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THE EXISTENCE OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: EVOLVING OR VANISHING
Get PDFThis study will encompass research on how and why a void has evolved in students\u27 critical thinking skills between the secondary and higher education realms. The research questions that will be addressed are whether instructional methods, tools, and strategies meet the demands of our 21st-century students and how assessments facilitate students\u27 analytical and critical thinking beyond content. The participants for this study will be four English professors from a suburban area private university. The design for this research will be a qualitative methods approach using an interpretative phenomenological design. Qualitative data will be collected through the use of interviews asking the English instructors to define the strategies and tools they implement into their courses and the types of assessments used in the classroom. Transcriptions will be made from the recordings using rev.com. I will then analyze the collected data and use emergent coding to seek out common themes and correlations between the instructor-provided responses. Further address will be given to not only the change in literacy that now exists (New Literacy Studies; NLS) but also the processing skills our students bring with them, including diversity (learning disabilities, language, and culture) and digital experience.
Keywords: critical thinking, literacy skills, digital literacy, and critical media literac
THE MODERATING EFFECT OF AGE GROUP ON PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN PTSD SYMPTOM CLUSTERS DURING TRAUMA-FOCUSED COGNITIVEBEHAVIORAL THERAPY
Get PDFThe Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—5th Edition (DSM-V) includes four symptom clusters that compose Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)-- Re-Experiencing, Avoidance, Negative Alterations in Cognitions and Mood ( Cognitive Mood ), and Hyperarousal (American Psychological Association, 2013). In response to findings that PTSD often presents differently in children and adolescents than in adults, the DSM-V now includes developmental considerations for diagnosis (e.g., Cohen et al., 2010; Scheeringa et al., 2012). As research on pediatric PTSD has grown, Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT; Cohen et al., 2016) has emerged as the most empirically supported intervention for reducing PTSD symptoms, anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems in youth trauma survivors (e.g., Jensen et al., 2013; Last et al., 2023; Murray et al., 2015). Although TF-CBT is effective across developmental levels (e.g., Peters et al., 2021; Scheeringa et al., 2011), there is little research examining the role of age group in treatment response during each phase of TF-CBT, rather than across the entire intervention. Furthermore, many studies aggregate PTSD symptom clusters into a total severity score, potentially obscuring developmental differences specific to certain treatment phases. The present study examines the moderating role of age group in PTSD symptom cluster changes during TF-CBT. Participants included 126 youth (ages 5-17) receiving TF-CBT at a community mental health clinic following exposure to interpersonal violence. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Child Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Scale for DSM-V (CPSS-V; Foa et al., 2018) at three time points: pre-treatment ( Pre ), mid-treatment (before trauma narration; Mid ), and post-treatment ( Post ). For each symptom cluster, we fit a mixed-effects regression model to examine the interaction and main effects of age group (adolescent, child) and time (Pre, Mid, Post) in symptom change. Results indicated that TF-CBT is effective in reducing symptoms from each of the four clusters, regardless of age group. Re-Experiencing and Hyperarousal symptoms improved at similar rates for both children and adolescents. However, moderation and main effects were found for the Avoidance and Cognitive Mood clusters, respectively. Children demonstrated early improvements in Avoidance (Pre to Mid), whereas adolescents showed significant reductions only after trauma narration (Mid to Post). Adolescents, who initially presented with higher Cognitive Mood symptoms, exhibited a steeper reduction from Mid to Post than did children, ultimately reaching similar symptom levels as children by Post. Clinical implications, gender differences, and future research directions are discussed
HISTORICAL LOSS, NEGATIVE EMOTIONS, AND AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG AN URBAN SAMPLE OF AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA NATIVES
