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Examination Of The Issues And Scientific Evidence For The Identification Process Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Individuals With Learning Disabilities To Enhance Academic Outcomes, Scot Ferre

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Although the identification of learning disabilities (LD) is a viable means to provide appropriate

instructional and support services for students with academic difficulties, there is a limited

knowledge base about the identification, assessment, and intervention of and for LD in deaf and

hard of hearing (D/HH) students. Given the potential consequences of test results, this review

examined current and recent developments in the field of learning disabilities concerning the

conceptualization of learning disability and the validity and empirical support of earlier

identification methods and various assessment identification options with D/HH students.

Challenges to the process and the need for additional …

Towards A More Comprehensive View Of The Use Of Power Between Couple Members In Adolescent Romantic Relationships, Charles George Bentley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the construct of power in adolescent romantic couples using multiple measures. The project examined gender differences in power, created models of powerlessness for each gender, and examined relations between power and aggression and relationship quality. Participants were 90 heterosexual couples, aged 14-18 years old, living in rural areas in Utah and Arizona. Couple members completed surveys assessing attitudes and behaviors in their relationships and a video-recall procedure in which partners rated their own and their partner's behaviors during problem solving discussion.

Few gender differences emerged in reports of perpetration of aggression, but boyfriends reported higher levels of …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Telepresence-Enabled Cognitive Apprenticeship Model Of Teacher Professional Development, R. Shawn Edmondson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This exploratory research used a mixed-methods design to compare the effectiveness of a telepresence-enabled cognitive apprenticeship model of teacher professional development (TEAM-PD) to that of a traditional workshop model by examining outcomes in teacher pedagogy and student achievement. Measures of the degree to which teachers in both groups enacted mathematics pedagogy provided mixed results. Both groups demonstrated similar patterns of behavior and cognition, indicating modest levels of pedagogy implementation. Although the experimental group demonstrated higher levels of enactment of the mathematics pedagogy, the comparison group demonstrated a faster rate of growth. Student outcome data were clear: students of teachers in …

The Effects Of Gender Communication Patterns On Opposite Gender Attraction, Robert R. Wright

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Female patterns of speech communication including expression of empathy, sharing similar experiences, and asking further questions were compared to typical male patterns of communication in gender attraction. Self-report methods were employed in the administration of the Attractive Communication Styles Survey and the Conversation Survey Questionnaire. With a convenience sample of 164, both survey instruments assessed for differences of attraction between the two conversation styles. Analyses revealed both males and females valuing the typical female pattern of communication, but differed in the intensity of support with females strongly favoring and males slightly favoring the female pattern (6.350(72) = x, p < .01; 13.811(90) = x, p < .01). However, both males and females exhibited statistical differences in all their responses for the female pattern, except when asked which they were attracted to the most romantically (p = .064). Implications for further research on the actual dyadic interaction effects on attraction are supported.

The Role Of Faculty Advisors In The Success Of Psi Chi Chapters: Leadership Characteristics And Their Relation With Student Organization Success, Mary Ann Bailey

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Leaders of a student organization may have a strong impact on the success of the chapter they lead. The current research study examined leadership qualities of Psi Chi Faculty Advisors, leaders in a Psychology honors society, and how those qualities affected the activity, involvement, and satisfaction of members within Psi Chi. In order to assess these variables, a national online survey was sent out to Psi Chi student leaders asking them to evaluate their Faculty Advisor's leadership characteristics in addition to their Psi Chi chapter. Two-hundred and eighty-five surveys were completed and returned. Results showed a significant positive correlation between …

Effects Of Gender And Ethnicity On Adolescent Experiences In Same-Race And Interracial Romantic Relationships, Angela Marie Enno

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In recent years, the field of psychology has seen considerable growth in the body of literature on adolescent romantic relationships (e.g., Florsheim, 2003; Furman, Brown, & Feiring, 1999). As this trend continues, the need for a more thorough understanding of the processes that underlie normal relationship development becomes increasingly apparent; particularly in the case of adolescent members of ethnic minority groups, for whom literature on normal development is sparse. The present study sought to gain insight into some of the forces that shape adolescents' experiences of romantic relationships: namely, race/ethnicity and gender. We hypothesized that, like their adult counterparts, adolescent …

