Latent Classes Of Exposure To Potentially Traumatic And Stressful Life Events In A Sample Of Young Predominantly Ethnic Minority Women, Alyssa Donovan

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Women are disproportionately affected by specific types of potentially traumatic and stressful life events that are strongly linked to PTSD and depressive symptoms (Tolin & Foa, 2006; U.S. Census Bureau, 2016). Yet, while many studies have investigated patterns of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and their associations with clinical outcomes, few have assessed PTE typologies with exclusively female samples (e.g., Cavanaugh et al., 2013). This study examined profiles of childhood and adulthood potentially traumatic and stressful life events in a predominantly ethnic minority, community sample of 191 young women. Using latent class analysis, we found four distinct profiles of exposure to …

Social Transmission Of Ethanol Preference In A Sign-Tracking Paradigm, Pat Severino

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The Observer/ Demonstrator Effect suggests that rats can socially obtain preferences for novel foods/drugs by interacting with experienced conspecifics. Sign-tracking is a paradigm which uses a conditioning procedure to evoke compulsive-like behaviors directed towards a tangible conditioned stimulus (CS) paired with a motivating unconditioned stimulus (US). The present study investigated the possibility that increased alcohol use results from the combination of socially transmitted cues and the kind of conditioning effect seen in sign-tracking procedures. Therefore, it was hypothesized that social exposure to an alcohol-experienced conspecific would summate with the conditioning experience and increase the sign-tracking of a bottle CS containing …

Maternal Sexuality During Lactation: The Influence Of Breastfeeding Recency And Relationship Quality, Melissa A. Eaton

Psychology ETDs

Introduction. During lactation, breastfeeders report reduced sexual desire and sexual activity (Von Sydow, 1999). Yet research has not examined the direct impact of suckling on sexuality during lactation. This study looked at breastfeeders, immediately following breastfeeding and several hours later, to determine if the recency of infant suckling influences maternal sexuality. Sexual motivations were also compared between breastfeeders and other mothers. Methods. Mothers of infants between 2 and 7 months of age participated in the repeated measures study online. Participants were randomly assigned to the order of their sessions and participated 20 minutes after breastfeeding or 120 minutes after …

Early Identification Of Students In Accelerated Curricula With Signs Of Academic And Emotional Risk: Working With Teachers To Identify At-Risk Students, Elizabeth D. Storey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As part of a comprehensive, multi-tiered system of support for students’ emotional, academic, and behavioral success, effective universal screenings are essential to identify students who may benefit from early intervention and targeted prevention services (Strein, Kuhn-McKearin, & Finney, 2014). Although many screening procedures and methods have been developed and evaluated for general education populations, more research is needed on screening procedures designed for one traditionally underserved population in school-based mental health services—students in accelerated curricula (namely, students in Advanced Placement classes or in the International Baccalaureate program; AP/IB). When teachers are involved in universal screening procedures, regardless of student population …

An Exploration Of The Quality Of Relationship Between Step-Children And Step-Parents Based On Address Term Usage, Sierra R. Payton

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to examine address term usage as a communicative component of blended/step-families by examining the address terms that step-children use to address their step-parent and whether address term usage can allude to the quality of relationship reported by step-children within the step-child step-parent relationship. Rowan University undergraduate students (n=67) were recruited to complete questionnaires on address term usage and quality of relationship using the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI). Address term usage was the independent variable and was measured using three levels: formal, familiar, and familial. Quality of relationship was the dependent variable and was measured using the …

Full Journal 13_2, Intuition Journal

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

No abstract provided.

