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The Effects Of Family Stressors On Depression In Latino Adolescents As Mediated By Interparental Conflict, Jenny Carolina Mondragon Dec 2017

The Effects Of Family Stressors On Depression In Latino Adolescents As Mediated By Interparental Conflict, Jenny Carolina Mondragon

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive literature suggests that Latino youth experience higher levels of depression when compared to youth from other ethnic backgrounds yet relatively little is known regarding why this particular population is especially susceptible to depression. This study focused on family level stressors and the link between interparental conflict and adolescent depressive symptoms in Latino families. The sample consisted of 400 girls and 290 boys, they were distributed into four groups based on gender and family structure. Written surveys were completed in their respective English classes measuring the aforementioned variables. Results indicated a significant relationship across all four groups between family stressors …


Longitudinal Relations Between Interparental Conflict And Adolescent Self-Regulation: The Moderating Role Of Attachment To Parents, Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen Dec 2017

Longitudinal Relations Between Interparental Conflict And Adolescent Self-Regulation: The Moderating Role Of Attachment To Parents, Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

This study used growth curve analysis to investigate associations between interparental conflict, attachment to parents, and adolescent self-regulation outcomes. Using data from 681 families in the Flourishing Families survey obtained in two western U.S. cities, associations between interparental conflict, mother and father attachment, and initial and growth levels of adolescent self-regulation were analyzed across five time points. Adolescent self-regulation showed steady growth across a five-year period during adolescence, suggesting that self-regulation may continue to develop generally throughout adolescence, a finding not revealed in prior research. Adolescent self-regulation increased significantly more in the first city over the five years of the …


Parental Attitudes Of Immunization In Children With Special Healthcare Needs: A Qualitative Study, Maren Topham Nov 2017

Parental Attitudes Of Immunization In Children With Special Healthcare Needs: A Qualitative Study, Maren Topham

Theses and Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Just over 15% of children under 18 years of age in the UnitedStates, or approximately 11.2 million children, are estimated to have special healthcare needs.Although children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) make up a small percentage of thepediatric population, they account for over one third of pediatric medical care. Parental attitudesregarding immunization play a significant role in vaccination rates among children. The purposeof this research is to explore parental attitudes regarding immunization of CSHCN.Methods: This qualitative study focused on parental perceptions and beliefs aboutimmunizations for CSHCN. Sixteen participants, who were parents of CSHCN from onepediatric specialty care …


Youth Disclosure: Examining Measurement Invariance Across Time And Reporter, Robb E. Clawson Jul 2017

Youth Disclosure: Examining Measurement Invariance Across Time And Reporter, Robb E. Clawson

Theses and Dissertations

Measurement invariance across time and reporter is rarely reported in the literature for measures of youth disclosure, even though it is often necessary to establish at least strong invariance before proceeding to further analyses such as comparing means across time or reporter. Measurement invariance was examined across time (ages 11, 14, and 17) and across reporter (youth report of disclosure to mother, youth report of disclosure to father, mother report of youth disclosure, father report of youth disclosure) with a sample of 348 youth and their parents. Youth report of disclosure to mothers demonstrated strong invariance across ages 11-14 and …


The Efficacy Of A Literature-Based Social Communication Intervention On Teacher Report Of Withdrawal For Children With Language Impairment, Cammy G. Peterson Jul 2017

The Efficacy Of A Literature-Based Social Communication Intervention On Teacher Report Of Withdrawal For Children With Language Impairment, Cammy G. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that children with language impairment (LI) often have deficits in social communication. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a social communication intervention targeting emotion understanding on teacher perceptions of withdrawal in six elementary-aged boys with LI. The intervention incorporated four elements into treatment sessions: a) Story sharing of children's literature that was rich in emotional content and prosocial behaviors; b) Story enactment of the same children's literature; c) identification and discussion of pictures of facial expressions; and d) journaling to help internalize and reflect on emotions and social behaviors targeted. Two withdrawal subscales …


A Pilot Study Examining The Role Of Treatment Type And Gender In Cortisol Functioning, Stephanie Young Davis Jul 2017

A Pilot Study Examining The Role Of Treatment Type And Gender In Cortisol Functioning, Stephanie Young Davis

Theses and Dissertations

This pilot study examined the effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) compared to Treatment As Usual (TAU) in improving cortisol functioning among distressed couples. It also investigated the role of gender in cortisol functioning. Measures for cortisol were collected at five time points, both at pre- and posttreatment. Data were collected from a total of 60 couples, 20 of which received EFT and 40 of which received TAU. Overall, results from a two-way analysis of variance suggest that there are no significant differences between men or women, nor among couples in EFT and TAU, in posttreatment cortisol functioning. Directions …


