Psychology Commons^™

The Development And Validation Of The Intolerance Of Uncertainty In Social Interactions Scale, Anne Eible

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is commonly defined as the tendency for one to interpret uncertainty as negative or threatening. Most general or non-specific measures of IU show a strong relationship with worry and generalized anxiety; however, a specialized measure of intolerance of uncertainty in social situations could provide insight into the role of IU in social anxiety. This study's purpose was to develop and validate the Intolerance of Uncertainty in Social Interactions Scale, a comprehensive measure designed to assess intolerance of uncertainty in social situations. Participants consisted of a non-referred, adult undergraduate sample (N=456). Based on an exploratory factor analysis, …

Psychology Of Platonic Relationships, Amber V. Heinig

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Romantic relationships (RR) regarding attachment styles and theory have been widely studied, whereas platonic relationships (PR) have received comparatively less attention in research. This study aims to explore two hypotheses: (1) individuals exhibit more avoidant behavior in platonic relationships rather than anxious behavior, and more anxious behavior in romantic relationships than in platonic ones; (2) attachment styles in platonic relationships manifest uniquely and can exist independently of romantic attachment. This research aims to better understand the way that attachment differs between both relationship types. Through a quantitative study involving a survey with a 5-point Likert scale measuring attachment, administered to …

Body-Image Distress In Breast Cancer Survivors And Their Evaluation Of Medical Tattooing Following Surgery, Miranda Proctor

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

A review of the literature reveals a high incidence of body-image distress among breast cancer survivors who have undergone surgery, which is a natural response to the significant changes in their appearance. Reconstructive surgery, utilizing implants or flaps, may be employed to restore breast size and shape. Medical tattooing can simulate the nipple-areola complex and decorative appliques can conceal scars and skin color variations. Both reconstructive surgery and medical tattoos are associated with patient-reported satisfaction, yet further research is necessary to understand their combined impact on body-image distress. To investigate this, a survey was distributed among national breast cancer support …

Origins Of Fear Of Intimacy: The Effects Of Parental Involvement And Attachment Style, Victoria M. Perez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The present study explores the origins of fear of intimacy, specifically assessing parental involvement and attachment style. Correlations between each variable were analyzed and a mediation model was explored as well. Participants in this study (N = 372; mean age = 25.78; 86% female) completed scales to measure parental care, parental overprotection, attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, and fear of intimacy. Data was analyzed to reveal correlational results that support the hypotheses. Negative correlations were found between parental care and attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, and fear of intimacy. Parental overprotection was positively correlated with attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, and fear of …

Sexual Violence, Identity Centrality, And Mental Health Among Racial And Sexual Minoritized Individuals: An Application Of Cultural Betrayal Trauma Theory, Brettland D. Coolidge

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sexual violence (SV) is a pressing concern in the United States. SV (i.e., unwanted sexual contact, coercion, and wanted or unwanted penetration of another). Individuals with minoritized sexual, racial/ethnic, and gender identities experience worse psychosocial outcomes than their majority counterparts. People with multiple marginalized identities have been shown to experience traumatic events at greater rates and with significantly different outcomes compared to those with one minoritized identity. Cultural betrayal trauma theory proposes that these differences in mental health outcomes may be explained in part by a shared cultural identity between a SV perpetrator and victim, which is posited to exacerbate …

Impact Of Childhood Adversity On Executive Functioning And The Relationship Between Hypervigilance And Heuristics Among College Students, Tamara S. Van Newhouse

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The topic of exposure to childhood adversity has comprehensively been explored, and the effects of childhood trauma can undoubtedly impact a person on a lifelong continuum, still, investigation is unceasingly conducted. Much research has yet to be done when considering early adversity's outcomes on various stages throughout life and just how reoccurring consequences from early trauma may impair regulatory abilities and executive functioning beyond childhood. Research objective is to discover how early adversity influences later executive functions in conjunction to heuristics and the effects of hypervigilance in a college student populace. This study aims to examine the several variable differences …

Investigating Mental Illness Perception On Social Media And The Propensity To Self-Diagnose, Camille R. Omega

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The perception of mental illness has often been studied in traditional face-to-face settings, but the research on its perception in an online setting has been growing recently. Social media platforms have allowed for important conversations regarding mental health to gain popularity and led to the formation of communities where users can share their personal experiences. It has also given professionals the opportunity to educate others on various mental health topics and answer specific questions their audience may have. From these posts and forums, users who are concerned with their mental health can be given the guidance to achieve proper assistance …

