Digital Commons Network^™

Shame, Guilt, And Knowledge Of Hpv In Women Recently Diagnosed With Hpv-Related Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (Cin), Sarah E. Flynn

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The current study investigated the relationships between state shame, guilt, and disease knowledge in women recently diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Recent research has indicated that diagnosis of HPV can elicit negative self-directed affect, including persistent experiences of shame. Studies have also shown that knowledge of HPV is low in the general population, even though it is the most common sexually transmitted infection. It is important to understand how shame affects those with HPV because shame is related to a decline in important immune parameters that may be essential in HPV clearance. A …

Real Three-Dimensional Objects Improve Performance For Both Genders On A Mental Rotation Task, Michael C. Felix

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mental rotation (MR) tasks consistently show sex differences in performance. However, such tasks commonly present three-dimensional (3D) objects in two-dimensional paper-and-pencil forms (i.e., quasi-3D). The current experiment investigated the effect of real 3d objects on MR performance to determine if sex differences in MR are, in part, an artifact of using quasi-3D stimuli. Eighty undergraduates (40 men, 40 women) underwent training prior to alternating timed blocks of real-3D and quasi-3D MR trials. Sex differences were observed under both quasi-3D and real-3D conditions with real-3D stimuli resulting in higher accuracy for both sexes. Enrollment in science courses and self-reported map proficiency …

Evaluating Outcomes And Response Profiles Of A Psychological Treatment For People With Chronic Pain, Amanda J. Burger

Wayne State University Dissertations

Chronic pain is a leading cause of suffering, disability, and high health care costs. Traditional treatment approaches such as medical or cognitive-behavioral interventions have produced variable and often limited results. Research has suggested

that increased rates of stressful life events, emotional disorders, and emotion regulation deficits contribute to the development and maintenance of chronic pain problems that lack clear, peripheral, biological causes. This study examined the effectiveness of an

innovative, emotion-focused treatment that directly targets patients' unresolved stress and emotional avoidance and sought to identify predictors of treatment outcome. Additionally, this study explored the effects of a novel, emotional assessment …

Personality And Risk-Taking Behaviors In Emerging Adulthood, Agnes Ward

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

PERSONALITY AND RISK-TAKING BEHAVIORS IN EMERGING ADULTHOOD

by

AGNES WARD

December 2010

Advisor: Dr. Stephen B. Hillman

Major: Educational Psychology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Much theory and research has focused on adolescent risk-taking behavior. Common theories include Zuckerman's (1971) perspective on sensation seeking, the problem behavior perspective identified by Jessor and Jessor (1977), and the causal model of risk-taking behavior by Irwin and Millstein (1986). While beneficial to understanding risky behaviors, these perspectives do not take into account specific personality traits that contribute to risk-taking or cognitive appraisals of risky behaviors. Further, most research has focused on the adolescent …

The Experiences Of First Time Fathers In Western Australia: A Qualitative Analysis Into The Transition To Fatherhood, Ian D. Clayton-Smith

Theses : Honours

According to critical life events framework, the transition to parenthood can be filled with anticipation and excitement, yet it can be extremely difficult for some. The transition to parenthood begins during pregnancy when the parents begin to form emotional bonds with the unborn child, and continues for some time after the birth of the baby, ending when the infant reaches two years of age. There exists a vast amount of research on the experiences of the female transition, but there is little in comparison about the experiences of the male transition to becoming a father for the first time. The …

Components Of Religious Beliefs, Religious Maturity, And Religious History As Predictors Of Proscribed And Non-Proscribed Explicit And Implicit Prejudices, Luke Fiedorowicz

Dissertations

Many theorists propose a link between religiosity and prejudice; however, many studies show contradictory results. Recently, there has also been a growing interest in the differences between implicit and explicit prejudices. Current literature suggests that explicit and implicit attitudes are linked and one can influence the other. However, it is possible there are different sets of predictors of each attitude type. African-Americans have historically been the most openly targeted minority in America. Recently, gay men and lesbians have also faced increased prejudice. The purpose of this project was to examine several aspects of religiosity (involvement, intrinsic/extrinsic, fundamentalism, quest, history, and …

A Conceptual Guide To Natural History Museum Visitors’ Understanding Of Evolution, E. Margaret Evans, Amy N. Spiegel, Wendy Gram, Brandy N. Frazier, Medha Tare, Sarah Thompson, Judy Diamond

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Museum visitors are an ideal population for assessing the persistence of the conceptual barriers that make it difficult to grasp Darwinian evolutionary theory. In comparison with other members of the public, they are more likely to be interested in natural history, have higher education levels, and be exposed to the relevant content. If museum visitors do not grasp evolutionary principles, it seems unlikely that other members of the general public would do so. In the current study, 32 systematically selected visitors to three Midwest museums of natural history provided detailed open-ended explanations of biological change in seven diverse organisms. They …

