Digital Commons Network^™

The Prevalence Of Evidence-Based Practice By The Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist In The Intervention Planning Process For Client Treatment, Linda Mrkic

Online Theses and Dissertations

Currently, there is a paucity of research examining the extent to which Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is being used by the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of EBP used by the CTRS in the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) southern district of the United States. This observational study investigated the use of EBP in the intervention planning process for client treatment. A sample of five hundred randomly selected CTRS from the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) were surveyed, and 102 completed the survey, yielding a 20.4% response rate. …

Factors That Contribute To Student Graduation And Dropout Rates: An In-Depth Study Of A Rural Appalachian School District, Ann Lyttle-Burns

Online Theses and Dissertations

There has been a wealth of research conducted on the national epidemic of high school dropouts spanning several decades. It is estimated that the class of 2009 cost the nation $335 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2009). The citizenry of the country suffers not only because of the loss in revenue but also as a result of the education level of the population. Individuals who choose to drop out of high school are not prepared for the most basic minimum wage jobs available, much less well paying jobs that sustain livelihoods. …

Career And Technical Education Program Alignment With Local Workforce Needs, Karla Beth Hargis

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research attempted to answer whether or not career and technical education (CTE) in a section of Kentucky's Appalachian Region was meeting the employment needs of local business and industry through appropriate program alignment and provision of 21st century soft skills. This study utilized a quantitative approach devoid of researcher invention. Job quotients were used as a measure of program alignment. Job quotients were calculated using the number of jobs available in particular labor markets as the numerator and the aggregate enrollment of respective CTE programs as the denominator. A job quotient of one demonstrates alignment in that a position …

The Culture Of A Public School's Approach To Children With Asd: An Ethnographical Study, Lisa Mccarthy

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this ethnographic study is to understand the culture of Westridge Elementary School (WRE), and its approach to the increasing numbers of mainstreamed students with special needs; in particular students identified with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The researcher examined the language, norms, and rituals of WRE, and how children with ASD are involved. Data from this research was collected through five face-to-face interviews, as well as participant observations, which were collected over a 2-3 week period in the spring and fall of 2010. Photographs of the school environment, along with the collection of artifacts, were also used to …

Optimization And Validation Of Direct Analysis In Real Time Mass Spectrometry (Dart-Ms) For Quantitation Of Sugars To Advance Biofuel Production, Daudi Sayialel Saang'onyo

Online Theses and Dissertations

A direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the analysis and quantitation of sugars that would be generated from pretreated and hydrolyzed switchgrass. This research aspect can be divided into two sections:

i) Literature Review: A review is presented on the status of energy security and how biomass and biofuels can be utilized as a source of transportation fuel. To this end, biomass (specifically switchgrass) can be broken down by pretreatment methods and then enzymatically hydrolyzed to simple sugars. These sugars can assist with algae growth that can eventually be converted into biofuels. …

A Post-Restoration Assessment Of The Fishes And Macroinvertebrates Of Mill Branch, Knox County, Kentucky, With Emphasis On The Blackside Dace (Chrosomus Cumberlandensis), Dwayne Kevin Merrill

Online Theses and Dissertations

The first stream habitat restoration project for the federally threatened blackside dace, Chrosomus cumberlandensis (Starnes and Starnes), was initiated in fall 2005 on Mill Branch, a small headwater stream located in the Upper Cumberland River basin, Knox County, Kentucky. The lower 700 meters of Mill Branch were restored through construction of a new, stable channel with specially designed habitat features for blackside dace. In August 2009, the newly restored channel was connected to the mainstem and the old channel was eliminated. A post-restoration survey was conducted on the fishes (with emphasis on the blackside dace) and benthic macroinvertebrate communities, between …

Bat Species Diversity In Old-Growth Vs. Second Growth Forests In Lilley Cornett Woods, Letcher County, Kentucky, Lindsay R. Conley

Online Theses and Dissertations

Bat activity in old-growth forests (+150 years) is a subject that is poorly understood. The majority of old-growth forests are located in the northwestern portion of the United States, and with current silviculture practices, many forests are being cut. There have been no published studies that specifically examine bat use of old-growth forests in Kentucky. The objective of this study was to determine the diversity of bat species associated with old-growth and second growth forests within the Lilley Cornett Woods Appalachian Ecological Research Station, Letcher County, Kentucky. This study was conducted over 2 field seasons; 2009 and 2010. Mist netting …

An Exploration Of The Calls Received By The Kentucky Council On Problem Gambling Help Hotline, Carleigh Jones

Online Theses and Dissertations

Studies that focus on crisis hotlines are abundant, however very few deal with the subject of gambling. The literature reviewed examines gambling as an addiction and the general existence of hotlines. This study examines the use of the hotline provided by the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling (KYCPG) in a dichotomous breakdown of gender. There are some significant differences between males and females, particularly regarding criminal behavior in the effort to recoup gambling losses or to continue gambling. An additional breakdown of seasonal and regional call logs further analyzes the use of the KYCPG hotline.

