Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Factors Influencing Self-Rated Preparedness For Graduate School: A Survey Of Graduate Students, Matthew T. Huss, Brandy A. Randall, Marc Patry, Stephen F. Davis, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Numerous studies have found a host of factors that are likely to result in more successful applications to graduate schools. This study was a retrospective examination of the variables that distinguish graduate students who believed they were better prepared for graduate school. We examined several of these factors, including variables associated with undergraduate education and the individual for their relation to self-rated preparedness for graduate school. Our findings highlighted quality faculty interactions and participation in research as important factors in graduate students’ post hoc ratings of their preparedness for graduate school. We also found that different types of institutions differed …

Sharing Power And Knowledge: Professional And Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Researchers Working Together In A Participatory Action Research Project, Joanna Ochocka, Rich Janzen, Geoffrey Nelson

Psychology Faculty Publications

In this article we document and reflect on the process and outcomes of consumer/survivor researchers' involvement in a community mental health research project. The study used a participatory action research approach that challenges traditional assumptions of how to conduct research. Research roles and relationships were reexamined by both professional and consumer/survivor researchers. Four values were central to the research process: consumer/survivor empowerment, supportive relationships, learning as an ongoing process, and social justice. The benefits of this value-driven approach were seen in terms of positive impacts on the lives of individual researchers and also in the quality of the research itself. …

Center For Psychology Studies Newsletter - Spring 2002, Nova Southeastern University

Center for Psychological Studies Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Span Span Away! Creating One Unique Record For Overlapping Admissions And Discharges From Multiple Inpatient Hospital Stays, Shabnam Mehra, Robyn Spittle, Rebecca Larsen, Diane Haynes, Kathleen Dailey

Mental Health Law & Policy Faculty Publications

The Policy and Services Research Data Center (PSRDC) in the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy at The Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute performs research with a variety of secondary mental health datasets. The data format is often manipulated to accommodate our research objectives. One example of this manipulation is “span coding” using SAS^®. This code is specifically designed to transform overlapping inpatient hospital stays into one unique record by means of the admission and discharge dates. The techniques in this paper apply to health care agencies and the pharmaceutical industry but may easily …

Generalizing The Dynamic Field Theory Of The A-Not-B Error Beyond Infancy: Three-Year-Olds’ Delay- And Experience-Dependent Location Memory Biases, Anne R. Schutte, John P. Spencer

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Thelen and colleagues recently proposed a dynamic field theory (DFT) to capture the general processes that give rise to infants’ performance in the Piagetian A-not-B task. According to this theory, the same general processes should operate in noncanonical A-not-B-type tasks with children older than 12 months. Three predictions of the DFT were tested by examining 3-year-olds’ location memory errors in a task with a homogeneous task space. Children pointed to remembered locations after delays of 0 s to 10 s. The spatial layout of the possible targets and the frequency with which children moved to each target was varied. As …

The Effects Of Defendant Remorse On Mock Juror Decisions In A Malpractice Case, Brian H. Bornstein, Lahna M. Rung M.A., Monica K. Miller

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of defendant remorse on monetary damages awarded to a plaintiff in a malpractice case. In two experiments, the physician-defendant expressed remorse at the time of the incident and again at trial, expressed remorse at trial, explicitly demonstrated a lack of remorse at trial, or made no mention of remorse (or a lack thereof). Participants decided how much money to award to the plaintiff and evaluated both the plaintiff and the defendant on several dimensions. Participants awarded greater compensation when the physician expressed remorse at the time of the incident than …

The Development Of A Measure Of Prosocial Behaviors For Late Adolescents, Gustavo Carlo, Brandy A. Randall

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The correlates and structure of prosocial behaviors in late adolescents were examined using a newly constructed, multidimensional measure. In Study 1, 249 college students (145 women; M age = 19.9 years) were administered the Prosocial Tendencies Measure (PTM) which assesses 6 types of prosocial behaviors: altruistic, compliant, emotional, dire, public, and anonymous. Measures of sympathy, perspective taking, personal distress, social desirability, global prosocial behaviors, social responsibility, ascription of responsibility, vocabulary skills, and prosocial moral reasoning were also completed. Test-retest reliability and further validity of the PTM were demonstrated in Study 2 with a sample of 40 college students (28 women; …

Pretrial Publicity And Civil Cases: A Two-Way Street?, Brian H. Bornstein, Brooke L. Whisenhunt, Robert J. Nemeth, Deborah L. Dunaway

