Digital Commons Network^™

Serum Kynurenic Acid Is Reduced In Affective Psychosis, B. E. Wurfel, W. C. Drevets, S. A. Bliss, J. R. Mcmillin, H. Suzuki, B. N. Ford, H. M. Morris, T. K. Teague, R. Dantzer, J. B. Savitz

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

A subgroup of individuals with mood and psychotic disorders shows evidence of inflammation that leads to activation of the kynurenine pathway and the increased production of neuroactive kynurenine metabolites. Depression is hypothesized to be causally associated with an imbalance in the kynurenine pathway, with an increased metabolism down the 3-hydroxykynurenine (3HK) branch of the pathway leading to increased levels of the neurotoxic metabolite, quinolinic acid (QA), which is a putative Nmethyl- D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonist. In contrast, schizophrenia and psychosis are hypothesized to arise from increased metabolism of the NMDA receptor antagonist, kynurenic acid (KynA), leading to hypofunction of GABAergic …

Analyzing Songs Used For Lyric Analysis With Mental Health Consumers Using Linguistic Inquiry And Word Count (Liwc) Software, Ashley M. Miller

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Lyric analysis is one of the most commonly used music therapy interventions with the mental health population, yet there is a gap in the research literature regarding song selection. The primary purpose of this study was to determine distinguishing linguistic characteristics of song lyrics most commonly used for lyric analysis with mental health consumers, as measured by LIWC2015 software. A secondary purpose was to provide an updated song list resource for music therapists and music therapy students working with the mental health population. The researcher emailed a survey to 6,757 board-certified music therapists, 316 of whom completed the survey. Respondents …

An Examination Of Attribute Trade And Weight Stigma In Online Dating, Rachel Sienko

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Weight stigma refers to biased treatment or attitudes based on weight. This has been documented to occur in a variety of settings (including relationships) and can result in many negative consequences, but its impact in the contemporary online dating arena is largely unexplored. Therefore, Study 1 of this project examined who experiences weight stigma in online dating and what factors predicted weight stigma. It was hypothesized that a) women would be more likely than men to experience weight stigma; b) compassion, beliefs about obese persons, attitudes toward obese persons, social dominance orientation, narcissism, objectification, self-classification of overweight status, and internalized …

The Lived Experiences Of Low Income Parents Of Children With Autism, Renee L. Sullivan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous studies indicated that parents raising children with autism (CWA) experience higher rates of stress; however, no qualitative studies have addressed low-income parents' lived experiences of raising CWA. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the challenges that low-income parents of CWA face daily within the framework of family systems theory and biopsychosocial theory. Research questions focused on the impact of income and the core symptoms of autism (social deficits, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors) on marital and interpersonal relationships. Semistructured interviews with 13 parents were conducted, and transcripts were analyzed for themes using a 4-step process. …

Rural Colorado Drug Courts: A Program Evaluation Of Two Different Modalities, Arthur Kleinschmidt Kleinschmidt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the Colorado Judicial Branch, 78 problem-solving courts operate in the 20 judicial districts in Colorado. The Summit County and Eagle County drug court programs are located in Colorado's Fifth Judicial District and have not been previously studied. Evaluating treatment programs for effectiveness contributes to social change because it ensures individuals in need of treatment are receiving the proper services. The Eagle County drug court program had 117 participants and the Summit County drug court program had 33 participants. The Summit County Drug Court used 2 cognitive behavioral therapies: moral reconation therapy and strategies for self-improvement and change. The …

Effects Of The Walters Criminal Lifestyle Program On Offenders' Criminal Thinking Styles, Alessandre Singher Singher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have documented the high prevalence of crime in society and the need for programs to assist in the reduction of crime. Social cognitive and criminal lifestyle theories were the two major theoretical frameworks applied to this study due to their focus on the influence of cognitive change on behavioral modifications. A lifestyle approach in such programs reshapes criminal thoughts and transforms criminal behaviors. The efficacy of a lifestyle program in a community correctional facility outside of federal prison walls, modified to run 3 months with parolees and probationers, lacks evidenced research. Using a 2x3 between groups factorial ANCOVA, archival …

Subjective Experience Of Empathy In Schizotypy Elicited By Literary Fictional Narrative, Christa "Anahata" Neuman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The elaborate and multidimensional systems that are involved in the personal and subjective experience of empathy are largely unexplored. Nevertheless, when empathy is measured as a static trait there is considerable evidence that individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizotypy demonstrate altered and reduced empathic abilities respectively (Thirioux, 2014). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect that the context of reading literary fiction has on a portion of the process of empathic responding in relation to schizotypal traits, taking into consideration personal factors including current mood. A new measure for the use of momentary assessment of empathy was …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Depressive-Rumination On Prospective Memory, Mark Primosch

