Digital Commons Network^™

Attentional Bias To Alcohol In An In Vivo Setting, Ramey G. Monem

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The phenomenon of attentional bias to alcohol, where drinkers demonstrate a preference in allocating visual attention towards alcohol-related stimuli rather than neutral stimuli, is well-established. Studies detecting this phenomenon typically utilize computer-administered stimulus presentation tasks such as the visual dot probe task. Despite their frequency of use, these tasks do not represent the ways in which individuals typically encounter alcohol outside of the laboratory. Typical environments where alcohol is present allow individuals to move about freely and encounter alcohol while also being exposed to many other stimuli. This dissertation sought to implement a novel approach to assessing attentional bias in …

Effects Of Social Interaction On Morphine Conditioned Place Preference In Adolescent Male Rats, Virginia G. Weiss

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The fact that adolescents commonly initiate drug use in social settings is well established. Both clinical and preclinical research has investigated how social interaction is altered by a variety of drugs of abuse. What is less understood is how the rewarding value of drugs of abuse is affected by the presence of social peers. This dissertation aimed to investigate the interaction of morphine and social play on conditioned place preference (CPP) in adolescent male Sprague Dawley rats, using both behavioral and immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods. Rats were exposed to morphine (0, 1, or 3 mg/kg; s.c.), social interaction, or a combination …

Person-Centered Analysis Of Adhd Comorbidities And Differential Characteristics And Outcomes, Christine Anne Lee

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent and impairing childhood disorders (5%; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), yet it is often studied in isolation. Such an approach is at odds with the clinical reality, where ADHD has a high comorbidity with oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety, and depression (Jensen, Martin, & Cantwell, 1997). Based on the possible presentations of ADHD with both externalizing and internalizing symptoms, there may be differences in associated characteristics, areas of impairment, and resulting assessment interventions. Therefore, the present study investigated how ADHD comorbidities manifested in a population of 233 elementary age children and how these …

Potential Candidates For Treating Deficits Associated With Developmental Ethanol Exposure In A Rodent Model: Solidago Nemoralis & Dimethoxybenzylidene-Anabasine, Logan James Fields

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Prenatal alcohol exposure (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome [FAS] and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders [FASD’s]) represents the leading preventable cause of intellectual disabilities in the western world, with FASDs estimated to affect approximately 2-5% of live births in the United States at an approximate annual cost of $3.6 billion (CDC, 2015; May et al., 2009). Ethanol (ETOH) exposure during development can lead to a variety of long-term behavioral impairments including problems with executive functioning, motor coordination, spatial learning, attention, and hyperactivity (Jones, 2011; Mattson & Riley, 1998). Much research has been conducted to develop pharmacological and/or environmental interventions to reduce these deficits, …

Mmpi-2-Rf Underreporting Validity Scales In Firefighter Applicants: A Cross-Validation Study, Kullen Charles Balthrop

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The identification of potential underreporting in employment evaluations is important to consider when examining a measure’s validity. This importance increases in personnel selection involving high-virtue positions (e.g., police officers and firefighters). The current study aimed to utilize an archival firefighter applicant sample to examine the construct validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form’s (MMPI-2-RF) underreporting scales (L-r and K-r). Results were analyzed using a correlation matrix comprised of a modified version of the Multi-Trait Multi-Method Matrix (MTMM), as well as multiple regression and partial correlation. The present study provides additional support for the construct validity of the MMPI-2-RF’s underreporting …

Gender-Based Harassment In Early Adolescence: Group And Individual Predictors Of Perpetration, Michelle Jennine Tam

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The current study examined gender-based harassment in early adolescence and the characteristics of individuals who perpetrate such harassment (specifically, experiences with witnessing gender-based harassment and gender identity). Students in seventh and eighth grade (n = 483; 247 girls, 236 boys) completed surveys containing measures of gender identity (perceived same and other-gender typicality, felt pressure to conform to gender norms, and gender contentedness), and questions about witnessing and perpetrating teasing, bullying, and rejection because of a peer’s gender typicality or atypicality. Results revealed that the more GBH an individual had previously witnessed in their classroom, the more likely they were …

Causal Attributions And Smoking Behaviors In Cervical Cancer Survivors: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study, Gabriella E. Puleo

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

This cross-sectional, mixed-methods study examined the nature of, and association between, causal attributions and current smoking behavior in cervical cancer survivors who were smokers at cancer diagnosis (n=50). As a whole, participants’ beliefs about smoking as a risk factor or cause of cervical cancer in general (i.e., global attribution) and/or their own cervical cancer (i.e., personal attribution) reflected far greater endorsement of global than personal attributions. Data collection involved a quantitative survey and an optional semi-structured interview to assess key variables (i.e., smoking behavior and causal attributions). Data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and inferential tests, all of …

