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Articles 1141 - 1170 of 4916

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Presbyterian Enlightenment: The Confluence Of Evangelical And Enlightenment Thought In British America, Brandon S. Durbin May 2018

The Presbyterian Enlightenment: The Confluence Of Evangelical And Enlightenment Thought In British America, Brandon S. Durbin

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Eighteenth-Century British American Presbyterian ministers incorporated covenantal theology, ideas from the Scottish Enlightenment, and resistance theory in their sermons. The sermons of Presbyterian ministers strongly indicate the intermixing of enlightenment and evangelical ideas. Congregants heard and read these sermons, spreading these ideas to the average colonist. This combination helps explain why American Presbyterians were so apt to resist British rule during the American Revolution. Protestant covenantal theology, derived from Protestant reformers like John Calvin and John Knox, emphasized virtue and duty. This covenant affected both the people and their rulers. When rulers failed to uphold their covenant with God, the …

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Discounting In The Pigeon: Food-Specified Conditioned Reinforcers, Matthew Wolf May 2018

Discounting In The Pigeon: Food-Specified Conditioned Reinforcers, Matthew Wolf

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Discounting has been observed across a wide range of species, procedures, and reinforcers. One of the main differences in the literature is that studies with humans use money (conditioned reinforcer) as the reinforcer being discounted. This is in contrast to studies with non-human animals where the discounted outcomes are usually directly consumable like food and water (primary reinforcers). At present, there is no non-human animal equivalent to money that has been identified in the discounting literature. To further bridge the remaining gaps in the methodology, a common currency is needed to study conditioned reinforcers in the discounting paradigm. An adjusting-amount …

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Attentional Processing: Replication And Extension Of Selection Bias As A Predictor Of Intertemporal Choice Behavior, Dylan Rutter May 2018

Attentional Processing: Replication And Extension Of Selection Bias As A Predictor Of Intertemporal Choice Behavior, Dylan Rutter

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Basic underlying mechanisms of discounting delayed rewards remain unclear (Green & Myerson, 2013). There has been evidence that attentional mechanisms (e.g., fixation and fixation duration) could be further investigate processes related to the discounting of delayed rewards (Franco-Watkins, Matteson, & Jackson, 2016). Franco-Watkins et al. (2016) was the first to propose a measure of attentional mechanisms in a discounting paradigm, known as selection bias. The authors found selection bias was positively correlated with choice behavior. The present study replicated selection bias using a titration procedure and Area Under the Curve scores. This study also analyzed selection bias across choice presentations …

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Posterior Predictive Model Checking Of Local Misfit For Bayesian Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Chi Hang Au May 2018

Posterior Predictive Model Checking Of Local Misfit For Bayesian Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Chi Hang Au

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Posterior predictive model checks (PPMC) are one Bayesian model-data fit approach. Thus far, PPMC for Confirmatory Factor Analytic applications focused primarily on global fit evaluation, ignoring the nuanced information in local misfit diagnostics. This study developed a PPMC approach for local misfit and applied it to a test-taking motivation scale. If the PPMC approach is effective, fit conclusions derived from the PPMC approach should be congruent with the fit conclusions derived from the Frequentist approach. Number of item-pairs flagged as misfitting and number of disagreements were computed to evaluate congruence. Congruence is achieved if the number of item-pairs flagged as …

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Screening For Dementia: An Examination Of Subscale Relative Importance, Emily F. Matusz May 2018

Screening For Dementia: An Examination Of Subscale Relative Importance, Emily F. Matusz

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Approximately 13 percent of the American population are 65 years of age or older (Vincent & Velkof, 2010). Of these 48 million older adults, roughly 5.3 million have received a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (Alzheimer’s Association, 2017). As the awareness of AD continues to heighten, so does the push for increased cognitive screening to identify signs of abnormal aging. However, important considerations pertaining to scale development or weighting procedures applied during the test development process remain unclear, as they are often not reported in testing manuals. The current study presents a statistically derived scoring algorithm for a brief …

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Student Engagement And Learning Gains: Self-Reports, Direct Measures, And Instrument Specificity, Christopher Kerr May 2018

Student Engagement And Learning Gains: Self-Reports, Direct Measures, And Instrument Specificity, Christopher Kerr

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The assumption that engagement leads to student learning is fundamental in higher education. Engagement is often used by educational institutions as an indicator of student learning. However, research has found moderate to weak relationships between engagement and learning. This study explored the influence that methods used to measure learning and engagement may have on the relationships observed between the two. More specifically, this study considered differences between self-reported measures of learning and direct-measure change scores in their relationship to engagement. Additionally, this study tested the influence that specificity of engagement measures has on observed engagement-learning relationships. Quantitative reasoning was selected …

