Digital Commons Network^™

Psychological Development: Cognition, Emotions, Personality, Anita Knight Kuhnley, Kelly Carapezza, Gary Sibcy

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Adolescence is considered the age that bridges childhood and adulthood, Erik Erikson, who has contributed much to our understanding of the developmental stages described adolescence as, “the age mediating between childhood and adulthood (Erikson, 1997, p.xi).” Adolescence includes the sometimes tumultuous years between the ages of 11 and 21, and the Eriksons addressed this as one stage (Newman and Newman, 2013). Some authors attribute the fact that adolescence is such a trying time to the fact that adolescents lose synapses in the brain specifically in the primary visual cortex at a rate of 5,000 per second (Bears, Connor, and Paradiso, …

Quiet Times: The Application Of Self-Management To Private Spiritual Practices, Noah Branson

Honors College Theses

A “quiet time” refers to the private spiritual practice of reading the Bible, praying, and meditating on one’s own initiative outside of religious sanctioned events. This study examines the effect of a self-management intervention on establishing and maintaining the habit of a daily quiet time. The study’s hypotheses predicted there would be an increase in quiet time 1) frequency, 2) duration, and 3) overall satisfaction from the baseline phase to the intervention phase. Data was collected via a daily check-in and pretest/posttest surveys, and participants attended an in-person intervention to determine how to apply self-management tactics to their own personal …

Adolescent Social Development, Randall E. Osborne

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Views about the manner and nature of human development have changed across time (Psyking.net 2016). Some of these views have been religious (e.g., creationism) and some of these views have been more biological (e.g., preformationism).  Regardless of the focus of the view, how we believe human beings develop has a profound effect on our expectations for those beings.  One early view of human development from a biological perspective was Preformationism.  This is explained as, “A notion that was widespread among pioneer biologists in the 18th century was that the fetus, and hence the adult organism that develops from it, is …

Psychological Development During Childhood, Meg Milligan, Kanessa Miller Doss, Sherrionda H. Crawford

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Childhood is a time of tremendous psychological development. Our personalities, cognitive capabilities, and emotions expand and transform us from infants to adolescents. In some ways we exhibit continuous development, while others are more accurately described as stages. The following pages present some of these significant changes that occur during early and middle childhood.

Stereotype Thinking, Lisa Stebbins, Lisa K. Lashley, Charles J. Golden

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Stereotypes are widely held fixed thoughts and beliefs adopted by common members of a group, that represent a particular group of individuals or behaviors as a whole. Attitudes people hold reflect in-group beliefs, values, and everyday life choices that are transgressed throughout multiple generations.  Stereotypes are intertwined into society, and although many people would like to deny these attitudes, they are implanted on individuals when we are young and occur without conscious awareness. Stereotype thinking is adaptive in nature, which serves the purpose to help people make sense of the world around them, by explaining social events, justifying one’s actions, …

Play And Gender, Mithra H. Pirooz, Jonathan B. Santo

Essays in Developmental Psychology

While children vary greatly in their play preferences, research has shown that gender differences in play tend to emerge fairly young.  These gender differences may be influenced by a variety of sources.  Parents, peers, teachers, and media all impact on children’s play.  Such gender differences have been documented in North American and European countries, including those that are fairly gender-egalitarian, including Sweden.

Early Stages Of Sociocultural Development, Lisa L. Persinger, Joey D. Persinger

Essays in Developmental Psychology

We often think about the development of a person’s interpersonal skills, relationships, and identity as something that happens after birth, and certainly, it does. However, in practice, prenatal (before birth) interactions between caregivers and the fetus start the sociocultural developmental process that continues after a baby is born. Personality development, interpersonal style, and identity begin before birth and extend far into the life span. Caregivers provide interactions as well as physical care during pregnancy, and after birth, that influence these developments. This chapter will provide an overview of how interactions from conception through age two influence trust and attachment, emotional …

Adolescent Sexuality, Casey T. Tobin

Essays in Developmental Psychology

During adolescence, significant physical changes of a person’s life occur as they transition from childhood bodies into fertile, adult bodies via the process of puberty, the beginning of adolescence. Puberty leads to both reproductive and sexual maturation occurring over the course of several years. The ages of the stages of puberty vary between the sexes and from person to person depending on genetics, body mass index, environmental influences and hormone levels.

