Digital Commons Network^™

Intrinsic Rewards Increase Job Performance Within An Organization, Meredith Catalini

Theses and Dissertations

Employee motivational programs consist of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators. This project showed the impact the use of intrinsic reward systems had on employee feelings of satisfaction and increased performance. The study was conducted with an organization that supports developmentally disabled adults. The focus was to improve medication administration practices by decreasing the number of medication errors made by employees. The data utilized to conduct this study consisted of pre- and postintervention employee interviews, database information, and application of intrinsic approaches with employees. The conclusion showed that there was a significant decrease in errors after intrinsic management practices were implemented. The …

The Development Of A Standard Of Care For Competency To Stand Trial Evaluations, Alexis Bowles

Theses and Dissertations

Competency evaluations are the most widely completed forensic evaluation and concerns have been raised regarding inconsistency in the quality of forensic evaluations (Bow & Quinnell, 2001; Horvath, Logan, & Walker, 2002; Otto & Heilbrun, 2002). Currently, there is no enforceable standard of care in forensic psychological assessment (Heilbrun, DeMatteo, Marczyk, & Goldstein 2008). The research objective was to examine practice procedures and explore the development of a standard of care for competency evaluations. The study aimed to answer 2 research questions: (a) What are the current recommended practice procedures for psychologists conducting competency evaluations? (b) What would a standard of …

The Path To Graduation: A Model Interactive Web Site Design Supporting Doctoral Students, Nicole Simmons-Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This 2-phase mixed method study assessed 2nd-year doctoral students' and dissertation students' perceptions of the current Graduate School of Education dissertation support Web site, with implications for designing a model dissertation support Web site. Methods. Phase 1 collected quantitative and qualitative data through an anonymous electronic survey. Phase 2 consisted of 6 semistructured qualitative Skype interviews. Four themes emerged from the qualitative portion of the study: (a) Mentoring, (b) Student Support Groups, (c) Explicit functions and roles of Dissertation Chairpersons, and (d) the Opportunity to network and interact with dissertation students face-to-face or online. Results. Of the respondents, 42.3% found …

Telling The Story: Teaching Leaders The Art Of Storytelling And Its Impact On Individuals And The Organization, Julie Jones O’Leary

Theses and Dissertations

There are many different approaches to communicating a story which engages and inspires the audience. The opportunity comes in teaching employees a framework to tell a story that influences outcomes. This study analyzed the effects of a storytelling class delivered to employees of a Fortune 500 organization. Data for the study was sourced from a mixed-method approach: archival interviews, class evaluations, and face-to-face interviews. These methods measured the participants' reaction to the training, evaluated the relevance to the job, and determined the impact of learning the art of telling a story. The findings showed participants reported improved confidence, strengthened relationships, …

Human And Relationship Capabilities In A Global Change Program, Elena Tran

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined human and relationship capabilities developed through a change program at an oil/gas exploration and production multinational organization. A convenience sample of 10 leaders and members of the change program were interviewed for the study. Although study participants were mixed in the assessment of the program's priority and the company's ability to deliver it successfully, the study found that the program most strongly developed capabilities related to leading and managing transformation and change, building infrastructure and process excellence, and developing critical skills and experience. Key program impacts reported were reducing risk, managing complexity, and better utilizing resources. Participants …

Examining Trainee Therapists' Responses To Client Discussions [Of] Trauma In Psychotherapy: A Qualitative Analysis, Christopher J. Howells

Theses and Dissertations

Current psychology literature offers several definitions for trauma as well as recommended psychotherapy approaches. As trauma presentation and impact can vary greatly across individuals, choosing a specific treatment approach can be quite challenging, especially for training therapists whose clinical judgment and experience to guide decision-making is limited. As such, little is understood about how novice clinicians reconcile definitional and treatment model conflicts when providing trauma treatment. This exploratory qualitative study analyzed the trauma treatment sessions of 5 training therapists. The process and content themes that emerged from the training therapists' responses were categorized as follows: (a) establishing a mutual understanding …

A Comparison Of Pull-Out And Co-Teaching Models On The Reading Performance Of Third Through Fifth Grade Elementary Students With A Diagnosed Specific Learning Disability In Reading, Louis Laffitte

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the design and implementation of the Pull-Out and the Co-Teaching special education resource models at 2 elementary schools in the Golden Cactus Elementary School District and to compare the student reading performance of 56 3rd through 5th grade students, by grade level, who participated in one of the two models at the selected schools during the 2010-2011 school year, to determine which model was associated with higher levels of student success and under what circumstances. The following two research questions guided this study: 1. How does the 2010-2011 reading performance …

Examination Of The Anti-Saccade Task As An Indicator Of Cognitive Functioning In Hiv Infected Individuals, Katherine Clancy Olson

