Digital Commons Network^™

Are Research Studies Too Boring?: Incorporating Gamification Elements In Mental Rotation For Children., Samantha Zakrzewski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Many cognitive tasks are perceived as boring by children due to their redundancy, lengthy trials, and required cognitive effort. Children’s performance on these tasks might therefore be hampered, not by a lack of cognitive ability, but rather by a lack of motivation to complete these tasks. Mental rotation, a type of cognitive task, has been extensively studied, due to its prevalence in daily living, in activities such as loading a dishwasher or packing a car, and its relation to STEM success. However, similar to other cognitive tasks, mental rotation tasks often result in fatigue and boredom in children. Hence, the …

Decisions, Decisions: The Influence Of Anxiety On Decision Making, Allisun Romain

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of the present study was to better understand the influence of state anxiety on decision making, including how constructs such as trait anxiety and emotional intelligence may moderate this relationship. Participants were randomly assigned to a state anxiety-inducing condition or a control condition. They were then prompted to complete a computerized dynamic decision-making task in which optimal performance requires exploring a novel decision environment and learning reward contingencies of the task. Prior to the experimental manipulation, participants also completed self-report measures of trait anxiety and emotional intelligence. Independent sample t tests were employed to measure differences between the …

The Effects Of Cognitive Integrated Virtual Reality Motor Training On Traumatic Brain Injury, Sumin Bang

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of cognitive and motor dysfunctions that impair functional ambulation in young adults. Cognitive deficits include impairment in processing speed and executive functions and motor deficits include impairment in temporal and spatial gait characteristics balance control, and coordination. Evidence suggests that cognitive function is positively correlated to physical function and cognitive effort positively contributes to motor recovery. Therefore, improved recovery of ambulation may result from a rehabilitation program that enhances both cognitive and motor capabilities by focusing on both motor and cognitive domains simultaneously. This investigation aims to evaluate the effects …

Lesbophobia Through Pornography, Samantha Renee Graves

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Does the consumption of lesbian pornography promote the objectification of Queer women? In this work, I investigated the relationship between pornography consumption and attitudes toward Queer women. Participants completed measures of hostile and benevolent sexism, anti-Lesbian attitudes, and pornography consumption. In the existing literature, there have been some attempts to study various impacts of pornography consumption. For example, some work has examined the effect of violent pornography on sexist attitudes and violence against women (Hald et al., 2010). There have been other studies that explored the idea that beliefs behind the perpetration of sexual violence against Queer women can reinstate …

The Role Of Executive Functioning On Anxiety And Overcontrol On Neurodiverse Youth, Sydney Przygoda

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Autistic youth are at an elevated risk of developing anxiety. Overcontrol, or excessive self-control, shares similar clinical challenges (i.e. rigidity, social perfection) that are often associated with anxiety. Executive functioning (EF) is well-established as being positively associated with anxiety. Taking all this into account, it was predicted that EF may serve as a moderator to the relationship between overcontrol and anxiety. Using both parent and child responses to the Overcontrol in Youth Checklist, Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2, this current study explored how overcontrol and anxiety are related. Further, it tested the role …

Influence Of Parsimony And Work-Related Psychological Constructs In Predicting Turnover Intention When Using Machine Learning Vs Regression, Diego Figueiras

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This dissertation explores the ongoing debate between traditional statistical regression models and machine learning (ML) algorithms in predictive modeling, focusing on the impact of sample size and the number of variables. Study 1 investigates the relationship between sample size and predictive accuracy, proposing hypotheses regarding the advantages of ML over regression as sample size increases. Additionally, the study examines the influence of the number of variables on predictive accuracy, emphasizing the trade-off between ML and regression models. Using data from the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, the research aims to contribute insights into the conditions favoring each modeling approach. Study 2 …

Trends And Barriers In Service Utilization In Underrepresented Ethnoracial Groupswith Autism Spectrum Disorder In The United States: A Mixed-Method Analysis, Sadaf Khawar

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Caregivers with autistic children, particularly from minoritized populations, experience significant barriers while navigating the complex healthcare system, including acquiring services. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what these barriers are in order to inform policymaking initiatives to support families. Notably, there is a significant gap in extant literature to explore trends in service use and unique experiences of caregivers of autistic youth from three historically underrepresented groups in research (and currently not in the parameters of the United States census): 1) South Asian, 2) Middle Eastern and North African (MENA), and 3) East African. This study employed a mixed-method design …

Betrayal As A Moderator Of Covid-19 Exposure And Ptsd Symptoms, Karly Sara Weinreb

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been interest in understanding how individuals have fared regarding their mental health symptoms, such as symptoms of PTSD. Prior studies have established a link between COVID-19 and PTSD without considering how COVID-19 may relate to the four PTSD symptom clusters. Further, those who feel betrayed by either an individual or institution tend to have more severe PTSD (Martin et al., 2013). It is possible that individuals felt a level of both interpersonal and institutional betrayal towards other individuals or institutions for exposing them to environments in which there was a risk of …

