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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Cultural Differences In The Levels Of Rewards Between Adolescents From America, Australia, Tanzania, Denmark, Honduras, Korea, And Spain, Kendra J. Homan, Daniel Houlihan, Kari Ek, Joseph Wanzek Jun 2012

Cultural Differences In The Levels Of Rewards Between Adolescents From America, Australia, Tanzania, Denmark, Honduras, Korea, And Spain, Kendra J. Homan, Daniel Houlihan, Kari Ek, Joseph Wanzek

Psychology Department Publications

The intent of this study is to determine what items are reinforcing for high school students from different regions of the world including America, Australia, Tanzania, Denmark, Honduras, Korea, and Spain. Additionally, the researchers sought to determine if there is a difference in the levels of rewards between individuals from America and individuals from these other countries. Seven hundred and fifty high school students from seven countries participated in this study. The only requirement for inclusion in the study was current enrollment in high school in their native country. Subject ages ranged from 12 to 19 years, with a mean …


School Psychologists' Self-Perceptions Of Multicultural Competence: The Relevance Of Experience And Training, Jacquelyn B. Wright, Kevin J. Filter, Julene Douty Nolan, Sarah K. Sifers Apr 2012

School Psychologists' Self-Perceptions Of Multicultural Competence: The Relevance Of Experience And Training, Jacquelyn B. Wright, Kevin J. Filter, Julene Douty Nolan, Sarah K. Sifers

Psychology Department Publications

A national survey of 216 school psychologists' perceptions of multicultural competence indicated that multicultural competence significantly increases as a function of hours of training and frequency of experience working with individuals from cultures different from their own. Results are discussed in the context of measurement limitations for multicultural competence and implications for trainers of school psychologists.


Dolphin-Assisted Therapy: Claims Versus Evidence, Britta L. Fiksdal, Daniel Houlihan, Aaron C. Barnes Jan 2012

Dolphin-Assisted Therapy: Claims Versus Evidence, Britta L. Fiksdal, Daniel Houlihan, Aaron C. Barnes

Psychology Department Publications

The purpose of this paper is to review and critique studies that have been conducted on dolphin-assisted therapy for children with various disorders. Studies have been released claiming swimming with dolphins is therapeutic and beneficial for children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, physical disabilities, and other psychological disorders. The majority of the studies conducted supporting the effectiveness of dolphin-assisted therapy have been found to have major methodological concerns making it impossible to draw valid conclusions. Readers will be informed of the history of, theory behind, and variations of dolphin-assisted therapy along with a review and critique of studies published …


Teacher Support As A Moderator Of Behavioral Outcomes For Youth Exposed To Stressful Life Events, Rebekah S. Huber, Sarah K. Sifers, Daniel Houlihan, Rachel Youngblom Jan 2012

Teacher Support As A Moderator Of Behavioral Outcomes For Youth Exposed To Stressful Life Events, Rebekah S. Huber, Sarah K. Sifers, Daniel Houlihan, Rachel Youngblom

Psychology Department Publications

The present study examined the relationship between teacher support, life stress, and behavioral outcomes in 103 youth. Participants completed questionnaires regarding life events, social support, personality, and behavior. Moderated regression analyses were conducted using youth perceptions of teacher support and negative life events to predict externalizing and internalizing problems. Results revealed a significant interaction between teacher support and life stress, indicating teacher support successfully moderated the effect of stress on externalizing problems. Main effects for life stress were consistent with previous literature suggesting that higher amounts of stress predict greater externalizing and internalizing problems. Implications for teacher support are discussed.


Evidence-Based Behavior Interventions For Children With Adhd: A Systematic Review, Jennifer Kimpton Jan 2012

Evidence-Based Behavior Interventions For Children With Adhd: A Systematic Review, Jennifer Kimpton

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

To systematically review empirically supported behavior interventions currently being used to manage and reduce symptoms of ADHD in children.


Reward Differences Between Adolescents From A Native American Community And Adolescents From A Non-Native American Community, Mark Guthmiller, Daniel Houlihan, Liesa A. Klein, Kendra J. Homan, Tammy J. Jollie-Trottier Jan 2012

Reward Differences Between Adolescents From A Native American Community And Adolescents From A Non-Native American Community, Mark Guthmiller, Daniel Houlihan, Liesa A. Klein, Kendra J. Homan, Tammy J. Jollie-Trottier

Psychology Department Publications

Differences in preferred rewards of male and female Native American and non-Native America adolescents were examined using the Native American version of the Survey of Rewards for Teens (SORT-NA). The SORT-NA is a self-report survey which examines preferences across eight domains: sports, food, entertainment, excursions, interests and hobbies, social activities, social related activities, and a miscellaneous category. Results indicated significant differences in reward preference across culture in two domains, and across gender in five domains.


