Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Closing The Early Literacy Skills Gaps Through Supplemental Phonics Instruction, Jeremy Pichany

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Unconscious Integration Of Categorical Relationship Of Two Subliminal Numbers In Comparison With “5”, Changjun Li, Qingying Liu, Yingjuan Liu, Jerwen Jou, Shen Tu

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Many studies have shown that the brain can process subliminal numerals, i.e., participants can categorize a subliminal number into two categories: greater than 5 or less than 5. In the context of many studies on the unconscious integration of multiple subliminal stimuli, the issue of whether multiple subliminal numbers can be integrated is contentious. The same-different task is regarded as a perfect tool to explore unconscious integration. In the two experiments reported, we used a same-different task in which a pair of masked prime numbers was followed by a pair of target numbers, and participants were asked to decide whether …

Breaking The Silence: Family Conversations On Suicide, Alexa Diaz

Student Works

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth in the United States. Suicide remains to be a stigmatized topic. There is a necessary need for families to openly communicate about suicide as well as knowing what measures they need to take to prevent them from occurring. Providing a child with a secure attachment and an authoritative parenting style decreases the likelihood of suicidal ideation as well as engaging in suicide-related behaviors (Diamond et al., 2022). Media exposure may serve as a resource for parents to enhance their knowledge on mental health literacy (Abesinghe et al., 2023; Cingel et …

Decoding Affective Information From Neuronal Populations In The Human Hippocampus, Alexander N. Lawriw

LSU Master's Theses

The hippocampus is understood to play a key role in the formation of episodic memories. Prominent theories suggest this is made possible through use of sparse encoding schemes, in which a small number of neurons encode each episodic event using a distinct pattern of neuronal activity. However, more recent computational models suggest that the hippocampus may also be capable of representing semantic structure, a notion previously thought to be exclusive to the neocortex. In our previous line of work, we trained multivariate classifiers to predict the semantic content, specifically affect, of computer-generated faces given spiking data taken from individual neurons …

Harm Reduction In Psychotherapy, Jillian Cramer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

With approximately 22 people dying due to opiate-related harms everyday in Canada (Government of Canada, 2023), there is a great need to offer low-barrier, evidence-based services for people who use substances across various disciplines, including healthcare, social services, and psychotherapy. This qualitative study examined the experiences of Canadian social justice-informed counsellors who work with clients who use substances from harm reduction frameworks of care. Seven counsellors were interviewed on their personal experiences implementing harm reduction in psychotherapy. Through a reflexive thematic analysis, five themes surfaced: axiology of harm reduction work, development of therapist surrounding harm reduction, main focuses of harm …

The Academic Self-Esteem Of Higher Education’S Lgbtq+ Students, Tory Cline

Scholars Week

LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer) students' academic self-esteem is underresearched, particularly among college students. Academic self-esteem refers to students' self-esteem regarding their ability to perform well in school. Past research shows that academic performance and academic self-esteem are strongly correlated with one another (Smith et al., 1998). Among high school students, it was found that LGBTQ+ victimization was correlated with worse academic performance and that the presence of a GSA (gay-straight alliance) was predictive of lower levels of victimization (Kosciw et al., 2013). With the vast majority of research on this matter being conducted on high school students, …

Homonegativity Is Predicted By Sexism And Attitudes Towards Women, Torii Doran

Scholars Week

Homonegativity is predicted by sexism and attitudes towards women

This study observed the relation between homonegativity, sexism, and attitudes towards women. The LGBTQ+ community has faced long-standing struggles which is why continued research to grow understanding of the root causes of the disparities that impact the LGBTQ+ community are so important. The current study looked to expand on previously literature that had previously explored homonegativity’s association with overall sexism, by examining hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, and attitudes towards women, specifically (Bernuy & Noe, 2017; Etengoff & Lefevor, 2021; Polimeni et al., 2000). We hypothesized homonegativity would be positively correlated with …

The Experience Of Organizational Leaders With Decision-Making In A Crisis, Leigh E. Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Fibromyalgia Pain Experience: A Scoping Review Of The Preclinical Evidence For Replication And Treatment Of The Affective And Cognitive Pain Dimensions, Cassie M. Argenbright, Alysia M. Bertlesman, Izabella M. Russell, Tracy L. Greer, Yuan B. Peng, Perry N. Fuchs

