Music performance anxiety (MPA) is reported in musicians of all experience, levels, and genre. However, solo classical musicians report MPA more often and at higher levels than performers in other genres because of its formal culture and traditional structure. Within solo classical musicians, collegiate training greatly differs between conservatories that award a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) and liberal arts institutions that award a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). In 2 studies, the proposed research examines the differences in general anxiety, MPA, and private lesson content between these two groups. Participants will be from the two groups of types of collegiate music students. In Study 1, participants will take the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI), and a Personal and Musical Background Questionnaire (PMBQ) at 3 times intervals before a public, solo performance in order to assess general connections between anxiety and MPA. In Study 2, participants will partake in weekly session of 1 of 3 interventions (meditation, journal entry, and biofeedback training) in order to determine an effective method for preventing and coping with MPA. Proposed results suggest higher levels of general anxiety and MPA in conservatory music students and lower levels of MPA in participants who undergo biofeedback training. Individuals who report learning about MPA strategies in their lessons will have lower levels of MPA, suggesting the need to consistently address MPA in classical music pedagogy.

Doctor Philosophiae / School psychologists in South Africa are employed by the state to provide psychological services to schools. The role of school psychologists has been debated and contested nationally and internationally for many decades, with the need for a paradigm shift in school psychology practice and redefining the role of school psychologists being highlighted. In this study, the roles and practices of school psychologists are explored, with a focus on the nature of collaborative work engaged in when facilitating school development. In particular, challenges that emerge when school psychologists work with other sectors to facilitate school development are investigated. The overall research question was: What are the challenges that face school psychologists who facilitate school development through intersectoral collaboration and how can these challenges be addressed? / South Africa

The current study examines the effects of an online workshop pertaining to classroom behavior management on teacher self-efficacy, attitudes, motivation, knowledge, and practices. In addition, information about teacher utilization of the Internet, their opinions about professional development, and experiences with classroom management were collected. Participants included 57 1st through 5th grade special and regular education teachers. Eligible teachers were those who teach an academic subject and had at least one child in the classroom they considered as disruptive. Teachers were randomized to either a training or waitlist group. Classroom observations of teacher practices and questionnaires were utilized. Teachers in the training group participated in two assessment points, baseline and post-workshop, and received access to the online course immediately following the baseline assessment. Teachers in the waitlist group participated in three assessment points, baseline, post-workshop, and follow-up, and received access to the online course immediately following the post-workshop assessment. Findings show that all teachers had access to the Internet at home and at school and used it on a daily basis. The majority of teachers indicated having some past training on all the techniques that were presented in the online workshop. All teachers expressed satisfaction with the workshop, indicating that it should be offered again. Post-workshop, findings showed significant group differences in knowledge with a large effect for the training group scoring higher than the waitlist group on a quiz. Secondly, group differences in self-efficacy, knowledge, and attitudes with teachers’ past-training as a moderator, was examined. Past-training was not found to be a significant moderator of self-efficacy, knowledge, or attitudes. However, the main effect for training group was significant for attitudes. In addition, teacher attitudes, but not knowledge and self-efficacy, significantly predicted motivation to implement. Next, the moderating effect of barriers on motivation and classroom management skill implementation was examined. Barriers were not found to be a significant moderator. Lastly, the training group was observed to be significantly more effective at giving commands compared to the waitlist group. The current study demonstrates the potential of a low-intensity online workshop on classroom management to enhance the accessibility of teacher professional development.

