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A Descriptive Exploratory Case Study Of University Of Central Riyadh Collaboration With Public Schools In Preparing Teachers, Arwa Alazwari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive exploratory case study is to explore the collaboration between the University of Central Riyadh (UCR) (pseudonym) teacher preparation program and public schools in preparing teachers. This study was framed using the theory of social constructivism. Qualitative methodology was used to collect data by using semi-structured interviews with three university supervisors (USs), three cooperating teachers (CTs), and three preservice teachers (PSTs). All the participants were from the curriculum and instructor department at UCR. The qualitative data were thematically analyzed using NVivo software. This study found that UCR and public schools collaboration was one-directional, meaning the collaboration …

Influences Of Sentence Context And Individual Differences In Lexical Quality On Early Phonological Processing During Silent Reading, Sara Milligan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current thesis investigates the role of sentence context and individual differences in the quality of sub-lexical representations of words in activation of phonological forms during silent reading. More specifically, this study aims to determine how these situational and participant-level factors influence the use of phonology to aid word recognition during parafoveal processing, before a reader directly fixates the word. Therefore, I manipulated sentence constraint in two eye tracking during reading experiments (one using real-word and one using pseudoword parafoveal previews) that utilized the gaze-contingent boundary paradigm (Rayner 1975) and measured individual’s scores on assessments of spelling ability, phonological decoding …

Examining The Relationship Between Racial Respect Among Black Early Childhood Professionals And Their Perceptions Of Black Children, Kayla Nembhard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black children are exposed to the highest rates of negative teacher perceptions and punitive consequences. Healthy People 2020 acknowledges the significance of the first five years of child development and the various factors that promote or hinder health outcomes during this time. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of quality relationships between children and their caregivers, including their ECE teachers. Overall, Black children tend to fare better academically when they are able to engage with Black educators and other ECE professionals. However, there is recent evidence Black educators in ECE settings, specifically, also uphold racialized negative perceptions of Black students that …

The Use Of Social Media By Leaders In Times Of Crisis: 2020–21 United States Election Protests, Cagdas Yuksel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the Facebook posts made by presidential candidates Donald J. Trump and Joe Biden during the crisis that emerged after 2020 presidential election. The purpose of the study is to gain a better understanding of how crisis response is enacted via social media. This study's conceptual basis is the Social Crisis Communication Theory. The crisis, which is the focus of the study, was limited to the post-election process, which started with the allegations of Donald Trump alleged fraud in the election, after the 3 November 2020 US presidential elections, and especially to the process that resulted in the …

Prevalence And Predictors Of Careless Responding In Experience Sampling Research, Alexander J. Denison

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the current study we examine the prevalence and several predictors of careless responding to an experience sampling (ESM) study. While careless responding has been noted as a potential problem in ESM research, few studies have examined the prevalence of this behavior (Beal, 2015; Berkel et al., 2017; Eisele et al., 2020; Gabriel et al., 2019; Jaso et al., 2021). Using statistical methods of careless response classification, we derive cut scores from data simulation and graphical examination of item correlations, and flag 44.98% of response episodes as careless. A majority of these flagged episodes were the product of overly consistent …

Using A Multicomponent Intervention To Increase Appropriate Transitions To School, Laura Catalina Dimas Agudelo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

School attendance is important for the social and academic development of children. Therefore, appropriate transitions to school are a necessary skill for students. Differential reinforcement of other behaviors (DRO) is a non-intrusive procedure used to decrease undesired behaviors. Likewise, differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors (DRA) is a widely used procedure to increase appropriate alternative behaviors while reducing inappropriate behaviors. This procedure has been assessed throughout behavior analytic literature alongside other behavioral components. The use of DRA without extinction has been shown to be an effective procedure to increase appropriate behaviors and decrease disruptive behaviors without completely withholding reinforcement for behaviors …

Afro-Latinx And Afro-Latin Americans In The United States: Examining Ethnic And Racial Experiences In Higher Education, Glenda Maria Vaillant Cruz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Education research in the United States has vastly excluded Afro-Latinx and Afro-Latin American college students from the canon. Afro-Latinx and Afro-Latin American college students are presented with unique challenges and opportunities for identity exploration and development at the university level. As Schwartz, Kurtines, and Montgomery argue, higher education institutions extend emerging adulthood or the period in which individuals explore identities and develop a sense of self (Shwartz, Kurtines, and Montgomery 2005). Education research in the United States has historically centered around US-based racial formation, suggesting that Blackness and Latinness are mutually exclusive, what researchers Christopher Busey and Carolyn Silva refer …

A Theoretical Framework For Understanding Breast Cancer Survivor's Post-Treatment Lived Experiences In An Educational Program: A Qualitative Data Analysis, Katherine Jinghua Lin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent type of cancer among women and the most common cancer diagnosis for all the population in the United States. Early screening and treatment for BC have improved the prognosis for breast cancer survivors (BCSs) and increased survival rate. Current evidence showed insufficient data related to BCSs’ post-treatment symptoms, coping issues, and availability and impact of educational and support programs associated with breast cancer survivorship.

