Psychology Commons^™

Teachers’ Perspectives On The Kindergarten Readiness Assessment In Year 2: Easier To Administer But What Role Can It Play In Instruction?, Rachel E. Schachter, Tara M. Strang, Shayne B. Piasta

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

In this white paper, we present the results of a survey completed by teachers from across Ohio concerning their perceptions of Ohio’s Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). We examined teachers’ perceptions during year 2 of KRA implementation and compared those results to findings from a similar survey completed in year 1 of the assessment implementation. Over 3,000 Ohio public school kindergarten teachers were invited to complete the survey; of which 841 responded. In year 2, teachers reported that administering the KRA was easier, compared to year 1. However, they expressed concerns that the assessment took too long to administer, distracted from …

Data Sets For “Pubh-D-17-00335r2 Effects Of Selected Socio-Demographic Characteristics On Nutrition Knowledge And Eating Behavior Of Elementary Students In Two Provinces In China”, Ling Qian, Fan Zhang, Ian Newman, Duane F. Shell, Weijing Du

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The 2 attached digital files are placed in UNL Digital Commons for access by readers of open access journal BMC Public Health < https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/ >. The data set supports the analysis reported in the study “PUBH-D-17-00335R2 Effects of Selected Socio-demographic Characteristics on Nutrition Knowledge and Eating Behavior of Elementary Students in Two Provinces in China” by Ling Qian, MD PhD; Fan Zhang, MD PhD; Ian M. Newman, PhD; Duane F. Shell, PhD; Weijing Du, MD PhD.

The paper has been accepted by BMC Public Health. It is the journal’s policy that the data on which the conclusions are based are …

Inch By Inch: Making Our Gardens Grow, Rita Beck Neal, Nanci Weinberger

Applied Psychology Department Faculty Journal Articles

Why bring gardens to early education programs? School garden success has a long history, but this success has been found primarily in elementary schools (Blair 2009). Yet child care centers are typically open year-round and therefore are better prepared to enjoy the full bounty that gardens may provide.

Gardening with young children isn’t new (McFarland 2005), but a small national “farm to child care movement” that supports garden programs is growing (Berkenkamp and Mader 2012).

Unfortunately, many teachers are not familiar with gardening and plant science (Blair 2009). The novelty of gardening may be one of the obstacles in bringing …

The Effect Of Safety Coaching On The Accuracy Of Safety Observations And Feedback, Nicholas Matey

Theses and Dissertations

Behavior-based safety (BBS) is an effective approach to decreasing workplace incidents and injuries. BBS typically consists of a peer observation and data collection process, and a feedback process. Accurate observations are required to provide accurate feedback, and accurate feedback is essential for acquisition and performance improvement. This study alternated observation only and required feedback phases during peer observations to examine whether requiring observers to provide immediate feedback following an observation affects the accuracy of the observation itself. Four participants were included in the study and the conditions were evaluated using a counterbalanced ABAB design. Results suggested that requiring observers to …

Emotional Labor In A Computer-Mediated Environment, Christa P. Bupp

Theses and Dissertations

As more organizations enter into a global economy, the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) becomes a necessary component for survival. However, the effects of CMC on employees and customers is still not well understood. Although research on work-related emotions has been flourishing in the last several years (Brief & Weiss, 2002), there have been relatively few studies done on emotions in a computer-mediated environment and even less done on emotional labor in a computer-mediated environment. The purpose of the present research is to examine emotional regulation strategies in a computer-mediated environment. Affective events theory (AET) is utilized as an overarching …

Shared Leadership: Enactment, Perception, And The Role Of Power Distance, Mina Milosevic

Theses and Dissertations

Interest in shared leadership stems from the growing evidence that adopting this approach to team management results in enhanced team performance, team effectiveness, and team satisfaction. However, to fully realize the value of shared leadership, we must understand exactly what shared leadership is as well as when and how it evolves in teams. This study used teams’ verbal communication data to identify shared leadership behaviors and to explore the relationship between behaviorally-enacted shared leadership and its perception by the team members. In addition, the study examined the impact of power distance on shared leadership. The results show that, despite behaviorally-enacted …

