Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Characteristics Of Recidivism Among Intensive And Regular Probationers., Jennifer Joseph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined characteristics of 100 intensive probationers and 100 regular probationers to have a better understanding of why some probationers recidivate and others do not. Logistic analysis was used to analyze the following variables: age, race, gender, employment status, level of education, convicted offense, prior misdemeanor arrests, prior felony arrests, history of drug abuse, and type of probation. It was discovered that age, prior misdemeanor arrests, and offender category were significant variables correlated to recidivism. These findings are consistent with prior research and provide information that can be helpful to probation and parole officers in their supervision of offenders …

An Examination Of Juvenile Delinquency And Victimization Using An Integrated Model Approach., Kimberly Dawn Dodson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The theories of social bond, differential association and routine activities were synthesized into one theoretical model to determine its predictive utility in the explanation of juvenile delinquency and victimization. Using cross-sectional data obtained from the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) survey, a sample of 1,555 middle school students was examined. The results of the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions indicate that the integrated model explains between 33% and 37% of the variation in delinquent behavior (i.e., property crime, violent crime and alcohol and illegal drug use). The analysis also indicates that the integrated model explains between 15% and 27% …

Attitudes And Behaviors Of Adolescents Toward Sunbathing And Sunscreen Use., Billie Hill Murray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the attitudes and behaviors of adolescents toward sunbathing and sunscreen use by employing the Theory of Alternative Behaviors (Jaccard, 1981) with adolescent participants and a respective parent co-participant.

Females were found to be more likely to engage in intentional suntanning efforts, to stay in the sun for a longer duration, and to be more likely to use sunscreen yet to report higher incidence of sunburns. Those with a healthy lifestyle attitude are as likely to engage in intentional tanning, although they are more likely to wear sunscreen. Self-report of tanning behavior was positively correlated to parent's observation …

Male Coercive Sexual Behavior As A Function Of Male Resource-Potential And Respondent Gender., Christy D. Wolfe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined whether the resource-potential (RP) of a male dater (i.e., potential financial success and status) and/or respondent gender related to attitudes toward coercive sexual behavior by the male. Participants (59 males and 82 females) read a hypothetical dating scenario in which a heterosexual couple went out for dinner and then returned to the female’s apartment to watch a movie. The RP of the male dater was set at high and low. Following the scenario, rating scales posing increasing levels of coercive sexual behavior (a sexual advance, verbal persuasion, and physical coercion) were presented. The participants rated the …

Adult's Perceptions Of Children's Aggressive Play With Advertised And Non-Advertised Toys., Lori J. Klinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined adults’ perceptions of aggression in toys and toy commercials targeted toward young boys. The subjects, 262 undergraduate psychology students, completed the Buss/Perry Aggression Questionnaire and rated either a videotape of 10 boy-oriented toy commercials or slides of 10 non-advertised boy-toys. Parental status, exposure to an advertised versus non-advertised toy, and level of self-reported aggression were assessed to determine their relationship to perceptions of aggressiveness in a toy’s image and predicted play with the toy.

Univariate analyses of variance and paired sample t-tests were conducted. The results indicate that toys advertised in commercials are judged to portray more …

Gender Differences Of The Older Adult In Relationship To Ego Integrity And The Need For Control., Ginger Helm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined gender differences in relationship to ego integrity resolution of Erikson's stage theory and the need for control in the older adult ranging from 55-90 years of age. Erikson's ego integrity versus despair was measured with a subscale found in Measures of Psychological Development by Hawley (1988). The need for control was measured with a scale developed by Burger and Cooper (1979).

Because of social roles, it was first predicted that males would score higher on resolution of ego integrity and lower on the need for control. The mean resolution of integrity score for males (N=31) was …

Assessing The Racial Awareness Of Majority Group Member Students At East Tennessee State University And The Factors Related To Racial Awareness, Lavern Terrell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the racial awareness of majority group member students at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and factors related to racial awareness. Seven research questions and five hypotheses were examined. The Oklahoma Racial Attitudes Survey-Preliminary Form (ORAS-P) was used to identify the racial awareness of White students enrolled at ETSU during the fall of 1999. Forty-six classes were surveyed obtaining a sample totaling 395 students. In addition to completing the ORAS-P, students in the sample were asked the following demographic questions: gender, age, city and state of birth, name and location of high school …