Theses and Dissertations

The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens has resulted in significantly reduced morbidity and mortality due to HIV infection. However, in spite of more effective treatment options, for some individuals, HIV infection continues to be associated with clinically significant cognitive impairment, particularly in the later stages of disease. The purpose of the present study was to examine the usefulness of the anti-saccade task as a measure of cognitive impairment in a community sample of older HIV+ adults. Using an archival data set, this exploratory study examined how performance on the anti-saccade task related to the diagnosis of HIV-associated …

Values-Based Leadership Of Senior Leaders In Finance, The Military, And Entrepreneurial Organizations, Betty Rengifo Uribe

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study gained understanding of the values and leadership characteristics of CEOs and executives in finance, entrepreneurial organizations, and military generals. While Ledbetter (2005) provided the theoretical framework, this study builds on her work and explores how executives' values and leadership styles shape corporate culture and create results. A sample of 13 leaders participated in 1-hour interviews, the Rokeach Values Survey, and the Clifton StrengthsFinder instrument. Using purposeful sampling, the subjects were selected for being values-based leaders, defined as leaders whose actions are congruent with their espoused values of integrity, focusing on the good of the whole, and …

Psychology And People Living With Hiv/Aids: A Critical Review Of The Literature, David Fischer

Theses and Dissertations

The implications of living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) have evolved over the last 30 years. The view of HIV infection as an imminent death sentence has largely disappeared. From a practical perspective, HIV positive status is now medically treated as a chronic illness rather than as a terminal diagnosis. In response, the focus of psychological research and therapeutic practice has evolved to reflect the changing implications of living with HIV. This study documents how psychological literature regarding people living with HIV has changed over the course of the epidemic.

A Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy Curriculum For Parents In Underserved Communities, Jennifer Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) an empirically effective method of promoting psychological health and wellbeing. But access to MBSR is lacking in underserved urban communities. This is due in part to the limited research focus on urban communities - MBSR studies have primarily focused on measuring symptom reduction in middle-class - and in part to cultural concerns that diverse urban communities tend to have about mindfulness. To address the needs of diverse urban communities, this dissertation develops a culturally responsive mindfulness-based art therapy curriculum (MAT-C) as a resource for clinicians to teach adapted MBSR techniques to parents. Developing MAT-C had …

The Differential Impacts Of Telecommuting On Participant Worker Experiences, Dara S. Hysmith

Theses and Dissertations

Telecommuting affects workers across job-related and person-related dimensions. Extant research highlights the impacts on work intensification, job satisfaction, isolation and development, manager and coworker relations, work-family conflict, physical and psychological health, gender and identity, time and space. This study explores telecommuter perceptions of the most profound impacts of the work arrangement and identifies actions they or their employers can take to enhance the experience. The research focuses on the experience of this population and investigates the phenomena using a mixed-methods approach consisting of an online survey and in-depth interviews. Results indicate the most profound impacts are: work intensity, isolation and …

The Implementation Of An Appreciative Inquiry-Focused Strategic Planning In A Baptist Church, Akpene Ama Atiedu

Theses and Dissertations

Strategic planning has become a viable process for many organizations over the last 60 years and is quickly becoming a common practice in faith-based organizations. Appreciative Inquiry as an approach to strategic planning has been found to be useful in organization development and change (Stavros, Cooperrider, & Kelley, 2003). However, few studies have looked at the application of an Appreciative Inquiry-focused strategic planning process in faith-based organizations. The purpose of this action research project was to design and implement a strategic planning process in a church using an Appreciative Inquiry approach. A triangulation of research methods (survey, direct observations, and …

Engaging Virtual Communities In Appreciative Innovation, Colleen N. Holt

Theses and Dissertations

Since the introduction of the Internet, cyber networks have expanded into new virtual worlds, demanding global cooperation across borders, cultures, time, and space. Social media platforms have enabled consumers to exert increasing influence over business and communities. This experimental research combined appreciative inquiry and design thinking, into a new five-phase, 6-week process (AI.d) and examined its use as a tool for innovative collaboration. Young adults from a globally dispersed spiritual community applied AI.d, using Facebook as a collaborative virtual space. Virtual interaction, collaboration, relationship, goal efficacy, skill building, and innovation were measured. Results were positive: resources were identified and used; …

The Development Of Self-Care Workshop To Prevent Vicarious Traumatization In Training Therapists Working With Sexually Exploited Children, Krystle K. Madrid

Theses and Dissertations

Trainees who treat sexually exploited children are helpless witnesses to long term psychological, social and physical effects of physical and sexual abuse trauma narratives. Trainees and those with limited training and self-care practices are at a greater risk for vicarious traumatization. Unfortunately little attention has been given to the experience of vicarious traumatization in trainees who treat sexually exploited children. In addition, there has been limited research on self-care training resources as a primary prevention tool against vicarious traumatization. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-care PowerPoint workshop to help prevent vicarious traumatization in trainees working with …

