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The Relationship Of Organizational Democracy And Psychological Safety On Organizational Citizenship Behaviors, Thomas William Rice

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between organizational democracy and organizational citizenship behaviors through the mediating effect of psychological safety. This study contributes to the organizational democracy literature in the introduction of psychological safety as a mediator through the lens of social exchange theory. An online survey was completed by 245 participants who self-reported as being full-time, English-speaking employees in the United States. The survey was composed of a demographic section and different measures of organizational democracy (i.e., perceived organizational participation and democracy questionnaire, organizational democracy scale), psychological safety, and organizational citizenship behaviors. Utilizing mediated regression analysis, results indicated that psychological …

Mental Healthcare For Us: Examining Awareness Of, Barriers To, And Recommendations For Mental Healthcare Among Immigrant-Origin Chinese American Adolescents, Mengxue (Fiona) Sun

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Background. Ethnic minority adolescents face elevated mental health challenges and encounter significant barriers to accessing mental healthcare compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Despite these challenges, limited research has explored culturally responsive mental healthcare for adolescents from specific Asian American communities, and even fewer studies have actively incorporated adolescents' perspectives to inform treatment and policy. This study aimed to examine the experiences of immigrant-origin Chinese American adolescents with mental health and mental healthcare.

Method. Ten immigrant-origin Chinese American adolescents, aged 14 to 17, were recruited through community organizations and participated in semi-structured individual interviews. Open-ended questions focused on …

Minority Stressors And Internalizing Symptoms In Sexual And Gender Minority Adolescents: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Anni R. Subar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents are at elevated risk for internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, due in part to chronic exposure to minority stress. To provide a comprehensive synthesis of this literature, we conducted a meta-analysis of 32 studies, yielding 162 effect sizes from 41,360 participants aged 8– 22. All included studies examined the association between minority stress, defined as stigma-related stressors such as discrimination, victimization, and internalized stigma, and internalizing outcomes in SGM youth. The random-effects meta-analysis revealed a small but significant association (r = .25) between minority stress and internalizing symptoms, consistent across stressor …

Understanding The Roles Of Individual And Family-Based Resilience Resources And Mechanisms In Youth With Painful Disorders Of Gut-Brain Interaction, Corinne Taylor Evans

All ETDs from UAB

Background Children living with chronic pain are at risk for many negative physical and mental health consequences. However, certain positive attributes and factors can help lessen or prevent such consequences. Children with painful disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) experience deficits in social, emotional, and physical functioning. However, it is unknown whether a combination of individual and family-based resilience factors may lower these risks and contribute to improved physical and mental health responses. Methods 120 children with painful DGBIs were recruited from a pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Children and caregivers completed a series of questionnaires measuring individual and family-based resilience resources (e.g., …

Longitudinal Relations Between Self-Esteem And Depression: A Continuous Time Analysis With Exploration Of Sleep Duration Effects, Mackenzie Cummings

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Adolescents and young adults face elevated risk for depression. While poor self-esteem and sleep disturbance are known risk factors, few studies have examined their unique and interactive contributions. Longitudinal research often overlooks unequal intervals and multiple sources of variance (e.g., between- and within-person). This study used continuous time structural equation modeling to address these gaps and examine relationships between self-esteem, sleep duration, and depression from adolescence into adulthood. Drawing on four waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 6,184), I tested whether sleep duration moderated the self-esteem–depression link and explored gender differences. …

A Multilevel Analysis Of Arrest For Sexual Assault In The United States: The Effect Of Incident, Police Department, And Community Factors, Erin Elizabeth Hoffman

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Police officers play an important role for sexual assault survivors seeking help from the criminal legal system in the United States. One of their main responsibilities is to investigate the crime to determine if there is enough evidence to arrest a suspect. Previous literature has documented police arrest decisions in sexual assault cases are influenced by legal and extralegal factors—factors that are legally relevant (e.g., presence of DNA evidence) and irrelevant (e.g., victim race) in a case. These factors span multiple levels of analysis, namely the incident (e.g., whether a weapon was used) and police department (e.g., % of woman …

