Digital Commons Network^™

Cultural Correlates Of Ptsd In Latinos Residing In The U.S., Gabriela A. Nagy

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the associations between cultural variables (i.e., acculturative stress, discrimination, social support, migration planning, and reasons for migrating) and exposure to trauma and PTSD in a sample of Latinos (N=2,554) residing in the United States, who participated in the National Latino and Asian America Study (NLAAS). Results showed that there were significant positive associations between trauma exposure and migrating because of political reasons, migrating in search of medical attention, migrating due to

marital or family problems, and forced migration, suggesting they may be risk factors for being exposed to trauma. There was a negative association between trauma …

Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptomatology In Children With Neurofibromatosis Type 1, Christina Casnar

Theses and Dissertations

Social problems are a common concern of parents of children with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). There has been a recent surge of research examining the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and ASD symptomatology in children with NF1. Findings from this relatively new body of research are mixed. The primary aim of this study was to examine ASD symptomatology in children with NF1 using a comprehensive assessment of ASD symptoms. A second aim was to examine possible variables that may contribute to socio-communicative difficulties. Participants included 25 children with NF1 between the ages of 9 and 13, along with their …

Barriers To Disclosure Of Sexual Victimization Experiences Among Men, Timothy J. Geier

Theses and Dissertations

Efforts to better understand sexual victimization experiences among male populations have been chiefly absent (Spataro, Moss, & Wells, 2001; Stermac, Sheridan, Davidson, & Dunn, 1996). ). Research indicates that approximately 1 in 71 men in the United States (i.e., 1.6 million men) have been raped in their lifetime, and nearly 1 in 5 men (i.e., 25 million men) have experienced sexual victimization other than rape in their lifetime (Black, Basile, Breiding, Smith, Walters, Merrick, Chen, & Stevens, 2011). It is suggested these estimates do not fully portray the actual prevalence given hesitancy of male victims to report the crime (Bullock …

Examining A Novel Response Modality: Teaching Sighted Individuals To Read Braille Visually, Madelynn Audrey Lillie

Theses and Dissertations

In order to prepare teachers to instruct children with visual impairments in braille, previous research has taught sighted adults to match braille sample stimuli to print comparisons in a matching-to-sample (MTS) format and has assessed the emergence of other braille repertoires such as transcribing and reading following this training. Although participants have learned to match-to-sample with braille, they displayed limited emergence of other braille repertoires. This lack of generative responding may have resulted from participants’ over-selective attending to components of compound braille characters during instruction. The current study taught three undergraduate learners to construct braille characters given a print sample—which …

Elementary Cognitive Tasks Of Executive Functioning: A Concurrent Validity Study, Octavio A. Santos

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, we examined the concurrent validity of four computerized elementary cognitive tasks (ECTs) by comparing them with Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System’s (D-KEFS) scores shown to load on the three-factor model of executive functions (EFs). A sample of 175 college students were administered two ECTs purportedly measuring perceptual-motor skills (simple and choice reaction time [RT] tasks) and two ECTs purportedly measuring executive control (1- & 2-bit internal-rule [IR] tasks), as well as the D-KEFS Sorting Test, Color-Word Test, and Verbal Fluency Test to assess Shifting, Inhibition, and Updating, respectively. Specific D-KEFS scores underwent principal component analysis, yielding a three-factor …

Investigating The Relationships Of Attitude Clarity And Correctness With Political Identification Strength And Evaluations Of An Ideological Group, Gustavo Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines two underlying attitude certainty dimensions in the context of political groups: attitude clarity and attitude correctness. Attitude clarity is the subjective sense that one knows what one’s attitude is, and attitude correctness is the subjective sense that one’s attitude is correct or valid. Based on predictions derived from social identity theory and attitude attribution research, it is expected that attitude clarity and attitude correctness will have diverging effects with political groups. First, it is expected that attitude clarity will better predict political identification than attitude correctness due to stronger ties to the self-concept. Secondly, it is …

The Lived Experiences Of Counseling Graduate Students And The Impact Of Their Studies In Their Marital Satisfaction, Vania S. Palacios

Theses and Dissertations

Due to high levels of stress that students find throughout graduate programs, professional and personal lives are at times not prioritized. The heuristic study focused on analyzing common themes among counseling graduate students at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the coping mechanisms students have used to improve their marital/relational satisfaction, and common stressors in their marriage as a reflection of the counseling graduate program. The researcher provided a personal narrative for the study and analyzed transcriptions of the interviews of four counseling graduate students at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Intrinsic Frontolimbic Connectivity And Associated Patterns On Reported Mood Symptoms In Young Adult Cannabis Users, Skyler Gabriel Shollenbarger

