Advancing Opportunities For The Autistic Community At West Virginia University, Drew D. Altizer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder often have difficulties with social integration and sensory challenges on collegiate campuses. These difficulties are sometimes tied together as social integration spaces are not always sensory-friendly and can be overwhelming for the individual. Creating a sensory-friendly space within the potentially overstimulating environment can provide the student with a place to recharge and recover and still access the desired social events. This capstone project focused on the design and development of a sensory room in the West Virginia University Mountain Lair Student Union, working directly with the students in the West Virginia University Autism Support Program …

Self-Care And Quality Of Life Of Remotely Monitored Appalachians With Heart Failure, Patrick Rexrode Murphy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Self-Care and Quality of Life of Remotely Monitored Appalachians with Heart Failure

Patrick R. Murphy

Background: About 6.2 million persons are living with heart failure in the United States and over 960,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. The cost to provide care to this population exceeds $30 billion per year. Rates of heart failure are higher in the Appalachian region where persons are more likely to experience poverty, lack resources, and be geographically isolated. Heart failure coupled with these unique challenges can negatively impact self-care and quality of life. Numerous interventions have been attempted to support this population, but …

Finding “A Good Thing”: Embodying The Traumatic Sustainably, Erika Kuhn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Contemporary dramatic work such as the play Anatomy of a Suicide by Alice Birch demands a significant toll on the actors embodying the characters. Western pedagogies that emphasize a need for the utmost authenticity must be merged with the modern practice of self-care and trauma informed boundaries. This document outlines the merging of traditional acting techniques of characterization with solutions for self preservation such as preparation, mental and physical upkeep, a personalized set of character de-rolement practices, and social rituals. Through an analysis of the text itself, its context, author, and the lens of one actor’s experience portraying the character …

Anxiety And Depression In Older Adults Post Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Mickaela R. Reed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Research has investigated challenges that are created when one experiences a disaster within populations such as older adults and other vulnerable groups of people. However, there is little to no consideration given to how age in combination with trauma history are related to well-being after a disaster. Using two theories, socioemotional selectivity theory (SST, Carstensen, 2006) and the strength and vulnerability integration model (SAVI, Charles, 2010). I compared older adults post disaster vulnerabilty to depression and anxiety to that of younger adults with trauma history as a moderator. The 2,508 participants in the current study were from the Survey of …

Resource Affluence And Sustainable Consumer Behavior, Liguo Liu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

While resource affluence is desired by most individuals, it may not always be advantageous for a collective group. Recent research documents some “dark side” effects associated with resource affluence, such as reducing people’s willingness to help others or leading to unethical behaviors (e.g., Piff et al. 2012; Vohs et al. 2016). Building on this body of work and advances in sustainability research, this study investigates the impact of financial affluence on sustainable consumer behavior. Using a multi-method approach (archival data and experiments), this study demonstrates that financial affluence leads to less sustainable consumer behaviors compared to a control group, across …

Reformed-Based Approaches To The Teaching And Learning Of Science, Sahar Vali

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This qualitative practice-based study explores the efficacy of reformed-based science teaching approaches in fostering meaningful student engagement within elementary science classrooms, framed within the science-as-practice paradigm. Utilizing three theoretical frameworks, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Ambitious Science Teaching (AST), and the Teacher Noticing, this research investigates how these frameworks influence student engagement in scientific disciplinary practices. The study draws on data from an NSF-funded project on teacher noticing in fifth-grade classrooms in West Virginia. Through a practice-based research approach, the relationship between teachers’ pedagogical practices and student engagement in science and engineering practices as outlined by NGSS and …

Teaching Cultural Humility Practices In Appalachia: The Value Of Conducting Conversations Based In Education, Bailey A. Riggs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent literature highlights the paradigm shift from utilizing cultural competence practices to cultural humility practices within the field of occupational therapy, and health sciences (Fisher- Borne, et al., 2015). The idea of cultural competency suggests that culture is unchanging, and individuals can master cultural knowledge. The perception of knowing culture can be perceived as an unwillingness to learn about culture. In contrast, cultural humility promotes the value of lifelong learning and introspection, encouraging greater self-awareness, reflection of personal biases, and recognition of power imbalances. This approach aims to better integrate educational approaches to serve diverse populations in a culturally affirming …

