Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Prison Abuse And Mental Health, Hayley R. Wolfe, Shelby Haas, Candace Olley

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Abuse among mentally ill inmates is a relevant issue in prison systems worldwide. This presentation will focus on the pervasiveness and severity of this abuse in the US and abroad. Pertinent statistics regarding the prevalence of abuse among the mentally ill in prison systems, as well as the obstacles to obtaining such statistics will be presented. Following the major deinstitutionalization of mental hospitals in the 1970s, the mentally ill inmate population has seen exponential increase in the United States. Abuse statistics of the mentally ill in United Kingdom prisons will also be presented and analyzed, including concerns in prison staff …

Possible Psychosocial Benefits Of Having A Sibling With A Disability, Jenna M. Talbott

Senior Honors Theses

Possible psychosocial benefits resulting from exposure to siblings with disabilities are investigated in the current study. Previous literature has generally overlooked the possibility of psychosocial benefits by exclusively focusing on the negative effects of having a sibling with disabilities. Contact theory suggests that the increased exposure to individuals with disabilities should increase positive attitude toward those who are struggling with disadvantages. This investigation hypothesized that this tendency would be manifested as elevated empathy and compassion in individuals who have siblings with disabilities, and that these traits would be influenced by certain demographic variables. A survey was distributed, and the responses …

Changes In Sleep Time And Sleep Quality Across The Ovulatory Cycle As A Function Of Fertility And Partner Attractiveness, Brooke N. Jenkins, Elizabeth G. Pillsworth, Aaron T. Goetz

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Research suggests that near ovulation women tend to consume fewer calories and engage in more physical activity; they are judged to be more attractive, express greater preferences for masculine and symmetrical men, and experience increases in sexual desire for men other than their primary partners. Some of these cycle phase shifts are moderated by partner attractiveness and interpreted as strategic responses to women’s current reproductive context. The present study investigated changes in sleep across the ovulatory cycle, based on the hypothesis that changes in sleep may reflect ancestral strategic shifts of time and energy toward reproductive activities. Participants completed a …

An Exploratory Study Of College Students’ Attitudes About Ecstasy, Rachel Reingold

Senior Theses and Projects

In a recent survey of 18-35 year olds, 15% reported using ecstasy (Businelle et al., 2009) and many emerging adults viewed it as “safer” than other illicit drugs, with limited negative consequences (Bahora et al., 2009). Although numerous quantitative studies have explored the topic of ecstasy use in college students, there is limited qualitative research, most of which is limited to users. Thus, in the current study, we used a focus group methodology to better understand users’ and nonusers’ knowledge, expectations, and perceived risks of ecstasy use, for the purpose of informing prevention efforts on college campuses. Twenty-four college students …

Impulsive Choice In Unmedicated And Medicated Children Diagnosed With Adhd: Examining The Variables Of Reward Type And Adhd Subtype, Nicole Henriksen

Dissertations

Developmentally inappropriate and impairing impulsive behaviors are often seen in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). One method for objectively assessing impulsivity is the Choice-Delay Task (C-DT) which presents repeated opportunities to choose between a smaller, sooner (SS) or larger, later (LL) reward. A preference for the SS reward that results in less total reward is considered impulsive. Many studies have found that participants diagnosed with ADHD choose the SS reward more than typical controls. However, less is known about the effects of different types of rewards, or the comparative performance of certain subgroups, such as children diagnosed with ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Type …

Comparison Of Functional Network Connectivity For Passive-Listening And Active-Response Narrative Comprehension In Adolescents, Yingying Wang, Scott K. Holland

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

Comprehension of narrative stories plays an important role in the development of language skills. In this study, we compared brain activity elicited by a passive-listening version and an active-response (AR) version of a narrative comprehension task by using independent component (IC) analysis on functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 21 adolescents (ages 14–18 years). Furthermore, we explored differences in functional network connectivity engaged by two versions of the task and investigated the relationship between the online response time and the strength of connectivity between each pair of ICs. Despite similar brain region involvements in auditory, temporoparietal, and frontoparietal language networks …

Mindfulness And Its Ability To Alleviate State And Trait Anxiety In College Students, Kaitlyn Mascioli

Senior Theses and Projects

Society today puts extreme pressure on individuals to take on a magnitude of daily responsibilities in order to be successful. We are pushed beyond our limits both mentally and physically, which results in heightened state and trait anxiety. Adopting the theory of mindfulness teaches us to live in the present moment and not criticize our thoughts (Bormann et. al, 2013). The current study tests the effects of daily mindfulness meditation on state and trait anxiety as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Participants were Trinity College students that engaged in formal meditation sessions twice a week, but maintained the practice …

Linking Brain Electrical Signals Elicited By Current Outcomes With Future Risk Decision-Making, Dandan Zhang, Ruolei Gu, Lucas S. Broster, Yang Jiang, Wenbo Luo, Jian Zhang, Yue-Jia Luo