Get PDFSince the 16th century, American Indians/Alaska Natives have faced significant traumatic events including loss of tribal lands and forced removal of family; these events are historical trauma exposure. Historical trauma can be assessed through historical loss thinking, a potential sequela from historical trauma. Historical loss thinking is the frequency of thoughts about communal loss (e.g., land and language loss) and has been consistently associated with negative psychological outcomes including negative emotions (i.e., depression/sadness, anger, anxiety/nervousness), substance use, and suicidality (Edinoff et al., 2024; Gone et al., 2019; Smallwood et al., 2021; Whitbeck et al., 2004). Though historical loss thinking is consistently associated with negative psychological outcomes in American Indians/Alaska Natives, only one study to date has explored the association between historical loss thinking and ambulatory blood pressure (ABP), a risk factor for physical health outcomes including cardiovascular disease (John-Henderson et al., 2022). This study found a positive relationship between historical loss thinking and systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure (BP). However, its ABP assessment did not examine BP changes across daily activities/states. The association of historical loss thinking to negative emotions may mediate the association of historical loss thinking to ABP, however, this hypothesis has not been tested. The present study assesses the relations of historical loss thinking to negative emotions and ABP for a sample of 253 urban-dwelling American Indians/Alaska Natives. ABP and negative emotion data were collected every 20 minutes using ambulatory monitors and daily diaries. Analyses found a significant interaction between historical loss thinking and Time Period (waking vs nocturnal) wherein historical loss thinking is significantly associated with nocturnal SBP (β = 1.42, p = 0.02) and DBP (β = 1.20, p = 0.01) but not waking SBP and DBP. We found a significant relationship of historical loss thinking to daily anger, nervousness, and depression, but no relationship of any negative emotion to nocturnal BP, suggesting negative emotions does not mediate the relation of historical loss thinking to nocturnal BP. Historical loss thinking appears to play a role in the mental and physical health of American Indians/Alaska Natives; further research must explore mediators of these effects
TRUST, SELF-EFFICACY, AND PURPOSE AT WORK AMONG TEACHERS IN VIETNAM
Get PDFA sense of purpose and meaning in work among teachers is a vital resource protecting against burnout, reducing anxiety and depression, and enhancing student engagement in the classroom (Boreham & Schutte, 2023; Lavy, 2022). The inherently social nature of schools prompts investigation into social predictors of purpose at work among teachers, including feelings of trust. The specific relationship between trust in one’s colleagues and administration and one’s sense of purpose at work among teachers in Vietnam is unexplored in empirical literature. We examine trust as a predictor of purposefulness at work and self-efficacy as a potential mediator of this relationship in a sample of 1961 teachers in Vietnam. We hypothesized that feelings of trust would be positively associated with purposefulness and that the relationship would be mediated by self-efficacy. Measures of trust and purposefulness were derived from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2021 Teacher Questionnaire (TQ). Self-efficacy was measured using the 12-item Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) –Short Form. Job satisfaction was measured with items derived from the PISA 2021 TQ describing satisfaction both in their overall profession and their current working environment. All items were translated for use with Vietnamese-speaking teachers. Regression analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between trust and purpose (β = 0.40, SE = 0.02, p \u3c .0001). A significant positive relationship was found between trust and job satisfaction (β = 0.40, SE = 0.03, p \u3c 0.0001). Trust, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction explained over 30% of the variance in teachers’ purposefulness (Adjusted R2 = 0.307). Mediation analysis confirmed a significant indirect effect of trust on purpose through self-efficacy (β = 0.10, bootSE = 0.017, CI = 0.07–0.13). The direct effect remained significant, which suggests partial mediation (β = 0.36, SE = 0.024, CI = 0.31–0.41). Findings highlight the importance of occupational trust in promoting both self-efficacy and a sense of purpose among teachers. Improving trust in the relationships between teachers and their colleagues and administration has the potential to enhance purposefulness, perceived professional efficiency, and occupational well-being
THE ROLE OF ADVANCED BUSINESS ANALYTICS IN SHAPING ORGANIZATIONAL DECISION-MAKING IN BANKING INDUSTRY
Get PDFThis study explores the role of advanced business analytics in shaping decision-making within the banking industry, focusing on its implementation, impact, and the challenges that financial institutions face. As banks increasingly embrace data-driven strategies to enhance competitiveness and customer service, analytics has emerged as a key enabler of operational efficiency and strategic foresight. However, despite its potential, banks often encounter obstacles such as legacy systems, data silos, regulatory constraints, and skill shortages that hinder full-scale integration. Adopting a mixed-methods research design, the study combines quantitative survey data from banking professionals with qualitative insights drawn from interviews and secondary data analysis of industry reports and case studies. This approach enables a comprehensive evaluation of how analytics influences decision-making, risk management, and innovation in the banking sector. Regression models are used to assess the measurable impact of analytics on decision-making speed and forecasting accuracy, while thematic analysis highlights implementation best practices and recurring barriers. Ethical considerations—such as