Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Preference For Online Psychotherapy: A Comparison Study Of Stigma, Attitudes, And Intentions, Travis Stewart

Dissertations - ALL

Abstract Objective: There is clear evidence that rates of mental health disorders among college students are increasing, and many students experiencing mental health difficulties do not engage in treatment. Some evidence suggests that telehealth may be a way to increase access to care. Research conducted prior to the pandemic suggests that students generally favor in-person treatment over online treatment, but little data has been collected following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to clarify if this trend persists. The proposed research sought to understand how treatment perceptions may have shifted following the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Data was collected from 350 …

Relationship Between Resting-State Frontal Alpha Asymmetry And Autism Characteristics Among Neurotypically Developing And Autistic Children And Adolescents, Jarryd Osborne

Theses - ALL

Autism is a heterogenous neurodevelopmental diagnosis associated with deficits in social communication and the presence of repetitive behaviors and sensory differences. While diagnostic criteria are behavioral, these behaviors are thought to arise from atypicalities in the brain. While many studies investigating autism have focused on understanding the neural processes underlying task performance, few have focused on understanding the brain at rest. This is critical, however, as the state of the brain before a stimulus is presented (i.e. its resting state) impacts how it responds to incoming information. Frontal alpha asymmetry, the comparison between alpha frequency power in the left and …

Bullying Involvement And Depression Among Youth With Adhd: Is Positive Parenting Protective?, Jessica A. Simmons

Dissertations - ALL

Abstract Background: Youth with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased independent risk for bullying involvement or depression yet the topic of bullying involvement and depression in ADHD is poorly understood and largely considered without a guiding theoretical framework. Research on the relation between ADHD and bullying is still in its early stages and less is known about the risk and protective factors that may contribute to the development or buffering of depression in these youth. Family factors such as positive parenting promote resilience in children with ADHD, help reduce the risk for youth depression and help to …

How Did Covid-19 School Closures Affect Adolescents With Adhd?, Nandini Jhawar, Ashley Schiros, Andrew S. London, Kevin Antshel

Population Health Research Brief Series

COVID-19 school closures drastically affected school-aged youth and their parents, with greater challenges among youth with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This brief summarizes results from a recent study examining the risks, protective factors, and family processes that shaped well-being among adolescents during COVID-19-related school closures. Findings show that adolescents with ADHD were more likely to experience negative consequences from school closures, including difficulty adjusting to online learning, reduced socialization, and increased mental distress. However, youth and families also experienced some benefits, including increased family reconnection and reduced school-related anxiety.

Evaluating Evidence Of Episodic Tendencies During Semantic Fluency, Rebecca Anne Wilder

Theses - ALL

While semantic organization has been widely observed in episodic memory tasks, episodic organization has yet to be observed in the semantic fluency task, due to structural differences between test paradigms. Episodic memory effects require an opportunity for target information to first be learned and later retrieved. Semantic fluency tasks, which are designed to measure retrieval capacity for facts, are typically limited to a single test-phase format. In semantic fluency tasks, participants are presented with a semantic retrieval cues (i.e. category prompts) and asked to list as many items as they can think of that fit the classification. The repeated fluency …

“Envisioning Digital Sanctuaries”: An Exploration Of Virtual Collectives For Nurturing Professional Development Of Women In Technical Domains, Subhasree Sengupta

Dissertations - ALL

Work and learning are essential facets of our existence, yet sociocultural barriers have historically limited access and opportunity for women in multiple contexts, including their professional pursuits. Such sociocultural barriers are particularly pronounced in technical domains and have relegated minoritized voices to the margins. As a result of these barriers, those affected have suffered strife, turmoil, and subjugation. Hence, it is important to investigate how women can subvert such structural limitations and find channels through which they can seek support and guidance to navigate their careers. With the proliferation of modern communication infrastructure, virtual forums of conversation such as Reddit …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students’ Writing Skills: An Examination Of The Agreement Between Teachers’ Judgments And Curriculum-Based Measurement In Written Expression, Emily Ann Watts