An Integrated Model Of Attitude Theory And Applicant Faking Behavior, Matthew Doyle Pita

Theses and Dissertations

Applicant faking behavior (AFB) on personality measures has been a long-standing challenge for both researchers and practitioners. Applicant faking behavior is widely defined as a deceptive act that is intended to create a favorable impression (Goffin & Boyd, 2009). The research in this area has evolved with heightened focus on bolstering its theoretical foundation and establishing a consistent and effective operationalization of AFB. This research utilizes archival data from a within-subject design with a sample of job applicants; a procedure that has been recognized as the “gold standard” of the AFB literature (Ryan & Boyce, 2006). Structural Equation Modelling resulted …

Feedback And Effort: A Translational Study, Andressa Arana Sleiman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate an arrangement to establish feedback as more preferred when delivered after higher effort responding rather than lower effort responding. The study took place in the laboratory settings to simulate a working environment. Participants had to complete a mock medical data entry task, and after either one or 20 responses they received feedback. Participants in this study were 16 undergraduate students. The main dependent variable was the percentage of preference change in paired stimulus preference assessments for two categories of stimuli; shapes that signaled which condition they were in and managers that …

Being Smart About Using Smartphones, Andree Hartanto, Hwajin Yang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In recent years, smartphones have become a ubiquitous part of our lives. Their multi-functionality and portability have made our lives more convenient and efficient.

Emotional Display Rule Conflict In Student Affairs And Services Administrators, Tessly Ann Dieguez

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines a proposed model in which display rule conflict occurs when employees’ personal emotional display rule goals or values (operationalized as student customer orientation and individual-level power distance) are inconsistent with the emotional display rule goals of their department or culture (operationalized as department-level student customer orientation and country-level power distance, respectively). No significant effects of the interaction between personal and department-level student customer orientation or personal and department-level power distance on display rule commitment were found. Results did show that display rule conflict has a negative effect on display rule commitment. Further, display rule conflict predicted emotional …

Mental Illness Stigma, Socially Acceptable Treatment, And Barriers To Health, Frances Renee Gellert

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper discusses the topic of mental illness stigma and treatment in Uganda as explored through internship in the Social Work Department at Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital. The objectives of this project were to complete a meaningful internship while exploring causes of mental illness in Uganda, contradictions between traditional and modern approaches to treatment, and the affect of stigma on mental well-being. The internship included a total of 120 hours at Butabika Hospital. Individual research using documentary and literature review methods accompanied the internship. Butabika Hospital did not consent to the completion of formal research at, so any conclusions …

Body Esteem And Appearance-Based Self-Worth: A Test Of Religious Moderators In Men And Women, Mary Inman, Charlotte Witvliet

Faculty Scholarship

Basing self-worth on appearance is inversely related to women’s body esteem, but studies have not examined whether religious factors moderate this relationship in women or men—controlling for positive and negative affect. We tested two possible moderators: basing self-worth on when one has God’s (conditional) love or having positive attitudes toward God (trusting and feeling loved and supported by an all-knowing and all-powerful God). In women (N=287) and men (N=124), correlations showed that basing self-worth on appearance was negatively related to body esteem, whereas positive attitudes toward God were positively related to body esteem. In women, basing self-worth on perceptions of …

Working On What Works (Woww) : Classroom-Level Impact On Teacher And Student Outcomes, Laura B. Wallace

Dissertations

The Working on What Works (WOWW) school-based intervention applies solution-focused theory and techniques to improve learning at the classroom level. This study evaluated WOWW's impact on student and teacher outcomes. Thirty classrooms were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions, then compared on teacher-completed measures. Students who received WOWW experienced lower levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors, including lower anxiety (p=0.000), sense of irrelevance (p=0.002), inattention (p=0.049), hyperactivity (p=0.044), impulsivity (p=0.044), and need for behavior correction (p=0.000). Overall externalizing behavior was also lower in students who had received WOWW (p=0.018). However, students in the treatment condition also scored lower on …

