Digital Commons Network^™

Aspects Of Resiliency Among The Lives Of Student Veterans, Sydney Nolan

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This study focuses on aspects of resiliency among the narratives of student veterans; specifically psychosocial difficulties, being in a relationship, social support, and sense of purpose and control. Seven student veterans attending James Madison University participated in the study. Using qualitative interviews, the researcher was able to gather information about the transitional experience of each veteran from active duty soldier, to civilian, to student. The purpose of this study is to identify the key aspects of resiliency that helped these men transition, in hopes that programs can use this information in the future to better assist veterans in their transition …

Mentalization In Counseling Processes, Matthew J. Swartzentruber

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

The purpose of this literature review is to demonstrate the profound influences and numerous applications the concept of mentalization has within counseling processes. The skill of mentalizing extends across theoretical orientations within existing counseling frameworks and has been suggested to be a core factor within the counseling process (Allen, Fonagy, & Bateman, 2008). Mentalizing capacities have been linked to positive therapeutic alliances (Markowitz & Milrod, 2011), positive client outcomes (Bernbach, 2002; Bouchard et al., 2008; Fonagy & Target, 1996; Karlsson & Kermott, 2006; Levy et. al., 2006; Meehan, Levy, Reynoso, Hill, & Clarkin, 2009), and counselor effectiveness (Cologon, 2013); and …

Color-Grapheme Synesthesia: A Study Of Population Prevalence, Christopher Hill

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Given the current state of the literature and weaknesses of many previous prevalence studies, the primary purpose of this research study was to gather base-rate data of color-grapheme synesthesia in a general population sample. Over a period of seven months, 502 participants enrolled in the study on Mechanical Turk and completed the online Synesthesia Battery. The primary data collected was the participant’s score on the synesthesia test, whereby a score of a one or below is deemed by the battery to be indicative of someone with a color-grapheme synesthetic ability. Of the 502 participants, eight percent (0.082) of the population …

Dreams: A Unified Theory Approach, Chance Mcdermott

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Henriques (2011) proposed a new unified theory of psychology (UT) which he argued could assimilate and integrate divergent lines of thought into a coherent whole. An implication of this claim is that the system can be applied to phenomena that was not addressed in the original work and the current work tests this proposition. Specifically, the current work utilized the UT and its components to examine the dream literature, especially psychodynamic, physiological and evolutionary approaches. Following a brief introduction, the project reviews the various lines of research and interpretations of why we dream and what they may mean for us. …

Benefits Of Expressive Dance Classes In Women Experiencing Homelessness, Ashley J. Runnells

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This project represents multiple layers of a therapeutic dance experience intended to assist homeless women in increasing their sense of social connectedness, happiness, and self-esteem. Therapeutic dance classes were conducted at Mercy House in Harrisonburg, VA, illuminating the benefits to participants as well as the challenges of engaging this population. Further exploration occurred during the January dance therapy intensive workshop regarding developing of therapeutic dance interventions. The project concluded with a choreographed site-specific dance work exploring the stories of the participants, and a tangible creative response by way of a tea bag dress. Lessons learned included the rich opportunities present …

Telling The Story: Exploring The Experiences Of Individuals Impacted By The Global Refugee Crisis, Hannah C. Pellegrino

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

As host communities experience shifting demographics and influxes of migrating populations, individuals who work, volunteer, and advocate to serve these populations become increasingly necessary. These individuals have the opportunity to interact with newcomers in unique and meaningful ways. Using a qualitative methodology, this study examined the interview responses of volunteers, aid workers, and advocates who dedicate their time to serve and aid the refugee population. Specifically, this study explored their view of advocacy and service; who or what inspired to pursue this work, what personal characteristics have inspired their work as advocates, and what stories and experiences have inspired them …

Substance Use In College Students In Relation To Adolescent Invulnerability And Distress Tolerance, Jordan Barnes

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Substance use among college students is often regarded as a normal part of the college experience. However, reasons for engaging in substance use are varied and dependent on many factors. The current study examined the relations between adolescent invulnerability, distress tolerance, and alcohol behaviors, marijuana behaviors and smoking frequency. Adolescent invulnerability was positively correlated with alcohol behaviors. Distress tolerance was negatively correlated with marijuana behaviors. Adolescent invulnerability and distress tolerance were found to have a moderately positive, significant correlation. College counseling centers, health professionals in charge of alcohol programs, and campus police could all benefit from understanding factors associated with …

Girls Are Us: A Collection Of Oral Histories From The Jmu Community, Anne M. Sherman

