Digital Commons Network^™

Pieces Of My Puzzle, In Search Of The Big Picture, Leann M. Haferkamp

Theses

Unavailable.

St. Louis Juvenile Rehabilitation Facilities: Current State And Future Needs, Phillip Eugene Hyslop

Theses

Juvenile crime has steadily risen in the United States over the past ten years. There appears to be no decrease in the juvenile crime rate in sight. New facilities to hold juvenile offenders are being built, but the juvenile crime rate continues to rise. Most states are passing tougher laws against juvenile offenders. Many states are certifying juveniles who commit violent crimes as adults.

Both California and Florida spend more on corrections than they spend on higher education. Other states are not far behind. The average cost of incarcerating a juvenile for one year is between $35,000 to $641 000. …

The Imperative That African-American Authors Define The Nature Of African-American Heroes In Literature: Or Uncle Tom To Jedediah West, Harry Jackson Jr.

Theses

This document will demonstrate the need for African-American authors to define the essential and fundamental characteristics, disposition and purpose of the literary heroes of African Americans by way of an analysis of the novel, Cowboy, the Saga of Jedediah West, which I wrote between 1995 and 1998. The creation of a distinct literary heroic tradition for African Americans is necessary, I contend, because the culture virtually has been deprived and devoid of literary, imaginary heroes. Because people of every culture require heroes for healthy evolution, African Americans have weighted their heroic tradition with living heroes exclusively who are accepted …

A Connection Between Eating Disorder Symptomology And Guilt Or Shame, Deborah J. Kuehnel

Theses

By their own nature Eating Disorders are very self-destructive and potentially life threatening behaviors. They are symptoms which may represent a constellation of underlying problems. This investigation explores the relation of shame-proneness and guilt-proneness to eating disorder symptomatology in a sample of 171 undergraduate women. Participants completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA). Shame was significantly and positively correlated with drive for thinness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, ineffectiveness, interpersonal distrust, lack of interoceptive awareness, asceticism, difficulties with impulse regulation, and social insecurity. Guilt was negatively or negligibly correlated with these symptoms. These two correlative findings impact …

The Relationship Of Locus Of Control To Pathological Gambling, Michelle L. King

Theses

Unavailable.

Self Esteem Of College Age Adult Children Of Alcoholics And Adult Children Of Non-Alcoholics, Diana Lynn Grissom

Theses

Research is controversial in finding the role that parental alcoholism plays on an individual's self-esteem. Some results have shown that alcoholism directly effects a person 's self-esteem whereas, other results have found family dysfunction of an alcoholic to effect self-esteem. The Children of Alcoholics Screening Test and The Self-Esteem Inventory were administered to 52 college students. No significant relationship between parental alcoholism and self-esteem was found . This finding is in agreement with most of the research on adult children of alcoholics .

A Study Of The Relationship Between Substance Abuse Treatment And Motivation, Karen A. Lathrop

Theses

The relationship between motivational level and participation in a thirty day substance abuse treatment center was examined for 22 recovering substance abusers. Participants included 22 female clients at Bridgeway Counseling Services, inc. The participants volunteered to complete the Readiness to Change Questionnaire- Alcohol, the Readiness to Change Questionnaire-Drug, and a personal data form which contained demographic questions. Where it was predicted that there would be no relationship between motivational level and participation in a thirty-day substance abuse treatment program, it was found that there was a positive relationship. That is, participation in the thirty-day substance abuse treatment program increased the …

Attention Deficit Disorder And Alcoholism, Jane A. Leonhardt

Theses

The study explored the relationship between alcoholism and attention deficit disorder (ADD) The Brown ADD Scale was given to 24 graduate students and 23 recovering alcoholics. Total Scores for the Brown ADD Scale were reported for both groups as well as scores for each of the five clusters· Activation, Attention. Effort, Affect, and Memory The recovering alcoholics reported more ADD-like behaviors than did the graduate students.

