Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding And Assessing Conduct Disorder: A Literature Review, Garrett Holman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this literature review, the current understanding and assessment of conduct disorder will be examined with the intention of finding areas in need of future research. The importance of how conduct disorder develops with individuals, the comorbidities associated with the disorder, and the ways in which conduct disorder is assessed will be the focal point for this review. In particular, this review explores how the development of conduct disorder is connected with the long-term outcomes and the ways in which the interaction of co-occurring disorders can impact the course of this condition. Existing research on conduct disorder has gaps that …

Parsimony, Parallelism, And Presentation: The Impact Of Presentation On Evaluation, Peter Mclemore

Psychology Theses - Archive

In professional and academic settings, support for creative ideas often hinges on how effectively those ideas are communicated in writing. This study examined how two sentence-level rhetorical features—parsimony and parallelism—influence the evaluation, support, and recall of written proposals featuring creative restaurant concepts. Using a 2×2 within-subjects design, 211 undergraduates reviewed proposals manipulated to vary in parsimony (high vs. low) and parallelism (high vs. low). Participants rated each proposal on quality, originality, elegance, support, and completed a recall task. Contrary to expectations, proposals with low parsimony and low parallelism received the highest evaluations across all three creative indicators (i.e., quality, originality, …

Excitation And Polarization Of Isolated Neurons By High-Frequency Sine Waves For Temporal Interference Stimulation, Iurii Semenov, Vitalii Kim, Giedre Silkuniene, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

The capacity of temporal interference (TI) stimulation to target deep brain regions without affecting nearby surface electrodes remains uncertain. Using artifact-free optical recording, we compare excitation patterns and thresholds in hippocampal neurons stimulated by “pure” and amplitude-modulated sine waves, representing TI waveforms near electrodes and at the target, respectively. We show that pure 2- and 20-kHz sine waves induce repetitive firing at rates that increase up to 60–90 Hz with stronger electric fields. Beyond this limit, action potentials merge into sustained depolarization, resulting in an excitation block. Modulating the sine waves at 20 Hz aligns firing with amplitude “beats” and …

“A Safe Place”: Exploring Black Couples’ Perceptions Of Black Love And Relationship Coping In The Context Of Their Lived Experiences With Racism, Melinda Murdock

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Historically, Black couples have not been studied within the context of their lived experiences as it relates to the effects of racism on relationship health. Only in the last decade have relationship scholars begun to consistently link racism-related stressors to relationship processes and outcomes. Despite the growing literature, recent studies are primarily quantitative in method and rely on samples, theoretical models, and measures that predominantly represent White couples’ experiences. It remains unclear how Black couples’ perceptions of love and relationship coping lead to resilient outcomes despite the negative effects of racism.

Therefore, the goal of the present study is to …

Career Aspirations Of Indonesian College Students: A Social Cognitive Career Theory Perspective Through A Cultural Lens, Novi Qonitatin, Dian Ratna Sawitri

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Using the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) framework through a culturally sensitive perspective, this study investigated the several elements affecting the career aspirations of Indonesian college students. Acknowledging the notable disparity in applying SCCT in collectivist, non-Western settings like Indonesia where familial and cultural influences are prominent, the study used a qualitative design with a mixed-format questionnaire (rating scales followed by open-ended reasons) administered to 133 undergraduate students at Universitas Diponegoro. Complementing descriptive rating summaries, thematic study of the qualitative data revealed a complex interaction of elements. One of the main conclusions was the widespread and multifarious influence of family, …

Attachment And Delusional Ideation: A Systematic Review And Proposed Model Of The Association Between Attachment Insecurity And Delusion Symptoms, Ryan Sparks M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Early repeated child-parent experiences impact the emergence of children’s reality testing by providing them with secure, trusting relationships with reality-oriented caregivers in which beliefs can be evaluated and refined. These relationships facilitate open and reciprocal communication about thoughts and feelings. Caregivers facilitate the development of children’s reflective capacities by helping them connect their inner experiences to their behavior. This process encourages them to assess whether their thoughts and feelings accurately reflect reality by remaining attuned to the perceptions of reality that are shared with others. Given the centrality of early caregiving experiences to one’s development of reality testing, attachment theory …

