Parenthood And Mental Health Among University Populations In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study, Tuwani A. Rasengane, Ngozika Esther Ezinne, Antor Ndep, Nnamdi John Eseme, Susarah Maria Richter, Kingsley E. Agho, Ebele Gertrude Ejidike, Michael Agyemang Kwarteng, Kelechukwu Enyinnaya Ahaiwe, Nnaemeka Meribe, Obed Adonteng-Kissi, Edith Daniel-Nwosu, Mchillary Ogiemudia Osamudiamen, Ike Onyebuchi Oforbuike, Grace Obumneke Ogbonna, Isaura Ilorena D.Alva Brito Dos Santos, Okechi Ulumma Amaechi, Ugochukwu E. Uzuegbu, Khathutshelo Percy Mashige, Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and Aims: This study examined the association between parenthood status and psychological well-being among university staff and students in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted across 22 universities in four SSA countries using convenience sampling. A total of 1189 university staff and students, including parents and non-parents, participated. Mental health outcomes were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21). Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine associations between parenthood status and mental health outcomes after adjusting for sociodemographic and contextual factors. Results: Participants with children had lower odds of moderate depression (adjusted …

The Effects Of Fluency Building On Undergraduate Student Performance, Lauren B. Shibley

Dissertations

Online learning has become integral to higher education, with enrollment steadily increasing over the past decade and accelerating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research highlights the importance of flexibility, learner autonomy, and self-regulated learning skills in this environment, with studies demonstrating that strategies such as mastery-based, self-paced instruction, fluency training, and timely feedback support student engagement and academic success. Early work adapting personalized instruction for online use (Pear & Crone-Todd, 1999) and subsequent studies on fluency practice (Quigley et al., 2018; Urbina et al., 2019) emphasize how these supports can improve concept retention. Despite these advances, more quantitative research is needed …

The Influence Of Valence On Action Control: A Comparison Of Simon Effects In The Extrinsic Affective Simon Task (East) And The Spatial Simon Task, Yaara Aleissa

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

People adjust their thoughts and actions in response to a changing environment every day and emotions may influence these actions. Understanding how emotion impacts action control in situations where emotion is central to the action (task-relevant) compared to when it is present in the environment as distracting information (task-irrelevant) is essential. Currently it is unclear when emotion most significantly modulates action control. This study seeks to compare how valence (positive versus negative emotion) impacts action control performance when valence is task-relevant and task-irrelevant by using two modified versions of the Simon conflict task.

The Simon task is a paradigm to …

Implementing Narrative Family Art Therapy To Address Trauma And Conflict Resolution, Haley Elizabeth Watson

Expressive Therapies Theses

This study explored the implementation of principles and approaches from a complementary framework of narrative therapy, art therapy and family therapy using a trauma-informed approach with clients and their families receiving in-home therapy (IHT) services. Existing research demonstrates that narrative approaches and techniques support clients to identify alternative perspectives to their reality to promote a more empowering narrative. The intention of this research was to identify themes and possible areas of exploration for future research about how trauma-informed narrative family art therapy may be a suitable and beneficial framework for addressing conflict within the family system and healing from traumatic …

Intermittent Access To Alcohol-Mixed Energy Drinks In C57bl/6j Mice, Grace E. Granato

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Alcohol mixed with energy drinks containing large amounts of caffeine has become a popular mixture, particularly among younger generations. The effects of mixing two opposing psychoactive drugs - caffeine, being a central nervous system stimulant, and alcohol, being a central nervous system depressant - have been shown previously to increase the risk of binge drinking and participation in other risky behaviors. The current study was designed to examine consumption patterns and withdrawal effects of adolescent mice when given alcohol mixed with the popular energy drink Red Bull®. Male and female C57BL/6J mice (N=32) arrived at 4 weeks of age and …

Personality Meets Possibility: Exploring Cognitive Engagement For Older Adults In A Changing World, Kalvry A. Cooper

