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1321. [Image] White Pigeon church where Lincoln went to school
In the log schoolhouse, which he could visit but little, he was taught only reading, writing, and elementary arithmetic. Among the people of the settlement, bush farmers and small tradesmen, he found none ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- White Pigeon church where Lincoln went to school
- Year:
- 1920
In the log schoolhouse, which he could visit but little, he was taught only reading, writing, and elementary arithmetic. Among the people of the settlement, bush farmers and small tradesmen, he found none of uncommon intelligence or education; but some of them had a few books, which he borrowed eagerly. Thus he read and re-read Aesop’s Fables, learning to tell stories with a point and to argue by parables; he read Robinson Crusoe, The Pilgrim’s Progress, a short history of the United States, and Weem’s Life of Washington. To the town constable’s he went to read the Revised Statutes of Indiana. Every printed page that fell into his hands he would greedily devour, and his family and friends watched him with wonder, as the uncouth boy, after his daily work, crouched in a corner of the log cabin or outside under a tree, absorbed in a book while munching his supper of corn bread. In this manner he began to gather some knowledge, and sometimes he would astonish the girls with such startling remarks as that the earth was moving around the sun, and not the sun around the earth, and they marveled where “Abe” could have gotten such queer notions. Soon he also felt the impulse to write, not only making extracts from books he wished to remember, but also composing little essays of his own. First he sketched these with charcoal on a wooden shovel scraped white with a drawing-knife, or on basswood shingles. Then he transferred them to paper, which was a scarce commodity in the Lincoln household, taking care to cut his expressions close, so that they might not cover too much space, - a style forming method greatly to be commended. Seeing boys put a burning coal on the back of a wood turtle, he was moved to write on cruelty to animals. Seeing men intoxicated with whiskey, he wrote on temperance. In verse-making, too, he tried himself, in satire on persons offensive to him or others, - satire the rustic wit of which was not always fit for ears polite. Also political thoughts he put upon paper, and some of his pieces were even deemed good enough for publication in the county weekly.
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1322. [Article] A preliminary investigation of the predictive and evaluative capacity of the PARS scale in a community mental health clinic
This was a two-part study, employing the self and informant, pre and post treatment, forms of the Personal Adjustment and Role Skills Scale, the PARS Scale. In this study seven of the PARS Scale factors ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- A preliminary investigation of the predictive and evaluative capacity of the PARS scale in a community mental health clinic
- Author:
- Ritter, Judith M.
- Year:
- 1974
This was a two-part study, employing the self and informant, pre and post treatment, forms of the Personal Adjustment and Role Skills Scale, the PARS Scale. In this study seven of the PARS Scale factors were employed: Interpersonal Involvement, Agitation-Depression, Attention-Confusion, Alcohol-Drug, Outside Social, Household Management (females), and Anxiety (males). This study was conducted at Delaunay Institute for Mental Health, an outpatient community mental health clinic in a low socioeconomic catchment area. Part One of the study employed a random sample of seventy applicants, male and female, ages sixteen to sixty-four, who applied to Delaunay for treatment services between November of 1972 and July of 1973 and who completed, at least, the self-pretreatment PARS Scale. This sample was administered the self and informant pre PARS Scale at initial interview. In October of 1973, the number of treatment sessions in the three months following initial interview was secured from billing cards. At this same time, therapists at Delaunay were requested to assess the sample on their progress in therapy at that time or at termination. Four categories were possible: great, moderate, slight, and no progress. They were also requested to identify the certainty with which they made the assessment according to: great, moderate, or slight certainty. Following this, the self-pretreatment PARS Scale scores were correlated with number of treatment sessions. No relationship appeared for females between number of treatment sessions and self pre PARS Scale scores. For males, a non-significant trend was noted on most factors, indicating that a high self pre PARS score was indicative of fewer treatment sessions. A significant and inverse relationship between the self pre PARS Scale score on Alcohol-Drug and number of treatment sessions occurred for males, indicating that a high score on this factor was suggestive of fewer treatment sessions. The self-pretreatment PARS Scale scores were correlated with therapist assessment of progress in