Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Enhancing Transparency Of The Research Process To Increase Accuracy Of Findings: A Guide For Relationship Researchers, Lorne Campbell, Timothy J. Loving, Etienne P. Lebel

Psychology Publications

The purpose of this paper is to extend to the field of relationship science, recent discussions and suggested changes in open research practises. We demonstrate different ways that greater transparency of the research process in our field will accelerate scientific progress by increasing accuracy of reported research findings. Importantly, we make concrete recommendations for how relationship researchers can transition to greater disclosure of research practices in a manner that is sensitive to the unique design features of methodologies employed by relationship scientists. We discuss how to implement these recommendations for four different research designs regularly used in relationship research and …

The Epidemic Of Mental And Neurological Health, Mohsyn I. Malik

Psychology Publications

This paper composes an image of modern mental and neurological health issues and looks to draw links to the current epidemic based on research and studies found online the internet and off-line. The goal is to examine what may be the underlying problem for a lot of these increases in mental health issues and neurodegenerative diseases and what are some promising clinical and sociocultural advances that may help. It explores problems such as the negative impact of the pharmaceutical giants, the increase in apathy in the work place and the general stigma towards mental disease. Through current research, the use …

Sex Differences In Self-Regulation: An Evolutionary Perspective, Niki Hosseini-Kamkar, J. Bruce Morton

Psychology Publications

Bjorklund and Kipp (1996) provide an evolutionary framework predicting that there is a female advantage in inhibition and self-regulation due to differing selection pressures placed on males and females. The majority of the present review will summarize sex differences in self-regulation at the behavioral level. The neural and hormonal underpinnings of this potential sexual dimorphism will also be investigated and the results of the experiments summarized will be related to the hypothesis advanced by Bjorklund and Kipp (1996). Paradoxically, sex differences in self-regulation are more consistently reported in children prior to the onset of puberty. In adult cohorts, the results …

Coping, Acculturation, And Psychological Adaptation Among Migrants: A Theoretical And Empirical Review And Synthesis Of The Literature, B.C.H Kuo

Psychology Publications

Given the continuous, dynamic demographic changes internationally due to intensive worldwide migration and globalization, the need to more fully understand how migrants adapt and cope with acculturation experiences in their new host cultural environment is imperative and timely. However, a comprehensive review of what we currently know about the relationship between coping behavior and acculturation experience for individuals undergoing cultural changes has not yet been undertaken. Hence, the current article aims to compile, review, and examine cumulative cross-cultural psychological research that sheds light on the relationships among coping, acculturation, and psychological and mental health outcomes for migrants. To this end, …

Metamotivational Tendencies, Sociocultural Attitudes, And Risky Eating Behaviors, Ashlyne I. O'Neil, Kathryn Lafreniere

Psychology Publications

Previous research has examined both sociocultural effects (e.g., Thompson et al., 2004) and personality influences (e.g., Cassin & von Ranson, 2005) on eating disordered behavior. However, comparatively little research has employed the theoretical framework of reversal theory (RT). The present study examined the relationship between reversal theory’s metamotivational personality constructs and risk of eating pathology, along with the mediating effects of sociocultural attitudes. A non-clinical sample of 123 undergraduate students completed the Motivational Style Profile (MSP), Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ-3), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), and a demographic profile. Simple t-tests suggested significant differences between males and females and …

Testing Predictive Models Of Positive And Negative Affect With Psychosocial, Acculturation, And Coping Variables In A Multiethnic Undergraduate Sample, B.C.H Kuo, Catherine T. Kwantes

Psychology Publications

Despite the prevalence and popularity of research on positive and negative affect within the field of psychology, there is currently little research on affect involving the examination of cultural variables and with participants of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. To the authors’ knowledge, currently no empirical studies have comprehensively examined predictive models of positive and negative affect based specifically on multiple psychosocial, acculturation, and coping variables as predictors with any sample populations. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to test the predictive power of perceived stress, social support, bidirectional acculturation (i.e., Canadian acculturation and heritage acculturation), religious coping …

Exploring The Role Of School Engagement In Predicting Resilience Among Bahamian Youth, Jones Giavana, Kathryn Lafreniere