All Theses

Engagement in cognitively stimulating activities (CSAs) is critical for maintaining cognitive health in older adults. While existing research has examined the benefits of CSAs, less is known about how factors such as personality traits, education, and technology proficiency influence engagement, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore older adults' participation in online versus in-person CSAs during the pandemic and identify key predictors of engagement. Using secondary data from the EFIT and ENACT studies, this research investigates how variables like marital status, education, personality traits, and mobile device proficiency shape older adults' decisions to engage in online or …

Targeting The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation To Improve Depression And Anxiety In Parkinson's Disease, Brock Renicks

Honors Theses

The aim of this study is to observe the outcomes of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a treatment for Parkinson’s Disease (PD). This study will primarily look at changes in depression and anxiety, as these symptoms are often comorbid with Parkinson’s Disease. Transcranial direct current stimulation is a non-invasive, very low-intensity form of electrical stimulation of the brain. It is being increasingly used as a form of treatment for Parkinson’s Disease and depression and anxiety, however the literature is ambiguous, showing mixed results throughout various studies, with no standardization of tDCS administration. To determine the effect of tDCS on …

Social Isolation Predicts Altered Reward Circuit Connectivity And Future Behaviors In Adolescents, Mason Lucas, Josiah Leong

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood when people explore risky behaviors, and stressors during adolescence can change structural brain connectivity. Previous research has found weaker structural connectivity between reward circuits and future cognitive impairments among children raised in orphanages. Comparative research in mice suggests that social isolation after bullying can damage these connections and induce alcohol seeking. We tested whether social isolation was related to lower connectivity of targeted structural connections and anxious behaviors in adolescent humans. We analyzed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study and found 522 subjects had experienced extreme social isolation. …

Evaluating Spect Neuroimaging In Psychiatric Diagnosis: A Critical Review And Proposed Randomized Controlled Study, Kiley Carter

Senior Honors Theses

Mental illness affects a substantial proportion of adults in the United States, yet psychiatric diagnosis remains subject to diagnostic variability. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a neuroimaging technique that measures cerebral blood flow and has been proposed as an adjunctive tool for psychiatric evaluation. Existing literature reports group-level perfusion patterns associated with certain psychiatric conditions, suggesting potential utility in diagnosing complex or treatment-resistant cases. However, critics of SPECT emphasize the absence of randomized controlled data demonstrating improved patient outcomes. To address this gap, a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing standard psychiatric care with SPECT-guided evaluation is proposed. The proposed …

Targeting The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation To Improve Depression And Anxiety In Parkinson’S Disease, Brock Renicks

Poster Presentations

Around 40% of people with Parkinson’s Disease experience depression and anxiety (Zhao et al, 2025). Depression and Anxiety have been said to be localized to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brunoni et al, 2016). Transcranial Direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to modulate depression and anxiety by targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Sreeraj et al, 2023). It is beneficial due to its cost, portability, and simplicity of use. Thus we will be assessing the efficacy of tDCS in reducing depression and anxiety in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.

Constant Connectivity To Work, Health Behaviors, Physical Symptoms: Exploring Boundary Management Practices That Can Help, Christina Christodoulou

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The workday inevitably exposes employees to numerous demands that induce stress reactions. Without sufficient recovery (i.e. returning stress reactions to baseline), individuals risk experiencing chronic psychological, behavioral or physical strains. With the rise of constant connectivity to work, recovery is becoming more of a challenge. However, research on the recovery-related consequences of constant connectivity, particularly its impact on health behaviors and physical health outcomes, remains scarce. To fill this gap in the literature, this research explored the relationship between constant connectivity, boundary management practices, health behaviors, and physical symptoms using a mixed-methods, multi-study design. A mixed methods pilot study (N …

Performative Racial Allyship And Ally Ambivalence: A Qualitative Study, Peter D. Goldie

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Racism is rampant in and outside of higher education institutions (HEIs). Preliminary research has found that white allyship--or white people's efforts to dismantle racism by partnering with People of Color--can be beneficial to Black communities when done authentically and in ways that center Black voices, perspectives, and liberatory goals. However, a growing body of scholarship has found that white people seldom show up as allies in meaningful ways. Instead, they frequently resort to performative racial allyship (PRA), or behaviors that are meant to signal solidarity with a marginalized racial group yet are superficial and self-serving. To support effective antiracism efforts, …

