Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Lounge Chair Criteria For The Elderly, Edna M. I. Bosco

Masters Theses

This study investigated relationships between lounge chair design, functional positioning and comfort for the elderly. Thirty-five elderly residents from two local congregate living residences were assessed utilizing lounge chairs located at the residence. Measurements of the chairs were taken, coded and compared to specific norms established by Harris and Mayfield (1983b). Measurements consisted of armrest dimensions, seat depth and height, seat slope, and backrest dimensions. Each chair was scored based on the number of recommended standards for comfort met in the Harris and Mayfield research (1983b).

Frequency counts were taken and descriptive data collected and analyzed to determine relationships between …

Correlates And Infant Mortality: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Among Black Women In The United States, Paulette Aubrey

Masters Theses

Often referred to as "cot death" or "crib death," sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the single leading cause of infant death in infants aged 28 days to 1 year of life. Although the exact etiology of SIDS remains unknown, epidemiological studies have identified risk factors associated with higher rates of SIDS. In this study, the relationship between sudden infant death syndrome and maternal education among black women who gave birth in the United States during 1983 was examined.

The population for this study consisted of black infants who were born in 1983 and died before their first birthday. Among …

Effects Of Familiarity With A Sample-Stimulus In Selection-Based Learning Of Verbal Behavior, Robert J. Wallander

Masters Theses

Selection-based verbal behavior involves indicating a stimulus in some way from a set of stimuli. Twenty undergraduates served as subjects in this study of familiarity with a sample stimulus in a selection-based paradigm. The study utilized twenty Japanese Kanji characters as the comparison stimuli to be selected. Half the subjects were presented English names of animals as sample stimuli and the other half of the subjects were presented Japanese Katakana symbols (which appear as little more than nonsense figures) as sample stimuli.

T-tests were performed on the average number of twenty-trial blocks needed to meet criterion (two consecutive blocks without …

Comparing Selection-Based And Topography-Based Language Systems With Verbal Adults Learning Japanese Words, Matthew A. Stratton

Masters Theses

This study compared selection-based with topography-based learning of similar verbal relationships. In two previous studies, using developmentally disabled subjects, topography-based relations were easier to learn. The previous researchers suggested that the advantage of a topography-based system would increase as the number of relations to be learned increased.

To investigate this possibility, the present study used a 5 and 20-stimulus version of each system. Four independent groups of seven college students each were used in a two by two design. The selection-based task consisted in learning to point to the Japanese character appropriate for each English sample. The topography-based task consisted …

Judicial Decision Making And Public Opinion In The Warren And Burger Courts, Nancy L. Siemion

Masters Theses

For many scholars, the Warren Court is the epitome of antimajoritarian policy making since many of the Court's decisions overturned legislation passed by Representatives of the people. By examining nationwide public opinion polls in that era that ask the public their thoughts about particular issues the Warren Court has ruled on, it is evident that most of these rulings were truly majoritarian and received public approval. In addition, this thesis analyzes some recent studies that discern national attitudes with respect to government policy making (public mood), assessing congruity or incongruity between the Court's liberalism and public policy mood which provides …

Language Abilities Of Male Adolescents In A Juvenile Detention Center, Krista J. Klein

Masters Theses

This study was designed to analyze the language abilities of male adolescents with delinquent behavior. It was based on the hypothesis that male adolescents with delinquent behavior would have lower language skills during expressive language tasks. Language skills of male adolescents in a juvenile detention center were examined by comparing 12 grammatical variables, four subtest scores, and one total score from the Screening Test for Adolescent Language (STAL; Prather, Ausdal-Breecher, Stafford & Wallace, 1980). Results indicated that the adolescents with delinquent behavior omitted significantly more words, but also produced significantly more secondary verbs in a narration task. Significantly lower results …

