Browsing by Author "Fisher, Gwenith, committee member"

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Open Access
A qualitative study of disease adjustment: inflammatory bowel disease post-traumatic growth
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Bascom, Elise, author; Chavez, Ernest, advisor; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member; Jennings, Louise, committee member; Prince, Mark, committee member
The current study developed a model of post-traumatic growth to assess the multiphasic, transitional experience of patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by a provider at the Centers for Gastroenterology in Northern Colorado. Specifically, this study examined individuals within the IBD population who have received a diagnosis of either Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC). Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) was used to identify the primary domains and subthemes from six participant interviews. Four large domains were extracted from the data, which were used to construct a model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Post-Traumatic Growth (IBDPTG). The four, major domains include identity loss/grief, the perception effect, identity reconstruction, and post-traumatic growth (PTG). The original model proposed for this study included all of the aforementioned domains, except for the perception effect. The trained research team involved in this study conducted three meetings to discuss and compare domain/thematic findings. We identified that participants' attitudes/beliefs about their diagnosis was a precursor to progressing to the identity reconstruction phase, and, therefore, needed its own, distinct domain. Subthemes were also identified in each of the four domains, which further captured the nuances and complexities of IBD disease management for our participants. Participants were also asked to complete two sets of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), two sets of the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), one Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCLR-90-R), and the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Participants were asked to retrospectively complete the first set of self-report questionnaires (BDI-II, BAI, SCL-90-R), as they reflected on their psychological state during their most severe disease experience. We then conducted a semi-structured interview with each participant that lasted approximately 60-75 minutes. After the interview portion of the study, we asked participants to complete the BDI-II and BAI based on their symptom presentation within the last two weeks. We compared the difference between levels of anxiety and depression during active and inactive disease flares. Scores on the BDI-II indicated that participants experienced high levels of depression during severe flares, but that their mood greatly improved with adjustment and mental stability. Scores on the BAI also indicated that the participants experienced higher levels of anxiety during periods of disease relapse, as opposed to periods where their disease was dormant. The SCL-90-R was used to supplement the qualitative data obtained during the interviews. The PTGI was given to the participants at the end of the study to examine whether our qualitative data captured any additional, potentially disease-related growth not yet addressed on the questionnaire. The three subthemes identified in the domain of PTG include: positive personal growth, positive social growth, and positive growth in disease perception.
Open Access
Employee engagement: understanding the construct's stability
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Weston, James W., author; Byrne, Zinta, advisor; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member; Ganster, Daniel, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
Research has been contradictory in the definition and measurement of employee engagement. Despite being predominantly measured as a trait-like stable construct, engagement was originally introduced as a moment-to-moment fluctuating concept. The focus of the current research is on the conceptualization of the stability of the employee engagement construct. Specifically, I examined fluctuations in engagement as they related to varying levels of three theoretical antecedents (psychological safety, psychological availability, and psychological meaningfulness). Using experience sampling, forty nine participants were asked to complete surveys on cellular devices or workplace computers, for five weeks, twice per day at random moments, for a total of 30 data-points per participant. These daily surveys assessed fluctuations in engagement levels in relation to the other contextual variables, while their accumulation over the five-week period provided insight into the relative stability of the construct. Results showed momentary job engagement was positively related to momentary stress, affect, and the quality of coworker interactions. Additionally, between-person differences in engagement were positively related to job satisfaction, general positive affect, and general job engagement. The current study provides a glimpse into within-person fluctuations in engagement. Findings suggest that although engagement may vary within-employees, between-person differences are still present and represent valuable information.
