Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of The Executive Control Network In Social Functioning In Autism, Mckayla Kurtz

All ETDs from UAB

Social functioning difficulties are often seen in autism and impact one’s ability to engage in meaningful social interactions and to maintain social relationships. Emerging research suggests that executive function (EF) impairments may underlie these social challenges, though the neural mechanisms involved remain unclear. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between the functional connectivity of the executive control network (ECN) and social functioning in autistic children using resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) data. Resting-state fMRI data was obtained from 95 autistic participants (ages 5-13 years) from the publicly available Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange II (ABIDE-II) database. Data were preprocessed …

Predictors Of Everyday Function Among Older Adults Using Data From The Active Clinical Trial., Deborah Awusuah Dadson

All ETDs from UAB

The nature of the lifespan causes a decrease in the bodily functioning of people as they age which affects the ability to engage in activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), mostly amongst older adults. A reduction in the individual’s abilities combined with environmental changes can lead to functional decline impacting everyday function. The aim of this study was to examine the association between visual, cognitive and physical factors with everyday function (IADL/ADL) among older adults and assess whether social determinants of health (SDoH) measures moderate the associations of vision, cognitive and physical function with …

"It Would Ruin My Life”:Pacific Islander Male Adolescents’ Perceptions Of Mental Health Help-Seeking Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Focus Group Study, Melia Fonoimoana Garrett, Elizabeth Cutrer, G. E. Kawika Allen, Ellie Young, Kristopher J. Urbina, Isabel Medina Hull

Faculty Publications

Given rising mental health concerns among Pacific Islander (PI) adolescents, this population remains underserved by available mental health resources. This interpretative phenomenological analysis with focus groups (IPA-FG) examined the lived experiences and perceptions of 19 male PI adolescents (ages 14–16) from Native Hawaiian, Maori, Samoan, and Tongan backgrounds regarding mental health help-seeking behaviors. Four overarching themes emerged: stigma and judgment, cultural misalignment in professional services, impact of disclosure and perceived punitive consequences, and a complex ecosystem of trusted relationships as mental health support. Notably, participants expressed belief that disclosing mental health challenges would “ruin their lives” and held misconceptions about …

“Watch Me!” The Impact Of Training Experience On Dogs Social Referencing Human Emotional Cues, Madison Murray

Theses and Dissertations

Dogs utilized human facial expression and vocal tone to drive decision making during a novel object choice task, displaying a preference for negatively valenced objects. Training experience was not correlated to dog likelihood to social reference.

Identifying Personality In Reptiles And Assessing Welfare Implications For Their Roles As Ambassador Animals In An Educational Setting, Valery Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined behavioral variability and personality in 13 reptiles used as ambassador animals at the American Museum of Natural History. Observations across seasons and novel object tests revealed individual differences, behavioral components, and correlations. Findings emphasize reptilian complexity, highlighting welfare implications while underscoring the need for further research.

Examining Risk Factors For Comorbidity Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder And Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder In A Sample Of Trauma-Exposed Transgender Adults, Dylan Seeley

Theses and Dissertations

Comorbid PTSD-OCD post trauma exposure is understudied. Little research examines specific risk factors and marginalized populations. This study examined gender-based victimization, emotional avoidance, and executive functioning as risk factors. Findings suggest gender-based victimization is a unique gender minority stressor that may pose significant risk for transgender populations.

Factors Associated With Intimate Partner Violence Among Non-Binary Individuals Assigned Male At Birth (Nbamab), Ahmad Z. Mouazzen

Theses and Dissertations

One hundred-fifty partnered Nonbinary assigned male at birth (NBAMAB) people completed an online survey assessing experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV), and associated factors, including mental health, internalized and anticipated stigma, and relationship power and functioning. The results contribute to understanding of IPV among NBAMAB people, with further research suggested.

Afro-Caribbean/Afro-Caribbean Descendant Students' Attitudes Towards Mental Healthcare, Imani Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

The low mental healthcare utilization rates for Afro-Caribbean College students living in the USA has been seldom studied. This study sought to add to the literature by measuring if Afro-Caribbean cultural affiliation, an Afrocentric worldview, and/or student generation influences mental health seeking actions and mental illness stigma in this group.

