Abrahams, D. A. (2004). Technology adoption in higher education: A framework for identifying and prioritizing issues and barriers to adoption. Cornell University.

This research examined the issues and barriers that inhibit faculty from using technology in instruction. The research proposes a framework that combines the empirical data from concept mapping with the theoretical factors identified from the literature to create a process that identifies the priority issues and barriers to technology adoption. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis was used to analyze the data gathered from the brainstorming session. A barrier definition and classification scheme was created and used to connect issues to barriers of adoption. Descriptive mixed methods approach was used to develop a pictorial multivariate conceptual framework for understanding the relationships and inter-relationships between issues and barriers to technology. Fifty-five faculty, nine key administrators and staff participated in a study to identify issues to the use of web-based technology in instruction at their instruction, University of Minnesota at Moorhead. The stakeholders identified and rated 99 issues to web-based technology in instruction. The issues were grouped into 11 issue clusters. The study identified Moorhead State University as Early Adopts of web-based technology in instruction. The two clusters of issues with the highest avenge rating of importance were: (1) Leadership and Support (4.01/5.0); (2) Faculty Issues (3.49/5.0). Overall, the results of the study indicate that the stakeholders' perceived lack of Leadership and Support for the technology, and the lack of Knowledge/Information about the technology to be the driving forces inhibiting faculty use of Web based technology in instruction. Specifically some of the issues are: (1) Technology must be easy to use. (2) Faculty needs time to learn how to use technology. (3) Technology needs to be supported to use in the classroom. Recommendations for overcoming issues and barriers to adopting technology in instruction are provided for institutions that are similarly in the early phases of adopting technology in instruction on their campus.

Antonucci, S. R. (2004). Counseling processes experienced by adult male survivors of childhood sexual abuse. University of Alberta Canada.

This study explored male survivors' perceptions of the counseling process. The purpose of the study was threefold: (1)to understand what motivated male survivors to seek counseling; (2) to identify what they found helpful in therapy; and (3)to appreciate what they perceived to be unhelpful in counseling. The methodological approach of concept mapping was utilized to gain an understanding of the structures present within therapy from the perspective of 25 male survivors. Findings revealed that male survivors sought counseling for a myriad of reasons that were not explicitly related to the initial abuse; however, were linked to the long term symptomatic effects of childhood sexual abuse. While the value of the therapeutic relationship was identified as being helpful, participants also acknowledged the distinct aspect of self-awareness and growth as beneficial. Male survivors regarded the lack of therapeutic preparation as an unhelpful counseling process.

Barakett, L. A. M. (1999). The latent organization of salient memories: A psychoanalytic perspective (psychoanalytic theory, concept mapping).Unpublished PHD, Auburn University.

A depiction of the latent structure of salient memories would be helpful in conceptualizing how people organize their significant memories along clusters and dimensions that are not obvious from manifest memory content, and would help to identify what factors determine salience in memory. Such a depiction might also have clinical utility in that it could assist the psychotherapist in understanding important client material at a latent level. The underlying structure of salient memory was investigated using the concept mapping research method. This method is described as well as how it was used in this study. Participants were asked to recount three significant memories in narrative form in response to an open-ended probe. Memories were reduced qualitatively into items, and participants sorted these items into piles using their own sorting strategies. A two-dimensional and seven cluster solution was deduced from these sorting strategies using multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis statistical techniques. This solution was found to have good stability and fit. The vertical dimension depicts positive and negative aspects of experience and is labeled the affective dimension. The horizontal dimension depicts loss and attachment aspects of experience and is labeled the loss-attachment dimension. The seven-cluster solution includes the following: Object Loss; Victimization; Parental Affiliation; Interpersonal Affiliation; Unpredictable Changes; Autonomy; and Accomplishments clusters. These results provide an organizational framework for salient memories along affective and loss-attachment dimensions and seven clusters. They further suggest that salient memories are determined by certain primary developmental experiences captured by the seven-cluster solution that were interpreted from a psychoanalytic perspective. Various psychoanalytic concepts were used to explain the findings including the concepts of object loss; narcissistic injury; parent-child separation; adolescent individuation; identification; and homeostasis. These concepts are described and applied to the concept map.

Bedi, R. P. (2004). Concept-mapping the client's perspective on counseling alliance formation.The University of British Columbia Canada.

The purpose of this study was to identify, categorize, and model clients' understanding of what behaviors are important in the initial formation of a counseling alliance. Forty participants who had participated in actual counseling were interviewed and asked what observable behaviors and verbalizations they thought had helped form or strengthen the alliance with their counselor. These alliance formation factors (in the form of participant statements) were recorded on index cards and thirty-one participants then returned and sorted these statements into self-defined conceptually homogeneous categories. Multivariate Concept-Mapping statistical techniques were used to compute the average & rdquo; sort across the participants. This analytic method yields an aggregate representation of individual understandings using a conceptual structure derived from the participants on the basis of sequential multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, and three-dimensional plotting procedure. In this study, 74 client-identified common factors were elicited and reliably categorized into the following 11 categories: Setting, Presentation & Body Language, Nonverbal Gestures, Emotional Support & Care, Honesty, Validation, Guidance & Challenge, Education, Referrals & Recommended Materials, Client's Personal Responsibility, and Session Administration. Participants understood adjacent categories in the above list as conceptually more similar constructs, while non-adjacent categories were understood as constructs more distinct from each other. The results indicate a discrepancy between the client's perspective on the alliance, as represented in this study, and those descriptions provided in the literature, which are generally derived from the practitioner's or investigator's perspectives. For example, the participants in this study saw alliance formation as counselor-driven (rather than as collaborative or as involving much client agency), as affected by the counselor’s physical characteristics (such as attire), as developed largely through simple micro-skills (such as eye contact, identifying client feelings, and referring to information in past sessions), and as impacted notably by technical counselor activity intended to directly affect outcome. This study also identified under-researched variables for inclusion into future investigations. This paper also discusses the methodological contributions of this research study, the limitations of the research study, and directions for future research.

Bosch, S. J. (2004). Identifying relevant variables for understanding how school facilities affect educational outcomes.Georgia Institute of Technology.

Many school facilities in the United States are old, out-of-date, poorly maintained, and lack specific design elements that are likely to enhance teaching, learning, behavior, and other desirable outcomes. This study proposed that one reason why previous research regarding the effects of the physical school environment on educational outcomes has had little impact on the quality of schools is because there is a lack of knowledge about these relationships. A multi-method approach was used to solicit information from educators and researchers familiar with school facility effects literature to develop a set of research priorities to guide future research. In Phase I, a literature analysis provided important physical and outcome variables to seed brainstorming lists used in following phases of the research and provided the basis for a gap analysis to identify unavailable information. A concept mapping methodology was utilized in Phase II to solicit feedback from a group of seventeen experienced educators who were asked to brainstorm a list of measures of student, school, or school district success, sort their final list of more than 100 items into categories that made sense to them, and rate each item regarding how important it is to monitor or otherwise track. Using a Delphi method, a series of four questionnaires was given to a group of experienced researchers who developed a list of physical variables plausibly related to educational outcomes, rated the importance of those items, developed hypotheses that included top-rated physical variables and top-rated outcome variables (i.e., measures of success rated by educators), and then selected from those hypotheses several that became the basis of the recommended research priorities for the field. These research priorities propose investigations of the relationships between a set of physical variables (including the provision of team work stations and faculty collaborative spaces, well-designed circulation spaces, spaces for quiet reflection, adaptable seating, day lighting in classrooms, and overall maintenance and building quality) and a variety of educational outcomes (e.g., achievement, behavior, satisfaction, affective performance).

Brossard, D. (2002). Media effects, public perceptions of science and authoritarian attitudes towards agricultural biotechnology decision-making. Cornell University.

This dissertation uses agricultural biotechnology as a case study with which to explore the extent to which American citizens maintain authoritarian attitudes towards science-related decision-making, and how media use might be related to such attitudes. It is argued in this study that authoritarian attitudes towards controversial science decision-making might be widespread among American citizens. In other words, contrary to views stressing the importance of public input for controversial scientific issues that have not only technical but also social implications, citizens might think that decision-making should in most cases be left to scientists and that public input is unnecessary. The research is largely exploratory, producing results useful to policy-makers and to researchers who are interested in mechanisms impacting public participation in policy-making for controversial science. The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase used concept-mapping techniques to conceptualize various dimensions that lay individuals might associate with agricultural biotechnology. The second part of the study, based on a survey of New York State residents, tested a model linking media use and authoritarian attitudes, with knowledge, trust, and attitudes towards science and technology as potential mediating variables. The results of the first phase of the study confirm that lay individuals often perceive issues in agricultural biotechnology to be as much political as scientific. Results of the quantitative analysis showed, however, that a large number of survey respondents expressed authoritarian attitudes towards agricultural biotechnology related decision-making. University scientists were perceived as the authority to trust for such decision-making, with little or no role for public input. Citizens may therefore often opt out of science-related policy-making. A context-based science authoritarianism, decreasing with levels of fear of science but increasing with levels of education, seems to be at play. Media use did impact authoritarian attitudes, although only attention to stories about agricultural biotechnology on television decreased levels of authoritarian attitudes, either directly or indirectly through knowledge, institutional trust and attitudes toward science and technology. This suggests that media alone may be unable to spark public participation in such an issue, if coverage does not increase significantly.

