Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Dancing Through The Pain: Dance As A Psychotherapeutic Outlet, Courtney Douglas

Honors Projects

Dance has become a popular sport and hobby in more recent years. Many schools now provide options for dance classes, and universities have created degrees in dance. Dance may provide a therapeutic factor as well. This study aimed to identify the age at which participants began to dance as an outlet for positive or negative emotions. This study also examined whether being a life-long dancer, as compared to someone who has recently started dancing, has effects on the general well-being and depression levels of the dancer. Results show that the average age participants found dance as a useful outlet for …

Can Wearable Devices Reduce Burnout By Making People Aware Of Stress?, Rohit Mundayaliyath Mundayadan

Open Access Theses

Wearable fitness technology is advancing in its capabilities. Every new sensor collects new health data, and it becomes important to study how effectively this data can be utilized to help people lead healthier lives. The American Psychological Association found that Americans live with stress levels higher than what is considered healthy. Poorly managed stress can lead to burnout, which leads to unproductive workers. Burnout is known to cost businesses considerable money. The goal of this research study was to determine if burnout could be reduced through the use of a consumer wearable device along with smartphone apps that alerted wearers …

College Students' Suicidal Ideation: Testing The Predictions Of The Existential - Constructivist Theory Of Suicide, Jennifer Danielle Lockman

Open Access Dissertations

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the college student population (Schwartz, 2006), and empirically supported theories for understanding suicide among college students are lacking (Lester, 1989; Prinstein, 2008; Rogers & Benson, 2013). Although not yet examined empirically, Rogers (2001) proposed an Existential - Constructivist Theory of Suicide (ECTS), in which existential distress and the inability to reconstruct meaning from adverse life events contribute to suicidal ideation. ECTS includes both interpersonal and intrapersonal drivers of suicidal ideation, and for this reason, may better explain suicidal ideation in college students than existing theoretical models. Existing research focuses on Joiner’s …

The Relationship Between Executive Functioning And Substance Abuse, John M. Tracy

Doctoral Dissertations

Substance use disorders are a widespread issue in society today with approximately 20 million people in the U.S. alone experiencing drug-related problems (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2012). However, treatment is often ineffectual with approximately 50% of addicted individuals returning to substance use. One factor found to impact individuals' treatment response is their neuropsychological functioning. Drug-abusers frequently exhibit severe executive functioning impairments across a number of domains, and there is evidence that these deficits may be time and substance-dependent. Executive functions are mental processes critical in motivation, planning, and goal-directed behaviors. With extended abstinence, research suggests cognitive improvements …

Facebook Engagement On College Students' Interpersonal And Intrapersonal Functioning, Scott S. Deatherage

Open Access Dissertations

In recent years college students have incorporated social-networking sites, and more specifically Facebook, into their daily lives. Facebook has received empirical attention; attention focused on what students are doing on Facebook, who its users are, and, more recently, why students access Facebook. However, researchers who have assessed motivations for accessing Facebook have emphasized how motivations are associated with certain activities, and have not simultaneously and directly examined how activities and motivations are associated with both maladaptive and adaptive factors of students’ interpersonal and intrapersonal functioning. The purpose of the present study was to examine how Facebook engagement is associated with …

Disentangling Universal And Cultural-Specific Risks To Mental Health Among Asian Americans: A Multi-Site Longitudinal Investigation, Pan Priscilla Lui

Open Access Dissertations

Objective: Development-based intergenerational conflict related to separation-individuation is normative and similar across ethnocultural groups. Intergenerational cultural conflict related to acculturation mismatch—where intercultural contact leads parents and offspring to diverge in heritage and mainstream American values and behaviors—is specific to immigrant families. Although development-based conflict does not result in serious psychological distress or behavioral problems among healthy adolescents and emerging adults, acculturation-based conflict has been linked to maladjustment among offspring with immigrant parents in cross-sectional studies. The distinct and potentially mutually influential contributions of these types of conflict have not been evaluated as simultaneous processes unfolding during the developmentally significant transition …

