Digital Commons Network^™

The Examination Of The Attitudes And Stigma Toward Mental Health Services Held By Black College Student-Athletes And College Nonathletes, Tony Spencer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of the current study was to examine the differences in attitudes and stigma toward mental health services between Black college student-athletes and college nonathletes. The secondary purpose of the study was to examine any gender difference in attitudes and stigma toward mental health services between Black college student-athletes and college nonathletes. A Mann-Whitney U statistical analysis was used to compare participant results from the three stigma toward mental health services survey measurements (Komiya et al., 2000; Vogel et al., 2006; Vogel et al., 2009). The current study hoped to further advance the literature examining the attitudes and …

Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors Of First-Year University Students, Kylie A. Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The early college years represent a specific period in a student’s life that is crucial for their development. Approximately one in three college students meet the criteria for a mental health problem (Eisenberg et al., 2013). Universities have unique opportunities for identifying risk and delivering prevention or intervention strategies to students in need. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with First-Year University students’ help-seeking behaviors for university-based mental health services. H₁: There will be group differences between gender and race/ethnicity on help-seeking behaviors, knowledge barriers of services or providers and perceived stigma. H_{2 …}

Effects Of Imagined Financial Difficulties On State Adult Attachment Systems, Loren Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to Bowlby’s definition of attachment theory, insecure attachment systems negatively regulate individuals' behaviors, thoughts, and feelings (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007). As individuals age, negative views of others and the self can grow, inevitably hindering relationships with others and self-esteem. Empirical research suggests a strong positive relationship between low socioeconomic status (SES) and developing an insecure attachment style among children (Sherry et al., 2013; van IJzendoorn & Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2010). With many similarities between child and adult attachment models, there is a gap in the literature examining the impact of lower SES on adult attachments. Although socioeconomic status's effects on general …

Silver Linings Playlist: Exploring The Effectiveness Of Music As An Emotion Regulation Tool, Caitlin Fountain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Music not only entertains listeners, but it also evokes emotions and facilitates emotion regulation (Gabrielsson, 2001; Krahe & Bienick, 2012). Specifically, music helps listeners to express their emotions and alter their mood through cognitive reappraisal (Chin & Rickard, 2014; Witvliet & Vrana, 2007). Listening to music also enhances relaxation and reduces physiological arousal after experiencing a stressful event (Yehuda, 2011). Stress often involves an influx of negative emotions, which when left unmitigated, may result in fewer positive emotions, increased depression, and maladaptive coping (Flynn & Rudolph, 2010; Lazenby et al., 2019). While music appears to be an effective stress management …

Implicit Beliefs About Anxiety And The Relationship With Competitive Anxiety Intensity And Direction, Luca M. Ziegler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the Fall of 2021, 45% of male and 72% of female student-athletes reported overwhelming anxiety at least once a month (NCAA, 2021). In addition to affecting an individual’s well-being, anxiety may negatively impact athletic performance (Edwards & Hardy, 1996). To better understand the impact of anxiety on athletic performance and develop effective interventions, both the intensity and direction of symptoms experienced must be considered. Incremental beliefs have been shown to be related to desirable performance outcomes and increased well-being in various populations (Danthony et al., 2020; Dweck, 2008), and may provide an effective intervention to interpret anxiety as more …

Views Of Asexuality And Transgender Individuals: The Role Of Religious Beliefs, Allison Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Asexuality is a lifelong, continuous lack of sexual attraction or the inability to feel sexual attraction. Asexuality is a naturally occurring sexual orientation thought to be present in 0.4-1.1% of the American population. However, asexuality is still relatively unknown by the general population and understudied by scientific researchers. Even less known is how religious individuals view asexuality. According to the 2020 US census, around 70% of American adults identify as Christian. The current study examined how degree of religiousness related to feelings toward sexuality and asexual individuals. Main hypotheses included: religious fundamentalism would predict negative attitudes toward asexual and transgender …

Decision Making Related To Situations When Sexual Violence Might Occur, Shakeia Salem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The definition of sexual violence has changed over the years to include all unconsented sexual contact. Sexual violence is a global issue targeting young, college-aged adults. We used hypothetical scenarios to determine the discounting rates of participants in situations where sexual violence might occur. Undergraduate students (n = 146; mean age 20.18 years) from Georgia Southern University participated in our study. The sample of participants included 116 (79.45%) females and 30 (20.55%) males, identifying as White (n = 85; 58.22%), Hispanic (n = 5; 3.42%), Black (n = 28; 19.18%), Asian (n = 1; .68%), …

The Metanarratives Of The Fourth Industrial Revolution And The Collective Cognitive Dissonance Of Metamodernist Discursive Formation, John R. Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My artworks explore the impacts of the technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which began in the early 21^st Century, upon global society and the human psyche. My works are instantiated by multi-year research in the areas of social psychology, cognitive dissonance, computer evolution and artificial intelligence. My body of work portrays a cautionary sensibility regards new technologies such as robotics, quantum supercomputing, Artificial Intelligence, commercial space travel and nanotechnology. In addition, my artwork attempts to increase awareness of the phenomenon of cognitive dissonance.

