Digital Commons Network^™

Brief Assessment Of Schizotypy: Developing Short Forms Of The Wisconsin Schizotypy Scales, Beate P. Winterstein, Paul J. Silvia, Thomas R. Kwapil, James C. Kaufman, Roni Reiter-Palmon, Benjamin Wigert

Psychology Faculty Publications

The Wisconsin Schizotypy Scales—the Perceptual Aberration, Magical Ideation, Physical Anhedonia, and Revised Social Anhedonia Scales—have been used extensively since their development in the 1970s and 1980s. Based on psychometric analyses using item response theory, the present work presents 15-item short forms of each scale. In addition to being briefer, the short forms omit items with high differential item functioning. Based on data from a sample of young adults (n = 1144), the short forms have strong internal consistency, and they mirror effects found for the longer scales. They thus appear to be a good option for researchers interested in …

The Effect Of Self-Management In The Hardiness At Work / Study Analytic In Hospital Alshaheed Gaze Alharery, Ali H. Altaee, Salma Hatyta Raheemah

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

The research is Concerned the Relationship between Self Management which is a modern administrative term and its dimensions "Self Control, Trust, and Conscientiousness" with the Hardiness and its dimensions "Challenge, Commitment, and Control". And the impact of the first variable on the second in The Hospital of Alshaheed Gaze Alharery. The Questionnaire used and distributed on sample (60) Persons, contain from (40) Doctor, and (20) Employees from the total society (103). The statistical methods have been used for testing the hypothesis is the mean, standard deviation correlation coefficient. The research ended some conclusions and recommendations which contribute in developing the …

Death, Racial Reconciliation, And The Mission Of The Church – Baldwin’S Perception, Jon Nilson

Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium

Delivered during the 2010 Annual Meeting, Nilson explores novelist James Baldwin’s reflections on the truth about racism and white supremacy. Whiteness, for Baldwin, functions as a kind of idolatry intimately connected with the fear of death. Although Baldwin never attempted to provide evidence for this observation, NIlson reveals a compelling proof through fascinating psychological experiments in Terror Management Theory (TMT). According to TMT, consciousness of one’s mortality – “mortality salience” – often results in a heightened tolerance of prejudice and bias. For a Church that seems far more concerned with keeping its white members untroubled and content, the price for …

The Mediterranean Hybridity Project: Crossing The Boundaries Of Law And Culture, Seán Patrick Donlan

Journal of Civil Law Studies

No abstract provided.

Article 1045 Of The Maltese Civil Code: Is Compensation For Moral Damage Compatible Therewith?, Claude Micallef-Grimaud

Journal of Civil Law Studies

The paper focuses on Article 1045 of the Maltese Civil Code regulating liquidation of compensation (damages) under Maltese tort law and examines whether or not compensation for moral damage is compatible therewith. French law and Austrian law (being the main sources of Article 1045) are analysed and contrasted with the peculiarities of Maltese tort law whilst the motivations of the original legislator (Sir Adriano Dingli) are also critically discussed. The paper subsequently examines the dichotomy between responsibility in tort and damages under Maltese tort law and concludes by analysing some selected case law.

Context-Based Friend Suggestion In Online Photo-Sharing Community, Ting Yao, Chong-Wah Ngo, Tao Mei

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

With the popularity of social media, web users tend to spend more time than before for sharing their experience and interest in online photo-sharing sites. The wide variety of sharing behaviors generate different metadata which pose new opportunities for the discovery of communities. We propose a new approach, named context-based friend suggestion, to leverage the diverse form of contextual cues for more effective friend suggestion in the social media community. Different from existing approaches, we consider both visual and geographical cues, and develop two user-based similarity measurements, i.e., visual similarity and geo similarity for characterizing user relationship. The problem of …

Extract The Knowledge Structure Of Medical Problem Solving: Learning From Cognitive Science, Der-Fang Chen, Tsuen-Chiuan Tsai

Journal of Medical Education

Medical diagnosis is a central component of medical competency, while being considered a challenge for young physicians. Teaching the ways that medical experts solve clinical problems will enhance students' learning gains. However, medical problems are often dealt differently across cases, physicians, and expertise levels. In order to extract expertise from experts, this study is to review and summarize the techniques for expertise extraction in the field of cognitive science, and explored the relevancy for studying medical problem-solving. Methods: The literature and books on ”extracting expertise” in medicine or in other fields are retrieved. The expertise extraction techniques included those being …

Educating Medical Students To Appreciate The Value Of Life: Implementing Practices For Teaching Empathy At The Medicaluniversity Level, Yu-Hua Liu, Wing P. Chan

