Psychology Commons^™

Responding To The Challenge Of Problem Sexual Behaviour By Young People In Queensland: An Opinion, Scott Harden, Michelle Phillips, Stephen Stathis, Kerry Geritz, Tasneem Hasan, Mike Spiller, Bruce Watt, Angela Allen

Bruce Watt

There is general agreement that problematic sexual behaviour by young people is more common than was earlier believed and poses significant public health, juvenile justice and mental health difficulties for the community. A growing body of literature around the treatment of young people with inappropriate sexual behaviour has developed in recent decades. However, significant gaps remain as much of the literature is focused at the individual program level. As professionals in our jurisdiction of Queensland working in child and youth forensic mental health services, we have long been frustrated by the lack of a comprehensive, appropriately layered system of assessment …

Should'a Put A Ring On It: Investigating Adult Attachment, Relationship Status, Anxiety, Mindfulness, And Resilience In Romantic Relationships, Aileen M. Pidgeon, Alexandra Giufre

Aileen M. Pidgeon

This study aimed to investigate the predictive ability of relationship status, anxiety, mindfulness, and resilience in relation to the two orthogonal dimensions of adult attachment: attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. 156 participants completed measures assessing relationship status, adult attachment, anxiety, mindfulness and resilience. The results showed that resilience and the relationship status of single significantly predicted attachment anxiety, whereas anxiety and being either single or divorced significantly predicted attachment avoidance. A significant mediating role of resilience in the prediction of attachment anxiety from being single was also observed. The main implications of this study provided preliminary support for the significant …

Caffeine Use And Alexithymia In University Students, Michael Lyvers, Natalija Duric, Fred Thorberg

Mike Lyvers

Alexithymia refers to difficulties with identifying, describing, and regulating one’s own emotions. This trait dimension has been linked to risky or harmful use of alcohol and illicit drugs; however, the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world, caffeine, has not been examined previously in relation to alexithymia. The present study assessed 106 male and female university students aged 18-30 years on their caffeine use in relation to several traits, including alexithymia. The 18 participants defined as alexithymic based on their Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) scores reported consuming nearly twice as much caffeine per day as did non-alexithymic or borderline …

A Feasibility Study: Emotional Freedom Techniques For Depression In Australian Adults, Peta Stapleton, Sharon Devine, Hannah Chatwin, Brett Porter, Terri Sheldon

Peta B. Stapleton

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to treat Major Depressive Disorder in an adult population by way of a therapeutic group setting. Adults were assigned to EFT group treatment for a period of eight weeks. Diagnostic assessment was completed immediately pre and post treatment using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. In addition to this, self-report assessments measuring symptomatic evidence of depression were completed by the participants before the treatment, after the treatment and at three month follow-up. Comparisons with a community group were made at pre and post intervention …

Treatment For Anorexia Nervosa: Are We Missing The Mark?, Peta Stapleton, Amy Bannatyne

Peta B. Stapleton

Extract: Eating Disorders (EDs) are serious psychological conditions where attitudes toward food, weight and body size or shape become distorted and severe disturbances in eating or exercise behaviours often occur (Fairburn and Harrison, 2003). In a categorical sense, EDs can be divided into four broad groups: Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN), Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED, previously EDNOS) (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, 2013). However, these categories are not discrete and it is not uncommon for sufferers to experience a spectrum of symptoms or crossover between diagnostic criteria. …

Development And Validation Of A State-Based Measure Of Emotion Dysregulation: The State Difficulties In Emotion Regulation Scale (S-Ders), Jason M. Lavender, Matthew T. Tull, David Dilillo, Terri Messman-Moore, Kim L. Gratz

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Existing measures of emotion dysregulation typically assess dispositional tendencies and are therefore not well suited for study designs that require repeated assessments over brief intervals. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a state-based multidimensional measure of emotion dysregulation. Psychometric properties of the State Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (S-DERS) were examined in a large representative community sample of young adult women drawn from four sites (N = 484). Exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor solution, with results supporting the internal consistency, construct validity, and predictive validity of the total scale and the four subscales: Nonacceptance (i.e., …

Behavior Analysis Program To Improve Habits Of Physical Activity, Eating, And Sleeping, Ivan Noe Martinez Salazar

Dissertations

An Internet-based five-week duration program to improve “health habits” using behavior analysis principles and eHealth technology was developed and evaluated. The “health habits” include recurring behaviors that impact health status such as eating, sleeping, and physical activity.

