Digital Commons Network^™

Utilization Of Collaborative Clinical Education Placements, Sandie Marston, Sally Talbot

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe the collaborative model's utilization, effectiveness, and effect on ease of student placement. Surveys were sent to academic coordinators of clinical education at all 130 physical therapy programs in the United States. Four of these surveys were sent as a pilot study. Of 126 surveys sent, 114 were received for a 90% return rate. Frequencies of responses were calculated. 75% of respondents report using the collaborative model. Of those who use the model, 95% reported that it met their objectives for clinical education, and 93% reported decrease (24%) or no change (69%) in …

The Effects Of Relative Frequency Of Knowledge Of Results On Brain Injured And Neurologically Normal Individuals Learning A Linear Positioning Task, Deborah M. Thomas

Masters Theses

Twelve normal and 12 brain injured subjects aged 18-56 years learned a linear positioning task involving moving a slide to a target position while blind folded. During the acquisition phase, feedback was provided as 33%, 67% or 100% KR. Immediate (10 minute) and delayed (24 hour) retention tests were performed without feedback. ANOVAs were used to compare the effects of feedback frequency. At the acquisition and immediate retention phases, the normal group performed with significantly less error than the brain injured group. This trend continued in the delayed retention test, but was not significant. Both groups performed best in the …

The Effects Of Lumbar Facet Joint Dysfunction Isoinertial Range Of Motion Testing, Mary Lomonaco-Parks

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of lumbar facet joint dysfunction on individual trunk movement characteristics, as measured by computerized range of motion testing on asymptomatic subjects. A sample of 40 subjects was examined for lumbar facet joint dysfunction via palpatory exam and placed into two groups. Group one consisted of subjects with 0-2 levels of lumbar facet joint dysfunction. Group 2 consisted of subjects with greater than 2 levels of lumbar facet joint dysfunction. Each performed all planes of trunk range of motion without resistance and at 25% of their maximal isometric strength. The null …

A Comparison Of Service Delivery Options In The State Of Illinois For Students With Behavior Disorders, 1987 To 1995, Shelli K. Jennings

Masters Theses

This study was a replication (Hipple, 1987) designed to ascertain the utilization of a service delivery continuum in the State of Illinois for students with behavior disorders. Responses were randomly solicited from teachers in various-sized community unit school districts throughout the state and compared according to the size of the teachers' school district. The findings were then compared to those from the original study. The results from this study revealed nine significant variables when statistically comparing the grouped responses of teachers according to the size of the district: (a) the teachers' levels of education, (b) the teachers' employer (school district …

Personality Variables Of Adult Children Of Alcoholics In A Treatment Sample As Measured By The Personality Research Form-E, Tamara K. Young

Masters Theses

There has been much personality research in the area of Adult Children of Alcoholics with varying results. This study examines personality variables in archival data of alcoholic clients in a residential treatment center with the use of the Personality Research Form-E (Jackson, 1984). A comparison was made between groups of non-ACOA clients and those with alcoholic parents in the areas of aggression, defendence, dominance and desirability. No significant differences were found between groups. Two other hypotheses were generated concerning male participants only. No significant differences were found for the trait of autonomy; however, male ACOA alcoholic participants were found to …

A Comparison Of Two Isotonic Resistance Training Routines For Individuals With Above Average Strength, Craig L. Kruse

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if individuals, possessing above average strength in the bench press exercise, would improve their 1RM more by using an experimental resistance training program as compared to a program of a more traditional nature.

Seventeen male subjects between the age 18 and 26 years, mean age 21.8 years, who were considered to have an above average strength level in the bench press exercise (a bench press strength to body weight ratio, S/BW, greater than 1.00) participated in this study. The subjects had an average S/BW of 1.17. All the subjects trained three alternate …

The Effect Of Depression On A Lexical Decision Task, Elizabeth A. Richtfort

Masters Theses

Sixteen depressed and sixteen non-depressed college aged participants completed a lexical decision task containing cognitive triad word - negative word pairs, cognitive triad word - positive word pairs, cognitive triad word - nonword pairs, categorically related pairs, neutral word - neutral word pairs, and neutral word - nonword pairs. Following the lexical decision task, the participants performed a surprise recall task. The depressed participants were expected to recognize the negative words as words more quickly than the positive words and recall a higher percentage of negative words than positive words. These results were not found. All participants responded to the …

