Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of A Novel Measure To Assess For Alcohol Misuse In Older Adults: The Alcohol Misuse Scale For Older Adults (Amsoa), Nathan Jensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol is the most regularly used intoxicating substance in most geographic locations. Alcohol use in the United States specifically is well over global averages. While alcohol misuse is generally considered to be understood as a problem for younger adults, it is often unrecognized and understudied older adult populations. Currently, there is an absence of a comprehensive tool measuring for developmentally salient behaviors, symptoms, and features of alcohol misuse in older adulthood, which blocks researchers’ ability to measure alcohol misuse well. The purpose of this study is to develop a psychometrically valid and reliable assessment of alcohol misuse for older adult …

Examining The Relationship Between Acculturative Stress And Depression Among Saudi International Students In The Usa, Alaa Shawly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study explored Saudi international students’ acculturation processes through an examination of the relationship between acculturative stress and depression among Saudi international students in the U.S. Moreover, the study also examined the role of social resources—social support and the use of counseling services—in mediating this relationship.

Data was collected through an online survey from 103 Saudi international students enrolled at universities across the U.S. The survey included three scales: the Acculturative Stress Scale for

Saudi International Students (ASSSIS) (Bashir & Khalid, 2020), the Beck Depression Inventory

(BDI) (Beck et al., 1996), and LEVEL 2–Depression–Adult (PROMIS Emotional Distress– Depression–Short Form) …

Plot Twist: Vomiting Is Good! Online Psychoeducational Intervention Among Internet Support Group Users, Jennifer Petell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emetophobia is a specific phobia of vomit (SPOV) characterized by persistent and chronic symptoms with severe impairment across domains. Research on emetophobia is limited, with even fewer studies examining the impact of intervention. Available treatment studies have broadly been examined through behavioral interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) of which psychoeducation is an important foundational component. The positive role of psychoeducation on symptom reduction has been examined among a variety of psychopathology, including anxiety disorders. However, to date, research has not examined the role of psychoeducation itself (psychoeducational intervention, PI) among specific phobias broadly or emetophobia specifically. Therefore, the …

Relations Between Parent Coping With The Stress Of Parenting And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression, Maxwell Jared Luber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is important to refine understanding of the impact of adolescent behaviors on parents. In particular there is a need to improve understanding of the potential increase in parental distress caused by challenging youth behaviors. Parenting stress may play a critical role in these processes. Various coping strategies have been associated with different psychosocial outcomes, including anxiety and depression. In contrast, less effective coping strategies are linked to a higher likelihood of meeting criteria for mood or anxiety disorders. Gender differences in stress coping between women and men may contribute to women reporting higher levels of psychological distress, depression, and …

If It Walks Like A Duck…Is It A Duck?: A Mixed Methods Investigation Of Differences Between Machiavellian And Non-Machiavellian Substance Users, Daniel Pillersdorf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Machiavellianism is a set of personality traits characterized by a cold and callous nature, a belief in engaging in manipulative tactics for personal gain, a cynical and distrusting view of others, and pragmatically moral stance. Behaviors and views of individuals with elevated Machiavellian traits can be seen to have a marked similarity with several behaviours and views of individuals with substance use issues, making it difficult to differentiate between them. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study sought to determine what distinguishes individuals who are high in Machiavellianism from those who are low in Machiavellianism but appear high in this set …

Self-Regulation, Emotion Regulation, & Social Problem-Solving: Common & Distinct Pathways To Depression, Michelle L. Buffie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the relationships among three psychological constructs: self-regulation (SR), emotion regulation (ER), and social problem-solving (SPS), and their connection to depressive symptomology. SR, ER, and SPS arose from independent, well-established literature bases and each has demonstrated links to psychopathology. The theories underlying these constructs, however, suggest overlap in their operationalization and measurement. Despite these concerns, no empirical investigations to date have examined the measurement and predictive validity of measures of SR, ER, and SPS in the context of one another. Undergraduate students aged 18-29 (N = 592) completed three self-report measures each of the constructs interest, …

Inhibitory Control And Mentalizing: Potential Contributing Factors To Maladaptive Interpersonal Behaviors Associated With Depressive Symptoms, Eliot Fearey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current project considered the role of inhibitory control and mentalizing as vulnerability factors for engagement in excessive reassurance seeking, negative feedback seeking, and conversational self-focus among a sample of 222 older adolescents. It was hypothesized that lower levels of both inhibitory control and mentalizing would exacerbate the effect of elevated depressive symptoms on higher levels of the three interpersonal behaviors. Additional analyses further explored the role of self-reported gender identity. Models tested inhibitory control and mentalizing separately. In assessing inhibitory control, a self-report measure of impulsivity was used as a proxy for inhibitory control, and the Go/No-Go task was …

