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- Title
- THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MASTER'S LEVEL COUNSELING PRACTICUM STUDENTS' WELLNESS AND CLIENT OUTCOMES.
- Creator
-
O'Brien, Elizabeth, Robinson, Edward, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Client outcome research focuses primarily on three specific aspects of therapy: therapist technique, client behaviors and therapeutic interaction. The term "therapeutic interaction" focuses on the relationship between the counselor and the client, and is often ignored in client outcome research. Counselor specific contributions to the therapeutic process are called therapist characteristics may be an innovative way to assess how counselors' impact clients' outcomes in counseling. For...
Show moreClient outcome research focuses primarily on three specific aspects of therapy: therapist technique, client behaviors and therapeutic interaction. The term "therapeutic interaction" focuses on the relationship between the counselor and the client, and is often ignored in client outcome research. Counselor specific contributions to the therapeutic process are called therapist characteristics may be an innovative way to assess how counselors' impact clients' outcomes in counseling. For the purposes of this study administering the Five Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle and the Outcome Questionnaire to master's level student counselors assessed therapist characteristics. The Outcome Questionnaire was administered to clients at a community-counseling clinic at two points and a delta score was calculated to create the variable "client outcome." In order to test the research hypotheses, 70 master's level counseling students completed both the Five Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle and the Outcome Questionnaire. These scores were then matched with master's level counseling students' client delta scores, which created the dependent variable. The results of the multiple regression analysis indicated no statistically significant relationship; therefore the null hypotheses were accepted as the constructs student counselor wellness and client outcomes were not related. Results of the study were summarized and discussed, limitations of the study were explored and recommendations for future research were proposed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001557, ucf:47129
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001557
- Title
- THE INFLUENCE OF COUNSELOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON COUNSELOR WELLNESS.
- Creator
-
Roach, Leila, Young, Mark, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Counselor education programs strive to promote the personal development and wellness of counselors in addition to cognitive, skill, and professional competencies. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in self-reported levels of wellness of master's level counseling students. The cross-sectional study investigated the influence of time in a counselor education program on the wellness levels of counseling students. Students were surveyed at three points in their counselor education...
Show moreCounselor education programs strive to promote the personal development and wellness of counselors in addition to cognitive, skill, and professional competencies. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in self-reported levels of wellness of master's level counseling students. The cross-sectional study investigated the influence of time in a counselor education program on the wellness levels of counseling students. Students were surveyed at three points in their counselor education training: the beginning, middle, and end. Participants included 204 master's level counseling students enrolled in three CACREP-accredited counselor education programs located in the southeastern United States. Each participant completed the Five Factor Wellness Inventory (5F-Wel) and a demographic questionnaire. A monotonic trend analysis was conducted in SPSS Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) to answer the question of whether master's level counseling students report higher levels of wellness as they advance through a counseling program. Additional univariate analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were performed in order to answer questions related to the influence of demographic variables. Results of the study yielded no significant trends in self-reported levels of wellness by students as they progressed through their counselor training. Furthermore, gender, cultural background, and a requirement for personal counseling were not significant in accounting for differences in the wellness levels of students. However, those students who reported that their counselor education program offered a wellness course reported statistically significant higher levels of wellness. Responses to an open ended question on the demographic questionnaire, 'What, if anything, have you learned in your counseling coursework that has helped you develop knowledge and skills regarding your personal wellness?" were included in the discussion to provide insight into the results of the study. The findings suggested that, while counselor education programs may not increase levels of wellness in students, evidence from the demographic questionnaire indicated that personal development and wellness were emphasized. Perhaps systematic procedures for teaching and evaluating student wellness could be implemented in counselor education programs to insure that goals regarding personal development and wellness are being met.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000432, ucf:46399
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000432
- Title
- Human Spaceflight Decision-Making as a Potential Well Problem.
- Creator
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Litwin, Ari, Handberg, Roger, Dolan, Thomas, Houghton, David, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This study investigates funding within the US human spaceflight program in the time-period from 2004 to 2012. The approach taken employed the (")potential well(") model from physical science. The potential well model constrains any physical body trapped within it, and similarly a political (")funding well(") will constrain all programmatic decision-making.Two potential well models are employed, one represents classical physics while the other represents quantum physics. Since each model...
Show moreThis study investigates funding within the US human spaceflight program in the time-period from 2004 to 2012. The approach taken employed the (")potential well(") model from physical science. The potential well model constrains any physical body trapped within it, and similarly a political (")funding well(") will constrain all programmatic decision-making.Two potential well models are employed, one represents classical physics while the other represents quantum physics. Since each model results in motion with certain properties, it can be seen if funding decisions also exhibit similar properties. In physics, the bifurcation between the classical world of aggregate bodies and the quantum world of individual particles is an indicator of deeper physical principles. This study seeks to explore whether this bifurcation exists in the political world as well. If so, it would help explain space policy evolution from 2004 to 2012, and provide evidence concerning the usefulness of physical models for discovering further trends in social science, including political science.The study of a bifurcation in space policy political decision-making resulted in an unclear relationship since some properties were found to be similar to their physical counterpart, some were found to be different, and one property, the quantization of funding into discrete increments, was absent from political decision-making. Further studies are required to explore this bifurcation in greater detail. However, the potential well did prove to be a powerful model in explaining the evolution of human spaceflight policy in 2004 to 2012 as it provided a framework to explain dynamics that may have otherwise remained unclear.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004401, ucf:49370
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004401
- Title
- The Helping Professional Wellness Discrepancy Scale (HPWDS): Development and Validation.
