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1997 research outputs found
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Use of Live and Robotic Assistance Animals for Psychological and Cognitive Health in Military Populations
Get PDFThis literature review addresses the use of live and robotic animal-assisted therapy for psychological and cognitive health in military populations. More specifically, this literature review aims to address the benefits and limitations of the use of live animal-assisted therapy, complementary and alternative techniques (i.e., Combat and Emotional Stress Control Dogs and social robots) for military personnel, and possible attitudinal barriers regarding active duty and veteran soldiers, while utilizing literature conducted with the civilian population to augment. A systematic review of peer-reviewed quantitative and qualitative publications and book chapters was utilized to accomplish this. Results of the literature review indicated that animal-assisted therapy and the use of complementary and alternative techniques has been found to not only improve psychological and cognitive health of military personnel but can also positively impact the individual’s interpersonal functioning and quality of life. General limitations of the literature review included limited empirical studies, a reliance on qualitative information, small sample sizes, lack of standardization, and lack of detailed demographic information. General clinical implications included the lengthy process to obtain an animal, the cost, adverse effects on the individual, stress to the animal, and proper utilization of the intervention. Recommendations for future research include the completion of more empirical studies for animal-assisted therapy and complementary and alternative techniques with military personnel with a focus on the specific impact the intervention has, exploring the theory regarding the mechanisms of how animal-assisted therapy works, and the creation of a succinct policy for the use of animal-assisted therapy on military instillations
Student Perceptions of First-time Online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Vietnam
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to gain insights into student perceptions of first-time online learning students experienced at their university during the school closure in spring 2020 in Vietnam due to the COVID-19 pandemic and their future expectations about this learning mode. This was considered crucial to gauge the potential for online learning in Vietnam. One-hundred one (101) undergraduate students at a large university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, were surveyed electronically. Ten of them also participated in the follow-up interview. The results of the survey were revealed: Flexibility (Time, learning), live platform(s), such as Zoom and Google Classroom, comfort with online technologies, and lesson delivery were ranked in the top four helpful components of first-time online learning; Internet access, technical problems, harder to pay attention, and lack of community were ranked in the top four challenging components. Future expectations identified in this study were: better live platform and combination of meeting in a classroom setting and completing coursework online. Implications addressing the identified challenging components of online learning are provided
Staff Perceptions of Standards-Based Grading Prior To Implementation
Get PDFThe purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate the perceptions of a group of middle school teachers regarding changing to standards-based grading (SBG). Data were collected from the transcripts of two different focus groups and analyzed. Study results indicated that SBG measures were not well known by all staff, and many clear resistance points were present. Resistance points centered around five key themes: fear of loss of rigor, community pushback, lack of SBG practices knowledge, lack of supporting infrastructure, and extra time and work required. Recommendations that flow from these results are that, prior to implementing SBG, comprehensive data be collected regarding staff beliefs about grading and reporting in general, and that targeted, differentiated professional development be planned for staff based upon the results of the data collected. Continuing to expand SBG practices within schools is the ultimate goal due to the large body of research espousing its benefits
Increasing Strategies and Programs for the Retention and Graduation of Black Undergraduate Students at the University of Central Florida
Get PDFAbstract of Dissertation
Increasing Strategies and Programs for the Retention and Graduation of Black Undergraduate Students at the University of Central Florida
This study aims to expand the knowledge and understanding of retention and persistence opportunities for Black students at the University of Central Florida. Qualitative research and data were collected and analyzed on six minority students at UCF. The study discovered academic, social, and cultural factors that affect Black undergraduate students\u27 retention, persistence, and graduation at the University of Central Florida.
Analysis of the data revealed the need for minority students to access academic strategies and participate in intervention programs that aid Black students in succeeding and graduating from UCF. While recruitment is an essential factor with minorities attending higher educational institutions- ensuring academic strategies and interventions are equally important in the success and graduation of minority students at UCF and American higher educational institutions
Let’s Talk About Sex: Examining Clinical Training, Attitudes, and Clinician SelfAwareness Around Sexuality
No full textThough sex and sexuality have long been central aspects of the human experience, there is little exclusive focus within many graduate programs in clinical psychology on these topics, as these courses are infrequently offered and many programs do not offer them at all. Some studies have shown clinicians on internship (i.e., no longer taking courses) who have had training and experience with discussing sex and sexuality with clients under supportive supervision feel more comfortable and confident focusing on sex and sexuality. Clinicians are rarely asked to examine their own sexual identity and identity development and consider how they may influence the therapeutic relationship. This study was designed to examine how many graduate psychology students had taken specific courses on sex and sexual identity development, level of awareness of their own sexuality, and level of comfort discussing sex and sexuality with clients. The Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale (BSAS) and Sexual Awareness Questionnaire (SAQ) were used to assess participants’ attitudes toward the behaviors of others and their own awareness, respectively. They were also given two vignettes and asked to provide “gut” reactions to the clients. Results indicate very few students had taken courses specific to sexual identity development or sexuality (15%); though there was a negative correlation between the BSAS and SAQ, results should be interpreted with caution due to a low sample size. Responses to the vignettes revealed a more overall negative view of the homosexual female client and a negative view of the homosexual client by heterosexual men, heterosexual women, and one queer female participant. Results support the need for more research on the importance of focusing specifically on discussing sex and sexual identity development in graduate training
