Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'THM behaviors'

L'excavation de galeries souterraines engendre en général une zone endommagée par des fractures. Dans le cadre du stockage des déchets radioactifs en couches argileuses profondes, ce réseau de fractures désature la roche hôte et lui fait perdre ses propriétés de confinement (très faible perméabilité, bonne résistance mécanique). Cette thèse se concentre sur l'argilite du Callovo-Oxfordien (COx), une formation géologique choisie en France (Bure, Meuse/Haute-Marne) pour son potentiel en tant que barrière de confinement des déchets radioactifs. En utilisant une approche expérimentale, l'impact de la propagation et de l'auto-colmatage des fissures sur la perméabilité à l'eau et au gaz de l'argilite du COx a été étudié. Des essais d'auto-colmatage ont été réalisés sur des éprouvettes cylindriques artificiellement fracturées sous tomographie aux rayons X, sous différentes orientations (parallèle et perpendiculaire au plan de litage) et températures, avec différentes teneurs en calcite, différentes largeurs d'ouverture de la fracture initiale, et avec l'injection de différents fluides tels que l'eau et le gaz. L'objectif étant de mieux comprendre l'impact de ces différents facteurs sur le processus d'auto-colmatage de l'argilite du COx (évolutions de la perméabilité et de la fermeture de la fracture). Par ailleurs, des essais de fracturation avec mesure de la perméabilité au gaz ont également été réalisés pour les deux orientations afin d'étudier l'impact de l'endommagement par microfissuration sur les propriétés hydrauliques de l'argilite du COx. Il a été observé que la composition minéralogique de l'argilite joue un rôle déterminant dans l'efficacité de l'auto-colmatage. Une teneur élevée en calcite, associée à une faible teneur en argile, a été identifiée comme un facteur limitant, compromettant ainsi la capacité de la roche à se colmater de manière efficace. Pour garantir un colmatage efficace, il est nécessaire que la concentration en calcite reste en deçà de 40%. En général, le processus d'auto-colmatage est rapide au début du test puis se stabilise après un mois. La perméabilité à l'eau des échantillons est partiellement restaurée (~10-18-10-19 m²) par rapport à la perméabilité initiale de l'argilite saine (c'est-à-dire sans fracture) (~10-20-10-21 m²) et la fermeture de la fracture est quasi totale. Par ailleurs, le processus d'auto-colmatage semble être tout aussi efficace pour les orientations parallèles et perpendiculaires. L'impact de la température sur le processus d'auto-colmatage n'a pas été démontré de manière évidente. En ce qui concerne l'injection simultanée de gaz inerte et d'eau, notre étude a mis en évidence un effet retardateur sur la réduction de la perméabilité à l'eau, principalement en raison de la désaturation induite par le gaz. Malgré ce retard, le processus d'auto-colmatage s'est avéré efficace, induisant une réduction significative de la perméabilité. Les essais de fracturation (essais de compression triaxiale) ont montré que la perméabilité au gaz diminue progressivement pour les deux orientations avec l'augmentation de la contrainte déviatorique, illustrant la fermeture des fissures initiales due à la compression axiale des échantillons. Pour des contraintes déviatoriques plus élevées, une augmentation significative de la perméabilité au gaz est observée près du seuil de dilatance, en particulier dans les échantillons orientés parallèlement au plan de litage. Cela suggère un lien étroit entre l'ouverture des microfissures et l'augmentation de la perméabilité
The excavation of underground galleries generally results in a zone damaged by fractures. In the context of the storage of radioactive waste in deep clay layers, this network of fractures desaturates the host rock and causes it to lose its confinement properties (very low permeability, good mechanical strength). This thesis focuses on the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone (COx), a geological formation chosen in France (Bure, Meuse/Haute-Marne) for its potential as a containment barrier for radioactive waste. Using an experimental approach, the impact of crack propagation and self-sealing on the water and gas permeability of the COx claystone was studied. Self-sealing tests were carried out on cylindrical specimens artificially fractured under X-ray tomography, under different orientations (parallel and perpendicular to the bedding plane) and temperatures, with different calcite contents, different opening widths of the initial fracture, and with the injection of different fluids such as water and gas. The objective being to better understand the impact of these different factors on the self-sealing process of the COx claystone (changes in permeability and fracture closure). Furthermore, fracturing tests with measurement of gas permeability were also carried out for the two orientations in order to study the impact of microcracking damage on the hydraulic properties of the COx claystone. It has been observed that the mineralogical composition of the claystone plays a determining role in the effectiveness of self-sealing. High calcite content, combined with low clay content, has been identified as a limiting factor, thereby compromising the rock's ability to self-seal effectively. To guarantee effective sealing, it is necessary that the calcite content remains below 40%. In general, the self-sealing process is rapid at the start of the test and then stabilizes after a month. The water permeability of the samples is partially restored (~10-18-10-19 m²) compared to the initial permeability of healthy claystone (i.e. without fracture) (~10-20- 10-21 m²) and the closure of the fracture is almost complete. Furthermore, the self-sealing process appears to be equally effective for both parallel and perpendicular orientations. The impact of temperature on the self-sealing process has not been clearly demonstrated. Regarding the simultaneous injection of inert gas and water, our study demonstrated a retarding effect on the reduction of water permeability, mainly due to gas-induced desaturation. Despite this delay, the self-sealing process proved effective, inducing a significant reduction in permeability. The fracturing tests (triaxial compression tests) showed that the gas permeability gradually decreases for both orientations with increasing deviatoric stress, illustrating the closure of the initial cracks due to the axial compression of the samples. For higher deviatoric stresses, a significant increase in gas permeability is observed near the dilatancy threshold, particularly in samples oriented parallel to the bedding plane. This suggests a close link between the opening of microcracks and the increase in permeability

