Psychological Phenomena and Processes Commons^™

The Effect Of Clinician Hardiness On Posttraumatic Growth And Trauma Based On Vicarious Trauma Exposure, Maria Anne Stevens

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

There is a gap in the literature that examines posttraumatic growth outcomes in clinical psychologists. Additionally, few studies have explored personality characteristics that can mitigate negative psychological outcomes and foster growth. This study examined if the same model of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) would be found in clinical psychologists who work with trauma as those who have experienced a traumatic event. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) indicated moderate model fit. Additionally, the study assessed whether the relationship between cumulative Vicarious Trauma Exposure (VTE) and Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), and cumulative VTE and PTG would depend on the moderator hardiness, but no significant …

Hiroshima And Mass Trauma Today: Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Individuals And Communities, Ashley Martinez

International ResearchScape Journal

At 8:15 am on August 6^th, 1945, the world and the way in which we fight wars changed forever. Immediately following the drop of the Little Boy atomic bomb, the city of Hiroshima was decimated, leaving the surviving citizens to deal with poverty, starvation, loss of loved ones, and utter destruction of their lives. After the bombing, survivors were left with burns, radiation poisoning, and physical scars. Unknown to the survivors of the atomic bombings, or Hibakusha, were the ensuing psychological and emotional damages. In 2014, we know more about traumatic experiences than in 1945. Studies from …

Minding The Interpersonal Gap: Mindfulness-Based Interventions In The Prevention Of Ostracism, Alex T. Ramsey, Eric E. Jones

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Ostracism is a ubiquitous phenomenon, occurring across a broad range of social contexts and detrimentally impacting personal outcomes. Through enhanced present-moment attention and awareness, mindfulness-based interventions may help prevent this harmful behavior. The current research examined the role of state mindfulness in reducing the propensity to commit ostracism. This relationship was investigated in two studies: a field-based quasi-experiment (Study 1, n=. 51) and a laboratory-based experiment (Study 2, n=. 100). Both studies supported the utility of brief mindfulness-based interventions in reducing the propensity to ostracize others. The current studies support the relevance of mindfulness in addressing the substantial problem of …

Inventory Of Cognitive Distortions: Validation Of A Measure Of Cognitive Distortions Using A Community Sample, Michael B. Roberts

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine and evaluate further the psychometric properties of a self-report inventory of cognitive distortions using a nonclinical, community sample. A group of 474 individuals were contacted via the social networking site, Facebook, and through a college list-serve and were asked to complete multiple measures and also to send the link to other individuals, thus utilizing a snowball sample. The measures used included the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions (ICD), Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and a brief questionnaire to collect demographic information on each participant. Results revealed positive psychometric properties for …

The Effectiveness Of A Computer-Assisted, Cognitive-Behavior Program For Treating Anxiety Symptoms In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jennifer A. Zabel

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex and multifaceted, neurodevelopmental disorder that severely impacts children and families across a variety of settings. Prevalence rates of ASD are continuing to increase rapidly, with sizeable intervention and treatment costs placed on families and society. Further complicating the matter, many individuals with ASD also evidence co-occurring anxiety symptoms or disorders and tend to be at a higher risk for developing such problems when compared to other clinical populations or typically developing children. This study investigated the effectiveness of a computer-assisted CBT program, Camp Cope-A-Lot (CCAL), in regards to reducing anxiety symptoms in four …

The Anxiolytic Effects Of Self-Selected Music Among Primary Care Patients, Jennifer West-Gavin

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The primary care setting is commonly referred to as the first line of medical treatment sought for health related services. Anxiety is one of the most frequently encountered mental health issues in primary care. The purpose of this study was to examine the level of state anxiety experienced among primary care patients, attending for routine and nonroutine appointments; its further purpose was to examine if self-selected relaxing music accounts for the greatest reductions in state anxiety among primary care patients, as compared with investigator-selected (classical) music, audio commercials, or no music. Patients included a primarily underserved primary care population between …

