Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 18 of 18

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Behavioral Intervention Teams: An Exploration Of Team Member Perceptions At Oklahoma Regional Universities, Sheila J. Self Dec 2017

Behavioral Intervention Teams: An Exploration Of Team Member Perceptions At Oklahoma Regional Universities, Sheila J. Self

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine Behavioral Intervention Teams from the perspective of twelve team members at four regional universities in Oklahoma. This study strengthened the knowledge base regarding team-member perceptions of Behavioral Intervention Team effectiveness, functioning, resources, needs, state factors, and campus impacts, and added qualitative data to the existing body of literature. Behavioral Intervention Teams were designed to be a tool for preventing campus violence and addressing behaviors of concern through information gathering, analysis, and intervention. While it may never be known how many acts of violence, suicides, or other student issues have been prevented or …


Liking, Craving, And Attentional Bias In Non-Dependent Drinkers, David Lovett Dec 2017

Liking, Craving, And Attentional Bias In Non-Dependent Drinkers, David Lovett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to better understand alcohol use problems by examining the effect of alcohol liking on alcohol attentional bias among non-dependent drinkers. An adapted model of Robinson and Berridge’s (1993) incentive-sensitization theory of addiction was proposed which theorized that manipulation of alcohol liking would produce alcohol attentional bias (assessed via visual probe task) among non-dependent drinkers. To test this adapted model, alcohol liking was manipulated and the effect on alcohol attentional bias was examined. Participants were 53 legal-age, college drinkers (Mage = 23.49; 32.1% female; 67.9% White Non-Hispanic). Participants completed measures of alcohol drink preference, …


During The Wait: A Phenomenological Study On Denied Social Security Dissability Applicants Awaiting Appeal, Stefanie A. Ford Aug 2017

During The Wait: A Phenomenological Study On Denied Social Security Dissability Applicants Awaiting Appeal, Stefanie A. Ford

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the essence of the experience of individuals who were denied Social Security Disability benefits and who sought the appeals process. In the first round, five semi-structured face-to-face interviews allow the participants to share their thoughts, feelings, and actions taken and, if any, what life changes occurred during the appeals process. Data analysis using phenomenological methods create textural-structural descriptions from which, in a second interview, applicants choose to confirm, edit, or add to their analyzed interviews. The findings present as seven major themes that describes the phenomenon. They are: (a) procedural unfairness …


An Experimental Test Of The Effects Of Social Conflict On Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms And Alcohol Craving, Courtney Elaine Dutton Aug 2017

An Experimental Test Of The Effects Of Social Conflict On Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms And Alcohol Craving, Courtney Elaine Dutton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While substantial efforts have been devoted to understanding links between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and hazardous alcohol use, relatively little research has examined possible third factor variables that may maintain this comorbidity. Social conflict is common among people suffering from posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), hazardous alcohol use, and the combination of these two conditions, and is thought to maintain both PTSS and hazardous alcohol use. Fortunately, social conflict is malleable, but there is little evidence to date examining social conflict as a common maintaining factor. The current study investigated the effect of social conflict on state PTSS, alcohol craving, and …


Testing An Integrated Model Of Help Seeking With Ethnically Diverse Primary Care Patients, Bianca Teresa Villalobos Aug 2017

Testing An Integrated Model Of Help Seeking With Ethnically Diverse Primary Care Patients, Bianca Teresa Villalobos

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Structural and attitudinal barriers prevent many individuals from accessing professional mental health services and often times lead to the premature termination of treatment. Although research findings suggest that the integration of mental health services in primary care can increase access to services and reduce stigma for typically underserved populations, dropout occurs at high rates. The current study aims to: (1) identify correlates of attitudinal and structural barriers in a primary care setting, and (2) test the ability of the Integrated Model of Seeking Help (IMoSH) to predict follow-up for behavioral health visits. In particular, it was hypothesized that attitudinal barriers …


People Change: Impression Management Influences Autobiographical Memories, Holly Elizabeth Cole Aug 2017

People Change: Impression Management Influences Autobiographical Memories, Holly Elizabeth Cole

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents the results of an experiment that tested a new impression management strategy, termed memory enhancement, and the long-term implications of using memory enhancement. People often share the events that occur in their everyday lives to others in the form of stories. This research was designed to determine if people will alter the way they share previous events to create a specific impression. It is possible that using the impression management strategy of memory enhancement will create long lasting changes to the actual memory of the event. This was tested in an experiment in which participants were put …


