Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Alcohol & Substance Abuse Among Youth In South Africa, Carsyn R. Richins

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

South Africa is one of the riskiest drinking countries in the world, and its youth show some of the highest alcohol and substance abuse rates in the nation. In recent years, consumption rates among South African youth have increased while the average age of first use has decreased. This has led to higher levels of binge drinking, addiction, and dependency. This paper explores the root causes and long-term consequences of this growing issue. It argues that three primary factors — early and frequent exposure, poor governmental regulation, and the use of substances as a coping mechanism — have created a …

A Call For Change: Supporting Children With Tourette Syndrome, Matt Reall

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Tourette Syndrome affects 1 in 100 U.S. children but remains widely misunderstood due to stigma, delayed diagnosis, and media misrepresentation. This neurological disorder is characterized by involuntary tics and often co-occurs with ADHD, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Children with Tourette Syndrome face disproportionate challenges in social, academic, and emotional settings—despite having average or above-average intelligence. One-third engage in self-harm, and suicide rates are four times the national average. Peer-education programs like the Tourette Association of America’s Youth Ambassador initiative have shown promise in reducing stigma, but unequal access and weak institutional support limit their impact. This paper calls for early …

Academic Summaries (Human Rights Violations Issue), Erica Jensen

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Fantasy Novels, Romance, And Book Boyfriends: Romantic Views And Expectations Of Young Adult Women, Kennedy Dawn Morris

Theses and Dissertations

Despite its drop in popularity, reading is a pastime that is enjoyed by many. As with other forms of media, there is the question of how consuming literature impacts individuals. This research study examines how reading fantasy novels impacts the romantic views and expectations of women in emerging adulthood. Social comparison theory and parasocial relationships were utilized in order to examine how young adult women compare their relationships and relationship ideals to those of fictional characters, as well as how young adult women decide which fictional relationships and/or characters are worth their admiration. The findings of this study suggest that …

Who's At Home?: Individual-And Family-Level Sociodemographic Characteristics Associated With Stay-At-Home Motherhood, Deegan Minchey

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I assess the relationship between various types of demographic variables, including individual, partner, and family-level information, and the likelihood of mothers staying at home. Using nationally representative data from the 2019,2021, and 2023 waves of the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the Current Population Survey to account for differences across the COVID-19 pandemic, this analysis examines the likelihood of becoming a stay-at-home mother (SAHM) across three separate regression models. From the variables analyzed, I find that various individual, family, and partner demographic characteristics are significantly associated with the likelihood of becoming a SAHM. These results …

An Implementation Study Of A Brief, Online Sexual Mindfulness Intervention At The Individual Partner Level: The Impact Of Prompting Practice On Implementation, Alexyss Lange

Theses and Dissertations

Prior research suggests frequent, scheduled, non-interactive text support enhances psychological outcomes and increases adherence to psychological interventions (Agyapong et al., 2020; Shalaby et al., 2022; Shim et al., 2017). Using a hybrid III implementation model, we recruited individuals in romantic relationships to test whether weekly reminders improved engagement with a sexual mindfulness intervention. We found no evidence that additional support increased intervention implementation. Although we aimed to assess acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, and feasibility as separate implementation outcomes, factor analysis indicated these variables cluster into two broader constructs: Readiness and motivation and discomfort and uncertainty. These factors did not differ between …

Unraveling The Relationship Between Sexual Shame And Father-Child Sex Communication, Hannah Mireya Brundage

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to understand the relationship between father’s sexual shame and children’s sexual shame. Parents play a role in shaping their children’s behaviors and perceptions in regard to sexuality. Most of this research analyzed data from the viewpoint of the mother, missing the potentially unique perspective and influence of fathers. Using longitudinal survey data from 361 fathers-adolescent dyads, I proposed to study the relations between father sexual shame and child sexual shame, and the possible mediating role of father-child sex communication. I predicted that quality of sex communication, including controlling and open communication, would mediate father sexual shame and …

The Effects Of Caregiving For A Family Member With Alzheimer’S Disease, Megan Layton

Student Works

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive disease that leads people with AD to become dependent on a family member. As the disease worsens, caregivers face an increase in responsibility and burden. There is a rising number of AD cases which will result in an increase of caregivers. Twelve articles were examined using the EBSCO database by using keywords such as “Alzheimer’s disease,” “caregiver burden,” “coping,” “assisted living,” and “grief.” An analysis of these articles indicated the complexities of caregiving for a loved one with AD. These complexities such as stress, decision-making challenges, changes in family dynamics, the adjustment to placing …