Environmental Noise Exposure And Its Association With Elementary Standardized Testing Scores And Adult Mental Ill-Health In Louisville, Kentucky., Lindsey Adelle Wood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background and Aim: The current body of literature on the associations of environmental noise exposure with varying psychological outcomes is inconclusive, with many conflicting findings. Limitations include exposure measurement error and lack of investigation of effect modification by important factors. This dissertation aims to expand on the current understanding of these relationships by limiting exposure measurement error and by assessing effect modification. Methods: We estimated the distribution of total environmental noise in Louisville, Kentucky for several time-periods using land use regression (LUR) methodologies. Additionally, through multiple regression models, we estimated the association of environmental noise during relevant time-periods with childhood …

Development Of A New Measure To Assess For Poverty-Based Stress: The Poverty-Based Stressor Scale (Pbss), Brianna N. Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Poverty, typically measured by economic well-being or depravation, is the result of systemic flaws built into the structure of society that adversely impact multiple dimensions of health and well-being. The specific stressors that disproportionately impact low-income individuals are called poverty-based stressors, and they encompass multiple categories of risk including physical, psychosocial, and financial risks. Currently, there is not an adequate measure of poverty-based stressors for low-income adults in the United States (U.S.), which restricts our ability to accurately determine the effects of poverty on important health-related outcomes. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop a psychometrically sound measure of …

Coping During Covid: Child Technology Use And Coping During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anissa Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many children spend a significant amount of time using technology throughout the day. This was particularly true during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many activities that had initially been conducted in-person had to transition to an online modality. Some technology use could be seen as beneficial, whereas others could be seen as harmful. The present study used baseline data from a longitudinal study examining the effects of COVID-19 on child mental health to explore how technology had been used during the pandemic, as well as the perceived benefits and problems associated with its use. In total, 190 families (190 caregivers and …

The Effect Of State/Trait Rumination On A Prospective Memory Task Delivered Remotely Using A Real-Time And Repeated Approach, Iulia Niculescu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background. Prospective memory (PM) refers to the intention to perform a future task held in memory that is executed without any explicit prompts. PM may be negatively impacted by depression, but the mechanisms that drive this association remain unclear. One idea is that rumination increases the frequency of task-irrelevant thoughts, depleting attentional capacity, and thereby reducing PM accuracy and increasing response times. To date, no studies have examined the effects of state and trait rumination on PM using online testing to collect real-time data over time. Objectives. To examine the effect of (1) state and (2) trait rumination on a …

Social Media Use And Loneliness During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Katelyn Hughes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social media has played a prominent role in society as a safe way of communicating and connecting with friends, family, and others during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. This study examined the general use of social media over the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and correlations with levels of loneliness, depression, anxiety, and stress in comparison to how people felt about their social media use before the pandemic. This study collected self-reported introspection on social media use during the pandemic and before the pandemic from Georgia Southern University students to compare if there are less feelings of …

The Association Between Depression And Anxiety With Covid-19 Outcomes., Erica Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have shown that mental disorders affect COVID-19 mortality. This study investigated the effect of depression and/or anxiety on COVID-19 outcomes. Depression/anxiety was defined by actively taking medication and/or diagnosis. The outcomes were ICU admission; ventilation; mortality; and time to mortality. Of 698 hospitalized patients, there were 204 (29%) defined to have either depression or anxiety. There were 109 deaths, and of those, 52 (48%) were diagnosed with depression/anxiety. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations. ICU admission and ventilation were not significantly associated with depression/anxiety. Depression/anxiety was associated with mortality (OR: 1.84, …

The Effect Of Postpartum Depression Screening Education For Postpartum Nurses, Shecarra S. Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression affects about 13% of pregnant women and about 10% of women after childbirth. Some cases are so severe, the mother may even commit suicide. If left untreated, postpartum depression (PPD) affects both the mother’s and the infant’s health as well as their quality of life. The gap in clinical practice is that currently, patients only complete a postpartum depression screening tool during their 6-week follow-up appointment with their OB/GYN, leaving a gap in PPD detection and care during the immediate postpartum period. Postpartum nurses are not usually given specialized training in postpartum depression. The purpose of this study was …

An Evaluation Of An Integrated Multidisciplinary Early Identification And Triage Of College Students At Risk For Anxiety And Depression, Sarah J. Templeton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

College students across the U.S. are experiencing an increasing prevalence of mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression. Suicide is currently the second most common cause of death among U.S. college students. At the project site, the university health services report that mental health issues significantly impact the students’ academic progress, contributing to poor performance, inability to complete assignments, and sometimes forces attrition. Campus providers traditionally respond when students approach, often at the point of crisis or exacerbation. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project evaluated the impact of a pilot program using an interdisciplinary approach to universal proactive …

