The Influence Of Covariate Measurement Error On Treatment Effect Estimates And Numeric Balance Diagnostics Following Several Common Methods Of Propensity Score Matching: A Simulation Study,
2018
James Madison University
The Influence Of Covariate Measurement Error On Treatment Effect Estimates And Numeric Balance Diagnostics Following Several Common Methods Of Propensity Score Matching: A Simulation Study, Heather D. Harris
Dissertations, 2014-2019
In applied intervention studies, researchers frequently aim to make inferences about the impact of a treatment program on participants. However, applied researchers are often faced with threats to the internal validity of their studies, or the extent to which changes in participants’ outcomes can be attributed to the intervention. When researchers are unable to randomly assign study participants to treatment conditions, changes in the intervention outcome might be confounded with systematic differences in participants’ baseline characteristics. Propensity score matching is one technique that allows researchers to account for threats to the internal validity of a study. Specifically, using propensity score …
In Search Of Equality: Developing An Equal Interval Likert Response Scale,
2018
James Madison University
In Search Of Equality: Developing An Equal Interval Likert Response Scale, Elisabeth M. Spratto
Dissertations, 2014-2019
Attitude scales are an important component of educational and psychological research. One consideration when seeking to make valid inferences from attitudinal data is the issue of the degree to which response options can be assumed to have equal intervals. Many response options on attitudinal measures may produce ordinal-level data rather than interval. This poses a problem for the statistical tests that may be used, as many analyses assume interval-level data. It also poses an interpretational issue if the conceptual distance between response options is not the same – for example, if a researcher believes that someone who answered Agree differs …
Examining Quadratic Relationships Between Traits And Methods In Two Multitrait-Multimethod Models,
2018
Utah State University
Examining Quadratic Relationships Between Traits And Methods In Two Multitrait-Multimethod Models, Fredric A. Hintz
All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023
Psychological researchers are interested in the validity of the measures they use, and the multitrait-multimethod design is one of the most frequently employed methods to examine validity. Confirmatory factor analysis is now a commonly used analytic tool for examining multitrait-multimethod data, where an underlying mathematical model is fit to data and the amount of variance due to the trait and method factors is estimated. While most contemporary confirmatory factor analysis methods for examining multi-trait multi-method data do not allow relationships between the trait and method factors, a few recently proposed models allow for the examination of linear relationships between traits …
A Laboratory-Based Experimental Test Of Reasons For Living: Effects On Behavioral Approach Toward A Suicide-Related Stimulus,
2018
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
A Laboratory-Based Experimental Test Of Reasons For Living: Effects On Behavioral Approach Toward A Suicide-Related Stimulus, Sasha Micaella Rojas
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
There are few laboratory-based experiments that examine the effects of suicide-related risk or protective factors on suicide-related outcomes. Consistent with extant evidence-based theoretical models and treatments for suicidal behavior, it appears that increasing awareness of reasons for living may reduce risk for suicidal behavior. Thus, the current study represents an initial effort to experimentally examine the impact of bringing awareness to one’s most important reason for living on behavioral approach towards a suicide-related stimulus. Random assignment was used to assign an unselected undergraduate sample of 78 participants to complete either a script-driven imagery procedure specific to the most important reason …
Systems Of Quantity Judgment In Various Species: A Meta-Analysis,
2018
University of Southern Mississippi
Systems Of Quantity Judgment In Various Species: A Meta-Analysis, Tiffany A. Woodard Baker
Dissertations
An abundance of behavioral and neuroimaging literature supports the presence of two cognitive systems for quantity judgments (Agrillo & Bisazza, 2014). In particular, small quantities are thought to be guided by the object-file system, a precise system that uses mental files to map onto real world objects, and large quantities by the approximate number system, an imprecise, estimation system (Dehaene, 1997). Evidence supporting both systems exists in a variety of species including nonhuman primates (Boysen & Hallberg, 2000), birds (Garland, Low, & Burns, 2012), amphibians (Uller, Jaeger, Guidry, & Martin, 2003), and fish (Agrillo, Dadda, Serena, Bisazza, 2009), but support …
Assessing The Ordinality Of Response Bias With Item Response Models: A Case Study Using The Phq-9,
2018
CUNY Graduate Center
Assessing The Ordinality Of Response Bias With Item Response Models: A Case Study Using The Phq-9, Venessa N. Singhroy
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Improper scale usage in psychological and clinical assessment is an important problem. If respondents do not use the scales in a consistent manner, the reliability of a composite is likely to be attenuated. This is particularly problematic when particular items are singled out for special treatment or when subscales are of interest, not just a total score. This study used both non-parametric and parametric item response theory (IRT) methods to gain further insight into the validity of the PHQ-9, a dual purpose instrument that assesses the severity of depressive symptoms using nine Likert-scale items and allows the investigator to establish …
The Effect Of An Extinction Procedure On Level Of Responding To Visual Stimuli In An Evaluative Conditioning Procedure,
2018
CUNY Graduate Center
The Effect Of An Extinction Procedure On Level Of Responding To Visual Stimuli In An Evaluative Conditioning Procedure, Allison Hirsch
