Psychology Commons^™

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Well-Being Of People Incarcerated In United States Prisons, Kimberly Rivera

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the population as a whole. However, the incarcerated population (which also experiences a variety of health disparities) has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Due to overcrowding, poor ventilation, and lack of resources, the incarcerated population already is at a heightened risk for negative health outcomes, made worse by the recent pandemic. To adapt to the rapidly changing conditions during the pandemic in 2020 and into 2022, new safety measures were implemented, but the unintended consequences associated with the implementation of these procedures have yet to be examined empirically. I conducted a qualitative content …

Racial Differences In The Strong Black Woman Schema And Its Relationship To Health Behaviors And Perseverance, Raegan Bishop

Dissertations

Black women face a number of poor health outcomes, with 50% of Black women 20 years and older suffering from cardiovascular disease, and a diabetes incidence rate that is almost double that of White women. Health behaviors like physical activity, diet, and stress management can assist in reducing the onset and worsening of these diseases. However, Black women are less likely to engage in these behaviors compared to women of other races. Additionally, even when Black women do engage in positive health behaviors, they see fewer positive results than White women. One potential influencer in the complex relationship that Black …

The Effect Of A Gratitude Intervention On Acute Pain Toleration, Cynthia Ware

Honors College Theses

Gratitude interventions are emerging as a method to improve physical health outcomes; however, gratitude’s effect on pain perception and the autonomic response is understudied. Recent research suggests the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex is activated in gratitude interventions and is also involved in the perception of pain and the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. In this study, we investigated the effect of state gratitude induction on pain through the use of the cold pressor method. We found that although there were no significant differences in self-reported unpleasantness, participants in the gratitude condition reported a higher intensity of pain. Nevertheless, participants …

Interventions To Modify Psychological Well-Being: Progress, Promises, And An Agenda For Future Research, Laura D. Kubzansky, Eric S. Kim, Julia K. Boehm, Richard J. Davidson, Jeffrey C. Huffman, Eric B. Loucks, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Rosalind W. Picard, Stephen M. Schueller, Claudia Trudel-Fitzgerald, Tyler J. Vanderweele, Katey Warran, David S. Yeager, Charlotte S. Yeh, Judith T. Moskowitz

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Psychological well-being, characterized by feelings, cognitions, and strategies that are associated with positive functioning (including hedonic and eudaimonic well-being), has been linked with better physical health and greater longevity. Importantly, psychological well-being can be strengthened with interventions, providing a strategy for improving population health. But are the effects of well-being interventions meaningful, durable, and scalable enough to improve health at a population-level? To assess this possibility, a cross-disciplinary group of scholars convened to review current knowledge and develop a research agenda. Here we summarize and build on the key insights from this convening, which were: (1) existing interventions should continue …

Enhancing The Quality Of Life For Senior Citizens: A Facilitator’S Guidebook For Mindful Music And Movement, Shannon Sexton

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Music appreciation and enjoyment enhance well-being throughout the lifespan. The challenges and constraints that people experience as they age can lead to lack of access to music, decreased physical activity, and fewer avenues for creative expression. Group music and movement interventions created for older populations offer opportunities for social connection and improved quality of life. Mindful practices add further benefit when combined with these interventions. Current available programs are scarce and most often do not encompass mixed modalities. In addition, the benefits of these programs do not show long-term sustainability. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the effects …

Do Educators Value The Promotion Of Students’ Wellbeing? Quantifying Educators’ Attitudes Toward Wellbeing Promotion, David Byrne Phd, Colm Mcguinness Phd, Aiden Carthy Phd

Articles

Educators’ attitudes toward Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and health and wellbeing promotion can significantly influence the success (or otherwise) of such policies and practices. While numerous studies exist, from which a broad understanding of such attitudes can be garnered, there is currently no attendant measurement which quantifies educators attitudes regarding the promotion of student wellbeing. The aim of this study was to address this gap in knowledge by quantifying the degree to which educators are positively or negatively disposed to the promotion of student wellbeing. The Attitudes Toward Wellbeing Promotion (ATWP) scale was administered …

