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Characterization Of Cross-Genre Writing Skills In Children With And Without Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Role Of Language, Handwriting, And Cognitive Processing, Elizabeth Hilvert

Dissertations

It has been estimated that writing is one of the most significant academic problems for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with as many as 60% of children having a learning disability in writing (Mayes & Calhoun, 2008). The majority of evidence demonstrating this achievement gap, however, comes from research finding global writing deficits, using standardized tests. As a result, a number of questions remain about how the texts constructed by children with ASD specifically align or deviate from typical development. For instance, do these texts differ in terms of vocabulary, grammar, or structure? Are children with ASD better at …

For Better Or For Worse? Investigating The Meaning Of Change, Jaslyn English, Anne Wilson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

For most, change makes a regular appearance in everyday life and has the capacity to usher in excitement, growth, and chaos. Due to the variable nature of change, people may hold subjective definitions of what “change” typically means. Across four studies, we examine the possibility that there are meaningful individual differences in the dominant subjective definitions people hold about the nature of change. Study 1 and 2 investigated the spontaneous associations participants make when asked to think about change, and found that holding a positive or negative general view about change (as measured by the Nature of Change scale, developed …

Recovering From Workplace Offenses: Understanding The Roles Of Resilience And Forgiveness, Francisca Saldanha

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Workplace transgressions have been shown to have pervasive and detrimental consequences for employees and organizations. Given these negative consequences, past research has examined how managers and organizations can prevent transgressions from occurring in the first place (i.e., preventive approaches) and how transgressions can be fixed when they do eventually occur (i.e., remedial approaches). However, it is unlikely that transgressions can ever be fully eradicated from organizations and it is doubtful that providing remedies can fully redress the harm that was caused. Accordingly, it is important to complement the preventive and remedial approaches with a deeper understanding of how employees can …

Learning To Read In English: Vocabulary Knowledge, Phonological Awareness In Relation To Oral Reading Fluency In Chinese-English Bilinguals, Michelle (Ruyun) Huo

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Second language (L2) acquisition has received increasing interest due to the large number of people immigrating or learning an L2 (e.g., Statistics Canada, 2016). Word reading fluency has been found to be a strong predictor of text reading fluency and comprehension (Fuchs, Fuchs, Hosp & Jenkins, 2001). For people learning to read in L2, skills such as oral reading fluency serve as an indicator of overall reading competence in their L2. The current study examined oral reading fluency in relation to vocabulary knowledge, rapid naming (RAN) and phonological awareness in English and Mandarin in Chinese-English bilinguals. Participants included 40 Chinese-English …

Perception Of American–English Vowels By Early And Late Spanish–English Bilinguals, Miriam Baigorri, Luca Campanelli, Erika S. Levy

Publications and Research

Increasing numbers of Hispanic immigrants are entering the US and learning American–English (AE) as a second–language (L2). Previous studies investigating the relationship between AE and Spanish vowels have revealed an advantage for early L2 learners for their accuracy of L2 vowel perception. Replicating and extending such previous research, this study examined the patterns with which early and late Spanish–English bilingual adults assimilated naturally-produced AE vowels to their native vowel-inventory and the accuracy with which they discriminated the vowels. Twelve early Spanish–English bilingual, 12 late Spanish–English bilingual, and 10 monolingual listeners performed perceptual-assimilation and categorical-discrimination tasks involving AE /i,ɪ,ɛ,ʌ,æ,ɑ,o/. Early bilinguals …

License To Ill: Slang And Uncertainty As Motivational Accounts For Group Identification, Benny Chu

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

People use verbal communication with other group members as unique social identity markers. Individual’s word choices adjust and change based on the group to which the individual belongs. For example, regional slang allows for people to view themselves as a distinct group represented in a particular geographic location (e.g., Northern Californians and the term “hella”). As a result, when individuals recognize the informal language (slang) of their fellow group members, they should feel confident and included in their group. However, when individuals hear their peers communicate norms by using slang with which they are unfamiliar, it should create …

A Single-Subject Evaluation Of Facilitated Communication In The Completion Of School-Assigned Homework, Nancy A. Meissner

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Few projects have combined quantitative and qualitative approaches in the analysis of facilitated communication as did this study of a 17-year-old nonverbal autistic male responding to homework questions using facilitated communication. Findings were consistent with prior studies: Tim was minimally able to produce correct responses independent of facilitator influence under controlled conditions; whereas, at least some typed messages in the spontaneous narratives appear to be his authentic communications independent of facilitator control.

