Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Women's Cognitive Appraisals Of Their Birth Experience As Predictive And Maintaining Factors Of Postpartum Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Severity, Lauren Carr Spooner

Dissertations

Empirical support has accumulated for evidence of posttraumatic stress symptoms following approximately 30% of childbirth experiences (Olde, van der Hart, Kleber, & van Son, 2006). Researchers have suggested that there is a complex relationship among predisposing, precipitating, and maintaining factors that impact postpartum PTSD (Slade, 2006). Anxiety, perception of support, and negative cognitions are such factors that have been shown to significantly correlate with PTSD symptoms (Foa & Rothbaum, 1998; Olde et al., 2006; Soet, Brack, & Dilorio, 2003), but have not been studied together in relation to PTSD associated with traumatic birth. The current study controlled for trait anxiety …

The Effect Of Gender Role And Males' Attitudes Toward Receiving Mental Health Therapy, Christina H. Thomas

Graduate Theses

The purpose of this research study was to build upon previous research pertaining to gender role and young adult male attitudes towards receiving mental health therapy. An additional purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between media exposure and attitude toward mental health therapy. The first hypothesis was that there would be a positive correlation between gender role scores and attitudes with the BEM Sex- Role Inventory (BSRI) and with scores on attitudes with the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (ATSPPHS) in young adult males. The second hypothesis was that young adult males who watched a …

A Brief Content Analysis Of Attachment And Sexual Relationships In Sex Therapy And Research Journals, Kathryn Zambrano Devis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A surge of scholarly publications on attachment within couple relationships prompted this content analysis of attachment articles published in six sex therapy and sex research journals. This study investigates the extent to which these journals attend to attachment in the context of adult sexual relationships. The researcher found 2257 articles published within these journals; 64 of which attend to attachment and 9 of which attend to attachment and sex. Implications for couples therapy in the field of sex therapy and future directions are discussed.

The Influence Of Ethnic Identity And Family Support On Posttraumatic Symptoms In Maltreated Youth, Harpreet Kaur

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Maltreated children are at greater risk of developing PTSD than nonmaltreated children (Ackerman et al., 1998; Epstein et al., 1997; Famularo et al., 1996; Kilpatrick et al., 2003; Widom, 1999). This study sought to assess the role of ethnicity, ethnic identity, and family support on the effects of maltreatment and trauma in adolescents. Participants (n=145) included adolescents from Child Haven, a Department of Family Services (DFS)-related site in Las Vegas, and youths in foster care assessed at the offices of Dr. Stephanie Holland. The first hypothesis was that non-Caucasian youth would have higher levels of PTSD-related symptoms than Caucasian youth. …

Development Of A Cohesion Inventory For Children's Sport Teams, Luc J. Martin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The general purpose of this dissertation was to develop an inventory designed to measure cohesion in children’s (ages 9-12) sport teams. To this end, three studies were conducted. In Study 1, children became active agents in the process of test construction. More specifically, children (N = 167) participated in focus groups and completed open-ended questionnaires in order to provide information on their perceptions of cohesion as well as motives for participating, continuing, and ceasing involvement on sport teams. Study 2 involved the use of the information obtained from Study 1 to develop potential items for the questionnaire. In addition, the …

The Effects Of Caffeine And Expectancy On Short Term Memory, Sara J. O'Brien

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Although caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world, research on the effects of caffeine on mental performance tasks (especially short term memory tasks) is inconclusive. One possible explanation for this limited understanding is the lack of studies accounting for participant expectancy surrounding caffeine. This study examined the effects of caffeine dosage (0mg, 200mg, and 400mg) and expectancy related to past caffeine use (positive, negative) on short term memory span task. A two-way Analysis of Variance showed that the two independent variables (caffeine dose and expectancy), did not significantly influence the short term memory span score. However, the …

Integrating The Development Of Children And Gestalt Therapy, Jennifer J. Thompson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

There are many theories that have contributed to what we know about the development of children; for instance, theoretical diversity supports the complexities of human nature. A child's developmental level will impact his ability to relate. Gestalt theory supports the child's phenomenological view by focusing on the here-and-now of what is happening in the therapeutic environment. Most of what a child will do is in response to a need or want. The child will work toward fulfilling that need. The child may develop maladaptive ways to fulfill his needs based on the environment in which he lives. Gestalt play therapy …

Horticulture Group Therapy With Mentally Ill Older Adults, Kristen J. Hill

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

With a greatly increasing number of older adults due to advances in medical care, aU baby boomers in the United States will be 65 or older by 2029. As the number of older adults grows, so does the number of those with severe mental illness. Treatments are needed to address older adults with severe mental illness that include the negative side effects of medications. Due to the nature of severe mental illness, lower levels of required cognitive processing allows for those admitted to inpatient psychiatric settings to participate, including those with dementia. Horticulture therapy has proven useful to address severe …

