Digital Commons Network^™

Gulf War Illness An Evaluation Of Neuroglial Changes And Learning, Memory, And Anxiety In Gwi Mouse Models, Ariel Gonzalez

Theses & ETDs

Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a complex set of symptoms associated with specific exposures during the 1990 Gulf War (GW). These exposures include organphosphate and pyrethroid pesticides, and the prophylactic use of pyridostigmine bromide (PB). All these agents act on the cholinergic system, and it is therefore thought that cholinergic system alterations are a central theme in the GWI pathophysiology. In this thesis, memory, anxiety, and neuroglial activation were examined in three different GWI mouse models using behavioral and immunohistochemical data. Because all these actions utilize the cholinergic system, it was hypothesized that GW agent exposure would impair memory function …

Anxiety And State Dependence In Procedural Memory, Tarya Bardwell

Theses & ETDs

Procedural memory is memory of a skill that is well-rehearsed and automatic. It is used during many common activities, such as playing sports, playing musical instruments, and typing. However, performance of these skills under pressure is often negatively affected by anxiety. Previous work on memory has determined that when one learns something in a specific state, one recalls that information best when in the same state. This state-dependent memory is effective with a variety of states, particularly with explicit memory, such as a list of words. How state-dependence applies to procedural tasks is less well understood. The goal of this …

Integrating Mindfulness Meditation Into Undergraduate Nursing Curricula, Michelle Yankowiak

Theses and Graduate Projects

Stress and anxiety impact the lives of undergraduate nursing students. Learning how to cope with the stressful demands of nursing school is essential for student success. Watson's caring and healing philosophy notes that learning to care for self is foundational in learning to care for others. Literature also reports that nursing programs across the country are lacking instruction on alternative therapies as a self-care method. A need to integrate self-care into curricula was identified by personal knowing as a nursing clinical instructor and through a self-care questionnaire to undergraduate obstetric nursing students. The integration of mindfulness meditation, as a means …

Adult Adhd And The Relationship Between Self-Reported Frequency Of Cognitive Distortions, Anxiety, And Depression, Craig Strohmeier

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adults with ADHD often includes strategies to address cognitive distortions. Although identifying cognitive distortions as part of a causal chain related to disorders such as anxiety and depression has been well studied, limited research has focused on the relationship between ADHD and cognitive distortions. The goal of this study was to determine the nature of the relationship between ADHD, cognitive distortions, anxiety, and depression within a group of adult outpatients from an ADHD treatment center (N = 30). Results indicated that the severity of ADHD symptomatology, identified through a self-report scale, was significantly related to the self-reported …

Play And Treatment Outcomes In A Cognitive-Behavioral Program For Children With Anxiety: The Role Of Child Involvement And Collaboration, Enid S. Flagg

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined a mediation model of the relationship between play, process variables (child involvement and collaboration), and treatment outcome in a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of CBT for childhood anxiety disorders. Additionally, it explored the use of play in CBT for children. Participants (N=43; M age = 10.09) took part in a RCT which evaluated the effectiveness of an individual cognitive-behavioral treatment (ICBT) versus a family cognitive-behavioral treatment (FCBT), for childhood anxiety disorders. Archival data (videotaped treatment sessions) at a university based clinic for childhood anxiety disorders was coded for treatment interventions (play and cognitive-behavioral) and process variables (child …

Are You Sure? Temporal Juxtaposition In Anxiety Threat Management, Alexander Duff

Theses & ETDs

Anxiety management theories of self-esteem suggest that human behavior is influenced by the need to reduce anxiety-inducing cognitions. Two such theories, Terror Management Theory and Uncertainty Management Theory, attribute anxiety to the fear of death and the fear of uncertainty, respectively. This thesis critically compared these two theories, hypothesizing that mortality salience ultimately functions as a subset of uncertainty. Conditions were designed to compare death priming and uncertainty priming while addressing a persistent temporal ambiguity confound previously exhibited in anxiety threat management research. Sixty participants were primed with these counterbalanced stimuli before having their worldviews challenged/affirmed. Results failed to disprove …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Creative Drawing Expression On Central Executive Fatigue And Autonomic Dysfunction, Heather Dimmitt

