Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy As A Transdiagnostic Approach To Improve Quality Of Life Among Adults Living With A Physical Chronic Health Condition, Marissa L. Donahue

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The research contained in this dissertation presents rationale and empirical support for the application of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) as a transdiagnostic approach in improving quality of life for adults living with chronic health conditions (CHCs). The first study consists of a systematic review that aims to examine (1) the current state of evidence of ACT for adults living with a CHC, (2) how outcomes are being characterized within this population, (3) the methodological quality of the included trials, as well as (4) summarizing the health conditions in which ACT has been evaluated for. The second study examines the …

The Personality Profile Of U.S. Vice President Jd Vance, Aubrey Immelman, Logan Butler

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper presents the results of an indirect personality assessment of U.S. vice president JD Vance, from the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon.

Psychodiagnostically relevant data relating to Vance were collected from biographical sources and media reports and synthesized into a personality profile using the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC), which yields 34 normal and maladaptive personality classifications congruent with DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and DSM-5-TR.

The personality profile yielded by the MIDC was analyzed in accordance with interpretive guidelines provided in the MIDC and Millon Index of Personality Styles manuals. Vance’s primary personality patterns were found …

Assessing Cognitive Performance And Comfort Under Simulated Mri Noise And Its Association With Autistic Like Traits, Jasmin Woodhouse

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners produce noise levels between 65 and 130 decibels. This noise, alongside the broader sensory environment of the MRI, poses challenges for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Noise exposure has been shown to impair task performance, increase errors, and affect brain activity. ASD traits are associated with decreased sound tolerance, including hyperacusis, misophonia, and phonophobia. In ASD, noisy environments disrupt inferior frontal gyrus function, impairing task response and brain connectivity. Given this, it’s crucial to understand how these sensory challenges specifically affect ASD experience and performance during MRI procedures. This study assesses cognitive performance and …

Detecting Concealed Autobiographical Information Using Feedback And Recognition P300 Erps. Exploring The Impacts Of Changed Feedback Proportions And Social Pressure In The Fcit, Cerys Parkinson-Johns, Grace Shillito, Callum Starr, Rosemary Wilmshurst

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The feedback concealed information test (fCIT) incorporates feedback on memory concealment performance within the classical CIT. Providing feedback facilitates the analysis of feedback related ERPs in addition to initial recognition related ERPs within each trial. Combining multiple ERPs aims to improve the reliability and efficiency of the test. The present study investigated the efficiency of combining recognition and feedback related P300 ERPs in detecting concealed birthdates in a personal item fCIT. Feedback proportions were altered to improve believability in feedback. Detection efficiencies using combined P300 amplitudes within this altered paradigm and the impacts of social pressures on feedback P300s were …

Examining The Correlation Between The Competing Values Framework And Other Scales Of Measure, Jesina Mistry

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Organisational culture is widely acknowledged as a critical determinant of performance and employee engagement, yet debates persist regarding how best to conceptualise and measure it. This study examines the construct validity of two widely used diagnostic tools: the Competing Values Framework (CVF) and the Organisational Culture Inventory (OCI). While the CVF has achieved broad application across sectors, questions remain regarding its empirical grounding and cross-cultural relevance. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional design, this research investigates the degree of convergence between CVF and OCI dimensions within a diverse UK-based sample spanning multiple industries and job levels. In addition, it incorporates three underexplored …

The Lived Experience Of Uk Students Transitioning To University With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Emelia C. Steel

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Transitioning from secondary school to university is a high-risk period for managing type 1 diabetes among UK students. Canadian research identified limited systemic support during this period. However, there is a lack of qualitative insight into how students navigate this transition in the UK, where healthcare and education systems differ. This study addressed that gap through semi-structured interviews to understand what makes this transition particularly challenging and what support students would find most helpful. A purposive sample comprised seven participants aged 19–29 from four UK universities. Thematic analysis, guided by Braun and Clarke’s (2022) six-phase framework, identified three superordinate themes: …

Investigating Deception-Related Moral Conflict Using Electroencephalography (Eeg) Hyperscanning, Madie Ades

