Digital Commons Network^™

Maintaining An Immigrant Heritage Language Other Than Spanish Or English In The Bilingual Culture Of The Rio Grande Valley Of South Texas, Sonia A. Shepherd

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

A 2005 study in the bilingual Spanish/English Rio Grande Valley of South Texas investigates the language strategies used by immigrant families from China, Greece, Hungary, Japan, the Philippines, Russia, Taiwan, and the Ukraine to preserve their heritage languages and pass them on to their children. Personal interviews determine that all the parents are well-educated and from an above average socio-economic level. This investigation categorizes the various strategies used by the parents. All the immigrant parents emphasize that the main reason they want to preserve the heritage language with their children is to insure that the children can continue to communicate …

Adolescents' Perceptions And Interpretations Of Parental Control: Differentiated By Domain And Type Of Control, Fumiko Kakihara

Student Work

In this study, early to middle adolescents’ perceptions and interpretations of psychological control and behavioral control were examined using quasi-experimental methods. A total of sixty-seven adolescents (M—14.25 years, SD = 1.66), consisting of 32 7th/8th graders (M= 12.69 years, SD = .69) and 35 10th/11th graders (M = 15.69 years, SD= .72) responded to hypothetical vignettes depicting everyday interactions between parents and an adolescent involving psychological versus behavioral control, manipulating the levels of control and authority domains. The adolescents were asked to indicate the degree to which the control depicted in the vignettes would indicate parental intrusiveness, their mattering to …

Using Social Stories To Teach On-Task Behavior And Participation Skills With Children On The Autism Spectrum, Melanie Washburn

Theses

Social stories are written and individually tailored to provide individuals with autism with accurate social information to address their deficit areas (Gray, 2000). The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a social story intervention in increasing socially desirable behavior with two young boys diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The following dependent variables were considered: (la) body and eye contact, (lb) staying on the topic, and (2) disruptive and perseverative behavior in the classroom. For both participants, there was an increase in social appropriate behavior and a decrease in disruptive behavior over the course of eight …

Views Of School Success Among Spanish-. And English-.Speaking Parents, Jessica Gregory-Wells

Student Work

As the diversity of American society continues to increase, schools are seeing an influx of children from different cultures. One of the fastest growing minority groups is the Latino population. Research shows that Latino children are at risk for underachievement in American schools; however, the reasons for this are still unknown. Many researchers have speculated that factors such as conflicting cultural value systems, differing academic values, and lower levels of acculturation vis-a-vis the dominant culture influence the underachievement of Latino children. In the present study, I investigate the views of both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking parents to determine whether they differ …

Verbal Behavior: An Empirical Review Of Establishing Operations, Gary R. Hoerth

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Establishing Operations are steeped in the science Applied Behavior Analysis and verbal behavior. Their principles are utilized daily in schools, clinics and treatment centers. The purpose of this study was to review the research literature of this principle to affirm its scientific base and identify specific strategies that can be used by educators and practitioners. Results affirmed its scientific base and identified numerous strategies for immediate use. As ABA practitioners state, "These principles are thought to be of value only if in the hands of people who use them to improve the lives of others" (Carbone, 2004).

The Impossibility Of Evil Qua Evil: Kantian Limitations On Human Immorality, Timothy Alan Crews-Anderson

Philosophy Theses

Kant denies that evil qua evil can be an incentive to human beings. Is this a fact about what sorts of reasons human beings find interesting? Or, is it rooted entirely in Kant’s notion of human freedom? I focus on key facets of Kant’s system: human freedom, immorality and incentives. With an understanding of these concepts based in Christine Korsgaard’s reading of Kant’s moral theory, I argue that the impossibility of acting solely from evil qua evil is not rooted in human incentives and that if we were able to represent an unconditioned principle of immorality, we would have as …

A Choice-Based Art Curriculum For Eighth Graders At A Public Charter School, Elisa Hirvonen

Graduate Student Independent Studies

In a choice-based art curriculum students select units of study, explore ideas, and choose specific elements of their projects to develop, e.g., media. The goal is to provide a more authentic artistic experience. Surveys conducted at the beginning and end of the year-long program indicate that students are enthusiastic about choice, and that attitudes towards art improved.

Market Orientation And Order Of Entry Strategies: An Empirical Analysis, Anshu Saran

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

While the relationship between market orientation and business performance has been extensively investigated, the mechanisms by which market orientation contributes to performance are still not well understood. To fill this gap in knowledge of how order of entry would affect the relationship between market orientation and performance, this research provides a conceptual framework to link two disparate concepts, or research streams in the marketing/business strategy literature, market orientation and order of entry.

