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Individual Characteristics Of Postsecondary Underachievement, Natasha Godkin
Individual Characteristics Of Postsecondary Underachievement, Natasha Godkin
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Underachievement in postsecondary education has been a growing concern for educators and researchers. Higher education institutions have implemented early alert systems to identify students performing below standards. This early warning system has major limitations that confine it to an identification only approach. The current study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Student Attitude Assessment Survey-R (SAAS-R) in a postsecondary sample. First, a confirmatory factor analysis validated the SAAS-R in a postsecondary sample. Predictive validity was then investigated by identifying students as underachieving or achieving based on responses to the SAAS-R and via a regression-based discrepancy model (ability vs. …
Look, But Don’T Touch: Impact Of Covid-19 On The Nicu Caregiver, Rebecca C. Otwell-Dove
Look, But Don’T Touch: Impact Of Covid-19 On The Nicu Caregiver, Rebecca C. Otwell-Dove
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Admission of an infant into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is an experience that has been associated with a variety of both positive and negative health outcomes for parent and child. While both the setting name and the admitted population alludes to a sole focus on the affected infant, what often remains underrecognized is the impact on the ones who care for the newborn long before and longer after their NICU stay. Given the recency and unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, very little research has examined the impact of COVID-19-specific stress on the experience of parents of infants …
The Comparative Effects Of Three Virtual Nature Exposure Methods On State Social Motivation: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Samantha A. Castelblanco
The Comparative Effects Of Three Virtual Nature Exposure Methods On State Social Motivation: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Samantha A. Castelblanco
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
It is well established in the research literature that exposure to nature positively affects physical and mental health. However, research regarding the effects of nature exposure on social health is less developed. Prior research found that watching a video of nature improved state social motivation. Building on this research, the current study compared the effects of three methods of virtual nature exposure on state social motivation in a randomized controlled trial. In this 3X3 between-subjects experiment, participants (N = 426) 18 to 73 (MAge = 27.69, SD = 12.19) were randomly assigned to experience 3-minutes of nature …
Associations Between Perfectionism, Parental Expectations, Self-Esteem, And Academic Achievement In Gifted Students, Hannah Scarbrough
Associations Between Perfectionism, Parental Expectations, Self-Esteem, And Academic Achievement In Gifted Students, Hannah Scarbrough
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Intellectual giftedness can affect students in a variety of ways. Research often examines some of these potential effects, such as how giftedness impacts performance in school or attitude regarding academics. However, little research has been done on whether gifted students are more driven by internal pressures to succeed that they place on themselves or by external pressures to succeed that are placed on them by others. The present study examined how perfectionism (an internal pressure) and parental expectations (an external pressure) might affect a student’s self-esteem and achievement. Participants were 250 undergraduate students (M age = 20.35 years old, …
The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Academic Performance And Student Self-Perception, Emily Brown, Julia Dodd
The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Academic Performance And Student Self-Perception, Emily Brown, Julia Dodd
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Researchers have explored the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on academic performance from elementary years to young adulthood. In this study, we explored the relationship between ACEs and academic performance in high school and academic student self-perception, and the further role that community or high school extra-curricular involvement may play in this relationship. In this study, we hypothesize that participants with higher ACEs will have poorer academic performance than those with lower ACEs. Secondly, we hypothesize that students with higher ACEs will have a lower academic self-concept than students with lower ACEs. Thirdly, we hypothesize that community or extra-curricular …
The Effects Of The Transition From Pre-Nursing To Nursing On Mental Health, Andrew J. Davis, Paige R. Mullins, Kimberly A. Sell
The Effects Of The Transition From Pre-Nursing To Nursing On Mental Health, Andrew J. Davis, Paige R. Mullins, Kimberly A. Sell
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Mental health is an ever-growing crisis among adolescents and young adults, with suicide as second leading cause of death and the number of those negatively affected continually on the rise. Transitions are one of the major stressors prevalent among these age groups, placing individuals at risk for mental health deficits. This quantitative voluntary response comparative study assesses the transitional mental health of pre-nursing students and students in the nursing program at East Tennessee State University. Emailed to all with a declared major of pre-nursing or nursing, this study measured mental health using evidenced based assessment tools. The PHQ-9 for depression …
