Digital Commons Network^™

Mmpi-2 Scores As A Predictor Of Outcomes On The Phase Ii Profile Integrity Inventory, Lynne Dawn Murray

Open Access Dissertations

Many personality inventories have been developed and used for clinical assessment purposes as well as pre-employment screening devices. Examples include the Woodworth Personal Data Sheet, the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), the California Psychological Inventory (CPI), the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF), and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI, MMPI-2) (Kaplan & Saccuzzo, 1993).

Sackett and Wanek (1996) reviewed the use of measures of honesty, integrity, conscientiousness, dependability, trustworthiness, and reliability for personnel selection, and found that the criterion-related validity studies are well represented. Using this as a basis, Murray (2000) completed a construct validation study of the Phase II Profile …

An Examination Of The Nature Of Reading Fluency, Emily D. Russell

Open Access Dissertations

The present study attempted to investigate the underlying cognitive and linguistic skills necessary for three different aspects of reading fluency: rate, phrasing, quality of expression. The variance accounted for by each of these skills on measures of reading comprehension was also evaluated. Oral reading skills of third and fourth-grade normal readers were assessed on narrative passages within each participant's independent reading level (i.e., fewer than two percent word reading errors). Results indicated similarities in the cognitive and reading skills necessary for rapid reading and appropriate phrasing. Specifically, word recognition was the strongest predictor in both cases. However, oromotor accuracy and …

Adult Attachment Patterns: The Relationship Between Security Of Attachment And Adjustment To Prison And Separation From Loved Ones, Steven Kenneth Diehl

Open Access Dissertations

This study was designed primarily to begin to bridge the gap that currently exists between the adult attachment literature and the initial studies of attachment among infants discussed by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth by exploring a real world, present time disruption of attachment relationships among adult inmates. Infant attachment research focused on emotional and behavioral reactions to separation from attachment figures and this study' s main premise was to examine adult reactions to being separated from loved ones. Subjects consisted of 167 male inmates who had been sentenced to at least a six-month term of incarceration at a state …

Individual Differences In Toddler Emotion Coping: The Impact Of Temperament And Socialization Experiences On Regulation Development, Elena Mirsky

Open Access Dissertations

The current study explores the expression of emotion coping behaviors in the developmental context of temperamental and socialization experiences. 45 30- month-olds, whose families were involved in a larger longitudinal study, participated in a laboratory assessment including 4 contexts designed to provide an experience of stress for the child. Child coping behaviors were coded according to a system by Grolnick (1996) which rates behaviors along a continuum of adaptiveness from focusing on the course of frustration, to self-comforting and other-directed behaviors, to behavior that is re-oriented toward the environment. Correlations were run between coping data and data on child temperament …

Quality Of Discourse Organization On A Story-Reconstruction Task In Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Normally Developing Peers, Sonia C. Mashikian

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether children with two subtypes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) differ from normally developing children in their discourse-organization abilities on story-reconstruction tasks. Participants were 68 children, aged 7 to 13 years, from two groups: an ADHD group from archival clinic files comprised of both the inattentive and combined subtypes, and a normal comparison group recruited from a YMCA program. Children in the normal comparison group were administered four tasks, which the clinical group had been administered previously. The tasks assessed receptive language, memory for sentences and stories, and visual construction. The …

Why All Clicks Are Not Created Equal: Consumer Information Search In The Web-Based Marketspace, Kuan-Pin Chiang

Open Access Dissertations

With a few simple clicks, consumers can navigate the World Wide Web, move from site to site, access and examine vast amounts of information unconstrained by time and place which have traditionally restricted consumer behavior in the physical marketplace. At least, that is according to theory. Information search on the Internet should, therefore, increase since search costs are reduced. But empirical evidence seems to suggest otherwise. Why aren't consumers clicking for more information? Although the Internet reduces the cost of physical effort in moving from store to store, it may not reduce the cognitive cost of moving from site to …

