Other Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

What Is The Readiness Potential?, Aaron Schurger, Pengbo 'Ben' Hu, Joanna Pak, Adina L. Roskies

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The readiness potential (RP) has been widely interpreted to indicate preparation for movement and is used to argue that our brains decide before we do. It thus has been a fulcrum for discussion about the neuroscience of free will.

Recent computational models provide an alternative framework for thinking about the significance of the RP, suggesting instead that the RP is a natural result of the operation of a stochastic accumulator process of decision-making, analyzed by time-locking to threshold-crossing events.

These models call for a reevaluation of: (i) the ontological standing of the RP as reflecting a real, causally efficacious signal …

Occupational Therapy In Youth Violence: An Occupation-Based Program For At-Risk Youth, Jasmine Shahin, Pam Kasyan-Howe, Kristin Domville

Spring 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Throughout the years, youth participating in violence has become an increased concern around the nation as there is an increase in media outlets displaying tragedies, such as mass school shootings caused by students. The at-risk youth population is a specific population disadvantaged in engaging in safe and health-promoting activities due to limited resources or opportunities. As a result, at-risk youth make decisions based on their disadvantaged environment (Farajzadegan et al., 2018; Gallagher et al., 2015a). Factors including socioeconomic status, social support from family or friends, and mental health impact an individual’s opinions, attitudes, and interests as well as their occupational …

Mental Health Issues In First Responders: Their Causes And How To Help Treat Them, Anna M. Hoffnagle

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

In recent years mental health issues and how to deal with them has become a widely discussed topic in society. Causes and treatments tend to be major factors in the discussion, but they also tend to be far too general. The broadness of the targeted audience for these discussions often creates more issues than it solves due to treatments not being effective for every population. This paper highlights the causes of mental health issues in first responders while also discussing treatment methods designed specifically for this population that have had promising outcomes. Causes and treatments discussed are given solidity through …

Positive Psychological Well‐Being And Cardiovascular Disease: Exploring Mechanistic And Developmental Pathways, Julia K. Boehm

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Empirical research regarding the health benefits of positive psychological well‐being (e.g., positive emotions, life satisfaction, purpose in life, and optimism) has flourished in recent years, particularly with regard to cardiovascular disease. This paper reviews the state of evidence for well‐being's association with cardiovascular disease in both healthy individuals and those diagnosed with a disease. Prospective studies consistently indicate well‐being reduces cardiovascular events in healthy and, to a lesser extent, patient populations. Potential pathways that link well‐being with cardiovascular disease are discussed (including health behaviors, physiological processes, and stress buffering), although the existing evidence is mostly cross‐sectional which limits conclusions about …

Reducing Patient Risk For Suicidal Behaviors With A Safety Bundle Of Best Practices With Non-Psychiatric Patients, Olayemi Akindele

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Suicide is a public health condition that affects people globally. The increased suicidal behaviors of patients in a medical-surgical unit demanded an effective screening protocol to identify high-risk patients.

PICOT: In patients 18 years and older on a medical-surgical unit, does the implementation of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) tool and application of a Safety Bundle of Best Practices (SBBP) increase early identification of suicide risk with decreased patient self-harm behaviors, compared to the current standard practice of no assessment tool or safety bundle of best practices within 12 weeks?

Evidence: Ten studies served as evidence …

Improving The Quality Of Care For Pediatric Psychiatric Patients In The Emergency Department, Joseph L. Greene

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Pediatric patients (17 years and younger) in mental health crisis are arriving in the emergency department in increasing numbers because there is a lack of mental health crisis care in the community setting. The emergency department is crowded, lacks a dedicated area for psychiatric patients that is quiet and safe, and staff are inadequately trained in psychiatric competencies. A quality improvement project was approved by Boise State IRB to train RNs in psychiatric competencies. Telepsychiatry provided timely evaluation by a qualified psychiatric provider. Patients’ perceived meaning of the ED visit was evaluated using the Patient Evaluation of Emotional Comfort Experienced …

1st Place Contest Entry: Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures Disorder: Treatment After The Diagnostic Odyssey, Heather Andrini, Ashley Okhovat, Sydni Au Hoy

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This is Heather Andrini, Ashley Okhovat, and Sydni Au Hoy's submission for the 2021 Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize, which won first place. It contains thier essay on using library resources, a summary of their research project on psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) disorder, and their works cited list.

