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Coping With Childhood Issues As Adults, Kathleen Schwartzenberger
Coping With Childhood Issues As Adults, Kathleen Schwartzenberger
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The mental health consequences of both dispositional forgiveness and forgiving one's abusive parents were examined in this study. It was anticipated that dispositional forgiveness would be related to better mental health in a population of adults who sustained childhood abuse. It was also expected that forgiving one's parents for childhood abuse would predict better mental health in adulthood. The results of the study support a conclusion that child abuse survivors purport better mental health (e.g., less anger, anxiety and depression) when they report higher levels of self forgiveness. However, it was found that higher levels of parental forgiveness actually predicted …
Explaining The Relationship Between Neuroticism And Eating Disorder Risk In Female University Students: The Roles Of Perceived Stress And Coping Style, Vanessa Bruce
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Although it is well established that neuroticism is associated with many psychiatric disorders, including eating disorders, little is known about the mechanism through which they are related. The purpose of this two-stage study was to test three models to determine if stress and coping might help explain this relationship. In the first stage, female undergraduates (119), an at-risk population for eating disorders, completed the NEO PI-R, the EDI-3, the YA-FILES, and the CISS. In the second stage of the study, participants completed daily records of perceived stress, chosen coping strategies, and change in daily eating habits for a period of …
Assessment Of Suboptimal Effort Using The Cvlt-Ii Recognition Foils: A Known-Groups Comparison, Matias Mariani
Assessment Of Suboptimal Effort Using The Cvlt-Ii Recognition Foils: A Known-Groups Comparison, Matias Mariani
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The present study sought to generate an embedded effort index within the CVLT-II yes/no recognition trial using a known-groups design. Four types of recognition foils--i.e., novel/semantically unrelated (UN), novel/semantically related (PR), list B/semantically unrelated (BN), and list B/semantically related (BS)--as well as two composites--i.e., easy to reject foils (ETR) and difficult to reject foils (DTR)--were evaluated on their ability to distinguish between a group of 82 outpatients with moderate-severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and a group of 31 litigants meeting Slick et al. (1999) criteria for malingered neurocognitive dysfunction (MND). Separate multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. The full model …
Differential Effects Of Gender On Perceptions Of Stalking Behaviour, Heather Finnegan
Differential Effects Of Gender On Perceptions Of Stalking Behaviour, Heather Finnegan
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study sought to examine the effect of gender on perceptions of stalking following the break-up of a romantic relationship. 349 university students were presented with stalking scenarios in which the gender of the target and pursuer of the stalking behaviour were systematically varied. Participants were asked to rate the degree to which they considered the behaviour stalking, how concerned they would be if this were happening to a friend, and the likelihood that they would recommend help-seeking. Individuals were equally as likely to rate potential stalking scenarios as stalking, regardless of actor gender. However, participants were significantly more likely …
Psychosocial And Executive Functioning Of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Impact Of The "I Can Problem Solve" Program, Selena Hodsman
Psychosocial And Executive Functioning Of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Impact Of The "I Can Problem Solve" Program, Selena Hodsman
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Children with ADHD tend to exhibit interpersonal, adaptive, and cognitive difficulties. Previous research evaluating psychosocial interventions with this population has found inconsistent improvement in participants' interpersonal functioning, arguably because these programs do not effectively improve cognitive processes (e.g., self-regulation) that are critically related to this group's social difficulties. However, there is some evidence that the ICPS Program (Shure, 1992) is effective in improving psychosocial and executive functioning of children with ADHD. Five children with ADHD, aged 10 to 12, and their parents, participated in a five-week intervention. The case study method was used. One participant showed marked improvement in social …
Evaluating The Best Of Coping Program: Enhancing Coping Skills In Adolescents, Alina Carter
Evaluating The Best Of Coping Program: Enhancing Coping Skills In Adolescents, Alina Carter
