Psychometric Properties Of The Interpersonal Style Questionnaire (Isq) And The Patterns Of Thinking Survey (Pots), Genevieve Allison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Self-regulation is a complex concept that includes multiple interacting factors, and it is studied across multiple fields of psychological research. Various theoretical models have been offered to explain this concept. Although models differ in their definitions of self-regulation, all consistently posit that it consists of emotional, behavioral, interpersonal, and cognitive domains. The current study examined the psychometric properties of two novel measures – 1) McVay and Stinson Interpersonal Style Questionnaire (ISQ) and 2) Stinson and McVay Patterns of Thinking Survey (POTS) – utilizing both a clinical and nonclinical sample. Results indicate that these measures are comprised of three factors across …

Training And Working In Police And Public Safety Psychology: A Survey Study, Sana K. Vora

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Police and public safety psychology (PPSP) entails assessment, intervention, operational support, and organizational consultation services rendered by psychologists to public safety agencies and personnel. In some ways, PPSP is a more recently recognized specialty area within health service psychology. While there have been occasional surveys of PPSP professionals in the past, relative to other specialty areas in health service psychology that share certain similarities with PPSP, such as forensic psychology and clinical neuropsychology, less is known about the experiences, broadly considered, of PPSP professionals and trainees. The current study sought to address this comparative gap in the literature by soliciting …

Exploring The Role Of Online Spaces In Understanding Young Adult Mental Health Attitudes: Internalizes Stigma, Help Seeking Behaviors, And Mental Health Centered Content, Harley Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Mental Health is an ever-rising concern in the United States, with many people experiencing some form of mental health concerns. One new tool used to fight the mental health crisis has been online content on social media sites. Few studies have been done to see the actual effect of the rise of mental health content and terminology used online, especially through the lens of those who have lived experience. We conducted an online survey via Prolific to gather quantitative and qualitative data from 287 young adults in the United States, ages 18-25, to examine their exposure to mental health content, …

Exploring The Experiences Of Adult Children Of Parents With Addiction: A Qualitative Support Group Approach, Brooke Stanton

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Adult children of parents with addiction often grow up having to navigate emotional instability, inconsistent caregiving, and long-term relational impacts that continue into adulthood. Many individuals report limited access to supportive care and spaces where they can share their stories. This capstone project addresses the gap by designing and facilitating a support group specifically for adult children of parents to build connection and healing. Through this qualitative study, participant feedback, and analysis, this project examines how structured peer support can create meaningful change for this population. The following paper outlines the development of the group, the theoretical foundations that guided …

Application Of Path Analysis To Determine The Impact Of Age And Sex On The Neural Circuits That Promote Nicotine Withdrawal Severity, Veronika Espinoza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The rising prevalence of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use presents a major public health concern, particularly in adolescent females who are most susceptible to nicotine use and its long-term negative health consequences. The goal of this dissertation was to utilize preclinical rodent models to understand how group differences in age and sex influence neural activation patterns in brain circuits believed to promote nicotine withdrawal. Prior pre-clinical work, conducted largely in male rodents, has established that there are two major brain pathways that modulate the behavioral effects of nicotine withdrawal. These include the mesolimbic and medial habenula-interpeduncular nucleus (MHb-IPN) pathways. To assess …

Understanding Gambling Behavior Among Hispanic College Students: The Role Of Attitudes, Norms, Self-Efficacy, And Acculturation, Joshua Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Gambling has become increasingly accessible and socially normalized among young adults, particularly through mobile platforms and the expansion of legalized sports betting. Hispanic college students may be at heightened risk for gambling-related harms, given evidence of elevated rates of problem gambling, comorbid mental health concerns, and underrepresentation in empirical research. Cultural factors, such as acculturation, may further influence engagement in gambling behaviors and susceptibility to negative outcomes. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, the present study investigated the relationships between gambling injunctive norms, gambling attitudes, and gambling self-efficacy across three outcomes: gambling frequency, problem gambling severity, and gambling intention. …

