Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Relationship Between Covid-19 Social Isolation, Social Anxiety, And Locus Of Control, Phoebe B. Everest

Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

The current study examined the post-pandemic effects of social isolation following Covid-19. The researchers were interested in social anxiety disorder (SAD) levels among young women and predicted that the personality variable of locus of control (LOC) could influence SAD levels. Participants were recruited from the only all-female university in Canada, Brescia University College (N=64). The researchers correlated the variables of interest using the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-R), Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), and Rotter’s internal-external control scale. The researchers hypothesized that there would be a negative correlation between pandemic social engagement and current levels of SAD. This hypothesis was …

Covid-19 Effects On Adolescent Anxiety, Lyndsay Michelle

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Identify effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on adolescents mental health with a focus on anxiety

Exploring The Efficacy Of Interpersonal Psychotherapy Via Telehealth, Damon Tichenor Jr

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic caused abrupt changes for healthcare providers across the globe. As a result of social distancing measures and stay-at-home orders, it was necessary that providers adapted their services to continue to reach their clients/patients. Specifically for the field of mental health, practitioners quickly and extensively adapted from a face-to-face format to providing their services using various forms of technology, otherwise known as telepsychology. Although telepsychology was established prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid adjustment forced practitioners to adapt their interventions to formats in ways that had not been proven to be effective. The purpose of the current …

The Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility And Organizational Citizenship Behaviors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, E. Paisley Shultz

Student Theses and Dissertations

COVID-19 has brought dramatic changes to how organizations operate and employees behave, prompting both parties to engage in additional efforts and cope with these stark adjustments. Organizations, for example, might engage in more COVID-specific corporate social responsibility (CSR), while employees might engage in more COVID-related organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). However, it is unclear whether and how employees’ COVID-related OCBs can be triggered by their organizations’ COVID-specific CSR. Building on existing research on the relationship between CSR and OCBs, this study examined the effects of internal and external COVID-specific CSR on employees’ COVID-related OCBs toward their coworkers (OCB-Is) and organizations (OCB-Os). …

Key Barriers To University-Enrolled Student Parents Enhanced By The Covid-19 Pandemic, Khadeejah Franklin, Alexa Saval

Honors Theses

Student parents, both undergraduate and graduate, already face the difficult task of balancing their studies and raising children. The COVID-19 pandemic enhanced already present issues student parents face, such as virtual-schooling, daycare costs and closings, staying home with sick children, and potentially not having a local support system, among others. Further, students who are performing laboratory research to fulfill their STEM educational requirements had their
research progress come to a halt when the country locked down. This study aims to identify the struggles student parents faced prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, what issues the pandemic exacerbated, and what new problems …

Does Age, Masculinity And Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Impact Covid-19 Vaccination Status?, Molly L. Menounos

Senior Theses and Projects

The Covid-19 pandemic has negatively impacted numerous aspects of daily life. The CDC states that one of the best ways to combat the virus to end the pandemic is high vaccination rates. However, despite this knowledge numerous US citizens remain vaccine hesitant resulting in lower vaccination rates across the country. Two possible variables that may explain the gap in vaccination rates is the adherence to traditional gender norms and vaccine conspiracy beliefs. To measure the effects of both these variables on vaccination rates two survey scales were used: The Male Role Norm - Revised Scale, (Brannon & Junni, 1984) and …

How Does Having A Pet During The Coronavirus-19 Pandemic Among University Students Affect Anxiety And Depression, Sugey Gonzalez-Escobedo, Jessica Morales Sanchez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined whether having a pet among university and college students is associated with anxiety and depression during the Coronavirus-19 pandemic. A modified survey of a non-probability sample was conducted during a 5-month period during the Coronavirus-19 pandemic. A total of 115 students voluntarily participated and completed the survey. In the midst of the pandemic, students were forced to isolate themselves in their homes. This isolation may have caused anxiety and depression in students. However, a furry companion could have alleviated any anxiety/depression symptoms they may have endured during this time. This research contributes to the literature in regard …

Do Empathy, Prosociality, And Cultural Orientation Among Age And Gender Cohorts Predict Covid-19 Vaccine Status?, Victoria Furlan

Senior Theses and Projects

Past research has found that psychological factors and dimensions of cultural orientation can be salient predictors of general as well as Covid-19-specific vaccine hesitancy beliefs and attitudes. Gender and age have also been shown to influence these relationships, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The current study aimed to extend on past literature to explore psychological factors like empathy and prosociality, and dimensions of individualism and collectivism orientations, to examine whether they predicted vaccine status in different age and gender cohorts. Empathy was measured using the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire developed by Spreng et al. (2009); prosociality was measured using the Prosociality …