Sociopolitical Determinants Of Health In The Proposed Rezoning Of Richmond Hill/Ozone Park, Ny, Khemraj J. Persaud

Publications and Research

The community of Richmond Hill/Ozone Park, Queens, NY has been split into multiple zones and has needed rezoning for decades. The area consists of a range of people from different ethnic backgrounds, including Indo-Caribbean, South Asian, and Afro-Caribbean. Racial health disparities persist in this district, such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. I conducted research about how ongoing political issues in this community has been affecting the overall health of its residents and what is being done about it.

The Lonely Reason Impeding Compliance With Covid-19 Prevention Guidelines, Ainslie E. Schultz, Kevin P. Newman

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2022

To reduce transmission of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19), the US Center for Disease Control recommends that all individuals follow a series of prevention guidelines (e.g., wearing a mask, physical distancing, and vigilant handwashing). However, some individuals have been unwilling to comply with them. In this research, we use reciprocal altruism theory to investigate the role of loneliness in compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines. Specifically, we find that lonely (vs. non-lonely) consumers report less willingness to comply with these guidelines. Process evidence demonstrates that this occurs because lonely individuals experience a lower sense of obligation to reciprocate. Importantly, the negative impact …

A Personalized Values Intervention To Increase Health Behaviors In College Students, Jessica M Criddle

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

College students in the United States face unique health risks such as problematic alcohol use, poor nutrition, low sleep quality, and low rates of exercise. Research increasingly shows interventions utilizing individualized approaches lead to longer term pro-health behavior change. Values-centered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a useful framework to for development of personalized, effective interventions. One reason for this may be that impersonalized interventions and researcher-generated target behaviors common in other literatures may not hold the same evocative effect and connection to health behaviors for each or every participant. In ACT, valuing increases the probability of values-consistent behavior, such …

Examination Of Patient-Physician Relationship Among College Students, Archi Patel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The patient-physician relationship is established when a doctor provides care for their patient. This interpersonal interaction consists of perspectives on health issues, treatment plans, confidentiality, and support. Trust is also a component of the patient-physician relationship. Existing findings show that patient-physician trust is critical for achieving compliance and higher satisfaction rates with medical care (Cohen, 2002). Previous studies have investigated the physician's emotional intelligence as a factor in patient-physician trust, as well as the health locus of control on outlook, religious viewpoints on patient outcomes, and vulnerable attachment styles on the patient trust of the patients in determining the patient-physician …

"Think Of The Situation In A Positive Light": A Look At Cognitive Reappraisal, Affective Reactivity And Health, Jessica Chloe Maras

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

How individuals regulate their emotions is critical for maintaining health and well-being. For example, reframing a stressful situation in a positive light, a form of cognitive reappraisal, is beneficial for health and well-being outcomes. However, it is currently unclear why this relationship exists. One potential mechanism could be how one emotionally reacts to stressors in daily life, termed affective reactivity. The current study examined longitudinal associations that spanned 20 years between cognitive reappraisal and health outcomes and subjective well-being and if affective reactivity mediated this relationship. Participants completed waves 1-3 of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Survey series …

The Impact Of Insufficient Sleep And Early Class Start Times On U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Health And Performance, Stephanie Osborn

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Emerging adults face a set of unique obstacles that combine to make getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night a challenge. Internally, adolescents and young adults have a biologically based tendency to go to sleep and wake up later. Externally, they may participate in scheduled activities that wake them up early or keep them awake late. One primary obligation that can contribute to short sleep duration in students is early class start times. Emerging adults attending a civilian college may benefit from the ability to set their bedtimes and class schedule. However, their same-aged peers attending a military …

The Subcomponents Of Affect Scale (Sas): Validating A Widely Used Affect Scale, Brooke N. Jenkins, Marie P. Cross, Candice Donaldson, Sarah D. Pressman, Michelle A. Fortier, Zeev N. Kain, Sheldon Cohen, Logan T. Martin, George Farkas

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

There is a need for a brief affect scale that also encompasses different components of affect relevant for researchers interested in physiological and health outcomes. The Subcomponents of Affect Scale (SAS) meets this need. This 18-item scale has nine positive and nine negative affect items encompassing six subscales (calm, well-being, vigour, depression, anxiety, anger). Previous research using the SAS has demonstrated its predictive validity, but no work has tested its subscale structure or longitudinal validity.

