Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Parentification, Attachment, Family-Of-Origin Dysfunction And Health On Depression: A Comparative Study Between Gender And The Ethnic Groups Of South Koreans And Caucasian Americans, Sunnie Giles

Theses and Dissertations

Parentification is a process where children or adolescents assume adult roles before they are emotionally or developmentally ready, which, in turn, disrupts the development of healthy, secure attachment in childhood. Using 1,001 men and women from South Korea and the United States with equal division between males and females and multiple group comparison technique in structural equation modeling, this paper examined the relationship between parentification during childhood and depression during adulthood. It explores the cross-sectional long-term effects of parentification into adulthood, using a retrospective survey technique. This study also confirmed previous research findings that attachment, physical health and family-of-origin dysfunction, …

An Object-Based Image Analysis Of Treated And Untreated Pinyon And Juniper Woodlands Across The Great Basin, April Hulet

Theses and Dissertations

Land managers need to rapidly assess vegetation composition and bare ground to effectively evaluate, manage, and restore shrub steppe communities that have been encroached by pinyon and juniper (P-J) trees. A major part of this process is assessing where to apply mechanical and prescribed fire treatments to reduce fuel loads and maintain or restore sagebrush steppe rangelands. Geospatial technologies, particularly remote sensing, offers an efficient option to assess rangelands across multiple spatial scales while reducing the need for ground-based sampling measurements. High-spatial resolution color-infrared imagery (0.06-m pixels) was acquired for sagebrush steppe communities invaded by P-J trees at five sites …

Integration Of Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games Client-Server Architectures With Collaborative Multi-User Engineering Cax Tools, Joshua D. Winn

Theses and Dissertations

This research presents a new method for integrating client server architectures that are used for the development of Massive Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) into multi-user engineering software tools. The new method creates a new architecture named CAx Connect by changing the client-pull-server communication pipeline to a server-push-client communication pipeline, effectively reducing the amount of bandwidth consumed and allowing these tools to utilize multiple server processors for complex calculations. This method was used on the new NX Connect multi-user CAx prototype developed at BYU. The new method provides a road map to further implement this architecture and its services into …

A Study Of The Impact Of Single-Gender Classes On Middle School Students In An Urban Setting, Deniese Barnett-Cooper

Theses and Dissertations

With the passing of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the levels of accountability that it has placed upon educators and school districts regarding student performance on standardized assessments, there has been a surfeit of initiatives and options to address appropriate prescriptions for academically ailing students. A potentially dramatic turnaround came in March 2004, when the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) issued proposals that permitted public single-gender schools and classes with few limitations. Additionally, within the past decade, the release of restrictions of Title IX, which originally prohibited the separation of genders, facilitated opportunities to implement single-gender schools and classes …

Media Darlings: The Egyptian Revolution And American Media Coverage, Rebecca Fox

Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the first few months of 2011, a handful of protesters dominated mainstream American media coverage of the Egyptian Revolution. Activists such as Wael Ghonim and Gigi Ibrahim were called â the Facebook youthâ and â digital revolutionariesâ . This thesis explores various characteristics of these â media darlingsâ and the ways in which their messages were portrayed in American media outlets. Why did so many news outlets focus on these individuals? This research first establishes a quantitative argument that shows reporters focused on young, tech-savvy, and westernized individuals. Then, through case studies and the application of Bourdieuâ s field …

Use Of Expanded Polystyrene In Developing Solid And Hollow Block Masonry Units, Youmna Alaa Yahia Ali

Theses and Dissertations

Light weight mortar of various densities are developed using Expanded polystyrene (EPS) to partially substitute sand. Lightweight mortars are used herein to develop three types of lightweight hollow blocks: 1-plain, 2- steel wire mesh reinforced (ferrocement) and 3- GFRP mesh reinforced (fibro-cement) as well as lightweight solid bricks. The objective of this research is to obtain lightweight masonry units of sufficient mechanical, long-term and thermal characteristics for low-rise building applications in arid environments. Different tests were conducted to assess the mechanical strength; durability and thermal conductivity. Five mixtures were prepared; four EPS mortar mixes with average density range 1748, 1498, …

Ungendering Power Relations: Stateswomen, Agency And Foreign Policy In Jordan, Catherine Guzzi

Theses and Dissertations

Feminist international reFeminist international relations theory argues that womenâ s marginalization in world affairs both results from and is sustained by a gendering of international relations in which the norms of power, aggression, and self-help typically associated with masculinity dominate IR theory and practice. While gender has become an accepted topic within international relations, a coherent argument for how gendered relationships of power exist within and outside states and how they affect international relations has yet to be made. Little effort has been made to move beyond theory and examine the ways in which gender affects particular cases and issues. …

