Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Exploration Of Student Anxiety And The Degree Of Aba Services, Alexis Stavros

Theses and Dissertations

Children diagnosed with Autism may present numerous internalizing and externalizing behaviors. In order to help decrease problematic behaviors and promote positive behaviors, early intervention programs are often put into place. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a method of intervention based in operant conditioning, and is used to alter socially useful behavior (Kearney, A. 2008). Although ABA can be effective in decreasing problematic behavior, it could be argued that children diagnosed with Autism exhibit a range of symptoms that may be more internalizing in nature, and not particularly responsive to ABA (Herbert, Brandsma, 2002: Fryling, 2011). Research states that 84% of …

New Measures To Capture End Of Life Concerns In Huntington Disease: Meaning And Purpose And Concern With Death And Dying From Hdqlife (A Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement System)., N E Carlozzi, N R Downing, M K Mccormack, S G Schilling, J S Perlmutter, E A Hahn, J S Lai, S Frank, K A Quaid, J S Paulsen, D Cella, S M Goodnight, J A Miner, M A Nance

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

PURPOSE: Huntington disease (HD) is an incurable terminal disease. Thus, end of life (EOL) concerns are common in these individuals. A quantitative measure of EOL concerns in HD would enable a better understanding of how these concerns impact health-related quality of life. Therefore, we developed new measures of EOL for use in HD.

METHODS: An EOL item pool of 45 items was field tested in 507 individuals with prodromal or manifest HD. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA, respectively) were conducted to establish unidimensional item pools. Item response theory (IRT) and differential item functioning analyses were applied to …

Hdqlife: Development And Assessment Of Health-Related Quality Of Life In Huntington Disease (Hd), N E Carlozzi, S G Schilling, J-S Lai, J S Paulsen, E A Hahn, J S Perlmutter, C A Ross, N R Downing, A L Kratz, M K Mccormack, M A Nance, K A Quaid, J C Stout, R C Gershon, R E Ready, J A Miner, S K Barton, S L Perlman, S M Rao, S Frank, I Shoulson, H Marin, M D Geschwind, P Dayalu, S M Goodnight, D Cella

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

PURPOSE: Huntington disease (HD) is a chronic, debilitating genetic disease that affects physical, emotional, cognitive, and social health. Existing patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) used in HD are neither comprehensive, nor do they adequately account for clinically meaningful changes in function. While new PROs examining HRQOL (i.e., Neuro-QoL-Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders and PROMIS-Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) offer solutions to many of these shortcomings, they do not include HD-specific content, nor have they been validated in HD. HDQLIFE addresses this by validating 12 PROMIS/Neuro-QoL domains in individuals with HD and by using established PROMIS …

The Effects Of Group Cohesion And Experiential Learning Activities On Participation Styles In A College Classroom, Elizabeth Shmikler

Theses and Dissertations

Adventure education is a long standing form of education that has been used both internationally and throughout America more than many initially realize. Adventure education has proven to have a diverse range of benefits to its participants, and has become an essential, widely acknowledged, and promoted approach to learning. Not only has past research connected a participation styles to adventure education and formal education, but several studies have noted the multitude of benefits that adventure education can have on student retention and college performance. This line of research continues to expand in applying experiential education in formal, college education settings. …

The Effect Of The Dsm Changes On Autism, Paris Newsome

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the changes that have been made to the Diagnostic Statistical Manuals over the years have had a major effect on Autism and its prevalence rate. This thesis used publicly available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Autism Speaks Organization. Since publicly available data was used for this research no demographic or identifiable information about the population was obtained for this study. There are five editions of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and two revised editions. This study specifically looked at the last three editions of …

Examining The Impact Of Community Factors On Student Truancy, Juan Jose Lorenzo

Theses and Dissertations

Truancy has been an ongoing issue in the lives of many urban and low-income students. Poor school attendance has been one of the earliest indicators of academic failure, delinquency, crime, poverty and etc. Although there have been a number of different definitions for truancy, the law has consistently stated that underage students must attend school. It has been clear that addressing and combating truancy has been an issue in many cities. Research has identified many truancy risk indicators and various community factors have appeared to impact truancy rates. Additionally, within an urban setting, the availability of public transportation to and …

Effects Of Extended Time Accommodation For Those With Adhd, Jacqueline Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. There is a great deal of published literature that supports the effect of interventions for students at the elementary and secondary levels, however there is limited research that analyzes interventions for college students with ADHD. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of extended time accommodations for college students with and without ADHD. It was hypothesized that students with ADHD would perform better when given extended time to complete assignments. A mixed ANOVA used to investigate the differences in test scores of …