An overview of the history of facilitated communication, its related research, and the heated debates around its validity are presented. Disparate findings between controlled and non-controlled circumstances are …

Nonmonogamous Clients’ Experiences Of Identity Disclosure In Therapy, Viktoriya Fuzaylova

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Presented is a qualitative phenomenological investigation of the experiences and perspectives of individuals who self-identify as consensually nonmonogamous regarding disclosure of that identity in psychotherapy. Members of this rarely-studied group (n=10) shared their accounts through an anonymous open-ended online questionnaire. Their prompted autobiographical accounts were analyzed for recurring themes and unique concepts which were drawn together into a model of disclosure of a nonmonogamous identity in a therapeutic setting. This model suggests that while nonmonogamous clients expect prejudice from their therapists, their desire for personal integrity and their culturally informed conviction that openness is necessary for best results, often leads …

Self-Care And Self-Compassion Of Disaster Responders: Predictors Of Resilience, Marie F. Macedonia

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Every year, natural and human-made disasters occur around the world bringing chaos and destruction to unsuspecting populations. Disaster responders, both trained professionals and volunteers, rally from around the world to provide care, help, and support to survivors of these catastrophes. Responders operate often in tragic circumstances and are exposed to various stressors. Despite a large body of literature on self-care and growing research on self-compassion and their respective effects on resilience (Friborg et al., 2006; Germer & Neff, 2013; Leary, Tate, Adams, Allen, & Hancock, 2007; Roysircar, 2008) there exists no measure that assesses first responders’ self-care, self-compassion, resilience, and …

Addressing Mental Health Stigma In Korean Americans: Culturally Adapted Anti-Stigma Psychoeducation, Alice Lim

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Stigma is a major barrier to mental health service utilization and treatment adherence. Effective anti-stigma interventions have been identified using predominantly Caucasian research subjects. Participation in research studies by other racial and ethnic groups has been limited. This pilot study examined the external reliability of Wood and Wahl’s (2006) study, which examined the effectiveness of an anti-stigma program, In Our Own Voice (IOOV), by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) among predominantly Caucasian undergraduate students. An older Korean ESOL group in a Korean community center in New York City (N = 20) served as the participants in this study …

Feelings Of Enlightenment: A Hermeneutic Interpretation Of Latent Enlightenment Assumptions In Greenberg's Emotion-Focused Therapy, Alex A. Gomez

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore how a mainstream theory of psychological practice might inadvertently conceal and ignore contemporary values and ideologies and their pathological consequences. Through a hermeneutic approach, I interpreted Leslie Greenberg’s Emotion-focused therapy: Coaching clients to work through their feelings (2^nd ed), a popular and widely used theory in psychotherapy. As a practitioner with humanistic foundations, this was also an opportunity for the author to understand his own unexamined values as a therapist. Specific EFT constructs and concepts that reflected Enlightenment assumptions and values were examined. EFT was situated within Enlightenment philosophy, particularly …

Disclosure And Nondisclosure In Clinical Supervision: Negotiation Of The Learning/Vulnerability Paradox, Vanessa Jayne Leary

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Few studies have explored the long-term impact of nondisclosure and disclosure events on supervisee development and identity formation. This qualitative study explored the retrospective accounts of supervisee (non)disclosure experiences in clinical supervision as supervisees negotiated the learning/vulnerability paradox that accompanies disclosure. Through the use of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), six early career licensed clinical psychologists who completed their predoctoral internships between 3 and 5 years ago, graduated from an APA-accredited program, and who were actively practicing in the field of psychology were interviewed. Following interview transcription, I engaged in the process of convergent and divergent analysis in order to elicit …

