Digital Commons Network^™

Healthy Aging: Factors That Predict Preservation Of Cognitive Functioning In Older Adults, Imari-Ashley F. Palma

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

As the human race continues to defy chronological aging in due part to medical advancements, an overarching goal for the older adult population and researchers is to determine how to promote aging well. Cognitive functioning is a heavily researched area due to the exponentially increasing number of older adults experiencing cognitive decline. Preservation of cognitive functioning is one aspect of aging well. Three domains of cognition that have shown to be particularly sensitive to the effects of aging are memory, executive functioning, and processing speed. The aims of this current study are: (i) to provide supporting evidence for research that …

A Military Chronic Pain Interdisciplinary Outpatient Program’S (Iop) Approach To Reducing Pain And Disability And Increasing Functional Ability, Paris N. Mcdonald

USC Aiken Psychology Theses

The present study employed self-report measures to assess pain intensity, self-report perception of disability, and patient activation, and objective functional measures to explore the outcomes of a military interdisciplinary chronic pain intensive outpatient program. Seventy-three Active Duty Service Members (SM) with chronic pain completed baseline measures (pre-IOP) and graduation day measures, 60 SMs completed one-month follow-up measures, and 28 completed three-month follow-up measures. Results indicated that self-report pain levels decreased from pre-IOP to graduation day. The decrease was maintained; however, no additional significant decrease in pain occurred following program completion. Further, participant’s self-reported perception of disability due to back pain …

“Your Biological Clock Is Ticking”: Examining Stigma Of Childless Men And Women, Kayla Tamas

USC Aiken Psychology Theses

Prior research reveals that all childless individuals are negatively stigmatized, but voluntary and involuntary childless individuals are stigmatized to differing degrees. There is a little research investigating the differences in stigma associated with childless men and women. The current study examines the differences in stigma for voluntary and involuntary childless men and women by using a series of vignettes and having participants rate the childless individuals on fourteen general characteristics. Participants were recruited from psychology and sociology courses at the University of South Carolina Aiken as well as Psychological Research on the Net through Hanover College. It was hypothesized that …

Entropy As A Method For Identifying Treatment Resistant Autism Spectrum Disorder, Nathan Wright

Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience lifelong challenges which can impact peer relationships, adaptive functioning, and independent living. Verbal intelligence has proven to be the strongest indicator of outcomes and responsiveness to behavioral intervention, but this property only stabilizes in children between 6 and 8 years of age. Behavioral treatment is the primary intervention for individuals diagnosed with ASD, but it is most effective when delivered as an early intervention strategy for toddlers and very young children. A biomarker which could distinguish treatment resistant subgroups of ASD from would allow for the development and implementation of alternative …

Explicit, Implicit, And Behavioral Stigmatization Of Mental Illness, Jessica S. James

Dissertations

Mental health concern is a public health concern that continues to be stigmatized. While the dual process model has been applied to other areas of social cognition (e.g., racism), this framework has not previously been frequently used to examine the stigmatization of mental illness. The current study sought to examine the stigmatization of mental illness within a dual process model to determine the relationship between explicit and implicit stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors. A total of 104 undergraduate students from the University of Southern Mississippi participated in this study. Participants completed multiple implicit and explicit measures of stigmatizing attitudes and behavioral …

Weight Stigma And Motivation To Exercise : Exploring Associations And Constructs From The Basic Needs Theory., Stephanie R. Mcdonough

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social influences, such as weight stigma, perpetuate rates of overweight and obesity, as well as contribute to poor physical and psychological health. It has been postulated that weight stigma negatively affects motivation to exercise, though the literature is mixed and underlying mechanisms of action are not well conceived. The present study aimed to: (1) explore the relationship between frequency of experienced weight stigma and exercise motivation and behavior (2) assess how frequency of experienced weight stigma might differ based on participant characteristics such as body weight and (3) consider unique associations between frequency of personal experiences with weight-based stigma, exercise …

Sex Differences In Balance Measures And Chronic Low Back Pain In Older Adults, Kelley Bevers

