Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Building Support And Community For Young Black Students Through Inclusivity In Academia: A Black-Centric Podcast, Jackson E. Mcfadden

Senior Theses

With digital media becoming such an important aspect of modern life, it is worth exploring the complex relationships that it holds with the various people who utilize it. It is clear that one’s identity can greatly impact one’s ability to utilize digital content for additional social and cultural education that is difficult to acquire in a classroom setting. In this project, the Black community’s relationship with digital media was summarized and reflected upon, making the argument that the representation of Black individuals in media is at worst harmful and in general unproductive. To encourage young Black individuals to consider how …

A Comparison Of The Relative Magnitude Of Combinations Of Relapse Types In Rats, Mary Bridges

Theses

Applied behavior analysis uses scientifically derived methods to create treatments for socially significant behaviors. A threat to these successful treatments is the recurrence of previously reduced behavior (i.e., relapse). Relapse can be categorized into several types depending on the variables that induce relapse. Three types prevalent in clinical settings are reinstatement (i.e., induced by re-exposure to reinforcers or stimuli paired with the target behavior), renewal (i.e., induced by changes in context), and resurgence (i.e., induced by worsening of alternative reinforcement). Because relapse is harmful to long-term treatment maintenance, prior research has developed and tested mitigation strategies for these relapse types, …

Paul Celan And The Processes Of Survival In Post-Shoah Jewish Writing, Ari Savage

Theses

The following is a study of the poetry of Paul Celan as a representation of psychological and social processes present in the written works of Shoah survivors. It begins with an analysis of the place of writing in Jewish culture, then identifies three primary processes which operate in sequence: alienation, individuation, and integration. By examining Paul Celan’s highly personal and autobiographical texts in the context of his life experience as a Shoah survivor it is possible to discern the social and psychological forces at work which compel survivors to express their traumas in written form, and to gain a better …

Imaging In The Fitness Industry: A Connection To Body Dysmorphic Disorder In Women, Joseliz Andujar Pimentel

Posters - 2024

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a psychiatric illness characterized by distress and excessive preoccupation with perceived defects in physical appearance that are not at all, or only slightly, observable to others (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). BDD can be found in many individuals; among these individuals are women in the fitness industry. This is due to the idea that there is an “ideal” body image portrayed by fitness industries that provoke women to compare themselves. This study examined a variety of fitness websites consisting of fitness apparel websites and fitness websites, where the models used in each website were examined for …

The Relation Of Self-Compassion And Belongingness Among Adults From India Living In San Antonio, Tx, Usa, John Baptist

Posters - 2024

Self-compassion, a perspective of self-kindness, mindfulness, and common humanity, is a healthy way of relating to self and is correlated with psychological wellbeing (Neff, 2003). Baumeister and Leary (1995) defined belongingness as a fundamental human need for frequent, affectively pleasant interactions with a few other people in the context of stable, enduring, and affective concern for each other. Self-compassion was inversely related to perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness among college students (Umphrey et al., 2021). A longitudinal study among Asian-American students found that thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness contributed to higher interpersonal shame and depression. An increase in selfcompassion was …

The Impact Of Groupthink On The Common Good, Lizbeth Carbajal

Posters - 2024

Irving Janis’s concept of groupthink is “the idea that a collective desire for consensus overrides the realistic appraisals of alternatives and leads to poor group decision making.” This concept is found in most social science textbooks. (Pol, Bridgman & Cummings, 2022).

Does The Number Of Individuals Present In The Water Affect Dolphin Activity Levels, Erika Aguirre, Xavier Castillo, Quinn Gallagher

Posters - 2024

Bottlenose dolphin behavior and complex social structures have interested humans over the years. Dolphin deviation in these behaviors has been measured many ways such as activity levels, space used, and time of day. A study was focused on dolphin interactions with humans, patterns of lagoon space utilization, and temporal factors. Data have been collected at the Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS), which houses a diverse sample of 16-18 dolphins. No correlation was observed between increased human presence and levels of dolphin activity. Dolphins did display higher preferences for specific lagoon areas. This variability in lagoon space utilization suggests an …

Assessing Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) Behavioral Responses To Discriminative Stimulus During Dolphin Interaction Programs (Dips), Megan Davis, Hannelore Tampipi

Posters - 2024

Dolphin-human interaction programs (DIP) References have become a popular experience offering humans an opportunity to interact or swim with cetaceans, most often bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

● Previous studies on dolphin-human interactions have been centered on therapeutic results for humans (Brensing et al., 2005), guests’ future conservation efforts, and educational efficacy (Miller et al., 2013) rather than welfare or outcomes for dolphins (Smith, 1981).

● Under human care, trainers request behaviors from dolphins typically via a hand signal as a discriminative stimulus (SD).

