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Study Exploring Feelings Of Self-Blame And Shame Among Individuals Raised By Severely Mentally Ill Caregivers, Joanie Minion

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this quantitative research project is to explore feelings of self- blame and/or shame among people who were raised by a primary caregiver with severe mental illness. Examples of serious mental illness (SMI) that are used in this study are bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder (MDD) if psychotic symptoms are present, or it is treatment-resistant. Twenty-six adult participants were recruited via the researcher’s social media account and through others’ sharing the research project information. Demographic data and data regarding self-blame and shame as a child and as an adult and if they felt their family, friendships, …

Do Physical Activity, Diet And Sex Modify The Association Between Neurotrophin Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms And Insomnia?, Hector Leonardo Gonzalez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Sleep disturbance is common in older adults at prevalence rates ranging between 30 - 50% in the United States. Neurotrophins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), play a role in sleep (Bachmann et al., 2012) as do lifestyle factors such as physical activity (Dolezal et al., 2017) and diet. This study examined the associations of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs related to BDNF or its receptors and lifestyle factors of physical activity and diet, as well as their interactions on the risk for sleep disturbance in older adult males and females. This thesis examined existing data from the Cache …

Coming Out Experiences Related To Improved Well-Being Among Religious Sexual And Gender Minorities, Samuel Skidmore

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Sexual and gender minorities (SGMs; individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and/or who do not identify as cisgender and heterosexual) often come out to others as a way to improve their connections, feel more authentic, and improve their mental health. However, coming out is often a frightening and stress-inducing process, and SGMs’ overall well-being may depend on how they approach these conversations and how others respond. In an effort to better understand these experiences and to provide a scientifically-validated “guide” to SGMs and those to whom they come out, we conducted three studies that examine when coming out goes well and …

The Role Of Social Support And Emotional Regulation In Relationship With Adverse Childhood Experiences And Food Addiction, Negin Ghaffari

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic experiences that occur before the age of 18 and can have long-standing impacts on mental and physical health. Individuals with high exposure to ACEs may be at increased risk for depression, substance use disorders, and cardiovascular disease (Hughes et al., 2017). Social support has been shown to play an essential role in reducing the likelihood of adverse outcomes, such as substance dependence following exposure to adverse experiences. Furthermore, emotional regulation difficulties have been shown to mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and food addiction. There has been little research on adverse events in …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Sexual Functioning: A Mediation Analysis Of Difficulties In Emotional Regulation, Haven Travis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sexual dysfunction can lead to a negative impact upon a person’s mental and relational health, including relational and overall distress, poor relationship and sexual satisfaction, and clinical mood disorders such as depression. Moving upstream to identify factors that may predict sexual dysfunction would therefore be beneficial for early intervention in at-risk populations. History of childhood trauma is one such factor that may influence sexual functioning later in life. While adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been less studied in association with sexual dysfunction, there is some evidence to indicate that they may be related. ACEs have been shown to increase the …

An Experimental Test Of Mental Health Help-Seeking Intentions As A Function Of Demographics And Disorder Type, Alyssa Hartley

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The current study sought to understand help-seeking behaviors for diverse psychological disorders across different demographic groups. Previous literature finds that help-seeking behaviors are greater in non-minority women in higher socioeconomic statuses, and greater for neurocognitive disorders. This study focuses specifically on university students (N= 276). Participants took diagnostic measures and then were told their scores were clinically elevated for either anxiety or ADHD. Participants were then asked qualitative questions regarding their help-seeking intentions. Findings that were consistent with previous literature are that women were more likely to help-seek than men, and participants in the ADHD condition were more likely to …

The Role Of Self In Self-Control Dilemmas: Self-Concept, Conflict, And Self-Conscious Emotions, Jasmina (Mina) Milosevic

Theses and Dissertations

Self-control dilemmas, typically defined as an internal conflict between short-term allurements and long-term goals, are a common feature of everyday life. How such dilemmas are handled is often viewed as a measure of one’s self-control, thus carrying significant implications for an individual. Despite a large body of research that has been amassed on this topic, a complete picture of how self-control dilemmas are processed and resolved still eludes us. In the present research, we bring attention to a largely unexplored aspect of self-control, the role of self-concept in shaping self-control efforts. We combined surveys, hypothetical scenarios, and experience sampling data …

The Extreme Rise Of The Fast Fashion Industry From Country To Country: Does Consumer Behavior Differ Cross Culturally Regarding Fast Fashion Between The United States And European Countries?, Madison R. Feuerbacher

