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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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Examining The Efficacy Of Parent -Child Interaction Therapy With High -Functioning Autism, Joshua J. Masse Aug 2009

Examining The Efficacy Of Parent -Child Interaction Therapy With High -Functioning Autism, Joshua J. Masse

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Externalizing behaviors are a common component of the clinical presentation of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and are typically the initial focus of treatment for children within this population. Although a number of therapies targeting behaviors characteristic of ASD exist, most do not offer a short-term, manual-based approach aimed at increasing child compliance. Although traditionally used with typically-developing children, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is one behaviorally-based, short-term (∼14 sessions) parent training program that has demonstrated success in increasing child compliance, reducing problem behavior, and improving parent-child communication. The study examined the efficacy of PCIT as a first-line treatment for children with …

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The Influence Of Forgiveness And Apology On Cardiovascular Reactivity To Mental Stress, Matthew C. Whited Aug 2009

The Influence Of Forgiveness And Apology On Cardiovascular Reactivity To Mental Stress, Matthew C. Whited

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study sought to investigate the relation between forgiveness and cardiovascular reactivity and recovery in the laboratory as influenced by apology. Men (n = 29) and women (n = 50) were chosen for participation based on scoring in the top or bottom third of the Forgiving Personality Inventory. Participants were exposed to an interpersonal transgression (i.e., harassment by the experimenter) while performing a serial subtraction task. Cardiovascular activity was measured before, during, and following the task. Also following the task, approximately half of the participants received an apology from the experimenter for his/her scripted rude behavior. No reactivity differences during …

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Effects Of Color And Animation On Visual Short -Term Memory In Computer-Environment Learning Tasks, Marc Debiase Aug 2009

Effects Of Color And Animation On Visual Short -Term Memory In Computer-Environment Learning Tasks, Marc Debiase

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goals of this research study were to gain a better understanding of the effects of color and animation on visual short-term memory (STM) in computer-environment learning tasks. The research methodology was based on an investigative design that attempted to address weaknesses of previous visual STM research (Klauer & Zhao, 2004) to provide information readily applicable to instructional design and technology. A 3 x 2 x 3 totally-within participants, repeated-measures Factorial Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) design was utilized to investigate limitations on visual short-term memory learning processes in computer-learning environments. Participant scores for accuracy of visual learning tasks and participant …

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Paradoxical Effects Of Shock: The Role Of Shock Intensity And Interresponse Times Followed By Shock, Jessica B. Long Aug 2009

Paradoxical Effects Of Shock: The Role Of Shock Intensity And Interresponse Times Followed By Shock, Jessica B. Long

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In operant conditioning experiments concerned with punishment, when electric shock is contingent on an animal's response, response rates typically decrease. In some cases, however, response rates increase. Four experiments investigated these paradoxical effects of shock by manipulating shock intensity and the time between two consecutive responses (interresponse time) that produces shock. Lever pressing by rats was maintained by a variable-interval 40-s schedule of food reinforcement. Shock followed either relatively long (Experiments 1 and 2) or relatively short (Experiments 3 and 4) interresponse times. The range of interresponse times eligible for shock was raised by lowering or raising the interresponse times …

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The Development Of Technological Management Model: A Conceptualization Of Computer Technology In The Workplace, Paul E. Madlock Aug 2009

The Development Of Technological Management Model: A Conceptualization Of Computer Technology In The Workplace, Paul E. Madlock

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this dissertation was to develop a model that would serve to assist scholars, business professionals, and employees manage the influence of computer technology in the workplace. This study also focused on mandated use environments given the paucity of research in this area. In doing so, Technology Management Model (TMM) was developed. Actor Network Theory (ANT; Callon, 1986; Latour, 1987; Law, 1987) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT; Bandura, 1986) provided support for the multifactor design of TMM. As a result, TMM was comprised of three latent variables of technological, personal, and organizational factors though to influence the attitudes …

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Development Of A Soccer Specific Functional Rehabilitation Program Using The Modified Delphi Technique, Sarah R. Leslie May 2009

Development Of A Soccer Specific Functional Rehabilitation Program Using The Modified Delphi Technique, Sarah R. Leslie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Context. There are no concise and thorough core and lower quarter exercises for functional rehabilitation found in the literature or the clinical setting for soccer. An exercise program is needed to assist clinicians in developing sport specific functional rehabilitation programs. Objective. The purpose of this study was to develop a concise soccer specific functional rehabilitation program. Design. This was a prospective descriptive study following the Modified Delphi Technique to develop exercise components to include in a functional rehabilitation program based on opinion from a panel of experts. The dependent variable was the responses ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. …

