Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study Into How Early Childhood Educators Experience Gamification As An Employee Motivational Tool, Marlene C. Cooper

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how early childhood educators (ECE) experience gamification as a motivational tool. The study was grounded in self-efficacy theory and used the transcendental phenomenological methodology to uncover the lived experiences of the participants. The researcher used questionnaires, journals, and interviews to gather data from respondents. The interview utilized open-ended questions to provide respondents the opportunity to give a detailed account of their shared experiences while operating the gamified technology used in their program. Data was collected from 8 ECE teachers working at a private preschool in a mid-Atlantic state. Participant accounts described a …

The Relationship Between Undergraduate Research Training Programs And Motivational Resources For Underrepresented Minority Students In Stem: Program Participation, Self-Efficacy, A Sense Of Belonging, And Academic Performance, Jennifer Lindwall

Dissertations and Theses

Although calls for a more diverse workforce in biomedical fields have been widespread, racial and ethnic gaps in biomedical degree attainment persist. In order to succeed, URM STEM students must persevere despite numerous challenges and stay continuously motivated on the long road to degree attainment in biomedical disciplines. Past higher education research has identified two key self-appraisals, a sense of belonging and self-efficacy, as crucial for student success. These beliefs, which can serve as motivational resources for students, include students' convictions about whether they are a valued member of their academic community and whether they have what it takes to …

Does Emotional Intelligence Moderate The Effect Of Field Work Experience On Counseling Students' Group Counseling Self-Efficacy, John Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Counselor educators and supervisors need a comprehensive understanding of counseling students group counseling development with the aim of assessing student learning outcomes and facilitating academic and supervisory interventions that support development. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and group counseling self-efficacy and determine the feasibility of using emotional intelligence to predict changes in group counseling self-efficacy. Results indicated that although there was significant increase in group counselor self-efficacy after a semester of fieldwork experience, the results showed no significant relationship between emotional intelligence and group counselor self-efficacy. Practical implications and future directions for …

How Do Social Comparison And Self-Efficacy Influence Diabetic Patients’ Motivation Toward A Nutrition Regimen?, Youngjee Ko

Theses and Dissertations

Social comparisons are useful for patients with chronic illness giving them a reliable information about others dealing with same illness. Patients with chronic illness may benefit from social comparisons. Learning about how others with the same disease manage self-care behavior can lessen uncertainty and anxiety about their health. Effects of social comparisons are subject to contexts. However, social comparison is relatively less understood in the context of diabetes patients. Considering the importance of nutrition regimen as a prime concern for diabetes patients, the current study examined how social comparisons along with self-efficacy influence motivation toward nutrition regimen. Results indicated that …

Leader Efficacy Perceptions And Engagement In Self-Directed Professional Development, Lauren Noelle Johnson

Ed.D. Dissertations

Rapidly changing environments force organizations to adapt quickly to remain relevant. However, a given organization’s ability to adapt depends largely on its leaders’ ability to guide and direct their subordinates in the use of the organization’s resources. Research has identified self-directed professional development (SDPD) as a critical component of leaders’ ability to meet the challenges of adaptation, but notably absent from the literature are explorations of how leaders’ self-perception relates to the degree to which they engage in SDPD. The purpose of this quantitative study was to deepen current understandings of the interplay between self-perception and individual behavior in the …

Relationship Between Women's Goals And Pregnancy Risk Behaviors, Sarah Elizabeth Kienzler

Theses and Dissertations

Among adult women, ages of 18 and 24 years old, a high percentage of the pregnancies that occur are unplanned (Finer & Zolna, 2016; Guttmacher Institute, 2016) and unplanned pregnancies have been linked to a greater risk of negative health outcomes for mothers and their infants (Dott, Rasmussen, Hogue, & Reefhuis, 2010; Hellerstedt, Pirie, Lando, Curry, McBride, Grothaus, & Clark Nelson, 1998; Kost, Landry, & Darroch, 1998; Mosher, Jones, & Abma, 2012; Pulley, Klerman, Tang, & Baker, 2002; Sharma, Synkewecz, Raggio, & Mattison, 1994; Weller, Eberstein, & Bailey, 1987). Work among adolescents has found a link between adolescents’ perception of …

