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Investigating Momentary Body Image Disturbance, Affect, And Disordered Eating Among College Students, Allison T. Cunning

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite evidence that eating disorders are associated with elevated mortality rates, increased risk of suicide, and societal and financial burden, treatment outcomes for individuals with eating disorders remain poor. Body image disturbance has emerged as a robust risk factor for the development and maintenance of disordered eating (e.g., overeating, binge eating, purging, restriction) and theoretical and clinical perspectives most commonly operationalize body image disturbance as a trait construct. However, empirical evidence suggests body dissatisfaction may fluctuate, and these fluctuations may play an important role in the relationship between risk factors and disordered eating. The current study employed ecological momentary assessment …

Building Media Literacy In Adolescence: A Cognitive Behavioral Clinician's Manual To Combat Misinformation And Misdiagnosis During Sessions, Patricia Sacchetti

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This paper examines the role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in countering misinformation that youth encounter on social media and other informal sources, with the goal of creating a manual for mental health clinicians. The use of CBT by clinicians working with adolescents to combat the issue of misinformation and misdiagnosis has received little attention in the literature. Mental health clinicians’ knowledge of media literacy as a psychological construct can foster an effective treatment style by building upon the foundation of well-established theory and practice, such as CBT. CBT is a multifaceted treatment that can help guide mental health clinicians …

The Relative Strength Of Help-Seeker Stereotype, Help-Seeking Self-Stigma, And Self-Esteem In Predicting Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Help, Souad Torjani Azim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasing prevalence of mental health issues among college students is a critical concern. Disorders such as depression and anxiety are becoming more common, with depression notably a major risk factor for suicide—the second leading cause of death in this age group. Despite this troubling trend, significant barriers to accessing mental health services remain. While research has explored various factors contributing to students’ reluctance, such as stigma, distrust in the mental health system, lack of social support, and mental health literacy, none to date has examined the relative strength of help-seeker stereotype, help-seeking self-stigma, and self-esteem in predicting attitudes toward …

Revising And Consolidating The Dsm-5 And Icd-11 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders Into A Dimensional Spectrum-Based Disorder: A Literature Review, Samuel Milton Shatsky

University Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the clinical, cultural, and theoretical implications of replacing the current DSM-5 and ICD-11 categorical diagnoses of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) with a unified dimensional framework: trauma spectrum disorder (TSD). The proposed TSD model addresses ongoing concerns around diagnostic inflation, treatment misalignment, and clinical confusion stemming from binary trauma categorizations. This thesis explores whether adopting a dimensional diagnostic model to replace DSM-5 and ICD-11's current PTSD and CPTSD designations could lead to improved treatment outcomes and diagnostic clarity.

Methodology consisted of an extensive literature review of the field's current research. Using the …

As Good As It Gets? Comparing Clients’ And Treatment Providers’ Perceptions Of Engagement Barriers And Facilitators For Exposure And Response Prevention Ocd Treatment, Samuel Mutschler-Aldine

University Honors Theses

This mixed-methods study compared clients' and providers' sentiments toward research-based themes on barriers and facilitators of client engagement in treatment. For individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), engagement in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is a crucial ingredient of successful treatment and symptom remission. Therefore, it is imperative to thoroughly understand the perspectives on engagement barriers and facilitators of people with field experience: ERP patients and therapists.

The researcher administered two Qualtrics surveys to thirty current providers and six current or former clients of ERP for OCD. Each survey contained five-point, Likert-style scales to measure the level each participant agreed …

The Impact Of Child And Parent Trauma Exposure On A School-Based Trauma-Focused Child Intervention, Andrea Donis

Master's Theses

National statistics demonstrate that vast majority of Latine youth living in low-income neighborhoods in the United States experience on-going trauma exposure throughout their life. However, most trauma-focused therapies were designed without considering the impact that experiencing new trauma exposure during treatment may have on treatment effectiveness, limiting our understanding of the potential attenuation caused by new traumatic experiences. In addition, most youth research has focused on the impact of child trauma exposure, with little attention given to the impact of parental trauma exposure on child treatment outcomes despite the salient role that parents play in child development. In particular, little …