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The Effect Of Parent Education On The Home Food Environment For Overweight Adolescents In West Virginia, Kimberly N. Fisher May 2009

The Effect Of Parent Education On The Home Food Environment For Overweight Adolescents In West Virginia, Kimberly N. Fisher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study is a pre and post-intervention study examining family involvement and healthy food behaviors prior to and three month post nutrition education. The intervention was conducted as part of a residential summer camp for overweight adolescents in West Virginia. Twenty-one parents were included, one parent per camper. The intervention included nine hours of nutritional instructional time consisting of lectures, PowerPoint presentations, and a grocery store tour. Data were measured to determine occurrence of positive changes within the home environment of these families. Parent education sessions were evaluated. A factor analysis and independent samples t test were used respectively to …

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The Introduction Of Forgiveness Into A Path Analytical Model Of The Association Between Parental Divorce And Adult Attachment, Amanda L. Wheat May 2009

The Introduction Of Forgiveness Into A Path Analytical Model Of The Association Between Parental Divorce And Adult Attachment, Amanda L. Wheat

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Several factors (i.e., parental divorce, parent-child relationship quality, interparental conflict, individual forgiveness) that have been investigated separately in relation to adult romantic attachment were examined alongside family forgiveness, which has not previously explored in relation to attachment. Undergraduate students (N = 299) completed several surveys online for the current study. Several significant findings emerged when factors were considered in path models individually, and in an overall path model built on the basis of those individual model findings. Maternal and paternal social support, maternal negative interactions, and family forgiveness were moderators of parental divorce---romantic attachment relations. Based upon these findings, it …

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The Effects Of Active Living Every Day Online On Physical Activity, Amy M. Sidwell May 2009

The Effects Of Active Living Every Day Online On Physical Activity, Amy M. Sidwell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 14-week intervention based on Active Living Every Day (ALED) Online. Outcomes of the 14-week online program and the process of delivering the program were analyzed. Outcome considerations included: whether ALED Online increased physical activity among participants (as measured through step counts), whether physiological changes (cholesterol and body mass index) were apparent throughout the intervention, and whether participants progressed or regressed through the Stages of Change (SOC). Process measures included examining the nature of retention of participants in the program and the quality of participants' responses to the "Life …

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The Content, Nature, And Ethics Of Pastoral Counseling By West Virginia Baptist Ministers, Nancy Landis-Taylor May 2009

The Content, Nature, And Ethics Of Pastoral Counseling By West Virginia Baptist Ministers, Nancy Landis-Taylor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

While there is considerable literature available on pastors and the ministry and much writing concerning therapists and secular counseling as well as pastoral counseling, very little has been written concerning counseling by pastors without professional counseling training. This neglected area of research is unfortunate considering many pastors are considered or required to be counselors by their churches and denominations. In addition, there is minimal training in pastoral counseling in most seminaries, leaving many pastors to assume a role for which they may be unprepared. This exploratory study used a self-report instrument specifically developed for this research endeavor to collect information …

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Measuring And Changing Negative Stuttering Stereotypes In Adolescents, Timothy W. Flynn May 2009

Measuring And Changing Negative Stuttering Stereotypes In Adolescents, Timothy W. Flynn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stuttering is known to carry stereotypes, e.g., that people who stutter are nervous, anxious, and shy. Research has shown that negative stereotypes about people who stutter exist within the general population. Moreover, negative stereotypes exist among teachers, students, speech-language pathologists, and even the parents of people who stutter. While public opinion of stuttering does not vary dramatically between populations, the ways in which we might change it does. Research has shown that educational videos, books, and classes about stuttering do not appear to significantly alter public opinion positively.;This study compared the effectiveness of two forms of advocacy, a live presentation …

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An Experimental Analysis Of Preference For Rate Building, Andrew R. Lightner May 2009

An Experimental Analysis Of Preference For Rate Building, Andrew R. Lightner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Educational research suggests that rate-building procedures produce superior academic performance and are preferred by participants when compared to traditional methods. However, these studies have not controlled for critical variables, such as practice, that might influence preference and performance. The current study compared two conditions using behavioral performance and preference measures; one condition had a correct response rate criterion and the other had an overall correct response criterion. Reinforcement and feedback were held constant across conditions. Most participants preferred the condition that did not have a rate criterion. Performance outcomes produced by the two conditions were not substantially different. This implies …

