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"I Know You're Just Teasing Me!": Investigating 5th Grade Students' And Teachers' Understanding Of Prosocial Teasing, Ourja .

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Children engage in prosocial teasing which is an ambiguous, positive, and humorous social interaction involving the use of intentional provocation and off-record markers to form meaningful relationships and resolve conflicts (Keltner et al., 2001). While research has indicated a significant prevalence of prosocial teasing use among children, limited studies have explored the levels of prosocial teasing use among elementary school students and teachers' ratings of that use (Barnett et al., 2004; Smith et al., 2009). This study aimed at refining an existing child behavior scale to develop a subscale that accurately measured and represented prosocial teasing in elementary school children. …

Romantic Relationship Quality, Coparenting, And Parenting: An Actor Partner Interdependence Mediation Model, Jill Caradec

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Family systems theory indicates there is interdependence between family subsystems. Indeed, previous research has found associations between romantic relationship quality, coparenting, and parenting. However, few have actually accounted for the interdependence of mothers and fathers and these constructs. Even fewer have considered how coparenting may serve as an indirect pathway between romantic relationship quality and parenting behaviors. The aim of the current study was to fill these gaps in the literature by utilizing an actor-partner interdependence mediation model. Specifically, mothers’ and fathers’ perception of the coparenting relationship was tested within one model as indirect paths for the actor and partner …

Knowledge And Education Of Minnesota High School Coaches Regarding The Signs And Symptoms Of Eating Disorders In High School Athletes, Mikaela Whiteford

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess the level of education and knowledge among Minnesota high school coaches regarding the signs and symptoms of eating disorders in high school athletes. Data were collected through a researcher-developed survey, adapted from three existing instruments. The survey was administered through Qualtrics and distributed to participants through email. The findings indicate that while Minnesota high school coaches possess some knowledge of eating disorder signs and symptoms, their formal training and education on the topic are limited. Most of the education or training received by coaches was obtained for reasons unrelated to their responsibilities …

Spanking And Children's Approaches To Learning: Estimates From A Longitudinal Matched-Sample Design, Jeehye Kang, Christina M. Rodriguez

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

One form of corporal punishment commonly used in the United States is spanking. Spanking is a well-known risk factor for adverse child development, although its influence on children's approaches to learning (ATL) has been largely overlooked. Existing research is particularly limited in inadequately considering multiple confounds and selection biases in children's exposure to spanking. This study examined the links between spanking and children's ATL, using a matched-group design to strengthen causal estimates among children aged 5 to 7.5 (N = similar to 12,800) from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011. Entropy-balanced matching mitigated selection and confounding biases, …

Goodtimer For Good Behavior: A Nonconcurrent Multiple Baseline Examination Of A Behavioral Device Intervention To Reduce Child Misbehaviors, Morgan Weinstein

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) effectively decreases disruptive behavior in children (Daley et al., 2014). Nonetheless, many parents perceive BPT to be challenging and demanding, leading to reports of high treatment dropout rates (Chacko et al., 2016.) To address this, the present study evaluated the effectiveness of Goodtimer, a behavioral health device utilizing contingency management, an element of BPT, to mitigate child disruptive behaviors. The Goodtimer is designed to make administering a contingency management system easier for parents. Employing a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design, the study assessed six families with children aged 3-9 years. Most parents who used the Goodtimer reported …

Show And Tell… Ing What?: Correlation And Moderation Analyses Of Public Displays Of Affection And Romantic Relationship Satisfaction, Communication, And Adult Attachment Styles, Samantha Brooks M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Public Displays of Affection (PDA) amongst romantic couples are clearly shown in everyday life, though paradoxically, they are largely unexplored and therefore poorly understood. Not only is it unknown how PDA relates to other well-studied components of romantic relationships, but it is also unclear who engages in PDA. The present study investigated the relationship between public displays of affection and previously examined, fundamental components of romantic relationships including relationship satisfaction and attachment and communication styles. It then investigated the moderating effects of relationship satisfaction on respective communication and attachment styles and PDA. Sample size was 105 participants (N= 105). Students …