From Foster Care To College: Student Stories Of Success, Tory Nicole England Aug 2017

From Foster Care To College: Student Stories Of Success, Tory Nicole England

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the different factors that empower young adults that were in foster care to be successful in a college environment. It has been documented that foster youth have significant challenges during secondary education (Conger & Rebeck, 2001; Geenen & Powers, 2006). Due to these challenges, foster youth attend and graduate higher education at a lower rate than their peers. The perspectives of foster youth currently enrolled in higher education is critical to determining which factors and programs have helped with their educational success. Five participants completed semi-structured interviews about their secondary education, …


Developing A Competency-Based Framework To Guide Elementary School Teachers' Efforts In Helping Bullied Children, Samantha Gregus Aug 2017

Developing A Competency-Based Framework To Guide Elementary School Teachers' Efforts In Helping Bullied Children, Samantha Gregus

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current study aimed to develop a competency-based framework designed to assist elementary school teachers in their efforts to help bullied children. Drawing from extant research, Gregus and Cavell (2017) created an initial draft of the framework that contained 25 components representing a mix of knowledge, attitudes, and skills. In Study 1, I obtained input on the framework from practicing elementary school teachers (n = 26) and researchers who study school bullying (n = 14). Teacher input was gathered via a series of focus groups and researchers responded using an online survey. Both teachers and researchers viewed the framework positively …


Reactionism: Resurrecting The Past, Derrick F. Till Aug 2017

Reactionism: Resurrecting The Past, Derrick F. Till

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates a novel construct, reactionism – the belief that the past is good and should be resurrected. Specifically, these studies test two competing hypotheses. It could be that reactionism is purely perceptual, such that perceiving the past as positive will promote reactionary attitudes and behavior. Or reactionism could be motivated, such that perceiving change away from the past as threatening is necessary for reactionary attitudes and behavior. In study 1, I tested whether reactionism beliefs are related to greater support for policies that would resurrect the past. The prediction was unsupported, suggesting that reactionism beliefs are motivated. In …


Mental Health Counselors Working With Individuals With Developmental Disabilities: A Phenomenological Investigation, Syard G. Evans May 2017

Mental Health Counselors Working With Individuals With Developmental Disabilities: A Phenomenological Investigation, Syard G. Evans

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often not included in traditional mental health treatment services due to beliefs that these individuals cannot benefit from mental health counseling and that mental health clinicians are not capable of treating this population. Some research exists that discusses techniques and interventions recommended to serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in mental health; however, there is little information on the specific counselors who are willing and able to support this population. A qualitative methodology was utilized to examine the phenomenon of mental health practitioners with experience serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. …


Reconnection Group For Individuals Who Have Experienced Interpersonal Trauma: An Explanatory Case Study, Megan Little May 2017

Reconnection Group For Individuals Who Have Experienced Interpersonal Trauma: An Explanatory Case Study, Megan Little

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Interpersonal traumas are becoming more common to the general public and the need for services to assist the mental and emotional well-being of survivors is increasing. However, due to the complicated impacts of trauma on the mind, body, and spirit there can be a challenge in finding effective treatment options that are long lasting for trauma symptoms. The purpose of this study was to understand the elements of a trauma group treatment (Reconnection group) modality that utilizes psychodrama as the primary treatment option and incorporates mindfulness and yoga as adjunctive treatments with individuals who have experienced interpersonal trauma. Findings suggest …


Relations Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Current Maladaptive Beliefs In A College Sample, Ilana Starr Berman May 2017

Relations Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Current Maladaptive Beliefs In A College Sample, Ilana Starr Berman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cumulative childhood trauma has been associated with both symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. However, few studies have examined these relations with normative young adult populations nor have they explored the relation between childhood adversities and cognitive distortions as an outcome variable. The current study aimed to: 1) replicate and extend research on the relations between cumulative adversity, using a broad measure of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; Felitti et al., 1998), which assesses both maltreatment (e.g., physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect) and exposure to elements of household dysfunction (e.g., caregiver substance use, witnessing maternal abuse), and mental health …


Give Hate A Chance: An Exploration Of The Affective State Of Interpersonal Hate, Carmen Merrick May 2017