The Effects Of Initiation And Mentoring Of Adolescent Boys, Clayton J. Lessor

Theses

The effect of initiation and mentoring on adolescent boys was examined. Behavioral scales and personality types were compared. Twenty males, ages 12-17 from the Pacific Coast, formed the subject group. Adolescent males were obtained from a non-random sample in the Pacific Coast region. The subjects were given the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and the parent(s) of the participants were given the Behavioral Evaluation Scale. Both were administered before and after an initiation and mentoring weekend retreat. The parents were given a demographic survey to complete. The Eysenck scores and Behavioral Evaluation scores were the dependent variables. In order to determine if …

Can Corporate Repositioning, The Turn Around Prescription Of The 1990s, Assist Dimac Direct In Regaining The Number One Position Of Direct Response Agencies?, Krista M. Mackin

Theses

This thesis will focus on corporate repositioning within the industry of direct marketing - what is it, what it does, why it is necessary and how to develop and maintain it.

The term "corporate repositioning" is the latest on the world's number one business strategy that was first studied and developed by Al Ries and Jack Trout in their book Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind. Corporate repositioning entails more than changing a company's logo, creating images through advertising and generating hype for a company's products or services. Rather, repositioning means that a company must create a "position" in the …

Spiritual Assessment And Care Plan Development In A Long Term Care Facility, Eugene J. Neff

Theses

A healthy spirituality in the long term care resident is an important factor in holistic care. A review of literature coupled with the knowledge and experience of the author, an ordained clergy person with pastoral care training, and experience in the long term care setting, has indicated a growing need to ensure that the long term care resident's spiritual needs are properly assessed. The results of that assessment must be incorporated into the care plan. Appropriate steps must be taken to respond to surfaced needs and reinforce the areas of spiritual strength.

The purpose of this thesis will be to …

A Comparison Of Self-Esteem Scores Between African American And White Adolescent Females, Orinthia Theresa Montague

Theses

The difference in the average self esteem scores between African American and White female adolescents was the focus of this study. The subjects were adolescent females ranging from 14 to 18 years of age. The students all attended the same suburban high school. The participants were administered the Rosenberg Self Esteem Inventory. The results found no significant difference between the self esteem scores of African American and White adolescent females.

An Overview Of The Long-Term Care Industry: Current Issues And Future Considerations, Angela L. Onermaa

Theses

Americans today live longer than their parents did, often two to three decades after retirement. For many, modern medicine's gift of time is a blessing. But when independent living is no longer possible, few elderly people or their families are prepared for the confusing and emotionally wrenching world of long-term care. Despite reforms passed by Congress, nursing homes remain controversial. Moreover, they are too expensive for many people, and the federal Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs provide limited benefits for nursing home care. Although innovative alternatives to nursing homes have emerged in recent years, long-term care remains a costly and …

Characteristics And Qualities Of The Successful Entrepreneur: An Empirical Study, Pearl Farer Raskin

Theses

Entrepreneurship has become an increasingly important phenomenon for researchers and policy makers to understand. It is important for job growth, accounting for 80% of new jobs created in the United States. It is a key factor in enhancing technological innovation, productivity growth and per capita income in industrialized nations. Furthermore, it is an important career choice, accounting for roughly one tenth of the labor force at any point in time, and about one fifth of the labor force for some part of their careers (Birley 156).

Many individuals have difficulty bringing their ideas to the market and creating a new …

Assessing Attachment Levels Of Adults From Divorced And Non-Divorced Families, Kathy Lynne Rigdon

Theses

Although considerable research has recently been conducted on attachment styles as well as divorce, little attention bas been paid to the effects of divorce in relation to one· s attachment style. [n order to understand the impact of divorce on one's attachment style in the adult years of development, this research study was conducted using a measure of attachment styles and divorce issues in relation to developmental aspects of life. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of attachment styles between adults that came from divorced and non-divorced families. Participants in this study came from a mental …

Fitness To Stand Trial In Australia: The Investigation And Comparison Of Clinical Opinion And Legal Criteria, Miranda P. Hogg

