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Changing The Negative Behavioral And Development Outcomes To A Toxic Prenatal Environment Through Maternal Education, Angela Eileen Laughlin Lebedev

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of current education materials on changing maternal smoking attitudes. Children are affected by prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke. Although there are educational efforts to discourage pregnant women from smoking, the practice continues in a significant number of pregnancies. New materials, based on current research, were also evaluated for effectiveness. The theoretical framework for this study was adult learning theory presented by Knowles which made the assumption that an individual is shaped by environmental systems, that adult learning is affected by previous knowledge they bring to the learning and that adults …

The Free Press Vol. 40, Issue No. 10, 12-01-2008, Matt Dodge

Free Press, The

Free Press exclusive: Our interview with President Botman--“Storm of epic proportions” Botman paints bleak picture while rolling out budget cuts--USM hosts anti-hate rally--Breaking with tradition

Adolescent Religiosity, Religious Affiliation, And Premarital Predictors Of Marital Quality And Stability, Stacey Macarthur

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The influence of religiosity in adolescence on several variables that have been shown to be predictors of marital quality and stability was examined using a nationally representative sample of 3,151 youth, aged 13 to 17 years, from the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR). Religiosity was defined to incorporate multiple characteristics including religious beliefs, attitudes, participation, experiences, and identities. The effect of religious affiliation and religiosity was also examined for seven premarital predictors, which included relationship with parents, ideal age for marriage, right and wrong, academic achievement, sexual behavior, attitude toward cohabitation, and attitude toward divorce. Data were collected …

Use Of Stimulus Management Techniques To Reduce Sedentary Behaviors Of Overweight Children, Julie A. Pelletier

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An epidemic proportion of children and adolescents is currently overweight or at-risk of being overweight. This is associated with many negative outcomes, including short-term and long-term health risks, as well as increased psychosocial problems. The etiology of this problem is likely complex, though environmental factors (i.e., factors related to decreased physical activity and increased consumption of calories) have been implicated in previous research. Providing effective, easy-to-implement treatment strategies for children who are overweight or at-risk of being overweight could be helpful to reverse the current epidemic and to decrease current health care costs associated with pediatric obesity. The overall purpose …

Reported Mental Health Issues And Marital Quality: A Statewide Survey, Joseph Ruben Smart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study included a representative random sample of 886 married individuals in Utah. This sample was surveyed to discover the relationship between demographic variables, reported mental health issues, and marital quality. In addition, this study sought to discover models, using demographic variables and reported mental health issues, to predict for separate dimensions of marital quality. This survey was a replication of a study completed primarily in Oklahoma, with the addition of questions about the participants' mental health.

Spearman's rho, Pearson's R, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. The results of the study show that: religious beliefs …

Racial And Ethnic Comparison Of Migration Selectivity: Primary And Repeat Migration, Sang Lim Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purposes of this study are to examine migration disparities in primary, onward, and return migration by Hispanics, non-Hispanic black, and non-Hispanic white and to inspect the differences among the various types of migration. In addition, this study explores explanations of the migration disparities. These have been rarely studied because of a lack of proper migration data. This research employs the National Longitudinal Study of Youth (NLSY79) for a logistic regression of primary migration and for a hierarchical generalized linear model (HGLM) of the two types of repeat migration, namely onward and return. The results demonstrate that whites are more …

Lessons In Humanity: A Memoir, Chelsi Joy Sutton-Linderman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the opening pages of his work, Dog Years; A Memoir, Mark Doty explains: Love for a wordless creature, once it takes hold, is an enchantment, and the enchanted speak, famously, in private mutterings, cryptic riddles, or gibberish. This is why I shouldn't be writing anything about the two dogs that have been such presences for sixteen years of my life. How on earth could I stand at the requisite distance to say anything that might matter? (1)

In this thesis I argue that Doty, among other respected contemporary writers, is saying something that matters when he writes of …

Preliminary Pages, No Author

Verbum

No abstract provided.

A Meta-Analysis Of Adolescent Rampage Shootings And The Potential Interconnectivity To Gifted/Talented Children With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Meghan M. Salyers

Theses and Dissertations

On the tenth anniversary of a series of school rampage shootings in Springfield, Oregon, Littleton, Colorado, and Conyers, Georgia, the purpose of this study was to determine whether there were indications of intellectual, academic, or creative giftedness with emotional/behavioral disorders in the perpetrators. In addition, through historiographical methods, this study was designed to allow for themes to surface from the authentic writings of the adolescent shooters.

