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Alcohol Use, Violence, and Psychological Abuse in Intimate Relationships (open access)

Alcohol Use, Violence, and Psychological Abuse in Intimate Relationships

Women in distressed relationships who had sustained severe psychological abuse and either no, moderate, or severe violence from their partner were included (N = 93). Men's and women's alcohol use did not differ with level of violence. Different patterns were found in the moderate violence group regarding women's beliefs about their partner's substance problem, men's psychological abuse, and the relationship of men's and women's quantity of alcohol use and times intoxicated. Uncertainty resulting from moderate violence may strengthen the emotional impact of psychological abuse. Even when psychological abuse is exacerbated by violence, women may use active coping techniques rather than drinking to cope with abusive relationships. The findings suggest that an inordinate focus on alcohol abuse may be ineffective in combating the problem of domestic violence.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Falla, Karen M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Process of Ritual: a Twenty-Year Survey of Literature (open access)

The Process of Ritual: a Twenty-Year Survey of Literature

Use of the term "ritual" in PsycLit from 1975-1995 was examined through an archival study. Abstracts identified as including any form of the term were coded for valence, target population, study type, and differential area of interest. Valence was predominantly positive, consistent across time, with a growing negative trend. Interest in ritual has increased. Key elements of adaptive ritual were identified as recurrence across time, shared symbolism and volitional participation. A Dynamic Process of Ritual is proposed which includes the individual, society, and chaos in a fluctuating relationship, all operating within an additional dimension of a continuum of ritualization in which the individual's position is determined by personal and societal complexity and individual response to crisis.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Emmett, Gloria J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Masculine Role Conflict in Gay Men: Mediation of Psychological Well-Being and Help-Seeking Behaviors (open access)

Masculine Role Conflict in Gay Men: Mediation of Psychological Well-Being and Help-Seeking Behaviors

Gender role issues have been an integral part of psychology since the 1970s. More recently, theories and research have surfaced concerning the issues of maleness in our society. Most of these theories focus on masculine gender role and how it affects men in various ways, e.g., their psychological well-being, substance use, relational abilities, and help-seeking behaviors. One area of maleness that has consistently been left out of the Masculine Role Conflict (MRC) debate is that of homosexuality. As a gay man develops, he finds himself at odds with society over something that he experiences biologically as normal and appropriate. It is the contention of this paper that MRC is an issue related to psychological distress among gay men and not psychological weakness in gay men, per se.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Simonsen, Gregory
System: The UNT Digital Library
Social Validation of Intervention Procedures for Emotionally Disturbed Students : Effects on Regular Education Students (open access)

Social Validation of Intervention Procedures for Emotionally Disturbed Students : Effects on Regular Education Students

The purpose of this study was to explore regular education student perceptions of the effects of implementing behavioral interventions for seriously emotionally disturbed students (SED) in the regular classroom. Student perceptions of classroom friction or disruptiveness, apathy, and general enjoyment or satisfaction were evaluated. It was predicted that regular education students would report more classroom friction, increased apathy, and less satisfaction when interventions were implemented in the regular classroom for a target SED student.
Date: December 1998
Creator: Thomson, Marty C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Conceptual Structure of HIV+ Women With PTSD: Trauma Construct Elaboration (open access)

Conceptual Structure of HIV+ Women With PTSD: Trauma Construct Elaboration

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can result in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as events related to illness act as traumatic stressors. This study tested some basic hypotheses of Sewell and Cromwell's personal construct model of PTSD in HIV+ women both with and without diagnoses of PTSD. Trauma-related constructs of HIV+ women with PTSD with HIV+ non-PTSD controls at varying stages of illness were compared. The elaboration, rankings, and valence of trauma-related constructs were examined using the Life Events Repertory Grid (LERG) procedure. Findings provided evidence that a clinical diagnosis of PTSD in women was not associated with the degree of construct elaboration. These findings may imply a qualitative difference in cognitive processing of social stressors and violent stressors.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Jones, Deborah (Deborah Lynne), 1958-
System: The UNT Digital Library
Using Assessment as a Method for Surfacing Tacit Knowledge to Influence Business Strategy: a Case Study (open access)

Using Assessment as a Method for Surfacing Tacit Knowledge to Influence Business Strategy: a Case Study

