Digital Commons Network^™

A Comparison Of Nurse And Spouse Perceptions Concerning Psychosocial Needs, Marie C. Bednarczyk

Masters Theses

The purposes of this research were to discover and compare spouse's and nurse's perceptions of selected psychosocial needs. Twenty-six spouses of cardiac patients admitted to intensive care ranked 45 need statements using the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. Nineteen nurses were also asked to assess and select the spouse's needs using the same tool. The need to know the prognosis was identified as the most important by the spouses of this study. Whereas, the nurses perceived the need to have hope as the most important for the spouses. The results showed that significant differences existed between the perceptions of spouses …

Creating A Model For A Student Assistance Program For High School Students Involved In Substance Abuse, George C. Lewis

Masters Theses

Substance abuse is a problem faced by schools, parents, students and communities. The purpose of this field experience was to provide a plan to help educators, parents, students and communities deal effectively with youth involved in substance abuse. The need for this field study became evident to the researcher when twenty-five students from the student body of Salem Community High School were placed in in-patient substance abuse programs during the 1985-86 school year.

The literature was examined and certain reactions and trends indicated in the literature were identified. Many substance abuse programs were reviewed. Key programs reviewed include the following: …

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Policies In Central Illinois: A Survey, Analysis, And Model, Daniel Lathrop

Masters Theses

One purpose of this study was to develop model policies for school districts to use in dealing with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). A second purpose was to identify which school districts in the Educational Service Region (ESR) comprised of Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Edgar, Moultrie, and Shelby counties had addressed the issue of AIDS policies. The population surveyed in the initial phase consisted of 22 superintendents within the ESR. A survey was developed utilizing many items from a national study (Keough and Seaton, 1987). The survey was administered during a monthly meeting of superintendents hosted by Regional Superintendent Rosemary Shepherd. …

Analysis Of Body Composition With Use Of Body Impedance Analysis And Skinfold Calipers: A Correlation Study, Deborah J. Biver

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Viewers' Reactions To Ordinary People In Television News Events, Janice R. Kidd

Masters Theses

Viewers' Reactions to Ordinary People in Television News Events examines two hypotheses relating to respondents' reactions to viewing violent events or the likelihood of violent death as portrayed on the major news networks. Research centers on reactions of viewers to ordinary people caught in extraordinary news events. Results of two free-flow written exercises are discussed.

Research excludes reactions to viewing those in the news, such as police personnel, soldiers etc., whose lives might be expected to be involved in violent or dangerous events.

Tutoring German Esl Students, Sabina Mussgnug

Masters Theses

Tutors of American university writing centers can be invaluable advisors for German ESL students who come to study in the United States. The tutors can directly assist German students in coping with their particular academic and cultural difficulties.

German students must adapt to the American academic conventions to become successful students at their U.S. universities. The tutors can point out to them the features of the American academic standard and show them effective methods for learning and studying in the American environment.

The American academic standard includes the students' almost perfect reading comprehension. Students must be prepared for heavy reading …

Classroom Instruction Within A Residence Hall: A Comparative Study At Eastern Illinois University, Janet K. Zielke

Masters Theses

This study examined the attitudes, attendance habits, and overall grades of students in an experimental section of Speech Communication taught within a residence hall. The results of this study were found to be significant by comparing them to three sections of the same Speech Communication course taught in "standard" classrooms. This study provides support for the continuation of the experimental program in the fall of 1988. Implications in terms of revision and expansion are discussed.

Superintendent Internship In Argenta-Oreana School District #1, Jerry D. Zachary

Masters Theses

The purpose of this superintendent internship was to provide practical experiences for the student germane to the role of superintendent. These experiences were selected under the advisement of Dr. Larry Janes with cognizance of the general objectives of the internship (Attachment A) and the student's own voids in administrative experience.

The internship has been under the direction of Superintendent Donald Magee of the Argenta-Oreana Community Unit District Number 1. District Number 1 is a consolidated district with 1,226 students. Dr. Magee has been a high school teacher, coach, and principal and has served as superintendent in four school districts for …

The Effects Of Unilateral Brain Damage On Analogical Reasoning By Stroke Patients, Letitia Lynn Gillespie

Masters Theses

This study examined the ability of individuals with unilateral left hemisphere damage (LHD) and right hemisphere damage (RHD) to complete multiple modality analogy tasks. Four groups, for a total of 46 subjects--12 LHD patients, 8 RHD patients, 20 child control subjects, and 6 adult control subjects--performed word, figure, and picture analogies. The combined non brain damaged control groups performed significantly better than the combined brain damaged experimental groups on the combined analogy tasks. No significant difference was found between the LHD and RHD groups on the combined analogy tasks. The modalities of analogical reasoning tasks did not differentially affect the …