The Rewarding Nature Of Anger Rumination In Borderline Personality Disorder: An Fmri Investigation, Jessica R. Peters

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Anger rumination, or persistently dwelling on feelings of anger, is associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and related features, such as aggressive behavior and cognitive distortions. To develop more effective treatments, it is crucial to understand why individuals with BPD engage in anger rumination despite its negative outcomes. The activation of energy associated with anger, as well as feelings of justification and validation, may be experienced in the short-term as rewarding. This may prevent individuals with BPD from attempting to reduce their rumination.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and behavioral methods were utilized to examine this theory in a sample …

Journal Cover And Front Matter

Journal of Clinical Art Therapy

No abstract provided.

Is Postpartum Depression A Disease Of Modern Civilization?, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Martie Haselton

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Access to calorie-dense foods, medicine, and other comforts has made modern humans healthier than our prehistoric ancestors in many respects. However, the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease suggest that there are also drawbacks to modern living. Here, we address the question of whether the dramatic cultural changes that have occurred over the past century have inflated rates of postpartum depression, adding postpartum depression to the list of diseases of modern civilization. We review evidence from cross-cultural, epidemiological, and experimental studies documenting associations between postpartum depression and modern patterns of early weaning, diets deficient in essential fatty acids, low …

On Reporting The Onset Of The Intention To Move, Uri Maoz, Liad Mudrik, Ram Rivlin, Ian Ross, Adam Mamelak, Gideon Yaffe

Psychology Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"In 1965, Hans Kornhuber and Luder Deecke made a discovery that greatly influenced the study of voluntary action. Using electroencephalography (EEG), they showed that when aligning some tens of trials to movement onset and averaging, a slowly decreasing electrical potential emerges over central regions of the brain. It starts 1 second ( s) or so before the onset of the voluntary action1 and continues until shortly after the action begins. They termed this the Bereitschaftspotential, or readiness potential (RP; Kornhuber & Deecke, 1965).2 This became the first well-established neural marker of voluntary action. In that, the RP allowed for more …

Pharmacological Interventions For Somatoform Disorders In Adults, Maria Kleinstäuber, Michael Witthöft, Andrés Steffanowski, Harm Van Marwijk, Wolfgang Hiller, Michael J. Lambert

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Somatoform disorders are characterised by chronic, medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS). Although different medications are part of treatment routines for people with somatoform disorders in clinics and private practices, there exists no systematic review or meta‐analysis on the efficacy and tolerability of these medications. We aimed to synthesise to improve optimal treatment decisions. Objectives: To assess the effects of pharmacological interventions for somatoform disorders (specifically somatisation disorder, undifferentiated somatoform disorder, somatoform autonomic dysfunction, and pain disorder) in adults. Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Review Group's Specialised Register (CCDANCTR) (to 17 January 2014). This register …

Non-Pharmacological Interventions For Somatoform Disorders And Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (Mups) In Adults, Nikki Van Dessel, Madelon Den Boeft, Johannes C. Van Der Wouden, Maria Kleinstäuber, Stephanie S. Leone, Berend Terluin, Mattijs E. Numans, Henriëtte E. Van Der Horst, Harm Van Marwijk

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) are physical symptoms for which no adequate medical explanation can be found after proper examination. The presence of MUPS is the key feature of conditions known as 'somatoform disorders'. Various psychological and physical therapies have been developed to treat somatoform disorders and MUPS. Although there are several reviews on non‐pharmacological interventions for somatoform disorders and MUPS, a complete overview of the whole spectrum is missing. Objectives: To assess the effects of non‐pharmacological interventions for somatoform disorders (specifically somatisation disorder, undifferentiated somatoform disorder, somatoform disorders unspecified, somatoform autonomic dysfunction, pain disorder, and alternative somatoform diagnoses …

