Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Why You Should Care About The Threatened Middle Class, Jill Littrell, Fred Brooks, Jan Ivery, Mary Ohmer

jill l littrell Dr.

In the last two decades, the income and security of the individual middle class worker has declined and the gap between the middle class and the wealthy has widened. We explain how this is bad for democracy, the economy, and the aggregate health of the nation. We examine the governmental policies and interventions that increased the middle class following the depression and maintained its vigor through the post-World War II period. The impetus for these changes in governmental policies in the 1930s was to end the Great Depression. We pose the question of whether a nation can recover from a …

Learning To Swim: The Act Approach To Living With Depression, Ashley Martinez

Honors Projects

This illustrated self-help manual was designed as a basis for treatment for individuals of a wide range of ages experiencing depression. The therapeutic base of the manual is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which outlines the pathology of depression as problems in functioning rather than problems in the individual. The ACT theory of depression views problems in functioning as centered around the way negative emotions are perceived and processed through language and problematic actions or inaction as a result of cognitive distortions. Because of problems with language, the manual is illustrated to help the reader understand the foundations of ACT …

An Evaluation Of Mental Health And Methadone: Anxiety, Depression, And Drug Use, Gursimran Khahera

Master's Projects and Capstones

As a part of the Masters of Science in Behavioral Health field placement, an evaluation was conducted of the integrated treatment plan in mental health and substance abuse at Bay Area Addiction Research and Treatment (BAART) programs. The goal of the BAART programs are to provide comprehensive mental health and substance abuse outpatient recovery services, as well as on-site primary health care services for substance users, mainly opioid use. There is a link between increased substance abuse and increased rates of depression and anxiety. These disorders use the same neuro chemical pathway and are highly codependent upon one another. Because …

Relationships Among Depression, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Forgiveness, Meaning In Life, And Spirituality In Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence, Shannon Marie Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations

One hundred twenty nine survivors of interpersonal violence completed a paper-and-pencil survey to evaluate depression, PTSD, forgiveness, meaning in life, and spirituality. Five self-report measures were completed including: the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale, the PTSD Checklist – Stressor Specific version, the Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory, and the Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scale. The majority of the participants were female and Caucasian. Significant correlations were found between PTSD and presence of meaning, as well as depression and both presence of and search for meaning. However, hierarchical multiple regressions results indicated that depression and the two meaning in life subscales contributed …

Relationship Quality, Individual Wellbeing, And Gender – A Series Of Longitudinal Studies, Patricia Nola Eugene Roberson

Doctoral Dissertations

Using multiple theories, three studies examined the association between relationship quality, individual wellbeing (e.g., psychological distress), and gender across multiple time points. In Study 1 applied life course theory concepts (e.g., roles, role configurations, role trajectories) and second order latent class analyses were then conducted. Using four relationship role trajectories were identified from these analyses. Relationship role trajectories differed on wellbeing, wherein individuals in stable marriages with higher satisfaction consistently reported greater wellbeing (i.e., lower depression and higher life satisfaction).

Study 2 sought to determine the direction of the association between individual wellbeing and relationship quality. This study specifically examined …

“Technoference”: The Interference Of Technology In Couple Relationships And Implications For Women’S Personal And Relational Well-Being, Brandon T. Mcdaniel, Sarah M. Coyne

Faculty Publications

Technology use has proliferated in family life; everyday intrusions and interruptions due to technology devices, which we term “technoference,” will likely occur. We examine the frequency of technoference in romantic relationships and whether these everyday interruptions relate to women’s personal and relational well-being. Participants were 143 married/cohabiting women who completed an online questionnaire. The majority perceived that technology devices (such as computers, cell or smartphones, or TV) frequently interrupted their interactions, such as couple leisure time, conversations, and mealtimes, with their partners. Overall, participants who rated more technoference in their relationships also reported more conflict over technology use, lower relationship …

