Digital Commons Network^™

Rural Palliative Care Nursing: A Modified Grounded Theory Study, Ruth Mcconigley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This paper presents the findings of a study of rural palliative care nurses in Western Australia. The numbers of rural centres in Western Australia offering palliative care services are increasing; however at present there is little empirical data available about the roles of the nurses involved. This study was undertaken to begin to correct this deficit. The study examines basic social processes associated with the role of rural palliative care nurses and identities issues that affect the nurses’ professional practice. A modified grounded theory approach was used to form a conceptual framework that describes rural palliative care nursing. Theoretical sampling …

Teachers' Knowledge And Practice Of Empowering Young Children In Four Early Childhood Settings In Australia And The United Kingdom, Lisa Moore

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study explores teacher's knowledge and practice of empowering young children as learners. Empowerment is a complex and multifaceted construct, and a recurring theme in early childhood literature. This study took place in four early childhood settings in Australia and the United Kingdom. The research was conducted using qualitative methodology, primarily with the use of video-taped observations and stimulated-recall teacher interviews. Findings indicate that the teachers enacted their knowledge and practice of empowerment. However, empowerment was interpreted differently by each teacher. The current study found links existed between teachers' knowledge and practice and their pedogogic orientation.

Does The Conceptual Nature Of Worry Contribute To Its Uncontrollability? : Unravelling The Complex Interactions Of Some Of The Properties Of Worry, Jacinta M. Willans

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This project aims to examine a particular property of worry that some therapists claim interferes with the treatment of clients who worry. Research has shown that worry is predominantly composed of concepts or thoughts rather than images (Borkovee & Hu, 1990). In particular this project aims to investigate whether the verbal linguistic nature of worry contributes to the sense that participants have that it is uncontrollable. Attempting to control an image results in a paradoxical effect of an increase in the frequency of the image (Wegner, Schneider, Carter & White, 1987). Does the same paradoxical effect occur when thoughts and …

Causal Attributions For Crime Involving Aboriginal And Non-Aboriginal Juvenile Offenders, Elke K. Graf

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of crime-specific racial stereotypes upon the Jay person's judgement about the cause of and appropriate punishment for juvenile crime. A pilot investigation (n= 30) revealed that the crimes of motor vehicle theft and possession of an illegal drug were perceived to be more strongly associated with the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal offender respectively. This information formed the basis for the type of crime and offender's race experimental manipulations of the main study. Attribution theory variables and the revised version of a previously validated questionnaire (Furnham & Henderson, 1983) were the two …

The Causal Role Of Selective Information Processing Biases Towards Threat In Anxiety, Sarah J. Egan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The causal link between selective information processing biases and vulnerability to anxiety was investigated by examining change in emotional vulnerability as mediated by attentional training. Training was given on a modified dot-probe detection task, where participants were trained either to attend towards threat or towards neutral stimuli. Pre and post training assessment consisted of the anagram stress task (measure of emotional vulnerability), the dot-probe detection task (measure of training effectiveness), and the emotional Stroop task (measure of generalisation of training). The 54 undergraduate student participants, who were in a mid-range of trait anxiety, were randomly allocated to one of 3 …

Art Therapy In Mainstream Primary Schools In The United Kingdom And The United States Of America : Identifying Connections With The Australian Experience, Jan Bowdler

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis is a case study that explores art therapy programs that are being or have been established in mainstream primary education settings in the United Kingdom, United States of America and Australia. The study includes a review of literature which relates an application of art therapy principles and practice to an education framework and the developmental and emotional needs of primary age children. The art therapy programs are examined in terms of the target population (eg. abused, rejected, disaffected, vulnerable children); the value of these programs to children in the primary school system (ie. in helping to remove students' …

Predictability Of Everyday Task Performance By Perceived Health, Self-Efficacy And Cognitive Ability, Joan Klinger

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This exploratory research investigated the relationship between a brief neuropsychological measure and everyday functional ability in older community dwelling adults. The association between these two areas is complex, as a specific functional domain often involves several of the cognitive skills typically assessed by a neuropsychological instrument. Whilst there is an extensive literature linking neuropyschological tests to everyday functioning in cognitively impaired older adults, little research has been directed at investigating the relationship between cognitive test performance and everyday competence in non-dementing older people who reside independently in the community. A brief cognitive instrument able to predict coping deficits in instrumental …

Women's Perceptions Of Birth Centre Care: A Qualitative Approach, Karen Coyle

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe women's perceptions of the care they received in a birth centre, compared to their previous experiences in a hospital. Australian statistics indicate that five percent of childbearing women now choose to receive care in a birth centre setting. Clinical outcomes of birth centre care are now well documented, but there is limited empirical data about women's experiences of this model of care. Seventeen women, who had recently given birth in a birth centre, and had previously experienced care in a hospital setting, were interviewed about their care experiences. Using content analysis, …

