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Effects Of The High -Probability Sequence With And Without Extinction In Children With Feeding Disorders., Jennifer Eileen Dawson
Effects Of The High -Probability Sequence With And Without Extinction In Children With Feeding Disorders., Jennifer Eileen Dawson
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The effects of the high-probability instructional sequence, with and without extinction, on increasing compliance to eat in three children with severe food refusal and selectivity were evaluated. Pediatric feeding disorders, in which children refuse most or all food and drink, are a rare and life threatening problem that requires intensive treatment. The majority of behavioral techniques used with feeding disordered children manipulate the consequence of food refusal. The use of antecedent procedures in the treatment of food refusal has been limited. One antecedent technique, the high-probability instructional sequence, involves first presenting the individual with a series of instructions that he/she …
Neuropsychological Effects Of Acute Mustard Gas Exposure., James Bryon Pinkston
Neuropsychological Effects Of Acute Mustard Gas Exposure., James Bryon Pinkston
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Introduction. Approximately 600 industrial workers reported exposure to sub-lethal levels of sulfur mustard gas and nitrogen mustard gas. A sample of 203 of these workers were administered standardized measures of perceptual, motor, intellectual, academic, attentional, memory, abstract reasoning, and psychological functioning, as well as level of effort during testing. Mean time from exposure to testing was 1.18(SD = .35) years. Males comprised 97.5% of the participants and 79.3% were Caucasian. Mean education was 11.67(SD = 1.73) years and mean age at exposure was 36.74( SD = 10.31) years. Method. Mustard gas exposure severity was defined by the presence of obvious …
Treatment Outcome Of Childhood Obesity: The Effect Of Children's Psychological Distress And Problematic Behavior., Tana Louise Hope
Treatment Outcome Of Childhood Obesity: The Effect Of Children's Psychological Distress And Problematic Behavior., Tana Louise Hope
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The number of children and adolescents effected by obesity has been increasing over the past 30 years. Current treatment of childhood obesity focuses primarily on increasing physical activity, modifying diet, providing nutritional education and teaching self-monitoring and stimulus control procedures. Although children have been shown to lose weight by participating in these treatment programs, the amount of weight children lose during treatment is often small, and long-term maintenance of weightloss continues to be challenging for many. Given the relatively weak outcome of childhood obesity treatment programs, research into factors that effect treatment outcome is needed. Psychological distress and problematic behavior …
Parenting Practices As A Moderator Of Exposure To Community Violence., Nicole Francingues Lanclos
Parenting Practices As A Moderator Of Exposure To Community Violence., Nicole Francingues Lanclos
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Numerous studies evidence that urban youth are exposed to epidemic proportions of community violence. Exposure to community violence has been associated with significant levels of distress including aggression, academic difficulties, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Although it is clear that children who experience chronic levels of violence exposure are at increased risk for poor developmental outcome, the consequences of exposure are not the same for all children. Parenting factors found to buffer the effects of community violence exposure include family size, parental presence in the home, family support, parenting resources, family cohesion, and strong parental monitoring. It is less …
Examination Of A Method For Increasing Adjustment To And Compliance With Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (Cpap) In Persons With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome., Jack Allen Johnson Jr
Examination Of A Method For Increasing Adjustment To And Compliance With Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (Cpap) In Persons With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome., Jack Allen Johnson Jr
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a serious medical condition that occurs during sleep and consists of episodes of complete (respiratory pauses) or partial obstruction (hypoventilation) of the upper airway. Approximately 80% of persons diagnosed with OSAS are prescribed nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment, which has proven to be the treatment of choice for OSAS. However, noncompliance with CPAP treatment in OSAS patients is a widely recognized problem, and many persons refuse CPAP as a treatment option or fail to use it reliably. Investigations of CPAP use in OSAS patients have generally found that nightly use averages less …
