Digital Commons Network^™

A Student-Driven Approach To Reduce Bullying In Elementary School Classrooms, Jennifer Lee Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to see if a student-driven approach reduced bullying episodes in two elementary school classrooms. The subjects for this study are thirty-seven fifth grade students at the Thomas E. Bowe School in Glassboro, New Jersey. This study used two anonymous surveys, audio-taped discussions with small groups of students, students' projects and artifacts, and a teacher research journal to develop and access a student-driven approach to reduce bullying in elementary school classrooms. A qualitative and quantitative approach was utilized to analyze the data, which showed a decrease in the frequency of bullying episodes in these two …

How Can Learning Centers Be Used To Support Classroom Instruction And Promote Critical Thinking In A Kindergarten Classroom?, Amelia M. Pellegrino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how learning centers can be used in the Kindergarten classroom to support regular classroom instruction and encourage students to think critically. This qualitative study used observations, interviews, surveys, student work samples, photographs, and discussions to collect information about the effectiveness of learning centers in the classroom. Sixteen Kindergarten students participated in learning center activities planned and implemented by the researcher to examine how the learning centers related the curriculum and whether the activities encouraged students to think critically about the content. The researcher found that the Kindergarten students showed improvement in their …

Self-Esteem As A Predictor Of Treatment Outcome Among Women With Eating Disorders, Suzanne F. Plowman

Theses and Dissertations

Current empirical evidence suggests that true recovery from eating disorders is not possible without a corresponding improvement in body image and self-esteem. Ten studies in current literature evaluate this relationship between self-esteem and clinical eating disorders during inpatient treatment or during follow-up studies but do not provide both pre- (baseline) and post-treatment self-esteem scores. As a result, many questions about the nature of the relationship between eating disorders and self-esteem remain unanswered. The purpose of this study was to empirically investigate whether a comprehensive measure of self-esteem, given to women at the beginning of inpatient treatment for eating disorders, reliably …

Patterns Of Anticipatory Coarticulation In Adults And Typically Developing Children, Kurtt R. Boucher

Theses and Dissertations

Coarticulation is the kinematic and spectral overlap between adjacent sounds during speech production. Coarticulation patterns in typical adults have been well established; however, the manner in which coarticulation is developed in children is still unclear. Research has provided conflicting views, showing that children exhibit more, less, or an equal degree of coarticulation when compared to adult speakers. Considering the divergent findings present in the literature regarding coarticulation in children, the purpose of the present study is to further investigate anticipatory coarticulation in typically developing young children between the ages of three and six years. This study focuses on the acoustic …

Development Of A Notational Analysis System To Evaluate Setting Performance In Volleyball, Nina Puikkonen Mortensen

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to develop a notational analysis system to evaluate volleyball setting performance independent of the actions of the hitter and to use the data to develop a Markovian transitional matrix that would make known the probabilities of specific outcomes from each setting scenario. Setting performance was analyzed based on the sets distance from the net, height of the set, and position of the set in relation to the hitter as viewed from 13 filmed competitions of a Division I intercollegiate women's volleyball team. Data from the notation of 1353 sets were used to develop a …

An Investigation Of An After-School Science Enrichment Program, Jennifer Lyn Jamison

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate an after-school science enrichment program and its components. The study was conducted in a middle school in the Evesham Township School District located in the Burlington County region of South Jersey. The participants included sixty-one students taken from the four sessions of the science program, three teachers of the program, twenty parents of the students, and the program director. Data sources included interviews held with each of the participants, anecdotal notes recorded in a teacher research journal, and student artifacts. I found positive results in the operation of the program, because of …

Eating And Substance Use: A Comparison Of Latter-Day Saint And Non-Latter-Day Saint College Females, Monika Sandberg

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined differences between Latter-Day Saint (LDS) and non-Latter-Day Saint (non-LDS) females across six universities in the United States regarding desire to engage in substance use and eating behaviors in response to negative emotion. Additionally, this study explored differences between LDS and non-LDS females regarding body image, as well as body image differences between LDS females residing inside Utah and outside Utah. Findings suggested that non-LDS females were more likely to experience increased urges to use substances in response to negative emotion than LDS females, consistent with LDS doctrine teaching the avoidance of substance use. LDS females also did …

