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2001

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The Experience Of Successful Smoking Cessation: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Gail Ann Rattigan Jan 2001

The Experience Of Successful Smoking Cessation: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Gail Ann Rattigan

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Cigarette smoking is a significant public health issue and despite efforts, prevalence of smoking has not decreased in accordance with national goals. This study utilized a phenomenological approach to describe women's experience of successful smoking cessation. Pender's Health Promotion Model (1996) and Prochaska and DiClementes' Transtheoretical Model of Change (1996) were utilized. Twelve women who had successfully quit smoking were interviewed; Data analysis yielded a core theme of transformation to non-smoker. Sub-themes included motivational factors of image conflict and cues for action. Other themes included barriers to cessation and coping mechanisms. Interpersonal factors and unconditional resolve were influential. Activity-related affect …

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Motivations Of Elders Who Volunteer With Youth In Intergenerational Programs, Christine Alberta Stergios Jan 2001

Motivations Of Elders Who Volunteer With Youth In Intergenerational Programs, Christine Alberta Stergios

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Intergenerational programs have been found to benefit both the youths and elders who participate in them. Successful programs that serve youth are dependent on obtaining sufficient older adult volunteers. However, program directors report a shortage of older volunteers, despite various recruitment methods. Understanding the motivations of older adults who volunteer for intergenerational programs may help recruiters more effectively secure additional elderly volunteers, and provide optimal volunteer experiences. Qualitative methods were used to study nineteen elderly volunteers who provide service to youth programs or projects. Results found that these elders wanted to contribute to the lives of youth, feel connected to …

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"Holy Dwarves" And "Devil Babies": An Anthropological World-Survey Of Stigmatization Of The Disabled, Tommi Louise White Jan 2001

"Holy Dwarves" And "Devil Babies": An Anthropological World-Survey Of Stigmatization Of The Disabled, Tommi Louise White

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Disability exists as a human universal based upon conceptual categorizations. Positive and negative forms of stigmatization exist cross-culturally, and are examined in a world-survey format in terms of emic socio-cultural level, subsistence economy, and religion. I suggest that responses to disability are cultural specific, and that these individualized responses are filtered through cultural perceptions of reality and transformed into various treatment strategies of care, euthanasia, and abandonment, in addition to common discriminatory customs, such as limitations on marriage eligibility.

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Oasis Deluxe, John M Ziebell Jan 2001

Oasis Deluxe, John M Ziebell

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This creative dissertation, submitted for partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing degree, is a novella-length work of fiction set in Las Vegas, Nevada. My aesthetic intent was to construct a contemporary story around an unobtrusive but directive narrative voice that privileges multiple perspectives while uniting them into a coherent whole, and I hope the spirit of that goal is recognizable in the final product; While this work is not cumulative in terns of content, it does represent a narrative and structural sensibility I have developed during my years of study at this …

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Exploring Family Values, Jaime Lynn Carr Jan 2001

Exploring Family Values, Jaime Lynn Carr

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This exploratory study sought to develop an empirically based scale to measure family values (Family Values Scale), and to then begin to establish the validity of this instrument. This scale consists of two major subscales, Family Priority and Traditionality. Results indicate that these two subscales have acceptable internal consistency and temporal stability. Subject were students from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (N = 380). Scores on the Family Values Scale were compared to scales measuring social desirability, selfism, satisfaction with life, perceived stress, social support, and psychological symptomotology. Results indicated that the Family Priority subscale is significantly related to …

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Job Characteristics And Self-Efficacy As Predictors Of Organizational Commitment, Min Fang Jan 2001

Job Characteristics And Self-Efficacy As Predictors Of Organizational Commitment, Min Fang

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Employee turnover could be ameliorated by controlling the antecedents of organizational commitment. The purpose of this study is to examine how job characteristics (skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, self-efficacy and overall job characteristics) and self-efficacy may independently and interactively influence organizational commitment. Specifically, different combinations of job characteristics and self-efficacy are proposed to have different effects on organizational commitment. Data were collected from 177 hospitality employees at four hospitality companies. Predictive effects were found between job characteristics (overall and two of the dimensions) and organizational commitment. The hypothesized directional outcomes of the interaction of job characteristics and self-efficacy …

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Determination Of Static Contraction Times To Exhaustion For Given Percentages Of A 1 Rm In The Bench Press, Leg Press, And Pulldown Exercises, Jeremy C Fransen Jan 2001

