Psychology Commons^™

Differences In Self-Esteem Between Genders: A Look At Middle School, Beth S. Michael

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Most theorists suggest that the developement of self-esteem is found through interactions and experiences. However, these experiences may greatly differ between males and females in early adolescence because of developmental differences between the genders. Socialization may also play an important role in the self-esteem differences between genders. Overall, males and females have different developmental levels at the middle school age. Early or late development may impact the adolescent's self-esteem. This study will examine the differences in self-esteem between genders in middle school adolescents.

Potential Role Of Social Support Systems And Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Gregory Glenn Harris

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This research is being conducted to determine the possible relationship between an individual's resistance to developing PTSD and his or her social support system. The goal is for this information to be used in clinical settings to develop/facilitate better treatment profiles for individuals suffering from PTSD. In order to determine if a valid and reliable relationship exists between cognitive resistance to developing PTSD and social support systems, a screening tool had to be created. A mixture of biographical information, Impact of Events Scale - Revised, Beck's Hopelessness and Depression Scales was utilized to gather co-relational data so that a factor …

The Development Of A Counselor Performance Evaluation, Amanda Christine Messina

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Client’s Evaluation of Counselor Behavior Short Form (CECB-S) is a 33-question survey based on the factors of empathy, genuineness and unconditional positive regard. It was completed by the clients following every therapy session for a three-week period for a group of inexperienced counselors just starting their practicum, and a group of experienced counselors getting ready to leave their practicum. A factor analysis found that the CECB-S has 7 factors; Listening/Empathy Skills, Techniques, Goal Setting, Achievements, Availability, Counseling Action and Knowledge. To examine the validity of the survey, a MANOVA was also run to see if clients perceived differences between …

The Correlation Between Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Iii And Woodcock-Johnson Iii Cognitive Abilities And Wj Iii Achievement For College Students: Which Is A Better Predictor Of Reading Achievement?, Carrie M. Adkins

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The present study is intended to examine whether the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale III or Woodcock-Johnson III Cognitive Abilities would better predict reading achievement on the WJ III Achievement in the college student population. Participants included 29 college students attending a university in the Midwest, being evaluated for a learning disability or academic accommodations. Data were analyzed using Pearson r correlation, Fisher z, and t-test for each intelligence test in comparison to achievement subtests. Results from this study indicated that both IQ scores obtained from the WAISIII and the WJ-III COG correlated with reading significantly, but not highly enough to …

The Effects Of An After-School Intervention Program On The Reading And Math Proficiency Scores Of Sixth Graders, Laura Kelley Gleichauf

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In January 2005, a new after-school intervention program was implemented by a public middle school with the desire to raise their students. state proficiency scores. In order to evaluate their program and report the results of their labor, the proficiency scores of these southern Ohio students were studied by comparing the arithmetic means of the March 2003 fourth grade state proficiency scores with the arithmetic means of the March 2005 sixth grade state proficiency scores in the areas of reading and math. Differences in the performances were compared using t-tests. The outcome data of the comparison school was not successful …

Intimacy, Orgasm Likelihood Of Both Partners, Conflict, And Partner Response Predict Sexual Satisfaction In Heterosexual Male And Female Respondents, R. Vernon Haning

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Anonymous data provided by 417 female and 179 male sexually active heterosexual respondents showed that in long term sexual relationships sexual satisfaction was positively correlated with two different intimacy variables, the respondent’s orgasm likelihood, and the partner’s orgasm likelihood and negatively correlated with conflict in the relationship. All were significant predictors together in a multiple linear regression model. Empathic sexuality was defined as sexual response modulated by the sexual arousal or lack of arousal of the partner. Of 696 respondents, 90.3% reported empathic turn-on, 68% reported empathic turn-off, and 63.4% reported both empathic turn-on and turn-off, findings significantly different from …

