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“Learning To Read With The Magic Seeds”: A Pilot Test Of A Parent Shared Reading Program, Mary Jean Strong Jan 2024

“Learning To Read With The Magic Seeds”: A Pilot Test Of A Parent Shared Reading Program, Mary Jean Strong

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study was a pilot study to assess the feasibility of “Learning to Read with the Magic Seeds,” a four-week shared reading program, and its effectiveness in changing parental beliefs about literacy. Two groups of parents of preschool-aged children with different demographics participated in the study. Parents completed the Parental Reading Beliefs Inventory prior to and after the four sessions. The first session included an introduction, assessments, and a conversation about literacy beliefs, practices in the home, and the importance of talk. Subsequent sessions focused on extending book talk, phonological awareness, and developing print awareness. During the session, the …


Promoting Caregiver Mental Health Literacy: A Pilot Study Of The Online Program “Mental Wellness At The Lake”, Erika Baylis Jan 2024

Promoting Caregiver Mental Health Literacy: A Pilot Study Of The Online Program “Mental Wellness At The Lake”, Erika Baylis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The mental health needs of children are growing in the United States. Caregiver’s mental health knowledge and attitudes about help-seeking can impede the awareness of help-seeking behaviors. The Baylis Model is a framework for caregivers to increase their mental health knowledge. This research is a pilot study to provide elementary caregivers with mental health knowledge to increase their awareness to access treatments for their children. Participants completed a pre-test to determine mental health knowledge to begin the study. A total of 14 families completed a 10-module course (Mental Wellness At The Lake) on canvas, a web-based learning management system. Throughout …


Adopting A Growth Mindset Approach To Interventions For Self-Regulation, Kelly A. Larson Jan 2023

Adopting A Growth Mindset Approach To Interventions For Self-Regulation, Kelly A. Larson

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Research continues to demonstrate self-regulation’s significance in almost all aspects of life, including but not limited to academic success and school adjustment. Incorporating a growth mindset into self-regulation may be a potential missing motivational component in school-based interventions. This pilot study assessed trends in survey results of whether a group of high school students who receive special education with noted difficulties in emotional regulation, organization, and consistent/timely work completion. The survey assessed whether they held a more fixed or growth mindset of self-regulation prior to intervention and whether those students' mindset of self-regulation moved towards a growth mindset of self-regulation …


Closing The Gap: Culturally Competent Consultations In Schools, Kimmely Mechelle Williams Jan 2023

Closing The Gap: Culturally Competent Consultations In Schools, Kimmely Mechelle Williams

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Poor academic achievement among minority students has historically been identified as one of the most pressing challenges of public education (Dorvil, 2011). However, even before the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) adoption, there has been a focus on what should be done to improve the academic achievement of the nation’s children. With each of its subsequent incarnations and legislative renaming, policymakers, educators, and researchers alike have sought to ensure that all children are afforded the opportunity to receive a high-quality education delivered by competent educators enabling them to reach predetermined but vaguely defined levels of proficiency. Despite best efforts, …


Parents Perception Of Teletherapy Use In Children, Beenish Rashid Jan 2023

Parents Perception Of Teletherapy Use In Children, Beenish Rashid

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Due to the demands of an ongoing pandemic, telehealth services have become increasingly popular particularly in the field of psychology. Teletherapy services are used on a regular basis by healthcare professionals and studies on teletherapy use in adults have shown that it is efficacious, convenient, and practical. However, prior to this study, there was a significant gap in literature about the use of teletherapy in children and adolescents. This study aimed to fill this gap in literature by providing data on how parents perceive teletherapy when compared to in-person therapy for their children. The data for this study was collected …


Exploration Of The School Mindfulness Project On The Executive Functions Of Elementary School Students, Jessica Brooke Savaiano Jan 2023

Exploration Of The School Mindfulness Project On The Executive Functions Of Elementary School Students, Jessica Brooke Savaiano

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between The School Mindfulness Project and the executive functions of elementary school students. Participants were teachers from an urban elementary school. Dependent t-tests were used to examine changes in executive functioning from pretest to posttest. The results did not show significant improvements in executive functions for the intervention group. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.