Modeling Hedonic Processing And Anhedonia In Depression, Kevin Mercado

Honors College Theses

Depression is characterized by low positive emotion and a lack of pleasurable experiences, or anhedonia. Past studies have emphasized controlling negative affect, but there is an emerging trend in the depression literature to focus on positive emotion. The current study employed several psychophysiological tools, postauricular reflex, startle blink reflex, and event-related potential (ERP) components such as P3 and the late positive potential (LPP), to assess the dissociable components in positive emotion (consummatory and anticipatory processes). In addition, several different hypotheses of emotional dysfunction were evaluated to accurately model deficits in positive emotionality. A majority of the psychophysiological tools used supported …

Specific Trauma Subtypes Improve The Predictive Validity Of The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire In Iraqi Refugees, Bengt B. Arnetz, Carissa L. Broadbridge, Hikmet Jamil, Mark A. Lumley, Nnamdi Pole, Evone Barkho, Monty Fakhouri, Yousif Rofa Talia, Judith E. Arnetz

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Trauma exposure contributes to poor mental health among refugees, and exposure often is measured using a cumulative index of items from the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ). Few studies, however, have asked whether trauma subtypes derived from the HTQ could be superior to this cumulative index in predicting mental health outcomes. A community sample of recently arrived Iraqi refugees (N = 298) completed the HTQ and measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms. Principal components analysis of HTQ items revealed a 5-component subtype model of trauma that accounted for more item variance than a 1-component solution. These trauma subtypes …

Using The Minority Stress Model To Understand Depression In Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Individuals In Nebraska, Molly Mccarthy, Christopher M. Fisher, Jay A. Irwin, Jason D. Coleman, Aja D. Kneip Pelster

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Previous studies demonstrated the utility of the minority stress model in understanding health disparities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations. Since most research has considered large metropolitan areas, predominantly in coastal regions of the United States, this research focuses on a midwestern state, Nebraska. This study sought to assess the relationships between depressive symptoms experienced by participants (N = 770) and minority stress variables, including experiences with violence, perceptions of discrimination, and respondents’ degree of self-acceptance of their LGBT identity. Regression analysis revealed that after controlling for demographic variables, self-acceptance, and perceived discrimination were correlated with depressive symptoms. …

Does Retirement Make You Happy? A Simultaneous Equations Approach, Raquel Fonseca, Arie Kapteyn, Jinkook Lee, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Continued improvements in life expectancy and fiscal insolvency of public pensions have led to an increase in pension entitlement ages in several countries, but its consequences for subjective well-being are largely unknown. Financial consequences of retirement complicate the estimation of effects of retirement on subjective well-being as financial circumstances may influence subjective well-being, and therefore, the effects of retirement are likely to be confounded by the change in income. At the same time, unobservable determinants of income are probably related with unobservable determinants of subjective wellbeing, making income possibly endogenous if used as control in subjective wellbeing regressions. To address …

The Impact Of Physical Activity On Depressed Mood In Older Seventh-Day Adventists, Benjamin J. Silber

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Research has shown physical activity (PA) to result in a reduction in depressed mood. The effects have been examined for different age groups, however, it is unclear whether PA effects differ in older adults. A prospective cohort study (N = 6,463) examined duration and intensity of PA in relation to mood in the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health Study (BRHS). Depressed mood indices were expected to be predicted by lower levels of PA and individuals in younger age groups were expected to receive a greater reduction in depressed mood after PA than those in older age groups. Previous PA (minutes of …

Collaborative Treatment Of Late-Life Depression In Primary Care (Germanimpact): Study Protocol Of A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial, Iris Wernher, Frederike Bjerregaard, Iris Tinsel, Christiane Bleich, Sigrid Boczor, Thomas Kloppe, Martin Scherer, Martin Härter, Wilhelm Niebling, Hans-Helmut König, Michael Hüll

Institute on Aging Publications

Background: Depression is not a normal side effect of aging, however it is one of the most prevalent mental health issues in later life, imposing a tremendous burden on patients, their families, and the healthcare system. We describe the experimental implementation of a collaborative, stepped-care model for the treatment of late-life depression (GermanIMPACT trial) in the German primary care context. GermanIMPACT was developed as an adaptation of a successful and widely used American model. The aim of the study is to evaluate the model’s applicability to the German primary care setting and its cost-effectiveness.

