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Neuropsychological Functioning And Family Environment Of Children With Attention-Defecit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Comorbid Oppositional Defiant Disorder/Conduct Disorder, M. Catherine Yeager

Theses and Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is hypothesized to be a disorder of executive functioning; however, results of studies comparing ADHD with control children using executive functioning measures are inconsistent, with some studies showing group differences while others do not. One limitation of these studies has been the failure to control for frequently occurring comorbid psychiatric conditions, such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD), in the ADHD groups. Previous studies have demonstrated that children with ADHD and comorbid CD or severe ODD perform significantly better on tests of cognitive/executive functioning when compared to children with ADHD only. Based on these …

Pain State As A Mediator In The Psychological And Behavioral Assessment Of Migraine And Tension Headache Sufferers, Jennifer L. Sippel

Theses and Dissertations

While research has suggested there is a possibility that headache assessment tools may be affected by the pain state of the individual, only one study to date has examined pain-state differences in assessment results for individuals diagnosed with a headache disorder. Holroyd, France, Nash & Hursey (1993) showed that most differences between headache sufferers and control groups on psychological symptom reports were an artifact of pain state. The present study examined the influence of headache pain state on self-reported psychological and behavioral variables. Undergraduate male and female subjects between the ages of 18 and 30 were selected based on their …

The Effect Of Cultural Affiliations On Attitudes, Beliefs, And Reactions To The Fighting Sioux Nickname Issue Between Northern Plains American Indian And Majority Culture College Students, Angela Larocque

Theses and Dissertations

The main puqjo.sc of this study was to compare the effect of cultural affiliation on altitudes, beliefs, and reactions to the Fighting Sioux Nickname and logo issue for 60 Nonhem Plains American Indian college students and 61 non-Indian college students at the University of North Dakota. Subjects completed a demographic questionnaire and the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux Nickname Attitudes, Beliefs, and Reactions (UNDFSNABR) survey. In addition, American Indian subjects completed the Nonhem Plains Bicuhuralism Inventory (NPBI), Using the Northern Plains Biculluralisin Inventory (NPBI) to identify cultural identification among American Indian participants, the hypotheses of the current study were;: …

Modeling And Analysis Of Social Networks, Robert S. Renfro Ii

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation develops new methods for the modeling and analysis of social networks. Social networks describe the complex relationships of individuals and groups in multiple overlapping contexts. Influence in a social network impacts behavior and decision making in every setting in which individuals participate. This study defines a methodology for modeling and analyzing this complex behavior using a Flow-Model representation. Multiple objectives in an influencing effort targeted at a social network are modeled using Goal Programming. Value Focused Thinking is applied to model influence and predict decisions based on the reaction of the psychological state of individuals to environmental stimuli. …

Health Conditions Associated With The Greater Grand Forks 1997 Flood Disaster: Pre- To Post-Flood Seasonal And Trend Analysis With Age And Gender Effects., Julie Waxvik Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes, are often considered uncontrollable environmental events and have been linked with mild to severe physical and psychological effects. By all accounts, natural disasters are traumatic events to those experiencing them and often have widespread and devastating impacts on health and stability. The degree that people are affected by a natural disaster has been difficult to capture. Massive flooding that occurred in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and East Grand Forks, Minnesota (spring 1997), caused evacuation of almost the entire population of both communities. Because a single health care system served both cities, a …

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus Envelope Protein Gp120: Effects On The Hepatic Growth Hormone-Insulin-Like Growth Factor Axis., Zachery Thomas Resch

Theses and Dissertations

A significant number of individuals diagnosed with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) develop AIDS wasting syndrome (AWS). In these individuals, weight loss and endocrine dysfunction has been described. We previously developed a rat model for the study of a minor subset of the AWS population described as having an apparent growth hormone (GH) deficiency (Type I AWS) using the human immunodeficiency virus (HTV) envelope protein. gpl20, as the mediator. My goal was to develop a rat model for the study of the far more common form of AWS (Type II), which is characterized by a GHresistant state. Cultured, primary hepatocytes …

The Utility Of Measures Of Attention And Situation Awareness For Quantifying Telepresence, Jennifer M. Riley

Theses and Dissertations

Telepresence is defined as the sensation of being present at a remote robot task site while physically present at a local control station. This concept has received substantial attention in the recent past as a result of hypothesized benefits of "presence" experiences on human task performance with teleoperation systems. Human factors research, however, has made little progress in establishing a relationship between the concept of telepresence and teleoperator performance. This has been attributed to the multidimensional nature of telepresence, the lack of appropriate studies to elucidate this relationship, and the lack of a valid and reliable, objective measure of telepresence. …

