Educational Psychology Commons^™

Web-Based Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Mental Health Problems In College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Michael E. Levin, Jack Haegar, Benjamin G. Pierce, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

There are significant challenges in addressing the mental health needs of college students. The current study tested an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) web-based self-help program to treat a broad range of psychological problems students struggle with. A sample of 79 college students were randomized to web-based ACT or a waitlist condition, with assessments at baseline and posttreatment. Results indicated adequate acceptability and program engagement for the ACT website. Relative to waitlist, participants receiving ACT improved on overall distress, general anxiety, social anxiety, depression, academic concerns, and positive mental health. There were no between group effects on eating concerns, alcohol …

Web-Based Self-Help For Preventing Mental Health Problems In Universities: Comparing Acceptance And Commitment Training To Mental Health Education, Michael E. Levin, Steven C. Hayes, Jacqueline Pistorello, John R. Seeley

Psychology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Analyzing Mediation Models With Multiple Informants: A New Approach And Its Application In Clinical Psychology, Christian Geiser, Lesther A. Papa, Kaylee Litson, Ginger Lockhart, Laurie Chassin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Testing mediation models is critical for identifying potential variables that need to be targeted to effectively change one or more outcome variables. In addition, it is now common practice for clinicians to use multiple informant (MI) data in studies of statistical mediation. By coupling the use of MI data with statistical mediation analysis, clinical researchers can combine the benefits of both techniques. Integrating the information from MIs into a statistical mediation model creates various methodological and practical challenges. The authors review prior methodological approaches to MI mediation analysis in clinical research and propose a new latent variable approach that overcomes …

An Initial Meta-Analysis Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Treating Substance Use Disorders, Eric B. Lee, Woolee An, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: In the past decade, multiple studies have examined the effectiveness ofAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for substance use disorders relative to other active treatments. The current meta-analysis examined the aggregate effect size when comparing ACT to other treatments (e.g., CBT, pharmacotherapy, 12-step,treatment as usual) specifically on substance use outcomes. Method: A total of 10 randomized controlled trials were identified through systematic searches. Results: A significant small to medium effect size was found favoring ACT relative to active treatment comparisons following treatment. Effect sizes were comparable across studies for smoking cessation (k = 5) and for other drug use disorders …

Closing The Gap Between Two Countries: Feasibility Of Dissemination Of An Evidence-Based Parenting Intervention In México, José Rubén Parra-Cardona, Elizabeth Aguilar Parra, Elizabeth Wieling, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Hiram E. Fitzgerald

Psychology Faculty Publications

In this manuscript, we describe the initial steps of an international program of prevention research in Monterrey, México. Specifically, we present a feasibility study focused on exploring the level of acceptability reported by a group of Mexican mothers who were exposed to a culturally adapted parenting intervention originally developed in the United States. The efficacious intervention adapted in this investigation is known as Parent Management Training, the Oregon Model (PMTO®). Following a description of our international partnership, we describe the implementation of the pilot study aimed at determining initial feasibility. Qualitative data provided by 40 Mexican mothers exposed to the …

Collapsing Factors In Multitrait-Multimethod Models: Examining Consequences Of A Mismatch Between Measurement Design And Model, Christian Geiser, Jacob Bishop, Ginger Lockhart

Psychology Faculty Publications

Models of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) are frequently applied to examine the convergent validity of scores obtained from multiple raters or methods in so-called multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) investigations. Many applications of CFA-MTMM and similarly structured models result in solutions in which at least one method (or specific) factor shows non-significant loading or variance estimates. Eid et al. (2008) distinguished between MTMM measurement designs with interchangeable (randomly selected) vs. structurally different (fixed) methods and showed that each type of measurement design implies specific CFA-MTMM measurement models. In the current study, we hypothesized that some of the problems that are commonly seen in …

Language Use In Consultation: Can “We” Help Teachers And Students?, Daniel S. Newman, Meaghan C. Guiney, Courteney A. Barrett

Psychology Faculty Publications

Analyzing the use of function words such as pronouns in conversation is an increasingly popular approach in social psychology, but has not yet been applied to the study of school-based consultation. The two central purposes of this study were to: (1) examine how language is used by consultants-in-training (CITs) and consultees within a collaborative model of consultation, and (2) to explore the relation between language use and the collaborative relationship, consultee outcomes, and client outcomes. Analyses focused on CITs’ (n = 18) and consultees’ (n = 18) use of pronouns in a problem identification and analysis (PID/PA) …

