Digital Commons Network^™

An Examination Of Psychological Flexibility As A Mediator Between Mental Health Concerns And Satisfaction With Life Among Autistic Adults, Ty B. Aller, Heather H. Kelley, Tyson S. Barrett, Benjamin Covington, Michael E. Levin, Maryellen Brunson Mcclain

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Experiencing mental health concerns (e.g., depression, anxiety, stress) can have negative effects on satisfaction with life (SWL) for autistic adults. Current mental health supports that may promote SWL do not effectively meet the needs of autistic adults, often due to deficits-based approaches. Methods: To begin addressing the gap in research surrounding mental health supports among autistic adults, we designed a preregistered longitudinal study that used structural equation modeling to assess 289 autistic adults from the Simons Powering Autism Research (SPARK) program to determine if progress toward ones values, a strengths-based component of psychological flexibility, is a potential …

Self-Compassion And Body Image Inflexibility As Mediators Of Outcomes In A Residential Eating Disorder Sample, Julie M. Petersen, Jennifer L. Barney, Leila K. Capel, Mercedes G. Woolley, Tera Lensegrav-Benson, Benita Quakenbush-Roberts, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that are accompanied by negative health outcomes, high mortality rates, impaired functioning, and comorbid mental health conditions. Despite many empirically supported interventions for eating disorders, it remains one of the most challenging mental disorders to treat, as individuals often struggle to maintain treatment gains. One method of improving our understanding of effective eating disorder treatment is to identify important processes of change to target during therapy. The aim of the current study was to test two candidate mediators of disordered eating symptom change during residential treatment: self-compassion and body image inflexibility. In the …

Braiding Indigenous And Western Knowledge Through Traditional Cultural Camps: Decolonial Learning Conversation Between Indigenous Land-Based And Settler-Of-Color Scholars, Teena Starlight, Ranjan Datta

Journal of Indigenous Research

Traditional cultural camps are distinctive and transformative spaces where Indigenous and Western knowledge systems intersect and exchange. These camps represent experiential programs deeply rooted in Indigenous land-based practices, emphasizing traditional teachings, skills, and connections to community learning and cultural preservation. As crucial grounds for fostering mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue, and revitalizing Indigenous cultures, these camps bring together Indigenous land-based knowledge and practices, community members, and Western researchers. In this collaborative setting, ancestral knowledge, cultural practices, and wisdom are transmitted from one generation to another. Integrating Indigenous and Western knowledge systems within these camps opens avenues for bridging gaps, dispelling stereotypes, …

A Relational-Cultural Approach To Examining Concealment Among Latter-Day Saint Sexual Minorities, Samuel Skidmore, Sydney A. Sorrell, Kyrstin Lake

Psychology Student Research

Sexual minorities often conceal their sexual identity from others to avoid distal stressors. Such concealment efforts occur more frequently among sexual minorities in religious settings where rejection and discrimination are more likely. Using a sample of 392 Latter-day Saint (“Mormon”) sexual minorities, we assess (a) the effect of religious affiliation on concealment efforts, (b) the relationship between social support, authenticity, and religious commitment on concealment, and (c) the moderating effect of authenticity on religious commitment and concealment. Multi-level model analyses revealed that religious affiliation alone accounted for over half (51.7%) of the variation in concealment efforts for Latter-day Saint sexual …

The Domestication Of Machismo In Brazil: Motivations, Reflexivity, And Consonance Of Religious Male Gender Roles, H. J. François Dengah Ii, William W. Dressler, Ana Falcão

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

The relationship between culture and the individual is a central focus of social scientific research. This paper examines motivations that mediate between shared culture norms and individual actions. Inspired by the works of Leon Festinger and Melford Spiro, we posit that social network conformation (the perceived adherence of one’s social network with norms) and internalization of cultural norms (incorporation of cultural models with the self-schema) will differentially shape behavior (cultural consonance) depending on the domain and individual characteristics. For the domain of gender roles among Brazilian men, religious affiliation results in different configurations of the individual and culture. Our findings …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda February 20, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - January 22, 2024
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Information
• Education Policies Committee - December 7, 2023 | January 4, 2024
• New Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Policy
• Reports
• Faculty Diversity, Development, & Equity Annual Report
• Parking and Transportation Committee Annual Report
• Sustainability Council Annual Report
• Old Business
• Update on IRB Ad Hoc Committee
• Update on Faculty Code 405
• New Business
• 
  Faculty Code 407 Redline - Clean | 408 Redline - Clean
• Adjourn: 5:00 pm

