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Coping And Psychological Hardiness And Their Relationship To Depression In Older Adults , Dianne E. Schellenberg Jan 2005

Coping And Psychological Hardiness And Their Relationship To Depression In Older Adults , Dianne E. Schellenberg

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The roles of coping strategies and psychological hardiness as these affect the relationships to depression in older adults were explored in a population of older adult residents who had recently relocated to long-term-care nursing home facilities. Older adults experience many losses and subsequent stressors as a result of normal aging; therefore, the additional stress that accompanies loss of familiar surroundings and support systems and the relocation to new and unfamiliar surroundings can have a significant impact on physical and psychological well being. A total of 91 residents participated in this study. Coping abilities were evaluated in terms of social problem-solving …


Validating The Impact Of Event Scale With Adolescents : A Look At The September 11, 2001, Terrorist Attacks, Claudia Lingertat Jan 2005

Validating The Impact Of Event Scale With Adolescents : A Look At The September 11, 2001, Terrorist Attacks, Claudia Lingertat

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Impact of Event Scale (IES; Horowitz, Wilner, & Alvarez, 1979), a self-report measure of current subjective distress. Twenty-four adolescents from an urban high school were surveyed regarding their experiences from the events of September 11, 2001. The IES showed a moderate correlation with the My Worst Experience Scale (MWES; Hyman, Snook, Berna, & Kohr, 1997). Findings indicate the IES may be effective as a quick screening tool for the intrusive and avoidant symptoms of posttraumatic stress in adolescents pending further research with a larger sample.


Feasibility Study Of A Cognitive Behavioral Smoking Cessation Intervention For Adolescent Males In Residential Treatment, Flora Casallas Jan 2004

Feasibility Study Of A Cognitive Behavioral Smoking Cessation Intervention For Adolescent Males In Residential Treatment, Flora Casallas

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study examined the effectiveness of a modified, empirically-based smoking cessation intervention, originally designed for teenagers in public school settings, but applied to actively smoking adolescents in residential treatment. The cognitive-behavioral intervention, developed by the American Lung Association (ALA, 2001) and researchers at West Virginia University, called Not-On-Tobacco (N-O-T), provides a total-health approach to helping teenagers quit smoking or to reducing the number of cigarettes smoked. The 10-session intervention was delivered over five consecutive weeks to eight adolescent males ranging in age 13 to 16 and in grades 8 to 10, living in a residential treatment community (RTC) located …


Anxiety Sensitivity : Validity Of The Anxiety Sensitivity Profile On A Clinical Sample, Sharon V. Elwell Jan 2004

Anxiety Sensitivity : Validity Of The Anxiety Sensitivity Profile On A Clinical Sample, Sharon V. Elwell

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The psychometric properties of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) have been criticized. Although it has been the gold standard in research and assessment, its reliability (i.e., internal consistency) has been questioned. There are doubts about its ability to identify accurately the underlying factors for anxiety sensitivity. To provide a more accurate description of the anxiety sensitivity construct, Taylor and Cox (1998) developed the Anxiety Sensitivity Profile (ASP) and performed analyses based on a sample of 349 university students. The current study utilized a clinical sample to test the hypotheses that the ASP would have convergent validity with the ASI and …


Attributional Style And Sleep Disturbance In Combat Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Marian Bova Jan 2004

Attributional Style And Sleep Disturbance In Combat Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Marian Bova

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study investigated attributional style, i.e., locus of control, stability, and globality, as well as other causes of sleep disturbance in combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The causes of sleep disturbance which were studied included restlessness/agitation, mental overactivity, consequences of poor sleep, and lack of sleep readiness. A case-control group design (N = 100) compared combat veterans who had PTSD (n = 50) with a group of similar-aged men who did not have PTSD (n 50). SPSS 10.0 was used to conduct all analyses. MANOVAs (a= .05) were used to analyze results. Findings suggested that combat veterans with …


