Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gender Differences Associated To Style And Type Of Bullying, Elizabeth Benckert

Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that girls show more indirect and relational aggression bullying behavior, while boys will show more direct and physically aggressive bullying behavior (Bjorkqvist, Lagerspetz, & Kaukiainen, 1992). Girls prefer indirect aggression because they can manipulate others; while boys prefer direct aggression against others because it shows dominance and strength (Crick, Casas, & Mosher, 1997). The study was done to show a difference in gender and the style of aggressive bullying behavior they will act out in. Crick et al. (1997) explain that children tend to bully in ways that they know will inflict harm on others and damage their …

Influence Of Family On Native American Students, Lisa Jeannette Fox

Theses and Dissertations

Native American* postsecondary education students encounter several barriers to academic persistence including cultural assimilation issues, limited access to career information services, and an individual sense of duty and responsibility to remain tied to traditional spiritual values and beliefs systems, joined with family pressure to stay home. While the presence of Native American students in postsecondary education has increased, the number of students persisting through to graduation remains alarmingly low. Much of the research on Native American academic persistence has focused on acculturation and assimilation issues, leaving the influence of family largely unexplored. To help enrich this aspect of Native …

Social Validity Of Teacher-Written Praise Notes In A Title One Elementary School, Angela Howell

Theses and Dissertations

Praise notes have the potential to positively influence student behavior and relationships. Few studies have examined the social validity of praise, however, and these studies have focused on students' perceptions. The purpose of this study was to describe student, parent, and teacher perceptions of a school-wide praise note intervention at a Title I elementary school. Twenty-three teachers, 203 parents, and 203 students completed surveys regarding a pre-existing praise note intervention. Surveys consisted of 13 quantitative items and two open-ended questions. Quantitative and qualitative results indicate that participants had positive perceptions of praise notes. Participants also believed that praise notes helped …

The Forgotten Medium: The Impact Of Reading Violent Literature On Aggressive Thoughts, Mckay Robert Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

Media violence in television, film, video games, and music has been linked to increased aggression. Only in recent years have researchers begun to investigate the impact that reading violent literature can have on individuals. The present study exposed individuals to either a violent or nonviolent story and measured aggressive cognitions. No significant effect was found for story type on aggressive cognitions but a gender effect for aggressive word completions was found. Discussion centers on possible differences between media types as well as future suggestions for investigations into violent literature.

The Longitudinal Stability Of Memory In Males With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alexander J. Cramond

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has demonstrated mixed evidence on impaired memory functioning in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with the only consensus that there appears to be much heterogeneity. In addition, no research to date has examined the stability of memory in ASD. This study examined the stability of memory function in ASD compared to typically developing age-matched controls. Participants were administered the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL) twice, three years apart, in an established longitudinal NIH-supported investigation of ASD. Based on available research contrasting memory development in healthy individuals versus those with ASD, it was hypothesized that memory performance in the …

Motivating Healthy Diet Behaviors: The Self-As-Doer Identity, Amanda Brouwer

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Self-identity predicts healthy eating behaviors and intentions above and beyond Theory of Planned Behavior components (TPB; i.e., attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms), but interventions exploring the relationship between self-identity and motivation are limited. Self-as-doer identity may be an important point of intervention for healthy eating behaviors (Houser-Marko & Sheldon, 2006). Therefore, I investigated whether the experimental manipulation of a self-as-doer identity predicted improved healthy food consumption, intentions, and increased self-identity as a healthy eater compared to women who received nutritional education or no intervention directly following the intervention and one month post-intervention.

Method: Participants were 79 women …

Relationship Between Counter Movement Jump Performance And Extraversion Level, David James Cornell

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Sport psychology literature has demonstrated a relationship between personality and physical ability and athletic performance. In general, individuals who exhibit a greater degree of extraversion display a greater physical ability and athletic performance than individuals who exhibit a lower degree of extraversion. The physiology literature has also demonstrated relationships between extraversion level and movement time and electrophysiological mechanisms (i.e., muscle activity) during a fine movement task. However to date, no study has investigated if these physiological relationships manifest themselves during a gross movement task. If a relationship exists, it may provide mechanistic reasoning behind the previously observed relationships between …

Sports Participation Among South Asian Americans: The Influence Of Acculturation And Value Of Sport, Soumya Palreddy

Theses and Dissertations

Asian Americans, one of the fastest growing communities in recent decades (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008) continue to be underrepresented in sports in the United States. Recent trends in sport participation suggest that while other ethnic/racial minority groups are increasing their presence in sports, Asian Americans may not be increasing at a similar rate (Lapchick, 2008). For example, in collegiate athletics, only .005% of Asian Americans enrolled in college were also engaged in a sport, and in professional sports, only 1-2% of all players in major professional organizations identify as Asian American (Lapchick, 2008). Although statistics continuously reveal this trend, research …

