ii To my partner and best friend Nicole, and to both our families, whose support made this work possible.iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Writing a dissertation is an interesting and exhausting process. This particular study would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of a number of people. First, thank you to my partner and best friend Nicole Sexton. Without her countless days and nights taking care of our young boys (Graham and Reed) to provide me with the opportunity to conduct research and write, this work would not have been possible. Your support, stamina, and patience throughout this process mean the world to me.