Digital Commons Network^™

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Homeless Chronicity, And Age At Onset Of Homelessness, Joseph T. Tucciarone Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood adversity is associated with numerous negative outcomes across multiple domains, including mental and physical health, interrelationships, and social functioning. Notably, research suggests that childhood adversity has a dose-response relationship with these outcomes; that is, greater numbers of adverse experiences in childhood are associated with worse outcomes. These outcomes overlap with many risk factors of homelessness. This study sought to address two questions: 1) Does a dose-response relationship exist between childhood adversity and chronic homelessness? 2) Does childhood adversity negatively predict the age at which homelessness first occurs? Adults experiencing homeless who are accessing homeless services in the Tri-Cities area …

An Investigation Into The Structure Of Self-Control, Parker A. Dreves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Self-control has been measured using a variety of methods including self-report measures, cognitive inhibition tasks, delay discounting and delay of gratification tasks, and persistence and willpower tasks. Although these are all theoretically linked to processes involved in self-control, recent evidence has shown that these diverse measurement techniques relate only minimally to one another. Assuming that self-control is a reflective construct, this would indicate that many of these tasks are poor indicators of self-control. The present research challenges the common assumption that self-control is a reflective construct and instead proposes that self-control is a formative construct. Conceptualizing self-control as a formative …

Pyschosocial Well-Being And Efforts To Quit Smoking In Pregnant Women Of South-Central Appalachia, Brittney Stubbs

Undergraduate Honors Theses

A sample of 1,031 pregnant women from five prenatal practices participated in Tennessee Intervention for Pregnant Smokers (TIPS), an expanded 5A’s (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange) program. Stress, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and disordered eating were hypothesized to differ among three groups: pregnant women who never smoked, pregnant women who smoked but quit prior to birth, and pregnant women who smoked and did not quit prior to birth. Smokers who quit were lower in stress and higher in self-esteem than those who did not quit. Non-smokers were lowest in stress and depression, and highest in self-esteem. These findings may lead to …

Trauma And Its Shadow: The History Of Flashbacks, David Becker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The flashback is a concept born in cinema, adopted by science and embraced by popular culture as a metaphor for memory—everyday recollections, psychedelic illusions, and traumatic intrusions—that informs and influences our relationship to the past. This creative thesis traces the one-hundred-year timeline of the concept of flashbacks, focusing on its expansion into the field of psychology. How did a film term end up in the pages of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the primary tool used by psychologists to diagnose mental illness, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? Flashbacks gained psychological complexity in Hollywood during the …

Associations Of First Trimester Co-Use Of Tobacco And Cannabis With Prenatal Immune Response And Psychosocial Well-Being, Kristin Ashford, Amanda Fallin-Bennett, Andrea Mccubbin, Amanda T. Wiggins, Sheila Barnhart, Joshua A. Lile

Perinatal Research and Wellness Center Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: This study aims to describe the association of first trimester co-use of tobacco and cannabis with maternal immune response and psychosocial well-being, relative to tobacco use only.

METHODS: A preliminary midpoint analysis included 138 pregnant women with biologically verified tobacco use, 38 of whom (28%) also tested positive for recent cannabis use. Maternal perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), and serum immune markers (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNFα, CRP, MMP8), were collected, although cytokine data were only available for 122 women.

RESULTS: Participant average age was 29.1 years, approximately half had a high …

The Impact Of Exposure To The Thin Ideal On Chocolate Cravings In U.S. -Born Women, Kathryn M. Helm

Psychology

Food cravings are experienced by a large proportion of the population and have a variety of negative implications- including overweight/ obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Prior research has shown a lack of support for biological causes of craving. As such, we look to other factors such as culture, cognition, and sex, to explore why such factors have an influence on craving. The purpose of this study is to look at the impact of viewing thin ideal images on chocolate cravings in United States born women-including (but not restricted to) their reports of ambivalence towards chocolate. Participants were randomized …

Practice Guideline Recommendations Summary: Treatment Of Tics In People With Tourette Syndrome And Chronic Tic Disorders, Tamara Pringsheim, Michael S. Okun, Kirsten Muller-Vahl, Davide Martino, Joseph Jankovic, Andrea E. Cavanna, Douglas W. Woods, Michael Robinson, Elizabeth Jarvie, Veit Roessner, Maryam Oskoui, Yolanda Holler-Managan, John Piacentini

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

To make recommendations on the assessment and management of tics in people with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders.

Methods

A multidisciplinary panel consisting of 9 physicians, 2 psychologists, and 2 patient representatives developed practice recommendations, integrating findings from a systematic review and following an Institute of Medicine–compliant process to ensure transparency and patient engagement. Recommendations were supported by structured rationales, integrating evidence from the systematic review, related evidence, principles of care, and inferences from evidence.