Student Facilitated Anti-Bully Program, Ashley Kiefer Jan 2012

Student Facilitated Anti-Bully Program, Ashley Kiefer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Minnesota law currently states that each school district should have a policy that addresses all forms of bullying but allows each district to create their own. This past year, the state of Minnesota has begun to scrutinize this legislation with the purpose of studying the extent of bullying in Minnesota schools and developing policies to stop it. Many schools in the state have unfortunately experienced the negative effects of bullying; some such as the Anoka-Hennepin Schools have experienced investigation and lawsuits due to suicides related to bullying (Post, 2012). At Byron Middle School, there has been limited student involvement in …


The Effects Of Task Ambiguity And Individual Differences On Personal Internet Use At Work, Hitoshi Nishina Jan 2012

The Effects Of Task Ambiguity And Individual Differences On Personal Internet Use At Work, Hitoshi Nishina

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The present study investigates the effects of task characteristics and individual differences on personal internet use at work. Borrowing from the procrastination research, four individual differences (i.e., self-efficacy, conscientiousness, impulsiveness, and ambiguity tolerance) and one task characteristic (i.e., task ambiguity) were identified as relevant variables. For this two-part study, 49 participants were recruited. The first study consisted of an online questionnaire measuring the relevant individual differences and demographic information. The second portion included a laboratory study measuring peoples' procrastination behaviors during an online task. Procrastination was operationalized as time spent on off-task activities (i.e., task-unrelated websites/applications) and was tracked by …


The Backpack Food Program's Effects On Self-Reported Hunger And On-Task Behavior, Meghan E. Ecker Jan 2012

The Backpack Food Program's Effects On Self-Reported Hunger And On-Task Behavior, Meghan E. Ecker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Variations of the BackPack Food Program are implemented in cities and states throughout the nation, however little is known regarding the effects that providing this food has on student performance in school. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the BackPack Food Program's effectiveness in combating student's hunger over the weekends and school breaks, thus decreasing student's self-reported hunger levels. Additionally, this study attempted to analyze the program's effects on student's on-task behavior in the classroom. Over the course of three semesters, hunger surveys were evaluated for 82 students and observations of on-task behavior were recorded for 52 students. …


Internal Consistency Of The Self-Perception Profile For Children: Using Covariance Structure Modeling To Overcome The Limitations Of Cronbach's Α, Ian Cero Jan 2012

Internal Consistency Of The Self-Perception Profile For Children: Using Covariance Structure Modeling To Overcome The Limitations Of Cronbach's Α, Ian Cero

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Self-perception is linked to a variety of psychosocial outcomes and its measurement has become a priority across a several disciplines. The Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPP-C) is commonly utilized to measure both global self worth and several important sub-domains of self-perception. Although much research has suggested this instrument possesses good internal consistency, previous investigations have primarily employed Cronbach's α; to estimate the stability of responding across items. This represents an important limitation, as α; is vulnerable to mis-estimation in the presence of correlated errors and non-τ-equivalent indicators, neither of which have been ruled out for the SPP-C. The present investigation …


A Feminist Content Analysis Of Seventeen Magazine, Brittany Marie Trimble Jan 2012

A Feminist Content Analysis Of Seventeen Magazine, Brittany Marie Trimble

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Over the past two decades, there has been growing concern among researchers, clinicians, and policy makers regarding the sexualization of female adolescents in the media. Developmental psychologists and researchers argue that adolescents are particularly vulnerable to messages presented in the media, as these messages are internalized as real. These messages afflict long-term emotional and physical effects on adolescent girls. Through content analysis and extensive research, The American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force (2010) argued that the sexualization of adolescent girls and women directly effects the psychosocial development of young women, creating self-objectification, negative self-images, anxiety, shame, depression, eating disorders, and …


Coping With Economic Stressors: Religious And Non-Religious Strategies For Managing Psychological Distress, Jonathan Karl Feil Jan 2012

Coping With Economic Stressors: Religious And Non-Religious Strategies For Managing Psychological Distress, Jonathan Karl Feil

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The current economic downturn has increased concerns over job insecurity and the potential negative effects of job insecurity and other economic stressors for individuals. While there is a great deal of research on traditional (non-religious) methods of coping with work stress (e.g., Latack, 1986), there has been little research concerning the impact of religious methods of coping on mitigating the effects of work-related stressors. This is true even though a significant amount of research has demonstrated that religious coping methods are effective at reducing negative effects of a wide variety of stressors. Specifically, the current study looked at the effectiveness …


