This study investigated the effect of group counseling on the self-concept of women who were sexually abused as children. The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale was administered to two groups of women, aged 19-60, at a sexual abuse treatment center in a major Southwestern city. A static-group comparison model was followed, with a pretreatment group (N = 11) compared to a group (N = 10) that had been in treatment for 12 months or more. Scores were analyzed by a t-test to determine whether any significant differences existed between scores. The True/False Ratio was the only score that showed significant variance. Moral-Ethical and Net Conflict scores also tended toward significance. Most TSCS scores for both groups were generally in the below-average range compared to the norm groups, with pretreatment group scores lower. Possible reasons for results were discussed, along with ramifications for the treatment center.

Childhood sexual abuse has many long term impacts upon women. Abuse can impact the area of self-schemas including possible selves and self-efficacy. Adult women who had not been sexually abused as children (n = 36) were compared with adult women who had been sexually abused (n = 17). The Possible Selves Questionnaire and The Self-Efficacy Scale were used to determine impact of past abuse. Women with past abuse had higher negative now selves when compared to women without abuse but also had greater probable positive selves. No difference was found for self-efficacy. There was a significant correlation between self-efficacy and possible selves. However, very little correlation was able to be obtained from this sample for abuse factors with possible selves or self-efficacy.

This study examined whether young adults with a background of parental divorce differed in their attitudes toward marriage and divorce from young adults from maritally intact families. The study utilized data obtained from a survey questionnaire which provided demographic information as well as data on attitudes toward marriage and divorce. The sample population consisted of 152 University of Arizona undergraduate students ages 18-25. Data were analyzed using the Analysis of Variance Method with the results indicating that family structure (maritally disrupted versus intact) was insignificant as a predictor of young adults' attitudes toward marriage and divorce.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between academic self-efficacy beliefs and life circumstances of reentry women students. Participants in the study were 45 women 25 years of age or older who were returning to a community college after an absence from any level of school of 3 or more years. Participants answered two questionnaires, one to measure their academic self-efficacy beliefs and one to gather demographic data as well as data related to the respondents' life circumstances.

This thesis surveys 171 undergraduate art students at the University of Arizona to evaluate the effect their high school art teachers had on their career decision to enter a college art program. The parental influence is addressed. Student responses are viewed by gender, classification and major. Findings indicate the teachers influence less than 50% of their students and that parents have a greater influence in the decision process. There are definite gender differences, males talked with their parents more than females but females expressed more support from parents once in an art program. Students in commercially viable studio programs, graphic design and photography, report greater parental support.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the real life cost model (RLCM), an educational, cognitive-behavioral, skill building approach with early adolescents. Based on developmental and social learning theories, the model addresses the lack of cognitive-behavioral, skill building early intervention models for adolescents, ages 11-13. It attends to the developmental level of the target group and teaches social and cognitive skills that promote staying in school, abstinence related to drugs, alcohol, and early sexual involvement, and educates about the "real life" economic and social costs or consequences for teen mother, teen father, and child. / A total of 74 male and female, ethnically diverse students were selected from two middle schools and randomly assigned to either a treatment or control group at each school using a pretest-posttest control group design with one follow-up. Scores from the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale (N-SLCS), Means-Ends Problem-Solving (MEPS), Hare Self-Esteem (HSS), and the Pregnancy Cost Knowledge Questionnaire (PCKQ) were used to assess subjects' cognitive-behavioral changes at posttest, and 8 week follow-up. To ensure group equivalency prior to treatment, the pretest scores were analyzed for group differences. / Improvement in locus of control, problem-solving and knowledge of pregnancy costs at posttest and 8 week follow-up were found for the treatment groups but not the control groups. Experimental group scores on a self-esteem measure showed improvement at posttest; these changes did not maintain significance at follow-up. Additional findings using role plays showed improved decision-making skills. / These findings provide evidence that this school-based educational, cognitive-behavioral treatment program produced significant changes in the treatment subjects' perceptions of locus of control, self-esteem, problem-solving/decision-making skills, and knowledge of costs associated with an unintended pregnancy. / The utility of this treatment modality is discussed and implications for social work research and practice are considered. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-11, Section: A, page: 4085. / Major Professor: Dianne Harrison Montgomery. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