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Depression is related to prospective memory (PM) impairment. However, the research on depression-related PM impairment remains inconclusive. No study to date has taken into account the possible effects of depressive-rumination, which is known to impair executive functions underlying PM. The current study addresses this gap in the literature. Participants: Participants were grouped according to self-reported depression severity per the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II). Fifty-five individuals with low (BDI-II < 8), 17 individuals with moderate (BDI-II 9-18), and 16 individuals with high (BDI-II > 19) symptoms of depression were included in the study. Method: Participants completed demographic and trait and state rumination questionnaires. Participants within each …

Are You Feeling Me?: The Role Of Attention In Physiological Empathetic Responses, Gabriela Paganini

Scripps Senior Theses

This study examined the role of attention and trait empathy within the production of neural facial mimicry responses that have been previously found to be associated with the experience of empathy. More specifically, do people who have high trait empathy levels require less attention to emotional information in order to still exhibit these physiological responses than people who have lower trait empathy levels? It has previously been demonstrated that responses in the zygomaticus and corrugator muscles have been associated with the experience of empathy. College aged participants were shown series of happy, angry, and neutral faces with the amount of …

Prosocial/Civic Interests, Prosocial/Civic Behaviors, And Participation In The Arts, Donald J. Polzella

Psychology Faculty Publications

Executive Summary

A useful strategy for understanding the benefits of participating in the arts is to focus on audience members rather than on artists or performers (Brown & Novak, 2007). Previous research employing this strategy provided a framework for the present study. Polzella & Forbis (2013, 2014) used logistic regression to analyze data from 6257 households who took part in the 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA). Three pro-social behaviors (voting in the 2004 presidential election, making charitable donations or volunteering time, and attending community meetings) were regressed on what the NEA considers “traditional” music audience participation …

Assessment Of Family Impact In Pediatric Chronic Pain, Lauren E. Harrison

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Pediatric chronic pain causes significant interference in daily functioning for children and their families. While parents and families have been examined in previous research, gaps exist in the current literature base, particularly related to accurate conceptualization and assessment of family functioning. The current study sought to develop a measure of family impact of pediatric pain and examine the effects that pain severity, functional disability, and parent and child psychosocial functioning have on family functioning. Results indicated parents of children with chronic pain appear to be impacted across several domains, with psychological distress in the child and parent being a significant …

Processing Of Spatial Information In Social And Non-Social Stimuli By Opioid-Exposed And Non-Exposed Newborns, Alyson J. Hock

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The ability to process information from faces is important for effective social functioning. Adults are experts at this function. It has been suggested that the encoding of configural spatial relations among facial features (e.g., the distance between the eyes) contributes to this expertise. I investigated the developmental origin of face processing expertise by studying typically developing newborns’ sensitivity to the distance between the eyes and between the nose and the mouth in face stimuli. Further, I investigated whether prenatal opioid exposure is associated with neonates’ processing of spatial information in social and non-social stimuli. Infants with prenatal opioid-exposure are at …

Specialist Program In School Of Psychology Policies And Procedures Handbook, Nova Southeastern University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Extraversion, Empathy, And Humor Style: An Investigation Of The Introverted Sense Of Humor, Phillip Jauregui

CMC Senior Theses

The present study assesses the effects of extraversion, empathy, and humor style on humor score, while specifically focusing on the introverted sense of humor. 129 participants recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk took a survey consisting of the extraversion subscale of the Ten Item Short Version of the Big Five Inventory, the Humor Styles Questionnaire, and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. The study supported previous findings in which extraversion positively relates to humor such that extraverts reported a greater usage of humor than did introverts. More specifically, both extraverts and introverts use adaptive humor styles (i.e. affiliative and self-enhancing humor) more than …

A Critical Look Through The Eyes Of Youth : A Study Examining High School Student Experiences Of Disrespect From Teachers In Relation To Race And Anxiety And Depression, Annika L. Marques Yokum

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study examined high school students’ experiences of perceived disrespect enacted by a teacher. The study was grounded in a critical race theory approach that informed data collection and results. Quantitative and qualitative reports were evaluated to determine possible relations between race, non-clinical reports of anxiety and depression and teacher-disrespect in high school. Participants were recruited from East Coast and West Coast regions and included current high school students and emerging adults creating a final sample size of 20 participants. Findings revealed that most participants discussed racial microaggressions when asked about disrespect and experienced significant symptoms of anxiety and depression …

The Problem Of Evidence : Philosophy Of Science And Evidence Based Practice In Clinical Social Work, Bronwyn DepréS

