Browsing by Author "Francis, David J."

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A Longitudinal Study of Racial Discrimination and Risk for Death Ideation in African American Youth
(Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 05/03/16) Walker, Rheeda L.; Francis, David J.; Brody, Gene H.; Simons, Ronald L.; Cutrona, Carolyn; Gibbons, Frederick X.
Although multiple studies have found that African Americans commonly experience racial discrimination, available studies have yet to examine how perceived racism might be related to suicide vulnerability in African American youth. The purpose of this study was to examine a framework for how perceived racial discrimination contributes to symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as subsequent suicide ideation and morbid ideation. Data were obtained from 722 African American youth at mean age 10.56 years (SD = 0.64); a second wave of data was obtained 2 years later. Results revealed both a direct effect and mediated effects of perceived racism on later suicide and morbid ideation. For boys and girls, the effect of perceived racism was mediated by symptoms of depression. However, the association was mediated by anxiety for girls, but not for boys in the current sample. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.
A model of training effectiveness : individual and environmental factors influencing training outcomes
(1987) McDermott, Angela Gay; Osburn, Hobart G.; Blakeney, Roger N.; Campion, James E.; Francis, David J.; Hakel, Milton D.; Sanders, Patricia A.
A model of training effectiveness describing the influence of individual and environmental factors on personal change as a result of training was proposed and portions of the model were tested in the context of a corporate training program on effective listening skills. Subjects Cn-15SD were professionals employed by a large petrochemical company. Data were judgements and perceptions provided by multiple sources before, immediately after, and four months following training. These sources included participants in training, supervisors, coworkers, trainers, and co-participants. Results indicated strong rater effects among the multiple rating sources. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that ratings provided by multiple sources did not converge on a priori factors. This effect was most salient for participants' perceptions. While measurement problems limit interpretation of the substantive issues, results indicate that involvement in training, reactions to training, intentions to use new skills, attitudes toward the relevancy of training affect learning and behavior change on the job. Some evidence of the influence of social support and job relatedness of training on behavior change was found. Implications for training evaluation and direction of future research are delineated.
A response to recent reanalyses of the National Reading Panel Report: Effects of systematic phonics instruction are practically significant
(Journal of Educational Psychology, 2008-02) Stuebing, Karla K.; Barth, Amy E.; Cirino, Paul T.; Francis, David J.; Fletcher, Jack M.
The authors examine the reassessments of the National Reading Panel (NRP) report (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000) by G. Camilli, S. Vargas, and M. Yurecko (2003); G. Camilli, P. M. Wolfe, and M. L. Smith (2006); and D. D. Hammill and H. L. Swanson (2006) that disagreed with the NRP on the magnitude of the effect of systematic phonics instruction. Using the coding of the NRP studies by Camilli et al. (2003, 2006), multilevel regression analyses show that their findings do not contradict the NRP findings of effect sizes in the small to moderate range favoring systematic phonics. Extending Camilli et al. (2003, 2006), the largest effects are associated with reading instruction enhanced with components that increase comprehensiveness and intensity. In contrast to Hammill and Swanson, binomial effect size displays show that effect sizes of the magnitude found for systematic phonics by the NRP are meaningful and could result in significant improvement for many students depending on the base rate of struggling readers and the size of the effect. Camilli et al. (2003, 2006) and Hammill and Swanson do not contradict the NRP report, concurring in supporting comprehensive approaches to reading instruction.
A structural model for developmental change in the determinants of reading ability
(1984) Francis, David J.; Sheer, Daniel. E.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Osburn, Hobart G.; Maxwell, Scott E.
Developmentally dependent changes in the neuropsychological correlates of reading achievement were examined via the analysis of linear structural relations, or LISREL (Joreskog, 1976). The study tested the hypothesis that the relative importance of non-verbal/perceptual skills and verbal-conceptual skills in reading changed as a function of development and that non-verbal/perceptual skills became increasingly less important with age. Data were taken from a previously completed six-year longitudinal study of learning disabilities in Alachua County, Florida (Satz, Taylor, Friel, and Fletcher, 1978). A sub-sample of 222 white males from the original study sample was used for the present study. Three measures of non-verbal/perceptual skills and three measures of verbal conceptual skills were collected at each of three measurement periods, namely in Kindergarten, at the end of Grade 2, and at the end of Grade 5. In addition, a standardized test of word recognition and a teacher based report of the child's instructional book level were obtained at the Grade 2 and Grade 5 assessment periods. These 22 measures were incorporated into a three-wave three-factor structural equation model with correlated errors, the parameters of which were estimated via the computer program LISREL V (Joreskog and Sorbom, 1981). The model stipulated that each of the 22 variables loaded on only a single factor, and that each of the non-verbal and verbal skills factors were measured by three variables, while the reading achievement factors were each measured by two variables. [...]
