Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Suicidality In College And University Students: A Systematic Review, Tatyana Aposhian

Theses and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and suicidality are highly prevalent and increasing social problems among the college and university student population, thereby underscoring a need to better understand the relationship between ACEs and suicidal risk, ideation, and attempts during college. There is also a need to examine current suicide prevention and intervention programs for the extent to which they are ACE- and/or trauma-informed. The purpose of this quantitative systematic review with narrative synthesis is to elucidate findings regarding the relationship between ACEs and suicidality in undergraduate and graduate students across the globe and provide recommendations for future ACE-informed suicide prevention and …

Factors Associated With College Students' Intention To Use Telehealth For Primary Care, Conor Duffy

Theses and Dissertations

College students are less likely than the general population to have a regular primary care provider and engage in routine health visits. Recent research provides evidence that telehealth is a convenient alternative to in-person primary care and that college students are comfortable using this technology, suggesting that telehealth has the potential to mitigate this disparity. However, little research has examined which factors are associated with college students’ intention to use telehealth and attitudes toward telehealth specifically in the primary care context. The overarching goal of this study was to address this gap in the literature and identify factors associated with …

Drinking Motives As Potential Mediators Of Associations Between Loneliness And Alcohol Use And Consequences Among College Students, Faith A. Shank

Theses and Dissertations

College is a pivotal time when many individuals begin to cultivate social relationships and engage in heavy drinking practices, resulting in alcohol-related consequences. Two potential factors associated with college drinking behaviors are loneliness and drinking motivation. Loneliness has mixed associations with drinking behaviors, meanwhile, drinking motives have clear associations with drinking behaviors. Prior research suggests that individuals experiencing loneliness are more likely to drink to cope, yet the existing research examining loneliness, drinking motives, and drinking behaviors is limited. Thus, this study aims to examine associations between 1) loneliness and drinking behaviors; 2) loneliness and drinking motives; 3) and whether …

The Role Of Alcohol Use, Drinking Context, And Alcohol Expectancies In Sexual Assault Perpetration Among College Men, Joseph D. Censor

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual assault is a major public health and criminal justice problem in our society. The high prevalence rate of sexual assault victimization and perpetration among college students is even more disturbing. Additionally, the prevalence of alcohol use among college students is higher than in the general population, and alcohol use is associated with more than half of sexual assaults. The goal of the present study was to gain a deeper understanding of the role of various alcohol related factors in sexual assault perpetration among college men. Specifically, this study assessed the association of perpetration with general problematic alcohol use, general …

Assessing The Predictors Of On-Campus Student Wellbeing In The Time Of Covid-19, Victoria Lynn Hrzich

Theses and Dissertations

College students endure a great deal of stress and are one of the most vulnerable groups for mental health difficulties. Despite the stressors they face, a vast array of research highlights several factors that contribute to student wellbeing, such as social support, coping, and psychological flexibility. Similar trends have been found in the literature on student distress and wellbeing following large-scale crises. Due to the unprecedented nature of COVID-19, there is limited research on student distress levels during the pandemic and the effectiveness of these previously useful stress management factors during this unique crisis. Therefore, the current study assessed student …

The Effect Of Parenting Styles On Depression Among College Students, Manpreet Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers, during the past few decades have found there to be an association between parenting styles and levels of depression in children, adolescents, and adults. In the current study, the effects of parenting styles on depression among college students was targeted. This current study predicted that: 1. Females will show greater levels of depression than males. 2. Asians will show increased levels of depression. 3. Participants with authoritarian parents will exhibit significantly higher levels of depression as compared to authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved parenting styles. In addition to these, additional exploratory analyses were also conducted. Two hundred eighty-eight college undergraduates …

“Is Therapy For Me?” Perceptions Of Therapy Inclusivity And Willingness To Seek Help Among Black Emerging Adults, Randl B. Dent

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health issues are prevalent among Black emerging adults; however, they tend to underutilize mental healthcare services. The goals of the current study were to examine whether: (1) perceived therapy inclusivity would predict willingness to utilize mental healthcare services and (2) the relationship between perceived therapy inclusivity and willingness would be moderated by two indices of racial identity (i.e., centrality and private regard). Results provide evidence that greater perceptions of therapy inclusivity are associated with greater willingness to seek mental health services even after controlling for factors, such as gender, self-stigma, and previous mental healthcare utilization. Additionally, there was no …

Investigation Of The Relationship Between Mindfulness And Empathy In Pre-Nursing Students Exposed To A Four-Week Mindfulness Training, Debra L. Klich

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To investigate the effects of a four-week mindfulness program on levels of mindfulness, empathy, and anxiety in a group of pre-nursing students.

