Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Non-Clinical Risk Factors Of Hysterectomy, Chung-Won Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the United States, hysterectomy is one of the most commonly performed operations for women that is not related with pregnancy. However, not enough attention has been paid to how women's exposure to the surgery differs according to their social characteristics as well attitudinal/behavioral factors. Using cohort data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Mature Women, this study investigated two aspects: (1) the association between socioeconomic status and hysterectomy and (2) the impact of women's attitudinal/behavioral characteristics on hysterectomy. With Cox proportional hazards analyses, this study found that women's exposure to hysterectomy significantly differs according to their social and attitudinal …

Language, Social Interactions, And Attention As Predictors Of Reading Development In Second Grade, Lisa A. Newland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Social interactions between 153 mother-infant dyads in the laboratory were examined for associations with language and play preferences when infants were 14 months old. Later associations with reading skills, attention, and book reading were examined at the end of second grade. Mothers and infants were videotaped in a 20-minute laboratory observation at 14 months, and joint visual attention and social toy play were coded from the interactions. Language was assessed at 14 months using a standardized instrument, and mothers rated their own and their infants' preferences for specific types of play. A follow-up study, conducted at the end of second …

Latino Children's Kindergarten Entry: Views Of Parents And Teachers, Shanda Stephens

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined parental and teacher expectations of kindergarten readiness of Latino children. The perceptions of Latino mothers, Latino fathers, and kindergarten teachers were analyzed and compared. Specifically, parents' and teachers' responses were compared in three areas: perceptions of what parents can do to prepare children for kindergarten, priorities for requisite kindergarten entry skills, and rankings of the importance of specified skills to be emphasized in kindergarten. Differences between kindergarten teachers' expectations for nonnative English-speaking children and native English-speaking children were also examined.

The parent sample consisted of 35 Latino mother/father pairs. All were parents of children who entered kindergarten …

Predicting Marital Discord And Depression In Early Head Start Mothers: A Step Toward Marriage And Family Therapy Collaboration, Wade Taylor

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) recently sponsored Head Start-Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) program partnerships. MFT programs can begin building similarly successful collaborative partnerships with Early Head Start (EHS) programs through using all or portions of this research study. This study has been dedicated to describing the occurrence, co-occurrence, and predictive characteristics of marital discord and depression in families served by EHS programs. This identification of at-risk families can then be used to bolster existing treatment efforts, develop new maritally based interventions, and facilitate increased referrals.

Marital discord and depression are two often interrelated problems EHS …

The Use Of Therapeutic Rituals In Substance Abuse Treatment, Becky L. Thomas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study explored the use of rituals in substance abuse counseling. Data were obtained from a total of 25 mental health workers in the substance abuse field from the northern region of Utah. Four research questions were asked about rituals and their use in substance abuse counseling: (1) Are addictions therapists using rituals? (2) How did therapists determine when to use rituals? (3) What types of rituals do they use? and (4) How do therapists assess ritual effectiveness? Results indicated that about three fourths of the mental health workers questioned were using rituals in their treatment protocol with substance abuse …

Psychosocial Factors And Their Relationship To Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus Outcome Among The Strong Heart Study Cohort, Brian O'Leary

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Diabetes mellitus is a serious problem that affects 15.7 million individuals in the United States. The complications of this disease are catastrophic and can lead to blindness, kidney disease, lower limb amputations, nerve damage, increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and death. Among Native Americans, diabetes has reached epidemic proportions. A variety of psychosocial variables has demonstrated relationships to diabetic outcome. Past research has shown a relationship between psychological variables and glucose control. The current study of Native Americans shows a similar pattern using the psychosocial instruments to measure the constructs of depression, anger, hostility, social support, and perceived stress. …

Establishing Reinforcing Properties In Neutral Stimuli Through Observational Learning With Children, Andrew Waine Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to observe and analyze the factors that lead to a child's increase in responding to a previously neutral stimulus after observing another child's behavior and consequences in the same setting. The effects of five video presentations on rate of button-pressing responses were observed across four students. Rates of button-pressing behavior on an FR3 schedule of reinforcement were collected for each student using a computer and a metal apparatus with two flat push buttons. Each student completed two baseline phases to establish neutrality of stimuli, and viewed a total of five video presentations. Each video …

Evaluating A Financial Assessment Tool: The Financial Checkup, Alena C. Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate The Financial Checkup program. The program consisted of a booklet called The Financial Checkup and a 1-1 ½ hour workshop explaining the booklet. The booklet helps individuals evaluate their financial situation on an annual basis. It includes a net worth statement, an income and expense statement, financial ratios, a revolving savings worksheet, a retirement worksheet, a life insurance worksheet, a financial goals worksheet, and a budget worksheet. The Financial Checkup covers the topics of debt, savings, retirement, taxes, insurance, goals, and budgeting.

