Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of A Site-Specific Herbicide Application Decision Support System, Wade Alexander Givens

Theses and Dissertations

Weeds typically grow in patches across agricultural landscapes. Because of this characteristic growth pattern, it seems logical to apply herbicides site-specifically to control them. To do this effectively, methods must be identified to accurately map weed presence and make cost effective herbicide application decisions to control them. The primary objective of this research was to develop a site-specific herbicide decision support system. Additional objectives include evaluating the effects of sampling patterns and interpolation techniques for weed mapping accuracy and evaluating texture analysis for weed patch detection in row-crops. A geographic information system (GIS) extension was developed to work in conjunction …

Acceptability Of A Fruit Slush Product By Individuals That Participate In A Wellness Center, Keri Dyann Connelly

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine the consumer acceptability of fruit slushes prepared with either sucralose or sugar. Subjects (n=105) were given samples of fruit slushes and asked to complete an acceptability test and survey. The sensory characteristics measured included the overall liking of the product, flavor, texture, and color using a scale of 1=dislike extremely to 5=like extremely. Subjects? daily fruit consumption patterns and knowledge of nutrition were also solicited and analyzed. On average, there were no differences (P>0.05) in sensory characteristics between the two products. Overall, participants moderately liked both products. Flavor scores of the …

An Evaluation Of A 3d Sampling Technique And Lidar For The Determination Of Understory Vegetation Density Levels In Pine Plantations, Matthew Thomas Clarkson

Theses and Dissertations

A three dimensional sampling technique was used to compare field understory conditions in Southeastern Louisiana using a laser range finder at three height levels (0.5m, 1.0m, and 1.5m) to LiDAR generated understory conditions to determine if a relationship existed. A similar comparison was made between densitometer crown closure measurements and understory LiDAR vegetation counts. A comparison between overstory LiDAR counts and understory LiDAR counts was also performed. LiDAR and understory counts exhibited a significant linear relationship but were poorly correlated at each sample level (Level-1 R2 = 0.34 ? 0.38, Level-2 R2 = 0.36 ? 0.43). The Level-3 LiDAR slope …

The Development Of Southern Association For College Student Affairs: Setting A New Course For Success, Bobbie Jean Wescovich-Mann

Theses and Dissertations

There have been numerous studies conducted concerning how various businesses, management groups and library science organizations address the preservation of their history, the development of goals, the evaluation of those goals and how these lead to the positive development of their organization. However, to date, the researcher has been unable to locate research that has been conducted to assess how Student Affairs associations preserve their history and how they evaluate the effectiveness of their goals or even if they do evaluate their goals. Based on research conducted through in-depth interviews, review of the data raises questions regarding the way SACSA …

The Motivational Readiness To Change Leisure Time Physical Activity Behavior Of Mississippi Community College Students, Jerry Phillip Crenshaw

Theses and Dissertations

The stages of motivational readiness to change leisure time physical activity behavior of students from two Mississippi community colleges were investigated. The Stages of Motivational Readiness to Change (SMRC) model postulates that behavior change is a longitudinal process described by five stages that assess an individual?s motivational level relative to changing leisure time physical activity behavior. That is, individuals are positioned in one of the following five stages at any given point in time: (a) precontemplation (i.e., no intention to change); (b) contemplation (i.e., considering a change); (c) preparation (i.e., small changes already made toward an ultimate behavior goal); (d) …

Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption, Bmi, And Weight Perception In Women Aged 20-29 Years, Andrea Renee Komm

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol consumption and overweight in women are both becoming more prevalent in the United States. Data from NHANES 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 was collected consisting of non-pregnant women between the ages of 20 and 29 years. Variables measured were BMI, drinking occasions, drinking consumption per week, and women?s perception of their weight. Data was analyzed using chi-square in application to SUDAAN to test significance between variables. Results indicated a correlation between weight perception and drinking occasions per week (p-value 0.013). Nutrition implications suggested that individuals who were classified as overweight had more drinking occasions than individuals classified as underweight.