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Published pretrial publicity (PTP) research has been conducted almost exclusively with criminal cases and has focused on PTP that is detrimental to the defense. The current research examined the effects of PTP in a civil case to determine if PTP can have a biasing effect against either the defendant or the plaintiff in civil litigation. In Experiment 1, participants exposed to PTP biased against the defendant were more likely to reach a liable verdict than participants who read a control article or PTP biased against the plaintiff. Experiment 2 demonstrated that a judicial admonition did not reduce the biasing effect …

Improvement In Quantity And Quality Of Prevention Measurement Of Toddler Injuries And Parental Interventions, Lizette Peterson, David Dilillo, Terri Lewis, Kenneth Sher

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Injury is the leading killer of children in the United States, yet little research has focused on this vital subject. One of the distinct barriers to injury prevention is the absence of effective assessment devices. Epidemiological aspects of injury have been assessed, but these provide little information at a level sufficient to allow conclusions about potential behavioral prevention methods. This paper describes an alternative, the Participant Event Monitoring (PEM) system. In this paper, the PEM system is used to examine a sample of 170 toddlers (ages 18 to 36 months), over a 6-month period, resulting in data on over 4,200 …

Child Sexual Abuse, Eugenia Hsu, Georganna Sedlar, Mary Fran Flood, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This chapter describes the case of two adolescent girls who were living in foster care with their maternal aunt and her family, the Kraller family. The girls and their aunt and uncle participated in Project SAFE, a university-based program for sexually abused children and their nonoffending caregivers, which is described in detail in the Course of Treatment section. The Kraller family was referred to Project SAFE by the local Child Advocacy Center. Miriam Kraller contacted the Child Advocacy Center when she learned that her two nieces (her younger sister’s daughters), Gina (age 14) and Suzy (age 13), had been sexually …

Using Controversial Mock Trials In “Psychology And Law” Courses: Suggestions From Participants, James L. Werth, James Harvey, Rebecca Mcnamara, Andrea Svoboda, Raina Gulbrandson, Jennifer Hendren, Tiffany Greedy, Christie Leybold

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

We discuss the use of a mock trial of the controversial Jack Kevorkian euthanasia case in an undergraduate psychology and law course. We provide an overview of the project, student feedback, and recommendations for improving the exercise. Based on feedback from students, we conclude that constructing a trial around a controversial topic with psychosocial issues as the foundation of a course can increase the utility of a mock trial and make the course a better learning experience.

Attachment Disorders And Personality Disorders : A Possible Connection, Jen Sacora

Graduate Research Papers

Researchers now propose that attachment theory can be applied beyond childhood. They believe attachment exists in adulthood and influences adult relationships. Possible connections between personality disorders and well-known approaches to personality development such as attachment theory have been made (Brennan & Shaver, 1998).

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between parent-infant attachment which influence adult relationships and psychopathology. Theories of personality development as they relate to attachment will be explored as well as influence of early childhood experiences on personality. Finally, possible connections between attachment disorders and personality disorders will be speculated.

Respecting Pandora's Box, Erica Beecher-Monas

Law Faculty Research Publications

No abstract provided.

Unbuckling The Chemical Straitjacket: The Legal Significance Of Recent Advances In The Pharmacological Treatment Of Psychosis, Douglas Mossman Md

Faculty Articles and Other Publications

Antipsychotic medications figure prominently in the rapidly-growing field of mental disability law. Although the properties of antipsychotic medications are medical matters, legal scholars, judges, and practicing attorneys often need to understand what these drugs do. Yet the legal database - the principal or sole information source cited and consulted by legal thinkers - is often a source of confusion or misinformation about the actions of antipsychotic drugs and the scientific basis for prescribing them. The potential for misunderstanding antipsychotic treatment has increased since the arrival of "novel" or "aytpical" antipsychotic drugs, which cause fewer side effects than drugs that were …

Gender Differences In Gross And Fine Motor Abilities In Preschool Aged Children In West Virginia, Kelly R. Pennington

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in gross and fine motor abilities in preschool aged children in West Virginia. Subjects consisted of 21 males and 16 females. Data was collected via the West Virginia Educare Initiative using the Carolina Curriculum for Preschoolers with Special Needs. Results of this study indicate that there are no significant gender differences in either gross motor or fine motor abilities in preschool aged children.

