Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Sickle Cell Disease On The Family: An Examination Of The Illness Intrusiveness Framework, Josie S. Welkom

Psychology Dissertations

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder that affects approximately 1 out of every 600 African-American newborns (NHLBI, 2006). SCD and its associated symptoms can have widespread impact on both the psychological functioning of the individual diagnosed with the illness and their families. The purpose of this study was to apply the illness intrusiveness framework to better understand the relations among vaso-occlusive pain crises (VOC), child age, pediatric health related quality of life (QOL), and parental psychosocial adjustment. Participants included 103 parent-child dyads. Parents completed a background form, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18, and the Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale. Children …

An Exploration Of Pathological Gambling Among Diverse Populations, Ayana N. Perkins

Psychology Dissertations

This study used an ecological perspective to identify pathological gambling (PG) risk and protective factors, nonclinical resources, and prevention strategies based on the perceptions of Georgia stakeholders. With an ecological perspective, human behavior is perceived as an outcome of the interaction between the individual and various factors in their social environment. The ecological perspective is especially suitable for examining the higher PG prevalence among ethnic minority groups since these populations have been documented as encountering greater exposure to PG social and environmental risk factors (Smedley & Syme, 2000). To assess prevention needs, data were obtained from a 2008 needs assessment …

The Development And Lived Experience Of African Centered Identity: A Qualitative Investigation, Obari Cartman

Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore cultural identity within African Americans. The primary construct of interest is African centered identity, which is comprised of two parts: 1) cultural values with origins in African cultures that have been unintentionally retained, and 2) a social and political ideology that intentionally incorporates elements of an African worldview. This study utilizes qualitative research methodology to investigate the lived experience of African centered identity, and incorporates a developmental perspective.

Semi-structured interviews of 14 adults are analyzed using a grounded theory approach. The results reveal many themes in the participants’ lived experience of their …

After-School Programs: Do Parents Matter?, Michelle A. Dimeo

Psychology Dissertations

Previous research suggests that parents can benefit from youth participation in after-school programs. However, little research has explored parent involvement in after-school programs as an important program characteristic leading to youth development. Bioecological Systems Theory suggests that individuals are influenced by the interactions of others within their environment. Building from this theory, it was posited that parent benefits resulting from involvement in after-school programs can facilitate positive youth development. Surveys were completed by 117 parents whose daughters participated in the Cool Girls, Inc. after-school program, a program serving primarily low-income, African American, urban youth. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis, a three …

Food For Thought: A Strengths-Based Approach To Examining The Biomedical And Psychological Health Of Latino Migrant And Seasonal Farm Workers In Georgia, Joanna R. Weinberg

Psychology Dissertations

Inherent in their living and working conditions, Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers (MSFWs) are exposed to a multitude of environmental and psychosocial stressors that make them susceptible to adverse health outcomes. Utilizing a resilience framework, the current study examined both the physical and psychological health functioning of MSFWs in Georgia, a state heavily reliant on farm worker labor where relatively few research studies with MSFWs have been conducted to date. Based on a sample of 120 Latino, male, MSFWs in South Georgia, results indicated that approximately 1 out of 3 farm workers were at risk for iron-deficiency anemia. Similar to …

Using Q Methodology To Explore College Students' Conceptualizations Of Sexual Consent, Elizabeth R. Anthony

Psychology Dissertations

The high prevalence of sexual violence warrants continued research into its prevention. Understanding consensual sexual experiences holds promise for sexual violence prevention; however, sexual consent is a surprisingly understudied phenomenon. Existing research focuses on the tactics used to coerce consent and the ways in which college students initiate and indicate consent. Research that begins to articulate a theory of consent may help engineer situations antithetical to sexually violent experiences. This study is a first step toward that objective. This paper presents findings from an exploratory research study on college students’ conceptualizations of sexual consent. The purpose of this study was …

The Impact Of Friendship Closeness And Hegemonic Masculinity On Group Perpetrated Antigay Aggression, Adam D. Hudepohl

Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to empirically evaluate hypothesized risk factors for the perpetration of antigay aggression. Specifically, the independent and interactive effects of endorsement of hegemonic male role norms and peer group relational factors (i.e., closeness) were examined as individual and situational risk factors for antigay aggression, within the framework of the General Aggression Model (GAM). Dyads of friends were recruited for participation in the study. Participants completed questionnaires that included measures of hegemonic masculinity and friendship closeness. The dyads of friends then viewed a video depicting male-male intimacy and competed in the TAP together against a fictitious …

Child And Parent Readiness To Change In A Clinical Sample Of Obese Youth, Jean E. Cobb

Psychology Dissertations

Parent and child readiness to change have been identified as emerging areas informing pediatric obesity interventions. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of child and parent readiness to change in obese youth by examining how these constructs are related to demographic variables, as well as to psychosocial functioning, in a sample of obese youth presenting for weight- management treatment. A secondary aim was to examine consistency between parent and child readiness to change. Two hundred twenty-eight 7- to 17-year-old children and their parents participated during the child’s initial assessment at a multidisciplinary weight-management clinic. Demographic variables included …

South African Youth And Parents: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of Family Communication About Sex, Hiv, And Violence, Lindsey Zimmerman

Psychology Dissertations

South Africa retains the highest HIV prevalence in the world, with the incidence of infection growing fastest among youth. The purpose of this investigation was to inform preventive family-based interventions designed to reduce youth HIV risks. In 2009, 38 black South African caregivers and youth (ages 10-14) participated in key informant interviews and focus groups, which were coded for themes related to family communication about sex. Findings highlighted a cultural taboo against communication that among some caregivers was shifting. Informed by this qualitative data, in 2010, 97 black South African caregivers and 97 youth (ages 10-14) completed measures designed for …

Lean On Me: Informal Social Networks And The Prevention Of Intimate Partner Violence In Sexual Minority Communities, Caroline A. Lippy

Psychology Dissertations

Research finds that intimate partner violence (IPV) occurs at comparable rates for heterosexuals and sexual minorities; however, few IPV prevention programs exist for sexual minority communities. Most programs are developed on heterosexuals and ignore the unique contexts and dynamics of IPV for sexual minorities. Community capacity IPV prevention programs aim to increase the skills and resources within informal social networks, and they represent a promising approach to IPV prevention for sexual minority communities. The current study explores the informal networks of sexual minorities in order to build knowledge that can inform the future development of community capacity IPV prevention programs …

Modeling The Relationship Between A Social Responsibility Attitude And Youth Activism, Michael N. Armstrong Phd

Psychology Dissertations

Despite existing literature that demonstrates the relation between an attitude of social responsibility and activism; few studies have examined the underlying factor structure of social responsibility. The current study had two goals. The first goal was to examine the structure of a measure of social responsibility attitude for urban adolescents. The second goal was to examine the associations of social responsibility with civic and political activism. The participants were 221 adolescents from schools and youth serving organizations in metropolitan Atlanta, GA. Confirmatory factor analysis of social responsibility items revealed that a model with a single latent factor explained the data …

The Impact Of Psychological Acceptance And Sibling Relationship Quality On Depression And Perceived Stigma For Youth Living With Hiv, Kara E. Snead

Psychology Dissertations

Compared to their uninfected peers, youth living with HIV experience greater distress related to a multitude of stressors they face. In order to enhance the lives of youth who are living with HIV, it is important to identify the personal and social resources that these individuals might bring to coping with their disease. Using the compensatory hypothesis and resiliency theory as conceptual frameworks, the present study examined the function of both psychological acceptance and sibling relationships for youths in managing depression and HIV-related stigma. In addition, the current study investigated the interactive effects of psychological acceptance and sibling relationship quality …

Modeling Phonological Processing For Children With Mild Intellectual Disabilities: The Relationship Between Underlying Phonological Abilities And Associated Language Variables, Robert Michael Barker

