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The Relationship Between Involvement In Extracurricular Activities And Academic Achievement Of Students At Flora High School, Linda J. Spicer

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field study was to determine the effect of participation in extracurricular activities upon academic achievement. Senior students at Flora High School were asked to respond to several survey questions that provided information concerning their participation or lack of participation in extracurricular activities. In addition, they expressed opinions related to their own personal involvement in extracurricular activities. The cumulative grade point averages of participants and nonparticipants were also reported.

The results indicated that the respondents of the Class of 1994 of Flora High School strongly felt that participation in extracurricular activities had an effect upon academic achievement. …

Academic Achievement Motivation In Hispanic Students, Lisa A. Schuck

Masters Theses

There is a lack of research on academic achievement motivation in Hispanic students, and instruments which measure achievement motivation have not been validated with Hispanic students. Fifteen regular-education teachers rated 67 third through fifth grade Hispanic students on the Teacher Rating of Academic Achievement Motivation (TRAAM). Students completed the Achievement Motivation Scale (AMS). Construct validity was investigated by examining the relationship of the TRAAM with the AMS. Criterion-related validity was established by examining the relationship of the TRAAM with Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) scores and grades. The TRAAM, AMS, Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) scores, and grades were used to …

Forced Entries: A Novel, Thom Schnarre

Masters Theses

The allure of a creative thesis for me was the unique blending of literary study and personal exploration. I have always felt my writing a cathartic activity as I grappled with the textual issues and gained personal insights through the struggle. For this reason, I chose the creative option as a culmination of my graduate studies at EIU. While I have dabbled in all three genres -- poetry, playwriting and fiction -- in my graduate career, it is the extended fiction genre of the novel that I have chosen to pursue in this project. The thesis is comprised of two …

Perceived Differences In Family Characteristics Among Women Exhibiting Varying Levels Of Eating Disorders, Emily K. Altemus

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Delineation Of Factors Influencing Physical Therapists To Accept A Position At A Rural Hospital In Michigan, Jon A. Cummings, Matthew E. Flynn, E. J. Miller

Masters Theses

This descriptive study seeks to identify the primary factors influencing physical therapists to accept a position as a physical therapist (P.T.) at a rural hospital in the state of Michigan and is designed to enhance the body of knowledge regarding rural hospital recruitment of physical therapists. Of the 63 rural hospitals in Michigan, (rural as defined by the Michigan Hospital Association), 55 agreed to participate in this study. One hundred and twenty-three questionnaires were distributed. Eighty-three were completed and returned to obtain a 67% response rate. Frequency distribution, cluster and factor analysis, coefficient alpha, multivariate analysis of variance and the …

Individualizing Instruction In The Secondary English Classroom, Christine C. Hester

Masters Theses

Individualized instruction is one approach that can be used to meet the needs of students at the secondary level who have different learning styles, abilities, and interests. After researching information about individualized instruction, it was clear that more innovative ideas, learning centers, and instructional materials needed to be developed at the secondary level, especially in the English classroom because so little has been done in that area.; This project deals with issues such as the physical classroom environment, learning centers/computers, learning styles, personal learning contracts, and the assessment of work based on the content of curriculum and how those issues …

Diploma Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Poverty, Elizabeth Louise Phillips

Masters Theses

According to King, stereotyped perceptions may interfere with nurse-client transactions. Therefore, nurses' should possess attitudes which enable them to care for individuals who live in poverty. A descriptive correlational design was used to examine first year and second year diploma nursing students' attitudes toward individuals living in poverty. It was hypothesized that second year diploma nursing students would demonstrate a more positive attitude toward those living in poverty than first year diploma nursing students.; A convenience sample of diploma nursing students (N = 102) completed the "Attitudes about Poverty and Poor Peoples" scale utilized to assess students' attitudes (Atherton et …

Perceptions Of Nurse Behaviors By Persons With Copd During Acute Shortness Of Breath, Joyce A. Kowatch

Masters Theses

This study employed a qualitative approach to explore the perceptions of clients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease recalling nursing behaviors as a part of a process of helping during dyspnea. Grounded theory was used to look at how a client's world was constructed in this particular situation. Examination of data led to the generation of a hypothesis to explain the process of helping. Subjects were asked what it was like when they were extremely short of breath and what nursing behaviors helped or didn't help them.; Identified changes were categorized as suffocation, pain, energy depletion, panic, and cognitive haze. Helpful …

Spouse Adaptation After The Partner's Open Heart Surgery, Marietta J. Gardner

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe the adaptation of male and female spouses after their partners' open heart surgery using the theory of person as an adaptive system. A descriptive correlational design was used to examine adaptation of male and female spouses to their partners' open heart surgery (criterion variable); and partners' health prior to surgery, length of time partner diagnosed with heart disease, number of years married, and general state of marital relationship prior to surgery as perceived by the spouse were predictor variables. The sample consisted of 20 male and 25 female spouses, 31 to 88 …

