Digital Commons Network^™

Not So Bad: Avoidance And Aversive Discounting Modulate Threat Appraisal In Anterior Cingulate And Medial Prefrontal Cortex, Michael W. Schlund, Adam T. Brewer, David M. Richman, Sandy K. Magee, Simon Dymond

Psychology Faculty Publications

The dorsal anterior cingulate (adACC) and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) play a central role in the discrimination and appraisal of threatening stimuli. Yet, little is known about what specific features of threatening situations recruit these regions and how avoidance may modulate appraisal and activation through prevention of aversive events. In this investigation, 30 healthy adults underwent functional neuroimaging while completing an avoidance task in which responses to an Avoidable CS+ threat prevented delivery of an aversive stimulus, but not to an Unavoidable CS+ threat. Extinction testing was also completed where CSs were presented without aversive stimulus delivery and an …

Better Health Through Horticulture: Using Horticulture To Influence Behavior And Reduce Stress, Rachel Ochylski

All NMU Master's Theses

Horticultural intervention in the form of gardening workshops connect participants to nature while they nurture another living organism. Horticultural intervention provides opportunities to socialize and engage in a meaningful activity, which have been recognized as helpful in the treatment of common mental health difficulties such as depression and anxiety. There is a lack of experimental studies based on quantitative data that focus on the effects of horticulture on holistic human health. The author evaluated the effects of a horticultural intervention on two separate groups, older adults and college students. The behavioral effects of engaging in gardening activities were evaluated using …

Usability Of A Smartphone Application To Support The Prevention And Early Intervention Of Anxiety In Youth, Ryan D. Stoll, Armando A. Pina, Kevin Gary, Ashish Amresh

Publications

Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric problems in youth, fail to spontaneously remit, and place some youth at risk for additional behavioral and emotional difficulties. Efforts to target anxiety have resulted in evidence-based interventions but the resulting prevention effects are relatively small, often weakening over time. Mobile health (mHealth) tools could be of use to strengthen the effects of anxiety prevention efforts. Although a large number of mHealth apps have been developed, few have been evaluated in terms of usability prior to clinical effectiveness testing. Because usability is one of the main barriers to mHealth usage and adoption, …

Housing Environment Affects Baseline Anxiety In Zebrafish, Bhavana Movva, Jacob W. Guerrant, Maxwell J. Jentsch, Allison Ogren, Julie L. Mustard, Norbert W. Seidler

Student Publications

Neuroscience researchers that wish to address compelling questions in psychopharmacology would benefit from the use of zebrafish, which have a behavioral repertoire that is rich and complex and that reflects many fundamental processes in humans, such as those that evoke anxiety. Zebrafish behavior is easily quantified in diverse test environments, but it is important to consider the conditions used to house the fish, prior to the behavioral testing, when designing experiments. Studies show that fish housed at high densities exhibit elevated cortisol levels as compared with fish housed at lower densities. The literature is less clear about the behavioral consequences …

Mental Health Diagnoses, Locus Of Control, And Chronic Health Conditions In Rural Women, Renee Bauer, Jill Moore

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Rural women are often a neglected sector of society. Our research demonstrates mental health issues and locus of control regarding how women view themselves. Our society needs to understand mental health needs of our under-represented population.

Prevention Of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome In Spouses With Saf-T Intervention, Paula Cairns, Cindy L. Munro

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Critical illness is a family crisis. Family distress in response to critical illness does not disappear after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge. Ongoing anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are commonly occurring complications in ICU survivors and their families, which have been identified as Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS).

The Measurement Properties Of The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale‐Parent Version In A Large International Pooled Sample Of Young People With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Iliana Magiati, Jian Wei Lerh, Matthew J. Hollocks, Mirko Uljarevic, Jacqui Rodgers, Helen Mcconachie, Ann Ozsivadjian, Mikle South, Amy V. Van Hecke, Antonio Hardan, Robin Libove, Susan Leekam, Emily Simonoff

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Anxiety‐related difficulties are common in ASD, but measuring anxiety reliably and validly is challenging. Despite an increasing number of studies, there is no clear agreement on which existing anxiety measure is more psychometrically sound and what is the factor structure of anxiety in ASD. The present study examined the internal consistency, convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity, as well as the factor structure of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale‐Parent Version (SCAS‐P), in a large international pooled sample of 870 caregivers of youth with ASD from 12 studies in the United Kingdom, United States, and Singapore who completed the SCAS‐P. Most were …

Physiological Correlates Of Affective Decision-Making In Anxiety And Depression, Louisa I. Thompson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Improving our understanding of cognitive and physiological profiles in anxiety and depression has the potential to reveal novel ways to target and improve treatments for these prevalent mental health conditions. The present study examined the impact of self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms on three established decision-making measures, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT; Bechara, Damasio, Damasio, & Anderson, 1994), Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART; Lejuez et al., 2002), and Game of Dice Task (GDT; Brand et al., 2005), in a diverse sample of 100 college students (age 18 to 35). Physiological measures of tonic heart rate variability and galvanic skin response …

The Effect Of Education On Anxiety In The Pre-Surgical Spine Patient, Joan L. Skopal

Biennial Convention (CONV)

This research studied the effect of pre-operative education on a small convenience sample of surgical spine patients in the Southwest region of the United States, revealing that a hospital-based education class provided a statistically significant reduction in anxiety as determined by data collected immediately before and after an education session.

