Digital Commons Network^™

Diverse College Students' Cultural Background And College Persistence, Kerrie Devries, Jonathan Santo, Juan Casas

Psychology Faculty Publications

Tinto (1975) created a college persistence model, emphasizing institutional academic and social integration, that continues to guide U.S. university retention strategies. This longitudinal study followed 584 college Freshman from diverse backgrounds, testing for group differences in the relationship that Tinto’s key constructs have on college persistence, over time, for U.S.-White, U.S.-minority, and immigrant-origin groups. We found significant positive associations between Academic Integration and Intentions to Persist for all ethnic groups, but group differences in Social Integration and Intentions to Persist. Additionally, Intentions to Persist was a significant predictor of actual persistence for all groups, suggesting predictive power overall.

Temporal Expectations In Delay Of Gratification, Jeremy M. Haynes, Mariah E. Willis-Moore, D. Perez, Devanio J. Cousins, Amy L. Odum

Psychology Faculty Publications

We examined how temporal expectations influence preference reversals in a delay of gratification task for rats based on a hypothesis of Rachlin (2000), who suggested that preference for a larger-later reward may shift in favor of a smaller-immediate reward as a result of changes in when that larger reward is expected. To explore Rachlin’s hypothesis, we pre-exposed two groups of rats to the delays associated with a larger-later reinforcer from a delay of gratification task. One group experienced the delays as a function of their choices in an intertemporal choice task and the other group experienced delays yoked from the …

Violence Risk Assessment Of Sovereign Citizens: An Exploratory Examination Of The Hcr-20 Version 3 And The Trap-18, Lee Vargen, Darin Challacombe

Psychology Faculty Publications

Sovereign Citizens comprise an understudied right-wing extremist movement in the United States who have grown in notoriety in recent years due to several high- profile instances of violence. Despite this, little empirical research has been conducted on Sovereign Citizens, including research on assessing their risk for violence. In this study, we sought to replicate and extend a prior study on Sovereign Citizen violence. Using open-source data, we added several new cases to a pre-existing dataset of violent and non-violent Sovereign Citizen incidents, yielding a total sample of 107 cases. We scored each case using the HCR-20V3 and TRAP-18 risk assessment …

“I Just Wanted Support”: Examining How Lds Clergy May Effectively Minister To Sexual And Gender Minority Congregants, Samuel J. Skidmore, G. Tyler Lefevor, Adlyn M. Perez-Figueroa, Kristen A. Gonzalez

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study explored why members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) who identify as sexual or gender minorities (SGM) speak with clergy regarding their SGM identities, as well as what LDS SGMs find helpful and unhelpful in these conversations. A sample of 25 current or former LDS SGMs participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants reported six overarching reasons for talking with clergy, including church procedures, seeking guidance, seeking emotional comfort, seeking repentance, seeking openness, and other people’s initiation. Participants reported several ways clergy were helpful, including empathic listening, openness, and affirmative …

The Personality Profile Of China’S Empress Wu Zetian, Ruoyue Wang, Yunyiye Chen, Aubrey Immelman

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper presents the results of an indirect assessment of the personality of Empress Wu Zetian, de facto ruler of China from 665 to 705, from the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon.

Psychodiagnostically relevant data about Empress Wu were collected from biographical sources and media reports and synthesized into a personality profile using the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC), which yields 34 normal and maladaptive personality classifications congruent with DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and DSM-5.

The personality profile yielded by the MIDC was analyzed in accordance with interpretive guidelines provided in the MIDC and Millon Index of …

Fear And Trembling While Working In A Pandemic: An Exploratory Meta-Analysis Of Workers’ Covid-19 Distress, William P. Jimenez, Ian M. Katz, Elissa A. Liguori

Psychology Faculty Publications

The global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of workers and taken its toll on health and well-being. In line with recent calls for more inductive and abductive occupational health science research, we exploratorily meta-analyzed workers’ COVID-19 distress, defined as psychological and psychosomatic strain contextualized to experiencing the virus and pandemic broadly. We identified many existing COVID-19 distress measures (e.g., Fear of COVID-19 Scale by Ahorsu et al., 2020; Coronavirus Anxiety Scale by Lee, 2020a) and correlates, including demographic variables (viz., gender, marital status, whether worker has children), positive well-being (e.g., quality of life, perceived social support, resilience), negative well-being …

