Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2008. / Adviser: Barbara A. Murray. Includes bibliographical references (p. 82-85).

Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references.

Theses (Ed.S.)--Marshall University, 2007. / Title from document title page. Includes abstract. Document formatted into pages: contains v, 29 pages. Bibliography: p. 26-27.

Students who fail to achieve in school are frequently retained in grade to remediate their lack of satisfactory progress. In this study, elementary school principals, kindergarten, and first grade teachers were interviewed to explore their perceptions of the decision making processes used in recommending retention. The belief systems which underlie their reliance on retention as a remedial option were also examined. Three research questions were addressed: 1. What is the relationship between the written retention policy of a selected school district and the actual decision making process used by its schools? 2. What are the influences by district socio-economic level which impact the decision making process used in student retention? 3. What are the perceptions across district socioeconomic level of teachers and principals regarding the use of retention as an intervention for students? Some additional questions related to the three research questions were also explored in the study. The primary method of data collection consisted of interviews with nine participants. In addition, principals, kindergarten, and first grade teachers from 12 schools, representing three socio-economic levels, were surveyed. Data were integrated to develop a more complete narrative of retention practice as perceived by these practitioners. The results of this study indicate several factors influence retention decision making and practice: 1. expectations of other teachers 2. pressure of curriculum standards 3. the availability of alternatives 4. the perceived needs of students 5. the belief systems of teachers 6. knowledge of retention research. Recommendations are presented for encouraging practice more aligned with current research and to assist district policy makers in developing alternatives for retention. The research suggests that future study be conducted to further explore teacher belief systems underlying retention practice.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-89).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-89). Also available in print.

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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a therapeutic approach that emphasizes the alteration of the relationship one has towards one’s thoughts, rather than attempting to change the content of thoughts. It seeks to promote the awareness of thinking as an ongoing relational process through cognitive defusion techniques. The verbal repetition of thoughts is a technique that has recently been shown in a single-case alternating treatment designs study to significantly reduce the believability and distress associated with self-relevant negative thoughts (Masuda, Hayes, Sackett, & Twohig, 2004). The present study compared the effects of verbal repetition with brief imaginal exposure and no intervention in reducing the believability, distress, and meaningfulness associated with contamination-related thoughts. Individuals with high levels of obsessive-compulsive symptoms identified three distressing contamination-related thoughts and made ratings of belief, distress, and meaningfulness for each thought, using 100-mm visual analogue scales. They were then randomly assigned to receive verbal repetition, imaginal exposure, or no intervention, after which they completed ratings at post-intervention and one-week follow-up. Participants also completed a category membership decision task to determine whether verbal repetition and/or imaginal exposure produces semantic satiation, a temporary loss of the literal meaning of words. Significant reductions in belief, distress, and meaningfulness were observed following verbal repetition at post-intervention and there was some maintenance of these gains one week later. In contrast, no significant reductions were observed at post-intervention following either imaginal exposure or no intervention. However, significant reductions in ratings of belief and distress were observed one week later following imaginal exposure. A semantic satiation effect was observed for only verbal repetition, and although there was no evidence that this effect was associated with reductions in appraisal ratings at post-intervention, there was some indication of a relationship with follow-up appraisal ratings. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to cognitive-behavioural theories of obsessive-compulsive disorder.