Educational Psychology Commons^™

Moderators And Processes Of Change In Traditional Exposure And Response Prevention (Erp) Versus Acceptance And Commitment Therapy-Informed Erp For Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Clarissa W. Ong, Shannon M. Blakey, Brooke M. Smith, Kate L. Morrison, Ellen J. Bluett, Jonathan S. Abramowitz, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study evaluated moderators and processes of change in a randomized controlled trial comparing exposure and response prevention (ERP) delivered from a traditional framework versus ERP from an acceptance and commitment therapy framework (ACT+ERP) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This paper presents baseline, weekly session, posttreatment, and follow-up data from the study. We examined (a) moderation effects of anxiety, depression, psychological inflexibility, and interpretation of intrusions and (b) the role of psychological inflexibility and interpretation of intrusions respectively as processes of change. Participants with less dysfunctional appraisals at pretreatment performed consistently better in ERP relative to ACT+ERP. In process analyses, …

A Psychometric Comparison Of Psychological Inflexibility Measures: Discriminant Validity And Item Performance, Clarissa W. Ong, Benjamin G. Pierce, Julie M. Petersen, Jennifer L. Barney, Jeremiah E. Fruge, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Psychological inflexibility is a rigid behavioral pattern that interferes with engagement in personally meaningful activities; it is the hypothesized root of suffering in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Thus, the quality of its measurement affects the research, theory, and practice of ACT. The current study aimed to evaluate the discriminant validity and item performance of four measures of psychological inflexibility: the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire—II (AAQ-II), a revised version of the AAC-II (AAQ-3), the Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (BEAQ), and the Comprehensive assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy processes (CompACT). We analyzed data from community (n = 253), student …

Evaluating Acceptance And Commitment Therapy And Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Self-Help Books For College Student Mental Health, Michael E. Levin, Woolee An, Carter H. Davis, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objectives: Self-help has the potential to improve access to mental health resources for college students. However, solutions are needed to improve sustainable delivery, cost- effectiveness, and to know which resources are most useful. Methods: A sample of 109 college students were randomly assigned to read either an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) self-help book through the University library website over 8 weeks with assessments at baseline, midtreatment (4-weeks), and posttreatment (8-weeks). Results: The majority of participants reported reading over half of their assigned book and high satisfaction ratings were given for both books. Both conditions …

Comparing The Efficacy Of Defusion, Self-As-Context, And Distraction Strategies For Getting Rid Of Possessions, Clarissa W. Ong, Carina L. Terry, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Interventions for hoarding disorder need to target difficulty letting go of items to reduce clutter and improve functioning. The present studies were designed to test the efficacy of brief cognitive interventions for letting go of possessions and self-report outcomes. Participants (N = 67 in Study 1; N = 110 in Study 2) received training on defusion or distraction in Study 1 and defusion, self-as-context, or distraction in Study 2 and completed measures at pre- and postintervention. Study 1 found no differences between defusion and distraction on saving, self-rated discomfort with discarding, or perceived importance of the target belonging. In …

Examining Processes Of Change In An Online Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Dismantling Trial With Distressed College Students, Michael E. Levin, Jennifer Krafft, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

This secondary analysis examined the processes of change from a randomized dismantling trial evaluating the Open (i.e., cognitive defusion, acceptance) and Engaged (i.e., values, committed action) components of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Analyses were conducted with 161 distressed college students randomly assigned to a full online ACT program (Full n=40), online ACT targeting the Open components (Open n=41) or targeting the Engaged components (Engaged n=39), or a waitlist condition (Waitlist n=41). The intervention occurred over six weeks followed by a post-treatment assessment with mental health symptoms as the primary outcome. Consistent with predictions, pre- to …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Perfectionism And Neurological Functioning, Julie M. Petersen, Clarissa W. Ong, Allison S. Hancock, Ronald B. Gillam, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Clinical perfectionism is the rigid pursuit of high standards, interfering with functioning. Little research has explored neural patterns in clinical perfectionism. The present study explores neural correlates of clinical perfectionism, before and after receiving ten 50-minute, weekly sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), as compared to low-perfectionist controls, in specific cortical structures: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), right inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Participants in the perfectionist condition (n = 43) were from a randomized controlled trial evaluating ACT for clinical perfectionism and low-perfectionist controls were undergraduate students (n = 12). Participants completed three tasks (editing …