Psychology Theses - Archive

The older adult population is growing at a rapid pace, with the US Census Bureau estimating older adults to comprise of 20% of the overall population by 2020. Now, more than ever, we must parse out differences within this group to target their specific needs, particularly those concerning potential injury and pain. Older adults face unique challenges surrounding their ability to manage pain conditions, such as increased fall risk, increased medication use, decreased physical ability, and multimorbidities. As such, uncovering the most effective and cost-effective strategies for mobility and maintenance are of vital importance. Previous research indicates there are sex …

(Don’T) Stand By Me: Social Regulation Of Response To Threat In Interracial Dyads, Carmelita Sharonique Foster

Dissertations

A number of factors contribute to retention among college students, including social support and feelings of belonging (Rayle & Chung, 2007). Although college campuses are among the most racially diverse settings in our segregated society (Fischer, 2011), students differ in their perception of the racial climate on campus (Chavous, 2005). Social Baseline Theory (SBT) proposes that human functioning under stress is dependent on adequate social support and that, at baseline, biological systems are adapted to operate interdependently rather than independently (Hughes, Crowell, Uyeji, & Coan, 2012). Specifically, the substantial empirical support for SBT shows that stressful situations are less toxic …

Examining The Meaning Of Course Evaluation, Tyesha Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teaching evaluations significantly influence faculty members’ annual evaluations and progress toward tenure and promotion within academic programs in higher education. Those with consistently strong, positive, teaching evaluations have been deemed effective instructors and often validated with increases in salary, teaching awards, and promotion and tenure. This is especially the case when strong course evaluations are received in addition to documented scholarship and research activities and positively evaluated professional service. However, questions are being raised about the meaningfulness of students' ratings of course instruction. Do these measures effectively assess competence as instructors or do they measure other unknown processes in the …

The Role Of Career Optimism And Perceived Barriers In College Students’ Academic Persistence: A Social Cognitive Career Theory Approach, Ben H. Wu

Dissertations

Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) suggests that one’s self-efficacy beliefs, one’s outcome expectations, and salient contextual influences impact the development of interests, goals, and goal-oriented behaviors. Additionally, initial support has been found in the SCCT literature to indicate that outcome expectations may mediate the relationship between self-efficacy and goals while contextual influences may moderate the relationship between self-efficacy and goals. By examining conditional indirect effects between academic self-efficacy, career optimism (an outcome expectation), perceived carrier barriers (a contextual influence), and intention to persist toward graduation (a goal) in a college student sample, this project aimed to further understand how these …

The Relationship Between Right-Wing Authoritarianism & Support For Military Action Among Millennial Voters, Jessica A. Nemet

Student Theses

This thesis examined the relationship between Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and Militarism among millennial students at John Jay College. Previous studies have already suggested a relationship between RWA, heightened perceived individual or communal threat, and aggressive attitudes – especially towards outsiders. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to gauge the level of authoritarianism and that was endorsed by each subject and these RWA factor scores were contrasted between participants who endorsed Militarism as a viable U.S. foreign policy tactic and those who did not. Consistent with our hypothesis, results suggest that individuals who supported militarism as a viable means to solving international …

Examining The Associative Learning And Accumbal Dopaminergic Mechanisms Of Caffeine Reinforcement, Curtis Bradley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Caffeine is the most consumed psychoactive substance in the world, and most caffeine consumption in coffee and energy drinks is intended to produce a psychoactive effect. However, caffeine is not a primary reinforcer in preclinical paradigms – non-human species do not reliably take the drug to produce a psychoactive effect. However, caffeine is a ‘reinforcement enhancer’ in preclinical models; the effects of caffeine increase the motivation to obtain other non-drug reinforcers. The overall goal of this project was to determine if these reinforcement enhancing effects of caffeine could promote caffeine self-administration and to subsequently investigate the behavioral and neurochemical underpinnings …

Psychopathic Traits And P3 Modulation During Simple And Complex Target Detection Tasks, Olivia Aveson