Gi, Pain, Anxiety, And Mood Symptoms Among Youth With Fapds, Helen Bedree

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) frequently persist into adulthood, thus developmental considerations are critical for monitoring symptom presentation and tailoring treatments. In addition to core symptoms, such as pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, mood and anxiety symptoms often co-occur as well as negative impacts on functioning and quality of life. The current study took a developmental approach to assess core pain, gastrointestinal, anxiety, and mood symptoms among youth with FAPDs (N = 105), as well as agreement across youth and their caregivers on these key symptoms. Developmental stages included early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. A cluster …

The Impact And Perceptions Of Return-To-Office Mandates, Brooke E. Nyberg

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

In the aftermath of stay-at-home mandates that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations have reinstated mandates requiring that employees return to the office either full-time or a few days per week. Although research has been conducted on the benefits and consequences of remote work throughout the pandemic, research is lacking on the perceptions of the return-to-office mandates and how these mandates impact employees. This study aimed to comprehensively understand what employees think and feel about a return-to-office mandate as well as identify group differences and impacts of the method in which the RTO mandate was communicated. To do so, …

Examining Changes In Control Beliefs And The Role Of Self-Determination In A Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention For Elementary-Aged Students, Laura Saldana

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

To date, cognitive behavioral intervention studies for youth focus on symptom reduction to evaluate treatment efficacy without studying changes in youth coping. The present study, backed by Motivational Theory of Coping and Self-Determination Theory, used a randomized control trial design to examine the effects of a brief (5-session), group-based, cognitive-behavioral intervention called Act and Adapt – SP on adaptive coping, maladaptive coping, competence, and relatedness in a sample of academically underperforming 3^rd and 4^th graders (N = 56; M_age = 8.8 years; 62.5% female; 78.6% Latinx). Act and Adapt – SP was designed for Saturday …

A Mixed Methods Survey To Highlight Retrospective Drug Spending, Dillon Peter Thorpe

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The financial impact of substance use is poorly understood. What research has been conducted has focused on societal and medical costs, rarely on the personal finances of substance users. Less research has been conducted on the finances of people currently in recovery and abstinence. To fill in this gap, 284 current Oxford House residents completed a survey that inquired about demographics, spending habits, and reasons for staying in Oxford House. Following analysis, it was found that previous drug/alcohol spending is a highly variable metric, with a range of $0-$30,000 per month. In addition, the sample was homogenous in terms of …

The Effect Of Reading Goals On Conspiracy Believability And Memorability, Leah Patricia O'Neill

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Previous research shows that individuals who are assigned different goals for reading remember and comprehend text differently, which might also influence how individuals read texts that contain conspiracy theories. This research has revealed a connection between scores on the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief (SPQ-B) and conspiracy theory belief, such that those who score higher are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of reading goals (i.e., study vs entertainment) and different types of conspiracy theories (i.e., familiar and less familiar) on participant’s believability ratings for conspiracy texts. Participants were assigned a reading goal prior to …

The Impact Of Popularity Pressure: A Moderated Mediation Model, Molly Clare Walker

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is a critical development stage where social pressures can significantly impact interactions and behavior. One such pressure, popularity pressure, refers to adolescents’ perceived obligation to meet social expectations related to having a popular status. Prior research by Wright (2020) highlights that perceived popularity pressure, often driven by parental and peer influence, is linked to maladaptive behaviors such as relational aggression. Despite these findings, limited research has yet to explore the effect of popularity pressure on adolescents’ internalizing symptoms such as anxiety and depression, in addition to the underlying mechanisms through which popularity pressure impacts adolescents’ mental health and behavior. …

Is She Being “Fast?”: Exploration Of African American Women’S Experience With Sexual Objectification, Alaigra V.R. Usher

