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This study investigates the self-esteem of learning disabled students required to attend learning disabilities classes. Subjects were 35 7th- through 9th-grade, male and female learning disabled (LD) students. Nineteen of the subjects attended at least one resource LD class while the other 16 subjects attended mainstream classes. These groups were matched on intelligence quotients (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised) and reading comprehension standard scores (Peabody Individual Achievement Test) so that no significant differences between the groups, on these measures, existed. The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (Fitts, 1965) was administered to all subjects, along with the closing question, "Does attendance in learning disabilities classes affect how much you like yourself?". The results indicated that age, sex, and LD class attendance, do not affect the self-esteem scores of junior high learning disabled students (ANOVA, p > .05). Thus, the hypothesis that LD class attendance affects the self-esteem of junior high school learning disabled students was negated. A majority of subjects also verbally support the notion that LD class attendance does not affect self-esteem. Further research is indicated with female learning disabled subjects because results were close to being significant.

Three groups of women from undergraduate psychology classes at the University of Central Florida were exposed to an experimental treatment which consisted of either a feminist, anti-feminist or a sex-role neutral speech. All subjects were administered the Feminism II Scale prior to the treatment, and the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale both prior to and immediately following the treatment conditions. No posttest differences in total self-esteem scores were noted among the treatment conditions. The anti-feminist treatment sample did have significantly lower scores on the family self subscale of the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale than either the feminist or control groups. Additionally, there were no significant posttest self-esteem differences between subjects scoring high versus low on the Feminism II Scale. A test for homogeneity of variance revealed significant treatment effects on the overall variability of the self-esteem change scores among the three treatment groups. Implications for the psychotherapeutic situation are discussed.

Many educators and psychologists believe self-esteem is an important variable in the educational process. An adequate level of self-esteem is recognized as being essential for students because it may affect their level of achievement and general state of well being. Self-report measures are the most commonly used techniques to evaluate children's perceptions of themselves. Children's self-reports are valuable since certain aspects of internalized problems are usually difficult for others to identify. Sociometrics, or peer reports, provide an alternative to self-report measures of self-esteem. Some studies have shown academic achievement, athletic ability, and socioeconomic status to correlate with sociometric status. Sociometric measures allow teachers to gather a wealth of information about their students quickly and easily. One purpose of this study was to determine the degree of similarity between self-reports and peer reports as measures of self-esteem in middle school students. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that self-reports and peer reports were separate, but related constructs. A second purpose of the study was to determine the effects of verbal ability, peer reports, and self-reports on current achievement while controlling for whether or not the student had a learning disability. A recursive path model found verbal ability and type of student (learning disabled versus not learning disabled) to have strong direct effects on achievement, whereas self-reports and peer reports had no Significant effects. A third purpose of this study was to examine differences between students with and without learning disabilities on the peer reports and self-reports. Students with learning disabilities were found to have lower scores on all peer report and self-report measures. No relationship was found between type of student and choices made on peer nominations. / Ph. D.

In order to examine the change in self-esteem of adolescents enrolled in a child development/nursery laboratory program, the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory - Form B was administered early in the nursery laboratory portion of the course. It was readministered five months later. Results were analyzed using paired t-tests. Gains in self-esteem were too slight to be significant. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for future studies. / Master of Science

Although research has examined the determinants of physical activity, this research has focused primarily on men and few efforts have been made to explain the interrelationships between commonly used predictors of physical activity. Descriptive data and regression analyses were conducted with 193 female students, faculty, staff and community members of a southwestern Virginia university town. Variables that were entered into the regression included age, body mass index, exercise knowledge, self-esteem, depression level,self-efficacy, stage of change, exercise goals, outcome expectations and outcome values. Because of the high correlations between some of these variables, a principal components factor analysis was conducted. The factor analysis indicated significant overlap between items on the stage of change and knowledge measures with self-efficacy. Some knowledge items were dropped to create a more succinct measure and self-efficacy and stage of change were combined into one measure. Results indicated that the variables listed above significantly predicted physical activity level as measured by kilocalories expended per day on the Aerobic Center Physical Activity Questionnaire (Kohl, Blair, Paffenbarger, Macera, & Kronenfeld, 1988) for this sample of women (R2 = .346, p < .001), but that self-efficacy was the only significant single predictor. Additional regressions were conducted to examine the indirect relationships between these variables and physical activity level. The constructs of selfesteem, depression, and knowledge seemed to have indirect, rather than direct, effects on physical activity that were mediated by self-efficacy. Goals and outcome expectations also did not seem to directly predict physical activity level but were related to some of of the other variables. Implications of the interrelationships between these variables for planning physical activity interventions include enhancing self-efficacy for exercising while at the same time assessing for depressive symptomatology and using incentives and motivators that are age appropriate. / Master of Science