An Examination Of Collaborative Practice In Anesthesia Care Team Settings And Occupational Stress In Nurse Anesthetists, Steve Louis Alves

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nature of certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) scope of practice (SOP), collaboration with anesthesiologists in anesthesia care team (ACT) settings, and occupational stress. A critical philosophy viewpoint serves as a broad perspective in understanding the depiction of domination and conflict between CRNAs and anesthesiologists in ACT environments. The theoretical basis for this study was derived from the quality of nursing practice framework, with an elaboration of the process component to examine CRNA's scope of practice, collaboration between CRNAs and anesthesiologists, and role-related occupational stress. A mailed survey …

Breast Cancer Experiences: Women's Reflections Years After Diagnosis, Margaret Barton-Burke

Open Access Dissertations

Many women diagnosed with breast cancer m the last decade are either living with active treatment for the disease or are classified as cured but living with the sequelae of the disease or treatment. Most research has been on the physical aspects of the disease and conducted during or immediately after active treatment. Information beyond the physical dimension of women's experiences is small and narrowly focused, and research beyond 5 years is almost nonexistent. A full depiction of the multidimensional nature of being diagnosed with, treated for, recovering from, and living with the aftermath of breast cancer is lacking. The …

A Study Of The Relation Between Reading Achievement And Less-Than-Proficient Urban Adolescent Readers' World View Of Reading, Gerardine Cannon

Open Access Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between reading achievement and less-than-proficient urban adolescents' sociocultural, personal, and academic views of reading. Supported by the thinking of Lloyd-Smith and Tarr (2000) that "There is a role for educational research to demonstrate…the value of listening to children in…the promotion of school improvement" (p. 70), this study asked 91 young adolescents from an urban working class/poor community to share their thoughts, attitudes and beliefs about the reading process, themselves, and influences on their views of reading and their reading experiences. Thirteen students, including proficient and less-than-proficient readers, were selected to share their views on literacy …

Peer Group Instructional Conversation: Collaboration In Context, Linda Greene Capalbo

Open Access Dissertations

American schools traditionally have reflected and promoted societal values of autonomy and independence in the development of the individual child. This limited perspective on how humans come to know focuses on the accrued cultural capital of each learner and neglects the role of 'the other' in the construction of meaning. Such a view can be especially debilitating for students who have been identified as marginal learners. This study examines how social interaction organizes participation opportunities and strategies for members of a peer learning group, including a student designated language learning disabled. The study documents the development and negotiation of individual …

An Exploratory Study Of The Effects Of A Training Program On The Ability To Prepare A Breakfast Meal By Clients With Mild Alzheimer's Disease, Alicia J. Curtin

Open Access Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the insidious onset of an array of cognitive deficits that progress over time and lead to changes in an individual's ability to even perform simple tasks, such as preparing meals. Recently, researchers have demonstrated that clients with mild AD have preserved procedural memory function despite significant cognitive deficits. Procedural memory is an automatic, unconscious process, requiring practice and repetition to activate the particular structures involved in learning tasks. Skills training is a strategy using repetition and practice to enhance the client's ability to perform a certain task. An exploratory design using direct observation and …

A Participant Observation Study Of Experienced Nurses' Presence In Daily Care, Paulette Anne Osterman

Open Access Dissertations

As important as presence is to nursing, it often lacks conceptual clarity and systematic empirical observation in nursing practice. However, in the few qualitative studies with presence as a focus researchers have not considered both nurse and patient in interaction in present time nor included the nature of the patient's perception of the nurse's presence. In an earlier project in a long-term care setting, nurses were observed to be present in more than one way (presence, partial presence, full presence, and transcendent presence). In addition, nurses' employed presence for assessing impending health care changes early in the shift, and used …

Female Coping With Cardiac Rehabilitation After A Cardiac Event: A Qualitative Study, M. Patricia Burnside Quigley