Language Control Over Structural Representation In Bilinguals, Anahy Barragan-Diaz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In daily life, bilinguals sometimes speak each of their languages in situations where the other language cannot be understood. To avoid saying words in the wrong language in such situations, bilinguals inhibit lexical representations from the non-target language (Green, 1998). But do they inhibit structural representations? This study investigated how inhibitory control operates over structural representations in English-dominant Spanish-English bilinguals via a picture description task. An experimental group was asked to describe dative-eliciting pictures in English (Baseline Phase), followed by dative pictures in Spanish (Manipulation Phase), and once again dative pictures in English (Target Phase), while a control group followed …

The Impact Of Life Coaching On Self-Efficacy In Personal Goal Setting Among Black Educators In Arkansas, Veronica Cousette Jackson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examines the relationship between life coaching and self-efficacy in personal goal setting among Black educators in Arkansas, with gender explored as a moderating variable. Self-efficacy, grounded in Bandura’s (1997) social cognitive theory, is a central determinant of motivation and goal-directed behavior, influencing persistence, effort, and adaptive strategies. Although life coaching has gained recognition as a professional developmental practice, empirical research remains limited regarding its psychological effects within educator populations and its differential impact across demographic groups (Grant, 2014; Theeboom et al., 2014). This gap is particularly significant for Black educators, who experience disproportionate workforce stress and retention …

Validity Of The Cultural Determinants Of Help-Seeking Model Among Hispanic Women With A History Of Intimate Partner Violence And Psychological Distress, Genevieve Marie Jessen

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Hispanic women experience disproportionately higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alongside low treatment engagement and greater alcohol use, even after intimate partner violence (IPV) has ended. Sociocultural factors may exacerbate the lasting impacts of IPV by contributing to a greater burden of disease. Prior research suggests that both psychological symptoms and sociocultural influences shape trauma recovery following IPV. However, little is known about how these factors interact after IPV cessation to impact Hispanic women's help-seeking and drinking. To address this gap, the present study applied the Cultural Determinants of Help-Seeking (CDHS) framework to examine whether inhibitory factors (e.g., barriers …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience, And Adaptive Functioning Among Student Veterans With Disabilities. A Resilience Portfolio Model Perspective, Donyeill Mozer

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are associated with long-term psychological, physical, and behavioral outcomes; however, limited research has examined their relationship with multidimensional college adjustment among student veterans with disabilities, particularly those attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Guided by the Resilience Portfolio Model, this study examined associations among ACEs, perceived resilience, and multidimensional college adjustment within an understudied population of student veterans with disabilities enrolled at an HSI. Using a cross-sectional secondary analysis of survey data, the analytic sample consisted of 129 student veterans. ACEs were measured using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, perceived resilience was measured using the Brief Resilience Scale, …

The Moderating Role Of Cannabis Use Motives On The Relationship Between Intragroup Marginalization And Cannabis Use In Hispanic Emerging Adults, Austin Ray Vernon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Cannabis use has become increasingly normalized among emerging adults, yet associated risks to health remain a growing concern. Cannabis use among Hispanic populations has risen over the past decade, underscoring the need to examine culturally relevant factors that may influence use patterns and related harm. Intragroup marginalization, a culturally specific form of identity-based rejection from one's own ethnic group, may represent one such factor. The present study examined whether intragroup marginalization is associated with cannabis use outcomes and whether cannabis use motives moderate these associations. Participants were 358 Hispanic college students recruited from a U.S.-Mexico border university. Following informed consent, …

The Role Of Service-Learning & Critical Pedagogy In Student Empowerment Through Self-Consciousness, Democratic, And Culturally Responsive Education, Shahbaa Zaidan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological research examines the role of service learning that is based on critical pedagogy in empowering students and developing identity and consciousness in a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) on the United States-Mexico border found in South Texas. This study challenges the top-down paradigm, in which empowerment and learning are considered in view of the practices of educators, their teaching methods, and their impacts on student achievement. The research is bottom-up and student-centered. This research explores how students' experiences during service-learning courses shape their sense of identity, voice, and empowerment. Key theories include critical pedagogy (Freire), experiential learning (Dewey), transformative …

Unveiling The Longitudinal Dynamics Of Discrimination, Identity, And Mental Health Over Time Within U.S. Muslims Among On-Going Palestine Genocide, Manal Aboargob

