Digital Commons Network^™

A Study To Identify Factors Associated With Readmission To A Psychiatric Hospital In Adults Attending A Partial Care Program, Tammy M. Pedrick

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify the factors which lead chronic mentally ill adults to be rehospitalized when compared to other chronic mentally ill adults, attending the same partial care program, who have not been rehospitalized. The sample included 108 subjects attending a particular partial care program. The subjects ranged between the ages of 20-80+. Each of the subjects has met the criteria for a DSM-IV diagnosis.

The researcher reviewed each of the subject's charts to determine if he/she has been readmitted to a psychiatric hospital while attending the partial care program. The subjects were then grouped accordingly …

The Effect Of The Wilson Reading Program On Spelling Skills In An Inclusive Sixth Grade Setting, Kathleen A. Dellinger

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the use of the Wilson Reading program as a method for instructing spelling rules and principles in an inclusive sixth grade setting. The subjects included eighteen sixth grade students, four special education and fourteen regular education students. Post testing results indicated that in 76% of all the students there was an increase of approximately one year in spelling ability. Two of the four special education students had an increase in age appropriate ability, with the two remaining special education students decreasing in grade equivalence.

The Predictive Validity Of The Teacher Perceiver Interview In Selecting Effective Elementary Teachers In A Mid-Sized Midwestern School District, Richard John Buresh

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze various data to determine the effectiveness of the Teacher Perceiver Interview (TPI) as a tool to assist administrators in selecting elementary teachers in a mid-sized midwestern public school district. Eight research questions asked whether there were differences (1) among TPI scores assigned by various administrators who conducted and scored the interviews, (2) between TPI scores of applicants hired and not hired, and (3) in the mean TPI scores for all applicants during the time period included in the study as well as whether there were relationships (4) between TPI scores …

Age, Sex, And Socioeconomic Status: Related Factors In Motivations For Exercise, David G. Rochholz

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were (a) to determine if age, sex, and socioeconomic status were related factors in motivations for exercise in adults who participated in planned regular physical activity/exercise (b) to ascertain the differences in motivations/reasons given for participating in planned regular physical activity/exercise, during leisure time, between the regular exerciser and the non-regular exerciser, and (c) to gather demographic data pertinent to adult males and adult females who engage in planned regular physical activity/exercise, during their leisure time, and those who do not. A sample of 692 adults who identified themselves as regular exercisers (87.4%) or nonregular …

The Link Between Perfectionism, Anxiety, And Depression With Parental Bonding As A Moderating Variable, Christen G. Herrick

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Isolated Ventricular Myocyte Contractile Function Is Depressed In Rats Fed High Fat And/Or Marginally Copper -Deficient Diets., David P. Relling

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is influenced by dietary consumption of fat while much of the population consumes a diet deficient of the trace mineral copper. Obesity and copper deficiency can alter cardiovascular function; including cardiac hypertrophy, increased myocyte lipid droplet volume, and cardiac contractile depression. Interestingly, lipotoxic dysfunction is characterized by many of the same mechanistic alterations that are observed in obesity and copper deficiency. Additionally, the sphingolipid ceramide is elevated in lipotoxic dysfunction. However, functional leptin:leptin receptor signaling prevents lipotoxic dysfunction. The purpose of my dissertation was to determine the role of a high fat and marginal copper deficient diet on cardiac …

A Taxonomy Of E-Commerce Risks And Failures, Giridharan Vilangadu Vijayaraghavan

Theses and Dissertations

Imagine being asked to test an e-commerce website. If you haven't tested one before, where would you start? What experience would you draw on? Where would you look for more information? Even very experienced testers have blind spots when they try to generate test ideas for an application that they have not tested. This thesis presents a simple outline that will help you generate test ideas and limit your blind spots. The outline is the result of about 18 months of research on classifying e-commerce related failures and risks. The result has 45 top-level categories and 700+ examples of errors …

Teachers And Parents Perception Of How Exposure Computers May Affect The Social Development Of Young Children, Jo-Anne A. Yearwood

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Changing A Medical School Curriculum: How Does It Happen?, Judith L. Rieke

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of "Ideal" Images Of Women In The Media: Differences Between College Women Living In Sorority Houses And College Women Living In Residence Halls In The Perceptions And Effects Of Media Images Of Women, Sarah J. Bernhardt

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the differences between college women living in sorority houses and college women living in residence halls in their perceptions of media images and how those perceptions are related to self-esteem, body image, and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance. One hundred thirty four college women living in either sorority houses or residence halls were placed into two groups who either viewed neutral images or those of "ideal" images of women in the media. The groups were randomly assigned and participation was voluntary. It was hypothesized that women living in sorority houses were more negatively affected by images of women …

Coping With Infertility: A Qualitative Study Of The Infertile Experience And How Others Can Help, Carolyn A. Senchuk-Lavergne