A Qualitative Case Study Comparing A Computer-Mediated Delivery System To A Face-To-Face Mediated Delivery System For Teaching Creative Writing Fiction Workshops, Mindy Daniels

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to compare the pedagogical and affective efficiency and efficacy of creative prose fiction writing workshops taught via asynchronous computer-mediated online distance education with creative prose fiction writing workshops taught face-to-face in order to better understand their operational pedagogy and correlative affective features to determine if workshops are transferable to a computer-mediated delivery system in order to aid administrative decision-makers regarding the possible pedagogical usefulness of expanding their existing writing program to offer an optional-residency creative writing program in concert with their current high residency program. Qualitative data were collected through non-participatory virtual observation …

Finding Your Home In A Book: Sociocultural Influences On Literacy Learning In A Rural School, Rachael J. Enger Waller

Theses and Dissertations

In a rural community there is a risk that readers Will not find connections to their own lives, which may affect the pleasure gained from reading. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the use of literature in a small rural elementary school, focusing on how sociocultural factors affect how students connect to and access literature. The study is situated in three theories that help explain how students' prior experiences affect connecting with text. These are Bronfenbrenner's Human Ecology Model, sociocultural theory, and schema theory. The research questions are: 1. How are children living in a rural environment …

Urban Regulatory Planning The Residence Neighborhood, Ferizaj, Kosovo, Ideal Vejsa

Theses and Dissertations

On this year’s World Habitat Day the theme Changing Cities, Building Opportunities was selected because of our quest to improve cities and provide better services and opportunities for the world’s growing urban populations is more urgent than ever. Kosovo has been facing an unprecedented construction boom and growth of urban areas. This is partly a consequence of the war-time destruction of housing stock, the post-war migration in search of better and /or safer living conditions and employment, and well as the global urbanization trend. Cities in their former boundaries are unable to provide space for new investments, which leads to …

A Culture Of Excellence - A Study On High Achieving Public High Schools In California, Rhea Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

Pockets of success in the United States exist where public schools have been able to produce highly educated students. A wealth of information can be gleaned from the successful practices being employed by these distinguished schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the best practices being employed by these high achieving public high schools, specifically in California. A qualitative research design was used to explore the phenomenon that existed in high achieving public high schools, as well as in gathering the data concerning common best practices based on the perspectives of the participants in this study. The criteria …

Public Leadership: A Study Of The Leadership Practices Of Elected Public Officials In Guam And The Commonwealth Of The Northern Mariana Islands, Florie Nadine Manglona Mendiola

Theses and Dissertations

Elected public officials hold one of the highest levels of leadership. They are voted into office with the belief that they embody the ideals of a good leader and are charged with the all-encompassing task of making crucial decisions that affect all sectors of society and its constituents. There is pressure to produce results, maintain credibility in their performance, and build trust with constituents. It is essential that an assessment tool be used to help leaders gain perspective and understanding in determining the effectiveness of their leadership practices. The opportunities to self-evaluate allow leaders to continuously refine their craft to …

Attributes Of Asian American Senior Leaders Who Have Retained Their Cultural Identity And Been Successful In American Corporations, Maria Odiamar Racho

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to understand the stories of Asian American senior leaders of Fortune 600 companies. The intent was to identify common attributes and experiences that could be used to help emerging leaders along their journeys and American corporations improve workplace environment and retention of top Asian American talent. Thirty-two Asian American senior leaders of Fortune 600 companies participated in an online questionnaire which included the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation (SL-ASIA) Scale. In addition, nine of those leaders were interviewed for stories and insights on the quantitative data. The findings uncovered that these leaders found a way …

Predictors Of Carbapenem Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria In A Consortium Of Academic Medical Center Hospitals, Mera Ababneh

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Gram-negative resistance is a growing problem worldwide. It is generally believed that rates of resistant bacteria within a hospital are a function of antibiotic use, resistant organisms brought into the hospital, infection control efforts, and underlying severity of patient illness. The relative contribution of each to a particular resistance phenotype is unclear. P. aeruginosa is responsible for many hospital acquired infections and it may become resistant to carbapenems. In addition, newer threats to the future utility of the carbapenems are carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae Purpose: To determine if there is an association between the volume and composition of antibiotic use, …

Assessing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder In Adults: A Review Of Rating Scales, Sarah Beth Silverman

Theses and Dissertations

Rating scales are an integral component in the assessment of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults, and a variety of scales designed for this purpose have been developed. Existing reviews of adult ADHD rating scales are limited with respect to their focus, coverage of some clinically relevant content, and/or their reflection of the most recent scales and data. Thus, the current project aimed to identify and thoroughly review current adult ADHD rating scales best suited for clinical practice. Inclusionary and exclusionary criteria aimed at identifying readily available, clinically-oriented scales for assessing ADHD symptoms in adults. The criteria yielded the following …

Psychology And People Living With Hiv/Aids: A Critical Review Of The Literature, David Fischer

Theses and Dissertations

The implications of living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) have evolved over the last 30 years. The view of HIV infection as an imminent death sentence has largely disappeared. From a practical perspective, HIV positive status is now medically treated as a chronic illness rather than as a terminal diagnosis. In response, the focus of psychological research and therapeutic practice has evolved to reflect the changing implications of living with HIV. This study documents how psychological literature regarding people living with HIV has changed over the course of the epidemic.