Exploring The Trajectory And Correlates Of Social Isolation For Veterans Across A 6-Month Period During Covid-19, Adam P. Mcguire, Colby Elmore, Yvette Z. Szabo, A. Solomon Kurz, Corina Mendoza, Emre Umucu, Suzanne K. Creech

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Social isolation is a relevant problem for veterans who are at risk for disengaging from others as a function of transition stress from military life to civilian life, and given high rates of exposure to trauma and psychological distress. Few researchers have examined social isolation in veterans over time, particularly during COVID-19 that led to significant barriers and restrictions on social interactions. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to assess veterans' experience of social isolation and its mental health and social functioning correlates during a 6-month period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 188 United States veterans of the …

Effects Of Child Sleep, Maternal Sleep, And Covid-19 Related Stressors On Maternal Stress, Jocelyn Chang

Scripps Senior Theses

Research has shown that poorer sleep quality can lead to increased stress and worse psychological functioning. In the parent-child dyad, sleep disturbances of both the child and parent can significantly affect parental functioning. However, in the context of parent-child relations, the contributions of maternal and child sleep to maternal outcomes are much less understood, especially in the context of a worldwide pandemic and global stressor such as COVID-19. Moreover, relations between stress and biological indicators have not been extensively studied, with most studies using self-reported measures of stress. This study aims to extend the findings of previous research by including …

Factors That Affect The Well-Being Of College Students, Breanna Piorkowski

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this paper was to research the existing literature regarding the factors that affect the well-being of college students and make suggestions for further research. There are a number of factors that contribute to the well-being of students during their time in college. This topic is important to cover in order for colleges to make adaptations to increase their students’ well-being. The factors currently in the literature include involvement, living situation, participation in class, social factors, diets, Internet usage, sleep, individuation from parents, and the Covid-19 pandemic. Each of these factors were found to impact a college student’s …

A Four-Level Meta-Analytic Review Of The Relationship Between Social Media And Well-Being: A Fresh Perspective In The Context Of Covid-19, Joax Wong, Xin Yi Poh, Frosch Quek, Verity Lua, Nadyannam M. Majeed, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Social media, one of the most pervasive forms of technology, has been widely studied in relation to the mental health and well-being of individuals. However, the current literature on social media and well-being has provided mixed and inconclusive findings, thus creating a polarizing view of social media. These mixed findings continue to extend into the pandemic, with researchers debating over the effects of social media in the new norms of social isolation. In light of these inconclusive findings, the aim of our meta-analysis was to synthesize previous research data in order to have a holistic understanding of the association between …

The Correlation Between The Covid-19 Pandemic And Nursing Students’ Academic And Professional Engagement And Performance., Jolie Mathilde Komlan

Honors College Theses

Even without the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, nursing schools are recognized as a stressful environment "that often exert a negative effect on the academic performances and psychological well-being of the students" (Gomathi et al., 2017). Exploring the changes this ongoing pandemic has on nursing students' views and perspectives, along with their perceived threats, failures, and successes brought on by this pandemic will provide good insight into further changes that need to be implemented to better prepare nursing students through their programs. To accomplish this, participants within the nursing program were surveyed via a 21-question survey on Qualtrics. A retrospective analysis …

Development Of A Measure Of Physical Distancing: The O'Sickey Distancing Test, Anthony J. O'Sickey

Psychology ETDs

Introduction: Covid-19 has swept the globe and has disproportionately affected the United States with over 600,000 deaths in just over one year. The Centers for Disease Control recommendations for reducing the spread of Covid-19 have focused on physical distancing (PD), the practice of maintaining a distance greater than 6 feet from individuals not in the same household. When employed, this health behavior has been found to reduce the incidence of Covid-19. A review of the measurement literature evaluating PD indicates that PD has been measured at the community level via GPS, using proxy measures of the behavior, or as a …

Houseplants As Mental Health Supports For Dorm Occupants During The Lockdown Period At Portland State University, Brittani Wallsten

Anthós

In this study, students who lived in dorms around the lockdown period of Portland State University, March 2020—September 2021, were interviewed about their experience and how their houseplants affected their mental health. This was done via in-person interviews and an online focus group. Houseplants were found to support students’ mental health by encouraging a regular routine, providing opportunities for responsibility, adding aesthetic value, and serving as a general indicator of mental health. All of the participants recommended houseplants as a mental health support to their fellow students.

