Digital Commons Network^™

Adhd And Positive Smoking Expectancies The Role Of Peer Influence As A Moderating Factor, Lauren Dattilo

Theses and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated considerable links between symptoms of ADHD and negative outcomes such as increased risk for cigarette use, which, despite an overall decline, remains a serious public health concern. Cigarette use is often associated with positive expectancies, or ideas about the effects of smoking. While some work on ADHD symptoms has focused on alcohol expectancies, no work has investigated how they might be related to smoking expectancies Other factors, such as susceptibility to peer influence, also remain shallowly explored. The present study is the first to examine interrelations among ADHD symptoms, smoking expectancies, and susceptibility to peer influence. It …

Examining The Differences In Rapport Between Male And Female Cancer Genetic Counselors And Female Clients, John Abernethy

Theses and Dissertations

Genetic counseling is a field in which client-counselor rapport plays a critical role in client satisfaction with the genetic counseling process. One factor that may impact this rapport is gender of the genetic counselor. Previous studies in the field of psychological counseling suggest that gender is not a significant moderator of this rapport. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been published in the field of genetic counseling examining the impact that the gender of the genetic counselor has on client-counselor rapport. To study this effect, an amended version of Horvath & Greenberg's (1989) Working Alliance Inventory tool …

Diffusion Of Csr In Global Business Networks: An Embeddedness Perspective, Valentina Marano

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role of firm embeddedness in its global business network, relative to the adoption of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices. Global business networks refer to the nexus of inter-firm and intra-firm relationships, in which focal actors are engaged. These networks are focal firm specific, span multiple countries and involve different types of economic relationships between the focal actor and its business partners. This study argues that global business networks affect a focal organization's CSR adoption decisions, since they provide access to resources and information and also channel CSR-related institutional influences from the various countries where the focal …

The Shadow Of Consumption - How The Anticipation Of Active Use Serves As A Solution To The Public Good Dilemma, Michael Hahn

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Building Morale In A Soldier Town: Home Front Women And The Gi In Columbia, South Carolina, 1941-1945, Jessica Kathleen Childress

Theses and Dissertations

As the United States mobilized for war in 1941, cities and towns across America, especially those closest to military bases, were faced with an unprecedented influx of soldiers, airmen, and sailors. To cope with these waves of servicemen in their off-duty hours, particularly to provide for wholesome entertainment and lessen the emotional weight of wartime, Columbia, South Carolina solicited participation in morale-building programs from its residents. Community leaders recognized their responsibility for funding programs and providing buildings to meet the soldiers' recreational needs, but they relied on women's organizations and female students to build morale through meaningful social interactions with …

Promoting Early Childhood Development Through Community Health Worker Interventions: Implementation And Measurement Issues In Rural Pakistan, Zaeem Haq

Theses and Dissertations

Appropriate nutrition and psychosocial stimulation during the first three years of life can have long-lasting effects on a child's health and development. However, not all children in the world receive adequate nutrition and psychosocial stimulation during this period. There has been enormous interest in developing the evidence on the most effective ways of implementing and assessing early childhood development (ECD) promotion interventions in resource poor settings. Despite the interest, the integration of ECD interventions into pre-existing public health programs, and assessment of these interventions in extended family, rural household environment have not been addressed.

The dissertation research presented here was …

Transitioning From Caregiving To Widowhood, Michelle Digiacomo, Joanne Lewis, Marie T. Nolan, Jane Phillips, Patricia M. Davidson

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Context

Older women commonly assume a caregiving role for their husbands at the end of life and are more vulnerable to poorer health, well-being, and social and economic challenges.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to ascertain older women's experiences of spousal caregiving at the end of life and the ways in which this experience impacts on the transition to widowhood.

Methods

Longitudinal, in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with older women three times over a one-year period after the death of their husbands. This report focuses on the initial interviews that examined the transition from caregiving to widowhood. Transcripts …

The Clinical And Social Dimensions Of Prescribing Palliative Home Oxygen For Refractory Dyspnea, Katrina Breaden, Jane Phillips, Meera Agar, Carol Grbich, Amy P. Abernethy, David C. Currow

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Chronic breathlessness is a significant problem in palliative care and oxygen is often prescribed in an attempt to ameliorate it. Often, this prescription falls outside the current funding guidelines for long-term home oxygen use. The aim of this qualitative study was to understand the factors that most influence Australian specialist palliative care nurses' initiation of home oxygen for their patients. Methods: A series of focus groups were held across three states in Australia in 2011 involving specialist palliative care nurses. The invitation to the nurses was sent by e-mail through their national association. Recorded and transcribed data were coded …

