Psychology Commons^™

Recentering Psych Stats, Lynette Bikos

Faculty Open Access Books

To center a variable in regression means to set its value at zero and interpret all other values in relation to this reference point. Regarding race and gender, researchers often center male and White at zero. Further, it is typical that research vignettes in statistics textbooks are similarly seated in a White, Western (frequently U.S.), heteronormative, framework. ReCentering Psych Stats seeks provide statistics training for psychology students (undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral) in a socially and culturally responsive way. All lessons use the open-source statistics program, R (and its associated packages). Each lesson includes a chapter and screencasted lesson, features a …

Feathered Friends: The Positive Effects Of Owning A Companion Bird, Nicole Lea

Psychology | Student Research Posters

Loneliness is an epidemic whose full impact is only recently receiving the attention it urgently demands. While many solutions are suggested, a time-tested remedy is a companion animal. People report as deep a connection with a companion animal as with the humans in their lives due to the pet’s unconditional love and consistency. While much research has been dedicated to studying companion animal-human bonds with emphasis on dogs and cats, little has been conducted on the less popular household pet, the companion bird, even though bird owners report that their pets show just as much unconditional love and affection as …

Examining The Experience Of Teen-To-Teen Crisis Line Work For Adolescent Volunteers: A Pilot Study, Taylor Kalgren Bs, Catherine R. Glenn Phd, Raksha Kandlur Ms, Kelsie Allison Ms, Annie Duan Bs, Cheryl Karp, Morgan Leets, Sandipan Dutta Phd, Madelyn Gould Phd, Mph

College of Sciences Posters

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are high and increasing among youth. Crisis lines are one of the oldest downstream approaches for suicide prevention, which have demonstrated effectiveness for adults and preliminary effectiveness for youth. Teen-to-teen (t2t) crisis lines are a unique resource where adolescent volunteers help their similarly aged peers (through texts, chats, calls, and emails). However, no research to date has examined the impacts of t2t crisis line volunteering on the youth. The goal of this pilot study is to begin to evaluate the experience of t2t crisis lines for the youth volunteers. Adolescent (n=20, ages 15-20) volunteers were recruited …

Memory Reconsolidation And Alcohol Use Disorder: Intravenous Infusion Of Ketamine To Alleviate Addictive Symptoms In Alcohol Use Disorder Diagnoses, Yasaswi Veera

Undergraduate Research Posters

According to the National Institute of Health, substance use disorder in the United States in 2021 caused nearly 106,000 deaths and an annual healthcare and criminal justice expenditure of roughly $200 billion, however, only 10% of diagnoses receive proper treatment. This is primarily due to the lack of previous research in addictive studies as well as the lack of accessibility to resources and proper treatments. Current treatments for alcohol use disorder range from medications and behavioral therapies, such as acamprosate, naltrexone, and cognitive behavior therapy. Much of these treatments consist of reconditioning the brain to associate alcohol with a negative …

Differences In Relationship And Sexual Satisfaction And Social Support Between Only Lesbian, Mostly Lesbian, And Bisexual Women, Meredith I. Turner, Cassidy M. Sandoval, Charlotte A. Dawson, Kristin E. Heron

College of Sciences Posters

Research suggests relationship and sexual satisfaction and social support are correlated with components of well-being such as anxiety, depression, and physical health. Differences in relationship and sexual satisfaction and social support have been identified between sexual minority women (SMW; i.e., lesbian and bisexual) and heterosexual women. However, classifying SMW into a single group may mask important differences. Further research is needed to better understand the differences in relationship and sexual satisfaction and social support between subgroups of SMW. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine differences in these constructs between women who identify as only lesbian, mostly …

Qualitative Evaluation Of Occupational Therapy Assessments In Treating Veterans With Ptsd Who Are Transitioning Into Civilian Life, Natalia Marquez-Sterling, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville, Lisa Schubert

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this qualitative research type capstone project was to explore the strengths and limitations of an occupational therapist assessment toolkit for use with the population of veterans with PTSD who are transitioning into civilian life. OTs lack consistent assessment tools for use with this population, resulting in a lack of inclusion of occupational therapy as a consistent member of the multidisciplinary team (Kerr et al., 2020). Kerr et al. (2020) found that while OT assessments may be mentioned in research regarding veterans with PTSD who are transitioning into civilian life, there was limited or no discussion of the …

Campus Racial Climate And Mental Well-Being Among College Students: The Role Of Feeling Valued, Sense Of Belonging, And Racial Saliency, Raksha Kandlur Ma, Catherine Glenn Phd

