Digital Commons Network^™

The Benefits Of An In-School Suspension Program, Dianne M. Hickey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop an effective in-school suspension program for the Ocean City Intermediate School students using a community based action research design. Development of an ISS program provided a positive learning environment where discipline and learning take place within the school setting. The research looked at patterns occurring in a survey given to a 10% random sampling of the 283 Intermediate School parents and 72 teachers. The study reviewed scholarly literature, existing studies, and data on the effectiveness of in-school suspension programs. Analysis of several successful in-school suspension programs resulted in a collection of effective …

Utah's Plight: A Passage Through The Great Depression, Joseph F. Darowski

Theses and Dissertations

The Great Depression marked a fateful passage in the annals of the American people. President Roosevelt's New Deal, the nation's signature response, proved to be a determined but erratic reaction. Against the backdrop of a nation deeply mired in an unrelenting international depression, dramatic events played themselves out in the lives of the men and women of Utah. Throughout, fidelity to principles of independence, self-reliance, and self-sufficiency were sorely challenged.

The people of Utah found succor in two almost diametrically opposed responses. The New Deal offered an amalgam of programs and panaceas through which the federal government attempted to deliver …

I'Ve Done My Job : Elderly North Dakotans Talk About Right Living, John J. Weber

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Motivations, Roles, Characteristics, And Power: Women Volunteer Leaders On Nonprofit Boards Of Directors, Bridget Elizabeth Lyons

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the leadership experiences of woman presidents of nonprofit agencies who are perceived as successful. Recognizing that participants' descriptions of their leadership experience are both similar and different, those similarities and differences are explored and analyzed. Commitment to the organization's mission, communicating a vision into action, fostering collaboration, and an adaptable leadership approach all contributed to the success of these female board presidents. A case study design was used to obtain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of women leaders on nonprofit boards of directors. In-depth interviewing, observations with field notes, …

Ojibway Women In Transition : The Influence Of The Church On The Traditional Roles Of Objibway Women And Its Effects On Ojibway Society, Anastasia Bowe

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Teacher's Talk : Important Qualities In Teacher-Student Relationships, Terra L. Foster

Theses and Dissertations

The specific focus of this study is to explore perceptions of teachers working with students with Emotional Behavioral Disorder (EBD) concerning effective teacher qualities, aspects of teacher-student relationships, and intervention methods

Developmental Perspective Of Adolescents Who Were Placed In Residential Care, Kim Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Utilizing A Structuration Perspective To Examine Perceptions Of Labor Market Opportunities & Constraints In A Distressed Urban Neighborhood, Sharon M. Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to understand how members of an urban extreme poverty neighborhood experience the labor market and how they perceive the role of social policies and institutions that attempt to facilitate or mediate employment opportunities.

Residents of extreme poverty neighborhoods have been the subject of numerous public policy efforts designed to ameliorate the geographic concentration of poverty as well as strategies to promote work participation based on existing theoretical models of how work participation can be induced. It is argued that the predominant theoretical models that shape inquiry and the development of policy recommendations are incomplete …

Evaluating A Day Treatment Program For Children With Serious Emotional Disorders, Nicole Lynn Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The current study used a longitudinal design to evaluate a day treatment program for children with serious emotional disorder located in Richmond, Virginia (N = 101). Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (Hodges, 1984, 1999) results were analyzed from children who had attended the program for at least six months. Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance tests indicated that children attending YDT for nine months improved their overall functioning F(2, 217) = 26.23, p = .01 as well as their functioning at school F(3,279)= 10.822, p =.01, home F(3, 244) = 6.120, p = .01, and in the community F(3, 238) …

Interorganizational Collaboration: An Examination Of Factors That Influence The Motivation For Participation In A Collaborative Partnership Of Homeless Service Providers, Jan Marva Ivery

Theses and Dissertations

This project was a mixed methods study that examined the collaboration dimensions of Homeward's planning process and the factors that motivate organizations to participate. The study examined the collaborative strategy used by an organization called Homeward located in Richmond, Virginia. Homeward is a broker organization (Chaskin, Brown, Venkatesh, & Vidal, 2001) that was created in 1998 to mediate and nurture relationships among partnering organizations in order to facilitate the collaborative process required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to receive Continuum of Care funding. During the quantitative component of the study, a survey was sent …

A Qualitative Study Of The Lived Experience Of Single, Gay Adoptive Fathers, John Daryl Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study expands the existing literature on fatherhood, single parents, and gay and lesbian adoption to include the unique experiences of single, gay men who became adoptive parents after "coming out", or establishing a gay identity. To illustrate these unique and common experiences, individual ethnographic interviews were conducted with 16 fathers residing throughout the United States, as well as internationally. Specifically, this study explored the participants' experiences through their reflections of the adoption process, and through their experiences after the family was established. The participants had experiences to those found in previous studies on gay and lesbian adoption and …

Meanings Of Security: A Constructivist Inquiry Into The Context Of Information Security Policy Development Post 9/11, Linda F. Larkin

Theses and Dissertations

Security is a term that appears to be used in a variety of ways and to have a number of meanings. In policy discussions, there may be reference to information security, national security, network security, online security, and other kinds of security. In an environment where technological innovation appears to be occurring at an ever increasing rate, policy makers look to technological experts for advice, and information security policy is developed, it seems to be important to consider these variations in meaning. This constructivist inquiry explores the context in which information security policy is developed and inquires into the meanings, …

Delinquent Recidivism And Diversion From Formal Juvenile Court Proceedings: A Cognitive Restructuring Approach, Robert James Amos Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis takes a deductive approach by formulating and testing hypotheses, derived via theoretical proposition. A history of juvenile delinquency, delinquency intervention and development of the juvenile court is also presented and discussed. Social control theory is the main perspective in this study. Social learning theory is also a relevant perspective in this thesis.

