Psychotherapy is sought for diverse problems, and trust in its efficacy has led to increasing parity in insurance coverage for psychological services. But about half of those who begin therapy drop out prematurely, and only about half of those who complete therapy experience significant improvements. Here issues of efficacy measurement and the potential role of personality differences to better guide and assess treatment are explored. It is hoped this knowledge could lead to increased success rates. In terms of outcome measurement, the use and psychometric properties of the Outcome Questionnaire-45 (OQ-45), a popular, brief measure of psychological functioning and change, are assessed. Factor structure is tested in clinical (Study 1) and student (Study 2) samples. Alternative scoring models test whether dimensions of personality drive responses. Using bi-level models, including a total score factor, fit of the intended structure and three- and four-factor personality models was similar. A seven-factor problems model provided the best fit. About half the variance in OQ scores was accounted for by a Big Six personality inventory. The best items for assessing personality attributes in OQ-45 data are noted. Secondly, the relation between personality attributes and clinical presentation and outcomes is explored. Self-report scores on personality attributes predict virtually every life outcome and are highly associated with clinical presentation. Such attributes surely also play a role in treatment, but this association has not been widely studied. In Study 3 the relation of personality attributes to presentation, usage, and outcome is tested in a Couples and Family Therapy clinic sample (N = 222). Neuroticism was strongly associated with initial OQ-45 score, as were other scales (except Openness) to a lesser degree. Being older, more educated, and married predicted attending more sessions, and being older, female, and higher income predicted termination success. Personality scales did not play a role in either outcome. Honesty/Propriety and Neuroticism were, however, associated with steeper decrease in OQ-45 scores over time. / 2015-10-10

abstract: The relation of stigma to help-seeking attitudes and intentions and how these relations differed across cultures for American students, East Asian, and South Asian international students, were the focus of this study. Previous researchers had found that not seeking professional psychological help when needed was prevalent for both American and international students. Stigma has been found to be a salient factor in influencing attitudes of individuals and may prevent individuals from getting the help they need. Both public and self-stigma were utilized to predict attitudes and intentions to seek psychological help in a sample of 806 students. Structural equation modeling analyses were conducted to assess the relationships in how self-stigma, public stigma, attitudes toward counseling and intentions to seek counseling will interplay for American, East Asian and South Asian international students, further expanding on previous help-seeking model (Vogel et al., 2007). Results indicated differences in factor structure of scales for the groups, and new factors were identified. With the new factors derived, different models of help-seeking intentions were established for each group, and distinct relations among the factors were explained. Furthermore, implications for future studies and clinical relevance were highlighted. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Counseling Psychology 2015

abstract: An abundance of data has established the links between both pain-related cognitions and relationship attachment qualities in the experience of pain, including long-term functional health in chronic pain patients. However, relatively few studies have explored the dynamic relation between pain and pain-related cognitions within a day, and no studies have tested the moderating role of relationship attachment on the within-day cognition—pain association in chronic pain patients. The objectives of this study were to: 1) assess whether late morning pain flares predicted changes in afternoon positive and negative pain-related cognitive appraisals, and whether these changes in turn predicted end-of-day pain, and 2) explore whether adult attachment anxiety moderated the pain-cognition relation in individuals with chronic pain due to fibromyalgia. One hundred and seventy four partnered individuals with fibromyalgia completed initial assessments of demographics and attachment anxiety, and subsequently completed electronic assessments of pain intensity and positive and negative cognitive pain-related appraisals three times a day for three weeks. Multilevel structural equation modeling established that a latent negative cognitive appraisal factor (encompassing shared variance from catastrophizing, pain irritation, and self-criticism related to pain) mediated the link between late morning and end-of-day pain intensity, in line with the hypothesis. Analyses also provided some support for a mediating role for a positive cognitive appraisal factor (a composite of pain control, pain self-efficacy, and feeling pain without reacting) in the daily course of pain; the mediated effect for positive appraisals was weaker than the mediated effect of negative appraisals, but was sustained in a model that included negative appraisals. Inconsistent with prediction, attachment anxiety did not moderate the within-day links between pain and cognitions. These findings establish the dynamic links within day between pain and pain-related cognitions, and highlight the potential impact of both negative and positive cognitions on daily pain regulation. They point to the value of broadening cognitive-behavioral treatment strategies for chronic pain patients to target not only negative but also positive cognitions. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Psychology 2015

