Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Incredible Inventions Of Intuitive Ai: Ted Talk Annotated Resource List, Dylan Duckworth

Undergraduate Research Award

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Technical Leadership In Radiology Technology, Andrew Stephen Kester

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine whether administrators and supervisors in the field of radiology technology receive leadership training as part of their job and whether there is a significant difference for those who do not receive training. If no training is received, does promotion to a leadership position based on technical proficiency or longevity relate to successful leadership characteristics? Currently, no leadership courses are offered in undergraduate or graduate degrees focused on Radiology Technology. Radiologic technologists are required to choose between advanced degrees in imaging to become more technically proficient or advanced degrees in management or business …

The Influence Of Culture On The Use Of Healthcare Services By Refugees In Southcentral Kentucky: A Mixed Study, Chika N. Ejike

Dissertations

The world as a global village has become a ubiquitous trope in the popular discourse, and Bowling Green, Kentucky, with its substantial immigrant population, may be considered an exemplar of this idealized community. It has become an ideal location for research regarding the challenges faced by immigrants. Due to the diverse cultural identities of the refugee/immigrant population, it is particularly well suited for studies into complex culturally dependent healthcare utilization patterns.

The central research question for the study was as follows: What are the healthcare-seeking behavioral patterns (as influenced by culture) among refugees at their nearest healthcare facilities? This mixed …

The Goal-Driven, Resilient, And Influential Teens Program In Kentucky High Schools: The Impact On Social And Emotional Learning And Influencing Factors, Brant Von Goble

Dissertations

In order to assess the effects of the Goal-driven, Resilient, and Influential Teens (GRIT) program on social and emotional learning and academic performance in high schools throughout Kentucky, data from several sources were compiled and analyzed. These sources included results from the Student Engagement and Performance (STEP) survey, an instrument developed by the Rock Solid Evaluation Team at Western Kentucky University and administered yearly to high school students and teachers, and school-level academic and socioeconomic data from the Kentucky Department of Education. Additional data on fidelity of GRIT program implementation were obtained from FranklinCovey, the GRIT program’s developer and publisher. …

Colors In The World Of Healing", Jordan Mcroberts

Student Research Conference Select Presentations

Color has many places in the world. The human body and mind react to color in a way that is hard to explain. It is sometimes so subtle we may not even notice it. In this physician office’s design, color is picked out and placed to promote health and wellness. The research 69 conducted shows that color alters mood and promotes health in the human body. The colors selected are blue, green, and white. The calming color, blue, is believed to reduce migraines, nervousness, and high blood pressure. Earthy greens are believed to be stress reducing and have a positive …

Factors That Influence Physicians To Assume Leadership Roles: A Focus On Clinical Integration, Jennifer Lynne Jackson

Dissertations

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) drastically altered the healthcare industry in the United States. Along with multiple other directives, the PPACA mandated that physicians and hospitals work together in strategies known as clinical integration. For effective clinical integration to be achieved, interdependence among physicians and hospitals is required to provide the highest quality outcomes for patients at the best possible value. To this end, healthcare leaders have identified that the key to establishing successful clinical integration is the presence and commitment of physician leaders (Penlington & Marshall, 2016).

This study explores factors that influenced a …

Eng 100: The Escape From Cool, Pu Hsin Huang

English 100-200-300 Conference

No abstract provided.

Using Professional Development To Build Pre-Service Teachers' Self-Efficacy For Helping Students With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder To Learn, Natalie J. West

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study determined if a professional development on PTSD would improve pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy for helping students with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to learn. Participants consisted of 59 college students from one large, comprehensive, Mid-Southern university who were enrolled in an education program and an educational psychology course. Using a quasi-experimental method, participants either received the PTSD professional development (treatment) or regular instruction (control group). All participants completed a measure of demographics, a pre-test measure of selfefficacy for helping students with PTSD to learn, which was further dissected into four constructs (i.e., self-efficacy for identifying students with PTSD, adapting …

