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Risky Behavior As Motivated Emotion Regulation: A Mixed-Method Approach, Lyneé A. Herrera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Engaging in risky health behaviors is a ubiquitous human experience that often marks developmental progression from adolescence into adulthood. While much previous research has framed risky behaviors in terms of negative legal, social, and public health consequences, less empirical work has been done on potential benefits of their engagement. A growing body of research has identified emotion regulation deficits as a significant driver of risky behavior engagement, suggesting that these behaviors may offer perceived emotional benefits when other regulation strategies are less accessible. Previous research has shown that emotional outcomes can be influenced by the regulation strategies one chooses to …

Risk And Promotive Factors For Perinatal Mental Health Problems: Adverse And Benevolent Childhood Experiences And Contemporaneous Support And Stress, Jillian S. Merrick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite a growing body of research on childhood risk and promotive factors for perinatal mental health, as well as extensive research on adulthood risk and promotive factors for these problems, little research considers childhood and adulthood experiences alongside one another. The current study addressed this gap by examining childhood experiences, both adverse and benevolent, alongside contemporaneous sociodemographic stress and social support as predictors of depression and PTSD symptoms during pregnancy and at 3-4 months postnatal.

Participants were 175 ethnically-diverse women (M = 28.07 years, SD = 5.68, range = 18-40; 38.9% White, 25.7% Latina, 16.6% Black, 12.0% biracial/multiracial, 6.8% …

The Effect Of Cognitive Reserve On A Rhythm And Timing Intervention In Older American Indians, Eunice Dahyeh Kim

Psychology ETDs

Cognitive reserve refers to the cerebral plasticity perspective in which premorbid buffer factors, explained as enriching life experiences, protect against the negative outcomes of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases (Stern, 2009; Harrison et al., 2015). Little research has been done to understand cognitive reserve in older AI adults, despite the fact that American Indians (AIs) experience a higher incidence of cerebrovascular disease than other racial and ethnic groups in the US, which increases risk for cognitive deficits and dementia (Zhang, et al., 2007; Ayala, Greenlund, Croft, et al., 2001; Harwell, et al., 2005). Interactive Metronome (IM) therapy is a behavioral therapy …

Identifying Psychosocial And Neural Correlates Associated With Future Homicide In A Sample Of Incarcerated Boys, Samantha N. Rodriguez

Psychology ETDs

Previous research has observed significant group differences regarding neuroanatomical and psychosocial variables between incarcerated boys who have and have not previously committed a homicide, resulting in successful postdictive classification (Cope et al., 2014). However, no study to date has investigated whether similar group differences characterize future homicide offenders. Following the methodology of Cope et al. (2014), the current study aimed to identify baseline neural, clinical, and environmental deficits (collected in a sample of n = 242 incarcerated juvenile offenders) associated with future homicidal behavior as adults. Results indicated that youth who went on to commit homicide as adults were characterized …

An Examination Of The Associations Between Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy, Trust In Media, And Trust In Science And Scientists, Jegason Phosphorus Diviant

Psychology ETDs

Recent evidence suggests corroded trust in scientific institutions, but particularly among political conservatives. The current investigation examined the potential role of trust in conservative media sources by capturing associations between trust in politically-biased media sources, trust in science and scientists, and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. A total of 1,117 participants completed an online cross-sectional self-report study. Results revealed that: (1) the less trust respondents had in science and scientists, the greater their overall COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (and perceived risks and fears of COVID-19 vaccines); and (2) the more respondents trusted conservative-leaning news media sources, the greater their overall COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy …

Academic Motivation Decreases Across Adolescence For Youth With And Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Effects Of Motivation On Academic Success, Zoe Smith, Marcus Flax, Stephen P. Becker, Joshua Langberg

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This longitudinal study examined growth trajectories of academic motivation in youth with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across the important developmental transition from middle school to high school, and associations with academic success. Consistent with self-determination theory (SDT) of motivation, trajectories of amotivation, extrinsic motivation, and intrinsic motivation were modeled.