The stages of change model developed by James Prochaska was …

Juvenile Females Who Sexually Offend: A Beginning Typology, Jason M. Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was broken into two sections, the first being a comprehensive meta-analysis describing a profile of the juvenile female who sexually offends. The second section was the collection of data of juvenile females who sexually offend in the State of Utah. After the data were collected, a profile was described and compared to that found in the Review of the Literature and a typology was presented.

Ecosystemic legacies were shown to be passed down from one generation to the next. The juveniles were found to come from highly chaotic homes, and subject to maltreatment. Diagnostically, they show symptoms of …

The Effect Of Parental Divorce On Young Adult Women's Marital Attitudes, Anne Catherine Schmidt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examines how the experience of a parent's divorce during adolescence affects young adult women's attitudes about relationships, marriage and divorce.
Research questions looked at how participants felt about marriage, their relationship with their parents following the divorce, and how the experience of parental remarriage shapes attitudes about marriage. Fifteen young adult women were interviewed.

The most significant findings were that experiencing a parental divorce leads to
fee lings of ambivalence about marriage. Religious beliefs and positive role models can alleviate some of the negative feelings about marriage that may be present following a parental divorce. Experiencing parental conflict …

An Impact Study Of The Youth And Families With Promise Mentoring Program On Parent And Family Outcomes, Janet H. Cox

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the effects of the Youth and Families with Promise mentoring program on family relationships; specifically, whether aspects of the youth's relationship with parents and siblings changed while he/she was involved in the mentoring program, and whether parent functioning and behavior became more effective and positive. Family systems theory and the social systems model of family stress provided the theoretical frameworks for the analysis.

Several aspects of the mentoring relationship were examined to understand their impact on family outcomes. These factors included the intensity of the mentoring experience, family involvement in program activities, and the unique aspects of …

An Investigation Into The Effects Of Humor And Laughter On Depressive Symptomology, Jason Talley Goodson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The current study was designed to test the theory that daily exposure to humorous material would reduce depressive symptoms. Thirty-eight undergraduate students endorsing depressive symptoms were randomly assigned to either a humor or comparison group. Dependent variables were scores on the Beck Depression Inventory, the Social Activities Scale from the Interpersonal Events Schedule, and the Positive and Negative Daily Affect Schedule. The humor group intervention consisted of take-home videotaped recordings of humorous materials. The comparison group intervention consisted of take-home video taped recordings of educational materials with motivational themes. Results indicated that subjects in both groups exhibited significant reductions in …

Teacher Referral Of Children With Internalizing Problems, Heather J. Clark

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A survey addressing teacher referral of children with internalizing symptoms was developed and distributed to 883 first- through sixth-grade teachers in the state of Utah. The survey presented vignettes of children exhibiting symptoms of internalizing disorders. Respondents were asked if they would refer the child described in each vignette. The survey also asked respondents for information regarding the number of years they had been teaching, training they had received regarding children's mental health, the types of mental health services available within their schools, and their beliefs regarding types of services schools should provide. Four ANOVAs were calculated in analyzing the …

Internalizing Symptoms Of Children And Parenting Practices: An Exploratory Study, Kristi Lowe Stewart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Parenting practices are known to be associated with childhood behavior difficulties. Past research has focused on the association between parenting practices and externalizing behavior problems in children. The relationship between internalizing behavioral problems and parenting practices has received less empirical attention. The current study explored the connection between internalizing symptomology in children and parenting practices. Sixty-six parents and children between the ages of 8 and 12 were surveyed regarding internalizing symptomology and parenting practices. Results indicated that parents of children with internalizing symptomology displayed statistically significantly poorer parenting behaviors than did parents of children who were free of internalizing symptoms. …

Predictors Of Satisfaction With Sport Leadership In Small-College Football Players, Derek R. Reinke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated eight possible predictors of satisfaction levels in smallcollege football players. The sample (N = 442) included eight nonscholarship football programs from the NCAA Division III or NAIA classifications. Measures included Zhang's Revised Version of Chelladurai's Leadership Scale for Sport, and a seven-item subscale of the Scale of Athlete Satisfaction.