Adolescent Social Media Use And Associations With Parental Screen Time Practices, Joseph A. Simon, Josiah Leong

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The rise of electronic use among younger generations has raised concerns surrounding  the developmental and behavioral effects of increasing usage. While past research has found some associations between screen time and mental health, there is less knowledge about how parenting practices influence these developmental and behavioral patterns of social media use. Our study examined longitudinal trajectories of social media use from ages 9 to 13 among 9,211 subjects at baseline, year 1, year 2 and later a complete 3-year parent questionnaire on screen time reward, limiting, and monitoring to then examine whether parenting behaviors were associated with previous social media …

Sex Differences In How Celebrity Crushes Bolster Self-Perceived Mate Value, Madyson M. King

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Previous research indicates that parasocial relationships provide surrogate connections for individuals to where they offer various psychological benefits. Some benefits include self-esteem and improved body image, which may be connected by such relationships facilitating attainment of one's ideal self. Given this benefit of social surrogacy, it could be possible that a vicarious romantic connection with a parasocial figure may similarly bolster one's mate value if that relationship were to move an individual closer to a personal ideal. We predicted that engagement with a celebrity crush would be associated with a heightened mate value. A community sample of men and women …

The Effects Of Cannabidiol (Cbd) On The Social, Cognitive, And Physical Facets Of Anxiety Sensitivity, Ezri Rathbun

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The current study investigated how repeated administration of 300mg of cannabidiol (CBD), when compared to a placebo, affects the social, cognitive, and physical facets of anxiety sensitivity (AS), a characteristic that reflects fear of the consequences of anxious arousal. Prior work suggests CBD may have anxiolytic effects that may be specific to the social aspects of anxiety. Thus, it was hypothesized that, that, relative to placebo, CBD would reduce self-reported AS-social concerns, but not AS-cognitive or AS-physical concerns, compared to baseline. Participants (N= 79; 52 women; M_age = 22.06) with elevated perceived stress were randomly assigned to 14 …

Amusement In The Absence Of Empathy: Psychopathy In Relation To The Use And Appreciation Of Dark Humor, Jolie A. Brewer

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Although humor functions to foster integration between individuals, not all types of humor are equally appreciated by everyone. Some forms of humor are controversial, which limits their appreciation to specific contexts and potentially to specific people. One form of humor that may meet this definition is dark humor. Production of dark humor could imply that the humorist is disinterested in conventional social situations while similarly conveying an exploitative intention. Given that individuals who exhibit heightened levels of psychopathic personality traits also have a relative disinterest in adhering to social norms, it could be possible that psychopathy is associated with a …

Avoiding Pathogens Or Avoiding People? Pathogen Avoidance, Pathogen-Specific Stereotypes, And Intergroup Bias Toward South Asians, Aashvi Dahiya

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

People are motivated to avoid pathogens because infection poses serious risks (e.g., illness, death). Pathogen avoidance often relies on indirect cues and stereotypes—like appearance or group membership—to identify potential pathogen threats. A large body of literature has linked pathogen avoidance to intergroup bias, but recent work suggests that this link may vary across social groups. In particular, pathogen avoidance may be more strongly associated with intergroup bias toward groups specifically linked to pathogen-specific stereotypes. The present study examined whether pathogen-specific stereotype endorsement moderates the relationship between pathogen avoidance and intergroup bias toward South Asians. A sample of 684 participants completed …

Navigating New Environments: Acculturative Stress And Substance Use Among International Vs Domestic Students From Latino/A Backgrounds, Madelyn R. Null

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

College students can experience a range of cultural and social pressures that could relate to their alcohol and cannabis use. Latino/a international students may face unique challenges as they adjust to campus environments in the United States (U.S.), yet little research has compared their substance use patterns to those of Latino/a domestic students. Therefore, the present study aims to examine whether: (a) Latino/a international and domestic students differ in their alcohol use, (b)they differ in their cannabis use, and (c) acculturative stress moderates the relationship between international student status and these substance use behaviors. Latino/a undergraduates (n=440; Mage=20.55; female=71%; international=21%) …