The Use Of Music Therapy To Influence The Self-Confidence And Hostility Of Adolescents Who Are Sexually Abused, Joy Clendenon-Wallen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether music therapy would be an effective therapeutic medium for reducing hostility and increasing the self-confidence of sexually abused adolescents. The study utilized an experimental and control group which is unique in the sexual abuse literature. Most studies are descriptive or quasi-experimental in nature. Some of the subjects increased their self-confidence and decreased their hostility although no statistical significance was achieved for either group. This study describes the treatment problems of sexually abused adolescents and offers examples of non-confrontational and goal directed treatment strategies which can be achieved through music therapy. Music …

Maternal Adjustment To Premature Birth: Utilizing The Roy Adaptation Model As A Theoretical Framework, Ivy Razmus

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the adjustment for primiparous mothers of preterm infants was less positive than for primiparous mothers of term infants utilizing the Roy Adaptation Model as a conceptual framework. This secondary analysis utilized data from a larger longitudinal study. The data was collected at three months post birth in the homes of the mothers. The sample consisted of 55 preterm and 46 full term mothers. The Affects Balance Scale (Derogatis, 1983) was used to measure adjustment. A significant difference was found between preterm and full term mothers on the Positive Affects Scale and …

Coping With Multiple Roles, Deborah J. Laughlin

Masters Theses

Women in increasing numbers have been combining career and family. Balancing the multiple roles may be stressful at times. The purpose of this study was to examine how different stressors influence a woman's ability to utilize coping responses. This study examined the relationships between situational variables and a nurse's ability to cope with multiple roles. The situational variables studied were: age, educational level, number of hours worked, job type, number of children, ages of the children, view of nursing, husband's agreement with the wife on the number of hours worked, and satisfaction with child care. The survey tool, the "Coping …

Hardiness And Its Relationship To Anticipatory Nausea And Vomiting Experienced By The Patient Receiving Cisplatin Chemotherapy, Colleen K. Smith

Masters Theses

Research suggests that the hardiness characteristic acts as a buffer in the stress/illness relationship. The purpose of this study was to assess the presence of hardiness and examine its relationship to the amount of anticipatory nausea and vomiting experienced within a sample of patients receiving cisplatin chemotherapy. It was hypothesized that individuals with a high level of hardiness would experience less anticipatory nausea and vomiting than individuals with a low level of hardiness.; A prospective descriptive correlational design was utilized. A convenience sample of adults with cancer (n = 29) receiving cisplatin intravenously was studied. All patients were assessed via …

Perceived Stress Levels Of Registered Nurses Employed In Medical-Surgical And Critical Care Units, Karen Snyder Keese

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to compare perceived stress levels of registered nurses employed in medical-surgical units to perceived stress levels of registered nurses employed in critical care units. A descriptive, correlational study was conducted using Wolfgang's (1988) Health Professions Stress Inventory. Perceptions of stress were measured and related to specialty, years of experience, years of nursing education, hours worked per week, and shift worked. A convenience sample of 102 registered nurses from two midwestern hospitals participated by a self administered questionnaire. Study findings included: medical-surgical nurses perceived significantly higher levels of stress than critical care nurses; stressors for …

An Investigation Of Stress And Burnout In Hospital Registered Nurses, Ellen Nora Hale

Masters Theses

This study investigated job stressors and burnout among hospital registered nurses and was based on a systems theory model in which inputs and throughputs interact to effect outputs. Job stressors were measured using the Job Stress Questionnaire (JSQ). Top-ranked stressors included heavy work load, insufficient resources, and inability to satisfy conflicting demands. Burnout was measured using the three subscales (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Based on multiple regression analyses, total JSQ scores accounted for 21% of the variance in emotional exhaustion scores. Together, years of experience and an education level of BSN or BA …

Sanatorium Care For The Tubercular Poor In Hartford, 1900-1910, Sandra L. Wheeler

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Application Of Finite Element Analysis (Fea) To Fiber-Reinforced Composite Of Recycled High Density Polyethelene, Susan X. Shao

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Children Of Alcoholics And Group Counseling In The Schools, Melissa E. Valtierra

Masters Theses

Alcoholics are not the only persons in the family affected by alcoholism. It has been estimated that four to six out of every twenty-five children in any given classroom are children from alcoholic homes. Children often learn dysfunctional patterns of behavior in a home affected by alcoholism. A smaller number of children have also been found to learn patterns of behavior that make them resilient and appear to protect them from psychological damage.

