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The Effect Of Perceived Spatial Distance On The Decision To Relocate For Graduate Education, Claire Frances Taylor Jan 2011

The Effect Of Perceived Spatial Distance On The Decision To Relocate For Graduate Education, Claire Frances Taylor

LSU Master's Theses

This study investigated the influence of perceived spatial distance (PSD) on students’ intentions and decisions to relocate to pursue graduate education. The framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) provided the basis for measurement of the components of PSD, that is one’s attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control about spatial distance, as well as an understanding of how PSD may influence relocation intentions and decisions. The components of PSD were hypothesized to be positively related to relocation decisions, with relocation intentions acting as a moderator. Undergraduate students at Louisiana State University who had applied to at least one …


Family Supportive Organization Perceptions, Work Role Overload, And Burnout: Crossover Effects Of Burnout On Recovery, Suzanne Marie Booth Jan 2011

Family Supportive Organization Perceptions, Work Role Overload, And Burnout: Crossover Effects Of Burnout On Recovery, Suzanne Marie Booth

LSU Master's Theses

The present study is a dyadic examination of the effects individuals’ perceptions of their partners’ burnout have on the individuals’ burnout and their ability to recover from work demands. The effects of burnout were investigated in light of the presence of the buffer of family-supportive organization perceptions. The proposed model for the study was tested using statistical equation modeling (N = 300 cohabiting couples). Family-supportive organization perceptions were shown to mitigate the influence of work role overload on an individual’s burnout and positively relate to recovery from work. In the model, individuals’ perceptions of their partners’ burnout was driven by …


A Computer-Based Instructional Program To Teach Braille Reading To Sighted Individuals, Mindy Scheithauer Jan 2011

A Computer-Based Instructional Program To Teach Braille Reading To Sighted Individuals, Mindy Scheithauer

LSU Master's Theses

There is a need for efficient braille training methods for instructors of the visually impaired. This study evaluated the use of a computer-based program intended to train the relation of braille characters to English letters using a matching-to-sample procedure with 4 sighted college students. Each participant mastered matching visual depictions of the braille alphabet to their text counterparts. Further, each participant demonstrated the ability to read a braille passage following this exposure. These gains maintained at variable levels at a follow-up probe 2 to 4 weeks following training.


Comparing Mand-Training Efficiency With Selection-Based And Topography-Based Communication Systems, Kathryn E. Barlow Jan 2011

Comparing Mand-Training Efficiency With Selection-Based And Topography-Based Communication Systems, Kathryn E. Barlow

LSU Master's Theses

Alternative communication systems such as picture exchange systems and sign language are commonly used instructional techniques when teaching verbal operants to individuals with deficient vocal verbal repertoires, but which response topography is most efficient is highly debated. Selection-based manding responses and topography-based manding responses were alternately taught to three boys with severe language deficits in order to determine the relative efficiency of acquisition of each system. The results indicated that selection-based communication systems were more readily acquired across all participants.


Test-Driving Interventions To Increase Treatment Integrity And Student Outcomes, Evan Henry Dart Jan 2011

Test-Driving Interventions To Increase Treatment Integrity And Student Outcomes, Evan Henry Dart

LSU Master's Theses

Behavioral Consultation is typically an effective way for school psychologists to work with teachers to find an appropriate intervention for implementation in the classroom. While some teachers have no difficulty implementing suggested interventions with high integrity, this is not always the case. The present study attempted to develop a “test-drive” procedure by which resistant teachers were able to implement several interventions briefly in the hope that they found one to their liking and implement it with high levels of integrity. The results indicate that teachers resistant to traditional Behavioral Consultation were able to implement their preferred intervention with high rates …


Simulated Subnormal Performance On The Stanford Binet-V: An Exploratory Investigation Of The Stanford Binet Rarely Missed Items Index, Mandi Wilkes Musso Jan 2011

Simulated Subnormal Performance On The Stanford Binet-V: An Exploratory Investigation Of The Stanford Binet Rarely Missed Items Index, Mandi Wilkes Musso

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to derive an embedded validity index of effort for the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales-Fifth Edition (SB5; Roid, 2003a) and to validate this index using an analog sample of individuals feigning mild mental retardation (MR). Of the data provided by Dr. Roid, 307 healthy individuals aged 18-35 with full scale intelligence quotients (FSIQ) greater than 70 were included in this study (n = 307) as well as 31 individuals with FSIQ scores in the MR range. Also, a sample of 108 undergraduate students at Louisiana State University was asked to participate in this study in exchange …


The Contribution Of Implicit Stereotypes To The Overrepresentation Of African Americans In The Special Education Category Of Emotional Disturbance, Tai A. Collins Jan 2011