Ten adult participants were recruited online from Mexico. A multiple baseline design was used and participants were randomly assigned into two different groups (i.e., ABBAA and AABBA groups). Participants received online training using videos describing the characteristics of the program and its components. Each participant recorded selected health behaviors using a Microsoft Excel® tool designed specifically for this program’s goal achievements. Participants reported …

Learning To Learn And Naming Through Receptive And Expressive Identification, Kelli Perry

Dissertations

Poor or no language skills are typical of most preschool children with autism (American Psychological Association, 2013). Language can be divided into the two components of receptive, or listener, skills and expressive, or speaker, skills. Recommendations for sequencing language instruction vary across the different behavior-analytic instructional models (Lovaas, 1981; Barbara & Rasmussen, 2007; Sundberg & Partington, 1998; Sundberg, 2008). The current study sought to examine those recommendations using young children (three- to four-years-old) with limited vocal repertoires and to explore the acquisition of learning to learn (Harlow, 1949) and naming (Greer & Ross, 2007). This research (1) adds to the …

Wellness, Relaxation, Creativity: Development Of A Business Plan Igniting The Creative Journey Towards Self-Actualization, Julie A. Wolasz

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project explores the affective side of creativity and its involvement in personal growth towards self-actualization. The author proposes that the implementation of relaxation techniques and creative training methods in a specialized spa-like retreat setting could assist an individual in their goals towards reaching self-actualization and ultimately producing a more creative person. The finished product includes a business plan identifying a business that is dedicated to guiding individuals towards self-actualization through a creative journey utilizing relaxation techniques, mindfulness and creativity training.

Response Bias On Self-Report Measures Of Sexual Fantasies Among Sexual Offenders, Kindra Seifert, Jenna Boulas, Matthew T. Huss, Mario J. Scalora

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The impact of sexual fantasies in future risk and treatment response among sexual offenders has long been known. However, as we develop objective self-report measures of sexual fantasies, response bias is becoming an increasing concern. In examining a sample of institutionalized sex offenders, the present study suggests that offenders’ responses on these measures are prone to response bias, the bias does not negate their associations with other self-report measures of sexual deviance, and relationship of their sexual fantasies does not appear to relate to actual behavioral indications. Clinical and research implications for these findings are discussed.

The Effects Of Brand Familiarity On Perceived Risks, Attitudes, And Purchase Intentions Toward Intimate Apparel Brands: The Case Of Victoria’S Secret, Jennifer Lynn Rose

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of brand familiarity on reducing consumers’ perceived risks in intimate apparel shopping, which in turn influence consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions toward intimate apparel brands. To predict relationships among perceptions of risk and consumer behaviors, the present study adopted the perceived risk theory (Cox, 1976) and a modified version of the theory of reasoned action (TRA; Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975).

An online survey was conducted by recruiting adult females through a large Mid-Southern university in the U.S. Reliable and valid measures from previous research were adopted and modified to assess …

Effects Of Life Review On Happiness And Life Satisfaction In Older Adults, Molly C. White

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Life review involves a systematic, chronological review of an individual’s life from birth to death as well as an examination of the meaningfulness of life experiences and events. The purpose of the current study was to discover the effects of life review on happiness and life satisfaction in the older population. Participants from 71 to 85 years of age completed a demographics questionnaire, the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). SHS and SWLS were completed every other day from the beginning to the end of the data collection process. Once a consistent baseline was reached …

Training Evaluation Investigating Core Self-Evaluations And Perceptions Of Training Transfer, Thomas P. Patterson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Although training evaluation is understood as an important way of determining the effectiveness of a training program, additional research in the area of training transfer and core self-evaluations (CSE) could provide insight on measuring the effectiveness of training programs. Training transfer differences and CSE were examined in training courses offered in a workforce development program. The goals of the study were to: (1) evaluate the validity of using CSE as a means of predicting perceptions of transfer, (2) test the previous findings that utility reactions measures are a stronger predictor of transfer than affective reactions measures, (3) determine which type …

