Race-Based Violence Against Educators And School Personnel: The Roles Of Race And Harm, Jared Hunt

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Educator-directed violence is a serious problem that has adverse effects on the careers and lives of those victimized. Educators and school personnel in the United States experience this violence within institutions that are shaped by long-checkered histories of racism and racial discrimination (Bickford and Clabough, 2021) that continue today (Carver-Thomas, 2018). Thus, there is a need to consider the roles of race and racism in the violence educators and school personnel experience. This study investigated educators’ and other school personnel’s experiences of physical and verbal/threatening violence, harm, and psychological distress. Through a racial stress and trauma framework, this study also …

Colonial Ambivalence And The Self: The Psychological Legacy Of Colonization, Nazia Khan

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Colonization may disrupt a person’s sense of self by introducing conflicting identities, where one part of identity is tied to colonization while the other attempts to decolonize (David & Okazaki, 2006). This identity conflict may lead to psychological distress because these identities are often in opposition to one another. Although colonized individuals may have been forced to adopt the colonizer’s social norms, people may also incorporate colonization-influenced practices into their self and cultural identity with and without recognizing their colonial roots. Colonial ambivalence is introduced as the simultaneous holding of positive and negative feelings regarding one’s colonized background. Individuals from …

Addiction And Dalits: The Impact Of India’S Caste System, Ava Jackson

Audre Lorde Prize

Across global public health and psychology, addiction is defined as a chronic condition that involves compulsive seeking and taking of a substance. In Western frameworks, addiction is often treated as an isolated condition, where the individual is blamed for their actions. In reality, addiction is rooted in biological, psychological, and social factors and is more complex than an individual level. Looking at the Global South, addiction is prominent in Dalit or “untouchable” individuals in India’s caste system, who face exclusion from all forms of society, including education, work, and social experiences. Addiction among Dalit women in India, Bangladesh, and the …

2026 Research Day Program, Lincoln Memorial University

Research Day

This program contains abstracts and presentation summaries from LMU's 2026 Annual Research Day conference.

Problematic Social Media Use’S Association With Social Anxiety And Neural Responsiveness To Reward From Social Media Feedback, Kaylee Mercer

All NMU Master's Theses

Social media has become increasingly relevant, especially among young adults. Those with social anxiety are more at risk for problematic social media use. Social media increases activity in the brain's reward centers. A common measure of the neural correlates of reward is the event-related potential, reward positivity (RewP) in EEG. Heightened RewP is associated with greater social anxiety. Problematic social media use is also associated with greater social anxiety. The neural correlates of reward elicited from social media use have yet to be adequately explored. The current research used continuous high-density electroencephalography to measure reward sensitivity when viewing positive or …

Exposome In Relation To Psychopathology And Physical Pain In Adolescence, Alexsia E. Newman

Honors Scholar Theses

The overall well-being of adolescents is dependent on a variety of factors during development, including both mental and physical health. Mental health, or psychopathology, which includes internalizing and externalizing problems, represents a common and persistent concern among youth. Physical pain is another important aspect of adolescent well-being. Although prior research has examined associations between mental health and pain, less is known about how these relationships unfold over time, and few studies have considered the role of multilevel environmental factors. This honors thesis explores the predictability and bidirectionality of mental health and chronic pain in developing adolescents, and tests associations of …

Technostress, Worker Wellbeing, And Ethics: An Integrative Review, Mackenzie Moreno

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Rapid advances in workplace technologies have led to increasing concerns about technostress and its implications for worker health and wellbeing. While the technostress literature has at times addressed psychological and physiological wellbeing outcomes, these outcomes have not been examined consistently, and explicit integration of ethics is largely absent. This integrative review addresses these gaps by synthesizing empirical findings on how technostress impacts worker health and wellbeing, and by examining the extent to which ethical considerations are integrated into the extant literature. Drawing on these findings, the review proposes a theoretical model of technostress mechanisms. Finally, it summarizes organizational recommendations for …

