques that are commonly observed, common injuries resulting from faulty technique, and tests best designed to prevent these injuries. It was found that knees and ankles were the two joints most often injured. These injuries mainly occurred during the landing phase of the jumping-landing sequence. Therefore, ankle and knee injury rates were higher …

Comparison Of Psychological States Of Runners Within Urban And Rural Environments, Christian Demastus

Honors Theses

With the research on persons health and well being increasing within the past years, new questions have emerged on if certain environments can also benefit along with exercise. This study looked at the different psychological states of endurance runners as they run in urban environments and transition into rural settings. The results of this study showed significant differences between urban and rural environments. Also showed increased focus going downhill in nature and greater inward attention while moving uphill in nature. With the findings from this study, it explains why runners choose to run or train where they do.

The Role Of Forensic Accounting In U.S. Counterterrorism Efforts, Madison Gaither

Honors Theses

The September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center directed international attention to the financial component of terrorist operations. The demand for forensic accounting specialists is increasing rapidly because of a growing intolerance for fraud and terrorist activity. This research paper argues that forensic accountants have and will continue to have a vital role in United States’ counterterrorism efforts in the post-9/11 era by detecting acts of fraud and money laundering. Comprehensive review of relevant literature including books, peer-reviewed articles, government databases, court records and news media reveals that forensic accountants are equipped with special skills and analytical tools that …

Sds-Page Analysis Of Modified Lysozyme By Substituted Benzoquinones And Naphthoquinones, Neethu Kurien

Honors Theses

Quinones are molecules that are commonly found in the environment, as cofactors for proteins or an electron carrier in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. However, quinones also can come from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as their metabolites, harming cellular integrity. In this study, we investigated protein modification of lysozyme in the presence of substituted benzoquinones and naphthoquinones. To simulate physiological conditions, all reactions used phosphate buffer (50.0 mM). While the majority of the experiments were performed at 37 C and pH 7.0, there were also temperature dependence (27 C and 42 C) and pH dependence (6.0 and 8.0) reactions included. SDS-PAGE …

Is Corporal Punishment The Best Punishment? A Millennial Perspective, Zachary Rush

Honors Theses

Corporal punishment, defined as “physical force resulting in pain or discomfort, but not significant injury…meant to alter a child’s unfavorable behavioral patterns,” remains a much debated topic of conversation in the United States (Straus & Donnelly, 2001, p. 4). Straus and Stewart (1999) reported that 94% of parents have spanked their children by the time of their fifth birthday. Moreover, the same study identified that 52% of parents continued to employ corporal punishment when their children were teenagers (twelve to thirteen years old) and 20% up until their children were seventeen years of age. However, spanking and similar forms of …

Environmental Injustice: A Public Health Problem In Chattanooga, Daimeshia Seay

Honors Theses

The concept of environmental injustice stems from the building of environmentally harmful infrastructure in minority communities. These communities are disproportionally subjected to increased environmental risk than other areas of society. As there is a large minority and impoverished population on the Southside of Chattanooga these issues are prevalent. Hamilton County was determined as a hotspot for childhood lead poisoning. The EPA began testing the soil for lead, but residents have not seen efforts to completely resolve the issue. In this study, a survey was used to assess community awareness of the lead contaminated soil and to highlight the aspects of …

Comparing Stress Levels And Coping Styles In College Athletes And Non-Athletes, Melanie Martin

Honors Theses

The way individuals manage their stress levels impacts their everyday functioning. In addition to general life stressors, college athletes and college students have athletic and academic performances riding on their ability to cope with the wide variety of daily stressors. This study aimed to primarily look at the differences in stress levels and coping styles between college athletes and non-athletes. Additionally, the current research examined gender differences between the two groups regarding coping styles. College athletes did not report higher levels of perceived stress nor more positive coping styles than non-athletes as measured by the COPE questionnaire. There were significant …

Rhetoric In Financial Reporting: Evaluation Of Isa 720, Qingyuan Guo

Honors Theses

Prior research show that many investors rely on other information appearing alongside the audited financial statements in companies’ annual reports to make their economic decisions and falsely assume that the unaudited other information is also audited. Additionally, company management utilizes rhetorical strategies in other information to offer explanations and opinions conveying positive messages about the company value which audited financial data may not indicate. The expectation gap of investors on audit over other information and the concern of management manipulation incentivized the proposal of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to establish a standard to extend auditors’ responsibility over …