Situational Analysis Of Child Labour In Coastal And Marine Activities In Zanzibar, Tanzania, Happiness Anold Moshi, Rukia Kitula

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study analyses the situation of child labour in coastal and marine activities in Zanzibar, Tanzania, by examining activities carried out by children, the major driving factors for engaging in child labour, as well as the associated impacts to children’s schooling and wellbeing. Questionnaire survey, focus group discussions (FGDs), participant observations, and key informant interviews (KII) were all used to collect data for the study. The study involved a total of 90 children, who were randomly selected among working children in coastal and marine activities. It was found that most of the working children were involved in fishing, fish descaling, …

Enhancing Mental Health Through Mind-Body Exercises In Sedentary Students: A Systematic Review With An Indonesian Perspective, Izmi Alya Khairunnisa, Aditya Denny Pratama

Jurnal Sosial Humaniora Terapan

Sedentary Behavior (SB) among students is associated with increased risks of depression, anxiety, stress, and weakened immune function. According to the WHO, SB contributes to approximately two million deaths each year. This systematic literature review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of mind-body exercises in improving mental health outcomes—specifically stress reduction, anxiety management, and emotional regulation—among students with sedentary lifestyles. Using the PRISMA framework, 2,201 articles were identified from databases including Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest, with six studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The review found that mind-body exercises such as yoga, tai chi, and pilates significantly reduce stress and anxiety, enhance …

Christian Beliefs About Salvation: Measurement And Associations With Mental Health And Well-Being, Anthony Edward Rose, Timothy B. Smith

Faculty Publications

Religious beliefs influence many behaviors and perspectives relevant to wellbeing and mental health. In Christianity, beliefs about how one attains salvation may be particularly relevant to psychology, but limited scholarship has considered cognitive aspects of religiosity. This study developed and evaluated a new measure of Beliefs about Salvation (BAS) that assesses affirmations of salvation (a) by God’s grace alone and (b) by God’s grace after human repentance/ordinances, as understood by different Christian denominations. We examined the association of the BAS with three measures of mental health and six measures of influences on religiosity. In a sample of 1556 predominantly members …

Introduction To Clinical Psychology Syllabus (Psych 347), Valentina Nikulina

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

The Mediating Role Of Intellectual Humility On The Relationship Between Perspective-Taking And Affective Polarization, Daniel Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Affective polarization, a phenomenon characterized by animosity between opposing political parties, has emerged as a growing and intractable problem in the United States. Affective polarization threatens American democracy, as polarized citizens become increasingly unwilling to trust cross-partisans, hold their political leaders accountable, or support the results of free and fair elections. While prior research has investigated the mitigating effect of intellectual humility and perspective-taking on affective polarization, researchers have yet to investigate whether intellectual humility and perspective-taking work synergistically to mitigate affective polarization. Informed by social identity theory, this quantitative study determined if intellectual humility mediated the relationship between perspective-taking …

Support Beyond Services: Examining The Role Of Neighbor Relationships, Housing Staff, And Place In Mental Health Recovery, Kenna Estell Dickard

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation explores the role of non-clinical support for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Through three interconnected manuscripts, this dissertation highlights the importance of housing staff support, places in the community, and neighbor relationships in fostering recovery for individuals with SMI. The first manuscript analyzes how housing staff support influences residents' well-being through an ecological lens. This study found that staff support is associated with reduced loneliness, higher residential satisfaction, and increased sense of community. This study also considers the role of self-determination as a moderator, demonstrating the importance of resident agency in maximizing well-being outcomes. The second manuscript …

Reproductive Rights At Work: The Role Of Organizations In Menstrual Support, Emily Julia Ready

