The Effects of Peer Mentoring on Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of students with autism and their peer mentors that may contribute to the success of peer-mediated intervention strategies. Target students and peer mentors were matched based on skill level, age, and preferences; the students participated in a variety of activities throughout a week-long day camp. Peer mentors were taught how to interact with students, and behavior technicians were trained to facilitate these interactions. A qualitative case study was designed to determine patterns across the matched pairs. Findings indicate that peer mentor characteristics and the characteristics of the target student contribute to the success of a peer mentoring intervention

An Examination of Cognitive Complexity & Its Relationship with Urban-Rural Locality

This study examined the relationship of cognitive complexity with urban-rural locality, communication apprehension, and world view. Emphasis was placed upon the population variable of urban-rural locality as it related to cognitive complexity; however, the variables of communication apprehension and world view were also examined in an attempt to discover an interrelationship among the variables. Using the Crockett Role Category Questionnaire, the short version of McCroskey\u27s Personal Report of Communication Apprehension, a world view scale as developed by Dodd and Garmon, and selected demographic and group membership items, the researcher tested one hundred fifteen undergraduate college students. Data analyses included analyses of variance and correlation and regression analyses. Results of the study indicated a significant sex difference in which females were shown to have a higher degree of cognitive complexity than males. A multiple regression found the variables of number of children in the family, sex, and other organization membership to be chief predictors of cognitive complexity. The group membership variables were discovered to have a strong correlation with one another, with the other organization membership variable exerting the strongest influence. An analysis of variance, however, revealed the major finding of the study, a significant three-way interaction of the variables of population, world view, and communication apprehension with cognitive complexity

Topics in Graph Compositions

For any discrete undirected graph G with vertex set V(G) and edge set E(G) (respectively), a graph composition of G is defined to be a partition of V(G) where every element of the partition yields a connected, induced subgraph of G. This dissertation is comprised of 5 chapters. The first is a general introduction to the concept of graph compositions and a survey of previously researched work; the second focuses on the composition number of deletions of specific graphs from complete graphs; the third focuses on establishing bounds for the composition number of general graphs and the Bell number coefficients of general graphs; the fourth focuses on the connection between graph compositions and Aitken\u27s array, a well researched array; finally, the fifth focuses on the number of compositions of graphs where the number of components is restricted

Comparing speaker-based and observer-based measures of the perception of physical tension during stuttering

People who stutter commonly experience increased levels of physical tension during moments of stuttering. These increased levels of physical tension have been shown to vary in location of the body and from individual to individual (Brutten & Shoemaker, 1967; Wingate, 1964). Though treatment of increased physical tension often involves speaker self-evaluation (see Van Riper, 1973), a widely-used assessment of physical tension relies on a clinician’s observations (SSI-4; Riley, 2009). This study proposed to answer the question, “how do clinicians’ perceptions of physical tension compare to the speaker’s perceptions of physical tension?” Ten adults who stutter recruited from the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Stuttering Association (NSA), were audio-video recorded in select speaking samples. Two expert speech and language pathologists who are also board recognized specialists in fluency disorders (BRS-FD) evaluated selected samples from each participant who stutters using the SSI-4 and a Perception of Physical Tension Form developed for this study. Participants who stutter evaluated themselves using the same forms and discussed their experience of physical tension during an interview so key themes related to physical tension could be identified and compared to results from the clinicians’ observations and test results. Results revealed that physical tension occurring in certain locations, such as the abdomen, chest, throat, cheeks, and tongue, may not be perceived by clinicians. Thematic analysis revealed that the speakers’ experience of physical tension is highly variable and changes over time, possibly relating to other themes of acceptance and self-perception. These results warrant the development of a more specific method of perceiving physical tension using self-reports of speakers. Such assessment may lead to better diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes

To Foster Change

The current study intended to investigate the effects of increased similarity to upward, lateral, and downward comparison targets on changes to participants’ psychological well-being and self-aspect valence. Based on previous literature, hypotheses were proposed in regard to the effect of increased similarity to each direction of comparison. A sample of students in introductory psychology classes from Eastern Kentucky University were employed to test these hypotheses. All of the participants completed measures that captured their self-aspect valence and centrality, perception of comparison targets, and psychological well-being. The results of this study confirmed some of the hypotheses. The results showed that for upward comparisons, increased similarity to the upward target was associated with increased psychological well-being and self-aspect valence at Time 2. The effects for self-aspect valence were moderated by increased closeness and positive valence of upward target. For lateral comparisons, increased similarity to the lateral target was not associated with changes in self-aspect valence or psychological well-being at Time 2. For downward comparisons, increased similarity to the downward target was associated with a marginal decrease in self-aspect valence at Time 2. These findings provided evidence that an individual becoming more similar to people perceived to be better than they are can improve their psychological well-being and the way they feel about themselves

Intentional Mentor Training: Supporting Adolescent Males Coping with Fatherlessness or Having an Absent Father by Equipping Male Mentors

Master's Project (M.Ed.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2016This project answers the research question: How could male mentorship support adolescent males coping with fatherlessness or having an absent father? Through evaluating relevant research linked to fatherlessness and absent fathers and mentorship, an application component comprising of a video training and training manual were created for equipping male mentors to intentionally support adolescent males coping with fatherlessness or having an absent father. By utilizing the academic literature defining mentorship and father involvement and integrating the research on effective mentoring relationship practices, culturally relevant resiliency factors, and effective mentoring in foster care, this mentor training could improve the trajectory for reaching the academic, career, and life goals of adolescent males coping with fatherlessness or having an absent father

UA94/6/1 Thomas Cherry Tichenor Correspondence

Correspondence of Thomas Cherry Tichenor to his parents Thomas Alexander and David Ellen (Cherry) Tichenor regarding his time as a student at WKU, 1931-1936. Consists of typed letters, postcards and report cards. There is also a letter from W.M. Baker on Talisman stationery