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Recent legislation changes regarding cannabis in the United States highlights the importance of investigating the impact of regular cannabis use on populations, such as emerging adults, that will likely drive the market given their greater daily use (see Johnston et al., 2014). The endocannbinoid system plays a role in neurodevelopment (see Bossong & Niesink, 2010) and has been implicated in behavioral and emotional processing (see Moreira & Lutz, 2008; see Solinas et al., 2008; see Covey et al., 2014). The current study utilized a multisite functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset of intrinsic (a.k.a. no task/resting state) frontolimbic connectivity …

Perceptions Of Belongingness In Stem Subjects And Career Development For Middle School African American Girls, Anya Woronzoff Verriden

Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses the hypothesis that African American girls’ early perceptions of support in middle school influences their narrowing or broadening of interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects and careers. As previously researched the belief that boys excel at math and science while girls do well in the humanities is not supported by findings. Therefore the purpose of this study is to investigate the interaction of contextual factors such as teacher, parent, and peer support for African American middle school girls and their interest in STEM subjects utilizing a qualitative research method. Students are making decisions about their …

Effects Of Online Response Inhibition Training In Children With Williams Syndrome: A Pilot Study, Natalie Brei

Theses and Dissertations

Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder which is often accompanied by challenges such as attention difficulties, anxiety, and overfriendliness. While research is mixed, a substantial body of literature suggests that deficits in response inhibition may underlie these difficulties in WS, making response inhibition a possible focus of intervention. However, research to date has not explored interventions that may affect response inhibition in individuals with WS. A recently developed computerized response inhibition training program has shown promise at improving response inhibition in other populations, but research on computerized training for people with WS has not been conducted. The aim …

Effects Of Self-Affirmation On Emotion And Cardiovascular Responses, Wei-Ju Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Self-affirmation is the act of focusing on important aspects of the self, such as personal values and characteristic. Benefits of self-affirmation have been documented in past research. However, the immediate impacts of self-affirmation on cardiovascular responses have not been fully explored. Therefore, the present study examined such effects both during and consequent to the practice of self-affirmation. One hundred and twenty-five participants completed the study. A within-subject design was used, in which each participant went through both the control and self-affirmation conditions (the order of presentation was counterbalanced). In the self-affirmation condition, participants were asked to write about their top-ranked …

Social Reactions To Sexual Assault Survivors Presenting With Ptsd: The Impact Of Survivor Gender And Psychotherapy Treatment-Seeking Status, Shannon Marie Sommer

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined public perceptions of and willingness to provide social support to survivors of sexual assault presenting with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on the survivor’s gender (male vs. female), psychotherapy treatment-seeking status (no treatment vs. dropped out after four sessions vs. still in treatment), and participant gender (male vs. female). Participants (n = 178) read one of six vignettes based on a 2 (gender of survivor of sexual assault: male vs. female) X 3 (treatment-seeking status: no treatment vs. dropped out of treatment after four sessions vs. still in treatment) factorial design describing the life circumstances and …

The Development Of Preference For Or Against Choice-Making Opportunities, Melissa Drifke

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE DEVELOPMENT OF PREFERENCE FOR OR AGAINST CHOICE-MAKING OPPORTUNITIES

by

Melissa A. Drifke

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2017

Under the Supervision of Professor Jeffrey Tiger

Many individuals prefer contexts in which choice-making opportunities are available relative to contexts in which the same experiences are arranged without the opportunity to choose. Further, providing contingent access to choice-making opportunities often results in increased engagement and decreased problem behavior for individuals in reinforcement-based programs. Little is known about why preferences for choice-making contexts develop. The current study examines pairing choice-making contexts with increased or decreased reinforcer magnitude, quality, and immediacy to develop …

The Impact Of Priming Power On Sexual Harassment Proclivity In Male Correctional Officers, Alexander Gomory

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that holding a position of power has a significant impact on the likelihood of an individual engaging in sexual harassment. Additionally, cultural scripts among men encourage seeking power, and exerting their power upon others through acts such as sexual harassment. Correctional officers exist in an environment that necessitates the adherence and utilization of power to control dangerous environments. The combination of traditional male norms and the need to access power and authority for male correctional officers could lead to an increase in sexual harassment proclivity. This study will explore whether a short term priming of power …

Examining The Intersections Of Gay Identity, Ethnic Identity, And Spirituality And Their Relationship With Psychological Distress And Internalized Heterosexism, Ernesto Noam Lira De La Rosa

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have tested Meyer’s (1995, 2003) minority stress theory and have documented the negative impact that minority stress can have on the psychological well-being for minorities. However, few studies have examined the role of multiple minority identities or the protective factors that may buffer against psychological distress. The present study utilized quantitative methodology to examine minority stress theory in a sample of gay men of color. A paper and pencil self-report survey was provided to 302 voluntary adult Gay men of color in Southeastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. The measures gathered information about participant’s gay and ethnic identity salience, spirituality, …

Yoga And Mindfulness In The Inclusion Classroom, Maria Petruzzelli

Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores the effectiveness of implementing mindfulness and yoga techniques in two sections of fourth grade inclusion language arts classes. More specifically, this paper examines the effectiveness of yoga and mindfulness techniques on the frequency of off-task behaviors and academic achievement. It was hypothesized that off-task behaviors would occur less frequently and that academic performance in writing would improve after a yoga and mindfulness intervention was implemented.