Response To Commentary: The Framework For Systematic Reviews On Psychological Risk Factors For Persistent Somatic Symptoms And Related Syndromes And Disorders (Psy-Pss), Paul Hüsing, Abigail Smakowski, Bernd Löwe, Maria Kleinstäuber, Anne Toussaint, Meike C. Shedden-Mora

Psychology Faculty Publications

Persistent somatic symptoms (PSS) are common in all fields of medicine. Current classification systems for mental disorders in this field, i.e. Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD; DSM-5) or Bodily Distress Disorder (BDD; ICD-11), now stress the relevance of psychological features associated with the physical complaints. It is well known that psychological criteria are among the relevant risk factors for the development and/or worsening of persistent physical symptoms, however, the selected diagnostic criteria remain subject to debate. Numerous psychological concepts have been studied and discussed in the scientific field. However, empirical evidence remains scattered, individual factors have not been reviewed systematically, and …

The Utah Statesman, February 5, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Educational Policies Committee Agenda February 1, 2024, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee (Chad Simon)
• Academic Standards Subcommittee Report (Renee Galliher)
• General Education Subcommittee Report (Matt Sanders)

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes February 1, 2024, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews

• College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
• Caine College of the Arts
• Jon M. Huntsman School of Business
• Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services
• College of Engineering
• College of Humanities and Social Sciences
• S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources
• College of Science
• College of Veterinary Medicine
• Other
• Other Business

Educational Policies Committee Minutes February 1, 2024, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee (Mateja Savoie-Roskos)
• Academic Standards Subcommittee Report (Renee Galliher)
• General Education Subcommittee Report (Matt Sanders)
• Other Business

Circuit Training Improves The Levels Of Β-Amyloid And Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Related To Cognitive Impairment Risk Factors In Obese Elderly Korean Women, Duwang Kang, Suhan Koh, Taekyu Kim, Eadric Bressel, Doyeon Kim

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of circuit training on β-amyloid, BDNF, and cognitive function in untrained obese elderly Korean women. Methods: The subjects for the study were aged 65–70 years and were each assigned to a circuit training group (EG, n = 12) or a control group (CG, n = 11). The 60 min combined exercise was performed 3 times per week for 16 weeks. The exercise intensity was progressively increased from a 40% heart rate reserve to a 70% heart rate reserve. The test data were analyzed using a paired t-test, an …

Safety And Health Management Planning For Veterinarians, Jessie Salter, Michael Pate, Kerry A. Rood

All Current Publications

Veterinary staff health and safety are of primary importance to the profession. Although this is inherently understood, oftentimes, staff safety is not given the time and resources needed to promote a safe work environment free from unnecessary risks or exposures. This handbook educates clinic leaders on valuing and creating a safety culture in practice as well as implementing appropriate safety policies and procedures. Veterinary personnel are more likely to experience a work-related injury than policemen, firefighters, and construction workers. These statistics illustrate the need for a stronger safety culture in veterinary medicine. This handbook provides an outline on how to …

Skills To Support Mental Health In Uncertain Times, Part 1: Being Open, Rachel Byers, Heather H. Kelley, Ty Aller, Timothy Keady

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes the skill of being open, an important component of psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility, being able to respond to uncomfortable thoughts and feelings in a flexible and values-aligned way, can help protect and improve an individual's quality of life. Openness includes learning to accept uncomfortable thoughts and sensations rather than pushing them away. The fact sheet includes exercises that research has shown can help increase openness. Two other fact sheets are part of this Skills to Support Mental Health in Uncertain Times series, including "Part 2: Cultivating Awareness," and "Part 3: Being Engaged."

