Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Although the field of coaching psychology has witnessed some theoretical and empirical advances in recent years, this has yet to translate into a commonly accepted theoretical and empirical foundation for coaching practice. Rather, coaching practice has run well ahead of related theory and research, and resulted in the establishment of an industry that lacks firm foundations. This doctoral dissertation reports on a series of reviews and empirical studies designed to further the development of evidence-based coaching practice (EBCP). A review of the relevant literature revealed that the development of solid evidence-based foundations is critical if coaching is to realise its promise and potential. As events surrounding the decline of the human potential movement (HPM) in the 1960s and 1970s indicate, the absence of theoretically-based rationales and solid research support may be a reliable predictor of decline for particular treatment modalities. Whilst the development of EBCP has important implications for the formal preparation of coaches, pedagogical recommendations to industry educators are difficult whilst the characteristics of the coaching industry remain hidden. In order to develop the profile of the Australian coaching industry, a survey was conducted of 148 practicing coaches. The results of this study revealed the presence of a diverse local industry. Despite the existence of a small core of highly experienced practitioners, the majority of coaches appeared to have little coaching experience and greatly varied skills and experience. Interestingly, only 20% of respondents reported any formal training in psychology or the other helping professions. Given recent data that suggests mental health issues may sometimes be encountered in coaching (Green, Oades, & Grant, 2006; Spence & Grant, in press), it is concluded that the majority of coaches lack the skills and knowledge to identify and deal effectively with such eventualities. As the development of an informed strategy for dealing with mental health issues would move the practice of coaching onto a more professional footing, it is recommended that coaches receive basic training in the identification and appropriate referral of such issues. Much of the work presented in this dissertation is based on the presupposition that client outcomes can be optimised through the use of EBCP. However, as this assumption has yet to be empirically tested, a total of 63 participants took part in a 10-week life coaching program. The results showed that when life coaching was conducted by coaches trained in cognitive-behavioural solution-focused (CB-SF) coaching methods (i.e. professional coaching), as opposed to untrained peers (i.e. peer coaching), participants were more engaged in coaching and reported significantly greater goal attainment, goal commitment and environmental mastery. Effective goal-directed self-regulation requires that individuals remain focused on their goals overtime, whilst managing a steady stream of disturbances that can destabilise goal directed effort. In this regard, the construct of mindfulness has much conceptual relevance. Mindfulness reflects the unique human capacity for directing conscious awareness via the controlled deployment of attention. After an extensive review of the scholarly literature, three alternative conceptualisations are presented (i.e. Eastern religious, socio-cognitive and cognitive-attentional perspectives), accompanied by a description of the mindfulness skills training practices associated with each. A total of 72 participants then took part in a study to assess the impact of three mindfulness training (MT) programs on mindfulness, goal-directed self-regulation, mental health and wellbeing. The results revealed that all the MT programs were effective in significantly increasing mindfulness and a variety of mental health and wellbeing indicators. Importantly, MT was also found to significantly increase goal attainment; suggesting that MT may be a valuable addition to EBCP. Goal attainment is a key dependent variable in coaching research. However, the measurement of goal attainment has yet to receive much attention in the coaching literature. As most empirical coaching studies have reported findings based on measures that rely exclusively on subjective measures of performance (measures that are susceptible to several forms of distortion and bias), some key issues relating to the measurement of goal attainment are reviewed and explored in detail. From this review, goal attainment scaling (GAS) is identified as a potentially useful methodology with which both researchers and practitioners can document and evaluate coaching outcomes. The final study pulls together the threads from work presented to that point, and integrates them into a practice framework for coaching. A total of 42 participants took part in this study, which investigated the efficacy of using MT and CB-SF coaching to facilitate the attainment of health goals. The results showed that the delivery of MT prior to (rather than after) CB-SF coaching was more effective in facilitating these outcomes. This suggests MT may be important in coaching for helping people prepare for change.

