Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

African American Community Mental Health Center Service Utilization: A Test Of The Cultural Compatibility Hypothesis, Alicia Michelle Marsh

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This exploratory study examined whether community mental health centers (CMHCs) in Virginia that had services evaluated as being more compatible with the cultural needs of African Americans attracted a higher percentage of adult African American service users from their catchment areas than CMHCs which were evaluated as being less culturally compatible. The cultural compatibility of 36 CMHCs was assessed via a telephone interview with their clinical directors using a modified version of the Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Questionnaire: Administrative Version (Mason, J., 1995). This study did not find a correlation between CMHCs' cultural compatibility and their success at attracting African American …

Perceptions Of Childhood Relation With Parents Related To Current Functioning, Peter O. Lielbriedis

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the relationships between perceptions of childhood relationships with parents, certain current self-conscious emotions, current religious orientation, and current risk-taking behaviors. The study also sought to develop models that would predict risk-taking behavior based on the other variables.

At an eastern university, 174 students (79 males) completed the Test of Self-Conscious Affect, Religious Life Inventory, Clark-Parent Child Relations Questionnaire, and the Past Frequency scale of the Cognitive Appraisal of Risky Events Questionnaire. Of these, 30 students were solicited from on-campus, religious organizations.

The data did not show an inverse relationship between “positive parenting” and shame proneness or risk-taking …

Traning Strategy Use And Its Effects On Working Memory Capacity, Jennifer Lynn Scott

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two experiments were conducted to examine whether strategy use affects the storage component of a working memory task. In Experiment 1, all 21 participants were given training to create stories from lists of to-be-remembered words (i.e., chaining) within a short-term memory task (i.e., including only a storage task). Short-term memory task performance and working memory span task performance were examined before and after training. Both short-term memory and working memory task performance improved from pretest to post-test. In Experiment 2, the same strategy training was given to 30 participants. In addition, another 30 participants were assigned to a control condition. …

Marital Decision Making Scale: Psychometric Properties, Kathy Szynklewski Babel

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The psychometric properties of a revised version of the Marital Decision Making Scale (MDMS) were evaluated in this investigation. Sixty-eight couples served as participants. Distressed couples (n=34) were recruited from a community-based outpatient mental health clinic where they were seeking conjoint therapy for relationship problems; demographically matched nondistressed couples (n=34) were recruited from the community through a local survey research firm. The MDMS showed high internal consistency, test-retest reliability, interjudge agreement, and convergent and discriminant validity. A second independent sample of 60 couples (30 distressed couples and 30 nondistressed couples) was also recruited to cross-validate the results found with the …

Home Health Nurses: Are They Satisfied With Their Work Environment, Said Abu Salem

Ellmer School of Nursing Theses & Dissertations

Objectives. This study addressed the questions, (1) To what degree are home health nurses satisfied in their job? (2) What variable ranks as the most important for home health nurses' satisfaction? and, (3) Is there a difference between job satisfaction of full time employment, part time, and per diem home health nurses?

Methods. The data were collected from six home health agencies in the Hampton Roads Area resulting in a sample of (N = 72). The McCloskey and Mueller Satisfaction Scale developed in 1990 (MMSS) was used to measure home health nurses' satisfaction.

Results. The home health …

The Effects Of School Uniforms On Student Behavior And Perceptions In An Urban Middle School, Jacqueline M. Mccarty

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Public opinion polls have consistently highlighted the prevalence of violence in America's schools. Specifically, school personnel have witnessed increased assault and theft related to the wearing of expensive clothing. Concomitantly, administrators have noted decreased attendance rates triggered by clothing issues. Given the gravity of these problems, school officials nationwide have enacted uniform policies in hopes of improving school safety and student behavior. However, current research establishing the effectiveness of these policies is largely anecdotal. The few studies utilizing empirical measures mainly highlight short-term outcomes and often fail to address student perceptions regarding clothing-related problems.

By contrast, this study investigated the …

Use Of Selected Mmpi-A Factors In The Prediction Of Clinical Outcomes In A Community-Based Treatment Program For Juvenile Sexual Offenders, Linda Marks Hunter

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study was designed to evaluate the use of MMPI-A factors to make predictions about clinical outcomes within a community-based treatment program for juvenile sexual offenders. Specifically, selected MMPI-A factors were used to predict client acceptance into the program and client compliance with program expectations over a 12-month period. Results showed that program acceptance was best predicted by the MMPI-A factor, “Immaturity.” No MMPI-A factors were found to be statistically significant in the prediction of program compliance. A high degree of collinearity was found between MMPI-A factors, raising questions about their discriminative utility. Results are discussed with regard to the …

A Comparison Of Cognitive Development Between Whites And African Americans Based On William Perry's Scheme Of Intellectual And Ethical Development, Joan Johnson

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This study compared cognitive complexity between student groups based on cultural background and academic class utilizing William Perry's (1970) cognitive theory of intellectual and ethical development. In addition, the study examined the influence of gender and socioeconomic status (SES) on cognitive development. The goal was to ascertain whether Perry's theory, developed from his research on a relatively homogeneous college student population without consideration of the impact of a culturally diverse environment, would be valid for culturally diverse students.