In a small, owner-managed, knowledge work firm, assessments were completed on the owners as a method to complete job analysis—surfacing tacit knowledge such as personal characteristics, cognitive style, values and philosophy that contributed to success. Business strategy is often strongly influenced by the tacit knowledge and competencies of the owners, and their unique perspective on the company and marketplace.
Date: December 1998
Creator: Reisenbichler, Lori J. (Lori Jenkins)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Personality Characteristics and Comorbidity (open access)

Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Personality Characteristics and Comorbidity

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is surrounded by confusion and controversy regarding its definition, course, etiology and treatment. Among adults, ADHD is rarely considered a diagnostic reality of primary importance and is often overlooked. This study provides descriptive validity for adult ADHD in distinguishing it from controls, and identifying both a pure condition and one wrought with comorbidity.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Austin, Karla Michele
System: The UNT Digital Library
Classification of Denial in Sex Offenders; an Investigation of Response Styles (open access)

Classification of Denial in Sex Offenders; an Investigation of Response Styles

Standard psychological assessment instruments have not produced consistent results by which decisions can be made regarding the appropriate placement and legal disposition of an individual who has committed a sexual offense. The purpose of the present study was to systematically investigate deception and dissimulation as measured by three assessment instruments commonly utilized with sex offenders. A denial classification system was utilized in order to classify offenders into categories based on their level of admission to the legal system. The four group classification system did not produce significant differences on all measures of deception and dissimulation. Contrary to previous research, admitters were found to respond more defensively than deniers on one of the assessment instruments. In addition, partial deniers were identified as responding significantly differently from both admitters and deniers on a separate instrument. The differences found suggest that sex offenders' level of deception is multifaceted. Difficulties in identifying classificatory strategies and implications for theoretical conceptions of denial within this population are discussed.
Date: May 1998
Creator: Cruise, Keith R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Optimism, Health Locus of Control, and Quality of Life of Women with Recurrent Breast Cancer (open access)

Optimism, Health Locus of Control, and Quality of Life of Women with Recurrent Breast Cancer

The purpose of the present study was to examine the role that specific factors play in the quality of life (QL) for women with recurrent breast cancer.
Date: December 1998
Creator: Graci, Gina M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Test-Retest Reliability on the Revised Conner's Parent Rating Scale (open access)

Test-Retest Reliability on the Revised Conner's Parent Rating Scale

The purpose of this study was to determine the test-retest reliability of the Revised Conners' Parent Rating Scale. The Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS-48) was administered to 59 elementary school children between the ages of 5 and 10 years. After a period of two weeks, the same children were re-tested with the CPRS-48. The results of this research lend support to the integrity of the test-retest reliability of the CPRS-48. The need for further psychometric studies on the Conners' Scales is noted.
Date: May 1998
Creator: Gomez, Debra T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Electroencephalographic Events During the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (open access)

Electroencephalographic Events During the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test

Quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) was used in this study to describe cognitive processing, particularly brain locations used, during performance of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). The hypothesis was that significant cognitive functioning is not limited to the frontal lobes. Significant EEG activity was found in non-frontal areas as well as frontal areas.
Date: August 1998
Creator: DeBeus, Mary
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cognitive Appraisal, Anxiety, and Coping Strategies in Mediating SAM Activation to a Psychological Stressor (open access)

Cognitive Appraisal, Anxiety, and Coping Strategies in Mediating SAM Activation to a Psychological Stressor

The purpose of this study was to examine Dienstbier's (1989) hypothesis that SAM elicitation is prompted by subject's cognitive expectations of an acute stressor ('challenge' or 'threat' appraisal). Reported anxiety was also measured.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Ennis, Michael Patrick
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Relationship between Level of African-American Acculturation and Affiliation with Fraternities and Sororities (open access)

The Relationship between Level of African-American Acculturation and Affiliation with Fraternities and Sororities

Ninety-nine African-American undergraduates, at a historically Black college, completed the African American Acculturation Scale to compare fraternity/sorority members with independents' participation in Black cultural traditions versus dominant White society. Greek members were hypothesized to be more traditional, because these organizations represent ethnic enclaves, have duplicate institutions, and communicate ethnic socialization; findings did not support this, but reasons for joining did. They were more superstitious in their beliefs than nonmembers, likely related to pledgeship and initiation rituals. Validity data on the new measure were provided. Why participants join fraternities, why they like/dislike them, and what purposes they serve was also examined.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Wilcots, Kylynnedra D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Hormones, Distress, and Immune Functioning in Women (open access)