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The extent to which Australian psychologists and psychiatrists are cognisant of the legal standard for Fitness to Stand Trial (FST) was investigated. 198 psychologists from The Australian Psychological Society (APS), and 125 psychiatrists from The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) responded to a survey. Psychiatrists identified a greater number of legal criteria than psychologists. This finding extended across clinicians who had experience in the evaluation of fitness to stand trial and those who did not. No difference was found between psychologists and psychiatrists for mentioning irrelevant or insufficient considerations. However, a within-group analysis revealed that the …

Extending The Reach: Exploring What It Means To Be A Parent Of A Hostel Adolescent Assisting With Their Child's Career Development : A Case Study, Julie A. Howell

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Research indicates that parents are an important influence on the career development of their children, but, that they have often been considered as an untapped resource. Rural high school aged students, who reside in metropolitan hostels, often live with their parents for less than 15 weeks per year. How do their parents contribute to their career development? This one year research explored the involvement of parents of hostel children, in the career development process of their youth. Through a case study, an analysis described what it means to be a parent of a hostel adolescent with respects to how they …

The Meaning Of Quality In Living Service Environments: An Analysis Of The Experiences Of People With Disabilities, Elderly People And Service Workers, Ruth Marquis

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of both people with disabilities and elderly people and to identify their perceptions of quality as it relates to living in a service or being supported by a service to live in the community. The study was naturalistic in design and used a phenomenological approach and inductive analysis. It involved immersion in living services for a two year period, in-depth interviews with people living and working in services and participant observation. Fifty service users between the ages of twenty-one and ninety-six, and twenty-six service workers between the ages of twenty-six …

Rural Palliative Care Nursing: A Modified Grounded Theory Study, Ruth Mcconigley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This paper presents the findings of a study of rural palliative care nurses in Western Australia. The numbers of rural centres in Western Australia offering palliative care services are increasing; however at present there is little empirical data available about the roles of the nurses involved. This study was undertaken to begin to correct this deficit. The study examines basic social processes associated with the role of rural palliative care nurses and identities issues that affect the nurses’ professional practice. A modified grounded theory approach was used to form a conceptual framework that describes rural palliative care nursing. Theoretical sampling …

Women's Perceptions Of Birth Centre Care: A Qualitative Approach, Karen Coyle

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe women's perceptions of the care they received in a birth centre, compared to their previous experiences in a hospital. Australian statistics indicate that five percent of childbearing women now choose to receive care in a birth centre setting. Clinical outcomes of birth centre care are now well documented, but there is limited empirical data about women's experiences of this model of care. Seventeen women, who had recently given birth in a birth centre, and had previously experienced care in a hospital setting, were interviewed about their care experiences. Using content analysis, …

The Experience Of Flow And Learning By Designing Interactive Multimedia Software, Leonie Ramondt

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

As computer technology is increasingly adopted in education, some students continue to have little context for its use. This is particularly true of tertiary drama education students, of whom many still remain computer illiterate. Constructivist pedagogy proposes that a learner constructs knowledge through active participation in their learning. An approach that is gaining currency which applies this principle is learning by designing. This approach was adopted for this study, with the premise that the process of designing multimedia software for their peers would not only motivate these students to use computers but could also lead to a deepening of their …

Pedagogic Approaches And Cultural Scripts: The Use Of Talk During Shared Literacy Lessons In Three Primary Two Classrooms In Singapore, Maha Sripathy

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigates the use and occurrence of talk during the implementation of the key approaches of Shared Book Reading and Class Dictated Story in three Primary Two classrooms in Singapore. These approaches are based on a constructive perspective of literacy where children make meaning from texts read with the teacher through joint exploration and connection with their respective background knowledge and experiences. Central to this joint exploration and meaning-making is the teacher-pupil talk. The occurrence and use of talk in the implementation of these approaches in three primary two classrooms was recorded, transcribed and analyzed. Teachers' and pupils' experiences …

Improving Police Officer Performance Appraisal, Leslie D. Simpson

Theses

This thesis will examine the development of American police management practices and organizational structure from its inception during the eighteenth century to the present. The organizational structure and management philosophy will be discussed concerning the influence they have on police officer performance appraisal.

