Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Race In End-Of-Life Care, Barbara A. Noah

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Adult Children's Perceptions Of Critical Caregiving Conversations With Their Aging Parents: A Pilot Study, Wendy S. Cregg

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this qualitative pilot study was to describe adult children's perceptions of critical caregiving conversations between themselves and their aging parents; barriers to these conversations; factors that facilitate these conversations; and the support from health care providers that adult children believe would help facilitate critical caregiving conversations between themselves and their aging parents. The overall purpose was to increase understanding of family communication processes that promote health as families age. Focus group interviews using a semi-structured interview guide were conducted with 16 adult children with caregiving experience of their aging parents. Data analysis was conducted utilizing Leininger's phases …

The Compact Genetic Algorithm For Likelihood Estimator Of First Order Moving Average Model, R.D. Al-Dabbagh, M.S. Baba, Saad Mekhilef, A. Kinsheel

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Recently Genetic Algorithms (GAs) have frequently been used for optimizing the solution of estimation problems. One of the main advantages of using these techniques is that they require no knowledge or gradient information about the response surface. The poor behavior of genetic algorithms in some problems, sometimes attributed to design operators, has led to the development of other types of algorithms. One such class of these algorithms is compact Genetic Algorithm (cGA), it dramatically reduces the number of bits reqyuired to store the poulation and has a faster convergence speed. In this paper compact Genetic Algorithm is used to optimize …

Beyond The Brandopolis: A Communicative Approach To City Promotion And Marketing, Kasey Clawson Hudak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A review of current city branding literature indicates that unsuccessful attempts at city branding appear to rely on creating static, flashy, and often idealized images of a city. Such marketing efforts may result in a "brandopolis," or images that may not reflect a city's true identity. This dissertation supplements current city branding literature by exploring how stakeholders' discourses form, enhance, and communicate a city's image. The consideration of a communicative approach to the promotion of city images, from a humanities perspective grounds stakeholders' experiences of the city in their communicative practices. This grounded communicative approach to city marketing offers marketers …

Sexuality: The Missing Activity Of Daily Living: A Pilot Study, Lindsay Farkas, Elizabeth Reynolds

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the comfort level of occupational therapists addressing sexuality with clients in physical disability clinical settings in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. A secondary intention of this study was to explore why or why not OTs are addressing sexual issues with their clients, and if therapists are addressing sexual issues, what resources are utilized.

Methods: A non-experimental design pilot study was conducted to explore the comfort level of occupational therapists addressing sexual issues with clients in physical disability settings. A mixed-methods, triangulation survey design was used to gather data …

Voices In Concert: Communication Ethnography Of Pentecostal Worship, Bruce C. Coats

Dissertations (1934 -)

We know little about communication in Pentecostal worship service outside of the practice of tongues-speech. Pentecostals uniquely interpret communicative activity as distinctive factors in their identity; yet no research identifies the unique national speech codes operating with the Pentecostal churches. This study applied decreased that knowledge gap using Philipsen's Speech Codes Theory to analyzing the structure and interpretation of Pentecostal worship services, analyzing individual congregations in relationship with local culture and situated within the national Pentecostal movement. Fisher's narrative paradigm was applied to worship services to describe the narrative of a worship service as it extended in the everyday lives …

Acoustic Differences In The Imitation Of Prosodic Patterns In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Joshua J. Diehl, Rhea Paul

Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

In research, it has been difficult to characterize the prosodic production differences that have been observed clinically in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Moreover, the nature of these differences has been particularly hard to identify. This study examined one possible contributor to these perceived differences: motor planning. We examined the ability of children and adolescents with ASD to imitate prosodic patterns in comparison to a group with learning disabilities (LD) and a typically developing (TD) comparison group. Overall, we found that both the ASD and LD groups were significantly worse at perceiving and imitating prosodic patterns than the TD comparison group. …

Barriers To Family Cancer Communication In Southern Appalachia, Kathryn L. Duvall, Kelly A. Dorgan, Amber E. Kinser

ETSU Faculty Works

This study examines cultural issues surrounding family cancer communication in Appalachia, providing insight into participants’ communication choices regarding their illness within their families. Stories of 29 female Appalachian cancer survivors from Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia were collected via a mixed methods approach in either a day-long story circle (N=26) or an in-depth interview (N=3). Qualitative content analysis was used to identify unique barriers to family cancer communication in Appalachia. Two barriers emerged: 1) the health of other family members and 2) cancer in a “taboo” area. These findings suggest that Appalachian female cancer survivors struggle with similar issues as …

