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"Faking Good" Response Patterns On The Mmpi-2 And The Child Abuse Potential Inventory, Stephen V. Flynn

Theses and Dissertations

A significant problem for forensic evaluations is the large number of clients who respond in a defensive manner. The present study examined defensive responding patterns on two self-report measures, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) and the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP). Subjects were child welfare clients undergoing a parental capacity evaluation. It was hypothesized that subjects would be less likely to attempt to portray themselves in an unrealistically positive manner (fake good) on the MMPI-2 than the CAP since the CAP items are more concerned with matters of child abuse and the MMPI-2 questions are primarily focused on Axis …

The Benefits Of Optimism In A Student-Instructor Relationship, Johnathan Kyle Nelson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The positive psychology movement of the past decade has produced an impressive amount of psychological literature devoted to studying the best of human attributes such as resilience, commitment, and optimism. This dramatic increase in available literature on optimism highlights a heightened awareness and interest in human proficiency, when so much of psychology has been traditionally devoted to the study of human deficiency. This research has lead to an increased understanding of what characteristics of an individual lead to facilitate various activities such as problem solving, leadership ability, income, achievement, sales, and job satisfaction. This study explored the relationship between positive …

Occupational And Biopsychosocial Risk Factors For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Case-Control Study, Jason Talley Goodson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study was designed to assess the risk factors associated with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Toward this end, a wide range of putative occupational, biological, and psychosocial correlates of CTS was investigated using a case-control methodology. Cases were 87 patients from an orthopedic clinic with clinical symptoms and electrodiagnostic testing results suggestive of CTS. Controls were 74 gender-matched patients from the same orthopedic clinic, without clinical symptoms of CTS and normal electrodiagnostic testing results. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire that included eight potential occupational correlates (i.e., repetition, force, vibration, typing, lifting heavy loads, and standing on feet), 10 potential …

Associations Between Parent-Daughter Relationships, Individual Adolescent Psychological Functioning, And Female Adolescent Self-Defeating Behaviors, Sara M. Hunt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study tested a mediation model by which daughters ' perceptions of poorer parent-adolescent relationship quality were expected to be directly associated with the individual psychological characteristics of low self-esteem and internalizing symptoms. In turn, individual psychological characteristics were hypothesized to predict self-defeating behavior, defined as deliberate self-harm and suicidal gestures, multiple sexual partners, and substance use. Additionally, the association between parent-adolescent relationship variables and self-defeating behaviors was posited to be largely indirect and mediated by symptoms of psychological distress. As predicted, perceived alienation from parents was directly associated with poor adolescent psychological functioning. Furthermore, individual psychological variables were found …

Resistance To Change Of Ethanol Self-Administration: Effects Of Naltrexone And Extinction, Corina Jimenez-Gomez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Drug self-administration has proven to be an adequate model for assessing variables that contribute to the maintenance of drug taking. The present experiment was concerned with the persistence of drug self-administration, a defining characteristic of drug dependence and abuse. Findings from studies of the resistance to change of food-maintained responding may contribute to a better understanding of the persistence of drug abuse and dependence. Using an animal model of alcohol self-administration, this study evaluated the effects of rate of reinforcement on the persistence of ethanol self-administration in rats in the face of behavioral (i.e., extinction) and pharmacological (i.e., naltrexone) disruptors. …

Navajo Ethnic Identity And Acculturation: Discovering Connections Between Ethnic Identity, Acculturation, And Psychosocial Outcomes, Matthew D. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

American Indians are severely disadvantaged and yet known relationships among risk and protective factors and cultural identification are limited. The current study assessed associations among measures of acculturation, ethnic identity, and psychosocial outcomes among Navajo adolescents. Adjustment of Navajo adolescents in the domains of school bonding, social functioning, self-esteem, depression, delinquent behaviors, and substance use was assessed. Navajo adolescents, between the ages of 14 and 18, also completed a self-report questionnaire containing the Revised Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, the Orthogonal Cultural Identification Scale, and the Native American Acculturation Scale. Measures of ethnic identity were positively associated with aspects of psychosocial …

The Impact Of Extracurricular Activities On Children's School Performance And Mental Health, Amber L. Crews

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationship between the amount of extracurricular activities and the school performance and mental health of children and adolescents was examined. One hundred thirty-three parents completed measures on extracurricular activity participation, academic performance, and mental health for their children in Grades 3-12. Results indicated one significant linear and one significant curvilinear relationship between extracurricular activity participation and school performance of adolescents. As adolescents were involved in additional extracurricular activities, their school performance improved (in a linear relationship), while median amounts of activity were related to the best grades (in a curvilinear relationship). Although these results were significant, their practical meaningfulness …

