Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Ethnic And Gender Differences In Psychosocial Factors In Native Hawaiian, Other Pacific Islanders, And Asian American Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Jillian Inouye, Dongmei Li, James Davis, Richard Arakaki

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This study examined the differences between 207 Asians and Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islanders (NHOPI) with type 2 diabetes among various psychosocial measures. Responses to five multivariable regression models including the Diabetes Quality of Life Questionnaire (DQOL) and Short Form -36® Health Survey (SF-36) were analyzed. Differences were determined by linear contrasts in the multivariate linear regression models after adjusted for multiple demographic and socioeconomic variables. Compared to Asians, NHOPIs perceived a lower impact of diabetes on their quality of life; highlighting differences in perceptions of self-efficacy and self-care activities. Females did better on their diet while males perceived better …

Autonomic And Behavioral Reactivity To An Acute Laboratory Stressor, Jeremy C. Peres

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Stress has been widely shown to directly influence people’s emotional and behavioral processing as well as their underlying biological systems. This project examined physiological and behavioral responses as indicators of stress and coping in the context of a psychosocial stressor in a controlled laboratory setting. We examined the association between indicators of behavioral coping and underlying physiological reactivity within participants while experiencing stress. Participants included 68 emerging adults. Physiological measures include autonomic biomarkers (e.g., heart-rate, skin conductance) at rest and during the stressor while behavioral indicators that were coded include acute verbal and non-verbal actions exhibited by participants during the …

Septohippocampal Gabaergic Neurons Mediate The Altered Behaviors Induced By N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Antagonists., Jingyi Ma, Siew Kian Tai, L Stan Leung

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

We hypothesize that selective lesion of the septohippocampal GABAergic neurons suppresses the altered behaviors induced by an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, ketamine or MK-801. In addition, we hypothesize that septohippocampal GABAergic neurons generate an atropine-resistant theta rhythm that coexists with an atropine-sensitive theta rhythm in the hippocampus. Infusion of orexin-saporin (ore-SAP) into the medial septal area decreased parvalbumin-immunoreactive (GABAergic) neurons by ~80%, without significantly affecting choline-acetyltransferase-immunoreactive (cholinergic) neurons. The theta rhythm during walking, or the immobility-associated theta induced by pilocarpine, was not different between ore-SAP and sham-lesion rats. Walking theta was, however, more disrupted by atropine sulfate in ore-SAP than …

An Integrative Review Of Out-Patient Teaching For Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Elizabeth Hicks, Melissa Hogan, Kendra Parker

Pharmacy and Nursing Student Research and Evidence-Based Medicine Poster Session

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is most prevalent in children. Symptoms include inappropriate levels of hyperactivity, impulsive behavior, and lack of attention. 3-9% of children suffer from the symptoms of ADHD. Treatments of ADHD vary: pharmacological therapy includes stimulants and non-stimulants, whereas non-pharmacological treatments include restriction diet, nutrient supplements, and psychosocial interventions. Psycho-stimulant treatment is not beneficial for 20-30% of children with ADHD. The purpose of this study is to determine if diet/nutrition and parent training treatments are effective in managing the symptoms of children with ADHD.

Contribution Of Behavioral Risk Factors And Obesity To Socioeconomic Differences In Colorectal Cancer Incidence, Chyke Doubeni, Jacqueline Major, Adeyinka Laiyemo, Mario Schootman, Ann Zauber, Albert Hollenbeck, Rashmi Sinha, Jeroan Allison

Chyke A. Doubeni

BACKGROUND:Health behaviors are known risk factors for colorectal cancer and are more common in low socioeconomic status (SES) populations. We evaluated the extent to which behavioral risk factors and body mass index (BMI) explain SES disparities in colorectal cancer incidence, overall and by tumor location.

