Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons^™

We All Feel Feelings, Ben Ohene

Theses and Dissertations

Consisting of three illustrated books, We All Feel Feelings is designed as a vehicle for the discussion of emotional and mental health with young boys. These books will help foster a mindset of openness and acceptance through different methods of displaying and understanding emotions.

So Others May Live: The Price Of Healthcare In Combat, Robert Del Toro

War, Diplomacy, and Society (MA) Theses

“Medics carried more responsibilities than dry feet, salt tablets, syphilis, and puncture wounds,” U.S. Army Medic Ben Sherman stated after reflecting on his tour in Vietnam. On the battlefields of North Africa, Italy, France, and Vietnam, the medics of the U.S. Army Medical Department faced the difficult duty of preserving life while death surrounded them. Their patients were not strangers but, men they had grown close to, they were comrades and family. Analyzing the memoirs and letters of forward medical personnel from the Second World War and the Vietnam War, this thesis analyzes how a medic’s care went beyond the …

Caregiver Perspective On Sensory Diet And Therapeutic Listening For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder And/Or Sensory Processing Disorder, Mikayla M. Brett, Lynette Zulquairnain, Katlyn Ribant

Pediatrics

Due to the high prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), there is a high demand for more research on effective interventions in order to improve quality of life and engagement in meaningful occupations for individuals with ASD and/or SPD. Sensory Diet (SD) and Therapeutic Listening © (TL) are interventions commonly utilized with individuals with ASD and/or SPD, however, there is limited research on their combined use. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the combined occupational therapy (OT) interventions of SD and TL on the occupational performance of children with ASD …

A Case For Delirium Risk Prediction Models To Aid In Triaging Resources To Those Most At Risk An Integrative Literature Review, Tammy Perttula

Nursing Masters Papers

Abstract

Delirium is a complex syndrome resulting from compounding effects of acute illness, comorbidities, and the environment. It results in adverse outcomes: elevated mortality rates, length of stay, readmissions, institutionalization, long-term cognitive changes, and diminished quality of life. The rate of iatrogenic delirium is astounding, ranging from 10%-89%. There are no curative treatments; thus, primary prevention is the key. The purpose of this literature review is to identify and critique the research for the accuracy of risk stratification and feasibility in practice. Support for interventions that prevent delirium is mounting; however, interventions are resource-intensive and often not implemented. Researchers have …

Sense Of Purpose In Life And Five Health Behaviors In Older Adults, Eric S. Kim, Koichiro Shiba, Julia K. Boehm, Laura D. Kubzansky

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Accumulating evidence shows that a higher sense of purpose in life is associated with lower risk of chronic conditions and premature mortality. Health behaviors might partially explain these findings, however, the prospective association between sense of purpose and health behaviors is understudied. We tested whether a higher sense of purpose at baseline was associated with lower likelihood of developing unhealthy behaviors over time. Prospective data were from the Health and Retirement Study, a national sample of U.S. older adults. Our sample included 13,770 adults assessed up to five times across eight years. Among people who met recommended guidelines for a …

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation And Gut Microbiome Effects On Psychiatric Illnesses, Mona Seresht

Physician Assistant Studies | Student Authored Articles

Despite the medical advances that have been made in regards to mental health, psychiatric medications, and alternative therapies, many patients continue to suffer day in and day out, unable to live the type of life they desire. Many times, the medication route includes many episodes of trial and error, side effects, and no significant improvement in actual symptoms. Therapy, although effective, typically necessitates a supplemental medication for the best results. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a method where feces from a healthy donor is transferred to an affected patient, typically via colonoscopy. Theoretically, this alters the gut microbiome in a …

The Level Of Career Maturity Among Students Major In Counseling And Mental Health In School Of Educational Sciences At The University Of Jordan, هالة فاروق المسعود