- Creator
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Blount, Ashley, Lambie, Glenn, Young, Mark, Taylor, Dalena, Ricard, Richard, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Wellness is an integral component of the helping professions (Myers (&) Sweeney, 2005; Witmer, 1985). Specifically, wellness is included in ethical codes, suggestions for practice, and codes of conduct throughout counseling, psychology, and social work fields (see American Counseling Association Code of Ethics, 2014; American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, 2010; National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, 1996). Even so, wellness...
Show moreWellness is an integral component of the helping professions (Myers (&) Sweeney, 2005; Witmer, 1985). Specifically, wellness is included in ethical codes, suggestions for practice, and codes of conduct throughout counseling, psychology, and social work fields (see American Counseling Association Code of Ethics, 2014; American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, 2010; National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, 1996). Even so, wellness in helping professionals is a difficult construct to measure. Thus, the purpose of the research investigation was to develop the Helping Professional Wellness Discrepancy Scale (HPWDS) and examine the psychometric features of the HPWDS in a sample of helping professionals and helping professionals-in-training. A correlational research design was employed for this investigation (Gall, Gall, (&) Borg, 2007). Specifically, the researcher examined: (a) the factor structure of the HPWDS with a sample of helping professionals; (b) the internal consistency reliability of the HPWDS; (c) the relationship between HPWDS scores and Counseling Burnout Inventory (CBI) scores; (d) the relationships between helping professionals' HPWDS scores and their reported demographic data; and (e) the relationship between HPWDS factor scores and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale-X1 (MCSDS-X1). The research questions were examined using: (a) Factor Analysis (FA), (b) Cronbach's alpha, (c) Spearman Rho correlation, (d) Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and (e) internal replication analysis. A review of the literature is provided, discussing theoretical and empirical support for all the items on the initial model of the HPWDS (n = 92) as well as for all the items included on the final HPWDS exploratory model (n = 22). The researcher investigated helping professionals' perceived levels of wellness, aspirational levels of wellness, and the discrepancy between perceived and aspirational levels of wellness. The data was collected via online, mail out, and face-to-face administration to increase methodological rigor. The sample size for the investigation was 657, with 88 coming from Face-to-Face sampling, 87 from mail out sampling, and 484 from online/email sampling. Data analysis resulted in a five-factor exploratory HPWDS model that accounted for 69.169% of the total variance. Model communalities were considered acceptable with only three communalities below the recommended .5 value. Factor 1 represented Professional (&) Personal Development Activities and accounted for 32.605% of the variance, Factor 2 represented Religion/Spirituality and accounts for 13.151% of the variance, Factor 3 represented Leisure Activities and accounted for 9.443% of the variance, Factor 4 represented Burnout and accounted for 7.198% of the variance, and Factor 5 represented Helping Professional Optimism and accounted for 6.773% of the variance. In addition to a literature review, the research methodology and research results are provided. Results of the research investigation are discussed and areas for future research, limitations of the study, and implications for the helping professions are presented. Some implications of the findings include: (a) a theoretically and methodologically sound instrument for assessing wellness discrepancies in helping professionals is important; (b) helping professionals should be aware of both the personal and professional activities they are engaging in to increase their knowledge and self-efficacy, as well as their leisure activity engagement; (c) it is advantageous for researchers to use the scale development procedures, rigorous sampling methodologies, and FA guidelines outlined throughout Chapters 3 and 4 when developing new assessments for evaluating helping professionals; and (d) a five factor wellness assessment allowing helping professionals to evaluate themselves in Professional (&) Personal Development Activities, Religion/Spirituality, Helping Professional Optimism, Leisure Activities, and Burnout arenas is integral in assessing wellness discrepancies in helping professionals.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006026, ucf:51017
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006026
- Title
- AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUNSELING SELF-EFFICACY AND COUNSELOR WELLNESS AMONG COUNSELOR EDUCATION STUDENTS.
- Creator
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Curry, Jennifer, Robinson, Edward, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Recent research in counselor training has focused on the difficulties and challenges facing counseling practitioners that result in high stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and counselor impairment. The American Counseling Association's (ACA) Code of Ethics has addressed the ethical issues inherent in counselor impairment. Further, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has focused on the development of counselors that will...
Show moreRecent research in counselor training has focused on the difficulties and challenges facing counseling practitioners that result in high stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and counselor impairment. The American Counseling Association's (ACA) Code of Ethics has addressed the ethical issues inherent in counselor impairment. Further, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has focused on the development of counselors that will assist them in being resilient to workplace stressors. Wellness is a theoretically based construct that holds much promise for bolstering the resilience of pre-service counselors. In addition, counselor self-efficacy has been linked to greater advocacy for self and others, the use of higher order counseling skills, greater problem solving practice, and more self-regulated, ethical decision making. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between counselor self-efficacy and counselor wellness. A total of 88 participants completed both the Five Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle Inventory and the Counseling Self-Efficacy Scale. Demographic and descriptive statistics were included along with a Multiple Regression Analysis. Results did not indicate a statistically significant relationship. Potential limitations, implications for counselor educators, and future research directions were elucidated.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001614, ucf:47187
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001614
- Title
- THE 1980'S AND TODAY;AN ANALYSIS OF WOMEN'S SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING.
