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Full-Text Articles in Psychology
Integrating The Development Of Children And Gestalt Therapy, Jennifer J. Thompson
Integrating The Development Of Children And Gestalt Therapy, Jennifer J. Thompson
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
There are many theories that have contributed to what we know about the development of children; for instance, theoretical diversity supports the complexities of human nature. A child's developmental level will impact his ability to relate. Gestalt theory supports the child's phenomenological view by focusing on the here-and-now of what is happening in the therapeutic environment. Most of what a child will do is in response to a need or want. The child will work toward fulfilling that need. The child may develop maladaptive ways to fulfill his needs based on the environment in which he lives. Gestalt play therapy …
Horticulture Group Therapy With Mentally Ill Older Adults, Kristen J. Hill
Horticulture Group Therapy With Mentally Ill Older Adults, Kristen J. Hill
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
With a greatly increasing number of older adults due to advances in medical care, aU baby boomers in the United States will be 65 or older by 2029. As the number of older adults grows, so does the number of those with severe mental illness. Treatments are needed to address older adults with severe mental illness that include the negative side effects of medications. Due to the nature of severe mental illness, lower levels of required cognitive processing allows for those admitted to inpatient psychiatric settings to participate, including those with dementia. Horticulture therapy has proven useful to address severe …
Effect Of Depression On Attention Via Mood Induction In A Healthy Population, Cheryl Mae Calvano
Effect Of Depression On Attention Via Mood Induction In A Healthy Population, Cheryl Mae Calvano
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
This project continues research into the cognitive attention of persons with a sad mood similar to that experienced by dysthymia. The project utilizes the Dot Probe Task to evaluate attention to affective stimuli presented in the International Affective Picture Set (IAPS). Participants were psychology students recruited from La Sierra University. Participants completed a word task that intended to induce a sad or neutral mood. The Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) was used to evaluate the efficacy of the mood induction. Overall, participant’s negative PANAS scale did not differ between groups. Groups differed between administrations of the PANAS on the …
Psychometric Properties Of The Psychopathic Personality Inventory In A Non-Criminal Population, Julie Madeleine Woltil
Psychometric Properties Of The Psychopathic Personality Inventory In A Non-Criminal Population, Julie Madeleine Woltil
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
The Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) is a self-report measure which was created to identify the personality traits of psychopathy in noncriminal populations. These personality traits were grouped into eight subscales in the PPI including Machiavellian Egocentricity, Social Potency, Coldheartedness, Carefree Nonplanfulness, Fearlessness, Blame Externalization, Impulsive Nonconformity and Stress Immunity. The hypothesized relationships and factor structure of this study follow the theory of psychopathy as being a disorder rooted in antisocial behaviors (often aggressive and impulsive in nature) and inappropriate emotional reactivity (characterized as a lack in empathy and anxiety). A confirmatory factor analysis was done with an ethnically diverse undergraduate …
Psychological Distress And Change In A Pediatric Obesity Population, Amy Rebecca Beck
Psychological Distress And Change In A Pediatric Obesity Population, Amy Rebecca Beck
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
Pediatric overweight and obesity is a growing national epidemic with 15 percent of children ages 6-19 considered obese and at least 22 percent considered overweight. While there is considerable research pointing to contributing factors of obesity, there is a paucity of research which elucidates what contributes to successful intervention. Considering that by the year 2050, nearly 50 million Americans may be obese, understanding the factors delineating success of weight loss and prevention is a necessity. The purpose of this study was to utilize archival data from the LLU Growing Fit Program to evaluate the levels of psychological distress experienced by …
The Effectiveness Of Treatment In An Inpatient And Outpatient Psychiatric Facility, Timothy Quan Tran
The Effectiveness Of Treatment In An Inpatient And Outpatient Psychiatric Facility, Timothy Quan Tran
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
The present study is aimed at examining treatment outcome in a large psychiatric facility that provides both inpatient and outpatient services to a broad range of patients. Not only will patient outcomes be assessed at a facility-wide level, but patient outcomes on the various units/programs in the facility will also be assessed and compared. It is expected that, facility wide, patients will show significant improvement on the outcome measure from admission to discharge, but that patient outcomes will differ across the various units/programs in the facility. In sum, the results of the paired-sample t-test and effect size obtained in this …