Private sector business organizations have undergone monumental changes in management philosophy during the past twenty years. Most successful enterprises have shifted to a form of quality management that recognizes the benefits of employee participation in management programs. With emphasis on customer service, quality, process improvement, and human resource management American businesses are regaining their leadership role in …

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Parental Configuration In Adult Male Felony Offenders, Dawn C. Sokolik

Theses

The parental configuration of families has become a topic of increasing interest in the latter part of the twentieth century. Examination of divorce rates reveal that the structure of the family is ever-changing. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between self-esteem and criminal offenders and how the structure of one's parental influence effects criminal activity. The types of parental configurations used within this study are as follows: Mother, Father, Mother and Father, or Biological Parent and Stepparent. The self-esteem scores of offenders incarcerated in a medium-security correctional institution for both violent and non-violent offenses were sampled …

Coping Styles Of Parents With Visually Impaired Children Compared To Parents With Fully Sighted Children, Lisa Tackett

Theses

The purpose of this research study was to determine if the coping styles of parents with visually impaired children are different from the coping styles of parents with fully sighted children. These results indicated that there is no difference on coping styles with the parents with the visually impaired children and the parents with the fully sighted children.

The Influence Of Perceived Social Support On Loneliness Among Students Of Foreign Status Studying In The United States, Brian Vakoc

Theses

Loneliness is a common experience for individuals studying in foreign countries. Where cultures, communications, and social structures are unfamiliar feelings of loneliness can present a difficult component within the adjustment process. Social support has a direct influence on a person's ability to adjust to an unfamiliar environment. Feelings of loneliness experienced by a person can be attributed to that person's perception of social support. Students who are studying in the United States from abroad are subject to a multitude of unfamiliar environments that promote uncertain social supports and increased levels of loneliness. Understanding differences between cultures and their effects on …

The Relationship Between Parental Conflict And Marital Satisfaction, Sheri Ann Tonioli

Theses

This study examined the relationship between perceived parental conflict and marital satisfaction. Fifty subjects participated in this study. These participants were from the graduate counseling classes at Lindenwood College in St. Charles, Missouri and from a business office in Earth City, Missouri. These individuals were married at least one year and were between the ages of 25-40. Most of the individuals in the study were white, middle class, and college graduates. Each individual completed a demographic questionnaire, the Family Environment Scale, and the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale. The results found that there is no significant relationship between perceived parental conflict …

The Effectiveness Of Cognitive Stress Management Intervention For Customer Contact Employees, Nancy M. Rickert

Theses

The relationship between cognitive stress management interventions and an improved stress level for customer contact employees was examined . Twenty- five (25) customer contact employees were volunteer subjects of this study. Twenty-five (25) completed the pretest and posttest questionnaire (the work stress inventory) . Six (6) of the twenty-five volunteer subjects completed the pretest , participated in the cognitive stress management workshop , and the posttest. Results revealed a significant difference in reported levels of stress between the two groups of customer contact employees .

An In-Depth Look At Demographics And Psychographics To Show How Data About Consumers Have Changed To Meet The Need Of Marketers, Susan L. Sebacher

Theses

Consumers are constantly changing. The generations are aging, causing their wants and needs to change. Products are also changing. They have gone from standardized to specialized. The market for consumer goods has gone from a mass market to niche markets. As consumers' sophistication grows so does their skepticism about advertising and claims advertisers make about their products. This creates a tough environment for marketers.

Demographic information provides marketers with a profile of their customers. Demographic information includes: gender, race, age, education, income, marital status, and number of children Demographic information groups consumers into generational groups. Generational groups are designated by …

Value Engineering For The Practice Of Architecture, Husam Akoud

Theses

The practice of value engineering has become a significant factor in the construction industry during the past five decades. To value engineer a product or an item is to examine carefully its components in relation to their respective performance. Alternatives are generated to enhance functionality and reduce cost.

Techniques and methods have been developed to assist in performing a value engineering study that has a substantial impact on the final product, whether an item in a system or a building component. The different phases of value engineering are the INFORMATION, SPECULATIVE, ANALYTICAL and PROPOSAL PHASES. Each phase has its unique …