Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate On Response Acquisition, Sean Patrick Laraway

Dissertations

In the last 10 years, the use and abuse of the club drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has noticeably increased. Because GHB has only recently emerged as a drug of abuse, relatively little is known about the drug's behavioral effects, including its effects on learning. Therefore, the present study sought to characterize GHB's effects on rats' acquisition of a lever-press response using a two-lever, resetting/cancellation procedure. Under this procedure, responses on one ( reinforcement ) lever produced a single food pellet after a delay of 0, 20, or 40 s. Presses on the second ( cancellation ) lever during a delay interval …

Identifying The Function Of Aberrant Behavior: Comparing Variations Of The Experimental Functional Analysis, Kathryn M. Potoczak

Dissertations

The advent of the experimental functional analysis has had a significant effect on the field of behavior analysis in shifting the focus from topography-based interventions for aberrant behavior to treatment based on function. The original method developed by Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, and Richman in 1982 utilized attention, demand, alone, and play conditions in a multielement design. Its effectiveness in determining the function of aberrant behavior using both antecedents and corresponding contingencies of reinforcement is well established, and it is the most prevalent method of functional assessment used today.

However, an alternative to the Iwata et al. (1982) procedure exists. …

One Mind Or Two? How Psychiatrists And Psychologists Manage Medical-Scientific And Religious Interpretations Of Mind, Ellen Wagenfeld-Heintz

Dissertations

Building upon concepts from sociology of medicine, religion, knowledge, and professions, this study explores the social determinants of separation and integration of medical-scientific and religious approaches to mind and mental health. Using qualitative interviews, it shows how, to what extent, and why psychiatrists and psychologists of Judeo-Christian religious orientations or nonaffiliated believers in the State of Michigan are willing or reluctant to integrate religious paradigms in their mental health practices. The study turns to a content analysis of 3,680 articles from two leading professional journals to assess the participants’ claims regarding the treatment of religion prevalent in psychiatry and psychology. …

An Analysis Of The Level Of Union Membership In The United States Since The Implementation Of Nafta, David D. Westcot

Dissertations

Union membership in the United States has been in a state of decline over the last two decades and international trade has been cited as one of the reasons. As such, U.S. labor unions perceived the 1994 implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as an assault on organized labor. This perspective is based on the belief U.S. capital and jobs would move jobs south in an effort to take advantage of Mexico's low-wage differentials. With this in mind, the objective of this research was to determine if the percentage of union membership in any of the 22 …

An Experimental Analysis Of The Effects Of Reading Interventions In A Small Group Reading Instruction Context, Christine M. Bonfiglio

Dissertations

The validation of specific reading intervention components in increasing oral reading fluency is evident within the literature for academic responding. However, much of the literature examines these components using single-case designs on an individual basis across students. This study utilized response-guided experimentation in the context of a small group reading instruction with four 4th graders (three male and one female) while examining individual patternsof student responding for oral reading fluency. Acquisition, fluency, and consequential components were examined in a dismantling fashion. Sequential modifications of the treatment package and its components were utilized within a multiple-baseline design in order to identify …

Contagious Currency Crises, Fasika Damte Haile

Dissertations

Currency crises, prior to the 1990s, were thought to be the result of inconsistencies between domestic macroeconomic policies and the exchange rate commitment. But the collapse of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992, the 1997 Asian crisis and the most recent crisis in Latin America have shifted the focus to models based on self-fulfilling expectations and on contagion. This has resulted in the development of different theoretical models suggesting different mechanisms by which contagion works. But there is still relatively little empirical consensus on how crises spread across countries. My dissertation is intended to fill in the void by …

Drug Courts: A Study Of Retention And Suspension In The Kalamazoo County Drug Court Program, James H. Houston

Dissertations

This is a study of the Kalamazoo County Drug Treatment Court Programs. Participants in the court programs are men and women who reside in the county and are charged with drug-related non-violent felonies. These participants, along with judges and administrators of the program, were interviewed for the study. The interviews were held in face-to-face meetings: participants on neutral ground and court functionaries in their offices.