Push To Pray: A Conceptual Framework For Significant Change In Prayer Frequency In One Church, Charles Alexander Elliott

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In recent years, an increasing amount of research has been conducted on the topic of personal spiritual practices, such as prayer. Fewer studies have been conducted on reasons for changes in the frequency of such practices within the church. Those that have addressed church behavior have most often measured attendance and membership. It is the goal of this study to conceptualize potential causes for changes in personal prayer practice at one church. A yearlong marketing campaign was used to help increase church attenders’ frequency of the personal spiritual practice of prayer. Two cross-sectional studies were conducted one-year apart and revealed …

Noncontingent Reinforcement And Decreasing Problem Behaviors With Students With Special Needs And Its Effect On Teacher Behavior, Leah D. Pritchett

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A pilot study of noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) was conducted using NCR statements to (a) decrease target behaviors, (b) increase unprompted praise statements from the teacher and decrease reprimands, and (c) increase proximity to the participants by the teacher implementing NCR. Data were collected using a single-subject research design on two participants and one teacher. The target behaviors were physical and verbal aggression and inappropriate gestures. Teacher behaviors targeted with this study were praise statements, reprimands, and proximity to students. The participants included were one 16-year-old student with an emotional behavior disability, one 18-year-old student identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) …

The Effects Of Parenting Relationships And Sports, John Carder Dallas

Student Research Conference Select Presentations

Youth sport participation in our society is on the rise, with 90% of children taking part in some form of organized sport between the ages of 5 and 17. With more children becoming more active in sporting activities, the role of par ents can impact parent/child communication and mold the character of the child. Parents with p ositive involvement in their child’s activities emphasized skills such as hard work and team building rather than winning or losing. The way involved parents communicated with children also impacted the motivation a child had for participating in a sport. Children receiving positive messages …

Ua42 Regional Review: Reaching New Heights In The Region Spring 2017, Heather Garcia , Editor

Regional Campuses Publications

No abstract provided.

Teaching Assistant [Career Paper], Madelynn Williams

Undergraduate Research Award

No abstract provided.

Ua19/16/2 Football Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases, game statistics and photos related to WKU football team for January to June 2017.

Ua3/9 Email To Faculty & Staff, Gary Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Emails from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty & staff from January to June 2017.

• Balancing Our Budget by Year End, 3/2
• Campus Forum, 4/12
• Farewell Message, 6/30
• Finance Fact Sheet, 1/20
• Gary Ransdell to Lead Semester at Sea Program, 2/8
• Invitation University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 6/5
• New Chapter, 2/8
• New Semester, 1/20
• Personnel Actions, 6/19
• Spring Semester Message, 4/6
• Statement on Immigration Ban, 1/30
• Video Surveillance Systems Policy, 6/19

The Evolution Of Women Pastors In Mainline Protestant Denominations, Rita G. Burnett

Dissertations

Subsequent to receiving official approval from denominational authorities more than 40 years ago, an increasing number of women appear to be expressing a ministerial call upon their lives and entering pastoral leadership. Many women pastors find acceptance in mainline protestant denominations (MPD). Yet, despite improvements, women still face unique challenges in ministry compared with men. Nevertheless, they continue to pursue opportunities in ministry. Mentoring helps offset impediments and provides a professional development outlet for enhancing skill sets and empowering women to overcome these hurdles. Thus, the purpose behind this study remains to identify challenges faced by women pastors related to …

Intercollegiate Athlete Perceptions Of Justice In Team Disciplinary Decisions, Jared M. Diaz

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study examined justice perceptions of an intercollegiate athlete who was punished for a team rule violation outside of competition. This scenario study is a modified replication of Severs’ (2009) study on justice perceptions of intercollegiate athletes; one additional factor, importance of the next competition, was examined in the current study. Perceptions of fairness and perceptions of likelihood of deterring future misconduct were examined using a factorial design with two levels of punishment severity (severe and moderate), two levels of misconduct severity (severe and moderate), two types of punishment distribution (consistent and conditional), and two types of game importance …

