Psychology Commons^™

Who Knows What? An Agent-Based Simulation Of Indirect Learning In Teams, Taylor Mccrossan, Sabina Samipour-Biel

Psychology Student Work

While the term is unknown to most people, Transactive Memory Systems (TMS) are a mechanism through which teams of experts (e.g., surgical teams, military teams, etc.) are able to combine their unique areas of expertise to accomplish their shared goals. To develop a TMS, team members must first learn who on the team has what expertise (Peltokorpi, 2008), and together develop a “shared knowledge directory”(SKD). Meanwhile, modern technology has changed the ways that team members can work together and communicate with each other. This research examined how the process of SKD development is impacted by team members’ability to “overhear” each …

Integrating Trauma-Informed Services In Out-Of-School Time Programs To Mitigate The Impact Of Community Gun Violence On Youth Mental Health, Angela T. Clarke, Stevie N. Grassetti, Lauren Brumley, Kyle Y. Ross, Courtney Erdly, Sarah Richter, Emily R. Brown, Michele Pole

Psychology Faculty Publications

Community gun violence disproportionately impacts youth in low-income urban neighborhoods. Integrating trauma informed mental health care in community-based out-of-school time (OST) programs is an innovative method of service delivery for these youth. This article provides justification for integrating evidence-based, trauma-informed services in OST programs within communities characterized by high rates of violent crime to minimize the impact of violence exposure on youth mental health. We describe the initial feasibility of a model program, the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Initiative, implemented in a small city in southeastern Pennsylvania. Within the first six months of the VIP Initiative, 95 community residents …

Validation And Clinical Utility Of The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 And Center For Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale As Depression Screening Tools In Collegiate Student-Athletes, Lindsey Keenan, Yvette Ingram, Branden Green, Rachel Daltry, Sebastian Harenberg

Sports Medicine Faculty Publications

Context: The National Athletic Trainers' Association recommends including mental health screening measures as part of the preparticipation examination for all student-athletes (SAs). Despite this recommendation, most mental health screening tools have not been validated in the SA population. Objective: To validate and examine the clinical utility of 2 depression screening tools in the collegiate SA population. Design: Cross-sectional mixed-methods study. Setting: Two Northeastern United States university athletics programs. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 881 (men = 426, 48.4%; women = 455, 51.6%; mean age = 19.7 6 1.4 years) National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II collegiate SAs completed …

Development And Evaluation Of A Pragmatic Measure Of Adherence To Dialectical Behavior Therapy: The Dbt Adherence Checklist For Individual Therapy, Melanie S. Harned, Sara C. Schmidt, Kathryn E. Korslund, Robert J. Gallop

Mathematics Faculty Publications

This paper presents two studies conducted to develop and evaluate a new pragmatic measure of therapist adherence to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): the DBT Adherence Checklist for Individual Therapy (DBT AC-I). Study 1 used item response analysis to select items from the gold standard DBT Adherence Coding Scale (DBT ACS) using archival data from 1271 DBT sessions. Items were then iteratively refined based on feedback from 33 target end-users to ensure relevance, usability, and understandability. Study 2 examined the psychometric properties of the DBT AC-I as a therapist self-report and observer-rated measure in 100 sessions from 50 therapist-client dyads, while …

An Ecological Systems Perspective On Individual Differences In Children's Performance On Measures Of Executive Function, Steven J. Holochwost, Deaven Winebrake, Eleanor D. Brown, Keith R. Happeney, Nicholas J. Wagner, W. Roger Mills-Koonce

Psychology Faculty Publications

The predictive validity of performance on cognitive-behavioral measures of executive function (EF) suggests that these measures index children's underlying capacity for self-regulation. In this paper, we apply ecological systems theory to critically evaluate this assertion. We argue that as typically administered, standard measures of EF do not index children's underlying, trait-like capacity for EF, but rather assess their state-like EF performance at a given point in time and in a particular (and often quite peculiar) context. This underscores the importance of disentangling intra-individual (i.e., state-like) and inter-individual (trait-like) differences in performance on these measures and understanding how factors at various …

Meditations On Loss And Grief: Loss Is A Universal Human Experience - How Can We Cope With It?, Jasmin Tahmaseb-Mcconatha

Psychology Faculty Publications

• The painful experience of loss is universal; many people will face multiple losses throughout their lives.
• Cultural messages of later life are filled with expectations and anticipation of loss that shape how people mourn.
• Immersion in the natural world can help people cope with loss and heal.