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Evidence Based Practice is one of the most prevalent concepts in social work today, guiding social workers across the world. This theoretical thesis examines Evidence Based Practice, its theoretic foundations, and its application in social work, using the theories of Logical Positivism and Critical Rationalism from Philosophy of Science. Philosophy of Science is a branch in Philosophy that studies and theorizes about precisely what science is, how science works, the implications of science, and the logic behind it. This thesis argues that Logical Positivism is the scientific foundation that Evidence Based Practice rests on, and uses Critical rationalism to dispute …

Developmental Functioning Of Infants And Toddlers With Autism And Cerebral Palsy, Xinrui Jiang

LSU Master's Theses

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have one or more comorbid medical conditions including cerebral palsy (CP). Due to the overlaps between ASD and CP symptomatology (e.g., impairments in speech, repetitive movements, atypical sensory issues), co-occurring CP often leads to delayed diagnoses of ASD interfering with early interventions and subsequently affecting functional outcome. Utilizing the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits-Part 1 (BISCUIT-Part 1) and the Battelle Developmental Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-2), this study assessed and compared ASD symptomatology and developmental functioning in three groups of infants and toddlers, namely, those with ASD only, those with …

Does Training Enhance Entraining? Musical Ability And Neural Signatures Of Beat Perception, Kira Pinard-Welyczko

Honors Papers

Perception of beat and meter is a nearly universal human skill that requires little to no conscious effort. However, the extent to which music training influences this perception in the brain remains unknown. Music performance requires high sensitivity to timing and physical entrainment to external auditory stimuli. Additionally, compared to untrained individuals, musicians show higher performance on a number of auditory and speech tasks, as well as different brain morphology and fiber connections. Beat and meter perception are thought to be subtended by oscillations of groups of neurons at corresponding frequencies. Here, electroencephalography (EEG) was used to examine the magnitude …

E-Cigarette Use Among Individuals Diagnosed With An Eating Disorder, Alexa Mary L'Insalata

Honors Papers

BACKGROUND. E-cigarette use has increased exponentially in recent years. Prior research suggests that some adult e-cigarette users vape to lose weight. The current study examined whether rates of vaping to lose weight are elevated among American adults diagnosed with an eating disorder (i.e., Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, or Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder [OSFED]).

METHODS. American adult e-cigarette users who reported vaping at least weekly and who either had a history of an eating disorder (n = 205, 86.3% with a current diagnosis, 75.2% female, 83.0% White, 33.54 [SD = 8.90] years, 71.4% cigarette smokers) or …

Multiple Maltreatment And Adverse Childhood Experiences: Exploring Cumulative Threats To Attachment Quality, James E. Barnett

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Child maltreatment is associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms across the lifespan. Maltreatment often co-occurs with other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as parental incarceration or substance use. Studies have examined child maltreatment and other ACEs mostly independently, and both variables have been linked to poor adult functioning, such as insecure attachments. However, research discerning the unique contributions of maltreatment versus ACEs in predicting developmental outcomes is limited. For example, it is unclear if these connections to adult functioning persist across both early and middle adulthood. Recent studies suggest that maltreatment and ACEs uniquely predicting socioemotional problems. However, other studies …

Sleep And Pain In Older Adults: The Role Of Negative And Positive Affect, Scott Ravyts

Theses and Dissertations

Poor sleep is known to contribute to increased levels of pain. Preliminary findings suggest that negative and positive affect may mediate this relationship. Given that older adults are prone to both sleep disturbance and pain, the main objectives of the present study were to: 1) examine the relationship between sleep and pain in a non-clinical pain sample of community-dwelling older adults and 2) to examine whether negative and positive affect mediate the relationship between sleep and pain. Baseline measures from 82 older adults participating in the Active Adult Mentoring Project (AAMP) were used for secondary data analysis. A daily sleep …

Cortical Thickness Of Neural Substrates Supporting Cognitive Empathy In Individuals With Schizophrenia, Derin J. Cobia, Suena H. Massey, Daniel Stern, Eva C. Alden, Julie E. Petersen, Lei Wang, John G. Csernansky, Matthew J. Smith

Faculty Publications

Background—Cognitive empathy is supported by the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC), insula (INS), supplementary motor area (SMA), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), and precuneus (PREC). In healthy controls, cortical thickness in these regions has been linked to cognitive empathy. As cognitive empathy is impaired in schizophrenia, we examined whether reduced cortical thickness in these regions was associated with poorer cognitive empathy in this population.