Ua35/8 Reveille, Veterans Upward Bound Program, Western Kentucky University

Veterans Upward Bound Publications

Frequently Asked Questions.; Hot Rods Military Appreciation Day; VACBOC Clothing Drive; Million Veteran Program Update: Important Phone Numbers and Dates

Effect Of Student Classroom Cell Phone Usage On Teachers, Daniel Pulliam

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The increase in student cell phone use in classrooms has led to a decrease in academic performance and satisfaction with instruction (Dietz & Henrich, 2014). Currently, it is unknown as to whether student classroom cell phone usage has any effect on the teacher. The purpose of this study was to determine student and teacher opinions of classroom cell phone usage and perceived distraction. Surveys were conducted with a sample of college students (N = 163) and college faculty (N = 289), from a university in the Southeastern region of the United States. Data indicate there are differing opinions on classroom …

Using Explicit Social Skills Instruction Combined With A Restricted Interest Group To Increase The Frequency Of Social Skills In Students With Autism, Krista Shea Cummings

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The literature suggests that adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are characterized by restricted interests and deficits in social skills (White, Keonig, & Scahill, 2007). Due to the deficits associated with ASD, adolescents with ASD do not typically engage in social interactions at a rate similar to their same age typicallydeveloping peers (Wagner, Cadwallader, Garza, & Cameto, 2004). This study assessed whether explicit social skills instruction in a restricted interest group in an afterschool club setting increased the frequency of specific social skills in two students identified with ASD. A multiple baseline experimental design was implemented across behaviors. During baseline …

The Effects Of Provided Powerpoint Presentations On Student Perceptions Of Personal Responsbility, Sarah Elizabeth Mannon Cravero

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Psychologists have examined the effects of numerous variables on classroom performance, but little research exists to demonstrate how specific teaching techniques, specifically the provision of printed presentation notes (such as presentation slides), affects student perception of responsibility. This study sought to discover the impact that providing presentation slides for use during lecture would have on students’ performance, as well as their perceptions of personal responsibility. In order to determine the effects of provided presentation notes on performance and perceived responsibility, this study examined the self-efficacy and locus of control of students assigned to either take their own notes or to …

An Examination Of The Incremental Validity Of The Serve-Specific Core Self-Evaluation Scale Over The Core Self-Evaluation Scale In Predicting Serve Performance, Joshua S. Bowman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examined the relationship of the serve-specific core self-evaluation scale (SS-CSES) with serve performance of inter-collegiate volleyball athletes. The SSCSES is a modified version of the core self-evaluations scale (CSE). It was hypothesized that SS-CSES would be related to serve performance, that SS-CSE would be more related to serve performance than CSE, and that SS-CSE would have incremental validity over CSE when predicting serve performance. Responses to the two scales and selfassessments of server performance were collected online through self-report questionnaire. Additionally, NCAA serve statistics were collected by the researchers. Results indicated that SS-CSE was a stronger predictor of …

Efficacy Of A Mobile Application For Improving Gait Performance In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Dustin Glenn Falls

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The United States is a rapidly aging nation. Older adults have higher rates of falls than any other age group. One in four older adults fall each year. Many of these falls are associated with sedentary lifestyles and decreased muscular strength effecting balance and gait performance. Physical activity (exercise) can reduce the risk of falls among older adults, yet adherence remains low. Exergames can increase adherence to interventions that promote health and physical activity. Social engagement can increase self-efficacy and motivation to exercise. By design, the Bingocize® health promotion mobile application (app) increases social engagement, while providing a multi-factorial fall …

Attachment As Affirmation To Inhibit Health Risk Information Avoidance, Elizabeth C. Mccrary

