Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology electronic theses and dissertations (MU)
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The items in this collection are the theses and dissertations written by students of the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology. Some items may be viewed only by members of the University of Missouri System and/or University of Missouri-Columbia. Click on one of the browse buttons above for a complete listing of the works.
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Item Measurement invariance among Latinx and White engineering college students on the planning for career and family scale(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2024) Hu, Xiaotian; Flores, Lisa Y.This study examined the measurement invariance of the Planning for Career and Family scale (PLAN; Ganginis Del Pino et al., 2013), originally developed to assess career and family planning decisions for women college students, across a diverse sample of women and men engineering students. The PLAN scale, initially comprising 24 items, was revised to a 21-item scale following confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) that eliminated three cross-loading items. Subsequent testing of one-factor, two-factor, and bifactor structural models suggested that the bifactor model was the best fit to the data, aligning with existing literature, and thus was used as the baseline model for subsequent measurement invariance testing. We tested the measurement invariance of the 21-item bifactor PLAN model across gender (men, women), ethnicity (Latinx, White), academic years (from first year to senior year), and intersections of gender and ethnicity (Latinx men, Latinx women, White men, White women) using two methods. Results of the two methods revealed mixed results on the levels of invariance, with scalar invariance across academic years supported by one method. Latent mean comparisons indicated significant differences in career and family planning intentions between sophomores and seniors. The findings confirm the PLAN scale's effectiveness across diverse student groups and underscore the importance of further validating its applicability in diverse populations. This study offers insights into shaping educational policies and programs that effectively support diverse career and family planning perspectives among engineering students in higher education.Item Social-cognitive predictors of psychological well-being among college students with Autism Spectrum Disorder : application of the social cognitive well-being model(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2024) Hu, Xiaotian; Flores, Lisa Y.The current study tested and extended Lent's (2004) unifying social cognitive career theory of well-being among a sample of 219 college students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Structural Equational Modeling (SEM) was used to examine the interplay among contextual support (i.e., environmental supports), cognitive variables (i.e., self-efficacy, outcome expectations), personality traits (i.e., positive affect), and behavioral variables (i.e., goal-directed activity) as hypothesized in unifying SCCT wellbeing model. Results indicated that the SCCT well-being model provide a good fit to the data. Additionally, we proposed and tested a modified SCCT well-being model that incorporates internalizing symptoms (anxiety and depression), which are highly prevalent in the autistic population. This modified model not only fits the data well but also explains a greater variance in life satisfaction for autistic college students compared to the original model. The comparison of academic and life satisfaction between our sample and neurotypical populations, as reported in existing literature, reveals that while academic satisfaction levels are similar, autistic students experience lower life satisfaction. Implications for research and practice were discussed in relation to enhancing academic and life satisfaction among college students with ASD.Item Not sure what I can say : the impact of politicization on rural secondary school mental health professionals' navigation of building sexual harassment(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2024) Wadley, Katherine Ellis; Slaten, Christopher D.School mental health professionals frequently encounter occupational challenges stemming from their multifaceted roles within educational institutions. These factors are compounded by a prevailing sense of uncertainty or hesitation regarding mental health services in certain school settings. Additionally, the tightening grip of state censorship laws significantly complicates the navigation of sensitive topics like sexual harassment. This interpretive phenomenological research study aims to explore the experiences of school mental health professionals, including school counselors, school-based licensed professional counselors, and school social workers, as they grapple with the complexities of addressing sexual harassment within school environments. Specifically, the research aims to address two primary inquiries: (1) What are the expectations placed on rural secondary school mental health professionals to address and/or manage sexual harassment? (2) What factors influence secondary school mental health professionals' work in navigating sensitive topics such as sexual harassment working in rural areas? To answer these questions, 13 rural secondary school mental health professionals residing in the same state participated in a singular recorded 45-60-minute semi-structured interview. Findings from this study presented with the 3 following themes: (1) Role Expectations in Addressing Sexual Harassment, (2), Ethical Navigation, and (3) Diverse Perceptions of Sexual Harassment. Within these three themes were present seven subthemes. Within Role Expectations in Addressing Sexual Harassment were the subthemes of (1) Exclusion from Policy Creation, (2) Alignment with Expected Tasks, and (3) Deviation from Expected Tasks. The theme of Ethical Navigation held the three subthemes of (1) School Climate, (2), Influence of School Policy, and (3) Community and Sociocultural Dynamics. Lastly, the theme of Diverse Perceptions of Sexual Harassment holds one subtheme of (1) Other Forms of Harassment and Violence. Implications for School Mental Health Professionals and Policy are discussed.Item Interrogating the conceptualization and measurement of socioeconomic status : exploring a novel methodology using South African data(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2024) Stephen, Tayla Leigh; Whitney, StephenThis study explores various approaches to modeling socioeconomic status (SES) and examines their implications for understanding well-being outcomes in South Africa. Three modeling techniques are compared: an asset index model derived from Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), latent variable models with reflective and formative indicators for SES, and a network model revealing the interconnectedness of socioeconomic factors. Results suggest that the network model accounts for more of the variance in some components of well-being. Upon closer inspection of the network's centrality, it is clear that socioeconomic conditions are more nuanced and that adopting common modeling approaches risks overlooking these. This supports the case for examining socioeconomic conditions as opposed to socioeconomic status, suggesting that researchers must carefully consider how they operationalize and measure these constructs in light of their research objectives.Item Reintegration and decent work among United States veterans : impact of marginalization, social support, and career adaptability(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2024) Schmiedeler, Anthony Robert; Rottinghaus, Patrick J.United States military veterans face challenges when reintegrating into civilian society. Among these difficulties often exist barriers for veterans in navigating work and career experiences. This study tested factors that may contribute to experiences of decent work and reintegration in a sample of 90 United States veterans. Utilizing the Psychology of Working Theory as a framework, veterans' social support was hypothesized to be a moderating factor in the relationship between veterans' experiences of marginalization and decent work. Additionally, decent work was examined as a potential mediator in the association between veterans' career adaptability and reintegration. Separate moderation and mediation models were tested to examine the study's hypotheses. Results did not find social support to moderate the relationship between marginalization and decent work. However, decent work significantly and partially mediated the relationship between career adaptability and reintegration. Interpretation of these findings in the context of the literature is discussed, as well as implications for practice and theory, limitations, and future directions.