Digital Commons Network^™

Empowerment Versus Dependency Of Parents With Children In Special Education, Wendy J. Fisher

Masters Theses

This study attempted to determine whether parents of children receiving special education services are being empowered by the present special education system or growing dependent on it. A survey was constructed based upon the three criteria deemed necessary by social policy analyst Charles Murray to yield empowerment. The survey was administered by phone to 50 parents of children receiving special education services. Results indicated that primary source of income and expression of participation do not have an impact on degree of empowerment as measured by the Empowerment/Dependency Survey. Severity of handicap did not predict whether or not parents desired additional …

The Influence Of Gender And Sex Role Orientation On The Perceived Effectiveness Of Therapist Self-Disclosure, Dena Fennell

Masters Theses

The present study examined the influence of therapist gender and subject sex role orientation on theperceived effectiveness of therapist self-disclosure. Subjects were 207 female college students who read written vignettes of a mock therapist discussing interpersonal issues in an initial therapy session. Therapist gender and disclosure level (negative versus no disclosure) were manipulated; ratings of perceived attractiveness, expertness, and trustworthiness were measured by the Counselor Rating Form (Barak & Lacrosse, 1975), and subject sex role orientation was measured by the Bern Sex Role Inventory (Bern, 1974). Results indicate that male therapists who negatively self-disclose are perceived as more trustworthy than …

Prevention Of Head And Neck Injuries At The High School Level Of Football: Implementation Levels And Perceived Importance Of Established Recommendations, Jill D. Heikkila

Masters Theses

The occurrence of head and neck injury in football has prompted various authorities to outline recommendations which can be used as a guideline for the prevention of such injuries. The seven recommendations included for study in this research were classroom education of athletes, correct technique emphasis, enforcement of established rules, conditioning of neck musculature, medical coverage of events, athletic training services, and the proper fit of helmets. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether coaches of high school football programs were implementing the commonly cited recommendations for preventing head and neck injuries. In addition to levels of …

Egg Removal By Brown-Headed Cowbirds: A Field Test Of The Host Incubation Efficiency Hypothesis, Douglas R. Wood

Masters Theses

Obligate brood parasites, like the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), lay their eggs in the nests of host species, usually to the detriment of the host's reproductive effort. In addition, Brown-headed Cowbirds often remove one or more host eggs near the time of parasitism. Although several hypotheses exist, the adaptive significance of egg removal has not been clearly established. Peer and Bollinger (in press) proposed the host incubation efficiency hypothesis which states that the number and size of host eggs influences the incubation efficiency of a parasitic egg. Thus, host egg removal by cowbirds should increase the parasitic egg's …

Investigation Of The Relationship Between Language & Mathematics In Regards To Problem Solving, Heather A. Grant

Masters Theses

While previous research has established language as a component of mathematical performance (Kintsch, 1988; Simon, 1985), none have identified a relationship between language and mathematics. This study was conducted to examine the relationships between language and mathematical abilities, specifically problem solving abilities and concept knowledge.

The subjects consisted of 29 fifth-grade students selected from an elementary school in central Illinois. These students were not receiving special education services. Each subject was administered the Test of Problem Solving (Zachman, et al., 1984) to assess the subjects' ability to utilize reasoning skills and expressive language to solve situational problems; and The WORD …

Reproductive Success Of Grassland Birds At East-Central Illinois Airports, Eric L. Kershner

Masters Theses

We determined the densities and reproductive success of birds on airport grasslands in east-central Illinois. Seven airports were sampled between 10 April and 15 August 1994 in Clark, Coles, Crawford, Douglas, Edgar, Macon and Richland counties. Nineteen species were detected on the airport grasslands and 147 nests were found representing six different species. Eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) were the most abundant nesting species found; 105 out of the 147 nests (71%). Other nesting species included: grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and horned lark (Eremophilia alpestris). Overall nest success was …

Gender Differences In Cognitive Ability Of Children With Hearing Impairment On The Wechsler Intelligence Scale For Children-3rd Edition, Damian D. Jones

Masters Theses

This research thesis investigates possible gender differences of deaf children on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (3rd ed.). The Illinois School for the Deaf (ISD) in Jacksonville, Illinois collated the standard scores of the five standard WISC-III Performance scale subtests and the Performance IQ of 25 students attending ISD. To examine gender differences on the Performance scale subtests and the Performance IQ's, a series of oneway-analyses of variance was calculated. No significant differences were noted on any comparison. A hypothesis that gender differences would occur was not confirmed. The results are discussed with respect to the intellectual assessment of …

Thermoplastic Composites Of Recycled High Density Polyethylene And Recycled Tire Particles, James N. Mckirahan Jr.