Diversity In Mexico: A Case Study Of Minorities, Silvia Panszi

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the theme of diversity in Mexico through the experiences of 8 subjects who perceive their lives in a country that denies their situation, emphasizing their equality as human beings. The researcher's interest emerges from the perception that exists internally as well as externally in a country where diversity problems do not exist because of the connotation that it is given by focusing only on the racial issues and the scope of the concept is forgotten. The researcher found that there is a dual discourse in Mexico. On the one hand, the Mexican constitution protects the rights of …

Diversity In Mexico: A Case Study Of Minorities, Silvia Panszi

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the theme of diversity in Mexico through the experiences of 8 subjects who perceive their lives in a country that denies their situation, emphasizing their equality as human beings. The researcher's interest emerges from the perception that exists internally as well as externally in a country where diversity problems do not exist because of the connotation that it is given by focusing only on the racial issues and the scope of the concept is forgotten. The researcher found that there is a dual discourse in Mexico. On the one hand, the Mexican constitution protects the rights of …

Uplift: An Examination Of Six African American Female Educational Leaders During The Reconstruction, Segregation And Equal Opportunity Eras, Wanda Johnson Clemmons

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the history of slavery and its systemic effects on the education of African Americans, African American female educators heeded a clarion call to uplift their race. Their passion, devotion, and resilience in the face of insurmountable obstacles were heroic. This study will examine the leadership of 6 selected African American female educators during the Reconstruction, Segregation, and Equal Opportunity Eras from 1866 through 2010: Fanny Jackson Coppin, Dr. Anna Julia Cooper, Nannie Helen Burroughs, Charlotte Hawkins Brown, Dr. Mary Montel Bacon and Joan Faqir. Three areas of their life were examined: (a) their influences and motivations to move …

Modeling Intermittent And Perennial Headwater Stream Origins In North Carolina., Kevin Macleod

Theses and Dissertations

Low-order headwater streams, a link between the upland landscape and larger streams within a watershed, affect watershed hydrology. Yet current widely available maps inadequately depict headwater streams, underestimating channel length or omitting channels entirely. Intermittent and perennial headwater streams each provide unique habitat. Until recently, it has not been possible to accurately delineate these streams or predict channel flow durations without fieldwork. Recent advances in remote sensing may allow more accurate headwater stream mapping.

Methods for mapping intermittent and perennial headwater streams with a GIS-based modeling approach coupled with field verification were adapted, tested, and evaluated. Four models were developed …

Systematics, Diversity, And Origins Of Upper Cretaceous Continental Molluscan Fauna In The Infra- And Intertrappean Strata Of The Deccan Plateau, Central India, Marron J. Bingle-Davis

Theses and Dissertations

The Deccan Plateau in western and central India has been a major area of interest for researchers since the 1800s. In 1840, James Sowerby described the molluscan collection sent to him by John Malcolmson. In 1860, Stephen Hislop identified new molluscan species and redescribed based on better preserved material. Although this seminal work was comprehensive, interpretations have changed since the mid 1800s. Species need to be reassigned to current and/or accurate taxa, as well as revalidated statistically. Seventeen character traits were measured on over 600 specimens from five eastern Deccan Plateau localities representing a stratigraphic and temporal sequence. Cluster analysis …

Mapping And Analyzing Conservation Reserve Program (Crp) Enrollment Patterns From 1991 To 2011 In Nelson County, North Dakota, Using Remote Sensing And Gis Techniques, Nicholas Lee Roehrdanz

Theses and Dissertations

Since its inception in 1985, the federally managed Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has contributed to land-use/land-cover change (LUCC) in areas throughout North Dakota. Concurrently, the Devils Lake Basin and surrounding Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) in North Dakota has experienced pervasive lake and wetland flooding. Unsurprisingly, a clustering of CRP enrollment in certain counties within the basin has occurred, seemingly coinciding with the flooding. Analysis of historical county-level CRP enrollment data pertaining to counties in North Dakota revealed that Nelson County, which is partially within the basin, has developed as a CRP hotspot in the state and has had the greatest …

Knowledge Translation Practices Of Health Services Research Organizations In The United States, Wendy Opsahl

