Digital Commons Network^™

Essays In Financial Economics, William Bazley

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation contains three essays in financial economics. The first essay shows that technology-driven innovations in credit markets have real and social implications. Using data from the largest online, peer-to-peer credit market in the United States, I find that borrowing increases when access to traditional credit is restricted, such as after bank mergers and natural disasters. Consequently, online borrowing moderates the diminished growth in business establishments and the heightened crime growth associated with credit scarcity. A percent increase in online lending offsets about 0.25% (0.22%) of the diminished establishment growth and 0.11% (0.18%) of the rise in crime associated with …

Refugee Women And Employment: A Grounded Theory Study, Miryam Haarlammert

Open Access Dissertations

This grounded theory project focused on developing an initial understanding about the experiences of refugee women who are currently or who have in the past received employment services when making employment decisions once resettled in the United States. Interviews with 11 refugee women from Latin American countries living in Miami, Florida and one refugee resettlement service provider revealed that before women engaged in formal job-seeking activities that they were already “doing the work” of learning how to live life in a new country while taking care of themselves and of their families. The women focused on finding housing, dealing with …

Comparison Of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Quadriceps Autograft Versus Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Autograft On Neuromuscular Activity Of The Quadriceps And Gait Biomechanics, Michael Isaac Letter

Open Access Dissertations

Quadriceps tendon autografts (QT) are increasingly popular as a primary graft choice for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR); yet no study has compared QT and bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft (BTB) superficial quadriceps neuromuscular activity levels during gait and isometric strength testing. The objective of this study was to determine if harvesting the central portion of the QT will alter gait biomechanics and RF firing patterns during gait and an isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Thirty-four subjects (18-40 y), who underwent ACLR using BTB (n=17) or QT (n=17) at a single institution, and seventeen healthy age-matched controls (C) participated. Subjects had no …

Teaching College-Level Jazz Skills Using Interactive Digital Technologies And The Flipped Classroom Model, Josiah Boornazian

Open Access Dissertations

After introducing arguments in favor of teaching with technology, this essay provides a review of several current interactive digital technologies and describes the author’s experiences teaching jazz skills at the college level using the flipped classroom model. The flipped classroom model, in which lecture material is studied outside of the classroom and class time is spent on practical application, was facilitated by the use of MusicFirst’s suite of online music education software. MusicFirst incorporates online playing assessments, instruction, and ear training modules. The paper concludes that there is great potential to improve teaching and learning efficiency by using interactive digital …

A Population Neuroscience Approach For Analyzing Regional Structural Brain Mri Data In Cognitive Aging, Michelle R. Caunca

Open Access Dissertations

As the number of older adults increases in the US over the next few decades, the racial and ethnic diversity of the older adult population is also expected to increase. As such, the burden of age-related cognitive impairment in racial and ethnic minorities is an urgent public health priority. Though the most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral small vessel disease resulting from cumulative vascular risk factor burden often co-exists with neurodegenerative pathology and brain atrophy. Both brain atrophy and cerebrovascular damage can be imaged in vivo with structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Global MRI-derived markers of …

Can Studies Of Trait Altruism Be Trusted?, William H.B. Mcauliffe

Open Access Dissertations

Studies using the self-report altruism scale (SRA) to measure trait altruism have found that altruism is uncorrelated with antisocial motives and positively correlated with being female and number of sex partners. However, it is unknown whether the SRA scale meets basic psychometric standards, such as unidimensionality. The act-frequency format of the SRA likely undermines its ability to isolate any one motive for behaving prosocially. In a pilot study (N =276), factor analysis indicated that the SRA contains dimensions related to the performance of favors (Factor 1), charitable giving (Factor 2), and politeness among strangers (Factor 3). Factor 2 predicted laboratory …

The Impact Of Total Caloric And Macronutrient Consumption On Strength And Power During An Off-Season Training Program In Collegiate Volleyball Players., Yvette Figueroa

