Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of The Transtheoretical Model To Behavioral Health Professionals' Readiness To Practice Integrated Primary Care, Cerissa Blaney

Open Access Dissertations

Integrated primary care (IPC) has received substantial support with its demonstrated ability to improve access to care, quality of care and health outcomes. Although the benefits of IPC are clear, the integration process has met barriers. One barrier is limited understanding of behavioral health professionals’ (BHP) attitudes towards IPC. Better understanding could allow us to improve BHP training and motivation for IPC practice. This study aimed to develop Transtheoretical Model (TTM) measures to assess BHP attitudes toward and readiness to practice IPC using split-half cross-validation procedures. The sample consisted of 319 licensed and practicing BHPs with a stage distribution of …

The Attachment-Satisfaction Relationship On Facebook: Emotional Intelligence And Conflict, Jarred Michael Caldwell

Open Access Dissertations

Caldwell, J. M., Ph.D. Purdue University, February 2013. The Attachment-Satisfaction Relationship on Facebook: Emotional Intelligence and Conflict. Major Professor: M. Carole Pistole, Ph.D.

Because of the unique interpersonal nature of social networking sites, as well as the vast number of people using them, this study examines how attachment differences and other factors, including social networking site romantic conflict behavior and emotional intelligence, link to romantic relationship satisfaction. College students who were in romantic relationships and users of social networking sites (N = 274), completed the following measures: (a) the Experiences in Close Relationship Scale-Short Form (ECR-S; Wei, Russell, Mallinckrodt, & …

The Role Of Rumination, Negative Affect, And Fitness On Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Outcomes Following A Discrete Cardiac Event, Nathaniel Jay Deyoung

Open Access Dissertations

Individuals with cardiovascular disease are at an increased risk for anxiety, depression, stress, and other negative cognitive processes. Following a cardiovascular event such as a myocardial infarction or open heart surgery, cardiac rehabilitation (CR) can have large physical and psychological benefits. This study investigates the role of depression, anxiety, and rumination on CR outcomes including program completion and fitness improvements. Fifty-one patients with cardiovascular disease who were enrolled in CR were tracked over the course of their treatment. Objective fitness testing was completed prior to and after CR program completion. Self-reported psychological, health, and fitness data were gathered at weeks …

Using Structural Equation Modeling, Lara Jane Kaplan Goodrich

Open Access Dissertations

The present study aimed to further explore the established relationship between acculturative stress and diminished pediatric asthma outcomes in Latino populations. Three psychosocial variables related to pediatric asthma outcomes were predicted to mediate this relationship. Secondary data on pediatric asthma outcomes were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling path analyses. Study results did not support the hypothesized mediating effect of the psychosocial variables. Rather, post hoc analyses indicated that the psychosocial variables moderated the relationship between acculturative stress and pediatric asthma outcomes. The significance of these findings in relation to pediatric asthma vulnerability and pediatric asthma interventions is discussed, and methodological …

Maternal Hydration And Infant Weight: A Case-Control Study In Breastfeeding Infants Delivered By Cesarean Section, Diane J. Thulier

Open Access Dissertations

Growing evidence suggests that infants may experience increased weight loss due to maternal medical interventions during labor such as intravenous fluid hydration. When breast fed infants lose ≥ 7% of their birth weight, formula supplementation is often initiated. Formula supplementation is a variable unequivocally associated with shorter breastfeeding duration. Supplementation should not be initiated if the cause of infant weight loss is unrelated to breastfeeding adequacy. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of intrapartum maternal hydration and regional anesthesia on infant weight.

A retrospective, case-control research study was designed. Data was collected from maternal and infant …

Nurses Perceptions Of Their Competence In Managing Patient Situations In Acute Care, Donna Marie Donilon

Open Access Dissertations

Nurses are at the forefront of recognizing and managing patient situations which may be potentially life-threatening. This study examines the nature and extent to which nursing experience and selected educational variables have on nurses’ perceptions of their competence in managing deteriorating patient situations in acute care. Self-awareness of nurses’ competence in managing these types of patient situations is critical. Benner’s Novice to Expert Model of developmental competency is the theoretical framework for this study.

