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The Distress Thermometer: Validity In A General Cancer Population, Carole S. Moretz

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This work reports on the psychometric properties of a new measure designed to screen for distress in large populations of cancer patients. The Distress Thermometer (Holland et al., 2000) was tested in a group of 239 heterogeneously diagnosed cancer patients. It was found to be internally consistent (a= 0.86) and to exhibit a reliable eight-factor solution. It displayed acceptable concurrent validity (p ≤ 0.0001) when compared to the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (deHaes et al., 1994), the Functional Living Index Cancer (Schipper et al., 1984) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 1993). It was also found to be a sensitive measure …

The Effects Of Acculturation Level On Verbal Learning In A Sample Of Hispanics Of Mexican-American Extraction, Anita S. Blair

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study is interested in the relationship of acculturation to performance on verbal learning tasks. The hypotheses of the study are that as acculturation to Anglo American culture approaches assimilation, total recall scores on the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II) will increase and performance on a nonsense word task will not significantly correlate with acculturation level. A review of the literature on acculturation and test bias in Hispanic populations is followed by research on bilingual performance on memory tasks. As the independent variable, acculturation is examined on three levels: Mexican Oriented, Bicultural Oriented and Anglo Oriented using Scale One of …

The Struggle For Community-Based Health Care: A Case Study Of The Rainbow Valley Community Health Centre (Ontario), Suzanne Galloway

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Rural communities are particularly disadvantaged in terms of access and control of their health care. Community based health care settings have the potential to provide the collaborative and integrated wellness care espoused in government declarations and reports. In this ethnographic case study, I relate the real life struggle of a citizens’ group trying to establish the Rainbow Valley Community Health Centre (RVCHC), in the small rural town of Killaloe in Northeastem Ontario. My objectives in this research were threefold: to contribute to the setting and document its development process; to reflect on my role in this process; and to inform …

The Importance Of Behavioral Interventions And Stimulant Medication Effects On Reducing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Elizabeth Alvarez

Graduate Research Papers

Overall, various avenues of research state that ADHD is a complex disorder that requires treatment by multiple modalities. Most research states that a combination of medication and behavior therapy is necessary to resolve the symptoms. It should be noted that the dose of stimulant medication prescribed to a child with ADHD should be adjusted based on the child's response to a behavioral intervention, as well as the combination of the behavioral and pharmacological treatments. Rapport et al. (1982), as well as others, have found that medication alone will not "cure" ADHD. But with multiple methods of treatment the symptoms will …

An Overview Of Bibliotherapy As An Intervention For Young Children, Lisa Ludwig

Graduate Research Papers

Young children can benefit from therapy to deal with disabilities, abuse, normal developmental issues such as famiily problems, and social-emotional issues. One approach to helping children manage psychological issues is bibliotherapy. In its simplest form, bibliotherapy can be described as the practice of using books in treatment, or helping with books (Pardeck & Pardeck, 1993; Pardeck & Pardeck, 1987). The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on bibliotherapy and to examine its possible applications, its effectiveness, and best practices in carrying out the intervention.

A School Psychologist's Role In Decreasing Eating Disorder Prevalence In School-Aged Children, Natalie Muth

Graduate Research Papers

Eating disorders have dramatically increased over the last 20 years, resulting in prevalence rates exceeding other high-incidence medical conditions treated in the educational setting. Chapter 2 presents a review of literature covering eating disorder identification, history, prevalence and epidemiological data. Theoretical perspectives, risk and protective factors, symptoms, and medical complications are also reviewed. Current assessment measures used for screening and diagnosing anorexia and bulimia is additionally presented along with a summary of school-based primary prevention programs. The second chapter concludes with a brief overview of eating disorder treatment.

A summary is presented in chapter 3 along with implications for school …

Positive And Negative Symptoms Of Schizotypy And The Five-Factor Model: A Domain And Facet Level Analysis, Scott R. Ross, Catherine J. Lutz, Steven E. Bailley

Psychology Faculty Publications

In this study, we investigated the Five-factor model in the concurrent prediction of positive symptomschizotypy as measured by the Magical Ideation (Eckblad & Chapman, 1983) and Perceptual Aberration (Chapman, Chapman, & Raulin, 1978) scales and negative symptom schizotypy as measured by the Physical Anhedonia (Chapman, Chapman, & Raulin, 1976) and Revised Social Anhedonia (Eckblad, Chapman, Chapman, & Mishlove, 1982; Mishlove & Chapman, 1985) scales. Previous studies suggest that these measures reflect the core symptoms found in schizotypal and schizoid personality disorder (Bailey, West, Widiger, & Freiman, 1993). Negative symptoms were significantly predicted by Neuroticism (+), Extraversion (-), Openness (-), and …

