Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Examining Components Of The Interpersonal Psychological Theory Of Suicide In A Clinical Sample Of Children With Suicidal Thoughts And Behaviors, Alana Brixner Nunes

Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 10- to 14-year-olds. Despite a need to identify risk factors for suicide among children, there is limited research on suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) in childhood. The interpersonal psychological theory of suicide (IPTS) suggests that the desire for suicide emerges from perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness and that the transition from suicide ideation (SI) to a suicide attempt (SA) results from an acquired capability for suicide. However, no research has examined whether the IPTS applies to suicidal thoughts and behaviors among children. The present research examined components of the IPTS in …

Effects Of Surprisal And Prediction Uncertainty On Detailed And Gist Aspects Of Memory, Thanh Tan Nguyen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Schemas guide comprehension and memory of everyday activities, yet theories differ on how schema‐unexpected or schema‐expected events affect memory. In this study, we compared predictions from the Schema‐Linked Interactions between Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Medial Temporal Lobe (SLIMM) model, which proposes a U‐shaped function for gist memory (both highly expected and highly unexpected events are well remembered) and a linear function for detailed memory, with those of the Schema Copy Plus Tag (SC+T) theory, which proposes a linear function for both gist and detailed memory. Participants read everyday activity narratives with events varying in surprisal, prediction uncertainty, and relevance to …

Divided Attention With Long-Term Memory: Recollection And Familiarity For Musical Melodies, Gaia Steinberg, Jackson S. Pelzner, Rhiannon N. Soriano Smith

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Objective: Test whether the well-established effects of divided attention 1, 2. (DA) found with non-musical (i.e., verbal and pictorial) materials generalized to musical melodies.

Background: Few studies have used melodies to test recognition models (e.g., DPSD). Parks et al.2 showed stimulus complexity alters source memory reliance on recollection (R) and familiarity (F).

Method: Used a 2 (attention) x 2 (melody type) mixed design with an old-new recognition test to compare DA effects across well-known and novel melodies.

Experiment 1: Applied an n-back task to split participants’ attention; no significant DA effect was observed.

Experiment 2: Shortened melody length and added …

Investigating The Ability Of The Norepinephrine-Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor Nomifensine To Reverse The Effort-Related Effects Of Tetrabenazine In Female Rats, Vivien Daytree

Honors Scholar Theses

Anergia, lassitude, and psychomotor retardation are core symptoms of motivational dysfunction that often accompany Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). While selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors effectively alleviate mood and anxiety symptoms, they remain relatively ineffective at alleviating motivational deficits. Compounds that elevate extracellular dopamine (DA) have shown promise in addressing these symptoms. Bupropion, a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI), increases DA and is effective at attenuating motivational symptoms in patients. Another NDRI, nomifensine, has demonstrated potential antidepressant properties in preclinical research. Effort-based choice tasks, such as the FR5/chow choice task, serve as animal models for studying motivational dysfunction. Rats choose between exerting effort …

The Development Of Liking And Familiarity Responses To A Novel Musical Scale, Maya Velazquez, Dan H. Berkowitz, Nicholas Kathios, Psyche Loui

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Musical preference is shaped by listening experience

Listeners tend to like music they’ve heard before familiarity correlates with liking (1).

As listeners acquire knowledge of how music is structured, they make better predictions about events as they unfold.

Familiarity and prediction are key drivers of musical pleasure (2,3).

Present study aims to characterize the relationship between listening experience/exposure and preferences during childhood

Perception Of Emotions In Autism With Controlled Elicitation, Austin Gillespie, Rachel Dewald

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Recognizing emotions play a crucial role in effective communication.(1)

Previous research has rated autistic expression as awkward.(2)

These studies captured unnaturally elicited emotions by having participants imitate emotions from scripted prompts and pictures

Relationship Closeness And Eating Disorder Pathology In Undergraduate Female Friends Dyads, Jessica Nguyen, Maegan Nation

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Eating disorders (ED) are one of the leading mental health concerns among undergraduate students

Rates nearly doubled from 15% in 2013 to 28% in 2020 and 2021

Relationship closeness may play a crucial role in both development and recovery from EDs.

