This study explored instructional strategies elementary-year mathematics teachers of students with emotional and/or behavioural disorders (EBD) perceived to be helpful in improving students’ performance in mathematics using a resiliency perspective (i.e., the ability to positively adapt despite experiencing significant adversity; Luthar, Cicchetti, & Becker, 2000). The researcher interviewed three elementary-year teachers to gain insight into their teaching experiences and the instructional strategies. A basic interpretive qualitative approach (Merriam, 2002) was used to understand the underlying meaning of the experiences of these mathematics teachers of students with EBD as they used evidence-based instructional strategies to improve students’ academic performance in mathematics and behaviour during instruction. A definitional focus on resiliency was the lens utilized for analyzing data generated through the interviews (Luthar, Cicchetti & Becker, 2000; Masten, 2001; Smith & Prior, 1995; Smokowski, 1998). Three themes emerged from participant interviews: ways of engaging students in learning; from dead time to active learning; and promoting positive student behaviour. Specifically, teachers reported an instructional strategy that met the needs of students of EBD which helped them obtain academic success in mathematics, and students were also better behaved in classrooms where instructional strategies employed were meeting their individual needs. These findings suggest an appropriate instructional strategy influences how students of EBD make meaning of mathematics, since teachers observed students were able to do higher thinking mathematics when strategies were in place in the classroom that met their individual needs. Teachers also shared that students were able to make good behavioural choices when they were experiencing academic success in the classroom. Practical implications of the findings, the limitations and strengths of the current study, and areas for future research are discussed.

Research on human behaviour during earthquake shaking has identified three main influences of behaviour: the environment the individual is located immediately before and during the earthquake, in terms of where the individual is and who the individual is with at the time of the earthquake; individual characteristics, such as age, gender, previous earthquake experience, and the intensity and duration of earthquake shaking. However, little research to date has systematically analysed the immediate observable human responses to earthquake shaking, mostly due to data constraints and/or ethical considerations. Research on human behaviour during earthquakes has relied on simulations or post-event, reflective interviews and questionnaire studies, often performed weeks to months or even years following the event. Such studies are therefore subject to limitations such as the quality of the participant's memory or (perceived) realism of a simulation. The aim of this research was to develop a robust coding scheme to analyse human behaviour during earthquake shaking using video footage captured during an earthquake event. This will allow systematic analysis of individuals during real earthquakes using a previously unutilized data source, thus help develop guidance on appropriate protective actions. The coding scheme was developed in a two-part process, combining a deductive and inductive approach. Previous research studies of human behavioral response during earthquake shaking provided the basis for the coding scheme. This was then iteratively refined by applying the coding scheme to a broad range of video footage of people exposed to strong shaking during the Canterbury earthquake sequence. The aim of this was to optimise coding scheme content and application across a broad range of scenarios, and to increase inter-coder reliability. The methodology to code data will enhance objective observation of video footage to allow cross-event analysis and explore (among others): reaction time, patterns of behaviour, and social, environmental and situational influences of behaviour. This can provide guidance for building configuration and design, and evidence-based recommendations for public education about injury-preventing behavioural responses during earthquake shaking.

The neural correlates that underpin fine motor control of the hand and their connections with the primary motor cortex (M1) require further investigation. Brodmann’s area 5 located in the superior parietal lobule (SPL) is suggested to be an important cortical area involved in the processing of somatosensory input important for precision movements. Area 5 is present in monkey species capable of opposable thumb movements and it is proposed that this area evolved with the ability to execute manual behaviours such as pinch grip. Further, area 5 is dominated by the representation of the hand and forelimb, and has direct connectivity with M1 implicating its role in the control of hand movements. Few studies have investigated the function of area 5 in humans and none have examined the connectivity between area 5 and ipsilateral M1. This thesis presents a novel approach to study the influence of area 5 on M1 output in healthy and awake humans during the processing of somatosensory inputs and during performance of motor tasks involving the hand. Using paired pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation over left area 5 and ipsilateral M1, the connections between the two cortical loci was probed. It was hypothesized that area 5 would facilitate M1 output at short and long latencies during the processing of tactile inputs and during the performance of motor tasks compared to rest. The current results demonstrate that changes in M1 output are task and temporally specific. Facilitation of the motor evoked potential (MEP) was present at short latency of 6 ms during the processing of somatosensory input whereas inhibition was present during conditions where the hand was performing a task with the thumb and index finger. Further, an inhibitory effect was seen at 40 ms during cutaneous stimulation. In experiments 1 and 2, there was no net influence of area 5 on M1 output observed at rest. The findings presented may have revealed a novel path with which to alter the motor output, and possibly movement of hand muscles.

