Digital Commons Network^™

The Psychological Characteristics Of Obese Children, Thomas Taylor Mitchell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Several studies along with the surgeon general of the United States have identified obesity as a national health issue. Research indicates that adult obesity treatment has relatively poor long-term effects. Consequently increased attention has been given to addressing obesity in children. This focus is particularly vital due to the fact that children are one of the populations showing the most rapid increase in overweight and obesity. The purpose of this study was to identify the some of the unique psychological characteristics of obese children by analyzing the intake data of children and adolescents attending the Loma Linda University Growing Fit …

Discriminatory Analysis Of The Children's Depression Inventory, Montez Vaughn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) was designed as a screening measure to assess the severity of depressive symptomatology experienced by school-aged children. This study attempted to determine the discriminatory capacity of the CDI among clinical populations. The subjects included 115 children ages 7 to 17, 6 female, 109 male. Twenty-two were Caucasian, 63 were Hispanic, 26 were Black. The study population was primarily homogeneous for the diagnosis of Conduct Disorder, incarcerated adolescent males (ages 16 to 17), limiting generalizability and findings.

Total Scores were not found to discriminate depressed subjects from non-depressed subjects. Total Scores were found to distinguish incarcerated …

Intensive Care Medical Procedure : Ptsd Symptoms In Children, Ludmila Zaytsev

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Studies indicate that medical procedures may cause post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms (fear, avoidance, sleep disturbances, irritability, concentration difficulties. hypervigilance). It has been suggested that administration of midazolam hydrochloride, a sedative/amnesic medication commonly used in the Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU), may help decrease if not prevent the development of PTS symptoms. This study examined if PTS symptoms were related to procedural invasiveness (PI) and whether midazolam had a moderating effect on the development and intensity of PTS symptoms in children. English-speaking children ages 8-16 (N=20) who had been in the PICU for at least 3 days were recruited at Loma …

A Longitudinal Examination Of Flow As A Predictor Of Recreational Exercise, Brian Michael Chichester

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Flow state is a valued psychological state of enjoyment and well-being. It is characterized by feelings of intrinsic self-reward and marked by nine dimensions theorized to contribute to flow state. Flow has been studied mostly in elite athletes, whom report highly lucid flow experiences; to a much lesser extent it has been studied in recreational exercisers. Most prior research methodologies involve experience sampling or qualitative techniques, such as interviewing. Only one demonstrably valid and reliable flow instrument is widely available for efficient, quantitative measure of flow experiences. This study measures flow longitudinally in a recreational exercising population by comparing a …

Radiation Effects On Dopamine-Mediated Prepulse Inhibition In The C57bl/6 Mouse, Cara Nicole Zuccarelli Miller

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study examined the effects of proton and gamma radiation on a dopamine-dependent sensory gating mechanism: prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex. The purpose of this research was to describe potential hazards of proton radiation to the central nervous system in long-term space fight and for proton therapy patients. Results from previous research indicate that startle behavior is modified by proton and iron radiation. Forty-eight 10-½ week old, male C57BL/6 mice were used to characterize the optimal parameters for the model (prepulse duration, probe duration, and stimulus-onset-asynchrony). Three hundred and fifty two mice were used to characterize the time course …

Validation Of A Serotonin Checklist In A Parkinson’S Disease Population, Kelly Diane Darby-Holder

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Although the distinctive pathological marker of Parkinson’s Disease is the progressive death of neurons that produce dopamine, there are also alterations in the production of quantities of other neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and serotonin that contribute to the disease. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) can be divided into two distinct classes based on the manifestation of motor symptoms, Type A and Type B Parkinson’s Disease. Type B PD patients often manifest symptoms in which serotonin deficiency plays an important role, which often includes a history of depression. Within the brain and spinal cord serotonin has wide spread projections, acting as an important …

Breaking The Stereotypes: Exploring Traits Of Female Athletes, Carrie Magan Warda

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Despite the growing acceptance of women's sports and the increasing number of women and girls who are participating in sports, a number of negative stereotypes still exist concerning female athletes. Because the competitive, masculine nature of sports has been viewed as the antithesis of femininity, women who have actively participated in sports have often been stigmatized as "masculine" (Anthrop & Allison, 1983; Snyder & Kivlin, 1977). Past research has determined that female athletes do tend to possess more masculine personality traits than their non-athletic counterparts (Andre & Holland, 1995; Houseworth, Peplow, & Thirer, 1989; Marsh & Jackson, 1986; Myers & …

What To Do On Spring Break? The Role Of Predicted, On-Line, And Remembered Experience In Future Choice, Derrick Wirtz, Justin Kruger, Christie N. Scollon, Ed Diener

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

When individuals choose future activities on the basis of their past experiences, what guides those choices? The present study compared students' predicted, on-line, and remembered spring-break experiences, as well as the influence of these factors on students' desire to take a similar vacation in the future. Predicted and remembered experiences were both more positive—and, paradoxically, more negative—than on-line experiences. Of key importance, path analyses revealed that remembered experience, but neither on-line nor anticipated experience, directly predicted the desire to repeat the experience. These results suggest that although on-line measures may be superior to retrospective measures for approximating objective experience, retrospective …

Announcements, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

IBPP announcements pertaining to reader requests, editor nominations, and relevant conferences, as well as online and print publications.

