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Performing Identities Of The Auditory-Verbal Deaf Students In The Classrooms: A Teacher's Performative Memoir, Tracy Edenfield

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

My dissertation, that incorporated performative storytelling and dance, is a memoir reflecting over fifty years of my lived experiences related to deafness as a multidimensional illustration that spans from my experience as a young child with a family member affected by Usher’s Syndrome; as an educational sign language interpreter; as a teacher of the deaf (TOD); and as an early intervention auditory-verbal therapist. Theoretically, my dissertation builds upon critical pedagogy (e.g., Baglieri & Shapiro, 2012; Freire, 1970/2009; McLaren & Crawford, 1998) and disability studies (e.g., Davis, 2002; Goodley, 2011; Siebers, 2008; Kitchens, 1998). The physical disability of deafness continues to …

An Investigation Of The Competitive Anxiety Experiences Of Adolescent Figure Skaters, Diane Benish

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Based on the three-factor hierarchical model of competitive anxiety (Jones, Mullen, & Hardy, 2019), the present study explored the relationship between competitive anxiety and performance among a sample of adolescent figure skaters. Participants included 47 figure skating athletes between the ages of 13 – 17 who were participating in a United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) sanctioned test session. Analyses revealed that the three higher order factors of the Three Factor Anxiety Inventory (TFAI; Jones et al., 2019) along with years of testing experience, test attempt number and months training for a test were not related and therefore were unable …

Effectiveness Of Wellness Programming To Improve Health And Fitness Metrics In Rural Firefighters, Macy Weeks

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Worksite wellness programs are an excellent option to help promote health and wellness among employees. However, there is little research discussing these benefits among firefighters. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a wellness program to improve or maintain health and fitness metrics in rural, career firefighters over a 9-month period. Methods: Thirty-six firefighters from a department in southeast Georgia participated in this wellness program. All health and fitness metrics tested were recommended by the National Fire Protection Agency. The wellness program that took place over 9-months provided basic tools and knowledge regarding exercise …

The Relationship Between Burnout And Personality Traits In Secondary School Athletic Trainers, Marissa Abbondanzio

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Research has found that 30% of Athletic Trainers (ATs) experience burnout in their career. Limited literature has found the effects of burnout on ATs in the secondary school setting, though they account for 18% of the population. Objective: The aim of this investigation was to determine the relationship between burnout and personality traits in secondary school ATs. Methods: Participants included 143 ATs working in the secondary school setting and members of National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used to measure level of burnout. The Big Five Inventory (BFI) was used to measure …

Knowledge And Willingness Of Academic Advisors And College Professors Regarding Concussion And Academic Accommodations, Loriann Tedder

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: A significant increase in the number of concussions has guided research to look beyond physical return to play but rather examine cognitive return to learn as an all-inclusive approach to concussion management. Part of the return to learn protocol incorporates academic accommodations within the classroom, which can be implemented by academic advisors and professors. However, their knowledge and willingness of this role is unclear. Purpose: To determine academic advisors and college professor’s knowledge of concussions and their willingness to provide academic accommodations to students recovering from a concussion. Hypothesis: H₁: Academic advisors and professors have a …

Biomechanical Comparison Of "Old" And "New" Cheer Shoes In Collegiate Cheerleaders, Abigail C. Johnson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: The sport of cheerleading requires that athletes perform with a high degree of flexibility, strength, endurance, and balance. The leading injury in cheerleading is a lateral, inversion, ankle sprain. As footwear serves as an interface between the foot and the surrounding environment, characteristics of shoes should be monitored to determine the effects on proprioceptive communication. No previous literature was found that examined the biomechanical differences between “Old” and “New” shoes in collegiate cheerleaders. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the biomechanical differences exhibited by collegiate cheerleaders while performing balance testing and step-down, landing tasks in “old” …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Community Engagement And Military Spouse Marital Satisfaction, Alexandra N. Gilbert

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this research study is to assist in filling the gap in research on military spouses, beyond deployment and employment issues. Marital satisfaction is a known factor in service member retention and job performance, however very little research on what aspects may be related to military spouse marital satisfaction has been conducted. Military communities have been shown to be an important source of social support for military spouses, however few studies have considered spouses’ involvement in their larger communities. This study’s hypothesis states that a relationship between military spouses’ marital satisfaction and their community engagement off-base exists. The …

