Digital Commons Network^™

Googling To Forget: The Cognitive Processing Of Internet Search, Elizabeth T. Friede

CMC Senior Theses

Technology is currently extremely integrated with everyday life. Popular media has made bold claims that the internet is making us “dumber” and people struggle to remember information more now than they ever have in the past. Scientific research on the effect of internet search on cognition and memory is still in its infancy. This research will analyze the literature and theories discussing memory and the internet. Based on an original experiment by Sparrow, Liu, and Wegner. 20 participants (10 young adults and 10 older adults) performed a typing task with twenty trivia statements, followed by a recall and recognition memory …

The Sisters' Experience Of Having A Sibling With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Melissa L. Mcvicker

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation consists of two articles. This first article is a literature review identifying studies of autism spectrum disorders and sibling relationships published in the past 10 years. This search strategy identified 16 articles for inclusion in this review and conveyed the following main outcomes: a) parental factors influence sibling relationship and typically developing child, b) behavioral interactions/problems affect the quality of the sibling relationship, c) genetic factors have varying impact on diagnosis, and d) effects/outcomes for typically developing sibling are both positive and negative. This review supported the call for a better understanding of the family factors on the …

Effects Of Emotion Regulation Strategies On Sexual Risk-Taking, Monica Lackups

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Sexual risk-taking is a growing problem and an area where there are significant individual differences in behavior. One contributing factor to risky sexual behavior may be emotion regulation difficulties. For example, suppression has negative effects on emotion experience, while reappraisal leads to increased well-being. Previous research has demonstrated the use of sexual behavior as an emotion regulation strategy in victimized populations. This study investigated whether emotion regulation strategies influence sexual risk-taking in a non-clinical college population. Individuals with higher levels of emotion regulation difficulties and higher suppression use engaged in more frequent sexual risk-taking behavior, whereas individuals who used reappraisal …

Community Violence Exposure Among Underprivileged Adolescents : What Are The Buffering Effects Of Family Qualities On Negative Outcomes?, Katherine Marie Harrison

LSU Master's Theses

Crime and violence are common in impoverished neighborhoods. Consequently, many youth are at risk for victimization and witnessing violent acts. Extensive research has established the presence of significant associations between violence exposure and aggression and posttraumatic stress symptoms among youth. Research has confirmed the protective role of several family characteristics against these negative outcomes despite adversity. However, the literature investigating the buffering effects of family in the relationship between community violence exposure and aggressive behavior and posttraumatic stress symptoms is limited. The current study examined the moderating effect of family factors such as household structure, social support, and parenting techniques …

Schizotypy: The Dynamic Relationship Between Trait And State Processes, Rebecca K. Macaulay

LSU Master's Theses

Importantly, elevations in emotional reactivity to stress are often found in individuals vulnerable for psychosis. This study investigated several meaningful factors that appear to either increase vulnerability to stress (degree of schizotypy traits, trait negative affect, low perceived control, and impaired selective attention), or increase resiliency to stress (trait positive affect). A modified Posner spatial-cueing task utilizing affective cues was employed to assess selective attention within a neutral and an uncontrollable stressor condition. Between group differences (high, medium and low in schizotypy traits) and interactions between affective traits, state affect, and perceived control were evaluated in order to shed light …

Socially Oriented Negative Self-Referent Cognition : The Development And Validation Of A Measure, Brittany Moree Rudy

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Social phobia, a debilitating disorder among children and adolescents, is thought to be made up of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological components. However, in children, the cognitive component of this disorder has been largely neglected by researchers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to create and validate a new instrument, the "Socially Oriented Negative Anxious Statement (SONAS) scale,” that assesses socially oriented negative self-referent cognition in a younger population. Measurement validation procedures including, reliability, validity, and factor analysis, were utilized to examine the proposed questionnaire. Results indicated that the SONAS scale demonstrated good psychometric properties, including a sound two-factor structure …

Improving Routines : Self-Monitoring By Adolescents Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Meghan Ann Geary

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), though commonly diagnosed in childhood, continues to present with problematic symptoms through adolescence and adulthood (Barkley, Fischer, Edelbrock, & Smallish, 1990; Young & Amarasinghe, 2010). Despite the number of adolescents suffering from ADHD and the detrimental effects the symptoms can have on their lives, there is a paucity of research in interventions tailored to this population (Young & Amarasinghe, 2010). Additionally, an even smaller portion of this research addresses daily routines for adolescents, despite findings that maintaining routines are often very difficult for adolescents with ADHD (Bloomquist, 2005; Coghill et al., 2008; Pfiffner et al. 2007; Robin, …

An Examination Of Induced Anxiety And Its Interaction With Trait Anxiety On Executive Functioning Tasks, Joseph Harris

