Digital Commons Network^™

Friend Over Foe: Friendship Quality And Chronic Peer Victimization, Kristin E. Landfield

Kaleidoscope

The present research builds on the extensive literature in the field of peer victimization. Specifically, it examines whether friendship acts as a buffer in the relation between implicit socio-cognitive biases and peer victimization among 82 children ages 9-13. Children completed two implicit measures of victimization in order to detect cognitive biases in socioemotional processing among chronically victimized children. Levels of friendship quality were assessed and shown to have a main effect on peer victimization indices. The emotional Stroop task related negatively to peer victimization, indicating a cognitive avoidance of emotionally-salient stimuli. The IAT and peer victimization were related such that …

Relations Among Gender-Typical And Gender-Atypical Uses Of Aggression, Popularity, And Depression, Melissa Murphy

Kaleidoscope

The purpose of this study was to investigate how types of bullying engaged in by high school students (relational, physical, or verbal aggression) vary with gender and how they may be related to a student’s social status. Children in the ninth grade, from four different Kentucky high schools, were administered various measures as part of a larger study on social development in their own classroom. Measures used in our analysis included a bully and victim self-reported narrative, Bullying Questions and Belonging Questionnaire, and a Peer Nomination Scale. Results indicated that females used more relational aggression than males, and males used …

“In A Competition Full Of Hamburgers, You’Re A Steak:” American Idol And The Role Of Reality Television In The Maintenance Of Our Egos, Kathryn L. Braun

Kaleidoscope

Over the past decade, reality shows have ascended to the top of the Nielsen rating charts and have assumed a dominance that is difficult to cast aside. One such reality show, American Idol has grown in popularity over its last six seasons. This chapter discusses one of the main arguments of a larger honors thesis that examines the underlying motives that keep American viewers watching. As a cultural commodity, American Idol can be viewed as a product of American values and holds a societal purpose for its viewers. Therefore, the arguments within this chapter propose that the great popularity enjoyed …

Developmental Changes In Analytic And Holistic Processes In Face Perception, Jane E. Joseph, Michelle D. Dibartolo, Ramesh S. Bhatt

Psychology Faculty Publications

Although infants demonstrate sensitivity to some kinds of perceptual information in faces, many face capacities continue to develop throughout childhood. One debate is the degree to which children perceive faces analytically versus holistically and how these processes undergo developmental change. In the present study, school-aged children and adults performed a perceptual matching task with upright and inverted face and house pairs that varied in similarity of featural or 2^nd order configural information. Holistic processing was operationalized as the degree of serial processing when discriminating faces and houses [i.e., increased reaction time (RT), as more features or spacing relations were …

Negative Urgency And Lack Of Perseverance: Identification Of Differential Pathways Of Onset And Maintenance Risk In The Longitudinal Prediction Of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Elizabeth N. Riley, Jessica L. Combs, Carol E. Jordan, Gregory T. Smith

Psychology Faculty Publications

Many researchers have identified impulsivity-related personality traits as correlates of and risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Using a longitudinal design, we tested the hypothesis that one such trait, negative urgency (the tendency to act rashly when distressed), predicts the onset of NSSI during the first year of college and a different trait, lack of perseverance (the disposition to fail to maintain focus on tasks that are difficult or boring), predicts the maintenance of NSSI during the first year of college. In a sample of n = 1,158 college women (mean age = 18.04, 95% of participants were 18 at …

Brief Report: Evidence Of Ingroup Bias On The Shooter Task In A Saudi Sample, Timothy P. Schofield, Timothy Deckman, Christopher P. Garris, C. Nathan Dewall, Thomas F. Denson

Psychology Faculty Publications

When predominantly White participants in Western countries are asked to shoot individuals in a computer game who may carry weapons, they show a greater bias to shoot at outgroup members and people stereotyped as dangerous. The goal was to determine the extent to which shooter biases in the Middle East would vary as a function of target ethnicity and culturally appropriate or inappropriate headgear. Within a sample of 37 male Saudi Arabian residents, we examined shooter biases outside of Western nations for the first time. Targets in this task were either White or Middle Eastern in appearance, and wore either …