Religion And Remarriage Among American Women: Evidence From The National Survey Of Family Growth, Susannah Mercedes Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Divorce has been and remains a prevalent occurrence in the United States and, while rates are not increasing as they once were, it still remains an extremely common phenomenon. As of the most recent U.S. Census Bureau report on divorce and remarriage, 56% of men and 59% of women ever married have been divorced. Despite these statistics, the vast majority of Americans still value marriage as an institution. This study aims to examine the role religion plays in the propensity and timing of remarriage. Using logistic and OLS regressions, and data pooled from the 1995 and 2002 National Survey of …

Implementation Of The American School Counseling Association National Model:Readiness Level Of Mississippi School Districts Based On School Counselor Perceptions, Misty Robertson-Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The researcher examined school counselors? perceptions of the readiness level of school districts in Mississippi to implement the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Model. The researcher also addressed certain school and counselor characteristics that could be predictors of this level of readiness. The predictor variables included grade level of counselor?s school (elementary, middle, high school/vocational), number of years of counseling experience, years of experience as a classroom teacher, student-to-counselor ratio, age, race, and level of education (M.S., Ed.S., Ph.D.). The dependent variable was the school counselor?s perceived level of readiness of the school district based on their overall scores …

The Effects Of Being A Mentor On High School Students' Self-Efficacy And Communication Skills Development, Annemarie Wagner-Fehn

Theses and Dissertations

The outcome of mentoring programs on the child being mentored has been widely researched in recent years. However, little empirical research has been conducted to determine the effects that these relationships have on the person doing the mentoring. The purpose of this research was to investigate if becoming an adolescent mentor would (a) positively affect high school students' feelings of self-efficacy and (b) affect their communication skills development. Thirteen high school students from Big Brothers Big Sisters School Based Mentoring Program participated in this study. A t-test for paired samples revealed no significant differences between the pre and post …

Social Norms: Actual Versus Perceived Alcohol Consumption Of College Freshmen, Erick M. Nuñez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the actual frequency of alcohol consumption of college freshmen (n = 84) and the students residential status. The participants consisted of fifty-six resident students and twenty-eight commuter students. The frequency of alcohol consumption by students in general as perceived by the participants was also analyzed. The secondary purpose was explore a relationship between actual alcohol drinking norms and perceived alcohol drinking norms. The Campus Survey of Alcohol and Other Drug Norms were administered and analyzed using basic tables. Results demonstrated that freshmen resident students consume alcohol at a greater …

Influences Of Mothers And Dual-Career Families On The Educational Attainment Of Female College Students, Mansi Patel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand if mothers have an influence on their daughters by (a) determining if a relationship existed between the educational attainment of mothers and the level of education female college students strive to achieve and (b) verifying if female college students are more likely to come from households with working mothers and dual-career families. A sample of 50 predominantly Caucasian female college students at Rowan University were surveyed on their personal and family background. A non-parametric correlation test revealed that a significant relationship existed between the educational attainment of mothers and the aspired educational …

Health Locus Of Control Of Children With A Chronic Health Condition, Margo K. Shevchenko

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the health locus of control among a group of pediatric patients (n = 15) at Cooper University Hospital between the ages of 10 and 17 (mean age = 13.93) with chronic health conditions. The Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, form C, was used to determine whether children with a chronic health illness had an internal health locus of control (health was self-controlled) or if their health was determined by external factors, such as chance or fate or by their doctors or other people. Mean scores showed the highest health locus of …

Body Image In Middle School Students, Erin Lichtenwalner

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to investigate the body images of Middle School aged students. A population of 62 students (37 males, 25 females) was given a survey that questioned their level of body image, their practice of weight-control behaviors, and the various potential influences on these areas. The results showed that this particular population had a higher level of body image than previous studies indicate. It also showed that students at this age are engaging in weight-control behaviors. The major influences on body image and weight-control behaviors were found to be peers and the media. This research, along with previous …

The Effectiveness Of School Uniforms On Students' Academic Achievement And Overall Classroom Behavior, Bobbi Jo Adams

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to see what effect school uniforms had on students' academics and behavior. Subjects were seventh and eighth grade students, from a school which recently implemented a uniform policy for the 2006-2007 school year. Their academic and discipline records were collected from the current and previous year. Students from the previous year, who were not required to wear uniforms, were placed in the control group (n=55). Students, who were now required to wear uniforms, were placed in the experimental group (n=55). A t-test for independent samples was run on the data. No significant difference …

The Relationship Between Intrinsic/Extrinsic Religiosity And Meaning In Life, Diane Woyciechowski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the following study was to determine whether there is a significant relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity and the presence of and search for meaning in one's life. Since religion has previously been found to play a role in one's physical and mental health, the present study offers additional evidence to religion's role in the mental health field. Three measures were used to collect the data for this study, including a demographic form, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Intrinsic/ Extrinsic Religiosity Revised Scale (I/E-R). Sixty-eight students were recruited for this study, 31 males and …