Examining Four Blood Biomarkers For The Detection Of Acute Intracranial Abnormalities Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury In Older Adults, Grant L. Iverson, Mira Minkkinen, Justin E. Karr, Ksenia Berghem, Henrik Zetterberg, Kaj Blennow, Jussi P. Posti, Teemu M. Luoto

Psychology Faculty Publications

Blood-based biomarkers have been increasingly studied for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Biomarker levels in blood have been shown to vary throughout age groups. Our aim was to study four blood biomarkers, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1), neurofilament light (NF-L), and total tau (t-tau), in older adult patients with MTBI. The study sample was collected in the emergency department in Tampere University Hospital, Finland, between November 2015 and November 2016. All consecutive adult patients with head injury were eligible for inclusion. Serum samples were collected from the enrolled patients, …

Responses To Validating Versus Reframing Support Strategies As A Function Of Borderline Personality Features And Interpersonal Problems, Stella Nicolaou, Sydney F. Goldberg, Kaley M. Michael, Kathy R. Berenson

Psychology Faculty Publications

We examined whether borderline personality features may be differentially associated with reactions to social support strategies involving validation (acknowledging distress as normal) vs. reframing (highlighting opportunities for positive outcomes). After completing self-report measures of their borderline personality features and interpersonal problems, participants rated their reactions to receiving either validation or reframing support (randomly assigned) from a close friend with whom they imagined sharing hypothetical negative experiences. Borderline personality features were associated with less positive responses to reframing than to validation, and a tendency to interpret reframing support as an assertion of dominance. Moderated mediation analyses further showed that associations between …

Factors Related To School Psychologists’ Confidence In Implementation Of Behavior Intervention Plans, Miranda Cormaci, Adam D. Weaver, Jonathan Santo

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study explored school psychologists’ practices in the areas of developing behavior intervention plans (BIPs), conducting functional behavior assessments (FBAs), and behavioral consultation. Practitioners were asked to rate their level of confidence in the implementation with fidelity of the last BIP they developed. Relationships between these practices and school psychologists’ confidence levels were examined. Data were collected from a national sample of practitioners (n = 179). Overall, results suggest that school district supports, being mindful of potential barriers to implementation, certain components of the FBA process, and adhering to best practices in behavioral consultation can have substantial positive impacts …

Examining The Role Of Experiential Avoidance And Valued Action In The Negative Effects Of Weight Self-Stigma, Marissa L. Donahue, Michael E. Levin, Kayloni Olson, Emily Panza, Jason Lillis

Psychology Faculty Publications

Harmful effects of weight self-stigma on quality of life and health behaviors have been well-established. However, the processes that lead to these negative outcomes are less understood. Psychological inflexibility is defined as a pattern of rigid psychological reactions dominating over values and meaningful actions. A lack in valued action is characterized by the absence of activities that are connected to what is personally meaningful. In this secondary analysis, we aim to extend research by examining two subprocesses of psychological inflexibility, experiential avoidance and lack of valued action, as statistical mediators of the relations between weight self-stigma and quality of life/health …

Unpacking The Internalized Homonegativity–Health Relationship: How The Measurement Of Ih And Health Matter And The Contribution Of Religiousness, G. Tyler Lefevor, Eric R. Larsen, Rachel M. Golightly, Maddie Landrum

Psychology Faculty Publications

Internalized homonegativity (IH) is widely recognized to negatively influence the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer/questioning (LGBQ +) individuals. It is not clear, however, the role that religiousness may play in the relationship between IH and health or how differing conceptualizations of IH or health may influence this relationship. We conducted a multi-level meta-analysis of 151 effect sizes from 68 studies to examine the relationship between IH and health as well as what may moderate this relationship. Results suggested that IH was consistently and negatively related to health (r = − .28). Analyses suggest that IH was most …

To Feed Or Let Eat! A Scale Of Independence, Exploration, And Family To Measure Baby‐Led Weaning As A Complementary Feeding Approach, Emma Studer-Perez, Dara Musher-Eizenman

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

This article reports the development and validation of a measure of parents' use of baby-led weaning (BLW). BLW is a child-centred approach to complementary feeding where the infant is allowed to eat whole foods (rather than purees) and explore a variety of foods and textures. To date, parents' use of BLW has been assessed using either single items or a wide variety of measures.

Method

In this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on independent samples supported three BLW subscales: independence, exploration, and family.