Utah School Psychologists: Self-Reported Reasons For Retention And Job Satisfaction, Lisa A. Dickison

Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the level of job satisfaction reported by Utah school psychologists and their reasons for staying in their profession. An existing survey was modified and distributed to 119 of the 238 licensed school psychologists in Utah to obtain information on this topic. Sixty-nine school psychologists completed and returned the questionnaire (58% return rate). Based on their feedback, the top five reasons Utah school psychologists stay in their profession were (a) feeling the success and joy of helping students, (b) counseling with students, (c) working one-on-one with students, (d) taking vacation time during summers and holidays, and (e) …

The Effects Of The Front Squat And Back Squat On Vertical Jump And Lower Body Power Index Of Division 1 Male Volleyball Players, Manu Hoani Peeni

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare effects of the front squat and back squat on vertical jump and lower body power index of division 1 male volleyball players. Eighteen NCAA Division 1 male volleyball players volunteered for this study and were assigned either to a back squat or a front squat training program group. Subjects followed the training program for 8 weeks. Counter-movement vertical jump (CMVJ) height and lower body power index were measured at 0, 4 and 8 weeks of the study. A 2x3 factorial ANOVA revealed no significant difference in CMVJ height and power index between …

Dietary Fiber Intake And Body Fat Gain: A Prospective Cohort Study Of Middle-Aged Women, Kathryn Suzanne Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine the extent to which changes in dietary fiber consumption affect weight and body fat percentage (BF%) over time. An auxiliary objective was to examine the influence of age, total caloric intake, and physical activity (PA) on the relationship between changes in fiber intake and changes in body composition over time. Design/ Subjects: Prospective cohort design with baseline and follow-up assessments 20 months apart and 252 middle-aged women (40.1±3.0 y). Diet, particularly caloric and fiber intake, was measured using 7-day weighed food records. Body fat was assessed via the Bod Pod, and PA was measured …

Selective Extraction Of Colorful Proteins Using Reverse Micelles, Loren E. Connell

Theses and Dissertations

Biotechnology is an ever expanding field of science. As the field has expanded, research into bioseparation processes has also expanded. The need for more cost effective ways to deliver products that are in high demand is greater now than ever. Bioseparation processes are a very costly part of the overall process of product development. While traditional separation process are effective, there is promise in many new techniques being developed which have the potential to lower the costs of bioseparations.

The continuous separation method of liquid-liquid extraction using reverse micelles is one such technique. While this technique has been researched in …

C-Reactive Protein Levels According To Physical Activity And Body Weight For Participants In The Coronary Health Improvement Project, Michael T. Massey

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives. Evaluate C-reactive protein (CRP) levels according to weight and physical activity. The study explored how changes in CRP were associated with baseline CRP, weight, and physical activity and changes in these variables.

Methods. A randomized controlled study design assigned 348 individuals to the intervention or control group with measurements taken at baseline, 6 weeks, and 6 months of body weight, physical activity, and serum CRP levels. Participants attended an intensive 40-hour educational course delivered over a four-week period.

Results. At baseline, CRP was negatively associated with total steps/week, and positively associated with weight, BMI, percent fat, and saturated fat …

Religion And Academic Achievement Among Adolescents, Benjamin Allen Mckune

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the association between religiosity and academic achievement among adolescents. Recent research demonstrates a positive association between religiosity and academic success. However, some studies show that this is due to family and community factors; for example, variation in levels of family capital among religious affiliates may explain this association. Yet, whether religious factors affect academic achievement among adolescents may also be due to the concordance or discordance of religiosity among parents and their children. Using two years of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) (n=8,051), I examine the association between adolescent religiosity, parent …

Paths Toward Impulsive Buying: The Effect Of Credit Use And Debt Avoidance On The Paths Between Money Attitudes And Impulsive Buying Among U.S. College Students, Jacob Prior Sybrowsky

