Browsing by Author "Fan, Weihua"
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Item A COMMUNITY INTERVENTION FOR EDUCATING YOUNG ADULT DROPOUTS THROUGH THE CREATION OF CARING RELATIONSHIPS: A CASE STUDY OF COMMUNITY RENEWAL INTERNATIONAL BREAKING THE CYCLE OF ISOLATION(2015-05) Kim, Neely M.; Zou, Yali; Craig, Cheryl J.; Emerson, Wayne W.; Fan, WeihuaThe purpose of the study is to examine how CRI was able to make a difference in the communities that they service. This research study will focus on how the community has changed post CRI ARA intervention. It will also study adults in the CRI intervention areas in order to understand how individuals have become agents of change to improve community conditions in learning environments. Key elements provided by the CRI model will be studied to measure if changes have occurred (how, what, why). Key concepts include social capital, learner persistence, self-efficacy, collective efficacy, and learner identification. The study will involve the five neighborhoods where CRI has a presence. The data to be collected will include quantitative and qualitative methods of collection.Item Academic Advising Influence on Undergraduate Student Odds of Retention and Graduation: A Multilevel Analysis(2018-05) Wheatley, Kathryn; Horn, Catherine L.; McKinney, Lyle; Fan, Weihua; Elkins Longacre, TeriBackground: Academic advising can be an effective intervention for students needing guidance through their academic programs. At this point, we are unsure how academic advising affects the success of students who bring different pre-enrollment academic experiences. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to better understand the factors associated with success of transfer and dual-credit students in order to help inform efforts to improve university-wide advising practices. Therefore, these analyses attempted to identify individual- and college-level factors influencing the likelihood that FTIC, transfer, and dual-credit students will persist from their first to second year and the likelihood that they will graduate. Methods: The outcomes of interest in this study are dichotomous indicators of student success (retention and graduation). Therefore, a Hierarchical Generalized Linear Model was used to estimate the probability (φ) that a student from the 2012 cohort graduated conditioned on a set of fixed effects at the individual (β) and college (γ) levels. Logistic regression was used to determine whether student retention from the first to second year was influenced by student demographics, college designation, academic advising attendance, and other background characteristics. Finally, multiple regression was used to determine whether cohort 2015 students’ cumulative first year GPA was influenced by student characteristics and behaviors. Results: HLM results indicated that college-level factors percentage of transfer students and percentage of students at high academic risk, as well as multiple student-level variables including academic advising contact were strong predictors of student graduation. Logistic regression revealed that increased academic advising contact, transfer designation and full-time enrollment status, among other variables, were likely to predict persistence to second year. Finally, multiple regression results indicated that academic advising contact and other variables were associated with first-year GPA. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the importance of academic advising contact within colleges and the researcher suggests changes to advising practice and ideas for future research.Item An Analysis of Classroom Teaching Practices Associated with Middle School Students’ Self-Efficacy for Writing(2014-05) Johnson, Liesl Parker 1983-; Fan, Weihua; Mountain, Lee; Jones, Sara J.This study explores the strength of correlations between 109 middle school students’ levels of self-efficacy for writing and 9 of their language arts teachers’ practices in the classroom as perceived by the students. Four of those teaching practices correlated positively and significantly, but not strongly, with students’ self-efficacy for writing, and multiple regression provided a moderate improvement in predictive power. These results indicate that increasing the consistency of implementing the following practices may result in approximately a 10% or higher increase in students’ writing self-efficacy: assigning tasks of appropriate challenge, using students’ exemplary writing as models, and offering both verbal feedback on and verbal praise of students’ writing. The findings add new information to the literature on developing self-efficacy for writing and may allow middle school language arts instructors to make informed decisions about teaching practices that influence their students’ motivation for writing.Item An Analysis of TExES Scores: Evaluating Teacher Preparation At One Institution in the State of Texas(2011-08) Bains, Loveen 1981-; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Fan, Weihua; Pierson, Melissa E.; Hutchison, Laveria F.Education continues to remain at the forefront of research and discussion in the United States. As a result, the requirements for teachers to be able to teach in the classroom have become more stringent. More specifically, No Child Left Behind requires states to test pre-service teachers, upon graduation, in the content areas in which they will teach to ensure that teachers are “highly qualified” as mandated by this federal law. In order to successfully pass state examinations, teachers should be prepared through some type of teacher preparation program. Previous research suggests that preparation plays an integral role in teacher effectiveness however, researchers have not defined what constitutes appropriate teacher preparation. One example of a preparation program at a large, urban university in Texas prepares pre-service teachers to pass the TExES Exam, the state certification exam in Texas. The purpose of this study was to examine pre-service teacher scores on the EC-4 Generalist and EC-6 Generalist TExES exams, overall scores and content area scores, in order to assess which content areas are challenging. The TExES scores that have been examined are from testees who attended the teacher preparation program at this large, urban university in Houston. Although a high percentage of pre-service teachers are passing the TExES exam, findings indicate that it is important to align the preparation program standards with the test standards to address those pre-service teachers who are failing the overall exam and/or content areas on the exams.Item An Exploration of the Relations Among Elementary Teachers' Background Characteristics, Self-efficacy, Instructional Practices and Classroom Effectiveness in Science(2017-08) Newell, Alana; Fan, Weihua; Tolar, Tammy; Hein, Sascha D.; Yuan, XiaojingBackground: Science achievement scores for United States students lag behind many international peers, prompting concern that they are not sufficiently prepared to compete in a global economy increasingly driven by science-related fields. Addressing science achievement at the elementary school level through enhanced teacher effectiveness is a potential solution, however, K-5 teachers are often less comfortable with science as compared to other subject areas. Accordingly, an increased understanding of the subject area differences in the relations between and among teacher aspects that impact effectiveness may provide relatable connections from