Digital Commons Network^™

Memorable Messages Regarding Adoption And Religion: Perspectives Of Adult Adoptees, Kendall Maes, Katherine Martin

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Adoptive parents commonly report religious motivations as a driver in their decision to adopt (Helder & Marr, 2020) and a small literature examines ways that adoptive parents use religious meaning-making to frame their experience as adoptive parents (Firmin, 2017). However, little research has examined the perspective of adult adoptees regarding memorable messages linking religion and adoption that they heard while growing up and the impact of these messages. Adoptees encounter microaggressions, when individuals make assumptions based on the adoptee's race, ethnicity, or background. This has a negative effect on the mental health of adoptees. The current study sought to identify …

Examining Regression Assumption Violations In Machine Learning Models Using The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Dataset, Grace Mooney Anderson, Melia Brewer

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

A growing practice within the psychological sciences is a reliance on machine learning models for data analysis. Machine learning models may have profound implications for improving human well-being and health (e.g., Walsh et al., 2017). However, like any statistical model, machine learning requires that the assumptions of linear regression are met, though the implications of violating these assumptions in machine learning models are unknown. Our study investigates these potentially stark consequences by testing machine learning models in simulated data with built-in assumption violations, as well as a publicly available dataset. We hypothesize that when regression assumptions are violated, we will …

The Effect Of Different Timing Schedules On Learning In Individuals With And Without Adhd, Carmen Casper, Chloe Swanson, Ethan De Koker, Lauren Tocco, Emily Mccloskey, Isabelle Vanantwerpen

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Background. Learning involves encoding and retaining information. Previous studies have investigated different methods that lead to the greatest learning. Two common methods are massing—studying one topic during one time period and spacing—interleaving topics and studying across multiple sessions. Massing may facilitate encoding (Carvalho & Goldstone, 2014, 2015), whereas spacing is the best route to retention (Cepeda et al., 2008). However, which of these methods is best for individuals with symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is untested.

Approach. We tested individuals with and without ADHD symptoms. We also included a novel timing schedule called "clustering" that combines aspects of spacing …

What’S My Social Distance? Measuring Individual Differences In Personal Space, Tasia Parsons, Tyler Kennedy, Erica Williams, Marella Piazza, Lauren Zago

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Personal space is a concept that was brought into public awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic, when safety precautions were put in place to inhibit natural tendencies to stand particular distances apart. Although a number of variables influence preferred distances (Hayduk, 1983), researchers have yet to evaluate the extent to which people naturally vary in their preferences. This study was designed to investigate preferred personal space during social interactions employing the social relations model (Kenny, 1994). This model proposes that social behavior is explained by three sources of variance: the actor (the tendency to act the same way to all people), …

How Do Just Beliefs Develop? A Systematic Review Of The Research, Allison Bartels, Alexa Burgess, Laniah Dennis, Nhi Hoang, Jae'la Leavy, Erin Moran, Katherine Yakes, Allie Prindle

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Psychological research on the perception of justice has developed the concept of belief in a just world (BJW; Dalbert, 2009). This model includes the General BJW (G-BJW)—people's justice perception of the world in general and Personal BJW (P BJW)—a perception of how fair their personal life is (Likpus et al., 1996; Dalbert, 1999). Adolescence is a crucial time for legal socialization and justice beliefs, yet there is little consensus about the development of these beliefs. The current study aims to conduct a systematic literature review on adolescents' BJW to clarify the existing data on their normative developmental trajectories in youth. …

Adult Dysphagia: Interprofessional Support Groups And Holistic Approaches, Natalie Bekmetjev, Abigail Mosher

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

This research project investigates Adult Dysphagia, a condition characterized by difficulties in swallowing, and its various impacts on daily life. Common causes of adult dysphagia include radiation treatment, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Parkinson’s disease. Beyond its physical manifestations, dysphagia has significant psychosocial implications given the role of food and eating in our daily lives, affecting relationships and evoking emotions such as shame and fear of choking. Recognizing the limitations in traditional approaches to treatment, our study emphasizes the importance of an interprofessional support group. Traditional interventions often have limited time to address the many different aspects of dysphagia and …

The Home-Concept: A Descriptive Analysis Of Schemas For The Home, Tasia Parsons, Tyler Kennedy, Lauren Zago

23rd Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2024)

Throughout history, one's home has had great significance, typically viewed as "the prototypical place" (Lewicka, 2010a, p. 211). Homes help fulfill many needs in the lives of their occupants, including self-expression (Gosling et al., 2002), feelings of safety and control (Smith, 1994), among others. Even so, psychological research on the topic of home is relatively minimal (Graham et al., 2015; Meagher, 2020).