Theses & ETDs

Doodling as a form of art therapy has not been explored in much detail but there is reason to believe that it may relieve anxiety by improving central executive function through autonomic neural enhancement. To investigate the relationships between anxiety and central executive function, participants were given the state version of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) before and after an attention fatigue task. The task involved watching a video to deplete the resources of the central executive while heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded as a measure of autonomic neural functioning. A Video Only group was given the STAI-S …

Analysis Of Gender Differences In Self-Statements And Mood Disorders, Robert Devore, Mary E. Pritchard

Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Over 25% of adult Americans suffer from a mental disorder each year, with depression and anxiety being some of the most commonly reported issues. Researchers estimate that between 10% and 50% of adult Americans will suffer from a depressive episode at some point in their life, and cognitive theorists argue that mental states, including disorders, are generated and maintained by personal, subjective beliefs, and that events can only be appropriately labeled by the individual experiencing them. Thus, cognitive theorists suggest a strong link between self-talk (ST) and behavior and note that the automatic use of ST is associated with disordered …

Differences Between Core And Animal Reminder Disgust Elicitation On A Core Disgust Avoidance Task--A Replication With Modifications, Matthew Schumann

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Compred to other emotions, there has been a lack of research on disgust as it relates to psychopathology. Of the extant research, disgust has been shown to be implicated in various anxiety disorders and consist of three domains: core, animal-reminder, and contamination disgust. There is evidence that these domains are correlated with disgust-relevant anxiety disorders, and this sensitivity to specific disgust domains have different topographical presentations. This study aims to determine if priming participants with different domain-specific videos (core, animal-reminder, neutral) and then completing a disgust-related behavioral avoidance task that is specific to the core domain, will lead to greater …

Exploring The Impact Of Behaviorally Enacted Vs. Imaginal Delivery Of An Acceptance-Based Metaphor On Acute Panicogenic Distress In Acceptance And Commitment Therapy : A Comparative Evaluation, Kristin N. Herzberg

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Metaphors, or indirect and less literal forms of communication in the therapeutic setting, can be powerful and clinically impactful components of psychosocial interventions. Metaphors are widely used in therapeutic practice, and rest at the core of newer third generation behavior therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl & Wilson, 2011). Yet, to date, systematic empirical evaluations of the effectiveness of metaphor in the treatment of anxiety disorders and other forms of psychopathology have been largely ignored. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the impact of an ACT-relevant metaphor on acute panicogenic distress (i.e., panic-like symptoms). Specifically, …

Exploring The Impact Of Meditation On Attentional Allocation To Emotion, Sychopathology, And Acute Stress, In A Community Sample With Mixed Anxiety And Depression, Nicholas Thomas Van Dam

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Attempts to define mindfulness in the clinical and psychological sciences have been marred by contradictions, inconsistencies, and controversies. In this wait-list (WL) controlled mindfulness meditation training (MMT) study, the efficacy and potential mechanisms of MMT was tested in a community sample with undiagnosed, but significant, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. In a pre/post design, which also included 3 month follow-up, participants completed self-report measures, participated in a psychosocial stress task (before and after which they completed self-report mood questionnaires and had physiological and salivary neuroendocrine markers collected), and completed an emotional attentional blink paradigm. Compared to WL (n = …

Satisfaction And Anxiety In An Initiative With Local Anesthesia, Mert Zeyti̇noğlu, Sevgi̇ Türkmen, Çağatay Üstün

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To determine the levels of satisfaction and anxiety of patients in surgery under local anesthesia. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed at the Ege University Faculty of Dentistry between December 2011 and January 2012. The study sample consisted of 350 patients. A sociodemographic information form and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used in obtaining the data. Figure-percentage distributions, mean, Student’s t-test, one-way ANOVA, and correlation analysis within SPSS 15.0 for Windows were used in data analysis. Results: The mean patient age was 31.58 ± 14.58 years, consisting of 64.9% females, 36.6% high school graduates, and 72.9% who were …

