Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Can Psychopathic Traits Contribute To Success In Adolescence? Relations Between Boldness, Meanness, Disinhibition, And Adaptive Functioning, Matthew David Guelker

Dissertations

Psychopathy, though frequently couched as a distinctive set of traits with violent and aggressive behavioral consequences (i.e., Hart, Kropp, & Hare, 1988; McCord & McCord, 1964; Millon & Davis, 1998), was presented in one of the original conceptualizations as a set of specific traits (i.e., emotional unresponsiveness and behavioral deviance) that could manifest as charm, confidence, and social dominance without resulting in criminality and aggression (Cleckley, 1941, 1988). More recently, Patrick, Fowles, and Krueger (2009) developed the Triarchic Conceptualization of psychopathy that differentiates underlying components of psychopathy into boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. The factor structure of the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure …

Does Psychopathy Predict Future Risky Sexual Behavior?, Jessica Jade Fulton

Dissertations

Risky sexual behavior (RSB), such as having sex with an unknown partner, is associated with a variety of negative consequences including sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy. Previous research (e.g., Fulton, Marcus, & Payne, 2010) suggests that psychopathic personality traits as assessed by the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (Lilienfeld & Andrews, 1996) are associated with RSB. Self-Centered Impulsivity (SCI), which is characterized by impulsivity, irresponsibility, and reckless behavior, was positively associated with RSB among men and women. In contrast, Fearless Dominance (FD), which is characterized by fearlessness, manipulativeness, and social dominance, was positively associated with RSB among men but not women. …

The Relationship Between Suicide Ideation And Parasuicide: An Electrophysiological Investigation Using The Loudness Dependence Of Auditory Evoked Potential, Angelika Marsic

Dissertations

The loudness dependence of the auditory evoked potential (LDAEP) has been proposed as a promising valid and a non-invasive indicator of behaviorally relevant central 5-HT functioning. There is limited research on the utility of the LDAEP in discriminating individuals who engage in various degrees of suicidal behavior. The primary purpose of the present study was to examine if the LDAEP, as a measure of central serotonergic functioning, can be useful in distinguishing groups of individuals who: (a) solely experience suicidal ideation (SI group); (b) experience suicidal ideation and have engaged in deliberate self-harm acts (SH group); and (c) individuals with …

Narcissism And Interpersonal Relationships: Examining The Use Of Prosocial And Coercive Behavior Strategies Among Adolescents In A Residential Setting, Marion Tam'eca Wallace

Dissertations

The association between Machiavellianism and bistrategic control has been demonstrated in children and adolescents (Hawley, 2003). Machiavellianism shares several features with narcissism. The present study investigated whether adolescents with higher levels of narcissism were perceived by peers as engaging in prosocial or antisocial behaviors depending on the phase of the relationship and whether control strategies translated to peers’ ratings of likability. Forty-seven participants (43 males, 4 females) provided data for this study. Overall, individuals who reported higher levels of Machiavellianism also reported using more coercive behavior strategies. Self-reported narcissism was only associated with self-reported use of more coercive control strategies …

Empirical Identification Of Axis I And Axis Ii Symptom Subtypes Of Sex Addiction Using Lateny Profile Analysis, Maria Isabel Nino De Guzman

Dissertations

Sexual addiction is a disorder characterized by lack of control over sexual urges, pathological relationships and lack of intimacy, mood-altering experiences, and adverse consequences that tend to be disregarded by the person affected. Although not classified as a mental disorder in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV-TR (DSM-IV-TR, APA, 2000) this distressful sexual manifestation is increasingly recognized as a clinical and public health problem. Previous studies suggest commonalities with addictive disorders and maladaptive personality traits. The purpose of the current study was to analyze personality configurations of individuals diagnosed as sex addicts and uncover specific subtypes or profiles associated to sexually addictive …

Evaluating The Interpersonal Nature Of Humor: Mapping Humor Styles Onto The Interpersonal Circumplex, Jessica Erin Vaughan

Dissertations

The present study examined the interpersonal content of the four humor styles outlined in the Humor Styles Questionnaire in order to gather additional information about the interpersonal content of these humor styles. This was accomplished by projecting each of the humor styles onto the interpersonal circumplex. Each of the humor styles possessed significant interpersonal content and demonstrated interpersonal cohesion such that the maladaptive humor styles were located in the Cold-Hearted region and the adaptive humor styles were located in the adjacent octants of Gregarious- Extroverted and Warm-Agreeable. These findings suggest that the adaptive humor styles and maladaptive humor styles possess …

