Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Relations Of Self-Criticism And Dependency To Depressive Symptomatology: Tests Of Blatt's And Greenberg And Watson's Theories, David B. Canose

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two competing sets of hypotheses about the relations of self-criticism and dependency to depressive symptomatology were tested. Blatt's theory (1974, 2004) states that self-criticism and dependency are separate and distinct personality traits that predispose individuals to depression. Hypotheses from Blatt's theory were that self-criticism and dependency each explain unique variance in depressive symptomatology beyond that explained by the other. In contrast, Greenberg and Watson (2006) theorize that dependency underlies self-criticism in predisposing individuals to depression. Hypotheses from Greenberg and Watson's theory were that self-criticism and dependency are both correlated with depressive symptomatology, that self-criticism is correlated with dependency, that self-criticism …

A Mixed Methodological Analysis Of The Role Of Culture And Diagnostic Variance Among Counselors And Counselor Trainees, Elizabeth A. Prosek

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

As the U.S. population continues to diversify, counselors are challenged to respond to the interface of culture and mental health concerns of clients (Gushue, Constantine, & Sciarra, 2008). It is important for counselors when making clinical decisions to reflect on the diverse needs of clients as well as the potential impact of cultural factors on mental health (Sue & Sue, 2008). Accordingly, this study sought to investigate the clinical decision-making process among counselors and counselor trainees and how, if at all, cultural factors influence the case conceptualization of clients. The study also investigated how counselors and counselor trainees collect and …

Attitudes Of And Behaviors Towards Academic Integrity Between Community College Students Who Enroll In Online Courses Versus Traditional Courses, Kristine Marie Christensen

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Advances in technology have allowed educators to use new methods for delivering education, students are finding new ways to leverage technology to learn, and online course enrollments are growing at a faster rate than traditional face-to-face courses. Using McCabe's Academic Integrity Survey, data was collected from over 1,700 students enrolled in online or traditional, face-to-face courses at a large Midwestern community college during the fall of 2008. The purpose of this study was to examine whether differences in the self-reported attitudes and behaviors toward academic integrity exist between community college students enrolled in online courses and those in traditional, face-to-face …

The Relationship Of Cognitive Development Level, Supervision, And Counselor Skills In Preparing Counselors, Margaret Jean Jensen

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The focus of this study was the exploration of specific developmental dimensions that may have an impact on the counselor training process, which ultimately will affect the quality of care offered by counselors to clients. Specifically, the relationship of cognitive developmental level and counseling competency skills was examined to determine if a relationship exists between the two dimensions and if so, can a counselor trainee's developmental level predict his or her level of counseling skills. Thirty master level counseling students (trainees) participated in this study during practicum or internship. The trainees were rated by their supervisors on both a measure …

Treating Trauma Survivors With Neurofeedback: A Grounded Theory Study Based On The Practices Of Experienced Mental Health Professionals, Christine L. Currie

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Neuroscience, the mental health field, and the concept of trauma as an underlying factor in mental and physical disorders have been inextricably linked since the inception of the mental health professions. Numerous quantitative studies have indicated that neurofeedback may be effective in ameliorating trauma symptoms; however, there is a paucity of research exploring the factors that produce those positive outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to explore the factors and processes that influence treatment outcomes when neurofeedback is used with trauma survivors. Thirty interviews were completed with ten experienced mental health and neurofeedback professionals identified through …

Relationships Between Religious Orientation And Academic Attitudes, Lauren Everitt

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this study was to examine whether there is an underlying consistency between college students' approaches to religion and their approaches to higher education. A sample of 234 undergraduate students completed the Religious Life Inventory (Batson, Schoenrade, & Ventis, 1993), which assesses orientation to religion, and the Academic Attitude Scale (Wong, 1998), which identifies factors that motivate students to pursue higher education. The three dimensions (Means, End, and Quest) extracted from the Religious Life Inventory were compared to the six subscales (Intrinsic, Instrumental, Personal Development, External Pressure, Social Interest, No Better Option) of the Academic Attitude Scale to …

The Effects Of Rumination, Hostility, And Distraction On Cardiovascular Reactivity And Recovery From Anger Recall In Healthy Women, Meghan K. Mclain