Psychology Dissertations

The structure of phonological processing for typically developing children has been debated over the past two decades. Recent research has indicated that phonological processing is best explained by a single underlying phonological ability (e.g., Anthony and Lonigan, 2004). The current study had two goals. The first goal was to determine the structure of phonological processing for school-age children with mild intellectual disabilities (MID). The second goal was to determine the relationship between the components of phonological processing and expressive and receptive language ability. The participants were 222 school-age children identified by their schools as having MID. Confirmatory factor analysis was …

Vocabulary And Reading Growth In Children With Intellectual Disabilites: The Influences Of Risks, Adaptive Behavior, And A Reading Intervention, Dana Donohue

Psychology Dissertations

Risk factors tend to be negatively associated with developmental outcomes such as academic achievement and language skills. Promotive factors, on the other hand, may foster resilience in at-risk children. Some children, such as children with intellectual disabilities, experience relatively more risks than other children do. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of risks, adaptive behavior, and an intervention on the language and reading growth of children with intellectual abilities over the course of a yearlong reading intervention in which they were participants. The results suggested that, on average, risks were negatively associated and adaptive behaviors were …

Examining The Role Of Communication On Sibling Relationship Quality And Interaction For Sibling Pairs With And Without A Developmental Disability, Ashlyn L. Smith

Psychology Dissertations

Sibling relationships in families of children with disabilities are generally positive despite difficulties that may result from the child’s disability. Many developmental disabilities have associated communication impairments that could affect how siblings interact with each other and the closeness between them. Research has rarely addressed the role of communication skills and how potential deficits in communication may impact the sibling relationship. The purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of sibling communication interaction patterns when one sibling has a developmental disability and the unique role that communication skills play in the quality of the sibling relationship using both …

Examination Of Perceived Norms And Masculinity Threat As Predictors Of College Men's Behavioral Intentions As Bystanders In A Party Gang Rape Situation, Doyanne A. Darnell

Psychology Dissertations

Sexual assault of women is a well-documented phenomenon in U.S. samples, particularly on college campuses. Innovative approaches to prevention encourage men and women to intervene as bystanders in sexual assault situations; however, bystander behavior is notoriously inhibited by various situational factors. This study used a mixed-method approach to better understand the role of situational factors in college men’s bystander behavioral intentions in a party gang rape situation. The first aim was to develop an experimental paradigm using vignette methodology to manipulate the amount of masculinity threat present in a party gang rape situation, which could then be used to explore …

Health Disparities In A Diverse County: Investigating Interactions Between Residents And Neighborhoods, John P. Barile

Psychology Dissertations

This study evaluated the associations of individual and neighborhood level risk factors with physical health, mental health, and stress in a diverse urban county. Relatively little research has attempted to disentangle the interactive individual characteristics and neighborhood conditions underlying health outcomes and disparities. To address this, survey data were collected and analyzed from 1,107 residents living in one of the 114 census tracts in DeKalb County, GA. Using multilevel structural equation modeling techniques, this study found that neighborhood level measures of the social and built environment were not associated with the health outcomes under study after controlling for neighborhood level …

Reducing Automatic Stereotype Activation: Mechanisms And Moderators Of Situational Attribution Training, Ioana M. Latu

Psychology Dissertations

Individuals tend to underestimate situational causes and overly rely on trait causes in explaining negative behaviors of outgroup members, a tendency named the ultimate attribution error (Pettigrew, 1979). This attributional pattern is directly related to stereotyping, because attributing negative behaviors to internal, stable causes tends to perpetuate negative stereotypes of outgroup members. Recent research on implicit bias reduction revealed that circumventing individuals’ tendency to engage in the ultimate attribution error led to reduced stereotyping. More specifically, training White participants to consider situational factors in determining Blacks’ negative stereotypic behaviors led to decreased automatic stereotype activation. This technique was named Situational …

Effects Of Sexual Abuse And Cultural Coping On African American Parent-Child Relationships: Implications For Intervention, Alana K. Miller-Clayton