A survey methodology was used to gather data on the variables: years of experience in nursing, years working in current specialty, educational preparation, national certification, area …

Self-Regulated Learning And Ethnic/Racial Variables: Predicting Minority First-Generation College Students' Persistence, John S. Moore Iii

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how self-regulated learning and ethnic/racial variables predict minority first-generation college student persistence and related constructs. Participants were drawn nationally from the U.S. Department of Education funded TRiO Student Support Services Programs. Additional participants from the Talent Development program and General Psychology classes from the University of Rhode Island were also included if they were first-generation college students. Preliminary analyses of group differences based on minority status revealed few significant differences in selfregulated learning, ethnic/racial, and college persistence variables. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that academic self-efficacy, program use, and race rejection sensitivity were …

Teacher Attitudes: The Effects Of Teacher Beliefs On Teaching Practices And Achievement Of Students With Disabilities, Mary Klehm

Open Access Dissertations

Many students with disabilities are not meeting proficiency in the general education setting and achievement scores disaggregated by disability status show that students with disabilities are often not meeting adequate yearly progress targets established by states. A survey was developed to collect data from 218 general and special educators at the middle school level to describe and analyze trends in teacher attitudes and practices that may be affecting the educational experience and achievement of many students with disabilities. The results of these analyses provide information regarding the attitudes of teachers toward the ability of SWD and the fairness and validity …

Affective Reconfigurations: A New Politics Of Difference, Laurie Rodrigues

Open Access Dissertations

My dissertation is concerned with experiences of individualization in the context of ethnic group identification; and by extension, the instabilities inherent to defining certain American novels as ethnic and others as mainstream. I read American novels published since 1960 that do not fit into either categorization and have come under critical fire for their respective presentations of certain ethnic groups. These texts include J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey, Carlene Hatcher Polite’s The Flagellants, Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko, and The Human Stain by Philip Roth. These novels structure the narrative present through characters’ crises of …

Factors Associated With Individual Differences In Reading Comprehension For Typically-Developing Students And For A Pilot Sample Of Students Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kristen Weissinger

Open Access Dissertations

This study investigated some of the underlying factors that may relate to and predict the reading comprehension of children in fourth through eighth grade (N=47). A subset of these children previously had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD; n=10); the remainder are classified as typically-developing (n=37). The participants were assessed on basic reading skills (i.e., word recognition, decoding, and reading fluency), receptive vocabulary, executive functioning (i.e., verbal working memory and planning/organization), and theory of mind. Correlational analyses were performed for each group to examine relationships between these measures and performance on the Comprehension subtest of the Stanford Diagnostic Reading …

Exploring The Health Of Women Who Experienced Homelessness During Adolescence, Claire M. Creamer

Open Access Dissertations

Homelessness remains a significant global issue with substantial health consequences related to the experiences of homelessness. The consequences for people who experience homelessness are typically associated with high levels of risk, violence, and negative health outcomes. Developmental levels and gender contribute significantly to outcomes. As a developmental stage, adolescence is a time of establishing healthy practices for adulthood. Adolescent experiences with homelessness have negative consequences for future health as well as some economic status. Homeless youth have been identified as a medically underserved and vulnerable population.

A significant body of literature has explored the outcomes of mental health, sexual practices, …

Saving Prince Peach: A Study Of “Gaymers” And Digital Lgbt/Gaming Rhetorics, M. William Macknight

Open Access Dissertations

This study looks at the tensions surrounding the inclusion and increasing presence of LGBT performances within video games, their surrounding industry and culture, and their related internetworked cyberspaces – an assemblage referred to in this research as the “game-sphere.” By analyzing the rhetorical activity performed within a specific LGBT game cyberspace (the Reddit subforum r/gaymers), this study offers insight into gaming and LGBT culture by answering the following research question: What rhetorical action is performed by LGBT video game players within r/gaymers? Data were collected over a period of two weeks, wherein screen-captures were taken and saved twice a …

