Psychology Commons^™

Characteristics Of College Students Seeking Mental Health Services And Reasons Given For Choosing The Mental Health Service Provider, Ann Leslie Athorp

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The literature related to college mental health counseling suggested numerous possible factors which were hypothesized to play a significant role in choosing a mental health care agency. A questionnaire was constructed to measure demographics of students utilizing the Utah State University Counseling Center, spontaneous reasons for choosing the center as the preferred mental health agency, and literature-based reasons for the same. Subjects reported that they chose the university counseling center for practical reasons such as cost and location. However, factor analysis of the literature - based reasons endorsed by these subjects suggested that trust in the counseling center and its …

The Relationship Between Eating Disorders And Ego Identity Development, Mary Denise Sparks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The age of onset for eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia nervosa) among females is typically late adolescence. In the present study, it was hypothesized that the onset of eating disorders is related to the late-adolescent developmental task of identity development. Thirty-three late adolescent and young adult females who met DSM-III-R criteria for an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or eating disorder not otherwise specified) and 33 control females completed the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity status -- 2 (EOMEIS-2). Results of chi square analyses revealed no significant differences between eating disorder and control females with regard to status …

Modern Racism: A Cross-Cultural View Of Racial And Ethnic Attitudes, Timothy B. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The study and measurement of attitudes toward racial and ethnic groups are important parts of the field of cross-cultural psychology. The present study examined a theory of racial attitudes, that of symbolic racism, and several demographic variables. The sample population consisted of 575 Caucasians and 122 Far-East Asian college students. Results indicated that Symbolic Racism is a unique theoretical construct, that Caucasian students were less racially biased than their Asian peers, and that group differences in racial attitudes existed across religious affiliation, number of reported interracial friendships, and gender.

The Relationship Between Perceived Parenting Styles And Adolescent Locus Of Control And Self-Concept, Lisa Ann Mcclun

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Relationships between adolescents' perceptions of their parents' responsiveness and demandingness, adolescents' locus of control orientation, and adolescents' self-concept ratings were investigated. Subjects included 198 students from a middle school in northern Utah. Subjects were given the Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Control Scale for Children, the Harter Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents, and the Perceived Parenting Style Survey.

Results indicated that subjects who perceived their parents as being authoritative had significantly (p < .001) more internal locus of control scores than subjects who reported either the permissive or authoritarian styles. Also, self-concept scores were significantly higher (p < .001) for the authoritative group than the authoritarian group on the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents subscales of Scholastic Competence, Social Acceptance, Physical Appearance, Behavioral Conduct, Close Friendship, and Global Self Worth. The permissive group reported significantly lower scores (p < .05) on the subscales of Scholastic Competence and Behavioral Conduct. There was also a significant negative correlation (p < .001) between locus of control scores and the subscale scores on the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents.

Although there were some limitations in the study methodology, the significant differences found between the groups indicated that the authoritative parenting style positively correlates with higher self-concept and …

Lack Of Control As A Predictive Factor For Stress-Related Symptoms In Rape Victims, Chad Sombke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Researchers have agreed that most rape victims experience stress-related symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. There have also been numerous studies that have tried to predict the severity of those stress-related symptoms, but the literature is inconclusive. Lack of perceived control is consistently mentioned in the rape research literature as being present in rape victims, but no study has empirically examined the relationship between perceived control and a rape victim's stress-related symptoms.

The purpose of this study was to empirically examine the relationship between perceived control and stress-related symptoms in rape victims. This was accomplished by comparing a group of …

The Efficacy Of Level Of Adjunct Questions Over Time By Discourse Type, Ying Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The potential differential effects of discourse type on the study of adjunct question efficacy were examined. The interaction among discourse type, question level, and time of test was investigated as reflected by readers' intentional and incidental learning outcomes. Eighty-four undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory psychology course were randomly assigned to four experimental conditions: (a) texts with low-order questions, (b) texts with high-order questions, (c) texts with both low- and high-order questions, and (d) texts with no questions. Each subject read both the narrative text and the expository text. The dependent measure was composed of five subscales of the criterion …

Perceived Control: Precursors To Achievement In Oglala Lakota Children, Stephen Blaine Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The discrepancy between American Indian and Caucasian children in academic achievement is well documented. Theorists suggest a connection between perceived locus of control and the level of educational performance. This study first sought to determine if the factor structure of a measure of the perception of lo cu s of control (Multidimensional Measure of Children's Perceptions of Control) was similar for Caucasian and American Indian (Oglala Lakota) children. Second, the study sought to determine if there were differences between the groups on the MMCPC subtest scores. Finally, the study sought to determine the relationship between locus of control and academic …

The Role Of Gender Differences In The Relationship Between Guilt- And Shame-Proneness And Depressive Symptomatology, Julie Bingham Shiffler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the role played by gender in the relationship between the degree of depressive symptomatology and levels of adaptive guilt-, maladaptive guilt-, and shame-proneness in a college population. A measure of depressive symptomatology (the Beck Depression Inventory) and a measure of guilt- and shame-proneness (the Self-Conscious Affect and Attribution Inventory - Revised) were administered to 299 college students (113 males and 186 females). Females reported higher total levels of depressive symptomatology than males. Statistically significant gender differences were found for nine BDI items. Females also had higher levels of adaptive guilt-, maladaptive guilt-, …

The Prevalence Of Dual Diagnosis Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder And Alcoholism In The Literature: A Critical Meta-Analytic Review, Joseph B. Stone

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationship between alcoholism and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has been discussed in two research areas: research on the prevalence of GAD in alcoholics, and the prevalence of alcoholism in individuals diagnosed with GAD. Studies indicate that between 6 to 26% of alcoholics have a current diagnosis of GAD, with a lifetime prevalence rate of up 51%. In the general population, 4% would currently receive a diagnosis of GAD, with a lifetime prevalence of 8%.