Brown, J. B. (1999). Traumatic sequalae in Vietnam veterans: A concept map.Auburn University.

Many individuals suffer from the sequelae of traumatic experiences. One population of trauma survivors that have been widely studied is veterans. It has long been recognized that combat veterans are changed by their experiences in the wars in which they have served. These men and women may experience chronic and severe pathologies as a result of their traumatic exposure. Forty-two Vietnam veterans participated in this study which examined the sequelae of combat trauma. An alternative research methodology, concept mapping was used. This method enlisted the veterans as informants of the symptoms that they experience which they believe to be the result of their military service in Vietnam. The concept mapping methodology involves four steps: (1) Researcher's seek participants' perspectives on a phenomena; (2) Researchers qualitatively reduce these perspectives as needed; (3) Participants sort (for similarity) and rate (for salience) the reduced elements; and (4) Statistical analysis (multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis) clarify the latent organization of the participants' perspectives. Results reveal a complex symptom structure in which veterans experience self-destructive behaviors, somatic complaints, alteration in meaning systems and functioning, unmodulated hostility, social withdrawal, alienation from feelings, anxiety, and despair. These findings are consistent with the more contemporary conceptualization of Complex PTSD, and suggest that both anxiety and dissociative elements are significant in post-traumatic pathology.

Cabrera, D. (2006). Crisis of conceptualization: The challenges of systems thinking in public health.Cornell University.

This exploratory empirical research used a methodology called structured conceptualization, which mixes qualitative methods such as brainstorming with multivariate statistical methods, to investigate some of the challenges of implementing systems thinking in a public health context. The motivation to understand and to implement systems thinking is borne of the belief that a new kind of thinking is needed to solve the most pressing crises humankind faces. There are numerous crises competing for our attention (i.e., global warming, food security, terrorism and fundamentalism, among others) yet solutions to each of these crises will require that we solve the crisis that lies at the root of these, the “crisis of conceptualization”. Many people believe that systems thinking offers a solution to the crisis of conceptualization and so in many fields (such as business, education, evaluation, public health and the sciences) people are attempting to implement systems thinking initiatives. Public health practitioners have already engaged in implementation initiatives that focus on systems thinking. Yet, these implementation efforts may be premature and face numerous challenges because of the ambiguity of the systems thinking construct. Among the community of scholars who work on systems thinking there are many ambiguities, misconceptions, and valid disputes. Because so many fields contribute to the systems thinking construct it is often fractured into “silos” of knowledge. Deming, one of the great scholars of management, said that systems thinking is one of four sources of ‘profound knowledge’. Precisely because it is perceived as so important by so many, these ambiguities must be remedied. The ambiguities in the systems thinking literature combined with the results of this research point to the need to clarify the systems thinking construct. Borne of this realization, and informed by the literature and the research, a “minimal concept theory” of systems thinking is proposed.

Cacy, J. R. (1995). The reality of stakeholder groups: A study of the validity and reliability of concept maps (program evaluation).Unpublished PHD, The University Of Oklahoma.

Most evaluations of social programs in the United States have been disappointing. This situation has led many evaluation theorists to call for efforts directed at developing the theory of any given program, hopefully before the program is even implemented, so that the logic of what is to be changed, why, and why and how the program is expected to produce these changes is clear from the outset. The expectation is that both better programs and better program evaluations will result. One tool that has recently appeared is called concept mapping. Participants discuss the program or anticipated program and brainstorm statements or phrases about the program. These statements or phrases, usually after some editing, are placed on cards for participants to sort into piles in a way that makes sense to them. Sometimes participants rate the statements or phrases, if a rating is desired. The piles of cards are then submitted to analysis by multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. The result is statements clustered in terms of what consensus may exist among the persons sorting the cards and a graphical representation of these clusters, called a concept map. The six reliability indices recommended by Trochim (1993) were computed and compared with values reported by Trochim, and participants were presented with three map and clustered statement list alternatives and asked to choose the one that made the most sense to them. Reliability coefficients were generally lower than those reported by Trochim (1993), but the pattern of lowest to highest coefficient was somewhat similar. The Faculty participant subgroup systematically chose the Community subgroup map and statement clusters, and this pattern was statistically significant. There was no systematic map choice for the Community subgroup or for all participants as a whole. A majority, though not statistically significant number, of participants reported that only the statements were useful in making the choice of which map/statement cluster list combination made the most sense. This study was, however, limited to fairly brief interactions with participants. A number of specific recommendations are made for future studies.

Chun, J. (2004). Stress and coping strategies in runaway youths: An application of concept mapping.The University of Texas at Austin.

The number of runaway adolescents has continued to increase in recent years. Despite the growth and the pervasive problems of high levels of stress and low levels of positive coping strategies to deal with this stress, scant research has been devoted to the stress and coping problems of this population. This study is the first of its kind to explore stress and coping strategies of runaway youths. Participants were male and female runaway adolescents (n = 53) living in a runaway shelter in Austin, Texas. Concept Mapping, a mixed-method approach developed by Trochim (1989), was used to collect, organize and interpret qualitative data through quantitative techniques. The present study used Concept Mapping to define concepts of stressors and coping strategies, and to detect domains of stressors and coping. Concept Mapping revealed six major clusters of stressors: Disrespect, Living Stability, Anxiety, School, Friends, and Family. Five major coping strategies emerged as well: Relaxation, Social Support, Going Out, Hobbies/Interests, and Escaping. A Pearson's r was extracted to assess the strength of the relationship (the level of consistency) between groups such as male versus female, White versus Non-White, and situational runaways versus chronic runaways. Great levels of disagreement in stressor identification were observed between White versus Non-White (r =.64). Non-White youths experienced higher levels of stress from problems related to school, friends, and disrespect than did White youths. Similarly, high levels of disagreement in coping strategies were observed across different ethnic groups (r =.73). Non-White youths reported greater frequency of using coping methods of Social Support and Going Out, while White youths relied on Relaxation and Hobbies/Interests to a greater extent. In addition, relationships between coping patterns and types of stressors were examined using multinomial logistic regression analysis. The existence of a relationship between coping pattern and the stressor disrespect was supported, significantly explaining 61.8 percent of the model's variance (<italic>p</italic> &lt.05). The conceptual framework can be utilized in planning and developing preventive programs and interventions with runaway youths experiencing high levels of stress. Social workers and helping professionals need to demonstrate an awareness of the stressors and corresponding coping strategies among this population by providing support services grounded in a relationship of mutual respect.

Clayton, L. B. (2002). The use of concept mapping to evaluate the isomorphism of the hierarchical leisure constraint typology.Clemson University.

This study of leisure constraints used the Concept Mapping software developed by William Trochim (Trochim, 1993; Trochim, 1996) to develop a list of individual leisure constraints and categories of leisure constraints as identified and defined by participants. Participants in this study were four focus groups each working independently. Group one consisted of outdoor recreation participants of a variety of ages who participated in a Wilderness First Responder course. Group two consisted of college students with a variety of interests and fields attending a large Southeastern university. Group three consisted of a variety of Community members who attended church in a college town built around a large Southeastern university. Group four consisted of adults retired from administrative positions living a southern community located in a recreation lake setting. Participants were given information about the purpose of the study without an indication that items were to be grouped in later stage. To begin a definition of constraints was provided to participants. Each assembled focus group was asked, as a group, to generate a list of items that act as constraints and/or obstacles to leisure activities. The list of items that resulted front this brainstorming session was then copied onto separate sorting cards. Each participant got a complete list of the constraints and, on their own, soiled the items into categories that seemed appropriate to the individual participant. This entire process took approximately two hours for each group. The Concept Mapping program built a map from the information contained in the matrix. With the information on each pair of items, the map was constructed using geographic distance to reflect the similarities or dissimilarities of items. The result was a visual map of conceptual relatedness with items of similar concept being close together on the map. This also resulted in having items that were conceptually unrelated, or opposite, separated by greater distances on the map. The second part of the procedure was the Concept Mapping. While cluster analysis is generally used to group the participants by similarities, this study clustered the actual constraints generated by the participants. Information from the similarity matrix was used to determine what items were together in a cluster based on how participants divided the constraint items into groups. The maps generated try the program showed every constraint plotted as before, with the addition of boundaries surrounding constraints within a cluster. The program offered no objective means to establish the optimum number of clusters. Objective methods for deciding on the appropriate number of clusters used measures of central tendency (means, medians, modes) of cluster number from group sorts. Subjective methods for deciding on the appropriate number of clusters followed the cluster divisions until substantive traditional concepts emerged. The resulting maps showed that none of the four focus groups followed traditional categorization of leisure constraints. Each focus group followed its own pattern of category division and identification grouping some traditional categories together while identifying finer distinctions of other traditional categories. Group one focused on developing finer categories of environmental conditions and social contact conditions. Group two focused on developing finer categories of personal abilities and inabilities. Group three focused on developing finer categories of psychological and social constraints. Group four focused on developing finer categories of administrative and organizational constraints. These findings suggest that a typology based on constraint items may have less universal application and be less isomorphic that a typology based on participant interest areas and commonalities. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Davidson, M. L. (2000). Using moral maxims to promote character development in sixth-grade students: A collaborative action research approach for planning, implementing, and evaluating comprehensive character education strategies.Unpublished PhD, Cornell University.