Gender Differences In Emotion Regulation, Kristiane Madsen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Emotion regulation is conceptualized as the ability to identify and respond appropriately to emotions. Previous research on gender and emotional expression suggests that female children are socially conditioned to be more expressive, and thus may be more able to regulate emotion with their mothers in relation to their male peers. Participants include 144 mother-child pairs at child age points 14, 24, and 36 months and at Pre-Kindergarten entry who participated in a local Early Head Start Research and Evaluation project. Data consist of videotaped interactions of mothers and infants engaged in a 10 minute free play activity with three bags …

Campus Climate: Effect On Ethnic Minority Students' Mental Health Utilization, Laura C. Pruitt

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The idea of climate as a construct that could impact the perception of one's environment was introduced by Bernice Sandler and colleagues (1996) with the idea of "chilly climate" as it relates to the inequitable differences between women and men. However this concept has been applied to other populations as well in particular that of ethnic minorities. A chilly climate describes how a person perceives the environment in terms of being welcoming and accepting, or intolerable and chilly. Taken alone any chilly behaviors may have little to no effect however behaviors that are overt and frequent can have a devastating …

Therapeutic Processes In A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment For Depressed Adolescents With Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Meredith Brent

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have higher rates of depression than healthy youth. A cognitive-behavioral treatment, primary and secondary control enhancement training-physical illness (PASCET-PI), for depressed adolescents with IBD was associated with reductions in depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine the salience of nonspecific processes (factors inherent in any human relationship) and specific processes (factors related to therapy content) during PASCET-PI sessions and their association with improvements in psychological functioning.

Participants included 10 adolescent patients with IBD with mean illness duration of 31.9 months. At intake, eight participants qualified for a diagnosis of major depressive …

New Perspectives On The Relationship Between Emotion Decoding And Social Acceptance In School-Age Children, Eri Suzuki

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationship between children's emotion decoding ability and their social acceptance was examined, with a major focus on potential nonlinear components. Based on the display rules literature, the prediction was tested that social acceptance and emotion decoding skills can be best described as an inverted U-shaped function. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade (113 girls and 123 boys) completed measures of postural and facial decoding accuracy (FACES and TALK) and their social acceptance was assessed using child and teacher reports (SPPC or PSPC). The results showed only a statistically significant quadratic relationship for girls and a statistically significant linear relationship …

Expressive Writing And Breast Cancer: Outcomes And Linguistic Analyses, Kelly N. Hughes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This project examined the imp act of an expressive writing intervention as compared to a general health in formation control on breast cancer patients' postradiation treatment. It further examined the content of the expressive writing narratives. The sample included women who were completing radiation treatment for breast cancer at the Huntsman Cancer Institute and City of Hope hospital. The measures utilized in this study were self-report instruments targeting psychological distress (PANAS, JES) and general functioning (SIP), as well as demographic questionnaires. Results revealed the expressive writing intervention significantly impacted positive affect over time. Furthermore, participants from both the treatment and …

An Outcome Study Of Spinal Cord Stimulation Implants In A Retrospective Cohort Of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome Patients, Anthony Davis Browning

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The current study was designed to test the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in a retrospective group of 43 failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) patients. A medical record review was conducted on study participants to capture relevant presurgical biopsychosocial variables deemed to be of potential prognostic value. In addition, a multidimensional approach to outcome assessment was undertaken along three general domains: general health status, disease specific outcomes, and surgical outcomes. Descriptive statistics of presurgical variables and outcome measurements are provided as well as a model of outcome prediction based on these prognostic variables. Results suggest that the use of …

Social Interactions And Bullying In Withdrawn Children: An Evaluation Of Generalization Strategies Within A Social Skills Training Intervention, Kyle Max Hancock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Socially withdrawn children are at increased risk for various maladaptive outcomes. One intervention suggested to mediate these outcomes is the use of peermediated social skills training. However, little research supports its use with socially withdrawn children; even less research has investigated the role of peer mediators in the generalization of treatment effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a generalization training package on the generalization of socially withdrawn students and their peer mediators' interactions. This study compared the effectiveness of various procedures in a peer-mediated intervention on the generalization of prosocial interactions with socially withdrawn students and examined …

Predicting School Placement Outcomes Of Children With Disabilities Who Was Once Enrolled In Early Intervention, Mark Stanley Jesinoski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

From longitudinal data from 223 children with disabilities in Utah, variables collected at entry into Part C early intervention and Part B early childhood special education services were used to differentiate between children and to predict placement outcomes in elementary school. Scores on the Battelle Developmental Inventory, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, Parenting Stress Index, Social Skills Rating System, number of hours mothers worked outside the home, and fathers ' education in years were differentiated between children who exited from and children who remained in special education. These same scores were also used to predict whether children would remain in or …