This meta-analytic review of the empirical literature examines the relationship between GAD and alcoholism. The author used percentages to compare the results of various studies. …

The Significance Of Dispositional Optimism And Coping In Predicting Psychological Distress, Life Satisfaction, Health Perception, And Frequency Of Discharges In The Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (Aicd) Patient, Paul B. Damin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Dispositional optimism, as a stable outcome expectancy, has been shown to predict health outcomes in several contexts. Research has demonstrated that health-impaired subjects with optimistic outlooks fared better than those with a pessimistic outlook. Choice of coping strategies has been theorized as the mediating factor through which optimism operates. However, the construct of dispositional optimism has been challenged as a polar opposite of neuroticism, thus contending that optimism is not an independent notion.

The present study was designed to evaluate further the theoretical underpinnings of dispositional optimism theory. Subjects were selected from a population of cardiac patients who received an …

The Impact Of Adolescent Pregnancy And Childbearing Experiences On Adolescent Psychosocial Development, Kwisun Huh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite the number of teen pregnancy studies in the past, there is a dearth of empirical data relevant to the issue of psychosocial and/or developmental changes in adolescent mothers. Most previous studies have addressed the negative and devastating impact of teen pregnancy on adolescent development. The premise of these early studies was that adolescents have pathological reasons for becoming pregnant. Contrary to these studies, an underlying assumption of this study was that teen pregnancy as a life crisis could entail the same facilitating and inhibiting factors that emerge with other adolescent life crises. Based on Erikson's theoretical framework, this study …

Perfectionism In Social Anxiety: Cognitive And Behavioral Correlates, Douglas E. Craig

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perfectionism and social anxiety in general as well as social phobia, specifically. Subjects completed the Personal Standards Scale, the Fear of Negative Evaluation scale, and the Social Phobia and Agoraphobia Inventory. Results indicated that neurotic perfectionism is positively associated with both general social anxiety and social phobia. Moreover, the neurotic elements of perfectionism -- "concern over making mistakes" and "doubts about actions" -- appeared to be better predictors of social anxiety than high performance standards alone. Differences between social phobia and social anxiety secondary to agoraphobia as related to …

Intraventricular Hemorrhage Sequelae In Low Birthweight Infants: A Meta-Analysis, Shannon G. Thompson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Technological advances in neonatal care have dramatically improved the survival and disability rates among low birthweight infants (LBW). One common factor associated with later problems among these babies is intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). A meta-analysis was conducted among LBW infants with and without IVH to determine developmental outcome. More than 450 studies were located. Only 125 studies met inclusion criteria.

Mean effect sizes were computed by comparing the LBW group to either a fullterm control group or to test norms. When compared to fullterm children, LBW children scored worse in all areas except gross motor skills.

Cognitive assessment was done commonly …

A Meta-Analytical Review Of The Literature On The Efficacy Of The Systematic Training For Effective Parenting (Step) Program, David George Gibson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An analysis of previous reviews of the parent education literature revealed that few reviewers have incorporated sound methodological practice in their review process. Most reviewers included too few studies and ignored important information about the primary research studies that they reviewed. The Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) program has received less attention from reviewers than any of the other popular programs and information about its effectiveness is lacking.

Forty primary research studies, addressing the effectiveness of the STEP program, were located and analyzed using the meta-analytic method of review. Research questions for this study addressed the issues of effectiveness …

Bingeing Tendencies: Cross-Generational Similarities Between Mothers And Daughters, Kimberly K. Bushman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was an investigation of the relationship between 146 mothers' and daughters' (sixth and seventh grade) eating and dieting behaviors. Subjects completed the Bulimia Test-Revised (BUILT-R), Revised Dietary Scales (Restraint Scale), and Food Avoidance Conflict Inventory. The inventories completed by the daughters were slightly modified for better comprehension. The present researcher created an additional subscale (Critical Binge subscale) from the BUILT-R as a means of assessing actual bingeing behavior.

A significant correlation was found between mothers' and daughters' scores on the BUILT-R, including the Total and Binge Control subscale. There failed to be a significant relationship between mothers' and …

Conceptualizing The Youthful Male Sex Offender: A Meta-Analytic Examination Of Offender Characteristics By Offense Type, Roger B. Graves

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A review of the literature demonstrates that, to date, no concerted effort has been made to conceptualize and develop typologies for youthful male sex offenders on the basis of offense type. Such typologies are deemed important to the understanding of possible developmental antecedents for sexual offending, as well as to the development of theory-driven, empirically based interventions and preventions. This study attempts to begin the conceptualization process through a meta-analytic examination of 140 research samples that provide data on over 16,000 individuals who have committed sexual offenses as youth. Three subtypes of offenders are identified on the basis of offense …