Design

Data from the Common Cold Project in which individuals (N = 610) completed the SAS over the course of seven days were used. …

Neighborhood Safety Concerns And Daily Well-Being: A National Diary Study, Jennifer W. Robinette, Jennifer R. Piazza, Robert S. Stawski

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

People living in unsafe neighborhoods often report poor health. The reasons for this are multi-faceted, but one possibility is that unsafe neighborhoods create a situation of chronic stress, which may deplete people's resources to cope with the daily stressors of life. How people respond to daily stressors (e.g., with increased self-reported negative affect and physical symptoms) is positively associated with health problems and may thus be one pathway linking perceptions of neighborhood safety to poor health. The current study investigated the relationship between neighborhood safety concerns, daily stressors, affective well-being, and physical health symptoms in a national sample of adults …

Exploring The Perceived Barriers And Benefits Of Physical Activity Among Wounded, Injured, And/Or Sick Military Veterans, Robert Walker, Caroline Limbert, Paul M. Smith

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Wounded, injured, and/or sick (WIS) military veterans face significant physical and psychosocial challenges following discharge from service. Physical activity can have many positive effects on the holistic wellbeing of such individuals. However, little knowledge exists regarding the perceived barriers and benefits of physical activity within this population, creating challenges surrounding physical activity promotion. Therefore, this study was designed to identify key barriers and benefits among this population, so that informed approaches to encourage participation in physical activity can be developed. A questionnaire related to the perceived barriers and benefits of physical activity was completed by 105 WIS British military veterans. …

"It's The Way You Sing It": Translating Music Therapy For Isolated Older Adults Affected By Covid-19 To The Television Screen, Eunice Wong

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The current Covid-19 pandemic has increased the likelihood of loneliness and social isolation among older adults due to the restrictions on movement and visitations in care facilities. Loneliness and social isolation have consistently been identified as risk factors for poor mental and physical health in older people. Meanwhile, a growing number of older adults are utilizing technological resources to enhance their interpersonal relationships and overall quality of life. In the winter of 2020/2021, an innovative music therapy-informed television program was designed and produced for isolated older adults in need of mental and emotional support. This project, produced jointly by a …

The Relationship Between Perceived Neighborhood Disorder And Type 2 Diabetes Risk Across Different Racial/Ethnic Groups, Min Yu, Jennifer N. Robinette

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Approximately 32 million Americans have Type 2 Diabetes and that number is growing rapidly. Type 2 Diabetes is sensitive to environmental factors, and higher prevalence rates are often observed in disordered neighborhoods (i.e., those with more trash and vandalism). Through discriminatory practices such as redlining, racially restrictive covenants, urban renewal, and gentrification, marginalized racial/ethnic groups are more likely to live in disordered neighborhoods compared to non-Hispanic Whites. These disparities may also contribute to similar disparities in Type 2 Diabetes rates. Yet, research indicates that there may be racial/ethnic differences in the interpretation of neighborhood disorder as a threat to health …

The Impact Of Mindfulness On Healthy Food Choices, Kaylea Hopfer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The practice of mindfulness has a long history in research, particularly psychological studies. In this paper I examine the effects of a short mindfulness intervention on healthy food purchases. Specifically, I developed an online survey and recruited 634 participants via Prolific between July 24 - July 27, 2020. I randomly assigned participants to either a mindfulness manipulation or a control condition. Following treatment (or control) participants completed a food choice task and various other control. Following the survey, I analyzed data using R version 4.0.2 (2020-06-22) and R-Studio. I estimated three different regression models, ordinary least squares (OLS), Poisson, and …

