Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Co-Rumination, Psychological Inflexibility, And Internalizing Symptoms In Adolescence, John Parigger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two risk factors for anxiety and depression in adolescence were examined: co-rumination, which occurs when friends excessively talk about problems; and psychological inflexibility, which occurs when one avoids negative feelings and fails to act on values. I hypothesized that psychological inflexibility would exacerbate the effect of co-rumination on adolescent anxiety and depression. Participants were 167 adolescents (Mage = 14.60 years, SD = 1.3; 65.7% cisgender males) who completed standard measures as part of an online survey. Results indicated no moderation effect, but there were main effects of co-rumination and psychological inflexibility on depression symptoms. Co-rumination may relate to …

If It Walks Like A Duck…Is It A Duck?: A Mixed Methods Investigation Of Differences Between Machiavellian And Non-Machiavellian Substance Users, Daniel Pillersdorf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Machiavellianism is a set of personality traits characterized by a cold and callous nature, a belief in engaging in manipulative tactics for personal gain, a cynical and distrusting view of others, and pragmatically moral stance. Behaviors and views of individuals with elevated Machiavellian traits can be seen to have a marked similarity with several behaviours and views of individuals with substance use issues, making it difficult to differentiate between them. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study sought to determine what distinguishes individuals who are high in Machiavellianism from those who are low in Machiavellianism but appear high in this set …

Analyzing Emerging Adulthood Narratives And The Role Of Anxiety In Developmental Functioning, Daryl Parungao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emerging adulthood is a developmental period characterized by the themes of identity exploration, instability, feeling in-between, being self-focused, and exploring possibilities (Arnett, 2006). Emerging adults are at higher risk for anxiety as they navigate novel developmental experiences and responsibilities (Kranszler et al., 2019). This study explores whether these themes map on to the experiences of modern-day emerging adults, and whether developmental functioning corresponds to anxiety. College students completed standard questionnaires and provided free-text responses about adjusting to adulthood. Identity exploration and instability were perceived as the most positive and negative aspects of aging, respectively, though response-type varied by participant demographics. …

Investigating The Shared And Unique Mechanisms Of The Development Of Comorbid Eating Disorder-Anxiety Symptoms During Adolescence., Leigh Cara Brosof

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Eating disorders are associated with significant morbidity, psychiatric comorbidity, and impairment. Despite the detrimental outcomes associated with eating disorders, effective treatments for eating disorders are lacking. One factor that has impeded the identification of targets for intervention in eating disorders is the high comorbidity rate with other psychiatric disorders. Comorbidity models can inform treatments by showing which mechanisms are shared in comorbidity and which mechanisms are unique to specific disorders. Anxiety disorders are the most frequently co-occurring disorders with eating disorders, as 85% of individuals with eating disorders have a comorbid anxiety disorder. One mechanistic process in both anxiety …

Development Of A New Measure To Assess For Poverty-Based Stress: The Poverty-Based Stressor Scale (Pbss), Brianna N. Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Poverty, typically measured by economic well-being or depravation, is the result of systemic flaws built into the structure of society that adversely impact multiple dimensions of health and well-being. The specific stressors that disproportionately impact low-income individuals are called poverty-based stressors, and they encompass multiple categories of risk including physical, psychosocial, and financial risks. Currently, there is not an adequate measure of poverty-based stressors for low-income adults in the United States (U.S.), which restricts our ability to accurately determine the effects of poverty on important health-related outcomes. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop a psychometrically sound measure of …

The Role Of Embodied Metaphor In The Relationship Between Vestibular Dysfunction, Anxiety And The Self, Kaitlyn Abrams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is considerable evidence that vestibular dysfunction and anxiety are correlated. Clinical and philosophical arguments suggest that a loss of sense of self, experienced through symptoms like derealization and depersonalization, might contribute to this relationship. The present study used a mixed methods approach, including Systematic Metaphor Analysis, to analyze written short answer and quantitative survey data from one hundred and thirteen participants with vestibular disorders. The Systematic Metaphor Analysis revealed several primary metaphor concepts which elucidated the connections between concrete experience and abstract concepts in vestibular dysfunction. These included metaphors of Agency, Stability, Orientation, Self-Object, and Figure-Ground. Primary metaphors for …

The Role Of Anxiety Sensitivity In The Etiology Of Anxiety And Cognitive Symptoms Of Eating Disorders, Rachel Small-Crevier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined common genetic and environmental contributions to the etiology of anxiety sensitivity, cognitive symptoms of eating disorders, and anxiety severity in a community sample of adolescents. I leveraged data from the Twins Early Development Study, a longitudinal epidemiological study of mono- and dizygotic twins born in England and Wales between 1994 and 1996. At age 16, families of twins (n=5,111) were assessed for anxiety sensitivity, cognitive symptoms of eating disorders (i.e., felt fat, fear of gaining weight, weight- and shape-influences thoughts about self), and anxiety severity. Strong phenotypic correlations among the four cognitive symptoms of eating disorder …