Clients' Perceptions Of Preparedness For Discharge Home Following Total Hip Or Knee Replacement Surgery, Cindy H. Nicholson

Masters Theses

This study used a descriptive design to evaluate discharge planning by examining the clients' perception of preparedness for discharge home following total hip or knee replacement surgery. The conceptual framework was based upon the Betty Neuman Systems Model.; This study used Lawton's (1991) "Discharge Preparation Questionairre" to ascertain the clients' perceptions of preparedness in 10 discharge categories. Perceived preparation was measured using a 5 point summated rating scale. The study site was a 42-bed orthopedic unit in a 119 bed acute care hospital in Southeast Michigan. The convenience sample, of 46 adult clients, were interviewed by phone 3 days following …

What Is The Relationship Between Personality Hardiness And Burnout In Army Reserve Nurses?, Nancy M. Marchido

Masters Theses

Kobasa's conceptualization of personality hardiness provided the theoretical framework examined. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between personality hardiness (control, commitment, and challenge) and burnout in Army Reserve nurses. Data was obtained through a survey of forty Army Reserve nurses in the midwest area using Kobasa's Hardiness Scale and Jones' Staff Burnout Scale for Health Professionals. The subjects were primarily female (75%) and Caucasian (90%), with a bachelor of science degree or higher. A moderately strong inverse correlation was found (r = {dollar}-{dollar}.52, df = 35, p {dollar}<{dollar}.001). The validity and reliability were supported, however, the dimension of challenge was not related to burnout. Control and commitment correlated with burnout (r = {dollar}-{dollar}.61, r = {dollar}-{dollar}.57 respectively). Findings suggest that personality hardiness provides a resistance source in the perception of adverse job stressors, thus preventing or reducing burnout in nurses.

Mathematical Calculations Ability Of Registered Nurses, Denise M. Deitzen

Masters Theses

Medication errors occur throughout health care settings. These errors can be caused by a multitude of factors, one of the most important being mathematical calculation. The purpose of this study was to replicate an earlier study by Bindler and Bayne (1991) examining the mathematical calculation ability of registered nurses. Utilizing a model of skill acquisition suggested by Dreyfus and Dreyfus (1980) and applied to nursing by Benner (1986), it was hypothesized that years of experience and frequency of calculation would have a significant interactive effect on the score of a medication calculation test.; A descriptive correlational design was utilized. A …

Nurses' Performance Of Breast Self-Examination, Anne M. Bauer

Masters Theses

A descriptive, correlational design was used to examine the relationship between the Health Belief Model (HBM) variables and breast self-examination (BSE) in a registered nurse population. Champion's HBM Scale (1987) was mailed to a random sample of RN's in one midwestern county (N = 107). Construct validity for the instrument was established by Champion and alpha reliability rating for subscales ranged from.73-.96 in this study. The primarily Caucasian, ADN and diploma educated sample varied in age from 20 to over 60 years (median age = 41-50).; Less than half (48%) of the subjects reported monthly BSE. A stepwise multiple regression …

Symptoms And Self-Concept Alterations With And Without Cognitive Rehabilitation 2 - 5 Years After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Rebecca H. Veltman

Masters Theses

This study examined adaptation in physical symptoms, role functioning, and self concept 2-5 years after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). The effects of outpatient cognitive rehabilitation were also analyzed. Roy's Adaptation Model provided a framework for this study. Subjects (n = 164) were surveyed about role function, physical post-concussion symptoms, and self concept. Sixty-six subjects returned the completed survey. Subjects reported problems with memory (33%), tiredness (29%), depression (27%), and concentration (26%). The number of new symptoms and the social score were inversely related (r = {dollar}-{dollar}.5854, p =.001). Self Concept as measured on the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS) …

The Effect Of Teaching On Knowledge And Osteoporosis Health Beliefs Of Elderly Females, Yvonne M. Van Hoven

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an educational intervention on knowledge, self-efficacy, and health beliefs (susceptibility, seriousness, benefits, barriers, health motivation) related to osteoporosis.; The study was conducted using a pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental design. The sample included forty elderly females of two senior centers in a midwestern metropolitan area. The experimental group was composed of twenty subjects from a senior center. The remaining twenty subjects from a second senior center were included in the control group. Osteoporosis knowledge, self-efficacy, and health beliefs were measured before and after factual information about osteoporosis was given to the experimental …

Retention Of Registered Nurse Employees In Rural Community Hospitals Less Than 100 Beds, Joanne Urbanski

