Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Overt And Covert Observation On The Clinical Behavior Emitted By Untrained Clinicians, Carol L.K. Middleton

Dissertations and Theses

This study examined the effects overt and covert observation of live clinical sessions have on the number of social/ neutral verbal behaviors emitted by untrained speech clinicians and their respective clients enrolled Summer Term, 1980, in the Articulation and Language Clinic at Portland State University, Speech and Hearing Sciences. The Boone-Prescott Interactional analysis System (Boone and Prescott, 1972), a numerically coded system, was used to record clinician-client interactions. Data were obtained for a randomly selected five minute period from each of forty clinical sessions.

The Descriptive Function Of Language: Changes With Age And Pressure To Inform, Eve Susan Liebman

Dissertations and Theses

Currently language is viewed as a multi-dimensional construct, consisting of three interrelated components; content, form and function (Bloom and Lahey, 1978). In recent publications, language function has been referred to as pragmatics (Prutting, 1979). The essence of pragmatic theory is that language is used functionally in social contexts, to accomplish specific types of communication (Wood, 1981). One such communicative function is referred to as the informative function, which occurs when a speaker provides ideas and information to others, as in describing, naming and giving examples {Wood, 1981). It is not clear, however, when children become competent in making specific, clear …

A Comparison Of Two Language Screening Instruments In Two Populations, Karen Kumpula-Lacey

Dissertations and Theses

Screening has been suggested as the most efficient method to find students with potential language problems (Neidecker, 1980). Based on the need for a standardized adolescent language screening tool, Prather, Breecher, Stafford, and Wallace (1980) developed the Screening Test of Adolescent Language (STAL). This is a six to eight minute test with twenty-three items which examine vocabulary, auditory memory span, language processing, and proverb explanation. Following an item analysis of the STAL, Prather, Brenner, and Hughes (1981) derived the Mini-Screening Test of Adolescent Language (M-STAL). This test contains five items from the STAL and requires one minute to administer.

Verbal Fluency Performance Of Normal Elderly Subjects, Molly Secrest

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to measure the verbal fluency of normal gerontologic subjects and to determine the extent of association between verbal fluency score and level of education. Specifically, this investigation sought to determine means, ranges and standard deviations for three groups of subjects: those 61 to 69 years of age, those 70 to 79 years of age, and those 80 years of age and above. In addition, correlations between verbal fluency score, and age, sex, years of education, and order of stimulus presentation were computed.

A Qualitative Analysis Of Nine Nonverbal Communications Texts, Edward J. Cavin

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout the past decade, numerous texts have been published which claim to be ideally suited for use in a basic, introductory nonverbal communication course. Many authors state that their text will comprehensively cover all aspects of the field of nonverbal communication. Unfortunately, many of the texts cover only a portion of the concepts which have been deemed as essential for inclusion in a beginning nonverbal communication course.

With the plethora of material relating to this topic on the market, there is a need for a comprehensive evaluation form by which an elevator could determine the specific method of layout (manner …

Language Development And Visual-Motor Integration In The Preschool Child, Andrea Lynn Perry Graham

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the visual-motor integrative abilities of preschool children with their articulatory and syntactical development. Two questions were posed: Do children having accelerated visual-motor integrative skills perform at a higher level than children having delayed visual-motor integration skills in 1) their articulation proficiency, and 2) their syntactical abilities?

Pragmatics: The Verbal Expression Of Feelings, Ann Paula Zimmerman

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this investigation was to determine at which age levels, between four and eight years, children express Praise, Apology, Commiseration, Blame, Challenge, Endearment, and both a Positive and Negative State.

Subjects were thirty children, six from each age level between four and eight years, selected from an elementary and preschool within the Portland area. Sixteen picture cards and stories were designed to elicit the eight different feelings. Each subject responded to questions at the end of the story and was given two chances to express the appropriate feeling. Each response was judged as appropriate or inappropriate and scored …

Perspectives On Speechlessness : A Case Study, Michelle Alexander Carlson

Dissertations and Theses

This study addresses a problem of speech disruption as an individual abruptly and without explanation stops speaking to those around her. The matter for investigation involves the meaning this event has for those who are closely involved with this individual either in a practical day to day way or in a continuing relationship.