Evaluating Data Averaging Techniques For High Gradient Flow Fields Through Uncertainty Analysis, Boon Liang Heng

Theses and Dissertations

Experimental data from two cold airflow turbine tests were evaluated. The two tests had different, relatively high gradient flow fields at the turbine exit. The objective of the research was to evaluate data requirements, including the averaging techniques, the number of measurements, and the types of measurements needed, for high gradient flow fields. Guidelines could then be established for future tests that could allow reduction in test time and costs. An enormous amount of data was collected for both tests. These test data were then manipulated in various ways to study the effects of the averaging techniques, the number of …

A Comparison Of Three Rapid Evaluation Procedures For Pine Savanna Wetlands, Cynthia Joan Henderson

Theses and Dissertations

Inception of the Clean Water Act in 1972 resulted in regulation of activities in wetlands through Section 404. Regulatory agencies like the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) have tried to find methods to rapidly evaluate wetlands. This study compares three rapid evaluation methods, Hydrogeomorphic Approach (HGM), Wetlands Rapid Assessment Procedure (WRAP), and Wetland Evaluation System (WES), based on their scoring of a group of reference and mitigation wetland sites. Repeatability was studied by scoring a group of sites twice. The non-parametric Spearman?s correlation was used to compare the three methods. In this study, HGM was most repeatable followed by …

The Effect Of Alcohol Consumption And Alcohol Expectancy On Women's Responses To A Date Rape Analogue, Beth A. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that two factors, alcohol consumption and having a sexual assault history, increases a woman's risk of being sexually assaulted; however, the mechanism underlying this relationship is not yet fully understood. The majority of studies in this area of research have relied on self-report data or vignettes studies in which the effect of alcohol is examined by manipulating the content of the character's beverage. The purpose of present study was to better understand the effects of alcohol consumption and sexual assault history on perceptions of sexual assault by conducting a laboratory study in which 80 female participants consumed an …

An Examination Of Hangover Effects On Pilot Performance, Joanne W. Bates

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the influence of ethanol on aviation performance 10 hours after subjects finished drinking. The results of past studies concerning alcohol hangover effects are conflicting. Some studies have shown that alcohol hangovers affect complex cognitive performance, while other studies have not found effects.

One aim of the present study was to observe hangover effects after strong and medium doses of alcohol with an intervening night of sleep. Furthermore, previous research has found that use of ethanol increased variability in flying performance. This implies that hangover effects influence some pilots more than others. Therefore, this study also examined …

Examining Differences In Issues Of Spirituality Between Couples With Children And Voluntarily Childless Couples, Cheryl L. Broneck

Theses and Dissertations

The demographics of the United States are rapidly changing and the traditional nuclear family is no longer considered the norm. Alternative families such as single parents, multi generational families, bi-racial families, nonmarital cohabitation, step families, and gay families are only some of the newly acknowledged family structures emerging. In the 1970s and 1980s the decision to remain voluntarily childless by choice was also seen as an alternative family structure and was researched. Unfortunately, this population is rarely examined today though projections indicate that due to a variety of factors they will probably continue to increase in number. One consistent finding …

The Negative Halo Effect Of Oppositional Defiant Behaviors On Teacher Ratings Of Adhd: Impact Of Child Gender, David A. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored one potential reason for differences in diagnostic rates of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) between genders: teacher-based rating bias. Abikoff, Courtney and Pelham (1993) showed elementary teachers two tapes of a male child in a fourth grade classroom, then had the teachers complete ADHD and ODD rating scales. One tape depicted a normal child; another depicted a child exhibiting either ADHD or ODD behaviors. Rating comparisons from the ADHD v. ODD tapes showed biases: the ADHD tape was rated higher than the ODD tape on ADHD rating scales and lower on ODD rating scales; while the ODD tape …

Reconciliation Of Religious Beliefs And Minority Sexual Orientation, Shawn V. Macdonald

Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses the issue of how gay men and lesbians reconcile conflicts between their religious beliefs and their sexual orientation. Christian faith traditions have commonly rejected minority sexual orientations as sinful, while modem social science has identified these sexual orientations as a normal part of the variety of human experience. This study consists of structured interviews with seven participants who have sought to resolve this conflict in different ways, namely through accepting their sexual orientation and adapting their religious beliefs or through accepting their religious beliefs and seeking to change their sexual orientation. The population includes three lesbians and …

Socially Defined "Pms", Lora J. Bertelsen

Theses and Dissertations

No agreed upon definition for “PMS” exists. This study was designed to explore the conceptualizations of the expression “PMS” held by college students. It was hoped that results would inform not only assessment and treatment of premenstrual disorders, but also the debate regarding inclusion in future diagnostic and statistical manuals of the American Psychiatric Association.