The study sought to determine what factors contributed to the success or failure of drug court participants. It asked to what extent program requirements are perceived by the participants to be coercive, and how this …

Examination Of The Efficacy Of Behavioral Activation In The Treatment Of Co-Morbid Major Depressive Disorder And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Patrick S. Mulick

Dissertations

This study investigated the efficacy of 10-weeks of Behavioral Activation (BA) in the treatment of co-morbid Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in six adults using a nonconcurrent multiple baseline across participants design. This study is an attempt to expand empirical knowledge regarding BA, co-morbid PTSD and MDD, and the treatment outcome research specifically relevant to these co-morbid diagnoses. All participants met full DSM-IV criteria for both MDD and PTSD at the outset of the study. Duration of baseline for each subject varied and ran for 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 weeks. Self-report data were gathered …

Instructional Leadership In Guam's Public Elementary Schools, Evangeline Quitugua San Nicolas Edd

Dissertations

This study explored the current instructional leadership behaviors of elementary principals in Guam as perceived by the principals and teachers, and examined their perceptions on which instructional leadership functions should be shared or delegated in schools. The Principals' Instructional Management Rating Scale, developed by Dr. Phillip Hallinger and modified by the researcher, was used to gather data for this study. Four hundred eighty teachers (53%) and eighteen principals (81%) in Guam's public elementary schools participated, and there was no evidence of non-response bias. From this study, findings revealed that both principals and teachers shared the same perceptions regarding their principals' …

Employee Receptivity To Three Hundred Sixty Degree Feedback Systems As A Function Of Employee Trust And Employee Commitment: An Exploratory Study, Gregory G. Stump Edd

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative exploratory study was to determine what affect, if any, employee trust, employee commitment, psychological androgyny (an employee sex-role inventory), and various demographic variables have on employee receptivity to 360-degree feedback (R360). Two organizations participated in the study. The first is a large university located in New York; the second is a small consulting firm located in California. A total of 62 participants responded to the 77-item Internet-based survey. The survey was composed of psychometrically adequate constructs developed in earlier studies. Employee trust, a 12-item construct, consisted of 8 items that measured trust in supervisor and …

Political Leadership Perceptions On The College Of Micronesia System In The Federated States Of Micronesia, Elizabeth Diaz Rechebei Edd

Dissertations

Political leaders who establish policies and priorities for the nation have influence on how the FSM's sole postsecondary education institution, the College of Micronesia, Federated States of Micronesia (COM-FSM) sets its goals and priorities. During this critical juncture of the FSM nation's growth and its effort to be self-reliant, COM-FSM's purposes and priorities are intricately related to the ongoing processes toward self-reliance. Using a case study methodology, this study examined the perceptions of political leaders in the Federated States of Micronesia relating to the purposes and priorities of the College of Micronesia-Federated States of Micronesia (COM-FSM), and the four campuses …

Looking Forward, Looking Back, Looking Inward: Lessons From Vital Women Leaders In Old Age, Shelly Marks Valdez Edd

Dissertations

Current social paradigms, based on established theory about the aged, consider old age as a time of drastic decline and deterioration and view the aged as nonproductive takers of society's resources. Far from using the wisdom and resources of the aged population, our society marginalizes old adults and treats them as obsolete. This study looks into the lives of nine women over the age of 65 who have found within themselves the strength, courage and determination to overcome the stereotypes of aging in order to become leaders in their old age. Life stories were obtained through personal interviews. Data from …

A Study On Various Factors And Their Relationship To Burnout Among Seventh-Day Adventist Clergy, W. Don Edwards

Dissertations

Problem. Few studies have addressed burnout among Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) clergy. Many SDA ministers report experiencing high stress in their ministries and they find it difficult to function optimally under these circumstances. Others experience serious complications that lead them to terminate their work as ministers.

Method. A quantitative research design was used for an ex post facto study of 130 pastors from the Pacific Union Conference. They completed two questionnaires: the Pastoral Services Demographic Data Sheet (PSDDS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).

Results. This study examined 12 variables and found that 10 variables had a significant …

“You Are With Someone Who Is A Fighter”: Constructing A Model Of Transformation Which Can Occur In Surviving Breast Cancer, Helen Hays Eckmann Edd

Dissertations

The American Cancer Society estimated a quarter of a million women would be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. For each of those, another ten women are living with or have survived this disease. At diagnosis, most women view their futures with dread. As with other extreme traumas, the diagnosis of breast cancer can bring profound transformation (Jackson, 1983; LeShan, 1994; O'Brien, 1995). In this study, seven survivors of breast cancer articulate their journeys through this disease and detail how they were able construct transformed lives. The women described how they turned tragedy into triumph. Individual interviews were conducted and …

Enabling Performance Skills: Assessment In Engineering Education, Jenny K. Ferrone Edd

Dissertations

Current reform in engineering education is part of a national trend emphasizing student learning as well as accountability in instruction. Assessing student performance to demonstrate accountability has become a necessity in academia. In newly adopted criterion proposed by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), undergraduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in outcomes considered essential for graduating engineers. The case study was designed as a formative evaluation of freshman engineering students to assess the perceived effectiveness of performance skills in a design laboratory environment. The mixed methodology used both quantitative and qualitative approaches to assess students' performance skills and …