Critical Literacy: Meeting Twenty-First Century Literacy Demands For Adolescent Learners, Molly Blew Jan 2023

Critical Literacy: Meeting Twenty-First Century Literacy Demands For Adolescent Learners, Molly Blew

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Adolescents’ critical text interpretation skills are important to college, career, and citizenship demands. At present, the literature reflects concerns with adolescents’ ability to interpret academic and internet-based texts critically. The pedagogical framework of critical literacy is presented as an instructional approach that may support the development of adolescents’ critical text interpretation skills. The objective of this study was to understand the perceptions of secondary teachers concerning student proficiency in critical text interpretation, teachers’ current level of implementation of instructional practices consistent with the critical literacy framework, and perceived barriers to implementation. Three hundred thirty four (334) high school teachers were …


Participation In A Positive Education Curriculum And Symptoms Of Anxiety In Students, Aleida Silva-Garcia Jan 2023

Participation In A Positive Education Curriculum And Symptoms Of Anxiety In Students, Aleida Silva-Garcia

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Anxiety is among the most common mental health problems in children and adolescents in the United States (Bhatia & Goyal, 2018). Children and adolescents spend most of their day in the educational setting (Slemp et al., 2017). Positive education curricula may help students increase their well-being while increasing academic performance. This research aimed to determine the effectiveness of a positive education curriculum in lowering anxiety levels in high school students. In addition, this study investigated the relationship among anxiety, happiness, optimism, perseverance, and academic outcomes. Through an independent samples t-test, archival data were utilized to determine the relationship between participation …


School Guidance Counselor Perceptions On Reintegrating Students To School After Mental Health Treatment, Maddie Roxandich Jan 2023

School Guidance Counselor Perceptions On Reintegrating Students To School After Mental Health Treatment, Maddie Roxandich

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined the perspectives of school guidance counselors to determine current and best practices in planning and supporting student returns to school after absences for mental health reasons. The literature review highlights the sharp decline in adolescent mental health over the years, the rise in hospitalizations for mental health concerns, and the need for attention to school practices that support student mental health when a student requires hospitalization. The intent of this study was to build upon previous literature that examined practices existing in schools to help reintegrate students after absences. It sought to investigate whether schools have a …


The Impact Of Teacher’S Understanding Of Childhood Trauma And Trauma-Informed Classrooms On Perceived Barriers And Comfort In Implementing School-Based Trauma Informed Practice, Alyssa Henry Jan 2023

The Impact Of Teacher’S Understanding Of Childhood Trauma And Trauma-Informed Classrooms On Perceived Barriers And Comfort In Implementing School-Based Trauma Informed Practice, Alyssa Henry

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The impact of trauma on children has become an area of increased awareness, as research has demonstrated the consequences of traumatic experiences on academic, behavioral, and emotional success. Teachers have a unique opportunity to support intervention and facilitate relationships with children, in order to reduce the impacts of trauma on later outcomes. Research has demonstrated positive outcomes of students when teachers are provided direct training in trauma-informed intervention; however, there is little research on the knowledge teachers have from their training programs and professional development related to trauma and trauma-informed educations and the impact on their attitudes and perceptions in …


Perception Of The Need For And Implementation Of Mindfulness Programming In The Education Setting, Lindsay Kurtz Jan 2023

Perception Of The Need For And Implementation Of Mindfulness Programming In The Education Setting, Lindsay Kurtz

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined the perceptions of school personnel regarding implementing mindfulness within the educational setting. This study explored whether school personnel perceived a mindfulness program as having a positive impact on students’ well-being and staff well-being. This study also examined school personnel’s perception of time, resources, and training to implement a mindfulness program within the education setting. One hundred five school personnel who currently work in school settings in Delaware and Pennsylvania participated in this study by completing an online survey pertaining to this topic. Results indicated that the majority of school personnel perceived mindfulness as having a positive impact …


Creating Sanctuary Schools For Students Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kerri Newton Jan 2021

Creating Sanctuary Schools For Students Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kerri Newton

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this project is to develop a Guidebook for school systems on how to help students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) feel most safe when they are integrated into and participate in classrooms providing general education. The Sanctuary Model provides a framework that can be applied to school communities to address the unique needs of students diagnosed with autism. As a framework, it can provide these communities with a blueprint of how to encourage participation from students with autism so they too can benefit from learning how to identify not only their feelings but the feelings of …