Parents’ Perception Of The Mugc Graduate School Psychologist’S Ability To Be A Productive Member Of The Eligibility Committee And To Effectively Interpret A Psychoeducational Evaluation Report, Debra S. Henderson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The perception that Marshall University Graduate College produces students of school psychology that are well trained in the ability to develop a positive relationship with the parent during an eligibility committee meeting as well as in the interpretation of a psychoeducational report to parents was investigated. This study investigated the expectation levels and perceptions of parents when taking part in an eligibility committee meeting and when being explained a psychoeducational report by a school psychologist. The method of data collection included a survey developed in part from a survey used by permission that was originally created by Mac I. Barnett …

The Mood Type Indicator As Compared With The Mmpi-2 And Bdi-Ii: A Study Of Validity And Reliability, John Paul Hissom

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to further assess the reliability and validity of the Mood Type Indicator, an instrument created by the author to aid in screening for, and the differential diagnosis of, mood disorders. For purposes of measuring reliability, an alternate form method was used; for concurrent validity, the MTI was measured against the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, and the Beck’s Depression Inventory-II. The results indicated that the MTI with, some additional work, may become a viable instrument. An empirical approach to developing screening instruments for mood disorders was demonstrated. This approach to diagnosis was shown to have …

Three American Troops In Iraq: Evaluation Of A Brief Exposure Therapy Treatment For The Secondary Prevention Of Combat - Related Ptsd *, Jeffrey A. Cigrang, Alan L. Peterson, Richard P. Schobitz

School of Professional Psychology Faculty Publications

Relatively little research has been devoted to developing empirically-supported interventions for the secondary prevention of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (i.e., for individuals who have developed PTSD symptoms but not the full PTSD disorder). One-session psychological debriefing has been routinely used as a primary preventive intervention for individuals exposed to trauma, but the appropriateness of this practice has been questioned. The authors describe an alternative, secondary prevention model of brief exposure- based treatment using three cases of military members seeking help at a forward-deployed medical clinic in Iraq for PTSD symptoms following combat -related traumas. Treatment involved repeated imaginal exposure and …

Child-Pornography Possessors Arrested In Internet-Related Crimes: Findings From The National Juvenile Online Victimization Study., Janis Wolak, David Finkelhor, Kimberly J. Mitchell

Crimes Against Children Research Center

The goals of the National Juvenile Online Victimization (N-JOV) Study were to survey law-enforcement agencies within the United States (U.S.) to count arrests for Internet-related sex crimes committed against minors and describe the characteristics of the offenders, the crimes they committed, and their victims. This report focuses on a representative national sample of arrested offenders who possessed child pornography.

Collaborate With Whom? Clergy Responses To Psychologist Characteristics (Chapter 2 Of Psychology And The Church), Mark R. Mcminn, Jeff Ammons, Brian R. Mclaughlin, Colleen Williamson, Justin W. Griffin, C. Richelle Fitzsimmons, Brandi Spires

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

Some clergy and psychologists are willing to collaborate in providing for people under their care and some are reticent. The purpose of this research is to see if clergy are more likely to collaborate with psychologists of a particular sex or training background. Six groups of clergy were given written descriptions of a psychologist that varied on these two dimensions-the institution from which the psychologist received training and sexand were then asked to rate how likely they would be to participate in 7 collaborative scenarios with the psychologist. No group differences were found. Furthermore, clergy characteristics were not significantly related …

The Effect Of Gender, Confirmation Bias, And Metacognitive Self Assessment Over Varying Levels Of Expertise In A Visuospatial Task, Tatiana Ballion

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been shown that there exists a relationship between levels of metacognitive ability and estimation of personal ability for largely verbally-based tasks, where those with lessened facility for the task tend toward overestimation of their aptitude relative to their peers (Kruger and Dunning, 1999). This study examines this effect for a task of mechanical ability for volunteer participants (n = 69), where participants were given an abbreviated form of the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test (BMCT) to establish a level of competency. Following the administration of the BMCT, the participants were then asked to speculate on the hypothetical grade for …

The Influence Of Exploration Mode, Orientation, And Configuration On The Haptic Mu« Ller-Lyer Illusion, Morton Heller, Melissa Mccarthy, Jennifer Schultz, Jayme Green, Melissa Shanley, Ashley Clark, Samantha Skoczlyas, Jamie Prociuk