Results

The final 13-item scale showed adequate fit statistics and good reliability (χ2(62) = 115.02, …

Positive And Negative Actions Early In The Relationship Predict Later Interactions Among Toddlers, Ayelet Lahat, Zhangling Lou, Michal Perlman, Nina Howe, Jonathan Santo, Holly E. Recchia, William M. Bukowski, Hildy S. Ross

Psychology Faculty Publications

Very little is known about the role of early interactions in the development of peer relationships among toddlers. The present study examined whether behaviors early in the formation of toddler relationships predict interactions later in their relationships. Twenty-eight unfamiliar 20- and 30-month-old toddlers from a predominately European background met separately with each of two other toddlers for 18 playdates. Both positive and negative behaviors at the beginning of the relationship predicted a higher frequency of games later in the relationship. Positive behaviors at the beginning of the relationship predicted fewer conflicts later in the relationship. Negative behaviors at the beginning …

The January 6th Insurrection At The U.S. Capitol: What The Trap-18 Can Tell Us About The Participants, Darin Challacombe, Carol Patrick

Psychology Faculty Publications

On January 6, 2021, hundreds of individuals converged on and breached the U.S. Capitol building in an effort to overturn the presidential election results. For the present study, open-source research was conducted on 101 federally indicted participants of this event—half of whom were indicted on assault or other violent felony crimes and the other half for trespassing or nonviolent misdemeanor charges. Then, we used the Terrorism Radicalization Assessment Protocol (TRAP-18; Meloy & Gill, 2016) to examine these Capitol insurrection participants indicted for their actions. Four proximal warning behaviors and one distal behavior were significantly found to be related to the …

Terminal Field Volume Of The Glossopharyngeal Nerve In Adult Rats Reverts To Prepruning Size Following Microglia Depletion With Plx5622, Andrew J. Riquier, Suzanne I. Sollars

Psychology Faculty Publications

Programmed reduction of synapses is a hallmark of the developing brain, with sensory systems emerging as useful models with which to study this pruning. The central projections (terminal field) of the gustatory glossopharyngeal nerve (GL) of the rat are a prime example of developmental pruning, undergoing an approximate 66% reduction in volume from postnatal day 15 (P15) to P25. Later in adulthood, developmental GL pruning can be experimentally reversed, expanding to preweaning volumes, suggesting mature volumes may be actively maintained throughout the life span. Microglia are central nervous system glia cells that perform pruning and maintenance functions in other sensory …

Impact Of Stress And Decision Fatigue On Parenting Practices Related To Food And Physical Activity During Covid‐19, Harrison D. Angoff, Lauren A. Dial, Aniko V. Varga, Sneha Kamath, Dara Musher-Eizenman

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in substantial disruptions to daily functioning and lifestyle behaviours, with negative health consequences for youth. Parents play a large role in their children's health behaviour; yet changes to parenting behaviours during the pandemic related to food and physical activity remain relatively unexplored. The present study is the first to our knowledge to examine specific changes in American parents' parenting behaviours related to food and physical activity during COVID-19, and potential correlates of such changes, including perceived stress and decision fatigue.

Methods

A total of 140 parents (88.57% female; 88.41% White; 87.59% married; with one …

The Effects Of Leader Support For Creativity And Leader Gender On Subordinate Creative Problem-Solving Performance, Nadine T. Maliakkal, Roni Reiter-Palmon

Psychology Faculty Publications

Ample correlational research shows that leader support for creativity is related to subordinate creativity, yet research examining the causality of this relationship experimentally is scant. Furthermore, most studies that demonstrate support for this relationship have used relatively subjective creativity measures that do not tap as effectively into the creative problem-solving process. Thus, we experimentally examined whether leader support for creativity affects subordinate creative problem-solving performance. We also examined whether this relationship depends on leader gender. We used experimental vignette methodology and a sample of 247 working adults to test these relationships. We found that high (vs. low) leader support for …

Cognitive Experiential Group Therapy: An Innovative Blending Of Two Therapeutic Modalities Integrating Cbt With Experiential Theory And Practice. A Group Therapy Workbook, By Treadwell, T. W., With Dartnell, D. J., Travaglini, L.E., And Abeditehrani (Book Review), V. Krishna Kumar

Psychology Faculty Publications

The book includes seven chapters, the first being a brief introduction and overview of what the book is about. The second chapter reviews the basic elements of CBT (notions of cognitive distortions, schemas, automatic thoughts, core beliefs, and types of behavioral interventions). Chapter three does the same for psychodrama. Chapter four covers the basic elements of running an experiential group therapy session using both CBT and psychodrama techniques. Chapter five provides a detailed illustration of a cognitive experiential group treatment (CEGT) session. Chapter six is devoted to running CEGT sessions with adolescents, and the last chapter details the CEGT approach …