Reactive Attachment Disorder : Diagnosis, Assessment, And Treatment, Kimberly A. Rees

Graduate Research Papers

In recent years, there has been an increasing trend toward the use of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) as a diagnosis to describe myriad problem behaviors and disturbed interactions between infants, young children and their caregivers. There is considerable disagreement about what RAD actually entails and, in particular, what types of assessments and treatment interventions to use with affected children and families (Hanson & Spratt, 2000). This paper is intended to clarify what the current research states about Reactive Attachment Disorder. It includes the definitions and diagnosis, importance of attachment, biological components, risk factors later in life, assessment, and treatment available …

The Effect Of Repeated Experience On Children’S Suggestibility Across Two Question Types, Martine B. Powell, Kim P. Roberts

Psychology Faculty Publications

There is a discrepancy in the literature regarding the effect of repeated experience on children’s suggestibility. Some researchers have concluded that repeated experience increases children’s suggestibility for variable details whereas others have reported no detrimental effect. This study demonstrated that the type of question used to test memory (cued-recall vs. yes/no questions) could account for the different reported conclusions. Children aged 5-6 years took part in an event either once or four times. Three or 21 days later, they were given a suggestive interview about the single/final occurrence of the event during which half of the event details were inaccurately …

Children's Ability To Distinguish Between Memories From Multiple Sources: Implications For The Quality And Accuracy Of Eyewitness Statements, Kim P. Roberts

Psychology Faculty Publications

Identifying the sources of memories (e.g., who carried out an action, whether an event happened or was suggested, when an instance of a repeated event occurred) is an important skill in providing accurate accounts of events in forensic investigations. Sensitivity to the nature and development of children’s source-monitoring skills can inform interviewing practices. Five perspectives addressing alternate aspects of the development of children’s source monitoring are outlined (source-monitoring theory, fuzzy-trace theory, schema theory, the person-based perspective, and the mental-state reasoning model). Six main areas of empirical research stemming from these theories are then discussed with emphasis on how the findings …

Commentary And Reply To: Would Smokers With Schizophrenia Benefit From A More Flexible Approach To Smoking Treatment?, Tony George, Jennifer Vessicchio, David G. Gilbert, John R. Hughes, Dennis E. Mcchargue, Suzy B. Gulliver, Brian Hitsman

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Treating Tobacco Addiction in Schizophrenia: Where do we go From Here?
Yes! Smokers with Schizophrenia will Benefit from More Flexible Treatment Approaches
Rigidity in Measures of Smoking Cessation
A Reply to the Commentaries on Schizophrenia and Smoking Treatment: More Research is Needed

A Comparison Of Fatal School Shootings In Rural Communities, Scott T. Kidd, Cheryl L. Meyer

School of Professional Psychology Faculty Publications

Disturbing new patterns have marked the occurrence of recent lethal school violence where young offenders have targeted large groups of fellow students as their victims. The current study is an effort to understand this growing trend of youth violence. Based on analysis of several cases that occurred between 1996 and 1999, a profile of the offenders is suggested built on similarities and differences between cases that were researched. Data was collected from online databases and internet websites for various news organizations. Sources of data included reports from national, regional and local newspapers, newsmagazines, wire services, interview transcripts, and reports posted …

Agency In The Life Course: Concepts And Processes, Lisa J. Crockett

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The capacity of humans to influence their lives has long been a theme within Western literature, philosophy, and psychology. In recent years, the theme of human agency has crystallized in the psychological literature in the concepts of control, self-regulation, and self-efficacy. As a result, considerable attention has been devoted to the psychological processes through which control is exerted, such as cognitive appraisals, goal setting, and planning, as well as control beliefs and the potentially debilitating effects of loss of control (e.g., Bandura, 1997; Boekaerts, Pintrich, & Zeidner, 2000; Carver & Scheier, 1998; Seligman, 1975). Although this body of work has …

Review Of Communication Disorders In Multicultural Populations, John Stephen Brantley

Faculty & Staff Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Co-Occurring Disorders Problem Gambling Integrated Treatment Workbook, Kathleen Moore, Chad O. Matthews, W. Michael Hunt, Laura Pape

Mental Health Law & Policy Faculty Publications

In this stage (which will be discussed in Module 8 in more detail) the client has achieved abstinence for at least six months. As relapse of substance use and gambling disorders is common, one important goal is to help maintain an awareness that relapse is possible and to take steps to minimize the chan ces of relapse occurring. A second goal of this stage is to expand the client’s recovery to other areas of functioning such as social relationships and health. Comm on strategies include developi ng a relapse prevention plan, participating in self-help groups , and working on rehabilitation.

Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment Manual, Kathleen A. Moore, Chad Matthews, W. Michael Hunt, Laura Pape

Mental Health Law & Policy Faculty Publications

This manual was created over a period of several months through the efforts of a working group comprised of substance abuse treatment practitioners and researchers affiliated with the Tampa PIC/Suncoast Practice and Research Collaborative project. The manual was field tested in several treatment agencies in the Tampa Bay area, and was then refined through feedback received by practitioners and clients regarding the manual’s utility, ease of comprehension, and perceived relevance of the material to their needs.

This manual provides a guide for conducting treatment groups related to co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. Counselors should feel free to adapt …

Review Of Communication Disorders In Multicultural Populations, John Brantley

Faculty & Staff Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

A School Psychologist's Role In Decreasing Eating Disorder Prevalence In School-Aged Children, Natalie Muth

Graduate Research Papers

Eating disorders have dramatically increased over the last 20 years, resulting in prevalence rates exceeding other high-incidence medical conditions treated in the educational setting. Chapter 2 presents a review of literature covering eating disorder identification, history, prevalence and epidemiological data. Theoretical perspectives, risk and protective factors, symptoms, and medical complications are also reviewed. Current assessment measures used for screening and diagnosing anorexia and bulimia is additionally presented along with a summary of school-based primary prevention programs. The second chapter concludes with a brief overview of eating disorder treatment.

A summary is presented in chapter 3 along with implications for school …

The Importance Of Behavioral Interventions And Stimulant Medication Effects On Reducing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Elizabeth Alvarez

Graduate Research Papers

Overall, various avenues of research state that ADHD is a complex disorder that requires treatment by multiple modalities. Most research states that a combination of medication and behavior therapy is necessary to resolve the symptoms. It should be noted that the dose of stimulant medication prescribed to a child with ADHD should be adjusted based on the child's response to a behavioral intervention, as well as the combination of the behavioral and pharmacological treatments. Rapport et al. (1982), as well as others, have found that medication alone will not "cure" ADHD. But with multiple methods of treatment the symptoms will …

Serotonin Transporter Promoter Polymorphism, Peripheral Indexes Of Serotonin Function, And Personality Measures In Families With Alcoholism, Scott F. Stoltenberg, Geoffrey R. Twitchell, Gregory L. Hanna, Edwin H. Cook, Hiram E. Fitzgerald, Robert A. Zucker, Karley Y. Little

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

A functional polymorphism in the regulatory region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) is considered to be a plausible candidate gene for anxiety-related personality traits and for alcoholism. Empirical support for the association between 5-HTTLPR and psychological traits has been somewhat inconsistent; however, observations of the functional dominance of the low-activity s-allele over the l-allele have been more consistent. When studying the influence of particular genes on psychological traits, it seems useful also to assess more biological intermediate traits that may mediate the effects of those genes on the traits of interest. The present study examined relationships between 5-HTTLPR genotype, …

Food Sharing: A Model Of Manipulation By Harassment, Jeffrey R. Stevens, David W. Stephens

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Most analyses of food-sharing behavior invoke complex explanations such as indirect and delayed benefits for sharing via kin selection and reciprocal altruism. However, food sharing can be a more general phenomenon accounted for by more parsimonious, mutualistic explanations. We propose a game theoretical model of a general sharing situation in which food owners share because it is in their own self-interest—they avoid high costs associated with beggar harassment. When beggars harass, owners may benefit from sharing part of the food if their consumption rate is low relative to the rate of cost accrual. Our model predicts that harassment can be …

Prosocial Development In Early Adulthood: A Longitudinal Study, Nancy Eisenberg, Ivanna K. Guthrie, Amanda Cumberland, Bridget C. Murphy, Stephanie A. Shepard, Qing Zhou, Gustavo Carlo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Consistency of measures of a prosocial personality and prosocial moral judgment over time, and the interrelations among them, were examined. Participants’ and friends’ reports of prosocial characteristics were obtained at ages 21– 22, 23–24, and 25–26 years. In addition, participants’ prosocial judgment was assessed with interviews and with an objective measure of prosocial moral reasoning at several ages. Reports of prosocial behavior and empathy-related responding in childhood and observations of prosocial behavior in preschool also were obtained. There was interindividual consistency in prosocial dispositions, and prosocial dispositions in adulthood related to empathy/sympathy and prosocial behavior at much younger ages. Interview …