Theses and Dissertations from UMD
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New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
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Item The Role of Age and Bilingualism on Perception of Vocoded Speech(2020) Waked, Arifi Noman; Goupell, Matthew J; Ratner, Nan; Hearing and Speech Sciences; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation examines the role of age and bilingualism on perception of vocoded speech in order to determine whether bilingual individuals, children, and bilingual individuals with later ages of second language acquisition show greater difficulties in vocoded speech perception. Measures of language skill and verbal inhibition were also examined in relation to vocoded speech perception. Two studies were conducted, each of which had two participant language groups: Monolingual English speakers and bilingual Spanish-English speakers. The first study also explored the role of age at the time of testing by including both monolingual and bilingual children (8-10 years), and monolingual and bilingual adults (18+ years). As such, this study included four total groups of adult and child language pairs. Participants were tested on vocoded stimuli simulating speech as perceived through an 8-channel CI in conditions of both deep (0-mm shift) and shallow (6-mm shift) insertion of the electrode array. Between testing trials, participants were trained on the more difficult, 6-mm shift condition. The second study explored the role of age of second language acquisition in native speakers of Spanish (18+ years) first exposed to English at ages ranging from 0 to 12 years. This study also included a control group of monolingual English speakers (18+ years). This study examined perception of target lexical items presented either in isolation or at the end of sentences. Stimuli in this study were either unaltered or vocoded to simulate speech as heard through an 8-channel CI at 0-mm shift. Items presented in isolation were divided into differing levels of difficulty based on frequency and neighborhood density. Target items presented at the ends of sentences were divided into differing levels of difficulty based on the degree of semantic context provided by the sentence. No effects of age at testing or age of acquisition were found. In the first study, there was also no effect of language group. All groups improved with training and showed significant improvement between pre- and post-test speech perception scores in both conditions of shift. In the second study, all participants were significantly negatively impacted by vocoding; however, bilingual participants showed greater difficulty in perception of vocoded lexical items presented in isolation relative to their monolingual peers. This group difference was not found in sentence conditions, where all participants significantly benefited from greater semantic context. From this, we can conclude that bilingual individuals can make use of semantic context to perceive vocoded speech similarly to their monolingual peers. Neither language skills nor verbal inhibition, as measured in these studies, were found to significantly impact speech perception scores in any of the tested conditions across groups.Item The effect of child gender on parental nonverbal communication(2019) Booth, Tiara; Newman, Rochelle; Hearing and Speech Sciences; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Previous work has studied parental verbal communication and found differences based on child gender. The current study was designed to better understand any differences in maternal nonverbal communication based on child gender. The nonverbal parameters analyzed were eye contact/joint attention, gestures, positive and negative facial expressions, and open and closed body language. Previously recorded mother-child play sessions when the children were 7 months (n=103) and 24 months (n=73) were coded to assess three main questions: a) Does maternal nonverbal communication differ with child gender? b) Does maternal nonverbal communication change over time? c) Does maternal nonverbal communication effect vocabulary outcomes at 24 months? Mothers used more positive facial expressions with girls at 7 months and more gestures with boys at 24 months. Mothers were consistent in their use of positive facial expressions and gestures over time. Finally, there was no apparent relationship between maternal nonverbal communication and vocabulary.Item THE CONCORDANCE OF INFLUENZA VACCINATION BEHAVIORS AMONG ADULTS AND CHILDREN RESIDING WITHIN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, MARYLAND, AND VIRGINIA(2014) Motley, Danielle Olon; Butler, III, James; Public and Community Health; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Background: The distinctive barking sound of whooping cough and rubella's birth defects highlight vaccinations' importance as a public health initiative and medical advancement of the twentieth century. However, little research examines concordance of influenza vaccination uptake between same-household adults and children. Methods: A secondary data analysis of CDC's 2009 National H1N1 Flu Survey (NHFS) examined concordance between adults' influenza vaccination behaviors and responses to NHFS questions representing HBM constructs with the influenza vaccination of same-household children from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV). Results: Concordance existed between influenza vaccination statuses of adults and same-household children. HBM constructs of perceived susceptibility, severity, and the cue to action of physician vaccine recommendation were associated with more vaccinated children. Conclusions: This research highlights adults' influenza vaccination status impact on same-household DMV children. Future research is needed to examine parental influenza vaccination effects on influenza vaccination status of their biological children.Item Factors Influencing Childhood Swimming Instruction: Evaluation of the "Safe Water Initiative: Maryland" Program for Drowning Prevention(2010) Monteiro, Erinn Hurley; Green, Kerry M; Public and Community Health; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Background: Increasing swimming ability is a key preventive step in decreasing childhood drowning, a leading cause of unintentional mortality in the U.S. Yet, it remains unclear what factors influence parents to ensure that their children learn to swim. This study examined how attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and barriers relate to parents' intentions and decisions to seek swimming instruction for their children. The evaluation also examined whether free introductory swimming lessons may be a useful model in changing any of these factors. Methods: The Safe Water