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The Words And Worlds Of Disability: Discourses On Disablement Within The Situated Practices Of Service Providers, Enitza C. Carril

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

From a traditional perspective, disability stood outside the normal bounds of development, belonging within the realm of pathology and the disabled person was defined as deficient. Disability may also be characterized as an instance of human diversity and disabled as a designated identity that is socially constructed in an ongoing process—an interaction between individuals and social contexts. The process of disablement is linked to discourses used to define and act upon people ascribed with a disabled identity. This study assumes that disability is an instance of human diversity, a valid developmental trajectory, which is enacted and embedded in sociocultural, political, …

Gendered Expression Online: Exploring Gendered Communication On Facebook And In A Collaborative Editing Task, Christina M. Shane-Simpson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

College students are increasingly using digital media, such as social network sites (SNSs) and collaborative editing tools (Wikipedia), as identity exploration tools, aligning or distancing themselves from their offline selves through the online affordances of anonymity and agentic choice. The opportunities for gender fluidity available online (Armentor-Cota, 2011) provide college students with opportunities to experiment with and manipulate varied identities in a safe space where consequences of confronting identity norms may be less severe (Turkle, 1996; Shaw, 1997). Similarly, restrictive offline gender differences may diminish in online spaces, favoring a more flexible and androgynous enactment of gender (Martin, Cook, & …

An Exploration Of The Paradox Of Bisexuality In Women: The Dawn Research Study, Anna Levy-Warren

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Research on lesbian, gay and bisexual populations has reported higher levels of emotional distress among bisexual adults than their gay and lesbian peers. Findings also demonstrate substantial variability in distress levels within populations of bisexual adults. Little research has examined reasons for this variability. Theoretical explanations for distress among bisexuals include foundations in Cognitive Dissonance Theory and Minority Stress Theory, though these theories have not addressed the variability across outcomes. The current study proposes a new theoretical model to explain variability in levels of distress across bisexual women. According to this theory, levels of psychological distress in bisexual women are …

Participation Strategies In Low-Resource Settings And Their Impact On Cognitive And Non-Cognitive Skills: A Study In Four Different Geographical Regions, Magdalena Galazyn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In a global 21st century, positive social, cultural, emotional youth development is crucial. Theories of human development suggest that development is complex, contextual, and multidimensional. Thus, with changing conditions worldwide, it is important to understand the effects of young people’s activities in challenging circumstances and how different factors promote or hinder optimal development. Research shows that education provides positive benefits to child and youth development (Phillips & Lowenstein, 2011), but many individuals do not have equal access to resources and opportunities such as public or private schooling (Woodhead, Frost, & James, 2013), and thus show poorer outcomes on cognitive tests, …

Attention Deficits And Perception Of Emotion In Groups, Agnes Renee Strojewska

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the relationship between attention deficits and the recognition of emotions of either individuals or groups (ensembles). Previous research has suggested that individuals with ADHD may have deficits in social cognition, specifically in recognizing the internal (emotional) states of others, though it remains unclear whether these deficits are a discrete component of ADHD or merely the byproduct of the inattention characteristic of the disorder. Perception of ensemble characteristics, or ensemble coding, has recently been the target of increased interest in perception research, and appears to represent a powerful mechanism for processing sensory information, particularly in situations when …

Risk Factors Of Eating Disorders And The Modern Orthodox Jewish Family, Susan D. Schmool

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Eating Disorders (EDs) are characterized by maladaptive attitudes, beliefs, and/or behaviors related to eating. Maladaptive behaviors can include restrictive eating, bingeing, purging, excessive exercising, and use of diuretics. Research has identified several characteristics within individuals that can be considered risk factors for the development of EDs including perfectionism, low self-esteem, elevated BMIs, affluence, and stressful life events. Several of these characteristics are very common in the Modern Orthodox Jewish community. Modern Orthodox Jewish female adolescents are a very unique and at-risk population in society. This population has a prevalence of EDs that is 50% higher than the general population (Baruchin, …

2016-2017, Full Issue

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

No abstract provided.

