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Title: Accuracy of the autism spectrum screening questionnaire -- GIRL in identifying females with autism spectrum disorder
Year Issued: 2024

Abstract: Females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an emerging research topic in the field of special education. Identification of ASD begins with the use of screening tools. This study utilized the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire – Revised Extended Version (ASSQ...
Show moreFemales with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an emerging research topic in the field of special education. Identification of ASD begins with the use of screening tools. This study utilized the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire – Revised Extended Version (ASSQ-REV) to (1) evaluate the accuracy of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) in identifying males and females with ASD and (2) evaluate the accuracy of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire – GIRL (ASSQ-GIRL) questions in distinguishing between the female and male phenotypes of ASD. Two hypotheses were proposed: (1) males will more accurately be identified than females as having ASD using the ASSQ and (2) the ASSQ-GIRL will identify the female phenotype of ASD at a greater rate than the male phenotype of ASD. Heterogenous convenience sampling was utilized to recruit 49 participants. Responses were analyzed through quantitative analysis using the McNemar’s test. Results showed no statistically significant difference for both hypotheses thus disproving both proposed hypotheses. Further research should focus on the inclusion of characteristics of females with ASD into ASD screening tools. This research has the potential to lead to earlier ages of diagnosis for females with ASD thus resulting in increased access to needed interventions and supports.
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Author: Castonguay, Sydney

Title: Exploring music therapists' engagement in personal musicking
Year Issued: 2024

Abstract: This study explores music therapists’ experiences of personal musicking. The research question is: What role does personal musicking play in the music therapist’s life? Data was collected using individual, semi-structured interviews with five music therapists in the ...
Show moreThis study explores music therapists’ experiences of personal musicking. The research question is: What role does personal musicking play in the music therapist’s life? Data was collected using individual, semi-structured interviews with five music therapists in the United States. Interviews were transcribed and coded for themes using reflexive thematic analysis. Seven themes emerged from the participant transcripts, which were (1) facets of positive musical relationship; (2) personal and professional connections; (3) ways of musicking; (4) music aspirations; (5) hindrances to musical relationship; (6) emotions; and (7) barriers to musicking. Within each theme, three to six subthemes were also identified, totaling 30 subthemes. Participants described a variety of music experiences which contribute to a positive musical relationship though many internal and external factors inhibited their actual ability to engage in musicking as much as they would like or desire. Participants compared their experiences of musicking in clinical spaces with that of their personal musicking, and the boundaries drawn between clinical and personal music were unique to each participant. Implications for the music therapy profession include: considerations of thinking styles and values around different types of musicking; a call for curricula adaptation in music therapy training to encourage musical identity formation via many ways of musicking; and encouragement for practicing clinicians to continue exploring their sense of musicianship to maintain ethical practice and recognize the ways that musicking influences their own health and wellness.
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Author: McLean, Sarah

Title: Understanding safety in music therapy
Year Issued: 2024

Abstract: Although there is a growing emphasis on trauma-informed care in music therapy clinical practice, research specifically addressing the concept of safety—particularly psychological and physical safety—remains limited. Therefore, this thesis aimed to understand the conc...
Show moreAlthough there is a growing emphasis on trauma-informed care in music therapy clinical practice, research specifically addressing the concept of safety—particularly psychological and physical safety—remains limited. Therefore, this thesis aimed to understand the concept of safety in the field of music therapy and how it informs practice, education, and professional interactions. Given the limited existing research on this topic, a grounded theory methodology was employed to generate a deeper understanding of how safety is conceptualized in the field based on the lived experiences and insights of practitioners. The primary researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with a total of 11 participants. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the transcripts were analyzed and coded using ATLAS.ti. The findings proposed the following theory: Within music therapy contexts, safety is a dynamic experience that is constantly negotiated and co-constructed by participants through prioritizing care and well-being in the relationship and conditions for safety, including trust, are present. Interpretations of findings, implications for music therapy practice, and recommendations for future research were included.
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Author: Hales, Grant

