Psychology Commons^™

A Review Of A School Psychologist's Roles In The Implementation Of An Rti System, Leigh Ann Thul

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As schools continue to move into this era of accountability, they must consider system level changes that will address the needs of students as a whole. Using the problem solving model through a system of Response to Intervention (Rtl), schools can use data to monitor discrepancies between expectations of learning and actual student outcomes. Not only can individual student data be used to problem solve about students but also, aggregated data as a whole can help inform system level decision making to reach accountability goals.

Moving to a system of Rtl takes many system level changes that can be daunting …

A Preliminary Investigation Of The Validity Of Time-Based Measures Of Sustained Attention For Children, Michael R. Kulfan

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study is a preliminary investigation of the validity of using time-based measures to quantify sustained attention in children ages 6-12. Problems with sustained attention negatively affect childhood learning and development. The prevalence of disorders known to impact sustained attention performance continue to rise in the United States. Currently, commercially available, objective measures of sustained attention use normative comparisons that provide limited information about the effect such problems have on child performance in natural settings. We reviewed test data from 290 charts of children ages 6-12 referred for neuropsychological evaluation. The Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) is an …

Identification Of Specific Learning Disability Profiles: Consideration Of Patterns Across Cognitive, Academic, Socio-Emotional, And Executive Variables, Amanda M. Garrett

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

During recent years, there has been a growing urgency and a heightened demand for increased accountability for all students to demonstrate academic success in school, as required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB; 2002). An integral part of helping students to meet success in school includes providing them with a free and appropriate education; this also includes those students who have educational disabilities, through the provision of specially designed instruction and supports. In the past, SLD had been studied as a homogenous classification (Rourke, 1999). However, as more recent research has evolved, it has become clearer that students …

Do Military Personnel Feel Excluded And Ignored In Post-Secondary Education, Clark Ryan-Gonzalez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study was conducted to investigate whether returning veterans feel ostracized (excluded and ignored) and if they experience its immediate negative impact (reflexive pain response and thwarted basic needs) on university campuses. Additionally, this study was designed to investigate veteran students’ feelings of perceived burdensomeness, and three caveats of student engagement: student faculty engagement, community-based activities, and transformational learning opportunities. Participants in the study were 118 civilian and veteran students at the University of North Florida. All data were collected through a world wide web surveying program that allowed each participant to respond on computers from any location. Both …

An In Depth Analyses Of Specific Language Impairment As Compared To Other Developmental Disorders, Adam W. Stein Mr.

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Specific language impairment (SLI), defined as a disproportionate difficulty in learning language despite having normal hearing, intelligence, and no known neurological or emotional impairment, has been shown to share similar cognitive characteristics with individuals with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). However, little research has investigated the dissimilarities in these two different developmental disorders. Children with SLI also show many similar symptoms with individuals diagnosed with dyslexia. The aim of these studies is to get a better understanding of cognitive differences between SLI and ADHD, and the cognitive similarities between SLI and dyslexia. Tests of both verbal and non-verbal measures of …

School Wide Positive Behavioral And Intervention Supports : The Effectiveness Of Tier 1 Strategies, Gregory James Halsor

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This literature review critically examines the effectiveness of Tier 1 Positive Behavioral and Intervention Supports (SWPBIS). Managing problem behavior in the school setting has been a major focus of educators, with the goal of lowering classroom disruptions and increasing the effectiveness of learning.

Over the years, school wide behavior management programs have not been consistent or widespread leading educators to identify disruptive behavior as a primary concern in their classrooms. SWPBIS emphasizes the integration of measurable outcomes, data-based decision making, and evidence based interventions. Research on the implementation of SWPBIS in schools has displayed positive effects related to decreasing the …

The Effects Of Check-In/Check-Out And Check-In/Check-Out In Combination With Social Skills Training For Students Who Exhibit Disruptive Classroom Behavior, Aimee Maldonado

Master's Theses

The purpose was to investigate the additive effects of Social Skills Training (SST) to Check-in/Check-out (CICO) on academic engagement of students. Participants were 3 elementary students who exhibited disruptive behavior who were nominated by teachers. The two dependent variables were the level of Appropriately Engaged Behavior (AEB) of the student as well as the student's behavior ratings indicated by teacher responses on the Daily Behavior Report Card (DBRC) with and without SST. A noncurrent multiple baseline across students design was used to examine both dependent variables. Goldstein and McGinnis' program, Skillstreaming the Elementary School Child, was used during SST. The …

Evaluation Of Multiple Schedules With Naturally Occurring And Contrived Discriminative Stimuli Following Functional Communication Training, Kenneth D. Shamlian Psyd

