Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Cognitive Adaptation's Implication On Diabetic Adherence, Martin Ancona

LSU Master's Theses

Diabetes, affecting more than 18 million people in the United States, is an epidemic problem. The illness is usually progressive, leading to neuropathy, blindness, and limb amputation. The most common type of the illness, Type 2 diabetes, is usually controllable through a strict combination of diet, exercise, and medication. However, non-compliance, rather than compliance, to prescribed diabetes regimens is the norm. Although past research has uncovered many of the reason that diabetics may fail to adhere to their regimen, the whole puzzle has not yet been solved. This study looked at the Cognitive Adaptation Theory in relation to diabetic adherence. …

Effects Of 5-Ht2 Receptor Ligands On Tail Pinch-Induced Stress Responding And Open Field Behavior, John K. Hearn

LSU Master's Theses

Stress is known to exert an influence on neuroendocrine, autonomic, hormonal, and immune functioning. As a result of the debilitating effects of stress on numerous bodily systems, there exists a large body of research devoted to the etiology, physiological sequelae, and treatment of the condition. Further, the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) has been implicated in stress responding. Presently, there is conflict in the literature as to the precise role serotonin plays in mediating the stress response. This study was an attempt to further elucidate the role of 5-HT in mediating an organism’s response to tail pinch stress and the open field. …

Jury Knowledge Of Eyewitness Memory: Can Jurors Use This Knowledge In The Courtroom?, Jill D. Alonzo

LSU Master's Theses

As a result of Daubert, trial judges were advised to only admit an expert once they determine 1) that the testimony is supported with scientific evidence and 2) would assist the trier(s) of fact. The present studies were designed to address the second criterion of admissibility by 1) assessing jurors' knowledge of eyewitness memory, and 2) determining if they can apply this knowledge when assessing mock courtroom testimony. In the first study, subjects evaluated trial transcripts of testimony concerning an eyewitness account where factors that influence eyewitness memory were present in either a negative form or a positive form. In …

Hamilton's Rule In Reciprocal Altruism And Symbiosis, Jeffrey Fletcher, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

In lieu of an abstract, here is the outline:

Do Inclusive Fitness and Reciprocal Altruism Models embody different or similar mechanisms?

Background

• The Prisoner’s Dilemma (PD), Hamilton’s Rule (Queller’s version)

Apply Hamilton’s Rule to Reciprocal Altruism:

• Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma model
• A model of symbiosis

Towards a Unified Theory

Improving Homework In Adolescents With Adhd: Comparing Training In Self- Vs. Parent-Monitoring Of Homework And Study Skills Completion, Kara J. Meyer

LSU Master's Theses

Self-monitoring has been proven to be effective in increasing performance, on task behavior, and homework completion in students with learning disabilities and other academic difficulties. Parent supervision and involvement in homework also has been shown to improve performance. However, the effectiveness of parent vs. self-monitoring of homework completion and test preparation has never been examined in adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The current study compared the effectiveness of self- and parent-monitoring of homework and study skills completion in middle school students with ADHD. Students were trained in the SQ4R study strategy and homework completion skills. In one group students monitored …

Horsepower : A Study Of Equine Influence On Female Adolescent Self-Efficacy, Vanessa Gay Hancox

Theses : Honours

Self-efficacy refers to the individual's belief in their capacity to exert control over themselves as well as situations which impact upon them: perceptions of self-efficacy influence cognitive development, behavioural capacity and emotional states. Low self-efficacy is often associated with problematic drug use, inappropriate sexual activity, low academic achievement, anxiety, depression, self-harming and suicidal behaviours during adolescence. Conversely, high self-efficacy is generally correlated with high academic achievement, positive social relationships and formation of sexual identity, increased self-regulatory ability and positive vocation selection. This study sought to examine the experiences of a group of five young women, aged between thirteen and seventeen …

An Exploration Of Non-Residential Fathers' Relationship With Their Children: Working Towards A Positive Psychology Approach, Suzanne Ray

Theses : Honours

In western culture, the majority of fathers become the non-residential parent after separation and it is reported many disengage from their children as time goes on. This review will elucidate the effects of separation on the father role. Within this body of literature there are two dominant ideologies pertaining to fathers – father absence and father importance. The findings from research support that the quality of contact rather than quantity of contact is important for close bonds between non-residential fathers and their children. There are a number of factors that can help or hinder this relationship which are intrinsically linked …

Role Of Cognitive Distortions And Dysfunctional Attitudes In Nurses Experiencing Burnout, Cynthia A. Diefenbeck