abstract: Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) careers have been touted as critical to the success of our nation and also provide important opportunities for access and equity of underrepresented minorities (URM's). Community colleges serve a diverse population and a large number of undergraduates currently enrolled in college, they are well situated to help address the increasing STEM workforce demands. Geoscience is a discipline that draws great interest, but has very low representation of URM's as majors. What factors influence a student's decision to major in the geosciences and are community college students different from research universities in what factors influence these decisions? Through a survey-design mixed with classroom observations, structural equation model was employed to predict a student's intent to persist in introductory geology based on student expectancy for success in their geology class, math self-concept, and interest in the content. A measure of classroom pedagogy was also used to determine if instructor played a role in predicting student intent to persist. The targeted population was introductory geology students participating in the Geoscience Affective Research NETwork (GARNET) project, a national sampling of students in enrolled in introductory geology courses. Results from SEM analysis indicated that interest was the primary predictor in a students intent to persist in the geosciences for both community college and research university students. In addition, self-efficacy appeared to be mediated by interest within these models. Classroom pedagogy impacted how much interest was needed to predict intent to persist, in which as classrooms became more student centered, less interest was required to predict intent to persist. Lastly, math self-concept did not predict student intent to persist in the geosciences, however, it did share variance with self-efficacy and control of learning beliefs, indicating it may play a moderating effect on student interest and self-efficacy. Implications of this work are that while community college students and research university students are different in demographics and content preparation, student-centered instruction continues to be the best way to support student's interest in the sciences. Future work includes examining how math self-concept may play a role in longitudinal persistence in the geosciences. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction 2014

Este estudo teve por objetivo investigar, à luz das teorias de internacionalização de empresas, a forma de inserção no mercado externo das indústrias de calçados da cidade de Franca, Estado de São Paulo e as características determinantes do comportamento seu exportador. Foi elaborado um cadastro atualizado do setor e enviados questionários a todas as empresas de pequeno, médio e grande porte (208 indústrias). Desse total, 146 empresas responderam à pesquisa e foram aproveitados 117 questionários. A pesquisa foi respondida, em grande parte, por diretores e pelos principais executivos das empresas, que expressaram suas percepções em relação aos diversos aspectos do processo de internacionalização de suas indústrias. A investigação procurou identificar as características da empresa, do respondente, da equipe dirigente, da produção e da comercialização dos seus produtos, tanto no mercado interno como externo. Foram investigados ainda o grau de diferenciação do produto, a imagem do pólo produtivo, as expectativas sobre as vantagens do comércio internacional e a percepção de barreiras internas à exportação. Por último se verificou a forma utilizada para a inserção no mercado externo e o estágio atual dessas empresas no processo de internacionalização de suas atividades. Pode-se afirmar que as empresas da indústria calçadista francana seguem uma estratégia gradual de inserção no mercado internacional, em consonância com a literatura sobre o processo de internacionalização. Foram identificados também alguns determinantes do compromisso exportador, as estratégias utilizadas e as ações implementadas para penetração no mercado externo e sugerido um modelo da empresa exportadora da indústria calçadista francana. O que se depreende, é que as empresas que não exportam apresentam problemas internos relacionados à percepção da falta de capacidade de produção para atender ao mercado externo, à dificuldade em lidar com as diferenças