Educational Psychology Commons^™

Expanding The Social-Ecological Framework Of Bullying Among Youth: Lessons Learned From The Past And Directions For The Future [Chapter 1], Susan M. Swearer Napolitano, Dorothy L. Espelage

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

When the first edition of this book was published in 2004, we argued that bullying had to be studied across individual, peer, family, school, community, and cultural contexts. Like discrimination, bullying is a complex phenomenon, with multiple causal factors and multiple outcomes. We and other authors have continued to frame bullying among school-aged youth from this social ecological perspective. Drawing a parallel to discriminatory behavior, research on bullying has established that bully perpetration includes physical and verbal behavior within an affective framework (i.e., the intent to harm). Bullying comprises a complex set of antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. The reasons why …

Skill Versus Will: An Investigation Of A Relationship Between Motivation To Read, Oral Reading Fluency, And Demographics For Third-Grade Elementary Students, Stephanie Lee Embrey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the demands of the No Child Left Behind legislation to utilize research-based instructional practices and teach all children to read by the end of third grade, teachers find themselves going beyond teachers' editions and curriculum guides to the research on best reading practices. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental cross-sectional correlational study was to examine the strength and direction of the relationship between motivation to read, oral reading fluency, and demographics for third-grade elementary students (N=112). An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to quantitatively analyze archival data to assess the relationship between motivation to read, oral reading fluency, …

The Evolution Of The African American Mother-Daughter Relationship: A Grounded Theory Study, Toneka R. Etienne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The mother-daughter relationship holds a special place in the lives of African American women, given the rich history of women of African descent and the complexities of female relationships. However, few studies have discussed the evolution of this relationship and what it means in the lives of African American mothers and daughters. Using relational-cultural theory (RCT) and Black feminist theory, this qualitative grounded theory study described the experiences and evolution of the African American mother-daughter relationship. A sample of 10 mother-daughter dyads was interviewed together about their relationship. Research questions addressed how African American mothers and daughters define, maintain, and …

The Impact Of Personalization-Based Tailored Instructional Communications On College Student Persistence, Nichole Gibbs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The low graduation rate of degree-seeking students at public community colleges is an important crisis facing communities across the United States. College satisfaction and withdrawal cognitions in students have been identified as key factors in college persistence by researchers. However, a review of the literature revealed no study in which a college-persistence intervention based on the personalization principle theory or using tailored messages has been conducted. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a college-persistence intervention, based on the personalization principle theory and Mashburn's theory, for students at a community college. This study used between-groups experimental …

A Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Unique Experience Of Male Elementary Teachers, Alberta N. Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The percentage of male teachers is at its lowest number in 40 years. The problem is that fewer males are choosing elementary teaching as a career choice. As a result, many elementary students rarely see a male teacher during their formative education years. This issue is a concern for superintendents, college of education deans, recruiters, school administrators, and parents whose children are not being exposed to a diverse teacher workforce that includes male elementary teachers. The purpose of this study was to better define and understand the unique experiences of male elementary teachers in today's classroom. The conceptual framework for …

The Effects Of Principal Leadership Behavior On New Teachers' Overall Job Satisfaction, Sherree L. Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition has become a concern at local, state, and national levels. As a result, a number of researchers have examined the factors that affect teacher job satisfaction and retention. However, in spite of all the efforts in research to find a solution, problems associated with teacher attrition have not significantly improved. This study was developed to examine new teachers' job satisfaction as based on their perceptions of principals' transformational and transactional leadership behaviors. Hezberg, Maunser, and Snyderman's 2-factor theory and Burns's and Bass's transformational and transactional leadership theory guided the research questions. A convenience sample of 71 new teachers …

An Examination Of The Process Of Forgiveness And The Relationship Among State Forgiveness, Self-Compassion, And Psychological Well-Being Experienced By Buddhists In The United States, Masami Matsuyuki

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

The purpose of this study was to investigate the process of forgiveness and the relationship among state forgiveness, self-compassion, and psychological well-being experienced by Buddhists in the United States. An integral feminist framework was developed for this mixed-method study.