● Resulting behavioral responses to these SDs during interaction programs may suggest willingness to participate (WTP), and …

Comparing Activity Levels Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) During Snorkels To A Swimming Researcher, Sabrina Drouin, Erika Aguirre, Charles Lares

Posters - 2024

Bottlenose dolphins under professional care are provided with a range of enrichments that have a variety of features and levels of complexity at various frequencies (Lauderdale et al., 2022). In a previous study conducted by Brensing et al. (2015), they found that dolphins seemed to be attracted to adult swimmers, but only if they had ample space to swim. The purpose of this study is to examine dolphin activity level under two different conditions with humans in the water. We hypothesize that dolphin activity level will be higher during snorkel sessions than a single swimming researcher because there are more …

A Descriptive Study Of Baseline Activity Levels Of Tursiops Truncatus, Brianna M. Erck

Posters - 2024

Well-being of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) has been measured in many ways, including activity levels. Activity levels are composed of behaviors that vary with intensity and range from floats, breaches, perimeter swims, and aerials. Deviations from baseline behavior or activity level may be indicative of changes in state of well-being. The purpose of this study was to assess the activity level of a large social grouping of bottlenose dolphins in human care during baseline observations. A total of 215 5-min observation sessions were collected for a population of 15 to 18 bottlenose dolphins located in Roatán, Honduras between 2019-2024. The …

How Do Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) Behave In The Presence Of A Swimming Researcher?, Brianna M. Brianna, Megan E. Davis

Posters - 2024

Longitudinal observations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in managed care provide opportunities to assess behavior within different contexts, which may provide insights into individual and population wellbeing (e.g., Delfour et al., 2021; Serres et al., 2021). Since 2019, a longitudinal study on space use by bottlenose dolphins housed at a lagoon-based facility in Roatán, Honduras, has been conducted. Dolphin behavior and location data were collected with the goal of comparing behavior without humans present to varying contexts in which humans were present. The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess behaviors exhibited by dolphins in close proximity to a …

Understanding Factors That Influence Black Caregivers' Ongoing Engagement In Behavioral Parent Training Programs, Jennifer L. Tomlin

Dissertations (1934 -)

Despite the efficacy of behavioral parent training programs (BPTs) in reducing young children’s challenging behaviors, ongoing caregiver engagement in these skill- based programs is poor, particularly in low-income Black populations. The existing literature relied heavily on associating client demographic variables with treatment attendance and focused almost exclusively on BPTs with older children. Contemporary conceptualizations of engagement view it as a multidimensional construct comprised of cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral components, and prior research has called for continued investigation into the caregiver-therapist alliance and cultural relevance of these treatment programs when looking at ways to increase Black caregiver engagement. The purpose of …

Trainees' Experience Using Routine Outcome Monitoring (Rom) In Clinical Practice And Supervision, Craig Miller

Dissertations (1934 -)

Routine outcome monitoring (ROM) is the frequent and systematic collection of client outcome data to inform treatment. A great deal of research supports the use of ROM as part of routine care to enhance clinical outcomes, especially for clients at risk of deterioration. Yet, while ROM is increasingly being incorporated into professional psychology training settings (e.g., VAs, academic training clinics), little research has examined training and supervision in ROM. This qualitative study therefore examines professional psychology trainees’ experiences using ROM during their clinical training. For the present study, qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 doctoral-level psychology graduate students (11 female, …

Evaluation Of Dietary Probiotic Supplements On Methamphetamine-Induced Impulsive Action In Rats Maintained On A Differential Reinforcement Of Low Rate Schedule, Kaitlyn Steck

Masters Theses

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a chronic, debilitating condition often comorbid with anxiety and depression. Both SUD and affective disorders are characterized by cognitive dysfunction, including impaired decision-making and impulsivity. A mounting body of research implicates gut microbiome alterations as a contributing factor to the pathophysiology of affective disorders. No published studies have assessed behavioral effects of dietary interventions targeting psychostimulant-induced gut microbiome changes. The present study utilized a differential reinforcement of low rate responding schedule (DRL 18 s) as a behavioral index of drug-induced impulsive action to determine if a dietary probiotic supplement alters the behavioral effects of (+)-methamphetamine …

Teaching Classification Of Environmental Events In Narrative Abc Data Using Video-Based Behavioral Skills Training, Grace E. Sylvester

Masters Theses

Behavior analysts often conduct ABC assessments as part of a functional behavior assessment to develop a hypothesis about the function of behavior and to help guide further treatment decisions. Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) assessment is a descriptive assessment technique used to gather information about environmental events surrounding a specific behavioral event (i.e., antecedents and consequences). ABC assessment involves several analytical skills, including classifying antecedents and consequences. There is little to no research available on how to effectively train individuals how to classify environmental events within narrative ABC assessment. It is important that behavior analysts correctly classify events in ABC assessments to increase …

