Digital Commons Network^™

Retention And Attrition In Bariatric Surgery Research: A Qualitative Study, William F. Gourash

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Problem: Longitudinal bariatric surgical research studies often lack information on retention and attrition of study participants and the strategies utilized to optimize these. The potential for attrition bias with adverse effects on validity, reliability, and generalizability increases over time. The many factors potentially affecting retention and attrition in research, have been under studied.

Purpose: The purpose was to explore factors affecting research participation of bariatric surgical patients who are subjects in the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (LABS) study. The research questions explored research participants’ perceptions, motivations, and attitudes concerning participation in the study, specifically participation in annual in-person visits …

The Ethics Of Futility Across The Age Continuum, Katherine D. Mccord

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much has been written on the topic of medical futility with reports of its existence dating back to the time of Hippocrates. However, the majority of the research on the topic has been on the adult population. Very little literature addresses the presence of medically futile treatment across the age continuum identifying issues that impact neonates, pediatrics, as well as adults.

This dissertation addresses the gap in the literature by considering the ethical problem of medical futility across the age continuum. By addressing the common thread of futility, there is an imperative for a call to action that encompasses the …

Counselor Education Unplugged? An Exploration Of Current Attitudes Surrounding The Use Of Online Learning As A Modality In Graduate Counselor Education, Eric James Perry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation qualitatively investigates counselor education faculty perceptions regarding online courses or programs and the overall perception of counselor education faculty regarding the effectiveness of online learning. A total of 154 counselor educators completed the CEATOLS instrument, a survey designed to capture demographic information, perceptions of effectiveness of online learning in counselor education, and concerns related to online learning in counselor education. Results indicate that, overall, counselor educators have a markedly lower perception of the effectiveness of online counselor education courses than of traditional Analysis of the concerns expressed by counselor educators reveal a five-factor structure similar to that which …

Revamping The United States Organ Donation System: An Ethical Justification For Compensated Live Organ Donation, Jordan Potter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With over 100,000 Americans currently on organ waiting lists in the United States, the mass shortage of viable organs for transplantation is one of the most pressing healthcare issues that we face as a country today. Thousands of these individuals on organ waiting lists will ultimately die waiting on an organ transplant that will never come. Many differing proposals have been discussed with the aim of increasing organ donation rates and the raw number of organs available for transplant, including changing our default consent status for cadaveric organ donation and the option of incentivizing organ donation by compensating live donors …

How Can The Use Of Human Enhancement (He) Technologies In The Military Be Ethically Assessed?, Philip Andrew Taraska

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

War is a terrible price to pay for the prospect of peace. Yet every nation has a moral obligation to protect its citizenry from unjust aggression and threats to security. To be sure, war is always a failure. It is a failure of mankind to come together in mutual respect for the inherent dignity of the human person. The issue of the use of HE in the military is relevant today because the Global War on Terror (GWOT) and the rapid rise of emerging technologies have led to a never-before-seen type of asymmetrical warfare. The rise of these technologies can …

Development Of Binary Composite Solid Microparticles For Improved Intranasal Absorption Of Low Permeation Drug Molecules, Dipy Madhukar Vasa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this work was to introduce a novel formulation strategy for intranasal delivery of two low permeation candidates: levodopa (L-DOPA; antiparkinsonism drug) and ribavirin (RBVN; an antiviral drug). The central hypothesis states that preparation of binary composite microparticles with Pluronic® triblock copolymers (polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycol-polyethylene glycol) should allow increased drug transport across nasal mucosal tissue relative to drug alone. Testing the hypothesis necessitated execution of specific aims directed to addressing issues inherent to the proposed approach. The work herein is presented with respect to two separate subjects: (1) material understanding and (2) formulation development. In the first two …

Cultural Care And Inviting Practices: Building Relationships In An Urban Elementary School. Teacher Perspectives In Forming Positive Teacher-Student Relationships Based On Care And Equity, Eva J. Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in practice investigates teacher perceptions of the influence of cultural care and invitational education (IE) on the formation of a positive teacher-student relationship with students of color in an urban elementary school. Cultural care is a theory of practice that utilizes a social-emotional approach for school improvement and to promote positive student outcomes. It is defined as a verbal or nonverbal gesture that displays a genuine interest in another person’s social, emotional, mental, and physical well-being; simultaneously recognizing and acknowledging race and culture as a vital part of a person’s identity. Cultural care must include respecting, valuing, and …

Trauma And Aggression In Juvenile Offenders, Cassandra M. Berbary

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Indirect aggression has been found to be more common among females than males and may be an unconsidered contribution to aggression shown in delinquent girls. Although there are no research studies to date that have investigated the link between relational aggression and law violations, there are some studies that have considered indirect and overt aggression in females; however, this research has been largely inconclusive. An additional obstacle for offenders is the presence of previous traumas, which has been closely linked to both overt and indirect aggression. Although both males and females in the juvenile justice system are likely to have …

