Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Systematic Review Of Mood Disorders And The Working Alliance In Latino Populations, Ricardo Contreras

Theses and Dissertations

The working alliance and mood disorders in Latin populations has received scant attention. To remedy this deficit, this analysis completed a systematic review of this subject. This initial systematic review may aid to acquire a greater understanding of general and specific factors impacting this population. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), Version 2018 will be utilized in study appraisal, as will PRISMA guidelines. Study inclusion consists of studies involving adult Latino subjects with working alliance results as related to symptomology or discussion of working alliance effects on the population. A total of 12 studies met criteria; limitations consisted of the …

Different Paths, Same Destination? Comparison Between Two Approaches To Developing Situational Judgment Tests On Cross Cultural Competency, Xiaowen Chen

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on developing SJTs to measure an individual’s cross-cultural competency, and comparing the two SJT development approaches in terms of development costs, reliability, validity, susceptibility to social desirability, and test-taker reactions. In the first phase, the two 3C SJTs were developed with the model-based approach and the SME-driven approach respectively. In the second phase, data were collected to examine the reliability and validity of the two SJTs. Both 3C SJTs demonstrated acceptable reliability (αSME = .72; αmodel =.70), and convergent to CQS (rSME = .35, p < .01; rmodel = . 24, p < .01). The SJTs psychometric properties were further examined in the third phase, wherein the SJTs displayed similar reliability and were convergent to CQS. Both SJTs predicted satisfaction with overseas life (βSME = .24, p < .01; βmodel = .18, p < .05) and sociocultural adaptability (βSME = -.20, p < .05; βmodel = -.21, p < .05), meanwhile, only having none or small correlation with satisfaction with general life (rSME = .10, n.s. and rmodel = .19, p < .05). The SME-driven SJT outperformed the model-based SJT and CQS in predicting the actual multicultural team performance that was rated by peers (βSME = .26, p < .05; βmodel = - .04, n.s.; βCQs = .01, n.s.). The utility of the two SJT development approaches, implications, future research directions and limitations were discussed in the end.

Determinants Of Safety Outcomes In Organizations: Exploring O*Net Data To Predict Occupational Accident Rates, Lavanya Shravan Kumar

Theses and Dissertations

Workplace safety is of utmost importance given the regular occurrence of both fatal and nonfatal occupational injuries all around the world. Although research in this area is hugely prevalent, it is focused mainly on safety climate and lacks an integrated approach when examining predictors of safety outcomes. The development of an occupational risk factor that predicts safety outcomes will aid in understanding the relative importance of different factors that contribute to safety and help organizations target their safety programs and interventions efficiently. The present study is an exploratory analysis utilizing publicly available O*NET data (work activities, work context features, and …

“Say Something!”: Examining The Bystander In Sexual Harassment, Lida Ponce

Theses and Dissertations

This research addresses the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace. Past research on harassment has primarily investigated the victim and the perpetrator, with limited research on bystanders in these events. However, bystanders can play an important role in the occurrence and outcomes of harassment by speaking up and intervening, particularly when the victim is too intimidated to do so. Therefore, this research examined this issue, focusing on factors influencing bystander intentions to intervene in sexual harassment incidents. Specifically, drawing from the Cognitive-Affective Processing System approach (Mischel & Shoda, 1995), this study investigated the construct of give/take/match (Grant, 2013) as …

Leading Together: Exploring Conditions For Shared Leadership Emergence In Teams, Charles Percy Reed Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Modern workplaces require complex teamwork and leadership behaviors to innovate and achieve their goals effectively. Research has found that one of the best ways to help improve team collaboration and performance is to foster shared leadership across the team members. However, little research has been conducted to determine what factors actually drive the emergence of shared leadership in teams. This archival study examines the possible factors and pathways that lead to shared leadership emerging within teams. The data from sixty-six (66) three-person teams was used. Each team member had to collaborate to successfully complete a simulated spaceship bridge task. Six …

Effects Of Contemplative Practice Applications On Learning With An Adaptive Training System, Melissa Marie Walwanis