therapy. No relationship appeared for females. For males, no significant relationship appeared but a non-significant trend was indicated, suggesting that a high self pre PARS Scale score was indicative of a favorable therapist assessment on progress in therapy. Part Two of the study employed a non-random sample of fifteen females who had provided self and informant, pre and post treatment, PARS Scale scores. Post treatment, informant data was notably deficient in this part of the study and prevented the employment of males in the sample. Descriptive data on income, education, marital status, and presenting problem were provided for this sample. The sample was administered the self and informant, pretreatment, PARS Scale at initial interview. Three months after initial interview they were administered the self and informant, post treatment, PARS Scale if they remained in treatment for at least three months. As in Part One of this study, number of treatment sessions for the three months following initial interview were secured from the billing cards. In October of 1973, therapists were requested to provide a therapist behavioral assessment with four possible categories: improved, maintained, regressed (therapeutic), regressed (non-therapeutic). This assessment was to be made from recall and/or records at the time the self and informant, post treatment, PARS Scale was administered. Again, therapists were requested to indicate the degree of certainty involved in their assessment. The relationship between number of treatment sessions and the available self and informant, pre and post treatment, PARS Scale scores was explored. It was found that the self pre PARS score on Interpersonal Involvement, the self-post PARS score on Alcohol-Drug, and the informant post PARS score on Alcohol-Drug were significantly and inversely related to the number of treatment sessions. High scores on these factors indicated fewer treatment sessions. The relationship between therapist behavioral assessment and available self and informant, pre and post treatment, PARS Scale scores was explored. Results showed a significant and direct relationship between the self-post PARS score on Outside Social, the informant post PARS score on Alcohol-Drug and therapist behavioral assessment. High scores on these factors indicated a favorable therapist behavioral assessment. Evaluation of treatment services with the PARS Scale in Part Two of this study found the self, pre and post treatment, PARS Scale scores on Attention-Confusion to be the only PARS scores showing significant differences after three months of treatment. None of the remaining self-PARS scores and none of three informant PARS scores indicated any significant differences. It was recommended that the predictive capacity of the PARS Scale not be explored further. Further exploration of the use of the PARS Scale for evaluative purposes was suggested due to the limitations of the research design with regard to specificity and sampling. Finally, exploration of specific and individualized treatment evaluation, suggested by recent psychotherapy research, was encouraged.
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1323. [Article] Consideraciones para la transformación del sistema de salud del Ecuador desde una perspectiva de equidad
This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and can be found at: http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=0124-0064&...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Consideraciones para la transformación del sistema de salud del Ecuador desde una perspectiva de equidad
- Author:
- Chi, Chunhuei, Ortega, Fernando, López-Cevallos, Daniel
This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and can be found at: http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=0124-0064&lng=en&nrm=iso.
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1324. [Article] Breaking Barriers to Bike Share: Insights from Residents of Traditionally Underserved Neighborhoods
Evidence has shown that higher income and white populations are overrepresented in both access to and use of bike share. Efforts to overcome underserved communities’ barriers to access and use of bike ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Breaking Barriers to Bike Share: Insights from Residents of Traditionally Underserved Neighborhoods
- Author:
- McNeil, Nathan, Dill, Jennifer, MacArthur, John, Broach, Joseph, Howland, Steven
- Year:
- 2017