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

On a campus where women make up a majority of the student population, it is especially important that female voices are heard and given a platform on which they can control their own narrative. I wanted to give those female-identifying voices that platform. I conducted a series of interviews to examine how college-aged female-identifying students feel about their identity and how they construct that identity within the climate of the JMU community. I was particularly interested in the intersections of gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexual preference, and ability. I asked each person to share their stories of times when they …

The Effect Of Dog Interaction Through Therapy Trained Animals Or Harrisonburg-Rockingham Spca Volunteering On High Achieving First Year College Student Adjustment Period, Kamille L. Aiello

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Transitioning to college is a big change. A change that can be life altering for some students, especially when they realize that transitioning to college also means leaving their beloved companion at home. This research study proposes an Animal Assisted Activity intervention for high achieving first year college students through the Honors College as a way to lower their anxiety and increase their happiness as they adjust to their new environment. The research compared an intervention using therapy dogs from the university counseling center to an intervention using SPCA dogs and a control group to see where the largest difference …

Depression In College Students, Sarah Paynter

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Many studies report the prevalence of depression on campuses and the negative correlation between depression and academic success. However, no studies have previously examined how depressed students seek to succeed despite their illness. The researcher looked to explore how students used unique academic strategies. This researcher intends for the study to serve as a resource for comprehensive, quantitative studies to pose falsifiable hypotheses. All findings are tentative suggestions dependent on the confirmation and exploration of further research. The study suggests that interactive engagement, use of tutoring resources, managing breaks, and promoting positive study attitudes, among other strategies, may help depressed …

Facilitating Transitions Through The Use Of Multimodal Intervention For A Child With Autism, Alexis E. Anderson

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty adapting to changes in routine, to the extent that they can struggle while transitioning out of one activity and into another. The inability to transition independently from one activity to the next can lead to negative behaviors, strained teacher-student relationships, and a loss of educational time in the classroom. The present study aimed to increase a six year old child’s independence while decreasing his problem behaviors observed during his transitions throughout the day at an autism clinic. A multimodal intervention along with a modified multimodal intervention was used to increase independence while …

Be Careful What You Say: The Relationship Between Prosecutorial Language In Closing Statements And Sentencing Outcomes In Real Capital Cases, Megan J. Parker

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Moral disengagement refers to how individuals rationalize the decisions they make, especially if they may be immoral or difficult. Individuals can be primed to engage in moral disengagement through the use of specific language. The current study analyzed language strategies used in closing statements of real capital murder cases to investigate which are correlated with a death penalty sentence. Because jurors are responsible for sentencing another individual to death, they may have some difficulty making such a decision. The current study found that future dangerousness and empathetic language were significantly correlated to jurors sentencing the death to the death penalty. …

The Attentional Effects Of Peripheral Priming Cues On Reflectance Report, Katie S. Mccullar

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The attentional effects of peripheral priming cues on reflectance report were assessed using a visual perception task. Previous research has demonstrated that peripheral priming cues result in an increase in visual acuity in the primed area of the visual field directly following the cue. Prior studies have looked at this priming effect in controlled laboratory settings in which participants are exposed to basic color primers and cues. This research seeks to extend these results into a more complex driving scene in an attempt to increase the external validity. Specifically this study used road sign cues as primers and a figure …

The Roles Of Race And Empathy On Contagious Yawning, Daroon M. Jalil

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Social Psychologists often consider race to be a marker of in-group or out-group status. When looking at race, implicit bias can take forms that are more subtle than outwards racism. Two research questions were asked in this study to better understand the psychology behind racial issues. The first question was if the number of contagious yawns (CY) a person experiences depends on the race of the stimuli being viewed. Contagiously yawning more to in-group members is a phenomena seen in chimpanzees, but has not been studied in humans in a racial context. Black and white males and females were recruited …

The Relationship Between Coaching Behaviors And Athletic Injury, Olivia L. Kimmel

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The present study sought to expand on past research by examining the relationship between coaching behaviors (i.e., controlling coaching and autonomy-supportive coaching) and athletic injury. One hundred Division I athletes were given a battery of questionnaires, in the form of a single Qualtrics survey to assess the relationship between coaching behaviors and athletic injury. Controlling coaching was found to be positively correlated to the presence of pain and certain perceived causes of injury, as well as negatively correlated to athletes discussing their injury with their coach and the coach being an influence in athletes’ decision to return to their sport. …

Integrating Implementation Fidelity And Learning Improvement To Enhance Students’ Ethical Reasoning Abilities, Kristen L. Smith