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Beyond Motivation: Differences In Score Meaning Between Assessment Conditions, Nikole Gregg May 2018

Beyond Motivation: Differences In Score Meaning Between Assessment Conditions, Nikole Gregg

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Written communication is a skill necessary for not only the success of undergraduate students, but for post-graduates in the workplace. Furthermore, according to employers the writing skills of post-graduates tend to be below expectations. Therefore, the assessment of such skills within higher education is in high demand. Written communication assessments tend to be administered in one of two conditions: 1) course embedded and 2) a low-stakes, non-embedded condition. The current study investigated possible construct-irrelevant variance in writing assessment scores by using data from a mid-sized public university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Specifically, 157 student products were …

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The Effects Of Alcohol Priming And Alcohol-Related Cues On Subsequent Alcohol Preferences, Kathleen R. Owens May 2018

The Effects Of Alcohol Priming And Alcohol-Related Cues On Subsequent Alcohol Preferences, Kathleen R. Owens

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of alcohol priming and alcohol-related cues on subsequent alcohol preferences. Researchers assigned randomly 35 university students to 1 of 3 conditions: alcohol delivered in a red disposable plastic cup (AC; alcohol cue; n = 12), alcohol delivered in a cafeteria cup (AN; neutral cue; n = 11), or alcohol placebo (P; n = 12) delivered in a red disposable plastic cup. Participants consumed their assigned beverages, and then completed the Multiple Choice Procedure (MCP), a procedure that allows participants to make discrete choices between a standard alcoholic beverage and …

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Applied Behavior Analysis Function Based Procedures Contribute To Parent Child Interaction Therapy Child Outcomes, Melissa Grant May 2018

Applied Behavior Analysis Function Based Procedures Contribute To Parent Child Interaction Therapy Child Outcomes, Melissa Grant

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Developmental disabilities affect nearly one in six children in the United States; up to 30 % of these individuals have problem behaviors causing stressors in both the child and their caregiver’s lives. These problem behaviors have various topographical and functional forms, such as property destruction, aggression, tantrums, self-injurious behavior, and many others. If these behaviors are not nipped in the bud during younger years they have the capability to bring about academic failure, alienation from typical peers and other adults, and in the longer term, substance abuse issues, and a decrease in functioning skills within their communities. Evidence-based practices are …

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A Growth Mindset Intervention In Female Collegiate Athletes, Cierra Latrice Williams May 2018

A Growth Mindset Intervention In Female Collegiate Athletes, Cierra Latrice Williams

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Growth mindset interventions have been evaluated within academic settings for years and have demonstrated links between one’s mindset and achievement goals. However, despite this research, limited research has evaluated the effectiveness of a growth mindset intervention within an athletic setting. This research aimed to remedy this shortcoming by conducting a growth mindset intervention within a sample of 27 female collegiate athletes. Participants viewed two videos about the malleability of the brain, listened to the researcher discuss personal sport experiences, and wrote a letter to a future athlete. Measures of growth mindset, fixed mindset, competitiveness, win orientation, and goal orientation were …

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The Cost Of Caring: Emergency Department Nurses, Compassion Fatigue, And The Need For Resilience Training, Amelia Walton May 2018

The Cost Of Caring: Emergency Department Nurses, Compassion Fatigue, And The Need For Resilience Training, Amelia Walton

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Emergency Departments (EDs) are notoriously unpredictable and high stress environments. ED nurses are regularly exposed to stressful events such as sudden death, trauma, death and resuscitation of children, aggression and violence from patients, and systemic environmental stressors. For some ED nurses, prolonged exposure to these stressors leads to the development of compassion fatigue and burnout, but stigma around seeking support for mental health issues can impede a nurse’s desire to seek treatment. The counseling profession has seen an increased interest in the role that resilience-building strategies can have in negating the deleterious effects of compassion fatigue and burnout in nurses. …

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The School Psychologist’S Role In The Problem Solving Process: How Assessment Can Inform Intervention, Rachel Larkin May 2018

The School Psychologist’S Role In The Problem Solving Process: How Assessment Can Inform Intervention, Rachel Larkin

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This study serves as an investigation into the role of school psychologists within the problem solving process, intervention selection, and the role assessment in guiding intervention selection. School psychologists have many different roles that they can carry out and the roles of assessment and intervention tend to be the two largest. Assessments are designed for clinical decision-making and interventions are designed to target the specific needs of a student. As problem solvers and decision makers, it would make sense to use the tools that school psychologists have, including assessment and intervention, in combination in order to help students succeed. The …