The Effect Of Music Relaxation Video On College Students' Anxiety And Physical Vital Signs, Grace Chu-Hui-Lin Chi, Dennis Cheek, Jerry L. Chi

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The music relaxation video is a safe and inexpensive technique that can be used for college students with anxiety. It also demonstrates beneficial effects on decreasing pulses and diastolic blood pressure. The findings can improve health among college students and can be easily utilized in educational institutions.

Provision Of Informed Consent Towards The Level Of Anxiety In Pre-Operative Patients At Mamuju District Public Hospital, Imelda Appulembang

Kesmas

Tindakan pembedahan merupakan salah satu tindakan medis yang dapat mendatangkan stressor sehingga menimbulkan kecemasan pada pasien. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pemberian informed consent terhadap tingkat kecemasan pada pasien pra-operasi di Rumah Sakit Umum Daerah (RSUD) Mamuju. Populasi pada penelitian ini adalah pasien pra-operasi. Sampel ditentukan dengan menggunakan pendekatan accidental sampling sehingga diperoleh sampel sebanyak 32 orang. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian kuantitatif dengan menggunakan metode quasi experimental design melalui pendekatan non-equivalent time sample design yang dianalisis dengan menggunakan uji statistik Wilcoxon. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat pengaruh pemberian informed consent terhadap tingkat kecemasan pasien. Dapat disimpulkan pemberian informed …

Health Promotion And Wellness Strategies And Self-Regulation Interventions For Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Graduates Preparing For The Nbcot Exam, Marcia Hamilton

Occupational Therapy Collection

New graduates of Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Programs are challenged with the preparation and successful completion of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) examination. The threat of not passing this exam is intensified due to the cost of the exam and lack of provisional licensing. Anecdotal experience of faculty in an OTA Program supports concern for new graduates as they report feelings of distress and anxiety, as they enter the one- to two-month period prior to the exam. An occupational role shift must occur during this transitional period, as the new graduates …

A Tale Of Two Tasks: Comparing Steady-State Visually Evoked Potentials With The Dot Probe As Measures Of The Anxiety-Related Threat Bias, Aqib J. Chowdhury

Theses and Dissertations

The present study explored how the anxiety-related threat bias (TB) measured by the dot probe is associated with steady-state visually evoked potentials (ssVEPs). ssVEPs were not significantly correlated with TB measured by the dot probe, suggesting that the dot probe and ssVEPs may index distinct components of attention to threat.

Crying And Attachment Style: The Role Of Romantic Relationships, Katherine L. Fiori, Jessica Buthmann, Christy A. Denckla

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Crying is an attachment behavior that functions to elicit support from others (Nelson, 1998); the context in which the crying occurs is important in understanding whether it is adaptive or maladaptive (Hendriks & Vingerhoets, 2006). However, very little research has examined whether and how attachment style is associated with adult crying, and if this association might vary by an individual’s relationship status. Using a sample of 305 first-year college students and a series of hierarchical regressions, we examined the moderating effect of relationship status on the associations between attachment style (measured using the Revised Experiences in Close Relationships Scale; Fraley, …

A Meta-Analysis Of The Effect Of Therapist Experience On Outcome For Clients With Internalizing Disorders, Lucia M. Walsh

Open Access Theses

Despite having the most prevalent group of psychiatric disorders, many people with internalizing disorders do not receive treatment. One factor related to lack of treatment is a shortage of qualified mental health therapists. Task shifting may be one solution to this shortage, but has been relatively unused due to the idea that less experienced therapists may not be able to attain commiserate client outcomes as more experienced therapists. However, a relationship between therapist experience and client internalizing outcomes has never been found, a critical first step in determining if task shifting is a viable option to getting millions of people …

Impact Of Stress, Fear And Anxiety On The Nociceptive Responses Of Larval Zebrafish, Javier Lopez-Luna, Qussay Al-Jubouri, Lynne U. Sneddon