The six subscales of the Revised Leadership Scale for Sport each yielded a significant linear relationship with the satisfaction outcome measure: social support (r= .696), situational consideration (I= .665), positive feedback (r = .654), teaching and instruction (r= .627), democratic behaviors ( …

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 And Low Back Pain Surgery Outcome, David S. Shearer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Chronic back pain is a serious problem in the U.S. for which about 10% of back pain sufferers will undergo elective surgery. Unfortunately, back surgery is not successful in alleviating back pain in a substantial number of surgery patients. Various psychological and psychosocial variables have a demonstrated relationship to back surgery outcome. The most widely used personality test used to predict back surgery outcome is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Past research has shown that elevations on three MMPI clinical scales (Hs, D, and Hy) are positively correlated with poor back surgery outcome. The current prospective study shows a …

Assessing The Need For Evaluator Certification, Steven C. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Professional certification is arguably a means of validating a practitioner's competency within their trade. Certification can also be beneficial for enhancing a profession's prestige, improving academic programs, and helping to define the profession in question. However, certification can be considered not feasible, effective, or perhaps even necessary. Due to the likelihood of these conflicting viewpoints, it is essential for any profession to determine the support level from its members prior to implementing a certification process.

This thesis presents the results from a 1998 survey for the American Evaluation Association, whereby their members responded to items regarding the need, effectiveness, feasibility …

Changing The Role Of Appraisal And Interpersonal Factors In Guilt Induction: Time, Perspective, And Responsibility, Chris Lee Treadwell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Appraisal theories of emotion assert that guilt arises from the evaluations one ill makes about one's behavior. Perpetrators experience guilt when they view themselves as responsible for harm caused to their victims. Interpersonal theories of emotion hold that guilt is a function of relational factors, including the need to repair relationships. Theorists argue that guilty feelings often arise in spite of appraisals, and that perpetrators feel guilty because of a need to communicate reconciliatory messages to their victims. These two views of guilt are generally seen as mutually exclusive. This study proposed integrating both views of guilt into a single, …

The Effects Of Cognitive Strategy And Exercise Setting On Running, Rick A. Lacaille

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The cognitive strategies of association and dissociation have been identified and studied in runners and other athletes. Association is said to involve thoughts that are task-oriented and may include a focus on pace, strategy, or physiological sensations. Conversely, dissociation involves task-irrelevant thoughts and may include thinking about such things as relationships, work, spiritual matters, or scenery. To date, studies have been largely descriptive, methodologically flawed, failed to use manipulation checks, and/or present unclear or differing conclusions. The emphasis with previous association and dissociation research has also been with elite and/or endurance athletes, such as marathon runners. Additionally, only a few …

Mothers' Eating Beliefs And Behaviors And Their Relationship To Daughters' Bulimic And Anorexic Symptoms, Colette M. Candy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study examined whether there was a relationship between daughters' eating disorder symptomology and maternal food control and health-conscious eating attitudes. Eighty-eight females with a continuum of eating disorder behaviors (DSM-IV eating disorders through nondieters) and 74 of their mothers participated. Participants completed the Anorexia Bulimia Inventory, two subscales from the Eating Disorder Inventory, the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Family Environment Scale, the Maternal Food Control and Meal Preparation Scale, and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale.

Results indicated that, in general, daughters' reported eating disorder symptomology and perceived familial control were related. Some of the more specific …

Sociometric Change As A Function Of Classwide Peer Tutoring, Trina D. Spencer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Classwide peer tutoring (CWPT) procedures have been shown to substantially increase academic performance. Other positive outcomes, incidentally observed, include enhanced prosocial behaviors and increased appropriate interactions among peers. This study examined the direct effects of a CWPT program on peer relations and academic performance. A mixed first- and second-grade general education classroom participated in a CWPT spelling intervention with a comparable control classroom. The study consisted of three phases-Baseline (4 weeks), Intervention (6 weeks), and Follow-up (4 weeks). Dependent measures included sociometric peer rating scales and spelling test scores. Results were analyzed by determining mean change for each participant and …

The Effects Of Parental Modeling On The Health-Related Behaviors Of American Indian Adolescents: A Culturally Specific Investigation Of Social Learning Theory, Amy Jo Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Health-compromising behavior is a leading cause of death among American Indian (Al) adolescents. Examples of these behaviors include: smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use, and lack of seatbelt use. Theories that predict which Al youth are most at risk for executing these behaviors are needed.

Social learning theory (SL T) has shown adolescents' behaviors are sometimes highly correlated with their parents' behaviors across different ethnic groups. However, there has been little previous research done with Als.