Differential Effects Of Reduced Foot Sole Sensitivity And Nerve Conduction Velocity On Postural Control And Functional Gait, Kelsey D. Lewis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral neuropathy is characterized by a loss of foot sole sensitivity and slowed nerve conduction velocity. Individuals with peripheral neuropathy have decreased postural control ability and functional gait performance. No research was found that differentiated the effects of the main symptoms of peripheral neuropathy on postural control and functional gait. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the differential effects of reduced foot sole sensitivity and slowed nerve conduction velocity on postural control and functional gait. METHODS: Two main clinical symptoms, H-index and foot sole sensitivity were evaluated among 35 participants. Outcome variables are the center of …

Who Deserves To Be In Stem? How Threat And Confirmation Of The Gender Hierarchy Impact Helping Behavior Towards Prospective Stem Majors, Samantha A. Gnall

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Current events that either threaten or confirm the current gender hierarchy may impact people differently. This can depend upon one’s group membership and their attitudes towards a fair and just society. When people are asked to help others while facing uncertainty of the hierarchy, they may choose to help or lash out in an effort to re-establish the hierarchy or dismantle the hierarchy. STEM faculty were presented with information that either did not threaten the gender hierarchy (i.e., maintaining gender inequality) or that threatened the current gender hierarchy (i.e., reaching gender equality). Participants were then given an opportunity to offer …

Attitudes Toward The Hpv Vaccine Among University Students: Identifying Barriers To Vaccine Uptake, Kristina L. Harbaugh

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 32,000 cancers occur annually that can be directly attributable to the acquisition of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Gender specificity data posits that 21,000 of the annual cancer cases are female and the remaining 11,000 cases occur among males. However, because the implementation and trajectory of HPV vaccination and prevention programs have been historically aimed toward women, vaccination rates for men remain significantly lower. The purpose of this study was to assess gender differences in knowledge attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control about HPV …

Resources To Access Health Care For Low Socioeconomic Status Youth Athletes, Stephanie Walsh

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Approximately 60 million youth participate in organized sports, with 13.5 million receiving care for sports related injuries each year. Most youth sports organizations do not have readily accessible health care resources; relying on parents and guardians to manage injuries. However, a majority of parents and guardians are untrained in appropriate management of injuries, therefore there is a need for understanding the availability of health care resources within the community. Resources necessary to access health care include health services, health insurance, transportation, and communication. Barriers to these resources may affect lower socioeconomic status family’s accessibility to care. Purpose: Investigate the …

Instructor Activity Recognition Using Smartwatch And Smartphone Sensors, Zayed Uddin Chowdhury

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

During a classroom session, an instructor performs several activities, such as writing on the board, speaking to the students, gestures to explain a concept. A record of the time spent in each of these activities could be valuable information for the instructors to virtually observe their own style of instruction. It can help in identifying activities that engage the students more, thereby enhancing teaching effectiveness and efficiency. In this work, we present a preliminary study on profiling multiple activities of an instructor in the classroom using smartwatch and smartphone sensor data. We use 2 benchmark datasets to test out the …

Athletic Identity And Intention To Report Concussions In High School Athletes, Natalie F. Cook

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Context: Lack of concussion reporting remains a problem as high school athletes report about fifty percent of all concussions. Purpose: The study sought to determine if there is a relationship between athletic identity and athlete’s intention to report concussions. Methods: The sample consisted of 78 high school athletes (m age = 16.19 + 0.88, 56 males, 22 females). Participants were administered the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) and Intention to Report Subscale which served as dependent measures. The presence of AI was determined by comparing AIMS score to previous norms. A linear regression was used to determine the relationship …

Assessing Public Health Workforce Informatics Competencies: A Study Of Three Health Departments In Metro Atlanta, Olatanwa Adewale

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: There is a need for the public health workforce to be current and versatile in technology usage. Public health leveraging technology usage in service delivery has the potential to improve efficiency and bring it to the forefront in the provision of healthcare services. The purpose of this study was to assess public health workforce informatics competencies in select Atlanta health districts and determine the correlates of public health informatics proficiency.

Methods: A 10-item instrument adapted from the recommendations of a Working Group document by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the 2015 Informatics Capacity and …

Racial Differences In Factors Influencing Childhood Overweight And Obesity In The Us, Brendan C. Ibe

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity in the US has persisted as a serious public health concern despite efforts to address it. Children today are now estimated to live shorter life expectancy than their parents due to the consequences of childhood overweight and obesity. The earlier focus on healthy diets and an increase in physical activity have proved inadequate in reversing the trend. Using the social ecologic model (SEM), this study assessed the ecological and behavioral influences on childhood overweight and obesity among Non-Hispanic white, Non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic children. Methods: The study data were derived from the 2016 National Survey …

Assessing The Percieved Barriers To Early Detection, Treatment, And Management Of Cervical Cancer Among Ghanaian Women, Angela D. Blackwell

