Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons^™

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Considering The Impact Of Educational Institutions And Teacher Perceptions, Cynthia S. Glass

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This research examines teacher perceptions about the nature of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ("ADHD") and the teaching strategies used to work with students who display ADHD behaviors. It also examines the relationship between classroom size and perception of incidence of ADHD within the classroom.

Results indicate that older and more experienced teachers are more flexible than younger, less experienced teachers in their teaching strategies when working with students who display ADHD behaviors. Teachers who received information about ADHD from their school administration utilized flexible methods more often than those who did not receive information. The proportion of students identified as …

Center For Psychology Studies Newsletter - Spring 1999, Nova Southeastern University

Center for Psychological Studies Newsletter

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Alcohol Use And Anger Experience And Expression, Jennifer L. Saunders

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The study explored the relationship between alcohol use and the experience and expression of anger. Thirty male subjects between the ages of 20 and 35 were involved in the study. Fifteen enrolled in a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) class and fifteen enrolled in one of two introductory level behavioral science classes, without a history of DUI, were selected to participate in the research. The results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated no significant relationship between alcohol use and state anger (how angry a person is at any given moment) or alcohol use and expression of anger. There was, …

Age And Violent Sexual Abuse: Does Victim's Age And Violence Associated With Sexual Abuse Influence The Risk Of Suicide?, Debra A. Keel

Graduate Theses

Previous research on childhood sexual abuse has indicated an increased risk of suicide for children who experience more severe sexual abuse and children who experience sexual abuse accompanied by physical abuse. This study investigated the difference in suicide risk associated with varying severity of sexual abuse, and the difference in suicide risk associated with age at the time of sexual abuse. Data was collected from the psychological records of a state juvenile correctional facility for boys. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between those who experienced penetrating sexual abuse versus non-penetrating sexual abuse; however, an overall significant difference was found …

Mechanism Of Triazolo-Benzodiazepine And Benzodiazepine Action In Anxiety And Depression: Behavioral Studies With Concomitant In Vivo Ca1 Hippocampal Norepinephrine And Serotonin Release Detection In The Behaving Animal, Patricia A. Broderick, Omotola Hope, Pierrot Jeannot

Publications and Research

1. Real time, in vivo microvoltammetric studies were performed, using miniature carbon-based sensors, to concurrently detect norepinephrine (NE) release and serotonin (5-HT) release, in 2 separate electrochemical signals, within CA₁ region of hippocampus in the freely moving and behaving, male, Sprague Dawley laboratory rat.

2. Concurrently, four parameters of open-field Behavior I.E. Ambulations, Rearing, Fine Movements and Central Ambulatory behavior (a measure of anxiety reduction behavior), were assayed by infrared photobeam detection.

3. Time course studies showed that the mechanism of action of the triazolobenzodiazepine (TBZD), adinazolam, (Deracyn®) is dramatically different from that of the classical benzodiazepine (BZD), diazepam …

The Problem Of Verbal Reports In Recreation Research: Review, Recommendations, And New Directions, Bill Borrie

Society and Conservation Faculty Publications

Recent work of cognitive and social psychologists has questioned the ability of subjects to accurately remember and report their experiences. This has particular significance for recreation research as the survey questions we ask of visitors change from more stable visit and group characteristics to reports of conditions, experiences and feelings. Strategies exist to encourage accurate recall, particlarly by minimizing the delay between event and report such as is provided by the Experience Sampling Method.

The Relationship Between Childhood Aggression And Impulsiveness, Mary Gail Glover

Graduate Theses

Previous research on the relationship between children's levels of aggression and impulsivity have been inconclusive. Studies of each of these behaviors independently have shown that they are correlated with many of the same factors. However, no studies have been found in which aggression and impulsivity have correlated specifically with each other. The purpose of the present study was to determine if a relationship exists between aggression and impulsivity in children. The participants of this study consisted of 115 children who had been tested at a center for behavioral analysis to determine diagnoses of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. They had been referred for …

Center For Psychology Studies Newsletter - Fall 1997, Nova Southeastern University

Center for Psychological Studies Newsletter

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Alcohol And Stress On Measures Of Depression And Anxiety Among College Students, Jeffrey F. Porter