Attachment And Delusional Ideation: A Systematic Review And Proposed Model Of The Association Between Attachment Insecurity And Delusion Symptoms, Ryan Sparks M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Early repeated child-parent experiences impact the emergence of children’s reality testing by providing them with secure, trusting relationships with reality-oriented caregivers in which beliefs can be evaluated and refined. These relationships facilitate open and reciprocal communication about thoughts and feelings. Caregivers facilitate the development of children’s reflective capacities by helping them connect their inner experiences to their behavior. This process encourages them to assess whether their thoughts and feelings accurately reflect reality by remaining attuned to the perceptions of reality that are shared with others. Given the centrality of early caregiving experiences to one’s development of reality testing, attachment theory …

Context-Dependent Functional Connectivity During Attention Orienting And Reorienting: Comparing Individuals With Schizophrenia And Controls, Hyun Freeman

All ETDs from UAB

Attentional deficits are a well-established feature of schizophrenia, impacting various functional domains. Previous research suggested altered connectivity within attention networks may underlie these deficits, but few studies have examined how these net-works dynamically interact during different types of attention processes. In this study, we investigated functional connectivity patterns during attentional orienting and reori-enting to social and nonsocial cues in 25 individuals with schizophrenia and 25 controls. Participants completed a modified Posner spatial cueing task with both social (eyes) and nonsocial (arrows) cues during fMRI scanning. Using generalized psychophysiological interaction analysis with the left lateral occipital cortex (LOC) as a seed …

Exploring The Mental Health Of Korean-American Elderly Immigrants, Iris Minkyung Kim

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study sought to understand the mental health of Korean-American elderly immigrants using the theoretical frameworks Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development and Interpersonal Psychotherapy Theory (IPT). To achieve this purpose, this study incorporated a qualitative thematic analysis and conducted in-depth interviews with 10 elderly Korean immigrants living in the United States. From these interviews, eight themes were identified: (a) multifaceted immigration experiences, (b) immigration challenges, (c) complex language barriers, (d) personality constructs impacting experience, (e) the importance of relationships, (f) limited information and access to support, (g) life satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and (h) advice for future immigrants. These themes indicate …

My Body My Choice: A Qualitative Study Of Volitional Female Sterilization In The U. S. Latina And Hispanic Female Population, Heather Morris Tuip

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative study, utilizing an interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology, elucidates the experience of Latina and Hispanic women living in the United States who have volitionally undergone sterilization or have sought the procedure out for birth control. Understanding the rich, contextual, lived experience of Latina and Hispanic women through an intersectional framework highlights how cultural influences and contemporary policies on reproductive rights informed their personal choice to undergo a female sterilization procedure. The participants of this study shared how they made meaning of their experiences. Within a homogenous sampling of study participants who share ethnicities and genders, six group experiential themes …

Replicating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) Behavioral Profiles In School-Age Children: A Multi-Informant Investigation Of Emotional, Behavioral, And Cognitive Functioning, Tarah K. Todd Mrs.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties with attention, behavioral regulation, and impulsivity. Traditional diagnostic methods rely on categorical subtypes, often failing to capture the substantial heterogeneity observed across children with ADHD. As a result, there is growing support for data-driven, person-centered approaches that identify naturally occurring behavioral profiles rather than relying solely on categorical subtypes.

The present study sought to replicate previously identified ADHD-related behavioral profiles using contemporary clinical measures. BASC-3 Parent Rating Scale (PRS) data served as the foundation for replication of behavioral profiles, and then these profiles were examined across teacher ratings, executive-function …

Resilience After Prenatal Substance Exposure: Exploring The Role Of Cumulative And Specific Protective Factors In Predicting Toddlerhood Temperament Profiles, Anjeli Elkins

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Objective

Prenatal exposure to common substances, including nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates, and alcohol, has been linked to a wide range of psychiatric disorders and neurodevelopmental impairments. Identifying protective factors that may improve temperament profiles in toddlers who have experienced prenatal substance exposure may protect against these adverse outcomes and is crucial for developing targeted early interventions.