To evaluate what concepts people most associate with their home, we employed an adapted version of the Twenty-Statements Test (Kuhn & McPartland, 1954; Rees & Nicholson, 2004) that asked participants to respond to the statement "My Home is…." …

Childhood Cancer Survivorship: Navigating A New Normal In Middle Tennessee, Karli M. Beaumont

OTD Capstone Projects

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in partnership with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center offers REACH for Cancer Survivorship, a pediatric cancer survivorship clinic. REACH provides a full range of follow-up care designed to meet the physical, emotional, and practical needs of survivors and continuous surveillance of deleterious effects of cancer and its treatments. The purpose of this project was to meet population and agency needs through research of long- and late-term sequela while advocating for occupational therapy’s role in the oncology population through the proactive therapy and prospective surveillance models. The process of creating this project included synthesizing the literature, …

Serum Neuroactive Metabolites Of The Tryptophan Pathway In Patients With Acute Phase Of Affective Disorders, Yanli Li, Leilei Wang, Junchao Huang, Ping Zhang, Yanfang Zhou, Jinghui Tong, Wenjin Chen, Mengzhuang Gou, Baopeng Tian, Wei Li, Xingguang Luo, Li Tian, L Elliot Hong, Chiang-Shan R Li, Yunlong Tan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Many studies showed disrupted tryptophan metabolism in patients with affective disorders. The aims of this study were to explore the differences in the metabolites of tryptophan pathway (TP) and the relationships between TP metabolites and clinical symptoms, therapeutic effect in patients with bipolar disorder with acute manic episode (BD-M), depressive episode (BD-D) and major depressive disorder (MDD).

METHODS: Patients with BD-M (n=52) and BD-D (n=39), MDD (n=48) and healthy controls (HCs, n=49) were enrolled. The serum neuroactive metabolites levels of the TP were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Hamilton Depression Scale-17 item (HAMD-17) and Young Mania Rating Scale …

Latent Classification Of Multi-Model Non-Homogeneous Continuous-Time Markov Chains, Joonha Chang

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) model and latent clustering models are commonly used to study longitudinal measures of categorical outcomes. Because of its simple but powerful Markovian property, CTMC models have been widely used in medical and public health researches. Due to limitations in the standard CTMC model, there have been some studies on non-homogeneous continuous-time Markov chain (NH-CTMC) that utilized time-dependent rates, but the progresses have been limited. NH-CTMC can be more powerful than CTMC by its default nature of time-dependent rate that can be fitted to a wider range of applications in medical studies. In this study, we …

Cmv And Brain Volume, Scott Maclean, Ashley Catchpole, Ethan Coulter, Elijah Davis, Bethany Richmond, Thomas Farrer, Dawson Hedges, Shawn Gale, Lance Erickson

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

In a sample of UK adults aged 40-69, we conducted multivariable regression analysis on the relationship between cytomegalovirus (CMV) and brain volume accounting for several health covariates. Although no main effects emerged, we found that socioeconomic status moderated the relationship, such that in low socioeconomic groups, CMV predicted lower thalamic and hippocampal volumes.

Intrinsic Vs. Extrinsic Religiosity: Implications For The Parasympathetic Nervous System, Sydnee Bond, Hannah Hornberger, Parker Mckasson, Patrick Steffen Phd

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Background

Intrinsic religiosity is a deeply rooted connection to one's faith. Individuals with high intrinsic religiosity find purpose and meaning through their spiritual connections. Extrinsic religiosity is primarily driven by social or other superficial factors. Intrinsic religiosity has demonstrated associations with lower self-reported stress, however, associations between intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity and baseline heart rate variability (HRV), a proxy measure of the parasympathetic nervous system, have not been studied. We hypothesize that higher self-reported stress will be associated with a lower baseline HRV, higher intrinsic religiosity will be correlated with higher baseline HRV, and intrinsic religiosity will serve as a buffer, such …

The Effects Of Therapy Dogs On Students, Chloe Romack

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the effects therapy dogs have on students. It begins with a literature review of 17 articles that involve animal-assisted interventions with students and children. The main topics covered include the definition of a therapy animal and how dogs can influence learning, socialization, emotional well-being, anxiety, and depression. It also discusses how dogs can be used in therapy and special education classrooms as well as the major concerns of dogs in schools. Drawing upon the previous research, a survey was sent to school staff in the Paw Paw Public School District. The participants of this study consisted of …

