Patterns And Predictors Of Parent-Child Endorsement Discrepancies Among Youth At Chronic-Risk For Depression, Bridget A. Makol

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Depressive disorders are some of the most common mental health problems among U.S. adolescents, particularly among Latino youth (Merikangas et al., 2010; Twenge & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2002). When parents and their children provide ratings on the presence and severity of the child’s depressive symptoms, their ratings show only low to moderate agreement (Mascendaro et al., 2012). Research has shown that parent–child discrepancies in ratings of youth emotional and behavioral problems are linked to factors such as parental depression and ethnicity. However, discrepancies research has focused primarily on European American families in clinical settings. Subsequently, research has failed to examine discrepancies in …

Examining The Intersection Of Gender And Age On Backlash Effects In Negotiations, Amber Cotton

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Backlash effects are the social and economic sanctions for women, but not men, when exhibiting masculine and agentic traits such as assertiveness. This social disincentive has been suggested to account for women’s decreased likelihood to initiate negotiations relative to men. One question that extends from prior findings is how other demographic characteristics (i.e., age) might intersect with gender differences in the experience of backlash in negotiations. Using role congruity theory, research on backlash effects in negotiations and age stereotypes as additional theoretical underpinnings, the purpose of the current study was to investigate the extent to which an individual’s gender (male …

The Response Of Religious Leaders To Intimate Partner Violence: Overcoming The "Holy Hush", Jaclyn Danielle Houston-Kolnik

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) continues to be a social problem with many survivors seeking assistance from their religious leaders. In order to understand how to improve the response of religious leaders to IPV, this dissertation explores the various ways religious leaders understand and respond to survivors of IPV and the religious beliefs that may contribute to their response. The responses of religious leaders vary as some may deny or justify the abuse while others may link survivors to resources within the religious congregation or local community. Furthermore, these responses may be shaped by particular religious beliefs such as beliefs about …

Thinking About Race: The Development And Implication Of Racial Ideology, Robert E. Gutierrez

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Underlying contemporary discussions of race and race relations in the United States is the concept of racial ideology. Racial ideology comprises the ways in which individuals conceptualize racial identity, race relations, and the practical and ideal roles race plays in our lives. Two dominant models of understanding racial ideologies have emerged: Colorblindness and multiculturalism. Colorblindness advocates a race neutral approach while multiculturalism affirms and values the diversity of racialized experience. Critics of colorblindness argue that inattention to the role race plays in individuals’ lives serves to propagate an unequal status quo, and can actually exacerbate racial inequality. Conversely, critics of …

Effects Of Multinational Team And Team Member Characteristics On Subgroup Formation, Group Identification, And Trust In Team, Gamze Arman-Incioglu

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Multinational teams (MNTs) consist of members from different national backgrounds who work interdependently to achieve a shared objective (Earley & Gibson, 2002). These teams are frequently employed in global organizations because they provide several advantages, such as meeting the needs of customers from different cultures and getting diverse perspectives on how to lead projects and approach problems (Connaughton & Shuffler, 2007; Earley & Mosakowski, 2000). Much of the previous research on MNTs has focused on whether members’ national background diversity has an impact on MNT effectiveness (Connaughton & Shuffler, 2007; Stahl, Mäkelä, Zander, …

Housing And Abstinence Self-Efficacy In Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Christopher R. Whipple

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Formerly-incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders face many barriers upon release from prison. In order to avoid returning to substance use and prison, these individuals must successfully navigate the re-entry process, which includes finding adequate housing and avoiding substance use. As abstinence self-efficacy, or confidence to abstain from substance use, has been found to predict better substance use outcomes, it is important to understand the relation between housing situations and abstinence self-efficacy in formerly-incarcerated individuals. This study examined the role that time spent in various housing situations, including controlled, recovery, independent, precarious, and homeless situations, affect abstinence self-efficacy. Two hundred …

"I'M Sure He Didn't Mean It That Way": The Influence Of Leader Characteristics On Perceptions Of Everyday Sexism, Samantha M. Smith

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the ability of organizational leaders to facilitate the experience of everyday sexism in the workplace by influencing individual perceptions and acceptance of sexist behaviors. Rationale for hypotheses is presented under a social information processing framework. Social and organizational consequences of leader likability and idiosyncrasy credits are also discussed. It was hypothesized that particular leader characteristics (e.g., leader likability) and individual differences (gender identification and stigma consciousness) impact perceptions of bias. Female MTurk workers viewed a video of a female employee describing her male supervisor in a 2 (Leader Likability: high vs. low) …

Associations Between Social Status Insecurity And Relational Aggression In Chinese Adolescents: Moderations Of Social Cognitive Prosesses, Yunyi Long