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

The apparel industry has various categories of fashion. One of these categories known more readily today as fast fashion. Fast fashion has gained immense global popularity over the past decade. The concept of fast fashion apparel involves producing vast amounts of product as quick as possible to sell to the consumer at an aggressively low price. It is important to understand this current phenomenon of the global rise of fast fashion as well as understand the devastating effects our environment is facing because of it. As the vocalization of the harmful effects of fast fashion have become more prevalent …

Comparative Analysis Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy’S Effectiveness In An Intensive Outpatient Program Setting, Efrain Frank Ellin Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a comparative analysis of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and treatment as usual (TAU) within an intensive outpatient program setting, evaluating their effectiveness in enhancing various dimensions of psychological well-being. Guided by two main research questions, the study investigates whether ACT demonstrates greater or equal effectiveness compared to TAU and if it provides more immediate effects on psychological well-being within three weeks. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, the research incorporates a comprehensive array of measurement tools to assess outcomes related to anxiety, depression, stress, psychological flexibility, cognitive flexibility, emotion regulation, mindfulness self-efficacy, and life satisfaction among participants. The …

Treatment Not Punishment: Youth Experiences Of Psychiatric Hospitalizations, Maira Ferrer-Cabrera

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aims to better understand adolescent psychiatric hospitalization regarding the use of coercion at the hands of clinical staff from the perspectives of former hospital staff and former patients' family members. This study was conducted from a critical theory perspective. The researcher surveyed a total of fourteen former staff members and former patients' family members. This research study emphasized quantitative data as the way data was collected. The methods utilized to gather data were online surveys that were collected through Qualtrics and further analyzed using SPSS statistic data editor. The findings of this study showed that 25% of former …

Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Targeted Within Social Services, Britny Ragland

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study used a survey to describe social workers’ and MSW students’ level of preparedness in identifying and providing prevention and intervention for commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC). The purpose of this study was to evaluate perceptions of social workers and social work students have the necessary skills, knowledge, and training to identify, and provide intervention for Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC). Data was collected from thirty-five participants. Findings were that there appears to be no significance between the level of skills, knowledge and training among social workers and social work students in their ability to provide intervention for commercially …

Adhd Knowledge: Support For Current Measures And Connections To Stigma And Intervention, Megan E. Golson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Many children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be at-risk for social, educational, and daily functioning challenges. Identifying ADHD and beginning intervention as early as possible improves outcomes for children with ADHD. Research suggests that parents, teachers, and the general population have more favorable opinions about ADHD interventions the more they know about ADHD. While many measures of ADHD knowledge have been created to measure this, there is little research on the validity of these measures. Further, additional research is needed to better understand relation between ADHD knowledge and intervention favorability. The two studies in this dissertation aim to fill these …

Examining A Relationship Between Sexual Satisfaction And Child Maltreatment, Amanda Titone

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Child maltreatment is prevalent despite extensive research informing interventions. While many risk factors have been identified, exploring additional determinants may improve existing methods or reveal better alternatives. This study’s basis was family systems theory, and it utilized the post-positivist paradigm to explore the topics of relationship fulfillment, sexual satisfaction, and parenting. Qualitative interviews with five heterosexual, cisgender parents born between 1971 and 1991 (average age 39-40) revealed four main themes: participants' childhood/parental relationships, history of abusive relationships, current sex life, and role balancing between relationships and parenting. Although limited by a small sample size and a specialized population (social work …

My Daily Grounds: A Journal Of Creative Alchemy, Kathleen A. Donovan

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

My Daily Grounds: A Journal of Creative Alchemy is a project intended to renew artistic confidence and prepare a mindset for a writing retreat in Ireland in June 2024 by revisiting childhood memories and exploring the impact of early domestic abuse through a visual journaling process. This endeavor aims to stir up the creative voice and find authenticity in creation by gathering and clarifying personal data visually, following the Creative (CPS) approach to unlock new insights and ideas for writing. The resulting essays will illuminate the unseen effects of trauma and are intended for publication, reflecting a co-creative process between …

How Many Parents Regret Having Children?, Payton M. Wooster

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The present study experimentally investigates the number of parents who truly regret having their children. By using an unmatched count technique developed by Gervais and Njale (2020), participants (N = 751) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: an experimental “yes/no” agreement condition, the “target statement present” counting condition, and the “target statement not present” counting condition. Participants were also asked different questions regarding marital status, whether they had a disorder diagnosis, had a history of their parents being divorced, and other suspected moderator variables. Regret of having children was reported significantly less compared to previous studies (Piotrowski et …

The Study Of The Potential For Positive And Negative Color Connotation Through Associations, Jamesa Mecayla Gray