Announcements, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

IBPP announcements pertaining to reader requests, editor nominations, and relevant conferences, as well as online and print publications.

The Spiritual Self: Toward A Conceptualization Of Spiritual Identity Development, Timothy B. Smith, Justin B. Poll

Faculty Publications

Both researchers and practitioners have demonstrated considerable interest in identity development, and positive personal identities have been associated with numerous positive mental health outcomes. However, major theories of identity development have neglected the salience of spiritual identity, even though the early work of William James placed this as a central component of personality. This article reviews four major theories of identity development (cognitive, psychodynamic, systems, and narrative) and suggests spiritual identity parallels to these theories. A tentative model of spiritual identity development is presented. Implications for therapy and future research concerning spiritual identity development are discussed.

The Effects Of Instruction And Strategy Implementation On Increasing Mathematics Computation Skills For Students With Learning Problems: A Meta-Analysis, Natalie Roehm

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

It is well known by educators and researchers that students with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) often do not make adequate progress when using traditional instructional methods (Whinnery & Stecker, 1992). Therefore, teachers must experiment with different techniques in order to help these students succeed. Many educational models and interventions have been introduced recently in an effort to help increase the level of math performance of at-risk and SLD students. The current metaanalysis study was conducted to determine the effects of instruction and strategy implementation on increasing mathematics and computation skills for students with learning problems and Specific Learning Disabilities. …

Training Of Observers In Risk Rituals Of The Manasa Sect Of Hinduism And Serpent Handling Sects Of Appalachia, Christopher Silver

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study proposes to examine observer attitudes. Any ritual action that has the potential for injury or death, will be coined a religious risk ritual (RR). Observers will examine examples of video from the Manasa Hindu tradition in India and the Pentecostal and Holiness Serpent Handling traditions (SHS) of the southern Appalachian Mountain region of the United States. While training had no overall effect, study participants perceived the Manasa religious ritual as being more legitimate than the SHS religious ritual. Participants accepted of existence of a religious risk ritual cross-culturally but were biased against it in the southeastern United States.

Identifying Behavioral Risk Factors For Acquaintance Rape In College Females, Sherrie Maher

Dissertations

In the current study, a videotaped scenario was used to assess sexual communication skills among a sample of undergraduate women. The study was designed to identify specific communication strategies that may serve as risk or protective factors in acquaintance rape situations. Given that women with a prior sexual victimization history are at increased risk for subsequent sexual assault, the study examined whether these women exhibit particular communication skills deficits in dating situations. Using a validated videotaped vignette, 47 undergraduate women without a history of victimization (NVP) were compared to 28 women with a history of sexual assault (SVP) (assault occurring …

Emotion Representation And Perception Across Cultures, Jeanette Altarriba, Dana M. Basnight, Tina M. Canary

Online Readings in Psychology and Culture

Are emotion words or emotion categories universal, or are particular emotions and emotion categories specific to certain cultures? The current review explores the answer to this question by summarizing the limited number of studies that have addressed this issue. The representation of emotion is discussed with regards to verbal and nonverbal (facial) processing, in turn. The evidence indicates that the answer is often conflicting and that issues such as methodological, linguistic, social and cultural variance have contributed to the often contradictory findings.

Corporate And Individual Influences On Managers' Social Orientation, Joachim W. Marz, Thomas L. Powers, Thomas Queisser

WCBT Faculty Publications

This paper reports research on the influence of corporate and individual characteristics on managers' social orientation in Germany. The results indicate that mid-level managers expressed a significantly lower social orientation than low-level managers, and that job activity did not impact social orientation. Female respondents expressed a higher social orientation than male respondents. No impact of the political system origin (former East Germany versus former West Germany) on social orientation was shown. Overall, corporate position had a significantly higher impact on social orientation than did the characteristics of the individuals surveyed.

Should The English Grammar Rule Be To Always End Your Sentence In A Preposition?, April Fugett-Fuller

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Psychology by April Fugett-Fuller on July 30, 2003.

Announcements, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

IBPP announcements pertaining to reader requests, editor nominations, and relevant conferences, as well as online and print publications.

Announcements, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

IBPP announcements pertaining to reader requests, editor nominations, and relevant conferences, as well as online and print publications.

