Educational Psychology Commons^™

Sleep Patterns And The Behavior Of Children In The Second-, Third-, And Fourth-Grades In Urban Public Schools, Yolanda Cardelli Hampel

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This investigation examined the relationship between nocturnal sleep patterns and behaviors in the classroom of seventy-four girls and fifty-nine boys from second-, third-, and fourth-grades attending five urban public schools in Norfolk, Virginia.

The dependent variables were the classroom behavior that was subdivided into five personality areas for objective assessment of the student's adjustment areas labeled self, social, school, home, and physical. The objective assessment was observed and documented on a seventy-eight item questionnaire by their primary classroom teachers who were familiar with the subjects behavior. The parents observed and recorded data on a sleep log listing independent variables such …

Repeated Acquisition With Developmentally Disabled Adults: Some Methodological Improvements, Thomas M. Rueber

Masters Theses

This study obtained repeated-acquisition data from four developmentally disabled adults. The procedure was a refinement of one used earlier by Madsen (1988) and a comparison was made between the two. Verbal praise, edibles, and money were used to reinforce correct responding. In addition, an informal comparison was made between individual repeated-acquisition performance and IQ scores. The refinements of the Madsen procedure included: (1) using a 10-second timeout as the consequence of an error, (2) placing poker chips in die-cut holes, (3) using different colored construction paper backgrounds, (4) limiting each session to one sequence, (5) using percent correct responses as …

Cocaine And Timing: Drug Effects Under A Mixed Fixed-Interval Extinction Schedule, Vincent O. Hodge

Masters Theses

The effects of cocaine hydrochloride (3.2-56.2 mg/kg) were determined in rats performing under a mixed fixed-interval 60-seconds extinction 120-seconds schedule of food delivery. Responses were recorded in successive 5-second bins. With the exception of the highest dose (56.2 mg/kg), cocaine did not significantly affect rate of responding under the fixed-interval component or extinction component, or the time of peak responding under the extinction component. The highest dose significantly reduced response rates and shifted the time of peak responding leftward to quicker and earlier moments. Results are discussed in terms of possible rate- and time-dependent effects of stimulant drugs.

The Effects Of Goal Setting And Supervisory Feedback On Staff Performance In A Human Service Setting, Michael D. Mack

Masters Theses

Goal setting and supervisory feedback were examined to determine their relative effects on the performance of direct care staff. The performance of five staff from a day treatment program for developmentally disabled adults was measured. The specific performance measure of interest was staff implementation rates of daily training programs with clients. The results demonstrated that adding performance feedback to goal setting had minimal impact on staff performance. Yet, goal setting alone as an initial technique was effective in improving the performance of staff. Unfortunately, the long-term effects of goal setting alone may be less desirable than these initial data indicate. …

The Effects Of Peer Tutoring On A Direct Instruction Reading Program, Robert Schuyler Brooks

Masters Theses

This study evaluated the effectiveness of peer tutoring with a direct instruction reading program prior to teacher-directed instruction. Six upper level elementary students participated in the peer tutoring program and two students participated in a control group.

The findings from this study indicate that: (a) pre-exposure to direct instruction in reading lessons with peer tutoring improves student reading rate without increasing error rate, and (b) the instructional time for a teacher-directed lesson decreases when peer tutoring is a part of the reading routine. It was concluded that peer tutoring prior to teacher-directed instruction increases student reading rates without sacrificing accuracy …

Behavioral Consultation As A Process For Linking The Assessment And Treatment Of Social Skills, Susan M. Sheridan, Stephen N. Elliott

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

There has been recent interest in social skills assessment and treatment among researchers and practitioners. The research bases in these areas are expanding rapidly, and the identification of valid assessment methods and effective intervention strategies is promising. However, few researchers have identified ways in which social skills assessment and intervention can be linked in a practical manner. Likewise, the process by which services are delivered is rarely addressed. The purpose of this article is to present a model by which the interaction between social skills assessment and intervention can be enhanced, with a focus on the problem-solving process. One effective …

Activity Between Supervisors And Supervisees Outside Of Their Supervisory Sessions, Paul R. Ginter

Dissertations

The present study explores non-sexual activities between supervisors and supervisees outside the context of psychotherapy supervision. The two general questions posed in this study are (1) what is the nature of non-sexual activity between supervisors and supervisees outside of supervision, and (2 ) what is the perceived impact (if any) on the supervision process?

