Psychology Commons^™

Pragmatic Deficits In Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Paige Kessler

Honors Theses

Background: Most studies have found pragmatic language skills to be poorer in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) populations, but there is no conclusive evidence.

Aim: Our aim was to conduct a meta-analysis of pragmatic language abilities in ADHD populations to more definitively demonstrate the extent of pragmatic language deficits in these populations as compared to typically developing (TD) populations.

Methods and procedures: Journal articles were identified using the search terms ((attention deficit) OR (adhd)) AND (pragmatics). Identified studies were screened and reviewed for inclusion criteria, descriptive information, and outcome variables. A meta-analysis was conducted, and individual effect sizes and overall effect size …

Diabetes Distress Among Dyads Of Patients And Their Health Supporters: Links With Functional Support, Metabolic Outcomes, And Cardiac Risk, Aaron A. Lee, Michele Heisler, Ranak Trivedi, D. Scott Obrosky, Maria K. Mor, John D. Piette, Ann Marie Rosland

Faculty and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Patients with diabetes (PWD) often experience diabetes distress which is associated with worse self-management and glycemic control. In contrast, PWD who receive support from family and friends (supporters) have better diabetes outcomes. PURPOSE: To examine the associations of PWD diabetes distress and supporters' distress about PWDs' diabetes with supporters' roles and PWD cardiometabolic outcomes. METHODS: We used baseline data from 239 adults with Type 2 diabetes and their supporters participating in a longitudinal trial. PWD and supporter diabetes distress (high vs. low) were determined using the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale-5. Outcomes included PWD-reported help from supporters with self-care …

The Use Of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (Dbt) Techniques Creatively In The Treatment Of Perinatal Mood And Anxiety Disorders, Rosanne Nunnery, Missy Fauser, Elizabeth Hatchuel, Mary Jones

Journal of Counseling Research and Practice

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) is a serious condition impacting up to 21 percent of woman after the birth of a child (Byrnes, 2018). Jane, a 32-year-old female presented for treatment for anxiety, depression and mood disturbance (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) and in need of feeling more connected to her baby and her life. The use of creative techniques including mindfulness, distress tolerance activity, emotion regulation, and interpersonal skills (Linehan, 2015, 2016) were implemented. The use of these skills can be added to the repertoire of practice of a mental health counselor working with clients with …

Counseling Adolescents Aging Out Of Foster Care: A Neglected And Underserved Population, Taylor Tertocha-Ubelhor, Bryan R. Russ

Journal of Counseling Research and Practice

The high prevalence of youth aging out of the foster care system and the numerous poor outcomes they experience during the transition to emerging adulthood has been well documented. Although addressing the complex needs and concerns of this distinct population can be difficult, mental health counselors maintain the philosophical tenants and training strengths necessary to successfully serve youth aging out of foster care. This article aims to provide counselors with the historical context, developmental framework, and specific challenges needed to better understand this population, as well as suggested counseling implications to address their unique needs by reviewing relevant literature.

On Seeking Help: Social Reactions Experienced By Sexual Violence Survivors In The Indian Diaspora, Bagmi Das

Journal of Counseling Research and Practice

Sexual violence trauma counseling should be informed by the intersections of a survivor’s identity. This research focused on the social reactions experienced by survivors of sexual violence from the Indian diaspora. This study used quantitative survey research methods and correlational analysis as well as descriptive statistics to understand the social reactions that survivors received from informal supports and formal supports. Significant results, implications for counselors, and future research recommendations are discussed.

Full Issue, Mississippi Counseling Association

Journal of Counseling Research and Practice

No abstract provided.

Implication Of Stigmatization On Investors Financial Risk Tolerance: The Case Of Gay Men, Francisca M. Beer, Joseph D. Wellman

Faculty and Student Publications

This study evaluates whether the salience of discrimination and perceived stigmatization influence gay men's financial risk tolerance (FRT). This evaluation is conducted using the FRT measure of Grable and Lytton (1999), a “two-study ruse” approach and a hierarchical linear regression model. The findings show that individuals with anticipated stigmatization, after being exposed to information about bias against their community, exhibited greater FRT. These results support the hypothesis that risk-taking behavior by members of stigmatized populations increases when they experience discrimination.

