Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Diffusion Tensor Imaging In Hiv And Hepatitis C Coinfection, Jodi Michelle Heaps

Dissertations

Previous studies have demonstrated that infection with both human immune deficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C (HCV) is associated with impaired cognitive function. It is unclear whether co-infection is associated with neuroimaging markers of brain dysfunction. The purpose of the present study was to compare HIV+ individuals, HIV/HCV+ individuals, and seronegative controls using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to assess the microstructural integrity of white matter tissue. Methods: Twenty-five HIV+ patients, 25 HIV/HCV+ patients, and 25 seronegative controls matched for age were included in the study. All participants completed an MRI session, neuropsychological testing, and an evaluation of clinical variables including …

Role Breadth And Ocb: An Investigation Of Antecedents And Consequences, Kimberly M. Perry

Dissertations

Two studies were conducted to further investigate how organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is conceptualized through the psychological mechanisms relating to OCB role definition, outcomes of OCB role definition, and the structure of OCB definition ratings. Previous research on OCB has suggested that organizational members have different perspectives, such that supervisors have a broader role definition than do their subordinates (Morrison, 1994). Study 1 tested a theoretical model using SEM that included the underlying psychological processes that relate to role breadth as well as individual-level and organizational-level outcome variables. The results supported a significant positive relationship between employee rated OCB definition …

Coping Styles Among Individuals With Severe Mental Illness And Comorbid Ptsd, Shannon Ashley Mcneill

Dissertations

There is little known about the mechanisms by which persons with SMI cope with their stress, and virtually no research is available on the influence of comorbid PTSD (SMI-PTSD) on coping within the SMI population. The current study examined coping strategies utilized by individuals with SMI versus those with SMI-PTSD, while also investigating the role of PTSD symptom severity, overall psychological distress, and substance use on coping strategy usage. Participants included adults (N = 90) recruited through a metropolitan community mental health center, all describing current symptoms of an SMI, 48 of whom met criteria for SMI-PTSD. Results of this …

The Relationship Between Perceived Servant Leadership Constructs And Collective Self-Esteem, Leann D. Howell

Dissertations

Following Greenleaf’s (1977) seminal work in servant leadership, much has been written on the definition of servant leadership, but very little written on what it does. At the center of this research is a focus on how followers perceive servant leadership constructs/attributes, and the relationship between that perception and collective selfesteem as it relates to organizational membership. The central question guiding this research is: “Is there a relationship between perceived servant leadership constructs and collective self-esteem?” Followers’ perceptions of servant leadership constructs as defined by Patterson (2003) were investigated utilizing the Servant Leadership Assessment Instrument (SLAI) developed by Dennis (2004). …

Hurting Leaders: The Lived Experiences Of African-American Clergy And Their Views, Attitudes, And Barriers To Help-Seeking, Bernice Suzette Patterson

Dissertations

The help-seeking tendencies of African-Americans, as a whole, have long been a source of confusion to the field of counseling. Moreover, in the available literature on help-seeking, in the African-American community there is an apparent deficit of information on the help-seeking habits of its clergy members. Current literature focuses primarily on African-American clergy and their roles in facilitating the development of professional counseling relationships for their parishioners rather than on their ability to seek out professional counseling relationships for themselves.

The focus of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of African-American clergy related to …

Evaluation Of Modafinil In Preclinical Behavioral Assays Of Abuse Liability, Amanda J. Quisenberry

Dissertations

Modafinil is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of narcolepsy with efficacy in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift-work sleep disorder. Modafinil’s wake-promoting and cognitiveenhancing effects are reportedly similar to those of traditional psychostimulants, but without the side effects typically associated with these substances. Modafinil has also been investigated as an agonist replacement therapy for psychostimulant dependence, although results of clinical trials are equivocal. Few studies have examined its behavioral effects in combination with psychostimulants and the neuropharmacological actions of modafinil are not well understood. The primary aim of this study was to assess modafinil’s …

A Qualitative Study Of Counselors Who Work With Spanish-Speaking Clients: Implications For Counselor Training And Practice, Daniel Rolando Romero

Dissertations

The Spanish-speaking population in the United States is growing. As the population grows, need for competent mental health services may also expand. Counselors are currently underprepared to provide these services (Furman, 2006; Lebrón-Striker, 2012). The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of counselors who work with Spanish-speaking clients, focusing on their motivations, preparation and work experiences, and recommendations for counselor education.