Examining The Durability Of Peers For Adolescents With Asd: Maintenance Of Neurological And Behavioral Effects, Bridget Kathleen Dolan

Dissertations (1934 -)

To date, there are no known published studies that have assessed the maintenance of treatment effects in the context of neurological changes and their relationship to behavioral outcomes following a social skills intervention for adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The few studies that have incorporated long-term assessment into their design have focused exclusively on sustained behavioral responses to treatment. Individuals with ASD across the lifespan exhibit aberrant neural activity, which is thought to underlie social skill deficits noted in persons on the spectrum. Thus, this study sought to examine the impact of a social skills intervention, the Program for …

Trauma Therapy For Very Young Children Living In Poverty: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Joanna Ruth Love

Dissertations (1934 -)

This study used a randomized control design with immediate treatment and wait list control conditions to evaluate the efficacy of the New Hope program, a home-based, parent-and-child therapy program that has been developed for very young children living in poverty who experienced one or more potentially traumatizing events. Within a three-phase model of treatment, the New Hope program is designed to establish safety, build the caregiver child relationship, create a nurturing environment, teach coping skills, address trauma-related thoughts and feelings, and develop prosocial skills. Training in this program included discussions regarding the cultural implications of providing therapy services in the …

Aging, Executive Function, Fronto-Parietal Network Cortical Thickness: Insights From Cognitive Reserve, Katherine Reiter

Dissertations (1934 -)

Cognitive reserve (CR) indexes the nonlinear relationship between neurological insult and behavioral change. CR is manifested in both static factors (e.g., childhood environment, education) and modifiable lifestyle factors, (e.g., leisure activities). Detailed investigation of the influence of CR on cortical thickness, which indexes neuropathology, and cognitive functioning could be particularly important in understanding the heterogeneity of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). While memory decline is the hallmark of AD, executive functioning (EF) decline often predates memory changes, making EF an important target for investigating CR influences. The current study examines the relationship of CR and genetic risk for AD (ε4) on EF …

Experience Of Nontenured, Tenure-Track Faculty And Gatekeeping: A Qualitative Research Study, Meghan Butler

Dissertations (1934 -)

Using a consensual qualitative research (CQR) approach, this study investigated the experience of nontenured, tenure track faculty (NTTTF) members involved in gatekeeping with students for non-academic concerns from American Psychological Association (APA)- and The Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited programs. The study investigated the emotional and cognitive reactions, factors supportive/facilitative and discouraging/hindering of the decision to intervene, the impact the gatekeeping process had on NTTTF relationships and what the NTTTF learned from the gatekeeping intervention. Participants were five female faculty members. Results indicated participants had little to no training in gatekeeping beyond informal training …

Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Training As An Intervention For Chronic Pain, Annette Marie Wilson

Dissertations (1934 -)

Millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain. Treatment costs are in the billions and some patients still do not find relief. Current effectiveness research shows positive results for biofeedback training as an intervention for headache and other types of chronic pain. The present retrospective, archival study used patient information (N=72) collected during a heart rate variability biofeedback training program to assess treatment effectiveness among patients who experience chronic pain. More specifically, the study was designed to examine six research questions focused on patient-reported levels of pain and distress, as well as catastrophizing, depression, anxiety, and somatization. It was hypothesized that …

The Effects Of Income And Ethnicity On Health Outcomes Of Mexican Immigrant And Anglo Women, Andrea M. Debarros

Theses and Dissertations

The Hispanic Paradox is the finding that Hispanic immigrants living in the United States have better health than Anglo Americans despite being socioeconomically disadvantaged (Crespo et al., 1996; Stern et al., 1999; Sundquist et al., 1999; Dixon et al, 2000; Lariscy et al., 2015; Overton et al., 2015; Thomson et al., 2013). The literature surrounding the Hispanic Paradox has studied these effects primarily in Mexican-American Immigrant populations (Sundquist et al., 1999; Dixon et al, 2000; Lariscy et al.); however, additional research has found similar findings for various other Hispanic countries such as Cuba and Puerto Rico (Abraido-Lanza, A F. et …

