Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Identity Discrepancy, Male Role Norms, And Mental And Physical Health, Daniel Kevin Mckelvey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Male gender role norms were considered from a self-discrepancy perspective. The male gender role was divided into 4 perspective domain combinations based on the participant's perceptions: self-ideal/ought, other-ideal/ought, self-actual, other-actual. These categories were assessed using an adapted form of the Male Role Norms Inventory-Revised (Levant et al., 2007). It was hypothesized that large discrepancies between the perspective domains in a male's gender role concept would be significantly related to depression, anxiety, and lower general health quality, and this relationship would be moderated by the centrality of the perspective domains to the participant's gender role concept and by the centrality of …

Assessing The Effect Of Relocation Control On Psychological Well-Being Of Assisted Living Residents, Young Sook Kim

Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Recent evidence and prior research document that increasing numbers of older adults are experiencing relocation to an assisted living facility (ALF), and that involuntary ALF relocatees face a great risk of psychological distress because of the numerous stressors associated with this relocation. However, little empirical research has clearly investigated the interrelationship among major factors and their effects on the psychological well-being of AL residents: relocation control, mediators of stress (e.g., social support, self-reported health, and functional impairment) and psychological well-being.

This study had two aims: (a) to investigate the relationship between relocation control and psychological well-being (e.g., depression, …

State Anxiety And High-Risk Developmental Influences On Laboratory-Provoked Aggression, Samantha L. Chase

Theses and Dissertations

Recent literature has identified a subtype of anxious people who appear to be at risk for aggression as opposed to inhibited and withdrawn as might otherwise be predicted among anxious individuals. While physical aggression is not typically associated with anxiousness, the current study examined the effect of both state and trait anxiety and other development factors on laboratory-provoked aggression in males.

Participants (N = 56) were randomly assigned to anxiety induction and control groups. An attempts was made to induce anxiety using a videotapes speech procedure. Several self-report measures were completed to gather developmental information such as history of aggressiveness, …

A Narrative Inquiry Exploring How College Communication Professors Engage Students With Public Speaking Apprehensions, Derek Riedel

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover how communication professors at four-year private universities help students who exhibit public speaking apprehension (PSA) learn to cope with their anxiety. The research was framed in the narrative inquiry paradigm, interviewing eight college communication professors about their experiences working with public speaking students. Each of the eight professors worked at private universities in a large southwest metropolitan city. The researcher attempted to gather critical incidents that shed light on valuable learning experiences that could be useful to professors looking for ways to help reduce their students' PSA. The researcher found three …

Does Practice Make Perfect? Effects Of Practice And Coaching On Interview Performance, Katherine Williams

All Dissertations

This study examined the incremental effectiveness of interview practice and feedback on candidates' interview performance. In addition, interviewee anxiety, impression management behaviors, and core self-evaluation were considered as intervening variables between the training manipulations and interview performance. In this experimental design, participants were assigned to one of three groups: the control group, the interview practice group, and the coaching group that received practice plus feedback from a counselor. Employer representatives evaluated subsequent interview performance within a final mock interview.
Hypotheses predicting differential effects of interview training on interview performance ratings were partially supported and relationships were discovered among additional variables. …

Perceived Anxiety Control And The Contribution Of Gender In Social Anxiety Symptoms Within Latinos, Delia Yazmin Villarreal

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study examined the severity of social anxiety symptoms and levels of perceived anxiety control in a Latino sample. It explored how perceived control, over anxiety-provoking events and reactions to those events, contributed to social anxiety symptoms of social interaction fears and performance fears. Potential gender effects were also examined. Gender differences for fear of performance and for levels of perceived anxiety control were found. However, no gender difference was found for social interaction fears. In general, men reported higher levels of perceived anxiety control than women. Low perceived anxiety control significantly correlated with higher social interaction fears and performance …

Anxiety Symptoms, Parent Anxiety And Functional Impairment In Pediatric Cardiology Patients With Noncardiac Chest Pain And Benign Cardiac Complaints, Cassandra Jo Mcdonnell

Dissertations

Chest pain is regularly encountered in pediatric medical settings. Because of the popular association of chest pain with coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction adults, it is often frightening for both patients and parents. However, up to 88% of pediatric chest pain patients receive no medical explanation for their pain. Chest discomfort in the absence of medical explanation that is characterized by no more than one typical angina symptom is classified as non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP). This study examined parent anxiety, child anxiety and chest pain related functional impairment in a sample of pediatric patients with NCCP in comparison to …