Development And Validation Of The Impediments To Change Scale - Educational Version : A Study Of Children And Adolescents With Emotional Disturbance, Ray W. Christner Jan 2004

Development And Validation Of The Impediments To Change Scale - Educational Version : A Study Of Children And Adolescents With Emotional Disturbance, Ray W. Christner

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study reviewed the development of the Impediments to Change Scale: Educational Version and evaluated its use with children and adolescents identified as having an Emotional Disturbance (ED) according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The investigator examined the scale's internal consistency and conducted a hierarchical cluster analysis to identify indices related to “impediments of change.” The objective for the Impediments to Change Scale: Educational Version is to offer a clinically useful instrument to assist in identifying risk factors that impede a student's progress in his or her educational program. Pending future research, this tool has the potential …


Relationship Between Self-Reported Weight Management And Perceived Norms Of Weight Management In Scholastic Wrestlers, Sara J. Camaerei Jan 2004

Relationship Between Self-Reported Weight Management And Perceived Norms Of Weight Management In Scholastic Wrestlers, Sara J. Camaerei

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Wrestling is unique in that it is the only sport that requires opponents to be matched by weight. Because two athletes at an almost equal weight compete against each other, wrestlers participate at the lowest weight class possible, which frequently leads wrestlers to engage in unhealthy and dangerous weight loss practices. Social norms theory suggests that much of an individual's behavior is influenced by perceptions of how members of a social group think and act. If these perceptions are inaccurate, and over-estimates of the unhealthy behaviors of others occur, an individual is likely to engage in such behaviors himself. One …


Development And Validation Of A Scale Of Perceived Control Across Multiple Domains, Beth Arburn Davis Jan 2004

Development And Validation Of A Scale Of Perceived Control Across Multiple Domains, Beth Arburn Davis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The importance of perceived control in people's lives is vast. Indeed, there is much research to support the notion that the perception of control is as important, if not more important, than actual control. This idea can be instrumental in therapy. Patients may have a sense of control in one area, but not in another, and this may cause problems for them. It is likely that an understanding of how much control they believe they have could help patients in therapy. This study outlined the historical and research aspects of the constructs of control and of perceived control, its general …


A Comparison Of Attitudes About Aggression, Sexuality And Social Support In The Peer Relationships Of Sexually Abused And Nonabused Female Adolescents, Sherri R. Edelman Jan 2004

A Comparison Of Attitudes About Aggression, Sexuality And Social Support In The Peer Relationships Of Sexually Abused And Nonabused Female Adolescents, Sherri R. Edelman

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

There is a paucity of research examining whether adolescents with a history of sexual abuse develop different norms or standards for acceptable behavior in their peer relationships. The trauma literature suggests that intervening variables such as perceived social support, interpretations of violence, and interpersonal attitudes may be relevant to the study of sexual abuse. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between a history of sexual abuse, relational attitudes about aggression and sexuality, and the interpersonal factors of social support and negative interaction in adolescent peer relationships. Two groups of female subjects between 13 and 17 years …


Analysis Of Demographic Variables And Levels Of Stress In Law Enforcement Officers, Kathleen M. Jansen Jan 2004

Analysis Of Demographic Variables And Levels Of Stress In Law Enforcement Officers, Kathleen M. Jansen

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Employment in a law enforcement profession exposes an individual to potential stressors not experienced in most other professions. Sporadic efforts have been made to design stress management programs to assist officers in coping with the demands of their jobs. Much of the previous research on law enforcement stress has focused on examining the effectiveness of various coping skills; however, the training has focused on teaching a healthy lifestyle. This study seeks to add to the existing research by examining what elements of the job are perceived as the most stressful and what demographic variables, if any, may influence an individual's …


Role Of Motivation To Change On Treatment Outcome In Individuals With Anorexia Nervosa , Darlene Davis Link Jan 2004

Role Of Motivation To Change On Treatment Outcome In Individuals With Anorexia Nervosa , Darlene Davis Link

