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Factor Structure Of Ptsd, And Relation With Gender In Trauma Survivors From India, Ruby Charak, Cherie Armour, Ask Elklit, Disket Angmo, Jon D. Elhai, Hans M. Koot

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Background: The factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been extensively studied in Western countries. Some studies have assessed its factor structure in Asia (China, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia), but few have directly assessed the factor structure of PTSD in an Indian adult sample. Furthermore, in a largely patriarchal society in India with strong gender roles, it becomes imperative to assess the association between the factors of PTSD and gender.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to assess the factor structure of PTSD in an Indian sample of trauma survivors based on prevailing models of PTSD defined …

Application Of An Ecological Model To The Labeling Of Sexual Aggression, Wendy Perkins

Learning Showcase 2014

Many women enrolled in college experience rape and other forms of sexual aggression. Afterwards, women must make sense of what occurred and often place a label on their experiences. Research indicates that even when the legal requirements for rape are met, most women do not apply this label to their experiences. This study examines predictors of labeling an incident of sexual aggression as being rape, using data that was collected from university women as part of a longitudinal study examining risk and protective factors related to sexual and relationship aggression. An ecological model is used to test the hypothesis that …

Reliability Of Eyewitness Reports To A Major Aviation Accident, Dave English, Michael Kuzel

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

There is a paucity of studies on the reliability of eyewitness reports to aviation crashes. We examine witness statements to a widely observed major airline accident to determine if reported accident investigator distrust of details in eyewitness reports is supported by empirical evidence. The extensive archival witness record (N > 300) of a wide-body airliner crash in clear daylight conditions is subjected to statistical analysis to test eyewitness reliability. Even with over 200 witnesses within a three square kilometre (1.6 square mile) area answering a binary observation question, the variance is sometimes high enough to preclude forming statistically significant conclusions …

Understanding The Role Of Technology In The Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of Children: The Perspective Of Law Enforcement., Kimberly J. Mitchell, Dana Boyd

Crimes Against Children Research Center

This exploratory study was conducted to better assess how technology can be used in criminal investigations; it is important to get a better understanding of how technology is currently employed in child sex trafficking as well as the approaches and needs of law enforcement. 144 investigators from Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces and affiliate agencies responded to an online semi‐structured survey, including 45 investigators with experience conducting investigations of the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) that involved technology. Participants included investigators working in local, county, and state law enforcement agencies in the United States. The discussion suggested …

Edwin Medina - The Influence Of Faith On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Mexican Americans, Edwin Medina

Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program 2014

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship faith has to the eleven dimensions that constitute psychological and social well-being. Though there is an existing body of literature concerned with the relationship between faith and well-being, the work examining this relationship among the Hispanic population is limited. With Latinos now constituting the single largest minority population in the United States, we employed data from a sample of 137 Mexican Americans from Wisconsin. We examined the relationship faith salience and religious behaviors have on six dimensions of psychological well-being (Ryff, 2014) and five dimensions of social well-being (Keyes, 1998). …

Modifying The Criminalization Hypothesis: Predicting Jail Diversion Outcome With Clinical, Criminological, And Personality Factors, Wen Gu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

There are a disproportionate number of individuals with serious mental illness in the criminal justice system, compared to the general population. Mental health courts and jail diversion programs were developed to divert individuals with mental illness out of jails into community treatment to ease the overburden of treating psychiatric disorders in the criminal justice system. These programs have become increasing popular, but little is known about the characteristics of the diverted individuals that result in successful outcomes. The purpose of this study is to test different causal models of noncompliance as predicted by clinical, criminological, and personality variables, and examine …

A Meta-Analysis Of The Prediction Of Violence Among Adults With Mental Disorders, Hing Po Lam

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The study of the risk for violence among persons with mental disorders has received substantial scientific attention over the past few decades; however, many uncertainties and controversies remain due to the wide disparities in the reported results. Using the state-of-the-art perspective of public health, a meta-analysis was conducted to clarify the ambiguities by synthesizing quantitative findings from 85 research reports (completed between January 1970 and May 2010) on violence risk assessment among mentally disordered adults. Results of this meta-analytic study revealed that the estimates of the prevalence of violence among the psychiatric population varied considerably from 1.1% to 78.4% with …

Another Year Of Great Strides, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez

Psychology Faculty Publications

Four more issues of the Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research have been printed. I have exciting updates to share and new developments to report, but above all, I want to take a moment to thank the authors for submitting their fine work to our Journal. They provide the content that is critical to the advancement of science. I also want to thank reviewers for their tireless work on behalf of Psi Chi Journal. Their excellent peer reviews provide the feedback necessary for us to meet the Journal’s mission “to foster and reward the scholarly efforts of psychology students as …