Determination Of Static Contraction Times To Exhaustion For Given Percentages Of A 1 Rm In The Bench Press, Leg Press, And Pulldown Exercises, Jeremy C Fransen

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the time to exhaustion based on percentages of the 1 RM in the bench press, leg press, and pulldown exercises. Eleven healthy males, age 27.7 +/- 5.5 years, volunteered for the study to compare the strength differences between their maximum isotonic strength and isometric strength (a static contraction hold) in the pulldown, bench press, and leg press exercises. Five randomized static contractions sets were performed 5 cm below the lockout position in the bench press and leg press exercises. The static contraction position for the pulldown was when the forearm was at …

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Assessing Learning Outcomes In College Introductory Economics Courses: A Case Study, John Richards Mundy Jan 2001

Assessing Learning Outcomes In College Introductory Economics Courses: A Case Study, John Richards Mundy

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Many issues affecting economic education remain unresolved within the profession. Much scholarly attention in recent years relates to the teaching of college introductory economics principles in courses. This thesis analyzes the learning outcomes of students taking introductory college economics principles courses. Little basic research has been performed on the assessment of how students actually learn the concepts of economics. This thesis takes a unique approach to the assessment of learning outcomes. Following a pre- and post-test survey, students were scored on the basis of both their economic attitude sophistication, and their knowledge of content. The results were regressed against a …

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Mock Juror Perceptions Of Juvenile Defendants In Adult Court, Jennifer Lynne Personius Jan 2001

Mock Juror Perceptions Of Juvenile Defendants In Adult Court, Jennifer Lynne Personius

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The focus of this study is on individual juror's perceptions of juveniles that have been remanded to the adult court system for trial. Jurors are expected to be harsher on juveniles tried in adult court than they would be on adults who committed the same crime. Participants recruited from students in UNLV's criminal justice classes were given a short vignette of a crime where the defendant's age and severity of the crime were manipulated. Participants were also given a short packet of personality questionnaires. Participants were asked to make verdict recommendations and sentence the offender when a guilty verdict was …

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The Acute Effects Of Transdermal Testosterone Precursor Administration On Serum Steroid Hormone Levels In Females, Mark Anthony Rasmussen Jan 2001

The Acute Effects Of Transdermal Testosterone Precursor Administration On Serum Steroid Hormone Levels In Females, Mark Anthony Rasmussen

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Most governing sports authorities have banned the use of anabolic steroids as ergogenic aids. Recently, a transdermal testosterone precursor dietary supplement (AndrosteDERMRTM) has become available; athletes can apply the cream to their skin with the belief that it will increase serum testosterone levels, muscle mass, and strength. The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of one milliliter of AndrosteDERMRTM) applied to the inner surface of the upper arm on the serum levels of androstenedione, and free and total testosterone in female subjects. Serum levels were measured before application and every 45 minutes thereafter for six hours. Serum …

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The Impact Of Being Dignified By One's Manager On Leader-Member Exchange And Psychological Empowerment, Loren Brett Wender Jan 2001

The Impact Of Being Dignified By One's Manager On Leader-Member Exchange And Psychological Empowerment, Loren Brett Wender

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This research tested whether being dignified by one's manger had a relationship with LMX and psychological empowerment. Specifically, did being dignified or derogated by one's manager lead to LMX and psychological empowerment's three dimensions: meaning, influence, and self-efficacy?;In order to examine the relationships mentioned above, survey data were collected from 325 employees of service firms located in Las Vegas, Nevada. A majority of the employees (255) were students who attended University of Nevada, Las Vegas, while the others were from other service organizations in Las Vegas and Boston. The data was examined using a path analysis to test the hypotheses …

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Increasing Parental Knowledge In Treatment Of Childhood Fever, Brian D Bishop Jan 2001

Increasing Parental Knowledge In Treatment Of Childhood Fever, Brian D Bishop

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Fever is the single most common symptom that causes parents to seek medical attention for their young children (Kramer, Naimark, & Leduc, 1985). Parental lack of knowledge regarding the management of pediatric fever plays a roll in this phenomenon. The problem addressed in this study is inappropriate parental usage of emergency treatment resources for the treatment of non-emergent childhood fevers. This study tested if providing direct and indirect information about childhood fever and its treatment resulted in a decrease of inappropriate emergency room visits for non-emergent pediatric febrile illnesses for a select population; A quasi-experimental design was used with a …