Methods/Design: The study will be conducted …

Testosterone, Dominance, And Depression In Recently Married Couples, Gabriela I. Quiñones-Torres

Masters Theses

Dominance refers to the wide set of behaviors individuals engage in with the intention of achieving or maintaining social status. Considering the relevance of these behaviors in the dynamics of close relationships, this study examined relations among testosterone, dominance, and the emotional health of a total of 225 opposite sex newlywed couples. An original measure of dominance was developed that accounted for both positive and negative manifestations, as well as situational and dispositional qualities of these status-promoting behaviors. Structural equation analyses revealed that dominance behaviors predict depression for both wives and husbands, and that positive and negative aspects of dominance …

The Link Between Insecure Attachment And Depression: Two Potential Pathways, Cassandra C. Devito

Masters Theses

A wealth of research demonstrates a strong link between insecure attachment and depressive symptoms. However, thus far no work has discerned different pathways to depression for each of the insecure subtypes: anxious and avoidant attachment. This work looks at the behaviors that couples engage in during a conflict interaction as a potential mediator for the attachment-depression relationship, with different behaviors mediating the link between anxious and avoidant attachment and depression. For anxiously attached individuals, it was predicted that lack of support and response from the partner (actual or perceived) would account for the relationship between their attachment and depressive symptoms. …

Parenting Dimensions And Internalizing Symptoms Among Low-Income Latino Adolescents: Cultural Values As Moderators, Crystalia Sulaiman

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Among ethnic minority youth, Latino adolescents disproportionately report higher levels of depression and anxiety than their peers of other ethnic backgrounds. The purpose of the present study is to better understand the familial and sociocultural factors that impact mental health among Latino adolescents. Specifically, the present study examines how youth cultural values (i.e., family obligation and affiliative obedience) moderate the relation between parenting dimensions (i.e., parental acceptance and parental psychological control) and youth internalizing symptoms (i.e., depression and anxiety) cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Latino adolescents (n = 115) from a Chicago public school categorized as "lowincome" participated in a survey and …

Behavioral Activation For Depressed Breast Cancer Patients: The Impact Of Therapeutic Compliance And Quantity Of Activities Completed On Symptom Reduction, Marlena Maria Ryba

Doctoral Dissertations

Behavioral activation (BA) is an empirically validated treatment that reduces depression by increasing overt behaviors and exposure to reinforcing environmental contingencies. Although research has identified an inverse correlation between pleasant or rewarding activities and depression, the causal relation between increased structured activities and reduced depression has not directly been studied. In the context of a recent randomized trial (Hopko et al., 2011), this study used longitudinal data and growth curve modeling to examine relationships among the quantity of activities completed, proportion of activities completed (i.e., therapeutic compliance), environmental reward, and depression in breast cancer patients treated with BATD (n …

Mental Health Referral In Primary Care: Influence Of A Screening Instrument And A Brief Educational Intervention, Michael T. Miesner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although less than half of all patients with mental disorders seek mental health treatment per se, approximately 80% of all people will visit their primary care physician (PCPs) within a year (Strosahl, 1998). However, it is not well understood how to best handle patients presenting with mental health issues in primary care practices. The purpose of this project was to implement an intervention involving a screening measure for anxiety and mood disorders in a primary care setting to increase the volume of anxiety and mood disorder screening, to increase the accuracy of disorder detection, and to also enhance PCPs patterns …

Equity Of Social Support And Its Relationship With Depression, Anxiety, And Antiretroviral Medication Adherence Among Seroconcordant Dyads Of Hiv-Positive African Americans And Their Informal Supporters, Angela Roethel Wendorf