Open Access
Establishing the reliability and validity of the diet culture beliefs scale
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2022) Hogan, Laura, author; Rickard, Kathryn, advisor; Connor, Bradley, committee member; Faw, Meara, committee member; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member
Throughout history, human bodies have evolved to represent status, wealth, and morality through their shape and size. Although body objectification occurs across the gender spectrum, women have historically experienced the most pressure to fit whatever sociocultural norms are current. In recent decades, women whose bodies are thin and toned are often more highly valued in United States society than those who are in larger bodies. Efforts to transform and maintain the ideal body are rampant among women and include restrictive diets, excessive exercise, and pharmaceutical or surgical interventions. Dieting has become a pervasive part of United States culture. Research has shown that dieting is a strong predictor of eating disorders. Eating disorders account for more deaths than most mental illnesses, second only to opioid addiction. Eating disorders and disordered eating exist in people of all shapes and sizes, ethnic, and sociocultural backgrounds, but they often go undiagnosed because of the sociocultural stigma that only emaciated, young, wealthy, White women suffer from them. Early detection of eating disorders is crucial for successful treatment and intervention. This study explored the development of a new scale, the Diet Culture Beliefs Scale, by assessing its reliability and validity as a measure of individuals' internalized beliefs about the ways in which food and body size are indicative of morality and health. The goal of this study was to contribute a tool to both the body of research and clinical practice that may help medical and mental health providers identify warning signs of eating disorder development. Study results indicated that the Diet Culture Beliefs Scale retained its originally identified three-factor structure as evidenced by a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Additionally, the Diet Culture Beliefs Scale showed both test- retest and internal consistency reliability, suggesting that it consistently measures diet culture beliefs over time and across items. Finally, the Diet Culture Beliefs Scale showed criterion- related, convergent, and discriminant validity suggesting that it is an accurate measure of diet culture as a unique construct. As such, the Diet Culture Beliefs Scale should be considered a psychometrically sound tool to support researchers and clinicians better understand the relationship between diet culture and eating disorders, as well as to provide early detection of eating disorder risk factors.
Open Access
Feasibility of a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention on health care safety
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Valley, Morgan Anne, author; Stallones, Lorann, advisor; Graham, Daniel, committee member; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member; Zimmerman, Toni, committee member
Occupational injuries represent a significant and costly social and public health problem, especially among health care workers, whose well-being impacts patient safety and quality of care. Mindfulness training, which teaches individuals to bring awareness and acceptance to the present moment, could decrease occupational injury rates while improving worker well-being. Mindfulness training has been proven effective in improving the health and well-being of clinical and healthy populations, but it has not yet been tested as an intervention to improve worker safety. Using a randomized waitlist controlled trial design with a mixed methods approach, the current study sought to: 1) conceptualize hospital health care workers’ experiences in adopting mindfulness practices within the context of an established health behavior theory; and 2) assess the impact of mindfulness training on safety outcomes among hospital health care workers. Hospital health care workers involved in direct patient care at two hospitals in Colorado were recruited to participate in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to a group that participated in an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course first or to a waitlist control group, which completed the MBSR training after the first group completed the course. The MBSR intervention included eight 2.5-hour group sessions of meditation, yoga, and group discussion and one 7-hour silent session to train participants to incorporate the skills in their daily lives. All participants completed questionnaires measuring covariates and safety outcomes at baseline, post-intervention, and six months after they completed the training. Participants also answered open-ended questions about their experiences when adopting mindfulness practices taught in the course. In the qualitative portion of the study, a theory-driven thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the qualitative data with the key constructs of the Health Belief Model acting as the framework for the analysis. In the quantitative portion of the study, mean scores were calculated for each participant on the study variables at each time point. Univariate repeated measures analyses of variance (RM ANOVA) time X group interaction effects with alpha level .05 were used to compare the baseline and post-intervention scores on the outcome variables between groups. Paired-samples t-tests were used to examine the stability of the intervention effects from both groups’ post-intervention time point to the 6-month follow-up data collection on the significant outcomes for all participants. Hospital health care workers from a university hospital system in Colorado volunteered to participate and were randomized to the immediate MBSR intervention (n=11) or waitlist control group (n=12). The majority of participants were female and nurses. Qualitative results highlighted the benefits of mindfulness practice among health care workers, which included enhanced awareness and improvements in social relationships and interactions with patients and colleagues. Participants described the lack of healthcare-specific recommendations for incorporating mindfulness practices at work and minimal discussion of evidence supporting mindfulness training as barriers to adopting and adhering to mindfulness practices. Viewed within the context of the Health Belief Model, these qualitative findings may help practitioners design and tailor workplace mindfulness programs to fit the needs of health care workers. Quantitative results of the study indicated that mindfulness training can decrease workplace cognitive failures and increase safety compliance behaviors among hospital health care workers. The qualitative and quantitative results contribute to the novel understanding of the role mindfulness practice plays in health care worker occupational safety and health and can support future larger-scale studies testing the longer-term impacts of mindfulness on health care safety.
