Psychology Commons^™

Body Image Dissatisfaction In Correlation With Self-Efficacy And Depression, Nate Burden

Student Works

This literature review focuses on the topic of body image dissatisfaction (BID) and self efficacy/esteem. I aimed to review the association between the two. Multiple databases were included, primarily utilizing terms such as “self-esteem” “Body image dissatisfaction” “depression” and “Self-efficacy”. Results review the various factors of body image dissatisfaction. These factors included aspects of appearance in various regions of the body, but primarily through weight and body shape. I reviewed the association and comparison of depression with body image dissatisfaction. The goal was in identifying the cause effect relationship between the two leading to the next part of the study. …

Maternal Depression Moderated By Family Resources When Children Have Developmental Disabilities., Timothy B. Smith, Terisa P. Gabrielsen

Faculty Publications

Children with developmental disabilities require extensive parental involvement in intervention, but parents with depression may be less able to intervene effectively. We examined prevalence of depression symptoms and predictors among 131 mothers of children with disabilities enrolled in early childhood special education. Participants completed several self-report measures of depression and child and family functioning. Children were directly evaluated using the Battelle Developmental Inventory. One year later, 68 mothers repeated self-report measures. Participants (30%) reported elevated depression symptoms across time. Depression scores were correlated with parental stress and family resources. An interaction between higher maternal depression and higher child functioning with …

Incorporating Religion Into Therapy To Better Treat Depression, Jacob Tubbs

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common treatment option for depression. Often, CBT is only effective at masking the symptoms of depression without helping the person overcome depression altogether; thus, it may benefit CBT patients if alternative therapies are combined with CBT. Incorporating the patient’s religion into therapy is an alternative that may help many people. A large percentage of Americans are still religious or spiritual. This literature review discusses methods of building a personalized version of CBT that incorporates the patient’s religion, or religiously integrated CBT (RCBT), and the effects …

Insomnia Is Associated With Frequency Of Suicidal Ideation Independent Of Depression: A Replication And Extension Of Findings From The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, Zach Simmons, Lance D. Erickson, Dawson Hedges, Daniel Kay

Faculty Publications

Objective: Insomnia is associated with suicidality, although the mechanisms of this association are unclear. This study sought to replicate previous findings showing that insomnia symptoms but not sleep duration are associated with frequency of suicidal ideation in adults. We further investigated whether depression or sleep duration moderates the association between insomnia symptoms and frequency of suicidal ideation.

Materials and Methods: We used the 2005–2006 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to replicate previously reported findings from the 2007–2008 cycle. We used ordered logistic regression to determine whether insomnia symptoms were associated with frequency of suicidal ideation independently …

Validating The Collegiate Optimism Orientation Test And Exploring Its Correlation To Gpa And Mental Health Among College Students, Emilia Bingham

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Collegiate Optimism Orientation Test (COOT) was designed to provide a more specific and accurate understanding of an individual’s optimism in a collegiate setting. The current study investigates the reliability and validity of the COOT in order to demonstrate its usefulness as a measure of optimism in college students and examines the relationship between optimism and both mental health and GPA. Participants were gathered using online survey websites, one of which was specific for students at Brigham Young University specifically and the other of which was open to any college student in the United States. Participants took a survey consisting …

Pain That Lasts: The Long-Term Mental Health Implications Of Childhood Bullying, Jesse Whetton

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

No abstract provided.

Thinking Outside The Checkbox: Examining The Benefits Of Depression In The Workplace, Tyler L. Jensen

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

No abstract provided.

What Is The Relationship Between Religiosity, Self-Perceived Problematic Pornography Use, And Depression Over Time?, Meghan Elizabeth Maddock

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies suggest that religious individuals are more likely than non-religious individuals to perceive their pornography use as problematic. For our six-month longitudinal study, we recruited a sample of adults from Turkprime.com. We hypothesized that more religious individuals who use pornography at baseline would report higher self-perceived problematic pornography use at three months, which would be associated with higher depression at six months. We constructed and validated our own measure of self-perceived problematic pornography use, which included two factors: excessive pornography use and compulsive pornography use. We ran two separate structural equation models, one with excessive use at three months …