Development And Preliminary Validation Of A Nonmedical Prescription Drug Motives Questionnaire, Lauren Ashleigh Milner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of nonmedical prescription drug (NMPD) use continues to increase among emerging adult populations; however, little is known about the motivations behind this use. The current study aimed to extend previous research by developing and validating the first known comprehensive NMPD motives measure. As such, the primary focus of the current study was to examine evidence for the reliability and validity of the NMPD Motives Questionnaire by assessing the factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of the motives scale. Participants were drawn from a larger study of college student substance use behaviors and attitudes (N = 1,427; Mage= …

Measuring Consumer Expectations Of Salesperson Unethicality: A Scale Development, Amiee Mellon

Marketing Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation addresses how and what ethical expectations (prior to conducting business) affect customer trust of the salesperson. In order to do so, this dissertation achieves two things. First, a scale for measuring the consumer’s expectations of salesperson unethicality (CESU) is systematically developed and validated based on the existing ethics literature and previously developed scales. Second, the scale’s properties and potential application are examined through hypothesis testing regarding the effects of (1) word of mouth on brand equity and consumer’s expectations of unethicality, and the effects of (2) brand equity and consumer’s expectations of unethicality on trust of the salesperson. …

Effects Of Early-Adolescent, Mid-Adolescent, Or Adult Stress On Morphine Conditioned Place Preference, Chloe Shields

Senior Theses

In light of previous work demonstrating that stress can increase subjective drug reward in adult rats, the present study investigated the influence of stress on morphine conditioned place preference (CPP) in early-adolescent, mid-adolescent, and adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Subjects in each age group were assigned to either a no stress condition or a stress condition in which they were exposed to an unpredictable eight-day schedule of elevated platform and synthetic fox odor stressors. Place conditioning then evaluated subjective morphine reward in all animals. Using a biased procedure, subjects were assigned to receive morphine on the initially non-preferred side of the …

Video Modeling For Teaching Imitation To Young Children With Autism: A Treatment Comparison And Analysis Of Potential Predictors Of Success, Logan S. Mcdowell

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Imitation is a prerequisite for the development of several important abilities. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit a distinct deficit in imitation. There has been a considerable amount of research into the most effective ways to teach this crucial skill. Unfortunately, there are drawbacks to many prevalent teaching strategies including difficulty with implementation and lack of generalization. The present study sought to determine whether video modeling (VM) might function as a successful alternative for teaching imitation to young children with ASD.

The literature on VM has demonstrated that it can be a highly effective technique for teaching a variety …

The Measurement Of Compulsive Buying And Its Application To Internet Buyers, Nancy Ridgway, Monika Kukar-Kinney, Kent Monroe

Nancy Ridgway

It has been more than 20 years since the issue of compulsive buying behavior was introduced to the consumer research literature (Faber, O'Guinn, &Krych, 1987). This pioneering research has helped to awaken researchers' interest in a troubling issue in consumer behavior. The incidence of compulsive buying ( CB) was estimated to range between 2 percent and 8 percent of consumers in the United States 15 years ago (Faber & O'Guinn, 1992). More recently, 5.8 percent of U.S. consumers were estimated to have CB (Koran et al., 2006). However, other researchers believe that these estimates are too low and that there …

An Expanded Conceptualization And A New Measure Of Compulsive Buying, Nancy Ridgway, Monika Kukar-Kinney, Kent B. Monroe

Nancy Ridgway

Drawing on the theoretical foundation of obsessive‐compulsive spectrum disorder, this article develops an expanded conceptualization and new measure of consumers’ proclivity to buy compulsively. Compulsive buying is defined as a consumer’s tendency to be preoccupied with buying that is revealed through repetitive buying and a lack of impulse control over buying. This measure includes dimensions of both obsessive‐compulsive and impulse‐control disorders. By measuring income‐dependent items or consequences of compulsive buying separately from the compulsive‐buying scale, we develop a measure that has a strong theoretical foundation, well‐documented psychometric properties, and an ability to be applied to general consumer populations.