Evidence has shown that higher income and white populations are overrepresented in both access to and use of bike share. Efforts to overcome underserved communities’ barriers to access and use of bike share have been initiated in a number of cities, including those working with the Better Bike Share Partnership (BBSP) to launch and test potentially replicable approaches to improve the equity outcomes. This report describes findings from a survey of residents living near bike share stations placed in underserved communities of select BBSP cities: Philadelphia, Chicago, and Brooklyn. These were neighborhoods targeted for focused outreach related to BBSP programs, and were majority-minority (79- 94% people of color) and lower-income (36-61% of households under 150% of the poverty level). Residents were also surveyed in control areas that did not receive BBSP targeted outreach in two of the cities. The research team mailed surveys to 6,000 residents in each city, and received 1,885 responses. Respondents closely matched area demographics on race/ethnicity and income in most study locations, but were somewhat more likely to be women, older and more highly educated. Findings are drawn primarily from an analysis of data from adults in the BBSP outreach areas under 65 years old and physically able to ride a bicycle. Of those respondents who provided race and income information (n=779), 42% were lower-income (defined as 300% of poverty or below) people of color, 27% were higher-income (above 300% of poverty) people of color, 6% were lower-income and white (not Hispanic), and 25% were higher-income and white. Race and income often influenced responses to bicycling and bike share in different ways. Differences in behavior and opinions sometimes correlated with income, sometimes with race, and sometimes with race and income combined. Both people of color and lower-income residents cited more barriers to bicycling generally and to using bike share than did higher-income white residents. The biggest barrier to bicycling generally is concern about traffic safety, regardless of race or income (cited as a big barrier by 48% of residents). For some, personal safety is also a concern. For example, 22% of lower-income people of color stated that a big barrier to riding was that doing so could cause them to be harassed or a victim of crime. Some of the most common barriers to bicycling cited by lower-income people of color were issues that bike share could address, such as: not having a bike or related gear (47%); not having a safe place to leave a bike where they need to go (36%); the expense of buying a bike or related gear (41%); and not having a safe place to store a bike at home (32%). High costs of membership and concerns about liability for the bicycle were big barriers to using bike share for about half of lower-income respondents (48% and 52% respectively), compared to 33% and 31% of higher-income respondents of color and only 18% and 10% of higherincome white respondents. Another set of barriers relates to knowledge, lack of knowledge or incorrect knowledge. Only 31% of all respondents knew the details about the availability of the reduced-price membership or pass option, and 34% of lower-income respondents of color said that not knowing enough about how to use bike share was a big barrier to using it, compared to 19% of higher-income respondents of color and 7% of higher-income white residents. Among potential program changes, lower-income people of color were significantly more likely than other respondents to indicate that certain changes would make them more likely to use bike share, including: several changes that could help with cost and liability concerns such as discounted membership or use options (80% stating somewhat or much more likely to use bike share with this change), access to free or low-cost helmets/gear (72%), and easier ways to pay with cash (67%); and several changes to help overcome knowledge or experience gaps, such as help finding safe ways to get where I need to go (70%), and organized rides for people like me (71%). Respondents generally have positive attitudes about bicycling and bike share. A large majority of all residents (73%) and lower-income people of color (74%) agreed that the city’s bike share system “is useful for people like me.” In terms of reasons for using bike share, getting exercise was cited by 71% of the lower-income respondents of color as a reason they would consider using bike share, a rate much higher than other respondent groups. Being able to ride with friends and family was cited by 48% of lower-income respondents of color, again higher than other groups.
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1325. [Article] Carbon Footprint Calculations for Oregon State University and Guadalupe, Cerro Punta, Panama
Accompanying presentation entitled: Progress to neutrality: framework adaptation of a CFC designed for Oregon State University population & lessons from a Panamanian case study on CF/ by Kimberly Melendez-Rivera, ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Carbon Footprint Calculations for Oregon State University and Guadalupe, Cerro Punta, Panama
- Author:
- Melendez-Rivera, Kimberly
Accompanying presentation entitled: Progress to neutrality: framework adaptation of a CFC designed for Oregon State University population & lessons from a Panamanian case study on CF/ by Kimberly Melendez-Rivera, Frederick Colwell and R. Gonzalez
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1326. [Article] Substance Use Among Women Who Have Sex with Women
Professional organizations in the fields of counseling and psychotherapy-related professions all require counselors and counseling students to work with a vast array of potential clients who may differ ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Substance Use Among Women Who Have Sex with Women
- Author:
- Dorn-Medeiros, Cort M.