Counseling can help children of alcoholics who need help in dealing with their alcoholic homes. This type of intervention helps children vent and explore feelings, share experiences …

The Psychological Types Of Physical Therapy Administrators, Heather Despres, Kelly Myers, Sue Woods

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe the distribution of psychological types among physical therapy administrators. Our random sample was taken from the membership roster of the Section on Administration of the American Physical Therapy Association. We used the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to assess psychological types and a demographic questionnaire to collect data on the administrators.; The most common psychological types among the participants (n = 45) were found to be ISFJ, ESFJ, ISTJ, INTJ, and ENTJ, respectively. Although no explicitly predominant type was found, a clear preference toward judging (J) was noted.

Sanatorium Care For The Tubercular Poor In Hartford, 1900-1910, Sandra L. Wheeler

Masters Theses

Master's Thesis, Trinity College

"Easy Or Hard" The Mentality Of Survival: The Gi In Europe In World War Two, Brian R. Bowen

Masters Theses

An oral history compiled from recollections of fourteen combat veterans, documented by over forty hours of tape-recorded interviews, the paper recreates GIs' mentality upon entering combat. The formation of the collective mentality is examined by exploring the attitudes, motivations, and historical circumstances determining thought and actions of these reluctant, yet dedicated soldiers. The collective mentality, defined as the way of thinking allowing the majority to best cope with their predicament, answers why men fought and how they persevered once in combat. Explaining sustained combat performance the paper proves how the collective mentality gave Gls the will and ability to withstand …

Cults, Ritualistic Abuse, And False Memories, Kelly J. Norris

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Study Of The Relationship Between Male Sexual Victimization And Sexual Aggression Against Females, Mary E. Hendricks

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The More Things Change, The More They Remain The Same: The Feminist Rhetoric Of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lisa S. Strange

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Economic Institutions And Economic Growth In South Africa, Lumkile Mondi

Masters Theses

The collapse of rapid growth in industrialized countries in the mid-1970s has suggested to scholars that Keynesian economic management is not the ultimate way to run a viable capitalist system. What has emerged from the crisis is the recognition that different capitalist countries have for long had distinctive patterns of development and alternative patterns of economic management.

One such form of economic management is neo-corporatism. The pillars of "neo-corporatism" are found in the tri-partite alliance between centralized trade unions, centralized employers’ organizations, and the state. These institutions coordinate the levels of investment, wage, and employment in the economy to ensure …

The Test-Retest And Inter-Rater Reliability Of The Teacher Rating Of Academic Achievement Motivation, Rachel P. Pitcher

Masters Theses

The Teacher Rating of Academic Achievement Motivation (TRAAM) is in development as a measure of academic achievement motivation. To examine the scale's test-retest and inter-rater reliability, teachers rated 90 third through sixth grade students. Results indicated that the TRAAM, in general, is reliable. The test-retest reliability coefficient for the TRAAM Total Score was .96. The four factor scores of the TRAAM were also found to be consistent over time with reliability coefficients ranging from .85 to .93. Inter-rater reliability of the TRAAM was also found to be adequate for the Total Score (r=.77). The inter-rater reliability coefficients of the factor …

I.A. Richards' Triangle Of Meaning Compared And Contrasted With The Rhetoric Of The Holy Bible, Gregory L. Swango

Masters Theses

It is the Bible's claim to be the inspired word of God. The message from the Scriptures has persuaded millions: from the shepherd of the first century to the business person of our present age. The words chosen, the genres used, and the forms of verbal support employed are prodigious in every way. The rhetorician and linguist, I. A. Richards, has written and spoken on how words come to have meaning, how they are used in context, and how they are used metaphorically. He has developed his ideas through a model called the triangle of meaning. There is justification for …

