Zugl.: Wuppertal, Universiẗat, Diss., 2008.

Zugl.: Bielefeld, Universiẗat Diss., 2006.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2005--Würzburg.

Zugl.: Augsburg, Universiẗat, Diss., 2009.

Berlin, Humboldt-Univ., Diss., 2005.

Zugl.: Lüneburg, Univ., Diss., 2005

The current study evaluated the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help reduce anxiety experienced during an interview with three individuals with varying Developmental Disabilities (DD). A multiple baseline across participants with embedded probes was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. The intervention consisted of mindfulness and defusion exercises used directly before an interview was conducted. Data were collected during each interview using an interview checklist created specifically for this study. The checklist consisted of two parts: anxiety measures and an interview question portion. The checklist was used to help score the overall performance for each participant during an interview. A BST procedure was used for two of the three participants to help their skill acquisition of correctly answering interview questions. Secondary measures were taken for a pre and posttest that consisted of a modified state social anxiety scale. The results from the study indicated that the use of ACT helped decrease anxiety experienced during an interview and also helped increase their overall performance during an interview.

abstract: This dissertation examined sojourner adjustment success utilizing a unique method for collecting and analyzing the perceptions and sense making of the sojourner participants. Although previous research studies in this area have mostly relied on quantitative survey designs and researcher-generated models, this study relied on in-depth, participant-driven, qualitative interviews that were semi-structured using a software-assisted method called Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM). Through this dissertation research, study abroad students (sojourners) had the opportunity to reflect on their sojourn experience, share their adjustment stories, and identify factors that were personally relevant to their success. This study broke new ground while building on the vast body of work in cross-cultural and sojourner adjustment. Sojourners were asked to provide their perspectives on the relationships among those factors reported in the literature that are commonly believed to influence successful adjustment. This allowed me to connect existing literature on the subject with the lived experience of the sojourner participants. This dissertation sought to answer two research questions. First, what factors do participants identify as being keys to the success of their sojourn? Second, what relationships do participants perceive among the factors contributing to successful sojourner adjustment? This dissertation found that language proficiency played a key role in their adjustment and openness was the factor most selected by participants in their explanation of a successful sojourn. Additionally, participant profiles and influence structure summaries provided evidence of the relationships participants saw among success factors in their lived experiences. In terms of preparing sojourners for going abroad, analysis of the composite structure revealed what could be prioritized in pre-departure training for impending sojourners. Themes emerged which provide insight into the commonalities of the sojourner experience despite differences in one's program or personality. This dissertation also explained additional success factors participants identified (e.g., ability to manage language fatigue, creation of connections with other travelers) that were not initially provided to them. Finally, suggestions for study abroad students/coordinators, researchers, and employers are provided. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Communication 2014

No description available.

M.A. (Psychology) / The interview appears to be a very popular but nevertheless unreliable and invalid selection instrument. A need therefore exists to improve the selection interview and to place it on a more scientific basis. The purpose of this study can be summarized as the development of: an interview decision-making model an interview reference framework a selection interview interpretation guide Before these topics were discussed, the nature, definition, value, problematics and improvement of the selection interview were examined. Attention was given to the nature, purpose, function, formulation and classifica~ion of interview questions as well as to the interview as a measuring instrument and requirements such as objectivity, appropriateness, adaptability, standardization, reliability and validity. Various decision-making models were examined and discussed, and the decision-making attributes of the decision-maker (the interviewer) were studied. The requirements of the decision making process were discussed and a decision-making model was subsequently developed...