Psychology Publications

In the simplest terms, resilience is doing better than expected, particularly given the presence of some disadvantage that threatens positive outcomes. Like many other countries worldwide, The Bahamas has areas of poverty that provide many challenges for families raising children. Although the consequences of poverty are rampant, not all the youth who are raised in these conditions succumb to these effects. This study sought to identify the internal and external factors that are predictive of resilience in a sample of 103 urban Bahamian students. Ninth- and 11th-grade students from two local public schools completed surveys. Of special interest to this …

Targeting Tobacco In A Community-Based Addiction Recovery Cohort: Results From A Computerized, Brief, Randomized Intervention Trial, Alison Breland, Lauren Almond, Jennifer Kienzle, Steven J. Ondersma, Alton Hart, Michael Weaver, Pamela Dillon, Dace Svikis

Psychology Publications

Introduction. Nearly 80% of substance dependent individuals also use tobacco, and smoking cessation efforts during treatment for other substance use is associated with similar or even improved outcomes. However, smoking cessation is not routinely addressed during treatment for substance use disorders. The present study tested a computerized brief motivational intervention (C-BMI) for smoking cessation in an understudied population: a cohort recruited from a recovery community organization (RCO) center.

Methods. Following baseline assessment, participants were randomly assigned to either a 30-minute C-BMI plus access to free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), or an information-only control group plus NRT access. Results. Reductions in …

Why Is Low Waist-To-Chest Ratio Attractive In Males? The Mediating Roles Of Perceived Dominance, Fitness, And Protection Ability, Anthony E. Coy, Jeffrey D. Green, Michael E. Price

Psychology Publications

Past research suggests that a lower waist-to-chest ratio (WCR) in men (i.e., narrower waist and broader chest) is viewed as attractive by women. However, little work has directly examined why low WCRs are preferred. The current work merged insights from theory and past research to develop a model examining perceived dominance, fitness, and protection ability as mediators of to WCR-attractiveness relationship. These mediators and their link to both short-term (sexual) and long-term (relational) attractiveness were simultaneously tested by having 151 women rate one of 15 avatars, created from 3D body scans. Men with lower WCR were perceived as more physically …

Introduction To The Special Issue: Cognitive Mechanisms Of Change In The Treatment Of Depression, David J. A. Dozois, Lena C. Quilty

Psychology Publications

Depression is a highly debilitating and recurrent mental health condition. Efforts to understand the mechanisms of cognitive change in the treatment of depression are important to optimize psychotherapy outcome and to prevent relapse and recurrence. The articles in this special issue examine cognitive change in cognitive behavioral therapy by incorporating clinical samples and clinical settings, utilizing empirically supported assessment instruments and protocolized psychotherapy techniques, and employing methodologies and statistical strategies designed to address questions related to cognitive mechanisms in treatment outcome. These articles examine the role of cognitive processing, structure, and content over the course of cognitive therapy for depression …

Parental Depression And Child Cognitive Vulnerability Predict Children's Cortisol Reactivity, Elizabeth P. Hayden, Benjamin L. Hankin, Sarah V.M. Mackrell, Haroon I. Sheikh, Patricia L. Jordan, David J. A. Dozois, Shiva M. Singh, Thomas M. Olino, Lisa S. Badanes

Psychology Publications

Risk for depression is expressed across multiple levels of analysis. For example, parental depression and cognitive vulnerability are known markers of depression risk, but no study has examined their interactive effects on children's cortisol reactivity, a likely mediator of early depression risk. We examined relations across these different levels of vulnerability using cross-sectional and longitudinal methods in two community samples of children. Children were assessed for cognitive vulnerability using self-reports (Study 1; n = 244) and tasks tapping memory and attentional bias (Study 2; n = 205), and their parents were assessed for depression history using structured clinical interviews. In …

If It Be Love Indeed Tell Me How Much: Early Core Beliefs Associated With Excessive Reassurance Seeking In Depression., Lyndsay E. Evraire, David J. A. Dozois

