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Testing A Model Of Jazz Rhythm: Validating A Microstructural Swing Paradigm, Brian C. Wesolowski

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to create and test two hypothesized models for swing in jazz performance. In order to estimate the hypothesized fully latent variable Swing model, eighth note samples (N = 815) from five improvised solos by Chris Potter were analyzed. Three first order factors were identified and examined that were hypothesized to define swing: eighth note duration, beat placement, and note dynamics. These three factors were measured with accuracy beyond a thousandth of a millisecond. Nine second order factors were identified and grouped into soloist-controlled variables and non-soloist controlled variables: metrical beat placement, melodic character, intervals, …

Ecowomanist Endeavors: Race, Gender, And Environmental Ethics In Contemporary Caribbean Women's Literature, Debbie-Ann C. Morrison

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation examines the intersections of gender, sexuality, community, landscape, ecology, and social justice as they appear in selected literary texts by contemporary Caribbean women writers. Beginning with an awareness of the various ecological crises enveloping the Caribbean as well as a firm belief that an analysis of literature might reveal inherent values regarding ecological sustainability and the need for propagating environmentally ethical practices throughout the region, the project uses Alice Walker’s notion of womanism to craft what it calls an “ecologically womanist” reading of texts by Lorna Goodison, Olive Senior, Jamaica Kincaid, Mayra Montero, Dionne Brand, and Pauline Melville. …

Hierarchical Multi-Label Classification: Going Beyond Generalization Trees, Peerapon Vateekul

Open Access Dissertations

Traditional approach to automated classification assumes that each object should be assigned to only one out of two or more classes. However, some real-world applications digress from this generic scenario in two important ways. First, each example can belong to several classes simultaneously (multi-label classification). Second, the classes can be hierarchically ordered in the sense that some are more specific versions of others (hierarchical classification). Seeking to address both of these issues, the presented work deals with “hierarchical multi-label classification”. In non-hierarchical multi-label classification, literature survey indicates that good performance is achieved when a Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used …

Concerto Blue, For Classical Guitar, Bruce Hurley Johnston

Open Access Dissertations

Concerto Blue is a three-movement concerto for classical guitar and medium-sized orchestra. Aesthetic considerations of this piece involve taking essential ingredients that define the blues and de-contextualizing them into an artful collage. The work celebrates the blues guitar by utilizing elements and phrasing that span the tradition of the blues from its acoustic foundation in the Mississippi Delta to the formation and expansion of rock music. The concerto is scored for an amplified classical guitar that can compete sonically with the orchestra as they are often pitted against each other for an affect reminiscent of a concerto grosso within the …

The Effect Of Differential Item Functioning On Population Invariance Of Item Response Theory True Score Equating, Anne Corinne Huggins

Open Access Dissertations

Population invariance in equating exists when the relationship between two scales is the same for two or more subpopulations of examinees and hence the function used to equate the scales is not dependent on subpopulations. A lack of equating invariance (i.e., equating dependence) leads to a situation whereby examinees having the same score on one scale, but belonging to different subpopulations, have different expected test scores on the corresponding equated scale. This situation results in an expected advantage for one or more subpopulations of examinees and hence is a concern for fairness in assessment and disaggregated accountability. Little is known …

The Comparison Of Body Composition, Eating Habits, Exercise Habits, And High Risk Behaviors In A Tri-Racial Group Of Division I Collegiate Female Athletes, Yi-Tzu Kuo

Open Access Dissertations

Given the increased participation in competitive sports and athletics among women, there is a greater number of issues related to body weight concerns, eating and exercise habits, as well as high risk behaviors, which are particularly evident in female athletes. There are also many more minority women participating in competitive sports, presenting a greater need to examine these issues among a more diverse population of competitive female athletes. Hispanic American (HA) athletes in particular, represent a growing segment of the athletic population that is in need of more information regarding their exercise-related behaviors. The aim of this study was to …

Religion And Disillusion In William James, George Santayana, And Henry James, Antonio Ivan Rionda