The Sandwich Generation Diner: Development Of A Web-Based Health Intervention For Intergenerational Caregivers, Ann M. Steffen, Joel Epstein, Nika George, Megan Macdougall

Psychology Faculty Works

Background: Women are disproportionately likely to assist aging family members; approximately 53 million in the United States are involved with the health care of aging parents, in-laws, or other relatives. The busy schedules of “sandwich generation” women who care for older relatives require accessible and flexible health education, including Web-based approaches. Objective: This paper describes the development and implementation of a Web-based health education intervention, The Sandwich Generation Diner, as a tool for intergenerational caregivers of older adults with physical and cognitive impairments. Methods: We used Bartholomew’s Intervention Mapping (IM) process to develop our theory-based health education program. Bandura’s (1997) …

Effectiveness Of Emotions As Retrieval Cues, Mauri Linero

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

This article describes an experiment that was conducted in order to determine the effectiveness of emotions as retrieval cues. Whenever someone is in the same state of consciousness while encoding and retrieving an experience or information, the person is able to recall a greater amount of information; this phenomenon is called state dependent memory. For this study the state of consciousness used was emotional state. The participant was shown a video that induced either positive or negative emotions during the encoding process followed by a study material for participants to read. Once again the participant was induced with a positive …

Impact Of Comorbid Depressive Disorders On Subjective And Physiological Responses To Emotion In Generalized Anxiety Disorder., Saren H. Seeley, Douglas S. Mennin, Amelia Aldao, Katie A. Mclaughlin, Jonathan Rottenberg, David M Fresco

Psychology Faculty Publications

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and unipolar depressive disorders (UDD) have been shown to differ from each other in dimensions of affective functioning despite their high rates of comorbidity. We showed emotional film clips to a community sample (n = 170) with GAD, GAD with secondary UDD, or no diagnosis. Groups had comparable subjective responses to the clips, but the GAD group had significantly lower heart rate variability (HRV) during fear and after sadness, compared to controls. While HRV in the GAD and control groups rose in response to the sadness and happiness clips, it returned to baseline levels afterwards …

Engaging Individuals And Families Around Employment, John Kramer, Nancy Nickolaus, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

No abstract provided.

Socialization And Selection Effects In The Association Between Weight Conscious Peer Groups And Thin-Ideal Internalization: A Co-Twin Control Study, Jessica L. Vanhuysse, S. Alexandra Burt, Shannon M. O'Connor, Joel K. Thompson, Kelly L. Klump

Psychology Faculty Publications

Affiliation with weight conscious peer groups is theorized to increase thin-ideal internalization through socialization processes. However, selection effects could contribute if genetic and/or environmental predispositions lead to affiliation with weight conscious peers. Co-twin control methodology was used to examine socialization and selection effects in 614 female twins (ages 8-15) from the Michigan State University Twin Registry (MSUTR). Thin-ideal internalization and peer group characteristics were assessed via self-report questionnaires. Results suggested the presence of both socialization and selection effects. In terms of socialization, twins who reported increased exposure to weight conscious peers relative to their co-twins had elevated thin-ideal internalization scores, …

Septal Oxytocin Administration Impairs Peer Affiliation Via V1a Receptors In Female Meadow Voles, Allison M.J. Anacker, Jennifer D. Christensen, Elyssa M. Laflamme, Diana M. Grunberg, Annaliese K. Beery

Neuroscience: Faculty Publications

The peptide hormone oxytocin (OT) plays an important role in social behaviors, including social bond formation. In different contexts, however, OT is also associated with aggression, social selectivity, and reduced affiliation. Female meadow voles form social preferences for familiar same-sex peers under short, winter-like day lengths in the laboratory, and provide a means of studying affiliation outside the context of reproductive pair bonds. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the actions of OT in the lateral septum (LS) may decrease affiliative behavior, including greater density of OT receptors in the LS of meadow voles that huddle less. We infused OT …

An Investigation Of Associations Between Heart Rate Measures Of Aerobic Fitness And Executive Functioning In Pre-Adolescent Children, Kimberly Anne Barnett

Student Works

The present study evaluated the associations between direct measures of aerobic fitness and executive functioning in pre-adolescent children aged 8 to 12 years. To evaluate these associations, the study employed a cross-sectional design and a series of three step hierarchical regressions were conducted. Results suggest that after controlling for age, sex, and BMI percentile, heart rate measures of aerobic fitness did not independently predict executive function. These findings provide preliminary evidence that contradicts a growing body of research within the adult literature demonstrating an association between aerobic fitness and executive function.

Examination Of Methamphetamine Reinstatement In Female And Male Rats: A Pre-Clinical Model Of Relapse, Steven T. Pittenger

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Methamphetamine (meth) dependence is often characterized by persistent and chronic relapse (i.e., return to drug use). There is growing pre-clinical and human evidence suggesting females are at greater risk to relapse. The set of studies presented in this dissertation extended this limited evidence by identifying sex-dependent neural substrates correlated with meth-triggered reinstatement (Experiment 1) and by examining sex-differences in reinstatement triggered by drugs of abuse that are commonly co-abused with meth (Experiment 2). Female and male rats were trained to self-administer meth, received subsequent extinction sessions, and then tested for reinstatement. In Experiment 1, rats were perfused following reinstatement testing …

Piloting A Screening Tool For Eating And Eating-Related Behavior, Michael N. Reynolds

Dissertations

Obesity is a common medical condition associated with negative health and social outcomes. Obesity has a primary malleable behavioral cause, eating more calories than are metabolized. While metabolic rate is malleable with exercise, eating can more quickly add calories than exercising can subtract them. In the past, behavioral weight-loss treatment studies relied on multi-component package interventions that have shown reliable patterns of participant weight-loss during treatment and weight-regain in follow-up. Those findings could be conceptualized as an ABA withdrawal design, eating behavior returns to baseline after the prosthetic contingencies of the treatment study are withdrawn. We must develop ways to …

Pubertal Maturation Compression And Behavioral Impulsivity Among Boys At Increased Risk For Substance Use, Charles W. Mathias, Nora E. Charles, Yuanyuan Lang, Ashley Acheson, Sarah L. Lake, Stacy R. Ryan, Rene L. Olvera, Donald M. Dougherty

Faculty Publications

Objectives: While early onset of puberty among girls has been related to substance use involvement and other adverse outcomes, less research has examined pubertal development and outcomes in boys. Further, research on puberty has not been conducted in the context of other risk factors for substance use involvement such as impulsivity. To address these gaps, this study characterized boys' pubertal development from preadolescence to mid adolescence and related it to substance use risk and behavioral impulsivity.

Methods: A sample of 153 boys completed the Pubertal Development Scale to assess perception of their pubertal development relative to same-age peers …

Child And Parent Report Of Parenting As Predictors Of Substance Use And Suspensions From School, Charles B. Fleming, W. Alex Mason, Ronald W. Thompson, Kevin P. Haggerty, Thomas Jai. Gross

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This study examined how child and parent reports of parenting were related to early adolescent substance use and school suspensions. Data were from two time points six months apart on 321 families with an eighth grade student attending one of five schools in the Pacific Northwest. Child- and parent-report measures of family management practices were moderately correlated (r = .29). Child report, but not parent report, of more positive family management practices uniquely predicted a lower likelihood of adolescent substance use. Also, discrepancies between child and parent report of parenting predicted substance use, with child positive report of family …