The Role Of Emotion Dysregulation In The Relationship Between Anhedonia And Opioid Craving, Rachelle Kromash
The Role Of Emotion Dysregulation In The Relationship Between Anhedonia And Opioid Craving, Rachelle Kromash
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Research on factors that predict opioid cravings is lacking. Anhedonia may be a predictor of cravings and particularly relevant to cravings when people struggle to regulate emotions but has yet to be examined among justice-involved populations. This study aimed to examine the relationship between anhedonia, opioid cravings, and emotion dysregulation (ED) in this population. Participants completed several measures. The results showed that anhedonia and opioid cravings were significantly related at the bivariate level, but not in moderation models. The DERS-36 total score and ‘DERS Impulse’ subscale had a significant, positive effect on cravings in moderation models. In a higher severity …
Early Detection Of Atypical Motor And Neurobehavior Of Infants At Risk Secondary To Opioid Exposure: A Prospective Study, Kara Boynewicz
Early Detection Of Atypical Motor And Neurobehavior Of Infants At Risk Secondary To Opioid Exposure: A Prospective Study, Kara Boynewicz
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Prenatal opioid exposure has been studied in relation to infants' medical outcomes. However, large gaps exist in the literature supporting early identification of atypical neurobehavior and motor development of infants with prenatal opioid exposure. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether prenatal opioid exposure has a negative influence on a newborn infant’s neurobehavior and motor development to aid in the early identification of potential delays. Using a prospective quasi experimental design, infants motor development using the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) and neurobehavior using the NICU Neonatal Network Scale (NNNS) was assessed on 58 infants in a …
Behavioral Effects And Neurobiological Mechanisms Of 3-Aminobenzimide In A Rodent Model Of Chronic Psychological Stress, Liza Wills
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide, with a lifetime prevalence rate of approximately 20%. Inadequate pharmacological treatment methods for MDD are a significant debilitating factor. Patient estimates suggest that the treatment resistance rate for pharmacological interventions is over 30%. Postmortem analyses of human tissue of individuals diagnosed with MDD have shown an increase in Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) mRNA gene expression in prefrontal cortical white matter when compared to psychiatrically normal brain tissue. In order to further investigate this issue, the present study used the social defeat stress/chronic unpredictable stress (SDS + CUS) rodent …
The Effects Of Rejection Sensitivity On Attention And Performance Monitoring Event-Related Potentials, Elizabeth Ridley
The Effects Of Rejection Sensitivity On Attention And Performance Monitoring Event-Related Potentials, Elizabeth Ridley
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Rejection sensitivity (RS) can have significant effects on interpersonal relationships. Previous research has shown the negative social effects of RS, but less is known about the cognitive implications of having high levels of RS. The current study examined the effect of RS on various event-related potential (ERP) components associated with performance monitoring (error-related negativity, ERN; feedback-related negativity, FRN) and attention (P300; late positive potential, LPP). Participants completed a social or nonsocial Flanker task and an emotional Stroop task. Results showed an increased ERN on error trials for individuals with higher RS. Although the FRN, P300, and LPP were not influenced …
Digital Manipulation Of Human Faces: Effects On Emotional Perception And Brain Activity, Martin Knoll
Digital Manipulation Of Human Faces: Effects On Emotional Perception And Brain Activity, Martin Knoll
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The study of human face-processing has granted insight into key adaptions across various social and biological functions. However, there is an overall lack of consistency regarding digital alteration styles of human-face stimuli. In order to investigate this, two independent studies were conducted examining unique effects of image construction and presentation. In the first study, three primary forms of stimuli presentation styles (color, black and white, cutout) were used across iterations of non-thatcherized/thatcherized and non-inverted/inverted presentations. Outcome measures included subjective reactions measured via ratings of perceived “grotesqueness,” and objective outcomes of N170 event-related potentials (ERPs) measured via encephalography. Results of subjective …
Client Predictors Of Therapeutic Alliance In Court-Mandated Substance Use Treatment, Yasmine Punceles
Client Predictors Of Therapeutic Alliance In Court-Mandated Substance Use Treatment, Yasmine Punceles
Undergraduate Honors Theses
The purpose of the current study was to investigate predictors of therapeutic alliance among a sample of 46 adults with substance misuse who were convicted of felony offenses and court-mandated to attend substance use treatment as part of their probation requirements. For this study, I purposed four hypotheses: (1) older participants will report a stronger therapeutic alliance with their therapist. (2) women will form a stronger therapeutic alliance with their therapist than men, (3) higher levels of distress will be associated with lower therapeutic alliance, and (4) people with more extensive criminal and substance use histories to have poorer therapeutic …
Reported Motivations For Non-Medical Use Of Prescription Stimulants In A Sample Of Community College Students, Taylor Wexler
