Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Facilitating Acceptance Of Alternative Communication Devices In Classrooms By Teachers, Tracie Empey

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

There exists a number of persons who lack adequate speech for communicative purposes. Many of the non-vocal children and adults from these populations have benefitted from the development of various alternative communication devices. The non-vocal individual is one whose speech does not provide a functional means of meeting communication needs. However, this does not necessarily mean that the non-vocal individual has no speech or vocalization at all, nor does it mean that the individual may not develop fully functional speech in the future. (Vanderheiden, 1975). The devices used with these people allow an increase in the abilities to meet various …

Factors That Explain Changes In The Level Of Human Capital Of Children With Disabilities, Linda D. Goetze

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation combines concepts from the human capital and early intervention literature to develop a theoretical and empirical model of child development relationships. This model is empirically estimated using data from the Early Intervention Research Institute's Longitudinal Study on the effects of intervention for young children with disabilities. The model is estimated using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) relating the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI) scores to child, family, and early intervention variables. These relationships are also examined using a type of Sequential Method of Moments (SMM) estimation strategy that accounts for data and other problems such as endogeneity, censoring, and selectivity. …

Measurement Of The Economic Effects Of Trade Liberalization Policy In Taiwan, Shu-Lan Huang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Since the conclusion of World War II, Taiwan, the Republic of China (ROC), has developed into an industrialized country following a long period of severe inflation. Taiwan has produced a successful example of economic development through export expansion. Exports and imports of Taiwan increased from approximately 10 percent of the gross national product (GNP) in the 1950s to more than 45 percent in the 1980s. The role of Taiwan's foreign exchange rates and traderelated policies on exports and imports was examined in this study.

Trade-related policies implemented by the government of ROC were documented from 1950 to 1980 by categorizing …

The Effect Of Dyad Interaction And Marital Adjustment On Cognitive Performance In Everyday Logical Problem Solving, Donna R. B. Rogers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The theory of formal operations as a final stage of adult development has come under criticism for various reasons, primarily the overemphasis on logical thought processes which are based on invariant and absolute rules within a closed system. Everyday problems, in contrast, are typically "open-ended" and are defined by the context in which they are embedded.

The purpose of this study was to investigate cognitive behaviors that occurred between two individuals as they cooperatively worked together to solve logical problems. Of interest were the effects of marital adjustment on cognitive performance, the relation between social behaviors, marital adjustment, and cognition, …

The Impact Of Psychosocial Variables On Immune System Functioning In A Sample Of Hiv-Positive Males, Gary K. Richey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study addressed the issue of the relationship between psychological well-being and immune function in a sample of HIV seropositive homosexual and bisexual males. A control group of HIV seronegative gay males was included. The study assessed the relationship between various psychological independent variables and immune system functioning over a 24-month time period for the seropositive subjects. Data on depression, coping style, psychosocial stress, and psychomatic symptoms were collected at baseline, as well as data on depression at 12 months and CD4 counts at 6-month intervals over a 2-year period. Preliminary analyses comparing HIV seropositive to HIV seronegative subjects showed …

An Experimental Study Of Techniques To Improve Response Rates Of Mail Questionnarie, Eun-Hee Shin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The study examined (a) which single technique (cover letter sponsorship, personalization, anonymity, or appeal) is most effective in increasing response rates with mail questionnaires, and (b) which combination of these selected techniques is most effective in increasing such response rates. Questionnaires concerning faculty evaluation were sent to a national sample of professors.

The present study found that identification of a university as the sponsor of the survey resulted in a significantly higher response rate than that obtained when the survey was sponsored by a private research institute. There was a significant increase in response rates when the cover letter was …

Development And Validation Of A Systematic Training Program For The Diagnosis Of Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, And Concomitant Conditions, Lind K. Todd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The research concerning eating disorders and concomitant conditions shows that anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are serious disorders that pose many diagnostic and therapeutic challenges to mental health and nutrition professionals. Most psychologists and nutritionists receive broad-based training that likely only superficially touches upon the importance of these diagnostic issues. Nevertheless, effective treatment planning requires that diagnostic issues and concomitant conditions be evaluated and incorporated into the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. Thus, there is an increasing need for specialized training in order to better evaluate and treat the complicated clinical picture presented by eating disorder clients.