The Remote Neuropsychological Assessment -Category Test: Development And Validation Of A Computerized, Internet -Based Neuropsychological Assessment Measure., Jeffrey Nicholas Browndyke
The Remote Neuropsychological Assessment -Category Test: Development And Validation Of A Computerized, Internet -Based Neuropsychological Assessment Measure., Jeffrey Nicholas Browndyke
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
In the current investigation, a prototype for the remote assessment of cognitive skills, the "remote neuropsychological assessment (RNA) model," was proposed, and the development and validation of a computerized, Internet-based neuropsychological assessment measure was undertaken to demonstrate the utility and effectiveness of this untapped model of assessment delivery. The Remote Neuropsychological Assessment-Category Test (RNA-CT), a test of abstract concept formation administered via the World Wide Web (WWW), was developed and contrasted with a conventional, non-computerized version of the measure---the Booklet Category Test (BCT). Traditional and novel measurement variables from both measures were compared in a randomized group design of normal …
Behavioral Outcome Of Preschoolers Exposed Prenatally To Cocaine: The Role Of The Caregiving Environment., Veronica L. Haynes
Behavioral Outcome Of Preschoolers Exposed Prenatally To Cocaine: The Role Of The Caregiving Environment., Veronica L. Haynes
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
This study evaluated the long-term effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on child behavioral outcome at age 5 years, while considering the influence of the postnatal caregiving environment indicated by maternal drug use, maternal psychological functioning, and parenting quality. Behavioral outcome was measured by parent-reported behavior problems on the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist. Subjects were 210 preschoolers (107 cocaine-exposed and 103 nondrug-exposed) and their biological mothers drawn from a larger cohort of mother-child pairs enrolled at birth in a longitudinal study evaluating the neurodevelopmental outcomes of children prenatally exposed to cocaine. The relationships among prenatal cocaine exposure, maternal adaptation (i.e., maternal …
The Relationship Of Daily Stress And Health In Adolescents: Development Of The Daily Stress Inventory For Adolescents (Dsi -A)., John Michael Huete
The Relationship Of Daily Stress And Health In Adolescents: Development Of The Daily Stress Inventory For Adolescents (Dsi -A)., John Michael Huete
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Daily stress has been documented to play a significant role in symptom exacerbation of chronic illnesses in adults, such as coronary heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and chronic headaches. Mediating daily stress may be effective in not only decreasing problem symptoms in chronic illness, but also decreasing unnecessary and costly primary and tertiary health care services. While the effects of daily stress have been well researched and documented with adult populations, adolescent populations have been afforded only minimal research attention. Given that the period of adolescence is a time when persons are first experiencing the stresses of adult life, understanding the …
The Role Of Major And Minor Stressors In Moderating The Transtheoretical Model Of Exercise Behavior Among Predominantly Low -Income Patients Attending Primary Care Clinics., Shawn Kahlil Jeffries
The Role Of Major And Minor Stressors In Moderating The Transtheoretical Model Of Exercise Behavior Among Predominantly Low -Income Patients Attending Primary Care Clinics., Shawn Kahlil Jeffries
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
A sedentary lifestyle is prevalent in the United States and is associated with poor health outcomes (Blair et al., 1989). While regular exercise has been shown to have numerous physical and mental health benefits, much of the population does not perform physical activity at a level necessary to achieve significant health benefits. Primary care settings have become increasingly targeted areas for physician-based exercise counseling. One popular theoretical model of exercise adoption is the transtheoretical model of exercise behavior (Prochaska & Marcus, 1994) which proposes that individuals progress through stages of exercise behavior. Researchers have explored constructs affecting movement through the …
Validation Of A Screening Instrument For Exposure To Violence In Children: The Kid -Save., Anise Lavaun Flowers
Validation Of A Screening Instrument For Exposure To Violence In Children: The Kid -Save., Anise Lavaun Flowers
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Children in the United States have an increasing rate of exposure to chronic community violence. Research on children exposed to community, domestic, and war-related violence has demonstrated the traumatic effects of violence on children. The KID-SAVE was developed as an empirically-based self-report measure of violence exposure for children in grades three through seven. During an initial development study, the KID-SAVE demonstrated excellent reliability and preliminary construct validity data. The purpose of the present study was to provide further validity data on the KID-SAVE. A sample of 188 children (96 boys and 92 girls) and their parents participated in the study. …
