Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Recruitment Of American Indian Foster Parents, Donna Vig

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

• Help Family Connect meet the needs of Native American Foster Children.
• Increase the number of American Indian families who provide foster care for enrolled (or eligible for enrollment) tribal children.
• Educate all foster families by providing a cultural resource guide.

Best Practice Resource Manual For New Social Workers At District 77, Shelby Lenzen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

When starting a new job many places of employment have new employee orientation. During this process many employers educate the new employee on the background of the company or organization, policies and procedures, what their job entails and the employers expectations of the new social work employee. However, currently in the Mankato School District 77 there is no orientation specific for incoming school social workers or interns to help guide them in their job. This would also benefit MSW practicum students as they enter the school district. Also, when the social worker or intern starts with District 77 they do …

A Community Based System Of Integrated Clinical Care: Primary Care, Mental Health And Substance Use Treatment, Terri Reuvers

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Our segregated medical and mental health care system misses opportunities for early detection of physical disease. Missed opportunities lead to increased costs. Colorado’s Medicaid health plan estimates that an integrated health program will reduce costs for patients with psychiatric disorders by 10%. The cost of doing nothing may exceed $300 billion per year in the United States (NCCBH, 2010). The purpose of this Capstone project is to critically examine existing models of Integrated Primary and Mental Health care. These models will then be evaluated to identify those most compatible with rural communities in Southern Minnesota.

Evidence-Based Protocols For Assessment And Treatment Of Adolescent Suicide Risk In An Emergency Department, Rebecca Bentele

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Suicide and suicide attempts are a frequently encountered clinical crisis and the assessment, management and treatment of suicidal patients is one of the most stressful tasks for clinicians (Fowler, 2012). The purpose of this project was to examine whether current assessment and treatment protocols followed in the ED, Mankato, adhere to best-­‐practices as identified through research, as well as to make recommendations to MCHS-­‐Mankato for future considerations and potential modifications to existing protocols.

The Working Alliance: A Survey Of An Outpatient Mental Health Center, Jennifer Bramstedt

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This research investigated the working alliance between therapist and client at RiverView Clinic, an outpatient mental health center. Utilizing data captured by the Working Alliance Inventory-Short Revised (WAI-SR), the research posited the following:

• median total scores from therapist’s would be higher than median scores of the working alliance from clients
• clients who presented with mild to moderate concerns would have higher working alliance scores than clients who reported moderate to severe concerns
• new clients would have higher task and goal sub-scores than clients in therapy for more than fifteen sessions
• if working alliance scores reflected ruptures or strains in the …

Truancy Intervention And Prevention Programs For The Marshall Middle School, Gayle Chandler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

After completing a field practicum at the Marshall Middle School in Marshall, MN it was realized that like many other schools in the nation; the truancy problem is growing at an alarmingly fast rate.

• The Marshall Middle School is comprised of grades 5-8.
• Under the age of 12 would be considered educational neglect.
• 12 years of age and older is considered truancy per Minnesota State Statute.

This project aims to research intervention and prevention programs for both truancy and educational neglect that have been tested, compare them to the needs of the Marshall Middle School, and make a recommendation as …

Strategies For Success In A Residential Program, Madison Kaye

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The question that this researcher sought to answer is the reasons for success of the Cedar Crest residential program. Hopefully, this information would help aid the program director and program manager with continuing the success of the program as well as to train incoming staff. In addition, it was the goal of this researcher to provide information to the program director that may help aid with success at other programs run by Thomas Allen, Inc. (TAI).

A Guide To Understanding, Building And Sustaining An Effective Therapeutic Community, Sara Loose

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this guide is to facilitate an understanding of therapeutic community/ milieu therapy concepts as well as building and sustaining an effective therapeutic community on each unit, in each cottage, and within Leo A. Hoffmann Center as a whole. This guide includes evidence based research that supports the use of therapeutic community principles, and interventions and evaluation tools that can potentially be used by Leo A. Hoffmann Center to enhance services. Ultimately, the goal of the project is to provide the agency with a tangible, well rounded resource that can be used by the multidisciplinary team to provide …

Paraphilias: Relevant Factors For Treatment Providers Of Sexual Offenders, Darren Tungsvik

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

• To educate clinical staff at MSOP of Paraphilic disorders and their factors related to the treatment of sexual offenders.
• Contribute to MSOP’s mission of promoting public safety through providing comprehensive treatment and reintegration opportunities for civilly committed sexual offenders.
• Need exists at MSOP with a lack of educational training materials for clinical staff of Paraphilic disorders and their treatment.

