Digital Commons Network^™

Nature Brings Happiness: Contact With Nature As Mediator Between Nature Relatedness And Well-Being Among Urban Communities In Indonesia, Bartolomeus Yofana Adiwena, Ratna Djuwita

Psychological Research on Urban Society

Well-being is one of the most important elements and is known to be closely related to various aspects of human life, such as physiological health. Previous studies demonstrate that the natural environment positively contributes to well-being. However, most research on the natural environment and well-being mainly focuses on situational factors, such as contact with the natural environment, and ignores dispositional factors, such as nature relatedness. Thus, the current study aims to examine the role of nature relatedness (dispositional factor) and contact with nature (situational factor) in improving well-being among urban communities in Indonesia. This study uses a cross-sectional design and …

Meta-Analysis Of Self-Adjustment Factors Of Migrant Students In Indonesia, Nirwana Permatasari, Nirwana Permatasari, Dewi Retno Suminar, Wiwin Hendriani

Psychological Research on Urban Society

The increasing trend of higher education has led to a desire for higher quality education among migrant students. Migrant students typically face a variety of challenges from the moment they leave home, including the need to adapt to both new cultures and norms, as well as new educational experiences. The purpose of this study is to examine the adjustment factors of migrant students in Indonesia by synthesizing findings from relevant studies. The method used is meta-analysis, this analysis explores the multifaceted relationship between various factors and the adjustment process of migrant students in the context of higher education in Indonesia. …

The Heroine Archetype, Annabelle L. Nelson

Heroism Science

Theorists and researchers have documented some of the characteristics of heroes which include humility, endurance, courage, vulnerability, perseverance, and the choice to solve societal problems with moral action. These characteristics help a hero complete a journey derived from Campbell’s The Hero with A Thousand Faces. The journey’s cycle begins with a normal state when a call to adventure moves a person to face tests, rely on helpers and transform the self to solve dilemmas. Identifying with a hero as an archetype can activate a psychodynamic and open awareness for insight and emotional strength. Usually, a hero is seen as non-gender …

Internalized Racism And Mental Health: The Moderating Role Of Collective Racial Self-Esteem, Steven M. Sanders, Tiffany R. Williams, April T. Berry, Claudia Garcia-Aguilera, Kiera Robinson, Reniece Martin, Paigean Jones

Psychological Sciences and Counseling Faculty Research

Internalized racism is the internalization of beliefs about racism and colonization that contribute to the acceptance of negative messaging or stereotypical misrepresentations that inform perceptions about worth and ability. Internalized racism is associated with psychological distress in racially diverse people. Collective racial self-esteem is a potential protective factor that can serve as a moderator in reducing distress and facilitating psychological well-being. The sample for the present study consisted of 526 participants who self-identified as African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latinx American, or American of Arab or Middle Eastern descent. The researchers used regression with the Process macro to investigate the …

Bridging The Protection Gap: Innovative Approaches To Shield Older Adults From Ai-Enhanced Scams, Ld Herrera, London Van Sickle, Ashley L. Podhradsky

Research & Publications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly gaining popularity as individuals, groups, and organizations discover and apply its expanding capabilities. Generative AI creates or alters various content types including text, image, audio, and video that are realistic and challenging to identify as AI-generated constructs. However, guardrails preventing malicious use of AI are easily bypassed. Numerous indications suggest that scammers are already using AI to enhance already successful scams, improving scam effectiveness, speed and credibility, while reducing detectability of scams that target older adults, who are known to be slow to adopt new technologies. Through hypothetical cases analysis of two leading scams, the …

Workplace Psychological Well-Being: An Extension And Validation, Lauren E. Piroutek

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

Psychological well-being (PWB), positive human functioning, and flourishing, have primarily been studied in the context of the full life span with limited research within the context of the workplace. The well-being research conducted in the workplace is often limited to constructs such as work engagement, job satisfaction and subjective well-being. Furthermore, the research on PWB that has recently been performed tends to overlook existence needs (e.g., adequate pay and benefits, safety) which play a critical role in the tangible and psychological needs of the modern-day worker. This paper adds to the growing workplace psychological need fulfillment literature by extending and …

