Education Commons^™

Preparation For The Gre, Corina Groeger

Dissertations

The present research consisted of two empirical studies and a literature review. The first study was a systematic replication of the studies by Miller, Goodyear-Orwart, and Malott (1996) and Vunovich and Malott (1997). Fourteen undergraduate students and one graduate student participated in four intensive, extensive, structured Graduate Record Examination (GRE) preparation courses that met for seven weeks and lasted between 99 and 140 hours. The courses offered a monetary reward for students who met a minimum of 92% for attendance and participation during the course. The results of this study showed statistically significant mean improvements of 145 points for the …

Parental Involvement And Its Impact On Student Performance In The Primary Grades, Charlene G. Bundy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if parental involvement increased the school performance of students in the primary grades. Research shows that parents who are supportive, monitor their child's activities, help their child, and participate with their child's school positively impact their child's school performance. The independent variable was parental involvement and the dependent variable was school performance. The sample consisted of 20 students in first, second, and third grade. A parent questionnaire was completed by parents who also provided their child's school grades in math and reading. The questionnaire asked parents to rate the frequency that they …

The Effects Of Musical Training On Academic Achievement, John Schiavo

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to look at the cognitive development of students who have formal musical training and compare them to students who lack any musical ability. The purpose of the study was to lend support to the positive effect that musical training has on space relations and mathematical abilities.

The sample consisted of twenty students enrolled in an undergraduate psychology course at a major university and twenty students enrolled in a high level music class at the same institution. Most of the subjects came from middle class backgrounds and live in New Jersey. The Differential Aptitude Test, form C, …

Empathy And Self-Acceptance: Necessary Qualities Of A Peer Helper, William T. Sharp

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a preliminary study of the qualities of people who chose to be peer helpers. A review of the literature on helping theories led to the conclusion that empathy and self-acceptance were necessary elements of a helper. This study hoped to lend support to this theory. The hypothesis stated that students electing to take a peer helping training course would have different levels of empathy and self-acceptance than those in a cooking class. These qualities were measured using a psychological inventory, and the scores of 115 adolescent subjects (n=115) were compared. There was no significant difference between students …

A Study Of Self-Esteem In Learning Disabled Students Across Placements, Constance Occhetti

Theses and Dissertations

This study set out to offer support for inclusion by analyzing learning disabled students in an inclusive environment and their pull-out program counterparts. The analysis focused on an examination of student self-esteem, a variable central to student success. A hypothesis stating that learning disabled students who were served in an inclusive environment will achieve higher scores of self-esteem than learning disabled students who were served in a traditional pull-out program was proposed. This hypothesis was based on previous research on the practice of inclusion, which showed positive effects for learning disabled students. The practice of inclusion has been supported throughout …

A Comparison Of The Home And School Behaviors Of Pre-School Age Autistic And Pdd Children, Debra L. Ribatsky

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the kinds of behaviors that were displayed in school and at home by autistic and PDD children of pre-school age. A group of twenty children were selected for this study. The children's parents and teachers answered questionnaires regarding different types of behavior exhibited by the children at different times. T-tests were conducted to compare the total amount of autistic type behaviors shown in the home environment versus in the school setting. The sub-tests of the questionnaire were also analyzed using t-tests. A significant difference was found between the overall amount of typical …

A Study Of Self-Concept As It Relates To Academic Achievement And Gender In Third Grade Students, Grace S. Woods

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a positive relationship exists between self-concept, academic achievement, and gender. The subject sample consisted of fifty-two students from a suburban public school district in southern New Jersey. Twenty-seven females and twenty-five males participated in the study. The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale was used to evaluate self-perception. Academic achievement was evaluated with the use of math and reading grades from the students' report cards. The correlation coefficient results indicated that a significant relationship between self-concept and both reading (.291) and math (.307) achievement exists. Frequency polygons were used to display the distribution …

A Study Of The Formal Operational Thought Ability Of College Students, Justin J. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This study was undertaken to measure the formal operational thought capacity of the college student and unveil any gender differences regarding this ability. Formal operational thought is important to the success of every student because it implies the ability of humans to reason scientifically and analytically and to think abstractly.

34 male and 40 female college students were selected from an on-campus apartment facility to be part of the study. The sample ranged in age from 17 to 21 and represented class standings from the freshman to senior level. The subjects included 45 Caucasians, 9 Hispanics, 17 African-Americans, and 3 …

The Effects Of School-Based Mentoring On At-Risk Youth, Barbara Dobzanski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of school-based mentoring on at-risk youth. The study was conducted on a group of clients from a Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization. The clients were individuals who are at risk of academic and social failure or difficulty. The experimental group consisted of 21 students who were receiving mentoring services on a weekly basis. The control group consisted of 18 students who remained on a waiting list to be mentored. The variables examined were self-concept, behavioral and developmental issues, and academic performance. The extent, if any, to which mentoring benefits an individual …

A Study Analyzing The Ability Of The Yellow Brick Road Screening Test To Predict Future Academic Achievement, Nancy Lazzaro

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of the Yellow Brick Road kindergarten screening instrument to predict future academic achievement using CAT scores as indicators of student performance. There were 31 subjects used in this study. Subjects were selected randomly from the respective elementary school population. The study followed a longitudinal design. Yellow Brick Road scores were obtained, in addition to CAT scores in grades 2, 4, and 6. All scores were recorded anonymously with the permission of the respective school Board of Education.