The Experience Of Flow And Learning By Designing Interactive Multimedia Software, Leonie Ramondt

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

As computer technology is increasingly adopted in education, some students continue to have little context for its use. This is particularly true of tertiary drama education students, of whom many still remain computer illiterate. Constructivist pedagogy proposes that a learner constructs knowledge through active participation in their learning. An approach that is gaining currency which applies this principle is learning by designing. This approach was adopted for this study, with the premise that the process of designing multimedia software for their peers would not only motivate these students to use computers but could also lead to a deepening of their …

Pedagogic Approaches And Cultural Scripts: The Use Of Talk During Shared Literacy Lessons In Three Primary Two Classrooms In Singapore, Maha Sripathy

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigates the use and occurrence of talk during the implementation of the key approaches of Shared Book Reading and Class Dictated Story in three Primary Two classrooms in Singapore. These approaches are based on a constructive perspective of literacy where children make meaning from texts read with the teacher through joint exploration and connection with their respective background knowledge and experiences. Central to this joint exploration and meaning-making is the teacher-pupil talk. The occurrence and use of talk in the implementation of these approaches in three primary two classrooms was recorded, transcribed and analyzed. Teachers' and pupils' experiences …

Team Cohesion, Performance Outcome And Player Satisfaction In State League Netball, Angelique Jane Wilson

Theses : Honours

Team cohesion repeatedly has been emphasised as important in the development of performance success. This research examined the importance of team cohesion as a multidimensional construct through three inter-related studies with elite netball players. The first study examined differences between successful and unsuccessful teams on (a) overall team cohesion. (b) overall task cohesion including attraction to group-task (ATG-T) and group integration-task (GI-T) components, and (c) social cohesion including attraction to group-social (ATG-S ), and group integration-social (GI-S) components. The second study examined the multidimensional nature of cohesion in relation to player satisfaction. Finally, study investigated the relationship between pcrfom1ancc outcome …

Behavioural Contexts For The Expression Of Modern Racism: The Simulated Juror Paradigm, Murray Riggs

Theses : Honours

The central tenet of modem racism theory is that, although overt prejudice seems to have declined, subtle forms of prejudice are still pervasive. The theory predicts that members of a majority racial group will discriminate against members of a minority racial group only when they feel that they can do so without appearing to be prejudiced. Thus, the occurrence of discrimination depends upon the nature of the behavioural context. The purpose of the present study was to explore the implications of modern racism theory in the behavioural domain by employing the simulated juror paradigm. The participants, 338 randomly selected residents …

Psychological Well-Being In The Victims Of Bullying Among Primary School Children, Catherine A. Rice

Theses : Honours

A replication and extension of Rigby and Slee's (1993) study and an investigation of Seligman, Reivich, Jaycox and Gillham's (1995) theory of self-esteem was conducted in one private primary school in Western Australia. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between the age and gender of victims of bullying with self-esteem of the students and their attitudes towards attending school (Rigby & Slee, 1993), and their explanatory style (Seligman et al., I 995). Four anonymous questionnaires: Peer Relations Assessment Questionnaire (Rigby & Slee, 1997), Self-Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith, 1989), Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire (Seligman, Kaslow, Alloy, Peterson, Tanenbaum …

A Cave Of Their Own: A Comparative Examination Of Recurring Social And Psychological Themes In Gothic Fiction And Gothic Youth Subculture Through The Song Lyrics And Fiction Of Nick Cave, Bradley M. Hunter

Theses : Honours

The aim of this thesis is to examine the Gothic phenomenon as it pertains to late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century fiction, and extrapolate its social and psychological concerns as they relate to the Gothic revival in the late nineteenth-century Decadent movement and late twentieth-century gothic subculture. This examination focuses on recurrent social and psychological themes in eighteenth/nineteenth-century Gothic fiction, the late nineteenth-century Decadent movement and twentieth-century gothic music and subculture, which, in turn, are compared to the themes and motifs of the song lyrics and fiction of Nick Cave. Within this context, the recurring theme of the psychological exploration of …

Categorical And Coordinate Spatial Judgements In Face Recognition, Jill E. Russell

Theses : Honours

The role of the cerebral hemispheres in processing spatial relationships is outlined in Kosslyn 's (1987) theory that states that there are two separate subsystems for processing spatial relations: one located in the left hemisphere (LHem) that is more efficient at processing categorical information, and one in the right hemisphere (RHem) that is more efficient at processing coordinate information. To test Kosslyn's theory, this study manipulated two IVs in a within-subjects design, task: categorical and coordinate; and visual field (VF): left and right Male and female face stimuli were presented in either the left visual field (LVF) to the (RHem) …