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

As a means of gathering more data to support the utility of cognitive-behavioral therapy with individuals experiencing burnout, this current study is designed to identify whether or not distorted thinking and dysfunctional attitudes are present in registered nurses who are experiencing burnout and whether or not they differ in registered nurses not experiencing burnout. A mail survey to a random sample of certified critical care registered nurses working in hospital settings was conducted. Participants provided basic demographic data and completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions, and the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale. In addition, participants completed measures of …

Assessing Patterns Of Social Engagement In Typically Developing Children, Children With Mental Retardation, And Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Using A Standardized Playground Observation Checklist, Daniel H. Ingram

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Prior research in the area of play in children suggests that children's interactions with one another can predict their social competence, their social skill development, and their ability to establish and maintain social relationships. However, most prior research has been carried out in contrived playgroups under adult direction or supervision; few studies have been carried out in naturalistic settings without adult interference. This retrospective, predictive study reviewed archival data to assess similarities and differences in playground interactions between typical children, children with mental retardation, and children with autism spectrum disorder. The study introduced a structured playground observation checklist in order …

Validating The Impact Of Event Scale With Adolescents : A Look At The September 11, 2001, Terrorist Attacks, Claudia Lingertat

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Impact of Event Scale (IES; Horowitz, Wilner, & Alvarez, 1979), a self-report measure of current subjective distress. Twenty-four adolescents from an urban high school were surveyed regarding their experiences from the events of September 11, 2001. The IES showed a moderate correlation with the My Worst Experience Scale (MWES; Hyman, Snook, Berna, & Kohr, 1997). Findings indicate the IES may be effective as a quick screening tool for the intrusive and avoidant symptoms of posttraumatic stress in adolescents pending further research with a larger sample.

Coping And Psychological Hardiness And Their Relationship To Depression In Older Adults , Dianne E. Schellenberg

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The roles of coping strategies and psychological hardiness as these affect the relationships to depression in older adults were explored in a population of older adult residents who had recently relocated to long-term-care nursing home facilities. Older adults experience many losses and subsequent stressors as a result of normal aging; therefore, the additional stress that accompanies loss of familiar surroundings and support systems and the relocation to new and unfamiliar surroundings can have a significant impact on physical and psychological well being. A total of 91 residents participated in this study. Coping abilities were evaluated in terms of social problem-solving …

Assessment Of Anger In Persons With Cognitive Limitations : A Revision Of The Ads-Vii , Wayne David Schmoyer

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Assessment of angry patients with mental retardation or borderline intellectual functioning is time consuming. Existing assessment tools may be inadequate for gathering data and for guiding treatment, thus presenting a challenge for practitioners. The Anger Disorders Scale (DiGiuseppe & Tafrate, 2001) samples the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of anger. However, this scale is a self-report survey for adults of average or higher intellectual functioning. This investigation provided a feasibility test of the "Anger Disorders Interview for persons diagnosed with Mental Retardation" (ADIMR), a modified version of the Anger Disorders Scale designed as a clinical interview for cognitively limited patients …

Gay And Lesbian Psychological Well-Being: A Thesis Comprising; Psychological Health In Adults From Sexual Minorities (Literature Review); And, A Comparative Exploratory Study Of The Psychological Well-Being Of Gay Male, Lesbian, And Heterosexual Australian Metropolitan Adults (Research Project), Stephen D. Brown

Theses : Honours

Research into the psychological health of members of sexual minorities has been biased towards a medical model of illness and several methodological difficulties need to be considered to critically interpret findings in this area. This review presents relevant literature on sexual minority stressors, positive coping by sexual minority members, and the mixed findings of between-groups comparative research. The medical model bias is evident in an analysis of the measures of psychological health used in research involving sexual minorities. The thesis of considering psychological health of sexual minorities from the broader perspective that includes both well-being and pathology, and of using …

The Influence Of Parenting Styles On The Development Of Moral Judgment In College Level Adolescents, Scott M. Hawkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research project addresses the relationship between parenting styles and the development of moral judgment in college students enrolled in a four year private University in Central Virginia. The purpose of this study is to identify the extent to which parenting styles are one of the "building blocks" for the development of moral judgment in adolescents. The instruments used are the Parental Authority Questionnaire (Buri, 1988) and the Defining Issues Test - II (Rest, 1999). The researcher hypothesized that the levels of moral judgment found in college students who perceive that they were parented by parents utilizing an Authoritative parenting …

Correlates Of Health Promotion: Meaning In Life, Religiosity, And Christian Identification, Daniel Melvin Huber