Effects Of A Brief, Three-Day Mindfulness Meditation Protocol, Andrew James Kurz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Teachers' Ability To Identify Anxiety In The Classroom And Generate Related Interventions, Susan Jane Oliverio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The negative impact of test anxiety has been well documented in the literature with empirical studies demonstrating the existence of a negative relationship between test anxiety and academic performance (Schwarzer, 1990; Seipp, 1991). In 1967, test anxiety was determined to be a problem for 10% of school aged children (Klondas). A decade later, studies suggested this rate was closer to 25 or 30% (Nottelmann & Hill, 1977). In a study of a Pittsburgh area school district, Beidel (1991) found clinically significant Test Anxiety Scale for Children (TASC) scores in 34% of students in a suburban school district that is predominantly …

Predicting The Development Of Counselor Self-Efficacy In Counselors-In-Training During Their First Semester In Practicum Using Embedded, Rich Media In A Distributed Learning Environment., John Super

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first semester of practicum is a difficult time for counseling students as they learn to integrate knowledge and theory into clinical practice, often evoking high levels of anxiety (Barbee, Scherer, & Combs, 2003; Ronnestad & Skovholt, 1993) and limiting counselor selfefficacy (Bernard & Goodyear, 2009; Melchert et al., 1996). Practicum is the first opportunity counselors-in-training have to apply theoretical knowledge in a professional setting, use new clinical skills, and test how well they fit into the field of counseling (O‟Connell & Smith, 2005). Additionally, if counselor educators do not fully understand the process counselors in training develop counselor self-efficacy, …

Does Virtual Reality Elicit Physiological Arousal In Social Anxiety Disorder, Maryann Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the ability of a Virtual Reality (VR) public speaking task to elicit physiological arousal in adults with SAD (n=25) and Controls (n=25). A behavioral assessment paradigm was employed to address three study objectives: (a) to determine whether the VR task can elicit significant increases in physiological response over baseline resting conditions (b) to determine if individuals with SAD have a greater increase from baseline levels of physiological and self-reported arousal during the in vivo speech task as opposed to the VR speech task and (c) to determine whether individuals with SAD experience greater changes in physiological …

Presence, Intensity, And Temporal Changes In Generalized Anxiety Disorder Maintenance Factors In Workers Undergoing Rehabilitation For Persistent Musculoskeletal Pain, Marie-France Coutu, Marie-José Durand, André Marchand, Marie-Élise Labrecque, Djamal Berbiche, Geneviève Cadieux

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Cliquez ici pour la version française de ce rapport

Problématique : La prévalence du trouble d’anxiété généralisée (TAG) est plus élevée chez les personnes ayant une lombalgie, comparativement à la population en générale. En présence d’un TAG, l’intolérance à l’incertitude sera élevée et des stratégies inefficaces entraîneront le maintien de l’anxiété. À long terme, une réduction de l’efficacité personnelle à résoudre des problèmes et l’apparition de symptômes dépressifs pourraient nuire au retour au travail. L’objectif général de cette étude exploratoire vise à mieux comprendre la nature des manifestations anxieuses de travailleurs ayant un TMS persistant. Pour ce faire l’objectif principal …

The Forms Of Bullying Scale (Fbs): Validity And Reliability Estimates For A Measure Of Bullying Victimization And Perpetration In Adolescence, Therese M. Shaw, Julian J. Dooley, Donna S. Cross, Stephen R Zubrick, Stacey K. Waters

Research outputs 2013

The study of bullying behavior and its consequences for young people depends on valid and reliable measurement of bullying victimization and perpetration. Although numerous self-report bullying-related measures have been developed, robust evidence of their psychometric properties is scant, and several limitations inhibit their applicability. The Forms of Bullying Scale (FBS), with versions to measure bullying victimization (FBS-V) and perpetration (FBS-P), was developed on the basis of existing instruments, for use with 12-to 15-year-old adolescents to economically, yet comprehensively measure both bullying perpetration and victimization. Measurement properties were estimated. Scale validity was tested using data from 2 independent studies of 3,496 …