A New Normal: The Importance Of Synchronous Professor Engagement, In-Person Supervision, Telehealth Education, And Multicultural Competence Training In Online Counselor Education Programs In A Covid World, James L. Zapf, Ronnie L. Pace, Timothy J. Evans

Journal of Counseling and Psychology

Counselor education must adapt quickly to societal changes, including the significant effects of Covid-19 and the simultaneous racial discord in the U.S. to ensure new counselors are adequately prepared for the challenges they face. Covid-19 increased the use of technology-based counseling exponentially. The authors wished to better understand their students’ experiences and confidence regarding their training/preparation during the pandemic. One hundred nineteen students from three online university master’s-level counselor education programs participated in this study regarding their experiences of professor engagement, in-person clinical supervision, telehealth education, multicultural competence, and their own Covid-anxiety during the ongoing pandemic. Students strongly endorsed the …

Impact Of Covid-19 Quarantine On U.S. Adults, Shelby Rubino

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

In 2019 a novel virus spread quickly and vastly throughout the world. The coronavirus was transmitted easily, resulting in a sudden increase in infection and death rates and overwhelmed hospitals. This sudden pandemic resulted in government and health officials mandating physical and social quarantines. These mandates were initially implemented to separate the ill from the healthy, and significantly limit physical contact between healthy and ill persons to decrease the spread of Covid-19. All these unexpected factors induced traumatic stress in populations across the world. The impact of this trauma is seen to date, as many studies reported adverse mental health …

The Impact Of The Covid Pandemic On First Year Students' Locus Of Control, Self-Efficacy And Well-Being, Alexandra E. Bishop

Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

Locus of control, self-efficacy, and well-being are well-studied personality concepts, but the change in these variables, and their relationships, over extremely stressful and uncontrollable periods, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, has not been assessed. The current study evaluated change in locus of control, self-efficacy, and well-being, as well as their relationships with one another, in a sample of students by comparing current data to data collected before the Covid-19 pandemic. It was hypothesized that locus of control would become more external, self-efficacy would increase slightly, and well-being would decrease. Results revealed that locus of control became significantly more external, while …

Covid-19 And Mental Wellbeing Of College Students, Taysia E. Porter

Honors College Theses

The purpose of the current study was to assess the relationship between the appearance of Covid-19 and retrospective judgments of mental wellbeing in college students. Specifically, students were asked to provide ratings of their mental wellbeing before and after the arrival of COVID-19. Participants also provide ratings of awareness of their mental wellbeing as well as how worried they were, how they adjusted to social distancing and changes in learning format. The results revealed that the arrival of COVID-19 was related to judgments of mental wellbeing such that wellbeing was rated lower after the arrival of COVID-19 than before. There …

The Relationship Between Social Media Use And Depression And Anxiety Symptoms During Covid-19, Tene'sha L. Crews, Christina Sheerin

Undergraduate Research Posters

The rise of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global surge in exposure to disaster and crisis-related media. Increases in poor mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression, are associated with increased exposure to such media content (Abbas et al., 2021; Riehm et al., 2020; Zhao & Zhou, 2020). In recent years, social media has become one of the most widely used sources for news; approximately 48% of adult Americans receive their news from social media (Pew Research Center, 2021). During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in social media use due to social distancing and …

The Impact Of The Coronavirus Pandemic On Adolescent Mental Health: A Literature Review, Grace Murnane

Senior Honors Projects

The coronavirus pandemic, hereafter simply Covid-19, has pervaded and impacted in some way, shape or form the lives of everyone, globally. The disease itself can cause severe physical effects, but the indirect implications of quarantine and isolation have been shown to cause mental issues of concern among adolescents. Adolescents are at a unique point in their lives at which socialization is crucial for proper brain development. As such, this literature review will proceed with the goal of summarizing why adolescents need socialization, how Covid-19 has impeded that socialization, and the effects of a lack of socialization among that age group

Emerging Adults And Identity Development In The Time Of Covid-19, Kaetlyn J. Cordingley

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The COVID-19 pandemic severely altered the lives of people across the world. Although the social isolation and disruption wrought by the pandemic have been universal experiences, emerging adults are at a pivotal moment and are potentially uniquely affected. Emerging adulthood is a critical time for identity development and the college setting fosters an environment for identity exploration. Studies show that in emerging adulthood, turning point events (e.g., global or national tragedies, personal challenges, transitions, or any form of upheaval, such as a pandemic) that are resolved positively are connected more closely with progress in identity formation, and the importance of …

Cyberbullying Victimization As A Predictor Of Depressive Symptoms Among Selected Adolescents Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jeyaseelan Maria Michael, Marc Eric Reyes

