Digital Commons Network^™

Dickkopf-1 Blocks 17Β-Estradiol-Enhanced Object Memory Consolidation In Ovariectomized Female Mice, Lisa Taxier

Theses and Dissertations

The memory-enhancing effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) are dependent upon rapid activation of several cell signaling cascades within the dorsal hippocampus (DH). Among many cell-signaling pathways that mediate memory processes, Wnt/β-catenin signaling has emerged as a potential key player. However, whether E2 interacts with Wnt/β-catenin signaling to promote memory consolidation is unknown. Therefore, the present study examined whether Wnt/β-catenin signaling within the DH is necessary for E2-induced memory consolidation in both object recognition and object placement tasks. Here, ovariectomized mice received immediate post-training infusions of E2 or vehicle into the dorsal third ventricle plus the endogenous Wnt/β-catenin antagonist Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) or …

Associative And Non-Associative Learning In The Monodelphis Domestica, Ana C. Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

Learning encompasses multiple important processes that vary within organisms and that are affected by different factors. Two of the most important types of learning are associative and non-associative learning. Even though past research has studied animal learning in multiple species, there is limited research on learning in the Monodelphis domestica. It is imperative to further the knowledge on this species since multiple fields use it as an animal model for research. The current study examined both non-associative and associative learning in the Monodelphis. Non-associative learning was explored by using a habituation-dishabituation paradigm, while associative learning was examined using the …

Hispanic Culture And Machismo: How Hispanics Interpret Transgender And Gender Non-Conforming Identities, Karen R. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines dynamics linked to normative gender expectations and gender identities within Hispanic culture. Little is known in this regard concerning how Hispanics perceive and interpret transgender and gender non-conforming identities. The analysis provides qualitative assessment using 35 in-depth face-to-face interviews and examines the following research questions: 1) how do life experiences such as marriage, parenthood, and work force participation among Hispanics shape their formation of gender expectations? 2) Among Hispanics, how do class, race/ethnicity, and education shape the construction of gender ideologies.

The present study, in turn adds to the literature by examining gender norm constructs among Mexican-origin …

Designing Selection Systems To Reduce Turnover, Joshua David Bush

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to explore and predict voluntary turnover as a critical dependent variable in selection systems. I describe how using competency modeling to build measures of person-organization (P-O) fit may serve as a theoretical launching point for designing selection assessments to predict voluntary turnover. I tested this theoretical framework by analyzing an archival selection database of 3,332 current and former employees who went through a competency model-based selection system, which includes five different assessment methods all designed to measure P-O fit. I hypothesized that scores on these assessments would negatively predict turnover risk because research has demonstrated a strong …

Assessing The Grey Short-Tailed Opossum (Monodelphis Domestica) As A Potential Animal Model Of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Creation Of An Ethogram And Description Of Developmental Changes In Social Behavior, Angela M. Mar

Theses and Dissertations

Research using animal models is done when human subjects cannot participate due to ethical concerns. The majority of translational research is done using rat models. However, other animals are good candidates for translational research, such as Monodelphis domestica. Presently, little is known about Monodelphis domesticas’ behavior and how the animal can be used in research settings. The aim of the study is to fill the gap in the research by conducting behavioral observations of M. domestica pups using a longitudinal approach starting with post-weaned age and ending at the age of sexual maturity and creating an behavioral ethogram. …

Are We Safe Yet? Re-Evaluation Of The Performance Diagnostic Checklist-Safety (Pdc-Safety), Nelmar Jacinto Cruz

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the utility of the Performance Diagnostic Checklist- Safety (PDC-Safety) (Martinez-Onstott, Wilder, & Sigurdsson, 2016) by comparing the effectiveness of a PDC-Safety indicated intervention with a PDC-Safety nonindicated intervention. The interventions targeted participants’ hand washing behavior at a clinic serving children with intellectual disabilities. Failure to wash hands at appropriate times could pose health risks to both behavior technicians and clients, so efforts should be made to increase the likelihood of hand washing. The results of the PDC-Safety suggested that the antecedents and information domain was most problematic. First, a non-indicated intervention, which included access to additional materials …