Role-Taking And Behavior, Jane Wynne Uphoff

Dissertations and Theses

The present study examined the relationship between the cognitive skill of role-or perspective-taking and naturally occurring behavior of behaviorally disordered children. Twenty-six boys, aged five years, nine months to twelve years, two months were tested and observed at their treatment facility. It was predicted that children who could take the perspective of others would prefer peer to adult interaction, would more likely give positive attention to their peers and would be more likely to use effective language than their non perspective-taking peers. These and related hypotheses were examined by observing each participant's interactive behavior for 36 minutes distributed over three …

The Acquisition Of Obligatory-Do, Bernadette Maresh-Ericksen

Dissertations and Theses

The auxiliary verb obligatory-do is used in forming questions, negative and emphatic sentences. Currently there is no test or norms established for the acquisition of obligatory-do. The purpose of this study was to establish age trends, via elicited imitation for the acquisition of obligatory-do according to the sentence type in which it expressively occurs i.e., negative sentences, emphatic sentences, interrogative reversals and wh-questions. This study addressed the following question: At what ages do children expressively demonstrate, via elicited imitation, the auxiliary verb obligatory-do in negative sentences, emphatic sentences, interrogative reversals and wh-questions? A secondary question was: In what manner does …

Toward A Measure Of Correspondence In Relational Perceptions In Marital Dyads, Deborah Anne Coker

Dissertations and Theses

In order to assess a component of communication in interpersonal relationships, an instrument was developed to determine the correspondence in relational perceptions between partners in a marital dyad. The current study focuses on the levels of awareness spouses exhibit regarding phenomenological perceptions of themselves, their partners and the status of their dyadic system.

One-Third Octave Band Augmented Speech Discrimination Testing For Normal Hearing Listeners, Nancy Marie Bowen

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 500 Hz and 3150 Hz one-third octave band augmentation on the speech discrimination ability of normal hearing listeners and whether such effects vary with signal presentation level. The augmented portion of monosyllabic words was systematically varied from 5-55dB above the intensity level of the unfiltered version of the words and presented simultaneously to one ear.

Phonational Frequency Ranges In Vocally Untrained Adults Using Different Cardinal Vowels, Lorie Renee Chambers

Dissertations and Theses

In the clinical management of voice clients, it is important to measure accurate pitch ranges in order to determine if a client has a normal range or is speaking at an optimum pitch. It is not clear from the literature which vowel should be used in determining these pitch ranges. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the phonational frequency ranges in adults with no vocal training when phonating the cardinal vowels of /i/, /u/, and /a/. The investigation sought to answer the following question: Does the phonational frequency range in vocally untrained adults vary significantly when phonating the …

Towards A Measure Of Superior-Subordinate Perceptual Correspondence And Its Relationship To The Performance Appraisal, Elizabeth Duane Vergeer Crist

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of the present study was to determine what, if any, relationship existed between the correspondence of perceptions between superior-subordinate work dyads and the superior's rating of the subordinate's work performance.

Adolescent Chemical Substance Use And Abuse : Environmental And Personal Determinants, And A Proposed Model For Group Intervention, Lindy Louise Low Lecoq

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of the literature review is to identify consistent patterns regarding adolescent use and abuse of chemical substances, especially alcohol and marijuana. Acute physical, cognitive and social effects of alcohol and marijuana use are outlined, and environmental and personal determinants of drug use and abuse are examined. Methods of prevention and intervention are discussed and, from the research findings, a model group counseling program designed for the school setting is proposed. Adolescent use of both marijuana and alcohol is found to be modal by age 16-17. The physical, cognitive and social effects are pervasive and especially damaging to chronic …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Self-Disclosing Communication On Attraction-To-Group In The Small Group Setting, Pamela Walker Vredevelt

Dissertations and Theses

A review of the literature on self-disclosure and small group communication showed that few investigations dealt with the effects of disclosing communication on small group process. The present study was conducted in order to assess the effects of the frequency of self-disclosure within small groups on the members' overall attraction to the group. 120 subjects were selected from the East Hill Church senior high youth department in Gresham, Oregon. Subjects were placed at random into ten small groups with twelve members each which met for one-half hour per week for six consecutive weeks. All group communications were audio tape recorded. …

Speech Intelligibility As A Function Of The Propositionality Of Background Noise, Gail Swanstrom

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this investigation was to measure the ability of young normal hearing listeners to perceive speech in the presence of a background noise which varies in the relative intensity of its semantic content. The Speech Perception in Noise test was mixed with a two-component competing noise complex in which the narrative-to- speech noise ratio varied in 2 dB increments from -2 dB Na/SpN to +8 dB Na/SpN. These stimuli were presented at an overall +8 dB signal-to-noise ratio to thirty young normal hearing adults through the soundfield system. The differences between the mean error scores and standard deviations …

Developing An Attitude Test To Predict Treatment Outcome In Depressed And Anxious Outpatients : An Exploratory Study, Kathryn Ainslie Paris

Dissertations and Theses

While much research has examined factors thought to affect patient compliance with therapeutic regimen, relatively little is known about the relationship between psychiatric patients' attitudes toward treatment regimen and their adherence to the treatment regimen. Compliance rates for psychiatric patients remain the lowest of the medical patient population, probably due to psychological and social characteristics of psychiatric patients. Because of a trend in the United States toward self-medication for an increasingly ambulatory psychiatric patient population, the ability to predict patient compliance with medication regimen has become more important than ever before. Before potential noncompliers can be identified and patient compliance …