Results

Forty-six recommendations were made regarding the assessment and management of tics in individuals with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders. These include …

The Development Of Socio-Sexual Behavior In Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus Leucas), Malin K. Lilley

Dissertations

The reproductive success of the beluga whale is critical for a species facing extinction in its endangered Cook Inlet, Alaska population. To date, little is known about the mating behavior of these whales in wild populations. On the other hand, observations of beluga whales in human care allow researchers to better understand many aspects of their daily lives and life histories that are difficult to assess in wild populations. Thus far, a catalog of socio-sexual behavior has been established based on observations of belugas; however, the developmental trajectory of socio-sexual behavior is not well-understood. The present study explored how socio-sexual …

Relationships Between Goal-Setting, Motivational Traits, And Job Performance, Charissa Samaniego

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

Ensuring employees are and remain motivated is an important issue for organizations. One problem regarding employee motivation is not everyone is motivated in the same way, thus affecting performance. Goal setting has shown to increase performance when specific and difficult goals are set. Moreover, newer research concerning motivational traits has sought to explain individual differences in motivation. This trait framework shows potential, but research on the relationship between job performance, goal-setting and motivational traits has not been clearly established. The goals of this correlational study were to (1) determine if a relationship exists between motivational traits and job performance, (2) …

Targeted Advertising Can Increase Healthy Food Choices Among College Students, Stephanie Spera

Population Health Research Brief Series

Poor nutrition in young adulthood can increase risk of obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes in mid- and later life. Targeted nutrition programs for young adults are essential to reduce the burden of chronic disease in the U.S. over the next several decades. This research brief describes a successful healthy food marketing strategy that was used at Syracuse University to promote healthy food purchasing among college students.

Executive Function And Motor Skills In Preschool Children, Meggin Kelley

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a short-term motor program on the executive function and motor skills in preschool children utilizing a Pretest and Post test design. The present study was designed with two periods of program intervention- once in the fall and once in the spring. It was hypothesized that a 10-week motor intervention would demonstrate positive motor and executive function gains in the experimental (motor) group. Children ranging from 4 to 6 years of age participated in this study. Baseline motor and executive function scores were obtained during the Pretest phase. Subsequently, …

The Criminogenic And Psychological Effects Of Police Stops On Adolescent Black And Latino Boys, Juan Del Toro, Tracey Lloyd, Kim S. Buchanan, Summer Joi Robins, Lucy Zhang Bencharit, Meredith Gamson Smiedt, Kavita S. Reddy, Enrique Rodriguez Pouget, Erin M. Kerrison, Philip Atiba Goff

Publications and Research

Proactive policing, the strategic targeting of people or places to prevent crimes,is a well-studied tactic that is ubiquitous in modern law enforcement. A 2017 National Academies of Sciences report reviewed existing literature, entrenched in deterrence theory, and found evidence that proactive policing strategies can reduce crime. The existing literature, however, does not explore what the short and long-term effects of police contact are for young people who are subjected to high rates of contact with law enforcement as a result of proactive policing. Using four waves of longitudinal survey data from a sample of predominantly black and Latino boys in …

Do Private Household Transfers To The Elderly Respond To Public Pension Benefits? Evidence From Rural China, Plamen Nikolov, Alan Adelman

Economics Faculty Scholarship

Aging populations in developing countries have spurred the introduction of public pension programs to preserve the standard of living for the elderly. The often-overlooked mechanism of intergenerational transfers, however, can dampen these intended policy effects, as adult children who make income contributions to their parents could adjust their behavior in response to changes in their parents’ income. Exploiting a unique policy intervention in China, we examine using a difference-in-difference-in-differences (DDD) approach how a new pension program impacts inter vivos transfers. We show that pension benefits lower the propensity of adult children to transfer income to elderly parents in the context …

Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Accessibility At Drive-Through Restaurants, Regina Mcleod

Honors Theses

People who are deaf or hard of hearing deserve fair and accessible accommodations, which include drive-through restaurants. It is not a fair solution to force this population to go inside an establishment to order, especially due to the fact that many restaurants close the inside of their restaurants at night but will leave their drive-throughs open. According to legal cases and surveys conducted, accessibility at drive-through restaurants is a prodigious issue for members of the deaf and hard of hearing communities in the United States. Based upon these findings, there is a major lack of accessibility, in addition to discrimination, …