For the quantitative component of this study, a convenience sample of 112 adults completed an online survey. Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine: (a) the impact of gender, age, and the years spent in Buddhist practice on state forgiveness and self-compassion; (b) the outcome of psychological well-being in relation to state forgiveness and self-compassion; and (c) self-compassion as a mediator …

Evaluating The Effects Of A Job-Aid For Teaching Visual Inspection Skills To University Students, Candice M. Jostad

Dissertations

Visual inspection is the primary method of data analysis used in behavior analysis. Thus, it is important that behavior analysts have the skills necessary for accurate visual inspection. Research has shown that visual inspection can sometimes be unreliable, which has broad implications for the evaluation of treatment effects using this method. Traditional lectures have been shown to be ineffective in teaching visual inspection skills to a satisfactory level, although improvements in visual inspection have been accomplished using statistical methods and aids such as celeration lines superimposed on graphs. However, these methods are not effective when the aids are removed and …

A Proposed Theoretical Model Of Literacy Learning Using Multisensory Structured Language Instruction (Msli), Judith E. Rusinko

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Multisensory Structured Language Instruction has been used for decades by clinicians and practitioners as an intervention for teaching students with dyslexia. Multisensory Structured Language Instruction uses the integration of multiple senses (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile) simultaneously to teach literacy. Although the anecdotal evidence for Multisensory Structured Language Instruction is strong, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support its effectiveness. In addition, Multisensory Structured Language Instruction includes the foundational skills recommended by the National Reading Panel (2000), but the use of multiple senses to teach these skills has not been thoroughly studied. This theoretical dissertation focused on one element …

A Phenomenological Study Of Social Science Instructors' Assessment Practices For Online Learning, Cynthia S. Dietrich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Online learning has revolutionized higher education in the United States. In 2007, there were 3.9 million students taking at least 1 online course. Assessment in online instruction is a new experience for teachers because of the recent advent of online course delivery. Current research on online learning does not address instructor experiences with learning assessments. This gap may contribute to online instructors being inadequately prepared to teach online. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore online instructors' experiences with assessments in their undergraduate social science courses. The study was guided by constructivism as well as theories associated with …

Increasing Adolescents' Subjective Well-Being: Effects Of A Positive Psychology Intervention In Comparison To The Effects Of Therapeutic Alliance, Youth Factors, And Expectancy For Change, Jessica A. Savage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the variance in subjective well-being (SWB) of early adolescents (n = 54) exposed to a positive psychology intervention aimed at increasing positive affect and life satisfaction as well as decreasing negative affect through intentional activities (e.g., gratitude journals, acts of kindness, use of character strengths, optimistic thinking). Understanding how to increase SWB among youth is important because of its associations with positive indicators of psychological and academic functioning. However, prior research is limited regarding interventions targeting SWB in youth and excludes the relation of common factors of therapeutic change. Based on the literature regarding therapeutic change, youth …

Traditional Vs. Alternative Assessment Methodology In Iowa's Secondary Social Science Classroom, Jake Edward Hoversten

Honors Program Theses

This thesis is a product of an interest I had in classroom assessment as a future educator of Iowa. I wanted to know which types of assessments were being used in order to direct my own teaching practices. The purpose of this project is to determine the extent that alternative assessment is used compared to traditional assessment in Iowa's secondary social science classrooms. This project draws information from current educators and an array of other resources in order to determine the frequency of each method of assessment and the reasons behind any potential trends in methodology. This project reveals current …

Meta-Analysis Of The Relationship Between Collective Teacher Efficacy And Student Achievement, Rachel Jean Eells

Dissertations

Collective teacher efficacy is an emergent school level variable reflecting a faculty's collective belief in its ability to positively affect students. It has been linked in the literature to school achievement. This meta-analysis systematically synthesized results from 26 component studies, including dissertations and published articles, which reported at least one correlation between collective teacher efficacy and school achievement.

