Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Keyword
-
- Western Kentucky University (106)
- Psychology (15)
- Student Research (14)
- Aging (13)
- Depression (12)
-
- Anxiety (10)
- Perception (10)
- Suicide (9)
- Cognition (8)
- Eating disorders (7)
- Stigma (7)
- WKU Honors College (7)
- Eating Disorders (6)
- Emotion (6)
- Mental Illness (6)
- Mental health (6)
- PTSD (6)
- School psychology (6)
- Stress (6)
- Western Kentucky University undergraduate research (6)
- ASD (5)
- Aggression (5)
- Autism (5)
- Body image (5)
- Children (5)
- Educational tests and measurements (5)
- Kentucky (5)
- Leadership (5)
- Personality (5)
- Trauma (5)
- Publication Year
- Publication
-
- Masters Theses & Specialist Projects (884)
- Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects (74)
- Student Research Conference Select Presentations (34)
- Dissertations (33)
- WKU Archives Records (17)
-
- Counseling & Student Affairs Faculty Publications (8)
- Ogden College of Science & Engineering Publications (8)
- Psychology Capstone Projects (8)
- MSS Finding Aids (5)
- Educational Practices in Kinesiology (3)
- Philosophy & Religion Faculty Publications (3)
- Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications (3)
- Social Work Faculty Publications (3)
- Psychology Faculty Publications (2)
- WKU Archives Collection Inventories (2)
- Academic Support Division Faculty Publications (1)
- Counseling Concepts and Applications for Student Affairs Professionals (CNS 577) (1)
- Faculty/Staff Personal Papers (1)
- Home Economics and Family Living Theses (1)
- Nursing Faculty Publications (1)
- Sabbatical Reports (1)
- WKU Scholar (1)
- Publication Type
- File Type
Articles 1 - 30 of 1094
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Meaning In Life And Metacognition: Application Of The Self-Validation Hypothesis, Liam Hill
Meaning In Life And Metacognition: Application Of The Self-Validation Hypothesis, Liam Hill
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Meaning in Life is a robust predictor of various positive outcomes, and provides a buffer against a host of negative outcomes. Due to this fact, it becomes important to examine all the facets of a meaningful life. One consistent predictor of Meaning in Life (MIL) in the literature is one’s sense of positive affect. I tested the idea that it is possible to doubt (or have confidence in) one’s affect, such that under conditions of doubt, positive affect is less strongly related to MIL. It may be the case that positive affect predicts MIL because of what we think of …
A Process Model Of Workplace Cyber Incivility Spillover, Cora Hurt
A Process Model Of Workplace Cyber Incivility Spillover, Cora Hurt
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Cyber incivility is a pervasive problem, affecting individuals not only while at work but also at home. It has been found to spillover to the home domain in the form of aggression and withdrawal, affecting the target and their partner, but the mechanism behind this association has not been examined. This study examines work-related affective rumination as a spillover mechanism between experienced cyber incivility and aggressive and withdrawn behaviors at home. I hypothesized that daily experienced cyber incivility will be positively associated with both aggressive behavior and withdrawn behavior at home, and work-related affective rumination will mediate this relationship. Using …
Bidirectional Relationships Between Use Of Popular Social Media Platforms And Anxiety, Depression, And Social Support, Olivia Dick
Bidirectional Relationships Between Use Of Popular Social Media Platforms And Anxiety, Depression, And Social Support, Olivia Dick
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
The relationship between social media use and mental health outcomes among young populations has been a cause for increasing concern in research. However, the directionality of these relationships remains ambiguous due to existing literature being largely cross-sectional and having limited focus on individual platforms. This study aimed to explore the bidirectional relationship between social media use across prominent platforms and various mental healthrelated outcomes among young adults. A sample of 203 young adults, ages 18-29, completed baseline and 6-month follow-up assessments measuring social media use across Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, as well as measures of depression, anxiety, and perceived friend …
Investigating The Association Between Incivility Variability And Burnout At Work, Tamia Eugene