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Overweight Adolescents In West Virginia Report Healthier Diet Choices After A Two-Week Residential Camp, Heidi Jo Schoeppner May 2009

Overweight Adolescents In West Virginia Report Healthier Diet Choices After A Two-Week Residential Camp, Heidi Jo Schoeppner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the number of overweight adolescents in the United States continues to grow, effective methods of treatment intervention need to be established. The objective of this study was to determine if various methods of nutrition education is an effective approach to teach overweight 10-14 year-old adolescents (BMI ≥85th percentile on the CDC's growth charts) in West Virginia to make healthier food choices. Twenty-four adolescents were recruited through schools, physician offices, and community programs to attend a two-week residential lifestyle-modification camp with three follow-up weekends over the next 12 months. Prior to attending the initial camp session, subjects were asked to …

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Effects Of Response Effort, Delay, And Stimulus Changes On The Sunk -Cost Effect, James W. Diller May 2009

Effects Of Response Effort, Delay, And Stimulus Changes On The Sunk -Cost Effect, James W. Diller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The sunk-cost effect is a decision-making fallacy that has its origins in the discipline in economics. In general, sunk-cost situations are typified by the presence of an initial investment that is followed by behavioral persistence, especially in the face of progressively worsening outcomes. This fallacy occurs when individuals use past expenditures (i.e., sunk costs) rather than future costs to guide decisions. Although there is a growing body of literature involving human participants, relatively little work has been done examining the variables that govern the sunk-cost effect in nonhuman subjects. The present experiments examined effects of response effort, delay, and stimulus …

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Professional Development In The Field Of Education, Jeanne L. Hager Moore May 2009

Professional Development In The Field Of Education, Jeanne L. Hager Moore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The process of continual growth and development in the teaching profession represents a common value among education professionals. Federal and state laws maintain that teachers must continue to study. These mandates, pronounced at federal, state, and local levels to create high academic standards for students, must be met through quality instruction. Both the profession and the public expect that teachers have the willingness and the ability to engage in continuous learning that will impact instruction. The process by which educators keep their knowledge base current typically is referred to as professional development. Professional development is an ongoing process of continuous …

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Determination Of The Range Of Safe-Comfortable Lifting Postures Using The Aesthetic Ergonomics Theory, Nicolas F. Salazar May 2009

Determination Of The Range Of Safe-Comfortable Lifting Postures Using The Aesthetic Ergonomics Theory, Nicolas F. Salazar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Past research indicates that, in general, individuals performing material handling tasks tend to underestimate lower back stress, i.e. L5/S1 disk compression, adopting free style lifting postures that often results a greater biomechanical stress in the lower back, increasing their potential risk of developing low back injuries in the short, mid and long terms.;The main objective of this research was to identify within theoretically safe workstation layouts, the subgroup of layouts that would lead workers to adopt cognitively comfortable and at the same time physically safe lifting postures. This research objective was achieved through the use of the Aesthetic Ergonomics Dual …

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Success From The Voices Of Educators, Katherine Eddy Cox May 2009

Success From The Voices Of Educators, Katherine Eddy Cox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines teachers' conceptions of success through interviews of fourteen educators from a rural county in a Mid-Atlantic state. The results find that the critical elements of success are student-oriented, practice-oriented, and policy-oriented; the consensus definition of success is caring for individual students; and the beliefs and values of educators are in making a difference for every student. Relationships, joy in learning, and fair testing are enabling of success within the community and culture studied. In terms of challenges and needs---parents are often named as the biggest barrier to success; secondly, having time to teach as well as possible; …

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Curriculum Assessment In The Division Of Sociology And Anthropology At West Virginia University, Jennifer Luise Mitchell May 2009

Curriculum Assessment In The Division Of Sociology And Anthropology At West Virginia University, Jennifer Luise Mitchell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Program evaluation is essential for any organization to be successful. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the curriculum assessment in Division of Sociology and Anthropology and to make recommendations for next steps. Graduating senior surveys from 66 seniors during the Spring 2008 semester and transcripts from 504 students that graduated from the department between May 2004 through May 2008 were analyzed. Results suggest that department needs to improve upon advising, the coordination of internships, and the statistics requirement for their students. Through careful planning the department can improve upon these areas. To move forward with assessment in …

