Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

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 …

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 …

Welfare Status, Gender, And The Utilization Of Marital Counseling Services, Courtney A. Wyatt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine how welfare status, gender, and the interaction between welfare status and gender relate to the utilization of counseling services related to marriage (i.e., "marital help-seeking"). This study was a secondary analysis of the Utah Marriage Survey data set from 2003. Two samples were utilized in this study, and generated a total sample of I ,316 participants. The first sample was made up of I, 173 randomly selected Utah households, identified through a random-digit dialing sampling technique. The second sample was obtained from a random selection of current Temporary Assistance for Needy Families …

Assessing The Cognitive Development Of A Sample Of Infants In Paraguay, Shannon Peairson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There is very little research to date on infant development in developing countries, including Paraguay. The present study aimed to determine the effects of Pastoral del Nino, an ECD program, in rural Paraguay by assessing two groups of infants. Group 1 (n = 50) was receiving no intervention and group 2 (n =58) was participating in Pastoral del Nino. Both groups were matched for SES and age of infant. Results indicate that group 2 performed better on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development Mental Development Index. Group 1 had a mean MDI score of 77.96 and group 2 …

Mortgage Default And Neighborhoods: A Case Study Of Weber County, Utah, Camille J. Pedersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine housing, demographic, and economic characteristics that are present in neighborhoods with high rates of mortgage default. In addition, the effect of minority percentage was studied in neighborhoods with high rates of default. Defaulted properties recorded in 2003-2004 in Weber County were geo-coded and assigned into one of 42 census tracts in Weber County. Descriptive statistics then profiled the characteristics of the census tracts. Correlations were used to determine which characteristics had statistical significance with mortgage default rates as well as minority percentage. Logistic regression was conducted to create a model describing the …

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 …

Trusting The Dating Partner In The Face Of Relationship Problems And Uncertainty: The Moderating Role Of Parents And Friends, Rebecca Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Using a sample of 82 college students in dating relationships, this study is an examination of the moderating effect of parents' and friends' approval of the dating relationship on the associations between participants' individual characteristics (age, self-esteem, and own agreeableness) and relationship characteristics (love, ambivalence, conflict, conflict resolution effectiveness, and perception of the partner's agreeableness) with trust. The results of the hierarchical regression analyses showed that approval of the relationship by parents and friends moderated the relationship between individual characteristics and relationship characteristics with trust. Specifically, friends' approval of the relationship moderated the association between self-esteem and age with trust, …

The Role Of Multifamily Real Estate Investments In Retirement Planning, Miguel A. Fernandez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

By using data from the 1995 Property Owners and Managers Survey (POMS), this study explores the role of owner characteristics (socioeconomic and behavioral) and ownership characteristics in predicting the likelihood of using multifamily property for retirement purposes. In addition, this study examines the likelihood of reporting a profit in the prior year among those who purchase multifamily properties for retirement purposes. The sample consists of property owners who own multifamily real estate other than their primary residence (N = I ,3 19). Property owners with retirement savings motive (RSM) were more likely to be male, White, have income more …

An Analysis Of Mortgage Default Clients And Mortgage Default Counseling At The Utah State University Family Life Center, Leslie E. Green

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to create a profile of the mortgage default clientele at the Utah State University Family Life Center, Housing and Financial Counseling (FLC HFC) and to examine how clientele were utilizing the counseling services. Demographic and mortgage variables were used to create the profile of clientele and examine the utilization of services. Specific variables key to the study included: loan type, time of delinquency when clients sought counseling, how clients were referred to the FLC HFC, and the point in counseling when an outcome was achieved (keeping the home or losing the home to foreclosure). …

The Relative Effects Of Education And Cognitive Complexity Of Employment Experience On The Rate Of Cognitive Decline In Elderly Women, Janet M. Lundahl

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examined the lifetime exposure of women's employment on cognitive functioning and cognitive decline in late life.

From the Cache County Study on Memory, Health, & Aging data, a sample of 2,588 women, aged 65 and older gave retrospective occupational history and were screened using the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam at study entry and approximately 3 years later. Non-demented women were used.

Ordinary least squares regression was used cross-sectionally and longitudinally to test the association between cognitive complexity level of the longest job and baseline cognitive status, and rate of cognitive decline over approximately 3 years.

Cross-sectional analysis revealed …

Cognitive Autonomy In Adolescence, Ruth A. Thompson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the relationship between areas of cognitive autonomy and adolescent development. Differences in cognitive autonomy between age groups were analyzed. Students attending Grades 7, 9, and 11, and college students in Northern Utah participated in this study. Three hundred and ninety-six participants responded to the Cognitive Autonomy and Self-Evaluation(CASE) inventory, which examined the subcategories of evaluative thinking, voicing opinions, comparative validation, decision making, and self-assessment.