Heather, Ashley, and Sydni are juniors at Chapman University, majoring in Biological Sciences. Their faculty mentor is Dr. Gregory Goldsmith.

Using True Experiments To Study Culture: Manipulations, Measurement Issues, And The Question Of Appropriate Control Groups, Christine Ma-Kellams

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Social group memberships are primarily studied in quasi-experimental contexts, but how can culture, class and gender be manipulated in true experimental designs? This review highlights the different empirical strategies that can be used to manipulate “culture” as it relates to race/ethnicity (activation of thinking styles, language, and priming of cultural constructs), class (social standing, group status, or perceived social status), and gender (role salience, gender identity, sex hormone administration). I review measurement issues related to manipulation checks and the problem of what construct is tapped by the manipulation, appropriate control groups, and intersectional identities or group memberships.

Prior Sleep Problems And Adverse Post-Traumatic Neuropsychiatric Sequelae Of Motor Vehicle Collision In The Aurora Study, Thomas C Neylan, Ronald C Kessler, Kerry J Ressler, Gari Clifford, Francesca L Beaudoin, Xinming An, Jennifer S Stevens, Donglin Zeng, Sarah D Linnstaedt, Laura T Germine, Sophia Sheikh, Alan B Storrow, Brittany E Punches, Kamran Mohiuddin, Nina T Gentile, Meghan E Mcgrath, Sanne J H Van Rooij, John P Haran, David A Peak, Robert M Domeier, Claire Pearson, Leon D Sanchez, Niels K Rathlev, William F Peacock, Steven E Bruce, Jutta Joormann, Deanna M Barch, Diego A Pizzagalli, John F Sheridan, Steven E Harte, James M Elliott, Irving Hwang, Maria V Petukhova, Nancy A Sampson, Karestan C Koenen, Samuel A Mclean

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Many patients in Emergency Departments (EDs) after motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depressive episode (MDE). This report from the AURORA study focuses on associations of pre-MVC sleep problems with these outcomes 8 weeks after MVC mediated through peritraumatic distress and dissociation and 2-week outcomes.

METHODS: A total of 666 AURORA patients completed self-report assessments in the ED and at 2 and 8 weeks after MVC. Peritraumatic distress, peritraumatic dissociation, and pre-MVC sleep characteristics (insomnia, nightmares, daytime sleepiness, and sleep duration in the 30 days before the MVC, trait sleep stress reactivity) were …

Understanding The Traumatized Brain, Sam Marion, Elizabeth Marston

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Students who have experienced trauma are often in need of behavioral intervention due to challenging behaviors and reactivity. Understanding the body’s threat response system gives insight into these behaviors and allows for empathy within the interventions. This presentation will outline basic neuroscience theories, propose interventions focused on self-regulation, and demonstrate how adding basic elements to existing interventions can increase efficacy.

Super Placebos: A Feasibility Study Combining Contextual Factors To Promote Placebo Effects, Jay A. Olson, Michael Lifshitz, Amir Raz, Samuel P. L. Veissière

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Ample evidence demonstrates that placebo effects are modulated by contextual factors. Few interventions, however, attempt to combine a broad range of these factors. Here, we explore the therapeutic power of placebos by leveraging factors including social proof, positive suggestion, and social learning. This study aimed to test the feasibility of an elaborate “super placebo” intervention to reduce symptoms of various disorders in a pediatric population.

Methods: In a single-arm qualitative study, participants entered an inactive MRI scanner which they were told could help their brain heal itself through the power of suggestion. The sample included 11 children (6–13 years …

Deep-Learning-Based Multivariate Pattern Analysis (Dmvpa): A Tutorial And A Toolbox, Karl M. Kuntzelman, Jacob M. Williams, Phui Cheng Lim, Ashtok Samal, Prahalada K. Rao, Matthew R. Johnson

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

In recent years, multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) has been hugely beneficial for cognitive neuroscience by making new experiment designs possible and by increasing the inferential power of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and other neuroimaging methodologies. In a similar time frame, “deep learning” (a term for the use of artificial neural networks with convolutional, recurrent, or similarly sophisticated architectures) has produced a parallel revolution in the field of machine learning and has been employed across a wide variety of applications. Traditional MVPA also uses a form of machine learning, but most commonly with much simpler techniques based on …