Methods: This study utilized a multiple-baseline across subjects design. Results from nine study participants were examined.

Results: Data demonstrates that a detectable decrease in anxiety levels can result from participation in self-directed mindfulness program as short as four weeks. Results regarding mindfulness and empathy levels were less conclusive. A specific relationship between empathy and mindfulness cannot be determined from this study.

Conclusions: Because previous studies have demonstrated a persistence of skills, practice, and benefits acquired through mindfulness …

The Influence Of Adhd Symptoms And Social Functioning On Anxiety And Depression Symptoms In College Students, Danielle Willis

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with impaired social functioning in children and adolescents. ADHD and poor social functioning have been shown to be separately associated with increased anxiety and depression symptoms as well. However, little research has examined these associations among college students. College is a transitional period of increased stress and exposure to new social situations for all students, but may be even more challenging for those with ADHD, who are already at risk for increased internalizing problems and impairment in social functioning. The current study aimed to examine the influence of ADHD symptoms …

The Association Between Attachment And Conflict Resolution During Friendship Conflict Among College Students, Alison Hamlet

Theses and Dissertations

This study is about college students' attachment to friends and how conflict resolution is related to the level of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. Studies have found low attachment anxiety and low attachment avoidance to be related to effective coping strategies and to the compromising conflict resolution style. Many studies have focused on how participants generally resolve conflict. The current study is focused on how participants have actually resolved conflict and how they believe they would resolve conflict in a hypothetical situation. Participants answered if they could think of a conflict with a friend in the past 6 months and …

The Role Of Perceived Academic Control, Preoccupation With Failure, And Academic Emotions On Major Satisfaction, Alison N. Lehman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports the results of a study exploring how preoccupation with failure, perceived academic control, and academic emotions are associated with students’ major satisfaction. The responses of 391 college students to an online survey revealed that positive emotions and perceived academic control were significantly related to major satisfaction. Even after controlling for the variables of year in school, interests overlap, preoccupation with failure, and positive and negative emotions, academic control and academic emotions still explained a significant proportion of the variance in major satisfaction, which provides counselors and college professors possible intervention points to target major satisfaction. Contrary to …

Construction And Validation Of A Non-Medical Use Of Prescription Opioids Outcome Expectancies Scale Among College Students In China, Cheuk Chi Tam

Theses and Dissertations

Background:Non-medical use of prescription opioids (NMUPO) has become a clear threat to public health. Young adults (aged 18 to 25) have a high risk of NMUPO. My prior work on Chinese undergraduates indicates a high prevalence of lifetime NMUPO (49.2%). Health behavior theories propose that outcome expectancies are robust psychosocial determinants of substance use. Literature has identified the influence of outcome expectancies on alcohol and drug use. However, the role of outcome expectancies in NMUPO in China is unknown, and a scarcity of a valid measures for NMUPO outcome expectancies may be a barrier. Our previous research also found …

Social Jetlag, Depressive Symptoms, And Longitudinal Outcomes In College Students, Morgan P. Reid

Theses and Dissertations

Social jetlag refers to the chronic shift in sleep timing between work and free days and has been associated with a variety of negative physical and psychological outcomes. Existing research on social jetlag has relied heavily on cross-sectional studies, preventing researchers and practitioners from assessing the effects of social jetlag over time. The current study used longitudinal data to explore the directionality of the association between social jetlag and depressive symptoms as well as the longitudinal associations between social jetlag, academic performance, and wellbeing in college students. Gender and race were also assessed as potential moderators of these associations. Cross-lagged …

Longitudinal Patterns Of Depression Symptoms Among Emerging Adults, Sarah W. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Research has suggested that depression symptoms generally decrease after late adolescence; however, there is increasing attention paid to depression symptoms among college students given the stressors unique to this time period and negative outcomes associated with depression. This study examined latent trajectories of depression symptom severity among college students. Participants were 9,889 college students who participated in the Spit for Science project (Dick et al., 2011). Growth Mixture Modeling was used to identify the presence of four subgroups of individuals with similar patterns of initial level and change in depression severity over four years of college, including Low/Minimal (55.9%), Decreasing …

The Relationship Between Brooding, Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity, Physical Anxiety Sensitivity, And Suicide Behaviors In Latino/A College Students, Eric E. Escamilla

Theses and Dissertations

The current study explored if (1) brooding, cognitive anxiety sensitivity (AS), physical anxiety sensitivity (AS), and suicide behaviors will be strongly correlated; (2) brooding will mediate the relationship between cognitive AS and suicide behaviors; (3) brooding will mediate the relationship between physical AS and suicide behaviors; (4) physical AS will moderate the relationship between cognitive AS and suicide behaviors, (5) brooding will mediate the relationship between the physical AS and cognitive AS interaction with suicide behaviors in a Latino/a college student sample. All hypotheses were supported except for physical AS significantly moderating the relationship between cognitive AS and suicide behaviors. …