The aim of this thesis was to examine the extent, and correlates, of self-regulation of driving behaviour among a sample of South Australian older drivers (aged 60 or more). The first of four studies was an analysis of official crash statistics in South Australia over a period of five years. The patterns of crash involvement for South Australian older drivers were found to resemble those reported in the literature for other jurisdictions. Lower levels of crash involvement for older drivers in difficult driving situations (peak hour, rain, darkness) were interpreted as indirect evidence for self-regulation of driving behaviour. The second study involved pilot testing a measure developed specifically for assessing the visual attention of older adults (the Computerised Visual Attention Test - CVAT). The CVAT assesses visual attention by measuring target detection and reaction time for central and peripheral stimuli, and in conditions requiring selective and divided attention. The third study involved assessing the test-retest reliability, construct validity and predictive validity of the CVAT. It was concluded that the CVAT is a reliable measure of abilities including, but not restricted to, attention, and that it is correlated with on-road driving ability. The fourth study involved an examination of the driving behaviour and attitudes of 104 drivers aged over 60, with avoidance of difficult driving situations providing an index of self-regulation. These drivers also completed a battery of tests measuring psychological factors, vision, physical functioning, various cognitive abilities, and attention (the CVAT). Ninety participants additionally completed an on-road assessment of driving ability. It was found that older drivers most often avoided reverse parallel parking and driving at night in the rain, while driving alone was avoided least often. Measures of visual attention, medication use and visual acuity were most predictive of levels of self-regulation, while poorer driving ability was only associated with avoidance of a small number of specific situations. Functional deficits related to poorer driving ability but not to self-regulation included poorer contrast sensitivity, speed of information processing and spatial memory. Such deficits could identify drivers who may need to restrict their driving more than they do. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Department of Psychology, 2004.

Thesis (M.A. (Voorligtingpsigologie)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Executive functions (EFs), specifically a child's ability to shift between two stimuli and a child's ability to inhibit a prepotent response, are a child's self-regulatory cognitive processes used towards achieving a goal (Garon, Bryson, & Smith, 2008) and have been found to predict later school readiness (e.g. Blair & Diamond, 2008; McClelland et al., 2007; Pennington & Ozonoff, 1996). The current study examined possible mechanisms, such as problem behaviors and theory of mind (ToM), through which executive functions predict later cognitive and social school readiness. Problem behaviors occur when children are not effectively functioning in social situations, while ToM is a social-cognitive skill that allows a child to understand another person's mental processes (Wellman, 2002). These variables have been found to relate to one another in predicting preschool children's competence in numerous domains (see Carlson, Mandell, & Williams, 2004; Hughes, 1998b). Little research has been done on how these variables may mediate the relation between EFs and cognitive and social school readiness. This short-term longitudinal study assessed the unique contributions of ToM and problem behaviors to cognitive and social school readiness. Problem behaviors mediated the relation between EF, specifically inhibition, and social school readiness. Both teacher reports and direct assessment of EF revealed that EF, and specifically shifting, were direct predictors of later cognitive school readiness. However, ToM did not mediate any of the relations between EF and either social or cognitive school readiness. These results have several implications for education, including intervening with a child's ability to inhibit in order to improve problem behaviors and later social school readiness, as well as improving children's ability to mentally and behaviorally shift between sets of information in order to improve cognitive school readiness.

