Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Cyclical Patterns Of Self-Regulated Learning In College Students, David N. Longhurst

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Zimmerman’s self-regulated learning (SRL) model is a cyclical approach to learning where learners use several processes to facilitate learning or to perform a skill within many domains. Zimmerman’s model describes three phases including forethought, performance, and self-reflection, which occur respectively before, during, and after a task. Theoretically, these phases interact in a cyclical feedback loop in which a person cognitively interacts with a task before, during, and after the activity and continuously do so independently. This model has been the basis for several school-based intervention programs. Those programs have been studied regarding academic outcomes and efficacy; however, less research has …

Covid-19 Pandemic And College Students’ Mental Health: Vulnerability And Resilience Factors, Jensyn Morrison

Masters Theses

The world became quickly and suddenly consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020. Topics such as stay-at-home orders, isolation from society, and social distancing became trending discussion themes in news coverage and daily conversations. The present study aimed to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of college students. Specifically, a total of 123 students from a rural Midwest university and an urban Southeast university in the United States participated in an online survey that assessed COVID-19-related vulnerability and resilience factors (e.g., employment status, living situation, religious beliefs, previous diagnosis, and vaccination status of individuals) …

Initial Development And Psychometric Evaluation Of The Mental Health Optimization Checklist (Mhoc), Raymond E. López

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: The Mental Health Optimization Checklist (MHOC) is a proposed measure which utilizes the theory of optimization science to improve mental health outcomes. Psychopathology is typically viewed dichotomously (i.e., does or does not have a disorder) or through cut-off criterion (i.e., 4 out of 5 symptoms, total scores), whereas optimization views psychopathology on a continuum on which patients can optimize factors impacting their mental health. Optimization theory is important for reducing stigma around mental health treatment and the MHOC offers itself as an informative psycho-diagnostic tool.

Methods: An undergraduate student sample (n = 682) completed the MHOC and the Symptom …

Sleep Savvy Student Solutions Blog, Cassandra M. Hinnenkamp

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

This service-learning capstone project, Sleep Savvy Student Solutions Blog, addressed the prevalent issue of insufficient quality sleep among college students. Through this blog, the goal is to educate students about the importance of quality sleep and its direct impact on academic success. By providing valuable insights into the connection between sleep and academic performance, practical recommendations and strategies are offered to help college students achieve better sleep. The project is aimed to empower students with knowledge and tools to optimize their sleep patterns, ultimately contributing to improved overall well-being and academic achievements. A follow-up survey was sent to the blog …

Ableism, Ableist Microaggressions, And Psychological Thriving: A Mixed-Methods Study Of College Students With Physical Disabilities, Tonya Barnhill Dawsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microaggressions are daily insults to individuals that communicate messages of exclusion, inferiority, and abnormality. The term microaggression was originally used to explain the experiences of racial minorities. This term has also been used to explain the experiences of other individuals with oppressed identities. More recently, the term ableist microaggression has been used to describe these types of experiences for individuals with disabilities. Like other oppressed groups, individuals with disabilities experience ableism through interpersonal discrimination which is often delivered in a subtle, ambiguous, and unintentional manner that is difficult to address. Qualitative studies in the field of education and disability studies …

Mental Health Literacy And Attitudes Toward Mental Health Help-Seeking Among College Students Of Non-Mental Health Professions, Hannah Metz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

College students who do not study mental health-related topics are a population that are particularly susceptible to mental health problems due to the stress of higher education and potential lack of mental health literacy. If this population has low levels of mental health literacy, they may not recognize a need to seek help and may be influenced against seeking help due to perceived negative stigma. This study sought to measure the level of mental health literacy among this subpopulation, as well as their attitudes toward seeking help for mental health issues by using a survey questionnaire which included two instruments …

Effects Of Personalized Aerobic-Exercise And Resistance-Training Prescriptions On College Students With Anxiety During The Covid-19, Yuanhui Zhao, Wenxing Wang, Fang Gao, Bowen Cui, Chun Hu, Wenlang Yu, Mengdie Wang, Hong Ren

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously increased anxiety prevalence among the public, including Chinese college students. However, many exercises cannot be performed as usual under the stay-at-home order. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of personalized individual aerobic-exercise and resistance-training prescriptions on anxiety in college students during the COVID-19. This was a 12-week three-arm randomized control trial using the intention-to-treat principle. Sixty-six college students with anxiety were recruited and randomized into aerobic-exercise (AE), resistance-training (RT), and health-education group (HE). AE and RT groups also received health education. Measures on anxiety and physical activity included Zung …

The Association Between Survivors’ Guilt And Gratitude In The Belongingness Of Refugee College Students, Mehwish Safdar