Healthy Habits To Reduce Sleep Deprivation In College Students, Jenna L. Bair

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Abstract

Sleep can affect many regular functions in the body. Consequently, the physiological and psychological effects of sleep deprivation have many ramifications, including long-term health issues, depression, and eating disorders (Alhola & Polo-Kantola, 2007; Beiter et al., 2015; Jarcho, Slavich, Tylova-Stein, Wolkowitz, & Burke, 2013; Ozsoy, Besirli, Unal, Abdulrezzak, & Orhan, 2015). Despite the importance of sleep for regulative processes, studies indicate that the general population does not receive adequate sleep quality or length (Watson et al., 2017). College students represent a large demographic and often do not obtain enough sleep (Gaultney, 2010). Thus, it is proposed that collegiate institutions …

Thinking Outside The Checkbox: Examining The Benefits Of Depression In The Workplace, Tyler Jensen

Student Works

It is illegal for equal-opportunity employers to ask potential hires about history and status of mental health. To allow employers to provide reasonable accommodation for mental and emotional health concerns, voluntary self-disclosure is permitted by the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), so long as it does not affect the decision to hire. However, as it is in the employer’s best interest to hire strong candidates, the erroneous connection between emotional suffering and inherent weakness has greatly contributed to the stigma against those who experience depressive symptoms. Individuals who experience depressive symptoms are colloquially understood to be incapable of …

Well-Being And Physiological Reactivity To Stress, Sheilagh Fox

Theses and Dissertations

Because of the impact of stress on health, it is important to understand the variables that underlie cardiovascular reactivity to stress because it may lead to more focused targets of intervention for helping people to reduce or otherwise better manage their stress. The purpose of the present study was to answer the following questions: does lack of eudaimonic well-being (a combination of psychological and social well-being) predict increased cardiovascular reactivity to stress in a clinically distressed population? And does increased eudaimonic well-being protect against increased cardiovascular reactivity to stress when hedonic well-being (a combination of positive affect and life satisfaction) …

Confused Existentialism As A Factor In College Students' Depression

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Although “meaning in life” and “existentialism” may be considered ambiguous in psychology, the former term became a psychological construct with implications for psychological well-being. In young adulthood, the transition to college can be a difficult process because of social pressures incident to the adjustment to adulthood, including the need to establish an adult identity. Consequently, meaning in life may be overlooked in the confusion. I argue that a focus on meaning in life can be beneficial for college students in moderating their short- and long-term perspectives, physical health, and emotional health.

Depression, Religiosity, And Parenting Styles Among Mormon Adolescents, Courtney Kinneard, Mark Ogletree

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

We examined how religiosity and the parent-child relationship are associated with depression in 12-14 yr old teenagers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint. A random sample of 493 revealed three correlations: girls who have a strong connection with their mother have a negative correlation with depression; daily spiritual experiences are negatively correlated with depression, and negative religious coping is positively correlated with depression symptoms.

The Relationship Between Family Support; Pain And Depression In Elderly With Arthritis, Wendy C. Birmingham, Man Hung, Jerry Bounsanga, Maren W. Voss, Anthony B. Crum, Wei Chen

Faculty Publications

The prevalence and chronic nature of arthritis make it the most common cause of disability among U.S.A adults. Family support reduces the negative impact of chronic conditions generally but its role in pain and depression for arthritic conditions is not well understood. A total of 844 males (35.0%) and 1567 females (65.0%) with arthritic conditions (n = 2411) were drawn from the 2012 Health and Retirement Study to examine the effect of family support on pain and depressive symptoms. Using regression analysis and controlling for age, ethnicity, gender, marital/educational status and employment/income, physical function/disability status, pain and antidepressant medications, and …

Insomnia Is Associated With Suicide Attempt In Middle-Aged And Older Adults With Depression, Daniel Kay, Alexandre Y. Dombrovski, Daniel J. Buysse, Charles F. Reynolds Iii, Amy Begley, Katalin Szanto

Faculty Publications

Background—Insomnia increases in prevalence with age, is strongly associated with depression, and has been identified as a risk factor for suicide in several studies. The aim of this study was to determine whether insomnia severity varies between those who have attempted suicide (n = 72), those who only contemplate suicide (n = 28), and those who are depressed but have no suicidal ideation or attempt history (n = 35).