The Effects Of Schedule Density Of Reinforcement For Alternative Behavior On Resurgence, Kathryn M. Kestner

Dissertations

Resurgence is the reemergence of a previously extinguished response when an alternative response no longer produces reinforcement. Although returning to previously successful methods for obtaining reinforcement is likely advantageous, resurgence also occurs in the form of treatment relapse. An individual may return to problematic behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injury, drug use) when an alternative behavior (e.g., communication response, coping skill, social behavior, etc.) is no longer successful at producing a reinforcer. Behavior analysts rely on treatments based on differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, and resurgence has been demonstrated following changes to reinforcement schedules due to errors in treatment integrity or intentional …

An Eye-Tracking Methodology For Testing Consumer Preference Of Display Trays In A Simulated Retail Environment, Erin Snyder, Rupert Andrew Hurley, Charles E. Tonkin, Kay Cooksey, Julie C. Rice

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

Display trays have traditionally been used to support distribution packaging and retail stocking. Yet, it is becoming increasingly common to find display trays as devices to garner attention and increase the shelf presence of packaging. This paper presents a method for testing consumer preference of display trays for liquid dish soap and canned tomatoes in CUShop™, a consumer experience laboratory, using eye-tracking technology. It was hypothesized that display trays would increase total fixation duration and decrease time to first fixation on the respective products tested. However, it was determined that attention to products in a display tray was …

Social Support And Preventive And Therapeutic Interventions, Brian Lakey, Catherine Lutz

Catherine Lutz Zois

This handbook provides the first collation and integration of social support and family research. Eminent researchers from these fields address conceptual and methodological issues; the role of social support in family relationships; stress; clinical problems; and support needs for families. With its coverage of a broad range of topics, this resource will benefit researchers, clinicians, and graduate students in community, counseling, developmental, health, and cognitive psychology as well as psychotherapy.

Women: The Ignored Majority, Carol T. Mowbray, Daphna Oyserman, Catherine J. Lutz, Rogeair Purnell

Catherine Lutz Zois

The major thrust of psychiatric rehabilitation is to provide skill development and supports enabling individuals to function in their roles of choice. The model thus contains an underlying assumption that meaningful life roles are “chosen” roles. It therefore may tend to overlook the impact on persons’ lives of the roles that they are given. These given or ascribed roles include those based on gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic class. Self-definitions, behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, and values are all likely to be structured within such social roles, which can also serve as important social identities (Oyserman & Markus, 1993). In spite of increased …

Explaining The Link Between Perfectionism And Self-Forgiveness: The Mediating Roles Of Self-Acceptance And Rumination, Lee Dixon, Katherine Earl, Catherine Lutz-Zois, Jackson Goodnight, Jessica Peatee

Catherine Lutz Zois

Although recent research has begun to examine correlates of self-forgiveness, very little research has examined the association between self-forgiveness and perfectionism. This study examined this association, along with mediating mechanisms that help explain this association. Specifically, we examined the indirect relationships between both Conscientious and Self-Evaluative forms of perfectionism and episodic self-forgiveness, through both unconditional self-acceptance and rumination. Participants (N = 206) completed measures of perfectionism, unconditional self-acceptance, rumination about a specific betrayal they committed, and self-forgiveness of said betrayal. Multivariate path analyses revealed Self-Evaluative Perfectionism to be indirectly associated with self-forgiveness, through both unconditional self-acceptance and rumination. More specifically, …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Emotional Literacy Instruction On At-Risk Students, Shannon H. Garcia

Dissertations

This study examined the impact of social-emotional literacy instruction for at-risk adolescents ages 13 to 18 at the high school level. Of particular interest is the impact of social-emotional literacy instruction on at-risk youth Grades 9-12 in secondary high schools’ 8-week-long social-emotional literacy class through Project AWARE, particularly in the areas of suspension, expulsion, attendance, connectivity, attitude toward school, resiliency, and relational aggression rates; the data were analyzed using archival data and teacher interview. Project AWARE, the social-emotional literacy intervention examined in this study, educates and provides mentorship for at-risk students, while also providing a group educational component on relationships …