The Potential Effects Of Exercise-Induced Cortisol Release On Executive Functioning In Preadolescents, Kory Matthew Bettencourt

Master's Theses

Purpose: Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (MAE) has been shown to elicit improvements in cognition and subsequent academic performance among preadolescents. Aerobic exercise has also shown to increase cortisol release in response to increasing exercise intensity. However, it is unknown if increased cortisol levels following exercise are related to acute improvements in executive function following a bout of MAE in preadolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential effects of increased cortisol release after acute MAE on attention and working memory among preadolescents. Methods: Eleven preadolescents [6 males, 5 females] volunteered to participate in this study (age=9.45±1.03). …

Investigating Perceptions Of Change In Friendship Skills Across Camper Gender And Type Of Camp, Troy Bennett

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Minding The Gap: An Exploration Of Camp Researcher And Camp Practitioner Approaches To Assess Parent Perceptions Of Developmental Outcomes, Ryan Gagnon, Barry A. Garst

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Tough Decisions In Medical Specialty Camps: Exploring The Relationship Between Camp Dosage, Changes In Diabetes Management Behavior, And Scholarship Provision, Ryan Gagnon, Barry A. Garst, Stephen S. Mabry

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Healing Homesickness? The Impact Of Cell Phone Use On Summer Campers’ Reports Of Homesickness, Allison Herskovitz

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

How Summer Camp Influences Boys’ Expectations Of Toughness And Expression Of Weakness, Joseph D. Laliberte

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Camper Leaders’ Work-Related Experiences For Social-Emotional Learning, Megan Owens, Amanda Wahle

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Supporting Girls’ Resilience: One Camp At A Time, Anja Whittington, Jalisa Danhof

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Reliability And Validity Of The Digital Youth Outcomes Battery 2.0, Jay Woodward, Matthew Bowen, Dorothy Pang

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Examining The Role Of Summer Camps In Developing College And Career Readiness, Cait Wilson, Jim Sibthorp

ACA National Camp Research Forum Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Claremont Colleges Library Research Data Management Survey, Jeanine Finn

Library Staff Publications and Research

In Fall 2017-Spring 2018, this survey instrument was used by the Claremont Colleges Library to assess faculty practices around the creation and management of research data.

From The Ground Up: Providing Support To Emergent Bilinguals To Distinguish Language Difference From Disability, Andrea Golloher, David Whitenack, Lisa Simpson, Donna Sacco

Faculty Publications

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data reveal that students with disabilities who are emergent bilinguals (English language learners) have the lowest levels of profficiency in reading and mathematics among all student groups. We consider issues related to the instruction of emergent bilinguals, including those identified as having specific learning disabilities, using a Response to Intervention (RTI)/Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) model. In so doing, we argue that instructional practices consistent with a robust Tier 1 framework are beneficial to emergent bilinguals with and without learning disabilities while differentiating Tier 2 and 3 interventions may improve outcomes for emergent bilingual …

Is Current Fragile X Syndrome Counseling Enough? Expanding The Clinical Phenotype Of Fragile X In Premutation And Intermediate Allele Carriers, Zahra Saadat Girnary

Theses and Dissertations

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by a triplet repeat expansion on the FMR1 gene. Individuals with >200 repeats have FXS, while individuals between 45-54 and 55- 200 repeats have the FMR1 intermediate allele and premutation, respectively. FXS is characterized by autism and intellectual disability while the premutation is associated with fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) and fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI). However, recent research shows that the premutation may be associated with psychiatric manifestations. Currently, there are no established clinical features associated with the intermediate allele. This study sought to 1) study knowledge regarding FXTAS, FXPOI, as well …

The Importance Of Outcome Fairness: Revisiting The Role Of Distributive Justice, Kyle Mclean

Theses and Dissertations

Distributive justice, or the perceived fairness of outcomes, has played a minimal role in research into procedural justice and legitimacy in policing. However, allegations of racial bias that have contributed to the present legitimacy crisis in policing are more consistent with the concept of distributive justice than procedural justice. As such, the present study attempts to re-orient distributive justice within policing research. This study proposes that individuals infer the fairness of outcomes from the treatment that they receive from police officers. These judgments about outcome and treatment then combine to influence individuals’ perceptions of the legitimacy of police. In addition …

What Makes Killing For Organs Wrong? A Philosophical Defense Of The ‘Dead Donor’ Rule, Adam Omelianchuk

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of my dissertation is to give a philosophic defense of the so-called “dead donor” rule (DDR) in transplant ethics, something that is sorely lacking in the current literature on the topic. Part of my project is concerned with the rule’s correct formulation: What exactly does it forbid? I answer that it is primarily concerned with prohibiting the killing of the donor for his or her organs, and that it need not be concerned with requiring that the donor be dead before surgery begins (as important as that might be). What is morally important is that surgery not be …