Are Adverse Childhood Experiences Associated With Health Behaviors Among College Students: Emotion Regulation As A Potential Moderator, Margaret Winters

Senior Theses

In this study, we sought to examine the relations among adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), physical activity (PA), sleep quality, and emotion regulation in college students. ACEs have been proven to have a dose-response relation with adverse health outcomes in adulthood, including heart disease, cancer, lung disease, liver disease, poor mental health, and risky health behaviors (Felitti et al., 1998; Merrick et al., 2016; Zhang et al., 2020). ACEs have also been previously associated with poor sleep quality and emotion dysregulation (Kajeepeta, Gelaye, Jackson, & Williams, 2015[WL1] ; Kim & Cicchetti, 2010). Given these findings, we sought to examine how …

Motivational Interviewing Use By Personal Trainers To Promote Behavioral Change, Marzell Gray, Jade Hipp

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 2: Issue 1, Article 5, 2021. This study evaluated one method of behavioral change to promote a healthier way of life. Designed to provide basic motivational interviewing (MI) knowledge and skills to certified personal fitness trainers, the study looked to improve coaching skills to aid in client’s ability to adapt to healthier behaviors. As outlined in a study by Kelley et al., (2016), MI is used as a client-centered approach that includes several core principles to express empathy, support the client’s self-efficacy, roll with resistance, and develop discrepancy.

When Pandemic Hits: Exercise Frequency And Subjective Well-Being During Covid-19 Pandemic, Ralf Brand, Sinika Timme, Sanaz Nosrat

Publications and Research

The governmental lockdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic have forced people to change their behavior in many ways including changes in exercise. We used the brief window of global lockdown in the months of March/April/May 2020 as an opportunity to investigate the effects of externally imposed restrictions on exercise-related routines and related changes in subjective well-being. Statistical analyses are based on data from 13,696 respondents in 18 countries using a cross-sectional online survey. A mixed effects modeling approach was used to analyze data. We tested whether exercise frequency before and during the pandemic would influence mood during the pandemic. Additionally, …

The Impact Of Location On Healthcare Access For Individuals With Disabilities, Addison Kimber

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper analyzes healthcare access for individuals with disabilities living in rural areas. In current political discussion, we typically think of insurance coverage as the metric to analyze healthcare access. However, as demonstrated by studies of healthcare in the United Kingdom, people with disabilities continue to face barriers to health care even with universal healthcare systems. In particular, individuals in rural areas have less healthcare access than urban residents. This is due to factors including socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, access to competent care, and transportation. This study aims to understand if disability status exacerbates the issue of access in rural …

Relationship Satisfaction & Diet: Exploring The Mechanisms Through Which Intimate Relationships Influence Physical Health, Lindsey Robinson, Dylan Hillock, Dr. Josh Novak

Southeastern Council on Family Relations Conference

Understanding how intimate relationships influence physical health has been an important topic of focus; however, research remains unclear on the mechanisms through which this influence occurs. The purpose of this study was to examine how relationship satisfaction relates to diet quality, through mental health (depression and anxiety) and diet self-efficacy. Using a dyadic mediation model with a sample of 234 heterosexual couples, researchers found that women's higher relationship satisfaction was associated with better diet through lower depression and higher diet self-efficacy. Results revealed the same association between women's relationship satisfaction and diet through lower anxiety. Interestingly, rather than mediation through …

Mindfulness And Food Selfies: A Naturalistic Investigation Of Healthy Eating, Alishea Hight, Mariah Isbell

Georgia College Student Research Events

Mindfulness is increasingly linked to effective self-regulation including regulation of health behaviors. Eating is an important behavior for health, and mindfulness has been linked to healthier eating choices in self-report, cross-sectional studies, and in laboratory eating paradigms (e.g., Jordan et al., 2014). In contrast, impulsivity is linked to poor self-regulation such as purchasing behavior (Baumeister, 2002), and impulsivity scores have been shown to be related to weight (Price, Lee, & Higgs, 2013). Along these lines, we sought to examine the links between trait mindfulness and impulsivity and eating behaviors. However, instead of examining eating behaviors through global self-report or forced …