The Effect Of A Training Clinic On The Self-Efficacy Of Counselors In Training, Jihene Ayadi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary focus of this study was to examine the differences between trainees’ perceived self-efficacy when they graduate from a counseling program that has a community based mental health training clinic versus a program without a training clinic. A web-based survey was developed with the questions from the Counseling Self-Efficacy Inventory (COSE) (Larson et al., 1992) and 45 (N = 45) participants took the survey online. Participants were students enrolled and taking a practicum or internship class in a counseling program with a training clinic (WTC) or in a counseling program without a clinic (WTTC). Mann-Whitney Wilcoxon test, a non-parametric …

Mathematics Attitudes And Mathematics Performance: Novel Approaches Towards Noncognitive Educational Measurement, Applications To Large-Scale Assessment Data, And Examinations Of Multigroup Invariance, Kalina Gjicali

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Academic performance is predicted by a multitude of demographic, contextual, cognitive, and noncognitive constructs. The noncognitive factors of achievement in mathematics that have previously been explored in depth are study skills, collaborative problem-solving, confidence, self-efficacy, and personality traits (Kyllonen, 2012). Limited applied research has explored the predictive value of noncognitive factors such as attitudes and beliefs in mathematics achievement – even though attitudes towards mathematics are a promising avenue for understanding the variability in mathematics achievement. The current research uses the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explain high school students’ performance in mathematics in a series of three studies. …

The Impact Of Community-Based Training Outreach In Improving Water Quality, Health, And Sanitation In Kenya, Lavender Matuyia Ntaoti

Theses and Dissertations

Water is an important component of the human body. A greater percentage of the body comprises of water. Digestion, brain function, movement, and sweating among others are the basic functions of the human body that require water. Often, water quality is neglected in developing countries such as Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Many individuals in these countries understand the importance of having accessible water but do not prioritize the quality and the sources of the water available to them. Public health scholars endorse education, training, and sanitary infrastructure to promote awareness and importance of water quality. To address an existing waterborne …

Feeling Colors: Reflections On The Creative Process Of A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kimberly Ann Knowles

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis explored the implications of choice in individual art therapy sessions with a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, contrasting the creative process of unstructured expression and a more directed book-making activity focused on emotions. Research took place within the scope of six weekly 45-minute individual art therapy sessions with a 12-year-old boy in a therapeutic day school. The design of this study was based on the pre-established presenting needs of the student, focusing on growing skills for self-regulation, addressing social-emotional deficits, and providing an outlet for positive self-expression. The sessions were documented by the clinician, a clinical intern studying …

Typical Peers’ Perceived Self-Efficacy Towards Including Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Elizabeth A. Caldwell

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

One in 59 children is identified as having an Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that students with disabilities be educated in the general education setting with typical peers to the maximum extent possible. This practice of inclusion has led to increased social-isolation and peer rejection among students with ASD. Research suggests inclusion alone without implementing peer intervention training is ineffective in fostering positive interactions between students with ASD and their typical peers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to contribute to the literature by evaluating a peer educational intervention designed to promote …

Learned Helplessness In Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Relationships With Locus Of Control, Self-Efficacy, And Feedback-Seeking Behavior, Nicholas Kovacs

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have suggested that self-efficacy and feedback-seeking behavior (FSB) are effective in enhancing performance. To improve performance in the workplace, research should focus on how psychologists can enhance these constructs in employees. Though locus of control (LOC) relates to self-efficacy and increased FSB, research has revealed issues in LOC (e.g., failure to predict performance, range restriction, failure to predict behaviors). The current study examined the effects of perceived “lack of control”, learned helplessness, over LOC on both self-efficacy and FSB in two different samples: a student sample (N = 321) and a work sample (N = 794). Learned helplessness accounted …

The Intersection Of Mindfulness, Teacher Efficacy And School Climate: A Pilot Study, Sarah K. Killion

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Burnout, teaching self-efficacy, and school climate are hot topics in education. Daily stressors create feelings known as burnout, including emotional exhaustion, detachment from teammates, and a decline in feelings of professional competence. The alarmingly high rate of educator turnover illustrates a critical juncture in education. Therefore, interventions are required to improve a teachers' ability to manage student behaviors, provide quality instruction, maintain student engagement, and sustain an atmosphere of collegiality with teammates and administrators.

