Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Atomoxetine On Attentional Lapses: An Animal Model, Pooja Chawla

Honors Theses

Atomoxetine (ATX) is a non-stimulant drug that has been used to treat symptoms of ADHD, including lapses of attention. These attentional lapses are depicted as a longer, positive skew in a reaction time distribution comprised of a normal and an exponential curve. The central tendency is thought to represent sensory-motor processing; while the positive skew is thought to be caused by attentional lapses in animal models. This positive skew is larger in individuals with ADHD and is thought to be a result of an increased number of attentional lapses. In the animal model used in this experiment reaction time is …

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures In Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Systematic Review, Megan N. Houston, Johanna M. Hoch, Matthew C. Hoch

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: A comprehensive systematic literature review of the health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) differences among individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI), ankle-sprain copers, and healthy control participants has not been conducted. It could provide a better indication of the self-reported deficits that may be present in individuals with CAI.

Objective: To systematically summarize the extent to which HRQOL deficits are present in individuals with CAI.

Data Sources: We searched for articles in the electronic databases of EBSCO Host and PubMed Central using key words chronic, functional, mechanical, coper, instability, sprains, and patient-assessed. We also performed a hand search of reference lists, authors, …

Perceptions Of Support Networks During The Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer Experience, Stephanie M. Mazerolle, Stephanie Clines, Christianne M. Eason, William A. Pitney

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: The graduate-assistant position can be a highly influential experience because it is often the first time novice athletic trainers (ATs) are practicing autonomously.

Objective: To gain an understanding of how graduate-assistant ATs (GAATs) perceive professional socialization and mentorship during their assistantships.

Design: Semistructured phone interviews. Setting: Graduate-assistant ATs in various clinical settings.

Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-five GAATs (20 women, 5 men) studying in 1 of 3 academic tracks (postprofessional athletic training = 8, athletic training-based curriculum = 11, non-athletic training-based curriculum = 6). Median age was 24 years.

Data Collection and Analysis: Phone interviews were digitally recorded and …

An Examination Of Crisis Communications At Major Mississippi Universities, Virginia W. Mayo

Honors Theses

This thesis will examine current theory in how to prepare for, handle and communicate in a crisis supported by extensive research. The first chapter includes case studies from other college campuses, the importance of a crisis management plan, and dealing with the media in crisis situations. Next, the crisis communications theories will be applied to three major Mississippi universities through examination from interviews and the study of past crises at these universities. Interviews were conducted via email and in person, depending on the location of the school. The three Mississippi universities examined are The University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State …

We Came, We Saw, We Conferenced: Capturing And Sharing Campus Events At Georgia Southern, Debra G. Skinner, Ashley D. Lowery

University Libraries: Faculty Presentations

Your campus may be regularly hosting conferences and other events; what happens to the valuable scholarship presented over the course of the event? And do the conference organizers at your institution have an efficient and simple way to manage the submission, review, and acceptance process? At Georgia Southern University, the Zach S. Henderson Library has partnered with the Division of Continuing Education and other offices on campus to not only host 19 conferences on Digital Commons@Georgia Southern but also help the conference organizers streamline their review workflows. These successful partnerships have led to some additional, unexpected benefits, such as the …

Not Just Domestic Violence: The Role Of The Workplace In Mitigating Abusers, Katherine Soledad Martinez

University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class

No abstract provided.

Ontology-Based Information Extraction With A Cognitive Agent, Deryle W. Lonsdale, David W. Embley, Peter Lindes

Faculty Publications

Machine reading is a relatively new field that features computer programs designed to read flowing text and extract fact assertions expressed by the narrative content. This task involves two core technologies: natural language processing (NLP) and information extraction (IE). In this paper we describe a machine reading system that we have developed within a cognitive architecture. We show how we have integrated into the framework several levels of knowledge for a particular domain, ideas from cognitive semantics and construction grammar, plus tools from prior NLP and IE research. The result is a system that is capable of reading and interpreting …

Childhood Incidence Rates For Lymphoma In California: Rural Versus Urban County Comparison, Natalie Edelman

Whittier Scholars Program

Cancer use to be more rare in children, but now we are dealing with an increased rate for Childhood Cancer in the United States. Adults and children are both at risk for these potentially deadly diseases. The problem with cancer is that there is still so much about this disease that is unknown. There are many different speculations as to how cancer enters the body and things that can trigger cancer. The environment in which a child is raised in has long since been questioned as being a link or cause for specific childhood cancers. To understand this potential link …