Sentience Collection

Both adult and larval zebrafish have been demonstrated to show behavioural responses to noxious stimulation but also to potentially stress- and fear or anxiety- eliciting situations. The pain or nociceptive response can be altered and modulated by these situations in adult fish through a mechanism called stress-induced analgesia. However, this phenomenon has not been described in larval fish yet. Therefore, this study explores the behavioural changes in larval zebrafish after noxious stimulation and exposure to challenges that can trigger a stress, fear or anxiety reaction. Five-day post fertilization zebrafish were exposed to either a stressor (air emersion), a predatory fear …

Substance Use Disorders, Violence, Mental Health, And Hiv: Differentiating A Syndemic Factor By Gender And Sexuality, Kiyomi Tsuyuki, Eileen V. Pitpitan, Maria A. Levi-Minzi, Lianne A. Urada, Steven P. Kurtz, Jamila K. Stockman, Hilary L. Surratt

Center for Health Services Research Faculty Publications

This paper measures syndemic substance use disorder, violence, and mental health and compares the syndemic among HIV-infected heterosexual men, heterosexual women, and men who have sex with men (MSM). Data were from a sample of high needs substance-using, HIV-infected people in South Florida between 2010 and 2012 (n = 481). We used confirmatory factor analysis to measure a syndemic latent variable and applied measurement invariance models to identify group differences in the data structure of syndemic co-morbidities among heterosexual men, heterosexual women, and MSM. We found that variables used to measure the syndemic fit each sub-group, supporting that substance use …

Predictive Relationship Of Positive Lifestyle Choices With Emotional Distress Of Undergraduate College Students: An Analysis Of American College Health Association Data, Robin Lockhart

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

Undergraduate student reports of anxiety and depression have risen each year since 2012 to the most recent report of 17% experiencing anxiety and 14% experiencing depression (ACHA, 2016). The significance of the experience of anxiety and depression in this population is that they are the top-reported factors affecting academic attrition (ACHA, 2016). The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive relationship of three healthy lifestyle behaviors and emotional distress among undergraduate college students. The three healthy lifestyle choices examined were nutrition, exercise and rest. The prevalence of emotional distress and depression within each year of study also was …

Self-Forgiveness In Japanese Adolescents., Tetsuo "Ted" Sato

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The literature of forgiveness has been proliferated the last two decades (Davis et al., 2015b), but it has primarily focused on forgiveness of others and the research of self-forgiveness has just increased in recent years (Worthington & Langberg, 2012). Woodyatt and Wenzel (2013a) proposed a process-oriented approach of self-forgiveness while considering three possible responses to the self (i.e., genuine self-forgiveness, pseudo self-forgiveness, and self-punitiveness) after interpersonally offending others. Self-forgiveness among children and adolescents and in Japanese culture was discussed. The association of self-forgiveness to depressive and anxiety symptoms, and culturally and developmentally unique factors (i.e., fear of negative evaluation and …

Sibrava Studies, Teaches About Stress And Anxiety, Aldemaro Romero Jr.

Publications and Research

“There’s a cliché answer that you get from a lot of folks who say, ‘Well, I’ve always been interested in people,’ and that is true, but for me I always fan- tasized about being a lawyer when I grew up.” This is how Dr. Nicholas Sibrava explains his choice of career. In fact, he envisioned himself in a courtroom, just like in the movies.

It also explains why this native of Cleveland, Ohio obtained a bachelor’s degree in both criminology and psychology. The psychology part crept up on him while taking some psych courses. “Somewhere along the way I flip-flopped …

Health Literacy, Depression, Anxiety, And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder As Predictors Of Biological Markers Of Immune Functioning In Youth And Young Adults With Hiv, Courtney A. Lynn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that affects the body’s immune system (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2016a). HIV is a worldwide epidemic and disproportionately impacts youth in the United States. Youth living with HIV (YLWH) face significant mental health problems, namely depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with rates of these disorders discrepant from those in the general population. In addition to psychological difficulties, health literacy is another factor that influences individuals with HIV and is a priority of research with adolescents (Kalichman et al., 2000; Manganello, 2008). The National HIV/AIDS Strategy: Update 2020 (White House Office …

Anxiety-Reducing Efficacy Of Inhaled Essential Oils: A Case Study And Literature Review, Dawn L. Langley-Brady

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Anxiety disorders impact approximately 40 million adults, are the most prevalent mental health-related diagnosis, and cost the United States healthcare system over 42 billion dollars annually. Additionally, anxiety can mimic many other health problems (e.g., shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea and vomiting), thus adding to the burden on patients and healthcare systems. Current anxiety treatment consists of pharmacotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and some complementary therapies, but not aromatherapy. Pharmacological approaches to reduce anxiety primarily include the administration of benzodiazepines, but may also include SSRIs, and beta-blockers. These pharmacological approaches come with a myriad of potential side effects including …

The Relationship Between Anxiety, Mind Wandering And Task-Switching: A Diffusion Model Analysis, Andree Hartanto

