Digital Commons Network^™

A Multimodal Physical Fatigue Assessment Method Using A Biomarker And Accelerometer-Embedded Wearable Wristband, Md Hadisur Rahman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Physically demanding tasks pose significant challenges to worker health, safety, and productivity across various industrial sectors in the United States. The construction industry is particularly affected due to the labor-intensive nature of its tasks and harsh environmental conditions. The industry suffers from unsatisfactory occupational health and safety records, with physical fatigue being a major contributor. Physical fatigue not only affects individual well-being and workplace safety but also influences productivity and the United States’ economy. Given the high incidence of injuries and accidents in the construction industry, assessing physical fatigue has become critical for improving worker safety and productivity. To address …

Effect Of Specific Data Variations On Automated Speaker Recognition, Ethan David Meighen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Speaker recognition is not a new biometric modality but there are still many obstacles in the way in order for it to become as used as fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, and iris recognition. Many real-world environmental conditions, hardware device variations, and human behavior present serious challenges to the use of opportunistic voice or speaker samples for identification purposes. Non-idealities, identified as nuisance factors, include environmental noise, input device quality, length of utterance, sample rate variation, and unscripted data are common nuisance factors that can impact speaker recognition match score performance. The impact of the nuisance factors listed above were evaluated …

Political Scandals And The Print Media: A Content Analysis Of The Press Coverage Of The Access Hollywood Scandal, Biju Thiruthanathy Devassy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sex scandals have been a significant focus over the years in both academic research and media coverage. The Access Hollywood scandal of 2005 was not going to be an exception. Yet, it remains to be seen how the print media have reported these scandals related to high-profile politicians. In this study, the researcher investigates how the print media responded to the scandal in terms of amplifying or countering the narratives in the political discourse. To do so, 83 articles were reviewed during the first two weeks of the Access Hollywood scandal following the previous work of Larson (2016). Framing theory …

Symptoms Of Anxiety, Trauma, Depression, And Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders In A Subsequent Pregnancy Following A Previous Pregnancy Loss, Juliana Lynn Restivo Haney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pregnancy loss is a common and intense personal event that has been found to be a risk factor for increased symptoms of mood, trauma, obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders in subsequent pregnancies. Using a self-report online survey, the current study hypothesizes that levels of anxiety, trauma, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms will be higher in pregnant individuals who had a pregnancy loss in their most recent previous pregnancy (n= 61) when compared to pregnant individuals whose most recent previous pregnancy resulted in a live birth (n= 62). Participants responded to an online questionnaire asking about reproductive and mental health history, symptoms of perinatal …

The Experiences Of Women College Presidents While Leading Through An Institutional Crisis: The Perceived Successes And Failures Of Crisis Communication Strategies, Madison Marie Speck

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This multi-site case study explored the uncommonly discussed yet organic intersection between the study of crisis communication and the study of crisis leadership and in turn, what it means in the context of a college presidency. This study has a unique focus on women presidents at small, private colleges and the ways in which they communicate with various stakeholders during a crisis environment. The research is guided by Boin’s Model of Crisis Leadership which guides and assesses crisis leadership performance; however this study introduces nuances to the framework that are suggested as a result of the findings; most of which …

Abuse Liability Of Electronic Cigarettes In Non-Smoking Electronic Cigarette Users, Andrea Renee Milstred

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) are devices designed to aerosolize nicotine and are increasing in popularity among both former cigarette smokers and naïve tobacco users. Extant research has shown the dependence potential of ECIGs, though there is not a consensus on the severity of nicotine dependence caused by ECIG use. As a result of becoming dependent on nicotine, individuals may experience withdrawal symptoms (i.e., irritable, craving, depressed mood) when abstaining from nicotine. The majority of previous research on ECIG use has included samples of ECIG users who are former or current smokers. The present study evaluated ECIG withdrawal suppression among a population …

Subjective Cognitive Decline: Examining The Contributions Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Social Determinants Of Health, Amber Victoria Rusch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Subjective cognitive decline is one’s awareness of their own consistent memory loss or confusion that interrupts their day-to-day activities (CDC, 2022; Roehr et al., 2017). Several risk factors for subjective cognitive decline, such as demographic social determinants of health (SDOH) and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been identified through previous research (Alzheimer’s Association, 2016; Dening & Sandilyan, 2015); however, less is known about the interaction between demographic SDOH and ACEs on subjective cognitive decline. The current study sought to examine how demographic SDOH (i.e., age, sex, race, and education) (research question 1) and ACEs (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, and …