Rejection Sensitivity, Relationship Quality, And Adjustment In Late-Adolescent Romantic Relationships And Friendships, Laura A. Foster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rejection sensitive (RS) individuals are at greater risk for emotional maladjustment across the lifespan, with consistent links identified with depression and social anxiety. Yet little is known about interpersonal factors that may affect this association for late adolescents, especially with their romantic partners and close friends. The present study examined relationship qualities of support and negative interactions with romantic partners and friends as moderators of the link between RS and internalizing symptoms. Given the differences between male and female social relationships and experiences, these associations were expected to be further moderated by gender, with RS females in poorer quality relationships …

Moderate Effects Of Anxiety And Physical Activities On The Relationship Between Body Image And Covid-19 Fear, Yutong Guo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Improving psychological well-being has been a hot topic in counseling psychology research. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s lifestyle has been changed that caused series mental health problems. Using a sample of 576 participants from different universities. This study examined whether Covid-19 correlated with Body image a) whether anxiety moderated this relationship. b) whether physical activities moderated this relationship. c) how does different kind of body image avoidance being influenced. Pearson’s correlation test and linear regression analyses were conducted. The result indicated that COVID-19 fear has significantly positive relationship with body image. physical activities level has significantly increase the relationship …

Fatalism As A Cultural Influence On Correlates Of Anxiety And Worry In Latino/A Adolescents., Judy Mier-Chairez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evidence that Latino/as in the United States experience lower rates of anxiety disorders as compared to the non-Latino/a White population has not yet led to the identification of the sources of these differences. Higher rates of anxiety disorders among more acculturated Latino/a individuals compared to those lower in acculturation suggest there are influential cultural variables relevant to anxiety, specifically that there is a loss of a protective Latino/a cultural factor in the acculturation process. Fatalism, an often-cited Latino/a cultural characteristic, emerges as an intriguing candidate for exploration in relation to anxiety due to the shared elements of future orientation and …

F#@&!: Profanity As A Means Of Emotional Regulation, Nicholas Gregorich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Profanity is a commonplace occurrence in everyday conversation and society as whole. Previous studies have analyzed the reasons people use profanity as well as the function of profanity in various stressful situations, such as pain. Emotional regulation is a series of strategies people use to control and modify their emotions. One frequent target emotion to be regulated is anxiety, a state of fear which may elicit avoidance behaviors and defense reactions. However, no previous research has exclusively looked at profanity as a potential emotional regulation strategy. This study determined whether or not profanity was a useful emotional regulation strategy for …

Using The Coaching Approach Behavior And Leading By Modeling (Calm) Program To Examine Attachment And Parental Behaviors In Childhood Anxiety, Seana Bandi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is one of the most common disorders in children that can often lead to detrimental outcomes. Empirically-supported risk factors for child anxiety include the child’s temperament and behavioral inhibition, insecure attachment, parental over-controlling behaviors, parental anxiety, and the impact of adverse life events on the child. Targeting these risk factors early on has the ability to lead to a decrease in anxiety symptoms later in adolescence and adulthood.

Evidence suggests behavioral, therapeutic interventions are effective for treating anxiety and other mood disorders for middle childhood and adolescents. Recent research has begun to focus on developmentally-appropriate adaptations for younger children …

Exploring Individual And Dyadic Associations Of Dispositional Mindfulness As An Ameliorative Factor Of Anxiety And Roommate Satisfaction Among Undergraduate Roommates., Kala Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many young adults, the college experience is stressful and the adjustment to college life can present many unique challenges. Up to one-half of undergraduates report anxiety, with prevalence rates that appear to be on the rise. Social transitions, such as living with a roommate, can also present challenges. The current study explored dispositional mindfulness, a capacity for attending to present-moment experiences, as a potential ameliorative factor of anxiety and roommate satisfaction. Dyadic associations of dispositional mindfulness were also explored among roommate dyads. Fifty undergraduate roommate dyads (N=100) provided self-report measures of demographics, dispositional mindfulness, anxiety, and three facets of …

Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression And Suicidal Behavior In College Students: Conditional Indirect Effects Of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury And Self-Compassion, Andrea R. Kaniuka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Young adults of college age are at particular risk for psychopathology, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and consequent suicidal behavior, perhaps in a continuum of increasing severity. However, not all persons who experience psychopathological symptoms, or who self-harm, go on to engage in suicidal behavior, perhaps due to protective factors such as self-compassion that buffer this progression. We examined the mediating effect of NSSI on the relation between anxiety/depressive symptoms and suicide risk, and the moderating role of self-compassion on these linkages. Our collegiate sample (N=338) completed: Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Self-Harm Inventory, Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire-Revised, and the Self-Compassion Scale. …

Examining Anxiety Schemas Through The Context Of A Stress-Intrapersonal Model, Kayla M. Leleux-Labarge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Explicating vulnerability factors to anxiety difficulties is important as the National Comorbidity Study (NCS) lists anxiety as the most common and costly class of mental health disorders in the United States. Maladaptive schemas, as theorized by Young (1990), perpetuate anxiety pathology by hindering the individual’s ability to alter behaviors, thoughts, emotions, and overall approach to adverse events. Previous research indicates that intrapersonal resources can stymie the development of psychopathological features, even in the context of adverse life events (Floyd, Seltzer, Greenberg, & Song, 2013). The main purpose of the current study was to explore the relationship among adverse life events …

Anxiety Sensitivity And Decision Making: Positive And Negative Risk Taking In Laboratory And Naturalistic Settings, Amanda Kutz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a group, anxiety disorders represent the most prevalent mental health condition. A hallmark feature of anxiety disorders is avoidant behavior. Along with this, anxious individuals have been shown to exhibit a risk aversion in decision making. However, anxiety disorders are simultaneously highly co-morbid with substance use disorders (e.g., Grant, Stinson, Dawson, & Chou, 2004), suggesting that certain individuals with anxiety disorders engage in particular forms of risk taking. However, much of the current literature on anxiety and risk taking has focused on risk aversion in anxiety, presupposing an inhibited model of anxious responding. In addition, there is little literature …

A Culturally-Sensitive Model Of The Development Of Child Anxiety., Jenny Marie Petrie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Explanatory models significantly enhance the understanding of etiological influences that place children at risk for anxiety, yet little is known about processes that promote resilient outcomes in children. While contextual factors influence risk and protective processes, cultural constructs have not been incorporated into existing models of anxiety and the role of culture remains obscure. The current study proposes a culturally sensitive model for understanding the etiological and mitigating processes underlying anxious symptoms in ethnic minority youth, and preliminarily tests basic components of the proposed model within a non-clinical community sample of 49 African American (AA) parent-child dyads who completed self-report …

12-Item Depression, Anxiety, And Stress Scales (Dass-12): Associations With Self-Report Measures, A Semi-Strcutured Interview, And Behavioral Tasks, Eu Gene Chin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To date, only one study has examined the psychometric properties of the 12-item depression, anxiety, and stress scales (DASS). Moreover, all psychometric studies conducted with the DASS-21 have focused narrowly on associations with semi-structured interviews and other relevant self-report measures. In order to address these limitations, I proposed to diversify the ways in which we examine the DASS instrument (for both the 12- and 21-item versions). First, I examined the extent to which the DASS instrument is able to predict responses to behavioral tasks and whether the DASS was able to produce hypothesized convergent and divergent relationships with relevant self-report …

Mental Health Referral In Primary Care: Influence Of A Screening Instrument And A Brief Educational Intervention, Michael T. Miesner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although less than half of all patients with mental disorders seek mental health treatment per se, approximately 80% of all people will visit their primary care physician (PCPs) within a year (Strosahl, 1998). However, it is not well understood how to best handle patients presenting with mental health issues in primary care practices. The purpose of this project was to implement an intervention involving a screening measure for anxiety and mood disorders in a primary care setting to increase the volume of anxiety and mood disorder screening, to increase the accuracy of disorder detection, and to also enhance PCPs patterns …

Traumatic Life Events And Symptoms Of Anxiety: Moderating Effects Of Adaptive Versus Maladaptive Coping Strategies, Alishia Foster

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The experience of trauma is prevalent among young adult college students and is often associated with poor mental health outcomes such as symptoms of anxiety. Not all individuals who have experienced trauma, however, develop anxiety, perhaps due to individual-level adaptive characteristics, such as use of adaptive rather than maladaptive coping strategies. Yet, little research has examined the interrelationships between the experience of trauma, specific types of coping strategies, and subclinical anxiety symptoms. A sample of 915 undergraduate students completed self-report measures of trauma, coping strategies, and anxiety symptoms. We hypothesized that traumatic life events would be associated with anxiety symptoms, …