Silent Bystanders Facing Bias. Is Silence Always Harmful, Sophie Firle

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

In STEM, women face bias that lowers their sense of belonging, identity safety, and self-esteem. These biases often occur in daily interactions with male peers in STEM, such as subtly sexist comments that doubt women's competence in STEM. A previous study that we conduction titles "Effects of Ally Confrontation on Target Outcomes" tested whether a subtly sexist comment that was confronted by a male ally would help increase women's sense of belonging, identity safety, and self-esteem relative to when a male bystander remained silent and did not confront the comment. We found that confrontation does help women feel better than …

Neurodiversity And Openness In Responses To Al In Writing, Joely Grace Hall

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Neurodivergent individuals encompass a broad spectrum of cognitive profiles, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, depression, anxiety and other neurological differences and learning disabilities. Over the past decade, artificial intelligence (Al) technologies have rapidly evolved, permeating various aspects of society, from healthcare to education and employment. Al often makes mistakes when analyzing papers written by neurodivergent students and flags them for plagiarism, when there is no plagiarism in the paper. We want to investigate why this happens and ways to work around this. We have put together a Prolific survey to get general opinions on Al, neurodiversity types and writing classes. With …

Modality's Effect On Aesthetic Ratings Of Poetry, Jessica Frame

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Previous research has shown that vividness of evoked imagery is the strongest contributor to aesthetic pleasure for poetry. However, it is 114 unknown whether modality of the poem has an effect on the relationship between vividness and aesthetic appeal, as past work has only used written poems. In this study we want to evaluate rating of vividness, valence, arousal, and aesthetic appeal based on the modality in which poems are presented (listening only, reading only, or combined). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three modalities: text-only (N=81 ), audio-only (N=74), or combined audio/text (N=78). Our results showed that …

Comparing Autobiographical Memories Evoked By Different Sensory Cues For Younger And Older Adults, Akira Durbin

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Music has the power to take us back in time. Previous research indicates that music is a potent autobiographical memory cue, and that recall often happens with no effort on the part of the listener. Our research is also informed by the reminiscence bump phenomenon, which describes the tendency of older adults to recall autobiographical memories formed from the ages of 18-35. Informed by this phenomenon, we presented older participants with stimuli that were relevant during their youth. We displayed different stimuli to younger and older adult participants on a desktop computer. The stimuli we presented were popular music clips, …

The Influence Of Sensory Modality On Aesthetic Judgments Of Poetry, Jessica Frame, Kendra Mehl

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Previous research has shown that vividness of evoked imagery is the strongest contributor to aesthetic pleasure for poetry. However, it is 19 unknown whether modality of the poem has an effect on the relationship between vividness and aesthetic appeal, as past work has only used written poems. In this study we want to evaluate rating of vividness, valence, arousal, and aesthetic appeal based on the modality in which poems are presented (listening only, reading only, or combined). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three modalities: text-only (N=81 ), audio-only (N=74), or combined audio/text (N=78). Our results showed that …

E-Cigarette Impacts On Aspects Of Dementia: Basic Research, Daniel S. Da Silva, Lucy N. Scribner

Student Research Symposium

E-cigarettes and Dementia

• Although smoking has declined in recent years, e-cigarette (vaping) use has drastically increased, particularly in youth.
• Smoking escalates risk for vascular dementia, with women more impacted than men.
• Dementia - Impaired capacity to remember, which interferes with the ability to perform daily functions.

Cognitive Fusion, Self- And Other-Blame, And College Adjustment Outcomes, Olivia Tipton, Stephanie Weigel

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

A significant portion of college enrollees drop out of college before their degree is awarded, and college persistence is lower in students from challenging backgrounds. The college environment can bring increased academic workload, financial stress, and social stress for first-time enrollees. Several factors may contribute to difficulties in emotion regulation during this time, making it more difficult for college students to respond adaptively to novel stressors. Cognitive fusion is a concept proposed by acceptance and commitment therapy to describe a state in which one believes the literal content of their thoughts, even when those thoughts may be irrational or emotionally …

2023-2024 Online Student Survey Of Priority Issues, Heather D. Flick

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The purpose of the 2023-2024 Online Student Survey is to provide research backed priorities for the incoming elected senate for the 2024-2025 academic year. Each year the survey is revised based on newly obtained knowledge from coursework as an FHSU Online student as well as past years survey results.

The survey intended to gain insight on what issues are priorities to Fort Hays State University (FHSU) Online students to allow the Online Student Government Association (OSGA) to focus on the most important issues FHSU Online students experience. This is an annual survey which has been evolving each year to best …

Art Mindfulness Initiative, Margaret Dunn

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The Art Mindfulness Initiative was a student-led 4 week workshop focusing on providing other students with affordable ways to use art to destress, center oneself, and take a break from the hecticness of life. Each week, students gathered to learn about psychology and mental health from the NAMI and Psych Club then learned a new craft from art students. At the end of the workshop, everyone’s work was put together to make a conjoined piece to be displayed in the April Art Walk.

