It is important to understand the development of depression, and how a family component to treatment affects early adolescent girls’ depression given the association between depression and negative future outcomes. A potential vulnerability to depression is the cognitive triad, which encompasses beliefs about the self, world, and future and is shaped by early learning experiences. Research indicates that the vulnerability originates from parent-child relationships and family messages, which are important in the development of youth cognitive styles. Previous research also indicates that family variables are important factors to consider in the treatment of depression. The purpose of the current study was to expand previous research by examining the roles of perceived family messages and the cognitive triad in the development of depression for early adolescent girls. The study also explored whether parent gender differentiated how family messages affect girls’ cognitions and depressive symptoms. The study evaluated how the addition of a parent training component to a school-based, group-administered CBT intervention affected change in the model’s variables in comparison to group-administered CBT intervention alone and a monitoring control condition. Participants included early adolescent girls diagnosed with depression and caregivers in the parental treatment component. Girls were randomly assigned to a CBT, CBT+PT, or minimal contact control condition. Ratings of girls’ perceptions of family messages, cognitions, and depressive symptoms were obtained at pre-treatment and post-treatment. Results from structural equation modeling indicated significant effects from perceived family messages to girls’ cognitions. Further, girls’ cognitions mediated the relation between perceived family messages and girls’ depressive symptoms at post-treatment for participants within the CBT and monitoring conditions. No significant differences were evident between parent gender and perceived messages. Results indicated that the addition of a parent component to the CBT intervention did not significantly differ from the CBT intervention alone in its effects on the variable relations within the model at post-treatment. Supplemental analyses highlighted parent attendance as a significant factor, with larger effects from the family messages on girls’ cognitions appearing when parents attended majority (six or more) of the eight parent training sessions. Implications, limitations, and areas for further research are discussed. / text

Learning and memory impairments are among the most common and enduring cognitive consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Researchers have yet to reach a consensus with regard to the basic cognitive mechanism underlying new learning and memory disturbances after TBI. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the current views regarding the cognitive processes thought to explain impairments in verbal learning and memory subsequent to brain injury. Specifically, this study sought to examine the roles of the central executive component of working memory and processing speed in verbal learning ability following TBI. Latent variable structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data of 70 post-acute care TBI patients between the ages of 16 and 65, who completed a full neuropsychological evaluation. Results indicated that verbal learning and memory difficulties following TBI were explained primarily in terms of the central executive aspects of working memory, after accounting for the relative contributions of processing speed in the model. The direct effect of processing speed on verbal learning and memory was not significant when working memory was taken into account in the model. Rather, the effects of processing speed on verbal learning ability were largely indirect through the central executive component of working memory. Results highlight the importance of both working memory and processing speed in supporting verbal learning and memory processes after TBI. Practical implications for targeting remediation efforts and directing approaches to memory rehabilitation are discussed in light of the study’s findings. / text

The present paper develops a procedure based on multivariate copulas for simulating multivariate non-normal data that satisfies a pre-specified covariance matrix. The covariance matrix used, can comply with a specific moment structure form (e.g., a factor analysis or a general SEM model). So the method is particularly useful for Monte Carlo evaluation of SEM models in the context of non-normal data. The new procedure for non-normal data simulation is theoretically described and also implemented on the widely used R environment. The quality of the method is assessed by performing Monte Carlo simulations. Within this context a one-sample test on the observed VC-matrix is involved. This test is robust against normality violations. This test is defined through a particular SEM setting. Finally, an example for Monte Carlo evaluation of SEM modeling of non-normal data using this method is presented. (author's abstract) / Series: Research Report Series / Department of Statistics and Mathematics

