Digital Commons Network^™

Hey, Siri: How Companionate Ai Usage Affects Social Satisfaction And Personal Intelligence, Ryan E. Moran, Marley Ireland

Honors Theses and Capstones

Artificial intelligence is a field that is growing and changing faster than humanity can keep up. While part of the population is benefiting from its unmatched diagnostic power, increased productivity in school and in work, and even its surgical and therapeutic contributions, others are filing lawsuits based on claims that an AI chatbot was a key factor in the mental health crisis of someone they loved. Research has found that reliance on these AI-generated conversational agents can lead to social withdrawal, unrealistic relationship expectations, addictive tendencies, and, in the worst cases, increased or encouraged suicidal ideations, especially in vulnerable populations. …

The Relationship Between Helicopter Parenting And Child Depression And Anxiety: A Literature Review, Leah Wong

Modern Psychological Studies

Child and adolescent mental health have been a subject of increasing concern. Likewise, an emerging pattern of childrearing, known as helicopter parenting, has been gaining attention for its association with negative outcomes. This literature review investigates the relationship between helicopter parenting and children’s depressive and anxious symptoms. The review applies various theories, including parenting styles and self-determination, alongside considerations of early childhood experiences and cultural differences in childrearing. It draws on the current body of research regarding the impacts of such concepts to examine connections between helicopter parenting and child psychopathology. Overall, this literature review found that helicopter parenting impedes …

Digitization Of The Switching Stroop Task, Keagan Duster, Delia Mozqueda-Fuhrmeister, Kesten Anderson, Molly Conway, John Piaszynski, Aaron Winder, Conor Courtney, Kanchna Ramchandran

Modern Psychological Studies

The Switching Stroop (SS) task is a modification of the neuropsychological assessment, the Color Word Interference (CWI) task, which measures inhibition of pre-potent response. Both tests measure the ability to select and match appropriate responses to a cued dimension (instruction) of a stimulus. However, the SS additionally incorporates the ability to adapt to consecutive conflicting stimuli (the construct of dynamic adjustments of control). By integrating with existing commercial software for administering remote neuropsychological tests, we were able to digitize a previously published version of the SS, enhancing user friendliness and functionality. This electronic version of the SS provides a plethora …

Considerations For A Mind-Body Program For Latine Adults With Chronic Pain And Cognitive Impairment: A Qualitative Study With Healthcare Providers, Natalia Giraldo-Santiago, Marlene E. Cardoza, Esther Ee Estey, Yoojee Kim, Nicolás A. Alvarez-Frank, Tony V. Pham, Zev Schuman-Olivier, Ana-Maria Vranceanu, Jonathan Greenberg

Student Publications [Scholarly]

Purpose: Chronic pain and cognitive impairment often co-occur and exacerbate each other, with Spanish-speaking Latine adults exhibiting a high prevalence of such comorbidity. While mind-body interventions for this comorbidity show promise, available programs are not tailored to the linguistic and cultural needs of socio-economically disadvantaged Latine adults with cognitive impairment. This study gathered recommendations from healthcare providers to tailor mind-body programs for Latine adults with chronic pain and cognitive impairment. Methods: We conducted six qualitative focus groups with 21 providers and support staff across various healthcare centers. Providers offered their perspectives on the needs, barriers, and general recommendations on tailoring …

Self-Compassion And Sexual Assault Victimization: A Systematic Review, Alexis A. Adams-Clark, Jerin Lee, Lucy W. Naughton, Anna Purcell, Ananya Sharma, Siena Candullo, Kelsey Sawyer, Prachi H. Bhuptani, Lindsay M. Orchowski

Student Publications [Scholarly]

Sexual assault survivors demonstrate substantial resilience, prompting calls for strength-based approaches to understanding recovery. One construct receiving increasing attention is self-compassion (i.e., treating oneself with kindness and understanding in the face of suffering), which may buffer against the negative mental health effects of assault victimization. The current systematic review synthesized data from 31 peer-reviewed studies examining self-compassion, sexual assault exposure, and mental health. Reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420250648494), the review included observational and experimental studies assessing sexual assault victimization and self-compassion across the lifespan. Most studies …

System Disparities: Racial Criminalization And The Risk Of Coerced And False Confessions In Youth, Cynthia J. Najdowski

