Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Self-Regulation: The Link Between Academic Motivation And Executive Function In Urban Youth, Sara Ferry Walker

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study investigated the relationship between academic motivation and executive function skills through teacher reports of prototypical students, perceived to lack motivation. Second, the study examined the effect of grade level (i.e., elementary, middle, high) on both teacher-perceived academic motivation and executive function skills for these prototypical students. It was hypothesized that there were significant relationships between executive function processes and academic motivation. It was also hypothesized that due to the decline in academic engagement during adolescence, middle school and high school teachers would perceive higher levels of executive dysfunction and deficits in academic motivation than would elementary teachers. …

Program Evaluation Of An Executive Functions Intervention At A Middle School Setting, Minu S. Poulose

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Executive functions play an important role in children’s cognitive, academic and social functioning. The present study investigated the changes in executive functions in students who were enrolled in an academic support period everyday for forty-five minutes. Participants included twenty-six eighth-grade students eligible for Special Education and Related Services in a suburban middle school in New Jersey. The study used archival data consisting of items from the 44-item Executive Functions (EF) Rating Scale, a questionnaire that was completed by middle school special education teachers. To examine differences within groups, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to examine teacher ratings …

Predictors Of Attrition And Success In A Weight Management Program For Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Kevin O'Leary

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Aim: To examine the factors that lead to attrition and success in a weight management program for patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The current study specifically examines the effect of quality of life, expected weight loss, self-esteem, and early weight loss on attrition and success rates. Methods: Archival data from a study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania Center for Weight and Eating Disorders were used. Seventy-nine overweight and obese subjects with type 2 diabetes participated in a lifestyle modification program over 40 weeks. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the relationship between early weight loss, expected …

Understanding The Thoughts And Attitudes Related To Participation In Youth Sports, Jeanine A. Johnson

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study was designed to examine the thinking and attitudes that may be associated with elementary and middle school students participating in youth sports. Girls benefit physically, socially, and educationally from ongoing participation in sports. However, compared to boys, girls tend to start later, quit sooner, and participate less often in sports, despite the numerous advantages that athletics provides. The external barriers that contribute to girls’ decreased involvement in sports as they increase in age and grade are well researched. However, there is a lack of information about the possible cognitive variables related to a girls’ decision to play …

Clinician Factors In Psychotherapy Disparities For People With Intellectual Disabilities And Co-Occurring Mental Illness, Timothy Barksdale

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

An estimated 4.5 million Americans with intellectual disabilities (ID) have lived in the community for over twenty years now, following the closing of institutions that once isolated them from the public (Scott, Lakin & Larson, 2008). It has since become evident that this group has the same and more vulnerabilities of developing mental illness than the general public but often lack access to therapeutic service (Whitaker & Read, 2005). Unfortunately society’s lack of interaction with and education about this population has contributed to a number of misconceptions and fears. The hypothesized variables for the behavioral health disparity included: level of …

Predictors Of Vicarious Trauma And Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Correctional Officers, Bertee Thomas Jr

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The correctional setting is often dangerous and unpredictable. Correctional officers have the unique and often dangerous charge of overseeing a very volatile population. The job of a correctional officer can be very stressful and often contributes to emotional, physiological, and psychological distress. Correctional officers may be exposed to violence either directly or indirectly. One of the psychological reactions most commonly associated with violence is the development of trauma. This type of traumatic response may be triggered by direct or indirect exposure to traumatic stimuli. The focus of this study was to identify variables associated with secondary traumatic responses among correctional …

Acculturation, Psychological Distress, And Family Adjustment Among Russian Immigrants In The United States, Eugene Dunaev

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of acculturation differences on psychological distress and family functioning in non-Jewish Russian immigrant families. Potential mediating effects of social support and parenting style and moderating effect of the child’s gender were investigated using regression analysis. The sample consisted of 80 Russian immigrant mother-child dyads residing in the northeast region of the U.S. The study included independent assessment of acculturation to American and Russian cultures. Results confirm the presence of associations between acculturative differences, psychological distress, and family problems. A mediational role of social support and parenting style on the impact …

Interpersonal Difficulty, Affective Problems, And Ineffectiveness As Predictors Of Eating Disordered Attitudes And Behavior, Paige L. Marmer

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The goal of this study was to better understand the relationships between psychological variables (i.e., interpersonal problems, affective problems, and ineffectiveness) and factors (i.e., previous hospitalizations, self-harm, and length of stay) related to disordered eating. A set of psychological variables and ED-related symptoms from the EDI-3 were examined within an inpatient eating disorder treatment center. Data were analyzed from an existing dataset consisting of 1,331 female participants, ranging in age from 14-65. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to test the hypothesis that the independent variables would predict ED-related symptoms (i.e., bulimia, body dissatisfaction, and drive for thinness). Regression models …