Navigating Family Cancer Communication: Communication Strategies Of Female Cancer Survivors In Central Appalachia, Kathryn L. Duvall, Kelly A. Dorgan, Sadie P. Hutson

ETSU Faculty Works

In a multiphasic study, the stories of 29 female Appalachian cancer survivors were collected through either a day-long modified story circle event (n=26) or an in-depth interview (n=3). Qualitative content analysis was used to identify emergent themes in the data. The analysis revealed 5 types of family cancer communication including both pre-diagnosis and postdiagnosis cancer communication strategies

Improving Communication Skills Among Nursing Students: Assessing The Comfort Curriculum As An Intervention, Rachel Steckler

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Effective communication is just one of the many skill sets nursing students must master to be effective in their field. A nurse’s role goes far beyond that of medical care. In addition, Today’s nurses should be equipped with a working knowledge of medical management, communication skills, ethical/legal issues, end-of-life care, and team collaboration, among others (e.g., Ferrell, Dahlin, Campbell, Paice, Malloy, & Virani, 2007).Wittenberg-Lyles, Goldsmith, Sanchez-Reilly, and Ragan (2010) contend nurses need to have specialized training protocols focused on developing effective communication skills . The current study employed one such protocol, the COMFORT curriculum, as a tool to teach nursing …

Employee Perceptions Of Productivity: Virtual Workplace Location Vs.Working In The Office, Stephen Patrick Guida

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study focused on perceived productivity. The key question answered explored how the perception of one’s productivity when working in a virtual workplace setting compared to working in the office. A 24 question survey was given to 100 employees within a financial organization resulting in 46 total useable surveys to analyze. Findings revealed that workplace setting does not significantly affect an employee’s perception of productivity. The result supports the Coordinated Management of Meaning theory of interpersonal communication as presented by Pearce and Cronen (1989) because communication required of an employee to be productive within an organization is learned and constantly …

"Dear Jane": An Examination Of Female Combat Warriors, The Communiaction Styles Used During War Vs. The Communication Used In The Home, Renee Humphrey

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

War has been happening for centuries. Women have been in the United States Armed Forces since the War of Independence in 1775, with very little research done on how war affects these women once on the home front. The purpose of my research is to evaluate the role of communication because of being a female in a combat zone at a time of war, and how it has affected the female‘s life back home once returned. Specifically, I used Relational Dialectic Theory and Expectancy Violations Theory as a basis of ethnographic research and one on one interviews to research the …

Teleconferencing In Large Corporations, Thomas E. Howard

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Technology based communication tools in business represent an area that has been intensely researched. Of all the available tools, teleconferencing remains the most widely and frequently used in business communication. This case study explores whether teleconferencing is a useful communication tool for leadership to express objectives to the organization’s members. Philosophical assumptions in this paper are based on Aristotle’s components of rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos. Media Naturalness (Kock, 2004) and Social Presence Theory (Short & Williams, 1976) provide the theoretical basis for this paper. The study is based on qualitative data gathering and analysis surrounding the 3rd Quarter Organization-wide …

Impact Of Improvisation On Interpersonal Communication, Brooklin Green

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Improvisational games have grown outside the scope of performance to become tools to enhance, creativity, and communication. Recently, people have begun to use these games in a variety of fields including psychology, public speaking, corporate businesses, medicine, and education. Improvisational games help people learn through play. It shows that the use of these games can create an environment that opens communication to achieve learning and innovation. It is a positive tool in promoting confidence, empathy, listening skills, self-awareness, group awareness, quick thought and focus in the moment. While research on the benefit of improvisation does exist, few concentrate on the …

The Relationship Between Hospitalists And Primary Care Physicians, James Robert Burkhart

All ETDs from UAB

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOSPITALISTS AND PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS JAMES R. BURKHART EXECUTIVE DOCTOR OF SCIENCE IN ADMINISTRATION-HEALTH SERVICES ABSTRACT A study of the relationship between primary care physicians (PCPs) and hospitalists was conducted by surveying the Florida Academy of Family Physicians (FAFP) membership to determine whether they had an established relationship with a hospitalist or hospitalist group. The survey responses were then matched with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) administrative claims data to provide two groupings of study respondents with data regarding patients' average length-of-stay, average 30 day readmission rate, and average hospital claims payment. The survey …