A study of intellectual recovery following closed head injury
(1988) Bailey, Cynthia A.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Francis, David J.; Foorman, Barbara R.; Hayden, Mary Ellen
Previous studies have utilized the WAIS and WAIS-R to assess the level of intellectual functioning after closed head injury, and have found that the Full Scale scores are depressed within the first year, and show a gradual improvement over time. The Verbal scale is usually higher that the Performance scale and exhibits a faster recovery rate. The present study focused on identifying subject variables (such as premorbid IQ and severity of injury) which contribute to the initial depression of IQ scores, and on determining the reasons for the VIQ-PIQ discrepancy. Results indicated that premorbid intellectual levels and severity of injury were correlated with change in IQ scores over time. Also, the interval between injury and readiness to be tested was significantly related to IQ at follow-up. The VIQ-PIQ discrepancy appeared to be an artefact of deficits in visual discrimination and motor programming at baseline. At follow-up there was no overall discrepancy, but visual discrimination was correlated with Performance IQ. Implications of these results will be discussed.
A test of the cerebellar hypothesis of dyslexia in adequate and inadequate responders to reading intervention
(Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 2010-03) Barth, Amy E.; Denton, Carolyn A.; Stuebing, Karla K.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Cirino, Paul T.; Francis, David J.; Vaughn, Sharon
The cerebellar hypothesis of dyslexia posits that cerebellar deficits are associated with reading disabilities and may explain why some individuals with reading disabilities fail to respond to reading interventions. We tested these hypotheses in a sample of children who participated in a grade 1 reading intervention study (n = 174) and a group of typically achieving children (n = 62). At posttest, children were classified as adequately responding to the intervention (n = 82), inadequately responding with decoding and fluency deficits (n = 36), or inadequately responding with only fluency deficits (n = 56). Based on the Bead Threading and Postural Stability subtests from the Dyslexia Screening Test-Junior, we found little evidence that assessments of cerebellar functions were associated with academic performance or responder status. In addition, we did not find evidence supporting the hypothesis that cerebellar deficits are more prominent for poor readers with “specific” reading disabilities (i.e., with discrepancies relative to IQ) than for poor readers with reading scores consistent with IQ. In contrast, measures of phonological awareness, rapid naming, and vocabulary were strongly associated with responder status and academic outcomes. These results add to accumulating evidence that fails to associate cerebellar functions with reading difficulties.
Addressing several key outstanding issues and extending the capability of the inverse scattering subseries for internal multiple attenuation, depth imaging, and parameter estimation
(2013-12) Liang, Hong 1984-; Weglein, Arthur B.; Francis, David J.; Hungerford, Ed V.; Su, Wu-Pei; Reiter, George F.
