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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Investigating The Shared And Unique Mechanisms Of The Development Of Comorbid Eating Disorder-Anxiety Symptoms During Adolescence., Leigh Cara Brosof Aug 2022

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 …


Accurately Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder Among A Comorbid Population, Michelle Okolita Sep 2020

Accurately Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder Among A Comorbid Population, Michelle Okolita

Dissertations

Two of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are diagnosed in early childhood. The two disorders share similar impairments across domains, are highly comorbid, and have many overlapping symptoms. Studies have shown that among this comorbid population, children receive an ASD diagnosis a few years after their initial ADHD diagnosis, which leads to many negative consequences, including a delay in treatment. The focus in this study was on the early indicators of ASD that are present prior to the age of 3 years in order to educate others on these symptoms. In an …


Psychopathy Assessment And Related Constructs: Differences And Distinctions For Primary And Secondary Psychopaths, Simon Saleem Aug 2020

Psychopathy Assessment And Related Constructs: Differences And Distinctions For Primary And Secondary Psychopaths, Simon Saleem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the assessment of psychopathy from the perspectives of two self-report scales that differ substantially their construction and conceptual approach to the fundamental clinical subtyping of psychopaths: primary versus secondary psychopathic presentations. The self-report scales used in this study were the Levenson Self-Report of Psychopathy Scale (LSRP; Levenson et al., 1995) and the Perkins’ Alienation Scale-Short Version (PAS; Perkins & Harper, 1998). It was hypothesized that the presence of psychopathy would demonstrate significant presence in the distribution of undergraduate students and additionally, that these measures would demonstrate construct validity and replicate previously established relationships between psychopathy measures and …


Reactive And Regulative Temperament Dimensions, Emotion Regulation, And Concurrent Internalizing And Externalizing Pathology Among Youth With Adhd., Kirsten D. Leaberry May 2020

Reactive And Regulative Temperament Dimensions, Emotion Regulation, And Concurrent Internalizing And Externalizing Pathology Among Youth With Adhd., Kirsten D. Leaberry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emerging research has increasingly identified the detrimental effect of internalizing and externalizing comorbidity on the functioning of youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Research in the broad child psychopathology literature has identified a variety of dispositional and developmental risk factors for psychopathology development in youth. However, a conceptual model of psychopathology development has yet to be developed and empirically evaluated in an ADHD sample. Children with ADHD may be particularly vulnerable to exhibiting high rates of psychopathology, given deficits in self-regulation prevalent in this population. The current study proposed and evaluated a theoretical model of distal and proximal risk factors for …


Youth With Adhd : The Impact Of The Clinical Anxiety On Neuropsychological Functioning, Elisabeth Jeanne O'Rourke Jan 2020

Youth With Adhd : The Impact Of The Clinical Anxiety On Neuropsychological Functioning, Elisabeth Jeanne O'Rourke

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Children with ADHD demonstrate significant deficits in certain executive functions (EFs), including visual and verbal working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and sustained attention. Similar deficits have been observed in children with anxiety, however there is less evidence that inhibitory control is worse in these youth. More recently, research has examined the EF of children with comorbid ADHD and anxiety (ADHD + ANX). There is evidence that suggests that anxiety can play both a protective as well as harmful role for EF in these children. The current study sought to explore whether the performance of children with ADHD + ANX …


A Developmental And Symptom-Level Approach To Comorbid Mental Health Disorders In Children, Elizabeth Thornley Nov 2019

A Developmental And Symptom-Level Approach To Comorbid Mental Health Disorders In Children, Elizabeth Thornley

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation addresses current issues in the conceptualization and classification of childhood mental health issues (e.g., impact of sex/age on symptoms, comorbidity, limits of traditional models). In contrast to traditional models, the importance and value of utilizing individual symptoms as primary variables of interest is presented. This first study consisted of 9565 participants (M = 12.06, SD = 3.57, 58% males). Results for youth with no history of trauma indicated sex differences in symptom expression consistent with what has been previously shown in the literature; however, a complex presentation of attention-related symptoms was identified for females. Similar sex differences …


The Effect Of A Substance Use Intervention On Co-Occurring Adolescent Depression Symptoms, Elizabeth Ann Lehinger Phd May 2019

The Effect Of A Substance Use Intervention On Co-Occurring Adolescent Depression Symptoms, Elizabeth Ann Lehinger Phd

