Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Perceptual And Cognitive Abnormality Model Of Hypochondriasis: Psychological Correlates Of Amplification And Misinterpretation, James R. Craft

Theses and Dissertations

Hypochondriasis is a disorder that may affect ten percent of all individuals seeking medical care. This places a great burden on the health care resources that are currently available. Unfortunately, very few of these individuals come to the attention of mental health professionals.

Various models have attempted to conceptualize hypochondriasis. These include the psychiatric model, the psychodynamic model, the social learning and the perceptual or cognitive abnormality model.

The perceptual or cognitive abnormality model suggests that individuals who are hypochondriacal misinterpret and/or amplify normal bodily sensations. These processes lead the individuals to believe they are suffering from a serious disease. …

Factoring The Personal Profile System For Construct Validity: Three Analyses Under Different Standardization Assumptions, Thomas G. Henkel, James Noel Wilmoth

Publications

Three types of data were factor analyzed using principal components extractions with orthogonal and oblique rotations to test publisher claims for construct validity of the Personal Profile System (PPS). Behavioral descriptor data from 1,045 senior non-commissioned Air Force officers were factored as raw data, mean corrected data, and standardized z-scores (correlations). The most efficacious solution was produced with standardized z-scores generating four factors accounting for 86% of the total variance. The measure of sampling adequacy for every descriptor exceeded 0.922. The first factor was general with approximately equal loadings on each of the dominance, influencing, steadiness, and compliance dimensions. The …

Development Of A Measure Of Therapist Trustworthiness, Gregory M. Alberts

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Graduate and professional therapist training programs emphasize the acquisition of technical skills (Stevenson & Norcross, 1987) and deemphasize the promotion of interpersonal and relationship competencies (Lambert, 1989; Schiffman, 1987 ) . The content of such training programs and the procedures by which the competencies of prospective mental health practitioners are developed and evaluated have been critic ized because neither are based on an adequate fund of clinically relevant empirical knowledge (Ford, 1979; Garfield, 1977; Matarazzo, 1978; Ponterotto & Furlong, 1985; Scofield & Yoxtheimer, 1983).

Training In Community Psychology At Wilfrid Laurier University: A Process And Outcome Evaluation (Ontario), Judit Alcade

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

There is to date no Canadian example of a systematic evaluation of a community psychology training programme, and the literature reveals few evaluations in the U.S. This paper describes an evaluation of the Community Psychology M.A. Programme at Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU). A utilization-focused stakeholder model was used, whereby I worked closely with faculty, students, some support staff, and a graduate of the programme throughout the entirety of the evaluation. Because community psychology is strongly committed to process, both outcome and process goals were given equal emphasis. In addition, other aspects such as student satisfaction, course effectiveness, and an exploration …

There's No Place Like Home: The Empowering Potential Of The Midwifery Model Of Childbirth, Denise Catherine Squire

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purposes of this study were to: 1) explore and describe the experience of the midwifery model of childbirth from the perspectives of midwives and mothers who had planned a homebirth; 2) determine the extent to which the experience of the midwifery model of childbirth evidences my values which have been influenced by feminist literature and literature on empowerment; and 3) make the information from this research available to midwives, families who have used the services of midwives, and the public in general. Four midwives and ten mothers who had planned a homebirth between January 1, 1990 and February 15, …

An Assessment Of Service And Resource Needs Of University Students With Disabilities, Pauline J. Hradil

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Two studies focusing on the need for supportive services and resources for persons with disabilities at universities are described. Both studies took place in the Kitchener-Waterloo community. In Study One, students and faculty at the University of Waterloo and community service workers were surveyed. In Study Two, students and staff at Wilfrid Laurier University and high school students and staff at the Waterloo County Board of Education were surveyed. In total, eighty-two participants were surveyed by interview or questionnaire methods. The results from the two studies provided information about needs and concerns specific to individual participants and settings as well …