Growing Pains: Relations Between Racial Discrimination And Body Esteem With Ethnic-Racial Identity By Pubertal Timing For Female Adolescents Of Color, Emily J. Takamasa

Theses and Dissertations

Puberty is a near-universal experience among adolescents, and yet rarely have researchers considered the racialized contexts and salience it has, for girls of color. Using the phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST), this study examines the relation between pubertal timing, body esteem, racial discrimination and ethnic racial identity (ERI) components (affirmation, exploration, resolution) among adolescent girls of color (n = 218, Mage = 15.7, U.S. sample). Results showed that higher body esteem predicted greater ERI exploration and resolution, particularly for girls with average or late pubertal timing. Additionally, racial discrimination was linked to higher ERI exploration and resolution only …

The Clinical Characteristics, Correlation With Other Disorders, And Treatment Methods For Children And Adolescents With Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, Paige Gunther

Student Works

Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) are repeated actions performed on oneself as acts of self-grooming that may result in self-harm. The most common BFRBs are nail biting, excoriation (skin picking disorder), and trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder). This literature review examines the clinical characteristics, correlation with other psychological and neurological disorders, and treatment options for various BFRBs. A search of APA PsycInfo and PubMed databases yielded 74 sources, 13 of which have been used in this review. Clinical characteristics of BFRBs include emergence during childhood and adolescence, influence of other psychological disorders, self-awareness, biological sex, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, high levels of …

Developmental Consequences Of Benevolent Sexism: How Awareness Can Change Women’S Lives, Bianca F. Brenes Rojas

Student Works

Benevolent forms of sexism become increasingly evident as society evolves, making everyday sexism more challenging to recognize and confront (Feigt et al., 2022; Watson et al., 2018). When unaware, benevolent forms of sexism can adversely affect women’s self-esteem, create feelings of inferiority, and may potentially increase women’s psychological stressors (Becker & Swim, 2011; Becker & Wright, 2011; Moradi & Subich, 2004). According to the ambivalent sexism theory, benevolent forms of sexism, while expressed in a positive tone, can potentially affect women due to the underlying belief that women are inferior to men (Glick & Fiske, 1996). Some women perceive benevolent …

Why Yelling Feels Like The Only Option (And What To Try Instead), Vanessa Brouse

Student Works

Why Yelling Feels Like the Only Option (and What to Try Instead) explores how emotional dysregulation in parents can lead to reactive patterns like yelling, shutting down, or withdrawing, and how these responses impact children’s emotional development. Drawing on principles of emotional regulation, the piece offers practical, compassionate strategies for parents to break intergenerational cycles and build stronger, more connected relationships with their children. This article is especially relevant for parents, caregivers, and educators interested in trauma-informed parenting, emotional resilience, and behavior challenges.

Christian Beliefs About Salvation: Measurement And Associations With Mental Health And Well-Being, Anthony Edward Rose, Timothy B. Smith

Faculty Publications

Religious beliefs influence many behaviors and perspectives relevant to wellbeing and mental health. In Christianity, beliefs about how one attains salvation may be particularly relevant to psychology, but limited scholarship has considered cognitive aspects of religiosity. This study developed and evaluated a new measure of Beliefs about Salvation (BAS) that assesses affirmations of salvation (a) by God’s grace alone and (b) by God’s grace after human repentance/ordinances, as understood by different Christian denominations. We examined the association of the BAS with three measures of mental health and six measures of influences on religiosity. In a sample of 1556 predominantly members …

Couples And Pornography: A Dyadic Latent Profile Analysis Of Romantic Partners And Pornography Use, Michelle E. Haddock Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

Research on the outcomes of pornography use for romantic couples has been extensive yet inconclusive. Studies have examined pornography use in a wide variety of contexts, leading to a wide variety of outcomes and well-being. The current study uses latent profile analysis to account for many contextual factors at once, dyadic data to examine the perspective of both partners simultaneously, and a range of individual and relational well-being outcomes to understand how different relational pornography use patterns lead to well-being. Results provided evidence for six unique profiles of couples based on pornography use patterns (personal use frequency, perceived partner use …

The Development Of The Disclosed Reasons Of Partners' Premature Discontinuation In Couple Therapy Questionnaire (Dropped-Ct), Luca Codeca'