Study Of Executive Functioning Training In Adolescents Diagnosed With Autism, Jessica Postil
Study Of Executive Functioning Training In Adolescents Diagnosed With Autism, Jessica Postil
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
This study investigated the effectiveness of a manualized executive functioning training program used with adolescents diagnosed with autism. Three male adolescents were trained on executive function activities using a combination of Applied Behavioral Analysis and executive functioning activities. Training programs were administered individually, lasting for 2 hours per day for 20 days. Participants were tested 1 month before training, 1 week before treatment, immediately after training and at a one-month follow-up. Significant improvements were seen in performance on executive functioning tasks that required motor speed, verbal fluency, monitoring, predicting, planning and organization skills. Significant changes in the participant’s adaptive behavior …
Child Sexual Trauma: Testing The Robustness Of Browne & Finkelhor's Theory, Jose Mauricio Ramirez
Child Sexual Trauma: Testing The Robustness Of Browne & Finkelhor's Theory, Jose Mauricio Ramirez
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
Trauma has received great attention in the last three decades and a major societal issue today is child sexual abuse. Twelve percent of victims of maltreatment every year are victims of child sexual abuse (CSA). Several studies have suggested that the prevalence of CSA in women is in the range of 6% to 62% depending on how the data was collected (e.g., interviews, surveys) and the nature of the population sampled (e.g., general population, clinical population). Because of CSA, victims are impacted by the experience and encounter a change in the way they perceive the world on both the way …
The Psychophysiology Of Information Processing Differences In Eating Disorders, Kathryn Grace Truitt
The Psychophysiology Of Information Processing Differences In Eating Disorders, Kathryn Grace Truitt
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
Maladaptive or dysfunctional cognitive factors are believed to be significant contributors to pathology in eating disorders. The emotional Stroop task was used to examine [the] these dysfunctional cognitive factors. A sample of 31 women (14 nonclinical controls, 13 BN, 4 AN) participated in this investigation, after exclusion for ocular and movement artifacts and equipment problems the remaining sample contained 4 women diagnosed with BN, 4 women diagnosed with AN, and 9 matched non-clinical control subjects. Participants completed an Emotional Stroop task comprised of 8 blocks of words. On each trial, a word was presented in one of four colors (black, …
Memory For Emotional Images : Recognition And Temporal Contexts, George E. Devore
Memory For Emotional Images : Recognition And Temporal Contexts, George E. Devore
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
Negative emotional stimuli are usually better remembered than neutral emotional stimuli. Previous examination of binding theory found no differences in recall for homogeneous lists of taboo and neutral words. The current study expands on binding theory using negative and neutral visual stimuli in homogeneous lists. A rapid serial visual presentation paradigm and recognition and temporal memory item-discrimination tasks were used. Binding theory predicts no differences between negative and neutral images for recognition and temporal memory. Results were consistent with the assumptions of binding theory and no significant differences were found. This result suggests that binding theory generalizes for visual stimuli …
The Relations Of Pain, Religious Coping, And Depression In Fibromyalgia Patients, Derek O. Bacchus
The Relations Of Pain, Religious Coping, And Depression In Fibromyalgia Patients, Derek O. Bacchus
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
This study attempted to examine the relationship between Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) pain, religious coping, and depression. The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), RCOPE, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were used to assess these constructs in 50 participants. The sample was primarily middle aged and female, which is typical of the FMS population. This study used multiple regression to make assumptions about the causal progression of the variables. Study findings show that religious coping does not appear to significantly mediate the strong relationship between FMS pain and depression. This research served to uncover …
Binge Eating, Emotion Regulation, And Cognitive Resources, Jennifer A. Tucker
Binge Eating, Emotion Regulation, And Cognitive Resources, Jennifer A. Tucker
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