The Effectiveness Of Using Drama In Presenting Spiritual Material To School Students, Geoff Pollard

Theses : Honours

This thesis is concerned with determining the effectiveness of using drama in presenting spiritual material to school students. As a performer in schools I often wondered if the "magic" of the stage was what the students identified with or whether in addition they were also understanding and learning spiritual truths. As an undergraduate religious student I was exposed to the research of Goldman who concluded that Scripture teaching in Primary Schools should be minimised because he believed the students were incapable of understanding parables and miracles. I looked back on my school performance years and the warm reception given to …

Sense Of Effort Associated With Exercise In The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Karen E. Wallman

Theses : Honours

Investigations into the mediators of effort sensation have indicated that central mechanisms related to corollary discharges may be responsible for an increased sense of effort during fatiguing isometric exercise. The role for central mediators for sense of effort have been objectively demonstrated through use of contralateral limb matching tasks. Subjects diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) often report prevalent fatigue associated with a greater sense of effort when involved in exercise. This study employed a fatiguing contralateral limb-matching task in order to determine if CFS subjects (n == 6) experienced an altered sense of effort associated with the task when …

Factors Which Influence Women's Decisions For Choice Of Primary Surgery For Stage I And Stage Ii Breast Cancer, Barbara Mastaglia

Theses : Honours

A descriptive correlational study was conducted to describe the factors that Western Australian women with either Stage I or Stage II Breast Cancer, perceived to be important considerations when deciding upon either Modified Radical Mastectomy (MRM) or Breast Conserving Treatment (BCT) for surgical treatment. The Conflict Theory of Decision Making (Janis & Mann, 1977) was used as the theoretical framework to guide this study. Ward, Heidrich and Wolberg's (1989) Factor List, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) Scale (Wallston, Wallston & De Vellis, 1978) and a demographic questionnaire were used to measure variables. Questionnaires were mailed to a consecutive …

The Participant's Perception Of The Contribution Of Lyengar Yoga To Their Health And Well-Being, Ann Dragon

Theses : Honours

To date little research has been conducted to substantiate the many anecdotal claims that yoga improves both physical and mental health. Berger and Owen (1992) demonstrated that yoga practice could enhance mood state. Mind-body exercise modalities, such as tai chi and yoga, potentially offer significant benefit in the areas of exercise rehabilitation and health promotion strategy (LaForge, 1997). Yoga is steadily gaining popularity amongst western culture with an increasing number of people participating in this mind-body exercise modality. Investigating the perceived contribution of regular yoga practice to health and well-being could uncover a number of positive 'indicators towards exercise adherence …

The Effects Of Context And Number Of Presentations On Repetition Priming, Terry A. Simpson

Theses : Honours

When a stimulus such as a word is presented twice, the identification of the word on the second presentation is usually facilitated, reflecting repetition priming. This facilitation can occur without a person's awareness and is often referred to as reflecting implicit memory. The present study investigated the effects of number of presentations of words and the context in which words were presented on repetition priming. The study measured reaction times on a lexical decision task in which the participants decided whether a string of letters constituted a word or a non-word. Repetition priming on this task was determined by comparing …

Aboriginal People With Disability And Their Use Of Advocacy: A Phenomenological Approach, E. A. Leipoldt

Theses : Honours

The reasons for an apparent low use of advocacy agencies in Perth by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have a disability, in a context of high vulnerability, were investigated. A high incidence of disability exists amongst this group. No previous research in this area has been conducted. Nine Aboriginal people with disability were interviewed about their experiences with regard to their disabilities and any need for advocacy. This study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach as its conceptual framework, including also, a minor quantitative component. The quantitative component consisted of a brief survey of Perth-based disability advocacy agencies. It …

Parent And Teacher Attitudes To Pharmacological Management Of Medically Diagnosed Attention Deficit Primary School Children, K. J. Angel

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this study was to compare the attitudes of parents and teachers to the use of pharmacological management or intervention for the child with ADHD in the classroom. Particular focus was placed on differences in attitude toward the use of stimulants, for the management of emotional/behavioural, cognitive/academic, social and classroom organizational behaviours of children with ADHD. Thirty female Western Australian primary school teachers and 90 female parents participated in the present investigation. Participants included: (a) parents of non-medicated children with ADHD, (b) parents of medicated children with ADHD, (c) teachers in regular primary schools, and (d) parents of …

Women On The Move: A Qualitative Study Of Relocation To A Remote Area, Ann Jones

Theses : Honours

This study uses a feminist framework to explore women's experiences of relocating from a city or large regional centre to a small and isolated town. It comes in response to my personal and professional experience of remote relocation and to the dearth of feminist discussion in this area. The site of the study is a town of 2,500 people, situated in Northern Australia over 1200 kilometres from the nearest capital city and 800 kilometres from the nearest regional centre. Six women who relocated within the previous 18 months participated in the study. Two of the women were single and four …

