Psychology Commons^™

The Use Of Postural Aggression In Intimate Partner Relationships: What Is It And Is It Being Recognized As "Abuse" By Intimate Partners, Elizabeth Gentry Myers

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The use of aggression towards an intimate partner has been an increasingly concerning topic in the violence literature over the last five decades; however, many dimensions continue to lack clarity. Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains the most common form of violence committed against women worldwide with about 30% of women reporting a lifetime prevalence of physical and/or sexual violence by a partner (World Health Organization [WHO], 2019), often accompanied by psychological aggression (Larsen, 2016; Williams et al., 2012). Postural aggression is defined as a subtype of psychological aggression which consists of both direct and indirect forms of non-physical abuse; although, …

Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports In A West Virginia Juvenile Justice School: A Case Study, Johnathan Matthew Baldwin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study investigated the differences in student behavior, participation, and achievement after the implementation of a PBIS at one juvenile justice facility in West Virginia. Teacher and correctional officer perceptions of PBIS were also examined. Data were collected from student refusal reports, report cards, incident reports, and teacher and correctional officer interviews. Student achievement in math and English language arts, following the implementation of PBIS, improved as the percentage of D and F grades decreased while the numbers of A and B grades increased between 2016-17 and 2018-19. One-sample t-Test results for first semester and second semester math and ELA …

An Analysis Of Personality On Legal Substance And Behavioral Addictions, Elise Stephanie Edwards

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This dissertation examined the relationship between personality traits and addiction to legal substances and behaviors. Speranza et al. (2012) found that people who were addicted to illegal substances had similar personality traits, such as impulsivity and sensation-seeking. In addition, substance addiction has also been found to have a relationship with negative affect (Davis, Cohen, Davids, & Rabindranath, 2015). This study applied these findings to addictions of legal substances and behaviors. Caffeine and Internet addiction were specifically analyzed due to their common excessive use in this modern world (Marsh, Snell, Allen, & Wakefield, 2001; Karim & Chaudhri, 2012). Participants were selected …

Assessment Of Likelihood Of A School Shooting Incident, W. Joseph Wyatt

Psychology Faculty Research

After considering the profiles of several shooters, consideration is given to the efficacy of using a profile to predict future shooting incidents.

An Evaluation Of A Middle School's Bully Prevention Program, Jennifer Lynn Frazier

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examines the effectiveness of a positive behavior support intervention program on the behavior of students in a middle school in a rural county in southern West Virginia. The study used a Pretest-Intervention-Posttest design using a single group of subjects across the span of four academic school years. The researcher measured the frequency of Office Discipline Referrals (ODR’s) pre and post intervention to determine if the intervention program was effective in improving bullying behavior. Data were analyzed using the Chi Square statistic. Results indicated an increase in total ODR’s post-intervention.

Evaluations Of Apologies: The Effects Of Apology Sincerity And Acceptance Motivation, Ida Hatcher

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The present study examined the effects of apology sincerity and acceptance motivation on the facilitation of forgiveness of a transgression. Eighty-five undergraduates (26 males, 59 females) were randomly assigned to an Accepted Apology or a Rejected Apology condition. Participants wrote a detailed description of a situation in which they had experienced a transgression, the transgressor apologized, and they decided to accept or reject the apology. After completing their written descriptions, participants responded to a series of questions about the incident including their relationship with the transgressor, the time elapsed between the transgression and apology, the method of communication used to …

Parental Cognitive Factors And Treatment Choices For Externalizing Behavior Problems, Danielle R. Hemmings

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Understanding the relationship between parental cognitive variables and outcomes related to the treatment of externalizing disorders has received limited attention in the research literature. The present study was completed in order to determine whether the parental cognitive variables of self-efficacy or locus of control were related to the level of involvement parents had in addressing their child’s behavior problems. It was hypothesized that a) parents with external locus of control would be likely to be less involved in their child’s treatment than parents with a more internal locus of control and b) that parents with low parental self-efficacy would be …

The Relationship Between Parental Sense Of Competence And Parental Descriptions Of Behavior And Treatment, Rebecca Denning

