Psychology Commons^™

Variability In Perceptions Of Complementary Health Approaches Among Graduate Student Trainees, Delaney C. Bilodeau

Theses and Dissertations

Complementary Health Approaches (CHAs) encompass a diverse range of practices which are often used both independently and alongside conventional medical treatments. Understanding how graduate students training in different fields perceive CHAs is important because these professional trainees will go on to occupy roles as healthcare practitioners, researchers, policy makers, and consumers. This study used sequential rank agreement methods (Ekstrøm, Gerds, & Jensen, 2019) to investigate variations in perceptions of CHAs in a sample of graduate students (N = 416) from 140 possible training programs. Ratings of CHA familiarity, perceptions of CHA legitimacy, and willingness to recommend CHAs were compared …

Factors Associated With College Students' Intention To Use Telehealth For Primary Care, Conor Duffy

Theses and Dissertations

College students are less likely than the general population to have a regular primary care provider and engage in routine health visits. Recent research provides evidence that telehealth is a convenient alternative to in-person primary care and that college students are comfortable using this technology, suggesting that telehealth has the potential to mitigate this disparity. However, little research has examined which factors are associated with college students’ intention to use telehealth and attitudes toward telehealth specifically in the primary care context. The overarching goal of this study was to address this gap in the literature and identify factors associated with …

The Impact Of A Parent-Only Pediatric Obesity Intervention Program On Quality Of Life In Racially Diverse Children, Taylor Vashro

Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric obesity has been associated with significant decrements in pediatric quality of life (QOL) comparable with severe pediatric diseases such as cancer. Parenting interventions have yielded health benefits for children with obesity; however, few studies have investigated the impact of parent-focused interventions on QOL in children with overweight and obesity. This study investigated the impact of a 6-week intensive parenting intervention program on the QOL of 5-12 year old, predominantly Black children with overweight and obesity. Parents were randomized into either the parenting intervention (NOURISH+) or a control group, and QOL, as well as variables related to child and parenting …

Youth And Caregivers' Perceptions Of Racial Socialization: Examining The Interactive Role Of Risk And Cultural Resilience Factors As Predictors And Mental Health As Outcomes, Arlenis Santana

Theses and Dissertations

Black families' mental health, including that of the children and caretakers, is a persistent public health concern. Existing work documents that parental racial socialization messages are a protective process for the psychological well-being of Black children, youth, and emerging adults (Bannon et al., 2009). The majority of work to date has focused on youth, and we have limited information about the effects of racial socialization on caregivers’ mental health outcomes. It is also essential to examine the relation between racial socialization and outcomes among caregivers because, aside from their identity as parents, caregivers have other identities and experiences that deserve …

Using A Single Measure To Assess Adherence And Differentiation In Family Therapy For Adolescent Externalizing Problems, Stephanie Violante

Theses and Dissertations

Family therapy is considered a well-established treatment approach for adolescent externalizing problems; however, research examining its effectiveness when delivered in routine practice settings has produced mixed results. The accurate interpretation of these inconsistent results requires an understanding of what therapeutic techniques were delivered, including those that were prescribed (i.e., adherence) and those that were non-prescribed (i.e., differentiation), suggesting the need for a measure that can concurrently assess treatment adherence and differentiation. The current study examined the extent to which an observational measure of an array of therapeutic techniques for youth emotional and behavioral problems (the Therapy Process Observational Coding System …

Addressing Death Distress In Caregivers Of Patients With Malignant Glioma, Kelcie D. Willis

Theses and Dissertations

The field of psychosocial oncology seeks to improve the quality of life of patients and families affected by cancer. This task becomes increasingly important when there are limited, non-curative treatment options, a high probability of recurrence, and rapid functional decline, such as in the case of a malignant glioma (MG). Indeed, the diagnosis of a MG is associated with negative sequalae that often translates to higher caregiver burden. Caregivers—who must manage the functional decline of the patient, changes within the family, and a complicated medical system—often feel overwhelmed, isolated, and ill-equipped to handle these myriad responsibilities. While they also report …