Rejection Sensitivity, Relationship Quality, And Adjustment In Late-Adolescent Romantic Relationships And Friendships, Laura A. Foster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rejection sensitive (RS) individuals are at greater risk for emotional maladjustment across the lifespan, with consistent links identified with depression and social anxiety. Yet little is known about interpersonal factors that may affect this association for late adolescents, especially with their romantic partners and close friends. The present study examined relationship qualities of support and negative interactions with romantic partners and friends as moderators of the link between RS and internalizing symptoms. Given the differences between male and female social relationships and experiences, these associations were expected to be further moderated by gender, with RS females in poorer quality relationships …

Exploring Online Mental Health Services: A Qualitative Study For First-Year College Students, Leandrian J. Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

American first-year college students are faced with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, which can have a negative impact on their academic performance. Research shows that students who suffer from mental illness, such as anxiety and depression, fear their condition will be perceived negatively by their peers and professors. The literature also suggests that U.S. colleges and universities can be more proactive in offering students resources for their mental health concerns to decrease anxiety and depression. It appears that absent or limited mental health resources have failed to address rising cases of student mental illness, and more specifically, …

Teachers’ Stress, Anxiety, And Depression: What Are Special Education Teachers Experiencing?, James H. Potter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that people in the teaching profession have high levels of stress and often report increased levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression. Students’ academic progress may have adverse effects when their teachers have high-stress levels or report mental distress. Those who teach special education often face high levels of stress. However, there is little research considering special education teachers’ job-related health. This study collected data on 598 general and special education teachers in the United States. This study compared the endorsements of both stress and psychopathology between special education and general education teachers. This research found that …

Exploring The Prevalence Of Social Isolation In Students At A Christian College In West Texas, David Bryan Elliott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The concept known as “social isolation” is a problem that affects many people, but there are certain populations that do not have adequate research performed on them. Specifically, college students face a risk of social isolation that is detrimental to their well-being and academic success, and there is a gap in the literature about this relationship. This study explored the prevalence of social isolation in college students at a Christian college in West Texas and examined various factors to determine whether any protective factors or at-risk factors existed. An online survey was sent out that used 11 demographic factor questions …

An Exploration Of Depression In African American Adults With Sickle Cell Disease: Symptoms, Coping Strategies And The Potential Benefits Of Religiosity, Delores P. Quasie-Woode

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depressive symptoms in adults with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) often go unrecognized and untreated. SCD is one of the most common inherited hemoglobin disorders in the United States, affecting 1 in 365 African Americans. Individuals with SCD and co-morbid Depression lead to high hospitalization rates and healthcare utilization. The objective of this study is to explore depressive symptoms and preferred coping strategies among African American Adults with SCD. Furthermore, the aim is to explore the acceptability of religiosity among those who self-identify as religious.

Interviews were conducted with 30 African American adults, recruited during their hematology appointment at the Center …

Affective, Physiological, And Cognitive Response To Imagery- And Verbally-Based Rumination And Distraction In Adolescence, Hannah Lawrence

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To date, rumination and interventions for rumination have largely been verbal in focus. Rumination has been conceptualized as dwelling on negative affect in the form of verbal thought, and interventions aim to interrupt cycles of rumination using verbal strategies. Yet, emerging evidence suggests that many individuals dwell on negative affect in the form of imagery (e.g., Lawrence, Haigh, Siegle, & Schwartz-Mette, 2018) and that imagery-based interventions may be even more effective (e.g., Arntz, 2012). This is not surprising as imagery is more affectively arousing (Holmes & Mathews, 2010), physiologically stimulating (Vrana, Cuthbert, & Lang, 1986), and realistic/vivid (Mathews, Ridgeway, & …

Of Mice And Medicine: An Examination Of The Anti-Depressant Enterprise, James Kenneth Arnette

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anti-depressants (ADs) appear not to work very well, and present a sequence of puzzling problems: side effects, a long latency period before recovery, an uncertain theoretical foundation for psychopharmacology, the high relative efficacy of placebos, and the generally low efficacy of ADs. Behind these empirical and scientific problems lie a host of ethical issues within drug development: publication bias, conflicts of interest, ghost authorship, and informed consent. I review these issues and find that: (1) there is no reason why ADs should be effective for humans, given their origin in rodent research; (2) the placebo effect rivals the drug effect, …

An Investigation Of Anxiety- And Depression-Like Behavior After Head Trauma In Mice, Sean K. Payne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every year around 2 million people in the United States (US) suffer a traumatic brain injury. Those people are often at a higher risk of post-TBI psychiatric illness, like anxiety and depression. Animal models of TBI are a useful way to measure such psychiatric illnesses in a pre-clinical setting. There were two purposes of this study: the first being to test the modified Marmarou TBI model, and second to investigate anxiety- and depression-like symptoms in C57Bl6/J mice following a TBI. The modified Marmarou model used different weights (95g, 30g, & sham) to see how severity affected the manifestation of anxiety-like …