The Effects Of Neonatal Immune System Activation With Lipopolysaccharide On Adolescent And Adult Anxiety Behaviours In Male And Female Rats, Alina Zaltzman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The present study examined the effects of neonatal (postnatal days 3 and 5) acute immune system activation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on adolescent and adult anxiety behaviours. The major findings suggest that neonatal LPS does not have general long-lasting effects on adolescent anxiety and locomotor behaviours. Rather, early endotoxin treatment has highly specific effects on certain anxiety behaviours that vary depending on the development period. Moreover, neonatal LPS does not seem to influence adult voluntary and non-voluntary locomotor activity or anhedonia, independent of, or in response to, an adult immune challenge. Finally, sex differences were observed in various responses in adulthood, …

Individual Differences In Temperament And Cognitive Biases In Middle Childhood: Vulnerability To Internalizing Psychopathology, Patricia L. Jordan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A multi-trait multi-method study was conducted exploring associations between individual differences in child temperament and cognitive vulnerability for depression and anxiety. Two-hundred and five 7-year-old children and their parents participated. Low positive emotionality and high negative emotionality predicted a depressogenic attributional style as well as attentional biases for positive and sad stimuli. Individual differences in child fearfulness were also associated with attentional biases to threat-related information. Associations between child cognitive vulnerability and parental history of depression and anxiety were also explored, as well as associations between child internalizing symptoms and (1) child temperament and (2) cognitive vulnerability. Paternal, but not …

The Relation Between Cognitive Inflexibility And Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Traits In Adults: Depression And Anxiety As Potential Mediators, Lakenya Deberry

Honors Theses

The current study quantitatively examined the relation between cognitive inflexibility and obsessive-compulsive personality traits and also examined whether depression and anxiety were mediators of that relation. A total of 56 individuals, ages 18 to 40, participated in the study and were recruited from the undergraduate and graduate student body of The University of Southern Mississippi as well as other participants from the University community. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on measures of cognitive inflexibility (Cognitive Flexibility Scale; CFS), depression and anxiety (Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale; DASS), and obsessive-compulsive personality traits (Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire; PDQ-4). It was hypothesized that cognitive inflexibility …

Examining Differences In Stress Symptoms Based On Sexual Orientation, Ashley Danielle Dickson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined stress symptoms in relation to self-identified sexual orientation and identity-related constructs among gays and lesbians. Multiple identity constructs have played a significant role in determining anxiety levels in ethnic minorities but have not been examined among gays and lesbians. Secondary data analysis was conducted on a sample of participants who completed an online survey "Study of Attitudes about Sexual Orientation." Results indicated homosexuals reported higher levels of public and self-stigma and lower public regard than heterosexuals. Additionally, higher self-stigma and lower private regard about sexual orientation were related to increased stress. Finally, gays and lesbians reported …

The Sounds Of Anxiety: A Quantitative Study Of Music Therapy And Anxiety, Rebecca Zarate

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

Anxiety can be a minor and brief experience for some; for others it can be a life long debilitating struggle. In the United States, many people are not treated for anxiety but experience it on a daily basis. Current theory suggests that anxiety is an emotional and affective response to perceived danger that can lead to isolative, erratic, and avoidant behaviors. Anxiety is also recognized as a unique individual set of experiences that are difficult to explain and treat. This study explored individual responses to music therapy clinical improvisation and anxiety symptoms. The researcher determined if co-created improvised music between …

The Use Of Self-Service Technologies In Stress Management: A Pilot Project, Carissa Morris

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

This research describes a pilot program created to help St. Catherine University’s Associate nursing students receive education regarding stress management and practice relaxation techniques. The program was developed using three key elements: 1) practicing a variety of relaxation and mindfulness techniques 2) practicing these techniques through the use of self-service technologies, and 3) participating in group sessions where psychoeducation regarding stress, depression and anxiety was provided.

