Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Predictors Of Employment In A Treatment Sample Of Individuals With Substance Use Disorders, Enkelejda Ngjelina

Theses and Dissertations

Efforts to increase employment rates through vocational skills training and job interview skills development have yielded mixed results. While initial studies of Job Seekers Workshop (JSW) found greater employment success for participants randomized to JSW as compared to a control condition (Hall, Loeb & Norton, 1977), a more recent Clinical Trials Network (CTN) study found no differences in employment outcomes between the JSW and control groups and the rate of employment overall was substantively lower than those reported in the early studies (Svikis et al., 2012). To better understand these discrepant findings, the present study conducted secondary analyses using the …

A Longitudinal Study Of The Stress-Buffering Effects Of Romantic Relationships On Alcohol Outcomes In College Students Exposed To Trauma, Rebecca L. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined interplay between interpersonal trauma (IPT), relationship status, relationship satisfaction (SAT), and partner substance use (PSU), and whether these relationship dimensions moderated associations between IPT and alcohol outcomes. Data came from a longitudinal study of college students (N=9,911; 61%female; 49%White). Precollege IPT increased the likelihood of being in a relationship, while college-onset IPT decreased the likelihood. IPT predicted lower SAT and higher PSU. Individuals with precollege IPT consumed more alcohol than those without IPT, but this was mitigated for those in relationships. Individuals with college-onset IPT consumed more alcohol than those without IPT, and this was …

A Contextual Approach To Understanding Psychiatric Comorbidities In Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Individual, Peer, And Family Factors, Jessica L. Greenlee

Theses and Dissertations

Psychiatric comorbidities are common in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and can have a negative impact on adaptive functioning and quality of life. Research has primarily focused on individual characteristics associated with internalizing problems such as age, intelligence, and social functioning. However, developmental theory supports the notion that individual level factors are necessary but not sufficient to understand the mental health of youth with ASD. Using the Family Ecology Framework as a guide, the purpose of this study was to examine how peer and family contexts are associated with anxiety and depression symptoms of adolescents with ASD. Using data …

A Cross-Cultural Examination Of The Relations Among Parkinson’S Disease Impairments, Caregiver Burden And Mental Health, And Family Dynamics In Mexico And The United States, Erin Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a common progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to both physical and cognitive impairment over time. Eventually, these impairments may include the loss of autonomy, and the individual may require the assistance of an informal caregiver. Informal caregivers are critical in the care of individuals with PD and spend substantial time providing care, which may be associated with negative caregiver outcomes such as burden, mental health issues, as well as poor family dynamics. Although research in the United States and Europe has generally supported these relations, there is very limited research on PD caregiving in Latin America. …

The Efficacy Of A Group Visual Art Bereavement Intervention With Older Adults, Rachel E. Weiskittle

Theses and Dissertations

Research on expressive art interventions for bereavement has burgeoned in recent years. Studies have supported their effectiveness in facilitating participants’ adjustment to loss (e.g., Rosner, Kruse, & Hagl, 2010; Uttley, 2015) and have revealed the frequency with which they are clinically implemented (Thompson & Neimeyer, 2014). Clinicians and recipients of expressive art interventions advocate for their helpfulness in grief processing (e.g., Gamino, 2015). Publications have highlighted particular visual art modules that facilitate adaptive adjustment to loss by providing avenues for self-expression, meaning making and continuing bonds with the deceased (Neimeyer, 2016), but few studies have quantitatively investigated whether they improve …

Training Future Mental Health Professionals In An Evidence-Informed System Of Care, Julia R. Cox

Theses and Dissertations

High quality mental health services do not reach the youth who need them, leading to efforts to implement effective treatments more broadly. One focus of these efforts concerns training the mental health workforce, of which master’s-level social workers represent a large proportion. However, the curricula of master’s in social work (MSW) programs do not often emphasize evidence-based approaches. One possible solution is Managing and Adapting Practice (MAP; PracticeWise, LLC), a system that allows clinicians to (1) identify clinically indicated evidence-based programs by searching a growing evidence-base of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and (2) build individualized evidence-informed treatment plans by focusing …