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder known for deficits in language and social skills. It is often associated with maladaptive behaviors. Studies have indicated that these behaviors in children lead to increased stress, anxiety and depression in mothers. This study examines the effects of parent-implemented Positive Behavior Support (PBS) and behavioral activation (BA) on reducing problem behaviors and increasing maternal wellness. The single subject study was conducted with three mothers (between the ages of 30 and 45) and their three children (between the ages of 5 and 7) with autism spectrum disorder. The results of this study demonstrate that while PBS implementation does reduce problem behaviors, it does not significantly impact maternal well-being. Results indicated that two of the three mothers were able to implement PBS interventions and their children demonstrated significant behavioral improvements. These mothers also engaged in high levels of valued activities both at baseline and during intervention and showed few depression symptoms. The third mother was not able to implement the interventions and her child demonstrated little behavioral progress. This mother showed signs of depression and did not make gains in this area. Further research may want to examine the relationship between behavioral activation and respite care, as well as the role of socioeconomic status.

The question-behaviour effect (QBE) refers to the finding that asking individuals questions about their cognitions and/or behaviour or to predict future behaviour, can influence subsequent behaviour performance. Health risk behaviours are those behaviours that should be discouraged to produce favourable health outcomes such as smoking, excessive alcohol use and unhealthy eating. The current thesis aimed to investigate the influence of the QBE over health risk behaviours. It provides an original contribution to the literature in its focus on the QBE in these types of health behaviour. A comprehensive systematic review of the QBE literature demonstrated a small, significant effect of the QBE in general, however only 16 previous studies had been conducted investigating health risk behaviours and the majority of these focused on assessing behaviour at baseline. These previous studies produced a non-significant reduction in health risk behaviours as a result of the QBE. The systematic review identified a number of moderators of the QBE including setting. Seven empirical studies are presented here, conducted in a range of settings (field, online, and lab). The data presented show mixed evidence of the QBE for risk behaviours. A mini meta-analysis of the studies presented demonstrated an overall small and non-significant effect of the QBE on risk behaviours. The individual studies demonstrated that the QBE has the potential to increase and reduce these behaviours. Three lab studies demonstrated an increase in unhealthy snacking as a result of questioning intentions relating to behaviour. This was also supported in one of the online studies, where smoking tended to be greater in individuals questioned on this behaviour compared to control, although the difference in conditions was not significant in all measures of behaviour. However one online study demonstrated a significant reduction in multiple health behaviours (risk and protection), when the QBE was combined with a dissonance manipulation. The QBE has the potential to have a small influence over health risk behaviours and the studies presented here demonstrate that asking about these behaviours has the potential to increase them. The QBE may need to be combined with further manipulation focusing on motivation or dissonance to reduce these behaviours consistently.

This study examined the effects of behavior change on psychological health among gay and bisexual men of Portland, Oregon who were at risk for contracting AIDS. Cross-sectional self-reports of personal experiences were obtained in Summer, 1991. Sexual behaviors were used as predictors of self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, and subjective well-being. Adopting safer sexual behaviors was psychologically more costly than continuing to engage in high risk behaviors, or long-term adherence to safer behaviors. Behaviors amenable to short-term change differed from those conducive to long-term maintenance. Behavior change was also found to have a beneficial effect on self-efficacy. These findings suggest that behavior change, traditionally considered as the endpoint of a process, might more appropriately be considered as an interim stage influenced by earlier, and having an influence on later, psychological health. By integrating models of behavior change from research on alcohol and drug use, smoking, and weight control, researchers studying AIDS-related behavior might better understand the place of behavior change in the process of change, relapse, and maintenance.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2002.
Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 144-147). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users. Address: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/uoregon/fullcit?p3045091.

This study examined the relationship between behavior problems, learning behaviors and educational outcomes for at-risk preschool children. A sample of Head Start children (N = 196) were selected in the Southeast. Behavior problems were assessed using The Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA; Le Buffe & Naglieri, 1999) and learning behaviors were assessed using the Preschool Learning Behavior Scale (PLBS, McDermott, Green, Francis & Stott, 1996). Educational outcomes included measures of literacy and math, collected using subscales from the Galileo System for the Electronic Management of Learning (Galileo; Bergan et al., 2003). Behavior problems were found to predict learning behaviors, math and literacy. Furthermore, learning behaviors were found to mediate the effect of behavior problems on literacy and math, and such mediation effects were not found to be moderated by gender nor age. The findings of the study provide a preliminary explanation regarding the mechanism through which behavior problems relate to educational outcomes for preschool children.