Timing of entry has generated great attention (Green, Barclay, and Ryans 1995). Pioneering new markets is expensive and risky, but also potentially very rewarding. If pioneers have advantages …

A Comparison Of Analog And Applied Setting Research Methods In Evaluating Motivational Distortion, Steven Verstraete

Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of analog research designs in the assessment of motivational distortion. The responses of analog experimental groups instructed to fake-good (analog, n = 22) or respond honestly (classroom, n = 22) on the Sixteen Personality Factor (16PF) 5th Edition were compared to the responses obtained from a group of applicants to a graduate program in school psychology (applicant, n = 38). Results indicate a consistent pattern of increasing score desirability across groups, from classroom, to applicant, to analog, with significant differences (p<.002) between groups. Thus, the applicability of analog research findings to applied settings is called into question and Cattell's (1968,1986) trait-view theory is supported.

Medical Model Influence In Counseling And Psychotherapy: Counseling Psychology Training Directors' Views, Dallas R. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

The practice of counseling and psychotherapy is influenced by a number of ideologies, models, and paradigms. Among these, the medical model's influence is particularly salient. The ideology of the medical field pervades the theory, research, and practice of psychology and its influence deserves close examination. The few studies in this area that have been conducted are descriptive and basic in nature. The present study aimed to contribute richness and depth to conversations about medical model influence. By interviewing Counseling Psychology training directors and applying a qualitative analysis, this study provided the following themes that characterize views of the medical model's …

The Relationship Between Anxiety And Spirituality In Persons Undergoing Chemotherapy For Cancer, Cindy Tofthagen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is a common problem for cancer patients, especially those who must receive chemotherapy. Anxiety may have a negative effect on quality of life, interrupting sleep, causing uncomfortable physical symptoms, and inhibiting sound decision-making. This study examined the relationship between spiritual well-being and anxiety in patients on chemotherapy for cancer. The convenience sample consisted of 30 patients, 15 male and 15 female, receiving chemotherapy in a two physician private medical oncology practice in Southwest Florida. Patients completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well- Being Scale.

Participants ranged in age from 31 to 88, …

Be Active! An Examination Of Social Support's Role In Individual Vs. Team Competition In Worksite Health Promotion, Lauren Kriz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Millions of dollars are being spent on health care claims. To try and reduce these claims, corporations are implementing worksite health promotion programs. Some success has been associated with these programs. Many programs implement different types of incentives and competitions. Some incentives and competitions are based on individual participation while others are based on team participation. The purpose of the study was to determine the role social support plays in individual and team health promotion programs and discover if social support was the key factor for the differences in such programs. All participants of the study were responsible for keeping …

Virginia Woolf And The Persistent Question Of Class: The Protean Nature Of Class And Self, Mary C. Madden

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

From the beginning of her career, Virginia Woolf moves beyond the perspective of her inherited class position to challenge a damaging class system. She increasingly recognizes the extent of her own complicity in the creation and maintenance of class structures supporting patriarchy, war, and British imperialism. Highlighting ambiguities inherent in the very category of class, she acknowledges the limiting "boxes" of language itself in attempts to rethink class. For Woolf, class is not monolithic but internally differentiated by gender and race. Examining Woolf's early work in relation to class theory shows that throughout her career Woolf interrogates the imbrication of …

Parent Implementation Of The Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-Based (Dir) Program: Changes In The Repetitive Behaviors Of Children With Autism, Jessica S. Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The study examined the changes in behavioral repetitive/stereotypies based on parent implementation and non-implementation in the Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based (DIR) program designed for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). An experimental, 2x2 repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to measure the changes in behavioral repetitive/stereotypies such as: rocking or other whole body movements, hand-flapping, ritualism, finger/light stimulation, aggressive behavior to self, and aggressive behavior to others, based on parent implementation or non-implementation of the DIR program. Nine participants were randomly selected and assigned to a DIR treatment group and a control group. The study was conducted over …

Home Literacy Environments And Emergent Literacy Skills Of English- And Spanish-Speaking Students., Megan M. Stroud

Student Work

Learning to read is a process that begins long before a child enters school. One of the most important things that parents can do to help their children prepare for school is to create home environments that promote literacy. The purpose of the present study was to examine kindergarten student's home literacy environments in relation to their emergent literacy skills. A home literacy environment questionnaire was administered to both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking parents of kindergarten students enrolled in a dual language program. The questionnaire was then compared to data collected on students' emergent literacy skills. Results of the study provide …

Attitude Accessibility And Education: Students' Reported Attitudes Toward Peers With Disabilities In Parochial And Public Schools., Janet L. Miller

Student Work

Students' attitudes toward peers with disabilities may be influenced by a variety of factors. Two potential factors are curriculum of the school and integration of students with disabilities with nondisabled peers. Inclusion of students with disabilities in the regular classroom will increase experience and exposure. Further, a religious aspect of a curriculum may positively or negatively affect the reported attitudes of students in parochial schools. The purpose of the present study was to describe possible differences in curriculum and students' attitudes toward peers with disabilities in parochial and public schools. Elementary school children from parochial and public schools were interviewed …

The Impact Of Iq On Symptom Reduction In A Midwestern Residential Group Home Setting Using The Family Home Program, Robert G. Gehringer Jr.