In this instrumental case study, research is conducted to better understand the process of planning and evaluating comprehensive character education through an in-depth investigation of two sixth-grade classrooms. Specifically, the study examines the development and implementation of a maxims-based character education intervention and its character development effects. Towards that end, the study is guided by the following two main questions- one methodological and one evaluative- and their related sub-questions: (1)In what ways can moral maxims contribute to comprehensive character education? (A) Does maxims-based character education effectively address certain character development needs? If so, which needs, and in what ways? (B) Does maxims-based character education positively impact character development? If so, how or in what ways? (2) How can schools most effectively plan comprehensive character education interventions? (A) How can schools create custom-built character education programs built upon sound theory, yet developmentally matched to the specific needs of their students and their school context? (B) How can schools most effectively monitor implementation? (C) How can schools most effectively measure character development change? This instrumental case study examines two classrooms in a single public school district in Central New York, chosen to provide in-depth data from an information-rich case. The yearlong study involves a treatment group of sixth-grade students receiving a custom-built character education course centered on the use of maxims, and an equivalent comparison group receiving a pre-packaged character education curriculum. The research utilizes mixed-methodologies in the collection and analysis of the data to capture formative data on the planning process and summative data on the effects of maxims as a character development strategy. A preliminary focus group was conducted to define program constructs. Survey questionnaires were developed around themes from the focus group. Classroom observations were conducted along with semi-structured interviews surrounding various themes emerging from the observation and survey data. Various findings emerge from the study documenting the potential promise and pitfalls of action research and moral maxims, including students' knowledge and reasoning around maxims, the utility of action research in program development, methods for monitoring program implementation, and the challenges of capturing character development change.

Davis, T. S. (2003). Viability of concept mapping for assessing cultural competence in children's mental health systems of care: A comparison of theoretical and community conceptualizations.The University of Texas at Austin.

Definitions of cultural competence, a dynamic and evolving concept, are based on the respective worldviews of social science theorists. In an increasingly diverse society, developing effective human services requires contextual responsiveness. Mental health systems in the United States have an unsatisfactory performance history in serving children and families with diverse backgrounds. Moreover, a lack of empirical research delineating the models and impact of culturally responsive practice on mental health inhibits knowledge-based progress. Cultural competence is essential at all levels of a service system. However, the lack of clarity around its meaning raises critical questions about the constructs underlying current practice models and measurement instruments developed from these models. Concept mapping, a structured participatory mixed-method research approach, was used to conceptualize and assess cultural competence in four children's mental health systems of care communities. Conceptualizations generated from relational map structures and rating scales were compared for differences and similarities across communities. An adapted relational competence theoretical framework provided a useful structure for further comparing community conceptualizations for congruence with current models of culturally diverse practice. Analyses indicated that no one practice model accounted for all community concepts generated. The extent to which community conceptualizations included the practice models' elements varied across communities. Similarly, multiple elements of the practice models were absent from community conceptualizations but several of the models' elements were identified across communities. Thus, the study provides additional insight into the practice models' application to systems of care. The study assisted multiple systems of care in identifying training needs and establishing baselines to monitor cultural competence development. As a function of this process, social work was positioned to effect change in state mental health policy. The findings suggest that current models of culturally diverse practice have questionable applicability across varied systems of care. Relational competence theory was a good fit with the models examined and offers a foundation for future development and empirical validation of a theoretically-based model of cultural competence. Additionally, concept mapping was found to offer a promising alternative research method for conceptualizing and assessing culturally responsive practice within specifically identified cultural contexts.

Davis, T. S. K. (1994). Job search activities: A comparison of predicted and observed search patterns of structurally unemployed job seekers.Unpublished PHD, Cornell University.

Job search, as the term is operationally defined here, refers to employment related activities which employment-training participants engage in while they are actively looking for work. Empirical studies on job search activities can be grouped into two broad categories: wage-based studies, and strategy-based studies. While useful in understanding the general motivations and search methods of employment training participants, wage-based and strategy-based studies do not examine the complex series of steps which lead employment training participants to their respective job search choices. A structured conceptualization process was used to articulate a conceptual framework of job seeking activities. From this framework a questionnaire was constructed to evaluate the job search activities of severely disadvantaged job-seekers from four different employment-training programs. The evaluation results derived from this study support the claim that the local theory of job search differs significantly from the literature. This framework allows us to pinpoint key issues and explore them generally as well as across subgroups. The structured conceptualization process may prove to be a useful tool in the evaluation of job search. It is a dynamic process which is responsive to a diverse group of stakeholders.

Diehl, D. C. (2000). Emergent literacy and parent-child reading in head start families: The implementation and evaluation of a multigenerational reading program.Unpublished PhD, Cornell University.

The current study presents the process and outcome evaluation of the Head Start Family Reading Project, a multigenerational reading program focusing on parent-child reading activities for Head Start families. The project had its origins in the Parent Involvement Committee of a local Head Start program, with a primary emphasis on how to facilitate parent involvement in the educational lives of their children. Given this foundation, Head Start sought to achieve this involvement through the content of parent-child reading activities. The philosophy of the reading program was shaped by the emergent literacy perspective and research focusing on the social nature of cognitive development. The current study is based on a quasi-experimental design in which Head Start classrooms were assigned to either program or comparison status. Families in the program status received a reading program consisting of three components: (1) Book and activity packets sent home with the children on a weekly basis; (2) Reading support visits in which trained home visitors provided support for participating families; and (3) Center-based activities in which families came together around reading issues. Program families participated in the program for one academic year. This reading program was evaluated using multiple methods. The three levels of evaluation conducted were: (1) Analyses of Program Planning, Implementation and Refinement; (2) Analyses of Staff and Participant Perceptions of the Program, using concept mapping methods; and (3) Analyses of Program Effects and Other Quantitative Relationships. The process analyses communicate a variety of information that is relevant to the overall quality of the program, including: the nature of community input into the process; descriptions of the collaborative relationships formed through this project; and program successes and areas for improvement. Concept mapping analyses revealed that staff felt that the program had been most successful in areas related to the Parent-Child unit, while participants felt that the program had been most successful in areas related to the Child. Both staff and participants felt that the program achieved those items judged to be most important overall. However, the statistical analyses revealed that there were few identifiable ways in which the program families did better than the comparison families. On the other hand, staff reports of families' level of engagement in the program and parents' reports of childhood reading experience <italic> were</italic> related to a variety of child and adult outcomes. The Discussion Chapter addresses the study's contributions and limitations, emphasizing the difficulties associated with research in applied settings. The tension between rigorous research and responsive program delivery was constant throughout the process, contributing to an understanding of a need for ongoing work to explore these tensions and possible solutions. Building on the process evaluation, policy recommendations are provided in the arenas of parent involvement and emergent literacy. Additional research is proposed, with a specific emphasis on the need for evaluations to draw connections between process and outcome evaluation findings. The potential for concept mapping methods to contribute to a wide variety of studies is highlighted and further applications are recommended, especially for researchers interested in approaches that allow for broad participation of stakeholders in the research process.

Driebe, N. M. (2000). The devolution challenge: A case study of Americorps.Unpublished PhD, Cornell University.

AmeriCorps is a domestic service corps created by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. The program is administered through the federal Corporation for National Service, state commission offices, and local programs. As AmeriCorps is just six years old, there are administrative issues, such as devolution, that must be considered in order to ensure the most efficient operation of the program. The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceived roles, responsibilities and needs of AmeriCorps staff, at the local, state and national level, to better prepare the program for forthcoming devolution efforts. The objectives are as follows: (1) To explore the current level of support and interaction among the local, state and national levels of AmeriCorps. (2) To better understand what devolution means to the key players at all levels. (3) To determine what state and local AmeriCorps programs need from the national headquarters in order to run effective programs that produce demonstrable results. Concept mapping, a questionnaire and in-depth interviews with key players at each level were used to investigate these issues. The results of the study suggest that the Corporation for National Service's emphasis on “getting things done" has created an administrative culture where “good paperwork equals good programs". The relationships between levels are characterized by communication difficulties and frustration surrounding the paperwork. Furthermore, devolution was determined to be an on-going struggle, or creative tension, to balance the mandates from the national level with the needs of the state and local levels. In order to facilitate devolution, a Corporation-wide culture shift was recommended- a major overhaul in philosophy that would affect all levels and challenge the current way of thinking and operating. Innovation and collaboration would be the focal point of the renewed culture, and proactive and reactive measures were suggested to implement the change. The importance of listening to the field and learning from past mistakes was stressed in regard to future research and devolution initiatives.