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Electronic Clinic Journaling: The Use Of Weblogs To Support Evidence -Based Practice In Doctor Of Audiology Students, Gayle B. Neldon May 2009

Electronic Clinic Journaling: The Use Of Weblogs To Support Evidence -Based Practice In Doctor Of Audiology Students, Gayle B. Neldon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a strategy for the provision of high quality health care. The use of journals to document clinical experiences and reflection has been used in speech-language pathology as well as nursing and psychology. This study uses qualitative analysis to study what AuD students learn about evidence-based practice from writing and reading clinic Weblogs, as well as to investigate AuD students' reactions to writing and reading these Weblogs and evidence-based practice as they have experienced it. The value of sharing evidence supporting clinical practice via electronic clinic journals in the form of Weblogs among peers was explored. Analysis …

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How Do College/University Teacher Misbehaviors Influence Student Cognitive Learning, Academic Self-Efficacy, Motivation, And Curiosity?, Sara R. Banfield May 2009

How Do College/University Teacher Misbehaviors Influence Student Cognitive Learning, Academic Self-Efficacy, Motivation, And Curiosity?, Sara R. Banfield

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between teacher misbehaviors and a variety of outcome variables, including cognitive learning, motivation, curiosity, and academic self-efficacy. Research has yet to directly address how teacher misbehaviors affect cognitive learning. It is important to assess actual learning as opposed to perceived learning to truly measure how a students' learning is influenced by the negative behaviors. Motivation, curiosity, and academic self-efficacy have been found to have a positive relationship with learning. When misbehaviors were present cognitive learning and motivation were not found to be significantly influenced by misbehaviors. Academic self-efficacy and curiosity …

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The Effect Of An Applied Behavior Analysis Based Treatment On The Participation Of A Kindergarten Student With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A General Education Classroom, Brandi Slider May 2009

The Effect Of An Applied Behavior Analysis Based Treatment On The Participation Of A Kindergarten Student With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A General Education Classroom, Brandi Slider

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project was developed with the intention of helping to integrate a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder more fully into a general education classroom. The study was a single case design experiment employing a multiple-baseline design across situations intended to increase appropriate participation and decrease inappropriate participation. The Competent Learner Model was used as a tool to develop observation skills and to identify target behaviors to change for the learner. An Applied Behavior Analysis based token-economy system served as the intervention, utilizing stickers in exchange for preferred activities. The intervention was applied at three intervals across two situations with …

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Community Social Status Effects On Migration Outcomes, Mark Gerald Middleton May 2009

Community Social Status Effects On Migration Outcomes, Mark Gerald Middleton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Using the geocoded version of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79), this study examines patterns of internal migration in the United States by investigating individual residential mobility between low socioeconomic and high socioeconomic counties. Specifically, through the use of data between the years of 1979 and 2002, this study asks three questions. First, if the sending community is socioeconomically different than the receiving community where the migrant lives during middle age, does this show upward, downward or lateral status movement? Second, do migrants tend to move from less desirable communities to communities with higher socioeconomic standards of living? …

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Test Re-Test Reliability Of The Unc Functional Performance Test, N. Regina Hash May 2009

Test Re-Test Reliability Of The Unc Functional Performance Test, N. Regina Hash

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Context. Football is a high risk contact sport in which many injuries are sustained to the lower extremity. Functional screening tests exist for football, but it is unknown if they are specifically used as criteria for return to play. The UNC Functional Performance Test has been used as criteria for return to play but reliability for this test is unknown. Objective . The purpose of this study was to establish reliability for the UNC Functional Performance Test (UNCFPT), a battery of functional skills. Design. This study was conducted as a prospective test re-test design. Setting. One site was used with …

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Predictors Of Anticipated Parenting Efficacy In Younger Adults, Danielle K. Tomczewski May 2009

Predictors Of Anticipated Parenting Efficacy In Younger Adults, Danielle K. Tomczewski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prior research has indicated that anticipated parenting efficacy, the degree to which individuals perceive that they will be an effective parent, predicts their later parenting competency (Coleman et al., 2002; Teti & Gelfand, 1991). Although additional correlates of parenting efficacy have been identified, such as knowledge of childhood development (Conrad, Gross, Fogg, & Ruchala, 1992) and prior contact with children (Coleman & Karraker, 2000; Williams et al., 1987), little research has examined the predictors of anticipated parenting efficacy. The current study examined anticipated parenting efficacy in a sample of 481 younger adults. Participants completed self-administered on-line surveys related to their …