Differences Between Core And Animal Reminder Disgust Elicitation On A Core Disgust Avoidance Task--A Replication With Modifications, Matthew Schumann

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Compred to other emotions, there has been a lack of research on disgust as it relates to psychopathology. Of the extant research, disgust has been shown to be implicated in various anxiety disorders and consist of three domains: core, animal-reminder, and contamination disgust. There is evidence that these domains are correlated with disgust-relevant anxiety disorders, and this sensitivity to specific disgust domains have different topographical presentations. This study aims to determine if priming participants with different domain-specific videos (core, animal-reminder, neutral) and then completing a disgust-related behavioral avoidance task that is specific to the core domain, will lead to greater …

The Use Of Applications On Mobile Devices In A Midwestern Population, Sherry Werkmeister

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Mobile phone technology has increased over the past decade so much that most of the population owns a smart phone or a tablet device. Many applications can be downloaded on these devices. However, limited research exists examining the efficacy and effectiveness of these applications. In addition, attrition rates for these studies are extremely high. This study explored characteristics of the population who would be willing to use an application for help. College students (N=836) in a Midwestern metropolitan area were surveyed to determine if alcohol consumption or depressive symptoms influence an individual's willingness to use an application as an adjunct …

African Postcolonial Leadership: The Contribution Of African Student Leaders In The United States, Eric Karikari

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This qualitative study which is a contribution to literature on postcolonialism in Africa emphasizes the work of leaders in African student organizations in the US. The study seeks to investigate if the agenda in African student organizations align with those of postcolonial leaders like Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, and Julius Nyerere. There were four male and three female leaders interviewed for the study. The leaders, who came from universities in the Midwest, Northwest and the South, talked about their leadership styles, organizational vision, and knowledge of African colonial history in the context of postcolonial leadership on the continent. The study …

How Modern Family And Parenthood Represent Equal Parenting: A Feminist Discourse, Samantha B. Coffin

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Within recent discourses about parenting, the concept of equal parenting and fathering is a prominent theme. I have chosen two popular television shows that portray families to see if they represent ideas about equal parenting. I have identified three prominent themes that researchers agree comprise equal parenting: parents' equal power in decision-making, fathers challenging masculine gender expectations by actively nurturing children, and fathers sharing household duties. The findings of this thesis conclude that the television shows Parenthood and Modern Family are contradictory in their representations of equal parenting themes. Parenthood has strong examples of equal parenting, but remains more conservative …

The Educational Training Of Storm Chasers And Storm Spotters In Relation To Geographical Dispersion Across The United States, Paul R. Zunkel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

When severe weather strikes, storm chasers and storm spotters confirm that what forecasters and meteorologists are seeing on a radar screen is actually occurring in the field. While some documenters are classically trained (i.e. they have a background in atmospheric science and or meteorology attained from a 4 year university) many others are not. There are currently two organizations available for the weather enthusiast to be a part of, SKYWARN and SpotterNetwork. These organizations give weather enthusiasts a background knowledge into severe weather; however, many weather enthusiasts are not classically trained and most have not taken any formal education in …

Selection System Prediction Of Safety: A Step Toward Zero Accidents In South African Mining, Rachel Aguilera-Vanderheyden

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Underground mining is a high-risk industry with a history of frequent accidents and deaths. The purpose of this study is to identify cognitive and psychomotor factors that may predict, and ultimately be used to prevent injuries. More specifically, I tested the extent to which the Raven's Progressive Matrices, a measure of cognitive ability, and the Vienna Test System, a measure of psychomotor ability, predicted injury - It was hypothesized that the Raven's scores would explain additional unique variance beyond the psychomotor scores alone. The results show that the Raven's scores were significantly predictive of Serious Injuries when analyzed in isolation, …

Race, Gender, And Leadership Promotion: The Moderating Effect Of Social Dominance Orientation, Chelsea Chatham