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Cardiovascular reactivity and recovery following an emotional stressor may play a crucial role in mediating the relation between psychosocial factors (e.g. hostility and anger) and cardiovascular disease. Hostility has been associated with trait rumination. Trait rumination, a tendency to focus attention on negative thoughts and emotions and be prone to feelings of revenge, is not adequately captured in current measures of hostility. The current study examined whether trait rumination, indexed by the Dissipation-Rumination Scale, has an independent effect of increasing cardiovascular reactivity and prolonging cardiovascular recovery from angry events above and beyond hostility as measured by the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale. …

Testing Of A Brief Internet Cyberbullying Prevention Program In College Students, Ashley Nicole Doane

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Although the prevalence of cyberbullying varies across investigations, studies on adolescents and college students have shown that cyberbullying is associated with a wide range of negative consequences, including emotional distress, substance use, delinquent behavior, and even suicide. Given the frequency and consequences of cyberbullying, effective low-cost cyberbullying prevention programs are needed. Based on a review of the literature, best practices for program development, and earlier work on cyberbullying (e.g., Doane, Kelley, & Padilla, 2011; Doane, Kelley, Cornell, & Pearson, 2008), the goals of the proposed project were to develop a video-based program to increase knowledge about cyberbullying and empathy toward …

Stability And Change In Goal Orientation And Their Relationship With Performance: Testing Density Distributions Using Latent Trait-State Models, Michael Charles Mihalecz

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Goal orientation has been proposed to influence a number of training and work outcomes. However, results have been inconsistent and predicted relationships are weaker than anticipated (Payne, Youngcourt & Beaubien, 2007). Weak findings may be due to inconsistencies in how goal orientation is conceptualized and operationalized (DeShon & Gillespie, 2005; Grant & Dweck, 2003; Kaplan & Maehr, 2007). One such inconsistency is the treatment of goal orientation as a stable trait or a malleable state. Issues of state-versus-trait have long fueled the person-situation debate in personality psychology. Fleeson (2001) offered a solution for integrating the two theoretical perspectives called the …

The Effect Of Improvisations And Observations On Standardized Patient Encounters, Subjective Workload And Stress, Elizabeth T. Newlin-Canzone

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Standardized patients (SPs) are people trained to present a medical case for teaching and assessing medical students and they simultaneously perform several demanding tasks including portraying the patient, assessing the learner, and providing feedback. This study investigated the effect of improvisations and multiple task performance on the ability to observe another's nonverbal (NV) behaviors and rate their communication skills. Subjective reports of mental workload and stress were also obtained. The first study involved undergraduates interviewing for a job. Type of interview (rote and improvisational) and type of observation (passive and active) were manipulated within groups. Based on theories of attention …

Conditions For Empathy In Medicine: A Grounded Theory Study, Hannah Barnhill Bayne

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Previous research in the medical setting has credited empathy with improving treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction, though operational definitions of the concept are widely varied and indicate inconsistencies in conceptualization and subsequent assessment. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to examine the role of empathy in the medical setting. A model of conditions for empathy in medicine was developed through in-depth interviews with 21 healthcare professionals, utilizing their professional experiences and perspectives to structure the multi-level model. The seven levels of the model indicate the layers of complexity inherent in facilitating optimal empathy in medicine and add to …

Warranty And Price As Quality Signals: The Effect Of Signal Consistency And Unexpectedness On Product Perception, Sultan Alaswad Alenazi

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

This dissertation investigates the effect of signal consistency/inconsistency and signal unexpectedness on a consumer's evaluation of a product. It consists of two studies. Study One examines the effect of signal consistency/inconsistency on product quality, where consistent signals are those of the same valance. Prior research has found that a positive cue not only was unable to improve product quality perception, but also had a negative effect on perceived quality when a positive cue was combined with a negative one. The results of Study One indicate that when signals are inconsistent, consumers engage in an attribution process to explain inconsistency. If …

Section Abstracts: Psychology

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Psychology Section for the 89th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, May 25-27, 2011, University of Richmond, Richmond VA.

Stigmatization As A Barrier To Help-Seeking Among Individuals Who Engage In Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Tatyana Kholodkov

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is the deliberate destruction of body tissue without the intent to commit suicide. The present study applied public stigma, self stigma, and secrecy of Modified Labeling Theory to NSSI help seeking and psychological well-being.