Two groups were selected for this phenomenological study: Counselors who use interpreters (CWUI) and counselors who do not use interpreters (CWDNUI). Themes that emerged related to motivation included helping others, inspirational and affirmative experiences, vocational …

Influences Of Tnt-Food Pairings On The Performance Of Mine Detection Rats In Early Training Stages, Timothy L. Edwards

Dissertations

Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling (APOPO), a Belgian nongovernmental organization headquartered in Tanzania, trains giant African pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus) to detect land mines and deploys the rats for operational use in countries afflicted with mines and explosive remnants of war. In the present study an evaluation of the influence of ongoing scent-food pairings on the performance of the rats in early mine detection training was conducted. Twenty young rats in APOPO’s mine detection rat program were divided into two groups and exposed to five daily stimulus-food pairing sessions each week. For the experimental group the stimulus was the …

Mixed Methods Analysis Of Counselor Views, Attitudes And Perceived Competencies Regarding The Treatment Of Internet Pornography Addiction, Bradly K. Hinman

Dissertations

The Internet offers unprecedented opportunity for individuals to have anonymous, inexpensive, and unrestricted access to an essentially unlimited range of sexually explicit materials. Counseling clients are increasingly presenting with problematic issues regarding Internet pornography use. The purposes of this mixed-method study were (a) to examine the current status of counselors’ attitudes and self-efficacy about treating clients with Internet pornography addiction, and (b) to ascertain the opinions of counselor educators who are experts in the field of Internet pornography addiction on the current status of counselor training and best practices for preparing counselors.

The quantitative data was obtained from a 90-item …

A Comparison Of Behavioral And Academically-Focused Goals Within The Mystery Motivator: Effects On Disruptive Behavior And Academic Performance, Christina Michelle Hardy

Dissertations

Class-wide group contingencies are effective for decreasing inappropriate behavior and increasing academic performance. An interdependent group contingency, a subtype of group contingencies, sets a specific goal for performance across the class, and a reward is delivered only if the group meets the specified criterion. One interdependent group contingency, the Mystery Motivator, has been designed to target behavioral or academically-based goals; however these goals have guided the type of data collected. There are no published studies, to date, that compare behavioral and academic goals and the effects of each type of goal on both decreasing disruptive behavior as well as improving …

Slope Of Change Through D-Cycloserine Facilitation Of Exposure Therapy In A Social Anxiety Population, Christina M. Sheerin

Dissertations

The present study sought to add to a growing base of research investigating approaches that facilitate the therapeutic effects of exposure-based therapy for social anxiety disorders. In particular, the approach involves the use of medication adjuvants that work in conjunction with therapeutic learning. This work translates findings from preclinical work to further our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that impact extinction learning. Among others, a promising method has been found with the use of D-cycloserine (DCS), a partial NMDA receptor agonist. Evidence of its positive impact in preclinical work has led to its application to clinical populations who suffer from …

Novel Behavioral Markers In The Ppt1-/- Mouse Model Of Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis, Joshua Thomas Dearborn

Dissertations

Infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (INCL) is a lysosomal storage disease that is debilitating and fatal to children before their teenage years. The palmitoyl protein thioesterase 1 (PPT1) knockout (Ppt1-/-) mouse is an appropriate animal model that mimics much of the symptomology and brain pathology of the human disease. Ppt1-/- mice display blindness, seizures, and motor deficits and die well before wild-type mice. However, little is known about the cognitive and behavioral abilities of the Ppt1-/- mouse. This study was conducted to examine further the behavioral phenotype of the Ppt1-/- mouse model of INCL by evaluating the animals’ abilities in such …

The Role Of Sexual Scripts In Men's And Women's Interpretation And Endorsement Of Items Measuring Self-Reported Sexual Aggression, Sarah Kristen Buday