lingüísticas e culturais e o desconhecimento geral de como exportar. Tudo isso aliado a uma visão até certo ponto distorcida dos benefícios que a internacionalização pode trazer para as empresas, do ponto de vista das oportunidades de crescimento e de diversificação dos produtos fabricados que o mercado externo oferece e da rentabilidade a ser obtida nas exportações. A percepção dos dirigentes é a de que falta a estas empresas, também, uma melhor qualidade e tecnologia na fabricação de seus produtos, que se reflete em menores preços de venda do que os praticados pelas empresas exportadoras. / The purpose of this study was to investigate, concerning the theories of internationalization of enterprises, the way the footwear industries from Franca, State of São Paulo, are inserted in the foreign market and the striking features of their export behavior. An up-to-date catalogue of the enterprises was developed and questionnaires were sent to all small, medium and large enterprises (208 industries). From those, 146 enterprises responded to the survey and 117 were suitable for the purposes. The survey was responded, in great part, by directors and by the principal executives of the enterprises, whom expressed their perceptions of many aspects of the internationalization process of their enterprises. The investigation meant to identify the characteristics of the enterprise, of the person responding the questionnaire, of the managing staff, and of the production and commerce of their products, both in the domestic and foreign markets. It was also investigated at what degree the product was different from those in the market, the image of the productive pole, the expectations over the advantages of international trade and the perception of domestic export barriers. At last, the methods used for inserting the enterprises in the foreign market were verified, as well as their current status in the process of internationalization. It can be stated that the footwear enterprises from Franca follow a strategy of gradual insertion in the international market. Some determinants of the export agreement, the strategies used and the actions taken in order to reach the foreign market were also identified and a model of an exporting footwear enterprise was suggested. What can be inferred is that the enterprises which do not export present internal problems related to the perception of the lack of production power to meet the foreign market needs, to the difficulties in dealing with the language and cultural differences and to the lack of know how in exports. All allied with a view a little distorted of the benefits the internationalization can bring to the enterprise, from the point of view of growth opportunities and of the variety of manufactured products that the foreign market offers and of the profitability that can be reached through exports. The perception of the directors is that there is a lack of better quality and technology in the manufacture of their products, which is reflected in prices lower than those of the exporting enterprises.

Com a necessidade de analisar dados cada vez mais complexos nas mais diversas áreas, surge também a necessidade de novas técnicas e novas modelagens. Nesse contexto, os Modelos de Equações Estruturais são uma evolução da análise de caminhos proposto por Wright (1921), que por sua vez, consegue captar as relações de causa e efeito entre diferentes tipos de variáveis. Este trabalho tem como objetivo abordar uma revisão em torno dessa técnica, com ênfase aos modelos recursivos que utilizam em sua maioria apenas variáveis observadas. A aplicação deste trabalho está fundamentada em um processo de simulação considerando assim, seis cenários com diferentes tipos de relações numa mesma estrutura. As médias das estimativas dos parâmetros no processo de simulação resultam em valores próximos aos valores verdadeiros. Por meio de figuras e gráficos, pode-se observar o comportamento dos parâmetros por meio do erro quadrático médio e boxplot. A análise foi realizada com a utilização do software R e programas implementados com pacote sem (FOX; WEISBERG, 2012) e programação apresentada no Apêndice deste trabalho. / With the increasingly need to analyze complex data in several areas, comes the need for new techniques and new models. In this context, the Structural Equation Modeling is an evolution of the path analysis proposed by Wright (1921), which, can capture the relations of cause and effect between different types of variables. The present work aims to approach a review about this technique with emphasis on recursive models using mostly observed variables only. The application of this work is based on a simulation process considering six scenarios with different types of relationships within the same structure. The mean estimates of the parameters in the simulation result in values that are close to the true values, and by means of figures and graphs, one can observe the behavior of the parameters by means of the mean squared error and boxplot. The analysis was performed using the software software R and implemented programs as sem package (FOX; WEISBERG, 2012) and the programming is presented in the Appendix of this work.

