Perspective-taking is a new topic in the field of behavior analysis and has become of extreme interest. Previous research has looked at perspective-taking using a protocol that has been previously developed. Research in this field has looked at whether the lack of perspective-taking (mindblindness) is the cause for social deficits in children diagnosed with Autism. The present paper modified the previously used perspective-taking protocol and included story book examples to determine if typically developing children could change perspective from themselves to fictional characters in various children's books using a Relational Frame Theory approach. Previous research suggests that derived relational responding is responsible for perspective-taking deficits. The results of the current study suggest that after extensive training; typically developing children were able to complete the perspective-taking protocol.

Perspective-taking, the ability to understand and be aware of information states in oneself and others has recently become an important topic in examining complex behavior and cognition. Previous research has developed a behavioral protocol for assessing perspective-taking skills and has indicated that there are perspective-taking deficits in populations diagnosed with autism. This research has also indicated that the lack of perspective-taking could be the basis for social deficits observed in these populations. Populations that display similar social deficits (i.e. learning disabilities) have not been examined, nor has prior research examined perspective-taking in adolescent populations. The present paper reports the findings of examining the perspective-taking skills in adolescents diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome or a specific learning disability. Participants were tested using a perspective-taking protocol created using therapy cards designed for teaching social skills to adolescents with autism. The protocol included a number of questions testing both deictic frames (I-You, Here-There, Now-Then) and frames of relation (simple, reversed, double reversed). Results indicate that there are similarities in the perspective-taking abilities of adolescents diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, and those diagnosed with learning disabilities.

The purpose of the educational system is to provide an appropriate general education which serves to increase the cognitive and intellectual abilities of those enrolled. Over the past several decades, the number of individuals that receive an education from the public school system has increased significantly, along with an increase in equal access regardless of disability or socioeconomic status. Additionally, the amount of resources afforded to the public education system has increased as well. Despite the increased access and amount of resources afforded to the educational system, a corresponding increase in academic performance and cognitive or intellectual ability has not been observed. Therefore, an empirically validated method for increasing intellectual and cognitive performance is necessary. Relational Frame Theory (RFT), a contemporary behavior-analytic account to complex human language and cognition, offers a behavior-oriented interpretation of intelligence. Such an interpretation of intelligence may allow for the development of interventions designed to strengthen behaviors conventionally regarded as intelligent. This series of three studies aims to add to the understanding of human intelligence and cognition by examining the relationship between derived relational responding and intelligence, and evaluating the effect a set of interventions derived from RFT have on intelligence, academic performance and impulsivity. Study 1 examined the relationship between derived relational responding and intelligence. Experimenters administered the PEAK-Transformation Pre-assessment, which provides a measure of relational responding, and the WISC-V, which provides a measure of IQ, and conducted a Pearson correlation between the two measures. The results from this study showed a strong, positive correlation (r = .659, p < .05) between total scores for the PEAK-T Pre-assessment and the WISC-V, which suggest relationship between derived relational responding and intelligence. Additional correlations were conducted between each subtest of the PEAK-T Pre-assessment and the WISC-V. The results showed a moderate correlation between the PEAK-T Receptive subtest and the WISC-V (r = .568, p < .05) and a strong, positive correlation between the PEAK-T Expressive subtest and the WISC-V (r = .666, p < .05). Finally, correlations were conducted with each relational frame within the PEAK-T assessment and the WISC-V, which showed significant correlations between each relational frame and IQ scores. Study 2 sought to evaluate the effect relational training procedures had on intelligence, academic performance, and impulsivity using a Multiple Baseline research design. Experimenters adminsitered pre-training and post-training probes for each of the dependent measures to determine the extent to which relational training procedures influenced scores on each measure. The results showed that the intervention was effective in increasing score on the PEAK-T-PA and the WISC-V. The average increase in PEAK-T-PA scores was 32.4, and the average increase in WISC-V scores was 6.6. CBM scores also showed a improvement, however, the difference between pre-training and post-training was minimal. The average change score for CBM assessments was 8.27. Finally, MAI scores on the BART showed no change in the post-training phase compared to that of the pre-training phase. The average change score in MAI was -2.29, which indicates a decrease in impulsivity. Although a decrease was observed, there was overlap between scores in the post-training phase and pre-training phase, which suggests no effect from the intervention. Overall, the data show that relational training was effective in increasing derived relational responding behavior and intelligence, and had some effect on academic performance. Additionally, the data show the intervention had no effect on impulsivity. Taken together, the results add to a growing body of literature supporting the use of RFT-based interventions to strengthen intelligence and other relevant behaviors, however, further research is necessary to identify the specific variables underying these behaviors.

The goal of this paper will be to study how frame theory is applied within the field of signal processing. A frame is a redundant (i.e. not linearly independent) coordinate system for a vector space that satisfies a certain Parseval-type norm inequality. Frames provide a means for transmitting data and, when a certain about of loss is anticipated, their redundancy allows for better signal reconstruction. We will start with the basics of frame theory, give examples of frames and an application that illustrates how this redundancy can be exploited to achieve better signal reconstruction. We also include an introduction to the theory of frames in infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces as well as an interesting example.

