Psychology Commons^™

Interactive Gaming Reduces Experimental Pain With Or Without A Head Mounted Display, Nakia Gordon, Juniad Merchant, Catherine Zanbaka, Larry F. Hodges, Paula Goolkasian

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

While virtual reality environments have been shown to reduce pain, the precise mechanism that produces the pain attenuating effect has not been established. It has been suggested that it may be the ability to command attentional resources with the use of head mounted displays (HMDs) or the interactivity of the environment. Two experiments compared participants’ pain ratings to high and low levels of electrical stimulation while engaging in interactive gaming with an HMD. In the first, gaming with the HMD was compared to a positive emotion induction condition; and in the second experiment the HMD was compared to a condition …

Depressive Symptoms And Relational Uncertainty As Predictors Of Reassurance-Seeking And Negative Feedback-Seeking In Conversation, Leanne K. Knobloch, Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, C. Emily Durbin

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Integrative interpersonal theory implies that relational uncertainty may play a role in the reassurance-seeking and negative feedback-seeking behavior of people with depressive symptoms. We sought to extend the theory by (a) documenting how individuals with depressive symptoms communicate under conditions of relational uncertainty, (b) evaluating actor and partner effects, and (c) utilizing observational measures of reassurance-seeking and negative feedback-seeking. Sixty-nine romantic couples engaged in 50 minutes of conversation rated by independent judges. Multilevel modeling results indicated that the depressive symptoms of actors and partners were the primary predictor of an actor's reassurance-seeking, but an actor's relational uncertainty was the primary …

Acculturation, Cultural Values, And Latino Parental Beliefs About The Etiology Of Adhd, Kathryn E. Lawton

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders of childhood, but despite the availability of several evidence-based interventions, Latino children are more likely than non-minority children to have an unmet need for services related to ADHD. Because parental beliefs about the etiology of ADHD likely influence which services are sought, more research is needed to examine this aspect of help-seeking behavior in order to address the unmet need among Latino families. Specifically, research needs to focus on cultural factors that likely influence parental beliefs about the etiology of child behavior problems. Thus, the goal of the …

Parents' Influence On Child Social Self-Efficacy And Social Cognition, Denise Marie Gardner

Master's Theses (2009 -)

No abstract provided.

Healing Images: A Historical Outline Of Their Use In Western Medical And Psychotherapeutic Traditions, Anees A. Sheikh

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The ancient literature of numerous cultures abounds with accounts of spectacular cures resulting from the imaging process. These accounts are now being corroborated by a growing body of clinical and experimental evidence. The effectiveness of mental imagery in the treatment of a wide variety of problems has been convincingly documented (Sheikh, 1983). This paper outlines the use of imagery in Western medical as well as psychotherapeutic traditions. It concludes with a discussion of the reasons that make imagery an excellent healing agent.

Ambivalent Sexism And The Expected Distribution Of Power In Romantic Relationships, Teni Davoudian

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The present study examined the associations between ambivalent sexism toward women and power in heterosexual romantic relationships. Specifically, power was measured globally and in specific domains of relationships (e.g., finances, childcare, sexual activities). College students were asked to complete measures assessing their levels of ambivalent sexism and the amount of power that they expected to have in their future, long-term romantic relationships as well as their perceived power in their current romantic relationships. It was predicted that participants would anticipate having more power in various areas of their relationship according to their gender and their levels of ambivalent sexism. Results …

Effects Of Chronic Variable Stress Across Developmental Stages In Mice, Sheryl Jayne Stevens

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a response to trauma exposure that involves a number of symptoms that can be highly impairing to affected individuals. Only a subset of those exposed to traumatic events will develop the disorder, which is conceptualized as developing via conditional fear. Research into factors predisposing for PTSD is needed. Furthermore, little work has been done to investigate predisposing factors in children more specifically. This research tests the effects of stress exposure on subsequent fear learning, across developmental stages in mice, as a model for PTSD. Juvenile and adult male mice were exposed to chronic variable stress …

Military Mental Health: Problem Recognition, Treatment-Seeking, And Barriers, Laura Bein

Dissertations (1934 -)

Substantial numbers of military troops are serving overseas in military operations and are returning home with elevated reports of psychological symptoms; however, a treatment gap exists between those reporting mental health problems and those receiving appropriate treatment. Stigma has been cited as a potential barrier to treatment-seeking, although few studies distinguish between perceived and public stigma or between stigma for having a mental illness versus that for seeking treatment.

