The graduate program at the University of Dallas

A phenomenological study aimed at exploring the process of becoming physically educated with an interdisciplinary movement consciousness was conducted with the intention of understanding how basic motions, such as reaching and stretching, experienced in kinetic–kinaesthetic discovery may deepen a primordial, Merleau-Pontian connection to the world. A JungleSport climbing-based program with a series of vertical challenges framed the context of this inquiry informed by the overarching question of “What is it like to become physically educated in a way that invites an expanded movement consciousness, from the rudiments of movement function to the somatics of flow?” Implications of this inquiry support an animate curriculum and pedagogical model that purports a simple yet profound notion: that one must move to learn.     

Behavioral training for teachers in special education: the Gonzaga University program

The Gonzaga University's behaviorally based Department of Special Education offers an undergraduate major in special education for the completion of a Bachelor of Education degree, as well as a Master of Education in Special Education. The basic behavioral, data‐based model, philosophy, and courses are outlined at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Outcome data gathered from the program's consumers indicated high levels of student and employer satisfaction with the program, the faculty, and the curricular content. The manner in which the program is viewed as compatible with state and national accrediting bodies is discussed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The measurement of self-esteem for program evaluation

The purpose of this paper is to examine the area of self-esteem in the professional literature, its relationship to educational programs, its measurement problems, and one approach to program evaluation in terms of students' self-esteem. Self-esteem has been an important topic in the educational literature in recent years. There have been many important contributions by investigators on the relationship between self-esteem and educational achievement. Until recently, the results of self-esteem investigations have yielded a somewhat negative appraisal from reviewers, but there is optimism for the future possibilities of assessing this elusive construct. The investigator focusing upon program evaluation has advantages over his predecessors. He can utilize different measurement strategies. The strengths and criticisms of Q methodology are discussed. The L-L Q-Sort is presented as one approach to the evaluation of self-esteem in educational program evaluation.     

Update on the decline in the education and training in psychological measurement and assessment

An update is presented on the steady decline in the education and training of psychometricians, quantitative psychologists, and personality assessment psychologists in North America.     

The founding of the psychological laboratory, University College London: "Dear Galton...yours truly, J Sully"

The events leading up to the founding of the Psychological Laboratory at University College London are examined in the light of correspondence from James Sully to Francis Galton. The correspondence reveals the dependence of Sully on Galton for detailed advice at every stage of the process, possible reasons for which are discussed. It also provides sufficient clues to enable identification of a hitherto anonymous donor. Although Galton may have inspired and advised on the initial setting up of the laboratory, his influence on its work did not become apparent until after his death.     

The psychological impact of training deprivation in martial artists

Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine the psychological impact of a one-week deprivation period from training in martial artists, training at brown and black belt levels in Shotokan karate, and to observe whether the effects are different for men and women.Method: Twenty martial artists were tested in two counterbalanced study-waves one consisting of pre-, during- and post-deprivation periods and the other of a baseline period. Each wave lasted for two weeks. The participants completed the “Well-Being Questionnaire” (WBQ) (J. Sport Exercise Psychol. 14 (1992) 361) and the Profile of Mood States Inventory (Int. J. Sport Psychol. 23 (1992) 93) every evening before their bedtime. All participants took part in both waves of the study and they refrained from all physical activity during the deprivation period.Results: Considerable increases were seen in anger, depression, negative affect, tension, and total mood disturbance. The latter increased by 249% during the deprivation period. More modest, but significant, decreases were observed in positive affect and vigour. No differences were found between the responses of men and women.Conclusion: Advanced martial artists in Shotokan karate report severe mood disturbance during a one-week period of abstinence from training, which is independent of the sex of the individual.     

The psychological sense of economic hardship: measurement models, validity, and cross-ethnic equivalence for urban families

Poverty is a community stressor that disproportionally affects ethnic minority families. One aspect of programmatic research on poverty focuses on the psychological sense of economic hardship. In a study of 319 African American, European American, and Mexican American urban families, parents completed objective measures of economic status and scales of perceived economic hardship that were adapted from previous research. Measurement models identified a coherent construct of psychological sense of economic hardship that was essentially equivalent for mothers and fathers, English- and Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans, and the 3 ethnic groups. In support of the validity of this construct, relations between objective indicators of economic status and perceived economic hardship showed equivalence across these same groups.     

Type-A Behavior, Job Performance, and Well-Being in College Teachers

This study examined the relationship between Type-A behavior and job performance, and employee well-being among college teachers in Canada. Well-being was operationalized in terms of burnout, social support, work satisfaction, and turnover motivation. Data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire from 420 college teachers. Pearson correlation and moderated multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. Global Type-A behavior was not related to 3 measures of job performance: teaching hours, number of course preparations per semester and number of students. However, global Type-A behavior correlated positively with burnout and turnover motivation and negatively with perceived social support and work satisfaction. Two components of Type-A behavior (time pressure and hard driving/competitiveness) exhibited the same pattern of relationship with job performance and well-being variables as was found with the global measure of Type-A behavior. Moderated multiple regression did not support the role of gender as a moderator of Type-A behavior and job performance and well-being variables.