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Religion And Quality Of Life In College Age Students, Kathryn E. Barefoot Jan 2015

Religion And Quality Of Life In College Age Students, Kathryn E. Barefoot

Honors Theses

The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between religion and quality of life in healthy participants, specifically young adults in college. Participants (N=241) completed an abridged 62 item survey by the World Health Organization, the WHOQOL-SRPB, which assess quality of life and religiosity. This experiment found that there is a positive correlation between religion and quality of life in college age students. Due to the strong relationship between spirituality and quality of life, it is determined by the researcher and study design that religiosity and quality of life affect not only elderly or terminally ill patients, but …


The Role Of Acceptance In Ptsd Symptomatology Among A Nonclinical Sample, Amanda E. Gerard Jan 2015

The Role Of Acceptance In Ptsd Symptomatology Among A Nonclinical Sample, Amanda E. Gerard

Honors Theses

Studies have demonstrated the role of various psychological factors such as avoidance in PTSD (Marx & Sloan, 2005; Badour et al., 2012), but research examining the role of acceptance is limited. The few studies performed in the area have demonstrated significant associations between acceptance and PTSD symptomatology (Tull et al., 2007; Vujanovic et al., 2009) in addition to providing evidence that acceptance-based treatments can be effective for PTSD (Orsillo & Batten, 2005; Batten & Hayes, 2005). The current study aimed to expand previous research by using a large nonclinical sample and controlling for several relevant comorbidities. It was hypothesized that …


The Role Of Fear Of Pain In Headache, Anna Katherine Black Jan 2015

The Role Of Fear Of Pain In Headache, Anna Katherine Black

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recurrent headache sufferers are often fearful of pain, which disrupts cognitive thought processes, interferes with daily activities, and may maintain headache-related disability through avoidance and associated negative reinforcement. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to 1) examine differences in fear of pain between headache sufferers and non-headache controls; 2) examine differences in fear of pain across primary headache diagnostic groups; 3) assess the extent to which fear of pain predicts headache variables (e.g., severity, frequency, disability); and 4) determine whether fear of pain mediates the relationship between pain severity and headache-related disability. The sample consisted of 908 young adults …


Interaction Of Severity Of Stressor And Coping Strategy On Psychological Distress From A Psychological Flexibility Conceptualization, Nadia Nicole Bethley Jan 2015

Interaction Of Severity Of Stressor And Coping Strategy On Psychological Distress From A Psychological Flexibility Conceptualization, Nadia Nicole Bethley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The majority of Americans report psychological or physical symptoms due to stress (APA, 2007). When stressed, people engage in coping strategies that differentially affect psychological distress. Psychologically flexible coping is associated with more positive outcomes (e.g., Ruiz, 2010; Sturmey, 2009), while psychologically inflexible strategies have been linked to greater psychological distress (e.g., Marcks & Woods, 2005; Hayes et al, 2006). Within the psychological flexibility model, few studies have looked at the interaction between severity of naturally occurring stressors and coping strategy and their influence on psychological distress. The current study further investigated the relationship between coping strategy and severity of …


Meaning In Life And Self-Efficacy's Relationship To Depression, Anxiety, And Stress: A Study Of Coastal Residents Affected By The Gulf Oil Spill, Brandy Baczwaski Jan 2015

Meaning In Life And Self-Efficacy's Relationship To Depression, Anxiety, And Stress: A Study Of Coastal Residents Affected By The Gulf Oil Spill, Brandy Baczwaski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Platform exploded, killing 11 people and spilling approximately 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over the following months. Disasters such as the Gulf Oil Spill affect individuals in many ways, including the possible onset of psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Because mental health effects are comfollowing a disaster, it is important to understand potential protective factors that may decrease the risk of negative consequences related to disaster events. The presence and severity of psychological distress, as well as the method of coping, varies between individuals …


Migraine Screening Among A Non-Clinical Sample, Ashli Brooke Walters Jan 2015

Migraine Screening Among A Non-Clinical Sample, Ashli Brooke Walters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Migraine is a commonly-occurring primary headache disorder that can be extremely disabling. Despite its prevalence and impact, migraine remains under-recognized and under-treated. The US Headache Consortium recommended validated screening measures as one way to improve headache diagnosis. Previous studies have sought to determine optimal symptom algorithms for differentiating migraine from other types of headache or to validate migraine screening measures, but few studies have attempted to do both. The current study attempted to statistically determine the most sensitive and specific symptoms for differentiating between migraine and other headache and validate the resulting symptom algorithm as a screening measure. Young adults …