Coach Us If You Can: Development And Validation Of A Team Coachability Measure, Mounica Reddy

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Coaching research has largely focused on the coach or manager, with less attention given to the coachability of those receiving feedback (Shannahan et al., 2013b). However, individuals who receive coaching (i.e., coachees) are active participants in the coaching process and can improve or undermine the effectiveness of these practices (Gregory & Levy, 2010; London & Smither, 2002). Although coachability has been examined at the individual level, it has not been directly examined in team settings despite the centrality of teams to modern work (Bisbey & Salas, 2019; Mathieu et al., 2017). This dissertation developed and validated a new measure of …

The Effects Of Parental Psychological Control On Adolescent Social Behavior And Outcomes: A Moderation Mediation Model, Bailee Hill

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Adolescence is a salient developmental period in which family and peer contexts jointly shape youths’ social behavior and adjustment. One family process that has received sustained attention is parental psychological control, a form of intrusive parenting characterized by guilt induction, love withdrawal, and autonomy suppression (Barber, 1996). Although prior research consistently links psychological control to adolescents’ maladaptive emotional and behavioral outcomes, less is known about the mechanisms through which these parenting practices extend beyond the home to influence adolescents’ social behaviors and social standing within school contexts.   Social behaviors within peer groups, particularly relational aggression and prosocial behavior, represent key …

Silent Or Silenced? A Systematic Review Of Deaf And Hoh Workers In Io Psychology Research, Lora Bishop

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) workers report routinely missing workplace information that hearing colleagues receive through informal and ambient channels, as well as constrained participation in environments where communication norms treat hearing as the default. Despite over a century of research, this literature remains largely outside flagship industrial-organizational (IO) psychology journals. This dissertation conducts an integrative systematic review of 48 empirical studies published between 1919 and 2025, examining workplace outcomes and methodological patterns, the theoretical frameworks deployed, sampling and reporting practices, and the framing and identity-language conventions through which the literature engages DHH workers. The review appears predominantly in WORK and …

Workplace Identity Disclosure: A Systematic Review And Psychometric Meta-Analysis Of Measurement And Correlates, Daniel Ryan Charles

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Workplace identity disclosure (WID) is a central process through which employees manage concealable stigmatized identities at work, yet the empirical literature is fragmented by inconsistent construct labels, varied measures, and uneven coverage across identity domains. This dissertation conducted a systematic review and psychometric meta-analysis of quantitative studies examining WID and related constructs. WID was defined as an umbrella construct encompassing disclosure-related behaviors through which employees make a concealable stigmatized identity known, more visible, or less hidden at work. The final review included 37 reports and 38 independent samples. Corrected bivariate associations were estimated for construct pairs represented by at least …

Exploring The Roles Of Grit And Health Anxiety In The Relationship Between Discrimination And Pain-Coping Among Adolescents And Young Adults, Giselle Mcpherson Isbell

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Chronic pain is a complex and highly prevalent concern that can significantly disrupt functioning during adolescence and emerging adulthood. Pain during this developmental period may interfere with academic engagement, social relationships, emotional functioning, and the transition toward independence. Psychosocial stressors such as discrimination and heightened health anxiety may negatively influence pain experiences and coping, whereas protective psychological characteristics such as grit may buffer these effects. The present study examined the relationships between discrimination, health anxiety, grit, pain outcomes, and coping strategies in emerging adults with chronic pain. Participants completed self-report measures assessing discrimination, health anxiety, grit, pain intensity and frequency, …

Clinical Psychology: Related Careers Library Guide Evaluation Activity, Whitney Brown Ph.D.

School of Arts & Sciences

This assignment was developed by SUNY Geneseo Professor Whitney Brown during the spring 2026 semester.

Learning Objectives 

• Describe clinical psychology as a discipline & distinguish it from related helping professions. 
• Identify career paths of interest to investigate further. 