METHODS: We analyzed prospective National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study data on 506 488 participants who were recruited in 1995-1996 from six US states and two metropolitan areas and followed through 2006. Detailed baseline data on risk factors for colorectal cancer, including health behaviors, were obtained using questionnaires. SES was measured by self-reported …

Accuracy Of Self-Reported Sun Exposure And Sun Protection Behavior, Joel J. Hillhouse, Robert Turrisi, James Jaccard, June K. Robinson

ETSU Faculty Works

The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of self-reported skin cancer risk outcome measures proposed as standards by prevention experts to aggregated estimates of behavior from weekly diaries. Weekly electronic diaries of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) behaviors, initially validated by comparison with daily electronic diaries, were used to assess the accuracy of commonly used end-of-summer self-reported measures among 250 adults. Results revealed low biases, and good correspondence between simple open-ended self-reported estimates of days outside, hours outside, sunbathing days and hours, and days outside when not protected by either sunscreen, long-sleeved shirts, hats, or shade. Rating scale measures …

When That Tune Runs Through Your Head: A Pet Investigation Of Auditory Imagery For Familiar Melodies, Andrea Halpern, Robert J. Zatorre

Andrea Halpern

The present study used positron emission tomography (PET) to examine the cerebral activity pattern associated with auditory imagery for familiar tunes. Subjects either imagined the continuation of nonverbal tunes cued by their first few notes, listened to a short sequence of notes as a control task, or listened and then reimagined that short sequence. Subtraction of the activation in the control task from that in the real-tune imagery task revealed primarily right-sided activation in frontal and superior temporal regions, plus supplementary motor area (SMA). Isolating retrieval of the real tunes by subtracting activation in the reimagine task from that in …

The Organization Of Memory For Familiar Songs, Andrea Halpern

Andrea Halpern

Investigated the organizing principles in memory for familiar songs in 2 experiments. It was hypothesized that individuals do not store and remember each song in isolation. Rather, there exists a rich system of relationships among tunes that can be revealed through similarity rating studies and memory tasks. One initial assumption was the division of relations among tunes into musical (e.g., tempo, rhythm) and nonmusical similarity. In Exp I, 20 undergraduates were asked to sort 60 familiar tunes into groups according to both musical and nonmusical criteria. Clustering analyses showed clear patterns of nonmusical similarity but few instances of musical similarity. …

Perceived And Imagined Tempos Of Familiar Songs, Andrea Halpern

Andrea Halpern

Two studies investigated the similarity of metronome settings to perceived and imagined familiar songs by subjects unselected for musical ability. In Study 1, mean tempo settings in the two tasks were about 100 beats per minute. Songs with slower perceived tempos tended to be faster in the imagery task and vice versa. In Study 2, subjects set fastest and slowest acceptable tempos for the same set of songs in the imagery mode. These settings were positively correlated with the preferred tempo for the song. Most subjects thought that there were limits on how fast or slow a song could be …

Mental Scanning In Auditory Imagery For Songs, Andrea Halpern

Andrea Halpern

Four experiments examined how people operate on memory representations of familiar songs. The tasks were similar to those used in studies of visual imagery. In one task, subjects saw a one word lyric from a song and then saw a second lyric; then they had to say if the second lyric was from the same song as the first. In a second task, subjects mentally compared pitches of notes corresponding to song lyrics. In both tasks, reaction time increased as a function of the distance in beats between the two lyrics in the actual song, and in some conditions reaction …

Implicit Memory For Music In Alzheimer's Disease, Andrea Halpern, Margaret G. O'Connor

Andrea Halpern

Short, unfamiliar melodies were presented to young and older adults and to Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in an implicit and an explicit memory task. The explicit task was yes–no recognition, and the implicit task was pleasantness ratings, in which memory was shown by higher ratings for old versus new melodies (the mere exposure effect). Young adults showed retention of the melodies in both tasks. Older adults showed little explicit memory but did show the mere exposure effect. The AD patients showed neither. The authors considered and rejected several artifactual reasons for this null effect in the context of the many …

Musical Expertise And Melodic Structure In Memory For Musical Notation, Andrea Halpern