Profiles Of Family Functioning In Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Patients: Longitudinal Associations With Child Well-Being, Sydney Sumrall

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to assess 1) patterns of family functioning and 2) longitudinal associations between family functioning patterns and well-being in a vulnerable cohort of children with chronic illness. Caregivers of hematology (16.4%) and oncology (83.6%) patients ages 7-20 (N=55; M_age = 13.3 [SD = 2.7]; 52.7% female; 45.5% non-Latinx White, 38.2% Black or African American, 12.7% Latinx, 1.8% Asian, and 1.8% multi-racial,) reported on family functioning via the Family Assessment Device. Cluster analyses identified three mutually exclusive clusters: one high adaptive group, one moderate adaptive group, and one maladaptive group. Group membership was not significantly …

“Trans Broken Arm Syndrome”: Examining Causal Antecedents Of Gender-Related Medical Misattribution And Invasive Questioning In An Analogous Healthcare Setting Through The Lens Of Person Perception, Catherine Wall

Theses and Dissertations

Transgender individuals face particular challenges when interacting with a cisgender focused medical system. Gender-related medical misattribution and invasive questioning (GRMMIQ), colloquially known by the tongue-in-cheek named “trans broken arm syndrome,” is a form of medical discrimination wherein a healthcare provider assumes that a transgender patient’s medical complaints, regardless of origin, result from their gender identity or medical transition. Previous research has suggested that this, and other forms of identity-related discrimination both in and outside of healthcare, might be understood either using a top-down approach focused on stereotypes founded in schema, or a bottom-up approach examining perceived typicality. One additional theory, …

Witnessing Community Violence And Its Consequences: Changes Across Middle School, Sarah Pittman

Theses and Dissertations

Community violence exposure is prevalent among youth residing in economically marginalized communities that have high rates of violence. Witnessing community violence has been concurrently associated with persistent adverse consequences. However, few studies have applied a developmental psychopathology framework and examined dynamic developmental processes between witnessing community violence and outcomes over time. Moreover, most prior studies have used analyses that assume that associations between witnessing violence and outcomes are the same for all adolescents, which is inconsistent with both developmental theories and theories specific to community violence exposure. The goal of this study was to apply a developmental psychopathological framework to …

Anti-Immigration-Related Stressors And Latine Immigrant Well-Being: The Role Of Family & Community Resilience, Lisa S. Fuentes

Theses and Dissertations

Anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies have continued to adversely impact Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protection Status (TPS) beneficiaries (Arevalo et al., 2015; Cleary, 2017; Li, 2015; Sangalang et al., 2018). There have been numerous attempts to revoke DACA, TPS, and other policies that temporarily protect immigrant families. Although the number of resilience literature has grown, more strength-based approaches are still needed. Additionally, given that familismo (familism) and collectivism are key cultural values for Latine families (Campos et al., 2019; Corona et al., 2017), it is imperative to explore family and community resilience among Latine immigrants to gain …

Home Disruption And Substance Use: The Moderated-Mediating Role Of Family Conflict And Stress Among Racial-Ethnic Minoritized College Students, Geovani Muñoz

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted first-generation college students who identify as racial-ethnic minorities (REM). Aside from the academic and health repercussions caused by COVID-19, little is known if home disruptions have increased substance use for REM college students. Specifically, increased home disruptions may directly relate to substance use and indirect relationships through increased family conflict and stress. Therefore, this master's thesis examined the direct relationships between home disruption and substance use. I also examined the relationships between home disruption and family conflict, as well as home disruption and stress. Further, I also investigated the relationships between family conflict and …

Black Racial Identity And Externalizing Symptoms: The Regulatory Role Of Dyadic Relationships, Sultan A. Hubbard

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored caregiver impact on Black racial identity (BRI) and externalizing through the integration of BRI, racial socialization (RS), and social support theoretical frameworks. The study used 85 Black undergraduates (Mean age =19.3, SD=3.43) who rated three caregivers, respectively. Restricted maximum likelihood estimation was conducted to estimate variance components. BRI, RS, internalizing, and externalizing variables reflected significant trait effects and dyadic effects. However, racial centrality and public regard did not reflect significant dyadic effects. Participant burden due to randomization of caregivers and items likely suppressed dyadic effects. Moreover, caregivers who evoked private regard were perceived as having high cultural …