Limited research on platonic relationships and ED pathology, specifically relationship closeness.

Sounds Of Hidden Agents: The Development Of Causal Reasoning About Musical Sounds, Minju Kim, Adena Schachner

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Listening to music activates representations of movement and social agents. Why? We test whether causal reasoning plays a role, and find that from childhood, people can intuitively reason about how musical sounds were generated, inferring the events and agents that caused the sounds. In Experiment 1 (N = 120, pre-registered), 6-year-old children and adults inferred the presence of an unobserved animate agent from hearing musical sounds, by integrating information from the sounds’ timing with knowledge of the visual context. Thus, children inferred that an agent was present when the sounds would require self-propelled movement to produce, given the current …

Hope After Grief And Loss: A Needs Assessment Of Peer-Led, Non-Denominational Bereavement Support Services At Laurel’S Grief Center, Julia A. Lange

Public Administration Master’s Projects

This needs assessment examines the grief support services provided by Laurel’s Grief Center (LGC), a nonprofit organization in Buffalo, New York, and identifies opportunities to expand tailored services for grieving adults in Western New York. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, this study collected data through semi-structured interviews with LGC board members and surveys with clients and peer volunteers. Key findings highlight the importance of peer-led, non-denominational grief support and creative approaches, such as art therapy, while identifying barriers, such as stigma, limited awareness, and fragmented regional services.

Based on these findings, this study recommends expanding healing arts programs, enhancing outreach …

Invisible Strings Of Mindset: How Growth Mindset Connects To Student Outcomes, Brittany A. Contreras

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Mental health concerns among youth are growing at an alarming rate, and the need to examine accessible, school-based tools is more urgent than ever. While a growth mindset has been linked to academic outcomes, its relationship to student mental health remains underexplored, particularly in large, diverse school populations. This study explores the role of a growth mindset in students’ well-being. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between students’ mindset of intelligence and their social-emotional well-being, with a focus on outcomes including covitality, social-emotional distress, depression, and suicidal ideation. Grounded in well-being theory, this quantitative study used …

The Relationship Between Social Media Marketing And Social Comparison On Pre-Adolescent Self-Esteem And Consumer Identity, Madison Kruse

CSB and SJU Distinguished Thesis

The current study aimed to address gaps in the literature regarding pre-adolescent social media usage by examining whether gender, social media marketing, and social comparison predict U.S. pre-adolescent (ages 8-12) self-esteem and consumer identity. A paper survey was administered to participants (N=43) through on-site and flyer recruitment methods. The survey consisted of questions regarding pre-adolescent social media usage time and preferences, self-esteem, social comparison, and consumer identity. Scales used were adaptations of The Child Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale (CRSES), The Social Media Comparison of Ability Scale (SCO-Ability), and the Consumer-Company Identification Scale. Results showed that pre-adolescents (ages 8-12) are exposed to …

From Plate To Perception: A Comparison Between Fine Dining, Fast Casual, And Fast-Food Restaurant Lighting Design In Dallas, Texas, Allison Nicole Cain

Interior Design Undergraduate Honors Theses

This capstone explores the intersection of lighting psychology and interior design within restaurant environments, focusing on the impact that lighting design has on the dining experience. The research evaluates how lighting design varies across fine dining, fast casual, and fast-food restaurants in Dallas, Texas, and how it affects customers’ perceptions, emotions, and satisfaction. A mixed-method approach was used, combining qualitative interviews with industry professionals and restaurant employees with quantitative analysis of lighting parameters such as color temperature, illuminance, and fixture types across nine case studies. Key findings reveal that fine dining restaurants prioritize warm, high-contrast lighting to enhance intimacy, fast …

Perceptions Of Power And Consent: The Role Gender, Race, And Sexual Orientation In Shaping Public Perceptions Of Student-Teacher Affairs, India Campbell

Poster Presentations

Sexual violence is a taboo topic. It is especially challenging to acknowledge child victims. Sexual violence in schools is particularly hard to acknowledge. No parent wants to consider the possibility of sending their child to a predator every day. This phenoma has been researched for decades from various angles. This project will contribute to the research that looks at the ways race, gender, and sexual orientation influence perception of victimhood.