Assessing The Health-Related Service Needs Of People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Review Of Ryan White Title Ii Needs Assessments, Ryan K. Loo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) allocated $940 million in 2002, through Title II of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, to help states improve the quality and availability of health-related services for people living with HIV/AIDS. These resources are allocated based upon recommendations made by community planning committees, which in turn base their recommendations on HIV/AIDS needs assessments. A methodologically sound, comprehensive needs assessment is a critical component of effective resource allocation decisions. Poor needs assessments might lead to poor resource allocation decisions, which might have life-threatening consequences for people living with HIV/AIDS. Little is …

Working Memory Capacity, Temporal Discounting, And Exercise Rates, Kathleen Lambourne

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

During decision-making, an individual must weigh the value of the outcomes involved while also considering the amount of time until the outcomes will occur. Discounting occurs when a smaller, immediately available reward is chosen over a larger, more delayed reward. Discounting rates are likely related to working memory capacity, because working memory stores and processes the value of the outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between working memory, temporal discounting, and the decision to engage in physical activity.

The results showed that working memory capacity was related to the physical activity rates. Discounting rates from …

Parent And Child Characteristics Associated With Comorbidity Differences In Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Julie A. Pelletier

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a commonly diagnosed disorder that is associated with many negative outcomes. For many children, the disorder is comorbid with externalizing and/or internalizing problems. Understanding the correlates of comorbid problems in children with ADHD could be important for better treatment and/or prevention strategies. The purposes of this study were (a) to determine what parent-related and child-related characteristics are associated with externalizing or internalizing problems in children with ADHD, and (b) to determine if there are differences in these characteristics between a group of children with ADHD and externalizing problems, and a group of children with ADHD and …

The Effect Of Anger Management And Communication Training On Functional And Quality-Of-Life Status In Fibromyalgia Patients, Alexandra Michele Stillman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a debilitating condition that affects millions of individuals throughout the world. As of yet the specific etiology of this condition remains unknown and successful treatments remain in their infancy. Although several studies have focused on the emotional components of fibromyalgia, none have specifically addressed the issues of communication and anger that appear to be important among this patient population. The objectives of this study were to design a 4-week experimental group therapy treatment based on successful cognitive behavioral components and add anger management and communication components in an attempt to increase benefits to the overall well-being …

Juvenile Fear Of Crime And Attitudes Towards The Police: The Effect Of Implementing A School Resource Officer Program In Alaska High Schools, Sean A. Case

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents data concerning the effect uniformed police officers have on attitudes towards the police and fear of crime within the high school setting. Two identical surveys were administered to 522 high school students at two periods during a school year. The primary purpose was to determine whether placing uniformed police officers, called School Resource Officers, in high schools would improve attitudes towards the police and reduce the fear of crime. Although opinions towards the police were positively affected and the fear of crime was reduced, neither was affected significantly. The primary implication drawn from this research is that …

Mixing Motives: The Relationship Between College Students' Helping Behaviors And Alcohol Use, Randy Lee Halberda

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigates the relationship between volunteer helping and alcohol use and drinking problems in a sample of 396 college students. Two pilot studies were conducted to adapt a measure of helping behavior (Kaskutas, Oberste, & Zemore, 2002) for use with college students. The present study tests the hypothesis that students who help others are less likely to consume alcohol and subsequently less likely to suffer alcohol-related problems than their peers. Additionally, a path model specifying mediators between helping behaviors and drinking outcomes was examined. The proposed path model predicted that volunteer helping affects well being and perceived peer …

Color And Depression In The Diagnostic Drawing Series, Cara Emily Levitt

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

One of the most interesting and widely held assumptions by clinicians who used projective drawings was that the absence of color may indicate depression. The research about color’s relationship to depression was ambiguous, limited and dated. In this study it was hypothesized that the absence or presence of color in the Feeling Drawing of the Diagnostic Drawing Series [DDS] will have a positive correlation with a diagnosis of Major Depression. To test this hypothesis the colors both in the DDS archives Major Depression group and comparison group were counted and then statistically analyze to determine if specified colors were present …

Cognitive Assessment Of School Age Spanish Speaking English Language Learners, Casey Johnson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The number of students who speak a language other that English in schools across the U.S. is rapidly increasing. The Spanish speaking student population, in particular, has grown considerably in recent years. One way to examine the extent of this growth is to consider demographic data at the national and state levels.