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study investigated motivation to change as a factor in the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa. This study was conducted at The Renfrew Center with 44 adults diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa who were entering their inpatient program. The participants were evaluated at intake and discharge on variables of motivation to change, eating disordered symptom severity, weight change, and compliance with treatment. As predicted, results revealed significant negative correlations between the patient's level of readiness to change at admission and perfectionism, distrust of others and their severity of anorexic symptoms at discharge. In addition, the results confirmed that the patient's level …


Realism Or Distortion In Predicting And Evaluating Exam Performance Among Depressed And Nondepressed Students, Michael J. Kinney Jan 2004

Realism Or Distortion In Predicting And Evaluating Exam Performance Among Depressed And Nondepressed Students, Michael J. Kinney

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Cognitive behavioral theories suggest that depressed people have negatively distorted and inaccurate perceptions and cognitions. The present study measures the accuracy of cognitions by comparing predictions made by depressed and by nondepressed students when they estimate the scores they will earn on an examination. It also compares depressed and nondepressed students on their levels of satisfaction with their exam scores. No difference was found between depressed and nondepressed students in either their predictions of their exam grades or their level of satisfaction with their exam grades. This study fails to support the notion that depression correlates with negative cognitive distortions. …


Psychologists' Skepticism And Knowledge About Dissociative Identity Disorders In Adolescents, Nancy E. Madden Jan 2004

Psychologists' Skepticism And Knowledge About Dissociative Identity Disorders In Adolescents, Nancy E. Madden

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Professional skepticism about DID and lack of knowledge about DID has been documented in the adult literature on dissociative pathology (Hayes and Mitchell, 1994). Although 100% of adult DID cases are thought to have originated in childhood as sequelae of trauma, to date no studies about professional skepticism of and knowledge about DID have been done with psychologists who specialize in assessing children and adolescents. This study was designed to investigate the beliefs about DID and knowledge of DID that has been garnered by psychologists who specialize in assessing and treating adolescents. This study consisted of a convenience sample of …


Life Care Plans : A Resource For Caregivers, Carolyn E. Rutherford Jan 2004

Life Care Plans : A Resource For Caregivers, Carolyn E. Rutherford

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Life Care Plans have been used since the early 70s, primarily to assist in litigation involving catastrophic illness or injury. In the last decade Life Care Plans have become an important component in the field of litigation and rehabilitation. However, to date no studies have explored the impact having a Life Care Plan may have for the family Caregiver. Literature supports the need Caregivers have for detailed and concise information about their loved one's condition, plan of care and future needs. This study investigated the perceived helpfulness of the Life Care Plan to Caregivers. Using a 5-point Likert Scale, Caregivers …


Caregivers' Relationship Satisfaction And Perception Of Competency As Predictors Of Quality Of Life For Als Patients , Jessica Stewart Allen Jan 2004

Caregivers' Relationship Satisfaction And Perception Of Competency As Predictors Of Quality Of Life For Als Patients , Jessica Stewart Allen

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

In addition to the physiological impact of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), patients and spousal caregivers experience significant emotional and psychological reactions to the disease and its course. As there is no effective treatment and no cure for this debilitating, fatal neuromuscular disease, treatment should include psychological interventions to improve patients' disease experience. External factors impacting psychological well-being of patients must be identified to allow for effective and relevant intervention. The current study examined the relationships between level of care provided to patients, caregivers' relationship satisfaction, and caregivers' perceived competence, and whether these factors predict patient quality of life (QOL). It …


Psychometric Study Of The Mahan And Ditomasso Anger Scale (Mad-As) In An Outpatient Cardiac Sample, Kimberly S. D'Andrea Jan 2004

Psychometric Study Of The Mahan And Ditomasso Anger Scale (Mad-As) In An Outpatient Cardiac Sample, Kimberly S. D'Andrea

