Digital Commons Network^™

Nudists In The Know: Investigating Social Assumptions Of A Clothed Society, Sandra E. Schroer

Masters Theses

This work is an institutional ethnography on the ruling relations of clothing in society. Research was conducted through a standpoint methodology which combines interviews, participant observation and the first hand experiences of the researcher.

The interview data reveals nudists' belief in a social preoccupation with body ideals and the power structures created by some uses of clothing. The subjects in this research apply their experiences in both the clothed world and the non-clothed world to expose the implications of the social structures of clothing which appear to effect interpersonal relationships, gender and disability, inequality, prejudice and ageism.

In addition, the …

The Incidence And Diversion Of People With Mental Illness In The Kent County Correctional Facility, Marleah Bevelacqua

Masters Theses

Many individuals with mental illness are arrested specifically due to symptoms of their mental illness for charges such as trespassing or disorderly conduct. This study involves several facets of determining an appropriate diversion program for Kent County Correctional Facility to place people in community based treatment programs rather than jail. The quantitative portion of the study was to replicate an earlier study performed in 1994 to determine an accurate number of persons with mental illness incarcerated in the facility. The remainder of the study was more qualitative in nature, studying jail diversion programs in other areas to determine similarities and …

Construct Validity Of The Behavior Assessment System For Children And Adjustment Scales For Children And Adolescents, Eric Scroggs

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Patterns Of Parenting In Relation To Adolescent Achievement In Ninth Through Twelfth Grades, Kimberly D. Hofmann

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore how the characteristics of parenting change during the adolescents' ninth through twelfth grade years and how these changes effect achievement. In addition, this study explored adolescents' and parents' perceptions of parenting. Subjects were 120 ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders recruited from public high schools in the Midwest. Measures of maternal and paternal demandingness, responsiveness, values toward achievement, involvement in schoolwork, and involvement in-school functions, designed for this program of research, were obtained from both adolescents and their parents. Results showed adolescents' reports of maternal parenting significantly predicted their achievement outcomes. Adolescents …

The Surveillance Of T-Lymphocytes In The Human Blood Stream, Ivan Temesvari

Masters Theses

T-Lymphocytes (T-cells), one of the many different lymphocytes, are the precursors of disease detection. Their primary purpose is to maintain a healthy immune system. They use the blood vasculature (blood stream) and lymphatic system to circulate throughout the body. Study of a T-cells journey throughout the human blood stream is useful to understand how they can detect disease, such as cancer, in an efficient and effective manner. T-cells are to be thought of as the good cells in our body searching to destroy the bad cells (cancer/infectious cells). The thymus lies in the anterior mediastinum, which is directly behind the …

The Convergence Theory: Causal Affects Of Media Violence Communicated To Our Youth, Allan R. Alldredge

Masters Theses

This paper observes present violent activities and how there appears to be a correlation communicated through media and societal influences that we, as natural observers, have noticed affecting our youths. Over 3000 studies have attempted to prove that television, music, film, Internet, even video games, and news is the single cause of violence. This paper does not confirm evidence that any of the mediums are responsible for the violence in our youth alone. Instead this paper expresses a theory that convergence of all the mentioned mediums along with other societal factors contribute to the violence. This paper explores the possibility …

The Effects Of Social Physique Anxiety Levels, Body Mass Index, And Program Type On Exercise Adherence And Reasons For Exercise, Colleen N. Vandever

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare adult females across various age groups, body mass index, and exercise facilities on their levels of social physique anxiety, reasons for exercise, and adherence rates over an 8-week period. Female members of the Eastern Illinois University Adult Fitness Program (n = 14), Curves for Women (n = 19), and the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center Employee Wellness Program (n = 14) took part in the study. Two age group categories were made: 30-50 (n = 21) and 51+ (n = 26) in order to compare female age groups. Specifically, the purposes of …

A Neuropsychological Perspective On The Efficacy Of Typical And Atypical Medication Treatment For Chronic Schizophrenia Regarding Executive Functioning, Eric Hart

Masters Theses

This study investigated the efficacy of current medication treatment procedures for chronic schizophrenics on neuropsychological measures. A total of twenty participants from the Coles County Mental Health Center, who met DSM-IV criteria for chronic schizophrenia, volunteered to be administered the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)-64 card version as a means of assessing neuropsychological executive functioning. A total of twenty participants free of any diagnosable psychological disorder also volunteered to be administered the WSCT-64, which served as a control group. The staff psychiatrist at the Coles County Mental Health Center completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in order to …

Differences In Motivation Between Division I Collegiate Female Basketball Players And Swimmers, Meghan Mcgovern

Masters Theses

Previous research has shown that motivation to participate in athletics is influenced by a variety of factors. A great number of studies have identified several of these factors including age, gender and scholarship status (Amorose and Horn, 2000). However very little research has been conducted regarding how the type of sport may influence motivation.