Dumont, J. M. (1993). Community living and psychiatric hospitalization from a consumer/survivor perspective: A causal concept mapping approach.Unpublished PHD, Cornell University.

An innovative methodology was used to derive pictorial maps from the interview data of psychiatrically deinstitutionalized persons to find out: (1) What factors and relationships contribute to community living and hospitalization from the perspective of persons who have been psychiatrically institutionalized two or more times? (2) What is the feasibility and utility of the methodology in building theory and measurement? First, individual maps were developed to represent the thinking of ten persons. In-depth interviews were coded to identify relevant cause-effect statements. Each individual sorted his or her statements several times into piles of similar ones. The sort piles were coded as a similarity matrix that was the input for multidimensional scaling. The output from the multidimensional scaling was subjected to cluster analysis. Cognitive mapping provided the key causal assertions among the clustered concepts which were added as arrows to the maps. Participants named their clusters and interpreted the causal concept maps. Second, an aggregate map was developed from the individual maps. Five persons sorted the cluster names from the individual maps. The data from the sorts were used as the input for multidimensional scaling followed by cluster analysis. The relationships that individuals had asserted among the concepts were retabulated for these aggregate clusters and shown as arrows on the aggregate map. Both the individual and aggregate maps are useful in building theory and measurement. The results show that participants actively seek to understand their problems. They learn from their experiences, rejecting strategies that fail replacing them with new ones. Unlike stereotypical views of this population, their thinking is complex and varied. The factors that promote community living include a system of beliefs, money, friendships, hope, self-rehabilitation, a lawsuit, less madness, and opportunities for work and love. The hospitalization experience can range from a "rest cure" to a "chemical straitjacket." It can create, exacerbate, or improve a person's condition although coercive and involuntary treatment severely diminishes the chances of improvement. The aggregate map captured commonality across the individual maps, showing that the autonomy and stability of individuals living in the community are aided by the realization and strategies of the consumer/survivor, helpful measures of the provider system, and the support and helping tools (e.g., jobs, housing, and self-help/advocacy groups) of the community base. The findings suggest the importance of looking at individual results. Looking only at the aggregate neglects the different paths individuals follow.

Edwards, A. E. (2002). Mobilizing the village: Collaborating with parents and community members to increase parental involvement in a high school of the arts.Georgia State University.

When parents are involved in their children's school, the academic experience of the child improves, the parents' experience with the school is enhanced, and teacher expectations of parents and students increase and are more realistic. However, despite its benefits, parental involvement is often defined outside the experiences and expectations of parents, and its practice receives limited support and encouragement from schools and communities. This study sought to collaborate with parents in a predominantly Black high school of the arts in order to understand how they experienced involvement and to determine what strategies they would use to increase it. Data was collected using ethnographic interviews and a concept mapping exercise. Results of the interviews produced the following major themes: communication, time, the child's presence, heritage, knowledge, unique presentations and emotion. Eight clusters resulted from the mapping exercise, mirroring the findings of the interviews. Parents' strategies centered primarily on advance notification (4.02), school improvements (3.92), PTSA involvement (3.74) followed by keeping up to date (3.37), activities for parents (3.14), needs (3.01) and fundraising (2.89). Pattern matches between parent groups indicated high levels of agreement between the groups (r =.94). A subsequent goal is to use these findings to design an intervention to increase parental involvement in this high school of the arts.

Florio, G. A. (1997). The structure of work-related stress and coping among oncology nurses on high-stress units: A transactional analysis.Unpublished PHD, State University Of New York At Buffalo.

This study utilized a transactional approach to examine work-related stress and coping among 59 oncology nurses at a comprehensive cancer center. Four elements of the transactional stress process were measured: (1) the work encounters the nurses perceive as stressful; (2) primary appraisals (cognitive evaluations of the seriousness of the encounters); (3) the coping responses the nurses use to manage stressful encounters; and (4) secondary appraisals (cognitive evaluations of the coping responses). A free-response methodology identified 97 work stressors and 79 coping behaviors. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses were used to identify the underlying structure of the work stress and coping items. Nine specific work stress clusters were identified: (1) Physician-Related Stress, (2) Ethical Concerns, (3) Death and Dying, (4) Observing Patient/Family Suffering, (5) Carryover Effects of Work Stress, (6) Negative Self Thoughts, (7) Inadequate Resources, (8) Coworker Stress, and (9) Organizational Factors. The clusters Organizational Factors, Observing Patient/Family Suffering, and Physician-Related Stress were rated as the most frequent, the most intense, and the least controllable stress clusters. Ten distinct coping clusters were identified: (1) Positive Involvement in Cancer Treatment, (2) Instrumental and Emotional Support From Coworkers, (3) Positive Reappraisal, (4) Developing A Growth Perspective, (5) Affective Regulation, (6) Balancing Work Stress, (7) Negative Coping, (8) Apathy, (9) Withdrawal, and (10) Catharsis. The clusters rated most frequently used and most effective were Instrumental and Emotional Support From Coworkers, Positive Reappraisal, Developing a Growth Perspective, and Balancing Work Stress. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed several significant differences in the appraisal of the stress clusters. Nurses high in emotional exhaustion reported more frequent and more intense stress than nurses with low emotional exhaustion. Additionally, nurses with a BSN reported more frequent and intense stress than registered nurses without college degrees. In terms of the relationship between stress and coping, multiple regression analysis revealed that more frequent patient-related stress was associated with more frequent use of positive coping clusters (Positive Involvement in Treatment and Balancing Work Stress). Conversely, higher levels of non-patient stress were associated with higher rates of negative coping (Apathy, Negative Coping).

Gannon, E. J. (2002). Men's perceptions of the ideal woman: A concept map.Auburn University.

This study investigated men's perceptions of the ideal woman, comparing the perceptions of older men (<italic>N</italic> = 8) and younger men (<italic> N</italic> = 42) using the technique of concept mapping. Participants responded in writing to the probe "What is the ideal woman like?" Their responses to this probe were reduced qualitatively to two sets of representative items (one for each group) that were inclusive of all responses and retained participants' language. These sets of items were sorted by participants using an unstructured sorting procedure in which participants were asked to "place the items into piles that seem to you to go together". Participants also rated the items on a four-point scale for how much they perceived each item as describing "what the ideal woman is like". They also rated the same items on a similar four-point scale for how much each item described "most women you know". Data from participants' card sorts were analyzed using multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis to produce two concept maps (one for the older male group and one for the younger male group) representing the structure and interrelations among items. Inspection of the map suggests that the younger male participants' perceptions of the ideal woman are organized along two dimensions, physical versus emotional items and role performance versus social/interpersonal items; the older male participants' perceptions were also organized along two dimensions, competence versus nurturance, and attractiveness versus maturity. Analysis of the ratings reveals differences in the way in which participants perceive the ideal woman and most women they know. I discuss the possible differences between the perceptions of the two groups, as well as the potential implications of men's perceptions on their relationships with women.

Gans, J. (2000). Facilitating synthesis and advancing methodological development in strategic planning.Unpublished PhD, Cornell University.

Theory in the field of strategic management has grown tremendously over the last 40 years without a comparable evolution in strategic planning methodologies. Tools and frameworks for conducting strategic planning are grossly inefficient in enabling organizations to envision a desirable future state and chart a course toward achieving organizational goals. Several prominent authors in the field have alluded to the idea that what is required are tools and methods that enable “synthesis” of the complex set of ideas involved in strategy formulation. This investigation considers one promising candidate methodology, the Concept System, in detail, describes how it extends considerably beyond traditional strategic planning methods, shows how it addresses specific issues in the major schools of thought in the literature, describes in detail its use in a real-world strategic planning context, and compares how well it functioned in comparison with a traditional, rational-analytic strategic planning approach. The Concept System is a group decision-making tool that organizes brainstormed statements and ideas from a variety of stakeholders into a series of images called Concept Maps. The group interprets these maps and the final output becomes a framework for developing a comprehensive strategic plan. This approach has the potential to enable integration and, especially synthesis, to occur in strategic planning. As such, the Concept System may provide an answer to Mintzberg et al.'s call for methods that constitute “good practice, not neat theory” and to chart a course for renewed interest in investigating new strategic planning methods to encourage the evolution of theory <italic>and</italic> practice in the field of strategic management.