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

We studied the impact of manner of exploration, orientation, spatial position, and configuration on the haptic Mu« ller-Lyer illusion. Blindfolded sighted subjects felt raised-line Mu« ller-Lyer and control stimuli. The stimuli were felt by tracing with the index finger, free exploration, grasping with the index finger and thumb, or by measuring with the use of any two or more fingers. For haptic judgments of extent a sliding tangible ruler was used. The illusion was present in all exploration conditions, with overestimation of the wings-out compared to wings-in stimuli. Tracing with the index finger reduced the magnitude of the illusion. However, …

Overview Of Attachment Disorder And Effective Treatments For Children, Kathryn H. Hedican

Graduate Research Papers

When children experience extreme chronic trauma as a result of the effects of the disruption of healthy attachment patterns, a disorder known as Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) can develop. The importance for mental health counselors to understand the etiology of RAD cannot be overemphasized. Symptoms most often associated with this disorder include the inability to trust, failure to develop intimate relationships, or show affection, lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem, and anti-social behaviors and attitudes (Levy & Orlans, 1998 as cited in Sheperis, Renfro-Michel, & Doggett, 2003). Highlighting the foundational work of Erikson, Harlow, Bowlby, and Ainsworth includes a brief overview …

Developmental Considerations For Substance Use Interventions From Middle School Through College, Elizabeth J. D’Amico, Phyllis L. Ellickson, Eric F. Wagner, Rob Turrisi,, Kim Fromme, Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar, Douglas L. Longshore, Daniel F. Mccaffre, Marilyn J. Montgomery, Matthias Schonlau, Dale Wright

Faculty Publications - Graduate School of Counseling

This article summarizes a symposium organized by Dr. Elizabeth D’Amico and presented at the 2004 Annual Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism in Vancouver, Canada. The four presentations illustrate the importance of creating substance use interventions that are developmentally appropriate for youth. They represent innovative approaches to working with preteens, teenagers, and young adults. Dr. D’Amico’s paper describes her research on the development of a voluntary brief intervention targeting alcohol use among middle school students. Findings indicated that by using school and community input, she was able to obtain a diverse a sample of youth across grades, sex, ethnicity, …

Content Analysis Of Drug Offenders' Sketches On The Draw-An-Event Test For Risky Sexual Situations, Alan W. Stacy, Susan L. Ames, Barbara C. Leigh, Brian R. Houska, Julia Andsager

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Objectives: To evaluate the utility of the Draw-an-Event Test for risky sexual situations (DET-RS), a nonverbal memory-based assessment tool used for productions of spontaneous content associated with risky sex. Methods: Traditional holistic coding analysis of 298 drug offenders' content productions. Results: Content analyses of DET-RS sketches provided increased understanding of substance use and other context preceding risky sexual situations with different types of sex partners. None of the sketches including drugs depleted condoms, only one of the sketches with alcohol included a condom, and only 2 sketches mentioned sexually transmitted diseases. Conclusions: The DET-RS is a useful research tool for …

Implicit Cognition And Dissocative Experiences As Predictors Of Adolescent Substance Use, Susan L. Ames, Steve Sussman, Clyde W. Dent, Alan W. Stacy

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

The present study evaluated the mediating role of implicit cognitive processes in the prediction of alcohol and marijuana use and examined the relationships between dissociative experiences, implicit processes, and sensation seeking in models of drug use and problem experiences. Participants were 467 diverse at-risk adolescents in California. Results from latent variable models revealed that implicit cognition independently predicted alcohol and marijuana use and mediated the predictive effects of sensation seeking on drug use. Dissociative experiences did not predict implicit cognition or drug use in this sample, though this factor was a significant predictor of problem experiences and was positively correlated …

The Reliability And Validity Of Two Ambulatory Monitoring Actigraphs, Warren W. Tryon