“Me & My Brain”: Exposing NeuroscienceʼS Closet Dualism, Liad Mudrik, Uri Maoz

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Our intuitive concept of the relations between brain and mind is increasingly challenged by the scientific world view. Yet, although few neuroscientists openly endorse Cartesian dualism, careful reading reveals dualistic intuitions in prominent neuroscientific texts. Here, we present the “double-subject fallacy”: treating the brain and the entire person as two independent subjects who can simultaneously occupy divergent psychological states and even have complex interactions with each other—as in “my brain knew before I did.” Although at first, such writing may appear like harmless, or even cute, shorthand, a closer look suggests that it can be seriously misleading. Surprisingly, this confused …

Exploring Parallels In The Bible, The Analects, And The Epic Of Gilgamesh, Cassidy Mcfarling

University Honors Program

The primary aim of this thesis is to explore parallels in The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Analects, and the Bible. By tracking and describing seven different areas of resemblance, the research illustrates philosophical and narrative overlap. More importantly, an examination of the psychological and social forces behind such literature suggests that correspondence in wisdom literature reveals universal concerns and desires that transcend cultural boundary.

Amygdaloid And Non-Amygdaloid Fear Both Influence Avoidance Of Risky Foraging In Hungry Rats, Earnest S. Kim, Eun Joo Kim, Regina Yeh, Minkyung Shin, Jake Bobman, Franklin B. Krasne, Jeansok J. Kim

Faculty Publications - Psychology Department

Considerable evidence seems to show that emotional and reflex reactions to feared situations are mediated by the amygdala. It might therefore seem plausible to expect that amygdala-coded fear should also influence decisions when animals make choices about instrumental actions. However, there is not good evidence of this. In particular, it appears, though the literature is conflicted, that once learning is complete, the amygdala may often not be involved in instrumental avoidance behaviours. It is therefore of interest that we have found in rats living for extended periods in a semi-naturalistic ‘closed economy’, where they were given random shocks in regions …

Grandfamilies Outcome Workgroup’S (Grow) Review Of Grandfamilies Support Groups: An Examination Of Concepts, Goals, Outcomes And Measures, Kerry A. Littlewood

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

A support group is the most widely used intervention for grandparents and other relatives raising children. Support groups require few resources to establish and are relatively inexpensive to implement. Despite the popularity of support groups for grandfamilies, there is little evidence evaluating their effectiveness to improve the lives of its members. In response to this issue and to support outcome-based research in the field, the Grandfamilies Outcome Workgroup (GrOW) was established. This study highlights GrOW’s review of the literature on the effectiveness of support groups for grandfamilies. Next, the GrOW Inventory of Support Groups (GrOW Inventory) was developed to explore …

Residential Treatment For Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Identifying Trajectories Of Change And Predictors Of Treatment Response, Joseph M. Currier, Jason M. Holland, Kent D. Drescher

Psychology Faculty Research

Background

Combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be a difficult condition to treat and has been associated with serious medical and economic issues among U.S. military veterans. Distinguishing between treatment responders vs. non-responders in this population has become an important public health priority. This study was conducted to identify pre-treatment characteristics of U.S. veterans with combat-related PTSD that might contribute to favorable and unfavorable responses to high value treatments for this condition.

Method

This study focused on 805 patients who completed a VHA PTSD residential program between 2000 and 2007. These patients completed the PTSD Clinical Checklist at pre-treatment, post-treatment, …

Pregnancy Anxiety And Prenatal Cortisol Trajectories, Heidi S. Kane, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Laura M. Glynn, Calvin J. Hobel, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Pregnancy anxiety is a potent predictor of adverse birth and infant outcomes. The goal of the current study was to examine one potential mechanism whereby these effects may occur by testing associations between pregnancy anxiety and maternal salivary cortisol on 4 occasions during pregnancy in a sample of 448 women. Higher mean levels of pregnancy anxiety over the course of pregnancy predicted steeper increases in cortisol trajectories compared to lower pregnancy anxiety. Significant differences between cortisol trajectories emerged between 30 to 31 weeks of gestation. Results remained significant when adjusted for state anxiety and perceived stress. Neither changes in pregnancy …