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Evaluative conditioning is a type of learning that results in the acquisition of likes and dislikes in humans. The procedure that produces evaluative learning is similar to that of Pavlovian conditioning. A consistent observation is that evaluative conditioned responses are less sensitive to extinction procedures than would be expected given the Pavlovian-type conditioning procedure used for acquisition. The present study sought to determine what the effect of an extinction condition was on the level of responding to visual conditioned stimuli in a visual-gustatory evaluative conditioning paradigm. Two dependent measures were used: an explicit measure, and a choice-based preference measure. The …
Marginal Mediation Analysis: A New Framework For Interpretable Mediated Effects,
2018
Utah State University
Marginal Mediation Analysis: A New Framework For Interpretable Mediated Effects, Tyson S. Barrett
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023
Mediation analysis is built to answer not only if one variable affects another, but how the effect takes place. However, it lacks interpretable effect size estimates in situations where the mediator (an intermediate variable) and/or the outcome is categorical or otherwise non-normally distributed. By integrating a powerful approach known as average marginal effects within mediation analysis—termed Marginal Mediation Analysis (MMA)—the issues regarding categorical mediators and/or outcomes are, in large part, resolved. This new approach allows the estimation of the indirect effects (those effects of the predictor that affect the outcome through the mediator) that are interpreted in the same way …
Summer Camp As A Force For 21st Century Learning: Exploring Divergent Thinking And Activity Selection In A Residential Camp Setting,
2018
Johns Hopkins University
Summer Camp As A Force For 21st Century Learning: Exploring Divergent Thinking And Activity Selection In A Residential Camp Setting, Myles Lynch, Jonathan A. Plucker, C Boyd Hegarty, Nate Trauntvein
Education
This study investigated change in divergent thinking (DT), an indicator of creative potential, at two gender-specific residential summer camps. Additionally, this study examined whether the change in DT varied by gender and by the type of activities campers self-select. Quantitative methods, using a quasi-experimental design was used in order to understand differences in camper scores. A total of 189 youth, 100 girls, 89 boys, between the ages of 9 and 14 years participated in the current study. Participants were administered a modified version of Guilford's (1967) alternate uses task, a measure of DT, in which respondents were asked questions such …
The Influence Of A Proposed Margin Criterion On The Accuracy Of Parallel Analysis In Conditions Engendering Underextraction,
2018
Western Kentucky University
The Influence Of A Proposed Margin Criterion On The Accuracy Of Parallel Analysis In Conditions Engendering Underextraction, Justin M. Jones
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
One of the most important decisions to make when performing an exploratory factor or principal component analysis regards the number of factors to retain. Parallel analysis is considered to be the best course of action in these circumstances as it consistently outperforms other factor extraction methods (Zwick & Velicer, 1986). Even so, parallel analysis could benefit from further research and refinement to improve its accuracy. Characteristics such as factor loadings, correlations between factors, and number of variables per factor all have been shown to adversely impact the effectiveness of parallel analysis as a means of identifying the number of factors …
Life Chaos As A Predictor Of Diet Quality In U.S. Adults,
2018
Walden University
Life Chaos As A Predictor Of Diet Quality In U.S. Adults, Heidi Barbara Buchert Egan
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Poor diet quality is a source of morbidity and mortality within the United States. Previous researchers have examined psychosocial influences on diet; however, the relationship between life chaos, a psychosocial measure, and diet quality was not known. The purpose of this cross-sectional survey study was to use the Life Chaos Scale and the Healthy Eating Index-2010 to collect data on life chaos and diet quality, consistent with the biopsychosocial model of health, from a sample of 103 U.S. adults. Regression analysis was used to construct a predictive model. According to the study results, life chaos was not a significant predictor …
Assessing Executive Functioning In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder,
2018
Walden University
Assessing Executive Functioning In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Julie Johnson Miller
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This study examined the inconsistency within research surrounding the relationship between executive functioning skills and autism symptomology in those being assessed for autism in early childhood (e.g., 34 to 60 months of age). Inconsistencies in current research connecting autism symptomology and executive dysfunction affect the best practice of practitioners that assess for disabilities. This study aimed to identify correlations between autism symptomology and executive functioning skills and whether combining autism symptomology and executive functioning skills assessments provide a more reliable classification as autism or non-autism. The framework foundation drew upon research that determined connections between those suffering from traumatic brain …
Amputee Social Support: A Quantitative Investigation Of Peer-To-Peer And Group Influence,
2018
Walden University
Amputee Social Support: A Quantitative Investigation Of Peer-To-Peer And Group Influence, Dirrick Anthony Williams
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Previous research has indicated that vascular disease, trauma, and cancer lead to amputations and that 1.7 million Americans are living with an amputation. The social problem of this study is that amputees have limited places to obtain social support. Alderfer's Existence, Relatedness, and Growth Theory provided the foundation for this research. The current study examined the following questions. First, does type of social support impact amputee perceived social support satisfaction? Second, does type of social support impact life satisfaction? Survey methodology was used following attendance at either peer-to-peer or group support. A purposeful sample of 184 participants were assessed using …
Stress And Job Satisfaction In Career College Criminal Justice Department Heads,
2018
Walden University
Stress And Job Satisfaction In Career College Criminal Justice Department Heads, Sherria Nicole King
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