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents pay close attention to their social status and actively pursue it through certain social behaviors. Previous studies have revealed that when adolescents feel their social standing is unsafe, namely having social status insecurity, they often use relational aggression to cope with it. However, what roles different social cognition processes play on the association between social status insecurity and relational aggression are unclear in the literature. Additionally, given that the relationship between relational victimization and relational aggression has also been observed in the literature, social status insecurity may also exert an important mediating impact on such an association. Nevertheless, few …

An Examination Of The Effectiveness Of A Bibliotherapy Version Of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Julie Christine D'Amico

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Disruptive behavior problems are common in early childhood. However, despite their ubiquity, they are often quite stressful for parents and can be damaging to parent-child relationships. In addition to being disruptive to the family, research has demonstrated that early disruptive behavior problems can set children on a path to continue experiencing escalating levels of disruptive behavior throughout childhood and into adolescence. Recent research has determined prevention to be an important area of emphasis for interrupting this negative trajectory of disruptive behaviors. Secondary prevention interventions target children and families who are seeing the early signs of this negative long-term trajectory and …

State-Level Anti-Bullying Policy: Toward A System-Level Implementation Framework, Andrew Martinez

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Bullying is a public health concern, with negative mental health and academic consequences. In response to the prevalence of bullying in our nation’s schools, all 50 states have now enacted anti-bullying legislation. Overall, these mandates include a series of requirements geared toward addressing bullying in school settings and improving overall school climate.

Following this trend of states enacting anti-bullying legislation, the State of Connecticut, the focus of this study, passed PA 11-232, An Act Concerning the Strengthening of School Bullying Laws (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 11-232). This legislation was passed in 2011 and brought forth a series of mandates geared …

The Influence Of Team Prosocial Motivation On Emergent States And Shared Leadership, Tyree David Mitchell

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Despite the growing body of research on shared leadership, relatively little is known about the antecedents of shared leadership. The following study examined the effects of team prosocial motivation on team emergent states (i.e., team empowerment, psychological safety) and shared leadership. Drawing on motivational theories (e.g., self-determination theory), it was hypothesized that team empowerment and psychological safety would mediate the relationship between team prosocial motivation and shared leadership. Also, in line with the social identity and self-categorization perspectives, it was hypothesized that team surface-level diversity (racial diversity, gender diversity, faultline strength) would moderate the effects of team prosocial motivation on …

The Effects Of Sexual Orientation And Behavioral Style On Perceptions Of Leadership Potential And Effectiveness, Kristin Elizabeth Mann

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This research explored the influences that sexual orientation and gender norm adherence play in impacting perceptions of a leader’s hirability into and evaluation within a leadership role. Though sexual minority issues in the workplace represent a growing field of research, investigations into sexual orientation’s impact on outcomes relevant to leadership remain scant. As increasing numbers of openly gay and lesbian men and women take positions of leadership, there is a need for more information regarding the experiences of sexual minority leaders, with potential benefits to these individuals, their organizations, and related stakeholders. The research conducted here was intended to address …

Understanding Perceived Overqualification: Expanding The Criterion Space, Establishing Drivers, And Developing A Model, Gregory Francis Fernandes

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

As applicants with more qualifications enter the workforce and managers reject individuals with more skills than a job requires, overqualification grows in importance to organizations. Perceived overqualification, or an individual’s self-perception as overqualified, is an under-researched topic, however. This dissertation outlines a theoretical model for understanding both how perceived overqualification develops and how it impacts outcomes. Results show that generalized self-efficacy and objective overqualification predict perceived overqualification. Furthermore, perceived overqualification affects state positive affect, job satisfaction, absenteeism, and self-esteem through justice perceptions. Implications for future research and practice are also detailed.

Neighborhood And School Influences On Academic Achievement And Educational Attainment, Crystal Monique Coker

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that poverty is a greater predictor of educational disparities than race, despite the national focus on racial disparities. Further, living in disadvantaged neighborhoods that are characterized by qualities such as high poverty and unemployment can place a double burden on already poor students, further undermining educational achievement and future success. Neighborhood disadvantage is linked to a range of poor academic outcomes, yet only recently has research begun to explore the processes underlying the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and these outcomes. Drawing on ecological theory, the following study proposes to examine how multiple settings relate to student outcomes. …

Competency Modeling As An Organizational Development Intervention, Sarah Michelle Haynes

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The practice of competency modeling has been widely applied as a strategic human resource initiative in the United States and abroad (Schuler & Jackson, 2005). It is estimated that 70–80% of Fortune 500 companies use some form of competency modeling within their talent management programs to define and/or measure work performance (Stone, Webster & Schoonover, 2013). This widespread popularity is likely explained by the many proposed benefits of competency modeling adoption. Some of these benefits include directly linking future-oriented talent requirements to business objectives and strategies, integrating talent programs across HR functions, and offering a more flexible and adaptable method …

