Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Maternal Mental Health And Child Health And Nutrition, Karen Mccurdy, Kathleen Gorman, Tiffani Kisler, Elizabeth Metallinos-Katsaras

Karen McCurdy

No abstract provided.

Family Food Environment And Child Overweight In Low-Income Families, Karen Mccurdy, Tiffani Kisler, Kathleen Gorman, Elizabeth Metallinos-Katsaras

Karen McCurdy

No abstract provided.

Sandtray Therapy: A Tool To Help Clients Change, April Schottelkorb, Karrie Swan, Rhyan Garcia-Briggs

Karrie L Swan

In this presentation, attendees learned with what populations sandtrays can be utilized, what materials are needed, and how to process sandtray sessions with clients. Role play and videotaped segments of sessions were utilized to facilitate learning.

Playing With Clay: Deepening Therapeutic Processes Through Expressive Arts Techniques, Karrie Swan, April Schottelkorb, Rhyan Garcia-Briggs

Karrie L Swan

Through experiential activities, attendees learned several expressive arts techniques for promoting holistic development. Participants were exposed to sand tray, puppetry, clay, and art. Adlerian and Child-Centered theories were used as frameworks for understanding children’s growth.

Examining The Necessity For And Utility Of The Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (Ppi-R) Validity Scales, Jaime Anderson, Martin Sellborn, Dustin Wygant, John Edens

Dustin B. Wygant

The present study aimed to investigate the need for and utility of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory—Revised (PPI–R) Deviant Responding (DR) and Virtuous Responding (VR) validity scales in identifying overreporting and underreporting, respectively. Since the PPI–R was published, there has not been an independent peer-reviewed examination of these scales. Participants were 384 undergraduate individuals asked to respond to the PPI–R under standard, underreporting, or overreporting instructions. A comparison group consisting of 200 forensic psychiatric patients was also used for the overreporting analyses. Effects of response bias on mean elevations on the PPI–R substantive scales were examined along with the effects on …

Estimating The Accuracy Of Neurocognitive Effort Measures In The Absence Of A “Gold Standard”, Douglas Mossman, Dustin Wygant, Roger Gervais

Dustin B. Wygant

Psychologists frequently use symptom validity tests (SVTs) to help determine whether evaluees' test performance or reported symptoms accurately represent their true functioning and capability. Most studies evaluating the accuracy of SVTs have used either known-group comparisons or simulation designs, but these approaches have well-known limitations (potential misclassifications or lack of ecological validity). This study uses latent class modeling (LCM) implemented in a Bayesian framework to estimate SVT classification accuracy based on data obtained from real-life forensic evaluations. We obtained archival data from 1,301 outpatient evaluees who underwent testing with the Computerized Assessment of Response Bias (CARB), the Test of Memory …

Staying Systemic: The Example Of Separation, Divorce And Remarriage, Tiffani Kisler

Tiffani S. Kisler

No abstract provided.

Perspectives On Help-Negation, Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Help-negation refers to the process of help avoidance or refusal that commonly occurs in clinical and non-clinical samples with varying forms and levels of psychological symptoms. In the last decade the effect has been established as an inverse relationship between the severity of symptoms and help-seeking for suicidal ideation, depression, and general psychological distress, for a variety of professional and non-professional help sources [see Wilson CJ, Bushnell JA, Caputi P. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 2011; 5: 34-39, for a review]. Findings from now over 20 help-negation studies suggest that at least some types of psychological symptoms or processes associated with …

Association Between The Mmpi-2 Restructured Form (Mmpi-2-Rf) And Malingered Neurocognitive Dysfunction Among Non-Head Injury Disability Claimants, A. Tarescavage, D. Wygant, R. Gervais, Y. Ben-Porath

Dustin B. Wygant

The current study examined the over-reporting Validity Scales of the MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008/2011) in relation to the Slick, Sherman, and Iverson (1999) criteria for the diagnosis of Malingered Neurocognitive Dysfunction in a sample of 916 consecutive non-head injury disability claimants. The classification of Malingered Neurocognitive Dysfunction was based on scores from several cognitive symptom validity tests and response bias indicators built into traditional neuropsychological tests. Higher scores on MMPI-2-RF Validity Scales, particularly the Response Bias Scale (Gervais, Ben-Porath, Wygant, & Green, 2007), were associated with probable and definite Malingered Neurocognitive Dysfunction. The MMPI-2-RF's Validity Scales …