Addressing Methodological Challenges In Follow-Up Rcts During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Impact Of The Good Behavior Game And Myteachingpartner™ On Teacher Burnout And Self-Efficacy, Alexa C. Budvari, Heather L. Mcdaniel, Antonio A. Morgan-López, Rashelle J. Musci, Jason T. Downer, Nicholas S. Isalongo, Catherine P. Bradshaw

Faculty Publications

Retention of early career teachers is a critical issue in education, with burnout and self-efficacy serving as important precursors to teachers leaving the field. An integration of the PAX Good Behavior Game (GBG; Barrish et al., 1969) and MyTeachingPartner (MTP; Allen et al., 2015) was tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate whether the combined programs would improve long-term outcomes for early career teachers. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a higher proportion of missing data and attrition in follow-up data collection than otherwise would have been expected. The current paper focused specifically on …

Predictors Of Mental Health Clinic Staff Self-Efficacy In Recognizing And Responding To Suicide Risk, Hannah Ritz

Theses and Dissertations

Staff self-efficacy is critical to suicide prevention, yet its predictors within Zero Suicide initiatives are not well understood. Among 1,038 CCBHC staff, perceived organizational support, response-focused training, and lower suicide myth endorsement most strongly predicted self-efficacy. Clinical role and prior experiences contributed modestly, highlighting multilevel influences on workforce readiness.

Tolerance Of Homonegativity And Transnegativity Predicts Negative Evaluations Of Lgbt People And Lgbt-Supportive Policies Among Us-Based Heterosexual, Cisgender Participants, Abigail M. Folberg, Jennifer S. Hunt, Ellen D.B. Riggle

Psychology Faculty Publications

Many people in the United States express anti-LGBT attitudes and oppose LGBT rights. These views are perpetuated when others, including allies, tolerate expressions of anti-LGBT bias. In this study, we adapted and validated a measure of tolerance of homonegativity and transnegativity (TOHT), and assessed its associations with evaluations of LGBT people, straight people, support for LGBT rights, and system-justifying ideologies among heterosexual, straight, binary-gendered/non-trans (i.e., cisgender) women and men who identified as liberal, moderate, or conservative (N = 295). Participants completed measures of TOHT, evaluations of LGBT people, support for LGBT rights, authoritarianism, religiosity, and contact with LGBT people. …

Why Her Business Is Our Business: Female Psychotherapists’ Experiences Working With The Perinatal Population, Alexa Garber M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Approximately 800,000 women in the United States yearly suffer from maternal mental health (MMH) conditions (Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, 2020). Not only is MMH the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth, but rates have increased with the COVID-19 pandemic causing pregnant women and new mothers to be even more vulnerable to developing mental health problems (Thapa et al., 2020). Research on the consequences of the pandemic have indicated a pressing demand on the field of psychology to meet the needs of individuals suffering from maternal mental health. Various challenges healthcare professionals face when working with the perinatal population …

Examining Dbt Clinicians’ Perspectives Involving Parents Of Emerging Adults In Treatment: A Qualitative Study, Emma Bernstein M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Emerging adults (ages 18-29) are at a heightened risk for developing mental illnesses, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and dying by suicide. Further, some emerging adults are considered to have “failed to launch” from their parents’ homes, leading to a postponement to full-fledged adulthood. While parents often play a significant role in their emerging adults’ lives, there is limited research on evidence-based treatment for emerging adults that systematically incorporate parents. Given the strong research support for Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) that includes parent involvement, it is sensible to consider applying developmentally tailored adaptations to additional populations and understand …

Goodtimer For Good Behavior: A Nonconcurrent Multiple Baseline Examination Of A Behavioral Device Intervention To Reduce Child Misbehaviors, Morgan Weinstein

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) effectively decreases disruptive behavior in children (Daley et al., 2014). Nonetheless, many parents perceive BPT to be challenging and demanding, leading to reports of high treatment dropout rates (Chacko et al., 2016.) To address this, the present study evaluated the effectiveness of Goodtimer, a behavioral health device utilizing contingency management, an element of BPT, to mitigate child disruptive behaviors. The Goodtimer is designed to make administering a contingency management system easier for parents. Employing a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design, the study assessed six families with children aged 3-9 years. Most parents who used the Goodtimer reported …

Killing Two Birds With One Phone: Exclusion By Technology And Attachment Within Couples’ Daily Interactions, Julianne Patrice Lawson

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

This study explored the role of attachment during covert rejection experiences. Specifically, the study examined exclusion by technology in romantic couples’ daily interactions. A partner’s retreat into their own technology device can create the experience of separation and provoke feelings of being ignored. Couples’ attachment styles were examined with daily ratings of perceived partner attention on technology (P-Tech), relationship conflict, and relationship satisfaction. Daily diary methodologies were employed in a sample of 125 cohabitating romantic couples (250 participants) over a two-week period. Multilevel modeling (MLM) revealed a significant negative within-person effect of P-Tech on daily relationship satisfaction. Relationship conflict and …

Fearing The Other: The Underlying Mechanisms Of Mental Illness Stigma, Theresa Maria Power