LSU Master's Theses

Anxiety is a common human experience which has been shown to have detrimental effects on cognitive abilities, particularly the executive abilities of inhibition, shifting and updating. Previous studies in this area have been highly specific in their focus, leaving gaps in the literature. As a result, the general nature of anxiety’s effect on executive functioning has yet to be fully defined. The current study attempted to establish such a definition by exploring the effects of state anxiety and trait anxiety on each of the executive functions, both in terms of task performance and efficiency. In addition, because working memory has …

Academic Self-Monitoring In College Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Mindy C. Scheithauer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Self-monitoring is an intervention that can result in behavior change by having individuals observe and record their own behavior. Self-monitoring has received empirical support in changing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) related behaviors in children, but there is scarce research regarding self-monitoring with adults with ADHD. The current study implemented a self-monitoring intervention aimed at improving academic behavior and medication adherence in college students with ADHD. The self-monitoring intervention included study skills training, goal-setting, identification of individualized self-monitoring behavior, and follow-up meetings to discuss progress. The participants were asked to monitor their behavior on a daily basis using an electronic system. Compared …

The Baby And Infant Screen For Children With Autism Traits: Age-Based Scoring Procedures, Max Horovitz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As increasing interest and emphasis has been placed on early intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), the need for reliable and valid early assessment techniques has grown significantly. The Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT) is a three-part battery designed to comprehensively assess for ASD in infants and toddlers aged 17 to 37 months. While studies of the measure’s psychometric properties have been promising, the measure’s scoring procedures do not take the child’s age into account. Given the significant amount of development that occurs in the first three years of life, the current paper …

Social Connectedness Deficits In College Students With Schizotypy, Laura Brown

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Schizophrenia is a devastating disorder characterized by a variety of bizarre behaviors as well as deficits in neurocognition, social cognition, and functioning. This study focuses on individuals with schizotypy—those with the purported genetic liability for schizophrenia that do not display the full disorder. Prior research has identified potential risk factors for schizophrenia by studying this population, including deficits in social cognition. Studies of social cognition in individuals with schizotypy, however, have yielded inconsistent findings that have failed to fully explain the range of functional deficits seen in these individuals. Social connectedness, in contrast, may be a more useful risk factor …

Comparing Social Skills In Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorders According To The Dsm-Iv-Tr And The Proposed Dsm-5, Jennifer Susan Beighley

LSU Master's Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is currently defined using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). With the fifth edition of the DSM (DSM-5) forthcoming, one change the American Psychiatric Association has proposed is an increase in the number of overall symptoms necessary to meet criteria for ASD. Because social skills is well established as a core symptom of autism, the present study explores differences in social functioning using the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills in Youngsters-II (MESSY-II) in three groups of children ages 3-16 years including those diagnosed with ASD using the …

The Effects Of Parent Factors On Children's Separation Anxiety, Anna Catherine May

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Parental anxiety is a well-known factor that contributes to the development of anxiety in children. However, little is known about how specific parental factors influence the development and trajectory of childhood anxiety. There is also a paucity of research on separation anxiety disorder specifically. Complicating matters, children who suffer from clinically significant separation anxiety tend to be younger and thus it is harder to obtain accurate information from this age group. The purpose of the present study was to determine the mechanism through which parental factors such as somatization, anxiety sensitivity, and separation anxious behaviors might influence the development of …

Effectiveness Of Early Interventions For Children And Adolescents Exposed To Potentially Traumatic Events, Angela Grove

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this analysis was to present a systematic review of the effectiveness of child and adolescent PTSD early intervention programs implemented within 3 months following a potentially traumatic event (PTE). The mean weighted effect sizes of the early interventions were calculated, and study variables were encoded for potential moderator variables. A statistically significant mean weighted effect size of -.26 was calculated at final follow up measures, indicating that children receiving early interventions reported lower scores on PTSD outcome measures. The individual studies’ effect sizes at follow-up showed mixed results, thus CBT-based interventions were used as a moderator variable …

Time Of Day Preferences And Resource Allocation, Alicia Marie Briganti

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Previous studies have shown that circadian rhythms can have a significant impact on cognitive task performance (Bodenhausen, 1990; May, Hasher, & Stoltzfus, 1993), and that performance is better during participants’ optimal time of day for explicit memory tasks and for tasks where inhibition of responses is required. Researchers have concluded that deficits during one’s non-optimal time of day are due to inefficient inhibition (e.g., May & Hasher, 1998). However, previous studies have not sufficiently addressed possible changes in resource allocation, or the amount of resources that are allocated to the primary task versus the amount of resources used to actively …

The Effects Of Housing Manipulations On Wheel Running, Feeding And Body Weight In Female Rats, Angela Mastroianni

