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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Therapeutic Potential Of A Ketogenic Diet In The Treatment Of Major Depressive Disorder, Jordan A. Murrin Aug 2020

Therapeutic Potential Of A Ketogenic Diet In The Treatment Of Major Depressive Disorder, Jordan A. Murrin

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the second most common mental health condition and a leading cause of disability in the world. It is theorized that MDD develops from a combination of biological, psychological, and social stressors. The condition is typically treated using pharmaceuticals and psychotherapy. However, not all individuals with MDD have access to or choose to use these treatments, or may prefer to incorporate therapeutic lifestyle changes such as exercise, sleep, and healthy eating. Even with treatment, MDD can alter brain structure and function, leading to the development of comorbid mental health and chronic metabolic conditions like obesity, cardiovascular …


Return To School 1 Year After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Study Using The Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database, Kathryn Tarnai Aug 2020

Return To School 1 Year After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Study Using The Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database, Kathryn Tarnai

Masters Theses, 2020-current

For many individuals, recovery from moderate to severe brain injuries involves returning to a level of pre-injury productivity. Specifically, previous research has focused extensively on factors predicting return to employment, where students are inconsistently categorized with those in competitive employment. Moreover, research dedicated to return to school for students in secondary and tertiary education is largely qualitative; very few studies have utilized predictive modeling on a sample composed solely of students. For this study, a model including days of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA), length of stay (LOS), rehabilitation discharge Disability Rating Scale (DRS) scores, and educational level was used to predict …


The Effects Of Undesirable Distractors On Estimates Of Ability, Kathryn N. Thompson May 2020

The Effects Of Undesirable Distractors On Estimates Of Ability, Kathryn N. Thompson

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Distractors, or the incorrect options, are an important part of the multiple-choice item. Previous literature has supported the inclusion of distractors when estimating abilities. While the effects of well-functioning distractors on estimates of ability have been examined, research has neglected to examine the effects of undesirable distractors on estimates of ability. Undesirable distractors are defined as distractors that are opposite of what test-developers expect or want distractors to behave. For instance, an upper lure distractor is one that high ability examinees select rather than selecting the correct answer. A simulation study was employed to determine these effects by varying undesirable …


Effects Of A Visual Script With Multiple Peer Responses On The Reciprocal Responses Of Preschool-Aged Children During Play, Shea Manship May 2020

Effects Of A Visual Script With Multiple Peer Responses On The Reciprocal Responses Of Preschool-Aged Children During Play, Shea Manship

Masters Theses, 2020-current

A primary focus of many early childhood educational settings is the development of appropriate play skills. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of using a visual script that included multiple peer responses on the participants’ appropriate reciprocal responses to peers during play time. A concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to determine if the use of the visual script would increase the number of appropriate reciprocal responses to peers, and if the average duration of play following successful initiation would increase. The researcher observed two preschool-aged children during free play. During free play, the …


The Effects Of Training Modality On Acquisition Of Therapeutic Skills Using Behavior Skills Training (Bst): In-Vivo Vs. Tele-Training Modality, Sabrena Samuel May 2020

The Effects Of Training Modality On Acquisition Of Therapeutic Skills Using Behavior Skills Training (Bst): In-Vivo Vs. Tele-Training Modality, Sabrena Samuel

Masters Theses, 2020-current

With the small number of Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) located outside of the United States, there is a continually increasing demand for applied behavior analysis (ABA) services across the globe. It is critical, therefore, to develop widely accessible, ethically compliant and effective ways to train clinicians to implement ABA procedures and interventions. With advancements in technology, online modalities can be an efficient and effective alternative to train clinicians across a wide range geographically. This study compared the effectiveness of a behavioral skills training (BST) training package used to teach the implementation of the first three phases of the picture exchange …


Assessing The Utility Of A Brief Abstinence Test To Reduce Smartphone And Social Media Use, Taylor B. Stanley May 2020

Assessing The Utility Of A Brief Abstinence Test To Reduce Smartphone And Social Media Use, Taylor B. Stanley

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the efficacy of implementing a Brief Abstinence Test (BAT) for reducing smartphone and social media (SM) use among college students. A BAT is a temporally condensed version of contingency management (CM), a reinforcement-based behavioral intervention. Participants (N = 32, males = 6) self-reported using an iPhone updated to iOS 12 and using SM on their iPhones for at least two hours per day. Once enrolled, participants completed an online battery of health-related questionnaires and learned how to capture electronically their smartphone-use data. Participants experienced a BAT for one week, during …