A Perspective On Imbalance: A Memoir Through The Lens Of Eating Disorders Anonymous, Samantha C. Lasky

Scripps Senior Theses

A Perspective on Imbalance uses a crab shell essay format within the adjusted framework of Eating Disorder Anonymous’ “Perspective on Balance” letter. This original letter speaks to how physical, social/emotional, and spiritual balance came to exist in the founder’s life after working the 12 steps of the program, but the author of this thesis felt more inclined to examine what life looks like in each of those categories before the 12 steps, as well as what happens when you choose not to work them (as this has been her experience thus far). The resulting linear prose essay includes themes of …

Religious Participation, Subjective Happiness, And Purpose In Life As Predictors Of Psychological Resilience Among College Students At A Faith-Based Institution In The United States, Elaine Powell Oliver

Dissertations

Problem

During the transition from adolescence to adulthood, also known as emerging adulthood, many college students experience psychological distress, such as anxiety, depression, stress, and loneliness (Arnett & Tanner, 2009; DeRosier et al., 2013). For some students, their psychological distress will impact how they perform academically and whether they will persist in their academic goals (Hartley, 2012; Robbins et al., 2018). Many students lack the resilience needed to survive and thrive amid the challenges of college life (Lane, 2020; McLafferty et al., 2022; Watkins et al., 2012). -- Resilience is considered an essential psychological characteristic to assist students in navigating …

Use Of E-Cigarettes And Other Substances And Related Psychiatric Symptoms In Undergraduate Students, Grant L. Saba

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This study evaluated the role that use of alcohol and e-cigarettes had in the development of dependence and demand of each other, along with symptoms of depression and anxiety in undergraduate college students. It tested four hypotheses: (1) that these symptoms are related to more frequent e-cigarette use, (2) they are related to problematic alcohol dependence, (3) alcohol demand will be higher in e-cigarette users, and (4) e-cigarette demand will be higher in problematic drinkers. 173 undergraduate students completed self-report inventories describing their alcohol dependence, e-cigarette dependence, depression, and anxiety, along with completing two hypothetical purchase tasks where they were …

White Racial Identity, Climae Change, And Social Attitudes, Alyssa Engle

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This study examined how symbolic racism, political conservativism, and White racial identity predicts attitudes toward climate change among White Americans. Prior research suggests that racial resentment vaticinates social and political judgments beyond explicitly racial domains, including environmental issues and policies which disproportionately harm Black and marginalized communities. Building on this prior research, the present study investigated whether racial identity dimensions predict climate change distress, and whether symbolic racism mediates associations between conservative political orientation and climate concern. Seventythree White undergraduate students completed measures of racial identity, symbolic racism, distrust in climate science, political conservatism, and climate distress. As predicted, a …

Thinking Beyond Ourselves: Using Interdisciplinary Exploration And Speculative Scenarios To Understand The Human Experience, Shannon Kundey

Honors in Practice Online Archive

This essay presents an interdisciplinary seminar in honors that challenges students to move beyond the limitations of human experience and examine cognition and behavior across species, environments, and hypothetical extraterrestrial minds. A Choose Your Own Adventure structure encourages reflection on cognitive biases, thereby fostering a nuanced understanding of intelligence, perspective, and sociality. Author observes that students benefit from frameworks that disrupt human-centered biases and suggests that engaging students in speculative scenarios prompts confronting and questioning assumptions about intelligence, ethics, and social dynamics.