Structure Or Knot: What Phenomenology And Asperger’S Syndrome Can Teach Lacanian Psychoanalysis About Subjective Constitution, Shannon D. Kelly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research project examines Asperger’s Syndrome (now, with the DSM 5, Autism Spectrum Disorder) through the lens of Lacanian psychoanalysis and speaks to current debates in the field regarding the structural diagnosis of autism. Framed by critiques of Lacanian psychoanalysis, the project takes up autism and treatments for the disorder from within mainstream psychological approaches, from the viewpoint of neurodiversity and autistic self-advocates, and from within Lacanian psychoanalysis, with specific attention paid to the diagnostic approach in Lacanian thinking and the assumed relationship between autism and psychosis. Four published autobiographies written by autistic adults were subjected to two types of …

Multiple Maltreatment And Adverse Childhood Experiences: Exploring Cumulative Threats To Attachment Quality, James E. Barnett

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Child maltreatment is associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms across the lifespan. Maltreatment often co-occurs with other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as parental incarceration or substance use. Studies have examined child maltreatment and other ACEs mostly independently, and both variables have been linked to poor adult functioning, such as insecure attachments. However, research discerning the unique contributions of maltreatment versus ACEs in predicting developmental outcomes is limited. For example, it is unclear if these connections to adult functioning persist across both early and middle adulthood. Recent studies suggest that maltreatment and ACEs uniquely predicting socioemotional problems. However, other studies …

The Effects Of Adapted Physical Education On Students With Down Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis, Christopher Ij Bolt

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Objective: The purpose of this study was to synthesize findings from physical activity interventions on children and adolescents with Down syndrome.

Design: The present study employed a quantitative research synthesis design. The overall conclusions of past research highlight important issues related to physical activity interventions performed on children and adolescents with Down syndrome.

Methods: Standard meta-analytic procedures incorporating inclusion and exclusion criteria, literature search, coding procedures, and statistical methods were used to identify and synthesize 24 studies with 258 independent samples. Cohen’s (1988) criteria for effect sizes were used to interpret and evaluate results.

Results: The average treatment effect for …

Effectiveness Of Teacher Training On The Use Of Universal Design Learning Strategies With Special Education Students In Middle School, Seanessy W. Gavin

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In inclusive classrooms, the framework of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) presents a viable schema to inform instructional materials, lesson design, and teaching practices to meet the needs of diverse groups of learners. UDL principles and guidelines emphasize using multiple means of representation, action, and engagement to employ different learning networks and address the multitude of learners in the classroom, with the hopeful outcome of benefiting all students. Current literature has yielded inconclusive results about the concrete effects of the UDL framework, including an ongoing challenge in defining UDL practice in the classroom. This quantitative study explored UDL practices in …

Evidence-Based Assessment In Adapted Physical Education-Cognitive Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis, James Robert Kunkel

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

There is little data to show evidence-based practices in adapted physical education and whether or not such practices are successful. Currently there is a lack of information on the frequency of which assessments are being administered, on the disabilities that are being assessed or should be assessed during each test, and on the uses for which assessments are being conducted. The aim of this paper is to assess and synthesize all evidence-based practices on cognitive outcomes in adapted physical education using a meta-analysis. Data was sourced from computerized searches using the following databases: SPORT Discus, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Pub Med (Medline), …

The Differences In Academic Achievement In Fit, Healthy, And Unfit 7th Grade Students, David Pauls

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

There is an abundance of research showing significant positive relationships between academic achievement and physical fitness. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between academic achievement and different levels of physical fitness. The participants were 283 7^th grade students from a small, rural middle school in Northern California during 2011/12, 2012/13, 2014/15 academic school years. Academic achievement data came from the STAR (Standardized Testing and Reporting) test and CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Learning and Progress) test. Physical fitness data came from the FITNESSGRAM Physical Fitness Test. A MANOVA was performed on the academic achievement and …

Do The Arts Play An Essential Role In Stem Subjects? How Steam Professional Development Affects Teacher Intent To Teach Subjects In An Integrative Manner., Stacy N. Young

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

STEAM, an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics, is an approach to teaching that integrates these subjects together for deeper inquiry and innovation. I surveyed teachers prior to the region 1 STEAM conference in January 2017 and after to determine if they intended to change their teaching practices to integrate what they learned at the conference. Follow-up interviews were conducted to clarify survey results. Research suggests that professional development is a key component to changing teacher practices. This study seeks to extend the assertion that a conference can be the catalyst professional development tool to change teacher practice. …

Enhancing The Acquisition Of Discipline-Specific Vocabulary Through Student Concordancing, David W. Longstreth Jr.