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The relationships among meaning in life, religious orientation, Christian identity, health locus of control, and health promotion behaviors were assessed using 206 Christian students from a public university. Six areas of health promotion (physical activity, interpersonal relations, nutrition, health responsibility, spiritual growth, and stress management) were measured using the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II. Predictions included (1) intrinsic religiosity, meaning in life, Christian identity, internal health locus of control, and God control will be positively associated with health promoting behaviors; and (2) intrinsic religiosity and internal health locus of control will be positive predictors of health promoting behaviors. Meaning in life …

Serotonin And Stress Responding In Animals: Role Of 5-Ht.2a/C Receptors In The Central And Peripheral Nervous Systems, Sarah Mathews Uzelac

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Behavioral responses to stressors can be influenced in different ways by both serotonin (5-HT) agonists and antagonists. Further study, of both different stressors as well as different 5-HT agents, is needed to clarify the place of 5-HT in stress responding. To date, no published report has investigated the influence of centrally and/or peripherally administered 5-HT2A/C agonist DOI or the 5-HT2A/C antagonist ketanserin on behaviors evoked by tail pinch or open field stressors. Five separate, related experiments were conducted to investigate this influence. It was hypothesized that that peripherally (Experiment 1), centrally (Experiment 2), and centrally + peripherally (Experiment 3) injected …

Relative Efficacy Of School-Home Notes And Teacher Feedback In Minority Elementary Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Andrea Nichole Jurbergs

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

School-home notes have proven to be an effective and acceptable method for improving children’s classroom behavior. School-home notes require teachers to rate students on any number of target behaviors and parents to provide consequences based on the evaluation. School-home notes recently have been shown to increase attention in low income children with ADHD. Although successful at decreasing off-task behavior in the classroom, treatment integrity (parent providing earned consequences at home) is not always maintained at acceptable levels. The goal of the current research was to dismantle the proven school-home note to identify the efficacy of the teacher feedback component alone. …

Child Care For Working Poor Families: Child Development And Parent Employment Outcomes, James Elicker

Center for Families Publications

The results of the Community Child Care Research Project provide data describing the child care experiences of low income working families in 4 urban communities in Indiana. Because the study participants were volunteers rather than randomly selected, conclusions drawn from these findings necessarily have limitations. Despite these limitations, the research results do represent the experiences of more than 300 low income working families, their children, and their child care providers. The results suggest a number of key issues that need further investigation by policy makers and researchers. Many children in this sample scored lower than established norms in areas of …

Classroom Observations Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Patterns And Characteristics Of Attention Over Time, Thomas M. Timko Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Investigated differences in attentional processes between children diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and their classroom peers. Models of attention gleaned from laboratory experiments provided a theoretical structure for hypothesizing between-group attentional differences. Seventy-five children with ADHD and 36 normal control children were observed in their regular classrooms over a 1-week time interval. Explication of between-group differences revealed that children with ADHD were approximately 21% less attentive on average. Both groups exhibited an accelerating-decelerating pattern of attention over time, however, children with ADHD cycled at a rate twice that of same-aged peers. Six variables derived from observed attention were examined for …

Measuring Quality Of Life In Pediatric Cancer Patients: The Relationships Among Parental Depression, Anxiety, Stress, And Concor, Angela Roddenberry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Advancements made in the treatment of the physiological aspects of childhood cancer have resulted in a greater need to conceptualize the disease psychologically as a chronic illness that causes significant stress and requires ongoing adjustment. This study investigates the relationships among parental characteristics, child characteristics, and the quality of life of children diagnosed with cancer. Forty-seven mothers and sixteen fathers, as well as nineteen children diagnosed with cancer, completed measures of their own psychological functioning. Measures of the diagnosed children's quality of life also were completed. Mothers' ratings of their children's quality of life were found to be correlated positively …

Investigation Of The Outcomes Of Delivering Training To Spanish Speakers In Standard Spanish Versus Their Native Dialect, Mary Kosarzycki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study explored the outcomes of delivering training to Spanish speakers in either their native dialect or in Standard Spanish in the context of a self-running, narrated PowerPoint presentation on a health topic, "The Importance of Vaccinations." The training outcomes that were examined included learning scores; attitudes toward the training; and attitudes toward employment with organizations that employed the same or different dialect-speaking employees, supervisors, and trainers. In addition to examining the effects of ethnicity upon outcomes, this study also examined the effect of age, education level, time in the U.S., and familiarity with the locally dominant subgroup's dialect. …

Time Estimation And Hand Preference, Maria Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work examines the effect of participants' gender and handedness on the perception of short intervals of time. The time estimation task consisted of an empty production procedure with forty trials at each of four intervals of one, three, seven, and twenty seconds. The four target intervals represent a natural logarithmic progression and a series that bracket important temporal thresholds. The order of presentation of those intervals was randomized across participants but yoked across the sexes in each of the respective dominant hand groups. The two between-subject factors, with two levels each, were sex and handedness. Participants produced forty estimates …

A Group-Administered Timeline Followback Assessment Of Alcohol Use, Joseph W. Labrie, Eric R. Pedersen, Mitch Earleywine

Heads Up!