Characterization Of Pregnancy Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy In Rats, Patricia Holden

Online Theses and Dissertations

During pregnancy, an increase in blood volume occurs to compensate for fetal development, resulting in cardiac hypertrophy. For the majority of women, this physiological cardiac hypertrophy resolves following pregnancy. Prolonged cardiac hypertrophy can lead to heart failure. We propose that by studying the biochemical mechanisms that mediate healthy cardiac remodeling associated with pregnancy, we will gain a better understanding of mechanisms involved in pathological cardiac hypertrophy. To determine the biochemical changes that occur during pregnancy induced cardiac remodeling, we subjected rats to timed matings and collected morphological and biochemical data from not pregnant, 19 days pregnant, and 24 hours postpartum. …

Reality Television And Its Impact On Women's Body Image, Ayarza Manwaring

Online Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has found that both print media and television may affect the body image of young women. Tiggerman and Pickering (1996) found that it was not just the amount of television viewed, but the viewing of appearance focused shows that affected body image. Schooler, Ward, Merriwether and Caruthers (2004) came to the conclusion that women's viewing of shows with predominantly white casts lead to greater body dissatisfaction. To date, no investigations have looked at a new and popular genre, categorized as, `reality television'. The purpose of this study was examine the effects of viewing this new genre and its …

A Call To Arms: The Militarization Of Natural Disasters In The United States, Ashley Katherine Farmer

Online Theses and Dissertations

Natural disasters are an expected and uncontrolled part of history, and will continue and possibly worsen in the future. The humanitarian focus that has characterized disaster response throughout the years is changing, as is the way the federal government responds to large-scale natural disasters. In recent years, the primary concern in responding to these catastrophes has shifted from the well-being of citizens to the security and safety of the area impacted. Security and crime have become a main focus, with the military increasingly gaining a more prominent role in relief efforts. This thesis will provide evidence that the militarization of …

Land Snail Species Diversity And Composition Between Different Forest Disturbance Regimes In Central And Eastern Kentucky Forests, Daniel Douglas

Online Theses and Dissertations

Land snails are cornerstone organisms that contribute to properly functioning ecosystems. However, habitat loss and destruction have led to these organisms being one of the most imperiled groups on the planet. Due to their relatively sedentary nature, land snails can be susceptible to anthropogenic disturbance and habitat fragmentation. Because of this, old-growth forests have the potential for being premiere habitat for these organisms, and snails have the potential to be good indicators of old-growth habitats. This study compared land snail species diversity and community composition in old-growth and second-growth forests in the Inner Bluegrass, Cumberland Plateau, and Pine Mountain ecoregions …

Transnational Crime In A Global Community: The Case Of West Africa, Holly Joanna Sims

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research project is an examination of the organization and behavior of criminal group activity in the region of West Africa. An assessment of the size, structure, and type of criminal enterprises crime groups are involved in are investigated. It is also uncovered if and how groups make use of corruption, the legit economy, and influence politicians. The environment in which transnational crime is able to thrive is also of great interest as the social, political, economic, and technological changes that occurred alongside the sudden trend in transnational crime activity are considered. The information is used to generate a discussion …

The Effects Of Word Instruction During Classroom Read-Alouds On The Acquisition Of Vocabulary, Marla Renee Muncy

Online Theses and Dissertations

To focus on the need to improve literacy in rural Appalachia, this study investigates the use of Text Talk during read-aloud to increase the receptive vocabulary of participants. The investigator read six picturebooks to two groups of kindergarteners. Group A had 21 participants and Group B had 20 participants. Each group received instruction on two different sets of target vocabulary words, three in each book. The researcher administered a pre-test and post-test to each student patterned after the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. T-tests revealed that students made significant progress learning words when the reader used Text Talk during the lessons. …

Understanding The Impact Of Limb Loss In Veterans., K. Haldaman, Scott D. Glassman

PCOM Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Art As Occupation: A Phenomenological Study Of Art As A Means Of Self-Expression For An Individual Recovering From Severe Physical, Sexual, And Ritual Abuse, Raina Kay Remole