Theses and Dissertations

Money attitudes modeled in the home are an important part of a child's economic socialization. Although not always labeled as such, earlier literature clearly addressed this type of child learning through observation, interaction, and direct familial involvement (Rettig, 1986). Families operate as one of society's most salient economic socializing agents as they provide environments conducive to human development, information networks, role models, and grants and exchanges (Rettig, 1983). The research reported here addresses the economic socialization of children and their money attitudes as emerging adults. The current study investigated the role of money attitudes (power, anxiety, and distrust) by examining …

Ground Reaction Force Differences Between Running Shoes, Racing Flats, And Distance Spikes In Runners, Suzanna Jean Logan

Theses and Dissertations

To measure the differences in ground reaction forces between running shoes, racing flats, and distance spikes, twenty intercollegiate distance runners ran across a force plate at 6.7m/s (for males) and 5.74m/s (for females) in each of the three types of shoes. In order to control for differences in foot strike, only subjects who had a heel strike were included in the data analysis (N=16). Repeated-measures ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test (p<0.05) revealed loading rate and impact peak to be significantly increased in the flats and spikes compared to running shoes. Stiffness in spikes was significantly higher than in running shoes. Stance time in spikes and flats was decreased. These results can be used to better inform competitive runners, coaches, and trainers of the risks and performance benefits when determining the frequency and duration of the use of competitive footwear in training.

Performing Particle Image Velocimetry In A Supersonic Wind Tunnel Using Carbon Dioxide As The Seed Material, Donald W. Peltier Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was performed utilizing clean seed particles generated by injecting liquid carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly into an open-circuit blowdown Mach 2.9 supersonic wind tunnel. Rapid atomization and cooling of the liquid CO₂ created a preponderance of nearly uniform and well dispersed microscopic dry ice particles which were illuminated using a frequency double Nd:YAG laser. Ample light was scattered from the flow tracers, which provided a strong signal to noise ratio. The particles completely sublimed into an innocuous gas downstream of the test section causing no side effects or problems with wind tunnel operation. A …

Acceptance Or Denial: What Matters Most In College Admissions, Lori Ann Getler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of selected college admissions officers regarding the most important criteria of a high school senior's application for admission into 4-year public undergraduate colleges and universities in New Jersey. The researcher surveyed admissions officers at eight 4-year public undergraduate colleges and universities in New Jersey. A total of 21 admissions officers participated in the survey. Participants were administered a Likert-scale survey that measured the weight given selected criteria contained in the application for admission to their institution. Surveys were statistically analyzed to determine the means, percentages and frequencies regarding the selected …

Emotional Health And Weight Gain: A Prospective Study Of Middle-Aged Women, Ann Bahr

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which risk of gaining weight or body fat is affected by emotional health in women. A secondary objective was to determine the influence of age, baseline weight and body fat, physical activity (PA), energy intake, and changes in PA and energy intake, on the relationship between emotional health and gains in weight and body fat. The study was a prospective cohort investigation over 20 months of 256 healthy, non-obese females (age: 35-45 y, BMI < 30 kg/m2). All subjects were assessed for several variables using objective measurements at baseline and again at 20 months. Emotional health was assessed using the General Well-Being Schedule. Body fat percentage was indexed using the Bod Pod. PA was measured objectively using MTI (CSA) accelerometers, and energy intake was measured using weighed, 7-day food records. The results of the study demonstrated that risk of gains in weight and body fat were no greater in depressed women compared to their counterparts. However, 171 (66.8%) subjects demonstrated less than positive (LTP) emotional health at baseline, and 37.4% of these subjects gained weight during the 20-month study. Conversely, 85 (33.2%) subjects had positive emotional health at baseline, but only 23.5% gained weight over the investigational period. With no variables controlled, women with LTP emotional health had 59% greater risk of weight gain over the study period than women with positive emotional health (RR 1.59, 95% CI = 1.04-2.44). Women with LTP emotional health were at no greater risk of gains in body fat percentage than women with positive emotional health (RR 0.96, 95% CI = 0.70-1.33). After adjusting for each potential confounder individually, risk of gaining weight or body fat did not change. However, after adjusting for all of the potential confounders simultaneously, risk of weight gain was weakened (RR 1.43, 95% CI = 0.93-2.21). These results seem to demonstrate that middle-aged women with LTP emotional health may be at increased risk of gaining weight compared to women with positive emotional health.