A Study Of Technology Implementation In Two School Districts: The Dynamics Of Leadership And Change, Rebecca D. Gillespie Edd, Ma, Ba

Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigated the role administrative leadership plays in organizational change related to the infusion of technology into district programs and pedagogical practices. School districts have been engaged in a struggle to incorporate new generations of technological advancements in meaningful ways for their students. Instructional reform and measurable performance-based outcomes are frequently conflated with the pressure to implement effective technology programs that ensure the No Child Left Behind federal mandates are met while ensuring judicious use of district funds. While technology has the potential to transform the educational process, it must align with the cultural uniqueness of the …

Examining An Observation-Based Model Of Professional Development For Teachers, Donna M. Marriott Edd

Dissertations

Public education is undergoing a process of reculturation prompted by standards-based reform initiatives. Student content standards suggest fundamental changes in the way teachers, schools, and districts think about and do their work. These substantive reform efforts require a parallel reorganization in professional development processes. Traditional models that rely on episodic, large-scale workshops are insufficient to support teachers to meet the demands of a standards-driven system. San Diego City Schools has developed an innovative approach to teacher training that is context and situation specific. The observation-based model of professional development utilizes a unique training environment and process. A fully functioning classroom …

An Examination Of Perceived Stress And Coping Patterns Of Pastoral Wives In The Nigerian Union Mission Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Olufunmilayo Janet Ola

Dissertations

Purpose of Study. Most studies examining stress and coping patterns of pastoral wives have been conducted from an advanced country background. Even though all the researchers agreed that these pastoral wives do experience a certain amount of stress, very little is known about pastoral wives in third-world countries who are faced with poverty, illiteracy, diseases and cultural restraints. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine perceived stress and coping patterns of pastoral wives of the Nigerian Union Mission of the Seventh-day Adventist church.

Methodology. A quantitative method of collecting data was used in this study. The two psychological …

The Phenomenon Of Woman-On-Woman Abuse And Its Relationship To Gender Profile And Personal Experiences Of Women, Deborah Johnson Spence

Dissertations

Purpose of the Study. Female-on-female aggression is often inferred, or drawn from studies conducted with children or males. Little or no information is available that reports behaviors perceived as mistreatment or abuse among women. The purposes of this study were to investigate (a) behaviors demonstrated by women that women consider abuse or mistreatment; (b) the extent to which these perceptions of abuse/mistreatment were related to gender profiles; and (c) the extent to which personal experiences as victims or perpetrators of abuse were related to age, race, and education.

Method. This study used the survey research method in which questionnaires …

A Comparison Of The Emotional Indicators On The House-Tree-Person Drawings And The Kinetic-House-Tree-Person Drawing, Denise Ann Stoddard

Dissertations

Problem. Robert Burns, author of the Kinetic-Family- Drawing, - has devised a projective test called the Kinetic-House-Tree-Person drawing. He has taken the House-Tree-Person projective technique and changed the instructions to include all of the figures on one page and also to include an action. In Burns's book on the K-H-T-P he claimed that his drawing gives a better clinical picture of the subject than the H-T-P. However, there is no research that compares the two tests for clinical information.

Method. The H-T-P and K-H-T-P were administered to 204 college students 18 years of age and older. These students came …

A Study Of The Influence Of Birth Order And Other Variables On Student Perceptions Of School Effectiveness In A Southwestern Michigan County, Hamil Tobias

Dissertations

Problem. There is an increasing demand for quality education. In his initiative for education reform, U.S. President George W. Bush promoted the concept of no child left behind, in which he calls for more accountability. It is useful to examine student perceptions of how well the education system functions. Instead of a monolithic view, their perceptions were analyzed by birth order, gender, and ethnicity. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent student perceptions differed by their birth order, gender, and ethnicity.

Method. This study utilized a 4 x 2 x 2 (birth order by …

Leadership Development: Continuous Improvement Through Character Assessment, Robert Scott Clark Edd

Dissertations

One of the keys to personal development is self-awareness as assessed by instruments such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the NEO PI-R, both of which are widely accepted reliable and valid indicators and measures of personality type. However, assessing the part of personality known as character presents challenges that are not adequately addressed by today's popular instruments leaving information needed for development incomplete or unavailable. An instrument that provides a reliable and valid assessment of character for leadership and personal development purposes could be very valuable. Qualitative methods were used for this study to investigate leaders' perceptions of …

