Psychology Commons^™

Social Skills Curriculum For Middle School Students At Risk, Eric Franz

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a social skills curriculum for an effective After School Program for students at risk. To accomplish this purpose, current research and literature related to students at risk, motivational strategies, and alternative programs to assist them were reviewed. Additionally, on site visit to an actual program in the Yakima School District were conducted. At-risk students have a high potential for dropping out of school due to the lack of motivation and other factors. Students at risk live marginally outside of the socially excepted norm for adolescent youth. School systems need to have programs …

Is Achievement Motivation In Basketball Games Affected By Team Or Individual Competitive Situations In Elementary Physical Education Classes?, Adam C. Lane

Masters Theses

This study examined the relationship between skill, setting and gender. There were three main purposes for conducting this study. The first was to determine whether a child's achievement motivation changes when participating in a team setting compared to an individual setting. The second purpose was to determine and compare any differences between boys' and girls' achievement motivation, in both team and individual settings, and thirdly, to determine and compare any differences between the achievement motivation of high-skilled and low-skilled children, in both team and individual settings. Subjects were administered the Sport Orientation Questionnaire, (Gill and Deeter, 1988), which assesses competitiveness, …

Does The Intermediate Booklet Category Test Discriminate Between Ld And Non-Ld Children?, Jo Anna Scheidler

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Intermediate Booklet Category Test (IBCT) at identifying LD children between the ages of 9 and 14. Thirty children were involved in the study: 15 with a previous diagnosis of LD and 15 with no diagnosis. All subjects were expected to have an IQ no less than 80. The IBCT was administered to all thirty children and their error score calculated. The means of the scores of the diagnosed and control groups were found to be statistically significant at the .05 level. Also, statistical significance was found between IQ and IBCT scores. While neurological …

Foster Care Placement : Age At Time Of Removal And Successful Functioning, Michelle L. Wetzel

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Foster care placement is considered to be the primary placement option for children who are removed from their families for reasons of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect. Child care workers question the level of future success these children will acquire if they are not removed from their abusive environments as soon as possible. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the age at time of removal and success levels in the areas of education, substance abuse, and probation involvement during the adolescent years, ages 16- 18.

Subjects• functioning in these areas was assessed by …

Using Responsive Evaluation To Evaluate A Professional Conference, Amy N. Spiegel, Roger H. Bruning, Lisa Giddings

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

In a statewide conference on alternative methods for assessing students’ learning, we incorporated responsive evaluation methods into the structure of the conference. The application of these interactive evaluation techniques serves as a pilot study that illustrates the possible utility of these tech-niques in evaluating conferences. This paper provides a brief review of the literature surrounding responsive evaluation, a description of the responsive evaluation methods applied to this conference, and a discussion of the results and implications of this pilot study.

Using Teacher Reflective Practice To Evaluate Professional Development In Mathematics And Science, Vicki L. Wise, Amy N. Spiegel, Roger H. Bruning

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Systemic reform has been a key element of the mathematics and science educational agenda for the past decade. Systemic reform proponents advocate emphasizing mathemat-ics and science from kindergarten through l2th grade; adopting new math and science ed-ucation standards; providing ongoing professional development for teachers (Frechtling, Sharp, Carey, & Vaden-Kiernan, 1995); and aligning policy, practice, and assessment pro-cedures. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has supported the development of sys-temic reform by funding statewide, urban, and rural systemic initiatives to improve K–12 mathematics and science education throughout the United States (Fitzsimmons & Kerpel-man, 1994).

Children's Reactions To Aggressive And Submissive Peers, Natalie Honey

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this study was to investigate children's attitudes towards aggressive and submissive peers. A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design was used to test the hypotheses. The three between-subjects variables were (a) the label given to the target child (aggressive/submissive) in a vignette, (b) the nature of the behaviour displayed in a critical incident (aggressive/nonaggressive response) as described in a vignette, and (c) the sex of the participants. A sample of 169 Year 6 and 7 students was divided into four groups containing at least 20 girls and 20 boys. A survey was administered to measure the …

Implementing School Supports For The Wellness Of Newcomer Children, Jeannette L. Amio

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The present thesis chronicles a participatory study of the implementation of school-based supports geared to the newcomer children of Highfield Junior School. A dual focus on research and action was integral to the objectives of the investigation, namely to: a) illuminate the present network of school supports, b) compose an ideal configuration of a school attentive to the needs of newcomers, and c) prescribe implementation steps that can transform the school closer to the ideal. To ground the study, I review the adaptation difficulties of newcomer children, the preventive measures that schools can take to reduce these vulnerabilities. and how …

The Utility Of The Anxiety Cluster Scale Of The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale To Identify Anxiety Problems In 10 Year Old Children, Jeremy Singer

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

It is widely accepted in the literature that internalised childhood psychopathology including anx1cty is best identified by child self-report, followed by observations by parents and then to a lesser extent, by teachers. Although anxiety scales are a useful way to quantify anxiety symptomatology and progress through treatment, changes to classification systems (e.g., DSM-111-R to DSM-IV) make their ability to screen for the presence of psychiatric problems difficult. This research looked at whether the Anxiety Cluster (AC) scale of the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHCSCS) can be used to identify anxiety disorders in children. Two separate studies were conducted in the …

