Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding The Employment Barriers And Support Needs Of People Living With Psychosis, Margaret Hampson, Richard Hicks, Bruce Watt

Bruce Watt

This study investigated the employment barriers and support needs of people living with psychosis. A purposive community sample of 137 volunteers drawn from six key stakeholder groups were invited to participate in focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews to elicit their perceptions on the employment barriers and support needs of people living with psychosis. The stakeholder groups included in this study were people with lived experience of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, carers, health professionals, employers, employment service providers, and community members. Data obtained from 14 focus groups and 31 semi-structured individual interviews were transcribed, imported into NVivo 10, and coded …

Past, Present, And Future Of Ehealth And Mhealth Research To Improve Physical Activity And Dietary Behaviors, Corneel Vandelanotte, Andre Müller, Camille Short, Melanie Hingle, Nicole Nathan, Susan Williams, Michael Lopez, Sanjoti Parekh, Carol Maher

Andre M Müller

Above-Level Test Item Functioning Across Examinee Age Groups, Russell Warne, Kristine Doty, Anne Marie Malbica, Victor Angeles, Scott Innes, Jared Hall, Kelli Masterson-Nixon

Russell T Warne

Cognitive And Psychiatric Predictors To Psychosis In Velocardiofacial Syndrome: A 3-Year Follow-Up Study, Kevin Antshel, Robert Shprintzen, Wanda Fremont, Anne Higgins, Stephen Faraone, Wendy Kates

Robert J. Shprintzen

Objective: To predict prodromal psychosis in adolescents with velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS). Method: 70 youth with VCFS, 27 siblings of youth with VCFS and 25 community controls were followed from childhood (Mean age = 11.8 years) into mid-adolescence (mean age 15.0 years). Psychological tests measuring intelligence, academic achievement, learning/memory, attention and executive functioning as well as measures of parent and clinician ratings of child psychiatric functioning were completed at both time point. Results: Major depressive disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder diagnoses increased in the VCFS sample. With very low false positive rates, the best predictor of adolescent prodromal …

Explaining The Longitudinal Association Between Puberty And Depression: Sex Differences In The Mediating Effects Of Peer Stress, Colleen Conley, Karen Rudolph, Fred Bryant

Colleen S. Conley

This research investigated whether exposure to peer stress serves as one pathway through which pubertal development contributes to depression over time, differentially for girls and boys. Youth (N = 149; 9.6–14.8 years) and their caregivers provided information at two waves, 1 year apart, on puberty (Wave 1), peer stress (occurring between Waves 1 and 2), and depression (Waves 1 and 2). Structural equation modeling analyses examined sex differences in the extent to which peer stress mediated the impact of pubertal status and timing on subsequent depression (i.e., tests of moderated mediation). Significant sex-moderated mediation was found for both pubertal status …

Measurement Invariance Of The Kidney Disease And Quality Of Life Instrument (Kdqol-Sf) Across Veterans And Non-Veterans, Karen Saban, Fred Bryant, Dominic Reda, Kevin Stroupe, Denise Hynes

Fred B. Bryant

Background Studies have demonstrated that perceived health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients receiving hemodialysis is significantly impaired. Since HRQOL outcome data are often used to compare groups to determine health care effectiveness it is imperative that measures of HRQOL are valid. However, valid HRQOL comparisons between groups can only be made if instrument invariance is demonstrated. The Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form (KDQOL-SF) is a widely used HRQOL measure for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) however, it has not been validated in the Veteran population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the measurement invariance …

Replicate This! Creating Individual-Level Data From Summary Statistics Using R, Brendan Morse

Brendan J. Morse

Incorporating realistic data and research examples into quantitative (e.g., statistics and research methods) courses has been widely recommended for enhancing student engagement and comprehension. One way to achieve these ends is to use a data generator to emulate the data in published research articles. MorseGen is a free data generator that creates realistic, individual-level data based on user-specified summary statistics (e.g., N, mean, standard deviation, and r). These values can be used in course exercises that allow students to replicate the published results for any between-subjects design or correlation study. Using realistic data generated by MorseGen addresses multiple learning goals …