Traumatic Life Events, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, And Health Outcomes In A Low -Income, Primary Care Population., Bradford West Applegate
Traumatic Life Events, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, And Health Outcomes In A Low -Income, Primary Care Population., Bradford West Applegate
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Research suggests that individuals with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have significant dysregulation in a number of physiological indices, especially the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Biological theories of PTSD propose that prolonged SNS and HPA axis dysregulation places individuals with PTSD at risk for development of medical morbidity and impairments in health status. The present study examined the following research questions: (a) what is the prevalence of traumatic life events and PTSD in a low-income primary care population? (b) does PTSD predict impairments in self-reported health status after controlling for age, alcohol abuse, tobacco use, and obesity? …
Attentional And Judgement Biases Associated With Body Weight Preoccupation In Children And Adolescents., Stephanie Lynn Muller
Attentional And Judgement Biases Associated With Body Weight Preoccupation In Children And Adolescents., Stephanie Lynn Muller
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Most cognitive behavioral theories of the eating disorders emphasize the influences of beliefs and attitudes related to body weight and shape on the development and maintenance of pathological eating and weight control behaviors. Recent research has found support for the theories and specifically for the presence of attentional, judgement, and memory biases in individuals diagnosed with eating disorders as well as women who are preoccupied with body weight (Williamson, Muller, Reas, & Thaw, 1999). This research has focused almost without exception on adult populations. However, eating disorders as well as preoccupation with body size and shape have increased in preadolescent …
Individualized Levels Treatment Packages For Severe Problem Behaviors In Persons With Developmental Disabilities., Karena Suzanne Rush
Individualized Levels Treatment Packages For Severe Problem Behaviors In Persons With Developmental Disabilities., Karena Suzanne Rush
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Levels treatment packages are widely used across many populations and settings. Most packages involve standardized procedures implemented across multiple participants. The current investigation examined the treatment efficacy of individualized levels treatment packages based on the results of functional analyses and systematic preference assessments. Three individuals with developmental disabilities participated in the study. Destructive behaviors for each participant were maintained by positive reinforcement. For one participant, destructive behaviors were maintained by negative reinforcement as well. The levels treatment packages consisted of two or three levels in which the density of attention and access to preferred materials were altered based on the …
Detecting Simulated Memory Impairment After Closed Head Injury: Validation Of The Word Completion Memory Test (Wcmt)., Robin Colleen Hilsabeck
Detecting Simulated Memory Impairment After Closed Head Injury: Validation Of The Word Completion Memory Test (Wcmt)., Robin Colleen Hilsabeck
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Simulation is the intentional production or exaggeration of psychological symptoms (cognitive and/or emotional) in an effort to obtain secondary gain (e.g., avoiding work, obtaining financial compensation). While most current simulation measures can successfully identify obvious attempts at faking cognitive deficits (e.g., memory impairment), they have been much less successful at identifying more sophisticated simulators. The Word Completion Memory Test (WCMT) is the first measure specifically developed to detect more sophisticated attempts at feigning memory impairment. Unlike other simulation detection measures, a sophisticated coaching methodology was used in developing the WCMT. An initial validity study suggested the WCMT is a valid …
Psychometric And Historical Predictors Of Behavior In Incarcerated Female Juvenile Offenders: A Longitudinal Analysis., Michael P. Santa Maria
Psychometric And Historical Predictors Of Behavior In Incarcerated Female Juvenile Offenders: A Longitudinal Analysis., Michael P. Santa Maria
