Digital Commons Network^™

Does A Sexual Education Intervention Affect Students' Critique Of Hookup Culture?, Isabella Mullin, Steve Rouse, Janet Trammell

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Hookup Culture has created a pervasive sexual script on college campuses. This dominant culture urges students to hookup frequently and routinely based on several myths, such as the belief that hookups benefit all participants equally or that they give a person an opportunity to express sexual freedom. Studies have emphasized the need for comprehensive sexual education for young adults exposed to or participating in hookup culture. However, to the best of our knowledge, no curriculum has been developed to raise awareness of the detrimental realities of hookup culture. College students at Pepperdine University were randomly assigned to a hookup culture …

Self-Efficacy As A Moderator Of The Effectiveness Of A Sleep Hygiene Intervention, Sabrina Krebs, Nataria Joseph, Janet Trammell

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Interventions that address sleep hygiene knowledge and behaviors have yielded inconclusive results. The aim of the current study was to assess the effectiveness of an online sleep hygiene intervention on modifying sleep hygiene behavior and sleep quality, hypothesizing that the use of a sleep hygiene intervention will be more effective at increasing sleep hygiene behaviors and sleep quality compared to the control. In addition, we hypothesized that self-efficacy may moderate this effect, with the intervention being more effective among those with high levels of self-efficacy compared to those with low levels. Participants included 66 college students (78.3% female). Participants were …

Psilocybin Impairs The Extinction Of Contextual Fear In Adult Female, But Not Male, Rats, Lillianna P. Puppel, Aleece K. Al-Olimat, Kylie M. King, Marisa J. Savini, Claire E. Miller, Colin R. Del Valle, Heather R. Sparkman, Brooke E. Bramlage, Phillip R. Zoladz

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Fear-related disorders are often treated with exposure therapy, a technique based on the concept of extinction. However, this type of therapy is ineffective for many individuals, so finding a pharmacological adjunct that augments the extinction of fear could lead to better treatment outcomes. In recent preclinical work, investigators have shown that psychedelics can accelerate the extinction of fear, potentially through their impact on neurotrophic signaling. We previously found that psilocybin exerted sex-dependent effects on the extinction of conditioned fear to an isolated cue (i.e., a tone). Specifically, psilocybin enhanced the extinction of cue fear in male rats but impaired it …

Impact Of Memorable Messages About Religion And Adoption, Grace Arakelian, Chloe Warren, Rachel Grimes, Zachary Davis

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

This study examines the impact of memorable messages about adoption and religion on adult adoptees raised in Christian adoptive homes. The study explores how these messages shape adoptees' emotional well-being, identity development, relationships, and religiousness. The study places the findings within existing research on adoption communication, microaggressions, and entrance narratives. Forty-one adult adoptees were interviewed regarding the memorable messages they heard growing up, their interpretations of the messages, and the impact the messages had on their emotional well-being, relationships, identity development, and religious affiliation. Using Tracy's phronetic iterative approach, a qualitative analysis was conducted to identify themes within the data. …

Traumas And The Development Of Personality Disorders, Madeline Raine Marler

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Whereas studies have examined associations between traumatic experiences and the development of various disorders, a notable gap in the literature persists on the impacts of trauma timing and type (intergenerational vs. personal, chronic vs. singular) on the development of psychiatric diagnoses. This qualitative study utilizes a grounded theory approach, thematic analysis, and various coding techniques to explore linkages between trauma and the development of personality disorder(s). The population referenced for this dissertation was sourced from accessible archival data, consisting of transcript dynamic intake or follow-up interviews, Traumatic Antecedent Interviews (TAIs), and chart reviews from a long-established psychoanalytic clinic. The qualitative, …

Emotional Intelligence As A Moderator Between Depression, Loneliness, And Affect Intensity, Ryan Fleig

Theses and Graduate Projects

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a construct that has been present in psychology in various, non-specific forms for many years. Mayer and Salovey (1997) first created a specific construct of EI that centered on four key skills: emotion-perception; using emotions to facilitate thought; understanding one’s own and other’s emotions; and emotion regulation. Research on EI has largely been regulated to social domains, but some literature has established links between overall EI and specific EI skills and clinical symptoms such as depression and anxiety. The current study sought to further the literature on EI in clinical domains by studying correlations between emotion …

Scaring Away Sleep: A Psychometric Investigation Of Sleep Attention And Sleep Heath, Brandon Pattillo

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Sleep research has illuminated paradoxical relationships between valuing sleep and sleep health. The current study introduced the Sleep Attention Scale (SAS), a novel scale of sleep attention measuring individuals' cognitive and behavioral focus on sleep, in a population of college-aged individuals (n=372). The SAS was also examined in relation to a measure of sleep-related daytime impairment, a form of cognitive dysfunction attributed to insufficient sleep. The SAS exhibited acceptable internal consistency (α = .72), and factor analysis supported a unidimensional structure. No significant relationship between the SAS and impairment was observed, suggesting that sleep attention may not directly influence cognitive …