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study investigated the effectiveness of a coping skills program, called the Best of Coping (Frydenberg & Brandon, 2002), for a sample of 74 (33 male and 41 female) at-risk adolescents between 13 and 16 years of age. Data collection included pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow-up assessments, with the intervention (TM) group compared to a waitlist control (WL) group at pretest to posttest. Adolescents completed surveys on measures of stress, coping, perceived mastery, symptomatology, life satisfaction, and happiness. Parent and teacher surveys were also collected. The findings supported the utility of the BOC program in improving adolescent coping. The TM group …
Factors That Influence Parents Toward Early Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Debra Barrie
Factors That Influence Parents Toward Early Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Debra Barrie
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study examined factors influencing parents toward obtaining early diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for their children. Parents of children diagnosed with ASD at or before 30 months became concerned about development at an average of 16 months, while parents of children diagnosed later became concerned at 25 months. The younger children were at initial concern, the younger they received their diagnoses. Over 58% were referred for assessment of ASD by speech and language pathologists or occupational therapists. Parents reported that their persistence was a major factor in obtaining diagnoses. Parents described feelings of relief and gratitude when they …
Hemispheric Differences In Semantic Priming Examined Across Handedness Groups, Andrea M. Coppens
Hemispheric Differences In Semantic Priming Examined Across Handedness Groups, Andrea M. Coppens
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The present study investigates hemispheric differences in semantic priming across handedness groups. A lexical decision task was administered to 87 individuals, classified into handedness groups: consistent right-handers; consistent left-handers; and inconsistent-handers. Participants were presented with strongly- and nonassociated category members in a visual half-field semantic priming task. The hypothesis was that the dominant hemisphere would have an advantage for strongly-associated category members, and the nondominant hemisphere would have an advantage for nonassociated category members. This effect was expected to be determined by handedness, where consistent right-handers have left-hemisphere language dominance, consistent left-handers have right-hemisphere dominance, and inconsistent-handers have no hemispheric …
Understanding Motivation To Abstain From Pathological Gambling: The Influence Of Negative Expectancies And Moderation Inefficacy, Amanda Robinson
Understanding Motivation To Abstain From Pathological Gambling: The Influence Of Negative Expectancies And Moderation Inefficacy, Amanda Robinson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The present investigation aimed to test a theory-guided model of problem gambling cessation in a sample who were quitting without professional assistance. The main hypothesis was that higher levels of moderation inefficacy (MIE) and higher levels of negative outcome expectancies (NOE) would combine to produce higher levels of both readiness to change (RTC) and commitment to abstinence (CTA). Respondents consisted of 62 community-dwelling problematic gamblers whose change goal was abstinence. Regression and moderation analyses were performed. Results showed that higher levels of NOE predicted residual criterion variance in RTC, but not CTA. MIE was not found to be a significant …
Willingness To Seek Professional Psychological Help Among Canadians Of African Descent: A Culturally Based Help-Seeking Model, Justine Joseph
Willingness To Seek Professional Psychological Help Among Canadians Of African Descent: A Culturally Based Help-Seeking Model, Justine Joseph
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Attempts to address systemic barriers to accessing mental health services have often been unable to generate adequate credibility and improve service use among members of ethnic minority communities. Such outcomes have resulted in calls to consider the role of psychological and cultural factors in the underutilization of mental health services. The present study examines psychological and cultural antecedents to seeking professional psychological help among Canadians of African descent (N=193). Using path analysis, Cramer's (1999) model of psychological help-seeking behaviour was tested for its generalizability to Canadians of African descent. Overall, Cramer's model did not fit the data however the majority …
Distinct Memory Profiles In Children With Learning Disabilities: A Neuropsychological Perspective, Bethany Pollock