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Previous research on information avoidance has revealed that people choose to avoid negative health information, but that this effect is interrupted by self-affirmation (Howell & Shepperd, 2013). The current study aimed to contribute to the field’s understanding of the conditions under which self-affirmation reduces information avoidance by using a unique affirmation: secure attachment figures. I hypothesized that activating a secure attachment would serve as the affirmation necessary for participants to choose to view their risk information for a fictitious enzyme deficiency. However, when given a choice, participants in both the experimental and control conditions chose to view this information. At …

Nightmares In The Kitchen: Personal Experience Narratives About Cooking And Food, Sarah T. Shultz

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis explores personal experience narratives about making mistakes in the preparation and serving of food. In order to understand when these narratives, referred to in the text as “kitchen nightmares,” are told, to whom, in what form, and why, one-onone and group ethnographic interviews were conducted. In total, 13 interviews were conducted with 25 individuals (men and women) ranging in age from 19 to 70. Six major themes of kitchen nightmare narratives are identified in Chapter One. Chapter Two explores one of these themes, resistance, in the context of the kitchen nightmare stories of heterosexual married women. Chapter Three …

The Consistency Of Teacher Ratings On The Behavior Assessment System For Children-3 And The Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5, Carly A. Rentsch

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The assessment of children’s social-emotional skills, especially in the preschool years, is essential, as it yields early identification of problems and allows for appropriate interventions to be tried. School psychologists and other professionals use a variety of assessment methods (e.g., observations, interviews, behavior rating scales) to determine a child’s social-emotional abilities. Two popular behavior rating scales used frequently by professionals are the Behavior Assessment System for Children-Third Edition (BASC-3) and the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 (CBCL 1.5-5). The current study examines the consistency of results from the two instruments. Fifty-six Head Start teachers from two regions of the country completed …

Senior Woman Administrator: The Definition, Challenges, Influence, And Perceptions, Jacqueline Michelle Mcgill

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Diversity efforts implemented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hope to improve the Association through the addition of multiple voices in athletics. Notably, the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) designation is intended to encourage and promote the involvement of female administrators in meaningful ways in the decision-making process in intercollegiate athletics. This role, created under Article 4.02.4 of the NCAA constitution, is to be filled by the highest ranking female in each NCAA athletic department or member conference (Levick, 2002; Raphaely, 2003). Given the evolving definition and nature of the SWA designation and of female managerial roles (Eagly & Karau, …

Examining The Relationship Between Medical Concerns And Overall Mental Health Rating, Sarah M. Wilson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

It is widely supported that there are significant, positive relationships between the occurrence of some mental health symptoms and physical illnesses. Research indicates that the burden experienced by those with a physical and mental illness are magnified compared to individuals who do not experience an illness. More specifically, one of the burdens experienced by individuals is the monetary burden of affording the necessary health services to properly manage their illness.

This study attempts to reveal a difference between mental health symptom count for individuals who do and do not experience difficulty affording health care for their physical problems. The first …

Inexhaustible Magic: Folklore As World Building In Harry Potter, Samantha G. Castleman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The practice of secondary world building, the creation of a fantasy realm with its own unique laws and systems has long been a tradition within the genre of fantasy writing. In many notable cases, such as those publications by J.R.R. Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft, folklore exhibited in the world of the reader has been specifically used not only to construct these fantasy realms, but to add depth and believability to their presentation. The universe of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series demonstrates this same practice of folklore-as-world-building, yet her construction does much more than just create a fantasy realm. By using …

Signing To Maintain Joint Attention With Children With Down Syndrome, Rachel Dauer Burns

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study examined the role of two different methods of sign presentation on signed and spoken language acquisition of toddlers aged two to four years with Down syndrome (DS). The aim of this study was to determine if a method commonly used by native signers/Deaf mothers (referred to in this study as signing to maintain joint attention (SMJA)) was more effective than the method commonly used by hearing mothers and speech-language pathologists (referred to in this study as the triangular method of signing). Both methods were compared in a within-subject design for effects on the participants’ total number of …