Laws Of Image: Privacy And Publicity In America, Samantha Barbas

Books

Americans have long been obsessed with their images—their looks, public personas, and the impressions they make. This preoccupation has left its mark on the law. The twentieth century saw the creation of laws that protect your right to control your public image, to defend your image, and to feel good about your image and public presentation of self. These include the legal actions against invasion of privacy, libel, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. With these laws came the phenomenon of "personal image litigation"—individuals suing to vindicate their image rights. Laws of Image tells the story of how Americans came …

The Effects Of Frequent Exposure To Violence And Trauma On Police Officers, Ternarian A. Warren

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police officers who maintain negative or traumatic information in long-term memory are vulnerable to mental illness, unstable emotional and behavioral responses, interpersonal problems, and impaired social relationships. The cognitive theory suggests that police officers externalize various negative or maladaptive behaviors as a result of frequent exposure to traumatic events. Researchers have found that police officers tend to either not seek mental health treatment, try to fix their own mental health problem, or if in treatment will not be forthcoming with internalized thoughts of psychological distress. The intention of this research was to examine the relationship between police officers' frequent exposure …

Predictors Of Harmful Sexual Behaviors In A Normative Population, Matthew A. Poinsett

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In order to identify important predictors of high-risk and aggressive sexual behavior, this study examined the relationships between problematic sexual behavior, aberrant sexual experiences, family environment, parental monitoring, delinquency, and peer relatedness. Participants were 344 college students who completed the Comprehensive Sexual Experience Survey (CSES), an online questionnaire. High-risk behaviors, including possible victimization, were predicted by aberrant sexual experiences, family environment, delinquency, and parental monitoring. Regression analyses indicated that aggressive sexual behavior was associated with aberrant sexual experiences and delinquency. Examination of data across genders indicated significant differences between them, including men’s earlier initiation of masturbation and pornography use, higher …

Implementing A Holistic Approach To Enhance Career Opportunities For Transition Students With Disabilities, Susan Stuntzner, Bryan Austin

Counseling Faculty Publications

Transition services are vitally important and an essential component of successful employment, career planning, self-determination, and independent living for students with disabilities. Public schools strive to meet the federal mandates placed upon them to help this group of students reach graduation and beyond. However, students with disabilities oftentimes fall short and do not succeed following high school. In an effort to change this trend, information pertaining to transition services and ways it can be enhanced are provided. This chapter addresses: the necessity of transition services and its relationship to federal legislation, barriers that inhibit students’ successful transition to adult life, …

Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up And Leave Insecurity Behind By: Dr. Kristen Neff (Review), Susan Stuntzner

Counseling Faculty Publications

In her book, Dr. Neff helps the reader understand self-compassion and its importance. She clarifies the essential components which make up compassion, as much of this is also discussed throughout her research. In addition, she explains benefits and constructive reasons to consider self-compassion and applies it to various life domains to which we all can relate due to our being human. Finally, Dr. Neff ends her book with a beautiful illustration of the ways we can emerge ‘for the better’ when we are on the other side of our difficult times and when we have incorporated self-compassion into our lives …

A Life Beyond Endurance By: Fay Grindrod (Review), Susan Stuntzner

Counseling Faculty Publications

The author of this book is one such individual. Ms. Grindrod witnessed the Holocaust from an early age, saw and experienced the devastating effects of it firsthand. Grindrod opens the book with a synopsis of her time and experiences as a master’s student in a guidance and counseling program. During this portion of her life, she is afforded an opportunity to explore and write about her own (a) personal and life development; (b) familial experiences growing up and those that occurred during the Holocaust; (c) testimonial witnessing to mass starvation amongst people she knew; and (d) stark observations of friends, …

Financial Statement Disclosure Of Carbon Footprint Costs In The Airline Industry, Carol Anne Tuck-Riggs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Unaccountable corporate polluters profit short term at the expense of global economic sustainability. The purpose of the study was to determine if carbon dioxide (CO2) penalties on the airline emissions would result in financial statement disclosure and emission mitigation. Contributing to environmental accounting, the study was based in corporate social responsibility with a conceptual framework based on economically-centered CO2 studies. A random sample of 69 global airlines, taken from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) memberships, was stratified between EU bound and non-EU bound airlines. The research questions explored (a) the frequency mean …