Methods

Participants (n=92; Mage = 28.7 years; 47.0% White) were biological mothers of toddlers (Mage = 22.6 months) with prenatal substance exposure. Mothers responded to an online survey that gathered information on substance use during pregnancy, proposed perinatal protective factors, and child temperament. …

Multidimensional Health Outcomes In Lgbtq+ Older Adults In The United States: Individual And Community-Level Protective Factors, Emily P. Lapidus

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Despite a lifetime of systematic barriers, LGBTQ+ individuals age into late adulthood, likely due to various protective factors. Guided by the Iridescent Life Course Framework (ILCF; Fredriksen-Goldsen & Muraco, 2019), I analyzed unique protective factors at two levels: (1) individual psychological factors (i.e., resilience, identity management) and (2) community-level factors (i.e., LGBTQ+ community connectedness, social support). Health was operationalized as mental health, physical health, and health-promoting behaviors. The present study accounted for covariates (i.e., financial barriers to healthcare, felt subjective age discrepancy, lifetime discrimination). I hypothesized that both stronger individual and community factors would be associated with better physical and …

Exploring The Effects Of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Of The Right Inferior Frontal Gyrus On Inhibitory Control In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Colton Rippey

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Background: The right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) is implicated in stop signal reaction time (SSRT) performance – a common measure of inhibitory control – and emotional expression and control. Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit poorer stop SSRT performance, which is associated with rIFG hypoactivity. Neuromodulation of the rIFG with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can significantly improve inhibitory control and reduce fearful responding to threatening stimuli. Research has yet to test the effects of multifocal tDCS targeting the rIFG on inhibitory control or emotional reactivity in individuals with PTSD.

Methods: The current study aims to examine the impact …

Why Are Women Tired? Examining Sex-Dependent Effects Of Behavioral Rhythms On Perceived Sleepiness, Maricel Schuler

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Sleep complaints in women emerge at menarche and coincide with reproductive hormonal fluctuations throughout the monthly menstrual cycle. To our knowledge, we are the first study (N = 44) to utilize a validated algorithm that uses actigraphy-derived light and activity data in a novel approach to estimate circadian phase, referred here as the photobehavioral phase. We hypothesize that women will have earlier photobehavioral phases, larger phase angles, poorer perceived sleep quality, and greater sleepiness compared to men. In addition, we hypothesize that the perimenstrual phase will be associated with poorer sleep within a subsample of women (N = 15). Contrary …

Examining Values In The Treatment Of Borderline Personality Disorder: A Single-Case Experimental Design, Nicole Stumpp

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Borderline personality disorder impacts roughly 1.6% of the general population yet only a quarter of people with BPD are able to access treatment. Understanding the mechanisms that promote behavior change in treatment is crucial for improving care for this population. Experiential avoidance has been linked to risky behaviors, a prevalent and debilitating symptom observed in BPD. Values identification may be a fruitful avenue for engaging experiential avoidance in treatment. The goal of the present study is to understand the unique and combined effects of values identification and behavior change skills (i.e., opposite actions, exposure) on experiential avoidance (target), maladaptive behavior …

Capturing Diverse Adolescents’ Social Contexts: The Development Of An Ethnic-Racial Microaffirmations Scale For Peer Interactions, Maria Radulescu

Dissertations

The development of a strong and positive sense of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) has been identified as an asset for ethnically and racially marginalized adolescents. Peer interactions during the adolescent years can support ERI development. In particular, a subtle micro-level form of peer support—microaffirmations—may be protective for ERI processes. However, the field of microaffirmations is very small, and there is no scale that captures adolescents’ experiences of ethnic-racial microaffirmations from their peers. The current study developed an ethnic-racial peer microaffirmations scale based on extant literature and feedback from 4 focus groups with 22 sophomore high school students. Findings indicated that 5 …

“What’S Happening In The Gulf Of Maine?”: Middle School Students’ Engagement In Climate Science Through Data Visual Representation And Reflections, Grace Ocular

Dissertations

This study examined how middle school students engaged with science concepts while working with data visualizations during a field trip learning experience. Fifty-one teams of 2–4 students from 35 schools participating in the LabVenture program were video- and audio-recorded. Students completed two activities: one using a frequency table of marine species illustrating threats to Maine’s lobster population, and another using maps depicting changes in Gulf of Maine sea surface temperature. After each activity, students annotated the visualization, discussed their claims, and recorded short reflections. Transcripts were coded for science-related talk, and annotations and gestures were also analyzed. Findings indicate that …

Systematic Review Examining How Black Youth In The United States Cope With Stressful And Traumatic Experiences, Marcus Aaron Flax

