School Psychology Commons^™

Implications Of Napping Into And Beyond Kindergarten On Sleep, Diet, And The Awakening Cortisol Response, Alyssa Anne Cairns

Dissertations

This study is an examination of sleep distribution, dietary intake, and endocrine function of caregiver-reported Nap and Non-Nap Groups of children before and after they transition to an all-day kindergarten where napping is reduced or eliminated. Measures were assessed the summer prior to kindergarten, within two weeks, and after a month of the transition to kindergarten. The study revealed that the transition to kindergarten was associated with changes in sleep and dietary intake. Endocrine function remained stable as children transitioned to kindergarten. On average, Nap and Non-Nap Groups equally lost total sleep time as they transitioned to kindergarten. However, the …

Extending The Functional Behavioral Assessment Process: A Methodology For Test-Driving Interventions With Varied Choice Dimensions To Reduce Escape-Maintained Behaviors Displayed By Youth With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Jamie Laura Pratt Psyd

All Student Scholarship

The benefits of extending the traditional functional behavioral assessment (FBA) process to include brief experimental comparisons between potential interventions were explored. After FBA interview and functional analysis (FA) data converged to suggest that the problem behaviors displayed by 2 youth with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) were maintained by escape from task demands, the youth participated in brief intervention analyses to evaluate the relative effectiveness of functional communication training (FCT) and noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) interventions with varied choice dimensions. Results of the brief intervention analyses, which were highly idiosyncratic, were used to guide the selection of a treatment for implementation …

Context-Dependent Peer Victimization: Are Physical And Relational Aggression Tolerated Differently In Mixed-Sex Versus All-Girl Schools?, Ana María Velásquez, Jonathan Bruce Santo, Lina María Saldarriaga, Luz Stella López, William M. Bukowski

Psychology Faculty Publications

Contextual differences in the association between different forms of aggressive behavior and victimization were studied with a sample of 197 boys and 149 girls from mixed-sex schools and in 336 girls from all-girl schools (M = 10.21 years of age) in two cities in Colombia. Results showed that boys generally engage in more physical than relational aggression, whereas girls engage in more relational than physical aggression. Among boys, the association between aggression and victimization was significant only for the measure of relational aggression, whereas, for girls, victimization was significantly correlated only with physical aggression. This latter association was found to …

Academic Dishonesty In Online Education, Wren Allen Mills

Dissertations

This dissertation examined cheating attitudes and behaviors of undergraduates, especially those enrolled in online courses. While cheating is an established problem within the academy, it is also an issue on the job and has been in the spotlight in recent years, with ethics scandals in corporate America and plagiarism in the media. With this in mind, and the foundational philosophy of the Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education (Bureau of Education, 1928) and the American Council on Education’s (1937) Student Personnel Point of View, this study sought insight into students’ attitudes about cheating behaviors and practices of them in online courses …

Selected Demographic Characteristics And Social Interest As Predictors Of Teacher Stress, Barry J. Morales

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the research was to study stress in teachers in Louisiana by utilizing a descriptive/comparative research design. Hypotheses were tested concerning relationships between each of seven independent variables and the dependent variable (teacher stress). The independent variables were (a) years of teaching experience, (b) educational levels of teachers (college degrees), (c) age, (d) gender, (e) social interest, (f) geographical location (North and South Louisiana), and (g) educational levels of students taught by teachers (elementary, middle, high school). The procedure for choosing the participants involved a sample of convenience whereby superintendents provided access/permission to specific schools. Nine schools (three …

The Level Of Parental Conflict And Children's Behavioral Reactions To Divorce, Cindi Jo Settle

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This research investigated the level of parental conflict as a contributor to children’s behavioral difficulties up to one year after parental separation. Participants were parents who had been court ordered to attend the parent education class sponsored by the Kanawha County Family Court in Charleston, West Virginia. The Conflict Tactics Scale 2 (CTS2) was used to identify marital conflict and the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist/6-18 (CBCL) parent report was used to determine childhood behavior problems. Correlation and multiple linear regression analysis found that children who were traumatized by domestic violence suffered from anxiety, depression, withdrawal symptoms, attention problems, somatic complaints, …

Normative Comparison For The Woodcock-Johnson Iii: Tests Of Achievement For 1, 3, 6, 9, & 12 Grades, Renee Ecckles-Hardy