Interactive Computer-Based Simulations As Exploratory Learning Activities., Derek Mcclellan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Typical college lectures follow a direct instruction framework, where instructors deliver a lecture, followed by an activity. Exploratory learning flips this routine by providing students with an activity prior to instruction. Research suggests that this inversion benefits students’ conceptual understanding and ability to transfer their knowledge. The majority of exploratory learning tasks in the literature are problem-solving activities. The current work investigates the use of computer-based simulations during exploratory learning, and whether manipulating the cognitive load of the activity impacts learning. In Experiment 1, undergraduate students (N=66) were randomly assigned to explore a simulation-based circuit construction activity prior …

Why Are Measures Of Depression Imperfectly Correlated? An Empirical Investigation., Eric Joseph Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression remains one of the most prevalent and impactful mental health disorders worldwide. A large number of measures of depressive symptoms are currently available, all designed to assess the same underlying construct. However, the measures tend not to correlate highly with one another. Measurement error cannot fully account for this observation, suggesting that clinical heterogeneity – that is, differences in symptom coverage across measures – might contribute to the lower-than-expected correlation between measures. We conducted two concurrent studies to examine this hypothesis. In Study 1, we developed a coding scheme to categorize items into one of 10 symptom categories. We …

The Relationship Between Poverty And Behavior Problems : Examining The Role Of Family And Parental Factors From An Ecological Systems Perspective, Alaina Marie Wodzinski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The large number of children from low-income households or living in poverty are at increased risk for a range of negative outcomes, including behavior problems. The Family Stress Model is a framework that can be used to describe how poverty may shape the development of behavior problems through its influence on family processes, including parental mental health, parenting, and household environment. While the Family Stress Model has been widely replicated, studies have rarely examined the context of infancy and toddlerhood, during which family-related processes tend to be more impactful in child development. Therefore, the present study evaluated two adaptations of …

Effect Of Body Mass Index Percentile On Complicated Appendicitis, Postoperative Complications And Health Service Utilization Among Pediatric Patients In The United States, Nutan Hebballi

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

While overweight and obesity have been extensively studied for complicated appendicitis, postoperative complications, and health service utilization, the effects of being underweight are unknown. This dissertation assesses the associations between the body mass index (BMI) spectrum with complicated appendicitis, postoperative complications, and healthcare service utilization in pediatric patients.  A retrospective review of pediatric patients who underwent appendectomy surgery (01/01/2016-12/31/2020) was conducted using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Computed age and gender-specific BMI percentiles were categorized into underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. The 30-day postoperative complications were grouped into minor, major, and any. Healthcare service utilizations were compared …

Mediumship And Mental Health: Investigating Spirit Communication And The Importance Of Integration, Daniel A. Seda Ph.D.

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Sensitivity to paranormal phenomena can be a source of emotional, mental and psychospiritual stress for individuals demonstrating verified mediumistic abilities, yet integrating these anomalous experiences in a healthy, affirming manner can reduce distress and potentially deflect egodystonic diagnoses of pathology. Because mediums can relay information which appear to be otherworldly from meditation, during trance, or by automatic writing and painting, health professionals have diagnosed mediums with mental disorders such as dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia. This overreliance on pathology to explain anomalous experiences is troublesome and can cause severe distress to individuals demonstrating extrasensory capabilities. This paper was written to …

Similarities And Differences In Correlates And Trends In Prescription Stimulant And Prescription Opioid Misuse Among College Students, Julie Murray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

When used as medically intended, prescription opioid and stimulant medications can have therapeutic benefits. Misuse of these medications, however, presents significant health risks, including increased risk of death and injury. Young adults, ages 18 to 25, have the highest rates of misuse of prescription opioids and stimulants nationally and within this age group, college students may be particularly at risk. This two-study dissertation explored factors related to prescription opioid and prescription stimulant misuse in college students in order to assess similarities and differences in correlates and trends.