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This project explored word associations with colors and shades of colors in a controlled manner to test the hypothesis that people associate negative descriptor and emotion words with darker shades and colors and positive descriptor and emotion words with lighter shades and colors. Two parts were completed. In the first, participants saw 8 colors in 3 different shades for a total of 24 colors presented, one at a time. In a first round of trials, participants were instructed to give the first three words that came to mind when they saw each color. In a second set of trials, participants …

The Effects Of Parenting Styles On Communication Among Asian American Young Adults, Abigail Camarce

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between parenting styles and communication difficulties. Previous studies explored different types of parenting styles and their impact on both mental health and child behavior outcomes. However, the relationship between these styles and communication challenges has largely remained underexplored. This study aimed to fill this void by examining data collected from Asian American (AA) young adults aged 18 to 30, shedding light on how various parenting approaches influence communication difficulties in their families. Method: Quantitative data for this study was gathered through Qualtrics from participants meeting the criteria of AA aged 18 to 30, who …

Cultural And Structural Barriers Of Utilizing Mental Health Services In A School-Based Setting For Latinx Populations, Silvia Lozano, Bridgette Guadalupe Calderon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This qualitative research study aimed to reduce mental health service disparities in Latinx communities and helps fill in the gap by addressing cultural and structural barriers to utilizing MHS in a school-based setting for Latinx youth. There is limited research regarding Latinx parents’ perspectives and the reservations they have on utilizing school-based mental health services (MHS) for their children. This study identified six important themes: cultural factors, trust and rapport, reservations, access and awareness, parental involvement and challenges, and school-based resources. Implications for school districts are that they can use these findings to increase early intervention mental behavioral health programs …

The Effect Of Animal-Assisted Therapy On Prosocial Behaviors In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Developmental Delay: A Pilot Study, Emma Mitchell

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction, nonverbal communication, and repetitive patterns (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Indeed, autistic individuals have been shown to have greater challenges with developing, maintaining, and understanding social relationships which can persist over their lifetime. Early intervention services are recommended for autistic children when they are young to help promote positive skills to enhance their functioning within society and increase their wellbeing over time. This is an especially pressing issue as ASD rates are rising – with the latest data now suggesting 1 in 36 children have the …

The Effect Of Hormonal Contraceptive Use On Dominance And Prestige Tactics, Carson Chappell

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between hormonal contraceptives and prestige and dominance status-seeking tactics. Existing literature has examined how the hormones estrogen and progesterone, especially in relation to the fertile window of the menstrual cycle, are associated with prestige and dominance but has yet to look in depth at how hormonal contraceptives might alter this impact. The current study asked participants to complete a 22- item questionnaire assessing dominance and prestige. I hypothesized that women on hormonal contraceptives would have lower scores for prestige and dominance compared to women who are naturally cycling. The results did not …

Impostor Phenomenon, Perfectionism, Psychological Distress, And Burnout In Pre-Health Undergraduate Students, Victoria Lee

Honors Theses

Preparing for a career in the healthcare field is incredibly strenuous and demanding, and previous research endeavors have demonstrated that students in professional healthcare programs show an increased susceptibility to impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, psychological distress, and burnout. Previous studies have indicated a possible link between impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, psychological distress, and burnout; however, these studies only considered two or three constructs at a time in graduate students (Rosenthal, et al., 2021; Seong, et al., 2020; Garratt-Reed, et al., 2018). The current study’s purpose was to investigate the whether or not impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, and psychological distress could be potential predictors …

Illness Perceptions And Health-Promoting Behaviors: The Buffering Role Of Resilience In Adults With Congenital Heart Disease, Taylor Rose Eldridge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are one of the most prevalent genetic abnormalities, impacting the lives of millions of children, teens, and young adults. Conservative diagnoses estimate that 2.4 million children and adults are living with CHD in the United States (Gilboa et al., 2016). CHD requires consistent cardiac support with multiple surgeries and hospitalizations expected throughout the lifetime, which significantly impacts psychological health. Specifically, patients present with a host of extra-cardiac conditions that impact their quality of life. With advancements in medical technology, mortality rates continue to improve for this population; however, individuals face a number of consequences that impact …

The Role Of Impulsivity In Relation To The Co-Occurrence Of Binge Eating And Binge Drinking, Hannah Holst

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Binge eating and binge drinking often co-occur, but the role of impulsivity in accounting for this relationship is under-investigated. Existing research acknowledges shared risk factors, yet the specific impact of impulsivity is a critical gap. Impulsivity, characterized by impulsive decision-making, is known in addictive behaviors. This research with a sample of college and community participants assessed binge eating, binge drinking, and impulsivity. Overall, binge eating and binge drinking were uncorrelated, contrary to previous research. However, impulsivity was associated with both binge eating and binge drinking. Gender differences were also noted, along with differences between the community and college samples. The …