Cultural Consultations In Criminal Forensic Psychology: A Thematic Analysis Of The Literature, Alesya Radosteva

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The importance of culture as a reference point in clinical practices such as forensic psychology has been considerably valued yet poorly understood, especially in an age where precision and sophistication outlast cultural authenticity and patient-clinician relationship. This paper looks at the gaps and inconsistencies that exist in current forensic psychology research. The topic is introduced by delving into the understanding of the phenomenon of culture and its influences on our everyday conditioning. Aspects such as language, biological development, traditions, rituals, and narratives are emphasized as potent tools that drive individuals to create and mold culture according to needs and requirements …

Key Considerations For Collaborative School-Based Mental Health Services: Partnering Community Psychology Principles With Systems Of Care Methodology To Address Issues Of Stigma, Brittany L. Foxley

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Mental health issues among school-aged children are a growing concern and subject of intervention and prevention studies nationwide. While several implementation and service delivery models exist for school-based mental health services (SBMHS) they are often localized, population or program specific, and do not adequately address the issues related to stigma. Building on Cook and Kilmer's 2012 article integrating community psychology principles and systems of care values, a review of the literature is conducted to identify issues and barriers from stigma in current school-based and mental health service delivery. Key guidelines and specific considerations are presented to address identified limitations and …

Philosophical Ends To Scientific Means: Diagnosis And The Epistemology Of Psychology, Christopher Michael Johnson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Modern scientific psychology continues to advance toward newer and greater discoveries of the inner workings of the human mind, posited in the belief that a universal objectivity exists if only to be found. Despite the professional emphasis on conducting psychological enterprises in this manner, the field has spent much of its formalized existence struggling to answer some of its most basic questions. This paper thoroughly explores the nature of a scientific psychology, while suggesting that psychology may find wisdom in its philosophical origins. It further suggests that psychology continue toward a postmodern epistemology, in which a unitary psychological reality is …

Contesting Early Childhood Professional Identities: A Cross-National Discussion, Sonja Arndt, Mathias Urban, Colette Murray, Kylie Smith, Beth Swadener, Tomas Ellegaard

Articles

In this collective article, the authors explore constructions of early childhood practitioners and how they disconnect and reconnect in a global neo-liberal education policy context. The contributions to the conversation provide windows into shifting professional identities across five national contexts: New Zealand, the USA, Ireland, Australia and Denmark. The authors ask who benefits from the notion of distinct professional identities, linked to early childhood education as locally and culturally embedded practice. They conceptualize teachers’ shifting subjectivities, drawing on Kristeva’s philosophical conception of identity as constantly in construction, open and evolving. Arguments for the urgency to counter the global uniformity machine, …

The Role Of Sex-Related Alcohol Expectancies In Alcohol-Involved Consensual And Nonconsensual Sex Among Women Of Asian/ Pacific Islander And Women Of European Race/Ethnicity, Allyson L. Dir, Arthur R. Andrews, Sarah M. Wilson, Tatiana M. Davidson, Amanda K. Gilmore

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Alcohol-involved sexual experiences, including incapacitated sexual assault and alcoholinvolved sex, are major public health concerns among college women. Further, racial/ethnic diversity among college students is increasing, particularly with regard to increases in college students of Asian/Pacific Islander (API) race/ethnicity. Of relevance, evidence suggests differences in sexual assault rates across ethnicities and cultures; however, no known study to date has examined differences by ethnicity and first language in expectancies and experiences specifically surrounding alcohol and sex. The current study sought to examine differences in incapacitated sexual assault, alcohol-involved sex, and heavy episodic drinking, as well as differences in sex-related alcohol expectancies …

Developing Classroom Management Strategies In Non-Native Culture: A Single Case Study, Xianquan Liu, Wayne A. Babchuk

