Digital Commons Network^™

An Exploration Of Education Strategies In National Board Of Health And Wellness Coaching Programs, Brenna Joy Swanson

Theses and Dissertations

Health and wellness coaching (HWC) is a vital and growing profession effective in preventing and managing chronic diseases. The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) established comprehensive training guidelines to advance and uphold the field. Each NBHWC-approved program develops a unique curriculum blending education strategies with NBHWC content requirements that prepare individuals to become aspiring health and wellness coaches (HWCs). Pedagogical approaches are well studied; however, education strategies utilized in NBHWC programs and across competency categories are not widely known. Thus, this three-article dissertation provides an understanding of educational strategies used within NBHWC programs. This study aims to …

Advancing Nutrition And Dietetics Students' Preparation For Clinical Practice Through Simulation-Based Learning Experiences, Danielle Marie Villano

Theses and Dissertations

The use of Simulation-Based Learning (SBL) has increased in Nutrition and Dietetic (N&D) programs, although the research supporting its usability in N&D students is lacking. There are limited quality SBL instruments available that have been validated and tested for reliability in N&D students preparing for clinical practice. This three-article dissertation was to test the reliability of three SBL instruments for N&D students completing the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) during SBL activities. During the first phase of this study, two instruments were developed, and one instrument was modified from another SBL instrument that had been previously validated and used for nursing …

Parent’S Perspectives On The Impact Of Recurrent Otitis Media On Speech And Language Development, Andrea Rose Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the parent’s perspective on whether otitis media delayed their child’s speech and language development. It also focuses on intervention options and the parent’s relationship with their medical providers regarding intervention options for otitis media. Research has shown the importance of early intervention; however, when it comes to recurrent otitis media, many physicians require patients to express symptoms for extended periods before surgical solutions are considered (Granath, 2021). An electronic survey was distributed to parents and caregivers on various parenting Facebook pages. The study was open for one month before the research was …

Career Technical Education: Perceptions Of Medical Career Pathway Students Regarding Preparation For Post Secondary Goals, Charles Russel Dalusong

Theses and Dissertations

Career technical education (CTE) has evolved markedly over the past century to provide a viable avenue for high school students who may seek an alternative and successful academic path that leads to a well-paid future career in the workforce.Recent studies have found that Career and Technology Education can lower dropout rates among high school students (Stone and Lewis, 2012). Students that are enrolled in Career and Technical Education are exposed to a plethora of career opportunities that they may not be cognizant of. . . . (Smith, 2015, p. ii) If high-quality career and technical education (CTE) makes it possible …

Clinical Reasoning Development Following A Simulation-Based Learning Experience In Doctor Of Physical Therapy Education, Benjamin Wolden

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical Reasoning (CR) integrates thinking and decision-making in clinical practice (Huhn et al., 2019). CR is an established area of research in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) education (Musolino & Jensen, 2019; Jensen & Mostrom, 2012) and has been acknowledged as a core competency of physical therapist residency education (APTA Residency Competency Work Group, 2020). Despite the established research, the assessment of CR has emerged as a topic of importance due to the need for standardized assessment of CR in DPT education that can lead to high-quality research and implementation of evidence-informed teaching and learning (Reilly et al. 2021; Furze …

Detecting Flowering Coverage In North Dakota Right-Of-Ways For Supporting Pollinators: A Road Survey Approach, Yeqian Xu

Theses and Dissertations

Establishing and maintaining high-quality grasslands and conservation lands for pollinators can be difficult and costly. As an alternative, roadsides can provide additional forage resources. This study aims to examine the potential of roadside, road ditch, and right-of-way (ROW) land in North Dakota (ND) as alternative habitats for pollinators by quantifying the yellow flowering observed in these sites. The project encompasses a multifaceted approach to assess the viability of roadside ditches in supporting pollinator ecosystems. The research incorporates two essential components: 1) an extensive road survey through the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of ND in two consecutive summer seasons and 2) …