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Amplitudes of the early Bereitschaftspotential (BP) and deceptive behaviour have been theorised to be modulated by moral conflict experienced when making deceptive decisions, as the decision to lie can depend upon our moral perceptions of what is right and wrong (Panasiti et al., 2014). However, most Electroencephalography (EEG) deception paradigms lack ecological validity by utilising instructed lying and failing to incorporate genuine social interaction (Ganis & Keenan, 2009) and therefore may fail to elicit genuine moral conflict. The present study combined hyperscanning EEG with a competitive two-player social game, where participants freely chose to respond accurately or deceptively for …

The Association Between Condom Use Self-Efficacy And Condom-Decision Abdication Among College Students, Mikaela Gjoka, Madison K Firkey, Alan Z Sheinfil, Sarah E Woolf-King

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Condomless sex and its related consequences are a persistent problem on college campuses in the United States. This study aimed to examine the association between condom use self-efficacy and condom-decision abdication among college students, and whether this association was moderated by gender.

Participants & methods: Undergraduate college students (N = 212; 50.5% female) were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk as part of a larger online study that examined normative feedback for condom use.

Results: The association between condom use self-efficacy and condom-decision abdication was significantly moderated by gender (B = -0.07, p < .001), such that condom use self-efficacy was associated with condom-decision abdication in college women (B = -0.05, p < .005) but not in college men (B = .02, p = .18).

Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest that …

Resilience And Childhood Trauma In Mood Disorders: Psychopathological Implications And Treatment Response, Giovanni Camardese, Antonio Maria D'Onofrio, Francesca Bardi, Alessio Simonetti, Alexia Koukopoulos, Delfina Janiri, Lorenzo Moccia, Marianna Mazza, Mauro Pettorruso, Giovanni Martinotti, Gabriele Sani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and aim: Childhood trauma is a key risk factor for mood disorders and is associated with greater clinical severity, while resilience may act as a protective factor. This study investigates how childhood trauma and resilience interact to shape psychopathology and treatment response in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD).

Methods: The study included 669 participants: 569 patients (380 MDD, 189 BD) and 100 healthy controls (HC). Symptom severity was assessed using standardized scales, with follow-up evaluations of depressive symptoms at six months. All participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). …

Health-Related Quality Of Life After Neonatal Treatment Of Symptomatic Tetralogy Of Fallot: Insights From The Congenital Cardiac Research Collaborative, George T Nicholson, Jeffrey D Zampi, Andrew C Glatz, Bryan H Goldstein, Christopher J Petit, Yun Zhang, Courtney E Mccracken, Athar M Qureshi, Caren S Goldberg, Jennifer C Romano, Mark A Law, Jeffery J Meadows, Shabana Shahanavaz, Sarosh P Batlivala, Shiraz A Maskatia, Asaad Beshish, Michael L O'Byrne, R Allen Ligon, Kathryn O Stack, Hala Q Khan, Shalin Parekh, Dawn L Ilardi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

To evaluate the association between initial management strategy of neonatal symptomatic Tetralogy of Fallot (sTOF) and later health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes. We performed a multicenter, cross-sectional evaluation of a previously assembled cohort of infants with sTOF who underwent initial intervention at ≤ 30 days of age, between 2005 and 2017. Eligible patients’ parents/guardians completed an age-appropriate Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, a Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Cardiac Module Heart Disease Symptoms Scale, and a parental survey. The association between treatment strategy and HRQOL was evaluated, and the entire sTOF cohort was compared to published values for the …

Young Adults And Early-Onset Psychosis: A Grounded Theory Study Of Experiences Of Identity Development, Katherine Hayden-Lewis, Deborah Rubel

The Qualitative Report

While identity development is a crucial task for young individuals ages 15-25, current research inadequately centralizes identity development in the context of first-time psychosis related to schizophrenia spectrum disorders. This study addresses the knowledge gap by exploring the grand research question, “How does a young person experience their identity development after the first episode of psychosis?”. Constructivist grounded theory methods influenced by critical frameworks were used to collect and analyze data with seven young adults engaged in first episode psychosis programs. Participants were young adults, between the ages of 19-24, that at the time of the study were enrolled in …

Potential Mechanisms Of Influence Between Spiritual Practices And Cognitive Health: A Systematic Review And Conceptual Model, Katherine Carroll Britt, Hayoung Oh, Augustine Cassis Obeng Boateng, Sherry Morgan, Sato Ashida, Corey Nagel, Roland J Thorpe, Harold G Koenig

Staff and Researcher Publications

Background/Objectives: This systematic review summarizes the evidence regarding potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between spiritual practices and cognitive health in adults. The review was performed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist.