Masters Theses

This study identified the mechanical properties and processibility of composite materials of recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE), recycled rubber tire particles, and/or ethyl co-vinyl acetate and poly (e-caprolactone). The composites were processed using a single screw extrusion system.

Three groups of experiments were conducted, on the composites in their extruded form to investigate the mechanical properties of ultimate tensile strength, percent elongation, and hardness. The first experiment investigated the effect of recycled rubber particle concentration in the composites up to 25 percent. The second experiment investigated the effect of recycled rubber particle size on the composites of recycled HDPE and …

Nutrition Knowledge Of Illinois High School Athletic Coaches, Donall M. Hausauer

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Superintendent's Role In Collective Bargaining In Small School Districts, Deborah Lynn Philpot

Masters Theses

This study was designed to research and statistically assess factors associated with the role of the superintendents in small school districts in the collective bargaining process. All superintendents of districts in Illinois that house either Pre-K through 12 or K through 12 enrollments of 400 to 1,000 located geographically south of Interstate 80 were surveyed. Of 140 superintendents issued surveys, there were 115 responses received. Two of the 115 responses were eliminated because their enrollment had increased to over 1,000. Thus, 113 school districts, or 80.7% out of 140, represented the sample. The survey sought demographic information and attitudinal statements …

Computer Assisted Instruction And The Basic Writer, Kathy Ford

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Specimen Size Reduction On The Transition Curve Of The Charpy V-Notch Impact Test, Lonnie Eugene Schubert

Masters Theses

"This study was undertaken to correlate the impact properties of ASTM standard full size Charpy V-notch impact specimens to the impact properties of subsize specimens. An ASTM A533-B quenched and tempered plate steel was examined. The fine grained martensitic material had a coarse prior austenite grain size, which resulted in a low upper shelf energy for this material. Three sizes of specimens were included. Specimens were irradiated in the TRIGA Reactor Facility operated by the U. S. Geological Survey in Denver, Colorado, to 1 x 10¹⁹ n/cm² (E > 1 MeV) at 150°C (302°F). Unirradiated and irradiated specimens were …

Eigenproperties Of Nonclassically Damped Dynamic Systems, Daniel Patrick Malone

Masters Theses

"This thesis develops perturbation series solutions for the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of nonclassically damped dynamic systems for the case where the unperturbed system has repeated eigenvalues. The case of repeated eigenvalues is much more complicated than the case of perturbing a system with distinct eigenvalues. Because of this difficulty, only a specific category of dynamic systems with repeated eigenvalues is addressed. Namely, only those systems that when perturbed have series solutions of the form of a power series. This category of systems can be easily identified by an a priori check developed in the application section of this thesis. The …

Prediction Of In-Hospital Delirium In Elderly Hip Fracture Patients Using Family Assessment Of Pre-Morbid Cognitive Behaviors, Ronell R. Ruhlandt

Masters Theses

The elderly are the fastest growing segment of the population in the United States. Elderly persons are at high risk for developing delirium when hospitalized. The purpose of this study was to determine if pre-morbid cognitive behaviors were predictive of in-hospital delirium in elderly hip-fracture patients. The ability to predict or diagnose delirium early could prevent complications during hospitalization and decrease the length of hospital stays. The study was descriptive correlational. Subjects were admitted to a metropolitan teaching hospital during February through August 1993, were 60 years or older, and were diagnosed with hip fracture. Admission assessments included the Cognitive …

Predictors Of Nclex-Rn Success Post 1988, Marie E. Rogers

Masters Theses

This ex post facto correlation design study was completed to compare the relative ability of the National League for Nursing Diagnostic Readiness Test (NLN-DRT), nursing non-clinical grade point average, overall grade point average, and pre-nursing grade point average in predicting NCLEX-RN success. Records of 95 graduates from a particular associate degree nursing program were reviewed. The Pearson r identified the NLN-DRT to have the strongest correlation with NCLEX-RN success. All the independent variables had a high degree of correlation with one another. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the NLN-DRT accounted for 25% of the variance in NCLEX-RN success. The …

A Comparison Study Of The Effects Of Methods Of Pain Control On Client Outcomes, Susan K. Cristofori

Masters Theses

A correlational ex post facto design was used to study the relationships between methods of pain control and client perception of pain, achievement of the physical therapy regime and length of stay following total joint replacement surgery. Continuous epidural infusion and patient controlled analgesia (PCA) were the pain control methods examined in the study.; Perception of pain was measured using a 6-word descriptor verbal rating scale. Achievement of physical therapy was measured using the activity criteria on the case care map used at the study hospital. Length of stay was measured using daily census records. (1) The study site was …