- Creator
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Coleman, Michelle, Gay, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study is to augment the existing literature concerning the relationship between marital status, gender, social networks, and cohort effect on dimensions of subjective well-being for women. Multiple dimensions of subjective well-being are examined. Multiple regression and logistic regression are employed to examine the effects of marital status, social networks, and cohort effects on the dependent variables that tap the dimensions of subjective well-being. The analysis...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is to augment the existing literature concerning the relationship between marital status, gender, social networks, and cohort effect on dimensions of subjective well-being for women. Multiple dimensions of subjective well-being are examined. Multiple regression and logistic regression are employed to examine the effects of marital status, social networks, and cohort effects on the dependent variables that tap the dimensions of subjective well-being. The analysis controls for age, race, education, income, religious attendance and region of residence. The findings report some inconsistency in regards to the current literature. Social networks and support are found to be the most constant independent predictor of subjective well-being. While the effects of being divorced and separated, as well as cohort membership, are not as consistent, the findings are notable and should be addressed in future research addressing subjective well-being.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001230, ucf:46895
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001230
- Title
- THE ASSOCIATION OF BODY IMAGE AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AS IT RELATES TO HAPPINESS.
- Creator
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Chen, Michelle, Azimi, Cyrus, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As one of the most important emotional goals pertaining to humankind, achieving happiness has been the central focus of scientists, philosophers, and the general population alike since the beginning of recorded history. This study strove to examine the association of body image satisfaction and relationship quality as it relates to happiness. Four hundred college-age participants completed the Subjective Happiness Scale, the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (Appearance...
Show moreAs one of the most important emotional goals pertaining to humankind, achieving happiness has been the central focus of scientists, philosophers, and the general population alike since the beginning of recorded history. This study strove to examine the association of body image satisfaction and relationship quality as it relates to happiness. Four hundred college-age participants completed the Subjective Happiness Scale, the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (Appearance Scales), and the Network of Relationships Inventory (Relationships Quality Version) for close friendships of the same-sex and opposite-sex. Statistical analysis indicated that while body image satisfaction was significantly correlated with happiness, quality of interpersonal relationships was not. The results of this study emphasize the importance of one's satisfaction with one's body in the cultivation and maintenance of subjective well-being and the need to examine other potential predictors of happiness.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFH0004880, ucf:45430
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004880
- Title
- ON WELL-QUASI-ORDERINGS.
- Creator
-
Thurman, Forrest, Brennan, Joseph, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A quasi-order is a relation on a set which is both reflexive and transitive, while a well-quasi-order has the additional property that there exist no infinite strictly descending chains nor infinite antichains. Well-quasi-orderings have many interesting applications to a variety of areas which includes the strength of certain logical systems, the termination of algorithms, and the classification of sets of graphs in terms of excluded minors. My thesis explores how well-quasi-orderings are...
Show moreA quasi-order is a relation on a set which is both reflexive and transitive, while a well-quasi-order has the additional property that there exist no infinite strictly descending chains nor infinite antichains. Well-quasi-orderings have many interesting applications to a variety of areas which includes the strength of certain logical systems, the termination of algorithms, and the classification of sets of graphs in terms of excluded minors. My thesis explores how well-quasi-orderings are related to these topics through examples of four known well-quasi-orderings which are given by Dickson's Lemma, Higmans's Lemma, Kruskal's Tree Theorem, and the Robertson-Seymour Theorem. The well-quasi-ordering conjecture for matroids is also discussed, and an original proof of Higman's Lemma is presented.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFH0004455, ucf:45082
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004455
- Title
- Barriers to Adoption of Wellness Programs: A Worked Example of an Augmented Best-Fit Framework Synthesis.
- Creator
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Oliver, Dalton, Fisher, Thomas, Boote, David, Valdes, Anna, Swan, Bonnie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Background: Qualitative syntheses have the potential to offer a great deal of insight into complex problems of practice. However, their methods often appear unclear and warrant ongoing scrutiny by the research community. Aim: This study introduces a novel combination of methods for synthesizing qualitative literature and explores the utility of these methods through a worked example of a real-world problem of practice. Methods: Qualitative studies that investigated barriers to adoption of...
Show moreBackground: Qualitative syntheses have the potential to offer a great deal of insight into complex problems of practice. However, their methods often appear unclear and warrant ongoing scrutiny by the research community. Aim: This study introduces a novel combination of methods for synthesizing qualitative literature and explores the utility of these methods through a worked example of a real-world problem of practice. Methods: Qualitative studies that investigated barriers to adoption of wellness programs through the perspectives of key informants were systematically collected for synthesis. Key informants were identified as decision makers at small- to medium-sized businesses. The primary method used in this study was the Best-Fit Framework Synthesis (BFS). The BFS was augmented with Alignment Scores, CERQual Analysis, and a novel Saturation of Inquisition Test. Dedoose software was used to support data analysis. Results: The systematic search returned 4 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Diffusion Theory was systematically selected to develop a framework for analyzing qualitative findings. The synthesis generated four analytical themes and led to the development of a contextually rich conceptual framework. Analytical themes deeply informed the research questions while the framework offered a broader view of the overall problem. CERQual Analysis provided an added dimension of ranking amongst findings based on their level of confidence. The Saturation of Inquisition Test identified gaps in current research and validated decisions made during the synthesis. Alignment Scores identified specific points of misalignment and supported decision-making during the synthesis. Conclusion: The augmented BFS was a valuable method for synthesizing qualitative findings in a manner that informs practitioners and builds on relevant theory. The additional methods integrated seamlessly with the original BFS while enhancing transparency, reliability, and practical value of the synthesis. Further replication and critical evaluation of the overall methodology and its individual components is warranted.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006632, ucf:51293
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006632
- Title
- Two-photon absorption in bulk semiconductors and quantum well structures and its applications.