Does Benevolence Benefit? Understanding The Role Of Benevolent Sexism Sub-Factors In Predicting Sexual Aggression Among Men, Alyssa Nicole Shilinsky

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual aggression remains a pervasive problem in our society, with approximately one in five women reporting an unwanted sexual experience (Koss et al., 2007). A key construct associated with sexual aggression may be the endorsement of sexist beliefs, which have been conceptualized along two domains: Hostile and benevolent sexism (Glick & Fiske, 1996).Hostile sexist beliefs can predict engagement in sexual aggression (Malamuth et al.,1995); however, there is a paucity of research examining the influence of benevolent sexism on sexual aggression perpetration. The goal of this study is to explore the relationship between the three sub-factors of benevolent sexism (protective paternalism, …

Differences In Interview Responses Provided To Researchers Based On Their Ethnicity, Phenice Chapman-Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Although diversity is an issue often discussed in education, a lack of diversity continues to persist within the research sciences. The purpose of this study was to see if there is a difference in how people respond to an ethnic majority researcher in comparison to an ethnic minority researcher. Parents of pre-school aged children participated in a semi-structured interview about their child. An African-American and a Caucasian researcher interviewed a group of parents from different racial backgrounds randomly assigned to either researcher. Each group’s interview responses were compared for the quality and quantity of information provided in order to see …

The Effect Of Content-Related And Unrelated Break Activities On Test Results, Ryan Gentek

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have recently explored using brief breaks to maintain performance during prolonged tasks (Ariga and Lleras, 2011). However, research has yet to fully explore the effect of break activity content on the performance of the primary task. The present study sought to explore the differing effects of two break activities that were respectively similar and different in content to the main task. The present researcher compared past studies of task-switching and interruption studies to theories of the vigilance decrement and hypothesized that a brief similar task should result in significantly different main-task performance than the brief dissimilar task. 20 participating …

Latinotwitter: Discourses Of Latino Civic Engagement In Social Media, Alison N. Novak, Kristine C. Johnson, Manuel Pontes

College of Communication & Creative Arts Faculty Scholarship

Twitter, like other social media platforms, has been identified as a space for cultural groups to debate political ideologies, engage civically, and even form action strategies for social change. Since 2014, the #LatinoTwitter hashtag has been used by Latino users for these purposes. Despite the popularity of the hashtag, few studies have examined it or its users. This study provides the results of a discourse analysis of the 31,000 tweets from 2014–2016 that use the hashtag. The findings indicate Twitter has become a popular platform for Latinos to debate political issues, find parity between ethnic communities, and even promote Latino-centered …

The Effect Of A Brief Yoga Practice On Learning, Brittany Ballard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore whether yoga practice facilitates learning. Specific aims of the study were to compare student performance on a basic learning task following either a relaxing task, i.e. yoga, or a more stressful activity. The subjects that volunteered for this study will completed a brief learning task pre-test. Subjects were split into two separate intervention groups at random. One group completed a beginner’s yoga task while the other group viewed a more exciting, stimulating video clip from a game show. After both groups completed their intervention task, they completed a brief learning task post-test. …

News Outlets In Social Media: Aggression In Comments, Leslie G. Holt

Theses and Dissertations

Facebook has played a significant role in society since 2004. Not only do individuals use the social media platform, but most prominent news sources have their own Facebook pages which serve as a primary news source for many people. Individuals can comment publicly under any article, thus creating a type of community in which Facebook users can share their opinions and debate with one another. The purpose of this study was to examine specific news source postings on Facebook on October 1, 2015 through October 2, 2015. The study analyzed the first 500 comments under each article posted about the …

Distinguishing Land Change From Natural Variability And Uncertainty In Central Mexico With Modis Evi, Trmm Precipitation, And Modis Lst Data, Zachary Christman, John Rogan, J. Ronald Eastman, B. L. Turner Ii

School of Earth & Environment Faculty Scholarship

Precipitation and temperature enact variable influences on vegetation, impacting the type and condition of land cover, as well as the assessment of change over broad landscapes. Separating the influence of vegetative variability independent and discrete land cover change remains a major challenge to landscape change assessments. The heterogeneous Lerma-Chapala-Santiago watershed of central Mexico exemplifies both natural and anthropogenic forces enacting variability and change on the landscape. This study employed a time series of Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) composites from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectoradiometer (MODIS) for 2001–2007 and per-pixel multiple linear regressions in order to model changes in EVI as …

National Association Of School Psychologists Approved Programs Applying For Nationally Certified School Psychologist, Karly Trovarelli