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Providing rats with running wheel access results in a short-term reduction in feeding and body weight relative to controls; known as the wheel-induced feeding suppression (WIFS). WIFS may parallel aspects of anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder that mostly affects females. Yet, most studies of WIFS and related models use male rats. The present study included female and male rats, where half were given wheel access to measure effects on feeding and body weight. Replication 1 females and Replication 2 males were in unisex housing. Replication 3 males and females were housed in same room. Rats were individually (IH) or pair …

From Mind To Machine : Parity Affects In The Attentional Set-Shifting Task In Animal And Machine Models, Katie Coren Freeman

Honors Theses

As a dual behavioral and computational neuroscience research project, this study first tested reproductive effects on attention, learning, and decision making using the Attentional Set-Shifting Task (AS-ST) and then a Machine Learning model was constructed to simulate perceptual judgments and decision making through reinforced learning. In the behavioral task, response times and errors from 5 primiparous (one-time mothers) and 4 nulliparous (never pregnant) Sprague-Dawley rats were recorded during four increasingly complex attention modulation and paired associative learning tasks. The Machine Learning model reconstructed each task's decision problems through representation of internal and external conditions, valuation, action, and outcome evaluation to …

How Mean Is The Mean?, Craig P. Speelman, Marek Mcgann

Research outputs 2013

In this paper we voice concerns about the uncritical manner in which the mean is often used as a summary statistic in psychological research. We identify a number of implicit assumptions underlying the use of the mean and argue that the fragility of these assumptions should be more carefully considered. We examine some of the ways in which the potential violation of these assumptions can lead us into significant theoretical and methodological error. Illustrations of alternative models of research already extant within Psychology are used to explore methods of research less mean-dependent and suggest that a critical assessment of the …

Protected Species: Perspectives On Organisational Life, Maryam Omari, Megan Paull, Julie A. Crews

Research outputs 2013

Analogies can be drawn between a modern organisation and a complex ecosystem. In both, the players compete for scarce resources; survival often depends on how effectively an individual, organism or group capitalises on what is available to them. In natural settings, the laws of nature provide a backdrop to relationships, including where each individual or group is positioned in the hierarchy. In such settings, unusual and complex interrelationships can be formed where groups either assist or manipulate each other to survive. In organisational settings, the laws and boundaries are less clear, context specific and subject to organisational cultures and norms, …

Experiences Of Adult Siblings Of Illicit Drug Users, Amy Mcalpine

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The sibling relationship is unique in that it is relatively egalitarian, ascribed, and can be the longest-lasting across the lifespan. Siblings can act as supports for one another during major life events, both in childhood and adulthood. Siblings can also be a source of significant stress. The literature on family coping indicates that there are significant impacts to family members’ well-being from dealing with stress and strain that result from a family member’s drug use problem. However, researchers have not investigated the impacts on adult siblings despite the importance and uniqueness of sibling relationships. The broad aim of this research …

An Exploratory Investigation Of Marital Functioning And Order Of Spousal Onset In Couples Concordant For Psychopathology, Scott R. Braithwaite, Kimberly Van Orden, Mike Anestis, Katherine Merrill Timmons, Frank Fincham, Thomas E. Joiner Jr., Peter M. Lewinsohn

Faculty Publications

Individuals with a psychiatric disorder are significantly more likely to have a spouse with a clinical diagnosis—marital concordance. We used a community sample of 304 couples concordant for either Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) to examine the relationship between marital functioning and gendered patterns of mental health diagnosis onset. For SUD concordance, couples in which wives onset before husbands—in spite of typical later onset for males—reported lower levels of marital satisfaction compared to couples in which the husband onset first. For MDD concordance, couples in which husbands onset with depression before wives—in spite of typical later …

Perceptions Of Mental Illness And Mental Health Policy, Kristen Mcaleenan

Psychology Honors Papers

The present study examined people’s implicit and explicit perceptions of mental illness and compared those attitudes to ratings of fairness for psychiatric hospital policies. The sample consisted of 88 participants, from both Connecticut College and Amazon Mechanical Turk. Data were derived from a Hospital Policy Questionnaire created by the researcher, the Perceptions of Dangerousness of Mental Patients (PDMP) scale, as well as 2 Implicit Association Tests assessing General Attitudes and perceptions of Dangerousness. Results showed no significant association between implicit attitudes and judgments of hospital policies, nor between implicit perceptions of dangerousness and judgments of hospital policies. However, explicit perceptions …

Sex Differences In Adult Cognitive Deficits After Adolescent Nicotine Exposure In Rats, Laura R.G. Pickens, James D. Rowan, Rick A. Bevins, Stephen B. Fountain

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study was designed to determine whether deficits in adult serial pattern learning caused by adolescent nicotine exposure persist as impairments in asymptotic performance, whether adolescent nicotine exposure differentially retards learning about pattern elements that are inconsistent with “perfect” pattern structure, and whether there are sex differences in rats’ response to adolescent nicotine exposure as assessed by a serial multiple choice task. The current study replicated the results of our initial report (Fountain, Rowan, Kelley, Willey, & Nolley, 2008) using this task by showing that adolescent nicotine exposure (1.0 mg/kg/day nicotine for 35 days) produced a specific cognitive impairment in …

Systematic Review Of Research Into The Psychological Aspects Of Prostate Cancer In Asia: What Do We Know?, Suzanne Kathleen Chambers, Melissa Karen Hyde, David Fu-Keung Ip, Jeffrey Charles Dunn, Robert Alexander Gardiner

Research outputs 2013

Background: To review the peer reviewed literature on the psychological aspects of the prostate cancer experience of men in Asia.