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Discrimination is a pervasive stressor that shapes mental health through both direct experiences and indirect, or vicarious, exposure. In contemporary contexts marked by global media saturation, individuals may repeatedly witness discrimination and violence directed toward their social group, amplifying psychological burden. The present longitudinal study examined how direct and vicarious discrimination were associated with affective well-being among U.S. Muslims during the ongoing genocide in Palestine, and whether religious identity and religious coping moderated these associations over time. Participants (N = 103) completed a baseline survey and up to 11 weekly surveys over a three-month period. Multilevel mixed-effects growth models were …

Overwhelmed By Competing Priorities: Exploring Women’S Motivational Conflict Across The Menstrual Cycle, Arial S. Bloshinsky

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined whether the biological context of the menstrual cycle predicted overwhelming feelings due to competing bonding and achievement motivations (i.e., motivational conflict). Building on the motivational shift hypothesis, it was predicted that the luteal phase, characterized by elevated progesterone and heightened bonding motivation, would be associated with more overwhelming feelings from motivational conflict. To assess potential changes across the menstrual cycle, a within-person design was used where women reported their overwhelming feelings daily. Primary analyses did not support the hypothesis. Overwhelming feelings from motivational conflict did not differ across cycle phases. However, the expected mid-cycle peak in sexual …

Self-Directed Violence In Athletes, Adela Vavrinova

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Self-directed violence (SDV) in athletes comprises a spectrum of behaviors, including non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicidality, and self-harming behaviors that can be embed- ded within sport contexts. Competitive sport environments may intensify psychological vulnerability through factors such as performance demands, body-image pressures, injury and rehabilitation stress, and norms that discourage help-seeking. This thesis synthesizes existing literature on SDV among athletes with the aim of clarifying how SDV is concep- tualized and measured, summarizing what is known about prevalence patterns, functions, and contextual risk factors, and identifying prevention and intervention strategies relevant to athlete systems. The reviewed evidence suggests the SDV literature …

Psychological Principles In Writing Center Consulting & Ai, Ella S. Hansen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

A third of those ages 18 to 24 have engaged with ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2025). The newest form, ChatGPT-4, is better at generating more plausible long-form essays and creative writing than ever before (Imran & Almusharraf, 2023), meaning that AI-assisted writing is prevalent at higher education institutions (Cardon et al., 2023) and in writing centers (Goulet, 2025). Limited research has investigated the impact of this on writing center consultants. This multidisciplinary study investigated how consultants feel about large language model artificial intelligence (LLM AI) and how it can impact the consulting process, through the lens of three psychological principles: empathy, social …

The Mysteries Of Postpartum Ocd: A Systematic Review, Taryn Shaffer

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Background: The research on postpartum mental health is growing, with most focusing on physical and sexual wellness, or well-known mental health symptoms such as psychosis, depression, and stress. However, as the research grows, so does the interest in lesser-known or under-considered postpartum mental health symptoms, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The focus of this research can be the exacerbation of already-present OCD symptoms, or the onset of them during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze research on OCD in pregnant and postpartum women. Specifically, the review included an analysis of measures used to …

Resilience, Stress, And Emotion Regulation In College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model Of Tiktok Engagement, Samuel Bibat, Jon Thang, Hui Zhang, Hannah Carrie, Jessica Golden

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This study examined associations between stress, resilience, emotion regulation (ER), and TikTok use. Data were collected from 101 undergraduate students (M_age = 20.04, SD_age = 4.02) at a Midwestern private university. Participants completed self-report measures of TikTok use and intensity (i.e., emotional attachment), resilience, perceived stress, and intrapersonal and interpersonal ER. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS macro models. Stress mediated the relationship between resilience and TikTok use but not intensity. Interpersonal ER moderated the resilience–stress link, with higher interpersonal ER amplifying the negative association between resilience and stress, which in turn was linked …