The Map Reading Probe’S Effectiveness In Predicting Performance Within An Rtiisystem, Richard J. Scherr Jr Jan 2021

The Map Reading Probe’S Effectiveness In Predicting Performance Within An Rtiisystem, Richard J. Scherr Jr

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Public-school districts nationwide are utilizing student progress toward proficiency on state-wide achievement assessments as their means of monitoring student achievement. Of late, the three-tiered system of reading instruction and intervention (RtII) has shown the most promise to increase reading proficiency levels schoolwide. However, little research exists to support the use of the MAP reading probe within an RtII framework for advancing reading achievement. This study provides a statistical analysis of the use of MAP as a predictor of reading performance on statewide assessments in a suburban K-5 elementary school currently utilizing RtII as a means of advancing student achievement in …


The Development Of An Integrated Anger Management Protocol, Gerald W. Smith Jan 2021

The Development Of An Integrated Anger Management Protocol, Gerald W. Smith

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This thesis describes the rationale for and development of an anger management protocol that can be used with middle and high school students. The protocol is based primarily on the anger management work of Goldstein (1999) and Larson and Lochman (2002) integrated with the Holarchichal Model of Executive Functions (McCloskey, 2008). The protocol also integrates the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions model of Greene and Ablon (2001) and mediated learning principles. This integrated anger management protocol primarily draws upon internally based executive function interventions involving goal-setting and increasing self-awareness and self-realization. This thesis discusses the methodologies in developing the protocol, a …


The Role And Implications Of Executive Functions During The Transition To Middle School, Susan Niznik Jan 2021

The Role And Implications Of Executive Functions During The Transition To Middle School, Susan Niznik

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study analyzed the relationship between executive functions and academic performance in middle school. In particular, this study analyzed the relationship between BRIEF Index and Scale scores that were compiled on a group (N = 54) of seventh graders by two seventh-grade ELA teachers and the students’ final grades in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies. The results showed statistically significant correlations between most of the BRIEF Indexes and Scales and the final grades, with the Metacognitive Scales showing the highest correlations. In contrast, the results showed much higher incongruence index values than expected, given the high correlations that …


The Quality Of Life Of Maternal Caregivers Rearing A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A Single-Parent, Coupled, Or Extended Family Household, Alisa T. Cook Jan 2021

The Quality Of Life Of Maternal Caregivers Rearing A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A Single-Parent, Coupled, Or Extended Family Household, Alisa T. Cook

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study investigated the quality of life of 75 maternal caregivers rearing at least one child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a single-parent, coupled, or extended family (multi-adult) household. The purpose was to explore how rearing a child with ASD impacts maternal caregivers’ quality of life within different family dynamics and household structures. Quantitative measures, including surveys, were used for data collection. The results revealed personal life challenges, couples’ satisfaction, and perceptions of maternal caregivers’ while rearing at least one child with ASD within the physical health, psychological, social relationships, and environmental domains of their quality of life.


Resources For Higher Education Faculty: Development Of The Growth Mindset Curriculum For College Instructors, Angela Gwathney Jan 2021

Resources For Higher Education Faculty: Development Of The Growth Mindset Curriculum For College Instructors, Angela Gwathney

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Student’s implicit theories of intelligence within higher education influences their academic performance. A two-part study was conducted to assess educator’s implicit theory of intelligence within high academia. Participants in Study 1 included instructors within higher education institutions who have been administered a Google survey inquiring about their teaching pedagogies, personal characteristics, and demographic. Results indicated that faculty, in general, hold a growth mindset about their students but also hold some fixed mindset beliefs. In addition, there were few differences between instructors from Community Colleges vs Four-Year Institutions or between Public vs Private Institutions. These results suggest that students are no …


The Equivalency Of Digital And Paper-Based Administration Of The Wechsler Intellegence Scale For Children-Fifth Edition With Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Students, Kenneth Reimer Jan 2020

The Equivalency Of Digital And Paper-Based Administration Of The Wechsler Intellegence Scale For Children-Fifth Edition With Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Students, Kenneth Reimer

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study explored the equivalence of the digital and paper-based version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 5th Edition (WISC-V) with deaf and hard-ofhearing children. There are a number of psychological tests being administered using both paper and digital formats. There is currently no literature on the validity of using these new digital tests with deaf and hard-of-hearing children. This study used a repeated measures design in which deaf and hard-of-hearing participants took the Figure Weights and Matrix Reasoning subtests of the WISC-V in counterbalanced order. The study found no format effect for the Figure Weights subtest with this …


