Digital Commons Network^™

Restoring The Balance: Setting Aside Naturalism In Favor Of Personhood In Extreme Cases, Brian Joseph Buckley

Dissertations

This dissertation addresses a simple question: Is an anencephalic child a person? These children are born with only a brain stem, and, as such, cannot experience any type of consciousness. If personhood is understood as an articulable moral category, particularly distinct from DNA membership, reasonable evidence would be required to attribute any such moral category in these cases. That is, to claim that children who may never think or feel are persons carries a philosophical burden that extends beyond mere Homo Sapiens membership. This dissertation accepts that burden and answers that anencephalic children are persons. To do this, I first …

Challenging Client Behaviors, Coping And Burnout Among Professional Psychologists, Sasha R. Berger

Dissertations

Data from 195 psychologists who responded to the first wave of a two-wave longitudinal survey on work and family lives were used to investigate the relationship between challenging client behaviors, coping and burnout among professional psychologists. The study had four main aims: (1) defining and identifying different types of challenging client behaviors, (2) examining the link between these behaviors to the three dimensions of burnout as defined by Maslach and Jackson (1996), (3) examining the effects of coping on burnout, and (4) examining the moderating effects of coping on the relationship between challenging client behaviors and burnout.

These aims were …

Family Satisfaction, Ethnic Identity, And Subjective Well-Being Among Urban Youth, Kenia Loiret Gomez

Dissertations

Youth is a period of discovery, exploration, and instability that occurs between middle childhood and late adolescence. In the United States, a diverse society, urban youth have to clarify not only their self concept, but also their ethnic identity, which becomes part of their self-concept. Unfortunately, most researchers have ignored early adolescence (i.e., ages 12-15) and have limited their research to either childhood or later adolescence. The purpose of this study is twofold. The first part of this study examined the relationship between family satisfaction and subjective well-being (SWB) among urban youth. The second part of the study examined ethnic …

Spirituality And Physical Health: Identifying Possible Mediators Utilizing The Quadripartite Framework Of Spirituality, Meghanne Reilly Sennott

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to further understand the relationship between spirituality and physical health. Contrary to popular assumption, spirituality and religion do not relate to physical health in the same manner. In this investigation, although religious attendance was significantly related to physical health, spirituality was not significantly associated with physical health. In fact, religious affiliation was found to moderate the relationship between spirituality and physical health. The interaction suggests that there is a positive relationship between spirituality and ill physical health for those with no religious affiliation, but no relationship between spirituality and physical health for those with …

The Effect Of Participation In Experiential Learning Programs On Personal And Civic Attitudes, Christine Inez Celio

Dissertations

Experiential learning is a general term that includes service-learning courses and academic internships. Students involved in experiential learning leave the classroom to solidify their knowledge with real-world experience. Service-learning, i.e. community service integrated into academic coursework, has become an important part of many universities' curricula. Research indicates benefits to service-learning students in self-efficacy, civic responsibility, attitudes about diversity, and attitudes about school and learning. Less is known about another type of experiential learning, academic internships, in terms of these outcomes. Experts in the experiential learning field have commented on the need for better, more frequent evaluation of experiential learning programs. …

The Effectiveness Of Isolation Timeouts For Students With Severe Emotional Disabilities Attending A Therapeutic Day School, Kathryn Thomas Ridgley Frampton

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Personal Beliefs And Public Print: The Influence Of Pre-Existing Attitudes And Pretrial Publicity Information On Final Verdicts, Sara Marie Locatelli

Dissertations

Pretrial publicity (PTP), defined as any news story about a case not yet in trial, has been shown to affect trial outcomes. Results, however, are mixed, with studies finding strong effects, others weaker effects, and some no effects. These differences are sometimes attributed to methodology and study stimuli. In the present research, the effect of participant attitudes was explored. Participant attitudes can have a strong influence on perceptions about a piece of information, and could explain differences in use of PTP as well as findings that judicial remedies to alleviate PTP effects are ineffective. Participants were exposed to one of …

A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Child-Parent Interventions For Children And Adolescents With Anxiety Disorders, Kristen Brendel

Dissertations

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in childhood (Walkup & Ginsburg, 2002; Hirshfeld-Becker & Biederman, 2002), occuring in approximately twenty percent of the population (APA, 2000; Langley Lindsey, Bergaman & Piacentini, 2002). Children and adolescents with anxiety disorders often experience many detrimental effects such as low-self esteem, issues with social and family relationships, and a decrease in overall functioning, including academic performance. In addition, if left untreated or unrecognized, anxiety disorders in childhood often lead to more severe symptoms in adulthood including depression, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and other comorbid anxiety disorders. Evidence suggests that anxiety disorders are …