Introduction: Driver perceptions may be a more important determinant of behaviour than one’s actual driving abilities. While there is evidence to support these associations, prior studies have relied on self-reports of driving behaviour. Purpose: The primary purposes of this study were to extend previous research by examining driver perceptions in relation to measures of actual driving behaviour and to compare the perceptions and behaviour of sole versus couple drivers. Methods: A convenience sample of 61 older drivers (aged 67 to 92, 59% women) were recruited as either sole drivers (only driver in the household, n=39) or couples (both currently driving and sharing a vehicle, n=22). Two in-vehicle devices (one with a GPS unit) were installed in participant vehicles for one week. Participants completed trip logs, out-of-home activity diaries, questions on usual driving habits and ratings of situational driving frequency and avoidance. Perceptions were assessed using the Driving Comfort Scales (DCS Day and Night) and Perceived Driving Abilities (PDA) Scales. Couples were also asked to rate their comfort level in their partner’s driving using modified DCSs. Tools were administered at one of two home visits (during which vehicle devices were installed and removed) and an interview conducted at the end to ascertain whether the week’s driving was typical. Results: Driving comfort scores were significantly related to multiple indicators of actual driving behaviour, including: radius from home (DCS-D, p<.05; DCS-N, p<.01), total distance overall (DCS-N, p<.001) and at night (DCS-D, p<.05; DCS-N, p<.01). Perceived abilities, meanwhile, were related to distance driven (p<.01). Although sole drivers were significantly older, they drove more often, longer distances and for greater duration than couple drivers. Overall, men had higher DCS scores and, in couples, were more likely to rate themselves higher than their spouses. Partners’ comfort levels in their spouses’ driving were related to their spouses’ self-reported situational avoidance and amount of night driving over the study week. When couples drove together, traditional roles were evident (i.e., the husband often preferred to drive and the wife let him). Multivariate analyses showed that the square-root of distance (km) was most influenced by household status, location of residence, perceived abilities, and gender (R2 = .57), while the log of the average radius was influenced by location of residence and perceived comfort in night driving (R2 = .33). Conclusions: This was the first study to examine older drivers’ perceptions in relation to actual driving behaviour and to compare the perceptions and behaviour of sole versus couple drivers. Study results supported prior associations (with self-reported driving) and extended our knowledge base by demonstrating that perceptions (both personal and those of others) are important to actual driving behaviour. The current findings also provide new insight into the importance of examining location of residence and household status.

Introduction: Driver perceptions may be a more important determinant of behaviour than one’s actual driving abilities. While there is evidence to support these associations, prior studies have relied on self-reports of driving behaviour. Purpose: The primary purposes of this study were to extend previous research by examining driver perceptions in relation to measures of actual driving behaviour and to compare the perceptions and behaviour of sole versus couple drivers. Methods: A convenience sample of 61 older drivers (aged 67 to 92, 59% women) were recruited as either sole drivers (only driver in the household, n=39) or couples (both currently driving and sharing a vehicle, n=22). Two in-vehicle devices (one with a GPS unit) were installed in participant vehicles for one week. Participants completed trip logs, out-of-home activity diaries, questions on usual driving habits and ratings of situational driving frequency and avoidance. Perceptions were assessed using the Driving Comfort Scales (DCS Day and Night) and Perceived Driving Abilities (PDA) Scales. Couples were also asked to rate their comfort level in their partner’s driving using modified DCSs. Tools were administered at one of two home visits (during which vehicle devices were installed and removed) and an interview conducted at the end to ascertain whether the week’s driving was typical. Results: Driving comfort scores were significantly related to multiple indicators of actual driving behaviour, including: radius from home (DCS-D, p<.05; DCS-N, p<.01), total distance overall (DCS-N, p<.001) and at night (DCS-D, p<.05; DCS-N, p<.01). Perceived abilities, meanwhile, were related to distance driven (p<.01). Although sole drivers were significantly older, they drove more often, longer distances and for greater duration than couple drivers. Overall, men had higher DCS scores and, in couples, were more likely to rate themselves higher than their spouses. Partners’ comfort levels in their spouses’ driving were related to their spouses’ self-reported situational avoidance and amount of night driving over the study week. When couples drove together, traditional roles were evident (i.e., the husband often preferred to drive and the wife let him). Multivariate analyses showed that the square-root of distance (km) was most influenced by household status, location of residence, perceived abilities, and gender (R2 = .57), while the log of the average radius was influenced by location of residence and perceived comfort in night driving (R2 = .33). Conclusions: This was the first study to examine older drivers’ perceptions in relation to actual driving behaviour and to compare the perceptions and behaviour of sole versus couple drivers. Study results supported prior associations (with self-reported driving) and extended our knowledge base by demonstrating that perceptions (both personal and those of others) are important to actual driving behaviour. The current findings also provide new insight into the importance of examining location of residence and household status.