Multicultural Gerotranscendence: A Theoretical Approach To Working With Older Adults, Whitney George, Danielle Schlittler

Adultspan Journal

With the growing number of the aging population, the call for counselors to understand the developmental processes of all clients is essential. The theories of gerotranscendence and multicultural counseling and therapy are central to the understanding of adult development in later life. The use of these two theories together provides a theoretical basis for counselors wishing to provide services to diverse older adults.

Perceptions Of Dengue Risk And Acceptability Of A Dengue Vaccine In Residents Of Puerto Rico, Coral Rosado-Santiago, Carmen L. Pérez-Guerra, Nicole M. Velez-Agosto, Claudia Colón-Burgos, Karla M. Marrero-Santos, Susanna K. Partridge, Amy E. Lockwood, Cathy Young, Steve H. Waterman, Gabriela Paz-Bailey

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Dengvaxia is the first dengue vaccine recommended in the United States (U.S.). It is recommended for children aged 9–16 y with laboratory-confirmed previous dengue infection and living in areas where dengue is endemic. We conducted focus groups with parents and in-depth interviews with key informants (i.e. practicing pediatricians, physicians from immunization clinics, university researchers, and school officials) in Puerto Rico (P.R.) to examine acceptability, barriers, and motivators to vaccinate with Dengvaxia. We also carried out informal meetings and semi-structured interviews to evaluate key messages and educational materials with pediatricians and parents. Barriers to vaccination included lack of information, distrust toward …

Mindfulness Through Biofeedback And Meditation Syllabus, Eric B. Miller

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Massage Therapy On Test Anxiety Experienced By Traditional-Aged Undergraduate Business Students, Jorge A. Pazmiño

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Test anxiety impacts traditional-aged undergraduate business students and influences their academic performance and overall well-being. This study explored the efficacy of massage therapy (MT) as a means of mitigating test anxiety within this demographic. Building on existing literature that addresses the consequences of anxiety and alternative coping mechanisms, this research study focused on MT as a potential strategy for test anxiety management. The study employed the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale–College Version (AMAS-C) to gather data from participants at a private liberal arts institution in the East South-Central region of the United States. An experimental group received an MT intervention, while …

Does Perceived University Support Moderate Health Living And Job Satisfaction?, Makinzy Hoxsey, Patricia Frisby, Ju’Lea Bravo-Geche, Riley Patterson, Katheryne Wood

Undergraduate Research Conference

The present study examines the relationships between and the moderating effects of perceived university support (PUS) on engagement in health promotion (HP) behaviors and job satisfaction (JS) in a sample of university professors in Texas (n=70, 71% female). Consenting participants provided their responses to three scales measuring these constructs and then completed several demographic questions. Regression analysis revealed that PUS was the only factor in predicting JS. Adding the interaction term did not explain any further predictions for the model. However, correlations suggest that greater JS was associated with higher reports of PUS. PUS was also associated with reports of …

Response Adjustments In Math Anxiety: A Comparative Analysis Of Post-Error Speeding And Slowing, Leyla Karami, Tori Dehlin

Student Research Symposium

• Math anxiety is a worry or fear that occurs when people try to solve math problems, take tests, or even think about numbers” _{(Weir, 2023)}.
• Individuals with math anxiety avoid taking math courses or selecting math-related majors; Global Avoidance Effect _{(Suárez-Pellicioni et al., 2016)}.
• They show a tendency to complete the math task as soon as possible to leave the uncomfortable situation of math problem solving; Local Avoidance Effect _{(Suárez-Pellicioni et al., 2016)}.
• They are slower & more error-prone in math tasks _{(Núñez-Peña et al., 2017; 2024)}.

A Model Of Changeover Behavior In Two-Alternative Choice, Matias A. Avellaneda

Student Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Building Equitable Mental Health Care For Latino Children: Perspectives From Providers And Communities, Francisco Banda, Greeshma James, Karina Vasudeva, Michelle Franklin, Andrea Thoumi, Rushina Cholera

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Background: The current pediatric mental health crisis has disproportionately impacted Latino youth in the United States (US), as demonstrated by their elevated risks of depression, substance use disorder, and anxiety. Despite this, research suggests Latino youth receive inequitable mental health services.

Objective: To understand best practices, challenges, and priorities in providing accessible and equitable mental health care for Latino youth from the perspectives of front-line mental health providers and Latino community members.

Methods: A bicultural, bilingual researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 participants with expertise in Latino mental health. Topics included barriers and facilitators to mental health care access and …