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fibromyalgia is a chronic, widespread pain disorder that is strongly represented across the affective and cognitive dimensions of pain, given that the underlying pathophysiology of the disorder is yet to be identified. These affective and cognitive deficits are crucial to understanding and treating the fibromyalgia pain experience as a whole but replicating this multidimensionality on a preclinical level is challenging. To understand the underlying mechanisms, animal models are used. In this scoping review, we evaluate the current primary animal models of fibromyalgia regarding their translational relevance within the affective and cognitive pain realms, as well as summarize treatments that have …

Broken Promises: Prolonged Diminished Quality-Of-Life Among Liberian Ebola Survivors Half A Decade After The 2014-16 West African Outbreak, Jessi Hanson-Defusco, Decontee Davis, Meghana Bommareddy, Zainab Olaniyan

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak left thousands of Liberian survivors with severely diminished quality of life. Applying a social determinants framework, this mixed method study investigates to what extent Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors suffer long-haul psychosocial stress, diminished quality-of-life factors, and the impact of EVD-related service provisions on their ongoing healing. We present the results of a quantitative analysis survey of data collected from 19 Liberian EVD survivors in 2022 using snowball sampling. Additionally, a qualitative analysis of survivor statements helps triangulate key statistical findings and inform causal mechanisms. Survivors report experiencing 5.25 of a total of 7 ongoing stressors …

Fostering Friendship And Acceptance In An Inclusive Summer Day Camp, Emily Villani

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Historically, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) have faced barriers to social inclusion and forming friendships - essential life factors. Research has indicated the importance of reducing social barriers to inclusion and highlights the benefits of improving social skills and fostering positive attitudes about IDDs for facilitating friendship formation and inclusion. With the goal of fostering friendships, the S³ summer camp offered 22 youth (aged 9-14) with and without IDDs accessible and inclusive STEM education and a one-week social skills training package which included disability awareness lessons. Analysis examined the effects of this training package on participants’ friendship …

Correlates Of Anti-Asexual Bias In The Bible Belt, Lauren Robinson

Scholars Week

Many studies focus on LGBTQIA+ individuals in the United States, but there are fewer studies about asexuality, especially in the Bible Belt: a collection of states in the Southeast with populations having increased rates of conservatism, religiosity, and expectations of traditional gender and sexuality norms (Baunach et al, 2009). The purpose of the study was to examine anti-asexual bias and its relation to different variables in college-age students who attended college and/or lived in the Bible Belt. It was hypothesized political positioning, ethnic and racial background, religiosity/spirituality, adherence to social norms, traditional vs egalitarian gender roles, and pathologizing of asexual …

Uncharted Territory: Researching The Effect Of Implicit Bias On The Political Attitudes Of Black Participants, Briona Young

Scholars Week

Extant research suggests that implicit bias can predict behavior such as voting, policy preferences, and assessment of government performance (Pérez 2010). Yet, research on implicit bias has largely excluded people of color, leaving a wide gap in our understanding of implicit bias and its effects on society (Orey, 2013). In this study, we research implicit bias within the black community and test its effects on political attitudes. We administer Harvard’s Implicit Association Test (IAT) and a survey to measure levels of implicit bias and subsequently policy preferences and trust in government. We expect to find that the black participants with …

Making Deception Fun: Teaching Autistic Individuals How To Playfriendly Tricks, Adel Naj, Megan St. Clair, Kacie Massoudie, Jonathan Tarbox, Lauri Simchoni, Marianne Jackson, Angela Persicke

Psychology Division Scholarship

Perspective taking is a critical repertoire for navigating social relationships and consists of a variety of complex verbalskills, including socially adaptive forms of deception. Detecting and being able to use socially adaptive deception likelyhas many practical uses, including defending oneself against bullying, telling white lies to avoid hurting others’ feelings,keeping secrets and bluffing during games, and playing friendly tricks on others. Previous research has documented thatsome Autistic1 children have challenges identifying deception and playfully deceiving others (Reinecke et al., 1997). Thecurrent study employed a multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the use of multiple exemplar training, rules,modeling, practice, and …

Equality In Times Of Uncertainty: Economic Downturn And Body Image Messaging Toward Women, Ritsa Giannakas

Honors Theses

A vast body of literature indicates that the economy and the status of women are interlinked, with higher levels of economic well-being tending to correspond with advancements in women’s rights. However, little of this research has investigated the changes in the wellbeing of women as it pertains to their physical and mental health, especially as it pertains to exploring the impacts of economics on eating disorder rates and societal messaging toward women. This thesis investigates a novel theory linking economic uncertainty and downturn to the spread of pro-eating disorder content online, positing that economic uncertainty may coincide with a “conservative …