Good Software Development Processes Lead To Harmonious Project Teams Which In Turn Lead To Effective Project Performance, Rweyunga Kazaura

Theses : Honours

The modem world relies on computers in almost every facet of life. With the explosion of Information Technology, software development has become an important process. However, from the beginning, this process has suffered and continues to suffer from a number of problems. If these problems are not rectified, they can jeopardise projects and lead to project failure. Project failure results in a project being delivered: • without satisfying the functional and non-functional requirements requested by the user or customer • beyond the agreed schedule and/or • over budget. Research indicates that practising good software development processes (SDPs) can override these …

Person-Job Fit In The Changing Work Environment : Models For Office Workers And Teleworkers, Sharon C. Elsley

Theses : Honours

This thesis empirically examined the theoretical domain of Person-Job Fit proposed by Edwards (1991). Two models were tested with data collected from a sample of 101 Office Workers and 101 Teleworkers categorised as professional, managerial, clerical, technical and sales. The adequacy of the two models was tested using Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis. The Person-Job Fit model found that measures of Abilities, Desires, Supplies and Demands were equally predictive of Personal and Organisational Outcomes for both groups. Commensurate measures were employed for Desires and Supplies. The h1ended Person-Job Fit model included the meaning of home (Groves, 1996b), which was hypothesised …

Skill Acquisition And Transfer : The Effect Of Practice On Performance, Tracy Piani

Theses : Honours

This study was designed to examine the effect of amount of training on the specificity of skill acquisition and transfer. Within the theoretical framework of two contemporary theories of skill acquisition, Anderson's ACT" theory (1982, 1987), and Logan's Instance theory of automisation (1988, 1990), the study extends research by Greig and Speelman (in press) that demonstrated skills can be both general (i.e., can apply beyond the training experience) and specific (i.e., are limited to training experiences). The experiment was divided into training and transfer phases. The amount of practice in the training phase was manipulated across three experimental conditions, with …

The Predictive Accuracy Of The Violent Offender Treatment Program Risk Assessment Scale, Ann Ward

Theses : Honours

Current methods for screening violent offenders for program eligibility are expensive and time consuming. Developers of the Violent Offender Treatment Program (VOTP) have designed 2 brief and economical instrument to screen offenders for program eligibility. The present study was undertaken to assess the reliability and predictive accuracy of the VOTP Risk Assessment Scale (RAS). An inter-rater reliability of 20 court histories attained a mean kappa of .8 I. The RAS was applied to court histories of 202 violent offenders released between 1985 and 1987. A I 0-year follow-up of convictions for violent behaviour yielded a 47~ base rate. Receiver Operating …

Number Sense In School Mathematics: Student Performance In Four Countries, Alistair Mcintosh, Barbara Reys, Robert Reys, Jack Bana, Brian Farrell

Research outputs pre 2011

Since 1988 teams of researchers in the United States, Japan and Australia have been involved in a collaborative research project to assess the mental computation ability of their students. The results of this research have been reported elsewhere (Mcintosh, Bana & Farrell 1995; Mcintosh, Nohda, Reys & Reys 1995). The researchers involved were Professors Robert and Barbara Reys of the University of Missouri - Columbia, Professor Nobuhiko Nohda of the University of Tsukuba and Alistair Mcintosh, Jack Bana and Brian Farrell of Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia.

The United States and Australian researchers went on to assess the number …

Breaking The Glass Border: Barriers To Global Careers For Women Managers, Catherine R. Smith, Leonie V. Still

Research outputs pre 2011

The identification and placement of managers who can meet the business challenges at both local and international level is critical to the success of a company's overseas operations. North American and British research shows that, while organisations may be prepared to promote women into their domestic managerial hierarchy, few women currently have access to international careers through expatriate management appointments. This report describes an investigation of the selection, placement and management development by Australian organisations of women for international managerial assignments. Interest in this topic arose from the outcomes of the Industry Task Force on Leadership and Management Skills (1995), …

Review Of Personal Identification Systems, J. M. Cross

Research outputs pre 2011

The growth of the use of biometric personal identification systems has been relatively steady over the last 20 years. The expected biometric revolution which was forecast since the mid 1970's has not yet occurred. The main factor for lower than expected growth has been the cost and user acceptance of the systems. During the last few years, however, a new generation of more reliable, less expensive and better designed biometric devices have come onto the market. This combined with the anticipated expansion of new reliable, user friendly inexpensive systems provides a signal that the revolution is about to begin. This …