An Evaluation Of Check-In/Check-Out With Accountability Tracking For At-Risk Students In A High-Need Elementary School, Ashley Lauren Barber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A multi-tiered system of supports offers a comprehensive model for the prevention of academic and behavior problems in schools. To date, research has emphasized the impact of universal and intensive interventions. However, the need for research on secondary or targeted group interventions (Tier 2) for those students who do not respond to the universal level of support is growing. This study evaluated CICO, a Tier 2 intervention, in improving student behavior when it is used with three elementary students from a high-need population and in conjunction with student accountability tracking, designed to promote parental involvement. Functional assessments indicated that all …

Utilizing Tagteach To Enhance Proficiency In Dance Movements, Mallory Joanne Quinn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate TAGteach as a training procedure to increase the fluency of three dance movements in a multiple baseline across behaviors design with 4 students of dance. Target behaviors included a pirouette/turn, kick, and a leap/jump, respective of the level of the class. A dance instructor was trained to implement the TAGteach procedure by the primary researcher. The targeted dance movements remained at a stable level during baseline and improved sequentially for each participant following the introduction of the TAGteach training. Implications for future research are discussed.

An Evaluation Of A Parent Implemented In- Situ Pedestrian Safety Skills Intervention For Individuals With Autism, Bethany Ann Harriage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated a parent implemented in-situ pedestrian safety skills intervention for three individuals with autism. Specifically, this study examined the utility of using a behavioral skills training (BST) to help parents implement the most-to-least prompting procedures in training their children with autism pedestrian safety skills in community settings. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to assess parent implementation of in-situ pedestrian training as well as child participants' independently performed correct skills. Results indicated that parents implemented most-to-least prompting procedures with high levels of accuracy across streets during intervention and fading of BST. All child participants improved their …

The Acquisition And Usage Of The Sodas Problem Solving Method Among Adults At-Risk For Homelessness, Collin Edward Streetman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals experiencing extended homelessness face multifaceted risks in physical health, nutrition, substance use, mental health, continuing unemployment, and incarceration. Some of these adults may benefit from learning a problem-solving decision-making method to assist them in dealing with everyday problems they encounter. This study taught three men with extensive histories of homelessness, but who were currently housed, the SODAS problem-solving decision-making method, and assessed their ability to learn it and guide another adult in the use of the method in simulated role-play problem situations. The acquisition of SODAS from behavioral rehearsal training was evaluated using a multiple-baseline design across participants' role …

It’S All About The 2.0 Bro: A Future Study Of The Impact Of Technology On Millennial Males Choosing The Library Profession, Heidi Blackburn

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This poster highlights the Research Question, Select Literature Review, Theoretical Framework, and Possible Methodologies on research studying the Impact of Technology on Millennial Males Choosing the Library Profession.

Reflections On Problem Solving Theory And Practice, Alan H. Schoenfeld

The Mathematics Enthusiast

In this article, the author reflects on the current state of mathematical problem solving, both in theory and in instruction. The impact of the book Mathematical Problem solving (Schoenfeld, 1985) is also discussed, along with implications of problem solving today with the advent of 21st century technologies.

Mathematical Problem Solving In Training Elementary Teachers From A Semiotic Logical Approach, Martín Socas, Josefa Hernández

The Mathematics Enthusiast

The aim of this article is to consider the professional knowledge and competences of mathematics teachers in compulsory education, and to propose basic tasks and activities in an initial training programme in the framework of a global proposal for “Immersion” in the curriculum of the educational phase which the trainee teacher would go on to work in. Problem-solving, in this context, is considered as being an inherent part of mathematics and this is described in terms of problem-solving, establishing connections between concepts, operations and implicit processes in the mathematical activity (conceptual field) and their relationships problem-solving; and it is assumed …

Thoughts About Research On Mathematical Problem- Solving Instruction, Frank K. Lester Jr.

The Mathematics Enthusiast

In this article, the author, who has written extensively about mathematical problem solving over the past 40 years, discusses some of his current thinking about the nature of problem-solving and its relation to other forms of mathematical activity. He also suggests several proficiencies teachers should acquire in order for them to be successful in helping students become better problem solvers and presents a framework for research on problem-solving instruction. He closes the article with a list of principles about problem-solving instruction that have emerged since the early 1970s.