Results from 576 adult women indicate that satisfaction with mental health providers is higher than with medical providers, that stigma was not higher among those who haven't sought help, and that past and future help seeking are related. Neither public nor self stigma predicted help-seeking, and the relationship between stigma and psychological well-being is not mediated by secrecy. The most salient constructs associated …

A Field Experiment To Test The Effects Of Automated Feedback And Monetary Incentive On Speeding Behavior, Ian J. Reagan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This field experiment tested the effects of two systems on speeding, mental workload, and driver acceptance of the systems. Using GPS technology integrated with GIS referenced speed limit information, eight vehicles were instrumented in a manner that allowed real time knowledge of vehicle speed relative to the speed limit. Fifty participants drove these vehicles, with each individual driving his or her assigned vehicle for a four week trial. During one week, 40 participants experienced an automated feedback system, which provided visual and auditory alerts when they sped five or more mph over the limit. Twenty of these 40 individuals experienced …

Utilizing A Web-Based Career Development Workshop To Address Career Decision-Making Difficulty Among Community College Distance Learners, Johanna Michele Brown

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Career decision making difficulty, as it relates to undecided college students and career indecision, has been a concern for counselors and academic advisors for decades (Gordon, 2006; Mau, 2004). Individuals struggling with career indecision often seek assistance via career counseling, self-help tools, and/or computer-assisted career guidance systems (Gati, Gadassi, & Shemesh, 2005). The past decade has brought a large increase in the development of a number of web-based career guidance systems (CGS) (Bobek, Robbins, Gore, Harris-Bowlsbey, Lapan, Dahir, & Jepsen, 2005). Despite the rapid growth in the type and use of computer-assisted CGS, little empirical research has been conducted on …

The Preparation Of Master's Level Professional Counselors For Positions In College And University Counseling Centers, Brian M. Shaw

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

College and university counselors are tasked with performing a multitude of roles and meeting a variety of client needs unique from other counseling settings. It is important to examine the ability of counselors who work in these settings to determine if they have been adequately prepared. This study investigated the adequacy of preparation of entry-level master's level professional counselors for work in college and university counseling centers. Adequacy of preparation was examined by surveying college and university counseling center directors about their perceptions regarding the ability of entry-level master's level professional counselors to perform specific roles and meet relevant client …

The Role Of Supervisor-Supervisee Cultural Differences, Supervisor Multicultural Competence, And The Supervisory Working Alliance In Supervision Outcomes: A Moderated Mediation Model, Stephanie A. Crockett

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

As the United States population grows more diverse, many counseling professionals have called for attention to the cultural issues present in clinical supervision. Existing research suggests that the supervisor's level of multicultural competence and the strength of the supervisory working alliance may affect the relationship between supervisor-supervisee cultural differences on supervision outcomes. Accordingly, the study sought to address how cultural differences between the supervisor and supervisee, supervisor multicultural competence, and the supervisory working alliance impact supervisee counseling self-efficacy and satisfaction with supervision.

The study examined the plausibility of a moderated mediation model, derived from the literature, using a sample of …

Supervision Competencies For Counselor Education Doctoral Graduates: A Delphi Study, Anita Ann Neuer

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counselor educators and supervisors are familiar with the use of competencies for training future clinicians but the extant literature lacks a set of competencies for use in training future counselor supervisors. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a list of supervision competencies experts agree should be demonstrated by new doctoral counseling graduates for their work with master's students, pre-licensed or licensed counselors, and doctoral students. The research design included two expert panels, an amended Delphi poll, and a content validity assessment. These procedures resulted in a consensus list of 33 supervision competencies that appear to be …

Attitudes Of Counselors Regarding Ethical Situations Encountered By In-Home Counselors, Justin Douglas Lauka

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

This survey study explored the attitudes of in-home and outpatient counselors in Virginia regarding ethical situations encountered by in-home counselors. Differences in responses were examined across several variables to identify any relationships among those constructs that are salient to in-home counseling and ethics. Of 108 participants, no significant differences were found between the two groups. One variable was found to predict counselors' responses: the percent counselors provide counseling services compared to case management. The item seen as most ethical involved telling a client to apply for needed services, surprising, given its directive nature that runs counter to the counseling profession. …

The Association Between Depressive Symptoms, Relationship Satisfaction, And Self- And Partner-Attributions, Amy Harrison Smith