Parenting Experience And Gender Role Socialization In Toy Play Situations, Sara Elizabeth Gugula

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study investigated the role of parenting experience on the gender socialization of children. Each of the children (N=48) played with three adults; one of their parents, one parent of another child, and one non-parent. The amount of time children and adults played with gender-specific toys, adults’ categorization of toys into gender categories and adults’ desirability ratings of gender-specific toys were examined. Results indicated that boys spent most of their time playing with masculine toys, while girls spent an equal amount of time playing with feminine and neutral toys and the least amount of time playing with masculine toys. The …

Planning And Developing School-Based Community Supports For Refugee Children, Peggy (Margaret) Nickels

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Despite the growing numbers of refugee families settling in Canada, there is little or no documentation on how to support the healing process of refugee children. The purpose of this study was to learn about planning and developing school-based community supports for these children by examining and documenting several school-based community initiatives in Kitchener-Waterloo. Data collected included three focus group interviews, seven key informant interviews, a document review, and a research process journal. Findings were organized around motivation, guiding values and principles, resources, processes, actions, partnerships, dynamics, and sustainability. Shared values and principles emerged as the passion and the glue …

The Relationship Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Aggression In Children: A Cross-Sectional Study, Eric Wayne Boelter

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examined the correlation between aggression and ADHD symptoms across several age groups in children. Participants were elementary and secondary students recruited from grades 1st through 12th in a suburban, university-affiliated laboratory school (N = 426). The students' teachers also participated in the study. The study consisted of administering questionnaires to students and teachers. These included: (a) The Self-Report Inventory, (b) The Peer Nomination Inventory, and (c) The Teacher Report Inventory. All of these measures were designed for this study. One way analysis of variance for gender showed that males were more aggressive and had more ADHD symptoms than …

A Computer/Tutorial System Compared With A Workbook/Tutorial System For Presenting Instructional Material To At-Risk Elementary School Students, Vincent O. Hodge

Dissertations

Two different ways of presenting instructional material and reacting to students’ responses were compared. One, taking advantage of several features of multimedia instruction involved a desktop computer and various computer-presented consequences of correct and incorrect responses (largely chosen by the student). The other consisted in presenting the same instructional materials (the SRA primary curriculum) in a workbook form with tutors' comments and praise as the main form of response consequence. The two methods were compared with respect to various measures of student and system performance, including student accuracy (percent correct responses), types of errors, amount of correct response repetition (over-responding), …

School Psychologists' Assessment Practices Of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Donna Ridenour

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Two million school-age children are believed to manifest symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In recent years, educators have increasingly been called upon to provide services to children with ADHD either through special education or through Section 504. Much has been written describing "best practices" for the assessment of children with ADHD. Little is known, however, about what roles school psychology practitioners are taking with regard to ADHD. The purpose of this research was to determine common ADHD assessment practices of school psychologists and how they relate to practices recommended in the literature. A survey was developed and sent to …

Oppositional Defiant Disorder And Conduct Disorder : Different Names For The Same Condition?, Daryl L. Hawkins

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the literature related to the proposition that oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder are, in essence, the same disorder, with varying degrees of severity. The author of this paper believes that it would make more sense diagnostically to combine these two diagnoses into one category.

This paper will cover a variety of areas related to oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. First, a section on the formulation of the diagnostic criteria is presented. Brief definitions and descriptions of the two disorders follow the diagnostic criteria section. In addition to …

Conduct Disorder Questionnaire, Dwayne L. Milam

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Conduct disorder is characterized by a pattern of rule violation in which the rights of those associated with the individual and society are violated. Frequently there are many problems at home, school, and within the community. Without early diagnosis and treatment these problems escalate. Many different techniques and assessment tools have been used to identify these individuals. Most rely on collateral informants, such as parents and teachers. Others are time consuming or not developed to specifically identify conduct disorder. The Conduct Disorder Questionnaire was developed by the author to address these issues. The questionnaire is a brief, easily scored self-report …

Characteristics And Treatment Of Conduct Disorders, Vicky Jo Kukral

Graduate Research Papers

Conduct Disorder is the most diagnosed condition in both outpatient and inpatient mental health facilities for children in the United States. Behavior problems such as aggression, destruction of property, theft and violation of basic rules are concerns for parents, teachers, peers and other adults. In an effort to help increase the reader's understanding of the Conduct Disorder population and their treatment, the author of this paper will describe and characteristics of this population. The author will also address specific mental health concerns as found in a review of the literature, and the status of mental health treatment.