Methods: An extensive search of six electronic databases (i.e., PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Sociological Abstracts, ATLA, CINAHL) was conducted using keywords related to spiritual practices, religious activities, and cognitive health from 1 January 2000 to December 2025. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal tool aligned with the study design.

Results: A total of …

Impact Of Common Variants On Brain Gene Expression From Rna To Protein To Schizophrenia Risk, Qiuman Liang, Yi Jiang, Annie W. Shieh, Dan Zhou, Rui Chen, Feiran Wang, Meng Xu, Mingming Niu, Xusheng Wang, Ramu Vadukapuram

School of Medicine Publications

Genetic variants influencing gene expression have been extensively studied at the transcriptional level. How these variants affect downstream processes remains unclear. We quantitated ribosome occupancy in prefrontal cortex samples from the BrainGVEX cohort and integrated these data with transcriptomic and proteomic profiles from the same individuals. Through cis-QTL mapping, we identified genetic variants associated with transcript level (eQTLs), ribosome occupancy (rQTLs), and protein level (pQTLs). Notably, only 34% of eQTLs have their effects propagated to the protein levels, suggesting widespread post-transcriptional attenuation. Using both a gene-based approach and a variant-based approach we identified omics-specific QTLs that associated with brain disorder …

Physician Peer Review: Just Culture And Practical Implementation In An Emergency Department, Christian Fromm, Monica Colicino, Merle A. Carter, Elizabeth M. Datner

Einstein Health Papers

BACKGROUND: Although regulatory agencies require hospitals to engage in peer review to maintain accreditation, quality assurance review processes are not standardized, and well-structured peer review of clinical cases involving medical errors and adverse events governed by Just Culture principles is not widespread. We implemented such an emergency department (ED) physician peer review process and performed an analysis of cases that underwent review.

METHODS: We formed an ED physician peer review committee at our institution guided by Just Culture principles, including promotion of a culture of safety to encourage open reporting of errors and near misses, and top-down leadership commitment to …

Turning Patients' Open-Ended Narratives Of Chronic Pain Into Quantitative Measures: Natural Language Processing Study, Raquel Norel, Jennifer Gewandter, Zhengwu Zhang, Anika Tahsin, Chadi G Abdallah, John Markman, Zhiyao Duan, Guillermo Cecchi, Paul Geha

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Subjective report of pain remains the gold standard for assessing symptoms in patients with chronic pain and their response to analgesics. This subjectivity underscores the importance of understanding patients' personal narratives, as they offer an accurate representation of the illness experience.

Objective: In this pilot study involving 20 patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), we applied emerging tools from natural language processing (NLP) to derive quantitative measures that captured patients' pain narratives.

Methods: Patients' narratives were collected during recorded semistructured interviews in which they spoke about their lives in general and their experiences with CLBP. Given that NLP …

Identifying Compounds To Treat Opiate Use Disorder By Leveraging Multi-Omic Data Integration And Multiple Drug Repurposing Databases, Jeran K Stratford, Megan Ulmer Carnes, Caryn Willis, Melyssa S Minto, Logain Elnimeiry, Ravi Mathur, Matthew Schu, Bryan C Quach, Javan Carter, Tracy Nolen, Nathan Vandergrift, Thomas R Kosten, Eric Otto Johnson, Bradley T Webb

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Genes influencing opioid use disorder (OUD) biology have been identified via genome-wide association studies (GWAS), gene expression, and network analyses. These discoveries provide opportunities to identifying existing compounds targeting these genes for drug repurposing studies. However, systematically integrating discovery results and identifying relevant available pharmacotherapies for OUD repurposing studies is challenging. To address this, we've constructed a framework that uses existing results and drug databases to identify candidate pharmacotherapies. For this study, two independent OUD related meta-analyses were used including a GWAS and a differential gene expression (DGE) study of post-mortem human brain. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) sub-networks enriched for GWAS …

Perception Of Emotion In Autism With Controlled Elicitation (Peace), Austin Gillespie, Rachel E. Dewald

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

It is possible that autistic people find it easier to socialize within their own peer group (Beaupré & Hess, 2006), by recognizing socio-emotional nonverbal cues, due to a shared neurodivergence. To assess this, it would be helpful for researchers to have a database of emotional stimuli, validated for use with autistic individuals. Unfortunately, this does not exist. This current study’s objective is to create such a database that evokes natural emotion, rated by autistic individuals to be used in future research. All participants completed the Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) which measures the participants’ ability to identify and describe their own emotions …