Exploring Agentic Treatments For Anxiety And Depression, Tyler H. White

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Agency and mental illness are hypothesized to be related. Agency may contribute to mental illness (specifically, anxiety and depression) by impacting the amount of choices in one’s life (LeMoyne & Buchanan, 2011; Schwartz, 2004). Effective treatment for the mentally ill targets causes of mental disorders, so if agency is related to mental illnesses, then it logically should be incorporated in treatment. Agentic treatment, which consists of any form of treatment that explicitly acknowledges the importance and the reality of agency, has been shown to be effective (Myers, 2016; Patterson et al., 2016; Slife, 2004). Effective agentic treatment includes autonomy groups …

Treating Comorbid Ptsd And Bpd: A Dialectical Approach, Meredith Pescatello

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

According to the Biosocial Developmental Model for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), individuals with a biological vulnerability (i.e., heightened emotional sensitivity and impulsive tendencies), plus an invalidating environment may develop BPD (Crowell, Beauchaine, & Linehan, 2009). Individuals with BPD are especially difficult to treat, because of their “extreme emotional, behavioral, and cognitive dysregulation” (Crowell, Beauchaine, & Linehan, 2009). Though challenging to treat, BPD can be successfully treated using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) (Linehan, 1993; Linehan 2015). Similarly, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is complex and often burnout inducing to treat, because of the intensity of the emotional content related to traumatic events …

Healthy Habits To Reduce Sleep Deprivation In College Students, Jenna L. Bair

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Abstract

Sleep can affect many regular functions in the body. Consequently, the physiological and psychological effects of sleep deprivation have many ramifications, including long-term health issues, depression, and eating disorders (Alhola & Polo-Kantola, 2007; Beiter et al., 2015; Jarcho, Slavich, Tylova-Stein, Wolkowitz, & Burke, 2013; Ozsoy, Besirli, Unal, Abdulrezzak, & Orhan, 2015). Despite the importance of sleep for regulative processes, studies indicate that the general population does not receive adequate sleep quality or length (Watson et al., 2017). College students represent a large demographic and often do not obtain enough sleep (Gaultney, 2010). Thus, it is proposed that collegiate institutions …

Dream Interpretation: The Next Frontier Of Psychoanalysis, Samuel Skidmore

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

An examination of the history of dream interpretation reveals its significant role within psychotherapy, drawing upon religious texts, ancient philosophers, and modern uses. Many prominent psychologists such as Freud and Jung contributed to our knowledge of dreams and how they can be interpreted. The problems clinicians face today is that most methods for analyzing dreams are scattered and contrary. Several specific theories, from Freudian theory to the Hill Cognitive-Experiential Model of dream interpretation, are discussed and analyzed. Research has slowed on this topic due to methodological problems and diverse interpretations of dream content. Subsequently, the potential benefits of using dream …

Diversity And Inclusion In The Science Classroom, Sowmya Anjur

Faculty Publications & Research

A Diversity, Epidemiology and social justice unit was incorporated into the Physiology and Disease curriculum in Fall 2016. Students discussed topics such as social and cultural influences on diversity thinking, and selective treatment in hospitals based on race. It was very noteworthy that students were united in their thinking regarding diversity and inclusion, despite the fact that they were from different backgrounds and diverse cultures. In 2017, additional discussions were held on equity in education. Students who were otherwise reserved were encouraged enough to express their views, and everyone appreciated the fact that they had been included.

The Mediating Role Of Health Consciousness In The Relation Between Emotional Intelligence And Health Behaviors, Adriana Espinosa, Selma Kadic-Maglajlic

Publications and Research

The goals of this study were to identify groups of health-related behaviors among young adults (N = 314, Mage = 21.94, SD = 6.53), gauge the relation between emotional intelligence and health behaviors in this population, and assess health consciousness as mediator of said relation. Latent class analysis identified two mutually exclusive health behavior groups, which according to response patterns were labeled as Healthy and Unhealthy.The Healthy group(56%)was composed of individuals who had a healthy diet (i.e.,low fat and high fiber),exercised regularly,and who frequently engaged in behaviors that prevent oral and skin-related diseases. In contrast, the Unhealthy group (44%) rarely …

An Investigation Of Implicit Theories Of Well-Being, Optimism, And Coping Mechanism Selection, Megan L. Tracy, Matthew D. Branneman

Modern Psychological Studies

Folkman and Lazarus (1991) argue that incremental theorists have more faith in their ability to alter situations and would be more likely to select active coping strategies (Hong et al., 1999). An optimistic worldview may also have important implications for the way people choose to cope (Aspinwall & Taylor, 1992). Using the MTurk online platform, the present study investigated the relationship between implicit personality theories (IPT), optimism, and coping mechanism selection. As hypothesized, incremental beliefs were associated with more optimism. However, they were also associated with a greater likelihood of using self-blame, which is typically conceptualized as a passive coping …

