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An Examination Of Psycho-Behavioral Risk And Resilence Profiles In People With Chronically Painful Knee Osteoarthritis, Daniel Kusko

All ETDs from UAB

The prevalence and impact of chronic pain are far-reaching and costly to our society. Chronic pain conditions are affecting many people in the US and abroad. Osteoarthritis (OA) is commonly referred to as a slow progressing degenerative disease that tends to develop over 10 to 15 years and can result in functional limitations and pain. Chronic knee OA is a common form of OA pain that affects many adults across the globe. Biopsychosocial factors are theorized to play an important role in how people with chronic pain may develop, exacerbate, or cope with pain. The goal of this project was …

Mental And Physical Health, Impulse Control, And Intimate Partner Violence Within A Veteran Sample, Hannah L. Grigorian, Helen P. Hailes, Kathleen Palm Reed, Erin D. Reilly

Psychology

Introduction: Psychiatric (e.g., PTSD, alcohol use disorder) and physical issues (e.g., chronic pain, sleep problems) are robustly associated with the use of intimate partner violence (IPV). These chronic conditions can amplify the likelihood of IPV use by increasing perceived threat, poor relationship quality, and negative affect while simultaneously decreasing the ability to inhibit violent behavior. However, the research in this area has largely been examined in limited samples or by examining a single chronic condition above diagnostic cut-offs or specific dual diagnosis (e.g., PTSD and alcohol use disorder). Further, potential mechanisms of action such as impulse control difficulties are rarely …

“I Didn’T Think Many Teachers Cared:” Using Youth Participatory Action Research With Middle Schoolers To Advance Trauma-Informed Practice In Schools, Jesse Chanin, Stacy Overstreet, Allisyn Swift, Samantha Francois

Psychology

Student voice has been largely absent in the trauma-informed schools movement. Student perspectives on trauma-informed approaches are particularly critical for students who identify as Black and Hispanic. Black and Hispanic students consistently report more negative school experiences than their white peers, including negative school climate and lower levels of school equity and personal belonging. This article describes a youth participatory action research (YPAR) program with 18 Black and Hispanic middle school students. We describe how YPAR was integrated with trauma-informed principles to engage student voice. We outline student-led research projects and results related to core features of trauma-informed schools. Finally, …

Understanding Human-Agent Teaming: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of Perceptions And Interactions, Valerie Robbins-Roth, Kendall Carmody, Bella Deloach, Meredith Carroll, Amanda Thayer, Jessica Wildman

Aeronautics Faculty Publications

While quantitative research on trust in HATs is well-established, there is a significant gap in understanding individuals’ subjective experiences during trust violations and repair. This study explores how people perceive and respond to these events, guided by three key questions: (1) How do participants describe emotional and behavioral responses to trust violations and repair? (2) How do personality traits influence reactions? (3) What qualitative themes emerge in the dissolution of trust? Using a mixed-methods approach, participants engaged in a 1-hour simulated search-and-rescue mission with four autonomous agents. During the task, one agent committed two trust violations, followed by repair attempts …

Examining The Impact Of Resilience And Sense Of Community On Mental Health And Academic Performance, Samara B. Coleman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Within the United States, a third of college-aged young adults are diagnosed with at least one psychological disorder. Resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, has been shown to help mitigate the adverse effects of burnout and stress, and support academic performance in some cases. Additionally, a sense of community has also been shown to be crucial in buffering the negative consequences of adversity. The following research questions guide this study: 1) How significant a role does the community play in resilience and mental health? 2) How does resiliency relate to the academic performance of students experiencing varying levels …

Trigger Factors And Intervention Strategies Of Information Addiction Among College Students: An Analysis From The Perspective Of Stimulus-Organism-Response(S-O-R) Theory, Chen Zhang, Weihan Jiang, Pengbo Qian

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]This study aims to explore the influencing mechanisms of information addiction behavior among college students, providing valuable reference for the prevention and management of information addiction behavior among college students. [Method/process]The Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory is introduced,and the external stimuli in the process of college students' information addiction are summarized through literature review. The cognitive psychology that arises in the addiction process of the body is deeply analyzed, and the theoretical model of college students' information addiction behavior is constructed. The trigger path of college students' information addiction is empirically analyzed using structural equation modeling. [Result/conclusion]Based on the research results, information …