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Seminar In Paraphilic Disorders, Kim E. Hall May 2018

Seminar In Paraphilic Disorders, Kim E. Hall

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This project provides curriculum materials for a graduate level seminar in paraphilic disorders as an Ed.S. research project. The rationale for developing such a curriculum is introduced and a review of supporting literature is included, detailing the definition, prevalence, and controversy surrounding paraphilic disorders. Literature regarding counselor education in paraphilic disorders and evidence for a gap in current counselor education in paraphilias are reviewed. The curriculum materials designed to meet this need are presented and discussed, as are the benefits and limitations of this curriculum.

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Mental Health Care For The Homeless, John D. Rogers May 2018

Mental Health Care For The Homeless, John D. Rogers

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This paper includes a thorough survey of peer-reviewed journal articles regarding the delivery of mental health care services to homeless people, a gap analysis based on the literature, experiential observations from a mid-Atlantic agency for the homeless, and interviews with people experiencing homelessness. From this research, I propose a model of service delivery. I conclude that while deinstitutionalization in the 1980s led to community-based models of service delivery, the patchwork of approaches available now does not serve the needs of homeless persons with mental health problems. A best practice approach combines the concept of housing first with peer navigated, integrated …

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The Kids Are (Going To Be) Alright: Authorship Of A Post-Divorce Narrative, Caroline Hamby May 2018

The Kids Are (Going To Be) Alright: Authorship Of A Post-Divorce Narrative, Caroline Hamby

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This integrative literature review explores the suitability of narrative therapy for children ages 7-12 coping with divorce and family transition. Charting the history of research on post-divorce children, the review discusses common negative and positive post-divorce outcomes for children in academic, financial, and socio-emotional domains. It links the fundamental objectives of narrative therapy to the corresponding needs of post-divorce children and families, namely emotional security, internal control, and personal agency. It posits that narrative therapy is a modality uniquely situated to address these concerns and amplify the often-ignored voices of children otherwise lost in marital chaos. The developmental considerations of …

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Hell On Earth: An Exploration Into What Drives Evil, Samuel Taylor Hogan May 2018

Hell On Earth: An Exploration Into What Drives Evil, Samuel Taylor Hogan

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Evil abounds. Even the most cursory glance at the news yields harsh headlines about bombings, school shootings, acid attacks, murder, rape, sex slavery, torture, and the occasional mass genocide. The 20th century alone featured roughly 135 million military and civilian deaths due to war and democide (White & Pinker, 2013). Recently, a cultural narrative has emerged proselytizing that evil is an aberrant, caustic mutation of the otherwise unsullied human soul. Philosophers and sociologists, among others, contend that “civilization needs to believe that it does not have an inhumane or barbaric side, leading members of the mainstream to constantly project unacceptable …

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Neuro-Cognitive Factors In Adolescent Psychotherapy, Jean F. Ndzana May 2018

Neuro-Cognitive Factors In Adolescent Psychotherapy, Jean F. Ndzana

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Cognitive and developmental differences between teenagers and adults must be overcome to ensure a level playing field in the process of counseling. Exploring the developmental factors involved, and discussing associated treatment interventions can help the counselor close this gap by improving client adherence to treatment and outcomes. This paper consists of a review of the current literature in neuropsychology, neuroscience, cognitive linguistics and counseling, as it relates to brain and cognitive developments in adolescence. These findings are referenced to show the many developmental changes that occur in adolescence, and how those changes can be a hindrance to successful participation in …

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Rapport During The Assessment Process: A Survey Of School Psychologists, Ebony Mason May 2018

Rapport During The Assessment Process: A Survey Of School Psychologists, Ebony Mason

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

In order to gain more information on the current assessment practices of school psychologists in the state of Virginia, a survey was constructed that examined how rapport is established, how the assessment process is explained to students, and how assessment results are explained to students. Responses from 113 school psychologists indicated that rapport is an important part of the assessment process. There were commonalities in responses related to how rapport is established and the assessment process is explained to students. Surveyed school psychologists indicated that following up with students and informing them of assessment results is not a common practice.