In the present study, Army National Guard soldiers returning from deployment to Iraq were asked to complete questionnaires assessing psychological symptoms, as well as reports of perceived stigma from self and …

The Therapeutic Relationship In Dialectical Behavior Therapy: A Longitudinal Investigation In A Naturalistic Setting, Sara Elizabeth Little

Dissertations (1934 -)

The quality of the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy has been found to be positively associated with many treatment outcome variables, such as client retention, client satisfaction in treatment, and improvement in symptoms. While some theorists assume that therapeutic alliance is established early in therapy and remains fairly stable across time in treatment, others such as Safran et al. (1990) suggest that the alliance quality fluctuates across time and is likely to be marked by frequent patterns of rupture and repair. In particular, individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) have clusters of symptoms and interpersonal styles that are likely to present …

Long Term Effects Of Chronic Variable Stress Administered During Different Developmental Stages In Mice, Henry Boeh

Dissertations (1934 -)

A number of studies have suggested that the occurrence of past trauma can increase an individual's chance of developing PTSD from a new traumatic experience later in life. Trauma that occurs during childhood appears to have a particularly strong effect on this risk increase. Furthermore, conditioned fear responses have been shown to incubate over extended periods of time in animal models. To further investigate the role these phenomena play in the development of PTSD, this study exposed juvenile and adult mice to 7 days of chronic variable stress (CVS). One month later, a Pavlovian delay fear conditioning procedure was used …

Influences On Father Involvement: Testing For Unique Contributions Of Religion And Spirituality, Mark Lynn

Dissertations (1934 -)

The role of the father in children's development historically has been neglected. Studies examining family processes were primarily limited to mothers, under the assumption that mothers' influences encapsulated what (little) effects could also be attributed to the father. Although theory and research have begun to address fathers' roles in families in earnest, there is still much work to be done, particularly in regard to understanding the determinants of father involvement. One direction that has received attention from researchers is towards a conceptualization of environmental and contextual influences on fathers' interactions with their families. The goal of this study was to …

Stress-Generation Processes In Latinos: The Roles Of Acculturation, Acculturative Stress, And Intercultural Competence, Mark W. Driscoll

Dissertations (1934 -)

Using a brief longitudinal design, this study examined the role of cultural adaptation processes (acculturation, acculturative stress, and intercultural competence) in predicting depression symptoms among Latinos living in the United States. Based on previous research employing stress generation processes (e.g., Hammen, 2005), it was hypothesized that depression symptoms measured at baseline predicted dependent stressful life events measured at six-month follow-up. It was further hypothesized that depression symptoms measured at baseline predicted dependent stressful life events measured at six-month follow-up indirectly through acculturation, acculturative stress, and intercultural competence, also measured at six-month follow-up. Finally, it was hypothesized that six-month follow-up acculturation, …

A Naturalistic Study Of The Associations Between Changes In Alcohol Problems, Spiritual Functioning And Psychiatric Symptoms, Melissa L. Miller, Stephen M. Saunders

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The study evaluated how spiritual and religious functioning (SRF), alcohol-related problems, and psychiatric symptoms change over the course of treatment and follow-up. Problem drinkers (n = 55, including 39 males and 16 females) in outpatient treatment were administered questionnaires at pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow up, which assessed two aspects of SRF (religious well-being and existential well-being), two aspects of alcohol misuse (severity and consequences), and two aspects of psychiatric symptoms (depression and anxiety). Significant improvements in SRF, psychiatric symptoms and alcohol misuse were observed from pretreatment to follow-up. Although SRF scores were significantly correlated with psychiatric symptoms at all three …

Does Physical Activity Influence Semantic Memory Activation In Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment?, J. Carson Smith, Kristy A. Nielson, John L. Woodard, Michael Seidenberg, Matthew D. Verber, Sally Durgerian, Piero Antuono, Alissa M. Butts, Nathan C. Hantke, Melissa A. Lancaster, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The effect of physical activity (PA) on functional brain activation for semantic memory in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) was examined using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging during fame discrimination. Significantly greater semantic memory activation occurred in the left caudate of High- versus Low-PA patients, (P=0.03), suggesting PA may enhance memory-related caudate activation in aMCI.

Exploratory Analysis Of The Relationships Among Different Methods Of Assessing Adherence And Glycemic Control In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Jessica C. Kichler, Astrida S. Kaugars, Kelly Maglio, Ramin Alemzadeh

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives: The present study examined four methods of assessing diabetes adherence (self-report, diary measure, electronic monitoring, and provider rating) within a population of youth with Type I Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). Methods: Comparisons were conducted among the four methods of assessing diabetes adherence. Associations among the seven different measures of blood glucose monitoring (BGM) and HbA1c were examined. An exploratory stepwise regression analysis was conducted to determine the best predictors of glycemic control (i.e., Hemoglobin A1c; HbA1c) while controlling for relevant demographic variables. Results: The adherence measures appeared to be interrelated. The relationships between many of the BGM measures and HbA1c …

Read-React-Respond: An Integrative Model For Understanding Sexual Revictimization, Jennie G. Noll, John H. Grych