Similarities in previous research results are reported in the meta-analysis, and categories derived from my analysis of the writings of Kip Kinkel, Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, and T.J. Solomon are indicated in the analysis …

Examining The Perceived Benefits For Engaging In Cybersex Behavior Among College Students, Delores D. Rimington

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined college students’ cybersex use, perceived benefits of use, time spent online, and compulsive cybersex. Participants consisted of students attending Utah State University Spring semester 2007. Data were collected via an online survey, and 262 surveys were used in the correlation and regression analyses.

Results indicated that age, religion and gender are predictive of perceiving more benefits for cybersex participation. A strong positive correlation was found between perceived benefits and compulsive cybersex use. Students’ lack of social skills was predictive of more time spent online. Time spent online for cybersex was predictive of sexually compulsive behavior. There was …

The Effects Of Interactive Writing Instruction On Kindergarten Students' Acquisition Of Early Reading Skills, Cindy D. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study focused upon the established importance of the reading-writing relationship and its posited effect on literacy development. A repeated-measures experimental design investigated the effects of interactive writing instruction on 151 kindergarten students’ acquisition of early reading skills. Multilevel modeling was used to evaluate the impact of the reading-writing relationship as operationalized with interactive writing and writing workshop on the acquisition of early reading skills as repeated outcome measures at four points in time (Level 1) were clustered within students (Level 2). Results of this study indicated that instruction grounded in the reading-writing relationship, namely, interactive writing and writers’ workshop …

Employers' Perceptions Of Utah State University's Marriage And Family Therapy Program Requirements, Blake D. Altom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of program requirements on employability of Utah State University's (USU) marriage and family therapy (MFT) program graduates, the training and employability of USU MFT graduates, and whether or not there is anything that sets these graduates apart from graduates of other MFT programs. Nineteen employers participated in this study. Twelve of these employers were known to have hired USU MFT graduates as the graduates' first employment post-graduation, and seven of the participants were considered potential employers: those who could hire MFTs in the future. Questions were asked to these participants …

Bushnell General Military Hospital And The Community Of Brigham City, Utah During World War Ii, Andrea Kaye Carter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bushnell General Military Hospital was an Army World War II hospital in Brigham City, Utah from August 1942 to June 1946. It specialized in treating amputations, maxillofacial surgery, neuropsychiatric conditions, and tropical diseases. It was also one of the first hospitals to experimentally use penicillin. Bushnell was a regional facility for wounded solders from the Mountain States that provided quality medical care to patients. The community of Brigham City and the citizens of other Northern Utah communities were an integral part of the success of Bushnell. Citizens donated time, supplies, and money to support the facility and to assist in …

Are Delay Discounting, Probability Discounting, Time Perception, And Time Perspective Related? A Cross-Cultural Study Among Latino And White American Students, Ana Amelia L. Baumann Neves

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study aimed to evaluate (a) the extent to which different impulsivity measures would be related to each other and to a risk taking measure, (b) the extent to which impulsivity, risk taking, time perception and time perspective are related to each other, and (c) the extent to which these processes differ in Latino and White American students. Experiment I was conducted at Utah State University. One hundred and forty-three participants were exposed to the delay discounting, probability discounting and temporal bisection procedures, and answered the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI). Results showed …

Qualitative Case Study Methodology: Study Design And Implementation For Novice Researchers, Pamela Baxter, Susan Jack

The Qualitative Report

Qualitative case study methodology provides tools for researchers to study complex phenomena within their contexts. When the approach is applied correctly, it becomes a valuable method for health science research to develop theory, evaluate programs, and develop interventions. The purpose of this paper is to guide the novice researcher in identifying the key elements for designing and implementing qualitative case study research projects. An overview of the types of case study designs is provided along with general recommendations for writing the research questions, developing propositions, determining the “case” under study, binding the case and a discussion of data sources and …

Dimensions Of Genocide: The Circumplex Model Meets Violentization Theory, Mark A. Winton

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this study is to examine the use of Olson’s (1995, 2000) family therapy based circumplex model and Athens’ (1992, 1997, 2003) violentization theory in explaining genocide. The Rwandan genocide of 1994 is used as a case study. Published texts, including interviews with perpetrators, research reports, human rights reports, and court transcripts were analyzed. The use of both theories was consistent with the data and resulted in a greater understanding of the genocide. Rwanda moved to a rigidly enmeshed society during the genocide with the perpetrators going through the violentization process. Suggestions for further research are provided.