Keeping Church Goers Motivated: Church Worship Communication Study, Anne Trelstad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

At a time when mainline Protestant churches in America are concerned with stagnant or declining worship attendance (Duin, 2008) a better understanding of worshippers' motivations could help church leaders plan and create positive worship experiences (Katt & Trelstad, 2009). This study extends the scope of the previous research of Katt and Trelstad by employing a larger sample of purposively selected churches. It attempts to more clearly answer the following question more clearly: What types of incidents serve as motivator and de-motivator factors in the church worship service setting? A sample of 105 church members from thirty-eight churches participated in a …

Performing Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years: An Exercise In Communication On Stage And Off, David Z. Sucharski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Communication, in its most basic sense, is foundational for any personal, human interaction and relationship. As theatre artists, we are charged with communicating complex story lines, conceptual ideas, and emotion to an audience. Sound communication is paramount to every aspect of a musical production, be it communication between actors/characters, actor and director, amongst the production team, and arguable the most important, between the actors and the audience. My years of education as a Masters in Fine Arts candidate in Musical Theatre have been spent polishing my ability to communicate physical and emotional choices with greater accuracy, depth, and truth. By …

The Management Of Feral Pig Socio-Ecological Systems In Far North Queensland, Australia, Gabriela Shuster

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The development of management programs for socio-ecological systems that include multiple stakeholders is a complex process and requires careful evaluation and planning. This is particularly a challenge in the presence of intractable conflict. The feral pig (Sus scrofa) in Australia is part of one such socio-ecological system. There is a large and heterogeneous group of stakeholders interested in pig management. Pigs have diverse effects on wildlife and plant ecology, economic, health, and social sectors. This study used the feral pig management system as a vehicle to examine intractable conflict in socio-ecological systems. The purpose of the study was …

This Is The Art Form: Examining Concept Albums' Methods Of Constructing Meaning In The Digital Age, Mario Alonzo Dozal

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examined how the communicative characteristics of concept albums (music albums that center on a specific theme) have been adapted from a traditional physical form to exist in the digital age. Using three rock concept albums, this study examined how three different formats (vinyl, audio compact disc, and digital download) of the same concept album communicated the overall theme of the album to listeners, and also examined the advantages and disadvantages of each format. Additionally, using discursive analysis, this study sought to expand the academic literature on concept albums by examining the role that supplementary material plays in helping …

The Use Of Humor In The Classroom: Exploring Effects On Teacher-Student Immediacy And Student Learning, Francisco Antonio Galindo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The field of education is constantly evolving; however, the goal of bridging the gap between teacher and student relationships remains the same. The focus of pedagogical theories is to inform and orient educators on how they can maximize the learning experience of their students through effective and constantly evolving teaching methods. Many studies have been conducted in regards to how educators can establish a positive learning environment while promoting solid comprehension and lasting retention of the material being taught. Among the methods being tested and practiced by educators is the use of humor (Garner, 2005) in order to achieve immediacy …

How Selective Is Social Learning In Dolphins?, Stan A. Kuczaj Ii, Deirdre Yeater, Lauren Highfill

Psychology Faculty Publications

Social learning is an important aspect of dolphin social life and dolphin behavioral development. In addition to vocal social learning, dolphins discover behaviors for foraging, play, and social interactions by observing other members of their social group. But dolphins neither indiscriminately observe nor mindlessly mimic other dolphins. To the contrary, dolphin calves are quite selective in their choices of who to observe and/or imitate. Calves are most likely to learn foraging behaviors from their mothers, but they are more likely to watch and reproduce the play behaviors of other calves than the play behaviors of adult dolphins (including their mothers). …

The Role Of Narcissism On Concerns For Sns Privacy: Vulnerable Narcissism In Threatening Situations, Elizabeth A. Kwolek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study aims to identify psychological factors that predict one's likelihood to disengage with privacy-threatening activities on Social Networking Sites (SNS). Particularly, it pays special attention to the concept of narcissism and its impact on one's response to SNS privacy-threatening situations. By evaluating narcissism in two different ways --- grandiose and vulnerable --- the study attempts to provide a better understanding of the role of narcissism in SNS usage and concerns over privacy issues. Study I shows that vulnerable narcissism has a significant influence on consumers' likelihood of disengaging with privacy-threatening activities on SNS while grandiose narcissism has no influence. …

A Suggested Methodology For The Application Of Parent Training In Teaching Verbal Behavior To Children With Autism, Amanda L. Moretto

Research Papers

One diagnostic criterion of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a dysfunction of or lack of communication. Many individuals with autism struggle to communicate effectively and require extensive training to use verbal behavior. Parent training has been shown to be successful in teaching a variety of skills to children with autism; this paper compiles various aspects of parent training and teaching verbal behavior to children with autism in order to form a methodology of teaching parents to help their children communicate effectively.