Andrea Halpern

Two experiments plus a pilot investigated the role of melodic structure on short-term memory for musical notation by musicians and nonmusicians. In the pilot experiment, visually similar melodies that had been rated as either "good" or "bad" were presented briefly, followed by a 15-sec retention interval and then recall. Musicians remembered good melodies better than they remembered bad ones: nonmusicians did not distinguish between them. In the second experiment, good, bad, and random melodies were briefly presented, followed by immediate recall. The advantage of musicians over nonmusicians decreased as the melody type progressed from good to bad to random. In …

Memory For Tune Titles After Organized Or Unorganized Presentation, Andrea Halpern

Andrea Halpern

Two experiments investigated the structure of memory for titles of 54 familiar tunes. The titles were presented in the form of a hierarchy, with nodes labeled by genre (e.g., Rock or Patriotic). Four groups of subjects received logical or randomized titles, and logical or randomized labels. Goodness of label and title structure had equal and additive beneficial effects on recall with a 3-min exposure of the stimuli. With a 4-min exposure, good title structure became a larger contributor to good recall. Clustering analyses suggested that subjects were mentally representing the tune titles hierarchically, even when presentation was random.

Memory For The Absolute Pitch Of Familiar Songs, Andrea Halpern

Andrea Halpern

Four experiments were conducted to examine the ability of people without "perfect pitch" to retain the absolute pitch offamiliar tunes. In Experiment 1, participants imagined given tunes, and then hummed their first notes four times either between or within sessions. The variability of these productions was very low. Experiment 2 used a recognition paradigm, with results similar to those in Experiment 1 for musicians, but with some additional variability shown for unselected subjects. In Experiment 3, subjects rated the suitability ofvarious pitches to start familiar tunes. Previously given preferred notes were rated high, as were notes three or four semitones …

Duration Discrimination In A Series Of Rhythmic Events, Andrea Halpern

Andrea Halpern

Duration discrimination of the last of a series of four clicks was investigated. Examination of psychophysical functions from eight subjects revealed evidence for a Weber’s law model relating discrimination to base interclick interval. Also, the point of subjective equality was seen to change reliably as a function of base rate.

Parametric Studies Of Antipsychotic-Induced Sensitization In The Conditioned Avoidance Response Model: Roles Of Number Of Drug Exposure, Drug Dose, And Test–Retest Interval, Natashia Swalve, Ming Li

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Repeated haloperidol and olanzapine treatment produces an enhanced disruption of avoidance responding, a validated measure of antipsychotic activity. Experimental parameters affecting this sensitization-like effect have not been thoroughly examined. The present study investigated the role of three parameters (number of injections, dose, and interval between initial exposure and challenge) in antipsychotic sensitization in the conditioned avoidance response paradigm. Well-trained Sprague–Dawley rats received different numbers of drug treatment (1–5 days) or different doses of haloperidol (0.025–0.10 mg/kg, subcutaneously) or olanzapine (0.5–2.0 mg/kg, subcutaneously). After certain time intervals (4, 10 or 17 days), they were tested for the expression of haloperidol or …

Sleep Hygiene And Problem Behaviors In Snoring And Non- Snoring School-Age Children, Lisa A. Witcher, David Gozal, Dennis L. Molfese, Scott M. Salathe, Karen Spruyt, Valerie Mclaughlin Crabtree

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty and Staff Publications

Objectives—The effects of sleep-disordered breathing, sleep restriction, dyssomnias, and parasomnias on daytime behavior in children have been previously assessed. However, the potential relationship(s) between sleep hygiene and children’s daytime behavior remain to be explored. The primary goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between sleep hygiene and problematic behaviors in non-snoring and habitually snoring children.