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examines the use of the updated and original norms of the Woodcock Johnson-III (WJ-III), Tests of Achievement in making educational decisions. The method used to collect data included placing into the original Compuscore program, raw scores acquired from the updated norms to determine if a difference between the two scoring programs is evident. This procedure was used to obtain scores derived from the original and the updated norms for each Math subtest on the standard battery of the WJ-III (form A) for grades 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12. Results of the study showed the two scoring systems …

Grade Retention As Perceived By Kindergarten Through Third Grade Teachers, Brittany Leigh Pettay

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined the attitudes of kindergarten through third grade teachers regarding academic, emotional and social effects of grade retention, in addition to alternative interventions to retention. The teachers were asked to take part in a survey on grade retention as an intervention. After completing the initial survey, teachers were then asked to read an article entitled, "Grade Retention and Promotion" (Jimerson, Graydon, Pletcher, Schnurr, Kundert, & Nickerson, 2006) and then take a post-survey.

The results of this study reveal that the teachers' attitudes about grade retention were significantly changed when they were presented with a research-based article entitled "Grade …

Ed/Bd Eligibility Related To Gender And Community Size In West Virginia|Ed/Bd Eligibility Related To Gender And Community Size In West Virginia, Matthew Joseph Smart

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Over-representation of males in special education is an area of concern. Research studies have confirmed West Virginia as one of the states having the highest male-to-female ratios for Emotionally Disturbed/Behavior Disorder (ED/BD) students. The current study compares the most and least populated areas in West Virginia with regard to ED/BD eligibility. Male/female student ratios of ED/BD were examined utilizing chi-square analysis. This study used the September 2009 regulations under West Virginia Policy 2419, and those regulations were in place when these data were collected. Results indicated that a statistically significant difference exists between the total number of ED/BD students made …

Problematic Students Of Nasp Approved Programs: An Exploratory Study Of Graduate Student Views, Leasha Dawn Trimble

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study reports the findings of an electronic exploratory survey forwarded to National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Student Representatives by their Faculty Sponsors. The purpose of the survey was to gather information about the perspective of graduate students concerning problematic peers and their experiences with them in school psychology training programs. Findings suggest that (a) students are not sure whether or not their training programs have an official procedure in place for dealing with problematic students; (b) the problems they observe most commonly involve poor interpersonal skills; (c) consistent with other mental health programs, school psychology graduate students most …

A Comparison Study: Kaufman Assessment Battery For Children, Second Edition (Kabc-Ii) And Wechsler Intelligence Scale For Children, Fourth Edition (Wisc-Iv) With Referred Students, Danielle M. Mckown

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study was conducted based on the limited availability of research comparing the KABC-II and WISC-IV. The study included 30 Caucasian students between the ages of 6 years, 7 months to 16 years 11 months who attend rural school districts in Ohio and West Virginia and were referred due to academic concerns; the sample consisted of 19 females and 11 males with an average age of 9 years, 7 months. Results found the correlation between the FSIQ and the MPI was r = .88, n = 30, p < .05 and the relationship between the FSIQ and the FCI to be r = .91, n = 30, p < .05. Results of a t-test found the FSIQ and FCI to be t(29)=.075, p > .05. T-test results for the FSIQ and MPI was t(29) = .726, …

The Remediation Of School Psychologist Trainees, Michael J. Powell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

School Psychology training programs have an important responsibility of making sure their graduates are competent professionals. The current study gathered data from National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) approved training programs in order to explore how they have handled competency problems in their program. A survey was sent to all NASP approved training programs via e-mail. Surveys were also completed by 32 program representatives at the 2010 Annual NASP Conference. The results of the survey were analyzed using Chi Square and a frequency analysis. The Chi Square analysis did not yield any significant differences at p<0.05 between educational specialist or equivalent degree programs and doctorate degree programs. The frequency analysis, however, did disclose pertinent data in regards to the remediation of school psychology trainees.