Distinct Memory Profiles In Children With Learning Disabilities: A Neuropsychological Perspective, Bethany Pollock
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
A great deal of research has focused on memory dysfunction in children with learning disabilities. However, findings have been inconsistent which may be attributed to the limitations inherent in the approaches previously used in this area. Given the heterogeneous nature of learning disabilities, the current study examined performance on the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning- Second Edition (WRAML2) to identify reliable and meaningful memory profiles in children and adolescents diagnosed with a learning disability. A total of 101 children and adolescents between the ages of 9 and 16 diagnosed with a learning disability were included in this study. …
The Relation Between Parental Beliefs About Negative Emotions, Coping Socialization, And Child Anxiety In A Nonclinical Sample, Megan Duffett
The Relation Between Parental Beliefs About Negative Emotions, Coping Socialization, And Child Anxiety In A Nonclinical Sample, Megan Duffett
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The present study examined parents' beliefs about anxiety and emotion-related parenting styles (emotion coaching and parental rejection of emotion) as they related to child anxiety and coping socialization. Coping socialization also was explored as a mediator of the relation between parent cognitions and child anxiety. Participants included parents (n = 58) of children aged 3 to 12 years, in a nonclinical sample. Parents completed online questionnaires assessing their beliefs about emotions, coping socialization, and anxiety symptoms. Results indicated that parents who reported low emotion coaching and high parental beliefs about anxiety had children with greater anxiety, regardless of parent anxiety. …
Second Language Proficiency: Self-Report Vs. Objective Measures And Relationship With Sentential Priming In The Processing Of Interlingual Homographs., Jordan Urlacher
Second Language Proficiency: Self-Report Vs. Objective Measures And Relationship With Sentential Priming In The Processing Of Interlingual Homographs., Jordan Urlacher
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Bilingual lexical access is apparently exhaustive: representations from both languages are activated when reading in either language. This study investigated the roles of proficiency and word frequency in bilingual processing using interlingual homographs; words with identical orthography across two languages but different meanings. Semantic representations from both languages should be activated, resulting in inhibition of the incorrect meaning. Participants read sentences ending with homographs in their second language, French, and a lexical decision followed. Some stimuli were translations of English homograph meanings to French; lingering semantic inhibition was expected to influence reaction time to these stimuli. Lexical decisions were longer …
The Long-Term Effects Of Posttraumatic Growth On Coping: The Roles Of Self-Efficacy And Ruminative Thought, Jennifer Marcus
The Long-Term Effects Of Posttraumatic Growth On Coping: The Roles Of Self-Efficacy And Ruminative Thought, Jennifer Marcus
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Research shows that traumatic events occur frequently within the general population. Posttraumatic growth (PTG), defined as personal and interpersonal improvements following the experience of traumatic events, has been the focus of positive psychologists for more than a decade. Few studies have asked how experiencing growth post-trauma relates to coping with later life stressors. The current study tested this relation and aimed to discover whether self-efficacy and rumination acted as mediators within a path model. Undergraduate students completed surveys regarding reactions to past traumatic events and coping strategies used for current stressors. The hypothesized model was found to be an adequate …
Reading Deficits In Pregnant Teens: Implications For Policy And Practice, Jessica Menard
Reading Deficits In Pregnant Teens: Implications For Policy And Practice, Jessica Menard
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The present study examined the relationship between teen pregnancy and reading achievement. Girls ages 14 to 17 who were pregnant at the time of testing (n=3) and girls who had never been pregnant (n=19) were compared on measures of reading achievement. Specifically, the WRAT-4 was used to measure lower-order single word reading and spelling skills, and the TOWRE and the NDRT were used to measure higher-order reading fluency and comprehension. A MANOVA was conducted to investigate whether there was a difference between pregnant and never-pregnant teens in one or more domains of reading achievement. Results did not indicate statistically significant …
The Influence Of Family Violence And Attitudes Toward Help-Seeking On Adolescents' Intent To Seek Help For Intimate Partner Aggression, Kelly Anthony-Brown