Using The Graded Response Model To Control Spurious Interactions In Moderated Multiple Regression, Brendan Morse, George Johanson, Rodger Griffeth

Brendan J. Morse

Recent simulation research has demonstrated that using simple raw score to operationalize a latent construct can result in inflated Type I error rates for the interaction term of a moderated statistical model when the interaction (or lack thereof) is proposed at the latent variable level. Rescaling the scores using an appropriate item response theory (IRT) model can mitigate this effect under similar conditions. However, this work has thus far been limited to dichotomous data. The purpose of this study was to extend this investigation to multicategory (polytomous) data using the graded response model (GRM). Consistent with previous studies, inflated Type …

Measuring The Stuff Of Thought: Psychology And Its Discontents, Brendan Morse

Brendan J. Morse

No abstract provided.

Health-Related Quality Of Life Of Patients Following Selected Types Of Lumbar Spinal Surgery: A Pilot Study, Karen Saban, Sue Penckofer, Ida Androwich, Fred Bryant

Fred B. Bryant

Background Over 500,000 spinal surgeries are performed annually in the United States. Although pain relief and improved health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are expectations following lumbar spinal surgery, there is limited research regarding this experience from the individual's perspective. In addition, no studies have examined the HRQOL of persons who have had this surgery using a comprehensive approach. The intent of this study was to address this deficiency by an assessment of both the individual and environmental factors that impact perceived HRQOL using the Wilson and Cleary Model for Health-Related Quality of Life in persons who have undergone lumbar spinal …

Explaining The Longitudinal Association Between Puberty And Depression: Sex Differences In The Mediating Effects Of Peer Stress, Colleen Conley, Karen Rudolph, Fred Bryant

Fred B. Bryant

This research investigated whether exposure to peer stress serves as one pathway through which pubertal development contributes to depression over time, differentially for girls and boys. Youth (N = 149; 9.6–14.8 years) and their caregivers provided information at two waves, 1 year apart, on puberty (Wave 1), peer stress (occurring between Waves 1 and 2), and depression (Waves 1 and 2). Structural equation modeling analyses examined sex differences in the extent to which peer stress mediated the impact of pubertal status and timing on subsequent depression (i.e., tests of moderated mediation). Significant sex-moderated mediation was found for both pubertal status …

Trajectories Of Family Processes Across The Adolescent Transition In Youth With Spina Bifida, Barbara Jandasek, Grayson Holmbeck, Christian Delucia, Kathy Zebracki, Deborah Friedman

Grayson Holmbeck

The current study investigated change in family processes, including conflict, cohesion, and stress, across the adolescent transition, comparing the developmental trajectories of youth with and without spina bifida. Individual growth curve modeling procedures were utilized to describe the developmental course of family processes across 4 waves of data collection, from ages 9 to 15 years, and to test whether illness status (spina bifida vs. matched comparison group [N=68 for both groups at Time 1]) would significantly predict individual variability in family processes. Potential moderators (child gender, socioeconomic status [SES], and child verbal ability) of the association between illness status and …

The Development Of An Internet Attitudes Scale, Brendan Morse, Nicole Gullekson, Samantha Morris, Paula Popovich

Brendan J. Morse

The popularity of Internet use has generated a need for reliable and valid Internet attitude assessments. Current practices in the development and validation of Internet attitude scales have raised several methodological and practical issues. The purpose of this study was to develop general Internet attitudes measure as well as to explore the psychometric and methodological concerns surrounding the construct validity of existing Internet attitude scales. A three-study sequence was conducted that included the development and refinement of the Attitudes Towards the Internet Scale (ATIS), an investigation of differences between Internet and paper-and-pencil administrations, and differential item and person functioning. The …

Policing Identities: Cop Decision Making And The Constitution Of Citizens, Trish Oberweis, Michael Musheno

