Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Of Family Characteristics Of At-Risk Children In Rural West Tennessee And Select Measures Of Success Over A Period Of 10 Years, Kelly Ann Maupin

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore differences in a program funded in rural West Tennessee. The Promethean Foundation is a program that provides childcare tuition support to at-risk children. While the program has been in existence for 20 years, the study focused on 10 years from 2009 through 2019. The program staff reviewed the perceptions of staff and family members during the qualifying process. The study was also to investigate the level of achievement measured in children by age five and nine years considering the length of time enrolled in an early childhood program. To explore differences, children …

Person-Centered Preemployment Transition Services: Student And Parent Involvement, Tiffany Ramsey

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in 2014, changed the way state operated vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs provide services to students with disabilities. WIOA did this with the introduction of the provision of preemployment transition services to students with a disability aged 14-22 and allowed for the provision of services to both potentially eligible students and eligible students with an IPE. This study explored the associations of preemployment transition services in relation to the number of days from eligibility to VR case closure with an exit reason of competitive integrated employment outcome. The quantitative results of …

Spaced Out: An Exploration Of Potential Adhd Strategies And The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, Amelia Ribeiro

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The study investigated how implementing academic and behavioral strategies can improve outcomes for students with ADHD by addressing their challenges with cognitive and executive functioning, which impact academic and social skills. Students with ADHD often experience coexisting conditions like anxiety and depression, and they face difficulties in traditional education systems designed for neurotypical learners. Accommodations such as extended time, preferential seating, and breaking tasks into smaller steps are helpful but insufficient. Other strategies included providing digital and written notes, using graphic organizers, incorporating movement, and offering instant rewards to maintain focus and engagement. The research questions focused on the effectiveness …

Vascular Flora Of Bark Camp Barrens Wma, Coffee County, Tennessee, Quinn Towery

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A vascular plant inventory of Bark Camp Barrens Wildlife Management Area, Coffee County, Tennessee was performed over the 2023 and 2024 growing seasons. The site is a 1,395-ha area located 10km east of Manchester, Tennessee in the Barrens region of the Eastern Highland Rim. A total of 698 species and lower taxa from 349 genera and 127 families were inventoried. Two species were G1 or G2, 35 species were listed on the Tennessee Rare Plant List, and 209 species were S1 or S2. Additionally, all known digitized herbarium specimens from the nearby May Prairie State Natural Area were cataloged, creating …

The Influence Of Social Identity On Psychological Safety, Organizational Performance, And Employee Learning, Antonio Meeks

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Organizations struggle to recruit and retain top talent. The challenge to keep employee talent was exacerbated by COVID-19. However, there has been a downward trend of employees in the workplace and a continued struggle to fill key roles with eligible workers since 1999. Filling key roles is only one issue impacting organizational success. Another concern is keeping employees engaged to do the work. Research suggests that over 65% of employees are disengaged or actively disengaged at work (Burke, 2019; Iqbal, Shabbir, Zameer, Khan, & Sandhu, 2017; Motyka, 2018). Disengaged and actively disengaged workers do not help the organization meet its …

Funneling Chaos: Interiority In The Landscapes Of Dystopian Fiction, Mary Katherine Sheppard

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Dystopian fiction immerses readers in chaotic worlds where survival often hinges on understanding unspoken rules. Readers navigate these landscapes through the lens of the protagonist’s interiority. This thesis explores how interiority serves as a crucial narrative tool in dystopian literature, enabling readers to connect with protagonists and interpret their worlds. Through an analysis of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Divergent by Veronica Roth, and The Stand by Stephen King, this study examines how interiority is achieved through point of view, layered emotions, and desire and misbelief. This study not only highlights the role of interiority in dystopian fiction …

A Look Into How Inhibition And Stress Influence Visual Orienting, Chase A. Artopoeus

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Selective attention allows individuals to prioritize relevant stimuli while filtering out distractions. It consists of visual orienting, which shifts attention to a target, and inhibition, which suppresses irrelevant stimuli. The Posner paradigm (Posner, 1980) was one of the first tasks to measure both processes, while the Infant Orienting With Attention task (IOWA; Ross-Sheehy et al., 2015) was developed for infants. This study examines whether the IOWA task reliably measures visual orienting in adults, thereby bridging the gap between infant and adult research. Additionally, it explores how perceived stress influences visual orienting and inhibition. Results showed similar reaction time trends between …

Modularity Resilience, Claudia R. Aker

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Every year, millions of people are displaced from their homes due to catastrophic flooding. According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), floods caused 9.8 million displacements in 2023 alone. Climate change is a primary factor driving the increasing frequency and intensity of storms and flooding worldwide.