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed in the types of motivation exhibited by team sport athletes and individual sport athletes when assessed using the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) (Pelletier et al, 1995). It was hypothesized that team sport athletes would display …

Phonemic Awareness: One Approach To Individualized Instruction, Kimberly M. Ochs

Masters Theses

This study examined the effectiveness of a recently developed set of individualized lessons for kindergarten children at-risk for reading problems because of limited phonemic awareness skills. Four participants were selected via teacher referral and a score below the 25^th percentile on the Test of Phonological Awareness. Sixteen lessons (focusing on six phonemes) and weekly assessments followed the selection of the participants. Each child was individually instructed in two 10-15 minute sessions each week for eight weeks and then given an assessment at the end of each week. Single case design was utilized to document the effectiveness of the …

The Effects Of Cognitive And Affective Persuasion On Supporting The Death Penalty, Jason Wayne Hortin

Masters Theses

This thesis examined how participants with cognitively based favorable attitudes toward the death penalty were influenced by cognitive or affective arguments that criticized the death penalty. College students' general attitudes toward the death penalty were measured using a Likert-type scale. They were then asked to write out their thoughts and/or feelings about the death penalty. Some of the participants received two cognitive arguments while others received two affective arguments against the death penalty. After reading these counterarguments, the participants' positions and thoughts/feelings were once again measured.

Only participants with cognitively based attitudes that were supportive of the death penalty were …

The Effects Of Positive Peer Reporting On Children's Social Involvement, Kristyn B. Moroz

Masters Theses

This investigation examined the effectiveness of positive peer reporting (PPR) on increasing the social involvement behavior and peer acceptance of four socially withdrawn children within a general education setting. PPR is a social skills intervention where children are taught how to publicly praise a target classmate's appropriate behavior. The positive peer reporting procedure was implemented daily by each participant's classroom teacher and its effects were observed during recess using behavioral observations. The results indicated that PPR had no effect on peer status. However, results from the behavioral observations indicated that three of the participants exhibited higher rates of social involvement …

Sorrow Into Joy: A Phenomenological Study Of Adult Women Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse, Eldine M. Webster

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to learn how six mid-life women who had been sexually abused as children perceived the way in which that early experience had impacted their life to date. Using a phenomenological qualitative life-history approach, each participant was interviewed for a period of from one to three hours. Content analysis of the interviews and member-checking with participants who volunteered to do so resulted in eight major themes emerging from the data: memories, family, career, addictions, depression, boundaries and embodiment, counseling, and synchronicity. The last theme, synchronicity, very closely related to the concept of spirituality and a …

School Safety Planning: A Survey Of Bond, Fayette And Effingham County Schools, Teresa A. Wortman

Masters Theses

This study was designed to assess the readiness of Illinois public and parochial schools in Bond, Fayette and Effingham Counties to implement school policies, building security strategies, and violence prevention/intervention programs to improve school safety. The study examined current trends in the school safety planning of the respondents. In addition, the study examined the relationship between the schools' implementation of violence prevention/intervention programs and their use of safety grants, the relationship between the array of safety measures implemented by the responding schools and their involvement of school and community groups in their planning, and the relationship between the array of …

Narrating Identities: Adult Children Of Alcoholics And Their Social Support Systems, Laura J. Wolff

Masters Theses

This study examines communication between adult children of alcoholics and the social support systems that result from their relationships with their alcoholic parents. These relationships may form either with the alcoholic parent or with others around them. Surveys and a focus group were used to draw information from participants concerning social support systems, communication patterns, coping methods, and critical incidents that occurred during childhood. Adult children of alcoholics were also found to suffer from interpersonal problems, dependency problems, poorer communication skills, approval seeking tendencies, and intimacy problems. The findings of this report suggest that good social support minimizes the negative …

The Nonverbal Communication Of Pain As Recognized By Alternative Health Care Providers, Jodi L. Pope

