Digital Commons Network^™

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Depression, And Resilience In African-American Adolescents, Jamie C. Freeny

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Research shows that exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is common among adolescents; however, no studies have examined the prevalence of ACEs in a racially homogenous sample of African-American adolescents. Thus, the present study examined the cumulative and individual prevalence of ACEs in African-American adolescents. Data were collected from African-American adolescents (n = 241) who attended youth events hosted by churches in Houston, TX. An expanded ACEs tool was used to collect data. ACE scores were summed and dichotomized to 0-3 ACEs versus 4-19 ACEs because a score of four or more indicates a higher risk for adverse mental and …

Development And Usability Testing Of Quit4health, A Smoking Cessation Smartphone App For Young Adults, Katarzyna Czerniak

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Tobacco use is the leading cause of death in the United States. As of 2016, 23.5% of American 18-25 year olds reported having used cigarettes in the last month compared to 20.2% of adults and only 3.4% of adolescents. Due to the efficacy and widespread general use of mobile technology today, mobile-phone health, or mHealth apps, have become increasingly popular methods of delivering smoking cessation programs. However, there is a lack of evidence in regards to the quality and the effectiveness of using mHealth to deliver smoking cessation interventions to young adults. This study aims to fill this gap to …

Factors Associated With Civilian And Police Officer Injury During 10 Years Of Officer-Involved Shooting Incidents: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Ellen Paddock

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Purpose. Law enforcement officer-involved shootings are uncommon events in the context of encounters with the public, but extreme situations which have the potential to pose immense harm to individuals and communities. Previous research demonstrates that a large proportion of such incidents result in injury or death, most commonly to civilians, but in some cases to officers as well. However, there has been little study of what factors are associated with injury during such incidents, and whether these factors might differ for civilians compared to officers. This study examined the factors associated with both civilian and officer injury and/or fatality during …

How Participatory Are We? A Systematic Review Comparing Women’S Participation In Participatory Action Research, Community Based Participatory Research And Participatory Learning In Action, Magdalene Hakala-Hartman

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Objective. This systematic review compares the extent of participation of women in maternal and child health and healthy living-type research projects based on three participatory research frameworks, Participatory Action Research (PAR), Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR), and Participatory Learning in Action (PLA), by examining roles, tasks, engagement, and the duration and complexity of their participation- as guided by the Community Engagement in Research Index (CERI). The review analyzed differences in underlying structure of the studies connected to their theoretical underpinnings. Methods. Ovid Medline, PubMed, EBSCO, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and Academic Search Complete were searched for studies published 2009 – 2018. …

Sociodemographic Determinants Of Mental Health Outcomes Among Unhealthy Weight Youth In The United States, Chenchita Malolan

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Background

The prevalence of unhealthy weight (defined as a body mass index ≥ 85th %ile for age and sex) among children and adolescents in the United States remains unacceptably high. In parallel, the prevalence of mental health issues in youth is rising as well. Current research shows a strong association between overweight/obesity and poor mental health outcomes. Specifically, youth of unhealthy weight have higher rates of anxiety and depression. The objective of this study is to evaluate the specific the current (2016-17) population-level prevalence of unhealthy weight, mental health issues and the sociodemographic (e.g. sex, age, race, ethnicity, household income) …

A Secondary Data Analysis For The Refinement Of Empirical Modelling For The Estimation Of Environmental Health & Safety Program Resourcing For Colleges And Universities, Seth Michael Parker

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

The use of potentially hazardous physical, chemical, biological, and radiological agents is inherent to the teaching, research, and services missions of any university. To manage the risks associated with these agents, it is common for universities to host environmental health & safety (EH&S) programs to protect the safety of the institution’s students, faculty, staff, and visitors. However, since EH&S programs in universities are primarily focused on prevention, it is difficult to estimate the appropriate “industry average” in terms of budget and staffing resources a particular university needs for such programs. Historically, the Campus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA) …

Exploring The Link Between Genetics, Chronic Stress, And Depression, Michael Woller

Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities (URCO) Grant Program

Depression is a very debilitating mental illness that affects about 7% of the American Population [1] and up to about 350 million people worldwide [2]. Since the cause for depression and the reason why some individuals are more vulnerable than others are currently unclear, studying paradigms that model depression in animals, such as the learned helplessness paradigm, is useful to explore possible mechanisms and devise new treatments. To explore a possible link between genetics, chronic stress and depression, we have exposed mice vulnerable to stress to an inescapable forced swim paradigm. During the forced swim test, the mice were monitored …

The Influence Of Depressive Symptoms On Frn Amplitude: An Eeg Study, Jonathan Burton

