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Articles 1 - 30 of 35
Full-Text Articles in Psychology
Relations Of Depression, Social Support, And Socio-Demographic Factors On Health Behaviors Of Mothers With Premature Infants Hospitalized In A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Nicu), Surbhi Kanotra
Theses and Dissertations
The present study examined the relationships of depression, social support, and socio-demographic factors on health behaviors of mothers with preterm infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In addition, the study also assessed the moderation effect of social support on the relationship between depression and health behaviors. Eighty-nine mothers with hospitalized infants in the central Richmond area participated in the study. Analyses found that mother’s education level and her marital status to be significantly associated with her health behaviors. Mothers with a higher level of education and those who were married, were less likely to smoke and more …
Predicting Arithmetic Performance From Age And Executive Function Skills, Andrea Molzhon
Predicting Arithmetic Performance From Age And Executive Function Skills, Andrea Molzhon
Theses and Dissertations
The learning of mathematics can be a difficult process for many students. Understanding the cognitive components that contribute to arithmetic achievement may illuminate sources of difficulty and inform the development of better teaching and learning practices. Executive functions (EFs) have been implicated in the development of arithmetic skills in early childhood, but less is known about this relation across middle childhood and beyond. The current study included individuals ages 6-7, 9-10, 12-13, and 18+ years and examined the contributions of 3 components of EF, working memory (WM), inhibition, and set shifting (SS), to arithmetic skills in two domains. It was …
Maternal Depressive Symptoms And Health Outcomes In Youths With Type 1 Diabetes: A Mediational Model, Struemph Kari Morgan
Maternal Depressive Symptoms And Health Outcomes In Youths With Type 1 Diabetes: A Mediational Model, Struemph Kari Morgan
Theses and Dissertations
Objectives: The rate and impact of depressive symptoms were examined with two models based on known effects of depression on variables related to diabetes management, parental involvement and diabetes conflict. The proposed models will measure potential effects high maternal depressive symptoms may have on parental monitoring and involvement and diabetes specific conflict and how these variables may in turn relate to poor regimen adherence. Methods: Participants included 225 mothers and young adolescents (aged 11-14) with T1D. Diabetes self-care behaviors were measured with the 24 Hour Recall Interview, parental involvement and monitoring were measured with the Parent Management of Diabetes Scale, …
Utility Of The General Validity Scale Model: Development Of Validity Scales For The Co-Parenting Behavior Questionnaire, Kimberly Parker
Utility Of The General Validity Scale Model: Development Of Validity Scales For The Co-Parenting Behavior Questionnaire, Kimberly Parker
Theses and Dissertations
Validity scales for child-report measures are necessary tools in clinical and forensic settings in which major decisions affecting the child and family are in question. Currently there is no standard model for the development and testing of such validity scales. The present study focused on 1) creating the General Validity Scale (GVS) Model to serve as a guide in validity scale development and 2) applying this model in the development of validity scales for the Co-parenting Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ), a child-report measure of parenting and co-parenting behaviors for children whose parents are divorced. Study 1 used the newly developed GVS …
Ethnic Identity Development Among Rural Adolescent Youth, Adam Iglesias
Ethnic Identity Development Among Rural Adolescent Youth, Adam Iglesias
Theses and Dissertations
The current study evaluated the factor analytic structure and developmental trajectory of ethnic identity, as measured by the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, (MEIM) among early rural adolescents. The convergent validity of the measure for rural youth was also examined. The sample for this study was drawn from a larger longitudinal study focusing on violence prevention efforts with an early adolescent sample residing in rural Florida. The final sample size for these secondary analyses was 5,695 participants. The sample was 53 % Caucasian, 24% Latino, 15% African American, and 8% Other. The mean age of the students was 11.3 years. Data …