The Effect Of Melatonin On Quality Of Sleep In Patients With Sleep Disturbance Admitted To Post Coronary Care Units: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Mohammad Zaman Kamkar, Mehran Mahyar, Seyedmahrokh A Maddah, Homeira Khoddam, Mahnaz Modanloo

BioMedicine

Background and Objectives: Patients with cardiovascular disease who required to be admitted in coronary care units (CCU) would have sleep deprivation. During the admission, some factors such as continuous ambient light exposure can suppress melatonin release, in consequence sleep deprivation will be occurred and hinder the progress of patients' treatment. The aim of study was to evaluate the effect of melatonin on the sleep quality of patients admitted to post-CCU.

Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial was carried out on 110 patients admitted to post-CCU at SayyadeShirazi Hospital, Gorgan, Iran. Patients with a poor sleep quality (Pittsburgh …

Aberrant Maturation Of The Uncinate Fasciculus Follows Exposure To Unpredictable Patterns Of Maternal Signals, Steven J. Granger, Laura M. Glynn, Curt A. Sandman, Steven L. Small, Andre Obenaus, David B. Keator, Tallie Z. Baram, Hal S. Stern, Michael A. Yassa, Elyssia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Across species, unpredictable patterns of maternal behavior are emerging as novel predictors of aberrant cognitive and emotional outcomes later in life. In animal models, exposure to unpredictable patterns of maternal behavior alters brain circuit maturation and cognitive and emotional outcomes. However, whether exposure to such signals in humans alters the development of brain pathways is unknown. In mother–child dyads, we tested the hypothesis that exposure to more unpredictable maternal signals in infancy is associated with aberrant maturation of corticolimbic pathways. We focused on the uncinate fasciculus, the primary fiber bundle connecting the amygdala to the orbitofrontal cortex and a key …

Assessment Of Major Depressive Disorders Through Neuroimaging Studies And Their Treatment Methods, Jevetha Vijayadasan, Diksha Raghunathan, Sivakumar Rajagopal, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Many mental disorders are caused due to improper regulation of the brain and depression is one such. It affects both children and adults and is very common among teenagers. There are many challenges clinicians face regarding the management of this disease. These challenges have prompted the development of various neuroimaging techniques that effectively diagnose the condition. The main techniques are Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Positron emission tomography (PET) which have gained momentum over the years. Advanced MRI techniques help study certain regions of the brain such as hippocampus and amygdala. Effective treatments for depression include antidepressant medications and brain …

Resident Heart Rate Variability During Cataract Surgery, Ahmad Baiyasi, Shibandri Das, Ferris Bayasi, Faisal Ridha Al-Timimi

Medical Student Research Symposium

Purpose: To evaluate ophthalmology resident anxiousness and cardiovascular response by tracking resident heart rate (HR) when performing cataract surgery during their last year of residency.

Methods: A prospective analysis of 31 cataract cases, completed by three residents (two females and one male), at the Kresge Eye Institute in August and September 2020 was performed. Inclusion criteria for cases included all cataract cases performed by PGY-4 residents at the Kresge Eye Institute who downloaded the Heart Graph app supported by iOS. Residents with android mobile devices were excluded from the study. Informed consent was obtained from all residents who utilized the …

Patterns Of Cilia Gene Dysregulations In Major Psychiatric Disorders, Wedad Alhassen, Siwei Chen, Marquis Vawter, Brianna Kay Robbins, Henry Nguyen, Thant Nyi Myint, Yumiko Saito, Anton Schulmann, Surya M. Nauli, Olivier Civelli, Pierre Baldi, Amal Alachkar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Primary cilia function as cells' antennas to detect and transduce external stimuli and play crucial roles in cell signaling and communication. The vast majority of cilia genes that are causally linked with ciliopathies are also associated with neurological deficits, such as cognitive impairments. Yet, the roles of cilia dysfunctions in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders have not been studied. Our aim is to identify patterns of cilia gene dysregulation in the four major psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia (SCZ), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), bipolar disorder (BP), and major depressive disorder (MDD). For this purpose, we acquired differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from the …