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Although the literature has paid significant attention to treatments addressing externalizing behavior disorders, it has given less attention to the role of parental factors on treatment outcomes. This study used a qualitative methodology consisting of thirty semi-structured interviews with parents whose children had been in treatment for externalizing behavior problems for at least a month to examine how variations in parental sense of competence and self-efficacy are related to the ways in which parents describe their child’s behaviors, their response to behaviors, their investment in treatment, and their attribution of treatment outcomes. Thematic differences between participants with high parental sense …

Ethical Issues In The Provision Of Online Mental Health Services, Donna M. Midkiff, W. Joseph Wyatt

Psychology Faculty Research

A number of ethical and legal implications of on-line therapy [e-Therapy] are examined. e-Therapy is defined and its strengths and weaknesses listed. Specific ethical issues addressed include boundaries of competence, basis in science, avoidance of harm, confidentiality, avoidance of false or deceptive statements, media presentations, testimonials, solicitation of clients, fees and informed consent. Legal issues are discussed including the issue of interstate eTherapy. As a necessary measure to protect the public, the profession and the practitioner, it is recommended that federal legislation be enacted, informed by the American Psychological Association based upon APA's review of other disciplines’ (e.g., medicine) e-Practice …

The Influence Of College Students’ Perception Of Parental (Or Primary Caregiver) Expectations On Coping Behavior And Adjustment In Early Adulthood, Jessica Smith

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

While some research has examined how parental expectations affect educational achievement, there is very little known about how parental expectations affect the development of coping skills and adaptive and maladaptive psychosocial functions. Participants were asked to complete a measure of their abilities in academics, sports, leadership, honesty, responsibilities, among other things. Then, they completed a measure of what they perceived their parents’ expectations of those areas were. Lastly, they completed the Behavioral Assessment System for Children-College Self Report of Personality form as a measure of adaptive and maladaptive functioning. The goals of this study are to investigate 1) if participants' …

A Behavior Analytic Look At Contemporary Issues In The Assessment Of Child Sexual Abuse, W. Joseph Wyatt

Psychology Faculty Research

The assessment of child sexual abuse has largely been ignored by behavior analysts, although behavior analytic theory and methodology, if applied, likely would advance the field. Three classic cases demonstrate historic errors that might have been avoided, had a behaviorally based approach been employed. Functional analytic interpretations are provided for phenomena that have been explored in a representative sample of studies that, though empirical, do not appear in the behavioral literature. Specific recommendations for practice, and a call for greater involvement of behavior analysis, are presented.

Analysis Of Impulsive Behaviors Among Prison Inmates Convicted Of Violent Crimes, Inmates Convicted Of Non-Violent Crimes And Undergraduate College Students, Lonnie Kishpaugh Sr.

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Sudden explosive episodes of rage and human aggression by individuals occur daily in our society. While impulsive aggressive behavior is included in several established psychological disorders, the etiology of such behavior has been widely debated.

This study tested the hypotheses that prison inmates who have committed violent crimes were no more likely to exhibit impulsive behavior, than like numbers of prison inmates who had committed non-violent crimes, or college students who have no criminal record. Groups of 20 each of the respective populations were randomly administered the Kipnis Impulsiveness Scale in accordance with instructions from the manual.

With an alpha …

Love Attitudes: A Developmental Process In First Time Fathers, Dennis Klenowski

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Thirty-four first time expectant fathers age 20 to 38 were individually administered a set of behavior and attitude assessments during the first, second, and third trimesters of their wives pregnancy. This particular study focused on the Love Attitudes Scale. Research indicates that fathers are expected to go through behavior and attitude changes during their wives pregnancy due to several possible reasons like stress, an unhappy marriage, or love development. The main objective of this study was to measure whether or not first time expectant fathers experienced any significant attitude changes during the pregnancy. A second objective was examining if certain …

Attitudinal And Behavioral Changes Demonstrated By Expectant Fathers As Measured By The Index Of Self Esteem, Terry G. Savage