Investigating The Association Between Incivility Variability And Burnout At Work, Tamia Eugene
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Incivility is a prevalent workplace stressor for many employees in the workplace. Over time, exposure to stressors may lead to increased burnout, which can be costly for organizations. However, variability in uncivil experiences may be more detrimental to employees than chronic exposure to incivility due to the uncertainty associated with it. Using previously collected data from a larger grant, I examined the direct effect of incivility variability on burnout. Specifically, I hypothesized that employees who experienced incivility frequently but sporadically will report more burnout. Furthermore, I hypothesized that a perceived organizational climate that supports civility will moderate the direct effect …
Impact Of Framing Depression On Illness Perceptions And Coping Strategies, Abby Mcginnis
Impact Of Framing Depression On Illness Perceptions And Coping Strategies, Abby Mcginnis
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
The current study aimed to adopt an experimental design used by Schroder et al. (2023) to investigate how framing of depression (as a disease vs a functional signal) impacts illness perceptions and coping strategies. Participants were given the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42) to assess depression severity and prime participants for the framing condition. Each condition had five videos describing depression and the corresponding frameworks. Perceived control, timeline, and causes of depression were measured using the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R). Participants were given the brief-COPE questionnaire to measure coping strategies, such as avoidant and problem-focused. There were no differences …
Building Bridges: An Improvement Science Approach To Fostering Cross-Group Connections And Friendships Among Elementary School Students, Cody Russelburg
Building Bridges: An Improvement Science Approach To Fostering Cross-Group Connections And Friendships Among Elementary School Students, Cody Russelburg
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
The persistent issue of limited cross-group connections and friendships among diverse elementary school students is addressed, specifically in a district with five elementary schools that converge into a single middle and high school. The tendency for students to maintain selfsegregated social circles from their zoned elementary schools into middle and high school highlights the need for an intervention designed to foster cross-group connections. Utilizing the Improvement Science framework, this research incorporates two intervention cycles to refine and enhance outcomes related to cross-group connections. Fifth-grade students from two distinct elementary schools had intentional and direct intergroup contact utilizing an adapted version …
An Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Student’S T-Test Under Heterogeneity Of Variance, Hayden Nelson
An Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Student’S T-Test Under Heterogeneity Of Variance, Hayden Nelson
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Within the field of psychology, few tests have been as thoroughly investigated as Student’s t-test. One area of criticism is the use of the test when the assumption for heterogeneity of variance between two samples is violated, such as when sample sizes and observed sample variances are unequal. The current study proposes a Monte Carlo analysis to observe a broad range of conditions in efforts to identify the resulting fluctuations in the proportion obtained significant results for two conditions: no mean difference (𝜇 = 𝜇) compared to the set level of alpha, and small-to-moderate mean differences (𝜇 ≠ 𝜇) compared …
The Effect Of Mindfulness Training On Muscular Endurance Exercise Performance, Mindfulness, And Mental Toughness, Donte Mcgee
The Effect Of Mindfulness Training On Muscular Endurance Exercise Performance, Mindfulness, And Mental Toughness, Donte Mcgee
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
INTRODUCTION: Mindfulness training is a method of mental training becoming increasingly popular and has been positively associated with mental toughness, which may be valuable in highly fatiguing and stressful activities, like endurance exercise. Mindfulness training has resulted in increased endurance performance, but limited literature exists on a similar modality, muscular endurance exercise. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of an acute bout of mindfulness meditation on muscular endurance performance, mindfulness, and mental toughness. METHODS: Participants (n=24) completed two sessions, a week apart, of three planks until fatigue, with one-minute rest intervals. Immediately following each plank, RPE …
