Psychology Commons^™

More Than Meets The Eye: The Covert Nature Of Female Aggression In A Kindergarten Through Second Grade Population, Allison Janoski

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study addressed the verification of the existence of relational aggression in boys and girls in a kindergarten through second grade population. There has been little, if any, empirical research conducted with children in kindergarten through second grade concerning their use of relational aggression. The current research was conducted with teachers' reports of aggression styles displayed by their kindergarten through second grade students (N = 257). This research was conducted to compare the incidence of Relational aggression in boys and girls and to compare the incidence of overt aggression in boys and girls. This research also examined whether the …

Emotional Intelligence And Social Skills: Studying Students With Emotional-Behavioral Disability (Ebd), Bridget Wilfert

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Students diagnosed with Emotional-Behavioral Disability (EBD) have an inability to successfully interact with peers or adults. This study examined 33 students with EBD to investigate their emotional intelligence, social skills, and the relationship between these two constructs. Participants were classified as either primary (grades 1-6, n = 14) or secondary (grades 7-12, n = 19). Students completed a Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) Self-Report Student Form and a BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Edition (EQi: YV) Form, while special education teachers completed the SSRS Teacher Form on each student. Results indicated that the emotional intelligence and social skills of these …

The Identification Of Factors That Threaten Self-Efficacy And Collegiate Success On The Part Of College Transfer Students, Mark A. Frederick

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to identify factors that could be used to quantify and measure levels of perceived self-efficacy on the part of college transfer students. Previous research on college student retention as well as data gathered from focus group meetings as part of this project provided background information from which items were derived for inclusion on an instrument designed to measure transfer student academic self-efficacy. Factor analysis of the instrument's 25 items, completed by 159 transfer students at a large Midwestern university yielded a four-factor structure which included Community Integration, General Support Structures, Social Supports, and Academic Skills. A …

Mixing Motives: The Relationship Between College Students' Helping Behaviors And Alcohol Use, Randy Lee Halberda

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigates the relationship between volunteer helping and alcohol use and drinking problems in a sample of 396 college students. Two pilot studies were conducted to adapt a measure of helping behavior (Kaskutas, Oberste, & Zemore, 2002) for use with college students. The present study tests the hypothesis that students who help others are less likely to consume alcohol and subsequently less likely to suffer alcohol-related problems than their peers. Additionally, a path model specifying mediators between helping behaviors and drinking outcomes was examined. The proposed path model predicted that volunteer helping affects well being and perceived peer …

Cognitive Assessment Of School Age Spanish Speaking English Language Learners, Casey Johnson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The number of students who speak a language other that English in schools across the U.S. is rapidly increasing. The Spanish speaking student population, in particular, has grown considerably in recent years. One way to examine the extent of this growth is to consider demographic data at the national and state levels.

Parent Training Programs, Values, And Related Issues Concerning The Culturally Diverse, Raina Ilen Jones

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Few parent training programs that address the improvement of coercive or negative parent-child interactions in culturally diverse populations exist in the literature; of the few that do exist, there is sparse empirical information on program effectiveness. Because parent training is an effective way to address parent-child interaction, parent training programs are discussed in the context of the values of African Americans, Asian Americans, Caucasian Americans, Latino Americans, and Native Americans. A review of the literature on values and culturally-specific and culturally adapted parenting programs was conducted as was a review of programs that have been modified for culturally diverse groups. …

The Effects Of Core Affect, Emotion, And Self-Efficacy On Physiologic Response To Social Stressors, Jessica L. Reedy

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Cardiovascular health is affected by many factors including biological aspects such as heredity and overall health, as well as by environmental factors. Social stress, socioeconomic status, family environment, and coping skills have all been shown to contribute increased risk for cardiovascular disease. In an effort to further elucidate past findings in this area, this study, conducted on 36 college-age students, examined the connection between physiological response (blood pressure, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure) to laboratory social stressors in correspondence to emotional, affective, and arousal levels, as measured by self-report. The results yielded a significant relationship between physiologic response to …