College of Sciences Posters

Around 73% of students report experiencing a mental health crisis during college, and 64% report dropping out for mental health reasons. Research indicates that negative campus racial climate contributes to poor mental health, but few studies have examined factors that may moderate this impact. The current study examined potential moderators of the impact of negative campus racial climate on students’ mental health, including whether: (1) feeling valued and (2) belongingness at school may buffer, or reduce, risk and (3) higher racial saliency may increase risk. Data were drawn from the Healthy Minds Study, administered to a random sample of 4,000 …

Examining A Neural Measure Of Attentional Bias To Emotional Faces In Social Anxiety And Depression, Nathan M. Hager, Matt R. Judah, Alicia L. Milam, Hannah C. Hamrick, Catherine R. Glenn

College of Sciences Posters

Cognitive theories suggest that attentional biases may contribute to both social anxiety and depression, such that attention may be biased to focus on or away from certain information (e.g., rejecting or sad images; Clark & McManus, 2002; Lemoult & Gotlib, 2019). Although research is mixed, recent studies using a neural measure called the N2pc (an event-related potential) has indicated attentional biases in social anxiety. However, little N2pc research has examined depression or co-occurring depression and social anxiety.

The current study used electroencephalography to measure the N2pc during a dot-probe task in which images of faces with emotional or neutral expressions …

The Relationship Between Social Media Use And Depression And Anxiety Symptoms During Covid-19, Tene'sha L. Crews, Christina Sheerin

Undergraduate Research Posters

The rise of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global surge in exposure to disaster and crisis-related media. Increases in poor mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression, are associated with increased exposure to such media content (Abbas et al., 2021; Riehm et al., 2020; Zhao & Zhou, 2020). In recent years, social media has become one of the most widely used sources for news; approximately 48% of adult Americans receive their news from social media (Pew Research Center, 2021). During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in social media use due to social distancing and …

Cbt In Primary Care, Brianna J. Spano

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This is a community improvement project designed to address the growing need for and shortage of mental health care in Vermont. The project focuses on creating a brief training tool and guide for primary care physicians to be able to incorporate cognitive behavioral therapy in their practice.

Enhancing Discharge Preparation For Adults With Substance Use Disorder Within A Residential Treatment Facility, Piper Virva, Susan Macdermott, Becki Cohill, Karen Park

Summer 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The community reintegration process is a vital aspect of the recovery journey, which requires sufficient planning and preparation prior to discharge from treatment (Read & Stoffel, 2019). Individuals enrolled in a residential treatment program for SUD indicated that higher levels of assistance and preparation during the transition to community living and involvement in comprehensive discharge planning would better prepare them for community reintegration (Manuel et al., 2017). Historically, the role of occupational therapy (OT) with this population has been to facilitate the resumption of meaningful roles, identify supportive habits and routines, and address executive functioning deficits related to SUD (Champagne …

The Role Of Perfectionism In The Relationship Between Thin-Ideal Internalization And Body Dissatisfaction, Tanner L Wright, Mackenzie Brown B.A., Cheri Levinson Ph.D.

Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase

Research has shown a significant relationship between thin-ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction. In addition, research suggests perfectionism is an antecedent to thin-ideal internalization (Boone, 2011). When examining subtypes of perfectionism, Maladaptive Evaluative Concerns (MEC) has been shown to be related to eating disorder (ED) symptoms (Rivière, 2017) both directly and indirectly while the relationship between Personal Standards (PS) and ED symptoms is unknown, though some research suggests it may be adaptive (Bardone-Cone, 2007). Both types of perfectionism have been correlated with thin-ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction (Boone, 2010). The purpose of the present project is to examine two subtypes of …

An Online Resource To Promote Well-Being Among College Students With Social Anxiety Disorder, Valerie Maxine Sanderson, Steven M. Gerardi, Jerilyn Callen

Fall 2020 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Transitioning from high school to college can be a challenge for many students, especially those with social anxiety disorder (SAD). SAD can negatively impact a student’s ability to effectively participate in school. Occupational therapy intervention could be useful to students with SAD but many do not seek out treatment due to fear of stigmatization or discrimination. Not seeking services may place students with SAD at risk of developing unhealthy coping strategies (e.g., avoidant behaviors, alcohol use). The availability of an online resource to support participation in school, without the need to disclose their condition, could be helpful to students with …

An Occupational Perspective: Supporting The Paternal Role And Transition Home From The Nicu, Bryana Salazar, Susan Macdermott, Becki Cohill, Karen Park

Fall 2020 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify occupational therapy’s role in supporting paternal wellness and mental health through routines and occupations, following the transition from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) back home.