Microgenetic Development In Preschoolers' Private Speech, Robert Muir Duncan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Vygotsky’s theory of the development of children’s private (or egocentric) speech is discussed, and related empirical research is reviewed. A pilot study demonstrates the visibility of a microgenetic experimental approach to the problem of private speech. The research detailed herein consists of a three-session repeated-measures microgenetic experiment involving 40 five-year-old children, investigating questions which arise both from Vygotsky’s original work on private speech and from contemporary research. Participants in this study were videotaped while working on both paper-folding and story-sequencing tasks. Results showed greater quantities of private speech while participants worked on paper-folding tasks compared with story-sequencing tasks, on difficult …

The Effects Of Job Characteristics And Task Decomposition On The Estimation Of The Dollar-Value Of Performance, Robert P. Delprino

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of job characteristics and structuring aids on the accuracy and acceptance of managers' estimates of the standard deviation of job performance in dollars (i.e., SD_y). The job characteristics consisted of critical incidents of work behaviors and existing performance appraisal dimensions. The structuring aids consisted of full algorithm and partial algorithm procedures. In addition, a global estimation procedure was included in the design and served as a control condition. Participants were 96 nursing managers. Through the use of questionnaires, the managers provided dollar-value estimates of the value of low, …

The Effects Of Training And Feedback Format On Reactions To In-Basket Feedback And On In-Basket Performance, Michael G. Fedorko

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of training and feedback format on reactions to in-basket feedback and on in-basket performance. Performance was evaluated with a 2 (Training) x 3 (Feedback) x 2 (In-Basket) x 5 (Dimension) repeated measures factorial design. Reactions were evaluated with a 2 (Training) x 3 (Feedback) x 2 (Questionnaire) repeated measures factorial design. The Training factor was comprised of frame-of-reference training (designed to prepare the recipient to receive the feedback) and a control condition (a lecture on Mintzberg's managerial role classification system). The Feedback factor was comprised of written feedback, oral feedback, …

The Effects Of Wellness Activity Choices On Urban Employees' Psychological Mood States And Job Satisfaction, Ruth Porter Holland

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This ex-post-facto study was designed to examine the effects of varied levels of physical activity participation choices on employees' mood states and job satisfaction. A six (group) x two (sex) x three (times) ANCOVA method analyzed the relationship of three independent variables (group, sex and repeated exercise sessions) to ten dependent psychological measures (seven mood states and three job satisfaction components). Comparisons by group, sex, and time were made to determine whether four treatment groups of male and female employees who made choices to participate in varied levels of physical activity over an eight week period differed significantly from two …

Psychosocial Developmental Levels Of Freshman Urban University Students With Learning Disabilities, Nancy Ann Wolthuis Olthoff

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This research study addressed the question, "Is there a difference in psychosocial developmental levels, as defined by Arthur Chickering, between male and female traditional-aged urban university freshmen with and without learning disabilities?" Twenty students with learning disabilities, as diagnosed by independent practitioners who exhibited spelling disabilities on a writing sample placement test, were compared to two comparable groups of twenty students. One comparison group did not exhibit spelling disability. The second group while demonstrating spelling problems, did not have documentation of learning disabilities. The Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Inventory, a measure of Arthur Chickering's theory of psychosocial development, was …

A Test Of A Mastery Learning Approach For Teaching Basic Paragraph Writing Skills To Spanish Language Background Students, Sara Soledad Garcia

Teacher Education

This dissertation tested whether learning could be improved for students of Spanish language background through a Mastery Learning (ML) approach. It was hypothesized that higher levels of achievement and more positive affect could occur in an ML classroom.