Gol, A. R. (1994). Coping theories and their underlying dimensions: A reevaluation using concept mapping.Unpublished PHD, Texas Tech University.

Many studies have explored the connection between stress and illness and concluded that mediating factors play an important part in the process. One mediating factor, coping, has experienced increased theoretical and empirical interest recently. Four coping process theories are reviewed and some similarities and differences are noted. Coping measures based on these theories are also reviewed with a focus on their development. Methodological diversity, including more descriptive studies, yields more useful and important information about phenomena. Concept mapping, a multimethod descriptive research design, is discussed. It is proposed that concept mapping may help clarify the underlying structure of people's perceptions of coping. Male and female undergraduate students (N = 51) in an introductory psychology course at a large southwestern university completed a three-phase study. An open-ended, thought-listing approach was employed to obtain participants' perceptions of how they have coped with stressful situations. The participants' 569 coping responses were reduced to 110 responses using specific guidelines to control for experimenter bias. Participants then performed an unstructured card sort of the 110 items, labeled the piles, and rated the items on how well the response describes how the participant typically copes with problems. Participants also performed the card sorting and labeling procedures with the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations' (CISS) items. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) and cluster analysis were used to uncover the latent structure of 98 items based on participants' card sorts. A two-dimensional map with nine clusters embedded in these dimensions was found to adequately conceptualize the results with participant-generated items. The two dimensions are: (1) approach-avoidance, and (2) more or less socially attractive ways of dealing with emotions. These findings provide a more comprehensive model for understanding coping strategies. MDS performed on the CISS items found similar dimensions. Cluster analysis supported a four-factor solution found in previous research. This study produced a more comprehensive coping model than in the current literature. Additionally, several items and clusters found here were not previously represented in the coping literature but provided a more complete understanding of coping. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are proposed.

Grant, L. C. (1997). Impact of multiple sclerosis on marital life (coping).Unpublished PHD, University Of Alberta Canada.

In this research the impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) on marital life was explored. In phase one, open-ended interviews were conducted and short questionnaires were mailed to volunteer participants. They were asked to respond to the question, "In what ways has MS impacted on your marital life?" In phase 14 psychologists sorted two the statements gathered into homogeneous groups. The sorts were statistically analyzed using multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis (concept mapping) in order to identify themes. Analysis of patient data resulted in 11 themes: positive impact on marital life, coping and adaptation, sexual issues, financial issues, role of spirituality, lifestyle changes, negative impact on marital life, insecurity, emotional reaction, and anxieties/fears. Analysis of partner data resulted in 9 themes: lifestyle changes, uncertainty about the future, financial issues, emotional reaction, feeling burdened, sense of losing spouse, stresses, changes in approach to life, and positive impact. In phase three separate incident surveys were developed for MS patients and partners to determine the applicability/significance of the items. This data provided a broad, multidimensional perspective on the impact of MS on marital life. Frequency data were calculated for all demographic variables and each of the 97 patient survey items and the 98 partner survey items. T-tests were calculated to determine if items were differentially endorsed based on demographics. There was a great variation in the endorsement rates of the individual items highlighting the uniquely individual and complex nature of the impact of MS on marital life. Cluster #2 (Coping and Adaptation) from the patient concept map had the largest number of patient-endorsed statements perceived to be applicable to them. Cluster #9 (Positive Impact) had the largest number of statements that were perceived by partners to be applicable to them.

Grayson, T. E. (1992). Identifying program theory: A step toward evaluating categorical state-funded educational programs (concept mapping).Unpublished PHD, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign.

Purposes of this study were to: (a) identify program theory, (b) develop a theory-based framework, and (c) inquire into the feasibility of a theory-based evaluation as an alternative to the traditional method-based approaches for evaluating categorical state-funded programs. The context for this study was Illinois' Truants' Alternative and Optional Education Program (TAOEP). This study relied on concept mapping technology to identify the program theory underlying the Illinois State Board of Education's TAOEP, i.e., to systematically discover, examine, and understand the TAOEP's theoretical components and their relationships. Once theory for the TAOEP was identified, it was used to formulate a framework for a (proposed) theory-based evaluation of the program. The practicability and utility of this theory-based framework were examined by a mini-focus group, comprised of five state-level stakeholders, following a formal presentation made by the researcher on the theoretical framework of Illinois' TAOEP. This research suggested that if current evaluation practices at the state level were expanded to include the identification of program theory as the front end of evaluation, then: (a) the potential for reaching more audiences with richer and more useful evaluation findings would be increased; (b) improving existing programs and implementing new programs would become viable; and, (c) the longevity of usefulness of evaluation results would move from being immediate and short-lived to being continuous and long-term as well as immediate. Finally, this study demonstrated that a theory-based approach to evaluating Illinois' TAOEP has great potential for a variety of uses. The primary utility for current evaluation practices was put simply by focus group members: meeting reporting requirements (i.e., reporting impact information). The identification of program theory as the first step in evaluation can lead to evaluation findings which can be used for: (a) needs assessment, (b) program planning, (c) program development, (d) program improvement, (e) program implementation, (f) informing and enlightening a variety of audiences, (g) enhancing practitioner involvement, (h) targeting resources, and (i) providing technical assistance.

Harper, R. L., Jr. (2001). The professionalization of logistics: A management specialty to meet 21st century challenges.Nova Southeastern University.

A review of current management literature reveals the management skills and perspective needed to meet the challenges anticipated in the 21st Century include a cross-functional, multidimensional, life cycle approach emphasizing full integration of all enterprise infrastructure elements- technology, processes, and people. Since the early 1900s, the evolution of professional management specialty disciplines has been responsive to emerging practice needs. The existing management specialty discipline, which can address the identified 21st Century needs, is logistics- not the narrow transportation and distribution perspective, but a comprehensive logistics perspective. The Research Question investigated in this dissertation was "Has logistics practice evolved sufficiently to be recognized as a professional management specialty?" The theoretical basis for this research was the process for evolution from technical occupation to profession, described by Wilensky (1964) based on his historical examination of 18 occupations, which evolved to professions. The research design for this study was an exploratory, empirical, non-experimental, cross-sectional, qualitative assessment, case study. Data collection consisted primarily of ex post facto documents review in two stages. In the first stage, the literature relating to professions and the professionalization process was reviewed to produce a characteristics profile of a profession. In stage two, 1,083 documents describing logistics practice and theory were analyzed to produce a descriptive profile of logistics practice and theory. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) techniques, specifically a modified Concept Mapping procedure with Pattern Matching using a 2-point qualitative scale were used to assess the current status of Logistics as a profession. The results indicated a "qualified yes" answer to the research question, since there was support for all seven attitudinal and all 12 structural antecedent dimensions identified. Of significance to logistics and management practitioners and to researchers in both fields, findings indicate a need to increase activities leading to professional self-regulation, logistics theory development, and educational activities for continued technical and managerial skill sets development. This study has extended the research of professionalization into the area of cross-functional, organizational boundary spanning, and technical management specialties.

Harris, K. D. (2004). The lived experience of perceived stress in the lives of black women.D'Youville College.

This qualitative study explored the lived experience of perceived stress in the lives of Black women. King's (1994) theory was utilized for data on stressors that were applicable to the Black women's experiences. A semistructured interview and a second confirmatory interview were conducted with 4 Black women between the ages of 50 and 60 years. The data were analyzed using concept mapping techniques and were categorized into themes. The results yielded 14 common themes, which comprised seven stressful events and seven illnesses that were stress related.

Hawkins, B. (2003). Rehabilitation services to youths and adults with visual disabilities: What is critical?Cornell University.

Hayward, G. B. (2002). Developing a competency model-based maintenance manager qualification program utilizing concept mapping methodology.Capella University.

The problem of this study was to develop a competency model based qualification program for maintenance managers at a Department of Energy facility using an Internet based concept mapping methodology. To accomplish this, 23 maintenance professionals from the project facility and industry viewed as being excellent in the maintenance field participated in this concept mapping exercise via the Internet. Due to workloads and time commitments, 14 maintenance professionals completed this study. Participants were prompted to list those behaviors that they have observed in maintenance managers that they saw as being excellent. A total of 140 statements were generated and edited down to 109 (taking into account redundant statements). From these statements cluster maps were developed and ranked according to importance and similarity. Eleven clusters maps were developed and grouped into five areas of competence; action management competencies, relationship competencies, future-building competencies, business competencies, and professional competencies. From these groups a qualification program plan was developed.

Henry Johnston. (1997). Piecing together the "mosaic" called diversity: One community college's experience with hiring a more diverse faculty.Unpublished PhD, University of Illinois at Urban Champaign.

Jackson, K. M. (2003). The team exchange contract in autonomous work groups: Behaviors and work strategies for sustainable performance.Cornell University.