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Black youth may be even more vulnerable than other youth to admitting to crimes they did not commit in the context of police interrogations. In support, analysis of data from the National Registry of Exonerations indicates that 65% of people who were wrongfully convicted on the basis of false confessions they gave when under 18 years old are Black, whereas only 14% of the U.S. population is Black. In this chapter, I seek to understand the overrepresentation of Black youth in samples of juvenile false confessors by examining the cultural stereotype about Black criminality in relation to both investigators and …

Resistance, Collaboration, And Ethnic Bias: Evidence On Social Cohesion In Wartime Ukraine, Janina Dill, Marnie Howlett, Carl Müller-Crepon, Mara Revkin

Faculty Scholarship

Interstate wars can rally societies around the flag, but they can also divide them based on individuals’ behavior and identities. Building on fieldwork in wartime Ukraine, we study the importance of collaboration and resistance, ethnic identity, and the interaction between behavior and identity. We examine how such divisions affect Ukrainians’ attitudes toward each other with two conjoint experiments (N=2,513). When choosing among potential neighbors, respondents prefer individuals who resisted over collaborators. However, two identity attributes—ethnic descent and exposure to Russian occupation of Ukrainian territory—activate biases that behavior alone does not fully overcome. Furthermore, we find that respondents value resistance less …

Evaluation Of The Healthy Eating And Recovery Together (Heart) Digital Health Intervention To Support Head And Neck Cancer Caregivers And Survivors, Katherine R. Sterba, Jessica L. Burris, Rong Duan, Benjamin A. Toll, Kent Armeson, Christina Sithideth, Bhishamjit Chera, Kenneth Ruggiero, Evan M. Graboyes

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors and their caregivers face significant challenges at the end of treatment and interventions are critically needed to support their needs. The Healthy Eating and Recovery Together (HEART) intervention includes a needs assessment and tailored care plan for dyads and an application (App) for caregivers. The objectives of this trial were to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and short-term effects of HEART on unmet needs and depression in HNC survivors and caregivers.

Methods: In a single arm clinical trial, HNC caregivers and survivors (n=23 dyads) completed baseline surveys followed by an in-person or virtual HEART …

Examining Obsessive-Compulsive Symptomatology And Maternal Functioning During The Postpartum Period: Implications For Disclosure And Assessment, Meghan Collins

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Maternal mental health is a significant global health concern, with nearly one in five new mothers experiencing a mental health disorder during the perinatal period. Timely screening, assessment, and treatment are critical for the well-being of both mother and infant, given the potential adverse effects of unaddressed mental health concerns. While much of the existing literature has focused on perinatal depression and anxiety, research specifically examining obsessive-compulsive symptoms and unwanted or intrusive thoughts remains limited. The present study investigated the relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and maternal functioning, as well as experiences related to the assessment and disclosure of intrusive thoughts. …

The Impact Of Long Covid On Mental Health, Marzena Podkalicka

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Since the emergence of the novel coronavirus, a significant portion of the global population has transitioned from acute infection to Long COVID, a multisystemic condition characterized by persistent symptoms lasting 4 weeks or longer. This study investigated the psychological impact of Long COVID, to explore rates of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and quality of life in people with Long COVID compared to those without it. A quantitative survey-based design was employed with a sample of 310 adults (Aged 18 to 90; M = 48.2). Participants completed validated instruments, including the Long COVID Questionnaire, Short Form Health Survey, General …

Associations Between Cognitive Scripts Of Insecure And Anomalous Attachment And Psychopathology Symptoms In A Normative-Risk Community Sample, Andrea “Andie” Youniss M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Adult insecure and disorganized attachment representations have been shown to be consistently associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms in adulthood. A recently validated coding system (Groh & Haydon, 2024) was developed to assess insecure (i.e., deactivating and hyperactivating) and disorganized (i.e., anomalous) scripted attachment representations via the Attachment Script Assessment (ASA; Waters & Waters, 2006) – a word prompt task traditionally designed to assess secure base script knowledge. Deactivating scripts reflect minimized or ignored attachment-relevant problems; hyperactivating scripts entail exacerbated attachment-relevant issues; and scripts with anomalous content contain disorganized or contradictory attachment-relevant concerns that shape how caregiving interactions are expected …