A Longitudinal Study Of The Development Of Social Anxiety In Young Autistic Children, Gillian K. Marshall

Senior Theses

Social anxiety is a prevalent anxiety disorder marked by fear and discomfort in social situations where scrutiny or evaluation by others is anticipated. This thesis investigates the interplay between social anxiety and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social and communication challenges. Individuals with ASD often face heightened levels of anxiety, intensifying their social difficulties and impeding their social development. Early identification of social anxiety symptoms, particularly in ASD children, is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes. However, diagnosing social anxiety in preschool-aged children, especially those with ASD, presents challenges due to the complexity of symptoms …

”To Be Or Not To Be – It’S Good”: Actor And Student Experiences In A Drama Club For People With Aphasia, Jade K. Hannan

Senior Theses

Individuals with aphasia, a disorder caused by damage to the brain’s language network, confront a variety of social and emotional struggles. While leaving their cognition largely intact, aphasia tremendously impacts a person’s ability to communicate confidently, fracturing their social network and contributing to feelings of loneliness and frustration. To address this persistent need in the chronic aphasia population, the Play on Words drama club at the University of South Carolina provides a forum for people with aphasia (PWA) to engage in dramatic exercises focused on non-verbal communication of emotions, ideas, and stories, culminating the production of an original devised play. …

An Exploration Of The Available Services For Offenders With Mental Illness (Omi), Kaliah Moulton

Honors Projects

The study is an exploration of services available for offenders with mental illness (OMI) and obstacles to providing treatment. It aims to identify services and obstacles to delivering treatment for offenders with mental health and substance use disorders in Augusta and Rockingham Counties. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of local agencies. Based on the agencies interviewed, services for OMI vary across the Sequential Intercept Model, with services like Crisis Intervention Teams, Medication-Assisted Treatment, and supervisory housing. Participants reported that despite the variation in services, barriers in infrastructure due to poor funding, low staffing, and lack of housing were present. …

Transformative Mindfulness: Exploring The Role Of Mindfulness In Mitigating Cognitive Biases And Political Polarization, Olivia Paulsen

Montserrat Annual Writing Prize

This paper explores how cognitive biases, including confirmation, intergroup, and interpretation bias, contribute to political polarization and how this influence can be effectively mitigated by meditation and mindfulness practices.

Everyone Deserves A Dental Home, Loren C. Baim Dds

The New York State Dental Journal

With knowledge and preparation, dental practices should be able to accommodate the growing population of people on the autism spectrum.

Trauma-Informed Practices In Education, Ashley Winfield

Honors Projects and Presentations: Undergraduate

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has a set of guidelines regarding trauma-informed practices in the medical field. When working with individuals who have experienced trauma, the way in which we interact with them matters. What is less standard than these CDC guidelines, though, is how to best support students who have experienced some level of trauma or adverse childhood experiences (ACES) in the classroom. How can we equip educators with the tools needed to support students in their classrooms who have experienced trauma? Transforming Education created a list of five key trauma-informed social-emotional learning principles to guide teachers …

Take A Closer Look: Combating Ageism Through The Use Of Children's Literature, Janice Buehrer

Honors Projects

This project was completed as my final honors project for Bowling Green State University in the spring of 2024. I wrote and illustrated the children's book, "Take a Closer Look," designed for kindergarten through second-grade children. The goal of the book is to be used as a value-socialization device to instill positive perspectives on aging within younger generations. The book itself is meant to be an intergenerational tool as adults read the book about older adults to children, reaching the entire lifespan.

Christian Code Of Silence: The Church’S Current Response To Clergy Sexual Misconduct And Potential Improvements Utilizing Principles Of Restorative Justice, Skya Lau

Senior Honors Theses

The prevalent and pervasive issue of clergy sexual misconduct within the Christian church has been perpetuated under a code of silence through the use of perverted Scripture to support its tactics. By departing from biblically aligned principles, and silencing the victims and protecting the offenders, the church’s current response has detrimental effects, calling into question the moral standing of the church. However, by practically implementing the principles of community, accountability, and forgiveness found in restorative justice and interpreting them through a biblical lens, the church can begin to improve their response. In dismantling the code of silence, the church can …

Understanding Factors That Influence Black Caregivers' Ongoing Engagement In Behavioral Parent Training Programs, Jennifer L. Tomlin

Dissertations (1934 -)

