Psychophysiology of respiratory disease : clinical considerations for the advanced practice nurse

The purpose of this article is to describe the psychophysiology of dyspnea in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), identify the unique impact of respiratory disease on the female patient, and discuss the relationship of anxiety and depression in disease manifestation. Current COPD assessment and treatment guidelines published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the World Health Organization as well as the National Institute for Health and Care Experience (NICE) will be presented along with implications for the Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). Practitioners treat COPD patients with advanced physiological complications along with psychological comorbidities that worsen the disease perception and progression. Therefore, a recommendation will be made to integrate assessment and evaluation of psychological comorbidities in COPD patients, with particular consideration given to the female patient. Utilizing a holistic, int egrated treatment plan will serve to enhance patient care, alleviate disease burden and impact overall quality of life in the patient with COPD.peer-reviewe

Communication Training for Academic Advising Workshop

This project reviewed the history and roles of academic advisors in higher education. A literature review is presented. A workshop was developed with syllabi, A/V materials, and course assignments. (Abstract by OPUS staff

Relationship Between Handedness, Familial-Sinistrality, and Verbal Learning

In the majority of individuals, both left and right handed, language processes are controlled by the left cerebral hemisphere, termed leftward asymmetry. However, a considerable proportion of left-handers exhibit non-leftward language asymmetry as revealed through brain imaging. Since most research has been conducted exclusively on right-handed individuals, we have little understanding of how this difference in brain networks affects behavioral performance on measures of language memory. As a first step in examining this potential difference, we examined the relationship between handedness (measured by the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, EHI), familial-sinistrality (measured by first-order left-handed relatives), and the California Verbal Learning Task (CVLT), an instrument that has been shown to differentiate left-ward and non-left-ward language lateralization (Catani, et al. 2007). These researchers demonstrated that non-leftward language lateralization was correlated with higher scores on the CVLT. However, they only tested self-reported right-handed individuals. Since left-handed individuals are more likely to exhibit non-leftward language lateralization, we anticipate that familial-sinistrality (a proxy for the genetic component of left-handedness) and the EHI would be positively correlated with CVLT scores. References Catani, M., Allin, M. P. G., Masud, H., Pugliese, L., Mesulam, M. M., Murray, R. M., & Jones D. K. (2007). Symmetries in human brain language pathways correlate with verbal recall. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104 (43), 17163-17168. doi: 10.1073/pnas.070211610

The Effects of Handedness on Written and Verbal Language Memory

The Effect of Handedness on Spoken and Written Language Memory Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine whether handedness influences the ability of an individual to recall spoken information versus written information. Language functions such as grammar, vocabulary, and literal meaning are typically lateralized to the left hemisphere, especially in right handed individuals. While language production is especially left-lateralized in right handed people, it is more bilateral, or even right-lateralized, in a majority of left handers. Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, two areas associated with the production of speech, are located in the left cerebral hemisphere for about 95% of right handers and 70% of left handers (Price, 2010). This could affect how left-handed individuals process different forms of information. This procedural difference could potentially be found in the different types of language recall, which is what we are examining and testing in this study. Participants in this study are assigned to one of eight conditions to examine verbal and written memory for varying presentations of information (spoken, written, and handwritten). Language ability is being measured with the California Verbal Learning Test, working memory is being measured with a standard n-back test, and handedness is being assessed with the Edinburgh Handedness Scale. Preliminary results support the hypothesis that there are differences in processing between left-handed and right-handed individuals

Multicultural Competence & Ethical Decision-Making in School Counselors

Until this study, research exploring the relationship between multicultural competence and ethical decision-making in school counselors had been lacking. Using data from a nationally representative sample of 160 school counselors, the present study found no correlation between these two variables. However, this result may have been due to the inherent limitations of a homogeneous sample population (i.e., all participants were members of American Counseling Association). Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed

Gender-Specific Mentorship for Collegiate Female Band Directors

The purpose of this study was to provide insight on the impact of gender-specific mentorship for aspiring female collegiate wind band conductors. The areas of focus included impactful mentorship methods, identifying mentors, and potential improvements for the wind band field. This research project was approved for an IRB exemption by the Old Dominion University College of Arts and Letters Human Subjects Review Committee. Two Qualtrics surveys were created for this study to reflect the differences in the level of experience of wind band conductors. Female collegiate/university band conductors and current/former music education or conducting graduate students completed Survey A (N = 97). Female undergraduate instrumental music education students completed Survey B (N = 93). The survey questions addressed impactful mentors and methods of mentorship, preferred gender for mentors, the importance of mentorship, potential improvements for mentorship, and perceptions of the wind band conducting field. The Survey B subjects reported their likelihood to pursue graduate studies and collegiate level careers. The Survey A subjects reported the potential influence of their gender in their experiences conducting collegiate level bands. The data were analyzed using statistical mean, mode, and standard deviation, and through the use of thematic category tables. The results from this study were compared to Elizabeth Grant’s (2000) study on gender-specific mentorship. The results indicate that mentorship is viewed as important for aspiring wind band conductors, with a variety of responses on the types of mentor and the methods of impactful mentorship. The results demonstrate a male-dominated perception of the wind band conductor field, with subjects from Survey A and Survey B reporting fewer female mentors and previous female teachers in their experiences. The comparisons demonstrate the potential implications of gender-specific mentorship and the potential present-day gender inequities in the wind band community that may impact aspiring female wind band conductors.https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/gradposters2020_artsletters/1000/thumbnail.jp