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Type D Personality, Stressful Lifestyle, Coping Styles, And Social Support In Military Undergraduates, Thomas Richard Rabon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type D personality, characterized by negative affectivity and social inhibition, has been shown to predict the prognosis of patients with heart disease. Type D personality has also been shown to have health-compromising effects on patients with other diseases and on the physical and psychological health of otherwise healthy individuals in the general population. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which a problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, dysfunctional or maladaptive coping, perceived stressful lifestyle, and perceived level of social support predict Type D personality in 203 individuals who maintain the dual roles of an active-duty enlisted member …

Relationship Among Parenting Styles And Latino Adolescent Self-Esteem And Aggression, Jocelyn Evans-Shaw

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is considerable evidence that parenting influences the development and growth of children. Research on the psychological effects of parenting styles on children has traditionally neglected some cultures, such as the Latino community. The proposed study explored Latino parenting (authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive) styles and how they affect children's wellbeing. This quantitative study used correlational analysis to examine the relationships among aggression, self-esteem, and parenting styles among Hispanic adolescents. The study sample consisted of 77 participants. Snowball sampling (technique used in which research participants are asked to identify other potential participants) and social media platforms were used to acquire a …

The Relationship Between Servant Leadership, Supportive Work Environment, And Tech Employees' Mental Well-Being, Parsa Peykar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research explored the relationship between servant leadership, supportive work environment, and mental well-being of tech employees. Understanding this relationship is crucial as the technology (“tech”) industry faces high stress levels and burnout rates, potentially affecting employee’s performance and retention. This quantitative, cross-sectional study surveyed 90 tech employees to examine the relationship between servant leadership, supportive work environment, and employees’ mental well-being. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (Liden et.al, 2008), Work Environment Scale (Tsai et al.,2015), and Mental Health Continuum Short Form (Keyes, 2002). A series of regression analyses were conducted to understand the relationship between …

The Interaction Between Frequency Of Cannabis Use And Method Of Delivery In Predicting Lack Of Interest In Eating, Joanne Lynn Pomeroy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cannabis use, its benefits, and adverse effects are being increasingly studied due to the abundance of existing dispensaries created under recreational and legalization policies. While research is inconclusive, an established association exists between increased cannabis concentration and anorexigenic properties. This study examines the interaction between the frequency of cannabis use and the method of delivery in predicting the lack of interest subtype of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) in emerging adults. Cannabis use was measured by the Cannabis Engagement Assessment (CES). The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7) was used to measure anxiety, and the Pica, ARFID, and Rumination Disorder Questionnaire …

Job Satisfaction Among Generation Z And Millennials In The Mental Health Field, Terence Fleeton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Millennials and Generation Z perceive job satisfaction in different ways. The mental health profession requires a lot of time and sacrifice to meet the needs of clients, and the organization served. The diverse beliefs, ambitions, and work-related attitudes of these younger generations are critical in shaping the dynamics of the mental health profession for employers seeking to hire younger talent as the workforce increased. The problem in this study is that some employers don't understand how supervisory support affects job satisfaction in millennial and Generation Z mental health employees. Managers struggle to maintain an environment where work-life balance provides job …

Can An Equine-Assisted Learning Course Improve Emotional Intelligence In Undergraduate Students?, Danielle Y. Clark, Julia M. Mack, Kenneth G. Mccurdy

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Background: Emotional intelligence, a construct that many experts consider an essential component of life success, is moving in a concerning direction among American college students. Equine-assisted interventions may be an innovative modality for influencing these skills. Purpose: This study explores the effectiveness of a 15-week equine-assisted experiential learning course on emotional intelligence among undergraduate college students. Methodology/Approach: The intervention group consisted of 18 students who participated in a three-credit psychology course entitled Horses for Interpersonal Skills, which involved classroom instruction and an equine-assisted learning (EAL) component. This group was compared to a no intervention sample of 26 students enrolled in …

Gsep Research Symposium Proceedings - 2024

GSEP Research Symposium

The 8th Annual GSEP Research Symposium, was themed "Dismantling Barriers between Research and Practice: Shining a Light on Global Interdisciplinary Solutions," took place on July 18-19, 2024, at the picturesque Château d'Hauteville in Saint-Légier-La Chiésaz, Switzerland.