Using a pre-post no-control design, thirty-six students, eighteen per class, from a public elementary school in Southern New Jersey participated in this investigation. Baseline and post implementation data were collected using On-Demand …

Bonds Beyond Time: Are There Differences In Well-Being, Autonomy, And Bond Between Visually Impaired Individuals With Guide Dogs Versus Pet Dogs?, Nicole Yarmolkevich

Theses and Dissertations

Well-being is a broad umbrella term that encompasses an individual’s appraisal of situations and events and their satisfaction with life (Diener, 1994). Research has shown that having a severe disability can negatively impact a person’s sense of well-being. Specifically, research has shown that individuals with visual impairments have a lower well-being because they feel like they are not as independent, they have many obstacles in their way, and they feel as if they are a bother to everyone around them (Lopez-Gusticia & Cordoba, 2008). To combat these obstacles, people with visual impairments opt to get a guide dog to help …

Success Of Secondary Special Education Students Outside Of Classroom In Integrated Occupational Learning Environments, Erik Yost

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to highlight the benefits of vocational work outside of the classroom for special education students, primarily those who are in enrolled in secondary school. It also questions how effective a vocational setting is compared to a traditional classroom setting for special education students nearing the end of their initial educational track. It was hypothesized that special education students, primarily enrolled in secondary or high school, benefit from a learning environment outside of a normalized classroom setting due to the first-hand experience gained in a real-world setting is more conducive to long-term success after completing …

An Analysis Of The Role Of Reactivity In The Observer Effect, Allison Hughes King

Theses and Dissertations

Peer observations, which consist of employees observing and scoring their coworkers’ performance of some targeted behavior(s), are often an important component of behavioral safety interventions. Research on peer observations has demonstrated that individuals improve their performance of a task as a result of observing and evaluating their coworkers perform that task, a phenomenon known as the observer effect. Most of the research has demonstrated this effect when the observers were aware that their performance of the task was also being observed, suggesting that reactivity may play an important role. The current study examined this by evaluating the impact that observing …

Utah Teachers' Perceptions Of Student Social Skills And Behaviors: A Developmental Perspective, Karrah Beth Sampson

Theses and Dissertations

Students' appropriate social skills and behaviors are essential for classroom success at any level but are of special importance at an elementary school level when the foundations of these skill sets are developing (Lane, Givner, & Pierson, 2004). An initial study investigated which social skills Utah elementary school teachers identified as being most important, and which behaviors are most problematic during the elementary school years. Elementary school teachers (Kindergarten through sixth grade) were randomly selected from Utah's school districts. In total, 295 of 1,144 teachers (26% return rate) participated (Weed, 2015). As a follow-up, this current study utilized data from …

Effects Of Rich And Lean Treatment Contexts On Renewal, Sandhya Rajagopal

Theses and Dissertations

Relapse of problem behavior following behavioral intervention can occur for many reasons, including a change in setting after treatment. Reappearance of a previously extinguished behavior due to a context change is termed renewal. Laboratory models have demonstrated renewal by training a target behavior in one stimulus context, extinguishing the behavior in another context, and testing for relapse in the training context, where the behavior remains in extinction. Basic-research studies of relapse have also shown that conditions of the treatment environment, such as reinforcement schedules, can affect the amount of relapse observed. Assuming that quality of the treatment context could have …

A Comparison Between Online And In-Vivo Parent Training On Parental Acquisition Of Skills To Promote Appropriate Behaviors In Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Abigail L. Blackman

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often receive Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) to acquire skills to live as independently as possible. However, skills learned through EIBI often do not generalize well without the help of the child’s parents (or other caregivers). Therefore, parent training is integral for individuals with ASD to generalize and maintain acquired skills. Research supports Applied Behavior Analysis as being effective in teaching parents to work with their children. Currently, the most common way to provide parent training is through in-vivo training, which can be costly and time consuming. Therefore, the purpose of the current …

The Effects Of Various Instruction Ratios During The Use Of The High Probability Instructional Sequence To Increase Compliance, Hallie Ertel