Psychology Publications

This study explored core beliefs associated with excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) in depression. Undergraduate students (n = 303) completed measures of early maladaptive schemas, attachment styles, ERS, and depression, along with a subsequent measure of depressive symptoms 6 weeks later. Anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, and an abandonment/instability schema each added to the prediction of ERS beyond the effects of depression. Moreover, avoidant attachment and the abandonment/instability schema moderated the relationship between ERS and depression over time. These results are consistent with the idea that individuals with early core beliefs reflecting insecurity in relationships seek reassurance. The findings also suggest …

The Reliability Of The N400 In Single Subjects: Implications For Patients With Disorders Of Consciousness, Damian Cruse, Steve Beukema, Srivas Chennu, Jeffrey G. Malins, Adrian M. Owen, Ken Mcrae

Psychology Publications

Functional neuroimaging assessments of residual cognitive capacities, including those that support language, can improve diagnostic and prognostic accuracy in patients with disorders of consciousness. Due to the portability and relative inexpensiveness of electroencephalography, the N400 event-related potential component has been proposed as a clinically valid means to identify preserved linguistic function in non-communicative patients. Across three experiments, we show that changes in both stimuli and task demands significantly influence the probability of detecting statistically significant N400 effects — that is, the difference in N400 amplitudes caused by the experimental manipulation. In terms of task demands, passively heard linguistic stimuli were …

Changes In Core Beliefs (Early Maladaptive Schemas) And Self-Representation In Cognitive Therapy And Pharmacotherapy For Depression, David J. A. Dozois, Peter J. Bieling, Lyndsay E. Evraire, Irene Patelis-Siotis, Lori Hoar, Susan Chudzik, Katie Mccabe, Henny A. Westra

Psychology Publications

Randomized clinical trials suggest that cognitive therapy (CT) is comparable to antidepressant medication for the acute treatment of depression. Compelling data also indicate that CT has an added prophylactic benefit relative to pharmacotherapy (PT). The purpose of this study was to examine cognitive change in CT for depression. Participants (N = 42) met diagnostic criteria for a current major depressive episode and were randomly assigned to CT + PT or PT. Participants completed indices of depressive symptomatology, core beliefs (i.e., early maladaptive schemas), and self-attribute redundancy before and after therapy. Self-attribute redundancy was conceptualized as a form of schema …

Cognitive Structure And Processing During Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Vs. Pharmacotherapy For Depression, Lena C. Quilty, David J. A. Dozois, Daniela S.S. Lobo, Lakshmi N. Ravindran, R. Michael Bagby

Psychology Publications

Evidence has converged to suggest that cognitive processing and content covary with depression severity, whereas indices of cognitive structure exhibit greater stability and promise as markers of vulnerability for depression. The objective of the current study was to investigate the temporal dynamics and causal role of cognitive structure and processing in treatment for depression. Method: A total of 104 patients with major depressive disorder were randomized to receive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; n = 54) or pharmacotherapy (n = 50). Patients completed the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Psychological Distance Scaling Task (PDST), Redundancy Card-Sorting …

Polish Version Of The Cognitive Distortions Scale (Cds): Preliminary Validation And Personality Correlates, Tomasz Besta, Agata Barczak, Aleksandra Lewandowska-Walter, David J. A. Dozois

Psychology Publications

Background
The aim of the two research studies presented in this article was to test the reliability and validity of the Polish version of the Cognitive Distortions Scale (CDS). The relation of the CDS to psychological measures of well-being and other theoretically relevant variables was also explored.

Participants and procedure
Two correlational studies were conducted with psychology undergraduate students and their family members (n = 196 and n = 90, respectively). Participants completed a paper-pencil set of questionnaires that contained measures of cognitive errors (study 1) and scales related to perceived quality of life and psychological well-being (study 2).