Materials and Methods: Medline and PsycINFO, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Web of Science (1999 – November Week 4, 2012) were searched. Inclusion criteria were: included men with prostate cancer and/or their partners or caregivers who identify as Asian recruited in an Asian country; and assessed health-related quality of life, psychological and social adjustment relating to prostate cancer and published in English after 1st January 1999 and prior to 30th November, 2012.

Study aims: design; quality; level of evidence, and key results …

Children And Elephants: A Study Of Mentalization, Empathy, And Attitudes Towards Conservation In Participants Of An Elephant-Based Environmental Intervention In West Africa, Erica C. Rogers

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Recent research suggests that children's identification with animals and propensity to learn from animal experiences might make animal-focused interventions ideal for social and emotional development. A child's ability to understand their own and others' feeling states has been linked to emotional resilience and has been identified as a protective factor against the development of pathology later in life (Allen & Fonagy, 2006). This study examined the impact of an ongoing conservation-based intervention in Burkina Faso on conservation attitudes, mentalization and empathy. Participants were 106 Burkinabe students, 56 male and 50 female, ages 9-15. Participants were split into four groups, a …

Constructs That Are Associated With Perceived Self-Efficacy, Shared Decision-Making, And Satisfaction With Received Mental-Health Services In Individuals With Serious Mental Illness, Kimberly A. Lovelock

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

It is likely that the success of treatment techniques in increasing consumers’ sense of inclusion in treatment decision making and increasing the likelihood for improved treatment outcomes for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness depends on the presence of common trait variables, such as empowerment and treatment-specific efficacy and process variables, such as the therapeutic relationship and the use of a shared decision-making style. To understand the relationships between these variables in individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), this study used an archival data set consisting of 396 adults with major depression and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders from Philadelphia area community …

Predictors Of Successful Weight Loss Following Bariatric Surgery, Francine R. Broder

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Obesity is a major public health problem involving both medical and quality-of-life
issues. During the past 20 years, obesity has dramatically increased and is currently at an all-time high (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). More than two thirds of the adult population in the United States is estimated to be overweight, with over one third of the population classified as obese (National Institute of Health, 2009). While attempting to lose weight is common, calorie reduction combined with physical activity typically results in 5 to 10 % reduction of body weight over a 6-month period, yet these moderate losses …

Exploration Of Gifted Subtypes Differentiated Across Standardized Cognitive Variables, Bridgette M. Vecchio

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The field of gifted education has evolved through the 20th century, with legislative efforts by the federal government providing the framework necessary to highlight the needs of gifted learners. Gifted and talented learners are not a homogeneous group, to the contrary, they are varied and unique (Reis & Sullivan, 2010). Ideally, researchers and educators could collaborate to compile a conclusive list of characteristics of gifted learners, which could guide identification, teaching strategies, and curriculum selection for this population (Reis & Sullivan, 2010). Little is known about the cognitive profiles of gifted children. This study will review the utilization of the …

Integrated Health Care Collaboration And Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated With Streptococcal Infections: A Working Model For Case Consultation, Tara M. Habecker-Tumilty

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Historically, integrated health care, often referred to as interdisciplinary health care, has been an approach characterized by a high degree of collaboration and communication among health care professionals. While numerous researchers have explored the benefits of including clinical psychologists as team members, a limited body of research has explored the partnership between school psychologists and physicians, even though school health services can be an effective venue for integrating psychosocial care and education with medical care. As more chronically ill children are reintegrated into school, school psychologists must be prepared to work with these children at school. Children
diagnosed with complex …

Exploring Wellbeing In Older Male Farmers In Western Australia, Jessica L. Mckee

Theses : Honours

In the context of an ageing population it has become increasingly important to identify the determinants of wellbeing in older adulthood. A review of the literature relevant to wellbeing and strengths relevant to older male farmers in Australia was conducted. This body of knowledge was identified to be sparse. Existing literature on farming primarily had a deficits focus, and only a small number of qualitative studies were specific to older male farmers. Four broad, overlapping areas representing the meaning of wellbeing were identified as potentially important: farming work; connectedness; the land; health and wellbeing. The inter-connected nature of farming life …