Digital Commons Network^™

Soviet Holocaust Survivors: An Ethnographic Study, Marina Shafran

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to help understand the lives, worldview, and meaning making of Soviet Holocaust survivors currently residing in the United States. Ethnographic interviews were conducted to explore survivor's childhood, family life, religion, political views, work, and social life. These areas were examined during the following time periods: pre-WWII, during WWII, and post-WWII.

From the collected and analyzed data I was able to offer an insight into the experiences of five Soviet Holocaust survivors under the Soviet regime. I described the struggles that the survivors experienced during the Holocaust, the losses they had suffered, and the …

Assessing The Effects Of A Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon On Vehicle Speeds Along A Four-Lane Divided Highway, Michelle Van Wagner

Dissertations

In 2008, nearly 31% of vehicle fatalities were related to failure to adhere to safe vehicle speeds (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2009). Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of a Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon (RRFB) triggered by excessive speed on vehicle speed using a combined alternating treatments and reversal design. Experiment 1 assessed the RRFB's impact on speeds as compared to baseline conditions only. Experiment 2 compared the RRFB to two standard beacon configurations. Both experiments were conducted at the same site during approximately the same time period and both employed the same data collection methodology. The …

The Effect Of Biological Versus Environmental Causal Explanations On The Stigmatization Of Major Depression And Anorexia Nervosa, Briana Borenstein

Psychology Honors Papers

This study investigated how biological and environmental causal explanations affect the stigmatization of college students described to have major depression and anorexia nervosa.  Participants (38 male and 87 female college students) read a vignette about a college student with either major depression or anorexia nervosa that provided either a biological or environmental causal explanation for the disorder. Then, they completed a Social Distancing Scale; a Treatment Recommendations Scale; a Personal Responsibility Beliefs, Pity, and Anger Questionnaire; a Causal Attributions Scale; a Familiarity with Mental Illness Questionnaire; and a Demographics Questionnaire. Results indicated that participants stigmatized the target with anorexia more …

A Computer-Based Instructional Program To Teach Braille Reading To Sighted Individuals, Mindy Scheithauer

LSU Master's Theses

There is a need for efficient braille training methods for instructors of the visually impaired. This study evaluated the use of a computer-based program intended to train the relation of braille characters to English letters using a matching-to-sample procedure with 4 sighted college students. Each participant mastered matching visual depictions of the braille alphabet to their text counterparts. Further, each participant demonstrated the ability to read a braille passage following this exposure. These gains maintained at variable levels at a follow-up probe 2 to 4 weeks following training.

Cyber-Bullying In High School: Associated Individual And Contextual Factors Of Involvement, Marissa Alexis Feldman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For the past several decades, researchers have extensively investigated the impact of bullying on the nation's youth. Although we may now have a better understanding of these maladaptive behaviors, recent technological advances have created a new forum for bullying. The current study investigated adolescent experiences with cyber-bullying using a self-report survey. Youth (N=2,086) from five high schools (grades 9-12) were surveyed to identify individual, peer, parenting, and school factors hypothesized to be related to involvement in cyber-bullying as a victim, perpetrator, or both. Results indicated that cyber-involvement was related to a variety of psychosocial factors, with students who were both …

Predictors Of Body Dissatisfaction, Eating Disturbance, And Depressive Symptoms In Mothers, Steffanie Sperry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Body image, eating disturbance, and depressive symptomatology have been examined extensively in the general population. The assessment of these variables within the postpartum period has also been a target of recent research. Unfortunately, no existing studies have examined the intercorrelations among these factors in mothers of young children, despite increasing media pressure for moms to maintain a slim, pre-pregnancy body. The current study examined predictors of body dissatisfaction, eating disturbance, and depressive symptoms in mothers of children aged 0-5. Simple correlations were followed by a series of linear multiple regressions incorporating sociocultural predictors alongside covariates identified in the extant literature. …

Links Between Parents' And Children's Levels Of Gratitude, Life Satisfaction, And Hope, Brenna D. Hoy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Positive psychology encourages a focus on identifying and promoting wellness in individuals rather than analyzing psychopathology. Although decades of research shows that mental illness is in part environmental and hereditary, little is known about the relationship between parental levels of positive emotions such as gratitude, life satisfaction, and hope, and their children's levels of the same constructs. This study utilized a past, present, and future framework of positive emotions to explore parental and child levels of gratitude, life satisfaction, and hope. This quantitative study analyzed correlations between self-reported levels of gratitude, life satisfaction, and hope among a sample of 153 …

The Relationship Of Personalized And Traditional Iats With Explicit Attitude And Behavioral Measures, Rebecca Rae Riffle

