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Effectiveness Of Biofeedback In Improving Heart Rate Variability Recovery Following Stress, Amanda L. Wheat
Effectiveness Of Biofeedback In Improving Heart Rate Variability Recovery Following Stress, Amanda L. Wheat
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The current study was designed to examine the efficacy of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback using emWave, a specific biofeedback device available to the public, and to determine whether such treatment affects phasic physiological responses to stress. Twenty-seven individuals (4 males, 23 females), aged 18-30 years (M = 22.54 years, SD = 3.82) participated in the current study. Thirteen individuals were randomly assigned to a control group and received no intervention, whereas the remaining 14 participants underwent 4-8 sessions of emWave intervention. All participants attended pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment sessions during which a stressor protocol was administered; physiological data were …
The Influence Of Self-Reported Family Functioning On Depression Symptom Severity And Psychological Well-Being In Treatment-Seeking Older Adults, Patricia M. Bamonti
The Influence Of Self-Reported Family Functioning On Depression Symptom Severity And Psychological Well-Being In Treatment-Seeking Older Adults, Patricia M. Bamonti
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Among treatment-seeking older adults, positive social ties are related to depression outcomes prospectively. Less is known regarding the role of negative social ties in relation to depression and well-being outcomes among patients in treatment. The current study adds to this literature through the cross-sectional and prospective examination of patients' appraisal of family members perceived criticism in relation to self-reported depressive symptom severity and psychological well-being In addition, potential moderators of these relations were examined, including personality variables (Neuroticism and Conscientiousness), cognitive functioning, and living status. adults 60 years of age and older newly (< 1 month after intake session) receiving treatment for depressive or anxious symptomatology at a university-affiliated outpatient clinic as part of an on-going study that assessed depression and decision-making in late life. Results demonstrated that individuals with increased perceived criticism also had greater depressive symptom severity, at least measured at one point in time. Perceived criticism failed to predict change in depression symptom severity in the prospective analyses. Similarly, perceived criticism was associated with lower psychological well-being in the cross-sectional analyses; however, perceived criticism failed to predict change in psychological well-being in prospective analyses. No significant interactions were found with perceived criticism, suggesting at least in the current study, personality variables, cognitive functioning, and living status did not qualify the relation between perceived criticism and depression symptom severity or change in depression symptom severity over time. EI was not significantly associated with depression symptom severity and psychological well-being cross-sectionally and prospectively, after controlling for perceived criticism and perceived social support from family. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
Psychosocial Concerns In Pediatric Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injury Patients, Janelle M. Mentrikoski
Psychosocial Concerns In Pediatric Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injury Patients, Janelle M. Mentrikoski
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Obstetric brachial plexus injuries (OBPI) occur during childbirth when the child's shoulder blade gets stuck on the mother's pubic bone, resulting in damage to nerves in the child's shoulder. Due to the possible visible nature (e.g., injured arm may be shorter than the non-injured arm) and mobility limitations (e.g., difficulties in raising the injured arm to brush one's teeth) associated with these injuries, youth with OBPI may experience psychosocial difficulties. However, little research has examined the psychosocial functioning in this population. The current study sought to investigate possible predictors of social functioning and self-concept in youth with OBPI. This study …
Impulsivity And Suicidal Ideation Or Attempt In Younger And Older Adults, Elizabeth C. Price
Impulsivity And Suicidal Ideation Or Attempt In Younger And Older Adults, Elizabeth C. Price
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Rates of suicidal behaviors vary over the lifespan, but little research has focused on developmental aspects of suicidal behaviors and associated risk factors. Previous studies suggest that young people who attempt or die by suicide are likely to be generally impulsive. 108 community-dwelling older adults age 60 and older and 498 undergraduate students ages 18-30 completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies -- Depression Scale, the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and the Suicidal Behaviors Scale -- Revised. The hypothesis was that the relation between impulsivity and suicidal ideation or attempt, in the context of depressive symptoms, would be stronger in younger adults …
Risk Perception Among Sexually Abused Female Adolescents, Andrea M. Jones
Risk Perception Among Sexually Abused Female Adolescents, Andrea M. Jones
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Previous research investigating risk recognition in female victims of child sexual abuse has focused on college-aged women and young adults to the exclusion of adolescent females, who are just entering the stage where dating and sexual relationships are becoming important. Research with college-aged women and young adults has demonstrated that women with a history of child sexual abuse are less likely to detect risk cues in social environments. Understanding how adolescents perceive risky situations is important in preventing the trajectory from child sexual abuse to later adult victimization. It also is important to understand deficits in risk perception across a …
Predicting Emergency Dental Care Over A Decade: Investigating Dental Care-Related Fears In Symptomatic Treatment-Seeking Behavior, Cameron L. Randall
Predicting Emergency Dental Care Over A Decade: Investigating Dental Care-Related Fears In Symptomatic Treatment-Seeking Behavior, Cameron L. Randall