However to …

A Cognitive Process Approach To Interpreting Performance On The Booklet Category Test And The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Phillip R. Wolfe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Modified administration techniques that relied on patient verbalization of reasoning on each item were devised. For the WCST, verbalized scores correlated highly with conventional scores. However, patterns of age, education, and IQ covariates for each scoring condition were very different, raising questions concerning what such verbalized scores measured. Further research based upon a prospective research design was suggested to address this question. Factor analysis of WCST scores for each scoring condition resulted in almost identical three-factor solutions in each case: (a) ineffective, perseverative responding; (b) nonperseverative number errors; and (c) Maintaining Set. A three-part hierarchy of response determinants for the …

Identification Of The Causes And Characteristics Of Suicide Among American Indian Youth, Rebecca R. Crawford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Blackfeet youth suicide Attempters and a sample of non-suicide Attempters were compared on the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES- 111), the Family Environment Scale (FES), the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI), the revised Beck Depression Scale (BDI) and a biographical inventory. The purpose of this study was to define a set of variables that identify Indian youth with a high potential for suicide. The study sample consisted of 60 participants between the ages of 15-24, 30 suicide Attempters and 30 non-suicide Attempters, from the Blackfeet reservation.

Fifteen identified variables were proposed to differentiate between the two groups. Analyses …

Neurolinguistic Programming Treatment Of Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Susan Rogers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The goal of the study was to determine the effect of the neurolinguistic programming procedure of visual-kinesthetic dissociation on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in a sample of Vietnam combat veterans. Thirty-eight veterans in a Veterans Administration treatment program were given three sessions of either visual-kinesthetic dissociation or regular program activities. Overall post-traumatic symptoms, re-experiencing symptoms, and amount of sleep were measured before and after treatment and at a three month follow-up. Results indicated that the treatment program itself had no significant effect on symptoms measured, nor did the addition of visual-kinesthetic dissociation provide any incremental symptom relief.

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Of Adolescent Depression: Effects On Multiple Parameters, Steven E. Curtis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Clinical depression is the most frequently reported mental health problem for adolescents. Previously studied psychological treatment approaches for adolescent depression have recently been combined and packaged into a comprehensive psychoeducational intervention titled the Adolescent Coping With Depression Course (ACWDC). This study investigated whether treatment of clinically depressed adolescents using the ACWDC resulted in significant emotional, behavioral, and/or academic performance changes as reported by the adolescent, and observed by the parents and teachers.

Nineteen clinically depressed adolescents were identified by screening 876 students in a local high school, using a multistage screening procedure. All selected subjects met the DSM III-R criteria …

The Relationship Of Depression, Gender, And Sex Roles, Scott V. Cutler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between gender and depression as a function of sex roles. Four hundred twenty subjects were recruited from two introductory psychology courses at Utah State University. Subjects completed the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

A difference was found in the rate of depression between females and males that exceeds the generally accepted 2:1 ratio. There was a female to male ratio of approximately 4:1 in the group of subjects who indicated a high level of depression on the Beck Depression Inventory.

Multiple Regression Analysis was computed …

An Examination Of Operant-Respondent Interaction In The Development Of Tolerance To Ethanol, Brady Justin Phelps

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In four experiments, pigeons performed on schedules of food reinforcement across two different contexts. One context consisted of having the operant chamber fully illuminated, with increased noise levels, and reflective aluminum foil draped over the chamber sidewalls. This context was paired with oral injections of water. Another context consisting of having the chamber dark except for response keylight and at ambient noise levels was paired with oral injections of ethanol. Ethanol dosages were determined by using a dose that doubled the average variable-ratio postreinforcement pause. These procedures established the dark context as a conditioned stimulus capable of producing Pavlovian conditioned …

Knowing Which Way Is Up: Sex Differences In Understanding Horizontality And Verticality, Gary A. Goodrich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In previous research men have been shown to obtain higher mean scores on tests of horizontality (H) and verticality (V) than do women. This study investigated the role of experiential factors in this gender difference. Undergraduate psychology students were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: training, enhanced training, and placebo. The pretest measure of verticality and horizontality (V/H), training, and posttest were administered via videotape. Major findings were: men obtained higher mean V/H scores than women; V and H scores correlated significantly; and training increased performance relative to a placebo, but enhanced training was not superior to standard …