Reported Motivations For Non-Medical Use Of Prescription Stimulants In A Sample Of Community College Students, Taylor Wexler
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Introduction. Prior research has found high rates of behavioral health concerns, including several forms of substance use, among community college students. However, the prevalence of non-medical use of prescription stimulants (NMUS) as well as the motivations driving NMUS among community college students is unknown. Methods. Survey results from 13 community colleges within the Tennessee Board of Regents school system were evaluated to explore 1) rates of NMUS, 2) reported motivations for NMUS, and 3) how demographic characteristics including race, age, and income differ based on self-reported reasons for NMUS. Results. NMUS was reported by approximately 9% of the overall sample. …
Optimism And Physical Health-Related Quality Of Life In Chronic Illness: Mediating Effects Of Control Beliefs And Health Behaviors, Morgan Treaster
Optimism And Physical Health-Related Quality Of Life In Chronic Illness: Mediating Effects Of Control Beliefs And Health Behaviors, Morgan Treaster
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Among persons living with, or recovering from, chronic illness, poor physical health-related quality of life is a concern, as current and residual illness symptoms and treatment side effects may deleteriously impact physical functioning and fulfillment of daily roles. Numerous cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors may impact perceptions of health status. Optimism, for example, is conceptualized as belief in the occurrence of positive future outcomes, and is beneficially associated with physical health-related quality of life. Further, optimism may contribute to enhanced perceptions of control and efficacy over disease symptoms and general health, manifesting as proactive health behaviors (e.g., wellness behaviors; treatment …
The Moderating Role Of Social Support In Stigma And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression, Taylor Phillips
The Moderating Role Of Social Support In Stigma And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression, Taylor Phillips
Undergraduate Honors Theses
In this study, we examine the relationship between having a support system and the stigma individuals face with depression and anxiety symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine if having a support system acts as a buffer between perceived stigma and mental health symptoms. For this study, I conducted an online survey to measure symptoms of depression and anxiety, experiences with both perceived and internalized stigma, and social support. While 93 total participants engaged in the survey, only 52 fully completed the survey and passed two attention-check questions to ensure no invalid participation (e.g., BOTS) were present. In …
A Gap Analysis Of Reentry Services For Corrections-Involved Populations In Rural East Tennessee, Alyssa P. Gretak Leal
A Gap Analysis Of Reentry Services For Corrections-Involved Populations In Rural East Tennessee, Alyssa P. Gretak Leal
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Returning citizens face a host of barriers when attempting to reintegrate into society; thus, services for these concerns are imperative for successful reintegration. Unfortunately, services are often lacking, particularly in rural communities which tend to be overlooked in reentry research. In order to better determine service need for justice-involved populations in rural communities, the current study completed a gap analysis, both inspired and supplemented, by qualitative information collected from mental health providers (MHPs) in a rural Appalachian region of Tennessee. To complete the gap analysis, an estimation of need was collected via local crime statistics. Using this data, a two-sample …
Perceptions Of Resilience-Informed Education In Postsecondary Instructors, Chelsea L. Robertson
Perceptions Of Resilience-Informed Education In Postsecondary Instructors, Chelsea L. Robertson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Many studies have noted the detrimental impact adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have on individuals’ developmental trajectories and, as a result, the utilization of trauma-informed practices has been of increasing interest within the field of education. Most research on trauma-informed pedagogy is derived from samples of children in grades K-12, whereas research on trauma-informed teaching practices within higher education is comparatively scarce. The specific aims of the current investigation are two-fold. The first aim is to explore the effect of postsecondary instructors’ disciplinary specialization (i.e., person-thing orientation) on their receptivity to compassionate teaching practices. The second aim is to implement …
Forgiveness, Gratitude, Humility, And Spiritual Struggle: Associations With Religious Belief Status And Suicide Risk, Benjamin B. Hall
Forgiveness, Gratitude, Humility, And Spiritual Struggle: Associations With Religious Belief Status And Suicide Risk, Benjamin B. Hall
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Religion is a known contributor to suicide risk, with both positive and negative effects. Negative religious experiences, such as spiritual struggle, can exacerbate suicide risk. Alternatively, religion may promote positive psychological characteristics associated with reduced suicide risk, such as forgiveness, gratitude, and humility. However, research has yet to assess how religious changes, including conversion and deconversion, affect the linkage between religious risk and protective factors and suicidal behavior. We conducted three studies assessing these associations across four belief status groups: life-long religious believers, former religious non-believers who now believe, life-long religious non-believers, and former religious believers who no longer believe. …