Effectiveness Of A Peer-Supported Digital Brief Intervention: Reducing Alcohol Use & Related Harms In Young Adults With Histories Of Interpersonal Trauma, Caitlin Mcgettrick
Effectiveness Of A Peer-Supported Digital Brief Intervention: Reducing Alcohol Use & Related Harms In Young Adults With Histories Of Interpersonal Trauma, Caitlin Mcgettrick
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Alcohol is the most frequently used substance in the United States, and young adults ages 18-25 have the highest rates of heavy alcohol use. Heavy and persistent alcohol use is associated with a host of negative outcomes in young adults, including poor mental health, lower life satisfaction, cognitive impairments, poor academic performance, increased risk for motor vehicle accidents, and substance use disorders. Brief interventions (BI) are low-resource, short-term interventions designed to reduce problematic substance use and mitigate the substantial harms posed by heavy and persistent use of substances such as alcohol. BIs have limited effectiveness in trauma survivors despite trauma …
Classroom Technology Policies, Technology Usage, And Mind-Wandering, Halley Stecht
Classroom Technology Policies, Technology Usage, And Mind-Wandering, Halley Stecht
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Technology usage has been rapidly increasing in college classrooms since 2019. This has shown to be a challenge for educators in higher education due to the increase in off-task usage. Many educators try to combat technology usage in their classrooms through technology policies in their syllabus, in hopes of reducing off-task behaviors such as mind-wandering. The purpose of this study was twofold: first we determined whether classroom technology policies impacted students’ technology usage. Then, we investigated whether access to technology in the classroom was associated with more mind-wandering during class. Two hundred sixty-eight college students completed an online survey that …
The Effects Of Communication Overaccommodation On Non-Native English-Speaking Employees In The U.S. Workplace, Elizabeth Curtis
The Effects Of Communication Overaccommodation On Non-Native English-Speaking Employees In The U.S. Workplace, Elizabeth Curtis
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Communication overaccommodation (CO) takes the form of baby talk, speech mimicry, and overcommunication, and its effects on recipients have been studied in physician/patient relationships, civilian/police officer relationships, manager/employee relationships, and native and non-native speaker communications. This study focused on CO in non-hierarchical relationships between native English-speaking and non-native English-speaking employees in the U.S. workplace. I investigated the effects of CO on non-native English-speaking co-workers, regarding their feelings of exclusion and satisfaction with their job. I also investigated the potential moderation effect of English proficiency on non-native English-speaking employees’ feelings of being excluded. It was found that the level of English …
Teaching And Practicing Goal Setting In A Course Onboarding Module, Jedediah E. Blanton, Rachel E. Williams
Teaching And Practicing Goal Setting In A Course Onboarding Module, Jedediah E. Blanton, Rachel E. Williams
Educational Practices in Kinesiology
Teaching about the empirical evidence and basic tenets of setting and pursuing goals is a common topic in undergraduate kinesiology courses, especially in sport and exercise psychology. Yet, many textbooks and materials include goal setting as an applied skill or behavior change process buried in the middle of the term. In this article, we will define types of goals and share a goal setting activity that may be scaled for a variety of courses and class sizes. The purpose of this article is to share a proposal for opening the course by first covering the topic of goal setting. The …
Ua94/6/18 Stephen Flora Student / Alumni Papers, Wku Archives
Ua94/6/18 Stephen Flora Student / Alumni Papers, Wku Archives
WKU Archives Collection Inventories
Records created by and about Stephen Flora during his years as a student at Western Kentucky University.