Phase I of the study compared two instructional conditions: Mastery Learning and conventional. Because of implementation problems in Phase I, Phase II used a Mastery Learning condition only. In each phase, Pre and Posttests, Formative and Summative Tests, and Affect Questionnaires were gathered from a total of 84 students. The Pre and Posttests were modifications of four Subscales testing General Impressions, General …

Effects Of Three Organizational Policies On Individuals’ Attitudes About Drug Testing, Alan Walker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The consensus of recent literature appears to be that drug testing is both legal and valid. However, a testing program can meet legal and technical criteria and still fail to meet organizational objectives because one vital component has been left out – employees’ attitudes. The present study uses data from 148 college juniors and seniors to assess the effects of three hypothetical drug testing policies: (a) consequences of detected drug use (termination vs. rehabilitation), (b) timing of the program (expected interval vs. random interval vs. reasonable cause), and (c) business purpose (weak vs. strong) on attitudes toward drug testing. It …

Effects Of Employment-At-Will Policies On Corporate Image, Job Pursuit Intentions, & Union Membership Intentions, Susan Walker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Since 1884, the courts have embraced and applied the doctrine of employment-at-will which states that employers may terminate their employees, with or without cause or notice, at any time. Recently, the courts have recognized exceptions to this doctrine. In order to avoid these exceptions, lawyers and human resource specialists have suggested that employment materials should explicitly state that all employment is at-will. However, while stating an employment-at-will policy may protect employers' rights to terminate at-will, little is known about the consequences of adopting these measures with respect to applicant and employee attitudes.

The concept of employment-at-will is explored and research …

Temperature And Pain Changes Resulting From Post Surgical (Arthroscopy) Application Of Cold Packs, Caroline L. Creager

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Post-surgical cold applications are beneficial to orthopedic surgery patients. However, their use is limited because of the difficulty in maintaining a constant temperature, increased need for attention, and unwanted leaks or condensation from ice bags. Twenty-one arthroscopic surgery patients were divided into three groups: a Dura*Kold cold pack group, an Aircast Cryo/cuff compression dressing group, and a control group. Six dependent variables were examined: subjective pain ratings three and 48 hours after surgery, a subjective rating of functional activity 48 hours after surgery, skin temperature for three hours after surgery, and pain medication consumed during three hours and 48 hours …

Applying The Matching Law In A Sheltered Workshop, Kristin Elizabeth Skousgard

Masters Theses

This study assessed the validity of the matching law in an applied setting. It manipulated extraneous reinforcement and measured the rate of rocking in a 24-year-old developmentally disabled man. The resulting data were compared to that predicted by the matching law.

The results were important in three ways: (1) extraneous reinforcement systematically affected rocking in an applied setting in the manner predicted by the matching law, (2) a clinically undesirable behavior decreased in frequency, and (3) this decrease occurred in the absence of direct intervention on the target behavior. Thus, to a slight degree, scientific, practical and humanitarian goals were …

Effect Of Regularly Scheduled Class Meetings On The Self Concept Of Emotionally Disturbed Adolescent Males, Nola R. Whirlow

Graduate Theses

The effect of regularly scheduled class meetings on the self concept and academic performance of emotionally disturbed adolescent males was investigated. Twelve boys, ranging in age from twelve to fifteen participated in the study. The Tennessee Self Concept Scale was administered to the subjects in the control group (n=6) and the experimental group (n=6) at the beginning and again at the end of a six month treatment period. During the treatment period, the experimental group participated in bi-weekly class meetings held for the following purposes: 1) to compliment each other, 2) to help each other, 3) to solve problems, and …

The Relationship Between The Mbti And A Values Conflict Resolution, Marti B. George

Master's Theses

This study investigated the relationship between Jungian type personality dimensions and an intrapersonal values conflict resolution. Seventy subjects filled out the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) which assesses the sixteen Jungian personality types. Subjects returned in approximately two weeks to complete the Values Conflict Resolution Assessment (VCRA) which assesses the degree of their resolution about a particular values conflict. It was hypothesized that the thinking-feeling function of mind would positively correlate with scores on the Ethical-Emotional subscale and negatively correlate with scores on the Rational-Behavioral subscale of the VCRA. The result did not confirm our hypotheses. Reliablilty and a principal components …