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Psychometric evaluation of the Mahan and DiTomasso Anger Survey (MAD-AS) analysis in an outpatient cardiac population is herein described. The MAD-AS is a newer instrument that measures the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of anger and is beneficial in that it is brief. One hundred fifty cardiac outpatients and one hundred fifty non-cardiac dental patients were administered a demographic form that requested information about cardiac risk factors, the MAD-AS, and the STAXI-2, a widely used valid and reliable measure of state and trait constructs of anger. The MAD-AS factor structure, construct validity, internal consistency, and reliability were examined and found …


Case Manager's Perceived Need For Services And The Actual Frequency Of Services Provided In The Birth-To-Three Early Intervention Program In Pennsylvania, Antoinette Hamidian Jan 2004

Case Manager's Perceived Need For Services And The Actual Frequency Of Services Provided In The Birth-To-Three Early Intervention Program In Pennsylvania, Antoinette Hamidian

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The Early Intervention program in Pennsylvania has within its design, provision to provide a range of at least sixteen support services to eligible infants, toddlers and their families. State mandated early intervention programs in Pennsylvania offer services to premature, underweight, medically fragile or chronically ill babies, infants with identified disabilities or developmental delays, adolescent parents, depressed parents, parents who are unprepared or overwhelmed by the care of a baby, and parents at social or emotional risk in the caregiving role. The overall intention of the Early Intervention Program is to reduce the risk of developmental dysfunction and delay and to …


Correspondence Of Self- And Observer-Rated Depression Using The Bdi-Ii And Bdi-Ii-O, Linda A. Longan Jan 2004

Correspondence Of Self- And Observer-Rated Depression Using The Bdi-Ii And Bdi-Ii-O, Linda A. Longan

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study describes the development, reliability, and validity of a new observer-rated version of the Beck Depression Inventory – Second Edition (BDI-II). This measure, called the Beck Depression Inventory – II – Observer (BDI-II-O), is identical in form, content, and scoring to the BDI-II, and allows informants to report on the depressive symptoms of others. The informants for this initial study were clinicians; however, the BDI-II-O is designed for use by a wider range of informants. A group of four clinicians completed the BDI-II-O on each of 36 adult psychiatric patients in an intensive outpatient/partial hospitalization program. The patients completed …


Development And Validation Of An Instrument To Predict Non-Adherence To Medical Treatment Regimens, Dorothy E. Parke Jan 2004

Development And Validation Of An Instrument To Predict Non-Adherence To Medical Treatment Regimens, Dorothy E. Parke

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Evaluation of the Health Adherence Behavior Inventory (HABIT) is described with data pertaining to reliability and validity. The instrument was originally developed for use in a primary healthcare setting, to support the early identification of patients who are at risk for poor health outcomes and complications of chronic disease because of non-adherence to their healthcare provider’s instructions. The items were refined from the original HABIT (DiTomasso, 1997) and drawn from various sources, including health risk assessments, health screening questionnaires, and nationally accepted standards for disease treatment and prevention. The questionnaire consists of 50 items, 39 of which appear to load …


Psychometric Development And Validation Of The Zahn-Given Recovery Beliefs Questionnaire In An Adult Psychiatric Sample, Dennis R. Given Jan 2004

Psychometric Development And Validation Of The Zahn-Given Recovery Beliefs Questionnaire In An Adult Psychiatric Sample, Dennis R. Given

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Zahn-Given Recovery Beliefs Questionnaire (RBQ). The RBQ is a formal measure designed to assess specific underlying beliefs and expectations that relate to treatment non-adherence and recidivism in adult psychiatric patients. A total of 100 subjects were administered the RBQ, the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS); included as well are self and clinician-rated compliance with treatment measures. Factor analysis of the RBQ reveals a factor structure that includes four factors: Embarrassment/ Stigma, Unrealistic Optimism, Hopelessness/ Pessimism and Concerns About Side Effects. A total scale alpha reliability …


