Digital Commons Network^™

Daily Problematic Smartphone Use Predicts Decreases In Self-Control Capacity: Evidence From Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model, Adalia Yin Hui Goh, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Amidst the widespread increase in global smartphone screen time and the phenomenon of ‘The Great Exhaustion’, where multiple surveys indicate pervasive tiredness and feelings of being drained, there is growing concern about the link between problematic smartphone use and the capacity for self-control. While numerous studies have investigated the relationship between problematic smartphone use and self-control capacity, they are mostly cross-sectional. Thus, it is unclear whether the lack of capacity for self-control is an antecedent or consequence of problematic smartphone use. Addressing the research gap, we conducted a 7-day diary study to investigate the bidirectional relationship between problematic smartphone use …

Well-Being Of University Students In Singapore, Tina Li Yi Ng, Andree Hartanto, William Tov

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Singapore provides an insightful case study for university student well-being due to its national culture of competitiveness. Amid a meritocratic society that valorizes academic success as the path to securing one’s future (Ho et al., 1998), educational attainment is central to Singaporean university students’ well-being (Inter-University Network, 2022). In response to Singapore’s increasing incidence of mental health challenges among young adults (Ministry of Health Singapore, 2022), the government and higher education institutes have sought to destigmatize mental health and improve accessibility to related resources. In this chapter, we review the literature on the well-being of Singaporean university students. We situate …

The Emerging Roles Of Ai In Self-Directed Stress Management: Systematic Review, Mary Kamillah Grace Reyes, Shauna Sha Min Teo, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Background: Stress is widespread and carries substantial mental health, social, and economic burdens. Yet, access to clinician-led stress management remains constrained by service capacity, cost, and stigma. In response, artificial intelligence (AI)–enabled tools have rapidly proliferated as scalable, self-directed options. However, evidence on how these systems support stress management outside formal clinical settings remains fragmented. Objective: This systematic review aimed to synthesize empirical evidence on how AI-enabled technologies are used for self-directed stress management. We mapped the emerging functions of these tools, the psychological frameworks informing their design, the populations and settings studied, and the outcomes reported. Methods: We conducted …

Ai Fatigue In Human–Ai Interaction: Conceptual Framework, Scale Development And Validation, And Associations With Ai Engagement, Gabriel R. Lau, K. T. A. Sandeeshwara Kasturiratna, Adalia Y. H. Goh, Eddie M. W. Tong, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Emerging from the accelerating pace of AI development, user fatigue arising from prolonged human–AI interaction has become an increasing concern in public discourse. This growing attention underscores the need to clarify why sustained engagement with AI systems can generate psychophysiological strain and how such exhaustion manifests in users. The present research develops a conceptual framework for AI fatigue and introduces the 15-item AI Fatigue Scale as a validated tool for examining its correlates. Across four studies with 717 participants, we generated and content-validated an item pool, identified and confirmed a four-factor (cognitive, emotional, physical, behavioural) higher-order model. The scale demonstrated …

Durable Benefits Of Learning-By-Teaching For Research Question Generation Performance: A Field Experiment, Stephen Wee Hun Lim, Sarah Shi Hui Wong, Piyawan Visessuvanapoom

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Generating good questions is central to scientific inquiry. How can we improve this skill in classrooms? This field experiment showed that teaching others enhances students’ ability to generate higher-order research questions that create new knowledge. Whereas learning-by-teaching often involves delivering face-to-face or video-recorded lectures, we tested its efficient implementation via writing a verbatim (i.e., word-for-word) teaching script, exactly as how one would orate a lecture. In a research and statistical methods course, 199 undergraduates studied statistical concepts by writing verbatim teaching scripts or study notes. One month later, students’ long-term learning was assessed on a high-stakes test, whereby they explained …

Neural Correlates Of Recognition Memory And Metamemory In Breast Cancer Survivors: An Event-Related Potential Study, Dishari Zaman Azad