Middle School Tutoring Practices In Illinois, Kim Lin Johnston

Masters Theses

Districts must provide successful cost-effective programs for students who are failing. One method that has proven both cost effective and successful is tutoring by staff, community volunteers, and students. The study investigated the tutoring practices in 45 schools and large unit districts in Illinois. As implemented, neither peer nor cross-age tutoring followed a predictable pattern. Results indicated that the most comon type of tutoring was after-school with remedial activities focusing on math and reading and taught by certified staff. The study described some of the design and administrative features that shape the programs, discussed possible implications for minority constituencies, and …

Does The Alcohol Behavior Of Charleston High School Students Vary According To Their Source Of Information On Alcohol?, Christy J. Rawlins

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of The Process Of Transition To Middle School Concepts In Illinois Lead Middle Schools, Janice L. Alka

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to analyze the implementation process of middle level practices in selected Illinois middle schools. The result of the study will be of assistance to middle school staff members attempting to make the transition to middle level practices.

The researcher found theorists have agreed that middle level schools, regardless of their location, should consist of grades 6-8. The schools needed to open as middle schools or change slowly to middle school practices. The first steps in the transition process should include teachers attending conferences, workshops, or inservices on middle school practices. The research showed that …

An Investigation Into The Retention Policies Regarding Special Needs Students, Ronald Dean Graham

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the retention of special needs students in the Sangamon Area Special Education District (SASED) in Illinois. All of the principals of grades K-8 and the special education coordinators that work in those districts in SASED were surveyed. Inconsistencies in SASED's current practices led the author to explore possible alternatives in helping the Multidisciplinary Conferences (MDC) result in better decisions concerning the retention of special needs students. The results of the surveys were analyzed to develop a policy for all the districts to follow. This study focused on two objectives: 1. To determine …

The Stabilization And Structural Adjustment Procedures Of The International Monetary Fund And The World Bank, Douglas A. Reznick

Masters Theses

The IMF and the World Bank began to attach structural adjustment restrictions to many of their loans to developing countries in the early 1980s. Some of these restrictions are not based on solid economic ground and are, in many cases not effective in improving the economic standing of the countries that receive loans. In addition, there was also a misdiagnosis of the problems that occurred in the underdeveloped countries of the world. Under the IMF/World Bank paradigm, the difficulties that most underdeveloped countries experienced were due to internal distortions and non-effective development strategies. Evidence to the contrary shows that many …

Effects Of Labeling Bias On Prognostic Outlook For Children With Behavior Problems, Julie D. Fox

Masters Theses

Labeling bias refers to biases that might occur toward a person who has a particular label. This study investigated the effects of labeling bias on prognostic outlook for children as a function of diagnostic labels. School psychologists, regular and special education teachers, and introductory psychology students read a vignette that described a child with behavior problems. The vignette was held constant for all participants, but one of four labels (conduct disordered, socially maladjusted, serious emotionally disturbed, no exceptionality) was varied at the end of the vignette. Respondents then estimated the child's likelihood of future success in interpersonal relationships, the likelihood …

The Local Use Of Igap Science Test Scores In High School Program Evaluation, Garry Krutsinger

Masters Theses

This study examined the use of various objective test data, including IGAP Science test scores, by school personnel in the process of local science program evaluation. Three hundred and twenty-four public Illinois High Schools, all Illinois high schools with enrollments of 500 or less, were surveyed. Principals were asked to identify objective test score data used in local science program evaluation, to characterize the nature of the local evaluation process, and to identify local personnel involved in the evaluation process. All respondents identified sources of objective test score data used in local science program evaluation. The IGAP Science test score …

A Comparative Study Of Visual Problems Between Video Display Terminal Operators In A Developed And A Developing Country, Blessing F. Adeoye

Masters Theses

The work presented in this research study examined the visual problems between Video Display Terminal (VDT) operators in a developed and a developing country. Specifically, this study compared the responses of a group of 67 VDT operators in Nigeria and the United States of America. The study addressed the following questions that have remained unanswered for many years: 1. What are the most common VDT visual hazards? 2. Are these problems the same in the USA and Nigeria? 3. Are these visual problems work related? To accomplish this research study, a survey eliciting opinions of computer operators about the visual …

Diversity Management: An Administrative Case Study In A Tax-Exempt Human Service Organization, Jerry L. Johnson

Masters Theses

Diversity management is a business strategy that is intended to create an organizational climate where people from diverse backgrounds can succeed based on their work performance and not their personal similarities or differences with the organization's leadership. Diversity management programs are intended to help business remove barriers resulting from discrimination.; The present study investigated the need for a diversity management program in a tax-exempt human service organization. The perceptions and attitudes of organization employees, measured by survey instruments, in conjunction with an employee compensation study, provided the data for this investigation.; The instrument designed for this study and the random …