- Creator
-
Pattanaik, Himansu, Vanstryland, Eric, Hagan, David, Delfyett, Peter, Schoenfeld, Winston, Peale, Robert, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a study and possible applications of two-photon absorption (2PA), in direct-gap semiconductors and quantum-well (QW) semiconductor structures. One application uses extremely nondegenerate (END) 2PA, for mid-infrared (mid-IR) detection in uncooled semiconductors. The use of END, where the two photons have very different energies gives strong enhancement comapared to degenerate 2PA. This END-2PA enhanced detection is also applied to mid-IR imaging...
Show moreThe purpose of this dissertation is to provide a study and possible applications of two-photon absorption (2PA), in direct-gap semiconductors and quantum-well (QW) semiconductor structures. One application uses extremely nondegenerate (END) 2PA, for mid-infrared (mid-IR) detection in uncooled semiconductors. The use of END, where the two photons have very different energies gives strong enhancement comapared to degenerate 2PA. This END-2PA enhanced detection is also applied to mid-IR imaging and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) in uncooled direct-gap photodiodes. A theoretical study of degenerate 2PA (D-2PA) in quantum wells, QWs, is presented, along with a new theory of ND 2PA in QWs is developed. Pulsed mid-IR detection of femtosecond pulses is investigated in two different semiconductor p-i-n photodiodes (GaAs and GaN). With the smaller gap materials having larger ND-2PA, it is observed that they have better sensitivity to mid-IR detection, but unwanted background from D-2PA outweighs this advantage. A comparison of responsivity and signal-to-background ratio for GaAs and GaN in END-2PA based detection is presented. END-2PA enhancement is utilized for CW IR detection in uncooled GaAs and GaN p-i-n photodiodes. The pulsed mid-IR detection experiments are further extended to perform mid-IR imaging in uncooled GaN p-i-n photodetectors. A 3-D automated scanning gated imaging system is developed to obtain 3-D mid-IR images of various objects. The gated imaging system allows simultaneous 3-D and 2-D imaging of objects. The 3-D gated imaging system described in the dissertation could be used for examination of buried structures (microchannels, defects etc.) or laser written volumetric structures and could also be suitable for in-vivo imaging applications in biology in the mid-IR spectral region. As an example, 3-D imaging of buried semiconductor structures is presented.A theoretical study of D-2PA of QWs for transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) fields is carried out and an analytical expression for the D-2PA coefficient in QWs using second-order perturbation theory is derived. A theory for ND-2PA in QW semiconductor using second-order perturbation theory is developed for the first time and an analytical expression for the ND-2PA coefficient for TE, TM, and the mixed case of TE and TM is derived. The shape of the 2PA curve for the D-2PA and ND-2PA for QWs in the TE case is similar to that of bulk semiconductors. As governed by the selection rules both the D-2PA and ND-2PA curves for the TE case does not show a step-like signature for the density of states of the QWs whereas 2PA curve for the TM case shows such step like sharp features. The ND-2PA coefficient for TE, TM, and the mixed case is compared with that obtained for bulk semiconductors. Large enhancement in ND-2PA of QW semiconductors for the TM case over bulk semiconductors is predicted.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005684, ucf:50164
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005684
- Title
- OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE: A PREDICTOR OF TECHNOLOGY USE AT ANY AGE?.
- Creator
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Ojalvo, Olivia, Chin, Matthew, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Technology is an integral part of both modern culture and day-to-day communication. Older adults' relationships with technology are completely different than younger adults' because of the way they have learned to incorporate it into their lives. Past research has shown that certain personality traits can predict technology use in younger adults. The current research hopes to take that finding and see if it applies to older adults, too. Four hypotheses were generated. Participants took a...
Show moreTechnology is an integral part of both modern culture and day-to-day communication. Older adults' relationships with technology are completely different than younger adults' because of the way they have learned to incorporate it into their lives. Past research has shown that certain personality traits can predict technology use in younger adults. The current research hopes to take that finding and see if it applies to older adults, too. Four hypotheses were generated. Participants took a survey that consisted of five different scales and measures. Participants also were asked to answer demographic questions. Independent-sample t-tests and bivariate correlations were run on the data. Results showed that general technology use was not significantly correlated to a participant's age. There were significant correlations between the two age groups and psychological well-being, feelings of attachment to peers, technology use subscales and sensation seeking subscales. Future studies should examine the possible relationship of technology use subscales amongst the older population and their attitudes towards technology.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFH2000431, ucf:45880
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000431
- Title
- THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG WELLNESS, SEVERITY OF DISTURBANCE, AND SOCIAL DESIRABILITY OF ENTERING MASTER'S-LEVEL COUNSELING STUDENTS.
