Digital Commons Network^™

Gender Differences In Factors Contributing To Frequency Of Victimization Among Youth In Residential Placement, Chelsey Hukriede

Theses and Dissertations

Violence and victimization are common aspects of life for incarcerated individuals, even youth, with a large majority of offenders reporting experiences of some form of victimization during their stay in custody. Routine activities theory argues that most criminal acts require a convergence of motivated offenders, suitable targets, and the absence of capable guardianship. The purpose of this study is to explore quantitatively, facility and individual level factors that may affect experiences of robbery, physical and sexual assault victimization among youth in residential custody, and how these factors might vary by gender. To answer my research question, secondary data from The …

"Mad In Craft": Action And Melancholy In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Daniel Arthur Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis contains two parts. First, I will present a character analysis of Hamlet in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet; secondly, I will perform the role and conclude this project with a brief reflection on the experience. For the character analysis, I will examine Hamlet’s inner action and his melancholy.

Risky Sexual Behaviors Among College Student Drinkers As A Function Of Drinking Motivation And Alcohol Use, Tess Mone't Kilwein

Theses and Dissertations

Risky sexual behaviors (e.g., sex without protection against pregnancy, sex with multiple partners) are common among college students. In order to decrease these behaviors, it is necessary to understand factors associated with their occurrence, such as alcohol use. Drinking motives are a known predictor of both alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences, which may theoretically include risky sex. However, no research has directly examined drinking motives as a predictor of engaging in a wide range of risky sexual behaviors. Thus, the current study examined whether drinking motives interact with alcohol use to predict risky sex among college students. One-hundred and eight …

Slot Machine Use As A Measure Of Decision-Making In Substance Use Disorders, Theodore David Krmpotich

Theses and Dissertations

Many of the decision-making tasks involve gambling and gambling paradigms and therefore it is important to understand how gambling relates to decision-making, especially in individuals who use substances. The goal of this study was to investigate how individuals with SUD will perform on a slot machine and relate the slot-machine performance to current lab measures of decision-making. Individuals with and without substance use disorders gambled on a slot machine and completed other decision-making tasks (e.g., IGT, BART, delay discounting). Rewards were manipulated in terms of magnitude (real monetary payout verses no payout) for two reasons. Gambling performance was compared to …

Development And Validation Of The Partners’ Approval Of Nonsexual Extradyadic Behaviors Scale, Lindsay Frances Kujawa

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the emergent norm in U.S. society for partnered individuals across all sexual orientations to possess both same-sex and cross-sex friends (Weis & Felton, 1987), and the relative complexity that comes with having friends who belong to the sex to which one is sexually attracted, the field is lagging in its ability to measure and better understand individuals’ attitudes about their partners’ engagement in the various behaviors of which these friendships are comprised. The existing scales of extradyadic behaviors are largely measuring individuals’ attitudes about engagement in sexual behaviors with cross-sex friends within the heterosexual population; therefore, they are inadequate …

Schedule Flexibility And The Impact On Work-To-Family Conflict Among Low Earners And High Earners, Brittany Love

Theses and Dissertations

Today many Americans struggle to balance work and family life, and schedule flexibility is one mechanism that can be used to reduce conflict between work and family. Since social class is understudied in work-family scholarship, this study will compare the experiences of high and low earners, with a focus on examining the relationship between schedule flexibility and work-to-family conflict. Using secondary data from the 2008 National Study of Changing Workforce (NSCW), this study explores whether schedule flexibility impacts work-to-family conflict differently among low and high earners (N = 1,665). Results indicated that both low and high earners experienced less work-to-family …

Exploring Organizational Resilience Asset And Its Antecedents For Effective Internal Crisis Communication, Young Kim

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Nowadays crises are omnipresent with daily news headlines as reminders. The public continues to see or experience many different crises that affect numerous individuals and organizations as well as society in general. Against this backdrop, corporate communication professionals, for effective crisis management, are expected to help the organizations and their leaders make decisions, as well as communicate clearly when crises arise. Considering a fast changing media environment, recent scholars have called for new approaches to crisis communication to enhance theoretical developments. They suggested that researchers should take a broader context beyond the dominant crisis communication research perspectives based on the …

Imprisonment Inertia And Public Attitudes Toward "Truth In Sentencing", Michael M. O'Hear, Darren Wheelock

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

In the space of a few short years in the 1990s, forty-two states adopted truth in sentencing (“TIS”) laws, which eliminated or greatly curtailed opportunities for criminal defendants to obtain parole release from prison. In the following decade, the pendulum seemingly swung in the opposite direction, with thirty-six states adopting new early release opportunities for prisoners. However, few of these initiatives had much impact, and prison populations continued to rise. The TIS ideal remained strong. In the hope of developing a better understanding of these trends and of the prospects for more robust early release reforms in the future, the …