Development Of A Measure Of Craving Suppression, Brian T. Upton

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

While there is evidence to support the efficacy of mindfulness-based treatment for substance use, the mechanisms through which they lead to therapeutic outcomes have received less attention. A growing body of literature suggests that the ways in which people respond to cravings may be an important mediator of change. Individuals with substance use problems may use them to cope with or avoid negative experiences, which could include the experience of craving itself. Thought suppression in particular has been investigated as a specific form of experiential avoidance, and findings suggest that thought suppression strategies may interfere with attempts to quit using …

Exploring Bisexual-Identified Persons Experiences Of Belonging, David Pascale-Hague

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Belonging is a basic and fundamental human need (Baumeister, & Leary, 1995) that is associated with psychosocial health (Cohen, 2004). Unfortunately, community belonging is a challenge for those with a bisexual identity. Binegativity, minority stress, and the invisibility of bisexual-identities may interfere with attempts to develop a sense of community belonging (Bradford, 2004). Little systematic research has examined bisexual-identified people’s perceptions and experiences of belonging to a community. This project addressed the question, “What are bisexual individuals’ experiences of community belonging/social exclusion?” Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 12 bisexual-identified persons. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a constructivist …

An Examination Of The Psychometric Properties Of The Working Model Of The Child Interview Coding Scheme With Biological Mothers Who Have Maltreated, Brian D. Gustman

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

There are hundreds of thousands of children living in foster care in the United States on any given day. Mental health professionals may be called upon to assist with evaluating the parental capacity of these children’s parents in order to inform reunification decisions. One of the key parental capacity domains to be evaluated is the relationship between parent and child (Schmidt et al., 2007). The Working Model of the Child Interview coding scheme (WMCI; Zeanah et al., 1996) is one tool for evaluating this relationship. There is a significant practice-to-research gap with this measure. To date, no peer-reviewed studies have …

Transgender Individuals' Social Support Experiences In Central Appalachia, Angela J. Aaron

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The majority of empirical studies in transgender psychology have focused on the negative experiences of urban transgender individuals (Grossman & D’Augelli, 2007; Koken, Bimbi, & Parsons, 2009; Melendez & Pinto, 2007; Singh & McKleroy, 2011; Strain & Shuff, 2010; Xavier, Bobbin, Singer, & Budd, 2005). Less is known about the experiences of rural transgender individuals (Fassinger & Arseneau, 2007; Grossman, 2008) especially in Central Appalachia (Gray, 2009). The purpose of this study was to examine transgender individuals’ perceptions of social support in Central Appalachia. Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological model framed the analysis of social support experiences within the culture of Central …

The Longitudinal Effects Of Participation In Structured Extracurricular Activities On Educational Achievement, Future Earnings, And Symptoms Of Depression With School Belongingness As A Mediating Variable In A Low-Income Sample, Christina L. Stacy

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential outcomes of participating in structured extracurricular activities (SEA) as an adolescent. Research has previously demonstrated that beneficial outcomes commonly associated with SEA participation include academic achievement and educational/career ambitions, positive social outcomes, and psychological well-being. It is thought that the benefits of SEA participation may be mediated by adolescents’ feelings of school belongingness and positive relationships. By extension, school belongingness is a key contributor to engagement, academic achievement, positive social relationships, and mental well-being. Although the research is typically positive, one must be careful in overgeneralizing that increasing student participation …

Saving Our Sisters: Effects Of A Computer-Based Version Of Sista On The Hiv-Related Behaviors Of African American Women, Krystal Frieson

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are infectious diseases wreaking irreparable havoc on the lives of millions all around the world. Of those infected and affected by HIV in the United States, African Americans disproportionately bear the burden of this disease, which has resulted in a major crisis within the African American community. In 2010, African Americans accounted for approximately 44% of all new HIV infections among adolescents, 13 years of age and older, and adults [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012). These statistics become even more dismal when both race and gender enter the …

Effectiveness Of Psychotherapy For Youth In Poverty: A Benchmarking Study Of A Public Behavioral Health Agency Using A Client Feedback System, Jonathan Kodet

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a public behavioral health (PBH) agency that had implemented continuous outcome feedback as a quality improvement strategy.

