Digital Commons Network^™

Attributional Style, Depression And School Mobility : Assessing The Impact On Academic Achievement, Anne Grey

Theses : Honours

Academic achievement can impact on psychological wellbeing and can have a profound impact on later educational and vocational opportunities. Failure to achieve well academically has been associated with a number of factors including depression, a pessimistic explanatory style and mobility. There is evidence too to suggest that the impact of these variables is greater on younger boys and older girls. One hundred and eight students (54 M, 54 F) from two Catholic metropolitan schools took part in this study into the impact of depressive symptomatology, attributional style and school mobility on academic achievement. It was hypothesised that lower levels of …

Mothers Coping With Multigenerational Sexual Abuse : Case Studies Within Feminist/Ecological Systems Frameworks, Tracey L. Caporn

Theses : Honours

This study aimed to identify the needs of mothers when they were indecisive (immobilized) about believing or protecting their child who had been sexually abused, taking into consideration that they had also been sexually abused in childhood (multigenerational abuse) and that their ecological contexts may have also played a role. Four Mothers were recruited from an agency dealing in abuse issues. Case studies were compiled after recording a qualitative conversational, semi-structured interview (Burgess-Limerick & Burgess-Limerick, 1998), using questions derived from the literature. Discourse analysis identified that abused mothers believe and act to protect their children within minutes to hours of …

Peer Social Networks After The Transition To Secondary School : Adolescents' Perspectives, Angela E. Rowland

Theses : Honours

The transition from primary to secondary school has a considerable impact upon the social and academic lives of adolescents. An adolescent's sense of belonging (SoB) is important for determining school satisfaction and success during this transition. As SoB is partly developed through an individual's peer social network, this study explored the peer social networks for adolescents who have a SoB. Using the Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale (Goodenow, 1993a), five females and three males with a high SoB completed sociological maps and participated in interviews in order to determine the structure and function of their peer social networks. …

A Critical Exploration Of The School Context For Young Adolescents Completing Primary Education [Thesis], Sasha A. Stumpers

Theses : Honours

Recent research suggests that students' classroom engagement, increased academic effort, and subsequent success or failure arc not only influenced by individual differences in skills and pre-dispositions, but also by the school context. However, there is a need to further investigate the school context in relation to the well-being of the collective through concepts such as power and control. Therefore, this research sought to critically explore young adolescents' perceptions and experiences of their school context. Furthermore, how year seven students experience their school prior to the transition into high school was investigated. Using a semi-structured interview schedule, 8 male and 7 …

Prisoners' Coping And Use Of Family Support, And Impact Of The Visiting Experience For Families, Lois F. Lange

Theses : Honours

This review was focussed on three areas (1) theoretical concepts of stress, coping and social support; (2) explanations for the patterns of prisoners' perceptions of their support-seeking behavior; and (3) the impact on families providing support. Prisoners' patterns of support seeking in the prison environment appear more consistent with hierarchical organisations than the domestication model of unit management. For stressful, uncontrollable situations, emotional support is sought from families, who are difficult to access. The family obligation to provide the free service of support to prisoners has implications for prison management and policy. Priorities for future research are (1) the impact …

Suggestions Regarding Cross-Cultural Environment As Context For Aging And Human Development In Non-Western Cultures, Frank E. Eyetsemitan

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

An individual's aging and human development always occur within a particular cultural context, but given the dominance of Western culture, the environment of non-Western societies is cross-cultural - it includes not only a non-Western dimension, but also Global and Western dimensions. The Western dimension is made up of those characteristics associated with Western societies, which are now found in non-Western societies, for example, Western education, healthcare services, and industrialization. The non-Western dimension, on the other hand, is made up of those attributes that are indigenous to the people, e.g., traditional healing. The Global dimension is characterized by standards that all …

Treatment Acceptability For The Prevention Of Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Effects Of Ethnicity, Weight, And Genetic Predisposition, Jean Marie Thaw

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Childhood obesity and its associated health consequences, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, have dramatically increased over the past 30 years, with the greatest rise in African-American female children and adolescents. Although current prevention efforts show promising results, recent genetic findings may soon expand treatment strategies to include new medications and gene therapies specifically designed to prevent the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes in children. However, little is known about the acceptability of these interventions. The primary aim of this study was to examine the hypothetical impact of genetic knowledge on treatment acceptability in the prevention of childhood …