Temporal Information Guides Prefrontal Preparatory Activity, Jacqueline R. Janowich

Shared Knowledge Conference

Proactive preparation for an upcoming goal differs from last-minute reactive adaptation, but it is unclear how preparatory mechanisms change based on when in the future a goal needs to be executed. To assess how timing information is integrated into preparatory control, we designed a novel variant of the Dot Pattern Expectancy task, where each cue signaled both task rule and delay duration (known short, known long, or unknown) between cue and probe. We recorded EEG while healthy young adult participants (n=36) performed this task, and found that delay demands elicited distinct prefrontal preparatory activities. Medial prefrontal amplitude was sensitive to …

Early Childhood Stressors And Negative Personality Behaviors, Kyler Joachim

Scholars Week

Early Childhood Stressors and Negative Personality Behaviors

Research is moving away from static to contextual models of understanding personality development, making it imperative to consider daily occurrences, not just biology or significant traumatic events, in personality formation. Temperament has long been considered the innate source of behaviors that later solidify into personality, but behaviors themselves and the conditions that produce and reinforce them are shaped by the daily environment. This behavior-environment interaction is especially important for children experiencing childhood stressors like poverty, food insecurity, and parental aggravation. Non-clinical personality related behaviors may arise from these stressors, which can lead to …

Electrocortical Responses During Script-Driven Emotional Imagery, Nicholas Best, Cassandra Gonzalez, David Herring Ph.D.

Scholars Week

Emotional imagery is a common induction technique used in the laboratory and also employed in various exposure therapy treatments across the anxiety spectrum (e.g., specific and social phobias). Despite its clinical uses, there is a surprising dearth of literature regarding the basic central neural processes underlying emotional imagery, though other peripheral physiological processes have been investigated extensively using heart rate, skin conductance, and startle-blink responses. One imagery study that used a central nervous system psychophysiological measure -event specific brainwave or the event-related potential (ERP) technique- suggests the late positive potential (LPP) of the ERP is larger for unpleasant versus neutral …

Oprm1 Genotype Interacts With Serotonin System Dysfunction To Predict Alcohol-Heightened Aggression In Primates, Carlos A. Driscoll, Stephen G. Lindell, Melanie L. Schwandt, Stephen J. Suomi, J. Dee Higley, Markus Heilig, Christina S. Barr

Faculty Publications

Although the notion that alcohol promotes violence is widespread, not all individuals are aggressive while intoxicated. Genetic variation could be a contributing factor to individual differences in alcohol-heightened aggression. The present study examines the effects of OPRM1C77G genotype on responses to threat in rhesus macaques under normal conditions and following alcohol administration. Prior studies have shown that a low CSF level of 5-HIAA is a trait marker for individuals prone to escalated aggression. We wanted to examine whether the predictive value for this marker on aggression was moderated by OPRM1 genotype. Animals were administered alcohol (BAC 100-200 mg%), were provoked …

A Socioecological Approach To Online Dating Goals And Self-Presentational Strategies In North American And Chinese Cultures, Cheuk Yue, Cherry Wan

Bachelor of Social Sciences – Senior Theses

In this study, a content analysis investigating the relationship goals and self-presentational strategies on online daters’ personal advertisements from both North America (n = 300) and Hong Kong China (n = 300) was conducted. Significant differences between the two cultures were found by adopting a socio-ecological approach. Great cross-cultural differences were found. Compared with Chinese, the North American were more likely to seek for an open and casual relationship, namely sexual interests and friendship, self-improvement and showing own uniqueness. In contrast, Chinese were more likely to initiate a committed relationship such as soulmate and romantic activities, express loneliness and resistant …

Fathers’ Cortisol And Testosterone In The Days Around Infants’ Births Predict Later Paternal Involvement, Patty X. Kuo, Julia M. Braungart-Rieker, Jennifer E. Burke Lefever, Mallika S. Sarma, Molly O'Neill, Lee T. Gettler

