Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Translating Pharmacogenetics To Clinical Practice: Do Cytochrome P450 2d6 Ultrarapid Metabolizers Need Higher Atomoxetine Doses?, Jose De Leon

Psychiatry Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Explaining The Contact Caveat: The Role Of Social Identity And Intergroup Threat, Jesse Acosta

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This project has attempted to offer an explanation for the differential roles of positive and negative contact, wherein negative contact more strongly predicts changes in prejudice than positive contact (Barlow et al., 2007). In an attempt to replicate and extend on this relationship, intergroup threat theory and social identity theory are incorporated in a model intended to explain this differential relationship. This study measured the attitudes of 227 Mexican Americans toward Caucasians and Mexican Immigrants. This analysis offers a partial replication of Barlow et al., with unfavorable attitudes toward Whites leading to stronger changes when contact was negative. When evaluating …

Executive Function Predictors Of Children's Talk, Jacqlyne D. Weber

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Relatively few studies have investigated the relationship between executive functioning (EF) and language development, and even fewer have researched hot and cool EF as a predictor language development. This study is an investigation into the relationship between EF and language development in preschool aged children. More specifically, the ability for hot or cool EF to predict language, this will be the focus of the study. It was found that hot EF was a better predictor of language development in preschool aged children.

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Childhood Abuse, Anger And Violent Behavior Among A Sample Of Sex Offenders, Stephanie R. Ramirez, Elizabeth L. Jeglic, Cynthia Calkins

Publications and Research

Background: Increasing attention has focused on the emotional dysregulation that can result from adverse childhood experiences among those who commit sexually violent crimes. While studies confirm a relationship between child maltreatment and anger the research is limited and it is unclear how anger and child maltreatment effect the use of violence during the commission of the sex crime.

Methods: This study examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment, anger and violent behavior by reviewing the records of 571 adult male offenders convicted of sexual assault or child molestation. The aims of the present study were to 1) examine differences in anger …

World-Class Research: Biomedical Science Beyond Experimentation

Colby Magazine

Faculty and relationships with Maine’s big-three research labs propel Colby’s opportunities in biomedical science

Could childhood nutrition set late-life brain function?

Hitting the lab running

Ahmad wins grant for study of neurodegenerative disease

Trust In Science And Scientists And The Acceptance Of Evolution, Louis S. Nadelson, Kimberly K. Hardy

Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Accepting the concept of evolution is important for the advancement of biological science and has many implications for daily life. However, a large portion of the general public does not currently accept biological evolution. Therefore, it is important to understand what factors are associated with a decline in the acceptance of evolution. Of particular interest for us is the relationship of individuals’ sense of trust in science in relationship to evolution acceptance.

Methods: Using the Trust in Science and Scientists and Inventory of Student Evolution Acceptance we surveyed 159 undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory psychology course. Additionally, we …

Visual Feedback Dominates The Sense Of Agency For Brain-Machine Actions, Nathan Evans, Steven Gale, Aaron Schurger, Olaf Blanke

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Recent advances in neuroscience and engineering have led to the development of technologies that permit the control of external devices through real-time decoding of brain activity (brain-machine interfaces; BMI). Though the feeling of controlling bodily movements (sense of agency; SOA) has been well studied and a number of well-defined sensorimotor and cognitive mechanisms have been put forth, very little is known about the SOA for BMI-actions. Using an on-line BMI, and verifying that our subjects achieved a reasonable level of control, we sought to describe the SOA for BMI-mediated actions. Our results demonstrate that discrepancies between decoded neural activity and …

Research Brief: "Coping, Family Social Support, And Psychological Symptoms Among Student Veterans", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study is about coping styles among student veterans and what is related to various coping styles. For policy and practice, universities should understand veterans' stigmatization of mental health services and should improve cultural competence; the Department of Veterans Affairs should work with universities to ensure student veteran success. Suggestions for future research include using a larger, more representative sample and looking at the effects of actual versus perceived social support.