Effects Of Mindfulness Training On Stress, Mood And Coping In College Students, Lily Preer

Psychology Honors Papers

The present study examined the stress-reducing effects of a mindfulness meditation (MM) intervention in college students compared with a progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) exercise and a control group. The participants were 43 Connecticut College students high in interpersonal sensitivity. In the two experimental sessions, participants learned the stress-reduction techniques. Perceived stress, mood, coping and cortisol levels were assessed pre-and post-intervention. Participants completed a follow-up four weeks after the second session. Repeated measures MANOVAS were used to assess changes in stress, mood and coping. There were no changes in perceived stress. Though avoidant coping, cortisol levels, and negative mood decreased in …

Experiencing Emotional Abuse During Childhood And Witnessing Interparental Verbal Aggression As Related To Emotional Aggression In Undergraduate Dating Relationships, Robert J. Milletich, Michelle Kelley

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

The present study examined whether witnessing interparental verbal aggression and/or experiencing emotional abuse during childhood were associated with emotional abuse in current or recent dating relationships in college students (M = 19.51 years; SD = 2.02). Participants (N = 715) completed the Conflicts Tactics 2-CA Scale (Straus & Donnelly, 2001), the Exposure to Abusive and Supportive Environments Parenting Inventory (Nicholas & Bieber, 1997), and the Emotional Abuse Scale (Murphy & Hoover, 1999). Results showed that witnessing interparental verbal aggression predicted males‟ self-use of Restrictive Engulfment and their partners‟ use of Restrictive Engulfment. For females, witnessing interparental verbal aggression predicted self-use …

Neural Recruitment During Self-Control Of Smoking: A Pilot Fmri Study, John Robert Monterosso , '92, T. Mann, Andrew Ward, G. Ainslie, J. Bramen, A. Brody, E. D. London

Psychology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Consciousness And Society: Societal Aspects And Implications Of Transpersonal Psychology, Harry T. Hunt

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Although transpersonal psychologies of self realization emphasize individual

development, earlier shamanic traditions also showed a central societal aspect and group based

consciousness. Indeed, many have understood the transpersonal movement as developing

towards an abstract globalized neo-shamanism. That altered states of consciousness, whether

as integrative realizations of the numinous or as dissociative “hypnoid” states, could be felt

and shared collectively was a familiar concept to the first generation of sociologists, who saw

all consciousness as social and dialogic in form. Durkheim, in particular, foresaw a globalized

spirituality of the future, his “cult of man,” in which modern individuation would progress

to …

Epigenetics: Blurring The Line Between Nature And Nurture, Elizabeth H. Rose

CMC Senior Theses

This long-standing nature versus nurture debate is cited in behavioral and physical expressions of disease dysfunctions, resiliencies, and recovery. Their purposes are noted both in scientific pursuits as well as literature. This discourse has been particularly intense in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and biology where there is a long history of scientists’ attempts to disprove or discredit others’ intellectual and professional measures. Interestingly, recent advances in the neurosciences and genetic technologies have brought these fields closer together with a new focus – the interactional relationship between nature and nurture – epigenetics.

Children In Jeopardy: An Evaluation Of Interventions For Orphans Of Hiv/Aids In Sub-Saharan Africa, Molly E. Murtaugh

CMC Senior Theses

Sub-Saharan Africa is a region plagued by the spread of HIV/AIDS. While many individuals have devoted their careers to preventing new diagnoses of the disease, one crucial population is often neglected. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the degree to which the psychological needs of those orphaned by HIV/AIDS are addressed in three prominent interventions. After evaluating institutionalization, foster care, and community-based care in Sub-Saharan Africa, a model for effective intervention is proposed.

The Best Predictors Of Self-Reported Depressed Mood In Adolescents, Melissa H. Wineberg

Masters Theses

The present study examined multiple predictors of depression simultaneously in order to determine which variables best predict self-reported depressed mood in adolescents. Although the current literature has identified several individual variables and their relationship to depression in adolescents, few studies have investigated multiple variables at the same time in relation to depression. Participants included 4,693 high school students from a Midwestern state. Of these students, 4 7% were girls, 4 7% were boys, and 6% did not indicate their gender. These students attended various high schools across seven counties and were recruited for a health prevention program called I Sing …

Behavioral Mediators And Moderators Of Adolescent Victimization And Suicidal Behavior, Brett J. Litwiller