Culturally Responsive Dialectical Behavior Therapy With Chinese Sexual And Gender Minority Individuals: A Qualitative Study, Weiyi Liao M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Professional guidelines emphasize the importance of adapting evidence-based treatments to the cultural and contextual needs of minoritized populations. Although substantial research has examined lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) mental health, comparatively little is known about the psychotherapy experiences of Chinese sexual and gender minority individuals or how dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) may be delivered responsively with this population. DBT is an evidence-based treatment for emotion dysregulation, self-harm, and suicidal behavior that explicitly addresses the effects of invalidating environments. Because Chinese cultural contexts and LGBTQ-related minority stress may both shape emotional expression, help-seeking, and treatment experiences, this qualitative study …

Eeg Signatures Of Motor Development In Early Childhood: A Systematic Review, Sonia Khurana, Ashwini Kulkarni, Thomas C. Bulea, Hunter J. Bennett

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Early identification of motor developmental disorders is limited due to lack of objective neural markers that characterize typical neurodevelopmental patterns. This systematic review interprets and synthesizes existing evidence to propose a framework of EEG signatures associated with motor development in children aged 0-5 years, which may help inform future benchmarks for early assessment and intervention.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched published and gray literature across five databases between 2000 and 2025 (registered protocol). Included studies examined EEG during task-based, resting-state, or sleep studies linked to motor milestones, task performance, or standardized motor assessments. Study quality was assessed using …

To Use Silence Or Not Use Silence? A Qualitative Study Of Psychoanalysts’ Experience With Silence In Psychotherapy, Topaz Baumvoll M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Silence plays a multifaceted role within psychoanalytic theory and practice, yet remains understudied in therapeutic communication. While existing literature acknowledges silence as a significant aspect of therapeutic interaction, empirical studies specifically focusing on how psychoanalysts employ silence are scarce. This qualitative study addressed this gap by exploring how psychoanalysts understood and utilized silence in psychodynamic psychotherapy, identifying factors that influenced their perceptions of its use, and examining whether silence was experienced as conducive or obstructive to therapeutic interaction. Thirteen psychoanalysts (10 women, 3 men), aged 43 to 70, with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds and representing heterosexual and gay/queer orientations, …

The Utility And Application Of Exposure And Response Prevention For Religious Scrupulosity In Orthodox Jews: A Critical Literature Review, Michael (Avi) Gurell M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Religious scrupulosity is a subset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by obsessions and compulsions related to religious beliefs and observances (Abramowitz et al., 2002; Miller & Hedges, 2008). Exposure and response prevention (E/RP) is the most effective psychological intervention for OCD and is also the recommended treatment for religious scrupulosity (Abramowitz, 2006; Abramowitz & Buchholtz, 2020). Orthodox Judaism has a set of beliefs and observances, some of which may challenge the appropriateness of using E/RP in this population (Huppert et al., 2007; Huppert & Siev, 2010). Although studies (e.g., Bonchek & Greenberg, 2009; Greenberg & Shefler, 2008) have examined aspects …

The Impacts Of Outside Friendships On Marital Satisfaction In The Orthodox Jewish Population, Rebecca Elberger

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

There is robust literature that supports the idea that maintaining a strong network of friends and social ties can help reduce the pressure on marriage and contribute to a more balanced and fulfilling life. Additionally, George et al. (2023) found that friendships significantly impact relational satisfaction, across individual, family, and mutual friend groups. A regression analysis in their study revealed that family support for the relationship and liking the partner were the greatest predictors of satisfaction. There are approximately 2 million Jewish people in the Greater New York area and there has been a steady increase in the Jewish population …

Experiences Of Jewish Women In Continuous Identity Cognitive Therapy And The Conceptual Alignment Of Treatment Goals Of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Stages 3 And 4, Elisabeth Zigelstein

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Stages 1 and 2 of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which emphasize behavioral control and emotional experiencing, have received considerable operational and empirical attention, unlike the latter two stages of DBT which are meant to help individuals develop meaningful and fulfilling lives. CI-CT is a novel 12-week manualized group-psychotherapy intervention designed to enhance individuals’ connection to their life stories, future selves, and positive identities, while supporting the development of meaning-making and goal-directed behavior following suicidal crises and/or in the context of severe mental illness. This qualitative study explored 13 Jewish women’s experiences participating in a 10-session adaptation of CI-CT, following completion …