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

This study sought to clarify the underlying mechanisms behind mental illness stigma. Using a sample of 303 adults from the general population, participants completed a series of online self-reports in response to a vignette about “Harry,” an individual who was described as either Black or White, with schizophrenia or depression. Respondents answered questions regarding perceptions of dangerousness, causal attributions of mental illness, and endorsement of stigmatizing beliefs, and also provided narratives for Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) cards that were coded using the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale (SCORS). Results of structural equation modeling indicated that there was no direct …

The Head, The Heart, And The Human: A Developmental Cascade Perspective Of Adults With Dextro-Transposition Of The Great Arteries, Alexandra Brooke Roseman

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

As survival rates for individuals with complex congenital heart disease (CHD), such as dextro-Transposition of the Great Arteries (d-TGA), increase, there is a growing need to examine neurocognitive and psychosocial challenges from a lifespan perspective. However, research often overlooks the integration of these factors, despite evidence from other chronic illness populations suggesting their interplay influences psychosocial functioning in adulthood. This study assessed psychosocial maturity in emerging adults with d-TGA and explored its relationship with executive functioning (EF) and social cognition (SC) longitudinally. Data were drawn from the Boston Circulatory Arrest Study (BCAS) cohort at age 16 (n = 80) and …

The Roles Of Regulated Body Awareness And Empathy In Psychotherapist Empathic Attunement, Abby Fraade

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

Psychotherapist empathic attunement has been shown to contribute significantly to treatment outcomes (Bohart et al., 2002; Elliott et al., 2018), but psychotherapist factors that contribute to increased attunement have not been extensively studied. The present study’s model, based on Erskine’s (1998) model of attunement, examined the impact of therapist body awareness, embodied regulation, and personal distress empathy on attunement. Participants were N = 180 therapist trainees from various clinical fields who completed an online protocol. Results indicated that, as predicted, embodied regulation moderated the relationship between body awareness and empathic attunement, such that the relationship was significant and positive only …

Child Sexual Abuse And Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Rocd): The Influence Of Betrayal Trauma On Mental Contamination, Maya Elizabeth Citron

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

The aim of this project was to gain a better understanding of whether survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CTQ) are more prone to enduring higher levels of relationship-centered relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCI) symptoms. This project also examined whether mental contamination (VOCI-MC) influenced the relationship between CTQ and ROCI and if this impact was dependent on levels of betrayal trauma. It was hypothesized that betrayal trauma (BQ) would moderate the mediating effect of VOCI-MC on CRQ and ROCI symptoms. A sample of 270 female participants ages 18 years and older completed an online survey that assessed histories of childhood trauma, ROCI …

Group Empathy As A Driver Of Pro-Lgbtq+ Attitudes In The United States, José Villalobos, Cigdem Sirin

Selected Works Temporary Series

The LGBTQ+ community in the U.S. has long suffered from collective stigmatization and discrimination. At the same time, there have been calls for increased social acceptance, more legal protections, and better political representation of LGBTQ+ people. An essential ingredient for such calls for change has been a rise in support from outgroup allies. However, what moves members of the public to support LGBTQ+ citizens? In this chapter, we explore how group empathy as a general disposition may serve as a primary driver of positive attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community. Employing 2020 American National Election Studies (ANES) data, we find individuals …

Suicide Exposure In The Army National Guard: A Three Manuscript Dissertation, Rebecca Willis-Nichols

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Between 2000-2022, the U.S. suicide rate increased 36% with one death now occurring every 11 minutes (CDC, 2024). Despite the Department of Defense making a concerted effort to curb the suicide increases in their ranks, the rates have continued to rise. Active-duty component rates have slowly increased since 2011 while reserve and guard components have held steady (U.S. Department of Defense, 2023). After adjusting for age, the suicide rate in the veteran population was 57% greater than the civilian population in 2020 (CDC, 2024). There is a need for a better understanding of the impact of these deaths and the …

Treatment Of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Inference Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Lauren Bonicoro, Hollings Manderson

CSU Tower Day

Tower Day 2025 Graduate Poster 1st place Winner

Traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has long been considered an acceptable course of treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, CBT has 38 been shown to leave behind residual symptoms after treatment. A more recent method of treatment, inference-based cognitive behavioral therapy (I-CBT), uncovers the doubts behind a client's obsessions. With the growing rate of OCD diagnoses, it is crucial that counselors are able to adequately treat this disorder, teaching their clients how to replace unhealthy narratives with more realistic ones. This presentation will highlight the key aspects of I-CBT that are essential …