Social Media & Mental Health: An Examination Of Tiktok & Mental Health Outcomes, Jessica Maddox
Social Media & Mental Health: An Examination Of Tiktok & Mental Health Outcomes, Jessica Maddox
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
The goal of this research study was to examine the relationship between amount of Tiktok use and the results of various mental health scales. The hypothesis was that increased Tiktok use would be correlated with a decrease in self-esteem, and an increase in depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and overall loneliness. Participants were recruited on Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and paid a small monetary benefit in exchange for completion of the study. There were a total of 285 participants. Correlations and linear regression analysis were used to determine statistical significance; results showed no statistical significance and none of the hypotheses were …
Exploring College Student Experiences In A Kinesiology Course Using A Gamified Grading System, Rachel E. Williams, Jedediah E. Blanton, Christopher D. Kilgore, Matthew Jones
Exploring College Student Experiences In A Kinesiology Course Using A Gamified Grading System, Rachel E. Williams, Jedediah E. Blanton, Christopher D. Kilgore, Matthew Jones
Educational Practices in Kinesiology
Past findings indicate mixed results on the effectiveness of gamification in college courses. The use of a gamified version of specifications-based grading (e.g., gamified grading) is not yet well understood. The purpose of this two-part study was to understand students’ perceptions of intrinsic motivation and engagement in a kinesiology course using gamified grading, facilitated by a gamified grading platform called GradeCraft©. We used qualitative inquiry to capture a robust description of the student experience across a semester, identifying themes describing the course management (e.g., comparison with traditional course, individual approach), and the psychological experience (e.g., autonomy, stress). The following semester, …
Diagnosed By Dr. Hollywood: The Media’S On-Screen Depictions Of Mental Illness & Scripting The Public’S Perceptions, Grace Salloum
Diagnosed By Dr. Hollywood: The Media’S On-Screen Depictions Of Mental Illness & Scripting The Public’S Perceptions, Grace Salloum
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
In this study, the primary goal is to observe how media portrayals of mental illnesses can influence society’s perceptions of mental illness, notably when an individual’s knowledge largely hinges on these portrayals. Stigmas shape the attitudes of others towards individuals with mental illnesses. Stigmas refer to the devaluing of attributes rejected by society, and are characterized by status loss, stereotyping, and discrimination. They are sustained through framing effects and attribution. Framing is often used in the media’s presentation of mental health to sensationalize the experience or to generate alarm toward the afflicted. This study includes an analysis of movies and …
Empowering Students As Leaders Of Behavior Change: An Experiential-Learning Project, Zachary Zenko, Alexis Fuston, Jafrā D. Thomas
Empowering Students As Leaders Of Behavior Change: An Experiential-Learning Project, Zachary Zenko, Alexis Fuston, Jafrā D. Thomas
Educational Practices in Kinesiology
The purpose of this resource is to allow university educators to implement an experiential-learning project in which students act as leaders of behavior change. Specifically, kinesiology students are paired with “clients” to engage with outside of the classroom and tasked with helping the clients achieve their physical activity goals. This semester-long behavior change project can be used in classes delivered in online, in-person, or hybrid formats. It is estimated that two hours are required for initial project instructions and set-up, with about 12 additional hours throughout the semester for continuous instruction, review, discussion, and presentation. Students are expected to benefit …
The Impact Of Beliefs About Emotions On Emotion Regulation & Psychological Health, Sarah Brock
The Impact Of Beliefs About Emotions On Emotion Regulation & Psychological Health, Sarah Brock
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
This study examined the effects of different beliefs about emotions (controllability vs. control value) on emotion regulation strategies and psychological health, specifically depression. Little research has examined how different types of beliefs about emotions may interact to impact the emotion regulation strategies they implement, whether that be cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression, or acceptance. Online questionnaires measuring beliefs about emotion controllability, emotion control values (i.e., whether emotions should be controlled), emotion regulation, psychological health, and coping strategies were completed by 164 participants (117 females; 42 males; 4 non-binary). The participants ranged from 18 to 33 years old. The study found evidence …
How Gender Roles Impact The Social Perceptions Of Sexual Assault, Autumn Zwakenberg
How Gender Roles Impact The Social Perceptions Of Sexual Assault, Autumn Zwakenberg
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
