Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Factors Impacting Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Outcomes: An Analysis Of State-Federal Service Provision, Valerie Jeannette Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

State-federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs are widely recognized for providing various services to individuals with disabilities to help them reach their goals of independence and employment. Because rehabilitation programs are required to meet federal and state goals, standards, and indicators, thorough and ongoing program evaluation is necessary to identify predictors of successful and unsuccessful employment outcomes in order to determine best practices in vocational rehabilitation service delivery.

In the large southwestern state examined in this research study, there is an estimated return on investment of $9 for each dollar spent on successful VR cases. Cases closed successfully by state-federal VR …

Certified Rehabilitation Counselors Working In Rehabilitation Agencies: An Investigation Of Factors Impacting Job Satisfaction And Intent To Quit, Cynthia A. Serrata

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to examine job satisfaction in rehabilitation counselors who are Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRCs) practicing in rehabilitation settings and to identify the employment factors and work motivation factors that contribute to job satisfaction and intent to quit. Participants included in this study were obtained from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) list serve. Participants were from Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Region 5: Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Of the 1695 emails that were sent to CRCs from RSA Region 5, 315 surveys were completed resulting in a response rate of 19%. The …

The Perceived Impacts Of Disability On Family By Individuals With Disabilities In Vr Services: A Multivariate Analysis, Benjamin C. Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of individuals with disabilities regarding the impact of disability on family as encountered in the literature. Despite an abundance of research and literature documenting the experience of disability in the family the individual with the disability has largely been excluded from this research. This study investigated perceptions of individuals with disabilities regarding the impacts their disabilities have on their family that have been documented in the literature. Specific demographic variables were examined to determine any differences in perceptions based on these variables. Lastly, the underlying concepts of the perceptions of …

A Phenomenological Study Of Middle School Bullying In The Rio Grande Valley, Texas, Vanessa Cristina Cantu

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this paper was to describe the study concerning special education students in middle school who were bullied. Many students in the special education program are being bullied, whether it is due to their disabilities or other factors (Mishna, 2003; Rose, Espelage, & Monda-Amaya, 2009; Coloroso, 2008; Christensen, Fraynt, Neece, & Baker, 2012). While several quantitative studies have been conducted addressing this worldwide phenomenon, few qualitative studies have been performed. A phenomenological approach allowed the participants to share their own experiences with bullying. Twenty-five students from several middle schools (6th, 7th, 8th grades) in a city in the …

Physician Assistant Students' Perceptions Of Mental Illness: A Correlational Study Of Empathy, Attitudes, And Stigma Levels, Juliann M. Garza

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Physician assistant students’ perceptions and attitudes towards mental illness were examined in relation to their empathy levels. The theoretical frameworks of stigma and labeling were explored and examined through the use of surveys and questionnaires to assess prior attitudes and beliefs about individuals with a mental illness. Based on a multiple-regression model and multi-way analysis of variance, this study showed a statistical significance between an individual’s empathy levels and their stigmatization towards mental illness. In addition, the results of this study identified significant relationships between gender and race in terms of empathy. Implications of this study could have far-reaching effects …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of A Prevocational Seminar On Self-Efficacy And Work Motivation Among Inpatient Adults With Severe Mental Illness: An Experimental Study, Amanda L. Foster

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Employment is a primary facet of our social milieu and can be associated with an individual's health and quality of life. Employment has also proven to be an essential element to the recovery of people with severe mental illness (PWSMI); however, PWSMI have the highest unemployment rate out of all groups of individuals with disabilities. Supported employment (SE) is an ideal mainstreaming agent, for PWSMI, into competitive employment; yet, barriers experienced by participants of SE interrupt the overall effectiveness of the program. This study provides insight regarding an intervention designed to assist PWSMI in overcoming employment-related barriers. A pre-test post-test …

Personality Of Personal Trainers: A Study Of Perception And Preference, Andy L. Chasse

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study used a personality questionnaire to address the lack of literature concerning how the general population perceives personal trainers and what qualities they desire in them. The Big Five Inventory (BFI) with two demographic items (gender and previous experience) was administered to 130 undergraduate students at The University of Texas-Pan American to determine perceived and desired characteristics. High extraversion was most commonly associated with personal trainers. High extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, as well as low neuroticism, were most desired in personal trainers. Significant differences were seen between perceived and desired means across all dimensions. Additionally, gender produced main effects …

Secondary Complications Among Person's With Spinal Cord Injury And Best Practices For Life Care Planners, Noel A. Ysasi Jr.