The Effect Of Support Groups On Aids Patients, Karen Bouwman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to answer the following question: Will individuals with HIV/AIDS have the same or decreased levels of anxiety and hopelessness after participating in a support group? A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. A convenience sample consisted of 40 persons with HIV/AIDS attending a large support group which met on a weekly basis. Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) and Beck's Hopelessness Scale (HS) were administered to the participants. Six weeks later, the HS and SAI were repeated. A Social Support Inventory was also given to assess the subject's perceived satisfaction with the support group. Based on …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Registered Nurse Time Spent In Direct Care Activities, Nursing Skill Mix And Patient Perceptions Of Nurse Caring, Jeanne L. Roode

Masters Theses

There is a need for nurse administrators to understand how the use of nursing resources impacts the quality of patient care. A descriptive correlational research design was used to examine the relationship between R.N. time spent in direct care activities, nursing skill mix and patient perceptions of nurse caring. A secondary analysis was conducted using data previously collected as part of a large-scale data set from a 529 bed community teaching hospital. The data consisted of 76,491 activity samples obtained through work sampling of 16 nursing units, 2 categories of unit skill mix measurements, and a Caring Behaviors Inventory completed …

The Impact Of Delirium On Mental Status And Physical Functioning Of The Hip Fracture Patient One To One And One Half Years Post-Injury, Delores L. Arendsen

Masters Theses

Delirium occurs frequently among hospitalized hip fractured elders. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a delirious episode on physical and mental status of those patients 12-18 months post-injury. This ex post facto correlational study utilized Levine's Conservation Principles as the conceptual framework. The sample consisted of 67 subjects age 60 or older. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Katz Index of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) were administered on admission and by telephone at the post-injury interview. The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) Diagnostic Instrument was used to assess for the syndrome of delirium. Eleven (16%) …

Nurse/Physician Perceptions Of The Nurse Practitioner Role, Deborah R. Bambini

Masters Theses

As the role of the nurse practitioner (NP) continues to evolve, ambiguity in the scope of practice remains. This study described perceptions of the nurse practitioner role. This descriptive three group comparative study asked random samples of registered nurses (n = 51) and physicians (n = 46), and a convenience sample of 34 NPs to indicate their agreement with the appropriateness of 30 behaviors for the NP role. The modification of Hupcey's (1994) instrument had an alpha reliability of.97. A Kruskal-Wallis test revealed significant differences (p = {dollar}<{dollar}.001) among the three occupations for every behavior. The largest difference was found relative to defining the role/scope of nurse practitioner practice (X{dollar}\sp2{dollar} = 59.21, df = 2, p =.00). Knowing an NP was found to be a variable with some influence on the responses whereas interest in becoming or hiring an NP did not in most cases. Most physicians (53.3%) and 32% of RNs indicated that nurse practitioners should work under direct supervision only. Seventy three percent of nurse practitioners felt that a collaborative relationship was the best option.

The Relationship Between The Level Of Codependent Behavior And The Level Of Differentiation Of Self Among Nursing Students, Vicki Lynn Brandes Hillborg

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between the level of codependent behavior and the level of differentiation of self among nursing students. This study employed a descriptive correlational design. The convenience sample of 241 nursing students (221 female, 20 male, ages 18-55) from associate degree, diploma, and baccalaureate degree nursing programs completed, by self-report, the Friel Adult Child/Codependent Assessment Inventory (Friel & Friel, 1988), the Haber Level of Differentiation of Self Scale (Haber, 1990), and an author created respondent characteristics questionnaire. There was a significant moderate negative correlation between the level of codependent behavior and the …

Development And Evaluation Of The Cardiac Exercise Health Belief Scale, Virginia R. Mcginn

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to develop and evaluate the Cardiac Exercise Health Belief Scale (CEHBS) which is based on the Health Belief Model. The CEHBS focuses on the concepts of benefits and barriers. Ninety post cardiac event subjects, 69 males and 21 females, were recruited from two Michigan hospitals during their hospital stay. The CEHBS was mailed to subjects six to eight weeks following discharge.; Cronbach alpha for the CEHBS benefits subscale was.90 and for the barriers subscale was.84. Content validity was established by expert review. During factor analysis all items did load on factors related to the …

Perceived Stress And Health-Promoting Behaviors In Nursing Students Using Pender's Health Promotion Model, Gail E. Dunham

Masters Theses

The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to add support to the literature that there is a relationship between the perceived stress (Student Stress Inventory) that nursing students report and their practice of health-promoting behaviors (Health Promoting Lifestyle Inventory). A convenience sample of 36 first-year associate degree nursing students was obtained. The conceptual framework used was Pender's Health Promotion Model. No relationships were found between demographic variables and perceived stress. Results indicated that subjects reported they engaged in health-promoting behaviors more than sometimes and they perceived themselves overall as slightly stressed. A negative correlation between perceived stress and health-promoting …