A Case Study Of Barriers To Dental Care In Nebraska, Kaitlin Buhler

Honors Theses

An important aspect of overall health is access to dental care, which is, unfortunately, oftentimes difficult to obtain. This study used data collected from a case study of three registered dentists in Nebraska to investigate the barriers to dental care, and identified the lack of dental insurance, limited access to free or reduced-price dental care, and dental anxiety as perceived barriers to dental care. Factors that did not seem to have an impact were language or ethnicity differences between patients and workers, distance to travel, comfortability with receiving free or reduced-price dental care, knowledge of how often to visit the …

Elevator Or Stairs? A Dive Into Patron Decision Making, Lucas D. Elliott, Oliver W.A. Wilson, Melissa Bopp

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

• When put in a situation to get to higher/lower floors of a building, there are many factors that go into play for whether an individual chooses to take the stairs (active) or ride the elevator (sedentary).
• Students were approached at waiting area for the four elevators in a University Library and were asked series of questions regarding their reasoning for taking the stair or elevator to ascend, as well as their thoughts on the stairwell appearance.
• Point of application #1: Stairwell appearance and aesthetics should be considered during the design process in order to increase use and physical activity amongst …

Physical Activity Among Preschool-Aged Children: Considerations For Waking Activity Patterns And Health, Erin Dooley

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

With nearly one-quarter (23%) of U.S. preschool children (ages 3-5 years) having overweight or obesity, supporting healthy growth and development is paramount. Hispanic children have the highest prevalence within this age group (15.6%) and a large projected population growth. Energy expenditure through physical activity is one way to combat excess development of obesity and poor health outcomes. Yet there is limited evidence about the correlates associated with physical activity and health within this population. The three studies of this dissertation examined sociodemographic-, cultural-, and context-related factors related to waking activity patterns and the subsequent impact on health indicators. The overall …

Health And Quality Of Life Of Children Undergoing Elective Surgery, Vivian Luong

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Multiple studies have found that poorer health is associated with significantly lower quality of life when comparing children and adults with health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, and ADHD to their normal healthy counterparts. The relationship between health and quality of life, however, has yet to be examined in children who have undergone elective surgery. More than 5 million children in the U.S. undergo surgery each year. These children are often undergoing surgery for a number of health issues that may impede quality of life. Consequently, this study analyzes the effects of health on the quality of life of …

Intuitive Eating Promotes A Healthy Lifestyle, Krista Oezer

Classical Conversations

“Intuitive eating is a dynamic process integrating attunement of the mind, body, and food.” (Tribole and Resch 23). Essentially, intuitive eating is a way of life. By listening to inner, natural signals, intuitive eating integrates mind, body, and food for optimal health. Speaking from my own personal experience, intuitive eating truly does promote a healthy lifestyle. I don’t just know about intuitive eating; I live it. I want to share my knowledge and my experience with intuitive eating to those who have never heard of it. Although intuitive eating has gained popularity, especially among dieticians and nutritionists, it still remains …

Effect Of Attentional Focus On Learning And Performance In Youth Sports, Justin Wright

Dissertations

Youth athletes are different from adult and elite athletes in several domains that include cognitive resources, working memory, automaticity of motor movements, conscious control for propensity, attentional focus, and acquisition of motor-skills. Due to significant differences between athletes, not all instructions and feedback provided by coaches are best suited for every player. Instructions and feedback may direct an athlete’s attentional focus and cognitive resources incorrectly leading to poor acquisition and performance of motor-skills. Clinical psychologists with knowledge of motor-skill acquisition, cognitive resources, learning theory, conscious control propensity, automaticity of motor movements, constrained action hypothesis, and attentional focus can follow the …