There has been a significant amount of research on the impact of stress and job satisfaction amongst employees in a multitude of professional settings, including the criminal justice and higher education field. Yet, information on criminal justice professionals who work in more untraditional types of higher education institutions, such as career colleges, was lacking. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to examine whether there is a significant relationship between stress, job satisfaction, and being employed as a criminal justice department head within a career college institution and compare whether heads of other departments within career college institutions differ …
Response To Intervention Implementation And Special Education Eligibility In Rural Wisconsin Schools,
2018
Walden University
Response To Intervention Implementation And Special Education Eligibility In Rural Wisconsin Schools, Jessica Golburg
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate differences among special education enrollments for specific learning disabilities (SLD) and other disabilities within districts using school-wide response to intervention (RTI). Differences between rural and suburban school districts during the phases of the insufficient criterion rollout for SLD identification were explored as were environmental factors' impact on RTI implementation. Systems theory framed how concerns in rural districts impact the ability to use RTI data for special education enrollment. The research questions examined prevalence rates of SLD and other disabilities, compared RTI implementation fidelity in rural and suburban districts, and explored environmental …
Recidivism Rates Among Biological Fathers And Parental Figures Who Commit Child Sexual Abuse In Hawai'i,
2018
Walden University
Recidivism Rates Among Biological Fathers And Parental Figures Who Commit Child Sexual Abuse In Hawai'i, Stephanie Dixon Dixon
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Sex offenders are commonly grouped into categories based on the characteristics (e.g., victim age, relationship to offender) of their victims for criminal sentencing and treatment purposes. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to address the gap in the lack of literature comparing recidivism rates among biological fathers and male parental figures who committed incestuous child sexual abuse in Hawai'i against children 15 years or younger. This study was the first attempt in the state to examine the number of inmates who had completed their maximum sentences and were later returned to prison for new felony incest offenses. Secondary …
Identification Of Mental States And Interpersonal Functioning In Borderline Personality Disorder,
2018
Gettysburg College
Identification Of Mental States And Interpersonal Functioning In Borderline Personality Disorder, Kathy R. Berenson, Cara L. Dochat, Christiana G. Martin, Xiao Yang, Eshkol Rafaeli, Geraldine Downey
Psychology Faculty Publications
Atypical identification of mental states in the self and others has been proposed to underlie interpersonal difficulties in borderline personality disorder (BPD), yet no previous empirical research has directly examined associations between these constructs. We examine 3 mental state identification measures and their associations with experience-sampling measures of interpersonal functioning in participants with BPD relative to a healthy comparison (HC) group. We also included a clinical comparison group diagnosed with avoidant personality disorder (APD) to test the specificity of this constellation of difficulties to BPD. When categorizing blended emotional expressions, the BPD group identified anger at a lower threshold than …
Psychometric Properties Of A Working Memory Span Task,
2018
University of Central Florida
Psychometric Properties Of A Working Memory Span Task, Juan M. Alzate Vanegas
Honors Undergraduate Theses
The intent of this thesis is to examine the psychometric properties of a complex span task (CST) developed to measure working memory capacity (WMC) using measurements obtained from a sample of 68 undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida. The Grocery List Task (GLT) promises several design improvements over traditional CSTs in a prior study about individual differences in WMC and distraction effects on driving performance, and it offers potential benefits for studying WMC as well as the serial-position effect. Currently, the working memory system is composed of domain-general memorial storage processes and information-processing, which involves the use of …
Differential Predictors Of Opposition To Same-Sex Marriage And Sexual Prejudice,
2018
Humboldt State University
Differential Predictors Of Opposition To Same-Sex Marriage And Sexual Prejudice, Latishia E Y Jett-Dias
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
This study investigated attitudes toward same-sex marriage and its beneficiaries from the frameworks of social dominance orientation (SDO) and political conservatism. Unlike past research that focused mainly on sexual prejudice, the current paper explicitly examined both opposition to same-sex marriage and sexual prejudice. Additionally, the current study explored subcomponents of SDO (i.e., opposition to equality [OEQ] and group-based dominance [GBD]). Study One examined relationships and predictive difference between attitudes toward same-sex marriage and its beneficiaries before California legalized same-sex marriage. Study Two addressed attitudes before and recently after California legalized same-sex marriage. OEQ, GBD, and conservatism predicted opposition to same-sex …
The Relationship Between Law Enforcement Agency Size And Police Stress,
2018
Walden University
The Relationship Between Law Enforcement Agency Size And Police Stress, William Warner
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Researchers have found that law enforcement officers often experience stress. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if the size of the law enforcement agency (small, medium, or large) had any significant influence on how police officers perceive stress in their profession from a cognitive appraisal perspective with regards to Administrative/Organizational Pressure, Physical/Psychological Threats, and Lack of Support. Members of law enforcement (N = 144) from Utah and New York were surveyed utilizing Spielberger et al.'s Police Stress Survey. Archival data were provided by the National Police Suicide Foundation. Stress index scores were calculated manually for each survey …