Results …

Influence Of Priming Attachment Styles On Excessive Reassurance Seeking And Negative Feedback Seeking In Depression, Lyndsay E. Evraire, Jaclyn A. Ludmer, David J.A. Dozois

Psychology Publications

Two studies examined the associations among attachment styles, excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) and negative feedback seeking (NFS) in depression. In Study 1 (n = 303), undergraduate students completed measures assessing attachment style, depressive symptoms, and ERS following either an imaginary interpersonal (friend and partner) or achievement prime. In Study 2 (n = 202), undergraduates completed the same measures in addition to completing an index of NFS following an imaginary interpersonal (partner) and achievement prime. Controlling for symptoms of depression, anxious attachment was positively related to ERS, and avoidant attachment was negatively related to ERS and positively associated with …

Cognitive Structure And Processing During Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Vs. Pharmacotherapy For Depression, Lena C. Quilty, David J. A. Dozois, Daniela S.S. Lobo, Lakshmi N. Ravindran, Michael L. Bagby

Psychology Publications

Background: Evidence has converged to suggest that cognitive processing and content covary with depression severity, whereas indices of cognitive structure exhibit greater stability and promise as markers of vulnerability for depression. The objective of the current study was to investigate the temporal dynamics and causal role of cognitive structure and processing in treatment for depression. Method: A total of 104 patients with major depressive disorder were randomized to receive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; n = 54) or pharmacotherapy (n = 50). Patients completed the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Psychological Distance Scaling Task (PDST), Redundancy …

Sexual Violence In The Lives Of First-Year University Women In Canada: No Improvements In The 21st Century, Charlene Y. Senn, Misha Eliasziw, Paula C. Barata, Wilfreda E. Thurston, Ian R. Newby-Clark, Lorraine Radtke, Karen L. Hobden

Psychology Publications

Background: Summarizes the frequency, type, and context of sexual assault in a large sample of first-year university women at three Canadian universities. Methods: As part of a randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a sexual assault resistance education program, baseline data were collected from women between ages of 17 and 24 using computerized surveys. Participants’ experience with sexual victimization since the age of 14 years was assessed using the Sexual Experiences Survey–Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV). Results: Among 899 first-year university women (mean age = 18.5 years), 58.7% (95% CI: 55.4%, 62.0%) had experienced one or more forms of victimization …

Carrying The World With The Grace Of A Lady And The Grit Of A Warrior: Deepening Our Understanding Of The “Strong Black Woman” Schema, Jasmine A. Abrams, Morgan Maxwell, Michell Pope, Faye Z. Belgrave

Psychology Publications

Across varied disciplines, attempts have been made to capture the multidimensionality of Black womanhood under a unifying framework illustrative of Black women’s perceived roles, responsibilities, and experiences of intersectional oppression. The result has been the emergence of a number of divergent but overlapping constructs (e.g., Superwoman Schema, Sojourner Truth Syndrome, Sisterella Complex, and Strong Black Woman [SBW] Schema). The goal of our study is to integrate overlapping attributes of existing constructs beneath a single term while also expounding upon the defining characteristics of the SBW Schema. Thematic analyses were conducted with data gathered from eight focus groups with 44 Black …

Efficacy Of A Workbook To Promote Forgiveness: A Randomized Controlled Trial With University Students, Quandrea Harper, Everett L. Worthington, Brandon J. Griffin, Caroline R. Lavelock, Joshua N. Hook, Scott Vrana, Chelsea Greer

Psychology Publications

Objective

The present study investigated the efficacy of a 6-hour self-directed workbook adapted from the REACH Forgiveness intervention.

Method

Undergraduates (N = 41) were randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment or waitlist control condition. Participants were assessed across 3 time periods using a variety of forgiveness outcome measures.

Results

The 6-hour workbook intervention increased forgiveness, as indicated by positive changes in participants’ forgiveness ratings that differed by condition. In addition, benchmarking analysis showed that the self-directed workbook intervention is at least as efficacious as the delivery of the REACH Forgiveness model via group therapy.

Conclusion

A self-directed workbook …

Identifying Perceived Barriers To Monitoring Service Quality Among Substance Abuse Treatment Providers In South Africa, Bronwyn Myers, Zainoisa Petersen, Rehana Kader, J Randy Koch, Ron Manderscheid, Rajen Govender, Charles Dh Parry

Psychology Publications

Background

A performance measurement system is planned for South African substance abuse treatment services. Provider-level barriers to implementing these systems have been identified in the United States, but little is known about the nature of these barriers in South Africa. This study explored the willingness of South African substance abuse treatment providers’ to adopt a performance measurement system and perceived barriers to monitoring service quality that would need to be addressed during system development.