Masters Theses

Maintaining a stable nursing staff is critical to the effective operation of hospitals, therefore chief nurse executives must not lose sight of the importance of retention efforts. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that maintain or increase job satisfaction among registered nurses working in small, rural hospitals, thereby, motivating them to remain in a rural hospital practice setting. Four hundred and twenty-seven job satisfaction surveys were mailed to 13 rural community hospitals that had less than 100 beds. Two hundred and twenty completed surveys were returned (52%).; Sociodemographic characteristics of short-term (less than one year) and long-term …

Mothers' Information Needs And Perceptions Of Preparedness For Self-Care And Infant Care After A Short-Term Hospital Stay, Donna M. Paulsen

Masters Theses

Based on Orem's Theory of Self-Care, this descriptive study compared the information needs and perceived preparation of self and infant care for 22 primiparous and 36 multiparous women. A convenience sample of women experiencing a short-term (24 Hour) hospital stay responded to a structured questionnaire. Preparation was measured using Degenhart-Leskosky's (1989) modification of Howard and Sater's (1985) tool. Content validity was established in the original study. The majority of the women perceived themselves to be well or very well prepared for self-care (87%) and infant care (78%). Multiparas perceived themselves to be significantly better prepared for self-care (U = 256.5, …

The Health Belief Model And Drinking And Driving, Teresa Ellen Tucker

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify differences in health beliefs of individuals convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) with a history of an alcohol-related MVC and individuals convicted of DUI with no such MVC history. The Health Belief Model variables include seriousness, susceptibility, benefits, barriers and health motivation. It was hypothesized that health beliefs of individuals convicted of DUI and with a history of an alcohol-related MVC would be different from individuals convicted of DUI but with no such MVC history. A demographic assessment tool and Health Belief questionnaire designed for this study were used …

Nurses' Knowledge And Attitude Related To Organ Donation, Maureen E. Bishop

Masters Theses

Nurses today are caring for a wide array of patients that may include potential organ donors or organ transplant recipients. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to explore the knowledge nurses possess and the attitude they hold regarding organ donation, using Jean Watson's theory of human caring as the conceptual framework.; A convenience sample of approximately 200 registered nurses in a 300-bed medical center, that does not have an organ transplant program was surveyed. The knowledge level had a mean score of 6.69 with a possible high of 11. This suggests that the knowledge level of the registered …

Trauma Patients: Social Support Desired And Perceived Satisfaction According To Category Of Provider, Marsha D. Stevens

Masters Theses

This study examined differences in social support received by trauma patients and their perceived satisfaction with the social support provided by various categories of providers including: family members, friends, RNs and other health professionals. Thirty hospitalized trauma patients were asked to rate the satisfaction they felt regarding seven forms of support. Types of support that most patients indicated their families and friends provided were spending time with them and making them feel important. Respectful treatment, providing information, encouragement and listening support from RNs and other health professionals was mentioned by a large percentage of the subjects. Qualitatively it was found …

Perceived Stressors Between Partnered And Unpartnered Women, Sandra Kay Newman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in stress perceived by healthy partnered and unpartnered women in the second trimester of pregnancy. Neuman's Theory of Stress was used as the conceptual framework to explain the potential for greater perceived stress in unpartnered women during pregnancy. A descriptive correlation study was conducted using Norbeck's (1989) Life Events Questionnaire and Underwood's (1993) Perceived Life Stress Scale II, for a convenience sample of N = 40.; T-tests were used to test the hypothesis that unpartnered women would perceive more stress than partnered women. Mann Whitney U tests were used to …

Skin Cancer Diagnosis Using Hierarchical Neural Networks And Fuzzy Logic, Hsi-Chieh Lee

Masters Theses

"Skin cancer, the most common cancer in the United States that affects about 600,000 Americans every year, accounts for 1 % of all cancer deaths. Among all, Malignant Melanoma is the most virulent form of skin cancer that is responsible for 75% of all deaths from skin cancer. In 1992, approximately 32,000 people are expected to develop melanoma and about 6,700 will die. However, even malignant melanoma can be treated successfully if detected in the early phase. Therefore, our research goal is to diagnose skin cancer, especially malignant melanoma.

In this study, only the digitized images obtained from color tumor …

Comparisons Of Performance On The Short Form Of The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test Of Motor Proficiency Between 14-Year-Old Children And 18 To 24-Year-Old Adults, Jenny Eshleman, Elizabeth Michmershuizen, Jennifer Zackrison

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the need for normative data for adults on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP). This was determined by finding differences in performance between the 18 to 24-year-old adults from this study and the 14-year-olds from the original study.; A sample of 33 females and 30 males were administered the Short Form (SF) of the BOTMP. Mean scores and standard deviations were computed from the raw scores of the subjects. These values were compared by t-test among the subjects of this study, and to the original sample of 14-year old children. The …

Efficacy Of Implementing An Ergonomics Program In An Industrial Setting Regarding Cumulative Trauma Disorders To The Upper Extremity, Christa Abraham, Lisa Evans, Patrick Hoban

