Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Predicting Relationship Satisfaction In Same- And Cross-Sex Friendships, Hannah Ford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Friendships between members of the opposite sex become more common and increase in importance across adolescence (e.g., Kuttler, La Greca, & Prinstein, 1999); however, little research has examined these relationships. Of the limited research, most has focused on comparing mean-level differences in friendship features between cross-sex (CS) friendships and same-sex (SS) friendships. Overall, this research has suggested that CS friendships are lower in positive quality compared to SS friendships. These findings offer little insight into why CS friendships continue to be valued and maintained.

The current study used two approaches to better elucidate the value of CS friendships in a …

Mechanisms Responsible For The Development Of Causal Perception In Infancy., Nicholas A. Holt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the current dissertation was to investigate the mechanisms that contribute to the emergence of causal perception in infancy. Previous research suggests that the experience of self-produced causal action may be necessary to promote the development of causal perception (Rakison & Krogh, 2012). The goal of the current study was two-fold: (1) to further explore the roles of self-produced action, haptic, proprioceptive and visual information, and parental interaction on young infants’ understanding of causality. To assess the impact of these factors on infants’ causal learning, 4½-month-olds were randomly assigned to one four conditions. Three of the conditions (Active …

A Culturally-Sensitive Cognitive Model Of Worry In African American Youth., Allyn Elizabeth Richards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our understanding of worry in children and adolescents has been increasingly enhanced over the past decade through the downward extension of adult cognitive models. Although our knowledge about the cognitive factors that place children at risk for worry has grown, little is known about these processes within African American youth. This is particularly notable given extant work suggesting that risk and protective processes are influenced by contextual factors. The current study reviews literatures regarding cognitive factors associated with worry and sociocultural factors salient to the African American context in order to inform a culturally-sensitive cognitive model of worry in African …

Re-Conceptualizing Compassion Fatigue: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Madeline Marks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Those who are not directly in danger themselves can and do experience negative effects, sometimes at higher rates than those directly exposed. These individuals who experience indirect exposure are often those who work in "helping" professions. Helping professionals include psychologists, physicians, nurses, social workers, and first responders, among others. Joinson (1992) described a phenomenon unique to helping professionals, which was termed compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue describes these negative affects experienced by helping professionals as a cumulative process. These negative changes can be related to mood and/or a transformation in cognitions. Further, these changes are the result of the empathy and …

Examination Of Attitude-Behavior Discrepancy In Familism And Its Relation To Symptoms Of Depression Among Latinos, Andel Nicasio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the discrepancy between attitudinal and behavioral familism and its relation to depressive symptoms. The overarching hypothesis was that discrepancy between family values and the actual experiences of those values influences psychological health. Previous research has primarily focused on self-report measures of familial attitudes, and not whether these values are actually experienced by the individual. To address this gap in the literature, this study developed a new behavioral familism scale. A total of 431 Latinos and non-Latino Whites from a large university in Florida participated in this study. Overall, the new behavioral familism scale demonstrated good psychometric properties. …