Digital Commons Network^™

The Collective Voices Of Asian International Doctoral Students In Counseling Psychology In The U.S.: Recommendations For Faculty And Training Programs, Miki Koyama

Dissertations

There is growing interest among scholars to understand the training experiences of international students in applied psychology. Few empirical studies have specifically investigated international doctoral students in counseling psychology. The purpose of the present study was to create an opportunity for the voices of Asian international students in U.S. doctoral counseling psychology programs could be expressed, and to convey their collective voices.

Twelve Asian international students, predominately women from East Asia, participated in two phone interviews. Participants were asked to illustrate their overall training experiences, share helpful and unhelpful aspects of their training, and identify recommendations for faculty and training …

Achievement Despite Adversity: Measuring Reilience In Northern Plains Native American College Students, Kyle X. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

The present study aims to examine resilience in Northern Plains Native American and Caucasian coliege students. Native Americans have been subjected to a traumatic existence, both, historically and presently through acts related to colonization. Thus, an examination of how and wny some individuals can thrive in the presence of great adversity, both past and present, will extend a great degree of understanding on the process of resilience.

Further, the investigation involved the use of a number of assessments to evaluate Native American and Caucasian college students on general characteristics of school achievement, past risk or trauma experience, a measure of …

Teacher Education Admission Requirements And Student Teacher Evaluations: Relationships Among Grade Point Average, Praxis I Scores, And Student Teacher Final Evaluations, Alan C. Olson

Theses and Dissertations

Institutions of higher education attempt to select and prepare the finest K-12 teachers possible. National, state, and local influences also search for the best and brightest teacher candidates to become K-12 teachers. The result has been increased accountability measures to ensure quality. The selection process for admission to teacher education programs frequently involves quantitative measures such as cumulative grade point average (GPA) and Praxis I test qualifying scores for candidates to gain program admission, student teach, and ultimately become licensed educators.

The purpose of this study was to investigate if significant relationships existed among quantitative measures such as cumulative GPA, …

The Relationship Between Procrastination And Intrapersonal Intelligence In College Students, Christa Grant

Theses and Dissertations

Procrastination is ubiquitous, encompasses many domains of life, i.e., school, work, and home, and for many people has negative results. Therefore, researchers, educators, psychologists, and counselors need to discover ways to alleviate the problem. When Gardner's multiple intelligences are used in pedagogical implementation in elementary and high schools, researchers have found positive results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between procrastination and intrapersonal intelligence as well as the other dimensions of multiple intelligence among students in higher education in order to illuminate possible solutions to the problem of procrastination. Because intrapersonal intelligence is associated with the …

School Emergency Preparedness In North Dakota Public School Districts, Steven Wayne Swiontek

Theses and Dissertations

The basis for this study was to determine: (1) If school districts in North Dakota have an emergency response plan; (2) How comprehensive their emergency response plan is; (3) How well prepared school districts in North Dakota are for any type of disaster; and (4) The extent to which North Dakota LEAD Center school emergency response training and resources have impacted school emergency preparedness in North Dakota.

There were 120 school districts and their superintendents that participated in the Emergency Preparedness in North Dakota Public School District's survey. School administrators who completed the Emergency Preparedness Survey were asked to indicate …

Perspectives Of Parents Who Have A Child Diagnosed With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lori Ann Kalash

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences and perceptions parents of a child with an autism spectrum disorder have had. The study addressed the following research question: What were the parents' experiences and perspectives with regard to their child's diagnosis and treatment options?

For this interview study, 12 parents of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder were ultimately selected and interviewed. The audio recorded interviews were transcribed and then examined for "significant statement" sentences. Next, clusters of meaning were developed into themes. These "significant statements" and themes were then used to create the formulated meanings …

Deception Analysis In Interpersonal Communication, Loren E. Schwarzwalter

Theses and Dissertations

The art of magic reigns as the premiere form of entertainment made possible through the strategic means of deception. An untrained individual (civilian) who desires personal gain at the expense of others, however, may use the same strategic gimmicks and manipulations that magicians employ. This study considered the theatrical elements used by magicians during the performance of magic but in an interpersonal civilian context. In order to examine civilian use of the premeditated theatrical elements, and to determine their presence in deceptive interpersonal communication, this study examined low versus high self-monitors and male versus female genders.