The Psychological Effects Of Functional Electrical Stimulation Leg Cycle Ergometry On Persons With Spinal Cord Injury, Renee Christner, Scott Nolte

Masters Theses

Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects many individuals in the general population. Spinal cord injury (SCI) may exacerbate depressive symptoms as individuals must adapt to an altered lifestyle as a result of the injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation Leg Cycle Ergometry (FES-LCE) on the subjective reports of the incidence and severity of symptoms of depression in individuals with SCI. Survey packets, including a demographic data sheet and the Inventory to Diagnose Depression (IDD), were mailed to 215 individuals participating in FES-LCE programs and 215 persons with SCI not involved in FES-LCE. …

Normal Kinetic Patterns Of The Lower Extremities During Natural Walking In Children Aged Six To Ten, Thomas Ellexson, Christopher Nawrocki, Darrin Schober

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to initiate a normative pediatric three-dimensional lower extremity kinetic database specific to the Mary Free Bed Hospital/Grand Valley State University Center for Human Kinetic Studies. Twenty healthy children (eleven girls and nine boys) with a mean age of 7.9 years volunteered for this study. Lower extremity kinetic data were obtained using a computerized three-dimensional motion analysis system coupled with a force plate. Kinematic and kinetic data were pooled and mean/standard deviations at each one percent of the gait cycle were determined for the twenty normative children. Results of the pediatric kinetic data were similar …

The Effects Of Partial Unweighting On Hemiplegic Gait, Natasha A. Creaser, Michael W. Jones

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effects of 30% body weight support on gait in two individuals with hemiplegia secondary to stroke. Two subjects with right hemiplegia were tested. Each completed four trials, two full weight bearing and two unweighted 30%, in random order. Each trial consisted of walking six meters on a treadmill at the subjects' self-selected speed. Temporal distance data were collected via Stride Analyzer footswitches. Subjects were also videotaped from the side during all trials. We expected velocity, cadence, stride length, uninvolved limb swing time, and involved limb stance time to increase with unweighting. Subjects 1's results agreed only …

Employer Perceptions Of Entry-Level Master's Degree Physical Therapy Graduate's Ability To Practice In A Direct Access Environment, Michele Allen, Matthew J. Duley, Jamie J. Eltzroth

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if employers in physical therapy outpatient facilities believed entry-level Master's degree graduates were adequately prepared to practice in a direct access environment. Three-hundred surveys were sent to employers in facilities in Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio. A Likert Scale was utilized to determine opinions regarding physical therapy skills a new graduate may have after graduating from an entry-level Master's degree program. Analysis of variance was used to determine differences in opinion based on skill and employer categorization. Results indicated that employers did not believe physical therapy graduates have adequate skills to recognize diagnoses …

An Investigation And Improvement Of Electrorheological (Er) Fluid Technology, Adil F. Dalal

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to investigate and overcome the limitations of Electrorheological (ER) fluids and to introduce this advanced technology at WMU. Electrorheological (ER) Fluids are a special class of fluids, which exhibit a reversible, infinitely variable phase transition from a liquid to a solid/semi-plastic state, in the presence of an electric field.

ER fluids can provide a unique solution to the problems of vibration isolation of systems. The applications are currently limited due to the high voltage requirements, electric power related heating and limited research into wear/abrasive characteristics of ER fluids.

A specially designed and constructed "electro-viscosimeter" …

Knowledge, Attitudes, Behavior, And Decision-Making Orientation Relating To Cardiovascular Health In High School Students, Patricia E. Bromfield

Masters Theses

Planning for cardiovascular health (CVH) education for adolescents

requires an awareness of students' cardiovascular knowledge and attitudes

toward "heart healthy" behavior, and an understanding of the dynamics

of health-related decision-making in this age group. This study attempted

to measure these parameters using an 81-item survey administered to 93

9th graders (45 females, 46 males, 2 undisclosed) and 107 12th graders (57

females, 47 males, 3 undisclosed). The survey was administered m a

suburban high school in southwest Michigan in the spring of 1994.

Results were evaluated descriptively for knowledge, attitudes, and

behavior, and for differences across grade and gender. ANOVA's …

The Effect Of Step Height On Energy Cost Using A Stairmaster 4000pt, Bruce Patnoudes

Masters Theses

The study determined if energy cost or heart rate was affected by Stairmaster 4000PT users stepping at lower than the prescribed 8.0 in. recommended by the manufacturer. Eight women participated in the study. Subjects exercised on the Stairmaster 4000PT using three different step heights; 4.0 in., 6.0 in., and 8.0 in. The condition order was randomized to minimize bias. Subjects stepped with a metronome to regulate step height.