Professional organizations in the fields of counseling and psychotherapy-related professions all require counselors and counseling students to work with a vast array of potential clients who may differ significantly from themselves. For example, these counselor and client differences can include one or several factors such as age, race, ethnicity, ability status, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and/or gender identity. As part of building up counselor competency to work with diverse individuals, ethical standards require counselors and counseling students to seek out relevant literature as it relates to appropriate assessment, intervention and advocacy for their clients. Likewise, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) requires counselors and counselor supervisors within the substance use counseling specialty to attend to issues of diversity both within the counselor to client relationship but also the supervisor to supervisee relationship. Additionally, substance use counseling supervisors are required to provide or coordinate appropriate and relevant supervisee training as needed related to issues of diversity to empower counselors to better advocate for both individual client needs as well as organizational change when appropriate. As part of a commitment to explore issues related to multicultural counseling and contribute to relevant literature, the research presented in this dissertation sought to study a population that often goes unnoticed and slips through the cracks of researcher consciousness. Few research studies that explore issues related to substance use or substance use as it relates to sexuality focus exclusively on female-identified populations. As such, women who have sex with women (WSW) often go unnoticed within study populations and become an invisible minority. Evidence exists to suggest women who report same-sex partners may be at elevated risk for experiencing negative health effects from alcohol and tobacco use. Using substances such as alcohol and tobacco at higher rates and frequencies can result in significant negative medical, social and interpersonal outcomes. Important common factors appear numerous times in the literature base on problematic substance use within lesbian and bisexual populations. For example, women who report same-sex partners more commonly report being current or former smokers, are less likely to abstain from alcohol and report more frequent instances of being drunk and an overall higher rate of alcohol consumption. The current study first utilized multiple regression analyses to examine the predictability of known demographic and behavioral risk factors for increased substance use among a sample of WSW who participated in the New York City Community Health Survey ( NYCCHS). Age, annual household income, race and past or current history of depression were included in the regression analyses to determine the predictability of these variables on participants self-reported levels of alcohol and tobacco use. Results showed that within the sample of WSW, age and a past or current history of depression were significant predictors of alcohol use. Race was the only significant predictor of tobacco use. Next, drawing upon the same sample of WSW in the NYCCHS, three two-tailed t-tests for independent means were performed to determine if a difference exists on levels of alcohol and tobacco use between WSW and who have experienced interpersonal violence, as quantified by the reported experience of either intimate partner violence or unwanted sexual contact, and WSW who have not experienced interpersonal violence. For WSW who reported alcohol use within the last 30 days, results showed that there exists a significant difference between the number of alcoholic drinks consumed between WSW who also reported interpersonal violence and WSW who did not report interpersonal violence. For WSW who reported any lifetime use of alcohol, results also showed a significant difference between the number of alcoholic drinks consumed between WSW who also reported interpersonal violence and WSW who did not report interpersonal violence. There was no significant difference in tobacco use between the two groups of WSW. The primary implication that emerged from this study was that women who report same-sex partners might be at increased risk of experiencing negative life outcomes stemming from elevated alcohol use and, in some instances, tobacco use. This population of WSW often goes unnoticed both in the realm of research in psychology and related fields and also within the context of treatment-setting environments. Sexual behavior and sexual orientation are often conflated. As such, women who have same-sex partners but do not identify openly or otherwise as lesbian, bisexual or other sexual minority, can frequently fall victim to heteronormative expectations and assumptions in community counseling environments but also within the intimacy of the therapy room. Particularly in treatment setting specific to substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders, these results reinforce the importance of counselors not only inquiring about sexual orientation but also remaining mindful and sensitive to gendered language when exploring past and current client relationships.
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This study was designed (1) to examine credit usages as they relate to financial problems of young married couples, (2) to investigate the similarities of financial practices of two populations, (3) to ...
