The effect of participation in a ``Greening the BCC Curriculum'' workshop series on the environmental literacy of a community college faculty

The purpose of this study was to develop a series of workshops designed to raise the environmental literacy of a community college faculty and facilitate infusion of an environmental perspective into the courses they teach. Data was gathered on the effect of the workshops on the level of environmental literacy of the participants as well as the persistence of any observed effect. How faculty infused an environmental perspective into their courses was also explored.^ The workshop model was developed by reviewing adult learning and change theories, case studies of workshops at other colleges, environmental education research, and results of a pilot study. Content, organization, and delivery methods from these sources were selected and integrated to create the 14 components of the model employed by the workshops in this study.^ Forty-two faculty from the North Campus of Broward Community College participated in the study. The 20 workshop participants from seven academic departments attended seven two hour workshops during the fall term of 1996, and implemented projects to infuse environmental topics into their courses the following term. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest-delayed posttest nonequivalent control group design was employed in which the 22 members of the control group who did not attend the workshops were administered the Wisconsin Environmental Survey at the same time as the workshop participants (immediately before the first workshop, immediately following the last workshop, and four months following the completion of the workshop series). This instrument, an adaption of the Wisconsin High School Student Environmental Survey, yielded three measures of environmental literacy: Affective, Behavior, and Cognitive Subscale scores.^ The repeated measures MANOVA performed using the scores of the two groups on the three administrations of WES revealed a significant interaction for group by time, so repeated measures ANOVA were performed for each of the three subscales to investigate the interaction. Tukey-HSD post hoc comparisons indicated that for all three subscale scores, the two groups were not significantly different on the pretest, but on the posttest and the delayed posttest, the workshop participants demonstrated significantly higher levels of environmental literacy. All statistical tests were performed at $\alpha$ =.05. ^

Effects of nursing interventions for fever in acutely ill adults

Fever has both beneficial and detrimental effects. There is evidence that antipyretics and physical cooling methods, when used in combination, are more effective than antipyretics alone. This randomized controlled study examined 45 acutely ill adults with fever ${\ge}102.5\sp\circ\rm F$ where three nursing interventions were used. Group I received acetaminophen 650 mgs., Group II received acetaminophen 650 mgs. and tepid sponging, and Group III received acetaminophen 650 mgs. and hypothermia blanket. The purpose of this study was to evaluate which nursing intervention reduced temperature most effectively with respect to eight biobehavioral variables. Research hypotheses were tested statistically using the chi-square test and repeated measures analysis of variance. The study found statistically significant results for fever reduction overall, but no difference for the groups. Therefore, we suggest that acetaminophen alone be used in the treatment of fever in order to decrease cost, nursing time, and increase patient comfort. ^

A frame analysis of the leadership styles of dental and medical school deans

The purpose of this study was to determine how dental and medical school deans perceived their own leadership styles and how many management/leadership perspectives they used when approaching a problem. A descriptive and correlational study was conducted which examined the leadership orientations or "frames" utilized by these deans. Four frames--the structural, the human resource, the political, and the symbolic--emerged from leadership studies which described the behavior of leaders in organizational actions and problem solving.^ Employing the repeated measures ANCOVA, it was found that there were no significant interactions between type of dean and perceptions or perspectives. However, the main effects of both leadership style perceptions and the use of perspectives were significant. This indicated that over the total sample of deans, both perceptions and perspectives were used differently; the deans perceived themselves and used perspectives the highest for the human resource frame and the lowest for the political frame. Also, dental deans' mean use overall of the four perspective frames was higher than the medical deans. In addition to the ANCOVA, t-tests performed on perceptions revealed that the deans perceived the frames differently in three human resource items. Pearson's correlations indicated that for the combined sample of deans, significant negative correlations existed when the human resource or symbolic frame was compared to the structural frame. All of the deans used multiple frames, allowing them to re-frame or combine frames according to the situation. ^

Building better relationships workshop: An intervention fostering identity formation and interpersonal development in middle adolescents