Vulnerability Of Semantic Networks In Multiple Sclerosis: An Analysis Of Verbal Fluency Data, Sophia Lall

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Word finding difficulty is a frequently reported subjective cognitive concern among persons with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS). Word-finding relies on several information retrieval processes, including search and retrieval from the conceptual store, the phonological store, the syllabary, as well as other stores of information. Neuropsychological assessments, including the semantic verbal fluency measure, can be used to measure word retrieval abilities. Despite this, the MS research literature shows that neuropsychological assessment of semantic verbal fluency yields mixed results in detecting word-finding difficulties. While some studies report finding statistically lower semantic fluency scores in pwMS relative to healthy controls (HC), others found no …

Camus In A Post-Covid World: A Bibliotherapeutic Approach To Coping With Crisis, Jessica Titterington

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This thesis examines the usage of absurdist literature, particularly a selection of works by Albert Camus, and their relevance to bibliotherapy. The three selected works are his novels The Plague and The Stranger, as well as his essay The Myth of Sisyphus. By analyzing these works through a psychoanalytic lens and with the consideration of generational theory, utilizing absurdist literature as an alternative “medicine” in times of crisis, especially in instances where immediate medical aid is not available, is shown to be beneficial. This thesis also uses the recent COVID-19 pandemic as a model for global crises and explores the …

Does Diversity Ideology Moderate Participants’ Perceptions Of Therapists Who Do And Do Not Broach?, Emily Allen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. The literature has grown considerably regarding the act of broaching racial, ethnic, and cultural factors in therapy. Many have highlighted its positive impact on the therapeutic alliance, but little empirical work explores how individual differences influence a client’s response to broaching. This study assessed the effects of participant diversity ideology and therapist broaching behavior on perceptions of a therapist’s effectiveness. I hypothesized that participants in the therapists broaching condition would perceive the therapist to be more effective than participants in the no broaching condition. I also hypothesized that participants’ colorblind diversity ideology and therapist broaching condition would interact, such …

A Mobile Application Intervention For Insomnia Among College Students, Veronica Floyd

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have found that the prevalence of insomnia among college students is high. This has implications for students mental and physical well-being, academic performance, and the onset of more chronic insomnia symptomology. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the front-line treatment for insomnia, but cost and time are often barriers to treatment access. The goal of this study was to test the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a more cost-effective self-guided version of CBT-I (via mobile application). Fifty-five college students, who were mostly women (82%) and mean age 19.3 (SD = 2.3) years with moderate insomnia symptoms were …

Evaluating The Association Between Daily Fluctuations In Sleep And Blood Pressure, Mara Egeler

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hypertension is a major contributing factor for heart disease, with nearly half of US adults meeting criteria. While studies have begun to examine the relationship between insomnia and blood pressure (BP), little is still known regarding the relationship between daily fluctuations in sleep and BP. This study aimed to provide further clarification on the role insomnia plays in the development of hypertension, including the impact that daily fluctuations in sleep have on fluctuations in BP. Participants included 61 adults from the greater Northwest Arkansas area (63.9% White, 67.2% Female, 30-79 y) who completed 10 consecutive days of sleep and blood …

The Interplay Of Chronic Alcohol Misuse And Facial Recognition Abilities, Morgan Wilson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Both perpetrators and eyewitnesses of a crime have often been found to be under the influence of alcohol. While research has been conducted on the short-term effect of alcohol on eyewitness memory and lineup performance, little research has investigated the long-term effects of chronic alcohol misuse on facial recognition abilities. The current study investigated the effect of alcohol misuse on facial recognition and whether duration of misuse contributed to this effect. Participants (n = 370) completed an online survey which consisted of a well-tested facial recognition paradigm plus several surveys pertaining to individual differences of interest. We found race match …

Understanding Young Adult Consumers’ Attitudes And Intentions Towards Showrooming Behavior, Juliana Marconi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid advancement in information technologies, retailers integrate omnichannel marketing strategies to provide consumers with low prices, good products, and unique shopping experiences. Omnichannel retailing brings changes to consumer decision-making processes. Consumers use all channels (online and offline) simultaneously at the same time during the product search, purchase, and aftersales stages. Some consumers prefer to check out a product in a brick-and-mortar store, but purchase it online. This is referred to as showrooming. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the use of mobile devices and smartphones in shopping, consumers search e-commerce sites using mobile devices while they shop in …