Questionnaires were distributed to matched pairs of supervisory dyads at APA-approved predoctoral internship sites. The two types of internships included in the study were counseling centers at universities, and psychiatric hospitals. Sixty-six supervisory dyads were included in the analysis, selected from 152 returned questionnaires. The respondents …

A Comparison Of Functional Equivalence Training And Timeout Procedures In The Reduction Of Disruptive Behavior, Steven D . Goodman

Masters Theses

The use of nonaversive or aversive procedures continues to be debated regarding treatment of behavior problems of persons with developmental disabilities. This study compared the efficacy of a punishment and a nonaversive procedure in the reduction of problem behavior. The nonaversive technique involved the teaching of alternative, functionally equivalent, responses. Timeout was employed as the punishment procedure. The functional equivalence training included a functional analysis to identify the motivating conditions for the disruptive behavior of three boys with severe mental retardation. Treatment conditions were evaluated on rate of disruption, effects on learning trials, and time engaged in training. Results indicate …

Universals, Necessities, And Social Contexts, David Moshman

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Elbers* does an excellent job of integrating, analyzing, and extending recent theoretical and empirical work concerning the relation of learning and development. The purpose of this commentary is to challenge Elbers to address the difficult question of universal sequences in human development. In order to focus the issue, a specific sequence in the development of logical reasoning is proposed.

An Assessment Of The Impact Of Resource Room Placement On Elementary Student Self-Esteem, Michael F. Hopkins

All Graduate Projects

An assessment, in the form of an interview, was conducted to measure the effects of resource room placement and full-time classroom integration on special education student self-esteem. Sixty students in the Wenatchee School District participated in the project during the 1990-1991 school year. The results of the project indicated that the placement of special education students in a full-time integration program does not insure a greater enhancement of their total self-concept; although it may be of benefit to certain areas in their self-esteem. The project included conclusions and recommendations.

Student Motivation Augmentation Through Staff Development, Debra J. Lyons-Farley

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to design and develop an inservice trainers/ manual to guide the delivery of a teacher training session on student motivation theory and practical classroom application techniques for K-12 teachers in the West Valley School District, Yakima, WA. To accomplish this purpose, research and literature on student motivation, staff development and primarily the works of Dr. Madeline Hunter and Dr. William Glasser, in relation to student motivation, were reviewed. The manual was developed to become a part of the program of effective teaching strategies which positively affect student achievement currently offered ln the district.

School Psychology At The University Of Utah, William R. Jenson, Elaine Clark, Susan M. Sheridan, Howard N. Sloane, Thomas J. Kehle

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The article describes the history of the school psychology program at the University of Utah from 1978, and discusses responsibilities of a school psychologist: utilizing and disseminating the knowledge base of psychology in educational problem solving; operating from a scientist-practitioner model, wherein practices prescribed are based on research-validated procedures and a sound theoretical framework. School psychologists are generalists and specialists and function as researchers, diagnosticians, interventionists, assessors, consultants, and advocates for children. Professionally, school psychologists are identified with the overarching goals of enhancing the academic, social, and emotional well-being of students.

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Personal Mastery Counseling On Goal Attainment, Self-Concept, Locus-Of-Control, And Behavior Ratings Of Junior High School Students, Lawrence Edward Sutton

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This study focused on the effectiveness of Personal Mastery Counseling (PMC), a small-group cognitive-behavioral approach to counseling. Thirty 7th grade male volunteers were assigned, 10 subjects per group, to a PMC group, a bibliotherapy group, or a No-Treatment Control group. The PMC group participated in ten 55-minute counseling sessions. The PMC group leader helped the subjects identify and eliminate self-defeating behaviors by teaching them how to set behavioral goals, accept personal responsibility, practice new behaviors, and monitor improvement. The bibliotherapy group participated in ten 55-minute sessions with assigned readings and discussions on eliminating self-defeating behaviors and improving self-concept. The No-Treatment …

Effectiveness Of Training Peer Tutors To Scaffold Instruction, Judith L. Macvicar

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The present study examined the effects of training child-tutors to scaffold instruction. Scaffolding is a metaphorical structure which teachers implement to provide temporary support aiding children to learn new skills. Grade seven and eight tutors were taught to apply the contingent shift rule (the CS rule) of giving more support when their grade five tutees failed and less support when tutees succeeded. Tutors were randomly assigned to one of three training groups: (1) an experimental group trained to use the CS rule, (2) a control group trained to consistently use moderate levels of support and (3) a control group given …

A Comparison Of Attendance And Self-Esteem At Assumption High School, Connie Lee Falconer

Masters Theses

Nonattendance has historically been a problem for teachers and administrators. Only recently has the effect of self-esteem and attendance been the focus of serious research. This study was conducted at Assumption High School, Assumption Community School District #9, Assumption, Illinois. The study encompassed those students in grades 9 through 12 for attendance purposes in the school year 1990-1991. Those students who were added or dropped during the given school year were not included in the study. Since this research involved some of the factors of ten associated with nonattendance of high school students, all of the students continuously enrolled from …

Effects Of Test Administrations On General, Test, And Computer Anxiety, And Efficacy Measures, Susan Kiskis

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

The Personal Motivation System Of Hispanic Female Students As Measured By The Picture Identification Test, Martha Lazcano Muguira

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This study explored the qualities that distinguished a select group of college freshmen women (National Hispanic Scholars) from a general sample of Hispanic women as assessed by the PIT (Picture Identification Test) a semi-projective systems-oriented instrument that measures motivation (Chambers, 1988). The PIT was mailed to 496 Women Scholars, and administered to self-identified Hispanic freshmen women who attended four universities in the United States for the first time in the Fall of 1990. Results were based on the responses of 99 Ss (Select Group), and 57 Ss (Regular Group) who completed the PIT and fulfilled the criteria.;The specific hypothesis tested …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Breach Of Confidentiality Of Adolescents' Level Of Trust, Carolyn Bosta Warrick