Family Dynamics And Substance Use In Young Adulthood, Jonathan White

Theses and Dissertations

An investigation was conducted examining the relationship between memories of family dynamics during the participants' adolescent years and substance use during their young adulthood. To carry out this research, a sample of 118 participants (72 women and 46 men) was recruited from a small public university in southern New Jersey. Participants were required to fill-out surveys assessing their memories of their families' patterns of interpersonal interactions and substance use. The statistical analysis of the data collected through the experimental procedures revealed several significant findings. Specifically, significant negative correlations were found between quality or frequency of health family dynamics and substance …

The Effects Of Pre-Exam Exposure To Music On Test Anxiety, Samuel Parashis

Theses and Dissertations

Students (N = 39) were divided into three groups by the investigator based on a predetermined sign-up block assignment. Eleven students listened to a 7-minute compact disc audio track of Mozart's Piano Sonata K333. Thirteen listened to a 7-minute compact disc audio track of Anima's Spirit of the Southwest. Others (n = 15) sat in silence for a 7-minute period. Following the 7-minute period, all subjects attempted a logic test for 10 minutes. Next, subjects completed the Individual Test Anxiety Assessment by Samuel Parashis. A two-way Analysis of Variance, ANOVA, was conducted on the data collected from the Individual Anxiety …

The Relationship Of Locus Of Control, Assimilation/Acculturation And Academic Performance, Sandra Padró

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between locus of control, assimilation/acculturation and academic performance of a group of students in a Southern New Jersey, urban middle school. It was hypothesized that the more assimilation/acculturation of Hispanic students into the Anglo culture a more internal locus of beliefs will be demonstrated and a better academic performance. A total of 137 students participated in this study. Data was collected using a LOC survey and a SASH-Y survey. An Anova-One Way and a Two-Way Anova were used to determine the relationship of these variables. The results demonstrated a connection …

Literature Review; Culturally Competent Care For Native Americans With Mental Illness, Pamela V. Merrifield

Theses and Dissertations

There is a great n eed f or cu 1t urally competent nurse practitioners within the health care system H . . · owever, the literature 1s lacking regarding the utilization of services or the health-seeking behaviors of Native Americans with mental illness. There is increased morbidity and mortality afflicting racial and ethnic populations. Poor health of these populations may be attributed to poverty, lack of health care access, and cultural competence of health care providers (Geiger, 2001 ). As diversity increases within the general population, health care providers have a greater responsibility to become culturally competent to provide better …

The "Choral-Vocal Conflict": Explorations On An Established Problem With Offerings Of New Means For Improvement, Laura Anne Foster

Theses and Dissertations

Many students are exposed to both solo and ensemble vocal activities throughout their music education opportunities. For many years, there has been an unspoken conflict between vocal ensemble directors and private voice teachers as to the self-proclaimed, perceived importance of one practice over the other. This graduate music project will attempt to explore the ways this conflict materializes. It will outline the players in this conflict, the actions that fuel the conflict, as well as possible solutions to eliminate the "choral-vocal conflict".

A Singer's Perspective On Recruitment, Auditioning, And Vocal Technique In The Choral Program, Lindsay Patten

Theses and Dissertations

Choral singing has been a part of culture for centuries. Choirs are comprised of singers with a near endless variety of experience levels in terms of training and technique. Three problems that face directors of choirs are: 1) How to recruit and retain students for their programs, 2) How to audition and structure, and 3) How to incorporate vocal technique into the choral rehearsal. In this paper I address some suggestions for recruitment that will touch on the ideas of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations as well as the basics of group vocal technique - breathing, tone, and diction, and …

Effectiveness Of A Treatment Approach For Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder And Borderline Personality Disorder: A Case Study, Jo Anne Esfahani

Theses and Dissertations

This case study evaluates the effectiveness of psychopharmacology and psychotherapy with a focus on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the treatment of an adult female diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Comorbid Borderline Personality Disorder in a community based mental health agency. The client's psychosocial assessment is presented and the empirical treatment literature related to the client's diagnosis is reviewed. A variety of outcome measures were used. Results indicated the treatment was effective: the client experienced significant reduction in the severity of her symptoms. However, further treatment is needed to improve parenting skills, maintain healthy interpersonal relationships and to reduce residual …

Status Of Security Awareness In Business Organizations And Colleges Of Business: An Analyses Of Training And Education, Policies, And Social Engineering Testing, Glenda M. Rotvold

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is twofold. The first purpose of this study is to investigate the status of security awareness training, IT-related policies, and the use of social engineering testing in business organizations. A second purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which colleges and universities are offering security awareness topics as part of a student's coursework or daily activities, specifically in colleges of business, to help determine the level of students' security awareness exposure and preparedness for the work world.