Palestine, Preschool, and Power: Palestinian Teacher Narratives Under Occupation
No full textPalestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem have been living under military occupation for over 50 years. While much scholarship has focused on the political facets of the occupation, far less is understood of the lives of Palestinian preschool teachers. The purpose of the research is to explore the narratives of preschool teachers in Palestine: how their lives are affected by the occupation and settler colonialism, the perceived impact of this context on their students, and the strategies they have adopted to guide their students. The study uses narrative research centered on preschool teachers located in different areas of Palestine. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The teachers’ narratives revealed the oppressive nature of the occupation, their perseverance in the midst of struggles, aspects of their Palestinian identity, and the importance of play in children’s healing. This research provides an understanding of lived experiences of preschool teachers in Palestine with critical implications for early childhood education and its transformative role in Palestinian liberation
Secondary Traumatic Stress in Intimate Partners and Children of Service Members
Get PDFThis literature review addresses secondary traumatic stress (STS) in intimate partners and children of service members. More specifically, this literature review aims to explore if intimate partners and children of military service members are at risk for developing secondary traumatic stress. Secondly, this review aims to explore if there are specific risk factors associated with the development of secondary traumatic stress in intimate partners and children of service members. Finally, this review examines if there are other stressors and outcomes for intimate partners and children of service members. A systematic review of peer-reviewed research was explored to accomplish addressing the above aims. Results of this review indicate that some intimate partners of service members develop STS. Due to a lack of research, it is unclear if children of service members are likely to develop STS. This review did identify several general risk factors across populations for developing STS and PTSD. This review also identified mental health outcomes other than STS that intimate partners and children of service members may face. Limitations of this review include limited research on STS in intimate partners and children of service members, methodological shortcomings of reviewed studies, and studies reviewed not accounting for or not gathering sufficient information about trauma experiences not related to military services. General clinical implications include treatment recommendations for family focused treatment, utilizing protective factors, STS, and psychological distress for intimate partners and children of service members. Recommendations for future research include studies on STS in children of service members, expanding the diversity of participant samples (i.e., non-heterosexual couples, female service members, racially inclusive), and government organizations, such as Veterans Affairs, utilizing family focused treatment approaches
The Utility of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) for Attention-Related Referrals
Get PDFThe Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) is a commonly used, UK-normed test to assess diverse attentional capacities in children and adolescents. Currently, there is insufficient evidence for the diagnostic utility of the TEA-Ch with ADHD in a U.S. population. The focus in this study was to investigate the relationship between the TEA-Ch scores test authors found to be most sensitive to ADHD in UK samples as well as the relationship of TEA-Ch scores to other measures typically used in the diagnosis of ADHD, including rating scales. Archival and prospective analyses of 121 subjects with mixed-clinical/ADHD diagnoses (ages 6–16; M = 10.32, SD = 2.70; 86 male) were conducted with a sample obtained from a private practice in Illinois. All subjects were administered the TEA-Ch as part of a neuropsychological evaluation. Both the ADHD and clinical groups scored in the impaired range (16th percentile or below) at a higher-than-expected rate for the following subtests: Sky Search (Time-Per-Target and Attention scores), Score!, Sky Search DT, and Walk, Don’t Walk. The ADHD group scored in the impaired range more often than expected on Score DT whereas the clinical group did not. The following subtests showed statistically significant differences in scores between the ADHD and non-ADHD groups: Score! (p = .04), Score DT (p = .04), and Walk, Don’t Walk (p \u3c .01). Results indicate Score DT promises the best diagnostic utility in differentiating between an ADHD and clinical population. Furthermore, the clinical group performed in the impaired range at a higher-than-expected rate on five of the seven TEA-Ch scores examined, demonstrating the TEA-Ch may be sensitive to attentional deficits seen in other clinical disorders
Mental Health Treatment in Juvenile Correctional Facilities: Utilizing Assessment To Inform Treatment
Get PDFYouth in juvenile correctional facilities face a wide range of mental health difficulties. Over the years, the juvenile justice system has prioritized the need for providing appropriate and effective treatment services to youth throughout their detainment. Despite these ongoing efforts, treatment practices in juvenile correctional facilities continue to fall short. This study will first focus on assessment practices within these facilities and the impact current practices have on diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of comprehensive evaluations for informing diagnosis and determining the individual treatment needs of detained youth. An integrated approach to assessment will be proposed, and illustrative case examples will be used to depict the value and need for improved assessment practices in juvenile correctional facilities. The relevance of comprehensive mental health evaluations as it relates to meeting the individualized treatment needs of detained youth will be also be discussed
Postpartum Depression in South Asian American Mothers: An Examination of Screening Tools and Associated Cultural Factors in Assessment
Get PDFPostpartum depression is a disorder impacting an overwhelming number of women after childbirth with symptoms of depression, anxiety, guilt, and hopelessness. Due to limited research and understanding of postpartum depression in the growing South Asian population in the United States, it is vital to gather data and research on this population to increase understanding of patterns and experiences that occur within the South Asian American population and to incorporate cultural factors into the screening process. The current research’s objectives include discussing the facets of postpartum depression, current tools used to screen for postpartum depression, and helpful interventions to create a diagnostic screening tool that may be used in the diagnostic screening process to detect postpartum depression in South Asian American women