Executive Functions In The Schools: What Do Teachers Know About Executive Functions And How They Impact Student Progress?, Larissa Morgan-Borkowsky

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study surveyed middle school teachers on their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and expectations regarding executive functions in relation to students’ academic success. The results of this study indicated that teachers perceived themselves as knowledgeable of executive functions. A disconnect was found between teacher responses to an open-ended question regarding abilities and skills required for academic success and their endorsements of specific questions regarding executive functions. Motivation, problem-solving, and basic academic skills were indicated as being most important for success, but two of these are considered capacities students possess intrinsically. When asked about specific executive functions however, they rated them …

Overweight, Obesity, And Mental Illnesses: Weight Loss Treatment, Michelle Huang

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

For the past 30 years, overweight and obesity has increased at alarming rates in the general population. This public health crisis has affected persons with mental illnesses as it has those in the general population. Little is known about how individuals with psychiatric problems respond to weight-loss treatment compared to the general population. The current study examines the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral group weight-loss intervention with such individuals. The study also examines self-esteem, motivation, and the involvement of a support person in treatment as predictor variables. The treatment was shown to be effective regardless of depression severity. However, while all …

A Qualitative Study Of Recovery-Oriented Services In Inpatient Forensic Settings, Deanna Pecora Mellie

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Recovery principles are currently guiding the transformation of mental health practice and policy in the United States (Anthony, 2000; Davidson et al., 2005; Davidson et al., 2006; Ralph & Corrigan, 2007). Although principles of recovery have become the focus of mental health care reform, they have just begun to enter the forensic system (Hillbrand & Young, 2008). This is important because the forensic state hospital population has experienced a significant growth, reportedly approximating 50 % of all beds in given states, while the general civil state hospital population continues to decline (Salzer et al., 2006). Furthermore, Hillbrand and Young (2008) …

Climate Change Policy In The European Union: Examining The Emissions Trading System, Tabitha Marie Cale

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is a cap-and-trade program regulating the carbon emissions of specific industrial facilities and is the EU’s primary policy mechanism for complying with emissions reduction targets found in the Kyoto Protocol. This dissertation examines the overall effectiveness of the EU ETS and more specifically what factors explain why some member states are more successful at reducing their carbon emissions than others. OLS and logistic regression models are constructed as well as qualitative case studies of Sweden, Denmark, Portugal and Greece, to examine observed differences in emissions in all 27 EU member states from …

Immigration, The Welfare State And Income Inequality In Sixteen Oecd Countries, 1970-2007, Ping Xu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Many western democracies witnessed roaring levels of immigration and inequality in the past four decades. In spite of speculations that immigration is a contributing factor of the rising income inequality, existing studies do not have a consistent finding relating to this relationship. This dissertation utilizes new data sources to explore the relationship between immigration and inequality.My initial exploration points to the fact that immigration significantly leads to increases in post-redistribution income inequality in 16 OECD countries, but does not have any effect on pre-redistribution income inequality. I contend that it is because immigrants as non-citizens are often times not entitled …

A Critical Ethnography Of The Myrtles Plantation In St. Francisville, Louisiana With Ruminations On Hauntology, Holley Ann Vaughn

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines how ghosts perform and are performed in southern Louisiana, particularly in the eclectic Baton Rouge enclave of Spanish Town and at The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville. Although The Myrtles, considered “one of the most haunted locations in the United States,” served as the genesis for this project, I explore the continuities and discontinuities of the histories and historicities of these two distinct places and my journeys between them over a five year period. Using critical ethnography as a grounding framework, the study draws from literature in tourism studies, performance studies, and other related areas of research, …

Investigating The Role Of Genetic Variation In Long Run Economic Outcomes, Charles Justin Cook

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation empirically tests whether adaptations resulting from the Neolithic Revolution, or the widespread adoption of sedentary agriculture for sustenance, have led to economic differences. The development of sedentary agriculture constituted an environmen- tal shift from the previous sustenance method of hunting and gathering. This environmental shift resulted in the natural selection of certain traits. I seek to exploit differences in these traits to measure differing economic outcomes. Two main adaptations are considered in this work: the ability to consume milk, or lactose tolerance, and resistance to infectious Eurasian diseases, which is the result of genetic variation. The first essay …

Nonstatistical Factors Influencing Predictions Of Financial Distress And Managerial Implications In The All-Cargo Airline Industry, Robert O. Walton