Theses and Dissertations

Social support may be an important resource for those coping with stigmatized chronic illnesses, such as HIV/AIDS, as social support may buffer the deleterious impact of HIV-related distress (Derlega, Winstread, Oldfield, & Barbee, 2003; Stutterheim, Bos, Pryor, Brands, Liebregts, & Schaalma, 2011; Ueno & Adams, 2001). Yet little is known about characteristics of social support among HIV-positive patients in relationships with other HIV-positive individuals and whether there is an equivalent perception and provision of support between each patient in the relationship. To examine how equity of support within the dyad may contribute to nuances in social support, mental health outcomes, …

Addressing Self-Reported Depression, Anxiety, And Stress In College Students Via Web-Based Self-Compassionate Journaling, Jessica Rose Williamson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression, anxiety, and stress in the college undergraduate population have been steadily rising over the past decade. Trait self-compassion has been shown to be significantly and negatively related to perceptions of stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Research has indicated that self-compassion inductions are effective in increasing state self-compassion. In general, selfcompassion inductions are designed to be easily self-administered. Current research on Internetbased interventions indicates that self-administered therapeutic techniques are effective in reducing self-reported depression, anxiety, and stress. The goal of the current study was to compare the effects of self-compassionate journaling, narrative journaling, and a true control group …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Levels Of Food Security And Depression, Erica K. Svojse

Theses and Dissertations

Prior research has identified a variety of common correlates between food security and depression but oftentimes the data used in these analyses are not representative of the US or do not consider multiple categorical levels of the focal variables. Using data from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES), this study sought to examine the relationship between four levels of food security - full, marginal, low and very low - and depression. The findings indicate low and very low food security are significantly related to an increased risk of depression, while marginal food security is not significantly different from …

Internalized Oppression, Restricted Affection, And Psychological Distress In Asian And Latino Men Who Have Sex With Men, Nicholas S. Bishop

Masters Theses

Research on internalized oppression in intersecting identities remains vitally important for the mental health of minority individuals. This study investigates the mediating effect of restriction of affectionate behavior on the relationship between multiple oppressions (i.e, internalized racism, internalized heterosexism, and internalized sexism) and psychological distress in 172 Asian (n = 57) and Latino (n = 115) men who have sex with men. Data were collected using online snowball sampling via Facebook and listservs. Findings revealed that internalized racism and internalized heterosexism were related to psychological distress, and that restrictive affectionate behaviors with other men fully mediated these relationships. That is, …

A Pilot Study On The Effects Of Exercise On Depression Symptoms U.Pdf, Timothy H. Barclay

Timothy Barclay

Serotonin Transporter Genotype Modulates Hpa Axis Output During Stress: Effect Of Stress, Dexamethasone Test And Acth Challenge, Andrea N. Sorenson, Erin C. Sullivan, Sally P. Mendoza, John P. Capitanio, James Dee Higley

Faculty Publications

Background—Studies show that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is dysregulated in depression. Some studies suggest that variation in the serotonin transporter genotype (hereafter 5HTT) modulates both risk for depression and psychopathological HPA axis responsiveness. Rhesus monkeys are well suited to model such relationships. Rhesus macaque models of human psychopathology have assessed the effect of the serotonin transporter (rh5HTT) on levels of cortisol in stressed subjects. These studies show that that under conditions of stress, heterozygous females (Ls) reared under adversity exhibit high levels of cortisol. Studies have not to our knowledge, however, assessed the potential additive effect on the cortisol response …

Serotonin Transporter Genotype Modulates Hpa Axis Output During Stress: Effect Of Stress, Dexamethasone Test And Acth Challenge, Andrea N. Sorenson, Erin C. Sullivan, Sally P. Mendoza, John P. Capitanio, James Dee Higley

Faculty Publications

Background—Studies show that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is dysregulated in depression. Some studies suggest that variation in the serotonin transporter genotype (hereafter 5HTT) modulates both risk for depression and psychopathological HPA axis responsiveness. Rhesus monkeys are well suited to model such relationships. Rhesus macaque models of human psychopathology have assessed the effect of the serotonin transporter (rh5HTT) on levels of cortisol in stressed subjects. These studies show that that under conditions of stress, heterozygous females (Ls) reared under adversity exhibit high levels of cortisol. Studies have not to our knowledge, however, assessed the potential additive effect on the cortisol response …

