Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Departure And Persistence: Exploring Student Experiences At The Master's Level, Jennifer Lee Zoltanski

Dissertations and Theses

This research explores the events and circumstances that lead to persistence and departure within the sociology master's program at Portland State University. It examines how individual and institutional characteristics interact and influence student decisions to dropout or continue in the master's program. It utilizes Vincent Tinto's (1993) theories of persistence and departure and his concepts of social and academic integration as they apply to sociology master's students. The purpose of the research was to describe how students became socially and academically integrated and how integration influenced patterns of persistence of departure. The aim also was to determine whether background variables …

Application Of A Geographical Information System To Estimate The Magnitude And Frequency Of Floods In The Sandy And Clackamas River Basins, Oregon, Dorie Lynn Brownell

Dissertations and Theses

A geographical information system (GIS) was used to develop a regression model designed to predict flood magnitudes in the Sandy and Clackamas river basins in Oregon. Manual methods of data assembly, input, storage, manipulation and analysis traditionally used to estimate basin characteristics were replaced with automated techniques using GIS-based computer hardware and software components. Separate GIS data layers representing (1) stream gage locations, (2) drainage basin boundaries, (3) hydrography, (4) water bodies, (5) precipitation, (6) landuse/land cover, (7) elevation and (8) soils were created and stored in a GIS data base. Several GIS computer programs were written to automate the …

Sustainable Development In The Third World: A New Paradigm?, Terry A. Gentry

Dissertations and Theses

Over the past decade '"Sustainable Development" (SD) has emerged as the latest development catchphrase. A wide range of nongovernmental as well as governmental organizations have embraced it as the new paradigm of development. A review of the literature that has sprung up around the concept of SD indicates, however, a lack of consistency in its interpretation. More important, while the all-encompassing nature of the concept gives it political strength, its current formulation by the mainstream of SD thinking contains significant weaknesses. These include an incomplete perception of the problems of poverty and environmental degradation, and confusion about the role of …

The Effectiveness Of The Phonological Cycling Approach In Treating An Unintelligible Child In The First Two Cycles Of Intervention, Anne Cole

Dissertations and Theses

One preschool male who was highly unintelligible was enrolled in two cycles of direct intervention utilizing the phonological cycling approach (Hodson & Paden, 1991). Prior to treatment in cycles 1 and 2, the Assessment of Phonological Processes-Revised (APP-R) (Hodson, 1986) was administered to the subject to assess phonological deficiencies and to determine the target phonological patterns. A continuous speech sample was collected prior to cycle 1 to rate speech intelligibility. Based on the results obtained from the APP-R, target patterns, target words, and an individualized treatment plan were developed for each cycle.

For the first cycle of intervention, the subject …

Validity And Efficiency Of The Check-Slash Transcription Method For Measuring Intelligibility, Vicky Jo Bacon

Dissertations and Theses

Speech-language pathologists are routinely called upon to make professional assessments concerning a speaker's level of intelligibility. The use of subjective judgement procedures for estimating a percentage of intelligibility is the general practice of many speech-language pathologists because they require minimal time. Although efficient, these methods lack any form of numerical support, and their validity and reliability is questionable. The standard within the field that provides data support is the orthographic transcription method, but it is considered to be too time-consuming for practical application (Samar & Metz, 1988). Researchers continue to seek a measure that is both valid and efficient to …

A Study Of The Duration Of Words Surrounding A Moment Of Stuttering, Jennifer Dawn Peterson

Dissertations and Theses

Until this point, not much research has examined the difference in temporal characteristics for untreated stutterers in words surrounding a moment of stuttering. It is important to determine whether or not stutterers who have not been in treatment alter the duration of their speech when they stutter versus when they are fluent to determine what aids in the increase of fluency. The purpose of the present study was to examine the duration of the word prior to and following a stuttered word and the duration of the corresponding word in a nonstuttered episode. The following questions were to be addressed: …

Comparison Of Prescribed Versus Actual Gain For Children With Profound Hearing Impairments, Kristin Rashelle Gilmer

Dissertations and Theses

The early selection and use of an appropriate amplification system may be the most important aspect in the aural! rehabilitation of children who are hearing impaired. The main goal guiding the selection of hearing aids for children is to maximize their residual hearing through amplification in order to facilitate speech and language development.

Seewald, Ross, and Stelmachciwicz (1987) have developed a speech-spectrum based procedure for selecting hearing aid characteristics for children referred to as the Desired Sensation Level Procedure (DSL) approach. This is an objective method which has been developed specifically for use with young pre-verbal children.