Leadership Issues, Concerns, And Competencies Of Senior Level Student Affairs Professionals: A Study Of A 4 Year Public University, Todd C. Brelsford

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the leadership competencies commonly exhibited by selected student affairs professionals at a 4-year public university in the northeast. To have a deeper understanding of leadership within the field of student affairs, issues and concerns were investigated using relevant leadership theories (Eddy & VanDerLinden, 2006). The study sought to close the gap in the literature base by examining a division of student affairs from the director (or equivalent positions) up to the vice president of the division.

Twenty one participants were selected because of their rank of senior level student affairs professionals at …

Cognitive And Behavioral Model Ensembles For Autonomous Virtual Characters, Jeffrey S. Whiting

Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive and behavioral models have become popular methods to create autonomous self-animating characters. Creating these models presents the following challenges: (1) Creating a cognitive or behavioral model is a time intensive and complex process that must be done by an expert programmer (2) The models are created to solve a specific problem in a given environment and because of their specific nature cannot be easily reused. Combining existing models together would allow an animator, without the need of a programmer, to create new characters in less time and would be able to leverage each model's strengths to increase the character's …

Therapists' Perceived Influence Of Language: Second Language Spanish Speaking Therapists With Native Spanish-Speaking Clients, Cameron D. Mount

Theses and Dissertations

Experiences of the bilingual client in therapy have received attention in the literature but accounts of the experience of the bilingual therapist are strikingly sparse. The purpose of this study was to focus on the bilingual therapist's perception of the impact of language on the therapeutic process. To achieve this goal, the researcher interviewed therapists who speak Spanish as a second language and work with native Spanish-speaking clients. Data analysis was completed using ethnographic research methods, which resulted in the emergence of three themes. The first theme included therapists' perceived obstacles to second-language therapy. Each of the participants in the …

Patterns Of User Activity In The Blackboard Course Management System Across All Courses In The 2004-2005 Academic Year At Brigham Young University, Michael E. Griffiths

Theses and Dissertations

The following report discusses the use of the Blackboard Course Management in terms of overall patterns of activity as recorded in the Blackboard activity database across the whole campus of Brigham Young University during the 2004-2005 academic year. The report contains a set of data represented by tables and graphs that summarize activity, or clicks, in the Blackboard system performed by students, professors, and assistants. The clicks are summarized according to a number of different categories and criteria and analyzed to show interesting patterns of activity. The report is designed to show a general campus wide summary of Blackboard activity …

Aerobic Biodegradation Of Fuel Oxygenates, Adam M. Gutshall

Theses and Dissertations

Methyl tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) is the most commonly used fuel oxygenate in the world. Its recalcitrant nature as well as its chemical properties have led to widespread groundwater contamination. Questions regarding its toxicity have spurred a search for viable oxygenate alternatives. Since biodegradability is a key indicator of a chemical’s environmental impact, this research used three different well-known methods, BOD₅, respirometry, and GC analysis, to examine the extent and rates of aerobic biodegradation of MTBE along with tert-butyl alcohol (TBA). The common fuel component toluene was added to some of the samples to determine if the presence of …

Air Mobility Command's En Route Support Infrastructure: A Construct Of Aircraft Type And Geographic Location Utilized To Assess En Route Aircraft Logistics Support, Robert D. Polomsky

Theses and Dissertations

The ability of the United States Armed Forces to maintain a global presence and rapidly project military power anywhere in the world are key factors in preserving our freedom. To accomplish the demanding task of global reach support, Air Mobility Command employs an en route support infrastructure. These en route locations provide varying levels of command, control, and communications (C3), logistics support, and aerial port functions. The goal of the en route is to minimize delays for AMC mission aircraft. However, these en route locations comprise a small percentage of the locations that AMC aircraft visit. Given the critical demand …