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

The experience of current outcomes influences future decisions in various ways. The neural mechanism of this phenomenon may help to clarify the determinants of decision-making. In this study, thirty-nine young adults finished a risky gambling task by choosing between a high- and a low-risk option in each trial during electroencephalographic data collection. We found that risk-taking strategies significantly modulated mean amplitudes of the event-related potential (ERP) component P3, particularly at the central scalp. The event-related spectral perturbation and the inter-trial coherence measurements of the independent component analysis (ICA) data indicated that the “stay” vs. “switch” electrophysiological difference associated with subsequent …

Heroes: What They Do & Why We Need Them, Scott T. Allison, George R. Goethals

Scott T. Allison

Abraham Lincoln, Princess Diana, Rick in Casablanca--why do we perceive certain people as heroes? What qualities do we see in them? What must they do to win our admiration? In Heroes, Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals offer a stimulating tour of the psychology of heroism, shedding light on what heroism and villainy mean to most people and why heroes--both real people and fictional characters--are so vital to our lives. The book discusses a broad range of heroes, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino, Senator Ted Kennedy, and explorer Ernest Shackleton, plus villains such as Shakespeare's Iago. …

Changing Clinical Behavior: Implementing Guidelines To Improve Primary Care Practice, Elizabeth Dugan, Katherine Dodd, Shellie Ellis

Elizabeth Dugan

Citation: Dugan E, Dodd K, Ellis S. Changing clinical behavior: Implementing guidelines to improve primary care practice. In: Shumaker, Ockene & Riekert (Eds.) The Handbook for Health Behavior Change, 3rd edition, NY: Springer, 2008, p. 463-477. A partial preview of this chapter is available via Google Books.

Effect Of The Planet Health Intervention On Eating Disorder Symptoms In Massachusetts Middle Schools, 2005-2008, S. Bryn Austin, Jennifer L. Spadano-Gasbarro, Mary L. Greaney, Emily A. Blood, Anne T. Hunt, Tracy K. Richmond, Monica L. Wang, Solomon Mezgebu, Stavroula K. Osganian, Karen E. Peterson

Monica L. Wang

INTRODUCTION: The Planet Health obesity prevention curriculum has prevented purging and abuse of diet pills (disordered weight control behavior [DWCB]) in middle-school girls in randomized trials, but the effects of Planet Health on DWCB when implemented by schools under dissemination conditions are not known. METHODS: Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts disseminated Planet Health as part of the 3-year, Healthy Choices obesity prevention program in middle schools. We conducted an evaluation in 45 schools from fall 2005 to spring 2008. We gathered data from school staff to quantify intervention activities, and we gathered anonymous …

Patient Attitudes Towards Physician Nonverbal Behaviors During Consultancy: Result From A Developing Country, Fahad Hanif Khan, Raheela Hanif, Rumina Tabassum, Waris Qidwai Dr, Kashmira Nanji

Department of Family Medicine

Background. Nonverbal behaviors have a significant impact on patients during consultations. This study was undertaken to find out the attitudes and preferences of the patients regarding nonverbal communication during consultations with physicians, in a tertiary care hospital.
Methods. A questionnaire based cross-sectional study was carried out at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, during the months of January to March 2012. All patients (>18 years of age) coming for consultancy in the family medicine clinics were approached; out of 133, 120 agreed to participate. The subjects were asked questions regarding physician’s comforting touch and eye contact and …

Using Otoacoustic Emissions To Evaluate Efferent Auditory Function In Humans, Simon Henin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The auditory system continually adapts to changes in the acoustic environment over short periods of time. This fine-tuning of its dynamics is mediated in part by the medial olivocochlear (MOC) bundle, a neural feedback loop which aids in the regulation of cochlear micro-mechanics. The ability to measure the response of the MOC system in humans may provide significant insight into unique cochlear functions, such as its sharp frequency selectivity and wide dynamic range. In humans the efferent system can be investigated non-invasively using otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). However, how OAEs can best be used to evaluate efferent function, the pitfalls associated …

Prediction Of Dengue Disease Severity Among Pediatric Thai Patients Using Early Clinical Laboratory Indicators, James A. Potts, Robert V. Gibbons, Alan L. Rothman, Anon Srikiatkhachorn, Stephen J. Thomas, Pra-On Supradish, Stephenie C. Lemon, Daniel H. Libraty, Sharone Green, Siripen Kalayanarooj

Sharone Green

BACKGROUND: Dengue virus is endemic in tropical and sub-tropical resource-poor countries. Dengue illness can range from a nonspecific febrile illness to a severe disease, Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS), in which patients develop circulatory failure. Earlier diagnosis of severe dengue illnesses would have a substantial impact on the allocation of health resources in endemic countries. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We compared clinical laboratory findings collected within 72 hours of fever onset from a prospective cohort children presenting to one of two hospitals (one urban and one rural) in Thailand. Classification and regression tree analysis was used to develop diagnostic algorithms using different …

Theory Of Planned Behavior, Isalt Team

iSALT Resources: Theories, Concepts, and Measures

No abstract provided.

