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Imposter Phenomenon: Distinct Construct Or Achievement-Related Affective Experience?, Meghan R. Wilke

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Imposter Phenomenon (IP), also known as Imposter Syndrome, is an internal experience that has been observed to occur in high achieving individuals. These individuals do not believe their achievements are due to their own abilities or hard-work: They credit external sources such as luck, errors in admissions or grading, or fooling others as the reason for any successes. IP has been observed in many populations including college professors, medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy students, librarians with graduate degrees, and other successful professionals. Previous research has found that individuals who experience IP may also experience fear of failure, fear of negative …

The Dichotomous Model Of Substance Abuse: The Elephant In The Room, Shelby Jones

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Addiction can be defined as a repetitive use of a substance or drug that occurs despite any negative outcomes associated with its use. Substance use addiction affects many different areas of an individual’s life, and is often associated with stigma which can result in shame, secrecy, or rejection. There are many theoretical models behind the etiology and maintenance of substance use addiction that include biological, sociological, physiological, and other factors. This investigation examines college-aged individuals’ beliefs about which theoretical model best explains substance use addiction, and if those beliefs can be manipulated when presented with new or opposing information. …

Flower Meanings: Are They Relevant Today?, Dakota R. Moore

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study sought to describe contemporary views of ten selected flower specimens regarding the feelings they evoke in thirty participants divided evenly across three generations: Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennial. Little research exists in the scholarly body of knowledge regarding definitions of flowers; however, industry publications have captured some traditionally held definitions of some flowers. This phenomenological study utilized participants in the three generations of interest by showing each participant photos of ten selected cut flower specimens and asking them five questions about the emotions evoked by each flower, how they would feel if they received each flower, …

Effects Of Clove Oil (Eugenol) On Proprioceptive Neurons, Heart Rate, And Behavior In Model Crustaceans, Samuel Wycoff, Kristin Weineck, Shannon Conlin, Chinni Suryadevara, Elizabeth Grau, Alec Bradley, Danielle Cantrell, Samantha Eversole, Carolyn Grachen, Kaylee Hall, Danielle Hawthorne, Claire Kinmon, Paula Ortiz Guerrero, Bhavik Patel, Kaitlyn Samuels, Gia Valdes, Andrew J. Ray, Leo J. Fleckenstein, Elena Piana, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

Clove oil contains eugenol as an active ingredient and is used as a topical anesthetic in mammals to remedy pain and to anesthetize fish and other seafood for short periods; however, the exact mechanism of action of eugenol is not fully understood. We examined use of eugenol as a reversible anesthetic in crustaceans by examining its effect on sensory and motor neurons in the Red Swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) with electrophysiological recordings. The neurogenic heart rate in the three species was also monitored along with …

Cold Exposure Effects On Cardiac Function And Synaptic Transmission At The Neuromuscular Junction In Invertebrates, Yuechen Zhu, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

This review emphasizes how ectothermic animals respond physiologically to environmental temperature changes and cold stress. Generally ectothermic animals cannot generate heat to maintain their body temperature but they can still survive in various temperature zones. Various organisms have been analyzed anatomically and physiologically in the attempt to understand the underlying mechanisms of this temperature adaptation. A few of the changes in the metabolic and molecular function of proteins are discussed. The potential of how hormonal modulation of cardiac and nervous systems which influences responses during exposure cold exposure is also addressed. The focus of this review is on the effect …

Investigating The Effects Of Homocysteine As An Agonist On Invertebrate Glutamatergic Synapses, Elizabeth Grau, Alexandra E. Stanback, Alec Bradley, Danielle Cantrell, Samantha Eversole, Carolyn Grachen, Kaylee Hall, Danielle Hawthorne, Claire Kinmon, Paula Ortiz Guerrero, Bhavik Patel, Kaitlyn Samuels, Chinni Suryadevara, Gia Valdes, Samuel Wycoff, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) in mammals can produce neurological deficits, such as memory loss. The cause of the neurological issues is assumed to be due to homocysteine (HCY) binding to glutamatergic receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). High levels of HCY in the CNS are also associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease. Thus, understanding the detailed mechanisms of HCY in model preparations could be useful in developing potential treatments to neurodegenerative diseases with overlapping symptoms to HHcy. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of HCY as an agonist at glutamatergic synapses in invertebrates. The …

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: 2018

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research , Volume 16.