Change Over Time In Interactions Between Unfamiliar Toddlers, Ayelet Lahat, Michal Perlman, Nina Howe, Holly E. Recchia, William M. Bukowski, Jonathan Santo, Zhangjing Luo, Hildy S. Ross

Psychology Faculty Publications

The frequency and length of games, conflicts, and contingency sequences that took place between toddlers as they got to know one another were studied using archival data. The sample consisted of 28 unfamiliar 20- and 30-month-old toddlers (predominantly White, 16 males) who met separately with each of two other toddlers for 18 play dates. The frequency of games increased over time, while the frequency of conflict and contingency sequences decreased. The length of games increased over time while the length of conflicts and contingency sequences were stable. Age and language ability predicted changes in frequency and length of the different …

A Multi-Level Analysis Of The Effects Of Statistics Anxiety/Attitudes On Trajectories Of Exam Scores, Kelly Rhea Macarthur, Jonathan Santo

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study explores three understudied facets—quadratic effects, change over time, and gender as a moderator—of the otherwise well-documented relationships between statistics anxiety and academic performance. Using pre- and post- course survey data among a sample of 111 undergraduate students in Social Statistics courses at a U.S. Midwestern university, we employ hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to test for relationships between change in the six dimensions of the Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS) and exam grades over the course of the semester. We find that exam grades decreased over time, but at different rates across gender and the six STARS dimensions. We …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For A Child With Misophonia: A Case Study, Julie M. Petersen, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Misophonia, a condition involving hypersensitivity, anger, and/or disgust in response to specific noises (e.g., chewing, tapping), is highly underresearched in children. Several case studies point towards the utility of cognitive behavioral therapy and related treatments (e.g., acceptance and commitment therapy [ACT]). ACT presents a particularly promising option, as it focuses on building psychological flexibility in response to difficult internal experiences, rather than trying to remove or change them (e.g., responding effectively to irritation provoked by chewing). The present case study describes “Kelly” (pseudonym), a 12-year-old girl with moderately severe misophonia symptoms, who received a 16-session course of ACT for misophonia. …

The Current Status Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (Act) In Iran: A Systematic Narrative Review, Mehdi Akbari, Mohammad Seydavi, Carter H. Davis, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig, Elahe Zamani

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and its application to various clinical issues have proliferated across the world. Despite very active clusters of ACT research occurring worldwide, the science that is disseminated through the literature does not fully reflect this scope and diversity, with Iran serving as a prime example of this issue. To increase awareness of ACT research findings in Iran, we conducted a systematic review of 110 randomized trials and extracted data on key study features. RCTs were identified, suggesting the efficacy of ACT in Iran for a wide range of clinical areas, including anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive …

Reduced Social Contact And Attachment Insecurity As Predictors Of Loneliness During Covid-19: A Two-Month Experience Sampling Study, Katie C. Lewis, Michael J. Roche, Fiona Brown, Jane G. Tillman

Psychology Faculty Publications

The impact of reduced social contact on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic has been identified as a major public health concern. While personality factors such as attachment style have been associated with psychological distress during the pandemic, the longitudinal relevance of these factors and the role of daily social contact in mitigating distress remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the impact of social contact and attachment style on changes in loneliness over an 8-week experience sampling period during the COVID-19 pandemic. A general adult sample (n = 184) recruited online completed measures of psychological distress, attachment, and loneliness via …

“I Come Out Because I Love You”: Positive Coming Out Experiences Among Latter-Day Saint Sexual And Gender Minorities, Samuel J. Skidmore, G. Tyler Lefevor, Adlyn M. Perez-Figueroa

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background:

Coming out conversations are pivotal and stressful experiences for sexual and gender minorities (SGMs). Coming out can lead to more affirmation, safety, confidence, and improved relationships. However, adverse coming out experiences can lead to damaged relationships and ostracization, which may be more likely in conservative religious contexts.