School Psychologist Self-Care Practices And Burnout Symptoms, Mary Jean Rainsford Jan 2020

School Psychologist Self-Care Practices And Burnout Symptoms, Mary Jean Rainsford

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

School psychologists face a host of responsibilities and stressors in their profession. Burnout is a common issue among school psychologists and other helping professionals. Self-care has been noted as a preventative measure against burnout, but there is little extant research on its relationship to burnout. A survey was conducted with currently practicing school psychologists in the United States to find a connection between the presence and frequency of self-care practice and burnout symptoms. The survey found considerable differences in burnout scores between school psychologists who reported practicing self-care, compared to those who did not. Moreover, significant inverse correlations were found …


Predictability Of Curriculum-Based Reading Measures For Statewide Test Performance, Rebecca Sarah Mark Jan 2019

Predictability Of Curriculum-Based Reading Measures For Statewide Test Performance, Rebecca Sarah Mark

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

National legislation has led to an increasing need for school districts to demonstrate student reading progress using performance on statewide achievement tests as indicators of growth. This study added to previous research on the effectiveness of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in predicting success on statewide reading achievement tests and determining whether a student is at-risk for poor performance on statewide tests. The current study analyzed the relationship between a CBM tool for assessing reading progress, the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), and a statewide reading assessment, the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA). This study compared the predictive …


Student Participation In School Sponsored Extra-Curricular Activities At The Elementary School Level And The Impact Of Student Engagement, Kirsten D. Myers Jan 2019

Student Participation In School Sponsored Extra-Curricular Activities At The Elementary School Level And The Impact Of Student Engagement, Kirsten D. Myers

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Getting students involved in their day to day educational processes is often challenging and, in some schools, systems appear almost unrealistic. Students in school do not often see the value of or make the connection with the importance of education. Students see movie stars such as Jennifer Lawrence drop out of school at fourteen, singers, rappers and others in the entertainment industry who are successful and make millions without an education. The potential of a YouTube posting, turning someone into a star looms in their imaginations and they think it could happen to them. Students today are even more enticed …


The Impact Program: Increasing Employability Skills Of High School Students Through Adventure Based Learning, Titina Finch Brown Jan 2019

The Impact Program: Increasing Employability Skills Of High School Students Through Adventure Based Learning, Titina Finch Brown

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

High school students face unique challenges following graduation such as the rising costs of post-secondary education, demands from employers for a highly skilled workforce, and the desire of employers to hire workers who are not only technologically proficient, but also effective communicators and team players. Soft skills have become a commodity to businesses. High schools find themselves more and more responsible for adequately preparing students for a rapidly changing economy. Engaging instruction in social motional learning (SEL) for secondary students is essential in preparing them for this transition. Research shows that Adventure Based Learning (ABL) could be the vehicle for …


Examining The Impact Of Educational Modules On Self-Care, Burnout, And Professional Impairment On Graduate And Medical Students, Samantha Giangrande Jan 2019

Examining The Impact Of Educational Modules On Self-Care, Burnout, And Professional Impairment On Graduate And Medical Students, Samantha Giangrande

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Graduate school is a time of academic rigor, personal growth, stress, change, fear, and confrontation. It is important for medical and other graduate students to prepare themselves to serve and treat their patients effectively. An important part of this involves learning skills to better manage challenges and demands through ongoing self-care. However, little research has examined what knowledge students have of self-care strategies and burnout or whether education about these constructs is lacking in higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of self-care and impairment modules for medical and other graduate students enrolled in an …


Do Teachers Participating In A Therapy Dog Program Perceive An Impact On Students’ Attitudes And Behaviors Toward Reading?, Jenna M. Dragani-Reagan Jan 2019

Do Teachers Participating In A Therapy Dog Program Perceive An Impact On Students’ Attitudes And Behaviors Toward Reading?, Jenna M. Dragani-Reagan

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

No abstract provided.