Student Work

The purpose of this research project was to determine the impact of intelligence (IQ) measured by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Third Edition (WISC-III) on symptom reduction as measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in a residential group home setting using the Family Home Program. IQ Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale scores were gathered from 539 youth who also had an admission as well as a departure CBCL assessment. The IQ scores ranged from 60 to 141. Four IQ groups were formed for each IQ scale, greater than 115, 101--115, 85--100, and less than 85. Data were …

Cross-Cultural Differences In The Perception Of Group Entitativity And Autonomy, Koichi Kurebayashi

Student Work

This research examined cross-cultural differences in group perceptions. Specifically, it examined the relative importance of the properties underlying perceived entitativity and the influence of entitativity on group autonomy beliefs among American and Japanese college students. Group properties were divided into two categories: essence properties and dynamic properties. Essence properties included similarities in group members’ physical characteristics, background, and personality traits. Dynamic properties included commonality in goals, outcomes, and cooperation among members. It was found that both American and Japanese people’s perceptions of entitativity were higher when essence and dynamic properties were high. However, essence properties were more strongly related to …

Early Identification Of Children With Asperger Syndrome: Communication Characteristics, Lynda D. Chouinard

Master's Theses and Capstones

Diagnosis of children within the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) category varies significantly but children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) are typically diagnosed at a much older age than those with Autism (AD). The late childhood diagnosis of AS means a possible lapse in years that the child receives appropriate intervention and support. The purpose of this retrospective study was to gain further insight into what early communication and behavior characteristics can be identified in children from birth to three years who are later diagnosed with AS.

Parents of ten children with AS and under nineteen-years old were identified to participate in …

Examining The Relationship Between Psychological Skills And Confidence In Goalkeepers, Amanda E. Laws

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study examined the relationships that exist between psychological skills and confidence. Analysis of the relationship took place with ice hockey, lacrosse and soccer goalkeepers. Participants (N = 1927) completed measures of psychological skills (ACSI-28) and confidence (CSCI) online. Participants deemed psychological skills as important, but rarely used them to enhance performance. Goalkeepers (N = 412) scored higher on both the personal coping resource score (M = 50.82, SD = 9.24) and confidence (M = 41.88, SD = 5.66) than non-goalkeepers on the personal coping resource score (M = 47.48, SD = 9.60) and confidence (M = 41.84, SD = …

Serotonergic Involvement In The Behavioral Depression Produced By Intermittent Swim Stress, John Paul Christianson

Doctoral Dissertations

Exposure to uncontrollable stress produces a behavioral syndrome that is often described as "behavioral depression" in the rat. Current paradigms for inducing behavioral depression utilize continuous swimming or intermittent electric shock stress. Brown et al., developed a novel strategy that combined these stressors to produce the intermittent swim stress (ISS) protocol. The purpose of this thesis was to define the behavioral outcomes of ISS that resemble behavioral depression and to begin neurochemical characterization of the phenomenon.

Two hallmark features of behavioral depression are immobility, as determined in a Forced Swim Test (FST) and escape learning deficits, as determined by operant …

Psychopathological Symptoms And Their Relation To Paranormal Belief And Illusory Judgment, Michael P. Cofrin

Doctoral Dissertations

The relationship between psychopathological symptoms and paranormal belief and abilities was explored in four studies. Study 1 investigated the relationship between depressive symptoms and paranormal belief. Study 2 shifted the investigation into the laboratory by testing participants' illusory judgments on a paranormal task and assessing the relationship between their judgments and depressive symptoms. Study 3 combined scale and lab tasks testing for additional psychopathological symptoms and illusory judgment on four paranormal tasks. Study 4 incorporated techniques to increase illusion of control induction and minimize context effects and fatigue. Psychosis proneness and mood symptoms were positively related to general paranormal belief …

Responses To Terrorism Scenarios: Event Features, Individual Characteristics, And Subjective Evaluations, Clinton Michael Jenkin

Doctoral Dissertations

The extensive research into responses to terrorism has focused on the effects of individual characteristics on reactions to past terrorism events. This literature has largely omitted two issues: the impact of terrorism event features, and reactions to possible future terrorism events. The first purpose of this dissertation was to account for the effects of event features as well as subjective evaluations on responses to terrorism events. The second purpose of this dissertation was to compare reactions to past and future terrorism scenarios.