USC Aiken Psychology Theses

Background: Individuals diagnosed with depression demonstrate differences in neural activation patterns detectable using electroencephalogram (EEG). One of these differences has been specifically linked with the event-related potential (ERP) component called feedback-related negativity (FRN). In participants diagnosed with depression, the FRN has been shown to have larger amplitudes in response to negative feedback. However, previous research has only specifically looked at the difference of this amplitude between groups, specifically those with and those without a diagnosis of depression. Objective: The goal of the current study was to examine whether a continuous range of depressive symptoms in participants can predict FRN amplitudes, …

Norms For Baseline Concussion Tests, Kaci Lee Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The present study was designed to establish Baseline concussion normative data for non-athlete students using the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT-5), Rey Word Recognition Test (RWRT), The A Random Letter Test of Auditory Vigilance (A-Test) and the Rey Dot Counting Test (DCT). The study considers the comparative differences when the non-athletes are told to complete the task to the best of their ability, to those who are told to perform poorly on purpose, and those who are instructed how to perform badly. Method: Sixty non-athlete students at Florida Institute of Technology volunteered in the study using the university’s online …

The Effects Of Emotion Socialization On Internalizing Behaviors In Young Adults, Cristina Ramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Parents play a significant role in how children learn to express their emotions as well as their child’s overall emotional well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of positive and negative emotion socialization experiences on internalizing disorders in young adult males and females. One-hundred and forty-two young adults between the ages of 18-28 years from a southwestern university participated in the current study. It was hypothesized that early negative emotion socialization experiences would be related to higher levels of anxiety and depression in young adulthood (and, conversely, early positive emotion socialization experiences would be related to …

Superior Memory: An Example Of The Benefits Of Examining Individual Differences In Cognitive Psychology, Lawrence Patihis

Faculty Publications

Comments on an article by Robert Logie (see record 2018-64362-002). Author agrees with Logie that there is potentially much to be gained now from cognitive psychology research that investigates individual differences. Author would add the caveat, and Logie alludes to this too, that the traditional approach of comparing experimental conditions has been more productive than any other and has led to useful general theories (and descriptions of cognitive phenomena) in the areas of perception, attention, memory, and reasoning. Research with experimental-condition comparisons utilizing random assignment has revolutionized psychology and brought a well-rounded understanding of the mind that far surpassed …

Sequential Monitoring Of Adaptive Randomized Clinical Trials With Sample Size Re-Estimation, Jun Yu

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Clinical trials are complicated and involve human beings. Therefore, lots of ethical and efficient objectives are expected to be achieved. These objectives include maximizing the power of detecting the treatment effects, assigning more patients to the better treatments, saving the cost and time, and controlling the type I error rate. A variety of adaptive designs have been proposed to achieve different aims, among which sequential monitoring and sample size re-estimation are very popular in real clinical trials. In addition, adaptive randomization designs sequentially update the allocation probability aiming to target different allocation proportions and achieve different aims. Hu and Rosenberger …

Investigating Employability: Testing The Raw Framework, Daniell Jean Study

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In a recent model of employability, Hogan, Chamorro-Premuzic, and Kaiser (2013) defined employability as the ability to gain and maintain employment and find new employment when necessary. The authors presented employability as a formative construct containing an ability dimension (the ability to do the job), a social skills dimension (being rewarding to work with), and a motivational dimension (being willing to work hard). There is no question as to whether these three dimensions affect one’s level of employability; research is abundant on the positive relationships between intelligence, social and emotional skills, motivation and career success. However, little research has been …

Wellness And Prevention Program Sustainability Design For Clark University Athletics Department, Emily Corbett

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

The purpose of this work is to design a wellness based prevention program that is tailored to fit the campus community within Clark University, Worcester, MA, called the Peer Athletes Advocating for Wellness (PAAW) initiative. This paper first presents the current research on wellness related issues within a college campus, specifically surrounding sexual violence. It then outlines the current sexual violence prevention programming that takes place yearly for incoming first year students at Clark University, as well as a one-time initiative during which student athletes participated in the sexual violence prevention programming. There is a review of the current most …

The False Hope Of Deliberate Forgetting: A Critical Response To Proponents Of Limited-Use Memory Manipulation, Peter A. Depergola Ii

Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

The emergence of manipulation techniques that dampen, disassociate, erase, and replace unsavory episodic memories have given pause to even the most ardent proponents of the practice. Supporters of memory manipulation have since clarified that the interventions should be made available exclusively in extreme and limited-use cases. In light of the narrowing of this approach, the present essay examines the arguments in favor of limited-use memory manipulation (LUMM) for the two most commonly-cited circumstances in which the practice is claimed to be justified: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance addiction. After examining the neuroscience of PTSD and substance addition, the critical …

Behavioral Inhibition And Activation As A Modifier Process In Autism Spectrum Disorder: Examination Of Self‐Reported Bis/Bas And Alpha Eeg Asymmetry, Hillary K. Schiltz, Alana J. Mcvey, Alexander Barrington, Angela D. Haendel, Bridget Dolan, Kirsten S. Willar, Sheryl Pleiss, Jeffrey S. Karst, Elisabeth M. Vogt, Christina C. Murphy, Kelsey Gonring, Amy V. Van Hecke