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Attributions of partners have been examined in the depressive symptom-relationship satisfaction literature, while attributions of self have not been adequately addressed. In the present study, attributions of self and partner were investigated as mediators of the association between depressive symptoms and relationship satisfaction. A student and community sample of 270 adults in heterosexual romantic relationships completed an online survey consisting of depressive symptom, relationship satisfaction, and relationship attribution inventories. Pearson's product-moment correlation and multiple regression analyses were utilized to assess meditational pathways. Depressive symptoms were significantly negatively correlated with relationship satisfaction. Self- and partner-attributions were significantly positively correlated with relationship …

Comics As A Cognitive Training Medium For Expert Decision Making, Amber Nalu

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Experts such as military commanders must make decisions quickly and under deadly conditions. A variety of cognitive training media exist, from Powerpoint to virtual reality (VR) simulations; however, there are alternative media that have not yet been comprehensively studied for expert decision making training. In this study, the researcher has examined the use of comics as an alternative to current cognitive training media. In Experiment 1, naval submariners were shown a text-based medium or comic strip and asked to make a decision about the scenario after viewing. The scenario was derived from a situation that submariners were somewhat familiar with …

Coping With Customer Sexual Harassment: Examining Retaliation As A Coping Strategy And Testing A Contextual Model, Valerie J. Morganson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Research has established that customer sexual harassment (CSH) is a widespread and harmful workplace phenomenon. This dissertation consists of two studies on the topic. The first sought to operationalize a measure of coping with customer sexual harassment. In addition to three traditional factors of sexual harassment coping (i.e., external, internal, and social), Study 1 predicted that worker retaliation toward the customer would constitute an additional form of coping with CSH. The measure of coping was tested using a sample of 200 women customer service workers. Data were analyzed using factor analysis. As expected, retaliation was supported as a coping strategy, …

A Conceptual Model For Employer Training To Manage Employee Counter-Productive Behaviors, Naomi Spickard Rock

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a model for employer training to manage employees who possess counter-productive behaviors. With the increasing encouragement for employers to hire without discriminating, the number of individuals with disabilities in the workforce will rise. There is limited training in universities and businesses to teach how to deal with difficult individuals.

Qualitative research in the form of focus groups was conducted. The following research objectives were developed: 1) Identify components of counter-productive behaviors that need to be managed in the workplace. 2) Develop behavioral management strategies that need be learned by employers. 3) Integrate …

Social Networking And Individual Performance: Examining Predictors Of Participation, Michael Anthony Brown Sr.

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation addresses relationships between social networking and individual performance. The "act" of social networking is a process and practice by which people and organizations are drawn together by family, work or hobby to interact via websites. The explosion of these new network connections in the workplace suggests the need for an exploration of the various ways organizations can affect and improve performance and productivity.

This dissertation suggests a social networking participation model that may help organizations predict and understand the value proposition that affects acceptance or rejection of participation. Innovation adoption, governing by network and social capital are important …

A Three Dimensional Green's Function Solution Technique For The Transport Of Heavy Ions In Laboratory And Space, Candice Rockell Gerstner

Mathematics & Statistics Theses & Dissertations

In the future, astronauts will be sent into space for longer durations of time compared to previous missions. The increased risk of exposure to ionizing radiation, such as Galactic Cosmic Rays and Solar Particle Events, is of great concern. Consequently, steps must be taken to ensure astronaut safety by providing adequate shielding. The shielding and exposure of space travelers is controlled by the transport properties of the radiation through the spacecraft, its onboard systems and the bodies of the individuals themselves. Meeting the challenge of future space programs will therefore require accurate and efficient methods for performing radiation transport calculations …

Investigating Intrinsic And Extrinsic Variables During Simulated Internet Search, Molly M. Liechty, Poornima Madhaven

Psychology Faculty Publications

Using an eye tracker we examined decision-making processes during an internet search task. Twenty experienced homebuyers and twenty-five undergraduates from Old Dominion University viewed homes on a simulated real estate website. Several of the homes included physical properties that had the potential to negatively impact individual perceptions. These negative externalities were either easy to change (Level 1) or impossible to change (Level 2). Eye movements were analyzed to examine the relationship between participants' "stated preferences"[verbalized preferences], "revealed preferences" [actual decisions[, and experience. Dwell times, fixation durations/counts, and saccade counts/amplitudes were analyzed. Results revealed that experienced homebuyers demonstrated a more refined …