Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Music Therapy And Quality Of Life: The Effects Of Musical Interventions On Self-Reported And Caregiver-Reported Quality Of Life In Older Adults With Symptoms Of Dementia, Alisha Snyder

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of music therapy on the quality of life of people with symptoms of dementia. Both self-reported and caregiver-reported quality of life scores were recorded before and after an eight-week treatment period. A control group of discussion and an experimental group of music therapy were included in the study, with a sample size of N = 13. Analysis of the data was done with t tests. No statistical significance was found when comparing the average quality of life scores in the discussion group or the music therapy group from pretest to …

A Comprehensive Study Of Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, And Comparison, Per Maximilian Gasseholm

Social Sciences

Today complimentary medicine is being increasingly sought out. Ayurveda and TCM, are among the oldest systems of medicine and have been developed for over thousands of years in India and China respectively. This paper details the philosophies, medical theories, anatomy, diagnosis, and treatments of both of these systems, including a comparison. Both of these modalities of healing operate with a microcosm – macrocosm paradigm. This makes them fundamentally similar, and compatible with each other. Ayurveda uses Tridoshic theory to apply treatments ranging from diet, massage, meditation, yoga among other therapies to bring Vata, Pitta, and Kapha into balance. TCM is …

Music Therapy In The Nicu: Interventions And Techniques In Current Practice And A Survey Of Experience And Designation Implications, Suzanna A. Peczeniuk-Hoffman

Masters Theses

While researchers have documented the clinical use of music in medical settings, little is known about music therapists working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The purpose of the study was to examine the demographics, educational training (NICU-MT designation), employment conditions, and music therapy interventions/techniques used by professional music therapists in the NICU. A 15- item survey was designed and electronically mailed to music therapists (N = 318) identified by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT), and Infant and Child Medical Music Therapy Institute at Florida State University as potentially working with …

Sociosexuality, Mate Preferences, And Sex Steroid Hormone Levels Among Breastfeeding Women In Manila, Michelle Escasa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This project investigates the influence of lactation on female sociosexuality and mate preferences in urban Manila, a population with long-term breastfeeding, low contraceptive use, and quick return to ovulatory cycling. Physiological and evolutionary considerations suggest that lactating women face important life history allocation trade-offs between mating and parenting effort that may be manifest in their sociosexual behavior and mate preferences. Breastfeeding (n=155) and control (n=105) women were recruited to provide a saliva sample (for testosterone and estradiol analyses), complete a questionnaire, and complete a face and voice preference task to determine preferences for masculinity. Breastfeeding women reported differences in commitment …

Choreography And Performance With Deaf Adults Who Have Mental Illness: Culturally Affirmative Participatory Research, Sondra H. Malling

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

Dance/movement therapy (DMT) techniques—particularly choreography and performance techniques—have not been well-researched with Deaf adults who have mental illness. This study investigated the use of DMT, choreography, and performance techniques with Deaf adults with severe and chronic mental illness through participatory artistic inquiry. Primary research questions addressed pragmatic matters of participatory artistic inquiry: What aesthetic choices will the co-researchers make in the dance-making process? How does the researcher provide structure and incorporate her experience as a choreographer without overshadowing the contributions of the co-researchers? Broader philosophical research questions included: How do choreography and performance techniques impact this population’s well-being? How does …

Relationships Of Heat Stress Levels To Heat-Related Disorders And Acute Injury During Deepwater Horizon Cleanup Operations, Michael H. Hiles

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Outdoor workers are often subjected to thermal conditions beyond the comfort zone, but to what degree do such conditions affect the health and safety of those workers is still a matter requiring further investigation. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between thermal conditions and (1) heat-related disorders and (2) acute injuries using injury and illness data collected during the BP Deepwater Horizon clean-up operations. Over an eleven month period, 5,485 cases were identified as either heat-related or an acute injury (incident type) and further divided by severity. Daily weather data were used to estimate the wet …

Analysis Of Variable Effects On Presence Of Cryptosporidium Oocysts And Giardia Cysts In Effluent Water From Wastewater Treatment Utilities In Florida From 1998 To 2010, Katherine Jane Barkan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The concern of a Cryptosporidium or Giardia waterborne outbreak due to treated wastewater has had water treatment utilities using some of the highest water cleansing technologies available. Cryptosporidiosis and Giardiasis are severe diarrheal diseases which can lead to death, thus it is important that appropriate steps are taken to assure these parasites are not present in the effluent of treated wastewater. This study examined the results of 863 assays for Giardia and Cryptosporidium on the effluent of wastewater treatment facilities and found that county of collection, watershed of collection, and laboratory analyzing the sample have the most significant impact on …

Transformation Of Stimulus Function Through Relational Networks: The Impact Of Derived Stimulus Relations On Stimulus Control Of Behavior, Samantha Rose Florentino

