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Three Essays In Health Economics, Caroline Andressa Welter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Health outcomes and access to care are shaped by the interaction between public institutions, administrative rules, and responses to health risk. This dissertation investigates how barriers to access, changes in perceived risk, and policy design influence participation in public programs, preventive health behavior, and  treatment continuation. Across three essays in health economics, I examine how individuals respond to disruptions in service delivery, epidemic exposure, and administrative burden, with a focus on vulnerable populations that depend on public systems of care.
The first essay analyzes the impact of Social Security Administration field office closures on participation in federal disability programs during …

Effects Of An Early-Onset Hfd On Hepatic Functioning In A 3xtg Model Of Ad, Matthias Hirst

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Approximately 1 billion people currently live with obesity. Driven by factors such as a high-fat diet (HFD), this pathology can have drastic effects throughout the body, with the liver in particular being a main target of its downstream consequences. Although it is capable of storing lipids, excess fat can conglomerate in the liver and contribute to various hepatic pathologies. A specific pattern of hepatic dysfunction seen in response to an HFD is increased acetylation of mitochondrial proteins. Further, expression and activity of insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), involved in the degradation of Aβ, are altered in response to an HFD. Aβ …

How Do Reading Specialists Shape Their Identities As Literacy Leaders? An Exploration Of Competence, Performance, And Recognition Within Communities Of Practice, Christina Glance Petrone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This qualitative multiple-case study explored how reading specialists enact literacy leadership within elementary schools in West Virginia. Although reading specialists are increasingly expected to support schoolwide literacy improvement, leadership responsibilities are not always explicitly defined within their roles. Guided by a communities of practice framework and an identity model, this study examined how reading specialists develop and demonstrate literacy leadership through their daily interactions with teachers, administrators, and other school personnel. Data sources included participant questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with participants, their principals, and colleagues from their school. Participants in this study included three reading specialists (interventionists) working in K-5 …

The Effects Of Gesture And Age On Jurors’ Perceptions Of Child Witnesses, Jihan Hani Rashed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Jurors’ perceptions of child witnesses can have significant influence in judicial outcomes, particularly in cases where children’s testimony is central (Goodman et al., 1997; Goodman et al., 1998; Castelli et al., 2005). The role of gesture in shaping jurors’ perceptions is underexplored. Studies highlight that gesture enhances memory recall and reduces cognitive load, making it an important component of effective communication (Goldin-Meadow et al., 2001; Hudson & Sheffield, 1998; Cook & Fenn, 2017). The present research consisted of two studies examining whether child witnesses’ use of gesture during recall of an alleged crime affected jurors’ perceptions of witness credibility and …

Psychometric Assessment Of The Ambivalent Ageism Scale: Investigating Measurement Invariance And Stability Across Groups And Time, Carly Pullen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goal of the current study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Ambivalent Ageism Scale (Cary et al., 2017) and to provide an understanding of how ageist attitudes might change or remain the same in response to a cultural and societal event. Measurement invariance is the assessment of the psychometric equivalence of a construct (e.g., ageism) across groups or waves of measurement (Putnick & Bornstein, 2016). The first step in measurement invariance analyses is configural measurement invariance, which is the evaluation of the factor structure, with the goal of producing the same number of factors and the same …

Pbmc Transcriptome Analysis Following Lps Stimulation Reveals Distinct Inflammatory Strategies In Feed-Efficient And Inefficient Beef Cattle, Yarahy Leal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Improving feed efficiency is a primary objective in livestock production, serving as a major driver of profitability and sustainability in beef cattle operations as feed costs continue to rise. Residual feed intake (RFI) and residual average daily gain (RADG) are widely recognized indicators of feed efficiency and are commonly used as selection traits to reduce production costs and environmental impact. Previous research suggests a functional shift in transcriptional activity associated with immunity depending on efficiency phenotype, with evidence of greater immune system robustness in more efficient animals. This dissertation examines the molecular mechanisms linking feed efficiency and immune competence and …