The objective of seismic exploration is to determine the physical properties of the Earth's subsurface in order to detect potential hydrocarbon accumulations. The inverse scattering series (ISS) is a multi-dimensional direct method that can perform all of the tasks associated with inversion only using the measured data and a chosen reference medium. This is achieved in stages using task-specific subseries that accomplish: (1) free-surface multiple removal; (2) internal multiple removal; (3) depth imaging; and (4) parameter estimation. This dissertation provides deeper comprehension of current ISS strengths and shortcomings for internal multiple removal, and caveats and understanding of ISS depth imaging and parameter estimation, which can be used to progress and develop further capability as part of a strategy to address the current outstanding challenges in exploration seismology. This dissertation is composed of three topics. The first topic extends the capability of the current ISS internal multiple attenuation algorithm by addressing one of its shortcomings. The current ISS internal multiple attenuator has provided added-value compared to other demultiple methods for complex media where multiple generators are not easy or able to be identified. However, this single term has its own strengths and limitations. Under certain circumstances, spurious events can be produced by the ISS leading-order attenuator. In this dissertation, higher-order terms in the ISS that address the spurious events generation from the leading-order attenuator are identified. Adding the higher-order terms to the current algorithm provides a more capable ISS internal multiple attenuation algorithm, which retains the benefit of the original algorithm and addresses the shortcoming due to spurious events. This work is part of the strategy to provide further capability for internal multiple attenuation in onshore or complex offshore exploration areas. The second project focuses on the generation and prediction of internal multiples in thin-layer models. A new method (named the reflector spectrum) based on the reflectivity forward modeling is presented to illustrate where internal multiples are generated in thin layers. The modeling of sub-resolution internal multiples leads to the concept of effective primaries. By comparing the modeling and prediction of internal multiples, it is shown that sub-resolution internal multiples cannot be predicted by the ISS internal multiple attenuator and internal multiples generated by resolvable reflectors can be accommodated by the ISS method. The third topic in the dissertation studies and evaluates the impact of matching or mismatching between the earth model type (e.g., acoustic, elastic, isotropic, anisotropic earth) that generates the data and the assumed model type behind the processing methods for ISS depth imaging and parameter estimation. Numerical results show that for ISS depth imaging and inversion applications, when the model type assumed in the processing algorithm is less complicated than the model type that generates the data, there are errors in the results. The tests and conclusions provide a caveat concerning the consequences of a model mismatch between the model type that generates the data and the model type assumed in processing methods and motivate the need to develop model-type independent ISS imaging methods.
An experimental study of scheduling and duration of "Tier 2" first-grade reading intervention
(Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2011-05) Denton, Carolyn A.; Cirino, Paul T.; Barth, Amy E.; Romain, Melissa A.; Vaughn, Sharon; Wexler, Jade; Francis, David J.; Fletcher, Jack M.
This study compared the effects on reading outcomes of delivering supplemental, small-group intervention to first-grade students at risk for reading difficulties randomly assigned to one of three different treatment schedules: extended (4 sessions per week, 16 weeks; n = 66), concentrated (4 sessions per week, 8 weeks; n = 64), or distributed (2 sessions per week, 16 weeks; n = 62) schedules. All at-risk readers, identified through screening followed by 8 weeks of oral reading fluency (ORF) progress monitoring, received the same Tier 2 reading intervention in groups of 2 to 4 beginning in January of Grade 1. Group means were higher in word reading and ORF at the final time point relative to pretest; however, the groups did not differ significantly on any reading outcome or on rates of adequate intervention response. Of potential covariates, site, age, free lunch status, program coverage rate, and tutor were significantly related to student outcomes; however, the addition of these variables in multivariate models did not substantially change results. Rates of adequate intervention response were lower than have been reported for some first-grade interventions of longer duration.
An Exploration of Variability Due to Low Power in Structural MRI Studies of Bilingualism
(2018-12) Munson, Brandin A.; Hernandez, Arturo E.; Francis, David J.; Tamber-Rosenau, Benjamin J.; Chiarello, Christine
The adequacy of replicability among psychological findings has previously been questioned, especially for neuroscientific fields of research. Researchers increasingly point towards the negative effects of low power on replicability of findings. Though decreased sensitivity in smaller samples is a well-known consequence of inadequate power, many overlook the increased likelihood of inflated observed effects and weakened positive predictive values. The aim of this study is to reveal the expected degrees of uncertainty among neuroimaging findings by conducting tests in different sample sizes from a larger-than-average sample, in an area of research with wide-ranging findings that have been proposed by some to be due in part to inadequate sample sizes: bilingual-monolingual structural brain differences. Bilinguals (n = 216) were compared with monolinguals (n = 146) using grey matter density in whole-brain analyses and grey matter volume measures across region-of-interest tests. Variability among findings were compared with the true full-sample findings, and taken in the context of expected differences within the larger bilingualism neuroimaging literature. Results demonstrate excessive variability across the lowest sample sizes (e.g. samples totaling 20 – 80 participants), and this is explored through the trends of subsample outcomes and effect sizes across sample sizes. The extent to which infrequently utilized methods such as multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVAs) and Bayes Factors can improve the accuracy of results at lower sample sizes were also explored. It is our hope that this study helps to demonstrate the influences of power on expected variability among sample findings, especially for bilingual researchers and any researchers interested in exploring group differences using neuroimaging.