Working With Transgender And Gender-Variant Youth: Teacher Knowledge, Attitudes, And Perceived Competence, Charla J. Curtis Jan 2019

Working With Transgender And Gender-Variant Youth: Teacher Knowledge, Attitudes, And Perceived Competence, Charla J. Curtis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Despite the fact that research shows that access to supportive adults within the school is consistently associated with better outcomes for LGBTQ students (McGuire, Anderson, Toomey, & Russell, 2010; Kosciw et al., 2018), most teachers do not receive significant training—either preservice or post-certification—about some diversity issues, including gender and sexual orientation (Jennings, 2005). Consequently, many educators lack knowledge about transgender individuals, their needs, experiences, and the unique challenges they face. This survey study explored teachers’ perspectives about working with transgender and gender-variant children and adolescents. A total of 76 teachers in the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, serving students in public …


An Analysis Of Teachers’ Judgements Of Executive Capacities Between Male And Female Students, Carly Stranges Jan 2019

An Analysis Of Teachers’ Judgements Of Executive Capacities Between Male And Female Students, Carly Stranges

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

School systems function in a way determining that all students are expected to perform at a certain level based on the grade that they are in. Academic tasks involve many executive skills to be used at any given time, making it sometimes difficult to differentiate between specific executive strengths and weaknesses. Understanding a student’s challenges with executive control can lead to an understanding of places where additional help and support could be beneficial. The purpose of the present study is to examine gender differences in children’s and adolescents’ executive capacities, based on teachers’ ratings collected during the standardization of the …


Messages Of Meaning: African American Ethnic-Racial Socialization Practices Of Fathers And Paternal Definitions Of Academic Success, Sharon Coley-Wilson Jan 2019

Messages Of Meaning: African American Ethnic-Racial Socialization Practices Of Fathers And Paternal Definitions Of Academic Success, Sharon Coley-Wilson

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This research explores the unique experiences of African American fathers, their ethnic-racial socialization practices, definitions of academic success and the intersectionality of the three concepts. Through a semi-structured interview, the present study explored how African American fathers socialize their children to understand how being Black fits into the larger context of society. The primary focus is to explore what types of racial socialization messages are used, how they are delivered, and if/how the fathers’ academic expectations are a part of the conversations. Implications for how school systems can utilize African American fathers’ perspectives in supporting positive home-school collaboration and promoting …


Describing The Impact Of Low Socioeconomic Status On School Performance, Barry Linden Cropp Ii Jan 2019

Describing The Impact Of Low Socioeconomic Status On School Performance, Barry Linden Cropp Ii

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study used archival school data compiled during the 2017-2018 school year to analyze the impact of family income, as determined by student eligibility for free- or reduced-lunch benefits, on several measures of school performance. This study was based upon an investigation of the effects of income on three dependent variables: academic performance, school attendance, and need for behavioral management interventions. Participants included 165 male students in third through fifth grade who attended a single elementary school in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Indicators of school performance were derived from data routinely collected and maintained in students' cumulative …


Executive Capacities For Students Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Learning Disability, Kate Boccella-Perras Jan 2019

Executive Capacities For Students Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Learning Disability, Kate Boccella-Perras

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

All students in this study were rated by teachers with the McCloskey Executive Function Scale (MEFS) to identify executive function deficits (EFDs; not knowing when) and executive skill deficits (ESDs; not knowing how). Significantly larger proportions of students in the ADHD-diagnosed (ADHD) group than in the matched control group were rated by teachers as having either an EFD or an ESD within all seven self-regulation clusters, with more deficits identified within the Academic Arena than within the Self/Social Arena. In contrast, significantly larger proportions of students in the LD-classified (LD) group than in the matched control group were rated by …


Stress, Cognitive Distortions, Engagement In Self-Care, And Burnout In Psychology Graduate Students, Lauren Matturro Jan 2019

Stress, Cognitive Distortions, Engagement In Self-Care, And Burnout In Psychology Graduate Students, Lauren Matturro

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Psychology graduate students are tasked with finding a balance between academic responsibilities, clinical training, home life, time constraints, and financial concerns. These competing demands lead to stress, which is well documented in medical students with similar workloads, but understudied in psychology graduate students. Previous studies indicate that perceived stress can be linked to prevalence of an individual’s cognitive distortions. Additionally, stress within the human service fields often leads to burnout. Self-care is widely recognized as a preventative effort against developing burnout. However, as students have limited time, they may find engaging in self-care activities to be difficult. The purpose of …