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The comorbidity of substance use and depression among adolescents has been strongly established but less is known about their reciprocal impact over time. Examining these variables in the context of an intervention provides information about how changes in one effect the other. The current study examines the effect of a school-based Motivational Interviewing (MI) intervention, Project READY, on co-occurring substance use and depressive symptoms in adolescents (N = 103; ages 13-18, mean = 16) from the greater Seattle area. We hypothesized: (a) the quantity and frequency of substance use will decrease from pre-treatment to post-treatment follow up; (b) the …


Understanding Comorbid Depression In The Context Of Ptsd Through Underlying Dimensions, Melissa Turkel Apr 2019

Understanding Comorbid Depression In The Context Of Ptsd Through Underlying Dimensions, Melissa Turkel

Dissertations

Depression co-occurs with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at a high rate, resulting in numerous complications for pathology and treatment. More research is needed regarding variables that may explain this common comorbidity. One possible variable is that of underlying dimensions, latent factors that give rise to these manifestations of psychopathology. This study explored potential underlying mechanisms of comorbid PTSD and depression, including negative affect, rumination, emotion dysregulation, neuroticism, and behavioral inhibition. While previous studies have investigated these dimensions individually, there is a dearth of research that simultaneously investigates multiple dimensions or determines the relative contributions of underlying dimensions to psychopathology. Thus, the …


Do Bulimic Behaviors Increase Shame? Toward An Understanding Of Transdiagnostic Risk, Heather A. Davis Jan 2019

Do Bulimic Behaviors Increase Shame? Toward An Understanding Of Transdiagnostic Risk, Heather A. Davis

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Binge eating is a harmful, maladaptive behavior associated with comorbid psychopathology. Theory posits that increases in maladaptive, transdiagnostic emotions following binge eating in individuals with BN may predict the experience of comorbid symptoms. The current study served as a laboratory test of the first part of this theory: whether state increases in maladaptive emotions occur following engagement in binge eating behavior in women with BN compared with healthy controls. Women (n = 51) were recruited from the community if they met DSM-5 criteria for BN or OSFED BN (of low frequency) (n = 21) or were free of lifetime disordered …


Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder With Comorbid Anxiety/Depression In Adults: Impacts On Neuropsychological Functioning, Cristina Valdivieso Bain Jul 2018

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder With Comorbid Anxiety/Depression In Adults: Impacts On Neuropsychological Functioning, Cristina Valdivieso Bain

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

ADHD comorbidity with other disorders is high in the adult population (over 44% of individuals carry a second diagnosis, 25% anxiety, 18.6% in depression). Separately, these disorders can impact scores on neuropsychological assessments. Little research has investigated how comorbidity among ADHD and other disorders impacts test scores collectively. Given high rates of comorbidity between ADHD and anxiety/depressive disorders and the potential impact on neuropsychological functioning, the current study examined how these comorbid disorders collectively impact cognition. Specifically, the present study investigated differences in full scale intelligence, general ability, and cognitive proficiency on the WAIS-IV between those diagnosed with ADHD only …


Person-Centered Analysis Of Adhd Comorbidities And Differential Characteristics And Outcomes, Christine Anne Lee Jan 2018

Person-Centered Analysis Of Adhd Comorbidities And Differential Characteristics And Outcomes, Christine Anne Lee

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent and impairing childhood disorders (5%; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), yet it is often studied in isolation. Such an approach is at odds with the clinical reality, where ADHD has a high comorbidity with oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety, and depression (Jensen, Martin, & Cantwell, 1997). Based on the possible presentations of ADHD with both externalizing and internalizing symptoms, there may be differences in associated characteristics, areas of impairment, and resulting assessment interventions. Therefore, the present study investigated how ADHD comorbidities manifested in a population of 233 elementary age children and how these …


An Examination Of Psychoeducation And Its Potential Modifying Influence On Alcohol Use Patterns Among Adults Reporting Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms And Hazardous Alcohol Consumption, Sarah Jo Bujarski May 2015

An Examination Of Psychoeducation And Its Potential Modifying Influence On Alcohol Use Patterns Among Adults Reporting Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms And Hazardous Alcohol Consumption, Sarah Jo Bujarski

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has suggested that consumption of alcohol in the presence of elevated posttraumatic stress symptom (PTSS) may serve an avoidant function to cope with negative emotions. These coping-related motives for use are theorized to both maintain PTSS and relate to poorer prognoses in treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Treatments utilizing coping skills training, which typically also involves educating clients about the negative consequences of drinking alcohol to cope, suggest the utility of targeting coping behaviors to reduce alcohol use. These studies, however, have not attempted to isolate the effects of psychoeducation on alcohol-related factors. The current study investigated the …