Facial Processing And Social Motivation In Psychopathy: An Event-Related Potential Study, Emily Dubose Sherman

Open Access Dissertations

Recent work has urged a shift in the perspective of psychopathy to focus on the interpersonal aspects of the disorder that are often overlooked in the broader literature. Conceptual and empirical overlap with an exemplar interpersonal disorder- autism spectrum disorder- lends support to viewing psychopathy as an interpersonal disorder; however, there are interpersonal dysfunctions associated with psychopathy that cannot be attributed wholly to overlap with autistic traits. The current study examined self-report measures, a lab task, and event-related potentials (ERPs) that are related to social, interpersonal functioning and motivation to help elucidate what aspects of psychopathy and ASD are overlapping …

The Perceived Invalidation Of Emotion Scale (Pies): Development And Psychometric Properties, Melissa Jean Zielinski

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite the decades that have passed since invalidation was first theorized to causally influence the development of psychopathology (Linehan, 1993), no measures have been designed and statistically validated to index current emotion invalidation. Research on invalidation has thus grown slowly and often used measures that were designed to assess other constructs (e.g., criticism, abuse) or that retrospectively assess childhood invalidation. This series of five studies describes the development and psychometric evaluation of the Perceived Invalidation of Emotion Scale (PIES), a novel measure of emotion invalidation. Items for the PIES were developed using themes from a qualitative investigation of adults’ experiences …

Children’S Peer Relationship Quality And Changes In Peer Victimization: The Search For Viable Intervention Targets, James Thomas Craig

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stable peer victimization during childhood and adolescence has been linked to both concurrent and future Social and psychological maladjustment (e.g., Hawker & Boulton, 2000; Juvonen, Graham, & Schuster, 2003; Kaltiala-Heino, Rimpela, Rantanen, & Rimpela, 2000; Reijntjes, Kamphuis, Prinzie, & Telch, 2010). Currently, there is evidence to suggest the quality of children’s peer relationships is associated with the level and course of their victimization experiences (e.g., Fox & Boulton, 2006; Schwartz, McFayden-Ketchum, Dodge, Petit, & Bates, 1999; Wolke, Woods, & Samara, 2009). Although the link between peer relationship quality and victimization has been well-documented in the literature; lacking is a thorough …

Cross Validation Of The Caregiving Helplessness Questionnaire: Associations With Maternal History Of Maltreatment And Intimate Partner Violence, Maegan Calvert

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disorganized caregiving has been associated with both maternal childhood history and current experiences of trauma. However, the methods by which disorganized caregiving has been studied have been time intensive and costly. The current study aimed to extend previous research with the Caregiving Helplessness Questionnaire (CHQ; George & Solomon, 2011), which is a self-report measure designed to assess aspects of disorganized caregiving such as caregiving helplessness, role reversal, and frightened/frightening caregiving experiences. Participants (N = 156) were a community sample of mothers of children ages 5 to 10 who were primarily white and who reported a range of traumatic experiences. It …

Beer For Brohood: A Laboratory Simulation Of Masculinity Confirmation Through Alcohol Use Behaviors In Men, Jessica Lauren Fugitt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use is a widespread behavior that may be associated with negative consequences, especially for men. Research suggests that individuals are motivated to maintain in-group status by engaging in behaviors prototypical of the in-group when group status has been challenged, and that men are particularly likely to do this when masculine in-group status is threatened. This study investigated masculine drinking behaviors through Social and individual lenses, examining the impact of group identification and individual differences on alcohol consumption rates after a simulated gender threatening situation in a bar laboratory. Sixty-five male students (ages 21-29; 74% Caucasian) were given the chance …

Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior To Predict Executives’ Intentions To Hire Psychologists In Federally Qualified Health Centers, Robert M. Tolliver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Health psychologists with training in integrated care are ideal candidates to work in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). However, despite the large documented need for more behavioral health providers in FQHCs, psychologists are underrepresented in this setting compared to other behavioral health professions. The purpose of this study was to: 1) examine the specific beliefs that are most relevant to executives’ intentions to hire psychologists, 2) determine how executives’ perceived control over hiring psychologists varies by several demographic variables, and 3) examine how well the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) predicts executives’ intentions to hire psychologists. Method: Executives (N …