Undergraduate Research Posters

Many refugees experience significant stress and trauma before relocating to their host country (Leo, 2021) and often encounter new challenges when adapting to their unfamiliar environment. Refugee college students, who are often the first in their families to attend college, face additional pressure to excel academically to give back to their families and host country (Turjanmaa & Jasinskaja-Lahti, 2020). Despite prior research on refugee individuals, little work has focused on refugee college students. This study aimed to address this gap by examining the relationships between survivors’ guilt, gratitude, indebtedness, and belongingness in 16 refugee university students. Specifically, the study investigated …

Effects Of Peer-Supported And Self-Guided Exercise On Self-Reported Anxiety And Depression Among Young Adults - A Pilot Study, Xihe Zhu, Michael D. Kostick, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression became heightened issues for college-aged young adults during the global pandemic. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a peer-supported exercise intervention on young adults (vs. self-guided exercise) who reported elevated levels of anxiety and/or depression. A parallel group design was used where young adults (n = 27) were randomly assigned to either a peer-supported or self-guided exercise group which lasted for eight weeks. The generalized anxiety and depression subscales of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS-34) were measured for a baseline and then at …

The Silent Secret: College Instructors’ Nonverbal Behavior And Its Correlation With Student Immediacy, Jared Van Fujishin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative research study focuses on the relationship between college teachers’ nonverbal communication behaviors and the influence that those behaviors have on college students’ perception of immediacy. Understanding the factors of immediacy, or trust and rapport with another, is imperative for educators as the current literature suggests that how students feel toward their instructors plays a role in the retention or attrition of students. Although nonverbal communication is only one part of a complex set of variables that go into the equation of student retention, it is an important aspect of the equation to study because nonverbal communication is constantly …

A Discourse Analysis On The Importance Of Outdoor Recreation For Latinx First-Generation College Students Attending California Polytechnic Humboldt, Juan Anzada

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Historically, marginalized groups, including people of color and those from low socioeconomic populations, have been at a disadvantage in accessing outdoor recreation on public lands. This project explores whether this phenomenon is mirrored in undergraduate student populations, specifically within Latinx first-generation college students. This project had a sample size of twenty undergraduate students who identified as first-generation Latinx students attending Cal Poly Humboldt. Utilizing a semi-structured interview, participants were presented with survey questions which were intended to elicit their response on how the natural environment and their participation in the environment through outdoor recreation were significant factors in their decision …

Cross-Country Differences In Stay-At-Home Behaviors During Peaks In The Covid-19 Pandemic In China And The United States: The Roles Of Health Beliefs And Behavioral Intention, Wei Hong, Ru-De Liu, Yi Ding, Jacquenline Hwang, Jia Wang, Yi Yang

Covid-19 Digital Research

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rapidly escalated to a global pandemic. To control the rate of transmission, governments advocated that the public practice social distancing, which included staying at home. However, compliance with stay-at-home orders has varied between countries such as China and the United States, and little is known about the mechanisms underlying the national differences. Based on the health belief model, the theory of reasoned action, and the technology acceptance model, health beliefs and behavioral intention are suggested as possible explanations. A total of 498 Chinese and 292 American college students were recruited to complete an online …

The Roles Of Identity Formation And Moral Identity In College Student Mental Health, Health-Risk Behaviors, And Psychological Well-Being, Sam A. Hardy, Stephen W. Francis, Byron L. Zamboanga, Su Yeong Kim, Spencer G. Anderson, Larry F. Forthun

Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study examined the roles of identity formation and moral identity in predicting college student mental health (anxiety and depressive symptoms), health-risk behaviors (hazardous alcohol use and sexual risk taking), and psychological well-being (self-esteem and meaning).

Method: The sample comprised 9,500 college students (aged 18–25 years, mean = 19.78, standard deviation = 1.61: 73% female; 62% European American), from 31 different universities, who completed an online self-report survey. Results: Structural equation models found that identity maturity (commitment making and identity synthesis) predicted 5 of the health outcomes (except sexual risk taking), and moral identity predicted ail of the health …

Understanding College Student Emotional Functioning During Covid-19, Dominique Marie Giroux

Theses and Dissertations

The novel coronavirus has resulted in mass infection and death. To prevent spread of the virus, colleges and universities shut down and transitioned to remote learning, which mandated all college students to leave residential housing and relocate to a permanent address. Previous literature suggests college students who experienced housing displacement due to a natural disaster reported heightened distress and poorer overall functioning (Davis, Grills-Taquechel, & Ollendick, 2010). Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, college student mental health was deemed a public health concern, however, it is expected to worsen following the outbreak (Galea, Merchant, & Lurie, 2020). Researchers suggest peer support …

Links Of Personality Traits To Media Multitasking: Conscientiousness Predicts Mobile Phone Use In The College Classroom, Masa Toyama, Yusuke Hayashi