An experiment was conducted …

Lived Experiences Of Men In Nursing: Chickadees, Stepping Stones, And Muddling Through Maternity, Julie E. Klein

Theses and Dissertations

The profession of nursing is facing an imminent shortage of health care providers within its discipline. Registered Nurses comprise the largest group of health care professionals in the United States. The profession of nursing has experienced cycles of worker shortages in the past but this current situation is predicted to be unlike previous shortages. Efforts to alleviate previous nurse shortages focused primarily on efforts to glorify the feminine image of nursing to increase the recruitment of young women into the profession but the profession can no longer rely on an unlimited supply of women to become nurses because of an …

Weight Loss Surgery Decision Process: A Grounded Theory Study, Martha Lystad

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the decision making process of morbidly or severely obese individuals who engage in weight loss surgery and the role of nurses in this process using a grounded theory research design. Morbid or severe obesity is a chronic illness that is increasing in prevalence throughout the United States. The Center for Disease Control (2007) reported the obesity population of adults doubled from 15.1% in 1976-80 to 30.9% in 1999-2000. The current most effective long-term treatment for morbid or severe obesity is weight loss surgery, most commonly gastric bypass or gastric banding. Furthermore, …

Validating The Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders Scale, Charmeka. Whitehead

Dissertations

This study investigated the reliability and validity of the Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders Scale (ATS) measurement by assessing attitudes of counselors in training towards juvenile sex offenders. The specific aims of this study were to determine (a) internal consistency of the ATS, (b) construct validity of the ATS based on exploratory factor analysis, and (c) the degree to which this instrument has convergent and discriminate validity. The intellectual merit of this study was to provide appropriate scale validation of the ATS so that it might be used to assess attitudes of mental health professionals who work with juvenile sex offenders. …

The Bite Detector: A Device For The Behavioral Treatment Of Overweight And Obesity, Jenna Scisco

All Theses

Overweight and obesity are primary health concerns worldwide and particularly in the United States. Currently, the most effective treatments are behavioral interventions, and a reduction of eating rate is one behavioral method that may help individuals eat less and lose weight. Additionally, adaptive eating behaviors, such as intuitive eating, have been identified as healthy body weight predictors. The purpose of Study 1 was to examine the accuracy of the bite detector, a wrist-worn device designed to detect bites of food. Participants (N = 21) ate a meal in the laboratory, and the sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of the …

Investigating The Role Of Emotion Perception In The Adaptive Functioning Of Individuals On The Autism Spectrum, Margaret B. Hudepohl

Psychology Theses

Cognitive functioning has historically been used to predict adaptive outcomes of individuals with autism spectrum disorders; however, research shows that it does not adequately predict these outcomes. Therefore, the current study explored the role of emotion perception in the adaptive functioning of individuals with ASDs. Emotion perception was assessed using the DANVA-2, which has audio and static face stimuli, and the DAVE, dynamic, audio-visual emotion movies. Adaptive functioning was assessed using the Vineland-II Socialization, Communication, and Daily Living domains. Results indicated that individuals with ASDs demonstrated significant impairments in both adaptive functioning and emotion perception compared to typical individuals. Findings …

Exploring The Relationship Between Racial Factors And Critical Social Analysis Among A Group Of African American Youth, Brandeis H. Green

Psychology Theses

The aim of this study was to investigate the contributions of racial identity and racial socialization beyond peer and parental influence, to the development of critical social analysis in African American youth. Young people perceive injustice and inequality in their world in varying ways. The recognition of societal inequalities, or the development of critical social analysis may be a contributing factor to activism for youth. Factors such as sense of agency, parental and peer influence and intellectual curiosity have previously been explored as contributors to activism for African American youth (Watts, 1999). Study results indicated support for the link between …

An Examination Of The Influence Of Stress And Coping On Psychosocial Functioning In Caregivers Of Children With Sickle Cell Disease, Josie S. Welkom

Psychology Theses

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder that affects approximately 1 out of every 600 African-American newborns (NHLBI, 2006). Research suggests that caregivers of children with SCD are at risk for maladjustment. The purpose of this current study was to build upon previous research regarding stress and coping of parents of children with SCD. Additionally, novel information regarding the effects of racial identity was explored. Participants included 103 caregivers (M = 41.1 years old, SD = 8.04 years) of children with SCD. Parents completed a demographic form, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18, Pediatric Inventory for Parents, Coping Health Inventory for …

Adherence To Psychotherapy For Post-Traumatic Stress In Veterans Of Military Combat In Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) And Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), Nicolle C. Angeli

Psychology Dissertations

Elucidating factors associated with adherence to treatment for physical and mental health conditions is important, given well-documented associations between non-adherence and poor treatment outcomes. Researchers have worked to identify such factors; however, most studies focus on adherence to medical, rather than, psychological treatments. Clarifying variables that predict adherence to psychotherapy is particularly important for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for whom treatment, which typically involves exposure to trauma-related stimuli and imagery, can be aversive. It may consequently be associated with high nonadherence rates, even though studies indicate that greater adherence to PTSD treatment relates to better treatment outcomes. Research …