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to examine the decision-making process of graduates of National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) approved programs who are eligible for the National Certification of School Psychologists (NCSP). Having graduated from a NASP approved program, graduates have met all prerequisites for the NCSP, but some still choose not to receive the certification. This research centers on the monetary value—including the application fee—of the certification; applicants have expressed indifference to receiving the NCSP because it will not provide an advantage, monetarily or otherwise, for advancement in their careers. Current New Jersey Association of School Psychologists (NJASP) …

Social Media Use And Self-Esteem In Undergraduate Students, Carly Renee Pineiro

Theses and Dissertations

With technology growing every day, people are using a different form of communication which is social media. Social media is a way that people communicate with family/friends, get information, post photos, etc. It is estimated that the average amount of time spent on this social networking site ranges from thirty minutes to over two hours on a daily basis. The purpose of this study is to explore a correlation between high usage of social media use and lower levels of self-esteem. To test the correlation between social media usage and self-esteem students were asked to participate in an online, anonymous …

Gender Differences In Adhd Diagnosis, Anthony Rizzo

Theses and Dissertations

There is a great disparity in the amount of males diagnosed with ADHD compared to females. This paper reviews a large collection of literature ranging from the history of the disorder, neurological studies, potential genetic differences between genders, as well as potential gender biases. These topics are all examined with the purpose of trying to determine which effect, if any, they may have had in creating the criteria necessary for a diagnosis and how that relates to each gender. The study examined each individual symptom necessary for an ADHD diagnosis and asked teachers to complete a survey designed to attempt …

Contingency Management Works, Clients Like It, And It Is Cost-Effective., Kimberly C. Kirby, Lois A Benishek, Mary B Tabit

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Examining Multi-Session Brief Intervention For Substance Use In Primary Care: Research Methods Of A Randomized Controlled Trial., Jaclyn E Chambers, Adam C Brooks, Rachel Medvin, David S Metzger, Jennifer Lauby, Carolyn M Carpenedo, Kevin E Favor, Kimberly C Kirby

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

BACKGROUND: Brief interventions such as Screening, a single session of Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) have shown mixed effectiveness in primary care. However, there are indications that multi-session brief interventions may demonstrate more consistently positive outcomes, and perhaps a more intensive approach would be of benefit in addressing substance use in primary care. This study compared the effectiveness of SBIRT with a single BI session (BI/RT) to a multi-session brief-treatment intervention (BI/RT+) in primary care. We also developed easy-to-use, evidence-based materials to assist clinicians in delivering these interventions.

METHODS/DESIGN: This study was conducted in three Federally Qualified Healthcare …

Dispositional Mindfulness Uncouples Physiological And Emotional Reactivity To A Laboratory Stressor And Emotional Reactivity To Executive Functioning Lapses In Daily Life, Greg Feldman, Jayne Lavalle, Kelsea Gildawie, Jeffrey M. Greeson

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

Both dispositional mindfulness and mindfulness training may help to uncouple the degree to which distress is experienced in response to aversive internal experience and external events. Because emotional reactivity is a transdiagnostic process implicated in numerous psychological disorders, dispositional mindfulness and mindfulness training could exert mental health benefits, in part, by buffering emotional reactivity. The present studies examine whether dispositional mindfulness moderates two understudied processes in stress reactivity research: the degree of concordance between subjective and physiological reactivity to a laboratory stressor (Study 1); and the degree of dysphoric mood reactivity to lapses in executive functioning in daily life (Study …

The Influence Of Test Anxiety On Memory, James J. Malloy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between test anxiety and memory among a college population (N = 42). Specifically, the goal was to ascertain whether text anxiety had a measurable effect on memory, which was represented by scores on the Nelson-Denny reading comprehension subtest. Participants were divided into a stressed group (N = 22) and a non-stressed group (N = 20) in order to compare scores from test-takers with anxiety to those who do not. It was hypothesized that (a) test anxiety would have a significant impact on test results, (b) the non-stressed group would score …

Interrupting The Silence: An Action Research Study To Transform A Juvenile Justice Culture For Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, And Intersex (Lgbtqi) Youth, Dawn N. Mcrae

Theses and Dissertations

This action research (AR) study explored practitioners’ knowledge of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Intersex (LGBTQI) youth issues in a juvenile justice setting. A research and service approach was employed to develop a LGBTQI policy and training. This study was motivated by three research questions. Does sensitivity training increase practitioner knowledge concerning LGBTQI youth in juvenile justice? What are the attitudes of juvenile justice practitioners concerning the stigmatization of LGBTQI youth in a juvenile correctional setting? How can the findings of this study improve support networks for LGBTQI youth in a juvenile correctional setting? To examine these questions, pre-test …

Controlling Behaviors Via Social Networking: Associations With Hiv Risk Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls, Meredith C. Joppa, Christie J. Rizzo

Title IX Research and Resources

No abstract provided.