White collar crime is pervasive with a larger financial impact to society than violent or street crime, yet it has been understudied. Violent and street offender research has moved beyond the examination of motive and opportunity to study personality, demographics, sociological influences, and psychological influences on development and criminal behavior; however, the bulk of white collar offender research has focused on greed as a motivator and organizational opportunity. Legislative efforts have attempted to curtail white collar crime, but incidents of crime continue to rise, resulting in a continued need to understand white collar offenders and the influences on offender behavior. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the multivariate difference between white collar offenders (n = 62) and business professionals (n = 121). Theoretically guided by the biopsychosocial model and prior empirical findings, 36 variables were univariately tested for group differences; 10 were significant and used in discriminant function analysis. White collar offenders tended to be female, have high neuroticism and alcohol abuse scores, and have low scores on narcissism and attribution. Drug use was positively correlated with the white collar offender profile, while income, openness, hostility, and anger were inversely related. The profile and correlates provide a deeper understanding of those who choose to cross legal and ethical lines. Positive social change could be realized through targeted collegiate business training programs to address risk characteristics and promote protective factors of ethics, integrity, and leadership.

Worldwide, millions of children 5 years of age and older suffer with nocturnal enuresis, also known as nighttime bedwetting. Nocturnal enuresis is a chronic elimination disorder that while usually benign, too often results in the child being emotionally and physically abused. Efforts to design effective treatments with low relapse rates have thus far been thwarted by the array of organic and psychosocial variables related to its development. Guided by the 5-factor theory of personality, this cross-sectional study investigated whether a parent's personality characteristics significantly predict effective treatment for a child's nocturnal enuresis. Effective treatment was defined as having no relapses of symptoms in the 6 months following initial treatment success. A convenience sample of parents (n = 165) was recruited from the online social network Facebook and other online educational and support forums for parents seeking information on enuresis. Participants completed the NEO-FFI-3 to measure their personality characteristics, and logistic regression analyses were used to determine if parental personality characteristics, parental history of childhood enuresis, and/or the child's gender were significant predictors of effective treatment for a child's enuresis. None of these factors were found to significantly predict effective treatment for enuresis. This study promotes positive social change by identifying the need for an integrated biopsychosocial approach to treating children with enuresis with effective evidence-based treatments. These treatments are expected to result in fewer children exposed to the high rates of abuse and the development of psychosocial disorders often associated with nocturnal enuresis

With the evolving problems of terrorism in Nigeria and the formation of numerous new terrorist groups, insurgency in Nigeria has escalated, making it one of the most terrorized countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This study looked critically at the effects of the strategies applied in the attempt to fight terrorism and how these strategies have affected insurgency in Nigeria. The background of the study gives an insight on the evolution of terrorist groups in Nigeria, their mode of operation, effects on citizens and the Nigerian economy, as well as the operations of counterterrorist agencies. The qualitative research method was used for this study. Critical theory and resource dependence theory were applied, and data were obtained through face-to-face and telephone interviews with 7 stakeholders. Detailed recommendations are made to aid counterterrorist agencies in developing and applying additional and effective workable strategies in their fight against terrorism. Policies in Nigeria were recommended that may discourage terrorism initiations and center the focus of youth towards nation-building. Social problems were identified connecting young people as the primary causes of terrorism in Nigeria. Solid recommendations in this direction have been provided to ensure youths across the country who form a vulnerable population and are the targets of terrorist sect recruitment are protected and provided with effective tools to prevent their conscription, while engaging them positively in becoming knowledgeable and self-reliant citizens.

The unhealthy lifestyles of many individuals throughout the world put them at risk for health problems, including infectious disease; endocrine, circulatory, cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive disorders; and obesity. The modifiable health risks from unhealthy lifestyles account for a sizable percentage of health care costs. Regular exercise is recommended for health. However, currently little research exists regarding how individuals select which exercise regimens (personal training, group exercise, multimedia exercise, and self-directed) to follow. Selection of regimens that are based on one's personality may lead to regular, long-term exercise behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine whether personality was related to preference for different modalities among regular exercisers and whether the demographics of age and gender moderated this relationship. The theoretical foundation for the study consisted of the Big-5 personality theory. The nonexperimental quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive research design included the brief version of the Big-5 Inventory (BFI-10) and an exercise modality preference survey, which were administered to 199 individuals aged 25-65 years old who exercise at least twice a week. Results of the logistic regression analyses provided evidence that individuals highest on neuroticism levels were more likely to prefer group exercise while those highest on openness preferred any method of exercise that did not incorporate technology. The findings have implications for social change as they may guide health and fitness providers when recommending treatments to their patients to increase exercise adoption and maintenance. This, in turn, may improve individual health and lower costs associated with health care.

While the majority of studies appeared to focus on health service workers and job satisfaction, there was a substantial lack of literature that explored the relationship of personality traits and burnout specific to behavioral health professionals. Research has indicated that behavioral health professional burnout is a mediating factor in early job exodus primarily due to highly interactive work with people. The purpose of this study was to consider the relationship between behavioral health professional burnout, as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory for Health and Human Service workers, and the big five personality traits, as measured by the NEO Five Factor Inventory. This multiple regression study evaluated 305 behavioral health professionals who were currently licensed and practicing in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Ohio. Results of the study yielded a significant correlation between behavioral health professional burnout and personality traits. The more extraverted, open, agreeable, and conscientious behavioral health professionals are, the less likely they are to experience burnout. The more narcissistic behavioral health professionals are, the more likely they are to experience burnout. In addition, age significantly correlated to behavioral health professional burnout. As age increased, burnout potential decreased. The implications for social change include potential use at the organizational level to implement policy changes, such as regular or preburnout screenings, in order to prevent early exodus from the behavioral health field and increase positive patient outcomes.