Psychology Faculty Research

The present study investigated the relation among mobile phone use in the college classroom and Big Five personality traits, which had not been addressed in previous research. Undergraduate students (83 males and 92 females) whose average age was 20 (SD = 5.1) completed questionnaires on demographic characteristics, mobile phone use, impulse control, and Big Five personality traits. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine whether each personality trait made a unique contribution in predicting mobile phone use in the classroom after taking into consideration the contribution of impulse control in this prediction. The results show that impulse control and …

Self-Efficacy Of College Students With A Learning Disability During Freshman Year, Nicole Renee Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe current study sought to understand the phenomena of educational programming and academic self-efficacy. The conceptual framework for this study was based on social cognitive theories of academic self-efficacy and motivation. This qualitative study used interpretive phenomenological analysis to gain a broader understanding of experiences of academic self-efficacy and motivation in college students diagnosed with a specific learning disability. Ten participants were recruited with snowball sampling and semi-structured interviews were conducted to guide this research study. Results of this research support additional analysis as necessary to close the gaps presented in the college transition and campus life of students with …

Evaluating Level Of Specificity And Discrepancy Of Normative Referents In Relation To Personal Condom Use Among College Students, Madison Firkey

Theses - ALL

Few evidence-based interventions have effectively increased college students’ condom use. There is a large literature supporting the efficacy of alcohol normative feedback interventions, components of which may be useful for the development of condom promotion interventions. While normative feedback interventions traditionally provide feedback associated with a typical student referent, more socially proximal referents may exert a greater influence over behavior compared to distal referents. However, developing discrepancy between perceived and actual norms is also essential for such interventions, and the greatest discrepancy is generated when a distal referent is utilized. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine which …

Analisis Asosiasi Merek Iphone Pada Mahasiswa Vokasi Ui Di Masa Pandemi, Arius Krypton

Jurnal Administrasi Bisnis Terapan

This article highlights the integrated marketing communication strategy used by Iphone as a premium smartphone brand facing the competition with other brand during the pandemic.This research will discuss how Iphone is associated by its customer. The theory used on this research is consumer based research by Heding, Knudtzen and Mogens. In depth interviews took place to several Iphone users Vokasi UI college students as a data collecting method. All informants associated the Iphone brand not only for its high price but also from its product quality, shape, features, user experience and symbolic meaning are the result of this research. Consumer …

The Relationship Between Multifaceted Motivational Factors And Academic Achievement, Sandra Luann Beasley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has yet to reach the White House’s 2020 goal of attaining the top international ranking in college degree attainment among young adults. Researchers have investigated the academic performance variables associated with timely degree attainment for first-year college students. Prior research has indicated that poorly motivated students are likely to struggle academically, experience academic stress, and drop out of school. However, it remains unknown which types of motivation significantly affect academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to better understand which Reiss basic desires of motivation predict undergraduate academic achievement. An additional purpose of this study was …

First Generation African American College Student-Athletes And Their Lived Experiences, Ikenna Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

First-generation African American male student-athletes are faced with challenges when attending a four-year institution of higher education. Many of these individuals are leaving their family and hometown for the first time, which can cause them to feel lonely and as if they are an impostor. Using the imposter syndrome lens as the conceptual framework, this case study sought to understand the experiences of first-generation African American male student-athletes at a primarily Caucasian NCAA Division III campus. Three participants responded to recruitment flyer for the face to face interviews. Themes derived from the analysis of individual interviews with 3 participants and …

College Students With Physical Disabilities: An Exploratory Investigation Within Counselor Education, Adam Tolbert Wall

Dissertations

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2017a), there are over 19 million students who are currently enrolled in institutions of higher education. For the past 40 years, the number of students with disabilities attending colleges and universities has grown exponentially (NCES, 2017b). There is an abundance of research regarding many aspects of the experience of college students with a physical disability across social science, medical, and education literature; however, research targeted specifically at general counseling practitioners, counselor educators, and college counselors is relatively limited.

The purpose of this investigation was to study the inner lives of a …

Tacting Of Function In College Student Mental Health: An Online And App-Based Approach To Psychological Flexibility, Benjamin Pierce

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mental and emotional health concerns among college students are prevalent and diverse in their symptom presentations. With increasing demands on counseling centers to provide efficient care and to address students with higher acuity or risk for harm, there has been an increased focus on identifying therapeutic targets that underlie a wide breadth of concerns to broaden the scope and impact of mental health services. Psychological inflexibility is one such target and refers to a combination of excessive avoidance of internal experiences coupled with a lack of actions that align with a person’s values. Interventions for psychological inflexibility aim to support …

How Does Alcohol Intoxication Impair Risk Detection Of Sexual Assault? Testing An Integration Of Alcohol Myopia And Social Information Processing Theories, Alexander James Melkonian