Interpersonal Needs And Suicide Risk: Examining Indirect Effects Of Internal Hostility And Feeling Forgiven, Kelley C. Berto
Interpersonal Needs And Suicide Risk: Examining Indirect Effects Of Internal Hostility And Feeling Forgiven, Kelley C. Berto
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Suicide is a national public health concern, and unmet interpersonal needs (i.e., perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness) may contribute to enhanced risk. However, mechanisms of action and certain protective variables are not well understood. The present study examined simple mediation models, with internal hostility as a mechanism of action between interpersonal needs and suicide risk. Additionally, our study examined the moderating role of various aspects of receiving forgiveness on the association between interpersonal needs and internal hostility in these simple mediation models. A community-based convenience sample was surveyed (N=712). Our findings indicated that internal hostility partially mediated the association …
Psychological Distress And Susceptibility To Disease In The Infant And Early Childhood Mental Health (Iecmh) Workforce In The Time Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ashley Sexton
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Chronic stress, anxiety, and depression can have many adverse effects on physical health, including immunosuppression and increased susceptibility to disease. For the last year, the world has endured sustained stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which has had its own impact on mental health. Stress from COVID-19 will likely have an even greater impact on the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) workforce due to the stressful nature of their work. Self-care has been shown to improve overall wellbeing and act as a buffer for stress. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate if IECMH workers with clinically significant …
Investigating The Misrepresentation Of Statistical Significance In Empirical Articles, Blythe Lybrand, Ginette Blackhart, Amanda Parish, Hannah Lowe
Investigating The Misrepresentation Of Statistical Significance In Empirical Articles, Blythe Lybrand, Ginette Blackhart, Amanda Parish, Hannah Lowe
Undergraduate Honors Theses
In an attempt to preserve research integrity, the aim of this study is to examine how often statistical results are being misrepresented in empirical studies by using terms such as “marginally significant,” “approached significance,” or “trend toward significance” when interpreting findings. The use of these terms gives ambiguous significance to results that are in fact nonsignificant, which threatens future research by contributing to issues such as the replication crisis. For this study, data were coded from 437 empirical articles published online in The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (JPSP) over a 4-year period between 2017 and 2020. …
Trauma Informed Care Training Initiative: Implementation Study In Appalachia, Mattie V. Raza
Trauma Informed Care Training Initiative: Implementation Study In Appalachia, Mattie V. Raza
Undergraduate Honors Theses
This study aims to evaluate the implementation of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) trainings in Johnson City, Tennessee, and the surrounding Appalachian area. Previous TIC trainees were sent an email survey asking them if they had followed through with their plan to implement the training at their place of work or in other areas of their lives. The response rate for this study was 2%, possibly due to extraneous variables such as the Coronavirus Pandemic and the lag time between the initial training and survey follow-up. The responses that were analyzed indicated promise for the practical implementation of TIC concepts at the …
The Effects Of Virtual Nature Exposure On State Social Motivation, Samantha A. Castelblanco
The Effects Of Virtual Nature Exposure On State Social Motivation, Samantha A. Castelblanco
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Social health is an important predictor of overall health. Yet, it is an often neglected area of research. Strikingly, social connectedness is associated with a 50% reduction in risk of early death. While a plethora of research evidence supports the beneficial impact of nature exposure on physical and mental health, literature regarding the beneficial impact of nature exposure on social health is scant. In fact, no research to date has investigated the causal influence of nature exposure on social motivation, a construct comprised here of three measures (State Motivation to Foster Social Connections, State Positive Affect, and State Anxiety). The …
It’S Not All Aces: The Role Of Negative Parental Influences And Criminal Thinking In Juvenile Offending Behaviors, Branna Humphrey
It’S Not All Aces: The Role Of Negative Parental Influences And Criminal Thinking In Juvenile Offending Behaviors, Branna Humphrey
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and criminal thinking in causing criminal behavior has been explored extensively in criminal justice research. Based on the concepts of ACEs and the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Scale, the negative parental influences and criminal thinking styles of 1,354 juvenile offenders were examined to establish that negative parental influences and criminal thinking are separately associated with juvenile problem and offending behavior, and that criminal thinking mediates the relationship between negative parental influences and juvenile problem and offending behavior. Analyses showed support for criminal thinking as a pathway from negative parental influences to juvenile …
