Digital Commons Network^™

Emotional Response To Auditory And Visual Stimuli, Amy Pitchforth

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Emotion can be studied by measuring physiological, behavioral, and verbal responses to specific stimuli. In current research, it is most common to use visual stimuli to measure the emotional response. One of the most common sets of stimuli used for this purpose is the International Affective Picture Systems (IAPS). An additional set of stimuli, the International Affective Digital Sounds (IADS), was created to be an auditory equivalent of the IAPS. The present study sought to compare the emotional response (measured with Heart Rate, Skin Conductance, and a self-report measure of emotion called the SAM) to sounds from the IADS and …

Effects Of Acculturation On Hiv/Aids Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Asian And Pacific Islander (Api) Women, Margaret Cabotage Salud

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. In the US women are the fastest growing group for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV and AIDS. In addition, the estimated AIDS cases among female adults and adolescents, aged 13-19, increased from 7% in 1985 to approximately 26% in 2002. Most infections occur by heterosexual transmission with 53% occurring through contact with a high-risk sexual partner. While overall HIV/AIDS rates in the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community remain low, they are rising and HIV testing rates, one of the major prevention strategies for HIV, are lower than that of other populations. Furthermore, very little is known about APIs …

Parental Divorce, Attachment, And Self-Other Conceptualization, Julia A. Hewett

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The formation of strong attachment bonds in childhood and adolescence has a significant effect on adult self and other concepts operationalized here as self-esteem and hostility. These self-other conceptualizations are posited to facilitate the formation of successful relationships and well-being in adulthood. To determine whether parental separations before the age of 16 years disrupt attachment bonds and subsequent self-other conceptualizations, participants from three naturally formed parental marital status groups were compared on attachment, self-esteem and hostility: divorced parents (N = 622), married parents (N = 7, 424), or divorced but remarried parents (N = 313). Individuals who had divorced or …

Neuropsychological Symptoms Associated With Multiple Shunts, Jared Jackson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Hydrocephalus is the excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the cranium which may result in increased intracranial pressure, dilation of cerebral ventricles and displacement of adjacent brain structures. Ventriculoperitoneal shunting is often needed to treat hydrocephalus. Patients with Ventriculoperitoneal shunts have been found to have IQ scores below the mean of the general population. In addition, many of these patients experience shunt infections or other complications that require shunt replacement. Shunt replacements and shunt infections have been associated with additional deficits in intellectual functioning. However, previous research has failed to address the neuropsychological ramifications of shunt infections and shunt replacements. …

Convergent Validity Of Self Reported Physical Activity With A Seven Day Recall, Benjamin J. Silber

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Accurate assessment of physical activity is important to studies interested in the relationship between physical activity and other variables. Questionnaires are the only feasible means for large-scale sampling but such self-report measures require validation due to their inherent subjectivity. The Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) survey includes exercise items that were validated in the present investigation. A calibration study examined self-reports of exercise with two phone calls to 1,000 participants in which an interview-assisted 7-day physical activity recall was completed by a random sample of AHS-2 participants. Inter-index correlations both within the survey and between the survey and the 7-day physical …

Psychological Profiles In A Female Bariatric Surgery Sample, Aimee L. Donato

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Morbid obesity is an epidemic. Current literature suggests that people with morbid obesity tend to show increased levels of psychological dysfunction. This is especially pertinent to the clinicians who work with morbidly obese patients who seek bariatric surgery as the method for weight control. Surgery should be performed on patients who are psychologically ready to adjust to the stringent post-operative lifestyle.

The purpose of the present study was (1) to compare two groups of bariatric patients (a White group and a non-White group) on pre-surgery measures: specific scales on the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD), the Beck Depression Inventory II …

Ethical Decision-Making Regarding Nonsexual Multiple Relationships, Diana Jochai

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The current American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (APA Ethics Code) states that a multiple relationship is established between a psychotherapist and a client when they engage in a relationship (personal or professional) in addition to the therapeutic relationship (AP A, 2002). Evidence that psychologists do become involved in such relationships, sometimes resulting in harm to the client, comes from examination of complaints to professional organizations and licensing boards, and of scant existing research. Remarkably, however, there has been no research to date regarding the ethical decision-making process in which a psychologist engages regarding whether …

Client/Therapist Feedback And The Role Of The Alliance On Psychotherapy Outcomes, Elizabeth Preston Cisneros

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Through a system of patient-focused outcomes research which has employed a quality assurance system for tracking client progress in therapy, there has been consistent evidence that utilizing the system to identify those who are not responding to treatment and warning their therapist about the client’s risk significantly improves client outcomes in psychotherapy. Although outcomes have been improved, significant proportions of clients have treatment failures or see no improvement in therapy. Moreover, feedback to therapists appears to be most effective in improving outcomes for the minority of clients who are already at risk of treatment failure.

Attempts to augment the feedback …

The Use Of The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Ii (Mmpi-2) In Pre-Employment Evaluations, Ana M. Gamez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Psychological testing is an important facet in the selection and hiring processes of law enforcement and public safety personnel. Research in this area suggests that the MMPI-2 scales have been correlated with problematic behavior among police officers, poor job performance, and officer misconduct. This study examined the extent to which suitability for hire could be predicted by the MMPI-2 scale L (Lie), scale K (correction), Infrequency scale (F), scale 4 Psychopathic Deviate (Pd), scale 6 Paranoia (Pa), scale 7 Psychasthenia (Pt), and scale 9 Hypomania (Ma). It examined whether profile differences emerged as a function of suitability across gender, between …

