Psychology Commons^™

Resilience In Mothers Who Had Been Victims Of Physical Child Abuse: An Exploration Of The Mediating Effects Of Personality Characteristics, Coping Skills, Social Support, And Family Characteristics, Denise A. Traina

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Exploration Of Perceived Stressors Coping And Communication In Law-Enforcement Couples, Pamela J. Fackina

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Qualitative Analysis Of The Implementation Of An Autism Program Within A Public School District, Lucila F. Hernandez

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The study analyzed the development, implementation and success of an educational program for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis within a public school structure. Records reviewed for a two year time period identified four phases to program development and implementation, as well as identifying themes and barriers for specific roles, administration, staff and parents. The success of the program is evidenced by growth in the children and by reported satisfaction of parents and staff. A program blue print offers an outline to program development and implementation. Necessary ASD program components, based on literature reviewed are summarized. This study highlights …

Breaking The "Sound" Barrier To Fluent Reading: An Evaluation Of A Middle School Reading Intervention, Kimberly Simmerman

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The failure to read efficiently accounts for nearly 80% of the children who meet the criteria for a specific learning disability in America. Moreover, many of those children do not receive instruction that is sufficient to improve their reading achievement to within the average range. The current study examines the Breaking the “Sound” Barrier to Fluent Reading program by comparing pretest and posttest scores on individually administered and group statewide tests of reading achievement. The impact of IQ on progress is evaluated and discussed. Students’levels of reading proficiency preintervention and postintervention, as determined by the criteria set forth by the …

Pragmatic Language And Social Skills Functioning In Children Diagnosed With Asperger's Disorder, Donna Lee Toro

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Sixteen children with a diagnosis of Asperger's Disorder, as defined by the DSM-IV-TR (2000), were assessed using the following standardized measures: KBIT-2 (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2003), CASL (Carrow-Woolfolk, 1999), and SSRS (Gresham & Elliot, 1990). The purpose of the study was to determine whether the measurement of pragmatic language functioning is reliably associated with social skill performance in children with Asperger's disorder. Results indicated that the group mean composite index score of the CASL was in the average range for children with a standard score of 85 or higher on the KBIT -2. Group average scores for formal language functioning …

The Utility Of Adhd-Diagnostic And Symptom Validity Measures In The Assessment Of Undergraduate Student Response Distortion: A Clinically-Enhanced Simulation Study, Myriam Jessica Sollman

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

This study evaluated the efficacy of various attention-related, neuropsychological, and symptom validity measures in the detection of feigned ADHD in an undergraduate sample. Performance was compared between a group of presumed normal students (HON), a group of diagnostically "clean" ADHD students asked to respond to the best of their ability (ADHD), and a group of motivated, coached feigners (FGN). Feigners were educated about symptoms and characteristics of ADHD, provided with a scenario to help them relate to the plight of a student who might seek diagnosis, admonition to feign believably, and a significant monetary incentive for "successful feigning" ($45). They …

Adhd And Stop-Signal Behavioral Inhibition: Is Mean Reaction Time Contaminated By Exposure To Intermittent Stop-Signals?, Robert Alderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigates two recently identified threats to the construct validity of behavioral inhibition as a core deficit of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) based on the Stop-signal task: calculation of mean reaction time from go-trials presented adjacent to intermittent stop-trials, and non-reporting of the stop-signal delay metric. Children with ADHD (n=12) and typically developing children (TD) (n=11) were administered the standard stop-signal task and three variant stop-signal conditions. These included a No-Tone condition administered without the presentation of an auditory tone; an Ignore-Tone condition that presented a neutral (i.e., not associated with stopping) auditory tone; and a second Ignore-Tone condition …

Developmental Trajectory Of Aggressive Behavior In Clinically Referred Boys: A Rasch Analysis, Scott Lafond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A majority of research investigating aggression and its development in children has relied upon the use of rating scales such as the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). These scales are typically developed using a conventional factor analytic approach for the selection and retention of scale items, but may not contain sufficient numbers of items to adequately assess the unidimensional construct or developmental trajectory of aggressive behavior in youths. The present study evaluates specific psychometric properties of CBCL Aggressive and Delinquency Problems clinical syndrome scale items to determine the degree to which they reflect the breadth and established developmental trajectory of aggressive …

The Effects Of Lobeline On Methamphetamine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference And Dopaminergic Alterations In The Nucleus Accumbens Shell, Nichole Marie Neugebauer

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Previous research has suggested that lobeline, a plant alkaloid derived from Lobelia inflate, has potential to be an efficacious pharmacotherapy for the treatment of methamphetamine dependence. In addition to attenuating methamphetamineinduced dopaminergic alterations in vitro, lobeline has been shown to decrease the primary rewarding effects and discriminative stimulus properties of methamphetamine in rats. It is of clinical interest to assess the utility of lobeline to decrease methamphetamine conditioned cues as these cues have been shown to significantly contribute to relapse.