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A Qualitative Study Of The Perceived Psychosocial Outcomes Of Gastric Bypass Surgery, Lindsey Eva Bocchieri Jan 2001

A Qualitative Study Of The Perceived Psychosocial Outcomes Of Gastric Bypass Surgery, Lindsey Eva Bocchieri

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Attempts to understand postoperative psychosocial changes in the lives of individuals who have undergone gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity have (1) been guided by constructs emanating from the assumptions of researchers, and (2) have resulted in fragmented conclusions that catalogue changes without theoretically integrating them. Using unstructured and semi-structured interviews and in-depth focus groups, patients were asked in an open-ended fashion about the ways, if any, in which gastric bypass surgery had affected their lives. Grounded theory methodology was utilized in order to identify emergent themes and their interrelations, and build a meaningful, comprehensive theory of life after gastric …

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The Relationship Between Employee Personality Traits And Preferred Leadership Style, Thomas M. Kuhn Jan 2001

The Relationship Between Employee Personality Traits And Preferred Leadership Style, Thomas M. Kuhn

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to examine how employee personality traits are related to a preferred leadership style and how the differences between preferred and actual leadership style relate to employee perceptions of leader satisfaction and effectiveness. Respondents completed a survey questionnaire that consisted of the commonly used Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire Form 5X to assess employee leadership preferences and the NEO-FF1 to identify personality traits. The relationship between employee personality traits and their preferred leadership style is significant to leaders who believe that it is possible to adjust a leadership approach to improve organizational performance; Findings. Agreeableness is …

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Precipitating And Prophylactic Factors Contributing To Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptomatology In Maltreated Children, Lisa Marie Linning Jan 2001

Precipitating And Prophylactic Factors Contributing To Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptomatology In Maltreated Children, Lisa Marie Linning

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study examined mediating factors that lead to, or buffer against, development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after child maltreatment. Fifty-five children aged 8--17 years voluntarily completed self-report questionnaires and a structured diagnostic interview. It was hypothesized that (1) chronicity and severity of abuse amplify PTSD risk when a child has limited support networks, ineffective coping, external locus of control, affect dysregulation, and a dysfunctional family; (2) key family and victim characteristics would help to ameliorate effects of traumatic abuse; (3) the combination of precipitating and prophylactic factors would determine the effectiveness of managing traumatic maltreatment. Results suggest that dysthymia, …

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Effects Of Ocr Errors On Text Categorization, Lidija K Mackovski Jan 2001

Effects Of Ocr Errors On Text Categorization, Lidija K Mackovski

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis; we report on our experiments on training and categorization of optically recognized documents. In, particular, we present a lexicon-based error correction algorithm to improve the categorization process. This algorithm is based on edit distance techniques and information from highly weighted words in the categorizers.

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Perceptions Of Caring Behaviors By Elderly Residents In Extended Care Facilities, Ludy Sta Maria-Llasus Jan 2001

Perceptions Of Caring Behaviors By Elderly Residents In Extended Care Facilities, Ludy Sta Maria-Llasus

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe elderly residents' perceptions of which caring behaviors they want exhibited by the nursing staff in extended care facilities. Consequently, this study was able to identify which caring behaviors are important and least important to this population. Using Jean Watson's Theory of Transpersonal Caring as the framework, this study utilized Wolf's Caring Behaviors Inventory instrument to answer the study's research questions. Forty-eight participants wanted nursing staff to demonstrate behaviors under the professional knowledge and skill dimension of the CBI. The sample also identified five most important and least important nurse caring behaviors; …

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Parental Perceptions Of Childhood Weight Status In Preschool Children, Alison Faye Martodam Jan 2001

Parental Perceptions Of Childhood Weight Status In Preschool Children, Alison Faye Martodam

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe parental perceptions of their preschool child's weight status. Pender's Revised Health Promotion Model was used to guide this study. A convenience sample of 275 parents, who had a child between the age of 2--5 years, was obtained from Women, Infant's and Children (WIC) clinics in a Southwestern city, after informed consent was obtained. The sample had a high number of Hispanics (80%) compared to non-Hispanics (20%). It was found that overall parents perceive their child's weight accurately. No significance was found between the ethnicity, education or age of the parents and …