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder-Like Symptomatology In Pediatric Intensivists, Dina Gabriella Cuervo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Helping professionals, such as social workers, emergency first responders and medical personnel are susceptible to traumatic stress reactions through indirect exposure to trauma via the traumatized population whom they serve. This phenomenon, known as secondary traumatic stress (STS), mimicking the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, can have an impact on a provider’s work with his/her patient or have longer-term effects such as deciding to leave the profession. This study found that physicians’ level of job stress was the strongest predictor of STS and that this relationship was also influenced by resiliency, ego strength and attachment style. Individuals with higher levels …

Validity Study Of The Psychopathic Personality Inventory In A Noncriminal Population, Julie Madeleine Woltil

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) is a self-report measure which was created by Lilienfeld and Andrews (1996) to identify the personality traits of psychopathy in noncriminal populations. These personality traits were grouped into eight subscales in the PPI including Machiavellian Egocentricity, Social Potency, Coldheartedness, Carefree Nonplanfulness, Fearlessness, Blame Extemalization, Impulsive Nonconformity and Stress Immunity. In this study, the relationship between the PPI and four theoretically related concepts (psychopathy, empathy, sensation seeking and driving anger) were examined to evaluate its concurrent and construct validity. A positive correlation was found between the PPI and the Self-Rep0l1 Psychopathy Scale, the Driving Anger Scale, …

Development Of A Lung Cancer-Specific Model For Support Group Interest, Laura Testerman

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Despite high levels of both emotional and physical distress and desire for utilization of support group services, lung cancer patients rarely participate in these supportive services. Lung cancer survivors’ interest in and use of supportive psychosocial services remains poorly understood, and Internet-based services may be of particular benefit to this population. The Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations, which emphasizes Predisposing (i.e., demographic as well as attitudes about support services), Enabling (i.e., accessibility of services), and Illness (i.e., need for services based on health) factors, was applied to the prediction of survivors’ behavioral intention to participate in face-to-face support groups (F2F) …

Veterans Of The 1st Persian Gulf War: A Study Of Medically Unexplained Symptom Models, Alexis H. Collins

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In 1990-1991, shortly after the Persian Gulf War, a number of veterans began complaining about a wide range of symptoms, the most common of which were; fatigue, headache, sleep disturbance, low mood, and memory loss. These symptoms were similar to those experienced by individuals with Medically Unexplained Illnesses such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and Somatoform Disorders. Utilizing structural equation modeling and data gathered from the Gulf War Veterans Health Questionnaire, this study attempted to determine whether symptoms experienced by veterans were best explained as individual items, discrete illnesses, or as a conglomeration of …

The Role Of Unrealistic Optimism In Explaining Preventive Behaviors In High Versus Low Endemic Malaria Settings In Belize, Daniel G. Handysides

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Of all the diseases an individual can encounter in the world, malaria is one of the most destructive. Simple measures like sleeping under a bednet would greatly reduce the burden (Abeku, 2007). When people estimate their risk relative to others, they are most often unrealistically optimistic, which may explain why those at risk often fail to perform behaviors, such as using a bednet that will reduce their risk. However, one study showed that people at high risk for malaria held pessimistic perceptions of their risk for the disease, but the reasons for this finding are unclear (Morrison, Ager, & …

Effect Of Depression On Attention Via Mood Induction In A Healthy Population, Cheryl Mae Calvano

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This project continues research into the cognitive attention of persons with a sad mood similar to that experienced by dysthymia. The project utilizes the Dot Probe Task to evaluate attention to affective stimuli presented in the International Affective Picture Set (IAPS). Participants were psychology students recruited from La Sierra University. Participants completed a word task that intended to induce a sad or neutral mood. The Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) was used to evaluate the efficacy of the mood induction. Overall, participant’s negative PANAS scale did not differ between groups. Groups differed between administrations of the PANAS on the …

Mental Health And Victimization Experiences In Fibromyalgia: A Literature Review, Eric J. Kloeppel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and/or multiple tender points located on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms or legs that hurt when touched. FM can be a debilitating condition with financial, emotional, interpersonal, and health costs that can affect not only the person diagnosed, but his or her family and friends. Presently, the etiology of FM is largely unknown and there is no definitive cure. Researchers have identified several possible contributing factors in the development and maintenance of FM, including genetics, abnormalities in the neuroendocrine system, and sleep disturbances as well as psychiatric …

Influence Of Acculturation On Neuropsychological Assessment In Middle Easterners, Eunice E. Kwon

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Due to influx of immigrants in the United States, it has become essential in cross cultural research to consider cultural variables such as cultural orientation, cultural identity, and acculturation in order to better understand cultural influences on psychological processes and assessment outcomes (Cuellar, 1998). However, there are very few studies that have actually looked at how culture influences neuropsychological test performance (Feltcher-Janzen, Strickland, & Reynolds, 2000). Therefore, in order to better assess culturally diverse individuals and to validly interpret the findings, a conceptual model developed by Betancourt and collaborators (Betancourt & Fuentes, 2001; Betancourt, Hardin, & Manzi, 1992; Betancourt & …

Psychometric Properties Of The Psychopathic Personality Inventory In A Non-Criminal Population, Julie Madeleine Woltil

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) is a self-report measure which was created to identify the personality traits of psychopathy in noncriminal populations. These personality traits were grouped into eight subscales in the PPI including Machiavellian Egocentricity, Social Potency, Coldheartedness, Carefree Nonplanfulness, Fearlessness, Blame Externalization, Impulsive Nonconformity and Stress Immunity. The hypothesized relationships and factor structure of this study follow the theory of psychopathy as being a disorder rooted in antisocial behaviors (often aggressive and impulsive in nature) and inappropriate emotional reactivity (characterized as a lack in empathy and anxiety). A confirmatory factor analysis was done with an ethnically diverse undergraduate …