A Review Of School-Based Interventions For Children And Adolescents Who Suffer From Depressive Symptoms, Sherry L. Hlavaty

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This paper provides a brief review of childhood and adolescent depressive disorders and the importance of treating such symptoms within a school setting. The purpose of this paper was to examine published studies that were conducted in schools and were designed to treat symptoms of depression in children and adolescents. Active treatments utilized in this review were shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression. Most active treatment conditions involved intervention components that are commonly used in conjunction with typical cognitive-behavioral therapies . Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of specific programs and program components. Implications of …

Compositions And Compounds For Use As Molecular Adjuvant For A Ncotine Waccne, Sam D.G. Sanderson, Jonathan L. Vennerstrom, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Maniyan Parameswaran, Rick A. Bevins, Cheruku R. Srinivasa

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Compounds are disclosed comprising molecular adjuvants having an antigen presenting cell-targeting ligand linked to a nicotine hapten. Methods are disclosed for employing the compounds as a nicotine vaccine for treatment or prevention of nicotine addiction.

Glutamate Receptors In Perirhinal Cortex Mediate Encoding, Retrieval, And Consolidation Of Object Recognition Memory., Boyer D Winters, Timothy J Bussey

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Object recognition is consistently impaired in human amnesia and animal models thereof. Results from subjects with permanent brain damage have revealed the importance of the perirhinal cortex to object recognition memory. Here, we report evidence from rats for interdependent but distinct stages in object recognition memory (encoding, retrieval, and consolidation), which require glutamate receptor activity within perirhinal cortex. Transient blockade of AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission within perirhinal cortex disrupted encoding for short- and long-term memory as well as retrieval and consolidation. In contrast, transient NMDA receptor blockade during encoding affected only long-term object recognition memory; NMDA receptor activity was also …

Validation Of A Brief Telephone Battery For Neurocognitive Assessment Of Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Ramona O. Hopkins, Joanne White, Jennifer Mortensen, Darren B. Taichman, Jason Christie, Rosette Biester, Sandra Kaplan, John Hansen-Flaschen, Harold I. Palevsky, C. Gregory Elliott

Faculty Publications

The effects of pulmonary arterial hypertension on brain function are not understood, despite patients' frequent complaints of cognitive difficulties. Using clinical instruments normally administered during standard in-person assessment of neurocognitive function in adults, we assembled a battery of tests designed for administration over the telephone. The purpose was to improve patient participation, facilitate repeated test administration, and reduce the cost of research on the neuropsychological consequences of acute and chronic cardiorespiratory diseases. We undertook this study to validate telephone administration of the tests. Methods: 23 adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension underwent neurocognitive assessment using both standard in-person and telephone test …

The Neural Substrates Of Infant Sleep In Rats, Karl Æ. Karlsson, Andrew J. Gall, Ethan J. Mohns, Adele M. H. Seelke, Mark S. Blumberg

Faculty Publications

Sleep is a poorly understood behavior that predominates during infancy but is studied almost exclusively in adults. One perceived impediment to investigations of sleep early in ontogeny is the absence of state-dependent neocortical activity. Nonetheless, in infant rats, sleep is reliably characterized by the presence of tonic (i.e., muscle atonia) and phasic (i.e., myoclonic twitching) components; the neural circuitry underlying these components, however, is unknown. Recently, we described a medullary inhibitory area (MIA) in week-old rats that is necessary but not sufficient for the normal expression of atonia. Here we report that the infant MIA receives projections from areas containing …

Differences Between Resolved Versus Unresolved Adolescents On Selected Measures Of Behavior And Cognitive Processes, Linda L. Webster, Rachelle K. Hackett

Benerd College Faculty Presentations

This study investigated differences between unresolved attachment, reports of behavior, and associated cognitive processes in a maltreatment sample. Participants were 22 adolescents with a history of maltreatment. Measures included the Adult Attachment Projective (George, West, & Pettem, 1997), the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1998), and selected scales from the Woodcock-Johnson Third Edition Tests of Cognitive Ability (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001). Results found that parent ratings on five BASC subscales were significantly different for resolved versus unresolved adolescents, and adolescent self-reports were found to differ on four BASC subscales and one BASC composite. Results also found …

The Interactive Roles Of Gender And Ethnicity In African-American Women's Mental Health, Dianna Nadine Moses-Nunley

Dissertations

Abstract For African-American women, female gender and African-American (AA) ethnicity combine to create experiences of discrimination, discrimination related stress, and mental health issues that are not encountered by individuals who occupy only one of these status variables. Gender and ethnicity also influence socioeconomic status, an additional variable affecting the experiences and issues that AA women uniquely encounter. The first goal of this study was to examine the ways in which the combined social statuses of gender and ethnicity influence the discriminatory experiences and mental health of AA women. The second goal was to determine the ways in which AA women¿s …

Book Review: The Psychological Origins Of Institutionalized Torture, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The author reviewed Mika Haritos-Fatouros’s book The psychological origins of institutionalized torture, commenting on torture itself and how it relates to the human condition.