The Influence Of Family Violence And Attitudes Toward Help-Seeking On Adolescents' Intent To Seek Help For Intimate Partner Aggression, Kelly Anthony-Brown
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Adolescents' exposure to interparental violence and adolescents' perceptions of parents' attitudes towards help-seeking were investigated to determine whether these two factors have an influence on adolescents' intent to seek help for their own dating violence. Participants were 234 high school and undergraduate females ranging in age from 16 to 19 years old. Participants completed questionnaires assessing their level of exposure to violence between their parents as well as perceptions of how parents feel about seeking help for problems. Adolescents' own attitudes about help seeking, experiences of child abuse, perceived stigma regarding help-seeking, and severity of dating violence were also measured. …
Attachment Dimensions And Depressive Symptoms: Mediating Effects Of Social Support Seeking And Loneliness Among First Year Undergraduate Students, Anna Arcuri
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The objectives of the current study were to a) assess the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between insecure adult attachment (i.e., attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance) and depressive symptoms and b) assess the mediating role of indirect social support seeking (e.g., complaining about a problem without requesting help) and avoidance of social support seeking (e.g., following through with tasks independently) in the relationship between insecure adult attachment and loneliness and subsequent depressive symptoms. One hundred sixty-nine first-year undergraduate participants completed measures that assessed depressive symptoms, adult attachment, social support seeking, and loneliness. Structural Equation Modelling analyses showed that …
The Contributions Of Emotional Engagement With Trauma Material To Outcome In Two Versions Of Emotion Focused Trauma Therapy (Eftt), Helen Chagigiorgis
The Contributions Of Emotional Engagement With Trauma Material To Outcome In Two Versions Of Emotion Focused Trauma Therapy (Eftt), Helen Chagigiorgis
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The present study had two objectives. The first was to examine the contributions of emotional engagement with trauma material to outcome in two versions of EFTT, each employing a different reexperiencing procedure. These procedures are the IC and empathic exploration (EE) of trauma memories with the therapist. The second objective was to investigate the relative predictive validity of different measurement perspectives of emotional engagement to outcome in the two versions of EFTT. Clients were randomly assigned to therapy condition. Alliance quality was measured with client self-reports on the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI; Horvath & Greenberg, 1989). Emotional engagement was measured …
Social Skill Deficits And Male-Perpetrated Dating Violence, Sarah Setchell
Social Skill Deficits And Male-Perpetrated Dating Violence, Sarah Setchell
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The objective of the present study was to identify social skill deficits associated with male-perpetrated physical, psychological, and sexual dating violence. Male university students between the ages of 17 and 25 years completed an online survey (N = 230). Logistic regression analyses suggested that self-reported perpetration of physical assault was associated with the use of more dominating conflict resolution strategies, a greater tendency to attribute negative intentions to partner behaviors, and less perspective taking ability. In addition, psychological aggression was associated with the use of more escalating anger management strategies and compromising conflict resolution strategies after controlling for social desirability. …
Health Or Harm? Exercise Dependence And Its Effects On Body Satisfaction And Self-Esteem, Ian Bishop
Health Or Harm? Exercise Dependence And Its Effects On Body Satisfaction And Self-Esteem, Ian Bishop
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of the present study was to better understand the inconsistent outcomes of exercise and exercise dependence on body satisfaction and self-esteem. Ninety-nine women completed measures assessing exercise dependence (i.e., excessive and compulsive exercise), reasons for exercising, positive and negative perfectionism (i.e., whether high standards are pursued to achieve positive outcomes or to avoid negative ones, respectively), body satisfaction, and self-esteem. A series of mediation analyses, hierarchical regression analyses, and a path analysis revealed that women who are positive perfectionists experience better body satisfaction and self-esteem in association with exercise, and women who are negative perfectionists experience worse. Further, …