Establishing The Discriminative Stimulus Properties Of The Atypical Antipsychotic Amisulpride In C57bl/6 Mice, Timothy J. Donahue

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract ESTABLISHING THE DISCRIMINATIVE STIMULUS PROPERTIES OF THE ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTIC AMISULPRIDE IN C57BL/6 MICE Antipsychotic medications are used to treat schizophrenia. The present study used the drug discrimination paradigm to measure the subjective effects of the atypical antipsychotic amisulpride and to examine the underlying neuropharmacological mechanisms responsible for the discriminative stimulus property of the drug. Male C57BL/6 mice were trained to discriminate 10 mg/kg (-)S amisulpride from vehicle in a two-lever drug discrimination task. A dose effect curve for (-)S amisulpride yielded an ED50 = 1.77 mg/kg 95% CI [1.28, 2.45 mg/kg]. Substitution testing was conducted for the isomer (+)R …

A Comparison Of Attitudes Towards Time Management, Usage Of Time, And Self-Expression By High-Performing And Low-Perfoming Students At Brigham Young University, Jessica Mae Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Time log data (time-spent and adjective evaluations), a six question survey about time management attitudes, and the Adult Self Expression Scale (behavioral and situational subscales), were examined regarding how well each predict GPA. This paper contains two studies. The first study uses canonical correlations to examine the natural relationships between GPA and the five sets of predictor variables. The second study is hypothesis testing with regard to four groups: males and females on academic probation, and males and females with high GPAs. The effects of academic probation and gender on the same four sets of variables are examined: time spent …

Risk Factors For High School Dropouts: Do Perceptions Of Bullying Play A Role?, Alison Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

The current study compared perceptions of bullying experiences among students in a public in-house alternative high school education program for at-risk students with those of the students in the general education population of the same high school. Eleven students enrolled in the alternative high school education program between the ages of 16 and 19 were asked to report their experiences with bullying through a school-created survey that is administered annually to the entire high school population. The results of the 2010 survey of 816 high school students were compared to the results of the 11 students enrolled in the alternative …

A Longitudinal Study Of The Effect Of At Birth Adoptions On Anxiety, Stress Hormones And Adolescent Alcohol Intake: A Nonhuman Primate Model, Whitney Faith Maxwell

Theses and Dissertations

Adopted individuals have an increased risk for a variety of psychopathological disorders. Studies of the effects adoption in humans are difficult to perform because of the difficulty separating genetic risk and treatment effects. This is a developmental study investigating the effects of at birth adoption using a nonhuman primate model. Three experimental paradigms were used to assess maternal treatment, stress-related behavior, and physiology late in infancy and again later in life. Rhesus monkeys were reared for their first six months of life by either their biological mother or an unrelated, lactating adult female. Adoptions occurred immediately following birth. At six …

Bullying Amongst Eighth Grade Students: A Comparison Of The Perceptions Of Bullying Between Students And Teachers, Kristen Litwinczuk

Theses and Dissertations

Bullying is a serious problem in today's world. It is not limited by age, gender or education level. The purpose of this study is to examine the differences of teachers' and students' perceptions of bullying, including the comparison of gender throughout the research. The Swearer Bullying Survey was used in this study to assess the students' and teachers' perceptions of bullying. Due to the new Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying Law that was recently passed in New Jersey, results are expected to show similar perceptions of bullying among students and teachers. Both results and implications of this study will be further discussed.

The Frequency Of Harassment, Intimidation, And Bullying By General Education Students Compared To Special Education Students, And The Implications Of Early Intervention For At Risk Students; Are Special Education Students More Likely To Be Involved In Hib Incidents Than Regular Unclassified Students?, Peter Spezzano

Theses and Dissertations

This study intended to determine the pervasiveness of bullying among middle school students, and the relationship with special education classification. The sample population investigated was composed of 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade middle school students. Archival data collected from four years of office disciplinary referrals provided the statistics to evaluate student classification and frequency of bullying. A two-way analysis of variance was conducted in order to examine the data. As hypothesized results revealed that there was a correlation between student special education classification and the rate of involvement in a bullying event. The research suggests that students classified as …

Positive Behavior Support: A Comparison Between Student Body, Academic Achievement, And Discipline Referrals, Meredith Greenfield

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this current study was to (a) evaluate the effectiveness of a school-wide positive behavior support program in an elementary school based on the decrease of discipline referrals earned by the students in grades 3-4 (n=43) and (b) find a relationship between discipline referrals earned by each student in the pre-intervention year and the total amount of discipline referrals earned by each student in the post-intervention year were the discipline variables. The scale math and language scores attained by each student for the pre-intervention year and the post-intervention year were the academic variables explored. A Pearson Correlation test …