Examining Invalid Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory Profiles Within A Randomized Controlled Trial For Toddler-Aged Children And Their Parents, Lindsay Rebecca Druskin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Child abuse is a significant public health concern that impacts children worldwide. Efforts to connect at-risk parents with prevention and intervention programs require the use of high-quality measures that evaluate child abuse potential. Researchers frequently use the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (Milner, 1986) and the Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory (BCAP; Ondersma et al., 2005) which contain Validity indices that evaluate response patterns such as social desirability responding. The measure developers recommended that abuse risk scores from invalid profiles be disregarded in clinical and research settings; however, little is known about factors that may relate to invalid responses and whether …

Selected Chinese Art Songs From The 20th And 21st Centuries, Xinxin Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This paper presents Chinese art songs from the early 20^th century to today and highlights selected composers from each of the five traditional eras of recent Chinese social history. It is intended as an introductory guide for singers and collaborative pianists who are interested in Chinese art songs and the development of the genre in China. Selected composers include Youmei Xiao (1884-1940), Yuanren Zhao (1892-1982), Er Nie (1912-1935), Hanhui Zhang (1902-1946), Xinghai Xian (1905-1945), Deyi Shang (1932-2020), Zhongrong Luo (1924-2021), Zaiyi Lu (b. 1943), Jianfen Gu (b.1935), and Cong Liu (b.1956). The paper provides brief biographical information for each …

Effects Of Commission Errors On Behavior Intervention Plan Outcomes, Olivia Brianne Harvey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

When implemented well (with fidelity), behavior intervention plans (BIP) improve student outcomes. Teachers tend to implement BIPs with poor overall fidelity, but little is known about the specific errors occurring during BIP implementation or the subsequent impacts these errors have on student outcomes. One possibility is that teachers learn what strategies suppress challenging behavior and implement those strategies regardless of what is written in the formal BIP. These added intervention components, termed commission errors, have not yet been evaluated in the context of BIP implementation. The proposed studies will begin to address these gaps. During Study 1, we …

Childhood Adversity And Sexual Risk Taking In College: Pathways Through Alcohol Use, Sarah Josephine Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is associated with a host of negative outcomes throughout the lifespan including engagement in health-risk behaviors such as sexual risk taking and alcohol consumption (Dube et al., 2006; Negriff et al., 2015; Zaso et al., 2021). Additionally, sexual risk-taking and alcohol use commonly co-occur (Certain et al., 2009; Downing-Matibag & Geisinger, 2009). This may be especially true during the transition to college, in which many young adults have increased access to substances, increased autonomy, and an expanded network of peers. Thus, the present study examined the relationship between ACEs, alcohol use, and sexual risk …

An Evaluation Of A Human-Operant Effort Manipulation And Effects Of Effort Disparity On Renewal, Haleh Amanieh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The relative effort of target and alternative responses during treatments using differential reinforcement of alternative behavior may impact the likelihood that a previously reduced target response will reemerge following a context change (i.e., “renewal”). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of an effort disparity between target and alternative responses in a human-operant arrangement. Eighteen college students clicked on one (Experiment 1) or two (Experiment 2) circles moving on a computer screen for points. In Experiment 1, the speed of the circle was manipulated as an index of effort such that three circle speeds (i.e., 50, 100, …

Examining Menstrual Health Experiences In Philadelphia, Pa: A Qualitative Investigation, Allison Casola, Oriana Pando, Lynette Medley, Brianna Kunes, Nya Mcglone, Olivia Rea

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: While menstruation is a physiologic process, it remains highly stigmatized. Despite the sheer number of menstruators, menstruation is a highly individualized experience, with wide variation in duration, symptoms, and management. This wide variability lends itself to large disparities in access to menstruation management products and subsequently the lived experience of menstruators.

OBJECTIVES: The research team sought to understand lived menstrual experiences, symptoms, management tactics, and commonly used and desired resources among 20 cisgendered women aged 18-45 years in Philadelphia.

DESIGN: This project was a qualitative research study.

METHODS: We used a collaborative, community-based participatory research approach with No More …

Smaller Total And Subregional Cerebellar Volumes In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Mega-Analysis By The Enigma-Pgc Ptsd Workgroup, Jacklynn M. Fitzgerald

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Although the cerebellum contributes to higher-order cognitive and emotional functions relevant to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), prior research on cerebellar volume in PTSD is scant, particularly when considering subregions that differentially map on to motor, cognitive, and affective functions. In a sample of 4215 adults (PTSD n = 1642; Control n = 2573) across 40 sites from the ENIGMA-PGC PTSD working group, we employed a new state-of-the-art deep-learning based approach for automatic cerebellar parcellation to obtain volumetric estimates for the total cerebellum and 28 subregions. Linear mixed effects models controlling for age, gender, intracranial volume, and site were used to …

The Lead, January 2024, Lindenwood University

The Lead

The Lead is an electronic newsletter produced by the Lindenwood College of Education & Human Services.