Student Theses

Psychopathy is notable for traits of impulsivity, irresponsibility, and proneness to boredom, characteristics that are all substrates of executive function. However, event-related potential (ERP) P3 studies of attention-related abnormalities in the context of psychopathic traits have yielded inconsistent results (Gao & Raine, 2009). The current study attempted to address these discrepancies by investigating the effects of psychopathic traits on P3s during two attentional tasks. Two groups of ERP participants (n = 28) who had high (T score greater than or equal to 50) or low (T score less than or equal to 40) Psychopathic Personality Inventory – …

The Relation Between Dbt Skills Training And Attitudes Towards Individuals With Bpd, Kenny Gonzalez

Student Theses

Attitudes towards individuals with BPD are generally pessimistic (Cleary, Siegfried, & Walter, 2002; Fraser, 2001; McIntosh, 1998). Training as an intervention, in the form of different theoretical orientations, has been shown to improve attitudes among mental health professionals. However, few studies (Fraser, 2001; Hazleton et al., 2006; Carmel, Fruzzetti, & Rose, 2014) have investigated whether Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT; Linehan, 1991) can improve attitudes towards individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The current study was conducted at a 3-day DBT skills training workshop and sought to examine the impact of DBT skills training on attitudes towards individuals with BPD. Using …

Interprofessional Relationships In Rural Offender Re-Entry And Management: Mental Health Treatment Providers And Community Supervision Professionals, Michael Lasher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current prevailing approach to managing offenders in the community involves community supervision professionals such as probation and parole officers partnering with other community professionals, such as psychologists, social workers, and other mental health providers to address offenders’ needs. Each type of professional draws from a unique field with goals, values, and theoretical orientations, which do not necessarily overlap. These relationships are rarely studied, and previous examinations are limited. The current study aims to address this deficit in the empirical literature. Drawing on data obtained from qualitative interviews, four aims were examined. First, using thematic analysis, interview data are analyzed …

Deception From Parents To Romantic Partners, Xiaoti Fan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Deception plays an important role in every type of relationship, particularly for the two most intimate relationships: parent-child and romantic. People usually learn behaviors and communication strategies from their parents and enforce or adjust them in other types of relationships based on various personal as well as social influences. The purpose of this study is to examine the strategies and motives young adults use with their parents and romantic partners when they convey deceptive messages, and explore how people apply patterns of deception from their parent-child relationships to their romantic relationships. In this study, two aspects of deceptive behavior are …

Long-Term Focus Of Attentional Biases, Garrett Pollert

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prior research regarding attentional biases, or patterns of visual attention, have focused on attention over the initial second when exposed to pictoral food stimuli. This manuscript reviews the literature regarding attentional biases in overweight/obese individuals over this timeframe for the two previously defined components of attentional bias (attentional orientation and attentional maintenance). A new component is proposed, called “attentional re-engagement,” defined as the pattern of attentional shifts towards target stimulus types over longer periods of time. Overweight/Obese and Normal-weighted participants were recruited and engaged in an Extended Dot Probe task, wherein attentional orientation, maintenance, and re-engagement were assessed using the …

Disability-Related Factors And Perceived Stigma: A Closer Examination Of Suicidality In Individuals With Physical Disabilities, Lauren Khazem

Dissertations

Previous research has indicated an association between physical disability and suicidal ideation. However, the mechanisms contributing to the development of suicidal ideation in this population have remained largely unstudied within an empirically supported theoretical framework. The current study expands upon previous research by examining the relationship between different facets of physical disability and suicidal ideation intensity through the indirect effect of perceived stigmatization and interactions with mental states described within the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, namely perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Furthermore, this research aims to examine these potential relationships in a nonclinical sample of adults with physical disabilities ranging …

Mechanisms Driving Suicidal Ideation To Action: The Impact Of Rumination And Cardiovascular Reactivity On Momentary Fluctuations In Pain Tolerance And Persistence, Keyne Law