Open Access Dissertations

Adequate caloric and carbohydrate intakes are necessary for positive adaptations to exercise training, yet there is limited research examining dietary intake in relation to strength and power in female athletes. The purpose of this study was to determine 1) whether there were significant changes in weekly total caloric and macronutrient consumption, strength, and power, and 2) whether total caloric and macronutrient consumption significantly and positively contributed to changes in strength and power across a controlled eight-week, off-season resistance training program. Eleven collegiate-level female volleyball players were examined on macronutrient consumption, strength, and power at two-week intervals using three-day food logs, …

Novel Measures Of Inspiratory Muscle Function In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Assessment And Training Implications, Magno F. Formiga

Open Access Dissertations

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The vast COPD symptomatology and features are usually accompanied by weakness and deconditioning of the respiratory muscles, with particular impairment described in strength and endurance of the musculature involved with inspiration. Several local and systemic mechanisms contribute to an imbalance between the load placed on the inspiratory muscle pump and its capacity in COPD. Inspiratory muscle dysfunction is independently associated with dyspnea, poorer functional capacity and decreased health-related quality of life in this population. This dissertation aimed at evaluating a novel inspiratory muscle assessment and training …

Optimal Approach To Load Progressions During Strength Training In Older Adults: An Intent-To Treat Study, Andrew Buskard

Open Access Dissertations

Progressive resistance training (RT) is one of the most effective interventions for reducing age-related deficits in muscle mass and functional capacity. Researchers agree on the need for older adults' RT to progress at an appropriate speed, however, no consensus currently exists as to the best way to achieve this. PURPOSE To compare three common (and one novel-but-promising) progression models under an intent-to treat approach to determine if an optimal progression method exists for use in RT for older adults. METHODS: 82 healthy community-dwelling older adults (71.8 + 6.2 y) performed 11 weeks of structured RT (2.5 days/week) including a common …

A Brief Period Of Exercise Improves Cognitive Function After Cardiac Arrest, Holly Stradecki Cohan

Open Access Dissertations

Cardiac arrest effects over half a million people in the United States annually. A lack of brain perfusion results in a global brain ischemia resulting in cell death in several regions including the hippocampus, an area important for learning and memory. Nearly half the survivors of cardiac arrest suffer from cognitive deficits. While there remains no well accepted therapy for these patients, it has been shown that exercise after focal brain ischemia (i.e. stroke) enhances both motor and cognitive function. But this has never been explored in the setting of cardiac arrest. In this study, we determined that a brief …

Detection Of Cognitive Change: Examination Of Approaches For Improving The Accuracy Of Impact, Charles Edward Gaudet Iii

Open Access Dissertations

Concussion is an increasingly recognized public health concern. Proper assessment and management of concussion are critical factors in mitigating adverse effects associated with this injury. Neuropsychological assessment has demonstrated utility in identifying cognitive symptoms related to concussion and monitoring their resolution. Early methods involved administering paper and pencil tests to appraise cognitive domains thought to be most affected by concussion. As interest in concussion and methods of assessment evolved, baseline testing became an integral component of assessment in sport-related concussion (SRC). Baseline testing consists of administering a healthy, or non-injured, individual a battery of cognitive tests that subsequently serve as …

Effect Of Exercise On Cognitive Function In Persons With Dementia: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Southey F. Saul

Open Access Dissertations

As the population ages, the number of people suffering from dementia will rise significantly. Current estimates of total societal cost of dementia exceed $8 billion dollars (US). Epidemiological studies have shown that increased lifetime engagement in exercise reduces cognitive decline and the incidence of dementia in normal older adults. While existing research suggests that lifelong exercise may be preferable, the adoption of exercise at any age and stage of dementia-onset to delay or reverse cognitive decline is worthwhile given the prevalence of sedentary lifestyle, and the increasing proportion of older adults and dementia incidence. Recently, trials have started to explore …

Measure Development And Validation Of A Self-Efficacy Scale For Advance Care Planning, Alexandra N. Murray