Initiative: Maryland (SWI:M) community-based program provided free introductory lessons in summer 2010 to over 100 children who had previously never received swimming instruction. Parents/guardians completed pretest (N = 81) and posttest (N = 79) written surveys as well as a second follow-up online survey six weeks after the program ended (N = 71). The pre-and post-test surveys included questions about barriers as well as two scales on attitudes/beliefs about swimming importance and perceptions about drowning risk. These two scales were developed and their reliability (alpha=.70-.89) and validity evaluated as part of this study. Results: Participants were predominantly African-American mothers, the majority of whom had little to no swimming ability. Results revealed significant increases in attitudes/beliefs, perceptions, and intentions from the beginning to the end of the SWI:M program. While attitudes/beliefs and perceived susceptibility were significant predictors of intentions, strong intentions did not predict behavior, as only 14% of participants' children had received additional swimming lessons by the second post-test. Cost was reported as a significant barrier to pursuing additional instruction. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary findings for future research investigating factors influencing childhood swimming instruction. Reduced- or no-cost swimming lessons may be a key drowning prevention method, but additional research is warranted to find ways to address prevailing barriers. Evaluating the effectiveness of this and other programs is an important step in potentially decreasing morbidity and mortality due to drowning.Item NURTURING THE CHILD: AN ARCHITECTURE OF COMMUNITY, LANDSCAPE AND LEARNING.(2009) Stratton Treadway, Catherine Marie; Kelly, Brian; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This thesis explores the making of place for all preschool children, those with special needs and those considered to be "typically developing." Scale, materiality, light and shadow, color, the four fundamental elements of nature, and the nature of ritual and routine all play a role in the children's experience of place and are explored here as part of the design process. This thesis asks, "What are the contributions that architecture and landscape can make towards nurturing the whole child including children with diverse needs?" The result is a supportive learning and healing environment for children who are defined as having special needs and their "typically developing" peers. A landscape of learning and play will be a significant focus. To support the children and their families, a range of community involvement will be incorporated, and the large recreation center site will be redeveloped as community space.Item Maternal Adolescent Parenting Behavior and Child Aggressive and Inattentive Behavior: Findings from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project(2008-11-17) Guner, Bella Mironovna; Klein, Elisa L; Jones Harden, Brenda; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Adolescent parenting is associated with a wide variety of risk factors for both the mother (Berlin, Brady-Smith, & Brooks-Gunn, 2002) and child (Moore & Brooks-Gunn, 2002). Understanding the pathways leading toward poor parenting practices, and the subsequent influences on child aggressive and inattentive behavior may yield important information for intervention efforts on the part of adolescent families. The current study examines which maternal characteristics influence parenting behavior in a high risk sample of adolescent mothers and their toddlers, using Belsky's (1984) parenting process model. The purpose of the study was to: 1) examine whether maternal age, depression, or stress influenced positive and negative parenting behavior, 2) examine the influence of positive and negative parenting behavior on child aggressive and inattentive behavior, and 3) examine whether positive parenting would mediate the association between maternal characteristics and child aggressive and inattentive behavior. Data from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation dataset was used to examine the aforementioned questions. The sample consisted of 319 mothers ages 15-19 and their toddlers ages 2-3 years. Heirarchical regression analyses revealed that maternal depression predicted higher levels of negative parenting behavior, younger adolescent mothers are more likely to engage in punitive parenting behavior than older adolescents, and maternal stress predicted lower levels of positive and higher levels of negative parenting behavior. Logistic regression analyses revealed that adolescent mothers who engaged in positive parenting behavior were less likely to have children who engaged in aggressive and inattentive behavior, and parents who engaged in negative parenting behavior were more likely to have children who engaged in aggressive and inattentive behavior. Mediational analyses revealed that positive parenting behavior mediated the association between maternal stress and child aggressive and inattentive behavior. These findings suggest that maternal characteristics are an important factor to consider in parenting behavior, and that despite the difficulties faced by adolescent mothers, there is room for positive parenting, which may mitigate the influence of maternal stress. The findings from this study indicate that intervention efforts may benefit from focusing on teaching adolescent mothers how to engage in positive parenting behaviors with their toddlers, thereby reducing the risk for future child aggressive and inattentive behaviors.Item Basic Psychometric Properties of the Child Social Functioning Inventory (CSFI)(2004-08-04) Ferrell, Courtney; Beidel, Deborah C.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)To date, interventions for childhood social phobia have examined outcome primarily in terms of symptomatic reduction or efficacy. Although more emphasis is being placed on reporting clinically relevant outcome, few studies have provided a systematic assessment of treatment effectiveness, perhaps due to a lack of an appropriate assessment inventory. The current study presents the initial psychometric characteristics of the Child Social Functioning Inventory (CSFI), a self-report inventory designed to assess social functioning of preadolescent children. The CSFI contains 24 items with a 6-factor structure. The results indicate that the CSFI has good internal consistency and adequate test-retest reliability. In addition, assessment of the construct validity, including concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity suggest that the CSFI is a valid inventory of social functioning for children ages 10 or above. Implications for assessment and treatment outcome are discussed.