Control Of Food Intake And Body Weight Following Smoking Cessation In Premenopausal Women, Jamie Lynn Neal

LSU Master's Theses

Women experience more weight gain than men postcessation and are more aware of nicotine’s weight suppressing effects than men. Postcessation weight gain in women can be largely accounted for by significant increases in high fat foods from pre- to postcessation. Overeating found in the luteal phase, further compounds the increased caloric intake found postcessation. Few studies have evaluated the long-term effects of smoking cessation on macronutrient content and weight gain; and most have relied on self-report data. This study used the Macronutrient Self-Selection Paradigm (MSSP) and Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) to assess food intake in 17 women in the luteal …

Television And Video Game Violence: Age Differences And The Combined Effects Of Passive And Interactive Violent Media, Kelly Stephen Meyers

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The present research examined the combined effects of violent video games and violent TV programs on third and sixth-grade boys’ thoughts and behavior. In individual sessions, demographic information about the children’s television viewing and video game playing habits was collected. Participants were exposed to one of six following media conditions for 15 minutes; a) watch a violent (wrestling) or a non-violent video segment (basketball), b) play a violent or a non-violent game, or c) watch a violent or non-violent video segment and then play a video game containing the same characters and content. The potential for violent media to prime …

Aspects Of Cognition In Human Mate Selection, Michael J. Stasio

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Evolutionary perspectives on human mating have provided testable hypotheses regarding what qualities people desire in their mates and why they want them. One study was conducted to replicate previous findings in mate preference using a more sophisticated paired comparison methodology to develop scales. Paired comparison scaling generally replicated gender differences in mate preferences consistent with evolutionary predictions. Further, decision-making reaction time (ms) suggested the presence of an underlying psychological continuum of selection criteria. A series of studies were then conducted applying the information processing approach (IPA) to investigate attention and knowledge organization in mate preference. The dot-probe paradigm was used …

Useful Field Of View Of An Indicator Of Accident Risk: Results From A College Sample, Jeffrey James Schneider

LSU Master's Theses

Driving is an important part of daily life in our society. Neurocognitive deficits acquired from a head injury can affect driving ability. Determining when it is safe for a person recovering from a head injury to return to the road can often be difficult. With the risk involved in an on-the-road driving evaluation, effective measures are needed to determine when patients are ready to be evaluated. Some neuropsychological measures have shown promise in this area. The Useful Field of View (UFOV) is one test that has been used successfully with older drivers to predict accident risk. Research has also been …

In Defense Of Malingering: A Cautionary Note, Dennis R. Dixon

LSU Master's Theses

The simulation and exaggeration of job related injury symptoms is a significant problem in the Workers' Compensation system. The result of simulation and exaggeration is the inappropriate allotment of financial resources to workers whose actual injuries do not warrant such compensation. Psychology as a field has done much research in the past years to address the detection of malingering. Most of that focus has viewed malingering behavior as a personal choice, as well as being indicative of a character flaw. However, the degree to which external factors such as work conditions increase the likelihood of an individual malingering has received …

Prevention Of Eating Disorders In Athletes: An Intervention For Coaches, Brooke L. Whisenhunt

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Research has found that athletes, particularly those involved in "aesthetically-oriented" sports, are at increased risk for engaging in unhealthy weight reduction practices and developing clinical eating disorders. Prevention studies of eating disorders have had some success, but there are very few published studies that address prevention in athletes. This study was designed as an eating disorders prevention program that targeted coaches as change agents. Cheerleading coaches at national or regional conferences attended an intervention workshop or a control workshop. Coaches who attended the intervention workshop received information regarding nutrition, eating disorders, and ways to manage athletes with eating disorders. They …

The Matson And Mayville (M&M) Seizure Scale: An Assessment Of Psychological And Environmental Variables Contributing To Seizure Activity In Persons With Mental Retardation, Erik Andrew Mayville

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Seizure activity can be debilitating across a number of physical, social, occupational, and personal domains. Given the deficits in all of these areas frequently present in persons with mental retardation, the control and elimination of seizures is a primary goal for individuals with both mental retardation and epilepsy. Antiepileptic medication can reduce seizure activity. However, this intervention often carries with it a range of untoward side effects that may adversely affect clients over what is typically a long-term treatment regimen. Over the last 20 years, literature has emerged emphasizing the importance of environmental variables in the initiation and maintenance of …