Participants included 47 college students recruited from Freshman English classes at a small university in the Midwestern United States. Thirty female and 17 male participants were primarily Caucasian (43), single (36), and heterosexual (45). Each participant completed an in-class essay, an adjective checklist, and a …

Effects Of Institutionalization On Romanian Adoptees, Diane Castano

Theses and Dissertations

The overall health and well-being of Romanian adoptees has deteriorated significantly as a result of the deficient living conditions of Romanian orphanages. Several of the effects of institutionalized children include; developmental delays in speech, gross and fine motor areas, and emotional and behavioral impediments. Moreover, these children may develop mental and/or physical disabilities and an overabundance of health problems. This study reports findings from a survey completed by 38 American families with adopted children from Romania. The results of this study reflect; parents perceptions of their child's health at the time of adoption and current health status, the child's behavioral …

An Analysis Of Rowan University Fund Raising And Communication Practices, Karen D. Dunnington

Theses and Dissertations

Public colleges and universities need more income than government can provide. States now typically provide less than half the funding for public universities, like Rowan University. Alumni fund raising and other gifts bridge this gap. This study describes variables that affect donor motivation in other schools, and measures those variables among Rowan University subjects. The author applied a 16-question protocol to a purposive sample of 31. The sample was comprised of key fund raising personnel and target study subjects from students to college presidents in seven groups. Extensive individual commentary supplements the sample's small size. The major findings clearly support …

The Effect Of Grading The Work Of Fourth Grade Students In Red Ink And Their Academic Self-Esteem, Jennifer L. Walton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect on fourth grade students' academic self-esteem when marking their work in red ink versus blue or black ink. It was hypothesized that there would not be a significant difference in the academic self-esteem of fourth grade students whose work was marked in red ink, compared to their work that was marked in blue or black ink.

The study was a quasi-experimental design, examining students in a fourth grade classroom. Nineteen students participated in the study. Prior to the pretest, student work had been marked in blue or black ink for …

Recruiting And Retaining Healthcare Association Members, Ronette Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify popular techniques used to recruit and retain members for healthcare and medical associations. The author compared and contrasted three medical associations and their membership benefits to show which benefits members value most.

Related research indicated recruiting and retaining members has become increasingly competitive among healthcare and medical associations. A new-member survey was conducted for three healthcare associations. Research indicated people primarily join organizations for specialized information, but they also hope to fulfill status-seeking needs.

A successful recruiting and retaining plan involves more than attractive benefits. Members' motivational needs must be included. Based …

The Impact Extended Day Instruction Has On The Academic Achievement Of At-Risk Low Socioeconomic Students, Diane L. Worthy

Theses and Dissertations

This study determines whether students from low socio-economic backgrounds, who function poorly on tests and report cards, improved academically after increasing time for instruction, and time for working on school related tasks. Research indicates that there is a relationship between time and learning. When distinctions have been made with time allocated for instruction, time engaged in instructional activities and time spent successfully completing instructional activities, the latter of these has been found to have a direct correlation with achievement. Participants worked after school on homework with certified teachers. Factors affecting student achievement in language arts have been identified. The academic …

Amusement Park Crisis Management, Joe Costal

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis attempts to establish a benchmark for amusement park crisis management through the careful examination of two contrasting crisis response case studies.

The first study, a deadly fire at Six Flags Great Adventure, in Jackson Township, New Jersey, exemplifies the causes, components and effects of improper crisis planning. Analysis of the study closely examines all events leading to and resulting from the fire, with most content coming from the memories of professionals directly involved in the tragedy. Designations of the Six Flags case provided the basis of every amusement crisis plan written since.

The second study, a deadly boat …

Solid Phase Microextraction/Thickness-Shear Mode Resonator Determinations Of Petroleum Hydrocarbons In Water., Michelle Applebee

Theses and Dissertations

Investigations leading to the determination of petroleum hydrocarbons in water have been driven by the need to monitor components with known or suspected health risks. Compounds such as benzene and toluene, abundant in fuels, are known to be carcinogenic and genotoxic. While the effects fuels have on endocrine systems are still unknown, there is a great concern on the effects of long-term exposure to both humans and animals. Mature laboratory methods exist for the low-level determination of petroleum hydrocarbons. However, these methods require expensive instrumentation. In this project, an inexpensive, readily field portable sensor using a thickness shear mode resonator …

The Effects Of Child Diagnosis On Teachers' Judgements Of Treatment Acceptability Of Classroom Interventions., Leslie Ann Rowan