The research design employed to investigate cognitive development used a cross-sectional sample of entering freshmen and graduating seniors attending a predominantly White, …

What's Up Wif Ebonics, Y'All?, Abha Gupta

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This paper examines the controversy surrounding the use of Ebonics among African American students in schools in the United States, with a twofold purpose: (1) to focus on the primary function of language as a tool of communication that varies in its use according to the social context; and (2) to provide suggestions to teachers of ways to support students' acquisition of standard English without devaluing the nonstandard variants they may have learned in their homes and communities. The discussion is highlighted in the paper with classroom stories, anecdotes, and vignettes. The paper contains the following sections: Introduction; The Ebonics …

Transgenerational Attachment, Life Stress, And The Development Of Disruptive Behavior In Preschool Children, Mary Jane Call

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

While a great deal of research focuses on representations of attachment, behavioral disorders, and life stress separately, research integrating these concepts has just recently begun (DeKlyen, 1996). The current study focuses on the links between transgenerational attachment, life stress, maternal psychopathology, and the development of behavior problems in preschool boys. Participants included 52 mothers of preschool boys (Mean Age = 56 months) who attended private preschool (N = 23) or a Head Start Program (N = 29). Participants completed a battery of assessment instruments including the Attachment Style Inventory (ASI) (Sperling & Berman, 1991), the Q-Set (Waters & Deane, 1985), …

The Physical Attractiveness Of One's Rival: A Self- Evaluation Maintenance Perspective, Robin Elizabeth Roy

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present experiment examined women's state body images and reactions of jealousy based on reading scenarios describing a party. The scenario described the woman watching her partner engaging in conversation with either a physically attractive or unattractive woman. Ninety heterosexual female college students completed a pretest packet containing measures that assessed body image evaluation and investment. After a week, they read one of the two scenarios and completed the state body image measure, experiential sampling assessment, jealousy questionnaire„manipulation check, and postexperimental inquiry. As expected, there was more jealousy toward the attractive woman, and more jealousy expressed by those dysfunctionafiy invested …

The Rape Victim's Response An Examination Of The Impact Of Situational Factors On Self-Protective Strategies Utilized By Sexual Assault Victims, Sharon K. Flax

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the impact of several factors on a victims' responses during sexual assault and/or rape. Specifically, the relationship between self-protective measures taken and the victims age, race, social economic status and the victim-offender relationship were examined. The study utilized the 1995 rape subset of the 1992-1995 redesigned National Crime Victimization Survey. The sample consisted of 350 female rape and/or sexual assault victims. Findings suggest that the victim-offender relationship significantly effects victims' self-protective strategies. Victims of intimate-perpetrated assaults utilize more passive-verbal self-protective tactics. Implications for law enforcement efforts and future research are discussed.

A Study Of Community Satisfaction, Environmental Concern, And Attitudes Toward Development On Virginia's Eastern Shore, Tasha M. Brown

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study assesses community satisfaction, prodevelopment attitudes, environmental concern and intent to move on Virginia's Eastern Shore, an area that is experiencing population decline, high poverty levels, and competing interests of economic development and environmental concern. Poverty levels on the Eastern Shore differ substantially by race with 35 percent of Blacks compared to 12 percent of Whites living in poverty in 1990. Human capital theory suggests that rural residents, and rural minorities in particular, have lower incomes and more unemployment because they are not increasing their human capital through education and training. A review of previous research led to four …

An Analysis Of Student Attitudes Toward Old Dominion University's Teletechnet: A Comparison Of Traditional And Non-Traditional Sites, Michael G. Bisciglia

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate factors that shape a student's attitudes toward Old Dominion University's TELETECHNET system. This research utilizes a sample of 238 students enrolled in the TELETECHNET system. An analysis of student responses, based on location, was conducted, to see if a significant difference in the mean attitudes toward TELETECHNET exist between on-site and distance students. Analysis revealed a difference between studio and non-studio students on a variety of factors. This included the respondent's connection to other students, their attitude toward distance education, their willingness to take another TELETECHNET class and their attitude toward the …

Medicaid Fraud: Medical Students' And Physicians' Attitudes And Perceptions, Kristin M. Byars

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the attitudes and perceptions of medical students and physicians concerning Medicaid fraud. The primary tool was an anonymous survey distributed to both medical students and physicians in the Hampton Roads area. Previous research suggests that physicians would be more likely to view Medicaid fraud as less serious and less justifiable than medical students would. Since little research looks specifically at the attitudes and perceptions of medical students and physicians two theories, Differential Association and the Theory of Organizational Misconduct, were used because they best fit the research already out there. The analyses …

Analysis Of Lunar Basalt Flows In Oceanus Procellarum Using Clementine Data, Noel William Jackson

OES Theses and Dissertations

Remote sensing analyses of data set taken by Clementine in 1994 permit new observations about mineral distribution on the lunar surface, basalt flow stratigraphy, and thus the geologic evolution of the Moon. The northern section of Oceanus Procellarum contains numerous impact craters which penetrated the basalt and thus can be used as natural probes to estimate the number and thicknesses of flows.