The current studies assessed the ability of lobeline to block the acquisition and expression of methamphetamine-induced conditioned place …

Personality-Related Problems In Living: An Empirical Approach, Stephanie N. Mullins-Sweatt

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Research has suggested that the Five Factor Model (FFM) is useful in describing personality pathology as well as personality traits. However, there appears to be disproportionate implications of the five domains for problems in living. Previous empirical research concerning the differential direction and magnitude of the relationship of the FFM domains to problems in living and personality disorder symptomatology has perhaps been limited in part by the use of a measure of the FFM that itself includes a disproportionate representation of maladaptive personality functioning across the domains. The current study also tests the hypothesis that the relationship of the FFM …

Advertisements: Interpreting Images Used To Sell To Young Adults, Alyssa Dana Adomaitis, Kim P. Johnson

Publications and Research

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to identify images used in advertising directed toward young adults, investigate what young adults thought of these images, and explore how young adults used these images.

Design/methodology/approach – A content analysis of 674 apparel and cosmetic advertisements located in four fashion magazines (Elle Girl, Seventeen, YM, and TeenVogue) resulted in eight categories. Participants (n ¼ 32) viewed advertisements representative of the categories and answered questions related to their thoughts about the model depicted in the advertisement and their use of the images.

Findings – Participants’ used the models as a point of …

Effect Of Statute Changes On Admission Trends At A New Jersey State Psychiatric Hospital , Monica Malone

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The impact of changes in New Jersey civil commitment laws on admission patterns at a New Jersey state psychiatric hospital was studied using an interrupted time series design. The target years were 1965, 1988, 1994, and 1998, years when significant changes in the commitment law took effect. The data studied were the total number of admissions per month. There were no significant changes in admission trends at any of the target dates. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed.

Development And Validation Of A Scale Of Subjective Well-Being For Cambodian Refugees , Gertha Anne Sicobo

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This is a study of the Subjective Well-Being (SWB) of refugees from Cambodia. A correlational study design composed of questionnaires was used to assess subjective well-being in a Cambodian population in the USA. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a newly constructed Scale of Subjective Well-Being for Khmer Refugees (SSWB-KR), to be used with Cambodian refugees living in the US. The scale is a 49-item, 4-pt. Likert -Type scale that was administered to a sample of 20 Cambodian refugees in Philadelphia, PA. It was administered along with three other measures, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), …

Impact Of Participation In A Community Based, Even Start Literacy Program On School Achievement And Parent Involvement For English Language Learners (Ell), Elvira I. Zuazo-Legido

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The family literacy model underlying the national Even Start Family Literacy Program has not fared well in large-scale evaluation studies, with outcomes showing minimal or no positive impact on later school achievement. However, the results of these studies have not been replicated in smaller studies, which hold the possibility of yielding richer and possibly more valid data using appropriate research design, methods, and techniques. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an Even Start Family Literacy Program on the academic progress of a homogeneous group of ELL (English Language Learners) Hispanic immigrant elementary school-age children. Twenty-nine …

An Analysis Of Survey Data On Student Perceptions Of Adolescent Counseling Needs, Jane Ellen Santo

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The school counseling needs of adolescents have often
been assessed through the perceptions of school personnel
and other adults. This study provides an alternative
perspective and reports the results of a mental health/life
stress counseling needs’ assessment, conducted directly
with middle school and high school students’ grades 7
through 12. The results of this student-centered survey
are reported with relation to literature pertaining to the
potential counseling needs of adolescents and the
deleterious consequences of not meeting these needs. Data
pertaining to each area of the survey: awareness of
counseling services, participation in counseling services,
perceived counseling needs, and perceived …

An Exploration Of Satisfaction, Psychological Stress, And Readiness For Interprofessional Learning In Medical, Nursing, Allied Health, And Social Work Students In An Interprofessional Health Care Course, Anne M. Haskins

Theses and Dissertations

Medical errors are a prominent problem in health care systems in many countries, including the U.S. One source of medical errors is communication and collaboration between health care team members. Many medical, nursing, and allied health care programs have implemented interprofessional health carecourses to improve communication between future team members. However, a dearth of literature on the effectiveness of interprofessional education and the variables that may influence its efficacy continues to persist.