Spaced-Retrieval Effects On Name-Face Recognition In Older Adults With Probable Alzheimer's Disease, Karri Sikes Hawley

LSU Master's Theses

Six older adults with probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD) were trained to recall a name-face association using the spaced-retrieval method. We administered six training sessions over a two-week period. On each trial, participants selected a target photograph and stated the target name, from eight other photographs, at increasingly longer retention intervals. Results yielded a positive effect of spaced-retrieval training for name-face recognition. All participants were able to select the target photograph and state the target’s name for longer periods of time within and across training sessions. A live person transfer task was administered to determine whether the name-face association, trained by …

The Use Of Photographic Caricatures To Examine The Development Of A Perception Of Facial Attractiveness, Bronwyn J. Struthers

Theses : Honours

Throughout the human population, there is remarkable agreement as to what constitutes an attractive face. The consistency of attractiveness ratings across age, gender and culture has led to a search for an underlying construct that determines facial attractiveness. Langlois and Roggman (1990) proposed the "average is attractive" hypothesis arguing that facial attractiveness is determined by the level of averageness of facial features. Langlois and Roggman (1990) created composite faces to examine this hypothesis but their methodology was criticised, particularly because the technique used to create the composites tended to remove facial flaws and blemishes. This led to the argument that …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Figural Memory Performance In Persons With Epilepsy, Deborah Schrager Hoffnung

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined nonverbal memory in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) on a figural reproduction task, the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF). The Boston Qualitative Scoring System (BQSS) was used to examine whether qualitative features of ROCF performance could discriminate between those with right and left TLE. As predicted, seizure groups did not differ on a standard quantitative scoring system for the ROCF. Contrary to prediction, the right TLE group did not perform more poorly on BQSS measures of quality or organization, and they did not have greater difficulty recalling the figure after a delay. There was a trend …

Relationship Between Weight Loss And Body Image In Obese Individuals Seeking Weight Loss Treatment, Deborah Lynn Reas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The present study investigated the nature and extent of changes in body image following weight loss treatment in an obese sample and examined the role of weight loss in predicting body image improvement. Participants were 53 obese individuals (BMI > 30) recruited from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, the Scripps Clinic in San Diego, CA, and the Weight Management Center at the St. Charles Hospital in New Orleans. Measures of psychological functioning and a figural body image rating procedure (Body Image Assessment for Obesity; BIA-O, Williamson, et al., 2000) were administered at baseline and after a 6-month follow-up …

Family Violence Exposure And Family Relationship Skills In Adolescents Exposed To Community Violence, Monique M. Leblanc

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Community violence exposure has been associated with a plethora of adverse aftereffects; therefore, greater understanding of compensatory and potentiating factors associated with exposure is essential for effective intervention and prevention. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relations among school violence exposure, neighborhood violence exposure, family violence exposure, parent-adolescent relationship skills, and outcomes. Participants consisted of 100 adolescents, aged 13 to 20 years. Adolescents completed the Screen for Adolescent Violence Exposure, the Behavior Assessment System for Children- Self Report of Personality, the Child Health and Illness Profile- Adolescent Edition, and the Parent-Adolescent Relationship Questionnaire. Parents/guardians completed the Behavior …

Qualitative Scoring Of The Rey 15-Item Memory Test In A Forensic Population, James A. Martin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Several studies have examined the ability of the Rey 15-Item Memory Test (MFIT) to identify malingering of memory problems among a variety of psychiatric and neurologically impaired populations. The consensus has been that the quantitative scoring method is overly sensitive to genuine memory impairment and lacks sensitivity to simulated amnesia. However, a reexamination of these studies and available data indicates the MFIT is both valid and effective at identifying actual malingerers among civil litigants, and a number of these studies were limited through inappropriate inclusion of severely impaired patients and research designs of questionable validity. Also, the performance of a …

Feedback Seeking In Customer Service Relationships, Aletta Machell Barnard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With the shift to a service economy (Cascio, 1995), customer service effectiveness is a critical measure of success for service firms. In service relationships, where a single employee may be the only point of contact for customers, monitoring service effectiveness becomes incumbent upon the employees delivering the service (i.e., boundary spanners). The purpose of this study was to provide an investigation into service effectiveness (i.e., customer satisfaction and repatronage and word-of-mouth intentions) in service relationships. Specifically, boundary spanners' perceived organizational support (POS) was proposed to impact customer satisfaction through its impact on feedback seeking behaviors (i.e., direct inquiry, monitoring, positive …