Study #1 assessed for similarities and differences in correlates of prescription opioid misuse …

Evolution Of Women’S Consciousness: Toward Integral Consciousness, Katherine T. Ziemke

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This article presents research materials which demonstrate historical consciousness for women of ancient European descent, the cultural heritage of the author. Awareness is examined from various historical angles in a transdisciplinary approach to the work. I explore the possibility that women’s historical and continued oppression may be a sign of the disintegration of the mental and a re-emergence of the integral structure of consciousness. A broad examination of women’s historical roles and corresponding thought shows how ancient consciousness may be used to accelerate a path toward integral consciousness today. Finally, this essay proposes that women’s historical consciousness and primordial memories …

No Injustice So Peace: The Interaction Between Race-Related Stress, Colorblind Racial Attitudes, And Resistance And Empowerment Against Racism, Kaela A. Yamini

Graduate Masters Theses

Past research has indicated that Black people are subjected to overt and covert forms of racism that can have a range of effects on emotional and psychological wellbeing. The current study sought to explore the how race-related stress and colorblind racial ideology impact Black people’s engagement in resistance and empowerment against racism. I hypothesized that higher endorsement of colorblind racial ideology would be associated with lower engagement in resistance and empowerment against racism. Additionally, I hypothesized that moderate levels of race-related stress would be associated with higher endorsement of resistance and empowerment against racism while low and high levels of …

The Impact Of Covid-19 Stressors, Racial Discrimination, And Racial Socialization On Family Functioning In Black Families, Regina L. Alexander

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Marginalized communities, specifically Black Americans, have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in more hospitalizations and deaths within this particular community. However, this disproportionate impact of COVID-19 is likely the result of ongoing health disparities related to a lack of access to adequate healthcare. In addition to health disparities specifically related to COVID-19, Black Americans have also experienced public displays of racial discrimination resulting from the systemic racism that has occurred for many years. It has been determined that stress spillover can impact relationship factors and this same spillover may be an important factor by which …

Examining The Experience And Impact Of Teen-To-Teen Crisis Line Work For Youth Volunteers: A Pilot Study, Taylor Kalgren

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

For young people, suicide is a leading cause of death. In addition, suicidal thoughts and behaviors begin during adolescence, and rates are high during this developmental period. Crisis lines are one of the oldest suicide prevention strategies used today. Crisis line work is challenging, and therefore, examining the health and safety of these operators is critical. Teen-to-teen (t2t) crisis lines are a unique resource where adolescent volunteers help their similarity aged peers. The goal of this pilot study was to begin to evaluate the impact of t2t crisis lines for youth volunteers. Twenty youth crisis line volunteers (ages 15-20) were …

Addressing The Information Crisis: Understanding The Relationships Between Information Choices And Health And Academic Outcomes, Amber L. Morgan

Psychology Theses - Archive

In today’s society, the prevalence of the “share first, question later” mentality has become a norm. However, this approach to information can have severe consequences when it comes to information seeking behaviors, and health and academic outcomes. Previous research has already illustrated that people are not very good at evaluating information, they prefer to surround themselves with confirming viewpoints, and accepting health misinformation can adversely affect one’s health. Building upon this knowledge, the current study aimed to investigate whether people have preferences in the information they use and their potential implications for health and academic outcomes. Specifically, it was examined …

Diet By Genomic Interactions In Determining Metabolic Traits And Profiles On Glucose Metabolism Among Mexican Americans In Starr County, Texas, Shinhye Chung

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Worsening glycemia, prediabetes and diabetes, is one of the essential diseases in public health, considering their high prevalence, the enormous impact on multiple organs, and the economic burden on the community. Various factors can affect the pathogenesis of worsening glycemia, and this study focused on macronutrient intake, genes, and their interactions with metabolome data. 616 self-reported Mexican American participants in Starr County were recruited with informed consent. 308 identified and 2,471 unidentified metabolites were used for the analysis, and all the metabolites were inverse normalized with less than half of the missing rate. Each of the five glycemic and lipid …