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Issues of sexual objectification have been intertwined in America’s history since enslavement. This phenomenology study aimed to explore African American women’s lived experiences with sexual objectification and to understand the essential themes and conceptualizations that African American women attribute to sexual objectification. Through semi-structured interviews with a criterion sampling of African American women, the research sought to identify core themes surrounding sexual objectification experiences. In the results of this study, it was found that this population conceptualizes their sexual objectification experiences through seven themes: Earliest Sexual Objectification Experiences (SOE), SOE, Responses to SOE, Parental Protection, Reasons for SOE, SOE places, …

Investigating Momentary Body Image Disturbance, Affect, And Disordered Eating Among College Students, Allison T. Cunning

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite evidence that eating disorders are associated with elevated mortality rates, increased risk of suicide, and societal and financial burden, treatment outcomes for individuals with eating disorders remain poor. Body image disturbance has emerged as a robust risk factor for the development and maintenance of disordered eating (e.g., overeating, binge eating, purging, restriction) and theoretical and clinical perspectives most commonly operationalize body image disturbance as a trait construct. However, empirical evidence suggests body dissatisfaction may fluctuate, and these fluctuations may play an important role in the relationship between risk factors and disordered eating. The current study employed ecological momentary assessment …

Building Media Literacy In Adolescence: A Cognitive Behavioral Clinician's Manual To Combat Misinformation And Misdiagnosis During Sessions, Patricia Sacchetti

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This paper examines the role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in countering misinformation that youth encounter on social media and other informal sources, with the goal of creating a manual for mental health clinicians. The use of CBT by clinicians working with adolescents to combat the issue of misinformation and misdiagnosis has received little attention in the literature. Mental health clinicians’ knowledge of media literacy as a psychological construct can foster an effective treatment style by building upon the foundation of well-established theory and practice, such as CBT. CBT is a multifaceted treatment that can help guide mental health clinicians …

Overcoming Barriers To Connection Between People With Schizophrenia And Their Caregivers, Sarah G. Fernandez

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The purpose of this doctoral project is to bring together existing literature on relational barriers between patients and caregivers, and strategies for overcoming them, for one reason: to help clinicians facilitate connection within families and households where one person has schizophrenia. It is therefore comprised of two parts: this paper containing a three-part literature review on barriers to connection including social skill deficits characteristic of the disease of schizophrenia, environmental factors, and caregiver burden and expressed emotion within families, as well as protective factors and strategies for overcoming them. The second component of this project is a psychoeducational module geared …

Effect Of Ipv On Latino Children's Perspectives Of Fatherhood, Elizabeth Berks

University Honors Theses

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can be found in many cultures throughout the world, with varying levels of acceptability, victimization, and perpetration. Approximately one in five couples report experiencing at least one instance of IPV in a given year. Women are victims of IPV more frequently than men, and experience more severe injuries. 20% of women report a lifetime history of physical IPV victimization by their current or past partners. Further, women are also ten times more likely to be killed due to IPV than men are. Presently, empirical research literature surrounding the dynamics and impacts of IPV is heavily focused …

Stigma, Shame, And Narcissism: A Literature Review, Alex Gaither

University Honors Theses

This thesis is a literature review of 12 peer reviewed journal articles accessible through the Portland State University library database on the relationship between stigma, shame, and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). This thesis discusses ideas brought up in these articles regarding the classification and conceptualization of NPD as a disorder, the role that shame plays in the pathology of NPD, the ways that shame is addressed through treatment, and public and practitioner held bias resulting from the stigmatization of the disorder. New and upcoming ways of conceptualizing the disorder are also briefly discussed as there has been a push to …

The Intersection Of Education And Empowerment: How Comprehensive Sex Education Equips Adolescents To Navigate Complex Relational Dynamics, Joleigh Wood

