Psychology Commons^™

Behavioral Activation For Mildly Depressed Students: Randomized Controlled Trial, Michael John Gawrysiak

Masters Theses

Although depression is prevalent among university students, limited and dated research has examined the efficacy of behavioral interventions in treating this population. Based on a modified version of the Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression (BATD; Hopko & Lejuez, 2007; Lejuez, Hopko, & Hopko, 2001) that involved a structured single-session intervention and 2- week treatment period, we conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing individualized BATD and a no-treatment control for university students with mild to moderate depression symptoms (N = 30). Outcome measures assessed depression severity, environmental reward, social support, and somatic anxiety. Repeated measures analyses of variance and reliable change …

Body Mass Index: Effects On Overt Behaviors And Perceived Reward, Christin Nicole Mullane

Masters Theses

The incidence of obesity, defined as a BMI [body mass index] of over 30, has increased by 50% in the past 20 years (Carlson, 2004). Some notable behavioral differences as a function of weight have been identified, including the findings that individuals with obesity participate less often in physical activities, and spend more time engaging in sedentary behaviors. Using a daily-dairy assessment method as completed by undergraduate college students (n=99), the current study examined the impact of BMI on the duration of time spent and pleasure experienced within 13 behavioral domains: 1) Social, 2) Physical, 3) Health/Hygiene, 4) …

Response-Contingent Positive Reinforcement: Incremental Validity In Predicting Depression Severity, John Paul Carvalho

Masters Theses

Insufficient response-contingent positive reinforcement (RCPR), or pleasure obtained through interaction with the environment that increases the likelihood of rewarding behavior, has been hypothesized to directly contribute to the onset and persistence of depression symptoms (Lewinsohn, 1974; Lewinsohn, Sullivan, & Grosscup, 1980). The present study examined the utility of RCPR in predicting the presence and severity of depression symptoms relative to other well-established risk factors that included gender, stressful life events, traumatic life events, childhood maltreatment, and cognitive vulnerability. Based on bivariate and hierarchical regression analyses, all variables except gender were significantly associated with the severity of depression symptoms, with RCPR …

Pitch Contrast In Meter Perception, Nigel O. Lay

Masters Theses

The role of large pitch contrasts in meter perception of three-pulse-train polyrhythms was investigated. Subjects were presented with several polyrhythmic configurations having both small and large pitch contrasts and were asked to tap the meter, or beat. Some subjects preferred meters based on the lower-pitch and slowerprogressing pulse trains, while others preferred unit-based meters. Results revealed that three-pulse-train polyrhythms with large pitch contrast do not result in notably different meter perceptions from those with smaller pitch contrast. These results support previous findings which showed that meter is determined by multiple factors, such as pulse-train pitch and relative pulse-train tempo.

Attributions And Negative Affect As Moderators Of Ptsd Symptomatology And Aggression, Aaron J. Kivisto

Masters Theses

Interpersonal violence has been identified as one of our nation’s most important public health concerns and has been empirically linked with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In order to better understand the relationship between PTSD and violence, we used Chemtob’s (1997) Survival Mode model to examine the role of two potentially important proximal factors linking PTSD to violence; cognitive attributions and negative affect. Congruent with theory and previous research, we hypothesized that PTSD would be related to aggression, and that cognitive attributions and negative affect would moderate the relationship between these variables.

Undergraduate students (N = 628) completed an online screening …