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Relational Frame Theory research involves either of two protocols utilized to establish relational networks and functions for stimuli in those relational networks. Years of research indicate the most prevalent method involves first establishing a relational frame, conditioning one of the stimuli to acquire a particular function, and then providing a test to see if the function trained to one of the stimuli in the network transferred through the relational network to other stimuli. The less common method involves first training a particular function for a stimulus, entering that stimulus in a relational network with at least two other stimuli, and …

Systematic Review Of Core Muscle Electromyographic Activity During Physical Fitness Exercises, Jason Martuscello

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Activating the core muscles through exercise training programs is believed to be important for athletic performance. Considerable attention has been credited to the lumbar multifidus, transverse abdominis, and quadratus lumborum in designing exercise training programs. Numerous core exercise claims and recommendations abound in the fitness and physical therapy communities touting a superior core challenge for these muscles. The plethora of core activation literature with conflicting outcomes has convoluted the process of choosing exercises for an optimal core training approach. Although an abundance of research studies have quantified the muscle activity, collectively, a consensus on the type of exercise that elicits …

The Effects Of Cognitive Stimulation And Computerized Memory Training Among Older Adults Residing In Indepedent-Living Facilities, Elizabeth M. Hudak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: With age, older adults experience declines in both short- and long-term memory. One way to counter these age-related declines is through memory interventions which include computerized cognitive training and non-computerized cognitive stimulation. This dissertation examined whether a cognitive training program, Dakim BrainFitness (Dakim Inc., 2002) and a program of cognitive stimulation, Mind Your Mind (Seagull & Seagull, 2007), enhance memory performance among cognitively-intact older adults residing in independent-living retirement communities. Specifically, the following research questions were proposed: (a) How effective is the computerized cognitive training program in improving memory performance relative to the cognitive stimulation program or a no-contact …

Responsiveness Of The Federal Health System To The Needs Of 18-45 Year Old Adults With Physical Disabilities In Islamabad, Pakistan, Shaista Habibullah

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The health system has been defined as all people, institutions and resources that undertake actions with the primary intent of improving health, while responsiveness of the health system refers to its objective of responding to the legitimate expectations of the population it serves. Although responsiveness is a non-health objective of the health system, it affects the health status of the population by influencing treatment compliance, patient-provider communication and health services utilization. Furthermore, responsiveness has a fundamental value as it concerns basic human rights of the individuals being served by the health system.

This study was undertaken to determine how …

Inspiratory Breathing Exercises For Vocal Tremor: A Preliminary Study, Jessica Tayseer Hilo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Essential voice tremor (EVT) is a voice disorder that results from dyscoordination within the laryngeal musculature, which negatively impacts the symmetrical motion of the vocal folds. Several investigators have shown that individuals with EVT experience difficulty speaking and a reduced quality of life (QOL; Cohen, Dupont, & Courey, 2006; Verdonck-de Leeuw & Mahieu, 2004). While traditional voice therapy has been ineffective in lessening the severity of vocal tremor, a current approach (Barkmeier- Kraemer, Lato, & Wiley, 2011) designed to lessen the perception of vocal tremor has resulted in reported patient satisfaction with little actual change in voice quality. The present …

Beliefs Of And Attitudes Toward Sexual Violence By A Diverse Group Of Self-Identified Male Collegiate Athletes, Belinda-Rose James

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to assess the beliefs of and attitudes towards sexual violence among self-identified male, undergraduate, athletes and non-athletes. Research has shown that there is an association between the subculture of athletics and the beliefs and attitudes towards sexual violence. Male, undergraduate, athletes have disproportionately been reported for sexual violence. This study examined common risk factors attributed to perpetration of sexual violence: rape myth acceptance, lower attitudes toward women, reactive aggression, and physical and verbal sexual coercion. Multiple-level risk factors were studied in order to acquire a comprehensive understanding of what possible associations between male collegiate …

The Relationship Between Self-Reported Cancer Pain And Personality In Black And White Older Adults Receiving Outpatient Cancer Care, Jessica Krok

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It is well-established that personality not only affects physical health and longevity, but also mental health and coping mechanisms. One area of limited research is the relationship between cancer pain and personality. This study examined how personality traits affect reported cancer pain severity in older patients (N = 150) receiving outpatient treatment at a comprehensive cancer center. Participants were interviewed regarding their pain severity, personality, affect, and self-efficacy for pain management. Symptom data were collected from the Brief Pain Inventory, while personality data were gathered from the Ten Item Personality Inventory and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Self-efficacy for …

Exploring Picture Word Priming Effects In Healthy Aging Adults Using Event Related Potentials, Sasha C. Christopher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanics with which older adults activate and access different subdomains of their mental lexicons during word retrieval for picture naming.