Children, Adolescents And Firesetting, Joav Merrick, Carrie Howell Bowling, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

The research of firesetting has been conducted in different ways and lacks a coherent, consistent and comprehensive set of empirical findings. A recent review concluded that despite a number of risk factors being repeatedly identified, an understanding of the etiology behind firesetting behavior and potential developmental trajectories remains theoretically rather than empirically based. Existing theories do not take sufficient account of the complexities of firesetting behavior and there is not yet a typology and accompanying assessment that has undergone thorough empirical testing and is of significant clinical utility. Due to the relationship between firesetting and antisocial behavior there is a …

Self-Reported Juvenile Firesetting, Carrie Howell Bowling, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

In this chapter we address gaps in existing research by examining the relationship between academic performance and attention problems with juvenile firesetting. Two datasets from the Achenbach System for Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) were used. The Factor Analysis Dataset (N = 975) was utilized and results indicated that adolescents who report lower academic performance are more likely to set fires. Additionally, adolescents who report a poor attitude toward school are even more likely to set fires. Logistic regressions were run to determine if attention problems predicted firesetting and the findings indicated that attention problems are predictive of self-reported firesetting. The …

Adolescent Bereavement, Leslie Robin, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Depending on cognitive and emotional development, an adolescent may grieve very differently than a child or an adult. While mature enough to understand death's irreversibility, adolescents may not fully comprehend the enduring consequences of a loved one's death. As the desire to separate from their families and forge new intimate relationships with peers assumes increasing priority, adolescents can seem egocentric in their reaction to death, a response which often frustrates and perplexes adults. Because volatile behavior is characteristic of adolescence, health providers struggle to differentiate between normal and complicated bereavement. Here we review the commonly-accepted characteristics of normal and complicated …

Meta-Analysis Of Social-Personality Psychological Research, Blair T. Johnson, Alice H. Eagly

CHIP Documents

This publication provides a contemporary treatment of the subject of meta-analysis in relation to social-personality psychology. Meta-analysis literally refers to the statistical pooling of the results of independent studies on a given subject, although in practice it refers as well to other steps of research synthesis, including defining the question under investigation, gathering all available research reports, coding of information about the studies and their effects, and interpretation/dissemination of results. Discussed as well are the hallmarks of high-quality meta-analyses.

Optimism And Planning For Future Care Needs Among Older Adults, Silvia Sörensen, Jameson K. Hirsch, Jeffrey M. Lyness

ETSU Faculty Works

Aging is associated with an increase in need for assistance. Preparation for future care (PFC) is related to improved coping ability as well as better mental and physical health outcomes among older adults. We examined the association of optimism with components of PFC among older adults. We also explored race differences in the relationship between optimism and PFC. In Study 1, multiple regression showed that optimism was positively related to concrete planning. In Study 2, optimism was related to gathering information. An exploratory analysis combining the samples yielded a race interaction: For Whites higher optimism, but for Blacks lower optimism …

Health Behaviors Among College Students: The Influence Of Future Time Perspective And Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction, Preston L. Visser, Jameson K. Hirsch

ETSU Faculty Works

Health behavior change may prevent many fatal diseases, and may be influenced by social and motivational constructs. We assessed the interaction effect of future time perspective and basic psychological need fulfillment on positive and negative health behaviors. Future time perspective was associated with more positive, and less negative, health behaviors. Need fulfillment was associated with only positive health behaviors. In moderation analyses, individuals reporting both high need fulfillment and future perspective reported greater positive health behaviors, and were especially unlikely to smoke. Enhancing future-mindedness and supporting need satisfaction in interventions targeting modifiable health behaviors is encouraged.

Hispanic Construction Workers And Assertiveness Training, Pramen Shrestha, Nancy Menzel

Nursing Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Hispanic (Latino) construction workers experience disparities in occupational death and injury rates in the United States. The cultural value of respect for those in authority may hinder these workers from requesting safe working conditions from supervisors.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether Hispanic construction workers in Las Vegas, Nevada found assertiveness training more useful than non-Hispanic trainees and whether or not they practiced this behavior at work after the training.