The Contribution Of Implicit Stereotypes To The Overrepresentation Of African Americans In The Special Education Category Of Emotional Disturbance, Tai A. Collins

LSU Master's Theses

The overrepresentation of African Americans in special education is a problem that has plagued the field since its inception, yet very little progress has been made in alleviating the issue. The problem is especially troubling because of the host of negative outcomes associated with special education in general, as well as placing African American students into special education specifically. The current study sought to examine the contribution of implicit racial stereotypes to the overrepresentation problem. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions where they viewed vignettes about either an African American or Caucasian problem student, after which they completed a questionnaire …


Difficulty Disengaging Attention From Appearance Words Among Women With High Social Anxiety, Jose Silgado Jan 2011

Difficulty Disengaging Attention From Appearance Words Among Women With High Social Anxiety, Jose Silgado

LSU Master's Theses

Pathological eating behaviors (PEB) and body dissatisfaction are more prevalent among women with higher social anxiety (HSA) than women with lower social anxiety (LSA). Attentional bias may play a role in these relationships. Attentional bias toward appearance is related to PEB and body dissatisfaction. Further, difficulty disengaging attention from threat is thought to maintain anxiety among HSA individuals. It follows that some HSA women may find scrutiny regarding their appearance threatening and difficulty disengaging attention from appearance cues may play an especially important role in PEB and/or body dissatisfaction among HSA women. The present study tested this theory, hypothesizing that: …


Predicting Posttraumatic Growth: Coping, Social Support, And Posttraumatic Stress In Children And Adolescents After Hurricane Katrina, Mark Allen Schexnaildre Jan 2011

Predicting Posttraumatic Growth: Coping, Social Support, And Posttraumatic Stress In Children And Adolescents After Hurricane Katrina, Mark Allen Schexnaildre

LSU Master's Theses

There is a growing area of research that explores the possibility that negative life events could ultimately result in positive outcomes. However, there exists some debate on whether or not children are capable of experiencing such outcomes. The proposed study examined posttraumatic growth (PTG), positive psychological change in the wake of a traumatic event, in a sample of child and adolescent victims of Hurricane Katrina. Specifically, the roles of coping and social support were studied as predictors of PTG. Additionally, the relationship between PTG and posttraumatic stress disorder, which has been shown to be a complex one, was explored. This …


Simulated Subaverage Performance On The Block Span Task Of The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales-Fifth Edition, Alyse Ann Barker Jan 2011

Simulated Subaverage Performance On The Block Span Task Of The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales-Fifth Edition, Alyse Ann Barker

LSU Master's Theses

As clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists routinely assess individuals in medicolegal and criminal forensic settings, they are faced with the challenge of evaluating and testifying on the validity of these psychological and neuropsychological assessments. Individuals possess various motives for manipulating their responses or performance on psychological and neuropsychological assessment instruments. Malingering refers to poor effort on psychological and neuropsychological tests when an external incentive is present to reward poor performance. Malingering can be assessed by stand-alone measures of effort or measures derived from the response profiles of traditionally administered neuropsychological and psychological tests. Using a dataset from the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales-Fifth …


Assessing Attentional Bias And Cerebral Laterality In Specific Phobia Using A Dichotic Listening Paradigm, Whitney Shay Jenkins Jan 2011

Assessing Attentional Bias And Cerebral Laterality In Specific Phobia Using A Dichotic Listening Paradigm, Whitney Shay Jenkins

LSU Master's Theses

Researchers have found fear to impact a variety of cognitive variables in individuals with specific phobia. Attentional bias is a cognitive variable that has received considerable attention in the specific phobia literature; however, the existing literature follows only one line of attentional bias—bias as encoded through images, words, or other content presented visually. This study aimed to expand on this area by assessing attention and cerebral laterality in individuals with specific phobia using a dichotic listening paradigm (i.e., via auditory means). Results indicated that participants with specific phobias do not significantly differ from controls in terms of the number of …


An Examination Of Challenging Behaviors In Autistic Disorder Versus Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified: Significant Differences And Gender Effects, Alison M. Kozlowski Jan 2010

An Examination Of Challenging Behaviors In Autistic Disorder Versus Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified: Significant Differences And Gender Effects, Alison M. Kozlowski

LSU Master's Theses

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are well-known for engagement in challenging behaviors. Unfortunately, due to its absence as a criterion for diagnosis in the DSM-IV-TR, little attention has been paid to the endorsement rates of such behaviors. However, a recently developed measure to assist in the diagnosis of infants and toddlers with autism and PDD-NOS – the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT) – has included a section designated for just this reason. This study used the BISCUIT to assess for significant differences in the endorsement rates of challenging behaviors between infants and toddlers with …