confidentiality, informed consent, and compliance with data protection regulations—are rigorously maintained throughout the research process. Findings indicate that banks effectively leveraging analytics benefit from improved loan processing efficiency, enhanced fraud detection, personalized customer engagement, and more robust compliance reporting. Nonetheless, the success of analytics adoption is influenced by organizational culture, leadership support, and technological readiness. This study contributes to the understanding of analytics adoption in banking by offering actionable recommendations for financial institutions and policymakers. It also provides a foundation for future research aimed at examining long-term outcomes and emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, and explainable analytics in the banking domain
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT DECISION-MAKING: PURSUING GRADUATE STUDIES AT THE SAME INSTITUTION THAT GRANTED THE UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
Get PDFColleges and universities are under pressure to increase enrollment and avoid attrition. It is clear that institutions need to increase efforts to work against decreasing graduate enrollment trends and focusing on students already in-place on campus may be an avenue to do so. Research is lacking concerning factors that may be related to the decision by undergraduate students to pursue graduate studies at the same institution that granted the undergraduate degree. Understanding key characteristics of the group that remains at the institution allows us to identify a student profile to focus on to increase graduate enrollment, especially in light of an industry-wide fear of the upcoming “enrollment cliff” which has institutions resorting to downsizing, rather than growing. This study examines such graduate enrollment at a large, urban, private, higher education institution that has seen recent enrollment decline. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the factors that influence decision-making of students to continue at their institution and pursue a graduate degree. The purpose of this non-experimental research is to explore factors related to this decision. Variables related to student and academic characteristics are utilized to better understand student decision-making. Through a combination of Descriptive Decision Theory and Rational Choice Theory, a unique theoretical lens frames this research. This study utilizes student data from institutional records, conducting analysis of descriptive statistics, and a series of independent sample t-tests, chi squares, and logistic regressions. This research is significant, as it helps to identify factors that may be related to why students make decisions to continue with the same institution for their graduate studies, ultimately helping to inform institutions on how to use data to identify a focus for utilization of graduate enrollment management resources
MODIFICATION AND VALIDATION OF A MEASURE OF CHILDREN’S IRRATIONAL BELIEFS
Get PDFHigher levels of irrational and maladaptive thoughts have been linked to emotional and behavioral disturbance (Terjesen et al., 2017). A theoretical model that focuses on this pattern of thinking is Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Children’s thinking has predicted child emotional and behavioral responses (Terjesen et al., 2017). Although cognitions are proposed to be central in the development of emotional and behavioral difficulties, research on self-report measures to assess irrational beliefs is lacking (Dozois et al., 2019; Terjesen et al., 2020). The Child and Adolescent Scale of Irrationality (CASI) had shown preliminary support for reliability and validity; However, Terjesen et al. (2017) identified a number of areas that warranted a revision. Terjesen et al. found variable and somewhat low reliability coefficients for the individual scales. Moreover, exploratory factor analyses did not yield interpretable factors based on beliefs, content, or theory. Thus, additional revisions and further evaluations of the measure were warranted. In the current study, the CASI was systematically revised and updated to reflect current language, interests, and concerns pertinent to children and adolescents in today’s age, and the psychometric properties and factor structure of the revised measure were examined. The revised CASI demonstrated adequate test-retest reliability, and higher and less variable estimates of internal reliability than the original CASI (Terjesen et al., 2017). Discriminant validity was demonstrated between a clinical and non-clinical sample for all scales apart from the ‘Peers’ scale. Predictive and convergent validity were also established, as the total and subscale scores of the CASI correlated highly with the scales of a standardized measure of emotion and behavior (BIMAS-2) and another standardized measure of unhealthy thinking (CATS). Further, results of confirmatory factor analyses provided preliminary support for the factor structure of the revised CASI in line with REBT theory. Overall, results indicate that the revised CASI demonstrates adequate reliability and validity and may be used to assist clinicians in identifying what to target for change in treatment
ALL ANGRY YOUTH ARE NOT THE SAME: A LATENT PROFILE ANALYSIS OF THE ANGER REGULATION AND EXPRESSION SCALE