Choline Supplementation Alters Hippocampal Cytokine Levels In Adolescence And Adulthood In An Animal Model Of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Jessica A. Baker, Tamara S. Bodnar, Kristen Breit, Joanne Weinberg, Jennifer D. Thomas

Psychology Faculty Publications

Alcohol (ethanol) exposure during pregnancy can adversely affect development, with long-lasting consequences that include neuroimmune, cognitive, and behavioral dysfunction. Alcohol-induced alterations in cytokine levels in the hippocampus may contribute to abnormal cognitive and behavioral outcomes in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Nutritional intervention with the essential nutrient choline can improve hippocampal-dependent behavioral impairments and may also influence neuroimmune function. Thus, we examined the effects of choline supplementation on hippocampal cytokine levels in adolescent and adult rats exposed to alcohol early in development. From postnatal day (PD) 4-9 (third trimester-equivalent), Sprague-Dawley rat pups received ethanol (5.25 g/kg/day) or sham …

The Gendered Face Of Ageism In The Workplace, Jasmin Tahmaseb-Mcconatha, V. Krishna Kumar, Jaqueline Magnarelli, Georgina Hanna

Psychology Faculty Publications

This qualitative study explores perceived age discrimination in the workplace. Increasing age diversity in the workplace has led to an associated increase in ageism. While a large percentage of older workers report being subjected to discriminatory treatment in the workplace, ageism also appears to be gendered. Older female workers are being victimized at a greater rate than their male counterparts. The intersection of age, gender, and other forms of discrimination results in increased stress, threatens the well-being of workers of all ages, and creates a toxic workplace climate. Analysis of 244 participants’ responses to openended items indicated that ageism is …

Fulfilling The Promise Of Applied Developmental Science: Is It Time To Reconsider Our Approach?, Steven J. Holochwost, W. Roger Mills-Koonce, Eleanor D. Brown

Psychology Faculty Publications

The promise of applied developmental science is that we can use scientific methods to promote positive human development and improve the lives of children and families. However, the present political environment in the United States makes the creation of research-informed federal policy difficult, even when the evidence supporting a given policy is unequivocal. In this essay, we hope to begin a conversation about how we, as applied developmental scientists, may modify our approach in order to best fulfill the promise of applied developmental science. To begin this conversation, we discuss the potential for establishing long-term partnerships with smaller entities, including …

Development Of A Leadership Mindset Scale, Nathan M. Kangas, V. Krishna Kumar, Betsy J. Moore, Christopher A. Flickinger, Jennifer L. Barnett

Psychology Student Work

The purpose of the study was to construct a Leadership Mindset Scale (LMS) and to assess its reliability and construct validity. Participants were 100 employees in a variety of leadership and non-leadership positions at various organizations in three states. An item and factor analysis on the 13 LMS items led to a scale with 11 items (Cronbach α = .80). A Principal Axis Factor analysis with Promax rotation suggested three factors: Leadership Mindset Teachability (LMS-T), a belief in leadership teachability; Leadership Mindset Improvability (LMS-I), a belief in leadership improvability over time; and Leadership Mindset Predictability (LMS-P), a belief that leadership …

Cognitive Experiential Group Therapy: An Innovative Blending Of Two Therapeutic Modalities Integrating Cbt With Experiential Theory And Practice. A Group Therapy Workbook, By Treadwell, T. W., With Dartnell, D. J., Travaglini, L.E., And Abeditehrani (Book Review), V. Krishna Kumar

Psychology Faculty Publications

The book includes seven chapters, the first being a brief introduction and overview of what the book is about. The second chapter reviews the basic elements of CBT (notions of cognitive distortions, schemas, automatic thoughts, core beliefs, and types of behavioral interventions). Chapter three does the same for psychodrama. Chapter four covers the basic elements of running an experiential group therapy session using both CBT and psychodrama techniques. Chapter five provides a detailed illustration of a cognitive experiential group treatment (CEGT) session. Chapter six is devoted to running CEGT sessions with adolescents, and the last chapter details the CEGT approach …

Reduced Social Contact And Attachment Insecurity As Predictors Of Loneliness During Covid-19: A Two-Month Experience Sampling Study, Katie C. Lewis, Michael J. Roche, Fiona Brown, Jane G. Tillman