Hormones, Distress, and Immune Functioning in Women

The present study set out to investigate the biopsychosocial model of illness using variables previously identified as directly impacting illness or as mediating the relationship between other variables and illness. Oral contraceptive use, stress, and negative affect were investigated as predictors of immunological competence, measured by the level of Immunoglobulin G antibodies to Epstein-Barr Virus Viral Capsid Antigen (EBV-VCA IgG).
Date: August 1998
Creator: Rubino-Watkins, Maria Francesca
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Program Evaluation Study of a Partial Hospital Program (open access)

A Program Evaluation Study of a Partial Hospital Program

The purpose of the present study was to assess patient improvement in a specific freestanding partial hospital. Improvement was assessed in two specific areas: 1) symptom reduction as measured by the Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and 2) social adjustment as measured by the Social Adjustment Scale Self-Report (SAS-SR) at admission, discharge and three month follow-up. In addition, improvement was assessed from two perspectives: 1) patient evaluation and 2) therapist evaluation. Results indicated that there was statistically significant improvement from admission to discharge on the SCL-90-R and the SAS-SR. This improvement was maintained from discharge to three month follow-up. Findings also revealed statistically significant improvement when analyzed from both the patient perspective and the therapist perspective.
Date: May 1998
Creator: Damkroger, Mary Katherine
System: The UNT Digital Library
Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Geriatric Depression Scale Among Cardiac Patients (open access)

Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Geriatric Depression Scale Among Cardiac Patients

The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was originally designed as a measure for screening depression among elderly medical patients. Although this instrument is well validated among a general medical population, it has never been evaluated with specific regard to cardiac patients, the largest single group of medical patients over 40 years of age. A general cardiac sample of 655 patients completed the GDS within 10 weeks of the cardiac event. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted on the main sample, then on several subgroups of participants with regard to diagnostic category, gender, and age. The GDS generally produces factor structures with several symptom domains with a high rate of total variance. The myocardial infarction group endorsed general symptoms of depression whereas the coronary artery bypass graft group reported greater levels of despair regarding their condition. Overall, males primarily reported agitation and hopelessness while females reported symptoms of depressed mood.
Date: May 1998
Creator: Hupp, Gregory S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Relationship of Leadership Importance Ratings and Leadership Competency Ratings Across Adjacent Management Levels (open access)

Relationship of Leadership Importance Ratings and Leadership Competency Ratings Across Adjacent Management Levels

Effective leadership can and does influence organizational performance. The Executive Success Profile, a multi-rater feedback instrument, was used to gather perception data on 51 executives and 310 senior managers of a large Fortune 500 electronics manufacturing company in regards to three critical leadership dimensions: visionary thinking, empowering others, and global perspective. Paired t-tests were run to compare the means of the two samples. Significant differences were found between executives and senior managers on the perceived importance of and ability to perform on the empowering others dimension. Additionally, correlational measures indicate a statistically significant relationship between importance and competence ratings on the empowering others and global perspective dimensions for executives, and on the empowering others dimension for senior managers.
Date: May 1998
Creator: Goldman, Joshua L. (Joshua Lee)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Investigating the Relationship Between Integrity and Job Turnover (open access)

Investigating the Relationship Between Integrity and Job Turnover

Integrity tests have become a widely used tool in modern-day selection systems. These instruments are generally designed to predict dishonest and counterproductive attitudes/behavior. A group of participants who had quit a job without notice was found to have higher scores on an Integrity/Pessimism scale (indicating low integrity and highly pessimistic attitudes) than an involuntary turnover group of those who had been fired or laid off. Post hoc analyses also found supporting evidence in that the quit without notice group also had higher expressed exit intentions scores (indicating negative attitudes toward current occupation/industry) and shorter average tenure than the involuntary (fired and laid off) group. The potential benefits of developing a predictive Integrity/Pessimism scale are discussed.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Simonini, Scott L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in a Community Sample of Women: Examination of the Role of Violence and Ethnicity (open access)

Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in a Community Sample of Women: Examination of the Role of Violence and Ethnicity