O ambiente competitivo e globalização vem provocando mudanças nas estratégias das empresas, fomentando, muitas vezes, para um processo de internacionalização. As empresas procuram internacionalizar-se de acordo com seus objetivos estratégicos, traçando uma estratégia de internacionalização. Sair do seu ambiente para um país desconhecido significa que a empresa estará sujeita a correr certos riscos e, portanto, requer uma estratégia que avalie os riscos envolvidos para se estabelecer em um determinado país. O conhecimento desses riscos vai proporcionar a empresa mitigar ou mesmo eliminar os riscos envolvidos. Independente do processo de entrada em outro país, sempre haverá a questão do risco. Geralmente, quando uma empresa decide se internacionalizar, ela opta primeiro pelo processo de exportação, em que terá de lidar com vários tipos de risco em suas decisões gerenciais para alcançar seus objetivos estratégicos. Portanto, essa pesquisa foi feita com oitenta e quatro empresas exportadoras brasileiras, do estado de São Paulo, com faturamento de até 10 milhões de dólares listadas na Confederação Nacional da Indústria (CNI). O objetivo desse estudo foi entender como e quais riscos envolvidos na internacionalização de empresas exportadoras brasileiras exercem influência sobre a estratégia e objetivos estratégicos na internacionalização de empresas exportadoras. Para a análise da pesquisa, foi utilizada a técnica de modelagem de equações estruturais baseada em variância, na qual foi utilizada uma survey para coleta de dados. Foram geradas quatro hipóteses, três relacionadas ao risco e estratégia e uma relacionada à estratégia e ao risco. Como resultado, duas hipóteses foram confirmadas e, portanto, duas rejeitadas. Essa pesquisa contribui com o conhecimento científico, pois, além de verificar os riscos que influenciam na estratégia e objetivos estratégicos, ela traz a concepção de envolver riscos não somente financeiros, mas também do ambiente, do setor e da empresa na estratégia para a internacionalização. / The competitive environment and globalization has been provoking changes in the strategies of companies, often leading to an internationalization process. The companies seek to internationalize themselves according to their strategic objectives, to which a strategy of internationalization will be traced. Leaving your environment to an unknown country means that the company is subject to certain risks and therefore requires a strategy that assesses the risks involved in establishing itself in a particular country. Knowing these risks will enable the company to mitigate or even eliminate the risks involved. Regardless of the process of entry into another country, there will always be the issue of risk. Usually, when a company decides to internationalize, it opts for the first time through the export process, where it will have to deal with various types of risk in its managerial decisions to reach its strategic objectives. Therefore, this research was conducted with eighty-four Brazilian companies in the state of São Paulo, with sales of up to 10 million dollars listed in Confederação Nacional da Indústria (CNI). The objective of the study was to understand how and what risks involved in the internationalization of Brazilian exporting companies influence the strategy and the strategic objectives in the internationalization of exporting companies. But even this process depending on the intensity of export the company will be subject to risk because it is unknown to the host country. Therefore, this research was carried out with Brazilian export companies, whose objective was to investigate the influence of the risks involved in the internationalization of Brazilian exporting companies on the strategy of internationalization and strategic objectives. For the analysis of the research was used the technique of modeling of structural equations based on variance, where a survey was used to collect data. Four hypotheses were generated, three related to risk and strategy and one related to strategy and risk. As a result, two hypotheses were confirmed and therefore two rejected. This research contributes with scientific knowledge, because in addition to verifying the risks that influence the strategy and strategic objectives, it brings the concept of involving not only financial risks but also the risk of the environment, sector and the company in the strategy for internationalization.