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Examples of demonstrable student learning improvement in higher education are rare (Banta, Jones, & Black, 2009; Banta & Blaich, 2011). Perhaps because outcomes assessment practices are disconnected from pedagogy, curriculum, and learning improvement. Through partnership with the Madison Collaborative, the current study aimed to bridge this disconnect. Specifically, researchers applied implementation fidelity methodologies (O’Donnell, 2008) to an academic program, under the guiding framework of the Simple Model for Learning Improvement (Fulcher, Good, Coleman, & Smith, 2014). In doing so, researchers helped faculty create and elucidate an ethical reasoning educational intervention and accompanying fidelity checklist. Both were well-aligned with a University-level …

Explaining Unintended Consequences Of Differential Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior Procedures Using Behavioral Momentum Theory, Meghan C. Herr

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Behavioral momentum theory is a model that aids in the explanation of why behaviors that undergo popular intervention procedures, such as differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) and noncontingent reinforcement (NCR), have been found to increase in persistence and become more resistant to change, even with a reduction in frequency. The present study utilized a multiple concurrent schedule with a boy with autism who was non-verbal to increase his usage of an augmentative communication device to appropriately request for attention. Using the device was reinforced both in a context associated with reinforcement for inappropriate requests as well as in a …

Incorporating Visual Communication Desensitization In The Treatment Of Depression In Women With Sexual Trauma Histories, Nino Chkhaidze

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Depression is a complex condition which requires a multi-faceted approach and adjustment of the treatment method depending on the etiology of the disorder. One of the possible causes of depression is trauma experienced by an individual, especially when the traumatic event involves an interpersonal component. An innovative interview/therapeutic technique called Visual-Communication Desensitization (VCD) aims to help individuals process their traumatic experience and cope with negative effects of trauma by means of a line graph, which allows visualization of the event on timeline. In the current study, our goal was to identify VCD’s effects on depression in women with sexual trauma …

Using Multiple Imputation To Mitigate The Effects Of Low Examinee Motivation On Estimates Of Student Learning, Kelly J. Foelber

Dissertations, 2014-2019

In higher education, we often collect data in order to make inferences about student learning, and ultimately, in order to make evidence-based changes to try to improve student learning. The validity of the inferences we make, however, depends on the quality of the data we collect. Low examinee motivation compromises these inferences; research suggests that low examinee motivation can lead to inaccurate estimates of examinees’ ability (e.g., Wise & DeMars, 2005). To obtain data that better represent what students know, think, and can do, practitioners must consider, and attempt to negate the effects of, low examinee motivation. The primary purpose …

You Only Live Up To The Standards You Set: An Evaluation Of Different Approaches To Standard Setting, Scott N. Strickman

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Interpretation of performance in reference to a standard can provide nuanced, finely-tuned information regarding examinee abilities beyond that of just a total score. However, there is a multitude of ways to set performance standards yet little guidance regarding which method operates best and under what circumstances. Traditional methods are the most common approach adopted in practice and heavily involve subject matter experts (SMEs). Two other approaches have been suggested in the literature as alternative ways to set performance standards, although they have yet to be implemented in practice. Data-driven approaches do not involve SMEs but rather rely solely upon statistical …

A Novel Approach: Fictional Prose As Imagined Contact For Counselors-In-Training Working With Cultural Others, Bryant Logan Satterlee

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Meeting with clients for the first time provokes anxiety in many counselors-in-training, which can be exacerbated when working with clients from differing cultural backgrounds. This heightened anxiety can limit the capacity of beginning counselors to empathize with cultural others, which decreases the chance of powerful, therapeutic relationships being established. In addition, many counseling programs offer limited multicultural experiences that might actually prompt intergroup anxiety. It is suggested within this article that fictional prose be used as an additional resource in the classroom that acts as an imagined contact experience to aid in the cultivation of cultural empathy while potentially assuaging …

Exploring Students' Perceptions Of Academic Strengths And Weaknesses, John S. Brookbank Iv

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

As school progresses, the importance of self-advocacy becomes more evident. Before a student is able to become an effective self-advocate for their needs and services, it is essential for them to have an appropriate understanding of their academic strengths and weaknesses. Students with learning disabilities are often faced with the difficult task of understanding what it means to have a learning disability, and school psychologists do not have a clear set of guidelines as to how to inform these students in the most developmentally appropriate way. To provide school psychologists with more information regarding the formation students’ academic self-perceptions, to …

Views Toward Mental Health: An Adolescents' Perspective, Breonna L. Davis

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

The lack of mental health services received by adolescents is a continual concern. There has been less research on adolescents in regards to mental health in comparison to adults. There are many barriers that contribute to this lack of service, one main area being stigma. The current study used semi-structured individual interviews with ninth graders to explore adolescent’s views including their knowledge toward mental health, knowledge about mental disorders, their preferred helping sources, and their overall attitudes towards seeking mental health services. Additionally, a cultural perspective was examined. The adolescent’s responses reflected basic knowledge regarding mental health. The majority held …