An Analysis Of Prosocial Behavior In Customers, Erik Swanson

Honors Theses

Despite all that is known about the good entrepreneurship can do for communities, there is still a gap in the research on how entrepreneurship can directly better communities and the people that live in them through passing on prosocial benefits. This paper proposes “prosocial entrepreneurship” as a means to address this gap. It will address the gap through examining how prosocial entrepreneurship builds communities to pass on a positive impact on these communities. Businesses have both encouraged prosocial behaviors in employees and promoted cooperation and community building for some time. Research was also completed on prosocial behaviors to build a …

Improving No-Show Rates In A Community Health Center, Erin Boshers

Honors Theses

Community health clinics have surfaced to provide primary care to low-income individuals, but they are currently hurting due to an overwhelmingly high no-show rate. (Population Reference Bureau, 2016; Nowacki, 2013). While there is extensive research on how to overcome no-show appointments in private medical clinics, clinics that serve a low-income clientele cannot succumb to the same methods of intervention due to the financial and physical barriers community health centers face (Nowacki, 2013). The purpose of this project was to extend upon previous studies on strategies to improve the no-show rate at a local community health center by doing a mixed-method, …

Changes In Ant Biodiversity Across An Urban Gradient, Hao Brooks

Honors Theses

There are two aims to this study: compare diversity across an urban gradient and across seasons. We deployed traps and identified the collected 12 ant species at nine different sites centered at Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the purpose of relating levels of urbanization to the diversity of ant species at each site. We successfully sampled in the summer (June 27, 2017) and spring (March 31, 2018), and unsuccessfully sampled in winter (Feb. 16, 2018) when we collected zero ants, likely due to cold soil temperatures. To quantify “urbanization” we divided the sites into “Urban” core verses surrounding “Suburban” area using a …

Madness As "The Divided Self" In The Works Of American Female Authors, Katherine Sweat

Honors Theses

When R.D. Laing wrote The Divided Self in 1960, his goal was “to make madness, and the process of going mad, comprehensible.” Laing argued that psychosis was, at its core, an existential problem, driven by a sense of disconnection from the world and in turn, a fragmentation of the self. This thesis uses Laing’s theory of “the divided self” as a framework for examining how madness is constructed in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper (1890), Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar (1963), and Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1962). Each of these works offers a unique …

Conservation And Collection Of Castanea Dentata Germplasm In The South, Trent Deason

Honors Theses

The American chestnut, Castanea dentata, has been devastated by the exotic invasive pathogens Cryphonectria parasitica and Phytophthora cinnamomi to which it has no resistance. The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) has developed an interspecific backcross breeding program to introgress disease resistance from Asian chestnut species, primarily Castanea mollissima, into C. dentata hybrid populations. The genetic base of this program can be expanded by utilizing vegetative propagation through grafting in order to collect and conserve American chestnut individuals not amenable to traditional breeding. As the majority of the surviving American chestnuts are confined to the understory, they are shaded out by the …

Linguistic Analysis Of Written Language Used By Young Adults With And Without Invisible Disabilities, Amanda Schwartz

Honors Theses

Spoken and written language patterns are subtle aspects of behavior that may differ between those with and without invisible disabilities. One tool to measure language is the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), a computer-based measure comprising a variety of components (emotional, cognitive, and structural) present in oral and written language samples (Pennebaker, Boyd, Jordan, & Blackburn, 2015). Using LIWC analyses, previous research suggests a significant difference in written language usage amongst individuals with depression compared to those without depression (Brockmeyer, et al., 2015). Unfortunately, a limited amount of research has been conducted using LIWC analyses to examine written language …

Improving Alternative Fuel Efficiency With Water Injection, Connor Strawn

Honors Theses

Alternative fuel internal combustion engines (ICEs) have been increasing in popularity as the harmful effects of pollution and the need for a sustainable energy source are becoming more apparent. Two alternative fuels, E85 and hydrogen gas, are considered in this study. These fuels are renewable and have less emissions than traditional fuels, but there are many inherent disadvantages to their use. Water injection could alleviate some of the issues that plague these fuels. To test this, a Briggs and Stratton Baja engine was used, with and without water injection. Gasoline with water injection showed better performance than without: the power …

Perception, Literacy And Confidence In Monitoring Of Snapchat Among Parents Of Adolescents And The Creation Of A Snapchat Educational Workshop, Aerial C. Holmes

Honors Theses

Various research studies have indicated that parental monitoring of social media is important and beneficial to children. However, some parents report that it is difficult to understand and that they lack an overall confidence in their ability to monitor. The purpose of this project was to analyze the relationship between parental confidence in their ability to monitor social media with social media literacy and attitudes/perceptions toward Snapchat. Forty-two participants were recruited through communication with local parent-teacher organizations, posted ads on The University of Southern Mississippi campus, and social media. The participants were given a survey that measured and assessed their …