Digital Commons Network^™

History Of Suicidal Behavior And Clozapine Prescribing Among People With Schizophrenia In China: A Cohort Study, Junchao Huang, Fude Yang, Yongsheng Tong, Song Chen, L Elliot Hong, Yunlong Tan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Clozapine is an off-label drug used in most countries to prevent suicide in individuals with schizophrenia. However, few studies have reported real-world prescription practices. This study aimed to explore the association between a history of suicidal behavior and clozapine prescribing during eight weeks of hospitalization for individuals with early-stage schizophrenia.

METHODS: This observational cohort study used routine health data collected from a mental health hospital in Beijing, China. The study included 1057 inpatients who had schizophrenia onset within 3 years. History of suicidal behavior was coded from reviewing medical notes according to the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Information …

Under Pressure: The Interplay Of Hypertension And White Matter Hyperintensities With Cognition In Chronic Stroke Aphasia, Jade Hannan, Natalie Busby, Rebecca Roth, Janina Wilmskoetter, Roger Newman-Norlund Ph.D., Chris Rorden, Leonardo Bonilha, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

While converging research suggests that increased white matter hyperintensity load is associated with poorer cognition, and the presence of hypertension is associated with increased white matter hyperintensity load, the relationship among hypertension, cognition and white matter hyperintensities is not well understood. We sought to determine the effect of white matter hyperintensity burden on the relationship between hypertension and cognition in individuals with post-stroke aphasia, with the hypothesis that white matter hyperintensity load moderates the relationship between history of hypertension and cognitive function. Health history, Fazekas scores for white matter hyperintensities and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Matrix Reasoning subtest scores for …

A Cognitive Approach To Supervisor Training Intervention Evaluation: Analyzing Change With Response Shift Theory And Models Of Measurement Invariance, Luke Daniel Mahoney

Dissertations and Theses

Field-based experimental training intervention research continues to grow in importance as a method of simultaneously testing and advancing the theoretical and empirical basis for designing and deploying interventions to improve people's lived experiences. Training interventions are often designed to create positive change in the workplace context, for example, by providing behavioral tools to supervisors to help them become more supportive of their employees. Such a training intervention was the focus of this intervention evaluation -- one focused on interpersonal dynamics between supervisors and employees. However, change is often complex and may manifest in ways not accounted for by conventional ways …

Building Climate Resilience: How Climate Groups Can Channel Anxiety And Grief Into Action, Martin J. Lemke

University Honors Theses

As the impacts of climate change increasingly stress the ecological and social systems of the planet there is also a greater incidence of psychological struggles related to climate instability. Climate change is a significant source of psychological distress for many individuals, often manifesting as climate anxiety and grief. This thesis explores research and therapeutic experience that has been generated as the discipline of psychology seeks to meet this rising challenge. In particular, the fields of ecopsychology, psychodynamic therapy, existential psychology and Indigenous knowledge contributed the majority of the insight to the conclusions drawn along with contributions from potentially applicable emotions …

Tsunami Exposure And Mental Health Consequences: Protective Role Of Cultural Coping Strategies, Thulitha Wickrama, Michael J. Merten, K. A.S. Wickrama, Amanda Terrell

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

There is a knowledge gap regarding the link between disaster exposure and adolescent mental health problems in developing countries. This study examines the case of Sri Lanka to investigate (a) the immediate and long-term mental health impact of the 2004 tsunami disaster on adolescents and (b) the potential moderating effects of unique cultural and family practices that prevail in Sri Lanka. This study used a random sample of 160 adolescents (ages 12–19) and their mothers who were exposed to the tsunami disaster while living in a southern Sri Lankan village and provided prospective data immediately after the disaster (2005) and …

Prison Social Organization: Applying Social Psychology To Explain Racial Grouping In Prison, Siobhan Wynn

University Honors Theses

Since the creation of the United States, minorities have been controlled through various laws and practices such as slavery, Black Codes, Vagrancy Laws, and Jim Crow Laws. While these laws have been abolished, minorities in the United States are still being controlled in various areas such as the criminal justice system. This thesis will examine how certain codes in prisons have controlled Adults in Custody (AICs), in addition to examining two theories: Uncertain Identity Theory and Intergroup Threat Theory to help explain the social psychological functions of how and why racial grouping in prisons happen.

