The purpose of this naturalistic case study was to investigate how an instructional strategy based on restorying promoted learning and transfer for master's level students in two sections of a conflict management course in higher education. The notion of restorying as employed in this study referred to a learner's rewriting or retelling of a personal, domain-relevant story based on the application of concepts, principles, strategies and techniques covered during a unit or course of instruction. Through a five-week series of content application assignments and a final integration paper, learners engaged in the restorying of a personal workplace conflict story which was selected from their own, professionally relevant experience base. An interpretive, phenomenological approach was employed to discern the essence of the restorying experience with the individual as the unit of analysis. This approach enabled exploration of different learners' experiences. Study participant data was obtained from course documents, student assignments, student surveys, class observations, eleven interviews and two focus groups. While the naturalistic methods coupled with the small sample size and noted threats preclude generalization of the study findings, this study may plausibly inform practice for others. The credibility, dependability, applicability, and confirmability of the data analysis and study findings were supported through rich and thick descriptions, theoretical and methodological explanations, persistent observation, triangulation of diverse data sources and multiple collection methods, member checking of transcripts, and an audit trail. To investigate learning performance, group scoring averages for the five-week series of weekly restorying assignments and final integration paper were analyzed. The group scoring averages for the weekly restorying assignments which learners initially submitted prior to class indicated achievement of stated outcomes around an 80% mastery level. With the added learning benefits from class instruction, collaborative discussion and feedback, group scoring averages on the final integration paper indicated achievement of stated outcomes around a 95% mastery level. Instructor-facilitated class discussion involving group analysis of new content application via peer and instructor story sharing was the predominant classroom strategy with course peer stories the most frequently cited source for promoting learner understanding. To investigate transfer performance, two versions of a transfer case assignment were created. One version incorporated lesser elaboration and the other greater elaboration in the case question prompts; i.e., in the level of scaffolding provided in question prompts to elicit learner thoughts and articulate explanations. Different versions were disseminated to different course sections. Group scoring averages indicated comparable achievement around an 85% or better mastery level with no significant difference in performance. These preliminary findings provide case specific evidence that the restorying method can effectively serve as a central instructional strategy for promoting learning and transfer when supporting instructional components are incorporated to maximize effectiveness. While the restorying method exhibited a number of underlying principles in common with recognized approaches from the instructional design literature--e.g., anchoring all learning tasks to a real world, complex problem that required ongoing exploration from multiple perspectives--it is clearly distinct from other approaches. The story that serves as the anchor for learning in the restorying approach is selected, written and rewritten by the learners from within their own personal experience base. Moreover, the restorying method as employed in this case emphasized new content analysis through story application and story sharing by course participants to promote domain understanding in ways that are clearly distinct from other story-based approaches. Learning by restorying broadens current understanding of how stories can be strategically employed to serve important cognitive and motivational functions in support of learning processes. The restorying approach invites us to carefully consider whose stories are being told, when are stories being told, for what purposes are stories being employed, what effects on storytellers and story listeners arise from the sharing of stories, and how might stories be employed, reflected upon, revised and redeployed to promote learning and achievement of desired outcomes. The method appears to be most suited for learning contexts that involve real world problem solving with a series of complex tasks that can be analyzed from multiple perspectives; where the learners have a sufficiently rich personal experience base with the type of problem to select a suitably robust story for analysis; where the learners possess or can be scaffolded to exhibit the requisite skills to carry out that analysis; where the class size will allow sufficient time for the weekly exchange and discussion of participant stories; and where the instructor possesses effective facilitation skills coupled with theoretical and practical knowledge of the domain / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2009. / October 2, 2009. / Restorying, Naturalistic, Case Study, Instructional Strategy, Story-Based, Conflict Management / Includes bibliographical references. / Vanessa Dennen, Professor Directing Dissertation; John Mayo, University Representative; Robert Reiser, Committee Member; Allan Jeong, Committee Member.