The Utah Statesman, January 22, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Increasing Transcultural Competence In Clinical Psychologists Through A Web-Based Training: Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Selina Studer, Maria Kleinstäuber, Ulrike Von Lersner, Cornelia Weise

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background In mental health care, the number of patients with diverse cultural backgrounds is growing. Nevertheless, evaluated training programs for transcultural competence are missing. Barriers for engaging in transcultural therapy can be identified in patients as well as in therapists. Besides language barriers, clinical psychologists report insecurities, for example, fear of additional expenses when involving a language mediator, ethical concerns such as power imbalances, or fear of lack of knowledge or incorrect handling when working with patients from other cultures. Divergent values and concepts of disease, prejudices, and stereotyping are also among the issues discussed as barriers to optimal psychotherapy …

The Online Social Movement #Metoo Influenced Real-Life Change, Tori Dehlin

Research on Capitol Hill

The Twitter/X hashtag trend #metoo began in 2017. By 2018, users worldwide were using #metoo to share personal stories of sexual violence, call out or identify people or groups that perpetrated sexual violence, and voice their opinions about the movement or perpetrators of sexual violence.

Persistent Voluntary Vaping In Rats Supports Biological Basis For Electronic Cigarette Use, Kiernan T. Callister, Mariah E. Willis-Moore

Research on Capitol Hill

Nicotine vaping, or e-cigarette use, is a pervasive health concern among adolescents and young adults that has many harmful impacts, such as permanent changes in brain development. 

Rats have shared neurobiology with humans and can therefore be used to examine phenomena that are difficult to experimentally study in humans. 

Our study seeks to develop and validate a new system of nicotine vaping in rats.

Delaying Rewards Lowers Impulsivity: Rats Choose To Wait For A Larger Reward Over A Smaller Immediate One, Hayden Dreis, Joshua Jones

Research on Capitol Hill

Impulsive choices produce small benefits now but often come at the cost of better outcomes later.

The Utah Statesman, January 15, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

School Climate Perception Among Latinx And White Students: An Examination Of Intersecting Racial/Ethnic And Socioeconomic Identities In Context, Mei-Ki Chan, Jill D. Sharkey, Erin Dowdy, Karen Nylund-Gibson, Michael J. Furlong

Psychology Faculty Publications

Limited research has explored how the characteristics of student and teacher racial/ethnic composition may explain students’ perceptions of school climate. This study used stratified analysis to assess the associations of two prominent diversity aspects (i.e., student racial/ethnic diversity and teacher racial/ethnic diversity) with students’ perceived school climate. Particularly, this study controlled for student- and school-levels demographic characteristics among 41,237 Latinx students and 23,819 White students from 7th grade to 12th grade enrolled in 250 California public schools. The findings indicated that higher teacher racial/ethnic diversity had a mild to moderate positive association with perceived school attitudes to parental participation (Economically …

The Utah Statesman, January 8, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Preparing Elementary Preservice Teachers For Inquiry-Based Science And Mathematics Instruction Through A Novel Initiative, Tye Campbell, Diandra Singh, Cathlene Hillier, J-F, Haleigh Sears

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

Over the past several decades, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners have placed an emphasis on inquiry-based science and mathematics instruction in elementary school. While inquiry-based science and mathematics instruction can support student learning and engagement, teacher preparation programs have experienced challenges in preparing elementary teachers to use and maintain inquiry-based teaching practices. In this study, we describe how one teacher preparation program in Canada partnered with a local elementary school to design a novel initiative that provided elementary preservice teachers with authentic opportunities to employ inquiry-based instructional practices for science and mathematics. Using a thematic approach, we explored 46 elementary preservice …

Faculty Senate Agenda January 8, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:30 Information

• 3:35 Reports

• 4:00 Old Business

• 4:05 New Business

• Adjourn: 4:30

The Current Status Of Utah Women & Girls: A Research Synopsis, Kolene Anderson, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