Congruence Between Type Of Activity And Volition And Its Relationship To Life Satisfaction In Nursing Home Residents, David De Noble

Masters Theses

This study examines the relationship between life satisfaction and the volition subsystem of 32 older adults who reside in nursing homes. Specifically, it attempts to measure congruence or the perception of the individual that the inherent characteristics of an activity "fit" his or her sense of personal causation, values and interests. The study examines the relationship between this congruence and life satisfaction.

Results of the study identified positive correlations between congruence and life satisfaction. Correlations between congruence of volition subsystem components and activity were at a statistically significant level (p <.05) for personal causation, values and total volition. Correlations between congruence of volition subsystem components and some specific activities were also found.

Treatment Techniques To Encourage Lip Closure And Decrease Drooling In Cerebral Palsy, Kim M. Samelstad

Masters Theses

This study was designed to test the effectiveness of oral sensorimotor techniques in decreasing drooling. A withdrawal a₁-b-a₂ design was used with two subjects diagnosed as having mental retardation and cerebral palsy. The baseline phase consisted of 20 minute sessions of play, followed by a 45 minute period during which the subjects wore a bib. The treatment phase was identical to the baseline phase except that the 20 minutes of play was replaced with 20 minutes of treatment. The treatment techniques that were used included the following: light touch to the midline of the lips, maintained pressure …

Mental Practice: Its Effects On Walking Balance In An Elderly Population, Cheryl A. Linden

Masters Theses

The effect of mental practice on improving walking balance in an elderly population was studied. Walking balance was measured by the number of upper extremity equilibrium reactions elicited and placement of feet observed as subjects traversed an activity course. Twenty-three female subjects between the ages of 67-90 were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experimental group mentally practiced traversing the activity course with the aid of a six minute audio tape. The control group participated in sedentary activities of equal duration. Both groups met for eight sessions. Independent and correlated t-tests indicated no significant difference in walking balance …

A Comparison Of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Relaxation Therapy And Cognitive Restructuring On State And Trait Anxiety In Speech Anxious Adults, Bernard C. Sefchick

Masters Theses

This study tested the following hypotheses: (a) Cognitive-Behavior Therapy would be more effective than either Relaxation Therapy in reducing speech A-state anxiety or Cognitive Restructuring in reducing speech A-trait anxiety; (b) Relaxation Therapy would be more effective than Cognitive Restructuring in reducing speech A-state anxiety; and (c) Cognitive Restructuring would be more effective than Relaxation Therapy in reducing speech A-trait anxiety.

Fifteen volunteers from a speakers organization were screened and randomly assigned to one of three treatments. The Speech Anxiety Inventory was administered before and after treatments to assess subjects' levels of speech A-state and A-trait anxiety.

Results indicated that …

Effect Of Choice Making On A Self-Care Activity In Mentally Retarded Adults And Adolescents, Martin S. Rice

Masters Theses

Of central importance to occupational therapy is the issue of motivation in activity. The purpose of this study was to look at the effects of choice on motivation during an activity undertaken by mentally retarded adults and adolescents. Each subject was given a choice of five wrinkled T-shirts that had sports logos on them. The subject chose one but was then asked to iron the T-shirt before he took it to keep. With counterbalancing for order of presentation, each subject also experienced not having a choice between five T-shirts and then ironing the one given to him. The amount of …

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Balancing Activity And Rest, Lynn A. Lowe

Masters Theses

Fatigue is a major symptom of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), along with joint pain, stiffness and functional impairment. Balancing activity and rest in order to decrease fatigue is frequently mentioned by health professionals as an important strategy in the management of the disease. One hundred and three adult men and women with RA were surveyed via a written questionnaire about their experience of fatigue, four types of rest, employment status, duration of illness, age, sex, and advice about rest. Frequencies related to these variables are reported. Some rest variables were found to be significantly correlated with age and fatigue. No significant …

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of An Infant-Care Skills Training Program On Fathering Behaviors, G. Joseph Vrazo

Masters Theses

This study replicated the findings and expanded the assessment procedures of a previous study that had established the effectiveness of a multi-component infant-care skills training program for first-time fathers. A multiple probe design was used in this study to demonstrate that the training program produced criterion performance of the infant-care skills by four experimental fathers; also, an increase in the frequency of infant stimulation activities initiated by these fathers was observed. A pre/post training evaluation of the effects of the training program on the fathers' performance of play and affectional behaviors and daily infant-care activities yielded negative results. Four control …

A Comparison Of An Ideal And A Real Quality Of Work Life Program, Noreen Goldschmidt

Masters Theses

The purposes of this study were to examine the differences between: (a) a real and idealized Quality of Work Life program; (b) individual groups and the idealized Quality of Work Life program, and (c) groups surveyed.