This thesis presents a program of research exploring the multilevel organisational structure of fleet safety management. The aim of this research was to investigate three current fleet safety initiatives, and individual and contextual factors influencing safe driving behaviour in a work vehicle. Three studies were conducted to achieve this aim. This research utilised a sample of employees from a range of Queensland Government agencies.----- Study one evaluated three current fleet safety initiatives within the Queensland Government. From a sample of fleet co-ordinators (N=24) and drivers (N=88), this study established the extent to which specific psychological processes underlying the fleet safety initiatives were adopted, and the attitude change associated with their use. This study found mixed support for the Hypotheses, with the influence of the fleet safety initiatives on fleet co-ordinators' and drivers' attitude change being consistent with processes associated with the persuasive communication framework, and behaviour management. However, the study found no support for the behavioural management processes hypothesised to underlie the incentive scheme (CPP). The findings of the study suggested that while fleet safety initiatives can have an influence on fleet co-ordinator and driver attitude change, their impact depends on the extent to which safety issues are viewed as relevant, and the extent to which there is reinforcement within the organisational environment to support these safety initiatives. Therefore, the findings from this study, combined with existing research into the impact of safety climate, suggest the workplace context needs to be taken into account. For this reason, study two investigated the role of perceptions of the safety climate, in addition to individual attributes, as predictors of self-reported crash involvement.----- Study two applied a framework incorporating driver attributes, including attitudes towards traffic safety and self-efficacy, and drivers' perceptions of the safety climate, as predictors of self-reported crashes in a work vehicle. Within this framework, drivers' perception of the safety climate, and their individual attributes were conceptualised as antecedents of driving performance, and driver safety motivation and knowledge mediated the relationship between these factors and self-reported crashes. A total of 385 drivers participated in this study, which found motivation to drive safely mediated the relationship between driver attributes and self-reported crashes. The initial analysis did not find a significant relationship between safety climate and safety motivation. However, posthoc analyses exploring this non-significant relationship found managerial safety values could be distinguished from other facets of the safety climate construct. Subsequently, the results indicated managerial safety values predicted safety motivation, when drivers perceived a strong safety climate. This study provided a more thorough understanding of the variables predicting driver behaviour at an individual level of analysis. However, a shortcoming is the study did not consider the various influences impacting on drivers' safety perceptions, and individual attributes within the context of the work environment.----- Study three extended on the framework established in study two, and investigated the contribution of leader attributes to the prediction of drivers' safety perceptions, and individual attributes. The leader attribute measures, specifically, perceptions of the safety climate, motivation, knowledge, and work overload were collected from a sample of fleet co-ordinators (N=52) and supervisors (N=88). Through multi-level analyses, both supervisors and fleet co-ordinators were shown to influence the safety perceptions and individual attributes of individuals who drive work vehicles. Support was found for positive relationships between supervisor safety knowledge, and the individual attributes. However, there was a large amount of variation due to group membership unaccounted for by supervisor safety knowledge and the safety performance factors investigated within the supervisor groups. These findings suggested supervisors may not be interacting with drivers in relation to fleet safety matters, but that other factors associated with work group membership are having an impact on drivers' safety perceptions. In comparison, there was a small amount of variation accounted for by fleet co-ordinator group membership. However, the results suggested the fleet co-ordinator leader attributes accounted for a high percentage of this variation in group membership. Support was found for a positive relationship between fleet co-ordinator safety perceptions, and driver safety perceptions. Other results found fleet co-ordinators were engaging in higher workloads to enhance the safety perceptions, and attitudes towards traffic safety of drivers within their groups.----- Overall, these studies establish a multilevel organisational process of effect, whereby individual and leader attributes, and organisational initiatives all play a role in influencing the safety performance of work-related drivers. The results also indicated an unclear structure in the management of fleet safety, as perceived by drivers, and through the roles and responsibilities of supervisors and fleet co-ordinators. The implications of these results for the management of fleet safety are discussed.