A Preliminary Investigation Of The Effect Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy On Neural Activation In Clinical Perfectionism, Clarissa W. Ong, Allison S. Hancock, Tyson S. Barrett, Eric B. Lee, Nicholas Wan, Ronald B. Gillam, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Clinical perfectionism is associated with various cognitive processes including performance monitoring and emotion regulation. This exploratory study analyzed neurological data from a randomized controlled trial for clinical perfectionism that compared acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to a waitlist control. The objective was to assess the effect of ACT on neural activation. Twenty-nine participants underwent a functional near-infrared spectroscopy assessment during which they completed behavioral tasks designed to elicit error detection and error generation at pre- and posttreatment. The hemodynamic response function (HRF) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and right inferior parietal lobe was analyzed using mixed effects …

Comparison Of Skin Biomechanics And Skin Color In Puerto Rican And Non-Puerto Rican Women, Yadira Regueira, Jamison D. Fargo, Deborah Tiller, Kathleen Brown, Carla Clements, Barbara Beacham, Emily Brignone, Marilyn S. Sommers

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Skin biomechanics are physical properties that protect the body from injury. Little is known about differences in skin biomechanics in racial/ethnic groups and the role of skin color in these differences. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between skin biomechanics (viscoelasticity, hydration) and skin color, when controlling for demographic and health-related variables in a sample of Puerto Rican and non-Puerto Rican women.

Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of data from 545 women in a longitudinal, observational study of skin injury in Puerto Rico and the United States. Data included measures of skin viscoelasticity, skin …

The Role Of Psychological Inflexibility And Self-Compassion In Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Clinical Perfectionism, Clarissa W. Ong, Jennifer L. Barney, Tyson S. Barrett, Eric B. Lee, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

The current study examined psychological inflexibility and self-compassion as theoretically relevant mediators and moderators of outcomes following acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for clinical perfectionism. Fifty-three participants with clinical perfectionism were randomized to either a 10-session ACT condition or a 14-week waitlist control condition (only 39 completed the post treatment assessment). Outcomes tested include concern over mistakes, doubting of actions, personal standards, quality of life, symptom distress and functional impairment, and valued action. Multilevel modeling analyses showed reduced psychological inflexibility mediated the relationship between condition and higher quality of life and increased self-compassion mediated the relationship between condition and decreased …

Associations Between Relationship Maintenance Behaviors And Marital Stability In Remarriages, Ron C. Bean, Thomas Ledermann, Brian Higginbotham, Renee Vickerman Galliher

Psychology Faculty Publications

Nearly half of adults in the U.S. indicated they had a close step-relative that included stepparents, stepchildren, and other close relationships. The prevalence of stepfamilies is rapidly increasing and represents a population that remains largely understudied. This study explored the roles of socioemotional behaviors (positivity, negativity, and sexual interest) on marital stability for different remarriage constellations (depending on which of the couple, both partners, or neither had previous children). This study uses dyadic relationship data from 879 couples. It was hypothesized that positivity and sexual interest would be inversely related to marital instability, while negativity will be correlated with marital …

The Influence Of Perceived Parenting On Substance Initiation Among Mexican Children, Alejandro L. Vázquez, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Nancy G. Amador Buenabad, Marycarmen N. Bustos Gamiño, María De Lourdes Gutierrez López, Jorge A. Villatoro Velázquez

Psychology Faculty Publications

Parents shape their children's behaviors and impact their developmental trajectories. Despite this, few studies have examined the potential relationship between child reported parenting factors and lifetime substance use and use intentions. The current study examined the potential impact of parenting factors (i.e., positive parenting, supervision, parental illicit substance use, substance-specific communication) on early substance use and intentions among Latinx children. Data for the present study utilized a representative sample of Mexican children (n = 52,171; 5th and 6th grades) who participated in a national survey on substance use. Children reported their demographics, lifetime substance use/intentions, and perceived parenting characteristic …

An Iranian Study Of Group Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Versus Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Adolescents With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder On An Optimal Dose Of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, Mohammad Javad Shabani, Hamid Mohsenabadi, Abdollah Omidi, Eric B. Lee, Michael P. Twohig, Afshin Ahmadvand, Zahra Zanjani

Psychology Faculty Publications

Conducted in Iran, participants included 69 adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who were on a stable selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) dose and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: group acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)+SSRI, group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)+SSRI, or continued SSRI treatment. Assessment occurred at pre-, post-treatment, and three-month follow-up and included the Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS), Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-8), Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ), and Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). ACT+SSRI and CBT+SSRI conditions demonstrated significant reductions in OCD severity that were maintained at follow-up …