Open Access Dissertations

A disparity exists between the medical intervention people say they want to receive at end-of-life and the care that is typically delivered. Advance care planning (ACP) involves discussing end-of-life care wishes, including relevant values and cultural beliefs, and documenting these preferences for medical providers and loved ones to minimize unwanted suffering and maximize quality of life. Numerous healthcare institutions have emphasized the importance of doing ACP prior to an imminent medical need, prompting researchers to implement awareness campaigns and interventions in earlier stages of healthcare interactions (e.g., primary care). However, motivation to follow through with ACP varies depending on numerous …

An Exploratory Investigation Into The Structure Of Eating Disorder Diagnosis, Juliana Steffes

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation first provides the current conceptualization of the most common Eating Disorders (EDs) as well as other disordered eating conditions currently recognized within the research community. The current literature regarding the epidemiology, risk factors, existing evidence of indicators of overlap, and commonalities in treatment and prevention efforts among these disorders is identified. Researchers have mentioned the concept of a continuum of eating disordered behaviors or a spectrum of eating pathology, either using it in a paper title or within a research paper, yet few have conducted statistical analyses to illustrate that these concepts have more than face validity. This …

Can Asl-Gloss Be Used As An Instructional Tool To Teach Written English To The Deaf?, Emma S. Rathkey

Open Access Dissertations

This study addressed the use of ASL-gloss as a potential method for improving reading ability and comprehension for those with profound deafness through the use of the Gray Silent Reading Test (GRST). ASL-gloss can be described as a written form of American Sign Language. Research suggests that on average, individuals who are deaf are reading at about a third- to fifth-grade level. Presently, there is limited research on the effects of using ASL-gloss with students who are deaf. Participants (n = 31) self-reported as having a profound hearing loss, used ASL as their primary or preferred language, and were over …

Self-Monitoring Heart Rate Biofeedback: A Secondary Prevention Strategy For Managing Anxiety In College Students, Louis William Turchetta

Open Access Dissertations

Intro: Anxiety is often a chronic condition that will affect approximately 29% of individuals during their lifetimes (Dennis & O’Toole, 2014). Unfortunately, numerous barriers to treatment exist, especially when treating children (Dennis & O’Toole, 2014). Wearable technology, particularly utilizing heart rate monitoring, can potentially aid in the treatment of anxiety, allowing for greater recognition of symptoms and interventions in any setting.

Hypothesis: Hypothesis one: College students with "mild to moderate" levels of anxiety will be able to utilize self-monitoring heart rate biofeedback (SMHRB) consistently (e.g., respond to at least 70% of Maximum HR alerts utilizing relaxation breathing). Hypothesis …

The Development Of The Self-Efficacy During Exposure – Child (See-C) Measure: A Pilot Study, Mary Kathryn M. Cancilliere

Open Access Dissertations

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders but involves acute discomfort, rendering treatment engagement a challenge. Willingness to engage in exposure is of interest, because a child has to willingly approach a feared stimulus. This preliminary study investigated child engagement during exposures in CBT for anxiety disorders, with the development, validation, and field testing of a measure of self-efficacy over three time points. The measure, Self-Efficacy During Exposure-Child (SEE-C), is a 9-item, self-report measure of self-efficacy during exposure for youth 8-17 years old. A sample of eight reviewers at least 2-years post licensure (M = …

Resilience, Coping Strategies, And Internalizing Disorders Among Childhood Maltreatment Victims, Bryana E. Killion

Open Access Dissertations

The relationship between childhood maltreatment and internalizing disorders, such as anxiety and depression, is well-substantiated; however, fewer studies have investigated the pathways leading to this association. Additionally, although rates of internalizing disorders are higher among maltreated individuals than in the general population, less is known about why some maltreated individuals appear resilient, continuing to thrive and display relatively normative development despite these traumatic experiences. Accordingly, research has begun to investigate the interplay between coping and resilience in relation to long-term outcomes following childhood maltreatment. While resilience may influence how a stressor is appraised, coping strategies refer to the cognitive and …

A Wearable, Configurable Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy System For Wireless Neuroimaging, Manob Jyoti Saikia

Open Access Dissertations

Decoding the human's brain functional architecture is the most profound and far-reaching scientific challenges of our time. Currently existing noninvasive brain imaging technologies are constrained by costly, bulky and fixed hardware that preclude imaging of the functioning brain in a wide range of temporal and naturalistic environments.