Emotional Memory For Affective Words In Manifest And Prodromal Huntington’S Disease, Patricia Lynn Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Huntington’s disease (HD) patients have been found to have specific deficits in emotional processing, most consistently demonstrating impairment recognizing the emotion expressed on a static face. The purpose of this study was to examine emotional memory in HD, which has not yet been investigated, and its relationship with executive functioning, emotional facial recognition, and the disease progression in HD. An emotional memory task with pleasant, neural, and unpleasant words was administered to control (n=26), prodromal HD (n=26), and manifest HD (n=29) participants in addition to executive function measures, an apathy scale, and emotional facial recognition task. Free recall was not …

Diversity Team Building: Impact On Virtual Team Performance, Nina C. Magpili-Smith

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Although organizations have addressed diversity issues at the organizational-level with resulting positive employee outcomes, lack of scholarly attention to team-level interventions remain. Team-level interventions would benefit organizations more directly as they address issues directly related to task accomplishment. Since diversity may lead to negative performance results for teams, a team building intervention based on the latest empirical research was developed and tested to address the potential performance losses associated to diversity in decision-making teams. The team building intervention provides six crucial elements, namely (1) direct experience of how deep-level team diversity affect team dynamics, (2) diversity education, (3) cultivation of …

Threat Or Challenge? Intensified Job Demands And The Moderating Effect Of Differentiated Transformational Leadership, Benjamin Bass

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Over the past 30 years, industrialized democracies have experienced major economic change due to globalization, economic instability, and rapid technological innovation. To remain viable, organizations maximize flexibility through strategies like downsizing, just-in-time inventory, and temporary labor. Consequently, employees face heightened responsibility, variable workloads, and rising job insecurity. While these demands are stressful, at times, some may represent an exciting challenge. Recently, researchers started studying how the long-term intensification of work affects employees via intensified job demands. This dissertation builds on their efforts by exploring short-term job demand intensification. Specifically, the transactional model of stress and the job demands-resources model were …

Towards A New Profession: Counselor Professional Identity In Italy. A Delphi Study, Davide Mariotti

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counseling is a young profession compared to other mental health professions in Italy. The lack of agreement about counselor professional identity appears to have a negative impact on counselors. This situation has also led potential clients to confuse counselors with other mental health professionals. Because of this, the future development of counseling in Italy appears closely linked to a stronger counselor professional identity. The purpose of this Delphi study is to establish a consensus list among expert counselors of the distinctive elements that characterize counselor professional identity in Italy

Brief Report: Does Gender Matter In Intervention For Asd? Examining The Impact Of The Peers® Social Skills Intervention On Social Behavior Among Females With Asd, Alana J. Mcvey, Hillary Schiltz, Angela Haendel, Bridget Kathleen Dolan, Kirsten S. Willar, Sheryl Pleiss, Jeffrey S. Karst, Audrey M. Carson, Christina Caiozzo, Elisabeth M. Vogt, Amy V. Van Hecke

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

A paucity of research has been conducted to examine the effect of social skills intervention on females with ASD. Females with ASD may have more difficulty developing meaningful friendships than males, as the social climate can be more complex (Archer, Coyne, Personality and Social Psychology Review 9(3):212–230, 2005). This study examined whether treatment response among females differed from males. One hundred and seventy-seven adolescents and young adults with ASD (N = 177) participated in this study. When analyzed by group, no significant differences by gender emerged: PEERS^® knowledge (TASSK/TYASSK, p = .494), direct interactions (QSQ, p = .762), …

Conceptual Model Of Career Counseling For Better Preparing Students For The Transition From School To Work, Brian Christopher Preble

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to design a conceptual model of career counseling for high school counselors to assist students with the school-to-work transition. A framework addressing the nature and substance of interactions and activities that support workforce preparation was needed. Qualitative research was conducted. Four focus groups comprised of unemployed individuals searching for work, gainfully employed artisans and skilled technicians, managers and employers from business and industry, and high school counselors were held to collect data. Two coders established intercoder agreements and a kappa was calculated to determine interrater reliability. Economic data obtained from interviews with business specialists …