Open Access Dissertations

My dissertation will examine George Santayana’s view of religion and apply it to Henry James and William James. Living in an age of transition that was keenly aware of the differences between how the United States and Europe related to their common religious inheritance, each man developed different, yet related, approaches to understanding the role religion might play in a new emerging social reality. Although Santayana hardly used the term ‘type,’ the concept pervades his thinking. In Realms of Being the word realm is close to type in meaning, as is order in Dominations and Powers. In Three Philosophical Poets, …

Relationships Between Gender, Socioeconomic Status, Math Attitudes, And Math Achievement: An International Investigation, Sunny R. Duerr

Open Access Dissertations

Investigations into the factors related to math achievement have traditionally been studied within individual countries, despite the existence of large international data sets available for analysis. This dissertation investigated the relationships among gender, socioeconomic status, math attitudes, and math achievement based on information from 50 participating countries in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).

Countries were grouped into clusters using hierarchical cluster analysis. Six cluster solutions were investigated based on average mathematics scores, average science scores, and average math attitude. The clusters were then validated on a separate sample using discriminant function analysis. The validation process utilized …

Voices Silenced, Voices Heard: Exploring Status, Discourse, And Learning In Middle School Discussion Groups, Laura A. Chiaravalloti

Open Access Dissertations

Purpose: Cooperative learning structures allow diverse groups of students to learn together while developing higher-order thinking skills, yet there are concerns that not all students’ voices are being heard. The intent of this study was to discover the relationship between the instructional methodologies one teacher used to foster the development of group skills in students and the ways small discussion groups actually functioned. This study explored issues of power and status on students’ learning opportunities in middle school discussion groups. Method: This qualitative study was conducted under an ethnographic lens using a teacher-as-researcher approach. Data were collected over one school …

Teachers’ Perception Of Bullying Among Youth: Hindsight Bias In Relation To Victim Responses, Karen J. Sherman

Open Access Dissertations

Bullying, a common, persistent, and detrimental occurrence in schools, adversely affects the social, emotional, behavioral, and psychological well-being of children and youth. Independent variables that have been studied among children and youth involved in bullying in school settings are delineated, ways that bullying has been assessed and reported are described and critiqued, and the effect of hindsight bias is reviewed. Forty-eight vignettes were constructed by crossing (a) four kinds of social contact (physical aggression, verbal aggression, relational aggression, and non-aggression) with (b) male and female actors, (c) male and female and receivers, and (d) reaction of the receiver (aggressive, passive, …

Measurement Timing In Growth Mixture Modeling Of Alcohol Trajectories, Anne M. Fairlie

Open Access Dissertations

A more nuanced understanding of individuals' patterns of alcohol use during adolescence, a key developmental period for the onset of use, is of critical importance for refining preventive interventions in this population. To this end, growth mixture modeling (GMM) is a statistical technique that may be used to identify latent subgroups of individuals who exhibit distinct patterns of alcohol use over time. Decisions regarding the timing and interval of survey assessments are particularly challenging in the context of GMM. Latent subgroups exhibit different trends in alcohol use, and these trends must be adequately captured by the survey assessments. Accordingly, the …

Gendered Patterns In High Achievement In Mathematics For Grades 4, 6, And 8, Laura J. Falvey

Open Access Dissertations

The issue of underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers is especially important to the future of the United States in current times when STEM careers play an increasingly important role in the global economy (Toulmin & Groome, 2007; United States Department of Labor, 2007). The pool of students who enter careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics first appear in elementary school and overwhelmingly come from those with high achievement in mathematics (Berryman, 1983; Tai, Liu, Maltese, & Fan, 2006).