Michael Musheno

Examines police decision making by focusing on stories from 10 officers & drawing together contemporary thought about identities & police subculture. The inquiry suggests that police decision making is both improvisational & patterned. Cops are moral agents who tag people with identities as they project identities of their own. They engage in raw forms of division or stereotyping, marking some as Others to be feared & themselves as protectors of society, while exercising their coercive powers to punish "the bad." Due, in part, to the many ways that they identify themselves, cops also connect with people as unique individuals, including …

A Client-Based Description Of Reflecting Team-Work In Family Therapy , David Brown

David C. Brown

Though the practice of reflecting team-work has a strong theoretical base there has been little research examining its actual use. What has been written is primarily based on the therapist's and/or supervisor's experience, rather than the client's. This dissertation describes clients' perceptions of two different strategies of reflecting team-work that emerged from interviews conducted and analyzed using a moderately structured ethnographic interview methodology. The primary results suggested that reflecting team-work was helpful in providing clients with different perspectives; that in-room teams should be used sparingly during early therapy; that teams should reflect at least twice in-session; and that a three-person …

Classroom Activities And Off - Task Behavior In Elementary School Children, Karrie Godwin, Ma. Almeda, Megan Petroccia, Ryan Baker, Anna Fisher

Ryan S.J.d. Baker

Maintaining focused attention in the classroom is considered an important factor for successful learning. Loss of instructional time due to off-task behavior is recognized as a significant challenge by both researchers and practitioners. However, there has been little research into the factors contributing to off-task behavior. This paper reports results from the first large-scale study investigating how elementary school children allocate their attention in classroom environments and how patterns of attention allocation change as a function of gender, grade level, and instructional format. The findings indicate that instructional format is related to off-task behavior in elementary school students. These findings …

Relationship Between Perceived Physical Ability And Indexes Of Actual Physical Fitness, Bill Thornton, Richard Ryckman, Michael Robbins, Joseph Donolli, Gareth Biser

Bill Thornton

No abstract provided.

Positive State Mindfulness: A Multidimensional Model Of Mindfulness In Relation To Positive Experience, Timothy Ritchie, Fred Bryant

Fred B. Bryant

The present research tested Langer’s theory of mindfulness in the context of positive experiences: positive state mindfulness. In Study 1 (N1 = 586, N2 = 415) confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a three-factor model (Focused Attention, Novelty Appreciation, Open-Ended Expectations) fit the data well and explained responses better than a one-factor model. In support of construct validity, Study 2 (N3 = 239, N4 = 126) suggested that each dimension had a different pattern of associations with unidimensional trait measures of mindfulness, savoring beliefs, trait absorption, uncertainty tolerance, need for structure, and need for cognition. Study 3 (N5 = 46) revealed …

Gene X Environment Effects Of Serotonin Transporter, Dopamine Receptor D4, And Monoamine Oxidase A Genes With Contextual And Parenting Risk Factors On Symptoms Of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Anxiety, And Depression In A Community Sample Of 4-Year-Old Children, John Lavigne, Laura Herzing, Edwin Cook, Susan Lebailly, Karen Gouze, Joyce Hopkins, Fred Bryant

Fred B. Bryant

Genetic factors can play a role in the multiple level of analyses approach to understanding the development of child psychology. The present study examined gene-environment correlations and Gene x Environment interactions for polymorphisms of three target genes, the serotonin transporter gene, the D4 dopamine reactor gene, and the monoamine oxidase A gene in relation to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and oppositional behavior. Saliva samples were collected from 175 non-Hispanic White, 4-year-old children. Psychosocial risk factors included socioeconomic status, life stress, caretaker depression, parental support, hostility, and scaffolding skills. In comparison with the short forms (s/s, s/l) of the serotonin transporter …

An Item Response Theory And Factor Analytic Examination Of Two Prominent Maximizing Tendency Scales, Justin Weinhardt, Brendan Morse, Janna Chimeli, Jamie Fisher