The colleges of business study examined demographics, what topics were being covered, how often, to …

Language And Literacy Acquisition And Maintenance Of Sudanese Refugee Learners, Laverne Kingsbury

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to more fully understand the language and literacy goals and values of a linguistically diverse Southern Sudanese refugee population residing in the Upper Midwest portion of the United States. The linguistic and cultural demographics of the area's major school district changed consistently and dramatically over a twenty-year time span. Five participants who were parents of young children were interviewed for this study from a metropolitan community with a population of approximately 200,000. Fourteen percent of the English Language Learners (ELL) in the public schools were Sudanese.

Qualitative research methods included an ethnographic approach in …

A Lakota/Nakota/Dakota Model Of Oratory, Cheryl A. Long Feather

Theses and Dissertations

Lakota/Nakota/Dakota people, as well as other Native American tribal groups, did not traditionally use the established, conventional forms of oration to which most in contemporary mainstream society relate. Rather, Native-specific epistemology, ontology and axiology played a central role in forming and supporting the function of communication as well as the speaking conventions that continue to be used today. These culturally-based patterns and structures present both challenges and opportunities that have been only marginally explored in various disciplines such as education, social and behavioral science, and psychology. This body of work exists for the purpose of exploring a traditionally Native understanding …

Developing The Nurse-Patient Relationship: Revealing Its Perceived Components, Molly Nolan

Theses and Dissertations

Development of the nurse-patient relationship is the phenomenon that allows nursing care to be delivered and accepted. It is developed through interactions between professional nurse and a patient and or family. Although therapeutic communication is component of the nurse-patient relationship, further nurse-patient actions and interactions must be explored to fully understand the formation of the therapeutic relationship. The study explored the components that facilitate this relationship as perceived by the nurse and patient. The study utilized the Comforting Interaction-Relationship Model as it relates to nurse-patient actions/interactions and the perceptions that enable a therapeutic relationship to form. The implications of this …

Burnout And Hopelessness Among Nurses Working On Midwest Community Psychiatric Hospital Units, Gina M. Cook

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative descriptive study was undertaken to examine burnout and hopelessness in a sample of nurses working on Midwest co mmunity psychiatric hospital units. The literature identifies nursing as a stressful occupation; however, a very limited number of studies have examined stress in psychiatric nursing. In spite of the limited research to date, there is evidence in the literature to suggest a relationship between burnout and hopelessness in the nursing profession. The lack of consensus in the literature creates a difficulty in defining burnout; however, essential elements of burnout are consistent and clear throughout the nursing literature, including a sense …

Working Toward A Definition Of Futile Care In The United States Health Care System, Michelle Fulp

Theses and Dissertations

While end-of-life and palliative care measures are difficult subjects to address, decision-making for patients and family members becomes more complicated when there is a lack of understanding of when care is appropriate or when it is futile in nature. To date, there is no one definition of what constitutes futile care that is used by health care providers as they counsel patients and family members regarding what is appropriate care at the end-of-life. In fact, the recent debate and media coverage surrounding the Terri Schiavo case in Florida has brought this issue to a national concern. Thus the purpose of …

Intrapersonal Communication And Well-Being, James Abbott

Theses and Dissertations

This research explored the experience of self-talk (intrapersonal communication) among subjects of varying well-being, considering multiple characteristics of self-talk such as tone, content, timing, and subject awareness. The research questions were: (R1) How is intrapersonal communication used and experienced by those with higher and lower levels of self-assessed well-being? (R2) To what extent are subjects of varying well-being states aware of their intrapersonal communication?

Twenty semi-structured personal interviews were conducted with individuals of varying well-being and other characteristics such as age and occupation. The subjects ranged in age from approximately twenty-one to eighty. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and …

Changes In Student Wellness Behaviors After Enrollment In Health Advocacy Courses At Und, Shelby J. Kary

Theses and Dissertations

Peer/health advocacy programs are used in the college and university setting to promote health education for students. Carns, Carns, and Wright (1993) found 83% of colleges and universities used undergraduate students in peer education programs. According to Mellanby, Rees, and Tripp (2000), "Peer-led education may be more effective, resulting in greater positive changes in health behaviour, than adult-led interventions" (p. 543). In the spring of 2005, Dr. Alan Allery, Director of Student Health Services at the University of North Dakota (UND), envisioned implementing a peer advocacy program at UND. A review of peer/health advocacy programs at other universities revealed that …