Open Access
Investigation of exposure rate discrepancies between energy compensated Geiger Mueller tubes and pressurized ionization chambers due to muon and anti-muon cosmic particles
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Gift, Matthew, author; Johnson, Thomas E., advisor; Brandl, Alexander, committee member; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member
Energy compensated Geiger Mueller (GM) tubes and pressurized ionization chambers are two types of gas filled detectors that measure radiation dose or exposure but operate on different physical principles. Energy compensated GMs are gaining popularity because they are less expensive and more durable than pressurized ionization chambers, however, an exposure rate discrepancy may exist between the two instruments. At an elevation of about 1524m (5,000 ft), energy compensated GM tubes were observed to have nearly a 2-fold over-response to background measurements when compared to measurements performed by pressurized ionization chambers. The goal of this research is to investigate the expected exposure rate discrepancy due to muon and anti-muon cosmic particles, since they are the largest background contributor to dose at low elevations. Theoretically calculated average chord length and stopping power, as well as, Monte Carlo N-Particle 6 were used to investigate and characterize the exposure rate from muons and anti-muons. The calculated exposure rate contribution of muons and anti-muons for the background measurement of the energy compensated GM tube was negligible and is not expected to be the primary cause for the over-response. More research is needed to characterize the discrepancy.
Open Access
Noise exposure and evaluation at tire changing facilities
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Willson-Kerns, Cory, author; Brazile, William, advisor; Adams, Karin, committee member; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member
The purpose of this study was to (1) determine if workers in the tire changing industry are overexposed to hazardous noise that could result in occupational hearing loss; and (2) determine the maximum number of tire changes that could be performed without exceeding occupational exposure limits. Personal noise dosimetry data were compared to published occupational noise exposure limits to assess compliance. The noise dosimetry results were then extrapolated against the number of tire changes to determine if there was a relationship between the number of tire changes and employee noise exposures. Thirty (30) full-shift noise-exposure samples were collected on tire technicians using Larson-Davis 703 audio dosimeters in three tire-changing facilities. The technicians recorded the number of tires changed during their shift. The eight-hour time weighted averages were recorded for each subject following the Occupational Safety and Health Adminsitration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) and action level (AL); and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV). Each sample was evaluated against the number of tire changes performed in the shift. In addition, area noise samples of specific pieces of tire-changing equipment and processes were taken with a sound level meter. It was determined from the 30-sample data set that only one of the 30 technicians was exposed at or above the OSHA noise action level of 85dBA (as an 8-hour TWA). Eighteen (18) of the 30 employees were exposed above the ACGIH noise TLV and no employees exceeded the OSHA noise PEL. Based on the area noise samples, noise in the tire changing facilities appeared to be largely intermittent with peak noise levels exceeding 140dB. The findings of this study are that tire technicians were not exposed above the OSHA PEL at least up to 40 tire changes per shift but may still be exposed to hazardous levels of noise. A 95% confidence interval for each of the three categories of noise analyses (i.e., PEL, AL, TLV) was calculated to determine the average noise exposure for each number of tire changes. In addition, a 95% prediction interval was calculated to determine the noise exposure level for an individual worker chosen randomly for a specific number of tire changes. Last, it was determined from the area noise sampling that the air ratchet, Cheetah, and tire-changing machine contributed the most to the overall noise exposure.
Open Access
Personal growth initiative and calling: intrinsic motivation at work
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Jurica, John, author; Dik, Bryan, advisor; Anderson, Sharon, committee member; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member
This study examined relationships between personal growth initiative, which is a desire to actively engage in conscious self-improvement, and the vocational construct of calling, which is defined as a sense of meaning derived from work that is pro-social and emanates from a transcendent summons. The study also examined how personal growth initiative and calling variables were related to positive well-being variables and career development variables. The participants (N = 297) were undergraduate students enrolled in a psychology course at a large public university in the western United States. The results suggested that personal growth initiative can be incorporated into the prevailing model of calling in multiple ways. First, evidence suggested that it may function as a predictor of presence of calling. Second, personal growth initiative may function as a moderator between presence of calling and living a calling. Finally, there was evidence that personal growth initiative may be a mediator between presence of calling and positive criterion variables, including life satisfaction and work hope. The results also suggested that living a calling may not be an important goal for college students, which provides evidence for the possibility that a sense of calling has different effects for individuals in different stages of career development. Implications, limitations, and future directions for this research are discussed.
