Digital Commons Network^™

Attachment And 'Hikikomori': A Psychosocial Developmental Model, Alexander Krieg, Jane R. Dickie

Faculty Publications

Background: Hikikomori (acute social withdrawal) is a social issue in Japan that affects both the society and the lives of the individual sufferers.

Aims: This study aims to connect attachment theory and hikikomori by using a culturally sensitive psychosocial developmental model that outlines the various stages of attachment throughout the developmental years.

Method: Twenty–four hikikomori sufferers and 60 comparison group participants were given questionnaires assessing parent and peer relationships, temperament and school experiences.

Results: We found the hikikomori participants had a higher incidence of ambivalent attachment, reported more parental and peer rejection and bullying, and expressed greater temperamental shyness. Path …

Food Safety Attitudes In College Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis Of A Conceptual Model, Rachelle Booth, Magaly Hernandez, Erica L. Baker, Tevni Grajales, Peter Pribis

Faculty Publications

College students are one of the most at-risk population groups for food poisoning, due to risky food safety behaviors. Using the Likert Scale, undergraduate students were asked to participate in a Food Safety Survey which was completed by 499 students ages 18–25. Data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS statistical software. Four conceptual definitions regarding food safety were defined as: general food safety, bacterial food safety, produce food safety, and politics associated with food safety. Knowledge seems to be an important factor in shaping students attitudes regarding general and bacterial safety. Ethnicity plays a role in how people view the …

Indicators Of Family Care For Development For Use In Multicountry Surveys, Patricia Kariger, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Patrice Engle, Pia M. Rebello Britto, Sara M. Sywulka, Purnima Menon

Faculty Publications

Indicators of family care for development are essential for ascertaining whether families are providing their children with an environment that leads to positive developmental outcomes. This project aimed to develop indicators from a set of items, measuring family care practices and resources important for caregiving, for use in epidemiologic surveys in developing countries. A mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) design was used for item selection and evaluation. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted to examine the validity of candidate items in several country samples. Qualitative methods included the use of global expert panels to identify and evaluate the performance of …

Culturally Congruent Practices In Counseling And Psychotherapy: A Review Of Research., Timothy B. Smith

Faculty Publications

Are mental health interventions that are intentionally made congruent with clients’ cultural contexts more effective than traditional practices? If a large body of empirical data supports an affirmative response to this question, then multiculturalism may be deemed not only legitimate within but integral (primary) to mental health interventions. However, if the data are inconclusive or deemed inadequate, then multiculturalism will remain marginalized (secondary) as an egalitarian ideal, possibly worthy of public praise but privately labeled as “impractical” or worse. All other things being equal, empirical evidence should determine which path will be taken; this chapter will attempt to provide direction.

The Cost And Quality Of Open Textbooks: Perceptions Of Community College Faculty And Students, Tj Bliss, John Hilton Iii, David Wiley, Kim Thanos

Faculty Publications

Proponents of open educational resources (OER) claim that significant cost savings are possible when open textbooks displace traditional textbooks in the college classroom. We investigated student and faculty perceptions of OER used in a community college context. Over 125 students and 11 faculty from seven colleges responded to an online questionnaire about the cost and quality of the open textbooks used in their classrooms. Results showed that the majority of students and faculty had a positive experience using the open textbooks, appreciated the lower costs, and perceived the texts as being of high quality. The potential implications for OER initiatives …

The Effect Of Argumentative Task Goal On The Quality Of Argumentative Discourse, Merce Garcia-Mila, Sandra Gilabert, Sibel Erduran, Mark Felton

Faculty Publications

In argumentative discourse, there are two kinds of activity-dispute and deliberation-that depend on the argumentative task goal. In dispute the goal is to defend a conclusion by undermining alternatives, whereas in deliberation the goal is to arrive at a conclusion by contrasting alternatives. In this study, we examine the impact of these tasks goals on the quality of argumentative discourse. Sixty-five junior high school students were organized into dyads to discuss sources of energy. Dyads were formed by members who had differing viewpoints and were distributed to one of two conditions: 31 dyads were asked to discuss with the goal …

Foco Na Pessoa: 4 Integrando Tipos De Libernca Moral, Duane Covrig

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Spiritual Or Religious Leadership: What Do You Practice? What Should You Practice?, Duane M. Covrig, Janet Ledesma, Gary Gifford

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Narratives Of Longevity: Why Adventist Principals Stay Beyond 10 Years In One School., Janet Ledesma

Faculty Publications

Across public and private school systems, there is a shortage of principals in the United States. Many studies have identified reasons why school principals leave their jobs. However, few studies have been conducted to understand why principals stay. The purpose of this article is to describe the experiences of 14 principals who have remained in leadership in the Seventh- day Adventist system of education in North America longer than 10 years in a single school building. Though the lens of resiliency theory and spiritual leadership theory, meaning was captured i the lived experiences of these Christian educational leaders.

Euthanasia: An Act Of Love, David San Filippo Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Attitudes towards euthanasia are changing. According to a 2005 Gallup poll, 75% of the respondents believed that people should have the right to choose to die. A person in intractable pain with no hope of improvement may have the moral right to commit end her/his life.