- Creator
-
Smith, Heather, Robinson III, Edward H. "Mike", University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A wellness paradigm may hold promise for unifying and strengthening the identity of the counseling profession. The construct of wellness may also hold implications for assessment of entering master's-level counseling students, as a tool for continuous evaluation of students, or for overall program evaluation. In this study, the only counseling-based wellness assessment measure, the Five Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle, was tested for its relationship to two other constructs:...
Show moreA wellness paradigm may hold promise for unifying and strengthening the identity of the counseling profession. The construct of wellness may also hold implications for assessment of entering master's-level counseling students, as a tool for continuous evaluation of students, or for overall program evaluation. In this study, the only counseling-based wellness assessment measure, the Five Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle, was tested for its relationship to two other constructs: psychological disturbance and social desirability. In order to test the research hypotheses, a total of nine programs (in five states) and 204 entering master's-level counseling students completed instrumentation packets comprised of the Five-Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle, the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, and the Outcome Questionnaire – 45.2. The results of the analyses indicated statically significant relationships in 52 out of 55 correlations between the instruments' total scores and subscale scores. The first null hypothesis was rejected in favor of the alternative hypothesis; there was a statistically significant negative relationship between level of psychological disturbance and level of wellness. The results of the study failed to reject null hypothesis two; the relationship between wellness and social desirability was found to have no statistical significance after removing the influence of psychological disturbance. Null hypothesis three was rejected in favor of the alternative hypothesis; there was a statistically significant negative relationship between level of psychological disturbance and social desirability. Number and percent of participants exceeding psychological disturbance cutoff scores was examined. Measures of central tendency and the effects of demographic variables for each of the instruments were presented. Exploratory data analysis revealed that the first-order wellness factor, second-order wellness factors, and social desirability mean scores of those scoring above the cutoff for Severity of Disturbance, difficulty in Interpersonal Relations, Symptom Distress, and Difficulty in Social Roles were lower than those scoring below each cutoff score. Results of the study were summarized, factors to consider in the interpretation of the results were discussed, and implications for counselor education and future research were provided.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001032, ucf:46827
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001032
- Title
- A PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE PROPOSED PARADOXICAL EFFECTS OF VALUING HAPPINESS.
- Creator
-
Coles, Nicholas, Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Several researchers in happiness studies have called for an increased sociopolitical interest in indicators of societal happiness. However, recent evidence for the proposed paradoxical effects of valuing happiness suggest that an increase in society's perceived value of happiness may exert a detrimental, inverse influence on well-being. This notion is based on previous research demonstrating that manipulating participants to value happiness causes them to experience less positive emotions,...
Show moreSeveral researchers in happiness studies have called for an increased sociopolitical interest in indicators of societal happiness. However, recent evidence for the proposed paradoxical effects of valuing happiness suggest that an increase in society's perceived value of happiness may exert a detrimental, inverse influence on well-being. This notion is based on previous research demonstrating that manipulating participants to value happiness causes them to experience less positive emotions, compared to controls, when viewing positive film clips. Following the humanistic notion that the maximization of societal happiness is an advantageous sociopolitical endeavor, the proposed paradoxical effects of valuing happiness present a psychological barrier that researchers must strive to understand and, ideally, overcome. Previous experimental research on the paradoxical effects of valuing happiness has focused on participants' emotionality as an operational definition of happiness. However, drawing from the Subjective Well-Being construct, emotionality is only one of several components of happiness. Building from this Subjective-Well Being framework, this study expands upon previous research by investigating whether a valuing happiness manipulation influences participants' emotionality while they contemplate their own happiness. To examine this, nineteen participants were divided into two groups, one which received a valuing happiness manipulation (n=9) and the others served as a control group (n=10), and instructed to contemplate their personal happiness for 45 seconds. To measure participants' emotions during this task, facial electromyography data were collected from the corrugator supercilii and the zygomaticus major facial muscles, a measure that previous research suggests is sensitive to the emotional value of thought. Results indicated that participants manipulated to value happiness did not experience significant differences in facial electromyography activation compared to controls. However, although non-significant, the correlation between facial electromyography activation and participants' rating of happiness differed substantially for participants manipulated to value happiness (average r=.41 for corrugator, average r=-.09 for zygomaticus) and controls (average r=.-.29 for corrugator, average r=.14 for zygomaticus). The counterintuitive correlations for participants led to value happiness, despite not experiencing significant difference in the emotional value of the happiness contemplation task, provide preliminary evidence that these participants utilize the information retrieved from the contemplative stage in a qualitatively different way than controls when judging their own happiness. More specifically, the correlations for participants led to value happiness trend in the opposite direction of controls, demonstrating that increases in positive emotion during happiness contemplation actually are associated with lower scores on a self-report of happiness. This study suggests that the paradoxical effects of valuing happiness does not influence the retrieval of information when contemplating ones' happiness, but may influence (in an apparently detrimental fashion) how this information is utilized when judging one's happiness. Although the between-condition differences in correlations failed to reach statistical significance (more specifically, p=.09 for corrugator), this study provides preliminary evidence for the existence of a new dynamic of the proposed paradoxical effects of valuing happiness that is novel to the happiness studies discourse. Limitations, implications, and future directions are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFH0004766, ucf:45360
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004766
- Title
- DETERMINANTS OF THE WELL-BEING OF POLICE OFFICERS IN THE TURKISH NATIONAL POLICE.
