Quantitative Psychology Commons^™

Embedded Accommodation And Accessibility Support Usage On A Computer-Based Statewide Achievement Test, Dukjae Lee, Heather Buzick, Stephen G. Sireci, Mina Lee, Cara Laitusis

Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation

Although there has been substantial research on the effects of test accommodations on students’ performance, there has been far less research on students’ use of embedded accommodations and other accessibility supports at the item and whole test level in operational testing programs. Data on embedded accessibility supports from digital logs generated by computer-based assessment platforms are complex, and so decisions need to be made to make sense of the data with respect to appropriate and effective accommodation use. In this study we explored different ways of defining students’ use of accessibility supports and how to best summarize such use for …

Statistical Mediation Analysis In Regression Discontinuity Design For Causal Inference, Donna Chen

Public Access Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research from the College of Education and Human Sciences

Regression discontinuity designs (RDDs) are the most robust quasi-experimental design, but current statistical models are limited to estimates for the simple causal relationship between only two variables: the independent and dependent variables. In practice, intervening variables (or mediators) are often observed as part of the causal chain. Mediators explain the why and how a treatment or intervention works. Therefore, mediation and RDD analysis combined can be a useful tool in identifying key components or processes that make intervention programs effective while making causal inferences for improving student achievement, despite natural constraints, limitations, and ethical considerations. Without an integrated framework of …

Student Attitudes Toward Science: Growth Trajectories And Thematic Analysis Of A Project-Based Internship, Robert Donavin Mccreary

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In order to increase the number of students pursuing science-related careers, science educators and policymakers have advocated for improving student attitudes toward science (SAS) through inquiry-based instruction, such as project-based learning (PBL). While challenges exist in PBL, research suggests cogenerative dialogue (cogen) can ease the transition for students from traditional learning to PBL. In the present study, a secondary analysis was conducted to examine SAS growth trajectories from participants of the Work With A Scientist Program (WWASP) – a student-scientist internship which integrated cogen with PBL. Additionally, a thematic analysis was conducted to explore student attitudes toward cogen. The growth …

Sentiment Analysis Of Radicalization On Social Media, Anna Singley

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

The Development Of The Adaptable Self-Disclosure Scale (Asds): A Multidimensional Approach To Disclosure Assessment, Brandon Mcintyre

All Dissertations

Understanding how individuals share or conceal parts of their identity has long been a topic of research with little consistency of measurement validation. The present study had three main goals: (1) define and conceptualize a multidimensional model of identity disclosure that can apply to any concealable identity, (2) generate a validated and adaptable scale for assessing any concealable identity, and (3) demonstrate the adaptability of this scale for a specific concealable identity. In Study 1, the proposed disclosure model was used to generate 72 items which were narrowed down using factor analysis to form the Adaptable Self-Disclosure Scale (ASDS). The …

Characterizing Human Random-Sequence Generation In Competitive And Non-Competitive Environments Using Lempel-Ziv Complexity, Alice Wong, Garance Merholz, Uri Maoz

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The human ability for random-sequence generation (RSG) is limited but improves in a competitive game environment with feedback. However, it remains unclear how random people can be during games and whether RSG during games can improve when explicitly informing people that they must be as random as possible to win the game. Nor is it known whether any such improvement in RSG transfers outside the game environment. To investigate this, we designed a pre/post intervention paradigm around a Rock-Paper-Scissors game followed by a questionnaire. During the game, we manipulated participants’ level of awareness of the computer’s strategy; they were either …

Multiracial Individuals And Educational Testing, Karen Alexander

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

A literature review focused on quantitative measures and methods regarding multiracial individuals and educational testing revealed that multiracial individuals are uniquely different than monoracial individuals in terms of their racial identity and these unique identities interact with test scores. Until recently, this uniqueness has been ignored by institutions and within the field of educational testing. The uniqueness of multiracial identity should be taken into consideration when using test measures to make decisions for selection and when comparing group outcomes. The review provides a brief picture regarding the history of categorization of multiracial individuals and current research which connects the multiracial …