Product Market Threat And Stock Price Informativeness, Boubker Drissi

Open Access Dissertations

There are two opposing hypotheses regarding the informative role of stock prices. The first hypothesis argues that the stock market is merely a sideshow where security prices reflect the consequences of managers’ decisions for firms’ cash flows but do not influence them. In other words, trading in secondary markets has no direct impact on firms’ decisions. The second, known as the “active informant hypothesis”, states that security prices influence managers’ real decisions because some investors trade on private information not available to managers, who therefore rely on stock prices as a source of information. There is recent evidence supporting the …

Gender-Twisting And Bros Talking: Discursive Performance Of Gender, Power, And Recognition In The Sex Ed. Class, Odile Mattiauda

Open Access Dissertations

In American Schools, students are rarely offered educational experiences about gender and sexuality. Programs that do address sexuality are rarely based on moral beliefs and democratic values of tolerance and inclusivity. Sexuality education is predominantly taught by health teachers, rather than human sexuality educators, and their focus is on facts, statistics, and controversial issues such as the prevention of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. This limited perspective on sexuality neglects the important role of gender identity and sexual orientation (Donovan, 1989; Haffner & De Mauro, 1991; Nelson Trudell, 1993)

Using teacher-researcher-participant-observer qualitative methodology, I examined the discourse …

Readiness For Hpv Vaccination: A Comparison Of Male And Female College Students, Anne C. Fernandez

Open Access Dissertations

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the world. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in both sexes, accounting for approximately 5% of all cancers worldwide. Receiving the HPV vaccine can substantially reduce the risk of HPV infection and subsequent disease. At this time the majority of Americans reach adulthood without being vaccinated. Increasing HPV vaccination among young adults requires empirical assessment and understanding of HPV-related beliefs and behaviors among this population. To achieve this goal, three studies were conducted.

Study 1: This study examined demographic and psychosocial correlates of HPV …

Multicultural Training Of Clinical And Counseling Psychology Doctoral Students: Ideals Vs. Practice, Bryana F. C. White

Open Access Dissertations

The American Psychological Association (APA), which is the advocating body for the field of psychology, emphasizes the importance of multicultural competencies for researchers and clinicians (APA, 2003; 2010). Graduate students are the field’s future professionals. The multicultural training of doctoral level clinical and counseling psychology graduate students is integral to efforts to improve clinical services and the research that provides the foundation for those services. While the literature addresses issues of multicultural competence and training in a general way, few specifics regarding the methods employed by graduate programs to aid their students in the process of developing those competencies are …

Comparing Visual And Statistical Analysis In Single-Subject Studies, Magdalena A. Harrington

Open Access Dissertations

Objective. There has been an ongoing scientific debate regarding the most reliable and valid method of single-subject data evaluation in the applied behavior analysis area among the advocates of the visual analysis and proponents of the interrupted time-series analysis (ITSA). To address this debate, a head-to-head comparison of both methods was performed, as well as an overview of serial dependency, effect sizes and sample sizes.

Method. The comparison of both methods was conducted in two independent studies. In the first study, conclusions drawn from visual analysis of the graphs published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (2010) were compared …

Exploring Nurse Case Managers' Language Describing Health Needs And Interventions With Populations, Kathleen I. Gremel

Open Access Dissertations

Major advances in health information technologies, safety and quality initiatives, and health policy changes have fueled the development and implementation of the Electronic Health Record (EHR). Any discipline’s work and contribution to patient care exist in the EHR only as they are coded. Thus, coding nursing’s knowledge, work and contribution to patient care in meaningful ways requires nurses to have a language that defines nursing concepts and works consistently and reliably. Currently the American Nurses Association (ANA) recognizes twelve (12) nursing languages being used in the EHR. Over the last forty years many research efforts have validated these nursing languages …

Asleep Behind The Wheel: Experiences Of Night Shift Nurses On The Commute Home, Shirley A. Sargent

Open Access Dissertations

Aim: The aim of this study was to obtain descriptions of nurses’ perceptions and experiences of falling asleep behind the wheel on the drive home after a worked night shift.