Using Behavioral Skills Training And Video Examples To Teach Undergraduates To Identify The Function Of Behaviors, Eliana A. Segal May 2020

Using Behavioral Skills Training And Video Examples To Teach Undergraduates To Identify The Function Of Behaviors, Eliana A. Segal

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This study investigated the relative effectiveness and efficiency of three different training sequences in teaching undergraduate students in psychology and/or special education to identify the function of undesirable behaviors in video examples. The study also evaluated whether the procedures were effective in promoting the generalization from videos of role-played practitioner-child interactions to videos of children displaying undesirable behaviors similar to those depicted in the training videos, but in naturalistic environments. Behavior skills training (BST) and multiple exemplar training were utilized in all three training sequences. The data were supposed to be analyzed through a multiple baseline across participants embedded within …


An Exploration Of Student Athletes Perception On The Athletic Trainer/Coach Relationship, Nikki Owens May 2020

An Exploration Of Student Athletes Perception On The Athletic Trainer/Coach Relationship, Nikki Owens

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The goal of this study was to explore how the athletic trainer and coach relationship impacts the social support provided to Division I intercollegiate student—athletes. Through a qualitative-case study design, eleven participants were recruited and interviewed for the study. Criterion for inclusion included all NCAA sports at the university. This included males and females in various years of school and sport. After the completion of data analysis, four main themes were developed. These themes included social support, positive impact, negative impact, and unforeseen findings. Seven of the eleven student—athletes reported feeling that there was a direct relationship between the athletic …


The Effects Of Antibiotics And Probiotics On Memory And Depression Across Age Groups, Amanda Powell May 2020

The Effects Of Antibiotics And Probiotics On Memory And Depression Across Age Groups, Amanda Powell

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional pathway that acts as a connection between the gut and the brain. Bacterial changes in the gut alter this pathway, affecting organism’s health, cognition, and behavior. Commensal bacteria in the gut can reduce inflammation and increase longevity while pathogenic bacteria can have opposite effects. Reduced commensal gut bacteria can result in an increase in stress activation, depression, and anxiety in both human and animal models. Increases in commensal bacteria and decreases in pathobiontic bacteria can decrease hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) system activation, anxious behavior, and depressive behavior. Alternatively, increases in pathobionts can lead to …


Using Differential Reinforcement And Stimulus Control To Decrease Child Elopement And Increase Engagement In Play, Emory C. Bruno May 2020

Using Differential Reinforcement And Stimulus Control To Decrease Child Elopement And Increase Engagement In Play, Emory C. Bruno

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to use a specialized form of differential attention to increase the length of time a child is able to remain within close proximity of an adult during play. The therapist used two sets of skills in the context of play, one for when the child was within close proximity, and the other for when the child was not. The close proximity skills were adapted from Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, an evidence-based therapy designed to create and maintain positive interactions between parent and child. The second skill set consisted of positive play statements and descriptive play …


Propensity Score Matching And Generalized Boosted Modeling In The Context Of Model Misspecification: A Simulation Study, Briana G. Craig May 2020

Propensity Score Matching And Generalized Boosted Modeling In The Context Of Model Misspecification: A Simulation Study, Briana G. Craig

Masters Theses, 2020-current

In the absence of random assignment, researchers must consider the impact of selection bias – pre-existing covariate differences between groups due to differences among those entering into treatment and those otherwise unable to participate. Propensity score matching (PSM) and generalized boosted modeling (GBM) are two quasi-experimental pre-processing methods that strive to reduce the impact of selection bias before analyzing a treatment effect. PSM and GBM both examine a treatment and comparison group and either match or weight members of those groups to create new, balanced groups. The new, balanced groups theoretically can then be used as a proxy for the …


A Comparison Of Technology Based And Non-Technology Based Self-Monitoring Systems Towards Increasing On-Task Behavior In Students With Disabilities, Cindy Steele May May 2020

A Comparison Of Technology Based And Non-Technology Based Self-Monitoring Systems Towards Increasing On-Task Behavior In Students With Disabilities, Cindy Steele May

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The goal of this study is to provide educators, schools systems, behavior analysts and families with a study through single case experimentation to determine if a technology based self-monitoring system is more efficient in increasing on-task behavior for students than a non-technology based self-monitoring system. The researcher will utilize both technology based and non-technology based self-monitoring systems with three middle school students who have an educational eligibility of either autism or an emotional disability. The researcher will collect interobserver agreement with the students as they self-monitor to ensure that each student is utilizing self-monitoring correctly. Both self-monitoring systems will be …