All Student Scholarship

The purpose of this dissertation is to describe a doctoral research study designed to compare use of contrived and naturally occurring discriminative stimuli when using multiple schedules to thin reinforcement following functional communication training and their subsequent efficacy when introduced to novel contexts. Results indicated for one participant training with contrived stimuli was most effective, both contrived and naturally occurring stimuli were similarly effective for a second, and further modifications of a) pairing specific therapists to training conditions and, (b) adding toys during EXT components were necessary for either training condition to be effective for a third. For one participant, …

Gender Differences In Written Expression At The Elementary Level, Ashley D. Melloy

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The use of Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) in schools is increasing, as it is a useful indicator of students’ basic academic skills. CBM measures are often used for identifying students at-risk, monitoring their progress during interventions, and even making special education eligibility determinations. Much of the research has focused on CBM in the area of reading. Relatively few studies have examined the area of CBM-Written Expression. A couple of studies indicated there are gender differences on CBM-Written Expression measures. This study sought to determine if gender differences exist at the elementary level and, if so, at what grade level such differences …

An Item Analysis Of The Child Behavior Checklist With Preschool Children With Autism, Heather Rhea Orten

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The diagnosis of autism is a comprehensive process that requires trained professionals and is often a time consuming process. Behavior rating scales are common components used by practitioners in evaluations to assess various social, emotional, or behavioral problems. With the rise of awareness, the steady increase of autism diagnoses, and the importance of early identification to increase the effectiveness of intervention, there is a need for screeners to identify the characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders. The purpose of the present study was to determine if there was a group of items on the Child Behavior Checklist/1.5-5 that reliably distinguished between …

Promoting Students' Social And Academic Success Through Teacher Praise, Rebekah S. Bickford Psyd

All Student Scholarship

Teachers’ ratios of positive-to-negative interactions (praise ratios) have been shown to be responsive to instruction and feedback. Likewise, students have demonstrated improvements on multiple dimensions of academic and behavioral outcome measures as a result of increases in teachers’ use of praise. The present study investigates the impact of motivational consultation combined with performance feedback and instruction on the praise ratios of teachers in a general education setting. This research examines the impact of increased praise ratios on the silent reading comprehension of students as measured by curriculum-based measures. The impact of increased praise ratios on students’ subjective well-being at school …

Using The Good Behavior Game To Decrease Disruptive Behavior While Increasing Academic Engagement With A Headstart Population, Brandy Marie Hunt

Dissertations

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) has been widely supported as an effective intervention to alter a variety of target behaviors, in various settings, with varying age groups; however, there are areas warranting further investigation. Prior to the present study, no study has examined the GBG’s effectiveness in decreasing disruptive behaviors while increasing appropriate academic behaviors within a preschool population. The present study adds to the literature base by investigating the GBG’s effectiveness in simultaneously decreasing classroom disruptive behaviors while increasing appropriate behaviors. A multiple baseline design across three Headstart classrooms was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the GBG on …

Positive Peer Reporting And Positive Peer Reporting Combined With Tootling: A Comparison Of Interventions, Julie Christine Sherman

Dissertations

Positive Peer Reporting (PPR) and Tootling are interventions designed to improve children’s positive behavior and decrease peer rejection. Research is limited for both interventions, including dependent variables for appropriate behavior. The current study assessed PPR and a combination of PPR and Tootling for decreasing inappropriate behavior and increasing appropriate behavior. Behavior was also observed a second time to assess for generalization. Results showed that PPR and PPR with Tootling both reduced inappropriate behavior for four children referred for peer rejection and who exhibited inappropriate behavior in the classroom. There were no differences between the two interventions for inappropriate and appropriate …

Public Versus Private Praise: A Direct Behavioral Comparison In Secondary Classrooms, John Travis Blaze

Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of teacher public and private praise on students’ appropriately engaged behavior (AEB) and disruptive behaviors (DB). Overall, four general education classrooms in southern Mississippi employed a multiple-baseline design across two pairs to assess the effects of public and private praise. Each classroom’s mean percentage of observed intervals of AEB and DB across public and private praise intervention phases was assessed and compared. Overall, visual analysis of the graphs, multilevel modeling, effect sizes, and odds ratios showed that both public and private praise were more effective than no treatment at …

Evaluation Of Performance-Based And Pre-Set Conventional Criterion For Reinforcement In Check In-Check Out, Lauren Lestremau Harpole

Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of two methods of criterion-setting, performance-based or pre-set conventional, as evidenced by improvements in children’s behavior. Participant behavior was evaluated through teacher reports of appropriate behavior and observed academically engaged behavior as well as decreases in problem behavior and disruptive behavior. Eight elementary school students in a Southeastern town referred for exhibiting behavior problems served as participants in addition to their teachers. The effects of the different methods of criterion setting on the dependent variables were evaluated. Teacher ratings of appropriate behavior were assessed through evaluation of Daily Behavior …

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of Spaced Trial Fading On Skill Acquisition: An Analysis Of Transfer Of Stimulus Control, Amanda Nicole Zangrillo Psyd

All Student Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to assess efficacy of spaced trial fading procedures on skill acquisition and transfer of stimulus control. Specifically, 3 participants were each taught a set of skills identified from the ABLLS or VB-MAPP. Each set of skills was randomly assigned to a no spaced-trial treatment group or spaced trial fading treatment group. In addition, maintenance and generalization probes were conducted following mastery to assess skill acquisition and transfer of stimulus control 1 week following treatment.

