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Risk Taking, Impulsiveness, And The Age-Crime Relationship, M Elizabeth Copeland-Teschner

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The study's purpose was to determine the influence of risk-taking and impulsiveness on criminal behavior, the factors' relationship to each other and their relationship, to age. It was hoped that the data would help explain the phenomenon of criminal burnout. Subjects were three groups of males aged 18 to 44, classed by their criminal history. Group One was 83 prisoners; group two, 53 subjects who had never been arrested; group three, 28 who had been arrested or incarcerated in the past, but who were not incarcerated at this time (the "erstwhile" group). Measures utilized were the Self-control (Sc) scale from …

Validity Of Student Evaluations: A Comparison Of Student Ratings To Instructor Self-Evaluations, Rebecca A. Hopson

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Volunteer Activity On Psychosocial Adjustment Among The Elderly, William R. Criss

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This research was carried out to determine if psychosocial adjustment improves for elderly persons engaged in volunteer activity. Questionnaires were completed by 27 persons aged 60 or over before and two months after beginning volunteer activity at one of 33 Florida community hospitals. A control group of 37 persons without hospital volunteer experience also completed these two questionnaires, which covered several aspects of psychosocial adjustment, including self-esteem, life satisfaction, sense of control, optimism, anxiety, depression and somatization. An analysis of covariance with repeated measures indicated that there was no significant improvement in subjective well-being associated with volunteer activity after accounting …

Family Problems In The Background Of Mental Health Professionals, Linda Elaine Mccarter

Masters Theses

It has been proposed by some that students choose to study in mental health related fields in an effort to find solutions for their own personal emotional or family problems. Some believe that those who assumed or were assigned a family role of the good or parentified child (a role which requires that the needs of others be placed ahead of one's own) are over-represented among mental health professionals. Others contend that there are no significant differences in family background between psychotherapists and other individuals with a similar level of education. Little empirical investigation has addressed these issues. Studies which …

Variables Related To Utilization Of Mental Health Care Services By Hispanic Adolescents, Mary Ann H. Garcia

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Meaning Of Marriage To The Voluntarily Childless Couple, June Ann Smith

Dissertations

Problem. The literature is replete with findings to show that childlessness is a contemporary and growing trend. However, no known study has been done to explore what marriage means to the couple who chooses childlessness. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of marriage to the voluntarily childless couple.

Method. This study was done with a purposive sample of 42 couples. These couples were selected from referrals made through contact with a local radio station. Some were selected from referrals made by church pastors who were aware of couples in their congregations who are voluntarily childless, …

Present And Future In Generativity, Donna A. Van De Water

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Foreign Study: An Analysis Of The Long Term Impact, Randy Mccombie

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Medical Students' Self-Reports Of Reactions To The Malpractice Crisis, Kevin J. Franke

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Achievement And Achievement Beliefs: A Path Analysis Of A Cognitive Model Or Achievement, Carla M. Leone

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Worker Perceptions Of The Fast-Food Giant : Interviews With And Class Comparisons Of Teenagers Working At Mcdonalds, Joyce A. Korshgen

Dissertations and Theses

This study examines the relationship between social class and adolescents conceptions of work. Four major areas of the adolescent's work experience are examined: (1) tasks and training, (2) relations with co-workers and managers, (3) organizational structure and change, and (4) family life and work. Forty female adolescent, nonmanagerial employees who worked part time at McDonald's franchise stores were interviewed.

Israeli, Palestinian And Egyptian Explanations Of Political Actions In The Middle East, Bethamie Horowitz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study investigated how people affiliated with different parties in an international conflict understand their own actions and the actions of their adversaries. Using data gathered in the Middle East in 1982, the study examined the explanations offered by 1336 Israeli Jews, Palestinians (living in Israel) and Egyptians to three political events in the Middle East: 'Israeli Air Force conducts a raid on Beirut,' 'Palestinians attack a bus on the Haifa-Tel Aviv highway,' and 'A peace treaty is announced between Israel and Egypt.'

The study, an exploratory analysis, was carried out in a sequence of stages. First, the analysis involved …

The Effects Of Acculturation And Age On Spiritual Well-Being Among Ethnic Chinese Church-Goers, Stephen T.C. Jang

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This research investigated the effects of acculturation and age on Spiritual Well-Being among ethnic Chinese church-goers. Subjects consisted of 169 ethnic Chinese church-goers and English readers ages 18 - 55 from four Chinese churches in the Northwest United States. The response rate was 93.9% of the 180 initially selected subjects.

The subjects completed a survey questionnaire that included demographic information, background information, and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWB). The SWB consisted of two subscales: the Religious Well-Being (RWB) Scale and the Existential Well-Being (EWB) Scale.

born had significantly greater (_E.<.05) EWB than subjects who had lived in the U.S. 5 years or less. Age was significantly related to SWB and EWB; and subjects 26 years old or above had significantly higher SWB and EWB scores than subjects 18 - 25 years old.

