Browsing by Subject "Personality assessment of teenagers"
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Item Adolescents' concerns of the nuclear threat: implications for identity development and pleasure/sensation-seeking behavior(Texas Tech University, 1989-12) McCann, Leigh LessenberryPrevious research has assumed that knowledge of the nuclear threat in adolescence has had a destructive effect in the development of adolescents. The purpose of the current research was to assess the relationship between adolescents' despair of the nuclear threat and their identity status in ninth graders, eleventh graders, and college freshmen. A second purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between adolescents' despair of the nuclear threat and their pleasure/sensation-seeking behavior. The present research assessed nuclear anxiety using the Nuclear Threat Index (NTI). The Extended Version of the Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOM-EIS) was utilized to categorize the subjects into identity statuses (i.e., diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, or identity achievement). Pleasure/sensation-seeking behavior was assessed using the General Scale of the Sensation Seeking Scale, Form IV (GS-SSS-IV). Data were obtained from 214 adolescents. It was hypothesized that adolescents who have obtained identity achievement status would have a lower score on the NTI than adolescents in the moratorium status and these adolescents would have a lower score on the NTI than adolescents in the diffused status of identity development. A 4 x 2 x 3 multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed using the factors of identity status, gender, and grade level/age, respectively. The three subscales of the NTI (i.e., cognitive, behavior, and affect) were used as the dependent variables. A second hypothesis that there would be a positive relationship between adolescents' despair of the nuclear threat and their pleasure/sensation-seeking behavior was examined through a multiple regression analysis. The subjects' subscale scores on the NTI, gender, and grade level/age were used as the independent variables, while the subjects' respective scores on the GS-SSS-IV were used as the dependent variable. The results indicated that adolescents who have high nuclear anxiety do not appear to have any more difficulty reaching identity achievement than do their peers who have low anxiety. However, youths who have high nuclear anxiety are more likely to engage in pleasure/sensation-seeking behavior than their peers who have low anxiety. The multiple regression analysis indicated an overall significant model [F (5,208) = 17.93, n < -Oil- When considering the individual independent variables, it was found that pleasure/ sensation-seeking behavior was significantly influenced by the NTI affect subscale scores and gender at the .01 level.Item Legal and ethical ambiguities associated with behavior profiling of potentially violent students: secondary administrators' attitudes(Texas Tech University, 2002-08) Ratheal, Juli D'AnnAlthough there has been an overall decrease in incidences of school violence since the early 1990s, the number of multiple homicides on school properties has increased. Following the Columbine shootings in Littleton, Colorado, in 1999, a number of governmental agencies in collaboration with private organizations and educational agencies have produced various profiling and/or threat assessment lists of common characteristics associated with potentially violent students. However, educators and other professionals do not always agree on the benefits versus the risks associated with student behavior profiling. The purpose of this study was to determine whether behavior profiling was being used in Texas Region 17 and to assess attitudes concerning behavior profiling of students among Region 17 secondary administrators. This study was grounded in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory. The theory places "safety" second only to "physiological" needs in terms of primary needs suggesting that students must have their physiological and safety needs met before learning, which is the primary function of education, can be achieved. A second theory that provided a premise for this study is a common law doctrine known as in loco parentis, which defines the rights of students while at school in the United States. This commonly adhered to belief system established the school's authority over students as "in place of a parent" while the student was at school. The common theme throughout the literature review seemed to be that because school safety is a major concern to the American public, schools are expected to maintain a safe, learning environment. The legal and ethical gray area evident in the literature reflected numerous concerns associated with behavior profiling and threat assessment methods of creating and maintaining a safe environment. To address the ambivalence that seems evidence in the literature, the following questions were investigated in this study: (1) Is behavior profiling being used by Region 17 secondary administrators to identify and provide assistance to potentially violent students?; (2) How do the administrators perceive the benefits versus the risks of behavior profiling methods?; and (3) Do administrator's attitudes reflect the legal and ethical incongruence reflected in the literature? Data collection for this study was achieved by the use of a survey. Data analysis for this study consisted of the following (psychometric) descriptive techniques: (1) the mean, median and mode will be used to summarize and interpret the data; (2) variability will be expressed in terms of range; and (3) the distribution of the data will be illustrated by use of tables and bar charts. Eighty percent of the sample indicated that behavioral profiling is not being used. Forty-one percent of the sample indicated that they believed their campuses should be using behavioral profiling. No significant differences were found within any of the subgroups concerning beliefs about the risks and benefits of behavior profiling. Of the respondents who reported using behavior profiling, attitudinal data collected suggests that these respondents believe that the benefits of behavior profiling outweigh the risks. Additionally, of those respondents who reported not using behavior profiling attitudinal data suggests that these respondents believe that the benefits of behavioral profiling do not outweigh the risks.Item The relationship between adolescent characteristics and the quality of their natural mentors(Texas Tech University, 2002-12) Rychener, Stacey ReneeThe origin of the word mentor comes from ancient Greece when Odysseus entrusted his house and son Telemachus to an old man called Mentor when he set off on a journey (Merriam, 1983). Research has found that natural mentors play important role in supporting resilient outcomes for at-risk adolescents (Garmezy, 1993). Seventy-four adolescents from families with low SES backgrounds completed a questionnaire on their personal characteristics and their natural mentoring relationships. Results indicated that parents, adult relatives, unrelated adults, and peers were all named and as and seen as fulfilling the different mentoring roles. However, several findings indicated that fathers were not only less likely to be viewed as a mentor, but adolescents viewed the relationship as less functional than mothers, adult relatives, unrelated adults, and peers. Based on 10 qualitative interviews with the adolescents, it was found that adolescents were more likely to choose a male mentor. Adolescents generally were involved in a mutual activity with the mentor for around 3 to 4 years that involved both weekly one-on-one and group contact with the mentor. Finally, adolescents were drawn to their mentors for the following reasons: the mentor's area of expertise, their attitude and personality, intelligence, education, and willingness to help and sacrifice for others. Given that many mentoring programs target at-risk adolescents, it is particularly important to examine the quality and context of these natural mentoring relationships to develop more effective mentoring programs for adolescents in need of a supportive relationship.