Psychological Development In Adulthood: Cognitions, Emotions, And Personality, Grace Sumabat Estrada, Margarita Azmitia

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Since the beginning of time, people have searched for the secrets of living long, meaningful, and prosperous lives. Sometimes, this search involves looking younger; in the 16th century, Juan Ponce de León, for example, went to Florida to search for the fountain of youth.  Other times, the quest is for healthy longevity—living to very old age without significant disease. Aubrey de Grey, a biomedical scientist who specializes in aging and divides his time between Cambridge University in the United Kingdom and a non-profit organization for fighting aging in Mountain View, California, has proposed that research shows that aging is a …

Perceptions Of Psychological Distress By Target Gender And Disorder Type: Preliminary Findings, Alanna Hartman, Amelie H. Pflamminger, Isabelle A. Anderson, Molly Marston, Gabriella Becker

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Previous studies demonstrate that mental health issues are often under-recognized in males, and there are barriers to seeking help that may prevent men from getting necessary mental health treatment. Therefore, this study aims to examine how people perceive psychological distress in those with different genders and mental health disorders. Our sample consisted of around 250 participants who are attending Winona State University at the undergraduate level. In our survey, participants were presented with multiple vignettes of individuals showing symptoms of different mental health disorders, e.g. substance use disorder or social anxiety, for which the character gender was randomized. Following this, …

Romance Scam Victimization: A Survey-Based Examination Of Financial, Psychological, And Reporting Factors, Ld Herrera

Research & Publications

Romance scams are a growing type of cybercrime in which perpetrators develop and exploit fraudulent romantic relationships with victims to obtain financial resources. These schemes cause substantial economic and psychological damage, yet they are significantly underreported. Official 2022 reports indicate only \$1.3 billion lost to romance scams in the US, but the true financial toll is likely much higher.

Using survey data from 366 victims, this study examines the financial and psychological toll of romance scams, reporting patterns, obstacles to seeking help, and victims' perceptions of received help. Most of the victims (60.9\%) did not seek help from any source, …

Stuffed Animals And Adults, Anna R. Reed

2025 Student Academic Showcase

Recently, stuffed animals have resurged in interest among children and adults. For example, in 2023, Squishmallows won Plush Toy of the Year at the annual Toy Association Awards. We surveyed 184 adult participants (18 or older) to identify who owns stuffed animals. We were interested in whether certain personality variables predict who has these toys and why adults retain interest in these toys. Among our participants, 71.7% owned stuffed animals. We hypothesized that adults with higher stress/anxiety would report increased likelihood of owning stuffed animals. This hypothesis was supported. An independent samples t-test showed that participants with stuffed animals reported …

Early Birds Or Night Owls: Who Is Getting The Best Sleep?, Josie Davis

2025 Student Academic Showcase

Chronotyping is categorizing individuals based on their sleep schedules. The two chronotypes are morning-types (M-type) and eveningtypes (E-types; Montralu et al., 2021). Heinrich et al. (2021) found that M-type individuals experienced better sleep quality than E-type individuals. Approximately 200 full time working individuals aged 20+ will be surveyed on their chronotype, sleep quality, and preferred exercise time. We hypothesize that M-type individuals will report better sleep quality than E-type individuals and will use an independent samples t-test to assess this. Additionally, we will categorize participants on matching or non-matching of chronotype and preferred exercise timing. The expectation is that the …

Work-Life Balance Conflicts Parents Of Early Adolescents Faced During Covid-19 Lockdowns, Rodney Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Measures such as social distancing and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic meant parents balanced their roles as educators, tech support, and employees in shared home offices. This qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the work-life balance conflicts parents of early adolescents faced during the COVID-19 lockdowns, focusing on how parents managed the challenges of pandemic restrictions and their strategies for coping with cognitive, emotional, and physical fatigue for themselves and their families. This study was guided by the transactional theory of stress and coping. Twelve female parents were virtually interviewed, selected based on their having early adolescent children at home, …

African American Adolescent Depressive Symptoms And Caregiver Perceptions, Katerina Marroquin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American adolescents with untreated mental health problems can have symptoms of depression. Depressive symptoms can persist in adulthood if untreated. Caregiver recognition is the strongest predictor of adolescent behaviors and depressive symptom outcomes. Caregivers can identify depressive symptoms in African American adolescents by focusing on met and unmet needs. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to ask about caregiver perceptions of African American adolescent depressive symptoms with focus on physiological needs, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. The theoretical framework for this study is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Data analysis was conducted using NVivo to enhance the interpretation …

2025 Acssc Program, Acssc Planning Committee

Annual Celebration for Student Scholarship and Creativity

No abstract provided.