Neuropsychological Functioning, Parenting Behaviors, And Healthcare Behaviors Among Youth With Spina Bifida, Lauren Kelly O'Hara

Dissertations

Objective This study was designed to examine whether neurocognitive functioning (attention and executive functions) and parenting behaviors (acceptance, behavioral control and psychological control) are associated with medical adherence and autonomy among preadolescents and adolescents with spina bifida. Methods Questionnaire and observational data were collected from a sample of 8 to 15 year olds with spina bifida (n = 139) and their mothers, fathers, and teachers. Youth also completed neuropsychological testing. Results Youth with spina bifida demonstrated impairment on measures of attention and executive function, based on questionnaire and test data. Attention, executive function, and parenting behaviors were associated with medical …

Measures Of Executive Functioning And Their Relation To Functional Outcomes In A Sample Of Youth With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Add), Amy Marie Lyons Usher

Dissertations

The current study examined two commonly used neuropsychological assessments of executive functioning in a sample of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) is a performance-based, objective measure of executive functioning, and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) is a subjective, parent-report measure. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to establish the factor structures of these measures to determine their appropriateness with a sample of youth with ADHD. The association of these assessment tools with functional outcomes (academic achievement, social functioning) was examined to establish their ecological and incremental validity. …

A Mediational Model Predicting Adjustment In Affluent Adolescents: The Role Of Parental Perfectionism, Perceived Parental Pressure, And Organized Activity Involvement, Edin Randall

Dissertations

The current cross-sectional study evaluated the relative contributions of parental perfectionism (i.e., self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed), perceived parental pressure, and organized activity involvement (i.e,. intensity) on depressive symptoms, anxiety, substance use, and life satisfaction in a sample of affluent adolescents. Findings indicated that parental perfectionism, and specifically other-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism, is an important contextual factor negatively influencing affluent adolescent adjustment. Additionally, perceived parental pressure was found to have robust associations with adolescent adjustment and to explain the link between parental perfectionism and adolescent adjustment. Furthermore, the current study revealed a synergistic association between intensity of organized activity …

The Relationship Between Infant Crying And Father Well-Being, Leslie Katch

Dissertations

Infant excessive crying and fussing has been linked to adverse maternal outcomes such as increased depression and stress, and decreased feelings of parenting self-efficacy. Infant crying has also been identified as the number one trigger caregivers report prior to an abusive action, placing infants who cry excessively at risk. Fathers and male caregivers have been identified as the primary offenders in the majority of infant abuse cases, suggesting a particular risk between fathers and infants who cry excessively. However, the relationship between excessive crying and fathers has not been explored to the same extent as mothers. In an effort to …

Social Cognitive Functioning And Social Competence In Children And Adolescents With Spina Bifida And Hydrocephalus: Social Cognitive Neuroscience As A Model, Caitlin Reid Roache

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine social cognition in children with spina bifida and congenital hydrocephalus (SBH) and to determine whether deficits in these domains are associated with poor social competence, utilizing concepts from social cognitive neuroscience. To build upon extant literature, multi-method assessments, multi-informant data, and a developmental, biopsychosocial perspective were utilized. Distinct aspects of social competence, as defined by social performance, social skills, and social adjustment, were considered.

The current study was designed to investigate: (1) differences in social cognition between children and adolescents with SBH and the general population, (2) potential neuroanatomical predictors of …

The Direct And Indirect Impact Of Pain Intensity, Weight Status, And Activity Involvement On Social Competence Outcomes In Children And Adolescents With Spina Bifida, Bonnie S. Essner

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test a mediated effects model in which youth with spina bifida who have greater pain, are more overweight, or have worse motor control were expected to have fewer friends and to display worse social performance in part because their higher degree of condition severity interferes with their involvement in developmentally-appropriate activities.

Data for the current study were drawn from the first wave of a larger, longitudinal study of psychosocial adjustment of children and adolescents with spina bifida. The sample was comprised of 108 children and adolescents with spina bifida and shunted hydrocephalus, ages …