A Comparison Of The Basc And Cbcl With At-Risk Preschoolers, Sara Murphy

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Behavior rating scales, such as the Behavior Assessment System for Children ([BASC] Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1998) and the Child Behavior Checklist ([CBCL] Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000), are often used to assess social and emotional behavior problems. Although a substantial amount of research exists on the previous version of the BASC/6-18 and CBCL/4-18, little research exists on the latest preschool versions of the BASC/2.5-5 and CBCL/1.5-5. The current study examined the overall consistency between the revised BASC and CBCL preschool versions. A sample of 33 parents of preschool-aged children considered "at-risk" participated in this study by completing both the BASC and …

Reliability And Validity Of The Dallas Threat Of Violence Risk Assessment, Russell B. Van Dyke

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Several high-profile, multiple-victim school shootings between 1996 and 1999 dramatically shook the public's perception of the safety of our schools. In response to public concern, the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) developed a district-wide policy for responding to threats of violence and implemented the Dallas Threat of Violence Risk Assessment (DTVRA). The DTVRA is designed to help school personnel assess the likelihood of a student following through with a threat and to provide guidance for appropriate interventions for students who threaten violence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inter-rater reliability and construct-related validity of the DTVRA. Ratings …

Victimization During The Middle School Years: Exploring The Relationship Between Emotion Regulation And Emotional/Behavioral Outcomes, Jason E. Harlacher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present thesis examined emotion regulation differences among victims and non victims of bullying and its role as a mediator in the link between victimization and internalizing or externalizing outcomes. Participants from Grades 6 to 8 (n = 240) completed measures that assessed level of victimization, emotions felt relative to emotions expressed during bullying situations, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Weak victim-related differences revealed that boy victims reported feeling more shame and expressing more fear than nonvictims, whereas girl victims reported expressing more shame and feeling and expressing more anger and sadness. A new measure of emotional regulation did …

Appalachian High School Students' Possible Selves As A Mediator Of Continuing Their Education, Erica Chenoweth

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Appalachian region has long been regarded as an economically disadvantaged area, with a lower percentage of individuals pursuing higher education than in the nation as a whole. Improving the educational status of residents of Appalachia may foster some economic transition in the region, shifting the employment focus from an unskilled labor emphasis to more professional and career opportunities. Better understanding of the influences in the decision processes of Appalachian students is needed in order to design and implement intervention programs to increase enrollment in higher education. The concept of possible selves is introduced as a way to examine individuals' …

Assessing The Health-Related Service Needs Of People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Review Of Ryan White Title Ii Needs Assessments, Ryan K. Loo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) allocated $940 million in 2002, through Title II of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, to help states improve the quality and availability of health-related services for people living with HIV/AIDS. These resources are allocated based upon recommendations made by community planning committees, which in turn base their recommendations on HIV/AIDS needs assessments. A methodologically sound, comprehensive needs assessment is a critical component of effective resource allocation decisions. Poor needs assessments might lead to poor resource allocation decisions, which might have life-threatening consequences for people living with HIV/AIDS. Little is …

Working Memory Capacity, Temporal Discounting, And Exercise Rates, Kathleen Lambourne

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

During decision-making, an individual must weigh the value of the outcomes involved while also considering the amount of time until the outcomes will occur. Discounting occurs when a smaller, immediately available reward is chosen over a larger, more delayed reward. Discounting rates are likely related to working memory capacity, because working memory stores and processes the value of the outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between working memory, temporal discounting, and the decision to engage in physical activity.