A National Profile Of Child Development Laboratory Schools, Owen Arthur Anderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, it sought to provide a profile of child development laboratory schools across the nation. Second, because laboratory schools are believed to be model programs that provide appropriate learning environments for children, their parents, and for the professional training of teachers, it was of particular interest to examine whether laboratory schools were training Early Childhood Education students in ways consistent with the current research and policies in the field. Specifically, the practices of laboratory schools at two- and four-year institutions were compared.

Results of the study indicated that laboratory schools utilized philosophies that …

Demographic Influences On Perceived Urgency Of Family Life Issues In Utah, Ted W. Warstadt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study recognizes the need to identify and prioritize critical issues facing families. The literature review identifies and documents a number of critical issues facing families in American society. Survey questionnaires, which contained an abstract version of 33 previously identified issues, were sent to a sample of 2,000 people in Utah. The sample was randomly selected from resident listings in Utah telephone books. The survey asked respondents to rate each of 33 issues on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the least urgent and 10 being the most urgent. These issues include childhood, economic, health, and elderly concerns. …

Similarities Within Adolescent Friendship Pairs: The Relationship Between The Strength And Qualities Of Friendship And The Individuals' Ego Identity Development, James F. Akers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Current theory and research have suggested that adolescent friends share many similarities which range from strong similarities in sociodemographic variables to weaker correlations for personality characteristics. The goal of this study was to advance the base of knowledge related to similarities between friends by exploring relationships between early adolescent ego identity status and friendship strength, quality, and duration. First, the objective measure of Ego Identity Status was used to test the hypothesis that early adolescents in reciprocally identified friendship pairs are more similar in their ego identity status; no such relationship was found. Second, a measure designed to assess friendship …

Economic Analysis Of Dryland Wheat Tillage Practices In Box Elder County, Utah, Michael Dale Bond

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the economic viability of various dryland wheat tillage systems, many of which were developed from years of cooperative research efforts.

In the study three conventional tillage methods were analyzed along with ten conservation tillage practices. The study farm consisted of 2000 acres, of which 1000 acres are classified as land 1 and its wheat yield is assumed to be 35 bushels per acre for non-continuous tillage methods and 23 bushels per acre for continuous tillage methods. The remaining 1000 acres are classed as land 2 and its assumed wheat yield is 30 …

Economic Comparison Of Selected Processing Alternatives For Alfalfa, Dan J. Bates

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Processing alfalfa for export is of significant interest to areas like Millard County, the largest hay-producing county in Utah. In the past year there have been significant reductions in the price of hay as a result of increased supplies in the central and western United States. This thesis analyzes the benefits and costs of processing alfalfa into cubes and recompressed bales in order to enter the export market.

Costs of production were estimated through the use of enterprise budgets first for the farmer to establish the costs and returns for raising the hay, and secondly for cubing and recompressing the …

The Efficacy Of Multidisciplinary Treatment Programs For Chronic Low-Back Pain: A Meta-Analysis, Jane E. Curtis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Chronic low-back pain is a prevalent and costly problem for many adults in the United States. Currently, multidisciplinary treatment approaches are the treatment of choice for this problem. A meta-analysis was conducted on 43 published studies to describe the nature of these programs, the patients involved in them, treatment efficacy at discharge and follow-up, and possible relationships between these characteristics and outcome.

Results show that these programs were often in university medical settings, with an emphasis on active patient participation. Common treatment approaches included physical therapy, skills training, medication management, supportive therapy, and behavior modification. Patients involved in these programs …

Implications Of Mediating Parent-Child Interactions In The Treatment Of Child Abuse, Connie Faye Nelke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Child abuse has been shown to have a detrimental effect on the emotion development of the abused child. Due to a history with the parent that includes a high proportion of negative interactions and an impaired parent-child relationship, the child who has been subjected to physical abuse often manifests psychological symptoms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect that treatment aimed at increasing the frequency of positive interaction in the parent-child relationship had on the emotional status of the abused child. Results showed that parent-child interaction play sessions were effective in increasing positive interaction and decreasing subsequent …

Preschoolers' Perceptions Of Their Alternative Care Environments, Michael K. Godfrey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine children's perceptions of their alternative child care environment without constraining thought processes or suggesting appropriate answers. The Child Care Game Assessment (CCGA) was developed to meet these goals. The CCGA is a role-plating, game-like assessment for preschool children. It uses a model of the child's alternative care environment and allows children to act out portions of a typical day.