Methods—Parents of 100 5- to 8-year-old children who were reported to snore “frequently” to “almost always,” and of 71 age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched children who were reported to never snore participated in this study. As part of a larger, ongoing study, …

The Change Program: Comparing An Interactive Versus Prescriptive Telephone-Based Behavioural Intervention On The Psychological And Physiological Profiles Of University Students With Obesity, Erin S. Pearson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of the CHANGE (Coaching towards Healthy Actions Naturally through Goal-related Empowerment) Program was to compare the effectiveness of an interactive versus prescriptive 12-week telephone-based behavioural intervention on the psychological and physiological profiles of university students with obesity. Motivational Interviewing administered using Co-Active Life Coaching (MI-via-CALC) and a structured lifestyle treatment following the LEARN (Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships, Nutrition) Program for Weight Management were examined.

Article 1 provided a methodological account of the CHANGE Program which included a detailed rationale for its development and a comprehensive description of the methods used. Because goal setting has been established as an …

Individual Differences In White Matter Microstructure Predict Mathematical Achievement, Anna A. Matejko

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The current study uses diffusion tensor imaging to test whether individual differences in white matter predict performance on the math subtest of the preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT). Grade 10 and 11 PSAT scores were obtained from 30 young adults (ages 17- 18) with wide-ranging math achievement levels. Tract based spatial statistics was used to examine the correlation between PSAT math scores, fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD) and axial diffusivity (AD). FA in left parietal white matter was positively correlated with math PSAT scores (specifically in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus, left superior corona radiata, and left corticospinal tract). …

Prospective Investigation Of A Ptsd Personality Typology Among Individuals With Personality Disorders, Meghan E. Mcdevitt-Murphy, M. Tracie Shea, Shirley Yen, Carlos M. Grilo, Charles A. Sanislow, John C. Markowitz, Andrew E. Skodol

Charles A. Sanislow, Ph.D.

This study investigated the replicability of a previously proposed personality typology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD, and explored stability of cluster membership over a 6-month period. Participants with current PTSD (n = 156) were drawn from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study (CLPS). The CLPS project tracked a large sample of individuals who met criteria for 1 of 4 target diagnoses (borderline, schizotypal, avoidant, and obsessive-compulsive) and a contrast group of individuals who met criteria for depression but no personality disorder. A cluster analysis using scales from the Schedule of Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality yielded 3 clusters: “internalizing,” “externalizing,” and …

Neurological Soft Signs In Persons With Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment And The Relationships To Neuropsychological Functions, Hui-Jie Li, Peng-Yun Wang, Yang Jiang, Raymond C.K. Chan, Hua-Li Wang, Juan Li

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Neurological abnormalities have been reported in people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). The current study aimed to examine the prevalence of neurological soft signs (NSS) in this clinical group and to examine the relationship of NSS to other neuropsychological performances.

METHODS: Twenty-nine people with aMCI and 28 cognitively healthy elderly people were recruited for the present study. The NSS subscales (motor coordination, sensory integration, and disinhibition) of the Cambridge Neurological Inventory and a set of neuropsychological tests were administered to all the participants.

RESULTS: People with aMCI exhibited significantly more motor coordination signs, disinhibition signs, and total NSS …

Help-Negation For Suicidal Thoughts In Sub-Clinical Samples Of Young People, Coralie Joy Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Across the popular and academic literature, it is widely recognised that young people with persistent suicidal thoughts are at high risk for suicide completion. It is also accepted that seeking and receiving appropriate help offers protection against the development of acute forms of suicidality, along with suicide completion. Yet, as promising as appropriate help-seeking appears for suicide prevention, a growing number of studies suggest that suicidal ideation itself may impede the help-seeking process. There is evidence that acutely suicidal samples will negate or avoid available help, and there are indications that the help-negation process may occur in samples before levels …

Does Personality Moderate Reciprocity?, Arianna Groveman

Honors Theses

I completed this experiment in order to better understand how personality moderates reciprocity. Reciprocity is a compliance strategy that involves giving or doing something for someone in exchange for something in return (Cialdini, 1993). I originally predicted that high self-monitors would show greater reciprocity than low self-monitors. Also, I predicted people with high need for cognition will show more reciprocity than people with a low need for cognition. In addition, I hypothesized that people with a low need to evaluate will show more reciprocity than people with a high need to evaluate. Participants were randomly assigned to either a “Soft …