Predictive Value Of Adhd Symptomatology On Motives And Outcomes Of Stimulant Misuse, Alexander Laszlo Peterkin

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

ADHD stimulant misuse is defined as taking a stimulant used to treat ADHD either without having a prescription for that stimulant or in a manner that deviates from the prescription’s instructions. This has been a growing trend among undergraduate students over recent years. Prior research has found that misusers are likely to have severe symptoms of ADHD, misuse for primarily academic reasons, and display problems associated with substance abuse. The current study aimed to determine the predictive value of ADHD symptomatology on frequency of ADHD stimulant misuse, mediated by academic motives for misuse and substance abuse problems. The survey for …

Psychometric Evaluation And Design Of Patient-Centered Communication Measures For Cancer Care Settings, Bryce B. Reeve, David M. Thissen, Carla M. Bann, Nicole Mack, Katherine Treiman, Hanna K. Sanoff, Nancy Roach, Brooke E. Magnus, Jason He, Laura K. Wagner, Rebecca Moultrie, Kathryn D. Jackson, Courtney Mann, Lauren A. Mccormack

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

To evaluate the psychometric properties of questions that assess patient perceptions of patient-provider communication and design measures of patient-centered communication (PCC).

Methods

Participants (adults with colon or rectal cancer living in North Carolina) completed a survey at 2 to 3 months post-diagnosis. The survey included 87 questions in six PCC Functions: Exchanging Information, Fostering Health Relationships, Making Decisions, Responding to Emotions, Enabling Patient Self-Management, and Managing Uncertainty. For each Function we conducted factor analyses, item response theory modeling, and tests for differential item functioning, and assessed reliability and construct validity.

Results

Participants included 501 respondents; 46% had a high …

Developmental Delays In Executive Function From 3 To 5 Years Of Age Predict Kindergarten Academic Readiness, Michael T. Willoughby, Brooke E. Magnus, Lynne Vernon-Feagans, Clancy B. Blair

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Substantial evidence has established that individual differences in executive function (EF) in early childhood are uniquely predictive of children’s academic readiness at school entry. The current study tested whether growth trajectories of EF across the early childhood period could be used to identify a subset of children who were at pronounced risk for academic impairment in kindergarten. Using data that were collected at the age 3, 4, and 5 home assessments in the Family Life Project (N = 1,120), growth mixture models were used to identify 9% of children who exhibited impaired EF performance (i.e., persistently low levels of …

Development And Test Of A Theory Of Applicant Reactions To Branched Situational Judgment Tests, Craig Matthew Reddock

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Branched situational judgment tests (BSJTs) are a recent innovation in personnel selection. Yet, there is little research supporting their use. Data from a qualitative pilot study indicated that BSJTs are expected to result in more positive applicant reactions. Using a grounded theory approach, Study 1 developed a theoretical model of the impact of branching on applicant reactions. Several perceived procedure characteristics were theorized to mediate the relationship between both the general use of branching as well as different branching features and applicant perceptions. Study 2 empirically tested the model developed in Study 1. Results indicated that consistency of administration mediated …

Jointness, Culture, And Inter-Service Prejudice: Assessing The Impact Of Resident, Satellite, And Hybrid Joint Professional Military Education Ii Course Delivery Methods On Military Officer Attitudes, Charles Mark Davis

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The efficacy of United States (U.S.) military forces is predicated on a condition of jointness, which enables members of different military services to overcome their cultural and experiential prejudices and operate interdependently. Joint Professional Military Education Phase (JPME) II, offered through the Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC), is the principal mechanism within the Department of Defense to reduce the inter-service prejudices held by military officers and to cultivate the optimal joint perspectives and attitudes associated with jointness. The JFSC employs three different methods for delivering JPME II—Resident, Satellite, and Hybrid—yet it remains unknown whether significant differences exist between them regarding …