“Remember, You Are Not A Superhuman”: The Lived Experience Of Rest, Unrest, And Leadership In Special Operations, Trey Zoda

Dissertations

U.S. special operations forces (SOF) operate in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments that demand cognitive clarity, emotional regulation, and relational presence. While previous research on SOF readiness has addressed physical fitness, resilience, and sleep, little attention has been given to the psychological dimensions of rest and their implications for leadership. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of psychological rest and unrest in U.S. government SOF and the perceived influence of these states on their leadership. Guided by Moustakas’s transcendental method, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with SOF personnel. They were …

The Role Of Cognitive Flexibility And Psychological Resilience In Enhancing Operational Performance Among Air Traffic Controllers, Seda Ceken

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of cognitive flexibility on psychological resilience among air traffic controllers (ATCOs). In the study using a quantitative research design, data were collected from a total of 217 ATCOs from three separate units (APP, ACC and TWR) via a survey. The relationship between cognitive flexibility and psychological resilience was examined using hierarchical regression analysis, controlling for demographic variables such as gender, experience, ATC unit and educational status. In the first stage of the analysis, these demographic factors were included in the model and their effects on psychological resilience were evaluated. The …

Evaluating The Credibility Of Online Websites: A Digital Information Literacy Program, Emily C. Wood, Kim P. Roberts

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The plethora of information currently available via the internet is greater than ever before. Given this, finding credible information is an exceedingly complex task for any information consumer, but especially so for children. Research shows that children have difficulty evaluating the credibility of online information and are more susceptible to believing misinformation compared to adolescents. While a growing body of research addresses children’s internet use, most research focuses on technology safety rather than the evaluation of online information. Several studies have found digital information literacy (DIL) interventions to be successful at increasing critical thinking and awareness of the criteria to …

Leadership In Behavioral Health, Rebecca Mccoy

School of Business Student Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Leadership in healthcare is difficult when dealing with human contact in its most raw and vulnerable way. Leadership in behavioral health is just as challenging as direct practice practitioners tend to be the ones who move up into these roles. This study will exam “Identifying factors that promote successful leadership and challenges that cause barriers to having successful leadership in behavioral health.” This includes soft and hard skill knowledge, growth opportunities and the strengths and struggles in moving into leadership roles in this industry.

The study is based on phenomenological research to gain an understanding of the individual experience …

A Happy Medium?: Using Image Generators To Explore Solution-Focused Art Therapy’S Miracle Question, Daniel A. Hernried

Art Therapy | Master's Theses

This mixed methods, randomized, single-session study tested whether integrating text-to-image generations into Solution-Focused Brief Art Therapy alters therapeutic rapport and short-term outcomes relative to traditional artmaking materials. Participants were assigned by coin flip to create using either a text-to-image generator or convention media (23 per group), completing immediate and three-day follow-ups. Alliance was measured using DREAM (Dimensions of Regard, Empathy, and Authenticity Metric), and problems were rated pre/post; groups did not differ significantly on DREAM total or facets, and both modalities produced reliable pre-to-post reductions in problem severity. At the same time, process differences were pronounced: the AI condition showed …

“It’S An Honor To Be In This Body”: A Black Feminist Grounded Theory Of Embodiment Among Black Womxn Yoga Practitioners (Bwyps), Natalie Malone

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Black womxn (i.e., individuals whose experiences align with Black girlhood/womanhood or whose bodies are perceived as Black, female, womanly, femme, or a combination) experience significant health and well-being challenges that may hinder their embodiment. Yoga is a complementary therapy that may help Black womxn improve their embodiment. This dissertation qualitatively explores the processes Black womxn yoga practitioners (BWYPs) engage in to cultivate positive embodiment. Participants were N=30 Black womxn who were short- (≤ five years; n=11), medium- (five–10 years; n=10), and long-term (>11 years; n=9) yoga practitioners. Participants completed individual interviews as part of the …