I constructed a mosaic taken in three frequencies ( 415 nm, 750 nm, 950 nm), and a Ratio Image (750/415 = red, 750/950 = green, 415/750 = blue). On such an image, red indicates the iron-poor mature highland …

Historical Relationships Of Atlantic Slope River Drainages, Eugene G. Maurakis, Diana L. Lipscomb

Virginia Journal of Science

An analysis of the historical relationships of 19 river drainages (St. Lawrence to Altamaha) on the Atlantic slope of the Appalachian Mountains was conducted using the shared presence of 124 native species of cyprinid fishes. This analysis resulted in an area cladogram that suggests that the rivers of the southern Atlantic slope were historically connected to the drainage of three southern rivers (Flint, Chattahoochee, and Apalachicola) which drain into the Gulf of Mexico. The mid Atlantic and northern Atlantic slope rivers appear to be historically related in support of earlier hypotheses that the mid Atlantic region provided a refugium for …

The Application Of Role Theory To The Sexual Harassment Paradigm: A Policy Capturing Approach, Lora L. Jacobi

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This research utilized policy capturing techniques to analyze the different factors individuals use when determining sexual harassment. The importance of level of power, verbal behavior, and invasiveness of touch were examined. Additionally, role theory was applied to the sexual harassment paradigm in order to understand how context factors within an organization affect the perception of sexual harassment. Profile analysis was used to determine how the perception of what constitutes harassing behavior is mitigated by one's role in the organization.

Participants were one hundred and five males and one hundred and fifteen females who were either currently employed or employed within …

Fiber-Optic Coupled Lidar Receiver System To Measure Stratospheric Ozone, David Brent Harper

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A fiber-optic coupled lidar receiver system was constructed to determine ozone concentrations in the stratosphere. The system was used to make ground-based measurements of lidar returns from a UV DIAL system. A fiber-optic cable was used to couple the light from the receiver telescope to the light detector. Photon counting was implemented as the light detection technique. This technique allowed detection of 301 and 311 nm lidar returns up to 27.5 and 32.5 km respectively. A software application was developed to control the photon counting system and perform real-time data analysis of measured lidar returns. DIAL measurements of stratospheric ozone …

Evolution And Devolution: The Dynamics Of Sovereignty And Security In Post-Cold War Europe, Thomas M. Lansford

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

At a time when individual defense outlays are being significantly diminished, the national governments of Western Europe are confronted with the necessity of reforming and adapting their militaries to address new security concerns and undertake new missions. This study will examine multinational military integration as one possible approach whereby national governments can limit defense spending and still maintain military capabilities to meet the contemporary security threats faced by the nation states of the continent. The first three chapters of the work will explore the broad patterns of change in the international system which have propelled states to reexamine how they …

Factors Which Contribute To Successful Schools For Disadvantaged Students: An Exploratory Case Study Of Two Urban Elementary Schools In Norfolk, Virginia, Lula Saunders Sawyer

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

This exploratory case study examines the perceptions of parents, teachers, students and principals on eight factors of school effectiveness. Two low income elementary schools in the City of Norfolk, Virginia served as the research setting for this study. Though both schools consist almost entirely of African American students, and are otherwise similar in demographics, they have achieved at different levels. While one has been recognized as a national model, based on continuous improvement in students' academic achievement, the other has not attained the same level of achievement, based on standardized test scores.

A case study methodology has been used to …

Psychological Influencers Of A Consumer's Innovative Propensity: A Cross-Cultural Examination, Angela D' Auria Stanton

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

The purpose of this effort was to focus on measuring the psychological characteristics (specifically perceived risk, dogmatism, fatalism, self esteem, empathy, and cognitive complexity) of the innovative consumer. In order to assess the various relationships and interrelationships that exist in the psychological determinants of innovativeness, a structural modeling approach was employed. The model was also tested in a two country setting in order to determine its robustness cross-culturally. The innovative behavior measure focused on a single domain, the Internet, since innovativeness does not typically overlap across product categories (e.g. Gatignon and Robertson 1985).