Scores were compared by grade and by gender. Results showed that college students scored significantly higher in three of the five areas of cognitive autonomy. Additionally, females in both ninth grade and college …

Single Parenting Of Early Adolescents: Clinical Application To A More Helpful Perspective, Ane Weed

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to discover the most important self-identified areas for a particular group of single parents to focus their limited time. Single parents have been pathologized and compared to two-parent families. A strength-based perspective that acknowledges single parent families as a legitimate family system with the possibility for being healthy may be more helpful. The objective of this study was to identify common strengths between self-reported satisfied single parents (n = 86) and early adolescent children of single parents (n = 67) through data collected with the use of the Parent Success Indicator (PSI) …

Burnout In Marriage And Family Therapists, Cory A. Eddington

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Among the profession of marriage and family therapy, the goal is to help those individuals, couples, and families that are struggling in life. While working with these clients there is the possibility that the therapists may become stressed themselves and experience burnout. The following is a descriptive study of 30 marriage and family therapists (MFTs) in the state of Utah. The demographic variables of clinical experience, sex, case load, setting of practice, education level, and marital status were studied as to their relation to the experience of burnout. Statistically significant findings demonstrated that the variables of sex and caseload were …

Types Of And Negotiation Of Connection Rituals In Newlywed Couples, Rachel N. Davis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the types of connection rituals and negotiation patterns that newlywed couples use in their marriage. Past research has shown that rituals can have a positive effect on marital satisfaction. Five research questions guided the study: (1) Who initiates rituals and the frequency in which the rituals are performed? What process does the couple go through to negotiate them? (2) What percentage of rituals do newlywed couples take from their family of origin? (3) Are women the "kin keepers" in their family/relationship? (4) Are there certain factors newlyweds take into consideration when negotiating? …

Marital Quality, Context, And Interaction: A Comparison Of Individuals Across Various Income Levels, Victor W. Harris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research compared measures of marital quality between married respondents who were classified as adults currently receiving government assistance (GA) or adults not currently receiving government assistance (NGA). Additional demographic/contextual variables such as gender, age, age at first marriage, religiosity, income, education, cohabitation, mental health, and substance abuse along with four interactional variables - escalating negativity, criticism, negative interpretation, and withdrawal - were measured as potential correlates with marital quality.

Results indicated statistically significant differences between GA and NGA individuals on all of the marital quality measures and on 8 of the 11 demographic/contextual variables. Additionally, the four interactional variables …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Couples In Great Marriages With A Traditional Structure And Egalitarian Relationship, Pamela Kandior Morrill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study researched the possibility of an egalitarian relationship coexisting with a traditional role-structured marriage. Qualitative methods were used to gather data from a national sample using a 31-page questionnaire. Out of the larger Great Marriage Research Study of 130 respondents (65 couples), 14 couples fit the criteria for this study in that they had a traditional structure to their marriage and both felt their was a balance of power between them. Their stories were analyzed to discover what their marriages were like and how they talked about and operationalized an egalitarian relationship. Findings from this research indicated that it …

Defining Predatory Mortgage Lending In Utah: A Professional's Perspective, Luke V. Erickson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to define and describe the nature of predatory mortgage lending in the state of Utah. Twelve professionals from the state who work in the mortgage lending market participated. Data consisted of interviewee comments and were analyzed qualitatively using a multi-step method of coding for concepts and themes.

Through coding and analysis it was determined that the term predatory mortgage lending is defined as an act of abuse that is targeted towards a borrower with one or more vulnerable characteristics. It was also found that users of this term do not always adhere to this …

Culture, Gender, Identity, And Adolescents' Niche-Building Behavior: A Cross-Cultural Comparison, Archana Singh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A cross-cultural examination of a selected group of Indian and American adolescents was conducted to understand the influence of cultural expectations, gender, and identity on adolescents' niche-building behavior. For the purpose of the present study, adolescents' niche was limited to their bedrooms. Data were collected from 285 American adolescents of which 151 were females and 134 were males. The Indian sample consisted of 198 adolescents of whom 75 were females, 118 were males, and 5 adolescents who did not mention their gender. Participants from both cultures were from eighth and ninth grades, with an age range of 12.17 to 16.50 …

Fathers' Perceptions Of Relationships With Young Adolescent Children: Implications For Family Therapy, Tyler D. Patrick

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study used family systems theory as a lens to examine fathers' relationships with young adolescent children as it relates to the areas of time spent together, communication between generations, and paternal satisfaction in raising an early adolescent child. Similarities and differences of scores on the Parent Success Indicator were examined for 191 Caucasian American (n=110) and African American (n=81) fathers of 10- to 14-year-old-children. Results showed that increased amounts of time that fathers report spending with children was significantly associated with paternal satisfaction, communication between generations, fathers' use of time, parental frustration, and parental teaching. …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …