Digital Commons Network^™

Psychological Consequences Of Genetic Testing, Jack Allen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing describes genetic testing which is done using online or mail in services, without the direct supervision of a counselor or physician. Individuals can order information about their ancestry, trait information, and even disease risk information. Online testing services have previously been prevented from offering certain types of genetic self-knowledge to consumers due to government regulation, however, there is little information available about how genetic self-knowledge may affect consumers. The present study evaluated whether simply believing oneself to be genetically disadvantaged could cause an individual to perform poorly on a working memory task.

University students participated in a …

Cannabis Use Frequency And Mood On Creativity, Caitlin Clark

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study examines the relationship between cannabis use (infrequent, moderate, and heavy use) and one’s mood (neutral, positive, and negative) on creativity. Folk ideas of creativity and the relationships between cannabis use and mood may not reflect the real relationship between these factors (e.g. regarding cannabis use, it is perceived to be linked with higher rates of creativity; regarding mood, negative states [i.e. tortured artist] are thought to fuel creativity). Although both cannabis use and mood have been found to influence creativity independently, the current study is unique in its aims to identify whether cannabis use and mood interact to …

Measuring Chocolate Craving In Adults, Haley M. Whitham

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Present research finds that the experience of chocolate craving is unique from other foods (Bruinsma & Taren, 1999). Only two measures on chocolate craving exist, the Attitudes to Chocolate Questionnaire (ACQ; Benton et al., 1998) and the Orientation to Chocolate Questionnaire (OCQ; Cartwright et al., 2007). Both measures theoretically vary and include subscales that measure other eating components, such as guilt-driven restrictive eating. A need for a measure that focuses on the characteristics of chocolate craving and consumption exists. Thus, the Chocolate Craving Inventory (CCI; Whitham & Reynolds, 2014) was created. The purpose of the present study was to examine …

The Relationship Between Campus Climate, Perceived Stigma, Perceived Social Support, And Students’ Decisions To Disclose Their Mental-Health Problems On Campus, Erin M. Potts

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to determine the relationship between the overall campus climate with regard to mental-health problems, students’ perceptions of stigma, students’ perceived social support, and their decisions to disclose their mental-health problems on their college or university campuses. Data were collected from 223 participants between the ages of 18 and 59 years who identified as being currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program and who had engaged in disclosure and/or concealment in the 6 months prior to the study. The findings of the current study suggest that positive perceptions of campus climate are associated …

Coping Styles As Predictors Of Alcohol Consumption With Undergraduate College Students Perceiving Stress, Shoshana S. Twersky

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Coping was examined as a potential predictor for alcohol consumption with an undergraduate college population. Eighty-nine undergraduate students in the United States participated in the study by completing a survey between February and October 2016. A hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyze whether specific coping styles predict problematic drinking among undergraduate college students who report experiences of perceived stress. The following self-report questionnaires measured the variables: the subjective portion of the Perceived Stress Scale, Coping Strategies Inventory-Short Form (CSI-S), Cahalan’s (1969) Quantity Frequency Index, and a background demographic questionnaire developed to assess basic demographic information. Findings revealed that weekend …

The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy, Optimism, And Sensation Seeking In Predicting Self-Reported Adherence To Health Behaviors, Kristine V. Spano

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The relationship between health behaviors and three psychological variables that included optimism, self-efficacy, and sensation seeking was investigated in this study. A demographic form, the Health Adherence Behavior Inventory (HABIT), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), and the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS-8) were administered to 258 participants. The data were analyzed for two separate and independent samples based on gender. Results indicated that self-efficacy predicted male health behaviors while optimism predicted female health behaviors. In addition, men scored higher than women on self-reported sensation-seeking behaviors, as predicted. Limitations of this research and directions for further …

Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury And The Effect On Academic And Psychosocial Functioning In School Aged Children: A Pilot Study, Mary Ellen Henigan

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The academic and psychosocial functioning of 20 post-TBI high school students were investigated in this pilot study. Participants included 12 males and 8 females ranging in age from 14 to 18 years. The students demonstrated a higher number of discipline referral post-TBI (d = 0.82) with a large effect size. Correlational analysis revealed a relationship between pre- and post-TBI, rate of attendance, and GPA. Thirty percent of student participants identified a level of significant elevation on the BASC-3 or BYI-II, most commonly social stress, depression, and sense of inadequacy. One hundred percent identified a change to their academic functioning, social …

Measuring Aggressive Behavior Perceptions, Tammarra Jones

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

No abstract provided.