Identity-Specific Positive Psychology Intervention For Sexual Minorities: A Randomized Control Trial, Sarah Job
Identity-Specific Positive Psychology Intervention For Sexual Minorities: A Randomized Control Trial, Sarah Job
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Sexual minorities experience mental and physical health disparities in comparison to heterosexual individuals due to minority stress (Branstrom et al., 2016; Kerridge et al., 2017; Meyer, 2003). Positive psychology interventions have improved mental and physical health (Antoine et al., 2018; Lambert D'raven et al., 2015), and therefore these interventions have potential to address health disparities. The current study tested an identity-specific intervention (n = 30) to a general positive psychology intervention (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30) among sexual minorities. This built on a recent pilot study which tested the efficacy of an …
The Loss-Processing Framework, Lawrence Childress
The Loss-Processing Framework, Lawrence Childress
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The circumstances of responding to loss due to human death are among the most stressful experiences encountered in life. Although grief’s symptoms are typically considered essential to their gradual diminishment, possible negative impacts of complications related to grief are also well known, and have been associated with detriments to mental and physical health. Grief, however, can also generate transformative positive change. Thus, albeit ineludible, responding to loss is not uniformly experienced, expressed, or understood. It is also culturally-shaped, making attempts to define “normal” grief, as well as to label some grief “abnormal”—and to medicalize it—possibly problematic. Bereavement (the situation surrounding …
A Qualitative Investigation Into The Trauma Exhibited By First Responders Tackling The Opioid Epidemic In Tennessee, Thalia Sullivan
A Qualitative Investigation Into The Trauma Exhibited By First Responders Tackling The Opioid Epidemic In Tennessee, Thalia Sullivan
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Recent increases in opioid overdose rates have changed the role of first responders on the front lines of this national crisis. The present study used a semi-structured qualitative interview to investigate how the increase in opioids, opioid-related harm, and opioid-related death within Tennessee has affected the first responder population. Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and paramedics (N = 30) from rural-serving counties in Tennessee completed a semi-structured interview. Eight themes emerged from the interviews: (1) mental health symptoms, including posttraumatic stress disorder and secondary traumatic stress symptoms; (2) coping behaviors; (3) available resources; (4) barriers to accessing resources; (5) recommendations …
Intrinsic Religiousness And Its Relation To Health Outcomes, Joseph Barnet
Intrinsic Religiousness And Its Relation To Health Outcomes, Joseph Barnet
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Religiousness, broadly defined, has been shown to be predictive of a variety of health outcomes. Past literature surrounding religiousness research has utilized different definitions and measures for the meaning of religiousness. How religiousness is defined can influence its relationship in relation to health outcomes. The present study utilized a measure for intrinsic religiousness, which is defined as an internalization of the tenets of a particular faith. The present study examined whether intrinsic religiousness predicts problematic or illicit substance use or pornography use in a sample of participants that included mostly undergraduate students from the Appalachian region, as well as some …
The Resilience Of Female Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence In Southwest Nigeria: An Interdisciplinary Analysis, Tobi F. Oloyede
The Resilience Of Female Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence In Southwest Nigeria: An Interdisciplinary Analysis, Tobi F. Oloyede
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Nigeria endure harsh and traumatic experiences that affect their rights as women and their well-being. As the phenomenon of IPV persists in Nigeria, it is not only a family problem but a critical social and psychological problem. This study examined Nigerian female survivors’ hidden strength, agency, and resilience, rather than their powerlessness and vulnerability. Analysis of survey questionnaires, interviews, and secondary scholarship reveals that some Nigerian female survivors of IPV are able to cope whilst navigating stressful and traumatic experiences. The results also show that survivors’ ability to thrive and cope under …
Measurement Of Nontheistic And Theistic Spirituality: Initial Psychometric Qualities Of The Inclusive Spiritual Connection Scale, Valerie M. Hoots
Measurement Of Nontheistic And Theistic Spirituality: Initial Psychometric Qualities Of The Inclusive Spiritual Connection Scale, Valerie M. Hoots
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Spirituality represents a key part of life for the majority of U.S. adults and there is a growing body of research supporting relationships between spirituality and numerous health outcomes. Governing healthcare organizations have acknowledged the role religiousness and spirituality play in comprehensive and holistic patient care. While the U.S. shows documented trends towards diverse expressions of spirituality, existing theory-driven measures of spirituality are largely theocentric. The current study concludes a multiphase project that aimed at the outset to develop an inclusive measure of spirituality and establish initial psychometric evidence, validating its use across both theistic and nontheistic spiritual populations. The …