Emotion Regulation In Bipolar Disorder: Are Emotion Regulation Abilities Less Compromised In Euthymic Bipolar Disorder Than Unipolar Depressive Or Anxiety Disorders?, Rodrigo Becerra, Kate Cruise, Greg Murray, Darryl Bassett, Craig Harms, Alfred Allan, Sean Hood

Research outputs 2013

This study investigated the profile of emotion dysregulation in Bipolar Disorder (BD) and com- pared it to Unipolar Depression, Anxiety, and Heal- thy control groups. Methods: 148 euthymic patients diagnosed with BD (n = 48), Unipolar Depressive dis- order (n = 50), Anxiety disorder (n = 50), and a Healthy Control (HC) group (n = 48) were evaluated using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). The DERS yields a total score in addition to scores on six subcomponents believed to encapsulate the emotion dysregulation construct. Results: Com- pared to the healthy control group, all clinical groups (BD, Unipolar Depression, …

Teachers' Awareness And Skills In Addressing Students With Anxiety Symptoms, Looyee Figueroa

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study explored teachers' awareness toward students who may have mental-health needs, specifically with anxiety issues. This study also examined whether the teachers' training backgrounds, acquired degrees, stress levels, and years of teaching influenced their awareness and use of strategies in addressing students with attitudinal and behavioral issues and anxiety issues. In addition, this study examined teachers' perceptions on the importance of building relationships with students who have behavioral and attitudinal issues and anxiety issues. Results from the study found that teachers' awareness levels were inconsistent when teaching students who may have anxiety issues, and they were more consistent in …

The Relationship Between Generalized Anxiety Disorder In Women And Hormonal Imbalances, Self-Efficacy And Lifestyle: Implications For Licensed Professional Counselors And Counselor Educators, Gillian Bernadette Robbins

Wayne State University Dissertations

The intent of the study was to conduct a preliminary enquiry of the relationship between Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in women and hormonal imbalances, self-efficacy, and lifestyle. Key consideration was given to the study as it points to implications for licensed professional counselors and counselor educators. A nonexperimental, correlation design was used in the study and conducted in a large urban city in Ontario, Canada. Participants in the study were female clients receiving bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) for a minimum of three month at a Medical Health Spa. A total of 55 participants completed a demographical survey, the Generalized …

Correlates Of Compulsive Buying, Brittaney Benson-Townsend, N. Clayton Silver

McNair Poster Presentations

Compulsive buying is a chronic issue for shoppers exacerbated by a nation obsessed with consumption. To predict compulsive buying behavior, a survey was administered to 283 college students in southern Nevada. The results suggested that the compulsive buyer exhibits am ex­ternal consumer locus of control and purchases goods with the intent to increase social status or quell anxiety. Given that responsible financial behavior changes as a function of age, college students are particularly vulnerable to compulsive purchasing behavior, as it is exacerbated by irresponsible credit spending behaviors.

Eye Gaze Patterns During Live Social Interactions In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Michael Warren Gower

All ETDs from UAB

Children with autism have been shown to demonstrate deficits in their facial processing skills and are known to make less eye contact than typically developing children. It has also been assumed that children with autism are more anxious during social interactions than typically developing children. It has been hypothesized that these deficits manifest themselves as the use of a localized facial processing style in which children with autism focus primarily on the mouth and miss much of the pertinent social information conveyed by the eyes. More recent research, however, has found contradictory evidence. Specifically, some studies have shown that children …

Gene X Environment Effects Of Serotonin Transporter, Dopamine Receptor D4, And Monoamine Oxidase A Genes With Contextual And Parenting Risk Factors On Symptoms Of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Anxiety, And Depression In A Community Sample Of 4-Year-Old Children, John V. Lavigne, Laura B.K. Herzing, Edwin H. Cook, Susan A. Lebailly, Karen R. Gouze, Joyce Hopkins, Fred B. Bryant

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Genetic factors can play a role in the multiple level of analyses approach to understanding the development of child psychology. The present study examined gene-environment correlations and Gene x Environment interactions for polymorphisms of three target genes, the serotonin transporter gene, the D4 dopamine reactor gene, and the monoamine oxidase A gene in relation to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and oppositional behavior. Saliva samples were collected from 175 non-Hispanic White, 4-year-old children. Psychosocial risk factors included socioeconomic status, life stress, caretaker depression, parental support, hostility, and scaffolding skills. In comparison with the short forms (s/s, s/l) of the serotonin transporter …