Method: I investigated the pre-post treatment outcomes of 4,389 ethnically diverse youths (6 to 17 years old) at or under the poverty line participating in treatment (from January 2008 to March 2014) for a broad range of primary diagnoses including depression and anxiety disorders (23%); adjustment disorders (27%); Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (13%), various V-codes (18%); bipolar disorders (3%); and substance use disorders (2%). I also investigated the treatment outcomes …

Explore The Relationship Among Lung Cancer Stigma, Social Support, And Psychosocial Distress, Lisa Maggio

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

There is longstanding causal relationship between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. Smoke-free policies and anti-smoking campaigns have been linked to the decline in smoking acceptance and contribute to the unintended consequence of stigmatizing smokers. Lung cancer is viewed as a self-inflicted disease and patients’ feel judged in a manner different from other cancers affecting social interactions between family, friends, and healthcare professionals. Lung cancer stigma contributes to depression, anxiety, poor self-esteem, guilt, shame, blame, threatens a person’s social identity, and limits social support that deeply affects patients and their support persons.

This dissertation contains a review of the literature related …

Delirium Screening Instrument Knowledge And Perception Among Cardiovascular Intensive Care Nurses, Brittany Lynn Dahl

DNP Projects

Background: Delirium is a serious condition that affects critically ill adult patients in the intensive care unit. Bedside nursing delirium measurements are considered a dependable source of information that can be used for clinical decision-making. Nurse education and assessment of perceptions is important when building a framework for successful delirium assessment. However, few data exist about nursing perceptions and practices associated with delirium screening instruments. The overall purpose of this project is to examine nurse perceptions and knowledge about delirium and delirium screening instruments at the University of Kentucky (UK) Hospital’s Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU).

Objectives: The aims of …

The Inclusive Human Trafficking Checklist: A Dialectical Methodology Of Measurement, Maria C. Almario

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The identification of victims of human trafficking and consequential service provision is characterized by a significant disconnection between the estimated prevalence of this issue and the number of cases identified. The current dissertation introduces the Inclusive Human Trafficking Checklist (IHTC) as a screening measure, evaluates the appropriateness of the instrument, evaluates whether there are differences in assessment based on the participant’s profession, level of knowledge, and training, and assesses if users of the instrument perceive it as useful. A total of 201 participants were asked to rate three vignettes predetermined by experts to qualify as a either human trafficking case …

The Implementation Of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (Sfbt) With At-Risk Youth In An Alternative School Environment, Martha C. Hinchey

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Research indicates the potential utility of schools as sites for service delivery of mental health interventions. The application of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) within the school domain is reflected in the child psychotherapy literature. Findings on the use of SFBT in school settings suggest that it may be well suited to school contexts given its time-efficient, goal-directed, and strengths-based behavioral approach.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of SFBT with at-risk youth in an alternative school setting. The researcher utilized a multiple case study design to examine the impact of a 6-session SFBT intervention on …

Leadership Training For A Diverse World: A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Three Interventions With Fraternity And Sorority Leaders, Kirsten A. Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Lesbian and gay college students face heterosexist and homophobic attitudes and behaviors from their heterosexual peers (Burn, 2000; Fine, 2011; Franklin, 2000; Rankin, 2003; Silverschanz, Cortina, Konik, & Magley, 2008; Woodford, Howell, Silverschanz, & Yu, 2012; & Yost & Gilmore, 2011). Greek fraternity and sorority organizations can contribute to and influence the heterosexist and homophobic climate on college campuses. Greek organizations offer leadership opportunities, community engagement, and a sense of belonging, but these organizations can also perpetuate a climate of hostility and rejection of lesbian and gay peers (Case, 1996; Case, Hesp, & Eberly, 2005; DeSantis, 2007; Rankin et al., …