The Lived Experience Of Psychological Suffering In Animal/Environmental Activists, Pamela Jimenez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Animal agriculture, the second-largest contributor to climate change, poses serious risks to human and global health. Animal/environmental activists work to reduce these risks but often face verbal ridicule and physical violence; however, little is known about the psychological suffering experienced by this group. This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) aimed to explore the experience of psychological suffering in animal/environmental activists committed to ending exploitative animal agriculture and environmental activities. Ecopsychological theory and psychological constructs, such as eco-anxiety, eco-grief, and vicarious trauma, comprised the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 18 animal/environmental activists, incorporating participant-selected photographs …

Stress On The Brain: An Investigation Into The Impact Of Stress On Learning, Memory, And Metamemory Processes, Felicia M. Chaisson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

While acute anxiety or stress has been shown to enhance certain cognitive functions, such as memory for emotionally salient stimuli, its effects on memory for emotionally neutral information remain ambiguous. Successful memory encoding and retrieval often involve control processes—both self-initiated and directed—that dictate organization during learning. Previous research indicates that these processes facilitate the contextual binding and organization of information. However, multi-domain evidence suggests that stress during encoding may be disrupted due to changes in neural mechanisms at play. This dissertation explores how stress impairs cognitive control, identifies potential underlying neural correlates, and examines broader metacognitive influences. Chapter 1 begins …

Using Geographic Momentary Assessment To Explore Spatial Environment Influences On Wellbeing In People With Hiv, Rayna E. Gasik, Ethan A. Smith, Simone J. Skeen, Stephanie Tokarz, Gretchen Clum, Erica Felker-Kantor, Katherine P. Theall

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Place-based socio-economic and racial inequities contribute to health disparities among people with HIV (PWH). We used geographic ecological momentary assessment (GEMA) methodologies to explore the interplay between psychosocial outcomes in daily diaries and community spatial measures among PWH in New Orleans. PWH (N = 69) were recruited from a clinic-based cohort study. Micro-longitudinal data were collected via smartphone-based daily diaries and geospatial tracking over 14 days. First, correlations were run between diary derived outcomes (e.g., feeling safe in current location, stress), and spatial measures (e.g., violent crime, alcohol outlets, and vacant lots) within a half-mile buffer around each diary point …

A Veteran Mental Health Approach Sustaining Identity Post-Military Life: A Comprehensive Overview, Darren Sosa, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

Veterans and their mental health face readjustment challenges based on veteran identity, intersectionality, and experiences from their time serving in the military. This comprehensive overview and PRISMA analysis investigate the current evidence-based practices of veterans' identity and intersectionality. Specifically, psychoeducation and evidence-based practices for veterans readjusting back into their communities. A gap identified in this research’s findings calls for suggestions for future research on the veteran population and intersectionality. No specific psychoeducation or evidence-based practices tailored for identity readjustment or veteran intersectionality were found. This research constructs a tailored framework of suggestions for current and future evidence-based practices for the …

The Efficacy Of The G.R.A.C.E Matrix® In Ptsd Treatment”, Maria Grace G. Wolk, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy of the G.R.A.C.E Matrix®, a step-by-step technique of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study uses case studies that serve as portrayals of adults who struggle with PTSD. The three cases, referred to as "Jamal," "Isabel," and "Joel," are based on disguised aspects of real psychotherapy patients from a psychotherapy clinic. By detailing the treatment courses of these patients, the study highlights critical clinical issues in engaging patients with evidence-based therapy. The cases illustrate how the G.R.A.C.E Matrix® treatment, beginning with written assessments and culminating in trauma-informed interventions, has …

The Pulse Of Connection: Trust And Confidentiality In Internal Coaching Dynamics, Mehdi Ebrahimi