The purpose of …

The Portland Public School Police: Formative Years - 1937 To 1953, Natalie Anne Woods

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis traces the historical evolution of one of the early responses to youth crime and violence -- public school police. In addition, this thesis addresses the lack of information about the creation and implementation of a public school police force, specifically the Portland Public School Police and School District No. 1, during its formative years, 1937 to 1953. Finally, the thesis intends to address two principal questions: A) Why did the Portland Board of Education find it necessary to create their own police agency? While one opinion suggests that there was a real need for school police due to …

A Comparative Study Of Integrity Tests: The Effect Of Situational And Individual Variables On Response Distortion, Nannette Shayne Searles

Dissertations and Theses

The paper-and-pencil integrity test, which is used in industry as an employee selection device, has been largely developed outside the mainstream of psychological testing. The result has been that some testing programs have inadequately standardized testing conditions and/or other safeguards to ensure valid test results. Studies have shown that response distortion, or faking, is a problem with all types of tests, integrity tests being no exception. A correlation between the construct underlying integrity testing, such as the personality trait of conscientiousness, has yet to be investigated.

The primary purpose of the present study was to determine how response distortion on …

The Effect Of The Ideology Of Motherhood On Women, Shari A. Burke

Dissertations and Theses

The ideology of motherhood in the United States makes it seem as though motherhood is a natural role for women. The ideology holds mothers solely responsible for the well being of their children. Combined with the ideology of blaming the victim, the ideology of motherhood causes a great deal of guilt in women as mothers cannot possibly live up to the unrealistic expectations set up in the culture.

In this study, I have used two case studies to illustrate the impact of the ideology of motherhood on the lives of these particular women. Utilizing the theories of Michel Foucault and …

An Analysis Of Socioeconomic Effects On Scrap Paper Recycling Participation, Sara Phyllis Zimmerman

Dissertations and Theses

In the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan region, almost 16% of the paper products discarded are recoverable mixed grade scrap paper. By targeting recycling campaigns at people who tend not to recycle, participation and recovery rates may be raised. This study attempts to determine if households with greater income and education levels tend to participate in scrap paper recycling more than those with lower levels. Ten areas in Portland, each with 125 households were selected as the sample to represent the population of Portland. Data was collected about each household's recycling participation rates and socioeconomic characteristics. Statistical tests found that people who …

The Effects Of Ear Canal Pressure Variation On Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions, Jodi L. Head

Dissertations and Theses

The middle ear system is a vital component in the propagation mechanism of otoacoustic emissions. As such, investigation of the effect of variation in middle ear impedance on the measurement of emissions is warranted.

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) have gained recognition as a means of gaining frequency specific information on auditory function. As the effects of changes in middle ear impedance will vary as a function of frequency, a clear definition of the relationship between middle ear impedance and DPOAE amplitude across the frequency spectrum is needed.

Twenty adults (ages 20-37) with normal hearing and normal middle ear function …

Silence: A Comparison Of Japanese And U.S. Interpretation, Mimi Murayama

Dissertations and Theses

It is commonly argued that silence is an important Japanese communication strategy, with the goal of making oneself understood without words; on the other hand, in the U.S., silence tends to be filled by speaking, and speaking up clearly and the facilitation of talking is preferred. However, our knowledge about how silence is interpreted in the U.S. and Japan is weak and based on anecdotal evidence. Therefore, this study examines how people in the U.S. and Japan interpret silence according to contexts, examining what kinds of social rules underlie their interpretation. Interpretation is guided by how people connect ideas. One …

Redefining The Suburban Ideal: An Analysis Of Single-Family Residential Densities In Washington County, Oregon, David Morgan Coughlan

Dissertations and Theses

The United States' suburban landscape has historically been characterized by low-density residential development. This pattern was shaped by the abundance of developable land in nineteenth century America, and by the emergence of a suburban ideal which romanticized the concept of a spacious home set in a private, garden setting. For many homebuyers, the realization of the suburban ideal was made possible by continual improvements in intraurban transportation. The commuter rail, the electric streetcar, and ultimately the automobile increased the commuting range of inner-city workers, and contributed to the continual expansion of development on the periphery of cities. In recent years, …

Effects Of Oral And Silent Reading On The Reading Comprehension Performance Of Left Hemisphere-Damaged Individuals, Paul K. Akers

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not the method of reading (either aloud or silently) would affect the reading comprehension performance of left hemisphere-damaged (LHD) and non-brain-damaged (NBD) subjects across inference levels using the Nelson Reading Skills Test (NRST). The experimental group was comprised of fifteen subjects who had suffered a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) to the left hemisphere of the brain. Subjects were selected after they had demonstrated an adequate level of function on the Short Porch Index of Communicative Ability (SPICA), to perform the tasks required in this study. Subjects were then randomly assigned to …