The Effects Of Mild Concussions And Pomegranates On Behavior, Nikita M. Bajwa

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The neuropathological effects of mild concussions can accumulate, leading to the development of motor and cognitive deficits. Although there are currently no treatments that can restore lost function after repetitive concussion, our laboratory has shown that dietary supplementation with pomegranate polyphenols can improve Alzheimer’s-like pathology, protect mice from the effects of proton irradiation, and protect humans from post-operative cognitive deficits. This study investigated the behavioral and neuropathological effects of repetitive concussions in mice and the use of dietary supplementation with pomegranate to ameliorate these effects. Adult mice were given dilute pomegranate juice or control water for 1 week, followed by …

Multi-Level Model Of Parent-Child Attachment, Depression & Self-Concept In Pediatric Chronic Illness, Natacha Donoghue Emerson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: Pediatric patients may be at higher risk for depression and a lower self-concept when difficulties within the family arise. The Mastering Each New Direction (MEND) program is a psychosocial intervention aimed at addressing adherence and family issues in adolescent CI. Methods: Drawing data from 50 MEND participants, we used multilevel modeling techniques to test changes in self-concept over time as predicted by number of weeks in MEND, depression, family cohesion and flexibility, and baseline levels of maternal and paternal attachment. Results: At Level 1, depression negatively predicted self-concept over time. At Level 2, higher baseline maternal and paternal avoidant …

General Fatalism And Diabetes Fatalism As Predictors Of Diabetes Treatment Adherence, Esmeralda Ibette Nuñez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Greater conceptual distinction between fatalism as a cultural value orientation (general fatalism) and disease-specific fatalism is necessary to evaluate fatalism as a predictor of health behaviors such as diabetes treatment adherence. We tested an integrated, theory-driven structural model of relationships among income, education, age, gender, general fatalism, diabetes fatalism, and type 2 diabetes treatment adherence, as measured by hemoglobin a1c levels (hba1c), in a sample of mainstream-Chileans (n=229) and indigenous people of Chile known as the Mapuche (n=134). Hypotheses were that higher income and education would predict more general fatalism and diabetes fatalism across ethnic groups and higher general fatalism …

An Investigation Of Associations Between Heart Rate Measures Of Aerobic Fitness And Executive Functioning In Pre-Adolescent Children, Kimberly Anne Barnett

Theses and Dissertations

The present study evaluated the associations between direct measures of aerobic fitness and executive functioning in pre-adolescent children aged 8 to 12 years. To evaluate these associations, the study employed a cross-sectional design and a series of three step hierarchical regressions were conducted. Results suggest that after controlling for age, sex, and BMI percentile, heart rate measures of aerobic fitness did not independently predict executive function. These findings provide preliminary evidence that contradicts a growing body of research within the adult literature demonstrating an association between aerobic fitness and executive function.

Associations Between Physical And Sedentary Activity Regularity And Sleep In Preschoolers And Kindergartners, Kara Mcrae Duraccio

Theses and Dissertations

Short sleep duration in childhood has been associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity. Research suggests that physical activity might mediate this association; however, studies examining associations between physical activity and sleep in young children have reported equivocal findings. A possible explanation for these inconsistencies is that past studies have looked at total physical activity counts rather than examining physical activity regularity. We aim to explore the relationship of regular physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep in preschoolers and kindergartners. 131 children (ages 4-6) were included in this study. Each child wore a waist-worn accelerometer for three days …

Examining Perceived Outcomes Of Foster Youth, Lakenya Cerraine Jones, Sneshia Mekeda Stribling

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study explored the perceptions of former foster youth as a means to analyze the factors that contribute to the positive and negative outcomes of foster youth once aging out of the foster care system. Ten former foster youth were identified for the purposes of understanding how prepared foster youth feel towards aging out and transitioning into adulthood. The study utilized qualitative interviewing for data collection in efforts to gather the information about the experiences of each foster youth. Participants were recruited through San Bernardino County Children and Family Services Extended Foster Care (EFC) unit, as well as the local …