Journal of Medical Education

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess our teaching the value and meaning of life to our freshman medical students before they received their medical education, using a two stage approach known as ”Life Gardener.” Methods: We prospectively recruited 165 Year-1 medical students. In the first stage (”Sapling Care Operations”), which started at the beginning of the semester, students looked after a small flowering houseplant commonly known as the ”African violet” for sixteen weeks. The purpose of the care process was to inspire students to observe the life and death struggle and to contemplate factors affecting quality of …

The Relationship Among Personality Traits, Perceived Emotional Intelligence, Andphysician Empathy In Medical Students, Molly Hsieh, Yi-Hsuan Wang

Journal of Medical Education

Objectives: Empathy is an essential factor for physician-patient communication. Personality traits and emotional intelligence can enhance the quality of one's empathic relating. This study explored the relationships among personality traits, perceived emotional intelligence (PEI), and physician empathy in medical students. Methods: Three hundred and twenty-three Taiwanese medical students completed a survey packet consisting of three standardized instruments: the Mini-Marker Scale, the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS), and the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy ‒ Student Version (JSPE-S). Results: Male medical students had higher scores in ”Neuroticism” than did the female respondents. Students in Years 2 and 3 had higher ”Neuroticism” scores …

Student Self Assessment On Acquiring Competencies Through Problem-Based Learning In The Preclinical Years Of Medical Education, Tan Chay-Hoon, Matthew Gwee, Dujeepa D. Samarasekera

Journal of Medical Education

Aims: This 2 part-study was to determine student self assessment on acquiring competencies for effective future learning through Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in the first 2 years of medical education in the National University of Singapore. Methodology: Part 1 was a faculty-initiated study using questionnaire with 4 point Likert scale to survey all the students in 3rd, 4th and 5th year of their study. Part 2 was a student-initiated peer questionnaire survey on the same cohort of students. Results: Part 1: The response rate was 186/232 (80%) for year 3, 162/211 (76%) for year 4 and 182/202 (90%) for year 5. …

Role Of Tobacco Promotions On Smoking, George Thomas, Rani George

African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies

The major goal of the study was to examine the impact of tobacco promotions on smoking among African American college students. The study was conducted among undergraduate students (N=257) and incoming freshmen (N=287) in a Historically Black University. The variables in this study include gender, membership in athletic teams; membership in Greek organizations; staying in residence halls; tobacco promotion, cigarette smoking among family members; and cigarette smoking among close friends. Results of the logistic regression analyses indicate that predictors vary with the status of the students (undergraduates versus incoming freshmen) and nature of smoking (lifetime versus current smoking). The results …

Re-Visiting The May 2008 Xenophobic Attacks In South Africa, Jephias Matunhu

African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies

Xenophobia is a latent or obtrusive dislike of foreigners. It is anti-social and destructive of property and life. Xenophobic attacks in South Africa, which started around mid May in 2008 in the informal settlements of Alexandria claimed 62 lives. Thousands of foreigners were left homeless. What triggered the xenophobic attacks on foreigners? Better still, what can be done to stop xenophobia and xenophobic attacks in South Africa? This desktop research provides responses to these questions.

The Effect Of Safety Climate, Teamwork, And Sustainable Motivation On Nurse Job Satisfaction And Intent To Stay, M'Lynda Owens

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Nursing is a hazardous occupation, and occupational safety in healthcare, particularly hospitals, is gaining attention. The Institute of Medicine (2003) ranked hospitals in the top five industries for occupational injuries and illness. This study explored the relationship between sustained motivation in nurses as depicted by their perceptions of workplace safety climate, teamwork climate, and autonomy and their job satisfaction and intent to stay at their current jobs. Sustained motivation was manifested as the ability of the nurses to consistently and persistently attend to routine activities such as actions to ensure safety. Over one-third (36%) of the variance in sustained motivation …

Effect Of A Work Site Exercise Program On Selected Fitness And Psychological Parameters, Kristen Ann Christiansen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The increasing rates of obesity continue to threaten the vitality of our nation. Health care costs are soaring and chronic diseases are reaching even the youngest populations. Physical activity is an integral component in reversing the obesity epidemic and improving the health of today's workforce. The present study sought to determine the effect of a work site exercise program on select fitness and psychological parameters. Five female employees participated in a six-week exercise program utilizing HealthBeat(TM) outdoor exercise equipment in a circuit fashion for 30 minutes, 2 days per week. Eighty percent of participants were categorized as sedentary or low-active …

The Influence Of Ethnic Identity And Family Support On Posttraumatic Symptoms In Maltreated Youth, Harpreet Kaur

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Maltreated children are at greater risk of developing PTSD than nonmaltreated children (Ackerman et al., 1998; Epstein et al., 1997; Famularo et al., 1996; Kilpatrick et al., 2003; Widom, 1999). This study sought to assess the role of ethnicity, ethnic identity, and family support on the effects of maltreatment and trauma in adolescents. Participants (n=145) included adolescents from Child Haven, a Department of Family Services (DFS)-related site in Las Vegas, and youths in foster care assessed at the offices of Dr. Stephanie Holland. The first hypothesis was that non-Caucasian youth would have higher levels of PTSD-related symptoms than Caucasian youth. …