Impact Of Self-Reported Anxiety On College Students’ Academic Performance And Physiological Responses, Rita Mitchell

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Going to college may seem like the next obvious step for some graduating high school students, while for other students, it is not part of their plan. Even though some high school students have their college experience planned and are prepared to start this journey, their experience can drastically change. A myriad of problems for the new and upcoming students can arise, with one of those problems being generalized anxiety. High school provides students with structured eight-hour days, lunch breaks, and teachers who make sure they attend class. College, on the other hand, does not provide students with these luxuries. …

Relational Victimization And Student Dropout Intentions: Examining The Impact Of Trauma And The Buffering Role Of Friend Support, Makaila Belk

Honors Theses

Universities prioritize strategies that improve student success, with graduation rates serving as a key indicator of institutional effectiveness (Kinzie & Kuh, 2017; York et al., 2015). Considering this, we examined peer relational victimization, an interpersonal stressor involving exclusion and reputational harm (Casper et al., 2020; You & Bellmore, 2012), as a predictor of dropout intention. Using archival data collected from undergraduate volunteers recruited from the University of Southern Mississippi (N = 291), we tested a moderated mediation model. We predicted that trauma-like symptoms would partially mediate the relationship between peer relational victimization and dropout intention and that perceived social …

Utilizing A Brief Experimental Analysis To Examine Therapeutic Interventions On Math Anxiety And Math Fact Fluency In School-Age Children, Erin Simon

Honors Theses

This study utilized a brief experimental analysis (BEA) to examine the effects of taped problems (TP) alone and in combination with brief therapeutic interventions on math fact fluency and math anxiety in elementary-aged students with language disorders. Math anxiety was assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Early Elementary School Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (EES-AMAS), a standardized measure for examining math anxiety levels in young students, and math fact fluency was measured using 2-minute Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) probes. Results indicated that TP-only was associated with improvements in digits correct per minute (DCPM) for most participants; further, the addition of therapeutic interventions …

Tough Love Or Just Tough?: The Effect Of Juvenile Military Bootcamps On Adolescent Externalizing Behaviors, Paris Labadie

Honors Theses

Externalizing behaviors, which are mental health problems manifested as outward behavior, have negative impacts on the environment and relationships (Liu, 2004). They include traits such as impulsivity, aggression, and substance use. Externalizing behaviors are more common in justice-involved youth compared to those who were not involved. Interventions for justice-involved youth, such as military boot camps, offer an alternative to incarceration and provide rehabilitation opportunities and routine. Theoretical research suggests military boot camps are problematic, citing the ineffectiveness of “scared straight” tactics. To date, there are few studies examining changes because of completing boot camps. There are also no studies examining …

Exploring The Psychological Health Of First Responder Women And Their Children, Shelby S. Deschepper

Honors Thesis

Abstract

First responders (law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians) often face occupational stressors and may have exposure to traumatic events. As a result, they are at risk for developing mental health conditions. Although there is substantial research on first responder mental health, potential gender differences within this population have received limited attention. The existing evidence suggests that first responders who are women encounter an even higher risk for adverse mental health outcomes than first responders who are men. Additionally, few studies have explored the mental health outcomes of children with first responder parents, and even fewer have …

Think First, Chatgpt Later: Guiding Human-Ai Collaboration For Learning Gains In Independent Human Creativity, Sarah Shi Hui Wong, Sophia Xuefei Qiu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT can boost creative performance, but do these boosts translate into learning gains? This study examined whether the benefits of ChatGPT for creativity persist even when its assistance is removed, and how people can effectively use ChatGPT to enhance their learning and independent creativity. University students (N = 196) solved a creative product improvement task either independently (human-only group) or using ChatGPT freely (general-AI group) or using ChatGPT in a guided way (regulated-AI group). Specifically, the regulated-AI group used a novel “think first, ChatGPT later” approach—they first generated their own ideas, then collaborated …