Feasibility Of An Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Adjunctive Web-Based Program For Counseling Centers, Michael E. Levin, Jacqueline Pistorello, Steven C. Hayes, John R. Seeley, Crissa Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Web-based adjunctive tools provide a promising method for addressing the challenges college counseling centers face in meeting the mental health needs of students. The current study tested an initial adjunctive prototype based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in a pre-post open trial with 30 counselors and 82 student clients across 4 counseling centers. Results indicated high ratings of program satisfaction and usability with counselors and students. The majority of students completed at least part of the program. Significant improvements were found across almost all outcome and ACT process measures with student clients. Improvements in student outcomes were predicted by …

Decoupling As A Mechanism Of Change In Mindfulness And Acceptance: A Literature Review, Michael E. Levin, Jason B. Luoma, Jack Haegar

Psychology Faculty Publications

A growing body of research within the acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies suggests these treatments may function in part by reducing or eliminating (i.e., decoupling) the normative relationships between internal experiences and other internal/overt behavior. Examples of decoupling effects found in this review include reduced relationships between urges to smoke and smoking behavior, between dysphoric mood and depressive cognitions, and between pain intensity and persistence in a painful task. A literature review identified 44 studies on acceptance and mindfulness that demonstrated decoupling effects. Overall, preliminary evidence for decoupling effects were found across a broad range of problem areas including substance abuse, …

Graduate Ethics Education: A Content Analysis Of Syllabi, Shannon M. Grifith, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Austin J. Anderson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Ethical practice of psychology is emphasized by APA accreditation requirements. The current study is a content analysis of 53 ethics courses syllabi from all APA accredited programs listed in the American Psychologist 2011 annual report. This article is a companion to Domenech Rodríguez et al. (2013) and contributes knowledge on the current state of graduate ethics education. Of the parent project respondents (N = 364), 14% returned syllabi for the present study. General information (e.g., objectives, honor code, academic honesty, common policy, and classroom expectations), assignments, APA format, and teaching sources were coded. Coding of objectives were developed from McKeachie …

Ethics Education In Professional Psychology: A Survey Of American Psychological Association Accredited Programs, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Jennifer A. Erickson Cornish, Janet T. Thomas, Linda Forrest, Austin J. Anderson, James N. Bow

Psychology Faculty Publications

Professional psychologists are expected to know ethical standards and engage in proactive analysis of ethical considerations across professional roles (e.g., practice, research, teaching). Yet, little is known about the current state of doctoral ethics education in professional psychology, including the content covered and pedagogical strategies used to ensure developing this core component of professional competency (de las Fuentes, Willmuth, & Yarrow, 2005). A survey of ethics educators from APAaccredited programs across the United States and Canada resulted in 136 instructors reporting on their program's ethics training. The majority of questionnaires returned were from PhD programs (77.9%). A substantial number of …

Testing For Measurement Invariance And Latent Mean Differences Across Methods: Interesting Incremental Information From Multitrait-Multimethod Studies, Christian Geiser, G. Leonard Burns, Mateu Servera

Psychology Faculty Publications

Models of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) are frequently applied to examine the convergent validity of scores obtained from multiple raters or methods in so-called multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) investigations. We show that interesting incremental information about method effects can be gained from including mean structures and tests of MI across methods in MTMM models. We present a modeling framework for testing MI in the first step of a CFA-MTMM analysis. We also discuss the relevance of MI in the context of four more complex CFA-MTMM models with method factors. We focus on three recently developed multiple-indicator CFA-MTMM models for structurally different methods …

Functional And Self-Rated Health Mediate The Association Between Diabetes And Depression, Christian Geiser, Sylvia Boehme, Babette Renneberg

Psychology Faculty Publications

Depression is common among persons with diabetes and associated with adverse health outcomes. To date, little is known about the causal mechanisms that lead to depression in diabetes. The aim of the present study was to examine to which extent functional and self-rated health mediate the association between physical health and depressive symptoms in diabetes. Data of n = 3222 individuals with type 2 diabetes were analyzed cross-sectionally and longitudinally at three measurement occasions using path analysis. Indicators of physical health were glycemic control, number of comorbid somatic diseases, BMI, and insulin dependence. Furthermore, functional health, self-rated health and depressive …