subjects of strength, to weaker areas, such as science. Purpose: The current study investigated the hypothesized relations between aspects of a general teacher effectiveness framework in an elementary science setting. Specifically, the relations between teachers’ background characteristics (years of experience and subject-matter knowledge), self-efficacy, general instructional practices, and effectiveness outcomes were explored. Additionally, the psychometric properties of a recently developed general instructional practices instrument were examined, in order to evaluate its suitability as a self-report measure in a science education setting. Methods: An anonymous survey was distributed online and at science-related conferences to collect teachers’ demographic information, self-efficacy using the 24-item Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), frequency of use of general instructional practices using the Instructional Strategies (IS) and Behavioral Management Strategies (BMS) scales of the Classroom Strategies Scale – Teacher Form, and effectiveness outcomes as measured by their district assigned value-added score as well as their students’ median passing rate in science. A total of 112 Pre-K-5th grade teachers completed the survey satisfactorily, and were included in subsequent analyses. Principal components analyses (PCA) were first conducted to investigate whether the hypothesized structures were identifiable within the current sample for the IS (subscales: Student Engagement, Instructional Delivery, Academic Performance Feedback, and Promotes Student Thinking), BMS (subscales: Corrective Feedback, Praise, Prevention Management, and Directives/Transitions) and TSES (subscales: Self-efficacy for Instructional Strategies, Self-efficacy for Classroom Management, and Self-efficacy for Student Engagement) scales. Subsequently, the scales were used in a series of regression analyses to investigate relations between background characteristics, self-efficacy, instructional practices, and teachers’ effectiveness outcomes. Results: The hypothesized 4-factor structures of the IS and BMS scales were not identifiable within the current sample, so the 1-factor solution for each was used in subsequent analyses. The 3-factor solution of the TSES was present, and thus the three subscales were used independently within the regression analyses. Relations between several teacher aspects were consistent with those hypothesized in the effectiveness framework: background characteristics and instructional context variables as a group were predictive of all three self-efficacy scales, the frequency of general instructional practices, and both effectiveness outcomes for the majority of the imputed datasets. Additionally, two of the three self-efficacy subscales were predictive of both the IS and BMS scales. Neither self-efficacy nor general instructional practices were predictive of either effectiveness outcome. Conclusion: While the factor structures of the IS and BMS scales were not identifiable in the current study, the high reliability of the 1-factor solutions suggests that further investigation of the best circumstances for their use should be explored in future studies. Many of the relations between aspects of the hypothesized framework within the setting of elementary science education were aligned with the outcomes in other subject areas, supporting the utility of investigating science teacher effectiveness in such a manner. This study contributes to the literature by building upon the existing knowledge of the relations between aspects of teacher effectiveness in such a way that may eventually lead to a common language and understanding of teacher practice across subject areas.Item Childhood Obesity Prevention: Acculturation and Feeding Practices of Low-Income Latino Families(2021-12) Thompson, Yuridia Peralta; Arbona, Consuelo; Olvera, Norma E.; Fan, Weihua; Hughes, Sheryl O.Background: Latinx children are disproportionately affected by obesity in the United States, with second- and third-generation Latinx children having higher levels of obesity than first-generation immigrants. Parental feeding practices in response to children’s hunger and satiety cues have been associated with children’s weight status and may offer one possible explanation for these rising obesity rates among Latinx children. Purpose: The extent to which parental acculturation relates to feeding practices among low-income Latino families is not well documented. The proposed study examined to what extent maternal acculturation moderated the effects of a seven-week family-based childhood obesity prevention program (Strategies for Effective Eating Development) on parental feeding attitudes and behaviors. Methods: Participants (208 low-income Latina mothers and their preschool children) were part of a randomized control trial conducted in a large urban area in the Southern U.S. and a medium-sized town in the rural, Inland Pacific Northwest of the U.S. The study used a validated measure of English acculturation (the Bidimensional Acculturation Scale) and a comprehensive measure of feeding practices (the Food Parenting Inventory). Five separate two-way analysis of covariance (2-way ANCOVA) were implemented to test the moderating effect of English acculturation on the effect of the 7-week childhood obesity prevention program on components of parental feeding attitudes and practices (Family Meals, Structure, New Foods, External Control, and Responsiveness). Results: Results indicated that the intervention was effective in increasing mother’s feeding attitudes and practices in the area of Responsiveness (to children’s internal cues of hunger and fullness), only among mothers reporting higher levels of English acculturation. Conversely, the reduction of the use of excessive parental pressure/coercion or indifference/lack of involvement while feeding their children (i.e. External Control) only appeared to be effective among mothers endorsing low levels of English acculturation. The intervention was equally effective regarding the secondary goals of increasing exposure and acceptance of New Foods, increasing the Structure and predictability of how meals are prepared and served at home, and increasing the regularity and consistency of mealtimes and parental involvement in determining child’s portion size (Family Meals) among mothers reporting both high and low levels of English acculturation. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence of successful childhood obesity prevention efforts in four out of five components of examined maternal feeding attitudes and practices. Results highlight the possible shortcoming of the SEEDS prevention program in effectively and equitably targeting mothers reporting lower levels of maternal English acculturation as related to the parental feeding practice of Responsiveness.Item CHINESE LANGUAGE LEARNER'S MOTIVATION, INTENDED EFFORT, AND CONTINUATION OF STUDY(2014-12) Wang, Qianqian; Fan, Weihua; Wen, Xiaohong; Craig, Cheryl J.; Horn, Catherine L.Motivation has been widely recognized as one of the key factors in second language (L2) learning and teaching. Yet very few motivational studies have examined adolescents’ motivation to learn a specific L2 within the framework of the contemporary expectancy-value theory, even less empirical research has been done in the Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) setting. It is unclear whether there are differences between boys’ and girls’ perceptions of expectancies for success, task values, and task difficulty in CSL learning. Furthermore, while most research associates motivation with language proficiency, a limited number of CSL studies have addressed the relations between motivation and motivational behaviors such as intended effort and continuation of study. One important purpose of the present study is to apply expectancy-value theory to develop a reliable and valid CSL Learning Motivation Scale which assesses adolescents’ motivation. Based on the literature review, the results of item examination, and expert feedback, a 34-item CSL Learning Motivation Scale was constructed. I conducted a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to examine the factor structures of the final 34 items based on responses from the 219 students in Grade 6-12 at secondary schools in Southwestern United States. The results yielded five factors: ability/expectancy-related beliefs, intrinsic value-linguistic interests, intrinsic value-cultural interests, utility/attainment value, and perceived task difficulty. The final 34-item CSL Learning Motivation Scale displayed high internal consistency (α=.92). The reliabilities of the above five factors were .87, .80, .84, .92, and .86, respectively. Furthermore, this study examined if adolescents’ expectancy-value motivation in CSL learning significantly predicted their motivational behaviors. The results of regression analysis demonstrated that expectancy-value constructs explained 64% of the variance in intended effort and 74% of the variance in continuation of study. Specifically, expectancy/ability beliefs, intrinsic value-linguistic interests, utility/attainment value, and task difficulty perceptions significantly predicted students’ intended efforts. Expectancy/ability beliefs, intrinsic value-linguistic interests, and utility/attainment value significantly predicted continuation of study. In addition, this study attempted to explore gender differences in expectancy-value motivation in the CSL setting. MANOVA analyses revealed that gender differences in these motivational constructs were not significant.Item Developing Progress Monitoring Measures in Algebra Using Item Response Theory(2013-08) Hoffman-Lach, Ruth N.; Schanding, G. Thomas, Jr.; Fan, Weihua; Foegen, Anne; Keller-Margulis, Milena A.As the emphasis on improving national academic standards and performance has grown increasingly focused on high-stakes testing in recent years, education professionals have begun exploring methods of measuring and tracking student improvement throughout the school year. Curriculum Based Measures (CBM) have been developed to assess academic growth across the core areas of the elementary curriculum (reading fluency, comprehension, writing, arithmetic, and calculation) and have been proven psychometrically sound. CBM are designed to be easily and quickly administered and scored, and to provide useful feedback to teachers regarding specific skill or content areas in which students may be progressing at less than optimal rates. Unfortunately, successful development of CBM for use in secondary education has been elusive. In particular, development of CBM for algebra has proven challenging, due in part to the quantity and variety of new skills that students are taught in a single year of instruction. To date, Project AAIMS (Algebra Assessment and Instruction – Meeting Standards) has produced three promising instruments to be used as algebra CBM. Of them, the Basic Skills probe is the focus of this study. Although reliability was easily established, field testing of the Basic Skills probe has heretofore failed to demonstrate adequate validity for it to be considered psychometrically sound. In this study, item response theory (IRT) has been used to construct two new forms of the Basic Skills probe, using items from the original twelve forms as an item bank. The goal of this study was to apply IRT to these two new forms in order to determine their validity as instruments that assess algebra skills across a wide spectrum of performance levels. In addition, exploratory factor analysis was used to determine if more than one underlying factor is assessed by the instrument. Finally, multiple linear regression was applied to data collected at three different times during the school year to determine if the two new forms can be used to measure incremental growth across time. Results suggest that the content of the Basic Skills probes represents a unitary construct, which is basic algebra skills. The two newly created forms of the Basic Skills probe are sensitive to incremental growth in this skill set over time, and are thus valid and reliable for use as progress monitoring measures for students enrolled in Algebra I classes.Item Development of the Coping Ahead Intervention for Latina First-Generation College Students(2022-08-17) Turner, Sarah Churchill; Kim, Han Joe; Fan, Weihua; Day, Susan X.; Gonzalez, Elsa; Hein, Sascha D.Background: Academic achievement among Latina students has improved rapidly for college enrollment, but degree completion has not. Many of these Latina students are first-generation college students, with neither parent attending college. Without a role model at home with first-hand experience to relate to the struggles of college, providing guidance may help them cope with stressful situations and build confidence. Purpose: Study 1 focused on developing four lessons in the Coping Ahead Intervention to help first semester Latina first-generation college students by targeting optimism, coping strategies, college self-efficacy, and psychological well-being. Study 2 focused on gathering data about differences these malleable factors of resilience among students of different ethnicities and generational status. Research Questions: RQ 1: Among the participants in the Coping Ahead Intervention, were there differences in mean scores in resilience, optimism, college self-efficacy, coping strategies, and psychological well-being before and after the intervention? RQ 2: How did Latina first-generation college students describe stressful situations in their lives that they can change by using the Coping Ahead skills? What potential assets did these students use to compensate for situational adversities? RQ 3: How did the Latina first-generation college students describe their experiences in the Coping Ahead Intervention? RQ 4: Among college students of different ethnicities, generational status, and the interaction effect, were there differences in mean scores between resilience, optimism, college self-efficacy, coping strategies, and psychological well-being? Methods: Study 1. Using a pretest-posttest design, responses were analyzed by using quantitative and qualitative methods. Lessons were adapted for college students from Linehan’s ABC PLEASE emotion regulation skill and Seligman’s positive psychology research. The sequence of lessons was to identify and “cope ahead” for stressful situations in college, increase confidence, identify goals in college, and encourage self-care. In Study 2, responses from 279 female undergraduates were analyzed using two-way MANOVA, descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and ANOVAs. Results: Study 1. Three students completed four lessons and surveys. The stressful situations included procrastinating, preparing for exams, and connecting with others on campus. Their assets were often grounded in culture, resilience, and social capital in their relationships at home and at school. Study 2. The omnibus