Theses - ALL

Nearly 75% of students in the United States of America are not meeting grade-level standards in the area of writing (NCES, 2012; Persky et al., 2003), despite this skill impacting students’ performances in other academic areas (Ray et al., 2016), and limiting students’ access to higher education (Addison & McGee, 2010), and opportunities for jobs in the adult workforce (National Commission on Writing, 2005). Because difficulties with early writing skills are associated with later writing skills deficits (Juel, 1988), it is crucial that educators accurately identify students in need of additional support in order to provide them with appropriate instruction. …

The Associations Between Paternal Depressive Symptoms And Children’S Behavior Outcomes Via Intimate Partner Violence And Paternal Rejection In Kenyan Families, Dickson Mukara Matsantsa Ong'ayi

Dissertations - ALL

High rates of depressive symptoms and intimate partner violence in Kenya place children at risk for behavioral difficulties well beyond the preschool years. This study examined (a) whether paternal depressive symptoms, psychological and physical intimate partner violence, and rejection were associated with children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors above maternal risk factors, and (b) whether psychological and physical intimate partner violence and paternal/maternal rejection mediated the associations between depressive symptoms and children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors differently for mothers and fathers. Propositions within the developmental psychopathology framework and interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory guided the formulation of the research questions and hypotheses. A …

Does Working Memory Predict Preference To Use Inherent Explanations In Scientific Observations? A Bayesian Item Response Theory Approach, Sepideh Namvarrad

Theses - ALL

Understanding the cognitive processes that help people generate explanations is one of the fundamental questions in cognitive science and philosophy. In this study, we try to examine the extent to which working memory capacity can predict peoples’ preference for scientific explanations under uncertainty. Specifically, we distinguish between possible explanations in terms of their focus on inherent vs. extrinsic entities associated with an observation. According to past findings, inherent vs. extrinsic properties of a phenomenon are different in terms of the ease of accessibility for cognitive processes. The results of this research indicate a significant association between people’s tendencies to choose …

Living In The Fast Lane: The Role Of Temporal Processing In Adhd Risk-Taking Behaviors, Ashley Schiros

Theses - ALL

Background: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, prevalent in the college student population, that is associated with temporal processing deficits and functional impairments, namely engagement in risky behaviors (ERB; e.g., binge drinking). An existing theoretical framework purposes that aberrant temporal processing and subjective experience of time passing slowly, experienced in individuals with a fast internal clock (e.g., individuals with ADHD), increases the likelihood of ERB. The primary aim of this project is to improve our understanding of the relationship between objective temporal processing deficits and the subjective experience of time passage among people with elevated ADHD symptoms. Method: …

Examining Student Adherence Within A Cover-Copy-Compare Intervention, Kaytlin Ann Nelson

Theses - ALL

The Cover-Copy-Compare intervention is a self-management strategy developed to improve students’ academic performance, particularly in the area of spelling. In academic intervention research, it is often assumed that students are completing an intervention as intended, yet this is seldom examined during intervention implementation or subsequent data analysis. The aim of this study was to retrospectively examine students’ Cover-Copy-Compare permanent products to assess their ability to adhere to the intervention and to examine whether intervention adherence influences intervention effectiveness. Data for the present study were selected from two larger randomized control trials that examined the efficacy of the Cover-Copy-Compare intervention on …

The Associations Between Family Socioeconomic Status, Family Expectations, And Child Academic Achievement Via Nurturant-Involved Parenting, Teacher–Student Relationship, And Academic Self-Regulation In Chinese Families, Lei Jin

Dissertations - ALL

Chinese parents place a high value on their children’s academic excellence and have high career aspirations for their children. Family socioeconomic status (FSES) and family expectations on children’s future achievement play pivotal roles in children’s academic achievement. Using data from the 2014 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) and structural equation modeling techniques, the pathways of association between FSES and children’s academic achievement through family expectations on children’s future achievement, parenting strategies, teacher–student relationship, and academic self-regulation were examined. The sample included 802 families with children between 10 and 13 years (46% girls and 58.4% children from rural areas). Higher family …

