Psychology Commons^™

School Psychologists’ Current Practice, Training, And Interest In The Integration Of Substance Abuse Training As Part Of The Mental Health Profession, Margaret Dassira

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Adolescents’ suffering from substance abuse may also be experiencing academic, social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. Substance abuse problems are difficult to address in schools due to barriers related to confidentiality, implementation, and resources. School personnel may also lack necessary experience or training to adequately provide these services to students’ suffering from substance abuse. School-based intervention programs have shown to be effective in helping to identify and support students with substance abuse issues (Mitchell et al., 2012; Winters et al., 2012). With both evidence-based intervention practices and competent mental health professionals, students experiencing substance abuse problems may receive needed services and …

Building Teachers’ Emotional Competence: A Transactional Training Model, Caroline Fulton

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Classrooms are complex entities, where the emotions of students and teachers interact to influence learning, relationships, and students’ social emotional development. Teachers’ understanding of emotional processes within the classroom is critical to effective teaching, promotion of healthy child development, and attaining desired learning outcomes. Further, emotions have powerful consequences for teachers themselves. They affect teachers’ well-being, self-efficacy, and ultimately whether teachers remain in the profession or not. Therefore, teachers need skills to recognize and respond to emotional experiences in the classroom. In the present research project a set of emotional competences relevant to educational practices were developed. These competencies include …

Simultaneous Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Pcit) And Teacher-Child Interaction Training (Tcit) Interventions Using Distance Coaching: A Pilot Study, Kirstin Drucker

Dissertations, 2014-2019

When providing intervention to children with emotional and behavioral difficulties, it is important to consider how to best address the child’s behaviors across a number of contexts. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT) have been shown effective at reducing a child’s behavioral difficulties by improving the relationship between the child and their caregiver (parent or teacher). This feasibility study adds to the research on interventions for young children with emotional and behavioral difficulties by addressing parent and teacher interaction techniques simultaneously. Using HIPAA-compliant software, a coach provided instruction to a parent and a teacher, to implement a …

Ethnic-Racial Socialization In Early Childhood: The Implications Of Color-Consciousness And Colorblindness For Prejudice Development, Flora Farago, Kimberly Leah Davidson, Christy M. Byrd

Faculty Publications

This chapter outlines how early childhood teachers can bring children into conversations surrounding race and racism by drawing on literature on how parents of color discuss these topics. Although educators’ practices surrounding race and racism remain largely unexplored, decades of developmental psychological research indicate that parents of color engage in ethnic-racial socialization practices that are beneficial for children (Hughes et al., 2006). The established dimensions of parental ethnic-racial socialization include (1) cultural socialization, or teaching children about their ethnic heritage and instilling ethnic pride; (2) preparation for bias, or teaching children about racism and preparing them to face discrimination; (3) …

Factors Affecting International Students’ Developmental Functioning: Student And Faculty Perspectives From Liberty University, Andrea S. Childs

Masters Theses

The enrollment rates of international students are increasing, but the attrition rates of international students may also be on the rise. Aligning with Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model, the goal of this study was to obtain insight about the encounters that undergraduate international students face. The purpose of this study was to evaluate these encounters to ascertain and compile core themes that will promote international student success. Data gathered from undergraduate faculty also contributed valuable insight. Recommendations were made for both the international student body and the undergraduate faculty. This qualitative research design investigated a small sample of undergraduate international students and …

Teacher’S Attitudes And Willingness To Refer Sexual Minority Students To Special Education, Diane' Forney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that cultural minority students are over-represented in special education services based on teacher bias and attitudes towards these cultural minority students. A cultural minority that has not been as widely researched is the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ). The purpose of this study is to determine if teacher’s bias and attitude towards LGBTQ students interferes with their ability to make special education referrals for sexual minority students (Hebl, 2000), who are students identified as LGBTQ. For the purpose of this study, a variety of teachers were asked to complete, two qualifying questions, a detailed demographic questionnaire, …

The Use Of A Values Affirming Intervention: Does It Impact Math Scores And Semester Grade Point Averages In A Student Support Services Population, Amy L. Debruler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

College students who are from low income families, have disabilities, or are the first in their family to attend college are more likely to struggle socially and academically in a college setting. Promoting college graduation within these disadvantaged populations is critical for increased life wellness. Previous researchers studied to see if when students wrote about their personal beliefs if it would lead to higher levels of academic confidence and better academic performance (as measured by grades). This study expanded upon those previous studies to look specifically at whether a values-affirming writing intervention provided to at risk students in a federally …