A Preliminary Examination Of The Effects Of Repeated Observation On Productivity As An Analog Of Micromanagement, Christopher Lytle

Theses and Dissertations

The current study evaluated the effect of repeated observation on work-related behavior in an analog setting. The goal was to determine the effects of repeated intrusive observation on productivity. The study was designed as an analog analysis of the effects of micromanagement in an organizational setting. Participants were 60 undergraduate psychology students at a private university in the southeastern United States. A between-subjects group design was used to evaluate the effects of observation. Participants were exposed to varying levels of observation, (nine, two, and zero instances per session), and their productivity and accuracy on a data entry task were measured. …

The Role Of Type 2 Diabetes And Metformin Use In Cognitive Decline, Kelley R. Chilson

Theses and Dissertations

Primary objectives of the present study include exploring the role of both A1C values and the anti-diabetic medication, metformin, on cognitive decline through measured by a brief neuropsychological exam (BNE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Method: Eleven years of archival cognitive testing and medical information from a total of 479 East Central Florida Memory Disorder Clinic patients (52.8 % female, 88.5% Caucasian, Mage = 78.79 years) was utilized for the present study. Participants were placed into two groups: Type 2 diabetes (n = 239) and a control group (n = 240). Cognitive testing data were collected via MoCA screening …

The Role Of Athletic Scholarship On Suboptimal Performance In Baseline Concussion Testing, Lauren E. Goworowski

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To date, there is a very limited amount of research regarding the topic of sandbagging (i.e., intentional poor performance) during concussion baseline testing in a collegiate athlete population. It is known that student-athletes may underreport their concussive symptoms so they can return to play more quickly, and may purposefully lower their baseline results to appear less impaired following a head injury so as to avoid exclusion from play (Echemendia & Cantu, 2003; Reilly 2011). At this point in time, it is difficult to make statements regarding sandbagging because the incidence of this behavior is unknown. Accordingly, this study had …

An Examination Of Generational And Gender Differences Among Baby Boomers On The Scale Of Accurate Personality Perception (Sapp), Nicole Lane Murray

Theses and Dissertations

Generations and their differences, as well as the construct of self-knowledge, have been studied at length due to their potential predictive power over an individual’s behaviors. This research proposes to build upon these constructs by blending them together in order to see the differences that exist on various personality dimensions, as well as on self-knowledge, between the Baby Boomer generation and the general population. In order to test these hypotheses, archival data were used. Participants in the archival data set were grouped based on their generation depending on the year of their birth. The federal government, specifically the U.S. Census …

Cost Of Caring: The Effects Of Euthanasia On Animal Shelter Workers, Kim L. Nguyen-Finn

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study focuses on animal shelter workers, a population that has often been overlooked in research and clinical practice, and the emotional strains of the task of euthanasia. The effects of employment in a kill or no-kill shelter, participation in euthanasia, and number of years employed on mental health issues of substance abuse, anxiety, depression, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout were examined. A three-way MANOVA was run to test the hypothesis that there is a cell effect among the type of shelter employed in, participation in euthanasia, and years of experience on mental health, which was not supported by …

Leveraging Stimulus Equivalence To Teach Piano To Children With Autism, Krystin Katherine Hussain

Theses and Dissertations

Music-based interventions have been shown to benefit individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by improving deficits such as social behaviors, communication, and vocalizations, as well as reducing behavioral excesses such as stereotypies (Hill, 2015). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effects of equivalence-based instruction (EBI) on acquisition of piano skills, novel piano performance, and generalization and maintenance of taught and untaught piano skills among children with autism. Training consisted of auditory-visual musical stimuli in a matching-to-sample format. Training was conducted using simultaneous matching in a one-to-many arrangement (relations between one stimulus are trained to multiple …