Formal Vs. Informal Disclosure Of Campus Sexual Assault: Social Reactions, Institutional Responses, And Associated Posttraumatic Stress, Karyna Fowler

Honors Theses

With research demonstrating increasing rates of sexual victimization on college campuses (Koss et al., 1987; Koss et al., 2022), sexual assault disclosure has become a critical construct with implications for victim-survivors’ posttraumatic stress (PTS) and healing. In the present mixed-methods study, college students (N = 558) at Bucknell University completed a survey assessing sexual victimization, disclosure, peer responses, institutional betrayal and support, and PTS; a subset (n = 9) participated in qualitative interviews examining social reactions, barriers to disclosure, and present functioning. Consistent with hypotheses, women reported significantly higher rates of sexual victimization than men; disclosure was relatively infrequent (26.5%) …

The Use Of Virtual Reality In Ptsd Research And Practice, Kenneth B. Abrams, Lindsay Okindo, Marta E. Bacon, Yiking Skylar Yu, Sofia Santamaria Germani, Malvika Malhotra, Nancy A. Cullen

Psychology Faculty Work

In the aftermath of traumatic events such as combat, sexual violence, or a natural disaster, individuals may develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Technological advancements in virtual reality (VR) over the past few decades have opened new avenues for improving the assessment, treatment, and understanding of PTSD. VR allows users to be immersed in interactive, computer-generated environments that simulate real-world scenarios, such as a warzone or assault location, that would be difficult or unsafe to reproduce using traditional methods. The present paper offers an overview of how VR technology has been employed in both clinical and research settings related to PTSD. …

The Restorative Effects Of Virtual Reality Nature Simulations: An Empirical Investigation, Isabel T. Folger, Yichen Zhang, Kenneth B. Abrams

Psychology Faculty Work

Although extensive research demonstrates that nature films can facilitate recovery from stress and cognitive overload, it remains unclear whether more immersive media, such as virtual reality (VR), are more effective than similar two-dimensional films. The present study examined the effects of immersiveness on affective, cognitive, and physiological restoration. Three levels of immersiveness for film viewing were employed: 2D (computer monitor), standard VR (visual and auditory input), and enhanced VR (standard VR plus olfactory and haptic input). All participants were exposed to parallel versions of a six-minute nature film. We hypothesized that greater immersiveness would produce stronger restorative effects. All versions …

Mmpi-3 Indicators Of Suicidal Ideation And Behavior In Post-9/11 Veterans, Alec Rothman

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Suicide remains a serious concern among post-9/11 U.S. military veterans, highlighting the need for effective tools to identify those at risk. This study examined whether the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3), a commonly used psychological test, can help assess suicide risk in this population.

I analyzed responses from 189 post-9/11 veterans, a group largely reflective of the current veteran population, who completed the MMPI-3 and other measures looking at their mental health and history of suicidal thoughts or attempts. I focused on the MMPI-3’s Suicidal/Death Ideation (SUI) scale, along with other MMPI-3 scales that measure internalizing symptoms (such as depression …

Beyond The Game: Educating Youth Coaches In Sport Psychology And Psychological Skills Training, John Wygant

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

This paper presents the development of a manualized program designed to train youth sport coaches to implement a psychological skills training (PST) program that enhances both athletic performance and mental health. Rooted in sport psychology and coaching expertise, this program introduces a novel approach to addressing youth mental health challenges through upstream intervention. With many young athletes facing mental health struggles and traditional efforts in schools and communities showing limited success, this program equips coaches to teach essential psychological skills such as goal setting, adaptive thinking, confidence, and emotional regulation. By integrating these skills into sports practices and presenting them …

Court-Mandated Parenting Intervention: A Parenting Program To Reduce Conflict And Increase Positive Coping Skills For High-Conflict Parents In Family Court, Joshua T. Metcalf

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

The number of children in the United States whose parents have either separated or divorced has continued to increase over time. While some parents are able to effectively co-parent their children after separation or divorce, others may be unwilling or unable to effectively do so. Parents who ineffectively co-parent their children, often referred to as high conflict co-parents, can often over utilize family court resources to solve disputes and to make co-parenting decisions. In the literature review presented, current co-parenting resources often utilized by family courts are explored and research regarding current co-parenting interventions is discussed. Additionally, key components of …

The Role Of Parenting In Mitigating Epigenetic Cardiometabolic Risk In Predominantly Latino Preschoolers, Adamari López