Lateralization Of Emotion, Reaction Time, And Skin Conductance Responsiveness, Kimberley Erin Rose

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Bilateral presentations of brief (250 ms), unmasked emotional and neutral stimuli were examined in two experiments with primarily female samples. Reaction time and accuracy data were used to measure perception of emotion and skin conductance response (SCR) was used to measure experience of emotion. Both words and pictures were used to account for hemispheric differences in language and visuospatial dominance. Response time was faster to emotional pictures than words. Reaction time and speeded accuracy data did not support right hemisphere hypothesis (RHH) or valence hypothesis (VH) in the expected manner. Data suggested emotion caused greater interference under speeded conditions in …

Behavioral Activation Of Religious Behaviors: Treating Depressed College Students With A Randomized Controlled Trial, Maria Elizabeth Anne Armento

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Although spiritual or religious behaviors are sometimes targeted within behavioral activation protocols (Hopko & Lejuez, 2007; Hopko, Lejuez, Ruggiero, & Eifert, 2003), the efficacy of a protocol that exclusively develops a religiously-based behavioral repertoire has not been investigated. This randomized controlled study investigated the efficacy of a brief protocol for religious action in behavioral activation (PRA-BA) relative to a no-treatment “support” condition among mild to moderately depressed undergraduate students (n = 50). PRA-BA consisted of an individualized one-session intervention and 2-week activation interval. Clinical outcomes assessed depression, environmental reward, anxiety, and quality of life. Repeated measures ANOVAs indicated …

Impact Of An Online Support System On Health Related Quality Of Life Among Men Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer, Daniel K. Osei

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Prostate cancer is a major public health issue worldwide and a significant cause of male cancer death in the USA. Though early screening and treatment has greatly enhanced the outcome, men diagnosed with prostate cancer face problems that compromise quality of life after treatment. Online support for prostate cancer clients is a convenient way to help because it is anonymous, inexpensive, and can be used at clients’ convenience. Yet few studies have explored how these supports impact these clients. This study used a longitudinal randomized experimental design to examine the impact of online services on quality of life of prostate …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Effects Of Dragon Boating On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Female Cancer Survivors, Clara Therese Louise Vanherweg

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the effects of dragon boat participation on the psychosocial well-being of female cancer survivors over time and compared with the population-based norms. Nine female cancer survivors belonging to the dragon boat team, SurvivOars, participated in the initial measurement process. The measurement packet was 21 page compilation of psychosocial questionnaires capturing demographics, quality of life, moods, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, self-esteem, self-efficacy, social support, physical activity levels, body image, and sedentary behaviors. After 8 weeks, 8 subjects completed the same follow-up questionnaire to assess changes in psychosocial variables over time. Scores were …

The Importance Of Self-Efficacy And Basic Psychological Needs In Children’S Physical Activity: Measurement, Prediction And Intervention, Casey E. Gray

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The importance of physical activity in the overall health promotion and primary prevention of cardiovascular disease risk factors and metabolic diseases in children is well established. Nonetheless, interventions to increase physical activity among this population have been largely unsuccessful. The main objective of the research in this dissertation was to explore the suitability of self-efficacy and basic psychological needs for physical activity prediction and intervention in children. Item generation and psychometric evaluation of psychological questionnaires occurred in study 1 (Chapter 2). Using a prospective design, study 2 (Chapter 3) established task efficacy, barriers efficacy, competence, and autonomy as significant predictors …

Emotional Reactivity And Regulation In Current And Remitted Depression: An Event Related Potential Study, Lauren M. Bylsma

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is thought to be characterized by emotion regulation deficits, including decreased use of adaptive strategies such as reappraisal, but little is known about the exact nature of these deficits and whether or not they are specific to the depressed mood state. The late positive potential (LPP) is a sustained positive deflection of the event-related potential (ERP) associated with responding to emotionally-valenced stimuli, and reappraisal strategies have been found to reduce LPP magnitude in response to emotional stimuli in healthy individuals, but this effect has not been examined in MDD. This study utilized ERPs to examine emotional …

Treating Trauma Survivors With Neurofeedback: A Grounded Theory Study Based On The Practices Of Experienced Mental Health Professionals, Christine L. Currie

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Neuroscience, the mental health field, and the concept of trauma as an underlying factor in mental and physical disorders have been inextricably linked since the inception of the mental health professions. Numerous quantitative studies have indicated that neurofeedback may be effective in ameliorating trauma symptoms; however, there is a paucity of research exploring the factors that produce those positive outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to explore the factors and processes that influence treatment outcomes when neurofeedback is used with trauma survivors. Thirty interviews were completed with ten experienced mental health and neurofeedback professionals identified through …

Conditions For Empathy In Medicine: A Grounded Theory Study, Hannah Barnhill Bayne