Methods

Three focus group discussions were held with treatment providers from two of the nine provinces in South Africa. These providers represented the diverse spread of …

Forgiveness Of In-Group Offenders In Christian Congregations, Chelsea L. Greer, Everett L. Worthington, Daryl R. Van Tongeren, Aubrey L. Gartner, David J. Jennings, Yin Lin, Caroline R. Lavelock, Todd W. Greer, Man Yee Ho

Psychology Publications

Religious communities, like other communities, are ripe for interpersonal offenses. We examined the degree to which group identification predicted forgiveness of an in-group offender. We examined the effects of a victim’s perception of his or her religious group identification as a state-specific personal variable on forgiveness by integrating Social Identity Theory into a model of Relational Spirituality (Davis, Hook, & Worthington, 2008) to help explain victim’s responses to transgressions within a religious context. Data were collected from members of Christian congregations from the mid-west region of the United States (Study 1, N = 63), and college students belonging to Christian …

A Test Of Spielberger’S State-Trait Theory Of Anger With Adolescents: Five Hypotheses, Colleen Quinn, David Rollock, Scott R. Vrana

Psychology Publications

Spielberger’s state-trait theory of anger was investigated in adolescents (n = 201, ages 10-18, 53% African American, 47% European American, 48% female) using Deffenbacher’s five hypotheses formulated to test the theory in adults. Self-reported experience, heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) responses to anger provoking imagery scripts found strong support for the application of this theory to adolescents. Compared to the low trait anger (LTA) group, adolescents with high trait anger (HTA) produced increased HR, SBP and DBP, and greater self-report of anger to anger imagery (intensity hypothesis) but not greater self-report or cardiovascular …

Parental Strain, Mental Health Problems, And Parenting Practices: A Longitudinal Study, Alicia Borre, Wendy L. Kliewer

Psychology Publications

Although poor parenting practices place youth living in under resourced communities at heightened risk for adjustment difficulties, less is known about what influences parenting practices in those communities. The present study examines prospective linkages between three latent constructs: parental strain, mental health problems and parenting practices. Parental victimization by community violence and life stressors were indicative of parental strain; depressive, anxious, and hostile symptoms were indicators of parental mental health; and parental knowledge of their child’s activities and child disclosure were indicators of parenting practices. Interviews were conducted annually for 3 waves with 316 female caregivers (92% African American) parenting …

Cyberbullying Among Adolescents: Measures In Search Of A Construct, Krista R. Mehari, Albert D. Farrell, Anh-Thuy H. Le

Psychology Publications

Objective: This review focuses on the literature on cyberbullying among adolescents. Currently, there is no unified theoretical framework to move the field of cyberbullying forward. Due to some unique features of cyberbullying, researchers have generally assumed that it is distinct from aggression perpetrated in person. Many measures of cyberbullying have been developed based on this assumption rather than to test competing models and inform a theoretical framework for cyberbullying. Approach: We review current theory and research on cyberbullying within the context of the broader literature on aggression to explore the usefulness of the assumption that cyberbullying represents a distinct form …

Efficacy Of Reach Forgiveness Across Cultures, Yin Lin, Everett L. Worthington, Brandon J. Griffin, Chelsea L. Greer, Annabella Opare-Henaku, Caroline R. Lavelock, Joshua N. Hook, Man Yee Ho, Holly Muller

Psychology Publications

Across cultures, most people agree that forgiveness is a virtue. However, culture may influence how willing one should be to forgive and how one might express forgiveness. At a university in the United States, we recruited both foreign-extraction students and domestic students (N = 102) to participate in a six-hour REACH Forgiveness intervention. We investigated the efficacy of the intervention overall as well as whether foreign-extraction and domestic students responded differently to treatment. Forgiveness was assessed using two measures—decisional forgiveness and emotional forgiveness. The six-hour REACH Forgiveness intervention improved participants’ ratings of emotional forgiveness, but not decisional forgiveness, regardless of …