We Still Need A Theory, Paula Droege

Animal Sentience

Woodruff (2017) has compiled a convincing array of data to support his contention that teleost fish feel pain. However, in the absence of an explanatory theory about the nature and function of consciousness, a checklist of criteria is insufficient to allay skeptical concerns. I offer a theory that can explain why features like selective attention and behavioral flexibility indicate consciousness. Consciousness represents the present moment in order to allow dynamic changes in actions or goals in response to situational demands.

Cautions About Precautions, Jay R. Stauffer Jr.

Animal Sentience

Assuming an animal to be sentient in the absence of conclusive evidence to the contrary is an extreme position, hence it should not and could not be the default assumption. Birch explains how the precautionary principle may be used to substantiate decisions to give the animal the benefit of doubt. Although I am reluctant to accept all of his points, Birch has provided an excellent argument for the use of the precautionary principle for the detection of animal sentience. I agree that more research is needed to refine and understand this relationship.

Antecedents Of Adolescents’ Gratitude: Personality, Social Support, And Stressful Life Events, Hannah Reckart

Theses and Dissertations

An increase in the emphasis of positive aspects of functioning has led to expanded attention paid to the field of positive psychology. Within in this arena, the construct of gratitude has emerged as a factor of interest, specifically in adults; however, while a basis for research of gratitude in children exists, it is lacking in breadth. Support for gratitude’s significant relations with psychosocial, psychological, and academic factors has been shown in prior research, and presumed personal and environmental antecedents of gratitude have been indicated. The present study was exploratory in nature and included a sample of 1506 students from four …

Adolescents' Self-Described Transformations And Their Alignment With Transformative Learning Theory, Katie Titus Larson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological, collaborative inquiry explored the depth of two adolescent girls’ lived experiences during their high school years and the degree to which their self-described transformative incidents aligned with transformative learning theory.Traditionally this theory has been reserved for adults, yet the current paradigm may have overlooked the capabilities of modern adolescents to not only experience, but to describe and interpret transformative learning in ways both similar to and unique from adults.My two 19-year-old co-researchers and I examined four years of their self-identified transformative incidents by breaking them into components, analyzing the language within, and seeking evidence of critical self-reflection throughout; …

Trans Gender Identities And Language: Interviews With Recent College Graduates, Kelsey Moran

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

There has been an increasingly pervasive need to gain a deeper and more individualized psychological understanding of how people experience their gender identities, as well as how they navigate the complicated and nuanced language of gender. Words carry meaning and it is vital to gain an insightful understanding of the impact of words, whether supportive or discriminatory, on trans people. The present qualitative study utilized phenomenological methods to hold interviews with three trans individuals, who had recently graduated from college, about their unique experiences with gender. Thematic analysis was used to examine common themes that arose throughout the interviews. Seven …

Exploring The Experience Of Grandchildren In Custodial Grandparent Care, Maura Kathleen Cole

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Grandparent-headed families are a growing trend as social policy has moved increasingly toward kinship care for children in out-of-home placements. While much of the current research focuses on the characteristics and potential causal factors in the formation of such families, there has been little qualitative research focusing on the lived experiences of the involved children. This study explores the subjective, meaning-making experiences of six latency-aged grandchildren between the ages of 6 and 11 being raised by their grandparents. This study utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis methodology, and semi-structured interviews, to attain the personal accounts and experiences of these children. The findings …

The Relationship Between Family Support; Pain And Depression In Elderly With Arthritis, Wendy C. Birmingham, Man Hung, Jerry Bounsanga, Maren W. Voss, Anthony B. Crum, Wei Chen

Faculty Publications

The prevalence and chronic nature of arthritis make it the most common cause of disability among U.S.A adults. Family support reduces the negative impact of chronic conditions generally but its role in pain and depression for arthritic conditions is not well understood. A total of 844 males (35.0%) and 1567 females (65.0%) with arthritic conditions (n = 2411) were drawn from the 2012 Health and Retirement Study to examine the effect of family support on pain and depressive symptoms. Using regression analysis and controlling for age, ethnicity, gender, marital/educational status and employment/income, physical function/disability status, pain and antidepressant medications, and …

Protective Behavioral Strategies As A Context-Specific Mediator: A Multilevel Examination Of Within- And Between-Person Associations Of Daily Drinking, Abby L. Braitman, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research indicates that a drinker’s environmental and social context can be differentially associated with drinking outcomes. Further, although many researchers have identified that more frequent use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) is associated with lower alcohol consumption and negative consequences, scant research has examined how one’s drinking context may promote or hinder PBS use. The present study examined how the context of drinking each day (i.e., where and with whom) is associated with level of consumption and reported alcohol-related problems among n = 284 college drinkers (69.0% female) directly, as well as indirectly through the use of PBS. Two different …

Early Psychosis And Trauma-Related Disorders: Clinical Practice Guidelines And Future Directions, Casey A. Cragin

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Despite very high rates of trauma-related disorders among individuals with early psychosis, no clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of comorbid early psychosis and trauma-related disorders exist to date. Indeed, the routine exclusion of individuals with past and current psychosis from participation in trauma research and practice has limited the accumulation of research evidence that could inform such clinical practice guidelines. While preliminary research evidence suggests that traditional, empirically supported treatments for trauma-related disorders can be safely and effectively employed to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress and chronic psychosis, it remains unclear whether such treatments are appropriate for individuals in …

The Effects Of Gender And Perception Of Community Safety On Happiness, Jennifer K. Daffon

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Income-based indicators of happiness have been shown to be limited in their ability to predict happiness. Alternative measures of happiness have been gaining prominence in happiness research, and two predictors of happiness were investigated in the current study. The extent to which happiness (measured by affect, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being) could be predicted by gender and perception of community safety was investigated with 19,644 participant responses to The Happiness Alliance Survey. Multiple linear regression models indicated that gender and community safety are significant predictors of affect, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being. The effect of the predictor variables was similar …

Graduate Students And Geropsychology: Growing Need And Lacking Interest, Samantha Marie Hague

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

As the population of older adults continues to grow with time, the need for geropsychology clinicians also grows. Many barriers exist that contribute to why elderly individuals are not receiving adequate psychological treatment. This study explores why graduate psychology students are often disinterested in working with older adults and whether it is possible that student interest could increase with more geropsychology graduate coursework and practicum training opportunities. This study also explores the possible connection between quality of elderly relationships and interest in working with the elderly. The results of this study support that Clinical and Counseling Psychology graduate programs lack …

Attune With Baby: An Innovative Attunement Program For Parents And Families With Integrated Evaluation, Sara Beth Lohre

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Infants speak in their own language; sounds, screeches, cries, and howls that help them to communicate their caregiving needs. Unaware, parents may develop a checklist of caregiving approaches to the baby. The infant tells the adult directly what they need, and waits for the parent to respond. Infant talk may change from soft and quiet to loud and aggressive; coos and cries become crying and screams as the infant’s caregiver—communicating the intensity of emotion, urgency of their request, or their frustration with varied and sometimes inadequate, failed, or missing caregiving patterns the infant has no choice but to accept. When …

Double Whammy: Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Older African Americans Experiencing Hiv & Age Related Comorbidities, James W. Chavers

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

HIV among older African Americans represents one of the fastest and largest growing populations of infected groups in America (CDC, 2008). With the availability of anti-retrovirals (ARV), or AIDS cocktail drugs, HIV has become a chronic illness. As African Americans are living longer with HIV, they are encountering the diseases that are consonant with aging. The effect of aging with HIV and an age-related comorbid condition can be physically and emotionally debilitating. Many of these older adults are also dealing with poverty, stigma, poor healthcare access, and limited social support. The purpose of this study was to explore how these …

The Patient-Physician Relationship From The Perspective Of Economically Disadvantaged Patients, Myah Caruso

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative study utilized interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore the patient-physician relational experience from the perspective of patients of lower socioeconomic status (SES). Research shows that physicians engage in collaborative care less frequently with patients of lower SES than with their more advantaged counterparts and that lower SES patients participate less during office visits. Information on the patient-physician relational mechanisms that inhibit collaborative care from the perspective of low SES patients is a key gap in this literature. Five adult patients from the lower socioeconomic strata, who were established patients of a primary care physician were recruited from a …

Neurodiversity In The Classroom: Pilot Of A Training Resource For Teachers Educating Autistic Inclusion Students In A General Education Setting, Ariel Danlys Detzer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental differences in the United States, with estimates of prevalence as high as 1 in 68 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). Over recent decades, two trends have converged to bring autism to the fore as a challenge facing public education. First, changes in the conceptualization of autism have led to greater diagnostic capture of autistic individuals, and second, changes in special education practice regarding inclusion (emphasizing placement in Least Restrictive Environment) have increased the number of autistic students in mainstream classrooms. Meanwhile, autism research has largely been …

The Development Of Intrinsic Motivation In Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Carissa Jean Krapf

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has become a common diagnosis among children today. The numbers have grown exponentially in the last several decades and, despite extensive research and various treatment modalities, many children continue to struggle with its disruptive symptoms. Current research reports a poor prognosis for this population with difficulties continuing into adulthood. One of the difficulties noted is in their ability to develop intrinsic motivation when their behaviors have been managed by extrinsic rewards. Self Determination Theory (SDT) was used to conceptualize the difficulties around developing intrinsic motivation when an individual experiences symptoms of ADHD which impact several areas of …

First Mothers/Birth Mothers: Social Support And Long-Term Psychological Stress And Growth, Megan L. Lyons

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Adoption has become a growing area of research. While much of the existing research focuses on the adoptees and their adoptive parents, this study aimed to focus on the first mothers/birth mothers and their life experiences related to placing an infant, or infants, for adoption. The aim of this study was to determine areas for future clinical focus and support program development throughout the adoption process. The study worked toward this goal by considering the availability and impact of perceptions of social support on the psychological stress and growth of first mothers/birth mothers post-adoption and sought to: (a) determine the …

Unforgiving Pain: A Qualitative Exploration Of Chronic Pain And Self-Forgiveness, Ellette K. Dipietro

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation describes a qualitative study exploring associations between self-forgiveness and pain perception in the narratives of women with chronic pain. Quantitative research has demonstrated strong relationships among chronic pain, affect, and health, and among forgiveness, affect, and health. The largely unexplored overlap between these areas suggests the possibility of an inverse relationship between self-forgiveness and pain perception. A single preliminary study was found in the research literature supporting this relationship (Carson et al., 2005). A literature review explores the construct of forgiveness, differentiates religious and psychological conceptualizations, distinguishes other from self-forgiveness, and touches on the connections among forgiveness, health, …

Elements Of Effective Interorganizational Collaboration: A Mixed Methods Study, Patricia A. Greer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Interorganizational collaboration is a process used by committed stakeholders within a problem domain to solve 'messy’ or complex issues. Joint identification and resolution of complex problems is achieved through an iterative process, using elements for success: committed members, resources, time, communication, trust, shared goal, defined process, and collective identity. This study utilized an exploratory sequential mixed methods process as a practical approach, resulting in richer data and increased understanding of the phenomenon of collaboration. The guiding research problem explored which elements influence successful collaborations and, specifically, how collective identity is developed, sustained, and related to the perception of success. The …

Disclosure Of Gender And Sexual Minority Identities In Military Cultures Post-Dadt, Katherine E. Evarts

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) banned legally-supported discrimination against United States (US) military personnel who identify with sexual minority identities, but has the repeal also had an impact on gender and sexual minority veteran and military personnel comfort with disclosing such identities to Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health providers? The current research illuminates veteran and military personnel perspectives about this possible shift in VA mental health care culture, as well as about ways that such disclosure could be further facilitated in order to improve the care provided. US veterans who identify with sexual minority identities have multiple, …

Transracial Adoptees’ Thoughts On Culturally Competent Parenting, Molly Conley

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Transracial adoption, the adoption of a child of a different race than those of the adoptive parents, occurs in approximately 40% of all adoptions. While transracial adoption alone is not sufficient to cause mental health concerns, it does pose a series of unique challenges that can impact self-esteem, racial identity, and sense of belonging in adoptees. Much of the research on adoption focuses on adoptive parents, collecting quantitative data from adoptees, and mental health professionals’ views of adoptees’ experiences. This study elicited feedback from adult transracial adoptees on Vonk’s 2001 model of culturally competent parenting. Data were interpreted using Interpretive …

Design Thinker Profile: Creating And Validating A Scale For Measuring Design Thinking Capabilities, Dani Chesson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study developed a scale for assessing design thinking capabilities in individuals. Many organizations today are turning to design thinking to tackle the complex challenges they face. As organizations move toward adopting this way of working the need to develop design thinking capabilities in individuals becomes imperative. The capabilities needed for engaging in design thinking are skills that we all have to some varying degree, but we do not all use them to their full potential when solving problems. The scale developed in this study measures the degree to which an individual uses design thinking capabilities when engaged in problem …