The Effect Of A Training Clinic On The Self-Efficacy Of Counselors In Training, Jihene Ayadi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary focus of this study was to examine the differences between trainees’ perceived self-efficacy when they graduate from a counseling program that has a community based mental health training clinic versus a program without a training clinic. A web-based survey was developed with the questions from the Counseling Self-Efficacy Inventory (COSE) (Larson et al., 1992) and 45 (N = 45) participants took the survey online. Participants were students enrolled and taking a practicum or internship class in a counseling program with a training clinic (WTC) or in a counseling program without a clinic (WTTC). Mann-Whitney Wilcoxon test, a non-parametric …

Mathematics Attitudes And Mathematics Performance: Novel Approaches Towards Noncognitive Educational Measurement, Applications To Large-Scale Assessment Data, And Examinations Of Multigroup Invariance, Kalina Gjicali

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Academic performance is predicted by a multitude of demographic, contextual, cognitive, and noncognitive constructs. The noncognitive factors of achievement in mathematics that have previously been explored in depth are study skills, collaborative problem-solving, confidence, self-efficacy, and personality traits (Kyllonen, 2012). Limited applied research has explored the predictive value of noncognitive factors such as attitudes and beliefs in mathematics achievement – even though attitudes towards mathematics are a promising avenue for understanding the variability in mathematics achievement. The current research uses the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explain high school students’ performance in mathematics in a series of three studies. …

Examining The Coping Resources Of Polyvictimized Youth And Young Adults, Zachary Robert Myers

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Bullying represents a significant concern for many youth and young adults in the United States and abroad. However, the growth of technology has allowed for new platforms in which perpetrators can engage in bullying behaviors, such as text and video messaging, social media applications, and online gaming. In addition, research has suggested that the majority of cyberbullied individuals experience co-occurring in-person victimization as well. These trends are concerning, given that findings within both the traditional and cyberbullying literatures place victimized youth at-risk for a host of social and emotional concerns. However, research has yet to fully explore the unique experiences …

The Job Interview Self-Presentation Tendencies And Experiences Of Latina Undergraduate Students, Nichole Shada

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In the United States, self-promotion during a job interview is not just common, it is expected (Paulhus, Westlake, Calvez, & Harms, 2013). Job applicants are encouraged to inform potential employers about the qualifications, strengths, and professional accomplishments that make them the best fit for the job, which requires applicants to engage in self-promotion during the job interview. Literature has begun to suggest that sociocultural factors such as gender or culture may influence an individual’s propensity to engage in modesty as opposed to self-promotion in career-related contexts like the job interview. However, few studies have explored how these sociocultural factors interact …

Effects Of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation On Student-Teacher Interactions, Sonya A. Bhatia

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Young children with disruptive classroom behaviors are at-risk for negative interactions with their teachers (Nelson & Roberts, 2000), which put children at increased risk for long-term negative social, academic, and behavioral outcomes (Sutherland & Oswald, 2005). Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) is an evidence-based family-school partnership intervention focused on strengthening relationships and promoting continuity and consistency between children’s key environments (Sheridan & Kratochwill, 2008). The efficacy of CBC on child outcomes and parent-teacher relationships has been demonstrated (Sheridan et al., 2017); however, no research has determined whether CBC improves student-teacher interactions.

This study examined CBC’s effect on student-teacher interactions using a …

Using Self-Regulation To Predict Preschoolers' Symptomology Of Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Andrew White

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The use of brief rating forms completed by caregivers to identify children at-risk for developing behavioral disorders is common (Lane et al., 2009). However, identifying a behavioral measure assessing child-level variables (i.e., temperamental traits) which predict later behavioral concerns has potential to improve universal screening practices in the context of a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) framework. Self-regulation (Rothbart & Bates, 2006) is a trait that is related to externalizing problem behaviors (e.g., Espy et al., 2011), and may be useful as a means to predict young children at risk for developing behavioral disorders. The purpose of this study is …

Healthy Life Choice: Using The School-Based Program To Facilitate Change, Jennifer Shaheed