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study is to qualitatively examine the experience of infertility from the individual's perspective and how friends, family, and counselors can assist these individuals. Six individuals were surveyed about their experiences concerning their infertility. The male and female partners were surveyed individually in order to preserve the phenomenological nature of the study. Results showed that the experience of infertility was consistently identified in five domains: infertility decreases self-worth, it is all-encompassing, the downfall of treatments, angry and resentful feelings, and concern for spouse. Support systems were identified in three domains: friends/family, outside resources, and counseling. This …

The Link Between Perfectionism, Anxiety, And Depression With Parental Bonding As A Moderating Variable, Christen G. Herrick

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Study Of Higher Education In The United States And The Peoples Republic Of China 1945-1997: Purpose, Equality And Academic Freedom, Liming Zhai

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was on the similarities and differences in higher education between America and China during the period of 1945 and 1997. Two purposes of this dissertation were to identify and analyze selected themes from literature on American and Chinese higher education written during the period of 1945 to 1997 and apply the basic premise of Hutchins' theory that society determines the nature of higher education at any given time to that analysis. The selected themes were (l) purpose of Higher Education; (2) Equality of Educational Opportunity; and (3) Academic freedom. No attempt was made to validate …

Evaluation Of Custodial Staff Members, Roseanne Donnelly

Theses and Dissertations

This study of custodial evaluation forms was conducted to develop or revise the current form being used in the Mt. Holly School District. Requests for information from surrounding school districts were used to find what similar-sized schools were using and whether they were effective. The sample included eleven school districts in Burlington County, New Jersey. The requests were faxed to the selected school districts requesting they fax back a copy of their current custodial evaluation methods and any written procedures. Interviews were also chosen to get the staff's perspective. The sample included five custodians, the Business Administrator, and the Facilities …

Students' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Selective Physical Education, June Cioffi

Theses and Dissertations

Whether to require physical education for graduation has always been a topic of discussion among school officials. Engaged in the ongoing process of educational improvement, educational facilitators and curriculum coordinators increasingly are looking at physical education classes. One of the major objectives of physical education is to promote a lifelong involvement in physical activity.

Timber Creek Regional High School offers a selective physical education program to assist student performance and participation. Selective physical education is the next alternative to improving the atmosphere for students as well as serving as a driving force in keeping students on track and effectively participating …

How Can Technology Be Used To Improve Instruction And Student Learning?, Frank Corley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to research techniques for integrating technology into the curriculum in order to improve the learning of the students. This was accomplished through analyzing material submitted by the Clearview Middle School's teachers and through the research of the intern. Four different requests for technology information were distributed to the teachers. Only 10% of the teachers submitted material for the handbook. The limited amount of information received after the requests resulted in a technology questionnaire that was used to define the teachers' technology aptitudes and determine how technology was being utilized in the school. The results …

Funding And Implementing A Sixth Grade Environmental Camping Trip, Stewart Potter

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to research methods to fund a sixth grade camping trip to Mt. Misery in Browns Mills, New Jersey. The local school budget was defeated, so a group of parent volunteers formed a group called P.A.N.T.H.E.R. (Parents And Neighbors Together Helping with Educational Resources) and began to think of ways to raise $32,498.10 so their children would enjoy the same experience as those students before them. The parent committee created a distributed a survey to all of the upcoming sixth grade parents on June 10, 2002. A total of 59.3% of the surveys were returned. …

International Advertising And The Use Of The Sex Appeal: Acceptance Of Sex Appeal In China, Katie Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

China is the most populated country in the world. With a population of over a billion people, it is an attractive market to many companies. However, China has traditionally been a market that was difficult to access due to its communist government and strict regulations. In 1978, China began changing the economy from a centrally planned system to a more market-oriented economy. By 2001, "China stood as the second largest economy in the world after the U.S., measured on a purchasing power parity basis" (World Factbook, 2002). China is a strong business partner with the U.S.; 21% of China's exports …

Has Technology Created A Safer School Environment?, Mark Leung

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was two-fold. It was to determine and evaluate the effectiveness of technological advances on the maintenance operations of a school district's facilities. It was also to determine and evaluate the types, amounts, and locations of technology equipment implementations in school districts and how these implementations have affected the school environment's overall safety.

Forty-two school districts in Burlington County, New Jersey were surveyed using a questionnaire with twenty-two queries. The survey targeted Directors of Buildings and Grounds and the surveys were distributed and collected via electronic-mail or facsimile. The survey data was analyzed using the SPSS …

The Effects Of Administrative Change On School Environment, Dale H. Horner

Theses and Dissertations

Administrative change in education is inevitable. However, successful administrative change is not. Successful administrative change requires Boards of Education and the new leaders they create to think of the administrative change as a process not an isolated act. The newly created leader must clearly and consistently communicate his vision with the shareholders. He must allow the shareholders to question and respond to his vision until together they make a new vision, one which they can all embrace. He must have and effectively convey a transition plan that will bring the shareholders from the past, which they know and accept, across …

Innovative Scheduling, Brian J. Barg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop an academic schedule that was well-thought, thorough, consistent, and beneficial to students' academic achievement. The use of a block scheduling formula for the high school meant providing students and teachers with an opportunity to innovatively and creatively interact in the learning process, while using time-on-task in an efficient manner. Utilizing an innovative schedule determined how teachers used pedagogy to improve academic performance. Innovative scheduling made a contribution to scholarly research, scholarly work, student interest, and cooperative learning.