Dissertations

To prevent suicide, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms and processes associated with deaths by suicide. The capability for suicide is a critical factor that enables an individual to endure the physical pain necessary to make a lethal suicide attempt (Joiner, 2005; Klonsky & May, 2015). Few studies have examined whether the ability to tolerate and persist through pain are subject to momentary fluctuations during different emotional contexts. This study sought to directly compare the effects of sadness rumination and anger rumination on pain tolerance and pain persistence. Furthermore, this study aimed to examine the effect of heart rate …

Gene-Environment Interaction: Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Bdnf) As A Moderating Factor For The Effects Of Exercise And Diet On Cognitive And Mental Health: The Cache County Study On Memory In Aging, Chelsea L. Sanders

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Cache County Study on Memory in Aging, funded by the National Institute on Aging, studied longitudinal changes in memory and aging over 12 years’ follow-up in a population-based sample of 5,092 older adults in semirural Cache County, UT. Among the extensive interview procedures, researchers collected information regarding the participants’ demographics, health, genetic factors, diet, physical activity, and cognitive abilities. This study has allowed researchers to investigate how genetic and modifiable lifestyle factors interact to predict health, cognitive function, and psychological wellbeing in older adults.

Diet and exercise are important lifestyle factors in maintaining cognitive health and psychological wellbeing throughout …

The Culture Of Sexuality: Identification, Conceptualization, And Acculturation Processes Within Sexual Minority And Heterosexual Cultures, Joshua Glenn Parmenter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study aimed to provide insights into the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) people within LGBTQ+ culture, and to explore how they disclose or conceal their sexual identities within different social environments. A qualitative study enabled me to become immersed within the stories of LGBTQ+ people, in order to better understand the construct and importance of LGBTQ+ culture. Through in-depth interviews and focus groups, 14 members of the LGBTQ+ community from around the nation volunteered to share their experiences with LGBTQ+ culture and their negotiation of identity within heterosexual culture.

From participants’ stories, key themes were …

Contextual Factors In The Identity Development Of Native American And Latinx Undergraduates In Stem Fields, Angela Marie Enno

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study includes two papers that aimed to provide insights into the experiences of high-achieving Latinx and Native American college students studying science. We wanted to better understand factors that influence these students’ ability to develop a sense of identity that weaves together their hoped-for careers as scientists as well as their cultural identities. We looked at how they feel about working with mentors in science fields who were like them in a variety of ways. We found that many students (especially those with a stronger sense of cultural identity) valued working with mentors who were similar to them in …

The Effect Of Maoa And Stress Sensitivity On Crime And Delinquency: A Replication Study, Christa C. Christ, Joseph A. Schwartz, Scott F. Stoltenberg, Jonathan R. Brauer, Jukka Savolainen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Across several meta-analyses, MAOA-uVNTR genotype has been associated with an increased risk for antisocial behavior among males who experienced early life adversity. Subsequently, early life stress and genetic susceptibility may have long-term effects on stress sensitivity later in life. In support of this assumption, a recent study found evidence, in two independent samples, for a three-way interaction effect (cG × E × E) such that proximate stress was found to moderate the interactive effect of MAOA-uVNTR and distal stress on crime and delinquency among males. In light of recent developments in cG × E research, we attempted to …

The Relationship Between Brooding, Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity, Physical Anxiety Sensitivity, And Suicide Behaviors In Latino/A College Students, Eric E. Escamilla

Theses and Dissertations

The current study explored if (1) brooding, cognitive anxiety sensitivity (AS), physical anxiety sensitivity (AS), and suicide behaviors will be strongly correlated; (2) brooding will mediate the relationship between cognitive AS and suicide behaviors; (3) brooding will mediate the relationship between physical AS and suicide behaviors; (4) physical AS will moderate the relationship between cognitive AS and suicide behaviors, (5) brooding will mediate the relationship between the physical AS and cognitive AS interaction with suicide behaviors in a Latino/a college student sample. All hypotheses were supported except for physical AS significantly moderating the relationship between cognitive AS and suicide behaviors. …

