Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of A Continuous Performance Test., Sandi Louise Spera

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Continuous performance tests are frequently used to measure attention and impulsivity in children and adults. These instruments are particularly popular for assessing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The ecological validity of continuous performance tests has not yet been established as acceptable (Barkley, 1991). Additionally, questions remain regarding the diagnostic utility of these instruments. This study examined the ecological validity and diagnostic utility of the Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT; Conners, 1995). Specifically, the relationship between CPT scores and behavior in a classroom setting was investigated. The ability of the Conners' Continuous Performance Test to discriminate between children who meet DSM-IV criteria …

Preschool Children's Negotiation Of Intersubjectivity During Rough -And -Tumble Play., Donna Michele Dewolf

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This current study included an exploratory component, as well as, a confirmatory component. The exploratory component of the study involved developing an understanding of how children negotiate intersubjectivity during rough-and-tumble play (R&T play). Utilizing participant observation, the researcher described the context and the experiences of children as they jointly negotiated a shared understanding during R&T play. The researcher discovered, in R&T play, a structure and level of shared thinking among participants similar to other types of social play. The confirmatory component of the study involved conducting analyses on certain child characteristics as they related to participation in R&T play episodes. …

A Critical Literature Review Of Eating Disorders: Anorexia Nervosa And Bulimia Nervosa, Leighanna Jacen Lucas

Whittier Scholars Program

This senior project is a research paper on the literature of eating disorders and also includes a case study. The student writes, Rather than viewing eating disorders simplistically and only investigating the most common forms, which are anorexia and bulimia, current researchers are now embracing the idea of continuum. This continuum paradigm is most comprehensive in that it assigns a gradation to the various forms of eating disorder complexes, according to the degree of disease. (For example: from simple short-term diets to diagnosable anorexia.) A secondary purpose of this continuum is to organize the full-blown disorder in a series dependent …

Path Analysis Of Psychosocial Models Of Binge Eating In Obesity., Leslie Garl Womble

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to test a cross-sectional psychosocial etiological model of binge eating in obesity using path analysis. Depression, dietary restraint, self-esteem, weight cycling, history of teasing, body dissatisfaction, concern for physical appearance, negative perception of physical appearance, media exposure, and social pressure to maintain a thin ideal were 'state' social learning constructs that were tested as correlates of binge eating. Personality variables such as neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were stable 'trait' variables that were tested as correlates. The study sample was 808 adults, including 444 women with a mean age of 33.35 (SD = 13.60) …

Situational Frequency And Retrieval: The Effect Of Revelation On The Judgments For Occurrence Of Events., Craig Barton Neely

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Only one prior experiment has examined the effect of revelation on situational frequency judgments (Exp. 3, Greene, 1996). In the current study, three experiments examined the effect of revelation on frequency estimation. Experiment 1A and 1B replicated and extended the study done by Greene (1996) by increasing the frequencies of study items from one to eight in both a random (1A) and blocked (1B) design. Experiment 2 examined the relation between the frequency of study items and the degree of distortion of the items revealed at test. A significant effect of revelation was found across frequencies for the three revealed …

An Evaluation Of Noncontingent Reinforcement Effects As A Function Of Baseline Reinforcement Schedules., Joel Eric Ringdahl

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

An evaluation of fixed-time (FT) schedules and extinction was conducted with children who had mild to severe developmental disabilities. The principal research question was: Does the similarity between baseline (i.e., response-dependent) and FT reinforcement rates make behavior resistant to change? During Phase I for each of 13 participants, a reinforcer assessment was conducted. Those individuals for whom a reinforcement effect was demonstrated continued to Phase II. During Phase II, the effects of FT schedules with either similar or dissimilar reinforcer rates (relative to a response-dependent baseline) and extinction were assessed for each participant. Results suggested that both extinction and FT …

Discriminative Validity Of The Wide-Range Assessment Of Memory And Learning (Wraml) With Children With And Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd)., Heather Brewis Scheffler

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The present study examined the discriminative validity of the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML), using the individual subscales, original indexes, and a factor structure proposed by Burton, Donders, and Mittenberg (1996) that includes an Attention factor. The sample consisted of 57 non-learning disordered children who were enrolled in the first through the seventh grade and met criteria for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and 62 Control children. The groups were matched by age, race, SES, and estimated intellectual ability. Group comparisons by MANCOVA revealed that, after controlling for the effects of math and reading achievement, differences between the groups …

Life Events, Social Support, And Blood Pressure Control In Low -Income Hypertensive Patients., Steven Christopher Ames