The Influence Of Facial Attractiveness And Babyfaceness On Actors' Memorability, April Marie Burns Jan 2015

The Influence Of Facial Attractiveness And Babyfaceness On Actors' Memorability, April Marie Burns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While researchers suggest that people displaying emotional expressions are memorable because of meanings associated with the expressions, the current study explored whether other facial characteristics, such as attractiveness and babyfaceness, how much an adult's face resembles a baby's, influence memorability as well. Introductory psychology students (150 female, 53 male) participated in an incidental memory task in which they attempted to recognize actors they had previously seen displaying emotional expressions who varied in both emotional attractiveness, how attractive actors appear due to changes in facial features associated with displaying emotional expressions, and emotional babyfaceness, how babyfaced actors appear due to changes …


Comparing Anthropometric Methods To Quantify Relations Between Adiposity And Headache, Vanessa Lee Moynahan Jan 2015

Comparing Anthropometric Methods To Quantify Relations Between Adiposity And Headache, Vanessa Lee Moynahan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is associated with increased risk for chronic migraine and migraine progression, but associations with episodic migraine (em) and episodic tension-type headache (tth) are unclear. Most studies have relied on bmi as an indicator of adiposity. More accurate anthropometric measures that distinguish adipose tissue from other body tissue are critical to examine adiposity-headache associations, including validated measures of abdominal adiposity and established measurement formulas such as body adiposity index (bai) and body composition equations developed by Peterson et al. (2003) and Garcia et al. (2005). The present study explored adiposity-headache associations by employing established anthropometric measures of adiposity and comparing …


A Decision Tree Approach To The Assessment Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Regan Stewart Jan 2015

A Decision Tree Approach To The Assessment Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Regan Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Structured diagnostic interviews are widely considered to be the optimal method of assessing symptoms of posttraumatic stress; however few clinicians report using structured assessments to guide clinical practice. One key impediment to the use of structured assessments in clinical practice is the amount of time required for test administration and interpretation. Thus, the present research conducted an initial feasibility study using a normative sample of college-aged adults (n = 88) to develop an assessment protocol based on the clinician administered PTSD scale (caps). Decision tree analysis was utilized to identify a subset of predictor variables within the 17 caps symptom …


The Role Of Self-Blame And Resilience In Psychosocial Outcomes In College Students Who Engage In Cyberbullying, Jennifer Rose Bailey Jan 2015

The Role Of Self-Blame And Resilience In Psychosocial Outcomes In College Students Who Engage In Cyberbullying, Jennifer Rose Bailey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bullying behaviors (traditional and cyber) are often associated with adverse long-term consequences. As a result of an increase in technology use, traditional bullying has gradually expanded to include cyberbullying. While research in the area of cyberbullying is relatively new, current evidence suggests that cyberbullying is a pervasive problem from childhood into adulthood, and is associated with long-term detrimental effects for bullies, victims, and bully-victims. Research also suggests that self-blame, the tendency to view life events as being within an individual’s control may exacerbate the development and intensity of psychological symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression) that may result from experiencing stressful events. …


Meaning In Life And Automatic Stereotyping: A Study Of College Students, Ivonne Andrea Florez Jan 2015

Meaning In Life And Automatic Stereotyping: A Study Of College Students, Ivonne Andrea Florez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to explore the role of meaning in life in automatic stereotyping in White individuals with respect to African Americans. The study aimed to establish whether meaning in life predicted automatic stereotyping even when controlling for self-esteem, a variable suggested to be a moderator of stereotyping. To assess these variables a number of tasks or measures were administered. The Person Categorization Task was employed as a measure of automatic stereotyping, the Purpose in Life test - Short Form (PIL-SF) was given as a measure of perceived meaning in life, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale …


Positive Youth Development In Tanzanian Youth: Utility Of The Developmental Assets Approach, Christopher Fox Drescher Jan 2015

Positive Youth Development In Tanzanian Youth: Utility Of The Developmental Assets Approach, Christopher Fox Drescher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Researchers and practitioners are increasingly interested in positive youth development (PYD), an approach that emphasizes the competencies, strengths, and responsibilities of youth from all backgrounds. This paradigm may be especially useful in research with international youth given the paucity of research on international populations and the stigma surrounding research that focuses on deficits and problem behaviors. I explore youth's developmental strengths using one PYD measure, the Developmental Assets Profile (DAP), within a diverse, national sample of Tanzanian youth. The DAP Total score, Internal and External Assets, and Context Areas all displayed acceptable internal consistencies (.94 ≥ &agr; ≥ .74). Internal …