Dissertations and Theses Collection

Although the negative impact of anxiety on task-switching has been documented, little is known about the extent or mechanisms of this impairment primarily because of the complex nature of task-switching and difficulty in probing the occurrence of worries within participants. To address this issue, we employed a stochastic diffusion model analysis along with a novel thought-probe technique in task-switching paradigm. Across 152 participants, we found state anxiety was linked to higher switch costs in nondecision time but not drift rate parameter of diffusion model, which indicates that the locus of task-switching impairment in anxious individuals is pertinent to the efficiency …

The Relationship Between Auditory Habituation And Anxiety In Autism Spectrum Disorder, David Nicholas Top

Theses and Dissertations

Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have atypical sensory processing and behaviors including sensory sensitivity and low registration of sensory stimuli as well as sensory seeking and avoiding behaviors. Additionally, many individuals with ASD have clinically distressing levels of anxiety. Previous research suggests that there is a link between abnormal sensory processing, anxiety, and ASD. The purpose of this study was to experimentally observe auditory sensory processing using pupillometry methods, between ASD, control, and high-anxious control groups. While a difference in tonic pupil size was observed, there were no reactivity or habituation differences between the groups. There were no …

Effectiveness Of Foot Reflexology On Anxiety Among Primigravid Mothers In A Selected Rural Area At Mangalore, Nijina K. V, Vinish V Mr

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Introduction: All women consider pregnancy as a special time in their lives. Many changes occur in a woman’s body during this time, her emotions, and during different events in the life of the woman. All these changes lead to stress and anxiety in pregnant women. Reflexology is one of the most effective techniques for reducing the severity of anxiety. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to determine the anxiety level on primigravid mothers and to find the effectiveness of Foot Reflexology on anxiety. Methodology: Quantitative evaluative approach with a quasiexperimental two group pre-test – post-test design was used for …

Evaluation Of Psychology Clinicians’ Attitudes Towards Computerized Cognitive Behavior Therapy, For Use In Their Future Clinical Practice, With Regard To Treating Those Suffering From Anxiety And Depression, Nivek Dunne

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Computerized Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CCBT) is an empirically supported therapeutic modality used in the treatment of anxiety and depression. It is an important area of research considering there is much research lacking in this area, especially regarding trainee and qualified psychology clinicians' attitudes which are informative in terms of uptake and adherence. This study examined trainee and qualified psychology clinicians' attitudes towards CCBT for use in their future clinical practice, with regard treating those suffering from anxiety and depression. Overall, 31 participants took part in the research, which resulted in 31 completed informed consent forms and questionnaires being returned to …

Evaluating An Adjunctive Mobile App To Enhance Psychological Flexibility In Acceptance And Commitment Therapy, Michael E. Levin, Jack Haegar, Benjamin G. Pierce, Rick A. Cruz

Psychology Faculty Publications

The primary aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility and potential efficacy of a novel adjunctive mobile app designed to enhance the acquisition, strengthening, and generalization of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) skills being taught in therapy. A sample of 14 depressed/anxious clients receiving ACT used the ACT Daily app for two weeks in a pre-post, open trial design. Participants reported a high degree of program satisfaction. Clients significantly improved over the two-week period on depression and anxiety symptoms as well as a range of psychological inflexibility measures. Analyses of mobile app data indicated effects of …

Commentary: Thoughts On Cyberchondria -- A New Challenge For Healthcare Providers, Nancy Lutwak

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

No abstract provided.

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial Of The Unified Protocol For The Treatment Of Emotional Disorders In Children (Up-C), Sarah Michelle Kennedy

Open Access Dissertations

Although cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well established treatment for anxiety and depressive disorders in children (Chorpita et al., 2011), a significant proportion of children do not respond to existing CBT protocols, and many protocols do not adequately address high rates of comorbidity among emotional disorders. Transdiagnostic approaches may help to improve treatment response in children, particularly for clinical or sub-clinical comorbid conditions not adequately targeted by disorder-specific CBT, and to prevent the later development of commonly occurring comorbid conditions. The Unified Protocol for the Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children (UP-C; Ehrenreich-May et al., in press) is a transdiagnostic …

Development Of Ethologically-Based Inhibitory Avoidance Models Of Fear Memory, Savannah Dalrymple

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Translational research provides a unique opportunity to investigate innate and conditioned fear to develop an integrated understanding of anxiety disorders, ultimately improving treatment for those afflicted. Many fear conditioning paradigms use physically aversive stimuli to induce fear but ethological stimuli may better represent psychological disorders from a translational standpoint. Natural predators and immobilization have been successful in inducing both innate and contextually conditioned fear in rodents but an inhibitory avoidance paradigm that uses ethologically relevant stimuli has yet to be developed. To expand the use of these stimuli into inhibitory avoidance conditioning, an inhibitory avoidance paradigm was developed to include …