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Human paternal behavior is multidimensional, and extant research has yet to delineate how hormone patterns may be related to different dimensions of fathering. Further, although studies vary in their measurement of hormones (i.e., basal or reactivity), it remains unclear whether basal and/or reactivity measures are predictive of different aspects of men’s parenting. We examined whether men’s testosterone and cortisol predicted fathers’ involvement in childcare and play with infants and whether fathers’ testosterone and cortisol changed during fathers’ first interaction with their newborn. Participants were 298 fathers whose partners gave birth in a UNICEF-designated “baby-friendly” hospital, which encourages fathers to hold …

Fatherhood And Psychobiology In The Philippines: Perspectives On Joint Profiles And Longitudinal Changes Of Fathers’ Estradiol And Testosterone, Lee T. Gettler, Patty X. Kuo, Sonny Agustin Bechayda

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Objectives: Research on the psychobiology of partnering and fathering has focused on testosterone (T), oxytocin, and prolactin (PRL) as mechanisms that potentially mediate life history trade-offs related to those roles. Less is known about other hormones that might be responsive to life history transitions and implicated in fathering, such as estradiol (E2). We examined how E2 changed during the transition to marriage and fatherhood, its correlation with fathers’ caregiving, and its joint within-individual production with other hormones (T, PRL). Methods: Data were collected from a total of 913 Filipino men (aged 25.9 years ± 0.3 SD at follow-up) enrolled in …

Knowledge Sharing Behavior: Clarifying Its Measurement And Antecedents, Tiffany T. Lee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is increasing recognition that informal learning is a crucial component of organizational functioning and a necessary complement to the formal training that employees receive. As jobs evolve and demand more complex skills, workers must use informal learning to adapt to ever-changing work requirements. Informal learning is often dependent on voluntary knowledge sharing behavior, as evident among members of mastermind groups or communities of practice. In order to assist organizations, researchers must seek to understand the factors that motivate employees to engage in knowledge sharing behavior.

Empirical research on knowledge sharing is nascent. There exists only a handful of quantitative …

Counting Members In My League: Mate Value Moderates Economic Effects Of Local Operational Sex Ratio, Zilin Yan

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

When local operational sex ratio skews toward a larger proportion of same-sex to opposite-sex individuals, should members of the surplus sex increase or decrease (economic) efforts on reproduction? Past research yielded mixed results. In light of the fact that modern humans are highly mobile and can relocate to communities that may offer better reproductive prospects, it may not always be a given that individuals facing same-sex skewed local community will become current-oriented with regard to reproduction; instead, they may contemplate whether their efforts will pay off and decide whether they prefer to wait for better situations later. The present research …

Harmful And Helpful Therapy Practices With Consensually Non-Monogamous Clients: Toward An Inclusive Framework, Heath A. Schechinger, John Kitchener Sakaluk, Amy C. Moors

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Drawing on minority stress perspectives, we investigated the therapy experiences of individuals in consensually nonmonogamous (CNM) relationships. Method: We recruited a community sample of 249 individuals engaged in CNM relationships across the U.S. and Canada. Confirmatory factor analysis structural equation modeling was used to analyze client perceptions of therapist practices in a number of exemplary practices (affirming of CNM) or inappropriate practices (biased, inadequate, or not affirming of CNM), and their associations with evaluations of therapy. Open-end responses about what clients found very helpful and very unhelpful were also analyzed. Results: Exemplary and inappropriate practices constituted separate but related patterns …

A Latent Profile Analysis Of Age Of Onset In Pathological Skin Picking, Emily J. Ricketts, Ivar Snorrason, Katharina Kircanski, Jennifer R. Alexander, Hardian Thamrin, Christopher A. Flessner, Martin E. Franklin, John Piacentini, Douglas W. Woods

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Pathological Skin Picking (PSP) may begin at any age, but the most common age of onset is during adolescence. Age of onset is a potentially useful clinical marker to delineate subtypes of psychiatric disorders. The present study sought to examine empirically defined age of onset groups in adults with PSP and assess whether groups differed on clinical characteristics.