The Examination Of Inter-Rater Reliability And The Reliability Of Attachment Measures, Nicole Bayles

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of measuring attachment through subjective measures, as well as the inter-rater reliability of those using the subjective measures. Participants were volunteers who had worked with the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS). They included social workers, lawyers, psychologists, etc. Participants were asked to answer questionnaires regarding the DYFS children they had worked with, as well as demographics about themselves. The questionnaires also included an alternative informed consent. The surveys were mailed to participants and included return envelopes to ensure ease of mailing them back. It was hypothesized that measuring …

Academic Enablers And Dance: A Correlation Study, Kacey Burke

Theses and Dissertations

This study surveyed 24 teenagers who took part in extracurricular dancing to determine if there is a relationship between the number of hours they spent dancing and their levels of academic enablers. Academic enablers are qualities that have been identified to predict student academic success in school (DiPerna, 2006). This study addressed an ongoing debate among many parents: Does children's time-consuming involvement in extracurricular activities take away from their academic success, and how much is too much? The participants were asked to complete the Academic Competency Evaluation Scales (ACES) to determine their levels of academic enabling behaviors. They also were …

The Prevalence And Perceptions Of Bullying In The Autistic Population: The Functionality Of Social Skills Training, Jessica Krambeck

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the self-report of bullying experiences and perceptions of high functioning autistic students, as well as the relationship between social functioning and these variables. A sample of 44 children between the ages of 9 and 14 were asked to report their experiences with bullying across educational settings using a revised version of Susan Swearer's The Bully Survey-Student Edition (2001). The students also completed part D of the survey in order to examine their acceptance of bullying behaviors. The social functioning of the children; in particular, their behavioral level and acquisition of particular social skills (conflict resolution, emotional …

Student Perceptions Of School Uniforms: A Comparative Study Of Students Participated In School Uniforms And Those Who Did Not, Jonathan Mimmo

Theses and Dissertations

The institution of mandatory school uniforms into public schools has been met with resistance despite research suggesting that a uniform policy can be a useful tool in improving a school's behavioral climate. The attitudes and perceptions held by students who may or may not have participated in a school uniform policy were examined to determine what effect experience might have on perception and attitude. Surveys were administered to college students to examine their held perceptions and attitudes about school uniforms. The subjects were grouped according to their uniform participation history (with or without experience), and the scores were compared across …

Exploring Genealogical Roots And Family History And Their Influence On College Student Development: A Qualitative Study, Matthew L. Reiser

Theses and Dissertations

Family genealogy research has grown exponentially over the past decade, making it an area worthy of scholarly inquiry (Smith, 2010). Genealogy is now one of the world's most popular hobbies, with hundreds of millions of people worldwide actively engaged in some form of family research (Veale, 2004). In the United States, there has recently been a significant increase in the interest of searching out one's genealogical roots (Triseliotis, 1998). For most young people, the years from late teens to early twenties represent a period of profound change (Arnett, 2000). Many young adults search for and solidify their identity during the …

Behavioral Phenotyping Of The Discriminative Stimulus Properties Of The Atypical Antipsychotic Drug Clozapine In 129s2/Hsv Mice, Kevin Webster

Theses and Dissertations

The 129S2 inbred mouse strain is often used as a background strain in the production of genetically altered mice (i.e. knockout and transgenic mice). It is important to establish the behavioral phenotype of wild-type mice before making comparisons to genetically altered mice. Also, those comparisons can assist in the evaluation and interpretation of the in vivo effects of drugs. The drug discrimination assay measures the subjective effects of drugs and provides a measure of underlying neuropharmacological mechanisms responsible for the discriminative stimulus properties of drugs. The present study established the atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine as a discriminative stimulus in male …

A Qualitative Analysis Of High School Students' Experiences In The Latinos In Action Program, Johann Paul Simonds

Theses and Dissertations

This research was a qualitative program evaluation of students' perceptions of Latinos in Action (LIA), a peer-mentoring program that seeks to improve high school Latino graduation rates and college admittance. The study was conducted with college students who participated in the program in high school. LIA graduates were interviewed to determine what major factors influenced and supported them in their academic decisions. Additional data included an interview with the program director, results from the High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE), and a video of one of the interviewees. The researcher explored students' experiences in the LIA program with the …

Comparative Psychotherapy Outcomes Of Sexual Minority Clients And Controls, Sasha A. Mondragon