The Implications, Magnitude, And Development Of Traumatic Brain Injury For Individuals Undergoing Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, Hannah G. Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an established bidirectional relation between substance use and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Despite the high rate of prescribing opioids for pain management following a TBI and the epidemic of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States, scarce research has specifically analyzed the association between TBI and OUD. In a series of three interrelated manuscripts, the present study will first examine the prevalence and features of TBIs among persons seeking treatment for OUD. Next, the present study will evaluate the association between TBI and indicators of risky health behaviors and OUD severity, including the risk of overdose and …

Investigating The Relation Between Family Income And Barriers For Black Caregivers Of Autistic Children, Leah Gelfand

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Black caregivers and families of autistic youth experience racial barriers (e.g., racial microaggressions, stigma;) and practical barriers (e.g., cost of treatment, long waitlists), when seeking treatment and diagnostic services (Lovelace et al., 2018). The current study aimed to ascertain whether family income influenced the racial and practical barriers experienced by a sample of Black caregivers of autistic youth (N = 101). Overall and item-level analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between racial and practical barriers experienced across Lower (below 39,693; n=32), Lower-Middle ($39,693-$59,540; n=28), Middle-Upper ($59,540 to $119,080; n=21), and Upper income groups ($119,080 and …

The Association Between Uncertainty, Reproductive Distress, And Avoidance In Assigned Female At Birth Adolescent And Young Adult (Aya-F) Cancer Survivors, Devon Ann Pons

Doctoral Dissertations

Family building and fertility is a complex component of survivorship for assigned female at birth Adolescent and Young Adult’s (AYA-F’s), often accompanied by a mix of cognitive uncertainty, emotional uncertainty, reproductive distress, and avoidance. These psychological components present in survivorship for AYA-F’s can impact coping, identity development, and individualized care plans throughout survivorship. This novel examination of data from a cross sectional study shed light on the associations between reproductive distress, uncertainty, and avoidance and how they are experienced differently by various subgroups within the sample.

Results demonstrate that reproductive distress fully mediated the association between emotional uncertainty and avoidance, …

Trajectories Of Depression Severity In The First Semester Of College, Nicole A. Kelso

Theses and Dissertations

Depression is a major public health concern among students in higher education. Prior work suggests that depressive symptoms increase during the transition to college. Transfer students face unique challenges during the transition to a new academic institution that may make them particularly vulnerable. There is a critical need to expand prevention efforts. Research that improves identification of students at greatest risk for developing impairing depressive symptoms, and etiological processes contributing to depressive symptoms could aid in the provision of limited prevention resources. Furthermore, longitudinal research tracking symptom trajectories during the transition to college could help inform the timing of preventive …

Impact Of Perinatal Escitalopram Exposure On Adolescent Behavior, Jessica Bezenah - Bottorff

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Escitalopram (EST), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is an antidepressant frequently used during pregnancy, yet there is limited knowledge of its long-term effects on maternal use. Past studies suggest that maternal exposure may adversely affect the fetus, which may be due to the hyperserotonergic environment caused by the nature of SSRIs during early development. Modifications of the serotonergic system in offspring during certain critical periods of development may result in long-term behavioral and cognitive changes in adulthood. Further, recent human studies have demonstrated that prenatal exposure to SSRIs in humans may increase susceptibility to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and …

Exploring The Lived Experience Of Self-Care In Young Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Holly Berry-Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

The prevalence of prediabetes in adults aged 18 or older was as high as 38% between 2017-2020. Youth-onset T2DM is a more aggressive phenotype than T2DM that occurs later in life. Young adults with T2DM have poorer health outcomes, lose an average of 15 years of life, all resulting in significant economic burden impacting the person. Current self-management interventions do not improve health outcomes in young adults with T2DM.

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to explore the self-care experiences of young adults living with T2DM.

Methods

Existential hermeneutic phenomenology informed the research. Inclusion criteria as follows: adults …

Heuristic Expectations Of The Cinderella Effect As A Function Of Sexual Dimorphism In Men's Facial Structures, Lindsey Eagan

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Masculinized male faces have an ambivalent signal value, wherein perceivers recognize various coalitional benefits and costs. Within parenting domains, masculine men could afford protection toward their offspring despite potentially using more aggressive behaviors toward them. Nonetheless, the benefits of masculine fathers could be limited to their biological children while the costs toward stepchildren would be greater. Perceivers could develop implicit theories about parental behaviors as a visual corollary of the Cinderella Effect, or stepchildren’s greater vulnerability to abuse. Participants evaluated a series of masculinized and feminized male faces described as either biological parents or stepparents in domains related to positive …