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the cultural and motivational perspectives associated with the occupational or vocational decision-related processes of senior high school students. Two theoretical frameworks were developed to guide the investigation by integrating theories from the culture, motivation, decision-making, and vocational decision-making literatures. One theoretical framework investigated the roles of culture and motivation in the vocational decisions made by senior high school students, while the other examined the vocational decision-related processes of senior high school students in terms of the extent to which they may be amotivated about choosing a future occupation. A mixed methods approach (incorporating a cross-sectional and correlational research design for the quantitative component) was implemented using a specially developed questionnaire. In the first phase of the investigation, the questionnaire was administered to 492 Year 11 students attending a stratified random sample of six Independent high schools located in the Sydney metropolitan area. In the second and main phase, a refined version of the questionnaire was administered to 566 Year 11 students attending a stratified random sample of 16 government high schools located in the Sydney metropolitan area. Structural equation modelling, discriminant analyses, and qualitative techniques were used to analyse the data collected in the two phases. The major findings of the investigation included the development and confirmation (after modifications) of two new theoretically-justifiable models of vocational decision-related processes. One model provided empirical support for relationships between cultural orientation, values, and attitudes/intentions toward occupations, while the other identified relationships between amotivation, indecision toward occupations, expectancy-value variables, and influences from the family. Multiple themes that were identified in the qualitative data analyses supplemented and partially supported elements of the two empirical models, and enabled a richer understanding of the issues surrounding the vocational decision. The findings of the investigation may be used by career advisors, psychologists, educators, and families to advise and assist senior high school students faced with the vocational decision. The investigation may contribute to reducing the gap in the literature on the roles of culture and motivation in the vocational decision-related processes of senior high school students.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the cultural and motivational perspectives associated with the occupational or vocational decision-related processes of senior high school students. Two theoretical frameworks were developed to guide the investigation by integrating theories from the culture, motivation, decision-making, and vocational decision-making literatures. One theoretical framework investigated the roles of culture and motivation in the vocational decisions made by senior high school students, while the other examined the vocational decision-related processes of senior high school students in terms of the extent to which they may be amotivated about choosing a future occupation. A mixed methods approach (incorporating a cross-sectional and correlational research design for the quantitative component) was implemented using a specially developed questionnaire. In the first phase of the investigation, the questionnaire was administered to 492 Year 11 students attending a stratified random sample of six Independent high schools located in the Sydney metropolitan area. In the second and main phase, a refined version of the questionnaire was administered to 566 Year 11 students attending a stratified random sample of 16 government high schools located in the Sydney metropolitan area. Structural equation modelling, discriminant analyses, and qualitative techniques were used to analyse the data collected in the two phases. The major findings of the investigation included the development and confirmation (after modifications) of two new theoretically-justifiable models of vocational decision-related processes. One model provided empirical support for relationships between cultural orientation, values, and attitudes/intentions toward occupations, while the other identified relationships between amotivation, indecision toward occupations, expectancy-value variables, and influences from the family. Multiple themes that were identified in the qualitative data analyses supplemented and partially supported elements of the two empirical models, and enabled a richer understanding of the issues surrounding the vocational decision. The findings of the investigation may be used by career advisors, psychologists, educators, and families to advise and assist senior high school students faced with the vocational decision. The investigation may contribute to reducing the gap in the literature on the roles of culture and motivation in the vocational decision-related processes of senior high school students.