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This study examined whether minor, chronic, and major stressors predicted poor blood pressure control in low-income hypertensives, and whether social support served as a moderator of this relation. Additionally, whether the construct of social support served as an independent predictor of poor blood pressure control was also examined. Participants included 231 patients randomly recruited from primary care medicine clinics at a public medical center. The sample included in this study was selected from an existing data set. The existing data set consisted of 432 patients randomly chosen on consecutive days from a family practice and an internal medicine medical clinic …

Selective Processing Of Sexual, Violent, And Neutral Information: A Study Comparing Individuals With And Without A History Of Sexual Trauma., Stephanie Irene Bush

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The current research investigated processing biases that influence responding to emotionally relevant information in individuals with and without a history of sexual trauma. Previous research (MacLeod, Mathews, & Tata, 1986; MacLeod & Mathews, 1988; Mathews & MacLeod, 1985) has indicated that individuals with anxiety disorders shift their attention toward threatening stimuli, resulting in reduced reaction times to probes appearing near such stimuli. This effect has been found to be content specific, in that individuals with certain fears respond faster to information congruent with their concerns. The current study was undertaken to explore the possible differences in attention allocation to sexual, …

The Role Of Trait And State Anxiety In Semantic Network Organization Of Information Related To Current Concerns., Gretchen Joan Diefenbach

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

In the first study of this report empirically-derived cognitive networks were established for high trait test anxious participants ( n = 28) and low trait test anxious participants (n = 25) during periods of both high and low exam stress. Cognitive networks were created using the Pathfinder algorithm, which transforms pair-wise word similarity ratings into an associative network. Information included in the networks pertained to the following word categories: testing situations, positive performance evaluation, and negative performance evaluation. Contrary to predictions, there was no effect of either trait or state test anxiety on semantic network organization. These findings fail to …

Detecting Simulated Memory Impairment After Closed Head Injury: Validation Of The Word Completion Memory Test (Wcmt)., Robin Colleen Hilsabeck

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Simulation is the intentional production or exaggeration of psychological symptoms (cognitive and/or emotional) in an effort to obtain secondary gain (e.g., avoiding work, obtaining financial compensation). While most current simulation measures can successfully identify obvious attempts at faking cognitive deficits (e.g., memory impairment), they have been much less successful at identifying more sophisticated simulators. The Word Completion Memory Test (WCMT) is the first measure specifically developed to detect more sophisticated attempts at feigning memory impairment. Unlike other simulation detection measures, a sophisticated coaching methodology was used in developing the WCMT. An initial validity study suggested the WCMT is a valid …

Intervention Implementation And Intervention Outcomes For Teenage Mothers In School -Based Treatment For Social And Academic Problems., Cherri Edenfield Penton

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The effects of a strong treatment package, comprised of 2 types of performance feedback plus incentives, on the social behavior and academic progress of 9 minority teenage mothers attending an inner-city high school, was investigated. Treatment integrity of their teachers and parents was also evaluated. Research shows that academic deficits and conduct problems are strong correlates of early pregnancy, Many students experience academic failure and related disciplinary problems because no one monitors their behavior. In this study, a comprehensive treatment was developed to be used across settings (home, school and a school-based health clinic) and across treatment agents (parent, teacher, …

Psychometric And Historical Predictors Of Behavior In Incarcerated Female Juvenile Offenders: A Longitudinal Analysis., Michael P. Santa Maria

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether factors known to predict recidivism and future misbehavior are useful in predicting behavior of offenders while incarcerated. This study examined the population of all incarcerated and recently released female juvenile offenders in Louisiana (n = 211). Predictive equations were developed based on demographic, offense-related, and psychological test variables including: age, race, age at first offense, number of prior offenses, history of a violent offense, history of physical abuse, history of sexual abuse, history of alcohol abuse, history of drug abuse, IQ, and Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) Reading Comprehension …

The Effects Of Problem Constraint Analysis On Analogical Transfer., Ann Elizabeth Speed

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

One primary goal of education, either in the schools or in a training situation, is for the students to use the information learned in the classroom in other relevant situations. This goal of transfer of training proves difficult to attain. Several manipulations used in the literature have increased transfer (Catrambone & Holyoak, 1989; Gick & Holyoak, 1980,1983). However, all of these manipulations are not feasible for real-world use. The current experiments were designed to increase the ecological validity of manipulations and stimuli used previously by providing feedback to participants about their initial solution to a problem. Interestingly, the feedback manipulation …

A Comprehensive Functional Assessment Of The Effects Of Methylphenidate On The Disruptive Behavior Of Children With Severe Mental Retardation., Victoria C. Swanson

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Methylphenidate (MPH) has proven efficacy with the disruptive behaviors of children with ADHD in regular education settings (Gully and Northup, 1997; Northup et el., 1999; in press). Blum, Mauk, McComas, and Mace (1996) researched the separate and combined effects of behavioral and MPH treatments on the task engagement and disruptive behavior of 3 children with severe to profound mental retardation. This study used a single-subject, multielement or alternating treatment design to assess the separate and combined effects of MPH and behavioral treatments on the performance of 5 children with severe to profound mental retardation. MPH effects were evaluated within and …