The Implications, Magnitude, And Development Of Traumatic Brain Injury For Individuals Undergoing Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, Hannah G. Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an established bidirectional relation between substance use and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Despite the high rate of prescribing opioids for pain management following a TBI and the epidemic of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States, scarce research has specifically analyzed the association between TBI and OUD. In a series of three interrelated manuscripts, the present study will first examine the prevalence and features of TBIs among persons seeking treatment for OUD. Next, the present study will evaluate the association between TBI and indicators of risky health behaviors and OUD severity, including the risk of overdose and …

“It's More Than A Book Club”: Counterspaces And Bibliotherapic Wellness Among Black Undergraduate Women, Khrystal Johnson

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Black students at Predominantly White Institutions (PWI) face heightened vulnerability to general and race-related stressors, necessitating the identification of culturally responsive and alternative care approaches to complement traditional talk therapy and clinical assessment, given the associated adverse academic and psychological outcomes. The current study explores the utility of a Black women-focused book club as an inclusive and identity-affirming space for Black women attending an elite and private PWI. Additionally, we consider how this bibliotherapic and group-based approach offered a critical counterspace for participants. Over the course of a four-month semester, two Black women co-facilitators held a monthly book club series …

Cardiovascular Risk As A Mediator Of Associations Between Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor With Longitudinal Brain And Cognitive Trajectories In Older Adults, Jennifer Shearon

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Prior work has shown that higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are associated with better brain health and cognitive function. There is also evidence that BDNF is present in cardiovascular tissue and that it may be beneficial for cardiovascular function. This is evidenced by higher BDNF being associated with lower incidence of coronary heart disease and mortality, and with lower incidence of cardiovascular risk factors. The goal of the current study was to investigate the relationship between BDNF and cardiovascular function, and to assess whether there is a mediating or moderating role of cardiovascular health in the relationship between …

The Domain Specificity And Conscious Awareness Of Learned Memory Biases, Gizem Filiz

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The False Positive Feedback (FPF) manipulation encourages certain recognition errors by inducing either liberal (lax) or conservative (strict) recognition memory decision biases. FPF manipulation involves trial-by-trial probabilistic positive feedback for commission or omission errors while the other stimulus class always received fully correct feedback during testing. We investigated whether these learned biases are restricted to the stimulus class triggering FPF, or whether they instead spread to an intermixed class receiving valid feedback, by selectively delivering FPF to words or pictures. A spreading bias would suggest that subjects learn to be liberal or conservative in interpreting recognition evidence in general during …

Detection And Assessment Of Targets In Mock Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Images Using Computer-Aided Detection Systems, Katharine Sabo

All Theses

Radiologists use computer-aided detection (CAD) systems to assist with detecting and assessing breast cancers in mammograms, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), and other types of breast imaging; however, the usefulness of such automation aids has been debated since their implementation. Initial studies on CAD systems had mixed results, while more recent studies have shown that they can improve diagnostic outcomes (i.e., greater sensitivity and fewer false alarms) and decrease the reading time required for images. Three CAD types are currently in use: binary, analog, and interactive CAD. However, studies rarely explore the differences between the CAD methods. Additionally, recent work has …

Service Use Among Maltreated Children With Behavior Problems And Emotional Disturbance Before And During Covid-19, Darja Beinenson

All Theses

This study utilizes two datasets obtained from the National Child Abuse and Neglect

Data System, a federally-sponsored initiative to monitor annual rates and characteristics of child maltreatment in the United States. Using a set of multinomial and negative binomial regressions, the paper seeks to examine service use among maltreated children with and without behavioral problems and emotional disturbance. The study also explores whether the service utilization gap widened among children with those conditions in 2021, during the pandemic, compared to 2018, pre-pandemic. Results demonstrated significant differences in the utilization of services among children with behavioral problems and emotional disturbance compared …

Perceptions Of Metabolic Syndrome Management Utilization In Relation With Patient Characteristics And Health-Related Quality Of Life, Olajide Adekunle

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Challenges in managing MetS include untreated risk factors and ineffective management, resulting in poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL). A significant factor contributing to these challenges is the underutilization of management services, possibly due to patients' perceptions of disease management resource utilization (PMU). Therefore, understanding patients' PMU is crucial for improving health outcomes. The study investigated PMU, explored PMU predictors, and investigated the impact of PMU and patients’ demographics on HRQoL. Using a cross-sectional design, data on perceptions of healthcare, medication, and pharmacy service utilization, prior experience with pharmacy services, demographics, and HRQoL were collected from adult individuals with obesity …

The Moderating Effect Of Socioeconomic Status And Walkability On The Efficacy Of Physical Activity Interventions, Analisa Vavoso, Vincent Berardi, Marc A. Adams

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

To enable physical activity (PA) interventions to better tailor procedures to participant characteristics, we investigated the role of neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and walkability on the differential effectiveness of adaptive versus static activity goals (AG vs. SG) and immediate versus delayed (IR vs. DR) reinforcement in a PA trial.