The present study attempted to determine if SLT was applicable to Al adolescents and their parents with regard to four health-related behaviors: cigarette smoking, alcohol …

A Longitudinal Study Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms In Preschool-Age Children, Jessica Nicole Greenson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most common reasons for referral to children's mental health clinics, with an estimated prevalence of 3% to 5% in the general population of school-age children. Children who exhibit the requisite behaviors may obtain a diagnosis of ADHD at any age; however, symptom onset must occur before age 7 and persist for at least 6 months. Despite these temporal requirements for diagnosis, little empirical information about the manifestation and stability of ADHD symptoms in preschool children exists. This study provides information about the initial presence and stability over one academic year of ADHD behaviors …

Female Adolescent Role Models And Body Image, Tracy L. Funk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study primarily examined the relationship between role model choices and body image of female adolescents. More specifically this study sought to examine the relationship between the reasons that adolescent females give for choosing a role model and body image. Because body image dissatisfaction has been found to be associated with self-esteem and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa, these variables also were investigated. Body image was examined by using two measures of the body image construct· the Figure Rating Scale and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). Both were used in order to capture a greater portion …

A Comparison Of The Relative Impact Of Structural And Dynamic Child Care Quality On Child Outcomes, Jared Cutler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Child care researchers divide child care quality into two separate categories: structural child care quality (adult-child ratios, class size, amount of physical space, etc.) and dynamic child care quality (number and quality of teacher-child relationships). A consensus has emerged in the child care literature that structural child care quality has no direct effect on children's developmental outcomes (e.g., language development, social development, school readiness). Rather, structural child care quality facilitates dynamic child care quality, which then has a direct effect on child outcomes. While child care researchers frequently assert that structural variables merely facilitate dynamic variables, and have no direct …

Testing Models Of Depression And Paranoia In Men And Women: The Role Of Cognitive Style, Guilt, Shame, And Defense Mechanisms, Chad Sombke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Gender differences in psychopathology have long been of interest in the fields of clinical, developmental, and personality psychology. Lewis proposed two models to explain the emergence of the development of gender differences in depression and paranoia. Lewis stated that gender differences in depression and paranoia can be traced to corresponding gender differences in cognitive style, guilt-proneness, shame-proneness, and the use of specific defense mechanisms. Although research evidence has validated certain components of these two models, neither model has ever been tested in its entirety. This research project intended to test Lewis's models in their entirety by utilizing structural equation modeling. …

Internalizing Symptoms In Adolescents: Assessment And Relationship To Self-Concept, Sue Ann Dowd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Internalizing disorders cause serious psychological problems for many adolescents. The effects can be both debilitating and long lasting. However, assessment of internalizing disorders has been plagued by limited measurement strategies. Historically, individual measures were developed to assess the narrow-band symptoms that are subsumed under the broad construct of internalizing disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and social withdrawal). Recently, the Internalizing Symptom Scale for Adolescents has been created. The Internalizing Symptom Scale for Adolescents is a short screening measure that includes newer models of affect such as the tripartite model of affect. Additionally, there has been limited research on the …

An Evaluative Argument-Based Investigation Of Validity Evidence For The Utah Pre-Algebra Criterion-Referenced Test, Louise Richards Moulding

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study collected evidence to address the assumptions underlying the use of the Utah Core Assessment to Pre-Algebra (UCAP) to (a) measure student achievement in pre-algebra, and (b) assist teachers in making adjustments to instruction. An evaluative argument was defined to guide the collection of evidence. Each of the assumptions in the evaluative argument was addressed using data from a suburban northern Utah school district. To collect the evidence, test content was examined including item match to course objectives, reliability, and subtest intercorrelations. Analyses of correlations of the UCAP with convergent and discriminant measures were completed using student test data …

Correlates Of Antidepressant Medication Compliance Use Among Depressed Women, Pamela Linton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Medication compliance/noncompliance was examined in context of: severity of symptoms; medical side effects; medication education; perceived stigma; and effects on family/social support system. A null hypothesis was formulated for each correlate, stating that those patients who reported a high level of an independent variable (IV) would not be any more likely to discontinue their medication than patients who reported a low level of an IV. To obtain data, a medical usage questionnaire and a depression, assessment (OQ™-45.2) were used. Statistical significance was not obtained for any of the hypothesized relationships but trends were consistent with the established literature. The implication …

Religious Activity And Mortality In The Elderly: The Cache County Study, Andrea D. Hart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

No study, to date, has systematically examined the interplay of social contact, depression, functional disability, and cardiovascular health when examining the relation between religious activity and all -cause mortality. This study used Cox regression models as well as a series of structural equation models to elucidate these relations and resultant mortality over a 5-year period. This sample included 3,607 persons, age 65 and older, who participated in the Cache County Study on Memory in Aging, and who were not demented. Results indicate that when using Cox regression modeling, after controlling for other variables related to mortality, both religious activity and …