Effects Of A Screening Instrument And Parent Handouts On Physicians Recognition And Intervention Of Childrens Behavioral And Emotional Problems, Heather Rech Applegate

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the effects of a screening instrument and parent handouts on pediatric residents' recognition and intervention of children's behavioral and emotional problems. Four pediatric residents and 52 parent-child dyads attending a pediatric primary care clinic participated in the study. A multiple baseline design across residents was used. The effects of the interventions were assessed by measuring ten target behaviors of the pediatric residents. After being trained to use the screening instrument, residents' increased the number and variety of questions they asked regarding behavioral and emotional issues. Attempts at intervention by the residents showed small but reliable increases when …

Identifying And Building On Strengths Of Children With Serious Emotional Disturbances, Michael Orval Taylor

Dissertations and Theses

The aim of this study is to explore strengths assessments and the participation of parents in assessment of strengths and functioning of their children challenged by serious emotional disorders. The children in this study have a high level of exposure to mental illness, domestic violence and substance abuse in their biological families. These children are living with family members or foster families in the community, with the majority at continuing risk of placement outside of their homes and communities due to serious emotional and behavioral problems.

The research questions investigated are the concordance of families and professionals in assessment of …

Somatic Complaints And Health Care Utilization In Children Exposed To Violence, Kellie Ann Hilker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the United States, violence has been referred to as a public health epidemic and violence exposure of our youth is a particularly serious national concern. Numerous negative outcomes are associated with both child victimization and violence exposure including externalizing problems, internalizing symptoms, and poor academic performance. Somatic complaints, which have been associated with internalizing symptoms, have been found as well; however, physical complaints have not been studied in depth. Additionally, health care utilization is an area that is not widely studied in pediatric psychology, but positive associations between posttraumatic stress disorder and increased health care utilization has been found …

The Role Of Initial Coping Strategies On Subsequent Appointment Attendance In Individuals With Hiv: A Longitudinal Analysis, Deann Morris Johnson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With advances in HIV treatment regimens, HIV has become a treatable chronic illness that requires extensive clinical management (Kelly, Otto-Salaj, Sikkema, Pinkerton, & Bloom, 1998). Nonadherence to HIV medical regimens is a primary reason for treatment failure. HIV medication regimens are complicated and require extensive time and effort from the patient (Friedland & Williams, 1999). Since the effectiveness of HIV medication regimens can be severely limited by poor adherence, much research has been conducted regarding the influence of psychosocial factors in adherence. However, this research has primarily focused on medication adherence and has not investigated psychosocial aspects associated with other …

Relationship Between Neuropsychological Deficits And Cerebral Perfusion Abnormalities In Cocaine Abusers, Karen A. Tucker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between the severity of cocaine/alcohol use, neuropsychological functioning, and cerebral blood flow abnormalities. Cocaine users (n = 60) and control subjects (n = 13) were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests that yielded the following factors: Attention/Executive Functioning, Memory, Simple Motor, and Sensorimotor. Participants were assessed for decreased cerebral blood flow with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Examination of group differences indicated that cocaine users performed significantly worse than controls on the Memory and Sensorimotor factors. The frequency/duration of cocaine use, alcohol use, and a combination of both substances were …

Temporal, Perspectives, Dispositional Styles, And Subjective Well-Being, Mary Naeger

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study investigated the relationship between time perspective (TP) and the personality dispositions of optimism, pessimism, and realism with regard to their proposed influence on three measures that collectively assessed subjective well-being (SWB). The Depression-Happiness Scale (McGreal & Joseph, 1993) assessed happiness or the presence of positive affect and the absence of negative affect, the cognitiveaffective components of SWB. The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985) provided the measurement of subjective life satisfaction, the essential final cognitive-judgmental component of SWB. The Life Orientation Scale-Revised (LOT-R) (Scheier, Carver, and Bridges, 1994) and a Reality Scale, composed …

Can Meaningful Effective Connectivities Be Obtained Between Auditory Cortical Regions?, M S Gonçalves, D A Hall, Ingrid Johnsrude, M P Haggard