Children who suffered parental abuse or neglect can be returned home if their safety can be ensured following offender treatment. However, some caregivers will continue to abuse or neglect their children upon return home, leading to additional treatment, state involvement, and harm to the child. This study assessed personality differences between child abusers and neglectors who were caregivers by applying a binary logistical regression analysis to the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI-2) scores sampled from archival data for 215 caregivers. Analysis showed that the abusers had statistically significant higher scores on the F Scale ('Faking Bad'), but significantly lower scores on Scale 6 (Paranoia) than neglectors. While trait theory asserts that personality aspects are fundamentally fixed, there are treatment implications for differing personality defects. Even though caregivers who had their children removed for abuse or neglect are currently treated homogenously by the legal system, it was hypothesized that the two groups, abuse or neglect, would have different personality traits. Greater insights into the caregiver personalities can lead to more specific treatment, with separate components tailored to the individual, and improved case outcomes for caregivers reunited with their children after child protective services involvement. The social change implication of this study is the continued safety of children through improved treatment for the caregiver, a decrease in recidivism, and lowered child maltreatment rates in the community through a better psychological understanding of the offending caregiver.

Traditionally, college and universities have relied on achievement indicators to estimate students' potential for success. More current researchers have demonstrated that other noncognitive factors provide incremental predictive validity to traditional achievement measures in predicting student success. This study is intended to contribute to the scholarly work in this regard by examining the mediating role that student engagement has on the relationship between Big Five personality traits and student success for Hispanic, two-year college students. First factor analysis derived four factors of engagement: Mental Activities, School Opinions, Collaborative Learning, and Student Services. Mediation models showed that there was a negative relationship between Neuroticism and GPA. This relationship was partially mediated by Mental Activities, School Opinions, and Student Services, with engagement factors mitigating the negative effect on GPA. Agreeableness was positively related to GPA (r = .222) and was partially mediated by School Opinions and Student Services. Lastly, Conscientiousness was also positively related to GPA (r = .196), and this relationship was fully mediated by all four factors of student engagement. By assessing these processes, colleges -particularly those with historically underserved populations- can modify their practices, policies, and environments to ensure they are creating opportunities for students of all personality dispositions to succeed.

Since the early part of the 1800s many aspects of music education have remained "very traditional" with little changes in underpinning rationales (Jorgensen, 2003, p. 3). Due to this lack of change, a divide exists "between musical ideology and education practice" (p. 4). The primary purpose of this thesis is to suggest that changing the music education profession begins with reconceptualizing music education. The secondary purpose is to propose one solution, the Timeline Integration Model. Reconceptualization is the process of challenging the atheoretical and ahistorical perspectives of traditional curricula (Pinar, 1975). Rethinking curriculum research starts at the intersections of social structure, history, and biography (Popkewitz, 1988). This philosophical qualitative research thesis presents an analysis of the social structure of School of Music programs. It uses the symbolic interaction theory to investigate how language and music-for-music's-sake ideology influence the music education profession. It briefly examines the history of music education and provides a review of literature of symbolic interaction theory and reconceptualization in relation to music education. The symbolic interaction theory is also applied to an autobiography to further investigate the social structure of School of Music programs and the music education profession. The autobiography demonstrates how social structure, history, and biography are interconnected. This thesis introduces the Timeline Integration Model. The Timeline Integration Model is an interdisciplinary approach developed by the author that uses socio-historical contexts to rethink musical learning. The Timeline Integration Model also provides teachers with tools to design meaningful and integrative lessons in K-12 general music classrooms.

In this study l investigate the Singaporean characteristics of broadcast media internationalisation. I ask the question &quote Does Internationalisation lead to homogenisation and commercialisation of the television culture in Singapore or does it give way to more diversity, thus stimulating cultural differentiation?&quote . I articulate the constraints and/or tensions of supranational regulation, foreign policy, regional and intraregional alliances upon communication and the cultural and social effects as they impact on and respond to production, programming, scheduling and output in Singapore. I explain how Singaporean Television media culture takes part in the processes of globalisation, and how it challenges existing cultures and creates new and alternative symbolic and cultural communities, within the context of regional communication. In this thesis 1 conclude that whilst Singapore definitely does not have equity in information, wealth or resource flows it is attempting to liberalise. To do so, the government recognises that serious inadequacies and imbalances must be addressed and that the path to greater political and economic growth is through an actively informed public. Despite regulatory restrictions on data flow and technical and service ownership, Singapore is encouraging regional alliances, depoliticising cultural differences and concentrating on economic imperatives to build mutual knowledge and understanding, multilateral agreements, collective ownership, mutual exchange and cooperative dissemination.

This dissertation explored the associations between having experienced a major betrayal, forgiveness, and communication behaviors in married couples. The first aim of the current research was to compare the communication behaviors of couples who have experienced a major betrayal and are in various stages of the forgiveness process as delineated by Gordon, Baucom, and Snyder (2005) to couples who reported never having experienced a betrayal in their current relationship. The second aim of the study was to explore whether injured partners and their spouses behave differently when discussing the betrayal event than when they are conversing about a separate problem area in their relationship. 34 couples were observed having discussions about a problem area in their relationship and/or a betrayal event, and 3 undergraduate research assistants coded these interactions for the following communication behaviors: positive and negative affect, conflict, communication skills, positive and negative escalation, and validating and invalidating behaviors. The couples also reported their levels of forgiveness, marital satisfaction, and basic demographics. Analyses of Variance and Covariance (controlling for marital satisfaction) were used to explore hypotheses. Marital satisfaction was related to how injured partners communicate with their spouses. The injured partner’s level of forgiveness also was found to be related to how both partners communicate with each other regardless of discussion topic. Low levels of forgiveness were associated with less adaptive communication between spouses. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.