Raising Regulated Moms: Reducing Reactive Parenting Responses, Victoria J. Perez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many parents and caregivers lack access to information and support that accurately relates effective parenting styles, without this knowledge caregivers and parents may unintentionally rely on reactive responses that end up escalating conflict with their child rather than resolving it. When parents respond to their child's big emotions without effective tools to first regulate themselves, they risk contributing to higher stress levels, emotional withdrawal, and behavioral dysregulation in their children. Research consistently demonstrates that when parents are given the tools to successfully incorporate self-regulation skills and evidence-based approaches to guide children through difficult emotions, both the child and the parent …

Balance Due: A Cross-Sectional Examination Of The Role Of Financial Stress And Dissociation In Suicidal Ideation, Caden Reynolds

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Prediction of suicide risk has not improved despite decades of research (e.g., Franklin et al., 2017). Given this, researchers have highlighted the importance of integrating multiple risk factors to better understand the suicidal phenomenon, including suicidal ideation (SI), and propel the field forward. Two factors that may influence suicide risk independently and in concert include: financial stress, the subjective stress that individuals face in response to their financial circumstances, which can amplify suicide risk (Elbogen et al., 2020), and dissociation, a complex internal psychological process that impacts memory, perception, and identity (Macia et al., 2023). Independently, financial stress and dissociation …

Believe It Or Not: An Examination Of The Nature And Implications Of Evidence-Resistant Beliefs, Jack Geruc

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

The aim of this thesis is to contribute to a growing body of academic research regarding the nature and origin of evidence-resistant belief systems and examine the influence that they have upon our lives. This examination of the origin of these beliefs draws on two intellectual disciplines: psychology and epistemology. A psychological approach examines the cognitive mechanisms that allow for the formation and persistence of these beliefs. The psychological approach focuses on the biological drives of belief formation and resilience. Furthermore, an examination of the psychology of identity shows an entanglement of one’s identity with belief systems that allows for …

The Role Of Executive Functions In Creativity, Gavin R. Kyer

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The present study investigates the relationship between executive functions and creativity, measured through divergent thinking. Literature review determines that there should be a positive correlation between executive functioning and creative idea generation, however, findings are mixed. This study tested the level of correlation/predictability between executive functions, specifically, updating, shifting, and inhibition, and creativity. Participants (N=112) completed tasks assessing updating (letter memory), shifting (number letter) and inhibition (Stroop). They also completed the Alternative Uses Task (AUT) that measures divergent thinking. Pearson’s correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine any individual or combined relationship between executive functions and creativity. Results …

Perfectionism And Cognitive Flexibility: Comparing The Impacts Of Perfectionism Vs Excellencism On Cognitive Flexibility, Lillian R. Blackburn

Honors College Theses

Perfectionism is often defined as “high standards of performance which are accompanied by tendencies for overly critical evaluations of one’s own behavior” (Frost et al., 1990, p. 450). Although striving for high standards is characteristic of perfectionism, it is also a central concept of the construct of excellencism, that is striving for standards that are both high and attainable. Research has made a distinction between the pursuit of perfection and pursuit of excellence, suggesting perfectionists strive for high unattainable standards, whereas excellencists strive for high yet reasonable standards with more areas of flexibility (Gaudreau et al., 2022).  These differences have …

The Role Of Cognitive Inhibition In Creative Problem Solving, James Schnoes

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Creativity is a defining characteristic of human cognition and plays a central role in shaping our daily lives. In the literature, creativity is commonly conceptualized through two cognitive processes: divergent thinking, which involves generating multiple novel ideas, and convergent thinking, which involves arriving at a single correct solution by integrating all information available. (Cropley, 2006; Guilford, 1959; Runco & Jaeger, 2012). The present study examined how cognitive control, measured via the Stroop task (Stroop, 1935), relates to convergent creative problem solving as assessed by the Compound Remote Associates (CRA) task. Additionally, trends in alpha and theta power spectra during the …