Religious commitment, and importance of religion were related to greater …

Moral Development, Socioeconomic Status, And Family Intactness: Status Offenders Versus Criminal Offenders, Michael A. Glynn

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the possible differences between the two legally defined groups of juvenile delinquents (status offenders and criminal offenders) on the variables of moral development, socioeconomic status, and family intactness. Moral development was measured using Gibbs' Sociomoral Reflection Measure. Socioeconomic status was determined by the subject's parent's ranking on Nam's Occupational Status Score Index, and family intactness or non-intactness was determined from an examination of court records. The subjects were 106 males between the ages of 13 and 17 inclusive, and were evenly divided in the two legal categories. No significant differences were found between the two groups on …

An Empirical Examination Of The Construct Validity Of The Spiritual Maturity Index, Rodney L. Cooper

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

In order to do empirical research on religious constructs, various testing instruments have been developed. Yet, many of the instruments developed have not been empirically tested for construct validity to see if they are actually fulfilling their stated purpose. One such instrument which has been developed is the Spiritual Maturity Index. It was the purpose of this study to do an empirical examination of the construct validity of this instrument. Pastors and seminary students from the Conservative Baptist denomination participated in a study to assess the capability of the Spiritual Maturity Index (SMI) in distinguishing levels of spiritual maturity. Also, …

Predictors Of Spiritual Well-Being Among Full-Time Youth For Christ/Usa Staff Members, David E. Clarke

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Due to the vital role spiritual health plays in the job performance of religious youth workers, there is a need to adequately predict this quality in this group of professionals. Spiritual well-being is a construct with support in the literature which can be used to objectively measure the internal, subjective condition of spiritual health. The purpose of this st~1dy was to identify one set of specific, commonly occurd.ng variables which in linear combination would adequately predict the spiritual well-being of fulltime Youth for Christ/USA staff members. The target sample consisted of 350 full-time YFC/USA sta.tf members whose names were drawn …

Adolescent Loneliness, Self-Disclosure, And Private Self-Consciousness: A Longitudinal Investigation, Mark H. Davis, Stephen L. Franzoi

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Examined the causal relations that exist among loneliness, self-disclosure, and private self-consciousness, building on an earlier study by S. L. Franzoi and M. H. Davis (see record 1985-19892-001). Using structural equation techniques and a longitudinal design, a theoretical model that links these variables was tested with 332 high school students. Results indicate a good fit between the theoretical model and the observed relations. Evidence concerning 2 alternative interpretations of the original Franzoi and Davis study is provided. First, the original hypothesis that private self-consciousness leads to greater self-disclosure to peers is supported, but no support for the alternative view …

Commitment To Spouse And God: The Relationship Among Measures Of Marital Commitment And Spiritual Maturity, Robert F. Pramann Jr.

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Marital commitment is increasingly becoming a research focus of many social science researchers. However, to date the research is plagued by the isolation in which definitions and measures were developed/used, the use of divergent theoretical and operational definitions of commitment, and the paucity of psychometrically sophisticated research instruments. In addition, the relationship between religious belief and marital functioning, once well substantiated, has more recently been neglected. The present research addresses these problems. First, the relationship of the social sciences and theology is discussed. Second, the significance of marital commitment is reviewed. Third, a transdisciplinary definition of commitment is developed. Fourth, …

Attributions For Violence In Relationships: Do Battered Women Blame Themselves?, Debra Down

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The central purpose of this research was to compare attributions of blame for spousal violence made by women who were in violent relationships with those of abused women who had sought shelter and those of women who had never been abused. Both clinicians and researchers (e.g., Frieze, 1979; Walker, 1979) have included victims of marital abuse among victims who self-blame, and have contended that self-blame contributes to remaining in an abusive relationship. Previous work, however, has not considered the repetitive nature of spouse abuse, and has routinely confounded self-causality with self-blame.

Nonabused women and abused women who remained in relationships …

The Relationship Between Religious Beliefs/Attitudes And Psychopathology In An Evangelical Seminary Sample, Eric E. Mueller

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study sought to measure the relationship between religiosity and psychopathology in an evangelical seminary. A sample of 55 randomly selected male Masters of Divinity students was selected from the first through third year classes at a prominent evangelical seminary during the spring quarter of 1984. This study was one facet of a larger research project which addressed adjustment in this seminary population from different perspectives (Neder 1985; Powers 1985). The sample was given a demographic questionnaire, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and three measures of religiosity. These were the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWB), the Spiritual Maturity Index (SMI), …

Client Writing In Individual Therapy: A Review Of The Literature, Karla Esplin Bennion