Rural Nonfarm Scott County, Tennessee Women And Their Pathways To Baccalaureate Degrees, Jo A. Lobertini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand why women from Scott County, Tennessee, left home to attain the baccalaureate degree and returned home to live and/or work. More specifically, understanding (1) the educational aspirations, motivations, and discouragements prior to attending college; (2) the educational persistence, motivations, and discouragements while attending college; (3) and the reasons for returning to Scott County after attaining the baccalaureate degree. The population of this study included all females over the age of 25 who had a bachelor's degree, attended grades 1–12 in Scott County, Tennessee, and returned there to live. The primary form …

The Gendered World Of Disney: A Content Analysis Of Gender Themes In Full-Length Animated Disney Feature Films, Beth A. Wiersma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has focused on the gender messages portrayed in television programs, cartoons, advertisements, literature, picture books, and fairy tales. One venue that has not received as much attention in the research is the Disney 1 full-length animated feature films. This is a qualitative study of the gender themes and portrayal of gender roles in full-length animated feature films by The Walt Disney Company. The findings in this research indicate there has been little change in the stereotyped portrayals of Disney characters from the release of the first full-length animated feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937 to …

Elderly Respondents' Perceptions Of Patronizing Speech By Service Providers Toward Elderly Adults., Tammi Rae La Tourette

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of several factors in elderly respondents' evaluations of neutral and patronizing speech by nurses toward elderly targets. Thirty-eight nursing home and 62 community Caucasian elderly women viewed two videotaped vignettes, one in which a nurse spoke to an elder target in a patronizing tone, and one with a neutral tone. Both samples rated the nurse more favorably, rated the elder target more satisfied with the conversation, and assumed that the nurse-elder dyad knew each other better when the nurse's speech was neutral as opposed to patronizing. Contrary to what was predicted, community elders did not …

A Cohort Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The Student Support Services Program At Southwest Virginia Community College, Michael J. Henry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Student Support Services Program is one of five federally funded “TRIO” programs provided for by Congress and administered by the Department of Education that are designed to improve grade-point averages and the retention and graduation rates of low-income individuals, firs t-generation college students, and students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine if the students who participated in the Student Support Services Program at SVCC achieved higher grade-point averages, retention rates, and graduation rates than did non-participants. There were no significant differences in grade-point averages between Student Support Services (SSS) Program participants and non-participants, The Student …

Factors Of Job-Related Stress As Perceived By Middle School Principals In Virginia, Teresa I. Snyder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted among middle school principals in Virginia to determine their perceptions of job-related stress factors. The entire population of middle school principals (grades 6, 7, 8) was selected to participate in the study. The Administrative Stress Index was used to assess factors that cause principals stress on the job and to measure their stress levels. A demographic data form was used to collect data on the variables of age, gender, administrative experience, assistant principal support, student enrollment, adults supervised, percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch, location of school, type of school, experience as a middle …

The Relationship Between Cosmopolitan-Local Orientation And Job Satisfaction Among Admissions Personnel At Christian Colleges In The United States And Canada, Jon P. Harr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the challenges facing college admissions professionals have increased, and turnover in the field has become an area of concern. A review of the literature indicated that surprisingly little research had been done in the area of job satisfaction for college admissions professionals and, in particular, Christian college admissions professionals. No direct application of professional (cosmopolitan-local) orientation to the admissions profession could be found in the literature. As a result, the primary purpose of this study was to examine both the level of job satisfaction and the cosmopolitan-local orientation of Christian college admissions professionals, and to determine if …

How To Say "No" Without Saying "No": A Study Of The Refusal Strategies Of Americans And Germans, Astrid Maria Beckers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cultures have been shown to vary drastically in their interactional styles, leading to different preferences for modes of speech act behavior. Culturally colored interactional styles create culturally determined expectations and interpretative strategies, and can lead to breakdowns in intercultural and interethnic communication.