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Researchers suggest that the Implicit Association Test (IAT) is structurally flawed, allowing contamination of responses that are influenced by stereotypical associations. This research investigated the use of a personalized IAT (PIAT) to reduce extrapersonal associations. The IAT and the PIAT were adapted to measure unconscious gender bias in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Explicit gender bias was measured by self-reports and a new measure, the Instant Uncontrollable Reactions (IUR) questionnaire. Partial support was found for the PIAT-explicit attitudes relationship reflecting less gender bias than the IAT-explicit attitudes relationship. It was expected that the PIAT-IUR relationship would show less …

May-December Paradoxes: An Exploration Of Age-Gap Relationships In Western Society, Justin Lehmiller, Christopher Agnew

Department of Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Investment Model Of Commitment Processes, Caryl E. Rusbult, Christopher Agnew, Ximena Arriaga

Department of Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications

The investment model of commitment processes is rooted in interdependence theory and emerged from the broader scientific zeitgeist of the 1960s and 1970s that sought to understand seemingly irrational persistence in social behavior. The investment model was developed originally to move social psychology beyond focusing only on positive affect in predicting persistence in a close interpersonal relationship. As originally tested, the investment model holds that commitment to a target is influenced by three independent factors: satisfaction level, quality of alternatives, and investment size. Commitment, in turn, is posited to mediate the effects of these three bases of dependence on behavior, …

An Examination Of The Primary And Secondary Effects Of Cyber-Bullying: Development And Testing Of A Cyber-Bullying Moderator/Mediator Model, Crystal Lin Johnson

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study examined cyber-bullying as a social transgression and the potentially negative effects it has on individuals, specifically adolescents and young adults from experiences recalled by college students. Findings established support for a moderator/mediator model, designed and tested for this study, that describes the psychological process prompted by a cyber-bullying message, which is moderated as well as mediated by several factors. This study examined the theoretical and practical value of the model in terms of being able to reflect the psychological process that individuals move through when exposed to a cyber-bullying message, and its ability to account for both primary …

The Effects Of Presentation Mode And Pace On Learning Immunology With Computer Simulation A Cognitive Evaluation Of A Multimedia Learning Resource, Radakovich Kristy Bradley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multimedia learning tools have the potential to benefit instructors and learners as supplemental learning materials. However, when such tools are designed inappropriately, this can increase cognitive taxation and impede learning, rendering the tools ineffective. Guided by the theoretical underpinnings provided by cognitive load theory and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, this study sought to empirically evaluate the effectiveness of a multimedia simulation tool aimed at teaching immunology to novices in an instructional setting. The instructional mode and pace of the tool were manipulated, the three levels of each variable yielding nine experimental groups. The effects of mode and pace …

Psychosocial Effects On Academic Performance, Aria Zhalet Higgins

Online Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that academic performance can be affected by many variables, such as parental involvement, family rules, family resources and homework. The present study focuses on these variables and their association with academic performance using 3,932 participants from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS). Results showed positive associations between Parental Involvement and Family Resources on Homework, which also had a positive association with Academic Performance; Family Rules had a negative association with Homework, which resulted in a negative association with Academic Performance.

Reality Television And Its Impact On Women's Body Image, Ayarza Manwaring

Online Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has found that both print media and television may affect the body image of young women. Tiggerman and Pickering (1996) found that it was not just the amount of television viewed, but the viewing of appearance focused shows that affected body image. Schooler, Ward, Merriwether and Caruthers (2004) came to the conclusion that women's viewing of shows with predominantly white casts lead to greater body dissatisfaction. To date, no investigations have looked at a new and popular genre, categorized as, `reality television'. The purpose of this study was examine the effects of viewing this new genre and its …

Identity, Reality, And Truth In Memoirs From The Iraq And Afghanistan Wars, Travis L. Martin

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research uses trauma theory, memoir theory, narratology, and recent scientific research into the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to explore developments in the memoir coming from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Specifically, the author examines the works of Shoshana Johnson, Colby Buzzell, and Anthony Shaffer to uncover the ways in which identity, reality and truth present themselves in the destabilized narratives of traumatized subjects.