Baseline Cultural Competence In Physician Assistant Students, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Paula B. Phelps, H. Cathleen Tarp

Psychology Faculty Publications

Purpose

Cultural competence is a critical component in health care services. The relationship between health disparities and prejudice and discrimination is well documented. Prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behavior are modifiable through training yet few programs have evidence-based training. No published data has reported on baseline levels of cultural competencies in medical trainees which is necessary for tailoring programs appropriate to the audience. This manuscript fills that gap by reporting on data from three cohorts of first-year Physician Assistant (PA) students (N = 216). We examined students’ baseline levels with special attention to differences in cultural competence constructs across age, …

Examining Quadratic Relationships Between Traits And Methods In Two Multitrait-Multimethod Models, Fred A. Hintz, Christian Geiser, G. Leonard Burns, Mateu Servera

Psychology Faculty Publications

Multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) analysis is one of the most frequently employed methods to examine the validity of psychological measures. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is a commonly used analytic tool for examining MTMM data through the specification of trait and method latent variables. Most contemporary CFA-MTMM models either do not allow estimating correlations between the trait and method factors or they are restricted to linear trait-method relationships. There is no theoretical reason why trait and method relationships should always be linear, and quadratic relationships are frequently proposed in the social sciences. In this article, we present two approaches for examining quadratic relations …

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms In Patients With Dementia And The Longitudinal Costs Of Informal Care In The Cache County Population, Gail B. Rattinger, Chelsea L. Sanders, Elizabeth Vernon, Sarah E. Schwartz, Stephanie Behrens, Constantine G. Lyketsos, Joann T. Tschanz

Psychology Faculty Publications

Introduction

Severity of dementia and neuropsychiatric symptoms contribute to increasing informal care costs. We examined which neuropsychiatric symptoms subdomains (NPS-SD) were associated with informal costs in a population-based sample.

Methods

Dementia progression and informal costs (2015 dollars) were estimated from the Cache County Dementia Progression Study. Overall NPS and specific NPS-SD were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE with gamma-distribution/log-link) modeled the relationship between NPS-SDs and informal cost trajectories.

Results

Two hundred eighty participants (52.1% female; age M = 85.67, SD = 5.60) exhibited an adjusted cost increase of 5.6% (P = .005), 6.4% (P …

Strategies For Selecting, Managing, And Engaging Undergraduate Coauthors: A Multi-Site Perspective, Jenna L. Scisco, Jennifer A. Mccabe, Albee Therese O. Men-Doza, Marianne Fallon, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez

Psychology Faculty Publications

In 2018, we delivered a symposium on publishing with undergraduate coauthors in the Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research (Fallon, 2018a; Fallon and Domenech Rodríguez, 2018a,b; Fallon and Scisco, 2018; McCabe and Mendoza, 2018). Based on our collective experience, we identified three common challenges: effectively selecting, managing, and engaging students throughout the publication process. We use our perspectives from different institutions (i.e., small liberal arts colleges, mid-sized regional universities, and a large research university) and evidence from past research to provide strategies to successfully meet these challenges. Ultimately, the actionable strategies we describe …

Applying And Interpreting Mixture Distribution Latent State-Trait Models, Kaylee Litson, Carly Thornhill, Christian Geiser, G. Leonard Burns, Mateu Servera

Psychology Faculty Publications

Latent state-trait (LST) models are commonly applied to determine the extent to which observed variables reflect trait-like versus state-like constructs. Mixture distribution LST (M-LST) models relax the assumption of population homogeneity made in traditional LST models, allowing researchers to identify subpopulations (latent classes) with differing trait- and state-like attributes. Applications of M-LST models are scarce, presumably because of the analysis complexity. We present a step-by-step tutorial for evaluating M-LST models based on an application to mother, father, and teacher reports of children’s inattention (n = 811). In the application, we found three latent classes for mother and father reports …

Identification And Transformation Difficulty In Problem Solving: Electrophysiological Evidence From Chunk Decomposition, Zhonglu Zhang, Yu Luo, Chaolun Wang, Christopher M. Warren, Qi Xia, Qiang Xing, Bihua Cao, Yi Lei, Hong Li

Psychology Faculty Publications

A wealth of studies have investigated how to overcome experience-based constraints in creative problem solving. One such experience-based constraint is the tendency for people to view tightly organized visual stimuli as single, unified percepts, even when decomposition of those stimuli into component parts (termed chunk decomposition) would facilitate problem solving. The current study investigates the neural underpinnings of chunk decomposition in creative problem solving by analyzing event-related potentials. In two experiments, participants decomposed Chinese characters into the character’s component elements and then used the base elements to form a new valid character. The action could require decomposing a “tight” chunk, …