Husband's Response To Infidelity, Toby Q. Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Infidelity is the most often cited reason for divorce in the United States and much of the world. Providing therapy for a couple trying to recover from infidelity is one of the most difficult and complex presenting problems for therapists. Much of the existing research that predicts responses to infidelity subscribes to an evolutionary psychology perspective, predicting response by gender differently based on motives concerning procreation. Males would find sexual infidelity more threatening because paternity would be uncertain, females would find emotional infidelity more threatening because of the risk of resources and protection being diverted to another female’s offspring. Much …

Adhd Children And Mental Health Service Use: Maternal Determinants, Katarina Krizova

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The current study investigated maternal determinants of mental health service use, namely, individual child therapy, among preadolescent children diagnosed with ADHD. The Behavioral Model of Health Care Utilization (Andersen, 2008) was used as a theoretical framework for the study. Data from the last three rounds of ECLS-K dataset were employed to test a longitudinal model using Bayesian analysis. Socio-demographic variables and maternal mental health were tested as exogenous variables and mother-child relationship variables, discipline variables, and perceived maternal concern about child’s overall behavior and child’s emotional symptoms were tested as intervening variables. Results showed that only maternal mental health remained …

The Five-Factor Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory: An Item Response Theory Analysis, Jennifer R. Presnall-Shvorin

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Arguments have been made for dimensional models over categorical for the classification of personality disorder, and for the five-factor model (FFM) in particular. A criticism of the FFM of personality disorder is the absence of measures designed to assess pathological personality. Several measures have been developed based on the FFM to assess the maladaptive personality traits included within existing personality disorders.

One such example is the Five-Factor Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (FFOCI). The current study applied item response theory analyses (IRT) to test whether scales of the FFOCI are extreme variants of respective FFM facet scales. It was predicted that both the …

Examining The Neuroprotective Properties Of 3-Dimethoxybenzylidene-Anabasine (Dmxb-A) In A Third Trimester Chronic Ethanol Exposure Model In Rats, Logan J. Fields

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Excitotoxicity caused by ethanol (ETOH) withdrawal (EWD) is highly detrimental to the developing brain. Targeting this excitotoxicity has been shown to be a promising approach for improving outcome following developmental ETOH exposure. Activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR), in the central nervous system can be protective against EWD. We examined the ability of DMXB-A, a α₇ nAChR agonist, to reduce neurotoxicity caused by EWD in the hippocampus. To test this, an organotypic hippocampal slice culture was used. Slices were exposed to ETOH (100mM) or control medium. After 10 days, the slices were treated with DMXB-A (1, 3, or 10uM) …

Safety Concerns, Fear And Precautionary Behavior Among College Women: An Exploratory Examination Of Two Measures Of Residency, Adam J. Pritchard, Carol E. Jordan, Pamela Wilcox

Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women Publications

This study examines the impact of two distinct measures of residency on college women's perceptions of safety, fear of crime and precautionary behaviors within both on-campus and off-campus areas. A student's current residency either on- or off-campus and a student's prior residency in a metropolitan, micropolitan or rural county prior to college are compared across these three aspects of campus safety. Current residency is found to be significantly related to a student's perceptions of safety in off-campus areas around campus, as well as the likelihood of engaging in precautionary behaviors such as avoiding specific locations on campus or carrying or …

Examining The Behavioral Mechanism Of Cocaine Cue Attentional Bias, Katherine R. Marks

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Heightened attentional bias towards cocaine-related stimuli relative to neutral stimuli is a characteristic observed in cocaine-use disorders. Response time is an indirect measure of attention and research has failed to consistently demonstrate evidence of clinical relevance. Eye tracking presents a novel tool for directly measuring attentional allocation. The aim of this dissertation was to assess the sensitivity, reliability, and specificity of attentional bias through fixation and response time during the visual probe task.