Methods—41 clinically-stable community-dwelling individuals with schizophrenia and 46 healthy controls group-matched on demographic variables completed self-report empathy questionnaires, a cognitive empathy task, and structural magnetic resonance imaging. We examined between-group …

The Relationship Between College Students’ Purpose In Life And Risk-Taking Behavior, Anna Church

All Master's Theses

The relationship between college students’ sense of purpose in life and their self-reported risky substance use and sexual behavior was investigated. Participants from a northwestern university (N = 174) answered questions online from questionnaires measuring meaning in life, alcohol use, substance use, sexual risk behavior, and social desirability. A MANCOVA analysis was conducted. The results demonstrated no statistically significant effects. Strengths and limitations of the study as well as directions for future research and therapeutic interventions are discussed.

Effects Of Screen Light Filtering Software On Sleep And Morning Alertness, Hengyu Chi

All Master's Theses

Research has shown that blue light can impact the circadian rhythm. Research has also suggested that use of electronic devices, such as computers and televisions that emit blue light before sleep, can negatively impact sleep quality. This research has led to the creation of computer software which lowers the levels of blue light in the evening to help with sleep. This study looked at the impact of wavelength filtering software on sleep onset, sleep duration and subjective alertness after morning waking of four college students. The college students were randomized into two groups and had the wavelength filtering software f.lux …

Group Equine Assisted Therapy: A Novel Approach For Treating Adolescents Diagnosed With Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Nicole C. Wozniak

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a pervasive form of mental illness which affects millions of youth ages 12-18. It is characterized by a frequent and persistent pattern of angry mood, defiant behavior, and/or vindictiveness. Teenagers afflicted with ODD are often unwilling to participate in treatment and have difficulty responding to traditional therapy models. The current "Best Practices" model for treating ODD is extensive family therapy. As of today, there is no Best Practice method for providing direct treatment to the young people themselves. Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT) has been found to be qualitatively effective in reducing ODD symptoms in the …

A Narrative Analysis Of Resilience And Coping In Persons Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis, Mildred Christian Alford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A Narrative Analysis of Resilience and Coping in

Persons Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis

by

Mildred C. Alford

Ph.D., Ed., Berne International Graduate University, 1998

M.S. Ed., Texas A & M University, Commerce, 1989

B.S., Psychology, University of Houston, 1976

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Health Psychology

Walden University

June 2017

Memory Retention Rates Of Gossip-Related Information, Hannah R. Rogers

Honors Theses

The aim of this study is to determine if gossip-related information produces higher memory retention rates than scientific information. Participants completed a two-part survey. During the first part of the survey, participants read nine paragraphs, separated into three categories. Three were scientific, three were non-celebrity gossip, and three were celebrity gossip. After reading each article, participants rated each on a scale of 1-10 based on both personal relevance and how interesting they found each article. After a week delay, participants completed a multiple-choice memory test about the articles read the week before. The study found that while scientific articles were …

Cannabidiol Mitigates Opioid Reward On Conditioned Place Preference In Mice, James Roland Markos

Honors Theses

This study sought to determine whether the cannabis constituent, cannabidiol (CBD), is able to attenuate morphine reward in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Mice received IP injections of either saline or morphine and increasing doses of CBD that were paired with a distinct environment in the CPP apparatus. Morphine-produced place preference was dose-dependently blocked by CBD. Furthermore, none of the tested doses of CBD exhibited reward or aversion. The finding that CBD blocks opioid reward suggests CBD may be useful as an abuse deterrent, particularly in the setting of opioid use for pain management.

Little Philosophers: Assessing And Prompting Philosophical Reasoning With Children, Makensey Sanders

Honors Theses

There is a debate in academic philosophy and psychology of whether or not children can or should do philosophy. Robert Kitchener asserts that due to cognitive limitations, children under the age of 10 cannot think philosophically (Kitchener, 1990). Murris (2000) challenges Kitchener's arguments and concludes that more research is needed. Further, this is a period during which children show individual differences and development in cognitive capacity, specifically within executive function relating to conscious control that may influence abstract thought (Zelazo et al., 1997). The present study assessed 7- to 9-year-olds' and adults' ability to answer philosophical questions in relation to …

First-Time Fathers' Perspectives On Pregnancy, Birth, And Fatherhood, Lynette Marie Talley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffectively addressing a first-time fathers' perception of pregnancy, childbirth, and fatherhood by medical providers and other medical personnel, may lead to problems of inadequate support, increased tension, anger, concern, and fear at a personal level and between partners. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore the perspective of first-time fathers during pregnancy, childbirth, and fatherhood. The biopsychosocial model was used as the framework to provide the foundation for this study. Research questions addressed first-time fathers' biggest fears, deepest concerns, and most embarrassing questions related to pregnancy, childbirth, and fatherhood as well as the emotion and physical changes …