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if implementation of an industrial ergonomics program would decrease the number of upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders, lost days of work, and insurance costs. Data was collected from company records and OSHA logs including type of injury, lost days of work, restricted days of work, and insurance costs. This data was then analyzed using regression analysis and descriptive statistics.; The results of this study supported the concept that ergonomic programs may decrease the number of lost days of work. In this study, a number of limitations and weak correlations were found between …

Professional Inter-Rater & Client Self Report Reliability Of The Environmental Section Of The Functional Assessment Of The Elderly, Stacie J. Bronkema, Amy M. Haan, Julie L. Johnston

Masters Theses

Health care needs of the growing elderly population place a great demand on the health care system. Information regarding a client's function is essential in geriatric care. Therefore, continuing research to develop reliable functional evaluation tools is imperative. One functional evaluation tool available to health care professionals is Functional Assessment of the Elderly (FAE). The purpose of this study is to examine the professional inter-rater and client self report reliability of the environmental section of FAE.; A random sample of 18 subjects was obtained. Subjects were required to be age 60 and older, and clients of the West Michigan area …

Physical Therapists' Perceived Risk For Contracting The Hepatitis B Virus, Patricia Rohrs, Jill Slagal

Masters Theses

This study was designed to determine whether physical therapists' perceived risks for contracting hepatitis B had a significant effect on the acceptance or rejection of the hepatitis B vaccine. Knowledge and compliance with Universal Precautions was also explored.; The sample consisted of 122 physical therapists employed by general hospitals in Michigan which were greater than 200 beds with five or more therapists on staff. The participants completed a 26 item questionnaire.; The results indicated that 100% of the respondents were aware of the hospital's Universal Precautions policies. Only 22.5% did not always carry them out in cases where they should. …

The Effect Of High Intensity Exercise Training Verses Low Intensity Exercise Training On Fractionated Plasma High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, Teresa L. Spate

Masters Theses

Exercise training is thought to result in an elevation of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and the cardioprotective subfraction HDL{dollar}\sb2{dollar}. Twenty-five healthy women (39 {dollar}\pm{dollar} 7.8 yrs; 70 {dollar}\pm{dollar} 14 kg) walked two miles three times per week for 12 weeks to examine the effect of exercise intensity on the HDL profile. The L.I. group (N = 12) walked at 60% of the heart rate reserve (HRR) and the H.I. group (N = 13) walked at 80% HRR both maintaining the prescribed distance and frequency. A 22% increase in total HDL (from 32 {dollar}\pm{dollar} 6 to 39 {dollar}\pm{dollar} 8 mg/dl) and a …

Minority Student Recruitment And Retention Efforts By Physical Therapy Schools In The United States, Julie Deboer, Brooke Nyssen

Masters Theses

This study was designed to determine whether schools that attempt to recruit and retain minority students have greater numbers of minority applicants, enrollees, or graduates when compared to schools that make no efforts. We surveyed 125 physical therapy programs accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association's Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education in the United States. We determined what efforts were used most often. Athletic screening and using alumni were associated with a higher number of minority applicants. No efforts were associated with greater minority enrollment. Tutoring was associated with higher numbers of minority graduates. However, we found no …

Physical Therapists' Views Of Certified Athletic Trainers In The Clinical Setting, Leah Parizon, Andrew Snyder

Masters Theses

Since certified athletic trainers began working in the clinical setting alongside physical therapists, there has been controversy between the two professions concerning the utilization of the ATCs. Although views of ATCs from the PTs' perspective have been speculated, there has been no conclusive research on this topic. The purpose of this study was to find out how physical therapists in the state of Michigan view ATCs in the clinical setting. The Health Team Stereotype Scale, which was developed by Dr. Harry Parker, was used to determine the PTs' attitudes toward the ATCs. There was a return rate of 47.4% (N …

A Survey Of Clinical Applications And Outcome Assessment Procedures For Dynamic Lumbar Muscular Stabilization Exercise Training, Brenda Engels, Carrie Patterson, Mary Beth Sawinski

Masters Theses

The San Francisco Spine Institute (SFSI) Dynamic Lumbar Muscular Stabilization (DLMS) Program is a comprehensive, non-operative treatment approach to lumbar spine dysfunction. This program is implemented in physical therapy clinics nationwide.; The purpose of this study was to compare DLMS treatment concepts and methods used by Michigan rehabilitation professionals with the SFSI protocol. Forty-nine clinicians were interviewed using a questionnaire developed by the investigators. The areas surveyed included: clinicians' rationale for use and implementation of DLMS training, and clinicians' assessment of patient functional outcomes.; The survey responses suggest that clinicians focus on orthopedic evaluation parameters and low back pain management …