1. Skinner B.F. Science and human behavior. New York, Simon & Schuster, 1965. 480 p. 2. Skinner B.F. About Behaviorism. New York, Random House USA Inc, 1976. 304 p. 3. Skinner B.F. Beyond Freedom and Dignity. Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Cambridge, 2003. 240 p. 4. Behaviorism and Marketing – URL: https://zg-brand.ru/statiy/marketing/bikheviorizm_i_marketing/ (accessed on 02 December 2021). 5. Mothersbaugh D., Hawkins D. Consumer Behavior: Building Marketing Strategy, McGraw-Hill Education, 2015. 816 p.
The question of what influences a consumer’s buying decision is, without exaggeration, one of the key questions in marketing. Building the brand’s interaction with the target audience, developing the idea and content of the advertising message, finding effective communication channels and implementing a dozen more urgent tasks depends on the answer to it. Social psychology, back in the last century, offered its own view of the problem, giving the world the theory of behaviorism, a theory based on the study of the dependence of the behavioral reactions of a person on stimuli from the external environment.

This study examined the relationship between employees’ Organizational Commitment and the perception of the management of deviant behavior and examined if Organizational Culture moderated the strength of the relationship between Organizational Commitment and the perception of the management of deviant behavior. Three assessments were administered either electronically or in hardcopy form and were completed by 114 participants who were employed adults ages 18 and above, managed by someone else, in the southeastern U.S. The Organizational Culture Inventory (OCI) developed by Cooke and Lafferty (2013) measured overall Organizational Culture of employees at an individual level of assessment. The instrument used to measure employee Organizational Commitment was the TCM Employee Commitment Survey (Wellspring Worldwide, LLC, 2010). The instrument used to measure the perception of the management of deviant behavior was derived from a non-self-report measure created by Stewart, Bing, Davidson, Woehr, and McIntyre (2009). A moderated multiple regression analysis determined that the relationship between the perception of the management of deviant behavior and organizational commitment was not predicted by a constructive, aggressive/defensive, or passive/defensive culture style. The study found that the perception of the management of deviant behavior did not have a statistically significant predictive relationship with regards to organizational commitment, nor did workplace culture moderate the perceptions or attitudes of employees. The empirical evidence provided in this study enhanced the body of knowledge related to workplace culture. Specifically, the results of the study provided quantitative information, which provided a valuable understanding that a macro-variable such as workplace culture does not necessarily attenuate the relationship between perception of management and organizational commitment within certain diverse workplaces.

The theory of planned behavior is a great tool for understanding predictors of drug use, specifically marijuana. Although the theory has been applied in the U.S. and European context, research on the predictors of behavioral intention for marijuana use within the Arabian Gulf context is limited. This thesis provides an overview of the theory of planned behavior as used in the U.S. and European context. An argument for the need to better understand predictors of behavioral intentions to use drugs, in the Arabian Gulf Region, prior to developing interventions and preventions is presented. Data was collected from 95 participants between the ages of 18-25 who were from the six GCC countries. Participants had the option to complete the survey in English or in Arabic. Results of the study suggest attitudes are the strongest predictor for behavioral intentions to use marijuana. Knowledge and sensations seeking were not significantly related to behavioral intentions for marijuana use within the current sample.

In recent decades, the study of leadership has focused on the qualities of leaders rather than on those of followers. However, it has been argued that there can be no meaningful construct of leadership without a coherent understanding of followership and group behavior. While the body of literature is replete with information on the study of groupthink and conformity as it relates to followership, the neurobiological drivers of such behavior remain under-investigated. The purpose of this work was to investigate the neurobiological basis of groupthink (conformity of thought) as a component of followership. Specifically, this work seeks to investigate six research questions: How does cognitive rigidity and ideological commitment interact to influence groupthink, does the presence or absence of decision-making protocol affect groupthink outcomes, to what extent does the presence or absence of a leader, as well as leader bias drive groupthink, and how does the brain respond in each of these conditions with regard to groupthink and conformity. Two separate experiments were used. The first experiment served as a pilot condition to test the efficacy of a hypothetical vignette. However, an opportunity was seen to test an interactional matrix of cognitive rigidity and ideological commitment (the first research question). In the second experiment, the research questions were tested in a similar mock decision-making group using the same vignette. However, quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) baseline pretest data and posttest data were taken and compared to assess for changes in the brain related to groupthink. Both studies utilized confederates to form the groups to which the researcher measured conformity. While no statistically significant relationships were found directly for any of the research questions, the research did show some interesting patterns. The use of decision-making protocol did seem to slow down conformity when taken into account with other variables, such as leader style. Additionally, consistent with the pre-existing literature, patterns were seen in study two with regard to changes in the frontal cortex, including the medial frontal gyrus, and anterior cingulate. Implications for organizations and churches as well as suggestions for future studies are presented in the final chapter.