The intern reviewed research regarding the advantages of block scheduling. In order to gather input …

An Integration Approach To Character Education In The High School, Janet T. Farrell

Theses and Dissertations

Character education provides many opportunities for students to learn how to be responsible citizens in their schools and communities by developing moral and virtuous traits. However, this path to maturity seems to create many challenges for today's students. Recent events in public schools and today's society have demonstrated that society has failed to adequately help students to meet these challenges. Although blame can be placed on the family or schools, schools must address the dilemma and try to correct it. The implementation of a character education program at the high school level and the incorporation of this program into the …

Parental Involvement As A Tool To Lower Repeat Suspension Offenses, Steven W. Price

Theses and Dissertations

Parental involvement in education has been sought after for decades. The purpose of this study was to involve parents in the discipline process and thereby reduce repeat discipline offense. The intern offered the opportunity for involvement to the parents of tenth grade students who received their first out-of-school suspension. The study took place during the first semester of the 2002- 2003 school year. Parents were asked to participate in this study by answering a short survey and by discussing the incident with their child at home.

The sample population included all of the tenth grade students. A limited sample included …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Crisis Management For The Staff Of The Uptown School Complex, Michele Tourigian-Mcgettigan

Theses and Dissertations

The Uptown School Complex has a crisis management plan that needs to be reviewed, updated, and practiced by staff members. In the past year, our country has gone through radical changes with security and crisis management that also need to be addressed in our schools. The focus of this study is to ensure that all staff members are aware of the current crisis management plan and to revise and update the plan.

The purpose of this study is to provide a highly effective organizational unit for dealing with a variety of crises by evaluating the effectiveness of the current crisis …

Implementation Of A Peer Mediation Program, Darin B. Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

The study was designed to examine and describe the implementation of the peer mediation program at Ulysses S. Wiggins Elementary School. In the past few decades, with the rise of school campus violence, models of conflict resolution programs including peer mediation have rapidly increased in popularity in which students assist their peers in resolving disputes. Peer mediation at Wiggins Elementary School offered training and counseling to students who would become peer mediators to help other students manage their conflict without the use of violence. Significantly, the study was action based in its design to find out what components would be …

Designing, Implementing, And Evaluating A Homework Policy And Its Effects On Discipline At The George L. Hess Educational Complex, C. David Evangelist

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact a new homework policy would have on discipline among sixth grade students. Over the five months of the study there were an average of 346 students involved in the project. It was determined that a new homework policy would be incorporated into the already successful behavior point system, as a means to help students grow into accountable individuals. This policy would enhance our Character Education Program by promoting student responsibility and signify to the student that his/her work is similar to an employee in their work place. Without a homework …

Bully-Proofing, Kevin M. Mcgloin

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to determine if the existing Bully-Proofing Program at the Reeds Road Elementary School is working effectively. Utilizing an action research design, fifth and sixth graders completed a bully-proofing survey during the 2002-2003 academic year. This survey elicited student observations and actions of bullying within the school. Forty surveys were randomly chosen for analysis with the final research population being twenty fifth graders and twenty sixth graders (20 female/20 male). In analyzing the results, verbal bullying was responded to the most, outweighing all other forms. Another statistic is that boys were identified as bullies, more so than …

Why Do Scientists And Engineers Leave/Stay?, Jeff Burgess

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Physical Activity And Changes In Abdominal Fat Over 18 Months: A Prospective Study Of Middle-Aged Women, Lance Eric Davidson

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To investigate the extent to which changes in physical activity predict changes in abdominal fat in women over an 18-month period, while statistically controlling the effects of possible confounders, such as age, total body fat percent, and energy intake. Design: A prospective cohort design over 18 months. There was no intervention or treatment. Changes in objectively-measured physical activity were used to predict changes in abdominal fat over the study period. Subjects: 110 healthy, middle-aged women (mean: 41.3±3.3 yrs), primarily Caucasian, educated, and married. Measurements: An objective measure of physical activity (ACT) using CSA accelerometers, worn continuously for 7 consecutive …

An Analysis Of The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act And The Clinger-Cohen Act And Their Effect On Cost Overruns In Department Of Defense Contracts, Andrew K. Mosier

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the impact of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA) of 1994 and the Clinger-Cohen Act on cost overruns in Department of Defense (DoD) contracts. Many officials believe that we must change the way we do business to meet the new post-Cold War national security challenges Changing the way we do business means reforming the acquisition process to deliver weapons systems faster and cheaper. The FASA and the Clinger-Cohen Act made more changes to the acquisition process than any other policy had in the ten years preceding. This research effort studied 220 contracts completed between December 31, 1993 …