METHODS: An assertiveness training simulation was part of fall prevention classes offered to area construction workers. Eight weeks after the training, participants were interviewed by telephone about class topics they found …

Visual Efficiency And The Relationship Between Reading And Behaviors Indicating Difficulties In The Classroom In Elementary School-Age Children, Patricia A. Broadbent

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between visual efficiency, reading levels and behaviors indicating difficulties in the classroom. The sample consisted of thirty–three school-aged children, from four elementary schools. Visual efficiency was measured through a multi-step vision screening process, the Visual Efficiency Rating (VERA) software program. Behaviors indicating difficulties in the classroom were measured using the Behavioral Indicator Checklist, Indicators of Visual Performance Difficulties. This behavior checklist is part of the VERA process and is completed by the classroom teachers. The students’ reading levels were reported by the participating schools. The students were …

Are Antidepressants Effective For Smoking Cessation In African American Smokers Aged 18 And Older?, Jennifer M. Myskowski

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not antidepressants are effective for smoking cessation in African American smokers aged 18 and older.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of two randomized controlled trials published in 2002 and 2011 and one pilot randomized control trial published in 2011, all English language.

DATA SOURCES: Two randomized, double-blind, controlled trials comparing bupropion to a placebo group and one pilot randomized controlled trial comparing varenicline with adherence support for smoking cessation to the control without adherence support. All articles were found using Medline, PubMed, and OVID.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: …

Is Animal Assisted Therapy With Dogs Effective In Improving Psychosocial Variables Of Mood In Hospital Patients?, Kelsey A. Morris

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not animal assisted interventions with dogs are effective in improving psychosocial variables of mood in hospital patients.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of two English language randomized control trial published in 2008 and 2007, and one English language clinical trial published in 2009.

DATA SOURCES: Two randomized, controlled trials comparing animal assisted interventions to absent animal interaction, interaction with a human being, engaging in another interactive activity, or no treatment were found using PubMed and Cochrane System Reviews.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Anxiety was measured by POMS …

Does Supplementation Of N-3 Fatty Acids Containing Dha Throughout Pregnancy And Breastfeeding Improve Child Cognition?, Bianca E. Parenti

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not the supplementation of N-3 fatty acids containing DHA throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding improve child cognition.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three double blind randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) published in 2003 and 2011.

DATA SOURCES: Three peer-reviewed RCTs were found using PubMed and Medline. These studies compared DHA supplementation against various placebos.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: enhanced child cognition was assessed via various exams, including the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) and Fagan tests. Significant outcomes were evaluated through the use of SD, Mean …

Does Epigallocatechin Gallate Improve Mood In Heathly Adults?, Bethany J. Wong

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) improves mood in healthy adults.

STUDY DESIGN: A review of three peer-reviewed journal articles written in the English language published between 2009 and 2012.

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies comparing the effect of EGCG to placebo on mood were found using PubMed and Cochrane databases.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Outcomes measured in the studies included change in mood. Patient ratings of mood were measured using Mood Visual Analog Scales (Mood VAS), the University of Wales Institute of Science and …

A Comparison Of Parenting Dimensions Between Mothers Of Children With Down Syndrome And Mothers Of Typically Developing Children, B. Allyson Phillips

Books and Monographs

The purpose of the current study was to compare the parenting styles and dimensions in mothers of children with Down syndrome and mothers of typically developing children. Effective parenting is vital for a child’s intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development, and not all parenting techniques are equal in their effectiveness in raising a healthy, well-adjusted child. We expected that parents of children with Down syndrome would display more negative parenting techniques than parents of typically developing children because of their decreased parental well-being and increased caregiving demands.

The sample was comprised of 35 mothers of children with Down syndrome and …

Effects Of Positive Behavior Intervention And Supports On Teacher Self-Efficacy And Teaching Anxiety, Jill Van Parys Couet

2010-2016 Archived Posters

Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS), for improving behavior and achievement is well established. The impact PBIS has on teaching anxiety and self-efficacy levels is unknown. Research indicates that both attributes affect students’ performance. This study examined how the implementation of PBIS affects teachers’ levels of teaching anxiety and self-efficacy.

Adult Response To Olanzapine Or Clozapine Treatment Is Altered By Adolescent Antipsychotic Exposure: A Preclinical Test In The Phencyclidine Hyperlocomotion Model, Qing Shu, Gang Hu, Ming Li

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study examined how repeated olanzapine (OLZ) or clozapine (CLZ) treatment in adolescence alters sensitivity to the same drug in adulthood in the phencyclidine (PCP) hyperlocomotion model. Male adolescent Sprague-Dawley rats (postnatal day (P) 44–48) were first treated with OLZ (1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg, subcutaneously (sc)) or CLZ (10.0 or 20.0 mg/kg, sc) and tested in the PCP (3.2 mg/kg, sc)-induced hyperlocomotion model for five consecutive days. Then a challenge test with OLZ (0.5 mg/kg) or CLZ (5.0 mg/kg) was administered either during adolescence (~P 51) or after the rats matured into adults (~P 76 and 91). During adolescence, repeated …