Observed Incivility At Work And Job Outcomes: The Moderating Role Of Workgroup Characteristics, Catharine Tate

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate group identification and group cohesion as moderators of the relationship between observed incivility and job outcomes. Participants included 36 men and 54 women from a property management company who completed scales assessing observed incivility in their workgroup, feelings of workgroup cohesion and identification, and job related outcomes (e.g., job satisfaction, burnout, turnover intentions, and affective organizational commitment). Results showed that observing incivility at work was directly related to turnover intentions for employees. Results also showed that employees who perceived their workgroup as highly cohesive reported being less committed to the organization. Additionally, …

Coping With The Trauma Of War At Home And Abroad: The Case Of Bosnian Residents And Refugees In Idaho’S Treasure Valley, Sandina Begic

McNair Scholars Research Journal

It has been widely reported that exposure to war-related trauma leads to psychological difficulties in human beings, and it has been hypothesized that these psychological difficulties may be compounded when people leave their war-torn countries and begin their lives as refugees in a new country. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether members of the Treasure Valley’s Bosnian refugee population experience more symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression stemming from the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina than do current Bosnian residents. The results indicated that local Bosnian refugees report more symptoms of PTSD than their …

Sleep Habits And Patterns Of College Students And Their Relationship To Selected Personality Characteristics, Steve M. Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations

College is a time of adjustment when many students have a newfound responsibility for many aspects of their lives, including sleep habits and patterns. College students often have sleep schedules that vary greatly, which can result in sleep disturbances. Previous research indicates that college students report significantly more sleep disturbances than the general population. Poor sleep quality has been linked to myriad psychological, physiological, and cognitive difficulties, including mood and anxiety disorders, cardiovascular disease, and poor academic performance. Oftentimes, sleep disturbances can be corrected with basic psychological interventions. Considering the deleterious effects that poor sleep can have on college students, …

An Investigation Of Reactance, Coping, Quality Of Life, And Well -Being, Monique Maria Matherne

Doctoral Dissertations

Psychological reactance (reactance) is a personality variable receiving a great deal of attention. Reactance has been defined as the motivational force aroused in an individual when a behavioral freedom is lost or threatened (Brehm, 1966). The current study assessed the interrelationships among psychological reactance, coping, quality of life, and well-being. A total of 353 participants were analyzed for this study. Participants completed four self-report instruments: (1) the Therapeutic Reactance Scale, (2) the Coping Styles Questionnaire, (3) the Overall Quality of Life Scale, (4) the General Well-Being Schedule, and a demographics questionnaire. Significant gender differences existed for reactance, detachment coping, emotional …

The Effects Of Gender Role Conflict And Psychological Reactance On Relationship Beliefs, Donna Bullard Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study investigated the multivariate relationships among gender role conflict, psychological reactance, and relationship beliefs. Because intimate relationships have the potential to affect lives in many ways, it is important to examine factors that contribute to successful relationships. Although previous research has linked these constructs, no research exists that includes all three. The final sample included 346 undergraduate males and females who completed a demographic questionnaire, the Gender Role Conflict Scale (GRCS; O'Neil, Helms, Gable, David, & Wrightsman, 1986), Therapeutic Reactance Scale (TRS; Dowd, Milne, & Wise, 1991), and Relationship Beliefs Inventory (RBI; Eidelson & Epstein, 1981). The research …

Law And The Emotions: The Problems Of Affective Forecasting, Jeremy A. Blumenthal

Indiana Law Journal

Legal scholarship on "behavioralism" and the implications of cognitive biases for the law is flourishing. In parallel with the rise of such commentary, legal scholars have begun to discuss the role of the emotions in legal discourse. This discussion often addresses the "appropriateness" of various emotions for the substantive law, or attempts to model the place of the emotions in the law. Implicit in some of these theories, however, and explicit in others, is the assumption that emotions are "predictable," "manageable, "and (for some commentators) under conscious control. This assumption is belied by psychological research on affective forecasting that demonstrates …

Development And Validation Of The Sustainability Climate Survey, David Edward Hall

Dissertations and Theses

Motivated by an assumption of and concern about the unsustainable trajectory of modern human civilization, the purpose of this study was to develop a measurement tool to assist organizations striving to align their operations with principles of sustainability. The relevant context is established with consideration of the dimensions of environment, society and economy, as well as their interconnections, with an eye towards sustainability. Some of the challenges and opportunities presented to organizations by the current unsustainable trajectory are reviewed. The social constructs of culture and climate (organizational and psychological) are discussed as important to understand organizational life. I propose the …