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An Examination Of Mentoring Among Graduate Teaching Assistants, Kimberly Kay Nehls Jan 2001

An Examination Of Mentoring Among Graduate Teaching Assistants, Kimberly Kay Nehls

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Mentoring is a communication process where an experienced guide helps a novice adjust to new surroundings. The goal is to assist newcomers with difficult transitions. The literature review determined that mentoring has recently evolved to academia with a desire to aid students and faculty. A need arose to examine peer communication between graduate students. This study specifically examined peer mentoring among graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Surveys were distributed to GTAs in every department and school at that university. Results indicated that GTAs believe the teaching experience has been good for them, but responded …

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An Exploration Of The Inner Experience Of Depression, Carla Nanette Perlotto Jan 2001

An Exploration Of The Inner Experience Of Depression, Carla Nanette Perlotto

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the inner experience of people with depression using the Descriptive Experience Sampling method. Participants were screened with the SCL-90-R and then selected for the depression group or the control group. Participants were asked to complete the BDI-II and the VAS as pre-test and posttest measures. Participants used the Descriptive Experience Sampling method, which entails random cueing by a beeping device and recording of inner experiences including thoughts, images, and feelings. Samples were discussed thoroughly by the participants and the researchers. Summaries of the samples were then coded for prominent characteristics. The most frequent codes for the depression …

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Teens Understanding Of The Indicators Of The Tendency To Abuse Alcohol: Focus Group Discussions, Bob Van Drimmelen Jan 2001

Teens Understanding Of The Indicators Of The Tendency To Abuse Alcohol: Focus Group Discussions, Bob Van Drimmelen

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Alcohol abuse has become an epidemic in the modern world. The increase in this social problem has brought with it many consequences which everyone in society has to deal with. Unfortunately, the anguish of abuse has also spread through the world of teens. Are there indicators which portend the tendency for teens to abuse alcohol? Quantified research has revealed several of those indicators. Are we helping teens understand what those indicators are? Are teens accepting and learning about those indicators that they might be protected from the harsh consequences? This study begins to help society understand that efforts are being …

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An Investigation On The Impact Of Training On Employees' Perceptions Of Occupational Status And Self-Esteem In The Foodservice Industry, Keithen Adell Washington Jan 2001

An Investigation On The Impact Of Training On Employees' Perceptions Of Occupational Status And Self-Esteem In The Foodservice Industry, Keithen Adell Washington

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

As the hospitality community continues to grow into a leading national economical force, it is imperative that the industry investigates perceptions of occupational status and find methods that positively change the negative perceptions of one of its most prevalent divisions, foodservice (Aarnio, 1999). Evaluating perceptions of internal occupational status has been an undeveloped link in this area of research. In order to address internal occupational status, this study looks at the impact of initial foodservice training on the perceptions of newcomers to the career field moderated by specific demographic variables. Examining how training changes perceptions of occupational status and self-esteem …

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The Myth Of National Unity: President George W Bush's Rhetorical Reconstruction Of America, William Edward Belk Jan 2001

The Myth Of National Unity: President George W Bush's Rhetorical Reconstruction Of America, William Edward Belk

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

On Inaugural Day, President George W. Bush faced an unusually hostile audience. To reunite the nation, President Bush reached back to Americans' fundamental archetypal images, featuring the American founding myth. However, this reunification process was not complete until his speeches of September 14 and 20, 2001. Through his rhetorical transformation of worldwide terrorism into Evil, Bush reconstructed a broadly accepted image of America as Good and concurrently legitimated his ascendancy to the Presidency. However, myth also serves a less benign purpose of subtly promoting narrower ideology disguised as cultural tradition. Through analysis of Bush's three major speeches of 2001, this …

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Factors Affecting Recidivism At A Transitional Shelter For The Homeless, Scianna Elizabeth Bowman Augustine Jan 2001

Factors Affecting Recidivism At A Transitional Shelter For The Homeless, Scianna Elizabeth Bowman Augustine

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines factors affecting recidivism (shelter reentry) among two-parent households, female-headed households, and single women, through a study of selected households utilizing a transitional shelter for the homeless in Las Vegas, Nevada. The paper touches on the history of homelessness in America, and explores some of the factors related to the increase in homelessness on the national and local level. It examines the shelter system---in particular, the provision of transitional shelter---as the primary intervention designed to return individuals and families to self-sufficiency. The study found that the three household types did not differ significantly in terms of recidivism. However, …