The Creation And Validation Of A Pilot Selection System For A Midwestern University Aviation Department, Jacob William Forsman Jan 2012

The Creation And Validation Of A Pilot Selection System For A Midwestern University Aviation Department, Jacob William Forsman

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The current study outlines an attempt to create a selection test for a Midwestern university aviation department pilot training program. Thirty-seven pilots were given a pre-test consisting of cognitive (math, arithmetic reasoning, spatial measures, table reading, and mechanical knowledge), attitudinal (cockpit management attitudes questionnaire- CMAQ), and personality questions (IPIP items, Achievement-Striving, Impatience/Irritability, and the Academic Motivation Scale). An additional measure of professionalism was collected during the training program. Following the completion of a 25-lesson course in flight training, pilots were assessed on performance throughout the initial flight course. The performance ratings ranged from supervisory ratings to hours used to complete …


The National Survey Of Student Engagement As A Predictor Of Academic Success, Paul Michael Fursman Jan 2012

The National Survey Of Student Engagement As A Predictor Of Academic Success, Paul Michael Fursman

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Student engagement measures have been shown to be excellent predictors of desirable educational outcomes, and in some cases, these measures are being used as a means of institutional accountability. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) is one of the most widely used measures of student engagement. In this study, I examine the relationship between NSSE subscale scores and measures of student academic success. I also examine the extent to which pre-college ability and ethnicity moderate the relationship between engagement scores and academic outcomes. Results indicate that the benchmark academic challenge was a significant predictor of freshmen GPA and the …


The Moderating Effects Of Work Control And Leisure Control On The Recovery-Strain Relationship, Jason Nicholas Jaber Jan 2012

The Moderating Effects Of Work Control And Leisure Control On The Recovery-Strain Relationship, Jason Nicholas Jaber

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the current study is to improve understanding of the process of recovery from work related stress by examining work and leisure control as moderating variables of the recovery-strain relationship. This study examines the relationships between control (work/leisure), recovery experiences (mastery/detachment), and strain outcomes (need for recovery/psychological distress). Moderation multiple regression analyses (N= 233) reveal that work control moderates the relationship between mastery and psychological distress, mastery and need for recovery, as well as the relationship between psychological detachment and need for recovery. It appears that among individuals high in work control, mastery is related to lower psychological …


The Role Social Influence Has On Dormitory Residents' Responses To Fire Alarms, Michael Otting Leytem Jan 2012

The Role Social Influence Has On Dormitory Residents' Responses To Fire Alarms, Michael Otting Leytem

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Public response to fire alarms has been a major concern for decades. In particular, college dormitories pose a real threat for a catastrophic event if proper fire protocol is not carried out. Social influences may play a role in the decision dorm residents make when a fire alarm is sounded. More specifically, this research addresses to what degree does an authority figure, like a community advisor (CA), a friend, an unknown resident, or being alone, influence self-reported responses to fire alarms. Significant evidence was found confirming our hypothesis that participants in an alone condition reported being more likely to exit …


The Impact Of Culture, Industry Type, And Job Relevance On Applicant Reactions, Olivia Martin Jan 2012

The Impact Of Culture, Industry Type, And Job Relevance On Applicant Reactions, Olivia Martin

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The present study sought to understand how national culture, industry, and the perception of job relevance has an influence on an applicant's reaction to an online personnel selection assessment. A review of the literature on attribution theory (Fiske & Taylor, 1984; Ployhart & Harold, 2004) and organizational justice theory (Gilliland, 1993; Ployhart & Harold, 2004) provided the theoretical basis for the hypotheses of this paper. Applicant data from companies in manufacturing, finance, retail, and telecommunications were examined to explore differences in applicant reactions. Additionally, data between those in Mexico and the US within the telecommunications industry were examined to distinguish …


Someone Who Understands: The Effect Of Support On Law Enforcement Officers Exposed To Disturbing Media, Jessica Morales Jan 2012

Someone Who Understands: The Effect Of Support On Law Enforcement Officers Exposed To Disturbing Media, Jessica Morales

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Traumatic events not only affect the victims but also professionals that work with the victims (Figley, 1995). Trauma in the form of viewing disturbing media has been tied to negative outcomes such as Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and burnout (Perez, Jones, Englert, & Sachau, 2010; Stevenson 2007). The present study examined the effects of a resource, social support, on the negative and positive outcomes experienced by law enforcement officers exposed to disturbing media. I examined the relationship between overall support and negative and positive outcomes of exposure. The relationship was also examined for different sources of support: supervisor, coworker, and …