Depressive Symptoms And Survival Among Lung Cancer Patients: Biomarkers And Potential Benefits Of An Ipod- And Mindfulness-Based Intervention., Chelsea J. Siwik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer patients experience high levels of distress, which commonly manifests as depressive symptoms. Importantly, depressive symptoms have demonstrated prognostic significance in cancer contexts, although the biological pathways by which depressive symptoms lead to poorer survival remain unclear and warrant greater attention. In addition to understanding the biological pathways by which depressive symptoms accelerate disease, identification of efficacious and effective psychological treatments for depressive symptoms are needed to improve both quality and quantity of life for cancer patients. Interventions that reduce depressive symptoms and improve downstream clinical outcomes are certainty needed; however, because many cancer patients face considerable burden, interventions …

Exploring The Relationships Of Social Media Usage And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression In Adolescents, Morgan Culpepper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social media is a popular form of communication and entertainment among youth. Inconsistencies are present in the literature on the potential effects it can have on mental health. Depression and anxiety disorders are common among all age groups in the US, and this study aimed to determine the relationship social media has on symptoms of anxiety and depression. The Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS) and the GAD-7 were used to measure symptoms of anxiety, as well as the CES-D scale to evaluate depressive symptoms in adolescents. The number of social networking sites and number of hours spent on social …

Predictors Of Binge Drinking Among Military Veterans: A General Strain Theory Approach., Emily Ann Hayden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is theoretically informed by General Strain Theory (GST) (Agnew 1992, 2002), and examines binge drinking within a military veteran population. It begins with an assessment on reform and focuses on shaping knowledge around the issue of binge drinking by military veterans. The current study uses Agnew’s GST to argue for an understanding of how strain and stress can affect individuals who have served in the military and acknowledges how this strain can lead to negative coping mechanisms such as binge drinking. The latter part of the dissertation argues that understanding Agnew’s GST (1992, 2002) with a military population …

The Intersection Of Mindfulness And Gratitude: Examining The Roles Of Gratitude And Mindfulness Practices Within A 4-Week Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Depressive Symptoms In Undergraduates., Allison Rodgers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The practice and research of mindfulness has increased exponentially in recent decades; however, the study of gratitude maintains modest growth. While the overlap between gratitude and mindfulness may be intuitive, empirical investigation is lacking. The present study sought to investigate the relative and combined influence of mindfulness and gratitude with symptoms of depression in undergraduates. The current study explored these constructs in the context of a mindfulness-based intervention known as Koru. One hundred undergraduate participants provided self-report measures of demographics, mindfulness, gratitude, and symptoms of depression prior to the intervention and again immediately following. Participants were required to complete electronic …

How 6-12th Grade Staff Support Students With Depression: A Pilot Study To Develop Measures Of Implicit Associations, Explicit Attitudes And Helping Behavior, Paul M. Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with emotional disabilities are disproportionately suspended and expelled in K-12 schools. Attribution theory suggests individuals are less likely to provide assistance to others if they believe the individuals are responsible for their own difficulties. To test attribution theory, this study created new measures of explicit attitudes and implicit associations of licensed 6-12th grade staff regarding students with depression as well as a helping behavior measure of staff toward students with depression. The survey was distributed within a single school district in the western United States. A majority of the sample (N = 52) held a mental health license (60%), …

Depression In Young Adult Women Following Childhood Maltreatment: The Role Of Attitudes And Perceptions About Social Support, Thomas Dodson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: A history of childhood maltreatment has been related to mental health concerns inadulthood, with depression showing the largest amount of empirical support. Perceptions of social support have been shown to have a protective effect (buffer against mental health symptoms particularly for survivors of more severe maltreatment) and a promotive effect (direct positive effect on mental health symptoms regardless of the severity of child maltreatment) with mental health concerns. Research has shown more consistent support for the promotive effect of social support on mental health outcomes in adults who have a history of childhood maltreatment. The protective effect of social …

Police Stress, Depression, And Substance Use Among Police Officers: A General Strain Perspective., Kyra Nicole Fritz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the utility of general strain theory in explaining substance use as a form of coping among a sample of police officers in a Midwestern, metropolitan city. The dissertation is comprised of five chapters, including the introduction, literature review, method, results, and discussion. Chapter one describes the stressful nature of a career in law enforcement, concentrating on the adverse consequences of prolonged stress, including depression and substance use. Chapter one also examines strain, depression, and substance use among police officers using a general strain perspective, highlighting the limitations of existing empirical studies. Chapter two details the theoretical premise …