Improving The Assessment Of Practical Judgment Ability In Older Adults, Crystal G. Quinn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Judgment is an important aspect of executive functioning and critical to many aspects of real-world behavior. As the older adult population and incidence of dementia rises, the assessment of judgment during neuropsychological evaluations is important for informing diagnosis, understanding functional and cognitive competence, and designing effective treatment plans. The Test of Practical Judgment (TOP-J) is an objective verbal measure with two versions (i.e., 9 items and 15 items) that is increasingly used by neuropsychologists; however, initial validation research was conducted with a small, highly-educated non-Hispanic White sample. As a result, normative data and content may not be appropriate for individuals …

Examining Student Well-Being: The Development And Initial Validation Of The Psychological Vulnerability And Hardiness Scale, Kimberly D. Gomes

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: Stress is a significant concern for undergraduate students, with some experiencing clinical levels of distress. Psychological vulnerability and hardiness are constructs that evaluate an individual’s sensitivity to stressors and protective factors related to maladaptive responses to distress. However, no measure has been developed to assess their combined effect.

Method: The present study examined the factor structure and correlates of the Psychological Vulnerability and Hardiness Scale (PVHS) in two samples (i.e., traditional university students and student veterans). Items were created through focus groups with occupational therapists who have experience assessing both constructs in university students. Factor structure and model …

Investigating The Self In Self-Report, Samantha L. Boddy

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Self-report items are ubiquitous in social sciences and services and medical centers. However, there is some concern about whether people are able to accurately report about themselves. One well-known source of concern is social desirability bias (SDB) or socially desirable responding (SDR), which involves people providing overly-positive responses about themselves that better align with social norms than might their actual attitudes or behaviors. However, several researchers (e.g., Brenner & DeLamater, 2016; Hadaway et al., 1998) suggest that a person’s identity in the area of interest may bias their responding. Specifically, that people interpret and respond to items in terms of …

Visual Perception In Hearing Sign Language Users, Jessica M. Lammert

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Deaf signers exhibit superior visual perception compared to hearing controls in several domains, including the perception of faces and peripheral motion. These visual enhancements are thought to compensate for an absence of auditory input. However, it is also possible that they reflect experience using a visual-manual language, where signers must process complex moving hand signs and facial cues simultaneously. Thus, the current study sought to isolate the effects of sign language experience by examining how visual perception is altered as a function of American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency in hearing individuals. Hearing signers completed an online test of ASL proficiency …

Investigating The Fit Of The Generalized Graded Unfolding Model (Ggum) When Calibrated To Irt Generated Data From Dominance And Ideal Point Models, Abdulla Alzarouni

Public Access Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research from the College of Education and Human Sciences

The assessment of model fit in latent trait modelling, better known as item response theory (IRT), is an integral part of model testing if one is to make valid inferences about the estimated parameters and their properties based on the selected IRT model. Though important, the assessment of model fit has been less utilized in IRT research than it should. For example, there have been less research investigating fit for polytomous dominance models such the Graded Response Model (GRM), and to a lesser extent ideal point models such as the Generalized Graded Unfolding Models (GGUM), both in its dichotomous and …

Conditional Standard Error Of Measurement: Classical Test Theory, Generalizability Theory And Many-Facet Rasch Measurement With Applications To Writing Assessment, Alan Huebner, Gustaf B. Skar

Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation

Writing assessments often consist of students responding to multiple prompts, which are judged by more than one rater. To establish the reliability of these assessments, there exist different methods to disentangle variation due to prompts and raters, including classical test theory, Many Facet Rasch Measurement (MFRM), and Generalizability Theory (G-Theory). Each of these methods defines a standard error of measurement (SEM), which is a quantity that summarizes the overall variability of student scores. However, less attention has been given to conditional SEMs (CSEM), which expresses the variability for scores of individual students. This tutorial summarizes how to obtain CSEMs for …

Exploring The Perceived Barriers And Benefits Of Physical Activity Among Wounded, Injured, And/Or Sick Military Veterans, Robert Walker, Caroline Limbert, Paul M. Smith

