Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Memory Consolidation In Developmental Disorders, Laszlo A. Erdodi

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The relationship between memory and adaptive functioning was studied in sample of 268 children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, n = 83), autism spectrum disorder (ASD, n = 62), velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS, n = 21), and low birth weight (LBW, n = 38) and neurotypicals (n = 64). Children with ASD and VCFS demonstrated a relative weakness in facial and visual memory, while no between-group differences were found during the auditory verbal learning task of the TOMAL. Learning curve analyses showed that after the first trial of the visual span test, all groups performed at the same level, but the …

The Relationship Between Adult Attachment And Trauma, Lauren Earls

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Prior research has suggested a complex relationship between childhood interpersonal traumas perpetrated by attachment figures and the experience of trauma in adulthood. Very little is known, however, about how various forms of childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect affect trauma sequelae and adult romantic attachment in women during the childbearing years. Using a sample of postpartum women (N = 104), this study examined the associations between a history of attachment-related traumas (operationalized as childhood interpersonal abuse and neglect) and complex trauma sequelae believed to be unique to victims of interpersonal traumas; the possible role that adult romantic attachment anxiety and avoidance …

Deconstructing The Time-Out: What Do Mothers Understand About A Common Disciplinary Procedure?, Amy K. Drayton

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Problem behavior is extremely common throughout childhood, and time-out (TO) is one of the most common disciplinary tactics used by parents to address problem behavior. However, despite the prevalence of use and five decades of research demonstrating the efficacy of time-out, parents rate time-out as one of the least useful behavior modification techniques. This discrepancy between parental opinion and empirical data may be due to the fact that all research conducted thus far has used adults highly trained in empirically-supported time-out procedures. No research has examined the degree of similarity between time-out conducted by untrained parents to empirically-supported time-out procedures. …

Predictors Of Ptsd Symptoms For Criterion A And Non-Criterion A Events, Sarah Reiland

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study evaluated the current DSM-IV conceptualization of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It examined predictors (i.e., event, person, and cognitive characteristics) and the factor structure of PTSD symptoms for events that do and do not meet criterion A. Event, person, and cognitive variables included in this study explained 47% of the variance in PTSD symptoms for the criterion A group and 56% of the variance in PTSD symptoms for the noncriterion A group. In both groups, cognitive variables explained the majority of variance in PTSD symptom severity. Although predictors of PTSD symptoms varied for criterion A and non-qualifying events, the …

The Impact Of Prior Sexual Victimization And Victim Identification On Threat Recognition In A College Sample, Katherine Porter

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Previous research on sexual assault has demonstrated a pattern of revictimization, in which victims of childhood sexual assault are at an increased risk for adult sexual assault (e.g., Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). Previous findings indicate that participants with a history of sexual assault take longer to identify and respond to risks (Marx et al., 2001; Soler-Baillo et al., 2005; Wilson et al., 1999), are less likely to respond in assertive ways (VanZile-Tamsen et al., 2005), and are more likely to indicate that they would be compliant in risky sexual situations (Naugle, 1999).

The present study attempted to replicate and expand …

The Influence Of Poverty On The Development And Maintenance Of Conduct Disorder And Perpetuation Of Crime And Violence, David Saunders-Scott

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Jamaica has one of the highest murder rates per capita in the world, as well as a high rate of other crimes. With this study, I examined how factors such as income, socialecological factors of poverty (S-E factors of poverty), and symptoms of conduct disorder (CD) were related to criminality in a sample of 79 male Jamaican parolees and probationers. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 74 years old and were all of African descent. I interviewed participants using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WHO-CIDI), a survey to assess S-E factors associated with poverty, and the …

Factors Contributing To Disability In A Chronic Low Back Pain Population: A Comprehensive Analysis Using Continuous Ambulatory Monitoring, Kevin N. Alschuler

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Disability in chronic low back pain patients has been established as a function of variables across three areas: pain, cognitive-behavioral variables, and social variables. New technology has improved the ability to accurately measure physical activity, a significant component of disability, through the use of actigraphy for real-time ambulatory monitoring. The current study assessed between and within patient changes in physical activity as a function of current pain, anticipated pain, pain sensitivity, depression, pain anxiety, catastrophizing, and significant others' responses. Time-series and ordinary least squares regression analyses of 20 participants revealed that patients change their physical activity based on both their …

Faith-Based Sexual Education: A Comparison Of Comprehensive And Abstinence-Only Programs, Leanna Fortunato