Dissertations

Previous research on sexual aggression mainly focused on men as perpetrators and women as victims; more recently, the focus has shifted to include women as perpetrators of sexual aggression as well. This study sought to examine two different measures of sexual coercion perpetration (Revised Sexual Experiences Survey [SES-LFP] and the Post-Refusal Persistence Scale [PRPS]) in terms of their convergent validity for both men and women and to examine gender differences and similarities in item interpretation. In addition, participant agreement with traditional and non-traditional sexual scripts was examined for its association with endorsement of coercion. Participants were 648 individuals (426 women, …

The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Cognitions And Social Support In The Severity Of Ptsd Symptoms, Ellen Margaret Koucky

Dissertations

Posttraumatic cognitions (PC), perceived social support (PSS), and received social support (RSS) contribute to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but little is known about the way these variables may influence each other in this process. The current study tested the association between PSS and RSS and compared levels of these support types in PTSD-positive versus PTSD-negative subjects. An SEM model investigating the role of PC, PSS, and RSS in predicting PTSD symptom severity was also tested. Results indicate a significant difference in the strength of the association between support types based on diagnostic status and lower levels of …

Motivational Interviewing As An Augmentation To Increase Effectiveness In Cognitive Processing Therapy For Ptsd: An Initial Trial, Leah Blain

Dissertations

Currently, even well-supported cognitive behavioral therapies to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suffer from consistent rates of dropout and non-response to treatment, which represent barriers to dissemination and effective treatment. Research in anxiety disorders, including an initial group-based study with veterans suffering from PTSD, suggests that Motivational Interviewing (MI) may be an effective intervention for addressing issues of ambivalence and increasing readiness to change (RTC), resulting in decreases in dropout and non-response. The present pilot study sought to assess the efficacy of augmenting Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) with 3 sessions of MI in a sample of female interpersonal assault survivors …

Sharing: Social Behavior In Situations Of Risk, Stephanie Theresia Stilling

Dissertations

The present study will experimentally investigate human cooperation (sharing) in a laboratory foraging task that simulates environmental variability and resource scarcity (shortfall risk). Specifically, it investigates whether a risk-reduction model of sharing developed by evolutionary biologists (derived from a risk-sensitive optimization model known as the energy-budget rule) could predict human cooperative behavior. Participants respond to earn points exchangeable for money when point gains were unpredictable. Failures to acquire sufficient points result in a loss of accumulated earnings (a shortfall). Participants are given the choice between working alone or working with others. The difficulty of meeting the earnings requirement is manipulated …

A Description Of Group Supervision In Internships: A National Study Of Programs Accredited By Cacrep, Robert Powell

Dissertations

Counselor Education programs that are accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) must provide group supervision for students during their internship experience. To gain an understanding of what is currently taking place in group supervision during a student’s internship experience in CACREP-accredited counselor education programs, descriptive and qualitative data were collected utilizing an online survey. To capture a profile of who is teaching group supervision as well as their qualifications and experience, the researcher gathered demographic data from 62 participants. All participants in the study had taught group supervision in a CACREP program within …

Clinician's Experience Of Suicide Assessment From A Qualitative Perspective, Eric W. Macleod

Dissertations

Using a qualitative research method, the researcher explored the lived experiences of 17 clinicians in southwest Michigan who assess the risk of their clients committing suicide as a part of their professional practice. A phenomenological approach was used to interpret and understand the results. In-person interviews were conducted at a place chosen by the participant. Four broad interview questions with several subquestions within each created a semi-structured format. The questions explored the way clinicians assess suicide, the professional impact of suicide assessment, the personal impact of suicide assessment, and any changes in participants’ worldview as a result of suicide assessment. …

Exploring Adolescent Experiences Of Race, Ethnicity, And Socioeconomic Status In Counseling Relationships: A Qualitative Approach, Christina Crans