Investigating Motivations For Using Dating Websites And Geosocial Apps, Sean Calvin Aaron Jul 2017

Investigating Motivations For Using Dating Websites And Geosocial Apps, Sean Calvin Aaron

Theses and Dissertations

Using the internet to meet dating partners is increasingly popular and may have ramifications that are not yet fully realized. Although many dating sites have been operating for years, new online dating platforms continue to draw millions of new users. By using a large sample of people who use online dating platforms (n=1,286) we identified similarities and differences in what motivates people to use geosocial apps and dating sites. Motivations previously considered in the literature were supported and brought together in a single theory driven confirmatory factor analysis for each type of dating platform. A motivation to seek amusement was …


The Relationship Between Auditory Habituation And Anxiety In Autism Spectrum Disorder, David Nicholas Top Jul 2017

The Relationship Between Auditory Habituation And Anxiety In Autism Spectrum Disorder, David Nicholas Top

Theses and Dissertations

Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have atypical sensory processing and behaviors including sensory sensitivity and low registration of sensory stimuli as well as sensory seeking and avoiding behaviors. Additionally, many individuals with ASD have clinically distressing levels of anxiety. Previous research suggests that there is a link between abnormal sensory processing, anxiety, and ASD. The purpose of this study was to experimentally observe auditory sensory processing using pupillometry methods, between ASD, control, and high-anxious control groups. While a difference in tonic pupil size was observed, there were no reactivity or habituation differences between the groups. There were no …


Do Adults Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorders Have An Advantage In Real-World Visual Search Tasks?, Nicholas Charles Russell Jul 2017

Do Adults Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorders Have An Advantage In Real-World Visual Search Tasks?, Nicholas Charles Russell

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) often perform better than typically developing (TD) individuals in simple, albeit difficult, visual search tasks. This ability is often attributed to a lack of drive for coherence or superior local processing. We compare thirty adults with ASD with forty-nine TD individuals and twenty-seven adults with anxiety (ANX) across two real-world visual search tasks. Individuals had to find either a number superimposed over a real-world scene ("œno context" condition) or an object located in a contextually relevant location ("œcontext" condition). Each participant completed forty-one trials in each condition, each with a unique scene. Eye movements …


State Requirements For Childhood Vaccination Exemption Forms In The United States, Katherine Elizabeth Hill Jul 2017

State Requirements For Childhood Vaccination Exemption Forms In The United States, Katherine Elizabeth Hill

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, children must be vaccinated in order to attend school, although parents also have the right to request a vaccine exemption. The type of vaccine exemption varies by state but can include exemption for religious, philosophical, medical, and temporary medical reasons. The purpose of this research was to identify the use of provider signature requirements and fees in states during the vaccine exemption process. A questionnaire was sent to immunization managers in the 50 United States, District of Columbia, the United States Indian Health Service, and eight United States territories. The managers were asked if their states …


Multiculturalism And Social Work: A Content Analysis Of The Past 25 Years Of Research, Lauren Christine Smithee Jul 2017

Multiculturalism And Social Work: A Content Analysis Of The Past 25 Years Of Research, Lauren Christine Smithee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this content analysis was to analyze the past 25 years of research in two major social work journals, Social Work and Research on Social Work Practice, to provide a status update on the amount of ethnic-focused research being published within the discipline. This analysis examined trends in ethnic-focused publications, the change across time in percent of focused articles, the top topics studied, per ethnic group, the top funded topics, most and least involved funding agencies, geographical groupings of focused samples, the setting of the samples, measures used, and the percentage of samples based in a clinical …


The Ability Of Five Children With Language Impairment To Describe Mental State In Story Narratives In Spontaneous And Prompted Conditions: Does It Help To Ask?, Naomi Asai Jul 2017

The Ability Of Five Children With Language Impairment To Describe Mental State In Story Narratives In Spontaneous And Prompted Conditions: Does It Help To Ask?, Naomi Asai

Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies have shown that children identified with Language Impairment (LI) have marked difficulty with producing story narratives compared to their typically developing peers. One particular area of weakness seen in the narratives of children with LI is their ability to incorporate internal states, specifically internal response, internal plan, and emotion words. The current study examines five children with LI and their descriptions of mental and emotional states of characters in story narratives under spontaneous and prompted conditions. Participants produced story retells based on a series of wordless picture books taken from the Edmonton Narrative Norms Instrument. Story retells were …