Theses and Dissertations

Premature discontinuation from couple therapy presents a substantial challenge for clients, therapists, and society. Inconsistent data on the frequency and reasons for premature discontinuation may be attributed to a lack of methodological rigor in assessing the phenomenon. This study addresses this gap by developing the Disclosed Reasons Of PrEmature Discontinuation in Couple Therapy Questionnaire (DROPPED-CT), a comprehensive instrument designed to assess the reasons why couples prematurely discontinue therapy. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, the DROPPED-CT was developed through the integration of qualitative and quantitative data. The questionnaire demonstrates strong potential for enhancing the consistency of construct operationalization and improving the comparability …

Latent Profiles Of Couples' Marital Power And Gender Ideologies: Associations With Physical Intimate Partner Violence, Rylie Speirs

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to identify couple typologies regarding gender ideologies and marital power, and investigate how couple typologies relate to sociodemographic characteristics as well as rates of physical intimate partner violence (IPV). Several theoretical approaches connect marital power and gender ideologies to IPV but emphasize different couple typologies. For example, family violence perspectives suggest gender ideology mismatch is a stressor that increases the likelihood of either spouse reporting low power or engaging in physical IPV. Feminist theories add that men may use IPV to maintain patriarchal power dynamics when women deviate from traditional gender norms, emphasizing the risk of IPV …

The Influence Of Father Involvement On Early Childhood Outcome In China, Shuiyan Guo

Theses and Dissertations

Using a sample from China, this study examined the influence of father involvement on child outcome in early childhood in areas of internalizing problems, externalizing problems and prosocial behaviors. The participants were drawn from the larger PACIFIC project, a cross-cultural study of family processes in Asia. 479 families with a preschool or kindergarten child living in Beijing and Dalian, China were included in this study. Using multiple regression analysis, result indicated that father involvement was not significantly associated with child’s internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and prosocial behaviors. Moderation analysis was also conducted and found that the effect of father involvement …

Therapist Experience As A Moderator Of Therapeutic Alliance Across The Course Of Couple Therapy, Julia K. Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

Therapeutic alliance is a key predictor of successful couple therapy outcomes. Little research has explored how therapist experience may predict its development. This study was designed to examine whether initial therapeutic alliance scores differ between couple clients of training clinics versus couple clients of community clinics, and whether the rate of change in alliance across sessions varies between these groups. Additionally, I controlled for initial relationship distress. Using dyadic therapy process data for at least one partner of 1,330 couples, a multilevel growth curve model with therapist experience as a moderator was fit to determine the difference in initial therapeutic …

Student Use Of Public Access Computers In The Library: A 10-Year Comparison Study, Holt Zaugg

Faculty Publications

Why did you do this activity, project, or research?

In 2014, across the BYU campus, the use of student-accessible public computer labs was declining. At this time, the library was not experiencing this decline; rather, public computer use in the library was increasing. Ten years later, we re-administered a similar survey in the same manner to determine what, if any, changes occurred.

How did you do this?

Initially (2014), we used a pop-up survey to help determine similarities and differences. When students logged on to a library computer, an invitation to participate in the survey popped up with the option …

Unseen Burdens: Exploring Gender Disparities In Infertility Experience And Depressive Symptoms, Khiara Cardoza Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how experiences with infertility relate to mental health outcomes among newly married U.S. couples, emphasizing gender differences and the potential moderating role of gender attitudes. Using data from 3,137 individuals in a nationally representative sample, three Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were estimated: first assessing actor and partner effects of infertility on depressive symptoms and subsequently incorporating gender attitudes as moderators. Results indicated a significant actor effect for wives, where infertility was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, and this association was significantly stronger for wives than for husbands. No significant effects were found for husbands' infertility and …

New Definitions Of Library Use: Experimentation, Discovery, And Creation (Edc) Within A Library, Holt Zaugg

Faculty Publications

Why did you do this activity, project, or research?

Over the last decade, libraries have shifted from being primarily repositories for information and resources to active learning centers. Physical resources (e.g., books, journals, manuscripts) have moved to online access. Librarian roles have adjusted how they help patrons find and access resources in their local library and beyond, resulting in impactful input on research, learning, and scholarly endeavors. Additionally, due to a reduced need for storing materials, libraries have developed collaborative and innovative spaces to meet patrons’ needs. These spaces include group study rooms, experiential studios, makerspaces, green rooms, and podcast …

Perceptions Of Spirituality And Of God: A Psychological Qualitative Study, Christopher E. Peck, Timothy B. Smith, Jamila Mastny