Environmental Impact Of The Three Kids Mine Tailings, Henderson, Nv, Ji Hye Park

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research focused on the distribution of the Three Kids Mine tailings in surface soils in and around the mine in Henderson, Nevada. It is situated next to the communities of Calico Ridge and Lake Las Vegas Resort, and, just the west of the Lake Mead Recreation area. Even though the mine has been inactive for almost 50 years (1917-1961), tailing piles and other sources of contamination on the mine are currently exposed to the atmosphere. In this study, surface soil samples were collected along eight transects emanating from the center of Three Kids Mine tailing piles up to five …

The Impact Of Age, Education, Political Knowledge And Political Context On Voter Turnout, Roy Edward Snyder Iii

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The following study will present an examination of factors that impact levels of voting activity among American citizens from 1972 through 2004. The subject of voter turnout has been thoroughly examined by political scientists over the years, as have aspects of youth voting and the influence of education. Many of the same variables presented by scholars in recent years will be employed in this study. However, these earlier studies tend to look only at individual level variables in explaining voter turnout. This study will contribute to a more complete understanding of voting through the analysis of individual, regional, and temporal …

Development Of A Simulation Tool For Analysis Of Freeway Crashes Due To Cell Phone Usage, Sourabh Sriom

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research shows that drivers are susceptible to numerous distractions while driving which can be held responsible as the reason of a crash. Usage of cell phones, i.e. talking or texting while driving is considered one of the prominent distractions which causes a crash. This dissertation aims to study the number of crashes occurring on the freeways and their relation with the drivers of these cars using cell phones while they are driving. Since crashes occur relatively less frequently, the study of crashes is done using what is called the "rare event" theory. Java based simulations are done to model a …

Korean Mask-Dance And Aristotle's Poetics, Teayong Pakr

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Korean mask-dance is the traditional theatre of Korea. It was formerly the country's most well-known form of drama among traditional theatrical entertainments. This study explores the theatrical structure of Korean mask-dance as well as its historical background.

The rise of Korean mask-dance may be traced back to the shamanistic village ritual which gradually became similar to the extant form after absorbing aspects of the Buddhism festival through the Goryeo Dynasty, which lasted from 918-1392). During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the mask-dance had acquired its basic form with aspects of professional theatrical entertainment. The mask-dances have been performed during traditional holidays …

A Case Study Of Organizational Change: College Restructuring In Response To Mandated Department Eliminations, Brandy Dyan Smith

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Faced with unprecedented budget cuts, Western University had implemented vertical cuts in the Spring of 2010 resulting in the elimination of two departments within their College of Education. Western University was not alone in its struggle. Institutions nationwide were coping with similar financial constraints, with freezes, consolidations, and eliminations becoming commonplace and threatening institutional quality.

The issue of how colleges and the leaders, groups, and individuals within them cope, process, and reorganize following eliminations has quickly gained importance, although there are few empirical studies to guide such changes. The existing literature on restructuring, particularly adaptability and change processes, has focused …

Strike Out Across The Shoreless Ocean, Julia Claire Paajanen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

What happens between a reader and a poem is none of my business. The world has always been yours; find your own way.

(1) Every choice is correct.

(2) Everything is true.

(3) What is anything, unless so far as it is enjoyed?

All you have to do is see the course, and when you see it, go.

The Information Battlefield: Al-Qaeda's Use Of Advanced Media Technologies For Framed Messaging, Jessica Marie Martin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Through a descriptive and qualitative content analysis of Al-Qaeda videos from 2001 to 2010, this thesis describes how the organization's video production has undergone a surge in production quality by using modern technology and skilled recruits. This thesis also provides background on the Islamic culture and the history of Al-Qaeda in order to put into perspective the goals of the organization's framed messages that are incorporated into their videos. The study also draws on parallels of propaganda use throughout history to highlight how regimes from all over the world understand the importance of communication during a time of war.

Evaluating A Social Skills Training Protocol In A Private Setting: Outcomes And Issues, Judi Davis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Society is dealing with a trend of aggressive and destructive behavior among children and adolescence. Children with social, emotional, and conduct problems are at high risk for academic failure, peer rejection, conduct disorder, school dropout, delinquency, and drug and alcohol problems (Webster-Stratton, Reid, & Stoollmiller, 2008). A high priority for the United States public health and crime prevention is the prevention of aggressive and delinquent behavior during childhood and adolescence (Taylor, Eddy, & Biglan 1999).