Individual Contributions To Stigma And Attitudes Toward Help-Seeking Among Rural Emerging Adult College Students, Margaret Gsell
Individual Contributions To Stigma And Attitudes Toward Help-Seeking Among Rural Emerging Adult College Students, Margaret Gsell
Theses and Dissertations
Rural communities are by definition less densely populated and more geographically isolated than non-rural communities, which often translates into higher rates of poverty and poor access to health care, especially mental health care. Previous research has found that persons residing in rural communities endorse higher rates of stigmatized beliefs towards individuals with mental illness and subsequently lower rates of professional help-seeking when compared to persons residing in non-rural communities. This study evaluated whether these attitudes were also present among emerging adults (18-24 years old) who had lived in a rural community for at least 10 years and were currently enrolled …
Mothers' Adaptation In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Examination Of The Effects Of Meaning Making, Control And Self-Enhancement On Depression, Claire Russell
Theses and Dissertations
With over 400,000 infants being hospitalized in the NICU annually, it is important to understand adjustment in their mothers. Taylor’s cognitive theory of adaptation asserts that three factors, meaning making, control, and self-enhancement, influence positive adjustment in a crisis situation such as a NICU hospitalization. Since it has never been examined, the purpose of the current study was to test the utility of Taylor’s model in mothers with an infant in the NICU. Data was collected from mothers with an infant in the NICU (N = 181) and the main hypothesis was that meaning making, control, and self-enhancement would explain …
Relational Humility, Don Davis
Relational Humility, Don Davis
Theses and Dissertations
The study of humility has progressed slowly due to lack of theory and measurement issues. In the present dissertation, I review the literature on humility and propose a theory of relational humility. The model conceptualizes humility as a personality judgment, aligning its study with a large literature that spans social and personality psychology. Then, in four studies, I examined initial evidence for the theoretical model. In Study 1 (N=300), I created the Relational Humility Scale (RHS) and evaluated its items using exploratory factor analysis. The RHS was found to have 3 subscales: Global Humility, Superiority, and Accurate View of Self. …
Geropsychiatric Nursing Staff: The Role Of Empowerment, Geriatric Caregiving Self-Efficacy, And Emotional Labor At Work, Ann Smolen-Hetzel
Geropsychiatric Nursing Staff: The Role Of Empowerment, Geriatric Caregiving Self-Efficacy, And Emotional Labor At Work, Ann Smolen-Hetzel
Theses and Dissertations
The current research examined the influence of the emotional labor strategies of faking emotion and suppression of emotion, empowerment, and geriatric caregiving self-efficacy on the relationship between work stress and emotional exhaustion—one dimension of burnout—for a sample of nursing staff members employed in a state-level geriatric psychiatric hospital. The total sample included 79 participants, which included registered nurses (n = 15), licensed practical nurses (n = 23) , and human service care workers (n = 41) who completed the Stress in General scale (Stanton, Balzer, Smith, Parra, & Ironson, 2001), Maslach Burnout Inventory (Human Services Survey; Maslach, Jackson & Leiter, …
Urban Adolescents’ Cognitive Responses To Peer Victimization: Does Psychosocial Adjustment Play A Role?, Amie Bettencourt
Urban Adolescents’ Cognitive Responses To Peer Victimization: Does Psychosocial Adjustment Play A Role?, Amie Bettencourt
Theses and Dissertations
Peer victimization is characterized by acts of physical, relational, and verbal aggression that can contribute to maladjustment. Youths’ responses to peer victimization are guided by social information-processing (SIP) skills that impact their adjustment. Maladjustment can contribute to biases in SIP. Biased processing occurs when youth rely on existing schemas without attending to cues from the immediate social context. These processing deficits contribute to the enactment of problematic responses that may lead to further maladjustment. However, not all youth exhibit SIP deficits. A recent study identified four adjustment clusters based on differences in aggression, anxiety, depression, social acceptance, and victimization within …
Cultural Factors And Communication During Medical Consultations With Hiv-Positive Racial/Ethnic Minority Patients, Lillian Stevens
Cultural Factors And Communication During Medical Consultations With Hiv-Positive Racial/Ethnic Minority Patients, Lillian Stevens