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The Modifier Model of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suggests that phenotypic variability within ASD is rooted in modifier processes, such as the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral activation system (BAS). Among a sample of 53 adolescents with ASD, this study examined associations between (a) self-reported BIS/BAS and frontal and parietal alpha electroencephalogram asymmetry and whether these indices related to (b) ASD severity (via the Autism Quotient), and/or (c) co-occurring anxiety and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (via Youth Self Report and Child Behavior Checklist). Findings showed that alpha asymmetry was associated with self-reported BAS scores, such that greater BAS was related …

Acculturation And Internalizing Problems Among Latino Youth: A Meta-Analytic Review, Juventino Hernandez Rodriguez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Some studies have found acculturation to be a positive predictor of internalizing problems (i.e., anxiety and depression) in Latino youth (Gonzales et al., 2002), whereas other studies have revealed no relation or a negative relation between acculturation and internalizing problems (Smokowski, Buchanan, & Bacallao, 2009). Narrative reviews of this literature exist (Gonzales et al., 2002; Gonzales et al., 2009) but a quantitative synthesis of the literature has not been conducted. After a systematic literature search that identified 38 studies meeting inclusionary criteria, a meta-analysis was performed to estimate the size and direction of the relation between acculturation and internalizing problems. …

Investigating Affective Pathways For The Influence Of Justification On Self-Control, Morgan Hill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People struggle with temptation in their everyday lives. Research often attributes failures in self-regulation to overwhelming and uncontrollable impulses. However, research also supports the idea that cognitive factors (e.g., justification) can license tempting behavior and allow individuals to behave in ways that run counter to their long-term goals. In addition, it is likely that affect plays a role in justification-based self-control failure. The current set of three studies investigated the role of affect in justification-based self-control failure. Study 1 tested the prediction that recall of past successes would result in increased positive affect. Study 2 assessed whether justification results in …

Values Vs. Self-Interest As Determinants Of Attitudes: Through A Construal Level Theory Lens, (Sometimes) Self-Interest Wins, Austin D. Eubanks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study (n = 335) attempted to conceptually replicate Hunt, Kim, Borgida, and Chaiken (2010) with a high-powered design to investigate whether values and self-interest differentially impact attitudes depending on psychological distance. Participants were assigned to complete a task that made self- or other-focused values more accessible, then indicated their attitudes about a student fee increase at a university to fund scholarships the participants would not be eligible to receive (thus going against their own financial self-interest for the well being of someone else). The memo describing the fee increase was manipulated such that the increase would be occurring …

Do Male And Female Soccer Players Differ In Helping? A Study On Prosocial Behavior Among Young Players, Paul A. M. Van Lange, Zoi Manesi, R. W. J. Meershoek, Minglian Yuan, Mengchen Dong, N. J. Van Doesum

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Acting prosocially can be quite challenging in one of the most salient intergroup contexts in contemporary society: Soccer. When winning is the ultimate goal, balancing self-interest with helping a fellow player in distress can be a tough decision; yet it happens. To date, we know little about what motivates soccer players to offer such help in the heat of the game. We propose that sex and what is at stake will matter in such prosocial dilemma situations. A pilot study (N = 107) indicated that female players may be more likely to help than male players, but this difference was …

A Dual-Process Theory Perspective To Better Understand Judgments In Assessment Centers: The Role Of Initial Impressions For Dimension Ratings And Validity, Pia V. Ingold, Mirjam Donni, Filip Lievens

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Insight into assessors’ initial impressions has the potential to advance knowledge on how assessors form dimension-based judgments and on possible biases in these ratings. Therefore, this study draws on dual process theory to build and test a model that integrates assessors’ dimension ratings (i.e., systematic, slow, deliberate processing mode) with their initial impressions (i.e., intuitive, fast, automatic processing mode). Data collection started with an AC where assessors provided ratings of assessees, and an online survey of assessees’ supervisors who rated their job performance. In addition, two other rater pools provided initial impressions of these assessees by evaluating extracted 2-min video …

Hexaco Personality Predicts Counterproductive Work Behavior And Organizational Citizenship Behavior In Low-Stakes And Job Applicant Contexts, Jeromy Anglim, Filip Lievens, Lisa Everton, Sharon L. Grant, Andrew Marty

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examined the degree to which the predictive validity of personality declines in job applicant settings. Participants completed the 200-item HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised, either as part of confidential research (347 non-applicants) or an actual job application (260 job applicants). Approximately 18-months later, participants completed a confidential survey measuring organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB). There was evidence for a small drop in predictive validity among job applicants, however honesty-humility, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness predicted lower levels of CWB and higher levels of OCB in both job applicants and non -applicants. The study also informs the use …

