Thesis (Ph. D.)--Syracuse University, 2005. / "Publication number AAT 3190049."

Thesis (M.T.S.)--Catholic Theological Union, 1984. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-82).

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2005. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 235-272). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss &rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR11800

<p> This dissertation uses mythological studies, psychological ideas and sociological techniques to introduce the reader to the thesis that tabletop role-playing game (TRPG) characters are intricate, semi-independent personae of their players, who have the potential to be equal in influence to an individual&rsquo;s other expressions of personality (e.g. employee, parent, friend, etc). TRPG characters, like all aspects of personality, exist at the junction of mythical, psychological, and sociological forces. Unlike other personae, TRPG characters exist within alternative realities deliberately crafted from heroic mythology, which feature group-centered behavior at their core. </p><p> By examining differences between character and player perspectives, especially the group based norm of heroism common across many kinds of TRPGs, the importance of studying TRPG characters as personae in their own right is emphasized. The dissertation concludes with ways for TRPG scholars to increase emphasis on TRPG character studies, and with ways for non-TRPG studies to benefit from an increased emphasis on personae play as an important aspect of psychosocial growth, especially with regard to how heroism is understood in American culture. </p>

<p>Response to Intervention (RtI) is a prevention-oriented approach to helping all students succeed academically. It is a framework that, when applied properly, influences all decision-making within a school building and/or district. Currently, most American school districts report using an RtI framework. Specifics regarding implementation, however, are unknown at this time. Given that RtI is a systems-wide approach which is philosophically disparate from traditional ways of viewing students struggling academically, it has the potential to shift traditional school psychological roles. Our knowledge regarding the degree to which RtI has changed school psychologists&rsquo; practices is incomplete at this time. Additionally, there is extremely limited information regarding school psychologists&rsquo; self-efficacy for RtI-related tasks, yet the literature highlights that school psychologists should be prepared to take an active role in RtI implementation efforts. The current study attempted to a gain a broader understanding of current RtI implementation, by surveying a national sample of 392 school psychologists working in elementary school buildings. The results suggest that most schools are using an RtI framework, but are still in the beginning stages of implementation. A large percentage of participants (33&ndash;50%) were unable to identify whether the foundational components of RtI were in use. School psychologists described RtI as an effective method to help students succeed academically. They also reported being more often involved in data-based decision making activities within an RtI framework, as opposed to data-gathering activities. Furthermore, respondents indicated RtI was related to a decrease in assessment-related school psychological activities and an increase in intervention and consultation-related tasks. Most school psychologists reported that they are either not involved in RtI program evaluation and/or there was no program evaluation in their schools. Those surveyed perceived administrators as more heavily invested in teacher evaluation processes than in RtI processes currently. Most participants reported moderate-to-high levels of self-efficacy for all school psychological practices, including RtI-related tasks. Respondents also delineated those things that are likely to both facilitate and impede RtI implementation. The findings from this study have implications for university trainers; educational professionals; and, school psychologists. </p>

<p> A nationwide survey of school psychologists across the four NASP regions was conducted in order to discern if school psychologists&rsquo; community setting related to school psychologists&rsquo; role and function as well as job satisfaction. Community setting was operationalized using a zip code database to precisely define urban, suburban, and rural. Two thousand schools were sent surveys for distribution to school psychologists; 220 school psychologists participated. Respondents completed a researcher created survey called the Regional Role and Function Survey (RRFS) and the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire &ndash; Short Form (MSQ &ndash; SF). The respondents answered questions pertaining to personal demographics, demographics about their workplace, their roles and functions as a school psychologist, and their job satisfaction. The findings indicated that school psychologists across community settings engage in assessment related to special education for the highest percentage of time out of all possible roles and functions. School psychologists in suburban community settings were more likely to engage in supervision and to have lower job satisfaction than school psychologists in all other community settings. School psychologists who were stationed in one school building or a K-12 campus were more likely to spend time in roles and functions other than special education assessment. The importance of school psychologist community setting is discussed; additionally the varying roles and functions of school psychologists, boundary-spanning, factors influencing job satisfaction, as well as methodology associated with rural research were explored.</p>