Savor The Memory: A Reminiscence Exercise To Increase Positive Emotions And Reduce Depression Risk In Anxious Individuals, Bethany Morris May 2014

Savor The Memory: A Reminiscence Exercise To Increase Positive Emotions And Reduce Depression Risk In Anxious Individuals, Bethany Morris

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A growing literature suggests that experiencing positive emotions provides psychological benefits (e.g., Coifman et al. 2007), and interventions increasing positive emotions may reduce depression risk (Geschwind et al., 2011). The present study tested whether reminiscence, a method of positive emotion savoring (Quoidbach et al., 2010), can mitigate depression risk by increasing positive emotions in an unselected sample and a subsample of at-risk anxious individuals. Female participants (n=336) were randomized to a reminiscence or control condition and asked to complete daily mental imagery exercises focusing on a positive memory (reminiscence) or a neutral laboratory memory (control) for one week. As expected, …


Stress, Anxiety, And Somatic Symptoms: A Comparison Of Biomarkers In A Clinical Sample, David J. Finitsis Mar 2013

Stress, Anxiety, And Somatic Symptoms: A Comparison Of Biomarkers In A Clinical Sample, David J. Finitsis

Master's Theses

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent class of mental disorders, often characterized by a chronic course and comorbid psychopathology. The anxiety-stress literature utilizing cortisol as a biomarker of the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis has been inconsistent. The establishment of salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) as a biomarker of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation allows researchers an opportunity to examine the stress response more fully. This study sought to explore relationships between trait anxiety and salivary stress biomarkers in an outpatient sample attending a specialized anxiety treatment center. Multiple regression and moderator analyses were conducted to examine associations between psychosocial and physiological …


Discriminating Between Adhd, Adhd With A Comorbid Psychological Disorder And Malingered Adhd In A College Sample, Kimberly Dawn Williamson Jan 2013

Discriminating Between Adhd, Adhd With A Comorbid Psychological Disorder And Malingered Adhd In A College Sample, Kimberly Dawn Williamson

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The current study examined the efficacy of various neuropsychological measures for differentiating ADHD and comorbid ADHD from malingered ADHD in a large state university sample. The sample consisted of 23 nonclinical individuals assigned to malinger ADHD (NLM), 9 nonclinical individuals responding honestly (NLH), 22 individuals with diagnoses of ADHD only (ADHD-H), 9 individuals with comorbid ADHD/Learning Disorder presentations (ADHD-LD), and 13 individuals with comorbid ADHD/Anxiety presentations (ADHD-ANX). Due to limited sample sizes, the ADHD-LD and ADHD-ANX participants were pooled to create a comorbid ADHD group (ADHD-CO n = 22). The study utilized a simulation design with a NLM group instructed …


The Prevalence Of Adhd In Candidates For Gastric Bypass Surgery: Are Overeating And Obesity Accounted For By The Attention Deficits And Impulisivity Of Adhd?, Andrea M. Parry Jan 2011

The Prevalence Of Adhd In Candidates For Gastric Bypass Surgery: Are Overeating And Obesity Accounted For By The Attention Deficits And Impulisivity Of Adhd?, Andrea M. Parry

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and general psychological characteristics in an adult, presurgery population of patients seeking Gastric Bypass (GB). An ADHD diagnosis was defined as clinically significant scores as measured by the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS). Other psychological characteristics were assessed using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – Second Edition (MMPI-2). The sample was selected from a homogeneous adult outpatient population. Participants meeting inclusion criteria presented for psychological assessment preparatory to GB surgery at the office of Dr. Steven Walfish. Participants were excluded if they failed to …


Relationships Between Executive Functions, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd), Comorbid Disorders, And Familial History In A Nonclinical Population, Sara M. Sachjog Velez Jan 2009

Relationships Between Executive Functions, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd), Comorbid Disorders, And Familial History In A Nonclinical Population, Sara M. Sachjog Velez

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is typically characterized by impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity and often lasts into adulthood. Depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder are often diagnosed as comorbid disorders with ADHD. Adults with ADHD may also display executive functioning deficits. The current study sought to identify whether symptoms of executive functioning were related to symptoms of ADHD in adults. It also identified comorbid disorders in the participants. Questionnaires assessing executive functioning, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and bipolar spectrum disorders were given to participants. Demographics were obtained regarding their own background and comorbid disorders in their first-degree relatives. Results indicated that symptoms of executive …