A series of actual and hypothetical written scenarios were presented to undergraduate psychology students, and various responses measured. …

Conflict And Threat Between Pre-Existing Groups: An Application Of Identity To Bias, Persuasion And Belief Perseverance, Brian R. Laythe

Doctoral Dissertations

The current research examines the role of identity in the context of threat towards further understanding bias, persuasion, and belief perseverance in what is defined as IRT (Immediately Relevant Threat) conditions. Using pre, middle, and post measurements, four groups of differing ideological student organizations across 4 university or college campuses were presented critical messages that were varied by the source being either an in-group or out-group presenter of the message. Messages were also varied by either presenting a message that criticized the entire group or only a few of its members. With the use of hierarchical linear modeling and conventional …

Normative Practices And Normative Identities: A Critical Feminist Investigation Of Pregnancy Ultrasound, Bethany Riddle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pregnancy ultrasound has gained popularity in recent decades. In the U.S. and other industrialized countries, it is an expected part of the medical monitoring that accompanies pregnancy. Most scientific, medical and popular opinions of pregnancy ultrasound consider it to be unequivocally beneficial. However, following feminist researchers who note the potential for the ultrasound to act as a form of surveillance, medicalize the body of the woman while simultaneously removing it from the picture, and sediment the reality of pregnancy, I took as my starting point the idea that it is important that we investigate technologies that are taken for granted …

On The Day You Were Born: A Phenomenological Study Of Fathers' Experience Of Being Present At Their Children's Birth, Nick Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a qualitative investigation into the lived experience of becoming a father through witnessing the event of childbirth. I analyze transcripts of conversations between five fathers and myself using a phenomenological method to distinguish meaningful and psychologically significant statements. I then weave these statements into a series of thematically and structurally consistent narratives that reflect the fathers' attitudes and experiences concerning becoming and being a father. From these narratives, I draw together themes that appeared across multiple fathers' stories. These themes consist of the father's relationship with the social world, including fathers in relation to other fathers and …

Depression, Volition, And Death: The Effect Of Depressive Disorders On The Autonomous Choice To Forgo Medical Treatment, Matthew Butkus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many contemporary models of medical ethics champion patient autonomy to counterbalance historically paternalistic decision-making processes. These models tend to suggest an autonomous agent free from cognitive bias and systematic distortion (e.g., Kantian or Cartesian rational agents). Evidence is emerging from the fields of cognitive psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience that fundamentally challenge this cognitive model, demonstrating the dependence of cognition on deeper, avolitional structures (e.g., backstage cognition, cognitive heuristics and biases, automaticity, emotionally-valenced memory, etc.), and hence, shifting the cognitive model towards reductionistic and deterministic philosophies and psychologies. Medical ethics models must adapt their sense of autonomy in light of …

A Training Model: The Effects Of Mental Rehearsal On The Performance Of Elite Collegiate Nordic Skiers, Jennifer Lynn Conant

Master's Theses and Capstones

In today's competitive athletic world, the one common goal all athletes share is to win. The pressure to carry out this goal is staggering and as a result, athletes are training harder for longer hours and ultimately burning out. While there are numerous books that attempt to teach an athlete how to train physically for their sport, very few training programs teach them how to train mentally for their sport. A training program that does not include both a physical and mental aspect will fail.

This model introduces a training program where interested Nordic ski coaches can implement the training …

An Intervention Tool For Use Against Gender Stereotypes In Children, Sarah N. Muller

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study examines the occurrence of gender stereotyped beliefs and behaviors in young children and methods of intervening against gender stereotypes. Current literature on gender stereotype interventions is reviewed and evaluated. A new model of intervention, based on a coloring book made up of gender counterstereotypic images, is proposed. Implications and limitations are discussed.

"My Parents Made Me Do It!" Parental Influences On Self-Handicapping: Athletes' Perceptions And Goal Orientation, Kristina L. Moore

Master's Theses and Capstones

As socializers, parents provide and interpret experiences which ultimately influence achievement beliefs and behaviors in their children. Eccles' Expectancy-Value model (Eccles & Harold, 1991), the model of parental influences on motivation and achievement (Eccles et. al., 1998) and Achievement Goal Theory (Nicholls, 1989) provide the theoretical framework for this study. The investigation explored the relationships between athlete goal orientations, perceptions of parental self-handicapping, perceptions of parental goal orientations and athlete tendency to employ self-handicapping. Adolescent soccer athletes (N=134) completed the 14-item Self-Handicapping Scale (SHS) and the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ), as well as adapted versions of …