Motivating Pro-Environmental Behavior: The Roles Of Emotions, Habits, And Status In Consumer And Lifestyle Choices, Clara Schilder Manning

Psychology Honors Projects

Given the urgency of addressing climate change, research on how sustainable behavior can be motivated is essential. The present research investigates how message framing, self-focused emotions, habits, and perceived status influence pro-environmental decision-making. Study 1 examined the effects of message frame (positive, negative, neutral), commitment level (one-time, long-term), and behavior type (consumer, lifestyle) on pro-environmental intent. Participants (N = 110) read two separate narrative scenarios describing one consumer and one lifestyle choice, each manipulated by message frame and commitment level. After reading each scenario, participants rated their feelings of anticipated shame and pride and indicated the likelihood (scale of …

Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover: Generational Diversity At Centracare, Theresa Reichert, Lora Gullette, Britney Winkelman

Nursing Posters

The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) identifies key elements of a health work environment. Key elements to build belonging within a health work environment (HWE) include:

• Recognizing the value each person brings to the team
• Open, respectful, and effective communication
• Helping teams identify missing "F"s by valuing multiple perspectives
• Avoiding communication breakdowns
• Building departmental cultures where it is safe for employees to speak up with safety concerns
• Advancing collaboration and mutual respect, even during conflict.
• Strengthening employee fulfillment, retention and morale

At CentraCare, many different generations work together to care for patients and one another. Understanding generational strengths …

Breaking Barriers: Exploring The Impact Of Social Media On Women's Behaviors, Attitudes, And Barriers In The Free-Weights Room, Kate Jensen

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine social media’s impact on women’s habits and attitudes on the weight-room area of a college recreation center. Using non-experimental quantitative methods, the frequency and type of weightroom use by women was measured, as well as the type and frequency of fitness-focused social media use.

Creating Spaces For Civic Engagement: A Qualitative Action Research Study On Sustaining Engagement And Generating Power Through Relational Community Organizing, Virginia Mata

Theses & Dissertations

The purposes of this action research (AR) study were threefold. First, to explore the key ingredients that Communities Organized for Public Service and the Metro Alliance (COPS/Metro)—a broad-based community organization in San Antonio, Texas—uses to keep ordinary citizens civically engaged. Secondly, my AR study aimed to use a critical pedagogy approach to leverage and amplify the same COPS/METRO process to increase civic engagement, raise awareness of redlining, and engage in actions to address the present-day effects of redlining. My third purpose was to understand the connection between the two better—in other words, how COPS/METRO civic engagement and awareness-raising lead to …

Narcissists In The Feedback Loop: Status Dynamics And Defensive Responses, Natalie Tal Bederman

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

The rising prevalence of narcissistic traits has sparked interest in how individuals with these traits navigate social interactions. Existing research often emphasizes antagonistic or provocative scenarios, potentially overlooking reactions in everyday contexts. This study examines responses to negative feedback in a less aggressive setting, where 205 undergraduate students wrote about something personally meaningful before receiving critical feedback from either a high-status or low-status evaluator. Emotional responses, including internalization, externalization, and self-protection strategies, were analyzed across varying levels of narcissistic traits. Findings revealed that evaluator status did not significantly influence emotional processing or self-protection strategies, regardless of narcissism levels, potentially due …