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess the perceived barriers and strategies for improvement of timely detection, treatment, and management of cervical cancer among Ghanaian women in a tertiary hospital setting. Methods: Sixty semi-structured interviews, comprised of thirty-five cervical cancer patients and twenty-five healthcare professionals who provide cervical cancer care, were conducted. Two focus groups were conducted, including four healthcare professionals and another with two healthcare professionals—the data were analyzed using NVivo 12. A theoretical thematic analysis was utilized to identify common themes and sub-themes that arose from the participant interviews. The social-ecological model framework was employed to …

The Effects Of Boring Sponge Infestation On Condition, Growth, And Sex Change In Crepidula Fornicata, Nicole L. Kleinas

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The Atlantic slipper limpet, Crepidula fornicata, is a sequential hermaphrodite whose size at sex-change is plastic with respect to social and population cues. As an organism allocates energy between growth, reproduction and maintenance, an increased cost of one process may affect another. In this paper, I evaluate whether the presence of an epibiotic sponge (Cliona celata) affects the growth, condition and sex-change of C. fornicata individuals. Population surveys demonstrate a variable effect of Cliona presence on C. fornicata condition. The results of a twelve-week in situ experiment demonstrated a decrease in growth when C. celata was present. …

Optimizing Anti-Icing Operation For Winter Roadway Treatment Using A Decision-Making Tool, Jyoti B. Das

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Managing winter roadway treatment can be a challenge where winter is not severe, but snowfall is experienced a few times a year. Winter weather makes the road dangerous and challenging to travel. Most US states have approached and implemented different winter road maintenance practices to make transportation of goods, services, and people uninterrupted. However, the state of Georgia has always struggled to deal with winter weather. Recently, there has been some progress. The Georgia Department of Transportation prepared a winter road treatment plan in 2019, and they are still working on improving it. Increasing emphasis on pre-treating the road rather …

Does Dual Enrollment Impact Ctae, Robert J. Dollar

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was examine if legislation that greatly impacted the number of students taking dual enrollment courses in the state of Georgia was having an impact of CTAE programs in seven, rural school districts in southeast Georgia. This study employed a mixed methods research design. Quantitative data supplied by the Georgia Department of Education regarding enrollment numbers, as well as qualitative data gathered by the utilization of an open-ended questionnaire, were analyzed conjunctly to ascertain if an impact existed. This study focused on four overarching research questions regarding any potential impacts experienced with the implementation of the …

Standardized Knowledge And Behavior Of Food-Protection Staff To Help Reduce The Potential For Incidences Of Foodborne Illness, Joshua A. Dufresne

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Environmental public health has always been at the forefront of issues that affect the health and wellbeing of the general public when it comes to food safety. However, with the workforce moving from one of technological laggards toward faster progress toward new and improved systems in performing food service, the question becomes: What are the needs of the environmental health and food safety workforce, and how does one get there? Logically, another question follows: are our current training programs helping to make a difference in the number of foodborne-illness risk-factor violations being issued?

Purpose: This study was to …

Prayer As A Potential Buffer Against Ego Depletion, Danielle Oehring

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Ego depletion is theorized as the loss of self-control after it has been exerted over a period of time, leading to loss of conscious regulation of behavior. Buffering against this loss is characterized by engaging in an activity that will help extent the use of self-control, helping to further regulate behaviors such as impulse control. We were interested in learning how prayer may act as a buffer against ego depletion and compared prayer against self-encouraging talk to find is there is a difference between how the two affect self-control. One hundred ten participants were randomly assigned to a video group: …

Examining Spatial Inequities In Green Space Distribution And Access Around The Historic City Of Savannah, Georgia., Chiamaka F. Chimah

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Green space supports recreational activities and environmental sustainability which has proven to aid physical and social well-being as well as environmental health. However, spatial inequities are observed in the distribution and accessibility of urban green space. This norm identified as an environmental justice issue has left racial minorities and people of low socioeconomic status at a disadvantage. This study adopted a geospatial approach to assess green space quantity, quality, and accessibility, and generate a green space index. This research assessed the relationship between racial structure, socioeconomic characteristics and green space inequities in all municipalities in Chatham County, Georgia with a …

Smartphones, Stress, And The Reduction Of Cognitive Resources, Jenay R. Stone

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Smartphones are a ubiquitous part of daily life for most Americans. They offer an abundance of information, connectivity, and entertainment. Previous research suggests that smartphones are also responsible for cognitive costs in educational, public, private and professional settings when in use or audibly creating stimuli in the environment. Smartphones are also linked to an automatic attenuation of cognitive resources even when not in use and merely salient (Ward, Duke, Gneezy and Bos; Journal of the Association for Consumer Research; 2, 141, 154, 2017). The purpose of the present study was to experimentally test the effect of cell phone salience …