Cannabinoid Modulation Of Cisplatin Induced Neuropathy, Hannah Marie Harris Jan 2015

Cannabinoid Modulation Of Cisplatin Induced Neuropathy, Hannah Marie Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endocannabinoid modulation of cancer-related pain is well-documented. Sativex, a cannabinoid extract with a 1:1 ratio of tetrahydrocannabinol (thc) and cannabidiol (cbd) has been shown to alleviate neuropathic pain associated with chemotherapy. This research examined whether thc or cbd alone is effective in attenuating or preventing tactile allodynia associated with cisplatin-administration. Mice (c57bl/6) were given eight doses of 2.3 mg/kg cisplatin or saline solution ip every second day to induce tactile allodynia (ringers on alternate days). Tactile responses to hind-paws were quantified in g of force using an electric von frey (evf) prior to (baseline) and after the cisplatin administration protocol. …


Interaction Of Coping And Severity Of Stressor From An Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Conceptualization, Nadia Nicole Bethley Jan 2015

Interaction Of Coping And Severity Of Stressor From An Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Conceptualization, Nadia Nicole Bethley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to recent data released by the American College Health Association, 51.5% of college students reported feeling more than average or tremendous stress within the past 12 months (42% and 9.5%, respectively) (ACHA, 2012). People engage in coping strategies when stressed that can affect their perceived psychological distress differently. Strategies associated with psychological flexibility (e.g., acceptance and behavioral activation) are associated with more positive outcomes (e.g., Ruiz, 2010; Sturmey, 2009), while psychologically inflexible strategies (e.g., suppression and avoidance) have been linked to greater psychological distress (e.g., Marcks & Woods, 2005; Hayes et al, 2006). Within the psychological flexibility model, few …


12-Item Depression, Anxiety, And Stress Scales (Dass-12): Associations With Self-Report Measures, A Semi-Strcutured Interview, And Behavioral Tasks, Eu Gene Chin Jan 2015

12-Item Depression, Anxiety, And Stress Scales (Dass-12): Associations With Self-Report Measures, A Semi-Strcutured Interview, And Behavioral Tasks, Eu Gene Chin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To date, only one study has examined the psychometric properties of the 12-item depression, anxiety, and stress scales (DASS). Moreover, all psychometric studies conducted with the DASS-21 have focused narrowly on associations with semi-structured interviews and other relevant self-report measures. In order to address these limitations, I proposed to diversify the ways in which we examine the DASS instrument (for both the 12- and 21-item versions). First, I examined the extent to which the DASS instrument is able to predict responses to behavioral tasks and whether the DASS was able to produce hypothesized convergent and divergent relationships with relevant self-report …


Examining The Relationship Between Sexual Want, Sexual Consent, And Sexual Assertiveness, Marie Darden Jan 2015

Examining The Relationship Between Sexual Want, Sexual Consent, And Sexual Assertiveness, Marie Darden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.


The Relationship Between The Effects Of Rape, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Trauma, And Post-Attack Victim-Perpetrator Interaction In Female College Students, Stephanie Christine Bell Jan 2015

The Relationship Between The Effects Of Rape, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Trauma, And Post-Attack Victim-Perpetrator Interaction In Female College Students, Stephanie Christine Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess for effects of rape that are specific to women attending college and for relationships between the effects of rape, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, previous trauma, complex trauma, and post-attack victim-perpetrator interaction to fill gaps in the literature around these issues. The survey was distributed to all female undergraduates at the main campus of a large, public university in the south (N ≈ 8,400). The sample consisted of 463 women (response rate = 5.5%). The majority of participants were between the ages of 18-22, Caucasian, lived off-campus, and with roommates. Participants received an e-mail …


Fusion With Self-Referential Labels: Examining A Behavioral Measure, Lindsay Wilson Schnetzer Jan 2015

Fusion With Self-Referential Labels: Examining A Behavioral Measure, Lindsay Wilson Schnetzer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with commonly diagnosed psychological disorders often apply self-labels that have a negative effect on behavior. In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, defusion exercises are designed to de-emphasize the literal interpretation of thoughts (such as self-labels) so that behavior is less controlled by verbal rules and more sensitive to direct interaction with the environment. Although existing self-report measures sensitive to changes in believability are an important step in establishing the utility of defusion interventions, it is also worthwhile to develop behavioral markers of fusion/defusion with self-referential content. The matching-to-sample (MTS) task, commonly used in basic behavioral research, examines the ability of …