Methods—Participants were middle-aged and older adults (Age 44–87, M = 66 years) with depression. Insomnia severity was measured as the sum of the early, middle, and late insomnia items from the …

Impact Of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback On Fmri Measures Of Cognitive Functioning In Depressed And Non-Depressed Individuals, Patrick Steffen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Evaluation of how well the academic objectives of the proposal were met The primary objectives of this project was to examine neurological changes in depressed individuals who were randomized to either a psychotherapy plus Heart Rate Variability (HRV) biofeedback training or to a treatment as usual group. A control group with no history of depression was also studied. In the past two years, we were able to collect psychological, physiological, and imaging data from 30 participants (10 in an experimental group, 10 in a treatment as usual group, and the other 10 in a healthy control group) at baseline and …

Depression, Suicide, And Performance Monitoring: Identifying Neuroelectric Markers Of Suicidal Behavior, Kaylie Carbine, Michael Larson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

From 2000-2009, suicide mortality rates increased by 15% (Rockett, et al., 2012) and 98% of individuals who complete suicide have diagnosable psychopathology (Bertolote, Fleischmann, De Leo, & Wasserman, 2003). Individuals at risk for suicide exhibit cognitive impairments in decision-making and problem-solving abilities (Pollock & Williams, 2004; Jollant, et al., 2005). These cognitive deficits may be related to deficits in performance monitoring. Performance monitoring is the ability to continually assess behavior in order to make adjustments and improve performance. Performance monitoring is mediated by the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which is related to cognitive control abilities. Furthermore, suicidal thoughts and behaviors …

Impact Of Heart-Rate Variability Biofeedback On Major Depression Disorder In Resting-State Fmri, Hiu Wai Caldwell

Theses and Dissertations

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses and causes significant disturbances in daily functioning. Research on heart-rate variability (HRV) biofeedback training suggests that HRV is an efficacious adjunct to psychotherapy in reducing depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine neurological changes in depressed individuals who were randomized to either a psychotherapy plus HRV biofeedback training or to a treatment as usual group. A control group with no history of depression was also studied. We collected psychological, physiological, and imaging data from 30 participants (10 in an experimental group, 10 in a treatment …

Exploring The Effects Of Depression And Physical Activity On Pattern Separation Performance, Michelle I. Nash

Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive performance declines in depression and increases with physical activity. These changes may in part be due to changes in the level of neurogenesis (the generation and survival of adult-born neurons), which decreases with depression and increases with physical activity. Pattern separation (the formation of distinct neural representations of incoming information through orthogonalizing similar patterns of activation) has also been linked to neurogenesis. This project explores pattern separation within these two populations through three experiments.Experiment 1. Previous research has found impaired pattern separation among individuals with higher depression scores, but who have not been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). …

Serotonin Transporter Genotype Modulates Hpa Axis Output During Stress: Effect Of Stress, Dexamethasone Test And Acth Challenge, Andrea N. Sorenson, Erin C. Sullivan, Sally P. Mendoza, John P. Capitanio, James Dee Higley

Faculty Publications

Background—Studies show that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is dysregulated in depression. Some studies suggest that variation in the serotonin transporter genotype (hereafter 5HTT) modulates both risk for depression and psychopathological HPA axis responsiveness. Rhesus monkeys are well suited to model such relationships. Rhesus macaque models of human psychopathology have assessed the effect of the serotonin transporter (rh5HTT) on levels of cortisol in stressed subjects. These studies show that that under conditions of stress, heterozygous females (Ls) reared under adversity exhibit high levels of cortisol. Studies have not to our knowledge, however, assessed the potential additive effect on the cortisol response …

Serotonin Transporter Genotype Modulates Hpa Axis Output During Stress: Effect Of Stress, Dexamethasone Test And Acth Challenge, Andrea N. Sorenson, Erin C. Sullivan, Sally P. Mendoza, John P. Capitanio, James Dee Higley

Faculty Publications

Background—Studies show that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is dysregulated in depression. Some studies suggest that variation in the serotonin transporter genotype (hereafter 5HTT) modulates both risk for depression and psychopathological HPA axis responsiveness. Rhesus monkeys are well suited to model such relationships. Rhesus macaque models of human psychopathology have assessed the effect of the serotonin transporter (rh5HTT) on levels of cortisol in stressed subjects. These studies show that that under conditions of stress, heterozygous females (Ls) reared under adversity exhibit high levels of cortisol. Studies have not to our knowledge, however, assessed the potential additive effect on the cortisol response …

Respite Care, Stress, Uplifts, And Depression In Single Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Ruthann Grawe Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

Single mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are likely to experience high levels of stress and be at risk for depression. However, respite care can reduce parenting stress and lower psychological distress in parents of children with disabilities. This study focused on single mothers of children with ASD and their reports of stress relative to respite care received. One hundred and twenty-two single mothers completed the Respite Care Instrument, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Hassles and Uplifts Scale, and Caregiver Burden Instrument. Results were mixed. Respite care was positively related to daily uplifts, but not significantly related …