Neural Correlates Of Interval Timing Deficits In Schizophrenia, Ariel W. Snowden, Catalin V. Buhusi

Psychology Faculty Publications

Previous research has shown that schizophrenia (SZ) patients exhibit impairments in interval timing. The cause of timing impairments in SZ remains unknown but may be explained by a dysfunction in the fronto-striatal circuits. Although the current literature includes extensive behavioral data on timing impairments, there is limited focus on the neural correlates of timing in SZ. The neuroimaging literature included in the current review reports hypoactivation in the dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), supplementary motor area (SMA) and the basal ganglia (BG). Timing deficits and deficits in attention and working memory (WM) in SZ are likely due to a dysfunction of …

Autoscore: An Open-Source Automated Tool For Scoring Listener Perception Of Speech, Stephanie A. Borrie, Tyson S. Barrett, Sarah E. Yoho Leopold

Psychology Faculty Publications

Speech perception studies typically rely on trained research assistants to score orthographic listener transcripts for words correctly identified. While the accuracy of the human scoring protocol has been validated with strong intra- and inter-rater reliability, the process of hand-scoring the transcripts is time-consuming and resource intensive. Here, an open-source computer-based tool for automated scoring of listener transcripts is built (Autoscore) and validated on three different human-scored data sets. Results show that not only is Autoscore highly accurate, achieving approximately 99% accuracy, but extremely efficient. Thus, Autoscore affords a practical research tool, with clinical application, for scoring listener intelligibility of speech.

Newborn And Infant Hearing Screening Facing Globally Growing Numbers Of People Suffering From Disabling Hearing Loss, Katrin Neumann, Shelly Chadha, George Tavartkiladze, Xingkuan Bu, Karl R. White

Psychology Faculty Publications

Recent prevalence estimates indicate that in 2015 almost half a billion people—about 6.8% of the world’s population—had disabling hearing loss and that prevalence numbers will further increase. The World Health Organization (WHO) currently estimates that at least 34 million children under the age of 15 have disabling hearing loss. Based on a 2012 WHO report, approximately 7.5 million of these children were under the age of 5 years. This review article focuses on the importance of high-quality newborn and infant hearing screening (NIHS) programs as one strategy to ameliorate disabling hearing loss as a global health problem. Two WHO resolutions …

A Web-Based Self-Guided Program To Promote Valued-Living In College Students: A Pilot Study, Jacob Firestone, Leeann Cardaciotto, Michael E. Levin, Edie Goldbacher, Peter Vernig, Laura Eubanks Gambrell

Psychology Faculty Publications

Web-based programs that focus on values, a core process within acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), may be a promising approach to cultivate positive psychosocial adjustment among undergraduates. The current study tested the usability, acceptability, and receptivity of the Living Your Values (LYV) program, a single-session, web-delivered, self-guided values intervention for undergraduates and its utility to promote valued-living and psychological wellbeing. In an undergraduate sample (N = 133), while the LVY program was deemed moderately usable, acceptability and receptivity findings were more attenuated. At follow-up (n = 98), a significant pre-intervention to follow-up increase in valued-living was evidenced both overall and …

An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study Investigating The Function Of Hoarding, Jennifer Krafft, Clarissa W. Ong, Rick A. Cruz, Michael P. Twohig, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study examined the function of hoarding behaviors and the relations between hoarding and a series of cognitive and affective processes in the moment using ecological momentary assessment. A matched-groups design was used to compare college students with higher hoarding symptoms (n = 31) and matched controls (n = 29). The two groups did not differ in what function they reported acquiring served, and positive automatic reinforcement was the most commonly reported function in both groups. Engaging in hoarding-relevant behaviors did not predict change in positive or negative affect when controlling for previous affect. Emotional reactivity and experiential avoidance in …

Investigating Variation And Strength In Social Networks, Timothy D. Immelman, Richard M. Wielkiewicz

Psychology Faculty Publications

Participants were 318 college students from two small, Catholic liberal arts institutions in the Upper Midwest. Variation (i.e., having friends with varied interests and activities) of an individual’s social network was measured by a researcher-developed inventory, the Social Network Variation Scale (SNVS). Social network strength was measured by the researcher-developed Social Network Strength Scale (SNSS). People with more variation or more strength in their social network had higher levels of happiness and lower levels of stress. Autonomy mediated the relationships between variation and stress and strength and stress. Personality moderated the relationships between variation and happiness and variation and stress.