Examining Time Spent On Social Media And Its Effects On Mental Health In Terms Of Body Image Concerns, Self Esteem And Overall Quality Of Life Among U.S. Adults, Rigel Macarena Pinon

Theses and Dissertations

Daily exposure and dependence on computer-based technologies (smartphones) allows for 24/7 constant access to social media (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and other sites) and has empirically shown to have a positive and negative impact on the mental health of individuals across cultures in our society. Depending on user intent, exposure, and interests, social media platforms can create a sense of community; however, some of the platforms and what users post about themselves has led to cyberbullying, low self-esteem, user addiction, suicide, self-harm behaviors such as eating disorders, sexual dysfunction, and other mental health issues such as depression and …

Navigating School Restructuring In The Post-Covid Era: A Principal’S Perspective In Sustaining Organizational Health While Bridging The Academic Achievement Gap, Alma Alicia Perez-Campos

Theses and Dissertations

In 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic led to nationwide school closures, followed by a mandate for schools to reopen in 2020, posing challenges for ensuring both educational continuity and student safety. This paper presents findings from a mixed-method study involving ten campus principals in District A, South Texas, post-pandemic. Qualitatively, the study explored the principals' perspectives on restructuring their campuses to address achievement gaps while maintaining organizational health. Quantitatively, it examined the relationship between achievement and organizational health scores and any differences in organizational health pre- and post-COVID-19. The study aimed to offer insights for future …

An Exploratory Case Study Of Students’ Blended Learning Experiences During Post Emergency Learning, Heidy M. Garcia Moreno

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the integration of technology in classrooms. This has highlighted the need for a deeper understanding of how students experience these learning environments. In response, this case study explored how students experience blended learning in post emergency learning through a digital equity lens. The analysis of interview data revealed six major themes, which yielded three key findings. These findings emphasize the need to embrace a simplified approach to technology integration, refine instructional practices to effectively use technology as a supplement rather than a replacement for traditional tactile elements, while also advancing digital literacy that builds high …

Makeup Revolution: How Makeup Changed From The “Ideal Woman To The Redefinition Of The Standard Of Makeup”, Kellie Solomon

Theses and Dissertations

For women, makeup became a mask that was forced upon them and could never be taken off. A woman’s main job was to remain at home, and while this development wasn’t new at this time, it became more common. Cosmetic advertisements would make money off of every woman’s insecurities by starting at an age where they are impressionable only to sell products that may or not work. My goal with this essay was to establish a timeline of makeup’s impact on society that eventually broke down into what is more common for today’s makeup wearers. This endeavor began with women …

Investigation Of The Regional Innovation System In Rural Region Of New Jersey: A Qualitative Single Case Study, Ketan N. Gandhi

Theses and Dissertations

This single-case study investigated how a partnership between a rural community college in New Jersey and a manufacturer of emerging optics equipment reflected the “regional networked innovation system,” a type of regional innovation system (Asheim & Isaksen, 2002, p.83). The regional innovation system explains a region's development and competitiveness based on a set of actors within a region, developing specific forms of capital derived from social relations, norms, values, and interactions with the community (Doloreux & Parto, 2005).

Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness And All-Cause Mortality, Jorin Dane Larsen

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction Both elevated levels of physical activity (PA) and high cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality. The degree to which an individual's PA level and CRF status interact to influence mortality is not currently fully understood. This study investigated whether PA and CRF were independently related to all-cause mortality, and to what degree PA was associated with improved mortality risk in individuals with low CRF. Methods This is a prospective cohort study using health assessments on individuals gathered between 1975 and 2002. Health assessment data were matched with the National Death Registry to assess …

Sleep It Off? Exploring Sleep Duration And Bedtime Regularity As Potential Protective Moderators Of Early Adversity's Impact On Mental Health In Infancy, Childhood, And Adolescence, Sarah Lindsey Hipwell Kamhout

