Digital Commons Network^™

Walt Whitman: The Optimism Of An Evolutionary Pantheist, Katherine R. Hults

Masters Theses

E.M. Forster may have best described Walt Whitman's prevailing optimism in the following passage:

He is the true optimist—not the professional optimist who shuts his eyes and shirks ... but one who has seen and suffered much and yet rejoices. He is not a philosopher or theologian; he cannot answer the ultimate question and tell us what life is. But he is absolutely certain that it is grand, that it is happiness, and that 'wherever life and force are manifested, beauty is manifested.' (Allen, World 52)

Whitman was aware of the social taboos and social evils of his time, witnessing …

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 …

Journey To The Frontiers Of Perception: How Women Wrote About The Westward Movement During The Nineteenth Century In Relation To Land, Animals, And The Domestic Sphere, Brandi Dale Spelbring

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Pirsig's Phaedrus: The Journey Of The Shaman, Joseph E. Levora

Masters Theses

Robert Pirsig, in both his novels Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Lila, explores the conflict one man has with the beliefs and values of the culture he is living in. This conflict leads him to mental collapse and eventually a kind of rebirth into a new outlook and way of viewing the cultural values and beliefs of the society he is living in. In this thesis, I propose that Phaedrus, the central character of both of Pirsig's novels, can be compared to a shaman. I am not suggesting that Pirsig deliberately intended the reader to view …

The Reactivity Of Boron And Aluminum Compounds With Silica Gel Surfaces, Jeannine M. Christensen

Masters Theses

The unmodified silica gel surface contains isolated silanols, vicinal silanols, and siloxane species. Silica gels can be thermally and/or chemically treated to obtain a desired surface. Hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) was used to chemically modify the silica gel to obtain a surface that contains vicinal silanol groups and siloxane species. The silica gel was thermally treated at 600°C to create a surface that contains isolated silanols and siloxane species. Four types of silica gels (unmodified, 600°C, HMDS and 600°C/HMDS) were reacted with three boron compounds. The boron compounds used were boron trichloride (BCl₃), triethyl borane (B(CH₂CH₃) …

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 …

Coach-Athlete Philosophy And Team Cohesion In Collegiate Women's Basketball, Angela R. Patzner

Masters Theses

The study examined the effects of coach-athlete philosophy of various collegiate level women's basketball teams on team cohesion levels as perceived by the athletes. The philosophic orientation of head coaches (n = 4) and athletes (n = 43) was determined by use of the Philosophic Affiliation Team Survey (PATS). The team cohesion levels, as scored by the Group Environment Questionnaire, GEQ (Carron, Windmeyer, & Brawley, 1985), were compared between those coaches and athletes who displayed a philosophic match and those who did not match. Specifically, the purposes were to a) determine if those athletes who matched the philosophy of their …

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 …

Indicators Of Constructivist Principles In Internet-Based Courses, Karen M. Partlow

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to provide greater assurance of quality in Internet-based courses. Current literature supports the assumption that the inclusion of constructivist principles in online courses adds to course quality. Therefore, identifying indicators of constructivist learning theory is important to the development of online courses. A peer-nominated panel of national experts in constructivism and instructional technology participated in a 3-round Delphi web survey. Through the iterative process, panelists assigned a mean rating of importance of 4.0 or higher (on a 5-point Likert scale) to 40 indicators of constructivist principles in online courses. Three implications for course design …

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 …

The Effects Of Mentoring On Staff Nurses' Job Satisfaction, Karen Delrue

Masters Theses

The shortage of registered nurses in the nation’s healthcare organizations calls for an exploration of avenues that can impact recruitment and retention. The practice of mentoring has demonstrated a positive impact on job satisfaction in previous studies. The purpose of this study was to determine if RNs would identify having mentors in their professional careers and to examine differences in levels of job satisfaction compared to those without a mentor. This study also explored whether or not the perceived quality of the mentor affected job satisfaction. Data were collected through the use of standardized questionnaires from a probability sample of …

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, …