Mental Health Risks Differentially Associated With Immunocompromised Status Among Healthcare Workers And Family Members At The Pandemic Outset, Andrew J. Smith, Hannah Wright, Brandon J. Griffin, Anandi C. Ehman, Kotaro Shoji, Tiffany M. Love, Ellen Morrow, Amy Locke, Megan Call, Patricia K. Kerig, Miranda Olff, Charles C. Benight, Scott A. Langenecker

Faculty and Student Publications

The mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs) is critical to their long-term well-being and future disaster preparedness. Goal 1 of this study was to identify rates of mental health problems experienced by HCWs. Goal 2 was to test a model of risk stemming from pandemic-related stressors and vulnerability factors. This cross-sectional study included HCWs (N ​= ​2,246 [1,573 clinical providers; 673 non-clinical staff]) in the Rocky Mountain West who voluntarily completed an online survey in April/May 2020. Respondents completed measures for traumatic stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, alcohol use, and sleep. Logistic regressions stratified by professional role (clinical versus non-clinical) were …

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status (Ses) On Cognitive Outcomes Following Radiotherapy For Pediatric Brain Tumors: A Prospective, Longitudinal Trial, Victoria A. Torres, Jason M. Ashford, Evelyn Wright, Jiahui Xu, Hui Zhang, Thomas E. Merchant, Heather M. Conklin

Faculty and Student Publications

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is a determinant of cognitive and academic functioning among healthy and ill children; however, few pediatric oncology studies examine SES and long-Term cognitive functioning. The current study systematically investigated SES as a predictor of cognitive outcomes among children treated for localized brain tumors (BT) with photon radiation therapy (RT). Methods: 248 children treated on a prospective, longitudinal, phase II trial of conformal RT (54-59.4 Gy) for ependymoma, low-grade glioma, or craniopharyngioma were monitored serially with cognitive assessments (intelligence quotient [IQ], reading, math, attention, adaptive function) for 10 years (2209 observations, median age at RT = 6.6 …

Rates Of Genetic Testing In Patients Prescribed Drugs With Pharmacogenomic Information In Fda-Approved Labeling, John Young, Kaustuv Bhattacharya, Sujith Ramachandran, Aaron Lee, John P. Bentley

Faculty and Student Publications

This study examined rates of genetic testing in two cohorts of publicly insured individuals who have newly prescribed medication with FDA pharmacogenomic labeling guidance. Genetic testing was rare (4.4% and 10.5% in Medicaid and Medicare cohorts, respectively) despite the fact that all participants selected were taking medications that contained pharmacogenomic labeling information. When testing was conducted it was typically done before the initial use of a target medication. Factors that emerged as predictors of the likelihood of undergoing genetic testing included White ethnicity (vs. Black), female gender, and age. Cost analyses indicated higher expenditures in groups receiving genetic testing vs. …

Chronic Exercise And Memory Interference, Lisa Vogelgesang

Honors Theses

This online study examined whether chronic exercise is associated with attenuated memory interference. Sixty-three healthy, young adults completed an interference task (AB/AC-paradigm) and self-reported the number of days and minutes a day they engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. We found that proactive interference (PI), but not retroactive interference (RI), occurred but none of the exercise modalities significantly impacted PI. Future studies should evaluate whether different interference tasks display diverse sensitivities to exercise-induced changes in memory interference. Moreover, other potential modulating factors, such as the duration and intensity of the exercise should be controlled for.

Perfectionism And Internalizing Disorders As Predictors Of Career Indecision Among College Students, Paige Jones

Honors Theses

Perfectionism has been found to be a significant predictor of career indecision in adults. Perfectionism has also been linked with internalizing disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder in children. The primary aim of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between those internalizing emotions experienced in childhood and career indecision as an adult. There have not been many studies for career indecision based on emotions directly from one’s childhood, so this study aims to provide some basic understanding on that relationship. This study investigated if perfectionism and internalizing disorders (measured retroactively) during childhood were correlated …

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: Analyzing Inhumane Practices In Mississippi’S Correctional Institutions Due To Overcrowding, Understaffing, And Diminished Funding, Ariel A. Williams

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to examine the political, social, and economic factors which have led to inhumane conditions in Mississippi’s correctional facilities. Several methods were employed, including a comparison of the historical and current methods of funding, staffing, and rehabilitating prisoners based on literature reviews. State-sponsored reports from various departments and the legislature were analyzed to provide insight into budgetary restrictions and political will to allocate funds. Statistical surveys and data were reviewed to determine how overcrowding and understaffing negatively affect administrative capacity and prisoners’ mental and physical well-being. Ultimately, it may be concluded that Mississippi has high …

Explanatory Models Of Autism In Nigeria: Exploring Sociocultural Beliefs To Inform Systems Of Care, Gabrielle Udoka Robertson

Honors Theses

Advancements in the diagnosis, understanding, and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have yet to benefit children and families struggling with ASD in Nigeria and other African countries. Not only is there a scarcity of research on ASD in sub- Saharan Africa, but also a lack of mental health and special education services and a lack of understanding of the sociocultural considerations that must inform culturally responsive care. As such, this study explored the sociocultural conceptualizations of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Nigeria and how these conceptualizations affect the experiences and care of people with autism. The unique …

How Does Movement Impact Originality In A Divergent Thinking Task?, Molly B. Fontenot