The overall purpose of this qualitative data analysis research project is to explore and identify BCSs’ perceptions (post-treatment) of physical, cognitive, and psychological symptoms experienced, as well as perceptions …

Japan’S Covid 19 Infection Rate: A Focus On Tokyo Neighborhoods, Lauren Koerner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis asks, are neighborhood demographic and economic variables connected to COVID-19 infection rates in Tokyo, Japan? I hypothesize that variation in urbanization and neighborhood demographics account for Japan’s low, though not uniform COVID-19 infection rates. This thesis applies several anthropological perspectives: The biocultural perspective because I look at epidemiology of COVID 19 considering socio-cultural, economic, and ecological factors as well as biological susceptibilities. The critical biocultural perspective because I look at how structures of power and inequality may impact health and healthcare access. Biomedical/applied anthropology, well placed to study the current epidemiologic situation of COVID 19 in Japan and …

The Use Of Acceptance And Commitment Training To Improve Teacher Interactions With Students, Taylor Raaymakers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teachers in classrooms with students who engage in challenging behavior often experience high levels of stress and may leave the profession. Few research studies have evaluated interventions to decrease teacher stress. Therefore, this study assessed the use of Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACTr) with teachers for decreasing stress and increasing positive interactions with students. The ACTr intervention consisted of both a one-time training and subsequent activities throughout the intervention phase of the study. Two self-report measures were administered during baseline and post follow-up observations. These self-report measures provided information on the levels of psychological distress the teachers were experiencing and …

Health And Friendships Of Lgbtqia+ College Students, Komal Asim Qidwai

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and Others (LGBTQIA+) college students continue to face discrimination in seeking healthcare, having to navigate lack of access, heteronormative practices and protocols, and biased attitudes, even when accessing university health services. Moreover, LGBTQIA+ college students are unlikely to be able to rely on traditional sources of support such as family, and have a need to create a sense of home, by making friends. In this thesis, I explore friendships as an avenue through which these students seek health information and knowledge. I argue that health and friendship intersect in the lives of LGBTQIA+ …

Spillover Effects In Product Customization, Samuel Babu Sekar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Product customization is increasingly being offered as consumers interact with businesses online. When consumers customize a product, they often choose from among multiple, inter-related categories. Thus, the choices made in a prior category could influence choices in later categories (spillover effect). Currently, marketers attempt to nudge consumers to choose more expensive/profitable options by preselecting these options (explicit reference). In this dissertation, I explore whether implicit references can be employed to generate a spillover effect. Implicit references are generated by arranging the options within a category in either descending or ascending price order, with descending price order favoring the selection of …

Etiology Of Sterile Intra-Amniotic Inflammation: An Exploratory Study, Zoe M. Taylor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Preterm birth is the event of spontaneous birth prior to 37 weeks of gestation. In the United States, 1 in 10 babies are born prematurely. Low gestational age has been linked with increased morbidity and mortality. Preterm birth is multifactorial, where a myriad of contributors have been identified to include inflammation, chorioamnionitis, and inflammatory conditions to include hypertension and diabetes. To further explore the role inflammation plays in low gestational age, a literature review was done using PubMed. Two classes of inflammation quickly emerged: Pathogen born intra-amniotic inflammation and Sterile intra-amniotic inflammation. The latter form of inflammation has no identifiable …

Addressing Intersectional Stigma: Lgbtq+ Individuals Living With A Mental Illness, Jennifer T. Tran

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The stigma process (i.e., stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination) has profound and lasting effects on individuals within marginalized identities. Research has indicated that lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals’ experiences of stigma have contributed to the development of mental illness. Therefore, LGBTQ+ individuals living with mental illness experience a unique and challenging type of stigma, intersectional stigma, due to identification within multiple marginalized communities. Populations most vulnerable to stigma include individuals who identify with more than one stigmatized identity, such as LGBTQ+ individuals living with mental illness. Therefore, there is a need to explore strategies to address intersectional …

Environmental Transmission Of Career Interests Through A Genetic Lens: Understanding The Confounding Around Parental Occupation, Tyler Allan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has established that parents can influence the career interests of their children through both their shared genetics and the household environment they create. However, most studies look at these parental influences in isolation either focusing on the environmental influences or the genetic influences. As such, the results of these studies fail to account for potential confounding in their results do to the nature of career interests. This study used a genetically informative twin sample to address the issue of shared genetics while looking at the measured environmental influence a parent’s occupation has on their child’s career interests. A …