The Effect Of Facial Adiposity On Hypothetical Medical Treatments As A Function Of Disgust, Lindsey Duran

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Perceivers are capable of estimating the health of individuals through cues to facial adiposity, with such inferences having accuracy in recognizing worse chronic health among those exhibiting greater adiposity. Nonetheless, these inferences could extend beyond health assessments into subsequent anti-fat prejudice based on perceptions of such individuals as pathogenically threatening. Although potentially functional in ancestral contexts, modern healthcare settings could render this functional stigmatization a liability that results in worse medical care toward those with higher adiposity. In this study, I tasked medical workers to evaluate male and female hypothetical patients at high and low levels of facial adiposity, particularly …

Parental Monitoring And Approval As Moderators Of Peer And Parental Influences On Adolescent Drinking, Clara Pool

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Adolescence (i.e., ages 12 to 18) is a developmental period marked by exploration and risk-taking behavior, which is often associated with increased risk for alcohol use. Adolescents’ perceptions of what is typical or approved behavior within their social environments (e.g., peers, parents) may be associated with their drinking behaviors. Parental monitoring is related to reduced substance use risk, though peer and parental influences can interact. For example, adolescents who perceive their parents do not approve of adolescent alcohol use may be less susceptible to alcohol-approving peers. Therefore, this study examined how adolescents’ perceptions of peer approval, parental approval, and parental …

Choosing Death: The Moral Legitimacy Of Voluntary Active Euthanasia, Emma Rougeou

Honors Theses

During the last three decades, the issue of physician assisted suicide has captivated the interest of private citizens and state legislatures. Thinking about the matter of end-of-life concerns, particularly surrounding euthanasian (practices that hasten the deaths of suffering terminally ill people) have shifted. Views of private citizens and state-level legislation reflects a “slow shift to more permissive attitudes” (Cohen et al., 2012). Meanwhile, as recently as March 2026, state legislators in conjunction with the NY State Governor, passed a bill legalizing medical aid in dying for terminally ill patients. This thesis is intended to thoughtfully contribute to meaningful discourse on …

Volunteer Spotlighting: Costly Signaling To Promote Volunteerism, Clyde A. Raible V

Master's Theses

Prosocial behaviors, because they are initially costly and do not guarantee a direct benefit to the actor, can nonetheless increase social status by signaling a willingness to incur cost on behalf of another. Given this signal value, nonprofit organizations may be able to leverage this knowledge to increase donations, such as through the provisioning of attention to, and recognition of, volunteers through social media. I predicted that the costliness of spotlighted behavior and the target signal clarity (i.e., individual vs. group spotlight) would interact with participants’ dispositional dominance and prestige-based status motives to influence volunteerism interest. To explore these associations, …

Psychological And Inflammatory Ties To Diet In Breast Cancer Survivors, Sonal Kaur Johal

Master's Theses

Breast cancer is among the most prevalent forms of cancer and is a primary cause of death among women (Wang et al., 2020). Cancer patients experience higher levels of anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and inflammation compared to non-cancer patients, which can predict a diminished quality of life but also contribute to higher mortality rates among cancer patients (Bortolato et al., 2016; Song et al., 2022). Diet has the potential to impact the manifestation of depressive and anxiety symptoms in both healthy individuals and those battling cancer. This study explored the association between dietary habits, specifically cholesterol, fiber, saturated fat, added …

Dissociation, Anxiety, And The Vestibular System: Understanding The Impacts Of Anxiety, Panic, And Dissociation On The Vestibular System, Julian Achata

Honors Theses

Previous research indicates that vestibular dysfunction is associated with symptoms of anxiety, panic, and dissociation. The present study will investigate anxiety, panic, and dissociation symptoms and identify the connections between reported symptom severity and vestibular functionality. This study will focus on three different hypotheses: 1) higher levels of dissociation will correlate with increased vestibular disruption; 2) higher levels of anxiety will correlate with increased vestibular disruption; 3) higher levels of panic will correlate with increased vestibular disruption. Six virtually administered self-report measurements were used to identify the variables: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Depersonalization Derealization Inventory (DDI), Dissociation Experiences Scale-II (DES-II), …