Psychology Faculty Publications

Evidence for the reliability and validity of two models of Ambulatory Monitoring, Inc. actigraphs was obtained by testing four instruments of each kind 10 times each on a precision pendulum. Correlation and coefficient of variation methods were used to analyze the data. Reliability coefficients of .98 were obtained for both models. Coefficient of variation methods yielded reliability coefficients of 92% for the MotionLogger model and 97% for the BuzzBee model. Validity coefficients of .99 were obtained for both models. However, MotionLogger means were found to differ by up to 36% from one instrument to another, whereas BuzzBee means differed by …

Psychosocial Intimacy And Identity: From Early Adolescence To Emerging Adulthood, Marilyn J. Montgomery

Faculty Publications - Graduate School of Counseling

Erikson (1968) stated that healthy identity development during adolescence is a precursor of intimacy in romantic relationships during emerging adulthood. However, from a developmental contextual perspective there are reasons to question this strict developmental ordering. Using interview and questionnaire data from a longitudinal study on 93 adolescents, we tested whether ego development in middle adolescence predicts intimacy in emerging adulthood. Second, we examined whether identity achievement at the transition to adulthood mediates this link. Results revealed direct links between early ego development (age 15) and intimacy in romantic relationships (age 25). No paths were found from earlier intimacy to later …

A Comparison Of Two Approaches For Facilitating Identity Exploration Processes In Emerging Adults, Seth J. Schwartz, William M. Kurtines, Marilyn J. Montgomery

Faculty Publications - Graduate School of Counseling

This article, using a controlled design, reports the results of an exploratory study to investigate the impact of two types of intervention strategies (cognitively vs. emotionally focused) on two types of identity processes (self-construction and self-discovery) in a culturally diverse sample of 90 emerging adult university students. A quasiexperimental design was used to evaluate the relative impact of the cognitively focused self-construction and emotionally focused self-discovery strategies. Quantitative and qualitative results indicated that cognitively focused intervention strategies were most efficacious in affecting self-constructive identity processes, whereas emotionally focused intervention strategies were most efficacious in affecting self-discovery identity processes. This pattern …

Engaging Rural Youth In Physical Activity Promotion Research In An After-School Setting, Nancy O’Hara Tompkins, James A. Rye, Sam Zizzi, Elizabeth Vitullo

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

West Virginia, the second most rural state in the nation, has a higher than average prevalence of chronic diseases, especially those related to physical inactivity and obesity. Innovative educational approaches are needed to increase physical activity among adults and youth in rural areas and reduce rural health disparities. This paper describes West Virginia's Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) Education and Outreach on Healthy Weight and Physical Activity. The project involved teachers and underserved high school students in social science research aimed at increasing physical activity among student and community participants.

Context

The HSTA is an ongoing initiative of …

The Influence Of Psychosocial Maturity On Male Juvenile Offenders' Comprehension And Understanding Of The Miranda Warning, Lori H. Colwell, Keith R. Cruise, Laura S. Guy, Wendy K. Mccoy, Krissie Fernandez, Heather H. Ross

Psychology Faculty Publications

Self-report measures of psychosocial maturity and screening measures of achievement and intelligence (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence; WASI) were used to investigate the influence of psychosocial maturity on male juvenile offenders’ comprehension and appreciation of the Miranda warning (Grisso’s Instruments for Assessing Understanding and Appreciation of Miranda Rights; GUAM). A sample of 67 male juvenile offenders, placed in a short-term detention facility or juvenile boot camp facility, participated in the study. Demographic differences revealed that youths in short-term detention were approximately one year older than boot camp youths. The two groups did not differ in IQ or measures of psychosocial …

Neuropsychological Impairment In Racial/Ethnic Minorities With Hiv Infection And Low Literacy Levels: Effects Of Education And Reading Level In Participant Characterization, Elizabeth L. Ryan, Reon Baird, Monica Rivera-Mindt, Desiree Byrd, Jennifer Monzones, Susan Morgello, The Manhattan Hiv Brain Bank