Online Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study presents an in-depth exploration of one individual's retrospective account of using art over approximately ten years in Occupational Therapy (OT) intervention while recovering from severe abuse with a diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). After an extensive literature review, the qualitative data was gathered during thorough semi-structured interviews using conference calls and correspondence through e-mail with the participant. Data analysis involved horizontalization of narrative data resulting in the dissemination of meaning units. From these a textual and structural description of the participant's individual experience emerged through self-reflection and discussion of meaning units with the participant and outside …

Amphibian Community Similarity Between Natural Ponds And Constructed Ponds Of Multiple Types In Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky, Robert Daniel Denton

Online Theses and Dissertations

Amphibians are in a worldwide decline. Among the many causes for amphibian declines, habitat loss and alteration remains one of the most significant. A lack of federal protection for isolated wetlands that provide habitat for unique species has resulted in the loss of breeding habitat and unregulated mitigation practices. Ponds built for mitigation purposes often do not replicate the lost ponds in structure or ecological processes. A lack of general monitoring has produced a void in knowledge of what long-term role constructed ponds play in shaping amphibian communities. My objective was to compare amphibian communities of natural ponds and multiple …

A Multi-Method Assessment Approach To The Detection Of Malingered Pain: Association With The Mmpi-2 Restructured Form, Jaime L. Anderson

Online Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the utility of the MMPI-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) over-reporting scales (F-r, Fp-r, Fs, and FBS-r) and the Response Bias Scale (RBS) to detect symptom exaggeration among litigants claiming chronic pain. Utilizing the Bianchini et al. (2005) multi-method criteria for Malingered Pain Related Disability (MPRD), patients were classified along a continuum ranging from incentive only to definite malingering. Malingering classification was found to have a significant effect on MMPI-2-RF over-reporting scales, particularly the RBS, Infrequent Symptoms Scale (F-r), and Infrequent Somatic Responses scale (Fs), which supports the use of the MMPI-2-RF in forensic disability evaluations.

Mental Health Services In Appalachia, Miranda Renee Waters

Online Theses and Dissertations

People from rural areas of the country, such as the Appalachian region of Kentucky, continue to struggle with inadequate mental health services. Past research has identified several barriers for mental health services in rural communities such as lack of mental health providers, lack of transportation, and lack of education. The purpose of this study was to examine the severity of a psychological problem and how it could influence Appalachian and non-Appalachians' preference for type of help. It was hypothesized that people from the Appalachian region would recommend seeing a mental health professional when a problem had reached its highest severity. …

Nursing Home Administrators' Personality And Nursing Home Quality: Correlations Between The Predictive Index And Cms Ratings, Kelly Anne Osbaldiston

Online Theses and Dissertations

The approximately two million residents in nursing homes are nearly totally dependent on the care they receive from the nursing homes' staff. The quality of care ranges from excellent to substandard, and the goal of this project is to understand how the top administrators' personality is related to the quality of the facility. Very little research has been done from an organizational psychology perspective on how to improve the care that residents receive in nursing homes. To help address this problem, I examined the relationship between administrator personality factors (measured by Predictive Index) and nursing home quality (measured by the …

Zapped: A Typology Of Use And Misuse Of The Taser, Lindsey L. Upton

Online Theses and Dissertations

Police use of TASER force is currently a hot topic of controversy in the intersections of society and the criminal justice system. Proponents, including manufacturers and law enforcement, value the TASER as a less than lethal alternative to deadly force; providing increased safety for officers as an aid to maintain distance between potentially threatening suspect(s) and officer(s) while preserving the life and well being of suspects in such encounters. Civil and human rights advocacies argue the TASER to be associated with many deaths, serious injury and abuse of power by law enforcement. Those who lean more toward the opposition of …

Workplace Explosions: A Comparison Of The Mine Safety And Health Administration And The Occupational Safety And Health Administration, Jessica Dawn Burba

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research compares how the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) prevent the occurrence of and respond to incidents of workplace explosions in their industries. This was a qualitative study that utilized interpretivism as the theoretical framework. The study sought to answer four research questions. (1) What are the explosive hazards present in the coal mining and sugar refining environments? (2) What explosion prevention methodologies are available? (3) What MSHA regulations apply to coal mine explosions and what OSHA regulations apply to refinery explosions? (4) Are there differences in the way that …

Occupations And Quality Of Life Of Families With Children With Asd: A Survey, Rebecca Vaughn

Online Theses and Dissertations

In recent literature, it has been suggested that families with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have diminished Quality of Life particularly in the areas of social interaction and family outings (Lee et al., 2008). The purpose of this study is to describe quality of life and occupations engaged in along with demographic features of families with children with an ASD. Data was collected utilizing a survey methods, a convenience sample received a questionnaire packet containing: Flanagan Quality of Life Scale, demographic survey and Occupational Checklist. Twenty-two families participated in the study. Descriptive statistics suggested that families with children …