An exploratory investigation of the effects on memory of prior domain experience and knowledge
(1987) Scott, Carl W.; Lachman, Roy; Francis, David J.; Houston, W. Robert; Kessel, Frank S.
Three studies explored the relationship between experience and cognition. Scott (1981/1982) had found that marital status significantly influenced recall for a courtship story. Others have shown that more domain experience facilitates recall (e.g., Chase & Simon, 1973a) by increasing the number of schema variables (van Dijk & Kintsch, 1983). The first study found differences between marrieds' and singles' descriptions of typical courtships. The second study measured experience in interpersonal relationships, based on a political experience scale (Fiske & Kinder, 1981). The third study found that experience in interpersonal relationships and politics significantly affected recall in both domains, but only weakly affected problem-solving. Correlations between experience and performance across domains indicated the domains overlapped; comparing subjects more or less experienced in both domains produced clearer effects of experience. Research into the cognitive effects of prior experience has potential applications in educational settings and implications for understanding human knowledge.
An investigation into effects of superior-subordinate similarity on performance ratings and rating discrepancy
(1985) DeClerk, Michael A.; Osburn, Hobart G.; Vandaveer, Vicki V.; Kahn, Edward B.; Francis, David J.; Blakeney, Roger N.
The effect on performance ratings of superiorsubordinate similarity in background, interests, occupational values, job needs and personality was examined. The sample included 434 dyads from a total of 84 professional employees, 16 of whom were in supervisory positions. Three primary research questions posed by the present study included: (1) Is the similarity effect an artifact of simpler rater and ratee effects? (2) What is a more appropriate dependent measureâ€”performance rating or deviation of rating from the mean of non- dyadic raters, i.e., discrepancy? (3) Does superior familiarity with subordinate performance moderate similarity effects? Results from hierarchical multiple regression analyses provided compelling evidence that the direct relationship between similarity and performance criteria could be an artifact of rater leniency and ratee scores on similarity scales. This finding brings into question the conclusions of previous researchers. With regard to the second research question, data from this study did not support an argument for preference of either dependent measure over the other. Finally, it was found that familiarity moderated the similarity effect for values. It appears that as familiarity increases, similarity in values becomes more predictive of performance criteria.
Analyzing social content of jobs : testing the social scale of functional job analysis
(1988) McCulloch, Malcolm C.; Hakel, Milton D.; Osburn, Hobart G.; Jeanneret, Paul R.; Francis, David J.
Social interaction Is an integral facet In the general taxonomy of work behavior. This study assessed Functional Job Analysis's (FJA) Social Scale as a means to analyze social content of Jobs. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the plausibility of FJA's premise that social activity can be described by seven social constructs when conceptualized as a measurement model. However, confirmatory factor analysis could not support the FJA's premise that the seven social constructs measure social complexity when conceptualized as a second-order factor model. Further, the premise that the constructs are ordered hierarchically In a simplex structural model was not supported. In assessing the utilitarian value of FJA's Social Scale, stepwise regression found Its social constructs to be highly predictive (Rsq=.43) of Navy rank but showed low capability In predicting membership In Navy commands or duty stations. The plausibility of FJA social constructs offers new direction for Job analysis research.
Are “Dynamic” Predictors of Youth Violence Actually Dynamic?
(2015-08) Davis, Jessica Klement; Vincent, John P.; Francis, David J.; Babcock, Julia C.