The Lived Experience Of Postpartum Sleep For Black And White Women, Ashley R. Macpherson

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological research approach (van Manen, 1990), and intersectional feminist lens (Collins, 2000; Crenshaw ,1989; hooks, 2000), to uncover the lived experience of sleep in the postpartum period. Participants were 10 mothers who were less than 12 months postpartum. Data collection consisted of in-depth interviews. Data analysis procedures followed recommendations by van Manen (1990, 1997). In order to increase the trustworthiness and rigor of the study, the researcher engaged in reflexive journaling, member checking, and peer debriefing. The results were organized into six themes; 1) the importance of the sleep environment, 2) anxiety and hypervigilance, …

Association Of Interpersonal Trauma And Polygenic Risk Scores With Depressive Symptoms In College Students, Rowan K. O'Hara

Theses and Dissertations

Major depression is considered a complex trait influenced by both polygenic risk factors and environmental exposures, such as childhood trauma. This study applied statistical genetic methods to calculate aggregate genetic risk for major depression to predict depressive symptoms scores in a college student sample. Data were from the Spit for Science (S4S) study in which college students from a large urban university self-reported interpersonal trauma (IPT) exposure prior to college and depressive symptoms from the past month (N = 7502; ancestry group: 20% African [AFR], 12% Admixed Americas [AMR], 10% East Asian [EAS], 49% European [EUR], 8% South Asian [SAS]). …

Examining Allostatic Load As A Biological Mechanism Linking Childhood Adversity And Pediatric Pain, Angela Pascale

Theses and Dissertations

Despite a strong literature base relating childhood adversity to pain, the biological mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. Theoretical and preliminary empirical evidence supports allostatic load as a potential biological mechanism, though prior studies investigating associations between childhood adversity and elevated allostatic load and/or between elevated allostatic load and poorer pain outcomes have primarily focused on adult populations and individual allostatic load indicators rather than a comprehensive index. Thus, the current study built upon prior literature by testing longitudinal relationships between childhood adversity and multiple biological indicators spanning across physiological systems (i.e., comprehensive allostatic load index) and pediatric pain outcomes …

Physical Activity In Adolescents With And Without Adhd: Longitudinal Associations With Sleep, Adhd, And Internalizing Symptoms, Caroline N. Cusick Lowman

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are at risk for developing clinically significant sleep problems and comorbid internalizing symptoms. Physical activity (PA) has significant positive associations with a variety of health outcomes, including sleep and aspects of mental health. As such, the US Department of Health and Human Services recommends adolescents receive at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) per day. However, it is unknown whether adolescents with ADHD have different patterns of physical activity compared to their peers. Importantly, it may be that PA can serve as a buffer between ADHD symptoms and development of comorbid difficulties with sleep …

Sleep And Health Behaviors In A Safety-Net Primary Care Setting, Sahar Sabet

Theses and Dissertations

Nearly half of all premature deaths in the United States are attributable to preventable and modifiable health risk behaviors. For decades, the leading behavioral health contributors to morbidity and mortality are tobacco use, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption. Medication adherence is a relatively less studied yet critical interrelated health behavior that is tied to health and treatment outcomes. Sleep, an important pillar of health, is a daily and modifiable behavior that shows promise as a health behavior facilitator. Better understanding the dynamics of these modifiable health behaviors is essential for the improvement of health promotion, particularly among underserved populations (e.g., …

Initial Psychometric Evaluation Of An Observer-Rated Measure Of Shared Decision Making Practices In Youth Psychotherapy, Jennifer Lc Herbst