Relationships Between Parenting Styles And Oppositional Defiant Disorder In African American Families, Sierra Savedge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a mental health disorder that is seen throughout adolescent populations; however, limited research has been conducted on African American adolescents. Based on the parenting theory, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine relationships between parenting styles, African American cultural influences, and ODD. A sample of 125 parents with adolescents in Virginia was surveyed. The Parenting Styles Questionnaire was used to measure parenting styles. The African American Acculturation Scale Revised was used to measure African American cultural influences. Symptoms of ODD were measured using the Child and Adolescent Disruptive Behavior Inventory. Chi-square tests, independent …

Relationships Between Parenting Styles And Oppositional Defiant Disorder In African American Families, Sierra Savedge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a mental health disorder that is seen throughout adolescent populations; however, limited research has been conducted on African American adolescents. Based on the parenting theory, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine relationships between parenting styles, African American cultural influences, and ODD. A sample of 125 parents with adolescents in Virginia was surveyed. The Parenting Styles Questionnaire was used to measure parenting styles. The African American Acculturation Scale Revised was used to measure African American cultural influences. Symptoms of ODD were measured using the Child and Adolescent Disruptive Behavior Inventory. Chi-square tests, independent …

Determining The Cerebellum’S Functional Role In Adolescent Reward Processing, Teagan Mullins

Psychology ETDs

Cerebellar contributions to adolescent reward processing have not been explored in prior research, despite the fact that both reward processing and the cerebellum are undergoing significant maturation during this time. Reward processing in the cerebellum has been found in both adults and in animal models. However, given both maturational changes and a variety of reward related psychopathology that emerges during adolescence, reward processing in the cerebellum during adolescence may not mirror that of the cerebellum during adulthood and may shift over adolescence and be linked to psychopathology. This dissertation reviews the existing literature on cerebellar reward in adolescence (chapter one). …

From Identity To Intimacy: Exploring Transgender People’S Dating Attitudes For Gender Experience, Finneas Frawley

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Of the research that exists on transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people’s dating lives, much of it focuses on cisgender people’s negative perceptions of TGNC partners. The little that does focus on TGNC experiences offers limited and contrasting information about TGNC dating preferences for cisgender and TGNC partners. Using an online survey distributed to TGNC adults (N = 246), we explore TGNC people’s attitudes toward both cisgender and TGNC partners as well as what influences these attitudes. Our predictive model is modified from the Gender Minority Stress and Resilience (GMSR) model (Testa et al., 2015), and we draw upon both …

Evaluation Of The Smiling Mind Primary School Program 2023, Tamara Van Der Zant, Katherine Dix, Toby Carslake

Wellbeing

In its various forms, the Smiling Mind Primary School Program (the Program) has been delivered in Australian schools since 2016. The Program is a mindfulness-based social and emotional learning (SEL) program designed for primary school students in Years 1 to 6. It aims to support the mental wellbeing and emotional resilience of students. The Program offers an online, digital, curriculum, delivered by trained classroom educators, that incorporates practices and techniques to help students develop skills for managing stress, building resilience, and enhancing their overall mental health.

The Program was delivered to 733 schools in 2023, and due to the ongoing …

On-Site Sensory Experience Boosts Acceptance Of Cultivated Chicken, Mark Chong, Angela K. Y. Leung, Tricia Marjorie Fernandez

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study set out to assess if presenting cultivated chicken in the context of a familiar meal, in a familiar dining setting, would motivate repeat consumption and recommendation. A survey of 107 diners was conducted at Huber's Butchery and Bistro in Singapore – the world's first butchery to serve cultivated meat – from April to June 2023. The findings showed that eating cultivated chicken significantly boosted post-consumption acceptance levels. In addition, cultivated chicken's tastiness may be a more important factor than its integration into a familiar meal or dish in fostering repeat consumption. Implications for the cultivated meat industry, limitations, …

Comprehensive Examination Of The Effect Of A Randomized Controlled Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Autonomic Nervous System Functioning, Li Shen Chong