Igf-1 As A Biomarker For Symptom Severity In Adult Traumatic Brain Injury: Evidence From An Observational Study, Justin Weppner, Kimberly Rosenthal, Jennifer Bath, Tonja Locklear, Melissa Martinez

Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Faculty Publications

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related growth hormone deficiency is often undertreated, despite documented physical, metabolic, and neuropsychiatric effects. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), with neuroreceptors located in brain regions responsible for learning, memory, and mood, regulates cerebral blood flow, neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity. The aim of this study was to determine associations between IGF-1 levels and post-TBI symptom severity, anxiety, and depression. This retrospective observational study at an Academic Brain Injury Center included participants evaluated 3-12 months post-TBI with available IGF-1 values and complete Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ-13), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) responses. Patients under 18 or …

The Unintended Consequences Of Normalization: Unmonitored Mental Health Discourse Among Youth And Suicide Risk, Farley Morris

Social Work Theses - Archive

Suicide has become an increasingly common cause of death among U.S. children ages 10–14. In 2001, suicide accounted for 8% of deaths in this age group; by 2010 the proportion rose to 12%, and by 2020 it reached 22% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020). Although factors such as adverse childhood experiences (Felitti et al., 1998; Jones et al., 2024), psychache (Shneidman, 1998), burdensomeness (Joiner, 2005; O’Connor, 2011), and hopelessness (Bat Tonkus et al., 2022; Qiu et al., 2017) are associated with suicide, these elements alone do not explain the significant rise in suicide deaths over the past …

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

Teaming With Technology: Adaptive Automation In Joint Cognitive Systems For Industry 5.0, Jessica Johnson

Virginia Digital Maritime Center (VDMC) Faculty Publications

Adaptive automation enables dynamic reallocation of functions between people and autonomous agents to improve performance in complex work. This paper presents a meta-analysis of experimental and quasi-experimental studies (2000-2025) on joint cognitive systems in industrially relevant contexts, quantifying effects on task performance, safety/failure management, workload, trust, and learning. Across studies, adaptive automation reliably reduces operator workload and shows moderate gains in task performance and safety, with healthier trust dynamics when adaptations are triggered by human-state or event cues, made transparent to the user, and remain rapidly overridable. Risks emerge when performance-triggered switching is opaque or poorly timed, which can erode …

The Impact Of Family Variables On The Mental Health Of Gender Expansive Transitional Age Youth And Adults, Courtney Erdly

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Gender expansive individuals are at an elevated risk for stress and poor psychological outcomes such as depression, substance abuse, and death by suicide due to minority stress. Family variables can either protect against or perpetuate poor psychological outcomes. There is need to examine specific protective and risk factors in families with gender expansive children. The present study explores the relationship between family and caregiver relationship variables and well-being in a sample of 39 gender expansive individuals. Participants completed an online survey consisting of questionnaires measuring current internalizing and externalizing symptoms and their perception of their family structure, functioning, and parental …

Integrated Behavioral Health In Pediatric Primary Care: Identifying Latent Patient Subgroups And Differential Outcomes, Karen Glownia

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Fifty percent of children do not receive care for their mental health concerns, while 95% are seen annually within primary care by age 6. Individual, cultural, and systemic barriers limit access to mental health care. Integrating mental health services into primary care has the potential to increase awareness, reduce costs, and decrease stigma. However, integrated primary care often relies on a brief and targeted intervention approach that may not be suitable for all families. Therefore, it is important to examine differential outcomes within this setting. Methods: This study analyzed retrospective data from 3,494 new patient medical records at a large …

Examination Of Barriers To Accessing Integrated Behavioral Health Care, Alyssa Buthman

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Research has found that pediatric integrated behavioral health (IBH) significantly increases utilization of behavioral health services, but there are still families who are missing out. The purpose of the current study is to examine characteristics that may influence or impede utilization of an IBH referral. Phase 1 utilized survey methodology paired with electronic medical record review in a sample of 24 caregivers to pediatric patients to investigate whether parent-reported perceived stigma of accessing mental health care, barriers to accessing health care in general, and child symptom severity uniquely predicted referral utilization. Phase 2 used electronic medical record data in a …

The Impact Of Parenting Behaviors On The Development Of Hope In Young Children Experiencing Homelessness, Gracie Munnie