Theses and Dissertations

Research examining the psychotherapy outcomes of sexual minority clients seen in routine clinical care is lacking. No studies could be identified in which sexual minority client outcomes were examined with a standardized measure. The pre-treatment mental health functioning of 600 sexual minority clients was compared with that of a randomly selected group matched to the minority group on male/female ratio. The post-treatment mental health functioning of 596 sexual minority clients was also examined and compared to a control group matched on female/male ratio, initial levels of mental health functioning, age, and marital status. Results indicated that sexual minority clients who …

Bullying: A Qualitative Study Of Siblings Of Young Children With Disabilities, Lindsay M. Proctor

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that, in some instances, siblings can be a first line of defense when a child experiences bullying. Research also shows that children with disabilities are often prime targets of bullying. However, no research was located that specifically explored the relationship between siblings of children with disabilities, their perceptions of bullying and the roles that they play when bullying occurs. This study investigated siblings' perceptions of bullying through a qualitative interview. Twelve participants ranged in age from 7 to 13. Few participants described witnessing siblings with special needs being bullied; however, many of these children described themselves at bystanders …

The Differential Impact Of School Absences On General And Special Education High School Students, Carly Stranges

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of absenteeism on students in general education and students in special education. Archival data from a group of 249 students who completed 9th grade in June 2011 were analyzed in order to examine the relationship between attendance rates and grade point averages. Research questions included: Is there a significant correlation between school attendance and academic achievement? Is there a significant difference in the correlations between attendance and academic achievement for students in special education and for those in general education? Is there a difference in the attendance rates of students …

The Effectiveness Of Looping In Self-Contained Special Education Classrooms, Gena Orazi

Theses and Dissertations

The practice of looping, a single teacher remaining with a core group of students for two or more years, is one that is used in some self-contained special education settings. The purpose of this study was to show that this practice is beneficial to both teacher and students in this type of environment. The goal of this investigation was to demonstrate that looping in a self-contained classroom resulted in significant academic achievement gains and also decreased behavior infractions of the students in this type of classroom. Also, it was hypothesized that the students who have been looped in a self-contained …

Preventing Guilt By Association: Mindfulness And Susceptibility To Evaluative Conditioning, Laura Kiken

Theses and Dissertations

Evaluative conditioning (EC) is a type of attitude formation in which a stimulus is evaluated as positive or negative based on repeated pairings with valenced stimuli. Emerging evidence suggests that individuals differ in susceptibility to EC and these differences may be related to various social and psychological biases. One variable that has been linked with less negative attitude formation, although not using an EC paradigm, is mindfulness. Further, mindfulness is proposed to alter dimensions of elaboration that may underlie EC, particularly conditioning of negative attitudes. Therefore, three studies were conducted to examine whether mindfulness is linked to differential susceptibility to …

Social Support And Youth Psychotherapy Outcomes: Examining Change Processes In Usual Care Settings, Robert Virgil Dindinger

Theses and Dissertations

A prominent need in youth psychotherapy literature includes the examination of factors related to improved psychotherapeutic outcomes within the context of "real world" clinical settings, where the practice of psychotherapy differs significantly from that in controlled clinical trials. In examining those factors related to improved outcomes in youth psychotherapy, variables related to social support are important to consider. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate youth perceptions of social support as a potential predictor of successful treatment outcomes in a traditional community outpatient treatment setting for youth. In addition, this study examined whether perceptions of social support predicted …

The Psychology Of Personal Constructs As A Response To The Ethical, Jeffrey Lamar Thayne

Theses and Dissertations

Although George Kelly's psychology of personal constructs was not originally designed to address and account for experiences of self-betrayal, as described by Warner (1986, 2001), Olson (2004, 2007), Olson and Israelson (2007), Williams (2005), and others (Arbinger, 2000), his theory (with minor modifications) may help illuminate the psychology behind the sudden gestaltic shifts and moral transformations experienced by individuals in Warner's (1986, 2001) stories, without undoing any of Warner's existing analysis of self betrayal.The end vision of the thesis is a structured theory of personality, so to speak, that borrows Kelly's insights and extends them to the phenomenon of self-betrayal. …

Does Social Role Functioning Predict Work Productivity? Further Validation Of The Social Role Scale Of The Outcome Questionnaire, Aaron M. Allred

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health problems are associated with significant losses in work productivity and, consequently, have significant ramifications for business entities and the general economy. Several instruments have been developed to measure productivity-related constructs such as absenteeism and presenteeism. The current study examines the utility of the Outcome Questionnaire-45 (OQ), a commonly used mental health questionnaire, in predicting work productivity. This relationship is explored as a preliminary step in assessing the degree to which changes in mental health brought about by psychotherapy will improve work productivity. Forty-nine participants were recruited from a call center in a small market research firm based in …