Mindfulness is a concept that is best understood as moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness cultivated through the practice of meditation and calming activities. These interventions are being utilized …

The Transfer Culture In College Basketball, Ariel Massengale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2017, 18.5% of female women’s basketball players transferred. That ranked the highest it has ever been, second on the list for women’s sports and higher than any male sport (NCAA.org, 2018). The decision to transfer is a multifaceted issue that involves many reasons from generational differences, social media, technology, among other factors and has been rapidly increasing. For the lack of empirical studies, the foundation of this research was built on studies that focused on student retention because the same reasons a student may be retained could be the very reason a student decides to transfer depending on the …

Strategies For Increasing Self-Efficacy In Long-Term Welfare Recipients, Crystal Mcclure

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the imposition of lifetime limitations on an individual's ability to receive cash assistance, there is a group of long-term Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients that have approached the lifetime limitation without becoming gainfully employed. Many long term TANF recipients report low levels of self-efficacy which inhibits their ability to successfully transition off welfare and into the workforce. However, most welfare-to-work programs do not address the emotional or psychological well-being of their clients, instead they focus on job placement and job readiness skills. The purpose of this sequential–exploratory mixed methods study is to identify the primary barriers to …

Investigation Of Posttraumatic Growth On Health Behaviors With Self-Efficacy As A Mediator, Annissa Pellicano

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has been accumulating on the positive outcomes that people may experience following trauma. However, scholarly literature is deficient in the area of investigating the association among centrality of event (CE), posttraumatic growth (PTG), and health behaviors of women with histories of sexual trauma. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to (a) determine the extent of the relationship between CE and PTG, (b) explore the relationship between PTG and health behaviors (i.e., drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, and physical activity), and (c) to determine whether general self-efficacy (SE) mediated these relationships. The theoretical frameworks used to inform this …

Academic Competence, Self-Efficacy, And Achievement Expectations Among International Students At The University Of Central Florida, Emily Hynson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

With the vast and continued growth of international students in the U.S., it is important to focus on this expanding group and identify factors that aid or hinder academic performance, achievement, expectations, and competence. Factors known to affect academics among international students, such as language barriers, acculturation to American society, university support and structure, social integration at the university, family support, and motivating factors to study in the U.S were examined. It was hypothesized that these known factors would negatively correlate with the academic outcomes of international students examined in the current study. It was also hypothesized that these factors …

Relationship Between Socialization Tactics, Military Cultural Competence, And Self-Efficacy Of Service Providers Serving Veterans, Dorothy Ann Seabrook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Military cultural competence has gained attention due to the past 15 years of military conflict and ongoing deployment of troops around the globe. Returning veterans, particularly those who go on to experience homelessness, have reported negative experiences and adverse treatment from programs that were designed to support them. Those experiences have resulted in perceived barriers to access or use of such services. Researchers have established the need for increased levels of military cultural competence to develop rapport with veterans and their families when delivering community-based social and healthcare services. Bandura's self-efficacy theory was the theoretical framework of this study. This …

Understanding The Lived Experience In Women With Psoriatic Disease Utilizing Alternative Interventions, Lisa Liimatainen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psoriatic disease (PD) is an autoimmune disease that affects millions of women and currently has no cure. Examining the lived experience of women with PD who choose to treat their disease with alternative methods may allow for deeper understanding of how mental health professionals can support their choices. Using phenomenology, this study looked at the experiences of these women through theories of self-efficacy and self-in-relation theory, theories that empower and speak to women. The participants consisted of women who reported a diagnosis of PD, who reported they had abstained from pharmaceutical interventions for at least the previous six months. The …

Depression With Peripartum Onset (Postpartum) And Mother’S Perceptions Of Social Support And Self-Efficacy For Parenting, Shenetha Carmise Ramsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression with peripartum onset, which was previously called maternal depression, or postpartum depression, is common among many pregnant women. The condition increases impairment in maintaining relationships, self-esteem, and parenting skills. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore how mothers who have experienced peripartum onset (postpartum) depression perceive their social support and their ability to parent effectively. The conceptual framework was based on Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Convenience and snowball sampling were both used to obtain 6 research participants who were interviewed face-to-face or by telephone. Participants shared their experiences with depression, perceptions of social support, and how …

Impacts Of Self-Efficacy On School Psychologists' Provisions Of Mental Health Services, Ashley Jantzer

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to identify variables that predict a school psychologist’s self-efficacy in counseling abilities, as well as identify variables that predict perceived barriers to implementing mental health services to students in a school setting. Participants were 84 school psychologists working in the state of Washington. Participants were asked to complete a survey that included (a) demographic questions, (b) a questionnaire about perceived self-efficacy in counseling abilities, and (c) a questionnaire about perceived barriers to providing mental health services. The results of two multiple linear regression equations suggest that in this study, certain variables predicted both self-efficacy …