This dissertation investigated the differences between Germans and Americans in the speech act of rejection which can be explained by the general cultural differences. The native speaker subjects in this study were graduate students enrolled at four American Universities and at four Universities in the Federal Republic of Germany. The elicitation method used for this data collection was …

Factors Which Cause Families To Home School Their Children In Northeast Tennessee, Tony G. England

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem which this researcher investigated centered around the motivational factors which caused parents to educate their children at home. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors as perceived to cause families to home school their children. This study of home school education offered the opportunity to examine the dynamics within home schooling families as they conducted a non-traditional educational alternative. The study may provide information and insight to assist public school policy makers in considering inclusion of program components presently perceived as missing. Two home school associations in upper East Tennessee responded to a home school …

An Analysis Of Workplace Violence Incidents In Virginia Community Colleges And The Major Employers, Betsy E. Summerfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The media during the past ten years has given considerable attention to the workplace violence in factories, service organizations, and the public school systems throughout the United States. This study compared patterns of workplace violence in the 23 member institutions of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) with the patterns of workplace violence in selected for-profit service and manufacturing employers in Virginia, to determine if workplace violence incidents occurring in the VCCS's member institutions reflect the workplace violence incidents experienced by business and industry within each member institution's service region. Chi-square analysis showed a significant difference in non-violent conflict training …

A Comparison Of Adolescent Drug Use Between Urban And Rural Populations, Randall G. Rhodes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prior research has found extensive levels of drug use among the adolescent population from standard metropolitan statistical areas. The reviestudies show high drug use rates in the urban minority population, particularly in regards to cocaine use. Also, arrestee data examining law violations compared to drug usage and the age of initial usage correlates to the onset of delinquent behavior in the juvenile population. There are relatively few studies that have examined rural populations in regards to drug usage rates in comparison to urban populations. This study compares, through descriptive statistical analysis, arrestee data from the rural adolescent population of Cape …

The Educational Needs Of Welfare Recipients And The Role Of The Community College As An Agent Of Social Change, Carolyn L. Browning

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate two underlying questions related to welfare reform and its impact on participants in the Cumberland Plateau Region: (1) What are the training and other noneducational needs of the participants in the VIEW program? and (2) What is the projected success of the impact of the training on the lives of the participants? The research study included 47 interviews with four distinct groups of individuals--VIEW participants, case managers, administrators, and trainers. Three focus group interviews were conducted with individuals who were participants in the VIEW program or professionals actively involved in the administration …

Hardiness And Job Fitness For The Intensive Family Preservation Specialist: A Correlational Study, Sandi Fisher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is costly to train the counselors who serve in intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS). The hiring agency must pay for traveling expenses in addition to any fee paid for training. When an IFPS worker chooses to terminate employment before the end of two years of employment, this puts a strain on an already tight budget. This problem could be alleviated by finding an efficient pre-hire screening instrument. The three personality traits described in Hardiness Theory literature: commitment, challenge, and control, are traits often used to describe the ideal IFPS worker. This study assessed IFPS workers to determine if the …

The Relationship Between Personality Traits And Transformational Leadership Among North Carolina Elementary Public School Principals, Robert J. Mcgrattan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between personality traits as identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and transformational leadership as measured by The Nature of School Leadership. The subjects were 74 North Carolina public school elementary principals. The principals completed the MBTI. Principals also provided pertinent demographic information. Selected teachers in each school were asked to give their perception of the principal as a transformational leader by completing The Nature of School Leadership. Data were analyzed to look for significant relationships between personality and demographics as they related to transformational leadership. The analysis of demographic information yielded gender as a significant …

Assessment Of Discrepancies Between Residential Employees' Work Values And Program Directors Perceptions Of Residential Employees' Work Values, Trinetia L. Respress

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study assessed discrepancies between residential employees' work values and program directors' perceptions of the residential employees' work values. Additionally, work values of residential employees were analyzed to identify variations when considering gender, age, educational level, length of service, job classification, and current position. The study was undertaken to assist in developing a clearer understanding of the work values of residential employees for the purpose of enhancing administrator-associate relationships and to determine factors in the work setting that might contribute to longevity and more productive, satisfied, motivated employees. Data for the study were gathered from 172 program directors and residential …

The Relationship Between Social Support And Professional Burnout Among Public Secondary School Teachers In Northeast Tennessee, Jackie C. Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teaching is reported to be a stressful occupation and social support is thought to mediate stress. The purpose of the study was to identify relationships between the level of professional burnout and social support of high school teachers in Northeast Tennessee. In this correlational study, a sample of 228 secondary school teachers in Northeast Tennessee completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Teacher Support Network Inventory (TSNI). Respondents' satisfaction with support and amount of support were ascertained from the TSNI. Data presentation included a demographic description of the sample and a description of teachers' work support, personal support, and recreational …