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to test the impact of the contemplative practices of guided mindfulness and more traditional mindfulness compared to a standard educational practices control condition, on learning. Guided mindfulness practices are embedded concentrative psychoeducational practices of contingency planning and guided reflection that are systematically sequenced in experiential learning contexts. Traditional mindfulness practices are embodied interoceptive practices such as diaphragmatic breathing, mindfulness meditation, and body scan used in a generalized sense. The control condition standard educational practices include note taking and learning styles. By engaging learners in an embedded psychoeducational practice and embodied interoceptive practices, this study sought to: 1) …

Toward The Development Of A Practitioner-Friendly Delay Tolerance Assessment And Treatment For Typically-Developing Children, Kaitlynn Mary Gokey

Theses and Dissertations

Delay discounting is the decrease in the value of a reinforcer as a function of the delay to the delivery of the reinforcer. Individuals who exhibit steep delay discounting are commonly referred to as ‘impulsive’ and are at a greater risk of behavior problems such as poor academic performance, addiction, and excessive risk-taking. One effective intervention is a concurrent activity, in which the individual must complete a task demand during the waiting period. Rules and rulegoverned behavior also play a critical role in improving delay discounting rates across populations, and may be used as an intervention to promote self-controlled responses. …

Black American Students With And Without Disabilities: Stress And Coping Strategies, Gabriel Asare Sarpong

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined if perceived level of stress for Black /African American students was exacerbated by their disability status. This study also examined the relationship between Africultural coping, minority stressors (racial minority stress, disability related stress) and perceive stress level. 123 students who identified themselves as Black/African American enrolled in two Midwestern universities participated in the online survey of this study (n = 39 with disabilities; n= 84 with no disabilities). Results showed that Black students with disabilities reported higher level of perceived stress compared to those with no disabilities. Racial minority stressors, and societal barrier component of disability related …

Cardiovascular Recovery From Emotional Stress: An Operationalization Of Equanamity Following Mindfulness-Based Emotional Stress, Emma Mcbride

Theses and Dissertations

Theoretical models of mindfulness suggest that meditation may improve health, in part, by regulating stress physiology, including faster recovery of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (SBP/DBP) after emotional stress. Furthermore, improved cardiovascular recovery (CR) may be a marker of equanimity, defined as increased acceptance of and reduced reactivity to stress. No studies have tested this hypothesis, partly because methodology for assessing CR remains controversial. Using a novel operationalization of equanimity and several methods of measuring CR, this project investigated whether (1) equanimity is associated with improved CR, (2) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is associated with improved CR, and (3) …

Peripheral Dopamine 2 Receptors Both Modulate Central Dopamine Release And Adopt In A Similar Manner To That Of Central Dopamine 2 Receptors, J. Daniel Obray

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use disorder is a debilitating disorder affecting nearly 5% of people in the United States. Despite the prevalence of alcohol use disorder few affected individuals seek treatment and of those who do many will relapse. This highlights a need to develop new treatments for alcohol use disorder that are both more accessible and more effective. This dissertation characterizes a novel pathway involved in ethanol enhancement of dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens as well as investigating alterations in dopamine 2 receptor expression and function following an acute dose of ethanol. This was done by using microdialysis to measure dopamine …

What Motives Drive Pornography Consumption, Charlotte R. Esplin

Theses and Dissertations

Pornography use has become widespread and mainstream in American society, with estimates that 60% of men and 35% of women have viewed pornography at some time in the last year. Pornography use has been associated with both positive and negative outcomes depending on the user, and some of these conflicting results may stem from problematic measurement. Using a newly validated measure that assesses frequency, duration, arousal, and deliberate or accidental exposure to seven common types of pornography, we sought to understand if the motivations to view pornography differed depending on biological sex of the user and the type of use …

Spherical Objects Among The Fremont, Emily Crump

Theses and Dissertations

Rounded objects, such as spheroids, are frequently found throughout the Fremont region. Because little information is known about these spheroids, this comprehensive analysis of spheroids contributes to definitions of and variation among Fremont spherical objects. I analyzed over 400 Fremont spheroids recording the size, weight, stone type, and other quantifiable aspects for each spheroid. The provenience of spheroids highlights some of the patterns and variability within the Fremont world. I also compare ethnographic accounts of purposes of spheroids in hopes to develop a better understanding of the function of these objects.