This survey research explored medical, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and social work students' achievement of knowledge, psychologicalstress, and satisfaction in an interprofessional health care course. Ninety-six students …

Critical Factors For Training In Rural Psychology, Christine M. Boulton-Olson

Theses and Dissertations

Students in graduate level psychology training who intend to work in rural settings must be familiar with and educated in how rural life and identity impacts clients. Currently, there are few doctoral training programs in psychology that offer courses specifically tailored to rural populations despite the fact many psychologists are employed, or work with people, in rural settings. As such, there is a need to understand how to best prepare students in doctoral training in psychology for competent work as psychologists in rural areas. Given the nature of rural culture, rural mental health, urban versus rural characteristics, the current status …

Ernest R. Hilgard, David E. Leary

Psychology Faculty Publications

Hilgard, commonly known as Jack, enjoyed one of the longest and most productive careers in twentieth-century American psychology. As a scholar who synthesized and advanced important areas of research, a teacher of leading scientists and writer of influential textbooks, an administrator who played key roles in the development of academic and professional organizations, and a strong advocate for the application of psychological knowledge in the improvement of human life, Hilgard left a lasting mark upon the scientific, educational, professional, and social spheres in which he lived and worked. His most notable scientific contributions were his integration of cognitive and motivational …

Fixed Or Flexible: The Effect Of Negative Feedback On One's Religious Identity, Erika Brown

Modern Psychological Studies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of negative feedback on self-reported religious identity among Christian students. After initially rating themselves on a computer-administered continuous scale ranging from as religious as possible to not at all religious, participants completed a difficult Bible trivia quiz and received negative feedback regarding their performance. The participants were then made to believe that their initial computer ratings had been lost, and were asked to rate themselves a second time. Individuals also completed the Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scale and were divided into high and low religiosity groups. Statistical analyses revealed that …

Changes In Breast Cancer Survivors' Prayer From Before Diagnosis To Currently: A Pilot Study, Jean C. Bilger, Jennifer Eldridge-Houser, Carol Cox

Modern Psychological Studies

The purpose of this pilot study is to compare the frequency, length, types, and experiences of prayer for breast cancer survivors before they were diagnosed and currently. Using the Cancer Survivor Prayer Scale (CSPS), survivors had a statistically significant (p < .05) increase in types of prayer, prayer experiences, and the closeness in their relationship with God. The main themes in the written responses were feelings of permanence regarding God's love, strong trust in God, feeling comforted during treatment by God and people, and requesting specific answers to prayers. The significant findings of this study demonstrate a need for further research into the prayer practices of breast cancer survivors and expansion of the study to a larger, more diverse sample.

Group Dynamics, Donelson R. Forsyth

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Group dynamics are the influential actions, processes and changes that take place in groups. Much of the world's work is accomplished by people working with others in groups, and the processes that take place within these groups--the continual vying for social status, the give-and-take collaboration between members, the pressure of the group on the atypical individual, and the eruption of conflict and discord that can shatter the group--significantly shape members' experiences as well as their accomplishments. It was the eminent social scientist Kurt Lewin (1951) who used the term 'group dynamics' to describe the powerful and complex social processes that …

Ethics In Experimentation, Donelson R. Forsyth

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Experimentation in the social sciences, by its very nature, requires researchers to manipulate and control key aspects of the social setting so as to determine what effect, if any, these manipulations have on the people in that setting. Such studies, although unmatched in terms of their scientific yield, nonetheless raise questions of ethics: Do researchers have the moral right to conduct experiments on their fellow human beings? What practices are unacceptable and what procedures are allowable? Can standards be established to safeguard the rights of participants?

Autokinetic Effect, Donelson R. Forsyth

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

The autokinetic effect is an optical illusion. It occurs when a perceiver staring at a stationary pinpoint of light in an otherwise completely dark visual field believes that the light moves from its fixed position. This “self-motion” (auto-kinetic) is caused, in part, by the nearly imperceptible movements of the eye known as saccades. Ordinarily the visual system compensates for these naturally occurring motions of the eye, but when only a single light is visible with no frame of reference, the light appears to wander in unpredictable directions and at variable speeds. This illusion was first noted by astronomers when viewing …

The Coordination Of Multiple Roles By Female Graduate Students From Three Different Cultures, Smita Srivastava

