The literature available on study abroad addresses reasons students chose to study abroad, outcomes of participation in study abroad, and study abroad program characteristics. However, there is a lack of research linking outcomes of study abroad to program characteristics. The present study will add to the literature by providing information about study abroad program characteristics and their relationship to one possible outcome of study abroad, cross-cultural adaptability. In this study, four factors were used to measure cross-cultural adaptability: (a) emotional resilience, (b) flexibility/openness, (c) perceptual acuity, and (d) personal autonomy. Data were collected using the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI) (Kelley & Meyers, 1995). The target sample for this study was undergraduate college students that have participated in study abroad programs of varying lengths. The findings showed significant differences in all five areas: emotional resilience, flexibility/openness, perceptual acuity, personal autonomy, and total CCAI score. These findings suggest that researchers need to take a further look at study abroad program characteristics and their relationship to beneficial outcomes. / Master of Arts

Adaptability is defined as having the capacity to be modified for a new use or purpose; the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions. Adaptability in a space can have many venues and effects depending on the intent of its flexibility. This thesis will explore several methods of adaptability in design in context with a Makerspace, a community space which functions to provide the facilities and work environment for a variety of creators to use. In a building typology, a Makerspace with a large variety of users, the ability for the spaces to be informed by and reactive to each individual user is imperative to its objective. The approach to exploring adaptable design solutions is in analyzing the potential makers occupying the space, what their specific needs are and how can architectural designs become flexible in a way that allows the Makers to craft their own work environments. The primary objectives of this thesis are to: 1. Explore some of the various definitions of adaptability and how those meanings can be incorporated into design solutions 2. Identify spaces in the project that can be adapted for their specific purpose 3. Determine the methods of adaptability suited to the building typology and its users 4. Discuss adaptable design in terms of fixed and kinetic characteristics 5. Design spaces that are responsive to the site, the project's purpose and the unique needs of each user. The site of the project is located on the 500 block of South Broadway Street, Baltimore MD in the upper Fells Point district. Site dimensions are roughly 55' by 200' of infill space between surrounding retail and residential properties. This site was chosen to accommodate a Makerspace as it is central to Baltimore city's three major arts districts (Bromo, Highlandtown, and Station North Arts Districts) and could be considered a hub where local makers convene and establish a work space for a period of time that has the specific equipment and environment they require. / Master of Architecture / Adaptability is defined as having the capacity to be modified for a new use or purpose; the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions. This thesis explores ways in which architectural design can be adaptable. To have the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions, in this case the people that will use the space and the purpose of the spaces. Baltimore city is home to a large variety of local artists and creators working on their craft. The three major arts districts in the city, Bromo, Highlandtown, and Station North cultivate a community of people that create and consume artistic and innovative projects. In order to most successfully create, an artist should have access to a work environment that is not a hindrance but an asset to their process. The arts community of Baltimore could greatly benefit from a place that offers suitable work environments to a community which does not typically have a designated place. This thesis uses the building type: Makerspace which is a facility used as a tool for creators or "makers" to enter with an idea and facilitate a project. A makerspace can provide access to communal equipment that would otherwise be expensive for the individual maker to own, private and/or public work spaces to use for the maker's individual needs and a sense of community. The Makerspace was chosen as the vessel for exploration into adaptable design because of the nature of the building's purpose. The people that will inhabit and use the spaces will have a variety of specific needs in a work space. I wanted to explore how the designs of spaces could become flexible to accommodate those specific needs. The primary objectives of this thesis are to: 1. Explore some of the various definitions of adaptability and how those meanings can be incorporated into design solutions 2. Identify spaces in the project that can be adapted for their specific purpose 3. Determine the methods of adaptability suited to the building typology and its users 4. Discuss adaptable design in terms of fixed and kinetic characteristics 5. Design spaces that are responsive to the site, the project's purpose and the unique needs of each user.

Adaptability and cohesion were studied in a sample of thirty-nine remarried families, using the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES III). The purpose of the study was to add to the growing body of empirical research dealing with the remarried family as a unique family form. Comparisons were made between family members and between the remarried and norm group families. The results both support and fail to support existing literature. Age of children was a factor in levels of both family adaptability and cohesion with levels being lowest during adolescent years. When pre-adolescent children were involved, remarried family adaptability was higher than in the intact norm families. This was not true when adolescents were present. Also, stepparents with no natural children scored higher in adaptability than parents with natural-born children. Remarried family satisfaction was positively correlated with adaptability but negatively correlated with cohesion. Also, family adaptability varied according to the complexity of the family. / Ph. D. / incomplete_metadata