A Manualized Occupational Therapy Communication Skills Intervention For Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Kiara Ainsworth, Steven M. Gerardi

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects many individual's participation in daily activities. There is a lack of research in the area of occupational therapy (OT) treatment for veterans with PTSD. However, there has been an expressed need in the literature for a developed intervention for veterans with PTSD that includes communication skills as a component. To date, a manualized communication skills OT intervention for veterans with PTSD has not been created. The purpose of this paper was to develop a resource tool for occupational therapists to utilize as an intervention when treating veterans with PTSD using the framework of the Model …

The Association Between Mental Health Disorders And Glycemic Control In Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes, Marcella Pietrzyk

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Adolescence is a very challenging period in a person's life as it is often filled with hormonal changes, emotional turmoil, and time for development socially, emotionally, and mentally. The addition of a chronic illness on top of the transition from child to adult creates a large burden on quality of life. The most common chronic illness diagnosed in adolescence is type 1 diabetes. This is an illness with a significant medical burden as it requires close monitoring of blood glucose levels, constant insulin injections, and diet control. The combination of adolescence and a chronic illness leads to higher rates of …

Empowering Environmental Education In Portuguese Primary Schools: Energy Focused Curriculum Recommendations And Behavioral Change Framework Guided By Principles Of Developmental Psychology, Ellie Hanson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper explores the integration of principles of developmental psychology within the context of environmental education in Portugal to promote pro-environmental behavior, and specifically energy literacy energy conservation behaviors in primary school students. A review of current literature on the state of environmental education approaches in Portugal exhibits a significant lack of structure and direction for educators to teach students relevant topics in sustainability. Using a meta-theory of behavioral change, the present work connects the elements of the COM-B model of behavioral change to relevant aspects of middle childhood cognitive development using principles of two major theories of developmental psychology. …

Navigating Intersectional Identities: Mental Health Challenges And Accessibility To Mental Health Care Among Sub-Saharan Migrant Women In Morocco, Soraya Babahaji

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since the beginning of the 21st century, as Morocco transitions from solely being a transit point to Europe to becoming a destination country for Sub-Saharan migrants, policies have been implemented to improve migrant integration. Morocco launched the National Strategy on Immigration and Asylum in 2015 which strives to ensure accessibility to essential services for migrants, such as education, healthcare, and integration into the workforce. In addition, through the 2013 New Migration Policy framework, King Mohammed VI aims to “include avenues for regularization” to help migrants integrate into Moroccan society.

This paper addresses how intersecting factors of identity can lead to …

The Influences, Experiences, And Sentiments That Create Indonesian Identity, Jack Wood

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research delves into the multifaceted and complex concept of Indonesian identity. Indonesia is a large archipelago nation with a populace who employ a varied and diverse collection of associations with their Indonesian identity. The notion of cultural pride, its expression across different backgrounds within the Indonesian populace, and the experiences that help create this sense of Identity are the main inquiries of this research. Through focusing on these questions, this paper seeks to understand what it means for individuals to take pride in their Indonesian identity and how this sentiment varies among Indonesians of diverse backgrounds, encompassing distinctions such …

Relational Uncertainty And Dyadic Synchrony Within The Interaction Of Couples, Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, Kelly Quirk, Leanne K. Knobloch

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Relational uncertainty refers to the questions people have about their perceptions of involvement within close relationships. To complement a wealth of research examining the link between relational uncertainty and people’s self-reported communication strategies, we investigate relational uncertainty as a predictor of behavioral sequences within interaction. We draw on both seminal and contemporary theorizing to hypothesize that relational uncertainty impedes dyadic synchrony, or the coordination between partners within interaction. Couples (N = 97) participated in a 5-minute discussion designed to facilitate expressions of intimacy; we coded these interactions using the circumplex-based Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) model. We …

Culturally Grounded Well-Being Assessment For Arab Americans, Rawan H. Atari-Khan, Lawrence H. Gerstein

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Recognizing the influence culture plays in shaping our understanding of various phenomena, scholars have posed questions about how well-being might be differentially defined across diverse racial/ethnic groups. In the field of psychology, frequently used instruments of well-being are grounded in individualistic cultural frameworks that assume factors such as greater autonomy/independence are associated with improved well-being. For minoritized groups in the United States, such as Arab Americans, who ascribe to collectivist values, these instruments may not be culturally relevant. The purpose of the present study was to use an etic–emic approach to identify what well-being means for Arab Americans. In doing …

What Makes A Liberal Feminist? Identifying Predictors Of Heterosexual Women And Men’S Liberal Feminist Ideology, Brenda Russell, Debra Oswald, Marykate Cotter

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, liberal feminism has garnered the spotlight on equal rights for women. However, what factors contribute to men and women developing liberal feminist ideologies? This is important to understand as this ideology is predictive of support for political and social policies that are currently under debate in the United States. In this survey study (149 heterosexual men and 233 heterosexual women) we examined attitudinal and ideological variables that underlie liberal feminist ideology. The results of this study indicate that heterosexual men scored significantly lower on liberal feminist ideology and significantly higher on traditional attitudes …

Process Evaluation And Investigation Of Cultural Adaptations For An Online Parent-Based Intervention Using A Mixed-Method Approach, Reed M. Morgan, Bradley M. Trager, Sarah C. Boyle, Joseph W. Labrie, Constanza Trejo, Ina M. Koning

Heads Up!