The annual symposium is hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP). The symposium served as a dynamic platform for students, faculty, alums, and staff to come together and explore innovative ideas across multiple disciplines. Featuring 69 selected presentations under five distinct tracks, the proceedings showcase groundbreaking research, foster meaningful discussions, and promote professional development.

The symposium aimed to bridge …

The Effectiveness Of An Anxiety Intervention On Decreasing State And Trait Anxiety Among University Students, Lea D. Hart

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Anxiety is the most common rising public health concern for college students (Center for Collegiate Mental Health, 2023; Haikalis et al., 2022). In 2022–2023, 65% of college students seeking counseling noted anxiety as their primary concern, rising 10% in the last 10 years (Center for Collegiate Mental Health, 2023). As a result, higher education institutions are seeking proactive solutions that are efficacious, evidence-based, and proactive for non-clinical university populations to reduce rising rates of anxiety. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore if a population-based intervention could reduce state and trait anxiety immediately and over time. The results …

Understanding The Stressors Of Mothers Who Have Transitioned Out Of Prison, Latoya Cain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to explore the experiences and perceptions of eight mental health clinicians on the stressors that mothers transitioning from prison face as they try to integrate into the community. The participant sample for this study consisted of eight mental health clinicians who have experience working with mothers who are transitioning out of incarceration. Participants were between 30 and 50 years of age. All eight participants were actively employed as mental health professionals and had experience working with women/mothers that were incarcerated and were reintegrating back into the community. All eight participants had1-11 years’ experience working with women/mothers …

The Lived Experiences Of Developing A Strong Black Woman Schema For Resilient Black Women With Adverse Childhood Experiences, Lindsey Erin Dickson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) encompass a spectrum of adversities that can impact mental and physical health in adulthood, particularly in Black women. Although there was a substantial body of research on the consequences of ACEs and the coping strategies employed by Black women, there remained a gap in understanding the nuanced experiences of those who develop a Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of developing an SBW schema among resilient Black women who had faced ACEs. The research was grounded in resilience theory and SBW schema and provided …

Advancing Consensual Non-Monogamy In Psychological Research, Practice, And Policy: A Guide For Psychologists, Amy C. Moors, Michelle Denise Vaughan, Sharon M. Flicker, Kaiponanea T. Matsumura, Heath A. Schechinger

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

In this article, we present a brief overview of the topic of consensual non-monogamy (CNM) as a scientific inquiry, including reviews related to stigma, relationship functioning, and health and well-being. Next, we discuss how psychologists can be more responsive to people who engage in CNM, by (1) conducting research that is inclusive of CNM, including challenging mononormativity in theory and measurement; (2) training clinicians to be more knowledgeable about CNM, including expanding diversity requirements and evidence-based clinical practice; (3) working in advocacy to help shape law and policy, including future directions for research to inform marital/family and antidiscrimination law. Our …

Quality Of Life Changes In Middle-Aged Men After An Acute Stroke Or Traumatic Brain Injury, Angela J. Garner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Surviving a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI) can bring about life changes and negatively impact future quality of life. Studies that focus specifically on men who suffer these injuries is limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore quality of life of middle-aged men who suffered an acute stroke or TBI. The transactional model of stress and coping and the social identity theory were theoretical frameworks. Common themes were established during data analysis. Three research questions explored the narratives of masculine identity and quality of life in middle-aged men who experience a stroke or TBI. How having …

Exposure And Connectedness To Natural Environments: An Examination Of The Measurement Invariance Of The Nature Exposure Scale (Nes) And Connectedness To Nature Scale (Cns) Across 65 Nations, 40 Languages, Gender Identities, And Age Groups, Viren Swami, Mathew P. White, Martin Voracek, Ulrich S. Tran, Toivo Aavik, Hamed Abdollahpour Ranjbar, Sulaiman Olanrewaju Adebayo, Reza Afhami, Oli Ahmed, David A. Frederick

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Detachment from nature is contributing to the environmental crisis and reversing this trend requires detailed monitoring and targeted interventions to reconnect people to nature. Most tools measuring nature exposure and attachment were developed in high-income countries and little is known about their robustness across national and linguistic groups. Therefore, we used data from the Body Image in Nature Survey to assess measurement invariance of the Nature Exposure Scale (NES) and the Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). While multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) of the NES supported …