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are known to increase risk of mental health challenges throughout development, and sleep is known to decrease risk of mental health challenges. These have not been studied in tandem in younger cohorts. We investigated whether interactions between sleep duration and sleep regularity would moderate the impact of ACE exposure on risk for the development of mental health disorders. Methods: We conducted secondary cross-sectional analyses on the 2020-2021 waves of the National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) (n = 92,669). We used logistic and ordinal regression to replicate known main effects of ACEs (total, household, community, …

Type 2 Diabetes And Marital Quality Declines Moderated By Positive Health Behaviors, Rebekah Case Fankhauser

Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes affects more than one-quarter of older adults in the United States. Many older adults manage type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the context of marriage, although few studies have acknowledged the effect the illness has on marital quality. The current study examined how the presence of T2D in later life relates to marital quality, and how positive health behaviors--diet, physical activity, and sleep--can moderate the relationship between T2D and marital quality. Data from the 1,200 married older adults in the Life and Family Legacies study were used to estimate moderation models using structural equation modeling in Mplus. Results …

The Effects Of Adverse And Positive Childhood Experiences On Childhood Mental Health And Behavior Problems, Jane Grace Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic childhood events with enduring repercussions on child well-being, while positive childhood experiences (PCEs) have been identified in emerging research as capable of offsetting the effects of ACEs. However, little research investigates the combined impact of ACEs and PCEs on child outcomes, which can inform better aid for children exposed to ACEs. The purpose of this study is to address these important gaps in existing ACE literature. Using data from the National Survey of Child Health (NSCH) 2020-2021 (N = 60,809), I examine the individual and interactive effects of ACE, PCEs, and gender on childhood …

“There’S A Term For That?”: Moral Injury In K-5 Teachers, Grace Ahn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how changes in the nature of teacher work due to factors such as high-stakes accountability systems and teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to teachers’ experiences of moral injury. Understanding moral injury is important because it is an issue for teachers who remain in the profession and for those who decide to leave. Moral injury has been examined in the context of American Public Education and scholars have contributed to the growing body of moral injury in teachers. However, a review of the literature reveals the need for more empirical data to …

Visualizing Intergenerational Kinship: Humor, Grief, And Youth-Led Resurgence In Reservation Dogs, Emily Catherine Huillet

Theses and Dissertations

Audiences have been drawn to Reservation Dogs (2021-2023) because of its life-giving humor and portrayal of contemporary Indigenous realities. Yet the series truly gains its rhetorical power as the creators pair humor with intergenerational kinship to process diverse forms of unresolved grief. In fact, through narrative, the filmmakers map out processing grief and bonding through humor as healthy components of intergenerational kinship, and they position Indigenous youth as leading that balanced approach to kinship. I refer to this artistic rhetorical mapping as visual kinship mapping and I view it as a filmic manifestation of cultural mapping processes described by Leanne …

The Advancement Of Experimental And Computation Tools For The Study Of Molten Salt Chemistry To Facilitate The Extraction Of Strategic Elements In Nuclear Applications, Michael Stoddard

Theses and Dissertations

Nuclear energy presents environmental benefits, yet the challenge of radioactive waste management persists. Advanced solutions, such as Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs), require a more profound understanding of molten salt chemistry. This research aims to develop tools, including a depletion simulator, molten salt electrochemical simulator, and a fluoride-based thermodynamic reference electrode for electrochemical purification. The computationally inexpensive depletion simulator allows for exploration into extraction and processing strategies for molten salt reactors. An illustrative case study on Mo-99 production from MSRs demonstrates the practical application of the theoretical framework, emphasizing the need for optimization in extraction effectiveness and separation difficulty. The electrochemical …

Psychotherapy Outcomes Of Sexual Minority College Students: A Comparison Of Religiously-Affiliated And Non-Religiously Affiliated U.S. Universities, Elise Burton Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This study compares U.S. university counseling center therapy outcomes of Sexual Minority (SM) students who attend religiously-affiliated compared to SM peers who attend non religiously-affiliated institutions. Using archival data from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH), we examined psychotherapy outcomes of 4257 SM student clients.We analyzed pre-treatment symptoms and post-treatment outcomes based on differences in Distress Index (DI) scores. We used the reliable change index (RCI) to separate outcomes into four groups based on the change in distress index level: no change, deteriorating, reliably improved, recovered from pre-treatment to post-treatment. Our participants (n = 4257) attended 34 religiously and …