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Breast cancer survivors (BCS) often report noticeable cognitive difficulties despite showing limited impairment on standardized neuropsychological tests. Some have theorized that this is simply an insensitivity of standardized testing to subtle cognitive changes (test-insensitivity hypothesis), whereas others have suggested there are early neural changes that are detected by patients but precede detection by these tests (early signal hypothesis) or that when they achieve normal performance, it is through saliently effortful compensatory processes (compensation hypothesis). The present study tested these theories by assessing metamemory and recognition memory retrieval in BCS and non-cancer controls (NCC) using both behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) …

Healing Historical-Intergenerational Trauma And Colonial Soul Wounds With Ancestral Healing Practices And Psychosocial Limpias: An Ofrenda For The Salvadoran Community, Joanna D. Beltrán Girón

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In 1992, the United States-backed Salvadoran military and the leftist guerrillas signed the Chapultepec Peace Accords, which put an end to a 12-year war in El Salvador that resulted in 75,000 deaths, 12,000 forced disappearances, and half a million internal displacements. Around 85% of the reports made by survivors of the war attributed the violence to state agents, paramilitary groups, and death squads.While taking into account this history of state violence, this dissertation is interested in the psychosocial aftermath of the war and in how survivors integrate healing practices in their lives in response to the painful memories their bodies …

La Espiritualidad: Transmitting Peruvian Culturo-Spiritual Elements Into Occidental Systemic Spaces, Deisy Amorin-Woods

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper is a decolonising, Indigenous qualitative inquiry that integrates elements of critical autoethnography, narrative methods and conceptual analysis to explore how Peruvian Andean cosmology can inform contemporary systems thinking and family therapy practice. Writing as a mestiza, a Peruvian migrant in Australia, the author traces the lived experience of cultural erosion within Western, individualistic contexts and her reconnection with ancestral Andean teachings. These teachings—rooted in reciprocity, ecological attachment, collective responsibility and relational balance—are presented as living epistemologies that offer timely contributions to working therapeutically. The author examines core Andean concepts including ayll (kinship-based community), ayni (sacred reciprocity), Yachay (aprenderes …

Being Reflexive About Reflexivity: The Ethical Imperative Of Reflexive Practice When Engaging In Sensitive And Contentious Research, Giselle Woodley, See, Sian Tomkinson, Stephanie Milford

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Research topics involving sex, sexuality or sexual content online including pornography, are often considered sensitive or contentious. These topics can evoke strong attitudes, values, beliefs, biases, and potential prejudices from researchers themselves. As such, it is ethically imperative to identify and critically examine one's own perspectives in relation to the research on such topics to ensure transparency, acknowledge the researcher's positionality, and prioritise participant perspectives. Reflexivity offers a valuable way to sustain critical reflection and engage with one's own position and assumptions towards the topic in question. This paper offer a vulnerable exploration and reflection on the reflexive process within …

Understanding Adolescents’ Attitudes Toward Disabilitiesto Improve Out-Of-School Programs, Vanessa Spero, David C. Diehl, John M. Diaz, Serap Gorucu

Journal of Youth Development

This study explores adolescents’ attitudes and perceptions toward individuals with disabilities in out-of-school time (OST) settings. Gaining insight into these attitudes can help inform future initiatives and interventions to develop programs that foster inclusion and greater participation of people with disabilities in OST programs. This study employed quantitative methods using the Brief Questionnaire for Adolescents on Attitudes Toward Persons with a Disability (CBAD-12A), developed by Álvarez-Delgado et al. (2020), to survey adolescents about their attitudes and perceptions toward individuals with disabilities. The results of the study revealed no statistically significant differences in attitudes toward individuals with disabilities based on whether …

The Heart Of Camp: Belonging, Relationships, And Growth Of Character And Skills, Alecia Moser, Nila Rosen, Maurice Elias, Sarah R. Sprayberry, Andrea Vest Ettekal

Journal of Youth Development

This study examined how campers’ experiences of belonging, counselor support, and new close friendships relate to life skill and character development in North American Jewish youth. Residential summer camps are relational settings that promote positive youth development. Although belonging and supportive relationships are theorized to drive such development, few studies have tested these camp features in current camper populations, and less is known about how friendship formation and perceptions of counselors distinctly interact with belonging to shape development. In this study, end-of-summer surveys were administered to middle- and high-school-aged campers at five Jewish residential summer camps. Measures included assessing belonging, …