Behind The Curtain: Recommendations For Neurodiversity Research, Andree Koehler

The Qualitative Report

Researchers have explored neurodiversity in terms of gender, gender identity and expression, masking, and more, yet the focus is often on neurodiversity as synonymous with autism. There remains a challenge to expand the body of neurodiversity research that is broader than autism. In my article, neurodiversity will be discussed as an element of the broad human condition, rather than a singular state or condition of impairment isolated to a portion of the population to delineate the paradigm based on neurological variations from medical and social models. This paper was designed to offer a “how to” for conducting research into neurodiversity …

Perceived Naturalness Biases Objective Behavior In Both Trivial And Meaningful Contexts, Brian P. Meier, Eric Noreen, Michael Fellman, Courtney Lappas, Li-Jun Ji

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research shows that perceived naturalness can bias beliefs about the positivity of items such as food, human talent, and vaccines. Yet, this research focuses on self-reports, which leaves open the implications it has for behavior. In four studies (N = 492), this research team tested if perceived naturalness impacts trivial and meaningful behaviors. Participants were asked to consume a purported natural/synthetic performance drink (Study 1), test a purported natural/synthetic drug that would be injected (Study 2), eat chocolate containing a purported natural/synthetic cocoa described as causing stomach discomfort (Study 3), or choose a sticker purportedly made with natural/synthetic ink …

The Bonding Experiences Of Mothers Of Children With Sensory Processing Disorder, Natalie Marie Maddison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maternal bonding is known to involve tactile and proximal components that support the bonding process. In addition, mothers report that feelings of maternal competence and role identity develop by being able to predict and meet their child’s needs. However, research in this area does not consider how sensory processing disorder (SPD) in children affects maternal bonding experiences. This research aimed to address a gap in the literature about mothers’ experiences bonding with a child with SPD, including the impact of SPD on a mother’s felt experience. Mercer’s maternal role attainment was used as the theoretical framework for exploring this topic. …

Counseling In Virtual Spaces And Into The Metaverse: A Framework For Reflection, Conversation, And Future Scholarship, Staci Hayes, Yahyahan Aras, Kathy Caputo, James Hoag, Lindsay Ibos, Sania Khan, Kelly Smith

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Given the success of Virtual Reality (VR) in the gaming community and strides in mental health, both VR and the Metaverse provide limitless opportunities and possibilities in the field of counseling. This article aims to provide important definitions, an overview of the use of VR in clinical counseling, clinical supervision, counselor education and its potential emergence into the Metaverse. Implications are presented in hopes of prompting conversation on how we may accept technological and cultural shifts and remain true to our counseling roots. Specifically, how to maximize the potential benefits with counseling specific rationale and address the limitations and potential …

Trump, Twitter, And Truth Judgments: The Effects Of “Disputed” Tags And Political Knowledge On The Judged Truthfulness Of Election Misinformation, J. C. Blanchar, Catherine Norris

Psychology Faculty Works

Misinformation has sown distrust in the legitimacy of American elections. Nowhere has this been more concerning than in the 2020 U.S. presidential election wherein Donald Trump falsely declared that it was stolen through fraud. Although social media platforms attempted to dispute Trump’s false claims by attaching soft moderation tags to his posts, little is known about the effectiveness of this strategy. We experimentally tested the use of “disputed” tags on Trump’s Twitter posts as a means of curbing election misinformation. Trump voters with high political knowledge judged election misinformation as more truthful when Trump’s claims included Twitter’s disputed tags compared …

Individuals With Multiple Tattoos Exhibit Major Depressive Disorder, Dr. Tracy Alan Daniels

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a global health concern and is the second global leading cause of mental illness that produces disability and disease. Individuals with multiple tattoos who exhibit MDD have not been adequately studied. Individuals with multiple tattoos who exhibit MDD may struggle because of psychosocial associations of the diagnosis. Seven women and three men, ages 18 to 65, participated in this qualitative, phenomenological study. Data obtained from the semistructured; audio-recorded confidential video call interviews were analyzed with Moustakas’ bracketing method. Bracketing as a phenomenological method was instrumental in searching for associations in meanings and understandings with individuals. …

The Relationship Of Sleep Disturbance And Disease-Related Factors On Neural And Neurocognitive Function In Youth Living With Sickle Cell Disease, Tiffany Devaughn Tucker