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether factors known to predict recidivism and future misbehavior are useful in predicting behavior of offenders while incarcerated. This study examined the population of all incarcerated and recently released female juvenile offenders in Louisiana (n = 211). Predictive equations were developed based on demographic, offense-related, and psychological test variables including: age, race, age at first offense, number of prior offenses, history of a violent offense, history of physical abuse, history of sexual abuse, history of alcohol abuse, history of drug abuse, IQ, and Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) Reading Comprehension …
Increasing Accuracy In Children's Verbal Self -Report Of Reinforcers., Gina Michelle Digiovanni
Increasing Accuracy In Children's Verbal Self -Report Of Reinforcers., Gina Michelle Digiovanni
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Several studies have examined the relationship between self-report of behavior and actual behavior (Baer, Williams, Osnes, & Stokes, 1985; Bernstein & Michael, 1990; Risley & Hart, 1968). Results from such studies indicate poor correspondence between verbal self-report and actual behavior. This finding is particularly true for children (Guevremont, Osnes, & Stokes, 1986). However, few studies have examined conditions under which the accuracy of self-report procedures can be increased. The current study evaluated whether the accuracy of children's verbal self-report of reinforcers could be increased by modifying antecedent conditions. Specifically, the current study examined the effects of two antecedent variables (i.e., …
Selective Processing Of Sexual, Violent, And Neutral Information: A Study Comparing Individuals With And Without A History Of Sexual Trauma., Stephanie Irene Bush
Selective Processing Of Sexual, Violent, And Neutral Information: A Study Comparing Individuals With And Without A History Of Sexual Trauma., Stephanie Irene Bush
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The current research investigated processing biases that influence responding to emotionally relevant information in individuals with and without a history of sexual trauma. Previous research (MacLeod, Mathews, & Tata, 1986; MacLeod & Mathews, 1988; Mathews & MacLeod, 1985) has indicated that individuals with anxiety disorders shift their attention toward threatening stimuli, resulting in reduced reaction times to probes appearing near such stimuli. This effect has been found to be content specific, in that individuals with certain fears respond faster to information congruent with their concerns. The current study was undertaken to explore the possible differences in attention allocation to sexual, …
Life Events, Social Support, And Blood Pressure Control In Low -Income Hypertensive Patients., Steven Christopher Ames
Life Events, Social Support, And Blood Pressure Control In Low -Income Hypertensive Patients., Steven Christopher Ames
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
This study examined whether minor, chronic, and major stressors predicted poor blood pressure control in low-income hypertensives, and whether social support served as a moderator of this relation. Additionally, whether the construct of social support served as an independent predictor of poor blood pressure control was also examined. Participants included 231 patients randomly recruited from primary care medicine clinics at a public medical center. The sample included in this study was selected from an existing data set. The existing data set consisted of 432 patients randomly chosen on consecutive days from a family practice and an internal medicine medical clinic …
Path Analysis Of Psychosocial Models Of Binge Eating In Obesity., Leslie Garl Womble
Path Analysis Of Psychosocial Models Of Binge Eating In Obesity., Leslie Garl Womble
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The purpose of this study was to test a cross-sectional psychosocial etiological model of binge eating in obesity using path analysis. Depression, dietary restraint, self-esteem, weight cycling, history of teasing, body dissatisfaction, concern for physical appearance, negative perception of physical appearance, media exposure, and social pressure to maintain a thin ideal were 'state' social learning constructs that were tested as correlates of binge eating. Personality variables such as neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were stable 'trait' variables that were tested as correlates. The study sample was 808 adults, including 444 women with a mean age of 33.35 (SD = 13.60) …
The Estimation Of Premorbid Intelligence: A Comparison Of Approaches., Peter Anthony Petito
The Estimation Of Premorbid Intelligence: A Comparison Of Approaches., Peter Anthony Petito
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Early methods to estimate premorbid intelligence focused on the use of the WAIS or WAIS-R IQ scores or selected WAIS or WAIS-R subtests. It was expected that performance on such tests would remain stable after a brain injury. As further research showed this belief was not valid, researchers turned to the use of other tests of current ability, one being a measure of reading ability known as the National Adult Reading Test (NART). A second approach focused on the relationship found between certain demographic variables and intelligence. More recently, researchers have employed an approach that combined present abilities performance and …