Literature in this thesis indicates delinquent intervention has failed to reduce recidivism throughout history. A more effective form of intervention needs to implemented and examined pertaining to the influence of juvenile delinquency recidivism reduction Cognitive restructuring is a popular form of intervention today, which is assumed …

Participant Perspective On The Anti-Bullying Program, Denise C. Kramer

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents parental and student perspectives on a public school system's anti-bullying curriculum used during the 2001-2002 school year. This was a qualitative study based on data from personal interviews. The subjects for this interview were three different parents and their elementary school aged children. That allowed the researcher to gain necessary information from both the parents' and students' perspective.

The role of student subjects was irrelevant (i.e., whether the student was a victim of bullying, was a bully, or observed bullying). There were three mothers and four children who participated in this study. For the 2001-2002 school years, …

A Survey Of The Effectiveness Of Mandatory Treatment For Domestic Violence Offenders, Jeanne J. Lemay

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Study In The Effectiveness Of The Three To Get Ready Program In Promoting Language Learning, Megan Crank

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to: examine the effectiveness of a trimotoric approach using the Three to Get Ready program; to assist preschool children with disabilities to understand basic concepts and increase verbalization skills. Four students between the ages of 3 and 4 ½ years old participated in this study. They were identified as preschool disabled by school district personnel using state eligibility standards, according to the state administration code (2001). All participating children had IEP objectives in expressive language and communication. They attended a public school in Southern New Jersey and were enrolled in the class for children …

Public School Counselors' Attitudes To Suicide/Suicide Intervention, Robert S. Felloney

Theses and Dissertations

Most of the research on suicide/suicide intervention has focused upon client characteristics and attitudes. Little research, especially in the school setting, has been done on counselor characteristics and attitudes as key variables in these situations. This study was done, at least partially, to help overcome the lack of research in this critical area. This study involved fifteen school counselors (school psychologists and school social workers) who were selected nonrandomly. Based upon interviews, a key finding was that school counselors who prioritize the role of suicide intervention and were more comfortable in doing this, perceived themselves as being more successful in …

A Preliminary Analysis: Children Aged Birth To Two With Asd And The Early Intervention Methodologies Of Aba, Pecs, And Floor-Time, Erin L. Boyle

Theses and Dissertations

The archival data regarding 20 children who received early intervention services from a child development center in southern New Jersey were reviewed. Each child in the study was aged 0 to 2 years, had a disorder of the autistic spectrum, and was provided treatment in the form of ABA, PECS, floor-time, or a combination of interventions. Because research on ASD and its treatment has not yet focused on children under the age of 3, the purpose of this study was to investigate which methodology of intervention is most feasible for such young children. Additional aims of the study were to …

Relationship Of Family Involvement And Functioning Among Mentally Ill Adults, Sharon A. Sabatino

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of the present study were to find a relationship between family/caregiver involvement in treatment of mentally ill adults that they care for and clients' overall Axis IV and V assessments. Support and education groups were held at Family Service in New Jersey over a six-month period. The population (n=12) came from the Hattie Tallie program at Family Service. These clients and their family members/social supports and caregivers attended meetings for six months to gain education and to support each other in dealing with clients' treatment. Global Assessment of Functioning scores (Axis V) and Severity of stressors (Axis IV) …

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 …

Factors Affecting Innovation Within Aeronautical Systems Center (Asc) Organizations - An Inductive Study, Eric D. Feil

Theses and Dissertations

In response to the Air Force transformation movement there is currently a lot of high level interest in instilling cultures that promote innovation and intelligent risk taking in Air Force organizations. This thesis analyzed data collected during the 2002 Chief of Staff of the Air Force Organizational Climate Survey to identify factors that affect innovation within Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) organizations. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify current enablers or barriers to innovation within these organizations. The first part of the study utilized multiple linear regression to identify the factors within the survey that were most related …

A Study Of Voluntary Turnover Of Air Force Officers In Critically-Manned Career Fields, Jeffrey H. S. Lin

Theses and Dissertations

Turnover in the Air Force has always been a subject of importance. As the costs associated with losing an individual are high, it would be in the best interest of an organization to understand the main reasons for voluntary turnover in order to facilitate retention. Current research has yielded the Unfolding Model of Voluntary Turnover developed by Lee, Mitchell, Holtom, McDaniel and Hill (1999), which identified 5 different paths people take as they voluntary leave organizations. This research effort tested to see if this model held true for a group of former Air Force officers from career fields experiencing low …