Theses and Dissertations

Health services research organizations have generated a growing body of literature that focuses on better understanding challenges facing health care delivery. However, their findings do not always reach end users (e.g., policymakers, providers, managers, general public) in ways that are helpful, relevant, or cost-effective despite the availability of numerous resources designed to aid researchers in communicating more effectively. The purpose of this study was to understand better how health services research organizations in the United States communicate their research findings to end users; determine the degree to which they are translating research findings in ways consistent with the empirical evidence; …

A Geographic Study Of The Laotian Hydropower Sector, Patrick Neal Bright

Theses and Dissertations

The country of Laos is a developing nation that is geographically endowed with significant hydropower assets. Hydropower represents one of very few quick and profitable, exportable resources for Laos as a least developed country, and is seen as the avenue of escape from poverty for the nation. In the past two decades, Laos has seen both booms and busts in hydropower development, which has raised questions to hydropower's actual contributions to economic growth, and the consequences of large scale hydropower development.

This research examines trends and patterns in Laotian hydropower development in the past two decades. The study analyzes contributing …

Rhetorical Agency And Survivance: American Indians In College Composition, Rebecca Lynn Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

American Indian writers in college have a distinct cultural background related to rhetorical agency and language. Particularly for Indian students who grew up on reservations, the effects of official federal policies regarding the use of English for assimilation remain significant. However, in writing classes, we have an opportunity to reverse course and to specifically teach toward what Scott Lyons calls rhetorical sovereignty.

In this project, four American Indian college students demonstrate agency with writing. All four students grew up on federal Indian reservations (Standing Rock and White Earth), and at the time of this study, were enrolled in their first …

Identifying A Statistical Model For North Dakota K-12 Public School Transportation Funding By Comparing Fifteen State Transportation Funding Formulas, Steven Mark Holen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to review the history of North Dakota K-12 transportation funding system, identify how school districts are reimbursed for transportation expenses, and compare this information with fourteen other state transportation funding systems. North Dakota utilizes a block grant structure that has been in place since 1972 and has remained unchanged except for reimbursement factors used in the mileage and rider statistics collected at the state level. Despite the need for alternative structures that promote efficiency and actual costs, the system remains in its current block grant format.

Each of the 50 states in the United …

Phylogeography And Habitat Associations Of Franklin's Gulls In Their United States Breeding Range, Annmarie Krmpotich

Theses and Dissertations

The Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) is a long distance migrant which is listed as a species of concern by U.S. state wildlife management agencies and in the Northern Prairie and Parkland Waterbird Plan for the U.S. and Canada. The designation of this status is due to few, isolated breeding colonies and unknown population dynamics. Few attempts have been made to address the unknown population dynamics or to quantify habitat use at breeding sites of this species. Recognizing there is a need for this information; this thesis uses deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence to show the relationships of Franklin's gull breeding colonies …

Genetic Relationships Of Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) In The United States: Geographic Origins And Genotypic Distribution Of The Species With Implications For Management, Blake Eugene Mccann

Theses and Dissertations

Wild pigs are a damaging invasive species with a long history in the United States. However, during the last 30 years wild pigs have drastically expanded their invasive range and are now present in 44 U.S. states. Though historic records provide insights regarding original introduction histories in areas where pigs are long-established, little is known regarding sources for new populations. To develop a better understanding of recent invasions, I utilized an array of molecular markers (mitochondrial DNA sequence, nuclear microsatellites, and nuclear single nucleotide polymorphisms) to evaluate both the evolutionary history of introduced pigs and gene flow between populations indicative …

Impacts Of Transportation And Population Upon Western North Dakota School Consolidation, Angela M. Kitzan

Theses and Dissertations

Western North Dakota school district consolidations continue to be a topic of great local concern. This is apparent in the Hebron, Glen Ullin, and Richardton-Taylor school districts. A qualitative case study of these communities addressed the importance of four school district consolidation issues to the area: 1) time zones differences; 2) time on a bus; 3) identifying key stakeholders; and 4) other factors as noted by respondents. Data was collected from a mail back questionnaire sent to administrators and school board members. Major findings were: 1) time zones differences were of minimal importance; 2) time spent on a bus was …

The Relationship Between Atmospheric Circulation Patterns And Water Surface Elevation In Devils Lake, North Dakota: 1965-2010, Emily Ann Knish

Theses and Dissertations

The Devils Lake Basin is a sub-basin of the larger Red River Basin located in east-central North Dakota. It is a terminal saline lake, which lacks an outlet until the lake level reaches a water surface elevation (WSE) of 1,458 ft asl (444.4 m). Lake levels have fluctuated continuously since the last glaciation, in response to natural climatic variations. The lake has risen steadily since 1993, severely affecting the infrastructure and residents living within the area. There has been much debate over whether the rising waters are caused by natural climatic variations or by the drainage of wetlands and agricultural …