This study set out to examine how different factors such as the gender of the victim, the gender of the perpetrator, and the scenario of sexual assault, can influence an outsider’s opinion of the sexual assault. There were two main hypotheses: the first is male and female participants would perceive the push-away scenario as sexual assault at equal rates, but significantly more female participants would perceive the victim allowing the perpetrator to unbuckle their pants scenario as sexual assault. The second is male and female participants would view the male perpetrator scenarios as sexual assault equally, but significantly more female …
Associations Between Parenting Styles & Parental Self-Efficacy, Brian Richards
Associations Between Parenting Styles & Parental Self-Efficacy, Brian Richards
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
The purpose of this study was to examine whether there is an association between parenting styles and parental self-efficacy using a United States sample. One hundred twentytwo parents with at least one child between the ages of 5 and 12 years were recruited for the study. Participants were asked to complete a survey with measures for parenting styles and parental self-efficacy as well as demographic information. Results indicated that authoritative parenting style was positively correlated with parental self-efficacy; while authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved styles were negatively correlated. There is a need to replicate these findings to increase confidence that the …
Faculty Perception Of The Impact Of Covid-19: A Descriptive Case Study Analysis, Traci Pooler
Faculty Perception Of The Impact Of Covid-19: A Descriptive Case Study Analysis, Traci Pooler
Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to get an understanding of college faculty experiences and perceptions of student learning outcomes during forced virtual instruction in the spring 2020 semester. The study was limited to faculty who taught at one of the 18 member institutions of the Association of Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU). Factors such as the discipline being taught were considered. Other factors considered were faculty experience with virtual instruction, the availability of technology for faculty and students, and the support provided to students and faculty amid the transition to virtual instruction. The survey reviewed responses from each AIKCU …
Agreement Of Psychiatric Diagnoses Within And Between Groups Of Mental Health Clinicians From Different Disciplines, Wade Mcguire
Agreement Of Psychiatric Diagnoses Within And Between Groups Of Mental Health Clinicians From Different Disciplines, Wade Mcguire
Dissertations
The development of therapy as a treatment option for mental health problems has led to the creation of different disciplines. Each discipline has developed its own conceptualization of classification and treatment of mental health problems. These conceptualizations have led to different areas of focus for each of the disciplines, specifically counseling, psychology, and social work. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether these areas of focus influence how each discipline diagnoses. For this study, data was collected by having clinicians provide diagnoses for three fictitious clients. The vignettes for the clients were taken from a psychopathology textbook to …
A Systematic Review Of The Relation Of Restorative Justice Principles & Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports In K-12 Schools, Katherine Richardson
A Systematic Review Of The Relation Of Restorative Justice Principles & Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports In K-12 Schools, Katherine Richardson
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Alternatives to punitive punishment and discipline have gained popularity as research has supported the advances towards safer and more positive school communities. This includes multi-tiered service models, such as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Additionally, a restorative justice (RJ) approach can offer non-punitive, relationship-centered practices for avoiding and addressing harm, responding to violations of legal and human rights, and collaboratively solving problems. However, limited research has been conducted looking at the connection between RJ practices and frameworks such as PBIS, which are already implemented in a many schools. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to review the …
A Review Of Traumatic Brain Injury In School Psychology Journals, Casey Gillispie
A Review Of Traumatic Brain Injury In School Psychology Journals, Casey Gillispie
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
TBI is the leading cause of childhood injury, death, and disability. School psychologists play a key role in providing students with TBI services within the school setting; therefore, it is essential for school psychologists to be familiar with TBI research. Previous research indicates a lack of TBI literature within school psychology journals. The current review examined TBI publications in school psychology journals over the past 38 years to provide an update on issues raised by Smith and Canto (2015). Eight school psychology journals were examined to gather data about the frequency of articles related to TBI, types of TBI articles, …
A Monte Carlo Analysis Of Nonprobability Sampling & Post Hoc Corrections, Julia Hong