Inflammaging And Cognitive Decline: A Brief Review Of The Chronic Low-Grade Neural Inflammation Hypothesis, Gage Pompa

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

This presentation reviews the chronic low‑grade neural inflammation hypothesis as a mechanism linking aging to cognitive decline. Inflammaging refers to persistent, low‑level inflammation that develops with age due to immune dysregulation in the absence of infection. In the brain, this process is often triggered by the accumulation of beta‑amyloid plaques and phosphorylated tau tangles. Microglia attempt to clear these proteins, but their prolonged activation releases inflammatory mediators that damage surrounding neurons. Over time, this sustained neural inflammation contributes to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, epilepsy, and psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia and major depression. Imaging markers …

Supplement Use And Ed Self-Assessment Accuracy, Darin Beasley-Williams

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

The widespread availability of dietary supplements has contributed to their increased use, with over half of U.S. adults reporting regular consumption. Prior research suggests that supplement use is associated with better overall health, and regulatory legislation has been implemented to mitigate potential adverse effects. One motivation for supplement use may be self-diagnosed health issues; however, incorrect self-diagnoses could lead to inappropriate supplement consumption and potentially contribute to disordered eating patterns. This study examined whether regular supplement users are more accurate in self-identifying an eating disorder. A sample of 511 undergraduate students completed a self-report questionnaire assessing supplement use and eating …

Women’S Lived Experiences With Harassment In Gaming, Angelo Cordero, Alejandra Santos, Claudia Q. Luu

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Background and objectives: Women in gaming communities face discrimination due to their gender; however, gaps exist in the literature in understanding how allyship helps mitigate harassment’s harmful effects. To address this, we conducted a qualitative study exploring women’s lived experiences of sexual harassment in gaming and how women perceive allyship in gaming communities. Methods and approach: We used an inductive thematic analysis to identify patterns in participants’ experiences. Our sample (N = 165) included adult women who identified as gamers, recruited from a university and various Discord gaming communities. Results: We uncovered six main themes regarding women’s harassment experiences in …

Alcohol Use Disorder, Kendall Walker, James Mcnary, Hamilton Farris

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Dimensions Of Queens Culture / The Personality Of Queens, Claudia Brumbaugh

Open Educational Resources

1. Description of the resource: This assignment will be given early in the semester, and will be due near the end of the semester, scaffolded into steps over the semester:
   1. Via descriptive writing, define one of five, cultural dimensions / Big 5 traits. Then, define the dimension / trait in terms of the local conditions in Queens (e.g., what it means more specifically in the context of Queens).* You can pick the level of analysis for “Queens”. It could be QC, or neighborhood, or the entire borough. Next, place your level of Queens analysis into historical context, describing past movements/events, and …

Queens Mindscapes: A Digital Field Research Project, Shonelle George

Open Educational Resources

This Open Educational Resource (OER) is designed for an undergraduate Introduction to General Psychology course at Queens College, CUNY. Titled “Queens Mindscapes: A Digital Field Research Project,” this assignment is part of a module that engages students in real-world psychological research grounded in the diverse communities of Queens, New York. Drawing from the Noba module from the course textbook, “Conducting Psychology Research in the Real World”, this resource emphasizes experiential learning through ethical, place-based inquiry.

Students will select a Queens neighborhood undergoing social, economic, or cultural change and use real-world research methods such as diary entries, experience sampling, or oral …

Stigma And Barriers To Seeking Mental Health Care Among Emergency Department Providers – A Mixed Methods Study, Shannon C. White, Charlotte H. Harris, Ravindra Gopaul, Joshua M. Smyth

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

High levels of psychological distress and depression are common among clinicians working in US emergency departments [ED], yet treatment-seeking remains rare, contributing to burnout and negative well-being. Reluctance to seek care often reflects concerns about negative consequences (e.g., stigma, negative professional impact). We sought to characterize the availability of mental health resource availability, beliefs about seeking care, and barriers faced by emergency department healthcare providers. A sequential mixed-method design was employed. Phase 1 included a survey of ED physicians, advanced practice providers (APPs; i.e., nurse practitioners and physician assistants) and medical residents at an academic medical center. The survey assessed …