Psychology Theses

Research in resilience science has revealed a “short-list” of protective factors that support positive development in contexts of risk and adversity (Masten, 2014). One such factor is hope, which includes agency thinking (i.e., the belief in one’s ability to accomplish their goals) and pathway thinking (i.e., the ability to produce attainable routes to those goals; Sparks, 2021; Synder, 1997). In families, parents with high levels of hope set intentional parenting goals and encourage their children to create goals as well; these parents also report better psychological functioning and increased ability to cope with parenting stressors (Cole & Molloy, 2023). Although …

Replicating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) Behavioral Profiles In School-Age Children: A Multi-Informant Investigation Of Emotional, Behavioral, And Cognitive Functioning, Tarah K. Todd Mrs.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties with attention, behavioral regulation, and impulsivity. Traditional diagnostic methods rely on categorical subtypes, often failing to capture the substantial heterogeneity observed across children with ADHD. As a result, there is growing support for data-driven, person-centered approaches that identify naturally occurring behavioral profiles rather than relying solely on categorical subtypes.

The present study sought to replicate previously identified ADHD-related behavioral profiles using contemporary clinical measures. BASC-3 Parent Rating Scale (PRS) data served as the foundation for replication of behavioral profiles, and then these profiles were examined across teacher ratings, executive-function …

Childhood Betrayal Trauma, Psychopathy, And Ptsd: The Role Of Ambiguity Tolerance, Distress Tolerance, And Impulse Control Difficulties In A College Sample., Surabhi Swaminath

Dissertations and Theses

Childhood betrayal trauma engenders negative outcomes such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychopathy. Though these outcomes are viewed as functional opposites, this multi-finality suggests similar underlying mechanisms. Childhood betrayal trauma results in low tolerance for different types of distress, including emotional distress and ambiguity. Distress is known to induce impulse control difficulties, which are associated with both PTSD and psychopathy. This cross-sectional study tested hypothesized indirect associations between childhood betrayal trauma and two outcomes: PTSD symptoms and psychopathy in a sample of young adults (N¬ = 753). We hypothesized direct paths from childhood betrayal trauma to PTSD, and psychopathy. …

The Role Of Context Sensitivity On The Association Between Racial Discrimination And Emotional Dysfunction Among Black American Adolescents, Summer C. Bryant

Theses and Dissertations

Black adolescents are at an increased risk of experiencing racial discrimination due to a developmental period marked by increased time away from parents and caregivers and increased time with peers (Fisher et al., 2000). Empirical research has shown that Black adolescents’ experiences of racial discrimination are associated with emotion dysfunction (Benner et al., 2018; Seaton et al., 2009; Sellers et al., 2006). Although previous research has identified racial factors such as racial socialization and racial identity as protective factors by reducing the impact of racial discrimination on Black adolescents’ emotion dysfunction (Gibson et al., 2021; Neblett et al., 2008), we …

The Correlation Between Working From Home And Depression, Anxiety & Stress And The Moderating Effect Of Parenting, Lauren H. Marshall

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the impact of working from home on depression, anxiety and stress and whether parenting has a moderating role in its impact. The number of individuals working from home increased dramatically because of the pandemic and many individuals continue to work from home despite the absence of government-issued lockdowns and the diminishing threat of the COVID-19 virus. Earlier pre-pandemic research supports several positive work-related outcomes of working from home; however, little consideration has been given to the long-term impact of this major change in the way we work on individual’s mental health. Social isolation, an increase in sedentary …

Evaluating The Brief Symptom Inventory (Bsi) And Bsi-18 Psychometrics, Samantha Freville

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) (Derogatis, 1975, 1993) is often utilized as an intake screener for psychiatric symptoms with a variety of populations. The present study evaluated the internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the BSI-18 when compared to similar subscales, including Somatization (SOM), Anxiety (ANX), and Depression (DEP), and dissimilar subscales, including Nonsupport (NON), Drug Problems (DRG), and Alcohol Problems (ALC), on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) to determine its clinical utility in communicating clients’ level of distress in an outpatient clinical sample. The results indicated that Global Severity Index (GSI) scores of the BSI and BSI-18 …