Multiculturalism And Social Work: A Content Analysis Of The Past 25 Years Of Research, Lauren Christine Smithee Jul 2017

Multiculturalism And Social Work: A Content Analysis Of The Past 25 Years Of Research, Lauren Christine Smithee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this content analysis was to analyze the past 25 years of research in two major social work journals, Social Work and Research on Social Work Practice, to provide a status update on the amount of ethnic-focused research being published within the discipline. This analysis examined trends in ethnic-focused publications, the change across time in percent of focused articles, the top topics studied, per ethnic group, the top funded topics, most and least involved funding agencies, geographical groupings of focused samples, the setting of the samples, measures used, and the percentage of samples based in a clinical …


Development Of An Early Expository Text Comprehension Assessment: A Pilot Study, Stacey Christianson Jul 2017

Development Of An Early Expository Text Comprehension Assessment: A Pilot Study, Stacey Christianson

Theses and Dissertations

Literature supporting the use of informational texts with preschool children has increased in recent years. However, many preschool classrooms still focus on narrative text, and teachers are often unsure how to provide support for children's comprehension of informational texts. An assessment addressing preschool children's informational text comprehension will help teachers understand what children can do with informational texts and point out demands or tasks that children should be able to handle. A comprehension assessment for preschool children focusing on text purpose, text features, text retell, and comprehension of text structures has not been available. To fit this need, recent effort …


Parents Advising Parents: Raising A Child With Type 1 Diabetes, Becky Jean Rasmuson Jun 2017

Parents Advising Parents: Raising A Child With Type 1 Diabetes, Becky Jean Rasmuson

Theses and Dissertations

Background and Purpose: Children diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes face significant challenges in the day to day management of their disease. Parents play an important role in supporting children at every stage of their lives and helping them transition to independence in the management of T1D. The purpose of this study was to learn from parents who have raised their children with T1D to adulthood and identify strategies for parents who are currently raising a child with T1D. Methods: Using a biographical method, a qualitative design, two in-depth interviews with open-ended prompts were completed with purposively selected parents of children …


Quantifying Lingua-Palatal Contact Patterns Of Fricative Productions By Non-Native Students Enrolled In A University German Language Course: An Electropalatography Study, Kate Erin Lester Jun 2017

Quantifying Lingua-Palatal Contact Patterns Of Fricative Productions By Non-Native Students Enrolled In A University German Language Course: An Electropalatography Study, Kate Erin Lester

Theses and Dissertations

Electropalatography (EPG) is a computer-based tracking system designed to provide real-time visual biofeedback of articulatory contacts occurring during speech production. Historically, EPG technology has proven functional within the treatment and assessment of speech disorders however, application of EPG technology to assist in second language learning has remained limited. The present thesis is part of a larger study examining the effectiveness of using EPG as an advanced instructional tool for assisting second language (L2) learners of German. Fricative productions ([ç], [x], /s/, and /∫/) within real words were gathered from 12 native English speakers enrolled in a second semester university level …


Opioid Prescription And Use After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy, Valynn Christina Haslam Jun 2017

Opioid Prescription And Use After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy, Valynn Christina Haslam

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Opioid abuse has become a serious public health issue. While adequate pain management is an ethical responsibility for health care providers, responsible stewardship of controlled substances is of equal concern. Opioids are often prescribed for treatment of acute pain post-operatively. The purpose of this study is to examine opioid prescription practices and use of opioids after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: A convenience sample of 42 patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were enrolled in the study. Using a descriptive study design, patients were interviewed by phone 6-10 days post-operatively using a scripted questionnaire. The average number of excess prescribed opioid medication …


Physiological Attunement And Influence In Couples Therapy: Examining The Roots Of Therapeutic Presence, Julia Campbell Bernards Jun 2017

Physiological Attunement And Influence In Couples Therapy: Examining The Roots Of Therapeutic Presence, Julia Campbell Bernards

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive interdisciplinary common factor research has identified the therapeutic relationship as a consistent factor influencing therapeutic outcomes. We use Polyvagal and Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) theories to guide an examination of the physiological mechanisms at work in the therapeutic relationship. Both Polyvagal and IPNB theories provide understandings about how humans are neurophysiologically wired for social connection. Each points to a sense of safety as being essential for meaningful connection to occur and clarifies that physiological attunement is an observable indicator of interpersonal connection. In this study, we use these theories to guide an examination of therapist physiological influence on clients in …