A Model For The Treatment Of Food Selectivity, Angie Van Arsdale

Thesis Projects

Research has shown antecedent interventions might be effective for treating food selectivity in the absence of consequent manipulations; however, escape extinction is the most commonly implemented intervention in feeding research. Escape extinction in the treatment of feeding disorders is an intrusive procedure that might not always be considered socially valid or feasible; therefore, it is important to evaluate other interventions prior to escape extinction. This study describes a methodology of evaluating antecedent and consequent interventions for subjects with food selectivity, progressing from least to most response effort and/or intrusiveness. For each subject, we moved through each intervention until acceptance increased …

Sustainability In Quality Improvement And Patient Safety Initiatives, Angelo P. Giardino, Eileen R. Giardino

Journal of Nursing & Interprofessional Leadership in Quality & Safety

The question often asked of a quality improvement initiative is whether the improvement process has been sustained within the organization. Rarely is the question answered satisfactorily. The sustainability of an improvement process is important as it justifies the investment of human and financial capital. The term 'evaporation of improvements' addresses the dilemma that between 33% to 70% of all innovations are reportedly not sustained (Fleiszer, Semenic, Ritchie, Richer, & Denis, 2015) . This evaporation of improvement captures the frustrating inability of many institutions to maintain the achieved improvement after the newness of the initial effort wears off (Buchanan, Fitzgerald, & …

The Relation Between Disordered Eating, Stress, And Anxiety In First-Year College Women [Poster], Jenna K. Anderson

Research in the Capitol

Research has shown that there is an increase in rates of stress and disordered eating for students transitioning to college. The current study examined this connection by determining the relation between disordered eating, stress, and anxiety in first-year college women. To this end, 99 college-enrolled women completed paper-and-pencil surveys in a psychology lab, such as the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) and the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). According to the results, the DASS-21 stress sum was significantly correlated with the EDE-Q total disordered eating sum (r(92) =.330, p = .001), but the DASS-21 anxiety sum was not (r(92) …

The Impact Of Hiv/Aids On Orphans In A South African Context, Meghan Burkholder

Orphans and Vulnerable Children Student Projects

No abstract provided.

Intuitive Eating Promotes A Healthy Lifestyle, Krista Oezer

Classical Conversations

“Intuitive eating is a dynamic process integrating attunement of the mind, body, and food.” (Tribole and Resch 23). Essentially, intuitive eating is a way of life. By listening to inner, natural signals, intuitive eating integrates mind, body, and food for optimal health. Speaking from my own personal experience, intuitive eating truly does promote a healthy lifestyle. I don’t just know about intuitive eating; I live it. I want to share my knowledge and my experience with intuitive eating to those who have never heard of it. Although intuitive eating has gained popularity, especially among dieticians and nutritionists, it still remains …

Social-Emotional Intelligence (Ei), Graduates And The Workplace – A Study Of A Tailored Approach To Ei Competency Development For Final Year Engineering Students, Ailish Jameson

Dissertations

Previous research has demonstrated that higher social and emotional competence (EI) results in increased life and career success. To date, EI coaching programmes have been delivered in higher education and in the workplace and have demonstrated success in terms of increased EI competence, post intervention. However, to date no attempt has been made in an Irish context to design and deliver a tailored EI coaching programme, based on the stated needs of employers. This study aimed to address this gap in EI research. It was exploratory in nature with a mixed method design being employed. In Phase One, a survey …

Exposure To Suicidal Behavior Predicts A Suicide Attempt, Depending On Past Psychiatric Diagnosis, Emily A. Kline

Theses and Dissertations

We hypothesized that adolescents with a psychiatric diagnosis that were exposed to a suicide attempt and/or suicide death are at risk for future suicide attempts. Exposure to suicidal behavior did not predict future suicide attempts, however the interaction between having a psychiatric diagnosis and exposure significantly predicted future suicide attempts.

Screen Time Effects On Pediatrics, Lindsay Michelle Mccracken

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to examine the positive and negative effects of technological screen use by children ages zero to eighteen. The literature reviewed for this research covered the following topics; screen time effects on children ages zero to five years, screen time effects on children ages six to twelve years, screen time effects on children ages thirteen to eighteen years, type of technology type, progression of technology, and purpose of technology. Most of the literature examined for this research involved the comparison of positive and negative effects of screen use over various time frames. No conclusions were …

The Weight Of Shame And Trauma In Bariatric Patients, Jordan D. Stricklen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Past research has shown that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including neglect and abuse, are correlated with obesity and other adverse outcomes in adulthood. Here it is proposed that childhood adversity follows a path to internalized shame, which then motivates a coping mechanism which can result in extreme obesity. Participants were gathered through a bariatric surgery program through support groups and as part of an amended intake process. They completed the ACEs as well as the Internalized Shame Scale (ISS). Data analysis attempted to find relationships between ACEs, the ISS, and each participant’s highest BMI at any point in the bariatric …

