Prospective Minority Students\u27 Perceptions of Application Packets for Professional Psychology Programs: A Qualitative Study

This article reports the results of a qualitative study designed to determine issues salient in Black and Hispanic American students\u27 review and evaluation of program-application packets in professional psychology. The study served as an extension to the Yoshida et al. (1989) quantitative investigation. Students interested in pursuing doctoral studies in counseling or school psychology (N = 22) served as the sample. The qualitative methodology incorporated a think-aloud procedure and semistructured interviews. A theme analysis of transcribed interviews identified both major and minor themes central to participants\u27 evaluation of the packets. Major themes included financial aid, program requirements and course descriptions, demography of the student body, and the quality and clarity of application material. Specific suggestions on developing an application packet to send to inquiring prospective students are put forth. It is recommended that such a packet could serve as a cost-effective minority-recruitment strategy

Minority Student Perceptions of Professional Pscyhology Application Packets: A Qualitative Study

This article reports the results of a qualitative study designed to determine issues salient in Black and Hispanic American students\u27 review and evaluation of program-application packets in professional psychology. The study served as an extension to the Yoshida et al. (1989) quantitative investigation. Students interested in pursuing doctoral studies in counseling or school psychology (N = 22) served as the sample. The qualitative methodology incorporated a think-aloud procedure and semistructured interviews. A theme analysis of transcribed interviews identified both major and minor themes central to participants\u27 evaluation of the packets. Major themes included financial aid, program requirements and course descriptions, demography of the student body, and the quality and clarity of application material. Specific suggestions on developing an application packet to send to inquiring prospective students are put forth. It is recommended that such a packet could serve as a costeffective minority-recruitment strategy

Daughters\u27 Perspectives on Maternal Substance Abuse: Pledge to Be a Different Kind of Mother

The purpose of this grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) study was to explore the experiences of racially and culturally diverse young mothers whose own mothers abused substances two decades ago when substance abuse peaked in inner city, urban neighborhoods in the United States and to identify the factors that have influenced how they parent their own children today. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten drug-free mothers who report having been raised by a mother who was addicted to drugs, primarily crack cocaine during their childhoods. The emergent grounded theory is that exposure to maternal substance abuse has a significant and unique impact on female children throughout their lifespan, with particular emphasis at the onset of motherhood. Among the goals the young mothers expressed is that they wanted to be there for their children, protect their daughters from sexual abuse, and raise sons who do not abuse women

Increasing Teacher Use of Contingent Praise and Contingent Materials Using Consultant Feedback and Praise

Extended the work of A. Cossiart et al (see record 1973-29805-001) by (1) broadening the range of teacher behaviors to include both the use of contingent praise and contingent educational materials, (2) presenting a procedure that was efficient in terms of demands on teacher and consultant time, and (3) illustrating the delivery of services using a behavioral consultation model with an actual client in the natural environment. Three teaching staff members and a 10-yr-old Pakistani boy with academic and behavior problems participated in a case study. Observation data of teacher–student interactions were taken 2 or 3 times a week over a 6-wk period by a consultant. The consultant also collected data on the frequency of staff delivery of praise and extra educational materials that the pupil found reinforcing. Results indicate that consultant feedback and praise immediately following each observation period had a positive effect on staff delivery of contingent reinforcing educational materials. There was a significant reduction in 1 behavior of the pupil that had been targeted as undesirable. It is suggested that immediate feedback and praise may not be required to achieve positive results and future studies might try a more flexible or intermittent schedule