Theses and Dissertations
This study examined the relationships between cultural characteristics, communication variables, and medical outcomes in HIV-positive racial/ethnic minority patients. Participants included 33 patients and 5 providers across two urban, community medical clinics. The patient sample was 61% African American, 24% Latino, and 15% Other/Mixed. The majority (73%) were male. Providers included one White female physician, one White male nurse practitioner, two White female nurse practitioners, and one White male physician assistant. In this descriptive study, patients completed self-report ratings of their desire for engagement in decision-making prior to their scheduled medical consultation. After their consultations, patients rated their provider regarding engagement …
Precursors And Risk Factors Associated With The Development Of Traumatic Stress After Childbirth, Jennifer Runnals
Precursors And Risk Factors Associated With The Development Of Traumatic Stress After Childbirth, Jennifer Runnals
Theses and Dissertations
A prospective study of pregnant women was undertaken to provide an estimate of rates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder after childbirth that takes into account pre-existing trauma; to explore risk factors associated with the development of traumatic stress after birth; and to better understand incidence and risk factors associated with fear of childbirth, which is thought to contribute to postpartum Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Ninety participants in their last trimester of pregnancy completed questionnaires that included depression, trait anxiety, PTSD, anxiety sensitivity, childbearing fear, and self-efficacy for labor. Four weeks after delivery 73 of these women completed questionnaires concerning delivery, posttraumatic stress …
Perceptions Of Social Acceptance And Peer And Romantic Relationship Self-Efficacy As Pediatric Cancer Survivors Approach Adulthood, Rebecca Foster
Perceptions Of Social Acceptance And Peer And Romantic Relationship Self-Efficacy As Pediatric Cancer Survivors Approach Adulthood, Rebecca Foster
Theses and Dissertations
Social acceptance and peer and romantic relationship self-efficacy were examined as salient factors related to social development among emerging adult (ages 18 to 25) survivors of pediatric cancers. Using a cross-sectional, within-groups methodology, relationships between cancer treatment intensity and peer and romantic relationship self-efficacy and social acceptance were assessed. Perceived health vulnerability, situational coping style, parent and peer attachment, and perceived physical attractiveness were explored as moderators of peer and romantic relationship self-efficacy and social acceptance. Additionally, social acceptance was examined within a cancer stereotyping framework. Fifty-two emerging adult survivors of pediatric cancers (54% male; mean (M) age = 21.38 …
A Phenomenological Investigation Of Client Perceptions Of Their Relationships To Co-Leaders In Process Groups, Benjamin Wood
A Phenomenological Investigation Of Client Perceptions Of Their Relationships To Co-Leaders In Process Groups, Benjamin Wood
Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation examines the question how do group therapy members perceive the therapeutic relationship in process group therapy? The study fits within the interpretivist paradigm and employs a phenomenological qualitative research approach (Moustakas, 1994). The theoretical framework used to orient the study drew on process group theory according to Rutan, Stone, and Shay’s (2007) psychodynamic group psychotherapy approach and Yalom and Leszcz’s (2005) interpersonal process model of group psychotherapy. Participants were 10 university counseling center clients who were members of process therapy groups at a large urban university. Data collection consisted of in-depth interviews and demographic questionnaires. Phenomenological data analysis …
The Influence Of Ethnicity And Gender On The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Status And Cardiovascular Responding, Alison Eonta
Theses and Dissertations
Past research has found inconsistent effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) status on cardiovascular responding. Inconsistencies may be explained by demographic differences in study samples. In this study, the influence of gender and ethnicity on the relationship between PTSD status and cardiovascular responding was explored. Participants’ (N = 245) heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) readings were taken throughout baseline and anger recall periods. For all gender by ethnicity groups, baseline HR was higher in participants with PTSD than without PTSD, except for Black men. Whites with PTSD had lower baseline SBP than Whites …