International Marriages: Culture, Identity Formation, Social And Historical Context, Alec Bryan Schaer

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research is to examine how changes in sociopolitical and cultural landscapes affect the cultural and personal identities of individuals engaged in mixed heritage relationships. I examine relationships between Japanese women and American men to illustrate that the wider socio-political contexts of these individuals play key roles in how they view and portray themselves in relation to others; as Japanese, American, both, or neither.

This research is divided into two distinct periods, one before WWII and a second after WWII. For each of these periods, I examined the relevant socio-political and cultural circumstances which affected Japanese and …

Temperament And Aggression: Examining The Link Between A Shy And Inhibited Temperament And Reactive And Proactive Aggression, Samantha L. Croney

Theses and Dissertations

Temperament dimensions of shyness and inhibitory control relate to how a child presents themselves socially in uncertain situations. Although prior research has found evidence linking temperament and aggression, little attention has been given to temperament dimensions of shyness and inhibitory control and the subtypes of aggressive behaviors. This distinction could be crucial as some children may be more likely to use aggression to interact with others due to their shy nature or may act react aggressively in situations that are unfamiliar. The goal of this study was to understand how the temperament dimensions of shyness and inhibitory control and gender …

A Comparison Between General And Special Educators: Elementary Teachers' Efficacy For Teaching Students With Disabilities, Morgan E. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) is a U.S. federal law that promotes an inclusive model of classroom participation. In this model, the goal is that all children, regardless of disability status, learn together while receiving high quality instruction and developing positive social relationships with peers. With the rise of inclusive education, more and more students with disabilities are receiving instruction in the general education classroom. Thus, it is pertinent that general educators feel confident in their abilities to effectively teach students with disabilities. Unfortunately, research has demonstrated that general education teachers have a low sense of teacher efficacy …

Long-Term Opiate-Induced Adaptations In Lateral Paracapsular Neurons Of The Basolateral Amygdala, Sara Jane Werner

Theses and Dissertations

Increases in basolateral amygdala (BLA) activity drive avoidance-seeking behavior that may be associated with stress induced drug seeking. Activity of BLA pyramidal neurons is regulated by local and paracapsular gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) interneurons. The lateral paracapsular interneurons (LPCs) border the external capsule, receive dense cortical/thalamic input and provide feed-forward inhibition onto BLA principle neurons. The GABAergic LPCs also express high concentrations of g-protein coupled µ-opioid receptors (MORs). Therefore, the effects of opiates on LPC activity and local GABA release were examined. Fluorescently double labeled LPCs were observed in glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) 65-mcherry/GAD67-green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic mice. Whole-cell electrophysiology …

Exploring Love In Family Relationships, Joe Meshach Chelladurai

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to qualitatively investigate love in religious family relationships. Participants were from the American Families of Faith Project, a qualitative study on religion and family life with participants from 198 Christian, Jewish, and Muslim families (N = 478) across the United States. The primary research questions of present study were (a) what does love mean for families? (b) why do individuals and couples in families love? (c) how is love experienced? (d) what are the related processes of love? (e) how does religion influence love in religious families? and (f) what are the reported outcomes …

Cognitive Demands Of Mothers Of Young Children In The Presence Of Emotional Distraction, Michelle Duersch

Theses and Dissertations

Stress and parenting often go hand in hand, with high physical and emotional demands from children often coupled with pressures and responsibilities adults bear from work, school, and other involvements outside the home. Parents often prioritize their children's needs above their own physical, emotional, and social needs. While current literature addresses stress in mothers, it has yet to understand under what circumstances her children may modify her stress levels and whether her stress response, in turn, affects cognition. This study seeks to investigate the impact of such a taxing environment on mothers' stress and cognition using a challenging mnemonic discrimination …