The literature on person-organization (P-O) fit has been plagued with inconsistencies in the conceptualization, operationalization and measurement of P-O fit. Despite numerous studies examining the relationship between P-O fit and outcomes, these inconsistencies in measurement and operationalization have led to mixed findings concerning specific individual outcomes. The goal of this dissertation was to address some of these inconsistencies by examining the relationship between P-O fit, using perceived and subjective measures of fit, and attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. In addition, previously unexplored mediators of the P-O fit-outcome relationships were examined. Although not formally hypothesized, it was believed that the magnitude of the relationships would differ such that perceived fit would have a stronger relationship with attitudinal outcomes than subjective fit, and that subjective fit would have a stronger relationship with job performance than perceived fit.

A sample of 188 entry-level managerial employees, working in a national transportation organization, was used to examine the relationship between P-O fit and job attitudes (i.e., job satisfaction, commitment, organizational citizenship behaviors and turnover intentions) and supervisor rated job performance. The results of this dissertation suggest that perceived fit is related to positive attitudes and better job performance. Furthermore, perceived organizational support partially mediates the relationship between perceived fit and the attitudinal outcomes studied, lending partial support for hypotheses. Role ambiguity was also examined as a potential mediator between fit and job performance, however, although perceived fit was significantly related to role ambiguity, the results did not support the relationship between role ambiguity and job performance. Tests of the specific hypotheses for subjective fit were not supported. Instead, the results indicated that organizational values, rather than fit between person and organizational values, were a strong predictor of attitudinal outcomes.

This item is only available in print in the UCF Libraries. If this is your Honors Thesis, you can help us make it available online for use by researchers around the world by following the instructions on the distribution consent form at http://library.ucf.edu/Systems/DigitalInitiatives/DigitalCollections/InternetDistributionConsentAgreementForm.pdf You may also contact the project coordinator, Kerri Bottorff, at kerri.bottorff@ucf.edu for more information.
Bachelors
Nursing
Nursing

The purpose of this present study was to expand on the limited research that has been conducted on conflict recovery and investigate whether conflict recovery has the ability to moderate the impact of conflict behaviors on the level of marital satisfaction. To achieve this goal 71 couples completed self-report questionnaires assessing conflict behaviors and marital satisfaction, and were interviewed about their conflict recovery behaviors. A series of hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses. For men, make-up sex following an argument buffered the impact of conflict on marital satisfaction. For women, a calm follow-up discussion and offering a general apology to one’s partner each moderated the influence of conflict behavior on marital satisfaction. Possible implications are discussed.

The marriage of perspectives from behavioral economic theory and learning theory has the potential to advance an understanding of substance use and substance use disorder. Behavioral economic demand is a central concept to this interdisciplinary approach. Evaluating demand in the laboratory and clinic can improve previous research on the relative reinforcing effects of drugs by accounting for the multi-dimensional nature of reinforcement rather than viewing reinforcement as a unitary construct. Recent advances in the commodity purchase task methodology have further simplified the measurement of demand values in human participants. This dissertation project presents a programmatic series of studies designed to demonstrate the utility of using a behavioral economic demand framework and the purchase task methodology for understanding substance use disorder through basic and applied science research. Experiments are presented spanning a continuum from theoretical and methodological development to longitudinal work and clinical application. These experiments demonstrate three key conclusions regarding behavioral economic demand. First, behavioral economic demand provides a reliable and valid measure of drug valuation that is applicable to varied drug types and participant populations. Second, behavioral economic demand is a stimulus-selective measure specifically reflecting valuation for the commodity under study. Third, behavioral economic demand provides incremental information about substance use in the laboratory and clinical setting above and beyond traditional measures of reinforcer valuation and other behavioral economic variables. These findings collectively highlight the benefits of behavioral economic demand and provide an important platform for future work in addiction science.

Abstract The behavior of investors is often at odds with the assumptions of traditional finance theory. Research conducted over the past half-century or so abounds with examples in which the central axioms of traditional theory are systematically violated. One of the most well-established behavioral patterns in this context is the disproportionate tendency of investors to sell stocks that have appreciated in value since purchase (‘winners’) rather than stocks that have declined in value (‘losers’); this phenomenon is known as the disposition effect and most commonly attributed to Kahneman and Tversky’s (1979) prospect theory. The overall aim of this doctoral thesis is to investigate the robustness of this phenomenon, its underlying mechanisms, and its potential implications for individual investors. The four independent but related essays of this thesis were designed to answer the following research questions: (1) Does the disposition effect ‘survive’ bear markets, in which investors may not be able to realize gains even if they wish to do so? (2) Is there any supporting evidence for prospect theory-based explanation of the disposition effect in the form of other observed behavior consistent with the theory? (3) Is prospect theory the most feasible explanation for the disposition effect? (4) What are the implications of the disposition effect from the point of view of individual investors? Using comprehensive data covering virtually all trades executed in the Finnish stock market during 1995–2003, this thesis demonstrates the following: (1) As robust as the disposition effect appears to be in light of previous studies, the phenomenon is only partially detected in bear markets. (2) The relationship between prospect theoretic preferences and investor behavior is not easily generalizable to other behavioral patterns besides the disposition effect. (3) In fact, even the relationship between prospect theory and the disposition effect is not as strong as is generally believed. Our results instead suggest an explanation based on escalation of commitment, according to which the disposition effect is caused above all by self-justificatory concerns. (4) Finally, although the disposition effect is generally inconsistent with economic rationality, it does not appear to be detrimental to investment performance.