Depersonalized, Dysregulated, And Demanded: The Impact Of Burnout On Appraisal And Emotional Events, Katrina M. Conen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A widely studied construct, burnout is a chronic disease that is considered to develop over time (Maslach et al., 2001). Burnout has been related to a number of pertinent outcomes including increased job turnover, decreased job satisfaction, and poor mental and physical health outcomes (Ahola, 2007). However, little work has yet to be done concerning the role burnout may play in the appraisal of work events and the subsequent psychological construction of emotional episodes. The current study addresses the tension between the chronic affective dysregulation associated with burnout and the acute construction of an emotional episode. Results support the idea …

Evaluating Behavioral Skills Training To Teach Identification Of Choking Hazards To Substitute Caregivers, Madison L. Molve

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Choking is a leading cause of mortality in children (Committee on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention, 2010). Over half of choking injuries occur due to food, and the remaining injuries involve common household objects (Chapin et al., 2013). Although studies have been conducted assessing the use of Behavioral Skills Training (BST) to teach hazard identification in substitute caregivers (Abarca, 2021), no studies have evaluated utilizing BST to identify choking hazards specifically. Thus, this study evaluated the efficacy of using BST to teach edible and non-edible choking hazard identification to substitute caregivers following guidelines from the Home Accident Prevention Inventory Revised …

Outcomes Of A Telehealth Adaptation Of A Trauma-Based Parent Training Program, Holland Hayford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 25% of children will experience a traumatic event by the age of four. If trauma symptoms remain untreated, these traumatic experiences during early childhood can negatively impact a child’s executive functioning skills, mental health, social interactions, and relational attachments to other individuals. Due to the harmful impact of untreated trauma symptoms on children’s wellbeing and development, several evidence-based interventions have been developed. One such intervention is Smart Start: Parenting Tools for Children with Developmental Delay, Social-Emotional Concerns, and Trauma (version 5), which targets children’s disruptive behaviors and trauma symptoms, caregivers’ parenting stress, and the caregiver-child relationship. This study utilized …

Mixed Method Analysis Of Undergraduate Student Interpretation Of Different Phylogenetic Trees, Faith Frings

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Phylogenetic trees are common tools used to visualize evolutionary concepts such as historical patterns of ancestry, divergence of species, and descent of species. However, students have misconceptions when reading these abstract diagrams. The purpose of this study was to compare student performance and evolutionary thinking when using two styles of phylogenetic trees: cladograms and phylograms. The study also assessed the validity of a hierarchal theoretical framework evaluating student phylogenetic tree interpretation. Introductory biology students from two research universities were assigned to two groups, one solely given assessments with phylograms, and one solely given assessments with cladograms. One-on-one student interviews were …

High School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Promoting Student Motivation And Creativity Through Career Education, Kyeonghyeon Park

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to investigate teachers’ perceptions and experiences of career education as to how career education shapes students’ intrinsic motivation and creativity in a high school in South Korea. Career education in South Korea aims to help students discover their interests, skills, aptitudes, and passions, and to help them understand what they need to achieve their goals in the future through the opportunities of various experiences. Career education can help students increase their intrinsic motivation and creativity as well as discover future occupations through various types of activities. This study was informed by two theoretical frameworks, Self-determination theory and …

Ethnic-Racial Minoritized Adolescents’ Perceptions Of Cyberhate, School Connectedness, Ethnic-Racial Identity, And Life Satisfaction, Alexis Taylor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Exposure to cyberhate has become an increasing trend across social media, with approximately 64% of adolescents reporting that they have seen hate speech (Common Sense, 2018). While social media is used to connect with others via likes, posts, and shares, it also allows for hateful content to spread quickly. Cyberhate is the intentional aggression or threat towards an individual or group based on their societal group association, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and religion (Wachs et al., 2020). Ethnic-racial minoritized adolescents who experience cyberhate as racial discrimination may be at increased risk of maladaptive psychosocial adjustment (Sellers et …

Healthcare Profession Students Of Color Participating In International Service-Learning, Ellyn Katherine Couillard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative exploratory case study investigated the healthcare profession students’ of color experience and the perceived impact of completing international service-learning (ISL). Before this study, most of the research about healthcare profession students in ISL reported had mainly White participants or reported data and findings in the aggregate. To complete this research, I performed two semi-structured interviews with each of the five participants incorporating photo-elicitation techniques. Then I performed constant comparative methods and communicated with a peer debriefer about my findings. Five participants were selected using max maximum variation based on racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, programs of study, and …

Are All Pictures Worth 1,000 Words? An Investigation Of Fit Between Graph Type And Performance On Accounting Data Analytics Tasks, Shawn Paul Granitto