Faculty Publications

The majority of people living in the U.S. report that spirituality is an important part of their life that is influential to their well-being. However, individuals vary widely in how they conceptualize spirituality, which often stems from and overlaps with their conceptualizations of God or so-called “God image”. Examination of people’s experiences of spirituality and conceptualization of God can enable psychologists to improve their understanding of individuals’ core personal experiences. This study evaluates both spirituality and God image, as well as the relationship between these two constructs, using qualitative hermeneutic analysis of interviews with 63 adults (51% women, 49% men, …

Unwarranted Warrants?: An Empirical Analysis Of Judicial Review In Search And Seizure, Brett James Hashimoto, Miguel F.P. De Figueiredo, Dane Thorley

Faculty Publications

Every year, police perform searches governed by the Fourth Amendment on hundreds of thousands of individuals and their property throughout the United States. Many of the academy’s most decorated scholars have focused on the genesis and jurisprudential nature of the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement. Surprisingly, we know almost nothing about how the Fourth Amendment regulates searches and how searches actually work in practice.

In this Article, we pull back the curtain on the search and seizure process by presenting the largest quantitative study of warrants of any kind. We analyze over 33,000 warrant applications filed through Utah’s “e-Warrants” system over …

Finding Meaning In Mourning: Building Empathetic Responses To Grieving Individuals Using Immersive Technologies, Brooke C. Strong

Theses and Dissertations

Immersive grief narratives offer a novel approach to fostering emotional support by deeply engaging audiences and eliciting empathetic responses. Grounded in the narrative transportation theory theoretical framework (Green & Brock, 2000), grief narrative research, and supported by existing literature on immersive media, this study examines how immersive 360-degree grief narratives compare to traditional video formats' ability to elicit sympathy, affective empathy, and cognitive empathy towards those grieving. Specifically, the study investigates how presence, conceptualized as realism and sense of being there, and narrative arousal shape empathetic responses toward individuals experiencing grief. By integrating these theoretical frameworks, this research seeks to …

Full Issue

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

No abstract provided.

Empathy, Hannah Brugger

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Imagine a world with empathy

Where people lived with more sense?

A place filled with love and kindness

Not at any person's expense.

An Examination Of Eating Disorders Among Asian American Women, Shelby Seipert

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Eating disorders can be defined as a psychological illness that results in abnormal or disturbed eating patterns. The three common eating disorders diagnosed within the United States are anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. When analyzing the demographic distribution of individuals diagnosed with an eating disorder in America, it was shown that the subcategory of Asian American citizens had significantly lower amounts of data in comparison to other racial categories. This may be attributed to the fact that on average, Asian Americans are half as likely as Caucasian Americans to seek mental health services. Three main areas shown to have …

Making A Career Of Humanity: Implications Of Activism For Mental Health, Tate Henderson

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Collective action in society, or activism, may increase psychological distress of participants and societies. Multiple studies regarding this relationship of activist behavior and mental health among marginalized or minority groups were reviewed. Certain variables might decrease or even reverse this effect of activism on mental health. Activist behavior that is more passionate and low-risk could improve psychological well-being. Social identity theory explains that increased identification with a group may improve mental health. Despite social identity, activist behavior of itself may also increase feelings of self-actualization, or the feelings of joy that come from personal growth. Such participation in activism may …

When Racist Jokes Go Unchecked: The Plight Of Asian Americans At The Hands Of Fellow Americans, Sedric Jacobsen

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Asian American people are often the target of unchecked racist jokes levelled by fellow Americans. Because of the model minority myth, racism towards Asian Americans has received less attention than that of other minority groups. Stereotypes furthered by racist jokes may seem innocuous, but they lead to mental, emotional, and potentially physical harm. Victim blaming is a common response to objections levied by Asian American people and this process leads to further psychological damage for the offended. The favored profile of an American is white, heterosexual, and male. Divergence from this model leads to prejudice, a response that is taught …

Differences In Diagnosis, Perception, And Recognition Among Children With Autism-Spectrum Disorder Belonging To Racial And Ethnic Minority Groups, Madelyne L. Syphus

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Despite Autism-Sprectrum Disorder's (ASD's) relatively short existence as a diagnostic category, it has become one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders in the world. However, as awareness of ASD rises, those who do not fit the White-male diagnostic mold are often left out of conversations and experience disparities in diagnosis, recognition, and support for autism (Matthews, 2019). Many racial and ethnic minority groups suffer from professionals' lack of cultural awareness, and spontaneous judgments often result in lower rates of referral for and diagnosis of ASD (Begeer et al., 2008; Burke et al., 2015; Lopez, 2014). Differences in social norms among …