Sensations From Initial Exposure To Nicotine Predicting Adolescent Smoking In China: A Potential Measure Of Vulnerability To Nicotine, Xinguang Chen, Alan W. Stacy, Hong Zheng, Jianguo Shan, Donna Spruijt-Metz, Jennifer B. Unger, Jie Gong, Peggy Gallaher, Chunhong Liu, Stanley Azen, Sohaila Shakib, C. Anderson Johnson

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Sensations derived from initial exposure to nicotine are a potential indicator of an individual's vulnerability to nicotine. This study assessed whether sensations experienced during the first lifetime exposure to nicotine could predict current and established cigarette smoking. Data from 210 respondents who reported having ever tried cigarette smoking in Wuhan, China, were obtained for this study from 610 students in 10th grade at two schools. Subjects were participants in a multipurpose pilot survey for an adolescent smoking prevention trial. The survey was administered in a classroom setting using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. Sensations reported were cigarette smell (59.2%), coughing (54.1%), dizziness …

The Relationship Of Mmpi-A Item Effectiveness To Item Content, Diagnostic Category, And Classification Accuracy, Kathleen D. Lynch

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Archer, Handel, and Lynch (2001) recently compared the item endorsement frequencies for the MMPI-A normative sample against two adolescent clinical samples. Results showed that the MMPI-A contains a substantial number of items that do not show a significant difference in item endorsement frequency between normative and clinical samples. The current study extends Archer et al.'s (2001) research in three ways: (1) it examines the item endorsement frequencies of the Supplementary scales, Harris Lingoes subscales, and subtle-obvious items; (2) it examines the Basic, Content, and Supplementary scales, and Harris Lingoes subscales with two homogeneous diagnostic criterion groups (as suggested by Archer, …

Academic Persistence Among Native American College Students, Aaron P. Jackson, Steven A. Smith, Curtis L. Hill

Faculty Publications

Qualitative interviews with 15 successful Native American college students who grew up on reservations identified the following themes related to their persistence in college: (a) family support, (b) structured social support, (c) faculty/staff warmth, (d) exposure to college and vocations, (e) developing independence and assertiveness, (f) reliance on spiritual resources, (g) dealing with racism, (h) nonlinear path, and (i) paradoxical cultural pressure. The results indicated a need for stable mentoring relationships and programmatic support.

Radiation Of Black Beauty: Perceptions Of Self-Esteem And Self-Efficacy Based On Facial Attractiveness And Skin-Tone Of African Americans, Solomon Luckett, Jr.

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The phenomenon of radiating beauty refers to the positive perception people have of an individual who is closely associated with a person of high facial attractiveness. This study examined the radiating beauty effect in the African American community. The historical perspective of skin tone and its role in intra-racial physical attraction among African Americans was explored. Specifically, this study investigated the possibility of the radiating beauty phenomenon in the African American community and the effects of attractiveness and skin tone. Thirty African American females were recruited for a validation study to establish empirically the degree of facial attractiveness and skin …

Announcements, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

IBPP announcements pertaining to reader requests, editor nominations, and relevant conferences, as well as online and print publications.

Not Thinking Like A Nonlawyer: Implications Of "Recogonization" For Legal Education, Robert J. Morris

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Religiousness And Depression: Evidence For A Main Effect And The Moderating Influence Of Stressful Life Events, Timothy B. Smith, Michael E. Mccullough, Justin Poll

Faculty Publications

The association between religiousness and depressive symptoms was examined with meta-analytic methods across 147 independent investigations (N = 98,975). Across all studies, the correlation between religiousness and depressive symptoms was –.096, indicating that greater religiousness is mildly associated with fewer symptoms. The results were not moderated by gender, age, or ethnicity, but the religiousness–depression association was stronger in studies involving people who were undergoing stress due to recent life events. The results were also moderated by the type of measure of religiousness used in the study, with extrinsic religious orientation and negative religious coping (e.g., avoiding difficulties through religious activities, …

Announcements, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

IBPP announcements pertaining to reader requests, editor nominations, and relevant conferences, as well as online and print publications.

Announcements, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

IBPP announcements pertaining to reader requests, editor nominations, and relevant conferences, as well as online and print publications.

Effects Of Moral Sensitivity And Moral Climate On Moral Reasoning, Marita Louise Mahoney

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

As healthcare professionals, psychology students and psychologists are expected to behave ethically and morally. It is assumed that moral and ethical reasoning in psychology students develops through exposure to ethical dilemmas within ethics classes and during clinical training experiences. Rest's Four Component Model of Moral Behavior, a neo-Kohlbergian approach to understanding moral development, posits an interaction of Moral Sensitivity, Moral Motivation, Moral Reasoning and Moral Character. Moral sensitivity, or awareness of a moral dilemma, is posited to cue the moral reasoning process, though little is known about how the training environment can facilitate or hamper such developments. Fifty".'two psychology-graduate students …

Fetal Attachment Among Pregnant Substance Users, Trisha Paulette Barcley

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Identification of factors that may lead to child maltreatment is important for intervention at the earliest point in time. Substance use can adversely impact the developing bond between mother and child. The formation of an insecure attachment relationship may place the child at a greater risk for child abuse or neglect. If the mother-child bond can be assessed during pregnancy then intervention relating to attachment and prevention of child abuse may be possible. The relationships between childhood history of and the potential for child abuse, substance use, and fetal attachment were investigated utilizing a sample of 56 pregnant women from …