Sensory Isolation In Flotation Tanks: Altered States Of Consciousness And Effects On Well-Being, Anette Kjellgren, Fransica Lyden, Torsten Norlander

The Qualitative Report

A qualitative analysis (The Empirical Phenomenological Psychological method) of interviews involving eight patients (depression, burn-out syndrome, and chronic pain) was carried out in order to obtain knowledge regarding the effects of flotation tank therapy. This knowledge might be helpful for both professionals and potential floaters. The analysis resulted in 21 categories, which were summarized as four themes: (a) experiences during flotation, (b) perceived effects afterwards, (c) technical details, and finally (d) the participants ́ background, motivation, and expectations. Floating was perceived as pleasant. An altered state of consciousness was induced, varying from a milder state including profound relaxation and altered …

A Qualitative Study Of The Achievement Goals Of Recreational Exercise Participants, Helen Rogers, Tony Morris, Melissa Moore

The Qualitative Report

Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for many of today’s leading causes of ill health. In-order to increase physical activity (PA) participation and information about why people engage in PA is needed. We interviewed 11 recreational exercise participants to examine their goals for participating in recreation al exercise. Our results revealed 13 first-order themes, which we reduced to seven second-order themes (personal comparison, extrinsic rewards, social, physical condition, psychological condition, mastery, and enjoyment), and two general dimensions (intrinsic and extrinsic goals). We argue that self- determination theory (SDT) of motivation provides a strong foundation for understanding the goals and …

Resurrecting Speranza: Lady Jane Wilde As The Celtic Sovereignty, Heather Lorene Tolen

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the ways in which Lady Jane Wilde, writing under the pen name of Speranza, established ethos among a poor, uneducated, Catholic populace from whom she was socially and religiously disconnected. Additionally, it raises questions as to Lady Wilde's exclusion from the roster of Irish literary voices who are commonly associated with the Irish Literary Revival, inasmuch as Lady Wilde played a critical, inceptive role in that movement. Lady Jane Wilde, mother of Oscar Wilde, was an ardent nationalist who lived in Victorian Ireland. She contributed thirty-nine poems and several essays to the Nation newspaper—a nationalist publication—under the …

The Influence Ofattribute Performance Appraisal, Emotion And Time On The Satisfaction Response Of Golf Travelers, Brian Krohn

All Dissertations

Golf travel has been shown to be a strong component of the economy for regions that rely on tourism for generating revenue (Flowers, 2006). As a reflection of the importance of this component of the tourism industry, researchers have examined the components of the golf travel experience (Petrick & Backman, 2002). One methods to examine the quality of the experiences is to examine variables such as perceived value (Hutchinson, Lai & Wang, in press), loyalty (Backman, 1991) and satisfaction (Petrick & Backman 2001, 2002b).
Consumer behavior research has looked at satisfaction as a gauge of the quality of the experience …

Effective Vr: Interplay Of Presence, Perception, Fidelity And Transfer Effects In The Development Of Inspection Training Simulators, Sajay Sadasivan

All Dissertations

Increased emphasis on aircraft inspection to ensure aviation safety has resulted in the need for a better trained workforce of aircraft maintenance personnel. Aircraft inspection is mostly visual in nature. Thus it has led to the development of computer simulators to train human inspectors performing the inspection task. However, the lack of immersion and interaction in such simulators has led to limited effectiveness and adoption. Using advances in graphics and virtual reality technology, there is an increase the sense of involvement in using these simulators. Though technology is available to provide higher levels of immersion, it is expensive. It is …

Neuropsychiatric Features Of Parkinsonian Tauopathies And Alpha-Synucleinopathies., Megan Rayne Thompson 1985-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this thesis is to determine if neuropsychiatric features can differentiate parkinsonian patients with: tauopathies from those with alpha-synucleinopathies and explore caregiver distress. Three hundred and four patients (62 with tauopathies and 242 with alpha-synucleinopathies) diagnosed according to published diagnostic criteria were evaluated using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). To control for between-group differences a subsample of 235 patients were analyzed. Patients with tauopathies had significantly higher NPI total scores, more apathy, less hallucinations, lower MMSE scores and higher UPDRS scores than those with alpha-synucleinopathies. Hallucinations and delusions …

Reluctant Gatekeepers: Influencing Factors In A Small Business Owner's Decision To Not Sponsor A Retirement Plan For Employees, Jill Mccullough

Student Scholarship

In a nation with the lowest savings rate in the industrialized world, nearly 60% of U.S. small business owners do not provide retirement plans for their more than 40 million workers. There is a dearth of formal inquiry about small business owners' perspectives of and attitudes toward retirement and the factors that motivate behavior related to it. Interviews with small business owners revealed that most are not concerned about their own retirements and are ambivalent about the retirement security of their employees. Those who have attempted to implement a plan find the process complex, intimidating and require the assistance of …