Citation Citation
- Title:
- An investigation of credit usage among young married couples in western Oregon
- Author:
- Preisz, Lois Heesacker
This study was designed (1) to examine credit usages as they relate to financial problems of young married couples, (2) to investigate the similarities of financial practices of two populations, (3) to determine the sources of educational financial assistance and guidance used by young couples, and (4) to compare demographic characteristics of one sample known to have had financial difficulties and one group whose financial position was unknown at the time of the interview. The sample consisted of 30 young married couples who were being professionally counseled because of financial problems (group one) and 30 couples selected from a mailing list supplied by the Marion County Extension Service (group two). The total sample was drawn from the Salem, Oregon area. The couples were married at least one year and not more than five years, 11 months and the husbands were no more than 30 years of age. Data for the study were obtained through personal interviews. Hollingshead's Two Factor Index of Social Position, based on education and occupation of the head of household was used to classify the subjects into five social positions, by groups. The distributions for both groups were skewed heavily toward the lower social levels on the scale. The four null hypotheses that were set forth to assist in the organization of data were rejected. H₁ Young married couples in group one wit; show no differences in financial practices from those in group two. H₂ Married couples in group one will possess records with detail no greater than that in records possessed by group two. H₃ Formal educational training will not vary between group one and group two. H₄ Financial counseling sought by young couples will not differ between group one and group two. Analysis of the data indicated that couples in the uncounseled group kept records in a more readily accessable manner; they kept them in ledger or check stub form; and a larger percentage of group two kept track of how they spent their money. A higher number of husbands in group one took complete charge of financial management than the husbands in group two. There were inconsistencies in the responses of the wives in group one. Eighty-seven per cent of the respondents stated that they and their husbands combined their money. However, responses by 40 per cent of the wives in group one indicated that their husbands paid the bills and handled the finances. Couples in both groups used a variety of credit sources. Couples in group one held more credit cards, had a larger number of open charge accounts, more loans from banks and consumer finance companies, as well as a larger number of hospital, doctor and dentists bills than did the couples in group two. Department store and oil company credit cards were the two categories most frequently listed when respondents were asked about credit cards held. Both banks and consumer finance companies loaned to couples in group one, however, the consumer finance company had a higher incidence of repeat loans issued to these young couples than did banks. Ninety per cent of the young couples in the counseled group responded that they were being counseled and looked to the professional counselor for guidance in personal finance. The uncounseled group turned to parents most frequently as sources of information and guidance. Wives in group one perceived themselves as poorer users of credit or just equal when comparing themselves to their peers. It was apparent from this study that young couples feel inadquately prepared for the responsibilities faced in money management during the early years of marriage. With an affluent credit society predicted by many for the future, young people will need to use their total resources of time, energy and income in order to maintain financial solvency. Educators, both adult and secondary along with parents and all others interested in the welfare of families will need to be innovative in communicating sound personal finance principles.
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Child behavior disorders are the second most prevalent form of mental illness affecting children in the United States (Perou et al., 2013), with lifetime prevalence estimated at 10% (Nock, Kazdin, Hiripi ...
Citation Citation
- Title:
- Do Family Risk Classes Predict Attrition in Parent Child Interaction Therapy?
- Author:
- Hartman, Grace M.
Child behavior disorders are the second most prevalent form of mental illness affecting children in the United States (Perou et al., 2013), with lifetime prevalence estimated at 10% (Nock, Kazdin, Hiripi & Kessler, 2007). Negative outcomes associated with ODD during childhood and adolescence include conflict in families, poor peer relationships, peer rejection, and academic difficulties (Burke, Rowe & Boylan, 2013). Parent training programs are shown to be effective in reducing child behavior disorders (Thomas & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2011). One such program, Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), is a widely disseminated intervention implemented in diverse settings with populations of at-risk families. PCIT is an intervention shown to be effective in preventing and reducing behavior disorders in children aged 2- to 7- years old (Brinkmeyer & Eyberg, 2003). However, a large barrier to treatment success is that families often dropout before therapy is completed (Fernandez & Eyberg, 2009). A small collection of studies specifically examining attrition in PCIT have explored family risks as treatment barriers. Models exploring the shared influence of multiple risk factors in the literature on PCIT attrition are uncommon, but given the co-occurring contextual risks often seen in families enrolled in PCIT, studies documenting the shared influence of multiple risks on attrition are important and have potential value in research and practice. Studies associating family risks with PCIT attrition have typically operationalized single variables and findings have been inconsistent. Although children and parents in parent-child therapies are known to have adverse family experiences (i.e. abuse, neglect, witnessing violence) (Kazdin, 1996), studies on the influence of adverse family experiences in PCIT attrition are few, and none have looked at the combined influences of family risks. To help address these gaps, the current study will examined the ways in which family risks operate in combination with one another to help explain attrition in PCIT. More specifically, this study examines whether or not families participating in PCIT differ not only in the number of risks they present, but also in the ways in which risks combine, forming distinct patterns of risks. To address this question, we conduct a Latent Class Analysis to identify family risk classes examining how two overarching types of risk; low-SES, and adverse family experiences. We addressed our main study aim by examining how the classes predicted the likelihood of dropping out of PCIT overall, and prior to the completion of the CDI component. To help address these gaps, the current study will examine the ways in which family risks operate in combination with one another to help explain attrition in PCIT. More specifically, this study examines whether or not families participating in PCIT differ not only in the number of risks they present, but also in the ways in which risks combine, forming distinct patterns of risks. The goals of the present study were to explore patterns of risks among families participating in PCIT, and to examine associations between these patterns and the likelihood of dropping out of PCIT, both prior to completing the first component (CDI) of the therapy and prior to completion of the full program. Findings pointed to three distinct patterns of risk but did not detect any significant associations between these patterns of risk and attrition in PCIT. These findings are important for guiding future research and provide preliminary information for practitioners to better understand the complexity of risks among families attending PCIT. Although the primary study aim was to examine links between classes of risk and attrition in PCIT, preliminary analysis detected two specific risk variables linked with PCIT attrition prior to completion of CDI: low parental education and having a mental health disorder in the household. There was also a trend toward low parental education being associated with attrition from PCIT overall
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The purpose of this study was to determine if occupants' satisfaction and problems with their houses differed by four categories of passive solar systems. The four categories were: 1) south facing window, ...
