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Cardinal Scholar is the University Libraries Institutional Repository for archival and scholarly research produced at Ball State University.
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Item Achievement goals and academic success: self-regulation strategies for improved retention(2025-07)This study investigated the extent to which achievement goal orientations and cognitive learning strategies predict reading comprehension performance among undergraduate students in the US. A total of 138 participants were recruited from two online platforms: SONAR (Ball State University research pool) and Prolific (diverse pool of research participants from various demographic backgrounds). Participants completed a series of tasks including two GRE-adapted reading comprehension passages, 24 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), the 3×2 Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) scale, and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). The study focused on approach-oriented achievement goals (task-approach, self-approach) and four cognitive learning strategies: rehearsal, elaboration, organization, and critical thinking. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to assess the unique variance in test performance explained by achievement goals (Block 1) and additional variance explained by cognitive strategies (Block 2) in test performance. Results showed that Block 1 was statistically significant, F(4,130) = 4.84, p = .001, accounting for 13% of the variance in reading comprehension scores (R² = .130). Task-approach goals emerged as a significant positive predictor of test performance (β = .393, p = .004), while self-approach goals approached significance (β = .267, p = .058). Task- and self-avoidance goals were not significant predictors. In Block 2, the inclusion of cognitive strategies did not significantly improve the model, ΔR² = .027, p = .403. Findings suggest that achievement motivation, particularly task-focused goals, plays an influential role in short-term academic performance. These results underscore the importance of fostering mastery-oriented goals in educational settings to enhance student performance and retention. While cognitive strategies are essential for learning, their effectiveness may be limited if students have not been properly taught to use them or have not received consistent feedback.Item Honoring history: a look at modern Viking reenactment(2025-12)This thesis examines the creative process behind the short documentary Honoring History: A Look at Modern Viking Reenactment. The film explores how contemporary reenactors engage with Viking history, using performance, craft, and community to construct meaningful connections to the past. Through a combination of ethnographic research, interviews, and observational footage, the documentary highlights the cultural significance of reenactment as both historical interpretation and modern identity-making. The written component of this thesis reflects critically on the stages of production— research, pre-production, filming, and post-production—while analyzing the artistic choices that shaped the documentary’s visual and narrative style. Drawing on theories of creative practice, subcultural performance, and documentary storytelling, the paper situates the project within broader scholarly conversations about authenticity, representation, and the role of media in cultural memory. Ultimately, this work demonstrates how creative practice research can bridge academic inquiry and artistic expression, offering both a cinematic portrait of Viking reenactment communities and a reflexive account of the filmmaker’s evolving creative methodology.Item Predictors of willingness to ask for help in the elderly population(2025-12)Depression can be quite prevalent in the elderly population, and what’s worse is the varying abilities and willingness in the elderly populations to ask for help. In this study, I am attempting to see if there are ways to be able to predict if elderly people are willing to ask for help. This will help society understand where to focus our attention on supporting this community. We found that there are predictors using Classification and Regression Trees, Random Forest, Generalized Boosted Regression Models. We are able to predict varying levels of elderly participants’ willingness to ask for help based on their social grasp, how many close people they have to them, and the amount of concern they show for others. Marital status, social and religious activity, health conditions, cognitive impairment, and history of depression were not good predictors of if an elderly person would ask for help.Item Predicting academic achievement: the role of cognitive and social-emotional factors in an alternative school setting(2025-12)This study examined whether general intellectual functioning and social-emotional functioning predicted academic performance and grade level differences in math and reading among 87 students enrolled in an alternative school serving grades 5 through 12. Cognitive ability was measured using Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) or General Ability Index (GAI), while social-emotional functioning was assessed using the Behavioral Symptoms Index (BSI) from the Behavior Assessment System for Children – Third Edition. Multiple regression analyses revealed that general intellectual functioning significantly predicted academic achievement and grade level differences in math and reading. Students with lower cognitive scores demonstrated greater grade level differences. Social-emotional functioning did not significantly predict academic outcomes in either domain. These findings suggest that students with lower cognitive baselines may benefit from individualized supports. These results emphasize the need for strength-based, data-informed instructional planning and highlight the complexity of interpreting social-emotional measures with specialized educational environments.Item MOUD engagement patterns and their association with substance use severity at three years(2025-12)Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are among the most effective treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD), yet real-world patterns of use vary widely. This study examined whether stability or variability in MOUD engagement was associated with differences in substance use severity after three years of recovery. Participants (N = 88) were drawn from the Long-Term Recovery Project, a longitudinal study of individuals with OUD. MOUD use patterns were categorized as stable use, stable non-use, one MOUD change, or two or more changes. A one-way ANOVA revealed significant group differences in substance use severity at 36 months, F(3, 84) = 4.78, p = .004, η² = .15. Post-hoc tests indicated that participants with two or more MOUD changes had significantly higher severity scores than those with stable non-use. These findings suggest that greater instability in MOUD use may correspond to poorer long-term recovery outcomes.
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