Objective: The current study compares retrospective self-reports of quantity and frequency of drinking with the Timeline Followback (TLFB) method administered in groups or to individuals to determine the equivalence of these methods.

Method: Two-hundred and eleven male college students who reported drinking at least two times per week participated; 118 completed the TLFB in a group setting and 93 completed it individually. Drinking variables assessed were drinking days, average drinks and total drinks during a 30-day period.

Results: Pearson's correlation coefficients revealed significant correlations between single-item quantity and frequency measures and the TLFB on all three variables for the two …

Faultlines, Faults, And Feelings: The Effects Of Subgroup Formation And Appraisals On Emotions In Groups, Katerina Bezrukova, Ira Roseman, John Phebus

Psychology

This study examines the relationships between group faultlines, appraisals (evaluations) of group members, emotional responses, and performance in groups. The study uses a 2 by 2 experimental design, crossing demographic alignment (alignment vs. no alignment) and appraisals (instrumental vs. intrinsic) as between-subjects variables. Data from 5 types of measurement were used to analyze the effects of member alignment and appraisals.

The Impact On Male Therapists Treating Sex Offenders: A Phenomenological Study With A Focus On Gender, Race, And Ethnicity, Sueli S. Decarvalho Petry

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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"Second-Class Families": Media Portrayal Of Adoption In America, Jennifer Ellen Struve

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Despite legal recognition of adoption as a legitimate family form, research suggests that adoptive families face a special set of circumstances revolving around the societal stigma involved with adoption. Additionally, adoptees admit to experiencing legal, social, and institutional discrimination because of their adoptive status. Although there have been many celebrations of adoption (such as Dave Thomas), there are cultural norms regarding the family that discipline us to see adoption negatively. Researchers acknowledge that the language surrounding adoption is negative, but do not pursue what that language is or where it appears. Thus, the purpose ofmy study was to determine how …

Emotional Intelligence As A Protective Factor For Risk Behavior In Adolescence, Nicole Renee Skaar

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Emotional intelligence is a concept developed by Salovey and Mayer in 1990. Since the first published work on emotional intelligence, others have modified the original idea by adding personality-like traits to the model of emotional intelligence. Consequently, there is a split in the conceptualization of emotional intelligence and the measurement of emotional intelligence; ability model assessment and mixed or trait model self-report assessment. The ability model of emotional intelligence has stood up to tests of discriminant validity over personality traits, unlike the mixed model of emotional intelligence. It is also distinguishable from cognitive intelligence, yet correlates moderately and therefore is …

The Importance Of Retrieval Failures To Long-Term Retention: A Metacognitive Explanation Of The Spacing Effect, Harry P. Bahrick, Lynda K. Hall

All Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Encoding strategies vary in their duration of effectiveness, and individuals can best identify and modify strategies that yield effects of short duration on the basis of retrieval failures. Multiple study sessions with long inter-session intervals are better than massed training at providing discriminative feedback that identifies encoding strategies of short duration. We report two investigations in which long intervals between study sessions yield substantial benefits to long-term retention, at a cost of only moderately longer individual study sessions. When individuals monitor and control encoding over an extended period, targets yielding the largest number of retrieval failures contribute substantially to the …

Personality And Individual Differences In Health-Promoting Behaviors, Benjamin J. Bristow

Honors Program Theses

University students (N = 100) completed a self-administered questionnaire with scales assessing health attributions, dispositional optimism, and health behaviors. Health-promoting behaviors were calculated using a questionnaire measuring six components: health responsibility, physical _ activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management. Optimism was correlated with higher self-reported physical and emotional health, internal locus of health control, reliance on God through passive and active spirituality, and health-promoting behaviors. Internal locus of health control was correlated with emotional health promotion. Spirituality was correlated with both physical and emotional health promotion. Health promotion was correlated with higher scores of self-reported physical and …

Psychometric Characteristics Of The Multidimensional Anxiety Scale For Children In Adolescent Samples, Nicole Carlson

Honors Program Theses

Most children and adolescents, on any given day, experience some levels of anxiety. They worry about school, about friendships, and about their physical appearance. For most children and adolescents, these worries are considered a normal part of growing older. ln some cases, these worries take control over the child's life and seriously affect the normal developmental process. When the symptoms of anxiety become excessive and debilitating, a person may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. ln the child and adolescent literature, the three primary internalizing disorders are anxiety disorders, somatization disorders, and depressive disorders. This paper focuses on the anxiety …