The CCGA was administered to 57 four- and five-year-old children attending non-parental child care. Twenty-one children (11 boys and 10 girls) attended Utah State University's Child Development Laboratory, a 10-hour-per-week preschool. Twenty-one children …

Identifying Differences Among Male Sex Offenders: Child Molesters Versus Exhibitionists Versus Voyeurs, David P. Defrancesco

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Social histories and testing data were compiled during initial placement assessments of 147 individuals arrested and charged as child molesters, exhibitionists, and voyeurs. These data were statistically analyzed using discriminant analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Child molesters, exhibitionists, and voyeurs were found to differ with regards to history of voyeurism; Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) L scale scores; sexual arousal in response to a violent scenario involving a 12-year-old male, measured via penile plethysmography; and age. Implications of these results are discussed relative to the population sampled and future research.

News 2000: Not My Kid! Journalists Leery Of Newspapers’ Future, Ted Pease

Journalism and Communication Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Common Beliefs About The Rural Elderly: Myth Or Fact?, U.S. Senate Special Committee On Aging

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

focuses on the most disadvantaged elderly: the rural elderly. Identifies common beliefs about rural persons aged 65 and over, and provides accompanying statistical information to refute or confirm these beliefs. This synthesis of data translates detailed statistics into useable knowledge.

A Home Arranged For Learning, Don Carter Ed. D.

All Archived Publications

People used to believe that how a child turned out was predetermined. All children do seem to follow the same stages of development and in the same sequence. But, those whose life circumstances have been more favorable, and who have had a more enriched learning environment, progress more rapidly than those whose opportunities for learning have been limited. As evidence accumulates regarding the importance of the early years, there is increasing need to focus attention on the child’s experiences and environment.

Osprey Summer: Ospreys Nesting On Flaming Gorge, Ron Stewart

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The osprey, sometimes known as the "fish hawk" is one of Utah's rare and unique raptors. The osprey's diet is almost exclusively fish. Considering the osprey has evolved both physically and behaviorally to catch fish, their distribution is quite limited in a state as dry as Utah. Most ospreys only pass through Utah on their northern or southern migration but a few stop, build nests, hatch and raise their young.

Cross Cultural Understanding Through Language, Shaun Bradley Roundy

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Much has been done to discover the place that language holds in the development of our communication and thought patterns. The methods through which members of various societies learn different attitudes and how their respective languages reflect and reinforce such patterns have also been studied in some depth with a number of world cultures. The interpersonal barriers and misunderstandings brought about by the dissimilarities between unconscious but powerful forces that culture has upon our thinking are understandably difficult to discern and thereby surmount. In this paper, I will demonstrate how the chances of achieving this aim may be enhanced through …

Dichotemies Of The Human Perception Of The Environment, Janet K. Robson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Environmentalism was not introduced in the year 1991, nor was it introduced with the era of the sixties. Perhaps, it is best to say that environmentalism has existed since the dawn of time--an environmentalism consisting of a "hands-off" policy. However, movements based on the environment have experienced an evolution in the past 30 years pertaining to the nature of preservation of wilderness areas and natural resources.

Assessment-Based Treatment For Physically Abusive Parents: An Exploratory Study, Scott E. Blickenstaff

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Literature on child abuse supports the conception that physical abuse is a multidetermined behavior. Multifaceted treatment programs have shown some promise in dealing with the heterogeneity of abusive parents. Most of the reported comprehensive intervention programs have provided predetermined doses of a variety of treatment components to each subject. The intent of this study was two-fold: (a) to provide treatment components based on assessment of the parent and (b) to train the parent to a specified level of competency. A multiple baseline design was used in this clinical study of six agency-referred, physically abusive parents. Based on initial assessment and …