Overall, the results of the test of …

A Study Of The Knowledge And Attitudes Of Physicians Toward Victims Of Spouse Abuse, Ramani N. Garimella

Health Services Research Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to measure the knowledge and attitudes of physicians toward victims of spouse abuse. All 150 practitioners in the specialities of emergency medicine, family medicine, obstetrics-gynecology and psychiatry, in a large area general hospital are included in the sampling frame; 76 responded (RR = 51%). Knowledge and attitudes were measured using the Physician Survey on Spouse Abuse. Rosenberg's Tripartite Model of Attitude formed the theoretical basis for this study. Participants were 72% male, 90% white, 88% currently married, with a mean age of 44 years (SD = 7.99). Mean years in practice was 14.61 (SD …

Organizational Change Theory And The Factors For Sustaining Change: A Case Study Of Three Public Sector Organizations Winners Of The Virginia Award For Continuing Excellence, Mary Redd-Clay

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors associated with organizational change and with sustaining change in public sector organizations recognized for their change efforts as recipients of the Virginia Award for Continuing Excellence.

This was a case study of three public sector organizations, located in and around urban settings in the state of Virginia. They include Air Combat Command located in Hampton; Hanover County Public Schools located outside Richmond; and Norfolk Naval Shipyard located in Portsmouth. Each of these organizations is notable as winners of the Virginia Senate Productivity and Quality Award for both the Medallion and …

When Officers Get The "Blues": Factors That May Determine Which Officer Is More Inclined To Feel Job Stress, Olivia Poppy Nelson

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate what factors may determine which officers may feel job stress. In today's law enforcement agencies stress is becoming an important topic to study. With the knowledge of what factors may determine stress in officers, stress can be reduced to avoid departmental loss. The data collection was conducted in 1998, during the Christmas season at a California law enforcement agency. This thesis looks at the impact of age, education, and job satisfaction on stress. It also looks at the relationship of age and education to job satisfaction. Multiple regression was run on all …

An Evaluation Of An Urban Community College Single Parent And Displaced Homemaker Program, Linda Myers Rice

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of an urban community college Single Parent and Displaced Homemaker program composed primarily of minority women, many of whom were receiving public assistance. The critical dimension of mattering (Schlossberg et al., 1989) formed the conceptual framework for the evaluation.

Program effectiveness, impacts, efficiency and participant needs were assessed. The primary methodology was survey research. A descriptive and a causal comparative study were conducted to determine if there were significant differences in the number of semesters completed and the number of credits taken by program participants when compared to students …

Factors That Affect African-American Enrollment In Urban Agricultural Degree Programs In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Thomas Earl Tracy

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to determine reasons why few African Americans are in leadership positions in the urban agriculture industry. The lack of leaders will probably continue because there is a dearth of African Americans enrolled in agriculture programs at colleges and universities in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Six research questions guided the study in its endeavor to determine perceptions about the urban agriculture industry. Data were collected through surveys and interviews. A background questionnaire, developed by the researcher collected data on age, academic interests, urban background, exposure to agriculture occupations, and factors that affected selection of college …

Needle Localization For Breast Biopsy: The Patient's Experience, Marian De Walt Morgan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The needle localization procedure for breast biopsy (NLP) can be painful and distressing for some women. This study was carried out to learn what factors might increase or decrease NLP pain and distress, and to gain insight into possible interventions to make the procedure more comfortable for all patients. One hundred and thirty-eight women were surveyed following breast needle localization at two central Virginia hospitals. The influence of eight variables (lidocaine, self-regulation, anxiety, worry about breast cancer, breast tenderness, finding mammography painful, difficulty with surgery, and distress of blood drawing) on four outcome variables (pain incidence, pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, …

A Model Of Interpersonal Christian Prayer, E. James Baesler

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

A model of interpersonal Christian prayer (ICP) was created based on a review and synthesis of traditional and social scientific prayer literatures. The ICP model accounts for global theoretical constructs such as active and receptive types of prayer and includes a subcategory of receptive prayer called radically Divine communication. The ICP model describes prayer progressions, specifically the developmental and cyclical nature of prayer. A list of 12 research questions based on the ICP model are provided. Two specific suggestions for future research dealing with the relational quality of prayer and intercultural receptive types of prayer are outlined.

School-Based Juvenile Boot Camps: Evaluating Specialized Treatment And Rehabilitation (Star), Chad R. Trulson, Ruth Triplett

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Implemented in Montgomery County, Texas, STAR deviates from traditional boot camps in a variety of ways. The program is closely coupled with school jurisdictions, the juvenile court, and correctional authorities. In addition, the program is non-residential and serves status, misdemeanor, and felony juvenile offenders and mandates parental participation. STAR was initiated to address several goals: enable individuals to remain in school while reducing their disruptive behavior, use school expulsion as a last resort, improve the academic performance of participants, coordinate a joint effort between juvenile authorities and school jurisdictions, instill a sense of pride and discipline in participants, and reduce …