An analysis of how adaptive behavior information is obtained and used by school psychologists with secondary age students was the focus of this investigation. School psychologists are often considered to be important sources of information regarding the initial identification and programming of students placed in special education classes. Because the adaptive behavior instruments developed for public school use have emphasized the initial placement/ identification of elementary age students, it was not known how school psychologists approach the adaptive behavior issue with secondary age students. This question was critical in light of research indicating the poor post secondary transition of many handicapped students and the limited training of school psychologists in providing services for secondary age students. The study was undertaken to examine the dynamics of practicing school psychologists' current use of adaptive behavior information in the psychological assessment of secondary age students. To gather the data needed for the study, a questionnaire was mailed to a representative sample of the membership of the National Association of School Psychologists residing in the United States. An 81.4% return rate was obtained. One hundred eighty-seven school psychologists practicing primarily in the schools provided data used in the study. The results of this study indicate that if school psychologists are to adequately address the post secondary needs of secondary age students, they will need to become familiar with newer adaptive behavior instruments which address issues beyond the non-biased assessment of mild mentally retarded students. Reforms in current reevaluation practices are needed to facilitate the use of adaptive behavior instruments that can help facilitate the post secondary transition of secondary age students. Also, training programs need to place greater emphasis in skill development for optimal psychological services with secondary age students. More research is needed regarding the experience/continuing education factor mentioned earlier. Also, test publishers need to encourage the development and marketing of new adaptive behavior instruments which can better help to facilitate the post secondary transition of this population. / Ed. D.

Seventy-four women with either rheumatoid arthritis (RA). chronic pain syndrome or depression and 59 of their spouse reported on their family cohesion, adaptability, and conflict. From a review of the literature. these three-dimension of family functioning were identified as important in “psychosomatic" families in which an adult member is physiologically vulnerable (Flor & Turk, 1985). Data analysis consisted of cross tabular procedure and MANOVAs. Differences between the groups in terms of health status were explored using a MANOVA with group membership as the independent variable and the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS) as dependent variables. Overall the depression and chronic pain groups; were more similar than the PA group with the exception of the levels of Physical Activity and Pain. For these two dimensions, the RA and chronic pain group were similar while the depression group score indicated better health state. Crosstabular procedures were performed on the FACES III score on cohesion and adaptability both separately and then combined on the Circumplex Model. Higher than expected percentage of disengaged scores were reported by the women in the RA and chronic pain groups and this trend was more pronounced in the spouses' scores of all three groups. The women in all three groups reported fairly normal levels of adaptability as did the spouses of the depression group members, but the spouses of those women with RA and chronic pain reported higher than expected levels of rigidity. Results of MANOVAs to examine differences between the three groups in terms of the family characteristics were significant. The women in the depression group and their spouses reported higher levels of conflict than the members of the RA group. / Ph. D.

This causal-comparative and correlational study examined cross-cultural adaptability of randomly selected licensed dental hygienists, 1995-2005 graduates, practicing in the state of Texas and first and second-year dental hygiene students attending 5 randomly selected accredited 2 and 4-year dental hygiene schools in the state of Texas. A sample of 289 individuals: 194 enrolled students and 95 licensed dental hygienists, alumni of the 5 schools, completed the 50-item Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI ®) and a brief demographic survey. The purpose of this study was to determine if statistically significant differences existed among and between licensed dental hygienists and first and second-year dental hygiene students in the state of Texas on a cross-cultural adaptability measure. The study also examined relationships among and between cross-cultural adaptability scores, as measured by the CCAI, and several independent variables. The data were analyzed by using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS 12). Eight hypotheses related to group differences and relationships among and between groups and variables were tested. The groups were compared on total CCAI scores using a t-test, and on subscale CCAI scores simultaneously using a descriptive discriminant analysis (DDA). A 3X2 MANOVA was used to compare all groups simultaneously on subscale CCAI scores. The sample was also analyzed for statistically significant differences among 3 levels of ethnicity and total CCAI scores using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Lastly, various Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to determine relationships among and between the 3 independent variables mentioned above and total and subscale CCAI scores. The results revealed no statistically significant differences among the various groups and CCAI scores. A statistically significant relationship (r = .148) was found between age and 1 of the 4 CCAI subscale scores, flexibility/openness. No other statistically significant relationships were found. The study concluded that number of years for degree, level of practice, ethnicity, and years employed may not play a significant role in enhancing cross-cultural adaptability. Further research needs to be conducted to determine differences and relationships between and among various dental hygiene groups and their cross-cultural adaptability performance.