Psychological Survival: Selective Coping Strategies Among Canadians Of African Descent Responding To Racial Discrimination., Justine Joseph
Psychological Survival: Selective Coping Strategies Among Canadians Of African Descent Responding To Racial Discrimination., Justine Joseph
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The present study explores the selection of Africultural coping strategies (i.e., Spiritual-Centred, Collective, Ritual-Centred) and conventional Eurocentric coping strategies (i.e., Problem-Focused, Emotion-focused) among Canadians of African descent (N=190) responding to three types of racial discrimination (i.e., Interpersonal, Institutional, Cultural), and the relative importance of these strategies in managing psychological distress. The results indicated that Canadians of African descent utilize both Africultural and conventional Eurocentric coping strategies when responding to racial discrimination. However, preferences for these coping strategies depend on the type of racial discrimination being encountered. Preferences for conventional Eurocentric and Africultural coping resources in response to different types of …
Depth Of Experiencing And Use Of Emotion Words In Trauma Narratives As Performance Indices Of Alexithymia., Trang K. Le
Depth Of Experiencing And Use Of Emotion Words In Trauma Narratives As Performance Indices Of Alexithymia., Trang K. Le
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The present study examined depth of experiencing and use of emotion words in trauma narratives as performance indices of alexithymia. The construct of alexithymia represents deficits in emotional awareness and regulation. The study employed archival data (written trauma narratives and self-report measures) collected from 60 female, undergraduate psychology students. Alexithymia was assessed using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS; Bagby, Parker, & Taylor, 1994a, 1994b). Depth of experiencing was rated using the Client Experiencing Scale (EXP; Klien, Mathieu-Coughlan, & Kiesler, 1986). The Emotions Library (Mind Reading Emotions Library, 2004), a computer software program, was used to define emotion word for the …
The Effects Of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (Haart) On Neuropsychological Status In Hiv-Infection: A Prospective Study., Susan E. Hayman-Abello
The Effects Of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (Haart) On Neuropsychological Status In Hiv-Infection: A Prospective Study., Susan E. Hayman-Abello
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has resulted in significant reductions in HIV morbidity and mortality but the longitudinal effects on cognition are less well known. This longitudinal study examined the effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on cognitive performance in adults with HIV. Three hundred eighty-six adults representing all stages of HIV disease were tested at baseline and 180 of those subjects underwent a follow-up assessment. Subjects who were on HAART outperformed subjects on a non-HAART regimen, and those taking no antiretroviral medications, on the Grooved Pegboard Test, and were less impaired overall, at Time 1 …
Imaginal Confrontation Versus Evocative Empathy In Emotion-Focused Trauma Therapy., Margaret Brigitte Ralston
Imaginal Confrontation Versus Evocative Empathy In Emotion-Focused Trauma Therapy., Margaret Brigitte Ralston
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study is part of a larger, ongoing study comparing two versions of Emotion Focused Trauma Therapy (EFTT) for adult childhood abuse survivors (Paivio, Jarry, & Holowaty, 2004). Previously, the main vehicle for trauma exploration was the imaginal confrontation (IC) intervention (Paivio & Neiuwenhuis, 2001). However, because some clients found IC difficult to engage in, evocative empathy (EE) was developed as a viable but gentler alternative. The present study explored the similarities and differences between IC and EE by examining key client processes, specifically experiencing, emotional arousal, and therapeutic alliance (N = 30). Associations between processes and client characteristics and …
Stress And Coping In The Families Of Canadian Military Members Deployed Overseas., Lorelei Walsh
Stress And Coping In The Families Of Canadian Military Members Deployed Overseas., Lorelei Walsh
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to assess the stress levels and coping skills of families of Canadian Forces (CF) soldiers who have served on overseas "tours" that were at least six months in duration. Twenty-six families were recruited from three military units in Eastern Canada. The mother or wife in the family completed a set of eight standardized measures and one questionnaire designed by the author. The measures utilized were: (a) Demographic Questionnaire, (b) Family Hardiness Index (FHI; McCubbin, McCubbin & Thompson, 1987), (c) Family Stress and Support Inventory (FSSI, Halvorsen, 1991), (d) Family Crisis-Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale (F-COPES; …