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

The present study aimed to investigate the career maturity levels among students who were majoring in counseling and mental health in the School of Educational Sciences at the University of Jordan and the influence of reason in their choice of specialization, as well as exploring the relation between academic year level (first year to fourth year) and the students’ career maturity. The descriptive survey method was used in this study. A total of 620 students participated in this study. The Career Maturity Inventory-Form C (CMI-C), originally prepared by John Crites and adapted to the Jordanian context by Hala Al-Masoud in …

Applying Machine Learning To Neuroimaging Data To Identify Predictive Models Of Reading Disorder (Rd), Spencer Low

Honors Scholar Theses

Over the last 20 years, advances in computational neuroimaging and computational power have made it feasible to create predictive models (Woo et al. Nature Neuroscience 2017). Predictive modeling is an approach that uses pattern recognition techniques (machine learning) to develop models using brain data to predict clini­cal (or educational) outcomes, differential diagnosis and subtyping, and inform development of new treatments (Doyle et al Royal Society 2015, Haynes Neuron 2015, Orrù et al. NBR 2012; Woo et al. Nature Neuroscience 2017). In recent years, machine learning algorithms have been implemented to develop a model (pattern classifier) using neuroimaging data to predict …

The Impact Of A Single Session Of Mindfulness Meditation On The Attentional Blink In Non-Meditators, Arielle L. Klopsis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Attentional resources are limited therefore a stimulus can go undetected if it closely follows another target by 200-500ms. This phenomenon is known as the attentional blink. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to be beneficial in target detection and in decreasing the attentional blink. Since there is no standard for the type of meditation or duration of practice that leads to attention benefits, this study compares the two most popular types of meditation in a group of non-meditators: focused attention and open monitoring meditation. This study utilized an attentional blink paradigm to measure if a single session of mindfulness meditation can …

Initial Evaluation Of A Wellness Game, Bing Parkinson, Bruce St. Amour

Capital Division GME Virtual Research Day 2020

Physician wellness has recently been a topic of significant national interest.^1-8 The term “wellness” has many definitions, and was best defined by Around et al. ¹ as “one’s personal recipe for thriving and not just surviving.” Wellness refers to interconnected dimensions of physical, mental, and social well-being that extend beyond the absence of illness. Wellness has traditionally been measured in the negative sense by assessing rates of burnout, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization. It is known that physician burnout is at its highest point during residency^{1, 4, 5} and burnout is linked to many negative outcomes including: substance abuse …

Mental Health Challenges Among Ethnic Minorities College Students, Fiorella G. Valles, Ruben Gonzalez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research study explored the challenges of mental health-seeking services of college students of color in the San Bernardino area. College students of different ethnicities have unique needs and challenges that contrast with the general student population. Previous research stated that students of color deal with a greater number of unmet mental health needs and indicates a connection between mental health and attaining a college degree (Arria et al., 2013). To increase the utilization of mental health amongst students of color, this study aimed to identify the influencing factors that prevented students from help-seeking. The research design of this research …

Scope Of Attention Variation As A Function Of Anxiety And Depression, Kathleen Anne O'Donnell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As a social species, correct emotional perception is so vital, that the human brain has evolved a mechanism to control attentional choices by exerting a narrowed field of perception during danger, called the scope of attention (SoA). The SoA determines what information will be focused on or ignored by blocking the perception of non-relevant items and increasing selective focus on danger; even if danger is merely a sad-face. The emotional items blocked from perception cannot be remembered because they were never perceived. But, attention-control to emotional stimuli also varies with mood, as seen in mood-disorders. A mood-disorder’s effect upon the …

A Web-Based, Positive Emotion Skills Intervention For Enhancing Posttreatment Psychological Well-Being In Young Adult Cancer Survivors (Empower): Protocol For A Single-Arm Feasibility Trial, John M. Salsman, Laurie E. Mclouth, Michael Cohn, Janet A. Tooze, Mia Sorkin, Judith T. Moskowitz

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Adolescent and young adult cancer survivors (AYAs) experience clinically significant distress and have limited access to supportive care services. Interventions to enhance psychological well-being have improved positive affect and reduced depression in clinical and healthy populations but have not been routinely tested in AYAs.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this protocol is to (1) test the feasibility and acceptability of a Web-based positive emotion skills intervention for posttreatment AYAs called Enhancing Management of Psychological Outcomes With Emotion Regulation (EMPOWER) and (2) examine proof of concept for reducing psychological distress and enhancing psychological well-being.