Masters Theses

Recognizing nonverbal messages of pain in a health care setting is essential. The nonverbal communication of pain is a communication aspect typically overlooked in modern health care environments. This research surveyed alternative health care providers to determine what nonverbal behaviors they recognize as pain indicators and how they react to those behaviors. Massage therapists and chiropractors from a Midwest county filled out surveys and participated in a focus group. Fifty nonverbal pain indicators, such as guarding body parts, postural inequalities, gait, and clenched fists, among others, were charted. Several other topics such as learning how to determine nonverbal pain indicators, …

Ratings Of Assessment Procedures By Learning Disabilities Teachers And School Psychologists, Raquel A. Williams

Masters Theses

This study surveyed the perceptions of school psychologists and learning disabilities teachers (LD teachers) on the frequency of use and usefulness of the following assessment procedures: Standardized tests, curriculum based measures (CBMs), classroom observations, interview with general education teachers, and analysis of class assignments for initial placement of a child, instructional planning, and evaluation of student progress. Further, this study investigated how proficient the two groups felt in administering each of the five assessment procedures. Fifty four school psychologists and 32 LD teachers completed the questionnaire. Results indicated that school psychologists and LD teachers agreed on the frequency of use …

The Development Of Cross-Sex Friendships: An In-Depth Look At Rawlins' Model Of Friendship Development, Corina Franz

Masters Theses

The following study examines the development of three cross-sex friendships through in-depth interviews. The development of cross-sex friendship has been neglected in much of the research, and Rawlins' Model of Friendship Development has been assumed to fit the development of cross-sex friendships. This study compares the development of these friendships to the friendship development model. The results show that much of the development of cross-sex friendships has characteristics similar to Rawlins' model, yet the model does not address all the developmental issues cross-sex friends encounter. Limitations to the study and suggestions for future research are presented.

A Comparative Study Of Standard American English And Non-Standard American English Accents, Casey S. Gleason

Masters Theses

Through the birth and maturation of the American society, dominant cultures have developed and become the accepted norm of America. However, with the constant flow of immigrants entering America, a variety of cultures and languages entered, also. The English language has remained the dominant language, while Standard American English has remained the dominant accent. Those who do not display Standard American English (SAE) often fall victim to a lower level of speaker credibility than those who speak SAE. One's sex may also affect speaker credibility due to different communication styles. The affect one's combination of accent and sex has on …

Personality Correlates Between Fundamentalist And Non-Fundamentalist Individuals As Measured By The Neo Pi-R And The Religious Fundamentalism Scale, Jason Andrew Witt

Masters Theses

The relationship between religious fundamentalism and personality was examined. Over 150 students total, from two Midwestern universities were administered the NEO PI-R and the Religious Fundamentalism Scale. It was predicted that the individuals who scored highly on the RF Scale would score significantly higher on the Neuroticism scale and significantly lower on the Openness scale of the NEO PI-R than the non-fundamentalists. Results of the study confirmed the prediction that Openness would be significantly lower for fundamentalists, F (1, 103) = 11.093, p < 0.001. Results did not confirm the prediction that Neuroticism would be significantly higher for fundamentalists, but showed that Agreeableness was significantly higher for fundamentalists, F (1,103) = 11.127, p < 0.001. Possible reasons for the differences in personality scores between fundamentalists and non-fundamentalists were discussed, as well as suggestions for future research in this area.

Attachment Patterns Between Hearing Children And Deaf Primary Caregivers, Bette L. Witcraft

Masters Theses

This study extends previous research on attachment patterns, formed by infants with primary caregivers who noncontingently or inconsistently respond to the infant's attachment signals, to the population of hearing children of deaf primary caregivers. It was hypothesized that, due to the simple mechanical problem of the deaf primary caregiver's inability to hear the infant's attachment signals, e.g. crying, hearing adolescent children of deaf primary caregivers will demonstrate higher Anger Distress Scale scores as measured by the Adolescent Attachment Questionnaire than a control group. Results support the hypothesis. A sample of 19 hearing adolescents with deaf primary caregivers rated themselves significantly …

Cmc Technology In The Classroom: A Look From A Professors Point Of View, Michael J. Shannon

Masters Theses

Technology now influences every aspect of daily life. Education is no exception. This is particularly true for Eastern Illinois University. With the increase of CMC technology on campus, it is important to know how professors feel about it and identify why some professors are not using it.

The specific purpose of this research was to focus on why CMC is beneficial in the classroom. This study discusses the kinds of technology available on campus and discovers the reasons why professors are reluctant to use CMC technology on campus.