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Structural equation modeling (SEM) of neuroimaging data can be evaluated both for the goodness of fit of the model and for the strength of path coefficients (as an index of effective connectivity). SEM of auditory fMRI data is made difficult by the necessary sparse temporal sampling of the time series (to avoid contamination of auditory activation by the response to scanner noise) and by the paucity of well-defined anatomical information to constrain the functional model. We used SEM (i.e., a model incorporating latent variables) to investigate how well fMRI data in four adjacent cortical fields can be described as an …

Understanding The Relationship Between Religiosity And Marriage: An Investigation Of The Immediate And Longitudinal Effect Of Religiosity On Newlywed Couples, Kieran T. Sullivan

Psychology

The association between religiosity and marital outcome has been repeatedly demonstrated. However, a complete understanding of this relationship is hindered by theoretical and methodological limitations. The purpose of the current study was to test three explanatory models by assessing two samples of newlywed couples. Findings indicate that religiosity is associated with attitudes toward divorce, commitment, and help-seeking attitudes cross-sectionally. Longitudinal effects, however, are most consistent with a moderating model, wherein religiosity has a positive impact on husbands, and wives' marital satisfaction for couples with less neurotic husbands, and a negative impact for couples with more neurotic husbands. Overall, the impact …

A Study Of Native American Ged Graduates At Four Tribal Community Colleges In North Dakota, Karen Starr Gillis

Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the General Educational Development (GED) graduates of four tribal colleges in North Dakota. The purpose was to provide answers to five research questions and to determine baseline data on Indian education in an area not fully studied. The study will assist in closing the gap between research already conducted with Hispanics and African American populations.

The study accumulated data on participants in GED programs at the four adult education and/or testing centers at the tribal colleges in North Dakota for the years 1990–1999. The participants were analyzed using a set of variables that was specific to …

Refugee Experiences Of Trauma And Ptsd Effects On Psychological, Physical, And Financial Well-Being, Karen J. Cusack

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Study Of The Effect Of Group Family Play On Family Relations For Families With Children Considered At-Risk For Educational Failure, Carmen Colleen Baldus

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Comparison And Generalization Of Behavioral And Cognitive-Behavioral One-Session Exposure Treatments For Small Animal Phobias, Ellen I. Koch

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Involvement Of Females As Authors, Editors, And Participants In Journals Concerned With Mental Retardation And Related Topics, Cari L. Porter

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Intellectual Test Performance Across Native American And European American Children, Austin P. Keith

Theses and Dissertations

Differential scoring across Native American and European .American groups on the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children - Third Edition (WISC-IIi) was examined while controlling for Full Scale IQ and age. Comparisons were made across the groups on Verbal IQ and Performance IQ, individual subtests, individual subtest items and two composite index scores. Results indicated no significant scorino differences between the two groups on Performance IQ or, on the Perceptual Organization Index, Significant scoring differences were also not evident on the Coding, Picture Arrangement, Arithmetic, Block Design, Vocabulary-, Object Assembly and Comprehension subtests. Significant scoring differences were found across the groups …

Value For Diversity: An Investigation Of Diversity Climate, Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, And Intent To Leave, Quionna Caldwell

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This research examined the relationships of diversity climate via organizational fairness and organizational inclusion (Mor Barak et al., 1998) and job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intent to leave. Further, personal value for diversity was investigated as a moderator of those relationships. The participants included 202 African American women affiliated with a national sorority. The mean age and years of experience was 29.62 and 4.33, respectively. Data were collected electronically using an Internet site hosting the survey questions. The present study provides evidence that diversity climate positively affects job satisfaction and affective commitment, and negatively affects intent to leave. In addition, …

The Effect Of Cultural Affiliations On Attitudes, Beliefs, And Reactions To The Fighting Sioux Nickname Issue Between Northern Plains American Indian And Majority Culture College Students, Angela Larocque

Theses and Dissertations

The main puqjo.sc of this study was to compare the effect of cultural affiliation on altitudes, beliefs, and reactions to the Fighting Sioux Nickname and logo issue for 60 Nonhem Plains American Indian college students and 61 non-Indian college students at the University of North Dakota. Subjects completed a demographic questionnaire and the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux Nickname Attitudes, Beliefs, and Reactions (UNDFSNABR) survey. In addition, American Indian subjects completed the Nonhem Plains Bicuhuralism Inventory (NPBI), Using the Northern Plains Biculluralisin Inventory (NPBI) to identify cultural identification among American Indian participants, the hypotheses of the current study were;: …