Title: 2023-3-28- Symphonic Wind Ensemble

Title: 2023-5-2-Symphonic Wind Ensemble

Title: Ableism and colonialism in international music therapy service-learning settings
Abstract: Music therapy settings are often marked by multiple power hierarchies, in which music therapists hold privileged identities in areas such as race, disability, language, and class in relation to clients who may carry multiple oppressed identities. In international ser...
Show moreMusic therapy settings are often marked by multiple power hierarchies, in which music therapists hold privileged identities in areas such as race, disability, language, and class in relation to clients who may carry multiple oppressed identities. In international service-learning settings, these dualities can be even more pronounced. As international service-learning projects market themselves to young music therapists and students, they emphasize these projects’ ability to accelerate music therapists’ advancement in the profession. However, analysis of visual and written discourse can reveal subtler and more insidious consequences of such projects, particularly in the ways they uphold colonial and ableist paradigms. In this paper, I will outline some foundational understandings regarding Indigenous studies, Disability studies, “voluntourism,” and the relevance of representation. I will then analyze publicly available photos and text from four international music therapy service-learning projects, using Actor-Network Theory to identify colonial and ableist themes. The analyses will demonstrate that these experiences align and prepare young music therapists for broader music therapy practice mainly by reinforcing music therapy’s deeply colonial and ableist foundations. Music therapy identity in these images is white, settler, nondisabled, and aligned with Western music and culture; client identity is Indigenous, colonized, Disabled, and represented without markers of local cultural resources. Beyond identity, these images reveal relational patterns that align with colonial and ableist tropes. As represented in these images and texts, music therapists purportedly give, help, act, distribute, teach, and transform, whereas clients receive, wait, accept, assimilate, and “overcome.” The representations are not merely neutral agents that reveal existing dynamics; they also perpetuate problematic notions of music therapy as an assimilative and charitable agent, enacted by active “helpers” upon passive “sufferers.” They both accentuate and perpetuate assumptions of Black and colonized people as needy or deficient, positioning Western music therapists conversely as helpful and sufficient. In analyzing and interpreting these representations, I will approach the following questions: How much does music therapist identity depend on the construction of a needy other? In representing ourselves as helpers, how do music therapists unwittingly create or emphasize deficits in clients?
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Year Issued: 2021

Author: Gilman, Vee
Sub-title: A critical discourse analysis

Title: Acme Vocals Publicity Photograph
Year Created: 1990

Abstract: Digitized copy of the Acme Vocals Publicity Photo
Sub-title: Xtremes Publicity Photograph Collection

Title: Adapted physical education service providers' perceptions of sensorimotor stage learners
Year Issued: 2024

Abstract: Students with severe disabilities at the sensorimotor stage of learning require specialized instructional practices. Limited research into service provider perceptions related to Service Provision and lack of available professional development confound the challenge ...
Show moreStudents with severe disabilities at the sensorimotor stage of learning require specialized instructional practices. Limited research into service provider perceptions related to Service Provision and lack of available professional development confound the challenge of implementing effective instructional practices. The investigation used a one-group pretestposttest research design to investigate current perceptions and self-reported changes in the use of research-based strategies and evidence-based practices after a self-paced asynchronous professional development module developed by the researcher. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed based on the theory of planned behavior which served as the theoretical framework. The pretest-posttest results of ten participants were analyzed to determine relationships and correlations using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicated a correlation between confidence in providing Adapted Physical Education services and confidence in being able to fulfill other role responsibilities. The quantitative data results indicated participants who completed the professional development module were more likely to implement routines and hand under hand guidance. Supporting qualitative data results indicated more intentional use of highly effective strategies. Based on the results, APE service providers perceive the value in high quality learning opportunities for students with severe disabilities at the sensorimotor stage of learning.
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Author: Campbell, Angela

Title: Aerial Views

Title: AJ Jamal Publicity Photograph
Year Created: 1995

Abstract: Digitized copy of the A.J. Jamal Publicity Photograph
Sub-title: Xtremes Publicity Photograph Collection

Title: Analyzing and comparing similarities and perceptions of current status and of years of experience regarding positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) tier 1 implementation across multiple K-6 schools
Year Issued: 2022

Abstract: In this study, the educational discussion focused on Tier 1 implementation of the behavioral management system known as positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) within three randomized K-6 elementary schools all at varying years of program implementation...
Show moreIn this study, the educational discussion focused on Tier 1 implementation of the behavioral management system known as positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) within three randomized K-6 elementary schools all at varying years of program implementation (Lower Elementary, K-3 Elementary, and K-6 Elementary school). Further, the study fixated on whether there were commonalities or differences in the perception of the current status of PBIS Tier 1 implementation which came in the form of a mixed-method approach for the participating general and special education teachers within those schools. An effective, consistent, and positive behavioral management system in schools is a relatively new concept with so many educational institutions in the past taking punitive approaches toward discipline. To take a more proactive approach toward behavior, schools have been utilizing PBIS to reshape the thinking of students and teachers to develop better and safer environments for learners and educators alike. The data collected in this study was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test and detailed thematic analysis. The qualitative analysis results revealed the presence of five major themes regarding feedback from staff on the factors and perceptions contributing to successful Tier 1 implementation of PBIS. Such themes consisted of: (a) Buy-in from stakeholders; (b) Needing the use of consistent language, communication, and policies across the school; (c) Informing and reminding students about the expectations on a daily basis; (d) Integrating the teaching of Values inside and outside of the classroom; and (e) Needing to implement constant and clear communication to all stakeholders. Results showed that while school-wide discipline systems were more prevalent, visible, or successful in the lower elementary school, the implementation of non-classroom management systems and classroom management systems of the respective schools was almost similar with the implementation of being mostly in place. Recommendations for future research include more understanding of the main needs of a school (resources, training, time, evaluation, etc.) of a school, a heightened awareness of disciplinary action needs to be emphasized by means of restorative behavioral management practices for all staff, and a need for advanced tiers should be established for all students. Implications for positive change include increased teacher/school awareness, support, and guidance with PBIS, enhanced restorative behavioral management skills, and a positive shift in mindset regarding interacting with negative behaviors within school settings.
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Author: Schleicher, William

Title: Archives

Abstract: Digital collections from the Slippery Rock University Archives.