Psychology Faculty Publications

The impact of reduced social contact on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic has been identified as a major public health concern. While personality factors such as attachment style have been associated with psychological distress during the pandemic, the longitudinal relevance of these factors and the role of daily social contact in mitigating distress remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the impact of social contact and attachment style on changes in loneliness over an 8-week experience sampling period during the COVID-19 pandemic. A general adult sample (n = 184) recruited online completed measures of psychological distress, attachment, and loneliness via …

Uncovering 'Hidden' Signals: Previously Presumed Visual Signals Likely Generate Air Particle Movement, Pallabi Kundu, Noori Choi, Aaron S. Rundus, Roger D. Santer

Psychology Faculty Publications

Wolf spiders within the genus Schizocosa have become a model system for exploring the form and function of multimodal communication. In terms of male signaling, much past research has focused on the role and importance of dynamic and static visual and substrate-borne vibratory communication. Studies on S. retrorsa, however, have found that female-male pairs were able to successfully mate in the absence of both visual and vibratory stimuli, suggesting a reduced or non-existent role of these signaling modalities in this species. Given these prior findings, it has been suggested that S. retrorsa males may utilize an additional signaling modality during …

The Role Of Dispositional Mindfulness Against Craving In Trauma Recovery For Oud, Sarah Mathewson, Melanie Somppi, Michael Gawrysiak

Psychology Student Work

BACKGROUND: In 2020, it was estimated that 2.7 million people suffered with an opioid use disorder (OUD). Prior research suggests that dispositional mindfulness can buffer substance use severity and posttraumatic stress. However, further research is needed to clarify the relationships between dispositional mindfulness and craving specifically for those suffering from OUD. Dispositional mindfulness greater awareness and non-reactivity to emotions and internal thought patterns are features relevant to both OUD and posttraumatic stress. Therefore, we hypothesized that dispositional mindfulness would inversely relate to opioid craving and posttraumatic stress symptom severity.

METHODS: This study utilized archival data that collected from an ongoing …

Coping With Grief And Loneliness: The Healing Power Of Green Spaces, Jasmin Tahmaseb Mcconatha, Georgina Hanna, Katherine Ford, Carolyn Cusmano, Nicole Lyman

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Professor Jasmin Tahmaseb McConatha, Psychology, with Georgina Hanna, Katherine Ford, Carolyn Cusmano, and Nicole Lyman - Coping with Grief and Loneliness: The Healing Power of Green Spaces

Personalized Depression Prevention: A Randomized Controlled Trial To Optimize Effects Through Risk-Informed Personalization, Jami F. Young, Jason D. Jones, Robert Gallop, Jessica S. Benas, Christie M. Schueler, Judy Garber, Benjamin L. Hankin

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Objective: To evaluate whether evidence-based depression prevention programs can be optimized by matching youths to interventions that address their psychosocial vulnerabilities. Method: This randomized controlled trial included 204 adolescents (mean [SD] age ¼ 14.26 [1.65] years; 56.4% female). Youths were categorized as high or low on cognitive and interpersonal risks for depression and randomly assigned to Coping With Stress (CWS), a cognitive-behavioral program, or Interpersonal Psychotherapy–Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST), an interpersonal program. Some participants received a match between risk and prevention (eg, high cognitive–low interpersonal risk teen in CWS, low cognitive–high interpersonal risk teen in IPT-AST), others received a mismatch …

Creative Coping In Troubled Times: How Can We Enhance Our Resilience And Give Our Battered Coping Skills A Boost?, Jasmin Tahmaseb-Mcconatha

Psychology Faculty Publications

• Creative activities are one way to cope with stressful circumstances.
• Creative coping is associated with cognitive flexibility and increased well-being.
• Any challenges and engaging activity that leads to a sense of flow can be considered a creative coping activity.

Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Coping Among Children In The United States: A Meta-Analysis, Sarah Vengen

Social Work (Undergraduate) Student Work

Thorndike included emotional intelligence (EI) when he defined social intelligence (SI) (Sharma, 2008) due to the influence of social and cognitive functions on SI and EI (Schutte et al., 1998). Salovey and Mayer later developed a Four-Branch Model for EI including the following skills: 1) perceiving/identifying emotions, 2) integrating emotions into thought processes, 3) understanding emotions and 4) managing emotions. A meta-analysis on the construct of EI revealed many available methods for evaluating the presence and extent of EI such as the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory and the Wong and Law EI Scale. These scales and questionnaires measure qualities and …