Youth violence is a serious social problem with a 12-month prevalence rate of about 35 percent (Herrenkohl, Lee, & Hawkins, 2012). While research has identified dynamic predictors of violence, there is little evidence of their malleability and impact on youth violence since experimental studies are scarce and few correlational studies have examined within-individual differences. Also, few studies have applied item response modeling (IRM), which allows differential weighting of violent acts. The current study is the first to use multilevel modeling (MLM) to examine predictors of within-individual change in violence among males in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) data set. Due to sex differences in the rates of violent offending, the sample is restricted to males. It is only the second study to use IRM to scale the violence outcome measure. The sample includes males (N=2288) from the Add Health public dataset, which captures violent offending from Wave 1 (age 11-21) to Wave 2 (age 12-22). Samejima’s (1997) graded response model translated self-reported violence onto a continuous scale. MLM examined dynamic predictors of within-individual change in violence, static predictors of between-individual differences, and the interaction between age and peer delinquency. The IRM results showed that items varied in difficulty, poor factor loading for one item, and local dependence for two other items. The results of MLM indicated that, on average, individuals became less violent with age; Peer delinquency, a daily family meal, and alcohol use significantly predicted within-individual change in violence; and demographic variables, GPA, school attachment, history of grade retention, depressive symptoms, peer delinquency, and a daily family meal significantly predicted the level of violence between individuals.
Arithmetic error and neuropsychological test profiles among arithmetic disabled groups : external validation of academic subtypes
(1986) Dowell, Richard Edward, Jr.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Copeland, Donna P.; Francis, David J.; Foorman, Barbara R.
Neuropsychological deficits and arithmetic error types among learning disabled (Lp) children have been related to academic achievement patterns and attributed to a common underlying disability. A disability-based explanation predicts that groups of children showing similar (different) subtype patterns will exhibit similar (different) neuropsychological and arithmetic error patterns. Fifty-seven children, aged 8-16 years, with a history of a LD or cranial radiation therapy (CRT) were classified into four groups; A LD (arithmetic impaired), RA LD (reading and arithmetic impaired), A CRT, and N CRT (not subtype A). Neuropsychological composites representing ability areas were computed from intellectual, memory, and psychomotor test scores. Arithmetic errors were scored on the WRAT Arithmetic test using procedures adapted from Strang and Rourke (1985) and converted to composite scores. Profile analyses on composite scores compared groups showing similar (A LD vs A CRT) and different (A LD vs RA LD, A CRT vs N CRT) subtype patterns. Results indicated no significant group profile differences and did not support study predictions. The failure to replicate previous findings is discussed.
Autonomic Markers of Visual Awareness
(2013-12) Li, Ziyang 1987-; Sheth, Bhavin R.; Ogmen, Haluk; Contreras-Vidal, Jose L.; Francis, David J.; Stevenson, Scott B.
The mind–body problem in philosophy examines the relationship between mind and matter, and in particular, the relationship between consciousness and the brain. In order to provide a scientific footing to this centuries old philosophical problem, an investigation into the interaction between consciousness and the autonomic nervous system, which controls the internal viscera, is required. However, this issue has received scant attention to date. Here, I investigate the response of the autonomic system and its sympathetic and parasympathetic components, to visual awareness using classical paradigms of binocular rivalry and visual detection, using a combination of electrocardiography (ECG), impedance cardiography (ICG) and pupillometry to examine cardiac autonomic functions, namely heart rate, the high-frequency component of heart rate variability (HRV), pre-ejection period (PEP) and change in pupil area. My studies reveal that the parasympathetic component dominates the autonomic response to visual awareness; physical alternation of stimuli has effects on the autonomic activation that go above and beyond alternations in percept; and uncertainty of subjective judgment drives the dynamics of autonomic response. The present studies, from the autonomic pathway, demonstrate that “mind affects body in action”, which leads to a more integrative view of sensory awareness and suggests the involvement of structures in the nervous system above and beyond the cortex.