MANOVA results showed no significant differences in mean scores across ethnicity and generational status. Conclusion: The participants reported the Coping Ahead Intervention was qualitatively useful in coping with stressful situations, improving relationships, and improving self-acceptance, but not statistically significant in most subscales.Item Differences Between Children with ASDs, Their Non-ASD Siblings, and the CBCL Normative Sample Based on CBCL Profile Scores(2011-08) Buchalter, Dena; Kubiszyn, Thomas; Fan, Weihua; Schanding, G. Thomas, Jr.; Watson, Margaret; Moore, Bartlett D.A sparse amount of research exists comparing individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and their typically developing siblings regarding behaviors on a broadband measure, and little research has been conducted using social learning/cognitive theory in the area of ASDs. This study sought to determine whether having a sibling with an ASD puts a typically developing sibling more at risk of developing behavior problems than is the case with the normative population and to determine whether profiles from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) differentiate between individuals with ASD, their typically developing siblings, and the CBCL normative sample. The participants were individuals with ASDs from simplex families and their siblings, ages 4-years through 17-years and 11-months, as well as the normative sample for the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), 1.5-5 and 6-18. Archival data were used from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) database. Multiple t-tests with an alpha of .001 (reduced to lessen the chance of Type I error) concluded that the sibling group was not more impaired than the normative population, but the ASD group had significantly higher scores than the normative CBCL sample. MANCOVAs conducted concluded that the ASD group had significantly higher CBCL profiles than the sibling group when controlling for age and adaptive behavior as a proxy for IQ. More specifically, statistical significance was achieved when examining the group differences between the ASD and sibling groups on CBCL 1.5-5 on scales of Total Problems Anxious-Depressed, Withdrawn, Sleep Problems, Attention Problems, Aggressive Behavior, and Pervasive Developmental Problems (F7, 721= 23.51, p < .001) and Internalizing and Externalizing scales (F2, 732= 87.635, p < .001). Additionally, statistical significance was reached when examining group differences between the ASD and sibling groups on CBCL 6-18 on scales of Anxious-Depressed, Withdrawn, Social Problems, Thought Problems, Attention Problems, Aggressive Behavior, and Total Problems (F7, 3034= 681.900, p < .001) and Internalizing and Externalizing scales (F2, 3046= 130.718, p < .001). In applying the social learning/cognition theory, the typically developing siblings may have learned to inhibit negative behaviors from observing their sibling with ASD exhibiting maladaptive behaviors and the consequences that follow.Item Efficacy Beliefs of Texas Composite Science and Subject-Specific Certified Biology Teachers(2018-08) Agu, Philomena N.; Ramsey, John M.; Hutchison, Laveria F.; White, Cameron S.; Fan, WeihuaBackground: Research has shown that certification and an undergraduate major in a teaching subject are consistent positive-significant predictors of teacher effectiveness and the lack of at least a minor in an assigned subject as a a consistent and negative indicator of student success. Texas secondary science teachers have either subject-specific certifications or composite science certifications. Studies revealed that a majority of prospective high school science teachers prefer to obtain certification in composite science. Certification in composite science qualifies a candidate to teach most academic science courses. However, composite teachers may be assigned to teach subjects for which they have little academic preparation. Thus, their sense of efficacy may be impacted. Several studies explored the efficacy of teachers certified in a single science subject. Minimal work examined the effectiveness of composite teachers. Studies have used scores on Personal Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy subscales in Science Teacher Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) to measure teacher effectiveness. Few scales exist specifically for high school science subject teachers. Hence, STEBI was adapted for this study. Purpose: This study aims to explore the validity and reliability of a modified STEBI and to compare Personal Efficacy (PE) and Outcome Expectancy (OE) of composite-certified teachers with the subject-specific teachers. Methods: Using the adapted STEBI, PE and OE were assessed for 562 biology teachers. The validity of the instrument was examined using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and the reliability established with Cronbach’s alpha. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to compare PE and OE of composite teachers and subject-specific teachers controlling for undergraduate major and teaching experience. Results: The PCA supported the validity of the instrument. The subscales were reliable; alpha was .81 and .81. Certification did not predict PE or OE. The teaching experience significantly predicted personal efficacy. An undergraduate major in a teaching subject, biological science, predicted a higher level of personal efficacy and outcome expectancy than did an undergraduate major in a different field. The majority of composite teachers teach biology. Conclusion: STEBI could be adapted to study efficacy beliefs of high school subject teachers. However, subject-specific certification and composite certification did not yield significant differences.Item Exploring College Engineering Students’ Choices, Effort, Persistence, and Continuation from Expectancy-Value Theory’s Perspective(2015-12) Wu, Fan; Fan, Weihua; Zou, Yali; McKinney, Lyle; De la Rosa-Pohl, Diana G.High attrition rate is one of the biggest challenges undergraduate STEM education faces (Gonzalez & Kuenzi, 2012). It is imperative for educators to understand the factors related to students’ choice, persistence, and continuation in engineering majors and careers (Eris et al., 2010; Lichtenstein et al., 2007; Lichtenstein et al., 2009). From the perspective of expectancy-value theory, this study sought to investigate how college engineering students’ perceptions (engineering self-efficacy, gender stereotype threat, and racial stereotype threat), expectancy for academic success in engineering, and engineering task values (attainment value, intrinsic value, utility value, and cost) relate to their choices (take more engineering courses in the future, delay, and miss deadlines), effort and persistence in engineering coursework, and continuation in the field of engineering. The researcher recruited 163 undergraduate engineering students from a large southern urban university who completed a paper-and-pencil survey in class. The researcher analyzed the data using IBM SPSS Statistics 22. The researcher created the Expectancy for Academic Success Scale based on the modified version of the Revised Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale (Hale, Fiedler, & Cochran, 1992) and used it in her candidacy research. In this dissertation, the researcher modified the Expectancy for Academic Success Scale and made it appropriate to use in engineering contexts. The modified scale was named as the Expectancy for