Norms For Baseline Concussion Tests, Kaci Lee Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The present study was designed to establish Baseline concussion normative data for non-athlete students using the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT-5), Rey Word Recognition Test (RWRT), The A Random Letter Test of Auditory Vigilance (A-Test) and the Rey Dot Counting Test (DCT). The study considers the comparative differences when the non-athletes are told to complete the task to the best of their ability, to those who are told to perform poorly on purpose, and those who are instructed how to perform badly. Method: Sixty non-athlete students at Florida Institute of Technology volunteered in the study using the university’s online …

An Examination Of The Degree Of Self-Knowledge Across Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, And Millennials, Jenna Marie Manelli

Theses and Dissertations

Generations and their differences, as well as the construct of self-knowledge, have been studied at length due to their potential predictive power over an individual’s behaviors. This research proposes to build upon these constructs by blending them together in order to see the differences that exist on various personality dimensions, as well as on self-knowledge, between the Baby Boomer, Generation X, and Millennial generations. In order to test these hypotheses, archival data were used. Participants in the archival data set were grouped based on their generation depending on the year of their birth. The federal government, specifically the U.S. Census …

An Exploration Of The Quality Of Relationship Between Step-Children And Step-Parents Based On Address Term Usage, Sierra R. Payton

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to examine address term usage as a communicative component of blended/step-families by examining the address terms that step-children use to address their step-parent and whether address term usage can allude to the quality of relationship reported by step-children within the step-child step-parent relationship. Rowan University undergraduate students (n=67) were recruited to complete questionnaires on address term usage and quality of relationship using the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI). Address term usage was the independent variable and was measured using three levels: formal, familiar, and familial. Quality of relationship was the dependent variable and was measured using the …

The Role Of Injury Type (Concussion Versus Orthopedic), Coping Style, Depressive Symptomology, And Neurocognitive Functioning In Predicting Student-Athlete Injury Rehabilitation, Eileen Margaret Croes-Orf

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: To examine the role of injury type, coping style, depressive symptomology, and neurocognitive functioning in student-athlete injury recovery Method: Eighty-two (54.9% male; 45.1% female) students, aged 18-25, from the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne Florida were administered the Coping with Health Injuries and Problems and PHQ-9 questionnaires to study the relationship between coping and depressive symptomology. Baseline neurocognitive functioning data from ImPACT scores were gathered in both student athlete groups. Participants in the concussion group were assessed with the ImPACT during their follow-up concussion management appointments at the Florida Tech Neuropsychology Laboratory. Results: A significant interaction was found …

A Comparison Of Verbal And Standard Selection-Based Preferences Using The Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement Method For Children With Developmental Disabilities, Devon Mcmahon

Theses and Dissertations

Since DeLeon and Iwata (1996) published their seminal study on multiple stimulus preference assessments, the research surrounding preference assessments utilizing multiple stimuli has grown immensely. This has led to many variations of DeLeon and Iwata’s (1996) original preference assessment. Variations have included preference assessments conducted with videos, pictures, and activities. We compared the results of a standard tangible multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment (MSWO) to a verbal multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment with four individuals with developmental disabilities. A reinforcer assessment was conducted following each preference assessment to assess accuracy. Idiosyncratic results were found across participants. For two …

Profile Patterns Of Sex Offenders Using The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory- Second Edition- Restructured Form (Mmpi-2-Rf), Renee Vanslyke

Theses and Dissertations

Personality assessment of sex offenders provides clarifying information regarding underlying characteristics that may contribute to commission of sex offenses. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and its second edition, the MMPI-2, have been the most extensively used personality measures in the psychological assessment of sex offenders. The latest version of the test, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition, Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) is the focus of the current study. The current study evaluated MMPI-2-RF profiles obtained from a sample of 281 adult male sex offenders. The mean age of the sample was 36.3 (SD = 13.1; range = 18 – …

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent-Restructured Form (Mmpi-A-Rf) With Juvenile Drug Court Adjudicated Outpatient Adolescents, Mary Caitlin Fertitta