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Previous research in the medical setting has credited empathy with improving treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction, though operational definitions of the concept are widely varied and indicate inconsistencies in conceptualization and subsequent assessment. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to examine the role of empathy in the medical setting. A model of conditions for empathy in medicine was developed through in-depth interviews with 21 healthcare professionals, utilizing their professional experiences and perspectives to structure the multi-level model. The seven levels of the model indicate the layers of complexity inherent in facilitating optimal empathy in medicine and add to …

The Association Of Religious Coping On Reports Of Low Back Pain And Inflammatory Markers, Jacqueline D. Bougie

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Chronic pain is the most common cause of disability in the United States with depression, anxiety, and stress often occurring co-morbidly. The purpose of the study was to explore how religion may modulate the frequency of back pain, influence inflammatory markers, influence the use of medications, and impact functional ability.

Participants were from the Biological Manifestations of Religion Study (BioMRS; N= 508) and the Psychological Manifestations of Religion Study (PsyMRS; N = 10,988). All participants completed a 20-page questionnaire and BioMRS participants provided blood, salivary, and urine samples, performance tests, and learning tests all collected within 1 week of …

What Do You Expect? : An Investigation Of How Caffeine Expectancies Affect College Students' Cognitive Performances, Katie Alyse Berg

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Caffeine use is common, but few studies have examined how the expectancies that people hold about caffeine relate to the effects they experience after consuming it. My study examined how typical caffeine consumption and students' expectancies about how caffeine generally affects them influence their decisions about caffeine use as well as their performance on memory and attention tests. I hypothesized that expectations about how caffeine affects students would interact with their beliefs about how much caffeine they had consumed to impact performance on tests of attention and memory. Undergraduate students were divided into four groups: high consumption and high expectancy, …

Positive Affect During Goal Adoption : Why Happiness Breeds Success, Katherine Wainwright

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Prior research has shown that positive affect helps individuals to achieve their goals. typically by energizing individuals' performance during goal pursuit. However, questions remain as to whether other mechanisms might exist by which positive affect could facilitate success. Specifically, researchers have yet to address the role that positive affect might play during the process of goal adoption. In the current study, I examined whether positive affect experienced at the time of goal adoption facilitates goal achievement. Participants were induced into either a positive or neutral affective state by watching a video clip. They were also asked to adopt the goal …

The Effects Of A Brief Mindfulness Intervention On Impulsivity In College Students, Myles Elgin Trapp

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study investigated the impact of a brief, introductory mindfulness intervention on attention, executive control, and impulsivity. I randomly assigned forty-seven undergraduate students to a treatment group (TG) receiving mindfulness training and a waiting list control group (WLG). Participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaires and standardized neuropsychological tests before and after the intervention. Participants high in trait mindfulness suffered less interference on a Stroop task, were less impulsive on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task, but also evidenced less cognitive flexibility on a dual fluency test at baseline. The TG demonstrated greater improvement than the WLG from baseline to re-test …

“It Can Start From Anything”: An Existential Phenomenological Investigation Of Athletes’ Experiences Of Psychological Momentum, Greg Young

Doctoral Dissertations

Psychological Momentum (PM) is a commonly recognized phenomenon in sport, yet remains one of the least understood (Taylor & Demick, 1994). Previous research examined PM using archival data (Gayton & Very, 1993; Gilovich, Vallone, & Tversky, 1985; Koehler & Conley, 2003; Silva, Hardy, & Crace, 1988), hypothetical and contrived scenarios (Eisler & Spink, 1998; Miller & Weinberg, 1991; Perreault, Vallerand, Montgomery, & Provencher, 1998; Vallerand, Colavecchio, & Pelletier, 1988), and actual performance (Mack, et al., 2008). More recently, Jones and Harwood (2008) used semi-structured interviews to examine participants’ …

Factors That Inhibit Or Enhance Maternal Coping With Stillbirth In Chhattisgarh, India, Lisa R. Roberts

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Over half of the known stillbirths occur in four highly populated countries—India among them. While acknowledged as a significant public health issue in western societies, little is known about maternal coping with stillbirth in developing countries. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to explore how issues of gender and power, social support, coping efforts, and religious beliefs influence perinatal grief outcomes among poor women in rural Chhattisgarh, India.

Methods: In Phase 1 of this mixed methods study, grounded theory methods were used to explore perceptions regarding stillbirth. A de-identified medical records review of 536 deliveries at Christian …

Effect Of Anchoring On Perceived Amniocentesis Related Miscarriage Risk Within A Latina Population, Laura E. Panos

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Most recognized pregnancies are completed without difficulty, yet there is always a 3-5% background risk to have a child with a birth defect. Amniocentesis, the most common type of prenatal diagnostic test, is used to detect chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome. Amniocentesis is associated with a risk of complications that can lead to a miscarriage, which is typically quoted to be between 1 in 300 and 1 in 500. Amniocentesis uptake rates are typically lowest within the Latina community, and although the factors related to this have been studied before, no specific conclusions have been reached.