Liberalism, Community, And The Context Of Choice, Marta R. Colburn

Dissertations and Theses

Issues of community have become an important focus in the field of political theory in North America. Critics of liberalism, the dominant American theoretical tradition, have charged that liberal theorists have misconceived the nature of community at the ontological and societal level. Some critics see a relationship between the failure of liberal theorists to adequately address community and certain social pathologies facing the American liberal polity. This thesis seeks to address the following questions: How have liberal theorists typically dealt with the issue of community? What are the major criticisms related to issues of community currently being leveled at liberalism? …

Using A Computer Program To Influence The Expectations Senior Adults Have Regarding Hearing Aids, Carol I. Sayre

Dissertations and Theses

A disabling condition that is common for many senior adults is hearing impairment. Studies have shown that a substantial number of people who could benefit from amplification choose not to use hearing aid. Often the reasons may be because they have unrealistic expectations of what hearing aids can do. These unrealistic expectations are not necessarily from personal use, but the senior adult is often influenced by the media, acquaintances, or advertisements. The purpose of this study was to determine if a computer program developed with information about hearing aids and their use could be used to influence the expectations senior …

Sustainable Development In Sub-Saharan Africa: Strategies For Self-Help In Food Production, Case Study Of Kenya, Dieudonne Mayi

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis analyses the food crisis in sub-Saharan Africa in the 1980s and 1990s, identifies roots of the problem, and proposes strategies of sustainable development based on self-sufficiency in food production for domestic needs. The main goal of this research has been to devise development strategies centered on development of the food production sector. The thesis strongly suggests that countries of the region should consider developing the food production sector to experience any meaningful development, and to escape a dark future of food shortages and food dependency on developed economies. Investigation into Development Economics, Dependency, Underdevelopment, and Modernization theories has …

The Effects Of Positive Illusions On Perceived Racism, Miyako Jun-Ko Hayashi

Dissertations and Theses

This study investigated the effects of self-esteem, controllability, and optimism, the constructs inherent in positive illusions, on perceived racism. The perceived racism scale in this study was found to contain two dimensions, Equal Opportunity (EO) racism and Authority (AUT) racism. Thirty-seven African-American, 64 Asian-American and 100 White-American students at Portland States University (101 females, 100 males and mean age of 25 years) served as subjects. The findings revealed that both African- and Asian-American students perceived a racist atmosphere from peer students (EO racism) significantly higher than did the White-American students. However, only African-American students perceived greater racism from faculty members …

Methods Of Language Assessment: A Survey Of Oregon Public School Speech-Language Pathologists, Staci Lee Johnson Ball

Dissertations and Theses

Much advice has been published in the last 40 years that has attempted to aid speech-language pathologists in choosing language assessment tools (e.g., Danwitz, 1981 & Darley, 1979 ). Questions have arisen about what tests are actually being used in public schools and the reasons for those tests being used over other tests. The data bank of information is minimal in this area as only one study has appeared in the literature in which Wilson, Blackmon, Hall, & Elcholtz, (1991), conducted a State survey of currently used language assessment instruments. The primary research question to be answered was: What methods …

Sex-Role Stereotypes: How Far Have We Come?, Erica D. Monte

Dissertations and Theses

Parents are the first source of a child's learning of her or his gender. In fact, sex-role stereotyping of infants by parents may occur within the first 24 hours of birth. This study examined the nature of parental stereotyping on the basis of their infant's sex by obtaining parents' descriptions of their newborn and toy and clothing preferences for their newborn. In 1974, Rubin found that parents responded stereotypically to their infants on the basis of sex. Following Rubin's interview approach, 50 parent pairs from two urban hospitals were asked to participate in a parent-infant study and were subsequently interviewed …

Memory Deficit Compensation Among Survivors Of Traumatic Brain Injury, Hugo Maynard

Dissertations and Theses

Memory impairment is an outcome of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and associated with lower levels of post-morbid adjustment. This research isolated the memory impairment of retrieval deficit, and examined the efficacy of cues and mnemonics in remediating the impairment. Thirty-three male and female TBI survivors, 18 to 71 years old, were pre-tested for attention (COPY), short-term memory (SD), long-term memory (LD) and recognition memory (RS) employing the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (CFT), and Subtest. Sixteen subjects demonstrating a retrieval deficit were administered the post-test, with even random assignment into four treatment conditions: a control group (CONTROL), a group administered …

A Case Study Of The Development Of Oregon's 1985 Public Policy In Youth Substance Abuse, Sonja Carol Grove

Dissertations and Theses

Youth substance abuse in Oregon reached epidemic proportions in the early 1980s. A response to this social issue from the Governor's Office, the state legislature, and the Office of Alcohol and Drug Programs during 1983-1985 is the foundation of this case study. Oregon, a small state of three million, was faced with a growing problem of youth and adult substance abuse. Legislative leaders, agency staff, and Governor Atiyeh recognized an opportunity to create public policy to solve problems of substance abuse including crime. The focus on substance abuse included streamlining several budgets with substance abuse monies in various state agencies. …