Granting groups autonomy, or removing a leader from work process decisions, is currently a popular group design. However, the empirical evidence to date for increased performance outcomes in these types of groups has been mixed. The underlying explanation proposed in this dissertation is that while removing a leader from process decisions increases an autonomous group's task control, it also delegates to group members the need to manage interpersonal dynamics (such as communication and conflict) that accompany these decisions. Collective decisions made about how to manage group procedures communicate either that the group respects and values an individual member's contributions, or that it considers a member's contributions as relatively unimportant (Lind &amp; Tyler, 1988). Without a legitimate authority to resolve differences about group procedures, rules, and resources, groups may be more prone to repeated or escalating process conflicts. Chapter 2 presents evidence from survey research that autonomous groups experience process conflict in two distinct dimensions: task strategy conflict and process disruption conflict. Scale validation results are presented of revisions to Jehn's three-pronged conflict classification in the groups literature. Results of Chapter 3 indicate that conflicts which are difficult to resolve often lead groups develop "process routines" (Argyris, 1977) that allow them to avoid conflict but not to resolve underlying structural issues that cause performance failures over time (Gladstein, 1984; Pondy, 1967). This does not reduce performance in the short-run, but does lead to a negative spiral of reactive process, inability to adapt group structure, and decrease in satisfaction and performance in the longer-term. Using social exchange theory, the final chapter presents the "exchange contract" model to describe how teams can reverse this cycle- or achieve proactive and adaptive self-management. A functional exchange contract is a clear and shared understanding among team members about equitable control of internal governance, complemented by equitable reciprocation of three explicit contract behaviors that make shared control easier: team integrity, communication about work, and flexibility. In place of a legitimate authority, these are the behaviors that make members feel group procedures are being applied to themselves and others fairly- predicting long term team performance and member satisfaction.

Johnson, J. M. (2003). Barriers to racial ethnic/minority participation in medical research: A comparison of community defined barriers and health professional perceptions.Cornell University.

In the United States, rates of chronic disease among racial/ethnic minorities are disproportionately high. Some of the most promising medical treatments are currently being developed and used in clinical trials. Unfortunately, the rates of minority participation in medical research are low although the reasons are unclear. Given the objectives of Healthy People 2010 to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare in the year 2010, clinical trial participation is viewed as an important tool to address health disparities. This study seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge that is currently available relating to the specific barriers to racial/ethnic minority participation in medical research through the conceptualization and measurement of these barriers. A structured form of concept mapping (Trochim, 1989b) was the methodology used in this study. The concept mapping process utilizes multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis to process group data and represent it both pictorially in the form of a map and in tabular form. The findings of this study suggest that there are two specific areas where barriers to minority participation may be addressed. The first area is the research system, specifically, the manner in which research studies are designed and implemented, including referral, recruitment and retention of racial/ethnic minorities. The data suggest that recruitment and retention will be aided by addressing the concerns patients have regarding the research process and assuaging fears about clinical trials. Although the Health Belief Model is often used to explain health behavior, the data suggests that this model will be most useful when issues in recruitment, research design and management are eliminated, particularly in the case of minority participation in medical research. The second area that needs addressing pertains to minority perceptions of the research process based on history and personal experiences. There appears to be a difference in the barriers to participation as defined by community members themselves and health professionals' perceptions of these barriers. Increased minority participation in medical research will undoubtedly provide minority populations with access to state of the art medical treatments and will aid in the elimination of racial/ethnic disparities in health.

Joseph, D. D. (2004). Hispanic dropouts speak out: A study of Hispanic youth and their experiences in the public school system.The University of Texas at Austin.

This study examined the experiences Hispanics had in school that led them to drop out. The researcher employed qualitative methods. Concept mapping was used to analyze the focus group sessions and individual interviews were analyzed using qualitative software utilizing Tinto's theory of student departure as a framework. These methods provided a rich contextual data which supported the findings. Eleven participants were interviewed and participated in the generation of statements session of the concept mapping process. A cohort group of five participants were in the structuring stage of the concept mapping methodology and four of the five members of the cohort group participated in the interpretation session, the final stage of the concept mapping methodology.

Klostermann, K. C. (2003). Adolescent suicidal behavior: Causes and prevention.State University of New York at Buffalo.

This study utilized a concept mapping approach to examine high school students' perceptions of the causes of suicide, as well as items or strategies suicide prevention programs should include. Two elements of the causes were measured: (1) the frequency a risk factor results in suicide; and (2) amount of control an individual has over each risk factor. In addition, two elements of the prevention strategies were measured: (1) the likelihood of obtaining the protective factor; and (2) the effectiveness of the protective factor in reducing distress. A free-response methodology identified 41 causal items and 38 prevention strategies. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses were used to identify the underlying structure of the causal and suicide prevention items. Four specific suicide causal clusters were identified: (1)Cognitive (2) Family (3) Social and (4)Developmental. The clusters <italic> Cognitive</italic> and <italic>Social</italic> were rated as most frequent. The <italic>Developmental</italic> cluster was rated as the most controllable. Four distinct prevention clusters were identified: (1) <italic>Cognitive </italic>; (2) <italic>Educational</italic>; (3) <italic>Family </italic>; and (4) <italic>Social</italic>. The cluster rated most accessible was <italic>Family</italic>. The clusters <italic>Cognitive</italic> and <italic> Educational</italic> were rated most effective.

Kolb, D. G. (1991). Adventure-based professional development: A theory-focused evaluation.Unpublished PHD, Cornell University.

This evaluation of the adventure-based professional development program offered second-year MBA students in the Cornell business school is focused upon program theory, including theories-of-action and theories-in-use underlying the program. The six-day adventure was supported by the business school as a means to enhance students' communication, team-building, leadership and problem-solving skills. Theories-in-use of the outdoor trainers were identified and matches were made between those theoretical patterns and the participating MBAs' experiences on the outdoor courses. The study design was an interpretive case study. Qualitative methods--participant observation, interviewing and journal analysis--were used to collect data during and two months after the program. Concept mapping, a structured conceptualization technique, was also used to help identify the theoretical underpinnings of the outdoor program. Pattern-matching, where patterns in the program-as-intended are matched with the program-as-experienced, was a methodological innovation used in the research. Specific theories-in-use articulated were those dealing with the motivation of business students to participate in the program, the amount of adversity and physical hardship that students felt appropriate for this type of programming and the metaphors between the outdoor course and the business world. It was found that MBAs enrolled in the course to complement their business studies with hands-on leadership experience. The course was not perceived as an immediate metaphor for the business world according to most MBAs. However, participants claimed significant gains in group bonding and trust, feedback on personal leadership styles, and understanding of group processes, including decision-making and communication. Concerning the issue of adversity, program groups which experienced sleep and information deprivation found such conditions to be distracting and, in several cases, annoying and frustrating. The literature review identifies the philosophical and educational underpinnings of adventure-based training. The role of theory in evaluation is also traced. A role of theory endorsed in this study is that of assisting practitioners. Evaluations which explicate practitioners' theories-of-action and theories-in-use serve as tools for theoretical refinement and program improvement.

Kronour, J. P. (2004). Preservice teaching standards: What skills should first-year teachers possess as they enter the field.The University of Dayton.

The purpose of this research project was to develop a set of practitioner generated technology guides by employing the research methodology concept mapping/pattern matching (CM/PM) and then to compare those guides with the International Society for Technology Education/National Education Technology Standards (ISTE/NETS). To that end, this study was broken into a number of chapters. Introduced in Chapter I was a background of the project, stated purpose of the study, and relevant vocabulary definitions. This was followed in Chapter II by a review of the literature surrounding educational technology and the CM/PM methodology. Then in Chapter III an in-depth explanation of the CM/PM methodology was given to fully inform the study that was conducted using this process. The next area, Chapter IV, reported the results of the data collection process and the qualitative document analysis employed to compare the ISTE/NETS Standards to the CM/PM Clusters. Finally, in Chapter V the conclusions, implications, and recommendations that were gleaned from this research were discussed. After the CM/PM Practitioner Clusters were generated, similarities and differences were determined using qualitative methods. The document analysis of the CM/PM Practitioner Clusters and ISTE/NETS Standards yielded five conclusions. First, positive disposition/attitude was not mentioned in the ISTE/NETS Standards at all. Second, skills and applications are viewed in the CM/PM Practitioner Clusters as key elements. Third, communication was viewed as critical in both sets of guides. Fourth, diversity was given much focus in the ISTE/NETS Standards. Finally, specific examples were given that may improve the ISTE/NETS Standards based on the results of the CM/PM Practitioner Clusters.

Lacene, K. (1996). Concept mapping wives' adaptation to husbands with brain injuries.Unpublished MED, University Of Alberta Canada.