This doctoral dissertation focused on designing and developing of a new generation portable, wearable, configurable, and wireless functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) neuroimaging system that allows us to monitor and study brain function in a naturalistic environment. The developed optical system maps changes in chromophore concentration, oxy hemoglobin (HbO₂) and deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) …

Law Enforcement Officers' Perceptions Of Their Skill Development And Transfer Of Learning Post-Training, Jane Northup

Open Access Dissertations

This research examined how law enforcement officers who took a course in criminal investigative techniques developed their skill and transferred what was learned post-training. The data was collected using document reviews and interviews. The participants were ten law enforcement officers who expected to use their newly acquired skill after leaving a course in criminal investigations. As a result of the qualitative multiple case study data analysis, four constructs were revealed as aids to the participants in transferring what was learned in the course and further improving their skills. The constructs were supports, experience, reflection, and motivation. The constructs can serve …

Charmed Modernisms: Fantasies Of Sociality And Difference In Twentieth-Century British And American Literature, Kara Watts

Open Access Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examine what mobilized the simultaneous discourses of charm and anti-charm rhetoric in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century British and American modernist literature. Charm moves through texts as a trojan horse of sorts, ostensibly supporting normative ideologies of the social order while its use actually imagines sociopolitical transformation. I look to Oscar Wilde’s works to assess how charm possesses an aesthetic magic that bonds persons across normative time and social stratification. Charm becomes an experimental force of social form in the early decades of the twentieth-century. In the works of Gertrude Stein and Sylvia Townsend Warner, charm’s …

Product Evaluations As A Factor Of Unknown Attribute Positioning, Brand Trust, Need For Cognition And Message Diagnosticity, Ahmet Hattat

Open Access Dissertations

This research investigates how consumer evaluations are shaped towards products that highlight either presence or absence of attributes that are unknown to consumers. Participants were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk online panel and randomly assigned to a variety of experimental conditions in four studies. Results of Study 1 show that, under the low brand trust condition, consumers have more positive evaluations of products with absence positioning than presence positioning. Study 1 results also show that under the high brand trust condition, the disjunctive gap between the absence versus presence positioning closes. In Study 2, these results are extended by utilizing …

Attitudes Towards Commercial Sexual Exploitation: An Ecological Systems Approach, Rachel Small

Open Access Dissertations

Sex trafficking is one of the largest and fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the world (Cecchet & Thoburn, 2014), and represents a systematic form of violence against women (Curva, 2012; Ekberg, 2004). Despite growing social awareness and scholarly interest in commercial sexual exploitation (CSE), it remains an underdeveloped research area, and little research has been conducted from a social-psychological standpoint. A comprehensive review of qualitative research was conducted utilizing ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1992) as a framework for identifying major themes in the described experiences of survivors of CSE. In Study 1, emergent themes served as the basis for the development …

The Home And Child-Care: Are Preschoolaged Children Getting Mixed Food-Related Messages?, Noereem Zenaida Mena

Open Access Dissertations

Statement of the Problem: In the United States, nearly 14% of preschool-aged children (ages 2 to 5) are obese. Additionally, disparities persist, with the highest prevalence of obesity among Hispanic preschool-aged children (17% vs. 11% non-Hispanic Black and 3.5% non- Hispanic White preschool-aged children). Establishing healthy eating habits in early childhood is critical and providing children with similar opportunities to practice healthy eating habits independently at home and in child care is thought to reinforce the development of healthy eating habits early in life. However, there is limited information regarding how parents and childcare providers communicate about child-nutrition, including …