Proposed Treatment Of Problematic Pornography Use: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach, Jennifer Minarcik

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As pornography use increases across the general population, mental health professionals are encountering more patients who present symptoms of sexual addictions and sexual compulsivity (Cooper et al., 2001). Never before have pornographic materials been so accessible to consumers. Viewing pornography is related to many negative consequences for the individual, including impairment of academic and professional functioning, subjective distress, and sexual compulsivity (Cooper et al., 1999a; Manning, 2006). Studies found pornography use by an individual typically leads to a decline in relationship and sexual satisfaction (Bridges, 2008a). Despite the growth in research related to problematic pornography use, to date there have …

Factors Predicting Weight Loss And Weight Gain In Bariatric Surgery Patients, Deborah Potisek Simpson

Doctoral Dissertations

Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States that can result in problems in multiple areas of an individual's life. Bariatric surgery has been shown to be an effective weight loss treatment for obese and morbidly obese individuals; however, although many individuals obtain long-term weight loss success after surgery, there is a percentage of patients who do not obtain the expected weight loss or end up regaining the weight they had initially lost. In an attempt to identify those who may be at risk for poorer results after bariatric surgery, most surgeons require that an individual undergo a psychological …

Ptsd, Academic Achievement, And College Persistence: The Moderating Effects Of Coping Mechanisms And Social Support, Rebecca Granda

Doctoral Dissertations

Prevalence rates of lifetime exposure to trauma for college students range from 50 to 90% indicating that most college students begin the first year of college with a history of trauma. Previous studies suggest a significant negative relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and college retention; however, these studies have mainly focused on the negative effects of trauma exposure and PTSD on college students' persistence. As a result, it was unknown whether the effects of PTSD on academic achievement and college persistence can be moderated by protective factors, such as coping skills and social support. The purpose of this study …

The Behavioral Analysis Of Gambling, Benjamin Witts, Anne Macaskill, Mack Costello

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

A behavioral analysis of gambling is unique among the psychologies. A behavioral analysis seeks answers to questions pertaining to the prediction and influence of gambling in terms of the individual gambler, and thus emphasis is placed on well-controlled small-n studies in which findings are generalized to other individuals. Further, the behavioral analysis of gambling is concerned with environmental and historical relations in accounting for current gambling behavior, and less of a reliance is placed on internal and hypothetical causal factors. This symposium explores two data-driven analyses of gambling behavior from a behavioral account of gambling while a third conceptual and …

The Development Of A Psychological Check-Up: Assessing Character And Well-Being Via The Unified Approach, Lindsay Michele Anmuth

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This dissertation presents a model of assessing and addressing the growing college student mental health crisis (CSMHC), which pertains to the rise of student pathology over time and difficulty meeting the needs of that growing population. A theory driven conceptual paradigm was developed, based on Henriques’ (2011; Henriques & Stout, 2012) Unified Approach to psychology and psychotherapy and, specifically, the Nested Model of Well-being (Henriques, Kleinman, & Asselin, 2014) and Character Adaptation Systems Theory (CAST). Based on those conceptual models and an understanding of college student mental health concerns, the Psychological Check-Up was designed. The Psychological Check-Up consists of a …

The Role Of Child Anxiety In Parent Sick Role Reinforcement, Sarah Ann Bilsky

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A large body of evidence suggests that parents can facilitate offspring anxiety in response to bodily arousal. These learning experiences are referred to as “sick role reinforcement,” and are particularly important during adolescence, given the profound bodily changes (e.g., puberty) that characterize this period. Sick role reinforcement is likely important in the context of panic disorder (PD). Panic theorists suggest that parents may enhance panic vulnerability by increasing the threat value of bodily sensations. Although a sizeable body of work has examined the role of parent behavior in these processes, few have examined offspring factors in this process. Additionally, little …