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Client writing has been used in association with individual therapy for many years, but published research on its effectiveness is sparse. Such research could provide a potential tool for therapists, as well as expand scientific knowledge. This review includes all available reports on the topic of client writing in individual therapy. The studies fall into three general categories: the systematic, "experimental" studies; the anecdotal reports; and the didactic reports. All studies considered show some benefit from the use of client writing in therapy. Writing appears to be beneficial whether initiated by the client or directed by the therapist; beneficial to …

A Profile Of The Victim Of Father-Daughter Incest: Testing Hypotheses From The Literature, Lawrence Manley Wilcox

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this paper was to develop a profile of the victim of father-daughter incest. One descriptive profile was constructed from the literature, using a content analysis, and one profile was developed utilizing 25 subjects' responses to a questionnaire and a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. These two profiles were compared. The items on the profiles with the greatest amount of predictive value were identified. A high point profile of the 4-8/8-4 scales on the MMPI was also identified in both the subjects' responses and in the literature. The final profile is designed for use by clinicians who work with …

Factors Influencing Grief Adjustment In The Elderly, Jo Anne Pauline Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this paper was to attempt to identify variables which may enhance the ability of older widowed persons to adjust to viii bereavement. Depression and perceptions of physical health were the two aspects of adjustment selected for study. Several variables which current literature suggests may mediate grief adjustment were examined for their potential relationship to bereavement outcome. These were gender, level of grief, anticipatory grief and social network. The possible relationship between depression and perceptions of physical health was also examined for.

Subjects were 75 men and women, age 55 and over, who were recently widowed, and 29 …

The Psychological And Social Consequences Of Htlv-Iii Infection: Homosexuals In Orange County, Ca, Kenneth Burton Kaisch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to identify the psychological and social consequences experienced by homosexual men who learn that they have positive results on the HTLV-III antibody test, but who have not yet developed AIDS or ARC. Employing a census survey of the membership of three California homophile organizations (n=1905), 30 HTLV-III positives and 55 negatives completed a biographical questionnaire, the IPAT Anxiety Scale Questionnaire, the IPAT Depression Scale, and the Coping Strategies Inventory. Results indicate that HTLV-III positives show considerable disorganization after hearing test results, have clinically high levels of anxiety (n=10), and clinically high levels of depression …

The Effects Of Recreation Specialization And Motivations On The Environmental Setting Preferences Of Backcountry Hikers, Randy J. Virden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study explored how recreation specialization and different types of motivations were related to environmental settings preferred by backcountry hikers. A questionnaire was developed that measured the level of hiking specialization, desired psychological outcomes, and preferred environmental setting attributes. Questionnaires were mailed to 619 backcountry hikers from three Intermountain West hiking areas; a response rate of 68 percent was attained.

Results of the study revealed significant associations between the level of hiking specialization and the psychological states desired by backcountry hikers. In general, increased hiking specialization served to increase the importance of specific psychological outcomes such as autonomy, exercise, achievement …

The Effects Of A Structured Intervention Program On Identity And Divorce Adjustment, Rodger Trent Wentz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research was to determine if a structured intervention program could assist individuals in adjusting to some of the disruption associated with divorce. A secondary purpose was to determine if identity status would mediate the effects of the intervention program upon divorce adjustment. The components of the intervention program were modeled on previous research. It was hypothesized that individuals participating in a structured treatment program would manifest greater gains in areas of divorce adjustment than the control group. However, results show that while there was greater gain for the experimental group than the control group in several …

The Use Of Repeated Acquisition As A Technique For Establishing A Behavioral Baseline With Victims Of Alzheimer's Disease, Michelle D. Stone

Masters Theses

Three subjects suspected as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) victims were trained on a behavioral chain of three sets of three poker chips, each set differing in color and position, to investigate subtle changes in learning and performance behaviors over time. For each session the subjects learned a new three-response sequence with a marked poker chip serving as the correct response for each set. A within-session learning curve resulted for all three subjects with the errors in the learning trial (LT) exceeding the errors for the performance trials (PT1 and PT2). Only Subject III demonstrated a stable pattern of learning, with the …

Christian And Non-Religious Sociopaths Compared: Self-Concept, Locus Of Control, Guilt, And Quality Of Religious Experience, David W. Agnor

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Criminal sociopaths frequently claim commitment to Christianity, a religion which philosophically is counter to a sociopath's world view. Ascertaining whether or not religious commitment is a variable relevant to corrections is confusing in light of a lack of research which addresses this problem. In this study 25 non-religious and 27 orthodox Christian male sociopaths, inmates from Oregon State Penitentiary, were administered the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, the Rotter Internal/External Locus of Control Scale, and the Mosher Forced Choice Guilt Scales. To gather data on the religious experience of the sociopath, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Intrinsic/Extrinsic Religious Orientation Scale, and the …

One Becoming Two Becoming Three: An Intervention To Address The Psychological Issues Of Pregnancy, Karen Beck Wade

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

The Reinforcing Functions Of Androgyny Partial Reinforcement, Patricia A. Bartell

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.