Elaborating On The Construct Validity Of The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure In A Criminal Offender Sample, Jennifer Stanley, Dustin Wygant, Martin Sellborn

Dustin B. Wygant

Patrick, Fowles, and Krueger (2009) developed the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy in an effort to integrate historical theories and contemporary measurement models. The model proposes 3 phenotypic domains of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. Patrick (2010) developed the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM), a 58-item self-report measure, to index these 3 domains. This study examined the construct validity of the TriPM in a sample of incarcerated offenders (N = 141) and found evidence of good construct validity in that the scales were related to conceptually relevant normal-range and dysfunctional personality trait criteria, as well as narcissism and deficits in empathy.

DOI:10.1080/00223891.2012.735302

Alcohol Intoxication And Self-Reported Risky Sexual Behaviour Intentions With Highly Attractive Strangers In Naturalistic Settings, Michael Lyvers, Emma Cholakians, Megan Puorro, Shanti Sundram

Mike Lyvers

Objective: The present investigation examined the relationship between alcohol intoxication and risky sex intentions in naturalistic settings.

Methods: Heterosexual young adults (n = 72) were approached at a campus pub and at campus parties. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was measured by a breath test and ranged from 0 to 0.18%. Participants rated their likely intent to have sex with 10 highly attractive unfamiliar models of the opposite gender, as depicted in photographs, if the opportunity arose. Photos varied in terms of accompanying information regarding risk, with three levels: slight risk, moderate risk and high risk.

Results: BAC …

Parental Bonding And Alexithymia: A Meta-Analysis, F. Thorberg, R. Young, K. Sullivan, Michael Lyvers

Mike Lyvers

The primary purpose of this meta-analysis was to explore, clarify and report the strength of the relationship between alexithymia, as measured by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and parenting style as measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI).

Methods - Web of Science, PsycInfo, PubMed and ProQuest: Dissertations and Theses searches were undertaken, yielding nine samples with sufficient data to be included in the meta-analysis.

Results - Evidence indicated moderate to strong relationships between maternal care and alexithymia, and between maternal care and two of the three TAS-20 alexithymia facets (Difficulties Describing Feelings and Difficulties Identifying Feelings, but not Externally …

The Relationship Between Coping Strategies, Alcohol Expectancies, Drinking Motives And Drinking Behaviour, Penelope Hasking, Michael Lyvers, Cassandra Carlopio

Mike Lyvers

Numerous models have been proposed in an attempt to explain both alcohol use and alcohol abuse. Many of these models propose that drinking behaviour is the result of a complex interplay of cognitive and behavioural variables including coping strategies, alcohol expectancies and motives for drinking. However few studies have explored how these elements may work together to predict drinking. The current study proposed a mediational model of alcohol use in which coping strategies are related to alcohol expectancies, which in turn are related to drinking motives. Drinking motives were then viewed as proximal predictors of drinking behaviour. There were 454 …

Risky Alcohol Use And Age At Onset Of Regular Alcohol Consumption In Relation To Frontal Lobe Indices, Reward Sensitivity And Rash Impulsiveness, Michael Lyvers, Helen Duff, Penelope Hasking

Mike Lyvers

Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to predisposing traits that may reflect frontal lobe functioning, an idea explored by this study. The study recruited 132 adults of both genders aged 18-68 years who completed an online questionnaire battery. Sensitivity to punishment was the primary variable associated with age of onset for weekly drinking. The relationship between disinhibition and drinking behavior, as assessed by the AUDIT, was partially mediated by sensitivity to reward. The findings of this study suggest that several interrelated and heritable personality and neurobehavioral traits may promote earlier as well as riskier alcohol consumption.