Loving The Questions: Finding Food For The Future Of Theological Education In The Lexington Seminar, Mary E. Hess

Faculty Publications

Although it ran for more than ten years and involved more than 200 faculty from forty-four ATS member schools, the findings of the Lexington Seminar have not been engaged as robustly as they could be in facing current challenges. This essay collates the experiences of the Lexington Seminar with recent educational literature to suggest a range of options in faculty development for meeting the adaptive challenges facing schools, particularly in terms of shifting dynamics of authority, authenticity, and agency.

An Exploratory Study Of Student Satisfaction With University Web Page Design, David E. Gundersen, Joe K. Ballenger, Robert M. Crocker, Elton Scifres, Robert Strader

Faculty Publications

This exploratory study evaluates the satisfaction of students with a web-based information system at a medium-sized regional university. The analysis provides a process for simplifying data interpretation in captured student user feedback. Findings indicate that student classifications, as measured by demographic and other factors, determine satisfaction levels towards various web sources of information. Differences in satisfaction levels across student groups based on gender, age, minority status, employment, and current course load were found. Implications for university web designers and university administrators are considered and discussed.

Getting To Right: How Do Managers Make Good Decisions About Customers?, Clive Muir

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Crafting Biographical Sketches In Business Classes, Clive Muir

Faculty Publications

When students are asked to introduce themselves to the class at the beginning of the semester, their rote speeches usually consist of: hometown, classification, major, campus affiliation, and some random thoughts. However, after about the tenth student, very few of the introductions are memorable or can be differentiated from the others. For that and other reasons, I designed the biographical sketch (bio sketch) exercise as both a writing assignment and a way for students to present themselves to one another in a more meaningful way. This paper describes some purposes and techniques for creating effective bio sketches in business classes.

Violence Prevention In Middle School: A Preliminary Study, Wendy K. Killam, Catherine B. Roland, Bill Weber

Faculty Publications

Violence in schools continues reflecting violence within society. There is a growing need for violence prevention programs within the schools that provide students with the skills needed to cope with interpersonal and relationship is-sues effectively. This study was conducted at a middle school and there were 345 middle school students (6th to 8th grade) who participated in the study. The students participated in a violence prevention program. In this study, the researchers used a pre-test/post-test design and the results indicated that there were some changes in attitudes towards violence that occurred after the intervention.

The Impact Of Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms On Maternal Parenting Behaviors, Le'ann L. Solmonson, Tiffany Stewart

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this qualitative research project is to examine the impact of maternal ADHD symptoms on managing the responsibilities related to parent-ing. The primary researcher conducted three interviews with mothers who exhibit ADHD symptoms in order to gain insight into their perceived difficulties related to the disorder. Analysis of the data indicates these mothers have difficulty completing tasks, are disorganized, and are easily overwhelmed with the responsibilities of parenting resulting in difficulty managing their own behavior and being consistent in disciplining their children. Due to these areas of deficiency, it is suggested the presence of maternal ADHD symptoms results …

Attitudes Of Students And Practitioners Regarding Ethical Acceptability Of Accounting Transactions, Mary Fischer, Treba Marsh, George L. Hunt

Faculty Publications

This study reports the findings of a study assessing the acceptability differences in decisions made by Certified Public Accounting practitioners (CPA) and students studying to become CPAs. The study responds to researchers’ call for additional research on topics related to accounting decision ethics. Modified managerial and accounting recognition scenarios were used to collect the acceptability of ethical judgments. The analysis employs factor analysis to affirm whether the scenarios are mana­gerial or accounting recognition decisions. The analyses further divides the managerial decisions into either revenue or expense related. The accounting recognition decisions are further divided into those involving an accounting manipulation …

Female-Only Classes In A Rural Context: Self-Concept, Achievement, And Discourse, Hope E. Wilson, Gloria J. Gresham Dr., Michelle Williams, Claudia Whitley, James G. Partin

Faculty Publications

Two middle schools in rural east Texas implemented an optional, single-sex program. Although previous studies have documented the effects of single-sex instruction, and recent educational innovations have focused on its benefits, little research has investigated its effects in rural contexts. This study found that for rural populations, patterns of discourse differ between female-only and coeducational classes, with all-female classes participating in higher levels of thinking and engaging in more discourse overall. However, girls in single-sex classes had significantly lower levels of general self-concept than girls in coeducational classes. There were no statistically significant differences in the achievement test scores between …

Hunger And Reduced Self-Control In The Laboratory And Across The World: Reducing Hunger As A Self-Control Panacea, Matthew T. Gailliot

Faculty Publications

Ten studies link hunger to reduced self-control. Higher levels of hunger-as assessed by self-report, time since last eating, or physiology-predicted reduced self-control, as indicated by increased racial prejudice, (hypothetical) sexual infidelity, passivity, accessibility of death thoughts and perceptions of task difficulty, as well as impaired Stroop performance and decreased self-monitoring. Increased rates of hunger across 200 countries predicted increased war killings, suggestive of reduced aggressive restraint. In a final experiment, self-reported hunger mediated the effect of hungry (v fed) participants performing worse on the Stroop task, suggesting a causal relationship of hunger reducing self-control.