Theses and Dissertations

SDM is a process by which clinicians and clients collaboratively make treatment decisions; this process may improve the alliance and clinical outcomes. SDM in youth psychotherapy is understudied, and a critical gap in the field is the paucity of established measures designed to assess SDM practices in youth psychotherapy. This project aimed to fill this gap by examining the score reliability and validity of a novel observer-rated measure of SDM designed for youth psychotherapy—the Shared Decision Making Practices in Youth Mental Health scale (SDM-YMH)—and using the measure to investigate linkages between SDM practices, the alliance, and clinical outcomes. Therapy tapes …

Recovery Sleepers: A Pilot Study Of A Sleep Health Intervention For College Students In Recovery From Substance Use Disorder, Morgan P. Reid

Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing number of students in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) on college campuses, and collegiate recovery programs have been designed to support students’ recovery and global health needs. However, little research has focused on interventions that can promote health outcomes within this population. Chronic substance misuse can have lingering, negative effects on sleep even after sustained remission; thus, the present paper describes a pilot study of Recovery Sleepers, a sleep health promotion intervention rooted in self-determination theory for college students in recovery from SUD. Study aims were to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity of the …

Examining Genetically-Informed Etiologic Models Of Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder And Recreational Cannabis Use Among College Students, Terrell A. Hicks

Theses and Dissertations

The college years encompass a period of increased risk recreational cannabis use (RCU), as well as a time of increased risk for trauma exposure and developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Given the high co-occurrence between RCU and PTSD, and the potentially negative consequences of the two (e.g., worse academic outcomes), there is a need to understand the etiologic mechanisms of these commonly co-occurring conditions. Two primary phenotypic models exist: self-medication model (i.e., PTSD to RCU) and the high-risk model (i.e., RCU to PTSD). To date, there are two existing studies longitudinally examining the etiologic models proposed to explain co-occurring RCU …

Assessing The Relationships Between Direct And Vicarious Exposure To Healthcare Discrimination And Erasure, Mistrust In Healthcare, And The Healthcare Utilization Behaviors Among Transgender And Gender Independent Individuals, Kyle L. Mason

Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare inaccessibility through direct exposure (i.e., personal) to myriad forms of gender identity-related discrimination and erasure among the Transgender and Gender Independent (TGI) population has been documented by prior studies. The myriad barriers that individuals who embody TGI identities encounter to accessing healthcare are associated with the underutilization of healthcare, which may further exacerbate the health disparities that exist between this population and cisgender individuals in the United States (U.S.). Although the impacts of the harm that direct exposure to healthcare discrimination and erasure may have on TGI individuals are known, their exposure to such harm vicariously (i.e., through observation …

Examining The Home Interventionist Model Of Care In Pediatric Asthma, Katherine D. Lohr

Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric asthma disproportionately affects children living in urban areas and within families reporting an income below the poverty threshold. Home interventionist models of care, utilizing interventionists from the communities they serve, have been found to improve pediatric asthma symptoms and reduce Medicaid costs. Home interventionists, such as community health workers (CHWs) and Healthy Homes assessors (HHAs), focus on connecting care among schools, providers, and homes, and empowering families in accessing resources to overcome barriers to care. However, research is just beginning to understand how home interventionists create positive change among families within low-income, urban communities. This dissertation study used a …

A Thematic Analysis Of African American Fathers' Emotion-Related Beliefs And Behaviors, Deon Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored African American fathers’ beliefs about and experiences with their own and their children’s negative emotions (i.e., parental meta-emotion philosophy and parental emotion socialization). Participants included 58 African American fathers in the Midwestern region of the United States between the ages of 29 and 40 (Mage = 30.94). 57 were biological fathers and one was a stepfather to toddlers between 24 and 31 months of age. Participants were invited to complete lab tasks, including the meta-emotion interview (MEI). The MEI is semi-structured interview of parents’ and their children’s negative emotion (i.e., sadness and anger). I selected a subset …

Processes Underlying Black American College Students’ Mental Health: Examining The Roles Of Mental Health Literacy, Ethnic-Racial Identity, And Mental Health-Related Behaviors, Chloe Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Addressing the mental health of college students is a persistent and increasing priority (Auerbach et al., 2018), especially among Black American individuals. Given prevalent mental health disparities, it is critical to understand the association between Black American emerging adults’ mental health literacy (MHL) and mental health outcomes including promotive mental health-related behaviors (MHRBs) and symptoms (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms), and the modifiable underlying factors that inform them. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) and the Identity-based Motivation theory (Oyserman & Yoder, 2007), the present study aimed to examine the relation between mental health literacy and mental …