Cognitive Diagnosis Of Media And Digital Literacy Knowledge Schema In Mexican High School Students, Janneth Trejo-Quintana, Guadalupe E. Morales-Martinez, Betsabe Hernandez-Alvarez

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This research explored the mental representation of media and digital literacy (MDL) in 242 Mexican high school students through a definitional task based on the natural semantic networks technique. The participants defined ten target concepts related to MDL, using verbs, nouns, and adjectives as definers, and then they rated each definer with a scale from 1 to 10. The smaller the number, the lower the quality of the definer to conceptualize the target, while the higher the rating, the higher the quality of the definer to define it. The participants showed a beginner level in MDL despite their daily navigation …

Provision Of Brand Information And Critical Reasoning Predict Advertising Literacy, Eugene Zheng Yao, Alexandra List

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study investigated students’ critical reasoning about commercials, as an aspect of advertising literacy. Critical reasoning was examined under two different experimental conditions. That is, students were tasked with watching four different commercials with 1) brand information provided or not, and 2) asked to engage in critical reasoning or not. The commercials chosen used various production techniques (e.g., socially conscious marketing) to mask their persuasive message. Students provided with brand information within commercials had significantly higher critical reasoning scores when viewing two, out of the four, commercials, and significantly higher overall Analysis of Persuasive Intent (API) scores and brand recall. …

Associations Between Parental Depression And Child Internalizing Behaviors: The Role Of Gender, Abigail M. Webb

Honors Theses

The present study is a cross-sectional examination of associations between mother and father depression as it relates to child internalizing symptoms and anxious and depressed symptomatology. The study builds on the literature that underscores the importance of parental mental health for child outcomes, particularly anxiety and depression symptoms, by examining the role of gender in the link between parental depression and child internalizing symptoms. This study included 256 children (M age = 9.53 years; SD = 29.97 months; 123 males) and their mothers, fathers, and teachers. The measures included the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Teacher Report …

Through The Looking Glass : Diversity Through The Eyes Of A Dress Form, Amara Copeland

LSU Master's Theses

This article aims to look into educational institutions and how they address diversity using curatorial displays. Does fashion and costume curation add to the seclusion of luxury? Looking into this correlation, this study aims to answer these next couple of questions. How does museum curation add to fashion social norms? Is it a subconscious or conscious decision when deciding on a mannequin or dress form? How do museum and fashion curations add to the exclusion of minorities in the world of luxury? What is costume luxury, and who do we say can obtain it?

This research aims to understand the …

The Relationship Between Yoga Practice And Sports Performance Of High-Level Athletes, Molly Freeman

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to review existing literature to determine if there is a relationship between yoga practice and the sports performance of high-level athletes. As awareness of mental health in sports continues to grow, athletes and coaches are searching for therapeutic methods to promote well-being and boost sports performance Yoga is a practice combining breath, meditation, and movement that has many physical and mental benefits. This literature review explores the impact of these benefits on athletic performance. Findings that yoga can boost physical and mental fitness, two very important attributes of successful athletes, point to the practice …

Well-Being In Disney Animated Feature Films, 2013–2023, Ruth Zeman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most existing research on Disney animated films has concentrated on problematic themes, including stereotypical portrayals of romantic relationships or aggression, while comparatively little attention has been given to how these films may also convey positive messages and promote prosocial behavior. Research on well-being is particularly relevant, given its strong association with improved health outcomes and the development of positive interpersonal relationships. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how well-being is portrayed in Disney animated feature films released between 2013 and 2023. Seligman’s model of well-being, which consists of the pursuit and attainment of five core pillars—positive …

The Relationship Between Stress, Burnout, Attendance, And Methods Of Self-Care Among Teachers, Jennifer M. Sturm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers exposed to prolonged stress have been documented at higher risk for poor physical and mental health, including high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression. To ameliorate the effects of prolonged stress, teachers have employed a variety of coping strategies, and some sought medical care. To date, little research exists regarding absenteeism and medication usage among teachers. This study sought to determine the relationship between stress, burnout, and medication usage in relation to absenteeism. This study also sought to determine the role of thriving in the above relationships. An internet-based survey was distributed to U.S. teachers via social media and email. …

Complementary Self-Care Therapies To Self-Manage Endometriosis In Association With Health-Related Quality Of Life, Sarah Cummins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a lack of understanding within the psychological and medical communities on the extent to which endometriosis impacts the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people with endometriosis (PWE). This population is understudied in relation to the effects of endometriosis on HRQoL, the various methods used to treat and cope with endometriosis-related symptoms, the influence of self-managing endometriosis on PWE’s HRQoL, or the HRQoL outcomes associated with using nontraditional methods to self-manage endometriosis. As such, there is a lack of knowledge on the extent to which the use of various types of complementary self-care therapies to self-manage endometriosis is …