Relationship Between Cognitive Distortions And Psychological Disorders Across Diagnostic Axes, Bradley Michael Rosenfield Jan 2004

Relationship Between Cognitive Distortions And Psychological Disorders Across Diagnostic Axes, Bradley Michael Rosenfield

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold: First, the study sought to determine whether or not cognitive distortions correlated with the number and severity of psychological disorders across diagnostic axes. Second, the study endeavored to assess further the validity and reliability of a promising new self-report measure, The Inventory of Cognitive Distortions (ICD), by correlating this instrument with clinical diagnoses as determined by the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III. The sample was selected from a heterogeneous adult outpatient population. Participants meeting inclusion criteria presented for psychological treatment or assessment. Excluded were participants who had less than an eighth grade education, or …


Investigation Of Anger-Management Techniques For Essential Hypertension Patients, Karyne B. Wilner Jan 2004

Investigation Of Anger-Management Techniques For Essential Hypertension Patients, Karyne B. Wilner

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The hypotheses that when cognitive-behavior interventions for anger-management are introduced to an essential hypertension (EH) patient with clinically significant levels of anger in an eight-session therapy protocol, blood pressure (BP) measures will decrease, coping mechanisms will be enhanced, and behavior associated with anger will be transformed from the inhibition of it or the aggressive expression of it to a more rational and reasoned communications approach, demonstrated by scores falling between the 25th and 75th percentile on the State-Trait Anger Inventory-2 [STAXI-2] (Spielberger, 1999) were supported in this case study. The research findings were that a male, EH patient improved his …


Evaluation Of The Maudsley Addiction Profile (Map) For Use With An American Substance Abuse Population, Hannelore T. Barbieri Jan 2003

Evaluation Of The Maudsley Addiction Profile (Map) For Use With An American Substance Abuse Population, Hannelore T. Barbieri

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Multi-dimensional instruments in the addiction field developed in the United States as well as in other countries are limited. The Maudsley Addiction Profile (MAP), a brief, multi-dimensional instrument developed in the United Kingdom (UK), is designed to assess the treatment outcome of individuals with alcohol and/or drug (AOD) problems and associated issues. This measure consists of sixty items across the domains of substance use, health risk, physical/ psychological health and personal/social functioning. The MAP, which has been validated on British as well as on several European samples of substance abusers, has been suggested for further validation. The current study was …


Normative Study Of The Mahan And Ditomasso Anger Scale, Roger Oliver Beardmore Jan 2003

Normative Study Of The Mahan And Ditomasso Anger Scale, Roger Oliver Beardmore

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study proposed to advance the treatment of anger disorders by exploring the psychometric properties of the MAD-AS scale, an anger assessment tool. Research sought to build on prior investigation of the reliability, validity, and factor structure of the MAD-AS in an inpatient setting by examining this measure using outpatient subjects. Several important findings were obtained in this study. Research results suggest that the MAD-AS represents a significant improvement over some existing anger measures in terms of its brevity, its ease of administration, and its standardization of scoring. The MAD-AS appears to possess sound psychometric properties in terms of …


Patients Presenting For Psychiatric Emergency Services : Clinical Characteristics, Psychosocial Stressors And Disposition, Kristen Maura Cirelli Jan 2003

Patients Presenting For Psychiatric Emergency Services : Clinical Characteristics, Psychosocial Stressors And Disposition, Kristen Maura Cirelli

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of 600 individuals who presented to two Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) located in one county of southern New Jersey. A retrospective chart analysis investigated demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables that describe the PES presenter. It also examined how these variables differ between the urban and suburban sites, and how they affected the disposition decision. Because there is a paucity of information investigating the role that psychosocial stressors play, there was specific focus on psychosocial stressors as defined by Axis IV of the multiaxial system outlined in the American Psychiatric Association's …


Measuring Anger In A Prison Population Using The Anger Disorders Scale And The Personality Assessment Inventory, Michael R. Wydo Jan 2003