A Monte Carlo Analysis Of Nonprobability Sampling & Post Hoc Corrections, Julia Hong
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Nonprobability samples are often used in place of probability samples because the former are less trouble and less expensive. Unfortunately, it is difficult to determine how well a sample represents population parameters when using nonprobability samples. Researchers attempt to mitigate the disadvantages of nonprobability sampling by performing post hoc corrections, but this adjustment may not successfully undo the effects of nonprobability sampling. To examine these effects, a Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to create a pseudo-population from which samples were drawn. Forty-one conditions were replicated 10,000 times each, with each sample consisting of 100 observations. A post-stratification adjustment was made …
Opinion & The Insanity Plea: What Can A Little Education Do?, Anna Raker
Opinion & The Insanity Plea: What Can A Little Education Do?, Anna Raker
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
The misconceptions regarding the insanity defense have often left bias rampant within the court room. Within this study, the goal was to understand the relationship between education via an expert witness and how it changes one’s verdict on a case where the insanity defense is used. Participants were given a vignette regarding the circumstances of an NGRI defense case, and then randomly assigned to a control video and a myth video. The control video talked about the circumstances around assessment, and insignificant details of the case, while the myth version discussed the common myths and misconceptions regarding the insanity defense. …
Through The Looking Glass: Investigating Incivility Through A Cognitive Process Lens, Melissa Sorenson
Through The Looking Glass: Investigating Incivility Through A Cognitive Process Lens, Melissa Sorenson
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Experiencing incivility at work is a common phenomenon that individuals encounter. The effects of experiencing incivility are not bound to the workplace and continue to negatively impact individuals after they leave work. However, little is known about the mechanisms which transmit the experience of incivility at work to a person’s non-work domain. One such mechanisms that may be associated with the negative impact of incivility at work in the nonwork domain is depletion, which represents a reduced state of cognitive impact. Additionally, the use of active coping mechanisms may buffer the effects of experienced incivility on depletion. In this study, …
Applying Functional Analysis In A School Setting, Elizabeth Young
Applying Functional Analysis In A School Setting, Elizabeth Young
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Literature has implied that the use of functional analysis (FA) procedure within the school setting can be beneficial in determining the function of problem behavior. However, conducting an FA in a school setting can be challenging due to the expertise, resources, and experimental control needed to complete such an evaluation. The purpose of the current study was to examine the feasibility of conducting a FA within the school setting to determine the function(s) of severe problem behavior. The research questions are: (1) Can a multielement FA be used to infer the function of a student’s problem behavior in a public …
Leaders' Virtual & In-Person Communication: The Impact Of Employee Preference On Job Satisfaction, Adalin Mcdaniel
Leaders' Virtual & In-Person Communication: The Impact Of Employee Preference On Job Satisfaction, Adalin Mcdaniel
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Communication between supervisors and subordinates has consistently been viewed as a primary element of leadership, and a factor that is important in the leader-subordinate relationship via Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory. Recently, with the massive shift to virtual working, leadership communication has gained greater prominence in research and practical settings. Therefore, examining the role that virtual leadership communication plays in employee job satisfaction is an important first step in beginning to understand the shift to predominant work settings from home. I examined the influence of employee perceptions and preferences of leadership communication on job satisfaction via a panel design in which …
Exploring The Connections Between Craving, Depression, Sleep & Alcohol Use In Emerging Adults, Katie Moskal
Exploring The Connections Between Craving, Depression, Sleep & Alcohol Use In Emerging Adults, Katie Moskal
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Alcohol use among emerging adults is a public health concern as it has been associated with negative consequences, such as accidental injury (Hingson et al., 2009). Given the negative consequences experienced for emerging adults, there is a need to identify factors contributing to alcohol use to determine ways to reduce these consequences. Poor sleep has been associated with higher alcohol-related consequences (Miller et al., 2016), and alcohol use has been associated with poor sleep (Goodhines, Gellis, Kim, et al., 2019), however there may be other factors contributing to this relationship, such as alcohol craving and depression. Higher alcohol craving has …