Psychology Commons^™

Traumatic Experiences And Mental Health In College Students, Samantha Sanchez

2020 McNair Scholar Collection

Because most college students have experienced one or more traumatic experiences before reaching college, they may be at increased risk of experiencing a mental health disorder, such as depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The current study examined the relationship between a history of traumatic events and mental health disorders among college students. There were direct correlations between traumatic experiences and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. In addition, after dividing respondents into “low,” “middle,” and “high” levels of trauma, the high group scored significantly higher on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Women reported more symptoms of anxiety …

Emotional, Social, And Behavioral Factors Affecting Wellbeing And Academic Performance In University Students With Chronic Diseases: Proposed Longitudinal Study, Kevin R. Criswell, Wren Whitman, Madelynn Smith, Polly Denison, Kyle Anderson

2020 Symposium Posters

Background: Chronic diseases (CDs) affect about half (45%) of individuals in the U.S., and this population is expected to grow. Despite the high prevalence and psychosocial burden of CDs, less is known about the effects of CDs on university students’ academic performance and psychosocial wellbeing. Research on how CDs might affect pursuit of valued activities (e.g., higher education), psychosocial wellbeing, and internalized stigma is lacking in university students with CDs.

Aims: The first aim is to characterize the effects of chronic diseases on academic performance and psychosocial wellbeing in university students. The second aim is to examine the …

Healthcare Satisfaction In Lung Cancer Survivors: A Cross-Sectional Secondary Data Analytic Study, Gladys Greene, Marissa Zuniga, Kevin R. Criswell

2020 Symposium Posters

Introduction: Lung cancer is commonly associated with high levels of psychosocial distress and symptom burden. Healthcare professionals endeavor to meet complex needs, yet current research is sparse and presents an inconsistent picture of predictors of healthcare satisfaction in lung cancer. We examined psychosocial, physical functioning, demographic, and supportive care factors as predictors of healthcare satisfaction in a sample of lung cancer survivors.

Method: We conducted a cross-sectional secondary data analysis to examine psychosocial functioning, physical functioning, supportive care needs, healthcare satisfaction, and demographic and medical characteristics in lung cancer survivors sampled from two southern California hospitals (N = 187). Mean …

Latinx First-Generation Students’ Academic Experience: The Role Of Institutional Supports During A Pandemic, Lizeth Banuelos

2020 McNair Scholar Collection

The Latinx population has now become the largest minority group in the United States (Martínez & Rhodes, 2020). However, Latinx first-generations students still fall behind non-Latinx students in educational achievement. This study seeks to examine the Latinx first-generation academic experience amidst a pandemic, with an emphasis on looking at their perceived stress related to academics, their academic self-efficacy, and their knowledge/feelings toward the institutional supports. The roles of institutional and familial supports are examined as well as the factors contributing to the educational achievement gap including language, cultural barriers, socioeconomic status, lack of funding, lack of diverse faculty, lack of …

The Mere Presence Of A Cell Phone May Be Distracting, Samantha Sanchez

2020 Symposium Posters

Research demonstrates that the frequent usage of cellphones is disruptive and leads to reduced efficiency while multitasking and also suggested that the sheer existence of a mobile phone might be as equally disruptive and have adverse social contact implications. Previous research (Thornton, Faires, Robbins, and Rollins 2014, Exp 2) reported that students in a classroom setting performed poorer on a series of cognitive tasks when their cell phones were on their desk than when they were not. This study’s hypothesis: In this direct replication study, it was predicted that students whose cell phones were on their desk would perform poorer …

Gender Differences In Confidence In Jury Decision Making, Rachel Silverthorn

2020 Symposium Posters

Men tend to be more overconfident than women in settings typically perceived as masculine (Lichtenstein et al, 1982; as cited in Baldiga, 2014). Women are also more likely to defer to men in mixed-sex group situations than men are to women (Hopcroft, 2009) Deference is correlated with women having lower self-esteem and lower confidence than men, both beginning to show around puberty. In same sex situations, deference is related to social ranking and physical features, but in mixed-sex situations it tends to be sex-based. Propp (1995) found that in mixed-sex groups men tend to verbally contribute more than women, whereas …