Theses and Dissertations

Many psychological disorders have their beginnings or foundations during the critical developmental period of adolescence. Substance use is particularly problematic at this time because of its risk for continuation into adulthood and because of the many problems associated with it, such as delinquency, family conflict, and poor emotional adjustment. Accurate assessment of emotional and behavioral disturbances in adolescents is important for directing treatment and intervention. This study aimed to contribute reference data for this specific population to the growing body of research with the newly published Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent-Restructured Form (MMPI-A­RF). The central purposes of this study were to …

Sink Or Swim: Maximizing The Impact Of 360° Feedback In Leader Development, Leah Joyce Ellison

Theses and Dissertations

Leader development initiatives prescribed as isolated events often fall short of their intended outcomes (Avolio, Reichard, Hannah, Walumbwa, & Chan, 2009). Initiatives should instead be enacted as part of an ongoing developmental process that encourages continuous learning and self-improvement through an “integrated set of experiences” (Hernez-Broome & Hughes, 2004). The current study proposes that a combination of factors throughout this continuous process, both external to and within leaders, significantly impact the outcomes following a 360° feedback leader development program (360 LDP). External factors such as a leader’s feedback environment and perceived quality of coaching relationship with his or her boss …

One Jump Forward, Two Jumps Back: A Qualitative Study Of Parental Issues Raising Adolescents With Autism, Molly Anne Rosenbaum

Theses and Dissertations

There have been numerous investigations seeking to quantify the experience of parents raising adolescents of autism, but remarkably few have looked at the total experience qualitatively, as reported by parents. The present study was conducted along with a larger study for adolescents with autism participating in the PEERS® social skills group intervention, which includes simultaneous parent sessions. This study analyzed comments made in the parent group, identifying the issues parents reported spontaneously through a qualitative analysis of 12 unstructured hour-long sessions including parents (n = 16) and graduate student clinicians. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the …

Visual And Verbal Serial List Learning In Patients With Statistically-Determined Mild Cognitive Impairment, Victor J. Wasserman

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To compare verbal versus visual serial list learning test performance in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and assess relationships between serial list learning and hippocampal volume. Methods: Patients were diagnosed with non-MCI, amnestic MCI (aMCI), and combined mixed/dysexecutive MCI (mixed/dysMCI). Outcome measures included immediate/delay free recall, and delay recognition performance from the 12-word Philadelphia Verbal Learning Test (PrVLT) and the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R). Lateral hippocampal volumes were obtained. Results: Non-MCI patients scored better than other groups on P(r)VLT immediate/delay free recall. aMCI patients scored lower than other groups on P(r)VLT delay recognition. Non-MCI patients were …

Ya Gotta Wanna: Shifting Motivational Priorities In The Self-Control Process, Keemia Vaghef

Theses and Dissertations

Self-control has been linked to a range of important academic, social, and achievement-related outcomes (Tangney et al., 2004). However, there are a variety of differing perspectives on the process by which individuals exert self-control. Thus, the self-control process is still ambiguous and there is no single model that researchers have yet to agree upon. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine this self-control process in more detail, drawing from the shifting priorities self-control process model (Inzlicht, Schmeichel, & Macrae, 2014). More specifically, the study examined the distinct influence of regulatory-related constructs, specifically delay of gratification and future time perspective, …

The Impact Of Social Desirability On An Individual’S Scale Of Accurate Personality Prediction (Sapp) Score, Alexander James Kiss

Theses and Dissertations

The Scale of Accurate Personality Prediction (SAPP), developed by Miller (2000), was derived from the 16PF and purports to measure an individual’s ability to accurately assess his or her own self-knowledge. The scores from the SAPP are derived from calculating the absolute value of the difference between the individuals predicted scores on the 16PF, and the individual’s actual scores on the 16PF. The present study aimed to determine if individuals with lower SAPP scores were influenced by social desirability, and if social desirability perception differs by gender. Archival data of 607 individuals was organized into 150 low scoring SAPP individuals …