Mnemonic Discrimination: Correcting False Memories And Detecting Changes In Time, Nathan M. Muncy

Theses and Dissertations

Two projects are presented in this dissertation. First, we investigated the impact of false memories on the original trace and whether recovery of the original is possible. Second, we tested whether mnemonic discrimination for temporal duration is possible. Both projects incorporated fMRI techniques in order to implicate any potential neural correlates of these memory behaviors. Project One. To elicit false memories and study a potential recovery therefrom, thirty-five healthy, young adults performed multiple recognition memory tests where they were induced to make errors in a first test and then participants were tested again in a surprise, second test. These two …

"Do N'T Stop Believin'"In A Pair Of Socks: How The Sopranos Shapes Our Understanding Of Mental Illness, Adam Richard Brockman

Theses and Dissertations

This study rhetorically analyzed the final season of The Sopranos for its argument about

the nature of psychological depression in several contexts and forms. Consisting of nine

episodes, the final season of the series features pivotal moments in which characters confront the

sources of their depression and respond to them in a variety of ways. The study used both an

intertextual analysis and Burkean frames to provide insight into how the final season argues one

might overcome various forms of depression. It specifically considered depression related to

one’s family experiences, their existential concerns regarding death and spirituality, and their

indulgence …

Priviledge And Place: An Exploratory Study About Healthcare Bypass Behavior, Jorden Elizabeth Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Bypass, or utilizing healthcare outside of one’s community rather than local healthcare, can have serious consequences on rural healthcare availability, quality, and outcomes. Previous studies of the likelihood of healthcare bypass used various individual and community characteristics. This study includes measures for individuals and communities, as well as place-based characteristics. We introduce the social vulnerability of place index (SoVI)—a well-established measure in disaster literature—into healthcare studies to further explain the impact of place on healthcare selection behavior. Additionally, with the use of qualitative data, this study explains why people choose to bypass. By including each of these measures, this study …

In Utero Nutritional Shocks And Non-Cognitive Skills: Evidence From Ramadan Fasting In Indonesia, Timothy M. Kell-Fien

Theses and Dissertations

This paper estimates the effects of prenatal exposure to maternal Ramadan fasting on the development of non-cognitive skills. To study this relationship, I employ a general structural equation model (GSEM) on a sample of Muslims from the fifth wave of the Indonesian Life and Family Survey (IFLS). The results of this study find that in utero exposure to Ramadan is associated with lower levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness, and higher levels of neuroticism. The impacts I find on agreeableness and conscientiousness are driven by third trimester exposure and the sub-sample of women. The impacts on neuroticism are driven by exposure …

The Effects Of Telehealth Training On Parents Of Children With Autism In Albania, Freskida Griffiths

Theses and Dissertations

The present study evaluated telehealth training with parents on techniques for working with their children with autism spectrum disorder in Southeastern Europe. The purpose of this study was to research the effects of telehealth training on the parents and the increase of mands on the children. The participants of this study included three mothers and three children, which totaled six participants. Parents were trained on how to increase functional communication in their child. Telehealth training was based on an effective training package called Behavior Skills Training (BST). BST consist of instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback. The resources needed for the …

Anxiety In Presentational And Interpersonal Oral Tasks Face-To-Face And Online, Angus Leydic

Theses and Dissertations

Within computer mediated communication, there has been a large focus on synchronous and asynchronous text-based methods and how it can be used to help oral proficiency and lower anxiety but very few studies have looked at how audio computer mediated communicative tasks affect anxiety. This study sets out to seek whether using audio computer mediated communication helps lower anxiety for beginner Spanish language students. In order to do so, three research questions are suggested: (1) How do participants’ levels of FLA differ between presentational oral tasks completed in the classroom and presentational tasks completed in an online interface? (2) How …