In 2024, U.S. News & World Report rated each state using 71 metrics in eight categories. Utah came out on top, declared as the “Best State Overall” for the second year in a row, ranking number two in education, and number three in both economy and infrastructure categories. ¹ In addition, WalletHub dubbed Utah 2023’s Most Charitable State, citing high levels of charitable giving and volunteerism,² and ConsumerAffairs declared Utah the “Best State to Move to in 2024.”³ Each of these ratings highlights notable characteristics of Utah residents and the state’s leadership. The top rankings emphasize qualities we …

Faculty Senate Committee Agenda January 8, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - November 27, 2023
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• Board of Education Meeting
• 3:30 Information
• Educational Policies Committee Report
• 3:35 Reports
• Council on Teacher Education Annual Report
• Faculty Evaluation Committee Annual Report
• Library Advisory Council Annual Report
• Scholarship Annual Report
• USUSA Annual Report
• 4:00 Old Business
• 4:05 New Business
• Adjourn: 4:30

Contributors, Beth Buyserie, Travis N. Thurston

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

No abstract provided.

33. Chatgpt Assistance In Creating Chemistry Practice Problems: Pitfalls, Positives, And Possibilities, Michael A. Christiansen

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

ChatGPT, a relatively new Large Language Model (LLM) artificial intelligence (Al) chatbot, has gained significant attention as the most downloaded software app, accruing over 100 million users within two months of its release. This software can generate quick, articulate responses to virtually any textual query. Many educators are concerned about its potential for enabling student cheating. However, it currently suffers significant limitations in solving chemistry problems-documented through peer-reviewed articles and from the author's experience suggesting that chemistry students will perform far better, on average, by studying than by relying on ChatGPT. This is particularly true of math-centric problems, which the …

Teaching And Generative Ai: Pedagogical Possibilities And Productive Tensions, Beth Buyserie, Travis N. Thurston, Adena Rivera-Dundas, Ali Söken, Belinda 'Ofakihevahanoa Fotu, Breanne K. Litts, Catherine J. Denial, Chris Mayer, Clancy Ratliff, Cora Alward, Daniel Frank, Daniel Hutchinson, Dory Rosenberg, Emma Mecham, Erin Jensen, Franziska Tsufim, Ha Nguyen, J. Kaleo Alladin, Jacob Morris, Jacob Taylor, Jenna Green, Jennifer Grewe, Jennifer K. Johnson, John Paul Tassoni, Josh Vogeler, Julia M. Gossard, Kolby Sanders, Kysa Nygreen, Lainie Pomerleau, Laura Dumin, Lillian Campbell, Lydia Peach, Lydia Wilkes, Maha Bali, Marc Watkins, Mary Lourdes Silva, Megan Hamilton, Melissa Tehee, Michael A. Christiansen, Mudasir Mustafa, Nicole Bungert, Parker Routt, Reba Wissner, Reed Hepler, Ritamarie Hensley, Rogelio E. Cardona-Rivera, Rosa Thornley, Ruth Li, Samantha K. Yoder, Susan Codone, Veronica Pulley, Walker P. Smith, Tazin Daniels

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

With the rapid development of generative AI, teachers are experiencing a new pedagogical challenge, one that promises to forever change the way we approach teaching and learning. As a response to this unprecedented teaching context, this collection—Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions—provides interdisciplinary teachers, librarians, and instructional designers with practical and thoughtful pedagogical resources for navigating the possibilities and challenges of teaching in an AI era. Because our goal with this edited collection is to present nuanced discussions of AI technologies across disciplines, the chapters collectively acknowledge or explore both possibilities and tensions—including the strengths, …

22. Examining Ways Of Using Ai To Better Support Teaching Faculty, Mitigate Burnout, And Increase Teaching Creativity, Jennifer Grewe

Teaching and Generative AI: Pedagogical Possibilities and Productive Tensions

Faculty burnout is a concern within academics particularly for the most student-centered teaching faculty. In attempts to support students, faculty can sometimes do so at the expense of their own time and energy that over time can become overwhelming. There exist many concerns within academia on the use of Al and yet this is a tool that could be helpful to teaching loads if utilized properly. This chapter explores ways in which Al might help alleviate some of the workload that teaching faculty experience, which is a start to addressing burnout issues. Ideas are shared in this chapter surrounding Al's …