Numbered Heads Together: Student Outcomes, Teacher Acceptability, Teacher Burnout, And Maintenance Of Implementation, Nicole Parker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Numbered Heads Together (NHT) is a structured cooperative learning activity that supports active classroom participation from all students. The purpose of this study was to examine if NHT increased student cooperative behaviors and quiz scores, as well as whether teachers found the intervention acceptable and if teacher reported burnout improved. Three teacher participants and their respective students were recruited from a regional school based on teacher desire to improve classroom behavior management during cooperative learning times. A checklist of adherences to NHT steps was the primary measure. Classwide cooperative interactions were observed, and class average daily quiz scores were collected. …

A Review Of The Validity Of The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2, Keegan Cundiff

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted condition that affects individuals in unique ways. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 2020), people with ASD have a neurological disorder that impacts communication, social interaction, and behavior. One common ASD evaluation tool is the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS-2), which helps a clinician decide if the student exhibits social and communication skills expected of someone with or without ASD. Since ASD is a disorder for which symptoms need to be present within the early developmental period, it is common for schools and pediatricians to be initial sources of referral …

A Monte Carlo Study Of The Efficacy Of The Mantel-Haenszel Method At Detecting Item Bias, Macy Daulton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Mantel-Haenszel (MH) method is a statistical method used for differential item functioning analysis. Previous differential item functioning (DIF) research of the MH method focused on Type I error rates and statistical power. Not yet studied in the literature is whether excessive numbers of biased items may cause the MH method to fail to identify biased items. The proposed study employed a Monte Carlo design to determine the extent of bias in the match items necessary for the MH method to fail to identify a biased item. Results showed that the threshold was greater than was hypothesized, requiring nearly all …

Associations Between Observance Of Orthodox Jewish Mourning Rituals And The Psychological Processes Of Meaning Making And Religious Coping Following Loss: A Quantitative Study, Kayla Reich M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

While grief is a deeply individualized experience, research suggests that some coping mechanisms—such as meaning making—promote healthier psychological adjustment. Jewish mourning rituals may support meaning making, yet few studies have quantitatively examined this relationship. The present study investigated the association between observance of early Jewish mourning stages (i.e., aninut, levayah, and shiva) and both meaning making and adaptive religious coping. A sample of 60 Orthodox Jewish adults who had experienced the loss of a first-degree relative between one and five years prior to the start of the study completed measures of mourning observance, meaning making, and Jewish religious coping. Results …

Evaluating Distractions Of Undergraduate Students During Guided And Unguided Study Sessions, Roni Peleg

Masters Theses

In this study, we explore an intervention strategy aimed at decreasing distractions while studying. The participant was a third-year undergraduate psychology student with a concentration in neuroscience who did not have a personal structured study system. The researcher measured the percent of intervals in which a distraction occurred using interval recording during baseline and intervention phases. During the intervention phase, the participant was introduced to the productivity method referred to as the Pomodoro Ⓡ Technique. Using a reversal design, data were analyzed based on levels of distraction during baseline and intervention phases. The goal of this study was to evaluate …

Implementing Skill Based Treatment Within A Classroom Setting For Students With Autism: A Systematic Replication In An Alternative School Based Setting, Hayley Getz

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of implementing the Interview-Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis (IISCA) and Skill Based Treatment (SBT) in an alternative classroom setting with students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is much existing research that supports both in a clinical setting, however the school setting is lacking in research. The goal of this study was to teach three students with ASD who engage in challenging behaviors an appropriate way to communicate their needs, how to tolerate the removal of a preferred toy or activity, and to follow educational instructions instead of …

Emergency Shift To Remote Cbt: Clinicians’ Evolving Experiences, Angela Flanagan M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote health services have surged in popularity. This study focuses on the initial experiences of CBT psychologists previously untrained in telehealth during the emergency shift to remote therapy, and how these attitudes and experiences have evolved over the last four years. Participants included nine licensed clinical psychologists previously untrained in remote therapy who were practicing CBT treatment for at least two years before the pandemic. This phenomenological qualitative research design involved semi-structured interviews with these nine psychologists. The analysis revealed three main interpretive themes: (1) Experiences Related to the Human Factor, (2) Experiences …

The Relationship Between Sleepiness, Dopamine, And Food Impulsivity, Rae Mears, Katherine Blaire, Maria Duque, Dayton Keffer, Sofia Taylor, Ally Tingen

Research and Creativity Symposium

This research investigates the role of sleepiness and dopamine function (measured by spontaneous eye blink rate; sEBR), in impulsive action toward food stimuli. Analysis of Go/NoGo performance suggests that participants were more impulsive toward food stimuli compared to non-food stimuli. In addition, there was a curvilinear relationship between sleepiness and high calorie NoGo accuracy, where those who were moderately sleepy tended to be most impulsive. sEBR did not correlate to either sleepiness or Go/NoGo performance.