Six participants completed the stress management program. They practiced breathwork, mindfulness and guided imagery exercises through podcasts and apps on internet-capable, mobile devices. Results showed decreases in stress and anxiety levels among participants. Additional …

Impact Of Mbsr On Symptoms Of Anxiety, Stress, And On The Degree Of Mindfulness, Maureen Rivord

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Anxiety and stress are felt by millions of people in the United States, and when experienced at high levels they can leave a debilitating impact, including both physical and mental health concerns. The purpose of this research project was to explore the impact of a mindfulness course, specifically Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, on voluntary participants’ reported symptoms of anxiety and stress levels. The 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course took place in a mid-sized Midwestern city. Using quantitative methods the 10 voluntary participants were given a pre- and post-test survey where the participants reported their anxiety, stress, and mindfulness levels before and …

Primary Care Provider Management Of Anxiety And Depression In Palliative Patients, Colette Zunk

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Anxiety and depression are common psychological experiences in patients who have advanced disease and are often unrecognized and undertreated. This study examined how primary care providers assess, identify and treat anxiety and depression in patients who have advanced disease, as well as to illustrate to what extent social work and mental health services are currently being utilized to address these psychological issues. Primary care providers at two rural clinics in Northern Wisconsin were invited to participate in this study, including Family Practice and Internal Medicine Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who provide primary care to patients, including patients who …

An Examination Of Perceived Stress Levels And Coping Styles Among Rural Law Enforcement Officers, Marcos Luis Misis

Dissertations

Policing is a very stressful job. Despite the extensive body of research on police stress, the majority of studies have focused solely on officers within urban police departments. Research on stress within rural law enforcement departments is virtually non-existent even though the majority of police agencies in America serve towns and areas under 50,000 residents.

This study had four main goals: (1) to examine how work-related stress affects the levels of perceived stress, anxiety, and depression for rural law enforcement officers; (2) to explore the specific stressors affecting rural law enforcement officers; (3) to investigate how rural law enforcement officers …

The Influence Of Parent Factors On Child Perfectionism: A Cross-Sectional Study, Lisa Caitlin Cook

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Perfectionism is a multidimensional construct that affects adults and children and is associated with psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsiveness. Studies regarding risk factors for perfectionism are scarce but extant research and theories suggest parents may be involved in the development of perfectionism in children. The present study included 160 children aged 8-17 years (67 males, 93 females) and their parents. The study examined child perfectionism across five age groups (8-9 years, 10-11 years, 12-13 years, 14-15 years, 16-17 years) as well as relationships between parent and child perfectionism and between parent psychopathology and child perfectionism. Self-oriented …

Assessing Deployment Risk And Resiliency Factors And The Adjustment Outcomes Of Police Officers Serving In Operation Iraqi Freedom And Operation Enduring Freedom, Paula Barrows

Theses and Dissertations

ASSESSING DEPLOYMENT RISK AND RESILIENCY FACTORS AND THE ADJUSTMENT OUTCOMES OF POLICE OFFICERS SERVING IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM By Paula Barrows Davenport, MS A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2012 Director: Dr. Janet R. Hutchinson Professor and Chair of the Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies The goal of this exploratory study was to evaluate risk and resiliency factors from the Deployment Risk and Resiliency Inventory (DRRI) in predicting post-deployment adjustment outcomes among police officers who served in …

Don't Worry....Be Happy: The Influence Of Parental Anxiety On Adolescent Self-Esteem, Holly Olson Coutts

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to explore the direct and indirect influences of both paternal and maternal anxiety on adolescent self-esteem as mediated by parental criticism and autonomy allowance. Participants included 331 parent-child triads with a child between the ages of 12 and 15 from the Flourishing Families Project. Findings suggested that maternal anxiety had a significant negative influence on adolescent self-esteem while paternal anxiety did not. Also, the influence of maternal anxiety on adolescent self-esteem was carried directly rather than indirectly through autonomy allowance and parental criticism; however, this influence was only significant prior to adolescent gender …

Perceived Need Of Mental Health Care Identified Residents, Administrators, And Direct Care Staff Of An Assisted Living Facility , Clarissa Nicole Gayer

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

No abstract provided.