The Relationship Among Identity Development, Dark Personality, And Risk-Taking Behaviors, Reilly Branch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Previous research has found significant relationships between various dark personality traits (Machiavellianism, sadism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and externalizing behaviors including delinquency (Muris et al., 2013). Although many studies have examined the relationships among dark personality, risk propensity, and delinquency, little research has examined the role of identity development and identity distress in predicting risky or antisocial behaviors. Therefore, this study examined the utility of using both the Dark Tetrad and identity dimensions to predict risk propensity and delinquent behaviors. Emerging adult college students (N = 424) completed an anonymous online survey battery. Results indicated that specific dark personality traits (i.e., …

The Role Of Savoring In The Relationship Between Concussion History And Consummatory Reward, John O'Donnell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Concussions are a relatively common neurological injury and are associated with several adverse outcomes including depression. Anhedonia is a core feature of depression, with multiple subtypes, including consummatory anhedonia (i.e., diminished reward liking). Reward liking is related conceptually to the practice of savoring pleasurable stimuli. Savoring has been a component of mindfulness-based interventions that have efficacy in treating depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between lifetime concussion history, reward liking, savoring, and depression severity. 293 participants (56% women; mean age: 19.31) completed an online questionnaire and computer-based image savoring task. Contrary to expectations, no …

Associations Between Childhood Sexual Abuse, Adult Sexual Assault Experiences, Psychological Distress, And Substance Use, Diamonde Mccollum

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

This study evaluates the potential mechanisms underlying the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and substance use among adult women. Moreover, CSA, adult sexual assault (ASA), and psychological distress (including symptoms of depression and perceived stress) was evaluated to determine how it contributes to substance misuse. Past research shows that individuals who experience CSA are more likely to experience ASA, which results in psychological distress. Individuals may use substances to cope with psychological distress from CSA and ASA, consistent with the self-medication hypothesis. Women (N = 225) were recruited from Mechanical Turk (Mturk) and completed an online survey. Results indicate …

Risk And Protective Factors For Negative Psychological Outcomes In Lgbtq+ Individuals, Emalee Kerr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Previous research suggests that suicide is more prevalent among those in the LGBTQ+ community (Abelson et al., 2006), and they are also more likely to experience bullying and psychological symptoms while less likely to have adequate social support. Although many studies have examined risk factors for suicidality, the current study aimed to compare the impact of the risk factors among those in the LGBTQ+ community with those who are not. Further, this study examined the role of identity in conjunction with these other risk and protective factors. College students (N = 501) completed an anonymous online survey battery. Suicidality was …

Underlying Dimensions Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Pre And Post-Treatment In Women With Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorder, Emy Willis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

A considerable proportion of women worldwide have experienced various manner of abuse in their lifetime (Devries et al., 2011). Women are more at risk of exposure to physical and sexual violence (Hedtke et al., 2008), and women who have experienced interpersonal violence are at heightened risk of developing several mental health conditions including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders (SUDs; Acierno et al., 1999; McGruder-Johnson et al., 2000; Messman-Moore & Bhuptani, 2017). Treatment outcomes for individuals with co-occurring PTSD and SUDs tend to be worse than for those diagnosed with PTSD alone (Schäfer & Najavits, 2007), and outcome …

The Deaf Community And Their Preferences In A Clinical Psychological Setting, Alexandra Alonso

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The focus of this study was to examine the Deaf community and their preferences for both a psychologist and the language utilized in a clinical psychological setting. The study gave each participant a mock profile for a psychologist and then asked participants to answer questions on their perceptions of the psychologist provided. A total of 22 participants who identified as Deaf, deaf, hard-of-hearing, or as an individual with hearing loss were surveyed. Results indicated that participants randomly assigned to the Deaf psychologist had higher rates of satisfaction and trust over participants who were assigned to other psychologists. The study also …

Technology Screens And Effects On Attention: A Meta-Analysis, Carly A. Haxel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study looks at how technology screens have an effect on academic performance considering how technology is becoming relied upon more every day. A meta-analytic review that quantitively combines data was conducted to estimate effect sizes between technology screens and academic performance. The study held no restrictions on location or ethnicity. 12 studies were chosen, consisting of 31,844 total participants. Ethnicity, research design, and screen type were found to moderate the effect of screen time on academic performance. Theoretical implications and future research is also discussed in this study.

The Phenomenon Of The Infantilization Of Women, Caitlin R. Rechdan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The sexualization of women in advertisements remains a controversial form of media, specifically infantilization. Infantilization is defined as the portrayal of adult women acting and looking childish through attire and demeanor. This study examines consumers’ perceptions of infantilized women in advertisements. Students (n = 100) from a 4-year university participated in an online questionnaire examining measures of morality, objectionability, and ubiquity of five advertisements. Three out of the five advertisements display infantilized female models. The others show women in a non-infantilizing manner. A single chi-square conducted on the participants found significant differences in if students can correctly identify in ads. …