Toward A Conceptualization Of Emetophobia: Examining Intolerance Of Uncertainty As A Unique Predictor Of Symptoms, Mimi Zhao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emetophobia, a poorly understood disorder, is a specific phobia characterized by an irrational and persistent fear of oneself vomiting or others vomiting. Though research on the disorder is sparse, previous investigations have reported interference in social, occupational, and health domains in the lives of individuals with emetophobia (Lipsitz et al., 2001; McFayden & Wyness, 1983; Veale & Lambrou, 2006). To this end, the current study examined whether individual differences in Anxiety Sensitivity (AS), Disgust Sensitivity (DS), and Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) are associated with symptoms of emetophobia, whether AS predicts symptoms of emetophobia above and beyond DS, IU, and expected …

Does Virtual Reality Elicit Physiological Arousal In Social Anxiety Disorder, Maryann Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the ability of a Virtual Reality (VR) public speaking task to elicit physiological arousal in adults with SAD (n=25) and Controls (n=25). A behavioral assessment paradigm was employed to address three study objectives: (a) to determine whether the VR task can elicit significant increases in physiological response over baseline resting conditions (b) to determine if individuals with SAD have a greater increase from baseline levels of physiological and self-reported arousal during the in vivo speech task as opposed to the VR speech task and (c) to determine whether individuals with SAD experience greater changes in physiological …

Attentional Processes Associated With Victimization History And Posttraumatic Symptomatology In Women Exposed To Intimate Partner Violence, Ryan B. Matlow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) puts women at risk for severe and chronic physical and mental health consequences, including elevations in IPV-related psychopathology and increased risk for future victimization. Previous research has examined attention as one of the key information processing mechanisms associated with elevated psychopathology and risk for victimization; however, the nature of attentional processing in response to IPV-related information in women exposed to IPV is poorly understood. Therefore, the current study aimed to further understanding of associations between attentional processing, IPV exposure, and related distress using measures of eye movement and subjective interpretations of IPV-related information. A …

Mitigating Risk For Anxiety Among Preschool-Age Children Living In Poverty: Evaluating The Impact Of Adult-Provided Social Support On Autonomic Stress Reactivity, Brian Cory Wolff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Poverty increases children's exposure to stress, elevating their risk for developing patterns of heightened sympathetic and parasympathetic stress reactivity. Repeated patterns of high sympathetic activation and parasympathetic withdrawal place children at risk for anxiety disorders. This study evaluated whether providing social support to preschool-age children during mildly stressful situations helps reduce reactivity, and whether this effect partly depends on children's previously assessed baseline reactivity patterns. The Biological Sensitivity to Context (BSC) theory proposes that highly reactive children may be more sensitive than less reactive children to all environmental influences, including social support. In contrast, conventional physiological reactivity (CPR) theory contends …

Examining The Role Of Stress In Binge Eating Disorder, Stephanie M. Lamattina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

[In lieu of Abstract, excerpt from Conclusion of Examining the Role of Stress in Binge Eating Disorder]:

Results from the present study support growing evidence which demonstrates that stress can negatively impact binge eating. However, given the paucity of research examining these variables in clinical samples of individuals diagnosed with BED, additional research is warranted. Therefore, future studies should continue to recruit clinical samples utilizing clinical interviews. Research is also needed to further explore the relationship between cortisol and binge eating in individuals diagnosed with BED. Interestingly, individuals diagnosed with BED perceived the stress task (and situations in general) …

Preventing Generalized Anxiety Disorder In An At-Risk Sample Of College Students: A Brief Cognitive-Behavioral Approach, Diana M. Higgins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Empirical investigations of psychological interventions designed to prevent common mental health conditions have yielded encouraging results. Prior to the current investigation, however, there had been no published studies of a prevention program specifically designed for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). A twosession prevention workshop for GAD was developed based upon empiricallysupported cognitive-behavioral treatments for GAD. The workshop provided participants with instruction in the following topics: psychological models of anxiety and worry, cognitive distortions, cognitive therapy techniques, relaxation training, worry exposure, problem-solving and problem orientation. The brief preventative intervention was examined in college students determined to be at-risk for developing GAD where …

Physiological And Cognitive Factors In Asthma And Panic Disorder: Application Of The Cognitive And Dyspnensuffocation Fear Theories, Diana M. Dorhofer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recently, the relationship of anxiety with asthma has been investigated in the psychological literature, revealing that individuals with asthma are more likely to develop panic disorder than are individuals without asthma (e.g., Carr, 1998). Two theories (dyspnedsuffocation fear theory and cognitive theory) have been used to explain how asthma symptoms are affected by panic attacks or panic disorder. The present study examines both theories, as well as a hypothesis developed by Carr (1 998) that suggests that the presence of panic disorder in individuals with asthma may lead to better lung functioning in response to stressful stimuli than for individuals …