The present study conceptualizes the process of adaptation of women following their husband's brain injuries. The Concept Mapping Method was employed to analyze the qualitative data obtained from an investigation by Ford (1993). In response to the first open-ended question, "How has your husband's brain injury affected you?" ten themes are generated including positive attitude to self, confidence/independence, responsibilities, resentment/frustration, stress/support issues, loss issues, family adaptation, marital/communication difficulties, dependency issues, and verbal/physical abuse. In response to the second open-ended question, "How have you dealt with your husband's brain injury?" seven themes are generated including coping via distractions, time for self, patience/open mind, counseling/support groups, family/friends support, family cohesiveness, and supportive nurturing role. The themes could serve as the basis for the development of individual and group support counseling programs for the spouses of brain injured individuals.

Lassegard, E. (2005). The use of provider and consumer concept maps for the classification and prioritization of mental health services.Cornell University.

Widespread changes in mental health care systems have created a much greater need and reliance on community psychiatric services. Due to these changes, continuity of mental health care from hospital to community has become an area of fundamental concern and importance. Reductions in psychiatric lengths of stay have produced an increased need for information about aftercare services. Yet a critical look at the continuity of mental health care from hospital to community produces a disturbing picture of a splintered and disjointed mental health system. In order to better understand and address the problem areas in the transition from hospital to community support mental health care providers and consumers collaborated in a psychiatric services conceptualization and planning project. This dissertation outlines the use of concept mapping for identifying and classifying a complex array of inpatient and community mental health services in one community and presents a new approach for determining which services are in greater need of attention. Eighteen psychiatric hospital staff, twenty-seven community mental health service providers, thirty-three consumers of mental health services, and fifteen family caregivers of adults with chronic mental illness participated in this study. Each of the four participant groups created their own concept maps based on individual sorting and rating activities using a master list of 94 area mental health services. The resulting maps were used as a basis for three evaluation and planning activities: 1) an identification and classification of area mental health services, 2) provider, consumer, and family caregiver interpretation of results and recommendations by subgroups, and, 3) a prioritization of focus areas for further evaluation research. Consumers expressed a desire for increased educational opportunities and greater independence. Family caregivers focused on discharge planning, medication management, and family rights to information as top areas in need of improvement. The prioritization method piloted in this study generated family education and discharge planning as the two top focus areas for further evaluation attention. This research introduces new variations in the use of concept map data which may be useful in subsequent evaluation and planning activities involving complex systems of service delivery.

Lewis, M. F. (2005). Concept mapping school personnel perceptions of adolescent suicide and its prevention.State University of New York at Buffalo.

>The present study attempted to ascertain school staff perceptions of the perceived causes of adolescent suicide prevention and suicide prevention strategies. A free response methodology was used to develop 88 unique perceived causes of suicide items and 80 unique suicide prevention strategy items. Concept Mapping methodology was used with 46 participants to sorts these items into similar groups and rate them on Likert Scales across several dimensions. The perceived causes of suicide items were rated across the dimensions of frequency and controllability. The suicide prevention strategy items were rated across the dimensions of accessibility and stress reduction. A 5 cluster concept map was developed for both the perceived causes and prevention strategy lists. Pattern Matches, to assess consistency of responses, among several variables were conducted. Findings are reported and discussion is offered.

Linton, R. (1985). Conceptualizing feminism: A structured method.Unpublished PHD, Cornell University.

>This research delineates an innovative research method called structured conceptualization. It is an approach to organizing thinking and presenting it in a widely familiar format, i.e., a map, in order to communicate that thinking to others. The specific topic is feminism as conceptualized by self-defined advocates of feminism. The study addresses questions which have to do with the fit of the method of structured conceptualization to the need of advocates of feminism for a way to conceptualize a meaning of feminism which can incorporate the wide diversity of women's experience, including conflicting ideas, analyses, and strategies for action.

Ludwig, S. R. (1996). Abused women's experience with the justice system: Concept mapping.Unpublished PHD, University Of Alberta Canada.

The majority of research on abused women's experiences with the justice system has been conducted by advocates within the system seeking reform. This research typically has included both samples of justice officials as well as abused women. Usually predetermined surveys and interview schedules have been utilized. Research on how abused women cope with these experiences is limited. In this study concept mapping, a method which combines both qualitative and quantitative strategies, was used to identify and categorize the experiences or issues that abused women have had with the justice system and their ways of coping. The study consisted of two phases. In phase one semi-structured interviews, a focus group and a written format were used to gather information from abused women who attend groups for support. Ninety-eight issues and experiences with the justice system, and 59 different ways of coping with these experiences were identified. The data was sorted and named by the abused women. It was then analyzed using multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis to produce two concept maps that resulted in ten and six themes. The themes identified by the women regarding issues and experiences were: minimizing the seriousness of wife assault by courts; the courts encourage continued abuse; problems with lawyers; victims through the legal system; continued financial abuse; lack of support, information and resources; child issues, custody issues and calls for assistance; failure to serve and protect; maintenance enforcement/child support; and effective/ineffective community services. The themes identified by the women regarding coping were: escape/reference to children's coping; seeking protection/effects of stress; struggling to stay sane; helplessness/giving up; coping through other resources and professionals; and seeking information/mending. In phase two, a survey was distributed to agencies and organizations that assist abused women to determine the prevalence and variation of the issues/experiences and coping strategies. The women surveyed experienced similar issues. They indicated they had difficulty coping with the justice system. The results of this research could serve as the basis for developing counseling strategies for abused women to help them cope with their experiences with the justice system.

Mannes, M. C. (1990). The perceptions of human service workers in planning for the implementation of the family preservation services innovation in Indian child welfare settings.Unpublished PHD, Cornell University.

This exploratory research investigated the perceptions of human service workers planning to implement an innovative service project, known as Family Preservation Services (FPS), in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Rio Grande Corridor of New Mexico. The study had workers identify implementation issues that needed to be dealt with in order to implement an FPS project, work through a procedure to show interrelationships among the issues, and rate the issues in terms of importance and ability to influence. The ratings for various subgroups of human service workers were then compared. The research made use of a structured conceptualization research method known as Concept Mapping to gather and assess the perceptions of human service workers. Multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, mean rating scores, and t-tests were employed to analyze the data. Eighty-one implementation issues and six clusters, representing broader implementation concerns, were identified. The clusters and issues were able to be classified into those dealing with technical capacity matters and those attending to political feasibility factors. Importance ratings were consistently higher than influence ratings. The implementation clusters emphasizing technical capacity were rated as more important and more open to influence than the ones focusing on political feasibility. Political and technical issues directly tied to getting the project operational were seen as most important, and those issues dealing with activities and forces beyond the human service organization and community were seen as least susceptible to influence. In comparing subgroup ratings there was strong similarity between workers from New Mexico and Michigan and Indians serving as either managers or direct service practitioners. The largest degree of difference was found in comparing the ratings of Indian managers and non-Indian managers. A Powerlessness Index was devised to determine the relative degree of powerlessness human service workers feel about implementation issues and general implementation concerns. Based upon the research an initial conceptual framework for pre-implementation planning was presented.

Marquart, J. M. (1988). A pattern matching approach to link program theory and evaluation data: The case of employer-sponsored childcare.Unpublished PHD, Cornell University.

This study examines a method for theory-based evaluation by using conceptualization techniques to develop program theory and a pattern matching approach to compare conceptual structures and evaluation data.

Martin, M. T. (1999). Students' perceptions of psychologists' characteristics and activities: A concept map and taxonomy.Auburn University.

This study investigated undergraduate students' perceptions of psychologists' characteristics, using the technique of concept mapping and the creation of a morphological taxonomy. Participants (<italic>N</italic> = 90) responded in writing to two phenomenological probes ("What are psychologists like as people?" and” What do psychologists do professionally?"). Their responses to the first probe were reduced qualitatively to a set of representative items that were inclusive of all responses and retained participants' language. This set of items was sorted by the same participants into categories using an unstructured sorting procedure in which participants were asked to “place the items in piles in whatever way makes sense to you.” Participants also rated the items on a four-point scale for bow well they perceived each as descriptive of “what psychologists are like.” Data from participants' card sorts were analyzed using multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis to produce a concept map representing the structure and interrelations among items. Participants' responses to the second probe were analyzed using the method of morphological taxonomy. Inspection of the map suggests that participants' perceptions of psychologists' characteristics are organized along two dimensions, <italic> positive</italic> versus <italic>negative</italic> items and <italic>social/interpersonal </italic> items versus <italic>professional/interpersonal</italic> items. Analysis of item ratings for representativeness suggested that items in the positive clusters were rated higher than items in the negative clusters, indicating an overall positive perception of psychologists. Inspection of the taxonomy reveals that participants see psychologists primarily as clinicians but also recognize the research, teaching, forensic, and industrial/organizational types of psychology. I discuss the implications of these findings for teaching and for future research around public perception of psychologists.