Psychological Predictors Of Children's Recess Physical Activity Motivation And Behavior [Abstract], Megan Babkes Stellino, Christina Sinclair

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Productive Resources In Students’ Ideas About Energy: An Alternative Analysis Of Watts’ Original Interview Transcripts, Benedikt W. Harrer, Virginia J. Flood, Michael C. Wittmann

Faculty Publications

For over 30 years, researchers have investigated students’ ideas about energy with the intent of reforming instructional practice. In this pursuit, Watts contributed an influential study with his 1983 paper “Some alternative views of energy” [Phys. Educ. 18, 213 (1983)]. Watts’ “alternative frameworks” continue to be used for categorizing students’ non-normative ideas about energy. Using a resources framework, we propose an alternate analysis of student responses from Watts’ interviews. In our analysis, we show how students’ activated resources about energy are disciplinarily productive. We suggest that fostering seeds of scientific understandings in students’ ideas about energy may play an important …

Impact Of Older Adults’ Experience With Psychotherapy On Treatment Engagement, Erin L. Woodhead, I. I. Ivan, E. E. Emery

Faculty Publications

The goal of the study was to characterize older adults' experience with psychotherapy and examine its impact on engagement in psychotherapy. The study included 50 adults over age 60 who screened positive for depression and participated in the BRIGHTEN Program, an interdisciplinary geriatric mental health program. Qualitative analyses revealed five themes leading to treatment initiation: health concerns, family issues, the experience of depressive symptoms, beliefs about what participants could get from psychotherapy, and positive outcomes seen in others. Those without a history of mental health treatment were more likely to endorse health concerns as a treatment motivator and were more …

“The Delight Of Our Earlier Days”: Character, Narrative, And The Village School, Patrick C. Fleming

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Self-Reflection As Scholarly Praxis: Researcher Identity In Disability Studies--Guest Editors' Introduction, Joan Ostrove, Jennifer Rinaldi

Faculty Publications

The guest editors of this special issue on researcher identity offer reflections and an overview of the issue.

The Forgotten Farmworkers Of Apopka, Florida: Prospects For Collaborative Research And Activism To Assist African-American Former Farmworkers, Rachel Newcomb

Faculty Publications

Anthropology’s crisis of representation of the 1980s has given way to a millennial crisis of involvement. As neoliberal policies proliferate and intensify wealth and social inequalities, anthropologists have considered ways to conduct engaged research that can contribute to social justice. One possibility is the prospect of collaboration between anthropologists and activists. In this article we examine our own collaborative research with an anthropologist and activist organization. We highlight benefits of long-term community engagement projects for activist-oriented community partners and students.

Digital Storytelling: Empowering Feminist And Womanist Faith Formation With Young Women, Mary E. Hess

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Occupational Engagement And Health In Older South Asian Immigrants, Sheama R. Krishnagiri, Erin Fuller, Lesley Ruda, Sadhna Diwan

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate the elements that shape how healthy active South Asian elder immigrants engage in daily activities to maintain their health. A descriptive grounded theory approach was employed using semi-structured interviews and a daily activity chart. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 12 South Asian elders, 7 males and 5 females, who immigrated after retirement to the South San Francisco Bay area. Open, axial, and selective coding of the transcribed data led to two broad themes, control and interdependence. These themes may be viewed as dynamic and interconnected forces that shape and determine the …

Dual Diagnosis, Mutual-Help Use, And Outcomes: A Naturalistic Follow-Up, Erin Woodhead, Alexandra Hindash, Christine Timko

Faculty Publications

Objective: Individuals with dual diagnoses benefit from participation in mutual-help groups, though it is unclear how much such participation contributes to outcomes when accounting for utilization of treatment. Methods: We used mixed-model regressions to examine associations between participation in mutual-help groups reported at 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year follow-ups with substance use and psychiatric outcomes among outpatients with dual diagnoses (N = 304), while controlling for amounts of substance use disorder and mental health outpatient treatment. Results: Follow-up rates were 81%, 82%, and 84% at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years, respectively. Mean involvement in mutual-help groups (scale of …

International Social Work Field Placement Or Volunteer Tourism? Developing An Asset-Based Justice-Learning Field Experience, Marie-Antoinette Sossou, Nicole Dubus

Faculty Publications

This paper examines a developing model for building an international social work placement that meets the needs of the host agency and community first. The paper addresses the challenges for social work departments to develop a strong learning environment while also keeping primary the needs of the host community and agency.

Speed Has An Effect On Multiple-Object Tracking Independently Of The Number Of Close Encounters Between Targets And Distractors, Cary S. Feria

Faculty Publications

Multiple-object tracking (MOT) studies have shown that tracking ability declines as object speed increases. However, this might be attributed solely to the increased number of times that target and distractor objects usually pass close to each other (“close encounters”) when speed is increased, resulting in more target–distractor confusions. The present study investigates whether speed itself affects MOT ability by using displays in which the number of close encounters is held constant across speeds. Observers viewed several pairs of disks, and each pair rotated about the pair’s midpoint and, also, about the center of the display at varying speeds. Results showed …