Dissertations

Coping is an important behavioral skillset that youth use to emotionally regulate after experiencing stress or trauma. Research has repeatedly highlighted the stressors that Black youth experience, often finding that Black youth face higher levels of stress and trauma than their White peers. However, there has been a lack of research in understanding how Black youth cope with these higher levels of stress. This systematic review includes 72 studies (N = 16,205 participants) examining the frequency and effectiveness of coping strategies used by Black youth in response to a trauma or stressor, along with the associations between utilized coping strategies …

Influence Of Time Pressure And Flood Information Type On Flood Alert Effectiveness In Driving, Katherine R. Garcia, Scott Mishler, Jing Chen

Psychology Faculty Publications

Flood alerts are a means of risk communication that alerts the public to potential floods. The purpose of this research was to investigate factors that affected drivers' understanding and actions given a flood presented through a mobile navigation application. Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of time pressure and type of flood information on drivers' planned actions when faced with potential flooding. Participants were asked about their planned actions given one type of flood information in a driving scenario either with or without time pressure. Our results indicated significant differences in participants' behaviors across the different flood information …

The Impact Of Peer Observational Learning On Honesty Following A Transgression, Hannah M. Sliman, George H. Noell

Psychology Faculty Publications

Parents and teachers worry about how lying affects children's development and socialization, as research links persistent lying to delinquency, aggression, and conduct issues. To investigate this, we examined two groups: Honest and Praise versus a Control Group, exploring how exposure influenced children's honesty and confession after transgressions. The study aimed to see if observing peers receive praise for honesty could promote truthfulness. Gender's impact on reporting honesty was assessed. Results showed no significant difference in honesty between the HP and CG groups; children confessed at similar rates in both conditions. Gender did not affect honest reporting. These findings differ from …

Vagally Mediated Heart Rate Variability Modulates The Association Between The Perceived Workload And The Stroop Effect On Behavioral Performance, Xiao Yang, Michael Gazzanigo, Fang Fang, Spencer House

Psychology Faculty Publications

Vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) reflects top-down cognitive processes involved in emotion-cognition integration. Using cognitive control can be effortful and increase negative affect. However, this intrinsic affective component of cognitive control has not been well studied, and the role of vmHRV in the association between subjective experience in using cognitive control and behavioral performance remains unknown. The current study aimed to examine the relationship of vmHRV with cognitive control and perceived workload in a cognitive task. Eighty-one participants performed the Stroop interference task. Participants rated subjective workload using the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) scale for congruent and incongruent …

Human Perception Of Ai Capabilities At Classifying Perturbed Roadway Signs, Katherine R. Garcia, Jing Chen, Yanru Xiao, Scott Mishler, Cong Wang, Bin Hu

Psychology Faculty Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is crucial to numerous functions required for driving automation systems, including the computer vision techniques used to detect the roadway environment and make real-time decisions. However, the images used as inputs to the AI system may be maliciously perturbed, or manipulated, causing the AI system to make an incorrect classification. In this study, we examined humans’ perception of the AI’s computer vision capability of classifying various road sign images, including the original images, images with two different types of malicious attacks, and images that are scrambled randomly at the pixel level. Our results showed that participants rated …

Am I As Effective At Identifying Emotions As Artificial Intelligence? A Comparative Study Of Emotional Recognition, Traci R. Grove, Alexandra T. Lucas, Maryann Martin, Cathleen M. Deckers, Lulu Sherif Mahmood, Nicole Danaher-Garcia, Mark W. Scerbo, Suzan Kardong-Edgren, Janice C. Palaganas

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

Learning conversations, or dialogues aimed at deepening understanding and reflection, are deeply influenced by emotions. Effective communication is influenced by emotional intelligence - the ability to recognize, understand, and manage both one’s own and others’ emotions. While advances in artificial intelligence (AI) offer new tools for emotion recognition, these technologies still struggle with accurately interpreting subtle and culturally diverse emotional expressions, sparking debate about their reliability and effectiveness. This article provides a comparative analysis of human versus AI recognition of emotions during an end-of-course reflective learning conversation.