Unlocking Piranesi’S Imaginary Prisons, Helen B. K. Marodin

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to elucidate points that remain problematic in the scholarship of the imaginary prisons and to position Carceri d’Invenzione embedded in Piranesi’s evolving line of works. My focus was on Piranesi’s intellectual aspirations for the illustrations and the way in which they reflect Piranesi’s theoretical and philosophical inclinations. I was interested in finding a proper correlation between the illustrations of imaginary prisons and the artist’s intellectual development with the objective to provide the work with a coherent view in tandem with Piranesi’s modus operandi. I associated the imagery of the imaginary prisons and Piranesi’s references to specific places …

The Effects Of A Gamified Curriculum On High-School Students, Joshua Kyle Bastean

Theses and Dissertations

One of the emerging trends in education is gamification, a concept that has been applied in other fields, such as business and advertising, with great success. Gamification can be defined as adding game elements to non-game constructs. This study followed a high-school Algebra II teacher and 10 of her students in an attempt to document the effects of gamification on student academic engagement. Multiple methods of data collection were used to gather data from students and teachers. After analysis, the data showed that gamification had a positive effect on student academic engagement. The results were used to create an action …

The Impact Of A Peer-Teaching Instructional Approach On A Student’S Self-Confidence, John Corral

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines a problem of practice stemming from students not given the same opportunities to use and develop self-confidence and take on higher levels of responsibility in the classroom as they prepare for the 21st century workforce in our society. Recognizing a problem of practice evident in our high school with low-selfesteem in students, this paper studies the effects of implementing a peer-teaching instructional approach to help develop students’ self-confidence and emerging leadership skills (Lockie & Van Lanen, 2008). The central research question addressed in this study is: what is the impact of implementing a peer-teaching instructional approach on …

Aporetic Rhetoric: The Use Of Uncertainty In Healthcare Contexts, Adam S. Lerner

Theses and Dissertations

This project examines how uncertainty is rhetorically deployed in healthcare contexts. Investigating four major healthcare contexts, I study how different forms of uncertainty produce distinct rhetorical effects and consequences. In Chapter 1, I explore how the haphazard use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam war makes it difficult for veterans to prove their exposure to this deadly chemical. In Chapter 2, I examine the rhetorical strategies of mental illness skeptics and denialists, looking at how each deploys uncertainty in different and related ways. In Chapter 3, I investigate the intersection between design, emotion, and uncertainty as it appears in the …

Translating Slavery As Told To My Daughter, Victoria L.A. Carvelli

Theses and Dissertations

I am translating an excerpt of the work L’esclavage raconté à ma fille, by the French Guianese politician Christiane Taubira. A former Minister of Justice of France, Taubira is famous for her legislative work in recognizing slavery as a crime against humanity and instituting national educational efforts on the subject. The book is an exposition of the history of slavery, set in a storytelling, question-and-answer style, which has the merit of bringing a conversational and accessible aspect to a difficult topic.

I chose this work at the recommendation of one of my professors, and when I was unable to find …

The Relation Between Early Adolescent Physical Activity And Internalizing Problems: Variations In Exercise Motivations As A Critical Moderator, Stephen Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Although research suggests there is a bidirectional relation between Physical Activity (PA) and internalizing symptomology, there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding this relation for early adolescents and little research exists that investigates potential moderators that may account for these discrepancies in underserved (i.e. low SES and minority status) populations. The current study was the first to utilize a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework to investigate the main effects five key motivations to exercise and their moderating effects between PA and internalizing problems in an underserved sample of early adolescents (N = 167; M age = 12.19 years; 58.1% female and …

The Effect Of Neighborhood Characteristics And Acculturation On Vegetable Intake Among U.S. Hispanics, Anna Victoria Mesa

Theses and Dissertations

The growing prevalence of chronic disease among the U.S. Hispanic population has drawn increasing attention to modifiable behaviors such as diet in an effort to curb the burden of disease among this population. While factors affecting dietary intake among U.S. Hispanics have been largely studied, this study broadens the scope of existing analyses from examining the role of individual-level factors, including acculturation, to also include environmental factors such as neighborhood ethnic composition. Multilevel mixed modeling was employed to test the interaction of individual acculturation with neighborhood ethnic composition to predict vegetable intake among a sample of U.S. Hispanics. Individuals who …

Blended Learning And Its Effect On Student Achievement: An Action Research Study, Christopher Michael Turpin

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study seeks to determine the effects of blended learning on student achievement in a social studies classroom. The research focus is centered on the idea that students are not reaching their full potential on assessments, and a question about how to most effectively assist them in realizing their potential through a new teaching method. This action research study follows Mertler’s (2014) action research framework to find an answer to the research question. The participants of this study were a group of 10th grade students enrolled in an Honors World History course. Students were taught using a blended …