The Effect Of A Font Intervention For 4th And 5th Graders With Dyslexia, Steven L. Powell

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Dyslexie is a font developed by Christian Boer specifically to enhance reading fluency in students with dyslexia. The present study examined its potential impact on the performance of 36 4^th and 5^th grade students with SLD on story reading. We found that Dyslexie, when compared to other common fonts that have been adjusted to control for Dyslexie’s large size and spacing, appears to have no effect on readers’ ability to read text correctly, comprehend text, or read faster.

The Effect Of Educational Modules On Attitudes Towards Disabilities, Hunter W. Greer

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

The researchers in this study were interested in the effect of educational modules on student’s ratings of appropriateness and fairness of 10 different accommodations offered at the college level. Researchers were also interested in investigating if these modules would affect individual’s scores on the Social Distance Scale to evaluate levels of stigma towards mental health. Researchers surveyed 150 college students at a large South Eastern University and found that individuals rated accommodations as higher than neutral in fairness and appropriateness overall, but did not find a difference in students who read the modules and students who did not. Researchers also …

Exploring Rehabilitation Adherence And The Motivational Climate Created By Athletic Trainers: A Mixed Methods Approach, Kaleb W. Cusack

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between the athletic trainer created motivational climate and rehabilitation adherence displayed by their athletes. Four certified athletic trainers from one National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I institution participated. The study implemented a convergent mixed methods design, using the Rehabilitation Adherence Measure for Athletic Training as a quantitative measure of adherence and a semi-structured interview to establish the strategies athletic trainers use to organize the rehabilitation process, provide feedback to athletes, and evaluate rehabilitation progress. The semi-structured interview also allowed for other emerging themes during analysis. Results indicated that high-adhering athletes …

The Impact Of Fertility Cues On Intrasexual Competition And Threat Perception, Grant Ostrander

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Humans are capable of detecting subtle fertility indicators that change across women’s menstrual cycle. One such indicator is the voice, which may change over the course of the menstrual cycle and provide fertility cues to listeners. Such cues provide an obvious advantage to men selecting mates, however research suggests that women can also detect these cues. Women may monitor the fertility of others to more effectively adjust their own mating strategies. By monitoring women’s skin conductance, cortisol, and testosterone responses to hearing high- and low-fertility female voices, the current study further investigated whether vocal cues of fertility may physiologically prime …

Inventory Of Legal Knowledge: An Examination Of Psychometric Properties In An Inpatient Psychiatric Setting, Kristen T. Campbell

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

An estimated 60,000 forensic evaluations are conducted annually to determine if defendants meet the legal standard of competence to stand trial (CST); that is, if defendants have the ability to consult with their attorney, as well as if they have a rational and factual understanding of their charges. Estimated rates of feigning (i.e., faking or exaggerating of deficits or symptoms) in CST evaluations have ranged from 8% to 21%. Given this prevalence, it is necessary for forensic evaluators to have access to psychometrically sound instruments that can aid in the detection of feigning. Performance validity tests (PVTs) are designed to …

Retrospective Versus Prospective Measurement Of Examinee Motivation In Low-Stakes Testing Contexts: A Moderated Mediation Model, Aaron J. Myers

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Expectancy-value theory applied to examinee motivation suggests examinees’ perceived value of a test indirectly affects test performance via examinee effort. This empirically supported indirect effect, however, is often modeled using importance and effort scores measured after test completion, which does not align with their theoretically specified temporal order. Retrospectively measured importance and effort scores may be influenced by examinees’ test performance, impacting the estimate of the indirect effect. To investigate the effect of timing of measurement, first-year college students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions where (1) importance and effort were measured retrospectively; (2) importance was measured prospectively; …

The Effect Of Journey Around The World Curriculum On Prosocial Behavior In Elementary School Children: A Pilot Study, Jae Seung Cha

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This small-scale pilot study explored the effectiveness of proposed research instruments in measuring the outcomes of the prosocial and global education curriculum, Journey Around the World (JAWD), regarding attitudes toward school, affective language, prosocial motivation and behavior of second-grade school students.

Overall, the results of this study support the research methodology. Specifically, the proposed measures demonstrated the capacity to detect the positive changes following the Journey Around the World program in the attitudes toward school, learning motivation, affective vocabulary, and prosocial behavior and motivation. Furthermore, the results demonstrated the sensitivity of the proposed method to reflect the children’s growing appreciation …