Risk Reduction Programming: Understanding Feasibility And The Role Of Rape Myths, Cari Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Although risk reduction programming is a promising approach against college sexual assault, we need a better understanding of what makes the programming effective including understanding the role of rape myths. Additionally, it is unclear how college women perceive the programming which may affect feasibility. The present study evaluated a novel risk reduction program that utilizes Group Motivational Interviewing. Eligible college women with a sexual assault history were randomized to complete the program or to a control condition. Feasibility results indicated that students were interested in participating, were eligible at high rates, and had positive reactions to the program. Difficulties with …

Singing And Stress, Joseline Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

College students use various methods to cope with stress. The effects of singing on stress, have been scarcely examined in students with little to no singing experience while in their natural environments. College students' stress levels were examined before and after singing. A significant decrease in stress levels was found.

An Examination Of Collegiate Extracurricular Activities And Career Aspiration Levels, Chelsey Lynn Ingram

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to evaluate the career aspiration levels of college students who participated in college-related extracurricular activities compared to students who did not participate in extracurricular activities. Additionally, this study compared each domain of extracurricular activities (e.g., athletics, the arts, service clubs, etc.) to determine which domain has the highest levels of aspirations. Survey responses provided a representation of participants' intended future career achievements and perceptions of participation in collegiate extracurricular activities. Data was collected from a sample of undergraduate students through online survey responses via Rowan University's SONA system. Bivariate correlation tests in SPSS for Windows were utilized …

Academic Emotion And Self-Efficacy Impacting Sense Of Math Class Belonging In College Students, Kaitlyn Yavorsky

Theses and Dissertations

A student's sense of belonging has been shown to have positive effects on a student, such as increased motivation and performance (Neel & Fuligni, 2013; Mcmahon, Parnes, Keys, & Viola, 2008). Positive emotions within the academic setting as well as strong self-efficacy have also been found to have these implications (Pekrun, 2006). The impact of emotions in an academic setting and self-efficacy on student's sense of belonging in the classroom is a relatively novel research topic especially in college students. If found, the correlation between academic emotions and self-efficacy along with their impact on sense of belonging can be used …

Examining Health Behaviors In College Students With And Without Chronic Conditions, Duc-Thi J. Barsell

Theses and Dissertations

Many college students are in a developmental period in which they are transitioning from pediatric to adult health care. This time period can be challenging for all college students and especially for students with a chronic condition. The current study investigated the association between various health-related factors (health locus of control [HLOC], health literacy, health self-efficacy, and health-related quality of life [HRQOL]) and health behaviors in college students, as well as the moderating effect of having a chronic condition on those associations. These health behaviors were further operationalized as healthy lifestyle behaviors (preventative and wellness behaviors, dietary behaviors, physical activity) …

The Role Of Work Volition In The Association Between College Students’ Medical Illness Symptomatology And Their Major Satisfaction, Educational Persistence Intentions, And Career Aspirations, Lauren Michele Bouchard

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports the results of a study exploring the role of work volition in the relations of health-related symptomatology and perceptions to the short-term career outcomes of major satisfaction, leadership aspirations, educational persistence intentions, and real/ideal career discrepancy. The responses of 366 college students to an online survey revealed that illness perceptions and the number of unhealthy days out of the last 30 were significantly related to work volition. Work volition was significantly related to all four short-term career outcomes. Path analyses showed that work volition was a mediator between unhealthy days and all four short-term career outcomes, which …

Completing The Puzzle: Exploring Possible Antecedents To Rape Myth Acceptance, Skye A. Geeslin

Theses and Dissertations

Rape myths are commonly accepted, but usually false, attitudes and beliefs about the act of rape, the perpetrators, and most often the victims (Aronowitz, Lambert, & Davidoff, 2012). Studies have shown that the endorsement of rape myth attitudes influences not only the likelihood of a sexual assault occurring, but also whether or not the incident is reported, and how the victims view themselves and their experiences afterwards (Burnett et ah, 2009). The present study surveyed college students to assess their levels of social competence, semantic knowledge of sex, bystander attitudes, and rape myth acceptance (RMA). The purpose of this study …

A Career Course Follow-Up: Does A Student Development Elective Make A Difference?, Jamie Marie Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

Since its inception, work and career-related issues have been central to the aims and scope of counseling psychology as a discipline. One common career counseling intervention in the University setting is to offer elective, credit-bearing courses in career development and exploration to provide help and direction to college students as they decide on majors and prepare for careers. Much research has been conducted which suggests that the use of career courses in the university setting has strong, positive impact on students' career decision-making ability and other output variables. What is less established is the impact of these career courses on …