Examining The Role Of Intersectionality With Risk And Protective Factors In Suicidal Ideation: Insights From The 2022- 2023 California Health Kids Survey, Sarah E. Madrid

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Critical suicidology aims to broaden traditional suicidology and theories by critically engaging with discourse, power dynamics, and social histories to draw attention on how social systems and structures affect an individual’s experience with suicidal behavior. This study was grounded by critical suicidology and investigated suicidal ideation in secondary school-age students by using an intersecting lens. The 2022 – 2023 California Healthy Kids Survey, and accompanying Mental Health Supports Module and Trauma Module, were used to identify both risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation. A series of binary logistic regression models were conducted to predict the likelihood of an individual …

The Effect Of Implementing A Development Program Using Mental Imagery On The Time To Master Psychomotor Skills, Randal Agee

Dissertations

Psychomotor skills development programs that use mental imagery have been demonstrated to help individuals acquire psychomotor skills (Anu et al., 2020; Seymore-Walsh et al., 2020; Toth et al., 2020). The commercial trucking industry is presently experiencing a global shortage of qualified truck drivers (American Trucking Association, 2019; Staats et al., 2017). One reason individuals are avoiding or leaving careers as commercial truck drivers is the time spent away from home (Staats et al., 2017). A couple logistical strategies have been developed to improve the situation (Mittal et al., 2018; Prime Inc, 2024); however, for the solutions to be sustainable, the …

The Mindful Way: A Mindfulness Psychoeducational Group For Latinx College Students, Karen A. Morales

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have extensively studied mindfulness as a promising intervention that can aid college students in managing stressors. Unfortunately, researchers have underrepresented minority populations like Latinx college students in mindfulness literature. The Mindful Way (TMW) is a culturally responsive psychoeducational group program that aims to close the gap in the literature. The pre-test and post-test of TMW program measures student’s tendency to practice mindfulness, their personal and academic resilience, degree of self-compassion, emotion regulation skills, problematic alcohol consumption, and symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, before and after participating in the program. The hypothesis of the present study is …

Anxiety Among Sexual Minoritized Subgroups: An Investigation Into The Disproportionately High Rates Of Social Anxiety Among Emerging Identity Populations, Veronica Kruschel

Psychology Honors Projects

Sexual minoritized individuals report higher rates of social anxiety than the general population, and research suggests that those belonging to emerging sexual identities are particularly vulnerable. The few existing interventions targeting anxiety in sexual minoritized populations tend to ignore subgroup differences, so the present study proposes an adaptation of an existing CBT-based intervention tailored to pansexual individuals. In addition, existing research offers contradictory findings about emerging identity individuals’ experiences of social anxiety, notably regarding specific subgroup differences. Therefore, in the present study, a survey was conducted to measure social anxiety among sexual minoritized populations. Findings suggest that emerging identity sexual …

Comparing Online And In-Person Social Support And Its Effects On Suicidal Ideation, Alexander J. Potter

Poster Presentations

The interpersonal theory of suicide states that thwarted belonging and perceived burdensomeness are proximal causes of suicidal ideation (Van Orden et al., 2010). One of the biggest influences on these variables is a lack of social support (Sparks et al., 2023) There are two ways a person can receive social support: in-person via face-to-face experiences and online via social media or online communication Studies have shown that there is a difference in the quality of support between online and in-person interactions (Hultzman et al., 2017). The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of in-person and online support …

Exploring Secondary Teachers’ Mental Health Self-Efficacy, Perceptions Of Supporting Student Mental Health And Well-Being, Sherilyn A. Kile

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Research has indicated that over half of all lifetime cases of mental health conditions begin before the age of 14 years (NAMI, 2024a), making the adolescent period a critical and formative time. The unprecedented effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to more mental health problems in children and adolescent youth (Sayed et al., 2024), particularly affecting southern California school districts that implemented distance or hybrid learning models (K. Brann et al., 2022). Secondary teachers are essential referral sources and gatekeepers for linking adolescent children to mental health support (Owens et al., 2014). Given the essential role teachers play …