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The general purpose of this study is to better understand stigmatized views of mental health conditions in the current social climate. In order to assess changes in current stigma levels, valid measurement tools are needed to make more accurate assessments. Many existing tools used to assess stigma levels present validity issues due to reporting bias, specifically social desirability bias. Researchers suggest that purposefully omitting diagnostic labeling helps to eliminate biased answers. In order to measure stigmatizing beliefs while minimizing the threat of social desirability, this study utilized an experimental design that compared mental health conditions with medical conditions. The Adjusted Attribution Questionnaire and Social Distance Scale were used to measure stigmatized beliefs toward each health conditions. Levels of familiarity and demographic characteristics were controlled for in analysis to determine potential mediating and moderating effects. Results indicate that familiarity had a significant effect on perceived attribution and preferred social distance for the mental health group. Gender also significantly affected outcomes on both stigma measures when considering mental health conditions. Ethnicity significantly affected both stigma measure outcomes for both the medical and mental health groups. Results may help contribute to current stigma reduction efforts by identifying research-based approaches to addressing stigma.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between early eye tracking and later non-suicidal self-injury, and whether this relationship was negatively impacted by distress and impulsivity, and conversely alleviated by emotional regulation and problem solving abilities. Briggs-Gowan et al. (2001) found that young children with recurrent and comorbid externalizing and internalizing problems have the most impairment; they exhibit greater difficulty with emotional stability, and require greater utilization of mental health services. Little research has focused on the relationship between eye tracking in early infancy and suicidal self-injurious (NSSI) behavior in early childhood. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine if eye-tracking in early infancy and later self-injurious behavior is mediated by impulsivity, distress, problem solving, and emotion regulation; for which child’s gender and income-to- needs as the control variables. Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD). When examining the mediating influence of early eye tracking at 15 months in the relationship between self-injurious behavior at 15 years of age, distress at 54 months, impulsivity at 54 months, emotion regulation in the 5th grade, and problem solving in the 6th grade, it was found that these variables did not have a significant mediating effect. Although the hypothesized path model was the most parsimonious, the results suggested that impulsivity acts as a mediator in the relationship between SES and problem solving. As such, impulsivity may be directly associated with the functions of problem solving. The significance of this study is that it adds to the research that emphasizes the importance of understanding early markers (e.g., eye tracking in early infancy) for social outcomes and should be utilized by educators, parents, and early intervention programs to ensure social success for children. However, the results in this study should not be considered for the use of policymaking, given the limitations presented.

Bc. Matěj Zahradník 2016 School Psychology at Elementary Schools in the Czech Republic from the Perspective of Public Policy Master's Thesis Abstract This diploma thesis focuses on school psychology as a part of the educational system in the Czech Republic, specifically part of primary schools. The beginning of the thesis presents an overview of relevant policy documents, which focus on school psychology, as well as an overview of development programs designed to support it. These overviews give the reader objective information on the current state of school psychology in the Czech Republic. Using the aforementioned documents, an online questionnaire, and most importantly twelve expert interviews (with school psychologists, representatives from the Ministry of Education, National Institute for Education, Charles University), this thesis analyzes benefits of school psychology, such as personal presence and knowledge of the school, preventive character of such services, mediation and others, its possible drawbacks and obstacles, like issues with consolidating the profession in the system, its financing, or the lack of supervision and intervision. Moreover, this thesis presents policy goals of school psychology, with possible indicators to measure their fulfillment. The crucial part of this thesis focuses on...

The personality characteristics of continuation high school students, as measured by the California Psychological Inventory (CPI), and the nature and extent of the relationship between those characteristics and their academic achievement were investigated. Achievement was measured by two criteria: attendance and percentage-based grade point average (GPA). The sample was comprised of 96 students from two continuation schools in a multi-ethnic agricultural community. The sample was stratified on the basis of ethnicity to allow ethnic group comparison between Hispanics, Caucasians, and Blacks as well as between males and females. The results showed that the continuation students scored significantly lower than the high school norm groups on 14 of the 18 CPI scales and significantly higher on the Self-Acceptance scale. The continuation students presented scores on scales representing interpersonal and relationship skills that were comparable to their high school norm group counterparts. Their scores on scales involving intrapersonal value controls were substantially different from the normative data. Neither the GPA nor the attendance criterion was predictable from the CPI data. These data were consistent with their overall psychological profile, indicating that this sample experienced both academic and behavioral problems in adapting to school. Based on this profile and their lower scores on the achievement relevant scales of the CPI, the optimum educational format for these youth may require modification of an entirely individualized approach to incorporate adequate structure, lecture content, or small group interaction. Additionally, recommendations for further research with continuation students were offered.