What Does It All Mean? Differences In Self-Defining Memories Between Community And Adjudicated Youth, Hannah Elias

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Identity development is driven in large part by self-defining memories, or memories though which we base our definition of who we are (Habermas & Bluck, 2000). In adolescence, cognitive skills are gained that allow us to make meaning, or learn lessons and gain insight, from self-defining memories (Bluck & Habermas, 2001; McLean & Thorne, 2003). To determine whether there are differences in their ability to make meaning from their self-defining memories, this study compares narratives of self-defining memories between community youth and adjudicated youth. Additionally, the ability to be specific in self-defining memory recollection may differ between these groups, which …

Simulated Slot Machine Gambling In Relation To Sign-Tracking, Polina Krom

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The propensity to attribute incentive salience to reward-related cues, or sign-tracking (ST) has been linked to addiction in animal models and some initial human data. The current study explores the role of sign-tracking (ST), as a potential risk factor for problematic slot machine gambling, which abundantly features audiovisual reward-related cues, henceforth sensory features. A sample of healthy participants without gambling problems (n = 30) completed a Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) paradigm to assess ST propensity and played on a realistic slot machine simulator consisting of two versions: with sensory features (SF+) and without (SF-). Each game version had fixed bet sizes, …

The Hidden Struggle: Peer Perceptions Of Imposter Phenomenon And The Impact Of Gender, Elizabeth C. Yanes

All Master's Theses

Imposter Phenomenon (IP) affects about 82% of people and can have detrimental effects on the mental health and achievement of sufferers (Bravata et al., 2020). Given the previous literature on IP and research on bias in interpersonal judgments based on gender, I explored how the expression of imposter feelings impacts interpersonal perceptions of competence and intelligence, and how gender moderates this relationship. Participants read one of four vignettes and indicated how competent and intelligent they viewed the individual in the vignette in which a high achieving man/woman college student does/does not express IP. Results of the 2 (Gender Pronouns: He/Him …

A Broad Range Of Sexual Misconduct And Associated Mental Health Outcomes, Cory Sanderson

Honors Theses

College women are at a high risk of experiencing sexual misconduct (SM) (Graham et al., 2022). Research shows a connection between sexual victimization and psychological distress (Graham et al., 2022). The lack of research on a broader range of SM and associated mental health outcomes is a lacuna that must be addressed. SM is a widely understudied issue, and approximately 1 in 5 college women will experience it at least once during their time on campus (Muehlenhard et al., 2017). Women are not only at a high risk of experiencing SM during their time in college, but research shows a …

Coercion In Campus Sexual Misconduct, Ailsa V. Boger

Honors Theses

Women are at a high risk of experiencing sexual misconduct or assault during their time in college (Graham et al., 2022). Studies suggest that many college students, specifically women, are likely to experience sexual coercion, which is defined as: unwanted sexual activity that occurs when you are pressured, threatened, tricked, or forced in a nonphysical way (Pugh & Becker, 2018; Office on Women’s Health, 2021). Coerced sex is not illegal in most states in the US, so sexual coercion is not seen as important as more aggressive forms of sexual assault that are illegal (Peterson, 2023). Furthermore, the research on …

Burnout In Female Collegiate Athletes: Relations With Stress, Body Concerns, Coping, And Sport Type, Sarah V. Policano

Honors Theses

Burnout occurs when an athlete experiences stress and fails to cope with this stress, resulting in loss of interest in sport, emotional and physical exhaustion, and negative attitudes towards an athlete’s abilities. Female collegiate student-athletes suffer disproportionately from exhaustion, stress, and body image concerns compared to their male counterparts. The present study explored the relationship between stress and burnout among female collegiate athletes while also investigating how body image dissatisfaction (BID), weight pressure, and coping moderated this relationship and individually correlated to burnout and stress. Comparisons were made between sport type, lean versus non-lean, on stress, burnout, body concerns, weight …

The Alien Language: Game The Developmental Trajectory Of Auditory And Visual Statistical Learning, Gwen Radecki