The aim of this study was to further knowledge development concerning the formation of a sense of identity and intimacy. This study drew on the growing recognition by many researchers in the psychosocial development field of the need to target interventions at the interface of the development of identity and intimacy. The specific aim of the study was to address the question of whether it would be possible to develop intervention procedures for fostering identity and intimacy exploration and development. Using both qualitative and quantitative measurements, the results appeared to clearly support an affirmative answer to this question. A total of sixty-three middle adolescent students from an urban, public high school participated in this study. Twenty-nine participants in the treatment group and 34 participants in the comparison group were pre- and post tested on measures of identity and intimacy. Participants in this study consisted of multiethnic, urban youth that presented themselves for relationship counseling. Repeated measures analysis of variance's (RMANOVA's), used to evaluate the impact of the intervention on the quantitative measures of identity and intimacy exploration, clearly supported the efficacy of the intervention. In addition, the findings also provided tentative support for the view that the increase in exploration that results from entering a period of active exploration is associated with a “loosening” of commitment. Finally, the findings of this study also contributed to the empirical knowledge-base about procedures for intervening with respect to the process of intimacy development. More specifically, both the qualitative and quantitative findings of this study began to shed some light on the potential impact of exploration for interpersonal insight as that as a process for fostering intimacy development. ^

Types and amplitudes of touch as reinforcing stimuli in operant conditioning of infant behavior

The reinforcing effects of diverse tactile stimuli were examined in this study. The study had two purposes. First, this study expanded on the Pelaez-Nogueras, Field, Gewirtz, Cigales, Gonzalez, Sanchez and Clasky (1997) finding that stroking increases infants' gaze duration, and smiling and vocalization frequencies more than tickling/poking. Instead of presenting poking and tickling as a single stimulus combination, this study separated poking and tickling in order to measure the effects of each component separately. Further, the effects of poking, tickling/tapping and stroking intensity (i.e., tactile pressure) were compared by having both mild and intense conditions. Second, this study compared the reinforcing efficacy of mother-delivered tactile stimulation to that of infant-originated tactile exploration. Twelve infants from 2- to 5-months of age participated in this study. The experiment was conducted using a repeated measures A-B-A-C-A-D reversal design. The A phases signified baselines and reversals. The B, C, and D phases consisted of alternating treatments (either mild stroking vs. mild poking vs. mild tickling/tapping, intense stroking vs. intense poking vs. intense tickling/tapping, or mother-delivered tactile stimulation vs. infant-originated tactile exploration). Three experimental hypotheses were assessed: (1) infant leg kick rate would be greater when it produced stroking or tickling/tapping (presumptive positive reinforcers), than when it produced poking (a possible punisher), regardless of tactile pressure; (2) infant leg kick rate would be greater when it produced a more intense level of stroking or tickling/tapping and lower when it produced intense poking compared to mild poking; (3) infant leg-kick rate would be greater for mother-delivered tactile stimulation than for infant-originated tactile exploration. Visual inspection and inferential statistical methods were used to analyze the results. The data supported the first two hypotheses. Mixed support emerged for the third hypothesis. This study made several important contributions to the field of psychology. First, this was the first study to quantify the pressure of tactile stimulation, via a pressure meter developed by the researcher. Additionally, the results of this study yielded valuable information about the effects of different modalities of touch. ^

Social support, risk, and adjustment of immigrant preadolescents

The current study was designed to explore the salience of social support, immigrant status, and risk in middle childhood and early adolescence across two time periods as indicated by measures of school adjustment and well-being. Participants included 691 children of public elementary schools in grades 4 and 6 who were interviewed in 1997 (Time 1) and reinterviewed two years later (Time 2); 539 were U.S.-born, and 152 were foreign-born. ^ Repeated measures multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA's) were conducted to assess the effects of immigrant status and risk on total support, well-being, and school adjustment from Time 1 to Time 2. Follow-up analyses, including Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc tests, were used to test the significance of the differences among the means of support categories (low and high), immigrant status (U.S. born and non-U.S. born), risk (low and high) and time (time 1 and time 2). ^ Results showed that immigrant participants in the high risk group reported significantly lower levels of support than their peers. Further, children of low risk at Time 2 indicated the highest levels of support. Second, immigrant preadolescents, preadolescents who reported low levels of social support, and preadolescents of the high risk reported lower levels of emotional well-being. There was also an interaction of support by risk by time, indicating that children who are at risk and had low levels of social support reported more emotional problems at Time 1. Finally, preadolescents who are at risk and preadolescents who reported lower levels of support were more likely to show school adaptation problems. Findings from this study highlight the importance of a multivariable approach to the study of support, emotional adjustment, and academic adjustment of immigrant preadolescents. ^