Honors Theses

Research has suggested that original thought can be affected by movement. However, this research has primarily focused on children, with embodied creativity work lacking in adult populations. This study aimed to examine the impact of movement on the generation of original ideas within divergent thinking tasks in adults. To study this, participants first completed a baseline divergent thinking task asking participants to come up with as many novel uses for a common item. After baseline, participants were randomized into three different testing groups that were encouraged to engage in different types of movement during the divergent thinking task: 1) meaningful …

Social Environment Changes During Covid-19 Quarantine, Aileen Jimenez

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research project is to understand perceptions of the psychological, behavioral, and social impacts of COVID-19. Students at the University of Mississippi were invited to participate in an online questionnaire administered through Qualtrics. The questionnaire was composed of questions concerning health behaviors, including questions from the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21, Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Scale, Fear of Coronavirus-19 Scale, and the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring study. 274 students participated in the study. Overall, the results of this study suggested moderate distress across the sample, differences in sleep, exercise, and alcohol consumption during quarantine conditions, …

Predisposition Of Disordered Eating Among Women At The University Of Mississippi, Lucy Williams

Honors Theses

The intention of this project was to evaluate the attitudes, feelings and behaviors towards eating and food in Panhellenic sorority students, compared to women not in a sorority. The effect of other factors like grade point average, financial income, and the value of being viewed as attractive was also investigated. Two thousand sorority members and two thousand non-sorority members received a survey administered through Qualtrics to email addresses provided by the Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness, and Planning at the University of Mississippi. Out of this group, 809 students participated in the survey. The survey consisted of questions from the …

The Association Between Appearance Related Safety Behaviors And Anxiety Symptoms In Adolescents, Emily Olson

Honors Theses

The goal of the current study is to examine the associations between appearance related safety behaviors (i.e., behaviors aimed at preventing humiliation or embarrassment associated with appearance, such as mirror checking or skin picking) and anxiety symptoms during adolescence. Adolescence is considered a core risk period for the onset of many psychological disorders (e.g., social anxiety disorder). Critically, adults with these psychological conditions report engaging in higher levels of appearance related safety behaviors than adults without these disorders. Further, initial, promising evidence, suggests that reducing engagement in appearance related safety behaviors is associated with reduced symptoms of anxiety. To date, …

Darker By The Day: Daily Variability In The Dark Triad Of Personality, Benjamin Hardin

Honors Theses

Dark personality traits (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) have predominantly been conceptualized as stable characteristics that describe what people are like in comparison to others. However, people may also experience fluctuations in the degree to which they are narcissistic, Machiavellian, and psychopathic from day to day. The present study sought to investigate the extent to which people report daily variability in dark personality. Undergraduate participants (N = 297) completed a one-time trait measure as well as 21 daily reports of dark personality. Participants reported substantial within-person variability in narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Trait measures of dark personality were found …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of Covid-19 On Students At The University Of Mississippi: Family, Careers, Mental Health, Hannah Newbold

Honors Theses

This study analyzes the effects of COVID-19 on students at the University of Mississippi. For students, COVID-19 changed the landscape of education, with classes and jobs going online. Students who graduated in May 2020 entered a poor job market and many ended up going to graduate school instead of finding a job. Access to medical and professional help was limited at the very beginning, with offices not taking patients or moving appointments to virtual only. This would require that each student needing help had to have access to quality internet service, which wasn’t always guaranteed, thus producing additional challenges.

These …

Black Imposterism: Naming & Combating Imposter Syndrome In Student Government Associations Across The South, Joshua Mannery

Honors Theses

Beginning in 1978 with its coining by Clance and Imes, imposter syndrome (IP) has been used to describe feelings of unfounded fraudulence, low self-esteem, and low self-efficacy in women, minority groups, and underrepresented populations. The phenomenon of imposterism persists not only in academic spaces, but in professional, medical, and any other areas where a feeling of competition can exist. Many empirical studies have observed the factors that contribute to university students and their development of the physiological effect, but one concentration that has received little to no application is how it develops within a student government, and methods in which …

Examining Race And Anxiety Sensitivity As Predictors Of Electronic Cigarette Use And Dependence, Carson Schmitz

Honors Theses

Electronic Cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have gained popularity among U.S. adults with rates of use significantly increasing over the past decade. As such, the current literature has begun to explore factors associated with e-cigarette use in significantly affected populations. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), the fear of the sensations associated with the experience of anxiety, is a known transdiagnostic risk factor for tobacco use. Additionally, higher AS has been shown to be associated with higher levels of e-cigarette use, greater perceived benefits of use, greater positive outcome expectancies, greater perceived risks of use, more quit attempts, and more difficulty quitting. Further, preliminary research focusing …