Method: Data were analyzed for 12 aging, native English speakers who performed a picture-word priming task. The auditory probe words were presented in the following conditions in relation to the picture stimuli: Identically related, strongly semantically related, weakly semantically related, strongly phonologically related, weakly phonologically related, semantically related to the strong phonological relative of the target picture label, or phonologically-related to the strong semantic relative of the target picture …

Assessing The Psychometric Properties Of A Self-Efficacy Measure Within A Patient Navigation Research Program, Mariana Arevalo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a dearth of validated self-efficacy (SE) measures in the field of preventive oncology. The objective of this study is to describe the development and validation of a measure to assess patients' perceived ability to obtain the recommended care following an abnormality suspicious for breast cancer. Guided by a social cognitive theory framework, a 51-item measure was developed to explore perceived capability to obtain follow up care under a number of barriers. A multi-step process was utilized to assess the instrument's psychometric properties. First, cognitive validity assessments with experts were conducted, and these aided in the wording refinement of …

Human Motion Tracking For Assisting Balance Training And Control Of A Humanoid Robot, Ahmad Adli Manasrah

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This project illustrates the use of the human's ability to balance according to his center of gravity as demonstrated in two applications. The center of gravity of a human is explained in detail in order to use it in controlling the Aldebaran NAO robot and in the robot-assisted balance training.

The first application explains how a humanoid robot can mimic a human's movements via a three dimensional depth sensor where the sensor analyzes the position of a user's limbs and how the robot can lift one foot and balance on the other by redistributing the its body mass when …

A Study Of Potential Risk Factors Of Depression Among Latina Breast Cancer Survivors, Claudia Ximena Aguado Loi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Women with breast cancer commonly experience depression. However, this condition often goes unrecognized, undertreated, and understudied, especially in ethnic minorities. If left untreated, co-existing depression in women with cancer can complicate cancer treatment, lead to poor treatment adherence for both conditions, and decrease survival. These negative consequences are considerably higher among Latinas. With the growing number of Latinos and diversity within the Latino community, the literature has identified the need to disaggregate Latinos by region of origin. Unfortunately, few studies account for these differences and no study to date has examined risk factors of depression among Latinas diagnosed with breast …

Patient Care Provider Safety: Examining One Intervention To Reduce Hospital Violence, Paul Leslie Ford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

In the summer of 2009, Tampa General care providers met with Hospital Administration to express concern that violence on care units was a growing problem and making it difficult to provide quality care. Nurses stated that such violence was one important reason many of their peers choose to retire. Administration took this situation seriously and formed a committee to gather information and submit suggestions to reduce the violence. The committee consisted of representatives from several nursing units, human resources, risk management, security, and administration. Duties assigned included investigation of the actual number of reports on all units and trends. …

Social Skills Training For Adolescent Youth: Measurement Of Skill Acquisition, Shannon Koehler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a classroom based training in teaching social skills to four adolescent females between the ages of 13–17 years old and residing in foster care. The training took place over a three week period, one night a week, for three hours at a time and utilized a Behavioral Skills Training format. The assessments were conducted via role play scenarios; pre- and posttraining. The results show each participant demonstrated an overall increase in skills from pretraining to posttraining indicating that youth in foster care were capable of learning the skills taught.

An Evaluation Of The Implementation Of "The Happiest Toddler On The Block" Parenting Strategies By Young Mothers, Amye Elizabeth Bock

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Young parents and their children are considered a high-risk population as they are more likely to lack social support networks, have limited access to opportunities to enhance parenting skills, and are often financially dependent. Young children whose mothers have poor parenting skills are more likely to have persistent problem behavior. Three young mothers living in a transitional housing facility participated in this study. The purpose of this study was to determine if these mothers could implement parenting strategies that are a part of a commercially available parenting book and DVD. This study found that: (1) mothers were able to correctly …

Training And Assessment Of Toothbrushing Skills Among Children With Special Needs, Rachel A. Brown

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The success of applied behavior analysis (ABA) interventions relies heavily on adherence to measures of social importance. One area identified by caregivers, educators, and researchers as having social importance is the area of daily living skills; particularly in populations of children with special needs. A number of studies employed the use of a task analysis to objectively measure toothbrushing, with various training procedures utilized. Behavioral Skills Training (BST) is an effective procedure used to train a variety of skills. Further, research indicates the addition of an in situ assessment promotes generalization of trained skills. The current study examined the use …