Do Sluggish Cognitive Tempo Symptoms Improve With School-Based Adhd Interventions? Outcomes And Predictors Of Change., Zoe Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is a construct that includes symptoms of slowness, mental confusion, excessive daydreaming, low motivation, and drowsiness/sleepiness. SCT is often co-morbid with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and SCT symptoms are associated with significant academic and interpersonal impairment above and beyond the influence of ADHD symptoms. Despite the overlap between ADHD and SCT and associated impairments, no studies have evaluated how evidence-based psychosocial interventions for adolescents with ADHD impact symptoms of SCT. This study examined whether SCT symptoms improved in a sample of 274 young adolescents with ADHD who received either an organizational skills or a homework completion intervention. …

The Influence Of Electronic Cigarette Heating Coil Resistance On Nicotine Delivery, Heart Rate, Subjective Effects, And Puff Topography, Marzena M. Hiler

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic cigarette (ECIG) users can manipulate several device features including liquid nicotine concentration (mg/ml) and heating coil resistance (Ohms). One class of ECIG models, called “sub-Ohm” devices, use coils with a resistance of < 1 Ohms, lower than those observed in conventional ECIGs (e.g., ≥ 1.5 Ohms). Increasing voltage or decreasing coil resistance increases device power. Given that ECIG coil resistance and liquid nicotine concentration have not been manipulated systematically and simultaneously in clinical laboratory studies, the influence of these factors on ECIG acute effects remain unclear. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the influence of coil resistance and liquid nicotine concentration on nicotine delivery, heart rate (HR), subjective effects, puff topography, and liquid consumption.

Thirty-two experienced ECIG users completed four independent laboratory sessions that differed by coil resistance (0.5Ohm or 1.5Ohm ) and liquid nicotine concentration (3 or 8 mg/ml). In each session, participants used a 4.5 V “Kanger SUBOX” loaded with 3.5 ml ECIG liquid in a 10-puff directed and 60-minute ad libitum bout. Nicotine delivery was greatest when using 8 mg+0.5Ohm combination and lowest when using the 3 mg/ml+1.5Ohm …

Weaponization Of Space: Subverting The Architecture Of Occupation, Majdulin Nasrallah

Theses and Dissertations

Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and oppression of the Palestinian people has manifested itself in countless ways. The built environment, fueled by spatial theory, has been transformed into an instrument of war that serves a military agenda. In this context, the physical environment is not simply the arena of conflict, but a weapon wielded by occupying forces. This research investigates spatial control through seemingly mundane architecture and military practices, which are deployed deliberately to strangulate Palestinian livelihood and prosperity. Derived from Deleuze and Guittari’s delineation of smooth and striated space, with an emphasis on walls and barriers, this thesis subverts …

Competing Strength-Based Models Of Trauma And Suicidality In A High-Risk Primary Care Sample, Samantha Mladen

Theses and Dissertations

There is limited research on the relationship between trauma exposure, depression, and suicidality, particularly in high-risk primary care samples. The present study aims to: 1) characterize the prevalence of suicidality, depression, and trauma exposure in this sample; 2)develop and test models of the relationships between suicidality, depression, and trauma exposure in this sample; 3) augment the selected model with key protective factors, including social support and religiosity; and 4) further elaborate the nature of religiosity as a potential protective factor using the subscales of the Attitudes toward God scale, Anger toward God and Comfort with God.

Patients (n …

Alcohol Use And Drinking Motives In Bereaved Undergraduates, Laura J. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of the experience of a loss on alcohol use and drinking motives in a college sample. Participants for this study were drawn from the “Spit for Science” project (Dick et al., 2014). The sample included 3,013 students (31.8% men, 68.2% women; 44.3% White, 21.1% Black, 19.6% Asian, 6.0% Latinx; mean age = 18.96; 16.2% bereaved) from Virginia Commonwealth University. Data were collected from participants’ freshman spring and sophomore spring time points on the Life Events Checklist, Alcohol Consumption items, and Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised. Participants who were bereaved between the freshman and sophomore timepoint did not …

