Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Influence Of Acculturation On Neuropsychological Assessment In Middle Easterners, Eunice E. Kwon

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Due to influx of immigrants in the United States, it has become essential in cross cultural research to consider cultural variables such as cultural orientation, cultural identity, and acculturation in order to better understand cultural influences on psychological processes and assessment outcomes (Cuellar, 1998). However, there are very few studies that have actually looked at how culture influences neuropsychological test performance (Feltcher-Janzen, Strickland, & Reynolds, 2000). Therefore, in order to better assess culturally diverse individuals and to validly interpret the findings, a conceptual model developed by Betancourt and collaborators (Betancourt & Fuentes, 2001; Betancourt, Hardin, & Manzi, 1992; Betancourt & …

Study Of The Four Factor Theory Of Women’S Sexual Function, Julie M. Merrell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Tiefer, Hall, and Tavris (2002) described factors comprising four categories of female sexual function. They suggested that unique factors need to be examined to understand sexual function in women. Socio-cultural, political, or economic factors, partner and relationship factors, psychological factors, and medical factors were described as aspects of women’s lives that can be the source of sexual dysfunction. In a previous study, Merrell (2007) utilized Tiefer et al’s (2002) four factor model of sexual functioning to examine female sexual functioning looking specifically at body shame, relationship satisfaction, positive and negative affect, sexual self-schema, and overall health. Based on the results …

Comparison Of Rationally-Derived And Empirically-Derived Methods For Predicting Failure In Residential Treatment, Jennifer Pester Grattan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Patient-focused research methods have been used in adult mental health treatment to improve outcomes by tracking individual treatment response and comparing it with expected recovery patterns. One such approach has used rationally- and empirically-derived methods to analyze data from the OQ-45 and identify patients who are not responding as expected to treatment. Treatment is then adjusted, improving outcomes and lowering overall costs.

Similar but less extensive research has shown analogous methods can be used with children and adolescents. This would be particularly useful in residential treatment, which is an expensive and inadequately researched approach. This study used archival data gathered …

Accuracy Of A Rationally-Derived Method For Predicting Failure In Residential Treatment, Jennifer Pester Grattan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Recent studies of adult mental health treatment have used patient-focused research methods to improve outcomes, by tracking treatment response and comparing it with expected recovery patterns. One such line of research has used rationally-derived and empirically-derived methods to analyze data gathered by the OQ-45 and identify patients who are not responding as expected to treatment. This allows for adjustment of treatment, which results in improved outcomes and lower overall costs.

Similar but less extensive research has provided evidence that these approaches may also improve outcomes in outpatient treatment for children and adolescents. These approaches might be particularly useful in residential …

The Effectiveness Of Treatment In An Inpatient And Outpatient Psychiatric Facility, Timothy Quan Tran

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The present study is aimed at examining treatment outcome in a large psychiatric facility that provides both inpatient and outpatient services to a broad range of patients. Not only will patient outcomes be assessed at a facility-wide level, but patient outcomes on the various units/programs in the facility will also be assessed and compared. It is expected that, facility wide, patients will show significant improvement on the outcome measure from admission to discharge, but that patient outcomes will differ across the various units/programs in the facility. In sum, the results of the paired-sample t-test and effect size obtained in this …

Predictors Of Female Sexual Dysfunction, Julie M. Merrell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Tiefer, Hall, and Tavris (2002) described factors comprising four categories of female sexual dysfunction. They suggested that unique factors need to be examined to understand sexual dysfunction in women. Socio-cultural, political, or economic factors, partner and relationship factors, psychological factors, and medical factors described as aspects of women’s lives that can be the source of sexual dysfunction. The current study examined indicators of the above factors-body shame, relationship satisfaction, sexual self-schema, positive and negative affect, and overall health-as predictors of female sexual dysfunction. The hypotheses were: Body shame and negative affect will be negatively associated with sexual function; and relationship …

Using The Outcome Questionnaire 45.2 In Obesity Treatment, Adam L. Arechiga

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2 (OQ-45) can be used in the treatment of obesity to predict participant dropout and initial treatment success, in terms of weight loss (Lambert et. al, 2002a). The OQ-45 has been used with success to predict dropout from psychotherapy in clinical populations. It was hypothesized that higher pretreatment OQ-45 scores would be associated with less program completion and less weight loss by the end of treatment.