University Honors Theses

This thesis examines the impact of comprehensive sex education (CSE) on adolescents' understanding of consent, personal boundaries, and relational competence. Drawing upon social learning theory, intersectionality, and relational-cultural theory, the study employs a multidisciplinary framework to analyze how CSE functions as both an instructional practice and a sociocultural intervention. Utilizing an integrative thematic review of empirical studies, policy analyses, and national curriculum standards, the research evaluates the extent to which CSE promotes emotional literacy, fosters ethical relationship skills, and addresses structural inequities in educational access. Findings indicate that well-implemented, inclusive CSE contributes to healthier developmental outcomes by enhancing students' emotional …

Changing Minds, Changing Modes: Optimizing Public Perception Strategies For Urban Cycling Through Behavior Change Theory, Brandon Barnhart

University Honors Theses

This thesis addresses the recent decline in bicycle mode share in cities like Portland, Oregon, despite decades of investment in cycling infrastructure. While the "build it, and they will come" approach succeeded through the early 2000s, it no longer meets targets for bicycle use or broader goals related to sustainability, congestion, health, and safety. A new approach is needed that effectively rebuilds the cultural and behavioral components of cycling. This research asks: What role can behavior change theory play in increasing the effectiveness of public perception campaigns to promote urban cycling? Using a qualitative methodology, this study draws on behavior …

How Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (Mbsr) Techniques Affect Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Literature Review, Piper Ritke

Honors Theses

This literature review examines the potential effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) as a non-invasive therapeutic intervention for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Traditional treatments for OCD, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP), are evidence-based but can be distressing for some patients. MBSR, originally developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, emphasizes nonjudgmental awareness of thoughts and may offer a less intrusive alternative. Three peer-reviewed studies were analyzed: a randomized controlled trial comparing MBSR with cognitive therapies, a technology-supported mindfulness intervention utilizing EEG feedback, and a case study documenting individualized MBSR treatment. All studies demonstrated reductions in …

Attitudes Toward Pig Islet Xenotransplantation For Type 1 Diabetes: A Scoping Review, Daniel J Hurst, Daniel Rodger, Luz A Padilla, Fernando Ovalle

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Over 8 million people globally have type 1 diabetes. Islet allotransplantation offers an alternative to insulin therapy but is constrained by donor availability. Genetically modified pig islet transplantation presents a potential solution, yet understanding stakeholder attitudes is crucial before clinical adoption.

METHODS: This scoping review followed Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA guidelines. CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, PsychINFO, and SCOPUS were searched for studies examining attitudes toward pig islet xenotransplantation among patients, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders.

RESULTS: From 199 sources, 16 met eligibility criteria, spanning ten countries from 2003 to 2023. The 23,780 participants included 1,535 (6.5%) patients/family members, …

The Relative Strength Of Help-Seeker Stereotype, Help-Seeking Self-Stigma, And Self-Esteem In Predicting Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Help, Souad Torjani Azim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasing prevalence of mental health issues among college students is a critical concern. Disorders such as depression and anxiety are becoming more common, with depression notably a major risk factor for suicide—the second leading cause of death in this age group. Despite this troubling trend, significant barriers to accessing mental health services remain. While research has explored various factors contributing to students’ reluctance, such as stigma, distrust in the mental health system, lack of social support, and mental health literacy, none to date has examined the relative strength of help-seeker stereotype, help-seeking self-stigma, and self-esteem in predicting attitudes toward …

Social Perception Of Bipolar Disorders On Employment Outcomes, Mary E. Henson

Student Theses and Dissertations

An important component to quality of life in those living with bipolar disorders is employment. Employment gives people an opportunity to provide for themselves and others, granting them the ability to live bountiful lives. For those with mental health diagnoses, it also provides them with economic access to affordable treatment. Literature agrees that many people with these diagnoses, specifically people with bipolar disorders, are less likely to be employed and maintain employment. It is likely that a lack of employment is due to stigma faced from employers and colleagues. Many studies have investigated internal stigma of bipolar disorders, but there …

As Good As It Gets? Comparing Clients’ And Treatment Providers’ Perceptions Of Engagement Barriers And Facilitators For Exposure And Response Prevention Ocd Treatment, Samuel Mutschler-Aldine

University Honors Theses

This mixed-methods study compared clients' and providers' sentiments toward research-based themes on barriers and facilitators of client engagement in treatment. For individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), engagement in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is a crucial ingredient of successful treatment and symptom remission. Therefore, it is imperative to thoroughly understand the perspectives on engagement barriers and facilitators of people with field experience: ERP patients and therapists.