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This single case study explored the practicum and student teaching experience of a native Chinese pre-service language teacher in order to better understand her process of developing classroom management strategies and the difficulties and challenges emerged in that process. In a broader sense, the case study aims to inform teacher preparation programs in terms of preparing Chinese teachers for secondary public schools in the U.S. The longitudinal study employed semi-structured interviews, classroom observation notes, teaching reflections and documents. Six themes — instructional challenges, coping strategies, cultural difference, language frustration, attitudes and feelings, and improvement — emerged from constant comparative analysis. …

The Concurrent Validity Of The Learning Component Of The Missouri Ability Scale, Nicholas Johnson

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The present study was designed to determine the concurrent validity of the Missouri Ability Scale (MAS), a new measure of independent functioning and learning currently in development. The MAS consists of 10 subtests and is designed to be administered to the examinee and an informant. Fifty individuals (M = 13.1 years; SD = 5.8 years) were administered the MAS and a cognitive abilities test (i.e. WISC-V, KABC-II, WJ-IV). Overall, the Spearman correlations between the MAS learning component and the measures of intellectual ability were moderate-to-strong, indicating good validity. Consistent with the hypotheses, the MAS learning component and the Cattel-Horn-Carroll …

Meta-Analysis Of The Effectiveness Magnitude Of Hypnosis On Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment, Gueorgui Klissourov

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased intensity of modern life and the experiences in combat situations has brought on enormous stress and has led many individuals to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Hypnosis is one of the treatment methods available to professionals and has been proven to provide fast, reliable results in multiple studies. Despite these results, the lack of understanding of the physiological effects of hypnosis on the brain has prevented its use as a common treatment method for PTSD. By examining the differences between the effectiveness of hypnosis in military and civilian populations, the aim of this meta-analysis was to isolate the …

Women's Perceptions Of Flourishing Through Quilting As A Leisure Activity, Cathy Lynn Ferrarese

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Quilting is a self-chosen leisure activity for millions of women in the United States. Previous research on quilting suggested that quilting is influenced by the emotional state of the quilter. However, the emotional experiences generated during quilting have not been fully explored. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore quilters' perceptions of what quilting as a leisure activity does to enhance their well-being and increase flourishing. Positive psychology well-being theory was the theoretical foundation for the study. Semistructured interviews with 12 adult women who quilt as a leisure activity were the basis of the narrative inquiry. Data …

Quantitative Assessment Of Psycho-Social Factors Associated With Alcoholics Anonymous Involvement, Dianne Bentley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alcohol use disorders are a major health problem in the United States; approximately 7.4% of the population meets the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. However, Reed, Levin, and Evans (2012) reported a lack in research regarding alcoholism's risk factors and how these influence Alcoholics Anonymous involvement. Though there is evidence for several risk factors, researchers have found mixed results regarding gender and impulsivity. Social learning theory was the theoretical foundation of this study and guided the exploration and interpretation of these risk factors. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to understand the relationship that impulsivity (as …

A Comparison Of Social Disconnectedness And Perceived Isolation In Deaf/Hard Of Hearing Women And Hearing Women, Mellissa Perry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has concluded that hearing loss is related to psychological risk factors in a person that could potentially increase feelings of disconnect or isolation. However, the gap in literature and lack of knowledge regarding social disconnectedness and perceived isolation specifically for deaf/hard of hearing women makes it difficult for clinicians to develop appropriate programs to assist this population. The purpose of this study was to contribute information regarding the effects of hearing loss on social disconnectedness and perceived isolation to help clinicians create proper treatment plans to better assist the deaf/hard of hearing with negative feelings (e.g., loneliness, depression) …

Kansas City, Missouri, Inner City Schools' Parent Involvement Policy, Practices, And Accreditation Problems, Gena L. Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2012, the Missouri Board of Education took away Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) accreditation status. For over 40 years, KCPS has struggled with poor academic achievement, decreased enrollment and budget, and numerous leadership turnovers. Although KCPS regained provisional accreditation in 2014 and earned enough points on the annual performance report for consideration to become a fully accredited school system, state education officials first want to ensure that the district can sustain its new performance level before granting full accreditation. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to explore parents' perceptions about how the KCPS' parent involvement policy and …