Developing The Art Of Seeing The Easy When Solving Problems, Alfinio Flores, Jaclyn Braker

The Mathematics Enthusiast

For Leonardo da Vinci “saper vedere”, that is, knowing how to see, or having the art to see, was the key to unlocking the secrets of the visible world. Saper vedere included a precise sensory intuitive faculty as well as artistic imagination (Heydenreich, 1954) which were at the root of Leonardo’s inventiveness and creativity. According to Leonardo, to understand, you only have to see things properly (Bramly 1994, p. 264). Knowing how to see is also important in mathematics. The Italian mathematician Bruno de Finetti (1967) stresses this importance in his book on “Saper vedere” in mathematics. He highlights several …

Seeking Modernity, Brain Gain, And Brain Drain: The Historical Evolution Of Chinese Students' Overseas Education In The United States Since Modern China, Di Luo

Master's Theses

This thesis is an historical research project that examines major waves of Chinese students studying in the United States since the mid-nineteenth century, as well as the impact of returned, American-educated Chinese students to the modernization of Chinese society. It also discusses the trend and pattern of the current wave after 1978 and compare it with previous waves. The analysis and examination of this thesis is based on a wide variety of written documents in both Chinese and English, including historical literatures, academic articles, dissertations, surveys, government publications, statistical data from both primary and secondary sources, as well as educational …

Supporting Minority Students Through Mentoring: Best Practices For Formal Mentoring Programs, Elizabeth Stockslager

Master's Theses

Approaches such as universal education, state and national standards, and reform acts have sought to ensure that all students in America receive the same level of education. However, education systems are limited by institutionalized racism. An analysis of the education system through the lens of Critical Race Theory highlights the need to look outside of the traditional school setting, while Culturally Relevant Pedagogy gives insights for understanding the best practices in meeting the needs of minority students. This research considers how mentoring provides support and success for minority students by working with students outside of the school structure. Using the …

The Effect Of Work-Related Programs On Dropout Rates: A Meta-Analysis, Jill Young

Master's Theses

One in four students drop out of school, which has long-lasting implications for the individual, employers, and society at large. Work-related programs, such as those that include career exploration or vocational training, are often employed by schools and communities to reduce school dropout rates. This thesis provides an update to a meta-analysis of experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations of dropout prevention programs conducted by Wilson, Tanner-Smith, Lipsey, Morrison, and Steinka-Frey in 2011, focusing on work-related dropout prevention programs. This study determined through meta-analysis of the logged odds-ratios that work-related programs have an odds-ratio of 1.66, indicating that work-related programs significantly reduce …

Social-Environmental Predictors Of Health-Related Quality Of Life In Youth With Spina Bifida, Caitlin Beth Murray

Master's Theses

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a multidimensional construct including an individual's physical and mental health and psychosocial well-being (De Civita et al., 2005), and the measurement of HRQOL has been recognized as a key marker of health outcomes in pediatric populations (Eiser & Jenney, 2007). Due to medical and technological advances, an increasing number of individuals with chronic illnesses are living longer. As such, research that investigates improvements in HRQOL in youth with chronic illnesses has become essential. Indeed, the number of studies examining HRQOL in pediatric populations has increased markedly; spina bifida (SB) is one among several chronic …

Conspiratorial Thinking: How Worldview And Mortality Salience Affect Belief, Eric James Anderson

Master's Theses

Conspiratorial thinking is widespread throughout the world, though the major social sciences have thus far chosen not to study them for a variety of reasons. This study attempts to understand what, in fact, makes individuals believe in conspiracy theories. Using aspects of terror management theory, Kruglanski's theory of lay epistemology, participants' political worldviews, and conspiracy type, this paper will explore what triggers conspiracy-prone individuals to see the world the way they do. It is anticipated that individuals who have thoughts of their death primed in their consciousness will structure the world more rigidly, cling to their worldviews and respond to …

Legislating The Risk Of Light Teachers In 1950s And 1970s America, Kevin Vincent Heffernan

Master's Theses

The existence of gay and lesbian teachers remains for many a dangerous notion. Indeed, education and schooling are terrains in which homosexuality has historically been highly charged. Underlying this are problematic assumptions about the suitability of gays and lesbians as school workers, assumptions that feed into larger questions about gays and lesbians in general. This thesis will explore these assumptions - and their consequences for gay and lesbian teachers - against the backdrop of both the 1950s, when the burgeoning Cold War created an "age of anxiety," and the 1970s, when the rise of the religious right began to transform …

I Am Relieved To Discover My Symptoms Are Normal For My Condition: An Analysis Of Two Irritable Bowel Syndrome Support Communities, Erin Hvizdak

