Psychology Commons^™

Associations Between Adolescent Cannabis Use Trajectories And Anxiety, Jacqueline C. Duperrouzel

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the effects of cannabis use is critical for reducing adverse behavioral, social, and academic outcomes, particularly among adolescent users who are most at risk for cannabis related problems. Although support from both the animal and human literatures suggests the relationship between cannabis and anxiety may be associated with levels of use, much is still unknown. Thus, examining relationships between the most common mental health issue in adolescence and one of the most commonly used drugs is of great public health significance and impact. Prior longitudinal studies assessing effects of cannabis use on anxiety have not evaluated different patterns of …

The Protective Influence Of Self-Compassion Against Internalized Racism Among African Americans, Alexandra Emery

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Racist experiences and internalized racism may lead to poorer mental health outcomes for African Americans born and socialized in the United States (Graham, West, Martinez & Roemer, 2016; Mouzon & McLean, 2017). Self-compassion has been shown to protect against poor mental health outcomes, but limited research exists with respect to African Americans specifically (Lockard, Hayes, Neff and Locke, 2014). The present study explored whether self-compassion could serve as a protective factor between the relations of internalized racism and racist experiences, and the negative mental health outcomes of anxiety, depression, and stress among (N = 230) African American adults. To …

Socioemotional Selectivity And Psychological Health In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients And Caregivers: A Longitudinal, Dyadic Analysis, Suzanne C. Segerstrom, Edward J. Kasarskis, David W. Fardo, Philip M. Westgate

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Socioemotional selectivity theory predicts that as the end of life approaches, goals and resources that provide immediate, hedonic reward become more important than those that provide delayed rewards. This study tested whether these goal domains differentially affected psychological health in the context of marital dyads in which one partner had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a life-limiting disease.

Design: ALS patients (N = 102) being treated in three multidisciplinary clinics and their spouses (N = 100) reported their loneliness, financial worry and psychological health every 3 months for up to 18 months.

Main …

Early Negative Affect In Males And Females With Fragile X Syndrome: Implications For Anxiety And Autism, Carla A. Will, Abigail L. Hogan, Elizabeth A. Will, Samuel Mcquillin, Bridgette L. Kelleher, Jane E. Roberts

Faculty Publications

Background Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder that is highly comorbid with anxiety and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Elevated negative affect in young children has been associated with increased risk for both anxiety and ASD; however, these relations remain poorly understood in FXS.

Methods The present prospective longitudinal study examined the trajectory of negative affect from infancy through preschool in males and females with FXS and typical development and its relation to anxiety and ASD.

Results Results indicate a complex association reflecting group, developmental, and sex effects. Specifically, the group with FXS displayed a trajectory of increasing negative …

Not Immune To Mental Health Problems: The Prevalence Of Depression And Anxiety In Student-Athletes, Lindsay L. Craig, Robert E. Seifer, Ashley M. Stripling, John E. Lewis

Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches and Lectures

No abstract provided.

Effects Of A Brief Mindfulness Induction On Death-Related Anxiety, David M. Schultz, Randolph C. Arnau

Faculty Publications

This study examined effects of a mindfulness induction on proximal and distal defense responses to mortality salience and negative affect. Three experimental conditions were included: mindfulness, mind-wandering, and worrying. Participants in the mindfulness condition underwent a mindfulness induction at the experiment’s outset, while participants in the other two conditions underwent a mind-wandering or worry induction. Inductions involved following guided audio instructions presented via headphones. All conditions (N = 77) underwent a mortality salience induction after experimental manipulation, involving a written exercise pertaining to one’s death. Results indicated fewer proximal responses in the mindfulness and mind-wandering groups, compared with the worrying …

Severe Social Withdrawal: Cultural Variation In Past Hikikomori Experiences Of University Students In Nigeria, Singapore, And The United States, Julie C. Bowker, Matthew H. Bowker, Jonathan Santo, Adesola Adebusola Ojo, Rebecca G, Etkin, Radhi Raja