Honors Theses

Statistical learning (SL) extends across multiple stimulus domains and modalities, including vision, audition, and touch. However, it remains to be seen whether SL is supported by a modality-general or modality-specific mechanism(s). Prior work examined this by varying the rate of presentation across modalities, finding evidence of modality-specific constraints on learning (Emberson, Conway & Christiansen, 2011). In a prior experiment, I extended this work by testing the effect of presentation rate in standardized audio and visual SL tasks. The results of this project provided evidence against modality constraints to SL, suggesting instead that the mechanism is modality-general in nature. However, SL’s …

A Bittersweet Experience: Language Brokering Attitudes And Experiences Among Latinx Young Adults, Nicole Fernandez

Honors Theses

Objective: Language brokering, the practice of translating or interpreting, has been identified as a prevalent event among Latinx youth in the United States. This study aimed to investigate the psychological and interpersonal processes that affect the experiences of Latinx young people who serve as language brokers. Methods: Utilizing a simultaneous mixed-methods approach, this study investigated the influence of parent-child relationships, familism as a cultural value, burden attitudes, psychological well-being, and personality traits on language brokering experiences. Quantitative data was collected through a Qualtrics survey, which was analyzed using SPSS. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using …

Nothing Short Of Superheroic: A Quantitative Study Of Lifetime Exposure To Superhero Comic Book Media As A Predictor Of Attitudes Towards Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion, Michael Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This dissertation examined the relationship between lifetime exposure to superhero comic book media and attitudes toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Drawing on theories of identity formation—transitional objects, parasocial relationships, and cultivation theory—it investigated whether engagement with superhero narratives predicted DEI attitudes. Using quantitative methods, data from 499 U.S. adults were collected via Qualtrics. Two instruments were used: the Lifetime Superhero Comic Book Media Exposure Scale (LSES) and the Intolerant Schema Measure (ISM), which assessed prejudice across race, gender, sexuality, class, age, and religion. Multiple linear regression revealed that superhero media exposure significantly predicted ISM scores (B = 0.118, …

Are We Safe In The Digital World? Why We Still Fall Victim To Cybercrime, Kevin Le

Honors Papers and Posters

Cybersecurity has only recently gained press coverage as millions of individuals are victimized by cyberattacks. While current cybersecurity measures offer some protection, human error has been the number one cause of cyberattacks for the past eight years (Verizon, 2024). Cybercrime continues to evolve in complexity, leveraging advanced technology and human psychology to bypass traditional security systems. This study examines why individuals still fall victim to cyberattacks. It explores the psychological and cognitive factors that make individuals vulnerable, focusing on social engineering techniques such as phishing and pretexting. This study also analyzes factors from psychological theories, including Protection Motivation Theory, Routine …

Using Theory Of Planned Behaviour And Stigma To Predict Help-Seeking Behaviours For Mental Health Issues Among Thai College Students, Duong Hoang Anh Tran

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

With the high prevalence of mental health issues, especially among college students, research on help-seeking behaviour is needed. This study aims to investigate the theory of planned behaviour, as well as social stigma and self-stigma as extended factors, in predicting help-seeking intention. Help-seeking intention was measured through the intention to use free-of-charge mental health services provided by the university. A sample of 105 undergraduates studying at Chulalongkorn University answered self-reported questions regarding help-seeking intention, attitude toward help-seeking, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control (PBC), self-stigma, social stigma, knowledge about mental health, knowledge about mental health services, and informal help-seeking. Results from …

Examining Collaborative Healthcare For Substance Use Disorder: A Case Study Of Brigham And Women's Hospital Bridge Clinic, Megan Bidgood

Psychology Honors Papers

Individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) are clinically underserved due to increased health and psychiatric comorbidities, structural barriers to treatment, stigma, and insufficient resources. This suggests that there is a need for an accessible and culturally competent treatment model. Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) Bridge Clinic is a multi-disciplinary, low threshold SUD treatment to promote collaborative healthcare and the transitioning of patients to longer-term care. The aim of the current study is to better understand personal accounts of patients and various clinical and non-clinical providers to optimize the BWH Bridge Clinic’s approach to treatment. Patients (N=5) and providers (N=6) participated …

