Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

An Exploration Of Visual Journaling Techniques With Adults, Susan E. Roberts

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

People have kept journals and diaries since ancient times, writing down daily happenings or their thoughts about things over time. Currently, there is no art therapy research on visual journaling techniques that can be used as a tool in art therapy. The purpose of this study was to explore various visual journaling techniques with adults, in order to make recommendations for their use in art therapy. It was hypothesized that a trial of visual journaling techniques with normal adults would provide valuable information which would assist in the development of recommendations for the use of visual journaling in art therapy. …

A Cross-Cultural Study Of Children’S Development As Reflected In Their Artwork: An Investigation Of Children’S Drawings From The African Country Of Benin, Elizabeth Anna Smead

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This research adds to the body of knowledge related to the human figure drawing as a useful tool in assessment and to art therapists’ understanding of children who depict the human figure in cross-cultural settings. This researcher obtained a sample collection of 148 human figure drawings from African children in rural Benin, West Africa to study in comparison to a set of human figure drawings collected under similar conditions in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

In this quantitative study, five of the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scales (FEATS) were modified and used to tally the formal elements of each of the 148 …

Neuroscience: Its Relevance To Art Therapy And Art Therapy Education, Patrick Oates

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The development of contemporary neuroscience techniques has provided professionals in mental health fields with insight into the human brain and its functions. Literature searches revealed that there is very little research being conducted or existing literature that discusses the physiological response in the brain to the art therapy process. A more comprehensive understanding of the brain’s response to making art could enhance art therapists’ capacity to provide the most suitable treatment to meet the clients’ needs. This study was designed to explore the significance of neuroscience in art therapy, and art therapy education.

A questionnaire was emailed to 49 program …

Helping Older Adults Adjust To Assisted Living: An Eco-Art Therapy Approach, Lynn M. Franta

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to research the outcomes of an art therapy group using Ecopsychology principles as an aid for older adults adjusting to an assisted living facility. The group was designed to last over a 4-week period with two sessions per week. Outcomes were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales short form as well as through a structured interview format.

The study had six participants total; three men and three women, with ages ranging from 70 to 83 years. Findings were inconclusive as individual scores on the DASS varied widely. Participant report indicated overall …

International Art Therapy Program Development: An Exploratory Cultural Encounter In Ayacucho, Peru, Haley Johnstone

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Humanitarian aid organizations, both domestic and international, provide health care, mental health services, education, and community development for traumatized children worldwide living in regions affected by political violence. Sparse information exists regarding the role of an art therapist within these organizations. The profession of art therapy lacks research specific to the benefits of intervention and program development within the context of an international humanitarian aid team. This thesis reviews the ethnographic research of an art therapy graduate student who explored the opportunities for art therapy within such a team.

Cultural competency was an essential component of the researcher’s success while …

An Art Therapy And Ecopsychology Intervention With A Grieving Child, Carolyn M. Lucas

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

There is a discernable need for research into the use of alternative therapies like art therapy and ecopsychology with grieving children. Art therapy seeks to facilitate an individual’s resolution of personal discord through the use of art media and directives. Ecopsychology relies on the assertion that by connecting individuals to the natural world, an improved consciousness will emerge. A literature review was conducted to examine these theories and their applications to grief treatment in children. Camps, workshops, and institutions regularly employ these therapeutic methods to help children with the grieving process. Art therapists in these settings utilize art activities like …

Art Therapy As A Measure Of Children’S Concept Of Surgery: A Preliminary Study, Emily C. Clark

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Surgery is a strange, and often frightening experience for children. A number of programs have been studied which attempt to prepare children for the surgery experience. Art therapy may be especially suited to help prepare children for surgery because art making is an effective form of communication for children, and can allow them to express their thoughts and fears about surgery. Unfortunately, studies of art therapy preparation programs are rare, and usually take the form of case studies. This research study is the first step in designing an art therapy preparation program for preparing children for surgery.

The purpose of …

Neural Correlates Of Art Therapy As Indicated Through Electroencephalography, Kerry A. Kruk

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Quantitative electroencephalograph (QEEG) reports of 14 healthy women participants engaged in art making in response to two general art therapy directives were generated and compared at Eastern Virginia Medical School. A Cadwell Easy-II 32-channel digital EEG and Physiometrx E-net which contains placements according to the International 10-20 system were used to collect brainwave activity. This study explored the effects of clay sculpting and marker drawing conditions on neural activity in the right and left frontal and parietal cortices.