The Relationship Between Law Enforcement Agency Size And Police Stress, William Warner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found that law enforcement officers often experience stress. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if the size of the law enforcement agency (small, medium, or large) had any significant influence on how police officers perceive stress in their profession from a cognitive appraisal perspective with regards to Administrative/Organizational Pressure, Physical/Psychological Threats, and Lack of Support. Members of law enforcement (N = 144) from Utah and New York were surveyed utilizing Spielberger et al.'s Police Stress Survey. Archival data were provided by the National Police Suicide Foundation. Stress index scores were calculated manually for each survey …

The Efficacy Of Neurofeedback In The Treatment Of Autism., Rosemary Akhavan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism is a disorder that impairs the development of a person's ability to interact with other people and to relate productively with the outside world. There are many types of interventions being used to treat autism, but there are no cures or definitive treatments for this disorder. A biological theoretical foundation was the basis of this study, as recent neuroimaging techniques have demonstrated that autism is a neurological disorder that reveals distinct abnormalities in the brain. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of neurofeedback (NFB) in the treatment of autism. NFB has shown promise of improving …

Administrators' Perspectives And Strategies Regarding Student Homelessness, Cynthia Barfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student homelessness presents challenges and opportunities for public school administrators. The primary purpose of this study was to explore whether the effects of child homelessness caused students to drop out of school and engage in criminal activity before the age of 18 or if they would further their education beyond high school. A quantitative method with a cross-sectional design was used to examine the topic, and a self-administered survey, adapted from Dillman's design, was employed for data collection. The sample included 150 participants who were teachers and principals in a school district in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. …

Effect Of Eustress, Flow, And Test Anxiety On Physical Therapy Psychomotor Practical Examinations, Todd Joseph Bourgeois

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students at the graduate level undergo higher levels of stress compared to their peers, and this stress is known to affect academic performance. Most of the research is focused on the negative aspect of stress. Positive psychology aspects, such as eustress and flow, are related to success in some activities; however, it is unknown whether these correlate with academic performance. Several stress-related theories-Yerkes-Dodson curve, cybernetics, conservation of resources, and choking under pressure-guided this quantitative study of the effects of eustress, flow, and cognitive test anxiety (CTA) on a psychomotor practical examination for physical therapy students. A sample of 192 physical …

Sickle Cell Disease Pain Burden And Quality Of Life Among Black Children In Mississippi, Laquita Nichelle Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Acute and chronic pain is a common hallmark of sickle cell disease (SCD) in children and adolescents, which can have a profound effect on their quality of life (QOL). However, this relationship is not well quantified. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between SCD pain burden and QOL among Black children ages 8-17 in Mississippi with SCD. The secondary aim was to compare children and caregiver reports of SCD pain burden and QOL with SCD. The social ecological model was used to identify personal factors that influence SCD pain burden and QOL of children with …

Stress Management Treatments Among Police Departments, Cedrick D. Crockett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The police profession is viewed as one of the most stressful occupations in the world. Police officers are responsible for handling calls for service, serving and protecting the community, enforcing laws, and preventing and solving crimes. These responsibilities along with many others can become overwhelming and lead to police stress and trauma. Police stress has been linked to adverse effects on the performances and health of police officers. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to describe the internal and external factors of police stress through their lived experiences as police officers, and the stress management techniques used by …

Parenting Experiences Among Single Southern African Immigrant Mothers In Low Socioeconomic Neighborhoods, Winnie Mhlambi Fuzane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Empirical studies have shown that single-parent families have been overrepresented in disadvantaged neighborhoods, and the children of these families are more exposed to factors that lead to aggressive behavior. Despite these studies, there is limited literature on the parenting of immigrant mothers that may prevent aggressive behaviors in children. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of single Southern African immigrant mothers in low socioeconomic neighborhoods in California working and raising male children who do not exhibit aggressive behaviors in schools and in the community. Seligman's theory of positive psychology informed this study. Research …

Exploring The Influences Of Intergenerational Pregnancies On Teenage Girls, Ages 16 - 19, Tynika Greensberry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Generational cycles of teenage pregnancy trend among many families create economic, social, and health problems on teen parents and their families. Scholarly literature includes quantitative studies addressing the issue of teenage pregnancy but there is not many qualitative studies about the family cycle of teenage pregnancy among a highly-concentrated area of African American females in the Southern region of the United States. The life history theory and the socialization and social control theories of the intergenerational transmission of early childbearing served as the theoretical framework.. A qualitative case study is designed to identify factors that contributed to generational cycles of …