Study Design: Online surveys (n=32) and virtual interviews (n=11) were collected in order to complete a mixed-method design study. Interviews were manually transcribed and coded onto Dedoose. Thematic analysis was conducted in order to derive overall themes.

Results: This study delved into the experience of fathers’ post NICU discharge. Five overall themes were identified in this study Adjusting Expectations of the initial transition, …

Self-Regulation For Adolescent Survivors Of Sex Trafficking: An Occupational Therapist’S Perspective, Elyse Harmon, Becki Cohill, Susan Macdermott, Karen Park

Fall 2020 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Adolescent survivors of sex trafficking (SST) are susceptible to being in a continual dysregulated arousal state due to a lack of mastery in self-regulation. During the trafficking experience, many adolescent SST experience severe trauma and are deprived of opportunities that foster essential regulatory capacities needed for occupational engagement. The use of sensory-based approaches that focus on addressing arousal dysregulation and the impact it has on occupation is an evidence-based practice grounded in occupational therapy research.

This capstone sought to support community reintegration for adolescent SST through the development of sensory-based programming that fosters self-regulation, a skill necessary for lifelong occupational …

Social Appearance Anxiety Is Strongly Related To Eating Disorder Symptoms Regardless Of Age In Both Clinical Eating Disorder And Nonclinical Cases, Jordan E. Drake, Caroline Christian, Cheri Levinson

Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase

Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental illnesses that often develop in adolescence and persist in adulthood. Social appearance anxiety (SAA; fear of appearance-based judgment) is a risk factor for EDs and related to ED symptoms. SAA is more prevalent in non-clinical adolescents than non-clinical adults, yet no research has investigated the relationship between SAA and ED symptoms across age. The present study tested if age moderated the relationship between SAA and drive for thinness (DT), bulimic symptoms, and body dissatisfaction in a clinical ED sample (N=952, 28.5%), a nonclinical sample (N=1,693; 51.7%), and the full sample …

Academic Success 101: Strategies For Promoting A Resilient Self-Concept In Women Doctoral Students, Gabrielle Armer, Latrelle D. Jackson, Susan George

Symposium of Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Materials

Although female graduate psychology students outnumber male students three to one (Fowler, et. al., 2018), women are still likely to experience more challenges than men during their doctoral programs (Bireda, 2015). Women doctoral students are faced with the challenges of learning how to integrate their personal identities such as partner, mother, or caregiver with their emerging identity of academician (Rockinson-Szapkiw et al., 2017). Women doctoral students often describe these conflicting roles as altering their overall self-concept, which often leads to feelings of loss, mistrust, and disconnect (Balatti & Whitehouse, 2001). This poster highlights ways in which self-concept in women may …

Impact Of Emotional Competencies On Current E-Cigarette Use Within A Young Adult Sample, Laurel O. Brockenberry, Kelli England, Paul T. Harrell

College of Sciences Posters

Significance: Maladaptive emotional states are important drivers of tobacco use, but the mediating factors are poorly understood, particularly for e-cigarette use. Given that e-cigarette use has increased in prevalence and popularity, research examining motivating factors to engage in use is necessary. Methods: Survey data were collected from youth (18-25) attending a four-year university (N = 216, M-age = 20.41, 36.6% African American). Respondents answered questions about emotion dysregulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale; DERS), positive/negative urgency (Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, and Positive Urgency Scale; UPPS-P), affect (Positive and Negative Affect Scale, PANAS), distress tolerance (Distress Tolerance Scale, DTS); negative …

Evaluation Of Unm's Parental Leave Policy, Julia Fulghum, Karlyn A. Edwards, Charlie Christian, Steven Verney, Lisa A. Marchiondo, Teagan Mullins

ADVANCE Reports

Experiences with UNM’s parental leave policy C215 have been evaluated using the ADVANCE 2018 Main Campus Faculty Climate Survey, a series of junior faculty interviews, and concerns brought to the ADVANCE leadership. Key findings are:

• Women and STEM faculty are more hesitant to use family-leave policies, and perceive greater disadvantage in using them than men and non-STEM faculty
• Sharing of information about, and implementation of, parental leave varies significantly between units
• The attitude of the department chair and senior faculty strongly influence the experience of faculty who use parental leave
• Appropriately implemented, the parental leave policy contributes to faculty recruitment …