This year, heavy rainfall has submerged villages and towns, destroyed homes and livelihoods, and imposed growing hardships on affected communities across regions such as Afghanistan, East Africa, Brazil, and the United States. These events have been intensified by a combination of storm surges, tropical cyclones, hurricanes, and record levels …

It Starts With Trust: How Mid-Level Student Affairs Supervisor Trust Behaviors Impact Entry-Level Staff Leave Intention, Latonya Monique Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the impact of how higher education student affairs mid-level managers (supervisors) develop and maintain trust with directly supervised entry-level staff (employees). Intervention in complex student development-oriented activities, student crises, and political protests has increased since the 1930s at higher education institutions throughout the United States. Entry-level or frontline student affairs staff manage these challenges most frequently. Yet these professionals often leave their positions within 3 years. Studies have highlighted inconsistent supervision as one of three reasons entry-level staff vacated their roles. Although many researchers have investigated why these staff members exited the field, less knowledge exists about …

Non-Esl High School Teachers’ Instructional Training And Professional Development Needs And Their Emergent Bilingual Student Classrooms, Brynn Erin Caddell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. emergent bilingual student population continues to grow and is projected to increase nationwide. The growing population of students has specific academic and social needs that need to be addressed and provided for emergent bilingual students to be successful. This qualitative case study examined the instructional needs of high school non-English as a second language (ESL) teachers who serve emergent bilingual students and how the district can support the instructional practices of high school teachers in an urban school district in Texas. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of instructional training and professional development for secondary …

The Improved New Intersection Theorem Revisited, Lars Winther, Luigi Ferraro

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

We prove a generalized version of Evans and Griffith’s improved new intersection theorem: Let I be an ideal in a local ring R. If a finite free R-complex, concentrated in nonnegative degrees, has I-torsion homology in positive degrees, and the homology in degree 0 has an I-torsion minimal generator, then the length of the complex is at least dimR−dimR/I. This improves the bound htI obtained by Avramov, Iyengar, and Neeman in 2018.

Effects Of Different Blue Light Conditions On Saos-2 Cell Viability, Differentiation, And Mineralization, Jamielyn Alcantara Jarvis

Theses and Dissertations

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a low-intensity light therapy that uses non-ionizing forms of energy to induce a directed cellular response. Prior work has investigated the effects of blue light exposure at energy densities ranging from 1 J/cm2 to 10 J/cm2 on osteogenic differentiation of human gingival mesenchymal stem cells (hGMSCs), human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs), and stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAPs) and shown promising outcomes at 4 J/cm2 and then having a detrimental impact at higher energy densities. One key caveat in prior studies is that the blue light energy density was modulated by changing the light exposure …

The Marionette Among Us: The Dark Triad, Influence Tactics, And The Fabric Of Team Relationships, Jarret Nathan Bain

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the influence of the Dark Triad personality traits—Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy—on workplace team dynamics, particularly through the use of hard and soft interpersonal influence tactics. The research focuses on Team Member Exchange (TMX) as a measure of perceived relationship quality among team members. Using a cross-sectional survey of employed adults recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), the study investigated the relationships between Dark Triad traits, influence tactics, and TMX. The findings reveal that while Narcissism is positively correlated with TMX, Machiavellianism and Psychopathy show more complex patterns of association, impacted by the choice of influence tactics. The …

The Integral Of 2- Refined Irrational Neutrosophic Functions, Yaser Ahmad Alhasan, Raja Abdullah Abdulfatah, Issam Mohammed Abdallah Abdalaziz

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Gender Knobs, Jordan Faye Bardgett

Theses

Gender Knobs is a performance art piece that tells the histories of both the technology surrounding pitch shifting devices like the vocoder as well as well as the personal history of the voice of the performer, Jordan, regarding their queer identity as non-binary trans woman. The performance is a combination of lecture, personal storytelling, and sound performance within a theatrical setting with musical accompaniment and projected visuals.