For Better Or Worse? Hallmark Movie Viewership And Unrealistic Relationship Beliefs, Taylor Welch

Honors Theses

Past studies have shown that what we watch on television is linked to what we believe (Gerbner et al., 1982; Lippman et. al, 2014). Many studies have discovered a link between unrealistic relationship beliefs and television viewing within specific genres of television viewing, yet no research has been done to examine the association between Hallmark movie viewing on romantic relationship beliefs despite the channel’s increasing popularity. The goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between Hallmark movie viewing and romantic relationship beliefs. Through an online participant recruitment website, self-report data was collected from 302 married participants ranging …

Examining Bystander Blame In Rape And Sexual Assault, Katherine E. Purdom

Honors Theses

The present study investigated the effect of various factors on blame distribution in sexual violence cases. Participants (N = 378) were randomly assigned to either a rape (N = 187) or sexual assault (N = 190) condition and directed to read a scenario that varied only by the terminology indicated by the condition. Participants were provided two pre-filled slots labeled as the perpetrator and victim. Additionally, they were given two blank “free-response” options in which participants could assign blame and indicate a responsible party if they found it necessary. Data was gathered from the male (N = 163) and female …

The Effects Of Acute Exercise On Retrieval Induced Forgetting, Walter Simpson

Honors Theses

Retrieval Induced Forgetting (RIF) is a type of active forgetting that may play beneficial and detrimental roles in long-term memory. The benefit of the retrieval of certain information is that information will become more readily available following subsequent retrieval; a concept termed the retrieval practice effect (RP). The detrimental effect of RIF may be that, upon the subsequent recall of certain information, related information may be inhibited from recall. The effects and mechanisms of RIF have remained a topic of debate among neuroscientists, psychologists, and other related scholars. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute …

Observation And Detection Of Adhd Malingering In College Students, Zoe Tenner

Honors Theses

The rate of college students attempting to obtain Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses in order to gain access to prescription stimulant medications has shown a large increase over the past 20 years. Research has also shown that college students are frequently able to convincingly present themselves as meeting clinical criteria for ADHD with relative ease, meaning that the barrier to false presentation for the purpose of obtaining inappropriately prescribed medication is minimal. There is a need for more concise, accurate tools to detect these efforts in clinical settings, which is an area of research pursued by members of the University of …

The Influence Of A Mindfulness-Based Curriculum On Executive Function In Four-Year-Olds, Victoria Mccann

Honors Theses

Research on the effectiveness of mindfulness as a method for improving a variety of psychological, social, and emotional skills has grown throughout the last decade. Extensive literature reviews show promising results for the improvement of executive function skills utilizing mindfulness-based interventions, though the current literature is primarily focused on adults, adolescents, and older children. Preliminary work has suggested that training executive function skills using mindfulness-based interventions in early childhood would be beneficial, but few studies investigating mindfulness-based interventions for young children exist. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a 12-week mindfulness-based curriculum using yoga had an impact …

The Role Of Social Anxiety In Prosocial Behavior Following Exclusion, Hannah Friedman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social anxiety (SA) causes significant distress and impairment in several areas of daily life. Individuals with SA experience increased rates of exclusion and have more difficultly forming meaningful interpersonal relationships. Exclusion is associated with increased SA and motivations for social withdrawal in emerging adulthood. In non-SA individuals, the desire for compensatory social interaction following exclusion often produces prosocial behaviors (e.g., increased effort to help the group). Prosocial behavior levels following exclusion are not uniform, however, as an individual’s response may vary depending on the type of exclusion experienced. Although previous work has observed decreased levels of prosocial behavior in non-SA …

The Influence Of Emotion Regulation And Family Involvement On Diabetes Distress Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Patric Justin Leukel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adults with diabetes frequently experience diabetes related distress which is associated with negative health outcomes. Family members are commonly involved in patients’ diabetes self-management. However, family involvement can have harmful and/or helpful effects on patients’ diabetes outcomes. Difficulties in regulating emotions may play a role in patients’ interactions with family members and experience of diabetes distress. This study examined the role of emotion regulation and type of family involvement in diabetes distress among 370 adults with type 2 diabetes. Two separate three-step sequential linear regression models were used to test the main and interactive effects of harmful and helpful family …

Prototypically American: The Influence Of Accent And Race On Hiring Evaluations, Tuong-Vy Cac Nguyen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In a globalized world, individuals are more likely to travel or migrate between countries; thus, we may encounter more individuals who speak with an accent that is unfamiliar. Accents can serve as a social cue that conveys information about the speakers’ background and national origin. It is a particularly important perceptual cue in the workplace because accented individuals are perceived to be lower in status and competence. The current study attempted to replicate prior findings on accents; disentangle race and accent; and extend the literature on accent by examining the target’s perceived prototypicality of Americanness. Across three studies (N = …