Truancy reduction: Extension of a county program

The primary purpose of this research was to examine the effect of the Truancy Intervention Program (TIP) on attendance patterns of elementary school students. Longitudinal archival data were used from Miami-Dade County Public School system's data system, ISIS. Data included the students' school information from fifth through ninth grade for attendance, academic grades, referral information, and referral consequences. The sample for this study was drawn from students at TIP-participating M-DCPS elementary schools in Miami-Dade County. Data collected spanned five years for each participant from the fifth grade to the ninth grade. To examine the effect of TIP on attendance, participation in middle school TIP was compared with non-TIP participation. In addition to immediate effects on attendance, the durability of the effects of TIP was studied through an analysis of attendance at the ninth grade level. A secondary purpose was to examine the relation of TIP participation to Grade Point Average (GPA). ^ The data were analyzed using 2 (group) x 3 (grade) Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) on yearly attendance (number of absences), and grade point average for each year. The interaction between group and grade was significant. Post hoc tests indicated that absences were not significantly different in the two programs in seventh, eighth or ninth grade. Students enrolled in a middle school with TIP showed a significantly higher number of absences in ninth grade than for seventh or eighth grade. There were no differences by grade level for students enrolled in non-TIP middle schools. GPA analysis indicated that students enrolled in a non-TIP middle school had a significantly higher GPA across seventh, eighth, and ninth grades when compared to students enrolled at a TIP middle school. ^ An examination of attendance disciplinary referrals and consequences further revealed that the referral rates for students enrolled at a TIP middle school were higher at the seventh, eighth, and ninth grade level, then for students enrolled at a non-TIP middle school. This pattern was not readily apparent at non-TIP middle schools. Limitations of the research were noted and further research regarding program implementation (process evaluation) was suggested. ^

Quality of student involvement and college contribution toward development of traditional and nontraditional undergraduate students

Nontraditional students differ from traditional students on characteristics such as age, employment status, marital status, and parental status. The quality of a student's experience is important as it relates to his or her transformation and is a reflection of the quality of the college. ^ Using theory of involvement as a framework, the purpose of this study was to test if there were differences between traditional and nontraditional undergraduate students in their ratings of quality of college involvement (academic, co-curricular, student interactions, and faculty interactions) and perceptions of college contribution toward development (intellectual, personal, social, and career). A two part survey was distributed to a random cluster sample of sophomore and higher level undergraduate classes equaling 400 undergraduate students. ^ Results of a 2 x 4 repeated measures ANOVA indicated that traditional students rated quality for co-curricular involvement and student involvement significantly higher than nontraditional students. Both traditional and nontraditional students had similar ratings of college contribution toward development. There were different patterns of correlations between involvement and development. Traditional students' ratings of academic and student involvement were more highly correlated with development than were the ratings of nontraditional students. However, nontraditional students' ratings of academic and faculty involvement were more highly correlated with development. When testing for differences in correlations between quality of involvement and college contribution toward development, the largest observed differences were quality of student involvement and college contribution toward personal and social development. Although not significantly different, traditional students had stronger correlations between those factors than did the nontraditional students. ^ This research demonstrates the importance of using social role when defining student type. It contributes to involvement theory by explaining how traditional and nontraditional students differ in their ratings of quality of involvement. Further, it identifies different patterns of correlations between ratings of quality of involvement and college contribution toward development for the two types of students. While traditional students may need a more rounded college experience that includes more social and co-curricular experiences, nontraditional students use the classroom as their stage for learning. ^

An investigation into advertising's ability to foster favorable evaluations of brand extensions

Taking a respected brand name and placing it on a new product has become a popular strategy for leveraging the name's equity and goodwill. Current research has indicated that the success of doing so depends in part on the perceived “fit” between the core brand and the extension. When the name is extended to a closely related product category, consumers are very likely to transfer their favorable attitudes toward the core to the extension. However, as the perceived fit declines, this transfer becomes less likely. ^ This dissertation examined whether particular advertising tactics (e.g., using a common endorser or logo for the core and the extension) could enhance perceived fit between the core brand and its extension, thus leading to more favorable attitudes toward the extension than would otherwise occur. The sample was undergraduate students from universities in the southeast. The generating mechanism tested was that the transfer of associations between core brand and extension would enhance the overlap of associations between the core brand and the potential extension. ^ Research questions were analyzed using a 3 (levels of fit) x 3 (treatments) x 2 (replicate) experiment. The data analysis was conducted with repeated measures ANOVA's, UNIVARIATE ANOVA's, UNIVARIATE ANCOVA'S, and planned linear contrasts. ^ The results, except for the hypotheses on fit as a mediator of extension attitude, do not indicate that the presence of an endorser or brand mark closely aligned with the core brand enhanced perceived fit between core brand and extension. ^

Black middle school students' perceptions of success and their influence on academic performance