Brendan J. Morse

The current study examines the construct validity of the Maximization Scale (MS; Schwartz et al., 2002) and the Maximization Tendency Scale (MTS; Diab et al., 2008) as well as the nomological net of the maximizing construct. We find that both scales of maximizing suffer psychometrically, especially in their proposed dimensionality. Using confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory (IRT) we identify and remove three problematic items from the MTS and six problematic items from the MS. Additionally, we find that the MS appears to be measuring difficulty and restlessness with the search for the best alternative, whereas the MTS is …

Holding The Line With A Watchful Eye: Parental Monitoring And Parental Permissiveness And Risky Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents In Psychiatric Care, Geri Donenberg, Helen Wilson, Erin Emerson, Fred Bryant

Fred B. Bryant

Adolescents in psychiatric care are at increased risk of HIV, yet little is known about the family factors related to sexual risk taking among these youth. We explored whether perceived parental monitoring and perceived parental permissiveness were linked to high-risk sexual behavior in 169 ethnically diverse urban youth seeking mental health services in Chicago, and we tested whether adolescent gender moderated these associations. We evaluated sexual risk taking at a global level and for specific risk behaviors (e.g., sex without a condom, sex while using drugs and alcohol). Girls reported more risky sex overall than boys, and girls were more …

Are We Having Fun Yet? Savoring, Type A Behavior, And Vacation Enjoyment, Jennifer Smith, Fred Bryant

Fred B. Bryant

Although studies of Type A behavior ceased in the early 1990s because of failures to replicate its connections with heart disease, the Type A behavior pattern of speed, impatience, perfectionism, drivenness, and hostility may nevertheless be important in understanding individual differences in the subjective quality of life. The present study tested the hypothesis that Type A behavior undermines the enjoyment of leisure time and that this detrimental effect is mediated by savoring responses that hamper enjoyment. Confirming hypotheses, analysis of self-report survey data (N = 764) revealed that: (a) higher levels of Type A impatience in social situations predicted significantly …

Trajectories Of Psychosocial Adjustment In Adolescents With Spina Bifida: A Six-Year Four-Wave Longitudinal Follow-Up, Grayson Holmbeck, Christian Delucia, Bonnie Essner, Lauren Kelly, Kathy Zebracki, Deborah Friedman, Barbara Jandasek

Grayson Holmbeck

Objective: As a follow-up to an earlier cross-sectional study (Holmbeck et al., 2003), the current multimethod, multi-informant investigation examined individual growth in psychosocial adjustment across the adolescent transition in 2 samples: young adolescents with spina bifida (SB) and typically developing adolescents (N=68 in both groups at Time 1). Method: Growth curve modeling procedures were used to describe the developmental course of psychosocial adjustment across 4 waves of data collection from ages 8 to 15. Child gender was included in the models as a moderator of associations between illness status and adjustment trajectories. Results and Conclusions: Findings revealed that preadolescent differences …

Trajectories Of Autonomy Development Across The Adolescent Transition In Children With Spina Bifida., Deborah Friedman, Grayson Holmbeck, Christian Delucia, Barbara Jandasek, Kathy Zebracki

Grayson Holmbeck

Objective: The current study investigated individual growth in autonomy development across the adolescent transition, comparing the trajectories of children with and without spina bifida. Method: Individual growth curve modeling procedures were utilized to describe the developmental course of autonomy across four waves of data collection, from ages 9 to 15, and to test whether illness status [spina bifida vs. matched comparison group (N = 68 for both groups at Time 1)] would significantly predict individual variability in autonomy development. Potential moderators [child gender, SES, and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) score] of the association between illness status and autonomy development …

A Preliminary Investigation Of The Effect Of Massage On State Body Image, Bonnie Dunigan, Teresa King, Brendan Morse