Positive And Negative Symptoms Of Schizotypy And The Five-Factor Model: A Domain And Facet Level Analysis, Scott Ross, Catherine Lutz, Steven Bailley

Catherine Lutz Zois

In this study, we investigated the Five-factor model in the concurrent prediction of positive symptomschizotypy as measured by the Magical Ideation (Eckblad & Chapman, 1983) and Perceptual Aberration (Chapman, Chapman, & Raulin, 1978) scales and negative symptom schizotypy as measured by the Physical Anhedonia (Chapman, Chapman, & Raulin, 1976) and Revised Social Anhedonia (Eckblad, Chapman, Chapman, & Mishlove, 1982; Mishlove & Chapman, 1985) scales. Previous studies suggest that these measures reflect the core symptoms found in schizotypal and schizoid personality disorder (Bailey, West, Widiger, & Freiman, 1993). Negative symptoms were significantly predicted by Neuroticism (+), Extraversion (-), Openness (-), and …

Perceived Similarity And Relationship Success Among Dating Couples: An Idiographic Approach, Catherine Lutz, Angela Bradley, Jennifer Mihalik, Erika Moorman

Catherine Lutz Zois

This study utilized an idiographic approach to investigate the relation between similarity on valued characteristics and relationship success. College students (N = 247) rated their current romantic partner on perceived similarity in personality, attitudes, interests, and religious affiliation; the importance of similarity in these dimensions; and relationship satisfaction. Relationship status was assessed 6 weeks later. Results revealed significant similarity by importance interactions for religion and interests in predicting satisfaction. Participants with high perceived similarity in religion or interests reported greater satisfaction than did their low similarity counterparts, but only to the extent that they rated this type of similarity as …

Perceived Similarity, Expectation-Reality Discrepancies, And Mentors' Expressed Intention To Remain In Big Brothers/Big Sisters Programs, Benjamin Paul Madia, Catherine J. Lutz

Catherine Lutz Zois

Studies have begun to document the academic and psychosocial benefits of Big Brothers/ Big Sisters programs for at-risk youth (Rhodes, Grossman, & Resch, 2000). However, investigators have noted a problem with mentor attrition (Meissen & Lounsbury, 1981). The purpose of the current study was twofold. First, we explored the relative importance of specific dimensions of perceived similarity (including similarity in attitudes, interests, race, and personality) as well as mentors' expectation-reality discrepancies in predicting mentors' expressed intention to remain in Big Brothers/Big Sisters programs. Second, we examined a model whereby interpersonal attraction and relationship quality served as mediators of these associations. …

Psychopathy And The Five Factor Model In A Noninstitutionalized Sample: A Domain And Facet Level Analysis, Scott R. Ross, Catherine J. Lutz, Steven E. Bailley

Catherine Lutz Zois

The current study examined the relationship of the Five Factor Model (FFM) of personality to primary and secondary psychopathic dispositions in a noninstitutionalized sample. Previous investigations suggest that Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Neuroticism are basic personality traits that characterize psychopathy. However, few studies have examined the relationship of the FFM to primary and secondary psychopathic attributes, respectively. In the current study, the relationship of the FFM using the NEO-PI-R to primary and secondary psychopathic dispositions was investigated in a sample of young adults. Previous findings were extended by (1) addressing the relationship of higher and lower order FFM traits (i.e., facet …

The Differential Association Between Alexithymia And Primary Versus Secondary Psychopathy, Gwendoline Cecilia Lander, Catherine J. Lutz-Zois, Mark S. Rye, Jackson A. Goodnight

Catherine Lutz Zois

Using a sample of 104 college students, this study tested the hypothesis that alexithymia is positively related to secondary (also known as “neurotic psychopathy”), but not primary psychopathy (i.e., inability to form emotional bonds with others and a fear insensitivity). Participants completed the TAS-20 (alexithymia), the LSRP (primary and secondary psychopathy), the PPI-R (psychopathy), and the trait version of the STAI (trait anxiety). The interaction between the latter two measures was used as a second index of primary and secondary psychopathy. Support was found for the study hypothesis with both methods of assessing psychopathy (i.e., the LSRP subscales or the …