The Role Of Technology In Online Health Communities: A Study Of Information-Seeking Behavior, Leann Boyce, Ahasan Harun, Gayle Prybutok, Victor R. Prybutok

Information Systems Faculty Publications

This study significantly contributes to both theory and practice by providing valuable insights into the role and value of healthcare in the context of online health communities. This study highlights the increasing dependence of patients and their families on online sources for health information and the potential of technology to support individuals with health information needs. This study develops a theoretical framework by analyzing data from a cross-sectional survey using partial least squares structural equation modeling and multi-group and importance-performance map analysis. The findings of this study identify the most beneficial technology-related issues, like ease of site navigation and interaction …

Learning Chinese Vocabulary: Understanding Students' Perspectives, Austin Gasiecki, Zuotang Zhang

The Coastal Review

This study used a survey to investigate self-study and university-enrolled Chinese learners’ habits in studying Chinese vocabulary in order to determine what study methods influence a.) learners’ confidence in learning Chinese vocabulary and b.) what aspects of Chinese vocabulary they consider easy or difficult. We were particularly interested in seeing what the data had to say about students’ attitudes towards characters and the written language, given that the field of Chinese language pedagogy is known for a stronger focus on the written language as opposed to the spoken language. We found that aspects of Chinese vocabulary associated with the spoken …

Practicing Hedonism In The Face Of Nihilism: Onfrayian Insights On Individualism And Autonomy, Scott Truesdale

The Coastal Review

Where many define nihilism as the belief that life and all moral principles are meaningless, the French philosopher, Michel Onfray, expounds on this classic definition and argues that true nihilism is the refusal to accept the world as it is. Unlike monotheistic religions and totalitarian regimes that urge their followers to practice asceticism now to attain happiness in the future, Onfray believes that hedonistic pleasure can be found when the individual rediscovers autonomy and returns to an atomistic worldview that is immersed in the imminent.

Between Pain And Glory: Memory Disputes Of The Brazilian Dictatorship In Retrato Calado And O Que É Isso, Companheiro?, Angela R. Mooney

The Coastal Review

This article analyzes Luiz Roberto Salinas Fortes’ Retrato calado (Silent Portrait) published in 1988, considering the theoretical discussions on testimonio's epistemology—addressing the challenge of narrating trauma and the risk of stylization. It compares Fortes' memoir with Fernando Gabeira's O que é isso, companheiro? (What's This, Comrade?) from 1979, examining diverse approaches to capturing historical trauma through literature and its impact on collective memory about Brazilian Dictatorship (1964-1985).

Horror Stories: Oblivious Women In Luis Puenzo’S La Historia Oficial (1985) And Santiago Mitre’S Argentina 1985 (2022), Stephanie R. Orozco

The Coastal Review

Adriana Cavarero's conceptualization of Medusa serves as a potent metaphor for the subtle redirection of violence of oblivious women who ignored the brutalization of pregnant victims during Argentina’s military dictatorship (1976-83). In Luis Puenzo’s La historia oficial (1985) and Santiago Mitre’s Argentina 1985 (2022), skillfully unveil the ghastly practice of torturing pregnant women, unraveling the vulnerability of both mothers and their infants, evoking a sense of disgust and repugnance that is eventually shared by oblivious women. Beyond mere storytelling, these films challenge prevailing power dynamics and discourses, shedding light on the complicit ignorance of elite women during an era marked …

How To Frame The Frame Of Reference: A Comparison Of Contextualization Methods, Ann E. Schlotzhauer, Matthew A. Ng, Shiyang Su

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Personality measures are popular and useful in employment selection and academic contexts; however, concerns have been voiced regarding the strength of their association with desirable criteria. Contextualization (i.e., modifying measures to reflect the desired frame of reference, like work or school) has emerged as a promising option. Research has demonstrated that contextualizing personality measures increases predictive validity and enhances participants' perceptions of the assessments. However, few studies have compared contextualization methods to one another and, to date, only one study has compared the two most common forms of contextualization (i.e., instruction and tag contextualization), returning inconsistent findings. In a within-person, …

Summer 1937: A Second American Team Competes “Down Under”, John W. Lundin

Works by Local Authors

During the summer of 1937, two American ski teams competed outside the U.S.  One team raced in Chile in the first Pan-American Skiing Championship, a competition that lasted until 1950, that pitted the “Esquiadores Yanquis,” an officially sanctioned U.S. F.I.S. ski team, against South America’s best skiers.  See my article, “Pan American Skiing Championships,” Skiing History, November-December 2023.  That team consisted of Seattle’s Don Fraser and five members of the Dartmouth ski team, three of whom were on the 1936 Olympic team - Fraser, Warren Chivers and Ted Hunter.