Masters Theses

In clinical literature regarding the effects of regular alcohol use, psychological benefits of moderate consumption have been suggested (Neff & Husaini, 1982; Neff, 1984; Neff & Husaini, 1985; Neff, 1985; Neff, 1986; Neff, 1993, Lipton, 1994). Despite the diverse groups with which this theory has been examined, no published studies have lookeq specifically at the high-risk group of college undergraduates. Subjects were surveyed to assess their typical drinking behavior, the number of stressful events they had experienced within the past 12 months, their perceived social support, and depressive and anxiety symptoms they experienced within the seven days leading up to …

Center For Psychology Studies Newsletter - Spring 1997, Nova Southeastern University

Center for Psychological Studies Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Rape Survivors: The Effects Of Post-Traumatic Stress And Locus Of Control On The Hoping Process, David Lester Rhoads

Graduate Theses

The current study examined the relationship between hope. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and locus of control in a sample, of 18 rape survivors and 18 non-raped females over 18 years of age. Instruments utilized were Herth Hope Scale, Structured Interview for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Impact of Events, and Locus of Control Scales. It was hypothesized that rape survivors would exhibit a lower level of hope, higher levels of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and an external locus of control. Independent t-tests revealed that rape trauma impacts Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Independent t-tests were inconclusive among the hope, impact of events, …

The Kinetic Family Drawing As A Measure Of Minuchin's Structural Family Concepts Among Hispanic American Families With Substance-Abusing And Nonsubstance-Abusing Adolescents, José Osorio-Braña

Dissertations

Problem. There is a need for validation of new cultural-sensitive tests for assessing the Hispanic population in the United States that will take into account their cultural competence in the psychological evaluation practice. The purpose of this study was to explore the suitability of the Kinetic Family Drawings as a measure of Minuchin's Structural Family Theory among Hispanic American families with substance-abusing and nonsubstance-abusing adolescents.

Method. The Kinetic Family Drawing (KFD), the Structural Family Interaction Scale-Revised (SFIS-R), and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scales (FACES II) were administered to 141 families, 74 with an adolescent with substance-abusing problems and 67 …

The Relationships Among Competitiveness, Age And Ability In Distance Runners, Robert C. Eklund, Jeffrey J. Martin, Alan L. Smith

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships suggested by general achievement motivation literature and the popular literature in sport using the Sport Orientation Questionnaire (SOQ). The current study examined if faster runners are more competitive than slower runners, if older athletes were less competitive than younger athletes, and if faster runners were more goal oriented than slower runners. Distance runners (n=80), ranging from 10 to 61 years old completed race packets containing a cover letter, consent forms, the SOQ and a demographic questionnaire. Runners averaged 32.9 years of age and reported levels of competitiveness and goal …

The Impact Of Social Support On Long Term Adult Psychological Functioning: Study Of The Role Of A Confidant In Adult Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Danny Ray Russell

Graduate Theses

This project examined the effects a confidant had on adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The subjects were volunteer adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse solicited from undergraduate and graduate psychology classes at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Volunteers completed a childhood sexual abuse questionnaire, a confidant questionnaire, the Jaloweic Coping Scale and the Brief Symptom Inventory in a structured interview. The Jaloweic Coping Scale determined the coping styles and the Brief Symptom Inventory determined the symptom level. Those subjects that had a confidant were expected to have more successful coping styles and fewer symptoms as adults. …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Sexually Abused Children And Implications For Therapy, Robbie Jones

Graduate Theses

This study examined the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in sexually abused children. Sixty-seven children volunteered to participate in this study. Of the 67 children, 33 (26 female and 7 male) were sexually abused and 34 (22 female and 12 male) were non-sexually abused. Several instruments were employed to assess the severity of the symptoms of PTSD including the Children's PTSD Inventory, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Children's Depression Inventory, as well as others. The results of this study showed that sexually abused children have more symptoms of PTSD than non-sexually abused children. Early diagnosis and treatment of …

The Effects Of Two Models Of Positive Feedback Of Children's Motivation, Judith Margaret Lynch