Orientador: Dirceu da Silva / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T20:19:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gabriel_MarceloLuizDiasdaSilva_D.pdf: 1390694 bytes, checksum: 538fbaf73e19ce9029ef14635f0ee4c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Esta Tese de Doutorado refere-se a uma pesquisa exploratória de natureza quantitativa cujo objetivo fundamental foi identificar as relações de causalidade existentes entre o processo decisório dos estudantes universitários em relação a tecnologia e seu uso cotidiano de tecnologia, seu estilo comportamental inovador e seu perfil de adoção. A partir da revisão da literatura foi elaborado um instrumento de pesquisa, na forma de um questionário estruturado, com assertivas dispostas na forma de uma escala do tipo Likert foi aplicado a alunos de cursos de graduação do Estado de São Paulo. Os 707 questionários recebidos foram tabulados e analisados por meio de técnicas estatísticas multivariadas, sendo a modelagem de equações estruturais PLS-PM (Partial Least Squares - Path Model) utilizada como parte da Análise Fatorial Confirmatória. Verificou-se que a relação causal entre os construtos exógenos OTE e ECI em relação ao construto PAD apresentou resultados que demonstram a aderência dos dados amostrais ao modelo causal proposto. Do mesmo modo os resultados da relação causal entre o construto exógeno PAD em relação aos construtos RNE, BIN e AVA, que formam o ciclo do processo decisório do indivíduo, demonstram aderência da amostra ao modelo proposto. / Abstract: This doctoral thesis refers to an exploratory quantitative research whose primary goal was to identify the causal relationships between the decision making process of university students on technology and its everyday use of technology, innovative style and behavioral profile of adoption. From the review of existing literature a research instrument was prepared in the form of a structured questionnaire, with assertions arranged as a Likert scale. This instrument was administered to undergraduate students of São Paulo. The 707 questionnaires received were tabulated and analyzed using statistical techniques, and structural equation modeling, PLS PM (Partial Least Squares - Path Model) was used as part of Confirmatory Factor Analysis. It was found that the causal relationship between the exogenous constructs ECI and OTE in relation to construct PAD showed results that demonstrate the adherence of the sample data to the proposed causal model. Similarly the results of the causal relationship between the exogenous construct PAD in relation to the constructs RNE, BIN and AVA, which form the cycle of decisionmaking process of the individual, at the sample level also demonstrates adherence to the model. / Doutorado / Educação, Ciencia e Tecnologia / Doutor em Educação

Orientador: Maria da Consolação Gomes Cunha Fernandes Tavares / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação Física / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-18T23:56:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Campana_AngelaNogueiraNevesBetanho_D.pdf: 9376682 bytes, checksum: 86cf1aab28267f33a7a98e07a61df411 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: A Imagem Corporal é dinâmica, estruturada nas experiências singulares do sujeito. Tanto homens quanto mulheres podem sofrer alterações na forma de vivenciar seu corpo. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi ampliar a compreensão das relações de causalidade entre apreciação corporal, ansiedade físico social, desconforto em relação ao corpo masculino ideal, atitudes e comportamentos de busca pela musculatura numa amostra de homens Brasileiros jovens. Para isso, traduzimos, adaptamos transculturalmente e validamos para a língua portuguesa no Brasil as escalas Body Esteem Scale, Swansea Muscularity Attitudes Questionnaire, Drive for Muscularity Scale, Body Appreciation Scale, Social Physique Anxiety Scale e Masculine Body Ideal Distress Scale. Depois, fizemos a path analysis do modelo estrutural de relações entre os domínios das escalas validadas. A pesquisa compreendeu quatro fases: a de tradução e adaptação transcultural das escalas; a de validação psicométrica das escalas, a realização de grupo focal e a modelagem de equações estruturais para determinar as relações causais entre os construtos investigados. O processo de tradução e adaptação transcultural seguiu cinco passos: traduções das escalas, síntese das traduções, retrotraduções, reunião de Comitê de Peritos e Pré-teste. Através da análise fatorial confirmatória, numa amostra não probabilística de 878 homens jovens, foram estabelecidas evidências de validade de construto e confiabilidade interna para todas as seis escalas deste estudo. Nos dois mini grupos focais, realizados com duas amostras de 5 alunos de graduação do curso de educação física, foi possível constatar que a aparência tem uma importância grande, que o exercícios físicos, alimentação balanceada acompanhada de suplementação alimentar, quando necessário, e descanso são os comportamentos adotados e reconhecidos como adequados para a construção de um corpo musculoso. O corpo deve ser musculoso o bastante, pois o excesso de massa muscular é avaliado ambiguamente: tanto é valorizado por sua associação aos atributos de masculinidade quanto é desvalorizado por sua associação ao uso de recursos não lícitos para a construção da musculatura. A modelagem de equação estrutural, feita numa amostra não probabilística de 1202 homens jovens, indicou que o modelo que melhor explica as relações de