Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Reading Achievement In High Poverty, Rural Schools, Janet Tufts

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine what correlation exists between a student’s poverty coefficient and the daily number of minutes provided for independent reading and third grade reading achievement level as measured by California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) in small, rural school districts. An additional purpose of the study was to determine what correlation exists between teacher mindset on student achievement and reading achievement in the third grade as measured by CAASPP scores and teacher perception questionnaires, in small, rural school districts?

Methodology: This study employed quantitative, correlational study, by using data from …

Employing Service Learning To Promote Student Self-Efficacy In Occupational Therapy Education, Erin E. Schwier

Student Dissertations

A study was conducted to evaluate student participation in a community-based service learning experience offered in the Masters of Occupational Therapy (OT) Program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) to identify how students’ perceptions of their self-efficacy change after they participate in a service-learning experience. A mixed methods case study approach was used to evaluate student’s perceptions of self efficacy and identify characteristics of the service learning experience that contribute to improved perceived self-efficacy. A paired samples t test was conducted to compare student confidence levels before and after participation in the service learning project. The …

Stress, Coping, And Academic Self-Efficacy In First-Generation College Students, Samantha Fitz-Gerald

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This qualitative research was conducted with first-generation college students who were enrolled in one of two university settings in northeastern Pennsylvania. The purpose of the study was to explore the unique stressors and coping mechanisms first-generation college students experience and how these impact their academic self-efficacy beliefs. A total of 10 participants were interviewed for the study using a demographic questionnaire, self-report stress scale, and semi-structured interview. Grounded theory of analysis provided the theoretical framework for the study, allowing the researcher to code the data to discover four emerging themes. The themes found included (a) the first-generation college students’ motivation …

The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy, Optimism, And Sensation Seeking In Predicting Self-Reported Adherence To Health Behaviors, Kristine V. Spano

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The relationship between health behaviors and three psychological variables that included optimism, self-efficacy, and sensation seeking was investigated in this study. A demographic form, the Health Adherence Behavior Inventory (HABIT), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), and the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS-8) were administered to 258 participants. The data were analyzed for two separate and independent samples based on gender. Results indicated that self-efficacy predicted male health behaviors while optimism predicted female health behaviors. In addition, men scored higher than women on self-reported sensation-seeking behaviors, as predicted. Limitations of this research and directions for further …

Perceived Self-Efficacy In Individuals With Moderate-To-Severe Brain Injury: The Effects Of Rehabilitation Outcomes And Depression, Leena Patel

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Brain injury represents a major public health issue in the United States, accounting for a largely underestimated figure of 2.5 million cases in 2010. The pervasive effects of this chronic medical condition contribute to a growing economic burden, as the physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional sequelae of brain injury demand long-term care for those with moderate-to-severe brain injuries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently proposed new recommendations for improvements in monitoring the incidence of and research on brain injury. The goals of this public health initiative are to better inform health service delivery and ultimately improve quality of …