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An Evaluation Between Confidence Judgments And Differences In Monitoring Ability, Brett Douglas Campbell Jan 2001

An Evaluation Between Confidence Judgments And Differences In Monitoring Ability, Brett Douglas Campbell

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Metacognition is the awareness of a person's thinking and the ability to regulate that thinKing This study examines how confident a person is at monitoring progress during two cognitive tasks. The fast task was the feeling-of-knowing paradigm, when participants judge how accurately they can retrieve an answer in a recognition task, when they cannot retrieve the answer in free recall. The second task was a paired-associate interference paradigm. Participants were presented with a list of noun-noun pairs twice and then a new list was presented for recall. Participants were placed into three groups (high, medium, low) based on responses to …

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A Descriptive Study Of Positive Body Image Among Female Adolescent Dancers, Amy Bobo Courrier Jan 2001

A Descriptive Study Of Positive Body Image Among Female Adolescent Dancers, Amy Bobo Courrier

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study examined whether groups of adolescent girls, who society defines as having a positive body image, actually feel positive about their own body image and how they express it culturally. Cheerleaders and dancers were chosen as accessible groups that embodied the ideal body image as defined by popular Western teen culture. Qualitative analysis was conducted using interviews, observations, and focus groups to determine how these groups felt about their body image and how they defined a positive image. The influence of attitudes towards perfectionism, perceived control over the body, and the desire to follow "healthy" habits all contributed to …

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Family Factors Associated With Anxiety Sensitivity In Youth, Kelly Lynn Drake Jan 2001

Family Factors Associated With Anxiety Sensitivity In Youth, Kelly Lynn Drake

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between various family variables and anxiety sensitivity (AS) in a community sample of 159 youth ages 7--18 years and their parents. Youth completed self-report measures of anxiety and AS and parents completed measures of AS, attachment, psychopathology, family environment, and parenting practices. The primary purpose was to examine the extent to which these family variables predicted child AS. Results indicated that a combination of family factors including parenting style, parental psychopathology, and family environment significantly predicted child AS. Specifically, parent's perceptions of their child's anxiety sensitivity and a secure attachment …

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Investigating The Relationship Of Verbal Span And Spatial Span In A Combination Task, Miriam E Dunbar Jan 2001

Investigating The Relationship Of Verbal Span And Spatial Span In A Combination Task, Miriam E Dunbar

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Measurement of working memory span typically involves tasks designed to introduce stimuli to the unique slave systems. It is widely accepted that these isolated measurements indicate, at a relatively simple level, the span of the given working memory system. This study hypothesizes that separate working memory systems can be combined to enhance span length. To evaluate this hypothesis, the Corsi Block Task, a commonly used measure of spatial working memory, will be altered to include verbal information (colors). One hundred subjects completed the following typically used cognitive tasks to observe the relationship between verbal abilities in working memory and spatial …

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Transgender Population: Barriers And Adaptions To Employment, Cecilie H Evans Jan 2001

Transgender Population: Barriers And Adaptions To Employment, Cecilie H Evans

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study integrated literature and personal interviews to examine issues of employment among people from the transgender population. By incorporating interviews, employment is addressed from the transgender person's reference point. This allows for integral examination of personal or internal and environmental or external factors that impact the transgender person while seeking or maintaining employment. In a study of seven people, common themes appeared to influence employment such as the ability to pass, coming out and transitioning, employer and type of employment, stigmas faced such as being "outed," and attitude. These themes served as the foundation in developing social work …

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Attorneys' Perceptions Of Child Witnesses With Mental Retardation, Michelle Dawn Platt Jan 2001

Attorneys' Perceptions Of Child Witnesses With Mental Retardation, Michelle Dawn Platt

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Children with mental retardation are more likely to be abused than the general population, yet are often denied access to the justice system. Research on children without mental retardation has revealed skepticism as to their reliability as witnesses in the court of law. Even more so, children with mental retardation face the issue of credibility because of their age and disability. The purpose of this study is to assess attorneys' perceptions of child witnesses with mental retardation. Thirty-nine criminal attorneys completed a 33-item questionnaire designed to assess their opinions of the abilities of adults, and children with and without mental …

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