Psychology Commons^™

A Prospective Longitudinal Study Of Depression, Perceived Stress, And Perceived Control In Resettled Syrian Refugees’ Mental Health And Psychosocial Adaptation, B.C.H Kuo, Lance M. Rappaport

Psychology Publications

This prospective study examined the psychosocial adaptation of a community sample of newly resettled Syrian refugees in Canada (N = 235). Specifically, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and perceived control were collected in Arabic at baseline and 1-year follow-up. Two theory-informed, cross-lagged panel models demonstrated that higher baseline depressive symptoms predicted lower perceived self-efficacy and lower perceived control at 1-year follow-up. Similarly, baseline depressive symptoms were concurrently correlated with higher perceived helplessness, lower perceived self-efficacy, and lower perceived control. Secondary regression analyses further demonstrated that baseline depressive symptoms predicted lower perceived social support and higher anxiety symptoms, though neither were …

“It’S The Best Of Both Worlds!”: Investigating Bicultural Stress In Adult Bicultural Canadians, Carolyn Tran, Kathryn Lafreniere, B.C.H Kuo, Kathryn Edmunds

Psychology Publications

This study delves into the ecological factors that predict bicultural stress among bicultural adult Canadians while uncovering common themes surrounding their bicultural identity and developmental journey. A sample of bicultural Canadians (N = 147; 88% female, Mage = 20.72) participated in an online survey consisting of standardized self-report measures and open-ended inquiries about their bicultural experience. The study identified factors contributing to current levels of bicultural stress through regression analysis. Additionally, thematic analysis was conducted to explore participants’ narratives about their bicultural experiences. Participants were of diverse racial/ethnic Canadian backgrounds (Middle Eastern, n = 50; East and Southeast Asian, n …

Functions Of Disordered Eating Behaviors: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Lived Experience And Clinician Perspectives, Abbigail Kinnear, Jaclyn A. Siegel, Philip C. Masson, Lindsay P. Bodell

Psychology Publications

Background

One method to improve treatment outcomes for individuals with eating disorders (EDs) may be understanding and targeting individuals’ motives for engaging in DE behaviors—or the functions of DE behaviors. The goal of this study was to investigate and categorize the various functions of DE behaviors from the perspectives of adults who engage in DE behaviors and clinicians who treat EDs.

Methods

Individuals who engage in DE behaviors (n = 16) and clinicians who treat EDs (n = 14) were interviewed, and a thematic analysis was conducted to determine key functions of DE behaviors.

Results

Four main functions …

Evaluating The Effects Of Cultural Immersion On Counselor Trainees' Multicultural Development And Intercultural Competence: A Metasynthesis Of Qualitative Evidence, Ben C.H. Kuo, Nada Hussein, Nadeen Makhzoum, Pinky Sabhnani, Matthew Zvric

Psychology Publications

This metasynthesis critically surveyed and evaluated the learning impacts on counselor and psychology trainees’ multicultural development and intercultural competence through participating in cultural immersion (CI), based on published qualitative research evidence. Accordingly, this metasynthesis identified and assessed the characteristics, the methodological strengths and qualities, and the thematic findings of 33 qualitative and mixed-methods CI studies resulting from exhaustive database searches. Using a directed content analysis technique, a six-domain analytical framework was applied to code and analyze the themes reported in these studies. The results point to CI intervention as a multifaceted and versatile instructional apparatus that impacted and contributed to …

Rhythmically Modulating Neural Entrainment During Exposure To Regularities Influences Statistical Learning, Laura J. Batterink, Jerrica Mulgrew, Aaron Gibbings

Psychology Publications

The ability to discover regularities in the environment, such as syllable patterns in speech, is known as statistical learning. Previous studies have shown that statistical learning is accompanied by neural entrainment, in which neural activity temporally aligns with repeating patterns over time. However, it is unclear whether these rhythmic neural dynamics play a functional role in statistical learning, or whether they largely reflect the downstream consequences of learning, such as the enhanced perception of learned words in speech. To better understand this issue, we manipulated participants’ neural entrainment during statistical learning using continuous rhythmic visual stimulation. Participants were exposed to …

Characterizing And Predicting Canadian Adolescents’ Internalizing Symptoms In The First Year Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Haley E. Green, Andrew R. Daoust, Matthew R. J. Vandermeer, Pan Liu, Kasey Stanton, Kate L. Harkness, Elizabeth P. Hayden