Use Of Emoticons For Assessing Emotion And Mood States In Web-Based Interventions, Jennifer Chua So

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In the rapidly growing field of online psychotherapeutic interventions, an increasing number of clinicians are seeking to extend therapeutic interventions into cyberspace. However, because communication with clients in this medium is often devoid of auditory and visual feedback, these clinicians are not able to rely on their clinical observations. It then becomes incumbent to develop a psychometrically and theoretically sound means of assessing emotion and mood states that can be easily utilized in this forum. Utilizing cross-culturally and empirically supported models of emotion structure shown to be influential in the self-report data, the Positive Affect and Negative Affect factors, this …

The Rebellious Angel, Pamela Gannon Mazzuchelli

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Examines Virginia Woolf's writing and her anger in historical contexts, revealing that circumstances dictated that she deflect this volatile emotion. Focuses on the ways in which this deflection of anger illuminates the fictional dynamics of Woolf's autobiographical novel, To the Lighthouse and analyzes the concept of the Angel in the House, posited to be at the root of Woolf's anger. Argues that anger exists on three levels in the novel and that the main character, Mrs. Ramsay, is a victim of the Angel in the House ideology.

The Influence Of Spirituality Within Older Adults During Relocation In Long Term Care, Cheryl M. Lantz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to develop a model focused on spiritual influences within older adults undergoing relocation to long term care (LTC) facilities. Today, there are 1.5 million Americans aged 65 or older who experienced relocation and reside in LTC facilities. Nothing has been done to qualitatively study the spiritual aspects of this experience. While the profession of nursing has a diagnosis for Relocation Stress Syndrome, as found in the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) reference, it does not incorporate the specific spiritual stressors older adults undergo during relocation; rather addressing only physiological and psychosocial …

The Relationship Between Personality And Music Preference, Robert K. Hull

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Music is an "ubiquitous and social phenomena" (Rentfrow & Gosling, 2003) and as such it deserves attention at the experimental level. It has been used as a tool in many areas of the health care system such as assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and followup care (Memory & Bellamy, 1993). It has also been used as a tool in medical research to determine how it affects one's physiology (Morhinweg, 1992). Recently, music has been used in the field of psychology and personality (Dollinger, 1993). More specifically, it was found that using music as a tool in the psychology field can aid in …

Exploring Some Inattended Affective Factors In Performing Nonroutine Mathematical Tasks, John Douglas Butler

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Describes students' attempts to solve nonroutine math problems and explores possible correlates of their performance, focusing on inattended (i.e., intentionally avoided) dimensions underrepresented in the literature, including attitudes, interests, values, aesthetics, metacognition, and representation. Analyzes objective and subjective data gathered from a sample of 9th-grade students at a high school in Rhode Island. Finds strong evidence of students' math-aesthetics in problem solving.

A Tri-Disciplinary Analysis Of Religion, Alicia Wallace

Social Sciences

This paper analyzes religion using a multi-disciplinary approach. Studying the Social Sciences exposes one to an opportunity not just to learn a single discipline, but three, and this unique learning experience can teach one to look at the world’s phenomena with a multi-perspective view. Using a tri-disciplinary approach when exploring topics can broaden ones outlook on how there are many ways to explore and investigate a topic in greater detail. By using Anthropological, Sociological and Geographical theoretical perspectives one can understand a topic more fully by using a multi-perspective approach when exploring this diverse world culturally, socially and physically.

Improving Reading Fluency And Comprehension In Elementary Students Using Read Naturally, Rebecca Arvans

Dissertations

Difficulty learning how to read is a risk factor for school failure, low grades, behavior problems, juvenile delinquency, truancy, unemployment, jail time, and substance abuse. Reading difficulties are common in the educational setting, afflicting anywhere from 20-40 percent of students. Read Naturally is a computer-based reading program which targets the third "big idea" (i.e„ accuracy and fluency with reading). The current study assessed the efficacy of the Read Naturally program in second through fourth grade elementary students in a public elementary school. Additionally, this study assessed whether improving reading abilities resulted in changes in classroom behavior problems or self-esteem. Eighty-two …

Adolescents' Experience Of The Factors Influencing Their Diabetes Treatment Regimen, Roger W. Apple

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to better understand and provide a description of the factors that influence adolescents' adherence to the diabetic treatment regimen from the adolescents' experience. The sample consisted of nine adolescents diagnosed with Type I diabetes. A qualitative phenomenological methodology is used to look for significant statements, meanings, and themes that resulted in an exhaustive description of the adolescents' experience.