This study examined mathematics achievement data for students in grades 4, 6, and 8 in …

Multiple Health Behavior Risks: Redefining Co-Action And Investigating Multiple Health Behavior Change Using The Transtheoretical Model, Jayson Spas

Open Access Dissertations

Despite considerable evidence to support efficacious and effective intervention for single health behaviors, relatively little is known about simultaneous multiple health behavior change. This research analyzed multiple health behavior change for three very different health risk behaviors. The sample (N=9,461) was predominantly White (93.8%), middle-aged (X= 43.9 years-old, SD=10.74) adults who met criteria for smoking, unhealthy diet, and unprotected sun exposure. Specifically, when sun protection and diet, smoking and diet, and smoking and sun protection were analyzed as three sets of behavior pairs from baseline to 24-month follow-up, results consistently demonstrated that simultaneous intervention on multiple health behavior risks increased …

Impact Of A Multifaceted Intervention On Promoting Adherence To Screening Colonoscopy Among Hiv/Aids Population, Pansy Ferron

Open Access Dissertations

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of death in the United States and has the highest death rate among Blacks. Whereas studies have targeted patients to increase CRC adherence in the general population few studies have focused on improving providers’ adherence to screening guidelines. Also, CRC screening studies among HIV-positive patients consistently show lower screening rates compared to screening rates among HIV negative persons. Results of screening colonoscopy studies among HIV positive patients show higher prevalence of neoplastic lesions and colon cancer is diagnosed at advanced cancer stages; these patients have shorter disease-free survival compared to HIV-negative patients. …

Comparison Of Impairments, Activity Limitations, Physical Activity, And Self-Efficacy Among Healthy Weight, Overweight And Obese Minority Middle School Children, Annabel Nunez-Gaunaurd

Open Access Dissertations

The feasibility and outcomes of a 12-week extracurricular family-based intervention led by physical therapists that was designed to increase physical activity (PA) in three Hispanic male middle-school children was examined. This intervention has limited feasibility and may increase physical activity levels for overweight Hispanic middle school children. In a second study, differences in motor proficiency, strength, endurance, and PA among healthy weight, overweight and obese children were examined, and correlations between BMI and physical impairments were explored. Obese children demonstrated impairments in motor proficiency, strength, and endurance when compared to healthy weight children. Among overweight children, higher BMI was associated …

Adolescent Interpersonal Predictors Of Early Therapeutic Alliance In Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Laura B. Levin

Open Access Dissertations

This study examined interpersonal predictors of early therapeutic alliance in a cognitive-behavioral treatment study for adolescents with anxiety and/or depressive disorders. Client, therapist, and observer rated measures of alliance were obtained from the third session of treatment in a sample of twenty-seven adolescents. Results indicate that alliance ratings across the three perspectives are significantly associated with one another, but that pretreatment interpersonal variables were differentially associated with varying informant perspectives. Adolescents’ perceptions of their relationships to their caregivers positively related to their perceptions of the therapeutic alliance, such that adolescents with more positive representations of relationships with their attachment figures …

A Daily Phone Diary Procedure To Assess Behavioral Engagement In The Treatment Of Adolescent Anxiety And Depressive Disorders, Carolyn Snell

Open Access Dissertations

Anxiety and depressive disorders are common conditions for adolescents and are associated with significant impairments in functioning. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment modality for these youth, and the behavioral components of CBT protocols, in particular, are thought to be one of the active mechanisms through which positive symptom changes are produced. However, few procedures are available to measure the behavioral changes taking place in adolescents’ daily lives as they make therapeutic progress. This study examined adolescents’ “behavioral engagement” throughout treatment, a construct defined as time spent in social, athletic and academic activities. Behavioral engagement was measured using …

Attention Regulation And Social Competence In Younger Siblings Of Children With Autism, Leena Mohapatra

Open Access Dissertations

Younger siblings of children with autism (Sibs-ASD) are at risk for the development of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or subclinical social and cognitive deficits better known as the Broader Autism Phenotype (BAP).The current study utilized a multi-level approach to examine executive attention and social competence in preschool-aged Sibs-ASD and a comparison group of age-, sex-, and Verbal IQ-matched younger siblings of children without autism (Sibs-COM). Forty-two participants (24 Sibs-ASD, 18 Sibs-COM) completed a modified version of the Children’s Attention Network Task (ANT), with electroencephalograph (EEG) collected simultaneously, and a peer interaction paradigm with an unfamiliar peer.Overall, Sibs-ASD and Sibs-COM …