All ETDs from UAB

Youth living with sickle cell disease (SCD) often face neurocognitive challenges, regardless of accompanying neurological issues. SCD involves red blood cell deformation, leading to complications including chronic anemia, vaso-occlusion, and acute crises such as pain and overt stroke. While screening and intervention advancements have improved survival, enhancing functional capacity and quality of life (QoL) remains a targeted area of intervention. Disease-related factors, sleep disturbances, and social determinants significantly impact neurocognitive health in youth living with SCD. Deficits across all cognitive domains, including attention, working memory, and executive function (EF), are common, affecting academic achievement and QoL. Brain-related issues, such as …

Neighborhood Disadvantage, Parenting, And Dna Methylation During Childhood, Malcolm Barker-Kamps

All ETDs from UAB

Being raised in a disadvantaged neighborhood increases the risk of adult obesity, chronic inflammation, and epigenetic aging even when adjusting for family socioeconomic status (SES). Because little is understood regarding the timing of these outcomes through development and possible moderating effects of the family environment, this project investigated the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and DNA methylation in children and whether this association varies across child age, parenting behaviors, or neighborhood cohesion. The study included 112 parents (Mage=27.5; SD=1.06) and 160 children, ages 0-14 (Mage =3.89, SD=3.29; 54% female; 90% African American; 10% White), from the Birmingham Youth Violence Study. Neighborhood …

The Effects Of Intraindividual Factors On Distracted Car Following Behavior In Newly Licensed Teen Drivers, Gabriela Marie Sherrod

All ETDs from UAB

Rear-ending a stopped lead vehicle is the most common motor vehicle crash (MVC) scenario among all drivers. However, novice teen drivers experience a higher rate of rear-end MVCs relative to experienced adults. Given that MVC risk among novice teen drivers is at its highest during the first three months of licensure, it is especially relevant to better understand car following behaviors of novice teen drivers during this critical developmental window, as well as factors that may affect a teen’s attentional capabilities. The present study examined how recently-licensed teens negotiated a simulated car following task with and without cellular phone distractions. …

Experiences Of Discrimination And Stress In People With And Without Hiv: Associations With Experimental Pain Sensitivity And Substance Use, Joanna Hobson

All ETDs from UAB

People living with HIV (PLWH) are at an increased risk for experiencing not only discrimination, but the adverse health outcomes that are related to discrimination. Specifically, studies have identified direct relationships between HIV, discrimination and substance use, pain, poor sleep (e.g. insomnia symptoms) and depression. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the relationships between discrimination, stress, experimental pain sensitivity, mood and substance abuse. We used various questionnaires to measure mood and health behavior. Lastly, participants underwent a series of pain experiments to measure group differences in experimental pain sensitivity. We found group differences in cortisol levels (p = .031) and …

Measuring Resilience In Black Families, Destiny Shanell Kelly

All ETDs from UAB

Black families play a unique role in navigating risk and adversity, operating as a source of various protective factors to combat challenges faced. Given the historical and current role that racism plays in the everyday lives of Black individuals, culturally specific protective mechanisms have manifested as a defense for these encounters. Many of these protective factors are instilled at the family level, helping all family members maintain healthy functioning or be resilient, such as social support, ethnic-racial socialization, and racial identity. However, current measures of family resilience do not incorporate these culturally relevant protective mechanisms into the measures, preventing Black …

Pubertal Timing In Relation To Epigenetic Aging And Mortality Risk In Young Adulthood, Marlon Goering

All ETDs from UAB

Early pubertal timing is associated with adverse health outcomes in adulthood, which may be mediated by DNA methylation-based epigenetic changes associated with accelerated aging and mortality risk. However, only few studies examined links between pubertal timing and epigenetic aging and these focused mainly on females, relied on retrospective reports of single pubertal events, and did not examine protective factors and underlying mechanisms. Thus, this dissertation examined two distinct dimensions of pubertal timing (i.e., phenotypical pubertal timing relative to age and self-perceived pubertal timing relative to peers) in relation to subsequent epigenetic aging and mortality risk in adulthood together with sex …

Sleep And Stigma: Novel Factors In The Relationship Between Weight Status And Cognitive Function?, Lindsay M. Stager