Graduate Theses

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the type of written or verbal positive comment regarding a child's accomplishment influences subsequent interest in a task. A preliminary investigation of literature revealed that often rewards and praise negatively alter children's behavior. The writer tested the hypothesis derived from this investigation that non- evaluative descriptive comments, commonly called encouragement, positively affect children more than evaluative praise comments. 32 kindergarten and 36 third grade children received evaluative praise comments and 31 kindergarten and 42 third grade children received non- evaluative descriptive comments on drawings for three days. The fourth day, children …

Influence Of Ethnicity, Acculturation And Personality Attributes On Eating Attitudes And Behaviors Associated With Bulimia, Janet Arlene Profit

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Selected Demographic Variables As Predictors Of Behavior Change Among Adolescents In A Residential Treatment Center, Paul Stoltzfus

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

Research has demonstrated that theories of coping resources can be clarified by delineating risk factors and protective factors. These factors modulate the impact of traumatic events and which predict treatment outcome. This research project selected variables, conceptualized as risk and protective factors, to predict behavioral changes of adolescents at Chehalem House, a residential treatment center. The predictor variables were gender, age, diagnoses, level of intellectual functioning, the occurrence of sexual abuse, and severity of sexual abuse . The behaviors selected as criterion variables were non-compliance, negative attention seeking, and passivity/depression. Statistically significant regression equations were derived : a positive correlation …

Use Of Visual And Tactile Behaviors By Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) In An Object Discrimination Swimming Task, Todd Wiebers

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

When challenged with a cognitive task, rats demonstrate a behavioral flexibility in use and preference of sensory modalities. The present study describes visual and tactile behaviors used by rats in a two choice object discrimination swimming task. The task was designed to preclude use of other sensory modalities and could not be solved via spatial strategies. Fourteen rats learned to criterion a series of 10 discrimination problems. Rats exhibited three stereotypic visual and two stereotypic tactile behaviors over the course of the study. Data analyses indicated that rats demonstrated these behaviors more frequently as they became more familiar with the …

The Acute Effects Of Cocaine In Pigeons Performing Under A Progressive-Ratio Schedule, Claudia Ann Jones

Masters Theses

Although the progressive-ratio (PR) schedule has been used frequently to quantify the reinforcing effectiveness of self-administered drugs, it has seldom been used to examine the effects of drugs on food-maintained behavior and has never been used to evaluate the effects of cocaine on such behavior. In the present study, the effects of acute administrations of cocaine were evaluated in pigeons responding under a PR schedule of food delivery. Overall, cocaine produced a dose-dependent effect on food-maintained behavior. In general, acute administrations of cocaine at 0.56 to 3.2 mg/kg increased breaking points, whereas doses above 5.6 mg/kg decreased breaking points. Low …

Good Grief! Coping With Death And Dying In A Hospice Situation, Pegg Warnick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study is to discover and examine the coping strategies concerning death and dying from the perspectives of hospice patients and hospice volunteers. A review of applicable literature, informal but structured interviews and participant observation are procedures for the study. The focus of the study lies in three areas: what are the internal attributes used to cope?; what are the external support systems used to cope? and, what are the adjustments in personal goals? Research for this study was patterned after Hegge's study (1991) who surveyed the coping strategies of the recently widowed elderly. The instruments …

Individual Response To Risk As A Function Of Normative Social Pressure: A Pilot Study Of Seat Belt Use, Kenneth D. Boehm, John T. Keating, Karl W. Pfefferkorn, Audra J. Pfeltz, Brady G. Serafin, Jessica L. Sullivan, Karen L. Thode, Kevin M. Vincent, Juanita V. Field

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

The authors attempt to clarify some of the variables that influence whether people act appropriately when a Risk is substantial and subject to individual control. They do so by reporting results of a pilot study of seat belt use. Also, the authors believe their approach to be generalizable to problems such as encouraging people to test for radon, to use condoms to prevent AIDS or to quit smoking.