Methods

Emotions during a structured post-conference debriefing were analyzed and coded by …

Similarity May Be Safer: The Effect Of Similarity Between Speech-Based Takeover Request Style And Driver Personality On Self-Driving Takeover Performance, Keer Ma, Jianfeng Wu, Yanxi Lin, Zihan Li, Songyang Guo, Dongfang Jiao, Shihan Yu

Psychology Faculty Publications

In Level 3 automated driving, it is critical that drivers can rapidly and effectively shift from non-driving related tasks (NDRT) back to the driving task. While previous research has examined the modality, timing, and vocal characteristics of takeover requests (TORs), little is known about how the style of speech-based TORs interacts with drivers’ personality traits. This study conducted a driving simulator experiment with 49 participants using a 2 × 2 within-subjects design. Drawing on the dominant-submissive dimension of personality, we examined the similarity of personality tendencies between speech-based TORs and drivers under takeover scenarios of varying urgency (low: road construction; …

Digital Orthodoxy And Political Populism In Eastern Europe: How Orthodox Media Facilitate Political Mobilization, Dmytro Garaschuk, Oleh Sokolovskyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the intersection of Orthodox digital media and political populism in Eastern Europe, focusing on how religious institutions utilize digital platforms to facilitate political mobilization, reinforce nationalistic narratives, and undermine democratic institutions. Drawing on a comparative analysis of six countries–Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Georgia, and Montenegro–the study identifies a shared ideological matrix that fuses populist rhetoric with theological motifs. The research highlights the strategic use of digital media by Orthodox actors to construct moral binaries, sacralize political resistance, and disseminate disinformation framed in religious language. Particular attention is given to the role of the Russian Orthodox Church and …

Self-As-Context Moderation Of Relationship Fusion: A Comparison Of Intimate And Familial Relationship Impact On Weight Concern, Carly Carrasco-Wyant

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study explored how fusion in important relationships relates to weight concern and whether these effects are moderated by self-as-context perspectives and racial and ethnic background. Grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and relational frame theory (RFT), eight models were constructed to evaluate influence of important others when absent or present and when moderated by self-as-context, racial and ethnic background and in multiple moderation models analyses using data from 1,323 participants. Results indicated that fusion with family was significantly associated with greater weight concern, when family was absent (ß = 0.10, p = .03) and present (ß = 0.12, …

Evaluating Educational Bias In Executive Function Assessments: A Comparison Of Reacstick And The Nih Toolbox In Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis, Maura Lane

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated the influence of educational attainment on executive function performance across two cognitive assessment tools—ReacStick (RS) and the National Institute of Health Cognition Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIH Toolbox-CB)— in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Participants with confirmed MS diagnoses completed both cognitive assessment tools, and the correlation between years of education and task performance was analyzed to evaluate the presence of educational bias. Results showed that NIH Toolbox-CB scores were significantly associated with education level, whereas RS parameters did not demonstrate this relationship. These findings suggest that RS performance may be less influenced by educational background and could …

Understanding Injury-Related Fear In Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Qualitative Approach, Ashley M. B. Suttmiller, Julie M. Cavallario, Shelby E. Baez, Ryan S. Mccann

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context

The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-11) is used to identify injury-related fear (IR-Fear) in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) and is a predictor of poor health outcomes. Limited knowledge beyond quantitative scores necessitates a deeper, qualitative understanding of IR-Fear to reduce the burden of fear within CAI patients.

Objective

To explore the perceptions and experiences that influence IR-Fear within the CAI population.

Design

Consensual qualitative research.

Setting

Individual semistructured video conference interviews.

Patients or Other Participants

Nine participants with CAI were selected as a follow-up from a web-based questionnaire investigating the fear-avoidance model. Potential participants were contacted based …

The Effects Of An Organizational Shift To Pay Transparency On Employees’ Justified Under-Met Pay Standing Expectations And Turnover Intentions, Heather Godsey

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

Pay transparency is becoming more commonplace within U.S. organizations, due to the enactment of state pay transparency laws attempting to reduce the gender wage gap and broader calls for greater transparency in organizations. While transparency may be ideal, its effects on employee attitudes and behaviors are unclear. This study explored a potential unintended outcome of pay transparency, employee turnover, by examining how fairness perceptions mediate the justified under-met pay standing expectations and employees’ turnover intentions relationship, while investigating gender and justice sensitivity as moderators. A sample of 426 participants experienced an organizational shift from pay secrecy to pay transparency and …