The Effect Of Innovative Value Proposition On Buyer Reactions: The Moderating Roles Of Price Orientation And Perceived Risk, Chad Stuttz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Value propositions are essential to the success of personal selling in the Business-to-Business (B2B) context. While earlier studies have offered valuable insights into the roles of value propositions in driving B2B sales, they have often regarded value propositions as uniform. In this dissertation, I argue that value propositions vary in their levels of innovativeness. The dissertation introduces the concept of innovative value proposition (IVP) and proposes that IVP indicates greater future growth potential to buyers, leading to more favorable reactions such as responsiveness and willingness to engage than less innovative ones. Additionally, the dissertation explores the moderating effects of buyer …

Strategic Transition Planning And Post-Graduation Preparedness For Students In Secondary School, Kelsey Renae Armentrout

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The transition period between high school and post-graduation life can be a challenging time for many students. Young adults may follow different paths, including going into the workforce or attending post-secondary education, as well as learning how to navigate life skills such as paying bills, buying a house or a car, applying for jobs, obtaining insurance, and occupations within the adult life stage. While young adults may learn about these things throughout their high school career, it is likely that the feelings of unpreparedness are continuously relevant. The purpose of this DCE is to develop and implement learning modules for …

The Dual-Factor Model (Dfm) Of Mental Among Appalachian Youth, Mawyah Adel Bashatah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background. Adolescent mental health is a critical public health concern, particularly in rural Appalachian communities where rates of depression, anxiety, and substance use exceed national averages and access to mental health resources remain severely limited. Traditional mental health frameworks rely predominantly on the identification and reduction of psychopathological symptoms, neglecting the independent contributions of positive well-being to adolescent risk and resilience. The Dual-Factor Model (DFM) of mental health offers a more comprehensive alternative by simultaneously assessing subjective well-being (SWB) and psychopathology, classifying individuals into four distinct groups: Complete mental health, Vulnerable, Symptomatic but content, and Troubled. Despite the DFM’s growing …

Borrowed But Mine: Time-Based Asymmetries In Psychological Ownership, Elizabeth Ann Brauer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

People often borrow everyday items, such as a friend’s jacket or pair of sunglasses, and after a period of use, may begin to feel as if the item is their own. Psychological ownership captures this felt sense of “mine,” even in the absence of legal ownership, and reflects the extent to which a target becomes incorporated into the self (Pierce et al., 2003). Despite decades of work on psychological ownership, little is known about how psychological ownership develops and changes within interpersonal lending and borrowing contexts. This dissertation examines how possession duration influences psychological ownership in interpersonal borrowing relationships and …

Ai In The Workplace: Understanding The Path Between Ai Adoption Intensity And Ai-Induced Job Insecurity, Joanna J. Frieske

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more embedded in organizational workflows and is reshaping work environments, changing how we work, make decisions, stay engaged, perform, and learn. While AI adoption is associated with a wide range of benefits, it also presents negative aspects that may affect employee experiences and influence the future of work. Drawing on extant literature and on the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model, Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, and the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, this research proposes a model in which psychological safety mediates the relationship between AI adoption intensity and job insecurity, while procedural justice and AI self-efficacy act …

Bridging The Sensory Gap With Occupational Therapy: Program Development For Sensory Integration In Inpatient Rehabilitation For Adults With Central Nervous System Injuries, Callie Marie Honaker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objectives: This project aimed to identify sensory processing deficits in adults with central nervous system injuries and to inform the development of sensory-informed program components in an inpatient rehabilitation setting. Participants: A total of 76 adults admitted with diagnoses including cerebrovascular accident, brain injury, and spinal cord injury were included. Methods: A structured sensory screening and mental health questionnaire were administered and compared to prescreening admission documentation and PHQ-9 scores. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses were conducted. Results: Sensory impairments were highly prevalent, with participants demonstrating an average of three impairments across the sensory domains. Proprioceptive, tactile, and visual deficits …