This study attempted to examine three aspects of Equus caballus foal snapping behavior. First, it suggested that the previous theoretical explanation for snapping established by behavioral researchers was incorrect. Second, as a means of suggesting an alternative hypothesis, this study proposed that snapping behavior could be a modified play response that was elicited when foals were confused by the complex social signals displayed by conspecifics. Finally, this project tested the aforementioned hypothesis by recording interactions between foals and conspecifics and analyzing the snapping intensity with each subjectâ s previous level of social experience. There were two indicators utilized to establish social experience. First, the â ageâ of the foal was employed as a measure of overall life experience and development. Second, the number of hours per day the foal was exposed to conspecifics gave an effective measure of the amount of time the subject had an opportunity to learn the complex Equine visual communication (referred to as â out-timeâ ).
Master of Science

The education sector is at high risk for information security (InfoSec) breaches and in need of improved security practices. Achieving data protections cannot be through technical means alone. Addressing the human behavior factor is required. Security education, training, and awareness (SETA) programs are an effective method of addressing human InfoSec behavior. Applying sociobehavioral theories to InfoSec research provides information to aid IT security program managers in developing improved SETA programs. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine through the theoretical lens of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) how attitude toward the behavior (ATT), subjective norm (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) affected the intention of computer end users in a K-12 environment to follow InfoSec policy. Data collection was from 165 K-12 school administrators in Northeast Georgia using an online survey instrument. Data analysis occurred applying multiple linear regression and logistic regression. The TPB model accounted for 30.8% of the variance in intention to comply with InfoSec policies. SN was a significant predictor of intention in the model. ATT and PBC did not show to be significant. These findings suggest improvement to K-12 SETA programs can occur by addressing normative beliefs of the individual. The application of improved SETA programs by IT security program managers that incorporate the findings and recommendations of this study may lead to greater information security in K-12 school systems. More secure school systems can contribute to social change through improved information protection as well as increased freedoms and privacy for employees, students, the organization, and the community.

From the perspective of Depth Psychology, each of us to some degree suffers neurotic complexes of inferiority, superiority, and blind spots in our internal and external awareness. Hence, managing any organization requires managing oneself, or at least understanding the psychological processes involve. As demonstrated throughout this study, not only our inherent functional (neurophysiological) blindness but the acquired blindnesses of hubris, bias, exclusionary modes of perception, and fixed formulae of operation and administration affect our clarity of thought, the lucidity of our decision-making. And perhaps more so for leaders and managers vested in performance and profit: their capacities to listen, learn, interact, implement, recognize and pursue opportunities, recognize and address errors, are materially and decisively affected by the one-sided agenda of business. As argued throughout this study, a central dilemma of economic success entails our overtraining in supposedly objective and obsessively quantitative rational thinking, and our undertraining in purportedly subjective and typically derided emotional qualitative thinking.

The Impact of Teacher Administered Positive Behavioral Support Interventions on the Behavior and Achievement of Intermediate Level Students Identified with Measured Moderate, Mild, and Low Disruptive Externalizing Behaviors

The current study examined how parental underestimations of child’s weight status, parental worry, and the Theory of Planned Behavior variables (attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) predict intentions to adhere to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) recommendations of four childhood health behaviors. These behaviors include: 1) eating five fruits and/or vegetables per day; 2) spending two hours or less on screen time (television, computer, and video games) per day; 3) engaging in at least one hour of physical activity per day; and 4) limiting (having zero) sugarsweetened beverages. Parents (N = 78) of overweight and obese children, ages six to 13 years old, were recruited from pediatric medical clinics and participated in an online study, where they were exposed to these AAP behavioral recommendations for children and completed online measures. Attitudes predicted of behavioral intentions for all recommendations except fruit and vegetable consumption. Subjective norms marginally predicted behavioral intentions for physical activity and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Perceived behavioral control predicted behavioral intentions for the four recommendations. Parental worry predicted behavioral intentions for fruit and vegetable consumption. Additional theoretical and practical implications of this research are also discussed.

An extensive body of empirical evidence indicates that function-based behavior support plans are likely to be more effective and efficient in school settings than plans that are not function-based. Designing technically adequate behavior support plans, however, is not sufficient to ensure that these plans will be implemented with fidelity by school staff. The contextual “fit” of support plan procedures with the values, skills, resources and administrative support of implementing personnel also affects the likelihood of implementation. In this dissertation a single-subject concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to examine the efficacy of the Contextual Fit Enhancement Protocol (CF Intervention). The CF Intervention was designed to improve the contextual fit of support plans for four elementary school students with problem behaviors. This CF Intervention was designed based on the assumption that when procedures included in a plan match the values, skills, administrative support and resources of the people responsible for implementation the plans will be implemented with higher fidelity and will be more likely to produce desired student outcomes. Results from the study indicate that after implementation of the CF Intervention, support plans that were already technically adequate improved in contextual fit: instructional staff (a) had a better understanding of behavioral procedures being used, (b) received specific, systematic feedback about its implementation, (c) perceived high levels of administrative support, and (d) perceived a collective commitment to improve current plans. Following implementation of the CF Intervention, substantial increases in implementation fidelity and decreases in student problem behavior were observed. In addition, teacher participants rated the CF Intervention process as effective and efficient. Limitations and implications for future research, practice, and training are discussed.