Title: Art Building

Sub-title: The Hut

Title: Augmented and virtual realities in special education contexts
Abstract: The augmented and virtual reality applications literature base spans more than 30 years with one of the first studies conducted by Meredith Bricken in 1991. With the advances in technology, researchers are increasingly examining the use of augmented reality (AR) and ...
Show moreThe augmented and virtual reality applications literature base spans more than 30 years with one of the first studies conducted by Meredith Bricken in 1991. With the advances in technology, researchers are increasingly examining the use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) within educational contexts, more specifically special education contexts. VR is one of the fastest growing technologies (Nuguri, Calyam, Oruche, Gulhane, Valluripally, Stichter, & He, 2021) and AR is growing rapidly showing advances in interaction, navigation, and tracking within education, entertainment, business, medicine, and other settings (Ablyaev, Abliakimova, & Seidametova, 2020). Despite AR and VR demonstrating documented success with enriching learning opportunities and task performances (Billingsley, Smith, Smith, & Meritt, 2019; Bricken, 1991; Nuguri et al., 2021), there is limited research on applying these programs directly within a school setting for students with disabilities. To understand the effectiveness of AR and VR, a meta-analysis of six studies was conducted using hierarchical linear modeling focusing on functional, transitional, and social skills. Participants included 18 students ages 6-15-years-old all with a special education diagnosis (i.e., Intellectual Disability or Autism). Results suggest that these interventions are effective in developing functional, transitional, and social skills with students with disabilities. Most notably, participants aged 14-15 years old showed the greatest effect estimates. There were no differences for sex. Limitations and potential future directions in supporting students with disabilities are discussed.
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Year Issued: 2021

Author: Herman, Toriel
Sub-title: a meta-analysis

Title: Bailey Library

Title: Barbara Bailey Hutchison Publicity Photograph
Year Created: 1992

Abstract: Digitized copy of the Barbara Bailey Hutchison publicity photograph
Sub-title: Xtremes Publicity Photograph Collection

Title: Befriending the piano
Abstract: This mixed methods dual case study explores the impact of creative free play sessions on college music students' experiences of piano performance anxiety within a music therapy context. Participants included Johanna and Wade, undergraduate students enrolled in a clas...
Show moreThis mixed methods dual case study explores the impact of creative free play sessions on college music students' experiences of piano performance anxiety within a music therapy context. Participants included Johanna and Wade, undergraduate students enrolled in a class piano course for non-piano majors. Johanna, a white 20-year-old cis female, and Wade, a white 35-year-old cis male, participated in 8-10 music therapy sessions that involved discussion and creative free play on piano focusing on alleviating performance anxiety and fostering creative expression. Findings indicate that both participants experienced varying degrees of anxiety reduction and increased comfort with piano performance over the semester. Johanna’s narrative highlighted her journey of overcoming internal fears and building self-confidence while Wade’s narrative demonstrated his experience of finding a meaningful connection to the piano and utilizing the piano as a tool to help manage external stressors. Both participants reported the therapeutic relationship and dedicated time to engage creatively with the piano as the most beneficial in reducing anxiety and increasing productivity. Pre and post test questionnaires indicate the most improvement in the areas of proximal somatic anxiety, worry about performance, and negative cognitions related to performance anxiety and well as self-reported decreases in overall levels of general and piano performance anxiety. Implications for future research suggest incorporating creative arts therapies in college counseling centers to address performance anxiety for students across performing arts modalities. Future research should expand to include larger studies and participants from diverse performance disciplines to validate findings and broaden applicability in higher education settings.
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Year Issued: 2024

Author: Sandham, Randy
Sub-title: A dual case study of the impact of music therapy and piano-based free play on college students' piano performance anxiety

Title: Bertice Berry Publicity Photograph
Year Created: 1991

Abstract: Digitized copy of the Bertice Berry Publicity Photograph
Sub-title: Xtremes Publicity Photograph Collection

Title: Bill Fry Publicity Photograph
Year Created: 1994

Abstract: Digitized copy of the Bill Fry publicity photograph
Sub-title: Xtremes Publicity Photograph Collection

Title: Billy Elmer Publicity Photograph
Year Created: 1991

Abstract: Digitized copy of the Billy Elmer publicity photograph
Sub-title: Xtremes Publicity Photograph Collection