Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Black Boys Om: A Case Study Of The Impacts Of Community And Culture On Wellness Practices, Khanh Pham

Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Symposium

Black men continue to face health disparities due to systemic oppression. Research indicates that mind-body-spirit practices (MBSPs) can effectively improve mental and physical health, thereby reducing health disparities among Black men. However, MBSPs are often White-female-dominated practices, thus putting Black male practitioners at continued risks of under-representation and marginalization in MBSP spaces. The culturally specific nature of MBSP spaces may then be an important factor in MBSPs’ influence on Black men’s health. Therefore, we aimed to explore how culturally specific MBSP spaces impact Black male practitioners’ MBSPs. We collaborated with Black Boys OM (BBO), a global community of Black male …

Repetitive Negative Thinking As A Prospective Predictor Of Depression And Anxiety Symptoms In Autistic And Non-Autistic Incoming College Students, Erin Kckenney

Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Symposium

Background: Improving the understanding and treatment of mental health concerns, including depression and anxiety, are significant priorities for autistic adults (Benevides et al., 2020; Crane et al., 2019; Pellicano et al., 2014). While several theories have been proposed to explain the high prevalence of internalizing symptoms in autistic people, little longitudinal research has been done to investigate potential causal mechanisms. One potentially fruitful area of investigation is to explore how well-known contributors to depression/anxiety in the general population predict and/or moderate the development of internalizing symptoms in autistic individuals. Objectives: The current study investigates the relation of one established risk …

Women’S Comfort With Mobile Applications For Menstrual Cycle Self-Monitoring Following The Overturning Of Roe V. Wade, Gabrielle M. Salvatore, Iris Bercovitz, Danielle Arigo

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

Background: The overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022 has many implications for American women of reproductive age, as well as for researchers focused on women’s health in the United States (U.S.). Personal reproductive health data, such as information collected by menstrual cycle (MC) tracking applications (apps), can now be bought, sold, or accessed by law enforcement to enforce limits on abortion. American women have grown concerned about data privacy and have even deleted MC tracking apps following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. This concern is problematic as these apps may advance our understanding of women’s MC experiences …

Cardiovascular Recovery From Emotional Stress: An Operationalization Of Equanamity Following Mindfulness-Based Emotional Stress, Emma Mcbride

Theses and Dissertations

Theoretical models of mindfulness suggest that meditation may improve health, in part, by regulating stress physiology, including faster recovery of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (SBP/DBP) after emotional stress. Furthermore, improved cardiovascular recovery (CR) may be a marker of equanimity, defined as increased acceptance of and reduced reactivity to stress. No studies have tested this hypothesis, partly because methodology for assessing CR remains controversial. Using a novel operationalization of equanimity and several methods of measuring CR, this project investigated whether (1) equanimity is associated with improved CR, (2) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is associated with improved CR, and (3) …

Mindfulness And Blood Pressure Across Demographics: Analyses From The Serenity Study, Gabrielle R. Chin

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness, as a state, trait, and training, is linked with myriad positive mental and physical health outcomes. Understanding the individual characteristics potentially influencing links between mindful traits, mindfulness training, and physical health, is therefore important, yet remains under-addressed. Utilizing data from the ongoing Serenity Study (NCT02371317), the current project examines if (1) at baseline, higher trait mindfulness relates to lower BP consistently as a function of demographics, (2) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training lowers BP consistently across demographic subgroups and initial levels of trait mindfulness, and (3) if change in trait mindfulness following MBSR training correlates with change in BP …

Project Palmms (Physical Activity Levels And Family Medical Histories): An Undergraduate Sample, Pierre Alexander Leon

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Physical inactivity has garnered significant attention as it is considered an emerging worldwide young adult problem. There is empirical evidence on predictors of low levels of physical activity (PA), such as an individual’s sex and/or socio-economic status. There are also other possible reasons for the decline in PA, such as an individual’s motivations and/or barriers for participation in physical activity and an individual’s understanding of their predisposition to chronic illnesses. This study seeks to identify perceptions of benefits/barriers to PA and motivating factors needed to increase physical activity in college populations. Methods: A survey gathering information on demographics, PA, …

An Exploration Of The Quality Of Relationship Between Step-Children And Step-Parents Based On Address Term Usage, Sierra R. Payton

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to examine address term usage as a communicative component of blended/step-families by examining the address terms that step-children use to address their step-parent and whether address term usage can allude to the quality of relationship reported by step-children within the step-child step-parent relationship. Rowan University undergraduate students (n=67) were recruited to complete questionnaires on address term usage and quality of relationship using the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI). Address term usage was the independent variable and was measured using three levels: formal, familiar, and familial. Quality of relationship was the dependent variable and was measured using the …

Contingency Management Works, Clients Like It, And It Is Cost-Effective., Kimberly C. Kirby, Lois A Benishek, Mary B Tabit

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Examining Multi-Session Brief Intervention For Substance Use In Primary Care: Research Methods Of A Randomized Controlled Trial., Jaclyn E Chambers, Adam C Brooks, Rachel Medvin, David S Metzger, Jennifer Lauby, Carolyn M Carpenedo, Kevin E Favor, Kimberly C Kirby

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

BACKGROUND: Brief interventions such as Screening, a single session of Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) have shown mixed effectiveness in primary care. However, there are indications that multi-session brief interventions may demonstrate more consistently positive outcomes, and perhaps a more intensive approach would be of benefit in addressing substance use in primary care. This study compared the effectiveness of SBIRT with a single BI session (BI/RT) to a multi-session brief-treatment intervention (BI/RT+) in primary care. We also developed easy-to-use, evidence-based materials to assist clinicians in delivering these interventions.

METHODS/DESIGN: This study was conducted in three Federally Qualified Healthcare …

Randomized Clinical Trial Examining Duration Of Voucher-Based Reinforcement Therapy For Cocaine Abstinence., Kimberly C Kirby, Carolyn M Carpenedo, Karen L Dugosh, Beth J Rosenwasser, Lois A Benishek, Alicia Janik, Rachel Keashen, Elena Bresani, Kenneth Silverman

Faculty Scholarship for the College of Science & Mathematics

BACKGROUND: This is the first study to systematically manipulate duration of voucher-based reinforcement therapy (VBRT) to see if extending the duration increases abstinence during and following VBRT.

METHODS: We randomized cocaine-dependent methadone-maintained adults to Standard (12 weeks; n=62) or Extended (36 weeks; n=68) VBRT and provided escalating voucher amounts contingent upon urinalysis verification of cocaine abstinence. Urinalysis was scheduled at least every 2 weeks during the 48-week study and more frequently during VBRT (3/week) and 12 weeks of Aftercare (2/week).

RESULTS: Extended VBRT produced longer durations of continuous cocaine abstinence during weeks 1-24 (5.7 vs 2.7 weeks; p=0.003) and proportionally …