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Thirty married men who were expecting their first child were tested in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy with the Index of Self Esteem to see if the subjects experienced a significant drop in self esteem during the course of pregnancy. The current study focused on the attitudinal and behavioral changes in the subjects as measured by the index of self-esteem. A decrease in self-esteem of the expectant fathers was not found, however the lack of diversity within the sample may account for the results. It would be necessary to conduct more extensive research to be more representative …

Behavioral Change In First Time Expectant Fathers' Aggression, Helen V. Davis

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Thirty-two first time expectant fathers, 23-38 years of age, were recruited on a voluntary basis. They were tested on several behavioral measures throughout the course of their wives’ pregnancy. The Aggression Inventory (AI) was utilized during the first and third trimesters of the pregnancy in order to determine whether or not men become more aggressive over the course of a woman’s pregnancy. A two-way repeated measure Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was utilized. The Wilks’ Lambda Multivariate test of effect for time yielded an F of .186. At an alpha level of .05, it was not significant. The Wilks’ Lambda multivariate …

Gender And Parenting Stress Using Abidin's Parenting Stress Index, K. Penny Nicholls

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The effect of gender on parenting stress was studied on a sample of 56 parents at the time of custody disputes. Each pair of parents completed the Parenting Stress Index or the Parenting Stress Index/Short Form. Results were not significant when gender was matched to the total parent stress scores, indicating parent child stress was not associated with parent gender as was found in previous research.

The Effects Of Anxiety Management And Study Skills Training On Test Anxiety In College Students, Karen Carter-Harvey

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study measured the effects of anxiety management and study skills training on test anxiety in college students. Twenty-one college students from two sections of Introductory Sociology were involved in the study. The Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) and exam scores were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. Pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test measures were obtained. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated no significant difference on TAI scores or exam scores between the control and experimental groups. Recommendations for further research are given.

Comparing Aggression Between Young-Adult And General Admission Patients In A State-Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital, Jill Kridle

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Because of the inherent danger surrounding violence, aggression studies are particularly important for those working in a health care setting. A constant variable in aggression studies that poses many risk factors is age. This study examined characteristics of aggressors contained on state psychiatric hospital, located in West Virginia. Included on the unit was the neo-adult program and some general admission patients. The study evaluated all aggressors on the unit between September 1997 and August 1998. Comparisons were made to distinguish any possible differences or similarities between the two groups. The results indicated some differences relating to age of aggressor. Young-adult …

The Gordon Personal Profile-Inventory As A Selection Instrument, Patrick Y. Fisher

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The present study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of the Gordon Personal Profile Inventory (GPP-I) selection instrument in predicting success of applicants at a behavioral health center. Case managers (N = 47; 15 = males, 32 = females) served as subjects and completed the GPP-I. Each subject had a total of nine personality scale scores. The scales were Ascendancy, Responsibility, Emotional Stability, Sociability, Cautiousness, Original Thinking, Personal Relations, Vigor, and Self-Esteem. Each scale score was converted into a percentile score and correlated with the subject’s most recent performance evaluation score. Based upon results of correlation and regression analyses it …

Predicting Direct Care Staff Tenure: The Development And Use Of A Weighted Application Process, Jimmy Beirne

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The following study examined the ability of a weighted application process to predict tenure of employees working at a behavioral health center. Because the company considered the application process a three month period, the weighted application instrument included information from the application form and data taken from the first three months of employment (personal history information, training data and performance appraisal data). The job applicants employed with the company less than eight months were considered low tenure employees. The job applicants employed with the company longer than eight months were considered high tenure employees. Application instrument weights were created and …

0482: Dr. Walter Freeman's Papers From Huntington State Hospital, 1897-1984, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

Please note: this collection does not contain individual patient hospital records or records about individuals who stayed here. The items in this collection come from a specific doctor who worked here and his research.

This collection consists of historical materials from the Huntington State Hospital during the period 1897 through 1984. The collection includes correspondence of hospital personnel and patients, administrative records, newspaper clippings, and a large number of photographs. Significant to the collection are files relating to transorbital lobotomies performed by Dr. Walter Freeman in the early 1950's as part of a larger lobotomy project in West Virginia. The …