Characterization of Proficiency Levels and Balance among Middle School English Learners with Reading Difficulties: Relations to Reading Outcomes
(2022-05-02) Macdonald, Kelly Teresa; Cirino, Paul T.; Francis, David J.; Hernandez, Arturo E.; Castilla-Earls, Anny
As the linguistic diversity of the United States and the world continues to increase, the impact of bilingualism on important outcomes has been an area of interest within the domains of psychology, neuroscience, and education. Although many studies have considered group differences between bilinguals and monolinguals, the importance of examining individual differences is an emergent area of study. Specific variables of interest include language proficiency as well as balance between languages, as both have shown promise in explaining variability for outcomes such as executive function. Identifying predictors of key cognitive outcomes among bilingual samples is particularly important among at-risk groups of children and has the potential to inform intervention efforts. Although executive function is commonly studied, reading is also a promising and perhaps more important outcome to study because it is heavily rooted in language and is amenable to intervention. However, evaluating the ways in which individual variability in language proficiency and balance impacts reading in an at-risk, developmental context presupposes a strong framework by which to characterize these processes. There is currently no gold standard through which bilinguals can be characterized in terms of proficiency and balance, particularly among at-risk, younger samples. Therefore, the overarching aims of this project are twofold: 1) to compare approaches for the characterization of proficiency and balance among an at-risk sample of children (English Learners in middle school who are further identified as struggling readers); and 2) to use these to evaluate the roles of language proficiency and balance in various reading outcomes. This work will inform theoretical and empirical gaps within the bilingual and reading literatures and holds promise for informing intervention in this at-risk context. The following chapters therefore provide literature review, hypotheses, and methods for each aim separately (i.e., characterization of bilinguals in Chapter 1; relations to reading in Chapter 2). As noted in Chapter 2, there are aspects of the second aim that were informed by findings from Chapter 1.
Dimensionality of Bilingual Phonological Awareness and Oral Language Skills Across Different Instructional Programs
(2018-05) Khalaf, Shiva; Santi, Kristi L.; Francis, David J.; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Tolar, Tammy
Background: In bilingual research one should be cautious that the acquisition of literacy is multi-determined, and many contextual factors contribute to children’s ability to read and write in their first and second languages. However, most bilingual studies fail to examine contributing factors such as the context and the language in which students receive instructed and only focus on student-level outcomes. Furthermore, while it is well known that phonological awareness (PA) is a fundamental skill in learning to read in alphabetic languages for both monolingual and bilingual students, the nature and dimensionality of PA has not been adequately examined in the latter group. Purpose: This study gets at the heart of the nature and dimensionality of phonological awareness (PA) of English learners (ELs) with respect to the impact of the context in which they received reading instruction. Method: To examine the dimensionality of PA, a multigroup-multilevel confirmatory factor analysis model was used. The design of this study was cross-sectional, thus the performances of 8,733 ELs on a variety of PA, oral language, and reading measures was examined within Kindergarten (N= 2,690), Grade 1 (N= 3,459), and Grade 2 (N=2,584). Results: At the student-level English and Spanish PA were statistically separable, but highly overlapping in bilingual education (BE) and structured English immersion (SEI) programs; however, the pattern of correlation was much more complex at the classroom-level across grade-levels. Furthermore, contextualizing oral language did not seem to impact the magnitude of English and Spanish PA correlations at the student-level, but further complicated the results at the classroom-level. Conclusions: Although, PA is an inherent language general ability the type and amount of reading instruction and experience with oral language play an important role in the development of this skill.
Discriminant validity of lateral tactile and motor skills measures in learning disabled children
(1985) Francis, David J.; Sheer, Daniel E.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Osburn, Hobart G.; Rosner, Jerome
The discriminant validity of left and right hand sensorimotor measures from the Halstead-Reitan battery was tested using confirmatory factor analysis. A group of learning disabled children was divided into analysis (N=488) and cross validation (N=400) samples and the following measures were taken for both the left and the right hands: Tactile Perception, Finger Agnosia, Fingertip Number Writing, Tactile Form Recognition, Finger Tapping, Grip Strength, Grooved Pegboard, and Mazes. These 16 tests and 5 WISC subtests (Information Similarities, Vocabulary, Block Design, Object Assembly) were included in a 6 factor 2 indicator model (Tactile Skills, Astereognosis, Simple Motor, Complex Motor, Verbal, Visual Spatial Constructive) with correlated errors between left and right hand measures from the same test, and between each Grooved Pegboard measure and Object Assembly. Parameters in the model were estimated three times in each sample: 1) with all non-zero factor loadings free, 2) with