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the proposed model that perfectionism, perceived stress, and participation in coaching activities predicts burnout with coach status as a moderating variable. Male and female coaches (n=177) over the age of 18 participated in the study. They completed the Perfectionism Inventory (PI), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Participation in Coaching Activities Questionnaire (PICA) that was developed by the researcher. Significant positive correlations were observed between perceived stress, dimensions of perfectionism, and coaching activities. Though significant, the magnitude of these relationships tended to be very low. Head coaches tended to be higher on the conscientious perfectionism dimension of planfulness, while assistant coaches tended to be higher on the self-evaluative perfectionism dimensions of concern over mistakes, and need for approval. It was also found that assistant coaches tended to engage in more game plan coaching activities than did head coaches. The hypothesized model exhibited a reasonable fit to the data after removal of the perfectionism dimension of organization from the analysis. The only significant predictors of burnout in the model, however, were self-evaluative perfectionism and perceived stress. The multi-sample analysis revealed that factor loadings for the perfectionism dimensions of planfulness and striving for excellence differed significantly for head and assistant coaches. Previous research examining the relationships between perfectionism, perceived stress, participation in activities, and burnout in coaches has been extremely limited, and this study was able to provide a basis for examining these variables in more detail. / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester, 2005. / October 19, 2005. / Collegiate Coaches, Coaches, Coach, Perfectionism, Perceived Stress, Burnout, Sport Psychology, Sports, Sport, College, Athletics / Includes bibliographical references. / Gershon Tenenbaum, Professor Directing Thesis; Robert Eklund, Committee Member; Alysia Roehrig, Committee Member.

The present study was designed to address gaps in the literature, extend previous research, and increase current knowledge about interest inventory profile elevation as a construct. More specifically, the study investigated relationships between interest inventory profile elevation and depression, trait anxiety, and state anxiety. Age and cognitive impairment were also examined in these relationships. The sample consisted of 135 clients who sought services at a private psychological practice in central Florida during 2007 and 2008. The Self-Directed Search (SDS) was used to measure interest inventory profile elevation, which was defined as the sum of the six RIASEC section scores across the five sections of the SDS and includes interests and ability self-estimates. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) was used to measure depression (2-Scale), trait anxiety (7-Scale), and state anxiety (A-Scale). Trait anxiety was investigated with and without K correction. A client intake form was also used to collect personal and demographic information. There were two research questions posed in the present study: 1) What are the relationships between interest inventory profile elevation and depression, trait anxiety (with and without K correction), and state anxiety for individuals who have become disabled resulting from a personal injury? and 2) Do age and cognitive impairment influence the relationships among interest inventory profile elevation and depression, trait anxiety (with and without K correction), and state anxiety for individuals who have become disabled resulting from a personal injury? Pearson Product moment coefficients found no relationships between profile elevation and depression, trait anxiety (with and without K correction), and state anxiety. A canonical correlation and hierarchical regression analyses found that profile elevation was not found to be related to the aforementioned variables by itself or in concert with other variables. These findings were not consistent with previous research, which found that interest profile elevation is moderately related to depressive personality traits. Results of the present study, however, found that cognitive impairment was the only variable that was found to be significantly associated with depression, trait anxiety with K, trait anxiety without K, and state anxiety. Limitations, implications for counseling, and recommendations for future research were presented. Several ideas for how the findings from the present study can be used in practice were also included. The suggestions for future research would add to the state of the science in this area of counseling psychology. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2009. / June 17, 2009. / Self Directed Search, Cognitive Impairment / Includes bibliographical references. / James P. Sampson, Jr., Professor Directing Dissertation; John Reynolds, Outside Committee Member; Gary W. Peterson, Committee Member; Robert C. Reardon, Committee Member.

Learning disabilities affect nearly 5% of the school aged population and make up approximately 50% of all special education students. While there are many models used to make a specific learning disability diagnosis, none are without their detractors. For years, the Simple Discrepancy Model was the most widely used method for the assessment of learning disabilities yet recent research has relegated this model suspect. Due to these findings the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 has stipulated that while a school district may still use the Simple Discrepancy Model they cannot require its use. Consequently, there are several prominent models currently utilized. Along with the Simple Discrepancy Model they are the Regression Model, the Low Achievement Model, the Aptitude-Achievement Consistency Model, and the Concordance-Discordance Model. Previous research has indicated that within a college population different models used to diagnose learning disabilities are not interchangeable. Yet of concern, school districts often appear to choose a specific model without the forethought that would warrant such an important decision. The present study examined the five aforementioned models within a grade 1-10 population to examine the frequency, level of agreement, and level of association between the models. 