Toward A Working Theory Of Neurorhetorics, Jeffrey L. Honnold

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This piece makes the claim that rhetoric is first philosophy--before philosophy, epistemology, ontology, or any other field--or that rhetoric is, at the least, on equal footing as these fields because:

empathy--and thusly the impulse for communication--is physiologically hardwired into humans; special distinctions between human and animal are largely artificial constructions, as is evidenced by neurosciences; "hard" science, in the form of neurosciences, is providing entrance points & opportunities for rhetoric to raise its status within the academy; and said neurosciences, in addition to empathy studies, have shown strong evidence supporting linguistic and evolutionary links between humans and other species, thereby …

The Efficacy Of Melodic Based Communication Therapy For Eliciting Speech In Nonverbal Children With Autism, Givona A. Sandiford

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to compare the efficacy of Melodic Based Communication Therapy (MBCT) to traditional speech and language therapy for eliciting speech in nonverbal children with autism. Efficacy was assessed by number of: verbalizations, correct words, words reported by parent, and imitative attempts. Additionally it examines the effect of exposure to MBCT on social language abilities as measured by score on the Pragmatic Language Skills Inventory (PLSI); the effect of age on the response to treatment, and the predictors of overall effectiveness of treatment.

Participants were 12 nonverbal children with autism ages 5 through 7 randomly assigned …

Invisibly Wounded Warriors: The Psychological Repercussions Of War On American Soldiers, Maisy Bragg

Honors Theses

The demands that come with war can be both physically and mentally traumatizing and damaging to the soldier in many ways. These psychological injuries manifest themselves in what physicians call Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The purpose of this paper is to examine Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in American Soldiers by analyzing the training methods, human’s natural aversion to killing, pre-deployment medical exams, type of warfare, and treatment options provided in war; specifically the Civil War, World War I and World War II, Vietnam, and the Iraq War. By taking into account the history of PTSD as a disease, as well as these …

A Cross-National Analysis Of The Human Papillomavirus, Sexually Transmitted Infections, And Sexual Behavior Among Men, Euna Marie August

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a paucity of research on the risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and sexual behavior among general populations of men. Research with male populations predominantly has focused on those subgroups considered to be at high risk of disease transmission, such as gay and bisexual men, injection drug users, and adolescents/young adults. Considerably fewer studies have examined factors among men, in general, and heterosexual men, specifically. Therefore, I conducted analyses with a cross-national sample of adult, sexually active men in Brazil, Mexico, and the United States to investigate sexual behaviors and risk factors associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV) …

The Closure Of New Orleans' Charity Hospital After Hurricane Katrina: A Case Of Disaster Capitalism, Kenneth Brad Ott

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Amidst the worst disaster to impact a major U.S. city in one hundred years, New Orleans’ main trauma and safety net medical center, the Reverend Avery C. Alexander Charity Hospital, was permanently closed. Charity’s administrative operator, Louisiana State University (LSU), ordered an end to its attempted reopening by its workers and U.S. military personnel in the weeks following the August 29, 2005 storm. Drawing upon rigorous review of literature and an exhaustive analysis of primary and secondary data, this case study found that Charity Hospital was closed as a result of disaster capitalism. LSU, backed by Louisiana state officials, …

Daily Experiences Of Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment, Elizabeth Hahn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rationale and study aims: Persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) experience declines in everyday functioning and cognitive performance greater than what is experienced in normal aging but less than that of dementia. Daily stress and daily memory complaints associated with cognitive deficits may contribute to greater psychological distress in the day-to-day experiences of persons with MCI. However, research examining the occurrence of daily stressors, daily memory complaints and psychological distress in MCI is limited, and it is not clear how the daily processes of stress and affect in persons with MCI compare to cognitively healthy older adults. This dissertation examined …

A Factor Analysis Of The Health, Safety, And Welfare In The Built Environment Toward Interior Design As Perceived By Building Industry Professionals, Dana Marie Moody

Doctoral Dissertations

This research study created, piloted, and field tested a new instrument designed to collect perceptions toward an interior designer’s impact on the health, safety, and welfare of the public. It also established an initial profile of perceptions within building industry professionals, identified the salient factors within those perceptions, and determined the level of these factors through a factor analysis. The Health, Safety, & Welfare in the Built Environment instrument was developed using a Table of Specifications based on the subject content that interior designers must be familiar with in regards to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public …

The Role Of Faith And Spirituality In The Work Of End-Of-Life Caregivers, Edward P. Stannard

Master of Arts in Religious Studies (M.A.R.S. Theses)

Nurses, certified nursing assistants and other healthcare workers who care for those who are terminally ill face issues of mortality and even existential questions every day on the job. These professionals, who have intimate contact with their patients daily, must find an inner source of strength and perseverance in order to face people who are at the end of their lives, who may be in pain, and who frequently are alone in their rooms aside from the institution’s staff. This study asks whether an inner sense of religious faith or spirituality helps end-of-life healthcare workers conduct their daily tasks and …