Racism, Healthcare Provider Trust, And Medication Adherence Among Black Patients In Safety-Net Primary Care: A Strength-Based Approach, Mickeal Pugh Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Integrated primary care has been incorporated into a variety of healthcare settings. The benefits of these services are empirically supported by a plethora of studies, which highlight the integration of behavioral and physical healthcare to be beneficial for both patient and healthcare providers. Integrated care models are typically incorporated in Veterans Affairs hospitals, general primary care facilities, and community clinics. Community-based clinics, such as safety-net clinics, typically serve underrepresented populations, and research has shown several mental and physical health disparities to exist among minority populations. Further, the minority stress model posits that distal and proximal minority-based stress processes can result …

The Role Of Mindfulness In Self-View Investment: Neural And Subjective Indicators, Hadley Rahrig

Theses and Dissertations

Self-concept is strongly influenced by beliefs about one’s personal psychological attributes, and these beliefs are held with varying degrees of confidence and consequence. Hence, it is investment in self-views of those attributes that helps to regulate and maintain stable self-concept. Self-view investment is relevant to numerous self-related functions, but high self-view investment can also contribute to maladaptive self-views. Theory suggests that mindfulness cultivates a less personal, more objective perception of one’s thoughts, emotions and behaviors, and training in mindfulness has been shown to alter self-referential processing. The current pilot study (N=21) investigates the possible role of dispositional mindfulness in two …

Longitudinal Patterns Of Depression Symptoms Among Emerging Adults, Sarah W. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Research has suggested that depression symptoms generally decrease after late adolescence; however, there is increasing attention paid to depression symptoms among college students given the stressors unique to this time period and negative outcomes associated with depression. This study examined latent trajectories of depression symptom severity among college students. Participants were 9,889 college students who participated in the Spit for Science project (Dick et al., 2011). Growth Mixture Modeling was used to identify the presence of four subgroups of individuals with similar patterns of initial level and change in depression severity over four years of college, including Low/Minimal (55.9%), Decreasing …

Loneliness And Sleep Disturbance In Older Americans, Sarah C. Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

Loneliness is a risk factor for premature mortality but the mechanics of this relationship remain obscure. A potential mechanism is sleep disturbance. The present study aimed to examine the association between loneliness and sleep disturbance, evaluate loneliness as a risk factor for sleep disturbance and vice-versa, model effects between loneliness and sleep disturbance over time, and evaluate a mediation model of loneliness, sleep disturbance, and health. Data came from the 2006-2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally-representative study of older Americans; participants > 65 were included (n=11,400). Analyses included (i) linear regressions accounting for complex sampling and (ii) …

From Sunrise To Sunset: A Lifespan Approach To Understanding The Mental Health Of A Subset Of American Farmers, Janna L. Imel

Theses and Dissertations

Prior research has indicated higher risk of suicide for farmers and identified depression and anxiety as mental health concerns, though the majority of research was conducted in the 1980s-1990s. In today’s economic, social, and political climate, farmers are exposed to situations and stressors reminiscent of the 1980s Farm Crisis. An added risk is the aging workforce of farmers, as age-related conditions can make farming even riskier. This study investigated the mental health of a subset of American farmers by exploring farm-related stressors, coping mechanisms, and mental health outcomes. Dispositional mindfulness was explored as a specific coping mechanism. Participants (N …

Trauma Related Drinking To Cope: A Phenotypic And Molecular Genetic Investigation Of The Self-Medication Model, Sage E. Hawn

Theses and Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use problems (AUP) commonly co-occur, have shared latent genetic risk, and are associated with many negative public health outcomes. Via a self-medication framework, trauma-related drinking to cope (TRD), an unexplored construct to date, may help explain why these two disorders co-occur, thus serving as an essential target for treatment and prevention efforts. The present study aimed to create a novel measure of TRD and examine its psychometric properties, investigate its indirect influences on the association between PTSD and AUP, as well as explore its potential shared molecular genetic risk with PTSD in a genetically-informative …

Construction And Validation Of A Non-Medical Use Of Prescription Opioids Outcome Expectancies Scale Among College Students In China, Cheuk Chi Tam