Do The Stimulant Medications Improve Neuropsychological Performance Of College Students With Adhd?, Chunqiao Luo Jan 2010

Do The Stimulant Medications Improve Neuropsychological Performance Of College Students With Adhd?, Chunqiao Luo

LSU Master's Theses

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent disorder estimated to affect 5% to 10% of school-aged children and approximately 4% of adults worldwide. The defining symptoms are hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention, which are all acutely reduced by the stimulant medications, methylphenidate and amphetamine. Nevertheless, in spite of robust short-term efficacy, long-term follow-up studies fail to show drug effects on academic achievement of ADHD students. Because recent research indicates that the medications also do not normalize performance of ADHD patients on some neuropsychological tests, we thought this might shed some light on the causes of ADHD students’ academic underachievement. There is …


Development And Preliminary Validation Of The Adolescent Homework Inventory, Meghan Burns Geary Jan 2010

Development And Preliminary Validation Of The Adolescent Homework Inventory, Meghan Burns Geary

LSU Master's Theses

Homework is defined as work assigned to students by teachers that is to be completed outside of school hours (Cooper, 1989). Homework completion has been shown to have both positive and negative effects at school and home (Hoover-Dempsey, Battiato, Walker, Reed, DeJong, & Jones, 2001; Cooper, 1989; Cooper & Valentine, 2001). Given that homework will continue to be assigned, and that positive outcomes may be greater than negative outcomes, it is important to identify and address difficulties students face in homework completion. Measures are available to identify homework problems in elementary school students, but current measures available for middle and …


The Effect Of Task Difficulty On Preschoolers' Problem-Solving And Emotion-Regulation Strategy Use, Courtney Marie Snyder Jan 2010

The Effect Of Task Difficulty On Preschoolers' Problem-Solving And Emotion-Regulation Strategy Use, Courtney Marie Snyder

LSU Master's Theses

Although there has been a lot of research on problem-solving and emotion-regulation independently, little work has been done on how these constructs are related. The current investigation sought to explore differences in problem-solving, emotion-regulation, emotion-dysregulation and help-seeking based on task difficulty. Preschool children between 3-5 years of age participated in six frustration-inducing problem-solving tasks, three of which were possible (but difficult) and three of which were impossible for them to solve. Problem-solving, emotion-regulation, emotion-dysregulation, and help-seeking behaviors were coded for each task. I hypothesized that children’s behavior in each of these four areas would vary according to task difficulty, as …


Communication Deficits In Babies With Autism And Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (Pdd-Nos), Max Horovitz Jan 2010

Communication Deficits In Babies With Autism And Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (Pdd-Nos), Max Horovitz

LSU Master's Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are characterized by pervasive impairments in communication, socialization, and repetitive behaviors or interests. While there is a growing interest in early ASDs, very few studies have looked at the nature of these impairments before age 3. In order to better strengthen early assessment and intervention for ASDs, more knowledge is needed in this area. The current studies aimed to determine if, and in what ways, communication impairments are present in infants and toddlers (17-37 months) diagnosed with autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). In the first study, infants with autism and PDD-NOS …


A Comparison Of Public And Private Positive Peer Reporting In General Education Classrooms, Carolyn Barahona Jan 2010

A Comparison Of Public And Private Positive Peer Reporting In General Education Classrooms, Carolyn Barahona

LSU Master's Theses

Positive peer reporting (PPR) and Tootling have shown to be effective classwide interventions in decreasing maladaptive behavior and increasing positive interactions. In the current study, PPR was implemented as a classwide intervention by using an interdependent group contingency to determine if two variations of student praise reports affect classroom disruptive behavior. PPR uses public praise reports to decrease maladaptive behavior and increase prosocial interactions, while Tootling uses private praise reports on index cards to increase reports of prosocial interactions. This study compared students’ public praise reports to private praise reports of fellow students and evaluated how different praise types affect …


The Relationship Among Self-Efficacy, Negative Self-Statements, And Social Anxiety In Children: A Mediation, Brittany Nicole Moree Jan 2010

The Relationship Among Self-Efficacy, Negative Self-Statements, And Social Anxiety In Children: A Mediation, Brittany Nicole Moree

LSU Master's Theses

Evidence suggests that general self-efficacy, one’s beliefs about his or her global abilities, and social self-efficacy, one’s beliefs in his or her ability to navigate social situations, are strongly connected to levels of social anxiety. Negative self-statements, also known as negative self-referent cognitions, have also been linked with levels of social anxiety. Although self-efficacy and negative self-statements have been shown to be important variables in the phenomenology and maintenance of social anxiety in children, they have yet to be examined in conjunction with one another. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between negative self-statements and selfefficacy …