Self-Efficacy, Decision Latitude, And Work Ethic Among Educated Women, Elisa Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although women are more likely to seek advanced degrees, there are substantial gaps between men and women in terms of employment rates, wages, and positions of power. This cross-sectional study aligned with the social cognitive career theory and investigated how specific demographic variables (age and education level) interacted and influenced work-related characteristics (decision latitude, self-efficacy, and work ethic) to address issues women experience in the workplace. Females who identified as working a minimum of 15 hours per week and over the age of 18 were contacted via social media or in person. A snowball effect occurred when participants invited peers …

Understanding Of Self-Confidence In High School Students, George Ballane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students at a private high school in New Jersey exhibited low academic self-confidence as compared to other indicators on the ACT Engage exam. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain an understanding of academic self-confidence, academic performance, and learning within a sample of students. This research explored students' and teachers' perceptions of self-confidence and their impact on academic performance. The research was guided by Weiner's attribution and Bandura's self-efficacy theories. The research questions focused on 3 areas: students' and teachers' perceptions of academic self-confidence as factors impacting students' academic performance; and the perceived relationship between academic self-confidence, …

Impact Of A Geography-Literature Collaborative On Secondary School Pedagogy, John Matthew Mccormick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Geography education has been relegated to a subset of social studies standards in most of the United States and has been overshadowed by a history-centered curriculum. Student achievement in geography has not improved for several decades due to the focus on history content in the social studies curriculum. Rooted in a conceptual framework encompassing elements of self-efficacy and the whole teacher approach, the purpose of this case study was to examine the impact of the West Virginia Geographic Alliance (WVGA) professional development workshop on teachers' practices in delivering cross-disciplinary geography education. The research questions addressed teachers' perceived self-efficacy in delivering …

Examining The Effects Of Energy Drinks On Academic Performance, Alyssa P. Roberson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reports of energy drink (ED) consumption have grown among the United States population. Research suggests reasons for consumption vary across populations, including increased attention and enhanced endurance performance. However, ED consumers could suffer from negative effects of ED, including health problems, caffeine overdose, and death. Energy drink consumption is also linked to substance use. Despite risks of consuming ED, heavy use of EDs remains among college students, often to help with academic performance; however, research has not examined effects of ED consumption on perceived and actual academic performance. This study evaluated relationships among ED consumption, self-efficacy, and academic performance in …

The Impact Of A Culturally Responsive Intervention On Perceived Career Barriers, Ethnic Identity, Student Motivation And Engagement, And Career Decision Making Self-Efficacy Of Middle School Minority Females, Marsha L. Rutledge

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of a culturally responsive intervention on perceived career barriers, ethnic identity, student motivation and engagement, and career decision making self-efficacy of middle school minority females. The author analyzed data from the Female Leadership Academy for Minority Excellence (FLAME) program at a local rural middle school. Data was collected from 34 Black female middle school students who participated in the program. The study was a repeated measures quasi-experimental, quantitative single group pre-test, mid-test, and post-test design. According to results from a series of repeated measures ANOVAs, significant differences were found between pre-group, mid-group, and post-group scores. …

Allodynia And Self-Efficacy In Migraineurs, Ashley N. Polk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Headache disorders are among the most comdisorders of the nervous system, with migraine alone affecting 14% of women and 6% of men worldwide each year. Headache-related self-efficacy, or one’s confidence in preventing and managing headache, is particularly important for prevention and management of headache disorders and predicts response to behavioral and pharmacological treatments. Allodynia, the perception of non-noxious stimuli as painful due to central sensitization, compounds headache-related disability and compromises efficacy of triptans. Therefore, migraineurs with allodynia may perceive headache treatments as less efficacious and thus have reduced perceived headache-related self-efficacy. However, no literature to date has explored the relationship …

The Experience Of Mindful Self-Compassion, Erika Ristok

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Given the benefits seen in the literature with regards to mindful self-compassion, embodiment of positive emotion, and the efficacy of brief interventions, this study sought to advance an understanding of the experience of mindful self compassion. Eight participants were taught a brief self-compassion exercise along with a step that embodies a feeling of comfort. The participants were drawn from a wait-list for counselling services at a Family Health Team site. They were interviewed using a semi-structured interview format following training and practice with the self-compassion exercise. Qualitative phenomenological analysis was used in order to gain an understanding of the essence …