This study used Ajzen's (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to explore Polynesian student-athletes' motivation to improve academic performance (AP), while participating in Division I (D1) college football. Specifically, this study examined how attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control influence motivation to achieve a higher GPA. Furthermore, ethnic identity, family obligation and cultural values were examined as potential contributors to subjective norms. The sample consisted of 70 Polynesian football student-athletes at 10 U.S. D1 universities. A modified TPB questionnaire was used to assess the TPB variables (attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) as contributors to Polynesian football student-athletes academic, athletic, and career motivation toward achieving a higher GPA. A factor analysis indicated family obligation and cultural values were contributors to subjective norm. Further, a stepwise regression analysis indicated subjective norm was a consistent predictor of academic, athletic, and career motivation. Positive relationships were also found between perceived behavioral control and athletic motivation, as well as, attitude and academic motivation. Although AP was not predicted in this study, findings highlight the impact of Polynesian football student-athletes perceived social pressure from family and culture on their academic, athletic, and career motivations. Findings provide implications for advisors, administrators, and scholars.

Introduction: Executive functions (EFs) are a set of inter-related neurocognitive abilities, recruited for top-down, conscious control of thoughts, actions and emotions. EFs develop rapidly during the preschool period (age 3 to 6 years), which is the same time, during which the symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), namely hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, become evident. Furthermore, hyperactivity, inattention, and the EFs contribute to academic performance once children begin formal schooling. To clarify the interplay of these processes, this dissertation conducted 3 studies that used a longitudinal design (4 time-points) to investigate the development of EFs from age 3 to 6 years, the relations between EFs and hyperactivity across this same period of time, and their relative contributions to inattention and academic performance at 6 years of age. Study One: Children’s performance on EF tasks was examined across 4 time points, beginning at 36-48 months of age. Results indicated significant between-child variability for all EF component processes at 3 years of age, significant growth over time, and preliminary support for the theory that, among EFs, working memory may develop first. Furthermore, EF performance at 3 years of age made significant contributions to performance on complex tasks of problem solving and planning at 6 years of age. Study Two: The aim of study two was to evaluate the relations between EF, hyperactivity, and inattention. Results indicated significant between-child variability in EF task performance, with a decrease in variability from age 3 to 4.5 years. Hyperactivity at age 3 years reliably predicted hyperactivity at 6 years of age for females, who also had lower hyperactivity scores. In contrast, for males, child EF performance and parent-report of EF at age 3 years were the best predictors of hyperactivity at 6 years of age. Study Three: The aim of study three was to expand upon the relations between EF, hyperactivity, and inattention by evaluating their relative contributions to academic performance. There were limited relations between academic performance, hyperactivity, and inattention. However, EF performance at 3 years of age predicted age 6 reading and math, whereas parent-report EF only predicted reading. Furthermore, hyperactivity at 4.5 years of age moderated the relation between age 3 performance EF and age 6 academic performance, with this relation becoming stronger as hyperactivity increased. Conclusion: Together, these studies make several notable contributions to the field: (a) that initial EF abilities at 3 years of age are highly variable between children, but improve consistently over time, (b) that the relations between hyperactivity and EF appear to be different for males and females (or higher/lower levels of hyperactivity), and (c) that even in a community sample, hyperactivity moderates the EF-academic performance relation. These findings contribute to the early identification of hyperactivity and interindividual differences in EF abilities, in very young pre-schoolers, who may go on to have more difficulty in a formal schooling setting. / Graduate / 2023-08-09

Schools of business within the Florida State University system have state-mandated common prerequisites that students are required to complete prior to formal admission into baccalaureate business programs. As such, the common prerequisites serve as minimum admission requirements for schools of business in the state of Florida. This study sought to determine the ability of these discipline specific admission criteria to predict academic performance in upper-level business coursework. This study looked at existing data for 860 students in the College of Business Administration at the University of Central Florida. Findings of the study demonstrate that there is a positive and moderate to strong correlation between the final grade earned in each individual course within the common prerequisites and the cumulative academic performance in upper-level business coursework. The strength of the correlation varied among the individual prerequisites, however, each individual prerequisite was positively correlated. Regression findings also demonstrate that the common prerequisites may, with certain student populations such as native students and students pursuing quantitative business majors, be a rather effective predictor of program performance. Most problematic of the findings was that the predictive ability was not equivalent across different student populations. This suggests that as admission criteria or screening mechanisms designed to select students most likely to be successful in the program, the state-mandated common prerequisites were not effective for all student populations. Findings of this study have implications for schools of business, as well as other disciplines, as they evaluate the common prerequisites required by their institution or consider best practices and policies to improve student retention, graduation, and other outcomes.

Ladies Professional Golf Association Teaching Professionals are scattered throughout the country, many of whom are self-employed. There was not a review session for Class A written test preparation prior to this study. The focus of this research, thus, was to assist first time test takers in their preparation of the LPGA Class A written evaluation through an online medium. The study was conducted between July and November, 2005, and was offered to LPGA T & CP Class B first-time test takers. Components of the online review session included self-evaluations, discussion postings involving test-related content, and practice quizzes. The study compared the pass rate percentage of the participants in the online review session with the pass rate percentage of those who did not participate in the online review session. A test of proportions determined there was not a significant increase in the pass percentage rate of the online review session participants when compared to the test takers who did not receive intervention. However, pass rates and average test scores were higher for online review session participants. Suggested uses of this study include the future development of online review sessions for LPGA Class B and Apprentice written evaluations, with the goal of improving academic performances. Future research should include replication of the present study, but with a larger sample size. Future research should also involve Class B and Apprentice test takers and not be limited to first time test takers.

This study is the summary of research conducted in a third grade classroom during a unit on multi-digit addition and subtraction. The classroom teacher utilized mathematical manipulative materials throughout the course of this unit as a supplement to aid in the conceptual understanding of addition and subtraction. This study showed the effects of those manipulatives on third grade students' participation, engagement, and academic performance. Data collected from teacher observations and video recordings indicated a positive relationship between manipulatives and student participation and engagement. A pre-test/post-test and student work samples were used to determine effects on academic performance. Data showed students' academic performance increased, however the relationship between academic performance and manipulatives was found to require further research and study.

VestibulOTherapy is an emerging frame of reference, grounded in contemporary neuroscience evidence with supporting theories from OT-Ayres Sensory Integration and vestibular rehabilitation. Through its application, children with vestibular under- registration will experience adequate vestibular activation to generate myelination and develop neuropathways supporting communication and learning. Through a combination of etiologies, the suspected prevalence of pediatric vestibular dysfunction impacts approximately 3.3 million US children annually, while few receive appropriate diagnosis or treatment (Li et al., 2016). Delayed maturation of this vital system may be related to increasingly sedentary and low-risk lifestyles or compromise from inner ear functioning. With increasingly sedentary landscapes, evidence-based practice and supporting literature is needed to inform and guide OT practitioners in the identification and application of vestibulotherapies to support children struggling with communication and academic performance. Vestibulotherapy principles will guide therapists in the identification and intervention of delayed vestibular maturation through a combination of clinical and home or classroom-based activities that are embedded into the child’s occupations of play and learning.

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