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Internal coaching is growing in popularity across various industries and sectors, either as a standalone resource or in conjunction with external coaching and other relevant programs and initiatives. Despite the growing popularity and reported benefits, there is a substantial dearth of research on the dynamics of “internal coaching” relationships, making it one of the least explored areas in organizational coaching literature. This paper contributes to addressing the research gap by presenting the outcomes of a study that explores the coach–client relationship and captures perspectives from internal coaches, external coaches, managers, and, notably, coachees, also known as coaching clients. Employing a …

Expert Consensus In A Politically-Charged Environment: Motivated Reasoning In Information Processing, Austin L. Katz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the abundance of information online, what drives news consumption? It has been theorized that there are two distinct conflicting motivations which operate simultaneously when consumers encounter new information: the motivation to reach accurate conclusions and the directional motivation to reach conclusions that are consistent with a person’s preexisting beliefs or predispositions (e.g., Kunda 1990). This experiment tests situations in which both motivations are simultaneously made salient in the context of reading headlines to decide what news to read and how accurate the news is likely to be.

A new fact-check manipulation was used to draw attention to the accuracy …

Supporting Gender Identity In Early Childhood: Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Parenting A Gender Variant Child Under Age 6 Years, Deborah Lyn Hahn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The specific problem addressed through this qualitative research study was the lack of understanding of the lived experiences of parents of gender variant preschool children and the resources those parents need to help create affirming environments for their young children. Butler’s queer theory/feminist poststructuralism was the theoretical foundation of this research study. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of parents of gender variant children under the age 6 years and to determine the supports and services these parents need to help them create and maintain safe and affirming environments for their children. Transcendental phenomenology was …

Strategies To Overcome Burnout In Women In Behavioral Health Leadership, Pamela Atueyi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The global mental health landscape is currently facing a significant crisis, characterized by an unprecedented surge in patient demand and a concurrent shortage of therapists. This imbalance has led to overwhelmed mental health facilities, prolonged access and wait times for patients, and diminished quality of care. Several factors contribute to this crisis, including the increased prevalence of mental health issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing stigma surrounding mental health treatment, and systemic problems, such as the lack of training programs, leaders not feeling supported, and low retention rates. This study explored significant burnout levels among women behavioral health …

Subjective Well-Being Across The Life Course Among Non-Industrialized Populations, Michael Gurven, Yoann Buoro, Daniel Eid Rodriguez, Katherine Sayre, Benjamin Trumble, Aili Pyhälä, Hillard Kaplan, Arild Angelsen, Jonathan Stieglitz, Victoria Reyes-Garcia

ESI Publications

Subjective well-being (SWB) is often described as being U-shaped over adulthood, declining to a midlife slump and then improving thereafter. Improved SWB in later adulthood has been considered a paradox given age-related declines in health and social losses. While SWB has mostly been studied in high-income countries, it remains largely unexplored in rural subsistence populations lacking formal institutions that reliably promote social welfare. Here, we evaluate the age profile of SWB among three small-scale subsistence societies (n = 468; study 1), forest users from 23 low-income countries (n = 6987; study 2), and Tsimane’ horticulturalists (n = …

A Trans-Theoretical Systematization Of Clinical Interventions Based On Dynamical Systems Research (Dsr), Giulio De Felice, David Pincus

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The scientific literature focused on the categorization of therapists’ interventions in clinical sessions, and their effects on patients, is not very extensive and often autoreferential. The most relevant findings clearly show the eclecticism of clinicians, grounding only 10–14% of their interventions on the specific theoretical approach to which they belong. Despite that, a trans-theoretical systematization of clinical interventions is lacking. The present work aims to verify the feasibility of a trans-theoretical categorization of clinical interventions based on Dynamical Systems Research in psychotherapy (DSR). For this purpose, the authors present the results of three literature reviews. The first sections of this …

Psychosocial Influences On African American Men Who Viewed Videos Of Police Killing Unarmed African American Men, Shaterrica Denae Maloney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The strained relationship between the African American community and law enforcement is not a new phenomenon. However, these interactions have become a focal point in research given the current use of smartphones and other technologies that capture video footage of these interactions, including those that result in the fatality of an African American male. The purpose and research questions of this phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of African American men and how their psychosocial development is influenced by watching videos of unarmed African American men being killed by police. The research questions were: What is the experience of African …