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Brief mindfulness-based interventions are comparable to traditional mindfulness-based interventions in alleviating stress and improving well-being. To explore the underlying biological mechanisms of these practices, researchers have been exploring the effects of mindfulness-based interventions through the autonomic nervous system (ANS), a major bodily stress response system. Nevertheless, most of these studies relied on one stress response system or a specific biomarker. This study aims to comprehensively examine the effectiveness of two sessions of brief mindfulness-based interventions on ANS functioning. Participants were assigned to the brief mindfulness intervention condition (n = 44) or control condition (n = 47). Participants’ physiological data, including …

Determining Factors For Improved Uptake Of Harm Reduction Services In The United States: A Study Of Inclusive, Culturally Sensitive Messaging, Lauretta Ekanem Omale

Dissertations

Harm reduction refers to public health policies and programs aimed at decreasing the adverse consequences associated with drug use. While harm reduction services (e.g., syringe exchange programs) can mitigate health risks, marginalized groups face barriers to service access and utilization, partially due to ineffective messaging approaches that fail to align with cultural values and experiences. A one-size-fits-all approach to messaging can negatively impact service utilization, health outcomes, and health disparities. Ineffective communication can lead to poor adherence to treatment, poorer health outcomes, and increased adverse events.

Culturally insensitive communication contributes to stigma, mistrust, and lack of perceived relevance, discouraging service …

The Mental Health Experience Of Transgender And Gender Diverse Colombians: Que La Diversidad No Cueste La Vida, María Natalia Acosta Canchila

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Experiences of TGD people in various countries reflect difficulties accessing mental health services and significant mental health needs. In Colombia, experiences in broader healthcare systems suggest various barriers to care that include experiences of discrimination. However, specific experiences in mental health services have not been thoroughly examined. The current study aimed to understand the experiences, perceptions, and needs of TGD people in Colombia in mental health systems. Qualitative data was collected via 40 semi-structured interviews with TGD people in Colombia, data was analyzed via reflexive thematic analysis. Findings suggests great mental health needs related to needing support in the process …

Subjective Socioeconomic Status Moderates How Resting Heart Rate Variability Predicts Pain Response, Jacinth Jia Xin Tan, Chin Hong Tan, Michael W. Kraus

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Higher resting heart rate variability (HRV)—an index of more flexible response to environmental stressors, including noxious stimuli—has been linked to reduced perception of experimentally induced pain. However, as stress responses are adapted to one’s chronic environments, we propose that chronic exposure to threats captured by one’s subjective socioeconomic status (SSS) may shape different adaptations that produce distinct pain responses linked to higher resting HRV. Specifically, lower SSS individuals with more threat exposures may prioritize threat detection by upregulating sensitivity to stressors, such as acute pain. Therefore, higher HRV would predict greater perceived acute pain among lower SSS individuals. In contrast, …

Measurement Invariance Of The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory In Different Demographic Groups, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Tasmyn Prytherch, Mark Cropley, Jay Verkuilen, Renzo Bianchi

Publications and Research

Background The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory (PAI) was developed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its content allows it to assess anxiety in connection to any pandemic. Previous research has demonstrated the instrument’s reliability and validity. An important question for clinicians and researchers, however, remains open: Does the PAI have similar meaning for members of different demographic groups? The finding of measurement invariance would allow clinicians and researchers to comparatively assess pandemic-related anxiety across demographic groups, including favored and disfavored groups.

Methods We conducted a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis to assess the measurement invariance of the PAI using data obtained …

Protocol: Factors Influencing The Implementation Of Non-Pharmacological Interventions For Behaviours And Psychological Symptoms Of Dementia In Residential Aged Care Homes: A Systematic Review And Qualitative Evidence Synthesis, Hunduma D. Ayeno, Gizat M. M. Kassie, Mustafa Atee, Tuan Nguyen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review. The objectives are as follows. This paper aims to describe a protocol for a systematic review that will synthesise the qualitative evidence regarding factors influencing the implementation of non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) management in residential aged care homes (RACHs). The planned systematic review aims to answer the research question: ‘What are the factors influencing the implementation of NPIs in the management of BPSD at RACHs?’. Additionally, the planned systematic review also aims to generate recommendations to guide stakeholders (e.g., clinicians and aged care staff) and …