Role-Differentiated Bimanual Manipulations Efficiency: The Difference In Speed For Rdbms Based On Age, Toy-Type, And Infant Hand Preference, Sarai Mikal Cortina

Theses and Dissertations

Role-differentiated bimanual manipulation (RDBM) is a complex behavior requiring the complementary movement of two hands to achieve a common goal. The current study investigated the relation of RDBM efficiency (speed to complete a successful RDBM) with hand preference, toy type (simple/difficult), age, and hand used to perform the RDBM. This study observed 46 infants between the ages of 9 to 14 months, each with a different hand preference category. Changes in RDBM efficiency across time were examined across different hand preference groups for RDBMs performed on simple toys using the right hand. The analysis revealed that early-right preference infants had …

Identity Centrality's Influence On The Relation Between Disclosure And Mental Health Stigma, Samantha Ege

Theses and Dissertations

Past research has shown that disclosing one’s mental illness to another individual has reduced one’s feelings of self-stigma. However, there are gaps concerning the reasons why the act of disclosing for some decreases self-stigma, whereas the act of disclosing increases self-stigma in others. This study purported to fill this gap by investigating the influence of identity centrality on the relation between disclosure and self-stigma and positive regard’s moderation of identity centrality’s influence. Students from Illinois State University were recruited through e-mail and SONA and were asked to complete a series of questionnaires regarding distress, disclosure, identity, positive affect, and self-stigma. …

Physical Therapists Perceptions Of Patient Adherence And Strategies For Facilitating Motivation, Teadora Markovski

Theses and Dissertations

Physical therapists (PTs) are professionally required to undertake a comprehensive examination of their patients and provide consultation within their expertise, yet also have the task to motivate patients to adhere to therapy. Self-determined motivation, as a positive predictor of treatment adherence, can be facilitated by promoting patient autonomy, competence and relatedness. However, a greater understanding is needed of the context specific strategies PT’s can use to facilitate motivation. The purpose of this study is to explore physical therapists’ (PT)s perceptions of the factors affecting patient motivation, strategies and methods to facilitate adherence, and strategies used to satisfy patients basic needs …

Remote Sensing And Social Sensing For Improved Flood Awareness And Exposure Analysis In The Big Data Era, Xiao Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Floods are among the most devastating hazards on Earth, posing great threats to a large amount of population in the world. As the severity and frequency of flood events have noticeably increased, there is a growing need to improve the flood awareness and exposure analysis to assist flood mitigation. Fortunately, the Era of Big Data has fostered many innovative spatial data sources as well as spatial data analytics. This dissertation advances the existing flood monitoring studies by obtaining enhanced flood awareness via the development of a data fusion enable and deep learning supported flood monitoring framework that systematically integrates remotely …

The Dark Triad Predicted By Belief In Determinism And Objectification, Rachel Boros

Theses and Dissertations

While philosophers and psychologists continue to debate the existence of free will without reaching any consensus, recent attention has shifted to the matter of the consequences of belief in free will, or belief in the alternative, determinism. Proponents of the latter position argue that human behavior is the result of causal forces, which implies a lack of autonomy in decision-making and inevitability (Paulhus & Carey, 2011). Recent research has found consequences of belief in determinism that include the promotion of undesirable behavior and undermining of moral behavior (Vohs & Schooler, 2008), impulsive and selfish responses demonstrated through aggression (Baumeister, Masicampo, …

Oops I Drank It Again: Predictors Of Emerging Adults’ Unplanned Drinking, Ashley Rose Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Heavy alcohol consumption in college increases risk for sexual assault, decreases academic performance, and can lead to future development of alcohol-related problems or negative developmental outcomes. Given these potential negative consequences, it is critical to investigate ways emerging adults at colleges are using and abusing alcohol. Previous research has shown that unplanned drinking is related to negative outcomes; therefore, examining predictors of unplanned drinking is important for determining at-risk groups. The current study investigated variables that are established predictors of alcohol use and misuse in emerging adults, including impulsivity, caregiver problem drinking, and age of onset alcohol use. These variables …