Psychology Internship Training In Evidence-Based Treatments For Youth With Disruptive Behavior Problems, Nathan J. Balfanz

Theses and Dissertations

The implementation of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) has become a topic of significant debate amongst researchers and mental health practitioners alike. While current research has indicated a shift in attitudes amongst treatment providers for what constitutes as "best practices" in treating clients, less is known regarding the dissemination and teaching of EBTs for early career, training clinicians. The focus of this study was to take a closer look at clinical training in EBT strategies, specifically those for children and adolescents with disruptive behavior problems (DBPs). Sixty-four internship training directors and program representatives from American Psychological Association (APA) accredited and Association of …

Exploring Ways In Which Trainee Therapists Address Autonomy When Working With Culturally Diverse Clients Who Have Experienced Trauma: A Qualitative Analysis Of An Aspect Of Posttraumatic Growth, Ani Khatchadourian

Theses and Dissertations

A positive psychological approach to trauma involves acknowledging the distress that often results from traumatic experiences, while also focusing on trauma as an opportunity for posttraumatic growth. Organismic valuing theory posits that the social environment may serve as a facilitator of posttraumatic growth to the extent that it supports the survivor's basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Of these needs, autonomy has been the most debated, particularly by cross-cultural researchers noting that autonomy is equivalent to independence and therefore not a universal need. Although there is increasing literature on the importance of autonomy across cultures and its use …

The Effects Of A Career Development Course On Career And College Major Decision-Making In College Students, Sidra Tabassum Ashraf Baig

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study explored the effects of a semester-long, 2 credit career development course on the undecided college students. Participants included undergraduate students enrolled in the Career Development (COUN 105) class and comparison group students enrolled in Introductory Psychology (PSYX 100), and Intimate and Family Relationship (COUN 295) classes at The University of Montana. Students were assessed at the beginning and the end of the Spring and Fall semesters, 2010 by using the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (CDSE-SF; Betz & Taylor, 1983), Career Orientation scale, Career Decision Scale (Osipow et al., 1976), and Decisional Process Inventory (Hartung, 1994). The main …

Communication Apprehension And Perceived Responsiveness, Elise Alexandra Fanney

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The purpose of this study was to construct a training program designed specifically for college students struggling with Communication Apprehension in the public speaking context. Research has consistently found that perceived responsiveness acts as one form of social support, and social support has been found to decrease stress (Maisel, Gable, & Strachman, 2008). Given the fact that anxiety is stressful, the purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between perceived responsiveness of an audience and CA. Using data from an earlier pilot study measuring for correlation between CA and perceived responsiveness in one‟s close relational partner, and using …

Rooted Elements A Kinesthetic Approach Connecting Our Children To Their Inner And Outer World, Alisha Meyer

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Rooted Elements is a thematic naturalistic guide for classroom teachers to design engaging lessons focused in the earth elements. It serves as a tool to pick out emotional or physical struggles for individuals or whole groups as they relate to the element characteristics. The practice is then designed around earth, water, fire or air qualities while teaching about a specific theme and what can be learned from that topic. The lessons are all geared towards an open space without desks and can be used with all students including students struggling with behavioral and/or academic challenges who need interventions. Rooted Elements …

States' Investment In Human Capital: Higher Education Funding Effort, Elena Garrison

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Diminishing state support for higher education threatens human capital development. This quantitative study undertook to determine the state factors that influence higher education funding and to what degree they do so, what level of funding is required to satisfy higher education expenditure need, and what can help to ensure that those funding needs are met. The focus of the study was the 15 WICHE states, with special attention to the situation in Montana. The states in the study varied dramatically in their fiscal capacity to generate the revenue needed to support public services, a capacity influenced by state resource endowment, …

What Is The Effectiveness Of Public Relations Tactics Being Utilized By High Street Fashion Brands To Encourage Consumer Knowledge Of Their Brand Identity?, Lynn Ferrari

Theses

This thesis looks to discover if high street fashion brands are utilizing effective public relations. It attempts to identify if the PR tools being utilized by high street fashion brands are evident to the consumer and if they contribute to purchasing power, the model of communication that is being employed by high street fashion brands and if age contributes to the knowledge and effectiveness of public relation tactics and communication tools. Approach: The research involved a two-stage study with the first phase focusing on an extensive literature review of the key sources of secondary research including reports, articles and publications. …

The Effects Of Climate On The Growth Of Winter Wheat And Spring Barley In An Irish Context, Adrian Kennedy