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of child diagnosis and gender on treatment acceptability. One-hundred-ninety teachers from rural schools read one of four descriptions of a child with behavior problems. The descriptions varied only in terms of the label attached to the child (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, depression, or no diagnosis). Half of the descriptions were of a male child and half were of a female child. Teachers then rated the acceptability of the treatments of positive reinforcement, timeout, and medication using the Abbreviated Acceptability Rating Profile (AARP). It was found that teachers most preferred positive reinforcement, followed …

Personality And The Use Of Coping Resources In Addicted Populations., Linda Ann Winter

Theses and Dissertations

Persons who are in recovery from addiction to alcohol or other drugs are expected to give up what is often their main coping resource: the maladaptive use of an addictive substance. Yet, typically, recovery programs do not contain a formalized stress-management component. This study examines recovering addicts' spontaneous use of adaptive coping resources, as well as exploring the connection between personality and preferred resources. Personality was assessed using the Revised NEO-Personality Inventory. The use of coping resources was assessed using the Coping Resource Inventory. In addition, participants also completed a short demographic questionnaire for exploratory analysis of possible links between …

In Search Of Benedictine Values At A Catholic University: A Historiography Of The University Of Mary., Janet Duppong Auer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the Benedictine values of respect, hospitality, community, service, prayer, and moderation as stated in the Mission Statement of the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, have been implemented over the past 40 years in student life, curriculum, and instruction. Historiographic research methods were used to identify trends that have existed over a period of time. Data were collected and analyzed for themes and commonalties. Results were discussed in relation to the review of literature. Recommendations were provided based on the results of the study. Five themes were identified …

Examining The Effects Of A Self-Esteem Program On African American Girls, Andrea Alston-Brundage

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-concept of African American girls, ages 10-15 and to implement the Zola Circle program in an attempt to enhance their self-esteem.

Two groups of girls attended the Zola Circle workshops. Both groups attended the workshops for five weeks. The girls were given the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory Test before attending the workshop and at the conclusion of the workshop. A follow-up test was given to group one five weeks after the completion of the workshop.

The Analysis of Variance test (ANOVA) was computed to assess pretest differences between the two groups participating. …

Professional Development Workshop: "Infusing Technology Into The Language Arts Curriculum" – Gateway To The 21st Century, Joy D. Carey

Theses and Dissertations

This technology action research project provided teachers with the opportunity to learn how to navigate the Internet and to enhance the Language Arts curriculum. This project was conducted in a Camden, NJ elementary, urban, Abbott school setting. This sample population was chosen from responses to a cross-sectional self-report pre-workshop interest questionnaire. Thirty-six staff members agreed to participate in the training sessions. The intern scored the results of the Likert surveys using Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint computer software. Seventy percent of the respondents to the pre-workshop interest questionnaire indicated they had inadequate knowledge of the Internet.

The post-workshop Likert questionnaire results …

The Implications Of The Financial Services Modernization Act On Life Insurance Industry Communications, Michael A. Weinberg

Theses and Dissertations

This study's purpose was to assess the effects of legislation known as The Financial Services Modernization Act on life insurance industry communicators. The November, 1999 legislation effectively broke down the barriers separating the major financial services industries in the U.S. - life insurance, banking, and securities.

An email survey of a random sample of the Life Communicators Association (LCA) U.S. membership was conducted. The LCA is a professional organization of marketing communications, advertising, and public relations professionals working for life insurance and other financial services firms. 242 surveys were emailed.

The results indicated that most of the LCA members were …

Branding For Nonprofit Organizations, Shannon Cogan

Theses and Dissertations

In the world, 546,000 nonprofit organizations all compete for the same thing: time and money. With the ease of Internet philanthropic giving, traditional nonprofit organizations must change with the times or be left in the wake. In an age of constant message bombardment, nonprofits must continually reinvent themselves to avoid getting lost in the crowd. Today, many nonprofits have found branding is the answer.

To determine the importance of nonprofit branding, the author reviewed all available literature and interviewed a senior-level manager at United Way of America. In addition, the author performed a literature review of all materials obtained from …

Alveolar Ridge Dimension Analysis Following Socket Preservation Using Clinical Assessment And Cone Beam Computed Tomography (Cbct)., Sayward Duggan

Theses and Dissertations

AIM: Extraction of a tooth can lead to alveolar ridge resorption which can be minimized by socket preservation. The aim of this study is to analyze vertical and horizontal alveolar ridge dimensions clinically and by CBCT immediately following extraction and 3-4 months following socket preservation. METHODS: The preserved group (P) consisted of 20 patients with1-2 non-molar teeth requiring extraction with socket preservation, while the control group (C) consisted of 5 patients requiring extraction alone. An acrylic stent was fabricated presurgically in order to measure vertical and horizontal ridge dimensions clinically and radiographically immediately following extraction and 3-4 months following socket …