A Parent Consultation Group For Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Mixed Methodological Study, Cassandra Catherine Clark

Online Theses and Dissertations

Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are known have higher levels of negative stress than parents of children without a chronic illness. These parents' roles and routines are also impacted since the many demands made by their children put them at greater risk of occupational injustice as they are less likely to participate in occupations of their choice. Despite multiple studies examining stress in parents of children with ASD, there is little to no recent published research on the effects of a parent consultation group on parents of children with ASD and their sense of competency and attitudes …

Age, Forest Structure, And Disturbance History Of Five Potential Old-Growth Forests In Eastern Kentucky's Cumberland Plateau, Adrienne Michelle Cooper

Online Theses and Dissertations

The Cumberland Plateau (CP) is an ecoregion of global importance, yet its extent of old- growth forest (OG) is not well known. Due to its rarity and importance, understanding what OG remains is needed to deduce the region's health. This study described five potential OG forests in eastern Kentucky. Sites possessing >5 trees/ha established prior to 1780, and being similar in disturbance history and forest structure to other regional OG were to be considered OG. Shillalah Creek (SC) and Hensley-Pine Mountain (HP) possess no in plot trees established prior to 1780, show evidence of stand-wide disturbance during the 1930's, are …

Sexting As Moral Panic: An Exploratory Study Into The Media's Construction Of Sexting, Brandon Scott Marker

Online Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents a study of sexting as a socially constructed moral panic. Central to a social construction of moral panic perspective is the role the media plays in creating the panic. The purpose of this exploratory study was to make sense of the phenomenon of sexting by analyzing media reports for indication that sexting was constructed by the media as a moral panic. A content analysis was conducted on media reports for three concepts: Theme Setting, Sensational Stories, and Policy Changes. I conclude that sexting is constructed as a moral panic by the media.

Postwar Media Manifestations And Don Delillo, Joshua Adam Boldt

Online Theses and Dissertations

Media's influence on postwar American culture is undeniable. Don DeLillo's fiction is often a commentary on that influence. Hyperreality, Simulacra, Consumerism, and News Addiction are all regular themes in DeLillo's novels; this paper explores all of these concepts through the lens of media theory. Special attention is given to the novels White Noise, Americana, and Mao II, as well as to the media theorists Jean Baudrillard, Walter Benjamin, and Antonio Gramsci. The paper is both a history and a critique of postwar consumer culture and the role that media plays in the construction of that culture.

Characteristics Of Rest Sites Used By Raccoons (Procyon Lotor) In Richmond, Kentucky, Jonathan Ridenour

Online Theses and Dissertations

The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is one of many species that have adapted to living in urban/suburban environments. In this study, radio-tagged raccoons within the city limits of Richmond, KY, were monitored to locate rest sites. A rest site is defined as any site occupied by a raccoon during the non-motile periods of its daily activity cycle. Thirty-three different rest sites were located throughout the spring and summer seasons of 2009-10. With some rest sites being used multiple times for a total of 50.

Of the individual rest sites located, 9, 16, and 8 were located in trees, in …

Clarifying Stereotyping, Kerri Lynn Stone

Faculty Publications

This Article addresses the largely undefined, misunderstood-yet-often-resorted-to concept of “stereotyping” as a basis for, or sufficient evidence of, liability for employment discrimination. Since, the concept’s genesis in Supreme Court jurisprudence in 1989, Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, plaintiffs have proffered remarks alleged to be tinged with, or indicating the presence of, impermissible stereotypes as evidence of discrimination based on protected-class status – be that sex, race, color, religion, or national origin – in contravention of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Article examines the language in Hopkins and its precise mandates and guidance for lower courts. It …

Stage-Specific Developmental Gene Expression Of Goat Preimplantation Embryos Produced In Vitro, Y. J. Li, H. Ao, G. J. Sun, L. Zhang

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Single preimplantation embryo mRNA differential display was used to study the gene expression of 2-cell,4-cell, and 8-16-cell stage goat embryos produced in vitro, and 16 different stage specific bands in total were screened. In these specific bands, 5 were in 2-cell stage, 4 were in 4-cell stage, and 7 were in 8-16-cell stage, respectively. The sequencing and alignment results suggested that 4 differential expression bands were homologous with human petidylarginine deiminase (PAD), bovine insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP3), bovine NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) 1 alpha subcomplex 4 (NDUFA4), and dog cyclin B3 (CCNB3) genes, respectively. All these 4 genes had …