"A Ghostly Roll Of Drums Remorselessly Beat The Measure Of Life": Mrs. Ramsay's Mediation Of Time And Memory In Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse, Kirsten Walker Burningham

Theses and Dissertations

Virginia Woolf declares she was "obsessed" with her mother's presence. Though Julia Stephen died when Woolf was only thirteen, Woolf spent years negotiating her mother's astonishing influence, culminating in her novel To the Lighthouse. How does one square Woolf's obsession with her Victorian mother considering Woolf's progressive and feminist ideologies? I argue that Mrs. Ramsay--and by extension Julia Stephen--mediated time for their children as a byproduct of their role as maternal caregivers. This mediation is presented as an atmospheric quality or ambience as well as an intervention between subjective experiences and objective measures of time. The measurement and psychology of …

Reverberation Of Ecocritical Concerns In The Novels Of Kazuo Ishiguro, Bavetra S

Theses and Dissertations

Kazuo Ishiguro, one of the most celebrated contemporary writers, has authored eight novels. As a Noble Laureate of 2017, his works are constantly under academic scrutiny. One of the best-explored themes in the works of Ishiguro is memories and emotions. No writer of meritable artistic integrity can ever stay away from the pressing issue of his age. Intriguingly, Ishiguro's works seem to lack engagement with environmental issues. The extensive study of Literature reiterates the point that Ishiguro's works are explored solely for a diminished ratio in terms of environmental challenges.

The researcher has identified the lack of critical attention on …

Lingampally, Mackenzie Anne Jaggi

Theses and Dissertations

Lingampally is a multigenerational family story that follows a single mother, Amulya Goli, as she navigates raising Vasanth, her self-assured, reckless son, in the Christian faith in a small village in Hyderabad, India. Absent a father figure, Vasanth struggles to know himself and embrace his manhood. In a tumultuous series of events, Amulya's past indiscretions return demanding justice, and she must sacrifice all that she loves to ensure her family's future. She secures the funds that allow Vasanth, his wife Boomika, and their sons Nikki and Hari to emigrate to Plymouth, England in the winter of 2001 to start a …

A Qualitative Case Study: Ncaa Division Iii First-Generation Student-Athletes And Transferable Skills, Eric Brennan

Theses and Dissertations

The development of transferable skills is seen as an important factor for higher education institutions to enhance the employability of their graduates (Holmes, 2013; Tymon, 2013). An overarching purpose of the higher education system is to prepare students for their professional careers and lives. This qualitative instrumental single case study explored how first-generation student-athletes develop transferable skills through intercollegiate athletics at a public, Division III university in New Jersey. Further, it sought to understand how the university validates these transferable skills for first-generation student-athletes. Data was collected using semi-structured in-depth open-ended interviews to capture rich details from the participants related …

Automating Verification Of Bpmn Workflow Functional Correctness Using Model Checking, Bryce Mckay Pierson

Theses and Dissertations

Many critical systems industry-wide demand fail-safe process execution. Many of these systems are beginning to use low-code or no-code (LC/NC) solutions to their problems. Mechanisms for verifying the integrity of LC/NC solutions are extremely limited in comparison to traditional code. One solution exhaustively searches the execution state space for undesirable behavior, but it requires expertise in model checking and extensive manual labor. Additionally, error output from that method is exclusively text-based and demands time and familiarity to comprehend. We introduce a tool for automating model checking of LC/NC solutions. Participation in the automation process requires very little knowledge of the …

Mineral Matter Behavior During The Combustion Of Biomass And Coal Blends And Its Effect On Particulate Matter Emission, Ash Deposition, And Sulfur Dioxide Emission, Rajarshi Roy