This thesis is an investigation of the needs and experiences of transition-aged youth with emotional and/or behavioural problems who accessed mental health services at a local child and adolescent clinic. Longitudinal studies have demonstrated that youth with mental health problems tend to have poor outcomes in adulthood. Moreover, many young adults do not make the transition from child- to adult-focused care even when they acknowledge their need for support. This study used a mixed methods approach, consisting of a survey design and phenomenological inquiry. In general, participants did not appear ready for an institutional transition, reporting only moderate levels of mental health self-efficacy. Youth disclosed their fears, underscoring the importance of supportive relationships, and stated the negative expectations they had concerning adult-focused care. The implementation of clinical supports to increase transition-aged youths’ mental health self-efficacy, by actively involving them in service-related decision-making processes, are likely to promote successful service transitions.

The field of animal personality has been growing rapidly in the past 10 years, yet relatively little attention has been given to development of personality through ontogeny. To understand the stability of personality traits throughout animal’s life is particularly important as behavioural tendencies are likely to change in response to the different trade-offs animals face at each stage of the life cycle. The purpose of this research was to examine the stability of personality traits in common carp but also to determine whether personality traits can affect production of induced morphological defences in this species. To investigate the presence of behavioural syndrome and the stability of individual behaviours through ontogeny, common carp were monitored for a period of 10 months. Two different tests were used to investigate cross-situational consistency in behavioural traits: exploration and risk-taking. Juvenile carp were monitored at different time intervals to assess behavioural stability. Finally, morphometric data were collected to examine the link between body morphology and behavioural traits. No initial cross-situational consistency in behaviours was observed in juvenile common carp. Ranking of behaviour traits was consistent over a period of 14-16 weeks but not when the time interval was longer. Young carp that ranked lowest in both shelter use and activity used shelter significantly more compared to those individuals that ranked highest in use of shelter and activity even after a 10 month period. Development of a deeper body was also associated with the extreme levels of shelter seeking and activity. Fish pre-determined as being “Active” increased their body depth significantly more than did “Passive” fish. To my knowledge, this is the first study directly linking personality traits and change in body morphology in an aquatic species.

Executive function, the cognitive processes that allow the voluntary control of goal-directed behaviour, can be studied through the examination of inhibition of action. The countermanding paradigm has been shown to be a powerful tool to examine a subject’s ability to withhold responses to a go stimulus when a stop signal is presented occasionally. Logan and Cowan (1984) developed a race model to account for countermanding performance in humans, proposing that independent go and stop process initiated by the go and stop signals respectively, race toward a finish line whereby the first process to cross its finish line determines the behavioural outcome. The model allows estimation of the stop signal response time, a variable that is not directly observable. The race model has yet to be validated for countermanding performance in rats. Using a new rodent countermanding task inspired directly from human studies, male Wistar rats were trained to respond to a visual stimulus (go signal) by pressing a lever below an illuminated light for food reward, but to countermand lever the press (25% of trials) subsequent to an auditory tone (stop signal) presented after a variable delay. The ability to cancel a response decreased as stop signal delay increased. The stop signal response time for rats was estimated to be 157 ms, a value within the range of human estimates. Predictions of countermanding performance made by the race model were generally respected. Response times of movements that escape inhibition: 1) were shorter than those of movements made in the absence of a stop signal; 2) gradually lengthened with increasing stop signal delay; and most importantly, 3) were predicted by the race model. These findings demonstrate that the countermanding performance of rodents can be accounted for by a simple race model, which has been applied successfully in human studies and nonhuman primate models. This new animal model will permit complementary invasive investigations of brain mechanisms underlying inhibitory control and refine the existing rodent models of neurological disease and impulsivity. / Thesis (Master, Neuroscience Studies) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-30 11:35:44.713

In the developed world, the principal sources of morbidity and mortality are diseases of lifestyle, and one of the central goals of health promotion is the encouragement of risk-reducing behaviour. In a series of 3 studies, the present program of research examined the effect of self-affirmation and manipulated perceived efficacy on perceptions of efficacy, risk perception, and risk-reducing behavioural intentions. Participants were undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to a self-affirmation manipulation (self-affirmation versus no self-affirmation) and a perceived efficacy manipulation (high versus low versus baseline), followed by exposure to negative health risk information (risk of a heart attack or colorectal cancer). Across the 3 studies, factor analyses indicated 3 distinct categories of risk-reducing intentions: intentions associated with maintaining an active lifestyle, seeking medical advice and assessment, and maintaining a healthy diet. There was little evidence that self-affirmation affected efficacy, risk, or intentions. Structural equation modeling and meta-analytic analyses suggested the presence of a suppression effect for risk perception: a manipulation designed to increase perceived efficacy had direct positive effects on risk, but also had indirect negative effects on risk, with measured efficacy acting as a mediator. These analyses also showed that the 3 categories of behavioural intentions had distinct (and often different) antecedents. These results highlight the complexity of variables in health risk behaviour. Implications and future directions are discussed. / Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2010-08-20 09:56:44.707