150 subjects were examined from the same Northwest section of Florida. The results indicate that the Low Achievement and Concordance-Discordance models identify significantly more subjects as compared to the Simple Discrepancy, Regression, and Aptitude-Achievement Consistency models. Furthermore, the Simple Discrepancy and Regression Models revealed the highest level of agreement (86%) whereas the Simple Discrepancy and the Concordance-Discordance Models revealed the lowest (41%). When the five models were compared in sets of two for a total of ten comparisons the results indicated that the Simple Discrepancy and Regression models showed the strongest association. On the other hand, when strict criteria were implemented it was noted that eight of the ten comparisons did not demonstrate a clinical level of association. These results indicate that when the five models were compared they often diagnosed different students and thus should not, in most cases, be used interchangeably. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2010. / June 17, 2010. / Learning Disability Models, Learning Disability Assessment, Learning Disability / Includes bibliographical references. / Briley Proctor, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jeannie Wanzek, University Representative; Steven Pfeiffer, Committee Member; James Sampson, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge and insight into how student- and school-level factors impact mathematics performance. Within the school and student systems, there are numerous variables that can have significant impacts on the scores obtained on mathematics assessments. Utilizing the 2000 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Mathematics Assessment database and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM), this study explored these factors that related to the performances of 42,453 fourth, eighth, and twelfth grade students. Among the various student-level factors that were explored, the effects and consequences of using testing accommodations was of particular interest. Testing accommodations, alterations and modifications of an assessment, have been shown to reduce the testing deficits caused by a student's learning disability and provide comparable test results among all students. This study addressed the effects of these accommodations on mathematical performance scores as well as examined additional variables that showed to have strong relationships with students' test performances. This research answered specific substantive questions about the variables that influence mathematics performances among students. Contrary to prior findings in the field of testing accommodations, the results of this study indicated that the use of testing accommodations did not significantly impact the performance scores of students with learning disabilities on the mathematics assessment. Much research in this field has shown that testing accommodations provide the needed aid to students as to compensate for their disability and to produce scores that represent their true ability. This study's findings have shown that testing accommodations may not always help a student with a learning disability, and that alternative measures may need to be implemented to help students display their true abilities on mathematics assessments. Other student-level variables, such as grade level, gender, and race/ethnic background showed to be significant predictors of students' success on mathematics assessments. These variables led to a more thorough understanding of the characteristics that are attributable to students' scores on these assessments. In addition, although the school-level variables displayed non-significant effects on the relationships between student-level variables and mathematics performance, these findings did help to understand the roles that school location and school type demonstrated on the results. Overall, this study has added to prior literature by (a) questioning the additive nature of testing accommodations for students with learning disabilities and (b) exploring additional student-level and school-level variables that have relationships with students' performances on large-scale, mathematical assessments. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2004. / April 1, 2004. / Testing Accommodations, Learning Disabilities / Includes bibliographical references. / Susan Carol Losh, Professor Directing Dissertation; R. William English, Outside Committee Member; Marcy Driscoll, Committee Member; Akihito Kamata, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study was to validate the Work Attitudes and Behaviors Inventory (WABI) and generalize it to a working adult population. More specifically, findings of a previous test of the instrument were sought to be replicated in a sample of 296 elementary school teachers. The results of this study will be utilized in the diagnosis and treatment of work addiction. Work addiction was examined in relation to Spence and Robbins' (1992) worker traits, health, job satisfaction, self-identification of work addiction, and performance beyond one's minimum job requirements. It was hypothesized that the factor validity of work addiction and the relationship between work addiction factors would generalize to an adult working population scheme. It was also expected that a direct relationship would exist between the Work Attitudes and Behaviors Inventory (WABI) and Spence and Robbins' (1992) Workaholism Scales, self-perception of work addiction, and performance beyond one's minimum job requirements. Finally, it was anticipated that an inverse relationship would exist between the WABI and health status as well as the WABI and job satisfaction. Results supported all hypotheses. Findings indicated that by using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the factor structure of the WABI did replicate and generalize to a population of elementary school teachers. Canonical correlations found a direct relationship between the various scales of the WABI and Spence and Robbins' (1992) Workaholism Scales as well as an inverse relationship between the WABI subscales and job satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses determined that an inverse relationship exists between health status and the WABI. Likewise, a direct relationship was found to exist between performance beyond one's minimum job requirements and the WABI. Finally, using a discriminant analysis, self-perception of work addiction did correspond to scores on the WABI. All results were thoroughly explored. Limitations of the study as well as implications for future research and practice were also discussed. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2005. / June 20, 2005. / Health, Validity, Factor Analysis, Workaholism, Work Addiction, Job Satisfaction / Includes bibliographical references. / R. William English, Professor Directing Dissertation; Lee Stepina, Outside Committee Member; F. Donald Kelly, Committee Member; Gary Peterson, Committee Member.