Psychology Faculty Publications

Educational attainment is an important factor in the interpretation of cognitive test scores but years of education are not necessarily synonymous with educational quality among racial/ethnic minority populations. This study investigated the comparability of educational attainment with reading level and examined whether discrepancies in education and reading level accounted for differences in neuropsychological test performance between HIV+ racial/ethnic minority and nonminority participants. Study participants (N = 200) were derived from the Manhattan HIV Brain Bank (MHBB) where 50% of the cohort had ≤8th grade reading level but only 5% had ≤8 years of education. Significantly lower reading ability and education …

The Nature Of Bullying In Schools, Rachel M. Cole

Graduate Research Papers

Bullying is one of the leading social problems facing young people today. The negative consequences of bullying affect everyone – the bullies, the victims, the bystanders, the school, parents, and the community. According to Barton (2003), absenteeism due to bullying occurs among 6% of boys and 9% of girls on a weekly basis. Due to the alarming statistics and long-term effects of bullying, it is imperative that school personnel and parents help prevent bullying by knowing the facts. This author has chosen to concentrate on the various types of bullying, as well as the characteristics of bullies and vulnerability to …

Weight Loss Practices In Amateur Wrestlers And Its Relationship To Disordered Eating, Lyndsey M. Manderfield

Graduate Research Papers

The premise behind many athletic programs is to encourage wellness, a state of well being in both physical and emotional aspects. This research paper reviews how wrestling and other athletic programs where weight plays a significant role, may affect eating and other weight-related habits. It addresses whether weight loss practices in wrestling play a role in disordered eating patterns of its participants.

Non-Verbal Communication With Autistic Children Using Digital Libraries, Gondy A. Leroy, John Huang '05, Serena Chuang '05, Marjorie H. Charlop

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has become one of the most prevalent mental disorders over the last few years and its prevalence is still growing. The disorder is characterized by a wide variety of symptoms such as lack of social behavior, extreme withdrawal, and problems communicating. Because of the diversity in symptoms and the wide variety in severity for those, each autistic child has different needs and requires individualized therapy. This leads to long waiting lists for therapy.

A Narrative Group Model To Reduce Gender Role Conflict In Adult Males, Dennis K. Smithe

Graduate Research Papers

This manuscript provides a therapeutic group model to address gender role conflict in males based on a narrative approach. The use of story telling and metaphor are central to the process because they are reflective of how men tend to communicate. This approach reflects a shift away from traditional counseling approach often seen as the antithesis of a masculine ideology. This process provides group members the opportunities to co-create and re-author socially constructed stories of masculinity and maleness that have taught males to abuse and neglect their bodies while at the same time not seek help. Unique to this model …

Oppositional Defiant Disorder : Using Family Therapy And Parent Training Techniques For Effective Treatment Outcomes, Caroline S. Dieken

Graduate Research Papers

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) clinically affects children and adolescents through the display of unwanted disruptive, hostile, defiant, and oppositional behaviors. Development of these can be linked to parental psychopathology, family and marital dysfunction, poor parent-child interaction, atypical parenting, maternal age, substance abuse, poor supervision, and inconsistent or harsh discipline. The effects of ODD lead to impaired social functioning, depression, low self-esteem, academic failure, substance abuse, delinquency, and family discord. Compared to other treatments ( e.g., medication, behavior modification, punishment, or removal from the home) the most effective course of treatment for ODD is the use of family therapy and parent …

Successful Midlife Aging In A Changing Work Environment: A Model Of Midlife Adaptation, Autumn Nichole Carroll

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to construct a model of midlife work adaptation that depicts a basic framework outlining coping processes by which midlife adults use to approach changes identified in the current midlife context that challenge them cognitively, physically, and emotionally.

192 Igg-Saporin Lesions Of The Nucleus Basalis Magnocellularis Impair Serial Reversal Learning In Rats, Sara Michelle Cabrera

Theses Digitization Project

In order to assess flexibility in acquiring and using conflicting response rules, rats with selective lesions of the NBM or sham-lesion controls were subjected to serial reversal training in a simple operant discrimination paradigm. The NBM lesion group did not differ from the control group in acquisition of the original rules; the NBM lesion group required more time to master the changes in rules in the first reversal, but not in subsequent reversals.