METHODS: The intervention development and testing are …

Combined Effects Of Gender Affirmation And Economic Hardship On Vulnerability To Hiv: A Qualitative Analysis Among U.S. Adult Transgender Women., Larissa Jennings Mayo-Wilson, Eric G. Benotsch, Sheila R. Grigsby, Sarah Wagner, Fatmata Timbo, Tonia Poteat, Lauretta Cathers, Ashlee N. Sawyer, Shelby A. Smout, Rick S. Zimmerman

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: Transgender women ("trans women"), particularly African-American and Latina trans women, have disproportionately high prevalence of HIV in the United States (U.S.). In order to decrease gender dysphoria and overcome discrimination, trans women affirm their gender through social and medical transition, often in contexts of economic hardship and sexual risk. This study qualitatively examined how gender-affirming behaviors enhance or diminish vulnerability to HIV in light of structural and economic barriers to gender transition.Methods: We conducted individual interviews with 19 adult trans women in two U.S. cities (Richmond, VA and St. Louis, MO) who reported one or more sexual risk behaviors …

Mental Associations And Music Therapy: Including The History Of Associationism And The Neurology Of Associations, Dianna Rose

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Associations are formed in our minds based upon three elements: sensory experience, emotions, and memories. These associations, unique to each individual, dictate thoughts, beliefs, behaviors, and actions. Some are necessary and supportive, while others can be maladaptive. Established associations can be changed, and new associations can be formed, to align with a client’s goals. The literature presents a strong history of associationism, as well as a body of research that demonstrates the neurological processes of how mental associations are formed. There are also studies showing how music activates the brain. However, there is a lack of research which draws direct …

Assessing The Effect Of Chronic Dopamine Receptor 2 Blockade As A Potential Model Of Secondary Negative Symptoms In Rats Using The Fr5/Chow Feeding Choice Task, Cyrene Nicholas

Honors Scholar Theses

Haloperidol, a dopamine (DA) D2 receptor antagonist, is an antipsychotic drug which is commonly used to treat schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. These disorders are often characterized by elevated striatal dopamine, which is speculated to have a role in producing positive symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia, as well as symptoms related to motivational salience and reward prediction. Individuals with schizophrenia also exhibit negative symptoms, such as amotivation, anergia, fatigue, and apathy among others. While some negative symptoms of schizophrenia are inherent to the pathophysiology, other negative symptoms are hypothesized to be partially induced by chronic exposure to antipsychotic …

Substance Use Prevention Services In Juvenile Justice And Behavioral Health: Results From A National Survey, Rodney Funk, Hannah K. Knudsen, Larkin S. Mcreynolds, John P. Bartkowski, Katherine S. Elkington, Ellen H. Steele, Jessica M. Sales, Christy K. Scott

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: This study examined the national availability of substance use prevention (SUP) within juvenile justice (JJ) and their primary behavioral health (BH) providers, and the relationships between the availability of SUP and agency-level measures of organizational structure, staffing, and youth characteristics. A three-stage national probability sampling process was used to select participants for a national survey that included, among other facets of community supervision (CS) and BH practices, questions on agency characteristics, youth characteristics, whether the agency/provider directly provided SUP services, and whether the agency/provider directly provided substance use and/or mental health treatment. This paper focuses on SUP services along …

Language, Motor, And Cognitive Outcomes Of Toddlers Who Were Born Preterm, Diane Frome Loeb, Caitlin M. Imgrund, Jaehoon Lee, Steven Barlow

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the language, motor, and cognitive abilities of children born preterm in four categories: (a) healthy preterm infants, (b) infants of diabetic mothers, (c) infants with respiratory distress syndrome, and (d) infants with chronic lung disease when the children were 30 months, uncorrected age. Comorbidity of language, motor, and cognitive skills was examined, along with predictor variables.