4‑H Efforts Toward Demographic Representation, 1980–2025: A State‑Of‑The‑Art Review (Part 1), Jeremy Elliott-Engel, Jeff Wayne Howard

Journal of Youth Development

This state-of-the-art review synthesizes 45 years of scholarship (1980–2025) to assess how effectively the 4-H program has worked to serve a demographically representative youth population. Drawing on academic and gray literature (n=99) sources, the review traces 4-H’s evolution from its segregated land grant origins to contemporary efforts focused on access, equity, inclusion, and belonging. It documents progress in culturally responsive programming and national diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) initiatives while highlighting persistent disparities in participation and benefit distribution. The review identifies effective strategies, enduring structural barriers, and areas where research and practice remain limited, offering a comprehensive foundation for understanding 4-H’s …

Patient-Reported Distress And Anxiety During Cone-Beam Ct Imaging Sessions With Increased Gantry Rotation Speeds, Atefeh Rezaei, Alex T. Price, Theodore H. Arsenault, Runyon Woods, Rojano Kashani, Angela Y. Jia, Daniel E. Spratt, Clair R. Kueny, Lauren E. Henke

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Introduction We conducted a prospective imaging clinical trial to evaluate rapid cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging on a C-arm linear accelerator. As part of this trial, we evaluated patient-reported anxiety and distress before and after imaging sessions to evaluate the impact of increased gantry rotation speed on patient experience. Materials and methods Forty patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) as part of standard clinical care were separately imaged using CBCT imaging on a C-arm linear accelerator with faster gantry rotation (1.5 rpm versus standard 1.0 rpm speed used clinically) as part of an imaging clinical trial. Patient anxiety and distress were evaluated …

Addressing Mental Health Issues And The Effectiveness Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Mindfulness-Based Interventions Among Athletes, Shelby Jones-Stachnik

Dissertations

This literature review identifies mental health concerns among competitive athletes and evaluates psychological interventions to address these challenges. Specifically, the review explores the mental health concerns experienced by athletes engaged in high-level sport. It examines whether cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based interventions are effective approaches for improving psychological outcomes in this population. A systematic review of peer-reviewed research was conducted, and findings were synthesized to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based interventions. The review included randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and meta-analyses examining psychological interventions in athletic populations. Findings across the literature indicate that both cognitive behavioral …

Exercise Therapy For Mood Disorders In Retiring/Former Athletes, Christian Antos

Dissertations

This dissertation examined the potential integration of exercise therapy and psychotherapy as a treatment approach for mood-related difficulties experienced by former elite athletes during the transition out of competitive sport. Retirement from athletics is often associated with significant biopsychosocial challenges, including disruptions in identity, healthy routines, social support, and emotional well-being. Existing literature suggests that exercise may serve as an effective adjunctive intervention for improving mood and overall psychological functioning, though limited research has explored its application among retiring athletes within psychotherapeutic contexts. This literature review synthesized current research related to athletic retirement, neurobiological mechanisms associated with physical activity, and …

The Effects Of Virtual Feedback Delivery Methods On Performance For A Remote Work Task, Megan J. Ireland

Masters Theses

Due to its multifunctional nature and wide array of possible applications, feedback has been, and continues to be, a popular topic within scientific research focused on workplace performance improvement. To ensure that feedback is implemented correctly for the desired behavior change, and the context in which it is being delivered, the variables that make up feedback have been a primary focus of more recent research. Previous research has investigated a variety of variables including the effects of delivering different types of feedback and the effects of different feedback delivery modalities on performance for work-related tasks. The present study will be …

A Theoretical Framework And The Development Of A Multidimensional Scale Of Purpose In Life, Louis Fang, Alfred Allan, Joanne M. Dickson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose in life is a key resource in existential psychology. However, its conceptual variability has hindered its application in mainstream practice. This paper presents a holistic, theoretical framework of purpose in life, the purpose in life system, developed from an integration of existing motivational theories and models. Based on our framework, we constructed the 12-item Multidimensional Measure of Purpose in Life (MMOP) and tested its psychometric properties across two studies. In Study 1 (N = 238), confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor higher-order model of purpose in life (present-oriented purpose in life, future-oriented purpose in life, purpose congruence across time), …