Theses and Dissertations

Combustion of coal is one of the primary sources of electricity generation worldwide today. Coal contains different chemicals that cause particulate matter(PM) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions. These are health hazards and are responsible for deteriorating the ambient air quality. Particulate matter also forms ash deposits inside the coal combustor, which in turn decreases the energy efficiency of the power plants. Using biomass as a fuel in these utility boilers can potentially reduce the problems of particulate matter emissions and ash deposition, and can significantly reduce the SO2 emissions. However, biomass needs to be pretreated to make its properties similar …

Sagefire: An Agent-Based Model Of Heat Dynamics In Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystems During A Fire Event, Samuel Joseph Knuth

Theses and Dissertations

Context: The Great Basin in the western US features arid to semi-arid climates and sagebrush steppe ecosystems. Increased fire frequency can negatively impact these ecosystems by promoting invasive species. Agent-based modeling is a valuable tool to study fire dynamics in sagebrush steppe ecosystems, offering insights in management strategies and ecosystem resilience. Objectives: We developed SageFire, an agent-based model, to simulate heat dynamics influenced by shrub cover during fires in the Great Basin. Our objectives were to accurately classify ground cover types, incorporate classified imagery into a simulation model, and accurately visualize fire intensity based on the spatial arrangement of the …

Spatial Distribution Of Soil Nutrients And Properties As A Function Of Vegetation Distribution, Fire, And Rodent Activity, Nathan O. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Fires are becoming larger and more frequent in the deserts of North America, driven largely by the expansion of invasive annual grasses. Rodent consumers can curb invasive grass expansion through plant herbivory, but the top-down effects of this pressure on soil resources are understudied. In shrub dominated deserts, islands of fertility under shrub canopies are surrounded by nutrient poor interspace soils that dictate patterns of vegetative growth. Little is known of how top-down controls from rodents and fire may interact with fertile island topography. These studies explore the effects of fire, rodent activity, and fertile island topography on plant available …

Head Tail Open: Open Tailed Classification Of Imbalanced Document Data, Chetan Joshi

Theses and Dissertations

Deep learning models for scanned document image classification and form understand- ing have made significant progress in the last few years. High accuracy can be achieved by a model with the help of copious amounts of labelled training data for closed-world classification. However, very little work has been done in the domain of fine-grained and head-tailed(class imbalance with some classes having high numbers of data points and some having a low number of data points) open-world classification for documents. Our proposed method achieves a better classification results than the baseline of the head-tail-novel/open dataset. Our techniques include separating the head-tail …

E Afua Mai Mauga Manuia O Nu'u: Conservation From Mountains To Reefs In Tropical Pacific Islands, Tavailau T. Segi

Theses and Dissertations

Soil erosion is the main exacerbating threat to climate change impacts in tropical Pacific islands, particularly to steep and mountainous volcanic islands. The morphological features (steep and mountainous), short distance from ridge to reef, frequent storm events, extended raining season, and accelerating developments from growing populations pose serious threats to terrestrial and marine resources. Perhaps the most threatening part is the high dependency of their human populations on the land and ocean for food supplies, supporting national economies, and sustaining culture and human well-being. Locals, governments, and non-governmental organization projects are underway to improve protection and management of natural resources …

Phosphorus Soprtion Experiments: Impacts On Water Column Phosphate Concentrations In Utah Lake, Rebecca Layne Butters

Theses and Dissertations

Utah Lake, located in north-central Utah, USA, is a freshwater lake with a large surface area, shallow depth, and phosphorus-rich sediment with significant water-sediment interaction. These factors cause unique phosphorus behavior relative to other lake ecosystems, governed by sediment-water interactions. We hypothesize that benthic sediments and suspended solids act, by sorption processes, to maintain water column P concentrations that are largely insensitive to P inflows. We conducted a Phosphorus Addition Experiment to characterize sorbed P fluxes in the lake. Our experimental procedure included bench-scale laboratory experiments testing Utah Lake water and sediment with dilute and augmented P levels, as well …