The researcher administered two Qualtrics surveys to thirty current providers and six current or former clients of ERP for OCD. Each survey contained five-point, Likert-style scales to measure the level each participant agreed …

The Impact Of Child And Parent Trauma Exposure On A School-Based Trauma-Focused Child Intervention, Andrea Donis

Master's Theses

National statistics demonstrate that vast majority of Latine youth living in low-income neighborhoods in the United States experience on-going trauma exposure throughout their life. However, most trauma-focused therapies were designed without considering the impact that experiencing new trauma exposure during treatment may have on treatment effectiveness, limiting our understanding of the potential attenuation caused by new traumatic experiences. In addition, most youth research has focused on the impact of child trauma exposure, with little attention given to the impact of parental trauma exposure on child treatment outcomes despite the salient role that parents play in child development. In particular, little …

Revising And Consolidating The Dsm-5 And Icd-11 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders Into A Dimensional Spectrum-Based Disorder: A Literature Review, Samuel Milton Shatsky

University Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the clinical, cultural, and theoretical implications of replacing the current DSM-5 and ICD-11 categorical diagnoses of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) with a unified dimensional framework: trauma spectrum disorder (TSD). The proposed TSD model addresses ongoing concerns around diagnostic inflation, treatment misalignment, and clinical confusion stemming from binary trauma categorizations. This thesis explores whether adopting a dimensional diagnostic model to replace DSM-5 and ICD-11's current PTSD and CPTSD designations could lead to improved treatment outcomes and diagnostic clarity.

Methodology consisted of an extensive literature review of the field's current research. Using the …

Situational Analysis Of Child Labour In Coastal And Marine Activities In Zanzibar, Tanzania, Happiness Anold Moshi, Rukia Kitula

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study analyses the situation of child labour in coastal and marine activities in Zanzibar, Tanzania, by examining activities carried out by children, the major driving factors for engaging in child labour, as well as the associated impacts to children’s schooling and wellbeing. Questionnaire survey, focus group discussions (FGDs), participant observations, and key informant interviews (KII) were all used to collect data for the study. The study involved a total of 90 children, who were randomly selected among working children in coastal and marine activities. It was found that most of the working children were involved in fishing, fish descaling, …

Enhancing Mental Health Through Mind-Body Exercises In Sedentary Students: A Systematic Review With An Indonesian Perspective, Izmi Alya Khairunnisa, Aditya Denny Pratama

Jurnal Sosial Humaniora Terapan

Sedentary Behavior (SB) among students is associated with increased risks of depression, anxiety, stress, and weakened immune function. According to the WHO, SB contributes to approximately two million deaths each year. This systematic literature review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of mind-body exercises in improving mental health outcomes—specifically stress reduction, anxiety management, and emotional regulation—among students with sedentary lifestyles. Using the PRISMA framework, 2,201 articles were identified from databases including Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest, with six studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The review found that mind-body exercises such as yoga, tai chi, and pilates significantly reduce stress and anxiety, enhance …

Exploring The Connection Between Mental Health Stigma, Social-Emotional Risk, And Help-Seeking Behaviors Among High School Students, Dorie Ross

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the United States, the rate of adolescents experiencing mental health-related challenges continues to rise, impacting their social-emotional well-being. Despite increasing concerns, the majority of adolescents do not seek treatment for mental health problems. One barrier contributing to a lack of help-seeking behaviors is mental health stigma. Furthermore, for students who have sought help for such concerns, there is a lack of consensus on whom high school students turn to for support when seeking help. The current study utilized quantitative methodology in the form of Structural Equation Modeling to examine the complex relationship between social-emotional risk, perceptions of mental health …