Conversing Life: An Autoethnographic Construction, Christopher N. Hoelson, Rod Burton

The Qualitative Report

This autoethnography is a constructed account of a co-exploration into the nature and effects of a longitudinal dyadic conversation process from a relational constructionist perspective. The conversations, between me as participant autoethnographer and a co-participant, aimed at maximising personal learning for both. Through co-created contexts of mutual engagement and respectful presence, we were able to focus our learning on the spontaneous process and content of the conversations. The qualitative data were sampled purposively from diary entries summarizing the conversations which spanned a period of five years. The data were analysed into themes and together, with selected illustrative examples of significant …

An Introduction To Prayer Research In Communication: Functions, Contexts, And Possibilities, E. James Baesler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Young Children's Understanding Of The Relationship Between Conventionality And Communication, Kathleen R. Sullivan

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

This dissertation explores children's understanding of the conventionality of language, the notion that shared knowledge of the meanings of linguistic symbols enables communication using those symbols. Three studies investigate whether monolingual children recognize that different speakers share knowledge of lexical conventions, in this case the labels for objects, independent of children's own knowledge of those labels. Further, children's ability to use evidence of shared conventional knowledge when reasoning about communicative interactions is tested using a novel third-party communication task. Results indicate that three-year-old children track consistent labeling of novel objects across different speakers, and infer underlying shared knowledge of object …

Evaluation Of Knowledgeworkx's Cultural Mapping And Navigation Assessment : A Cultural Self-Awareness Instrument, Beth A. Yoder

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory and original research project examined the Cultural Mapping & Navigation Assessment (CMN) in order to evaluate it as an intercultural training tool. This instrument was designed by KnowledgeWorkx's multicultural team to assist people in understanding cultural dimensions and developing cultural self-awareness, which are foundational to a person developing intercultural competence. The instrument was evaluated in several ways. The theoretical constructs being measured were reviewed in the literature. The questions used in the CMN were subjected to multilingual and multicultural reviewers and the instrument was statistically analyzed for reliability and validity. Based on that data, changes were made and …

Effects Of A Middle Grade Family-School Partnership Program At A Southeastern Charter School, Fayette Nick

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a middle grade family-school partnership program at a southeastern charter school that served students in kindergarten through Grade 12. In 2009, the state charter school advisory board surveyed parents of students in kindergarten through Grade 8 and found that parental involvement decreased drastically after Grade 5. The state board advised the school to develop a plan of action to increase parental involvement in Grades 6 through 8. It was decided to implement a family-school partnership program in the middle grades. The program was guided by Lueder’s (2011) self-renewing partnership …

Teaching Presence And Communication Timeliness In Asynchronous Online Courses, Erik Skramstad

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of teaching presence and communication timeliness in asynchronous online courses using a survey research methodology. The community of inquiry model developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) provided the framework of the study while asking the following research questions:

1. What are student perceptions of teaching presence in asynchronous online courses?

2. What is the communication timeliness of instructors for direct feedback on students’ assignments?

3. What is the relationship between instructor communication timeliness for direct feedback on students’ assignments and student perceptions of teaching presence?

Participants were 59 anonymous …

Examination Of The Reliability And Validity Of A New Observation Measure For Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Autism Spectrum Disorder Observation For Children, Daniene Neal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With increasing attention being drawn to autism spectrum disorders (ASD), specifically with regard to early and accurate diagnosis and treatment, researchers and clinicians alike have placed emphasis on finding assessment tools that can aid in this goal. The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of a new observation measure for ASD, the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Observation for Children (ASD-OC). The ASD-OC was found to have good to excellent interrater reliability, and excellent internal consistency (ƒÑ = .96). As a result of these initial reliability analyses, nine items were removed from the scale. The resulting 45 item ASD-OC …