The Effects Of Relapse Prevention Training On Exercise Adherence, Sandra Beaty

Dissertations

Behavioral techniques have proven effective in the acquisition and maintenance of new behaviors. However, health related behaviors, such as exercise, pose a special problem for the field of behavior change in that they require long-term lifestyle changes. This study assessed the effectiveness of relapse prevention training on exercise adherence within the framework of a formal exercise program. There were 20 subjects in the experimental group and 20 subjects in the control group. Both groups met for three, one-hour sessions weekly for eight consecutive weeks. Exercise class attendance was recorded by the instructor. In addition, the Physical Activity Index (PAI, n.d., …

The Effects Of Accountability Procedures On The Productivity Of Academic Performance Contractors In An Academic Support Program, Brian Delano Yancey

Dissertations

The purpose of the research was to evaluate the effects of accountability procedures on the productivity of performance managers in an academic support program. The contractors were responsible for supporting the academic performance of high-risk students enrolled in a one-credit-hour self-management course. The contractors awarded students points that counted toward their self-management course grade when the students produced assignments of value in their content courses. Prior research had shown that students sometimes performed poorly in the self-management course and that the contractors were often unsuccessful in helping these students improve their grades. Consequently, the experimenter speculated that the amount of …

Social And Nonsocial Decentration In Hearing-Impaired And Normal Hearing Children, David S. Cates, Franklin C. Shontz

Journal Articles: Nebraska Medicine

Tweny-three hearing-impaired and 25 normally hearing children between 7 and 14 years of age were administered a social decentration task, a nonsocial decentration task (a set of conservation problems), and a test of nonverbal intelligence. Although the two groups did not differ with respect to nonverbal intelligence, the hearing-impaired children obtained significantlv lower scores than their normally hearing peers on both the social and nonsocial decentration measures. Within both groups, there was a significant positive correlation between social decentration and nonsocial decentration, which is consistent with Piaget's contention that centration-decentration is a cognitive dimension underlying the structuring of both social …

Evaluating The States Of Mind Model: Comparison To An Alternative Model And Effects Of Method Of Cognitive Assessment, Richard G. Heimberg, Monroe A. Bruch, Debra A. Hope, Mark Dombeck

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Two studies were conducted evaluating aspects of the States of Mind (SOM) Model proposed by Schwartz (1986; Schwartz & Garamoni, 1986, 1989) with a sample of social phobic subjects. First, the SOM ratio [positive thoughts/(positive + negative thoughts)] based on a thought-listing task was compared to a ratio based on Kendall and Hollon’s (1981) “power-of-nonnegative-thinking” model [negative thoughts/(positive + negative + neutral thoughts)], and the relationship of each ratio to criterion measures was assessed. The two ratios were highly correlated and related to several criterion measures, raising questions about the role of neutral thoughts in the internal dialogue. Second, SOM …

Myers-Briggs Personality Types In Chronic Pain Patients, Linda S. Mckee-Mcalpin

Student Work

This study uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to examine the possibility that there are personality types that are more likely to cope maladaptively, and experience the syndrome of chronic pain, when they are faced with an injury or pain which results in unexpected life changes.

The Chronic Pain sample in this study scored significantly higher than a Normal sample in their preference for Introversion, Sensing and Judging and were significantly more likely to be the personality types ISFJ or ISTJ.

This study also examines the relationship between MMPI depression scores and Myers-Briggs Introversion scores and the results tend to confirm …

Picture Viewing As A Test Of Attention To Food And Body Image Cues In Restrained Versus Nonrestrained Eaters, Sally Rose Brinza

Theses and Dissertations

Restrained eaters, those who chronically and severely restrict food intake in order to lose weight, are thought to exhibit thoughts and behaviors similar to those seen in semi-starved and eating disordered (bulimic and anorexic) individuals. A paradoxical tendency to overeat once food restraint is disinhibited has been noted in restrainers. Food and body weight preoccupation and hyperresponsiveness to external food cues have been hypothesized to occur in restrained individuals; however the literature reports conflicting results and these factors have not been thoroughly investigated. Cognitive factors which differentiate restrained eaters from nonrestrained eaters may affect information processing.