Two departments were surveyed to obtain perceptions of a Quality of Work Life program existing within a utility company located in the state of Michigan.

Percentages were calculated on the Agree and Strongly Agree response alternatives for all items included on the survey. For the three comparisons made the difference in percent was tested at the.05 level of significance. The results indicated that the …

The Effects Of Altruism On Activity Productivity In Elderly Women In Skilled-Care Nursing Facilities, Carol J. Getz

Masters Theses

This study investigated altruism as a factor in productivity in elderly women. Eight groups of institutionalized elderly women (n = 33) stenciled personalized (initials) stationery. Groups were randomly assigned to either the non-altruistic condition or the altruistic condition; there was control for time of day and location of the activity. Subjects in the non-altruistic condition made stationery for themselves, while subjects in the altruistic condition made stationery for abused children living in an innercity. The number of pieces of stationery produced and the duration of time engaged in activity were recorded for each subject. Mann-Whitney U tests revealed that subjects …

A Comparison Of Awareness Training And Competing Response Training In The Treatment Of Muscle Tics And Nervous Habits, Gregory A. Wright

Masters Theses

This study examines two components of Azrin and Nunn's (1973) habit reversal procedure in an attempt to separate the effects of awareness training from the effects of competing response training. Research (Miltenberger, Fuqua, & McKinley, 1985) has indicated that an intervention combining awareness training and competing response practice is as effective as the entire habit reversal package in suppressing muscle tics. However, because the competing response component is always administered in conjunction with awareness training, the effects of each component are obscured. Four subjects, two with muscle tics and two with nervous habits, received an intervention of either awareness training …

Nitrate Pollution Of Ground Water In Glacial Sediments Underlying A Fertigated Site In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Michael Wireman

Masters Theses

In the central part of Schoolcraft Township high yield corn crops are successfully grown on soils developed on permeable outwash deposits. The high yields are made possible with the utilization of modern irrigation techniques and regular application of nitrogen fertilizer.

Excess nitrogen which moves past the root zone is easily converted to nitrate and leached to the shallow ground water. Water quality data from 103 ground-water samples in the vicinity of a 160-acre corn field in Section 11 clearly indicate that nitrate concentrations in the ground water beneath the field and beneath the area immediately downgradient from the field are …

The Effects Of Music Video Violence On The Aggression Level Of Emotionally Disturbed Adolescents, Kathleen Jo Young

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of violent music videos on aggressive behavior in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. Associations between male and female responses were investigated as well as responses between high-aggressive and low-aggressive subjects.

Subjects were 30 in-patient emotionally disturbed adolescents, 13 to 17 years of age. Subjects served as their own controls. Treatment consisted of the viewing of a violent video with violent lyrics, a violent video without violent lyrics, and a non-violent video. Aggression was measured prior to the treatment with a 23 True-False questionnaire completed by subjects and Behavior Rating Forms completed by …

The Effects Of Music Videos On Adolescent Females Self-Concept And Body-Image, David Scott Eggli

Masters Theses

Music videos are a phenomenon of the 1980s. Their striking imagery, flashy choreography, sexy clothing, and quick cuts have attracted a huge audience of adolescents and changed the face of the fashion industry. If rock stars and music videos can attract millions of teenage viewers and change the style of clothes worn, they may also affect a teenager's self-concept and body-image.

The subjects in this research project were 18 adolescent females between the ages of 12 and 17. The subjects viewed either music videos or G-rated movies. The Piers Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale served as the dependent variable for pretest …

Effects Of Assertiveness Training And Cue Controlled Relaxation Training On Cardiovascular Reactivity To Social Stressors, Bernardine M. Pinto

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of two interventions (assertiveness training and cue controlled relaxation training) on cardiovascular reactivity to role play simulations of social stressors. For this purpose, a single subject multiple-baseline experimental design was employed. Four subjects (three female and one male) received assertiveness training (which focused on behavioral components of assertiveness) and cue controlled relaxation training. Following assertiveness training, subjects responded assertively to the role plays but their blood pressure reactivity was not reduced. Cue controlled relaxation appeared to reduce blood pressure reactivity to a limited extent. Factors associated with the effects of …

The Mexican American Elderly And Barriers To The Utilization Of Health Care Services, Kathleen Anne Hoekstra

Masters Theses

The utilization of health care services by the Mexican American elderly is low compared to the severity of their health problems. This thesis examines the sociocultural factors which affect the interaction of the Mexican American elderly and mainstream health professionals. Included is a brief history detailing discriminatory practices, a description of traditional Mexican cultural practices and attitudes, and an exploration of the cultural barriers which limit access to health care.