Is Adding More Indicators To A Latent Class Analysis Beneficial Or Detrimental? Results Of A Monte Carlo Study, Christian Geiser, Ingrid C. Wurpts

Psychology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine in which way adding more indicators or a covariate influences the performance of latent class analysis (LCA). We varied the sample size (100 ≤ N ≤ 2000), number, and quality of binary indicators (between 4 and 12 indicators with conditional response probabilities of [0.3, 0.7], [0.2, 0.8], or [0.1, 0.9]), and the strength of covariate effects (zero, small, medium, large) in a Monte Carlo simulation study of 2- and 3-class models. The results suggested that in general, a larger sample size, more indicators, a higher quality of indicators, and a larger covariate …

Medical Professionalism: An Experimental Look At Physicians’ Facebook Profiles, Joseph W. Clyde, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Christian Geiser

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Use of social networking services (SNS) is on the rise. While many users sign in for personal purposes, it is not uncommon for professionals to connect over SNSs with clients, students, and patients.

Methods: The present study used an experimental approach to examine how medical doctors’ SNS profiles impacted potential patients’ impressions of professionalism. Participants (N=250 students) were randomly assigned to view one of six Facebook profiles. Profiles were populated with 1) solely professional material, 2) personal material that was strictly healthy, or 3) personal material that included unhealthy behavior. Profiles portrayed a male or …

A Longitudinal Multilevel Cfa-Mtmm Model For Interchangeable And Structurally Different Methods, Christian Geiser, Tobias Koch, Martin Schultze, Michael Eid

Psychology Faculty Publications

One of the key interests in the social sciences is the investigation of change and stability of a given attribute. Although numerous models have been proposed in the past for analyzing longitudinal data including multilevel and/or latent variable modeling approaches, only few modeling approaches have been developed for studying the construct validity in longitudinal multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) measurement designs. The aim of the present study was to extend the spectrum of current longitudinal modeling approaches for MTMM analysis. Specifically, a new longitudinal multilevel CFA-MTMM model for measurement designs with structurally different and interchangeable methods (called Latent-State-Combination-Of-Methods model, LS-COM) is presented. Interchangeable …

Parent Management Training-Oregon Model (Pmto™) In Mexico City: Integrating Cultural Adaptation Activities In An Implementation Model, Ana A. L. Baumann, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Nancy G. Amador, Marion S. Forgatch, José Rubén Parra-Cardona

Psychology Faculty Publications

This article describes the process of cultural adaptation at the start of the implementation of the Parent Management Training intervention-Oregon model (PMTO) in Mexico City. The implementation process was guided by the model, and the cultural adaptation of PMTO was theoretically guided by the cultural adaptation process (CAP) model. During the process of the adaptation, we uncovered the potential for the CAP to be embedded in the implementation process, taking into account broader training and economic challenges and opportunities. We discuss how cultural adaptation and implementation processes are inextricably linked and iterative and how maintaining a collaborative relationship with the …

Examining Psychological Inflexibility As A Transdiagnostic Process Across Psychological Disorders, Michael E. Levin, Chelsea Maclane, Susan Daflos, John R. Seeley, Steven C. Hayes, Anthony Biglan, Jacqueline Pistorello

Psychology Faculty Publications

The current cross-sectional study examined psychological inflexibility, a process in which behavior is rigidly guided by psychological reactions rather than direct contingencies or personal values, as a transdiagnostic process relevant to a range of depressive, anxiety, substance use and eating disorders. A sample of 972 first-year college students between 17 and 20 years of age completed self-report measures of psychological inflexibility and psychological distress as well as a structured diagnostic interview. Psychological inflexibility was significantly higher across a range of current and lifetime depressive and anxiety disorders as well as lifetime history of eating disorders, relative to students with no …

Which Facets Of Mindfulness Are Related To Problematic Eating Among Patients Seeking Bariatric Surgery?, Michael E. Levin, Kristy Dalrymple, Susan Himes, Mark Zimmerman