A Latent Class Analysis Of Personality Traits In Adults Experiencing Homelessness, Nathaniel A. Dell, Michael Mancini, Michael Vaughn, Brandy R. Maynard, Jin Huang

Psychiatry Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Implementing A Strategic Reporting Model Among Public Health Nurse Consultants To Increase Communication, Heather Willis

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Public health has seen a drastic amount of turnover post-pandemic. There was an estimated 44% turnover rate for public health registered nurses, with a vacancy rate that doubled from 12.7% in March 2020 to 23.2% in July 2022 (Skinner, 2022). With this high turnover rate, many nurses are new to North Carolina (NC) public health departments and health districts. Public Health Nurse Consultants (PHNCs) are expected to train and guide these new nursing staff members. With the turnovers continuing at the local health departments (LHDs), new nurses are not given the recommended training because of communication breakdowns. This project helped …

The Use Of Diaphragmatic Breathing Techniques To Reduce Stress In Pre-Licensure Nursing Students, Amy Naugle

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Research supports the idea that pre-licensure nursing students experience higher levels of stress than their general education-focused peers. This DNP project focused on stress related to nursing exams in the first semester of nursing school and promoted the adoption of diaphragmatic breathing techniques. The use of stress management techniques has been explored in those with intense job experiences and has proven to alleviate stress and promote improved coping. This cohort of pre-licensure nursing students was asked to identify stressors that affected them within the preceding 6 months while attending the first semester of a 2-year nursing program. The cohort was …

The Impact Of Linguistic Styles On Message Delivery In Encouraging The Use Of Leftover Bags For Food Waste Reduction, Jae Eun Park, Chang Ma, Alei (Aileen) Fan

ICHRIE Research Reports

Plate leftovers are a major cause of food waste in restaurants. To reduce food waste, many restaurants encourage customers to use “doggy bags” to take away their plate leftovers. However, the efficiency of adopting such leftover bags is still questionable as some customers may feel embarrassed to use leftover bags. Hence, the current research aims to explore how to leverage different linguistic styles (figurative vs. literal language) to encourage the usage of leftover bags for food waste reduction purposes. Furthermore, this research will investigate the linguistic style efficiency in various restaurant dining contexts across two empirical studies. Study 1 will …

The Impact Of Sound Systems On Customer Experience, Jonathan Alonso

ICHRIE Research Reports

Sound systems have a profound impact on customer experiences, shaping perceptions, managing noise pollution, and enhancing a business's brand image. This document provides an in-depth exploration of the factors involved in designing, integrating, and programming commercial audio-visual (AV) systems. The process entails understanding the unique needs of a business, assessing the physical environment, and selecting the most suitable audio and visual solutions, followed by careful integration and programming for an optimal user experience. A critical aspect of AV system design is zoning, which allows for tailored auditory experiences in different areas within a venue. While the initial investment in a …

Telework In A Digitalizing Hotel Landscape, Reed Davisson, Susan E. Gordon

ICHRIE Research Reports

As many work processes grow more digitalized, jobs traditionally thought only to be executed on-site can be done remotely, even in hospitality industry operations. Using a full-service hotel as a case study, this research sought to understand the structure and benefits of telework roles in the front office and hybrid roles in the housekeeping department. Findings show that employee perceptions of telework and hybrid work were generally viewed as positive with no negative guest impact, challenges were solely focused on communication and mitigating those, and human resource considerations revolve around telework as a retention tool and ensuring employees feel deserving …

Addressing Nursing School Retention: The Necessity Of Orientation In Nursing Education, Kerstin A. Queen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Nursing schools have been challenged to impact attrition and retention by creating an environment that increases student success. This DNP project was created to impact the current nursing shortage by increasing the number of nursing students who were retained after the first semester of nursing school. The DNP Project Leader designed a structured orientation program consisting of a 2-day in-person orientation and an online repository of resources. The DNP project sought to increase retention and provide pre-licensure students with gained skills to progress in the nursing program after the first semester in nursing school. The in-person orientation program provided participants …

The State Of Health In Tennessee, 2024 Annual Report To The 113th Tennessee General Assembly, Tennessee. Department Of Health.

State of Health in Tennessee

No abstract provided.