Abstract Most alcohol intervention research focuses on program efficacy, yet few studies have investigated the acceptability of a program’s design and implementation to the target population or adapting existing alcohol interventions to different populations. To address these gaps in the literature, we (1) examined participant responsiveness to and implementation quality of FITSTART+, a web-app delivered parent-based alcohol intervention designed for incoming first-year college students in the United States, and (2) gathered feedback on how this intervention could be adapted to other populations of parents. A sample of U.S. parents of 17–20-year-old first-year college students (N=109) participated in FITSTART+during their child’s …

Investigating The Relationship Between Preferred Learning Styles And Individual Characteristics, Carla Canales, Makalah Macias, Helena S. Svilberg

Posters - 2024

An individual’s ability to learn is important especially for thriving in a learning environment. Many people have a false understanding of learning styles. Individuals are influenced by many different factors on an everyday basis. While there are many limitations that influence an individual’s learning style, this study was conducted to investigate academic demographics and learning styles. A comparison was made between an individual’s prior education, age, gender, and course history with the Barsch Learning Style Inventory score. A survey was used to snowball to different participants around the St. Mary’s University campus and other campuses. The survey collected demographic questions, …

Examining Adaptation To Diagnosis And Decisions About Medical Care Among Caregivers Of Children With Medical Complexity, Johanna Michlig

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Relatively little research has examined the experiences of caregivers of children with medical complexity (CMC). Additionally, it has been well documented that CMC, who are Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) graduates, have high healthcare utilization. As CMC often have ambiguous or multiple diagnoses, caregivers may face a period of adaptation to diagnosis differently from those with a singular diagnosis. Caregivers of CMC are at higher risk for anxiety, depression, and difficulties with the healthcare system. To date, no published studies have examined the experiences of caregivers of CMC, their adaptation to diagnosis, and their well-being. This study was conducted in …

Bridging The Need-To-Access Gap: Examining Parents Who Perceive A Need For Their Youth To Receive Mental Health Services, Alexandra Bowling

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Parents often act as gatekeepers to their children and adolescents receiving mental health services. Youth help-seeking models propose that three parent-focused factors (perceptions of their youth’s illness profile, predisposing characteristics, and enabling resources) impact each stage of the help-seeking process: problem recognition (i.e., perceived needers), decision to seek help (i.e., treatment intenders), and service selection and utilization (i.e., treatment utilizers). Research is needed that examines how the above factors relate to parents getting “stuck” in the help-seeking process (i.e., do not become treatment utilizers). The current study investigated whether predisposing characteristics (i.e., family and demographic characteristics, mental health attitudes and …

Explaining Heterogeneity: Identifying Subgroups Of Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Laura Mcguigan

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that often persists into adulthood. Individuals with ADHD present with varied patterns of neurocognitive impairment, psychological comorbidities, and functional challenges. The current characterization of ADHD into three subgroups (primarily inattentive, primarily hyperactive/impulsive, combined inattentive-hyperactive/impulsive presentation) does not fully explain the heterogeneity of challenges experienced by this population. In this study, 259 adult patients [Mage= 25.94; SD=7.83; 78% Caucasian; 54% male] referred for an ADHD evaluation were investigated, and latent profile analysis was conducted. Self-reported ADHD symptoms, psychological functioning, and neuropsychological functioning were considered to identify subgroups. Results revealed four distinct classes: …

Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention For Tics Specialty Clinic Outcomes, Brandon Xavier Pitts

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Tics are abrupt, repetitive, and non-rhythmic movements (motor tics) and vocalizations (vocal tics). Persistent (Chronic) Tic Disorders (PTDs), which include conditions such as Tourette Disorder (TD), are characterized by involuntary motor and vocal tics. PTDs are associated with a myriad of adverse social repercussions, reduced quality of life, and concurrent psychiatric diagnoses, and occur in approximately 1.1% to 4.8% of the global population. Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) stands as the primary nonpharmacological therapeutic approach for tics. Although the efficacy of CBIT has been established in multiple large-scale randomized control trials (RCTs), there is a paucity of research scrutinizing …

Everyone Deserves A Dental Home, Loren C. Baim Dds

The New York State Dental Journal

With knowledge and preparation, dental practices should be able to accommodate the growing population of people on the autism spectrum.