Foreign Language Learning In A Non-School Environment: Effects Of Simulated Immersion Training On Affective Factors In Learners' Experience, Eunsook Mcniel-Cho

Doctoral Dissertations

This study explored the effects of immersion training on the learner's affective behaviors such as motivation and attitude, anxiety, and self-confidence in foreign language acquisition at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Much research has been conducted on the effectiveness of immersion programs, but no previous research examined a short-term simulated immersion training that is integrated into a language course curriculum. Furthermore, no prior research exists on the effects of immersion on affective factors among military linguists.

This research method consisted of mixed quantitative and qualitative methods utilizing pretest score (DLAB), surveys, observations, and interviews. The study design was …

An Examination Of Induced Anxiety And Its Interaction With Trait Anxiety On Executive Functioning Tasks, Joseph Harris

LSU Master's Theses

Anxiety is a common human experience which has been shown to have detrimental effects on cognitive abilities, particularly the executive abilities of inhibition, shifting and updating. Previous studies in this area have been highly specific in their focus, leaving gaps in the literature. As a result, the general nature of anxiety’s effect on executive functioning has yet to be fully defined. The current study attempted to establish such a definition by exploring the effects of state anxiety and trait anxiety on each of the executive functions, both in terms of task performance and efficiency. In addition, because working memory has …

Race/Ethnicity, Subjective And Objective Sleep Quality, Physical And Psychological Symptoms In Breast Cancer Survivors, Pinky H. Budhrani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is a major health problem and comprises the largest population of cancer survivors in the United States, estimated at 2.9 million women, accounting for 22% of all cancer survivors (National Cancer Institute, 2013). The advances in breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment has increased the importance of survivorship needs. A major concern among breast cancer survivors (BCS) is sleep disturbances. This study used an innovative approach to examine ethnic and racial disparities in sleep disturbances present in BCS. In addition, this study also explored sleep disturbances across different races/ethnicities. This study was a secondary data analysis of baseline …

Predictors Of Quality Of Life In Patients With Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma, Darcie Marie Deaver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a rare, incurable, chronic disease accounting for approximately 3% of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnoses every year. Patients with CTCL have skin lesions that can vary in severity putting patients at risk for developing symptoms that may impair their quality of life (QOL). The disease burden can lead to increased depressive symptoms, fatigue distress, and anxiety that the disease may be worsening. Seventy-five participants agreed to take part in an exploratory, prospective study to evaluate depressive symptoms, anxiety, fatigue distress, and spirituality as predictors of QOL in CTCL patients. Demographic variables including stage of disease, …

Identity Discrepancy, Male Role Norms, And Mental And Physical Health, Daniel Kevin Mckelvey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Male gender role norms were considered from a self-discrepancy perspective. The male gender role was divided into 4 perspective domain combinations based on the participant's perceptions: self-ideal/ought, other-ideal/ought, self-actual, other-actual. These categories were assessed using an adapted form of the Male Role Norms Inventory-Revised (Levant et al., 2007). It was hypothesized that large discrepancies between the perspective domains in a male's gender role concept would be significantly related to depression, anxiety, and lower general health quality, and this relationship would be moderated by the centrality of the perspective domains to the participant's gender role concept and by the centrality of …

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Examination Of Fear Generalization And Anticipation Of Affective Stimuli, Tsafrir Greenberg

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Despite increasing interest in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) it remains one of the least studied anxiety disorders and little is known about its neurobiology. The aim of the current research study was to investigate the neural basis of GAD from two perspectives: fear generalization and anticipation of affective outcomes. Thirty-two women with GAD (17 with and 15 without comorbid major depression disorder) and 25 healthy women underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while completing two tasks: a fear generalization task in which participants were presented with a conditioned stimulus (CS) that co-terminates with a brief electric shock, and generalization stimuli …