THE IMPACT OF A WORK-RELATED INTERPERSONAL COMMUNI

THEFLORIDASTATEUNIVERSITYCOLLEGEOFEDUCATIONTHEIMPACTOFAWORK-RELATEDINTERPERSONALCOMMUNICATIONSKILLSCURRICULUMONTHEWORK-ANDSOCIAL-RELATIONSHIPSOFNINTH-GRADESByCARLOSCAMILOGOMEZ-ESTEFANADissertationsubmittedtotheDepartmentofEducationalPsychologyandLearningSystemsinpartialfulfillmentoftherequirementsforthedegreeofDoctorofPhilosophyDegreeAwarded:FallSemester,2004Copyright©2004CarlosCamiloGomez-EstefanAllRightsReservedThemembersoftheCommitteeapprovetheDissertationofCarlosGomez-EstefandefendedonJuly12,2004.GaryPetersonProfessorDirectingDissertationBruceMenchettiOutsideCommitteeMemberBrileyProctorCommitteeMemberJamesSampsonCommitteeMemberApproved:FrancesPrevatt,Chair,DepartmentofEducationalPsychologyandLearningSystemsTheOfficeofGraduateStudieshasverifiedandapprovedtheabovenamedcommitteemembers.iiThisdissertationisdedicatedtomybeautifulbrideasourceofunendingstrengthwithwhomIhopetogrowoldandwise.iiiACKNOWLEDGEMENTSFirstandforemost,Iwishtoexpressmydeepthanksandappreciationtomywifeandmyparentsfortheirsupportandencouragementduringthecourseofmydoctoralstudies.WithoutthemIcouldhavenevermadeit!Mywife,Holly,wasmybackboneandfoundationthroughoutthecourseofthesestudiesanddissertation.IhadHolly’snever-failingsupportfromsincemydecisiontopursuedoctoralstudiesandherassistancewiththisdissertationwasinvaluableandtrulyself-sacrificing.Forinstance,onmanyoccasionsshedrovesixhoursfromAthens,Georgia–whereshewaspursuinghergraduatestudies–tolead-proctordatacollectionforthisstudyandwouldreturnbacktotheUniversityofGeorgiaforhernextclass.HollywasselflessinprovidingmeassistancewhereverIneededitthemost,includingdata-entry,sortingfiles,andproofreading,aswellasconstantencouragementandpositivereinforcement.Mymom,Yvonne,whoalwaysencouragedmetopursuemyeducation,hasprovidedmewiththeloveandsupporttoensurethatIstaythecourse.Mydad,Nabil,hasalwaysbeenreadytosharehiswisdomandencouragement;oftenhelpingmestaygroundedandfocusedonwhatisreallyimportantinlife.Iwouldliketothankmydeceasedfather,CarlosFernando,whoalwayshadgreatdreamsformyfutureandmydeceaseduncle,Camilo,whoworkeduntiltheendtomakethesedreamspossibleforme.Awarmthankyougoestomyaunt,Stella,forherenduringsupportthroughoutmylife.Iwouldalsoliketothankmydaughter,MaryElizabeth,whosecoosandsmilesgavemealltheenergytocompletethisdissertation.It’sbecauseofmyfamilythatIconsidermyselfamongthemostfortunatepeopleintheworld.Finally,IthankGodforthegiftoflifeandthehealthandopportunitytopursuemygoalsandmyvocation.Iwouldliketoexpressmydeepthanksandappreciationtomydoctoralcommitteechairandmajorprofessor,Dr.GaryPeterson,whofromthefirstdaythatIenteredtheprogramselflesslyprovidedmewiththetime,wisdom,andintellectwhichwereinstrumentalinthecompletionofmygraduatestudiesandprofessionaltraining.Garywastrulyamentorwhochallengedmetopushmyabilitiestothelimitineveryareaofivscienceandpracticeincludingpsychotherapy,psychodiagnosticassessment,consultation,andresearch.Healsotaughtmeto“thinklikeapsychologist”byspendingendlesshoursdiscussingeverythingfromthisresearchtothemostesotericbutfascinatingissuesrelatedtohumanbehavior.IwilltrulymissmyweeklymeetingswithGary,whichdidmoretoformmeasaprofessionalthananyclassevercould.MythanksandappreciationalsogoestoDr.JamesSampsonforhisclinicalsupervisionandinterestinmyprofessionaldevelopmentfromearlyinmymaster’sstudiesthroughthelasteditofthisdissertation.Finally,IwouldliketoalsoacknowledgeDr.BruceMenchettiandDr.BrileyProctorforhavingservedonmydoctoralcommittee.IwouldliketothankmyexcellentclinicalsupervisorsthroughoutmystudiesincludingDr.EnriqueCasero,Dr.PollieCaskie,Dr.AnnCituk,AnnieHands,Dr.LarryKubiak,Dr.JanetLenz,MikeMcAuley,andDr.DavidSeaton.SpecialthanksgotoDr.ThomasMeachamwhohasclinicallychallengedmetothinkoutoftheboxwhenitcomestounderstandingthedynamicsofhumanbehaviorandstrategiesfortreatmentandforhisgreatfriendship.Inthesamevein,deepgratitudegoestoDr.RobertSchuchts,forhismentorship,whichIcanhonestlysayhashadthemostprofoundinfluenceinhelpingmebecomeabetterhumanbeingandamorehumaneclinician.Finally,Iwouldliketothankmyinternshipsupervisoranddirectoroftraining,Dr.EddieE.Rocawhohasnotonlybeenanoutstandingsupervisor,butalsoafriend,mentor,andgodfather(thanksDon!).Mydeepgratitudealsogoestomypeer-colleagueswhoareamongthefinestpeopleIhaveevermet.FirstIwouldliketothankAliaCreason,oneofthebestfriendsIhaveeverhad,forallofhersupportwiththisdissertationincludingdatacollectionandthescoringwithcriticalincidents.Likewise,IextendmygratitudetoTravisCreasonandSusanWilliamsfortheirassistancewithdatacollection.IwouldalsoliketoextendmygratitudetoLaurenHutto,TaraSegassie,andMeredithSenholzscoringcriticalincidents.Finally,IwouldliketothankYvonneAchkarandGailReedforproofreadingpartoftheearlydraftsofthisdissertationandtoHollyGomezandJenniferSavinofortheeditingthefinalcopy.vIwouldalsoliketothankthestaffandfacultyattheFloridaStateUniversitySchoolfortheirkindnessinopeningtheschoolforthisresearchproject.First,IwouldliketothankEileenMcDanielandLindaJonesfortheirinterestandcommitmenttomyresearch.Iwouldalsoliketothanktheninthgra