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Behavioral Inhibition And Behavioral Activation In College Students: The Effects Of Aversive Control, Chad S. Brice May 2009

Behavioral Inhibition And Behavioral Activation In College Students: The Effects Of Aversive Control, Chad S. Brice

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Negative reinforcement is utilized in many contexts in our society but its differential effects in relation to individual differences are rarely studied. It is very similar in form to punishment in that they are both forms of aversive control, and only differs in the sense that negative reinforcement is a technique utilized to increase rather than reduce a behavior. Researchers, starting with Gray, have shown that individuals higher in inhibition and anxiety are more responsive to punishment, while individuals who are more impulsive are more sensitive to rewards. The positive relation between anxiety and sensitivity to punishment suggests that individuals …

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How Influential Are They? The Role Of Parents, Social Support, Attachment, And Autonomy In College Students' Likelihood To Experience Social Anxiety, Andrea M. Jones May 2009

How Influential Are They? The Role Of Parents, Social Support, Attachment, And Autonomy In College Students' Likelihood To Experience Social Anxiety, Andrea M. Jones

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous research has found that parental control predicts social anxiety and is moderated by parental proximity, as measured by the amount of contact one has with their parent; however there have been no studies examining how levels of parental proximity may change over the course of a young adult's life. The purpose of the current study was to examine how variables previously associated with social anxiety change across a semester of college. The current study examined parental proximity, autonomy, social support and social anxiety at three points across the semester. Thirty-nine undergraduate students at West Virginia University participated in the …

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Crossing The Bridge Between Written Tale And Scenic Design: The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow, Sabrina Hykes Jan 2009

Crossing The Bridge Between Written Tale And Scenic Design: The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow, Sabrina Hykes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In October 2008 West Virginia University Division of Theatre and Dance presented Christopher Cartmill‟s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre in Morgantown, WV. This thesis details the scenic design process including script analysis, research, planning, construction and an analysis of the final design. A series of models and discussions took the first impressions of the script to the final version which incorporated some of the initial concepts but left others behind for better or for worse.

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Assessment Of Social Anxiety In Early Childhood: Initial Test Construction And *Validation., Daniel B. Chorney Jan 2009

Assessment Of Social Anxiety In Early Childhood: Initial Test Construction And *Validation., Daniel B. Chorney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Social anxiety is experienced across the lifespan, with many individuals reporting symptoms of anxiety and shyness from a very early age in childhood. A number of measures have been designed to assess social anxiety in children, adolescents, and adults, yet little attention has been focused on children below 8 years of age. While some debate exists concerning children's ability to reliably report symptoms of anxiety in early childhood, recent research has indicated that accurate data can be obtained if the measures utilized are developmentally sensitive and not simply downward extensions of measures used to examine social anxiety in adults. Obtaining …

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Choice Between Schedules Of Reinforcement With And Without Response-Pacing Requirements, Leigh Schrimpf Jan 2009

Choice Between Schedules Of Reinforcement With And Without Response-Pacing Requirements, Leigh Schrimpf

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) and differential-reinforcement-of-high-rate (DRH) schedules specify a certain pace of responding eligible for reinforcement. The present study assessed the value of a paced schedule of reinforcement using a concurrent-chains schedule. Pigeon's pecks on the left and right initial-link keys led to one of two terminal-link VI 60-s schedules, programmed on the center key. Completion of a terminal-link schedule always led to access to grain. The value of a terminal-link schedule was measured by the initial-link choice proportions. In the baseline, pecks on either initial-link key produced access to one of two unpaced terminal-link schedules every 60 s, on average. …

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Characterizing The Relation Between Depressive Symptoms And Parkinson's Disease In A Sample Of Swedish Twins, Rebecca K. Widoe Jan 2009

Characterizing The Relation Between Depressive Symptoms And Parkinson's Disease In A Sample Of Swedish Twins, Rebecca K. Widoe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Depression commonly co-occurs with Parkinson's disease (PD). Psychosocial stressors and biochemical changes associated with PD have both been implicated in the etiology of depression in PD. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether genetic or environmental influences contribute to the increased risk for depressive symptoms among individuals with PD in a population of twins. Among individuals with PD, 24% endorsed a moderate-severe level of depressive symptoms, and 64% endorsed at least a mild level of depressive symptoms. Case-control results indicated that PD is a significant risk factor for both mild (OR = 3.11, CI = 1.82-5.31) and …

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