Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of Group Effectiveness In A Virtual Reality Environment., Dalton Clay Sparks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Virtual Reality (VR) technology has revolutionized the study of team effectiveness, yet many studies in this domain lack a comprehensive approach, focusing narrowly on performance metrics. This thesis investigates VR team effectiveness by integrating traditional Team Effectiveness frameworks with VR-specific dynamics. Utilizing Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Group Style Inventory (GSI), this study assesses teams within a VR environment, specifically a multiplayer submarine simulation game, IronWolfVR. Fifteen groups, totaling 45 participants, were observed for their collaborative gameplay, incorporating physiological measures (Heart Rate and Electrodermal Activity), team coordination dynamics, and various survey-based assessments (demographics, System Usability Scale, Simulator Sickness Questionnaire, and …

Bisexuality, Biphobia, And Its Effects On Sexual Identity, Religious Identity And Mental Health: Examining Clinical Implications, Diana Ramirez

Dissertations

Bisexuality is a sexual orientation, sometimes known as “bi,” that includes sexuality in which certain people are attracted to more than one sex and gender. Bisexuality differs from other sexual- and gender-nonconforming experiences (McInnis et al., 2022). According to Ross et al. (2018), bisexuality is frequently described as an invisible sexual orientation, and only in the last 20 years has research on biphobia and bisexuality increased (McInnis et al., 2022). Experiences unique to bisexuality include bisexual invisibility from a societal level (Dyar et al., 2015), bisexuals are more prone to experience sexual orientation instability (Bostwick et al., 2014), and bisexual …

Disrupting Childhood Trauma With Holistic Health Practices In Low Ses Elementary Schools, Unna G. Burns, Ketzia Kogan, Sarah M. Wingerden, Hannah Meck

Psychology and Child Development

It is evident that adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are a large challenge to tackle in the U.S., with 61% of adults reporting that they’ve experienced one ACE and 16% reporting four or more ACEs by age 18 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). ACE score items include, but are not limited to experiencing verbal, physical, sexual abuse, physical and/or emotional neglect, having a mentally ill family member, witnessing violence in the home towards a parent, and/or having a family member in prison. Such experiences serve as a public health threat that, without early intervention, bring about long-term effects biologically, …

The Future Of Terrorist Use Of Improvised Explosive Devices: Getting In Front Of An Evolving Threat, Austin C. Doctor, Samuel Hunter

Psychology Faculty Publications

Because of their outsized impact—as well as the wide availability of device components—violent extremists in the United States consider improvised explosive devices a valuable part of their arsenal. They are easy to make, difficult to combat, and cause significant harm and disruption. Yet this threat is not static. Violent extremists continue to innovate, drawing on emerging technologies and creative problem solving. The onus of initiative requires that the counterterrorism mission community looks over the horizon to identify emerging threats. In support of this need, the authors offer a forward-leaning taxonomy of emerging threats related to terrorist use of IEDs in …

Exploring Aging Using The Selection, Optimization, And Compensation (Soc) Framework In Conjunction With Kinematic Gait And Verbal Fluency Task Analysis In Healthy Adults, Emily Ann Chavez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This multi-study dissertation examined dual-task performance in young and middle-aged adults using verbal fluency tasks (VFT) during different walking scenarios (baseline, performing a VFT, walking narrowly, and performing a VFT while walking narrowly) as well as the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation (SOC) model. Thirty adults (15 young adults (YA; 19-44 years) and 15 middle-aged adults (MA; 45-65 years) participated in this study. Overall, there were no significant differences between groups when data was examined in short (means of means approach) and long-form (incorporating all data), when analyzing clustering and switching strategies, gait speed variability, or dual-task costs. Overall, these three …

A Psychometric Validation Of An Adapted Withdrawal Intolerance Scale For Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome, Sarah Nicole Najera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

While potentially life threatening, alcohol withdrawal is often under treated and inadequately integrated into the continuum of care for AUD. The current study served as part of a clinically impactful line of research by identifying key physical and psychological aspects of withdrawal. Using a measure previously developed for smoking cessation, a withdrawal intolerance measure was adapted (IDQ-A) and psychometrically validated. We aimed to establish construct validity of a three factor model of the IDQ-A, convergent and discriminant validity, as well as predictive validity. Those highly motivated to quit drinking and high in alcohol dependence were recruited via specialized social media …