Brief Virtual Reality And Mixed Reality Mindfulness Breathing Exercise For Emotional Well-Being And Cognitive Functions In University Students: Within-Subjects Experimental Design Study, Zoey Khai Yee Eun, Charmaine Jiali Koh, Hwajin Yang, Adalia Yin Hui Goh, Meilan Hu, K Tennakoon Appuhamillage Sandeeshwara Kasturiratna, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Background: Mindfulness has been shown to enhance emotional well-being and cognitive performance, yet much of this evidence stems from interventions requiring prolonged practice, making them time-consuming and less accessible. Recent studies suggest that brief mindfulness sessions may also yield positive outcomes, but the effectiveness of such interventions in virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) remains underexplored. Objective: This study investigates the effects of brief mindfulness breathing exercises delivered through VR and MR on attentional and emotional restoration and self-control capacity. Methods: Using a within-subjects experimental design, 102 undergraduate participants (n=83, 81.4% female; mean age 20.87, SD 1.89) completed a …

The Restorative Effects Of Nature Exposure Via Virtual Reality On Well-Being, Self-Control, And Working Memory, Zoey K. Y. Eun, Hwajin Yang, Nicole R. Y. Chen, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The psychological benefits of nature exposure are vital for well-being in an increasingly urbanised world. While previous research has consistently demonstrated the restorative effects of natural environments on both physical and psychological health, findings on virtual nature simulations remain mixed, possibly due to the limited immersive quality of conventional displays. Virtual reality (VR), however, provides immersive visual and auditory engagement, making it a promising alternative for delivering nature-based experiences when direct exposure to real nature environments is unavailable. The present study examined the effects of VR-simulated nature on attentional and emotional restoration and self-control capacity, using a preregistered, within-subjects experimental …

A Stress-Induced Digital Escapism Framework For Understanding The Link Between Stress And Problematic Social Media Use, Hwajin Yang, Frosch Yi Xuan Quek, Xiu Hui Salin Yap, Yue Qi Germaine Tng, Gilaine Rui Ng

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Given that stress is a significant risk factor for problematic social media use, understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms is essential. We introduce the Stress-Induced Digital Escapism (SIDE) framework, which posits that negative internal emotional responses to external stressors may increase reliance on maladaptive emotion regulation strategies that fail to alleviate distress. These processes may, in turn, strengthen escapism motives that lead to seeking emotional relief through compulsive social media use. Using structural equation modeling (N = 238), we examined three integrated psychological pathways—negative stress reactions, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, and escapism motives—as sequential mediators linking external demands to problematic social …

Research "Junkification" Is Caused By Researchers, Not Journals, Simon Sebastian Groome, Jose C. Yong, Norman P. Li

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Concerns about declining research quality have increasingly been framed as “junkification,” whereby academic output expands in volume while declining in epistemic value. A recent paper by Rhodes and Linnenluecke (2025) attributes this trend to changes in publishing, arguing that research quality erodes as journals and publishers become increasingly oriented toward output quantity and metrics, driven by monetization. In 2009, Nobel Laureate James Watson remarked that scientific publishing in the mid-twentieth century was both easier and of a higher standard than today (Web of Stories, 2017). If publishing is much easier of late, as Rhodes and Linnenelucke (R&L) argued, then how …

Not Just Anyone: Living Situation Is Indirectly Associated With Cognitive Impairment Via Depressive Symptoms, Chin Hong Tan, Jacinth Jia Xin Tan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Objectives: Socially isolated individuals are at a greater risk of cognitive decline. We examined whether this relationship is dependent on the type of household living situation, living alone or living with others (spouse/ partner or relative/friend), and the indirect effects of depression. Methods: We evaluated 10,545 cognitively normal (CN, mean age = 71.6) and 9334 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI, mean age = 72.9) cross-sectional data from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center. Participants' living situation was classified as living alone, living with spouse/partner, or living with a relative/friend. Cognitive function and depression were assessed by a neuropsychological battery and …

Adolescent Social Media Use And Associations With Parental Screen Time Practices, Joseph A. Simon, Josiah Leong

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The rise of electronic use among younger generations has raised concerns surrounding  the developmental and behavioral effects of increasing usage. While past research has found some associations between screen time and mental health, there is less knowledge about how parenting practices influence these developmental and behavioral patterns of social media use. Our study examined longitudinal trajectories of social media use from ages 9 to 13 among 9,211 subjects at baseline, year 1, year 2 and later a complete 3-year parent questionnaire on screen time reward, limiting, and monitoring to then examine whether parenting behaviors were associated with previous social media …