An Evaluation Of The Raise 5 Project: Preventing Hiv And Substance Abuse Among African American College Students, Joshua K. Brevard

Theses and Dissertations

African Americans have been disproportionately affected by HIV since the beginning of the epidemic and the disparities have worsened over time (CDC, 2013a). African Americans comprise about 12% of the U.S. population but represented about 44% of all new HIV infections in 2010 (CDC, 2014a). Young people (age 13–24) accounted for 26% of all new HIV infections in 2010, despite persons in this age range comprising just 17% of the population (CDC, 2014c). Young African Americans (age 13-24) are affected in particular. In 2010, they comprised 57% of infections in this age range (CDC, 2014c). Substance use is a major …

Use And Perspectives Of A Social Marketing Campaign To Improve Fruit And Vegetable Intake, Allison Palmberg

Theses and Dissertations

The current study evaluated the development and acceptability of a social marketing campaign to improve emerging adults’ fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. A social marketing campaign was developed through focus groups with 24 college students. Materials were implemented in two dining locations at Virginia Commonwealth University. Sales of carrots, apples, and chips were collected in three phases: baseline, implementation of the campaign, and washout. In addition, surveys were collected from 303 diners across all phases and locations. Results indicated an increase in carrot sales, decrease in sales of chips sold with a meal, and mixed findings regarding sales of apples …

Profiles Of African American College Students’ Risky Behaviors: General And Culturally-Specific Stress And Social Support As Factors Of Risk And Resilience?, Isha Walwina Metzger

Theses and Dissertations

Studies show that, while alcohol use and risky sexual activities increase during emerging adulthood, college students are more likely to engage in these behaviors than their non-student counterparts (Slutske et al., 2004). Researchers should explore risk behavior participation among African American youth, as they often face health disparities and more severe consequences of engaging in these acts than their White American counterparts (Sharma & Atri, 2006; Jackson, Hodge, & Vaughn, 2010). Although epidemiological and variable-centered studies often examine the drinking and sexual behavior of African American college students, there is a need for research utilizing a profile-oriented approach to explore …

An Exploration Of Relations Among The Wechsler Scales, The Woodcock-Johnson Iii Cognitive And Achievement Batteries, And Mental Health Measures In A Sample Of College Students With Suspected Disabilities, C. Lee Affrunti

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation reports results of analyses of an archival dataset created at a large Midwestern public university, where staff at the university's resource center for students with disabilities conduct neuropsychological evaluations of students suspected of psychological disabilities, learning disabilities, or both. To explore the relations among the variables, analyses included standardized cognitive and achievement test scores, psychological rating scales results, resource center service utilization, and seven to eight consecutive semesters of grade-point average information of approximately 1292 students evaluated from 2000 to 2012. Descriptions of the cognitive and achievement variables are provided for the largest demographic and diagnostic groups. Demographic …

Acceptance Of Disability In College Students, Brian Charles Carl

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the findings of a study examining the following questions: How do students in a particular disability group differ from students in other disability groups in the degree to which they accept their disability? How are level of functional impairment and acceptance related? How are an individual's view of disability as a defining characteristic and acceptance related? How are functional impairment and the degree to which disability is seen as a defining characteristic related? Analysis using ANOVA indicated that there was not a significant difference in the level of acceptance between disability groups. Three Pearson's r correlation analyses …

Barriers To Accommodation Use For Students With Disabilities In Postsecondary Education, Michael James Lyman

Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities at the postsecondary level face a number of different barriers to accommodation use. Past research has shown that students with disabilities that use accommodations obtain greater academic achievement and higher graduation rates. Limited research has been conducted to identify barriers to accommodation use, and the research that has been conducted has not sampled a population that was specifically identified as having faced barriers to accommodation use. By interviewing students with disabilities, who had been identified as having faced barriers, this study identified seven themes. Four of the identified themes were considered complex as they contained sub-themes, while …

Adhd And Positive Smoking Expectancies The Role Of Peer Influence As A Moderating Factor, Lauren Dattilo

Theses and Dissertations

Research has demonstrated considerable links between symptoms of ADHD and negative outcomes such as increased risk for cigarette use, which, despite an overall decline, remains a serious public health concern. Cigarette use is often associated with positive expectancies, or ideas about the effects of smoking. While some work on ADHD symptoms has focused on alcohol expectancies, no work has investigated how they might be related to smoking expectancies Other factors, such as susceptibility to peer influence, also remain shallowly explored. The present study is the first to examine interrelations among ADHD symptoms, smoking expectancies, and susceptibility to peer influence. It …