Biomarkers Of Objective Criteria For Subtle Cognitive Decline In Parkinson’S Disease, Mary Ellen Garcia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD-MCI) is the continuum from normal cognitive function to dementia. Recent studies suggest that objectively defined subtle cognitive decline (Obj-SCD), which uses non-traditional “process” neuropsychological scores, may be a better pathway to earlier detection of cognitive impairment. Obj-SCD has been defined as the stage where cognition is not impaired, but biomarkers are present or cognitive impairment is minimal but not sufficient to meet MCI or dementia criteria. We examined the longitudinal trajectories of neurodegenerative markers among individuals who are classified as cognitive normal (CN), Obj-SCD, and PD-MCI. Past literature has been inconsistent about the …

Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers Not Associated With Neurologic Compromise Among Mild Cognitively Impaired Reverters With Parkinson's Disease, Cameron Ryczek

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor (e.g. tremors) and non-motor symptoms (e.g. cognitive impairment). PD patients' change in cognitive functioning can be observed using the following classifications: cognitively intact, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia (PDD). MCI has many subtypes, one of which is MCI reversion which is defined as those with MCI at one time point reverting to cognitively intact later. While there is limited research into the utility of MCI reversion and its relationship with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers in PD, this study will begin to elucidate this relationship. To this end, data from …

Repeated Treatment With 5-Ht1a And 5-Ht1b Receptor Agonists: Evidence Of Tolerance And Behavioral Sensitization, Jordan Taylor

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Serotonin has been found to regulate several cognitive and physiological functions, and its role in depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders has been a focus of research. More specifically, a wealth of research regarding serotonin focuses on serotonergic medications in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and stimulates the 5-HT_1A and 5-HT_1B receptors. Within the last decade, there has been an increase in prescriptions of psychotropic medication for children, however, the efficacy and adverse effects of these drugs have not been evaluated in younger populations. While antidepressants reduce symptoms of depression in adults, they are …

Power Projection And Counter-Terrorism: Strategies For Small States Like Brunei Darussalam, Brice Tseen Fu Lee, Gulshan Bibi Ms

Journal of Terrorism Studies

This study delves into the intricacies of power projection strategies and counter-terrorism measures, emphasizing their relevance to small states, with a specific focus on Brunei Darussalam. Using a dual matrix model, the research categorizes various strategies based on risk-reward parameters, offering a structured insight into potential approaches these states can employ against potential aggressors. The counter-terrorism matrix is the initial focal point, recognizing the contemporary significance of terror threats and their unique challenges for small nations. Subsequently, the power projection matrix offers a broader view of defense tactics beyond counter-terrorism. By synthesizing information from primary academic sources, the study aims …

The Emergence Of “The School Shooter” As A Category Of Analysis: What The 1990s Can Teach Us About Youth Violence, Rebecca Maria Jimenez

Honors College Theses

This thesis is a case study of the emergence and framing of “the school shooter” as one part of the larger problem of American youth violence during the 1990s. This decade forever changed the way school safety is viewed. Although the annual number of school shootings largely remained the same from the 1970s to the early 1990s, a spike in fatalities in 1993 occurred during a fraught historical moment. A wave of youth violence, beginning in the late 1980s, helped to set the stage for new security measures, such as zero tolerance policies in schools, and the development of new …

Instrumentality: How We Develop Relationships With Objects And People, Nathaniel Bee

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

There are many different types of relationships a person will have throughout their life, each being given varying levels of authenticity, weight, and care. One’s attention is primarily placed upon the meaningful relationships in one’s life, but often deeper consideration of one’s “lesser” relationships is neglected. Networking and professional relationships are often impersonal. Family members will often lie to each other in favor of avoiding conflict. The emotional labor of service workers often goes underappreciated and undercompensated. Careers in the political sphere revolve heavily around maintaining a positive public image, and there are well-observed disparities between politicians’ stated values and …

Examining Factors Among People With Opioid Use Disorder And Comorbid Mental Health Disorders, Tori Denae Livingston