The Transgressor's Response To A Rejected Request For Forgiveness, David Jennings
The Transgressor's Response To A Rejected Request For Forgiveness, David Jennings
Theses and Dissertations
Although the scientific study of forgiveness has flourished in recent years, little is known about transgressors when seeking forgiveness, particularly regarding how they respond when their request for forgiveness is denied. The present thesis reviews the literature related to how transgressors might react to a denied request for forgiveness and factors that likely influence their response. In two studies, interactions between sex and responses to requested forgiveness, and interactions between two personality variables (agreeableness and neuroticism) and responses to requested forgiveness were examined. Generally, when people refuse or even partially refuse a bid for forgiveness, it is considered by the …
A Behavioral Comparison Of Four Inbred Strains Of Mice, Erin Wood
A Behavioral Comparison Of Four Inbred Strains Of Mice, Erin Wood
Theses and Dissertations
Isogenic, or inbred, mouse strains are currently the experimental subjects of choice in laboratory studies focused on genetics, pharmacology, and psychological issues. Understanding phenotypic differences in isogenic strains is important in order to interpret experimental results obtained from inbred mouse strains. Four commonly used inbred strains, C57BL/6NHsd (C57), DBA/2NHsd (DBA), 129S2/SvHsd (129), and Balb/cAnHsd (Balb/c), are investigated in this study using four different behavioral tasks that measure locomotor activity and cognitive behavior (Morris Water Maze (MWM), T-maze, and operant autoshaping procedures). In the locomotor activity task 129 mice showed significantly less horizontal ambulation than any other strain, while differences in …
Neuroprotective Effects Of Postinjury Lithium Treatment: Determining The Optimal Dosing Paradigm And Assessing Potential Mechanisms Of Action, Katharine Eakin
Neuroprotective Effects Of Postinjury Lithium Treatment: Determining The Optimal Dosing Paradigm And Assessing Potential Mechanisms Of Action, Katharine Eakin
Theses and Dissertations
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has a dramatic impact on our society in terms of mortality, morbidity, and inherently high financial costs. Formidable research efforts are being addressed to the identification of neuroprotective agents capable of ameliorating the neurological outcome after TBI. Preclinical studies have recently demonstrated lithium to be a promising neuroprotective agent for both acute ischemic brain injury and chronic neurodegenerative disease. In light of these encouraging data, we designed a lateral fluid-percussion injury (FPI) study aimed at investigating the role of early post-traumatic administration of lithium as a strategy for reducing TBI-induced motor and cognitive deficits. The optimal …
The Effect Of Racial Socialization On Parental Stress In A Sample Of African American Parents, Thompson Remy Jones
The Effect Of Racial Socialization On Parental Stress In A Sample Of African American Parents, Thompson Remy Jones
Theses and Dissertations
The typical duties of parenting may be multiplied when they must be performed within very demanding situations and with limited personal and physical resources. African American families may also be subject to race-related challenges that further complicate child rearing. In an effort to combat the effect of imminent racism, some African American parents have sought to racially socialize their children. Within the racial socialization literature, it has been determined that racially socializing one’s children has positive effects for those children, however, there is some ambiguity regarding the way it is best done. Although racist acts cannot be predicted nor avoided, …
African American Children Living In Urban Environments: An Investigation Of Early Literacy And The Influence Of Psychological Strengths And Family Support, Pia Stanard
Theses and Dissertations
Literacy is a basic fundamental skill for academic, professional, and social success in our culture. Children with low exposure to reading can experience reading difficulties, diminished cognitive development, and poor academic outcomes. Inconsistency in the conceptualization of early literacy has hampered research and development of successful, translational early literacy interventions, particularly for children from low-income households. Preschoolers from low-income, urban backgrounds (n = 426), including 221 females and 205 males aged 35 - 60 months (M = 47.46, SD = 6.44) participated in an investigation of the latent factorial structure of early literacy. The study also explored whether children’s psychological …