The findings indicated that a lower than recommended step height did not affect energy cost or heart rate.

It was concluded that users may step at any of the three step heights …

Geological And Hydrogeological Characterization Of The Schoolcraft Aquifer, Schoolcraft, Michigan, William K. Steinmann

Masters Theses

Newly installed monitoring wells, county well logs, gamma-ray logs, head measurements, flow nets, slug tests, and full aquifer pumping tests were utilized to characterize the geologic and hydrogeologic conditions of the area. Evaluation of the geologic conditions indicate that the study area is best described as a glacially generated, humid type, alluvial fan. A hydrogeologic facies model concept aided in the initial evaluation of the hydrogeologic conditions and was utilized for the placement of several vertically nested monitoring wells. Further evaluation indicates an unconfined aquifer comprised of two separate flow systems: a shallow, local flow system interacting with flow-through surface …

Investigations Of Glacial-Drift Aquifer-Lake Interactions Using Hydrogeology, Geochemistry, And Stable Isotopes At Asylum Lake, Michigan, Vincent E. Buening

Masters Theses

A hydrogeological investigation of Asylum Lake and its associated unconfined glacial-drift aquifer in Kalamazoo, Michigan was undertaken to define the lake-aquifer interaction at the study area. In addition, the impact of development proximal to the study area on ground water and lake-water quality was evaluated. Hydrogeology, inorganic water chemistry, and stable isotopic ratios of deuterium to hydrogen were employed to establish the interaction of the lake and the aquifer.

The findings from this study indicated that: (a) the sandy unconfined glacial-drift aquifer discharges into the lake along its western margin and is recharged by the lake along its eastern margin; …

Job Satisfaction Among Foreign Employees In The Private Sector In Saudi Arabia, Abdulrahman Al-Suwaid

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships among job satisfaction and demographic variables for foreign employees in the private sector in Saudi Arabia.

The population for this study was foreign employees in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. A sample of 206 employees participated in the study from four private organizations in Riyadh. Each organization was visited to obtain permission to collect data from foreign employees. All subjects were given a packet of forms that included the Job Description Index, Job in General Scale, and Demographic Data Sheet. The subjects' responses were entered into the SPSS …

Criminalizing Pregnancy: An Analysis Of The War On Drugs And The Fetal Rights Movement, Sheryl R. Fett

Masters Theses

The focus of study was the war on drugs and the fetal rights movement as they relate to the criminalization of pregnancy. There was a movement in the 1980s and early 1990s to prosecute pregnant women for prenatal drug use under child abuse statutes and/or drug delivery statutes.

A social constructionist framework was used to analyze this movement. This thesis utilized a qualitative case study relying on documentary analysis. Literature on the war of drugs and the fetal rights movement was analyzed as it related to the prosecutions of pregnant drug users and the subsequent criminalization of pregnancy.

It was …

Zambian Nurses And The Aids Crisis: Towards A Socio-Cultural Analysis Of Hiv/Aids, Alicia Worley

Masters Theses

This study addresses the need for AIDS research that goes beyond quantitative in formation to deal with the complexities of local context. Sociocultural analyses have been frequently lost in a sea of research that is rooted in a biomedical/quantitative paradigm. As a result of this, issues of political economy, culture, and human agency are often handled at best, tangentially-this to the detriment of prevention and control programs. This study underscores the factors involved in the spread of HIV that lie outside the realm of physiology and medical "fact." The perception and responses of Zambian nurses at a governmental training hospital …

Trauma In Adult Incest Survivors, Jane Kay Hedberg

Masters Theses

This study explored the traumatic effect of childhood incestuous abuse on the adult survivor. Eleven subjects were interviewed for this study. Hindman's (1989) trauma scale was revised, exploring issues of relationships, mental health, and living skills dysfunctions. In addition to the global score, the scale was disaggregated. Relationships between trauma and age at onset, physical and emotional violence, frequency, identification of self as victim, current relationship with offender, and response to disclosure were explored.

Several dimensions of feeling responsible were reported by victims, including feeling that there was something about them that made others victimize them, feeling responsible for protecting …

Gender Differences In Higher Education: A Comparison Of Males And Females Applying To Graduate School, Lynda Bennett

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to determine in what ways male and female applicants to graduate school are similar or different. Secondary analysis was conducted on survey data which described attitudes and behavior of students admitted to graduate programs at Western Michigan University. The purpose was to assess the relationship between gender and curricula selected, likelihood of applying for and receiving financial aid, and the influence of marital status. Gender did have a statistically significant relationship with curricula selection and influence of marital status. Furthermore, it appeared that women graduate students find marriage to be a more limiting factor …