Gifted Hispanic Identity: Exploring Relationships Among Resilience, Goals And Academic Orientation, Matthew Forrester

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological analysis was to explore the identity development of gifted Hispanic male students in the middle school setting. The study used a survey, multiple interviews and observations, along with focus group data to acquire data in four principle areas: academic orientation, ethnic identity, resilience and goals. Results indicate the importance of resilience as an interactive element in the process of identity development, as well as the importance of ethnic identity exploration and long-term goal setting in formulating a high achieving academic orientation. Other emergent themes such as language use and discrimination are also discussed in light …

The Effects Of Training In Self-Regulated Learning And Achievement Orientations In Lower Socioeconomic Elementary Students, Ashley N. Carroll

Doctoral Dissertations

Previous research has explored the development of the self-regulated learner. The majority of these studies have focused on high school and college students (Hofer & Yu, 2003). This study explored this concept at the elementary school level with lower socioeconomic students. This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of a short intervention teaching self-regulatory and metacognitive learning strategies to these elementary students. The researcher designed a learning intervention for fifth-grade students that included various cognitive strategies and study skills. The intervention group was compared to a control group of fifth-graders. The students' self-efficacy, self-regulation, and achievement orientation were assessed …

The Relation Between High-Quality Prekindergarten Classroom Environments And Literacy Outcomes For Students Learning English As A Second Language, Allison Q. Osborn

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

U. S. students’ early English literacy skills are critical for their later reading and subsequent school success (e.g., Badian, 2000; Collins, 2010; Molfese et al., 2001; Storch & Whitehurst, 2002). Children’s literacy skills are stronger when they attend high-quality prekindergarten classrooms, especially classrooms with strong instructional supports (Hamre & Pianta, 2005). Moreover, some research has suggested that students who enter school with the weakest skills and with higher risk of academic difficulty (including students who speak English as a second language) benefit the most from high-quality instruction and interactions in early literacy and reading (Connor, Morrison, & Petrella, 2004; Downer …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Origination And Manifestation Of The Cyberbully/Cyberbullying Victim Relationship From The Perspective Of Cyberbullying Victims, Michael Boyd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cyberbullying has gained a considerable amount of media attention in recent years (Kowalski, Limber, & Agatston, 2008). However, little is known about the details of cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationships within the lived experience of victims. This phenomenological study investigated the origination and manifestation of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship. The study is phenomenological in order to examine the origination of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship and how the relationship is manifested in the lived experience of participants who were cyberbullying victims. The study examines the impact of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship from the theoretical perspective of Vygotsky's (1986) sociocultural learning theory and Maslow's …

Cultural Differences In The Levels Of Rewards Between Adolescents From America, Australia, Tanzania, Denmark, Honduras, Korea, And Spain, Kendra J. Homan, Daniel Houlihan, Kari Ek, Joseph Wanzek

Psychology Department Publications

The intent of this study is to determine what items are reinforcing for high school students from different regions of the world including America, Australia, Tanzania, Denmark, Honduras, Korea, and Spain. Additionally, the researchers sought to determine if there is a difference in the levels of rewards between individuals from America and individuals from these other countries. Seven hundred and fifty high school students from seven countries participated in this study. The only requirement for inclusion in the study was current enrollment in high school in their native country. Subject ages ranged from 12 to 19 years, with a mean …

A Phenomenology Of Nonparticipation In Extracurricular Activities By Hispanic Middle School Students, Janelle Garner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to examine the reasons why Hispanic middle grade students choose not to participate in school-based extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities have been recognized to have a positive influence on the educational success of students. Despite the positive effects, Hispanic students have been shown to participate in extracurricular activities at school less than other groups of students. The lack of participation by students in extracurricular activities is related to student disengagement and ultimately dropping out of school. This study uses three methods of data collection: analysis of documents and artifacts, a scaled survey, and a …

Faculty Perceptions Of Campus Diversity, Meghan K. Purdy

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The primary purpose of this study was to assess faculty perceptions of campus diversity at Western Kentucky University. A Diversity Survey was developed and administered to faculty at Western Kentucky University. Responses from the 378 fulltime faculty members who completed the survey were used in this study. Composites including campus diversity climate, satisfaction with diversity effects, race, gender, and religion were formed from the survey items for use in the analyses. Results indicated that minority and women faculty perceive campus diversity less favorably than do majority and men faculty.