Dissertations and Theses

Painful menstrual symptoms affect up to 90% of people with uteruses globally. These symptoms can result in lost productivity at work and absenteeism for working individuals. Normative work structures have not been designed with accessibility and inclusivity for those with uteruses in mind. Therefore, women and those with uteruses have often had to work through barriers with no accommodations or systematic change. Currently, there is no published research in the United States on the nuances of the relationship between menstruation and work with the intention of exploring effective solutions. There has been discussion related to menstrual supportive policies, but there …

The Love With A Thousand Faces: Heroism As Embodied Love In Action, Scott T. Allison

Heroism Science

In this article, I argue that heroism is, at its core, embodied love in action -- a morally charged, physically grounded expression of care enacted through selfless deeds, courage, and commitment to others. Rather than reducing love to sentiment or an abstract ideal, I emphasize its embodied dimensions: love as a lived, relational force that motivates people to act bravely and altruistically, often at great personal cost. Drawing on psychological research in empathy, attachment, and prosocial motivation, I show how love undergirds moral courage by activating deep emotional bonds and transforming them into action-oriented commitments that transcend fear and self-interest. …

Charting Your Own Course: Diverse Paths To Occupational Health Psychology, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

This piece describes my pathway, via stressful work experiences, into occupational health psychology (OHP). Those work experiences combined with my later training in epidemiology at Columbia led me to the study of work, stress, and health. I briefly describe key research experiences with Joe Mazzola of Meredith College (the role of qualitative research in theory development and hypothesis generation) and Renzo Bianchi of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (research on burnout–depression overlap and the creation of scales to assess occupational depression, occupational anxiety, and pandemic-related anxiety). The piece concludes with ideas for newcomers to OHP for getting the …

Does Schooling Improve Cognitive Abilities At Older Ages? Causal Evidence From Nonparametric Bounds, Vikesh Amin, Jere R. Behrman, Jason M. Fletcher, Carlos A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, Hans-Peter Kohler

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

We revisit much-investigated relationships between schooling and health, focusing on schooling impacts on cognitive abilities at older ages using the Harmonized Cognition Assessment Protocol in the Health & Retirement Study (HRS) and a bounding approach that requires relatively weak assumptions. Our estimated upper bounds on the population average effects indicate potentially large causal effects of increasing schooling from primary to secondary; yet, these upper bounds are smaller than many estimates from the literature on causal schooling impacts on cognition using compulsory-schooling laws. We also cannot rule out small and null effects at this margin. We do, however, find evidence for …

From Lockdown To Learning: Understanding Motivation Shifts In High School Students Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kelly Lindberg

University Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic induced profound disruptions to the educational landscape, significantly impacting high school students' motivation to learn. This thesis explores how these disruptions affected students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivations through the lenses of three motivational theories: Self-Determination Theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and Expectancy-Value Theory. By examining changes in the learning environment, social connections, and mental health before, during, and after the pandemic, this study identifies key factors that shaped changes in students' academic engagement. The shift to online learning during the pandemic, combined with social isolation and increased mental health challenges, diminished students' intrinsic motivation and weakened their …

From Prohibition To Prescription: Exploring Injustice, Bias, And Science-Based Solutions, Alexander Campos

University Honors Theses

This thesis critiques the war on drugs for disproportionately targeting minority communities and prioritizing systemic exploitation over public health. It examines the flawed, politically influenced DEA drug scheduling process, which neglects evidence of the medical benefits of substances like cannabis, psilocybin, LSD, DMT, and MDMA. This thesis gives a brief history of the evolution of US drug policy, which contributed to mass incarceration, reinforced racial disparities, and failed to reduce overdose deaths. It also highlights the potential mental health benefits of decriminalizing and regulating psychedelics to treat conditions like PTSD, depression, and substance abuse disorder. This thesis concludes by promoting …

Examining County-Level Implicit Stereotypes And Prejudice As Predictors Of Racial And Gender Disparities In Incarceration Across The United States, Emma Elizabeth Lee Money

Dissertations and Theses

Background: This dissertation investigated the role of local macropsychological factors - specifically, county-level implicit racial bias and implicit gender stereotyping - in shaping inequalities in incarceration across the United States. Despite overall declines in incarceration, trends in the incarceration of women and people of color (particularly Black women) show disparities compared to White men. Regional aggregations of implicit biases have been proposed as robust markers and drivers of systemic inequalities and are examined in current research.