Factors That Affect Sleep In Adults With Developmental Disability, Megan Sipes Jan 2010

Factors That Affect Sleep In Adults With Developmental Disability, Megan Sipes

LSU Master's Theses

Sleep problems are a common occurrence in the typically developing population. These problems are even more frequent in those with developmental disabilities; however, sleep disorders are often under diagnosed in this population in clinical populations. Currently, there is a lack of research that examines the rate of sleep problems in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The purpose of this study is to examine differences in the endorsements of sleep problems between three groups: 71 adults with Autistic Disorder (AD) and intellectual disability (ID), 71 adults with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and ID, and 71 adults with ID …


Emotion Recognition In Schizotypy, Laura Brown Jan 2010

Emotion Recognition In Schizotypy, Laura Brown

LSU Master's Theses

Deficits in social cognition are repeatedly found in individuals with schizophrenia. Facial emotion recognition is a major aspect of social cognition in which individuals with schizophrenia show consistent deficits. However, many questions about these deficits remain unanswered including whether they occur in individuals with schizotypy—those at high risk for the disorder that do not manifest full pathology. Examining emotion recognition in schizotypy eliminates many of the confounds associated with schizophrenia research such as medication effects, chronic institutionalization, and generalized cognitive deficits, and allows for the examination of whether emotion recognition deficits reflect vulnerability to schizophrenia. Prior research in this population …


Affective Dysfunction And Affective Interference In Schizotypy, Gina Marie Najolia Jan 2010

Affective Dysfunction And Affective Interference In Schizotypy, Gina Marie Najolia

LSU Master's Theses

Affective dysfunction is a core feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Schizophrenic and schizotypal participants report higher levels of unpleasant and lower levels of pleasant trait affect than controls. In response to pleasant stimuli, though, participants often report similar levels of pleasant emotion to controls, but heightened unpleasant emotion, suggesting pleasant experiences may be affected by intrusive unpleasant emotion. An emotional Stroop task was used to examine the relationship between affective interference and trait affect in schizotypy. No significant differences were found between schizotypal participants and controls on e-Stroop performance, but schizotypal participants did self-report more unpleasant trait affect and less …


A Treatment Components Analysis In Positive Peer Reporting For Socially Withdrawn Children, Jeffrey S. Chenier Jan 2010

A Treatment Components Analysis In Positive Peer Reporting For Socially Withdrawn Children, Jeffrey S. Chenier

LSU Master's Theses

Socially withdrawn children who do not receive intervention are at risk for struggling in their coursework and having trouble with future psychological adjustment. In spite of these facts, children who act out in the classroom have traditionally received much more attention from teachers and from researchers in the literature. In recent years, there have been many replications of Positive Peer Reporting (PPR) as a quick, effective, and accepted method to help these children overcome their withdrawn status. The extant literature supports the efficacy of PPR. However, there remain several important unanswered questions with regard to PPR. For example, do children …


The Interactions Between Sentence Complexity, Working Memory, And Additional Working Memory Load: An On-Line Measure, Christy Seidel Jan 2010

The Interactions Between Sentence Complexity, Working Memory, And Additional Working Memory Load: An On-Line Measure, Christy Seidel

LSU Master's Theses

This experiment takes an on-line look at syntactical complexity, external loads, and working memory, and how the three influence one another. Based on off-line data looking at the interactions between these three factors, we have discovered that syntactic complexity and span have main effects, while the effect of load is most interestingly seen in a three way interaction representing the hardest possible combination of factors. Through this new design, we were able to see whether the off-line results of sentence processing are replicated with an on-line measure. Our new off-line findings replicate past results, which show that working memory impacts …


Autism Spectrum Disorders: Validation Of The Autism Spectrum Disorders - Problem Behavior For Children (Asd-Pbc), Relationship Between Age And Challenging Behaviors, Children And Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders Compared To Typically Developing Controls On The Behavioral Assessment For Children, Second Edition (Basc-2), Sara Rebecca Mahan Jan 2010

Autism Spectrum Disorders: Validation Of The Autism Spectrum Disorders - Problem Behavior For Children (Asd-Pbc), Relationship Between Age And Challenging Behaviors, Children And Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders Compared To Typically Developing Controls On The Behavioral Assessment For Children, Second Edition (Basc-2), Sara Rebecca Mahan