The data was analyzed using a paired sample T test. Based on the …

Prevalence And Psychological Correlates Of Eating Disorders Among College Women, Lisa M. Lyons

Theses and Dissertations

Eating disordered behaviors of fasting, binge-eating, and vomiting and purging have increased in prevalence and are approaching epidemic proportions. It is estimated that 1 in 100 females age 12 to 18 are anorexic, while as many as 1 in 4 college-age women are thought to be bulimic or engage in other forms of disturbed eating. Research indicates that those who are eating disordered are more dissatisfied with their bodies, have lower self-esteem, and have a greater tendency to endorse sociocultural mores regarding thinness and attractiveness. The present study investigated a) the prevalence of eating disorders among college women, and b) …

Social Engagement: Depressogenic Factors In The Elderly, Joell P. Worster

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine whether those elderly nursing home residents who maintained social engagement would be less depressed then those elderly nursing home residents who did not maintain social engagement. The study consist of 21 residents who resided in a nursing home. All subjects were given the Geriatric Depression Scale and asked to respond to the 30 question by yes or no. A Mann Whitney Test was performed on the depression scores from the results of the Geriatric Depression Scale. The results were significant with the prediction of the study. Those elderly residents in the nursing …

Can A Specific Personality Type Predict Positive Rape Attitudes?, Elisha Wilkinson

Theses and Dissertations

Despite increased societal awareness, negative reactions are still common experiences for women disclosing incidents of sexual assault to social network members. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to try to identify one personality type that may be compassionate and empathetic to the victim of a rape. The participants of the study were eighty-two Freshmen, from a Northeastern College. The population contained approximately half males and half females, ages ranging from eighteen to forty-five, with a wide variety of racial backgrounds. The Understanding Scale from the PRF was used to test the participants' levels of compassion, and the Rape Attitudes …

Increasing Sensitivity Toward Handicapped Children Through Inclusion, Christine Nicole Brookbank

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe the benefits for non-handicapped students in an inclusive setting. The hypothesis suggested that regular education students would be more sensitive and aware of handicapped individuals when they are read stories about handicapped individuals and participate in a sensitivity program than regular education students who do not receive this form of intervention. The Acceptance Scale for Kindergarten-Revised (ASK-R) helped to assess fifty-eight second graders' perceptions of handicapped individuals. The difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of Classroom B (experimental group given sensitivity program and read stories regarding individual differences; has included child) …

A Descriptive Analysis Comparing The Academic Success Of Student Athletes And Non-Student Athletes, Daniel P. Crowe

Theses and Dissertations

This study was undertaken to measure and compare the academic success of student athletes and non-student athletes. The suggested hypothesis was that student athletes would perform better academically because of factors relating to accomplished goal setting and discipline. This study implies that student athletes are more prepared for academic success because of their goal oriented behaviors.

206 students participated in the experiment. There were 141 athletes and 65 non athletes. Those who were described as an athlete were a participating member of a varsity sport. The students were all members of a local Catholic high school. With the permission of …

The Effects Of Elementary Peer Mediation Program On Disciplinary Action In The Schools, Elizabeth Anne Haws

Theses and Dissertations

Peer mediation programs offer students options. Students can choose mediation instead of name-calling, yelling, or letting conflicts grow until they explode into violence. Little is known about the effectiveness or manner of implementing these programs. This study examines 62 black male students in grades 4, 5, and 6 from a Burlington County, New Jersey, suburban, public K-6 elementary school. Some data suggest disciplinary action is decreased with a cadre approach to peer mediation established in the school. More attention should be paid to evaluating peer mediation and conflict resolution programs. Under peer mediation programs, students in conflict and peer mediators …

A Study Examining The "I Like Me" Program And Its Effects On Self Esteem, Julie Ridgway

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the "I Like Me" Program and determine if the implementation and use of the "I Like Me" Program, in addition to the standard curriculum, in a second grade classroom will significantly increase the students' levels of self esteem as compared to students who are only exposed to the standard health and social studies curricula.