Minority Stress Predictors Of Substance Use And Sexual Risk Behavior Among A Cohort Sample Of Men Who Have Sex With Men, Michael P. Dentato

Dissertations

This study examined the impact of factors associated with minority stress theory, including experiences of external prejudice, expectations of rejection and internalized homophobia, upon a cohort sample of men who have sex with men (MSM). Resultant associations with substance use, defined as one time use of a club drug prior to baseline; and sexual risk behavior, defined as unprotected insertive and receptive anal intercourse with primary and non-primary partners, was examined. In addition, this study compared whether each individual aspect of minority stress (external prejudice, expectations of rejection and internalized homophobia) independently or collectively predicted substance use and sexual risk …

Hope Is The Ticket To Life: Insights From Disadvantaged African American Youth, Deanna D'Amico Guthrie

Dissertations

It is important to look at strengths in populations, especially those termed "at-risk" or "disadvantaged." Hope and compassion are positive qualities inner-city African American youth can possess, and further research on these constructs with this population is needed. This exploratory, mixed methods study included both quantitative measures of hope and compassion and qualitative interviews with inner-city African American youth who are participating in an after school program. The following research questions were addressed: (1) How do the youth describe hope?, (2) How do the youth's relationships develop and maintain hope?, (3) How do the youth describe goal definition and pursuit …

Negotiating The Boundaries Of Mental Health And Illness: A Study Of Recovery In Permanent Supportive Housing, Dennis P. Watson

Dissertations

Current sociological understandings of the effect that mental health services on consumers' daily lives are still heavily informed by research conducted during the era of institutional treatment. This is problematic considering that changes to mental health care have shifted the locus of treatment to community settings for the majority of those living with serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI). With this shift there has been a greater focus on consumer-centered recovery in mental health care. The current study addresses this gap in the research by studying the recovery process for formerly chronically homeless individuals with dually diagnosed serious and persistent …

The Principle Of Subsidiarity And Catholic Ecclesiology: Implications For The Laity, Kathryn Reyes Hamrlik

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the principle of subsidiarity as articulated within the body of Catholic social thought, and explores its validity within the governance structure of the Catholic church. Special attention is given to the status and role of the laity, and the implications of subsidiarity with regard to lay authority and decision-making in the church. Chapter One outlines some problems with ecclesial governance today, discusses the current status and role of the laity, and proposes an application of subsidiarity in the church. Chapter Two provides an overview of how the laity has been understood throughout church history to the present …

Filiación-Fraternidad: The Hope Of Human Existence In Light Of Global Disparity. Exploring The Theological Anthropologies Of Karl Rahner And José Ignacio González Faus., Scott M. Myslinski

Dissertations

This dissertation argues that there is a need for Christian theology to critically re-examine human existence through social and structural categories in response to the current direction of globalization which threatens the humanization of human existence. Specifically, there exists a need for a contemporary Christian theological anthropology that is in dialogue with the social sciences and that attempts to develop an understanding of human sin, grace, and redemption in structural and social categories in order to offer an alternative vision of what it means to be human in light of the prevailing anthropology that is at the heart of the …

Response To Intervention: Staff Perception Of The Implementation And Development Of A Three-Tier Model Of Intervention, Erika L. Millhouse-Pettis

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze a school district's certified staffs' perception and training of its Response to Intervention model (RtI). RtI is a federally mandated initiative that requires school districts to provide high quality research based instruction, universal screenings, on-going progress monitoring, researched-based interventions, and reliable measures that are implemented with fidelity. Research suggests that successful RtI plans are impacted by professional development opportunities rendered to staff members, and the integrity in which the interventions are implemented (Fuchs & Fuchs, 2006). This study examined the structure, roles, resources, and trainings that impacted and aided in the implementation …

Factors Related To The Racial Socialization Of Asian American Children, Kimberly Langrehr

Dissertations

Within the last decade, research on racial awareness, ethnic identity, and racial socialization strategies among transracially adoptive parents' has increased, reflecting the unique racial, cultural, and family dynamics among American families. The purpose of this study is to expand upon this literature, exploring the racial makeup of adoptive parents' interpersonal relationships and how this relates to racial awareness and racial socialization practices of children adopted from Asian countries. Given that this study specifically focuses on parents' of children adopted from Asian countries, this study will also look at adoptive parents' knowledge concerning the racial reality faced by Asian Americans in …

Culture And Metaphors In Advertisements: France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, And The United States, Pamela Morris, Jennifer A. Waldman

School of Communication: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Culture and language are intertwined. Metaphors, based on culture, are ubiquitous in thinking and communication. As social artifacts reflecting culture, advertising messages provide an opportunity to compare metaphors in different nations. Goals of this article are to understand how and why advertisers use metaphors and how they differ across countries, as well as how cultural characteristics are used to create compelling ad messages. Using a content analysis of 87 French, German, Italian, Dutch, and American magazine advertisements, this study examines metaphor usage and cultural attributes from four culture-bound product groups: food and beverage, automobiles, insurance/finance, and personal care.