Bridging The Great Divide - Moving From Outsider To Insider: How For Profit Executives Become Effective Nonprofit Ceos, Antoinette E. La Belle

Student Scholarship

A leadership crisis in the nonprofit sector is portended by sector growth, turnover at the top and a smaller cohort of leaders coming up from behind. Crossovers from the corporate sector present an alternative source of CEO talent, but a dearth of empirical research about top executives who cross the boundaries of sector, organization, and, at times role, stymies our understanding of the transition process of for-profit to non-profit leaders. In depth interviews with U.S. nonprofit leaders--both crossover CEOs and CEOs hired from within the nonprofit sector--compared and contrasted transition experiences. Rather than significant differences between the two groups, our …

Brand Loyalty In Fast Moving Consumer Good Markets: The Role Of Bonds, Rose Leahy

Dept. of Marketing & International Business Publications

This paper examines the concept of brand loyalty in Fast Moving Consumer Good (FMCG) markets. The primary objective of the study was to explore why loyalty develops in FMCG markets from the consumers’ perspective. In addition, this study explored the consumers’ perspective on the types of bonds that exist in FMCG markets and the role of bonds in the development of brand loyalty.

The dominant conclusion arising from this study is that brand loyalty exists in FMCG markets for both cognitive and emotional reasons. Essentially this research determined that the development of brand loyalty is predicated on the development of …

Conversational Learning And Performance: Interpreting Great Strategic Conversations, Ann Kowal Smith

Student Scholarship

We interviewed seventeen successful leaders to explore their experience of effective strategic conversations yielding innovative outcomes. Although these organizational leaders uniformly espoused emergent conversation, whereby they prefer to collaborate with their teams in an experiential learning process, their conversations were primarily leader-driven directed discussions with specific outcomes in mind. Moreover, they described not single events, but multiple strategic conversations distributed over time, with varied participants and purposes. Successful strategic conversations appear to develop, over time, in a dialectic space formed by the leader's desire for authentic contributions by participants and the experience of organizational and cultural forces that inhibit emergent …

Outsider To Insider: Contrasting Routes And Transition Experiences Of New Nonprofit Leaders, Anotinette E. La Belle

Student Scholarship

A leadership crisis in the nonprofit sector is portended by sector growth, turnover at the top and a smaller cohort of leaders coming up from behind. Crossovers from the corporate sector present an alternative source of CEO talent, but a dearth of empirical research about top executives who cross the boundaries of sector, organization, and, at times role, stymies our understanding of the transition process of for-profit to non-profit leaders. In depth interviews with U.S. nonprofit leaders – both crossover CEOs and CEOs hired from within the nonprofit sector − compared and contrasted transition experiences. Rather than significant differences between …

The Relationship Between Reproducing Ownership And Sustaining Non-Profit Collaboration, Nonie Brennan

Student Scholarship

Semi-structured interviews with 21 partners of three long-standing, non-profit collaborations in the health and human services sector emphasize the role of constituents’ sense of “ownership”– and their continuous reproduction of it − on collaboration sustainability. The data suggests that enduring collaborations are characterized, on the one hand, by employee behaviors typically considered aberrant – including rule breaking and rule making – and on the other, “appreciative” participant behaviors. Findings imply non-profit governance and leadership can purposefully foster environments in which collaboration ownership can reproduce.

The Private Sector And The Questionable Role Of Social Responsibility In Securing The Nation's Infrastructure, James K. Hayes

Student Scholarship

Society faces many common challenges that the corporate sector can play a large role to help address. Security against terrorism is one such challenge and is an important pre-condition to sustainable development. Moreover, since terrorism often operates outside of the jurisdiction of state authorities, it is becoming clear that governments cannot address this issue alone. In the United States, for example, there is a large portion of the nation's infrastructure that owned by the private sector. Using data obtained from 158 survey responses from security professionals in the public and private sector, our structural equation model determined that while prior …

The Relation Between Management's Perception Of Causal Ambiguity In Firm Competencies And Firm Performance: An Empirical Examination In Chile, Richard I. Araya

Student Scholarship

Ambiguity about firm and competitor competencies and resources challenges managerial decision making − especially in developing countries where asymmetric information is higher than in the developed ones. Although a number of scholars have addressed “causal ambiguity” and its relationship with firm resources and competencies, and theorists have suggested a positive relationship between it and organizational performance, these links remain unclear. On one hand, ambiguity may protect a firm because competitors cannot easily imitate it (Alvarez & Antolin, 2005). On the other hand, causal ambiguity may impede imitation of valuable resources within the firm, limiting management ́s ability to manage resources …