The research questions addressed the distribution of effect sizes for the relationship and the moderator variables that could explain any variance found among the studies. It was hypothesized that collective teacher efficacy would be strongly associated with subsequent student achievement, and that …

High School Teacher Attitudes Toward Implementing Positive Behavior Support Systems, Lauren Mcardle

Dissertations

Positive behavior support (PBS) is a systems change effort that entails explicitly teaching expected social behaviors and rewarding students for behaving appropriately. Additionally, PBS systems involve developing a hierarchy of consequences that are matched to the severity of behavioral infractions. While there is growing research support for the effectiveness of PBS systems in elementary and middle school settings, there is very limited research about positive behavior support implementation at the high school level. Preliminary studies suggest that teacher and staff buy-in and attitudes toward implementation practices are critical to implementation success at the high school level. Additionally, the some theoretical …

Children‘S Protagonism At The Centro Cultural Da Criança: A Case Study, Claudia Protasio Ceccon

Dissertations

This dissertation provides a thick description and discussion of how child protagonism, participation and autonomy were implemented in an out of school center – The Children‘s Cultural Center – in a favela, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The researcher visited the center for more than two years, twice a week from February 2008 to June 2009, and once a week from June 2009 to July 2010. She conducted in-depth interviews with educators and children, recorded observation sessions in the activity rooms, and observed actualization sessions for educators and family days. This study describes the perspectives and expectations of the Center‘s …

Parent Involvement And Academic Achievement, Patrick Andrew Lussenhop

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Research has shown that increasing parental involvement has a positive impact on the academic performance of students yet, for a variety of reasons, many schools struggle to get parents involved. Providing online data systems to communicate student progress with parents is one way schools may encourage parent involvement in their children's education. This study explores the relationship between parent use of an online data system and student academic achievement. Data from a Student Information System (SIS), including course grades, grade point average, attendance, and parent log-in information, was gathered over a four year period for a cohort of students from …

Effects Of Environmental Variables On Food Consumption, Denise Eslinger

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Overweight and obesity is a growing epidemic among adults, adolescents, and children in the United States. Since 1980, rates of obesity have doubled among adults and tripled among children, and college students are not immune to this trend. This may be due, in part, to portion sizes that exceed individuals' caloric needs. Although many studies have demonstrated that people's food consumption is highly influenced by environmental factors ( e.g., the size of a portion that is given), there has been very little theoretical work exploring the reasons for this influence. To determine if portion size would affect consumption when a …

The Impact Of Attachment Disorder On The Family And Child, Stephanie Durocher

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

John Bowlby's attachment theory suggests that based on their needs for protection, comfort and nurturance, infants form attachments with their primary caregivers. The initial relationships a person has with others will serve as a blueprint for all future relationships. This connection has a significant influence on every area of a person's life, including cognition, physical and emotional health, future relationships, education and development of values. When an infant's needs are met with inconsistency, abuse or maltreatment, the influence on a child's life and those caring for the child is widespread. This study sought to explore the impact caring for a …

A Comparison Of Bullying In Public And Private Schools In A Small Midwestern Community, Daniel J. Ryan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Little attention has been given to the possible differences in bullying at private and public schools. Little significant research exists on bullying at private schools, its characteristics, and its differences from public schools. Inattention to this segment of the population can lead to broad and inappropriate generalizations that what works in public schools will work in private schools. This dissertation investigated to what degree there were differences between the number of incidences, types of bullying, and locations of bullying that took place at a public and private school in a small Midwestern community. The research examined the following factors and …

The Positive Illusory Bias: Do Adhd Symptoms Differ Among Young Adolescents With Accurate Versus Discrepant Self-Perceptions?, Sarah A. Fefer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into whether inattentive, hyperactive/ impulsive, and depressive symptoms differ among young adolescents with negative, accurate, or positive self-perceptions of their academic and social competence. Current literature suggests that elementary-age children with ADHD display overly positive self-perceptions, often referred to as the positive illusory bias (PIB; Owens, Goldfine, Evangelista, Hoza, & Kaiser, 2007). Self-reports of academic and social self-concept were compared to teacher ratings and test scores for 164 middle school students in an effort to determine if the PIB was present within this sample. Inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms were found to …