Theses and Dissertations

Noncompliance is a common behavior problem exhibited by individuals who are typically developing as well as individuals with intellectual disabilities. The high probability sequence, an antecedent intervention, has proven to be effective to increase compliance to instructional demands. The high probability sequence involves presenting instructions with which an individual is likely to comply (highp), followed by an instruction with which the individual is not likely to comply (low-p). Typically, three high-p instructions are presented before presenting the low-p instruction. The current study compared different ratios of high-p to low-p instructions (1:1, 3:1, and 5:1) to determine if there is a …

Shared Leadership: Enactment, Perception, And The Role Of Power Distance, Mina Milosevic

Theses and Dissertations

Interest in shared leadership stems from the growing evidence that adopting this approach to team management results in enhanced team performance, team effectiveness, and team satisfaction. However, to fully realize the value of shared leadership, we must understand exactly what shared leadership is as well as when and how it evolves in teams. This study used teams’ verbal communication data to identify shared leadership behaviors and to explore the relationship between behaviorally-enacted shared leadership and its perception by the team members. In addition, the study examined the impact of power distance on shared leadership. The results show that, despite behaviorally-enacted …

Feedback And Effort: A Translational Study, Andressa Arana Sleiman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate an arrangement to establish feedback as more preferred when delivered after higher effort responding rather than lower effort responding. The study took place in the laboratory settings to simulate a working environment. Participants had to complete a mock medical data entry task, and after either one or 20 responses they received feedback. Participants in this study were 16 undergraduate students. The main dependent variable was the percentage of preference change in paired stimulus preference assessments for two categories of stimuli; shapes that signaled which condition they were in and managers that …

Marital Quality And Cardiovascular Risk In Women During The Menopausal Transition, Tracy E. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Marital quality is linked to health benefits for men and women. Although women have less risk factors than men for cardiovascular disease prior to menopause, their risk increases substantially after menopause. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of marital quality and vasomotor symptoms on cardiovascular risk factors including C-reactive protein (CRP) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in women before, during, and after the menopausal transition. The final sample consisted of 92 married women between the ages of 40 and 60 years. Hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression and general linear modeling. Results suggest that greater marital …

The Effects Of Income And Ethnicity On Health Outcomes Of Mexican Immigrant And Anglo Women, Andrea M. Debarros

Theses and Dissertations

The Hispanic Paradox is the finding that Hispanic immigrants living in the United States have better health than Anglo Americans despite being socioeconomically disadvantaged (Crespo et al., 1996; Stern et al., 1999; Sundquist et al., 1999; Dixon et al, 2000; Lariscy et al., 2015; Overton et al., 2015; Thomson et al., 2013). The literature surrounding the Hispanic Paradox has studied these effects primarily in Mexican-American Immigrant populations (Sundquist et al., 1999; Dixon et al, 2000; Lariscy et al.); however, additional research has found similar findings for various other Hispanic countries such as Cuba and Puerto Rico (Abraido-Lanza, A F. et …

Stress And Psychotherapy Outcome: Implementation Of A Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Intervention To Improve Psychotherapy Outcome, Louise Fidalgo Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that psychotherapy patients experience increased physiological responsivity to stress which might negatively impact their experience in psychotherapy and their overall progress and outcome. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of a heart rate variability biofeedback intervention on the physiological stress responsiveness and the psychotherapy outcomes of participants in psychotherapy. Forty college students attending psychotherapy at their university counseling center were divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group participated in a 6-week biofeedback intervention and we assessed their physiological stress reactivity before and after implementation of the intervention, …

Correlates Of Risky Sexual Behavior In The People's Republic Of China, Kersti A. Spjut

Theses and Dissertations

Risky sexual behaviors, or behaviors with the risk of an adverse health outcome, are on the rise. Rates of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are also on the rise. Research suggests that several variables are closely related to human sexual behavior, namely sexual attitudes, sexual knowledge, and gender. Individuals with more permissive sexual attitudes tend to engage in riskier sexual behaviors. Studies examining the relationship between sexual knowledge and risky sexual behavior show both positive and negative associations. Although risky behaviors can occur between partners of any gender, the present study focuses on heterosexual relationships.The present study uses data from a …

Survivors' Perceptions Of Support Following A Parent's Suicide, Suzanne Nicole Bennett

Theses and Dissertations

Children who experience a parent's death by suicide are a vulnerable population at risk for emotional and mental health issues as well as suicide attempts (Cerel, Fristad, Weller, & Weller, 1999; Kuramoto et al., 2010; Wilcox et al., 2010). Yet, in spite of the knowledge that effective postvention is in reality prevention (Cerel et al. 2008), relatively little is known about these children and adolescents, particularly regarding their experiences following the suicide. The current research study investigated which resources, assistance, and actions of those around the child were perceived as most helpful and unhelpful following the parental suicide. Through semi-structured …