Training Emotion Recognition Skills In Children On The Autism Spectrum Using Derived Relational Responding, Kerry Catherine Whiteman Jan 2015

Training Emotion Recognition Skills In Children On The Autism Spectrum Using Derived Relational Responding, Kerry Catherine Whiteman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prior research on traditional emotion recognition training with individuals on the autism spectrum has shown improvement in skills. However, only a handful of studies have demonstrated generalization of skills to novel stimuli and contexts. The application of derived relational responding to interventions has been shown to be an efficient and effective way of producing generalized behaviors in both typically developing and developmentally delayed populations (Healy, Barnes-Holmes, & Smeets, 2000; Rehfeldt & Barnes-Holmes, 2009). The present study was designed to obtain preliminary data on the effectiveness of emotion recognition training that includes derived relational responding. Three Caucasian children (aged 12-15 years …


Attentional Bias Toward Pain-Related Pictorial Stimuli Among Individuals With Migraine Following Negative Mood Induction, Michael James Mcdermott Jan 2015

Attentional Bias Toward Pain-Related Pictorial Stimuli Among Individuals With Migraine Following Negative Mood Induction, Michael James Mcdermott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Migraine is associated with significant reductions in daily functioning and quality of life and is the 19th largest cause of disability globally. The fear-avoidance model of chronic pain details potential pathways for the development of pain disability and affective distress and provides a platform for understanding the dynamic relationship between psychological factors and migraine. Consistent with the fear-avoidance model, a growing body of research provides support for the role of selective attentional biases toward threat-related stimuli among chronic pain patients. However, the few studies to examine the role of selective attentional biases in migraine demonstrate mixed findings, and the exact …


Evaluation Of Cognitive Processing Therapy's Five Cognitive Distortion Themes, Jared P. Grigg Jan 2015

Evaluation Of Cognitive Processing Therapy's Five Cognitive Distortion Themes, Jared P. Grigg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.


The Effect Of Cooperative Gameplay On Aggression And Prosociality In Violent Video Game Play, Jeremiah Nathaniel Beene Jan 2015

The Effect Of Cooperative Gameplay On Aggression And Prosociality In Violent Video Game Play, Jeremiah Nathaniel Beene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to determine what impact (if any) the context (isolated vs. social) of playing different types (violent vs. non-violent) of video games have on people's aggression and positive social behaviors. Participants were randomly assigned to play either a violent video game or a non-violent video game in an isolated context or with another player for 30 minutes, after which they completed the same questionnaires again. Data were then collected on behavioral tasks measuring aggression and prosociality. This experiment failed to find significant effects of violent video game exposure on aggression. Participants who played a violent …


Development And Validation Of An Instrument To Measure Moral Distress Among Counselors Working With Children And Adolescents, Ian Scott Turnage-Butterbaugh Jan 2015

Development And Validation Of An Instrument To Measure Moral Distress Among Counselors Working With Children And Adolescents, Ian Scott Turnage-Butterbaugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Falender and Shafranske (2004) stated it is “essential for clinicians to develop and understanding of all the influences, from conscious beliefs and culturally embedded values to unresolved conflicts at the margin of awareness, that contribute to clinical practice” (p. 81). The purpose of this study was to meet this professional imperative by developing an instrument designed to assess moral distress among counselors working with children and/or adolescents. Using open-ended surveys and semi-structured interviews, detailed descriptions of participants’ experiences of moral distress were obtained in order to gain an initial understanding of the ways in which the phenomeonon is experienced in …


A Comparison Of Mitragyna Speciosa And Mitragynine Against Opioids On Thermal Nociception In Rats, Catherine Criddle Jan 2015

A Comparison Of Mitragyna Speciosa And Mitragynine Against Opioids On Thermal Nociception In Rats, Catherine Criddle

Honors Theses

The purpose of this experiment is to compare Mitragyna speciosa (M. speciosa) and its active component, mitragynine, a known µ-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist, against well-known and commonly abused opioids, morphine and oxycodone. Another goal of this research is to determine if these compounds are also active when administered orally as is typical in human users. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered M. speciosa and mitragynine both intraperitoneally (IP) and orally and their antinociceptive effects were evaluated on the hotplate. Mitragynine exhibited antinociceptive effects similar to oxycodone when administered both IP and orally. M. speciosa exhibited a trend towards antinociceptive effects when …


The Effect Of A Neurotoxic Dose Of Methamphetamine On Attention And Response Learning In The Rat, Anja Kremer Jan 2015