Sensory Processing And Anxiety In Bipolar Disorder, Lyric Arvizu

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Past research suggests that individuals with bipolar disorder often experience differences in sensory gating and sensory processing, and similar patterns have been observed in anxiety disorders. Given that anxiety is highly comorbid with bipolar disorder, the present study examined how these conditions relate to self-reported sensory processing differences. A total of 132 participants (88 female), including 43 with bipolar disorder, were included in the final sample. Anxiety symptomatology was measured via the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Form Y. Sensory processing questionnaires included the Sensory Gating Inventory (SGI) and the Adult Sensory Processing Scale (ASPS). Correlations, t-tests, a multivariate analysis of …

An Investigation Of The Physiological And Behavioral Correlates Of Mental Imagery, Matthew Daniel Carroll

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Many conventional theories hold mental imagery to be fundamental to self-regulation. Recently, a current of research into mental imagery has developed, with the terms anaurelia and aphantasia being coined for the inability to experience, respectively, auditory and visual thought content, yet little is known about the impact that such individual differences have on persons’ lives. The present experiment was performed in order to test the hypotheses that self-regulation and mental imagery positively correlate and that mental imagery mediates the correlation of resting heart-rate variability and self-regulation. Self-regulation was measured via a self-report questionnaire (the Short Self-Regulation Questionnaire), as was mental …

Applied And Conceptual Implications Of Relational Density Theory In Machine Learning And Behavioral Economics, Bentley J. Elliott

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Relational Density Theory (Belisle & Dixon, 2020a) is an advanced conceptualization of Stimulus Equivalence (Sidman & Tailby, 1982) and Relational Frame Theory (Hayes et al., 2001) that allows behavior scientists to measure the strength, formation, and malleability of covert behavioral experiences such as attitudes, biases, and probabilities. Relational density combines principles of behavior with the fundamentals of Newtonian classical mechanics to quantify the dimensions of relational framing as a tool for examining behavior. This thesis contains two studies on relational density in context. The first study utilized relational density theory and principles of behavioral economics to measure attitudes and charitable …

Relational Density Theory And Intercultural Interaction: Identifying And Shifting Perceptions Of At-Risk Groups, Ryan T. Moser

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Intercultural interaction is an important aspect for fostering global engagement and competence, yet we find that despite the numerous opportunities, many don’t engage cross-culturally. The current paper utilizes Relational Density Theory (RDT; Belisle & Dixon, 2020a) to examine and modify perceptions of approachability through two experiments. In experiment 1, a Multidimensional Scaling Procedure (MDS) was utilized to identify at-risk groups for non interaction among college students as well as willingness to engage. In experiment 2, a Stimulus Pairing Observation Procedure (SPOP) was utilized to determine whether exposure to positively valanced stimuli could shift the perceptions of the at-risk groups to …

The Effects Of Corporal Punishment In Childhood On Early Adulthood Cortisol And Aggression, Tyler Priest

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The current study aimed to see if experiencing corporal punishment led to more aggressive behaviors as well as higher cortisol levels than in those who did not experience corporal punishment. The study also examined whether self-regulation moderated the relationship between corporal punishment and levels of aggression. Morning cortisol levels were collected from participants, and they completed a demographics survey, an aggression index, a corporal punishment index, and a self-regulatory inventory index. A T-test found that there was not a significant difference in morning cortisol levels between those that experienced corporal punishment and those that had not experienced corporal punishment. A …

Learned Helplessness: An Online Replication And Validation, Arshpreet (Sunny) Kandola

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The current study entails the partial replication of a classic learned helplessness two-phase triadic design experiment within an online learning context and aimed to validate a new attributional style self-report measure designed to identify individual differences in tendencies to develop learned helplessness consistent with the original reformulation of the hypothesis. Further, recent innovations in neuroscientific technology have allowed for a deeper examination of the mechanisms at play, finding support for a major re-interpretation of the theory of learned helplessness - suggesting that helplessness is more so the default passive response, while the active ingredient that is detected or expected (i.e., …