Does It Hurt And Heal? A Qualitative Study Of The Relationships Among Sexual Assault Survivors In Support Groups, Brittni Gettys, Sydney Monaghan, Autumn Greene

Psychology Student Work

Research exploring relationships between trauma survivors is largely non-existent. This study will explore effects of social relationships formed between individuals sharing experiences of sexual trauma through group therapy. Researchers will examine potential buffering and supportive effects, and potential negative effects of vicarious traumatization, that may occur from social support. These complex dynamics are explored through examining relationships and experiences of individuals in support groups; open-ended and semi-structured interviews will be utilized in this qualitative approach. The interviews explore experiences such as: healing effects of group therapy for sexual trauma, the extent to which relationships facilitate healing and trauma recovery, experiences …

Cortisol Relates To Executive Functioning For Children Attending Head Start Preschool, Eleanor D. Brown, Zachary Weaver, Mallory L. Garnett, M. Streich, Geeta Shivde

Psychology Student Work

Background: Approximately 15 million children in the United States grow up in poverty circumstances (National Center for Children in Poverty, 2018), as 24% of all children under the age of 6 live in households with income levels classified as below the federal poverty guideline (Jiang et al., 2016). Recent research has highlighted the impact of early childhood poverty circumstances on physiological systems that respond to stress (Lupien et al., 2001), with implications for typical development in the prefrontal cortex (Hair et al., 2015) and related executive functioning (Blair & Raver, 2016). Method: The present study investigated relations among various components …

Ageism And Perceptions Of Vulnerability: Framing Of Age During Covid-19 Pandemic, Jordan Broussard, Frauke Schnell, Jasmin Tahmaseb Mcconatha, Jacqueline Magnarelli

Psychology Student Work

Media representations of the Covid-19 pandemic and its devastating consequences have shaped people’s fears, anxiety, and perceptions of vulnerability. Social scientists have examined the consequences of how information is “framed.” Framing theory asserts that issues can be portrayed differently by emphasizing or de-emphasizing aspects and information. According to Lakoff (2004) the impact of a message is not based on what is said but how it is said. Theories of framing focus on how the media frames issues, which then structure and shape attitudes and policies. A news article serves as a frame for an intended message. This paper examines the …

Want To Change Perspectives On Social Justice? Academic Courses And Social Movements Matter, Benjamin Wolfe, Kenia Tumbiolo, Keriann Mosley, Sam Miller

Psychology Student Work

Background: Ending systemic racism and other interrelated forms of oppression depends on institutional change, as well as changing individuals’ hearts and minds. The present study examines first the impact of a course focusing on social justice and second the impact of 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic, a critical stage of the Black Lives Matter Movement, and increasing awareness of racism and classism. Method: Participants were 139 WCU students (87% female identified, 36% BIPOC): 101 were enrolled in 2017-2019, and 38 in 2020. Measures included the White Privileges Attitudes Scale (Pinterits, Poteat, & Spanierman, 2009) in its original form as well …

Afterschool Music Education Program Linked To Social-Emotional Advantages For Children Facing Economic Hardship, Eleanor D. Brown, Mallory Garnett, Blanca Velazquez-Martin, Suzanne Varnell

Psychology Student Work

Background: The start of the 21st century has hosted decreased access to music education, particularly for children facing economic hardship and children who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) (McMurrer, 2007). This is problematic in terms of arts equity and social-emotional benefits children may gain via music participation. The present study examines the impact of an afterschool music education program on social-emotional functioning for elementary school children facing risks related to poverty and racism. Method: Participants were 503 students who attended public elementary schools: 345 students received the Music Education Program (MEP), whereas 158 students enrolled for comparison …

Examining Student Service Members/Veterans (Ssm/V) College Adjustment And Mental Health Risk-Resilience Factors, Michael Quin, Michael Gawrysiak Ph.D.

Psychology Student Work

Student Service Members/Veterans (SSM/V) are an important proportion of the college student population and may be at risk for unique mental health difficulties in comparison to civilian students. Prior research has indicated that the SSM/V population (1) is at greater risk for depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress (PTS), (2) experiences greater stigma surrounding mental health issues and treatment, (3) is more likely to engage in problematic alcohol/drug misuse, and (4) experiences greater difficulty adapting to college. Currently, there is limited research attempting to identify risk and protective factors that may exacerbate or attenuate the difficulties SSM/V may face. The present …

A Theoretical Foundation Introducing An Innovative Service Delivery Model For Families Impacted By Intimate Partner Violence, Rosa L. Boniface, Stevie N. Grassetti