Psychology Dissertations

Few studies have been conducted to determine relationships between maternal childhood sexual abuse (CSA) history and parenting practices. Furthermore, no studies have attempted to understand how cultural coping methods dynamically impact the relationship between maternal CSA history and parenting outcomes. The purpose of this study is to understand if maternal coping mediates the relation between maternal CSA history and mother-daughter relational outcomes in a sample of African American mothers. The Strong Black Woman (SBW) Cultural Coping Scale, which consists of caretaking, affect regulation, and self-reliance factors, was used to represent maternal coping, and the Parent-Child Relationship Questionnaire (PCRQ) was used …

An Analogical Paradox For Nonhuman Primates: Bridging The Perceptual-Conceptual Gap, Timothy M. Flemming

Psychology Dissertations

Over the past few decades, the dominant view by comparative psychologists of analogical reasoning in nonhuman primates was one of dichotomy between apes, including humans, and monkeys: the distinction between the analogical ape and paleological monkey (Thompson & Oden, 2000). Whereas evidence for analogy proper by representation reinterpretation in monkeys is sparse and debated, the gap between that which is analogic and paleologic has been narrowed by the studies presented here. Representation of relational concepts important for analogy proves difficult for rhesus and capuchin monkeys without the ability to rely on a greater amount of perceptual variability, implicating a perceptually-bound …

Developmental Antecedents Of Symptoms Of Adult Separation Anxiety In Young Adult College Students, Noelle T. Santorelli

Psychology Dissertations

Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is rarely considered in adults presenting with anxious symptomatology, but a growing body of evidence suggests that its symptoms are experienced by a significant number of adults. Early parent-child relationships are an especially important area of study for understanding SAD. Moreover, the attachment style that is formed through early parent-child interactions may serve as a mediator to later expression of symptoms of adult separation anxiety (ASA). Studying the early parent-child relationship and perceived parenting styles in conjunction with individual attachment styles will allow for a more systemic approach to understanding potential risk factors for the development …

Evaluating The Influence Of Participaiton In A Diverse High School-Based Group Mentoring Program, Lawanda Cummings

Psychology Dissertations

Group mentoring may offer similar supports as traditional one-on-one mentoring and a more culturally consistent forum for addressing issues of ethnicity, academic self-concept and school connectedness (Lindsay-Dennis, Cummings, McClendon, in press; Utsey, Howard & Williams, 2003). The present study investigates the development of students’ ethnic identity, academic self-concept and school connectedness through participation in a school based group mentoring program within a culturally diverse high school. Employing a mixed method design and multilevel modeling analysis, both the ethnicity of the mentor and the diversity composition of each group were assessed as contributors to the mentoring process. Ethnic identity and academic …

Family Separation And Changes In Peer Relationships Among Early Adolescent Latino Youth: Examining The Mediating Role Of Family Relationships, Lawrence Duane House

Psychology Dissertations

This longitudinal study examines whether family processes (family cohesion and family conflict) mediate the relationship between family separation experiences and the development of peer relationships (quality and conflict). The study includes a sample of 199 early adolescent Latinos from immigrant families. Family conflict mediated the relationship between separation experiences from fathers and peer conflict at year 1 but not year 2 such that more separation from father was associated with higher family conflict and higher peer conflict at year 1. Family cohesion did not mediate associations between mother or father separation and peer relationship outcomes. Family cohesion predicted more positive …

Subtypes Of Memory Impairment In Patients With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Nicole C. Mickley

Psychology Dissertations

Memory impairments are common in individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). This is understandable given that temporal lobe brain structures involved in TLE play a central role in encoding memories. It is widely accepted that individuals whose seizure focus is in the left temporal lobe (LTLE) tend to have verbal memory impairments, whereas individuals whose seizure focus is in the right temporal lobe (RTLE) tend to have visuospatial memory impairments. However, evidence of functional subdivisions within the left and right temporal lobes in both the animal and human literature suggest that more specific subtypes of memory impairment may exist in …