In the visual probe task, substance-related and matched neutral images were presented side-by-side on a computer screen. Eye-tracking technology measured time spent fixating on each image. A …

Cocaine-Induced Behavioral Sensitization And Conditioned Place Preference In Japanese Quail (Coturnix Japonica): A Focus On Sex Differences And Dopaminergic Mechanisms, Karin E. Gill

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Research has indicated that gonadal hormones may mediate behavioral and biological responses to cocaine. Estrogen, in particular, has been shown to increase behavioral responding to cocaine in female rats relative to male rats. The use of Japanese quail may add to our knowledge of sex differences in drug abuse because of their advanced visual system and the ability to control their gonadal hormones via alterations in photoperiod. In three experiments, cocaine-induced behaviors were examined using this avian model.

In Experiment 1, I investigated the potential sex differences in cocaine-induced locomotor activity between male and female Japanese quail and I examined …

Examining Memory Consolidation And Reconsolidation In An Appetitive Pavlovian Task, Jonathan J. Chow

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Memory plays an important role in defining how one behaves. The neurobiological mechanisms of memory have been studied extensively in animal models and the NMDA glutamate receptor has been identified to play an important role in the consolidation and reconsolidation of appetitive memories. Certain memories, depending on what was learned, can function differently and can be more difficult to disrupt based on a number of factors. Currently, no study has examined whether or not a reward-predictive stimulus attributed with incentive value is more difficult to disrupt than a stimulus that functions as a general reward-predictor. To determine the role of …

Foster Parents' Perceptions And Beliefs About Social Emotional Development In Infants And Toddlers, Susan R. Noel

DNP Projects

Infants and toddlers placed in foster care are at increased risk for social-emotional (SE) development dysregulation. Foster parents, as surrogate parents, play a critical role in a young child having the potential for healthy SE development. The transactional model supports the complex and intricate interplays and transactions of the child, the foster parent, and the environment that influences a healthy SE development. This qualitative descriptive study explored foster parent knowledge, behavioral cue recognitions, and role perception regarding a young child's SE development. Although the sample size was small, the study provides relevant information, from the on-going experiences of foster parents, …

Factors Influencing The Association Between Religiosity And Drinking Behavior In Underage College Students, Hayley Cole

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Research has consistently demonstrated a negative association between religiosity and college students’ alcohol consumption. However, few studies have explored the unique roles religious beliefs and behaviors might play in this relationship. Using 283 underage college students, we investigated the influence of internal and external factors on drinking behaviors for students with differing combinations of religious beliefs and religious behaviors. Tests of mediation and mediated-moderation were used to help explain the unique influences beliefs and behaviors have on alcohol consumption. Results indicated that religious beliefs only functioned as a protective-factor against underage drinking when accompanied by religious behaviors; students with high …

Effects Of Headings On Processing Of Audio Texts, Hung-Tao Chen

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Text-to-speech devices often do a poor job of translating signals such as headings from visual into audio mode. Previous research studies have attempted to address this problem but these studies have mainly used heading detection tasks. The current study seeks to investigate 1) whether listeners find the presence of audio headings useful in natural learning tasks, and 2) the type of heading rendering that is most useful in natural learning tasks. The three learning tasks in this study include note-taking, cued recall, and knowledge transfer. Results from this study reveal that listeners find audio headings useful in the note-taking task. …

Development Of An Avian Model For Identifying Individual Differences In Drug Vulnerability, Beth A. Rice

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The attribution of incentive salience to cues that become associated with drugs of abuse is a critical characteristic of individuals who may be vulnerable to drug addiction. Rodents with the propensity to sign track are thought to be vulnerable to drug abuse. The goal of the current work was to investigate whether sign trackers (STs) would acquire cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP) to a discrete cue using an avian species. In Experiment 1, sign and goal trackers (GTs) were first identified using a one third rank order split. Following identification, cocaine-CPP was conducted with a discrete cue in each end …