Role Of Non-Coding Rna Nc4 In Mll And Cyp33 Mediated Regulation Of Hoxc8, Jessica Arvindbhai Solanki

Dissertations

MLL or Mixed Lineage Leukemia gene is clinically known for its involvement in genetic translocation with more than 70 different partners identified each giving rise to a highly leukemogenic fusion protein. With a poor prognosis of MLL related leukemia, an investigation into its role during hematopoiesis has been a very active field of research. In order to design strategies to combat the MLL leukemia, it becomes essential to delineate the molecular mechanisms behind the function of MLL wild type protein. Wild type MLL is a transcriptional maintenance protein from the Trithorax Group (TrxG) that resides in complex with other chromatin …

Familial Influences On The Coping Strategies Of African American Youth From Foster Care Families And Biological Families, Cynthya Campbell

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study is to examine the impact of three parental factors: caregiver socialization of coping, caregiver modeling of coping and caregiver/child relationship (i.e. parent support) on coping strategies of African American youth in foster care and those who reside with at least on biological parent. Approximately, 110 African American children and adolescents and their caregivers reported on coping strategies used to manage stressors and stress-evoking events. Controlling for SES, child age and child gender, regression analyses were conducted to determine whether youth residing in foster care reported less attachment and less caregiver socialization of coping as …

From Classroom To Workplace: Becoming A Social Worker, Sarah Louise Hessenauer

Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative study examines the key educational experiences that graduated bachelor level social workers identified as being most helpful to them in their current social work careers. Twenty traditional aged social workers who graduated from CSWE accredited, bachelor level, social work programs in the last 4 to 24 months and who had been working in a social work agency for a minimum of three months were asked to voluntarily participate in the study. The social workers participated in one-on-one interviews in which they were asked to describe their educational experiences and their beliefs about how those experiences supported them …

A Case Study Of The Effects Of A School-Based Wraparound Approach On Students With Behavioral Difficulties, Jennifer Mills James

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of wraparound services on students' classroom behavior, social behavior, emotional functioning, and academic skills. As a philosophy and a process, wraparound services support the student, family, and teachers by organizing and blending natural supports, interagency services, and behavioral and academic interventions in the schools. Through the Illinois Positive Behavior Interventions in the Schools (IL-PBIS) Network, the schools selected for this study have been supported in implementing school-wide preventions and interventions, targeted interventions with small groups of students not responding to school wide supports, and intensive interventions with students with the …

Considering Care: Infant Teachers, Reflective Function And The Care Environment In Child Care Centers, Cynthia C. Jurie

Dissertations

The present study sought to explore infant teachers' understanding of the mental states of the infants in their care in child care centers. The goal of the study was to examine whether reflective function could be assessed through semi-structured interviews with infant teachers and whether the care environment of the center was

influential in supporting reflective capacity. To assess the care environment provided by the child care center, director interviews, teacher and director questionnaires and subscales of the Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale, Revised (Harms, Cryer &

Clifford, 2003) were used. Participants in this study were 25 infant teachers and 24 …

Post-Correctional Education Interventions: A Phenomenological Case Study Of Empowerment Education Curriculum For Formerly Incarcerated African American Males, Rolanda Jean West

Dissertations

This phenomenological case study describes how a Post-Correctional Education Intervention (PCEI) was developed for a local community-based organization that had recently constructed a transition house for formerly incarcerated adults who converted to Islam while incarcerated. The PCEI was an eight-week course curriculum with 60 hours of direct instruction that included social justice, health and wellness and critical thinking teaching modules and affective teaching and learning methodologies. This research contains experiential data used to assess how a PCEI affected the identity and self-concept of the participants of a reentry program designed to create an atmosphere of empowerment.