Open Access
Successful aging at work and age-related contextual information influence simulated performance appraisal decisions
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Hanscom, Madison E., author; Cleveland, Jeanette, advisor; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member; Murphy, Kevin, committee member; Shore, Lynn, committee member; Stallones, Lorann, committee member
As the age of the workforce increases, it is important to understand that information other than objective job performance influences the performance evaluation process and decisions. Performance information is used as a basis for multiple organizational decisions, thus it is critical to understand how alternative age concepts may influence these important work outcomes. Much research has been conducted using chronological age to examine these linkages although few studies have incorporated more recent measures of aging perceptions. Using a within subjects 2 x 3 x 2 experimental vignette methodology across three samples, the present study examined the influence of successful aging at work (successful and not successful), the age type of the job (young type of job, age neutral, and old), and performance pattern (younger or older) on performance ratings, promotion and layoff decisions, recommendations for upgrade training, bonus money administration, and organizational resource investments. Results showed significant main effects for successful aging at work on performance-based outcomes. Less consistent relationships were found with job type and performance pattern. These results are discussed in relation to previous research on age-performance relationships, theoretical support, as well as implications for future research.
Open Access
The association between occupational complexity and white matter in the brain
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Diaz, Jazmin, author; Thomas, Michael, advisor; Burzynska, Agnieszka, committee member; Davalos, Deana, committee member; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member
Occupational complexity (OCC) refers to experiences that increase one's environmental stimulation in a job and provide greater opportunities for skill development. Understanding the association between OCC and brain white matter is critical in aging research as it can elucidate the potential protective effects of stimulating environments on brain health and shed light on strategies for preserving microstructural integrity as individuals age. The current study examines whether working a complex job is associated with white matter integrity, determined by fractional anisotropy (FA). Participants included 58 healthy adults aged 18-85 (M = 49.2, SD =21.7) who completed diffusion-weighted imaging scans and a subcategory of a validated work survey to assess OCC. A principal component analysis reduced the survey items to four meaningful constructs. Higher age was consistently associated with lower FA. Information processing was significantly associated with FA in the inferior longitudinal fasciculus. Additionally, a significant interaction between information processing and age in the forceps major suggests the effect of OCC on FA is dependent on age. These findings highlight that while OCC is associated with FA, its effects may vary by regions and age, pointing to a more nuanced relationship between work characteristics and brain health.
Open Access
The dark side of calling: a partial test of the work as calling theory (WCT) using the veterinarian occupational well-being study (VOWS)
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2022) Moody, Adelyn B., author; Dik, Bryan J., advisor; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member; Conner, Bradley T., committee member; McGrew, Ashley K., committee member
Although research on the concept of calling has blossomed in the last several decades, less is known about how and when having a calling may lead to less desirable outcomes (i.e., the so-called "dark side" of calling). Recently, the Work as Calling Theory (WCT - Duffy, Dik, Douglass, England, & Velez, 2018) proposed certain working conditions and individual characteristics that may lead to these negative outcomes. Many veterinarians experience lower psychological well-being (e.g., depression, thoughts of suicide, moral distress) as a result of occupational stressors and job characteristics. According to WCT, this may paradoxically be attributed to the reported likelihood that a high number of veterinarians find their work deeply meaningful and identify their work as a calling, often from a very early age. Using path analysis techniques with a sample of associate veterinarians (n = 149), the current study found support for the hypothesized relationships between living a calling and job satisfaction, which was mediated by the disengagement aspect of burnout. The relationship between living a calling and disengagement was found to be moderated by perfectionistic standards, in that, for individuals with both high perfectionistic standards and high sense of calling, increased disengagement was reported. Furthermore, while interpretation should be made with caution, the results indicated that the exhaustion subscale of burnout was also associated with living a calling and job satisfaction and acted as a mediator. Finally, the hypothesized moderators of living a calling and several characteristics of the work environment (i.e., coworker and supervisor support) and personality traits (i.e., conscientiousness, need for achievement, and self-esteem) demonstrated some relationships with burnout, and provide tentative, initial starting points to be more fully explored in other studies. This study contributes to the field in providing initial support for some of the proposed relationships within WCT and has several practical implications for veterinarians.