Open Access Dissertations

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in American women. Cardiac rehabilitation can reduce cardiac risk, but women underutilize cardiac rehabilitation. Research has not described how women who do participate cope with integrating cardiac rehabilitation into their lives. The purpose of this research study was to explore women's coping with a Phase II (12-week) cardiac rehabilitation program by analyzing interview data for common elements and other ways of coping. A secondary purpose was to explore to what extent the women's descriptions in their interviews corresponded with Lazarus' theoretical concepts of appraisal and coping. The purposive sample was comprised …

Highly Significant Findings In Psychology: A Power And Effect Size Survey, Rose Marie Ward

Open Access Dissertations

The quality of current psychological research has been questioned because of perceived flaws in the primary methods of inquiry. As early as the late 1930s researchers began criticizing the methods by which psychological research examines hypotheses. Over the last 50 years, researchers have suggested that the American Psychological Association require additional indices to augment findings of statistical significance. Among the indices suggested are statistical power and measures of magnitude of effect size. While researchers and the APA have suggested utilizing these and other methods to supplement NHST, it seems that researchers are not currently using statistical power and effect size …

A Proposed Model Of Medical Staff-Family Communication In The Context Of Cancer: Psychometric, Model And Mediational Testing, Dana Anne Gionta

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation extends our knowledge of the relationships among complex communication variables involved in medical staff-family member communication in the context of adult cancer. It does this in three ways. First, communication variables are quantified using qualitative data from previous studies in the area of cancer, communication and the family to provide a more systematic means of studying these variables. Manuscript 1 examines the psychometric soundness of these instruments with results indicating a single factor structure for each instrument, preliminary evidence for construct and content validity and good to excellent internal consistency (.77, .91, .93., .97). Second, a model of …

An Exploration Of The Nature Of Nursing Practice Related To The Presence Of Visitors In The Critical Care Setting, Mary E. Mcginn Farrell

Open Access Dissertations

The need for and importance of visiting hours for relatives of critically ill patients has been well documented and passionately debated in the nursing literature for many years. Nurses tend to be the primary gatekeepers in the ICU yet little empirical knowledge exists related to the phenomenon of visiting from the perspective of the bedside nurse. A three-phase qualitative research investigation was undertaken with eight critical care nurses identified by managers as being experts at working with families. Data were gathered using participant observation, interviews and document review. Three research questions guided this investigation: (1) How do expert nurses incorporate …

The Nature Of Infant Relinquishment As Described By Two Voices: The Relinquishing Mother And The Obstetrical Nurse, Linda Jean Kobokovich

Open Access Dissertations

Little is known about the relinquishment experience and nursing interventions for infant relinquishment. The purpose of this study was to first, describe in the birth mother's voice, the relinquishment experience and her perception of nursing interventions, while second, creating an inventory of nursing interventions. Kim's (2000) Practice Domain provided the theoretical background. This two-phase study used an inductive, qualitative approach and employed a mixed method design of semi-structured interview and focus group interview. The interview was crafted upon the interview style of McCracken (1988) and Spradley (1969) while focus group methodology as detailed by Morgan (1993, 1996) guided the second …

An Analysis Of The Predictive Power Of The Transtheoretical Model Of Behavior Change Applied To Dietary Fat Intake, Julie A. Wright

Open Access Dissertations

The present research was designed to advance the theory and science of health behavior change by evaluating one of the most commonly used behavior change theories, the Transtheoretical Model (TTM). Two criteria were selected for evaluation, empirical adequacy (predictive power) and generalizability of the TTM to dietary fat intake. Predictive power was evaluated by testing evidence-based a priori predictions. Generalizability was evaluated by testing a priori predictions founded on smoking data and tested on diet data. Longitudinal data from a large scale randomized control trial on adults recruited from primary care practices were used to test a priori predictions of …

Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Latino And Latina College Students, Cecilia Maria Duarte

