Digital Commons Network^™

Assessment Of Psychological Functioning In Retired Firefighters, Jordana Simone Pepper

Theses and Dissertations

The past decade has witnessed a significant increase in clinical attention directed to mental health problems in firefighters. The basis for heightened activity in this area is the convergence of evidence indicating that firefighters demonstrate significantly high levels of psychological disorders such as depression and PTSD (Henderson et al., 2016). A previously unexplored risk factor for psychopathology in firefighters is active retirement. Retirement can lead to a decline in psychological functioning, as well as a decline in a person’s self-concept clarity through group loss (Slotter, Winter & Soto, 2015). This loss has the potential to cause, or enhance, feelings of …

Psychometric Analyses Of A Comprehensive Neuropsychological Battery For Retired Nfl Players, Kimberly Ethridge Fitzgibbon

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined psychometric properties of the NFL Concussion Battery used to examine neuropsychological functioning in retired NFL players who were part of the NFL’s concussion settlement. This battery assesses multiple areas of cognitive functioning; executive functioning, language, processing speed, attention and memory. The study included 117 participants who were male with at least 16 years of education. The sample was 75.9% African-American and average age was 47. All participants completed the entire battery and passed the majority of effort measures. Those that did not pass the majority of effort measures or complete the entire battery were excluded.

T-test analyses …

The Effects Of Sleep Restriction On Biological, Psychological, And Neurocognitive Measures Of Health, Margaret S. Lorenzetti

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic sleep restriction impacts a significant proportion of the population, even though health is optimized following a minimum of seven hours of sleep. A preponderance of the literature examining the effects of sleep loss focuses on males and total sleep deprivation. Sleep restriction paradigms provide more ecological validity, as they are more consistent with sleep loss characterized in epidemiological studies. Moreover, enhancing the understanding of sleep loss among women, who are generally the gender most likely to encounter negative health as a result of poor sleep quality, is crucial. Thus, this investigation aimed to examine sleep restriction amongst a female …

Breaking Away: The Role Of Homeostatic Drive In Perpetuating Depression, Jonathan Tory Toole

Theses and Dissertations

The brain can be considered a complicated system of feedback mechanisms that maintain physiological homeostasis. Through psychological activity, neurochemicals act as homeostatic regulators. This study proposes that these components are part of a regulatory system that is capable of supporting multiple homeostatic regimes that, in turn, give rise to self-sustaining psychological behaviors. This project hypothesizes that such alternate regulatory programs may play a role in perpetuating psychological dysfunction. Interactions within and between components of the neurotransmitter network are represented as a set of discrete logic circuits. Neurotransmitter levels are linked to psychological constructs such as depression based on current literature. …

Demographic, Legal, And Clinical Predictors Of Long-Term Trial Competency Restoration, Jonathan F. Shook

Theses and Dissertations

Trial competency is the foremost context in which forensic evaluators interact with criminal courts in the United States, and court-ordered restoration to competency (RTC) substantially contributes to hospitalization via the criminal justice system. Predictors of restoration to competency (RTC) have been extensively studied to date, yet few studies have been conducted with RTC patients in a long-term setting. The present study aimed to examine predictors of successful restoration for defendants who underwent RTC from a long-term inpatient facility in Texas from 2012 to 2017. Patients (N = 261) were compared across retrospective demographic, clinical, and criminogenic factors via binary logistic …

An Examination Of A Mindfulness-Based Intervention For Older Adults, Morgan Levy

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness-based interventions use meditation and other learning exercises to help individuals become more aware of their current physiological and emotional experiences. Benefits of practicing mindfulness include an increase in positive psychological outcomes (e.g., psychological well-being, emotion regulation) and a decrease in negative psychological outcomes (e.g., anxiety, depression). The vast majority of studies focus on younger rather than older adults—setting the stage for the current study, which involved delivering a five-session mindfulness-based intervention to older adults (i.e., 60 and older). The smaller literature focused on older adults is promising but generally lacks methodological rigor (e.g., lack of no-treatment control groups). The …

Alcohol Misuse Among Operation Enduring Freedom And Operation Iraqi Freedom Military Healthcare Professionals, Brian Letourneau

Theses and Dissertations

Over 2.1 million United States military service members have deployed to support Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Nearly 40% of OEF/OIF service members meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder post-deployment. Minimal research has addressed alcohol misuse among military healthcare professionals despite the prevalence of alcohol abuse among civilian providers. This study explored whether military healthcare professionals involved with OIF/OEF operations have increased risk for alcohol misuse (i.e., problem drinking, heavy weekly drinking, heavy episodic drinking). Three evidence-based hypotheses were evaluated: (a) among OEF/OIF military personnel, healthcare professionals would have an increased likelihood of alcohol misuse …

The Influence Of Trauma, Locus Of Control, And Health-Related Quality Of Life On A Child’S Self-Worth, Anita Alexander

Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature has shown that childhood trauma and adverse experiences are related to a wide range of negative outcomes that can span into adulthood (e.g., low self-worth, poor physical health, and increased likelihood of co-morbid psychological symptoms). However, a gap remains in the existing literature regarding early interventions that may target complicated outcomes (i.e., self-esteem and self-worth) while the survivor is still in childhood. This paper attempts to elucidate the impact that traumatic childhood experiences may have on self-worth, and the importance of implementing targeted intervention before the child reaches adulthood. Therefore, an extensive review was first conducted to gain …

Exploring Mediators And Moderators In The Relationship Of Acculturative Stress And Internalizing Symptoms In Hispanic Youth, Victoria A. Schlaudt

Theses and Dissertations

The population of Hispanic children is quickly growing in the United States. Unfortunately, this group has a significant risk of developing internalizing symptoms. The present study examined the complex relationships of cultural and cognitive factors with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Literature suggests that acculturative stress, or the difficulty experienced when adjusting to a new culture, is related to depression and anxiety in Hispanic youth. However, the mechanisms by which acculturative stress relates to anxiety and depression in this population are unknown. Thus, this study attempted to fill these gaps in the current literature by examining potential mediators and/or moderators. …