La compréhension des dimensions centrales dans l’évaluation et l’adoption d’un produit technologique par les utilisateurs est un domaine de recherche en pleine expansion (Yeh & Teng, 2012). Les principaux précédents travaux ont été construits autour trois théories : l’acceptabilité/l’acceptation (i.e., variables à l’origine de l’adoption ; Dubois & Bobillier-Chaumon, 2010), l’expérience utilisateur (i.e., qualités fonctionnelles et non fonctionnelles influençant l’expérience avec un produit ; Hassenzahl, 2004) et les variables affectivo-motivationnelles (i.e., dimensions rattachées au fonctionnement humain influençant le jugement et le comportement). Cependant, à notre connaissance, aucune approche unifiée n’a étéproposée. Ainsi, l’objectif de cette thèse était de créer un nouvel outil de mesure en mettant en lien ces travaux théoriques. Pour ce faire, plusieurs études ont été conduites aux diverses temporalités du jugement utilisateur. Les résultats ont, tout d’abord, mis en avant des qualités psychométriques satisfaisantes pour l’outil de mesure proposé. De plus, les modélisations statistiques ont montré un effet majeur de l’utilité perçue à travers les temps d’évaluation. Les autres variables empruntées à ces divers champs théoriques ont des effets différents en fonction de la temporalité du jugement. Enfin, des travaux ont été conduits pour offrir des échelles à items uniques, limitant les problèmes de modélisationclassique des échelles courtes, afin de faciliter les futures expérimentations. / The understanding of main dimensions influencing the evaluation and adoption of technological product by users is a growing up research field (Yeh & Teng, 2012). Majority of previous research was based on three theories: acceptability/Acceptance (i.e., key variables in product adoption; Dubois & Bobillier- Chaumon, 2010), user experience (i.e., functional and non-functional qualities influencing experience with a product; Hassenzahl, 2004) and affective-motivational factors (i.e., dimensions related to human functioning influencing judgements and behaviors). Nevertheless, to our knowledge, no unified approach was proposed. Thus, the objective of the thesis was to create a new measurement tool linking these theoretical fields. For the purpose, several studies were conducted at several temporalities of user judgment. The results indicated satisfactory psychometrics proprieties for the proposed measurement tool. Moreover, the statistical modeling showed a main effect of perceived usefulness through evaluation time. Lastly, work has been done in order to propose single-items scales, limiting the classical modeling problems with short scales, to facilitate futures experimentations.

Esta dissertação aborda um fenômeno recente na pesquisa de consumo de esporte: o orgulho clubístico. A teoria de sustentação utilizada é originada do trabalho de Decrop e Derbaix (2010) e as teorias complementares derivam da área de psicologia e comportamento do consumidor de esporte. O objetivo geral é investigar os efeitos do orgulho clubístico no torcedor de futebol sob uma perspecitva de marketing, focando principalmente na lealdade, comprometimento, consumo e criação e proselitismo com o clube. Foram desenvolvidas, validadas e aplicadas duas escalas psicométricas para a mensuração dos construtos envolvidos no modelo. A pesquisa foi realizada com 449 torcedores de dezessete clubes de futebol brasileiros, totalizando 399 respostas qualificadas. Os dados foram coletados por meio físico e internet, sendo que a diferença entre os dois meios foi considerada não significante através do Teste T e Teste Levene. O modelo utilizado (i) apresenta uma conceituação multidimensional para o orgulho clubístico e; (ii) incorpora seis efeitos distintos das dimensões desse orgulho no torcedor de futebol. Os dados foram avaliados através da análise de estatística multivariada de dados, utilizando a técnica de Análise Fatorial (Exploratória e Confirmatória) e Modelagem de Equações Estruturais (SEM). A Análise Fatorial indicou uma bi-dimensionalidade do orgulho clubístico (individual e contagioso) e a agrupou os seis construtos consequentes deste orgulho em quatro fatores. Testes indicaram evidências em favor da validade convergente e discriminante dos construtos utilizados na SEM. Os principais resultados indicam que o orgulho individual, relacionado à criação e expressão de personalidade individual do torcedor, tem efeito postitivo no comprometimento, lealdade, consumo e criação e proselitismo do torcedor com seu clube favorito. No entanto, o orgulho contagioso, relacionado à expressão da identidade coletiva do torcedor, tem efeito negativo na lealdade e no consumo e criação, enquanto não apresenta nenhum efeito significativo no comprometimento e no proselitismo do torcedor com o clube. A pesquisa contribui para a ciência da Administração, apresentando descobertas contraintuitivas de Marketing associada ao orgulho clubístico. Os resultados sugerem que os clubes devem priorizar a disseminação do orgulho individual do torcedor, devido ao seu impacto positivo no comprometimento, lealdade, consumo e criação e proselitismo com o clube. / This master`s thesis discusses a recent phenomenon in the sports consumer research: the club pride. The base theory used has been originated from Decrop & Derbaix (2010) work, and the complementary theories derived from the psychology and sports consumer behavior areas. The main objective is to investigate the effects of club pride in soccer fans under a marketing perspecitve, focusing mainly on club loyalty, commitment, consumption and creation and proselytising. It was developed, validated and applied two psychometric scales to measure the constructs involved in the model. The study reached 449 fans of seventeen soccer clubs in Brazil, totaling 399 qualified responses. Data were collected through personal and Internet survey, and the difference between the two ways has been accounted as not-significant by T Test and Levene Test. The model used (i) presents a multidimensional concept for club pride and (ii) incorporates six distinct effects of the pride dimensions in the soccer fan. The data were evaluated by analysis of multivariate data, using the technique of Factor Analysis (Exploratory and Confirmatory) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The factor analysis has been indicated a bi-dimensionality of club pride (individual and contagious) and grouped the six constructs resulting from this pride into four factors. Statistic tests has been evidenced convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs used in SEM. The main results indicate that individual pride, related to creation and expression of individual personality of the fans, has positive effect on club commitment, loyalty, consumption and creation and proselytizing. However, contagious pride, related to the expression of the collective identity of the fan, has a negative effect on loyalty and consumption and creation, while not significant effects was founded on club commitment and proselytizing. The research contributes to the business science, showing counterintuitive marketing effects associated with club pride. The results suggest that clubs should prioritize dissemination of individual pride of the fans due to its positive impact on club commitment, loyalty, consumption and creation and proselytizing.