Psychology Faculty Publications

There has been growing research indicating the potential positive benefits of mindfulness-based interventions for obesity, but few studies have examined the relationship of mindfulness processes to obesity-related behaviors, particularly among clinical populations such as bariatric surgery candidates. The current study examined the relationship of specific mindfulness facets to a variety of problematic eating behaviors assessed through diagnostic interviews in a clinical sample of 820 patients seeking bariatric surgery. Results indicated that greater mindfulness on specific facets, particularly acting with awareness, were related to less binge and emotional eating. Greater mindfulness was also related, though less consistently, to less habitual overeating …

Analyzing Latent State-Trait And Multiple-Indicator Latent Growth Curve Models As Multilevel Structural Equation Models, Christian Geiser, Jacob Bishop, Ginger Lockhart, Saul Shiffman, Jerry L. Grenard

Psychology Faculty Publications

Latent state-trait (LST) and latent growth curve (LGC) models are frequently used in the analysis of longitudinal data. Although it is well-known that standard single-indicator LGC models can be analyzed within either the structural equation modeling (SEM) or multilevel (ML; hierarchical linear modeling) frameworks, few researchers realize that LST and multivariate LGC models, which use multiple indicators at each time point, can also be specified as ML models. In the present paper, we demonstrate that using the ML-SEM rather than the SL-SEM framework to estimate the parameters of these models can be practical when the study involves (1) a large …

Temporal Contingency, C. R. Gallistel, Andrew R. Craig, Timothy A. Shahan

Psychology Faculty Publications

Contingency, and more particularly temporal contingency, has often figured in thinking about the nature of learning. However, it has never been formally defined in such a way as to make it a measure that can be applied to most animal learning protocols. We use elementary information theory to define contingency in such a way as to make it a measurable property of almost any conditioning protocol. We discuss how making it a measurable construct enables the exploration of the role of different contingencies in the acquisition and performance of classically and operantly conditioned behavior.

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For The Treatment Of Posttraumatic Stress Among Adolescents, Michelle R. Woidneck, Kate L. Morrison, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

The number of individuals who meet diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a small percentage of those exposed to trauma; many youth who do not meet criteria for PTSD continue to experience problematic posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptomology. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has shown preliminary effectiveness in the treatment of adult PTSD, but its effectiveness in treating PTS in youth is unknown. Using a multiple-baseline design, this study investigated the effectiveness of 10-weeks of ACT to treat PTS in youth. Four adolescents from a community sample and three adolescents from a residential sample participated. The Clinician Administered PTSD …

Parenting In Puerto Rican Families: Mothers And Father’S Self-Reported Practices, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Natalie Franceschi Rivera, Zulma Sella-Nieves, Jahaira Félix Fermín

Psychology Faculty Publications

Little information is available on parenting practices of families living in Puerto Rico. In order to fll this gap, 55 two-parent Families with a 6 to 11 year old child were surveyed on contextual stressors known to impact parenting (i.e., depression, subjective economic status, parenting stress, marital satisFaction), parenting practices (i.e., skills building, positive involvement, problem solving, monitoring, and eFFective discipline), as well as child externalizing behavior problems. Data revealed a sample with relatively low selF-reported stressors, high endorsement oF parenting practices, and subclinical child externalizing behaviors. All measures were reliable, indicating potential For Future use in Puerto Rican samples. …

Dissociation Of The Role Of The Prelimbic Cortex In Interval Timing And Resource Allocation: Beneficial Effect Of Norepinephrine And Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor Nomifensine On Anxiety-Inducing Distraction, Alexander R. Matthews, Olivia H. He, Mona Buhusi, Catalin V. Buhusi

Psychology Faculty Publications

Emotional distracters impair cognitive function. Emotional processing is dysregulated in affective disorders such as depression, phobias, schizophrenia, and PTSD. Among the processes impaired by emotional distracters, and whose dysregulation is documented in affective disorders, is the ability to time in the seconds-to-minutes range, i.e. interval timing. Presentation of task-irrelevant distracters during a timing task results in a delay in responding suggesting a failure to maintain subjective time in working memory, possibly due to attentional and working memory resources being diverted away from timing, as proposed by the Relative Time-Sharing model. We investigated the role of the prelimbic cortex in the …