LSU Master's Theses

Researchers found that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a predictor for challenging behaviors. Since challenging behaviors are obstacles for social development and learning, it is important to determine if and what challenging behaviors are exhibited and how to best treat them. The Autism Spectrum Disorder – Problem Behavior for Children (ASD-PBC) is an 18 item informant based questionnaire specifically designed to measure challenging behaviors in children with ASD. Convergent and discriminant validity against the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2), demonstrated the preliminary validity for the ASD-PBC for use among children and adolescents with ASD. Study 2 examined …


Effects Of Delays To Response Blocking When Used As Treatment For Problem Behavior Maintained By Automatic Reinforcement, Megan Leigh Kliebert Jan 2010

Effects Of Delays To Response Blocking When Used As Treatment For Problem Behavior Maintained By Automatic Reinforcement, Megan Leigh Kliebert

LSU Master's Theses

Response blocking and response interruption are common interventions for problem behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement in the treatment literature, but these interventions may be extremely challenging for caregivers to implement with fidelity (i.e., immediately blocking each instance). We evaluated the effects of challenges to the procedural integrity of response blocking and interruption procedures upon the maintenance of treatment effects for problem behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement for two young men by measuring aberrant behavior under several conditions including a baseline condition, an immediate response blocking or interruption condition, and delayed response blocking or interruption conditions (e.g., 3-s, 15-s, and 30-s …


Attention Is Not Required To Maintain Feature Bindings In Visual Working Memory, Amanda Van Lamsweerde Jan 2010

Attention Is Not Required To Maintain Feature Bindings In Visual Working Memory, Amanda Van Lamsweerde

LSU Master's Theses

Attention plays an important role in the formation of accurate feature bindings. However, the role of attention in maintaining feature bindings is not as well established. Some research supports the theory that attention is needed to maintain feature bindings in visual working memory (VWM), while other research suggests that bindings remain intact after the withdrawal of attention. Experiment 1 of current study tested this hypothesis by replicating the findings that feature bindings are more difficult to remember than individual features in a whole report change detection task. Experiment 2 directly measured attention through eye tracking and manipulated whether a change …


Factors Affecting The Efficacy Of Feedback Use During Source Monitoring, Stephanie Groft Jan 2009

Factors Affecting The Efficacy Of Feedback Use During Source Monitoring, Stephanie Groft

LSU Master's Theses

The current study considers how individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) affect feedback effectiveness. Participants, selected to have high and low WMC, first watched a video of a crime. Subsequently, a post-test questionnaire was administered concerning events taken from the video and additional information suggested to have occurred in the video. After a 10 minute filler task, participants were given a two-part memory test requiring them to identify the source of the information presented in the test statements. During the training portion of the test, half of the participants received feedback as to the accuracy of their source decisions. …


Supporting Decision Making In A Complex World, Jonathan Tall Jan 2009

Supporting Decision Making In A Complex World, Jonathan Tall

LSU Master's Theses

Recent research has questioned whether explicit thinking is necessary or even useful for complex decision making (Gladwell, 2005; Dijksterhuis & Nordgren, 2006; Newell, Wong, Cheung, & Rakow, in press). The present research approaches this issue by examining how different types of decision support facilitate/hinder performance in a diagnostic medical task. The results from 3 experiments indicate that providing an external memory aid improves performance in complex tasks. Additional support in the form of a coding procedure improved awareness of the magnitude of drug effects, but did not improve detection of negative side effects. The results suggest that while performance is …


Comorbid Psychopathology In Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Intellectual Disabilities, Santino Vincent Lovullo Jan 2009

Comorbid Psychopathology In Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Intellectual Disabilities, Santino Vincent Lovullo

LSU Master's Theses

While there has been an abundance of research investigating Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in children, very little emphasis has been placed on ASD in adults, especially in regards to comorbid psychopathology. This is of great concern considering that ASD often co-occurs with intellectual disability (ID), and that both may serve as risk factors for additional psychopathology. While instruments exist that measure comorbid psychopathology in adults with ID, these scales are not targeted to the unique expression of comorbidity in adults with ID and ASD. The Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for Adults (ASD-CA) was devised for this reason. This paper begins with …


Comparing Social Skills In Children With Autistic Disorder And Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Mary Elizabeth Shoemaker Jan 2009

Comparing Social Skills In Children With Autistic Disorder And Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Mary Elizabeth Shoemaker

LSU Master's Theses

Although in recent years there has been a large amount of research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in general, relatively few studies have focused on Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) as a distinct category. As a deficit in social skills is said to be the primary defining feature of ASD, continued research on assessment and treatment of social skills deficits in ASD is warranted. The present study aims to examine the differences in social skills between children diagnosed with Autistic disorder and PDD-NOS using the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Youngsters (MESSY). This study extends a previous …