The Moderating Role Of Body Appreciation On The Feminine Ideology And Aggression, Julie Buzgon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to elucidate and expand upon the possible relationships and interactions between the feminine ideology, body appreciation, and indirect aggression reported within a sample of female adolescents. Social learning theorists posit that girls are socialized and reinforced to utilize more ‘feminine,’ or covert, means by which to express their aggression in comparison to their male peers. Girls are instructed from a young age to behave in a manner that is in accordance with the traditional feminine ideology. Additionally, today’s culture has placed unrealistic body standards on the female population, both overtly and tacitly critiquing adolescent girls if their …

Self Care Among Filipino Immigrants In The United States Who Have Hypertension, Emerson E. Ea

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hypertension (HTN) is a leading risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke—two major causes of mortality and morbidity in the United States (US)—across all racial and ethnic groups, including Filipino immigrants. The results of early and recent studies that explored HTN among Filipinos in the US have consistently revealed a prevalence rate that is highest among Asian Americans. There is also evidence in the literature that indicates this population’s sub-optimal control and management of HTN when compared with other Asian American subgroups. Despite this reported alarming information about HTN for this population, there is a noticeable …

The Impact Of Positive Thinking And Empathy Induction On Social Perceptions Of Cancer, Kelly Marie Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Social perceptions of cancer can influence patients' illness experiences by affecting the behavior of those around a cancer patient. These perceptions can be influenced by exposure to the social phenomenon of positive thinking (PT), leading to increased perceived responsibility of the patient for negative illness outcomes. Accordingly, it is important to identify mechanisms that can diminish the effect of PT exposure on social perceptions of cancer. A pilot study was first conducted to test the effectiveness of an empathy induction intervention in reducing these negative social perceptions in the context of the study scenario, and to assess the newly developed …

Exploring Pedagogical Decision Making And Metacognition Of Faculty Teaching Abroad, Yuliya Kartoshkina

Theses and Dissertations

The number of faculty-led short-term study abroad programs is growing rapidly. However, the literature on pedagogical design of such programs is very limited. This qualitative research study was conducted to explore how faculty members make pedagogical decisions about teaching abroad as well as cognitive processes they engage in when making these decisions. Six faculty members from different institutions and academic departments were interviewed. Their colleagues recognized them as experts in the field based on years of teaching abroad and effectiveness of their practice.

Two important findings came out of this study. First, when making pedagogical decisions about teaching abroad, all …

The Development Of Hostile Cognitive Schemas And Adult Aggressive Tendencies, Kristin Elisabeth Matson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research served as an exploration into the relationships between childhood maltreatment, personality factors (i.e. negative affect and antagonism), cognitive biases (i.e. hostile attribution bias and hypermasculinity), adult aggression, and gun enthusiasm. Previous literature has shown relationships between these variables individually and this research attempted to provide more insight into the complicated interplay between numerous factors often present in the life of an aggressive adult. The participants included 885 men over the age of 18 and residing in the United States who were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk survey service to complete eight assessments online. Results indicated aggressive ideation …

Executive Functioning And Drinking: The Impact Taxing Working Memory Has On Alcohol Consumption, Mara Catherine Norton-Baker

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence rates of binge drinking and heavy drinking among college-aged students have reached alarming levels. The negative consequences for these behaviors range from relatively minor annoyances (e.g., hangovers) to life-changing incidents (e.g., DUI) to accidental death. Deficits in executive cognitive function (ECF), especially deficits in working memory capabilities, have been linked repeatedly to problematic alcohol use. Given that it appears problematic drinkers with ECF deficits are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol and experience a greater loss of behavior control when experiencing cognitively taxing situations than problematic drinkers with greater ECF, further study of the impact of taxing …

The Minnesota Army National Guard And Gender Expectations, Corbin David Routier

Theses and Dissertations

Women have never formally served in U.S. Army combat roles. It was announced in December, 2015 that U.S. Army combat roles would undergo gender integration. The objective of this research was to measure attitudes of current all-male infantry units in the Minnesota Army National Guard (MNARNG). The research was framed using status expectations theory. Surveys were distributed to two MNARNG companies (N = 116). The research examined how infantrymen rated male and female soldiers differently on 14 traits as well as their support for female integration. The results showed that infantrymen rated men higher than women. In addition, men who …

Public Opinion About Police Use Of Body-Worn Cameras, Deanne Paulsen

Theses and Dissertations

There has been a significant increase in media attention about encounters between police officers and the public which have ended badly, sometimes in injury or death. These events have increased public concern about police conduct. Because of these events and the adverse publicity they have generated, many police departments have begun using body-worn cameras. The police use of body-worn cameras raises many important issues such as their effects on privacy and police-community relations. Because police departments have just recently begun using body cameras, there has been limited research on them. Consequently, the current study examined whether the public favors the …