Development And Validation Of A Music-Based Attention Assessment For Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury, Eunju Jeong

Open Access Dissertations

Impairments in attention are commonly seen in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). While attention assessment measurements have been developed rigorously and utilized frequently in cognitive neurorehabilitation, there is a paucity of auditory attention assessment instruments that are ecologically valid and that assess different subtypes of attention. Yet, deficits in auditory attention can severely limit everyday functioning, negatively impact work and personal relationships and compromise personal safety. The purpose of this study was to develop and to investigate the psychometric properties of a Music-based Attention Assessment (MAA) instrument. The MAA is a multiple choice, melodic contour identification test, designed to …

The Role Of Music Perception In Predicting Phonological Awareness In Five- And Six-Year-Old Children, Linda M. Lathroum

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of music perception in predicting phonological awareness in five- and six-year-old children. This study was based on the hypothesis that music perception and phonological awareness appear to have parallel auditory perceptual mechanisms. Previous research investigating the relationship between these constructs—music perception and phonological awareness—has been promising, but inconclusive. Phonological awareness is an important component of early literacy which many children struggle to acquire. If the constructs are shown to be related, music-based interventions may then be developed to promote phonological awareness, thus enhancing early literacy. Music perception, phonological awareness, and …

Functional Integrity Of Somatosensory Pathways In The Neuropathic Pain Conditions After Spinal Cord Injury, Yenisel Cruz-Almeida

Open Access Dissertations

Neuropathic pain (NP) after spinal cord injury (SCI) can significantly and negatively affect a person’s quality of life and is often refractory to currently available treatments. In order to advance the field and find effective therapeutic avenues; signs, symptoms, and biomarkers in humans should be identified and related to specific pain-generating mechanisms. The present work utilizes quantitative sensory testing (QST) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to evaluate the relationship between the functional integrity of the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway (DCML), the spinothalamic tract (STT), and metabolic markers of neuronal loss and glial activation in the thalamus of persons with/without NP …

The Effect Of Combined Moderate-Intensity Training On Immune Functioning, Metabolic Variables, And Quality Of Life In Hiv-Infected Individuals Receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, Eduard Tiozzo

Open Access Dissertations

Highly-active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has improved the prognosis of HIV-infected individuals. Unfortunately it has also been associated with impaired functional capacity and development of metabolic perturbations which increases health risk. This study tested the hypothesis that a combined cardiorespiratory and resistance exercise training (CARET) intervention may result in significant health benefits in HIV-infected individuals receiving HAART. Thirty-seven HIV-infected men and women, predominantly of lower socioeconomic status (SES), were recruited and randomly assigned to: 1) a group of moderate-intensity CARET for three months or 2) a control group receiving no exercise intervention for three months. At baseline and following the intervention, …

Truth Is A One-Player Game: A Defense Of Monaletheism And Classical Logic, Benjamin A. Burgis

Open Access Dissertations

The Liar Paradox and related semantic antinomies seem to challenge our deepest intuitions about language, truth and logic. Many philosophers believe that to solve them, we must give up either classical logic, or the expressive resources of natural language, or even the “naïve theory of truth” (according to which "P" and “it is true that 'P'” always entail each other). A particularly extreme form of radical surgery is proposed by figures like Graham Priest, who argues for “dialetheism”—the position that some contradictions are actually true—on the basis of the paradoxes. While Priest’s willingness to dispense with the Law of Non-Contradiction …

Psychological Distress, Social Support And Substance Use In Women With Hiv In Substance Use Recovery, Brian E. Mccabe

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate concurrent and prospective relationships between psychological distress and social support and substance abuse in a convenience sample of predominantly minority women with HIV in substance use recovery. This study involved a secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial comparing a family therapy intervention and a group health intervention. Participants completed the Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Scales (psychological distress) and the Social Support Questionnaire (social support) at baseline and 4 months, 8 months, and 12 months post-baseline. Substance use over a 30-day period was measured by the Addiction Severity Index Lite, …