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Avoidance of dental care, resulting from fear and anxiety, has major implications for oral and overall health. For instance, untreated oral disease may exacerbate cardiovascular disease and diabetes, among other systemic health concerns (Williams et al., 2008). In the USA, 5-10% of adults avoid necessary dental treatment because of dental care-related fear (Milgrom et al., 2009). The long-term goal of this project was to improve our understanding of psychosocial barriers to oral health care. Specifically, the study aimed to examine the relation between dental care-related fears, fear of pain, and dental beliefs in a rural, Appalachian population and to determine …
Evaluation Of Treatment Integrity Errors On Mand Acquisition, Sacha T. Pence
Evaluation Of Treatment Integrity Errors On Mand Acquisition, Sacha T. Pence
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Manding (requesting) is a vital component of successful language development and allows children to access reinforcers in their environment. When training mands, caregivers may not implement the training program as designed ("treatment integrity failures"). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effects of incorrect-item delivery (Experiment 1) and response-independent item delivery (Experiment 2) across four levels of treatment integrity (0%, 40%, 70%, and 100%) on mand acquisition. A total of six children (three in each experiment), who communicated vocally using full sentences and engaged in some independent manding participated in the study. During Experiment 1, two of …
Receiver Operating Characteristics Of The Cap Lie Scale And Correlates Of Impression Management In Parenting Capacity Evaluations, Ryan J. Anderson
Receiver Operating Characteristics Of The Cap Lie Scale And Correlates Of Impression Management In Parenting Capacity Evaluations, Ryan J. Anderson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Child Abuse Potential L scale with a heterogeneous sample of caregivers referred for parenting capacity evaluations. One aim of the study was to assess the measurement properties of the L scale. A second aim was to evaluate the discriminative validity of the L scale by way of its receiver operating characteristics. A third aim of the study was to examine potential correlates of desirable responding on the L scale. The findings from this study provide new information about the psychometric properties of the CAP L …
The Association Of Social Anxiety And Parenting Factors With Adolescent Use Of Facebook, Brian Creasy
The Association Of Social Anxiety And Parenting Factors With Adolescent Use Of Facebook, Brian Creasy
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Computers and the Internet play a substantial role in how adolescents communicate with one another. Social networking websites, in particular, are a popular medium used by adolescents in which users can develop and maintain a large number of relationships from a single profile page. Facebook represents one of the most widely used social networking websites; however, little is known about the types of factors that are associated with the way in which adolescents use it. The present study examined the association of social anxiety and parenting with adolescent Facebook use. One hundred and sixty-two adolescents between the ages of 16 …
Identification Of Early Behavioral Markers Of Anxiety And Social Withdrawal In Preschool Children, Chelsea M. Ale
Identification Of Early Behavioral Markers Of Anxiety And Social Withdrawal In Preschool Children, Chelsea M. Ale
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study examined an observational method for identifying specific behaviors to indicate social anxiety and social withdrawal in preschool children. During an interaction task with a novel adult, 28 children (ages 4 and 5) were observed for specific verbal and non-verbal behaviors (i.e., total utterances, commands, questions, unsolicited conversation, direct responses, eye gaze aversion, non-verbal response, physical distancing, freezing, smiling ) and global behaviors (i.e., shyness, volume or speech, and postural rigidity), theoretically relevant to early childhood social anxiety. Behaviors observed during the interaction task were examined in relation to the parent-reported Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale's social anxiety subscale (Spence, …
Dating Anxiety And Paternal Dating Rules, Chad S. Brice
Dating Anxiety And Paternal Dating Rules, Chad S. Brice
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Dating anxiety is a specific type of social anxiety individuals experience in the presence of dating partners or potential dating partners that disrupts typical romantic development during adolescence. The etiological factors that contribute to dating anxiety have been less researched than other presentations of anxiety so the present research aimed to further explore potential contributors based on etiological factors related to other anxiety disorders. Many parent variables have been associated with anxiety disorders including parental anxiety, overcontrol, and fear-conditioning. In regard to dating, fathers have been shown to be more controlling and restrictive than mothers in their rule use. The …
Symptoms, Causes, And Coping Strategies For Performance Anxiety In Singers: A Synthesis Of Research, Kristina Driskill
Symptoms, Causes, And Coping Strategies For Performance Anxiety In Singers: A Synthesis Of Research, Kristina Driskill
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
A multitude of studies exists concerning performance anxiety, yet the number specifically focused upon singers is lacking in the literature. This study, intended as a reference guide for singers and singing instructors, discusses the symptoms, possible causes, and currently accepted coping strategies for music performance anxiety (MPA). An analysis of the published scholarship and correspondence from singers and professionals are included, as well as an appendix listing self-help sources and an extensive bibliography for further research. The study serves as an aid to singers and singing instructors seeking concise information on the topic. Specific steps within each coping method are …
Influence Of Parent-Child Communication Styles On Social Anxiety: Observation During A Film Discussion Task, Jonathan M. Ortega
Influence Of Parent-Child Communication Styles On Social Anxiety: Observation During A Film Discussion Task, Jonathan M. Ortega