The Effects Of Self-Management On Portion Control Consumption In A Natural Setting, Amber Nicole Lampert

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a significant public health concern, with overeating as a primary contributor. Despite national nutrition initiatives, most Americans consume inadequate amounts of fruits and vegetables while exceeding recommended portions of calorie-dense foods. Understanding food groups and recommended portion sizes of each may be a prerequisite skill for a health initiative aimed at weight loss. Given that environmental and behavioral factors influence eating behaviors, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) offers an evidence-based framework for improving nutritional habits through self-management interventions. This study examined the effects of self-management components on portion control within a natural eating environment. Four adult participants, one male …

Does Self-Compassion Buffer Against The Potential Effects Of Perfectionism And Psychopathology On Non-Suicidal Self-Injury?, Natasha Bourgoin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

University students with increased rates of reported perfectionism, anxiety, and depression, are vulnerable to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). However, not all students with psychological distress engage in NSSI, suggesting protective factors may help to mitigate this risk. The present study examined the relation between perfectionism and NSSI, via the mediating effects of anxiety and depression, and the moderating role of self-compassion. Participants were 338 university students (67% female; 87% White) who completed several self-report measures. Students with greater perfectionism reported higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms and, in turn, more NSSI engagement. Self-compassion and several self-compassionate domains attenuated connections between …

Attitudes Toward Harm Reduction Among Criminal Legal Staff, Diamond Meadows

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are prevalent among individuals interacting with the criminal legal system (Moore et al., 2019). Despite the high rates of individuals with SUDs interacting with the criminal legal system, there continue to be barriers to integrating harm reduction approaches within the system. Harm reduction approaches (i.e., medication assisted treatment) are effective in reducing the negative consequences associated with substance use and the pathway to recovery for many. The purposes of this study are to: 1. examine the psychometric properties of the Harm Reduction Acceptability Scale (HRAS) among criminal legal staff, 2. explore individual differences in staff attitudes …

Thinking Beyond Bias: The Confirmation Bias Index And The Cognitive–Motivational Predictors Of Accurate Headline Evaluation, Anthony Cantu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Confirmation bias — the tendency to favor belief-consistent information over contradictory evidence — represents a central challenge in contemporary misinformation research, yet its behavioral measurement has remained inconsistent across studies. This study introduced the Confirmation Bias Index (CBI), a preregistered behavioral measure defined as the difference in accuracy between ideologically congruent and incongruent headline evaluations. Using a 3 (headline slant: Conservative, Neutral, Liberal) × 2 (veracity: True, False) within-participants design, 198 participants evaluated 36 validated news headlines for accuracy. Results supported a veracity main effect and a reliable group-level confirmation bias effect indexed by the CBI. Headline slant alone did …

Predicting Well-Being Outcomes With Job Demands And Resources In A Higher Education Setting, Makinzy D. Hoxsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Faculty in higher education face growing pressures that impact well-being and engagement. Guided by the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework, the present study examined how perceptions of institutional changes, job demands, job resources, and personal resources such as grit and tolerance for ambiguity related to perceptions of well-being outcomes among teaching faculty at Stephen F. Austin State University. Job demands encompass dimensions of workload, emotional labor, work-life conflict, and role conflict, while job resources include elements of autonomy and social support. A multivariate multiple regression (MVMR) analysis was conducted using survey data from faculty members (n = 98). Results indicated that …

The Impact Of Traditional Machismo On Mental Health Outcomes: Depression And Suicide Risk Among Latino Immigrant And Non-Immigrant Men, Yesenia A, Romero

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditional masculine norms have long been recognized as influential factors in men’s psychological well-being. Within Latino cultures, the construct of machismo represents a culturally specific form of masculinity characterized by ideals of masculinity and characterized by ideals of strength, dominance, and emotional restraint. While these norms may promote resilience and family responsibilities, rigid adherence to traditional machismo has also been associated with emotional suppression, reduced help-seeking behaviors, and increased psychological distress. The present study conducted a meta-analysis to examine the relationship between traditional machismo and mental health outcomes among Latino men, with particular attention to depressive symptoms as well as …