Effects Of Fluency-Based And Percentage-Based Mastery Criteria On Learning, Maintenance, Application, And Learner Experience In Behavior-Analytic Skill Acquisition, Marisela Alicia Aguilar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In behavior analysis, staff are often trained to percentage-based criteria to demonstrate that they have mastered a skill. However, percentage-based mastery criteria may not result in long-term maintenance of the skill. In other areas of instruction, fluency criteria resulted in multiple positive outcomes such as maintenance, endurance, and application of the skill beyond the training context, but these outcomes have not yet been widely demonstrated in the context of teaching behavior support plan (BSP) content and implementation. Across two experiments, we attempted to evaluate the extent to which training individuals to a fluency-based or percentage-based criterion resulted in maintenance and …

Upper Echelons And Corporate Venture Capital: Ceo Effects On Investment Direction And Resource Deployment, Ralph Judicael Mompoint

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines how founder-CEO status shapes the strategic orientation of corporate venture capital (CVC) activity. Drawing on upper echelons theory, I argue that founder-CEOs differ from non-founder CEOs in where they direct CVC investments, not simply in whether they engage in CVC at all. Using a panel of S&P 500 firms spanning 2004 through 2024, I test whether founder-CEOs pursue greater CVC activity overall and whether they concentrate that activity in ventures operating within the firm's core industry. Results from random-effects negative binomial regression models show that founder-CEO status is positively associated with core-industry CVC but not with investments …

Assessing Flood Resilience In West Virginia Communities: Integrating Physical, Institutional, Socioeconomic, And Environmental Dimensions, Anahita Mahmoudi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Flooding is one of the most frequent and damaging natural hazards in the United States, with impacts expected to intensify under changing climate conditions. In regions such as West Virginia, complex terrain, development patterns along river corridors, and socioeconomic disparities contribute to elevated flood risk. Traditional approaches to flood risk assessment often focus on single dimensions of vulnerability or rely on binary floodplain maps, which do not fully capture the spatial variability and multidimensional nature of flood resilience.

This dissertation develops an integrated, community-scale framework for assessing flood resilience in West Virginia by combining physical, environmental, institutional, and socioeconomic dimensions …

The Differential Impacts Of Internal And External Corporate Social Responsibility Activities On Consumer Trust After Covid-19, Kennadi C. Mccoy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores the strategic role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in helping small businesses recover from crises, with a specific focus on the COVID-19 pandemic. Different from many traditional studies that highlight the ethical or reputational aspects of CSR, this research will examine its practical effects: how CSR initiatives during crises influence business success by enhancing consumer trust, particularly by examining the differential impact of Internal CSR versus External CSR. The study suggests that, compared with internally focused CSR, external CSR activities will have a greater impact on consumer trust. In addition, the dissertation suggests that this effect is …

Virtual Ensembles_ A Beginner's Guide For Recording Multitrack Audio Projects In Logic Pro, Joseph Walczyk

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, musicians worldwide were suddenly unable to rehearse and perform for live audiences. This, however, did not stop people from finding ways to continue making music and perform. The idea of a virtual ensemble was not new, but it was a mystery to many. The author’s own virtual ensemble, Cinematic Brass, is one of the many groups that found continued success in producing virtual ensemble projects post-pandemic. This research aims to demystify the process, helping beginners take their first steps towards high-quality virtual ensemble audio recordings. Included are equipment recommendations, examples of file organization and communication, recording …

Evaluation Of Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Thermal Tolerance And Projected Climate Change Effects On Headwater Brook Trout Population Persistence, Cory Bauerlien

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Climate change has been identified as one of the greatest threats to global biota in recorded human history. Consequences are expected to be more pronounced in ectotherms because most of their physiology is controlled by external temperature conditions. Predicting how ectotherms may respond to increasing global temperatures necessitates information about thermal limits of thermal sensitive species and how increasing temperatures may affect individual and population-level fitness. Therefore, the objectives of this research were aimed at gaining a better understanding of the mechanisms that underpin thermal tolerance limits of fish and how those mechanisms may affect fitness and population persistence under …