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of breach of confidentiality on adolescents' level of trust using a pretest/posttest control group experimental design. The study used a normal population of eighth grade middle school students enrolled in average regular education classes in the Hampton Public School System. The initial sample consisted of 162 students (123 of which completed the entire study), designated as high or low trusters based on their scores on Rotter's Interpersonal Trust Scale, who were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups, and the groups randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment conditions (Full …

Effects Of A Cognitive-Behavioral Program Designed To Increase The Reading Comprehension Skills Of Learning-Disabled Students, Jane Pindar Reilly

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral approach to reading comprehension instruction. An important component of the intervention was a training course for teachers designed to communicate a conceptual framework for understanding the comprehension deficits of learning disabled (LD) children.;The sample included 39 elementary and middle school students who were identified as learning disabled. Intact classes were assigned to the treatment or control group. The nonequivalent control-group design was used, and data was examined using analysis of covariance. Dependent variables were reading comprehension as measured by the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests and locus of control …

Efficacy Of Self-Instructional Training In The Management Of Test Anxiety: A Primary Prevention Model, Rita Schreyer Wagner

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a program of self-instructional training, presented as part of the regular classroom guidance curriculum, in the reduction of test anxiety and improvement of test performance in third grade children.;The sample consisted of 88 third grade students enrolled in regular education in an elementary school. Intact classes were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. A nonequivalent control group research design was used. Dependent variables were test anxiety, academic achievement, and test performance and were measured by the Test Anxiety Scale for Children, the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, and …

The Utility Of A Computerized Assessment Battery To Evaluate Cognitive Functioning And Attention, Carl Richard Ellis

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

In recent years much attention has been given to the application of computer technology to psychometric methods, but researchers have concentrated on adapting traditional methods of psychological testing to the new technology instead of utilizing it to develop innovative methods of assessment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a computerized assessment battery designed to evaluate cognitive functioning and attention could demonstrate reliability and validity. The Computerized Cognitive Assessment Battery (CCAB) was developed according to the PASS Model of Cognitive Functioning and administered via a Macintosh computer and test results included response style variables (mouse movement and response …

Siblings Of Elementary Gifted Students: The Sibling Relationship, Self-Concept And Classroom Behavior, Karen Elizabeth Poe West

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This study was undertaken for the purpose of determining if the siblings of gifted elementary students differ significantly from siblings of non-gifted elementary students in sibling affection, self-concept, or observable classroom behavior; and to investigate the relationship between sibling affection and self-concept, sibling affection and observable classroom behavior, and self-concept and observable classroom behavior.;The sample was selected from a large, urban school district located in the Mid-South. Thirty-eight pairs of siblings were selected from two-sibling families in which both children were enrolled in grades 3 through 6. Group 1 (Gifted/Siblings) consisted of first-born children who were state certified as intellectually …

Coping With Siblings And Peers: How College Students Deal With Stress On Interpersonal And Individual Bases, Deborah J. Kennerson

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Eating And Exercising: Nebraska Adolescents' Attitudes And Behaviors, Ian Newman

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Prevention Center Papers are occasional publications of the Nebraska Prevention Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Their purpose is to make available information that would not otherwise be easily accessible.

This Prevention Center Paper should be considered a working document and does not reflect the official policy or position of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the Nebraska Department of Education, or Health Education, Inc.

Prevention Center Papers are produced for a limited readership to stimulate discussion and generate a flow of communication between the Prevention Center and those interested in the broad field of disease …

Effects Of Visual/Verbal Associations, Anna C. Martin

Faculty Publications

Different effects of instructional strategies on recall and comprehension of terms frequently used in formal analysis of art were examined. The study looked at a synthesis of three theoretical positions: dual-coding theory; schema theory; and elaboration theory. Two-hundred and fifty sixth-grade students were randomly assigned to three groups: control subjects; graphic subjects; and transformational subjects. Instruments consisted of Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) and the Art Vocabulary Test (AVT). The program consisted of three phases: (1) a 10-minute study session; (2) an interactive discussion; and (3) a drawing task. The results suggested that imagery strategies help students form and retain …

The Quality Of Student Life At Wilfrid Laurier University: Recommendations For Change (Ontario), Marie Molloy

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Three methods were employed to obtain information related to the quality of student life at Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) in Waterloo, Ontario: (1) a quantitative Survey, (2) a qualitative Focus Group, and (3) Follow-up interviews. The research was guided by an action-oriented approach and followed a process- consultation model in which students, managers and administrators were interviewed and consulted for their recommendations on how the quality of student life at Laurier could be enhanced. Based on the knowledge gained from the survey and interview data, a working group, The WLU Quality of Student Life (QSL) Committee, compiled and presented a …