Background: Gratitude is an orientation towards the positive in life that increasingly is shown to have relevance for physical health. Less is known about how gratitude relates to health behaviours. The self-regulation resource model (SRRM) posits that future-orientation is a resource that promotes selfregulation of health behaviours. Accordingly, we meta-analytically tested whether gratitude was associated with the practice of health-promoting behaviours, and if future-orientation explained the association. Methods: Data from 14 samples (N = 4,111) from our labs were included in the meta-analysis as there was no published data. All samples completed measures of state or trait gratitude, and a measure of health behaviour frequency; six samples completed a measure of future orientation/self-continuity. Random effects metaanalysis was conducted on the correlations of gratitude with health behaviours, with subgroup analyses. Indirect effects through FO were tested and meta-analysed. Findings: Across all 14 samples, gratitude was significantly associated with more frequent health behaviours, avg. r = .261, [.22, .31]. The effects did not vary significantly across sample type (student/community), or gratitude measure (state/trait). Mediation analyses revealed significant indirect effects of gratitude on health behaviours through future-orientation in the six samples tested (N = 2,828), with an average index of mediation of beta = .068 [.05, .08]. The direct effects remained significant. Discussion: Findings are consistent with the SRRM and demonstrate that gratitude is associated with the practice of health-promoting behaviours, due in part to future-orientation. Further research is warranted to more fully investigate the potential of gratitude for promoting health behaviours.

The present study examined the use of manipulating activity presentation formats and the use of interactions to increase activity engagement in eight older adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD) living in a special care unit of a nursing home. Three experiments, each using an alternating treatments design, were conducted. Experiment 1 compared two sets of activities (i.e., standard and novel) on engagement. The set of activities that produced the highest mean percentage of engagement (novel activities) was used throughout the subsequent two experiments. Experiment 2 evaluated the effects of three different activity presentation formats - providing single activities, providing activity choices, and providing multiple activities - on engagement. Results showed that providing multiple activities to participants produced the highest mean percentage of engagement when compared to providing a single activity or a choice of two activities. Experiment 3 assessed the effects of various levels of interactions on engagement. Minimal and typical amounts of interaction were provided to participants. Results from Experiment 3 revealed that engagement was higher when minimal interactions were provided for all participants than when a typical amount of interactions was provided. Results from these three experiments extended the literature on use of choice interventions and the amount of interactions to provide to nursing home residents in order to increase activity engagement. A behavior analytic account of the results is presented, implications are discussed, and future research in the area is recommended.

Thesis (M.S.) -- University of Maryland, College Park, 2008.
Thesis research directed by: Dept. of Family Science. Title from t.p. of PDF. Includes bibliographical references. Published by UMI Dissertation Services, Ann Arbor, Mich. Also available in paper.

This thesis evaluated the impact of an educational intervention based on the Theory of Planned Behavior that was designed to encourage oncology nurses in Thailand to provide exercise advice to cancer survivors. Following the intervention, a significant improvement was identified in the extent to which oncology nurses engaged in exercise advice behaviours. The study adds to knowledge about the importance of addressing attitudes and perceived behavioural control in relation to exercise advice behaviours when designing educational interventions to improve health promotion activities for cancer survivorship.

This study implemented two behavior management strategies, self-monitoring and monetary incentives, in a dental clinic and a private periodontal practice to explore the effects of these intervention strategies on subjects' dental flossing frequencies and to compare these strategies to standard educational procedures. Group analysis of four dependent variables generally showed minimal impact of the intervention strategies on flossing frequency. However, when the percentages of subjects within groups who improved on the dependent measures were evaluated, differential effects for some dependent variables were noted between settings and among intervention strategies. Based on those findings, the behavioral strategies of self-monitoring and monetary incentives did appear to enhance the effectiveness of education. Multimodal measures were used to assess changes in the target behavior. The general lack of covariance found among the dependent measures used in this study demonstrated that the interpretation varied with the choice of dependent variable. This finding suggested that past researchers, who used only physiological dependent measures to assess changes in the frequencies of dental flossing and brushing behaviors, should have selected more direct measures of the targeted behaviors (e.g. unobtrusive measures or direct observations).
M.S.