Jealousy In Same-Sex Relationships: A Study Of Sexual And Emotional Infidelity, Courtney Grace Stufflebeam

Theses and Dissertations

The current study employed online, self-report data in relation to jealousy, insecurity, dependency, and relationship power within same-sex relationships. Specifically, I examined the correlational, predictive and comparative aspects of distress and jealousy levels in individuals within same-sex relationships. It was hypothesized that relationship power, dependency and insecurity would predict level of jealousy and distress in the experience of sexual and emotional infidelity. Three hundred and nineteen consenting participants completed the online questionnaires regarding their views and emotions related to the above constructs. Regression analyses provided data indicating that none of the variables predicted an individual’s experience of jealousy and distress. …

Purging Pathology And Interpersonal-Psychological Variables As Predictors Of Suicidal Ideation, Alexandra Thiel

Theses and Dissertations

The Interpersonal-Psychological Theory on Suicidal Behavior (IPTS; Joiner,

2005; Joiner, Ribeiro, & Silva, 2012), proposes that active suicidal ideation is formed when an individual experiences high perceived burdensomeness, low perceived belongingness, and hopelessness (Joiner et al., 2012). Eating disorders (ED) are associated with high mortality rates from suicide (Harris & Barraclough, 1997), and recently researchers have begun applying IPTS to ED symptomatology (Smith et al., 2013; Dodd, Smith, & Bodell, 2014). In particular, purging-type EDs are associated with increased risk for suicide (Fedorowicz et al., 2007; Milos, Spindler, Hepp, & Schnyder, 2004; Protzky, van Heeringen, & Vervaet, 2014). Thus, the …

Exposing Second Year Medical Students To The Clinical Reasoning Process Prior To High Fidelity Simulation Learning, Phondie Simelane Simelane

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical reasoning is a highly complex process that is both difficult to impart and acquire (Bowen 2006, Custers 2005, Merriënboer 2010, Schmidt 2015). Second year medical learners appear to lack strategy to effectively step through the presented scenarios (Allen, personal communication, March 2, 2015). Though possessing a degree of background knowledge, immature clinical reasoning skills make data collection (focused history, focused review of systems and focused physical assessments) a challenge to efficiently navigate. As oppose to discriminating their line of questions, learners sweep through a wide range of information. Consequently, problem solving takes on a shot gun approach resulting in …

Teachers Transform: Developing New Understandings And Competencies Following The Implementation Of The Common Core Writing Standards, Jennifer Wallender Wallender

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how elementary teachers have transformed and developed new writing understandings and competencies following the implementation of the English Language Arts (ELA) Common Core State Standards (CCSS). This was done by understanding teachers’ perceptions and experiences, as well as how they have developed their understandings, with classroom writing. Participants were four elementary teachers from two public school districts in North Dakota—one single-school district and one multi-school district. Data were collected with interviews, observations, and artifacts throughout the school year. The data analysis was completed using the qualitative research program ATLAS.ti and …

What Do The Numbers Really Mean? An Examination Of Learning Analytics Related To Online Courses And University Student Retention And Success, Austin Thomas Winger

Theses and Dissertations

University student retention and success are high priorities for colleges and universities. With the expansion of online learning, retention of students in online courses has become particularly important in modern higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that affect university student retention and success, with particular consideration for students who have taken online courses during their undergraduate career. The guiding research question for this qualitative study was: “How do demographic, internal, and external factors affect the retention and success of undergraduate students who take online courses?” Learning analytics (predictive analytics in educational settings) attempt to predict …

The Impact Of Power Status On Gender Stereotypes, Sexism, And Gender Discrimination Toward Women In The Workplace And The Career Identity Development Of Women, Juemei Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Women often experience unique barriers at workplace that hinder their career development (Whitley & Kite, 2010). In this study I focused on several of the barriers: gender stereotypes, sexism, and gender discrimination. Specifically, I examined the impact of career-related power, the gender of the perceiver, and the gender of the perceived on the endorsement of gender stereotypes, of sexist attitudes, and of gender discrimination. Significant results indicated that gender stereotypes and sexist attitude are most strongly endorsed by men with high power and women with low power. The largely insignificant results of discrimination also suggested that a climate change might …

The Effects Of Resistance Training Programs On Physical Self-Perceptions In College Females, Kelsey Lauren Zachman

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of resistance training on females’ self-perception. Introduction: It is generally accepted that exercise enhances physical self-perceptions, but the impact of resistance training programs on females’ self-perceptions is unclear. Because exercise is an important public health behavior, and because physical self-perceptions have motivational implications, this study has potential to add knowledge that is relevant to exercise promotion. Purpose: The primary aim of the study was to explore the effect of two different types of resistance training programs on physical self-perceptions of college age females. Methods: Participants (n=30) were randomized to muscular strength, muscular endurance resistance training groups or a …