The general population …

Therapists' And Families' Views On Family Involvement In Adolescent Residential Treatment, Jonathan D. Zabriskie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study of 24 therapists and 64 family members representing 109 adolescent residents of six residential treatment centers aimed to better understand therapists' and family members' points of view about family involvement in residential treatment for troubled adolescents. The study also provided the therapists' and family members' recommendations for family involvement in residential treatment.

Findings from this mixed-methods study suggest that (a) the families from this study were involved in many different ways in their adolescents' treatment, including phone calls, visits to the treatment center, participation in therapy, and so forth; (b) there were areas in which therapists and family …

The Self: Your Own Worst Enemy? A Test Of The Self-Invoking Trigger Hypothesis, Bradley J. Mckay

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The self invoking trigger hypothesis was recently proposed by Wulf and Lewthwaite (2010) as the mechanism underlying the robust effects of attentional focus on motor learning and performance. The hypothesis suggests that causing individuals to access their self schema will negatively impact their ability to learn and perform a motor skill. The purpose of the present study was to provide an initial test of this hypothesis by causing one group of participants to activate their self schema in a straightforward manner. Participants (N = 32) were assigned to either a self-activated or control condition and asked to practice a wiffleball …

The Hormonal Correlates Of Stress And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms In Female Veterans, Meghan Pierce

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With the increase of female veterans serving in the military, a better understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder is needed to provide comprehensive treatment. This study examines salivary cortisol in female veterans with PTSD, female veterans without PTSD, civilian females with PTSD and healthy controls. The Posttraumatic Stress and Beck Depression Inventory-II were used to assess posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms. Saliva samples were collected at bedtime and awakening, as well as in response to the Trier Social Stress Test. Significant results were not found for diurnal cortisol levels [ F (3, 11)= .979, p < .05] or stress cortisol levels (F (3,12) = 1.140, p >.05). …

Development Of A Scale To Assess Avoidance Behavior Due To A Fear Of Falling: The Fear Of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (Ffabq), Cortney Durand, D. Shalom Powell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: A history of falls or imbalance may lead to a fear of falling which may lead to self-imposed avoidance of activity; this avoidance may stimulate a vicious cycle of deconditioning and subsequent falls.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire that would quantify avoidance behavior due to a fear of falling.

Design: This study consisted of two parts, questionnaire development and psychometric testing. Questionnaire development included an expert panel and 39 assisted living residents. Psychometric testing included 63 community dwelling subjects with various health conditions.

Methods: Questionnaire development included the evaluation …

Executive Function Profiles In Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury, Erik Nelson Ringdahl

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Traumatic brain injury is a common cause of disability and death among children in the United States. Insult to the frontal and temporal lobes are frequent in closed head brain injury. Cognitive deficits in a variety of domains are common sequelae of brain trauma. In many cases, trauma to the frontal and temporal lobe regions engender prominent deficits in higher-order cognitive processing, memory, and attention.

Higher-order cognitive processing, or Executive Functions are the grouping of cognitive processes necessary for organization of thoughts and activities, attending to the activities, prioritizing tasks, managing time efficiently, and making decisions (Alvarez & Emory, 2006; …

To Consult Or Not To Consult? Investigating Barriers To Dysparenia Treatment-Seeking In Young Women, Robyn L. Donaldson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Little is known about mediators of treatment-seeking in dyspareunia. The general health belief literature as well as some existing qualitative data specific to dyspareunia, however, suggests a number of potentially significant barriers that may delay or prevent women from enlisting the aid of health care professionals. The aim of this study was to investigate influences on dyspareunia treatment-seeking behavior in young women, for whom the consequences of treatment avoidance are hypothesized to be the greatest. Given the lack of standardized health behavior measures relevant to intercourse pain, we constructed a measure assessing potential barriers to dyspareunia treatment-seeking. An exploratory principal …

The Relationship Of Child Maltreatment Potential And Mothers’ Satisfaction With Their Neglected Children, Kelsey M. Bradshaw

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Parental satisfaction refers to the extent to which parents are satisfied with their children in relation to parent-child interactions and child behavior. The relationship between parental satisfaction and child behavior problems has been demonstrated extensively in the literature. Children who exhibit increased behavior problems appear to be at increased risk of parental aggression. Maltreating parents evidence greater levels of parental dissatisfaction as compared to caregivers of children who are not maltreated. Thus, low parental satisfaction is a suspected risk-factor for child maltreatment. Previous studies have shown that parental substance abuse is also strongly related to occurrence of child maltreatment. This …