One aim of the study was to illuminate what Lusebrink (1990) suggested - that different types of media and processes elicit different …

Attachment Strategies Of Adolescents In Foster Care: Indicators And Implications, Shannon Leigh Trewartha

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of an art-based assessment to recognize the attachment strategy of adolescents in foster care. The extenuating circumstances of foster care make it imperative to develop a sensitive, accurate, and time-efficient tool. Knowledge of specific attachment strategy can better guide therapeutic interventions. This study examined adolescents’ attachment strategy as measured by the Adolescent Relationship Questionnaire (A-RSQ) in comparison to ratings on the Bird’s Nest Drawing (BND). Fourteen adolescents in foster care participated.

Due to the low number of participants, data was predominantly analyzed descriptively. On the A-RSQ, the sample had lower …

The Effects Of Universal And Rotating Ultrasonic Inserts On Wrist Movement, Scaling Time Efficiency, And Cumulative Trauma Risk In Dental Hygienists, Christine Colavita Hawn

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed in range of wrist movements and scaling time efficiency in dental hygienists that use a rotating ultrasonic insert as compared to those who use a standard universal insert. A convenience sample of 30 consenting experienced dental hygienists from the Norfolk area who met inclusion criteria was invited to be subjects. Using a crossover research design, each experimental subject used the rotating ultrasonic scaling insert to remove 2 cc artificial calculus from a typodont in a controlled, simulated clinical situation for up to 15 minutes. While scaling, each subject wore …

An Assessment Of High School Coaches Knowledge Of Exercise-Induced Asthma, Shannon L. Wilson

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Exercise-induced asthma (EIA) is a common disorder that occurs in individuals who compete in recreational activities. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge of EIA for high school athletic coaches. A 22 question demographic instrument was used for background information, and an 18 question multiple-choice assessment was used to assess knowledge of prevention, recognition and management of EIA. A panel of experts reviewed and modified the survey instruments, which were piloted at a local private high school prior to distribution. The survey was distributed to 250 high school coaches in the Hampton Roads area during a fall …

The Effects Of Ankle Taping And Spatting On The Reaction Times Of The Supporting Musculature Of The Ankle Before And After Exercise In Healthy And Functionally Unstable Ankles, Jennifer I. Mckenzie

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Ankle taping is a common practice in the athletic training room, but there is minimal evidence to support its effectiveness in enhancing muscle activation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ankle taping on muscle activation following sudden inversion in functionally unstable and healthy ankles before and after exercise. Fourteen recreational athletes with a unilateral functionally unstable ankle volunteered to participate. Surface EMG electrodes were placed on the peroneals and anterior tibialis muscles of both extremities. Each subject received four treatment conditions; ankle taping, ankle taping with spatting, spatting, and no tape in a randomly assigned, …

Effect Of Cycling Cadence On Economy At High Power, Carol Beatriz Ennser

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

This study was designed to determine the most economical cadence for cyclists at high power outputs (> 300 W). Six cyclists and two triathletes (age 31.5 ± 8.8 yr, mass 76.9 ± 8.6 kg, VO₂max 4.84 ± 0.36 Lmin^·1, weekly training 318 ± 118 km) who were capable of riding a bicycle at a speed of 40 kph for 10 min (solo) participated in five tests on a bicycle ergometer. The preliminary test measured subjects' VO₂max. After that, subjects completed four trials, each at a predetermined cadence as follows: 60, 80, 100 and 120 …

Pressure Ulcer Development And Prevention In Long-Term Care Facilities In Virginia: A Descriptive Survey, Audrey D. Arthur

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

The development of pressure ulcers is a common occurrence among older persons who may be temporarily immobilized or confined to a bed. An estimated 60,000 deaths annually can be attributed to complications from pressure ulcers. Guidelines recommended by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research have been disseminated nationally and continue to be recommended as the standard of care for pressure ulcer prevention. In spite of the use of the recommended guidelines, pressure ulcer rates persist, suggesting there are other factors contributing to pressure ulcer development in long-term care facilities.

A survey was conducted to investigate which provider related …

Validation Of A New Method For Estimating Vo2max Based On Vo2 Reserve, David P. Swain, James A. Parrott, Anna R. Bennett, J. David Branch, Elizabeth A. Dowling

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: The American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM) preferred method for estimating maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O_2max) has been shown to overestimate V̇O_2max, possibly due to the short length of the cycle ergometry stages. This study validates a new method that uses a final 6-min stage and that estimates V̇O_2max from the relationship between heart rate reserve (HRR) and V̇O₂ reserve. Methods: A cycle ergometry protocol was designed to elicit 65–75% HRR in the fifth and sixth minutes of the final stage. Maximal workload was estimated by dividing the workload of the final stage by …

Increased Risk For Aplastic Anemia And Myelodysplastic Syndrome In Individuals Lacking Glutathione S-Transferase Genes, Joanne F. Sutton, Michael Stacey, William G. Kearns, Thomas S. Roeg, Neal S. Young, Johnson M. Liu

Bioelectrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Aplastic anemia (AA) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are marrow failure states that may be associated with chromosomal instability. An absence of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzyme may genetically predispose individuals to AA or MDS. PROCEDURE AND RESULTS: To test this hypothesis, we determined the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes in a total of 196 patients using multiplex PCR. The GSTT1 null genotype was found to be overrepresented in Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic patients with either AA or MDS. We confirmed a difference in the expected frequency of the GSTM1 null genotype in Caucasian MDS patients. The double null GSTM1/GSTT1 …

Creating Individual Behavior Change Through 360-Degree Feedback: A Development Pipeline Perspective, Victoria Cole Stage

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Ensuring that individuals develop new and more productive behaviors on the job is a challenge for many organizations and a focus of time, effort, and energy spent on programs to facilitate this change. This research was an effort to validate and utilize a framework for understanding how efforts toward individual development are restricted. To do this, I used a new 360-degree feedback instrument called “Time 2 Change” that measures self, manager, direct report, and peer/colleague perceptions of change in the individual. This instrument also measures the individual's perceptions of development enablers, in a framework called a Development Pipeline. As a …

Comparisons Among Parent Reports And Self-Reports Of Sleep In Adhd And Normal School-Aged Children, Diana M. Turner-Eadie

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The objective of the study was to investigate whether school-aged children diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience greater sleep disturbance than do normally-developing children. Participants included 33 parents and their children with ADHD (mean age = 10.7 ± 1.7 years) and 33 parents and their children without ADHD (mean age = 10.7 ± 1.6 years). Both parents and their children completed sleep questionnaires developed to assess a number of sleep variables. Based on parental report, the Total Sleep Disturbance score was significantly greater for the ADHD group than for the comparison group. Parents indicated that children with ADHD had …

Dietary Supplements And Sports Performance: Introduction And Vitamins, Melvin H. Williams

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Sports success is dependent primarily on genetic endowment in athletes with morphologic, psychologic, physiologic and metabolic traits specific to performance characteristics vital to their sport. Such genetically-endowed athletes must also receive optimal training to increase physical power, enhance mental strength, and provide a mechanical advantage. However, athletes often attempt to go beyond training and use substances and techniques, often referred to as ergogenics, in attempts to gain a competitive advantage. Pharmacological agents, such as anabolic steroids and amphetamines, have been used in the past, but such practices by athletes have led to the establishment of anti-doping legislation and effective testing …

Effects Of 8 Weeks Of Flexibility And Resistance Training In Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Matthew T. Herriot, Sheri R. Colberg, Henri K. Parson, Tanja Nunnold, Aaron I. Vinik

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) Flexibility is often downplayed as unimportant to fitness. However, flexibility training is imperative to maintain full range of motion (ROM) of joints, particularly in individuals with type 2 diabetes, who may experience limited joint mobility due to glycation of joint structures (1). Maladies such as “frozen shoulder” are common complaints in type 2 diabetes (2).

Ultrastructure Of Mycobacterium Marinum Granuloma In Striped Bass Morone Saxatilis, D. T. Gauthier, W. K. Vogelbein, C. A. Ottinger

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

An emerging epizootic of mycobacteriosis currently threatens striped bass Morone saxatilis populations in Chesapeake Bay, USA. Several species of mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium marinum, species resembling M. avium, M. gordonae, M. peregrinum, M. scrofulaceum and M. terrae, and the new species M. shottsii have been isolated from diseased and healthy bass. In this study, we describe the ultrastructure of developing M. marinum granulomas in experimentally infected bass over a period of 45 wk. The primary host response to injected mycobacteria was formation of large macrophage aggregations containing phagocytosed bacilli. M. marinum were always contained within phagosomes. Close …

Fitness Levels Of Middle Aged Martial Art Practitioners, P. Douris, A. Chinan, M. Gomez, A. Aw, D. Steffens, S. Weiss, J. Echternach

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Objectives: To quantify and compare fitness levels of middle aged practitioners of soo bahk do (SBD; a Korean martial art similar to karate) with those of sedentary subjects.

Methods: Eighteen volunteers, 14 men and four women (aged 40-60 years), participated. Nine sedentary subjects (mean age 46.7 years) and nine SBD practitioners (mean age 46.8 years) were matched for sex and age. All subjects participated in a one day battery of fitness tests. The following dependent variables were tested: body composition, balance, flexibility, quadriceps strength, grip strength, muscle endurance, and aerobic capacity.