A Mixed Methods Examination Of First Year College Students: The Impact Of Ethnic Studies On Post-Secondary Education Experiences, Sherry Bell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Across the United States, fewer high school students are enrolling in university and completing university. Scholars have suggested that ethnic studies may positively influence student engagement and potentially increase university enrollment. This dissertation will discuss the literature related to ethnic studies and critical race theory in relation to frameworks that have been positively associated with student retention. The study described in this dissertation explored if ethnic studies taken prior to attending university is related to positive student experiences during university. The aims of the study were to (1) test the relationship between ethnic studies and positive student experiences (i.e., critical …

Examining The Factor Structures Of The Erq-Ca, Rcads, And Rsca To Identify Unique Predictors Of Ptsd Symptom Clusters In Maltreated Youth, Amanda N. Howard

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Youth who have experienced maltreatment have a higher risk of developing posttraumatic disorder (PTSD), which is associated with poorer mental and behavioral health outcomes including emotion dysregulation, anxiety, depression, and lower resiliency. At present, the literature largely focuses on youth who have experienced general trauma or PTSD symptoms, while maltreated youth are vastly understudied. The present investigation was the first study to date to examine the factor structures of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA), the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS), and the Resiliency Scale for Children and Adolescents (RSCA) in a sample of maltreated …

Clinical Utility Of The Substance Use Items Of The Sport Interference Checklist In Collegiate Athletes, Igor Kowal

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Collegiate sports are growing in popularity (National Collegiate Athletic Association, 2022) and pressure to perform (van Raalte & Posteher, 2019); leading to difficulties in collegiate athletes’ mental health (Rice et al., 2016), particularly in regard to increased substance use (Wilson et al., 2021). Current literature demonstrates that existing substance use assessments are most likely not answered truthfully by athletes (van den Berg et al., 2018), are not applicable to real-world contexts, can be intrusive, and are expensive to administer. In the current study, psychometric properties of items from a self-report measure of substance use interference with sport training and competition …

Examination Of A Measure To Assess Clients’ Perceptions Of The Client-Provider Relationship In Home Visiting Services, Bethelhem Belachew

Dissertations

Home visiting services are prevention-or intervention-based programs provided to caregivers during the prenatal period through the first few years of a child’s development (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). Engagement in services is documented to improve caregivers’ knowledge of child development and parenting practices (e.g., home safety, nutrition; Ammerman et al., 2006). Despite these benefits, programs are challenged with high levels of attrition (Gomby, Culross, & Behrman, 1999). One reliable predictor of client engagement in services is the client-provider relationship. However, measures that have been developed to assess the clients’ perception of their relationship with their home visitor relationship are limited (Girvin …

Effects Of A Self-Forgiveness Intervention On Recovery From Substance Use Disorders, Michael Saltzman

Dissertations

Previous research has highlighted the relationship between shame, guilt, and problematic substance use (Gueta, 2013; Luoma et al., 2019; McGaffin et al., 2013; Rahim & Patton, 2015). Self-forgiveness has been associated with positive outcomes for individuals in recovery with substance use disorders (SUDs), though only one prior study has explored the effects of a selfforgiveness intervention for individuals in treatment (Scherer et al., 2011). This study examines the effects of a self-forgiveness intervention on state shame and guilt, state self-forgiveness, and drug avoidance self-efficacy, and it is the first intervention study to focus on self-forgiveness for individuals with SUDs receiving …

Understanding Filipino Wellness: Investigating The Effects Of Colonial Mentality And Enculturation, Juliene Grace P. Fresnedi

Doctoral Dissertations

Filipino Americans are the third largest Asian American group within the United States and report significantly worse mental health when compared to other population groups. As a result of colonization by both Spain and the United States, Filipino culture has been perceived as a unique blend of cultural influences. Despite there being over 4.1 million Filipinos residing in the US there is a significant lack of research that directly investigates the well-being of this population and to what extent factors such as colonial mentality, enculturation, and generational status have an impact. The present study seeks to address this gap in …

Juvenile Justice System Involvement And The Transition To Early Adulthood: Does Direct Intervention Help Or Harm?, Cameron Miller Perrine