Risk And Protective Factors Of Self-Harm And Suicidality In Adolescents: An Umbrella Review With Meta-Analysis, Rebecca Richardson, Tanya Connell, Mandie Foster, Julie Blamires, Smita Keshoor, Chris Moir, Irene S. Zeng

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Suicide remains the second most common cause of death in young people aged 10–24 years and is a growing concern globally. The literature reports a vast number of factors that can predispose an adolescent to suicidality at an individual, relational, community, or societal level. There is limited high-level research identifying and understanding these risk and protective factors of adolescent suicidality. The present study used an umbrella review and meta-analysis to synthesize evidence from the review literature in the past 20 years on risk and protective factors of self-harm and suicidality (behavior and ideation) in adolescents. The umbrella review included 33 …

Exploring How Factors Affecting Exercise Adherence May Inform Strategies To Increase Adherence In General And Depressed Populations: A Literature Review, Henry D. Link

University Honors Theses

Background: Exercise is associated with numerous physical and mental health benefits; however, many people struggle to exercise a sufficient amount and thus do not reap the benefits. Exercise is recognized as an effective treatment for depression with few risks. Professionals must understand the factors affecting exercise adherence to assist individuals of different backgrounds with adhering to exercise over the long term and to avoid common pitfalls that could hinder an individual’s progress.

Objective: This literature review aimed to identify factors affecting exercise adherence and to explore how those factors could inform strategies to increase exercise adherence among depressed …

At The Intersection Of Domestic Violence And Mass Shootings: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Relationship Between Ipv And Gun Violence, Troy Bleau

University Honors Theses

The intersectional study of domestic violence and mass shootings has only recently been the subject of inquiry within the psychology field. Within the past ten years research has been developed to examine the relationship between these two epidemics. What authors have found is that DV does play a role in shooting perpetration. This study aimed to identify domestic violence as a risk factor to predict, and subsequently intervene before future instances of shootings. 112 shootings were analyzed between the years of 2020 and 2023--they were then categorized as DV-related, non-DV related, and/or History of DV. The tested hypothesis was that …

Immigration, Machismo, And Cultural Stigmatization: Causes Of Lack Of Mental Health Treatment Utilization Among Mexican Men In The U.S., Cynthia M. De La Torre-Lopez

University Honors Theses

Within academia, the topic of Latino men's mental health treatment utilization does not gather enough discussion. Even less, the area of Mexican men's mental health which although part of the Latino population, has specific stressors and implications. The following thesis will present a literature review method in order to answer the following research question, "How does machismo, stigma, and immigration affect the utilization of mental health treatment among Mexican men living in the U.S.?" These three predictors: machismo, stigma and immigration will be discussed in order to find an explanation as to why Mexican men are less likely to search …

Death With Dignity: Queer Representation In Deathcare Systems, Esmé Ringelstetter

University Honors Theses

This thesis examines the ways that elderly members of the LGBT community lack representation within deathcare systems. Currently, the LGBT community is vastly underrepresented in research relating to the dying process and deathcare. This lack of representation creates barriers for LGBT individuals at the end of their lives and creates difficult end-of-life experiences. I utilized previous research that studied how LGBT populations interact with and are treated by a variety of death care-related systems, including health systems, legal systems, and therapeutic systems. This research highlighted the need for the LGBT community to be better represented within both research relating to …

The Criminal Trajectory Of Paraphilic Noncontact Sexual Offenders: An Exploratory Study In An Incarcerated United States Sample, Emma F. Collie

Student Theses

Despite the misconception, many sexual offenses do not involve physical contact with a victim. Research indicates that exhibitionism, a noncontact offense, is the most reported sex crime. While some research has demonstrated the escalation from noncontact to contact offending, much of the data is outdated or used small samples. This study seeks to build upon the literature by examining archival records of 3,175 sex offenders incarcerated in the U.S. This study examined the number of offenders who progressed from noncontact to contact offenses and compared the demographic, crime, and risk characteristics of those convicted of noncontact offenses and those convicted …