A Closer Look Into Treatment Integrity: Examining The Effects Of Student Intervention Adherence On Intervention Outcomes, Alec Ryan Goldstein

Theses - ALL

It is widely accepted that treatment integrity is an important component in evaluating the validity of an intervention (Collier-Meek et al., 2013), and empirical research has demonstrated a positive relationship between high treatment integrity and intervention outcomes (Hengeller et al., 1997; Huey et al., 2000; Noell et al., 2002; Scott et al., 2019; Wilder et al., 2006). Participant adherence, a foundational dimension of treatment integrity (Sanetti et al., 2021), should also be examined in order to make valid conclusions regarding intervention effectiveness. The current study sought to descriptively explore students’ adherence to a performance feedback, goal setting, and self-graphing intervention …

The Association Between Child Behavior Problems And Parenting Stress In Families Of Children With Disabilities In The United Arab Emirates (Uae): Family Resilience Processes As Protective Factors, Sara Alansaari

Theses - ALL

No abstract provided.

Do Adverse Childhood Experiences Mediate The Relationship Between Autistic Traits And Borderline Personality Traits?, Alyne Rodrigues

Dissertations - ALL

Background: Previous studies have found comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) diagnoses in clinical samples, higher autistic traits in individuals with BPD compared to control groups, and co-occurrence of autistic traits and BPD traits in community samples. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are highly prevalent among autistic individuals and individuals diagnosed with BPD. However, to date, cumulative ACEs have been neglected as a potential mediator of the association between ASD and BPD. The present preliminary cross-sectional study examined whether retrospective self-reported ACEs, before 18 years of age, explained the relationship between current self-reported autistic traits and current …

Implementing The Mindfulness-Based Kindness Curriculum In An Inclusive Setting: Effects On Prosocial Behavior, Emily Cary

Dissertations - ALL

Low rates of prosocial behavior are associated with poor academic, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, including physical aggression, externalizing problems, criminal justice convictions, lower academic achievement, and more peer rejection. Using a cluster randomized control trial, this study examined the effects of the mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum (N = 26), compared to a matched control condition consisting of a social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, Merrell’s Strong Start (N = 20). Outcome measures included the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Head Shoulders Knees and Toes task, which are measures of prosocial behavior including self-regulatory skills. These assessments were administered to 5 …

Cannabis Sleep Aid Use In Daily College Life: An Intensive Longitudinal Assessment Approach, Patricia A. Goodhines

Dissertations - ALL

Objective: Emerging evidence suggests that college cannabis sleep aid use may increase vulnerability to diurnal impairment, despite proximal sleep-related benefits. In contrast, relatively little is known about proximal precipitants of cannabis sleep aid use in daily college life. The identification of modifiable, situational intervention points preceding cannabis sleep aid use in daily college life is critical to accelerate the development of college harm reduction efforts. This 14-night mixed methods study tested temporal associations of THC-based cannabis sleep aid use with cognitive arousal-based precipitants (consistent with cognitive theory of insomnia) and sleep outcomes.

Method: Daily diary (pre-sleep and waking) and actigraphy …

Development Of A Combined Model Of College Student Alcohol-Associated Condomless Sex, Alan Z. Sheinfil

Dissertations - ALL

Harmful alcohol use and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are significant public health concerns for college students. Because alcohol use and condomless sex often co-occur in this population, alcohol-associated condomless sex has been identified as a target for behavioral interventions. Existing theoretical frameworks have not garnered sufficient empirical support to serve as the foundation for interventions. The primary goal of the current study was to use a mixed-methods approach to develop a novel model of college student alcohol-associated condomless sex that combines elements from well-established health behavior theories. In Aim 1, multilevel structural regression models were estimated to predict condomless vaginal …

Differential Evaluation Of Straight And Gay Men For Nonverbal Effeminate Behavior, Art D. Marsden