Open Access Dissertations

This study examines the ethnocultural and social factors, which impact the psychological well being and help-seeking behaviors among Latino and Latina client and non-client college populations. Latino/a help-seeking is commonly described as "crisis usage," and underutilization of counseling services has been attributed to cultural and social barriers. The underrepresentation of Latinos in higher education and in counseling centers nationally has led to speculation, of the ethnocultural perceptions of help-seeking among Latino and Latina college students. This research utilized quantitative methods in two studies to address the lack of comprehensive examination of this crisis phenomenon. The first study compared the presentation, …

Market Information And Fisheries Management: Improving Efficiency In Private Property Right Management Systems, Eyjolfur Gudmundsson

Open Access Dissertations

Fisheries economics concentrates on solving the problem of economic overexploitation in fisheries. The field took its first steps, as a specialized study area within economics, in the early 1950s. The approach since then, for solving the problem of overexploitation, has mostly been one of neo-classical economics, with emphasis on the production side of the problem. A potential solution to the overexploitation problem is the privatization of fisheries in order to maximize long-term economic benefits. Recent studies have shown that prices and certain product characteristics are an important factor for determining the optimal management of fisheries. This study tries to establish …

A Friend Of Edward's: Identity, Homosexuality, And The Literature Of Edward Ii, 1300-1630, Michael Gary Cornelius

Open Access Dissertations

England's King Edward II is a figure handed down throughout history largely because of his same-sex relationships. Medieval and Renaissance authors did not choose to write about Edward II in spite of his same-sex desires, but, rather, because of them; in essence, to explore issues surrounding same-sex relationships, these writers chose Edward II as their representational figure because his name was already inextricably linked with these desires. In doing so, these authors--including Adam Davy, John Lydgate, John Barbour, Christopher Marlowe, Michael Drayton, Francis Hubert, and Elizabeth Cary--create a genre of queer literature that extends back seven centuries and that, in …

Telework And Work Attitudes: The Relationship Between Telecommuting And Employee Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, Perceived Organizational Support, And Perceived Co-Worker Support, Erica Israelson Desrosiers

Open Access Dissertations

The present study investigates the relationship between employee telework and work attitudes, including job satisfaction, organizational commitment, perceived organizational support, and perceived co-worker support. A web-based questionnaire was distributed to employees at five organizations. Surveys were completed by 1,350 employees. A positive relationship was predicted between telework and overall job satisfaction, as mediated by perceived autonomy. Further, moderating effects of job level were predicted for the above relationships. A negative relationship was predicted between telework and perceived co-worker support, moderated by task interdependence. It was also predicted that teleworkers would report higher levels of affective commitment, and that this relationship …

Assessing Depression Treatment And Outcomes Using Insurance Claims Data, Gregory Andrew Allard

Open Access Dissertations

This retrospective, longitudinal, quasi-experimental study uses insurance data to compare long-term outcomes among an adult population by depression history and treatment level. Treatment levels were assigned based on claims history correspondence with Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) depression outpatient treatment guidelines. Thirty-month outcomes included depression resurgence and total health care utilization (total utilization). Recurrent depressives (recurrents) were expected to experience resurgence at higher rates than single episode depressives (singles). Additionally, cases with AHCPR-recommended (preventative) treatments were expected to have lower resurgence rates compared to cases that received lower-level treatments. Also, total utilization in cases receiving preventative treatments …

The Influence Of Teacher Response On African American Students' Codeswitching, Celeste Minor Bowler

Open Access Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between teacher response and African American codeswitching. The main question of this study was, "How does teacher response influence codeswitching of African American high school students?" The study was conducted in a large urban high school, in two separate college preparatory English classes. The subjects were nine African American students. The Experimental Group consisted of four African American students in one English class. The Control Group consisted of five African American students in the other English class. The same teacher taught both groups of students. Data collected over a five-week period from audiotapes and field …