The Effects Of Team-Member Attributes On Team Performance: A Model Of Individual Contribution To Team Performance., Joe J. Yum

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Although team composition is one of the most frequently studied topics in team research, much remains unknown regarding what attributes to look for when selecting team-members and how these attributes affect team performance. The purpose of this study was to present and to test a theoretical model that depicts how individual attributes affect team-member performance and how team-member performance ultimately affects team performance. The proposed model is based on the integration of research on team and individual performance. From a practical standpoint, understanding the relationships among the variables in the proposed model may be important for the selection of employees …

Effect Of An Individualized Treatment Protocol On Competency Restoration In Pretrial Forensic Inpatients., Lisa Jo Bertman

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Competency to stand trial refers to a defendant's ability to consult with his attorney with a reasonable degree of factual and rational understanding of the proceedings against him. If declared incompetent to stand trial by the courts, judicial proceedings are postponed until a defendant's competency deficits are remediated. However, there is a paucity of data on treatment of individuals who have been declared incompetent to stand trial. This study evaluated the effectiveness of individualized treatment on competency restoration in pretrial patients. This investigation improved upon previous group treatment studies, all but one of which were uncontrolled. Treatment groups were: Deficit-Focused …

Ideomotor Apraxia And Lesion Location: Analysis Of Error Types, Motor Function, And Task Demands., Brenda Hanna-Pladdy

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Ideomotor apraxia is a disorder of learned skilled movement which typically has been attributed to damage confined predominantly to the frontal and parietal cortical areas within the hemisphere dominant for speech. However, most studies of the anatomical basis of apraxia have relied on case studies or have only approximate lesion localization, and few studies have examined motor performance in relation to lesion location. This study examined the relationship of apraxia severity to lesion location (in both cortical/subcortical dimensions and anterior/posterior dimensions), aphasia, motor performance, and task demands, and identified the existence of subtypes of apraxia with characteristic performance profiles (error …

Customers' Perceptions Of The Service They Receive: The Influence Of Employee Extra -Role Job Behaviors., Robert Carlton Baker Iv

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Today's organizations face increased global and domestic competition, more downsizing, growing emphasis on team based work, and increased focus on customer service issues. This changing work environment necessitates a more complete examination of contextual factors impacting service delivery, including extra-role employee job behaviors (Bettencourt & Brown, 1997; Borman & Motowidlo, 1997). The current study examines the effects of employees' extra-role job behaviors on customers' perceptions of service. Specifically, the present study investigates two types of employee extra-role job behaviors: (1) organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), and (2) organizationally deviant behaviors (ODBs). These specific employee extra-role job behaviors are studied in order …

Increasing Accuracy In Children's Verbal Self -Report Of Reinforcers., Gina Michelle Digiovanni

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Several studies have examined the relationship between self-report of behavior and actual behavior (Baer, Williams, Osnes, & Stokes, 1985; Bernstein & Michael, 1990; Risley & Hart, 1968). Results from such studies indicate poor correspondence between verbal self-report and actual behavior. This finding is particularly true for children (Guevremont, Osnes, & Stokes, 1986). However, few studies have examined conditions under which the accuracy of self-report procedures can be increased. The current study evaluated whether the accuracy of children's verbal self-report of reinforcers could be increased by modifying antecedent conditions. Specifically, the current study examined the effects of two antecedent variables (i.e., …

The Estimation Of Premorbid Intelligence: A Comparison Of Approaches., Peter Anthony Petito

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Early methods to estimate premorbid intelligence focused on the use of the WAIS or WAIS-R IQ scores or selected WAIS or WAIS-R subtests. It was expected that performance on such tests would remain stable after a brain injury. As further research showed this belief was not valid, researchers turned to the use of other tests of current ability, one being a measure of reading ability known as the National Adult Reading Test (NART). A second approach focused on the relationship found between certain demographic variables and intelligence. More recently, researchers have employed an approach that combined present abilities performance and …

The Influence Of Climate For Belief In The Overseas Mission On Cross-Cultural Training Effectiveness., Charles Andrew Handler

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This study represents the presentation and empirical investigation of a model of cross-cultural training (CCT) effectiveness. This model develops the idea that characteristics of the individual and the organization may influence trainees' motivation to learn and thus may impact the effectiveness of CCT programs. The proposed model is unique in that it suggests trainees, perceptions of a specific climate referent, climate for belief in the overseas mission, may serve as an organizational characteristic that can impact CCT effectiveness. It is proposed that perceptions of a climate for belief in the overseas mission are created via organizational members, shared perceptions of …

Mentoring In Adolescence: A Sociocultural And Cognitive Developmental Study Of Undergraduate Women And Sixth-Grade Girls In A Mentoring Program, Katharina Maria Fachin Lucas

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, a quasi-experimental study was conducted to explore the cognitive developmental effects of taking on the role of "mentor" as an undergraduate or the role of "mentee" as a sixth grader in one university-based mentoring program. Second, an ethnographic study was conducted to study the experiences of ten sixth graders and ten undergraduates as they took on the role of "mentor" or "mentee" in a planned mentoring relationship. A sociocultural analysis explored processes occurring on the personal, interpersonal, and community level that shaped the mentoring experiences of the participants.