Naturalistic Allocation: Working Memory And Cued-Attention Effects On Resource Allocation, Shanique G. Brown

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The allocation of resources is a ubiquitous decision making task. In the workplace, resource allocation, in the context of multiple task and/or work demands, is significantly related to task performance as the commitment of more resources generally results in better performance on a given task. I apply both resource and naturalistic decision making theories to better understand resource allocation behavior and related performance. Resource theories suggest that individuals have limited cognitive capacity: limited capacity may limit performance in dynamic situations such as situations that involve the allocation of attentional resources. Additionally, the naturalistic decision making framework highlights the role of …

An Examination Of The Specificity Of Economic Loss And Deprivation And Community Violence On Depressive Symptoms And Aggressive Behavior In Urban, Low-Income Adolescents, Jarrett T. Lewis

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Based on the current literature examining associations of stress and psychopathology in adolescents, several types of stress (e.g., violence exposure, economic-related stress) have been identified as particularly salient in lowincome, urban adolescent populations (Grant et al., 2003; Natz et al., 2012). This population also has been shown to be at heightened risk for problems including internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Identifying specific pathways through which urban, low-income adolescents develop specific emotional and behavior problems in response to particular stressors would be helpful in the development and selections of as the targets of interventions that disrupt mediators that link particular stressors to …

Effects If Clarity And Locus Of Control On Outcomes Of Rjps, Gregory F. Fernandes

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Realistic job previews (RJPs) are a common method of providing information about a job to an employee pre-hire. However, there is little understanding around how the way this information is presented might affect some of the well-research outcomes of RJPs, including decision to accept a job offer and organizational commitment. This study explores two potential issues of information presentation, clarity of the information and the locus of control that it activates, to determine whether they have an effect on job attitude outcomes of RJPs.

Exploring The Self-Referent Meaning Mechanisms Of Terror Management Theory And Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, Joseph A. Galluzzo

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Two theories of mortality threat management propose distinct psychological mechanisms to cope with mortality concerns. Terror management theory suggests death prompts existential concern whereas socioemotional selectivity theory suggests a limited lifetime prompts hedonic concerns. Both reminders of the finality of life threaten self-existence, yet only terror management theory research has investigated the capacity for art to reaffirm self-referent meaning compromised by death awareness. In two studies, we explored the potential existential nature within death and limited-lifetime awareness and then examined self-referent meaning reaffirmation through naturalistic and surrealistic art in response to death awareness and limited-lifetime awareness. We found that limited-lifetime …

The Influence Of Parish Factors In Catholic Deacon Ministry Assignments: An Ecological Model Perspective, Danielle S. Vaclavik

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Permanent deacons are a population within the Catholic Church whose numbers have been growing significantly in the last 50 years, with an estimated 18,000 men serving as deacons in the U.S. alone (Gautier, 2013). Deacons are ministers of charity and social justice, ordained to serve their local community for its religious, economic, and social needs through a commitment to their faith. In their growing importance and influence in the Catholic Church, little research examined permanent deacons as individuals or in relationship to the communities they serve.

For this thesis, data was taken from a larger nationwide study of 1,997 …

Early Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Via A Transdisciplinary Clinic, Peter John Thaxter

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The current study seeks to explore whether a transdisciplinary clinic is accurate in their diagnosis of ASD prior to the age of three. Participants in the current study consist of 34 children aged 13 to 36 months who were evaluated by a transdisciplinary clinic between 2007 and 2009. Participants were reassessed using the ADOS and ADI-R once the child is over the age of three. The diagnoses from the two time points was compared to determine the accuracy and reliability of the diagnosis assigned by the transdisciplinary clinic prior to the age of three.

Overall, diagnostic stability was high between …

Prospective Predictors Of Adolescent Bmi: Parenting Style, Gender, And Weight Perception, Trey V. Dellucci

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Obesity affects both adolescents and adults worldwide (Popkin & Doak, 1998). Determining which factors contribute to risk factors to the high prevalence of obesity in America is important because excess weight can negatively affect both physical health and psychosocial functioning (Kolotkin, Meter, & Williams, 2001). Few longitudinal studies have assessed the association between parenting styles and adolescent’s body mass index (BMI; Rhee et al, 2006). Past research has shown that parents greatly influence adolescent’s body image (Al Sabbah et al., 2009). Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the current study examined the influence of parenting styles …

An Evaluation Of The Perfectionistic Social Disconnect Model Among Ethnic Minority Youth, Ana Belen Goya Arce