Public Corruption In Liberian Government, Stephen H. Gobewole

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a widespread public perception of corruption in Liberia's election process, yet there is little documentation on the characteristics of voters and their perceptions of electoral corruption. The purpose of this correlational study was to explore the relationship between gender, ethnicity, physical location, and perceptions about political activity during the 2005 national election. Roderick Chisolm's conceptualization of the internalist view of justification served as the theoretical construct. Data were acquired from the Afrobarometer survey (n = 1,200), which used a representative cross-sectional sample design, and were subjected to cross-tabulation analysis, a chi-square test, and a correlation analysis. The results …

Road Management System And Road Safety In Uganda, Paul Gudoi Zanule

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traffic collisions cost Uganda millions of dollars each year. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to describe the strategies and processes needed to implement a road management system. Such a system would significantly reduce the fatalities and accidents in Uganda, improve the transportation within Kampala's business district, and increase business profitability. Three conceptual theories framed the research study: management theory, strategic management theory, and criminology theory. Using a snowball sampling strategy, data were collected from open-ended interviews, questionnaires, observations, and archived documents from 20 administrative participants in the government and organizational leaders involved in the transport operations and …

Resilience Among Immigrant Adult Learners: Experiences In Postsecondary Education--A Mixed-Methods Study, Sandra Lee Samuels

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A human being's resilience refers to his or her abilities to combine internal and/or external resources effectively in response to significant contextual challenges in order to best succeed in a given environment. As such, this concept is vital across the lifespan and has been widely researched. However, few researchers to date have studied resilience as it relates to adult learners, and, significantly, those with immigrant status. Immigrant adult learners are facing compounded risks, which create challenges in various societies to identify this group's unique needs and/or to fully understand their experiences in diverse contexts, such as the Cayman Islands. Informed …

Beyond Elections: Ghana's Democracy From The Perspective Of The Citizenry, Ransford Osafo-Danso

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ghana's democracy has been hailed by scholars, practitioners, and the international community in recent years as a shining example in the West African subregion as a result of the country's record of organizing successive elections with minimal or no violence. However, the evaluation of Ghana's democracy has predominantly focused on the elections and disproportionately captures the views of the political elite; conspicuously missing is the perspective of the ordinary Ghanaian. This presents an incomplete picture of Ghana's democracy, given the relevance of citizens' participation in democratic societies. To address this gap in knowledge, this qualitative case study explored the practice …

An Examination Of Tribal Nation Integration In Homeland Security National Preparedness, Donald J. Reed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has established that national homeland security policy requires a whole community or all-of-nation approach to national security preparedness. What is less clear is whether all stakeholders are integrated into or benefit from this collective effort. This narrative policy analysis examined the relationship between a federally-recognized group of Native American tribal nations and homeland security national preparedness to explore whether tribal nations are effectively integrated with the collective effort for national preparedness. The theoretical framework stemmed from a convergence of social contract theory and conflict theory. Interviews (n = 21) were conducted with preparedness authorities from government agencies, and from …

Government Senior Executives' Perceptions Of Brain Drain On Leadership In The United States Virgin Islands, Shurla Jeffers-Knight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Highly qualified individuals are leaving the Caribbean and relocating to the United States and other developed countries. Researchers describe this resulting flight of human capital, or brain drain, from the Caribbean as a problem which has no clear definition or immediate solution. This phenomenological study explored perceptions of government senior executives in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) of the cause and impact of brain drain. Burns' and Bass's transformational and transactional leadership theories were used as the framework for this study. Data were collected through a demographic questionnaire and semistructured interviews with a snowball sample of 10 participants. Data …

Early Maladaptive Schemas In An Australian Adult Alcohol Dependent Clinical Sample: Differences Between Men And Women, Diana Lanie Janson

Theses : Honours

Recent literature suggests that there are widespread differences between men and women’s Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs) and that EMSs are highly prevalent in alcohol dependent populations. The present study examined differences between men and women’s EMSs in an Australian clinical sample who had sought treatment specifically for alcohol dependence. A total of 111 men and 114 women completed the Young Schema Questionnaire – Long Form (YSQ-L3) between 2012 and 2015 in order to assess them on 18 EMSs. Despite previous findings suggesting that women report higher levels on a number of EMSs the present study found that women only scored …

Public Perceptions Of The Perth Drug Court As A Mechanism For Dealing With Drug Related Crime, Dominic Jordan

Theses : Honours

In the last two decades, drug courts have been introduced throughout Australia, to address the issue of drug related crime. Drug courts aim to reduce criminal recidivism by placing drug dependent offenders into intensive supervision and treatment programs. Research has revealed that drug courts, including the Perth Drug Court, can reduce criminal recidivism in offenders for whom drug use is a dynamic risk factor for their criminal behaviour. Currently however, little is known about the public’s knowledge and perceptions of drug courts. The aim of the current study was to determine the perceptions of a sample of the Western Australian …