Travis Martin is himself a veteran of the Iraq War, using his first-hand knowledge as a compass to guide him through intricate memoirs written by his contemporaries. Beginning …

Reconstructing Autism: A Phenomenological Study Of The Relationship Between Parents And Their Children Diagnosed With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Laura Elizabeth Solomon

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to serve as a deconstruction of the experience of parenting a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The increasing number of families with children affected by ASDs has led to many questions about the impact of ASDs on the family unit; however, the voice of parents is sorely missing in the extant research. The history of ASDs and disability in general continues to impact the ways families, society, and professionals treat families affected by ASDs, and particularly the ways they view and value the parent-child relationship. Six mothers of children with ASDs were interviewed about their …

Sexual Satisfaction In Women With Physical Disabilities: Results Of An Online Survey, Jessica Rose Heschel

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The study of sexual satisfaction and pleasure in Women with Disabilities (WwD) represents a significant gap in the current literature. The present study, using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, attempted to explore several areas of the sexual satisfaction of WwD. An internet-based survey was used to gather information in five specific areas: the messages WwD had received about sexuality and disability, their personal feelings about sexuality and disability, the specific elements that contribute to their sexual satisfaction, the amount of useful education and information they had received from mental and physical healthcare providers regarding their sexuality as WwD, and …

Growth Attenuation, Sterilization, And Cochlear Implants: Ethical, Legal And Social Themes, Jenna Nicole Mercadante

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with disabilities have been the subject of invasive medical procedures throughout history, violating their bodily rights and integrity. Because of a history of abuse, medical procedures performed on individuals with disabilities, especially those who cannot consent, require close scrutiny and analysis. This paper explores three controversial medical procedures performed on individuals with disabilities, which include sterilization, cochlear implants, and growth attenuation. Embedded in each medical procedure mentioned above are social, legal, ethical, and psychological variables that influenced the emergence of each procedure and the receptiveness of society. This project explores each of these variables in detail as it relates …

The Power To Promote Justice Program: A Train-The-Trainer Model For The Development Of Culturally Competent Teaching Practices Among Secondary Educators, Patrece Gabrielle Hairston

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

As the United States population becomes increasingly diverse, the need for multicultural training is greater than ever. Due to this tremendous shift in societal demographics, today's classrooms require teachers to educate students varying in culture, language, abilities, and many other characteristics. The Power to Promote Justice program is intended to provide educators with in-depth training in multicultural education. There is evidence to suggest that many teacher education programs provide minimal training in this area, leaving teachers ill equipped to manage the difficulties associated with working with diverse populations. The Power to Promote Justice Program is a five-session train-the-trainer program that …

Sexual Knowledge, Experiences, And Needs Of College Students With Physical Disabilities: A Pilot Study, Nicole Lynn Matros

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a Participatory Action Research (PAR) design to modify a measure that examines the sexual knowledge, experiences, and needs of people with physical disabilities. Participants (N = 23) were college students with physical disabilities that were registered for disability services at a medium sized Midwestern university. Participants completed a secure online survey that allowed them to provide feedback on the utility of the questionnaire. Preliminary data also were gathered and reviewed. Results revealed both convergence and divergence with the existing literature. Limitations, research and clinical implications, and future directions were also explored.

Animal-Assisted Therapy: An Adjunctive Intervention For Reducing Depression And Anxiety In Female College Students With Physical Disabilities And Guidelines For Implementation Into Psychotherapy Practice And Research, Erin Nicole Armour

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The existing literature has indicated that women with physical disabilities are at greater risk for depression and anxiety compared to men with similar limitations and their able-bodied counterparts (Nosek & Hughes, 2003). In addition to this, female college students with physical disabilities are at greater risk for attrition than able-bodied female college students (Gmelch, 1998). This dissertation discusses the benefits and criticisms of animal-assisted therapy as an adjunctive intervention for depression and anxiety in this population. It also provides guidelines for implementing it into psychotherapy practice and research.

School-Based Extracurricular Activity Involvement And Adolescent Self-Esteem: A Growth-Curve Analysis, Lisa A. Kort-Butler, Kellie J. Hagewen

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Research on adolescent self-esteem indicates that adolescence is a time in which individuals experience important changes in their physical, cognitive, and social identities. Prior research suggests that there is a positive relationship between an adolescent’s participation in structured extracurricular activities and well-being in a variety of domains, and some research indicates that these relationships may be dependent on the type of activities in which adolescents participate. Building on previous research, a growth-curve analysis was utilized to examine self-esteem trajectories from adolescence (age 14) to young adulthood (age 26). Using 3 waves of data from National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health …

Effects Of Sexual Assault Education On College Students' Rape-Supportive Attitudes, Jessica Ann Ueland

Honors Program Theses

Few studies have measured the effectiveness of sexual assault programming is in decreasing acceptance of rape myths. This study examined two research questions. First, would students in a class that included a sexual assault education component be more likely to demonstrate a change in degree of rape myth acceptance than students who were not in a class that included sexual assault education? Second, within the treatment group, would males demonstrate a larger change in rape myth acceptance than females? At the end of the course, the treatment group showed a significant decrease in rape myth acceptance; there was not a …

Gender Difference In Perceiving Aggression Using The Bobo Doll Studies, Dorothy Altin, Jessica Jablonski, Jennifer Lyke, Marcello Spinella