A Structural Equation Analysis Of The Relationships Between Ptsd, Depressive Symptoms And Suicidal Ideation : Is General Strain Theory A Viable Framework For Explaining Suicide Risk Among Correctional Staff?, Wm. Clay Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a large body of evidence, which suggests PTSD is strongly related to increased suicide risk, however, some studies suggest the true nature of their relationship is better explained through the development of depression due to the effects of PTSD. While a majority of the studies examining this relationship focus only on general populations, a growing body research suggests that high-risk occupations such as police, firefighters and correctional staff are developing PTSD at rates as high as 8 to 10 times that of the rate of these general samples. This study, then, aims to fill a small gap in …

Transgender And Racial Identities Negotiation Processes Of Transgender Asians, Asian Americans, And Pacific Islanders : A Transcendental Phenomenological Examination., Jayden Thai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While the field of transgender (trans) research is vastly growing and expanding, little is known about the process in which trans Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) individuals experience, navigate, and negotiate their trans and API cultural identities. The aims of this study were to: 1) examine the navigation and negotiation process for trans API individuals related to their cultural identities and values; 2) enhance, enrich, and diversify existing trans and API literature by generating foundational and complex understanding of trans API identity processes; and 3) challenge hegemonic narratives regarding trans API individuals’ lived experiences. Moustakas’ (1994) transcendental phenomenological qualitative methodology …

The Role Of Hardiness In The Relation Between Perceived Daily Discrimination And Depressive Symptoms In Community College Students., Rosamond J. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the current study, perceived daily discrimination (PDD) is conceptualized as a chronic stressor which repeatedly activates a stress response and results in depressive symptoms, per the theory of allostatic load. Psychological hardiness is explored as a potential moderator of the relation between PDD and depressive symptoms, because individuals who repeatedly demonstrate hardiness may be primed for making cognitive reappraisals of potential stressors and/or for mobilizing appropriate coping strategies, thus limiting the body’s repeated stress responses and subsequent depressive symptoms. This cross-sectional survey of a diverse sample of 305 community college students included measures of hardiness (Dispositional Resilience Scale, …

Cross-Validation Of The Body Compassion Scale In A Sample Of Women In Perimenopause., Jennifer K. Altman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is a cross-validation of the Body Compassion Scale (BCS) to confirm its factor structure and to assess concurrent validity in women in perimenopause. Body compassion is a construct developed by the author referring to the level of compassion with which an individual relates to her body. It is based in contemporary mindfulnessand acceptance-based conceptual models. The body is central to the experience of women in perimenopause. Moreover, this important transition has been largely medicalized— with little attention given to experiential aspects of this natural phase of life. A total of 281 women in perimenopause completed online questionnaires assessing …

Does Rumination Mediate The Relationship Between Everyday Discrimination And Blood Pressure?, Sarah J. Roane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social stressors, such as perceived discrimination, account for some health disparities by triggering a series of physiological responses (Selye, 1955) which may be prolonged by perseverative cognition such as rumination (Brosschot et al., 2005). In the current study, I investigated whether everyday discrimination is positively associated with both brooding or reflection rumination in Black/African American (AA) individuals, as well as whether brooding or reflection rumination mediate the potential associations between everyday discrimination and blood pressure. Data were collected from a community college sample and analyses were conducted using the whole sample (N = 286; 57.3% female; 51.6% White and 29.8% …

Contribution Of Monoaminergic Mechanisms To The Discriminative Stimulus Effects Of 3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (Mdpv) In Sprague-Dawley Rats, Harmony I. Risca

Masters Theses

3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is a popular synthetic cathinone reported to have a high abuse potential and comparable pharmacological actions to those of cocaine. The aim of this study was to evaluate a variety of monoaminergic agents for substitution, potentiation, or antagonism in rats trained to discriminate MDPV. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate 0.5 mg/kg MDPV and a variety of monoaminergic drugs were tested for substitution and/or potentiation of the MDPV cue. In separate experiments, stimulus antagonism tests were conducted with selected dopamine antagonists or serotonin antagonists in rats trained to discriminate 1 mg/kg MDPV. Full substitution for MDPV was …