Mental Wellness Of The Saintly, Spiritual, And Secular: Who Has The Edge?, Addison Clevenger, Justin Dyer, Sam Hardy

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

This study examines the relationship between religious/spiritual identity and depression and anxiety levels at comparative baseline levels, and then longitudinally. Gathered from The Family Foundations of Youth Development Project, this study samples parent-child dyads from highly religious parts of the Western United States to determine how the mental health of these individuals is affected by the conjunction of spirituality and religiosity, the lack of either, or one divorced from the other. Results revealed that at baseline levels, participants across all groups who identified as “Spiritual but not Religious” had the highest levels of anxiety and depression, and children who identified …

Effects Of Self-Control Variables On Nicotine Vaping In A Pre-Clinical Model, Lucy Scribner

Student Research Symposium

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and nicotine compounds in tobacco products perpetuate this issue (Reitsma et al., 2021; United States Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2014). Although nicotine use began to decline along with the use of cigarettes, nicotine consumption has started to increase dramatically since the introduction of electronic cigarettes and vaping.

Incremental Rehearsal As An Instructional Technique For Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Robert A. Cordova

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Repetition is said to be the most important factor in learning (Symonds & Chase, 1992). A common instructional technique that also incorporates repetition is incremental rehearsal (IR), which is often implemented due to its potential efficiency and effectiveness. Previous research has indicated a positive effect on reading fluency, math intervention, and sight word acquisitions using IR teaching procedures; however, there is a stark lack of application of IR to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, the purpose of the study was to evaluate IR as an instructional technique for skill acquisition, specifically within an early intervention setting with young …

Californians’ Perceptions Of The Causes Of Homelessness And Potential Policy Solutions, Sophie G. Srivastava, Benjamin D. Rosenberg, Vincent Berardi

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

This study examines whether residents’ perceptions of the causes of homelessness and preferred policy solutions are associated with homeless-related behaviors and opinions, and whether such perceptions are attributed to internal or external factors.

Methods

California residents (N = 371) completed a survey and an exploratory factor analysis was conducted, which identified subscales of the perceived causes, preferred policy solutions, opinions, and behaviors. We used MANCOVA to examine which sociodemographic characteristics were associated with each subscale, and multiple regressions to assess relationships among subscales.

Results

As predicted by attribution theory, internal causes (e.g. lack of ambition) were positively associated …

Is Modern Day Dating Damaging Our Mental Health?, Kamilla Rayann Stone

Student Research Symposium

In contemporary society, dating has undergone significant transformations, with modern dating practices increasingly influenced by technology, shifting social norms, and evolving expectations. This study seeks to answer the question: Is modern-day dating damaging our mental health? Given the rising concerns about relationship satisfaction, anxiety, and self-esteem in the digital dating era, this research aims to explore the potential psychological implications of modern dating trends.

Bending But Not Breaking: An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Psychological Flexibility And Suicidality In Individuals With Chronic Pain, Adalyn Mcmurray, Dr. Michael Bordieri, Phd

Scholars Week

Chronic pain is a burdensome condition that has been found to be associated with increased suicide risk, yet the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear (Domenichiello & Ramsden, 2019). The present study aimed to examine the role of pain interference and psychological inflexibility in predicting past two-week suicidal thoughts among individuals with chronic pain, with psychological inflexibility explored as a potential moderator. This study also sought to replicate and extend McCracken et al. (2018) and enhance the understanding of suicidality in chronic pain populations by using the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (Rolffs et al., 2018b), a more psychometrically sound measure …

52 - The Intersection Of Trauma Type And Alcohol Use In College Women: Examining Maladaptive Coping In A High-Risk Population, Mira I. Hopkins, Christopher T. Latourrette, Niya Richardson, Mellyssa G. Deoliveira, Sage E. Hawn

Undergraduate Research Symposium

This study examines how different types of trauma exposure, interpersonal and non-interpersonal, relate to alcohol use as a coping mechanism in college women with trauma histories. Given the unique social and environmental pressures of college life, this research aims to highlight the ways in which trauma and substance use intersect in this high-risk population.

Relationship Satisfaction As A Mediator Between Attachment And Quality Of Life, Emma Elsbecker, Dilbur D. Arsiwalla

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

The goal of this study was to examine whether relationship satisfaction mediated the association between attachment and quality of life. The study included 314 participants who reported on visual imagery, emotional regulation, and relationship satisfaction. Our original hypothesis was supported using the attachment scales, which yielded all significant mediations in the anxiety, closeness, dependence, and avoidance categories. However, further research is needed to better understand the rationale behind why better attachment styles increase quality of life as well as examining relationship satisfaction as a mediator between attachment and quality of life.