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid use disorder (OUD) affects over two million Americans, and over 42,000 Americans perished of opioid overdoses in 2016 (Volkow et al., 2019). During the initial years of the opioid crisis, overdose deaths were primarily attributed to prescription analgesics, heroin, and synthetic opioids. However, it was illicit prescription opioid painkiller use that ranked highest in terms of fatalities (Volkow et al., 2019). The increasing prevalence of opioid use among individuals with mental health disorders is in stark contrast to the ongoing opioid crisis (Prince, 2019). Additionally, there is evidence that individuals undergoing substance use treatment and concurrently suffering from a …

Through The Lens Of A Naturalist: How Learning About Nature Promotes Nature Connectedness Via Awe, Shu Tian Ng, Angela K. Y. Leung, Sarah Hian May Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Environmental educators stress the importance of engaging with the wonders of the Earth in promoting nature connectedness. However, it remains unclear if learning about nature has an incremental effect beyond mere exposure to nature and what psychological mechanism can explain such a learning effect if it exists. To fill this gap, we propose a mediation model in which learning about nature promotes a sense of awe—a self-transcendent emotion associated with the recognition of vastness in nature. A sense of awe, in turn, promotes nature connectedness. Study 1 employed a cross-sectional survey and offered preliminary support for the proposed model, with …

When Social Status Gets In The Way Of Mating: The Incompatibility Between Social Status And Reproductive Goals In Modern Contexts, Jose C. Yong, Amy J. Y. Lim, Norman P. Li

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Low fertility is a growing concern in modern societies. While economic and structural explanations of reproductive hindrances have been informative to some extent, they do not address the fundamental motives that underlie reproductive decisions and are inadequate to explain why East Asian countries, in particular, have such low fertility rates. The current paper advances a novel account of low fertility in modern contexts by describing how modern environments produce a mismatch between our evolved mechanisms and the inputs they were designed to process, leading to preoccupations with social status that get in the way of mating and reproductive outcomes. We …

Cerebellar Eeg Source Localization Reveals Age-Related Compensatory Activity Moderated By Genetic Risk For Alzheimer’S Disease, Elizabeth Paitel, Kristy A. Nielson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The apolipoprotein-E (APOE) ε4 allele is the greatest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), but alone it is not sufficiently predictive. Because neuropathological changes associated with AD begin decades before cognitive symptoms, neuroimaging of healthy, cognitively intact ε4 carriers (ε4+) may enable early characterization of patterns associated with risk for future decline. Research in the cerebral cortex highlights a period of compensatory recruitment in elders and ε4+, which serves to maintain cognitive functioning. Yet, AD-related changes may occur even earlier in the cerebellum. Advances in electroencephalography (EEG) source localization now allow effective modeling of cerebellar activity. Importantly, healthy …

Neuroimaging-Based Classification Of Ptsd Using Data-Driven Computational Approaches: A Multisite Big Data Study From The Enigma-Pgc Ptsd Consortium, Jacklynn M. Fitzgerald

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Recent advances in data-driven computational approaches have been helpful in devising tools to objectively diagnose psychiatric disorders. However, current machine learning studies limited to small homogeneous samples, different methodologies, and different imaging collection protocols, limit the ability to directly compare and generalize their results. Here we aimed to classify individuals with PTSD versus controls and assess the generalizability using a large heterogeneous brain datasets from the ENIGMA-PGC PTSD Working group.

Methods

We analyzed brain MRI data from 3,477 structural-MRI; 2,495 resting state-fMRI; and 1,952 diffusion-MRI. First, we identified the brain features that best distinguish individuals with PTSD from controls …

We Resist, We Heal, We Transform: Exploring Youth Of Color Journeys Towards Healing Justice In A Grassroots Organization In Urban Boston, Rhyann Leslie Robinson

Graduate Masters Theses

While many would say otherwise, the current system is not a broken one (Kaba, 2021). The colonial systems, frameworks, and theories we have in place are working exactly how they are supposed to: in favor of and in tandem with systems that seek to oppress marginalized communities. This realization calls for a shift, including shifts in research in ways that builds from below (Atallah & Dutta, 2021; Fernández, 2018; Tang-Yan, 2022). The current study aims to explicitly interrogate coloniality and colonial violence in a United States socio historical context, exploring youth of color development in conditions of adversity, looking at …