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The current study aims to examine the effects that applicant race and gender have on ratings of promotability for a leadership role. The current study will also investigate the role that Social Dominance Orientation, an individual difference variable that reflects attitudes towards intergroup relations being equal or not, plays in attitudes towards a candidate's promotability. 213 participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2 (candidates race: Caucasian vs. African-American) × 2 (candidates gender: male vs. female) factorial design and asked to assess the promotability of the candidate based on a brief work history and interview responses. …

Will Lil_Spoiled_Brat42@Mail.Com Get The Job Done? An Analysis Of Employees' Email Usernames, Turnover, And Job Performance, Jessica Marie Lillegaard

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The job application process is changing, so personal identifiers, such as email usernames are becoming a potential source of information on job applicants. Previous research presented in this paper shows people do not randomly choose their email, but it is a reflection of their personality. Blackhurst, Congemi, Meyer, and Sachau (2011) found email usernames could also explain some differences in pre-employment assessment measures. The present study coded 16,258 email usernames using the coding scheme developed by Blackhurst et al. (2011). Using tenure, termination, and job performance data provided by a large multinational customer service organization, the present study would examine …

Mobile Internet Testing: Applicant Reactions To Mobile Internet Testing, Sarah Smeltzer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

With the introduction and popularity of using mobile devices to access the internet, mobile-based pre-employment assessments are becoming increasingly common. Previous research suggests that mobile-based assessments are both valid and equivalent to computer based assessments and have no adverse impact. The current study was intended to examine applicant reactions to mobile-based assessments. Findings indicate that using a smartphone to complete a pre-employment assessment had no effect on biodata and personality measures scores. Applicants also reported that using a smartphone interfered with their opportunity to perform, and that they would prefer to complete assessments on a computer. Furthermore, the option of …

Using Personality Traits To Select Customer-Oriented Security Guards, Tracy Marie Shega

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The customer orientation of current security guards was assessed using both the newly developed Customer Orientation Scale and IPIP items. Specifically, the Big Five factors of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability were measured. Scores on these two customer orientation scales were compared to measures of job satisfaction and perceived job-ability fit.

Best Practices For Drug Court: How Drug Court Judges Influence Positive Outcomes, Karen Lynn Stimler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Drug courts are an important component in the criminal justice system directed toward efforts of rehabilitation of drug and alcohol addiction that lessens the rate of recidivism. Drug court is the alternative to incarceration and traditional addiction treatment. Drug court has been characterized as therapeutic adjudication. Using "Best Practices," drug courts staffed by a judge, court team, and community partners individualize treatment protocols to motivate participant compliance and lessen the impact of the social milieu that impacts his or her recovery. Drug courts have been deemed successful in part due to the role of the judge. This research sought to …

The Extent Of Ethics Instruction In Technical And Professional Communication Graduate Programs, Kristopher R. O'Neil

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In this research, I performed a content analysis of the required courses in technical and professional communication (TPC) graduate course syllabi to investigate the prevalence of ethics-related materials included in course instruction. The literature on the topic of ethics instruction in TPC programs identifies ethics as an important area of study for technical communication students. The literature also suggests that effective ethics instruction is layered into assignments and throughout TPC curricula. The content analysis for my research included collecting the syllabi of required courses from a sample of TPC graduate programs, and coding for the occurrence of journal articles and …

Leadership And The Implementation Of Culture Change In Long-Term Care, Alexandra Natasha Garklavs

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In understanding the culture change movement in long-term care and the factors that either foster or impede its sustainability, it is important to consider a number of factors. Since leadership is important in any organization and has been identified as crucial in the implementation of culture change in long-term care, this alternate plan paper focuses on the leadership factors that either facilitate or impede the implementation of culture change. Included in this alternate plan paper is a brief overview of the culture change movement in long-term care, the role of leadership versus management in the long-term care environment, types of …

Evidence-Based Marketing Strategies To Increase Student Membership In A Professional Association, Laura Aldrich

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Membership acquisition and attrition is vital to the survival and growth of a voluntary professional association. The percentage of social work students who are members of social work voluntary professional associations is low (Attinson & Glassberg, 1983). The purpose of this project is to understand the acquisition and attrition of students in order to develop marketing strategies to increase student membership. Voluntary professional associations value student members because they are the future of the profession and the association (NASW, 2013). Student membership in a voluntary professional association is important for students as this participation provides students with opportunities for socialization …

Evidence-Based Treatment For Anxiety Disorders And Marijuana Use Across The Lifespan, Tanya Borchert