All ETDs from UAB

U.S. obesity rates are rising. Impaired cognitive function (CF) negatively correlates with obesity and may impact food consumption. However, the mechanisms of action demand assessment. This study aimed to identify adiposity-based differences in adolescent CF and food consumption and determine the roles of sleep and stigma within these relationships. Adolescents completed questionnaires including the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and Brief Version of the Stigmatizing Situations Inventory assessing weight stigma. Actigraphy and food diaries assessed typical sleep duration and food consumption. Participants then completed two sleep conditions in a randomized order: adequate (AS; >8 hours asleep) and restricted (RS; <5 hours asleep) sleep. Each condition was preceded by a 2-night washout period (9 hours in bed per night) and followed by a morning lab visit involving a cognitive battery and self-serve breakfast. Adolescents with healthy weight (HW) demonstrated greater performance-based episodic memory compared to adolescents with overweight/obesity (OWOB), but self-reported poorer inhibition, self-monitoring, and planning/organizing. Findings were similar in models using total body fat percent (TBF%) as a predictor, and stigma did not mediate these relationships. Adiposity did not relate to typical self-reported food consumption. RS predicted poorer performance-based global cognition, fluid cognition, and cognitive flexibility for adolescents with OWOB and improved cognitive flexibility among adolescents with HW. Adolescents with OWOB also had poorer attention compared to adolescents with HW following RS, while there were no group differences following AS. Findings were similar in models using TBF% as a predictor. However, adolescents with TBF% elevated above 42, also had poorer processing speed following RS, and the relationship between sleep and attention did not vary based on TBF%. RS also predicted decreased consumption of total calories, calories from processed foods, and fat for both BMI groups. This study increases understanding of the relationships among weight, CF, and food consumption, and the roles of sleep and stigma within these relationships. Adolescents with OWOB were more vulnerable to the negative cognitive effects of RS and RS predicted decreased consumption of calories and fat. Promotion of improved sleep hygiene and duration may be critical for the cognitive health of adolescents with OWOB.

Everyday Functioning In Middle Aged And Older Adults With Hiv: Factors That Influence Everyday Functioning And Awareness Of Functioning, Alexandra Elaine Jacob

All ETDs from UAB

With combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), the population of older people living with HIV (PLWH) is growing. There is a need to better understand everyday functioning, including instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), to improve real-world outcomes for this clinical population. This dissertation attempts to (1) characterize factors related to self-report and performance of IADLs in PLWH, (2) examine correlates of self-awareness for functional abilities, and (3) apply a theoretical model to examine complex relationships between factors that impact self-awareness for functional abilities. Participants in these retrospective analyses included 260 PLWH who completed a comprehensive neurobehavioral evaluation including neuropsychological tests, measures …

The Effects Of The Home Food Environment On Habits Towards Foods, Demetria R. Pizano

All ETDs from UAB

Habits are the learned and reinforced behavioral patterns that predict an individual's tendencies to engage in an action in their environment (Gardner, de Bruijn & Lally, 2011). Behaviors consistently triggered by an environmental context, such as a home, allow the formation of habitual responses towards health practices such as food consumption (van't Riet et al., 2011). The home food environment (HFE), the availability and access to healthy foods, influences an individual's food selection and consumption behaviors that ultimately shape their eating habits (Nilsen, Roback, Brostrom, & Ellstrom, 2012). Similarly, an individual's executive function (EF), which represents their cognitive ability to …

Designing Organizational Systems To Support Achievement Of Performance Goals In Student Mental Health, Maritza Prieto Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Delivering first-rate services that addresses the needs of high school students is crucial to the structural sustainability for a counseling department within a high school setting. A well-planned improvement of the structural profile of a counseling department which supports students seeking mental health assistance will become an important part in capacity building. The focus of this study was to recognize the necessity for creating a specific and successful plan that will support both counselors and students within a high school counseling center. The Baldrige Excellence Framework was used to direct this case study of a behavioral health organization in the …

Leveraging Ai To Develop And Refine Research Topics In The Counseling Field, Emily A. Brinck

AI Assignment Library

The purpose of this assignment is to utilize AI tools to develop and refine a research topic within the counseling field. By engaging with AI, students will enhance their ability to identify emerging trends, analyze existing literature, and generate innovative research questions. This assignment aims to empower students with the skills needed to integrate AI into their research process, ultimately leading to more informed and impactful studies in counseling.