The Predictability Of Body Types, Socio-Demographics And Attitudes Toward Body Factors On The Self-Esteem Of College Students, Pantea Mohammadi

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Objective of the Study The purpose of this empirical investigation will be to determine the predictable relationship between body types of factors, socio-demographic factors, attitudes toward body factors and the self-esteem scores of undergraduate freshmen college students. More specifically, the study will be concerned with predictability of body types, socio-demographic, and attitudes toward body factors of body image, body appreciation, gender, age, physical attractiveness, and satisfaction with physical features of the body on the self-esteem scores among undergraduate freshmen college students. Answers to the following questions will be sought: 1. Do body type factors (body image and body appreciation) have …

Genome-Wide Significant Risk Loci For Mood Disorders In The Old Order Amish Founder Population, Elizabeth M Humphries, Kwangmi Ahn, Rachel L Kember, Fabiana L Lopes, Evelina Mocci, Juan M Peralta, John Blangero, David C Glahn, Fernando S Goes, Peter P Zandi, Peter Kochunov, Cristopher Van Hout, Alan R Shuldiner, Toni I Pollin, Braxton D Mitchell, Maja Bucan, L Elliot Hong, Francis J Mcmahon, Seth A Ament

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of mood disorders in large case-control cohorts have identified numerous risk loci, yet pathophysiological mechanisms remain elusive, primarily due to the very small effects of common variants. We sought to discover risk variants with larger effects by conducting a genome-wide association study of mood disorders in a founder population, the Old Order Amish (OOA, n = 1,672). Our analysis revealed four genome-wide significant risk loci, all of which were associated with >2-fold relative risk. Quantitative behavioral and neurocognitive assessments (n = 314) revealed effects of risk variants on sub-clinical depressive symptoms and information processing speed. Network …

The Examination Of A Teacher Mentorship Intervention On Junior Teachers' Stress And Self-Efficacy, Cagla Cobek

Master's Theses

This study examined a daily Check-In/Check-Out mentorship intervention for junior teachers. Changes in junior teachers’ stress level and their sense of self-efficacy were measured. Researchers collected data from three junior teachers and mentor dyads in a Southeastern school district. A Multiple Baseline Design across three teachers was used in this study to examine the impact of the daily mentorship intervention. The results suggested that daily Check-Ins and Check-Outs with mentor teachers decreased all three junior teachers’ daily stress. The intervention did not impact significantly on junior teachers’ perceived stress and their sense of self-efficacy. Overall, this study supports a promising …

Serum Biomarkers Of Nociceptive And Neuropathic Pain In Chronic Pancreatitis, Jami L Saloman, Yan Li, Kimberly Stello, Wenhao Li, Shuang Li, Anna Evans Phillips, Kristen Hall, Evan L Fogel, Santhi Swaroop Vege, Liang Li, Dana K Andersen, William E Fisher, Christopher E Forsmark, Phil A Hart, Stephen J Pandol, Walter G Park, Mark D Topazian, Stephen K Van Den Eeden, Jose Serrano, Darwin L Conwell, Dhiraj Yadav, Consortium For The Study Of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes, And Pancreatic Cancer (Cpdpc)

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Debilitating abdominal pain is a common symptom affecting most patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). There are multiple underlying mechanisms that contribute to CP-related pain, which makes successful treatment difficult. The identification of biomarkers for subtypes of pain could provide viable targets for nonopioid interventions and the development of mechanistic approaches to pain management in CP. Nineteen inflammation- and nociception-associated proteins were measured in serum collected from 358 subjects with definite CP enrolled in PROspective Evaluation of Chronic Pancreatitis for EpidEmiologic and Translational StuDies, a prospective observational study of pancreatitis in US adult subjects. First, serum levels of putative biomarkers were …

Examining The Hormonal Underpinnings Of Affiliation Motivation In Oral Contraceptive Users, Hormonal Iud Users, And Naturally Cycling Women, Mikayla Tolliver