Nicotine And Methylphenidate Chornic Exposure On Adult Cannabinoid Receptor Agonist (Cp 55,940) Place Conditioning In Male Rats, Christopher P. Plant

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

A problematic connection has been reported between those who use nicotine related products alone or in combination with ADHD medications, like methylphenidate (MPH), in late childhood or early adolescence and the increased likelihood of later marijuana abuse in adulthood. Pre-clinical studies have found that the use of nicotine during the early adolescence period produces enduring changes to the endocannabinoid system in the brain. Since CB agonists, like marijuana, exert their effect through the eCB system, it is possible that early nicotine use may alter the rewarding nature of CB agonists in adulthood. In addition, MPH has also been shown to …

Importance Of The D2 Receptor For One- And Multi-Trial Psychostimulant-Induced Behavioral Sensitization In Preweanling Rats, Martha A. Mohd-Yusof

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The neural mechanisms mediating one-trial and multi-trial behavioral sensitization during early ontogeny are poorly understood. The purpose of this thesis was to assess the importance of D2-like receptors for the induction of cocaine- and methamphetamine-induced one-trial and multi-trial behavioral sensitization during the middle and late preweanling period. In a series of four experiments, rats were injected with saline or the selective dopamine D2-like receptor antagonist raclopride 15 min prior to treatment with the indirect dopamine agonists cocaine or methamphetamine. Acute control groups received two injections of saline. The pretreatment regimens occurred on either PND 16 or PND 20 (one-trial behavioral …

Minorities' Perceptions Of Child Protective Services, Vernae Elaine Hicks

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The study examined minority persons’ views and experiences with Child Protective Services (CPS) in the community. This study used a qualitative design with face‑to‑face interviews with 12 participants in the community. This study used the “Post‑Positivist” data analysis, which is qualitative in evaluation and explained each participant’s subjective reality.

The study found that most participants were satisfied with the results and were dissatisfied with the process in and of itself. Overall the study found that most participants felt that there was some sort of a disconnect with social workers in reference to cultural competency. Miscommunication between the social workers at …

Childhood Sexual Assault, Schemas, And Revictimization: The Role Of Early Maladaptive Schemas On Revictimization, Lisa S. Motley

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Childhood sexual assault (CSA) refers to a sexual act that is imposed on a child or adolescent who lacks the emotional capacity, maturity, and cognitive development to understand what they are engaging in, and is incapable or unwilling to give consent. Many individuals who experience CSA also experience adult sexual assault, such as rape. To date, there is limited research that has examined early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and CSA, and no research that examines the relationship between CSA, EMS, and revictimization. The present study examined EMS as mediators of revictimization and mental health outcomes (i.e., depression and PTSD) among 263 …

Self-Reported Sexuality Among Women With And Without Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Hillary Hurst Bush

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) – characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors, interests, and activities –increasingly are being diagnosed in individuals of all ages. However, as children on the autism spectrum enter adolescence, self-report research on ASD and sexuality is currently limited to 14 empirical, peer-reviewed articles, misconceptions are prevalent, and professionals remain underequipped to support their sexuality needs. The goal of the current study was to expand the current knowledge base by exploring multiple aspects of sexuality (including relationship and family status, gender identity, sexual history, sexual orientation, sexual desire, sex education exposure, …

"Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind": Examining The Association Between Geographic Distance And The Likelihood Of Cheating, Krista Joy Dowdle

Theses and Dissertations

Distance from a partner can put a strain on romantic relationships, especially when one is surrounded by attractive alternatives, as is often the case when moving away to college. Long distance relationships are often associated with increased stress, less relationship stability, and lower levels of relationship satisfaction. Distance may also be associated with cheating on one's romantic partner. The few studies that have examined cheating behavior in college students have found an increase in cheating over a very short, non-representative interval of time when partners were separated (e.g. spring break) but did not control for important variables such as alcohol …