Adherence To Psychotherapy For Post-Traumatic Stress In Veterans Of Military Combat In Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) And Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), Nicolle C. Angeli

Psychology Dissertations

Elucidating factors associated with adherence to treatment for physical and mental health conditions is important, given well-documented associations between non-adherence and poor treatment outcomes. Researchers have worked to identify such factors; however, most studies focus on adherence to medical, rather than, psychological treatments. Clarifying variables that predict adherence to psychotherapy is particularly important for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for whom treatment, which typically involves exposure to trauma-related stimuli and imagery, can be aversive. It may consequently be associated with high nonadherence rates, even though studies indicate that greater adherence to PTSD treatment relates to better treatment outcomes. Research …

The Relations Among Parenting Style, Parent-Adolescent Relationship, Family Stress, Cultural Context And Depressive Symptomatology Among Adolescent Females, Dayna M.V. Diaz

Psychology Dissertations

This study examines the relations between depressive symptom expression and cultural and family contexts among adolescent females from different ethnic groups. Specifically, ethnic identity, parenting style, family stress and the quality of parent-adolescent relationships were examined as potential protective factors for depressive symptom expression among a diverse group of female adolescents. This study addressed the following research questions: 1) Are there ethnic group differences in depressive symptom expression across Latina, African American and Asian adolescent females? 2) Are there ethnic group differences in the association of family processes with depressive symptom expression across these three ethnic groups? 3) Regardless of …

Medical And Neuropsychological Predictors Of Adaptive Functioning In Children With Epilepsy., Aimilia Papazoglou

Psychology Dissertations

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders in children, with both seizures and their medical treatment associated with increased risk of neuropsychological impairments. Adaptive functioning in children with epilepsy is poorly understood. This study sought to identify the neuropsychological and medical predictors of optimal adaptive functioning in pediatric epilepsy. Forty-six children with epilepsy and 16 typically developing children and their parents participated in this study at two time points. Overall, adaptive functioning was found to be in the average to low average range in children with epilepsy. A composite measure assessing cumulative seizure history was able to significantly …

Self-Esteem, Failure Feedback, And Physiological Reactivity: Implications For Working Memory And Aggression, John Patrick Ryan

Psychology Dissertations

Research has recently begun to focus on separable conscious and subconscious aspects of self-esteem. Meanwhile, research on aggressive behavior has found that some individuals with high self-esteem are more prone to aggressive behavior. Based on a biopsychosocial approach, research has shown that appraisals of threat/challenge are marked by distinct physiological responses – threat appraisals are marked by activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, whereas challenge appraisals are marked by activation of the sympathetic adrenal-medullary axis. The present study examines the relationship between failure feedback, implicit and explicit self-esteem, appraisals, working memory and aggression in a series of three experiments. Experiment 1 …

Can I Talk To You? Sociopolitical Factors And Their Relation To Symptoms And Treatments Of Social Anxiety In A Sample Of African Americans With Social Anxiety, Mayowa Obasaju

Psychology Dissertations

This study is exploratory in nature and focuses on the relation between the individual and macrosystems by investigating the link between African Americans’ fear of confirming stereotypes and their experience with symptoms and treatments for social anxiety. This study hypothesizes that 1) among a sample of African Americans diagnosed with social anxiety, there will be a significant, positive relationship between African-Americans’ self-reported concerns over confirming stereotypes relevant to both social anxiety and their own self-reported levels of social anxiety, 2) significantly more African Americans will drop-out of therapy than Caucasians, 3) amongst African Americans, significantly more will drop out of …

Pain, Quality Of Life, And Coping In Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease, Crystal Marie Stack Lim

Psychology Dissertations

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects predominately African Americans and is one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States (Schecter, 1999). Research has not sufficiently examined whether pain associated with SCD impacts quality of life or whether coping impacts this relation. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between pain and quality of life in children with SCD and to determine whether coping moderates the relation. A secondary aim was to examine associations between age and pain, quality of life, and coping. A final exploratory aim was to examine the relation between racial identity and …