A comunicação boca a boca está fortalecendo-se e popularizando-se, principalmente a partir do advento das mídias sociais. A cultura da população em buscar informações referentes a produtos e serviços está cada vez mais forte, uma vez que a dose de incerteza na compra é grande, em especial em serviços ou serviços aplicados a produtos, por sua intangibilidade. Dessa forma, a comunicação boca a boca tradicional ou via mídias sociais tem se intensificado, tanto na busca quanto na emissão de opiniões. Neste contexto de mercado, uma das formas de uma empresa se tornar competitiva no mercado é criando um relacionamento a longo prazo com seus clientes, facilitando a existência de uma identificação do consumidor com a empresa. Partindo do cenário de serviços, este estudo tem o objetivo de avaliar as relações simultâneas entre três conceitos: experiência do consumidor com o serviço, identificação do consumidor com a empresa e o comportamento de recomendação deste consumidor. Este estudo teve por propósito avaliar estas relações, e, para isso, validou escalas para mensuração destes conceitos no contexto brasileiro. Foi aplicado um questionário online com 500 respondentes, sendo que o pré-requisito era que o respondente escolhesse um estabelecimento (bar ou restaurante) com o qual se identificasse. A análise de dados incluiu uma análise fatorial exploratória e uma confirmatória, dando seguimento à modelagem de equações estruturais (MEE por meio do software LISREL) para analisar a relação entre os três conceitos. Como resultados, encontrouse que tanto a identificação do consumidor com a empresa quanto a experiência do consumidor com o serviço possuem impacto no comportamento de recomendação, neste estudo, representado pelas dimensões de frequência e motivação para recomendar. Entretanto, ambos possuem maior impacto na motivação de recomendação do que na frequência. Ao comparar a identificação do consumidor com a empresa e a experiência do consumidor com o serviço, o primeiro possui uma maior influência nos constructos de recomendação, indicando que ainda que ambos tenham impacto no comportamento de recomendação, a criação de um relacionamento forte e embasado na identificação do consumidor com a empresa se torna um diferencial para a mesma. Com relação à validação das escalas utilizadas no estudo, tem-se que uma das escalas utilizadas para mensurar o constructo de identificação não possuiu validade convergente nem divergente, indicando sua fragilidade para seu uso na academia. / Word of mouth communication is becoming stronger and more popular mainly from the advent of social media. The consume culture of seeking for information about products and services has become very popular, especially when it is about services or services applied to products. The main characteristic of the services is its intangibility, which leads to a higher amount of uncertainty prior to purchasing. Thus, word of mouth communication via traditional or social media has been growing significantly both in pursuit and in issuing opinions. In this context, in order to gain competition, companies should focus on creating and developing a long term relationship with their clients, facilitating the identification of the consumer with the company. Based on the service scenario, this study aims to assess the simultaneous relationships among three different concepts: customer experience with the service, consumer-company identification and the consumer recommendation behavior. Therefore, validating the scales to measure these concepts in the Brazilian context was necessary to achieve the goals of this study. 500 people participated in an online survey about those three concepts. In the beginning of the survey, the respondent had to choose an establishment (a bar or a restaurant) with which he/she identified. Data analysis included an exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis, followed by the structural equation modeling (SEM using the LISREL software) in order to analyze the relationship between those three concepts. As a result, it was found that both concepts (consumer-company identification and consumer experience with the service) have a positive impact on the recommendation behavior of the consumer, represented on this study by the dimensions of frequency and motivation to recommend. However, both concepts had a greater impact on the motivation for recommending than on the frequency of recommendation. By comparing the performance of those two antecedents, consumer-company identification showed a greater influence on the dimensions of the recommendation behavior, indicating that although both concepts have an impact on this behavior, developing a strong relationship with the consumer becomes a differential for the establishment. Regarding the validation of the scales, one of the scales used to measure the construct of consumer-company identification did not possess convergent nor divergent validity, indicating its weakness to use it in other academic studies.