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The current study was intended to deliver life care planners with a guide as to whether or not secondary complications (SCs) should be included within the LCP, while obtaining the professional opinion of physiatrists as to the incidence rate of SCs. Each research question was designed to determine whether differences exist between life care planners (LCPs) and physiatrists in their knowledge regarding SCs while comparing their responses with empirical research. In addition, it was determined to investigate whether costs should be included in a LCP based on the reports given from certified and non-certified LCPs; even though it meets the …

Investigating Determinants Of Employer's Perspectives To Hire And Willingness To Accommodate Individuals In Addiction Recovery: A Mixed Method Approach, Alicia D. Brown

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to examine the nature and extent of factors affecting employer's perspectives when hiring individuals in recovery, and their willingness to provide reasonable accommodations. The study investigated (a) employer perspectives based on specific demographic characteristics, (b) employer perspectives differences based on industry types, (c) the relationship between personal and business related characteristics, and employer perspectives, (d) employer willingness to provide reasonable accommodations, (e) the relationship between personal and business related characteristics, and employer willingness to provide accommodations, (f) the relationship between employer perspectives and willingness to accommodate, and (g) employer views regarding personal experience, collegiality, …

Personality And Socio-Institutional Predictors Of Self-Employment Intentions Among People With Disabilities: An Empirical Investigation, Yuleinys A. Castillo

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

As a minority group, people with disabilities (PWD) face many challenges when making a career choice and establishing vocational goals. Self-employment or entrepreneurship represents a viable, prevalent vocational option for people with disabilities (PWD). Owning a business, which offers flexibility, independence, earnings, and satisfaction, is a common vocational practice among PWD. This dissertation investigates the dynamic factors that influence entrepreneurial business formation among minority groups. Specifically, it evaluates the effect of personal, socio-cultural, and institutional factors on the entrepreneurial intentions of PWD. After controlling for age, minority status, educational level, type of disability and gender, the results highlight significant empirical …

Factors Affecting Attitudes Towards Individuals With Schizophrenia: Perceptions Of Mexican American College Students, Valerie Paredes

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study is designed to examine the effects of acculturation and level of familiarity on stigma of Mexican American college students towards individuals with schizophrenia along the border of Texas and Mexico (N = 223). The area has a history of high levels of disparity in regards to the utilization of mental health services. Data was collected by surveying Mexican American college students through a convenience sample at two separate post-secondary southwestern Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) along a border community. The instrumentation for the study was composed of a demographic questionnaire, The Acculturation Scale for Mexican-Americans-II (Cuéllar, Arnold, & Maldonado, 1995), …

The Effect Of Perceived Parental Style On Hispanic Adults Receiving Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment In South Texas, Elizabeth C. Palacios

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Hirschi's (1969) Social Control Theory proposes that parental relationships serve as a shielding factor and has positive impact in the decreasing delinquency (i.e. substance use/abuse) in young people. This theory provides a framework for understanding substance use/abuse in young adult populations. Other factors including gender, cultural influences, family composition and birth order were also examined in this study. The Drug Abuse Screening Test - 20 (Skinner, 1982), the Parental Authority Questionnaire (Buri, 1991), and a demographic scale were utilized in a population of 182 adults in outpatient substance abuse treatment centers in South Texas, Texas Gulf Coast and areas in …

Factors Contributing To Successful Employment Outcomes For Hispanic Women Who Are Deaf: Utilization Of Chi-Squared Automatic Interaction Detector And Logistic Regression Analysis, Amber M. Feist

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Hispanic women who are deaf constitute a heterogeneous group of individuals with varying vocational needs. To understand the unique needs of this population, it is important to analyze how consumer characteristics, presence of public supports, and type of services provided influence employment outcomes for Hispanic women who are deaf. The purpose of this study was to examine predictive factors of consumer characteristics, public supports, and patterns of service delivery related to employment among Hispanic women who are deaf utilizing the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) case service report (RSA-911) for fiscal year 2009 (FY 2009). Exhaustive chi-squared automatic interaction detector (CHAID) …