Is It Time To Consider The “Burnout Syndrome” A Distinct Illness?, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent

Publications and Research

The “burnout syndrome” has been defined as a combination of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment caused by chronic occupational stress. Although there has been increasing medical interest in burnout over the last decades, it is argued in this paper that the syndrome cannot be elevated to the status of diagnostic category, based on (1) an analysis of the genesis of the burnout construct, (2) a review of the latest literature on burnout-depression overlap, (3) a questioning of the three-dimensional structure of the burnout syndrome, and (4) a critical examination of the notion that burnout is singularized by its …

A Technology-Enabled Adherence Enhancement System For People With Bipolar Disorder: Results From A Feasibility And Patient Acceptance Analysis, Martha Sajatovic, Kristina A. Cassidy, Johnny Sams, Edna Fuentes-Casiano

Faculty Scholarship

Objective: As poor medication adherence is common in bipolar disorder (BD), technology-assisted approaches may help to monitor and enhance adherence. This study evaluated preliminary feasibility, patient satisfaction and effects on adherence, BD knowledge, and BD symptoms associated with the use of a multicomponent technology-assisted adherence enhancement system. Methods: This prospective study tested the system in five BD patients over a 15-day period. System components included: 1) an automated pill cap with remote monitoring sensor; 2) a multimedia adherence enhancement program; and 3) a treatment incentive program. This study evaluated system usability, patient satisfaction and effects on adherence (Morisky scale), knowledge …

Effects Of Early-Adolescent, Mid-Adolescent, Or Adult Stress On Morphine Conditioned Place Preference, Chloe Shields

Senior Theses

In light of previous work demonstrating that stress can increase subjective drug reward in adult rats, the present study investigated the influence of stress on morphine conditioned place preference (CPP) in early-adolescent, mid-adolescent, and adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Subjects in each age group were assigned to either a no stress condition or a stress condition in which they were exposed to an unpredictable eight-day schedule of elevated platform and synthetic fox odor stressors. Place conditioning then evaluated subjective morphine reward in all animals. Using a biased procedure, subjects were assigned to receive morphine on the initially non-preferred side of the …

The Effects Of Arginine Vasopressin On Maternal Behavior And Aggression In Peromyscus Californicus Mothers, Nathaniel Ng

Honors Projects

Research studies since the 1950s have shown that a chemical within the brain called arginine vasopressin (AVP) is associated with the modulation of many different social behaviors in mammals. Some of these behaviors are related to parenting, such as parental care initiation, aggression, social recognition, depression and anxiety. Understanding the physiology behind AVP regulation could allow for the creation of new therapies for treating human social disorders, such as using an AVP receptor antagonist to attenuate anxiety. This project examines how neural injections of AVP and an AVP receptor antagonist affect both maternal care and aggression in female Peromyscus californicus …

Variability Modifies Life Satisfaction's Association With Mortality Risk In Older Adults, Julia K. Boehm, Ashley Winning, Suzanne Segerstrom, Laura D. Kubzansky

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Greater life satisfaction is associated with greater longevity, but its variability across time has not been examined relative to longevity. We investigated whether mean life satisfaction across time, variability in life satisfaction across time, and their interaction were associated with mortality over 9 years of follow-up. Participants were 4,458 Australians initially at least 50 years old. During the follow-up, 546 people died. After we adjusted for age, greater mean life satisfaction was associated with a reduction in mortality risk, and greater variability in life satisfaction was associated with an increase in mortality risk. These findings were qualified by a significant …

The Clinical Utility Of The Adult Attachment Projective Picture System: A Clinician's Perspective, Ashley Gunterman

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) is the first performance-based measure of adult attachment to be developed. The purpose of the measure is to provide a clinical understanding of an adult client's attachment status and associated coping mechanisms. The AAP is a relatively new measure that has yet to be examined from a utility perspective. In the current study, seven psychologists completed a structured survey in order to identify their perspectives of the AAP and its utility as a clinical instrument. A phenomenological qualitative analysis of the data was conducted to derive themes about the AAP and its clinical …

Daily Activity Patterns Of 2,316 Men And Women From Five Countries Differing In Socioeconomic Development, Mamane Sani, Roberto Refinetti

Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Daily rhythmicity in the locomotor activity of laboratory animals has been studied in great detail for many decades, but the daily pattern of locomotor activity has not received as much attention in humans. We collected waist-worn accelerometer data from more than 2,000 individuals from five countries differing in socioeconomic development and conducted a detailed analysis of human locomotor activity. Body mass index was computed from height and weight. Individual activity records lasting 7 days were subjected to cosinor analysis to determine the parameters of the daily activity rhythm: mesor (mean level), amplitude (half the range of excursion), acrophase (time of …

Four Lessons Learned From Treatingcatholic Priest Sex Offenders, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

Perhaps there is no one in our society more despised and vilified than sex offenders, especially those who sexually violate young children. And during the past decade perhaps no particular subgroup of sex offender has been more despised than those who are Roman Catholic priests. We need to be attentive to the state-of-the-art facts, best practices, and create policies and procedures to keep those who might harm children away from children. To do otherwise is foolish and harmful. Yet strong opinions, advocacy, and hysteria sometimes gets more attention than actual evidence-based quality research and practice which is not ultimately in …