Two samples of students were pretested using the Piers-Harris Children's Self- Concept Scale. The "I Like Me" Program was implemented into one of the two classrooms (Sample B) over a 20 week period of time. The program consisted …

Factors That Influence Academic Achievement, Leah Georgene Shaffer

Theses and Dissertations

Does environment affect academic achievement? The dispute over environmental influences has been the topic of numerous debates. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between academic achievement and the following environmental factors: family structure, ethnic background, socioeconomic circumstances and family size. The 1,500 participants of this study were collected from a large, extremely diverse elementary school population. From this general population, 134 students were selected for the control group based on participation in the Basic Skills Program. Data was collected using teacher surveys and parent contact information. State and federal guidelines were used when identifying children for Basic Skills …

Attitudes Toward Inclusion: A Survey Of General And Special Educators, Debra M. Shinn

Theses and Dissertations

Whether or not the attitudes toward inclusion differ between regular educators and special educators was investigated. From the current literature reviewed, it was hypothesized that special educators would have a more favorable attitude toward inclusion than regular educators. Forty-nine regular educators and sixty-three special educators responded to a questionnaire. The results of an independent groups t test did confirm a statistically significant difference between the two groups. However, the significant difference revealed that, overall, regular educators had a more favorable attitude toward inclusion than special educators.

Over half of the regular educators believed that the challenge of a regular class …

The Effects Of Parental Values On The Prosocial Behaviors Of Preschoolers In A Private Vs. District-Funded Preschool, Janet Baratta

Theses and Dissertations

Earlier studies have shown that parental modeling and communication of values are significant factors in promoting prosocial behavior in young children. The current study was conducted to determine whether a relationship existed between preschoolers' prosocial behaviors and the importance their parents attributed to such behaviors. The prosocial behaviors of twenty preschoolers from a private preschool were compared to the behaviors of twenty preschoolers from a public, district-funded preschool. The preschool teachers from both schools rated the prosocial behaviors of the children based on how often they observed each child engaging in various behaviors. The parents rated how valuable they believed …

The Predictability Of The Sat, Melissa Mickiewicz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to look at the correlation of overall freshman grade point average and SAT scores to overall junior grade point average and SAT scores. Research has shown that SAT scores have a high correlation with freshman grade point average, but there are conflicting results to the correlations of grade point average beyond the freshman year. Data was collected from two graduating classes from a private religious university. SAT scores, overall freshman grade point average and overall junior grade point average were obtained from the university for 148 students. The data was analyzed using the Pearson's …

Patterns And Correlates Of Cavaas Performance By Students With Spina Bifida And Attention Problems, Susan Boyle-Fields

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Ex Post Facto Descriptive, Comparative, And Correlational Study Of Two Groups Of High School Special Education Students, Roberta L. Colbert

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Community Awareness Of Adolescent Depression For Wenatchee Public Schools Wenatchee, Washington, Mary Carlsen, Steve Donaldson

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a community awareness of adolescent depression and its impact in the public schools, home environment and relationships with peers. To accomplish this purpose, a review of current literature and resear·ch regarding adolescent depression was conducted. This review led to the development of informational brochures for parents, peers and educators. In addition a resource guide stressing healthy living choices was developed for use by teachers in the Wenatchee School District.

Using Bibliotherapy With Selected Developmental Concerns Of Middle School Youth, Dianne Keeling

All Graduate Projects

This project investigated literature related to the developmental concerns of middle school youth and the use of bibliotherapy. The purpose of this investigation was to gain a theoretical understanding of these developmental concerns and the related use of bibliotherapy as well as to discover instructional strategies for the use of bibliotherapy in the middle school classroom. The product of this investigation is a resource guide for the use of bibliotherapy with selected developmental concerns of middle school youth. A review of selected literature revealed that some developmental concerns of students at this age are adolescent changes, anger, drug/alcohol abuse, violence …

A Comparative Study Of Moral Judgment Development Of Pregnant Teens, Dalia Ovdat May

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Assessment Centers And Group Decision Making: Substituting The Arithmetic Mean For The Traditional Consensus Discussion, Jeffrey Allen Gust

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Counselor Education And Moral Development, Conceptual Development And Self-Actualization, Jered Benjamin Kolbert

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Context And Number Of Presentations On Repetition Priming, Terry A. Simpson

Theses : Honours

When a stimulus such as a word is presented twice, the identification of the word on the second presentation is usually facilitated, reflecting repetition priming. This facilitation can occur without a person's awareness and is often referred to as reflecting implicit memory. The present study investigated the effects of number of presentations of words and the context in which words were presented on repetition priming. The study measured reaction times on a lexical decision task in which the participants decided whether a string of letters constituted a word or a non-word. Repetition priming on this task was determined by comparing …

A Case Study : A Short Term Art Therapy Intervention For A Child Victim To Bullying, Ffyona Matthews

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This single case study of a child bullied at school investigates whether a short-term, individual Art therapy intervention, within a school that runs an anti-bullying program, will ease the effects of bullying in that child. The subject is a 10 year old girl referred as being school avoidant due to being bullied. The intervention encouraged expression of emotions, fears and worries about the bullying, an- understanding of the bullying and its effects, exploration of alternative responses to being bullied and therapeutic support to help empower, build self-esteem, lower depression, loneliness, stress, and unhappiness at school. The intervention involved six one …