- Creator
-
YILDIZ, SERDAR, WAN, THOMAS, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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ABSTRACT This research evaluates the relationships of time balance, social relations, role conflict, perception of work environment, and fourteen control variables to police officers' well-being in Turkish National Police. Well-being is identified in the management literature as having a strong relationship with performance. Therefore, by finding the factors affecting well-being, this research seeks to identify intervention strategies, which can promote a healthy workforce and police...
Show moreABSTRACT This research evaluates the relationships of time balance, social relations, role conflict, perception of work environment, and fourteen control variables to police officers' well-being in Turkish National Police. Well-being is identified in the management literature as having a strong relationship with performance. Therefore, by finding the factors affecting well-being, this research seeks to identify intervention strategies, which can promote a healthy workforce and police performance. Such interventions, in addition, may improve police performance through improved well-being. Individual police officers were analyzed to better understand the relationship between work environment on family life, social life, and the well-being of the police officers. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the seven geographic regions of Turkey for all branches of Turkish National Police. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to validate the measurement of latent constructs and their relationships. A 45-item questionnaire collected demographic data and items associated with the latent constructs such as time balance, social relations, role conflict, perception of work environment, and the police officers' well-being. This 45-item questionnaire was based on two survey instruments that have been used by Eurofound in Europe for two decades. The response rate for the questionnaire in this dissertation was 47.14% with 495 respondents out of 1,050 subjects. The analysis revealed statistically significant relationships between following latent constructs: time balance and well-being (an indirect effect via role conflict), time balance and social relations, time balance and role conflict, social relations and role conflict, role conflict and well-being, and perception of work environment and well-being. In addition, six control variables (rank, department, optimism, isolation, income sufficiency, and working days per week) were statistically significantly related with well-being. No direct significant relationship was found between time balance and well-being, and social relations and well-being constructs. Eight control variables (gender, marital status, service time, extra work, confusion, region, work type, and working hours per day) had no significant relationship with well-being. These findings support some commonly expressed complaints of police officers. These findings also suggest that attention should be paid to the effects of time balance, income sufficiency, work environment, and workdays on the well-being of the officers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002238, ucf:47904
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002238
- Title
- Countering the Narrative: Exploring the Relationships among Wellness, Resilience, and Empowerment within Black Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With HIV (BMSM+).
- Creator
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Heard, Nevin, Shillingford-Butler, Ann, Joe, Richelle, Boote, David, Dollarhide, Collette, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The HIV epidemic continues to disproportionately impact marginalized populations, where one in two Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. The lack of research regarding the wellness of Black men who have sex with men living with HIV (BMSM+) inhibits understanding, which could hinder professions missioned with bettering the wellness of BMSM+. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to investigate if resilience and empowerment predict BMSM+'s...
Show moreThe HIV epidemic continues to disproportionately impact marginalized populations, where one in two Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. The lack of research regarding the wellness of Black men who have sex with men living with HIV (BMSM+) inhibits understanding, which could hinder professions missioned with bettering the wellness of BMSM+. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to investigate if resilience and empowerment predict BMSM+'s wellness. However, a lack of internal consistency among the empowerment measurement required the researcher to remove the scale and adjust the scope of the study. A simple linear regression determined that resilience predicted wellness with statistical significance F(1, 247) = 726.012,(&)nbsp;R2 = .745, p =.000, f2 = 2.92. Descriptive statistics revealed that there were no significant differences in overall wellness when comparing BMSM+ ((N = 249) to norming samples representative of the U.S. population, t(248) = 1.575, p = .12 and African-Americans, t(248) = -1.444, p = .150; though BMSM+ had higher overall wellness when compared to men, t(248) = 9.926, p = .000. Most of the BMSM+ in this study had a resilience score that was somewhat low to very low (M = 123. 39), which was significantly lower than norming samples of the U.S. population, t(248) = -8.345, p = .000 and men, p = .000; males: t(248) = -7.938, p = .000. Additionally, the researcher ran two post hoc analyses that used multi-factor ANOVAs that revealed significant differences in resilience and wellness between groups when examining participants' HIV viral load detectability, CD4 count, mode of HIV contraction, level of religiosity/spirituality, education, and relationship status. Overall, the findings of the current study challenge the assumption that BMSM+ are unwell and has implications for counseling practitioners, counselor educators, researchers, and community-based organizations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007191, ucf:52258
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007191
- Title
- SPIRITUALITY AND EXPECTATIONS OF CARE PROVIDERS OF OLDER PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNES IN NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA.
- Creator
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Sherman, Myra, Wink, Diane, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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A qualitative design was used to explore the use of spirituality and prayer by older adults who have chronic illness and reside in a rural community. Thirteen individuals responded to a flyer soliciting participation in a study of the use of spirituality as part of health care. Participants were at least 60 years of age, had at least one chronic illness and resided in North Central Florida. Twelve participants then responded to six open-ended questions based on an adaption of an instrument...