Incorporating Behavioral Health Strategies In Primary Care To Improve Outcomes Of Depressed Patients, Amy L. Brummett

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Depression, otherwise known as major depressive disorder, is a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest, sleep disturbances, changes to weight (both gain and loss), difficulty concentrating, and in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts, and/or attempts (Mayo Clinic, 2022). An estimated 8.3% or 21.0 million adults in the United States have experienced at least one episode of depression. Primary care clinicians are often the first to recognize the symptoms of depression. Depression was very prevalent in the clinic where this DNP Scholarly project took place. The owner/nurse practitioner found that she was increasingly treating depressed …

Latine Doctoral Student Experiences In U.S. Counselor Education And Supervision Programs, Nayara Aparecida Da Costa Silva Beall, Lizbeth Duran Oden, Isabel C. Farrell, Mariaimeé Gonzalez, Stephanie Thorson-Olesen

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This study explored the experiences of Latine doctoral students in Counselor Education and Supervision programs in the United States. The consensual qualitative research yielded five domains: cultural values, representation, racialized experiences, support, and social justice. The findings are discussed with direct applications for programs and recommendations for future research.

Counselor Education: Digital Delivery With Confidence, Nicole Marie Arcuri-Sanders, Alisha Davis

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselor education programs are required to demonstrate a clear framework, effective implementation, and overall program effectiveness. The pandemic’s surge in online instruction influenced CACREP’s (2024) digital delivery (DD) standards, addressing ethical and legal implications alongside student outcomes. Guidance from digital health initiatives, telemental health ethics and legal practices can be invaluable in clarifying DD protocols for counselor education programs. Understanding the parallels between DD and digital health regulations (e.g., HIPAA, ACA [2014], and NBCC [2023] ethical codes) provides a solid foundation for protecting both students and programs. Integrating technology and modeling digital health practices can enhance counselor education, benefiting both …

What Are The Barriers And Facilitators To The Acceptance Of Information And Communication Technology-Based Interventions For Improving Resilience And Mental Health Of Healthcare Workers: A Scoping Review Protocol, Elisabete Alves, Ricardo Rodrigues, César Fonseca, Manuel Lopes, Inês Faria, Nina Dalkner, Paul Barach, Frans Folkvord, Jim Ingebretsen Carlson, Eva Reininghaus, Michele Wessa, Yvonne Prinzellner, Vanessa Leung, Eva Turk, Lara Guedes De Pinho

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare workers (HCWs) report overwhelming demands and experience crisis levels of burnout and unique challenges that further impair their mental health. Promotion of mental health among HCWs using information and communication technology (ICT) has received little empirical research attention and interventions for improving mental health resilience in HCWs are not well established.

DESIGN: Scoping review to map existing evidence and identify gaps for future research regarding the main barriers and facilitators of the acceptance of ICT-based interventions for improving resilience and mental health among HCWs working in all healthcare settings.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This protocol was developed in accordance …

Separating The Wheat From The Chaff: A Quantitative Pilot Study Of Biblical Christian Spirituality As A Regulator Of Dark Triad Personality Traits, Patricia L. Elston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of the psychological literature on Christianity as a regulator of Dark Triad personality traits over the last 25 years revealed just a handful of quantitative and qualitative studies that relied exclusively upon long-standardized constructs drawn from cultural Christian ideology. Such constructs remain in direct contrast to biblical tenets to opine that Christianity has no important impact upon the development and persistence of highly aversive Dark Triad social attributes. The current quantitative pilot study was conducted in a small sample (n=26) of adult male and female born-again members of an international Evangelical Christian motorcycle ministry whose primary recruitment is …

Religion's Role In Shaping Psychopathological Narratives, Andrea Gonzalez Mendoza

The Graduate Review

Understanding the interplay between religion and psychopathology is essential for clinicians navigating the complexities of mental health diagnosis and treatment. This paper explores the nuanced relationship between belief systems and diagnostic frameworks, shedding light on how religious beliefs influence the perception, assessment, and treatment of mental disorders. Drawing upon historical and current-day research, this paper examines how religious interpretations shape the presentation and understanding of psychopathological symptoms. In doing so, this paper argues that psychopathology cannot be understood without considering the influence of religion on its conceptualization. The latter is illustrated by looking at historical diagnostic patterns and how they …