The Differing Effects Of Mood Priming On High Versus Low Self-Monitors, Kathleen E. Jordan

Honors Theses

The study investigated the influence of mood priming and how the influence could be different between high and low self-­‐monitors. High self‐monitors would exhibit more of a change in mood after the priming as compared to low self‐monitors. Ninety‐seven participants at Union College completed the self-‐monitoring scale, randomly underwent either positive, negative, or neutral mood priming, and then reported on their moods. There was a significant difference found between the moods of high and low self‐monitors. Low self‐monitors reported happier feelings in the positive mood condition as well as lower moods in the negative mood condition than high self‐monitors.

Route To Persuasion In The Elaboration Likelihood Model: The Role Of Self-Esteem, Hilary Salander

Honors Theses

The current study aimed to explore the relationship between the two routes to persuasion proposed in the Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion, the central route and the peripheral route, and an individual’s self-esteem. It was hypothesized that individuals with low self-esteem would be more likely to follow the peripheral route to persuasion due to a lack of cognitive resources needed to enter the central route, while those high in self-esteem were thought to be more likely to follow the central route. Participants were first asked to fill out a series of three short questionnaires, one of which was the Rosenberg …

He Shoots He Scores: The Effect Of Mortality Salience On Risky Decisions In A Basketball Task As A Function Of Competition And Self-Esteem, Alexandra M. Aldeborgh

Honors Theses

The current study was designed to examine the effects of mortality salience (MS) and competition on risk-taking behavior in a sports-related setting as moderated by self-esteem. A basketball task was used to simulate sports risk, in which participants had the option of shooting from three lines: worth one point (least risky option), three points, and five points (riskiest option). Participants were either under the impression that they were competing with another participant or not. It was hypothesized that high self-esteem individuals, when primed with death thoughts and under the illusion of competition, would be most likely to shoot from the …

Medical Oxymoron Or Necessary Prevention Of Repeat Sex Offenses: An Examination Of The Appropriateness Of Existing Chemical Castration Statutes, Robert Watters

Robert Watters

The current chemical castration statutes in six states are full of logical constitutional, medical and ethical questions and concerns. The basis for the criticism can be traced to how the schemes were developed compared to the those used in Europe. The castration statutes enacted after long trial and error periods are, therefore, easily discernible from those signed into law quickly as a reaction to some outside event.

Linguistic Devices, Emotionality, And Memorability Of Computer Mediated Communication, Angela M. Mion

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

I examined whether college students use shortcuts, pragmatics, and errors in text messages differently depending on their gender and the emotionality of the message. Results indicate that the prevalence of particular shortcuts differed across happy, sad, and angry messages, but gender did not influence use of linguistic devices. In a second study, I examined the emotionality and memorability of text messages versus voicemails. Results indicate that texts may be remembered better than voicemails, and happy, sad, and angry messages may be remembered differently by men and women.

Behavior Management And Psychopharmacology In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, James Coplan Md

Annual Foundations Behavioral Health/La Salle University Autism Spectrum Disorders Conference

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) frequently manifest maladaptive behavior. In this workshop we will describe the underlying neuropsychological deficits in ASD, explain how these deficits give rise to various maladaptive behaviors, and provide a logical framework for responding to such behaviors, including behavioral methods and various medications.

This program is designed to help you…

1. Understand fundamental behavioral principles such as positive and negative reinforcement, overcorrection, and token economies
2. Understand the concept of cognitive rigidity as a driver of maladaptive behavior in persons with ASD, and identify behavioral and pharmacological methods of benefit
3. Understand the role of dysregulation of attention …

Adolescents And Adults With Autism: Evidence-Based Practice In Support Of Competence And Quality Of Life, Peter F. Gerhardt Ed.D.

Annual Foundations Behavioral Health/La Salle University Autism Spectrum Disorders Conference

No abstract provided.