Psychology Publications

To date, most longitudinal studies of adolescents’ internalizing symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic include few time points, limiting knowledge about the long-term course of adolescents’ mental health during the pandemic. Moreover, examining intraindividual variability in symptoms, which may have important implications for adolescents’ adjustment beyond mean or “typical” symptoms, requires multiple time points. We examined the course of internalizing symptoms in 271 Ontario adolescents (mean n = 193 across time points) during the first year of the pandemic (March 2020–April 2021) via mixed-effect location scale models, drawing upon established internalizing symptom risk factors as predictors of mean trends and intraindividual …

Assessing Virtual Mental Health Access For Refugees During The Covid-19 Pandemic Using The Levesque Client-Centered Framework: What Have We Learned And How Will We Plan For The Future?, Michaela Hynie, Annie Jaimes, Anna Oda, Marjolaine Rivest-Beauregard, Laura Perez Gonzalez, Nicole Ives, Farah Ahmad, Ben C.H. Kuo, Neil Arya, Nimo Bokore, Kwame Mckenzie

Psychology Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health services rapidly transitioned to virtual care. Although such services can improve access for underserved populations, they may also present unique challenges, especially for refugee newcomers. This study examined the multidimensional nature of access to virtual mental health (VMH) care for refugee newcomers during the COVID-19 pandemic, using Levesque et al.’s Client-Centered Framework for Assessing Access to Health Care. One hundred and eight structured and semi structured interviews were conducted in four Canadian provinces (8 community leaders, 37 newcomer clients, 63 mental health or service providers or man-agers). Deductive qualitative analysis, based on the Client-Centered …

The Contribution Of Attachment Styles And Reassurance Seeking To Trust In Romantic Couples., Lyndsay Elizabeth Evraire, David J. A. Dozois, Jesse Lee Wilde

Psychology Publications

The current daily diary study examined the moderating impact of attachment style on the association between excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) behavior and trust in romantic dyads. A sample of 110 heterosexual couples completed measures of attachment, ERS, and relationship trust. In line with prior research, an anxious attachment style was associated with higher daily ERS, and an avoidant attachment style with lower daily ERS. Lower levels of trust were also associated with greater daily ERS. Moreover, analyses remained significant while controlling for symptoms of depression. This study extended the literature by demonstrating that for women with an anxious attachment style, …

Wisdom, Cultural Synergy, And Social Change: A Taiwanese Perspective, Shih Ying Yang, Ben C.H. Kuo, Song Po Lin

Psychology Publications

This study examined the relationships among wisdom, cultural synergy (i.e., incorporating lessons learned from different cultures), and social change by re-analyzing 220 “wisdom incidents” (i.e., real-life displays of wisdom) collected from 1997 to 2003 from 66 Taiwanese adults nominated as wise individuals (Yang, 2008a). We addressed these questions empirically with a mixed-methods approach: (a) “What are the features of cultural synergy involved in the Taiwanese wisdom nominees’ narratives about their displays of wisdom?”; and (b) “How are real-life displays of wisdom related to cultural synergy and social change?” Wisdom is defined as a real-life process that entails three components: (a) …

Impact Of Telelactation Services On Breastfeeding Outcomes Among Black And Latinx Parents: Protocol For The Tele-Milc Randomized Controlled Trial, Lori Uscher-Pines, Jill Demirci, Molly Waymouth, Rebecca Lawrence, Amanda Parks, Ateev Mehrotra, Kristin Ray, Maria Deyoreo, Kandice Kapinos

Psychology Publications

Background: Breastfeeding offers many medical and neurodevelopmental advantages for birthing parents and infants; however, the majority of parents stop breastfeeding before it is recommended. Professional lactation support by the International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) increases breastfeeding rates; however, many communities lack access to IBCLCs. Black and Latinx parents have lower breastfeeding rates, and limited access to professional lactation support may contribute to this disparity. Virtual “telelactation” consults that use twoway video have the potential to increase access to IBCLCs among disadvantaged populations. We present a protocol for the digital Tele-MILC trial, which uses mixed methods to evaluate the …

Factors Associated With Patient-Reported Experiences And Outcomes Of Substance Use Disorder Treatment In Cape Town, South Africa, Bronwyn Myers, J. Randy Koch, Kim Johnson, Nadine Harker

Psychology Publications

Background

Interventions are needed to improve the quality of South Africa’s substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system. This study aimed to identify factors associated with patient-reported suboptimal access, quality, and outcomes of SUD treatment to guide the design of targeted quality improvement initiatives.