Exploring The Lived Experience Of Being Pregnant While A College Student, Kristina M. Perrelli

Open Access Dissertations

Almost five million college students in the United States have child dependents (U.S. Department of Education, 2015), but little is known about the experience of pregnancy in college. This qualitative study addressed this gap in scholarship. A feminist intersectional theoretical framework and a feminist interpretive phenomenology methodology were used to explore the experiences of ten women from three institutions of higher education who were currently pregnant or recently pregnant. Most participants identified as low-income or working-class women of color. The phenomenological goal of this study was to learn about each woman’s lived experience of pregnancy in college toward identifying commonalities …

Changing Consumer Experiences And Behaviors & The Role Of The Marketer Within Mobile Environments, Jennifer Bonoff

Open Access Dissertations

Global proliferation of mobile technology and widespread ownership of mobile phones has ushered in a new era of behavior and patterns of consumption when using mobile phones. As a result, the way that we look at mobile consumption and its relation to the marketplace needs to be re-evaluated. As usage behaviors are being transformed, my research offers a better understanding of the consumption behaviors associated with using mobile devices in mobile environments. Through analysis of interview and mobile diary data, using liminality as a sensitizing theoretical framework, themes emerged that can help form a better understanding of how people consume …

Nutritional Beliefs And Practices Of Arabic Speaking Middle Eastern Mothers, Maissa Al-Bkerat

Open Access Dissertations

Childhood obesity is recognized as an important health problem in the United States. Researchers have identified culture and acculturation as major factors influencing obesity across several ethnic groups, although little is known about the historically invisible and vulnerable population of those identifying as Arabic speaking individuals from Middle Eastern countries. In Arabic culture, mothers are responsible for creating and maintaining a home environment that fosters healthy eating behaviors among family members including the children. It is assumed, therefore, that mothers in Arabic culture play an essential role in preventing childhood obesity.

The aim of this study was to explore perceptions …

The Effects Of Computer Assisted Instruction On Early Literacy Skills Of Young Children Who Are Hispanic/Latino, Joseph J. Armendarez

Open Access Dissertations

Many student academic challenges are due to difficulties developing reading skills; therefore prevention efforts are relevant for school psychologist and educators. One promising avenue for addressing reading acquisition problems, via effective reading instruction, is Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI). There is, however, still a need for more research addressing costs and benefits for populations such as Hispanic/Latino and/or English Language Learners (H/L-ELL). The primary aim of this research was to determine the extent to which the CAI reading intervention, Headsprout Early Reading (HER), produces meaningful improvements in reading acquisition and performance among students who are low performing readers and identified as …

Three Experimental Examinations Of Aspects Of Institutions Governing Natural Resource Use, Christopher Brozyna

Open Access Dissertations

Theory alone cannot accurately describe the characteristics of successful natural resource governance institutions. Laboratory economic experiments are needed to analyze the characteristics and validate theories in a controlled environment. Three such experiments on important, but frequently overlooked, aspects of institutions are reported: time allowed for decision-making, the strength of property rights, and how resource user groups impact each other. Chapter 1 analyzes how psychology can impact outcomes in institutions by forcing subjects to make decisions under time pressure, something not before analyzed in a dynamic Common Pool Resource management context. We find users under time pressure make decisions which reduce …

Assessing Interaction Of Black Racial Identity And Perceived Neighborhood Factors On Educational Utility, Clifton A. Berwise

Open Access Dissertations

Previous research findings have indicated that there continues to be an increased need to assess the impact of neighborhood and community factors on educational outcomes for Black Americans. When investigating neighborhood factors for this population, two understudied variables are perceptions of trust in neighborhood police and collective socialization, particularly in examining their impact on academic outcomes. Furthermore, it is unclear how Black racial identity interacts with the effects of these perceived neighborhood factors on educational outcomes. The present study attempted to add to the literature by exploring how the interaction of racial identity and perceived neighborhood factors impact how Black …