Preschool Teachers' Perceptions Of Obesity At Ages 3-5 Years, Jessica D. Mackinney

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was not only to investigate the knowledge of preschool teachers on the topic of obesity, but also to determine whether or not they find obesity to be a significant problem facing 3-5 year old children. Results indicate that preschool teachers agree that obesity is a concern; however, they are unclear on the causality of obesity. Preschool teachers feel the long-term consequences of being obese at ages 3-5 years affect future academic, social, and physical growth, but they do not feel intervention should take place at the preschool level. This study contributed to a better understanding …

Efficacy Of A Self-Monitoring Technique To Improve Academic Skill Production, Carrie L. Winfield

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined archival data from an assisted self-graphing intervention for improving early literacy skills in first grade students from one elementary school. The purpose of the investigation is to examine the use of a self-graphing supplemental intervention that occurred outside of the class-wide first grade reading instruction. The participants included first grade students from three classroom settings in one predominately middle class, suburban school district in southeastern Pennsylvania. The participants formed three groups: (1) 8 students in a DIBELS Progress Monitoring and Self-Graphing Intervention group (PM + SG group); (2) 9 students in a DIBELS Progress Monitoring-only group (PM …

A Conceptual Guide To Natural History Museum Visitors’ Understanding Of Evolution, E. Margaret Evans, Amy N. Spiegel, Wendy Gram, Brandy N. Frazier, Medha Tare, Sarah Thompson, Judy Diamond

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Museum visitors are an ideal population for assessing the persistence of the conceptual barriers that make it difficult to grasp Darwinian evolutionary theory. In comparison with other members of the public, they are more likely to be interested in natural history, have higher education levels, and be exposed to the relevant content. If museum visitors do not grasp evolutionary principles, it seems unlikely that other members of the general public would do so. In the current study, 32 systematically selected visitors to three Midwest museums of natural history provided detailed open-ended explanations of biological change in seven diverse organisms. They …

Grounded Theory As A “Family Of Methods”: A Genealogical Analysis To Guide Research, Wayne A. Babchuk

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This inquiry traces the evolution of grounded theory from a nuclear to an extended family of methods and considers the implications that decision-making based on informed choices throughout all phases of the research process has for realizing the potential of grounded theory for advancing adult education theory and practice.

Book Review: Psychoanalyzing Prejudice, David Moshman

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The classic psychological work on prejudice is Gordon Allport’s 1954 The Nature of Prejudice. Half a century later, its definitive modern counterpart must surely be On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years after Allport (2005). Systematically reconsidering Allport’s work in light of subsequent research and theorizing, On the Nature of Prejudice provides, in one carefully edited volume, the most comprehensive statement on the psychology of prejudice currently available. The Future of Prejudice: Psychoanalysis and the Prevention of Prejudice, in contrast, is simply a collection of sixteen chapters that, although generally psychoanalytic in orientation, vary greatly in form, content, …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Selected Demographic Variables And Dual Enrollment Participation On Postsecondary Success For First Time Freshmen, Marby S. Barker

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between dual enrollment participation in high school and successful transition to post-secondary institutions for first year students. The sample consisted of a random sample of first-time students enrolled at four-year, two-year, and technical colleges in North Louisiana.

Participants completed the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships First Year Out Student Survey. The results were analyzed based on characteristics such as ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, School Performance Scores (SPS) of high school attended, ACT scores, high school cumulative grade point average, first term postsecondary grade point average, and type of postsecondary institutions selected by dual enrollment …

Gender Differences Of African American Adolescents When Exposed To Race Related Stress, Sharmon Saunders James

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

For African Americans, issues of discrimination, oppression, and belonging to a minority group may significantly impact their identity formation, and their cognitive and subjective beliefs regarding racial issues. Racism-related stress as it affects African American adolescents has become an area of concern for African American researchers. Racism related stress can be characterized as the negative psychological or physiological response to a perceived instance of a racism related attitude or behavior. African American adolescents, because of their race, continue to be subjected to various social stressors that lead to negative stress that depletes them of their abilities to cope in response. …

A Qualitative Analysis Of School-Based Mental Health Professionals’ Views On The Use Of Self-Disclosure And Humor, Robert Felloney

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

There is some controversy in the therapeutic community over the use of therapist self-disclosure and humor. On one hand, there are those who contend that use of these therapeutic techniques can have both relational and outcome benefits. On the other hand, there are those who indicate employment of these counseling methods can interfere with the counseling process by being a distraction, as they take the focus away from the client. Relatively little research has been done on the effectiveness of utilizing these techniques, especially the use of therapeutic humor.  Review of the research shows there are relational and consequent outcome …