Purpose:

The purpose of the current study was to explore what leads to positive coming out experiences for SGM members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Method:

A sample of 25 current or former Latter-day Saint (LDS) SGMs participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: …

The Developmental Significance Of The Social Context As An Additional Self-Continuity Strategy: A Comparison Of Emerging Adults From Brazil And The United States, Jonathan Santo, Josafa M. Da Cunha, Annesha Mitra

Psychology Faculty Publications

Self-continuity refers to the strategies individuals use to justify a stable sense of self despite the various changes they experience. Among young adults, in particular, self-continuity over time has been associated with indicators of mental health. The aim of the current project was to identify whether aspects of the social context are measurably distinct from other established strategies of self-continuity. Data were collected from emerging adults from the US Midwest (n = 309) and southern Brazil (n = 285). Self-continuity and its opposite, self-discontinuity, were measured, in addition to essentialism or narrativism and the social context as strategies. …

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Of Culturally-Adapted, Telehealth Group Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Iranian Adolescent Females Reporting Symptoms Of Anxiety, Mehdi Zemestani, Mojgan Hosseini, Julie M. Petersen, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

While the efficacy of internet-based acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has been examined for different mental health concerns in high-income countries, evidence for the potential efficacy of culturally-adapted ACT in non-Western, low- and middle-income countries is scarce. The present study is a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial of culturally-adapted, online, manualized group ACT for anxiety in Iranian adolescent females. To participate, adolescents had to identify as female, report interfering anxiety symptoms, be currently attending high school, and be within the age range of 15–18 years old. Individuals in the active condition (n = 24) participated in eight group sessions delivered over the …

Parent–Child Recurring Conflict: A Mediator Between Parental Anger Management And Adolescent Behavior, Erin Donohue, Linda C. Halgunseth, Sarah M. Chilenski, Daniel F. Perkins

Psychology Faculty Publications

Guided by social learning theory, this longitudinal study examined whether parent–child recurring conflict mediated the association between parental anger management, an understudied antecedent to parent–child recurring conflict, and adolescent deviant and problem-solving behaviors in 415 rural families. Parental use of anger management in 6th grade was associated with less parent–child recurring conflict in 9th grade, which was associated with more adolescent problem-solving behavior in 11th grade. Family practitioners seeking to promote adolescent problem-solving behaviors may consider teaching families strategies for reducing parent–child recurring conflict and fostering parental anger management.

Does Internalized Stigma Change The Way That Religiousness Relates To Depression For People With Minoritized Sexualities?, G. Tyler Lefevor, Chana Etengoff, Samuel J. Skidmore

Psychology Faculty Publications

Drawing on minority stress and intersectionality theories, we examine whether the relationship between religiousness and depression among people with marginalized sexualities changes as a function of their experience of internalized stigma. Analyses of a sample of 260 people with marginalized sexualities suggested that the relationship between religiousness and depression was moderated by internalized homonegativity. Simple slopes analyses revealed that when people with marginalized sexualities reported higher degrees of internalized homonegativity, the relationship between religiousness and depression was positive. Conversely, when people with marginalized sexualities reported lower degrees of internalized homonegativity, religiousness was negatively related to depression. Dismantling analyses using subscales …

Leveraging Personal Values In An Endocrine Therapy Adherence-Promoting Trial For Breast Cancer Survivors: A Mixed-Methods Investigation, Joanna J. Arch, Elizabeth Slivjak, Emma E. Bright, Catherine M. Crespi, Michael E. Levin, Sarah R. Genung, Madeline Nealis, Karen Albright, Jill L. Mitchell, Ami D. Sheth, Jessica F. Magidson, Annette L. Stanton

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Improving medication adherence represents one of the greatest behavioral challenges in medicine. Personal values are an under-examined source of motivation for adhering to medication. This secondary analysis leverages a mixed-method approach to understanding a novel, online, values-based intervention (‘REACH’) for promoting endocrine therapy (ET) adherence among breast cancer survivors, using data from a randomized trial.

Methods: Breast cancer survivors with challenges taking ET (n=88) were randomized 1:1 to ET Education + Values (REACH) or Education-only online interventions. This report focuses on the three values strategies used in REACH to promote ET adherence: affirming health-related values, using values-based …

Uncovering 'Hidden' Signals: Previously Presumed Visual Signals Likely Generate Air Particle Movement, Pallabi Kundu, Noori Choi, Aaron S. Rundus, Roger D. Santer

Psychology Faculty Publications

Wolf spiders within the genus Schizocosa have become a model system for exploring the form and function of multimodal communication. In terms of male signaling, much past research has focused on the role and importance of dynamic and static visual and substrate-borne vibratory communication. Studies on S. retrorsa, however, have found that female-male pairs were able to successfully mate in the absence of both visual and vibratory stimuli, suggesting a reduced or non-existent role of these signaling modalities in this species. Given these prior findings, it has been suggested that S. retrorsa males may utilize an additional signaling modality during …