The Role Of Attention In Affect Perception: An Examination Of Mirsky's Four Factor Model Of Attention In Chronic Schizophrenia, Dennis R. Combs

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Attention and affect perception was examined in a sample of sixty-five persons with chronic schizophrenia. Attentional skills may be related to deficits in affect perception due to a lack of attention to important information contained in the face. Deficits of this sort can dramatically inhibit appropriate social functioning. However, there is a lack of empirical research on this topic. Mirsky's four factor model of attention was used as a broad-based assessment of attentional functioning. The four factors of attention were: 1) Focus-Execute, 2) Encode, 3) Sustain, and 4) Shift. Neuropsychological measures reflective of attentional factor were administered. In this study, …

The Role Of Diet And Physical Activity For Ovarian Cancer Results From The Adventist Health Study, Fatemeh Kiani

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A few aspects of the epidemiology of ovarian cancer are well understood, such as the inverse relationship with parity and oral contraceptive (OC) use. The role of other factors such as the potential influence of diet or physical activity is far from being established. A few studies, however, have been able to identify dietary risk factors for ovarian cancer. In this dissertation, I have conducted two studies that investigate the relationship between dietary factors and physical activity and the three endpoints: 1) nonfatal ovarian cancer (1976-1982; time to diagnosis), 2) fatal ovarian cancer (1976-1988; time to death), and 3) total …

Differences Between Undergraduate And Graduate Students In Self-Concept And Depression, Ann L. Woolley

Dissertations

Problem.

Students have an opportunity for personal growth as they learn about themselves and the world around them. However, their levels of self-concept and depression can influence how they view' themselves, their relationships, and their world. This research compared undergraduate and graduate students with respect to their levels of self-concept and depression.

Method

A quantitative research design was used for an ex post facto study of 239 students from Andrews University and Western Michigan University. They completed the Demographic Questionnaire, the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale: Second Edition (TSCS:2), and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II).

Results

Using 13 as the B D …

Psychometric Investigation Of The Validity And Reliability Of The Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire-Revised In A Sample Of Psychotic Outpatients, John James Blue

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Refractory auditory hallucinations are a continuing problem in the treatment of schizophrenic, schizoaffective and psychotically depressed patient populations as well as patients with psychotic disorder, not otherwise specified. To date, little is known about the assessment of such hallucinatory states. Currently there are only a few instruments designed to examine the characteristics of auditory hallucinations. The study examined the reliability and validity of the Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire-Revised (BAVQ-R) in a sample of psychotic outpatients experiencing refractory auditory hallucinations. The present study consisted of 91 subjects; 57 men and 34 women selected from four separate community outpatient settings, who experienced …

Becoming Visible : A Qualitative Analysis Of Female To Male Transsexuals' Coming Out Experiences, Emily R. Chernicoff

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This research explores the coming-out processes of 11 transgendered individuals who underwent female-to-male sex reassignment. Its purpose is to expand upon the cultural literacy of clinicians called upon to support transgendered clients who present with the intent to transition. The thesis is predicated on the argument that the differently-gendered constitute an understudied and discrete cultural minority, similar to ethnic, racial and sexual minorities, for whom identity formation is similarly impacted by socio-cultural influences. Qualitative content analysis of transcribed semi-structured interviews was conducted. Phase analysis was found to parallel both Cass's 1979 stage-model theory of sexual minority identity formation, and Devor's …

Concurrent Deficits In Behavior Inhibition, Non-Verbal Working Memory And Psychological Sense Of Time In Adhd, Roya D. Mccloskey

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

According to the Hybrid Model of Executive Function for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), hyperactive and combined types, a delay in behavior inhibition causes secondary deficits in four executive function; non-verbal working memory, verbal working memory, reconstitution and self-regulation of affect/motivation/arousal. The deficit in non-verbal working memory causes a deficit in psychological sense of time, which in tum impairs self-regulation in those with ADHD. This single case study investigated concurrent deficits in behavior inhibition, non-verbal working memory and psychological sense of time in a 1O-year-old male with ADHD, combined type. Three interrelated components of behavior inhibition were measured by the …

Defining The Personality Characteristics Of Delinquent Adolescent Recividists, Barbara J. Sulik

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study was done to provide basic empirical data on the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory with the focus on establishing a personality profile for recidivistic juvenile offenders. The subjects of this study consisted of four groups of male and female adolescents between the ages of 15 and 17 years. The control group (n = 50) consisted of adolescents not adjudicated either delinquent or dependent. The dependent group (n = 50) consisted of adolescents not adjudicated delinquent and fitting the diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder. The delinquent group (n = 50) consisted of adolescents that were diagnosed as conduct disordered and …