Dissertations

The ACA Code of Ethics (2005) states the expectation that counselors must understand the diverse backgrounds of their clients. In addition, counselors are called to understand how their personal cultural identity informs and affects the counseling process. Yet there is paucity in the literature regarding the multicultural client experience within a counseling relationship. Of the few multicultural counseling studies that attempt to address multicultural client concerns, the approach has been quantitative or reliant on counselor self-report. In addition, the lived counseling experiences of adolescents and individuals from lower socioeconomic status (SES) is absent in present literature. This qualitative study examined …

A Brief Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Protocol For Depression In An Inpatient Setting: An Effectiveness Study, Lucas Broten

Dissertations

The present study sought to investigate the utility of a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) protocol for the treatment of depression in an inpatient setting. ACT is a generally promising treatment for a variety of psychological issues. Thirty-nine participants were randomly assigned using and weighted, blocked distribution to either Treatment as Usual (TAU) or individual sessions of ACT in conjunction with treatment as usual (ACT). The study compared re-admission rates between the ACT intervention group and the TAU group at 3 and 6 months. In addition, the study examined the proposed mechanisms of change between groups and depression rates …

Computerized Behavioral Activation Treatment For Major Depressive Disorder And The Effects On Sexual Desire, Anthony G. Bonita

Dissertations

The present study was designed to examine the effects of a computerized behavioral activation treatment program on sexual desire, sexual behavior, and depression symptoms. Seven adults who met criteria for either major depressive disorder or dysthymic disorder were recruited from Kalamazoo, Portage, and surrounding areas in Southwestern Michigan. All participants completed at least five sessions of behavioral activation treatment, and six out of seven participants completed all ten sessions. Symptoms of depression, sexual desire, and sexual behavior were assessed at pretreatment and before each treatment session through a combination of the Beck Depression Inventory – II (BDI-II), the Revised Hamilton …

Ecological Psychology And Media Consumption Among Young Adults: A New Framework, Alice Diana Cade Ferguson

Dissertations

The Pew Research Center (2010, March 1) identified three crucial “new metrics of news” (p. 2) that help to explain the appeal of new, interactive media forms among young adult news consumers. These metrics of Portability, Personalizability and Participation (Pew, 2010) highlight the rapid transformations in technology and user interests that have helped create a new manifestation of what McLuhan called an “age of anxiety” (1967/2001, pp. 8-9) in mass media industries and in mass communication education and scholarship. The purpose of this research is to investigate this very shift in how news is delivered and consumed, with particular attention …

Effects Of Check In/Checkout With A Fading Procedure On The Academic Engagement And Problem Behavior Of Elementary School Students, Leila Mullooly Miller

Dissertations

Though preliminary research indicates Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) is an effective intervention for improving problematic behavior in a variety of populations, the literature is limited in several ways. Several studies have relied on indirect measures of behavior, such as office discipline referrals (ODRs) and teacher ratings, to determine the effectiveness of CICO. However, indirect measures are not always reliable indicators of student behavior change, whereas direct observation is known to be an accurate tool for behavioral measurement. Therefore, the current study evaluated the effects of CICO on levels of problem behavior and academic engagement for a group of four elementary school students …

Further Analysis Of The Competitive Prosocial/Aggression Continuum Task, Alexander Mark Biondolillo

Dissertations

The Competitive Prosocial/Aggression Continuum Task (COMPACT) (Biondolillo, 2010) was developed in order to create an improved reaction time paradigm for aggression that reduces demand characteristics and increases the scope of research applications available in previous designs by using a behavioral response palette of both aversive and pleasant auditory stimuli to model both aggressive and prosocial behaviors. Initial validation research on the COMPACT demonstrated significant correlations between aggressive responding and several scales of interest; however, such correlations demonstrated smaller effects than the medium-sized effects predicted based on the literature available on similar reaction time paradigms, and pleasant response options on the …

Evaluation Of Behavior Subtypes Of Sexual Addiction: A Latent Profile Analysis Of Sexual Behaviors, Nicole Lea Blazek