Psychological Adjustment In Children Of Mothers With Eating Disorders., Jane Marie Barbin
Psychological Adjustment In Children Of Mothers With Eating Disorders., Jane Marie Barbin
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
In recent years, there have been a few reports of the relationship between eating disorders in mothers and the psychological adjustment of their children. Most of these reports have been based upon anecdotal case studies, however a wide range of prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal complications, including behavioral and feeding difficulties in children of these mothers has been described. This study advanced research in this area by incorporating both normal and depression comparison groups. The relationship between group membership of 65 mothers and responses on several child and parent dependent variables was evaluated by having mothers complete self-report measures. Overall it …
An Investigation Of Worry And Its Relationship To Anxiety In A Non-Clinical Sample Of Adolescents., Denise Adair Powers
An Investigation Of Worry And Its Relationship To Anxiety In A Non-Clinical Sample Of Adolescents., Denise Adair Powers
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The overall purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between worry and anxiety in a community sample of adolescents. As no psychometrically sound instruments for measuring parameters of worry in adolescents exist, the first purpose of this study was to devise a reliable and valid measure of worry for this population. The Worry Inventory for Adolescents (WIA) was administered to 606 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18. Based on the factor analysis, the WIA was divided into twelve factors and yielded two scores, Number of Worries and Worry Severity. The WIA demonstrated good internal consistency, moderate …
The Effects Of An Enriched Environment On The Stereotypic Movement Of Individuals With Profound Mental Retardation., Brandi Braud Smiroldo
The Effects Of An Enriched Environment On The Stereotypic Movement Of Individuals With Profound Mental Retardation., Brandi Braud Smiroldo
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The present study was an attempt to investigate the effects of a specific type of enriched environment on the stereotypic movements of individuals with severe and profound mental retardation. A multisensory room which contained visual, auditory, and tactile stimulation was used. Effects of brief exposure to the multisensory room was compared to effects of exposure to a placebo probe involving attention and access to tangibles and to no treatment controls. Comparisons were made during a 10-minute post-test session immediately following. No significant differences between groups on rate of stereotypic movements at post-test was noted, anecdotal information and review of raw …
Analog Functional Assessment In General Education Settings., James Alfred Levelle
Analog Functional Assessment In General Education Settings., James Alfred Levelle
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Persistent disruptive behaviors in school classrooms often result in referrals for behavior intervention services. Although research has supported several intervention strategies, limited research has focused on linking assessment to the selection of specific strategies. Experimental analysis procedures for assessing the function of behavior have been successful in the selection of specific strategies with developmentally disabled students and in special education environments. However, research in general education settings has been sparse. In this study, an analog functional assessment approach utilizing experimental analysis procedures was conducted to assess the function of off-task behaviors in regular education settings. Conditions were established in each …
The Relationship Of Social Skills To Psychopathology For Individuals With Mild And Moderate Mental Retardation., Stephen Joseph Anderson
The Relationship Of Social Skills To Psychopathology For Individuals With Mild And Moderate Mental Retardation., Stephen Joseph Anderson
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Recent advances in the field of mental retardation have included the development of instruments for assessment of both psychopathology and social skills in individuals with mental retardation. Researchers have subsequently begun investigating relationships between psychopathology and social skills in individuals with mental retardation. Initial studies have focused on persons with severe and profound mental retardation. The present study examined the relationship between psychopathology and social skills in individuals with mild and moderate mental retardation. This investigation used the Assessment for Dual Diagnosis (ADD) to measure psychopathology and the Social Performance Survey Schedule (SPSS) to evaluate social skills. Significant differences were …