Sleep Hygiene Practices: A Cross Cultural Survey Of Sleeping And Dreaming In College Students, Ivan Noe Martinez Salazar

Masters Theses

There is consensus that a sizeable percentage of people in most developed countries do not obtain adequate amounts or quality of sleep. These disruptions in sleep, when chronic and severe, can lead to psychological, behavioral and health consequences. The focus on behavioral and contextual factors that impact sleep has been termed “sleep hygiene”. An on-line anonymous survey collected sociodemographic information, as well as self-reports on sleep, sleep hygiene practices and dreaming across two cultural groups (English & Spanish speaking responders). A total of 204 participants (majority of them college and graduate students) answered the survey. Both cultural groups, English and …

Symptoms Of Depression Among Patients Attending A Diabetes Care Clinic In Rural Western Kenya, Kristen Shirey, Simon M. Manyara, Lukoye Atwoli, Ryan Tomlin, Benson Gakinya, Stephanie Cheng, Jemima Kamano, Jeremiah Laktabai, Sonak Pastakia

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Objective: The prevalence of diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa is rising, but its relationship to depression is not well-characterized. This report describes depressive symptom prevalence and associations with adherence and outcomes among patients with diabetes in a rural, resource-constrained setting.

Methods: In the Webuye, Kenya diabetes clinic, we conducted a chart review, analyzing data including medication adherence, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), clinic attendance, and PHQ-2 depression screening results.

Results: Among 253 patients, 20.9% screened positive for depression. Prevalence in females was higher than in males; 27% vs 15% (p = 0.023). Glycemic control trends were better in those screening negative; at 24 …

Gratitude And Kindness: Just What The Doctor Ordered, Kathleen E. Glynn

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In recent years, the positive psychology movement has grown and researchers have become interested in studying overall well-being and the predictors of happiness. Previous studies have indicated that biology plays a role in determining an individual’s happiness, but this is not the only contributing factor. Thought patterns and behaviors play a key role in one’s overall wellbeing. The current study evaluated the relationship that a practice of gratitude and performing acts of kindness had on participants’ scores on happiness, gratitude and social support scales. It was predicted that individuals who performed acts of kindness and practice gratitude for one week …

Research Brief: "Alcohol Use And Craving Among Veterans With Mental Health Disorders And Mild Traumatic Brain Injury", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the relation between alcohol craving and mental health disorders among veterans, and how mental health disorders impact alcohol cravings. For policy and practices, the research shows that alcohol cravings and mental health disorders among veterans could be a sign for risk of alcohol use disorder. It also shows that the VA should assess veterans for alcohol use disorder, and also research more ties between mental health disorders and alcohol use. Suggestions for future research include conducting the study in a larger, more representative population, as well as involving families in measuring alcohol use/cravings to ensure less …

Fatalism, Diabetes Management Outcomes, And The Role Of Religiosity, Vincent Berardi, John Bellettiere, Orit Nativ, Slezak Ladislav, Melbourne Hovell, Orna Baron-Epel

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

This study aimed to determine whether fatalistic beliefs were associated with elevated levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and to establish the role of religiosity in this relationship. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample of 183 Jewish adults with diabetes visiting a large medical center in northern Israel. Self-administered questionnaires assessed level of religiosity, fatalistic beliefs, diabetes management behaviors, and demographic/personal characteristics; laboratory tests were used to measure HbA1c. Multivariate regression indicated that fatalism was significantly associated with HbA1c (β = 0.51, p = 0.01). The association was no longer statistically significant after including self-reported religiosity in the …

The Dance Impermanence: An Artistic Inquiry Through Improvisation, Julie Frances Brannen

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

This research study investigated the use of movement improvisation to create dance/movement therapy based interventions around the Buddhist concept of impermanence, or natural endings in life. As the sole-researcher and participant were identical, the purpose of this research was to investigate how change can be facilitated, focusing on the researcher’s personal experience to then apply as an emerging dance/movement therapist. The research was conducted through an artistic inquiry, which used arts-based methods as means of data collection, data analysis, and presentation of findings. Through improvisation, the researcher embodied impermanence as it related to concepts of holding on and letting go, …

Listening With The Eyes And Body: An Artistic Inquiry To Explore The Needs Of Deaf Adults With Chronic Mental Illness, Malorie Mcgee

