Thesis (Psy. D.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in School Psychology." Includes bibliographic references (p. 148-150).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2004. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-124).

Thesis (Psy.D.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in School Psychology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 86-91).

Thesis (Psy.D.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in School Psychology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 138-145).

Thesis (Psy.D.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in School Psychology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 103-106).

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in School Psychology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-101).

Fifty-eight children of varying math abilities, ranging in age from 7 to 8 years, were tested to investigate the influence of certain low-level cognitive abilities on their use of spatial representations of number magnitude (i.e., the so-called mental number line). A number-line estimation task and a number comparison task were administered to measure their use of the mental number line. A combined spatial-cueing and flanker task was used to assess three attention networks: executive functioning, alerting, and visual attention orienting. Visuospatial working memory was assessed with a mental rotation task, and intelligence was measured with a short-form IQ test. Regression results showed that visuospatial working memory ability was related to performance on the mental number line tasks. Hence, children with stronger visuospatial working memory ability are able to more efficiently manipulate the mental number line, and thus perform better on tasks involving understanding of number magnitude. / October 2015

Conduct problems are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions identified in outpatient mental health centers (Frick 1998b; Kazdin, 1995; Loeber, Burke, Lahey, Waters, & Zera, 2000). Despite a long history of examining risk factors associated with conduct problems, many studies have focused exclusively on adolescent onset conduct problems and few studies have sought to examine relationships among risk factors across several domains. Furthermore, few studies have been conducted to examine protective factors thought to mitigate the risk for children who are thought to be at a high risk of manifesting conduct problems. By gaining an understanding of risk and protective factors associated with early onset conduct problems, clinicians can develop and appropriately target interventions to those children at a high risk of developing conduct problems as well as those who are already displaying symptoms associated with early onset conduct problems. The purpose of the present study was to identify factors associated with an increased risk of early onset conduct problems across several domains and to develop a statistical model describing the relationships among these latter domains and risk factors. Furthermore, the present research used these identified risk factors in order to study factors that may offer protective benefits to children who are at a high risk of developing conduct problems at a younger age. The data used in the present study were from the National Survey of Children's Health database which contained data collected in 2007. These data were analyzed using a confirmatory factor analysis approach and multi-group structural equation modeling techniques. The results showed that living in a poorer quality neighborhood, coming from a lower socioeconomic status, and having a mother who reported overall fair or poorer mental health were all risk factors associated with reported early onset conduct problems. Protective factors identified included having a higher quality parent-child relationship and not having a history of involvement in special education. The implications of these findings are discussed as are future directions for research.

Given the paucity of research on factors associated with motivation in learning disabled college students, the present study investigated the motivation levels in college students with learning disabilities. The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) has been validated cross-nationally and across all educational age groups of students having various academic majors; however, it has not been used with students who have a learning disability (LD). The purpose of this study, therefore, was to validate the AMS with students with LD and determine which of the 3-, 5-, or 7-factor model best fit the sample. In addition, this study sought to verify the predictors and related factors of motivation in these students. The variables that were examined were IQ, GPA, gender, type of disability, and academic skills as they relate to motivation. Lastly, the simplex structure, which endorsed motivation to be a continuum, was also statistically verified. Findings of this study concluded that the 7-factor model as proposed by Vallerand (i.e., Vallerand, Pelletier, Blais, Brière, Senécal, & Vallières, 1992) was best suited for this sample. IQ significantly negatively predicted and was significantly inversely related to extrinsic motivation (EM), especially perceptual reasoning skills. Basic academic skills were significantly inversely related to EM, as well as a significant positive predictor of amotivation. Math skills were inversely correlated with several EM factors. There was no significant effect for gender, but students with a disability in math were significantly higher on measures of intrinsic motivation than other disability types. Finally, the simplex structure was only partially supported, since the opposite ends of the motivation continuum did not display the highest negative correlation as expected (Vallerand et al., 1992). These findings were discussed in relation to the current literature on motivation in students followed by a discussion of the limitations of the study and future directions for research in this area.

This study sought to examine the relations between sports participation, academic achievement, and self-efficacy in high school students. Self-efficacy has been linked to both sports participation and academic achievement, but no study has examined these three variables together. One hundred eleven students from two schools filled out surveys examining their levels of sports participation, academic and athletic self-efficacy, and demographic information. Participating schools provided student GPA information. Results supported the study's first, second, and third hypotheses. Athletes had higher GPAs and academic self-efficacy scores than non-athletes. Additionally, there was evidence for an indirect effect of sports participation on GPA through the mediating variable of academic self-efficacy. Results did not support the study's fourth hypothesis, as there was no significant relation between academic self-efficacy and athletic self-efficacy among athletes in the present study. Results are discussed in relation to the student population and school environment.