Eating Expectancies Moderate The Relationship Between Negative Affect And Repetitive Negative Thought In Adolescents And Emerging Adulthood In Relation To Binge Eating Symptoms, Dylan M. Hurst, Leigh C. Brosof M.S., Cheri A. Levinson Ph.D

Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase

Objective: Adolescence and young adulthood are critical time periods for the development of an eating disorder (Dakanalis et al., 2017). Eating expectancies that eating helps manage negative affect (EE; learned associations that eating manages negative emotions), negative affect (NA; negative emotions, such as sadness, guilt, and fear), and repetitive negative thinking (RNT; recurrent intrusive negative thoughts about past or future events) are all predictive of eating disorder behaviors, such as binge eating (Bruce et al., 2009, Berg et al., 2017, McEvoy et al., 2019). However, it is less clear how these risk factors may impact one another to influence the …

For I Know The Plans I Have For You: God Locus Of Control, Spiritual Change, And Death Anxiety In Primary Brain Tumor Patients, Kelci D. Willis, Julia Brechbiel, Rachel Boutte, Laurel Kovalchick, Kyra Parker, Audrey Ann Louis Villanueva, Ashlee R. Loughan

Graduate Research Posters

Background/Purpose. Primary brain tumor (PBT) patients risk experiencing death anxiety given the high mortality rate of their diagnosis. In line with Terror Management Theory (TMT), many diagnosed with cancer utilize religion as a method of coping with the disease. However, previous literature on the relation between death anxiety and religion in cancer patients indicates mixed findings of either a negative relationship or no association. To the authors’ knowledge, no study has analyzed these two constructs together in PBT patients. The current study sought to address this gap by investigating the relationship between religiosity and death anxiety in an understudied population. …

Empirical Relationships Among Trauma Exposure, Anxiety Sensitivity, And Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Sandra Yankah, Michael Southam-Gerow, Samantha Dehart, Payton Beam

Graduate Research Posters

This review synthesized and critically reviewed empirical studies that assessed relationships among trauma exposure, anxiety sensitivity (AS), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Across the literature, the prominent theory conceptualized anxiety sensitivity as a causal risk factor within two competing models. One model posited that individuals with dispositionally high AS prior to experiencing a potentially traumatizing event (PTE) have a greater likelihood of developing PTSD after trauma exposure. The second model theorized that the introduction of a PTE raises an individual’s baseline level of AS, leading to the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Emerging research highlighted the possibility of …

Gene-By-Intervention Effects On Alcohol Dependence Symptoms In Emerging Adulthood, Zoe E. Neale, Sally I. Kuo, Fazil Aliev, Peter B. Barr, Jinni Su, Kit K. Elam, Thao Ha, Kathryn Lemery-Chalfant, Danielle M. Dick

Graduate Research Posters

The Importance of Peer Influence for LGBTQ+ Youth in Rural Communities

Aaron Kemmerer

supported by findings from Safe as Yourself (SAY) Project

Traci Wike (PI), Leah Bouchard, Maurico Yabar, and Aaron Kemmerer

Objectives: To explore the experiences and narratives of LGBTQ+ youth in rural North Carolina. To elaborate on the influence of peer support and impact of peer victimization for LGBTQ+ youth in rural North Carolina.

Methods: Data was collected from eleven young people who were interviewed from 2019-2020 at an LGBTQ+ youth center in rural North Carolina. The interviews were coded and analyzed using narrative analysis on a team …

Multidimensional Recovery Among An Opioid Use Disorder Outpatient Treatment Population, Anna Beth Parlier-Ahmad, Lori Beck, Caitlin E. Martin

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Given the current opioid crisis, recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD) warrants attention. SAMHSA’s working definition of recovery highlights dimensions that support recovery including health, home, community, and purpose. Recovery capital captures factors that support recovery within these dimensions and has been associated with recovery outcomes. Prior research highlights possible gender differences in recovery outcomes. Objective: 1) Describe and compare recovery capital among an OUD outpatient treatment population by gender; 2) Identify the relationship between recovery capital and length of time in treatment within this population.