Publications

All-cargo airlines carry over 50% of global airfreight, yet they are prone to bankruptcy. Many financial models are designed to predict a firms' financial health, but they do not assess many nonstatistical factors that influence the prediction capability of these models. In this study, qualitative grounded theory design was used to identify nonstatistical factors and explore how they influence bankruptcy prediction models in the all-cargo airline industry. In the first phase of the study, financial data from 2005 to 2009 for 17 all-cargo U.S. airlines were used to determine the bankruptcy prediction ability of the Kroeze financial bankruptcy model. A …

Effects Of Visual Interaction Methods On Simulated Unmanned Aircraft Operator Situational Awareness, Brent A. Terwilliger

Publications

The limited field of view of static egocentric visual displays employed in unmanned aircraft controls introduces the soda straw effect on operators, which significantly affects their ability to capture and maintain situational awareness by not depicting peripheral visual data. The problem with insufficient operator situational awareness is the resulting increased potential for error and oversight during operation of unmanned aircraft, leading to accidents and mishaps costing United States taxpayers between $4 million to $54 million per year. The purpose of this quantitative experimental completely randomized design study was to examine and compare use of dynamic eyepoint to static visual interaction …

Fy2012 Association Of College And Research Libraries (Acrl) Statistical Survey: University Of Rhode Island Data, Michael Vocino

University Libraries Reports & Statistics

The main document posted here is a report generated from the online subscription service ACRLMetrics. The report contains FY2012 data as submitted by the University of Rhode Island Libraries for the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) 2011-2012 statistical survey. It also provides additional metrics calculated by ACRL. Several files are included as supplemental content: "ACRL academic library survey -- URI FY2012 data.xlsx," the report (above) in spreadsheet format; "ACRL Statistics blank worksheet 2011-12.pdf," "2012 ACRL data entry printout - URI.pdf," a printout of URI's final FY2012 data as entered in the ACRL Web-based form; "ACRL Statistics Questionnaire 2011-12 …

Techniques And Principles In Language Teaching, Third Edition (Book Review), Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

The intended audience of this volume is a “teacher educator” interested in developing a repertoire of language teaching methods. The preface argues that training in methodologies, though certainly not without its critics (e.g. Hinkel, 2006; Rajagopalan, 2007), is useful to language teachers. The authors define the “techniques” in the volume’s title as the methods or actions teachers carry out in the classroom, and the “principles” as the thoughts (beliefs, attitudes, values, and awareness) of teachers that guide those actions. The techniques and principles must be connected and coherent for a language teacher to be successful.

Land, Rights, And The Practice Of Making A Living In Pre-Saharan Morocco, Karen Eugenie Rignall

Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology

This dissertation explores the relationship between land tenure and livelihoods in pre-Saharan Morocco as an ethical struggle over subsistence rights and the definition of community. Research in an oasis valley of southern Morocco indicated how changing land use practices framed contestations over community, political authority, and social hierarchies. The dissertation specifically examines the extension of settlement and cultivation from the oasis into the arid steppe. The research methodology contextualizes household decision-making around land use and livelihood strategies within the framework of land tenure regimes and other regional, national, and global processes. Households with the resources and prestige to navigate customary …

Growing Gaps: Children's Experiences Of Inequality In A Faith-Based Afterschool Program In The U.S. South, Caroline Ellender Compretta

Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology

This ethnographic research examines the social service encounter between private providers and child recipients involved in a faith-based afterschool program located in a southern US city. I specifically focus on the tensions and divisions that developed between staff members and participating families in daily programmatic interactions and rhetoric. I highlight how race, class, and gender intersected with age to shape children’s different experiences of the afterschool program and their lives beyond the agency. I also show how these social categories converged in local stories of religious poverty relief, which build upon cultural narratives about American welfare, to blind staff to …

E Pluribus Urbes: Interest Group Organization’S Effect On The Fragmentation And Governance Of American Urban Areas, Matthew L. Howell

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

American cities have proliferated in the post-War era. More than 2,000 new cities were founded between 1950 and 2000. While the history of the local government boom has been documented, research into urban fragmentation has explored why there is no consolidation of metropolitan areas rather than exploring why Americans chose fragmentation initially.