Predictors Of Perfectionism In Latter-Day Saint Students, Preston V. Tenney

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to gain insight into the prevalence, nature and etiology of perfectionism in a sample of devout Latter-day Saint college students at Brigham Young University. A number of variables-including self-conscious emotions, mental health, interpersonal/cognitive style, and religious orientation-were entered into multiple regression models to determine the strongest predictors of perfectionism. Participants were 245 students studying at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT in the spring of 1995. The self-conscious construct of shame demonstrated to be the strongest predictor of perfectionism followed by depression and religious fundamentalism. In addition to these findings, it was found …

Mood And Memory: An Association Between Pattern Separation And Depression, Don J. Shelton

Theses and Dissertations

Depression is associated with reduced declarative memory performance and decreased hippocampal volume. Depression has also been associated with decreased levels of adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. Computational models propose that neurogenesis is critical for the computational process of pattern separation, whereby distinct memory representations are created for very similar stimuli and events. It has been proposed that depression negatively impacts pattern separation abilities; however, a link between depression and performance in pattern separation memory tasks has yet to be investigated. Accordingly, we designed a study to investigate the relationship between pattern separation performance and the severity of depression symptoms. …

The Influence Of Depressive Symptomatology And Perceived Stress On Plasma And Salivary Oxytocin Before, During And After A Support Enhancement Intervention, Wendy C. Birmingham, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Kathleen C. Light

Faculty Publications

Oxytocin (OT) activity increases in response to stress as well as to warm social contact. Subclinical depression is associated with higher stress but less reward from social contacts. The present investigation was intended to examine whether husbands and wives with high depressive symptomatology scores have increased plasma and salivary OT that may be mediated partly by higher perceived stress, and also to assess whether an intervention to convey partner support through ‘‘warm touch’’ may reduce effects of depressive symptoms on OT. In this study, 34 healthy married couples (n = 68) ages 20—39 provided self reports of depressive symptoms (CESD) …

Prediction Of Cognitive Sequelae And Ecological Validity In Critically-Ill Adult Patients, Fu Lye Woon

Theses and Dissertations

Survivors of critical illness have a high prevalence of long-term cognitive and psychiatric morbidity and poor quality of life years after hospital discharge. Data are lacking regarding whether cognitive screening tests predict which critically ill patients may be at risk to develop long-term cognitive sequelae and whether cognitive sequelae predict the patients everyday functioning. This study sought to determine whether cognitive screening tests, including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Mini-Cog, predict long-term cognitive sequelae and everyday functioning in survivors of critical illness 6-month post-hospital discharge. A second purpose was to investigate whether cognitive sequelae are associated with poor everyday …

Is There Something Unique About Marriage? The Relative Impact Of Marital Status, Relationship Quality, And Network Social Support On Ambulatory Blood Pressure And Mental Health, Wendy C. Birmingham, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Brandon Q. Jones

Faculty Publications

Background Having close social relationships and being married specifically have been reliably associated with health benefits including lower morbidity and mortality. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of marital status, relationship quality, and network support on measures of psychological and cardiovascular health. Method We examined ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) among 204 married and 99 single males and females (N=303). Results We found that both marital status and marital quality were important. Married individuals had greater satisfaction with life (SWL) and blood pressure dipping than single individuals. High marital quality was associated with lower ABP, lower …

Relationships Between Cohesion And Depression In Parents Of Children With Developmental Disabilities, Amy Leigh Giauque

Theses and Dissertations

This research study examined the relationship between family cohesion and depression in mothers and fathers of children with disabilities. One hundred and six two-parent families who had a child with a disability provided information on their feelings of cohesion through Bloom's cohesion subscale and depression through the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D). Analyses indicated that mothers and fathers of this sample are not significantly more depressed than the general population. However, there was a correlation between mothers' and fathers' depression, indicating that when mothers' depression increased, fathers' depression increased. Negative correlations were found between mothers' and fathers' self-reported …

Other-Centeredness And Depression In A Sample Of Mormon Women, Janice G. Nielson

Theses and Dissertations

Other-centeredness and depression were examined to see if a relationship existed between the two. One scale measuring other-centeredness and another measuring depression were given to a sample of married Mormon women who did not work outside the home. Other-centeredness and depression were significantly negatively correlated. The women scoring in the top one-third of the range of other-centeredness scores suffered no depression on the depression scale. The factor most predictive for depression was the relationship the women had with her husband, and other-centeredness was found to overlap with this variable to some extent. The factors of health, income, and education were …