Relationship Between Sensory Sensitivities And Cognitive And Adaptive Abilities In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Laura Pendergast

Honors Scholar Theses

Sensory sensitivities are widely reported among individuals with ASD. These sensory sensitivities can be classified as over-responsivity, under-responsivity, or seeking of sensory stimulation. Following recent changes in the diagnostic criteria, sensory sensitivities are considered a key feature of the behavioral phenotype of ASDs. Despite their significance, sensory sensitivities have been largely underestimated. Therefore, more research in this area may reveal important information about the influence of sensitivities on functioning, as well as the underlying causes of the symptoms. This study investigated a possible relationship between sensory sensitivities and cognitive and adaptive abilities in children with ASD. The sample included 29 …

Antioxidant Gene Therapy Against Neuronal Cell Death, Juliana Navarro-Yepes, Laura Zavala-Flores, Anandhan Annadurai, Fang Wang, Maciej Skotak, Namas Chandra, Ming Li, Aglaia Pappa, Daniel Martinez-Fong, Luz Maria Del Razo, Betzabet Quintanilla-Vega, Rodrigo Franco

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Oxidative stress is a common hallmark of neuronal cell death associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, as well as brain stroke/ischemia and traumatic brain injury. Increased accumulation of reactive species of both oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) has been implicated inmitochondrial dysfunction, energy impairment, alterations in metal homeostasis and accumulation of aggregated proteins observed in neurodegenerative disorders, which lead to the activation/modulation of cell death mechanisms that include apoptotic, necrotic and autophagic pathways. Thus, the design of novel antioxidant strategies to selectively target oxidative stress and redox imbalance might represent important therapeutic approaches against neurological disorders. …

Brain Science And Stem Learning, Dennis L. Molfese

Discipline-Based Education Research Group Speaker Series

Brain Science is an interdisciplinary science and as such touches on a host of domains that among others include Behavioral & Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Computer & Information Science, Economics, Engineering (multiple domains from Electrical to Mechanical to Structural), Education, Human Resources, Engineering, Environmental, Education, Geosciences, Engineering, Mathematical, Physical Sciences, Psychology, and Zoology. The approach provides a means to study matter from an assortment of elements to the integration of complex domains that stretch from the interactions of neuropeptides to conscious thought that cover the lifespan of single cell organisms to humans. We will touch on a few of these …

Possible Psychosocial Benefits Of Having A Sibling With A Disability, Jenna M. Talbott

Senior Honors Theses

Possible psychosocial benefits resulting from exposure to siblings with disabilities are investigated in the current study. Previous literature has generally overlooked the possibility of psychosocial benefits by exclusively focusing on the negative effects of having a sibling with disabilities. Contact theory suggests that the increased exposure to individuals with disabilities should increase positive attitude toward those who are struggling with disadvantages. This investigation hypothesized that this tendency would be manifested as elevated empathy and compassion in individuals who have siblings with disabilities, and that these traits would be influenced by certain demographic variables. A survey was distributed, and the responses …

Changes In Sleep Time And Sleep Quality Across The Ovulatory Cycle As A Function Of Fertility And Partner Attractiveness, Brooke N. Jenkins, Elizabeth G. Pillsworth, Aaron T. Goetz

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Research suggests that near ovulation women tend to consume fewer calories and engage in more physical activity; they are judged to be more attractive, express greater preferences for masculine and symmetrical men, and experience increases in sexual desire for men other than their primary partners. Some of these cycle phase shifts are moderated by partner attractiveness and interpreted as strategic responses to women’s current reproductive context. The present study investigated changes in sleep across the ovulatory cycle, based on the hypothesis that changes in sleep may reflect ancestral strategic shifts of time and energy toward reproductive activities. Participants completed a …