Research Questions: Three overarching research questions (RQ) guided this dissertation: RQ1 tested the relationship between county-level implicit racial bias and proportions of Black (relative …

Inhibitory Control: A Mediator Between Sensory Responsivity And Externalizing Behaviors In Children On The Autism Spectrum, Kaitlyn M. Drafton

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Sensory differences are among the most commonly reported symptoms in children on the autism spectrum and have been linked to both externalizing behaviors and executive functioning challenges. However, few studies have explored the potential mechanisms that underlie these relationships. The present study examined whether inhibitory control mediates the relationship between sensory responsivity and externalizing behaviors in young autistic children, each rated via caregiver-report measures. Participants included 107 caregivers of autistic children between the ages of 5-10 years old. It was hypothesized that higher levels of sensory responsivity would predict greater difficulty with inhibition, which in turn would be associated with …

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction And Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy As Interventions For Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review, Amitojeroop Kaur

Honors Scholar Theses

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), specifically Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), in reducing anxiety symptoms in individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). A review of the literature revealed that while GAD affects millions globally, many individuals diagnosed with GAD do not receive treatment. This review evaluated the effectiveness of MBIs using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs, focusing on effect sizes, study quality, and control conditions. The central hypothesis was that MBCT would significantly reduce anxiety symptoms, particularly in comparison to inactive control groups. Meta-analytic results showed that MBSR …

The Clinical Utility Of Measuring Emotion Dysregulation In Autistic Youth, Monica S. Trevino

Dissertations

Autistic youth experience disproportionately high rates and severity of emotion dysregulation, which is linked to behavioral challenges, psychiatric comorbidities, familial stress, and increased emergency service and hospitalization use. Despite its clinical significance, emotion dysregulation in autistic youth remains relatively understudied and misunderstood, partly due to the lack of standardized assessment tools and limited research on its heterogeneity within autistic populations. In the present study, structural equation modeling was used to 1) validate the Emotion Dysregulation Inventory (EDI) and assess measurement invariance in a diverse sample and 2) explore associations among emotion dysregulation, autism symptoms, and related child and family characteristics, …

A Qualitative Analysis Of A Culturally Adapted Pcit Training For Black And Latine Clinicians: Creating Communities For Providers Of Autistic Youth, Harlee Onovbiona, Felipa Chavez, Lauren Quetsch, Ashley Scudder

Psychology Faculty Publications

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a widely known evidenced-based treatment (EBT) that has been used with Latine, Black, and neurodiverse children to improve the parent-child relationship and reduce challenging behaviors. Although considerable efforts have been made to disseminate PCIT to the wider community, fewer strides have been made to reach Black and Latine families in underserved communities—especially for families with neurodiverse children. One method to bridge the service gap for Black and Latine families is to train Black and Latine clinicians who primarily serve Black and Latine communities. Thus, the current pilot utilized a qualitative design and the Ecological Validity …

Examining Risk And Protective Factors Of African Americans Who Use Substances, Dominique Ashonta Black

All ETDs from UAB

African Americans (AAs) are less likely to report internalized symptoms and substance use compared to other racial groups but tend to report more severe symptoms related to either condition. Research suggests internalized symptoms and substance use share a causal relationship or an underlying factor that contributes to both conditions. Risk factors such as stress, discrimination, and trauma strengthen the relationship between anxiety and substance use in AAs. A higher prevalence of stress, discrimination, and trauma exposure was found in AAs when compared to other racial groups, increasing AAs risk for internalized symptoms and substance use. While it is important to …

Servant Leadership And Team Cohesion: The Mediating Roles Of Procedural Justice And Service Culture, Tyler Norris, Dalia L. Diab

Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice

This study examined the relationships among servant leadership, team cohesion, service culture, and procedural justice. It was hypothesized that service culture and procedural justice would mediate the relationship between servant leadership and team cohesion. A total of 125 participants were recruited using Prolific, and after data cleaning, 120 participants’ responses were retained. Results supported the study hypotheses, such that service culture and procedural justice fully mediated the relationship between servant leadership and team cohesion. These findings imply that the positive correlation between servant leadership and team cohesion is mediated by a culture that promotes procedural justice and service. By treating …

Arts-Based Sustainability: From New York To Malawi, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Recognizing that libraries serve multiple constituencies and subject areas, this chapter documents and advocates for development of transdisciplinary arts-based research (ABR) and culture-related projects linked to environmental challenges. Libraries contribute collections and spaces, as well as the research of library and information scientists. Libraries are currently among invisible contributors to sustainability planning and services. The chapter will link this invisibility to the value of what visual arts refer to as negative space elements in subjects ranging from traditional ecological knowledge to environmental science. Library collections, projects, and research contribute to education for sustainable development (ESD) as required to achieve the …

Adapting The Comprehensive Assessment Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Processes (Compact) Questionnaire For Contextual Relevance In Uganda: A Comprehensive Approach, Joseph Mugarura, Khamisi Musanje, Michael E. Levin, Ronald Asiimwe, Morris Ndeezi, Simon Kizito, Ross G. White, Rosco Kasujja

Psychology Faculty Publications

The global utility of acceptance and commitment therapy highlights the need for adapting measures that can effectively capture the richness of psychological flexibility. One such instrument is the Comprehensive Assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Processes (CompACT). We translated the CompACT into Luganda and adapted it for use in Uganda. The original CompACT was translated into the Luganda language and reviewed through a series of evaluations. Nine mental health professionals participated in one-on-one interviews, while a focus group of eight culturally competent laypersons provided further insights. Their feedback resulted in revisions to enhance the instrument’s clarity, relevance, acceptability and completeness. …

Personalized Pain Management Pathway Based On Individual Diagnoses, Tiana Bell Asn, Rn, Diana Desmornes Asn, Rn, Autumn Dwyer Bsn, Rn, Monica Foley Asn, Rn, Marissa Forleo Bsn, Rn, Heather Mcmillan Asn, Rn, Nicole Valenti Bsn, Rn

Posters

The intervention we’re proposing offers a comprehensive, individualized approach to pain management, taking into account diagnosis-specific pain scales, nonpharmacological interventions, and continued pain control post-discharge.

Functional And Cultural Values Of Shame: A Motivator To Seek Help For Suicidal Ideation, Yu-Chin Lin

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Suicide is a global issue with rates continuing to rise despite decades of research and prevention efforts. The role of shame in the development of suicidal ideation, especially within non-Western contexts, remains underexplored. This mixed-methods study explored the relationships among shame, suicidal ideation, and help-seeking intentions in a Taiwanese sample, focusing on four culturally distinct Mandarin terms for shame—diu lian, can kui, xiu kui, and xiu chi. A total of 101 participants who has experiences of suicide-related thoughts or behaviors responded to an online survey. Quantitative analyses revealed that all shame terms were strongly correlated …

Perceived Adherence-Related Barriers For Youth Living With Hiv In The Southern United States, Kate Weaver, Sarah J. Miller, Sayward Harrison

Faculty Publications

Objective: Youth are at high risk for HIV, accounting for 19% of new diagnoses in the United States (US) in 2021. Highly effective HIV treatment is available in the form of antiretroviral therapy (ART), which enables individuals with HIV to achieve viral suppression. However, youth living with HIV (YLHIV) have poorer ART adherence and lower rates of viral suppression than adults. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of YLHIV and their HIV care providers on barriers and facilitators to ART adherence for YLHIV in the southern US. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with YLHIV (n = 16) …