factor loadings constrained to be equal for left and right hand measures from the same sensorimotor test using a) the correlation matrix and b) the covariance matrix as input. The unconstrained model fit the data well in both samples as indexed by the normalized residuals, modification indices. Goodness of Fit and Adjusted Goodness of Fit Indices, fit ratio, squared multiple correlations and the root mean squared residual. In the analysis sample, constrained and unconstrained models did not differ significantly when analysis was based on the correlation matrix (X [raised 2] [lowered (8)]=4.66, p>.250), but did differ when analysis was based on the covariance matrix (X [raised 2] [lowered (8)]=28.42, p<.001). Lack of model fit resulted from constraints on three variables. Grip Strength, Finger Tapping, and Tactile Perception. Virtually identical results were obtained in cross validation. Constrained and unconstrained models were not significantly different when analysis was based on the correlation matrix (X [raised 2] [lowered (8)]=4.15, p>.250), but differed under analysis of the covariance matrix (X [raised 2] [lowered (8)]=29.79, P<.001). Lack of fit was again attributable to constraints on Finger Tapping and Grip Strength. The results indicated that left and right hand tests were tau-equivalent for all but two sensorimotor measures. Those same two measures (Grip Strength and Finger Tapping) were found in both samples to be congeneric and not tau-equivalent. The six factor model adequately accounted for most relationships in the data and provides a potential starting point for future studies investigating sensorimotor functions in learning disabled children. Combining scores from the left and right hand versions of the same test was recommended in future factor analytic studies which are not expressly concerned with the discriminant validity of lateral sensorimotor measures. Use of composite scores would increase test reliabilities and eliminate problems of test specific relationships caused by inclusion of doublet scores. Results of the present investigation suggest that the use of composite scores would not significantly alter the obtained factor structure.
Dispositional Attributions and Deterioration of Trust Following Transgression: the Role of Perceived Intent and Outcome Severity
(2015-08) Krylova, Ksenia O.; Elkins Longacre, Teri; Phillips, James S.; Werner, Steve; Francis, David J.
Research to date has shown that trust and trustworthiness are among the most damaged positive states of a relationship when transgressions occur (Robinson, 1996; Sitkin & Roth, 1993). Across studies, scholars from different disciplines have relied largely on an investigator-imposed distinction between transgressions stemming from a lack of integrity or a lack of competence to understand how and when trust can be restored. While not suggesting that this distinction between integrity and competence transgressions is either unimportant or artificial, the proposed research will address a fundamental precursor to victims’ reactions to the differences between them. The dissertation will attempt to understand how an offended party’s underlying causal attributions about a transgressor’s integrity and competence are formed. To address this issue, the study will attempt to answer the basic question of whether there are other more natural distinctions between transgressions that determine its consequences for trust. More specifically, the dissertation posits that two key variables (perceived intent and outcome severity) substantially determine whether a particular transgression is attributed to a transgressor’s integrity or to competence. And, subsequently, these two variables will provide supplemental predictive power for understanding post-transgression levels of trust. Hypotheses were tested using a 3x2 factorial design that manipulated intent (intent, no intent) and outcome severity (mild, moderate, severe). Results of analysis of variance indicated that intent had an overwhelming effect on perceived integrity and trust. Unexpectedly, it had an effect on perceived competence as well; however, the results of analyses that compared dependent Cohen’s d measures of effect sizes unambiguously showed that the influence of intent on perceptions of integrity was significantly stronger than its influence on perceptions of ability. Outcome severity did not have any significant effect on the outcomes, nor did it moderate the relationship between intent and trust.
Do Goal-Focused Leaders Curtail Subordinate Production Deviance? Contributing to the Validity Evidence of the GFL Measure
(2017-05) Johnson, Lars U.; Witt, L. Alan; Atwater, Leanne E.; Campion, James E.; Francis, David J.
The purpose of this study was to contribute to the validating evidence of the goal-focused leadership construct measure in two ways. First, in order to establish the invariance of the Colbert and Witt (2009) measure, I fitted a series of nested item factor models to two independent samples. The results revealed the measure is partially invariant across samples. Second, I present a conditional process model that investigates the relationship of goal-focused leadership with production deviance—a performance facet (Sackett, 2002) characterized by aberrant or behaviors. The path analytic results were supportive of the hypothesized negative relationship between goal-focused leadership perceptions and self-reported production deviance through emotional exhaustion. Applying Conservation of Resources Theory (Hobfoll, 1989) and investigating the moderating role of conscientiousness at each path in the ab indirect relationship, findings revealed that higher (lower) levels of conscientiousness reduce (increase) emotional exhaustion (path a) and subsequent engagement in production deviance (path b).