Career Paths To Navy Admiral, Lilly "Ericka" A. Jordan Edd

Dissertations

A significant disparity exists between the numbers of male and female personnel among high-ranking officers serving in the U.S. Navy. The general perception is that women have not been part of the Navy long enough to be in the flag officer's ranks. However, it has been over 30 years since the Navy first placed women in the ranks of flag officers. The purpose of the study is to trace the most common professional career paths followed by male and female flag officers in the U.S. Navy and to examine how certain aspects of a military career might have influenced selection …

Leadership Behaviors And Communication Satisfaction: Community Colleges In Micronesia, Julie M. Ulloa-Heath Edd

Dissertations

The major purpose of this study was to examine the satisfaction of Micronesian community college faculty with communication and their perception of their department chair's leadership style. Specifically, this study examined (a) the relationship of communication satisfaction with leadership and demographic data; (b) the relationship between the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) subset and the scales of the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ); (c) the difference between institutions in terms of satisfaction with communication or perception of leadership style; and (d) suggestions for improving communication. Significant relationship was found between the overall communication satisfaction with leadership quality and ethnicity. The data revealed …

Higher Education Administrators And Students With Disabilities: A Survey Of Administrator Knowledge And Training Needs, Maribel S. Guillermo Edd

Dissertations

Students with disabilities enroll in two-year institutions at a higher rate than in four-year institutions. The California community college system, which is the largest system of higher education in the world, enrolled 2,609,365 students with disabilities during the 2000–2001 academic year. The purpose of this study was to focus on California college administrators and their role in: (a) setting a climate that supports students with disabilities and (b) serving as a resource to faculty and staff. Administrators were surveyed regarding their (a) current knowledge and training needs; (b) personal and professional experience with individuals with disabilities; and (c) utilization of …

Perceptions Of Principal Effectiveness And Teacher Morale: A Study Of Public Secondary School Teachers On Guam, Michelle M.S. Santos Edd

Dissertations

For more than a decade, the public schools on Guam have suffered from low student test scores, high turnover rates and low levels of teacher morale. Although there may be many explanations for this persistent problem, an important part of any solution is improving the overall level of teacher morale, which of course, can be influenced in many ways by the actions of the principal. In an effort to determine both the level of teacher morale among secondary school teachers on Guam as well as the factors that may help explain it, including the perceived level of principal effectiveness, this …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Followership Modalities And Leadership Styles Among Educators At Selected High Schools In Jackson, Mississippi, Joyce Elaine Johnson

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of the relationship between followership modalities and leadership styles. High-school teachers and principals in the Jackson Public School District in Jackson, Mississippi, participated in the study.

Method. Methodological triangulation that combined quantitative and qualitative methods served as the study's research design. A 45-item Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ Form 5x-Short), developed by Bass and Avolio (1995), and a well-established measure of leadership style, was administered to the principals.

A 20-item, self-diagnostic questionnaire, developed by Robert Kelley, designed to measure followership modalities, was administered to the high school teachers who …

Intention To Pursue Post-Secondary Education, And Related Factors, Among Jamaican Senior High School Students, Teran T. Milford

Dissertations

Purpose of the Study. The proportion of female students in post-secondary schools in Jamaica is approximately twice that of their male counterpart. This is in contrast to the observation that the proportion of male and female students in elementary and secondary schools is about the same. Little or no studies have been conducted to examine factors related to the disproportion of male and female students in tertiary institutions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the perception of senior high school students regarding their intention to pursue post-secondary education, and to determine the extent to which the value …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Loneliness And Internet Use Among University Students, Katherine L. Dittmann

Dissertations

Problem . Research investigating the relationship between loneliness and various dimensions of Internet use is mixed. While some studies support the connection, other studies refute the link. More analysis in this area is needed to help clinicians, parents, college students, school counselors, and educators better understand the effects of the Internet on college-age students. This study attempts to expand understanding of the conflictual relationship that exists between loneliness and the dynamics of Internet use in undergraduate students.

Method . Four-hundred sixty-six randomly selected Andrews University undergraduate students who lived in residence halls, university apartments, and the community completed the UCLA …

An Analysis Of The Benefits Of An Mba Degree As Reported By A Diverse Graduate Population Of A Southwestern University, Stephani Richards-Wilson Edd

Dissertations

Although numerous studies have attempted to measure the value of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, most of these studies have concentrated on the extrinsic benefits of the degree, such as compensation and career progression. Furthermore, the majority of these studies have focused on students at elite MBA programs, which have traditionally served a different class of individuals than most MBA programs throughout the country. In an effort to broaden the literature in this area, this study examined both the extrinsic and intrinsic benefits of an MBA degree as self-reported by 638 MBA graduates from the University of San …