The Effects Of Somatisation, Depression, And Anxiety On Eating Habits Among University Students, Peta B. Stapleton, Morreen Brunetti

Peta B. Stapleton

While it is known that depression and anxiety are associated with poor eating habits, little is known about relationships between these common psychological disorders, somatisation and poor eating habits. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of depression, anxiety and somatisation on eating habits across gender in university populations. University students (N = 167) participated in the study by completing an internet based survey. No specific gender differences were found for depression, anxiety or eating habits scores. However, females had significantly higher somatisation scores. Higher somatisation scores were significantly positively associated with reported depression, reported anxiety and …

The Relation Of Anxiety, Depression, And Stress To Binge Eating Behavior, Diane L. Rosenbaum

Dissertations

Binge eating is an impairing and prevalent problem. Theories of binge eating suggest negative affect is of primary importance in the development and maintenance of binge eating behavior. To date, investigations of binge eating have often examined depression, however relatively little is known about other psychological factors. The current study aimed to extend the literature by examining several psychological factors in relation to binge eating behavior. Specifically, the relation between binge eating behavior and three psychological factors, depression, anxiety and stress, were examined. Data were collected via online surveys from a community sample of men and women of diverse backgrounds. …

Hispanic Residential Ethnic Density And Depression In Post-Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients: Re-Thinking The Role Of Social Support, Ellen-Ge Denton, Jonathan A. Shaffer, Carmela Alcantra, Lynn Clemow, Elizabeth Denton

Publications and Research

Background: The ethnic density hypothesis suggests that ethnic density confers greater social support and consequently protects against depressive symptoms in ethnic minority individuals. However, the potential benefits of ethnic density have not been examined in individuals who are facing a specific and salient life stressor.

Aims: We examined the degree to which the effects of Hispanic ethnic density on depressive symptoms are explained by socioeconomic resources and social support.

Methods: Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS, N = 472) completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and measures of demographics, ACS clinical factors and perceived social support. Neighborhood characteristics, including median …

Respite Care, Stress, Uplifts, And Depression In Single Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Ruthann Grawe Christensen

Theses and Dissertations

Single mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are likely to experience high levels of stress and be at risk for depression. However, respite care can reduce parenting stress and lower psychological distress in parents of children with disabilities. This study focused on single mothers of children with ASD and their reports of stress relative to respite care received. One hundred and twenty-two single mothers completed the Respite Care Instrument, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Hassles and Uplifts Scale, and Caregiver Burden Instrument. Results were mixed. Respite care was positively related to daily uplifts, but not significantly related …

Associations Between Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis System Gene Variants And Cortisol Reactivity In Preschoolers: Main Effects And Gene-Environment Interactions, Haroon I. Sheikh

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Exposure to stressful events during early development has consistently been shown to produce long lasting effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which may increase vulnerability to mood and anxiety disorders. Recently reported genetic association studies indicate that these disorders may be influenced, in part, by gene-environment interactions (GxE) involving polymorphisms within the corticotrophin-releasing hormone and monoaminergic system genes. However, little is known about how genetic variants and life stress work to shape children’s neuroendocrine reactivity and emerging symptoms. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to examine main effects of candidate genes and GxE on the neuroendocrine stress response and …

Internalizing Disorders In Early Childhood: Professional Development Framework For Teachers, Danielle Guttman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Recent research indicates that internalizing disorders such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) manifest in young children. Since early childhood teachers spend a substantial portion of their day with young children, it is important to examine their beliefs and behaviors surrounding these disorders. The role of the school psychologist has come to include providing support for educators such as presenting up-to-date research through professional development (PD). The current investigation implemented an intervention designed to compare different forms of PD seminars ("Information" and "Strategies") designed to increase teachers' awareness of internalizing disorders in early childhood. Ninety-nine participants comprised the …