Background: While the evidence suggests that the problem of drowsy driving and fall asleep driving is a strong contributor to vehicular accidents, little is known about nursing perceptions of the issue.

Methods: The design of the study is qualitative and descriptive. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 12 registered nurses who had experienced falling asleep behind the wheel on the drive home from work after a worked night shift. The interviews …

Prediction Of Heptatic And Renal Clearance In Pediatric Populations: A "Bottom-Up" Approach Versus "Top-Down" Recognition Of Covariates, Hong Lu

Open Access Dissertations

Medications, including many that are widely used in children, are rarely tested in children. Their safety and effectiveness have not been established in children or have been established only for children of a certain ages. For example, 53 of 140 new medications were labeled for use in children when they were initially approved. Much of pediatric practice, particularly in hospitals and by specialists, has involved "off-label" use of medications. As a consequence, about one-third of the drugs prescribed in office-based pediatric practices and about two-thirds of those prescribed to children in hospital settings are unlicensed or off-label. This proportion reaches …

From Popular Expression To Public Spectacle: History And Visual Testimonies Of The Carnaval De Barranquilla In The Xx And Xxi Centuries, Francine Birbragher

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation presents the Carnaval de Barranquilla as a space for the safeguarding of rich cultural traditions despite the fact that it has been transformed from popular carnival into a comercial spectacle. The study traces the organizational aspect of the celebration throughout the twentieth century and analyzes carnival parades as historical testimonies through the use of photographs as historical documents. The research concludes that the organization that has managed carnival for the last twenty years has provided a participatory way to administer the festivities' official program and demonstrates that photographs provide valuable information not only on the history of the …

Parental Authority, Parental Nurturance, Depression And Self-Esteem Among Latino Emerging Adults, Ana V. Chapman

Open Access Dissertations

It is well-established that parenting has a profound impact on children’s depressive symptoms and self-esteem (e.g., Endler & Parker, 1994; Hoffman, Levy-Shiff, Sohlberg, & Zarizki, 1992; Wolfradt, Hempel, & Miles, 2003). More specifically, parental authority and parental nurturance have been found to affect children’s functioning positively (i.e., high self-esteem and self-worth) and negatively (i.e., poor self-image and depressive symptoms; Bean, Bush, McKenry, & Wilson, 2003; Hopkins & Klein, 1994; Patcoch-Peckham & Morgan-Lopez, 2007; Wolfradt et al., 2003). However, such findings have been garnered through examination of almost exclusively White children and adolescent samples, suggesting that our understanding of these constructs …

Tektosyne Three Architectures For Orchestra, Alessandra Salvati

Open Access Dissertations

Tektosyne is a collection of three pieces for symphonic orchestra. This thesis provides an aesthetic and technical analysis of it, with particular emphasis on the constructive processes at basis of the individual and overall structures, and the generation and proliferation of materials. The title is an ancient Greek word, “tektosyne,” referring to the carpentry and, more generally, to any craftsman or workman, from gymnastics to poetry. The idea of using it as a title – and framing these pieces as “architectures” – came from a conversation I had with an architect, and my attempt to translate for him the basic …

Deming-Based Lean-Six Sigma Applied To The Length Of Stay In An Urban Emergency Department, Mary C. Mckenry

Open Access Dissertations

Deming-based Lean Six-Sigma management is applied to the Emergency Department (ED) of a large metropolitan university hospital to demonstrate the effectiveness of using Deming's approaches to improve processes which will allow a reduction in the length of time the patient remains within the ED. A Voice of Customer analysis is utilized to identify priorities for improvement. Change concepts are utilized for the development of the changes that will improve the ED length of stay. Control charts are used to illustrate the estimated effect of implementation of the proposed changes. A recommendation for further study is enclosed.