Biobehavioral Mechanisms Of Emotion And Hiv Disease: Exploring Potential Mediators Of The Relation Between Trait Positive And Negative Affect And Hiv Health Status, Karen Stewart
Theses and Dissertations
Considerable research supports an association between negative psychosocial functioning and adverse health outcomes. The biobehavioral model is well supported and posits that these effects occur via alterations in physiological response and health damaging behaviors. Evidence is accumulating about potential benefits of positive psychosocial functioning; however, less is known about the mechanisms of these effects. The broaden-and-build model of positive emotions holds that positive emotions can undo the physiological and behavioral restrictions associated with negative emotions and promote resource development. The present correlational study sought to explore whether cortisol, medication adherence, and health behaviors (smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and nutrition) …
A Qualitative Analysis Of Messages Conveyed In Parent-Adolescent Communication About Substance Use: Variations Along Dimensions Of Maternal And Familial History Of Substance Abuse, Nikola Zaharakis
Theses and Dissertations
Little research has examined the content of parent-adolescent communication about substance use and variables that may influence it. Using a grounded theory approach for secondary data analysis, qualitative data were drawn from a longitudinal study of coping and substance use in a sample of urban African American adolescents (N=132; M= 13.77 years) and their mothers in Richmond, VA. Transcripts of interviews with participants’ mothers regarding their conversations with their adolescent about alcohol, tobacco or other drugs were microanalyzed by two coders in three sets according to the youth participant’s maternal and familial history of substance abuse. Findings revealed considerable similarity …
Understanding Posttraumatic Growth Among Individuals With Cancer: The Role Of Social Support And Unsupportive Interactions, Wendy Balliet
Understanding Posttraumatic Growth Among Individuals With Cancer: The Role Of Social Support And Unsupportive Interactions, Wendy Balliet
Theses and Dissertations
The experience of being diagnosed with and treated for cancer is an extremely stressful experience for most individuals. Historically, the literature on stress and coping has focused on negative outcomes, such as depression and anxiety, in relation to one‘s experience with cancer. Under-represented in the literature has been a theoretical framework that examines positive and transformative experiences that may occur throughout the cancer experience. The current study assessed interpersonal variables that rarely have been investigated in relation to one‘s experience with cancer (i.e., received social support and unsupportive interactions) and their association with depressive symptoms, positive emotion, and posttraumatic growth …
The Roles Of Religious Coping, World Assumptions, And Personal Growth In College Student Bereavement, Benjamin Lord
The Roles Of Religious Coping, World Assumptions, And Personal Growth In College Student Bereavement, Benjamin Lord
Theses and Dissertations
The field of bereavement research is currently lacking empirical studies examining grief in adolescent and young adult populations. Furthermore, the roles of religion (Hays, & Hendrix, 2008), meaning-making (Park, 2005) and post-bereavement personal growth (Davis, 2008), all of which are critical to understanding the loss experiences of people in these age groups (Balk, & Corr, 1996), have yet to be enumerated in a reliable way in the literature. Stroebe (2004) has emphasized the need to improve methods and measurement tools by including more thorough measures of religious coping and bereavement experience. The current study aimed to clarify the process of …
Self-Forgiveness Interventions For Women Experiencing A Breakup, Kathryn Campana
Self-Forgiveness Interventions For Women Experiencing A Breakup, Kathryn Campana
Theses and Dissertations
This study examined the effectiveness of an intervention designed to increase self forgiveness for women who have recently experienced a romantic relationship breakup. Of particular interest were the interactions between adult attachment style, treatment condition, and time. The current study examined how the following variables differ between attachment style groups and how they change over time with respect to treatment condition: aspects of the former relationship, emotional responses to personal transgressions within the relationship, general negative and positive affect, dispositional forgivingness, positive and negative attitudes toward self, feelings of unforgiveness toward self and ex-partner, and feelings of forgiveness of self …