Measuring The Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) On Adolescents’ Self-Esteem And Self-Appraisal: How Can School-Based Interventions Help?, Kayla M. Moses

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This paper explores the lasting impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on adolescents’ self-esteem and self-appraisal, with a focus on the role of school-based interventions in mitigating these effects. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) encompass various forms of trauma such as physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, and familial dysfunction during childhood. Due to adolescence being a critical period of identity formation and emotional development, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can significantly undermine adolescents' self-esteem, leading to lasting negative effects. These effects include various emotional, social, and psychological challenges, ultimately changing one’s life trajectory. Based on numerous theoretical foundations, it is supported …

The Effect Of Self - Conscious Emotions On Help- Seeking Behavior, Kiera Blankinship

Honors Theses

Self-conscious emotions are a select category of emotions which are of special interest in the field of psychology because of the impact they have in the therapy room and beyond. Shame, pride, and guilt are incredibly influential in behavior, self-concept, and many other areas, yet we still know so little about them. This study addresses a gap in the literature regarding the interaction and correlation between proneness to self-conscious emotions and intentions to seek help for mental health issues. The research questions were evaluated using a quasi-experimental survey design utilizing the Test of Self- Conscious Affect (TOSCA) and the General …

What The F**K Happened: An Analysis Of Why The Emerging Democratic Majority Theory Failed, Olivia Mitchell

Honors College Theses

Despite the Democratic belief that new generations would usher in a more successful era for the party, the 2024 presidential election saw the Republican Party candidate win the popular vote for the first time in two decades. Both Harris and Trump continued the trend of using social media to appeal to young voters, relying heavily on the use of digital platforms and new media to cater to their target audiences. But their approaches varied drastically, reflecting the patterns of political engagement and activity of young Millennial and Generation Z voters, and their successes and failures served as evidence of the …

Mentorship As Experienced By Black Woman In Stem At Predominantly White Institutions, Chelsei Lasha Arnold

Honors Theses

Black female college students have experienced a marginalized history in STEM higher education. Although students associated with this identity are enrolling and earning college degrees at historic rates, there is a gap in the resources available, especially at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), for these students once they reach collegiate level. The goal of this study is to examine the role of mentorship in the lived experiences of Black women STEM students at PWIs. I used interpretive phenomenological analysis on transcribed interviews to examine psychological patterns, and then I carefully analyzed the phenomenon of being mentored. Through the analysis, I sought …

The Mighty C: A Fractal Model For Modern Creativity, Joe Todaro

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The persistent ambiguity surrounding the definition of creativity has hindered its advancement across academic, educational, and professional settings. In response, this paper proposes an updated framework—The Mighty C—which defines creativity as the intrinsic human activity of generating meaningful, novel, and useful outcomes through deliberate process. This model addresses critical gaps in conventional definitions, particularly the frequent omission of meaningfulness, intentionality, and the uniquely human nature of creativity. It further emphasizes the recursive nature of these aspects across different levels of creative activity, represented through the structure of fractals. Drawing from scholarly models such as Rhodes’ 4Ps and Kaufman and Beghetto’s …

Front Line Innovation In Federal Agencies: U.S. Department Of State Passport Services Innovation Portal Engagement Program, Bill Langer

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project explores strategies for enhancing front-line innovation within federal agencies through employee engagement with the U.S. Department of State's Passport Services Innovation Portal. Rooted in the principles of creative leadership and intrinsic motivation, the project addresses persistent barriers to innovation in federal settings, such as bureaucratic inertia and a lack of feedback mechanisms for idea submissions. Utilizing the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) model and a modified 21st-century facilitation framework, the project team designed and implemented an engagement program that included informational briefings and targeted newsletters. Quantitative data from website analytics and idea submissions were analyzed using paired t-tests and …