The Effect Of A Neurotoxic Dose Of Methamphetamine On Attention And Response Learning In The Rat, Anja Kremer

Honors Theses

High doses of methamphetamine (neurotoxic doses) have been shown to have an effect on both attention and response learning. In previous literature, meth rats were found to have higher reaction times, and therefore, it has been concluded that meth may cause a deficit in response learning. Our study, using modal initiation time as a measure of response learning, found no effects of methamphetamine or training condition on mode. Studies have also shown positively skewed reaction time distributions, which have been defined as attentional lapses. Our experiment used DevMode to measure these lapses. Although meth did not, training condition did have …


Psychiatric Symptomatology In Migraine Sufferers And The Relationship With Headache-Related Self-Efficacy, Lindsay W. Wencel Jan 2015

Psychiatric Symptomatology In Migraine Sufferers And The Relationship With Headache-Related Self-Efficacy, Lindsay W. Wencel

Honors Theses

Introduction: Self-efficacy (SE) refers to one's belief in their ability to successfully complete a task. Increases in SE are associated with improved pain outcomes as well as improvements in anxiety and depression (Turner, 2005). Headache-related self-efficacy (HSE) refers to a person's belief in his/her ability to manage migraine attacks. Previous studies illustrate that HSE and psychiatric comorbidities are independently related to migraine disability, severity, and treatment outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between HSE and psychiatric comorbidities among individuals with migraine. Methods: 852 young adult migraineurs (M age = 19.22; 79.9% female; 77.0% Caucasian) …


A Broken System? Prescription Drug Use And Abuse In Fraternity And Sorority Members., Morgan Pollard Jan 2015

A Broken System? Prescription Drug Use And Abuse In Fraternity And Sorority Members., Morgan Pollard

Honors Theses

Although a relationship between Greek affiliation and increased risktaking has been observed in previous research, the relationship between prescription drug abuse and Greek affiliation has not been thoroughly researched. Participants in the current study comprised a sample of 515 University of Mississippi undergraduate students (28.99% male, 71.01% female) recruited via a campus wide survey comprised of a stratified random sample of the university student population. The results of this examination reveal that there is a significant relationship between prescription drug use, all types of drugs as well as stimulants and opiates specifically, and abuse and Greek affiliation.Thissignificant relationship is examined …


Effect Of Atomoxetine On Attentional Lapses: An Animal Model, Pooja Chawla Jan 2015

Effect Of Atomoxetine On Attentional Lapses: An Animal Model, Pooja Chawla

Honors Theses

Atomoxetine (ATX) is a non-stimulant drug that has been used to treat symptoms of ADHD, including lapses of attention. These attentional lapses are depicted as a longer, positive skew in a reaction time distribution comprised of a normal and an exponential curve. The central tendency is thought to represent sensory-motor processing; while the positive skew is thought to be caused by attentional lapses in animal models. This positive skew is larger in individuals with ADHD and is thought to be a result of an increased number of attentional lapses. In the animal model used in this experiment reaction time is …


Social Interaction Between Deaf And Hearing People, Rebecca C. Hankins Jan 2015

Social Interaction Between Deaf And Hearing People, Rebecca C. Hankins

Honors Theses

This study examined the personal experiences of hearing people in their interactions with Deaf persons and their knowledge about Deaf culture. The research involved questioning hearing people about their perceptions and interactions with Deaf people and Deaf culture in an effort to gain insight as to how the lives of Deaf people can be improved in mainstream culture. It was predicted that a majority of hearing participants would describe a lack of knowledge about Deaf culture, discomfort interacting with a Deaf person, and an agreement that a need exists for better understanding of Deaf culture. A survey was conducted with …


Do You See What I See? How A Dark Triad Personality Affects Perceptions Of Dark Triad Characters In Film And Television, Timothy Davis Jan 2015

Do You See What I See? How A Dark Triad Personality Affects Perceptions Of Dark Triad Characters In Film And Television, Timothy Davis

Honors Theses

The Dark Triad is composed of three related subclinical personality traits: narcissism (excessive self-love, need for attention), psychopathy (cold, remorseless), and Machiavellianism (manipulative, cynical). The present study uses Dark Triad film/television characters to examine how Dark Triad people view others like them. It was hypothesized that (1) participants higher in the Dark Triad are more interested in films/television shows with Dark Triad characters, (2) participants higher in the Dark Triad have a more positive reaction to Dark Triad characters, and (3) Dark Triad participants see themselves in Dark Triad characters. Gender differences in Dark Triad character evaluations were also examined. …