Masters Theses

This research studied the coordination of multiple roles by female graduate students who are mothers. Zika (2006) reported that working women in the developed world contribute 40 to 50 percent of the gross national product at the same time that they continue to be responsible for most of the household and childcare responsibilities in the home. Some researchers have suggested that having multiple roles can be deleterious, while others have suggested benefits. Because women from around the world today are participating in multiple roles, the present study investigated, using a qualitative research method, how three female graduate students from different …

Forgetting The Once-Seen Face: Estimating The Strength Of An Eyewitness’S Memory Representation, Kenneth A. Deffenbacher, Brian H. Bornstein, E. Kiernan Mcgorty, Steven D. Penrod

Psychology Faculty Publications

The fidelity of an eyewitness’s memory representation is an issue of paramount forensic concern. Psychological science has been un¬able to offer more than vague generalities concerning the relation of retention interval to memory trace strength for the once-seen face. A meta-analysis of 53 facial memory studies produced a highly reliable association (r = .18, d = 0.37) between longer retention intervals and positive forgetting of once-seen faces, an effect equally strong for both face recognition and eyewitness identification studies. W. A. Wick¬elgren’s (1974, 1975, 1977) theory of recognition memory provided statistically satisfactory fits to 11 different empirical forgetting func¬tions. Applied …

Comparison Of Dibels And Aimsweb Fall Benchmarking And Their Identification Of Students In Need Of Tier Ii Service, Lindsay R. Rickelman

Masters Theses

This study investigated the DIBELS and AIMSweb systems of data collection for fall benchmarking and their identification of students in need of Tier II services. One hundred and five students in the second through fifth grade from a Midwestern suburb were administered probes from both assessment systems during the fall benchmarking time period (September - October). The median number of words read correctly and errors committed in a minute from each assessment system were recorded and analyzed. Results revealed that student performance differed significantly, in that they read more reads correctly on AIMSweb probes and committed more errors on DIBELS …

Using Individual Growth And Development Indicators To Track Preschoolers' Early Literacy Development, Deborah Cook Pottle

Masters Theses

Several studies have recently reported the examination of preschoolers' early literacy kills with the purpose of establishing a trajectory of growth that can be expected by age group, socio-economic factors and developmental levels. The purpose of this study was to examine preschoolers' early literacy development to further understand the developmental timeframes in which children establish early literacy skills. The Individual Orowth and Development Indicators (lODI) were used to track the trajectory of early literacy skills in 6J preschool children over a period of four months from .Tanuary to April. The growth trajectories of the preschool participants from differing socio-economic groups …

Resiliency In Hispanic Middle School Students: A Direct Assessment, Randy Horner

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to identify the level of resiliency found in middle school Latinos in the south suburbs of Chicago. The Hispanic population is currently booming with the most growth coming from Mexican Immigrants. Many young Hispanics face munerous stressors attributed to cultural issues and low Socioeconomicstatus (SES). Few studies have examined resiliency in young Hispanics. Resiliency plays an integral part in adjusting to life, and a lack of, or passel of it can lead to maladjustment or negative outcomes. This study compared the level of resiliency between Hispanic middle school males and Caucasian middle school males. …

Predicting Eating Disordered Behavior In Adolescent Boys, Kurt Wagner

Masters Theses

Although much research exists on eating disorders, little exists regarding the prevalence and correlates of eating disordered behavior among males, particularly at the peak age of onset: early adolescence. The current study hypothesizes that eating disordered behavior in male adolescents is most correlated with self-dissatisfaction of musculature, then dissatisfaction of apparent body fat, drive for muscularity, their reasons for exercise, and body mass index. High school males (n = 148) were surveyed regarding these attitudes and beliefs, and about symptoms of eating disordered behavior. The purpose was to determine correlates of eating disordered behavior among adolescent boys, then develop a …

Examining The Impact Of A Little Book Intervention On The Early Literacy Skills Of Children In Head Start Via The Individual Growth And Development Indicators, Laura J. Holstius

Masters Theses

This study examined whether or not exposure to Rhyme and Letter Little Books significantly increased the rhyming and initial sound/alliteration recognition skills of academically at-risk preschool children. Twice a week for eight weeks, students in a Head Start program listened to a researcher present a lesson with either the Rhyme and Letter Little Books or the original Little Books. It was hypothesized that statistically significant differences in the rhyming and initial sound recognition skills between the two groups would exist at the end of the intervention because the Rhyme and Letter Little Books were created to foster phonological awareness skills …