The present study was designed to test two theories which conceptualize performance deficits and negative mood associated with depression. Reformulated learned helplessness theory suggests that the expectation of uncontrollable outcomes is sufficient to result in performance deficits and depressed mood. On the other hand, self-efficacy theory proposes that while the expectation of uncontrollability is important, the individual's perception of self-efficacy determines when performance deficits and depressed mood will occur. In the present study, both self-response (efficacy) and response-outcome expectancies were manipulated and performance, mood, and self-esteem were measured. Ninety undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups or a no-treatment comparison group. Group 1: Low self-response/high response-outcome expectancy Group 2: Low self-response/low response-outcome expectancy Group 3: High self-response/high response-outcome expectancy Group 4: High self-response/low response-outcome expectancy Group 5: No-Treatment Comparison Hard or easy math problems manipulated self-response expectancy. Graphs and cards indicating high or low percentages of peer solution of math problems manipulated response-outcome expectancy. While the data suggested that the manipulations were effective, performance was enhanced, not diminished. Further, no subjects scored in the depressed range. Finally, there were no significant differences in self-esteem between groups. Failure to find the expected differences are discussed in terms of the facilitation effects found. In conclusion, support was found for Roth's (1980) reconceptualization of learned helplessness theory which relates facilitation effects to the amount of exposure to helplessness training. Implications of the results are discussed in terms of practical application and future research. / Master of Science

Effects of the Assessment tenter process on participants’ self-esteem were examined and related to past research and traditional self-esteem theories. Thirty-nine sales representatives were assessed for career-development potential at a large midwestern pharmaceutical company. It was proposed, in accord with consistency theory, that high and low self-esteem participants would show post assessment self-esteem change scores in the direction of their initial level of self-esteem. A two-group, pre-post design was employed resulting in significant changes for high and low self-esteem participants.The implications of the present findings for the use of assessment center methodology and future research needs were discussed. / Master of Science

Yes / Role emerging placements in occupational therapy training are contributing to professional and workforce development because of their strong occupational focus and placement of students in emerging practice. This manuscript explores how one role emerging placement challenged and developed student theoretical and clinical skills, presented new ways of working at the recipient site and enhanced service delivery. Methods: The to role emerging placements in occupational therapy is explored through the use of a case study which reflects on and analyses how the assessment and treatment of occupation enhanced service delivery at a local, no-traditional site is presented. Eight students in England developed and ran a psycho-education group to support the occupational needs of female service users who have experienced domestic abuse. Results: There was an overall increase in self-esteem scores and an expressed increase in knowledge and understanding by participants. Students reported developing a deeper understanding of occupation and the hosts identified the student’s clinical skills as unique contributors to service delivery. Conclusion: By focusing on occupation, role emerging placements draw on the roots of the profession and anchor its future to the theoretical foundations of its past. However, in order to employ occupational therapists, these organisations need to understand what the occupational therapy profession can offer them.

Yes / ncreasingly, research has explored how psychological resources enable adaptation to illness. However, it is unclear whether psychological resources protect against the potential negative effects on living well with a progressive and life-limiting condition such as dementia. This paper examines the association between psychological resources and the ability to ‘live well’ with dementia. Data from 1547 people with mild-to-moderate dementia in the Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life (IDEAL) cohort were used. Multivariate linear regression was employed to examine the association between self-reported measures of psychological resources (self-efficacy, optimism and self-esteem) and indices of capability to ‘live well’ (quality of life, well-being and life satisfaction). All three measures of psychological resources had positive and independent associations with indices of living well and the effect sizes were similar. Effect sizes reduced when accounting for shared variance between psychological resources, showing some overlap in these constructs. Self-efficacy, optimism and self-esteem were each associated with capability to ‘live well’. Overlap between these three resources is evident and when combined they may provide greater resilience when dealing with the challenges of living with dementia. Interventions for people with dementia could seek to improve levels of these potentially-modifiable psychological resources.