A Report Of A Review And Synthesis Of Findings Of Research Studies About Academic Achievement Of Ethnic Minorities In K-12 Education, Harold C. Wheeler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this report is to review and synthesize findings of research studies about academic achievement of ethnic minorities in K-12 education.

In this paper, the literature in Chapter I is related to findings about children as a result of school desegregation. Specifically it focuses on the effects which desegregation has had on motivation, and social-psychologic development of black and white children.

The second chapter begins with a historical background and discusses the life of economic and political oppression and the attitudes toward education that have shaped black school achievement over time.

In Chapter III, race and academic performance …

The Effects Of Activity Group Structure On Cohesion, Engagement, And Affective Meanings In Acute-Care Psychiatric Patients, Hope L. Brucki

Masters Theses

Through activity analysis, occupational therapists identify various components of group structure and group processes for use in therapeutic activities. This study compared the effects of individual activity group structure (members engage in individual projects) and common activity group structure (members share a common project) in a sample of 38 acute-care psychiatric patients. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of eight theme-oriented poster-making groups, four for each experimental condition. Cohesion among group members was measured by the Group Environment Scale (GES), engagement was assessed by the Group Climate Questionnaire-Short Form (GCQ-S), and affective meanings were evaluated by Osgood's short-form semantic differential …

The Effect Of Assertiveness Training On Assertive Behavior And Corresponding Self-Descriptive Statements, James Scott Boland

Masters Theses

This study examines the changes in subjects' assertive behavior and corresponding changes in self-perceptions/-cognitions after assertiveness training. Based on the findings from cognitive dissonance studies, it is suggested that nonassertive subjects would begin to evidence assertive self-perceptions/cognitions if they learned to behave assertively via behavioral skill training methods. Three males and five females volunteered to undergo one session of baseline measures and four training sessions. Pre-treatment RAS, EIBS, and Baseline measures of behavior and cognitions as measured by changes in behavioral ratings and post-trial form responses. Post-training RAS and EIBS responses were similar to those found in assertive subjects. Results …

Reaction Of 2,2,6-Trimethyl-1,3-Dioxin-4-One With Isocyanate Derivatives And The Synthesis Of 2,3,4,6-Tetra-O-Acetyl-Dglucopyranosyl Phenyl Carbodiimide, Tung Van Le

Masters Theses

This research was undertaken to study the synthesis and reactions of isocyanates with diketenes, the synthesis of glycosyl carbodiimide.

The 1,3-oxazine-2,4-dione compounds could be useful in the medicinal chemistry field and the agricultural field, the research using glycosyl carbodiimide as a synthon shows great promise for the medicinal chemistry field.

Fables: Love, Life, Heroes, Jeffrey Neal Woodson

Masters Theses

"Fables" is a creative work which combines music, dance, and theater into a complete multi-media event. The musical portion of the work, the texts, and stage directions are documented in this the sis. The music was realized on electronic tape using the analog Moog synthesizer and the digital Apple lie computer. The tape and slides used for performance are available through arrangement with the composer.

The focus of "Fables" is a story of two characters and a day in their lives. This story line is interspersed with dances which comment on and are a diversion from the dreamlike atmosphere of …

An Otopathological Assessment Of Dogs Exposed To Excessive Dietary Fluoride And/Or Suspected Water Borne Toxins, Barbara Ann Hannah

Masters Theses

In 1970, a once very productive Allegan, Michigan dog kennel began experiencing a rash o£ unexplained perinatal deaths and reproductive anomalies in Shetland pups. Anomalies including cleft palate and lip, kinked tails, twisted feet and convulsions immediately before death plagued the neonates. The adult dogs were reported to have tooth mottling, exostoses and auditory and vestibular problems.

Because the dogs had been on high fluoride diets and because the kennel well water was suspected of harboring toxins, a group of 20 Shetland dogs was used to try to find if there was any correlation between the reproductive problems and the …