The Life And Athletic Achievements Of Thomas Dwight Eddleman, Diana Eddleman Wilson

Masters Theses

This study documents the life of Thomas Dwight Eddleman who is possibly the greatest all-around athlete in the history of Illinois. Eddleman's diversity made him legendary as a high school athlete from Centralia, Illinois, in the early 1940s, and at the University (Champaign-Urbana) where he earned eleven varsity letters in football, basketball, and track. While the paper focuses on his sports' achievements, it includes a discussion of his "early years." It continues with a commentary on his contributions to society as the Executive Director of the Fighting Illini Scholarship Fund at the University of Illinois from 1969-1993.

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Achievement In An Rotc Leadership Development And Assessment Setting, Robert W. Dinnen

Masters Theses

This study was designed to determine whether there was a positive relationship between an individual's self-esteem and their achievement in a leadership development and assessment setting. While correlational studies have been conducted utilizing self-esteem and achievement as variables, no known study has been conducted with achievement at ROTC Advance Camp as a dependent variable. The hypothesis tested focused on determining if there is a positive relationship between self-esteem and achievement at ROTC Advance Camp. Sixty-six ROTC cadets from five select universities in the state of Illinois were administered the Barksdale Self-Esteem Evaluation Number 35. The results of their evaluation was …

Effects Of Information And Physical Positioning On Attitudes Toward An Individual Who Is Nonspeaking And Physically Disabled, Paige M. Lepak

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effects of printed information and four physical positions in space on attitudes of individuals who are nondisabled toward a person who is nonspeaking with severe physical disabilities. Employing a 4 (positions in space) X 2 (presence/absence of information) factorial design, subjects were presented with four photographs depicting a male who is both physically disabled and nonspeaking having a communicative interaction with a male who is nondisabled. Subjects in Condition 1 viewed 4 photographs depicting the individual who is nonspeaking sitting in a chair; Condition 2 subjects viewed photographs of the individual sitting in a wheelchair; Condition …

An Empirical Analysis Of The Recent Decline Of Union Membership In The United States, Mojgan Tajbakhsh Izadi

Masters Theses

The union membership in the United States has declined since 1970 and reached less than 14 percent of labor force in 1989. A number of studies have been conducted to examine the causes of decline in union membership. Among researchers nearly all believed that structural change in the United States economy plays an important role. The theories of managerial opposition and substitution of government and employers for unions were also supported by many researchers. This study examined the effect of the number of female and part-time workers from the labor force as a measure for structural change in the economy. …

Of Devaluation, Imports, Exports, Balance Of Payments And The Imf In Malawi: A Case Study, Vincent G. Malunga

Masters Theses

In International Economics, conventional wisdom suggests that devaluation improves the trade balance for a country. This is possible because, by worsening the terms of trade for a country, devaluation leads to import substitution and enhanced competitiveness in the export sector. The trade balance is expected to improve via the J-curve, where the trade balance worsens first, until a country is able to adjust to the contractual problem.

This project sought to identify the presence of the J-curve or a lack thereof in Malawi, a country in South Central Africa, within the contextual frame work of the IMF's structural adjustment programs. …

Locus Of Control And Student Leaders: Perceptions Of Leadership Traits, Maggie Sullivan

Masters Theses

Leadership is a multi-faceted phenomena that has been the object of studies throughout the 20th century. Locus of Control has been a focal point for scientific research over the past thirty years. This study examines locus of control among college student leaders. The purpose of the study was to determine if leaders with different loci of control identify different traits as important to leadership. Three hundred surveys were distributed to executive officers of student organizations at Eastern Illinois University. One-hundred thirty-five surveys were returned for a response rate of 45 percent. Results indicated that locus of control did not affect …