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research highlights the multiple determinants of weight including poverty, nutrition, and physical activity (Miguel-Berges, 2018). Children and adolescents living in rural areas are at greater risk than their urban counterparts. Regarding physical activity, there are often fewer recreational resources and the high poverty rate precludes transportation or additional fees associated with many extracurricular activities. In response to this problem, research has shown the educational environment is a point of access to reinforce health education and behavior. One evidenced-based program showing significant outcome in improving health behavior is the Healthy Lifestyle Choices (HLC) which is designed to be delivered in an …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Motor Planning With Core Vocabulary: A Behavior Analytic Account, Alison Judith Karnes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) increases, it is important for practitioners to continue to improve evidence-based practices (EBP) for the treatment of ASD symptoms (i.e., impairments in social communication and repetitive behaviors and restricted interests; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). It is estimated that 30-50% of individuals with autism do not acquire functional speech (Wodka, Mathy, & Kalb, 2013). These individuals would make appropriate candidates for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC; Mirenda, 2003). One form of AAC is the speech-generating device (SGD). Over the last ten years, tablet-based technologies including iPad minisⓇ have been emphasized in the …

Effects Of Critical Reflection On University Students’ Cognitive Achievement In Agricultural Mechanization, Patterson P. Hilaire

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Experiential learning continues to play a vital role in agricultural education and mechanization laboratories (Shoulders & Myers, 2013). An essential component of experiential learning is critical reflection. Critical reflection helps students process and construct meaning from laboratory experiences. A study conducted by Shoulders and Myers (2013) revealed that only 15.4% of the agricultural educators the researchers interviewed incorporated reflective practices laboratory experiences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of critical reflection on students’ achievement following five agricultural mechanization laboratory activities. The results from this study revealed that critical reflection had a consistently positive effect on immediate …

Beyond Right Or Wrong: The Influences Of Thinking Disposition And Item Difficulty On Student Behavior During High-Stakes Testing, Kristina Lindquist

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A hallmark of clinician decision making is the ability to know when to make quick decisions and when decision making should be slowed to account for complicating factors. Throughout the physician training process, multiple choice test items are used to assess student knowledge however, these items do not assess the process used by a student to arrive at the answer choice. If an important characteristic of decisions in clinical practice is timing, then decision timing could be an important consideration for medical school assessments. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate factors that may affect the amount of …

Exploring The Impact Of Positive Peer Views Of Girls On School Engagement In Middle School Girls, Christine E. Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study focused on the types of messages female middle school students receive about their gender from their peers. Specifically, it looked at microaggressions, which are sexist messages from peers, and microaffirmations, which are positive and affirming messages from peers. There were four goals of this study. First, to check if the Students Affirming Girls in Middle School scale (SAG-MS), a scale created for this study, could consistently measure microaggressions and microaffirmations. Second, to look at the relationship between when girls experience puberty and microaggressions and microaffirmations. Third, to measure any differences in the number of microaggressions and microaffirmations girls …

College Student Depression: An Examination Of Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Gender And Sexual Orientation Diversity, And Help-Seeking Willingness, Sharon Jalene

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Depression is a serious illness characterized by persistent low mood, reduced cognitive capacity, and fatigue. Although treatable, depression is the leading cause of disability and ill-health worldwide and a significant contributor to suicide, the second leading cause of death for young Americans. In any given two-week period, 8.1% of adults in the United States had moderate to severe depression (2013-2016). The rate of depression for females was twice that of males and compared to the majority, sexual and gender minorities (SGM) were at a threefold risk. Furthermore, evidence suggests that depression incidence is three times higher in college students than …

Exploring The Influence Of Relational Frame Theory On The Treatment Acceptability Of Noncontingent Reinforcement, Amanda R. Rohan

Theses and Dissertations

Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR), delivered on a fixed-time schedule, is a behavioral and evidence-based intervention recommended by school psychologists that may be underutilized due to resistance to behaviorally-orientated strategies, which often conflict with the child-centered training philosophies of teachers (Bear, 2013). Due to training rooted different learning philosophies, the language and verbal repertoires amongst these professionals may not always be consistent, presenting a barrier to effective communication. Relational Frame Theory (RFT) holds that the core of human language and cognition is the ability to learn to relate terms and ideas and has been effectively used to alleviate communication barriers by expanding …

Perceived Workload In High School Students, Emmaly Baker

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

The proposed study extended the findings of Laurie-Rose and her colleagues (2017) examining workload in children. The goal of the study was to effectively use an interactive technology—Mentimeter—to assess workload. The study employed two cognitive tasks, the Symbol-Digit Substitution and the d2 test of attention to determine whether or not students can discriminate the demands of tasks with objectively different workload profiles. The study further examined the role of Executive Function with these cognitive tasks. Workload ratings were consistent with objective demands of the task, suggesting that Mentimeter may be a valuable tool to administer workload assessments in the classroom.