A Survival Analysis Examining Risk And Protective Factors Of Foster Care Reentry For Children Aged 0 To 5 Within A Social Ecological Framework, Samantha Klaver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Although the fundamental goals of the child welfare system include establishing and ensuring the safety, permanency, and well-being of affected children, child reentry into the foster care system has emerged recently as a substantial and growing concern (Jedwab & Shaw, 2017). Utilizing archival, statewide administrative data collected from Florida's Department of Children and Families (DCF), a series of multivariate Cox regression models were conducted on a sample of young children between the ages of 0- and 5-years (N = 3,970) to examine various socioecological risk and protective factors of foster care reentry. Several individual factors (i.e., child age at initial …

Hannibal Lecter And A Friend Walk Into A Bar: The Role Of Psychopathy In Peer Drinking Behaviors, Matthew Kramer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

OVERVIEW: College student drinking remains a concern on campuses, with many interventions for college students not showing the desired effect in lowering alcohol use and problems. Thus, examining possible underlying factors, such as psychopathy, is important. Psychopathy includes elements of callousness, manipulativeness, charm, and impulsivity. Additionally, psychopathy has been associated with increased alcohol use and problems. Despite the overwhelming evidence of psychopathy's role in alcohol pathology writ large, and that psychopathy is considered to include predatory interpersonal skills and antisocial behaviors, there is little research examining the role of psychopathy in peer influence related to alcohol use and protective strategies. …

Examining The Relationship Between Alcohol Expectancies And Behavioral Economic Theory, Tatiana Magri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

PURPOSE: Alcohol consumption and related problems are common among college students. Prior research links behavioral economic constructs of alcohol demand (relative valuation of alcohol; analyzed using area under the curve) and relative reinforcement (RR; proportionate reinforcement obtained from alcohol-related activities relative to other activities), as well as alcohol expectancies, with alcohol consumption and problems. However, research has yet to examine the associations between behavioral economic and expectancy theories or how they influence alcohol use outcomes. METHOD: College students who endorsed drinking in the past 30 days (n= 287) completed an online survey assessing demand, RR, alcohol expectancies, alcohol problems, and …

Predictors Of Ptsd, Depression, And Suicide-Related Outcomes For Military Personnel And First Responders In A Three-Week Intensive Outpatient Program For Ptsd, Victoria Steigerwald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Military personnel and first responders are distinct populations that share similarities on work, cultural, and peritraumatic factors that may impact evidence-based PTSD treatment (EBT) outcomes. Little research to date has compared their response to EBTs or identified predictors of EBT outcomes for both populations. The present study examined whether first responders' treatment outcomes were non-inferior to those of military personnel in a three-week Trauma Management Therapy (TMT)-based intensive outpatient program (IOP) and whether baseline hyperarousal symptoms were predictive of outcomes. Data were analyzed from 111 military personnel and first responders (85.6% male, mean age=43.0 years) who completed the IOP. Changes …

The Effects Of Traumatic Experiences On Identity Among People With Expressive Language Disorders, Bailey Wagaman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This study aims to address the lack of standardized measurement of the effects of trauma on identity. Waterman's (2020) theory, taxonomy, and Trauma Impacts on Identity Functioning Scales were used to evaluate the effects of traumatic brain injury on identity. TBI survivors compared their sense of identity from pre-to-post TBI. Data collection consisted of 2 interviews and participants were compensated with $60 gift cards. Participants (N = 15, Mage = 52.67) were recruited from several language disorder groups. In terms of identity functioning post-brain injury, participant reports of their experiences varied quite a bit from identity loss to a strengthened …

Big Five Aspect Personalty Scales And Social Anxiety Severity In A Nonpsychiatric Sample, Samantha Simpson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Personality can be explored hierarchically with higher- and lower-order factors. Recent research suggests the personality hierarchy is comprised of higher-order Big Five traits with two lower-order factors per Big Five trait, termed aspects. There is a lack of research examining the relationship between these lower-order aspects and social anxiety (SA) severity. To better understand these relationships, 443 university undergraduate students (72.2% female; mean age = 20.48, SD = 4.64) completed the Big Five Aspects Scale (BFAS) and the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory- 23 (SPAI-23), and were retained following exclusionary criteria. Path analysis, covarying for sex, age, and general anxiety …

How Music And Art Affect Compassion And Perspective Taking: A Collaboration Between Ucf Restores And Opera Orlando, Kathryn Sunderman

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

The ability of music and art to impact emotions and behavior is well understood based on studies conducted in a laboratory. However, research in a laboratory setting does not always generalize well to a natural environment. In this pilot study, we investigated how attending an opera that portrayed a wartime Christmas truce affected the audience’s levels of empathic concern and perspective-taking. Paired samples t-tests were conducted on data from 63 adult participants (M = 52.17 years). The results indicated that attendance at this operatic performance positively changed both empathic concern and perspective-taking, suggesting that even in a naturalistic setting, music …