The Effects Of Brief, Passive Psychoeducation On Suicide Literacy, Stigma, And Attitudes Toward Help-Seeking Among Latino Immigrants Living In The United States, Aubrey Renee Dueweke

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Latino immigrants drastically underutilize mental health treatment services compared to other ethnic groups, despite rates of mental illness that are comparable to those observed among the general population. With regards to suicidal behavior specifically, twice as many Latino suicide attempters do not seek or receive psychiatric services in the year prior to attempting suicide, compared to non-Latino White attempters. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether provision of brief, passive psychoeducation in the form of a brochure could increase suicide literacy (i.e., recognizing suicidal behavior, understanding risk factors and causes of suicidal behavior), reduce stigma toward suicidal …

The Effects Of Psychopathic Traits On Social Support Networks, Stephanie Marie Molina

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Psychopathy is a personality disorder with distinctive behavioral, emotional and interpersonal features. The dual process model of psychopathy conceptualizes the construct via two distinct factors: fearless dominance (FD) and impulsive antisociality (IA). While individuals higher in psychopathic traits are less likely to cooperate with others, research examining the impact of psychopathy on individuals’ social networks is lacking. In the current study, 377 first year undergraduate students completed the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire, the Ten Item Personality Inventory, and ratings regarding their social networks via Qualtrics. Students were asked to list up to ten friends and rate their relationship via a newly …

A Preliminary Investigation Of Positive Imagery Training To Reduce Risk For Suicidal Behavior Among Adolescent Girls, Sasha Micaella Rojas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents, with risk for suicidal thoughts and suicidal behavior emerging during adolescence particularly among girls. Consistent with theory and empirical evidence, the current study examined the effects of Socially-focused positive imagery training among a small sample of adolescent girls evidencing suicidal thoughts. This preliminary small n design also allowed for a detailed assessment of acceptability of imagery training for the adolescent sample. Risk for suicidal intent was indexed by 1) negative affect, 2) positive affect, 3) greater resting right (relative to left) prefrontal asymmetry, 4) perceived Social isolation, and 5) suicidal …

Untangling The Relationship Between Narcissistic Traits And Behavioral Aggression Using A Ffm Framework, Colin Edward Vize

Open Access Theses

Recent work on the construct of narcissism has identified two distinct subtypes: grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. The two variants share an antagonistic core, but differ from one another in traits related to neuroticism and extraversion. We sought to explore how the differences between the subtypes may manifest in relation to behavioral aggression in the laboratory following provocation as well as in relation to a variety of self-report measures of aggression. In the case of behavioral aggression following provocation, our results showed a three-way interaction between gender, threat condition, and vulnerable narcissism such that males who reported higher levels of vulnerable …

Seeking Solace: Regret, Grief, Anxiety, Rebecca Schroeder

Honors Projects

Seeking Solace: Regret, Grief, Anxiety is a triptych video and artifact piece inspired by the abstract analysis of my dreams. It recognizes worries held within my subconscious and brings them to life through graphic design, photography, and video. The process of creating provides a new perspective of looking at both art and occupational therapy as methods of solving emotional distress.

I have recorded over 80 of my dreams in the past year. In these dreams, regret, grief, and anxiety are common themes. These themes are represented in three triptychs that cycle through past, present, and future problems. The cycling of …

Symptom Patterns Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Deaf Trauma Survivors, Melissa L. Anderson, Amanda Sortwell, Kelly S. Wolf Craig, Douglas M. Ziedonis

JADARA

Details about Deaf people’s pattern of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms remain relatively unknown due to inaccessible methods used in most epidemiological research. We conducted semi-structured American Sign Language interviews with 16 trauma-exposed Deaf individuals to explore their PTSD symptom patterns. Half met criteria for current PTSD, a rate higher than the general population. Underlying this disparity may be heightened rates of dissociation and psychogenic amnesia reported by many Deaf trauma survivors. Future research with large samples of Deaf survivors is needed to clarify this hypothesis, and to inform interventions that more accurately target Deaf people’s pattern of trauma symptoms.