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This Master’s Project focuses on advanced-level English learners' acquisition of discipline-specific vocabulary as they transition from intensive English programs into English-medium university coursework. During this period, the number of discipline-specific terms students must master quickly and independently can be overwhelming. To address this problem, this M.A. Project argues that vocabulary-acquisition strategies should be foregrounded in intensive English programs, and that instructors should train students to supplement traditional vocabulary learning methods with independent concordancing strategies. Using concordancers, students can research vocabulary items by scanning a corpus (a large collection of texts) to retrieve examples of discipline-specific terms within authentic texts, revealing …

The Effects Of Kinesio Tape On Circulation And Healing: A Meta-Analysis, Stephanie A. Chuml

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

A popular topic during the 2008 Olympics was a type of tape that athletes were wearing. The tape was seen being worn by many different athletes on any number of body parts. The tape that these athletes were wearing is called Kinesio Tape (KT). KT was made to resemble the skin, in that it is elastic like the skin and can be stretched and return to its original property (Kinesio Taping Method, 2013). Since KT has become more popular, the claims of what KT can do has risen. The purpose of this study was to perform a meta-analysis on the …

Australian Strategic Culture: A Case Study, Eric Begue

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This examines the relationship between a country’s history and its actions on the international stage through the prism of the "strategic culture" theoretical framework created in works by Alistair Ian Johnston, Elizabeth Keir, Jack Snyder, and others. The central question of the study will be whether or not an understanding of a state’s past actions, rhetoric, and/or cultural obligations can provide an accurate predictor of future action and the primary thesis is that national “strategic culture” has a causal effect on national policy decisions. Towards this end, I have chosen to conduct a case study to ascertain the impact and …

The Knights Templar And The Freemasons: An American Myth, Elizabeth Persinger

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project is an in-depth look at the influence and impact of the Knights Templar and the Freemasons on early American history. This thesis provides an overview of the conspiracy theories surrounding both groups and their involvement in United States history as well as the history behind these theories and how they formed, with the ultimate goal of comparing these popular culture myths with the verifiable influence of the groups.

An Examination Of The Integral Support Of His Father’S Family For The Royal Aspirations And Maintenance Of The Crown Of King Henry Vii, Kyle W. Rea

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This work represents an extensive study made into the impact which the Welsh heritage through his father's family helped Henry Tudor to both acquire and maintain the throne of England. It illustrates to the reader how from Henry Tudor's childhood, through his early reign up until the Battle of Stoke, how integral his Welsh connections through his father's family were to his success. It draws from extensive primary sources to illustrate the point and presents a clear presentation of the extreme extent to which these connections impacted Henry Tudor's both his acquisition and his ability to maintain the throne of …

Examining Teaching As Performance: A Study Of Developed Persona, Justin Hopper

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study explores teaching as performance in relation to Richard Schechner’s view on “performance in everyday life.” The focus of the investigation centered on why teachers in higher education develop teaching personas. The phenomenographic study used observation and interview to better understand the topic. The sample included nine lecturers from higher learning institutions in Southeast Michigan; data from field notes and audio recordings were used. Four of the lecturers taught or had professional experience with the performing arts. The correlation between those with performance backgrounds and those without was studied. Reasons for specific teaching personas being developed include the teacher’s …

Statistics-Bierce Library Study, Tyler J. Hushour

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This is a report from two surveys that I created and administered to students and faculty at Bierce library who came to the Circulation Desk or the Tech Desk, as well as some of my other findings when periodically looking around the library to see where students like to study or hang-out. There was a written survey given at the Circulation Desk, and a different survey given at the Tech Check-Out Desk. The project is for Melanie Smith-Farrell, the head of Access Services, and is based on a similar study Ian McCullough did in the science library. While this is …

Effects Of Kangaroo Care On Procedural Pain In Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review, Alyssa M. Pagni, Sophia Kellar, Mary Rood

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Approximately 64,000 preterm infants are born annually in the United States. With preterm infants enduring between 10-16 painful procedures daily, it is important for nurses to use interventions that effectively decrease pain. Procedural pain in premature infants may result in short-term and long-term negative physical, cognitive, and emotional effects. Kangaroo care is the act of holding an infant making skin on skin contact. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify, review, and critically appraise the evidence from studies examining the effect of Kangaroo Care on procedural pain in premature infants. Literature was searched in university databases and Google …

Designing For A Demographic: How To Reduce Poverty And The Homeless Population Through Design, Danielle M. Becker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research paper is a response to my personal encounters and experience with the homeless and low-income population in Akron, Ohio over the course of my 5 years at the University of Akron. It explores the causes and statistics of poverty and homelessness within the United States and the greater Akron area as well as what is currently being done to aid and reduce this population. Haven of Rest Ministries, one of the largest and most successful shelters in Akron, is showcased for the multitude of services they provide on a daily basis. Referencing the shelter helps to point out …