The study aimed to discuss the impact of project-based learning on primary fifth graders with regards to inclination of self-regulation learning readiness and critical thinking disposition. The study adopted the Solomon four-group design with study objects taken from fifth graders from specific primary school in Kaohsiung. A total of 4 classes were randomly sampled with 2 classes being the experimental groups and 2 classes being the control group. The experimental group was applied with the six steps from WebQuest(Dodge & March,1995) as Scaffolding project-based learning in ¡§Taiwanese traditional Arts and Culture,¡¨ where the control group is excluded. After conducting 24 classes of experimental teaching for 6 weeks with 4 classes per week, t-test and two-way ANOVA were applied to understand the enhancement effect of self-regulation learning readiness and critical thinking disposition on fifth graders accepting project-based learning. The study further comprehend the impact of implementation of project-based learning for the self-regulation learning readiness and critical thinking disposition of primary school fifth graders with low, intermediate and high academic achievement. The research results are listed as follow: I. Under ¡§Unprecedented conditions,¡¨ the project-based learning program facilitates self-regulation learning readiness of primary fifth graders. II. The implementation of project-based learning can improve self-regulation learning readiness of primary school fifth graders with intermediate and high academic achievement. Students with high academic achievement show higher statistical significance than students with intermediate and low academic achievement with regards to improvement on self-regulation learning readiness. Students with intermediate achievement with regards to progress in self-regulation learning readiness do not show significance higher than students with low academic achievement. III. Project-based learning facilitates improvement on the critical thinking disposition of primary fifth graders. IV. Project-based learning can improve the critical thinking disposition of primary fifth graders with high academic achievement. The students with high academic achievement show higher significance than students with intermediate and low academic achievement with regards to enhancement of critical thinking disposition. Students with intermediate academic achievement do not show significance higher than students with low academic achievement with regards to progress in critical thinking disposition. The following recommendations are proposed according to the study results for curriculum teaching and future study: I. Implement the advantages of WebQuest to design project-based learning and to increase the number of classes. II. Students with different level of capacity will undergo different layers of project-based learning, which will be implemented to teaching with theory of cooperative learning. III. Researches undergo long-term follow-up or gradual removal of the scaffolding may be used to increase qualitative data collection and analysis.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate if the use of accounting teaching strategies promote junior high school students¡¦ perception of finances,self-regulation and positive thinking. The researcher chooses two classes, 76 eighth graders in a junior high school in Kaohsiung city ,as an experimental group to conduct the treatment by the method of spot sampling. In the treatment, students are asked to record how they spend their pocket money and they also take course named¡¥Be A Happy Money Manager¡¦. Then, the researcher also chooses two classes,inclusive of 77 eighth graders in the same school as a baseline group. The baseline group only takes the course named¡¥Be A Happy Money Manager¡¦ , not recording their spending. Besides, two other classes which include 78 eighth graders in the same school are selected as the control group.The group neither takes a course nor makes any records of their spending. The experiment contains eight-week recording of spending,one-week accounting analyzing teaching,and one-week ¡¥Be A Happy Money Manager¡¦course. Before and after the experiments,all of the participants are asked to fill out a questionnaire designed by the researcher.The questionnaire named¡¨Junior High School Students¡¦Perception of Finances,Self-regulation and Positive Thinking Questionnaire¡¨aims to realize the participants¡¦ transformation in the perception ofFinances,self-regulation and positive thinking. Additionally, six participants under this treatment are interviewed by the researcher to prove the cosequence. First, the researcher adoptes data analysis methods inclusive of descriptive statistics, independent-samples t test,one-way ANOVA to distinguish the discrepancy of different participants¡¦ performance of perception of finances, self-regulation and positive thinking. Second,the ANCOVA is used after the treatment to test the diffenences among experimental group,baseline group and control group. Finally, subjects of the content is used to analyze the six participants in the experimental group,which attempts to evidence the students¡¦ transformation in the perception of finances,self-regulation and