Higher Education In Rural America : A Study Of Northern Plains American Indian And Non-Indian Attitudes, Aspirations, Expectations, And Perceived Barriers, Marta Albertus Brosz Mohr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses the need for educational research specific to rural populations of American Indians and their non-Indian neighbors. In order to provide answers to both theoretical and practical questions, a survey was conducted with a random sample of rural residents living within a twenty-five mile radius of a rural, tribal institution of higher education. The structured interviews gathered data regarding attitudes, aspirations, expectations, and perceived barriers. Analyses of the data indicate that this population has strong, positive attitudes toward higher education and aspires to a college education in spite of real and perceived barriers. This study does not support …

Identity Development And Student Involvement Of African-American Undergraduate Students At Historically White Colleges And Universities In Southern Appalachia, Rosemary G. Bundy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study of African American undergraduates at Emory & Henry College, Tusculum College, Western Carolina University, East Tennessee State University, Appalachian State University, and University of North Carolina at Asheville was conducted to determine students' stages of identity development, level of involvement in campus activities, and demographic characteristics within historically White Southern Appalachian colleges and universities, both public and independent. Three research questions were answered by analyzing 21 null hypotheses using the t-test and the chi square test. Hypotheses were tested at the.05 level of significance. Data collected in this study revealed that the students' perceptions of identity development and …

Funding Of Higher Education In Tennessee: A Qualitative Study Of The Perceptions Of State Legislators And Higher Education Leaders, David D. Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify issues that are considered important to the legislators and higher education leaders of Tennessee in making decisions that affect the funding of higher education. A further purpose was to identify actions that such individuals believe should be taken by higher education leaders to ensure that higher education is accountable and worthy of continued or increased financial support. Using a qualitative research design, interviews were held with 10 legislators and 6 higher education leaders selected in accordance with the concept of purposeful sampling. Legislative participants included five members from the Senate and five …

Institutional Climate And Institutional Effectiveness At Three Community Colleges, Connie S. Buckner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to explore the impact of employee morale, as manifested in institutional climate data, upon institutional effectiveness; and (2) to determine the extent to which information generated by climate survey data was used in developing and implementing change initiatives at each of the institutions studied. Three institutions were selected for this multiple site case study. Four sources of data from each institution were used to provide a "picture" of institutional climate. These sources of data were (a) the Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) climate survey, (b) institutional self-study reports, (c) reaffirmation …

The Cowboy Way: A Study Of Leadership As Portrayed In Western Film, Ralph L. Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to examine leadership through the medium of film, specifically the genre of the western. The western is iconographic; representative of the American ethos, the western embodied the "frontier myth." The purposes of this study were to examine how leadership was portrayed in a selected sample of western films dating from 1945 to 1995, and to categorize and characterize the leadership methods exhibited in each film. Qualitative in design, the study was concerned with broad description and discovery. Using observation as the data collection technique and content analysis as the research method, the study examined a sample of …

Southern Appalachian Settlement Schools As Early Initiators Of Integrated Services, Eloise H. Jurgens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This historical-descriptive study examined Southern Appalachian settlement schools as early initiators of integrated health and social services with education from the 1900s through the 1970s. Three schools were studied: Hindman Settlement School (KY), Pine Mountain Settlement School (KY) and Crossnore School, Inc. (NC). The purpose of the study was to determine the type and extent of services provided, the relationship of the settlement schools with their respective county public school system, and the transfer, if any, of integrated services from the settlement schools to public schools as the public schools took over educational responsibilities once offered by the settlement schools. …

Parent Involvement Typologies And Student Achievement: A Correlational Study Of The Overlapping Spheres Of Influence, Phillip J. Elliott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between six types of parent involvement and student achievement. These typologies included parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with community. Four research questions guided the study and nine null hypotheses were formulated and tested at the level of significance. The degree of relationship between the independent variables, parent involvement typologies, and student achievement were analyzed by utilizing Spearman's rho correlation coefficient, Pearson's product-moment correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The study sample consisted of 627 elementary and middle school parents in Mitchell County, North Carolina. The results …

An Examination Of Selected Ethnic Foodways In The Upper Midwest, Gregory A. Mader

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many geographers recognize regional studies as a guidepost of geography. Cultural geographers have long identified the significance of ethnic regions and the differences between various ethnic groups in matters of housing, work, agriculture and diet. In many cases foodways and regional cuisine are distinct enough to act as a key identifier of a cultural region. This thesis uses church and other local cookbooks to identify specific ethnic and non - ethnic foods eaten by the Dutch of Northwestern Iowa, the Norwegians of the North Dakota-Minnesota border area, and the German-Russians of Southern North Dakota. From this source of information, patterns …