The Impact Of Incentives On Neuropsychological Test Performance: An Analog Study, Laura Marie Spenceley

Psychology - Dissertations

Concussion, also known as mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), represents a common injury in children, young adults, and athletes in particular. High rates of malingering have been demonstrated in individuals with MTBI when faced with monetary incentives, but research is yet to explore the impact of other incentives on test performance. The present study sought to examine the rate of effort test failure, symptom report, and neuropsychological test performance in college students assigned to one of three conditions: Fake Good, Fake Bad, and No Incentive conditions. All groups were asked to simulate concussion and provided a description of the injury …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of An Adaptation Of Pals For Math In A Seventh Grade Classroom, Alexis Marie Berry Kiburis Psyd

All Student Scholarship

In an attempt to validate and expand the potential application of PALS for math in a wider variety of settings, this research study examined the effects of implementing a modified version of PALS for math with seventh grade students in regular education mathematics classes. Utilizing a pre-post group design with a nested within-subject ABC single case design, the results of this study suggested that an adaptation of PALS for math for seventh grade students resulted in significant improvement in posttest mathematics computation performance within the experimental group when their pretest mathematics computation scores were considered as covariates. When comparing the …

School Change: Adolescents Transitioning From Conventional Schooling To Home-Based Online Education, Harvey Klamm

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This hermeneutic phenomenological research explored the lived experiences of six recently graduated adolescents to extrapolate the valued essence of their transitional encounters in changing from conventional school to home-based online schooling. The homeschool research shifted the emphasis from the outcome-based academic achievement studies prevalent during the past 20 years to a focus on internal and external factors impacting student learning within this technological instructional process. Findings produced from analysis and interpretation of reflective adolescent lived experiences revealed rich truth regarding the internal emotions, environmental adaptations, academic ramifications, and social adaptations encountered when changing from conventional schooling to home-based online school. …

Adult Perceptions Of The Experience Of Being Identified "Talented And Gifted" As Children: A Phenomenological Study, Bradford Summers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This is a phenomenological study of adult perceptions of the experience of being identified "talented and gifted" as children. Data were gathered by transcribing the video recordings of adults who were students of the Talented and Gifted (TAG) education program in Fairfield, Ohio during 1978-1983. The phenomenological method was used to discover perceptions of a unique population of adults who shared life experiences during elementary and middle school. Analysis of the data resulted in the identification of four main themes: Growth, Interpersonal, Future, and Thankfulness. Three facilitating and three challenging subthemes were identified under each main theme. These were: Internal …

Problem Solving Interventions: Impact On Young Children With Developmental Disabilities, Lindsay Ann Diamond

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Problem-solving skills are imperative to a child's growth and success across multiple environments, including general and special education. Problem solving is comprised of: (a) attention to the critical aspects of a problem, (b) generation of solution(s) to solve the problem, (c) application of a solution(s) to the identified problem, and (d) evaluation of the consequences of the solution. Children with developmental disabilities may experience difficulty with the problem-solving process.

The purpose of this study was to determine an effective method to teach young children with developmental disabilities to problem solve. Specifically, this study compared two types of problem-solving instruction. The …

Varying Task Demonstrability To Examine The Roles Of Social And Cognitive Factors In Group Transfer Learning, Adam J. Freedman

Psychology Honors Projects

I investigated the importance of cognitive exposure and social interaction for group-to-individual transfer for low-and high-demonstrability tasks. I tested the hypothesis that transfer occurs for high-demonstrability tasks with or without social interaction, but transfer for low-demonstrability tasks only occurs if subjects engage in social interaction. During the transfer phase, subjects either worked in a small group, which permitted social interaction, or viewed a video of a yolked group, which only permitted the transfer of cognitive processes. Analysis of subjects’ pre-post performance difference indicated that transfer is constant regardless of the level of demonstrability. However, overall transfer for the high demonstrability …

School Psychologists' Self-Perceptions Of Multicultural Competence: The Relevance Of Experience And Training, Jacquelyn B. Wright, Kevin J. Filter, Julene Douty Nolan, Sarah K. Sifers

Psychology Department Publications

A national survey of 216 school psychologists' perceptions of multicultural competence indicated that multicultural competence significantly increases as a function of hours of training and frequency of experience working with individuals from cultures different from their own. Results are discussed in the context of measurement limitations for multicultural competence and implications for trainers of school psychologists.