Dissertations

Sexual addiction has been characterized as out of control sexual behavior that leads to decreased functioning and negative consequences in a number of areas (Kafka, 2010). The current study aimed to demonstrate whether or not homogenous classes of individuals presenting for treatment and diagnosed with sexual addiction could be identified utilizing a person-centered approach, Latent Profile Analysis, using sexual behavior frequency scales from the Sexual Dependency Inventory-4.0 (SDI-4.0; Green, Arnau, & Carnes, 2013) as indicators. After identifying the distinct subclasses of sexual behaviors, the study examined the nature of the groups through an analysis of external correlates of group membership. …

Examining College Students' Use Of Protective Behavioral Strategies From The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Melissa Ann Bonnell

Dissertations

Previous studies on college alcohol use suggest that approximately 65 - 73 percent of college students drank alcohol within the past 30 days (Johnston, O’Malley, Bachman, & Schulenberg, 2011; Nelson, Xuan, Lee, Weitzman, & Wechsler, 2009). Researchers also suggest that with increasing levels of alcohol consumption, students are more likely to experience alcohol-related consequences such as missing class, involvement with the legal system and expulsion from school. Therefore, prevention efforts have attempted to reduce the associated economic and personal consequences experienced with increased alcohol consumption. Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) such as using a designated driver, setting a predetermined time to …

The Impact Of A Dance Aerobics Program On Middle School Girls' Physical Activity Level, Self-Efficacy, And Decisional Balance, Alexis Suozzi Bridley

Dissertations

Rates of childhood obesity have increased dramatically in recent years. Decrease in physical activity is among the leading causes, with adolescent females at greatest risk for obesity. School-based interventions have shown promise; however, few studies have considered the type of activity on physical activity level. According to the Transtheoretical Model (TTM), intrinsic readiness, self-efficacy, and perceived risks and benefits regarding change contribute to behavior change. Yet no known studies have considered the impact of intervention with a traditionally preferred activity on selfefficacy and decisional balance. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the impact of a 2- week dance aerobics program …

Using Brief Experimental Analyses To Identify Effective Math Interventions For Early Elementary Students, Chelsi Ronatta Clark

Dissertations

athematics difficulties, this study aimed to use a brief experimental analysis (BEA) to identify effective interventions within a response to intervention (RTI) framework. Participants included four lower elementary school students who exhibited marked problems in mathematics. The effects of mathematics interventions to increase mathematic computational fluency and accuracy were assessed during the BEA. The intervention that produced the greatest gains during the BEA was compared to the intervention that produced the least gains during an extended analysis phase. It was hypothesized that: (a) during a BEA of math interventions, students will demonstrate differential responding across interventions; (b) during a BEA …

Dynamics Of Perceptual Organization In Complex Visual Search: The Identification Of Self Organized Criticality With Respect To Visual Grouping Principles, Attila Jozsef Farkas

Dissertations

The current project applies modern quantitative theories of visual perception to examine the effect of the Gestalt Law of proximity on visual cognition. Gestalt Laws are spontaneous dynamic processes (Brunswik & Kamiya, 1953; Wertheimer, 1938) that underlie the principles of perceptual organization. These principles serve as mental short-cuts, heuristic rule-of-thumb strategies that shorten decision-making time and allow continuous, efficient processing and flow of information (Hertwig & Todd, 2002). The proximity heuristic refers to the observation that objects near each other in the visual field tend to be grouped together by the perceptual system (Smith-Gratto & Fisher, 1999). Proximity can be …

Parenting Style Differences In Black American And White American Young Adults, Sarah Lynette Mcmurtry

Dissertations

Baumrind’s (1967) theory of parenting style influenced over 40 years of parenting research, which found authoritative parenting as the optimal parenting style. Authoritarian and parenting styles have been linked to worse adjustment and achievement for child outcomes (Baumrind, 1967; Steinberg, Lamborn, Darling, Mounts, & Dornbusch, 1994) than children in authoritative-parented homes. In 1972, Baumrind described racial differences in parent-child relations and outcomes between authoritarian Black American and White American parents and preschoolers (1975). In comparison to White American parents, Black Americans exhibited authoritarian parenting that was less rejecting and associated with communication and warmth (Baumrind, 1975; Murry, Brody, & Simons, …