Academic Success in Engineering Scale. Principle component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation revealed a three-factor solution. The three factors are Expectancy for Successful Engineering Academic Relationships, Expectancy for Completion of Engineering Academic Tasks, and Expectancy for Completion of Engineering Education. PCA results showed that all the items had primary loadings over .7 and the communalities were all above .63. Analyses of the internal consistency yielded satisfactory results with adequate Cronbach’s alpha of .75, .94, and .89 for each scale respectively. Results showed that 1) academic level, self-reported GPA, and intrinsic value were negative predictors of delay; 2) self-reported GPA and expectancy for successful engineering academic relationships were negative predictors of missing deadlines, whereas cost was a positive predictor of missing deadlines; 3) academic level and stereotype threat were negative predictors of choice, whereas expectancy for completion of engineering academic tasks, expectancy for completion of engineering education, attainment value, and intrinsic value were positive predictors of choice; 4) academic level, expectancy for successful engineering academic relationships, expectancy for completion of engineering academic tasks, expectancy for completion of engineering education, intrinsic value, and cost were positive predictors of effort; 5) stereotype threat was a negative predictor of persistence, whereas academic level, self-reported GPA, and expectancy for completion of engineering academic tasks were positive predictors of persistence; and 6) underrepresented minority status was a negative predictor of continuation, whereas expectancy for completion of engineering academic tasks and expectancy for completion of engineering education were positive predictors of continuation.Item Exploring Psychological Well-being in College Students: Examining the Role of Sexual Orientation in Development(2015-08) Lukingbeal, Patrick; Fan, Weihua; Olenchak, F. Richard; Horn, Catherine L.; Smith, Nathan Grant; Riedel, BrianThis study explored the role that sexual orientation played in psychological well-being amongst college undergraduates. An increasing amount of research has examined the mental health and stressors of college students and how well-being is affected (Wood, 2012; Keyes, Eisenberg, Perry, Dube, Kroenke & Dhingra, 2011). In addition, research has shown that lesbians, gays and bisexuals (LGB) are likely to report lower well-being and higher rates of mental health issues (Gates, 2014; McLauglin, Hatzenbuehler, Xuan & Conron, 2012; Oswalt & Wyatt, 2011). The study sought to merge these contexts to understand how well-being is affected by someone identifying as heterosexual or LGB while in college. This merger should clarify some of the gaps of the two previous literature bodies – and provide administrators a better understanding of the well-being of LGB college students. This study was guided by four research questions: 1. Does psychological well-being differ between gay, lesbian and bisexual (LGB) identified college students and heterosexual (male and female) identified college students? 2. How may psychological well-being differ among gay and bisexual men and lesbian and bisexual women in college communities? 3. How applicable and useful is the Ryff Scale of Psychological Well-being (RPWB) for LGB college students? 4. What sort of stressors do LGBs face while in college? A mixed methods design was used to examine these research questions. A quantitative approach was used for the first two research questions. The Ryff Scale of Psychological Well-being (RPWB) was given to participants to measure psychological well-being (Ryff, 1989). Based on the positivist psychology movement, the RPWB measured six operationalized dimensions of well-being: self-acceptance, positive relations with other people, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life and personal growth. On the RPWB, participants received an overall score for well-being as well as a score for each of the six dimensions. On research question one, results indicated that there was not a significant difference found in the overall score on the RPWB between LGB college students and heterosexual male and female college students. When comparing across the six dimensions of RPWB, it was found that LGB participants scored higher than heterosexual males on the personal growth subscale. For research question two, there was no significant difference found among gay and bisexual males and lesbian and bisexual females on the overall score or six subscales of the RPWB. The second part of the study used qualitative observation through semi-structured focus groups to answer the third and fourth research questions. Data analysis was informed by two qualitative methods: Braun and Clarke (2006) and Carspecken (1996). The findings indicated that LGB students employed an “open” – but not too open mentality around their orientation, choosing to take on or discard part of their identity depending on the situation. Participants emphasized self-preservation strategies in an effort to protect their own well-being in uncomfortable social, academic or professional arenas. Students often found themselves educating their family, friends and professional networks – which based on the relationship, could either be embraced or cause frustration. Finally, participants felt their struggle with their sexual orientation might have translated into a source of strength and personal development that heterosexuals do not experience. Resources in higher education must be positioned to provide programs and services that are welcoming and inclusive of LGB people. As the literature will show, LGB participants faced stigma, misinformation, as well as homophobia and biphobia. However, findings from this study indicate that the collegiate experience may prove useful in the development of LGB students – providing safer environments, tight-knit social relationships, and readily available professional support.Item Frontostriatal White Matter Integrity Relations with ‘Cool’ and ‘Hot’ Self-Regulation Following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury(2019-05) Fischer, Jesse T.; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda; Cirino, Paul T.; Fan, Weihua; Alfano, Candice A.; Bick, Johanna R.Traumatic brain injury (TBI) produces microstructural damage to white matter pathways connecting neural structures that support top-down control of prefrontal regions over striatal regions involved in self-regulation (SR). Frontostriatal white matter can be separated into dorsal and ventral pathways, and has been linked to cognitive (‘cool’) and emotional (‘hot’) types of SR. The aims of the current study were to (1) evaluate the impact of pediatric TBI, age at injury, and sex on the integrity of dorsal (dorsal anterior cingulate, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to caudate) and ventral (medial orbitofrontal cortex and rostral anterior cingulate cortex to nucleus accumbens) frontostriatal pathways assessed 2 months after injury, and on the cool and hot self-regulatory behaviors they are believed to support; and (2) investigate whether the impact of TBI on cool and hot self-regulatory behaviors at 6 months after injury was mediated by the integrity of dorsal and ventral frontostriatal pathways, respectively. The current study used archival data from a prospective, longitudinal study consisting of 84 children and