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Mental Health Literacy: Investigating Adolescents’ Knowledge Of Depression And Professional Sources Of Help, Jessica A. Meeks May 2018

Mental Health Literacy: Investigating Adolescents’ Knowledge Of Depression And Professional Sources Of Help, Jessica A. Meeks

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders affecting adolescents, and there is evidence suggesting that there are adolescents suffering from depression who are not receiving treatment (Mojtabai, Offson, & Han, 2016). The increasing presence of mental health professionals and mental health services in public schools is one solution to the treatment gap. However, less is known about adolescents’ understanding of depression and treatment options. The current study utilized an online survey to examine the mental health literacy of 38 ninth grade students. Results indicated that adolescents have a moderate ability to recognize and label depression from brief …

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Diverse Students’ Perceptions Of The Proactive Circle Process In A Restorative Practice Intervention, Shana M. Little May 2018

Diverse Students’ Perceptions Of The Proactive Circle Process In A Restorative Practice Intervention, Shana M. Little

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Restorative practices have been introduced as a school wide intervention to reduce the cultural disparity in school discipline. The purpose of this intervention is to promote healthy student-teacher relationships. The research on restorative practices as an intervention for minority students has shown to be effective, through school discipline data and teacher report. The current study used individual interviews with high school students to explore their perception of restorative practices, specifically proactive circles, and its effectiveness. Results showed cultural differences in student’s understanding or perception of proactive circles. Additionally, participants believed proactive circles helped or improved their communication skills and social …

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Evaluating The Benefits Of Art Therapy Interventions With Grieving Children, Meagan Dye May 2018

Evaluating The Benefits Of Art Therapy Interventions With Grieving Children, Meagan Dye

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Art therapy has numerous benefits when working with a variety of populations and many studies support the efficacy of art and art therapy interventions. This research paper aims to specifically assess the impact of a formal, semi-structured, individual art therapy intervention with grieving children. The researcher reviewed the records of thirteen clients who worked with three art therapists at a small palliative care agency in Central Virginia. Clients were between the ages of 5-18 years old and were assessed to gauge their positive and negative affect before the art therapy intervention and after the sixth session. Each therapist worked with …

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The Application Of The Specific Learning Disability Exclusionary Clause As Practiced By Virginia School Psychologists, Kaitlynn Carter May 2018

The Application Of The Specific Learning Disability Exclusionary Clause As Practiced By Virginia School Psychologists, Kaitlynn Carter

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

When special education eligibility is being determined under Specific Learning Disability, the exclusionary clause needs to be carefully considered. The current study was concerned with the exclusions of cultural factors, environmental or economic disadvantage, and limited English proficiency. The study used a semi-structured interview to explore when and how the exclusionary clause is considered by school psychologists in Virginia and what type of impact it has on eligibility decisions. Ten school psychologists were contacted via the email database of the Virginia Department of Education and completed a phone interview. Grounded theory was used to investigate the themes and ideas regarding …

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Gratitude In Relationships: A Study On Gratitude, Attachment, And Relationship Satisfaction, Brittany D. Dioszeghy May 2018

Gratitude In Relationships: A Study On Gratitude, Attachment, And Relationship Satisfaction, Brittany D. Dioszeghy

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This study utilized Pearson correlations to assess for relationships between dispositional gratitude, attachment type, and relationship satisfaction. The survey was completed by 599 participants (77.57% female; 21.64% male; 0.63% other; 0.16% decline to state). Three separate instruments were used to assess for dispositional gratitude, attachment type (anxious/avoidant), and relationship satisfaction, respectively. First, it was hypothesized that anxious attachment would be negatively correlated with dispositional gratitude. Second, it was hypothesized that avoidant attachment types would be negatively correlated with dispositional gratitude. Third, it was hypothesized that anxious attachment would be negatively correlated with relationship satisfaction. Fourth, it was hypothesized that avoidant …

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The Power Of One: How Promoting Positive Student-Teacher Relationships In The Classroom Can Impact Teacher Wellness And Burnout, Alexis Morse May 2018

The Power Of One: How Promoting Positive Student-Teacher Relationships In The Classroom Can Impact Teacher Wellness And Burnout, Alexis Morse

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Previous research has offered understanding of resiliency factors in the classroom setting to create and enhance student-teacher relationships (STR). Additionally, numerous studies have examined public school teachers’ burnout across the three areas of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished personal accomplishment. Few studies, however, have combined these two research areas to better understand the relationship between them. This study uses intervention methods to provide 2nd-grade to 5th-grade teachers in one elementary school in Central Virginia applicable and efficient ways to build student-teacher relationships in the classroom and reduce their job-related stress. Pre- and post-intervention data was collected …

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Constant Connection: College Students’ Smartphones Attachment And Close Relationship Attachments Across Domains, Angela M. Pezzella May 2018