Disordered speech has long been recognized as one of the core features of schizophrenia; it is stable across the course of the disorder, and has been identified as a rate limiter of functional outcome (e.g., social skills, scholastic achievement, vocational success). While much of the recent research on thought disorder has focused on the mechanisms behind disordered speech, we have observed a very limited transfer to clinical applications that promote gains in communication skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a novel treatment, Structured Therapy for the Enhancement of Purposeful Speech (STEPS), based in behavioural learning principles, to increase goal-directed speech in individuals with schizophrenia. The current study is one of the first to evaluate an intervention specifically aimed at increasing the core symptom of disorganized speech and evaluating change across multiple indicators of discourse. STEPS is based in principles of operant conditioning, wherein sessions take place three times per week for a total of three weeks. In a single-case multiple baseline design, participants (N=3) received positive reinforcement for engaging in goal-directed speech and directive feedback for committing speech errors, thereby increasing or decreasing frequency of that behaviour, respectively. Participants were assessed before, during, and after treatment on a series of thought disorder and speech coherence measures. Primary outcome measures included change in frequency of communication errors within sessions over the course of treatment and severity of thought disorder on standard disorder measures at three assessments points. Participants demonstrated a significant reduction in number of communication errors across unstructured conversations and structured storytelling components such that all participants engaged in significantly more goal-directed communication during treatment sessions compared to baseline performance. Furthermore, all participants were rated as expressing less severe disconnected speech according to a gold-standard measure of thought disorder. Effective communication is central to successful social interactions from building new interpersonal relationships, advocating for oneself to medical professionals, to demonstrating appropriate skills during interviews. The results of this study suggest that this symptom is amenable to change and can be treated in order to promote real-world functional gains. / Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2012-08-28 14:24:36.471

This empirical double-blind multi-centre empirical study assessed the sources of stress, stress-related symptoms, role of psychosocial moderating variables and the role of micronutrients (specifically the effect of intervention with micronutrient supplementation) on stress levels and symptoms in South Africans. The sample consisted of 300 volunteer, English-speaking South Africans from two centres (KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng) who had predetermined stress levels. The participants were evenly divided between the two centres (N=150 each). The Experimental Group (Active group) who comprised 151 participants received a multivitamin and mineral combination, while the Control Group (Placebo) group received a placebo. The research dealt with perceived stressors, coping resources and outcomes in the general population (both at baseline and after intervention). Outcome was assessed using standardized self-report instruments which examined stress levels and symptoms, perception of stress levels, anxiety, psychological general well-being and neurocognitive functions (verbal and visual memory). Univariate and multivariate correlational analyses were performed to investigate correlations and the predictive value of risk and rescue factors for the outcome variables. The findings indicate that there were no significant differences in the number of stressors between the two groups at baseline, although they differed in respect of two particular stressors (A>P regarding concern over children's future; P>A regarding life decisions). An interaction of stressors and moderating variables (life orientation and perceived coping incapacity) have an important role in predicting stress and stress outcome, and outcomes themselves may function as stressors. The bidirectional, circular interactive effects of stressors, moderators and outcomes are important in the stress and coping process. The study failed to find any effect of stress on the neurocognitive functions assessed. No significant treatment effect for the micronutrient was found, but a number of trends in respect of efficacy were suggested by the findings. The findings also suggested particular patterns of interactions in this regard for predicting pre-post differences (delta). Strengths and limitations of the study are highlighted and implications for intervention in respect of a stress management programme are also discussed. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

An ethological study was undertaken in two primary schools in Natal to assess the effect of schistosome infections on the ordinary behaviour of schoolchildren in endemic areas. The following topics are discussed :- 1. The life cycle of the parasite, the possibility of an evolved tolerance of it, the likely limits of such tolerance, the possibility of selective exposure of certain kinds of children to the parasite, and the role of severity of infection in impairment. 2. Appropriate measures for investigating the impairment of the human host centring around the measurement of activity in the context of social interaction. 3. An ethological approach to evaluating human response to disease. Results indicate that there is selective exposure of more active, sociable children to the disease. In low-level infections of both Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni there is little evidence of a drop in energetic activity under normal conditions. In subjects with higher egg counts or simultaneous infections with both schistosomes, activity levels drop generally, and especially under hot, humid weather conditions where the drop in activity is greater than that for control subjects. This work throws doubt on earlier studies indicating that the parasite had no behavioural effect on humans: these studies did not control for selective exposure and may have used methods of low sensitivity and doubtful relevance to everyday life. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, 1981.