The purpose of the study was to investigate the perceptions of success held by Black middle school students in a Miami-Dade County (FL) public school and how these perceptions influence academic performance. The study sought to determine if differences exist among African-American, Haitian-American, and Haitian immigrant subgroups of the Black student population. ^ The study combined qualitative and quantitative methodology in data collection and analysis. The qualitative data consisted of three focus group interviews. Using a semi-structured protocol, questions focused on the student's perceptions of the characteristics of successful people, definitions of success, behaviors associated with achieving success, and peer, family and school support. The quantitative data comprised the responses of 352 Black middle school students to the Inventory of Student Motivation (ISM) developed to measure mastery, performance and social goal orientations. Response similarities and differences were examined using a series of two-way ANOVAs on the success scales by gender and culture. A three-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted on mastery, performance and social general goal scales by culture and gender. ^ The results of the ISM revealed no statistically significant differences among African-American, Haitian-American, and Haitian students in their mastery, performance or social goal orientations. All three cultural groups scored significantly high on the mastery goal scale. There was a significant effect for gender on the mastery general scale with the females being more concerned with mastery than the males. Qualitative focus group interview results included varying definitions of success. African-American and Haitian-American students defined success in materialistic terms. Haitian students defined success in scholastic achievement terms. All students indicated hard work, persistence and goal setting through completion as important to achieving success. Negative influences included peer pressure, teacher and societal expectations, and classroom environment. Parental reaction to low academic performance varied by culture. ^

Alcohol use and sexual victimization among Hispanic college women

Sexual victimization of young women typically occurs within a context of alcohol use, such that women are more likely to be victimized on days on which they consume alcohol compared to days on which no alcohol is consumed. Additionally, most research on sexual victimization of women has focused on forced sexual acts; consequently, little is known about forms sexual victimization that college women typically experience, such as brief (e.g., unwanted touching) or verbally coerced experiences (e.g., doing sexual things to prevent a partner from leaving). Finally, there is a need for more research on the processes underlying college women's drinking and the specific mechanisms through which drinking increases risk for sexual victimization. This dissertation sought to replicate recent findings of a temporal association between alcohol use and sexual victimization, and to investigate whether or not binge use increased risk for victimization, within a sample of young Hispanic college women, using repeated-measures logistic regression. This study also aimed to identify and explore typologies of victimization experiences in order to better understand types of sexual victimization common among young college women. Finally, the validity of a model of alcohol use and sexual victimization was investigated using structural equation modeling techniques. The results confirmed and extended previous research by demonstrating an increase in the conditional probability of sexual victimization on days of alcohol consumption compared with days of no alcohol consumption, and on days of binge alcohol consumption compared with days of moderate alcohol consumption. Sexual victimization experiences reported in this study were diverse, and cluster analysis was used to identify and explore specific typologies of victimization experiences, including intimate relationship victimization, brief victimization with stranger, prolonged victimization with acquaintance, and workplace victimization. The results from structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses were complex and helped to illuminate the relationships between reasons for drinking, alcohol use, childhood sexual abuse, sexual victimization, psychopathology, and acculturation-related factors among Hispanic college women. These findings have implications for the design of university-based prevention and intervention efforts aimed at reducing rates of alcohol-related sexual victimization within Hispanic populations.

Effectiveness of skills- versus metacognitive strategy-based approaches on reading comprehension of college developmental students

This study explored the relative value of behavioral and cognitive psychology as the basis of instruction for underprepared college students enrolled in developmental reading courses. Specifically this study examined the effects of a metacognitive strategy-based instructional approach (MSIA) modeling a metacognitive self-questioning technique (MSQT) versus a traditional skills-based instructional approach (SIA) on the Nelson-Denny reading comprehension scores of college developmental readers and whether there were significant differences in achievement based on instructional method used and on the sex of students. The sample consisted of 100 college developmental reading students who were enrolled in six intact sections of a reading course (REA0002). Participants completed a pretest of the comprehension subtest of the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (Form G). Three of these classes (n = 49) were taught using metacognitive-strategy instruction and three classes (n = 51) were instructed using skills-based instruction. They then received a semester of instruction intended to improve their reading comprehension. At the end of the semester, participants completed a post-test of the Nelson-Denny Reading Comprehension Test (Form H). A two (Between) x one (Within) Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was utilized to test each of the hypotheses of this study. Results showed that there were no significant differences in reading comprehension between the groups receiving the different instructional treatments and no differences in reading comprehension between the men and women participants. Based on the findings, implications for research and recommendations for future research were discussed.