Theses - ALL

The purpose of this study was to determine how violation of gender-based expectancies might influence attitudes toward men who differ by sexual orientation (i.e., straight or gay). While other studies have examined attitudes toward gay and straight men who differ by gender expression, their designs may have been susceptible to demand effects; this study was specifically designed to avoid such methodological issues. This research was informed by Expectancy-Violation Theory (EVT) and the Black Sheep Effect, which together suggest that an effeminate straight man should be evaluated by other straight men more negatively than an effeminate gay man because the former …

The Psychological Empowerment Impact Of Twitter Microblogging: The Case Of #Stopasianhate During Covid-19 Pandemic, Natnaree Wongmith

Theses - ALL

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in anti-Asian hate incidents across the US (Misra et al., 2020). As a response to the alarming escalation in xenophobia and racism resulting from the pandemic, #StopAsianHate and #StopAAPIHate have been employed to shed light on the issues. Twitter can effectively assist protestors to participate in the movement by facilitating collective effort, efficiently disseminating the information, and encouraging the discussion about a topic (Chon & Park, 2020). Social media has been recognized for its contribution to one's empowerment in various domains, allowing the marginalized group to regain their sense of power …

Interparental Conflict In Early Childhood As A Predictor Of Depression And Anxiety Symptoms At Age 15, Abigail Picinich

Theses - ALL

Research has continually demonstrated a number of adverse externalizing outcomes for children from conflictual families, though the impact of interparental conflict on adolescents' internalizing problems is less well understood. This study utilized longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child-Wellbeing Study, which is a stratified, multistage sample following 4,898 children from low-income families from birth to age 15. Self-report data from both the mothers and focal-teens was utilized to examine the impact of interparental conflict, at age 3, on both anxiety and depressive symptoms, at age 15. Findings indicated that there is a significant relationship between higher frequency of interparental …

Adolescent Closeness To Parents And Young Adult Global Self-Esteem: The Moderating Role Of Natural Mentoring Relationship, Shuangyue Cui

Theses - ALL

Theories suggest that relationships play an important role in self-esteem. Close relationships with parents during adolescence revealed direct and long-term effects on self-esteem. The past research demonstrated that a natural mentor significantly positively affected adolescents' phycological outcomes. Whether it directly influences psychological well-being or is a protective factor for at-risk youths, a greater likelihood of favorable outcomes was demonstrated when adolescents are close to their parents or have natural mentoring relationships. However, there has been a gap in the literature about the moderating role of the natural mentoring relationships (NMRs) between closeness to parents and children's global self-esteem. To better …

Coparenting Quality In Separated American Parents Of Children Ages 1½ To 5: Anxiety, Social Support, Self-Efficacy, And The Associations With Coparenting And Child Outcomes, Greg Kovacs

Dissertations - ALL

The purpose of this research was to examine the mechanisms determining coparenting processes in parents following divorce or separation and the implications for the emotional and behavioral outcomes for their young children. The complex associations between parental anxiety, parental self-efficacy, social support, coparent relationship quality, and child problem behaviors were examined. Participants were recruited using Amazon Mechanical Turk and completed a survey regarding their coparenting dynamics. The sample consisted of 322 residents of the United States who had a child between 18 months and 5 years of age and who were no longer living with the child's other parent. Results …

Spanning The Auditory System: Subcortical And Cortical Auditory Processing Of Speech Sounds In Autistic And Typically Developing Children, Erin Stephanie Misato Matsuba

Theses - ALL

Autistic individuals often report atypical sensory processing, particularly in the auditory domain. However, the neural mechanisms that produce such symptoms are poorly understood. The Speech Auditory Brainstem Response (speech-ABR) and the Mismatch Negativity (MMN) are neurophysiological measures that capture different levels of auditory processing, such that the speech-ABR reflects processing at the subcortical level and the MMN measures cortical processing. The present study integrated both techniques in a multimethod approach, which spans both subcortical and cortical processing of speech sounds in a group of autistic children (n = 11) matched on chronological age and non-verbal IQ to their typically developing …

Searching For The Good Vibes: Examining The Relationship Between Self-Transcendent Social Media And Social Isolation, David P. Peters