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Affiliation is important for women during times of stress. Although, affiliation has been linked to women’s hormones across the menstrual cycle, many women use hormonal contraceptives which disrupt the links between hormones, psychology, and behavior. This study examined how hormonal contraceptives (hormonal IUD vs. the oral contraceptive pill) and menstrual cycle phase (follicular vs. luteal) are associated with affiliative motivations following the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Further, this study examined women’s cortisol reactivity and whether cortisol reactivity mediated affiliative motivation following the stressor. I found that oral contraceptive pill users projected more stress and rejection onto others’ faces and …

Diminishing Creative Returns: Predicting Optimal Creative Performance Via Individual Differences In Executive Functioning, Kent F. Hubert

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A robust finding in creativity research is that during idea generation, later (vs. earlier) responses on a divergent thinking task tend to be more creative, while the number of responses start off quickly, and then slow down over time, termed the serial order effect. Divergent thinking and time may follow a diminishing returns curve, where there is an optimal amount of time that should be spent while generating ideas. Executive functions (inhibition, updating, and shifting) have been associated with divergent thinking, specifically with the idea generation phase, but the effect of individual differences on the temporal dynamics of divergent thinking …

Examining Task-Related Differences In The Error-Related Negativity (Ern) As A Function Of Cognitive Control Strategy And Trait Anxiety, Russell Mach

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety disorders pose a significant challenge to daily living, workplace productivity, and healthcare systems. Extant research supports empirical links between anxiety and brain-level error monitoring. The ERN – or error-related negativity – is one widely studied correlate of anxious symptomatology. Relatively stable individual differences in the ERN are inferred from electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings time-locked to the commission of mistakes. However, the assumed interchangeability of ERNs elicited under different experimental conditions has not been thoroughly evaluated. Canonical tasks for measuring the ERN may cue specific strategies for cognitive control, possibly producing divergent findings across studies. In a sample of 108 undergraduate …

What’S In A Word? A Study Of Emotional Valence, Trisha Patel, Cameron Smith, Olivia Williams, Raul Rodriguez-Calva

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Cognitive stress affects humans mentally and physically, and specifically may impact emotional recognition. Previous studies have focused on the perceived emotional valence of nouns vs. adjectives and the emotional recognition of photographs. While this has led to the creation of an emotional valence database, there has yet to be a study to explore how stress can change perceived emotional valence. Using data from the Affective Norms for English Words (ANEW), the Portland Arithmetic Stress Test (PAST), and the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST), a study was created to explore how participants emotional valence of words would change after being placed …

Video Games For The Win: Examining The Net Positive Impact On Emotional, Cognitive, And Social Aspects Of Mental Health In Today’S Youth, James Sanford

Student Works

Video games are becoming an integral part of society, as more than 90% of adolescents play them often, and the industry is growing in revenue every year (Granic et al., 2014). However, many mainstream media outlets portray video games as detrimental to mental health and damaging to cognitive abilities, with initial research into video games initially corroborating such claims and finding correlations to violent behavior (Ferguson, 2020). These early research methods could have been more robust; moreover, focusing on only the negative aspects of gaming research significantly reduced their ability to properly understand gaming’s full impact. Video games typically encourage …

Relationship Between Animal-Assisted Therapy And Hopelessness In Adolescents, Nicole Denzler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

How Science Education Impacts The Religious Beliefs Of Students, Sahithi Kunisetty, Alexa Neal, Benjamin Ravas

Content presented at the Roesch Social Sciences Symposium

This is a literature review exploring the conflict between science and religion. It seeks to understand how a science education influences a student's level of religious beliefs. Furthermore, it provides reasons as to why one would have less access to a science education, and how religion can restrict one from learning about science.

Origin Of Differences In Child Maltreatment Between Italy And America, Morgan Huff

Honors College Theses

There is a distinct difference between the rates of child abuse and neglect in the United States and Italy. Specifically, the United States has a higher rate of child maltreatment than Italy (Bernacchi et al., 2016; Finkelhor et al., 2009). There is also variation in the types of maltreatment that the children suffer within each country (Bernacchi et al., 2016; Mehta et al., 2023). This literature review analyzes potential explanations for these differences in rates of child maltreatment by examining the ways in which this maltreatment may be impacted by access to health insurance, religion, family structure, education, poverty, and …