Open Access
The development and validation of a measure of disengagement
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Manning, Steven G., author; Byrne, Zinta, advisor; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member; Ganster, Dan, committee member; Rickard, Kathryn, committee member
Even though no measure of disengagement exists, researchers and practitioners have claimed to identify employees who are disengaged using measures that assess satisfaction, engagement, or burnout. This study outlines the development and initial validation of a theoretically-based measure of employee disengagement. Consistent with theory, the measure is composed of affective, physical, and cognitive factors. Data from 709 participants collected through Amazon‟s crowdsourcing tool, Mechanical Turk (MTurk), show that disengagement is distinct from, but moderately related to engagement, burnout, and withdrawal. Consistent with theory, low levels of the psychological conditions of psychological meaningfulness, safety, and availability predicted higher level of disengagement. Additionally, high levels of psychological meaningfulness and psychological availability predicted high levels of engagement. The new measure of disengagement developed in this study may help researchers develop a more accurate understanding of disengaged employees.
Open Access
The impact of alignment between organizational climates for safety, productivity, and quality
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Hoffmeister, Krista, author; Gibbons, Alyssa, advisor; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member; Henry, Kimberly, committee member; Rosecrance, John, committee member
With a sample of 204 construction workers, the present study assessed how the alignment and misalignment between safety, productivity, and quality climates was related to important individual and organizational outcomes. All three climates were related to safety, productivity, and quality outcomes. An alignment between climates, and a more positive perception of each, led to beneficial outcomes for the individual and the organization. However, a greater misalignment between the outcomes led to poorer health and decreased productivity and quality. Better perceptions of leadership were associated with more positive safety, productivity, and quality climates. These findings are important for both science and practice. Rather than creating silos for these key organizational goals, academics and practitioners should take a more holistic perspective. An understanding of the interaction between safety, productivity, and quality climates, and taking an effort to align these three goals, can maximize organizational success.
Open Access
The influence of mirror exposure on weight-related health behaviors: physical activity and food selection
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Hodgin, Katie L., author; Graham, Daniel, advisor; Bellows, Laura, committee member; Fisher, Gwenith, committee member; Harman, Jennifer, committee member
In terms of Objective Self-Awareness (OSA) theory, heightened focus on the self leads individuals to align their behavior with a personally- or socially-derived standard. Exposure to a mirror may increase self-awareness and has previously been found to induce behaviors that align with a known or implied standard, such as honesty and helping behavior. However, very little research has investigated the influence of mirror exposure on health behaviors, which are commonly valued. The present research describes two studies examining the effects of mirror exposure on the health behaviors of stair vs. elevator use and food selection, hypothesizing that individuals exposed to a mirror prior to one of these health choices would be more likely to take the stairs instead of the elevator and to select more healthful food products (i.e., lower in calories, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium), respectively. University students (n = 204 for stair use and n = 79 for food selection) were observed as they chose to take the stairs or elevator to the fourth floor of a campus parking garage or after they selected four food items from a laboratory-turned-grocery aisle, and then were surveyed on demographic information and their behaviors likely linked with physical activity and healthy eating. Results indicate that participants' odds of stair use were increased after exposure to a body-length mirror with a health sign describing caloric expenditure during stair use (OR = 2.99, p = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.96, 9.31) and after exposure to a social norm sign on its own (i.e., without a mirror) describing the high stair use of university students (OR = 3.63, p = 0.02, 95% CI: 1.21, 10.94). Neither body-length nor small mirrors showing only the face were found to predict the mean caloric, saturated fat, sugar, or sodium content of participants' selected food items. Implications of these findings regarding weight-related health behaviors are discussed in the context of OSA theory and mirror exposure for health promotion.