Psychology Student Work

Trauma confers risk for many psychological difficulties among adults and children. Families who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) may have unique mental health needs because multiple family members have experienced risk due to trauma exposure (either directly or indirectly) and this experience may impact the protective factor of positive parent and child relationships. Currently available therapeutic services target either adult PTS symptoms or child PTS symptoms and the parent-child relationship. This narrow focus provides suboptimal care for families impacted by IPV. A three-pronged treatment approach targeting adult PTS symptoms, child PTS symptoms, and the parent-child relationship may improve psychological …

Pilot Analysis Of The Contemporary Beliefs And Identity Inventory, Kathleen Moser, Shelby Kreglow, Stevie N. Grassetti, Caroline Guzi

Psychology Student Work

Background: Feminism is a social movement that advocates for the protection and implementation of policies that promote gender equality. In one study of 116 master’s program students, 42 percent identified as feminist (Charter, 2015). Although little variation was detected between genders, only 6% of participants were male; this disparity is seen in much of the feminism research published today (Rickard, 1987; Bargad, & Hyde 1991, Fischer et al. 2000). The support of people who do not identify as women is imperative to advancing feminist ideals (Precopio, & Ramsey, 2017). While many non-women may support feminist views, measures of feminist identity …

Evaluating Differences Between Psychedelic Drug-Users And Non-Psychedelic Drug Users Among College Students, Samuel Colligan, Zachery Engle, Michael Gawrysiak

Psychology Student Work

There has been a recent surge in scientific publications documenting the therapeutic applications of psychedelic drugs (e.g., LSD, psilocybin). Emerging research has demonstrated the potential for medicinal use of psychedelic drugs to mitigate psychiatric concerns, including depression, anxiety, and addiction. While research into psychedelics suggests promise for these atypical substances to address psychiatric concerns, additional research is needed to focus on the associated consequences of recreational psychedelic use (i.e., use of psychedelics for fun or to get “high”) engaged in outside the observation and guidance of a trained mental health practitioner. The present proposal used an archival dataset collected from …

Playtime And Bedtime Relate To Stress Levels For Children Facing Economic Hardship, Fola Shokunbi, Molly Murphy, Mallory Garnet

Psychology Student Work

Background: Poverty circumstances tax physiological systems that respond to stress. Yet research suggests that supportive parenting may offer some protection. The present study uses daily interview methodology to probe how parents might structure children’s days to promote lower stress levels in the context of poverty risks. Method: Participants were 139 children who attended a Head Start preschool. Mean age was 4 years, 2 months, and 48.9% were identified as female, and 51.1% as male. Approximately 52.6% were identified as Black/African American, 16.6% as Latino/Hispanic American, 8.6% as Asian American and 22.3% as White/European American. Nearly 100% faced economic hardship. Ethical …

Stress Hormone Cortisol Relates To Emotion Expression For Young Children Facing Economic Hardship, Corinne Yost, Jessa Malatesta, Alyssa Allen, Zachary Weaver, Keara Hennesey, Kaytlin Landis-Rotondi, Mallory Garnett

Psychology Student Work

Background: Around 40% of children in the US face economic hardship. Related stressors influence physiological functioning and brain development, with implications for cognitive and social-emotional functioning. The hormone cortisol indicates stress levels, yet because cortisol responses to current stressors are imposed on baseline levels, the meaning of cortisol as measured on a particular occasion often is unclear: both elevated and depressed cortisol levels can indicate problematic dysregulation. The present study aims to elucidate how cortisol levels relate to expressed emotion for children attending Head Start preschool. Participants: Participants included 70 children attending a Head Start preschool in Philadelphia, PA. Mean …

Ageism And Perceptions Of Vulnerability: Framing Of Age During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Frauke Schnell, Jasmin Tahmaseb-Mcconatha, Jaqueline Magnarelli, Jordan Broussard

Psychology Faculty Publications

Media representations of the Covid-19 pandemic and its devastating consequences have shaped people’s fears, anxiety, and perceptions of vulnerability. Social scientists have examined the consequences of how information is “framed.” Framing theory asserts that issues can be portrayed differently by emphasizing or de-emphasizing aspects and information. According to Lakoff (2004) the impact of a message is not based on what is said but how it is said. Theories of framing focus on how the media frames issues, which then structure and shape attitudes and policies. A news article serves as a frame for an intended message. This paper examines the …