The deep-seated qualities of the psychological sense of community (PSOC) are sometimes considered vital to human function and without them we would suffer isolation, loneliness, depression, and alienation (Sarason, 1974; Pretty, Andrews, & Collett, 1994). In the late 1980s and early 1990s studies of the psychological sense of community began in the workplace (Pretty & McCarthy, 1991; Klein & D’Aunno, 1986. Understanding this phenomenon, what it is, and the implications for those who feel a sense of community and those who do not can be a strength or benchmark for teams and groups of geographically dispersed organizations to build models for improvement. While PSOC is generally measured by an individual’s perception of a referent community to which they belong, cohesion is the collective look at PSOC (Buckner, 1988; E. E. Sampson, 1988; R. J. Sampson, 1991). This study evaluates the sense of community in the context of a geographically dispersed community, where PSOC is both relational and locational. A mixed methods approach to the case study is done through the use of surveys, ethnographic observation, and interviews. Key findings in this study include 16 unique descriptive characteristics for FSPSOC, a strong linear correlation between cohesion and the PSOC, and ambiguity in the term community. In addition, it was established that employees perceive geographic dispersion as directly impacting PSOC.

This study examined coaches as potential mentors who could influence adolescent problem behaviors. By using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study compared adolescents who self-reported not having any adult mentors in their life against adolescents who self-reported having a coach mentor in their life on various problem behaviors (i.e., sexual attitudes and behaviors, tobacco, marijuana, steroid, and alcohol use). This study also looked ages of adolescents to see what, if any, influences age presented. Results of this study indicated that in some areas coaches might have a positive effect, albeit slight. When age was analyzed it became apparent there were significant differences between younger and older adolescents' problem behaviors. Discussion addressed implications, theory, limitations, and directions for future research related to coaches as mentors of adolescents.

Background: Evidence suggests that indoor tanning may have addictive properties. However, many instruments for measuring indoor tanning addiction show poor validity and reliability. Recently, a new instrument, the Behavioral Addiction Indoor Tanning Screener (BAITS), has been developed. Objectives: To test the validity and reliability of the BAITS by using a multimethod approach. Methods: We used data from the first wave of the National Cancer Aid Monitoring on Sunbed Use, which included a cognitive pretest (August 2015) and a Germany‐wide representative survey (October to December 2015). In the cognitive pretest 10 users of tanning beds were interviewed and 3000 individuals aged 14–45 years were included in the representative survey. Potential symptoms of indoor tanning addiction were measured using the BAITS, a brief screening survey with seven items (answer categories: yes vs. no). Criterion validity was assessed by comparing the results of BAITS with usage parameters. Additionally, we tested internal consistency and construct validity. Results: A total of 19·7% of current and 1·8% of former indoor tanning users were screened positive for symptoms of a potential indoor tanning addiction. We found significant associations between usage parameters and the BAITS (criterion validity). Internal consistency (reliability) was good (Kuder–Richardson‐20, 0·854). The BAITS was shown to be a homogeneous construct (construct validity). Conclusions: Compared with other short instruments measuring symptoms of a potential indoor tanning addiction, the BAITS seems to be a valid and reliable tool. With its short length and the binary items the BAITS is easy to use in large surveys.

This research explored the topic of team building for a multicultural team and investigated the impact on group cohesion. The participants were members of a work group, each of a different nationality. Review of existing literature revealed a list of team building elements most suited for the multicultural context. A team building program incorporating those elements and customized for the participant group was designed and implemented. Pre and post survey data showed no significant difference in group cohesion, although there was a slight increase in the score for task cohesion. Qualitative interview data, however, suggested a positive impact on group cohesion, with the impact perceived to be greater on task cohesion than social cohesion. Elements of the team building program that were found to be the most impactful were: it provided an opportunity to generate a deeper awareness of others, it provided an opportunity to generate deeper self-awareness, it provided a platform for team collaboration, and it contained fun and interesting activities.

The purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to understand leadership behaviors that motivate internal stakeholders to trust a leader’s vision, embrace change, facilitate employee willingness to passionately implement actions needed for an organizational change initiative and willingly sustain a change initiative. A sample of 20 internal stakeholders was studied, five leaders and 15 followers within an organization of 800+ employees, located in the southwestern region of the United States, which is currently undergoing a change initiative. The research questions were based upon Kurt Lewin’s three-step model of change: unfreezing, transitioning, and refreezing. This research asked how leadership behaviors facilitated employee willingness to trust a leader’s vision and embrace change, passionately implement actions needed for a change, and sustain a change initiative, making an implemented initiative the new normal for the organization. Three themes emerged to address the research questions: 1) know your audience and walk your talk; 2) communication, vision, trust, and buy-in; and 3) residual passion and perseverance. Findings suggested that leadership behaviors influence internal stakeholders in relation to a change initiative and that leaders who are hands-on, consistent, and demonstrate a clear vision increased the possibility of gleaning passion and trust to increase the potential for success during an organizational change initiative.