Unpacking The Behavioral, Cognitive, Sleep, And Stress Associations With Smartphone Checking, Yi Jing Chua

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The widespread use of smartphones for various daily activities has led many users to habitually check their devices. Smartphone checking may be negatively associated with daily behavioural, health, affective, and cognitive outcomes when it interrupts individuals during their work, health, and well-being-enhancing pursuits. Yet, research on smartphone checking suffers from various research gaps, including the use of cross-sectional design which hinder interpretation of the direction of relationship between smartphone checking and daily outcomes, the presence of individual difference confounds, and relying on subjective smartphone checking measures that are susceptible to recall biases. To address these gaps, the study investigated the …

A Case Study In Vacillant Literary Analysis: Nella Larsen's Passing (1929), Sara Casten

University Honors Theses

For the last 95 years, Nella Larsen's Passing has been a topic of discussion within the literary and scholarly communities. First considered Larsen's folly, her second novella Passing had struggled to received a compliment from critics and was quickly lost to readers until her work was rediscovered in the early 1970s. However, unbound by the restrictive literary trope of the era, scholars now wonder if Larsen's Passing had been a misinterpreted masterpiece. This thesis outlines the initial interpretations of critics and modern understanding of scholars in order to highlight the influences of outside influences when reading a written work from …

A Dual-Angle Exploration Towards Understanding Lapses In Covid-19 Social Responsibility, Sean T. H. Lee, Jerome J. X. Mah, Angela K. Y. Leung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Breaking infection chains requires not just behaviours that allow individuals to stay healthy and uninfected (i.e. health protective behaviours) but also for those who are possibly infected to protect others from their harboured infection risk (i.e. socially responsible behaviours). However, socially responsible behaviours entail costs without clear, immediate benefits to the individual, such that public health-risking lapses occur from time to time. In this important yet understudied area, the current exploratory study sought to identify possible psychological factors that may affect people's likelihood of engaging in socially responsible behaviours. Assuming that self-perceived infection should provide an impetus to engage in …

Investigating The Relationship Between Malingering And Institutional Misconduct: Is Psychopathy The Link?, Lily A. Reed

Student Theses

Despite the established relationships between psychopathy and malingering, and psychopathy and risk for institutional misconduct, little empirical literature has been devoted to examining the interaction of these three constructs. The current study aimed to clarify this relationship by examining data from a sample of male criminal defendants within a federal prison located in a metropolitan area of the Southern United States. Data including the MMPI-2, PCL-R, diagnostic, institutional records, and demographic information was collected. Statistical analyses reinforced previous literature and theoretical conceptualizations that posit a relationship between psychopathy and malingering behaviors, as well as institutional misconduct. Preliminary findings suggest links …

Bystander Intervention In The Workplace Sexual Harassment, Yunjung Lee

Student Theses

Despite increased global attention since the #MeToo movement of 2017, workplace sexual harassment remains a pervasive issue. This is because victims of workplace sexual harassment often react passively, meaning that approaches primarily reliant on victim reporting are less likely to succeed. Given this, bystander intervention has emerged as a promising way to prevent sexual harassment and protect victims. Adopting the previous theoretical framework (Bowes-Sperry & O’Leary‐Kelly, 2005), this study aimed to investigate the decision-making process of bystanders responding to workplace sexual harassment, and to identify the relative frequencies of intervention types and influencing factors. 170 participants from various occupations in …

Do Cognitive Resources Matter For Eudaimonia? The Role Of Inhibitory Control In Psychological Well-Being, Wei Xing Toh, Hwajin Yang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Although past work has investigated the psychosocial and biological correlates of psychological well-being (PWB), little is known regarding the cognitive underpinnings of PWB. Given that prior research has predominantly relied on indices of general cognitive abilities and PWB, we examined the relations between Ryff’s (1989) six-factor model of PWB and inhibitory control (i.e. the ability to actively maintain pertinent goals by resisting interference from irrelevant information or prepotent responses). Using structural equation modelling (N = 170), based on three inhibition measures and six facets of PWB, we found that better inhibitory control was associated with greater personal growth, when cognitive, …