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Females who have been sexually abused in childhood are at significantly higher risk to be revictimized in adolescence and adulthood. Revictimization is associated with a raft of adverse mental and physical health outcomes, and so understanding why victims of childhood sexual abuse are more vulnerable to later sexual assaults has critical implications for their development. It has been hypothesized that sexual abuse in childhood results in reduced ability to recognize and/or respond effectively to sexual threats later in life, but studies examining these ideas have produced inconsistent results. Further, this research has failed to incorporate the powerful physiological reaction elicited …

Children’S Perceptions Of Intimate Partner Violence: Causes, Consequences, And Coping, Renee L. Deboard-Lucas, John H. Grych

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Children’s appraisals of conflictual and aggressive parental interactions mediate their effect on children’s adjustment. Previous studies have relied almost exclusively on self report questionnaires to assess appraisals; consequently we know little about perceptions that occur naturally when children witness interparental aggression. This study employed a semistructured interview to assess the thoughts and feelings of 34 children (ages 7–12) whose mothers were receiving services at domestic violence agencies, and mothers reported on interparental aggression that took place in the home. Children’s thoughts centered on consequences and efforts to understand why fights occurred. They generally viewed their mother’s partner as responsible for …

Relationship Between Psychiatric Diagnosis And Functional Outcome In Physical Therapy, Marc A. Silva

Dissertations (1934 -)

Preliminary research suggests that psychiatric illness is associated with poorer functional outcomes in physical therapy (PT), but there is scant research examining this relationship specifically. In this study, the impact of psychiatric diagnosis on functional outcome in PT was investigated. Study design was a retrospective review of medical records. Participants were 310 veterans (age: M = 72.05 years, SD = 11.86; 96% male, 74% White) admitted for inpatient rehabilitation and referred for PT. Statistical analyses included MANCOVA and ANCOVA. Independent variables were mood disorder diagnosis, substance use disorder diagnosis, and any psychiatric diagnosis. Dependent variables were the sum of Functional …

African American Men Facing Homelessness And Co-Occurring Disorders: A Qualitative Investigation Of Multiple Stigmas, Rebecca C. Mayor

Dissertations (1934 -)

Homelessness is a pervasive and problematic phenomenon, and programs designed to assist individuals experiencing homelessness and reduce homelessness face a number of challenges. One such challenge involves difficulty engaging and retaining clientele experiencing homelessness in supportive services (Bhui et al., 2006; Ng & McQuistion, 2004; Padgett et al., 2008). The literature suggests that one explanation for this difficulty may involve the stigmatization experiences that individuals facing homelessness accumulate over time; previous studies have indicated that holding a marginalized position in society may make individuals experiencing homelessness more reluctant to engage in services (because of social rejection fears) and/or more sensitive …

An Examination Of Relational-Interdependent Self-Construal, Communal Strength, And Pro-Relationship Behaviors In Friendships, Brent A. Mattingly, Debra Oswald, Eddie M. Clark

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Individual differences in relational-interdependent self-construal (RISC) are associated with positive relationship characteristics. This suggests that RISC is positively associated with the degree to which individuals view their relationships as communally-oriented (i.e., governed by norms of responsiveness), which should in turn be associated with increased use of pro-relationship behaviors. Thus, the current study explored the associations between RISC, communal strength, and pro-relationship behaviors in friendships. As predicted, RISC was positively associated with pro-relationship behavior use, but this association was mediated by greater communal strength. This suggests that increased RISC is associated with greater relationship satisfaction because the manner in which individuals …

Catastrophe Models For Cognitive Workload And Fatigue, Stephen J. Guastello, Henry Boeh, Curt Shumaker, Michael Schimmels

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

We reconceptualised several problems concerning the measurement of cognitive workload – fixed versus variable limits on channel capacity, work volume versus time pressure, adaptive strategies, resources demanded by tasks when performed simultaneously, and unclear distinctions between workload and fatigue effects – as two cusp catastrophe models: buckling stress resulting from acute workload, and fatigue resulting from extended engagement. Experimental participants completed a task that was intensive on non-verbal episodic memory and had an automatically speeded component. For buckling stress, the epoch of maximum (speeded) performance was the asymmetry parameter; however, anxiety did not contribute to bifurcation as expected. For fatigue, …

Brain Mechanisms Supporting The Modulation Of Pain By Mindfulness Meditation, Fadel Zeidan, Katherine Martucci, Robert Kraft, Nakia Gordon, John Mchaffie, Robert Coghill