Using Social Cognitive Theory To Predict Counseling Behaviors In Registered Dietitians, Marianela Guerrero

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity and morbid obesity affect more than 30% of Americans, which emulates the rate of smoking as the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. The prevalence of obesity among adults in the United States increased dramatically between 1980 and 2010 (16% to 36%). The integration of the social cognitive theory (SCT) constructs such as self-efficacy, self-control, environment and expectations in the study instrument allowed identifying the impact of personal, social and economic factors on Registered Dietitians (RDs) counseling behaviors with obese clients. The goal of this quantitative cross sectional study was to investigate the association …

Perceived Child Regard, Parenting Stress, And Depressive Symptoms Of Nonresidential And Residential Stepmothers, Lenee Nicole Kehnt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The dynamics of the modern blended family is a topic of considerable interest in family research. The purpose of this quantitative study was to understand how parental stress, perceived parental regard, and depressive symptoms affect nonresidential and residential stepmothers. Family Systems Theory provided an appropriate lens for this research study. An analysis of covariance was used to determine whether differences existed between nonresidential and residential stepmothers in terms of parental stress, perceived parental regard, and depressive symptoms. The second goal was to determine whether the covariates of age, ethnicity, household income, time spent stepparenting, and the number of biological and …

Young Women's Perceptions Of Factors Influencing Eating Disorders, Francisca Masawi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Eating disorders (EDs) cause irreversible physical damage, including organ failure and death. Although EDs receive considerable attention, the number of affected young women who seek help remains low. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the sociocultural and socioenvironmental factors influencing ED development from the perspective of young women, and to explore why the rate of EDs continues to rise in this population. The sociocultural model served as a guide for the study. Ten young women 18-24 years old from Southwest Ohio participated in in-depth, semi structured, face-to-face interviews. Data coding and analysis revealed recurring themes, with findings …

Mediation Of Same-Sex Couples For Copareting, Tamie O'Neil

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholarly literature supports that individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer face inequities as a result of living in a heteronormative society. However, scholarly literature lacks body of research available that provides insight as to the experiences that counselors have while providing mediation to same-sex couple regarding coparenting. Thus, a literature gap exists pertaining to the lived experiences of counselors who provide mediation for same-sex couple coparenting. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to develop an understanding of counselors who provide same-sex couple coparenting. The theoretical framework used in this study was the equity theory, …

Education Protocol For Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Raegan Elizabeth Quandt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, contributing to rising health care costs and increased morbidity and mortality rates. Researchers demonstrated that aggressive heath measures involving ongoing diabetes self-management education are paramount in minimizing associated complications of diabetes. The management and prevention of diabetes is not standardized and providers within a health clinic in Illinois reported challenges in providing self-management education during scheduled patient appointments due to limited resources and time. The purpose of this DNP project was to develop a clinical practice guideline to be used by all providers within the health …

Parents' Emotional Experiences Of Their Transgender Children Coming Out, Meri Rule

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents of transgender children face challenges when their children come out, including fear of negative reaction toward the parents and their transgender child by community members, concerns about social status in the community or religious organizations, and concerns about the inability of the transgender child to build his or her own family. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the emotional experiences of parents regarding their acceptance or rejection of their transgender child. Rohner's parental acceptance-rejection theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from parents (N = 13) who attended Parents and Friends of …

Memory In Adult Female Victims Of Intimate Partner Violence, Jill Waite

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a national and global health problem. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization suggest that 1 in 3 women will become a victim of violence by an intimate partner in her lifetime. Memory and learning have been shown to be affected in in-vivo animal studies under acute and chronic stress conditions. Using Bertalanffy's general systems theory, this study examined the impact of IPV on short-term memory in adult female survivors by comparing their performance to a control group (adult females with no IPV in the past 5 years) on measures …