positive thinking . The findings from the study are summarized as follows: (1) Financial perceptions of participants from diffenent kinds of backgrounds or having different money experiences existed statistically significant differenences. (2)There is a low to medium statistically significant positive relation between money attitude and comsuption behavior. Financial perceptions of participants are statistically significant relative with self-regulation and positive thinking. (3)After this treatment, there is statistically significant improvement of the participants in the experimental group.As to money attitude, participants in the experimental group do not regard money as the symbol of success but they would like to seek better services by paying more money . (4)In the aspect of the confidence of positive thinking, there is statistically significant advance of the participants in the experimental group.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between academic procrastination, self-regulation and positive thinking. Five hundreds and sixty three college students from Taiwan were selected by stratified sampling. The participants completed the ¡§Questionnaire of College Students' Academic Procrastination (QCSAP),¡¨ ¡§The Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ)¡¨ and ¡§Positive Thinking Scale (PTS).¡¨ Descriptive statistics, t-tests, multivariate analysis of variance, pearson correlation, and path analysis were conducted on the quantitative data. In addition, content theme analysis was used to assess the motivation and disturbance of academic procrastination of college students. The findings from the study were summarized as follows: 1. Near 70% college students procrastinate their academic tasks and 57.4% students were bothered by academic procrastination. 2. Senior college students presented significantly higher score in "the ability to meet the deadline" than junior college students. 3. Students from National universities presented significantly lower score on ¡§active academic procrastination¡¨, ¡§ability to meet the deadline¡¨ and ¡§outcome satisfaction¡¨ than those from private universities and universities of technology. 4. Low GPA students had significantly higher scores on "fear of failure" and "task aversiveness" than those high GPA group counterparts. 5. Female college students had significantly higher score on "perfectionism" than their male counterparts. 6. Students from private universities of technology had significantly higher score on self-regulation and positive thinking than those from general universities. 7. Self-regulation was positively correlated with positive thinking. 8. Active academic procrastination can either directly predict college students¡¦ positive thinking or indirectly through self-regulation as a mediator. 9. Passive academic procrastination can significantly predict college students¡¦ self-regulation. 10. College students' academic procrastination motives were "task aversiveness," "laziness," "fear of failure" and "perfectionism." 11. The disturbance of academic procrastination of college students were categorized into three parts: "psychological," "physical," and "academic." Implications of these findings for higher education are discussed.

The relationships between procrastination, self-regulation, and fatigue were assessed. Previous researchers have suggested that procrastination is positively related to fatigue (Gropel&Steel, 2008), and that the use of self-regulation results in higher levels of fatigue (Muraven, Tice,&Baumeister, 1998). In the present study, I proposed that self-regulation is the mechanism underlying the relationship between procrastination and fatigue. Undergraduate students (N=110) first completed an in-lab questionnaire, then completed 15 online questionnaires per week for three weeks. The online questionnaires assessed sleeping and waking habits, along with reports of state fatigue. Procrastination was assessed through the time spent putting off getting out of bed each morning. Participants were split into two groups, and the experimental group was instructed to use an alarm clock without a snooze button during Week 2. Three findings were of interest. First, in contrast to global, self-reported behavior, aggregated measures of daily self-reported procrastination indicated a positive relationship with trait measures of procrastination, suggesting that global self-reports of behavior delay should be interpreted with caution. Second, trait procrastination was found to be a significant predictor of the amount of time spent delaying getting out of bed in the morning; however, the amount of time spent delaying getting out of bed in the morning was not predictive of subjective morning or afternoon fatigue. Finally, partial support was provided for a relationship between trait procrastination and state fatigue after accounting for other variables which have been shown to predict state subjective fatigue (e.g., neuroticism and anxiety; Ackerman, Kanfer,&Wolman, 2008). Based on these findings, I suggest that a stronger relationship exists between procrastination and fatigue at the trait level than the state level, and the state-level relationship may operate through a mechanism other than self-regulation.