Method: A total of 148 children who were born preterm participated and were assessed using bivariate tests and logistic regression on standardized assessment scores.

Results: Controlling for the children’s gestational age (GA), overall language ability …

The Impact Of Stress On Diet, Sleep, And Exercise Amongst College Students, Jessica Rizzo

Senior Honors Projects

Stress is something that everyone faces in their lifetime and has an everlasting impact on their health. College students face high levels of stress throughout the semester, but how is that impacting their behavior? I conducted a survey alongside Dr. Melanson, a professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, to see just how college students are reacting to stress. The survey was circulated to different departments and classes to achieve a widespread collection of data. The survey remained completely anonymous and posed questions about eating, exercise, and sleep habits, along with questions on demographics and stress levels. Our …

Collective Imagination, Haley Lynch

Psychology

Life is filled with experiences that contribute to who we are, who we will become, and the social connections we make. We are constantly reflecting on past experiences, be it alone or with others, as well as thinking about what is to come and where we see ourselves in the future. Social and cognitive psychology research has focused on the processes behind autobiographical memory and episodic simulation. The link between collective memory and episodic simulation is the focus of the present study. The specific aim is to explore the potential link between reflecting on past experiences and imagining the future …

Effects Of Lisdexamfetamine And Haloperidol On A Binge-Like Eating Model & Preliminary Investigations Of The Dopaminergic Mechanism Underlying Binge Eating Disorder (Bed), Maxime Braun

Honors Scholar Theses

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a psychophysiological disorder defined as the excessive intake of high-caloric, palatable foods within a short span of time, accompanied by feelings of distress. Animal models of binge-like eating behavior have been developed that give intermittent, limited access to a highly palatable food. Presby et al. (2020) used chocolate as the highly palatable food to induce binge-like eating behavior in rats. Lisdexamfetamine (LDX), a d-amphetamine prodrug and dopamine (DA) uptake inhibitor, is currently used to treat BED in humand. In rats, binge-like eating of chocolate was induced by exposure to unpredictable and limited chocolate access over …

Physical Inactivity: A Behavioral Disorder In The Physical Therapist’S Scope Of Practice, Matthieu P. Boisgontier, Maura D. Iversen

SHU Faculty Publications

In health, the gold standard is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.This state is weakened by physical inactivity, which involves a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, depression, and obesity. Moreover, 6% to 10% of all deaths from non-communicable diseases worldwide can be attributed to physical inactivity. These adverse effects of physical activity provide evidence that physically active individuals are closer to the gold standard of health than inactive individuals. Therefore, physical activity – not inactivity – should be the standard reference behavior. In this framework, physical inactivity is a clinically significant disturbance in an …

Calling Out The Trolls: Responses To Witnessing Use Of The “Troll” Label As A Defense In An Online Group Context, Dene E. M. Wamsley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although the term “troll” has existed since the 1980s, its meaning has shifted in recent years as social media use has increased. People provide contrasting and imprecise definitions for what constitutes “trolling,” and often apply the term subjectively to describe online discussants who are uncivil, who are deviant, and who and present counter-attitudinal opinions. Exposure to deviance, counter-attitudinal information, and incivility often leads to unwanted psychological effects. In theory, labeling an uncivil, counter-attitudinal deviant as a “troll” proposes that their intention is to disrupt the conversation and upset other discussants, which provides a reason for why incivility is used, and …