This study identified a significant level of technology and assistance available on …

The Social Construction Of Sexuality: Deconstructing Masters And Johnson, Jason Kennedy Kae-Smith

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Income And The Ability To Follow The Prescribed Medication Plan In Elderly Persons With Heart Failure, Lori Houghton-Rahrig

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between income, and obtaining and taking of medications as prescribed. The conceptual framework used for this study was Madeleine Leininger's cultural care diversity and universality theory. This secondary analysis used the initial data from the primary study. “ Home Care Outcomes for Heart Failure: A Test of Two Nursing Approaches" (Kline, 1999). A convenience sample of 70 home care clients with heart failure were interviewed using a Likert scale format. A non-parametric correlation using Spearman’s rho depicted a weak relationship between annual income and taking the medication …

The Effect Of Supportive-Educative Nursing Interventions On The Hospital Readmission Rates Of Patients With Heart Failure, Patrice M. Whitaker

Masters Theses

The prevalence of heart failure (HF) is increasing and patients with HF are frequently readmitted to hospitals soon after discharge, at great cost. Improving self-care and reducing hospitalizations in this group is vital. This study, based on Dorothea Orem’s ( 1995) self-care deficit theory, evaluated supportive-educative vs. placebo nursing interventions. The study results were drawn from a larger longitudinal study done by Dr. Kay Setter-Kline, Ph.D., R.N.

The study sought to determine if supportive-educative nursing interventions reduced the rehospitalization rate for patients with HF. The Self-Management Tool was utilized for data collection, after being adapted from the Chronic Disease Self-Management …

Perceived Knowledge Of Heart Failure And Adherence To Self-Care Recommendations, Cheryl Lynn Van Ess

Masters Theses

During the last decade, research has indicated that patient education is an essential component in the comprehensive management of heart failure. However, few data are available that evaluate how effective that education is and the relationship between knowledge and self-care adherence. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between patients’ perceived knowledge of heart failure and their reported self-care adherence with diet, exercise, and medication in the management of their chronic disease. Orem’s self-care theory provided the framework for this study.

This study was a secondary analysis of the baseline data collected from a self-reporting questionnaire …

Rehabilitation Nurses' Attitudes And Behaviors Related To Sexuality Of Rehabilitation Patients, Renae Boss Potts

Masters Theses

Sexuality is intrinsic to the nature of human beings. If nurses are to practice holistically, issues concerning sexuality are relevant to nursing practice. The attitudes and behaviors that rehabilitation nurses express regarding the care of rehabilitation patients were explored in this descriptive study. One hundred and one members of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) responded to the Williams - Wilson Sexuality Survey (WWSS). The possible range of scores on the attitude scale was 11 - 66. The actual results ranged from 21 to 65, with a mean of 48 and a standard deviation of 10. The higher the attitudinal …

Relationship Of Perceived Self-Efficacy Of Disease Management And Hospital Utilization Among Patients With Heart Failure, Linda K. English

Masters Theses

This secondary analysis examined the relationship between perceived self-efficacy of disease management and hospital admissions for heart failure patients based on Bandura’s social learning theory. A convenience sample of 76 patients who were receiving home care services were visited over the course of several weeks. Data were collected at baseline, 3, and 6 months using the Self-Management Tool adapted from the work of Lorig et al. (1996).

Data indicated a weak negative statistically significant relationship between perceived self-efficacy of disease management and hospital utilization at 3 months (r = -.33, p = .01). In addition, hospital utilization decreased over time, …

Perceived Problem Areas For Adults Living With Diabetes, Valda Tolliver

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to examine the perceived problem areas for adults living with diabetes. A descriptive design using the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID) among a convenience sample of 24 African Americans provided the data in this study. King’s (1971) conceptual framework for nursing provided the theoretical foundation.

Data indicated that 83% of the sample did not perceive living with diabetes as a serious problem. However, the majority of them identified food deprivation and coping with diabetes, in addition to worrying about the future and possible serious complications from the disease as problematic. These results suggest …

Pet Bonding And Pet Bereavement Among Adults, Kelli Brosam

Masters Theses

This study was designed to examine the relationship between the intensity of bonding and grief responses among adults following the death of their dogs or cats. Three hypotheses were considered: 1) The strength of the bond between an adult and a pet will predict the intensity of grief following the death of that pet. Specifically, adults who are more strongly bonded with a pet will experience more intense grief following the death of that pet than adults who are less strongly bonded. 2) Regardless of type of animal, women will be more highly bonded to pets, and women will report …