Piety And Intolerance: A Rhetorical Inquiry Into The Constituting Of Christian Fundamentalist Identity, Mary K. Cardinale

Open Access Dissertations

"Piety and Intolerance: A Rhetorical Inquiry Into the Constituting of Christian Fundamentalist Identity" explores the connection between fundamentalist texts and the promotion of prejudice--prejudice defined as intolerance, discrimination, and "negative intergroup attitude[s]" toward outsiders. Studies suggest a relationship between religious fundamentalism and prejudice; however, no study has found conclusively what links them. In response, this study analyzes and interprets passages from two fundamentalist texts in order to locate link/s between the texts' rhetorical elements and their effects on constituting an exclusive fundamentalist identity that positions outsiders as God's enemies. I argue that epideictic rhetoric and the enthymeme, employed as a …

Gender Roles And Science Beliefs And Their Relationship To Science Interest, Judith Jean Paolucci

Open Access Dissertations

This study investigated adolescents' views about the nature of science (NOS) and conceptions of their gender identities, and revealed whether these conceptions and views are related to their science interest. Participants were 566 high school students enrolled in chemistry courses at three high schools in a New England state. A questionnaire was used to assess participants' science interest, gender role perceptions, and views about science, as well as to provide background and math and science achievement data. The study found that while student scores of NOS understanding did not differ by gender, some significant differences were noted on the student …

The Relationship Between Teachers' Theoretical Orientations To Reading And Their Verbal Feedback To Students During Oral Reading, Kathleen A. Swann

Open Access Dissertations

This study examined the link between theory and practice as evidenced in the relationship between teachers' beliefs and the decisions they make during instruction. It is embedded within research on teacher change during times of educational reform (Cuban, 1993; Darling-Hammond, 1997; Sarason, 1996) and in reading theory (Shannon, 1992). The specific role of belief in the change process is unclear (Guskey, 1986; Richardson, 1990). Beliefs were explored through the construct of theoretical orientation (blend of teachers' beliefs and knowledge) to reading. Decisions were observed through the verbal feedback teachers gave during oral reading instruction. The study was designed to triangulate …

Examining The Structural And Philosophical Positions Of Community-Based Organization Practitioners, Dana Scott Mills

Open Access Dissertations

Research examining the gap between science and practice in community health promotion often acknowledges the relevance of differing philosophies between science and practice populations and their relative influence on technology transfer. However, few studies have examined the nature of the philosophical differences on the adoption of science-based health promotion and prevention program adoption. This dissertation explored the paradigmatic views and philosophical orientations of community-based prevention providers with a focus on how paradigm differences between researchers and practitioners sustain gaps and block the transfer of technology (a.k.a., diffusion of innovations, utilization of research findings, adopting science-based programs) in community health promotion …

Sexual Negotiation And The Influence Of Gender And Power In Heterosexually Active Men And Women, Seth Michael Noar

Open Access Dissertations

This study had four main goals: (1) to develop a psychometrically valid condom influence strategy scale (CISS) on a college sample; (2) to examine the relationship of these influence strategies to variables from HIV risk reduction models; (3) to further validate this scale in a sample of at-risk community adults; and (4) to discuss how gender, power, and interpersonal variables such as influence strategies can be integrated into current models of HIV risk reduction. In Study One, a sample of 471 sexually active college students was split in two for exploratory (N = 201) and confirmatory (N = 270) analyses. …

Nonviolence Training Program Evaluation, Maram Hallak

Open Access Dissertations

There has been much recent attention given to conflict resolution and nonviolence training programs in the face of problems of violence in our society. The Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies at the University of Rhode Island was founded to provide nonviolence training to students of the university and community members. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Center's Nonviolence Training Program, based on Martin Luther King's approaches, designed to teach participants nonviolence methods as a way of life. A qualitative study gathered information and established the overall expectations of the parties involved. Focus groups …