Open Access Master's Theses

Background: Childhood obesity is a highly prevalent public health concern with significant consequences for health and development across the lifespan. Risk is disproportionately elevated among children from marginalized racial and ethnic groups and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, highlighting persistent disparities in long-term health outcomes. Epigenomic mechanisms, including DNA methylation (DNAm), have emerged as a promising approach for understanding the biological embedding of metabolic risk; however, prior research has largely emphasized deficit-based models, with limited attention to protective family-level factors. The present study examined whether participation in a positive parenting intervention was associated with epigenetic cardiometabolic risk among preschool-aged children. Methods …

Supporting Student Success: Student Perceptions Of The Community College First-Year Experience, Jennifer Mullen

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study builds on existing research examining the impact of First-Year Experience (FYE) courses, with a specific focus on community college students, and expands the measures of success for these courses. Most scholarship on the impact of FYE courses on student success focuses on students at four-year institutions and emphasizes academic achievement and retention as key measures of success. In this study, data were collected from community college students enrolled in an FYE-101 course during the Fall of 2025. Pre- and post-course surveys (see Appendices B and C) were administered at the beginning and end of one 15-week and two …

An Exploration Of Vicarious Trauma In The Integrated Trauma Team, Victoria L. Hadix

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study aimed to explore the impacts of self-care, coping skills, and resilience on the perceptions of vicarious trauma by members of the trauma team in a small community hospital in the Northeastern United States, through the use of qualitative methodology and a semi-structured interview. The goal of this study was to gain an understanding of the mental health factors impacting health care professionals functioning in the fast-paced, demanding environment of the emergency room. Furthermore, the study explored health care professionals’ perceptions of the integrated trauma team and the relationships between individual and team-based characteristics. This study helped increase understanding …

Chin Up: Contextual Factors That Determine Positive Or Negative Reception Of Encouragement, Paige Tobias

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study investigated how relational closeness, trust, coping, spirituality, and religiosity impact a person’s subjective experience of encouragement. It also explored whether worldview alignment or the type of relationship determines whether a person experiences words of encouragement as positive or negative. Participants (n = 153) filled out questionnaires regarding these constructs as well as recalled times when they were encouraged and experienced that encouragement either positively or negatively. Results showed that positive and negative coping styles and relationship closeness were predictors of a positive experience with encouragement. Coping alignment with the recipient of the encouragement was a predictor for both …

Expanding Clinical Understanding Of Suicidality In Queer Adolescents, Garrett Cash

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Suicidality is seen at an exceptionally high rate for both sexual minority and gender minority youth (Zaza et al., 2016; Thoma et al., 2019). The American Psychological Association (APA) has set out guidelines for mental health providers working with queer youth (APA 2015 and APA 2021) but does not require clinicians to adhere to them, labeling them as “aspirational.” To bridge the gap in clinician education on how to best support this group, an organizing framework based on etiological and preventative research is necessary. This would allow providers to more accurately and efficiently assess and respond to risk. The Salience-Occurrence …

Religiosity And Political Affiliation As Moderators For Climate Change Belief, Jenna L. Hiljus

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Climate change remains a polarized issue in the United States despite broad scientific consensus. The present study examined how specific variables within political ideology (social and economic conservatism) and religiosity (belief, praxis, and morality) relate to climate change belief among undergraduate students at a private Christian university. Participants (N = 130) completed measures of climate change perceptions, multidimensional religiosity, and social and economic conservatism. Correlational analyses showed medium-sized, negative relationships between climate change belief and both social and economic conservatism, with no significant difference between the two domains. This finding suggests that political conservatism may operate as a unified construct …

Utility Of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–Third Edition (Mmpi-3) Eating Concerns Scale In A Bariatric Sample, Darryl Ray

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The utility of the Eating Concerns (EAT) scale on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–3 (MMPI-3) was examined in a preoperative bariatric sample through comparisons with established measures and an assessment of internal consistency. Participants (N = 161) enrolled in a bariatric surgery program completed a comprehensive preoperative psychological evaluation that included the MMPI-3, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), and the Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire–Short Form (WEL-SF). The EAT scale differentiated the disordered eating groups and showed moderate associations with the TFEQ-C, TFEQ-D, and WEL-SF. Within this sample, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the EAT scale was lower than the alpha …