Associations Between Daily Affect And Sleep Vary By Sleep Assessment Type: What Can Ambulatory Eeg Add To The Picture?, Brett Messman, Danica C. Slavish, Jessica R. Dietch, Brooke N. Jenkins, Maia Ten Brink, Daniel J. Taylor

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective/Background

Disrupted sleep can be a cause and a consequence of affective experiences. However, daily longitudinal studies show sleep assessed via sleep diaries is more consistently associated with positive and negative affect than sleep assessed via actigraphy. The objective of the study was to test whether sleep parameters derived from ambulatory electroencephalography (EEG) in a naturalistic setting were associated with day-to-day changes in affect.

Participants/Method

Eighty adults (mean age = 32.65 years, 63% female) completed 7 days of affect and sleep assessments. We examined bidirectional associations between morning positive affect and negative affect with sleep assessed via diary, actigraphy, and …

Resting Cerebral Oxygen Metabolism Exhibits Archetypal Network Features, Nicholas A. Hubbard, Monroe P. Turner, Kevin R. Sitek, Kathryn L. West, Jakub R. Kaczmarzyk, Lyndahl Himes, Binu P. Thomas, Hanzhang Lu, Bart Rypma

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Standard magnetic resonance imaging approaches offer high-resolution but indirect measures of neural activity, limiting understanding of the physiological processes associated with imaging findings. Here, we used calibrated functional magnetic resonance imaging during the resting state to recover low-frequency fluctuations of the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2). We tested whether functional connections derived from these fluctuations exhibited organization properties similar to those established by previous standard functional and anatomical connectivity studies. Seventeen participants underwent 20 min of resting imaging during dual-echo, pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling, and blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal acquisition. Participants also underwent a 10 min normocapnic and hypercapnic …

Prenatal Maternal Psychological Distress And Fetal Developmental Trajectories: Associations With Infant Temperament, Mariann A. Howland, Curt A. Sandman, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Associations between prenatal maternal psychological distress and offspring developmental outcomes are well documented, yet relatively little research has examined links between maternal distress and development in utero, prior to postpartum influences. Fetal heart rate (FHR) parameters are established indices of central and autonomic nervous system maturation and function which demonstrate continuity with postnatal outcomes. This prospective, longitudinal study of 149 maternal–fetal pairs evaluated associations between prenatal maternal distress, FHR parameters, and dimensions of infant temperament. Women reported their symptoms of psychological distress at five prenatal visits, and FHR monitoring was conducted at the last three visits. Maternal report of infant …

A Predictable Home Environment May Protect Child Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Laura M. Glynn, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Joan L. Luby, Tallie Z. Baram, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

Information about the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent and adult mental health is growing, yet the impacts on preschool children are only emerging. Importantly, environmental factors that augment or protect from the multidimensional and stressful influences of the pandemic on emotional development of young children are poorly understood.

Methods

Depressive symptoms in 169 preschool children (mean age 4.1 years) were assessed with the Preschool Feelings Checklist during a state-wide stay-at-home order in Southern California. Mothers (46% Latinx) also reported on externalizing behaviors with the Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire. To assess the role of environmental factors in …

Specialists In Name Or Practice? The Inclusion Of Transgender And Gender Diverse Identities In Online Materials Of Gender Specialists, Natalie Holt, Robyn E. King, Richard Mocarski, Nathan Woodruff, Debra A. Hope

Trans Collaborations Academic Papers

Recommendations for health care providers working with transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals emphasize affirming clients’ identities, such as using correct pronouns and name, however it is unknown how often gender specialists adhere to such recommendations. Websites and intake forms of gender specialists were coded for use of affirming language, asking for pronouns and chosen name, and mention of TGD specialties and resources. Most websites identified the provider’s specialty to work with TGD individuals, though much fewer provided additional resources concerning TGD issues and only half of intake forms included affirming language. Given previous research that has demonstrated providers working …

Psychometric Evaluation Of The Transgender Congruence Scale, T. Zachary Huit, Allura L. Ralston, J, Kyle Haws, Natalie Holt, Debra A. Hope, Jae Puckett, Richard Mocarski, Nathan Woodruff

Trans Collaborations Academic Papers

Introduction Despite increased attention to transgender and gender diverse (TGD) issues in psychological literature during the past decade, gaps remain for psychometric validation of TGD-specific measures. Kozee et al. (Psychology of Women Quarterly 36(2):179–196, 2012) addressed such gaps by creating the Transgender Congruence Scale (TCS), measuring gender acceptance and feelings of gender congruence between internal and external attributes across a broad range of gender identities. The current study extended Kozee and colleagues’ work by further examining the psychometric properties of the TCS.