The Relationship Between Religious Practices And Delusional Content Of Christians With Schizophrenia, Latasha Michelle Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Religious beliefs and practices are an important source of symptom relief for individuals with schizophrenia; however, it can also be a debilitating source of symptom exacerbation. This quantitative study examined the cognitions and religious life orientations of Christian individuals both with and without a diagnosis of schizophrenia, as measured by the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC) and the Religious Life Inventory (RLI) to examine a baseline for healthy religious cognitions. The aberrant-salience and attribution theories were used to explore the relationship between psychotic stimuli and religious attributions. One hundred and thirty Christian individuals from an outpatient mental health facility, …

Health Care Facilities As A Predictor Of Breast Cancer Survival Rates, Elizabeth Natalie Webster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The disparity between survival rates for Black and White women with breast cancer is well documented and has been examined in terms socioeconomics, environment, tumor type, and genetics. However, there is little examination of the role of health care facilities in cancer disparities. Health care facilities are representative of societal norms and beliefs that include location, quality of care, finance, policies, and staffing; therefore, they are a proxy for social justice and social change. The purpose of this study was to examine correlations between health care facility type; social determinants of cancer such as poverty, culture, and social justice; and …

Causes Of Recidivism Among Mentally Ill Prerelease Offenders From The Perspective Of Former Correctional Mental Health Professionals, Rina Desiree Deneice Bradley Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The move toward reducing the prison population was driven by an increase in the number of reentry programs that focused on the needs of the offender, such as the provision of stable housing, employment, education, and sustaining strong familial bonds. While the literature supported these areas as being effective in reducing recidivism, there was no consensus that they were effective for offenders with mental illness (OMI). The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze the impact of prerelease services for the OMI population from the perspective of former correctional mental health professionals who provided these services. The research questions …

Physical And Psychological Health Outcomes Of Pregnancy-Related Intimate Partner Violence, Darrlyn Waynette Cornelius-Averhart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health issue that transcends cultures and nationalities. Women and men have been impacted by sexual violence through rape and other types of IPV. Each year, women experience IPV before and during pregnancies and are impacted by physical and psychological outcomes as a result. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of IPV on the health outcomes of diabetes (Types 1, 2, and gestational), high blood pressure before pregnancy, and depression/anxiety among adult women before and during pregnancy. The social ecological model provided the framework for this quantitative cross-sectional study that …

Association Between Androgen Deprivation Therapy For Prostate Cancer And Alzheimer's Disease, Gina Giannantoni-Ibelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common progressive, neurodegenerative disease and form of dementia. The hallmarks of AD are extracellular accumulation of amyloid beta protein, resulting in neuritic, senile plaques and intracellular accumulation of tau protein. AD mainly arises from imbalance of amyloid beta protein production and its clearance in the brain. Testosterone modulates production of amyloid beta protein by decreasing its accumulation. Prostate cancer remains a substantial public health challenge in the United States. While androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is an effective treatment for prostate cancer, it may be associated with cognitive impairment due to decreased levels of testosterone. …

Effects Of Class Scheduling And Student Achievement On State Testing, Elizabeth Anne Childers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this research study was to determine the effectiveness of four different class schedules on students' academic achievement on end-of-course testing and whether a specific class schedule is more conducive to student academic achievement on state-mandated standardized tests. Georgia Department of Education provided archived public data for the 2009-2012 school years for a high school with an approximate population of 1,400 students. This high school implemented different class schedules; a 4x4 block schedule, A/B block schedule, a mixed block and traditional period day, or traditional period schedule. The main research question was focused on students' state standardized end-of-course …

Phenomenological Study On Female Engineering Leaders In The New York Utility Industry, Shelanda Gonsalves

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the development of women with an engineering background who became leaders. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of female engineering leaders in the New York utility sector. The research problem was why few women with engineering degrees obtain leadership positions. Women comprise half the total working population, yet few hold leadership positions, especially in the utility sector. In this study, 28 women in the New York utility sector shared experiences on their progression from engineer to leadership. The conceptual framework was the Moustakas phenomenological approach, investigating the humanistic properties of …

A Comparison Of Micro-Expression Training Methods, Matthew Patrick Kane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Micro-expressions are brief facial expressions that last for 500 milliseconds or less and show the true emotional state of an individual when he or she is displaying a false emotional state. There are currently 2 different methods to train individuals to recognize micro-expressions-picture-based and video-based. Numerous organizations use micro-expression training as part of a deception detection program, but little research has been conducted on training outcomes, and no research has investigated the difference between the methods. In this quantitative study based on Darwin's theory of the universality of emotional expression, a control group experimental design was used to determine if …