Juvenile Drug Courts: Using Participant Characteristics To Predict Outcome, Sara M. Boghosian

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Juvenile drug courts are becoming an increasingly popular answer to rising rates of substance use-related crime among adolescents in the U.S. However, outcome evidence for the efficacy of juvenile drug courts is limited at this time. Currently, approximately 50% of juvenile drug court participants do not graduate from drug court programs nationwide. However, the nongraduates are believed to have a poor prognosis following termination from drug court. The purpose of this study was to determine if participant characteristics are related to outcome in juvenile drug courts. Neither demographic variables (age, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status) nor substance use variables (age at …

Predictors Of Recidivism In An Adolescent Substance Abusing Population, Christine Pacetti

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many adolescents with substance use disorders have ongoing problems with abuse and/or dependence throughout their lives. Little research has been conducted examining the differences among adolescents who do and do not continue to have difficulties. This study compared adolescents who recidivate versus those who do not recidivate after receiving treatment for substance abuse. Adolescents were compared on four categories of variables: (a) demographic variables, (c) delinquency /substance use history, (c) social/educational support, and (d) treatment history. It was found that the most powerful predictors of recidivism within these categories were criminal history severity, age at intake, and treatment completion. The …

Effects Of The Diagnostic Label "Adhd " On Peer Judgment, Jared Toone

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Diagnostic labels are frequently used with children exhibiting symptoms of learning and behavioral disorders. The effect that such labels have on the labeled children as well as their peers is not completely understood. In the present study, the effects of the label "ADHD" on peer acceptance were examined. Fourth- and fifth-grade boys and girls viewed a video of a peer listening to teacher instruction and working on a worksheet. For half of the participants, the child in the video was labeled as having ADHD, while the other participants were told nothing about the child. After viewing the video, the children …

Assessing Cognitive Abilities In A Sample Of Sioux Children Utilizing Traditional And Nonverbal Measures Of Intelligence, Norman C. Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The disproportionate number of American Indian students receiving special education services indicates an ongoing need for research leading to improved assessment and placement practices with this population. Standardized tests are most often used to screen and select students for special education services. However, not all intelligence tests have been normed for use with all populations, especially where minority groups have been concerned.

While the merits of traditional intelligence tests must not be discounted, the emergence of new tests and assessment measures is encouraging, particularly for the assessment of American Indian students. A natural next step is to consider a traditional …

Adult Romantic Attachment Style, Global Self-Esteem, And Specific Self-Views As Predictors Of Feedback Preference In Potential Romantic Relationships, Crystal Chi-Sheng Lin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined how adult romantic attachment (anxiety and avoidance dimensions), global self-esteem, and social and academic self-views relate to one another and how well they predict preference for a specific feedback type (enhancing, verifying, or no feedback) from a potential romantic partner in times of distress. It also investigated the relation between the type of feedback one receives and attraction to the partner who gives that type of feedback. Multiple regression analyses supported some predicted relations between romantic attachment and feedback preference. Neither global self-esteem nor social and academic self-views predicted preference for a particular feedback type, nor did …

Predicting Child Outcomes From Parenting Styles Of Spanish-Speaking Families, Melissa Renee Donovick

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate observed parenting practices among first-generation Spanish-speaking Latinos living in Utah. Participants included 50 families with a child between the ages of 4 and 9. Parents and their child engaged in a behavioral observational task that was coded for parenting dimensions and styles to determine if they predict child outcomes among Latino families. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist to assess for behavioral problems. Observations were coded using the Parenting Scale, developed specifically for this study. In general, parents received high ratings on warmth and demandingness, and lower ratings on autonomy granting. Parenting …

Identity Development, Identity Disclosure, And Identity Exploration Among Adolescent Sexual Minorities, Jenna A. Glover

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the utility of applying the social constructionist perspective to adolescent sexual minority identity development, disclosure, and identity explorations. Differences between middle and late adolescents and male and females were examined. No differences were found between middle and late adolescents on measures of identity development and identity exploration; however, differences in identity disclosure were found regarding history of accidental discovery of sexual orientation. Biological sex differences were found for identity development, disclosure, and exploration. Relationships between same- and opposite-sex attractions, behaviors, romantic experiences, and self-labels are presented. Trends in intentional disclosure patterns and unintentional discovery identify predicted reaction …