Coming Out And Inclusion Into Society Based On Queer Individuals, Danny Trip

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

Past literature found that family acceptance of gender identity and sexual orientation of their family members who were coming out affects their struggle in society, (Flores et al., 2020), which can be themed with Inclusion, Perceived Discrimination, and Public Attitude. Background research found that perceived acceptance by those close to queer individuals increased perceived acceptance by society around them (Golriz, 2021). The present study investigated how family acceptance affected religious community acceptance and the research question of how does an individual's coming out experience affect their acceptance by others.

Mindfulness Meditation For Informal Caregivers Of Individuals Living With Alzheimer's Disease, Stacey Miller

Theses and Graduate Projects

Abstract

Caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease places significant emotional, physical, financial, and psychological burden on caregivers. Alzheimer’s disease is leading to an increase in family members becoming informal caregivers for their loved ones living with this disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association (2022), 66% of caregivers for people with dementia live in their homes with them. This scholarly project, through a literature review and qualitative data collection, explored the lived experiences of informal caregivers leading to feelings of stress. Mindfulness meditation provides proven benefits to stress management. Margaret Newman’s theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness lays the foundation for …

A Cross-Sectional Analysis: Employment And Its Impact On Physical Activity, Academic Performance, And Quality Of Life Among Bellarmine University Students, Orlando Exposito Nuñez

Undergraduate Theses

Introduction: Half of undergraduate students are employed, meaning they must balance work with academics, physical activity (PA), and personal responsibilities. This study examines the potential negative impact of employment on PA, academic performance, and quality of life (QOL) among college students. Methods: The cross-sectional survey comprised 125 Bellarmine University students (Age 21.07 ± 3.40; 52% female, 48% male). Measures included the RAND SF-36 for QOL, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and a custom academic and employment questionnaire. Racial and ethnic demographics included White (75.2%), Black or African American (11.2%), Hispanic or Latino (15.2%), Asian (4.8%), Multiracial (4.8%), …

The Impact Of Perceived Discrimination On Mental And Physical Health Among The Hispanic Immigrant Population, Cheyla Tabares Cuesta

Undergraduate Theses

Discrimination has profoundly shaped the lives of individuals within disadvantaged communities, but its impact on mental and physical health has often been overlooked. In this project, I review literature on perceived discrimination based on immigrant status and its effects on psychological and physical health and examine a potential mediator and moderator of these relationships. Specifically, the relationships between immigration-based discrimination and both mental health and physical health may be mediated by perceived stress, meaning that discrimination may lead to higher stress levels, which results in poorer health outcomes. Furthermore, these relationships may be moderated by psychological resilience; individuals with higher …

Exploring The Impact Of Internalized Negative Stereotypes On Black Women's Identity Development, Mental Health, And Resilience, Angela Nicole Clarke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stereotypes affect Black women’s self-concept, psychological well-being, and overall mental health, influencing how they perceive themselves and are perceived by others. This descriptive phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Black women who have internalized negative stereotypes, such as the angry Black woman and strong Black woman, and explored their impact on identity development and mental health. Intersectionality theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 15 Black women from the Southeast and Southwest United States. Thematic analysis revealed key patterns of resilience such as community support, code-switching, and self-affirmation. Findings also highlighted the …

Predictors Of Political Participation Of U.S. Social Workers: The Mediating Effect Of Confidence, Maria Wathen, Rachel A. Young, Amy Krings, Teresa Kilbane

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

What factors are associated with social workers’ political participation, and how does political confidence mediate those relationships? To answer this question, data were collected in 2020 through an original online survey of members of the U.S.-based National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Informed by self-efficacy theory, researchers conducted a structural equation modeling (SEM) path model with political participation as the outcome variable, and political confidence as a mediating variable. Exogenous variables included: one’s self-reported political orientation, belief that social work has a political mandate, gender, and knowledge about how to effectively participate in politics. Results indicate that high political confidence …

Racial Trauma, Psychosis, And Double Consciousness, Brianna A. Baker

Publications and Research

Key Points

• Black distress is often misdiagnosed as psychosis instead of recognized as a response to racial trauma.
• Double consciousness may explain how racism causes cognitive and emotional strain in Black individuals.
• Racial discrimination is linked to paranoia, dissociation, and hallucinations in Black communities.