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Wounded, injured, and/or sick (WIS) military veterans face significant physical and psychosocial challenges following discharge from service. Physical activity can have many positive effects on the holistic wellbeing of such individuals. However, little knowledge exists regarding the perceived barriers and benefits of physical activity within this population, creating challenges surrounding physical activity promotion. Therefore, this study was designed to identify key barriers and benefits among this population, so that informed approaches to encourage participation in physical activity can be developed. A questionnaire related to the perceived barriers and benefits of physical activity was completed by 105 WIS British military veterans. …

Perceptions Of Covid-19 Among Religious Leaders, Anna Anderson

Symposium of Student Scholars

The research shows how religious leaders have been affected and have attempted to adapt to COVID-19. The research was compiled of responses from religious leaders and affiliates to get a better understanding of their opinions. The data we are collecting is being analyzed so that we, the researchers, can determine if religious leaders are using their title to lead the community that follows them on the safest path or not, as well as if they are spreading an accurate message to their community about the COVID-19 Pandemic. The purpose of being able to identify how religious leaders are responding to …

Reporting Of Eating Disorder Deaths, Katherine Mobley, Amy Hord

Symposium of Student Scholars

Those affected by eating disorders experience disturbances in eating behaviors which are often related to underlying psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (Parekh, 2017, Drieberg et al., 1998 p.53). The duplicitous nature of the disorder makes it difficult to diagnose, and the tole it takes on an individual’s physical health makes its mortality rate the second highest among psychiatric disorders (Guinhut et al., 2021 p.130). Even if the correct education and resources are accessible to certain individuals, negative stigmatization about the disorder can make sufferers unlikely to seek help (Becker et al., 2010). Findings from analysis of …

Rasch Measurement V. Item Response Theory: Knowing When To Cross The Line, Steven E. Stemler, Adam Naples

Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation

When students receive the same score on a test, does that mean they know the same amount about the topic? The answer to this question is more complex than it may first appear. This paper compares classical and modern test theories in terms of how they estimate student ability. Crucial distinctions between the aims of Rasch Measurement and IRT are highlighted. By modeling a second parameter (item discrimination) and allowing item characteristic curves to cross, as IRT models do, more information is incorporated into the estimate of person ability, but the measurement scale is no longer guaranteed to have the …

Getting Caught-Up In The Process: Does It Really Matter?, Nikole Gregg

Dissertations, 2020-current

Likert items are the most commonly used item-type for measuring attitudes and beliefs. However, responses from Likert items are often plagued with construct-irrelevant variance due to response style behavior. In other words, variability from Likert-item scores can be parsed into: 1) variance pertinent to the construct or trait of interest, and 2) variance irrelevant to the construct or trait of interest. Multidimensional Item Response Theory (MIRT) is an increasingly common modeling approach to parse out information regarding the response style traits and the trait of interest. These MIRT approaches are categorized into threshold-based approaches and response process approaches. An increasingly …

Identifying Rater Effects For Writing And Critical Thinking: Applying The Many-Facets Rasch Model To The Value Institute, Yelisey A. Shapovalov

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Performance assessments require examinees to carry out a process or produce a product and can be designed to have high fidelity to real-world application of higher-order skills. As such, performance assessments are highly valued in higher education settings. However, performance assessment is vulnerable to psychometric challenges that threaten the validity of scores due to the subjective nature of the scoring process. Specifically, raters must exercise judgement to provide scores to examinee work, which may be impacted by rater effects, or systematic differences in how raters evaluate performance assessment artifacts. Research has indicated that performance assessment may never be fully free …

Does Coding Method Matter? An Examination Of Propensity Score Methods When The Treatment Group Is Larger Than The Comparison Group, Beth A. Perkins

Dissertations, 2020-current

In educational contexts, students often self-select into specific interventions (e.g., courses, majors, extracurricular programming). When students self-select into an intervention, systematic group differences may impact the validity of inferences made regarding the effect of the intervention. Propensity score methods are commonly used to reduce selection bias in estimates of treatment effects. In educational contexts, often a larger number of students receive a treatment than not. However, recommendations regarding the application of propensity score methods when the treatment group is larger than the comparison group have not been empirically examined. The current study examined the recommendation to recode the treatment and …