Assessing Readiness For A Physical Activity Intervention In Positive Youth Development Afterschool Programs, Brittany Skiles Cook

Theses and Dissertations

Physical inactivity has been identified as a primary health threat to youth, and existing afterschool programs (ASP) are a promising context for implementing physical activity (PA) interventions. However, few PA interventions have been effective and generalizability of programs has been poor. Assessing organizational readiness during the testing of a PA intervention can help inform generalizability and sustainability. The R=MC2 heuristic separates readiness into motivation, innovation-specific capacity, and general capacity, each of which are further divided into subcomponents. The current multiple-case study pilot tests the feasibility and effectiveness/efficacy of a readiness assessment tool based on R=MC2 developed for the Connect through …

Multiple And Intersecting Experiences Of Women In Prostitution: Improving Access To Helping Services, Kathryn Hodges, Sarah Burch

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

When women involved in prostitution experience multiple and intersecting needs, they may face barriers in accessing help and support. These barriers can include geographical location and opening hours of agencies, limited childcare support, and a lack of female-only provision. As a result, women are frequently disadvantaged, and their personal safety put at risk, as they become increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, particularly if they do not have access to secure accommodation. This research project seeks to understand the choices and decisions women make when they engage with helping services. The findings report on an in-depth qualitative study with 11 women involved …

Harsh Parenting In Military Versus Civilian Families: Does Military Culture Moderate The Influence Of Socioeconomic Status And Race?, Tiren Antinette Parker

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Harsh parenting techniques such as yelling and spanking are commonly used in the United States to discipline children, despite the evidence that harsh parenting has a negative sequalae for children that can persistent into adulthood. Socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity have been identified as two key determinants of harsh parenting. The stressors associated with military service and parenting within military culture place families at increased risk for harsh parenting and child maltreatment. Having a better understanding of how sociodemographic factors influence parenting behaviors within the military culture may help to develop psychoeducational and parenting programs as well as therapeutic interventions …

How Digital Versus Non-Digital Modes Of Food Ordering Influence Menu Healthfulness Perceptions And Food Choices, Annika Abell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Do digital devices change the way we think? Recent news reports and studies in education and psychology suggest that using modern internet technology affects our cognitive abilities. Modern technology is part of our daily lives and has facilitated communication. As technology has also changed the ways consumers order foods, the present research aims at investigating how the presence of different types of technology in a food choice context might influence food perceptions and choices. Touch-screen tablets or kiosks are becoming widely available in casual dining and fast-food restaurants. In addition, through collaborations with tech-giants like Uber Eats and Amazon, an …

Psychological Responses To High-Intensity Interval Training Exercise: A Comparison Of Ungraded Running And Graded Walking, Abby Fleming

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of ungraded running and graded walking as modalities of HIIT on enjoyment, perceived exertion, and affect. 29 healthy males and females (aged 23.3 ± 5.1) volunteered to participate in the study. Participants completed six visits to the laboratory: the first was a medical screening to ensure safety of the participants. For the second and third visits, participants completed two maximal treadmill exercise tests, one running and one walking. On the fourth visit, the speed needed for the run HIIT (running speed: 6.9 ± 1.2mph) and the grade needed for the walk HIIT (walking speed: 3.3 …

Crowd Wisdom Enhanced By Costly Signaling In A Virtual Rating System, Ofer Tchernichovski, Lucas C. Parra, Daniel Fimiarz, Arnon Lotem, Dalton Conley

Publications and Research

Costly signaling theory was developed in both economics and biology and has been used to explain a wide range of phenomena. However, the theory’s prediction that signal cost can enforce information quality in the design of new communication systems has never been put to an empirical test. Here we show that imposing time costs on reporting extreme scores can improve crowd wisdom in a previously cost-free rating system. We developed an online game where individuals interacted repeatedly with simulated services and rated them for satisfaction. We associated ratings with differential time costs by endowing the graphical user interface that solicited …

The Influence Of Stressful Life Events On The Development Of Type 2 Diabetes, Joshua Minks

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between distress and the development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the presence of established risk factors. Distress secondary to mental health disparities, stressful life events, and work conditions has been shown to promote insulin resistance and the development of T2DM.

Subjects (N=79) diagnosed with T2DM within the previous six months were recruited from SSM Health Centers and VA Medical Centers in the greater St. Louis area. They completed the Recent Life Changes Questionnaire, ENRICHD Social Support Instrument, and a demographic survey and analyses were conducted to determine differences between the veteran …