The Lived Experience Of Mothering For Women With Multiple Sclerosis, Astrid Marilene Plumb-Parlevliet

Theses : Honours

The lived experience of mothers with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have young children was explored. Using purposive sampling, 10 mothers with MS each participated in an in-depth semi-structured interview. The participants varied in demographics and had varying symptoms of MS. Interpretative phenomenological analysis identified four major themes. These themes are: changing life perspective; balancing life with MS; having children; and peer contact. The participants went through a period of avoidance before accepting life with MS and changing their life perspective. Adequately balancing life with MS, by conserving energy and having support networks, was essential to maintaining their well-being. The partners …

Identifying The Enablers And Barriers To Community Participation Amongst Older Adults, Nicole Papageorgiou

Theses : Honours

The older adult population in Western Australia (WA) has significantly increased over the last decade and continues to grow, highlighting the importance of maintaining their health, wellbeing and independence. This may be achieved by facilitating active ageing, enabling older adults to continue to live meaningful and fulfilling lives, contribute positively to society, and lower the demand on costly health and human services. Conversely, a lack of social engagement and community participation may hinder healthy ageing and lead to social isolation, which is adversely related to the quality of life and health status of older adults. Occupational participation is critical to …

The Role Of Awareness Of Repetition During The Development Of Automaticity, Emma Shadbolt

Theses : Honours

Investigation into the influence of contextual information on performance of an automatic task has found inconsistent results. The majority of studies have investigated whether changing the context of a simple cognitive task can inhibit an automatic response, but do not review whether context can help the development of automatic responding. The current study examined whether bringing awareness to the context of a simple numerosity task could aid the development of automaticity. It also examined whether participants were aware of when automaticity developed for them via a post-test interview. The numerosity task used in this study was a simple counting task …

Eye Movement Patterns As An Indicator Of Task Automaticity, Olga Clarke

Theses : Honours

Automaticity is a vital aspect of daily living, as it allows for tasks to be completed quickly and with the fraction of the cognitive load required for tasks that cannot be completed automatically. Task automaticity is commonly measured with reaction time, which is considered to be an indirect measure of behaviour. As more direct measures are becoming available, there is an opportunity to assess task automaticity in greater detail. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether eye movements change as participants reach task automaticity. The study involved 16 participants who were asked to complete the dot counting …

Construct Validity Of The Developmental Test Of Visual-Perception Third Edition (Dtvp-3) In Western Australian Primary School Children, Kirsten Clarke

Theses : Honours

Visual perception is the ability to identify, organise, make meaning of and provide sense to what is seen in the world in which we live. Visual perceptual skills continuously develop in primary school children as seen in academic performance. If visual perceptual difficulties are unaddressed, the cumulative academic result can be detrimental throughout life. Thus, visual perceptual difficulties must be identified using tests that possess sound measurement properties to allow for early intervention. The purpose of the research was to determine the construct validity of the Developmental Test of Visual Perception Third Edition (DTVP-3). The DTVP-3 was designed and standardised …

Red Dirt Writing: Journalism, Foucault And The Transformation Of Onslow, Karma Louise Barndon

Theses : Honours

The remote town of Onslow in the Pilbara region of WA plays host to two massive liquefied natural gas plants that will contribute billions to the state and national economy over the next 50 years. Recognising the importance of creating a first draft of history, the Tracking Onslow project was launched in 2012 by ECU and the Shire of Ashburton, to use journalism as a research methodology to document physical changes in the town and changing community perceptions about the gas plants and the companies that run them. The project produced six magazines over a three-year period. This practice-led thesis …

Effect Of Environmental Enrichment On Dopamine And Serotonin Transporters And Glutamate Neurotransmission In Medial Prefrontal And Orbitofrontal Cortex, Mahesh Darna, Joshua S. Beckmann, Cassandra D. Gipson, Michael T. Bardo, Linda P. Dwoskin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Recent studies have reported that rats raised in an enriched condition (EC) have decreased dopamine transporter (DAT) function and expression in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), as well as increased d-amphetamine-induced glutamate release in nucleus accumbens compared to rats raised in an isolated condition (IC). In these previous studies, DAT function and expression were evaluated using mPFC pooled from four rats for each condition to obtain kinetic parameters due to sparse DAT expression in mPFC. In contrast, accumbal glutamate release was determined using individual rats. The current study extends the previous work and reports on the optimization of DAT and serotonin …