Method: The study employed a non-experimental time series design. Seventy-eight participants were recruited from the three local obesity treatment programs, which …

Comparing Chemical Dependency And Mental Health Programs For The Dually Diagnosed, Kelly L. Hacker

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In order to better understand the needs of an increasing dually diagnosed population, this study compares the efficacy of integrated vs. nonintegrated treatment programs for a dually diagnosed population, residing at a Long Term Care facility in San Bernardino, California. Patients in this setting are diagnosed with chronic and acute mental illness and chemical dependency. This study tested the hypotheses that the nonintegrated treatment program would result in a higher frequency of assaults, PRNs, Q15s, and Code Reds; increase the duration of Q15s; and, increase the Addiction Severity Index’s (ASI) Family/Social and Psychiatric subscales’ scores, which would indicate lower levels …

Validation Of A Serotonin Depletion Checklist In Parkinson’S Disease, Kelly Diane Darby Holder

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The distinctive pathological marker of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the progressive death of neurons that produce dopamine; however, there are also major alterations in the production of quantities of other neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and serotonin that contribute to the signs, symptoms, neuropsychological manifestations of the diseases. PD patients can be divided into classes based on the manifestation of motor symptoms, type A, classified as tremor dominant, and type B PD, classified as akinetic. Type B PD patients, often manifest symptoms in which serotonin deficiency plays an important role, such as frontal cognitive impairments, which often includes a history of …

Motivated Breast Cancer Screening Behavior And Its Cultural Antecedents, Patricia M. Flynn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Discrepancies in breast cancer screening behavior exist among various ethnic groups in the United States (Jacobs & Lauderdale, 2001), with Latino American women reporting particularly low screening rates in comparison to Anglo American women (ACS, 2002). Research indicates that behavior is in part influenced by aspects of culture and relevant psychological processes (Betancourt & Lopez, 1993; Betancourt & Fuentes, 2001). This study was designed to investigate the relations among cultural values, attributions regarding the causes for not screening, related emotions, expectancy that screening leads to early detection and value incentive of early detection as determinants of breast cancer screening intention …

Cultural Value Orientations, Attributions, And Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors, Patricia M. Flynn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Discrepancies in breast cancer screening behavior exist among various ethnic groups in the United States (Jacobs & Lauderdale, 2001), with Latino American women reporting particularly low screening rates in comparison to Anglo American women (ACS, 2002). Research indicates that behavior is in part influenced by aspects of culture and relevant psychological processes (Betancourt & Lopez, 1993; Betancourt & Fuentes, 2001). This study was designed to investigate the relations among cultural values, attributional processes, and breast cancer screening behavior among Anglo and Latino women. This study also investigated the influence of acculturation among Latino women in relation to the other study …

Confirming The Factor Structure Of The Quality Of Life Rating, Charles John Drake Iii

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The Quality of Life Rating (Gust, 1982) (QOLR) is a clinically developed 20-item self-report instrument that has been used in spinal cord and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation clinics as well as clinical mental health environments. This current study tested a five-factor model (Huebner et al., 1998) of the QOLR using the confirmatory factor analysis method. Huebner et al.’s (1998) five extracted factors were labeled as: self-esteem and well-being, interpersonal attachment, economics or basic needs, recreation/leisure, and spirituality. For the present study, 230 completed QOLR’s collected from adults at intake of an outpatient psychological services clinic in the Southwestern United States …

Evaluation Of Stress Management Program Participant Outcomes, Kanya Boondharm Sitanggang

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study, conducted by a Health Maintenance Organization in Southern California, evaluated the impact of a stress management program in reducing stress/anxiety, stressors/hassles, and perception of stressors. Impact of the program in reducing negative coping mechanisms and increasing positive coping mechanisms as well as the retention of stress management training over a three month follow-up period was examined.

A quasi-experimental -- non-equivalent control group design was used. The experimental group consisted of 54 clients who registered for stress management classes. The control group consisted of 105 matched subjects selected from a larger group of 212. All subjects were tested prior …

A Comparison Of Self-Esteem And Health Locus Of Control In Adolescents With Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Janice Mace

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study was a descriptive survey establishing a baseline level of self-esteem and health locus of control in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) adolescents. The purpose of the research was to study and describe health behaviors of IDDM adolescents in regards to self-concept and health locus of control. These behaviors are believed to have life-long ramifications on the IDDM adolescent's health status.

The sample consisted of 91 IDDM adolescents, 34 male and 57 female, in a nonrandom convenience cluster attending a 10-day summer camp.

Null hypothesis one was: Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus would make no difference at the .05 level …

Depression And Non-Responsive Behavior Displayed By Low Socio-Economic Latino Mothers In An Urban Child And Youth Clinic, Raquél María Aguayo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

During the researcher's experience as a public health nurse, she became aware of two types of depressed women. The first type is the withdrawn, weeping, self-isolating woman while the second type cited numerous physical complaints which prevented her from caring for her home and children. Both exhibited non-responsive behavior to her children's needs.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not low socio-economic latino mothers displaying non-responsive behavior had levels of depression different than low socio-economic latino mothers displaying responsive behavior.

Non-responsive behavior Is defined as an inability to utilize clinic services appropriately for health by exhibiting …