Method

We analysed clinical record and patient survey data routinely collected by SUD services in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The sample included 1097 treatment episodes, representing 32% of all episodes in 2019. Using multivariate logistic regression, we modelled socio-demographic, substance use and treatment correlates of patient-reported suboptimal access to, quality and outcomes of SUD treatment. …

To Vax Or Not To Vax: Predictors Of Anti-Vax Attitudes And Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Prior To Widespread Vaccine Availability, Hannah A. Roberts, D. Angus Clark, Claire Kalina, Carter Sherman, Sarah Brislin, Mary M. Heitzeg, Brian M. Hick

Psychology Publications

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a highly contagious disease responsible for millions of deaths worldwide. Effective vaccines against COVID-19 are now available, however, an extreme form of vaccine hesitancy known as anti-vax attitudes challenge vaccine acceptance and distribution efforts. To understand these anti-vax attitudes and their associated psychological characteristics, we examined several predictors of vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19 and anti-vax attitudes generally. We surveyed 1004 adults (M = 47.0 years, SD = 17.1 years, range 18–98 years) in September-October 2020 across the United States (51% female, 49% male; 76.5% White, 23.5% non-White), prior to widespread availability of the COVID-19 vaccines. …

Formal Innovations To Clinical Cognitive Science And Assessment, Richard W.J. Neufeld, Matthew J. Shanahan

Psychology Publications

Mathematical modeling is increasingly driving progress in clinical cognitive science and assessment. Mathematical modeling is essential for detecting certain effects of psychopathology – mental disturbance--through comprehensive understanding of tell-tale cognitive variables such as workload capacity and efficiency in using capacity, and their contrast under quantitative measurement. The research paradigm guiding this formal clinical science is outlined. An example using a distinctive cognitive abnormality in schizophrenia – taking longer to cognitively represent encountered stimulation – provides an illustration of a quantitative framework for studying intricate mental health-impairing phenomena. Added benefits of formal developments, among others, include symptom description and prediction, new …

Exceptional Canadian Contributions To Research On Cognitive Vulnerability To Depression., David J. A. Dozois, Elizabeth P. Hayden

Psychology Publications

For more than four decades, Canadian psychologists have made significant contributions to the understanding of cognitive vulnerability to depression. This article highlights some of these exceptional contributions and the important roles Canadian scientists have played in enhancing our understanding of the cognitive products (e.g., dysfunctional attitudes), cognitive operations/processes (e.g., attention, encoding, and memory biases), and cognitive structures (i.e., cognitive organization) involved in depression. Following this review, we discuss research that has integrated cognitive vulnerability with other risk factors for depression, address some important measurement issues in cognitive vulnerability research, and highlight directions for future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 …

The Impact Of Sexual Education And Socialization On Sexual Satisfaction, Attitudes, And Self-Efficacy, Rebecca Nurgitz, Rebecca Pacheco Ms, Charlene Y. Senn, Karen L. Hobden

Psychology Publications

This study examined the relation between school-based sexual education and parental messages about sex received in adolescence, and sexual attitudes and experiences in young adulthood. Participants—99 Canadian undergraduate students aged 17–25 years—reported that their sexual education largely focused on traditional topics (e.g., negative health outcomes, physiology, etc.), while social and emotional topics were less likely to be formally covered. Parental sexual socialization that was more comfortable and accepting of teen sexuality was related to more permissive sexual attitudes in young adults, but was unrelated to self-efficacy or sexual satisfaction. When all variables were examined using hierarchical regression, sexual education and …

How Long Do Mood Induction Procedure (Mip) Primes Really Last? Implications For Cognitive Vulnerability Research., Jennifer C P Gillies, David J A Dozois

Psychology Publications

BACKGROUND: Mood Induction Procedures (MIPs) are used widely in research on cognitive vulnerability to depression. Although empirical evidence supports certain MIPs as effective, little research has evaluated whether MIP-induced sad moods are sufficiently persistent. This study aimed to determine (1) how long an MIP-induced mood lasts according to commonly used operational definitions and (2) whether these findings vary according to the type of MIP used.