Starting Off On The Right Foot In Acceptance And Commitment Therapy, Michael P. Twohig, Clarissa W. Ong, Jennifer Krafft, Jennifer L. Barney, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper describes the initial phase of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). The paper begins with a review of ACT’s theoretical orientation. Basic empirical support for ACT and its model is covered. A case description follows that highlights the initial phases of ACT. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for starting therapy using ACT.

Clinical impact statement:

Question: The goal of this paper is to present the manner in which ACT is initiated. Findings: There are specific theoretical elements of ACT that suggest certain approaches be taken at the beginning of therapy. Meaning: Before starting ACT with a new client, …

Assessing The Effects Of Motivative Augmentals, Pay-For-Performance, And Implicit Verbal Responding On Cooperation, Sharlet D. Rafacz, Ramona A. Houmanfar, Gregory S. Smith, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Motivative augmentals are rules or statements that temporarily change the effectiveness of a consequence, similar to establishing operations for nonverbal consequences (Hayes, Barnes-Holmes, & Roche, 2001). Many communications by an organization's leadership may function as such and alter the function of stimuli in the workplace, which in turn may influence employee behaviors (Houmanfar & Rodrigues, 2012). There is a lack of experimental research regarding this, however, particularly under different organizational pay systems (i.e., financial contingencies), which have been repeatedly shown to influence performance (e.g., Gupta & Shaw, 1998; Locke, Feren, McCaleb, Shaw, & Denny, 1980). The current study sought to …

Counseling Competencies In Audiology: A Modified Delphi Study, Alex Meibos, Karen F. Muñoz, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Purpose: Counseling practices in audiology play a critical role in helping patients and families understand, accept, and adjust to the dynamic impacts ear related disorders have on their lives. The purpose of this study was to identify what competencies (i.e., knowledge, skills, and attitudes) are important for audiologists to possess to provide effective counseling in practice.

Method: A modified Delphi study design was used to survey a panel of thirty-three professionals with expertise in audiologic counseling from five different countries. In the first survey round, experts were asked to respond to three open-ended prompts. Responses were condensed and …

Next Steps For Training And Education In Professional Psychology: Advancing The Science And Expanding Our Reach, Debora J. Bell, Jennifer L. Callahan, Georita M. Frierson, Theodore R. Burnes, Susan Lynn Crowley, Stephen R. Mccutcheon

Psychology Faculty Publications

As TEPP’s new editorial team begins their term, the authors discuss their vision for the journal as a forum for thoughtful conceptual examination and sound empirical investigation of current issues in health service psychology (HSP) education and training. The editorial team articulates three primary goals for the journal, including (1) engaging the broad training community in sharing its best conceptual and empirical work relevant to the varied levels, settings, and areas of education and training in HSP; (2) advancing the science of education and training through strong empirical research; and (3) expanding our emphasis on the sociocultural context in which …

Longitudinal Effects Of A 2-Year Meditation And Buddhism Program On Well-Being, Quality Of Life, And Valued Living, Brooke M. Smith, Clarissa W. Ong, Tyson S. Barrett, Ellen J. Bluett, Timothy A. Slocum, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objectives: Most research on mindfulness and meditation has focused on structured therapeutic interventions, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, or meditation retreats. Such programs have received moderate empirical support for improving psychological outcomes in clinical and nonclinical populations, but there remains a paucity of research on intensive or long-term mindfulness or meditation programs for experienced practitioners, especially those that incorporate Buddhist teachings. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of a long-term integrated mindfulness/meditation and Buddhism program, Dharma in Daily Life (DIDL).

Methods: Well-being, quality of life, valued living, and theorized processes of change were …

The Potential Benefits Of Flexibility For Dissemination And Implementation: Acceptance And Commitment Therapy As An Example, Michael E. Levin, Brooke M. Smith, Gregory S. Smith

Psychology Faculty Publications

Our commentary on the article by Fixsen and Blase (2018) highlights some of the converging and diverging strategies between the Teaching-Family Model (TFM) and the dissemination and implementation of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). We focus primarily on the potential benefits of flexibility in areas including theory, methodology, and intervention protocols. Examples include the use of middle level terms, randomized controlled trial methods, protocols focused more on function than specific topography, and an open, collaborative approach to dissemination. We also note how this broader set of strategies can be made coherent and progressive through a careful connection back to contextual …