The results showed that working memory capacity was related to the physical activity rates. Discounting rates from …

The Effect Of Anger Management And Communication Training On Functional And Quality-Of-Life Status In Fibromyalgia Patients, Alexandra Michele Stillman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a debilitating condition that affects millions of individuals throughout the world. As of yet the specific etiology of this condition remains unknown and successful treatments remain in their infancy. Although several studies have focused on the emotional components of fibromyalgia, none have specifically addressed the issues of communication and anger that appear to be important among this patient population. The objectives of this study were to design a 4-week experimental group therapy treatment based on successful cognitive behavioral components and add anger management and communication components in an attempt to increase benefits to the overall well-being …

With A Little Help From My Friends (And Substitutes): Social Referents And Influence In Psychological Contract Fulfillment, Violet Ho

Management Faculty Publications

This study investigated employees’ choice of social referents and the impact of social influence on their beliefs of psychological contract fulfillment. Using data from a field study conducted with 99 employees in a research organization, we found that one’s referent choice varied with the domain of promise evaluated. When evaluating the organization’s fulfillment of organization-wide promises, employees’ referents were primarily coworkers with whom they had close direct ties, namely, friends and advice givers. On the other hand, when evaluating the fulfillment of job-related promises, employees’ referents were mainly fellow workers who could substitute for them and people with whom they …

Juvenile Fear Of Crime And Attitudes Towards The Police: The Effect Of Implementing A School Resource Officer Program In Alaska High Schools, Sean A. Case

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents data concerning the effect uniformed police officers have on attitudes towards the police and fear of crime within the high school setting. Two identical surveys were administered to 522 high school students at two periods during a school year. The primary purpose was to determine whether placing uniformed police officers, called School Resource Officers, in high schools would improve attitudes towards the police and reduce the fear of crime. Although opinions towards the police were positively affected and the fear of crime was reduced, neither was affected significantly. The primary implication drawn from this research is that …

The Soul Of Oscar Wilde Under Victorianism: A Psychological Biography, Carol Schnitzer

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oscar Wilde has fascinated generations of scholars and biographers for reasons having as much to do with the man as well as his work. In particular, his conflict with Victorian society, which engendered the drama that destroyed his career and eventually his life, has captured their imaginations and led to all kinds of speculations about why when the crunch came Wilde acted in a way so contrary to his own self-interest. His decision to sue the Marquess of Queenberry for libel and later to stand trial when the ensuing revelations about his private life resulted in his arrest on charges …

Adolescents' Self-Concepts Attending School In A Residential Setting For The Gifted, Teresa Garrett Baker

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between academic selfconcept and academic achievement of gifted students in a residential setting. Adolescence can prove to be a difficult journey for many students and particularly gifted students. To explore the concept of "self' at a multidimensional level the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents ([SPPA], Harter, 1988) was the instrument selected to examine the respondents' perceived competency in specific domains. Harter developed the SPPA as an upward extension of the Self-Perception for Children questionnaire (Harter, 1986). The purpose of the development of this earlier measure was to have an instrument that …

Job Satisfaction Among United States Air Force Security Forces Personnel Post-1997 Career Field Merger, James Harrison Popphan

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research was conducted to determine factors contributing to job satisfaction among US Air Force Security Forces personnel. Previous research conducted prior to major structural changes within the career field in 1997 and increased operations tempo due to the Global War on Terror was of questionable current pertinence. Job satisfaction has been shown to directly affect retention and performance. Retention is extremely important within the career field due to a personnel shortage of 8,000 troops. The current research closely followed the research design used by Michael Reiner to assess job satisfaction in the career field in 1997, and compares current findings …

Attribution Processes Of Stability, Controllability, And Responsibility In Impoverished Parents Of Children With And Without Behavior Disorders, Jane G. Cranford

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Social Support On Physical Health In Older Individuals, Erin M. Jackson

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Reinstatement Of Generation Encoding Operations On Source Decisions, Megan K. Littrell

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of The Availability Heuristic On Student's Judgments Of Others Alcohol Consumption, Jennifer Mcenroy

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The primary purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that enhancing the availability of images that either portrayed liberal heavy drinking at college or the conservative academic side of college would serve to influence students’ perceptions of peer norms. It was hypothesized that students would rely on the availability heuristic to make judgments of peer norms, so that exposure to a movie clip that emphasized drinking would increase estimates of peer drinking norms when compared with exposure to a movie clip that emphasized academic work. It was further hypothesized that the film clips would assist participants in making …

Comparing Montessori Education And Conventional Education On Aspects Of Creativity, Tiffany Jones