Delayed Matching To Sample: Reinforcement Has Opposite Effects On Resistance To Change In Two Related Procedures, John A. Nevin, Timothy A. Shahan, Amy L. Odum, Ryan D. Ward

Psychology Faculty Publications

The effects of reinforcement on delayed matching to sample (DMTS) have been studied in two within-subjects procedures. In one, reinforcer magnitudes or probabilities vary from trial to trial and are signaled within trials (designated signaled DMTS trials). In the other, reinforcer probabilities are consistent for a series of trials produced by responding on variable-interval (VI) schedules within multiple-schedule components (designated multiple VI DMTS). In both procedures, forgetting functions in rich trials or components are higher than and roughly parallel to those in lean trials or components. However, during disruption, accuracy has been found to decrease more in rich than in …

Culturally Adapting An Evidence-Based Parenting Intervention For Latinos: Preliminary Implications For Family Therapy Practice And Research, José Rubén Parra-Cardona, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Marion S. Forgatch, Cris M. Sullivan, Deborah Bybee, Kendal Holtrop, Ana Rocío Escobar-Chew, Lisa Tams, Brian Dates, Guillermo Bernal

Psychology Faculty Publications

Latinos constitute the largest ethnic minority group in the United States. However, the cultural adaptation and dissemination of evidence-based parenting interventions among Latino populations continues to be scarce despite extensive research that demonstrates the long-term positive effects of these interventions. The purpose of this article is threefold: (1) justify the importance of cultural adaptation research as a key strategy to disseminate efficacious interventions among Latinos, (2) describe the initial steps of a program of prevention research with Latino immigrants aimed at culturally adapting an evidence-based intervention informed by parent management training principles, and (3) discuss implications for advancing cultural adaptation …

Concurrent Chains Schedules As A Method To Study Choice Between Alcohol Associated Conditioned Reinforcers, Corina Jimenez-Gomez, Timothy A. Shahan

Psychology Faculty Publications

An extensive body of research using concurrent-chains schedules of reinforcement has shown that choice for one of two differentially valued food-associated stimuli is dependent upon the overall temporal context in which those stimuli are embedded. The present experiments examined whether the concurrent chains procedure was useful for the study of behavior maintained by alcohol and alcohol-associated stimuli. In Experiment 1, rats responded on concurrent-chains schedules with equal variable-interval (VI) 10-s schedules in the initial links. Across conditions, fixed-interval schedules in the terminal links were varied to yield 1:1, 9:1, and 1:9 ratios of alcohol delivery. Initial-link response rates reflected changes …

Elder Adult Abuse And Animal Welfare Issues: Development, Field Testing, And Dissemination Of Assessment Protocols, Frank R. Ascione, Terry Peak

Psychology Faculty Publications

With funding from the Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, A KeyBank Trust, and in collaboration with the Utah Division of Aging and Adult Services, we developed a general protocol for assessing animal welfare issues in the in the lives of elder adults. We also developed a follow-up protocol that can be used in cases where elder adults have expressed concern about the welfare of their animals (including threatened and actual harm). Drafts of the protocols were reviewed by Utah Adult Protective Services personnel as well as experts in the field of gerontology. Final versions of the protocols were developed based …

Culture, Timothy B. Smith, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez, Guillermo Bernal

Psychology Faculty Publications

This article summarizes the definitions, means, and research of adapting psychotherapy to clients' cultural backgrounds. We begin by reviewing the prevailing definitions of cultural adaptation and providing a clinical example. We present an original meta-analysis of 65 experimental and quasi-experimental studies involving 8,620 participants. The omnibus effect size of d = .46 indicates that treatments specifically adapted for clients of color were moderately more effective with that clientele than traditional treatments. The most effective treatments tended to be those with greater numbers of cultural adaptations. Mental health services targeted to a specific cultural group were several times more effective than …

Psi Chi Journal Now Serves All Psi Chi Members, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez

Psychology Faculty Publications

The Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research has undergone an exciting transformation into the Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, a peer-reviewed, indexed journal, that now accepts manuscripts from all Psi Chi members. This change provides an excellent opportunity to review the evolution of the Journal and submission criteria as well as the twists and turns that the life of a submitted manuscript takes potential authors through once manuscripts are entrusted to the Psi Chi Journal team.