Truth Or Dare: Anonymous-- A Self-Proclaimed Cyber Anarchist Movement, Yancy Mejia

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study is based on a content analysis of 85 “Anonymous Official” YouTube videos posted online between January 2012 and July 2016. Anonymous is an amorphous hacktivist collective that challenges corporate media and threaten to expose political corruption and civil rights abuses in the United States and abroad. I organized the data around the Snow and Benford (1988, 2000) diagnostic, prognostic and motivational social movement framing concepts, and further analyzed the messages considering variations in adherence to anarchist conceptualizations of the State. In bringing together these literatures, this research explores Anonymous identity as a cyber-anarchist movement. I found that the …

Multicultural Literature: Changes In Perceptions And Attitudes In Fourth Graders, Luis A. Pelayo Zepeda

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In 1954, the Supreme Court voted to end segregation in American public schools. However, this landmark decision did not end racism, discrimination, and inequality. Students of color continue to be invisible across the curriculum. This study is a qualitative teacher action research. The purpose of the study was to assess school personnel perceptions and attitudes toward multicultural education in a rural northern California district, and how the implementation of multicultural literature changes perceptions and attitudes in fourth grade students. The setting for the study took place in Steelhead Elementary, located in a rural section of Northern California. Participants included K-8 …

Women’S Narratives Of Living In Polygamous Marriages: Rural Malawian Experience Distilled And Preserved In Poetic Constructions, April Yerges, Patricia E. Stevens, Lucy Mkandawire-Valhmu, Wendy S. Bauer, Thokozani Mwenyekonde, Lance Weinhardt, Loren W. Galvao

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Polygamy in sub-Saharan Africa has been linked to poverty, infant mortality, and HIV; however, it is unknown how interpersonal dynamics within polygamous households may influence population health outcomes. Findings from this postcolonial feminist study derive from interview data in a larger mixed-methods study in rural Malawi. We used thematic narrative analysis to probe 25 women's stories and applied an arts-based research technique, poetic construction, to present the results. Participants' evocative expressions, distilled and preserved in poetic form, illustrate themes of perseverance, grief, agency, and reflection. We discuss how gender relations, childrearing, tradition, economics, and health intersect in polygamous households.

Invariant Two-Component Structure Of The Repeatable Battery For The Assessment Of Neuropsychological Status (Rbans), Elisabeth M. Vogt, Gregory D. Prichett, James B. Hoelzle

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status is a brief neurocognitive instrument used to evaluate cognitive functioning in clinical settings. Prior investigations of the factor structure have revealed subtle differences across samples. It was hypothesized that these differences are primarily the result of methodological decisions made by researchers. The present study utilized empirically supported extraction criteria (parallel analysis; minimum average partial procedure) and uniformly investigated 5 samples. RBANS data from 4 previously published studies (Carlozzi, Horner, Yang, & Tilley, 2008; Duff, Hobson, Beglinger, & O'Bryant, 2010; Duff et al., 2006; Wilde, 2006) were reanalyzed, and a new clinical …

Act-Enhanced Behavior Therapy In Group Format For Trichotillomania: An Effectiveness Study, Ashild Tellefsen Haaland, Shirin O. Eskeland, Erna M. Moen, Patrick A. Vogel, Svein Haseth, Kjetil Mellingen, Joseph A. Himle, Douglas W. Woods, Benjamin Hummelen

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background

This study sought to investigate the effectiveness of group treatment for trichotillomania (TTM) in ordinary clinical settings. Treatment consisted of a combination of habit reversal training (HRT) and acceptance and commitment treatment (ACT). Both short- and long-term effects were explored, as well as individual change trajectories.

Methods

The sample consist of fifty-three patients with TTM. Treatment outcomes were evaluated at post-treatment and at one-year follow-up using self-report questionnaires (Massachusetts General Hospital Hair Pulling Scale, MGH-HS), structured clinical interviews (National Institute of Mental Health Trichotillomania Severity Scale, NIMH-TSS), and the Clinical Global Impression scale for TTM (CGI-TTM).

Results

Analyses by …

Incremental Clinical Utility Of Adhd Assessment Measures With Latino Families, Margaret Grace, Theresa Lauer Kapke, Al Castro, Alyson C. Gerdes

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: This study examined the incremental clinical utility of parent and teacher reports of ADHD symptomatology and functional impairment in Latino youth, as well as parent and teacher agreement with the final clinical judgment on a diagnostic structured interview. Method: Participants included 70 Latino youth (47 males, 23 females; M age = 8.13 years, SD = 2.51 years) and their parents and teachers; 60 participants were diagnosed with ADHD. Correlations, percent agreement, kappas, and regressions were utilized. Results: Results demonstrated that teachers agreed with the final clinical judgment more often than did parents. Results additionally demonstrated that functional impairment did …