Psychology Faculty Publications

Hikikomori (social withdrawal that lasts six months or longer) is a growing problem among Japanese adolescents and young adults, with recent estimates that approximately 1% of Japanese youths will suffer from an episode of hikikomori in their lifetimes. What remains unclear is whether hikikomori is a culture-bound syndrome or a condition impacting youths around the globe. Hence, the self-reported prevalence and psychosocial correlates of past experiences with hikikomori were examined in cross-sectional samples of university students from Singapore (n = 147), Nigeria (n = 151), and the United States (n = 301). Following tests of measurement invariance, …

Infant Emotion Regulation With Mothers And Fathers: The Roles Of Infant Temperament And Parent Psychopathology, Ashley Quigley

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The ability to regulate emotions is a key part of infants’ social and emotional development, but this ability may differ due to different factors internal and external to the infant. The current study examined the association between infant temperament and parent psychopathology to predict emotion regulation strategies in a sample of 4-montholds using the diathesis-stress model (Monroe & Simons, 1991). Parent-report questionnaires were used to measure infant temperament (the Infant-Behavior Questionnaire-Revised, IBQ-R; Gartstein & Rothbart, 2003) and parental psychopathology (Inventory of Depression and Anxiety, IDAS; Watson et al., 2007). Infants’ use of parent-focused, attentional distraction, and self-soothing strategies were rated …

Attentional Processes In Anxiety: Examining Threat-Related Attention Bias And Attentional Control In Anxious Youth, Raquel Melendez

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attention bias modification treatment (ABMT) is a computer-administered intervention informed by theoretical models implicating the role of attentional processes in the etiology and maintenance of anxiety. Attention bias modification treatment presents an innovative, cost-effective approach to meeting demand for treatment of anxiety disorders; however data are limited regarding long-term outcomes and related predictors of ABMT treatment outcomes in youth. Therefore, the present study examined long-term outcomes of ABMT as a standalone or adjunctive treatment in 74 youth referred to an anxiety disorders clinic. Three groups of youth (ages 9 to 22) were identified and assessed approximately one to six years …

Infant Social Avoidance Predicts Autism But Not Anxiety In Fragile X Syndrome, Jane E. Roberts, Hayley Crawford, Elizabeth A. Will, Abigail L. Hogan, Samuel Dale Mcquillin, Bridgette L. Tonnsen, Shannon O'Connor, Douglas A. Roberts, Alexis M. Brewe

Faculty Publications

Objective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety are three of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders. Early trajectories of social avoidance have been linked with these psychiatric disorders in previous studies, but it remains unclear how social avoidance differentially predicts comorbid disorders in a high-risk genetic subgroup. Here, we delineate the association between trajectories of social avoidance from infancy and subsequent ASD, ADHD, and anxiety outcomes at preschool in children with fragile X syndrome (FXS), a well-characterized single-gene disorder highly associated with social avoidance as well as elevated rates of ASD, ADHD, and anxiety.

Method: Males with …

Examining The Coping Resources Of Polyvictimized Youth And Young Adults, Zachary Robert Myers

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Bullying represents a significant concern for many youth and young adults in the United States and abroad. However, the growth of technology has allowed for new platforms in which perpetrators can engage in bullying behaviors, such as text and video messaging, social media applications, and online gaming. In addition, research has suggested that the majority of cyberbullied individuals experience co-occurring in-person victimization as well. These trends are concerning, given that findings within both the traditional and cyberbullying literatures place victimized youth at-risk for a host of social and emotional concerns. However, research has yet to fully explore the unique experiences …

Toward Reducing Stress And Anxiety In Nursing Students: Implementing An Evidence-Based Mindfulness Program, Susan Mckee

DNP Final Reports

Stress and anxiety are increasing in college students, especially in nursing students who complete didactic and clinical courses concurrently. Nursing students report feeling overwhelmed, with distress affecting academic performance and balance of school and personal demands. Mindfulness is an evidence-based method of reducing human suffering due to troubling conditions such as pain, chronic illness, or psychological issues including stress and anxiety. This paper addresses the state of the science of mindfulness and details the current mental health concerns of college students, specifically nursing students. The body of evidence, gathered through a systematic search, suggests that mindfulness reduces stress and anxiety …