Show moreA qualitative design was used to explore the use of spirituality and prayer by older adults who have chronic illness and reside in a rural community. Thirteen individuals responded to a flyer soliciting participation in a study of the use of spirituality as part of health care. Participants were at least 60 years of age, had at least one chronic illness and resided in North Central Florida. Twelve participants then responded to six open-ended questions based on an adaption of an instrument used by Dr. Shevon Harvey in her doctoral dissertation. The data was analyzed to identify themes and answer four research questions. The four research questions were 1) how do older adults living with chronic illness describe spirituality? 2) how do older adults use spirituality while living with chronic illness? 3) how can health care providers assist older individuals with chronic illness to meet their spiritual needs?, and 4) do patients feel that their spiritual needs are being addressed during their outpatient health care? The interview responses demonstrated that several different practices, including prayer and scripture readings as well as adherence to medication, diet, and exercise recommendations were used as coping mechanisms by study participants. The majority of participants want their health care providers to address spirituality and/or refer them to spiritual advisors for counseling. The study showed that some participants stated that their spiritual needs were met, but there were some who did not want spirituality addressed in the outpatient setting. Four themes were identified, which suggest that 1) spiritual practices were frequently used coping measure for these individual with chronic illness, 2) health care providers are supportive of their patients' spirituality, 3) participants with chronic illness consider adherence to medication, diet, and exercise a coping measure, and 4) participants with chronic illness want their health care providers to recognize their spiritual needs. The findings indicated that individuals who self identify as individuals from whom spiritual life is important and who have chronic illnesses and have spiritual needs that can be addressed in the outpatient setting. The findings also demonstrated use of non spiritual coping measures and the importance of health care provider's acceptance of spirituality in this specific population. Recommendations for further research are made.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003740, ucf:48794
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003740
- Title
- Getting The Work Out of Workouts: Evaluating the Effectiveness and Outcomes of a Physical Exercise Motivational Intervention For Older Workers.
- Creator
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Sholar-Fetherlin, Brandon, Fritzsche, Barbara, Smither, Janan, Wang, Wei, Fragala, Maren, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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To mitigate their estimated $300 billion in annual health-related losses, many companies have instituted workplace wellness initiatives designed to promote physical activity among their employees, improving the overall health of their workforce. Though middle-aged and older workers may potentially enjoy the greatest physical, stress and cognitive benefits from regular exercise, workplace wellness programs have been less successful in attracting such employees. This study developed and tested...
Show moreTo mitigate their estimated $300 billion in annual health-related losses, many companies have instituted workplace wellness initiatives designed to promote physical activity among their employees, improving the overall health of their workforce. Though middle-aged and older workers may potentially enjoy the greatest physical, stress and cognitive benefits from regular exercise, workplace wellness programs have been less successful in attracting such employees. This study developed and tested a 6-week exercise motivation intervention designed to meet the needs of sedentary, older working adults and to determine what non-physical benefits might result from increased levels of physical exercise. The intervention, based primarily on Self-Determination Theory, included feedback on individually-made, realistic, process-specific exercise goals that and provided guidance from knowledgeable exercise professionals in addition to support group of socially-similar individuals to aid in coping and adherence. The intervention was built and delivered entirely online to fit better with the sample's considerable time demands. The motivational intervention was delivered to a sample of 30 mostly-older working adults and was successful in significantly improving activity levels and overall affect while decreasing stress. No significant differences were detected in measures of personal resources, work engagement, work effort and task performance. The implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006660, ucf:51235
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006660
- Title
- Differential impacts of doctoral education on Ed.D. and Ph.D. students: Examining student motivation and subjective well-being during the first two years of doctoral study.
- Creator
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McAfee, Morgan, Boote, David, Hayes, Burnice, Vitale, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Background: Doctoral attrition has been the subject of significant research over the past several years (Bair (&) Haworth, 2004; Cohen (&) Greenberg, 2011; Gardner, 2008; Lovitts, 2001). Prior research on doctoral students has focused on substantive differences in the Ed.D. and Ph.D. in education degree programs, rather than on potential differences among the students themselves. Purpose: To assess whether there are baseline differences in motivation and subjective well-being among the three...
Show moreBackground: Doctoral attrition has been the subject of significant research over the past several years (Bair (&) Haworth, 2004; Cohen (&) Greenberg, 2011; Gardner, 2008; Lovitts, 2001). Prior research on doctoral students has focused on substantive differences in the Ed.D. and Ph.D. in education degree programs, rather than on potential differences among the students themselves. Purpose: To assess whether there are baseline differences in motivation and subjective well-being among the three groups of doctoral students in education: Ed.D. and Ph.D. students, part-time enrolled and full-time enrolled students, and first-year and second-year students. Setting: University of Central Florida, College of EducationSubjects: First-year and second-year students drawn from all three doctoral programs offered in the College, including Education, Ed.D., Education, Ph.D., and Educational Leadership, Ed.D. Data Collection and Analysis: A 131-item electronic survey to assess student motivation and subjective well-being was distributed to all 142 enrolled first-year and second-year doctoral students, of which 28.2% responded (n = 40). Cumulative motivation and separate subjective well-being scores were calculated for each participant, and Mann-Whitney tests were performed to compare the distribution of student scores within each group (Ed.D. and Ph.D., part-time enrolled and full-time, and first-year and second-year). Findings: No statistically significant differences were found in motivation and subjective well-being among the three groups of students. However, some findings on measures of motivation did approach statistical significance between Ed.D. and Ph.D. students.Conclusions: These findings may demonstrate that relative well-being and similar levels of intrinsic motivation exist among several groups of doctoral students. Recommendations for future research include an increase in the sample size by expanding the study to multiple institutions offering doctoral programs in education, as well as a modification of the instruments from ordinal scales to Likert-type instruments.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004714, ucf:49840
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004714
- Title
- ELECTRO-OPTICAL AND ALL-OPTICAL SWITCHING IN MULTIMODE INTERFERENCE WAVEGUIDES INCORPORATING SEMICONDUCTOR NANOSTRUCTURES.