causalidade entre as dimensões da Imagem Corporal e que melhor demonstra o efeito destas sobre Drive for Muscularity é o que estabelece como variável exógena o construto Apreciação Corporal com todas as demais variáveis tendo efeito sobre Drive for Muscularity. Pesquisas futuras precisam investigar outros elementos influenciadores de Drive for Muscularity. Ressaltamos que esta pesquisa é de natureza exploratória, não probabilística, sendo esta uma limitação. Todavia, pensamos que os achados podem trazer contribuições à área e à continuidade dos estudos, assim como um melhor entendimento do construto Drive for Muscularity para homens comuns / Abstract: Body Image is dynamic, structured on subject's singular experiences. Both men and women can suffer disturbances in the way of experiencing their body. The aim of this research was to increase the understanding of causal relationships between body appreciation, social physique anxiety, masculine body ideal distress, and drive for muscularity in a sample of young Brazilian men. To reach our purpose, the scales Body Esteem Scale, Swansea Muscularity Attitudes Questionnaire, Drive for Muscularity Scale, Body Appreciation Scale, Social Physique Anxiety Scale and Masculine Body Ideal Distress Scale were translated, transculturally adapted and validated to Brazilian Portuguese. Afterwards, we made a path analysis on the structural model. The research had four phases: the scales translation and transcultural adaptation; the psychometric validation; focus group and the structural equation modeling to define causal relationships between the constructs. Translation and transcultural adaptation process followed five steps: translation, synthesis of translation, backtranslation, experts committee and pretest. Using confirmatory factor analysis, in a non-probabilistic sample of 878 young men, satisfactory evidences of internal reliability and construct validity were generated for all six scales. Two mini focus groups, with two individual samples of five physical education undergraduate students, showed that appearance has a great importance. Also, exercise trainings, balanced diet, accompanied by food supplementation, when necessary, and rest are attitudes and behaviors adopted and recognized as suitable to build a muscular body. The body must be muscular enough, because excessive muscularity is ambiguous: can be valued by the association with masculinity attributes and, on the other hand, devalued by the association with illicit muscular building resources. Structural Equation Modeling, made in a non-probabilistic sample of 1202 young men, showed that the best model to explain causal relationships between Body Image attitudinal dimensions addressed in this research and the effect of them on drive for muscularity is the one that establishes Body Appreciation as the exogenous variable, with all other variables having effect on drive for muscularity. Future researches must evaluate other elements that can cause effect on drive for muscularity. We would like to emphasize that this research is exploratory, non -probabilistic, being those limitations for our conclusions. Nevertheless, we thought that our results could bring contributions to our field and to future investigations, as well as to a better understanding of drive for muscularity in the ordinary men / Doutorado / Atividade Fisica, Adaptação e Saude / Doutor em Educação Física

The study of well-being has a long history of investigation from a nomothetic (between-person) perspective that aimed to understand characteristic levels of well-being and individual difference variables that account for stable differences across people. Recent investigations have demonstrated that levels of well-being have the capacity to rapidly fluctuate within people over short intervals and also exhibit slower changes over longer intervals, highlighting the importance of considering the ideographic (within-person) nature of well-being. The aim of this dissertation was to help build on such within-person understanding by demonstrating how theories of well-being may be empirically evaluated using innovative research designs (e.g., intensive repeated measurement designs) and analytic techniques (e.g., multilevel structural equation models [MSEM]) that can fully capture the complexity and dynamic nature of well-being. Three distinct research studies employing intensive repeated measurement designs and an MSEM analytic framework addressed a variety of research questions concerning intra- and inter-individual predictors of well-being. Study one (Chapter 2) simultaneously examined the multilevel moderation and mediation effects of cognitive interference on stress reactivity estimated in a 14-day daily diary design. Study two (Chapter 3) utilized measurement burst data from a large U.S. sample of adults, assessed across multiple time-scales, to examine long-term changes in short-term within-person associations. Random within-person slopes were specified as exogenous predictor variables of individual differences in global levels of psychological well-being. Study three (Chapter 4) used simulation data to examine the conditions where specifying within-person measurement scales as latent variables compared to unit-weighted composite scores optimized detection of within-person effects. This dissertation demonstrates the importance of innovative design and analysis to appropriately model and understand the complex, dynamic associations that operate within and across individuals in predicting their experiences of well-being. / Graduate / 2019-05-14