Brain Activity In College Students With The Broad Autism Phenotype, Amy Gaylord Beaver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study examined brain activity in college students with the broad autism phenotype (BAP) while viewing facial expressions. Quantitative Electroencephalogram assessments were conducted in the temporal lobe area in the brains of 38 college students declared as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors. Participants were divided into BAP+ versus BAP- groups based on their scores on the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ). Findings revealed that individuals categorized as BAP+ demonstrated a higher alpha relative power score and a higher T4 relative to T3 coherence Z score when looking at expressive faces than when looking at neutral faces when …

A Support Program For College Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Functioning Of Participants Versus Non-Participants And The Role Of Program-Sponsored Mentoring, Ayla Raven Mapes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly more students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are attending college. In response, many colleges are now offering these students the extra support of an Autism Support Program (ASP), many of which include a mentoring component. This study is one of only a handful of attempts to examine these programs empirically. Using a small sample of college students who identified as having ASD, I compared participants and non-participants of a university ASP. An online survey was used to assess demographic characteristics and pre-college academic performance, as well as students’ functioning across the following domains: social, adaptive, academic, emotional, and having …

Effect Of Acceptance Versus Psychoeducation On Hoarding, Clarissa W. Ong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Hoarding disorder (HD) is a mental health condition characterized by difficulty letting go of possessions, resulting in clutter that prevents use of active living spaces. Consequences associated with hoarding include strained family relationships, distress for children in the home, and increased burden on social services. Currently, the most empirically supported treatment for HD is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which includes such components as education about the nature of hoarding, challenging unhelpful thoughts, and exposure to distressing stimuli. Despite its demonstrated effectiveness, CBT does not result in clinically significant improvement for at least 50% of individuals, indicating the need for alternative interventions …

Insomnia And Use Of Sleep Medications In Predicting Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease In The Cache County Study, Elizabeth Kathleen Vernon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over 71 million Americans will be over the age of 65 by the year 2030. With this rise in adults aged 65 years and older also comes an exponential rise in the estimated number of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD); this number is expected to exceed 24 million Americans by the year 2040. The number one risk factor for AD is older age; this factor is also associated with an increased risk in developing a sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbances have been associated with an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and decline in overall health. Recent research has examined the …

The Intergenerational Transmission Of Parental Practices That Influence The Educational Outcome Of Latinxs In The United States, Ana E. Kemple Reeves

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Parental involvement practices in education have traditionally referred to overt forms of involvement such as attending school meetings, parent teacher conferences, and volunteering at the school. Research suggests that Latinx parents do not utilize these approaches as much as they do subtler practices. These practices are manifested in parents’ communication with their children, their parenting styles, and the academic expectations they place on their children. The current study intended to recognize the parental practices used by Latinx parents that contribute to educational attainment and combat fixed beliefs regarding their lack of involvement in their children’s education. The data collection was …

The Relationship Of Gender-Based Microaggressions And Internalized Sexism On Mental Health Outcomes: A Mother-Daughter Study, Nicole D. Feigt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Subtle occurrences of discrimination, insults, and slights against gender can impact woman of all ages, although little research has been done on the mental health impacts of these events on adolescents or middle-aged women. Additionally, a person’s own views on sex roles and sexism may impact how these events affect them. The following study examined the relationship between mothers and daughters on variables related to ambivalent sexism, gender-based microaggressions, and anxiety and depression. One hundred two mothers and their adolescent daughters completed various online surveys through the use of a Qualtrics panel. The sample was fairly representative, with respondents varying …

Using Ecological Momentary Assessment To Clarify The Function Of Hoarding, Jennifer Krafft

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Experts have argued that hoarding disorder occurs in part because hoarding behaviors help individuals avoid distress and feel positive emotions in the moment. For example, when people who hoard choose to save something rather than discard it, they may avoid feelings of anxiety, and when people who hoard acquire something new, they may feel excited. However, no previous studies have examined whether or not these changes actually occur in the moment. These processes could also potentially be altered by how individuals respond to their emotions in the moment. For example, individuals who hoard may have stronger emotional reactions, distinguish less …

Early Childhood Teacher Turnover In Nebraska, Amy M. Roberts, Kathleen C. Gallagher, Susan Sarver, Alexandra Daro

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

Teacher turnover is a serious challenge across early childhood settings. Turnover can be expensive for early childhood programs, burdensome to staff, and harmful to children throughout the nation. Nebraska is no exception. This research brief describes teacher turnover in the state’s early care and education settings, including licensed child care, state-funded PreK, and Kindergarten through Grade 3.

Research Questions The following research questions were asked across early childhood programs (licensed child care, state-funded PreK, and K-3): 1. What was the average rate of annual teacher turnover? 2. According to administrators, what was the most common reason teachers left their employment? …