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sexual assault among young adults is a highly prevalent public health concern. Alcohol is often implicated as a risk factor for sexual assault through its impairing effects on an individual’s ability to process and respond to social cues in the environment. The effect of alcohol myopia can result in greater focus of attention on salient environmental cues. The relationship between alcohol intoxication and resulting behavior may depend on what type of information is most salient. The current study examined the effects of alcohol on social information processing as it relates to sexual assault risk detection. Method: Participants were 48 young …

Meditation As An Intervention To Help College Students Cope With Stress, Marissa Bottos

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

According to the American College Health Association (ACHA) (2017), in a survey of 31,463 students, 31.7% stated that stress negatively impacts their academic performance (lower grades, dropped course, etc.). Additionally, 45.1% of the students stated they have more than average stress levels. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to determine if mindfulness meditation was effective in helping college students cope with stress. Based on current evidence, Jon Kabat-Zinn’s online application for mindfulness meditation is supported as an effective way to help college students cope with stress (Regehr et al. 2013; Yusufov et al. 2018; Cavanagh et al. …

The Effects Of Stress Mindset Interventions On University Students' Health And Functioning, Abigail Fate

Undergraduate Honors Papers

In modern society, the overwhelming cultural narrative proclaims that stress is detrimental to health and should be limited and avoided at all costs. However, recent research has demonstrated that it is one’s stress mindset, rather than their stress level, that determines the psychological and physiological outcomes. Mindsets are lenses that simplify and order the world, and have been proven to influence daily behavioral and physiological responses to create cascading effects. Recent research has demonstrated that one’s mindset about stress is the demining factor in health, performance, and productivity in response to stressful conditions, and that these mindsets can be manipulated …

Meeting “The One” At Midnight Is Your Destiny: The Role Of Yuan In Use Of The Taiwanese Social Network, Dcard, Wen-Yueh Shu

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examines how Taiwanese college students understand the traditional, culturally Chinese concept of Yuan and its role in their use of a new and distinctive Taiwanese social networking site—Dcard. Particular attention is paid to the Dcard’s unique friending mechanism, which provides users the opportunity to connect (or not) with one, seemingly random new friend each day at midnight. Through thematic analysis of 15 semi-structured long interviews, the study finds that Dcard users understand Yuan as a multi-faceted concept pertaining primarily to interpersonal relationships (relationalism). Users perceive Yuan to influence relationships in a predetermined, causal fashion (fatalism), but they still …

Perceived Effects Of Learning Disabilities On College Students, Samantha E. Penta

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceived effects of learning disabilities on college students, as well as the barriers faced during the transition into postsecondary education. The sample was composed of 37 undergraduate students reporting a learning disability diagnosis. A questionnaire was distributed to explore several factors; including university accommodations, barriers to academic success, and perceived stigma on campus. Participants over the age of 18 reporting a learning disability were included in the study. Approximately one-quarter of participants reported the presence of a learning disability, however, the majority of these students denied receiving academic accommodations from their …

First Semester Academic Functioning Of College Students : The Role Of Stressful And Traumatic Life Events., Ashlee J. Warnecke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A large number of the nearly 20 million students who were attending American colleges in 2015 will not graduate. One factor that may affect the success of students is the influence of past experiences, including past adversity, or exposure to traumatic or non-traumatic stressors. The present study sought to better describe and understand the role of stress/trauma history in college students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The potential relationship this history has with academic outcomes was explored. Additionally, as not all students with a history of stressful and traumatic life events struggle academically, self-reported resilience, as well as resiliency factors, were …

“Have A Seat At Our Table: Uncovering The Experiences Of Black Students Attending A ‘Racially Diverse’ University”, Diamond Briggs

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recently, the diversity rates at universities in the United States have been increasing (Ortiz-Frontera 2013). With more minorities enrolling into predominantly white institutions (PWIs), one might infer that this signals a major step of progression for the United States. However, it is essential to understand the experiences and challenges that minorities may face when attending these institutions. Understanding these challenges are important because they are often minimized and ignored due to the ambiguity of microaggressions. This can be harmful for Black students psychologically and may impact their self confidence in many ways. In many instances, Black students face many forms …

Understanding How Intentionally Unplugging From Cell Phones Shapes Interpersonal Relationships And The Undergraduate College Experience, Jadelin P. Felipe

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of what motivated college students—the Unplugged Students—to intentionally use their cell phones less and how they understood the impact that unplugging had on their interpersonal relationships and college experience. Nine undergraduate college students from four private schools were interviewed in one-on-one semi- structured interviews. These students, considered non-users, provided a particularly useful perspective as these students made a conscious choice to counteract social norms and experienced both being plugged in and unplugged. Cell phones and the act of unplugging proved to make up a complex and more nuanced topic than …