Frequent moves are an integral part of military life for soldiers and their families. This qualitative study used focus group methodology to examine the positive and negative aspects of moving for elementary school children. The study also examined factors that help and hinder children's adjustment after a move. Finally, the implications are presented for practice and further research. / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2005. / March 2, 2005. / Changing Schools, Military, Mobility / Includes bibliographical references. / James Sampson, Professor Directing Thesis; F. Donald Kelly, Committee Member; Gary Peterson, Committee Member.

The challenge of correctly identifying gifted students has long been understood to be one of the most critical issues to be resolved before the field of gifted education can move forward and better serve gifted students (Pfeiffer, 2003; Cramer 1991). This is particularly true in Puerto Rico where gifted education has experienced insufficient support and lack of early identification methods is a significant problem (Pérez-Brebán 2005b). Given the need for reliable and psychometrically sound instruments to be utilized in the identification process of gifted students, this study set out to test the reliability and validity of a Spanish version of the Gifted Rating Scales-School From (GRS-S) with a sample of island-residing Puerto Rican elementary and middle school students. Specifically, the study examined the scales' reliability, particularly in comparison to reliability results from the U.S. standardization sample. The criterion validity of the Spanish version of the GRS-S was tested by correlating student's scores on the scales with student academic achievement, as measured by classroom grades in the core academic areas of math, science, social studies, and Spanish, as well as with overall grade point average. Student scores on the scales were also correlated with the Pruebas Puertorriqueñas de Aprovechamiento Académico (PPAA; Educational Testing Service, 2007), the island's local normed-referenced academic achievement test. The convergent validity of the Spanish GRS-S was examined by comparing student's scores on the individual scales with scores on the Naglieri Non-verbal Test of Intelligence (NNAT; Naglieri, 2003). Finally, a confirmatory factor analysis was completed to evaluate if the factor structure of the Spanish GRS-S was consistent with that of the original English version. Reliability analysis using Cronbach's (1951) Coefficient Alpha, α, yielded excellent reliability results, with values ranging from .98 to .99. Reliability results were comparable to those from the U.S. standardization sample, which ranged from .97 to .99; however, standard error of measurement was higher across the scales for this study. Criterion validity was established for the Spanish GRS-S with positive and significant correlations between student scores on the GRS-S scales and classroom grades. Several positive and significant correlations were also found between student scores on the GRS-S and the PPAA. Particularly high correlations were found between student scores on the GRS-S Motivation Scale and both measures of academic achievement; this finding provides initial support for the value of the Motivation scale, as proposed in the test manual (Pfeiffer & Jarosewich, 2003). Correlations between the GRS-S Creativity Scale and academic achievement were also higher than expected, thus highlighting the possibility that creativity may have a culturally distinct role within this population. Results from this study also provide evidence for the convergent validity of the Spanish GRS-S. Correlations between the Spanish GRS-S scale scores and intellectual ability scores from the NNAT revealed positive and significant relationships. Results from the confirmatory factor analysis lend preliminary support for the validity of a six factor model, such as that proposed for the original English version, particularly in comparison to that of a one-factor model. Overall, findings suggest that the Spanish GRS-S scores preliminarily retain appropriate psychometric properties; results provide preliminary support for the Spanish version of the GRS-S as a reliable and potentially useful screening measure for use in the identification of island Puerto Rican gifted students. A cost-efficient, proficient measure, such as the GRS-S, may be a practical instrument to consider as policies and procedures develop within gifted education programs in Puerto Rico. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2008. / June 24, 2008. / Gifted Identification, Validity, Reliability, Hispanic Children, Gifted Rating Scale, Talented, Gifted / Includes bibliographical references. / Steven I. Pfeiffer, Professor Directing Dissertation; Felipe Korzenny, Outside Committee Member; Robert Eklund, Committee Member; James Sampson, Committee Member.