Factors That Influence Plans To Have Children: An Application Of The Theory Of Planned Behavior To Fertility Decision-Making Across The Reproductive Years, Amanda Chappell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fertility intentions include plans to have one or more children; intentions can be used to predict fertility behavior. The focus of the current study was to examine the influence of age and gender on factors involved in estimating fertility intentions (measured with 5 items), including attitudes (i.e., how one feels about becoming a parent; 13 items), norms (i.e., pressure from important others to have children; 5 items), and perceived control (beliefs about capability of becoming a parent; 4 items) in a U.S. sample. The study included a sample of N = 289 (51% men) participants (75.6% White) between the ages …

The Relationship Between Moral Thought-Action Fusion And Scrupulosity Across Judaism, Christianity, And Islam, Kelsey Evey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Scrupulosity is a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) where individuals are upset by intrusive thoughts related to religious or moral issues. Current research suggests that scrupulosity occurs across the major world religions—including the Abrahamic religions (i.e., Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Some research suggests that moral thought-action fusion (moral TAF), a dysfunctional belief that thinking something is equal to doing it, may only be pathological under certain circumstances (e.g., if it is not culturally normative). If this is true, the current cognitive model of scrupulosity may need to be amended to reflect how cultural differences impact the role of moral TAF …

A Critical Event Narrative Analysis Of African Women Immigrant Entrepreneurs In The United States: Impacts Before, During, And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Damilola T. Fasinu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This doctoral research presents a qualitative critical event narrative study focused on African Women Immigrant Entrepreneurs (AWIE) in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aims to explore the unique challenges, coping mechanisms, and resilience strategies of AWIE by examining their experiences before, during, and after the pandemic. The research is driven by three guiding questions: (1) How do AWIE describe their experience before the pandemic? (2) During the pandemic? (3) After the pandemic? This inquiry provides a comprehensive narrative, capturing the challenges and successes experienced in the pre-pandemic environment, documenting the immediate impacts of the pandemic on …

Associations Among Psychosocial Factors, Health-Related Quality Of Life, And Adherence In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Cecelia I. Nelson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a prevalent disorder among youth in the United States. IBD is one of the leading causes of chronic pain in adolescence and symptoms can lead to reduced quality of life, social embarrassment, and lower self-esteem. Adherence to medical regimens for IBD is incredibly important to prevent morbidity, mortality, and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, adolescents struggle generally with adherence and the regimen for IBD can be complicated and include aversive side effects. Psychological factors, such as depressive symptoms, are key factors associated with non-adherence. Nevertheless, gut-specific anxiety (GSA) is a psychological factor that …

Seeing Red: Hostile Attribution Bias, Aggression, And Antisocial Personality Disorder Traits, Kaley Potter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a destructive and severe mental illness that costs the U.S. trillions of dollars annually. Although ASPD is significantly correlated with acts of aggression, violence, and imprisonment, not all individuals with ASPD are aggressive. In samples without ASPD, increased aggression has been linked to an error in social information processing, which is referred to as hostile attribution bias (HAB).

The current study tested the extent to which HABs, or the tendency to attribute hostility to neutral or ambiguous stimuli, predicted aggression above and beyond ASPD traits in participants with a history of incarceration. Participants (N = …

Parental Socialization Of General And Domain-Specific Self-Control In Adolescents, Matty Johnston

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Adolescent self-control appears to be an important competency to develop. It has pervasive links with various outcomes (e.g., educational, financial, and interpersonal) both during adolescence and into adulthood (Allemand et al., 2019, Moffitt et al., 2011). Adolescents often report lower self-control compared to adults, although individual levels of self-control vary widely between adolescents (Allemand et al., 2019, Romer et al., 2010). Despite its importance, very little is known about how self-control develops. Thus, the current study aims to examine the relationship between parents’ self-control and that of their teen children. To further understand how adolescents' self-control may be socialized by …

Implementation Of The Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership In Research And Education (Aaspire)-Based Guidelines To Improve Perioperative Care Of Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kayleigh Brink

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Implementation of the Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE)-based Guidelines to Improve Perioperative Care of Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Kayleigh Brink

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is becoming more prevalent with an increasing need to identify and eliminate barriers to care. Healthcare Providers (HCP) have shown limited knowledge and confidence when managing patients with ASD. The inability to provide specialized care and recognize symptoms of pain or discomfort could result in behavioral difficulties.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to improve confidence among HCPs to identify ASD characteristics and to improve the use of …