Master's Theses

Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a "medically unexplained illness," are present in up to 20% of the United States population. Individuals experiencing symptoms of IBS often report that physicians dismiss their experiential and embodied knowledge, leading to a sense of isolation and frustration. Many of these individuals attempt to diminish isolation and also exchange their knowledge in a community setting. In order to enable a more complete understanding of IBS, a survey about community participation was sent to members of a large online support group for IBS located on Facebook, with 81 completed surveys received. Further, an open-ended questionnaire …

The Independent Influences Of Relational And Physical Victimization On Subsequent Physical Aggression In Middle School Children, Michelle D. Mioduszewski

Master's Theses

Using Agnew's strain (1992) and integrative (2005) theory, this study hypothesized that relational and physical victimization would be independently associated with self-reported physical aggression at six months and one year after victimization. Secondary data analysis was conducted using three waves of a longitudinal multisite dataset used for the "Outcome Evaluation of the Teens, Crime, and the Community/Community Works (TCC/CW) Training Program, 2004-2005." Independent variables at wave one were relational victimization occurring none or one time (56.2%), or two or more times (43.8%), and physical victimization occurring none or one time (77.8%), or two or more times (22.2%). The dependent variables …

Activity Patterns And Spatial Resource Selection Of The Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis Sirtalis Sirtalis), Matthew Gregory Most

Master's Theses

Snake species usually exhibit seasonal variations in activity patterns, home-range size and the use of respective habitat. Using mark-recapture protocols I marked 96 individual Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis specimens in Lake Forest, IL to determine the independent variables that best explained habitat selection in a population of Eastern Garter Snakes (T. s. sirtalis). Specifically, I focused on the relationship between seasonal movement and home range size of male and female garter snakes. I analyzed the habitat preferences and spatial ecology of Eastern Garter Snakes during the 2011 sampling season and modeled the relationship between preferred or avoided habitat, in conjunction with …

Secure And Insecure High Self-Esteem And Social Identity Affirmation In Response To Belongingness Threats, Reyna Jacqueline Pena

Master's Theses

The objective of this study was to examine the relation between implicit and explicit self-esteem on social identity affirmation among Latinos in response to belonging threats from other ingroup members. We predicted a three-way interaction between implicit self-esteem, explicit self-esteem, and belonging threat condition predicting social identity affirmation (collective self-esteem), compensatory conviction and ingroup bias. We predicted that individuals with insecure self-esteem (high explicit, low implicit) would affirm their social identity more, offer greater conviction and express more ingroup bias in response to recalled threats as compared to a control condition of non-threatened participants. A total of n=174 Latinos participated …

The Interactive Effects Of Coping Strategies, Gender, And Stress In The Prediction Of Internalizing Symptoms In African American Youth: An Application Of The Specificity Model, Cynthia Pierre

Master's Theses

The current study utilized a specificity framework in the examination of interactions among coping strategies, stressor domains, and participant gender in the prediction of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Participants were 273 African American adolescents (6th - 8th; mean age = 12.9; 58% female). Participants completed measures of universal and culturally-relevant coping strategies in response to a stressor. Stressors were coded by raters across dichotomous domains: interpersonality (interpersonal vs. non-interpersonal), duration (acute vs. chronic), controllability (controllable vs. non-controllable), and sexuality (sexual vs. non-sexual). T-tests were conducted to examine differences in reported coping across stress domains. Inconsistent with predictions, mean differences of …

Giving And Taking Orders: Race, Rank, And The United States Military, Natalie Levy Seefeldt

Master's Theses

This thesis explores racial representation in the United States military throughout each rank level, within all active and reserve branches, to determine whether racial representation is related to rank. Using a census of the U.S. military from the Department of Defense, I establish a summary of what representation looks like overall, and more specifically, what it looks like within enlisted, warrant officer, and officer ranks. The citizen-soldier theory contends that failure on the part of the U.S. military to maintain representative forces threatens the legitimacy and credibility of democracy and could even become a threat to it (Armor and Gilroy, …

The Effects Of Candidate Religiosity And Candidate Secularism On Voters' Support For The Political Candidate, Nathanael Gratias Sumaktoyo

Master's Theses

This study examines the effects of candidate religiosity, candidate secularism, and voter fundamentalism on voters' support for a political candidate. Seven effects were tested: 1) the religiosity effect, which suggests that a religious candidate will be supported more than a nonreligious candidate; 2) the secularism effect, which suggests that a secular candidate will be supported more than a nonsecular candidate; 3) the JFK effect, which suggests that a secular religious candidate will be supported more than a nonsecular religious candidate; 4) the deviant effect--an opposite of the JFK effect--, which suggests that a secular religious candidate constitutes a group deviant, …