Predictors Of Young Women's Attitudes Toward Sexual Health Practices, Alison G. Dougall

Theses : Honours

The present study examined whether cognitive (beliefs), affective (emotions) and I or behavioural processes predicted young women's attitudes towards their sexual health practices. For pragmatic reasons, safer sex promotion has largely relied on the provision of factual information to promote behaviour change. Although the importance of emotional and behavioural influences has been indicated, these elements have not traditionally been included in sexual health interventions. In order to examine this issue, Zanna and Rempel's (1988) tripartite model of attitude formation was used. A convenience sample of female participants (N=98) aged 18 to 29 years was asked to rate their attitudes towards …

Time As Motivation: Selected Theories As Compared To Modern Revelation, Jill Judkins

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis proposes that human beings by virtue of living in each new present moment are motivated to develop strategies to secure the best possible outcome in their lived experience. A personal account of the phenomenological experience of time is presented and a brief history is given. The implications associated with being thrown into the present moment make apparent the weaknesses of the current assumptions that the slices of the present moment form a continuity of past and future and create a coherent synthesis of life. The assumption that human beings are intentional, goal-directed, and prone to seek meaning in …

Preventing Childhood Depression By Building Resiliency In Children, Sarah Carroll

Graduate Research Papers

This review of literature is a report of the success of programs designed to prevent childhood depression by building resiliency. Research results indicate that prevention programs focused on teaching children and parents coping skills, changing negative thought patterns, social problem solving, teaching the symptoms of childhood depression and how to discuss it with children, and fostering resiliency have reduced the incidence of depression in children (Comer, 1985; Gladstone & Beardslee, 2000; Seligman, 1995).

Additional research needs to address the following questions: a) How does building resilience differ for children from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds? b) . What are the …

Center For Psychological Studies 2002-2003 Catalog, Nova Southeastern University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Center For Psychological Studies Master's Programs, Nova Southeastern University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Who's Not Dieting In America And Who Should Be? Results From The 1994-1996 Diet And Health Knowledge Survey (Dhks 1994-1996), Emily York-Crowe

LSU Master's Theses

The rising rates of obesity and overweight are contributing to higher costs for the individual and the nation, both medically and financially. There is a greater need for education and other preventive measures, but in order to tailor such programs effectively to the individuals most in need, it is important to examine the current trends, knowledge, and practices of adults in the United States. Previous research has examined the prevalence rates and practices of specific populations and individuals in limited geographical locations but, due to obvious constraints, few nationally representative samples have been examined. This study analyzed the results of …

A Matter Of Life And Death: An Update On Physician Assisted Suicide In Oregon, Janie Steckenrider, Nina Clark

Psychological Science Faculty Works

In 1994, Oregon residents approved the Death with Dignity Act. Immediate implementation was delayed due to legal battles, however, and it did not go into effect until 1997. The debate over physician assisted suicide remains contentious, and has recently received much attention. This article offers a briefhistoiy of the issue and explanation of current activities related to physician assisted suicide.

Environmental Factors That Predict Adolescent Smoking Behavior: The Influence Of Parent, Peer, And Sibling Smoking, Christopher J. Hogan

Theses and Dissertations

The majority of adult smoking begins during adolescence, and in order for prevention programs to be optimally effective it is critical to understand the influences of smoking initiation during this developmental period. However, little research has focused on how environmental factors, such as parent and peer smoking. influence smoking initiation exclusively within a rural population. The current study surveyed students from 23 middle schools in rural Virginia and New York State at the end of the sixth grade and then one-year later at the end of the seventh grade. Logistic regressions were used to predict changes in levels of adolescent …

Cognitive And Somatic Item Response Pattern Of Orofacial Pain Patients Compared To Fibromyalgia Patients And A Non-Pain Control Group, Morten Hadsel

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Previous work has suggested that chronic pain patients report psychological distress through higher endorsement of somatic rather than cognitive signs of anxiety and depression. The present study compared female Non-Pain (11=52), Orofacial Pain (n=3 17) and Fibromyalgia (n=50) groups. on SCL-90-R Somatization, Anxiety and Depression raw scores and cognitive-somatic symptom patterning of the Anxiety and Depression scales. Comparisons were also made amongst orofacial pain diagnostic subgroups and subgroups based on Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) classification groups. The Somatization. Anxiety and Depression scores were higher in the OroFacial Pain and Fibromyalgia than Non-Pain group and higher in the Dysfunctional than Adaptive …