The purpose of this …

Within-Subject And Between-Subjects Evaluation Of The Effects Of Hallucinogenic Drugs In Pigeons Responding Under Two Variations Of A Fixed-Consecutive-Number Schedule, Rodney D. Clark

Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was twofold: To determine the effects of LSD (0.03 - 1.0 mg/kg), mescaline (0.3 - 5.6 mg/kg), and DMT (0.3 - 3.0 mg/kg) on the performance of pigeons under two variants on an FCN schedule and to determine whether these effects differed substantially as a result of experimental design (i.e., within subject or between-subjects). Under this schedule, food was delivered whenever subjects responded between eight and 12 times on one response key (work key), then responded once on a second key (reinforcement key). Under one version, (FCN-S^D), an external discriminative stimulus was correlated with …

Stimulus-Specific And Stimulus-Nonspecific Reinforcement: Effects On Tact Training With Severely Mentally Impaired Young Adults, Steven J . Braam

Dissertations

The effects of specific or similar physical properties between discriminative stimuli and reinforcers in tact training were studied. Stimulus-specific reinforcement and stimulus-nonspecific reinforcement conditions were compared using a matched-groups design. When subjects correctly tacted in the former condition, the experimenter gave reinforcers with identical physical properties to the training stimuli. When subjects correctly tacted in the latter condition, the experimenter delivered reinforcers with different physical properties from the nonverbal training stimulus.

The subjects demonstrated no overall differences in learning trials. Only one subject, trained with stimulus- specific reinforcement learned tacts in consistently fewer trials than his counterpart trained with stimulus-nonspecific …

Generalization Of Promise-Do Correspondence Training With Respect To The Individual To Whom The Promise Is Made, Robert J. Latka

Masters Theses

This study used 3 subjects of normal (non-impaired) intelligence, 1 female and 2 males, between the ages of 10 and 13 years to study generalization of promise-do correspondence training effects. In a replicated AE design, contingent monetary reinforcers were used to establish promise-do correspondence in playing nonpreferred computer games. This study demonstrated that the effects of correspondence training procedures could be generalized to an alternative listener or individual to whom the promise was made. Generalization was less evident when there was no listener present. This study also provided some evidence that effects of promise-do correspondence training may not generalize to …

The Effects Of A Reinforcer On Behavior Maintained By A Second External Reinforcer, Jeanne Marie Lamere

Masters Theses

A number of studies has shown that providing extrinsic rewards for performing an "intrinsically interesting" task decreases an individual's subsequent interest in that task when the rewards are no longer available (e.g., Deci, 1971, 1972; Lepper, Greene, & Nisbett, 1973). Based on these results, many have argued that extrinsic rewards decrease an individual's "intrinsic motivation." A fundamental premise of this argument is that "extrinsic" and "intrinsic motivation" are functionally different, a distinction that is not supported by a behavioral analysis. This study examined whether similar subsequent decrements in task performance would be observed when a behavior is maintained by one …

How Work Experience Affects Personnel Selection, Donna T. Klein

Masters Theses

The literature concerning how work experience affects personnel selection for recent college graduates is reviewed and found to be unimpressive. This present study was designed to analyze employers' perceptions of work experience when considering recent college graduates for employment. A survey consisting of three resumes was reviewed by 56 small businesses (employing 100 or fewer people). The three resumes differed with respect to one of the part-time jobs: an internship, work related to field of study, or non-related work experience. The results showed that an internship was consistently rated better at the 0.05 level over related/nonintern and non-related work experiences. …

Conformity, Attitude Toward Authority, And Social Class, Alison Carol Welter

Dissertations and Theses

This study examined the relationship between attitudes toward authority, identification with authority and conformity in relation to authority in American undergraduate college students. The study consisted of two parts. The first part examined correlates of attitudes toward authority according to social class. Undergraduate college students attending Portland State University comprised the samples in which two groups, a middle-class group and a working-class group of equal sizes (n=63), were formed. A relatively new, standardized measure of attitudes toward institutional authority, the GAIAS (Rigby, 1982), was used to measure orientation toward authority by social class. No significant differences in attitudes toward authority …