The Effect Of Power On Exploratory Behavior, William Clay
The Effect Of Power On Exploratory Behavior, William Clay
Theses and Dissertations
The relations between power, exploratory behavior, and willingness to take risks were investigated. It was hypothesized that high power would be associated with increases in exploratory behavior, and that this relationship would be mediated by participants’ willingness to take risks. In Study One, one-hundred forty-one undergraduates (66% female) completed questionnaires to assess trait power and willingness to take risk, as well as a computer-based research paradigm, BeanFest, to assess exploration. Willingness to take risks correlated positively with exploration. However, the predicted relations involving power were not observed. In Study Two, power was experimentally manipulated. One-hundred thirty-three undergraduates (61% female) were …
More Than A Prayer: Pastors' Perception And Practice Of Mental Health Services, Jessica Young
More Than A Prayer: Pastors' Perception And Practice Of Mental Health Services, Jessica Young
Theses and Dissertations
While African Americans show similar rates of mental health concerns, they seek and obtain significantly fewer traditional mental health services (MHS) as compared to other groups. One alternative to traditional forms of MHS is the use of church-based resources, such as pastoral counseling. Pastors frequently report counseling as a large part of their duties. Therefore, their perceptions about mental health have a major impact on services that parishioners receive. This online survey assessed 40 pastors' perceptions about mental health services, as well as perceived needs for information or training. Attitudes about mental health were significantly related to variety of counseling …
Afro-German Biracial Identity Development, Rebecca R. Hubbard
Afro-German Biracial Identity Development, Rebecca R. Hubbard
Theses and Dissertations
An increase in the biracial population has heightened our awareness of unique issues that pervade the experience of these individuals. The importance of environmental influences on biracial identity development has been established, but investigations concerning racial socialization of biracial individuals are scarce. This study, utilizing a qualitative design, explores racial identity development of biracial Afro-Germans living in Germany. The purpose of the study is to understand the strategies that biracial individuals use to negotiate their racial identity, factors that influence their development, cultural influences, and racial socialization processes. Interviews with biracial Afro-Germans were conducted using phenomenological interviewing techniques. Twelve themes …
With Or Without You: The Impact Of Partner Presence And Attachment On Exploration, Anthony Coy
With Or Without You: The Impact Of Partner Presence And Attachment On Exploration, Anthony Coy
Theses and Dissertations
Expanding upon past research demonstrating that attachment orientation influences adult exploration, this thesis examined the impact of both actor and partner attachment anxiety and avoidance as well as real or imagined partner presence on outcomes of exploratory behavior (study 1a) and the desire to explore (study 1b). Eighty six couples were randomly assigned to explore (i.e., a meditation activity) with or without their partner in the lab, and to imagine exploring with or without their partner when rating their desire to complete potential exploratory behaviors. The effects of actor anxiety and avoidance on exploration were moderated by partner presence for …
Forgiveness And The Bottle: Promoting Self-Forgiveness With Alcohol Misuse, Michael Scherer
Forgiveness And The Bottle: Promoting Self-Forgiveness With Alcohol Misuse, Michael Scherer
Theses and Dissertations
Forgiveness research has seldom been directed toward alcohol use, misuse, and abuse. To date, forgiveness research in the realm of alcohol use, misuse, and abuse has focused on interpersonal consequences (e.g., Lin, Mack, Enright, Krahn, & Baskin, 2005; Scherer, Worthington, Hook, Campana, West, & Gartner, 2009; Worthington, Scherer, & Cooke, 2006), but has paid minimal attention to intrapersonal consequences. Psychologists today are just beginning to explore the complex and murky waters of self-forgiveness (or lack of it) and the alcohol misuser (e.g., Webb, Robinson, Brower, & Zucker, 2006). In the current dissertation, I review the literature on self-forgiveness, drinking refusal …