Psychology Commons^™

Assessment Of Religious Motivation And Its Effects On Health Related Behaviors, John Austin Davis

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The belief that one’s religious behavior can influence health, either by formal offerings to religious shamans or the uttering of a prayer to an unseen deity, likely predates recorded history and finds its most basic beliefs expressed in Exodus 15:26, “I will put none of the diseases upon you which I put upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord, your healer.” Findings and observations published in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s that some of the membership among the more conservative denominations with strict proscriptions regarding health behavior experience lower rates of cancer and heart disease supported this belief, …

The Impact Of Sexism On Older Women's Mental And Physical Health, Kelli Lynn Mcswan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Research has demonstrated that discrimination accounts for a statistically significant portion of the variance in women’s reported physical and mental symptoms above and beyond that accounted for by generic stressors. Furthermore, the literature suggests that discrimination in the elderly has lead to inadequate medical care as well as psychological and physical problems. Relatively little is known, however, about the degree to which older women perceive or experience sexism. This study investigated whether or not elderly women experience sexism and the impact it may have on their mental and physical health.

The Cardiac Correlates Of Attention In The Denervated Heart: A Study Of Infant Heart Transplant Recipients, Stephanie Dianne Griffone

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The cardiac correlate of attention is a deceleration in heart rate, controlled by the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. This has been extensively studied in infants; the findings indicate that this deceleration is affected by a number of factors, several mediated by the vagus nerve. However, the effects of denervation on this response are not known. Studies with adult heart transplant recipients have shown attenuated acceleration in response to stressful mental tasks. This study investigated the cardiac response to attention in infants who had received a heart transplant, using a habituation paradigm. The hypothesis that they would show …

Attentional Processing In Parkinson's Disease: Hyperkinetic And Akinetic Type, Christine Diane Kraus

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Parkinson's disease (P.D.) has long been thought of as a single disorder. Recent research involving neurochemistry, neurophysiology, and detailed analysis of symptoms, have created a basis for questioning the concept that P.D. is a singular disorder. Literature suggests there may be two primary subtypes (with the possibility of others). The two probable subtypes are hyperkinetic, in which tremor is the predominate symptom and akinetic, in which, gait freezing and postural instability predominate.

In both of these pathological manifestations, several investigators have noted cognitive deficits including attention. The differences in symptomotology and neuropathology attributed to these probable subtypes suggest that there …

Development Of A Bedside Examination Of Cognition In Multiple Sclerosis (Becims), Gregory Scott Aaen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Approximately 40% of all patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) exhibit some form of cognitive impairment. Identifying impairment in these patients would be beneficial to the patients and to society. However, it is too costly to refer every MS patient for full neuropsychological testing. Consequently, many attempts have been made to develop screening batteries for use by neurologists. Unfortunately, these batteries are rarely used clinically as all require approximately 20-40 minutes to administer and most require special equipment. Given the time constraints of an office visit it is unrealistic to expect neurologists to administer such tests. The present pilot study is …

Therapist Factors As Predictors Of The Experience Of Memory Recovery In Psychotherapy, Tami Lorraine Young

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Psychotherapist factors as predictors of client memory recovery of childhood sexual abuse following a period of amnesia were investigated. Marriage and family therapists and clinical psychologists in California were surveyed regarding the degree of research emphasis in academic training, knowledge of memory processes and professional standards of care regarding memory recovery in psychotherapy, degree of ambiguity tolerance, use of memory recovery techniques and client memory recovery. Therapists with greater research emphasis in academic training reported having fewer clients with memory recovery. Also, therapists who were intolerant of ambiguity used memory recovery techniques more than did therapists who were tolerant. Finally, …

Memory For Bizarre Imagery: A Storage-Retrieval Analysis, Mary Louise Lamay

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Four experiments were conducted to examine the role that storage and retrieval processes play in the bizarreness effect. The experiments provided a test of Riefer and LaMay's (1992) twolactor hypothesis, which states that bizarre stimuli are retrieved from Meitbry better than common stimuli, but that common stimuli are stored better than bizarre stimuli. The experimental results were also used to test the validity of Riefer and Rouder's (1992) and Rouder and Batchelder's (1999) multinomial models for storage and retrieval. The experiments explored several variables known to impact the bizarreness effect, including mixed vs. unmixed lists, list length, presentation rate, level …

Locus Of Control, Coping, And Anticipatory Nausea In Women With Breast Cancer, Melinda L. Nielsen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Many cancer patients experience adverse chemotherapy-related side effects. The present study examined whether the perception that one can control and effectively cope with her treatment for breast cancer mitigate against any nausea and vomiting that she may experience in anticipation of chemotherapy treatments. Seventy-five women with breast cancer completed the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale - Form C, the Krantz Health Opinion Survey, the Ways of Coping Scale - Revised, and the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis. As hypothesized, internal health locus of control was significantly positively related to positive reappraisal coping strategies. This relationship was moderated by …

Locus Of Control, Coping, And Anticipatory Nausea In Women With Breast Cancer, Melinda L. Nielsen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Many cancer patients experience adverse chemotherapy-related side effects. The present study examined whether the perception that one can control and effectively cope with her treatment for breast cancer mitigate against any nausea and vomiting that she may experience in anticipation of chemotherapy treatments. Seventy-five women with breast cancer completed the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale - Form C, the Krantz Health Opinion Survey, the Ways of Coping Scale - Revised, and the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis. As hypothesized, internal health locus of control was significantly positively related to positive reappraisal coping strategies. This relationship was moderated by …

Predicting Milk And Soft Drink Consumption Among Female Adolescents Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Nada Osman Kassem

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A total of 756 female adolescents, aged 13 to 18 years, from five public high schools in Antelope Valley Union High School District located in North Los Angeles County participated in this study between February 1999 and March 1999. The ethnic composition was 53.3% White/Anglo Americans, 19.3% Hispanics or Latinos and 10.2% Black/African Americans. The constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control and their underlying beliefs) were assessed to determine the predictors of low-fat milk and regular soda consumption. A cross-sectional design with group-administered questionnaires was utilized.

Most participants (89.6%, n = 636) …