A Constructivist Inquiry Of Church-State Relationships For Faith-Based Organizations, Jon Eric Singletary

Theses and Dissertations

Faith-based initiatives have the potential to alter church-state relationships as they remove barriers to the public funding of human services in organizations that promote the role of values, beliefs, and other characteristics of faith. In seeking to "level the playing field" for these faith-based organizations, faith-based initiatives suggest moving away from past practices, where "religious" organizations utilized public funding for the delivery of "secular" human services, and toward the public funding support of organizations whose human service activities are based on faith in a more thoroughgoing manner.This research inquires into meanings assigned to opportunities and risks related to the public …

Effects Of Domestic Violence Exposure In Colombian Adolescents: Pathways To Violent And Prosocial Behavior, Roberto Mejia

Theses and Dissertations

A multidimensional model of associations between domestic violence exposure and risk of violence and prosocial behavior was tested in a sample of Colombian adolescents, with attention to impulsivity and substance use problems as mediators of these associations. A representative sample of 1,152 school youths and a convenience group of 148 juvenile offenders aged 11-19 years was recruited from Medellin, the second largest city in this South American country. Assessment was carried out in classrooms in the school sample and in correctional institutions for juvenile offenders. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized to test the conceptually derived models. Similarly, multisample analyses …

Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting: Behaviors, Attitudes And Beliefs Among Psychologists Regarding Current And Proposed Statutes, Angela Marie Cavett

Theses and Dissertations

Child abuse is a serious societal problem that has occurred throughout history. However, only recently has society begun to formally confront child maltreatment by requiring professionals, including psychologists, to identify children who are being abused or neglected, through formal, mandated reporting. Child abuse reports are general addressed by social workers from Social Service Departments. However, this system is not always effective. Despite the mandates to report, psychologists have chosen to not report some cases, especially cases of mild physical abuse.

Psychologists make decisions regarding whether or not to report. This study elaborates on and extends what is known about psychologists' …

Transfer Trauma Following A Community Evacuation Of The Institutionalized Elderly, Marlys J. Bratteli

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of evacuation on the institutionalized elderly following the 1996–97 Greater Grand Forks flood. Older adults, living in two long-term care facilities, were evacuated to temporary shelters. Later moved to other long-term care facilities or to the homes of family members, they experienced multiple moves. In order to learn what impact the evacuation had on the institutionalized elderly, two major questions were studied. These were: (1) What were the experiences of the institutionalized elderly during the evacuation? (2) What were the coping strategies used by the institutionalized elderly?

Data were gathered using triangulation: interviews, observation and …

The Effects Of Multicultural Factors On The Supervision Working Alliance, Derya Suzen

Theses and Dissertations

The working relationship is important in all models of supervision. Bordin’s (1983) description of the working alliance in supervision suggests one important way of looking at the supervisory relationship. The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent to which the supervisor’s and supervisee’s perception of the supervisory working alliance is related to their multicultural characteristics (age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, religion, relationship status, and physical disability) during the supervisees’ pre-doctoral internship year.

Individual participants were psychology interns and their individual supervisors recruited from APA-accredited university counseling centers through out the United States. Forty-nine intern-supervisor pairs responded during …

Differences In Levels Of Sports Team Identification And Sports Fan Motivation Among American Indian And Caucasian University Of North Dakota Students, Tami Jollie-Trottier

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure the level of spectator identification and fan motivation among University of North Dakota (UND) students. Participants consisted of 57 Northern Plains American Indian students and 90 Caucasian students. Participants completed the Sports Spectator Identification Scale (SSIS) and the Sports Fan Motivation Scale (SFMS). It was predicted that Caucasian students would report higher levels of spectator identification with UND "Fighting Sioux" athletic teams than would American Indian students. It was further hypothesized Caucasian students would be more likely to contest changing the "Fighting Sioux" nickname and logo. It was also predicted that motivation …

A Descriptive History Of The Discipline Of Athletic Training Education, Scott M. Lisher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to trace the history of athletic training education as an athletic discipline. Through careful study and research, the author presents how formal education has evolved for professionals in the field of athletic training. The roots of athletic training education can be traced to the mid-1950's. From that period, athletic training education has changed immensely and is still changing today. This research explores the relationship between the development of higher education and the way athletic training evolved as a discipline within higher education. Much of the focus is on change, not only including changes made …

Multiculturalism And The Media: Using Racially Motivated Films To Increase Attitudes About Race, Nacovin J. Norman

Theses and Dissertations

The attempt to answer the question, "Do racially motivated movies (media) affect young adolescents' attitude on multiculturalism?" was capable of yielding significant results. The study required sampling a population of seventh and eighth graders. The participants demonstrated variability in regards to ethnicity, age, social class, and level of cognitive functioning. Using the paired sample t, ANOVA and various non-parametrical tests, the answer to the question seems to correspond with the research. Therefore, using media can have a significant and an immediate effect, on not only multiculturalism, but human behavior as well.