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The usefulness of accounting data is directly dependent on the presentation and interpretation of the data (DeSanctis and Jarvenpaa 1989; Brown-Liburd et al. 2015; Cao et al. 2015). While both corporate accounting and public accounting have a large focus on data analytics and visualizations, accountants in both fields have reported to have minimal experience creating visualizations and observe a growing use of visualizations within their role (Krumwiede 2019; Buchheit et al. 2020; Gibson et al. 2020). Vessey (1991) finds that the appropriateness of a visualization can impact a user’s decision-making performance. Although prior studies have provided suggestions of when to …

The Maternal Oral Microbiome Throughout Pregnancy, Rebecca Koerner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to longitudinally examine the salivary microbiome during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and explore its associations amongst adverse pregnancy outcomes (preterm birth, gestational diabetes mellitus, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy), perceived stress and depression, and hair/salivary cortisol levels. The specific aims were to (1) explore the literature for studies longitudinally examining the oral microbiome during pregnancy using a scoping review guided by the Arskey and O’Malley framework; (2) to examine the salivary microbiome for changes in diversity and abundance during the second and third trimesters during pregnancy and its association with adverse …

Male Student Experiences In Community-Based Federal Work-Study (Cbfws): Exploring The Relationship Of Cbfws To Academic Performance, Career Readiness, And Social Support, Dustin Krein

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a form of student employment in postsecondary education funded by a student’s financial aid. At the University of South Florida (Tampa campus), in the Community-Based Federal Work-Study (CBFWS) program managed by the Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships (OCEP), there has been a decreasing rate of participation among its male students compared to female students. This study examined the experiences and perspectives of male students in CBFWS at USF. The study was guided by one central research question with three sub-questions: From the perspective of the male student participants, what is their CBFWS experience in relation …

Testing The Effects Of Social Exclusion On Emotional Arousal: An Examination Of The Effects Of Psychological Pain And Rumination, Amanda L. Peterson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The examination of social exclusion and its impact on future emotional responding may prove to be a fruitful area of research in the prevention of suicide. Additionally, there may be other factors (such as the experience of psychological pain and rumination) that may influence how one responds to social exclusion. However, little research has explored individual differences in reactions to social exclusion. As such, the present study explored how social exclusion influences emotional responding to other environmental stimuli, as well as examining how a history of psychological pain and rumination affected how one responds to social exclusion. 503 undergraduate students …

Complaint Patterns In Us Nursing Homes: 2013-2017, Kallol Kumar Bhattacharyya

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Complaints provide valuable information to consumers about nursing homes (NHs). Complaints that are substantiated often lead to an investigation and potentially a deficiency citation. In recent years, Nursing Home Quality data show mixed results. According to some Federal reports, one of the four data sets that measure residents’ quality of care in NHs, consumer complaints, suggest that residents’ concerns over quality have increased. In contrast, the other three datasets, i.e., deficiencies through annual recertification surveys, staffing levels, and clinical quality measures, reveal potential improvement in NH quality of services. The purpose of this dissertation is to carry out analyses of …

Boredom, Interoceptive Ability, And Emotional Eating, Erica Ahlich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emotional eating is a commonly described phenomenon reported by individuals across the weight spectrum. Not only does existing evidence suggest it is not an effective emotion regulation strategy, but emotional eating is also associated with difficulty losing weight during weight loss interventions and other negative health outcomes. The majority of existing work in the area of emotional eating has focused on the broad dimensions of negative and positive affect. Yet, there are data suggesting that different emotions appear to produce different changes in eating behaviors, suggesting the importance of investigating the influence of discrete emotions on eating. The lack of …

Mental Health And The Effects Of Stress And Violence On Migrant Farmworker Communities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Russell Rice Manzano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Immigrants encounter numerous vulnerabilities during the migration process and after arrival due to stressors and violence that they may experience. Many also face dangerous labor conditions, discrimination, violence, and aggressive immigration tactics in the United States. The prolonged exposure to these stressors can create suffering for these vulnerable populations, continuing to exacerbate existing inequalities.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, immigrants have also faced new challenges that often perpetuate inequities that already existed in society. Immigrants often suffer from inadequate access to healthcare, marginalization due to legal status, and fear, which was worsened during the height of …

The Multidimensional Test Anxiety Scale: A Latent Profile Analysis And An Examination Of Measurement Invariance, Gabrielle Francis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Standardized testing is an integral part of the English and American education systems. The objectives of these tests are to evaluate students, teachers, and schools. However, this evaluation has unintended consequences, one of which is test anxiety. Over the last 50 years, there has been an increase in studies on test anxiety because of the widespread use of standardized tests (Hembree, 1988; von der Embse et al., 2019). However, two areas that have seen little attention are the measurement invariance of test anxiety scales across demographic groups, and the creation of classification standards for these test anxiety scales to increase …