Theses - ALL

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health and well-being have been a serious concern for researchers. Studies have shown that social isolation brought on by lockdowns and social distancing have led to increased feelings of loneliness and disconnectedness (Giallonardo et al., 2020; Pancani et al., 2021). Researchers have also discovered that self-transcendent media and eudaimonic media experiences generate positive feelings of inspiration, relatedness, awe, and connectedness (Oliver et al., 2019). The purpose of this mixed methods study is to explore the relationship between self-transcendent social media video consumption and feelings of loneliness and social disconnectedness attributed to social …

Parental Help-Seeking Intentions For Childhood Adhd In Asian Indian American Parents: Application Of The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Nandini Jhawar

Theses - ALL

Background: Pediatric attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent, impairing disorder with significant public health burden. Unfortunately, there is considerable delay to treatment and a low rate of lifetime treatment contact for individuals with ADHD, especially among ethnic minorities. The Asian Indian American (AIA) population, one of the fastest growing minority populations in the United States, has been ignored completely in ADHD help-seeking research. To fill this void, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework was used to examine how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control affect help-seeking intentions for ADHD in AIAs. Method: 191 parents (53% …

Self-Control Depletion, Frustration Tolerance, Irritability, And Engagement In Risky Behaviors In College Students With And Without Adhd Risk, Catherine L. Montgomery

Theses - ALL

Background: ADHD prevalence rates in college students are increasing, with approximately 8.7% of college students reporting current ADHD diagnoses. College students with ADHD often have poor self-control, low frustration tolerance, and associated irritability. These associated features of ADHD are, in turn, associated with engagement in risky behaviors and social impairments.

Method: The present study used the Self-Control Strength Model as a theoretical framework to experimentally examine (a) relationships between ADHD symptoms, frustration tolerance, irritability, and self-control resource depletion and (b) associations between these variables, social functioning, and engagement in risky behaviors. College student participants (n=247) completed state and trait baseline …

If We End, I Lose Part Of Me: The Influence Of Dissolution Consideration On Perceived Self-Contraction, Abigail J. Caselli

Dissertations - ALL

Romantic relationships provide people with the opportunity to change who they are and how they come to think of themselves. This process, known as self-concept change, is generally positive and creates a perceived sense of closeness between romantic partners. However, not all romantic relationships remain intact, regardless of the benefits associated with self-concept change. Thus, people experience breakups, which impact how they perceive themselves. But before leaving their relationship, people have thoughts about leaving (i.e., dissolution consideration). People will likely perceive changes to their sense of self before leaving the relationship. Specifically, I predicted and found in Studies 1-2 that …

The Effects Of Cannabidiol And Analgesic Expectancies On Experimental Pain Reactivity In Healthy Adults: A Balanced Placebo Design Trial, Martin De Vita

Dissertations - ALL

Experimental pain trials have been unable to determine whether cannabinoid analgesia is attributable to intoxication, analgesic expectancies, and/or pharmacological action. One approach to resolving this issue involves testing the effects of analgesic expectancies and cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, on human pain reactivity using a balanced placebo design. Despite its frequent use for pain relief, no experimental research has tested the analgesic effects of CBD in humans. Using a within-subjects 2 x 2 balanced placebo factorial design, we experimentally tested the effects of CBD and expectancies for receiving CBD on pain reactivity (i.e., pain threshold, tolerance, intensity, unpleasantness, conditioned pain …

Benzodiazepine Use And Dependence In Relation To Chronic Pain Intensity And Pain Catastrophizing, Emma Carnes Lape

Theses - ALL

Benzodiazepines (BZDs), a class of sedative-hypnotic drugs, are at the center of an emerging prescription drug crisis. From approximately 1995-2015, overdose deaths involving BZDs quadrupled and average dose equivalents more than tripled. Specific concern has centered on elevated rates of BZD use among individuals with chronic pain, given that BZDs are generally not indicated for pain management. Consistent with negative reinforcement and motivational models of substance use, desire for pain alleviation may be a salient motivator of BZD use, particularly as individuals commonly report using BZDs for negative affect alleviation. The present study tested cross-sectional associations between pain intensity and …