Citation Citation
- Title:
- Occupants' satisfaction and problems among four categories of passive solar systems
- Author:
- Malroutu, Yamini Lakshmi
The purpose of this study was to determine if occupants' satisfaction and problems with their houses differed by four categories of passive solar systems. The four categories were: 1) south facing window, 2) sunspace, 3) south facing window + sunspace, and 4) south facing window + sunspace + Trombe wall. The objectives were: 1) to determine if occupants' satisfaction with 12 features of their houses differed by four categories of passive solar systems, 2) to determine if the occupants' overall satisfaction with features of their houses differed by four categories of passive solar systems, 3) to assess if there were differences in occupants' reported occurrence of 18 problems among the four categories of passive solar systems, and 4) to assess if occupants' overall problem differed among the four categories of passive solar systems. The data were collected in a mail survey, Passive Solar Homes in Oregon, in 1986. The sample size for this study consisted of 273 passive solar houses in Oregon. Statistical analyses of the data were computed using frequency distributions, Chi-square tests, and one-way analysis of variance. The majority of the respondents in this study were young, around 45 years, lived in small households, were college educated, and owned their houses. Their mean gross family income was in the category of $ 40,000 through $ 49,999. The majority of the houses in this sample were single family detached built on one to two acres of land. The median size of the houses was in the category of 1,500 through 1,999 square feet, and they were located outside the city limits. The category of passive solar system used most in the design of the houses was the south facing window + sunspace system. The majority of the respondents were very satisfied with the following features of their houses: time and effort required in daily operation, exterior design of house, floor plan, interior decorating and general maintenance requirements. The problem of cleaning of high window or glass areas was reported by most respondents. There was a significant (p <̲ .05) difference in occupants' satisfaction with the general maintenance requirements (p = .008) among the four categories of passive solar houses. There was no difference (p <̲ .05) in occupants' satisfaction with 1) energy savings, 2) heat distribution, 3) cooling distribution, 4) humidity control, 5) exterior design of house, 6) comfort level, 7) effort and time required in daily operation, 8) performance of mechanical components, 9) floor plan, 10) internal noise level, and 11) interior decorating among the four categories of passive solar systems. There was no significant (p <̲ .05) difference in occupants' overall satisfaction among the four categories of passive solar systems. There was a significant (p <̲ .075) difference in occupants' reported occurrence with three problems: 1) high noise levels (p=.072), 2) inadequate weatherstripping or caulking (p=.058), and 3) coverings for sloped windows (p=.033) among the four categories of passive solar systems. There was no difference (p <̲ .075) in occupants' reported occurrence of 1) excessive glare, 2) excessive humidity, 3) condensation on windows, 4) extreme temperature swings, 5) nonresiliency of floors, 6) not warm enough, 7) excessive heat loss through aluminum windows, 8) inadequate shading of deciduous trees, 9) manual use of movable window insulation, 10) inadequate movement of heat, 11) high windows or other glass areas cleaned, 12) fading of furniture, walls, or coverings, 13) lack of privacy, 14) excessive drafts, and 15) rooms cool down too fast among the four categories of passive solar systems. Occupants also did not differ (p <̲ .075) in their overall problem among the four categories of passive solar systems. The findings of this research will be of use and interest to future consumers of passive solar houses and housing professionals involved with passive solar energy. Educators and researchers concerned with solar energy and policy makers dealing with energy issues will also benefit from the study.