Meditation As An Intervention To Help College Students Cope With Stress, Marissa Bottos

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

According to the American College Health Association (ACHA) (2017), in a survey of 31,463 students, 31.7% stated that stress negatively impacts their academic performance (lower grades, dropped course, etc.). Additionally, 45.1% of the students stated they have more than average stress levels. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to determine if mindfulness meditation was effective in helping college students cope with stress. Based on current evidence, Jon Kabat-Zinn’s online application for mindfulness meditation is supported as an effective way to help college students cope with stress (Regehr et al. 2013; Yusufov et al. 2018; Cavanagh et al. …

Exploration In The Association Of Authoritative Parenting And Adolescent’S Success In A Junior College Honors Program, Kassandra Mariel Soledad

Undergraduate Research Conference

The presented study examines authoritative parenting and its associations with an adolescent's success. There is a significant gap in the knowledge in regard to the impact of parental tough love on adolescents. It is important to determine the answer to the problem because it could help fill the significant gap in the knowledge. This research will help determine if an authoritative parenting style is effective in making an adolescent successful. It can help a parent decide how to or not to raise their children. The evidence found in this study can also be used to help inform parents of the …

Book Review: Seeds Of Greatness By Denis Waitley, Jennifer Maynard

Marriott Student Review

Book review of Seeds of Greatness by Denis Waitley, personal anecdotes and summaries of research on the secrets to success in life and in the business world.

The Art Of Learning, Richard Rolapp

Marriott Student Review

No abstract provided.

G.I. Jane Fem Etran Goes Corporate: An Exploration Of Post-9/11 Female Combat Veterans Transitioning To A Civilian Career, Tumona Austin

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this multiple-case study was to explore the experiences of post- 9/11 female combat veterans transitioning from military service to civilian careers, using the Schlossberg transition model factors of situation, self, social support, and strategies.

Methodology: This multiple-case study identified and interviewed post-9/11 female combat veterans transitioning from active-duty to civilian career. Respondents were purposively chosen based on specific criteria and expert panel recommendations.

Findings: Examination of case-study interview data and artifacts from the 3 post-9/11 female combat veterans indicated nine major findings:

1. The factor of situation clearly outweighed the other Schlossberg factors in impact.

2. …

Cognitivism In School Psychologists’ Talk About Cultural Responsiveness: A Critical Discourse Analysis, Sujay Sabnis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although there is an increase in publications on the topic of cultural responsiveness in school psychology, the research literature does not interrogate the discourse around cultural responsiveness and the modes of practices it enables. Using a preexisting dataset featuring interviews with 15 school psychologists, I analyzed the discursive formations characterizing the talk about cultural responsiveness. Data analysis using the critical discursive psychology framework illuminated the presence of cognitivism in participant talk. Critical discourse analysis drawing on Foucauldian theory of power effects revealed the ways in which cognitivism both enabled and constrained the discursive production of ‘culture’ and ‘cultural responsiveness’. Culture …

Generating Civically-Engaged Undergraduate Student Scientists In General Education Classrooms, Tara T. Lineweaver, Tonya R. Bergeson

Scholarship and Professional Work - Communication

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Stress Mindset Interventions On University Students' Health And Functioning, Abigail Fate

Undergraduate Honors Papers

In modern society, the overwhelming cultural narrative proclaims that stress is detrimental to health and should be limited and avoided at all costs. However, recent research has demonstrated that it is one’s stress mindset, rather than their stress level, that determines the psychological and physiological outcomes. Mindsets are lenses that simplify and order the world, and have been proven to influence daily behavioral and physiological responses to create cascading effects. Recent research has demonstrated that one’s mindset about stress is the demining factor in health, performance, and productivity in response to stressful conditions, and that these mindsets can be manipulated …

The Unheard Cries And Unseen Tears Of The Middle East, Adina Shabe

Orphans and Vulnerable Children Student Projects

No abstract provided.