Attachment Security And Alexithymia In A Heavy Drinking Sample, F.A. Thorberg, Ross Young, Karen Sullivan, Michael Lyvers, Cameron Hurst, J. Connor, G. Feeney

Mike Lyvers

Attachment difficulties have been proposed as a key risk factor for the development of alexithymia, a multifaceted personality trait characterised by difficulties identifying and describing feelings, a lack of imagination and an externally oriented thinking style. This study investigated the relationship between attachment and alexithymia in an alcohol dependent population. Participants were 210 outpatients in a Cognitive Behavioural Treatment programme assessed on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Revised Adult Attachment Scale. Significant relationships between anxious attachment and alexithymia factors were confirmed. Furthermore, alexithymic alcoholics reported significantly higher levels of anxious attachment and significantly lower levels of closeness (secure attachment) …

Strengthening The Case Against Functionally Significant Serotonergic Neurotoxicity In Human Mdma (Ecstasy) Users, Michael Lyvers

Mike Lyvers

Extract:Halpern and colleagues [1] have overcome some of the methodological issues raised previously [2] concerning their initial pilot study of ecstasy users [3]. Their latest study [1] found that of 15 neuropsychological tests tapping various cognitive and memory functions reported previously by others to differentiate ecstasy users from controls, only the Revised Strategy Applications Test (RSAT) showed a clear indication of poorer performance in heavy (but not moderate) ecstasy users compared to controls, ecstasy users were selected for low exposure to other illicit drugs and alcohol, whereas in most other studies of this type the influence of potentially confounding associations …

Arsonists In Our Midst, Rebekah Doley

Rebekah Doley

No abstract provided.

Reflections On The Factor Structure Of The Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised, Richard Hicks

Richard Hicks

Many studies have identified jobs or occupations where incumbents are most at risk of occupational stress, though stress appears endemic across the whole spectrum of work. The oft cited jobs whose members are most ’at risk’ include those of air traffic controllers, nurses and other health professionals, the police, those in management, teachers, and more. But trying to understand the factors involved that lead to the stressful outcomes, even when people are selected for their jobs on relevant criteria, remains a problem. A difficulty lies in the fact that findings from studies of the relationships between stress and well-being at …

Validation Of The Revised Job Seeker Classification Instrument Among Australian Unemployed, Richard Hicks, Alexander Robey

Richard Hicks

The Revised Job Seeker Classification Instrument (JSCI-R) was introduced in July 2009 as part of Job Services Australia's aim to help individuals in their attempts to find work. The JSCI-R classified job seekers into one of four 'streams' based on individual circumstances and predicted long term unemployment. The purpose of this research was to establish if differences in psychological wellbeing existed between unemployed Australians in each of the four streams. Psychological wellbeing was tested with negative indicators of Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Negative affect and with positive indicators of General Self Efficacy, Satisfaction with Life, Positive Affect and Work Efficacy. …

Evaluating The Psychometric Properties Of The Scale Of Ethnocultural Empathy: A Confirmatory Factor Analytic Approach, J. Gerstner, Dena Pastor, S. Finney

Dena A Pastor

Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Northeastern Educational Research Association, Rocky Hill, CT.

The Use Of Self-Report Diaries To Monitor Technology Use After Sleep Onset: Issues And Future Directions, Sue Adams, J. Bronstein, Tiffani Kisler, J. Daly, A. Johnston, A. Gencarelli

Tiffani S. Kisler

No abstract provided.

Viewing Psychopathy From The Perspective Of The Personality Psychopathology Five Model: Implications For Dsm-5, Dustin Wygant, Martin Sellbom

Dustin B. Wygant

The current study examined the association between domains from the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5; Harkness & McNulty, 1994) model, which is a dimensional model of pathological personality that corresponds closely to the proposed domains of the DSM-5, and psychopathy as indexed by the Psychopathy Checklist-Screening Version (PCL-SV; Hart, Cox, & Hare, 1995). The sample comprised 99 individuals undergoing forensic psychological evaluations. The PSY-5 domain of Aggressiveness was strongly associated with the PCL-SV global measure of psychopathy, as well as both PCL-SV parts and the four facets. The PSY-5 domain Disconstraint was preferentially associated with the behavioral facets of psychopathy, whereas …

Dispositional Depression And Hostility Are Associated With Inflammatory Markers Of Cardiovascular Disease In African Americans., Denee T. Mwendwa, Mana K. Ali, Regina C. Sims, Angela P. Cole-Dixon, Etc ...