“For There Is Hope Of A Tree…”: A Study Of Two Historic African American Cemeteries In Pope County, Illinois, Martha Clare Buchert

Theses

To add to a growing body of academic literature regarding historic African American cemeteries, this study examines two such cemeteries located in Pope County, Illinois: the Miller Grove Cemetery and the Hill Cemetery. Utilizing several different investigative methods, including pedestrian survey, geophysical survey, and historic research, the archaeological features and material culture of both cemeteries were studied to see what could be learned about their associated communities without ground disturbance. The results of these methods demonstrate the connections of members within these communities and the interconnectedness of historic African American settlements throughout southern Illinois and the greater Midwest. They also …

Don’T Stop Game, The Effects Of A Demerit-Based System, David Buckles

Theses

Physical activity is an essential component of an overall healthy lifestyle. It has been shown that implementing weekly physical activities reduces the risk of non-communicative diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. There have been an increasing number of studies showing that the physical activity of those with learning disabilities is much lower than that of neurotypical individuals. More studies are needed to identify effective interventions to increase the physical activity of those with learning disabilities. The current study evaluated the effect of the Don’t Stop Game on the mean number of steps taken per minute with adults …

Determinants Of Agricultural Productivity In The Leading Producing Countries Worldwide, Seidu Musah

Theses

Agricultural production is one of the widely expanded business sectors in the world. The aim of this study is to find out the driving factors behind cereal and soybean productivity as well as the production trends in the top twenty cereal and top seven soybean producing countries, respectively. Secondary data, which include both time series and cross-sectional data, were used for the analysis of 520 observations from the top twenty cereal producing countries and 427 observations from the top seven soybean producing countries.The panel data regression model was the statistical tool adopted in this study to determine the factors driving …

Crystallization Of Pyrite From Acidic Hydrothermal Solutions, Junior Osei Agyemang

Theses

The crystallization of iron sulfides, such as pyrite and pyrrhotite, is of great significance due to their common association with most ore deposits around the world. Understanding the formation of these iron sulfides can give as insight into the genesis of the associated ore deposits. This study examines some of the factors influencing the crystallization of these iron sulfides from acidic hydrothermal solutions, with a focus on variations in solution composition and temperature. Under a well-controlled laboratory environment, the effect of variations in concentration and temperatures were studied. Analytical methods such as Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) …

Literature As A Tool For The Introduction Of Mental Health To Children, Kira Ott

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In childhood, literature is a quintessential learning tool, so it is imperative it is used in the introduction of mental health. Around the ages of seven to nine children begin to become aware of their own needs and comprehend others' perspectives (Short et al., 2017, p. 13). At this time non-fiction books can be used to present information when it is organized, accessible, and informative (Short et al., 2017, p. 13). This can be effectively paired with fiction which can help contextualize abstract ideas, and develop self-monitoring skills (Gunawardena, 2023; Short et al., 2017). Mental health, which encompasses thoughts, feelings, …

Student Veterans' Attitudes Towards Mental Health Issues And Treatments, Elicia S. Ramu

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mental health concerns with United States veterans have been a pervasive issue for decades. The changes and evolving nature of the mental health field, including terminology and diagnoses, are believed to discourage veterans from reaching out and asking for help when it is needed most. However, these are not the only reasons why veterans choose not to seek out treatment. It has been found that other reasons include the stigma towards mental health alongside financial, external costs, and hidden costs of treatment. The following study has been conducted to understand the various barriers that hinder student veterans with mental health …

The Role Of Self Esteem Upon The Recovery Of Eating Disordered Patients, Samanta Flores Velazquez

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Eating disorders such as anorexia-nervosa, bulimia-nervosa, and binge-eating disorders are detrimental to overall health and well-being. The demands of beauty ideals and attitudes impact young adults negatively as they attempt to meet societal beauty standards. The need for approval, fitting in with the community, and confidence drive the behaviors of people in negative ways. In recent years, the modernization of social media has contributed to dieting cultures, the thin ideal, harmful weight-loss practices, and the cycle to use the body as a means to control or repent. External factors affect the risk of eating disorders which contribute to the challenge …

Who Was Skull #0025336? A Forensic Anthropological Analysis Of Human Remains, Evelyn R. Wendland

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Biological anthropology identifies human remains to learn more about the individual or the ancient community from which they originate. Two subdisciplines of biological Anthropology that focus on osteology—the study of bones— are Forensic Anthropology and Biorchaeology. Forensic anthropology is the study of human remains associated with the legal process. They specifically analyze remains from post-1950. Biorchaeology also looks at human remains but in a historical and/or archaeological context. As osteologists analyze human remains, they typically try to create a biological profile. The biological profile includes classifications of ethnicity (ancestry), age, sex, and stature, as well as aspects of pathology and …

The Missing Void: Lack Of Pockets In Womenswear And Its Effect On Daily Life, Clare Bolon