A motivational intervention, based on Marlatt and Gordon's (1985) relapse prevention model, was applied to patients participating in cardiac rehabilitation exercise programs. A total N of 41 subjects were recruited for the project, with 21 subjects receiving the motivational intervention and the remaining subjects receiving a benign educational component. / It was hypothesized that the motivational intervention would have a positive impact on adherence behavior. It was also expected that the motivational program would influence the psychological characteristics of self-motivation, self-efficacy, and internal health locus of control. / Subjects completed a set of questionnaires which included: Pre-participation Questionnaire, Self-motivation Inventory, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scales, Cardiac Self-efficacy Scale, High risk situations, and a Post-participation Questionnaire. Attendance records were monitored to obtain adherence measures of overall adherence and adherence by target date. Subjects then participated in three individual sessions with the experimenter. / Results of a MANCOVA did not reveal any differences between groups on posttest measures of adherence, self-motivation, self-efficacy, and internal health locus of control. Separate ANCOVAs also failed to find significant differences between groups on high risk self-efficacy items. A discriminant analysis demonstrated that adherence by target date discriminated most between dropouts and adherers. Canonical correlations exhibited moderate correlations between the psychological measures and adherence measures. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-12, Section: B, page: 6441. / Major Professor: David Pargman. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

Although there exists a large volume of literature on dropouts from high school, most draw upon the quantitative approach to research and attempt to find those characteristics of dropouts which differentiate them from graduates. Few studies focused upon the process of dropping out of school even though there is evidence to suggest that the school setting itself has an effect upon dropouts. / This study examined and analyzed the process in a school whereby students through a joint action of teachers, school officials, parents, and students themselves are identified and labeled as potential dropouts. The information concerning this iterative process is based on the understanding and meanings held by the key actors in the process. This study is an exploratory effort to discover to what extent, if any, the dropping out process is a "co-authored" process between school and potential dropout. Results of the study suggest areas where the school officials should collect data which will assist them in monitoring the effectiveness of their identification of potential dropouts and the effectiveness of the their school's dropout prevention strategy. This study also suggests areas where additional quantitative and qualitative data should be obtained to enhance both the identification of potential dropouts and dropout prevention strategy. / Results of this study may also shift peoples attention from deficiencies in students as the sole cause of dropping out onto realizing that dropping out is at least in part a social production or product of the interplay of current school structure, organization, policy and the deeply ingrained patterns of interaction of teacher, specialist and administrators. From this awareness, changes in patterns of structure, classroom interaction, organization and policy may be made which will reduce the number and kind of potential and actual dropouts. / This study supports the notion that the dropping out process is a dynamic social process involving the student, the school and classroom social system, and the family background. An intervention strategy that focuses solely on the student and not on the other factors may not adequately prevent dropouts because the way the problem of dropping out is framed, as essentially an individual problem, ignores other dimensions of the problem. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-09, Section: A, page: 3166. / Major Professor: Steven J. Klees. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

Forty past and present career advisors in a university career center participated in an exploratory study of the relationship between the independent variable of career advisor conceptual level and the dependent variables of number of goals listed on an Individual Learning Plan (ILP), number of interventions listed on an ILP, amount of time needed to select career interventions, and the amount of additional information requested on a Follow-Up Questionnaire. Conceptual level was measured by the semi-projective instrument, the Paragraph Completion Method (PCM). The ILP used in this study was adapted from the ILP used by career advisors in this setting. The Follow-Up Questionnaire was created for this study and was partially validated in a pilot study. / A multivariate multiple regression technique was employed to analyze the overall significant relationship between the independent variable and dependent variables by testing for the significance of the regression of each dependent variable separately across the independent variable. / No significant relationship was found using the multivariate technique analysis. Additional T-test analysis found significant differences for gender for the variable of number of interventions selected. These findings are discussed along with other demographic characteristics in the supplemental findings. / The findings and limitations of this study, and their implications for career advisor training, service delivery and future research were also discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-11, Section: A, page: 3991. / Major Professor: Robert Reardon. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

The purpose of this study was to determine a retention path model which is appropriate for architecture students attending a residential institution. The identified model could be utilized to assist in the development of retention programs designed specifically for students in professional architecture programs. / Attrition rates in architecture programs have been traditionally high. Although there has been extensive research into the problems of attrition/retention at the university level, few studies have focused upon the special characteristics and specific needs of architecture students. Therefore an attrition/retention model validated specifically for architecture students is desirable. / Data were collected from students in a professional architecture program utilizing a survey instrument that was created from measures developed and refined in previous model validation studies. A factor analysis was performed utilizing the data from the survey to confirm that the instrument measured constructs similar to those in the previous studies. A combination of these constructs and other variables were analyzed based on path analysis models from the previous studies of student attrition in higher education. Although the structural equation was based on previous studies, a different statistical procedure, LISREL 7, was used. / The data were fitted to a path model based on the Tinto Model of Institutional Departure (1987) to determine if the architectural data provided an adequate fit. The model was then modified to increase the goodness of fit to reflect the differences in the architectural data. / It was found that the resulting architectural model resembled previous models developed from non-traditional students, commuter schools, more than models developed from institutions similar to their own. The major difference from the more traditional model was the absence of social interaction among the students. It was recommended that programmatic changes be made to increase the ability of architecture students of interact with the university community. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-03, Section: A, page: 0398. / Major Professor: Hollie B. Thomas. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1994.