Depicting The Donald: How Framing Of Donald Trump In Media Changed Throughout The Course Of His 2015-2016 United States Presidential Campaign, Jakob O. Janoski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined how framing of Donald Trump in online news images may have changed throughout the course of his 2015-2016 United States presidential campaign. Previous research suggests that Republican presidential candidates may get more coverage but not necessarily be framed as more favorable (Moriarty and Popovich, 1988). The content analysis comprised of 18 constructed weeks in which images from various outlets were analyzed in nine categories (e.g., “facial expression” and “posture”) and coded as either “more favorable,” “N/A” or “less favorable.” It was found that image favorability of Trump dipped from the Pre-Primary period to the Primary period then …

Self-Efficacy And Parental Miscarried Helping In Adherence And Transition Readiness Among Adolescents And Young Adults With Epilepsy, Kirby-Estar G. Laguerre

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Given the complex regimen associated with epilepsy, ensuring that adolescents and young adults (AYAs) adhere to their medications, and are ready to transition from pediatric to adult care, is crucial to optimizing their health outcomes. Several social and ecological factors such as self-efficacy and parental miscarried helping can strengthen or weaken an adolescent’s medication adherence and readiness to shift from pediatric to adult care. Intending to contribute to informing and improving clinical care, this study sought to understand the relationships between self-efficacy, parental miscarried helping, medication adherence, and transition readiness. Methods: Using a cross-sectional observational design, 46 AYAs with …

Intervention To Reduce Tobacco Use Among Prostate Cancer Patient And Informal Caregiver Dyads, Trupti Dhumal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prostate cancer is the leading cancer in men. Continued tobacco use after prostate cancer diagnosis may affect a patient’s treatment outcomes, quality of life, and mortality. Despite the potential negative outcomes, 10-20% of prostate cancer patients continue to use tobacco after their cancer diagnosis. Considering risks associated with continued tobacco use, there is a lack of evidence-based tobacco cessation strategies to address tobacco cessation specifically in prostate cancer. Given the increasing prevalence of prostate cancer, the ongoing difficulty in tobacco cessation, and the limited evidence-based tobacco cessation interventions in the literature, it is important to prioritize reducing tobacco use in …

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 122, Issue 6 of Michigan Law Review

Of Might And Men, Leah M. Litman, Melissa Murray, Katherine Shaw

Michigan Law Review

A review of Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs By Josh Hawley.

Scrutinizing The Bathroom Binary: Equal Protection Theories For Nonbinary Students, Annie Schuver

Michigan Law Review

Over the past decade, transgender students have challenged discriminatory school bathroom policies under the Equal Protection Clause with varying success. But another group of students, facing similar discrimination, has yet to see its day in court. Like their transgender peers, nonbinary students often lack access to gender-appropriate restrooms at school. Many K–12 schools offer only “boys” and “girls” restrooms, ignoring the needs of students who identify as neither boys nor girls, as both of those genders, or as something else entirely. Forced to use sex-segregated bathrooms (or no bathroom at all), nonbinary students suffer adverse health, safety, and educational outcomes. …

The Perceived Effects Of Peer-Assisted Learning In A Collegiate Instrumental Pedagogy Classroom, Hannah Wagoner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is an approach that teachers can use in the classroom to increase students’ ownership of their learning. Besides increased autonomy, PAL can provide several other academic and social benefits, such as increased achievement and fostering a sense of community. This study aimed to examine the effects of PAL on college students’ performance on a secondary instrument. Five students in a collegiate instrumental pedagogy course experienced PAL activities in class while learning secondary instruments. After a statistical and content analysis of all the data, results showed that 1) all but one of the participants improved in their performance …

A Legacy Of Labor: Maternity Narratives In 1960s And 1970s North American Life Writing, Katelynn Ann Vogelpohl

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

A Legacy of Labor: Maternity Narratives in 1960s and 1970s North American Life Writing

Katelynn Ann Vogelpohl

The phenomenon of maternity has been repeatedly described as an event that shakes the very foundations of social and physical identity. As the flesh of the pregnant person literally divides to produce new life, one subject becomes enclosed within another, dramatically affecting the pregnant person’s sense of self and causing a confluence of intense, and often conflicting, feelings. In North America, there are two dominant, and seemingly opposing, discourses on pregnancy and childbirth: the institutional medical discourse and the natural childbirth discourse. …

An Exploration Of Misconceptions In Introductory Physics, Christopher Mattthew Wheatley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study of student misconceptions about physics concepts has long been an important area of inquiry in physics education research (PER). The research discussed in this dissertation builds upon the developments in PER by exploring the prevalence of consistently held undergraduate student misconceptions in introductory calculus-based physics. This thesis explores the nature of student misconceptions, mistakes, and naive answering patterns in both introductory undergraduate Newtonian mechanics and electromagnetism by applying a network analytic technique called module analysis to student responses to different concept inventories from institutions of various levels of incoming physics preparation. Each study applying these methods also demonstrates …