Masters Theses

This study examined the relationship between victimization and suicide in adolescents. It was hypothesized that substance use, violent behavior, and risky sexual behavior would all increase adolescent suicide risk and mediate the relationship between adolescent victimization and suicide. It was further hypothesized that parental support, dietary nutrition, and physical activity would decrease suicide risk and moderate the relationship between adolescent victimization and adolescent suicide. To test these hypotheses, selfreport surveys were administered to 4,700 public high school students. Regression analyses of data indicated that the amount of victimization significantly predicted the amount of suicidal behavior reported. Similarly, substance use, violent …

Affect Comprehension In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Visual Field Isolation Intervention, Erica L. Schmidt

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) tend to show under-activation of the right fusiform face area of the ventral temporal cortex when viewing emotional faces, which may explain their affect comprehension deficits. This left hemisphere dominance, indicative of a piecemeal processing strategy, has been shown a less effective method of understanding true emotion. The present study aimed to condition the left-visual-field-to right-FFA pathway by allowing children with ASD to work through an emotion-matching computer program. One group completed the experiment with both eyes uncovered, while the other worked with only their left visual field open. Though no significant differences …

Serial And Concurrent Presentations Of Stimuli And Their Effects On Items Recalled, Dustin J. Rhoades, Jordan Sippel

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

The present study examined differences in accuracy of responses to serial and concurrent stimuli in an immediate free recall task for individuals from chemistry and psychology courses. Average accuracy of responses for presentation order, stimulus type, and gender differences were measured. The procedure used Superlab 4.0 and consisted of one practice trial followed by eight recorded trials of serial and concurrent word lists. Counterbalancing was used to try to control learning of one order of presentation over the opposite order. Serial word lists consisted of ten words presented two seconds apart and one at a time. Concurrent lists consisted of …

Stretched Too Thin: Low-Income Mothers' Work-Family Conflict And Preschoolers' Socioemotional Adjustment, Kelly Haas

Master's Theses

The purpose of the current study was to further our understanding of the association between low-income mothers' work-family conflict and their children's socioemotional adjustment, with a particular focus on externalizing and internalizing symptoms. To do so, the present study tested the mediating roles of mothers' psychological distress and positive parenting practices in the relation between work-family conflict and children's adjustment over time. Contrary to hypotheses, the linkage between low-income mothers' experience of conflict between their work and family roles and preschoolers' adjustment was not explained by mothers' symptoms of psychological distress or their use of positive parenting practices. Similarly, the …

Why Does This Always Happen To Us? An Examination Of Co-Rumination In The Same Sex Friendships Of Emerging Adults, Teresa Michelle Preddy

Master's Theses

Co-rumination, which has been defined as a passive, repetitive form of problem discussion, has been linked to both benefits in terms of positive friendship quality and maladaptive outcomes such as internalizing distress. This study explored the trade-offs associated with co-rumination in emerging adult same-sex friendships both concurrently and longitudinally through the use of self-report questionnaires. Co-rumination was associated with concurrent positive friendship quality. Additionally, co-rumination partially mediated the link between gender and positive friendship quality, and was a marginal predictor of increases in positive friendship quality over time. Although co-rumination was associated with depression, co-rumination did not predict depressive symptoms …

Individualized Intimacy? : The Negotiation Of Self And Other In Heterosexual Relationships, Daniel Santore

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Sociologists working in various scholarly traditions posit an individualization of contemporary romantic relationships occurring in Western societies over the passed several decades. This dissertation uses North American and European theoretical perspectives on "individualized intimacy" as the basis for a qualitative interview study of 45 women and men involved in heterosexual relationships. In keeping with the theoretical perspectives that ground the study, the interviews focus on how concepts of self-development, communication, gender and social class collide with one another in, and serve to shape, respondents' narratives of self and other in intimacy. Findings demonstrate that: (a) regarding gender, women and men …

Do You See What I See? : Testing The Effects Of Race And Social Class On Therapists' Recognition Of And Attributions For Intimate Partner Violence, Susana Blanco

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

An estimated 5.3 million intimate partner violence (IPV) victimizations occur among U.S. women each year (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Because of the high prevalence, Harway and Hansen (2004) recommended that therapists assume that all women presenting for therapy may be at risk for violence. However, assessment for IPV is not standard practice. In fact, studies repeatedly indicate that therapists tend to under-identify IPV (e.g., Harway & Hansen, 1993).