Examining The Associations Of Racism, Sexism, And Stressful Life Events On Psychological Distress Among African-American Women, Danelle Stevens-Watkins, Brea Perry, Erin L. Pullen, Jennifer Jewell, Carrie B. Oser

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

African-American women may be susceptible to stressful events and adverse health outcomes as a result of their distinct social location at the intersection of gender and race. Here, racism and sexism are examined concurrently using survey data from 204 African-American women residing in a southeastern U.S. urban city. Associations among racism, sexism, and stressful events across social roles and contexts (i.e., social network loss, motherhood and childbirth, employment and finances, personal illness and injury, and victimization) are investigated. Then, the relationships among these stressors on psychological distress are compared, and a moderation model is explored. Findings suggest that racism and …

Exploring The Illusion Of Transparency When Lying And Truth-Telling: The Impact Of Age, Self-Consciousness, And Framing, Jason Mandelbaum

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Individuals often overestimate the ability of others to accurately determine their internal states. This illusion of transparency has been shown to manifest itself in everyday scenarios, including when people are asked to estimate if others can tell when they are lying. Yet it has not been observed when truth-telling, nor investigated developmentally. The current experiments tested for an illusion of transparency when individuals were truth-telling and lying and investigated how a participant's age, dispositional self-consciousness, situational self-awareness and how questions were framed impacted the strength and prevalence of the illusion of transparency.

In Experiments 1 and 2, children and adolescents …

Risk Assessment Of Sexually Abusive Clergy: Utility Of Sex Offender Risk Instruments With A Unique Offender Subgroup, Anthony Perillo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Sex offender risk instruments provide empirically based outlooks on recidivism risk and often serve as a critical part of sex offender management. If applied to unrepresented offender groups, these instruments may offer inaccurate pictures of risk and hinder efforts to reduce sexual violence. With little research available on sexually abusive clergy prior to the abuse scandal of the early 2000s, sexually abusive clergy are one group not represented in the research used to develop risk measures. An understanding of the validity of current risk assessment practices with sexually abusive clergy is critical and timely, as changes to the handling of …

Every Breath You Take: An Examination Of The Natural Phenomenon Of Stalking, Gordon A. Crews, Sara K. Green, Paige A. Heinrich

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

Everyone is a potential stalker, given the right set of circumstances. There are a vast number of tools readily available—from social media networking to easily accessible websites that provide background checks for a minimal fee—that allow individuals to observe the life (or lives) of whomever they so desire. But what are the innate, essential traits and characteristics of an individual that extends beyond the more normative expression of romantic interest and the general curiosity that is a natural and accepted occurrence for anyone who has ever been infatuated with another? This paper will consider the intentionality and motivation behind stalking, …

Every Breath You Take: An Examination Of The Natural Phenomenon Of Stalking, Gordon A. Crews, Sara K. Green, Paige A. Heinrich

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Everyone is a potential stalker, given the right set of circumstances. There are a vast number of tools readily available—from social media networking to easily accessible websites that provide background checks for a minimal fee—that allow individuals to observe the life (or lives) of whomever they so desire. But what are the innate, essential traits and characteristics of an individual that extends beyond the more normative expression of romantic interest and the general curiosity that is a natural and accepted occurrence for anyone who has ever been infatuated with another? This paper will consider the intentionality and motivation behind stalking, …

The Impact Of Dance/Movement Classes On Adolescent Behavior In An Urban High School Setting, Dinesha Demesa-Simpson

Theses and Dissertations

The inclusion of the arts in education has been undervalued and overlooked by many public school districts throughout the country. As a result of cutbacks, dance programs in educational settings have become an afterthought. In this study the relationship between dance/movement classes and disruptive behavior was analyzed in a sample of 45 at risk students in an urban high school setting. The findings supported the hypothesis that a) dance classes can be utilized as an intervention to reduce stress and b) students who participate in dance programs in public school settings will develop self-control, self-regulation and exhibit less disruptive behavior. …

Developmental Trajectories Of Physical Aggression And Nonaggressive Rule-Breaking Among At-Risk Males And Females During Late Childhood And Early Adolescence, Eugena Givens

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Criminological, psychological, and developmental researchers have relentlessly explored behavioral characteristics and juvenile justice outcomes in an effort to establish the most appropriate means of analyzing childhood and adolescent problem behaviors. Cross-discipline, empirical evidence and factor analytic research has consistently identified the presence of two predictive concepts, physical aggression and nonaggressive rule-breaking. Research pertaining to the risk factors and correlates of these two distinct substructures of offending align with theoretically postulated typologies of delinquency and offending as well as the frequently cited patterns of delinquency and offending within reviews of longitudinal research. Using longitudinal data from a sample of 756 at-risk, …

