Theses and Dissertations from UMD
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2
New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.
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Item THE CONTRIBUTION OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTION TO READING COMPREHENSION FOR LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE LEARNERS(2018) Meyer, Anna; Silverman, Rebecca D; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Research suggests that EF can aid in the prediction of RC. However, much of the existing research into the relationship between these two variables has relied on statistical correlations and simple linear regression, neither of which fully capture the complexity of their theoretical relationship and other known contributors to RC, such as decoding and linguistic comprehension. Accordingly, this dissertation study investigated the relationship between EF and RC through a synthesis of the literature and two separate empirical studies. The first empirical study investigate whether (1) a latent construct of EF, measured by separate assessments of working memory, shifting, and inhibition, makes unique direct contribution to the prediction of RC and (2) whether EF’s latent construct mediates the prediction of RC through decoding and a latent construct of linguistic comprehension. The second empirical study investigated whether (1) a latent construct of EF, measured by separate assessments of working memory, shifting, and inhibition, makes unique direct contribution to the prediction of RC and (2) whether EF’s latent construct mediates the prediction of RC through decoding and a latent construct of linguistic comprehension. Both empirical studies examined this relationship in linguistically diverse learners (LDLs) as an understudied population to extend the current research base. Specifically, the sample included three groups of LDL students: (a) English Learners (ELs), or students who speak a language other than or in addition to English in the home and who are receiving school-based English language services because they have not passed an English language proficiency exam, (b) R-ELs, or students who speak a language other than or in addition to English in the home but have passed an English language proficiency exam and have thus been recently exited from EL services, and (c) EL students from the above cohorts who the school identified as having a disability. Language and disability status, respectively, were entered as moderators in the above models to test for significant differences by group. Limitations of the dissertation study and directions for future research are discussed.Item Executive Functions and Overt/Covert Patterns of Conduct Disorder Symptoms in Children With ADHD(2009) Clarke, Tana L.; Chronis-Tuscano, Andrea; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)There are inconsistencies in findings exploring the relationship between executive functions (EF), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and conduct disorder (CD) symptoms in children in adolescents. In order to reconcile conflicting results in the existing literature, it is necessary to consider more carefully how these constructs are measured and the theory underlying any expected associations. The proposed study examined the EF correlates of overt and covert CD symptoms in a high-risk sample of 6-14 year old children with ADHD and varying levels of conduct problems. Several aspects of EF were examined, including shifting, working memory, behavioral inhibition, and interference control, to examine their relationship to both ADHD and overt and covert conduct problems. It was expected, after ADHD was accounted for, that deficits in behavioral inhibition and working memory would be related to both overt and covert CD symptoms, whereas deficits in shifting and interference control would be uniquely related to overt CD symptoms. Set shifting abilities were found to be significantly lower in children with co-occurring ADHD and CD in comparison to children with ADHD-only. Results failed to find consistent evidence for differential relationships between individual overt and covert behaviors and domains of EF, but an interaction between set shifting and interference control did significantly predict overt, but not covert symptoms. Potential reasons for these findings, as well as future directions for research are discussed.Item The influence of maternal sensitivity and maternal stimulation on later development of executive functioning via structural equation modeling(2007-04-25) Emick, Jessica; Strein, William; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study investigated the relations between early maternal behaviors, maternal sensitivity and maternal stimulation, and the later development of executive function. It was hypothesized that maternal behaviors could influence the development of executive function either directly or indirectly by influencing a child's language or attentional abilities. This study attempted to model these relationships using archival data from phase I and phase II from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD). Structural equation modeling was used with data from 470 participants on measures of SES, maternal sensitivity, maternal stimulation, language, attention, and executive function. From existing literature three nested models were proposed to examine how maternal behaviors influenced the later development of executive function. While there were significant differences between the three proposed models it is important to recognize the overall poor fit of the models. The differences between the models suggest that maternal sensitivity and maternal stimulation do not directly influence executive functioning in the 1st grade but instead influence the development of executive functioning through assisting the child in development of attention and language skills. Interestingly, the model also indicated verbal ability played an important role in the development of executive function. Secondly the study attempted to examine multi-group differences in the proposed models (Caucasian and African American). While small sample size precluded this analysis, examining the effect size differences between the two groups indicated that within the current sample ethnicity, language ability, and SES are deeply entangled. The results of the current study highlight the potential role of language ability in the development of executive function and the need for cleaner measures of executive function that are developmentally appropriate.