Data was collected as a part of the WalkIT Arizona study, where healthy, inactive adults (n = 512) were instructed to wear an accelerometer daily for one year and were provided with daily goals for moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). The intersection of goal types (adaptive and static) as well as reinforcement types …

A Content Analysis Of Common Relationship Challenges Among People Who Practice Polyamory, Kalyn Su, Sophie Camilleri

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Approximately 1 out of 9 people in the U.S. have engaged in polyamory (Moors et al., 2021), a relationship type in which all involved agree to have multiple romantic and/or sexual partners. Despite the commonness of polyamory, there are many misconceptions about the polyamorous experience. However, research has yet to examine common challenges that people engaged in polyamory endure. The goal of the present qualitative study was to identify the disadvantages and stressors of polyamory in order to shed light on the unique experiences of people in these relationships. 219 adults who were currently in a polyamorous relationship were asked …

The Perception Of Children As Reliable Eyewitnesses, Shelby Mcdonald

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Eyewitness accounts have been integral to the criminal justice system. However, given that not every criminal case has forensic evidence that is available or admissible, the reliance on eyewitness accounts conjures questions about believability. This is an important area of research because the over-belief of witnesses may lead to wrongful convictions, yet under-belief may leave the victim without justice. The current study investigated how child-witness age, race, role as a witness (bystander versus victim), and the gender of the juror influenced the perception of child eyewitnesses through the lens of the Witness Credibility Model. Participants were presented with the testimony …

The Impact Of Childhood Trauma On Adult Attachment Style, Luella Rubin-Wylie, Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Repeated and complex childhood trauma can have devastating effects on individuals and their future relationships. Attachment styles are developed in the early years of an individual's life, and adverse experiences during these early years can negatively affect the attachment style that an individual develops. Various traumatic experiences during childhood, such as abuse/neglect, death/separation of parent, or witnessing domestic violence, may lead individuals to develop insecure attachment styles in their future romantic relationships. In many instances, experiencing childhood trauma can result in the development of aninsecure attachment style of anxious, avoidant, or disorganized. This study aimed to examine the impact of …

The Long-Term Effects Of Family Instability During Childhood, Emily Guillen

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The environment in which children are raised greatly influences the person they will grow up to be. Children who experience dysfunctional family relationships, such as constant changes and disruptions to the family structure, are likely to experience long term effects. The purpose of this study is to understand the link between family instability within relationships and the long-term psychological effects in early adulthood. Through the use of family systems theory, the research examines the family as a whole in which interactions within the family affect each member. This study investigated childhood experiences of unstable family relationships, and their likelihood to …

Sufferance For Snuff Puffs: The Acceptability And Behavior Of Smoking Marijuana And Tobacco Inside The House, Eusabeia Silfanus, Oliver Lopez, Vincent Berardi

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Secondhand smoke (SHS) released from indoor smoking contributes to household air pollution, releasing large quantities of fine particulate matter which can pose negative health outcomes, especially for developing children who spend most of their time at home. The increased legalization of marijuana increases its recreational and medicinal use along with its acceptability. With tobacco use remaining prevalent, the use of marijuana and/or tobacco remains common and may occur inside the home. Project Fresh Air conducted in San Diego County studies the air quality in households (n = 298) with at least one adult smoking tobacco and/or marijuana living with at …

Paranormal Beliefs And The Big Five: Extrinsic Optimism, Trust In People, And Fantasy Proneness, Caitlyn Ariel Irene Harvey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are many inconsistent findings on the relationship between paranormal beliefs and The Big Five. This study aims to clarify the correlations by assessing extrinsic optimism, trust in people, and fantasy proneness. Extrinsic optimism is associated with neuroticism and extraversion. Trust is associated with agreeableness. Lastly, fantasy proneness is associated with openness to experience. It was predicted that paranormal beliefs would be positively correlated with extrinsic optimism, trust in people, and fantasy proneness. It was also predicted that paranormal beliefs would be positively correlated with extraversion, agreeableness, and openness. Correlational and regression analyses were run to test these predictions. Results …

The Icarus Paradox: Examining The Gender Bias In Leader Transgression, Pratibha Deepak

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the growing interest in leader transgressions due to their profound impact on organizations and their members, the boundary conditions influencing them remain unexplored. Consequently, this dissertation investigates the differential evaluation of leader transgressions based on such boundary conditions, focusing on the interaction between transgression type (integrity vs. competence), leader gender (female vs. male), and hierarchical status (supervisor vs. senior leader). Utilizing theoretical foundations from causal attribution theory, shifting standards, expectancy violation theory, and social identity theory, it is hypothesized that the impact of transgressions on organizational outcomes at multiple levels—including individual (perceived leader effectiveness), organizational (employee turnover intention), and …