Screening And Diagnostic Validity Of Affinity 2.5, Heather Lynn Stephenson

Theses and Dissertations

Affinity 2.5 is a computer-based instrument designed to assess sexual interest using viewing-time measures. Viewing-time measures of sexual interest have been developed to identify individuals with deviant sexual interest. The purpose of this study is to examine the validity of Affinity 2.5 in screening and diagnosing individuals with sexually deviant interests. This study used viewing time profiles of known sexual offenders compared to norm-referenced profiles of an exclusively heterosexual, non-pedophilic college population. Participants were 155 males and 3 females who had sexually offended against children and 63 male and 84 female non-offender college students. Results show that 43.7% of offenders …

A Transdiagnostic Social Skills Intervention: Using A Structured Story To Teach Children How To Ask A Friend To Play, Elizabeth Santy

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

An (independent samples comparison) controlled study was conducted to assess the efficacy of a novel approach to social skills training for children in a local socialization group at Knippenberg, Patterson & Associates (KPA). The treatment condition involved the combination of a Structured Story (i.e., novel bibliotherapy technique for children with social skills deficits), and a behavioral rehearsal (or role-play) segment, where the children practiced the target social skill featured in the Structure Story. The control group did not receive the Structured Story nor the behavioral rehearsal. Children in both groups engaged in ten-minutes of free play that was videorecorded for …

Asperger's Disorder In Older Adulthood: The Unique Treatment Concerns And Implications For Applying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Brian Beaumund

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This article provides a theoretical consideration for the problems faced by older adults diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder as well as implications for applying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with this distinct population. The author presents the relevant literature concerning the unique presentation and common problems of each, traditionally distinct population: (a) older adults and (b) Asperger’s Disorder. The author then extrapolates this data into a theoretical conceptualization of the unique clinical presentation and treatment considerations for the underrepresented population of older adults with Asperger’s Disorder. The author then presents a review of the relevant literature concerning the application of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy …

Examining The Pathway From Maternal Criminal Involvement To Adolescent Delinquency, Dina Chavira

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

As incarceration rates across the United States have continued to rise, there has been growing concern with the unintended consequences that have resulted. This has prompted researchers across multiple disciplines to study the effects of incarceration at the individual, family, community, and societal levels. An important but overlooked factor pertains to extensive multiple social service agency involvement and missed opportunities for intervention. Families involved with the criminal justice system (CJS) are often at risk of involvement with other human service agencies, one agency being the child welfare system (CWS). Little is known about families who fall within these two systems, …

Affective And Cognitive Empathy Deficits Distinguish Primary And Secondary Variants Of Callous-Unemotional Youth, Rachel E. Kahn

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined whether a sample of detained male adolescents (n = 107; Mean age = 15.50; SD = 1.30) could be disaggregated into two distinct groups, consistent with past research on primary and secondary variants of callous-unemotional (CU) traits in adolescents. This study also sought to determine a possible explanation for the CU traits among youth in the secondary variant by examining whether they differ from primary variants on measures of cognitive and affective empathy. Using Latent Profile Analyses, two groups of adolescents high on CU traits were identified, a large group (n = 30) high …

A Comparison Of Risk-Taking Measures, Brittany Lang

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Risk-taking is an important construct that correlates with many areas of study such as substance abuse, psychological disorders, life-span changes and military involvement. As risk- taking is such a broadly defined construct, there are many different means used to measure it. Ironically, there has never been a study done to see whether or not these measures are looking at the same type of risk-taking. Our study investigated the differences and similarities in three risk- taking measures, the Balloon Analogue Risk-Task (BART), the TCU Self-Rating Form and the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking scale (DOSPERT). We analyzed the results within each participant to see …

Crime And Psychiatric Disorders Among Youth In The Us Population: An Analysis Of The National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement, Kendell L. Coker, Philip H. Smith, Alexander Westphal, Howard V. Zonana, Sherry A. Mckee

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective Current knowledge regarding psychiatric disorders and crime in youth is limited to juvenile justice and community samples. This study examined relationships between psychiatric disorders and self-reported crime involvement in a sample of youth representative of the US population. Method The National Comorbidity Survey–Adolescent Supplement (N = 10,123; ages 13–17 years; 2001–2004) was used to examine the relationship between lifetime DSM-IV–based diagnoses, reported crime (property, violent, other), and arrest history. Logistic regression compared the odds of reported crime involvement with specific psychiatric disorders to those without any diagnoses, and examined the odds of crime by psychiatric comorbidity. Results Prevalence of …

Community Perceptions Of Rape And Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study In Rural Tanzania, Muzdalfat Abeid, Projestine Muganyizi, Pia Olsson, Elisabeth Darj, Pia Axemo

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Rape of women and children is recognized as a health and human rights issue in Tanzania and internationally. Exploration of the prevailing perceptions in rural areas is needed in order to expand the understanding of sexual violence in the diversity of Tanzania’s contexts. The aim of this study therefore was to explore and understand perceptions of rape of women and children at the community level in a rural district in Tanzania with the added objective of exploring those perceptions that may contribute to perpetuating and/or hindering the disclosure of rape incidences.