Forgiveness As Outcome In Emotion Focused Therapy For Adult Survivors With Childhood Abuse., Helen Chagigiorgis
Forgiveness As Outcome In Emotion Focused Therapy For Adult Survivors With Childhood Abuse., Helen Chagigiorgis
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The objectives of the present study were to (1) identify clients who reported forgiveness with abusive and/or neglectful other(s) in Emotion Focused Therapy for Adult Survivors of childhood abuse (EFT-AS) and (2) determine whether this subgroup was distinct from clients who did not report forgiveness in terms of pre-treatment characteristics, therapy processes and outcome. Previous studies have shown conflicting results concerning forgiveness in EFT-AS where forgiveness is not an explicit goal of therapy. In two studies, clients, on average, reported resolving issues, and separation from abusive/neglectful other(s), but no reductions in hostility (Rice & Paivio, 1999; Paivio & Greenberg, 1995). …
The Relationship Between Readiness To Change And Relapse Prevention Outcome: A Continuum Approach With An Alcohol Treatment Group, Dory Becker
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study examined the role of readiness to change (RTC) within the context of a relapse prevention (RP) treatment program for individuals with alcohol use disorders. RTC was assessed using the continuous version of the Readiness to Change Questionnaire, as research does not support the use of the categorical version with treatment seeking clients. Participants included 80 men and women seeking treatment for alcohol use disorders. Findings revealed that RTC did not predict treatment outcome. These results may have been a product of the poor psychometric properties of the continuous version of the RTCQ, as established in this study. Associated …
Hemispheric Asymmetries For Accessing The Phonological Representation Of Single Printed Words., Christopher H. Domen
Hemispheric Asymmetries For Accessing The Phonological Representation Of Single Printed Words., Christopher H. Domen
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The differential abilities of the cerebral hemispheres to access the phonological representation of printed words was investigated using a visual half-field paradigm in which participants performed a lexical decision task for target words primed by semantic associates (e.g., TOAD-FROG), homophones of words semantically associated to target words (e.g., TOWED-FROG), and unrelated control words (e.g., FINK-FROG, PLASM-FROG). At a short stimulus onset asynchrony (165 ms), significant priming was obtained for both semantic and homophonic associates regardless of visual field of presentation, although the effects were much less robust for the left visual field/right hemisphere. Thus, both hemispheres seem to initially have …
Navigating The Autism Diagnostic System: Implications For Earlier Identification., Alison Ann Spadafora
Navigating The Autism Diagnostic System: Implications For Earlier Identification., Alison Ann Spadafora
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Autism Spectrum Disorders are characterized by repetitive, stereotyped behaviours and impairments in communication and socialization. The present research examined parents' experiences during the course of obtaining an autism diagnosis for their children. Participants, who resided throughout Ontario, were recruited through the Autism Society of Ontario and the Summit Centre Preschool for Children with Autism. The questionnaire was designed for the present research and focused on parents' initial concerns about their children's development and attempts at seeking professional help. By parent report, the children were diagnosed with Autistic Disorder (N = 52), Asperger's Disorder (N = 7) and PDD-NOS (N = …
Perceived Control And Negative Outcome Expectancy As Mediators Of Problem Gamblers' Readiness To Change And Predictors Of Abstinence Versus Moderation As Change Goal., Sharon Leela Elizabeth Jeyakumar
Perceived Control And Negative Outcome Expectancy As Mediators Of Problem Gamblers' Readiness To Change And Predictors Of Abstinence Versus Moderation As Change Goal., Sharon Leela Elizabeth Jeyakumar
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The aim of the present study was to examine why some gamblers experience shifts in motivational readiness to change their gambling practices while others do not. This cross-sectional study of gamblers at different points across the spectrum of change attempted to extend the Addicted-self model of recovery to the study of problem gambling by examining the associations of perceived control and negative outcome expectancy with gamblers' readiness to change. The present study also investigated the interaction of these two constructs in predicting gamblers' choice of change goals. To facilitate this investigation, the present study sought to validate newly-developed measures of …