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study sought to examine the relation between levels of child social anxiety and parenting communication styles, specifically parental control and criticism verbal behaviors, during a film discussion task. Additionally, the current study examined the influence of discussion instructions (unstructured vs. structured) and content of film clips (social performance, friendships and family dynamics) on parent-child dyad responses and children's perception of threat respectively. A total of 26 parent-child dyads participated in the study, with 25 dyads (23 mothers (M age = 40.3), 2 fathers (M age = 48), 15 girls (M age = 9.7), 10 boys (M age = 10.2)) …
Potential Empathy Deficits, Motivations, And Desistence In Traditional And Cyber Bullies, Colleen M. Keelan
Potential Empathy Deficits, Motivations, And Desistence In Traditional And Cyber Bullies, Colleen M. Keelan
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Bullying is a serious phenomenon that includes behaviors conducted in a variety of mediums, including face-to-face (i.e. traditional bullying) and through technology (i.e. cyberbullying). This study examined differences between traditional bullies and cyberbullies in empathy deficits, motivation to engage in bullying behavior, and reasons for desistence of bullying behavior. The Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was used to assess traditional bullying whereas the Internet Experience Questionnaire was used to assess cyberbullying. In a sample of 288 college students, there was no significant differences in total empathy, affective empathy, or cognitive empathy, between traditional bullies (N = 41), cyberbullies (N = 48), victims …
The Relationship Between Temperament And Facets Of Creativity, Clark Daniel Pinson
The Relationship Between Temperament And Facets Of Creativity, Clark Daniel Pinson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The purported association between mental illness and creativity has been most heavily researched in individuals diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. The bipolar disorders have been conceptualized as a spectrum of disorders that range from problematic and labile affect to different types of temperament. Temperament has classically been defined as elements of personality that are heritable, stable, based on emotion, and uninfluenced by socio-cultural learning. Contemporary literature suggested that at least some aspects of creativity may be enhanced by an affective range that has been best characterized by the milder part of the bipolar spectrum of disorders. The primary inquiry of …
Treatment Of Nightmares Using Imagery Rehearsal Therapy: A Multiple Baseline Study, Michael R. Nadorff
Treatment Of Nightmares Using Imagery Rehearsal Therapy: A Multiple Baseline Study, Michael R. Nadorff
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Nightmares have been linked with several negative consequences, including death by suicide. Further, nightmare sufferers report that nightmares have a significant negative impact on their lives. To address this problem, several nightmare treatments have been studied, with Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) having the greatest amount of empirical support. However, there are many unanswered questions in regard to IRT, such as how quickly one may see an effect and whether or not there is a temporary increase in nightmares prior to a decrease. The current study aimed to address these questions by examining IRT using a non-concurrent multiple baseline design. Four …
Examination Of Mediational Models Of The Hostility-Health Link, Carol Goulet
Examination Of Mediational Models Of The Hostility-Health Link, Carol Goulet
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This study investigated health behavior as a possible mediator of the link between hostility and poor physical and psychological health. The relations of health behavior, character strength, and virtuous behavior to hostility and health were also examined. A sample of 689 undergraduate participants (69.4% female) completed a series of on-line assessments that measured hostility, physical health, psychological health, health behavior, social support, character strength, and virtuous behavior. Health behavior was examined and found to be a significant partial mediator of the relations between hostility and physical and psychological health. Furthermore, the results of multiple regressions revealed that gender, hostility, and …
Validation Of The Calgary Symptoms Of Stress Inventory (C-Sosi) For Predicting Adherence To A Stress Reduction Technique, Lauren M. Penwell
Validation Of The Calgary Symptoms Of Stress Inventory (C-Sosi) For Predicting Adherence To A Stress Reduction Technique, Lauren M. Penwell
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Stress is a ubiquitous aspect of modern life that has serious effects on mental and physical health. Many stress reduction techniques are currently available to help combat these effects but non-adherence to them is a significant barrier to their overall effectiveness. The aims of the current study were to: 1) validate the Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory (C-SOSI), an instrument that classifies one's stress response profile, using traditional psychometric procedures as well as for predicting responses to a laboratory stress situation, and 2) explore the utility of this instrument for predicting adherence following training in a single stress reduction session …
Evaluation Of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy And A Standard Parenting Program Within A Women's State Prison Facility, Ashley B. Tempel
Evaluation Of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy And A Standard Parenting Program Within A Women's State Prison Facility, Ashley B. Tempel
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
A majority of inmates in state and federal prisons across the U.S. have been reported to be parents of minors (Glaze & Maruschak, 2008). It is estimated that twice as many American children (i.e., 2% or over 1.7 million) compared to children of other industrialized countries have incarcerated parents (Murray, 2007). Approximately 336, 000 households with minor children are believed to be directly affected by parental imprisonment (Mumola, 2000). Parent training provided through correctional programming has potential to impact a large number of American families that are affected by parental incarceration. However, correctional parenting programs often vary across facilities and …