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Pockets give power to people who possess them. Yet, an estimated half of the U.S. population —women— frequently wear garments lacking useful pockets. Why? Womenswear is molded by beauty standards. This study brings an anthropological perspective on gender inequality in the U.S. by examining modern clothing and the differences in pocket access by gender. 127 participants were recruited for a mixed methods survey, most from a medium-sized university in the Mountain West region. Survey questions explored the attitudes and experiences of people who wear women’s clothing regarding pockets (or the lack thereof) and its impact on their daily lives. Open-ended …

Determining The Causation Of Microphthalmia In Cannabidiol Treated Zebrafish Embryos, Nicolas Zuniga

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid derived from the plant cannabis sativa. Multiple studies on CBD show that it is used as an anti-psychotic, an anti-inflammatory for pain relief, and an antinausea agent. The Agriculture Improvement Act (2018) played a role in removing hemp and hemp derivatives like CBD from being categorized as a Schedule I substance, which led to recreational usage in America. In 2003, there was an increase in cannabinoid consumption during pregnancy to alleviate morning sickness along with distress. Prior studies on CBD-treated zebrafish embryos have demonstrated phenotypes of microphthalmia, scoliosis, fewer neuronal connections, and less motor neuron …

The Influence Of Mental Illness Stigma On Juror Decision-Making, Alexa N. Triden

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The current study examined the influence of a defendant’s mental illness diagnostic labels on mock jurors’ decision-making in a hypothetical criminal case. Due to the present stigmatization of mental illness in the United States, it was hypothesized that if a criminal defendant of a violent crime were given a mental illness diagnosis, specific labels would significantly impact jurors’ perceptions of guilt. Specifically, it was predicted that defendants diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) or borderline personality disorder (BPD) would have more guilty verdicts in comparison to a control. In contrast, those diagnosed with schizophrenia would receive fewer guilty verdicts compared …

Development And Validation Of An Adolescent Sleep Algorithm For Pediatric Primary Care, Holly Hink

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Poor sleep quality is a common challenge for many adolescents due to various developmental, environmental, and social factors. Nearly half of all adolescents reported regularly experiencing sleep disruptions. Poor sleep quality among adolescents might have severe mental, emotional, and cognitive consequences including an increased risk for several psychiatric conditions, obesity, and poor academic performance. However, sleep disorders among this population frequently go unreported and are rarely screened during annual well-child exams with primary care providers. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based sleep algorithm for pediatric primary care providers designed to improve screening and treatment of adolescent …

Guidelines For Diagnostic Teleaudiology: Screening, Audiometry, And Speech Audiometry, Elizabeth Hanscome

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

By investigating the clinical and technological foundations of teleaudiology, it is possible to capture and relay the capacity to deliver diagnostic audiology services remotely through advancements in telecommunications. A comprehensive analysis of teleaudiology highlights the specialized equipment and knowledge required to conduct these assessments effectively. The need for teleaudiology is ever expanding, granting wider access to care, especially for patients in underserved or rural areas. Teleaudiology has also evolved from its roots in the early 2000s and shows increasing relevance in the field of audiology. The specific technological requirements and protocols necessary for teleaudiology are addressed, with a focus on …

Development Of A Flowchart-Based Algorithm For Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention, And Referral To Treatment In A Womens’ Healthcare Setting, Caitlin Patricia Vasquez

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Alcohol is the most frequently used and misused substance in the United States and is attributable to more deaths each year than the opioid epidemic. Historically, studies have shown that males are more likely than females to drink alcohol and to drink more heavily than females; however, this gender gap is closing, with emerging research showing women are the fastest growing segment of alcohol consumers in the United States. Compared with men, at-risk alcohol use by women has a disproportionate effect on their health and lives including more rapid progression to alcohol related problems and alcohol use disorders, and harms …

What Are The Preferred Delivery Modes For Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Insomnia Treatment Among Adults With Chronic Insomnia Disorder?, Lisa Marie Nguyen

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Sleep difficulties are one of the most common complaints for adults in primary care and mental health centers. Chronic insomnia is a serious condition that could significantly impact overall health and well-being, as well as personal and social life. Assessing individual receptiveness and preference for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-I treatment delivery mode could increase their utilization of CBT-I, leading to improved patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. The purpose of this scholarly project was to determine the receptivity to and delivery preferences for CBT-I among adults with chronic insomnia. The following project question guided this study:

Q1 How receptive to …