The purpose of the current study was to examine Dutton's (1992) model of moderating and mediating variables which may impact the relationship of violence from an intimate partner with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. This model was tested within three ethnic groups (African American, n = 303, Euro-American, n = 271, and Mexican American, n = 260), of low income, community women in serious, long-term relationships. The importance of the differences and similarities observed are discussed within a framework of the PTSD as well as domestic violence literature.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Vogel, Laura C. M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Neuropsychological Functioning in Non-Schizophrenic First-Degree Relatives of Schizophrenics (open access)

Neuropsychological Functioning in Non-Schizophrenic First-Degree Relatives of Schizophrenics

Research has consistently shown schizophrenics to perform significantly poorer than normal controls on commonly used measures of neuropsychological functioning. Research on the neuropsychological functioning of first-degree relatives of schizophrenics who do not themselves have schizophrenia is comparatively sparse but suggests the likelihood of deficits in this group as well. A battery of standard neuropsychological tests was administered to three groups: first-degree relatives of schizophrenics who do not themselves have schizophrenia (FDR-SCZ), first-degree relatives of persons with major depression and bipolar disorder (FDR-MOOD), and normal controls (NC). The FDRSCZ group was not found to demonstrate significantly impaired performance relative to the other two groups on any of the hypothesized or exploratory analyses. These implications of these findings are discussed with reference to previous studies and future research.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Suire, David M. (David Mark)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Juvenile Waiver to Adult Criminal Courts: a Prototypical Analysis of Dangerousness, Sophistication-Maturity, and Amenability to Treatment (open access)

Juvenile Waiver to Adult Criminal Courts: a Prototypical Analysis of Dangerousness, Sophistication-Maturity, and Amenability to Treatment

Psychological assessment ofjuveniles being considered for waiver to adult criminal courts often requires systematic evaluation of dangerousness, maturity-sophistication, and amenability to treatment (ATX). Despite the importance of these constructs to the evaluation of juveniles, little is known about the criteria that constitute these three constructs. This study was designed to assist in clarifying the constructs of dangerousness, maturity-sophistication, and ATX that typically guide juvenile transfers. Generally, prototypicality ratings were aligned with the current literature on dangerousness, sophistication-maturity, and ATX.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Salekin, Randall T. (Randall Todd)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Stress in Parents of Children with ADHD vs Depression: a Multicultural Analysis (open access)

Stress in Parents of Children with ADHD vs Depression: a Multicultural Analysis

Parents of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are often reported as experiencing more stress than parents of normal children. The bulk of this research has been conducted primarily on a Caucasian population, however, providing little information regarding multicultural aspects of parenting stress. Research has also been lacking in attention given to the stress related to parenting a child with internalizing disorders. The purpose of this study was 1) to compare parenting stress reported by mothers of children with ADHD to parenting stress reported by mothers of children with depressive disorders, and 2) to compare parenting stress as reported by Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic mothers. Results indicated that mothers of ADHD children experienced more parenting stress related only to their children's hyperactive and distracting behaviors. Contrary to previous research, Caucasian mothers reported significantly more overall and parent-related parenting stress than African American mothers.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Walker, Cyndi D. (Cyndi Dianne)
System: The UNT Digital Library
Effects of Family of Origin Violence on Partner Violence: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis (open access)

Effects of Family of Origin Violence on Partner Violence: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis

Meta-analyses with 144 correlations from 44 studies to assess the relationship between experienced, father-to-mother, and mother-to-father violence in the family of origin and partner violence for males and females in clinical, community and student samples.
Date: May 1998
Creator: VanHorn, Barbara
System: The UNT Digital Library
Susceptibility of College Students to Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Related Problems: the Impact of Family Environmental Factors (open access)

Susceptibility of College Students to Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Related Problems: the Impact of Family Environmental Factors

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of parental divorce, level of family conflict, and family history of alcoholism on the alcohol use patterns of college students. Gender differences were also explored. Multivariate Analysis of Variance revealed mixed results. Parental marital status was found to have no significant effect on college students' alcohol behavior. High family conflict had a significant impact on both level of current alcohol use and level of alcohol related problems. A positive family history of alcoholism was found to have effects on the level of alcohol related problems encountered by students. Gender played a significant role, with males reporting higher levels of alcohol-related problems. No significant interactions were found. Results, contributions and limitations of the study are discussed.
Date: December 1998
Creator: Blue, James M. (James Michael)
System: The UNT Digital Library