Exploring Reaction Time Differences To Aggression Words As A Function Of Attachment Related Avoidance And Anxiety, Stephanie L. Johnson

ETD Archive

A previous study using an Emotional Stroop task (EST) and a Visual Lexical Decision task (VLDT) determined that threat-related subliminal primes (for participantshigh in attachment anxiety) 1) heightened accessibility of representations of attachment figures, and 2) inhibited attachment representations (high attachment avoidance) whenthe threat prime was the word separation. The current study also used both tasks (EST and VLDT) to explore differences in reaction time (RT) without a subliminal prime for neutral, physical, and relational aggressive words as a function of attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety. Results showed that for the EST, higher avoidance reflected slower RTs to physical aggression …

Stigma And Knowledge: A Questionnaire And Literature Review, Melissa L. Pierce

ETD Archive

The main purpose of this study is to show a link between lack of knowledge about mental illness and stigmatizing attitudes towards those with mental illnesses. The first hypothesis, that stigma would be correlated with a lack of knowledge about mental illnesses was confirmed. The majority of results indicate that more knowledge about mental illness in general or about anxiety and/or schizophrenia is associated with less stigmatizing or negative attitudes. Some results didn't support the first hypothesis and these results show that some negative or stigmatizing responses were associated with more estimated knowledge about schizophrenia and/or anxiety.The second hypothesis was …

Death Anxiety Amongst Medical Facility Staff Working With Medically Fragile Individuals, Jacqueline Anne Chambers-Klein

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Death, an inevitable concept that connects us as humans, can cause significant anxiety in individuals. Literature suggests that some medical professionals choose the field because of their own inner struggles with death (Neimeyer et al., 2004). Archival interview data were utilized in this action- oriented research to explore the notion of death anxiety in professionals who are working with medically fragile children. Twenty-six employees were individually interviewed at a residential medical facility. Additionally, a retrospective journal was utilized to understand the author’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences during internship. In order to examine the potential categories and themes that the author …

The Relationship Of Age, Gender, Temperament And Cumulative Risk To Psychopathology In Children And Adolescents, Nancy Kumari Gajee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Several factors have been associated with psychiatric problems in children and adolescents. There is mounting evidence that intrinsic factors such as age, gender and temperament interact with environmental factors in ways that may result in psychopathology. Few studies have examined these factors together to determine how well they predict diagnostic category in a clinic-referred population. This study investigated the roles of three broad temperament dimensions--effortful control (EC), negative affectivity (NA) and positive affectivity (PA)--along with gender, age, and cumulative risk in the prediction of psychiatric diagnosis in children and adolescents. Psychopathology was examined categorically, across four categories as outlined in …

Quality Of Life In Adult Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: The Role Of Moderating And Mediating Variables, Brittany Belle Speisman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: This study examined the contribution of various aspects of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) on quality of life (QoL) in 102 adults with a principal diagnosis of OCD from an archival database. Method: Participants were assessed for DSM-IV diagnoses by trained clinicians using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule, 4th Edition (ADIS-IV), the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), and an unstructured interview. Further information was attained using the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory Revised (OCI-R) and the Medical Outcome Study-36 (MOS-36). Results: Results indicated that obsessive-compulsive symptom severity was positively correlated with diminished emotional health, social …

The Moderating Effect Of Autism Symptomology On The Relationship Of Cognitive And Adaptive Functioning With Anxiety Symptoms In Infants And Toddlers, Robert D. Rieske

LSU Master's Theses

Anxiety disorders have been shown to have a high prevalence rate in the general population and the prevalence in those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is even higher. The detection, diagnosis, and implementation of an early intervention program for these disorders are crucial to the developmental outcome for such individuals. Researchers have shown how cognitive and adaptive functioning are related and affect anxiety symptoms in children as well as the high comorbidity with ASD. The aim of this study was to confirm those relationships, using scores from the BISCUIT-Part 2 (anxiety symptomology) and the BDI-II (Cognitive and Adaptive Developmental Quotient), …

Development And Validation Of The Adolescent Thought Control Questionnaire (Tcq-A), Reanna (Sara) Elise Whiting

LSU Master's Theses

Despite receiving widespread attention in the adult literature, virtually no information about the effects of thought suppression currently exists using a developmental psychopathology perspective in adolescents. The current study describes the development and preliminary validation of The Adolescent Thought Control Questionnaire, a self-report measure of thought suppression strategy use among adolescents. A principal factor analysis revealed an identical factor structure to the adult Thought Control Questionnaire (Wells & Davies, 1994) and included subscales measuring Distraction, Reappraisal, Social, Worry, and Punishment strategies. Adequate evidence of internal and test-retest reliability was obtained. The TCQ-A evidenced strong validity when tested for relations to …