Investigating The Potential Causal Relationship Between Free Will Belief And Well-Being, Courtney J. Alderson

Theses and Dissertations

This multi-study dissertation had four primary aims. My first was to add to the evidence base indicating a positive association between free will belief (FWB) and subjective well-being (SWB). My second aim was to develop a measure to assess the FWB theme referred to as the principle of alternate possibilities (PAP). To achieve the first two aims, I conducted two cross-sectional studies to further establish the FWB-SWB association and start the development and assessment of a new PAP FWB measure. In the first study (N=995), I hypothesized that an EFA of the new PAP items would produce at least a …

Metamosque – Envisioning The Mosque As A Virtual Public Space, Alaa Albarazy

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, the mosque was not only a space for a communal prayer but also a place for building a community. Today, however, with conflicts and diseases fragmenting society, people are less able to gather physically in large spaces. Out of necessity, people rely on technology to get together and interact virtually. In this context, my research challenges the notion of the mosque as a physical space, proposing, instead, its extension into virtual space. Recent global events pose the question: Can the metaverse offer an opportunity for the mosque to reassert itself as a public space. I propose that a MetaMosque …

Examining The Impact Of Parental Racial Socialization And Critical Consciousness On Black Adolescents’ Coping With Racism-Related Stress, Chandler Alexandra Golden

Theses and Dissertations

In addition to universal stressors, Black adolescents also experience racism-related stressors. The physical and emotional consequences of racism-related stressors can be harmful to Black youth. To mitigate racism-related stress, Black youth may engage in various forms of coping. Critical consciousness and racial socialization are culturally relevant factors that have been protective against the negative impact of racism-related stress, with coping as one mechanism that undergirds this protection. Moreover, research has also begun to theorize critical action as a type of racialized coping. Past research has largely examined the impact of critical consciousness and racial socialization on coping separately and yielded …

Racism Experiences And Mental Health: An Examination Of Direct, Vicarious, And Appropriated Racism Experiences On Mental Health Symptom Expression, Christina Barnett

Theses and Dissertations

The current study aimed to corroborate existing models of racism-related experiences by creating an explanatory model that operationalized direct, vicarious, and appropriated racism experiences. This study explored whether the factors of direct and vicarious racism experiences influenced mental health outcomes via appropriated racism experiences in a sample of Black women. This association was not present. However, results showed a positive association between vicarious and direct racism experiences, as well as predictive relations between direct and vicarious racism experiences and depression and trauma symptoms. Results, limitations, implications, and recommendations for future research are included.

Keywords: vicarious racism, appropriated racism, direct racism, …

Empowerment In Adolescents And Young Adults With Cystic Fibrosis, Rachel Holder

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence and young adulthood is a pivotal time for individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) that is characterized by increased self-management, transition to adult-oriented healthcare, and often a decline in treatment adherence and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (Abbott et al., 2015; Modi et al., 2008). The literature regarding which factors are important for readiness to transition, treatment adherence, and HRQoL is limited in this population. However, empowerment has emerged as a salient construct in other disease groups (Acuña Mora et al., 2019; Burström et al., 2019; Kaal et al., 2017). As such, this thesis determined the convergent validity of the …

Relief Revival Reincarnation, Lisa Moon

Theses and Dissertations

there is a complex connectivity that we have with the built environment that goes beyond visual aesthetics and stimulates each of our senses. this connectivity is tied to our identity and the way we contextualize our experiences and our world. inspired by ethnographic observations, oscar newman’s seminal work, + the pruitt-igoe documentary, the project seeks to study the elements of this connectivity or in some cases the reduced connectivity within a public housing residential environment.

what contributes to this reduced connectivity?

newman examined it from an architectural perspective, exterior elements of building, space designation, corridors, skip|stop elevators, circulation patterns, natural …