Thesis (M.A.)--West Virginia University, 2002.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains [iii], 53 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 33-38).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2000.
Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 163-175). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

U.S. colleges and universities have hosted international students from all over the world. Along with the increase of international student enrollment, campus counselors are challenged with identifying the students who need professional help but are reluctant to utilize their campus counseling services (Zhang and Dixon, 2003; Mitchell et al., 2007). Employing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the current study investigated Virginia Tech international students' help-seeking process in terms of their attitudes toward counseling services, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. A total of 132 international students completed a cross-sectional online survey. Contrary to TPB, the results indicated that attitudes toward help-seeking and subjective norms were not correlated with help-seeking intentions. Perceived behavioral control, however, was identified as a predictor of international students' willingness to seek professional help. Intentions and perceived behavioral control were not predictors of international students' utilization of the Thomas E. Cook Counseling Center. The correlation between acculturation and self-stigma with international students'] help-seeking intentions and behaviors was insignificant. Gender was a marginally significant predictor of help-seeking behavior. Previous experience of counseling services was strongly correlated with international students' help-seeking intentions and behavior. The majority of Virginia Tech international students reported emotional issues as their biggest challenge while studying in the U.S. Overall, as the first study which investigated international students' help-seeking process within the Theory of Planned Behavior framework, the present research expanded the literature about foreign students' adjustment issues and utilization of their campus counseling services. Limitations, future directions, and general implications were addressed.
Master of Arts

The current study evaluated the efficacy of a training series designed to teach typical school-based behavior support professionals to build behavioral interventions from functional behavioral assessment (FBA) information. The study was conducted in three stages. First, a descriptive assessment examined the extent to which typical school team leaders demonstrated knowledge of core behavior support plan (BSP) development features following a four-part training series on the development and implementation of function based supports. The second stage of the study assessed the extent to which participants who met criteria for BSP development during training were then able to lead a typical school team in building a BSP that was perceived by expert behavior analysts as "technically sound." In the final stage, a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design was used to determine if there is a functional relationship between implementation of BSPs led by typical school-team leaders who received the training and improvement in the level of student problem behavior. Thirteen school professionals participated in four 1-hour "From Basic FBA to BSP" training sessions. A post test analysis of BSP knowledge indicated that the participants ended training with the knowledge needed to use FBA information to develop student BSPs. Six of the 13 professionals went on to lead school-based teams in the development of BSPs that were rated by outside experts as technically adequate. Direct observation data were collected on student behavior during the implementation of five of the six resulting BSPs, and decreases in problem behavior and increases in academic engagement were seen for all five student participants. Additionally, participating team leaders and classroom staff indicated that they found the procedures and tools used to be both acceptable and effective. These results document preliminary findings supporting the efficacy of a four-part training series used to teach typical school staff to use FBA data in designing student BSPs. Further implications for practice in schools and directions for future research are discussed.

The most devastating effects of climate change may be avoided if humans reduce activities that produce greenhouse gases and engage instead in more sustainable ecological behaviors. The current mixed methods study of 279 undergraduate students explored whether environmental worldview, belief in climate change, knowledge of climate change, personal efficacy, and intention to address climate change influenced participants’ engagement in ecological behavior. Results indicated that those with a stronger intention to address climate change and a more ecocentric worldview reported significantly more ecological behavior. Next, the study examined whether participants’ intentions to address climate change mediated the relationship between their belief in climate change and engagement in ecological behavior and whether intentions mediated the relationship between efficacy and ecological behavior. Intentions to address climate change did not mediate the relationship between belief and ecological behavior but fully mediated the relationship between efficacy to address climate change and ecological behavior.

Emerging evidence indicates self-compassion can be beneficial for medical populations and for medical adherence; yet, research to date has not fully examined the reasons for this association. This study examined the association of dispositional self-compassion to adherence across five medical samples and tested the extent to which perceived stress accounted for this association. Five medical samples (total N = 709), including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and cancer patients, recruited from various sources, completed online surveys. Self-compassion was positively associated with adherence in all five samples. A meta-analysis of the associations revealed a small average effect size (average r = .22, [0.15, 0.29]) of self-compassion and adherence and non-significant heterogeneity among the effects (Q (4) = 3.15, p = .532). A meta-analysis of the kappa2 values from the indirect effects of self-compassion on adherence revealed that, on average, 11% of the variance in medical adherence that was explained by self-compassion could be attributed to lower perceived stress. Overall, findings demonstrate that dispositional self-compassion is associated with better medical adherence among people with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and cancer, due in part to lower stress. This research contributes to a growing evidence base indicating the value of self-compassion for health-related behaviours in a variety of medical populations.

The World Health Organization (WHO, 2016) reports that 3.2 million deaths per year are attributable to physical inactivity, making it the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Physical inactivity is also a key risk factor for noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes (WHO, 2018). Globally, 1 in 4 adults is not active enough and, therefore, foregoes a myriad of health benefits associated with Physical Activity (PA; WHO, 2018). In the United States, only about 1 in 5 (21%) adults meet the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2018). The CDC currently recommends adults engage in 150 min of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week (CDC, 2018). Translated to steps, the recommendation can be met by taking 3,000 steps in 30 min, 5 days per week (Marshall et al., 2009). Physical inactivity is also a major contributor to obesity (WHO, 2018). According to the WHO (2018), worldwide prevalence of obesity almost tripled since 1975. In the United States, the medical costs of obesity were estimated to be $147 billion, or 10% of all medical spending (Finkelstein, Trogdon, Cohen, & Dietz, 2009). To combat the many problems associated with physical inactivity, the CDC (2015), the WHO (2018), and the American Heart Association (2018) prescribe increased PA. Furthermore, increased PA contributes to a variety of other health benefits, including a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, as well as improved mental health, and increased life expectancy (CDC, 2018).