Get PDFThis study identified youth subgroups with distinct dysfunctional anger patterns using an exploratory latent profile analysis (LPA) procedure. The analytic samples were derived from an archival sample of 10- to 17-year-olds (N = 1,348) who completed the Anger Regulation and Expression Scale (ARES; DiGiuseppe & Tafrate, 2011), a narrowband standardized measure of anger and aggression in youth. The study aimed to (a) verify whether previously identified clinical and subclinical Subjective, Expressive, and Combined Anger Types found in adult and youth samples would manifest in this dataset and (b) identify subtypes within these categories to clarify internalized and externalized anger patterns to inform differential diagnosis and treatment planning for youth. LPA proceeded in three phases. Included participants met the threshold criteria of at least one elevated indicator score (T-scores ≥ 65) and were drawn from clinical and nonclinical subgroups. A preliminary LPA in Phase 1 (N = 681) used the 17 lowest-order ARES scales and subscales, mirroring Romero’s (2020) LPA with indicators deriving from the Anger Disorders Scale (DiGiuseppe & Tafrate, 2004), an adult analog of the ARES. Phase 2 involved refining indicators, including removal of low-utility variables and replacement of highly correlated scales with a higher-order composite, yielding 14 final indicators reflecting the ARES’ Extent of Anger, Internalizing Anger, and Externalizing Clusters. In Phase 3, inclusion and exclusion criteria were reapplied to the revised indicator set, resulting in a reduced yet robust final analytic sample (N = 646). Models with one to nine profiles were sequentially estimated. Stepwise model enumeration balanced quantitative metrics (e.g., fit indices, classification diagnostics, smallest profile size) and the substantive meaningfulness of the emergent profiles. In alignment with the study hypotheses, the selected eight-profile solution yielded seven clinical and subclinical subtypes reflecting the three broad anger types and one nonclinical subtype: one clinical Subjective Anger Subtype, one clinical and two subclinical Expressive Anger Subtypes, and three clinical Combined Anger Subtypes emerged. Each profile is described in detail, with attention to areas of convergence with the adult subtypes identified by Romero (2020). Study limitations and implications for practice are examined
THE ROLE OF AUDITORY AND VISUAL PROCESSING IN DEVELOPMENTAL DYSLEXIA: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY BASED ON ARCHIVAL DATA
Get PDFDyslexia is a popular condition that is associated with impaired reading abilities. Different sources state that it can be observed in around 3-10% of the population. Low reading fluency and reading comprehension, which are often exhibited by dyslexics, can dramatically influence the learning process and reduce academic achievement. In spite of the growing number of studies on dyslexia, the nature and causes of this condition remain poorly understood. In particular, studies offer contradictory findings on the link between dyslexia and auditory and visual processing disorders. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the role of auditory and visual processing in developmental dyslexia. The specific research objectives of this study were to analyze the role of visual processing deficits in dyslexia, to examine the role of auditory processing deficits in this condition, and to compare the significance of auditory and visual processing deficits in dyslexia. The researcher conducted a study based on archival data, which involved the results of various tests conducted by students identified previously as dyslexic. The students were in the 7th and 8th grades (n=40). These tests sought to measure the participants’ visual processing, auditory processing, short-term memory, visual motor integration, and cognitive processing speed. The researcher conducted the correlation analysis and ANOVA tests to examine the link between these constructs. Furthermore, the study also considered the results of intelligence tests and the data on mental health conditions to account for possible moderating variables. The findings of the research show that auditory processing plays a major role in reading fluency but not in reading comprehension. At the same time, visual processing is reportedly correlated with both reading fluency and reading comprehension. In addition to visual processing, reading comprehension is also linked to most other variables examined in this study. The statistical tests conducted by the researcher indicate the critical dependence of reading fluency on auditory processing, which apparently can be explained by the fact that auditory processing deficits damage decoding and word recognition abilities. The dissertation’s findings provide valuable information about the nature and drivers of dyslexia. They point to the importance of embracing the risk factor model to explain the development of dyslexia and predict the risk of developing this condition. They also illustrate that there is no single factor that could fully explain the occurrence and severity of dyslexia. In general, the results of the current study can be valuable for both practitioners and scientists. In addition to providing valuable recommendations for assessing dyslexia on the basis of multiple tests in line with the risk factor model, it also advances an understanding of the complex nature of dyslexia and offers a set of promising areas for further research