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The subjective experience of one’s environment is constructed by interactions among sensory, cognitive, and affective processes. For centuries, meditation has been thought to influence such processes by enabling a nonevaluative representation of sensory events. To better understand how meditation influences the sensory experience, we used arterial spin labeling functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the neural mechanisms by which mindfulness meditation influences pain in healthy human participants. After 4 d of mindfulness meditation training, meditating in the presence of noxious stimulation significantly reduced pain unpleasantness by 57% and pain intensity ratings by 40% when compared to rest. A two-factor repeated-measures …

Emotional Responses To Gender-Based Inequality: Justifications And Consequences, Erin Quasney

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This paper examines the interaction between exposure to gender inequality and commonly-held sexist beliefs and effects on participants' emotional reactions and behavioral intentions to address that inequality. Male and female participants were exposed to gender disparities where women are disadvantaged or to a control condition and then primed with hostile or benevolent sexism. No difference existed in men's reports of guilt in response to gender inequality if offered a benevolently sexist justification. Women were more likely than men to report moral outrage, although the difference was larger when participants also considered female disadvantage. When reminded of both gender inequality and …

Racial Identity Development And Psychological Adjustment In Biracial Individuals Of Minority/Minority Racial Group Descent, Kizzie Paule Walker

Dissertations (1934 -)

Based on the theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism and race as a social construct, individuals with biological parents racially distinct from each other have biracial identity options (i.e., Singular, Border, Protean, and Transcendent) (e.g., Rockquemore and Brunsma, 2002). The purpose of the current study was to examine factors that influenced biracial individuals' level of racial/ethnic identity development and the impact on biracial identity and psychological adjustment (i.e., self-esteem and psychological well-being). A total of 199 biracial individuals, who ranged in age from 18 to 55 years, completed an online survey that measured factors such as the rule of hypodescent (i.e., …

Student Mental Health Curriculum For Teachers: A Proposal, Weneaka D. Jones

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

It is estimated that only one fifth of children who need mental health services receive them, primarily through school-based services (Burns et al., 1995). The current research proposal seeks to gain a better understanding of what teachers need to know about student mental health in order to affectively aid efforts to connect underserved children to mental health services. The overall goal of the proposed study is to develop a student mental health curriculum for teachers that can be used to educate current teachers and better prepare teachers-in-training. Proposed methods include running both mental health professional and education professional focus groups …

Development Of Bicultural Competence, Jessica L. Scheunemann

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

This inquiry looks at factors facilitating the development of bicultural competnece in internationally-adopted youth in America. Bicultural competence is the extnesion of ethnic identity defined as having knowledge of language, lifestyle characteristics, and patterns if interpersonal behavior of two cultural groups. Being competent in two cultures is an extremely difficult task for youth, largely impacted by socialization and parent mediation. Major factors discussed include: parent characteristics/styles/access to resources, youth/parental exploration of ethnicity, bicultural stress, and youth perceptions. Bicultural competnece leads to many benefits and is an important topic for counselors to understand and continually educate themselves on!

Does Motor Development Influence Language Development?, Melissa Behrens, Jaimie Hauch

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

The emergence of language in infants is one of biggest achievements in their first two years of life. At the present, there is a great deal of information available regarding the precursors that influence the onset of language in both typically and atypically developing children. It is commonly acknowledged that achievements in cognitive development during these stages of life widely influence the emerging language system. However, one of the other precursors that require additional attention is motor development. The implications that this system has on future language development is something that needs further consideration in the study of both typically …

Helpful And Harmful Religious Beliefs In Therapy, Suzie Ceplina

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

Presentation of information for counselors working with religious or spiritual clients. Learning objectives include: strengths and limitations, assessment of spiritual or religious beliefs, identification of harmful religious or spiritual belifs, and techniques in addressing harmful religious/spiritual beliefs in counseling.

Research Exchange, Jesse R. Wynn

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

Social interaction theory: Social interaction theory provides an explanation of aggressive acts motivated by higher level goals. Hostile aggression may have some rational goal behind it. Social interaction theory provides understanding that aggression is often the result of threats to high self esteem (i.e. Smart condition eliminating quicker than dumb condition), (Anderson and Bushman, 2002).

Neuroticism: According to Big Five Inventory; individuals who are high in Neuroticism show the following traits: Anxiety, angry hostility, depression, self-consciousness, impulsiveness and lack of self confidence (John & Srivastava, 1999).

Conscientiousness: Individuals who are high in conscientiousness exhibit the following traits: Competence, order, …

Can Parents Create Alcoholics?, Scott Lang, Paul Boellner

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

Background: Research has shown a definitive genetic component to alcoholism, with children of alcoholic parents being much more likely to become alcoholics themselves when compared to children of non-alcoholics. Just because alcoholism runs in an individual's family does not guarantee that said individual will become an alcoholic. This paper tries to discern if the way a parent raises their child can have an effect on the likelihood of the child being an alcoholic later in life.

Results: A review of the literature suggests that there may be a correlation between a how a child is raised and the likelihood of …