Differential Executive Functioning, Impulsivity, And Motivation In Adulthood As A Function Of Experienced Child Abuse, Christopher Anton Mark

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: While child abuse can only occur before the ages 18, there are long term neurological repercussions that can cause severe detriment to the abused individual. More specifically, normative neurological development during childhood is impeded upon, thus resulting in cognitive and emotional abnormalities in adulthood. Methods: The present study recruited 43 students from the University of North Dakota (Females = 23) with an age range of 18-23 years of age (M = 19.6 years, SD = 1.545). The participants were administered several prescreening measures, including a measure of physical child abuse, emotional child abuse, and sexual child abuse. Based on …

Teachers' Perceptions And Experiences Consulting With School Counselors: A Qualitative Study, Blair Cholewa, Emily Goodman-Scott, Antionette Thomas, Jennifer M. Cook

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

School counselor–teacher consultation is an efficient strategy for school counselors to indirectly serve students on their caseload. Teachers' perceptions are crucial in examining this consultation process. This qualitative study examined elementary school teachers' perceptions and experiences of school counselor–teacher consultation. The researchers identified three themes: (a) school counselors prioritizing relationships, (b) school counselors taking initiative, and (c) school counselors' specialization. The researchers discuss implications for school counseling practice, including strategies for facilitating consultation with teachers.

Emotional Regulation And Interpersonal Effectiveness As Mechanisms Of Change For Treatment Outcomes Within A Dbt Program For Adolescents, A. Stephen Lenz, Garry Del Conte, K. Michelle Hollenbaugh, Karisse A. Callender

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

Predictive modeling was used to identify the degree that hypothesized moderators of dialectical behavioral therapy for adolescents (DBT-A) treatment outcomes predicted anxiety and depression symptoms over time. Participants were 66 adolescents (41 girls; 25 boys) with a mean age of 15.38 years (SD = 1.51) who completed a 7-week DBT-A intervention. Analyses revealed convergent models, wherein emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness were substantial predictors of change in the symptoms of anxiety, F(4, 65) = 23.21, p < .01, R² = .60, and depression, F(4, 65) = 29.76, p < .01, R² = .66.

The Social Contagion Of Adolescent Depression: Applying A Differential Susceptibility Model, Win Guan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Recent research investigating social risk factors of depression has found evidence for a social contagion effect. The research comes from a surge in popularity of using social network analyses to examine the spread of various health outcomes such as obesity, smoking, substance use, and sleep. Although the finding of depressive contagion represents a significant contribution to the literature on the social etiology of depression, this is only the first step in providing meaningful research useful for the practical application of curbing the growing rates of depression especially among adolescents. Rather than simply acknowledging the existence of contagion effects, researchers must …

Factors Affecting The Academic And Athletic Self-Determined Motivation Of Njcaa Division Iii Student-Athletes: A Mixed Methods Study, Melissa Margaret Majerus

Theses and Dissertations

Student-athletes who participate at Division III technical and community colleges across the country are a unique population of students who have special needs and interests. Their academic needs and interests likely led them towards a technical and community college education, but these students have also chosen to participate in athletics. Deci and Ryan’s (1985) self-determination theory (SDT) of motivation has long been utilized to examine students’ basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) and their impact on academic motivation (intrinsic, extrinsic, amotivation ) and success; yet, little of this research has focused on community college students or student-athletes within a community …

The Process Of Work Re-Entry For Nurses After Substance Use Disorders Treatment: A Grounded Theory Study, Deborah Matthias-Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explicate a substantive theory/model that describes the basic social processes (BSP) operating when a registered nurse (RN) re-enters the workplace following completion of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. There are a reported 2.6 million RNs employed in the U.S (U.S. Department of Labor, 2014). Over the past 25 years, prevalence studies have found up to 10% of nurses will meet diagnostic criteria for SUD, similar to prevalence rates in the general population. SUDs among nurses present challenges to society and to the nursing profession. State boards of nursing operate primarily to …

Friendship Is Manly: The Brony Fandom And The Challenge Of Masculinity, Samuel Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the cultural phenomenon of Bronies, adult, mostly male, fans of the show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. When large numbers of grown men like a show designed for little girls, how do they contend with the challenges presented by the culturally accepted norms of masculinity? Do these fans disclose their love of ponies to others, if at all? An online mixed methods survey conducted in 2014 looks at how Bronies interact with the show, other fans, and non fans. While some Bronies are cautious about disclosing their fondness for ponies due to potential harassment, there is …