Relative Preservation Of Emotion Recognition Abilities In Women Compared To Men With Parkinson's Disease, Colleen Frank

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Successful emotion recognition is necessary for healthy relationships. Parkinson’s disease (PD) can be associated with deficits in emotion recognition through both auditory and visual modalities. Because past research has also documented that gender plays a role in emotion recognition, PD could differentially affect men and women. This study examined the abilities of men and women with PD to recognize specific emotions through emotional facial expressions and emotional prosody compared to healthy controls. This study included 28 PD patients (14 men, 14 women) and 40 (20 men, 20 women) age-matched healthy control participants. The PD group displayed deficits on both the …

An Interpersonal Model Of Depression: A Psychophysiological Perspective, Kelsey J. Pritchard

ETD Archive

This study examined whether parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity predicts depression risk through excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) which subsequently erodes social support and generates stress. Recent theories suggest that the PNS evolved to regulate social interaction and that the PNS is associated with depression and interpersonal deficits. Therefore, PNS deficits may be associated to ERS, given its interpersonal function. Participants (N= 65) completed measures of ERS, interpersonal stressors, social support quality, depression symptoms, and a protocol that measured indices of the PNS (i.e., respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) at rest and during a paced breathing task. Multiple mediator models …

Biopsychosocial Models Of The Development Of Childhood Disruptive Behaviors, Anne Bernard Arnett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hyperactivity/attention problems (HAP) and conduct problems (CP) are common and impairing disruptive behaviors in childhood and adolescence. Previous research has established that HAP and CP are highly comorbid, and that outcomes are worse for youth exhibiting both symptom clusters relative to youth with only one disruptive behavior type. Despite ample evidence that HAP and CP share common etiological factors and maladaptive outcomes, the nature of their developmental association remains unclear. This dissertation clarifies three important characteristics of comorbid HAP and CP development, in two replicate, longitudinal, population samples of youth. First, I test the theory that within-person variation in HAP …

Lesbian Couple Dynamics And Heterosexist Stressors: Building A Foundation For Culturally Competent Relationship Interventions, Shelby B. Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lesbian relationships are severely underrepresented in the couples and family literature (Hartwell, Serovich, Grafsky, & Kerr, 2012). The current study sought to expand the basic science on lesbian couples with the overarching goal of informing evidence-based relationship interventions. The first aim of this study was to examine processes found to be important to relationship success in previous studies of couples in general, including communication, external support, household tasks, intimacy, and sex, as these processes are typically targeted in relationship interventions. The second aim was to examine the role of factors more specific to lesbian couples and related to heterosexist stressors …

The Effects Of Sleep Quality On Theory Of Mind, Julie Erwin

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Previous research indicates a relationship between Theory of Mind (ToM; the ability to discern others’ thoughts, emotions, intentions, etc.) and psychological disorders. Further, previous research has described a relationship between psychological disorders and sleep disruption. However, no existing research has examined whether sleep quality is associated with ToM. In this study, I explored that relationship in a healthy undergraduate population. To address this question, I proposed to correlate measures of ToM with measures of sleep quality.

Exposure To Interparental Aggression During Youth And Internalizing Psychopathology In Adulthood : The Moderating Role Of The Autonomic Nervous System, Alison J. Rivers

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The present study examines the impact of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity, and skin conductance level (SCL), an indicator of sympathetic nervous systems (SNS) activity, on the relationship between interparental aggression exposure in childhood and adolescence and internalizing psychopathology (anxiety, depression symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms) in young adulthood. Participants completed self-report questionnaires regarding youth interparental aggression exposure and current young adult psychopathology. Participants included 188 adults (mean age = 19.45 years old; 72% Caucasian/white; 55% female). Results demonstrate that co-activation of the PNS and SNS in the context of high interparental …