Limited English Proficient Mothers' Perceptions Of The Transition Process From Early Intervention Programs To Preschool Programs: Cultural And Linguistic Barriers, Celia Arresola

Dissertations

This study explored the satisfaction level of limited English proficient (LEP) mothers with the transition process from early intervention programs to preschool special education programs in a culturally and linguistically diverse Illinois public school district. The research focused on understanding if LEP parents of students with disabilities perceived that their own cultural and linguistic diversity affected the overall transition process. It also reviewed the mothers' perceptions about the cultural and linguistic considerations provided to them during the transition process, including the provision of translated materials and interpreters during meetings. The research indicated the level of satisfaction experienced during the transition …

A History Of Programs Implemented By The Chicago Police Department Within Chicago Public Schools, Stacy Ann Lewis

Dissertations

This study provides a history of programs implemented between the Chicago Police Department within Chicago Public School, while looking at the changes in the relationship between the two between 1945 and 2005.

The research answers the following; the change in the relationship of the Chicago Police Department and Chicago Public Schools during the last half of the twentieth century, the programs that have resulted from the relationship between the Chicago Police department and Chicago Public schools, the original intent of the programs, and how did the programs evolve during this time period.

This paper takes a look at how changes …

Student Organizational Skills And Motivation: What's The Connection?, Vesna Cejovic

Dissertations

Many studies have pointed out the academic advantages of teaching students to be more organized. While there is a great deal of information with regard to organizational skills of students, and an immense amount of inquiry into the phenomenon of motivation in nearly every field of study, there have been incredibly few studies that have combined the two issues in an effort to examine the potential relationship between organizational skills and self-motivation and how that relationship might help to increase the importance of making organizational skills an indispensable element of elementary school curricula. This mixed-methods, pretest/posttest case study examined a …

The Impact Of Title I Program Funding Through A Comparison Of Schoolwide Assistance And Targeted Assistance On Fifth Grade Reading Achievement Scores In Illinois: Implications For Leadership In Public Education, Michael E. Robey

Dissertations

The ability to read with proficiency and comprehension is one of the basic goals of our educational system. Adequacy of funding these goals, particularly for lower income students, continues to be a challenge. Despite the efforts of a variety of educational reforms many students, particularly the economically disadvantaged, continue to struggle with basic reading skills.

The intent of this study is to help school leaders in identifying whether schoolwide or targeted assistance programs funded through Title I schools are associated with higher reading achievement. The study measured reading achievement for fifth grade students in Illinois using data from the Illinois …

Illinois Administrator's Perception Of The Existence And Implementation Of School Policies And Practices In Teacher Classroom Supervision In Schools Having Kindergarten To Fifth Grade, Maria Martinez-Valiukenas

Dissertations

Negligence in the school setting is one legal issue that exists and, if case law is any reflection, is a pervasive problem in the educational system. Although negligence affects students, parents, teachers, and staff, the issue has the most impact on administrators' legal responsibility role.

Using a quantitative approach, the researcher surveyed Illinois principals working in Illinois public schools in schools having Kindergarten to Fifth grades. This study was designed to examine Illinois administrators' perception of the existence and implementation of school policies and practices with regard to teacher classroom supervision in elementary public schools having Kindergarten through Fifth grade. …

Response To Violent Prone Female Adolescents: The Chicago Public School Approach, Marian E. Dozier

Dissertations

School violence has become increasingly more prevalent among adolescent females over the last ten years. As administrators, teachers, parents, and law enforcement officials try to control and decrease the number of violent incidents that occur in our schools, adolescent females continue to exhibit inappropriate and violent behavior at an alarming rate within our school communities. Adolescent females who behave badly have historically been overlooked or ignored, as girls have often been perceived as being incapable of demonstrating hostile conduct in an academic setting.

The purpose of this study was to investigate, describe, and analyze the frequency and nature of violent …

The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And The Emotional And Social Competence Of The School Leader, David Saxe

Dissertations

Sustainable school reform efforts are needed to move schools closer toward the ideals of equity, justice and success for every student. The success or failure of a school and its students often hinges on the effectiveness of leadership. Research reveals that transformational school leaders become effective change agents by developing a shared vision for the school, building consensus around key priorities, holding high expectations, providing support, modeling appropriate values and building collaborative cultures and shared leadership. The purpose of this study is to examine the predictive relationship between the emotional and social competence and transformational leadership behaviors of school principals. …

High School Transfer Student Transitions And Changes: Risk, Success, Failure, And The Vital Role Of The Counseling Curriculum, Benjamin M. Grais

Dissertations

Transfer students move schools for reasons other than promotion. They typically change residence and can change country, cultures and/or languages of instruction. These students have twice the risk of failure or not graduating and total 15-18% of the United States high school population. Effective means of improving success rates are needed. Achieving this goal requires first understanding the problem(s). Perhaps transfer students themselves can help us in our search. What can we learn from talking with transfer students?

For this mixed method study, the investigator interviewed ten diverse but carefully selected transfer students. The data revealed that transfer students describe …