Angela Cole-Dixon

Characterizing Sleep Disorders In Geriatric Populations, Pennie Seibert, J. Valerio, Y. Rafla, F. Grimsley, C. Zimmerman

Pennie S. Seibert

Sleep disorders (SD) affect approximately one-third of the world population. The presence of SDs occurs at all ages although the presentation and subsequent consequences for an individual’s health change in accordance with the natural aging process. Currently, evaluation of SD is inadequate across all age ranges as it is compromised by under reporting and by relying on self-report rather than professional sleep studies (i.e., nocturnal polysomnography (NP) and multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT)). Moreover, there is a paucity of data specific to older adults. We constructed a 111-item questionnaire to use in conjunction with NP, MSLT, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale …

The Impact Of Students' 'Internally' Versus 'Externally' Oriented Coping Strategies Upon Anxiety And Depression: Implications For Counselling Processes, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley, Aspasia Aroutzidis, Dimity Smith

Vicki Bitsika

As a preliminary investigation of the implications for counselling practice of Purpose in Life (PIL), Search for Neotic Goals (SONG) and Conscientiousness (CON) as potential buffers against anxiety and depression among university student clients, 398 students from a university in eastern Australia completed measures of these constructs. Results indicated that, although having a clear PIL and being conscientious were negatively associated with anxiety and depression, SONG was positively linked with these disorders. More importantly for counselling processes, up to 10% of those students whose anxiety and depression would make them most likely to seek counselling showed inverse relationships between PIL, …

Four Potential Criteria For Deciding When To Use Antidepressants Or Psychotherapy For Unipolar Depression: A Literature Review, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika

Vicki Bitsika

Objective: To evaluate the literature supporting four potential criteria for deciding whether to use psychotherapy or pharmacology when treating depression.

Method: Literature review of the evidence from the last 10 years on presenting patient’s demographics, aetiology, comorbidity, and genetic factors, as predictors of treatment outcome efficacy.

Results: Demographic information has little support as a potential criteria for decision-making; aetiology (melancholic vs. non-melancholic) has significant support; presence of personality disorder comorbidity is unproven as a criterion but may have some value; genetic predisposition has the strongest evidence supporting it as a criteria for treatment decision-making.

Conclusion: Although some presenting cases will …

Breast Cancer Patients' Preferences For Information: Different Sources At Different Times?, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Introduction: Information given to breast cancer patients may not universally reduce anxiety and assist treament compliance. One possible reason could be that patient preferences for specific information sources may change over time.Objectives: To compare breast cancer patients' preferred formats for receiving education about their disease and treatment soon after diagnosis versus about two years after that time.Methods: An anonymous survey of 253 breast cancer patients' evaluations of alternative information formats was conducted within one month of diagnosis, and data were compared to those collected in a previous study from patients who were abut two years post-diagnosis.Results: There were discrepancies between …

Variability In Anxiety And Depression Over Time Following Diagnosis In Patients With Prostate Cancer, Christoper Sharpley, David Christie, Vicki Bitsika

Vicki Bitsika

To determine the presence and nature of variability in anxiety and depression in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) over 3 years following diagnosis, 442 patients with PCa completed standardized anxiety and depression inventories via survey between 1 and 36 months after receiving their initial diagnosis. Data were analyzed from a series of 3-month cohorts, and results indicated that total scores and incidence of clinically significant anxiety and depression varied over time, but that this variability was restricted to specific subfactors of anxiety and depression. Provision of effective psychological treatment to patients with PCa is discussed.

Incidence And Nature Of Anxiety-Depression Comorbidity In Prostate Cancer Patients, Christoper Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Background: The aim of this study was to measure the incidence of anxiety-depression comorbidity among a sample of prostate cancer (PCa) patients and to investigate the total score, factor score and scale item differences across subgroups defined according to the presence of anxiety and/or depression. Methods: 491 PCa patients who had received their initial diagnosis between 1 and 113 months previously completed a survey of background variables, as well as the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scales (SAS, SDS). Results: Incidence of anxiety-depression comorbidity was nearly 16%, and higher than that previously reported in other samples. Although the directional differences …

What Stresses University Students: An Interview Investigation Of The Demands Of Tertiary Studies, Vicki Bitsika, Christoper Sharpley, Vira Rubenstein

Vicki Bitsika

Although several previous scales have been developed to measure the presence and effects of the stressful demands encountered by university students, most of these have been validated with samples drawn from US universities, commonly using only undergraduate psychology students. In addition, many of the items used are from scales designed for application within general adult populations, with little focus upon the specific stressors met by students. In order to identify what are the major changes these students encounter that they find stressful, a sample of 32 university students from different degree areas within an Australian university was individually interviewed using …