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study sought to evaluate the effects of faith-based sexual education programs. Participants (ages 13-18, N = 128) were surveyed regarding their religious and sexual attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors prior to completing a sexual education program at their church, synagogue, or religious institution and again after completing the program. The sexual education programs were divided into three groups based on program content and duration: abstinence-only-short, comprehensive-short, and comprehensive-long. The first goal was to assess the within-group effects of attending an abstinence-only or comprehensive sexual education program. Participants from all three groups showed an increase in the degree to which they …

Diagnostic Efficiency Of The Computerized Ptsd Scale – Multimedia Version (Cps-M) In Assessing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Jennifer Boss Mainka

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The most commonly used interview for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), a semi-structured interview patterned after the DSM-IV criteria (Blake et al., 1990). The Computerized PTSD Scale – Multimedia Version (CPS-M: Richard, Mayo, Bohn, Haynes, & Kolman, 1997) is a computerized interview that is modeled after the CAPS. This study examined how well the CPS-M agreed with the CAPS diagnostically in a clinical sample. Ninety veterans completed the test protocol consisting of paper-and-pencil measures, the CPS-M, and the CAPS interview. Correlations between the CAPS and CPS-M were high at the item, subscale, and full-scale levels. …

Relationships Between Binge Eating, Psychological And Behavioral Covariates, And Health Care Utilization On College Campuses: Results From A National Sample Of College Students, Summar Reslan

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the factors which moderate service utilization among college students, as well as risk factors for binge eating disorder (BED). Candidate moderators included binge eating, obesity, gender, ethnicity, psychological comorbidity, body image, and emotional dysregulation. Data from the Healthy Minds Study (HMS) 2010 were utilized. Two samples of participants were analyzed: the full HMS 2010 national sample of undergraduate college students (N = 17,995) and a subsample of undergraduate students (N = 969) from Eastern Michigan University (EMU) who participated in the HMS. Results suggested that psychological comorbidity significantly impacted psychological service utilization …

Substrates Of Social Functioning In Individuals With Vcfs, Daniel Jacobson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Velocardiofacial Syndrome (VCFS) is a genetic disorder characterized by numerous physiological and psychological symptoms. Little is known regarding the neuropsychological substrates of social functioning in individuals with VCFS. This study was a secondary data analysis investigating the relationship between various brain structure volumes and social deficits in individuals with VCFS. Volumetric measures of brain regions based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were compared between 6 VCFS individuals and 6 controls. Controls were identically matched according to age and gender. It was hypothesized that after covarying for total brain volume, VCFS patients would exhibit larger amygdala and insula volumes and smaller …

Blood In The Wells: The Troubled Past And Perilous Future Of U.S.-Saudi Relations, Maxwell Czerniawski

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Perhaps no region other than the Near East plays a more important role in the shaping of both the foreign and domestic policies of the United States. The 9/11 terrorist attacks and subsequent deployment of hundreds of thousands of US soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the massive budgetary burden placed upon the United States government (and, by extension, its citizens) as a result of the War on Terror, lay heavily upon the consciousness of the media and the concerns of the American people. Much recent focus has also been placed on the impact that the need for …

Stress And Anxiety Reduction Due To Writing Diaries, Journals, E-Mail, And Weblogs, Briana Murnahan

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Stress and anxiety are very common factors in the everyday lives of college students. Although some students have found ways to reduce them, others have not. Student participants (N = 165) indicated whether they used one or more of four different mediums for personal writing, and, if so, when and why they started to use them, how frequently they used them, and whether the use relieved their stress and reduced their anxiety. These four mediums included two traditional styles of writing (diary and journal) and two newer styles of writing (e-mail and weblogs). Results showed that e-mail was used …

Intercultural Competence For The Nutrition Professional, Cynthia S. Klement

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Diversity training for nutrition care professionals is essential in order to provide patients with culture-specific strategies that allow them to succeed with their health program. Nutritionists are faced with the challenge of understanding the dietary preferences of their cross-cultural patients, as well as appreciating a patient's religious beliefs regarding dietary selections by identify foods that will or won't support a prescribed nutritional program. Knowledge of intercultural nonverbal and verbal behaviors is becoming increasingly necessary, as is who ultimately makes medical decisions for the patient.