A Comparison Of Two Teaching Methods In Basic Cardiac Life Support Training And Education, Patricia A. Merrill

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of two teaching methods on knowledge and skill acquisition in basic cardiac life support. A quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group, pretest-posttest design was used to compare 37 nursing personnel recertifying in basic cardiac life support. The experimental group received a self-study module. The control group received a lecture and demonstration. Sample selection was one of convenience.; An analysis of covariance was performed to test the hypothesis. There was not a significant difference in acquisition of knowledge in the experimental or control group (p {dollar}>{dollar}.05). Subjects in the control group scored …

African American Nurses' Perceptions Of Social Support Available During Graduate School, Jacquelyn Denese Pettis

Masters Theses

This study examined African American nurses' perceptions of social support available during graduate school that contributed to their completion of graduate studies. A descriptive correlational research design using a mailed questionnaire was employed for the study. The sample consisted of 91 African American nurses who were women and had completed graduate studies within the United States. A modified Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (Norbeck, Lindsey, & Carrieri, 1981) was used to collect the data.; Data analysis consisted of reporting means, standard deviations, and range of scores for perceived social support available. Pearson's correlations and t-test were used to examine significant differences …

Cardiac Patients' Perceptions Of Nurse Caring Behaviors, Diane Lynn Dahl

Masters Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify which nurse caring behaviors were perceived by patients hospitalized with cardiac problems as being most important in making them feel cared for. The study was a replication of Larson's (1984) study using a different patient population. A convenience sample of 37 patients was obtained from a large metropolitan hospital in the midwest. The conceptual framework used for this study was Watson's Theory of Human Care. The Caring Assessment Instrument was administered by the researcher. Subjects rated nurse caring behaviors from most important to least important using Q methodology. Patients reported "being …

Clinical Teaching Effectiveness: The Perceptions Of Practicing Nurses, Anjanette M. Toth

Masters Theses

This thesis presents a study of perceptions held by practicing nurses of effective clinical teaching behaviors (ECTB). Previous research on ECTB of clinical nurse teachers have concentrated on the perceptions held by nursing students and nursing teachers. King's Conceptual Framework forms the theoretical basis for the argument that perceptions of ECTB held by practicing nurses are also important. The data was derived from an anonymous questionnaire completed by practicing nurses employed at two community hospitals in southwestern Michigan. Respondents felt that "demonstrates skills, attitudes, and values that are to be developed by the student" was the most important ECTB from …

The Effects Of Aids Education On Knowledge And Health Care Beliefs Of Freshman Nursing Students, Suzanne M. Nahan

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of AIDS education on knowledge and health care beliefs of freshman nursing students. It was hypothesized that freshman nursing students presented with AIDS instruction would have more AIDS knowledge than freshman student nurses without AIDS instruction. In addition, it has hypothesized that the strength of health care beliefs related to AIDS susceptibility, seriousness, benefits, barriers and health motivation of freshman nursing students with AIDS instruction would differ from those without AIDS instruction.; A quasi-experimental control group pretest/posttest design was used. The sample consisted of 50 freshman student nurses enrolled in …

Relationship Between Coping Strategies And Perceived Quality Of Life In Icd Recipients, Jacquelyn M. Oliai

Masters Theses

A descriptive, correlational design was used to examine the relationship between use of the 8 coping strategies as identified by Jalowiec (1987) and quality of life (QOL). In addition, relationships and differences among demographic variables and stressors, as well as answers to open ended questions were examined. Thirty-nine Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) recipients who were {dollar}\ge{dollar}1 year post implant completed the Jalowiec Coping Scale, a revised Quality of Life Index Scale, and an informational questionnaire. Betty Neuman's conceptual framework for nursing provided the theoretical framework for this study.; There were no statistically significant results found from the data of this …

The Impact Of Total Hip Replacement, Teri L. Holwerda

Masters Theses

This descriptive, correlational study replicated an investigation by Selman (1989) exploring the effects of Total Hip Replacement (THR) on quality of life to identify adaptation level in the four effector modes of Roy's Adaptation Model: physiologic function, self-concept, role function and interdependence. The convenience sample consisted of 43 subjects with a mean age of 67 electing to undergo primary TBR at one 410-bed midwestern medical center July, 1994 through December, 1994. Subjects were tested prior to undergoing THR and four months postoperatively. The instrument used was the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS) an arthritis-specific, self-administered questionnaire.; Analysis of data revealed …