Despite the efficacy of behavioral parent training programs (BPTs) in reducing young children’s challenging behaviors, ongoing caregiver engagement in these skill- based programs is poor, particularly in low-income Black populations. The existing literature relied heavily on associating client demographic variables with treatment attendance and focused almost exclusively on BPTs with older children. Contemporary conceptualizations of engagement view it as a multidimensional construct comprised of cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral components, and prior research has called for continued investigation into the caregiver-therapist alliance and cultural relevance of these treatment programs when looking at ways to increase Black caregiver engagement. The purpose of …

Race Matters More Than Racial Identity Disclosure When Evaluating Applicant Diversity Statements, Fiona Nguyen, Ellen M. Carroll, Ciara Atkinson, Tammy D. Walker

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The present research investigated whether a target applicant's race and disclosure of their race in a personal diversity statement influenced White evaluators' perceptions of the applicant's egalitarian motivations and their likelihood of contributing to organizational diversity and inclusion outcomes. In Study 1 (N = 206), participants evaluated a diversity statement that was ostensibly written by a White or Black applicant who either referenced or did not reference his race within the statement. Participants judged Black applicants as more internally motivated to be egalitarian and White applicants as more externally motivated, regardless of whether they disclosed their race in the statement. …

Therapist Competency Using Transference-Focused Psychotherapy To Treat Borderline Personality Disorder., Rachel J. Altman

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Empirical research on clinician experience of competency treating borderline personality disorder is scarce, and that which does exist focuses on the negative experiences of those who treat this population. Utilizing an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach, this qualitative research investigation explored the lived experience of feelings of competency in clinicians treating borderline personality disorder using the evidence-based model of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy. To better comprehend this phenomenon and address research questions, data were collected via one, semi-structured interview given to five different clinicians who practice Transference-Focused Psychotherapy. Four themes emerged from the researched data: Positive treatment outcomes for patients, Using negative countertransference …

A Qualitative Phenomenological Study Examining The Experiences Of Substance Use Disorder Clients Engaging In Adventure Therapy, Heather Cresswell

Dissertations

Drug overdose deaths in the United States continue to rise. In 2019, over 70,000 drug overdose deaths were recorded, marking a 4% increase from the previous year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). More recent estimates suggest the death toll exceeded 100,000 in a twelve-month period ending in April 2021, indicating a significant rise (Johnson, 2021). The high mortality rate linked to addiction highlights the necessity for effective interventions for individuals diagnosed with SUD. The study presented focused on the impact of Adventure Therapy (AT) as an addition to the treatment of adults diagnosed with SUD. The chosen research …

The Relationships Between Personality, Perceived Social Support, And Structure Of Friend Groups, Carolyn Lowe, Ella Marks, Maddie Wiseman, Emma Sarin

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Friendship formation has been studied by many psychologists, focusing predominately on connectedness within the friendship and less focused on variation of characteristics within the group that influence group dynamic (Laakasu et. al., 2016). Personality traits are a large contributing factor when determining relationship satisfaction, specifically Neuroticism and Extraversion. Having high Neuroticism has shown to be a consistent predictor of low relationship quality (Finn, Mite, & Neyer, 2013). On the contrary, Extraversion’s positive affect (i.e. characterized as being cheerful, energetic, and social) is associated with better relationship outcomes (Lyubomirsky, King, & Deiner, 2005). Undergraduate students (N = 50) completed a survey …

Breaking Point: An Exploration Of The Mental Health Crisis On Campus, Melissa Wood

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

In the past several decades, the number of college students who experience mental health concerns has increased astronomically. During that time, acts of campus violence have increased as well. Unfortunately, many colleges have been unable to effectively meet the needs of students with mental disorders. This article explores the challenges surrounding the mental health and wellness of college students. It also analyzes the impact of such challenges on students and the institution. Additionally, this paper examines best practices that colleges may implement to assist students in distress and discusses implications for higher education leaders.

A Manualized Occupational Therapy Communication Skills Intervention For Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Kiara Ainsworth, Steven M. Gerardi

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects many individual's participation in daily activities. There is a lack of research in the area of occupational therapy (OT) treatment for veterans with PTSD. However, there has been an expressed need in the literature for a developed intervention for veterans with PTSD that includes communication skills as a component. To date, a manualized communication skills OT intervention for veterans with PTSD has not been created. The purpose of this paper was to develop a resource tool for occupational therapists to utilize as an intervention when treating veterans with PTSD using the framework of the Model …