Nothing Recedes Like Success - Risk Analysis And The Organizational Amplification Of Risks, William R. Freudenburg

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

Professor Freudenburg believes that there is room for improvement in Risk analysis, particularly in drawing on systematic studies of human behavior in the calculation of real, empirical probabilities of failure. The need is argued to be especially acute where technological Risks are associated with low expected probabilities of failure and are managed by human organizations for extended periods of time. This permits complacency to set in.

Ua12/2/1 Magazine, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special magazine edition of the College Heights Herald:

• Poore, Chris. Silent Escape – Amy Deputy, Bulimia

Increasing The Self-Esteem Of Junior High Emotionally Disturbed Boys, La Rue Eaton Richey

Graduate Theses

Emotional disturbance can be viewed as an inability to manage one's behavior. This inability to maintain self-control in stressful situations represents a serious problem not only for the individual but for family and school personnel. In this study, Reasoner's (1984) Building Self-Esteem program was used with seventh and eighth grade emotionally disturbed boys in a West Texas community. Their self-esteem scores did increase as measured by Coopersmith (1984) Self-Esteem Inventory. *

The Efficacy Of Biofeedback In The Treatment Of Tension Headaches, Micahel Earl Waters

Graduate Theses

Fifteen adults from the general population with chronic tension headaches were divided into four groups. Four were assigned to relaxation instructions, biofeedback (EMG and temperature), and home relaxation practice; four were assigned to relaxation instructions and biofeedback; four were assigned to biofeedback alone; and three were assigned to a no-treatment group. Subjects completed a ten-day baseline period followed by a three-week treatment period. Measures were taken of headache frequency, duration, intensity, frontalis EMG, and temperature recordings. Comparisons of pre- and post-treatment data indicated that not one treatment group was significantly different from any other treatment group, including the no-treatment group, …

Modification Of Aggressive Behavior In An Adolescent Through The Use Of Imagery Therapy, Julie Jackson Underriner

Graduate Theses

This case study explored the effects of using 12 sessions of Guided Affective Imagery (GAI) as advocated by Leuner to diminish aggressive behavior. The subject for the study was a thirteen-year-old female who resides in a group home facility. Overt behavior change was analyzed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and' the Direct Observation Form (DOF) in a pretreatment, posttreatment, and delayed posttreatment design. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the CBCL revealed no significant change in the subject’s aggressive behaviors. However, the DOF revealed a decrease in the subject’s problem behaviors on three other rating scales and an …

The Effects Of Expectancy, Task Importance And Self-Attention On Task Persistence, Jim Jewett

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study was designed to examine the relative power of control theory (Carver, 1979) and self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1977) in predicting behavioral persistence. This study employed a 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 factorial design. One hundred and twelve undergraduate females were exposed to high and low levels of self-attention and task importance as well as positive and negative self-efficacy and outcome expectancies. Following failure on an anagram task subjects’ persistence in solving in insoluble design puzzle was assessed. Contrary to the hypotheses, the results suggested that self-efficacy expectancies, outcome expectancies, task importance and self-attention do not influence persistence …

The Effects Of Sex-Role Attitudes And Group Composition On Men And Women In Groups, Valerie P. Hans, Nancy Eisenberg

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

The dual impact of group gender composition and sex-role attitudes on self-perceptions and social behavior was explored. Androgynous and stereotyped men and women were placed in groups of skewed sex composition. Subjects' self-descriptions of masculine attributes shifted significantly in the group environment. In some instances, sex role-stereotyped subjects responded most stereotypically when their gender was in the minority in the group. Differences between men and women and between androgynous and stereotyped subjects in sex role-related preferences for group roles and discussion topics were also found.

The Effects Of Three Schedules Of Reinforcement On Stimulus Generalization, John L. Sanders

Graduate Theses

The effects of three schedules of reinforcement on stimulus generalization in rats were investigated. In the presence of a 2000 hz tone the subjects were trained to bar press on one of three schedules: CRF, VR 25, or VR 50. Three animals started in each condition. After tone/no-tone discrimination training they were tested for generalization. Generalization took.place over six,31.5 minute sessions. This tested the subjects* response rate to each of seven tones: 250 hz, 500 hz, 1000, hz, 2000 hz, 4000 hz, 8000 hz, and 16000 hz. During a 31.5 minute generalization test every tone was presented randomly nine times …