The Age Of Activewear: Understanding Women’S Casualized Athletic Apparel Habits Through Associations With Psychosocial And Body Image Factors, Ross C. Hollett, R. Sharman, Domenic D’Adamo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Activewear has become a common component of women’s everyday clothing, yet emerging evidence suggests that exposure to activewear imagery may adversely affect body image. This study aimed to describe women’s activewear engagement across contexts and to investigate how different markers of engagement correspond with positive outcomes such as fitness behavior, body appreciation, and self-esteem, as well as negative outcomes including media pressure, idealized appearance aspirations, and self-objectification. We collected survey data from student (N = 455) and community (N = 374) samples to assess activewear-related behaviors, including online browsing, social media following, purchasing, and wearing, as well as measures of …

The Psychology Behind Ai-Generated Phishing And Social Engineering Attacks, A’Shya Reynolds

School of Cybersecurity Master's Level Projects and Papers

Cybercrime has evolved significantly with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), transforming traditional phishing and social engineering attacks into highly sophisticated and personalized threats. While early phishing attempts relied on generic messaging and low success rates, modern AI-driven attacks leverage advanced data analytics, natural language processing, and behavioral prediction to manipulate victims more effectively.

This research examines how cybercriminals utilize AI to enhance psychological manipulation techniques in phishing and social engineering attacks, increasing victim susceptibility. Drawing from interdisciplinary literature in cybersecurity and psychology, this study explores key psychological mechanisms, including cognitive biases, emotional triggers, and decision-making processes that influence victim …

Leading The Charge: A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring How Public Middle School Principals Perceive And Enact Their Role As Advocates For School-Based Mental Health, Tanya Irby Tucker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent mental health concerns have increased significantly during the middle school years, requiring school leaders to expand their role in supporting students’ social, emotional, and psychological well-being. Although schools are uniquely positioned to deliver comprehensive mental health services, how public middle school principals perceive and enact their role as advocates for school-based mental health services remains underexplored. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how public middle school principals perceive and enact their role as advocates for school-based mental health services. Guided by social cognitive theory (SCT), this study examined how personal beliefs, behavioral practices, and environmental …

Behavioral Strategies And Mental Health Reactions To Social Preference Insecurity: The Effect On Social Preference And The Moderating Role Of Machiavellianism, Alexandra Zingarelli

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Adolescents experience insecurity about social preference; however, its role in adolescent behavioral and mental health and subsequent social preference has not been studied. Additionally, individual differences in personality further contribute to adolescent’s behavioral and mental health development and subsequent peer liking. Using a longitudinal and muti-informant design, the present study examined whether social preference insecurity (SPI) predicted social preference through the mediation of aggression and depression and examined whether Machiavellian traits moderated these pathways among 817 adolescents (Age: M=12.19 SD=0.813, Male: n=409, 50%; Female: n=409, 50%) from middle schools in the U.S. Midwestern states. The results showed that Time 1 …

The Impact Of Social Support On Somatic Health Symptoms In Emerging Adults: Examining The Role Of Cortisol And Cytokines, Autumn Sharon Rajcevich Schwer

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

There is a wealth of previous research demonstrating that increased levels of social support are associated with mental health benefits, with several potential pathways supported, including social support leading to increased emotional comfort and resilience (Mohan et al., 2024). However, research also demonstrates that increased social support is associated with numerous physical health benefits as well, including lowered risk of chronic disease development and longer lifespans (Hale et al., 2005). But there seems to be a gap in research regarding how social support creates this positive physiological effect. The present study aimed to address this gap and investigate the potential …

Mapping The Landscape Of Occupational Health Psychology Research On Immigrant Workers: A Systematic Review, Himali Bhandari

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Research on immigrant populations covers a wide range of topics including immigrationpatterns, demographics, working conditions, and occupational health. Nevertheless, studies specifically on immigrant workers within occupational health psychology (OHP) are scattered. To address this inconsistency, this systematic review analyzed OHP research focusing on immigrant workers, highlighting key immigrant characteristics and the psychological theories and frameworks used to explain why and how immigrant workers face high occupational health and safety risks. Peer-reviewed empirical articles were retrieved from APA PsycINFO, APA PsycArticles, and Academic Search Complete using a predefined set of search terms. Qualitative analysis of the included studies (N = 44), …