This dissertation proposes that individuals create new jurisdictions because individuals prefer to have governments which give them the services individuals desire, even if they could have similar (but not perfect) services cheaper in a larger jurisdiction. Individuals, however, must balance the benefit they get from better fitting cities …

Clients’ Experiences Of Spirituality In Couple’S Therapy: A Phenomenological Approach, Jillian M. Puckett

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

While spirituality has been an increasingly researched topic within the field of marriage and family therapy, it has been largely overlooked within the context of couple’s therapy. The goal of the present study is to enhance the understanding of the role of spirituality in therapy by describing clients’ experiences of spirituality in couple’s therapy. The study utilized a phenomenological approach to come to a better understanding of the essence of clients’ experiences of spirituality in couple’s therapy. Semi-structured interviews with couples enrolled in couple’s therapy were conducted and analyzed. Four major themes emerged: spiritual experiences in couple’s therapy, perception of …

El Mesón Regional Survey: Settlement Patterns And Political Economy In The Eastern Papaloapan Basin, Veracruz, Mexico, Michael L. Loughlin

Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology

This dissertation examines settlement patterns and political and economic organization at the archaeological site of El Mesón, located in the Eastern Lower Papaloapan Basin, in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Monumental art from the site indicated that the primary occupation dated to the Late Formative (400 B.C.-A.D. 1) or Protoclassic period (A.D. 1-300), however aside from a small surface collection of ceramic sherds, the area remained uninvestigated archaeologically. The Recorrido Arqueológico was initiated in 2003 to provide data about the development of settlement in the area around El Mesón, and to examine how the area was organized politically and economically. …

Biopolitics Of Bike-Commuting: Bike Lanes, Safety, And Social Justice, Samantha Z. Herr

Theses and Dissertations--Geography

As cities have become increasingly motivated to be more sustainable, transport cycling has become integral in these plans. Boston is one such city enthusiastic about bicycle transportation. I take a socio-discursive approach to an investigation of transport cycling integration in Boston, MA. First, I explore the historical processes leading to the appearance of bike lanes on U.S. city streets. Next, I investigate how bike lanes are entwined in cycling safety—both in the discursive and embodied dimensions. What begins as a concern of the physical body leads to ideals of legitimacy and inclusivity, of which the bike lane has become a …

Privatization And Performance In The Implementation Of Temporary Assistance To Needy Families, Adam Michael Butz

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

In response to the passage of the Personal Responsibility Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) and its lead cash assistance program Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), states have taken unique and divergent approaches to welfare policy implementation. One popular approach to workfare delivery, known as privatization, involves contracting with non-profit and for-profit entities operating within the private sector. The General Accounting Office reports that nearly every state is privatizing TANF services to some degree through third-party contracts, but very little is understood about why variation in contracting exists and the ramifications for the program outcomes of welfare recipients. This dissertation …

Creed Vs. Deed: Secession, Legitimacy, And The Use Of Child Soldiers, Trace C. Lasley

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

The use of child soldiers has troubled human rights activists, policy-makers, and local communities for decades. Although rebellions around the world routinely use children in their activities, many do not. Despite its overwhelming importance for conflict resolution, the topic of child soldiers remains understudied. My research blends classic rational choice and constructivist themes to develop an explanation for when child soldiers will be used, and when they will be avoided.

The likelihood of child recruitment is influenced by the value of international opinion; this is determined by the groups' long-term goals. Secessionist rebellions desire to have their own state. However, …

Three Essays Concerning The Relationship Between Exports, Macroeconomic Policy, And Economic Growth, Brandon James Sheridan

Theses and Dissertations--Economics

This dissertation consists of three essays that collectively investigate the relationship between exports, macroeconomic policy and economic growth. The first essay investigates the relationship between disaggregated exports and growthto address why many developing countries rely on primary goods as their main source of export income when evidence suggests they could earn higher returns by exporting manufactured goods.Using regression tree analysis, I find that although increasing manufacturing exports is important for sustained economic growth, this relationship only holds once a threshold level of development is reached. The results imply that a country needs a minimum level of education before it is …

Three Essays On Fiscal Federalism And The Role Of Intergovernmental Tranfers, James W. Saunoris

Theses and Dissertations--Economics

This dissertation is composed of three essays, each examining a unique question relating to the role of intergovernmental transfers in fiscal federalism. Using a panel of the 48 contiguous U.S. states along with recent advances in nonstationary panel and spatial econometric methods this dissertation offers a number of important insights into the workings of intergovernmental transfers and therefore a clearer understanding of the interactions among the different layers of government. The third chapter examines the relationship between intergovernmental revenues from the federal government and intergovernmental expenditures to local governments. As observed by Wildasin (2010), there remains remarkable stability in the …

U.S. Cross-Listing, Institutional Investors, And Equity Returns, Yui Law

Lingnan Theses

Cross-listing refers to firms listing their equities on more than one stock exchange. Cross-listing is an interesting topic of international finance. This is because along with the deeper integration of the global financial market, we should see lesser importance of geographic factors. Thus, the motivations and effects of listing a firm on exchanges of different regions should have essential economic implications. The reputation bonding hypothesis suggests that U.S. cross-listing improves the information environment of a firm because of the higher disclosure standard and more analyst coverage. The legal bonding hypothesis argues that U.S. cross-listing improves the investor protection and corporate …