Examination Of Musical Sophistication And Working Memory Correlates In High School Students, Abby South

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between musical engagement and cognitive ability in high school students. While musicians’ brains have long been of interest to those who study experience-dependent neuroplasticity, a lack of adolescent data grossly limits our understanding of the relationship between music training and observed neuroplastic changes in the brain. Advances in psychometric testing and brain imaging reveal relationships among musical expertise, changes in brain function, structure, and connectivity, and enhanced cognitive ability, but categorical groupings of dichotomously defined musicians and non-musicians prevent nuanced understanding of these complex relationships. In this study, 83 …

Analisis Aktivitas Fisik Pekerja Mal Pelayanan Publik Kota Cilegon, Muhammad Syifa Abdy Mulya, Indri Hapsari Hapsari Susilowati

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

Physical activity is important because it has so many benefits. Even so, there are still many workers who are exposed to the risk of lack of physical activity. For this reason, it is necessary to know what affects the implementation of physical activity in workers. Quantitative design was used with a cross sectional study on 58 Cilegon Public Service Mall workers who met the criteria. As a result, 65.5% of workers are classified as active, 34.5% of workers are inactive and 12% of workers do not carry out any physical activity at all. Level of education (p value = 0.005), …

Multicultural Therapy With Vulnerable Populations: A Narrative Case Study, Nicole M. Velez-Agosto, María C. Almario-Zgheib

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Vulnerable populations with high rates of socioeconomic deprivation have an increasing need for mental healthcare and the lowest access to culturally competent care. Narrative therapy and critical multiculturalism are inclusive paradigms of mental health that appear appropriate for the treatment of people who endorse vulnerable intersecting identities. The purpose of this case study is to examine the impact of using a critical multicultural-developmental approach to therapy with a cisgender, mixed-race, LatinX woman with severe mental illness (SMI). Recommendations about the implementation of this approach in community mental health centers that treat women with SMI are provided.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Moderate The Association Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity And Depression, Grant Benham

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Investigations of the link between personality and depression provide a path to identifying at-risk individuals and developing tailored treatment. Sensory processing sensitivity, reflecting individual differences in processing of internal and external stimuli, has been found to predict depression severity. Based on a diathesis-stress model, the present study examines whether this association is moderated by adverse childhood experiences. An online survey containing standardized measures of adverse childhood experiences, sensory processing sensitivity, and depression severity, was administered to 558 college students. The sample was predominantly Hispanic (92%) and female (70%) with a mean age of 20.2 years. In support of the diathesis-stress …

It’S Worse If Superman Does It: Perceptions Of Moral Transgressions Committed By Superheroes And Supervillains, Justin F. Martin, Hansika Kapoor

Heroism Science

Superheroes are distinguished from supervillains due to their morally relevant behavior. However, what happens when they both engage in immoral behavior? This study examined how individuals perceive moral transgressions by their favorite superhero/villain in a quasi-experimental design. In line with Social Cognitive Domain Theory and Moral Foundations Theory, transgressions related to harm and justice were assessed. Specifically, participants (N = 363, predominantly White/Caucasian and South Asian) assessed characters’ likability, character traits, and moral evaluations. In line with hypotheses, results suggested that (a) superheroes were liked more than supervillains; (b) transgressions by superheroes were more morally impermissible than those by supervillains, …

Refereed Research - Religiosity And Sociality As Sources Of Resilience For Women Subsistence Entrepreneurs During The Pandemic, Rozina Akther

Subsistence Marketplaces

This study examines challenges faced by subsistence women entrepreneurs during COVID-19, the crisis of 2020, and their resilience in addressing the circumstances. The results of qualitative interviews with 13 subsistence marketplace women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh are presented in this article. In the current study, two themes are found to best capture the experiences and resilience of women business owners in the subsistence marketplaces. Furthermore, the study provides important insights from informant interviews, showing how women business owners navigate their operations during a pandemic. It highlights attributes such as relational strength and faith in a higher power that contribute to their …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic And Associated Restrictions On Children’S Play: A Systematic Literature Review, Aidan H. Fielding Mr, Emma Harding