The Quality Of The Family Day Care Setting And Its Effects On Children's Social And Cognitive Play Behaviors, Hollie Rae Prill

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Preschool Experiences On The Transition To Kindergarten, Trang Phoung Nguyen

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Paternal Attachment And Loss Of Self In Late Adolescent Females, Joan Mclaurin

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Relations Between Parent-Child Interactions And Children's Self-Esteem, Lisa D. Parker

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore how time spent between parents and children in various activities may be related to self-esteem in children. The specific objectives were to explore whether there was a relationship between children's self-esteem and total time children reported spending with mothers and fathers; whether there were relations between time spent participating in activities and self-esteem for each of the four parent-child dyads (Mother-Daughter, Mother-Son, Father-Daughter, and Father-Son); whether there were relations between specific activities done with parents and children's self-esteem; and whether enjoyment levels reported by children participating in each activity were significantly correlated …

Behavioral Treatment Of A Boy With Asperger’S Disorder, Cherie Ann Altobello

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

A Case Study Of An Electively Mute Child, Robert Driscol

Graduate Research Papers

Selective mutism is characterized by the appropriate use of language in certain settings, with a consistent lack of language use elsewhere. The child is often viewed as shy, and it is assumed that the shyness is temporary and will be outgrown. The purpose of this paper is to explore the problem of selective mutism in school aged children for whom silence may extend for many months or even years. Selective mutism will be further defined, and frequency, duration, and a summary of treatment methods will be discussed. A case study that illustrates positive outcomes of a behavioral approach will also …

Children's Memory : The Effects Of Suggestive Questioning On The Eyewitness Reports Of Five And Six Year Old Students, Rosemary Corinne Scott-Moore

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined kindergarten children's (N=18) eyewitness reports and the effects of suggestive questioning. Five- and six year- olds were interviewed repeatedly after a visitor came to their classroom in one of the following conditions: (a) suggestion, which received misleading suggestive questioning one time per week for three consecutive weeks following the incident, and a final 2 interview fifteen weeks after the incident; (b) increased suggestion, which received false suggestive interviews one time per week for three consecutive weeks following the event, and a final interview fifteen weeks after the initial event; and (c) triple suggestion, which received misleading suggestive …

Psychological Well-Being In The Victims Of Bullying Among Primary School Children, Catherine A. Rice

Theses : Honours

A replication and extension of Rigby and Slee's (1993) study and an investigation of Seligman, Reivich, Jaycox and Gillham's (1995) theory of self-esteem was conducted in one private primary school in Western Australia. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between the age and gender of victims of bullying with self-esteem of the students and their attitudes towards attending school (Rigby & Slee, 1993), and their explanatory style (Seligman et al., I 995). Four anonymous questionnaires: Peer Relations Assessment Questionnaire (Rigby & Slee, 1997), Self-Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith, 1989), Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire (Seligman, Kaslow, Alloy, Peterson, Tanenbaum …

Interventions For Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Justin M. Larson

Graduate Research Papers

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) continues to be widely studied within the literature and researchers continue to investigate interventions and environments which allow for success. Whalen and Renker (1991) argue that multiple intervention methods are needed for success of children and adolescents in social situations. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature, and review interventions used to facilitate appropriate behaviors in children, aged six to eleven, with a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Wave Of A Troubled Juvenile Future, Porcher L. Taylor Iii

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Faculty Publications

In the violent wake of the recent slaughter in Springfield, Ore., America faces a future wave of juvenile terrorism from Internet-self-trained, Timothy McVeigh-determined and Unabomber-technically-savvy adolescents intent on getting even with a society they deem responsible for their low self-esteem.

Childhood Sexual Abuse: Long Versus Short Term Effects, Joyce Skinner

Graduate Research Papers

Research over the past decade indicates that a wide range of psychological and interpersonal problems are more prevalent among those who have been sexually abused than among individuals with no such experiences. This paper summarizes what is currently known about these potential impacts of child sexual abuse. The various problems and symptoms described in the literature on child sexual abuse are reviewed in a series of broad categories including post-traumatic stress, emotional pain, avoidance, an impaired self, and interpersonal difficulties. Research has determined that the extent to which a given individual manifests abuse-related distress is a function of an undetermined …

Emotional Quotient : Predicting And Teaching For Future Success Of Students, Denise A. Hale

Graduate Research Papers

Emotional Quotient (EQ) involves virtually every aspect of a person's life and plays a more important role in predicting success for students than the traditional Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Emotional intelligence involves recognizing one's emotions, thus having a sense of self-awareness, managing and controlling one's emotions, motivating oneself to achieve a set goal, responding with empathy, and handling interpersonal relationships with appropriate social responses.

Many children today are deprived of natural opportunities to develop a healthy EQ. Through modeling and continued reinforcement starting in the early elementary grades, EQ can be taught. Teachers can provide literature experiences as the basis of …

A Review Of The Research On Social Withdrawal In Children And Adolescents, Ryan Lee Channel

Graduate Research Papers

Recent research on peer relations has differentiated two groups of socially isolated children, one due to social withdrawal and the other because of aggressive behavior. Aggression has seen more research and more conclusive evidence of the development of later problems while much of the peer relations literature has previously regarded the socially withdrawn child as questionable in terms of risk. Developmental theorists, however, maintain that interpersonal experiences enable children to gain a sense of other's perspective and relate to peers in social settings. Lack of, or continuously negative interactions will affect development of social cognition, limiting the learning gained through …