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

This artistic inquiry illuminated the values, beliefs, and strengths of a small group of members of the Deaf community diagnosed with chronic mental illness, in the hopes of providing quality mental health care and bridging a gap between the hearing and Deaf worlds. The participants included five Deaf or Hard of Hearing adults with chronic mental illness attending a day mental health program. This study explored how I, as a dance/movement therapy student intern and the researcher, can embody Deaf or Hard of Hearing culture and chronic mental illness to express the strengths of the individuals as well as the …

Research Brief: "Suicidality Among Military-Connected Adolescents In California Schools", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study examines the prevalence of suicidal ideations among military-connected youth in California, and found that twenty-four percent of military-connected youth reported seriously considering suicide. Given these findings, school personnel and mental health providers should teach coping techniques for anxiety, depression, and stress; they would also benefit from implementing a policy that forbids service members from bringing firearms home during extended leaves and weekends. Future studies should sample military children of all grade levels, including college/university.

Dance/Movement Therapy And The Journey Of Infertility: A Phenomenological Study, Sara Ogawa

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the holistic phenomenon of infertility in order to assess the basic needs of women who struggle with infertility and the associated medical treatments. In order to address a comprehensive understanding of the experience of infertility, this study employed a body-mind perspective, which is based on the dance/movement therapy principle that “the body and the mind are inseparable”. Five women, who had experience with infertility, were invited to the study, and each participated in individual verbal and movement interviews. Kvale’s interview analysis was utilized to analyze verbal data, and the researcher’s kinesthetic …

Moving Thru: Dance/Movement Therapy Based Program For Direct Caregivers Of Childhood Survivors Of Human Trafficking And Commercial Sexual Exploitation In Belize, Amy Vanbecelaere

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this project was to; identify the biopsychosocial needs of child survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in Belize and to develop a dance/movement therapy based program that Belizean caregivers can utilize to better serve the children they work with. The Moving THRU (Trauma Healing, Recovery + Understanding) program was developed based on current literature regarding post-trafficking mental health care and information provided in interviews by Belizean direct caregivers currently working with youth who have been trafficked and exploited in the Cayo District of central Belize. The curriculum is designed to help direct caregivers utilize techniques …

My Embodied Multiracial Experience, Catherine C. Miller

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

While there is some research on dance/movement therapy (DMT) and people of Color, there is no research specifically on the use of DMT with multiracial people. This heuristic study explored the embodied experience of being multiracial and how that experience could inform the practice of DMT to better meet the possible needs of multiracial clients. The researcher was a 24 year old multiracial female graduate student. Data collection lasted for 12 weeks and consisted of experiences in which the researcher’s multiracial heritage was highlighted. Data was collected through three self-interviews and artistic journaling. The researcher used Forinash’s adapted form of …

The Evaluation Of Creative Passages: A Dance/Movement Therapy And Rits Of Passage Pilot Program For Adolescent Girls, Monimia Macbeth

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The purpose of this evaluation project was to assess the Creative Passages Program; a dance/movement therapy pilot program incorporating rites of passage rituals that was developed by the principle investigator. The evaluation included comprehensive assessment evaluation methods to assess the programs performance and its ability to achieve its specified outcomes. Creative Passages was constructed around a rites of passage framework, applying a ritual based experience similar to ceremonies performed for female adolescents in many cultures around the world. The program was developed around the idea that a dance/movement therapy program that incorporates rites of passage ritual for adolescent girls will …

The Creative Process Of Choreography And Performance: The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Within Dance/Movement Therapy, Chih-Hsien Lin

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The underlying creative process in the acts of choreography and performance has not yet been fully researched for use in clinical practices. It is rarely addressed for adults with brain injury in rehabilitation. This study investigated the perceived effects of the creative process within the performance as therapy (PAT) framework on the brain injury population. In a collaborative process engaging the participants as co-researchers and as co-performers in a final dance performance at a public venue, the role of PAT in brain injury rehabilitation was explored. By using artistic inquiry methodology through participatory action research (PAR) paradigm, the study addressed …

The Effect Of Auditory Stimuli On Visual Time-To-Contact Perception, Chelsea L. Rugel

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Previous research has demonstrated that auditory and visual stimuli have individual effects on the accuracy of a person’s estimation of time-to-contact (TTC), the time at which two objects collide. Prior findings also suggest that there is cross-modal interference between vision and audition; however, this phenomenon has never been studied in a TTC situation. (Driver & Spence, 1998; Ichikawa & Masskura, 2006; Roseboom, Kawabe, & Nishida, 2013) In this study we attempted to fill in this research gap by examining the effect of auditory speed cues over visual speed cues in a two-dimensional TTC scenario, and by determining if an object’s …