- Creator
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Bickel, Nathan, LiKamWa, Patrick, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The application of epitaxially grown, III-V semiconductor-based nanostructures to the development of electro-optical and all-optical switches is investigated through the fabrication and testing of integrated photonic devices designed using multimode interference (MMI) waveguides. The properties and limitations of the materials are explored with respect to the operation of those devices through electrical carrier injection and optical pumping. MMI waveguide geometry was employed as it offered...
Show moreThe application of epitaxially grown, III-V semiconductor-based nanostructures to the development of electro-optical and all-optical switches is investigated through the fabrication and testing of integrated photonic devices designed using multimode interference (MMI) waveguides. The properties and limitations of the materials are explored with respect to the operation of those devices through electrical carrier injection and optical pumping. MMI waveguide geometry was employed as it offered advantages such as a very compact device footprint, low polarization sensitivity, large bandwidth and relaxed fabrication tolerances when compared with conventional single-mode waveguide formats. The first portion of this dissertation focuses on the characterization of the materials and material processing techniques for the monolithic integration of In0.15Ga0.85As/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots (SAQD) and InGaAsP/InGaAsP multiple quantum wells (MQW). Supplemental methods for post-growth bandgap tuning and waveguide formation were developed, including a plasma treatment process which is demonstrated to reliably inhibit thermally induced interdiffusion of Ga and In atoms in In0.15Ga0.85As/GaAs quantum dots. The process is comparable to the existing approach of capping the SAQD wafer with TiO2, while being simpler to implement along-side companion techniques such as impurity free vacancy disordering. Study of plasma-surface interactions in both wafer structures suggests that the effect may be dependent on the composition of the contact layer. The second portion of this work deals with the design, fabrication, and the testing of MMI switches which are used to investigate the limits of electrical current control when employing SAQD as the active core material. A variable power splitter based on a 3-dB MMI coupler is used to analyze the effects of sub-microsecond electrical current pulses in relation to carrier and thermal nonlinearities. Electrical current controlled switching of the variable power splitter and a tunable 2 x 2 MMI coupler is also demonstrated. The third part of this dissertation explores the response of In0.15Ga0.85As/GaAs SAQD waveguide structures to photogenerated carriers. Also presented is a simple, but effective, design modification to the 2 x 2 MMI cross-coupler switch that allows control over the carrier distribution within the MMI waveguide. This technique is combined with selective-area bandgap tuning to demonstrate a compact, working, all-optical MMI based switch.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003220, ucf:48568
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003220
- Title
- INTEGRATED INP PHOTONIC SWITCHES.
- Creator
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May-Arrioja, Daniel, LiKamWa, Patrick, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Photonic switches are becoming key components in advanced optical networks because of the large variety of applications that they can perform. One of the key advantages of photonic switches is that they redirect or convert light without having to make any optical to electronic conversions and vice versa, thus allowing networking functions to be lowered into the optical layer. InP-based switches are particularly attractive because of their small size, low electrical power consumption, and...
Show morePhotonic switches are becoming key components in advanced optical networks because of the large variety of applications that they can perform. One of the key advantages of photonic switches is that they redirect or convert light without having to make any optical to electronic conversions and vice versa, thus allowing networking functions to be lowered into the optical layer. InP-based switches are particularly attractive because of their small size, low electrical power consumption, and compatibility with integration of laser sources, photo-detectors, and electronic components. In this dissertation the development of integrated InP photonic switches using an area-selective zinc diffusion process has been investigated. The zinc diffusion process is implemented using a semi-sealed open-tube diffusion technique. The process has proven to be highly controllable and reproducible by carefully monitoring of the diffusion parameters. Using this technique, isolated p-n junctions exhibiting good I-V characteristics and breakdown voltages greater than 10 V can be selectively defined across a semiconductor wafer. A series of Mach-Zehnder interferometric (MZI) switches/modulators have been designed and fabricated. Monolithic integration of 1x2 and 2x2 MZI switches has been demonstrated. The diffusion process circumvents the need for isolation trenches, and hence optical losses can be significantly reduced. An efficient optical beam steering device based on InGaAsP multiple quantum wells is also demonstrated. The degree of lateral current spreading is easily regulated by controlling the zinc depth, allowing optimization of the injected currents. Beam steering over a 21 microns lateral distance with electrical current values as low as 12.5 mA are demonstrated. Using this principle, a reconfigurable 1x3 switch has been implemented with crosstalk levels better than -17 dB over a 50 nm wavelength range. At these low electrical current levels, uncooled and d.c. bias operation is made feasible. The use of multimode interference (MMI) structures as active devices have also been investigated. These devices operate by selective refractive index perturbation on very specific areas within the MMI structure, and this is again realized using zinc diffusion. Several variants such as a compact MMI modulator that is as short as 350 µm, a robust 2x2 photonic switch and a tunable MMI coupler have been demonstrated.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001368, ucf:47007
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001368