Associations Between Diabetes-Specific Psychological Flexibility, Family Conflict, Parental Distress And Adherence In Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes, Rebecca I. Laquaglia

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic disease that impacts the lives of millions of children and adolescents in the United States. Adherence to diabetes medical regimens is often challenging, particularly among adolescents. Based on previous research, diabetes-specific psychological flexibility, or the ability of an individual with T1D to psychologically adjust to, accept, and commit action to manage their diagnosis, may improve adherence in youth with T1D. Factors such as diabetes-specific family conflict (i.e., conflict within parent-child dyads that is specifically related to T1D management) and diabetes-specific parental distress (i.e., emotional distress experienced by a parent or caregiver as …

Theorizing Mathematical Proof As Becoming: A Deleuzio-Guattarian Investigation, Joshua P. Case

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this dissertation, I utilize the post-structural philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari as a lens for investigating the proof process. Deleuze and Guattari were both post- structural philosophers who, like many in this tradition, troubled traditional notions related to stable identities, meaning, language, and mathematics. For Deleuze, sense and meaning is not the result of a sterile, transcendent effect or condition that is associated with propositions and states of affairs. Rather, it is the result of a material production that emerges from the world and that has independence from language and the mind. I apply this framework to …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Predict Mortality Risk: The Role Of Social Support & Social Strain, Meredith A. Willard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Childhood adversity has long-lasting negative effects across the lifespan including increased mortality risk. The love and support individuals receive from others, also known as social support, has shown to be a protective factor against ACEs. However, little research has investigated the amplifying effects of social conflict and strain that often accompanies social relationships. Utilizing data from the Midlife Development in the U.S. (MIDUS) study, I tested whether higher levels of social support would buffer the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences on mortality risk, and whether higher levels of social strain would amplify these associations. The sample included 6,150 participants …

A Test Of The Extended Theoretical Model Of Communal Coping Among Graduate Students: Investigating The Influence Of Communal Coping On Graduate Students’ Psychological Well-Being, Rebekah M. Chiasson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this dissertation was to test the extended theoretical model of communal coping (T. Afifi et al., 2020) in a graduate student sample by exploring predictors and outcomes of communal coping processes among 554 graduate students. The extended theoretical model of communal coping specifies that communal coping occurs when individuals within a community—such as graduate students within an academic program—perceive stressors as shared and are willing to take joint action to overcome those stressors. Results of this dissertation provided evidence that graduate students’ academic stress and the severity of individual academic stressors negatively impacted their psychological well-being. The …

Effectiveness Of Peer Support Groups For Mothers At Risk For Postpartum Depression, Natalie Paige Gates

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Motherhood requires a role transition, new maternal responsibilities, and changes in everyday life, which can impact the mother’s mental health, possibly leading to postpartum depression. Postpartum depression can, in turn, create additional challenges for the mother in engaging in her daily routines and occupations. Therefore, a peer support group for mothers at risk for postpartum depression was developed in hopes of improving the mothers’ management of routines, ultimately improving maternal mental health. The effectiveness of the peer support group was measured through quantitative and qualitative online self-report surveys, where the mothers reported their current mental health status, self-efficacy, and occupational …

From Class To Craft: An Investigation Into The Practice Of Acting Techniques Applied To Angelo In Shakespeare’S Measure For Measure, Charles Wesley Meeks

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document examines the character development and performance process of Angelo in Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare. This production was directed by Professor Jerry McGonigle and performed in the mainstage season of 2022-2023 School of Theatre & Dance at West Virginia University. The ensuing text will outline the production process from the actor’s point of view including preparations, auditions, casting, rehearsals, performances, and final reflection. This text will include historical research, personal and directorial notes, textual analysis, table work and discussion, acting techniques, training, and education applied throughout the production period, and reflections of these experiences and discoveries.

Limb Speed Perception Accuracy In Neurodegenerative Disease, Brandmeir Lynn Cheryl

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Movement is a fundamental human activity, enabling us to engage with our surroundings. Consequently, a well-operating neuromuscular system is essential for maintaining quality of life. Motion is not only integral for the basic function of daily living, but also plays a significant role in enhancing our physical, mental, and emotional health. The importance of this system becomes abundantly clear when it is compromised, such as with neurodegenerative disease.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), followed by Parkinson’s disease (PD) are the two most common neurodegenerative diseases that profoundly affect millions of individuals worldwide (Lamptey et al., 2022). Characterized by distinct but sometimes overlapping …