Research has shown that individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) have difficulty coping with negative emotions, although no research to date has directly investigated emotion regulation and binge eating. In the current study individuals with varying amounts of BED characteristics were measured for accuracy on a computerized task involving attention and working memory. Subsequent to the task, participants were given three self-report measures: the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ-I; Fairbum & Celio, 2004), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; Watson, Clark & Tellgen, 1988), and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ; Gross & John, 2003). It was hypothesized that in …
Comparing Chemical Dependency And Mental Health Programs For The Dually Diagnosed, Kelly L. Hacker
Comparing Chemical Dependency And Mental Health Programs For The Dually Diagnosed, Kelly L. Hacker
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
In order to better understand the needs of an increasing dually diagnosed population, this study compares the efficacy of integrated vs. nonintegrated treatment programs for a dually diagnosed population, residing at a Long Term Care facility in San Bernardino, California. Patients in this setting are diagnosed with chronic and acute mental illness and chemical dependency. This study tested the hypotheses that the nonintegrated treatment program would result in a higher frequency of assaults, PRNs, Q15s, and Code Reds; increase the duration of Q15s; and, increase the Addiction Severity Index’s (ASI) Family/Social and Psychiatric subscales’ scores, which would indicate lower levels …
Validation Of A Serotonin Depletion Checklist In Parkinson’S Disease, Kelly Diane Darby Holder
Validation Of A Serotonin Depletion Checklist In Parkinson’S Disease, Kelly Diane Darby Holder
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
The distinctive pathological marker of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the progressive death of neurons that produce dopamine; however, there are also major alterations in the production of quantities of other neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and serotonin that contribute to the signs, symptoms, neuropsychological manifestations of the diseases. PD patients can be divided into classes based on the manifestation of motor symptoms, type A, classified as tremor dominant, and type B PD, classified as akinetic. Type B PD patients, often manifest symptoms in which serotonin deficiency plays an important role, such as frontal cognitive impairments, which often includes a history of …
Ethnic Identity And Body Ideal In Adolescent Girls, Erin E. Ramirez
Ethnic Identity And Body Ideal In Adolescent Girls, Erin E. Ramirez
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
Adolescence is a period characterized by physical growth and maturation (Cobb, 1995). This normal biological process moves most American girls away from the thin ideal body shape that is dominant within the United States. Ethnic differences in ideal body size have in fact been found in several studies; but they have been shown based on ethnic group membership, not ethnic identification. The specific relationship of ethnic identity and body ideal for Mexican American, African American, and Anglo American adolescent females has not been clearly defined; Lopez, Blix, and Blix (1995) have hinted at the role of ethnic identification (through the …
Education About Chronic Mental Illness And Coping In These Families, Judith Marie Watiti
Education About Chronic Mental Illness And Coping In These Families, Judith Marie Watiti
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
Coping styles of family members and familial relationships of patients with Schizophrenia/Schizoaffective, Dissociative, and/or Bipolar Disorder maybe influenced by psychoeducation interventions. Specifically, Psychoeducation (i.e. comprehensive & standardized protocol) can lower family member/primary caregiver expressed emotions (i.e. criticism, emotional over-involvement, avoidance & detachment) that will strengthen their coping styles as caregivers. A control and treatment group were comprised of a total of 32 randomly assigned family members. During the first week. The Coping Styles Questionnaire and The Family Questionnaire were administered to both groups as pretests. In addition, a registration form was completed containing information such as name, address, telephone number, …
Exploring The Physician’S Processes: Diagnosing Autism, Gwennyth Li Sze Palafox
Exploring The Physician’S Processes: Diagnosing Autism, Gwennyth Li Sze Palafox
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects
Physicians are customarily the first point of contact for parents who are concerned about a child’s development. Thus, it is important for physicians to be current and educated about childhood disorders and subsequent treatment for those disorders. Recently, empirical evidence has led to the proposal of early indicators of autism supporting that autism may be diagnosed accurately in children less than three years old. Furthermore, formal screening and assessment parameters developed by medical organizations have been proposed in order to identify autism as early as possible (American Academy of Neurology, 2000). While the proposed parameters and empirical evidence support early …