<p> Practices that cultivate healthy relationships with self and others are always needed and valuable, especially during this modern time of ever-increasing fragmentation through technology. Cultivating empathy individually and communally promotes increased levels of connection among individuals and can create greater harmony among communities. Centering prayer offers an intervention that respects Christian practices of contemplation and can address care needs. This study investigated the impact of centering prayer on levels of empathy. This study was conducted through a single group pilot study using a mixed methods design. Given that centering prayer is primarily a Christian practice of contemplation, the population for this study was a Christian church community. Both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered to create a greater understanding of possible applications for centering prayer. The initial findings from this study support centering prayer as a positive intervention to help build psychological and emotional tools of empathy that can be added to church community offerings or Christian organizations. </p><p>

<p> Stalking has been a pervasive behavioral pattern that disrupts the lives of many. Previous researchers have examined factors that can predict the occurrence of stalking in victim-perpetrator relationships while simultaneously examining stalking type. Domestic violence and psychopathology have been possible predictors to stalking. A vignette survey examines the public&rsquo;s perception of stalking within former lover, acquaintance, and stranger relationship. A 3x3 factorial MANOVA examined the effects of relationship and type of stalking to danger, violence, and safety. Results demonstrate an interaction effect between former intimate, stalking type of following and perceptions of violence and threat to safety. These findings suggest that prevention programs need to educate communities on domestic violence in intimate relationships and stalking. </p><p>

<p> This qualitative study addresses the lived experience of participants in a specific somatic psychotherapy practice, relational somatic psychotherapy (RSP). The RSP approach is a biologically based, interpersonal exploration of consciousness and self-awareness through authentic relationship (Hilton, 2007). Following an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology, this study analyzes interviews focused on how participants experienced the somatically based psychodynamic healing modality of RSP through group relational dynamics. This study is grounded in depth psychology in that participants in RSP work with the unknown, repressed energy of the body in order to make behavioral and emotional energetic patterns conscious. It is grounded in somatic psychology in that the focus of exploration is in present moment experiences of the body. Thus, the assumption of this study is that the integration of both traditions creates an embodied approach to psyche. Themes that emerged from this study suggest that awareness is transformed through embodied relational experiences. These themes helped articulate that embodied relational experiences in psychodynamic group process supported individuals in integrating the dissociated parts of themselves into consciousness, suggesting that embodiment practices experienced in the context of authentic relationship help to integrate psyche and soma. Such experiences seem to integrate previous unconscious, implicit memory systems into healing and empowering embodied self-awareness. </p><p>

<p> Assuming the perspective of evolutionary psychology it was hypothesized that tattoo stigma is the result of evolved socially exclusionary mechanisms activated by heuristic cues signaling a potential threat of infectious disease. It was conjectured that perception of atypical morphology, like the discoloration associated with significant tattooing, would activate into working memory implicit associations linking tattooing with infectious disease, triggering an aversive reaction. Using a quantitative quasi-experimental approach, the study measured participant implicit associations between disease connoting concepts and the perception of images of tattooed people as compared with images of non-tattooed people. Implicit associations between disease connoting concepts and tattooing were measured using an Implicit Association Test. An assumption made by the IAT developers that people accomplish tasks faster and with greater accuracy when the tasks are based on well-established learned cognitive routines or associations that are the product of evolved adaptive mechanisms, as compared with unpracticed tasks. This study provides the first empirical test of a causal link between tattooing, disease threat management, and stigma. Findings indicate that a significant majority of the sample associated tattooing with infectious disease, this association is not affected by the participants having tattoos or expressing a positive or neutral attitude toward tattooed people. Given these findings, it is recommended that future research more broadly test the construct of voluntary disfigurement (e.g., body scaring, piercing, and &ldquo;face painting&rdquo;) which BIS theory predicts would be likely triggers for BIS reactions.</p><p>