Thesis advisor: Diana C. Pullin / Thesis advisor: Vincent Cho / A multiple-case qualitative study of five school districts that had implemented various large-scale technology initiatives was conducted to describe what superintendents do to gain acceptance of those initiatives. The large-scale technology initiatives in the five participating districts included 1:1 District-Provided Device laptop and tablet programs (DPD), a Bring Your Own Device program (BYOD), and a Blended program that included a district-sponsored Lease-To-Own laptop and tablet program (LTO). Superintendents and other personnel that were identified by each superintendent as having a key role with the technology initiative were interviewed. Key documentation regarding the large-scale technology initiative was also reviewed. To help bring perspective to the actions of superintendents surrounding large-scale technology initiatives, frame theory was used as a theoretical framework for the overall study. This study sought to determine the factors considered by superintendents in making decisions about technology infrastructure, the factors considered in making decisions about funding a large-scale technology initiative, and how technology infrastructure or funding decisions impacted the perceived acceptance of the initiative. The study found that the decisions made by superintendents with regard to the technology initiative can have an impact on the acceptance of the initiative by all stakeholders. The importance of robust and reliable Wi-Fi networks, funding for technology initiatives from multiple sources, and the significance of device capabilities and reliability were also identified as significant factors in the acceptance of large-scale technology initiatives. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

Thesis advisor: Diana Pullin / Thesis advisor: Vincent Cho / This dissertation of practice utilized a multiple case-study approach to examine distributed leadership within five school districts that were attempting to gain acceptance of a large-scale 1:1 technology initiative. Using frame theory and distributed leadership theory as theoretical frameworks, this study interviewed each district's superintendent and members of the technology leadership team and assessed how they interacted with the superintendent and each other. Using these theoretical frameworks, this study made several findings relevant to scholarship around technology leadership at the school district level. One finding related to frame theory was that superintendents achieved acceptance of these large-scale 1:1 technology initiatives using the prognostic and motivational frames. Furthermore, superintendents considered constraints and developed strategic processes for implementation of technology initiatives. With respect to distributed leadership theory, this study found that the technology leadership teams included a primary leader and secondary leaders. Furthermore, superintendents interacted with the technology leadership team through institutional practices and took on tasks that fell within their job responsibilities. Typically, these institutional practices were regularly scheduled meetings, such as a district leadership team meeting. Lastly, the technology leadership team interacted through institutional practices, intuitive working relations, spontaneous collaboration and coordinated tasks that fell both in and outside of their typical job responsibilities. Many of the technology teams' interactions that fell within spontaneous collaboration and intuitive working relations were to problem solve issues with the technology implementation, such as members meeting with the technology director to troubleshoot infrastructure challenges. This dissertation of practice is beneficial for educational and organizational scholars and practitioners interested in how large-scale initiatives are accepted within a school district. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

This thesis presents a systematic scheme to design the optimal efficiency operations and axial force control of a single-sided permanent-magnet axial-flux motor with center pole (SPAMC) through the detailed mathematical model and operational analysis. According to the rotating magnetic field theory combining with the recoil line characteristics of permanent magnet and the magnetic equivalent circuit, appropriate projection of the stator currents to achieve the optimal efficiency operations and axial force control can be realized. From these evaluations, a feasible operational guidance for SPAMC field oriented control (FOC) framework can be successfully developed. Finally, based on the proposed operational scheme, a DSP-based drive system has been successfully implemented, and the optimal efficiency operations and axial force control objectives can be achieved.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF BRITTNEY E. EBERHARDT, for the Master of Science degree in Behavior Analysis and Therapy, presented on August 2016, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: TEACHING IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS TO CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS USING THE PEAK RELATIONAL TRAINING SYSTEM MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Mark R. Dixon Idiomatic expressions are commonly used phrases, which require the listener to interpret the meaning figuratively rather than literally. The purpose of this study was to expand the research in the area of stimulus equivalence to determine whether untaught symmetrical and transitive responding in relation to idiomatic expressions would emerge for two participants with developmental delays. The first phase of the study involved directly training participants to respond with the statement (B stimuli; i.e.: “Go to bed.”) that corresponded with an intraverbal (A stimuli; i.e.: “What do you do at night after you put on your pajamas?”). After participants mastered these relationships, they were directly trained to respond with the idiomatic expression (C stimuli; i.e.: “Hit the hay”) when the experimenter verbally asked, “What is another way to say [A stimuli]?”. The results indicate that both participants achieved mastery criteria during the first phase of the study on A-B relations, however they were unable to demonstrate the derived equivalence A-C relation or C-B relation. After training on the B-C relationship, participants were again able to achieve criteria on the trained relationship and demonstrated some of the derived symmetrical relationships as well as derived transitive relationships. In addition, this study utilized the procedures from the PEAK-E relational training system to aid in replication in research and clinical practice.

Many children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suffer from anxiety, depression, and other disorders. These disorders make it difficult to leave healthy and productive lives and can be experienced across school and social life. The mechanisms underlying anxiety and other disorders can be explained through language and cognition and this is the rational underlying Relational Frame Theory (RFT). RFT suggests that human language and cognition are a direct cause of many human psychological problems as we are able to evaluate words. The cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance, and suppression described by RFT have been expanded to include treatment methods within Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is a psychotherapeutic approach that attempts to undermine emotional avoidance explained through RFT and promotes positive behavior change. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of ACT in increasing value-directed behavior in three adults with ASD. The results of this study revealed that brief ACT experiential exercises were effective in increasing value-directed behavior in all participants. Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), relational frame theory (RFT), Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

This was a single-case study which evaluated the effects of PEAK-T on two children with Autism. A total of 6 programs were trained between the two participants using a Multiple Baseline Design across skills. This evaluation was conducted using the subtest materials provided in the PEAK-T modules and through full assessments. The assessments were used to identify the appropriate skill level of each participant and they were used to evaluate whether the skills were maintained. The participants had no prior exposure to any of the PEAK-T programs as demonstrated by the participants baseline scores. The results of the study showed that programming of multiple exemplars resulted in acquisition of novel skills in both participants and that the skills were maintained. Both Participants demonstrated mastery of their programs and a total of 4 programs between two participants were added to the participants repertoire.