International Journal of Playwork Practice

Play is recognised for its essential role in children’s development and, as such, the right to play has been internationally ratified through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s day-to-day lives were universally disrupted by restrictions and children’s ability to play as usual was impacted. The aim of this review was to examine the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic affected children’s play around the world, and whether this differed as a function of their national context. Database searches were conducted between August 2022 and February 2023, whereby a total of …

Exploring Forgiveness Among Female Adult Children Of Alcoholics Of Higher Socioeconomic Status, Michelle Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intergenerational trauma has perpetuated familial estrangement for decades within the adult children of alcoholics (ACOA) population. The purpose of this study was to understand forgiveness within maternal estrangement in female ACOAs to address a gap in literature on female ACOAs from a higher socioeconomic status. Bowen’s family systems theory (BFST) was the theoretical perspective used to understand the role of intergenerational systems, familial dynamics and patterns, and familial functioning that contribute to estrangement. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 participants and data analysis was conducted using the tenets of the Moustakas modified Van Kaam approach. Through the data analysis eight …

Young Children’S Mental Well-Being In Low-Income South African Settings: A Qualitative Study, Catherine E. Draper, Caylee J. Cook, Elizabeth A. Ankrah, Jesus A. Beltran, Franceli L. Cibrian, Jazette Johnson, Kimberley D. Lakes, Hanna Mofid, Lucretia Williams, Gillian R. Hayes

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

This qualitative study aimed to capture community perspectives of the risks and protective factors for social emotional development and mental health of young children in low-income South Africa settings, and was conducted as one component of a larger study with the ultimate aim of co-designing the Mazi Umntanakho (‘know your child’) digital tool. Twenty focus group discussions (n = 154, 97% female) were held with staff of community-based organisations (CBOs) and community health worker (CHW) programmes in urban and rural sites from four geographical regions. Data were analysed thematically, and grouped according to components of nurturing care (responsive caregiving, safety …

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Iv México Versus U.S. Versions In The Assessment Of Mexican Americans, Gabriela Ontiveros, Philip Gerard Gasquoine

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Objective:

To delineate score differences between the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV) and the WAIS-IV México in the assessment of balanced bilingual Mexican Americans and to determine the efficacy of five hold measures in predicting summary scores in each version.

Methods:

Hold measures were WAIS-IV Information, Vocabulary, and Matrix Reasoning subtests, picture vocabulary, and the Test of Premorbid Function (English)/Word Accentuation Test (Spanish). Using a repeated measures design, 60 neurologically intact participants were tested in a counterbalanced order, with WAIS-IV version as the repeated measure (mean intertest interval = 5.68 days). To minimize practice effects, the five visual-perceptual subtests, which …

The Mediating Effect Of Organizational Identification On Shared Identities And Turnover Intention In Large Companies, Quentin T. Singletary

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study sets the foundation for a relational investigation of the relationship between shared identification (shared experiences and shared characteristics) and the turnover intentions of employees from large organizations, mediated by the construct of organizational identification. The research aimed to highlight which shared identification style is most important for the reduction of turnover in large corporations. Participants answered a questionnaire that consisted of forty-nine items: six items that measured shared experiences, four items that measured shared characteristics, twenty-five items that measured organizational identification, six items that measured turnover intention, and eight items that measured demographic variables. Through a mediation regression …

The Need For Accurate [And Respectful] Depictions Of Mental Illness In Fiction, Jacequlyn L. Mills

Masters Theses

This thesis seeks to address the ongoing misrepresentation of mental illness in popular media, specifically within film, television, and literature. The power of the media is instrumental in public perception, and the ongoing negative misinformation and inaccuracy of mental illness those who are affected by it in media is instrumental in spreading harmful stereotypes and stigma. This affects not only the way that the general public views mental illness but also the way those with mental illness view themselves as well as their desire to seek help. I use these forms of media to showcase both the negative and positive …