Theses

The climate of earth is always changing due to natural events, however it is thought that the rapid warming period currently taking place is primarily due human activity to (environmental protection agency 2012). Climate change is altering the environment and this will have consequences for agriculture (Teagasc publications 2012). In this study we examine the relationship between weather and the yield of winter wheat and spring barley in an Irish context using data gathered from 2004-2010 at the Teagasc Oak Park research centre in Carlow. The data was analysed using a mixed effect model to test which if any weather …

In Silico Prediction Of Protein-Protein Interactions Between Cronobacter Sakazakii And Human Host, Sean Held

Theses

The genus Cronobacter accommodates 16 biogroups of the emerging opportunistic pathogen known formerly as Enterobacter sakazakii. Cronobacter are occasional contaminants of milk powder and, consequently, powdered infant formula (PIT). Since it is a pathogen that is transmitted in infant formula it represents a significant health risk to neonates. These bacteria are opportunistic pathogens (can only cause disease when the host's resistance is low) and are linked with life-threatening infections in neonates. Some of the clinical symptoms of Cronohacter infection include necrotizing enterocolitis, bacteremia, and meningitis, with case fatality rates of 50-80% being reported (Healy et al. 2010). Infant formula manufacturers …

The Use Of Public Relations Tactics In Two Nationwide Fundraising Campaigns In Nonprofit Organisations In Ireland. A Case Study Analysis, Arlene Hogan

Theses

This study aims to analysis the use of public relations in two of Ireland’s nonprofit organisations and their national fundraising campaigns. The two charities chosen were The Mater Foundation and its national fundraising campaign called The Heart Appeal and the second charity is The Irish Heart Foundation and its national campaign called Happy Heart Weekend. The questions that the author will be looking to find are the importance of having PR as part of a nonprofit nationwide fundraising campaign, what PR tactics do these charities use to publicise their national fundraising campaigns in question and does communication play a strategic …

Numerical Modelling Of The River Bandon, Stephen Finn

Theses

Numerical modelling involves the use of data from the physical environment and mathematical equations to achieve predictive solutions to many engineering problems including for river engineering. The field data is surveyed, sampled, recorded and tested before it is entered into the numerical modelling program for analysis. The numerical modelling program contains various mathematical equations that solve the data that has been entered. Numerical modelling is an important tool for predicting the consequences of future events. It can be used for predicting the damage of a 1 in 100 year flood event in a river system. Numerical modelling is used by …

Shear & Torsion Behaviour Of Hollow-Core Pre-Stressed Concrete Slabs, Cian Twomey

Theses

Research Aim The aim of this study is to carry out research on shear and torsion behaviour of hollow-core slabs.

Research Objectives The objectives of the research are: • carry out a review of research literature published to date • carry out physical laboratory testing • generate and calibrate Unite element models • expand finite element models to model shear and torsion behaviour of hollow- core slabs • carry out a comparison and discussion of the findings

Development Of Mass Spectrometric Methods For The Analysis Of Serotonin And Related Compounds In Biological Matrices, Merisa Moriarty

Theses

Serotonin is a major neurotransmitter in the brain and affects various functions both in the brain and in the rest of the body. It has been linked to depression, migraines, and aggression, as well as many psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, dementia and anorexia nervosa. It also has been associated with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease along with other neurotransmitters such as dopamine.

The aim of this research project is to develop various mass spectrometric methods for the analysis of serotonin, dopamine and similar indoles in both urine and serum matrices. This thesis provides extensive reviews detailing a general overview of serotonin …

A Service Provisioning Architecture For Next Generation Wireless Sensor Networks - The Wsn Cloud, Muhammad Sohaib Aslam

Theses

The relentless demand for pervasive computing in our everyday lives has led to and will continue to drive the roll out of large scale embedded systems in the form of Wireless Sensor Networks or WSNs in our environment. This in turn drives the need for reusable, flexible and manageable WSN infrastructures. To simplify system operation and maintenance as well as to reduce costs, WSNs must become an infrastructure that is capable of providing services to multiple end users concurrently rather than having to roll out individual infrastructures for specific purposes as is typical nowadays. This thesis presents the concept of …

Wireless Sensor Networks: Empowering Reliable, Realtime & Resource Efficient Communication For Cyber-Physical Applications, Jasvinder Singh

Theses

Since their inception, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have been successfully employed as low-rate data gathering networks in numerous monitoring applications. Recently, a new domain of WSNs applications, known as Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) has started attracting significant attention world-wide. In these applications, monitoring only the state of the physical system (process or environment) is not sufficient, the system must respond to the sensed events/data within certain time constraints by performing actions upon the physical entity. It is expected that in approaching years, WSNs will be integrated in a myriad of CPS applications, for example high confidence medical systems, assisted living, traffic …