adolescents with TBI (24 uncomplicated mild, 30 complicated mild, 6 moderate, 24 severe) and 55 typically developing (TD) children, aged 8-15. Children with TBI were classified into uncomplicated mild TBI (mTBI), and more severe TBI (sTBI; complicated mild, moderate, and severe TBI). Diffusion tensor tractography was used to map dorsal and ventral white matter pathways. Measures of cool SR included focused and sustained attention (Continuous Performance Task omission errors and reaction time by block), and parent reported attention via the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD and Normal Behavior scale. Hot SR measures included risk-taking via Balloon Analogue Risk Task pumps and emotional control via the Behavior Rating in Executive Functioning parent report. Multivariate general linear models (GLM) showed that, in comparison to TD children, children with sTBI had lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in dorsal pathways connecting bilateral dorsal anterior cingulate to caudate and the ventral pathway linking the right medial orbitofrontal cortex to nucleus accumbens. Children with sTBI also had significantly greater difficulties than healthy children with parent reported cool and hot SR, but not on task performance of SR (focused or sustained attention and risk taking). Focused attention, risk taking, and emotional control were significantly correlated with FA of specific dorsal and ventral pathways. Although frontostriatal white matter integrity predicted both cool and hot SR difficulties, only the effect of TBI on focused attention 6 months after injury was mediated by dorsal pathway integrity 2 months post-TBI. Frontostriatal pathways may serve as a biomarker to identify children at risk for specific SR difficulties as well as to assess response to interventions targeted at cool or hot SR. Findings can guide future research on dorsal and ventral neural correlates of SR difficulties following pediatric TBI, and can inform theoretical and clinical understanding of attention and frontostriatal neural circuitry in broader neurodevelopmental populations.Item Gritty Measures for Gritty Times: Evaluation of the Grit Scale(2021-05) George, Rebecca Ann; Fan, Weihua; Chin, Wynne W.; Wiesner, Margit F.; Evans, Paige K.Background: Grit has been defined as passion and perseverance for long term goals. It is presented as a trait which measures success in certain situations such as retention at West Point, placement in the final round at the National Spelling Bee, and Ivy League GPA. The theory of grit is rooted in personality theory and is closely related to the construct of conscientiousness (Duckworth et al., 2007). Grit theory argues that grit is independent from IQ and essential to high achievement. However, the reliability of the current grit scale has been brought into question in several articles (e.g., Crede, Tynan, & Harms, 2017). These studies have questioned the structure of the grit scale as a hierarchal two- factor model and the degree to which it overlaps with the personality trait of conscientiousness. Many studies reporting on grit’s overall relationship to academic success have had mixed results. Purpose: In this multiple manuscript dissertation, the first study aims to (1) examine the latent factor structures of the original (Grit-O) 12-item and short (Grit-S) 8-item grit scales, (2) determine whether a new short grit scale based on a different modification of Grit-O and the conceptual definitions of the grit factors creates a better measure than the existing one, (3) analyze the correlations between grit questions and conscientiousness (from BFI), and (4) investigate the relationship between grit and feelings of success in calculus. The second study then examines (1) whether a more generally worded single-factor 4-item scale for grit is reliable, (2) whether this new general grit scale predicts success in a calculus course, and (3) whether the general grit scale is generalizable across gender and ethnicity. Methods: The purpose of the first article is to test the validity of the Grit-O and Grit-S scales developed by Duckworth and colleagues (2007, 2009) using confirmatory factor analysis. It also examines the correlations of the constructs of various grit scales with the personality measure of conscientiousness. This study also presents and validates a new “general grit” scale based on Grit-O and Grit-S, which are conceptually targeted toward the constructs of consistency of interest and perseverance of effort in an academic setting. The second article focuses on the development and validation of general grit items using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Using structural equation modeling, the study tests whether grit predicts student success in calculus. These scales are examined across different genders and races by using Mplus to test for group invariance in the factor structure. Results: The results of the first paper show that alternate models for Grit-O and Grit-S fit better than the current ones in the literature (Grit-O: x2 = 304.882, d f = 53, CFI = .828, Grit-S: x2 = 65.749, d f = 19, CFI = .941, alternative models: x2 = 115.556, d f = 42, CFI = .950, x2 = 34.540, d f = 19, CFI = .979, and x2 = 2.534, d f = 8, CFI = .987). New questions representing the facets of the Grit-O scale showed good model fit on their own in a two-factor correlated model and had lower correlations with conscientiousness than Grit-O. Different models with grit items and students’ perceived feelings of academic success in their calculus class had inconsistent results. Paper 2 created a single factor grit scale, general grit, in order to overcome the inconsistencies in reporting of grit scores. The general grit scale was first tested with EFA and confirmed with CFA. Next, general grit and the new questions from paper 1 were tested with final exam score as an outcome variable. General grit showed good prediction of final exam grade and mediated effects of consistency of interest and perseverance of effort in the model. Last, the structures were tested across gender and ethnicity, and invariance for the structures was confirmed. Conclusion: Both papers have shown that better items can be created to measure grit in an academic setting. Verification of all scales showed good fit and ability to predict academic success. Current calls to abandon grit as a construct may be premature now that measurement issues have been overcome.Item Helicopter Parenting and College Self-Efficacy Among Latino College Students: The Moderating Role of Familism(2023-08) Rodriguez, Lycinda; Arbona, Consuelo; de Dios, Marcel A.; Fan, Weihua; Olvera, Norma E.Helicopter parenting has been defined as parents who over-step in solving their college students’ problems often providing unsolicited suggestions on how to handle college experiences and intervening to save their emerging adult from difficulties. College students’ reports of higher levels of helicopter parenting behaviors have been associated with lower levels of college self-efficacy. However, most studies have been conducted with White college students. Therefore, little is known about helicopter parenting among college students from racial and ethnic minority groups, including Latinos. Cultural values, such as familism are thought to inform parenting practices. Within Latino families, familism is a value that embraces the centrality of the family and emphasizes parenting practices that include high levels of parental warmth, monitoring, and control. Previous