Brendan J. Morse

Evidence suggests positive effects of massage on psychological health; however, little is known about the effects of massage on body image. This research examined the effect of massage on state body image as well as relations between trait body image and attitudes toward massage. Forty-nine female university students were randomly assigned to either a massage condition or a control condition. It was hypothesized that participants in the massage condition would report improved state body image following the intervention when compared to participants in the control condition. As predicted, participants in the massage condition reported a more favorable state body image …

Individual Growth Curves Of Frequency Of Sexual Intercourse Among Urban, Adolescent, African American Youth: Results From The Champ Basic Study, Christian Delucia, Roberta Paikoff, Grayson Holmbeck

Grayson Holmbeck

In the current study we examined individual growth curves of frequency of sexual intercourse among a sample of urban, low-income, African American youth at increased risk for subsequent HIV/AIDS exposure. Three waves of longitudinal data from the Collaborative HIV-Prevention Adolescent Mental Health (CHAMP) project were utilized. Participant ages ranged from 9 to 12 years (M = 11 years) at the first interview wave and from 15 to 19 years (M = 18 years) at the final interview wave. As such, we were able to map out true developmental trajectories of sexual intercourse over a 10-year period of adolescence (spanning ages …

Use Of An Observational Coding System With Families Of Adolescents: Psychometric Properties Among Pediatric And Healthy Populations, Astrida Kaugars, Kathy Zebracki, Jessica Kichler, Christopher Fitzgerald, Rachel Greenley, Ramin Alemzadeh, Grayson Holmbeck

Grayson Holmbeck

Objective: To examine reliability and validity data for the Family Interaction Macro-coding System (FIMS) with adolescents with spina bifida (SB), adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and healthy adolescents and their families.Methods: Sixty-eight families of children with SB, 58 families of adolescents with T1DM, and 68 families in a healthy comparison group completed family interaction tasks and self-report questionnaires. Trained coders rated family interactions using the FIMS.Results: Acceptable interrater and scale reliabilities were obtained for FIMS items and subscales. Observed FIMS parental acceptance, parental behavioral control, parental psychological control, family cohesion, and family conflict scores demonstrated convergent validity with …

The Influence Of Gender, Anxiety And Food Cravings On Alcohol Use Within A University Population, Jaques Marissa, Peta Stapleton

Peta B. Stapleton

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of gender, anxiety and food cravings on alcohol use within a university population. University students (N = 150) completed a survey containing a demographic questionnaire, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Food Cravings Inventory. Results revealed gender was a significant predictor of alcohol use in university students, with males reporting greater levels of alcohol consumption than females. Food cravings were also observed to be a significant predictor of alcohol use in university students, independent of gender. Unexpectedly, state and trait anxiety failed to significantly predict …

Psychological Capital As Mediator Between Adaptive Perfectionism And Academic Procrastination, Richard Hicks, Fiona Wu

Richard Hicks

Research on perfectionism and separately on procrastination is extensive and both are related in general to negative consequences. However, there has been little research on different forms of perfectionism (maladaptive vs adaptive) and the relationships with procrastination. One study (Seo, 2008) has suggested that self-efficacy mediates between adaptive perfectionism and procrastination in academic settings and leads to more productive outcomes. Identifying further such positive productive factors may prove useful in helping individuals deal with their perfectionism and-or their procrastination tendencies. Positive psychological capital (PsyCap) may be one such other mediator, as PsyCap involves not only self-efficacy but also resilience, hope …

Cognitive Failures At Work, Mindfulness, And The Big Five, Karen Klockner, Richard Hicks

Richard Hicks

Cognitive failures at work (or errors in the workplace including blunders and memory lapses), can lead to considerable personal and organisational damage, even damage well beyond national borders in some organisations. Workplace errors may have a personality base; and mindfulness (or mindlessness) also appears to be related to workplace errors generally. Given the importance and cost of errors in the workplace it is of concern that no previous research appears to have addressed the relationships between cognitive failures at work, personality and mindfulness together. We aimed to address this gap. We administered the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire, the Mindful Attention Awareness …