The present study examined Reversal theory (RT), which explains the personality and motivations of individuals as they engage in activity or competition. RT is concerned with two metamotivational states, the telic state and the paratelic state. In a telic state, an individual is said to be serious-minded, non-playful, and adhering to less challenging activity while in a paratelic state individuals are playful in nature, spontaneous, and not serious-minded. Prior RT research has focused on athlete's preference for risky or safe sports based on their specific metamotivational dominance. The present research builds on past research by looking at one's metamotivational dominance, self-efficacy, motivation, and affect (i.e., arousal and pleasure) in relationship to two non-athletic tasks (i.e., circling vowels and completing puzzles). It was hypothesized that telic individuals would perform better and have higher self-efficacy, motivation, and affect in the task of circling vowels and that the paratelic individuals would perform better and have higher self-efficacy, motivation, and affect in the task of completing puzzles. Ninety-five participants completed the Sensation Seeking Scale-V (Zuckerman, 1979), and based on the results a final sample of 32 participants who met telic and paratelic characteristics were asked to participate in the study. Participants completed two different tasks: circling vowels (i.e., a boring task) and completing puzzles (i.e., a challenging task). Results indicated that with regards to the boring and challenging task, the hypotheses for task performance and affect were in the expected hypothesized direction, however, the hypotheses for self-efficacy and motivation were not supported. It is essential for future research to explore the following: (1) It should examine differences between telic and paratelic individuals under conditions which vary in complexity, excitation, and challenge, and identify tasks that truly differentiate telic from paratelic individuals; (2) it should develop better measurement tools for eliciting more reliable measures of metamotivational dominance and hedonic tone; and (3) it should focus on tasks that are better categorized and specified. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2006. / September 23, 2005. / paratelic, telic, Reversal theory, metamotivational states / Includes bibliographical references. / Gershon Tenenbaum, Professor Directing Dissertation; James Sampson, Committee Member; Briley Proctor, Committee Member.

The explicit monitoring theory proposes that pressure causes a performer to pay attention to and attempt to control the automaticity of a well-learned skill (Baumeister, 1984; Beilock & Carr, 2001; Lewis & Linder, 1997). For novice performers, focusing on the process is necessary and beneficial to performance; however, for expert performers, focusing on an automatic process results in choking under pressure, unless one is accustomed to performing under self-focused conditions (i.e., they have undergone self-consciousness training; Baumeister, 1984; Beilock & Carr, 2001; Reeves, Acharya, Lidor, & Tenenbaum, in review). Research on attention and performance has only looked at performance on a one-dimensional level (i.e., only looking at speed) and has failed to include all aspects of performance in one comprehensive study. Consequently, the purpose of the present study was threefold: (a) to determine when and where choking under pressure occurs, (b) to conclude whether performing in front of external evaluators or trying to meet a criterion induces greater performance pressure, resulting in performance decrements, and (c) to introduce a conceptual scheme of choking under pressure. Participants consisted of sub-elite and novice soccer players from Leon, Lincoln and Chiles High Schools. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four attentional focus conditions: internal, relevant (i.e., participants focused on their dribbling foot); internal, non-relevant (i.e., participants focused on their thoughts); external, relevant (i.e., participants focused on the soccer ball); and external, non-relevant (i.e., participants focused on crowd noise); while dribbling a soccer ball through a slalom course with their dominant and non-dominant feet, during low pressure, while trying to meet a criterion, and while performing in front of external evaluation. Results combined performance speed and accuracy to produce an overall measure of performance outcome (i.e., speed/accuracy tradeoff). The speed/accuracy tradeoffs exemplified an external attentional focus (i.e., focusing on crowd noise and the ball) to be most beneficial to sub-elite performance, while a relevant attentional focus (i.e., focusing on their foot and the ball) was most beneficial to novice performance. Furthermore, sub-elite participants were found to perform similarly to expert soccer players (rather than novices) regardless of attentional focus condition or task difficulty. So, when and where does choking under pressure occur? It appears that participants focusing internally on non-relevant aspects of performance (i.e., one's thoughts, or the arm in soccer) choke under pressure, regardless of expertise-level or task difficulty. In addition, expert and sub-elite participants choke under pressure while focusing internally, on relevant aspects of performance (i.e., foot in soccer, arm in a throwing task); while novices choke under pressure while focusing externally on non-relevant aspects of performance (i.e., crowd noise), regardless of task difficulty. Furthermore, it appears that performing in front of external evaluators induces greater performance decrements than trying to meet a criterion; i.e., external pressure was more debilitating to performance than internal pressure. These findings support the explicit monitoring theory of choking under pressure and expand the current literature on attention and performance. Future research needs to replicate the present study to include expert performers to ensure the reliability and validity of the conceptual scheme of choking presented in Figures 28a and 28b; and use this schema to design an intervention to prevent paradoxical performance effects, allowing all performers to reach their highest potential. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2005. / March 2, 2005. / Attention and Performance, Performance Pressure, Choking under Pressure, Paradoxical Performance Effects / Includes bibliographical references. / Gershon Tenenbaum, Professor Directing Dissertation; Roy Baumeister, Outside Committee Member; Aki Kamata, Committee Member; Cecile Reynaud, Committee Member.