An Experimental Test Of The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Approach Behavior, Rebecca L. Campbell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emotion regulation and sleep have been identified as mechanisms that may be involved in the development and maintenance of many mental health disorders. However, there has been little research into the relation between sleep and emotion regulation. To address this gap in knowledge, a novel study was conducted. We hypothesized that sleep deprived individuals would demonstrate less approach behavior toward a negatively valenced stimulus, as well as increased self-reported avoidance, compared to a control group. To test this, a randomized controlled experiment using a behavioral measure of approach and a self-report measure of avoidance was conducted. Fifty-two healthy individuals ages …

The Role Of Dopamine In Decision Making Processes In Drosophila Melanogaster, Michelle C. Bowers

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Understanding the neural processes that mediate decision making is a relatively new field of investigation in the scientific community. With the ultimate goal of understanding how humans decide between one path and another, simpler models such as Drosophila Melanogaster, the common fruit fly, are often utilized as a way of determining the neural circuits involved in these decision-making processes. One of the most important decisions flies make is the decision of where to lay their eggs (oviposit). Choosing the proper substrate upon which to lay eggs is a crucial decision that can ultimately impact their fecundity. This paper investigates the …

The Criterion Collection, Mackenna Finley

Honors Projects

The Criterion Collection is an examination of truth in fiction and poetry. The goal of this project is not to create truth that is absolute, but instead to allow for the experience of its subjectivity. The interplay between fiction and poetry, reader and author illuminates the subtle warping of truth through human experience.

Promoting Resilience In Self-Management (Prism): Adverse Childhood Experiences And Impacts On Emotion Regulation, Kasey Ann Macedo

Honors Scholar Theses

PRISM (Promoting Resilience in Self-Management) is a mindfulness-based intervention that aims to strengthen emotion regulation skills among individuals by employing cognitive behavioral therapy components. The purpose of the current study is to identify the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depression, as well as to examine the changes in emotion regulation strategies of participants by comparing pre and post test data. The participants were voluntarily recruited from the Cornerstone Foundation, a homeless shelter, food pantry, and community center in Vernon, CT. The 13 participants completed PRISM through four weeks of two-hour workshop sessions in a small-group format. Results indicate …

Alexithymia Symptoms Are Not Associated With Childhood Trauma Or Crhr1 Rs110402 Genotype, Emily Wiatr, Grace Sullivan, Scott Stoltenberg

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Alexithymia is associated with difficulties in emotional self-regulation, and alexithymia is specifically associated with an absence of emotional experience and cognition of emotion. Past research has indicated a potential association between alexithymia and the CRHR1 gene . Situational factors may also impact the expression of the CRHR1 gene within an individual. Berenbaum (1996) found associations between PTSD/childhood trauma and alexithymia. This study examined these associations using the Online Alexithymia Questionnaire-G2 (OAQ-G2) as well as DNA samples gathered from 657 participants at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (72% women; 78.6% white; mean age= 20.34; standard deviation of 2.6). It was hypothesized that …

The Sound Of Music: Correlates Of Harmonious Relationships In Stepfamilies, Emily R. Monnik

Selected Honors Theses

Family structure has always been an integral part of the nurturing of children and adolescents. In the past fifty years, the number of stepfamilies formed after remarriage superseded the number of stepfamilies following the death of a parent. These new stepfamilies contribute to a more challenging adjustment for children and adolescents as they figure out the role the new stepparent plays in their life, in addition to the non-residential biological parent. This study surveyed undergraduate students at a private university in the United States using a positive and negative interaction questionnaire and family harmony measure. The researcher attempted to find …

Biological And Social Links Between Eating Behavior And Stress Among College Students, Kailyn M. Mutsch

Honors Thesis

Stress and eating behaviors are known to be correlated in all ages but is primarily associated with young adults. This correlation can be attributed to both biological and social links. In this review, I detail the effects of stress on the brain in a biological manner and the areas of the brain associated with eating behavior. I will also discuss social factors that could contribute to the correlation between stress and eating behavior in college students. Stress is a major factor in optimal digestion and health. A majority of students report experiencing times of stress or feeling overwhelmed throughout their …