Teachers' Perspectives On Bullying: Understanding Educational Interventions, Ryan Dennis Buch Jan 2012

Teachers' Perspectives On Bullying: Understanding Educational Interventions, Ryan Dennis Buch

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

During the last number of years, middle school bullying has received wide spread attention across numerous media sources. Coverage of the most troubling accounts of bullying have even led to criminal charges and the introduction of legislation against acts of bullying. A substantial body of research has shown that bullying leads to negative social and emotional outcomes for both the victims and the perpetrators of such acts. The same body of research also shows how much difficulty there is for teachers and other school personnel who attempt to control these fluid acts of aggression on a daily basis in and …


Identifying Organizational Factors That Moderate The Engagement-Turnover Relationship In A Healthcare Setting, Stevie Ann Collini Jan 2012

Identifying Organizational Factors That Moderate The Engagement-Turnover Relationship In A Healthcare Setting, Stevie Ann Collini

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

It is essential for organizations to understand how turnover functions within their business and the potential other organizational factors have on affecting turnover, in order to know how to leverage these factors to effectively reduce turnover and the costs associated with it. The present study examined the relationship between employee engagement and turnover in clinical departments within a healthcare setting and the effects other organizational factors, such as respect, diversity, diversity climate and mission fulfillment have on that relationship. The results of the study demonstrate that although the relationship between engagement and turnover is significant, that none of the variables …


Organizational Wellness Programs: Who Participates And Does It Help?, Justin Michael Dumond Jan 2012

Organizational Wellness Programs: Who Participates And Does It Help?, Justin Michael Dumond

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Several research questions exist concerning the effectiveness of employee wellness programs. Do Theory of Reasoned action components such as health attitudes and intentions lead to wellness program involvement? Does wellness program involvement moderate the relationships between occupational stress, turnover, and job performance, such that wellness involvement mitigates the negative impact of occupational stress? Additionally, does wellness involvement moderate the relationships between work/life imbalance, turnover, and job performance, such that wellness involvement mitigates the negative impact of work/life imbalance? Data from 10,430 employees of an organization with an optional wellness program was analyzed. Hypotheses relating to TRA and the work/life imbalance-job …


Perceptions Of A Text-Based Sjt Versus An Animated Sjt, Amanda Helen Halabi Jan 2012

Perceptions Of A Text-Based Sjt Versus An Animated Sjt, Amanda Helen Halabi

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Research has indicated that Multimedia SJTs hold higher face validity than text-based SJTs while also reducing the adverse impact that has been experienced with the use of cognitive ability tests. (Chan & Schmitt, 1997; Motowidlo et al., 1990; Weekley & Jones, 1997, 1999). The animated SJT, a new and emerging form of testing, holds many similarities to the MMSJT. However, no research has been conducted to support this claim. The present study examined the perceptions of an animated SJT versus a text based SJT to provide additional information to the field of selection tests. The research was conducted to provide …


The Roles Of Self-Efficacy And Self-Deception In Cheating On Unproctored Internet Testing, Christopher Adam Wedge Jan 2012

The Roles Of Self-Efficacy And Self-Deception In Cheating On Unproctored Internet Testing, Christopher Adam Wedge

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The proliferation of online employee selection testing is causing a growing concern for the possibility of cheating. This study examines the interrelationships between personality factors and cheating behavior on unproctored selection testing. Past research has indicated that individuals with high specific self-efficacy are less likely to cheat. It was hypothesized that high levels of both general self-efficacy (GSE) and specific self-efficacy (SSE) predict lower rates of cheating overall. Additionally, Chance et al.'s (2001) study on self-deception demonstrated that students who cheat experience inflated confidence for future performance; this study extends this research by examining the effect cheating has on an …


40 Developmental Assets: A Research Analysis: Healthy Youth Committee & Fairmont's Youth Surveys, Tiffany Gullord Jan 2012

40 Developmental Assets: A Research Analysis: Healthy Youth Committee & Fairmont's Youth Surveys, Tiffany Gullord

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This writer teamed together with the Healthy Youth Committee of Fairmont, Minnesota. The Healthy Youth Committee is a committee comprised of about 15 various community professionals who want to make a positive change for the youth of Fairmont. The committee includes court administrations staff, police chief, probation officers, teachers, non-profit employees, and social worker. The Healthy Youth Committee requested the Search Institute to complete the 40 Developmental Assets survey Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors with the youth in Fairmont, in 1997, 2002, and 2011. 40 Developmental Assets is a research-based framework that identifies basic building blocks of human …