Structural Equation Modeling Analysis Of Etiological Factors In Social Anxiety., Michele E. Mccarthy
Structural Equation Modeling Analysis Of Etiological Factors In Social Anxiety., Michele E. Mccarthy
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The current study investigated possible etiological risk factors in the development of social anxiety. The risk factors examined in this study were family environment, negative peer interactions, neuroticism, self-perceived attractiveness, public self-consciousness, social behavior goal/ability discrepancy, and fear of negative evaluation. These variables were hypothesized to have both direct and indirect influences on the development of social anxiety. A hypothesized risk factor model was tested employing structural equation modeling (SEM) using questionnaire data collected from 559 college undergraduates. Phases of this study included the refinement of constructs, examination of the internal consistency and discriminant validity of the constructs, examination of …
Relationship Of Self-Injurious Behavior And Aggression To Social Skills In Persons With Severe And Profound Mental Retardation., Dee Duncan
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
In the literature, self-injurious behavior and aggression are often lumped together collectively as maladaptive behaviors. This study examined the social skills characteristics between persons with self-injurious behavior, aggression and a control group using the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills in Persons with Severe and Profound Retardation (MESSIER). Persons engaging in self-injurious behavior were significantly different from persons engaging in aggression as well as from the control group on five of the six subscales. The self-injury group had lower scores on subscales measuring positive behaviors and higher scores on subscales measuring negative behaviors. As expected for persons engaging in aggression, scores …
An Integrated Model Predicting Smoking Stage Of Change Among A Sample Of Government-Insured And Indigent Medical Patients., Edwin Daniel Boudreaux
An Integrated Model Predicting Smoking Stage Of Change Among A Sample Of Government-Insured And Indigent Medical Patients., Edwin Daniel Boudreaux
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
This study found that an integrated model using variables from several psychosocial theories, including the theory of planned behavior, decisional balance theory, and self-efficacy theory, was successful in predicting smoking stage of change. Specifically, ever smokers with higher self-efficacy, higher ratings of the cons of smoking, and lower ratings of the pros were more ready to quit or had already quit. Additionally, those who rated smoking as less tempting and who reported having people in their support system who were supportive of their cessation were in later stages of change. These results point to the importance of assessing cognitions towards …
Predictors Of Nonadherence Among Hiv-Infected Outpatients: Psychosocial And Medical Care Factors Associated With Appointment Attendance., Sheryl L. Catz
Predictors Of Nonadherence Among Hiv-Infected Outpatients: Psychosocial And Medical Care Factors Associated With Appointment Attendance., Sheryl L. Catz
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
Nonadherence to medical regimens is a critical behavioral threat to the health of HIV-infected individuals. Patients cannot benefit from increasingly efficacious treatments for HIV/AIDs unless they adhere to them. Consistent medical care plays a central role in prolonging life and enhancing quality of life for these individuals. It is therefore essential to understand why many patients do not return reliably for medical services. However, little research has focused on the development of empirically based models of HIV-related nonadherence. Thus, the primary purpose of the present study was to identify factors predictive of HIV-related nonadherence to medical appointments. Demographic, medical care, …
Development And Validation Of A Multidimensional Measure Of Eating Behavior And Exercise., Cheryl Funsch Smith
Development And Validation Of A Multidimensional Measure Of Eating Behavior And Exercise., Cheryl Funsch Smith
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses
The specific aim of the current investigation was to develop and validate a multidimensional self-report inventory of a wide range of eating behaviors and weight control practices including overeating, emotional eating, and exercise to be used with overweight and obese populations for evaluation and treatment purposes. Based on recent research findings concerning dieting strategies, factors evaluating healthy versus unhealthy weight control practices were expected to emerge from factor analysis of the original item pool of 131 items. However, these specific factors were not found. Instead, the factor analytic study found the Multidimensional Measure of Eating Behavior and Exercise (MMEBE) to …