Method

Participants were 701 adult respondents to an internet survey, who endorsed recurrent skin picking with tissue damage and impairment. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify subtypes of PSP based on age of onset. Then subgroups were compared on …

Lifestyles, Income, Health Factors, And Life Satisfaction Of Older Hispanic Adults, Gina Fe G. Causin Ph.D., Hyunsook Kang Ph.D., Mary S. Olle Ph.D.

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

The aim of this study was to explore to what extent life styles, income, and health factors contribute to the life satisfaction of Hispanic older adults. A secondary data analysis from a national survey of Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (HEPESE) (Markides, Ray, Angel, & Espino, 2012) was used. Subjects were Hispanic older adults (over 75 years, n = 1542). For this study, Hispanics and Latinos were considered as one and the same. A two-step hierarchical regression was conducted to address the research question. The results showed health status and income were unique predictors in …

Frontotemporal Dementia Knowledge Scale: Development And Preliminary Psychometric Properties, Matthew Wynn

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) accounts for about 10 percent of dementia cases and is a common cause of early-onset dementia. Although knowledge about the symptoms and course of FTD has expanded in the past decade, there exists no well-validated instrument to measure FTD knowledge. As a step toward that goal, this study sought to create a scale to measure knowledge of FTD based on contemporary understanding of the disease. Standard scale development methods were used to create items, and their psychometric properties were evaluated in a sample of 174 healthcare providers and caregivers of people with FTD. The resulting scale (Frontotemporal …

Exploring The Decisional Process Behind Alcohol Use: Converging Evidence Across Multiple Theories, Emily T. Noyes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the etiological and maintaining processes of problematic drinking continues to be a challenge. There has been a growing amount of research focusing on the decisional processes that act to maintain addictive behaviors. Elucidating this underlying process is key to understanding the range of drinking behavior observed among individuals. Rather than relying on one theory, examining overlap between multiple theories of alcohol use may lead to a better understanding of such a process. Using a construct validation approach, this study utilized motivational (Ambivalence Model of Craving), cognitive (Alcohol Outcome Expectancy Theory), and behavioral theories (Behavioral Economics) of alcohol use to …

A Critical Analysis Of The Delivery Of A Psychosocial Workshop For Cancer Survivors With Lymphedema, Ryan Hamilton, Roanne Thomas, Yvonne Anisimowicz, Marquelle Piers, Renee Matte

The Qualitative Report

Secondary lymphedema is a chronic condition that can develop after the treatment of cancer and can often lead to negative psychological and social impairments. When dealing with chronic illness, hoping and coping are interdependent. Previous research has assessed the outcomes of workshops designed to enhance hope but has not examined the workshop itself to determine how those outcomes were achieved. This study deconstructs the Living Hopefully with Lymphedema workshop to identify (1) what aspects of the workshop facilitated or interfered with therapeutic progress, (2) key aspects of facilitation that contributed to the functioning of the workshop, and (3) how participants …

On Continuum Beliefs And Psychiatric Stigma: Similarity To A Person With Schizophrenia Can Feel Too Close For Comfort, Ryan Thibodeau, Karlie M. Peterson

Psychology Faculty/Staff Publications

Continuum belief interventions that blur boundaries between “normal” individuals and individuals with psychiatric problems have shown promise in reducing psychiatric stigma. Interventions to date have afforded participants considerable psychological distance from individuals with mental illness. An intervention that compels psychological closeness to individuals with mental illness may lead to increased anxiety/threat and an attenuated intervention effect on stigma. In a randomized experiment, one hundred thirty-five participants listened to a bogus interview involving an ostensible person with schizophrenia who shared numerous characteristics in common with participants. In the interview, the target person (1) did not verbally broach issues of similarity to …

Sleep Disorders In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study Of An Assessment Of Pediatric Providers' Practices And Perceptions, Kristin Lynn Edwards

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have increased rates for sleep problems compared with typically developing children. Although physicians practicing in pediatric primary care settings have the potential to detect and address sleep problems at an early age, research investigating the sleep management practices of pediatricians in primary care is scant and does not particularly address children with ASD. This study investigated the frequency of sleep screening measures utilized by pediatric providers during well-child examinations, the most frequently recommended treatments, the barriers and facilitators to screening for sleep problems, and the perceived confidence of pediatricians with regard to screening for …