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Interpersonal aspects of perfectionism, particularly perfectionistic self-presentation, have been identified as specific vulnerability factors in the development of depressive disorders during the early adolescent years. The Perfectionistic Social Disconnect Model (PSDM) offers a theoretical framework explaining the relationship between perfectionistic self-presentation (PSP) and depressive disorders. The PSDM suggests that perfectionistic self-presentation leads to depressive symptoms indirectly through interpersonal problems and social disconnection. While previous studies have supported the hypothesized role of social disconnection as a mediator in the relation between perfectionistic self-presentation and suicidal ideation, no studies have explored the role that interpersonal problems play in the model. Furthermore, the …

Meaning As A Buffer Against Adolescent Psychopathology, Ellen Shaina Dulaney

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the function of meaning in life in adolescence to ascertain whether specific psychological resources may protect youths against threats to subjective well-being. Meaning in life and the search for the meaning in stressful occurrences were independently examined for their influence on stress impact and depression symptomatology. 201 American middle-school and high-school students between 12 and 19 years of age were recruited for this study. Participants reported on questionnaires targeting frequency of negative life events; depressive symptoms; sense of meaning; and tendency to reframe stressors in terms of their meaning, termed “stressor meaning seeking”. It was expected that …

Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes And Their Caregivers: A Longitudinal Assessment Of Metabolic Control And Psychosocial Mediators, Sabrina Anne Karczewski

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role of pediatric medical traumatic stress (PMTS) in response to a type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis for both parents and children and its influence on a child’s future metabolic control. PMTS is a term that represents a continuum of posttraumatic stress symptoms (i.e., intrusion, hyper-vigilance, and avoidance) that occur in response to a medical event that may or may not meet full clinical criteria for a Diagnostic Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) diagnosis. This study examines a theoretical model (see Figure 1) and the interrelationships between a child and/or parent’s level of PMTS in response to …

Incidental Affect, Facial Expressions, And Risk, Michael M. Shuster

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Emotional facial expressions are potent social signals that can change people’s feeling states and shape judgments of targets that are unrelated to the expressions. Whether they originate from other individuals or advertisements in the environment, facial expressions are undoubtedly one of the most prominent emotional stimuli. Thus, there is a great need to examine how facial expressions can influence potentially consequential judgments and decisions that involve uncertain or risky prospects, as such decisions are greatly impacted by emotion.

The domains of finance and health could particularly benefit from such an examination. In the financial domain, expressions of other individuals could …

Trait Contempt And The Five Moral Foundations, Russell Steiger

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Rozin and colleagues’ CAD model (1999) proposed that violations of three different moral domains (community, autonomy, and divinity) each elicit a specific emotional response (contempt, anger, and disgust). Moral Foundations Theory (MFT; Haidt & Joseph, 2007) is a five-factor moral taxonomy derived from the three moral domains used in the CAD study. This thesis investigates whether the CAD model fully applies to MFT, regarding both state and trait emotions. In keeping with the CAD model, previous research found that state anger relates to harm and fairness violations (autonomy), and that both state and trait disgust relate to purity violations (divinity; …

The Effect Of Neighborhood Disadvantage And Parental Involvement On African American Adolescent’S Externalizing Behavior And Academic Outcome, Roberto G. Lopez Tamayo

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

African American adolescents are more likely to live in disadvantaged neighborhoods than their European American counterparts. The impact that neighborhood disadvantage such as poverty, unemployment, population turnover, and community violence exerts on youth’s behavior becomes more prevalent as they grow older, increasing the risk for engaging in externalized behavior and hindering academic outcomes. Consistent with the developmental theory, an examination of parental involvement (PI) as moderator between neighborhood disadvantage and externalizing behavior is warranted. There is a dearth of longitudinal research that examines how neighborhood disadvantage operates and, to what extent influences, directly or indirectly, behaviors and academic outcomes of …

Childhood Obesity And The Social Detrminants Of Health: A Socioecological Exploration Of Mothers And Children, Alescia M. Hollowell

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the relationship between sociocultural appearance norms, environment, and health efficacy in shaping health behaviors and outcomes in mothers and their children. Childhood obesity is a serious health condition affecting US children. Factors related to the cause of obesity include poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and parent's perceptions and roles. However, given that children have little autonomy, it is of great importance to understand how parental perceptions and behaviors influence the health outcomes of their children. This thesis was conducted using quantitative methods. Participants were 120 mothers who completed survey measures of sociocultural appearance norms, health efficacy, …

Onset Patterns Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome And Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Mixed Method Approach, Meredyth Evans

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) refer to a debilitating illness without a universally accepted or well-understood etiology. Some experts have suggested that there are multiple pathways to the development of ME and CFS, which may also indicate multiple onset patterns. Due to unanswered questions regarding etiology, the onset of ME and CFS is considered a key area of inquiry.

Case criteria for ME and CFS and much of the academic literature suggest that patients typically experience one of two possible onset patterns: sudden or gradual. Many experts consider the mode of ME …