The participants in this …

Queering/Querying Identities: The Roles Of Integrity And Belonging In Becoming Ourselves, Cari Ann Elizabeth Moorhead

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents a picture of the complexities and contradictions in the daily lives of people in the Seacoast area of New Hampshire who identify as, or are identified as, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and allied people (LGBTQQA). The focus of this study is the "Create Our Destiny" conference, a social change project. Philosophically, I viewed this project through a Postmodern feminist lens, and methodologically I used a grounded theory approach.

This dissertation is divided into three sections. Within section one, I present more detailed descriptions of my philosophical and methodological approaches, a description of the geographical and …

The Effects Of Medicaid And Maternal Depression On Prenatal Care And Infant Health, Lisa C. Defelice

Doctoral Dissertations

While in recent years, the infant health production function literature has expanded to incorporate behavioral inputs into the production of infant health current research fails to incorporate the Medicaid-private insurance choice into the mother's decision making process. This dissertation seeks to address this by treating private insurance and Medicaid as endogenous while considering the effects that the Medicaid eligibility rules have on both kinds of coverage. Medicaid and private insurance are entered directly into the health production function so that quality effects may be captured. In addition, a woman's state of mental health is also incorporated into the health production …

The Effects Of Reversible Inactivation By Lidocaine Of Ventral Striatum And Intralaminar Nucleus Of The Thalamus In Match To Sample Tasks With And Without Delays Trained In The Lever Box, Mary Christine Porter

Doctoral Dissertations

Three experiments systematically examined the effects of reversibly inactivating intralaminar nuclei and ventral striatum with infusions of lidocaine. The ventral striatum and the intralaminar nucleus were targeted based on deficits in accuracy and speed of responding in delayed conditional discrimination tasks associated with permanent lesions of these structures (Mair, Burk and Porter, 1998).

The present research showed that a 4.0 mul of 2% lidocaine caused impairments accuracy, but not in response speed, in a match to sample task trained in the lever box without delays when the internal cannula projects 0.5 mm from the guide cannula. One microliter of 2%, …

Learning To Read Music Cooperatively In A Choral Setting: A Case Study, Andrew Inzenga

Doctoral Dissertations

Two volunteer cooperative teams of ninth grade girls were studied for six months to discover whether and how they learned to read music. The two teams represented novice students and students who had received private instruction. Study teams represented the population of the freshman Girls Chorus. Teams met regularly during daily chorus rehearsals, with only occasional help from the director. These meetings were analyzed through video tape recordings to observe if students employed traditional teaching and learning strategies to assist each other in learning. It was determined that team members regularly use certain teaching and learning strategies to assist in …

Predicting Ageist And Sexist Attitudes And The Conditions For Their Existence, Heather Frasier Chabot

Doctoral Dissertations

Prejudice and discrimination are pervasive and problematic and affect intergroup relations (Allport, 1954). The purpose of the current research was to expand our understanding of ageist and sexist attitudes. The Pilot Study indicated some of the significant predictors of ageist attitudes among college students. The results of Study I indicated that college students view younger adults as more instrumental than older adults but they do not differentiate between older adults who are 65 to 74 years of age, 75 to 84 years of age, and 85 years or older. Study 2 indicated that intergroup distinctions among younger (17--28 years of …

An Investigation Of Professional Supervisor And Supervisee Development, Joseph Charles Bencivenne

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Family-Of-Origin Distress And Intimacy In Later-Life Couples, Paul James Birch

Theses and Dissertations

Married couples aged 55-98 were surveyed regarding their perceptions of family-of-origin distress, their affective communication and problem solving communication skills, and their emotional intimacy. Two 2-way ANOVAs were performed with husbands' (model 1) and wives' (model 2) emotional intimacy scores as dependent measures and family-of-origin distress scores as the independent measures. Then both models were re-analyzed with affective communication and problem solving communication entered as co-variates. Results suggested that for both husbands and wives, emotional intimacy was affected by family-of-origin distress. Additionally, intimacy was affected by the distress in their spouses' family-of-origin in both models. Post-hoc analyses suggested that as …