Perspectives On Auditioning: An Examination Of Professional Horn Players On Auditioning, Guglielmo Manfredi

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of this essay is to give an in-depth analysis of the present-day audition process, focusing on European and American orchestras and United States service bands. The research achieved a familiarity with the preparation process and methods in order to provide a concrete understanding of how to best approach an audition. More importantly it investigated the differences and similarities in audition repertoire, procedure and requirements between European orchestras, American orchestras and United States service bands, resulting in a comprehensive and global perspective on the study and foster a more thorough understanding of the audition process as a whole. This …

Examining The Characteristics Of High Schools In Which Black Students Achieve In Mathematics, Sheree T. Sharpe

Open Access Dissertations

Black students’ performance in mathematics on standardized examinations compared to White students is dismal; however, previous research has shown that there are highly effective high schools for Black students as defined by high levels of mathematics performance. Underachievement in upper-level high-school mathematics courses is a barrier for Black students’ access to many postsecondary education opportunities and contributes to an underrepresentation of Black students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics college majors and related careers. This dissertation examines the multilevel characteristics (student, teacher, department, and school factors) of high school mathematics programs as measured by Black students’ performance on standardized …

Progressive Muscle Relaxation As An Intervention To Reduce Manic Symptoms, Christopher J. Miller

Open Access Dissertations

Introduction: Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness, but medications and psychosocial approaches designed to treat it leave significant room for improvement. This study investigated Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), a treatment originally designed to reduce anxiety, as a way to reduce manic symptoms. Methods: Participants with bipolar I disorder (n = 44) were assigned via stratified randomization to complete PMR or a control condition (self-focused calming). Participants underwent a positive mood induction procedure, and completed several measures of manic symptoms at Session 1 and Session 2 (several weeks later). Results: Among those who experienced a successful positive mood induction, PMR …

Social Aggression In Children And Adolescents: A Meta-Analytic Review, Cathy Longa

Open Access Dissertations

Social aggression has been widely studied; however, findings have been inconsistent leading to confusion within the current literature. Previous research has linked social aggression to negative outcomes; including poor peer relations, internalizing symptoms, and low levels of empathy; as well as positive attributes, including prosocial behaviors, high social status, and social intelligence. This meta-analysis examined the relationship between social aggression and various correlates, both positive and negative, as well as how age and gender moderate these relationships. With 896 correlations derived from 108 studies (of a total of 107 published articles), the results using the random-effects model for computing overall …

Growing Out Of Adolescence: Conceptions Of Adulthood, Close Relationships, And Health Behaviors Of Emerging Adults With Hiv, Olivia Hsin

Open Access Dissertations

Objective: The current study examined conceptions of adulthood, close personal relationships, and health behaviors (dietary intake, substance use, sexual behaviors) of emerging adults aged 18-30 with horizontally-infected HIV. Emerging adults were expected to differ in levels of achievement of adulthood tasks. The quality of close relationships, and perceptions of close friends’ behaviors were hypothesized to be associated with health behaviors. Method: Utilizing a cross-sectional design, 48 emerging adults with HIV (64.6% female; M age = 22.59, SD = 3.17) from a youth-based clinic serving most of Miami-Dade County were recruited. Participants completed measures on markers of adulthood, close friend and …

Communication Deviance, Expressed Emotion, And Family Cohesion In Schizophrenia, Radha G. Carlson

Open Access Dissertations

Although schizophrenia is a biologically-based disorder, environmental stress (including stress within familial relationships) plays a major role in the onset and maintenance of symptoms. This study examined family variables that have implications for psychotherapeutic treatment of schizophrenia. Previous research has found Communication Deviance (CD), Expressed Emotion (EE), and family cohesion (FC) to be related to symptom severity. However, the exact nature of the relationship between these constructs is unclear. The current study tested a model whereby the tone and content of family member’s communication (EE) and the sense of family unity (FC) are hypothesized to mediate the relationship between CD …