Devaluing Sex To Cope With Anxiety: A Comparative Investigation Of Sexual Delay Discounting With High And Low Socially Phobic Populations, Miranda N. Bretz Jan 2012

Devaluing Sex To Cope With Anxiety: A Comparative Investigation Of Sexual Delay Discounting With High And Low Socially Phobic Populations, Miranda N. Bretz

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Social phobia is a crippling mental disorder in which social situations are avoided or endured with intense fear (American Psychiatric Association, 2000); including, but not limited to, sexual interactions with others (Bodinger et al., 2002). Research suggests that sexual functioning disturbances are commonly present in those with social phobia (Bodinger et al., 2002; Kafka & Hennen, 2002; Kashdan et al., 2011; Mick & Hollander, 2006). Thus, it is important for the practicing clinician to be aware of the possible differences in sexual functioning in this population. The present study assessed the valuing rates of hypothetical sexual experiences in a high …


Memory Priming In Elderly Individuals Diagnosed With Dementia, Jessica Lee Deselms Jan 2012

Memory Priming In Elderly Individuals Diagnosed With Dementia, Jessica Lee Deselms

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the current study was to examine the efficacy of a novel memory enhancement procedure for individuals with dementia named "memory priming." Three elderly individuals with a diagnosis of dementia participated in the study. Baseline procedures involved identifying low-probability items that served as targets for the intervention and moderate-probability questions that served as control items. A variation of a reversal design was implemented to compare three different conditions: the memory priming intervention and two control conditions that involved reading aloud and a watching a video. The results of the study indicated that individuals with moderate-to-severe memory impairment do …


An Examination Of The Social Acceptability Of Elderspeak By College Students And Community Dwelling Older Adults, Kasie Lynn Hummel Jan 2012

An Examination Of The Social Acceptability Of Elderspeak By College Students And Community Dwelling Older Adults, Kasie Lynn Hummel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The dissonance that exists in the literature, in regards to Elderspeak, has helped pave the way for the current study. The main goal of this research is to understand under what circumstances college students and older adults perceive Elderspeak to be acceptable or unacceptable and to compare the results between these two specific populations. A 37-item questionnaire was used to empirically test the validity of old age cues described in the communication accommodation theory. Consistent with this theory and previous research, it was hypothesized that Elderspeak would be rated as more appropriate in response to negative factors (e.g., physical or …


Determining Musical Preferences In Persons With Dementia: Comparing Caregiver Options To Stimulus Preference Assessment, Eva Christine Igler Jan 2012

Determining Musical Preferences In Persons With Dementia: Comparing Caregiver Options To Stimulus Preference Assessment, Eva Christine Igler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The music therapy literature supports the use of individualized music in order to reduce problem behaviors among individuals with moderate to severe dementia; however, these interventions frequently rely on family members and/or staff to choose preferred music. Family members and caregivers are often inaccurate when choosing preferred stimuli for cognitively impaired individuals. The purpose of this study was to determine if family members and caregivers could accurately identify the preferred music of individuals with dementia. A single stimulus preference assessment was used to empirically determine preferred music and then these results were compared to family member and caregiver rankings. The …


Trust In The Mentor-Youth Relationship And Its Correlates With Frequency Of Contact, Parental Involvement, And Academic Improvements, Emily Jane Ness Jan 2012

Trust In The Mentor-Youth Relationship And Its Correlates With Frequency Of Contact, Parental Involvement, And Academic Improvements, Emily Jane Ness

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Community mentoring programs target at-risk youth with the aim of providing them with a positive, stable adult presence in their lives. Relationship quality of the mentors and mentees has been linked to multiple external factors and youth outcomes. This study investigated mentor-mentee relationship quality (i.e., youth's perceived trust in his or her mentor) and the associations between the amount of time the pair spent together per week, parents' level of involvement in planning activities between their child and their mentor, and youth's improvement in commitment to learning. The correlations between trust and time, and between trust and commitment to learning …


Teacher Training For Lre Mainstreaming And Diverse Classrooms, Rhonda J. Callanan Jan 2012

Teacher Training For Lre Mainstreaming And Diverse Classrooms, Rhonda J. Callanan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Since the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, classrooms in the United States have changed over the years. These laws have added numerous responsibilities for teachers, especially the Least Restrictive Environment mandate that places more students with disabilities in the general education classrooms. A review of the literature shows that even though more skills are required to teach in more diverse classrooms, teacher training programs have not changed in response to this need. A second problem related to insufficient teacher training is the increase in students …