Measuring Anger In A Prison Population Using The Anger Disorders Scale And The Personality Assessment Inventory, Michael R. Wydo

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

In comparison with other emotions, such as anxiety and depression, the research literature on anger-related problems is lacking. Anger, and anger-related behaviors pose a critical problem to clinicians and researchers. The inability to identify and treat individuals with a propensity toward aggressive behavior is related to the insufficient empirical evidence defining anger as a diagnosable disorder. An ongoing argument has existed as to the causes and related concepts of anger and aggression. The present study validates a new assessment measure for anger and explores the correlation between prisoners' offense records and specific type of anger expression. The Anger Disorder Scale …


Different Forms Of Abuse In The Eating Disorders: Impact On Schema-Level Cognitions, Christine C. Ganis Jan 2003

Different Forms Of Abuse In The Eating Disorders: Impact On Schema-Level Cognitions, Christine C. Ganis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Cognitive theory suggests that traumatic experiences impact on psychopathology via the development of unconditional negative cognitions (core beliefs or schema). This study examined the links between types of childhood trauma and core beliefs in an eating-disordered population. Chart reviews were conducted for 91 eating-disordered women in treatment. Each woman was asked about a history of 4 types of trauma, and completed a standardized measure of core beliefs. This study failed to find links between those women who reported childhood trauma and their core beliefs. Regression analysis predicted 4 schema (Emotional Deprivation, Mistrust/Abuse, Vulnerability to Harm and Subjugation) that were associated …


Retrospective Investigation Of One-Time Presenters Versus Repeat Presenters To Urban And Suburban Psychiatric Emergency Services : Cross-Sectional And Clinical Characteristics, April J. Hansen Jan 2003

Retrospective Investigation Of One-Time Presenters Versus Repeat Presenters To Urban And Suburban Psychiatric Emergency Services : Cross-Sectional And Clinical Characteristics, April J. Hansen

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study retrospectively reviewed 765 patients who presented within a one-year period at either a suburban, urban, or both suburban and urban psychiatric emergency services (PES). Demographic and clinical characteristics were examined. Particular focus included characteristics of children/adolescents and older adults, as well as the relationship between substance misuse and PES presenters. Adults presenting to PES more than three times were more likely to have a chronic mental illness, personality disorder, history of psychiatric treatment, and a history of noncompliance with treatment than those who presented three times or less. Significant differences were found between urban and suburban PESs, in …


Predictors Of Large Women's Satisfaction With Health Care, Virginia M. Koutsouros Jan 2003

Predictors Of Large Women's Satisfaction With Health Care, Virginia M. Koutsouros

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This cross-sectional observational study identifies specific predictors of large women's satisfaction with health care and participation in preventive care as measured by pelvic screening examinations. A total of 87 large adult women completed a survey, including measures of self-objectification, affective experience, satisfaction with health care, and health care locus of control. Multiple regression analysis was employed to analyze results. The hypotheses of this study were as follows: (1) BMI, self-objectification, negative affect and locus of control will predict satisfaction with medical care; (2) pelvic screening examinations and patient satisfaction with medical care will be positively related (3) self-objectification and negative …


Management Of Agitation In Individuals With Dementia: An Animal-Assisted Therapy Approach, Karen L. Tanner Jan 2003

Management Of Agitation In Individuals With Dementia: An Animal-Assisted Therapy Approach, Karen L. Tanner

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Dementia is not a natural and normal part of aging, but rather a symptom of a disease process. Most individuals with dementia experience emotional distress or behavioral problems best summed up by the term agitation. Approximately 90% of individuals with dementing illnesses demonstrate problem behaviors ranging from repetitive verbalizations and wandering to verbal and physical aggression toward self or others. Each evening thousands of older adults in the community and in institutions become agitated, restless, and confused and begin to wander about or scream. This phenomenon is referred to as sundown syndrome, since it occurs in the evening hours after …