Artificial Neural Network Models For Pattern Discovery From Ecg Time Series, Mehakpreet Kaur

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models have recently become de facto models for deep learning with a wide range of applications spanning from scientific fields such as computer vision, physics, biology, medicine to social life (suggesting preferred movies, shopping lists, etc.). Due to advancements in computer technology and the increased practice of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medicine and biological research, ANNs have been extensively applied not only to provide quick information about diseases, but also to make diagnostics accurate and cost-effective. We propose an ANN-based model to analyze a patient's electrocardiogram (ECG) data and produce accurate diagnostics regarding possible heart diseases …

The Effect Of Patient And Hospital-Level Factors On 30-Day Readmission After Initial Hospitalization Due To Stroke, Emmanuel Akowuah

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Hospital readmissions account for a large part of healthcare costs, especially among stroke patients. Readmission is common among disabled stroke survivors because they often suffer some neurological deficits, functional impairment, and other preexisting cardiovascular conditions. Although previous studies have explored the relationship between hospital readmissions after initial hospitalization due to stroke and a set of predictors using various analytical models, it often remains uncertain which predictors are most influential or essential. This study aimed to assess the effect of patient and hospital-levels factors on 30-day readmission after initial hospitalization due to stroke using the Anderson model of healthcare …

Schools For Profit Or Schools For Education? A Christian School Principal’S Perspectives, Michael A. Crosby

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation is a series of speculative essays (Schubert, 1991) that address the forces of neoliberalism on schools today– both public and private. While there have been studies on the detrimental effects of high-stakes testing on public schools (e.g., Au, 2015; Giroux, 2014; Wacquant, 2000) as well as the associated harmful effects of school to prison pipeline (e.g., Saltman, 2016; Taubman, 2009), there remains little research associated with the damaging impacts of neoliberalism on Christian schools. Building upon the theoretical framework of critical pedagogy (e.g., Friere, 1970; Kincheloe, 2008; McLaren, 2015), I undertake a critical examination of neoliberalism’s calculated efforts …

The Impact Of A Division I Volleyball Season On Jumping Performance, Joshua R. Pascal

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Previous research has been conducted on different performance metrics in collegiate athletes in various sports, including volleyball. These metrics include strength, speed, power output, and jump height. However, little research has examined changes in seasonal jumping performance in volleyball athletes on a weekly basis. Purpose: To examine how Division I Volleyball jumping performance is affected by a competitive season. Methods: 11 female volleyball athletes from one NCAA Division I institution wore VERT sensors during practices for the entire 15-week competitive season. The athletes also completed countermovement Jump Mat testing on the first practice of the week, with the exception of …

Quantitative Performance Assessment Of Lidar-Based Vehicle Contour Estimation Algorithms For Integrated Vehicle Safety Applications, David M. Mothershed

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Many nations and organizations are committing to achieving the goal of `Vision Zero' and eliminate road traffic related deaths around the world. Industry continues to develop integrated safety systems to make vehicles safer, smarter and more capable in safety critical scenarios. Passive safety systems are now focusing on pre-crash deployment of restraint systems to better protect vehicle passengers. Current commonly used bounding box methods for shape estimation of crash partners lack the fidelity required for edge case collision detection and advanced crash modeling. This research presents a novel algorithm for robust and accurate contour estimation of opposing vehicles. The presented …

Nine Stories And The Society Of The Spectacle: An Exploration Into The Alienation Of The Individual In The Post-War Era, Margaret E. Geddy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the thematic links between three of J. D. Salinger’s short stories published in Nine Stories (“A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” “Down at the Dinghy,” and “Teddy”), ultimately arguing that it is a short-story cycle rooted in the quandary posed by the suicide of Seymour Glass. This conclusion is reached by assessing the influence of T. S. Eliot’s poem “The Waste Land” on these stories, something that is understood through the Marxist frame of Guy Debord’s The Society of the Spectacle.

Health Behavior In International Student-Athletes, Alison Adams

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Context: International student-athletes (ISAs) are a unique population that must overcome challenges associated both with being an international student as well as with being a student-athlete(Bradley, 2000; Bentzinger, 2016). These challenges include the increased likelihood of injury and the subsequent need for healthcare. Athletic trainers are responsible for providing and coordinating healthcare for student-athletes when it is needed. In order to provide high-quality care, it is important that they understand the unique values and experiences of each individual athlete (Unruh, 1998).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine how cultural factors and past experience impact health behavior in …