Matthew Deane Tittle. (2001). Assessing university students' epistemological beliefs about foreign language learning.Unpublished PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

McMurtry, L. J. (1997). James Coleman’s theory of social capital as manifest and quantified in a public school setting in southeastern Idaho.Unpublished PHD, University Of Idaho.

In 1987 James Coleman proposed the theory of social capital. Social capital refers to the norms and relationships between adults and children within a school and/or a school district which impact the education of students. This research was an attempt to quantify the African proverb and social capital axiom that, "It takes a whole village to raise a boy," by showing empirical manifestations of social capital at the public high school level. Eight groups, of 7-19 participants, representing students, parents, teachers, administrators, local church, business, and civic leaders were randomly selected, then invited to participate in a brainstorming meeting where they responded to a prompt explaining social capital. All responses were recorded and placed on index-type cards. Subsequently, participants were asked to sort and rate the statements. A second brainstorming meeting was then held where participants interpreted the empirical manifestations of social capital; that is, each group's statements, sortings, and ratings which had been subjected to a multivariate statistical and hierarchical cluster analysis called concept mapping. Between-group comparison was then done.

Mensah, D. V. N. (2004). Student campaign against HIV/AIDS in Ghana: A participatory action research (par) initiative.Cornell University.

Adults and formal institutions have not tapped adequately into the creativity and organizational skills of youth in Ghana. Conventional channels of communication are not reaching the youth effectively, in part because the advice of elders is not much heeded in the area of sexual behavior or any other area in an era where “youth culture” reigns. Young people tend to think that they are immortal. There is a strong contention between condom use proponents and religious institutions. This study was part of an initiative in which young people in Ghana, mostly students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, campaigned against HIV/AIDS using Participatory Action Research (PAR) from January 2002 through December 2002. Participants in this action research sought to understand the dynamics of issues and barriers that they, young people, considered key to addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ghana. They introduced processes of behavioral social change to empower themselves and each other, to reduce the rate of HIV/AIDS infection and to manage already existing HIV/AIDS cases in Ghana. During each process, they also aimed at understanding the dynamics of using PAR to address HIV/AIDS in Ghana. Concept Mapping was used to organize and analyze data on how participants in the initiative felt HIV/AIDS needed to be addressed in Ghana. Participants concluded on three issue-partitioned areas as key to addressing HIV/AIDS in Ghana: (1) programming issues, (2) technical issues and (3) cultural issues. Specifically, participants concluded that for HIV/AIDS intervention initiatives to be successful, young people need to be adequately involved from the conception stage, and programs should be planned together with the various religious institutions in the country to develop messages and approaches that would be cultural specific. Once messages are internalized and included in societal norms, programs would have higher chances of success. In addition the issues mentioned above, participants noted some key barriers to combating the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Ghana: ageism, bad role models, homelessness, human rights violation, ignorance, lack of self-control, media, “not me” syndrome, poverty, sex- a high emotional item, stigma and youth culture. The use of PAR in this initiative helped participants to empower themselves and each other cognitively, methodologically, politically, emotionally and interpersonally, using ideas, ideals and friendship, and other participatory techniques. However, a better mix of youth and adult in collaborative inquiry and action is recommended for similar future research. It is recommended by this research that policies on HIV/AIDS programming be targeted at ensuring that programs work at introducing processing that would encourage target groups to individually internalize messages and processes, and hopefully translate them into societal norms.

Michalski, G. V. (1999). Stakeholder variation in perceptions about training program evaluation.Unpublished PhD, University of Ottawa Canada.

This study explores perceptual variation among stakeholder groups regarding their views of training results and evaluation in a complex organization. The case setting for the study was chosen in part based on its collective intellectual capital of knowledge workers. Rather than focus on the evaluation of a singular instructional intervention based on the perceptions of a singular stakeholder group, the current study considers the perceptions of three distinct stakeholder groups, namely training participants, training providers, and training sponsors, in terms of their perceptions relative to an entire program (consisting of multiple course interventions). A conceptual framework was developed to accommodate complex organizational contextual elements especially in terms of effectiveness, multiple-constituency group perceptions, knowledge work, and organizational learning. Multiple methods were used in three phases of research to analyze perceptual variation across the stakeholder groups. These methods included the use of concept mapping and pattern matching (phase 1), semistructured interviews (phase 2), and a survey instrument using quantitative techniques (phase 3). The integrated results of the study support that stakeholder group views of training evaluation do correspond with and depend on their perceptions of training results. While all groups perceived a similar set of training results as beneficial to the organization, each group emphasized different aspects of the results in terms of training evaluation. These differences were found to correspond with the specific organizational role of each group. Implications of the findings are developed and discussed. Several recommendations to improve training evaluation theory and practice are presented with the main findings of the study.

Nelson, E. M. (1999). Internationally-focused managerial behaviors of executives working in large united states multinational corporations.Unpublished PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

The purpose of this study was to profile the unique internationally-focused managerial behaviors of senior-level American executives managing in multinational organizations. The increasing importance of foreign markets has forced U.S. corporations to aggressively expand their international operations. Senior-level executives, whose experiences are primarily formed within U.S. markets, are struggling to adapt to these conditions. Human Resource Development professionals are striving to support executives with developmental interventions to fulfill this educational need; however, their efforts are hampered because the composition or profile of a successful internationally active senior-level executive remains unclear. This study provided a profile of 94 executive behaviors unique to conducting business in international settings. The profile was developed using concept mapping research methodology. A survey of 35 successful managers and executives was conducted. Respondents were asked to rate each of the 94 behaviors to determine which behaviors were most important. Respondents also sorted the behaviors into categories or clusters. Sorting and rating data were analyzed using the Concept System concept mapping software. The behaviors were grouped into 12 logical categories including: Global Intelligence, Open and Flexible, Cross-Cultural Communication, Cultural Sensitivity, Cultural Awareness, Global Visionary, Global Awareness, Personal Stamina, Vision, Strategy, Mission, Local Execution, Local HR Development, and Management Interface. The primary distinguishing elements of success for executives working in international positions were found to be focused on personal characteristics and traits. A list of the 20 most important behaviors is provided to illustrate the critical elements of success. The distinguishing behaviors of executives managing in multinational organizations identified by middle managers were compared to the distinguishing behaviors identified by executives. Managers and executives were in overall agreement as to the most important elements of success in international business. Differences between the two groups of managers centered around strategic outlook and interpersonal skills. Recommendations to the field of International Human Resource Development include screening managers for personal characteristics and traits, making expatriate assignments available for high-potential managers, encouraging senior-level executives to regularly visit foreign operations, rotating foreign managers to U.S. headquarters, and training all managers in a variety of international skills such as gathering global intelligence.

Nettina, J. M. (2005). A concept mapping study of the perceived benefits of a therapeutic and recreational camp for grieving children.State University of New York at Buffalo.

The primary purpose of this study was to identify and describe the specific beneficial elements of Camp Comfort, an innovative weekend grief support program for children. The sample of children included 29 boys and girls who had lost a member of their family in the past year. The study used an empirically rigorous methodology known as concept mapping. The children participated in a three step research process including brainstorming the benefits of camp, sorting and rating the camp benefits, and completing standardized scales of quality of life, depression and coping. A five cluster model of camp benefits was constructed including Attachment and Connections, Traditional Camp, Acceptance and Expression, Escape from Grief-related Stress at Home, and Kid-Friendly Environment. There were significant changes in the direction of healthy coping on several scales for both the younger and older children. No changes were observed on the measures of depression or quality of life. The implications of the benefits concept map and suggestions for research and practice are considered.

Paula D. Kohler. (1993). Serving students with disabilities in postsecondary education settings: A conceptual framework of program outcomes.Unpublished PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

Phillips, L. J. (1993). Problems faced by adolescents, mothers, and stepfathers while learning to live in a remarried family.Unpublished PHD, University Of Alberta Canada.

The goals of the present research were to identify the problems experienced by mothers, stepfathers, adolescent males, and adolescent females as they learned to live in their "new" remarried families and to determine the themes underlying the problems. Members from twenty remarried families, living in Edmonton, participated in the research. The problems reported in each of the four groups were displayed on four master lists. Twenty five family therapists then sorted the problems into themes. The results of the 25 theme sorts were then analyzed using Trochim's (1989) Concept Mapping program to yield the higher order themes derived from the therapists' theme sorts. The findings of this research indicated that mothers, stepfathers, adolescent boys, and adolescent girls, living in Edmonton, all experienced problems. Each group identified different kinds of problems which reflected different conceptual themes. The females problems tended to be more personal and emotion-based than the males whose were more cognitive and practical. The mothers' themes included relationships, belonging and fitting in, sexuality, children's behavior, time management, and household management. The fathers' themes were role definition, divided loyalties, scheduling, lamentations, and couple relations re: practical matters. The boys' themes included stepfather relations, loyalties, and stepsibling relations. The girls