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

My Honors Thesis compares creativity in children taught in a Montessori classroom with students taught in a conventional classroom. I tested 58 children at BelleValleyElementary Schoolin EriePennsylvania, half in the Montessori program, half in traditional classrooms. Their ages ranged from 5-9, from kindergarten to 3^rd grade. I hypothesized that the independence allowed in Montessori classrooms would help foster creativity in its students. The project uses two forms of evaluation to test the concept of creativity, the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking and consensual assessment to score a creative collage. Significant developmental differences were found; older children scored higher on …

The Relationship Between Psychopathology In Caregivers And Their Children With Asthma, Jaime L. Benson

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Asthma is the leading chronic illness among children, and children with asthma have an increased risk not only for physical problems, but also for social and emotional difficulties related to their asthma. These risks are compounded when children have a caregiver who is depressed. The effects of maternal depression for children are complex and have been shown to persist into adolescence and adulthood. This is especially important because children with asthma, who are already at risk for psychopathology, may have increased internalizing and externalizing problems when their primary caregivers have depression or display depressive symptoms. Because depression affects cognitive functioning …

Singles Need Not Apply: Evangelical Church Responses Reveal Longer Response Latencies To Requests Of Single Adults, Michael Harmon

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

For single Christians over the age of twenty-five, finding support and acceptance within the church can be a very high hurdle to cross. While the church as a whole promotes itself as a place of acceptance, it is rare to find a church with activities focused toward single persons older than college age. Attempts by single persons to become involved in different facets of discipleship, service, and ministry are not always well received. In a preliminary uncontrolled study the results suggested that the church may have a bias against single adults. The present study considers whether the church operates with …

Navajo Ethnic Identity And Acculturation: Discovering Connections Between Ethnic Identity, Acculturation, And Psychosocial Outcomes, Matthew D. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

American Indians are severely disadvantaged and yet known relationships among risk and protective factors and cultural identification are limited. The current study assessed associations among measures of acculturation, ethnic identity, and psychosocial outcomes among Navajo adolescents. Adjustment of Navajo adolescents in the domains of school bonding, social functioning, self-esteem, depression, delinquent behaviors, and substance use was assessed. Navajo adolescents, between the ages of 14 and 18, also completed a self-report questionnaire containing the Revised Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, the Orthogonal Cultural Identification Scale, and the Native American Acculturation Scale. Measures of ethnic identity were positively associated with aspects of psychosocial …

"Faking Good" Response Patterns On The Mmpi-2 And The Child Abuse Potential Inventory, Stephen V. Flynn

Theses and Dissertations

A significant problem for forensic evaluations is the large number of clients who respond in a defensive manner. The present study examined defensive responding patterns on two self-report measures, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) and the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP). Subjects were child welfare clients undergoing a parental capacity evaluation. It was hypothesized that subjects would be less likely to attempt to portray themselves in an unrealistically positive manner (fake good) on the MMPI-2 than the CAP since the CAP items are more concerned with matters of child abuse and the MMPI-2 questions are primarily focused on Axis …

Play Assessment: The Effects Of Peer Interaction On Children's Cognitive Capabilities., Korrinda Mendez

Student Work

Play Assessment (PA) has recently gained the attention of researchers as a potential valid assessment tool for determining the cognitive capabilities in younger children. O f particular importance is the use o f PA among various contexts. Specifically, PA can provide insight into the types of contextual situations that promote higher levels of cognitive skills in younger children. The present study explored peer interactions as a contextual aspect of PA using the PACSS empirical coding scheme to determine the highest level of play behavior. According to the present study, results did not yield any significant differences in overall cognitive play …

The Stroop Task: Gender Differences Between College Students, Josephine Mwangi

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

There were six male and six female students from Lindenwood University that participated and they were recruited through the human subject pool office. The hypothesis tested was that females are faster at completing the Stroop test than the males. The students were presented with a color key that had the numbers that matched the colors they were required to correspond with onto the computer monitor. There was a practice session at the beginning and then condition one that contained four color-words, red, blue, green and yellow that were printed in any one of the other colors stated above, totaling to …