Racism, Coping, And In-Race Heterosexism Among Asian American Sexually Expansive People: A Moderated Moderation Analysis, Miah Theresse A. Sabas

Graduate Masters Theses

Asian American sexually expansive people (AA SEP) are at elevated risk of psychological distress at the intersection of racism and heterosexism (Takeda et al., 2021). Less is known about how AA SEP cope with intersectional oppression, including experiences of in-race heterosexism. With a sample of 105 AA SEP, correlations indicated a positive link between psychological distress (PD; DASS-21, Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) and racism-related stress (RRS; Brief PEDQ-CV, Brondolo et al., 2005), but not in-race heterosexism (Perceived Racism in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Communities Scale, Sarno et al., 2015). Moderation analyses indicated only active coping buffered the relation between RRS …

From Process Retrieval To Understanding: A Look Into Curiosity And Metacognition In My Physics Classrooms, Nahuel Acosta Burroso

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

In the modern high school physics classroom, the rapid proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has created a unique educational challenge. While these tools can solve complex problems quickly, they often lead to cognitive offloading, where students bypass the internal dialogue and deep thinking needed for true understanding. This project follows an action research journey that shifts the focus from restricting technology to cultivating curiosity and metacognition. I define curiosity as the gap identifier that appears when a student realizes they do not know something, while metacognition acts as the navigator that helps them decide what to do next. By …

Trends Of Pediatric Psychotropic Polypharmacy In Massachusetts Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gianna D'Ambrozio

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Youth in the U.S. and internationally are increasingly being diagnosed with depression and related psychiatric conditions (Murthy, 2021) many of whom are being subjected to non-evidence-based, or what has been termed irrational, psychotropic polypharmacy (Barnett & Concepcion Zayas, 2019). Psychotropic polypharmacy can be defined as “the use of 2 or more psychiatric medications in the same patient,” (Zito et al., 2021) though definitions can vary. Using data from the Center for Health Information Analysis’ Massachusetts All-Payer Claims Database, this study examined the sociodemographic factors associated with high rates of polypharmacy, a hypothesized increase in pediatric psychotropic polypharmacy rates in Massachusetts …

Clinician Perspectives On Fistula Mental Health, Victoria K. Leonard

Doctoral Dissertations

Background – Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury caused by prolonged labor that leads to stillbirth and incontinence, spurring social exclusion and isolation. These layers of trauma put women with fistula at great risk for psychological suffering, which has profound negative socioeconomic impacts on them, their families, and communities. This study captured treatment as usual at Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT), the country’s largest provider of fistula care.

Method – Improving holistic fistula treatment requires engaging the clinicians who care for women with fistula. This study aimed to investigate the training, beliefs, and treatment approaches of nurses and …

Analyzing The Impact: Foster Grandparent Program, Shanetta Weatherspoon, Miyue Chen, Monica Pereda

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

The Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) is a multigenerational approach to community volunteerism. The study uses intergenerational solidarity to conceptualize the impact of the FGP. The study aims to examine the impact of two dimensions by analyzing data from the Assignment Assessment Forms and the New General Self-Efficacy Scale. Paired t-tests were conducted to determine whether there is a difference in the mentees’ behavior pre- and post-intervention over four years and by way of three priority areas. Results indicated that the FGP has an impact on both the mentees and volunteers. Findings suggest that the program’s activities are the vehicle for …

When The Therapist Is An Algorithm: Understanding Autism Spectrum Students’ Acceptance Of Generative Ai As A Mental Well-Being Tool Through The Technological Acceptance Model, Jossy P. George, Peter Muttungal, Benny Jeyekumar Davidson, Nishi Priya

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

This study examines the psychological and technological factors of the acceptance and emotional well-being of 349 college students with autism who use generative artificial intelligence tools as sources of psychological and emotional support. Grounded on the model of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research studies relationships among perceived empathy, perceived usefulness, ease of use, emotional trust, continuance intention, and overall well-being. Structural equation modelling found that the perceived empathy was a significant predictor of ease of use and usefulness, while emotional trust and continuance intention proved to be significant predictors of emotional well-being. To reinforce these results, predictive modelling performed …