Implementing Community Policing: A Documentation And Assessment Of Organizational Change, Emmajean Williams

Dissertations and Theses

Four research questions guided this documentation and assessment of the Portland Police Bureau's conversion to community policing. These questions generated a description of the events and circumstances that created the perceived need for change in the Bureau's role and function; a search for justification for selecting community policing as an alternative policing approach; a comparative analysis of past attempts to implement innovative change of a similar dimension in police organizations; and an assessment of the process by which the Bureau implemented this new policing strategy. The findings indicate that the prominent factors driving this change are first, the limitations of …

Behavioral And Community Impacts Of The Portland Needle Exchange Program, Kathleen Joan Oliver

Dissertations and Theses

Research questions were: 1: Will Drug Injectors Use An Exchange In A StateWhere Syringes Are Legal? 2: Will Drug Injectors Using An Exchange Decrease Risky Behavior? 3: Will Frequent Clients Change Risk Behaviors More Than Infrequent Clients? 4: Will Drug Injectors Using An Exchange Change Risk Behaviors More Than A Comparison Group Not Using An Exchange? 5: Does An Exchange Have An Impact On The Number Of Discarded Syringes On The Streets? 6: Is There A Difference In The Rate Of Spread Of HIV Infection Among Users And Non-Users Of The Exchange. Drug injectors will use needle exchange programs, even …

Physical And Environmental Features That Contribute To Satisfaction With Hospice Facilities, Arezu Movahed

Dissertations and Theses

Improving the quality of remaining life for individuals who are terminally ill and their families is an issue that has become increasingly important in recent years. This issue has evolved from perceived deficiencies of conventional health care institutions in meeting the needs of people who are in the final stages of their life, when curative measures are no longer deemed appropriate. In response to deficiencies in care of the terminally ill and their families, there has been a movement toward humanizing conventional health care and making it more holistic. Hospice care, which is consistent with this movement, has evolved as …

Learning Work In The Esl Classroom : An Evaluation Of Textbooks Designed To Teach Esl In The Workplace, Amy Taylor-Henry

Dissertations and Theses

A growing number of American businesses are offering ESL courses at the work site; likewise, more and more textbooks designed specifically for teaching ESL in the Workplace (EWP), are being written and published. The need for an evaluation of these new texts with regard to current teaching methodology, the particularities of EWP, and the social implications of EWP is a vital one. A good EWP text, besides serving as a guide and resource for learners, can also facilitate intercultural understanding, increase awareness of workers' rights and unions, and promote participation in training programs for job flexibility and promotion. Most importantly, …

A Study Of Two Attempts By President Plutarco ElíAs Calles To Establish A National Church In Mexico, Roger David Gouran

Dissertations and Theses

In the one-hundred years between 1810 and 1926 there were many civil wars in Mexico. The last of these wars. La Cristiada, was not fought, as were the previous civil wars, by groups seeking political control of Mexico. Rather, the genesis of this war was a question of who would control the Church in Mexico. The war began when President Plutarco Elias Calles attempted to enforce rigorously certain articles of the Constitution of 1917 as well as two laws which he promulgated. If Calles had succeeded, he would, in fact, have created a church in Mexico controlled by the federal …

Social Support In An Urban Moroccan Neighborhood: The Effects Of Social Networks, Mediation And Patronage On The Physical Health And Psychological Adjustment Of Women, Carla Ann Green

Dissertations and Theses

Although there has been a great deal of research in the areas of social networks, social support and well-being over the past two decades, little of that research has been cross-cultural, and virtually none has been carried out in countries outside the West. The present study attempted to describe the structure and functioning of the social networks of a group of relatively modern urban Moroccan women, and the associations among their social networks, social support, physical health and psychological well-being. Extensive interviews were conducted with 108 married or previously-married women who were living in a middle-class neighborhood in Rabat, Morocco. …

Pretrial Release In Criminal Courts: A Study Of Three Oregon Counties, Melvin Earl Degraw

Dissertations and Theses

Pretrial release (PTR) is the permanent or temporary freedom from incarceration for criminal defendants awaiting adjudication of their cases in court. From Anglo Saxon times in England, people accused of non-capital crimes were generally permitted to remain free until judicial officials could hear the charges against them. In America, pretrial release has been advocated by the courts since the colonial era. The U. S. Constitution requires that bail not be excessive, but leaves governments free to decide how bail laws are administered. The study briefly traces the historical developments of PTR up to the present time. The study then centers …