Since the birth of the United States in 1776, Greek-letter societies have been an integral part of American higher education. Research on the impact of Greek membership varies at best, and often is in conflict from study to study. This study surveyed students affiliated with Greek-letter organizations at the University of North Texas. The research examined the college adaptability of Greek students by gender in five areas: Overall adjustment, academic adjustment, personal-emotional adjustment, social adjustment, and attachment to the institution. The study, conducted in the spring of 2006 at the University of North Texas had 80 respondents. The Student Adaptability to College Questionnaire (SACQ) consisted of 67 items on a 9-point scale. The SACQ is designed to assess how well students adapt to the demands of the college experience. Raw scores and percentile rankings were determined by t-test calculations. Test scores were expressed through t-scores in relation to the standardized sample. Data show no statistical significance in any of the five areas studied: Overall adjustment, academic adjustment, personal-emotional adjustment, social adjustment, or attachment to the institution. Female participants scored higher on all scales than male participants, indicating a slightly higher level of adjustment, though not enough to be significant. Both males and females scored highest in attachment to the institution and social adjustment, while both scored lowest in personal-emotional adjustment.

Partant du constat que les compétences créatives ont été peu étudiées dans le champ de l’orientation, alors même que les conduites d’orientation dans le contexte sociétal moderne font très largement appel aux compétences individuelles d’ouverture, de flexibilité, d’originalité, d’adaptation, voire même d’innovation, la thèse présentée examine la place et le rôle de la créativité comme composante des compétences à s’orienter.Après avoir exploré différentes associations possibles entre créativité et différentes compétences à s’orienter, nous nous focalisons d’une part sur les relations entre la créativité et l’adaptabilité de carrière telles que définies et opérationnalisées par Savickas (Savickas & Porfeli, 2012), et d’autre part entre la créativité et l’adaptabilité individuelle telle que définie et opérationnalisée par Ployart et Bliese (2006). Une étude portant sur un échantillon d’étudiants de premier cycle universitaire en France (n = 500) a été conduite et les résultats obtenus indiquent des corrélations significatives et positives entre le potentiel créatif et certaines des dimensions de l’adaptabilité individuelle et de carrière et invitent à accorder une place plus importante à la créativité dans les modèles d’orientation tout au long de la vie. / Two major approaches have emerged in the discipline of career counseling to determine the key factors in career development: the relationship between creative potential and adaptability, and between creative potential and the individual characteristics of personality, motivation, and logical reasoning. This research attempts to integrate these two approaches by evaluating the impact of each of these factors on adaptability. 500 undergraduate volunteers filled out self-assessment questionnaires and performed timed graphic efficiency tests. The results were subjected to statistical analysis. The findings indicate that the individual characteristics of personality and motivation have higher correlation with adaptability than creativity and logical reasoning. Future research should involve different populations and employ non-graphic tests of creativity to confirm these results. If confirmed it would then be necessary to further explore the role of creativity in career development.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the relationship between top academic achievement in Grade 12 and certain characteristics of career adaptability. The career construction theory and the counselling model for life designing constituted the theoretical framework for the study. This research study of limited scope was conducted according to an interpretivist metatheoretical paradigm. I followed a qualitative methodological paradigm based on a case study design. Purposive sampling was used to select participants according to their top academic achievement. A very important factor in all case studies is the collection of data from multiple sources. Therefore, data collection methods included the Career Adapt-Abilities Inventory, individual interviews, life line and life story. A deductive style of analysis was used to identify themes (concern, control, curiosity, confidence). Inductive analysis was used to identify subthemes. Based on the findings of the study the salient aspects of career adaptability were established as being concern, control, curiosity and confidence. The importance of career adaptability when negotiating change was demonstrated by participants in their orientation and preparation for the future, making decisions after careful planning and exploration, and seeking information, as well as having confidence in their own ability and choices. Finally the findings of my research study suggest a significant relationship between Grade 12 top academic achievement and certain characteristics of career adaptability. Additionally findings suggest that other variables such as participation in extracurricular activities, gender, race and socioeconomic circumstances should not be excluded and therefore need to be investigated further. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Family resiliency refers to the ability of families to withstand and rebound from crises and adversity, and entails adequate or more than adequate adaptation in the face of adversity. The aim of this study was to identify those qualities or resources that young families have employed in their adaptation to the addition of a child to the couple/family relationship and which have deemed them resilient during this normative crisis. Grounded within family systems theory (Carter & McGoldrick, 2003), both the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin & McCubbin, 1996) and the Key Family Processes as outlined by Walsh (2002) served as the theoretical frameworks that guided the execution of the research. Eighty-nine families, in which the eldest child was no older than four years of age, took part in this study. Seven quantitative questionnaires were used in the assessment of family adaptation, whilst the participating parents also completed a demographic questionnaire and answered an open-ended question. The qualitative dimension of this study revealed that families regarded the resources of social support, effective and caring communication, flexibility in family roles, rules and relationships and, lastly, commitment to the family as important resources in the process of adapting to the presence of a young child in the family. The quantitative results indicate that resilience may be bolstered by spending time together and managing a routine, as well as valuing the family unit highly.