Unique Stress, Cultural Resources, And Psychological Resilience In Young African American Women: Insights For Effective Intervention And Cvd Prevention, Sparkle Springfield-Trice, Cara Joyce, Penny Williams-Wolford, Dinishia Wolford, Destiny Onyeise, Natalie Battles, Dionne V. Milton, Chineze Mogbo, Raigine Robinson, Dave Stovall, Lena Hatchett, Ursula M. Staudinger

Biostatistics Collaborative Core: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Objective: Psychological resilience, defined as one’s self-reported ability to bounce back from stress, is understudied in young African American women (YAAW). Guided by community feedback, this study examined the associations between resilience and the following three constructs from Staudinger’s 2015 resilience and aging model: perceived stress, non-psychological resources, and psychological resources. We aimed to identify cultural resources that can enhance resilience in the face of unique stressors.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 512 self-identified YAAW aged 18–35 years. Resilience was measured by the Brief Resilience Scale, ranging from one to five, with higher scores indicating greater resilience. We …

The Use Of Person-Centered Language In Scientific Research Articles Focused On Psychosis, Zach Monahan, Tanner Stone, Vinay Swami, Kelly Dunn, Micah Hartwell

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Societal stigma of psychosis leads to delayed treatment for individuals experiencing early symptoms, for fear of being labeled “crazy” or “psychotic.” Delayed treatment can worsen the prognosis of individuals with psychosis. Proper adherence to person-centered language (PCL) guidelines can curb the widely held stigmatized preconceptions about psychotic conditions.

Methods: Our meta-epidemiological analysis began with a systematic search of literature in PubMed discussing psychosis from 2020-2022. From the 14,522 results, we randomly selected 500 articles in journals with at least 20 articles on psychosis (n = 9,775), of which 241 articles met the inclusion criteria. These papers were screened for …

Unleashing Excellence: Strengthening It Leaders Through Executive Coaching, Tonya S. Rivers

Dissertations

This paper explores the impact of executive coaching on Information Technology (IT) leaders. Many organizations across different industries lack strong leadership, as exposed by COVID-19. Companies aim to keep exceptional leaders and establish upbeat workplaces to achieve success. Although previous research has examined leadership effectiveness, it is still unclear how best to manage employees' perceptions of effective leadership. The goal of this research is to provide new insights into what can improve perceptions of leadership effectiveness. I explored the role executive leadership coaching has on managers working in the Information Technology (IT) field. Current literature often mentions the need for …

Acculturation, Education, Food Choice, And Body Mass Index: A Survey In The Rio Grande Valley, Melanie Espinoza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a global problem and a risk factor for many life-threatening illnesses and diseases. The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) in South Texas has higher than state and national obesity rates. The cultural influences on food choice in this region are a frequent focus of research, and there have also been numerous studies on the relationship between socioeconomic status and overweight and obesity; however, there are currently no studies that specifically investigate the relationship between educational attainment, acculturation, food choice behavior, and overweight and obesity among Hispanics in the RGV. Grounded in social cognitive and acculturation theories, the purpose of …

Gender Differences In Food Parenting, Lily Arrowood

Student Works

Children’s food behavior can be determined by food parenting practices, which can differ between mother and father. This review aims to present the most current research on the difference in parenting styles between fathers and mothers and the influences on children’s food behavior. Searches were conducted through EBSCO database and the National Library of Medicine database to produce 10 peer-reviewed articles that were empirical studies. Findings about nutritional risk and nutrition education were inconclusive. A relationship exists between fathers and coercive food parenting strategies. There are inconclusive findings about children’s environment, but mothers contributed to more foodwork and used supportive …

The Impact Of Mindfulness-Based Journaling On Psychological Well-Being, Jonah Guthrie

Honors Projects

This study investigated the effects of mindfulness-based journaling compared to free-form journaling on perceived stress, emotion regulation, and mindfulness in undergraduate students. Participants (N = 43) were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness-based journaling group or a free-form journaling group. Both groups journaled daily for two weeks and completed pre- and post-intervention assessments using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ).

A series of 2 × 2 mixed-design repeated measures ANOVAs revealed a significant main effect of time for perceived stress, F(1, 7) = 28.38, p = .003, …