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This study focused on the relationship between energy related behaviors prior to and following structural modifications of the residence. If energy saving structural modifications are made, will there ...
Citation Citation
- Title:
- The effect of structural modifications on energy conservation behaviors
- Author:
- Beck, Becky Ohmer
This study focused on the relationship between energy related behaviors prior to and following structural modifications of the residence. If energy saving structural modifications are made, will there also be a concommitant change in energy conserving behavioral practices? The objectives of this study were: 1) to create a profile of the sample consisting of those who added one or more structural modifications between March, 1981 and March, 1983 and 2) to determine behavior changes for those respondents who added energy conserving structural features between March, 1981 and March, 1983. Two limitations of energy conservation research as identified by previous researchers in this field were addressed. The ability to address these limitations was accomplished through specific hypotheses testing and the use of data from the Western Regional Project W-159. Longitudinal data for Oregon were obtained by mail survey in March, 1981 and again in March, 1983 from a stratified (50% rural /50 % urban) random sample. With the exception of minor changes, the questionnaire sent in 1983 was identical to the questionnaire sent in 1981. The survey initiated in 1981 to 1,503 Oregon households yielded a 67.2 percent rate (834). In the 1983 survey, questionnaires were sent to the 1981 respondents and to 541 additional randomly selected individuals. Six hundred of the returned questionnaires from the original 834 respondents were usable, a return rate of 89.2 percent. Of the 600 respondents, 170 met two criteria for inclusion in the sample: 1) were homeowners and 2) had completed structural modifications after March, 1981 and prior to March, 1983. Of these 170 respondents, 93 were able to be identified longitudinally. For the present study, two detailed questions were selected from the questionnaire. These questions dealt with structural energy saving modifications which respondents had taken or planned to take in the future, whereas the second question asked what energy conserving behaviors respondents were taking. Six criteria were used to assess energy conserving behaviors, such as change the use of rooms to take advantage of sun-warmed or shaded areas and close off rooms. Nine housing structural modifications were used based on the number of energy conservation features the respondents had added to their homes, such as storm doors and floor insulation. Frequency distributions were used to develop descriptions of respondents and their homes. Males most often responded to the questionnaire. Respondents were characterized by an average age of 47.7 years, a median gross family income in the category of $25,000 through $29,000, some college education, and had an average of 4.4 investments. These respondents lived in homes characterized by an average value range and size range of $50,000 through $74,999 and 1001 square feet through 1500 square feet, respectively, and were most commonly constructed prior to 1945. The majority of homes were located in rural areas and utilized electricity for space heating. The fuel used for water heating was more equally distributed among electricity, oil, wood, and natural gas. Although the results of the t-test and analysis of variance were not statistically significant, possible behavior patterns which support and contradict previous studies related to structural modifications were found. First, the selection of structural modifications which were found to be related to an increase in conservation behaviors were also those which, comparatively, required a greater capital investment, an increased amount of physical labor, and had the greatest energy saving potential. Second, the behavior change scores for respondents who did not add the specific feature decreased from 1981 to 1983 for all features with the exception of weatherstripping and caulking, while behavior change scores for respondents who did add the specific feature decreased for: 1) weatherstripping and caulking, 2) storm doors, 3) glass doors on fireplaces, and 4) wood-burning stoves. Third, energy saving behaviors of respondents increased when insulation related features were added. Fourth, a degree of lifestyle preservation by those who actually made structural changes was suggested by two observations: 1) energy conserving behaviors decreased following structural modifications, and 2) respondents selected energy conserving behaviors which required little or no changes to lifestyle and/or comfort. This study documents patterns of behaviors which emerged following residential structural modifications. A better understanding of residential energy consumption patterns is important to consumers, educators, researchers, utility companies, government officials and others who influence energy programs and policies as well as the housing environment. Knowledge of these behavior patterns may be used by professionals: 1) to educate consumers of indicated behavior patterns and 2) as a basis on which policy decisions can be made to facilitate energy conservation. Only with knowledge of behavior patterns can effective programs and education curricula be planned which sufficiently inform consumers of efficient (effective) energy conservation methods.