Praying Hands: Influences Of Religiosity And Spirituality On Sexual Risk-Taking Among Black, College-Attending Emerging Adults, Tralonda C. Triplett

Open Access Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed persistent disproportionate burdens of HIV/AIDS among Black populations in the United States. While treatment advancements have greatly improved qualities of life for persons living with HIV/AIDS, prevention efforts remain focused to reduce incidence among vulnerable populations. Research distinguishing emerging adulthood in the US has characterized it entailing identity formations influencing sexual risk-taking. Religiosity and spirituality have remained pivotal in Black cultures influencing beliefs and normative behaviors around pre-marital sex. The Praying Hands study combines ethnic, demographic, contextual and socio-environmental factors to investigate influences of religiosity and spirituality on HIV risks among …

Faculty Intent To Stay And The Perceived Relationship With Supervisor At A Career-Focused University, Gary A. Markowitz

Open Access Dissertations

The relationship between faculty members’ perceptions of the quality of the faculty-administrator relationship, and faculty intent to stay at one’s institution was examined at a Florida-based, multi-campus, non-profit, career-focused university. The pool of potential participants included the total population of 1,085 full-time and part-time campus-based undergraduate and graduate faculty. Survey instruments included: Leader-Member Exchange Version 7 (LMX-7) Questionnaire (faculty-administrator relationship); Price and Mueller’s (1986) Measure of Turnover Intent (Intent to Stay); Mowday, Steers and Porter’s (1979) Measure of Organizational Commitment as adopted by Daly and Dee (2006); and Heneman and Schwab’s (1985) Pay Satisfaction Questionnaire as adopted by Neumann & …

Maternal Depression And Children’S Development: Evidence From Children In Fragile Families, Yongmin Zang

Open Access Dissertations

Human capital development, including both cognitive and non-cognitive skills, at early childhood can have large long-term impacts not only on individual labor market outcomes and socio-economic success but also on economic growth. Studies suggest that parents, especially mothers in single-parent and low-income families, play an important role in developing the skills of their children at different stages of childhood. However, children from disadvantaged environments face many risk factors, such as poverty, parental health problems, and limited parental education. In particular, maternal depression is an “adverse early environment” for child development and is negatively associated with the quality of parenting practices …

Coping Resources And The Effects Of A Cognitive-Behavioral Stress Management Intervention Among Women At Different Points In Breast Cancer Treatment, Sara Vargas

Open Access Dissertations

Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment constitute stressors that can lead to both temporary and long-lasting problems with psychosocial adaptation. The types of stressors and available coping resources may vary by point in cancer treatment (e.g., immediately after surgery versus months after the completion of adjuvant treatment). Cognitive-behavioral stress management (CBSM) is an intervention aimed to buffer against the negative effects of having breast cancer by enhancing protective factors that may facilitate psychosocial adaptation (i.e., use of relaxation, adaptive coping strategies, and social support). Two studies at the University of Miami have assessed the effects of a 10-week CBSM program among …

Positive Emotion And Impulsivity In Individuals With Bipolar I Disorder, Jennifer Y. Nam

Open Access Dissertations

Impulsivity as a symptom during mania is well documented, but less is known about the driving factors behind these impulsive acts. Perhaps this is because impulsivity is a term that encompasses multiple facets. There is evidence for a type of impulsivity in which extreme sensitivity to positive affective states can influence cognitive processes, such as error detection and identification of threatening cues. This can ultimately lead to engagement in impulsive actions during elevated mood states. Among people who are vulnerable to mania, positive moods have larger or more pervasive effects than they have on other people. While there is more …

Depression And Anxiety As Predictors Of Obesity In Children, Cortney J. Taylor

Open Access Dissertations

Objectives: Prior research indicates that minority youth are more at risk for developing obesity, and that obesity is associated with several health complications as well as significant healthcare costs. The current study addressed the role of symptoms of internalizing disorders with regards to obesity in primarily ethnic minority fourth and fifth graders. In addition, this study was the first to expand upon prior research by determining whether symptoms of depression, anxiety, and social anxiety were associated with BMI at six month follow up in this age group, and whether gender moderated the relationship of internalizing symptoms and BMI. Finally, the …