Perceptual Analysis Of Children's Adaptation To An Electropalatography Sensor, Kasey Marie Duffield Jun 2017

Perceptual Analysis Of Children's Adaptation To An Electropalatography Sensor, Kasey Marie Duffield

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to observe childrens adaptation to an electropalatographic (EPG) sensor. Sound recordings of six children between the ages of 7;0 and 9;11 sampled at 30-minute intervals over a two-hour period of wearing an EPG sensor were perceptually evaluated to quantify the children's adaptation over time. Twenty native speakers of American English evaluated the pronunciation of a series of words with embedded stops and fricatives produced with and without an EPG sensor in place. When collapsed over speaker and stimulus type, listener ratings decreased significantly after inserting the EPG sensor. Ratings then increased significantly after the …


Perceptual Analysis Of Children's Adaptation To An Electropalatography Sensor, Kasey Marie Duffield Jun 2017

Perceptual Analysis Of Children's Adaptation To An Electropalatography Sensor, Kasey Marie Duffield

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to observe childrens adaptation to an electropalatographic (EPG) sensor. Sound recordings of six children between the ages of 7;0 and 9;11 sampled at 30-minute intervals over a two-hour period of wearing an EPG sensor were perceptually evaluated to quantify the children's adaptation over time. Twenty native speakers of American English evaluated the pronunciation of a series of words with embedded stops and fricatives produced with and without an EPG sensor in place. When collapsed over speaker and stimulus type, listener ratings decreased significantly after inserting the EPG sensor. Ratings then increased significantly after the …


Using A Social Communication Intervention To Increase Emotion Word Use In Children With Language Impairment, Breeana Lee Bell Jun 2017

Using A Social Communication Intervention To Increase Emotion Word Use In Children With Language Impairment, Breeana Lee Bell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention to increase the production of emotion words in five children with language impairment. Participants were between the ages of 5;11 (years; months) and 11;3 (at the onset of enrollment in treatment) and had been identified with language impairment. Each participant completed between three and six baseline sessions, 20 twenty-minute intervention sessions, and three follow-up sessions. Tasks included story reading, story enactment, and journaling. Each session was recorded and then coded for emotion category (sadness, anger, fear, and surprise), errors made, type of production, and valence agreement. Total …


Critical Care Nurses' Experiences Of Family Behaviors As Obstacles In End-Of-Life Care, Caitlin Brook Mallory Jun 2017

Critical Care Nurses' Experiences Of Family Behaviors As Obstacles In End-Of-Life Care, Caitlin Brook Mallory

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Critical care nurses (CCNs) frequently provide end-of-life care for critically ill patients. CCNs may face many obstacles while trying to provide quality EOL care. Some research focusing on obstacles CCNs face while trying to provide quality EOL care has been published; however, research focusing on family behavior obstacles is limited. Research focusing on family behavior as an EOL care obstacle may provide additional insight and improvement in care. Objective: What are the predominant themes noted when CCNs share their experiences of common obstacles, relating to families in providing EOL care? Methods: A random geographically dispersed sample of 2,000 members …


Effect Of Speaker Age And Dialect On Listener Perceptions Of Personality, Brittni Elizabeth Bergstrom Jun 2017

Effect Of Speaker Age And Dialect On Listener Perceptions Of Personality, Brittni Elizabeth Bergstrom

Theses and Dissertations

The association between dialect and perceived personality traits has been studied for a number of years. The purpose of this study was to examine how the dialect, the gender of both the speaker and the listener, and the perceived age of the speaker affected the listeners' perception of the speaker's personality. The spontaneous speech samples were drawn from existing corpora. There were 48 speakers, 24 New Zealanders and 24 Utahns. Each dialect group was stratified into three age groups (young, middle, older), and within each age group there were an equal number of males and females. The listener group included …


The Impact Of Timing Of Pornography Exposure On Mental Health, Life Satisfaction, And Sexual Behavior, Bonnie Young May 2017

The Impact Of Timing Of Pornography Exposure On Mental Health, Life Satisfaction, And Sexual Behavior, Bonnie Young

Theses and Dissertations

As pornography has become more widespread, young people are being exposed to pornography at earlier ages. Research examining the relationship between timing of exposure to pornography and outcomes in adulthood of mental health, life satisfaction, sexual behavior and attitudes, and pornography viewing patterns is limited. This study focuses on the relationship between timing of exposure to pornography and individual outcomes in adulthood. Results indicate that earlier exposure to pornography may significantly influence mental health, life satisfaction, sexual behavior and attitudes, and pornography viewing patterns in adulthood. Implications of this study include greater awareness of the risks of early exposure to …