O conhecimento dos valores de uma pessoa nos permite predizer suas atitudes avaliativas em relação a uma situação ou objeto, pois os valores pessoais orientam e guiam os indivíduos a um comportamento. Estudos teóricos sobre valores pessoais e atitudes não abordaram esses constructos como antecedentes da lealdade do consumidor. A partir dessa constatação, esse trabalho de tese propôs elaborar e verificar empiricamente quatro modelos teóricos que tratam da complexa inter-relação existente entre valores pessoais-atitude- fases da lealdade. A fim de testar as hipóteses dos modelos, foram realizadas duas surveys com 1200 respondentes cada uma. Por meio de análises multivariadas, os resultados confirmaram (i) a relação positiva entre os valores pessoais e as fases cognitiva e ação da lealdade; (ii) a mediação da atitude nas relações valores pessoais- fase cognitva e valores pessoais- fase ação; (iii)e a moderação da relação valores pessoais-fases da lealdade pelas variáveis demográficas de gênero, idade, escolaridade e renda. Tais resultados possibilitam a ampliação da fronteira do conhecimento ao (i) inserir os valores pessoais como antecedentes da lealdade; (ii) identificar o valor mais importante (Segurança da Família) para o consumidor; (iii) clarificar os conceitos e desmistificar a utilização dos papéis mediadores e moderadores de variáveis na disciplina de Marketing; (iv) confirmar a hipótese de que os valores pessoais variam conforme gênero e idade do consumidor; e (v) criar uma nova escala de mensuração de valores pessoais para a área do Comportamento do Consumidor; além de fornecer evidências empíricas às empresas financeiras sobre segmentação de clientes pelos valores pessoais ou atitudes. / The knowledge of an individual's values allows us to better predict their evaluative attitudes towards a situation or object, for personal values drive and guide individuals to specific behaviors. To date, theoretical studies on personal values and attitudes have not investigated these constructs as antecedents of consumer loyalty. Therefore, this thesis proposed to elaborate and empirically verify four theoretical models related to the complex interrelation between personal values-attitude-loyalty phases. So as to test the models hypotheses, two surveys involving 1200 respondents each were carried out. By means of multivariate analyses, the results confirmed (i) the positive relationship between personal values and the cognitive and action phases of loyalty; (ii) the mediating role of attitude on the relationships between personal values-cognitive phase and personal values-action phase; and (iii) the moderation of the relationship personal values- loyalty phases by the demographic variables of gender, age, education and income. Such results contribute to widen knowledge frontiers by (i) inserting personal values as antecedents of loyalty; (ii) identifying the most important value (Family Security) to the consumer; (iii) elucidating concepts and clarifying the use of the mediating and moderating roles of variables in the Marketing discipline; (iv) support the hypothesis that personal values vary across consumer's gender and age; and (v) creating a new personal values measuring scale to the area of Consumer Behavior, besides providing empirical evidence to financial companies on client segmentation according to personal values or attitudes.