Results: All dependent variables were analysed using paired t …

Perspectives On Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Executive Functions, Working Memory, And Language Disabilities, Carol Westby, Silvana Watson

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The conceptualization of the nature of attention deficit hyper-activity disorder (ADHD) has changed in the last decade. ADHD is now viewed as a neurologically based condition with primary deficits in executive functions and working memory (WM). Students with ADHD have deficits in discourse organization, inferring, and monitoring that are related to their executive function and WM deficits. A large number of students with ADHD also have comorbid reading and language disabilities that exist in addition to the deficits directly associated with the ADHD. Comprehensive evaluation of students with ADHD is essential to address their specific learning needs

Phytoplankton Composition Within The Tidal Freshwater-Oligohaline Regions Of The Rappahannock And Pamunkey Rivers In Virginia, Harold G. Marshall, Lubomira Burchardt

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Rappahannock River is a major river system across north central Virginia prior to entering the Chesapeake Bay. In contrast, the Pamunkey River is smaller in size and joins the Mattoponi River to form the York River, which flows parallel to the Rappahannock before it also flows into Chesapeake Bay. A unique mixing area for both flora and environmental conditions exists in the tidal freshwater-oligohaline region of both rivers. This is a dynamic mixing section where freshwater and estuarine species are subject to the interaction of river flow and daily tidal rhythms. The phytoplankton composition in this region of the …

How Many Slides? Documented Cytotechnologist Workload, Sophie K, Thompson, Eileen Mason

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

(First paragraph) This paper relays workload information obtained as part of an ergonomics survey.1 Data were obtained on the number of slides evaluated daily, workplace setting, hours worked, and demographic information.

Cultural Adaptability Of Dental Hygiene Students In The United States: A Pilot Study, Katrina W. Magee, Michele L. Darby, Irene M. Connolly, Evelyn Thomson

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Dental hygiene students should prepare to competently provide services to culturally diverse patients; therefore, this study was conducted as a baseline to determine the cross-cultural adaptability of dental hygiene students. The sample consisted of 188 dental hygiene students attending four culturally diverse dental hygiene programs (N=108) and four non-culturally diverse dental hygiene programs (N=80). The culturally diverse programs randomly selected were located in the southwest, southeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S., and the non-diverse programs were located in the northwest, northcentral, central, and southern regions of the U.S. Any dental hygiene program with students representing four of the five …

Isolation And Characterization Of Mycobacteria From Striped Bass Morone Saxatilis From The Chesapeake Bay, Martha W. Rhodes, Howard Kator, Ilsa Kaattari, David Gauthier, Wolfgang Vogelbein, Christopher A. Ottinger

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mycobacteriosis in striped bass Morone saxatilisof Chesapeake Bay, USA, was first diagnosed in 1997 based on the presence of granulomatous inflammation and acid-fast bacteria in skin and spleen. To confirm histopathology, bacteriological detection and identification of mycobacteria were begun using splenic tissue from fish with and without skin ulcerations. On the basis of initial studies using a variety of selective and nonselective media, decontamination, homogenization and incubation conditions, a simple and quantitative recovery method using aseptic necropsy of splenic tissue was developed. Optimal recovery was obtained by spread-plating homogenates on Middlebrook 7H10 agar with incubation for 3 mo at …

Using Standardized Patients To Teach And Evaluate Nurse Practitioner Students On Cultural Competency, Carolyn M. Rutledge, Laurel Garzon, Micah Scott, Karen Karlowicz

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

With the increasing diversity in the American population, it is imperative that nurse practitioners learn to manage patients with varying healthcare beliefs and needs. In order to develop culturally competent nurse practitioners, a number of methods have been developed. Many of the current methods focus on improving the awareness and knowledge of nurse practitioners regarding diverse populations. However, very few of the current programs focus on improving the skills and increasing the encounters the students have with diverse populations. This paper focuses on providing nurse practitioner students with diverse encounters using culturally enhanced standardized patient scenarios. The standardized patient programs …

Making Tough Decisions, Karen A. Karlowicz

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

This article focuses on the aspect of critical thinking in making tough decisions in life. Advances in urology have resulted in a range of therapies for many urologic diseases and disorders. Patients need information about each treatment, and the time to fully consider the effect of a given therapy on their overall health. Keep in mind that patients who are empowered to make decisions about their health care are more likely to comply with the treatment plan. Likewise the author urges readers to use their critical thinking skills to solve the clinical problems they are confronted with daily.

A Computer-Based Articulation Training Aid For Short Words (Cata), Mukund Devarajan

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Several improvements in the vowel articulation training aid (VATA) are described, as well as the efforts to extend the visual feedback system to operate with short words in the form of consonant, vowel and consonant (CVC). The extended version of the visual feedback system is referred to as CATA (Computer-based Articulation Training Aid); the vowel version of the aid (VATA) only operates with ten American English monopthong vowels. Improvements in VATA include the use of a neural network (NN) recognizer method to prune a large database of vowel recordings to eliminate noisy and/or mispronounced tokens. The spectral jitter problem, previously …