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to identify evidence-based practices relating to anxiety disorders and cannabis use throughout the lifespan. Identification of the practices will more effectively meet the needs of the clients served at the Dual Recovery Program and allow the agency to best serve clients with co-occurring anxiety disorders and cannabis use in a parallel manner. The literature indicates that there is a correlation between anxiety disorders and cannabis abuse (Buckner & Schmidt, 2011; Buckner, Zvolensky, & Schmidt, 2012; Bricker, et al., 2006; Bonn-Miller, Vujanovic, Boden, & Gross, 2011). If the anxiety disorder can be properly diagnosed …

Respectful Workplace And Violence Prevention A Fidelity Checklist For Mndot D7, Annemarie Burgess

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The Minnesota Department of Transportation strives to provide a safe and respectful workplace. Wiens (2011) notes that “Government makes up 18 percent of the U.S. workforce, according to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service; yet, 30 percent of victims of workplace violence are federal, state or local government employees”(p. 5). District 7 of the Minnesota Department of Transportation has identified issues of ongoing concern that include: communication problems, gender and generational differences, and potential union based seniority conflicts resulting in perceived intimidation and interpersonal conflict. This Capstone project was an effort to develop a fidelity checklist to ensure that state …

The Efficacy Of The Girls On The Run Program To Improve Self-Worth, Body Image, And Behavioral And Emotional Functioning: A Longitudinal Study, Morgan Marie Ames

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Girls on the Run is an after-school program for girls ages 8-13 that is focused on improving physical and mental wellbeing. Previous research has demonstrated some utility in improving mental health, especially as it relates to self-esteem and body image. The current study focused on the longitudinal analysis of girls in this program to determine how long they need to be in this program to gain the most benefits in three key areas of mental wellbeing: body image satisfaction, global self-worth (a facet of self-esteem), and behavioral and emotional functioning. The results indicate that, in this sample from a small …

The Puzzle Of Paradoxical Insomnia, Kristina Peltz

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The current study investigated differences in objective sleep measures and subjective sleep measures between people with paradoxical insomnia and people with accurate perceptions of sleep, finding that sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset time significantly predicted whether someone would have paradoxical insomnia. There were no significant differences in sleep structure between groups as previous research has suggested. The study also examined differences in personality factors, attitudes toward sleep, and insomnia severity ratings, finding that people with paradoxical insomnia had more dysfunctional beliefs about sleep and higher insomnia severity ratings, but no significant personality differences. Together, these findings suggest …

Communication Of Emotion In Music, Jesse Paul Huhnerkoch

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The communication of emotion in music has been shown to be dependent on musical structure and emotional prompting with lyrical messages. This study seeks a new approach to researching the communication of emotion in music by creating musical samples that are based upon the sound wave frequency parameters of emotive speaking. An electronic survey containing six different emotive musical samples was conducted to gather listener interpretations of the intended emotional quality. Further research is needed to properly distinguish the parameters of emotive frequencies in order to provide for exposure of the functionalities of this phenomenon.

Parenting, Peregrination, And Politics: A Study Of Family Policy And Immigration In West European Welfare States, Jeremy Lee Jackson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The title of this thesis is "Parenting, Peregrination, and Politics: A Study of Family Policy and Immigration in West European Welfare States." The author's name is J.L. Jackson, a candidate for a Master of Science degree in cross-disciplinary studies (foci in sociology and political science) at Minnesota State University, Mankato, located in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. This thesis was published in 2013. This writing seeks to answer the question "does an increase in immigration cause family policy spending and coverage in advanced West European democracies to expand?" Qualitative methods, including content analysis, as well as quantitative analysis of existing data …

Urban Growth Patterns And Effectiveness Of The Metropolitan Urban Service Areas In Woodbury, Minnesota, Danielle Thomas

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a specific urban sprawl containment strategy called the Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA). MUSA was developed for Minneapolis/St. Paul in order to ensure organized and practical development in areas that already had pre-built roads and sewer system infrastructures. Currently, MUSA is not an urban boundary; its specific goal is to, "synchronize urban growth with the provision of infrastructure needed to accommodate growth" (Council, August 2006). To evaluate the rigidity of the MUSA boundaries, the sample years of 1990, 2000, 2010 and the projected 2020 boundaries were subjected to spatial analysis utilizing three different software …