METHODS: Four-hundred-and-one undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of three commonly used sad MIPs (music, memory, music+memory) or to one of three matched neutral MIPs. Mood was repeatedly measured immediately prior to and following …

Recovery From Anorexia Nervosa In Contemporary Taiwan: A Multiple-Case Qualitative Investigation From A Cultural-Contextual Perspective, Yunung Lee, Ben C.H. Kuo, Ping Hwa Chen, Nien Hwa Lai

Psychology Publications

Grounded in a cultural and contextual perspective, the current study examined the lived experiences and the recovery pathways of three Taiwanese women diagnosed with various subtypes of anorexia nervosa, at varying stages of their recovery. Specifically, using a multiple-case qualitative method, this study explored the complex, dynamic interactions of sociocultural factors and forces (i.e., cultural, familial, and societal influences) that impinge upon the three Taiwanese female participants in relation to living with anorexia nervosa in contemporary Taiwan. Data were collected based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with the participants and relevant written materials and journal entries provided by these participants. The …

An Evaluation Of Strategies Used To Maximize Intervention Fidelity In A Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Sexual Assault Resistance Program For University Women, Karen L. Hobden, Wilfreda E. Thurston, Gail L. Mcvey, Charlene Y. Senn

Psychology Publications

In this paper, we describe and evaluate the strategies used to maximize intervention fidelity in a randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of a sexual assault resistance intervention. The EAAA program was based on the best available theory and evidence on how women can successfully resist sexual coercion from male acquaintances. Extensive protocols for hiring, training, and supervising facilitators were established a priori. Detailed intervention manuals were developed that clearly described program goals, learning objectives, core elements, troubleshooting tips, sections that must be delivered verbatim, adaptations that could be made if necessary, and the ideal and minimum dose. Program …

Self-Esteem, Resilience, Social Support, And Acculturative Stress As Predictors Of Loneliness In Chinese Internal Migrant Children: A Model-Testing Longitudinal Study, Ben C.H. Kuo, Siqi Huang, Xiaoyan Li, Danhua Lin

Psychology Publications

The present study examined the risk and protective factors of loneliness among Chinese internal migrant children (CIMC) in Beijing, China, including self-esteem, resilience, social support, and acculturative stress. Longitudinal survey data were collected from a large sample of 4th, 5th, and 6th grade CIMC from three schools in Beijing, at four time points (N=862 at T1 to N=837 at T4) over a 20-month period. Grounded in the Cultural and Contextual Model of Coping and the Acculturation Theory, two predictor models of loneliness were tested with path analysis. The results yielded the following: a) the two predictor models fit the data …

Depressive Cognition On Twitter., David J A Dozois

Psychology Publications

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Psychiatric Symptomatology Types And Difficulties With Activity Caused By A Nervous System Or Sensory Organ Condition Among Latinx’S, Oswaldo Moreno

Psychology Publications

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Social Connectedness: From Interpersonal Schemas In Depression To Relationship Functioning And Well-Being, David J. A. Dozois

Psychology Publications

In this article, a program of research is described, which began with a focus on depression. A number of studies have demonstrated that negative self-schemas, particularly for interpersonal content, are well organized and appear to represent stable vulnerability factors for depression. Fortunately, this negative interpersonal structure is also modifiable through effective treatments (both psychological and pharmacological). An important extension of this research has involved investigating the impact of schemas on interpersonal phenomena (e.g., excessive reassurance seeking) and the formation of schemas about others (e.g., romantic partners). The dyadic partner-schema model, which articulates how self- and partner-schemas impact relationship functioning, is …

Neural Activity During Self-Referential Processing In Children At Risk For Depression., Pan Liu, Matthew R J Vandermeer, Marc F Joanisse, Deanna M Barch, David J A Dozois, Elizabeth P Hayden

Psychology Publications

BACKGROUND: According to cognitive theories of depression, more negative and less positive self-schemas are thought to play a causal role in the disorder. Existing evidence speaks to the neural substrates of self-referential processes in both healthy and depressed individuals, but little is known about how the brain relates to self-referential processing in the context of depression risk in children. We therefore studied the neural substrates of self-referential processing in never-depressed preadolescent children at high and low risk for depression based on maternal depression history.

METHODS: A total of 87 never-depressed 10-12-year-old children (29 with maternal depression) completed a self-referential encoding …

Online Mindfulness Training Increases Well-Being, Trait Emotional Intelligence, And Workplace Competency Ratings: A Randomized Waitlist-Controlled Trial, Ruby Nadler, Julie J. Carswell, John Paul Minda

Psychology Publications

A randomized waitlist-controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of an online 8-week mindfulness-based training program in a sample of adults employed fulltime at a Fortune 100 company in the United States. Baseline measures were collected in both intervention and control groups. Following training, the intervention group (N = 37) showed statistically significant increases in resilience and positive mood, and significant decreases in stress and negative mood. There were no reported improvements in the wait-list control group (N = 65). Trait mindfulness and emotional intelligence (EI) were also assessed. Following the intervention mindfulness intervention participants reported increases in trait …