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Cyberbullying victimization has become a significant mental health concern, particularly among adolescents at risk of experiencing negative consequences like depression. As the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic forced everyone to stay at home and participate in all their educational, recreational, and entertainment activities online, this study investigated the relationship between cyberbullying victimization (CV) and depressive symptoms among 612 college students in Tamilnadu, India. We hypothesized that experiences of cyberbullying victimization would predict depressive symptoms among the participants. Adolescent participants aged 18 to 19 years old from colleges in Tamilnadu completed an online survey composed of the Cybervictimization questionnaire for adolescents …

Changes In Body Image, Eating Behaviors, And Exercise During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Megan Gressley

Honors Projects

The Covid-19 pandemic transformed many different aspects of life as many individuals were sent home from school or work and were confined within their homes. Within restricted life, individuals experienced changes in their social lives, eating habits, and day-to-day routine. Within this research study I chose to examine how individuals' lives changed directly from the year before the Covid-19 pandemic to the first year of domestic shutdown. A sample of BGSU undergraduate students responded to a survey questioning them on their behaviors, feelings, and attitudes among these time periods. Results showed that individuals experienced significantly more disordered eating within the …

Coping With The Pandemic In College, Sam Beery

Honors Projects

This experiment studied the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of a college population from spring 2021 to fall 2021. It measured levels of stress, anxiety, coping strategies, depression, and social support reported by participants via several well validated psychological surveys. It was created with Qualtrics and distributed via advertisements in Campus Update and the SONA scheduler.

Covid-19 Y Autismo: Impacto En Las Personas Con Autismo Y Sus Familias En Uruguay, Gabriela Garrido, María Cecilia Montenegro, Cecilia Amigo, Daniel Valdez, Natalia Barrios, Sebastián Cukier, Alexia Rattazzi, Analía Rosoli, Ricardo García, Cristiane S. Paula, Georgina Pérez Liz, Cecilia Montiel-Nava

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

La pandemia de covid-19 y las medidas asociadas determinaron cambios profundos en los individuos con trastorno del espectro autista (TEA) y sus familias. Se busca explorar estos efectos a nivel de las emociones y comportamientos en esta población en Uruguay. Dentro de un estudio multicéntrico de ocho países de Latinoamérica, se utilizó la submuestra de Uruguay para analizar los cambios de los comportamientos exhibidos por los individuos con TEA sobre la base de género y edad. Entre los 269 cuidadores que completaron una encuesta anónima, el 43,9 % reportó mayores problemas de convivencia y el 75,4 % reportó retrocesos. El …

The Effect Of Covid-19 Risk-Enhancing Job Characteristics On Emotional Exhaustion, Zoe Politis, Ignacio Azcarate, Michael Distaso

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed heightened threats to worker well-being. We know that different jobs pose different levels of risk to employees. Physical proximity and exposure to disease/illness are job characteristics that present threats to employee physical health. Based on cognitive theories of stress, we hypothesized that these job characteristics also pose a threat to employees’ emotional well-being. Our sample of 177 participants was made up of working students coming from the University of Central Florida, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and healthcare professionals recruited using a snowball sampling method. These participants consisted primarily of healthcare workers, food service workers, teachers/ …

You Can't Tell Me What To Do! Or Maybe You Can, Benjamin Rosenberg

Psychology | Faculty Scholarship

All of these mandates have become so commonplace over the past months that we have stopped paying attention because most people are doing all of these things. But looking back at people’s responses to these public health messages reveals something slightly different: In reaction to the pressure to conform to public health guidance, some Americans seemed to go out of their way to violate each and every one of these recommendations.

These reactions seem to underscore a fundamental human truth—people generally do not like being told what to do. This observation lines up with a classic idea from social psychology, …

Online Dating Habits Amid Covid-19, Annabelle R. Winking

Anthós

In recent months, the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has swept across the globe, causing several countries to impose quarantines and social distancing measures for indeterminate amounts of time. This study investigates how dating has changed since the enforcement of social distancing due to Covid-19, specifically for Portland residents between 21 and 30 who were using mobile dating apps prior to Covid-19 and who continued to use them during the pandemic. I interviewed five Portland singles between the ages of 21-30 who use a variety of dating apps such as Tinder, Grindr, and Hinge, with one 30 minute semi-structured interview with each …

"It's The Way You Sing It": Translating Music Therapy For Isolated Older Adults Affected By Covid-19 To The Television Screen, Eunice Wong

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The current Covid-19 pandemic has increased the likelihood of loneliness and social isolation among older adults due to the restrictions on movement and visitations in care facilities. Loneliness and social isolation have consistently been identified as risk factors for poor mental and physical health in older people. Meanwhile, a growing number of older adults are utilizing technological resources to enhance their interpersonal relationships and overall quality of life. In the winter of 2020/2021, an innovative music therapy-informed television program was designed and produced for isolated older adults in need of mental and emotional support. This project, produced jointly by a …