Methods: Patients (n=126) taking medication for OUD at a single outpatient substance use …

Expressed Emotion, Mental Health, And Functioning In Families Of Children With And Without Asthma, Katherine W. Dempster, Julia Scheidemantel, Jessica Greenlee, Marcia A. Winter, Ph.D, Robin S. Everhart, Ph.D

Graduate Research Posters

Introduction: Expressed emotion (EE), the affective attitudes and behaviors of one toward another, can affect caregivers’ behaviors toward their child. Research examining associations between EE and child/family outcomes is mixed; these associations may be affected by other influences such as the presence of a chronic disease or parent mental health. In this study of families living in an urban area, we examined associations between EE and child outcomes (anxiety/depressive symptoms) and family functioning, with parent anxiety as a covariate. We evaluated child asthma status as a moderator in these associations as the presence of a chronic illness may strengthen the …

Life Satisfaction: Measurement Invariance And Correlations With Adolescent Adjustment, Sarah K. Pittman, Robert F. Valois, Albert D. Farrell

Graduate Research Posters

Background

Low life satisfaction during adolescence has been associated with adjustment problems. There are few well-validated measures available to assess adolescents’ life-satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the structure of the Life Satisfaction Scale, evaluate its measurement invariance across sex and race/ethnicity, and investigate its associations with related constructs.

Methods

Participants were 3,340 adolescents from rural middle schools in Florida. Half the participants were female, 51% were White, 15% were Black, and 22% were Latinx. Adolescents completed the Life Satisfaction Scale, the Children’s Report of Exposure to Violence scale, and the Problem Behavior Frequency Scale.

Results

Confirmatory …

Screening For Cognitive Impairment In Primary Brain Tumor Patients: A Preliminary Investigation With The Mmse And Rbans, Farah Aslanzadeh, M.S., Sarah Braun, M.S, Julia Brechbiel, M.S., Kelcie Willis, M.S., Kyra Parker, Autumn Lanoye, Phd, Ashlee Loughan, Phd

Graduate Research Posters

Introduction: The prevalence of mild cognition impairment (MCI) among older adults (≥65) is estimated to range between 10-20% (Langa & Levine, 2014). Integrated primary care allows opportunities for interdisciplinary consultation, screening, and intervention. The aim of this study is to explore the percentage of older adults reporting cognitive concerns during their first primary care psychology visits. It is hypothesized that these rates will mirror prevalence rates in other older adult community dwelling samples in primary care settings.

Methods: A patient sample of older adults (≥60) was introduced to services following a referral from their primary care physician. Clinicians then identified …

Daily Sleep Quality Is Associated With Daily Cognition In Late-Life, Emily K. Donovan, Joseph M. Dzierzewski, Constance H. Fung, Karen R. Josephson, Cathy A. Alessi, Jennifer L. Martin

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Older adults often face sleep disturbance or cognitive decline that goes beyond the scope of normal aging. The present study examined the relationship between self-reported sleep quality and self-reported daytime attention in a community-dwelling sample of older men at the between-persons and within-persons levels of association.

Methods: Thirty-eight participants (M age =75.36 years, SD age =7.51 years, range=66-90 years) completed a twice-daily sleep diary for one week. Sleep quality and attention were assessed using a single-item 0-10 rating scales from the morning diary (“How was the quality of your sleep last night?”) and from the evening diary (“How was …

Community Input On An Enhanced Care Planning Tool Addressing Health Behaviors, Mental Health Needs, And Social Risks, Kristen O'Loughlin, Hannah Shadowen, Paulette Lail Kashiri, Alex Krist

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Many patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) have social risks, mental health needs, and/or unhealthy behaviors. These interfere with their ability to manage their MCC. A care planning tool was created to help address these needs; this study solicited feedback from stakeholder groups and incorporated it into improving the tool.

Methods: Instrument: The Enhanced Care Planning (ECP) tool screens patients for social risks, mental health needs, and unhealthy behaviors. They are shown where their responses revealed risk, then select 1-2 to improve upon. Next, patients set personal goals and select strategies to support them. Patients are supported by …

Suicidal Ideation And Self-Injury Prevalence And Impairment In An Urban Integrated Primary Care Clinic, Kathryn L. Behrhorst, Bruce Rybarczyk, Ph.D., Heather A. Jones, Ph.D.

Graduate Research Posters

Introduction: Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents (Rosenbaum & Ougrin, 2019). Pediatric primary care staff are often the first line of intervention for youth presenting with suicidal thoughts and NSSI (Taliaferro et al., 2013). The primary aim of the current study was to describe reported suicidal ideation, attempts, and NSSI in youth presenting to an urban integrated primary care setting.

Methods: Within an outpatient pediatric primary care clinic, patients were referred by medical staff and introduced to behavioral health services. Patients were asked about their history of suicidal thoughts/attempts and NSSI (Mage = 12.63; SD = …