Theses and Dissertations

Background:Non-medical use of prescription opioids (NMUPO) has become a clear threat to public health. Young adults (aged 18 to 25) have a high risk of NMUPO. My prior work on Chinese undergraduates indicates a high prevalence of lifetime NMUPO (49.2%). Health behavior theories propose that outcome expectancies are robust psychosocial determinants of substance use. Literature has identified the influence of outcome expectancies on alcohol and drug use. However, the role of outcome expectancies in NMUPO in China is unknown, and a scarcity of a valid measures for NMUPO outcome expectancies may be a barrier. Our previous research also found …

Conceptualization Of Body Image And Eating Disorders Among South Asian American Women: A Qualitative Investigation, Neha J. Goel

Theses and Dissertations

Though it is known that eating disorders (EDs) affect individuals of all racial/ethnic backgrounds (Cheng, Perko, Fuller-Marashi, Gau, & Stice, 2019), people of color tend to be overlooked in the ED literature. South Asian Americans, a specific subset of individuals traditionally categorized within the larger umbrella group of “Asians,” have been notoriously neglected in both the broader mental health literature, and in the ED literature (Inman, Devdas, Spektor, & Pendse, 2014; Iyer & Haslam, 2003, 2006). Currently, very little information exists on the etiology and presentation of EDs amongst South Asian communities. Even less is known about culturally-specific barriers to …

Associations Between Expressed Emotion, Mental Health, And Functioning In Families: Child Asthma Status As A Moderator, Katherine W. Dempster

Theses and Dissertations

Expressed emotion (EE), the affective attitudes and behaviors of one toward another, can affect caregivers’ behaviors toward their child. Research examining associations between EE and child/family outcomes is mixed; these associations may be affected by other influences such as the presence of a chronic disease or parent mental health. In this study of families living in an urban area, we examined associations between EE and child outcomes (anxiety/depressive symptoms) and family functioning, with parent anxiety as a covariate. We evaluated child asthma status as a moderator as the presence of a chronic illness may strengthen the association between EE and …

Genome-Wide Systems Genetics Of Alcohol Consumption And Dependence, Kristin Mignogna

Theses and Dissertations

Widely effective treatment for alcohol use disorder is not yet available, because the exact biological mechanisms that underlie this disorder are not completely understood. One way to gain a better understanding of these mechanisms is to examine the genetic frameworks that contribute to the risk for developing this disorder. This dissertation examines genetic association data in combination with gene expression networks in the brain to identify functional groups of genes associated with alcohol consumption and dependence.

The first study took advantage of the behavioral complexity of human samples, and experimental capabilities provided by mouse models, by co-analyzing gene expression networks …

The Role Of Strength: Navigating Perinatal Loss Among Black Women, Ashley N. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

In the U.S., Black mothers experience fetal and infant mortality at alarming rates when compared to White and Latina mothers (Gregory, Drake, & Martin, 2018). The intent of this study was to examine perinatal loss among Black American women and to expand understanding of how the Strong Black Woman (SBW) ideology influences bereavement. Data were gathered from (N=109) Black American bereaved mothers. It was predicted that endorsement of differing aspects of the SBW would moderate the relationship between perinatal grief and psychosocial outcomes (i.e., depression and post-traumatic growth). Regression analyses, alongside a bootstrapping procedure via PROCESS (Hayes, 2017), …

An Evaluation Of Differences In Motivations To Receive Cervical Cancer Screening And Follow-Up Care Between Black And White Women, Ashlee Sawyer

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Cervical cancer among Black women is a major individual and public health concern. Despite advancements in medical technology and policy, disparities in cervical cancer diagnosis and mortality still exist between White and Black women, with Black women having higher rates of diagnosis (10.0 vs 7.1 per 100,000) and mortality (4.1 vs 2.0 per 100,000). Previous studies have focused heavily on barriers to obtaining cervical cancer screening among Black women and efforts to improve screening rates. Despite speculation by researchers that gaps in receipt of quality follow-up care may contribute to disparities, its role in disparate mortality rates between Black …

Predictors Of Peripartum Care Attendance Among A Sample Of African American Women At Increased Risk For Poor Prenatal Care Compliance, Anna B. Parlier-Ahmad