In-depth interviews are the primary method of data collection. Data analysis includes: transcribing the interviews and reading the transcripts, extracting significant statements, developing formulated meanings, organizing the formulated meanings into clusters of themes, and developing an …

The Heterosexual Mother-Lesbian Daughter Relationship: Using Consensual Qualitative Research (Cqr) To Understand Perceptions Among Predominately White, Formally Educated Mothers, Julie Meredith Davis

Dissertations

Little research specifically addresses the heterosexual mother-lesbian daughter relationship. Given this, a core research team of six utilized a Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) approach to gain insight into two broad ideas. The first broad idea was about how heterosexual mothers perceive that their relationship with their lesbian daughters unfolds after the mothers accepted their daughters' minority sexual orientation. The second broad idea was how changes in the heterosexual mothers' values, beliefs, and attitudes (from the mothers' perspectives) influenced their postacceptance relationship with their daughters. The 10 women who agreed to participate in the study were predominately white, formally well-educated, psychologically …

A Molecular Analysis Of Training Multiple Versus Single Manipulations To Establish A Generalized Manipulative Imitation Repertoire, Breanne K. Hartley

Dissertations

This study evaluates the necessity of training multiple versus single manipulativeimitations per object in order to establish generalized manipulative-imitation. Training took place in Croyden Avenue School's Early Childhood Developmental Delay preschool classroom in Kalamazoo, MI. Two groups of 3 children each were trained to imitate in order to determine the most appropriate number of manipulations required (per object) to establish a generalized manipulative-imitation repertoire. Three children received single-manipulations training, and 3 children received multiple-manipulations training. It was anticipated that the multiple-manipulations training group would acquire a greater amount of generalized manipulative-imitation because the training required that the children discriminate between …

An Evaluation Of A Sexual Assault Education Program, Angela P. Hatcher

Dissertations

Sexually aggressive behavior, especially on college campuses, is an issue of major concern. Previous research has found that 54% of college women report being sexually victimized (Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987). Given the scope of this problem, effective prevention strategies are necessary. Sexual assault prevention programs have included those targeting a mixed gender audience as well as gender specific programs. Research examining the effectiveness of these programs, at both post-intervention and follow-up, have provided mixed results.

The goal of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of a video-based sexual assault education program in decreasing rape myths, increasing victim …

Autonomy As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Situational Constraints And Task Performance, Kalifa Oliver

All Theses

This study examined the effects of budget constraints on task performance, and the moderating effect of autonomous motivation on the constraint-performance relationship in a simulated work situation. Level of budget constraints (none, low, high) and motivation (external versus identified) were manipulated to examine their effects on performance, frustration, and self efficacy. Study participants were randomly assigned to either one of six experimental groups (no constraint X identified motivation, low constraint X identified motivation, high constraint X identified motivation, no constraint X external motivation, low constraint X external motivation, high constraint X external motivation) and instructed to complete an assigned budgeting …

Reading Between The Lines: Reactions To Gendered Managerial Communications, Melissa Waitsman

All Theses

Some of the earliest research on women in the workplace demonstrated that women are not perceived as competent leaders and managers. Several decades have passed since that time, but, on average, American women still earn less than their male counterparts, and women still occupy only 12 Chief Executive Officer positions in Fortune 500 companies, up from 2 in 2007 (Fortune, 2008). Recent research suggests that negative stereotypes about women's managerial competence persist, particularly in regards to their assertiveness and forcefulness, two core managerial characteristics.
Current research on gender differences indicates that females are significantly more concerned with social relationships in …

The 'I' In Team: Effects Of Performance Appraisal Type On Teamwork Variables, Brandy Brown

All Theses

The following research examined the effects of performance appraisal condition on teamwork variables. As more reliable models of teamwork emerge, there remains a noticeable lack of information regarding team motivation and feedback in an organizational context. This paper first reviews the current findings on team motivation, feedback, and performance appraisals and then applies that topic to teamwork processes. The researcher proposed that individual, team, and dual (individual and team feedback) performance appraisals would have different effects on teamwork processes and performance. Positive effects on team orientation, mutual trust, and team performance in the team and dual performance appraisal conditions were …

Job Offer Expectancies: An Analysis Of Antecedents, Outcomes And Moderated Effects, Matthew Millard

All Dissertations

Restricted by limited time and resources, job applicants are often required to make decisions based on their own estimations of an organization's likelihood to extend a job offer. These estimations, or offer expectancies, may be linked to several applicant attitudes and behaviors that have yet to be examined fully in the literature (e.g., job pursuit or information seeking behaviors, search expansion, etc.). We know relatively little about how these perceptions are formed. In this study, actual job applicants were asked to report their perceptions of and behavioral intentions towards organizations that they are currently applying to but have not yet …