A Constraint-Based Approach To Developing Melodic Improvisational Skills In Intermediate Jazz Piano Students, Alton Xian Rong Wong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the pedagogical value of a constraint-based approach in helping students develop improvisational fluency and coherence by facilitating audiation. Although there are pedagogical texts on jazz improvisation that incorporate exercises shaped by constraint-based thinking, there is neither a systematic framework for their application with students of varying levels and musical backgrounds, nor a clear explanation of their pedagogical purpose. This research investigates how constraint-based pedagogy, through the lens of rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic parameters, can be applied independently or collectively to support the development of improvisational fluency in intermediate level jazz piano improvisers. It argues that musical constraints …

Bridging Physics-Based Modeling And Machine Learning To Predict Material Behavior: Applications In Fatigue Crack Growth And Dielectric Property Characterization, Ansan Pokharel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation integrates physics-based modeling with machine learning (ML) to predict how materials behave under complex thermal and mechanical conditions. A key innovation of this work is the use of finite element analysis (FEA) to supplement experimental data. This approach creates more diverse and representative synthetic datasets, helping to reduce the limitations and biases that arise when training ML models solely on experimental measurements. The research focuses on two applications: improving the prediction of fatigue properties in superalloys and estimating temperature-dependent, high-frequency dielectric properties relevant to microwave-based chemical processing.

In the first study, low-cycle fatigue experiments were performed on the …

More Than A Man: An Ethnomusicological Survey Of The Folklore Of John Henry And Resource Guide For “More Than A Man” By Shanyse Strickland, Clayton R. Heath

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

“John Henry” exists as an enduring folk legend in the United States of America, representing the confluence of the Reconstruction Era, the economic utility of Appalachia and the Westward expansion of industry which left it behind. Though based on historical events, Henry’s fictional representation has diverted and evolved in music and other media from its inception in the oral tradition to the modern age. Through this progression, shared symbols have circulated, gathering embedded meanings and associating the folklore with specific communities. Henry’s representational identity has been signaled with the creation and distribution of each version of his story, both complicating …

A Prospective Analysis Of Success And Survival Of Haptic Robotically Driven Dental Implant Placement., Samuel Clarkman Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Purpose: The aim of this prospective study was to assess survivability of dental implants placed using robotic computer aided implant surgery via Yomi® (Neocis, Inc. Miami, FL) after at least 1 year of functional loading. Secondary analysis included additional success and marginal bone loss outcomes after at least 1 year of functional loading of the same Straumann (Basel, Switzerland) titanium dental implants that were placed with the r-CAIS workflow. Materials and Methods: Since acquisition of the Yomi® robotic system, a comprehensive list of patients who underwent dental implant therapy via r-CAIS methodology at West Virginia University Department of Graduate Periodontics …

High-Resolution Laser Diagnostics For Ion Measurements In Magnetized Plasmas, Katey Stevenson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this work, we investigate ion heating in two plasma systems (helicon plasmas and flux rope plasmas) using the PHAse Space MApping (PHASMA) experiment. Our studies rely on high-resolution laser diagnostics, specifically laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), to measure ion velocity distribution functions (IVDFs). The temperature and bulk flow of each species are inferred from their respective VDFs. This dissertation is organized into three main parts: the study of ion heating in helicon plasmas, pulsed LIF modeling and diagnostic development, and the study of ion heating in flux rope plasmas. Helicon plasma sources efficiently generate high-density plasmas and are widely used to …

Utilizing Plethodontid Occupancy To Assess Initial Ecosystem Responses To Invasive Plant Control Treatment In The Central Hardwoods, Maree Guinevere Dieterich

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Invasive plants are a growing concern for land managers, impacting ecosystem resilience and outcompeting native vegetation. To combat this, invasive plant control treatments can assist in reducing the impacts and spread of damaging, non-native plant species. However, intensive treatments completed at large scales have the potential to negatively impact ecosystem services as well. To monitor these impacts, I utilized a well-known indicator in the Central Applachian region, Plethodontid salamanders, to assess impacts of invasive plant control treatments in the Central Hardwood forests. I completed 12 visual samples across 60 sites in West Virginia, USA during Spring and Fall of 2025 …

Graded Repertoire For Violin By Latin American Composers: Pedagogical Analysis And Categorization Of Selected Pieces, Irene Guerra Rudas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Repertoire sequences have evolved from a collection of technical studies into a comprehensive educational framework. This research aims to enhance the integration of innovative pedagogical materials by identifying, analyzing, and categorizing works originally composed for violin by Latin American composers. These works are assessed for their suitability within a structured violin curriculum and organized into graded levels, ranging from elementary to advanced.