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Nurses' Feelings, Stress, Coping, And Motivation In Palestinian Treatment Centers Of Corona, † Wafaa Menawi, Shatha Mari, Ahmad Adel Hanani

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

Background: Frontline nurses of COVID-19 found themselves in an unfamiliar new disease work environment, fighting to adapt and control the stress while working at covid-19 centers in Palestine. Aim: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on nurses' feelings, stress, coping, and motivation in COVID-19 Palestinian treatment Centers. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design was conducted between Mid of July to the end of October 2021 by recruiting a purposive sample of 390 nurses who worked at the Ministry of Health during COVID-19 pandemic treatment centers. The nurses filled out the COVID-19 Health Personnel Questionnaire with Cronbach's Alpha > 0.9. Results: Palestinian frontline …

Contingency Management For Opioid Use Disorder Buprenorphine Treatment Engagement: 3-Month Outcomes, Shelby Renee Goodwin

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with opioid use disorder exhibit difficulty sustaining prolonged buprenorphine treatment engagement. Contingency management (CM; incentives) may serve to increase the reinforcing value of treatment itself, but most buprenorphine CM studies delivered incentives more frequently than in typical outpatient practice. This study sought to compare CM with treatment as usual (TAU; regular clinic procedures) in visit attendance and adherence (defined as urine samples positive for buprenorphine and negative for other opioids) in new outpatients at a hospital opioid treatment clinic. Participants (46 per group) were randomized to either CM or TAU and monitored by medical record for 12 weeks; for …

The Lived Experience Of Immigrant Parents Raising First-Generation Adolescents In The United States, Hala Mohamed Hassan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Immigrant parents experience challenges raising adolescent children, including cultural adaptation, language barriers, and generational differences, and how these impact adolescent development in bicultural contexts. Relatively little is understood about immigrant parents raising first-generation adolescents. The purpose of this study, grounded in Baumrind’s parenting style theory and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, was to explore the lived experiences of immigrant parents raising first-generation adolescents in the United States using a qualitative phenomenological approach. This study employed semistructured interviews with 12 immigrant parents of first-generation teenagers aged 13-19, with data analyzed thematically to identify patterns and themes in participants’ experiences. Key findings revealed the …

Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Public Perceptions Of Victim Forgiveness And Offender Reparative Effort, Samantha Does

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

Passing judgment is an inevitable aspect of human behaviour, particularly in cases of severe wrongdoing or crime. These assessments can affect the individuals implicated in the transgressions, including the victim and offender. This research enhances our understanding of how third parties judge offenders and victims of crime, exploring whether offender participation in rehabilitation, offender remorsefulness, and the victim's forgiveness following a crime influence the third party's judgement of the victim and offender. Participants were presented with a scenario depicting a significant transgression, after which they responded to prompts concerning their perceptions of the event and the people involved. The findings …

The Impact Of Visual Stimuli And The Properties Of Green Walls On Human Well-Being In Built And Immersive Virtual Environments, Alireza Sedghikhanshir

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The built environment significantly influences human well-being, particularly in the context of stress recovery and cognitive restoration. This dissertation investigates the impact of visual stimuli, particularly green walls, on human responses related to stress, restoration, and thermal comfort. The research is guided by three primary objectives: (1) examining the role of visual stimuli and their properties in promoting stress recovery and restoration, (2) evaluating the potential of Immersive Virtual Environments (IVEs) as tools for delivering and studying restorative environments, and (3) investigating the influence of green walls on indoor environmental conditions.

A series of experimental studies were carried out to …

Sources Of Tensions In Ai Adoption For Organ Procurement Organizations, Amaneh Babaee, Grace Hall, Daniel Burton Shank, Casey I. Canfield

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Social Support On Pandemic Challenges For Parents And Young Adult Children, David Grandel, Mackenzie Schram, Jennifer Feenstra, Seowon Song

Celebration of Research

The COVID-19 brought abrupt changes in the everyday lives of families with children worldwide. While existing research has highlighted the significant role of social support in promoting psychological well-being of both children and parents separately during the pandemic, less is known about how parents’ perceived support and life stressors may spill over to affect their children’s psychological well-being.

Participants (N = 546 families) were drawn from the Future of Families and Child Well-being Study (Reichman et al., 2001). Parents reported their perceived tangible social support (i.e., financial/ material aid; Cohen et al., 1983), family life stressors and financial threat …

Long-Term Effects Of Pre-Pandemic Coparenting Support On Young Adults’ Well-Being During Covid-19, Mackenzie Schram, David Grandel, Seowon Song

Celebration of Research

The onset of COVID-19 brought an immediate necessity for families and children to adjust to dramatic changes in everyday lives. While research has shown the important role of coparenting support on children’s well-being during pandemic, less is known about the long-term effects of pre-pandemic coparenting support on young adult children’s life stressors and psychological well-being after its onset. Such understanding is crucial for informing interventions that promote a strong family foundation before stressful events like COVID-19 and better adjustments for young adult children and their families in future crises.

Participants (N = 546 families) were drawn from the Future …