The perceptions and cognitions of artistic viewers relate directly to the psychological phenomenon of cognitive …

The Impact Of Controlling Language And Source Similarity On Psychological Reactance, Caroline Yarbrough

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Persuasive health messages are frequently advertised throughout the pandemic to decrease the spread of COVID-19 while increasing the likelihood of immunity. However, research demonstrates that persuasive health messages may be ineffective because they have the potential to elicit psychological reactance. Reactance is characterized by a state of unpleasant motivational arousal and often occurs when individuals experience or perceive threats to their freedom, and it can be evoked through controlling language (Frey et al., 2021; Grandpre et al., 2003). Additionally, research has shown that similarity is associated with liking (Cialdini & Trost 1998) and people are often more inclined to comply …

Can Gratitude Lists Mitigate Burnout In First-Year College Students?, Catherine Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years there has been a significant uptick in people expressing feelings of being burnt out. Many studies have looked at burnout in other students, such as college athletes, but none have looked at the true freshman first-year student. This study applied this intervention to a group of first-year college students to examine the impact of making gratitude lists on feelings of burnout. When comparing a control group that did not engage in gratitude list making, there was no statistically significant difference in feelings of burnout. However, correlation analyses revealed connections between gratitude and burnout variables that may lay …

Effect Of Training Modality On Intention To Exercise Among Law Enforcement Cadets Post Academy, Nicholas Hunt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Police academies are typically the first formalized job-task-oriented exercise training for law enforcement officers (LEOs). Research has demonstrated that cadets are at higher risk of injury during the academy. Physical training (PT) is a critical component of LEO academy efforts to build occupational skills to meet job demands. Although research is beginning to investigate the efficacy of different training modalities, more research is needed to understand the impact of academy training load and modality on occupational readiness and interest in maintaining exercise behaviors post-academy. PURPOSE: to investigate the relationships between different physical training modalities and intention to continue physical training …

It's Not A Phobia: Reducing Transnegativity Using Imagined Intergroup Contact, Rachel Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study evaluated the efficacy of a novel imagined intergroup contact procedure in reducing feelings of transnegativity held by cisgender individuals. The intervention, based on the Fast Friends Procedure (Aron et al., 1997), has participants interact with a fictional transgender person who answers questions about himself; participants then write a free-response answer to the question for themselves. The current hypotheses were that the imagined intergroup contact procedure would (1) reduce feelings of transnegativity, (2) reduce feelings of contact apprehension toward transgender people, and (3) increase feelings of self-other overlap between cisgender people and a transgender target. In Study 1, …

The Strong Families Program: Utility Of Telehealth Parenting Skills Psychoeducation, Grace C. Prosperi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Externalizing behaviors in children are a common problem experienced by many parents. If untreated, externalizing behaviors are associated with more serious consequences (Hann, 2012). Parents of children with behavior issues also report higher levels of stress (Dumas et al., 2009). Parenting stress is related to lower life satisfaction for parents and increased negative outcomes for children living in the home. Parent training programs, incorporating attachment building and discipline strategies, combat childhood externalizing behaviors in clinical settings. While reducing childhood externalizing behaviors is the main aim of parent training, there are other benefits to gaining parenting skills such as increased familial …

The Relationship Between Isolation And Social Emotional Experiences In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jana Arslan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with ASD often face socioemotional challenges compared to their typical developing classmates (Chamberlain et al., 2006; Deckers et al., 2017; Liu et al., 2021; Locke et al, 2010; Zeedyk et al., 2015). The objective of the current study was to assess the relationship between classroom isolation and social emotional experiences (i.e., social isolation, loneliness, self-efficacy with peers, and friendship quality) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through self-report surveys in order to foster the best possible academic environment for children with ASD to succeed and create outlets for further research to be developed in regards to this subject. …

Perfectionism And Psychological Well-Being In Sport And Performance Psychology Professionals, Kaytlyn M. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sport and performance psychology (SPP) professionals working in performance-enhancement training, counseling/clinical psychology, academia, and the military, face various work demands that can lead to chronic stress and impaired well-being (McCormack, 2019). Perfectionism is a multi-dimensional personality trait in which an individual sets excessively high personal standards of performance (Burns, 1980; Frost et al., 1990; Hamachek, 1978; Hewitt & Flett, 1990). While striving for high standards is not necessarily a negative trait, perfectionism is not considered a healthy pursuit of excellence, rather a “compulsive drive to achieve flawlessness” (Burns, 1980, p. 38). Given that SPP professionals’ responsibilities are to help athletes …

The Conditional Effects Of Emotion Regulation On The Relationship Between Occupational Stress And Suicidal Behaviors In Veterinary Students, Sara Carroll Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is an area of increasing concern in the field of veterinary medicine. As veterinary students prepare to enter the profession and take on the unique stressors associated with this line of work, there is a need for models that identify protective factors for suicidal behaviors. Specifically, research is needed to identify factors that offset the relationship between occupational stress and suicidal behaviors. To better inform interventions designed to prevent suicidal behaviors in veterinary students, emotion upregulation and downregulation strategies were evaluated as potential moderators in the relationship between occupational stress and suicidal behaviors in a sample of veterinary students. …

Effects Of Perpetrator And Victim Gender, Rape Myths, And Report Timing On Blame Attributions Following Sexual Assault, Katherine E. Kennon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research examined the effects of victim gender, perpetrator gender, and rape myth acceptance on victim blaming attribution; however, fewer studies explore victim and perpetrator gender at the same time, and even fewer studies examined the relevance of factors like timing of reporting (immediate or delayed) or rurality. The primary purpose of the study, therefore, was to explore the effect of victim gender, perpetrator gender, and report timing (same day vs. six months later) on victim blaming attributions. The study also examined the role of rape myth acceptance on victim blame and compared levels of rape myth acceptance across participant …