The Efficacy Of Mathematics Education, Eric Geimer

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

Evidence supports the notion that mathematics education in the United States is inadequate. There is also evidence that mathematics education deficiencies extend internationally. The worldwide mathematics education deficit appears large enough that improving student performance in this educational problem area could yield great economic benefit. To improve the efficacy of mathematics education, education’s root problems must first be understood. Often supposed educational root problems are considered and contrasted against potential deficiencies of mathematics methodologies and curricula that are based on mainstream educational philosophies. The educational philosophies utilized to form early-grade mathematics methodologies and related curricula are judged to be the …

Meta-Analysis Of Social-Personality Psychological Research, Blair T. Johnson, Alice H. Eagly

CHIP Documents

This publication provides a contemporary treatment of the subject of meta-analysis in relation to social-personality psychology. Meta-analysis literally refers to the statistical pooling of the results of independent studies on a given subject, although in practice it refers as well to other steps of research synthesis, including defining the question under investigation, gathering all available research reports, coding of information about the studies and their effects, and interpretation/dissemination of results. Discussed as well are the hallmarks of high-quality meta-analyses.

Anxiety And The Imposter Phenomenon Among Graduate Students In Online Versus Traditional Programs, Christy B. Fraenza

2010-2016 Archived Posters

This study compared online and traditional students on measures of imposter phenomenon (IP), anxiety, and perfectionism. Traditional students had significantly higher IP scores. Perfectionism was the strongest predictor of IP scores. Because the scale for perfectionism explored socially prescribed perfectionism, it seems to suggest an underlying social component to IP.

Hispanic Construction Workers And Assertiveness Training, Pramen Shrestha, Nancy Menzel

Nursing Faculty Research

BACKGROUND: Hispanic (Latino) construction workers experience disparities in occupational death and injury rates in the United States. The cultural value of respect for those in authority may hinder these workers from requesting safe working conditions from supervisors.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether Hispanic construction workers in Las Vegas, Nevada found assertiveness training more useful than non-Hispanic trainees and whether or not they practiced this behavior at work after the training.

METHODS: An assertiveness training simulation was part of fall prevention classes offered to area construction workers. Eight weeks after the training, participants were interviewed by telephone about class topics they found …

Exercise Behavior Patterns In Emerging Adulthood: An Exploration Of Predictor Variables From Self-Determination Theory And Transtheoretical Model, Chad R. Johnson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

During the transition from childhood to adulthood, young people establish patterns of behavior and make lifestyle choices that affect both their current and future health (NCHS, 2010). Emerging adulthood – a new conception of development for the period from the late teens through the twenties – focuses on individuals ages 18-25 who did not have a child, own a home, or have sufficient income to be fully independent (Arnett, 2000). Very little is known about social influence, motivational mediators, and motivation on exercise behavior within this developmental period. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of …

Inhibitory Control Deficits And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Evidence From Eye Blink Rate, Mikael Rubin

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Altering Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress In A Model Of Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury Controls Cellular Fate And Ameliorates Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, Aric Flint Logsdon, Ryan Coddington Turner, Brandon Peter Lucke-Wold, Matthew James Robson, Zachary James Naser, Kelly Elizabeth Smith, Rae Reiko Matsumoto

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Pharmacy

Neuronal injury following blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) increases the risk for neuropsychiatric disorders, yet the pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Blood-brain-barrier (BBB) disruption, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and apoptosis have all been implicated in bTBI. Microvessel compromise is a primary effect of bTBI and is postulated to cause subcellular secondary effects such as ER stress. What remains unclear is how these secondary effects progress to personality disorders in humans exposed to head trauma. To investigate this we exposed male rats to a clinically relevant bTBI model we have recently developed. The study examined initial BBB disruption using Evan’s blue (EB), …