Social skills trainings aim to increase the performance of key social behaviors that are important for children to succeed in social situations. Solutions may be …

The Utilization And Effectiveness Of The Hesi E(Square) Exit Exam As A Graduation Requirement Toward Increasing Nclex-Rnrtm Pass Rates In Baccalaureate Nursing Programs, Debra Henline Sullivan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Due to a desire to better prepare BSN students for the Nurse Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN^® ) and to increase first-time pass rates, nursing programs across the US are using predictive testing to implement policies that require students to pass a standardized exit exam to graduate (National League for Nursing, 2010). Evolve Learning Systems owned by Elsevier, Inc. offers such an exit exam named the HESI E ² , which recommends a benchmark score to predict success on the NCLEX-RN^® . To offset an expected decrease in NCLEX-RN^® pass rates due to recent changes …

Change Is Learning: Metacognition To Resolve Concerns During The Third Year Of The Implementation Of A Technological Innovation, Nola Allen-Raffail

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

"We are living in a time of change. Rather than viewing change as a painful course of action, let's develop an understanding of how it works, how to facilitate the process, and how to learn from our experiences" (Hall & Hord, 2011, p. 18).

This study used a snapshot of a private Kindergarten-12^th grade school during the third year of the implementation of a technological innovation (RenWeb) to investigate teacher concerns during the process of change and gain insights into individuals' use of metacognition to resolve those concerns. Two primary research instruments were used, the Stages of Concern Questionnaire …

The Role Of Metrical Structure In Tonal Knowledge Acquisition, Matthew Rosenthal

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Experienced listeners possess a working knowledge of pitch structure in Western music, such as scale, key, harmony, and tonality, which develops gradually throughout childhood. It is commonly assumed that tonal representations are acquired through exposure to the statistics of music, but few studies have investigated potential learning mechanisms directly. In Western tonal music, tonally stable pitches not only have a higher overall frequency of occurrence, but they may occur more frequently at strong than weak metrical positions, providing two potential avenues for tonal learning. Two experiments employed an artificial grammar learning paradigm to examine tonal learning mechanisms. During a familiarization …

Adolphe Nourrit, Gilbert Duprez, And The High C: The Influences Of Operatic Plots, Culture, Language, Theater Design, And Growth Of Orchestral Forces On The Development Of The Operatic Tenor Vocal Production, Micheal Lee Smith Jr.

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The operatic tenor voice has evolved from a variety of influences. This document identifies four influences involved in the development of the operatic tenor voice and describes their impact on performance practices including the chest voice high C (C5). Modern tenors’ performance practices originate in the nineteenth century ascendance of an Italian singing technique. This particular singing technique achieved popularity when Gilbert Duprez sang the role of Arnold in Rossini’s Guillaume Tell with a do di petto (i.e. from-the-chest) production of sound rather than the mix of falsetto and head voice that was traditional at the time. The role of …

Impact Of Home Hospital Program On Empowerment And Professional Practice Behaviors, Marcille Jo Jorgenson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a Home Hospital Clinical Placement program on professional behaviors of nursing staff within the Home Hospital and professional behaviors of baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in the Home Hospital Clinical Placement program. The study used a conceptual model developed and tested by Manojlovich (2003).

The study was a non-experimental, cross-sectional design to compare selected attributes between students enrolled in a Home Hospital Clinical Placement and students enrolled in a traditional clinical placement and between registered nurses with high levels of teaching interaction with home hospital students and registered nurses with …

Bacterial Adherence Of Streptococcus Mutans And Lactobacillus Acidophilus On Poly-Methyl Methacrylate And Thermoplastic Polypropene Used In Orthodontic Retention, Lindsay Ann Pfepper

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Retention is required in the majority of orthodontic patients throughout the remainder of their life. The two primary removable appliances are known as the traditional Hawley retainer or the vacuum formed retainer. These appliances were developed to maintain the position of the dentition without sacrificing oral health. The orthodontic population is at a higher risk for caries due to plaque accumulation from poor diet, suboptimal oral hygiene and often lack of motivation. These two retainers occupy different niches and are comprised of different materials; therefore the retainers' effect on oral health could be very different. An understanding of which bacteria …

Retrospective Investigation Of Course Content Evaluation By Students: A Survey Of Domestic Violence Education And Experience Among Current Unlv-Sdm Dental Students, Rhonda J. Everett

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The overall purpose of this research project is to survey experience and education of current dental students regarding domestic violence. Domestic violence has been recognized as one of our nation's most serious public health issues. Domestic violence can result in physical injury, psychological trauma, and sometimes death. Dentists can act as one of the first lines of intervention in recognizing common dental and facial trauma which may be associated with domestic violence victims including: broken teeth, facial bruising, and jaw fractures.

Current data suggest that education about domestic violence can help the dental professional in overcoming some of the barriers …