Bending But Not Breaking: An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Psychological Flexibility And Suicidality In Individuals With Chronic Pain, Adalyn Mcmurray

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Chronic pain is a burdensome condition that has been found to be associated with increased suicide risk, yet the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear (Domenichiello & Ramsden, 2019). The present study aimed to examine the role of pain interference and psychological inflexibility in predicting past two-week suicidal thoughts among individuals with chronic pain, with psychological inflexibility explored as a potential moderator. This study also sought to replicate and extend McCracken et al. (2018) and enhance the understanding of suicidality in chronic pain populations by using the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (Rolffs et al., 2018b), a more psychometrically sound measure …

Understanding The Influence Of Team Identifications Influence On Perception Of States, Morgan Elizabeth Macke

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Team identification refers to an individual’s psychological connection to a team or athlete (Wann, 2006a), while rival salience involves awareness of a prominent rival team (Wann & James, 2019). This study examined the relationship between sport team identification and perceptions of a state housing a salient rival, specifically whether identification with the University of Kentucky (UK) men’s basketball team influenced perceptions of Tennessee, home to rival team University of Tennessee (UT). It was hypothesized that greater team identification would be associated with more negative evaluations of Tennessee, and that this relationship would be mediated by perceptions of the rival team. …

The Role Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Aggression And Substance Use In Young Adulthood, Sadie Goralski

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are widespread within the United States. More than half of the population has experienced at least one adverse event during their youth. Such experiences range from parental divorce to sexual assault. Past research has shown that adverse experiences during the formative years play a major role in the development of multiple physical and mental health issues. The current study aimed to explore the interplay among ACEs and two of these covariates: aggression and substance use. Moreover, the proposed study further investigated the development of substance use in emotionally dysregulated individuals with past adverse experiences. In doing …

Longitudinal Relationship Between Problematic Social Networking Use And Internalizing Problems, Lindsay Roesel

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The purpose of this study is to examine the longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between problematic social networking use (PSNU) and internalizing problems (depressive symptoms and self-esteem) in adolescents. Data were collected from N = 360 adolescents from two public high schools in Turkey, 14.58 years old in 9^th grade at Time 1 (54.3% females). Participants completed four assessments regarding problematic social media use, depression and self-esteem, over the course of two school years, once per semester in 9^th and 10^th grades. The study tested a series of hypotheses which tested the bidirectional relationships between PSNU on depressive …

Food And Alcohol Disturbance Norms And Behaviors: Examining Their Association And The Role Of Gender, Victoria E. Peroni

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Food and alcohol disturbance (FAD) is a behavioral pattern that consists of compensatory behaviors, such as dietary restriction and exercise, which are used in conjunction with alcohol consumption. Despite growing research on FAD, its relationship with descriptive social norms and gender differences remains underexplored, particularly in non-college adult populations. The present study examined the prevalence of FAD behaviors, their associations with descriptive norms, and potential gender differences in these relationships. Using a broad-age adult sample recruited through Prolific (n = 727), item-level FAD descriptive norms were analyzed to determine their specific relationship with FAD behaviors. FAD descriptive norms were …

Factors Affecting The Joy Of Life In Old Age: A Scale Development Study, Yalçın Karagöz, Yusuf Karaşi̇n, Mustafa Filiz, Mehmet Ateş

Adultspan Journal

This study aims to introduce a measurement tool into the literature that can reveal the factors affecting the joy of life in older adulthood. Participants included 266 individuals aged 55 and over living in Izmir, Turkey. The process of developing the scale includes the following stages: problem identification, item pool creation, expert opinion, form shaping, pilot application, and finalizing the scale. The exploratory factor analysis revealed that the scale consists of 6 different dimensions, and the variance explained by these dimensions was found to be 65.184%. The acceptable values for the scale's fit indicators are as follows: χ²/df0.90, IFI > 0.90, …