Service Use Among Individuals With Serious Mental Illness & Physical Health Problems, Laura May Kurzban

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: This study examined the relationship between (a) physical health problems among individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI), (b) their demographic and psychosocial characteristics which may be risk and protective factors for physical health problems, and (c) the use of mental health case management services. Methods: Data collected from community mental health center consumers residing in supported housing (N = 357) included number of self-reported physical health problems and impairment. Services use and billing data were collected on targeted case management (TCM) and mental illness management services (MIMS). Results: Regression models indicated that …

Evaluating The Criterion Validity And Classification Accuracy Of Universal Screening Measures In Reading, Asia Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Educators use universal screening in the context of Response to Intervention frameworks to identify students who may be at risk for not meeting proficiency on the state assessment. Given the potential high-stakes of state tests, using accurate screening systems is critical for early remediation. Independent research is emerging on comprehensive and expensive reading screeners such as the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), a computer adaptive test, and the Strategic Teaching Evaluation of Progress (STEP), a developmental reading assessment. The current study evaluated the criterion-related validity of MAP and STEP with a state assessment. Additionally, the utility of each screening measure …

Integration Of Theory And Feasibility In Learning Disability Identification: Examining Criteria Effects In The Integrated Assessment And Intervention Model, Allison Stafford

Theses and Dissertations

The accurate identification of learning disabilities is critical for applied settings as well as for research purposes. Currently, there are multiple methods of learning disability (LD) identification utilized by practitioners, including: IQ/achievement discrepancy, response to intervention, and patterns of strengths and weakness (Hale & Fiorello, 2004). Despite the use of these methods, there is a lack of research on the validity and the rates of Learning Disability identification associated with these methods. Additionally, the use of different methods creates potential differences in the base rates of students identified as having a learning disability. Further, the identification of learning disabilities needs …

A Hermeneutic Exploration Of The Therapeutic Process Of Clinicians At An Eating Disorder Treatment Center, Sabree Anne Crowton

Theses and Dissertations

Eating disorders remain extremely difficult to treat and investigation has revealed that manual-based eating disorder treatment outcomes have failed to improve over the second half of the last century. Various studies have observed that clinicians use evidence-based treatments for eating disorders inconsistently and often exclude fundamental theoretical techniques. Some argue that this departure from evidence-based practice may in some cases be the efforts of clinicians to develop methods more sensitive to real world situations. It stands to reason that some of the techniques currently being used by clinicians are promising treatment approaches. The purpose of this study was to explore …

Does A Positive Illusory Bias Mediate The Moderating Effect Of Achievement Orientation On Response To Exclusion In Boys With Adhd?, Alexandria G. Fladhammer

Theses and Dissertations

Disturbed peer relationships have commonly been found to have long-lasting adverse impacts on children, including school dropout, substance abuse, criminal offenses, psychological maladjustment, and academic problems (Mrug et al., 2012). One subgroup of children well-known to struggle with their peer relationships are children with Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Hoza, 2007). These children often engage in high rate, intrusive behaviors and are excluded from peer interactions (Hoza et al., 2005). The frequent rejection that these children endure highlights the need for research focused on ostracism, the exclusion or ignoring of others by individuals or groups (Williams, 2007). Thus, the purpose of the current …

The Relationship Between Social Anxiety And Leadership Emergence: A Resource Perspective, Katherine Naomi Rau

Theses and Dissertations

Despite its certain prevalence, mental illness has remained largely unstudied in the field of Industrial-Organizational Psychology. The research at hand addresses a widening gap in the literature: what does mental illness mean for leadership, particularly leadership emergence? In attempting to answer this question, I examined the experience of social anxiety as it is the most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder and has particular relevance to the workplace. By utilizing a resource perspective, I found that controlling for personality, social anxiety did significantly predict emotional exhaustion in terms of both frequency and intensity. Emotional exhaustion and professional self-efficacy significantly predicted leadership emergence …