Mental Health Stigma In College Students By Academic Major, Kristen Miller

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Stigma is best defined as the disapproval and shame felt by people who display characteristics not widely accepted in society. Although mental illness has become more prevalent in society through advocacy and awareness campaigns, it fails to be accepted and often individuals may feel shame that prevents them from seeking help (Dyrbye, Eacker, Durning, Brazeau, Moutier, Massie, S., et al, 2015; Givens & Tjia, 2002). Physicians in particular have been shown to have decreased help-seeking behaviors for psychological issues due to fear of professional repercussions (Dyrbye et al., 2015). Physicians also show increased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and elevated …

Efficacy Of Mindfulness On Stress And Anxiety In Adolescents: A Systematic Review, Callimarie Bell

Psychology Capstone Projects

Most mental health problems begin early in life, with 50% of all problems beginning by the age of 14. Thus, adolescents are a vulnerable population and factors impacting their mental health should be examined. One factor is stress. Stress has been linked to both mental and physical health problems, depression, and anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health problem among adolescents. A potential treatment is that of mindfulness. Mindfulness originated from Buddhism and is the non-judgmental acceptance of thought, feelings, and experiences. Mindfulness has been found to reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety, alleviate chronic pain, and reduce …

The Relations Between Anxiety Symptoms And Friendships In Adolescence, Phoebe Welcome

Honors College

Anxiety symptoms can often be experienced as a silent struggle in adolescence, as many anxious adolescents do not exhibit outward symptoms. Identifying adolescents who are struggling with subthreshold anxiety symptoms can be even more difficult. As adolescence is a time where friendships become primary sources for emotional support, youth who experience anxiety symptoms and associated distress may have trouble navigating close relationships with peers. The current study aims to investigate the relations between adolescents’ anxiety symptoms and their friendship functioning, as well as the impact of their anxiety symptoms on friends’ emotional adjustment. Data were taken from a larger project …

Distinguishing Performance On Tests Of Executive Functions Between Those With Depression And Anxiety, Justn Burgess, J Burgess, Charles J. Golden

Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches and Lectures

Objective: To see if there are differences in executive functions between those diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and those with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Participants and Methods: The data were chosen from a de-identified database at a neuropsychological clinic in South Florida. The sample used was adults diagnosed with MDD (n=75) and GAD (n=71) and who had taken the Halstead Category Test, Trail Making Test, Stroop Test, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Age (M=32.97, SD=11.75), gender (56.7% female), and race (52.7% White) did not differ between groups. IQ did not differ but education did (MDD=13.41 years, SD=2.45; GAD=15.11 …

Smartphone Addiction And Its Relationship With Indices Of Social-Emotional Distress And Personality, Adam M. Volungis, Maria Kalpidou, Colleen Popores, Mark Joyce

Psychology Department Faculty Works

We examined the relationships among smartphone addiction, social-emotional distress (e.g., anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and loneliness), and personality traits among 150 undergraduate college students. Participants completed the Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the UCLA Loneliness Scale-3, and the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five-Factor Inventory-3. Results showed that the more students were addicted to their smartphone, the higher their reported social-emotional distress was. Additionally, logistic analyses supported the predictive nature of smartphone addiction on specific domains of social-emotional distress. Personality did not moderate the relationship between smartphone addiction and social-emotional distress. However, neuroticism had a positive relationship with …

Relations Of Emotion Regulation, Negative And Positive Affect To Anxiety And Depression In Middle Childhood, Kristen Uhl, Leslie F. Halpern, Celia Tam, Jeremy K Fox, Julie L. Ryan

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Objectives: The associations between coping, emotion regulation, and child psychopathology have been the subject of extensive research. Many studies have focused on voluntary processes of emotion regulation. In addition to controlled regulatory processes, children’s involuntary, automatic processes based in individual differences in temperament may also impact emotion regulation and children’s psychological adjustment. The current study examined the relations of emotion regulation and temperament to children’s symptoms of anxiety and depression in middle childhood. Methods: Study participants included 126 children (50% Male, 68.0% Caucasian; M = 9.60 years, SD = 0.52) recruited from a suburban school district. Participants completed self-report measures …