Testing A Model Of How A Sexual Assault Resistance Education Program For Women Reduces Sexual Assaults, Charlene Y. Senn, Misha Eliasziw, Karen L. Hobden, Paula C. Barata, H. Lorraine Radtke, Wilfreda E. Thurston, Ian R. Newby-Clark

Psychology Publications

© The Author(s) 2020. The Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (EAAA) program has been shown to reduce sexual assaults experienced by university students who identify as women. Prevention researchers emphasize testing theory-based mechanisms once positive outcomes related to effectiveness are established. We assessed the process by which EAAA’s positive outcomes are achieved in a sample of 857 first year university students. EAAA’s goals are to increase risk detection in social interactions, decrease obstacles to risk detection or resistance with known men, and increase women’s use of effective self-defense. We used chained multiple mediator modeling to assess the combined effects of the …

Demographic Factors And Attitudes Towards Mental Health Medication Treatments Among Latinxs, Kyle Hernandez-Figueroa, Jesus Carranza, Jennifer Argueta-Contreras, Isis Garcia-Rodriguez, Oswaldo Moreno

Psychology Publications

Attitudes towards mental health medications vary, however negative perceptions are often born of normative cultural values, stigma, and religious fatalism,1-3 as well as overall demographic characteristics such as gender, nativity, and primary language.4,5 Further research suggests many Latinx adults fear negative outcomes from adhering to medication for mental health treatment, such as dependence and side effects and, instead, would prefer psychotherapy over psychopharmacology.1,2 Lastly, a lack of health literacy,6 culturally appropriate treatments and information,7 as well as barriers to care also have shown to impact attitudes towards mental health medication treatments among Latinxs.8 To date, little attention has been given …

The Bio-Psycho-Social-Cultural Domains And Their Impact On Psychopharmacological Utilization Among Latinxs, Jesus Carranza, Kyle Hernandez, Jennifer Arguetta-Contreras, Isis Garcia-Rodriguez, Oswaldo Moreno

Psychology Publications

The Latinx population has become the largest minority group in the United States (U.S.).1 Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Latinxs are younger and have less formal education. This community is also confronted with additional stressors (i.e., more likely to have problems of unemployment, poverty, lack of insurance, and language barriers).2 Although Latinxs are just as likely as non-Hispanic Whites to suffer from a mental illness, they are more likely to go untreated.3 Specifically, Latinxs experiences with psychopharmacological treatments is not well understood but can be studied through the multipath model (MPM).4 The MPM offers a way to view the variety and …

Immigration Policies On Adolescent Trauma Among Mixed-Status Latinx Families: A Systematic Review, Isis Garcia-Rodriguez, Oswaldo Moreno

Psychology Publications

The current policy surrounding immigration in the United States (U.S.) has sparked negative attitudes surrounding individuals that are undocumented, as well as mixed-status families.¹ Latinx adolescents residing in the U.S. are already at risk for psychological (i.e., depression, stress, anxiety) and physical health problems (i.e., chronic and acute health problems),^2-4 and the current political climate only exacerbates these health outcomes.^5-7 These experiences are striking given that 58.9 million Latinx individuals reside in the U.S.⁸ Given the impact that these recent local and federal policies have on the largest minority group in the U.S., these policies may …

Health Conditions, Access To Care, Mental Health, And Wellness Behaviors In Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Adults, Richard S. Henry, Paul B. Perrin, Ashlee Sawyer, Mickeal Pugh Jr.

Psychology Publications

This study examined relationships among wellness behaviors, physical health conditions, mental health, health insurance, and access to care among a sample of 317 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults. Participants completed a web-administered survey from May 2013 to April 2014. Of the sample, 41.6% of the participants reported having one or more health conditions. Most participants (92.1%) reported access to a health care facility and current health insurance coverage (84.9%), though 24.9% of those with health insurance reported being incapable of paying the copayments. Physical health conditions, age, and self-esteem explained 24% of the variance in engagement in wellness …

Acculturation, Religious Fatalism, & Psychological Healthcare Utilization Among Latinxs, Camila Tirado, Isis Garcia-Rodriguez, Oswaldo Moreno

Psychology Publications

As Latinxs acculturate to the U.S. (i.e., changes and transfer of customs from the host culture1 ), they may have more positive attitudes towards psychological healthcare utilization .2 Religious fatalism, the belief that an individual’s health is predetermined by a higher power, has also been shown to be associated with healthcare utilization, such that individuals who endorse higher religious fatalism have more negative attitudes and less health care utilization.3 Thus, acculturations’ association on healthcare utilization may be heavily influenced through religious fatalism; however, little is known about Latinxs specifically. Using a community sample of 102 (63 females and 39 males, …