Methods: A qualitative design was employed using focus …

Prison, Perceptions, And Policy: Authoritarianism And Attitudes Toward Sexual Assault Victims In U.S. Correctional Facilities, Amy Michelle Magnus

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Existing research on sexual victimization in correctional facilities has expanded since the enactment of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003. Previous literature suggests that the prevalence of sexual victimization in prisons is unknown, yet the known ramifications of reported sexual assaults are serious for both the individuals involved and the institution. Government policies such as the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003 attempt to address the issue of sexual violence in U.S. correctional facilities. Limitations of PREA, however, derive from a lack of clear distinction between coerced and consensual behavior and how these ideas manifest and co-exist …

Reducing Court-Related Stress Through Court Education: Examining Child Witnesses, Attorneys And Parents, Brittnie Turquoise Watkins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Court education presents a useful approach to addressing children's stress, anxiety or fear related to testifying. The current study uses a pretest-posttest design to evaluate whether Kids' Court School (KCS), a court education program in Clark County, Nevada, reduces court-related stress in child witnesses. In addition, attorneys' and parents' concerns related to various elements of the child's impending testimony, are evaluated. The measure used to assess stress was the Court-Related Stress Scale (CRSS), a 10-item Likert scale adapted from the Stressfulness of Life Scale. In addition, open-ended questions were posed at the time of posttest. The CRSS was administered to …

Predictors Of Major Commitment, Anna Jill Womack

Master's Theses

Contextual (e.g. job fit, job involvement), individual (e.g. job satisfaction, need for achievement), and demographic (e.g. gender, educational level) factors have been related to forms of career commitment (i.e. affective, continuance, and normative commitment), highlighting that the commitment one feels toward his or her career is a complex variable. Furthermore, commitment has been associated with intent to remain within a profession or organization (Bowling, Beehr, & Lepisto, 2006; Den Hartog & Belschak, 2007; Duffy, Dik, & Steger, 2011; Goulet & Singh, 2002), suggesting that commitment is an important component of retention within a career. Correspondingly, commitment to one's academic major …

Interpersonal Needs And Suicide: Strengthening Measurement In An Offender Population, Rose Angeline Gonzalez

Dissertations

A disproportionate number of prisoners suffer from mental illness and engage in suicidal ideation or behaviors when compared to community adults (Tartaro & Lester, 2005; Torrey, Kennard, Eslinger, Lamb, & Pavle, 2010), placing a heavy burden on the correctional system for both housing and mental health treatment (Baillargeon et al., 2009). The Interpersonal-Psychological (IP) theory has been offered as a comprehensive framework for understanding and evaluating suicide risk (Joiner, 2005). The theory delineates two components that underlie both suicidal ideation and suicide behaviors, called interpersonal needs and acquired capability (Joiner, 2005). Although this theory could offer a clinically useful method …

The Fatherhood Factor: The Impact Of The Father-Child Relationship On The Social, Interpersonal, And Recidivism Risk Factors Of Previously Incarcerated Men, Larissa A. Maley

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Of the men who return home from prison, nearly 7 out of 10 will be re-arrested and sent back within 3 years of their release (Travis, Solomon, & Waul, 2001). This trend has large- scale implications, not just for individuals, but for their families and communities as well. Clearly, understanding the factors that contribute to a man’s success or failure in staying out of prison is extremely important in constructing policy and programs to assist these at-risk individuals and communities. Of the few studies that have explored the lives of previously incarcerated men, some have found fatherhood to be a …

Organizational Interventions For Restoring Justice In The Workplace, Wanyi Ma Lai

Dissertations

This study examined the impact of organizational interventions in the aftermath of a workplace injustice. Using restorative justice theory, I explored how four different interventions may differentially impact a victim’s levels of forgiveness, reconciliation, revenge motivation, and avoidance motivation. It was found that not acknowledging an injustice had taken place could lead to increased revenge motivation or avoidance behaviors, which could be potentially counterproductive in a work environment. On the other hand, results indicated that an important element of minimizing undesirable responses and increasing the potential for positive responses could be extending a sincere apology for the transgression. Forgiveness was …

The Effect Of Meritocratic Worldviews On Mental Illness Stigma, Andrew Newsom

Dissertations (1934 -)

Mental illness stigma is an ongoing barrier to the treatment of individuals experiencing psychiatric distress. Many individuals who need mental health services avoid treatment due to fear and shame. Understanding the determinants of mental illness stigma is an important step toward increasing treatment seeking and effectiveness. One meritocratic worldview (The Protestant Work Ethic or the belief that hard work, determination, and responsibility lead to positive outcomes) has been consistently shown to be related to mental illness stigma. The present study examines the connection between the Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) and attitudes toward mental illness. A sample of Marquette University students …