The Insanity Defense: A Comparative Analysis, Kristin Neville

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The topic of my thesis is the insanity defense. The insanity defense is a tactic that is rarely used and rarely successful. Generally states fall into three categories: Those who use the M'Naghten rule of law, those who use the American Law Institute (ALI) Model Penal Code, and those who have abolished the use of the insanity defense. This research compares states from each category to investigate whether or not the type of rule used affects the outcome. In order to determine whether these categories matter, the paper compares similar appellate felony case outcomes in New Jersey and North Carolina, …

Study Abroad Dynamics: Anthropological Perspectives, Jonathan Maravelias

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Americans typically lack cultural reflexivity--most Americans will even deny that there is a specific American culture. Many Americans often experience heightened states of anxiety and feelings of alienation, which several anthropologists and cross-cultural psychologists attribute to an unhealthy reliance on individualism and consumerism. If Americans could learn cultural reflexivity, then they may experience a sense of connectedness and higher self-esteem. Since cultural reflexivity can be learned, I have investigated whether or not study abroad programs help to teach it. More generally, I have studied the education abroad experience anthropologically through participating in a 35-day tour of the Mediterranean offered by …

Vanity Sizing, Body Image, And Purchase Behavior: A Closer Look At The Effects Of Inaccurate Garment Labeling, Nicole Lynn Weidner

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate satisfaction of current ready-to-wear garment sizing and fit, consumer knowledge of vanity sizing, and how these variables affect body image and/or purchase behavior at retail. Survey Monkey distributed the questionnaire to 485 registered female students attending a Midwestern regional state university. Seventyeight participants began the survey, with 63 students completing the entire questionnaire. Results indicated that consumers are mostly satisfied with garment sizing and fit. They are aware of vanity sizing usage within the apparel industry; however, this does not affect their purchase behavior at retail. Since consumers are aware vanity sizing …

Typically Developing Children’S Attitudes And Acceptance Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder After Integrated Play Group Involvement, Karen Kay Toon

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In an urban, midwestern public school, six children, ages 8-10 years old, engaged in ten weeks of Integrated Play Groups (IPGs) to teach skills to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Lasting two and a half months, IPGs met for 30 minutes, twice weekly. The participants engaged in pre- and post-tests of the revised Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Towards Children with Handicaps scale and pre- and post-focus groups. These means were used to investigate the research question: What can be learned about typical peers’ attitudes and acceptance of students with ASD through the expert players’ reflections on Integrated Play Group involvement? The …

Mothers’ Trauma Histories And Their Infants’ Social-Emotional Development, Sarah Ahlfs-Dunn

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Difficulties with emotion and physiological regulation (i.e., the ability to modulate or regulate arousal and physiological experiences) in infancy have been linked to significant social-emotional problems in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Mothers play a critical role in helping their infants regulate. Often mothers’ experiences of childhood maltreatment and/or domestic violence leave them with limited emotional availability and caregiving ability. Subsequently, their infants may have difficulty learning self-regulation, which may compromise future social-emotional development. This study examined the relationships among mothers’ experiences of childhood maltreatment and adult domestic violence and their infants’ crying, feeding, and sleeping difficulties at 3 months of …

African American Relationship Schema Scale: Development And Validation, Syreeta Scott

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In an effort to explain the markedly high HIV infection rate for African American women, several theories have been posited. One theory suggests that expectations about relationships (i.e., relationship schemas and scripts) may be useful in explaining this phenomenon. Qualitative research has identified several relevant relationship scripts for this population that seem to be associated with safer sex behaviors; however, limited quantitative research has been conducted to confirm and validate these findings. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a psychometrically sound self-report measure of relationship schemas in African American women (N=441). After initial item generation, pilot testing …

Using Daily Behavior Report Cards As Intervention For Primary School Students With Adhd, Kristina Schaefer

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This study is a secondary analysis of the Daily Behavior Report Card (DBRC), for three primary school aged children diagnosed with ADHD. These children are characterized as having difficulty sustaining attention at school and play, as well as exhibiting inappropriately high levels of hyperactivity-impulsivity. The DBRC data were collected over an eight week period and chartered similar to a single system design for each student. Results showed steady improvement for some, but not all three students.

The Politics Of Higher Education And The Student Presidency, Regina Royan

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The student body president is an advocate, spokesperson, figurehead and leader. The student presidency is a role that few get to experience and many do not understand. I have found that in my four years involved with student government at Eastern Michigan University and my recent interviews with several other student body presidents across the state that the power associated with an administration can vary greatly, but the nature of the office remains intact. Attempts were made to interview each of the student body presidents at the fifteen state sponsored universities in the state of Michigan. These student body presidents …