Effect Of Attentional Capture And Cross-Modal Interference In Multisensory Cognitive Processing, Michael Jennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite considerable research, the effects of common types of noise on verbal and spatial information processing are still relatively unknown. Three experiments, using convenience sampling were conducted to investigate the effect of auditory interference on the cognitive performance of 24 adult men and women during the Stroop test, perception of object recognition and spatial location tasks, and the perception of object size, shape, and spatial location tasks. The data were analyzed using univariate analysis of variance and 1-way multivariate analysis of variance. The Experiment 1 findings indicated reaction time performance for gender and age group was affected by auditory interference …

A Comparison Of Micro-Expression Training Methods, Matthew Patrick Kane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Micro-expressions are brief facial expressions that last for 500 milliseconds or less and show the true emotional state of an individual when he or she is displaying a false emotional state. There are currently 2 different methods to train individuals to recognize micro-expressions-picture-based and video-based. Numerous organizations use micro-expression training as part of a deception detection program, but little research has been conducted on training outcomes, and no research has investigated the difference between the methods. In this quantitative study based on Darwin's theory of the universality of emotional expression, a control group experimental design was used to determine if …

Pokémon Go As A Positive Virtual Reality Game: Promoting Cognitive, Affective, And Empathic Benefits, Rachel Carpenter

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Video game popularity and time playing in children, adolescents, and adults is steadily increasing due to heightened accessibility, advanced technological game design, and a rising sedentary lifestyle among Americans. The advent of exergames and virtual reality paradigms has led to a new wave of mobile video games that can be played anywhere, involve the combination of mobility and gaming, and may be used to improve cognition, affect, and perhaps empathy. The aim of the present study was to examine if the exergame Pokémon Go would improve visual and verbal working memory, attention, positive and negative affect, and empathy. Additionally, the …

Cross-Cultural Study Of The Predictors Of Learning In Children Ages 11-15 Years Old, Nadina Melina Williams

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Academic achievement is deemed a significant indicator for a successful future. Cognitive ability, home environment, and metacognition are among the many factors research has posited to contribute to academic achievement and later success (Alloway & Alloway, 2010; Bradley & Caldwell, 1984, Veenman, Wilhelm, & Beishuizen, 2004). The present study examines the relation between cognitive ability (working memory (WM) and nonverbal ability), metacognitive awareness, implicit theories of IQ, home environment (socioeconomic status (SES), home life, and parental involvement in homework), and learning outcomes (grades) in two distinct sample populations. The study used a sample of 11-15-year-olds and their parents from two …

Sentience In Fishes: More On The Evidence, Michael L. Woodruff

Animal Sentience

In my target article, I argued that the brains of ray-finned fishes of the teleost subclass (Actinopterygii) are sufficiently complex to support sentience — that these fishes have subjective awareness of interoceptive and exteroceptive sense experience. Extending previous theories centered on the tectum, I focused on the organization of the fish pallium. In this Response to the commentaries, I clarify that I do not propose that the fish pallium is, or must be, homologous to the mammalian neocortex to play a role in sentience. Some form of a functionalist approach to explaining the neural basis of sentience across taxa is …

Insulting Words: "They Are Animals!", Carolyn A. Ristau

Animal Sentience

As Chapman & Huffman state, creating divisive human categories has rationalized atrocities committed against the “other.” Labeling neighboring warring villagers as “animals” is considered a despicable insult. Yet contemporary scientific views of many animals grant them thinking and conscious faculties, and the capacity for impressive achievements, many unattainable by humans. Robots, too, can accomplish many similar feats. But the essential reason we must protect animals is not because of their admirable abilities, but their capacity for consciousness, for suffering. Robots are not conscious. Participants in the human-animal debate should not complain about changing criteria for determining human uniqueness. New and …