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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
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
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
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
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
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
Key Elements in Team Performance Measurements Systems: Issues, Survey Analysis, and Results (open access)

Key Elements in Team Performance Measurements Systems: Issues, Survey Analysis, and Results

This study was designed to determine the Key elements of team performance measurements systems: in relation to effectiveness and satisfaction.
Date: August 1998
Creator: Wilkins, Katina Davenport
System: The UNT Digital Library