The Efficacy Of Dialectical Behavior Therapy For Anorexia Nervosa In Adolescent Females: A Literature Review, Tyler L. Brink

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Anorexia nervosa (AN) in adolescent females is associated with high mortality, significant relapse rates, and cognitive and emotional disturbances, suggesting that existing treatments may not sufficiently address core maintaining mechanisms. This literature review synthesizes current research examining the efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT) for adolescent females with AN, with emphasis on neurobiological vulnerability, emotional dysregulation, and maladaptive overcontrol. Neuroimaging research indicates reductions in cortical thickness and gray matter in regions associated with self-referential processing and emotional regulation, while emerging evidence suggests structural plasticity following mindfulness-based interventions. Behavioral studies demonstrate that emotional dysregulation …

Ministry Leaders Applying Psychological Theories To Overcome Apathy: A Case Study, Glen A. Bowman

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

This case study examines the persistent challenge of congregational apathy and the efficacy of integrating psychological motivational theories to revitalize a stagnant church culture. The research focuses on a congregation in California’s Central Valley characterized by a "lukewarm" spiritual atmosphere in much of its leadership and membership. The case study follows a newly appointed minister—representing a different age bracket and cultural background—as he navigates the resistance of an entrenched, change-averse leadership team. The researcher evaluated the practical application of three psychological frameworks to combat complacency and found that the Action-Trait Theory proved itself as the most successful method. The theory …

Cognitive Predictors Of Functional Recovery After Traumatic Brain Injury, Disha A. Thakkar, Charles J. Golden

Archives of Assessment Psychology

This study examined whether the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT), administered during acute rehabilitation, improved the prediction of 5-year functional outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI) beyond standard demographic and injury-severity variables. Data were obtained from the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems (TBIMS) National Database (N = 6,880; enrolled 2017 onward). Missing data were handled using multiple imputation (20 datasets). Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the Glasgow Outcome Scale–Extended (GOS-E) as outcome measures. Demographics (age, sex, education, race) were entered in Block 1, injury severity indicators (post-traumatic amnesia [PTA] duration, …

Self-Esteem Development And Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Bahaa Al Ghraibeh

Archives of Assessment Psychology

Self-esteem is a fundamental psychological construct that develops across the lifespan and influences academic, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Research consistently links healthy self-esteem with positive developmental outcomes, including improved educational achievement, stronger interpersonal relationships, and better mental health. At the same time, emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are associated with persistent emotional, behavioral, academic, and social difficulties that can interfere with healthy self-development. This paper reviews the developmental trajectory of self-esteem from early childhood through adulthood and examines how the experiences commonly associated with EBD may negatively affect that trajectory. The review discusses how children begin forming self-esteem at …

Prior Traumatic Brain Injury As A Predictor Of Cognitive Deficits After Moderate-To-Severe Injury, Disha A. Thakkar, Charles J. Golden

Archives of Assessment Psychology

Prior traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are common among individuals who later sustain a moderate-to-severe TBI (msTBI), and cumulative injury models suggest repeated TBIs may worsen long-term cognitive outcomes. This study tested whether prior TBI history independently contributes to cognitive performance one year after an index msTBI beyond demographic and injury-severity factors. Data were drawn from the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database (N = 6,880 enrolled since 2017). 2,773 participants completed the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone at one-year follow-up. Hierarchical regression models evaluated whether prior TBI history accounted for incremental variance in overall cognitive status and …

Caribbean Clergy's Perceptions Of Marital Rape, Nasheba Barzey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Are Single-Pilot Operations An Advantage Or A Disadvantage?, Ezgi Berte Erme

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This study aims to investigate the potential benefits and drawbacks of Single-Pilot Operations (SPO) and to provide actionable insights for commercial airlines. A qualitative research design was employed, with data collected via online interviews and analyzed thematically and descriptively using MAXQDA 24. The findings indicate that pilots perceive several advantages of SPO, including the power of automation, learning artificial intelligence, minimizing human error, cockpit systems designed for artificial intelligence, more effective decision-making/speed-up in response time, reduced labor costs, reduced pilot fatigue, and reduced need for human factor/performance. Conversely, the perceived disadvantages include diminished lack of situational awareness, lack of communication …