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines the effects of the juvenile justice system on youth as they transition to early adulthood. The present study adds to the literature by incorporating comparison groups of youths and by testing multiple explanations of recidivism: Labeling Theory and the Life Course perspective. In total, 267 adults were recruited via online survey and sorted into three groups: Externalizing Behavior and Juvenile Justice Involved, Externalizing Behavior and Not Juvenile Justice Involved, and Not Externalizing and Not Juvenile Justice Involved. In addition to demographics, participants completed measures of past externalizing behaviors, past juvenile justice involvement, social disadvantage, deviant peer …

Sexual Trauma, Health, And The Moderating Effect Of Psychological Flexibility And Inflexibility, Gabrielle A. Caselman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual trauma is linked to adverse health outcomes (e.g., D’Andre et al., 2011). Given the negative sequelae of sexual trauma, exploration of factors that influence the relation between sexual trauma and health outcomes is crucial. Current literature suggests that psychological flexibility and inflexibility may be factors in promotion of individuals’ health or pathology (e.g., Gloster et al., 2017). The current study sought to explore the variability in psychological flexibility and inflexibility among participants and the potential moderating effects of psychological flexibility and inflexibility on the relation between sexual trauma and both mental and physical health outcomes.

Moderation analyses failed to …

Examining The Measurement Invariance Of The Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory Among Hispanic And Non-Hispanic White College Women, Christina Nicole Gillezeau

Psychology ETDs

I examined whether the Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R) was invariant between Hispanic/Latina and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) undergraduate women. I performed confirmatory factor analysis to assess model fit and used increasingly restrictive models to test invariance. I included 208 Hispanic/Latina women and 190 NHW women. The CFI and RMSEA model fit statistics (CFI=0.98, RMSEA=0.06 (90% confidence interval=0.04-0.08, p-value=0.16) showed that the model fit well. I constrained factor loadings to be equal in both groups to test metric invariance. I observed non-significant differences in model fit (deltaX² (9)=88.67, p>0.95, deltaCFI=0.003, deltaRMSEA=-0.011). I also constrained intercepts to be equal to …

Examining The Association Between Emotional Intelligence, Meaning In Life, Stress, And Burnout Among Preâ??Medical Students In The United States, Nayla Paulina Paulina Bejarano Chacon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background and significance: The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has estimated that by 2034 there will be a physician shortage of around 124,000 physicians. With burnout being one of the main drivers, it is crucial to assess it. Burnout is characterized by high levels of emotional exhaustion and cynicism and low levels of academic efficacy.There has been substantial research on burnout among healthcare providers across different levels of training; however, few studies have examined burnout among undergraduate students who wish to pursue a graduate degree in healthcare. Given the shortage of healthcare providers in the United States, it is …

The Antagonistic Anatomy Of Anti-Shippers: A Thematic Analysis, Adrian A. Stone

Student Theses

Within the transformative fandom community is an ideologically-affiliated group known as anti-shippers, whose rhetoric contends that fictional interests are an indication of those held in reality. Anti-shippers focus solely on fictional material perceived to be sexual in nature and make frequent references to pedophilia. This rhetoric is used to justify harassment against individuals who do not share in their beliefs. As this population primarily operates on social media, this study was designed to conduct an exploratory investigation into themes gleaned from posts authored by anti-shippers on Twitter. Utilizing latent content analysis, a total of 187 posts from 222 unique users …

Emotion Recogniton In Students With Social Anxiety: Loving-Kindness As An Intervention, Audrey Darnbush

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Deficits in emotion recognition can often be found in individuals who have elevated social anxiety—decreasing positive social interaction and increasing social avoidance. Some possible causes for these deficits include: (1) negative interpretation biases for ambiguous social stimuli and (2) negatively biased self-focused and others-focused attention in social situations— which can impede an accurate appraisal of how one is being evaluated. Mindfulness-based interventions target attentional awareness, and some have empirical support for treating anxiety-related issues. However, little research has been conducted to determine the possible therapeutic effects of loving-kindness meditation for social anxiety disorder. Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is a specific subtype …