Modern Psychological Studies

The general conclusion of Albert Bandura's Bobo Doll studies was that the children learned aggression through watching an adult hit an inflatable doll. Other researchers have questioned whether the behavior demonstrated in these studies was actual aggression or just simply imitation. This study examined the perceptions of male and female observers when viewing original footage of the Bobo Doll Studies, specifically if the observers interpreted the child's behavior as aggression or simply imitation and if the sex of the observer or sex of the child in the video affected these ratings. The participants completed both a Likert scale rating of …

The Palestenian-Israeli Conflict And Its Impact On The Mental Health Of Youth, Jeffray Feliciana

Modern Psychological Studies

This paper explores what mental disorders can develop as a result of continued exposure to a conflict situation, specifically the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. A brief history of the region, and a summary of the current diplomatic situation are outlined to give a background to the subsequent information. The specific disorders prevalent in the region are identified and an explanation on how the ongoing conflict in the region exacerbates these disorders is provided These include Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, fear, Selective Mutism, Separation Anxiety, and somatoform disorders. PTSD is extremely prevalent within the young populations of both Palestine and Israel, being …

Hyperfeminity And Body-Related Constructs, Breanne R. Forrest, Suzanne L. Osman

Modern Psychological Studies

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between hyperfemininity and body esteem, body shame, and surveillance. Participants were 130 female undergraduate students taking an introductory psychology course. They were administered the Hyperfemininity Scale, the Body Esteem Scale and two subscales of the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale (Surveillance and Body Shame). As expected, hyperfemininity was positively associated with surveillance and body shame. Unexpectedly, hyperfemininity was not associated with body esteem. These findings suggest that hyperfeminine women may be at greater risk than non-hyperfeminine women to objectffr themselves and feel shameful when they compare their bodies to internalized …

Happiness And Me: An Exploratory Study Of Parental And Romantic Attachments And Self-Esteem And Their Effects On Adulthood Body Image Dissatisfaction, Stephanie Kibble

Masters Theses

In this study, the author investigated parental attachments, self-esteem, and romantic satisfaction as they related to the cognitive and affective components of the selfconcept when represented through Body Image Dissatisfaction (BID). The study was a within-subject design with 70 participants. They participants were instructed to report their feelings about each of these variables through 4 questionnaires. Individuals with low self-esteem identified as having increased BID as compared to those individuals with high self-esteem. Compared with those who reported supportive parental attachments, individuals with a highly overprotective mother reported higher BID. Multiple regression analysis indicated that gender had no significant impact …

School Attachment And The Use Of Alcohol Among Rural High School Students, Michelle L. Weiler

Masters Theses

The present study examined the relationship between school attachment and alcohol use in rural communities to determine if students with high levels of school attachment were less likely to participate in alcohol use. Participants included 4,768 high schools students in the largest rural geographic educational region in the state of Illinois. The students participated in a program called I Sing the Body Electric and completed a survey which asked questions including how well students are attached to their school and alcohol use. Chi square goodness of fit tests were used to analyze student's reporting of school attachment, how old they …

A Study Of Positive Emotions And Turnover Intentions Among Hong Kong Police Officers : The Mediating Role Of Psychological Capital And Work Well-Being, Chun Lok Lui

Lingnan Theses

With reference to Fredrickson‘s (2001) broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, the current study investigated the mechanism of how positive emotions contribute to desirable outcomes to the organization through psychological capital (PsyCap), which is a positive, state-like, and performance-related resource comprising self-efficacy, hope, optimism and resilience. To date, only few studies have been done particularly on the relationships between PsyCap and positive emotions among Chinese employees. Studies on PsyCap of police force are even rarer. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanism relating positive emotions and work outcomes, specifically to examine the separate roles of positive …

A Comparison Of Paper-Pencil Versus Video-Conferencing Administration Of A Neurobehavioral Screening Test, Tyler Cole Duffield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Regardless of the reason, many patients/clients do not have access to face-to-face medical, neuropsychological, or mental health consultation, assessment, or treatment (Cowain, 2001). The term Remote Neuropsychological Assessment (RNA) has been proposed by Browndyke to denote the general use of telecommunication and Internet-based technologies in neuropsychological assessment and practice (as cited in Schatz & Browndyke, 2002). RNA (Telemedicine) offers a plausible, potentially cost-effective solution to individuals in need of medical, neuropsychological, or mental health consultation, assessment, or treatment that are located in geographical areas away from the specialist (Armstrong, 2006; Berman, 2005; Cowain, 2001; Jacobsen, Sprenger, Andersson, & Krogstad, 2003). …