Effects Of Early Developmental Stress On Adult Physiology And Behavior, Michael James Frederick

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Events during early development can have long-term effects on physiology and behavior. While extreme developmental stress is known to be associated with a variety of behavioral problems, it is less well understood how milder stress may affect behavior, personality, and reproductive success. This research project assessed a variety of behavioral dimensions in a college age sample, while assessing early development using size at birth, fluctuating asymmetry, and retrospective surveys. Maternal stress during pregnancy was found to reduce adolescent growth spurts and adult handgrip strength in the offspring. In males, lower birth weights were associated with higher scores of impulsivity and …

Biological And Behavioral Correlates Among Young Adults Exposed To Harsh Parenting Practices, Christy Lyn Olezeski

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Whereas the subject of harsh parenting has been a source of debate for many years, research has shown that harsh parenting practices are associated with an increase in behavioral problems, including aggression toward others. However, not all youth who have been subjected to harsh parenting develop problems. Researchers have begun examining moderators of the effects of harsh parenting and other psychosocial stressors, specifically whether functioning in physiological stress response systems buffers or exacerbates the effects of harsh parenting on later functioning. Research also suggests that exposure to stressful situations (including harsh parenting) may affect the biological stress system. In particular, …

The Influence Of Emotion On Attention : Examining The Processing Of Negative And Positive Emotion Words In The Dot Probe Task, Tina Sutton

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The influence of emotion on attention has been examined more closely in recent years using a variety of paradigms. Öhman (1993) suggested that participants more readily pay attention to negative information than neutral information. The current work was designed to expand upon these findings by examining both negative and positive emotion word processing in a non-clinical population using the dot probe task. Experiments 1a and 1b examined the supraliminal and subliminal processing of negative and positive emotion words presented in separate blocks. The results revealed that participants responded faster to the probe when it appeared in the same location as …

Test-Retest Reliability Of Self-Reports Of Depression And Anxiety Among Students With High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders, Jill Williams

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Anxiety and depression are more prevalent in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) than in the general population. Due to their cognitive impairments, and questions concerning the validity and reliability of their responses, it is unknown whether these individuals can accurately self-report their internalizing disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability of self-reports of depression and anxiety amongst children and adolescents with ASDs. The study used a convenience sample of 31 subjects aged 8 to 17 with a diagnosis of high-functioning autism. Self-reports were administered using the Child Depression …

The Role Of The Progesterone Receptor In The Development Of The Ventromedial Nucleus And Female Sexual Behaviors, Keith L. Gonzales

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Steroid induced gene transcription plays an important role in neural sex differences within many mammalian species. Steroid hormones actions within the developing brain have profound, permanent effects in the development of neurochemical processes and behaviors. Within the developing ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMN), a potent transcription factor, the progesterone receptor (PR), is highly expressed within female rats. Furthermore, the regulation of PR within the developing VMN of the female rat is anatomically and developmentally specific. Typically, PR expression is highly dependent on the activity of estradiol acting at ERα. As such, circulating levels of estradiol act to induce PR …

Children's Weekend Activities In Four Countries : Context For Personal And Social Development, Asil Ozdogru

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Out-of-school time constitutes a major context of social and emotional development for children across cultures. Because it is not constrained by school attendance, weekend time allows cultural and gender differences in time usage to emerge. In this study, children's weekend activities, choice, and some of the related emotional outcomes were examined for fourth-grade students in four countries. A total of 1,265 children of families from middle socioeconomic status in Bulgaria, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States completed an activity survey asking them to state their typical activity for each of 12 hours on Saturday, their enjoyment of the activity, and …

Prospective Effects Of Temperamental Reactivity, Emotion Dysregulation, And Stress On Risk For Anxiety And Depression In Elementary School-Age Children, Jeremy Kyle Fox

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Temperamental reactivity and emotion dysregulation are both considered important vulnerability factors in the development of childhood anxiety and depression. Little is known, however, about how these emotional processes work together to shape developmental pathways to internalizing difficulties.

Psychosocial Factors Contributing To Medication Non-Adherence, Health-Related Quality Of Life, And Disease Activity In Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Alejandra Halperin Faust

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are chronic and are characterized by periodic exacerbations followed by symptom-free intervals. Symptoms can have a detrimental impact on quality of life. Medication non-adherence in adults with IBD has been well-documented in the literature; continuous medication use is necessary to prevent flares of the disease. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was three-fold: (1) to examine associations between medication non-adherence, disease activity, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), (2) to examine if group differences were present for patients who were high versus low in anxiety or depression in terms of their medication non-adherence, …

The Role Of Organizational Commitment In Practitioner Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practices In Substance Abuse Treatment Settings, Irene Teresa Manfredo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Organizational commitment (OC) has been linked to different types of work-related behaviors including innovation implementation and professional behavior change but the influence of OC on technology transfer or research to practice processes is as yet unknown. Using a social exchange perspective, the study employed constructs derived from Klein & Sorra (1996) - perceived implementation climate and practitioner innovation-values fit - to understand the association between practitioner level OC and evidence-based practice implementation (EBP) in substance abuse treatment settings. Method: A secondary data analysis was conducted utilizing a 2008 cross-sectional survey of outpatient substance abuse practitioners in eastern New York State …