Constant Connection: College Students’ Smartphones Attachment And Close Relationship Attachments Across Domains, Angela M. Pezzella

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

This study aims to conceptualize the way individuals, more notably college students and emerging adults, use their smartphones, applying an attachment framework. Recently, research has shifted from using vocabulary akin to addiction, and researchers are beginning to see similarities and consistencies in how individuals relate to their phones and how attachment was originally conceptualized in the infant-mother relationship. Moreover, research is moving away from considering attachment as categorical, and is instead considering it continuous, and as varying in domains from individual to individual. This research used a new assessment tool (the YAPS) to assess college students’ attachment to phones, their …

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Developing College Transition Supports Using Student Perceptions: Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Arsenio Moss May 2018

Developing College Transition Supports Using Student Perceptions: Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Arsenio Moss

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

In recent years, there has been an increase in students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) enrolled four-year institutions in the United States. Current but inconclusive estimates state that between 2% and 8% of college students report clinically significant levels of ADHD (DuPaul Weyandt, O'Dell, & Varejao, 2009). The nature of the disorder and demands of higher education put these students at risk for several academic and mental health issues while in college. The purpose of the current research was to obtain information from current college students with ADHD about their college transition and adjustment experiences and use their perspectives in …

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Contributory Factors Of Well-Being In New Mothers: An Exploratory Study, Molly Bowman May 2018

Contributory Factors Of Well-Being In New Mothers: An Exploratory Study, Molly Bowman

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The focus of maternal postpartum care has shifted in the past fifty years. Initially, medical doctors analyzed the physical well-being of the infant, and little attention was paid to the mother's recovery outside of physical wellness. Although knowledge of postpartum ailments, both psychological and physical are now pervasive, there are few measures that directly assess the factors that contribute to a mother's well-being and/or speak to her approach to parenting from the initial stages. Specific links from childhood, psychosocial factors, current relationship with spouses, and pain experienced as a result of childbirth are just a few examples of the elements …

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Envisioning A Future For Professional Counseling: A Qualitative Study Of Counselor Educator Perspectives On Professional Distinction, Michael Horst May 2018

Envisioning A Future For Professional Counseling: A Qualitative Study Of Counselor Educator Perspectives On Professional Distinction, Michael Horst

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how counselor educators in Virginia define and describe Counseling as a distinct profession in light of the ACA’s 20/20 consensus definition. This research focused on directors and core faculty members (n=8) of eight separate counseling programs in Virginia. Participants engaged one 60-minute semistructured interview with the researcher. Member checking and bracketing were used to bolster the study’s trustworthiness. A priori coding using codes from the ACA’s 20/20 project (Kaplan, Tarvydas, & Gladding, 2014) and emergent coding processes were used separately to see if the data that emerged from the interviews mirrored …

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An Exploration Of The Collegiate Coach-Athlete Relationship And Its Impact On Female Athlete Attitudes And Behaviors Toward Disordered Eating And Body Image, Bridget E. Smith May 2018

An Exploration Of The Collegiate Coach-Athlete Relationship And Its Impact On Female Athlete Attitudes And Behaviors Toward Disordered Eating And Body Image, Bridget E. Smith

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Collegiate female athletes face the challenges of conflicting feminine body ideals in society and in their sport all while striving for athletic success. Coaches are believed to play a significant role in an athlete’s development, and thus have potential to (knowing or unknowingly) reinforce, or even introduce, eating pathology as a means to achieve athletic performance and/or a body ideal. Previous research has found a link between insecure attachment and subsequent eating pathology in athletes and non-athletes alike. The coach can be viewed as an important attachment figure in an athlete’s life and development and thus serve a mediating role …

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From Critical To Calm: The Development And Implementation Of A Brief Unified Mindfulness Workshop For College Students, Mandi Eggenberger Quay, Mandi Quay May 2018

From Critical To Calm: The Development And Implementation Of A Brief Unified Mindfulness Workshop For College Students, Mandi Eggenberger Quay, Mandi Quay

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Dramatic rises in levels of anxiety, stress, and depression in college students have been observed over the past decade and is so pervasive that it has been deemed the College Student Mental Health Crisis (CSMHC). A number of experts have argued that much of this crisis can be attributed to students’ overall lack of basic knowledge of emotions and adaptive emotional processing. To address this problem, this study sought out to develop a brief mindfulness workshop as an intervention for college students to help increase student well-being, decrease anxious and depressive symptomology, and allow for material to be easily internalized. …

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