Theses and Dissertations

Prenatal and postpartum care are important for reducing maternal and infant morbidity. Racial and ethnic disparities are prevalent in maternal peripartum health and infant birth outcomes as well as peripartum care access and utilization. They highlight the need to identify and better understand correlates of poor prenatal and postpartum care compliance. While risk factors for low adherence to peripartum care have been identified, no studies have looked specifically at predictors of prenatal and postpartum care attendance in an at-risk sample of African American pregnant women. Using existing data from an RCT targeting maternal and infant health disparities and comparing a …

Examining Sleep And Family Functioning In Pediatric Craniopharyngioma Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Nour Al Ghriwati

Theses and Dissertations

Craniopharyngiomas are among the most common brain tumors in children and are associated with greater rates of sleep problems compared to other pediatric cancers. However, research examining sleep among youth with craniopharyngioma has been limited by a reliance on retrospective reports or sleep studies. Families also play a crucial role in children’s adjustment following a pediatric cancer diagnosis, yet remarkably little is known about transactional associations between family functioning and sleep in pediatric cancer. This study examined cross-sectional and daily associations among family functioning, affect, and sleep difficulties for youth with pediatric craniopharyngioma using retrospective reports and ecological momentary assessment …

Race, Health, And Social Support On Campus: An Exploration Of Discrimination On Health And Fraternity/Sorority Membership For African American College Students, Alexandra M. Munson

Theses and Dissertations

African American college students face a myriad of unique race related stressors on campus, yet there is a gap of knowledge on how these experiences may impact overall health as well as what may mediate these effects. The goal of the current study was threefold. First, it was to better understand the relationship between health outcomes and the experience of discrimination on college campuses for African American students. Second, it further investigated the research of Pieterse & Carter (2007), to explore if perceived discrimination influences health outcomes above and beyond general life stress in the emerging adult population. Lastly, it …

Social Influences On Racial Identity, Perceived Social Support, And Mental Health Among Black College Students, Sultan A. Hubbard

Theses and Dissertations

The first goal for the study was to estimate trait effects and social influences for racial centrality, racial private regard, and racial public regard. The second was to estimate correlational relationships between racial identity, depression, and anxiety symptoms. The study used 110 Black university students (M_age=19.5,SD=4.13) from a southeastern American university. Restricted maximum likelihood estimation was conducted to estimate variance components for all constructs. Racial centrality, racial private regard, and racial public regard consisted of mostly trait effects, although reflecting substantial social influences. Correlational findings indicated that providers who evoked high racial centrality also evoked …

The Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health On The Efficacy Of School-Based Interventions For Adolescents With Adhd, Cathrin D. Green

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience impairment in academic functioning in the school and home environment. Because of this, many school- and clinic-based interventions have been developed to target these problems. Initially, clinic-based interventions were mainly used; however, these interventions were associated with many barriers to care, such as lack of transportation, financial resources, and time. Therefore, school-based interventions were developed to address these barriers. However, there has been minimal research evaluating the role of social determinants of health on the efficacy of school-based interventions. In a sample of 222 adolescents with ADHD randomly assigned to receive either a …

Developmental Dynamics Of Students' Perceptions Of Classroom Practices, Their Identity, And Academic Engagement, Krystal R. Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

As the student body in the United States continues to become more diverse, it is critically important to understand the factors that influence African American and Latinx students’ engagement, including what they bring to the classroom, and their perceptions of what is occurring in the classroom. During early adolescence, youth are making meaning and internalizing the proximal influences their classrooms have on their sense of self and subsequent academic outcomes. Among school variables, teaching quality accounts for some amount of variation in student achievement.

This dissertation project explored whether there were gender differences among 205 middle school students’ perceptions of …

Using Latent Semantic Analysis To Evaluate The Coherence Of Traumatic Event Narratives, Gabriella C. Scalzo

Theses and Dissertations

While a growing evidence base suggests that expressive writing about a traumatic event may be an effective intervention which results in a variety of health benefits, there are still multiple competing theories that seek to explain expressive writing’s mechanism(s) of action. Two of the theories with stronger evidence bases are exposure theory and cognitive processing theory. The state of this field is complicated by methodological limitations; operationalizing and measuring the relative constructs of trauma narratives, such as coherence, traditionally requires time- and labor-intensive methods such as using a narrative coding scheme. This study used a computer-based methodology, latent semantic analysis …