findings have indicated that higher endorsement of familism buffered the expected negative relation of parental control to self-esteem among Mexican American college students. Therefore, when thinking about helicopter parenting in the context of a Latino emerging adult, the inclusion of familism as a moderator helps to yield a more complete understanding of helicopter parenting. The present study’s goal was aimed at better understanding helicopter parenting within a Latino cultural context by examining to what extent familism endorsement moderates the relation of helicopter parenting to college self-efficacy. This cross-sectional, quantitative study utilized archival data collected from Latino college students who rated their parents’ helicopter parenting behavior, their level of familism endorsement, and their own college self-efficacy. A hierarchical multiple regression indicated that familism did not moderate the association, such that higher or lower endorsement of familism did not make a difference in the relation of helicopter parenting to perceived college self-efficacy. However, perceived helicopter parenting behaviors by mother and highest rated helicopter parenting by mother or father were negatively associated to Latino emerging adults’ perceived college self-efficacy. Parents are still important in an emerging adult’s life. Those who engage in helicopter parenting behavior may be limiting their emerging adult’s belief as they embark on new college demands.Item Improvements in Parenting Stress and Self-Efficacy Following Behavioral Parent Training for Children with ADHD(2014-08) Heath, Corey L. 1986-; McPherson, Robert H.; Curtis, David F.; Fan, Weihua; Kubiszyn, Thomas; Nutt, Roberta L.Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a chronic disorder, and its symptoms are often treated with stimulant medication or behavioral intervention. Research has shown that parents of children with chronic conditions may experience increased stress or decreased self-efficacy related to the parenting role, making them less likely to be effective in managing their child’s behavior problems. Behavioral parent training interventions for ADHD, while focusing primarily on improving child behaviors, have demonstrated positive treatment outcomes both for children and parents. The current study examined parenting stress and self-efficacy outcomes following participation in a behavioral parent training approach for ADHD. Participants consisted of 43 primary caregivers of children ages seven to twelve who were referred to an outpatient hospital setting for behavioral intervention to address ADHD-related behavioral concerns. Participants completed the Parenting Stress Index, Self-Efficacy for Parenting Tasks Index, and the Behavior Assessment System for Children – Second Edition at two time points: prior to beginning a 10-week behavioral parent training program and upon completion of the intervention. The intervention employed BPT procedures specific to improving ADHD-related behavior management skills. Parent sessions focused on two main content areas: increasing awareness and knowledge of ADHD and developing effective behavioral skills for managing their child’s ADHD-related problems. This study employed a quasi-experimental design that examined changes in parenting after participation in their child’s behavior therapy. A single group, within- subjects model was applied to evaluate parents’ pre-post treatment effects. Further examination was conducted to determine if changes in parenting outcomes were related to children’s treatment response. A descriptive study was first conducted to gain a better understanding of families who participated in BPT. Primary analyses were conducted using General Linear Modeling (GLM) techniques. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to examine changes in parents’ ratings of parenting stress and parenting self-efficacy from baseline to post-treatment. The independent variable was time, and dependent variables included parenting stress (PST) and parenting self-efficacy (PSE). Secondary analyses utilized paired-samples t-tests to explore PSE differences across the domains of Nurturance and Discipline. Ratings at baseline and post-treatment were compared to determine whether participation in BPT was associated with greater balance across these two self-efficacy domains. Finally, independent-samples t-tests were conducted in order to examine differences in parenting outcomes based on different child treatment responses (higher or lower responses). Results of primary analysis demonstrated a significant interaction between PST and PSE over time. When these dependent variables were considered separately, main effects suggested statistically significant changes from baseline to post-treatment for both PST and PSE. When considering parent outcomes based upon gender, notable differences emerged between mothers’ and fathers’ post-treatment ratings of PST and PSE. Mothers evidenced significant differences across the PSE domains of nurturance and discipline, first at baseline and again at post-treatment. However, mothers reported statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements across both domains in response to BPT. No significant differences were observed between nurturance and discipline for fathers and change in PST and PSE was also unremarkable in response to BPT. With regard to parent outcomes based upon child treatment response, parents of children whose ADHD symptoms were reduced to become within the normal range at post- treatment reported significantly lower stress and higher self efficacy than those of children with continued impairments. These results demonstrated distinct benefits for parents who participated in BPT for their children with ADHD. In general, parents reported greater improvements in PSE compared to PST. These changes varied by parent gender, with statistically significant and clinically meaningful differences for mothers, but not for fathers. Finally, parents of children whose ADHD symptoms were reduced below a level of impairment showed the best outcomes regarding PST and PSE. Clinical implications for these results include possible changes to the duration of BPT and treatment objectives endeavored. Extending treatments to provide more time for symptom amelioration is recommended. Including treatment modules specifically providing strategies for stress management may result in even greater reductions in parents’ stress as well as better child outcomes from better parent implementation of behavioral methods. Additionally, these findings support flexibility regarding the duration of treatment in order to achieve ADHD symptom reduction to a level that is within normal limits, and thereby achieving greater BPT outcomes for both children and parents.Item Indirect Effects of Preschool Vocabulary, Social Skills, and Inattention on First and Second Grade Reading Comprehension in Latinx Dual Language Learners(2021-08) Clayton, Rebecca Johnson; Gonzalez, Jorge E.; Keller-Margulis, Milena A.; Fan, Weihua; Jones, Sara J.Background: Early vocabulary skills, social skills, and inattention are linked to children’s later ability to read with comprehension. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which vocabulary, social skills, and inattention contribute to later reading comprehension in Latinx dual language learners (DLLs). Purpose: This study examined (1) the extent to which social skills and inattention in the middle of preschool mediate the relationship between receptive and expressive vocabulary skills at the beginning of preschool and reading comprehension at the beginning of first and second grade and (2) the extent to which receptive and expressive vocabulary skills at the end of preschool mediate the relationship between social skills and inattention in the middle of preschool and reading comprehension at the beginning of first and second grade in Latinx DLLs. Methods: Participants included 223 Latinx DLLs who participated in a larger study investigating the effects of a shared-book reading intervention on vocabulary skills. The study occurred over four years with participants’ vocabulary skills, social skills, and inattention measured in preschool and their reading comprehension assessed in first and second grade. Mediation analyses were conducted using ordinary least squares path analysis with bootstrapping. Results: Students with fewer inattention problems in preschool had significantly higher reading comprehension scores in second grade due to higher receptive vocabulary at the end of preschool. Additionally, students with higher expressive vocabulary at the beginning of preschool had significantly higher reading comprehension abilities in second grade, and students with higher receptive vocabulary at the end of preschool had significantly higher reading comprehension abilities in first and second grade. Conclusion: These findings suggest that targeting receptive and expressive vocabulary and attentive behaviors in preschool may be important for enhancing later reading comprehension abilities in Latinx DLL students.Item Inside the Community College Developmental Math Classroom: Understanding Differences between Faculty and Students' Attitudes and Experiences(2015-08) Rehak, Patricia A.; McKinney, Lyle; Fan, Weihua; Schilt, Alexander Frank; Hawkins, JacquelineThis study provides a better understanding of how student and faculty perceive the developmental math classroom experience and the impact on students’ ability to successfully complete developmental math courses. A significant contribution of the study is the identification of a positive correlation between students’ attitudes and perceptions of the classroom environment and successful course completion. A second major contribution is a detailed description of pedagogical strategies and classroom leadership behaviors exhibited by developmental math faculty who do, and do not, have high student pass rates. The three research questions for this study were: 1. What is the relationship between students’ attitudes and perceptions of their developmental math classroom experience and their likelihood for successful course completion? 2. To what extent are student and faculty attitudes and perceptions of the developmental math classroom learning environment congruent? 3. What are the pedagogical strategies and classroom leadership behaviors exhibited by developmental math faculty who do, and do not, have high student pass rates in these courses? Two theoretical frameworks; Goal Theory Model of Achievement Motivation and Transformational Leadership; were used to guide this research. This mixed methods study was a case study of developmental math students and faculty from a medium sized rural community college in Texas, enrolled and teaching in the fall 2013. The sample included 661students enrolled in developmental math during the fall 2013 semester. There were a total of 17 developmental math instructors, of which three were employed full time, and 14 were employed part time. Quantitative data was collected from all 17 faculty and seven of these faculty were interviewed about the instructional practices they use when teaching developmental math students. A quantitative analysis was conducted of secondary course evaluation and student success data. A factor analysis was first conducted and reliability established for the course evaluation data. Next, a Pearson product moment r correlation was conducted in to determine the correlation between student perception and student success rates. The qualitative methods employed included 7 interviews (2 full time and 5 part time) with recruited developmental math faculty. Transcribed interview data were organized by thematic data analysis using a deductive process (Creswell, 2008) The Pearson product-moment r correlation conducted in this study found moderate positive correlations, r(14) = .64, p<.01 and r(14) = .51, p=.04, between the two factors extracted from the course evaluation data and student success rates. Primary themes emerging from the qualitative analysis included: Meeting Students’ Individual Needs, Facilitating Student Learning and Acquisition of Skills, and Motivating and Inspiring Students. This extends the work of the MET Project to community colleges. The MET Project established that well-crafted student surveys have potential to inform professional development programs and can be used, along with other relevant data, to evaluate teacher effectiveness (Kane & Cantrell, 2010). This study suggests that student success rates increased when faculty demonstrated behaviors associated with transformational leadership and a mastery goal orientation. Recommendations for policy and practice are provided to assist in the rigorous reform efforts needed to help students in developmental math education persist to completion.Item Institutional and Environmental Predictors of Social, Emotional, and Behavioral (SEB) Skills Among Minoritized Youth: A Global Perspective(2023-08) Bjugstad, Arlene A; Berger Cardoso, Jodi; Fan, Weihua; Borja, SharonSchools are a critical vehicle for promoting child well-being. Through their climate, organization, policies, and practices, school structures promote or inhibit the developmental trajectories of their students. While contemporary school research focuses heavily on cognitive skill development, the skills needed to make adequate progress in school and beyond, namely social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) skills, are rarely examined as primary outcomes in educational research. A plethora of research demonstrates the differential experiences of minoritized youth in their schools and communities, yet this research has not fully examined the extent to which these unique experiences affect SEB domains of development. This series of complementary studies elucidates the environmental and institutional contexts that create or diminish opportunities for the development of key SEB skills associated with positive developmental outcomes. These studies focus on developmental outcomes among minoritized youth from non-dominant racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups in national and global contexts. These studies leverage two unique datasets, a community sample of high school students in two U.S. cities and a large-scale international dataset that includes 10- and 15-year-old students in 9 countries. Multivariate regression, structural equation modeling (SEM), and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) are used to examine the association of environmental and institutional contexts (i.e., community trauma exposure, discrimination, school climate, instructional practices) on the SEB development of minoritized youth in national and international contexts. The results of these studies can be used to inform school practices and policy development to better support the holistic development of youth, with a focus on minoritized youth.
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