Effects Of Conversational Modalities On Driving And Speaking Performance, Katy Glenn Apr 2017

Effects Of Conversational Modalities On Driving And Speaking Performance, Katy Glenn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the bidirectional effects of simulated driving and conversations using different speaking modalities. Participants included 30 males and 30 females with no history of speech, language or hearing disorders. The participants were divided into three age groups: 20s, 40s, and 60s. They completed a driving simulation task in isolation and also while speaking on a hand-held or hands-free cell phone or with a passenger in the car. Speech measures included speaking time ratio, mean, and standard deviation of intensity, as well as mean and standard deviation of fundamental frequency in semitones. Driving measures …


Cost Outcomes For Major Depressive Disorder And Bipolar Disorder Across Professional License Types And Modalities, Julia H. Jones Apr 2017

Cost Outcomes For Major Depressive Disorder And Bipolar Disorder Across Professional License Types And Modalities, Julia H. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes for patients with Bipolar Disorder or Major Depressive Disorder based on severity of diagnosis. This study also compared psychotherapy providers and therapy modalities on total cost, number of sessions, and dropout. Our data set (N=136,439) came from Cigna, a national health care company. Results showed significant differences by severity of diagnosis. The comparison of providers showed that psychologists had higher costs and session numbers, while the other providers were not significantly different. However, all providers successfully provided low cost treatment on both MDD and BD. There is no support for the …


Development Of Word Recognition Materials For Native Cebuano Speakers, Sarah Mickele Gordon Apr 2017

Development Of Word Recognition Materials For Native Cebuano Speakers, Sarah Mickele Gordon

Theses and Dissertations

Within recent decades speech audiometry materials have been developed in various languages in order to more accurately identify and evaluate hearing impairment in native speakers. This advantage, however, is not available to native Cebuano speakers. The purpose of this study was to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and psychometrically equate a set of Cebuano bisyllabic word lists for use in measuring word recognition ability. This process began with recording 260 commonly used bisyllabic Cebuano words by a native speaker noted for his quality and pleasantness of speech in his native tongue. These recordings were then evaluated by 20 normally hearing native …


Development Of An Effective International Medical Disaster Relief Team: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Nicolette Broby Apr 2017

Development Of An Effective International Medical Disaster Relief Team: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Nicolette Broby

Theses and Dissertations

Natural and manmade disasters are occurring at an unprecedented rate. Injuries and sickness are among the most widespread types of suffering caused by disasters, making medical aid essential. However, medical response depends on multiple factors to be timely and effective. The process of building a competent international medical disaster relief organization is complex, yet many well-intentioned, charitable organizations react hastily after a disaster, sending medical teams without truly understanding what an effective response requires. Consequently, in their genuine effort to help, they may end up hindering the response effort more than helping. Meanwhile, successful organizations implement principles conducive to an …


Comparison Of Early Literacy Ipad Applications: Children's Engagement, Shawnii Lyman Apr 2017

Comparison Of Early Literacy Ipad Applications: Children's Engagement, Shawnii Lyman

Theses and Dissertations

The presence of digital mobile applications (apps) designed to promote early literacy skills has surged in the last few years. This study explored children's affect and engagement as they interacted with three apps: Endless Reader, Hideout: Early Reader, and Preschool Matching Game: Rhyming Words. The study consisted of 12 children, age 4 to 5, who interacted in pairs with each of the apps while their classroom teacher facilitated the experience. The researchers examined videos and transcripts of the children's actions and nonverbal expressions as they encountered the apps. Transcripts included verbal and nonverbal information with codes assigned …


Solitary-Pretend Play In Children With Language Impairment And Their Typically-Developing Peers, Mallory Paige Scofield Apr 2017

Solitary-Pretend Play In Children With Language Impairment And Their Typically-Developing Peers, Mallory Paige Scofield

Theses and Dissertations

Children with language impairment (LI) are more likely to be socially withdrawn than their typically-developing peers. This withdrawal can lead to negative outcomes later in life. This study focuses on a subtype of withdrawal labeled as solitary-pretend play, which involves parallel play and solitary-dramatizing. The effectiveness of the Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (TBRS) to measure the construct of solitary-pretend play was considered in a group of 256 children. First, confirmatory factor analysis was used on the entire sample to assess the TBRS questions. The TBRS ratings of 128 children with LI and 128 typically developing peers were then compared, with …