Sexual Orientation And The Disclosure Of Unwanted Sexual Experiences, Rebekah Kanefsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, and other non-heterosexual orientations (LGBQ+) are significantly more likely to experience a sexual assault. To date, research on barriers to sexual assault disclosure (i.e., telling someone about a sexual assault) has been conducted almost exclusively on heterosexual women. Participants ages 18 to 30 participated in a cross-sectional, online study that assessed unwanted sexual experiences, disclosure of those experiences, perceptions of the police and perceptions of belonging to the LGBQ+ community. Findings demonstrated that survivors who identified as LGBQ+ took longer to initially disclose their sexual assault and had greater negative perceptions of …

Loss Of Control Eating Predicted By The Interaction Between Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Distress Tolerance, And The Expectancy That Eating Reduces Negative Affect, Emily Burr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

A prominent theory of binge eating is the affect regulation theory, which posits that individuals binge eat to alleviate negative affect, and subsequently reduced negative affect reinforces the behavior. Although it is well-supported that individuals experience elevated negative affect pre-binge, findings do not consistently evince reduced negative affect after binge eating. Therefore, the affect regulation theory does not fully account for binge eating. However, habitual binge eating without reliable improvement in affect may be accounted for by expectancy theory. Expectancies may be predictive of behavior whether the outcomes of a behavior are inconsistent. Additionally, there is an increasing scientific awareness …

Initiation Of Alcohol Use In College Students, Gabrielle Lynch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Alcohol use contributes to widespread harm in college students, and postponing initiation of drinking can reduce negative consequences and risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (Palmer et al., 2010). This study focused on variables related to initiation of alcohol use among new students, and maintenance of abstinence among those who chose not to drink. Data was collected from 467 first year college students, 7.5% of whom initiated alcohol use in college, 33% had never consumed alcohol, and 59.5% started drinking before starting college. Several a- priori hypotheses were supported. Perceptions of peer drinking/attitudes mediated the relationship between academic involvement …

Measurement Invariance In The Cesd-8 And Assessment Of Mood Correlates Between American And Mexican Community Studies On The Multisystemic Geriatric Depression Cycle, Manuel Herrera Legon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The Health and Retirement Study is a longitudinal study that is conducted every other year in the United States and has served as a precursor to similar studies across the world, such as the Mexican Health and Aging Study. The purpose of the current project was evaluating the relationship between depressive symptoms, inflammation and physical activity levels using data from the HRS and MHAS studies. The current project was divided in two main studies. The first study aimed at establishing measurement invariance in a brief questionnaire about depressive symptoms, the CES-D 8. The second study looked at various theories of …

A Longitudinal Examination Of Depression Among Older Adults: The Role Of Working Memory And Sleep, David Brush

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Introduction: The development and regulation of depressive symptoms and the ability to regulate their development is a complex process. Both working memory and sleep disturbance relates to depressive symptom endorsement, though the mechanisms relating these variables have not been examined longitudinally. The current manuscript contains a series of three interrelated studies that aim to elucidate the relationship between potential emotion regulation resources longitudinally within the context of the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation of Emotion Regulation (SOC-ER) model. Study one examined the temporal relationship between working memory and depression, study two examined working memory and depression following loss of spouse, and …

Self-Affirmation Intervention On Eating Disorders, Stephanie Kaine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research studied the feasibility of a self-affirmation identity technique as an intervention in the treatment of eating disorders patients. Self-affirmations have been proven successful among various problems so this research examined the effectiveness it'd have on participants with eating disorders.

The Association Of Cultural Orientation With Identity Development And Psychological Adjustment, Madison M. Cooper

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The current study aimed to examine possible relationships between cultural orientation and identity formation. Late adolescent college students (N = 480) completed an anonymous survey online. Measures included the Cultural Orientation Scale, the Ego Identity Process Questionnaire, and the Identity Distress Survey. Contrary to predictions, neither identity exploration nor identity distress were found to be related to cultural orientation. However, identity commitment was significantly correlated with both individualism and collectivism. Further, a ONEWAY ANOVA suggested differences between identity statuses. An LSD post-hoc analyses found that the two committed statuses, Achievement (high in identity commitment after extensive identity exploration) and …

Gastrointestinal Symptoms And Belly Pain During The Phases Of The Menstrual Cycle In Healthy Young Females, Preethashree Anbukkarasu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There are significant differences between the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms between males and females. A recent review found that females report having more severe GI health problems compared to males. One explanation for the higher reporting rates of GI symptoms in females could be attributed to menstrual cycle influences rather than GI processes.

This research aims to examine the relationship between how gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms experienced by women covary with the different stages of the menstrual cycle. Additionally, a secondary purpose is to determine the moderating effect of health anxiety on the severity of menstrual and GI symptoms.

Responses …