Give Hate A Chance: An Exploration Of The Affective State Of Interpersonal Hate, Carmen Merrick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Interpersonal hate, the affective state of one individual experiencing hate toward another, is widely experienced. However, to date there is no experimental evidence of interpersonal hate. This phenomenon was explored, as was its place in the triad of hostile emotions. It was theorized that interpersonal hate would be differentiated from the hostile emotions (contempt, anger, and disgust) by appraisal of violation type and by behavioral response, and that the hostile emotions could be recognized by these characteristics, as well. Specifically, it was hypothesized that interpersonal hate would be incited by autonomy violations and avoidance responses; anger would be incited by …


“Good Guys Do Rape”: An Examination Of College Student Perceptions Of Sexual Assault Perpetrators, Taylor Blythe Martinez May 2017

“Good Guys Do Rape”: An Examination Of College Student Perceptions Of Sexual Assault Perpetrators, Taylor Blythe Martinez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When people think of a typical sexual assault, they rely heavily on preconceived notions of sexual violence, which often represents stereotypical rape scenarios. Many stereotypical depictions of perpetrators tend to be centered around individuals who are strangers, mentally ill, lonely, with poor or impoverished upbringing. How perpetrators and victims are depicted impact the likelihood of others believing victims and attributing guilt to perpetrators. This may contribute to societal endorsement of acquaintance rape as not real compared to stereotypical rape scenarios. The current study examines how college students, and in particular fraternity men and sorority women, view perpetrators of sexual assault. …


Employees Communicating Within Transportation And Logistics Organizations: What Studying Stress And Acts Of Incivility In The Workplace Reveals About The Industry, Elizabeth Munyak Smith May 2017

Employees Communicating Within Transportation And Logistics Organizations: What Studying Stress And Acts Of Incivility In The Workplace Reveals About The Industry, Elizabeth Munyak Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project investigates the relationship of workplace stress and workplace incivility in the context of transportation and logistics organizations. Informal, one-on-one interviews with transportation and logistics operations office employees are conducted to answer this study’s research questions that examine the commonality, perceived norms, and perceived emotional and physical effects of workplace incivility in response to stress within the transportation and logistics workplace. Using grounded theory analysis, it is revealed that acts of incivility amongst transportation and logistics operations office employees communicate the conflict occurring at the industry, organization, and workplace levels of the transportation and logistics industry. The ultimate …


An Exploration Of The Experience Of Open Awareness Co-Meditation At The Beginning Of Therapy Sessions, Aneeqa Ishtiaq May 2017

An Exploration Of The Experience Of Open Awareness Co-Meditation At The Beginning Of Therapy Sessions, Aneeqa Ishtiaq

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness and meditation have been seen as beneficial for mental health and mindfulness-based therapies have proliferated alongside an increase in popular interest in mindfulness (Germer, Siegel, & Fulton, 2013). However, many therapists are unaware of how to add mindfulness-based interventions. It may seem especially ambiguous for therapists and clients unfamiliar with the concept. In this dissertation, the history and current research on mindfulness-based psychotherapy, and its benefits and contraindications, are reviewed, and the researcher’s relationship to the topic is explained. It is identified that one way to add mindfulness to psychotherapy is for the therapist and the client to co-meditate …


Monolingual And Bilingual Children's Language-Based Social Preferences In A Predominantly Monolingual Environment, Rachel Marie Stevens May 2017

Monolingual And Bilingual Children's Language-Based Social Preferences In A Predominantly Monolingual Environment, Rachel Marie Stevens

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Monolingual children consistently display Social preferences for individuals who speak their native language with a native accent compared to individuals who speak a foreign language or speak their native language with a foreign accent. Two explanations have been proposed for these language-based preferences. The first explanation is that language cues a child to in-group membership and children prefer to affiliate with individuals who are members of the same in-group. The second explanation is that children display preferences for their native language and accent because that is what they are most familiar with, and children prefer familiarity over the unknown. The …


The Role Of Attention And Memory In Prospective Person Memory, Kara Nicole Moore Jan 2017

The Role Of Attention And Memory In Prospective Person Memory, Kara Nicole Moore

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I examined the role of memory and attention in prospective person memory. Prospective person memory involves being on the lookout for a person with the goal of completing some task (i.e., contacting the authorities) upon encountering the person. Success at prospective person memory tasks in lab and field based studies is rather low (i.e., less than 10% of people report encountering the person). In the current study the prospective person memory task involved a simulated search for a missing person. I manipulated attention to the missing person and strategic monitoring, which involves being in retrieval mode and searching for cues. …