Each selected piece is evaluated according to pedagogical parameters commonly used in established violin teaching traditions. These parameters include pitch range, rhythmic complexity, bow strokes, length, stylistic diversity, musical language, and the historical and cultural relevance of both …

Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Confirming Behaviors Across Instructional Modalities, April Nicole Wright

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examined how undergraduate students and instructors evaluate lowinference teacher confirmation behaviors across instructional modalities and identified additional behaviors perceived as confirming in contemporary instructional contexts. Participants included 274 undergraduate students and 104 higher-education instructors who completed a survey measuring four clusters of confirming behaviors (willingness to engage, recognition, acknowledgment, and endorsement) using a 7-point Likert-type scale. Open-ended questions invited participants to describe confirming behaviors not represented in existing measures. Results indicated that both students and instructors rated most behaviors above the midpoint of the scale, with instructional responsiveness and course organization receiving the highest ratings. Instructors rated all …

A Digital Calibration Source For 21 Cm Cosmology Telescopes, Kalyani Balkrishna Bhopi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Precise calibration of radio telescope beams and gains is a central requirement for 21 cm intensity mapping experiments, which aim to measure large scale cosmological structure through the redshifted emission line of neutral hydrogen. Bright astrophysical foregrounds dominate the sky at these frequencies, and separating them from the cosmological signal demands precise control over instrumental systematics, particularly the telescope beam and its frequency-dependent response. Existing aerial calibration sources are incoherent broadband emitters, detectable only as total power. They provide no direct phase information and suffer from poor sensitivity in low signal-to-noise regimes.

We present the Precision Emitter for 21cm Array …

Ai-Driven Prediction And Reconstruction Of Missing Cased-Hole Logs For Improved Well System Understanding, Samuel Avilez Martinez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Well logging is a fundamental technique in formation evaluation providing continuous, real-time measurements of geological and petrophysical properties within a well. Through the systematic analysis of well logs, engineers and geoscientists can accurately determine critical formation characteristics, including porosity, permeability, lithology, and fluid composition. Well logging is fundamental for making informed decisions and reducing uncertainties in the exploration and development of oil and gas reservoirs.

Despite its significance, the acquisition of reliable well log data in oil and gas wells is often compromised by various operational, mechanical, and formation-related challenges, as well as pressure, fluid, and equipment constraints. In high-risk …

The Impact Of Ai Service Workers On Opportunistic Complaint Behavior, Chelsi J. Baker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Consumer complaint behavior research has traditionally focused on interactions between customers and human employees, leaving open questions about how these behaviors may change when the service agent is artificial intelligence. This research looks at whether customers are more likely to engage in opportunistic complaint behavior when interacting with AI service agents and explores what might explain that behavior. The results show that customers are more likely to behave opportunistically when interacting with AI service agents than with human employees. Perceived morality helps explain this relationship, as more human-like service agents increase the extent to which exaggerating a complaint is seen …

Congolese Journalists: Professional Identity And Legitimacy, Hannah L. Heiskell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This paper examines how Congolese journalists construct their professional identity

and legitimacy while working under conditions of conflict and state pressure, and how

international media outlets discursively represent them through Western journalistic norms.

Addressing previous research and centering local perspectives, this study uses critical

discourse analysis to compare language, framing, and narratives across Congolese and

international media texts, and the works in which they produce. Attention is given to how

agency, professionalism, and constraint are represented within each discourse. The analysis

focuses on metajournalistic discourse, or journalism talking about journalism, to examine

how professional norms and boundaries are articulated and …