Methods Between October and November of 2017, 210 transmasculine, transfeminine, and gender diverse adults between ages 19 …

Improving Psychological Trauma Awareness For Culturally Responsive Care: A Dnp Project, Jose M. Cruz

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Racism and racial discrimination occur in a variety of forms (Kendi, 2017). Both can contribute to poor mental health outcomes in the United States (Alvarez, Liang, & Neville, 2016; Comas-Diaz, Hall, & Neville, 2019; Levy, 2019; Malott & Schaefle, 2015; Williams, Lawrence, Davis, & Vu, 2019). These social conditions have been identified as chronic stressors that can illicit trauma symptoms, result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and contribute to increased suicidality (French et al., 2020). Providers should understand the ramifications of the psychological trauma that can occur and endeavor to deliver evidence-based solutions. This doctoral project was designed to develop, …

Somatosensory Dysfunction Is Masked By Variable Cognitive Deficits Across Patients On The Alzheimer’S Disease Spectrum, Alex I. Wiesman, Victoria M. Mundorf, Chloe C. Casagrande, Sara L. Wolfson, Craig M. Johnson, Pamela E. May, Daniel L. Murman, Tony W. Wilson

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is generally thought to spare primary sensory function; however, such interpretations have drawn from a literature that has rarely taken into account the variable cognitive declines seen in patients with AD. As these cognitive domains are now known to modulate cortical somato-sensory processing, it remains possible that abnormalities in somatosensory function in patients with AD have been suppressed by neuropsychological variability in previous research. Methods: In this study, we combine magnetoencephalographic (MEG) brain imaging during a paired-pulse somatosensory gating task with an extensive battery of neuropsychological tests to investigate the influence of cognitive variability on estimated …

Anxiety Explains Self-Differentiation: Implications For Bowenian Approaches To Marriage And Family Therapy, Reagan Thomas, John Shelley-Tremblay, Harvey Joanning

University Faculty and Staff Publications

This study examined the Bowenian construct of Self- Differentiation (SD), defined as the degree to which a person can think according to their personal beliefs while remaining emotionally connected to the family. This study examined the degree to which negative emotionality accounted for the relationship between SD and Relationship Satisfaction (RS). Emotional Cutoff (EC) emerged as the sole predictor of RS. When Trait Anxiety (TA) was entered into the model it mediated between EC and RS. We discuss the importance of treating anxiety of the individual in family therapy and that SD may best be understood when taking anxiety into …

The Role Of Protective Factors For Nonsuicidal Self-Injury In Sexual Minorities, Kendra Rigney

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Sexual minorities have been shown to have increased risk of suicide in comparison to their heterosexual counterparts. This demographic has also been shown to have decreased levels of protective factors, which function as a measure to protect an individual from attempting suicide. The goal of the present study was to examine how individuals with sexual minority status differ from heterosexual individuals on suicide attempts and the protective factors of resilience, life satisfaction, and subjective happiness within a sample who all have NSSI history. A sample of 2,130 undergraduate students completed an online survey assessing nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide behaviors, …

Beyond The Bump: Reconceiving The Philosophy Of Pregnancy, Hazel T. Bianas, Leni Dlr Garcia, Ninotchka Mumtaj B. Albano

Philosophy Department Faculty Publications

French philosopher Hélène Cixous (1976) stressed the importance of feminine writing. She believes that women should take part in sharing their experiences from their own novel points-of-view. We discuss that while pregnancy is an experience unique to women; it has been misappropriated by patriarchal structures throughout the years. The pregnancy bump; which is more than just evidence of the uterus stretching to accommodate the fetus; is a symbol of a woman's triumphs and struggles all throughout conception; pregnancy and childbirth. We show that women have already gone beyond the bump and challenged existing patriarchal systems through different means; as Cixous …