The effect of a clinical practicum on elementary education preservice teachers' development of reading expertise

The purpose of the study was to measure gains in the development of elementary education teachers’ reading expertise, to determine if there was a differential gain in reading expertise, and last, to examine their perceptions of acquiring reading expertise. This research is needed in the field of teacher education, specifically in the field of reading. A quasi-experimental design with a comparison group using pretest-posttest mixed-method, repeated measures was utilized. Quantitative data analysis measured the development of reading expertise of elementary preservice teachers compared to early childhood preservice teachers; and, was used to examine the differential gains in reading expertise. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted on pre- and posttest responses on a Protocol of Questions. Further analysis was conducted on five variables (miscue analysis, fluency analysis, data analysis, inquiry orientation and intelligent action) using a univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA). A one-way ANOVA was carried out on gain scores of the low and middle groups of elementary education preservice teachers. Qualitative data analysis suggested by Merriam (1989) and Miles and Huberman (1994) was used to determine if the elementary education preservice teachers perceived they had acquired the expertise to teach reading. Elementary education preservice teachers who participated in a supervised clinical practicum made significant gains in their development of reading expertise as compared to early childhood preservice teachers who did not make significant gains. Elementary education preservice teachers who were in the low and middle third levels of expertise at pretest demonstrated significant gains in reading expertise. Last, elementary education preservice teachers perceived they had acquired the expertise to teach reading. The study concluded that reading expertise can be developed in elementary education preservice teachers through participation in a supervised clinical practicum. The findings support the idea that preservice teachers who will be teaching reading to elementary students would benefit from a supervised clinical practicum.

Think before you eat: Calories and exercise equivalents presented on menus at point-of-choice

Although calorie information at the point-of-purchase at fast food restaurants is proposed as a method to decrease calorie choices and combat obesity, research results have been mixed. Much of the supportive research has weak methodology, and is limited. There is a demonstrated need to develop better techniques to assist consumers to make lower calorie food choices. Eating at fast food restaurants has been positively associated with weight gain. The current study explored the possibility of adding exercise equivalents (EE) (physical activity required to burn off the calories in the food), along with calorie information as a possible way to facilitate lower calorie choice at the point-of-choice in fast food restaurants. This three-group experimental study, in 18-34 year old, overweight and obese women, examines whether presenting caloric information in the form of EE at the point-of-choice at fast food restaurants, will lead to lower calorie food choices compared to presenting simple caloric information or no information at all. Methods. A randomized repeated measures experiment was conducted. Participants ordered a fast food meal from Burger King with menus that contained only the names of the food choices (Lunch 1). One week later (Lunch 2), study participants were given one of three menus that varied: no information, calorie information, or calorie information and EE. Study participants included 62 college aged students. Additionally, the study controlled for dietary restraint by blocking participants, before randomization, to the three groups. Results. A repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted. The study was not sufficiently powered, and while the study was designed to determine large effect sizes, a small effect size of .026, was determined. No significant differences were found in the foods ordered among the various menu conditions. Conclusion. Menu labeling alone might not be enough to reduce calories at the point-of-choice at restaurants. Additional research is necessary to determine if calorie information and EE at the point-of-choice would lead to fewer calories chosen at a meal. Studies should also look at long-term, repeated exposure to determine the effectiveness of calories and or EE at the point-of-choice at fast food restaurants.

The effectiveness of an enhanced cognitive behavioral intervention in improving behavioral outcomes related to HIV prevention

This study analyzed outcomes of an enhanced cognitive-behavioral intervention with dually diagnosed severely mentally ill adults. It specifically addressed the improvement of attitudes, skills, self-efficacy to use condoms and the heightening of condom use. The data were analyzed via a randomized three-group repeated measures design composed of the experimental (E-CB), standard care (SC) comparison or a no-treatment control condition as the between-subjects variable and pre-post measure as the within-subjects variable. The E-CB focused on cooperative, application, hands-on, skill-building and role-playing activities for sexual assertiveness, negotiation in risk-taking and proper condom use. The SC comparison, was didactic in its approach and addressed risk-taking and proper condom use in one session, but did not involve application approaches to problem-solving risky situations or condom use. Multiple assessments were conducted at pre-, post- and six months post-intervention. ^ The analysis indicated that the E-CB intervention led to more favorable attitudes toward condoms and to improved and maintained skills regarding their use by participants six months after the intervention compared to the standard care and control groups. No significant improvements in self-efficacy were found. A repeated measures ANOVA conducted on the transformed values of percentage of vaginal condom use indicated no significant differences between the experimental and standard care conditions but both had a significantly higher mean percentage vaginal condom use than the control group, averaged across pre- and six-month post-intervention. No gender differences were seen in attitudes, skills or self-efficacy to use condoms. ^ This study shed light upon the effectiveness of the instructional approach for the enhancement of attitudes, skills and self-efficacy outcomes related to HIV prevention. For heightened effectiveness, future approaches must address multiple factors impacting learning in this population. ^