The Youth Multidimensional Group Fidelity Scale (Y-Mgfs): Psychometric Properties And Implementation Determinants And Outcomes, Paulina Paredes Cienega

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Youth mental health intervention outcomes in school settings can be improved via feasible and psychometrically sound program fidelity measures. Client self-report measures offer a practical, cost-effective approach, and multidimensional measures of program fidelity are needed to better delineate components of effective program delivery. The present study evaluated the structure and validity of the Youth Multidimensional Group Fidelity Scale (Y-MGFS) and examined implementation determinants and outcomes associated with program fidelity. Participants included 1,352 predominantly ethnic minority youth (Mage = 11.9; SD = 1.2; 62.1% female) across 282 therapy groups from 116 Chicago Public Schools, whose providers delivered a manualized video-guided coping …

Youth Perspectives On A Community Program For Children With Special Healthcare Needs: A Qualitative Study Assessing Program Acceptability, Brittany Ricart

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Objective. A significant number of families have youth with special healthcare needs (CYSHCN). CYSHCN experience dysfunction across multiple life domains, however CYSHCN have also demonstrated significant resilience. Protective factors include social support which can be strengthened through mentoring-based interventions. Team IMPACT is a non-profit organization that matches CYSHCN with college sports teams and includes crucial components, such as social support and mentorship, in a team-sport and community setting. The current study aimed to better understand the acceptability and influence of the Team IMPACT program on youth participants and their health-related behaviors. Methods. Twenty-five participants (mean age = 11.32) completed virtual …

Factors Associated With Objective Neuropsychological Performance In Individuals With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Kailyn Marie Bare

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Adults are expected to recover from cognitive symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) within three months; however, a subset report persistent symptoms. Previous meta-analyses have found that these symptoms are due to factors aside from the mTBI itself, and additional research is needed to determine what factors may contribute to objective cognitive functioning in the chronic stage of mTBI. This review examined biopsychosocial and injury-related correlates of objective cognitive functioning in adults with a history of mTBI. A systematic search was conducted in APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus to identify studies published since 2015 examining associations …

Mentoring Relationship Quality: An Evaluation Of Environmental Risk And Protective Factor Predictors For Urban Black Youth, Brittanie Nicole Gage

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Mentoring programs are an important intervention promoting positive developmental outcomes among youth exposed to chronic environmental stressors, particularly Black youth living in underinvested communities. Research has demonstrated moderate positive effects of mentoring on youth outcomes however, less is known about factors influencing mentoring effectiveness. Mentoring relationship quality (MRQ) has emerged as a key component of mentoring effectiveness, suggesting that perceived closeness and support within the relationship can enhance youth outcomes. Less is known regarding the environmental risks and protective factors shaping youths’ ability to engage meaningfully in mentoring relationships. Parent–child relationship quality, exposure to violent stressors, and adaptive and maladaptive …

Ai Models As Cultural Beings: Investigating Ai Cultural Biases And The Impact Of Cultural Alignment On Human-Ai Creative Collaboration, Choon Ngee Tan, Meng Han, Roy Y. J. Chua, Chi-Ying Cheng

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Existing research on AI cultural biases predominantly focuses on Western models, overlooking critical gaps in non-Western models. We conduct a comparative analysis of AI models – ChatGPT (U.S. developed) and ErnieBot (China developed) – from different cultures to investigate how corresponding cultural biases manifest in their outputs. Additionally, we examine how cultural alignment between human users and AI models impacts their collaborative creative performance and the underlying psychological mechanisms. In Study 1, multi-choice prompt with zero-shot technique was used to evaluate cultural biases in four widely used AI models – ChatGPT-3.5/4, ErnieBot-3.5/4 – comparing their responses to established cultural psychometric …