The Learning Space: A Study Of The Suggested Principles And Practices In Designing The Classroom Environment, Theodore J. Colanduno

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated learning space design and its suggested effect upon the learning process. The study also evaluated and compared existing classrooms in the southern New Jersey area by looking for the presence or absence of certain elements of design. Data were collected by reviewing previous research on the topic of classroom design and student achievement, and in field testing at eight educational facilities in southern New Jersey. Research has shown that the design of learning spaces has a direct influence upon students' attitudes towards learning and positive outcomes are attributed to these designs. Field testing, using a sound level …

Temporally Correlated Dirichlet Processes In Pollution Receptor Modeling, Matthew J. Heaton

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the effect of human-induced pollution on the environment is an important precursor to promoting public health and environmental stability. One aspect of understanding pollution is understanding pollution sources. Various methods have been used and developed to understand pollution sources and the amount of pollution those sources emit. Multivariate receptor modeling seeks to estimate pollution source profiles and pollution emissions from concentrations of pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) in the air. Previous approaches to multivariate receptor modeling make the following two key assumptions: (1) PM measurements are independent and (2) source profiles are constant through time. Notwithstanding these assumptions, …

Mechanisms Causing Ferric Staining In The Secondary Water System Of Brigham City, Utah, Robert Derring Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Water from Mantua reservoir has, during some years, exhibited reddish-brown staining when used by Brigham City for irrigation. I propose that seasonal fluctuations in the reservoir chemistry create an environment conducive to dissolving iron from the iron-rich sediments, which subsequently precipitate during irrigation, resulting in a staining event. These conditions are produced by chemical and biological decomposition of organic matter, coupled with isolation of the hypolimnetic waters, which results in seasonal low concentrations of dissolved oxygen in these waters. Under these specific circumstances, anaerobic conditions develop creating a geochemical environment that causes iron and manganese reduction from Fe(III) to Fe(II) …

Preretirement Process And Its Effect On The Workplace, Kathleen Frances Gallagher

Theses and Dissertations

Leaving one's employment in order to retire can result in a loss of identity, uncertainty, and stress. This predicament Will be faced by a record number of workers retiring over the next 15 years, as the largest age cohort to exist in the U.S. workforce is the Baby Boomers---those born after World War II, 1945 through 1964---Will retire. As one of the most influential age cohorts, Baby Boomers faced major shifts in the work environment within cultural, social, and technological arenas. Now 41--60 years old, the Baby Boomers Will be the first generation to retire without federally mandated retirement ages. …

The Correlation Between The Eating Attitudes Test And Body Shape Questionnaire, Maren L. Kanekoa

Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the relationship between eating attitudes and body image dissatisfaction using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ). Three cohorts of almost 2,000 undergraduate females from Brigham Young University were given the EAT and BSQ twice a year for two to four years, depending upon their year of entrance to BYU. The data collected were analyzed using correlational statistics. Results indicated that a high positive correlation between the EAT and BSQ existed across semesters and cohorts.

Pharmacokinetics Of Ultrasonically-Released, Micelle-Encapsulated Doxorubicin In The Rat Model And Its Effect On Tumor Growth, Bryant J. Staples

Theses and Dissertations

Chemotherapy is one of the most successful cancer treatments used today. Unfortunately, the amount of chemotherapy a patient can receive is limited by the associated negative side effects, such as cardiotoxicity, immune system suppression, and nephrotoxicity. Encapsulation of these drugs, Doxorubicin (DOX) in particular, in stabilized Pluronic micelles (Plurogel TM) shows success in limiting these harmful side effects. In previous studies, low-frequency ultrasound (US) has been shown, in vitro, to locally release DOX from these micelles. In this study, a novel drug delivery system involving the encapsulation of DOX in Plurogel and the release of the drug at the tumor …