Psychology Commons^™

Investigating Implicit Cognitive Bias Toward Guilt And Shame Among Individuals With Histories Of Childhood Emotional Abuse, Sarah B. Hill

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Exposure to negative events in childhood has been well-established as a risk factor for negative health outcomes in adulthood. Childhood emotional abuse, while frequently co-occurring with other types of abuse, is often neglected in the trauma literature, but has been found to be an important independent predictor of adult psychopathology. Shame and guilt are negative emotions often experienced by those suffering with depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may have implications for the development and maintenance of these psychological disorders. Further, generalized guilt and shame were found to be significantly higher in individuals with PTSD and depression and associated …

Embodied Reminders And Well-Being Among Breast Cancer Survivors: Examining The Influence Of Feminine Gender Role Orientation, Biographical Disruption, And Body Image, Andriana Frost

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality for women around the world, but despite the significant prevalence of the disease, research has shown that survival rates continue to improve globally. The present study utilized a cross-sectional design involving 108 women who were diagnosed with and completed treatment for breast cancer. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed their embodied reminders of their cancer treatment (e.g., scars, burns, hair loss), gender role orientation, self-narrative, mental health, and general well-being. Eight moderated mediation models were applied to test the hypothesis that women who identified as more feminine would experience greater biographical disruption …

Affective Forecasting And Mood Disorder Symptoms: How Clinical Symptoms Relate To The Prediction Of Future Emotions, Madison R. Bouchard-Liporto

Honors Theses and Capstones

The ability to accurately predict future feelings and emotions, termed affective forecasting, is an important skill as it has a significant impact on the decisions individuals make throughout daily life. Previous research has suggested that depression and anxiety symptoms may be linked to biases in affective forecasting. Here, we hypothesized that greater symptom severity of depression and anxiety would be associated with increased predictions and experiences of negative affect in response to negative stimuli and decreased predictions and experiences of positive affect in response to positive stimuli among a random sample of undergraduate college students. Participants read descriptions of 20 …

Examining The Utility Of Hope Interventions To Mitigate The Effect Of Discrimination On Distress In African Americans, Sunia H. Choudhury

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Hope is a positive psychology resource that utilizes one’s perceptions of strengths to create clear goals, produce multiple pathways to reach goals, overcome barriers, and generate the energy needed to pursue goals by increasing positive affect and satisfaction, while reducing negative problem orientations (Magyar-Moe, 2014). Hope interventions also significantly reduce psychological distress (Rustøen, Cooper, & Miaskowski, 2011). Discrimination is a significant barrier to quality of life for African Americans (Bilkins, Allen, Davey, & Davey, 2016). Discriminatory experiences increase levels of distress (Brown, et al., 2000). However, it is unknown if hope interventions can protect African Americans against distress caused by …

Self-Identifying Latino/A/X Former Mental Health Therapy Clients’ Experiences Receiving Mental Health Therapy, Teresa Sypolt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Latino/a/x population in the United States continues to increase as does the need for mental health professionals who are bilingual and knowledgeable on multicultural issues. Spanish is the native language spoken in approximately 13% of the households in the United States, with 36% of Spanish-speakers seeking mental health treatment. Research on therapists serving Latino/a/x clients indicated that therapists struggled to provide culturally sensitive and linguistic appropriate interventions. While therapists’ challenges and experiences have been explored, little is known on the therapeutic experiences of Latino/a/x former clients. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis was to explore the therapeutic experiences …

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Pessimism–Optimism Scale As A Predictor In Depression Change After Medication Treatment And Placebo, Donna J. Winsor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The field of positive psychology has included research on the personality traits of optimism and pessimism and how they predict depression; however, there has been limited investigation on whether these characteristics can predict treatment outcomes. This study used a quantitative nonexperimental design with archived data provided by Summit Research Network, to evaluate whether pessimism or optimism, as measured by the Pessimism–Optimism (PSM) scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, had an effect on depression and somatic symptom change in 98 adults with depression who were randomized into imipramine, alprazolam, or placebo treatment. Seligman’s explanatory style theory was used to guide …

Age-Related Microaggressions: A Descriptive Study, Luke J. Gietzen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The aim of this study was to expand the literature on ageism and microaggressions by defining a novel concept called an age-related microaggression. Participants (n = 51) were presented with explanations of gender and racially charged microaggressions and then were asked whether they had ever had an experience like that but related to their age. Participants described experiences of age-related microaggressions and were further guided through a series of questions via an online survey to determine the topography of the age-related microaggressions, emotional and behavioral reactions to being victimized, perpetrators and settings of the attacks, and perceived intent. A thematic …

The Limits Of Healthy Habits: Exploring The Relationship Between Disordered Eating, Body Image, Mindfulness, Social Media, And Dysfunctional Exercise, Taylor A. Dinkel

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

In recent decades, there has been an increase not only in full syndrome eating disorders, but also in subclinical presentations of disordered eating, many of which include dysfunctional relationships with exercise. Although not full diagnosable syndromes, disordered relationships with food and exercise, as well as a preoccupation with body image, can cause severe physical and psychological stress for individuals who present with these dysfunctional patterns. With the growth of fitness-related social media accounts, the increase in social media usage during the pandemic, and the increase in subclinical disordered eating presentations and dysfunctional relationships with exercise, it is important be aware …

The Association Between Neuroticism, Self-Esteem, And Peer Interactions And Disordered Eating And Body Checking Behavior In Female College Athletes, Alyssa Hertz

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Numerous studies have investigated whether participation in collegiate sports is a risk or protective factor for disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate potential psychosocial factors (neuroticism, peer relations, and self-esteem) that may contribute to increased risk for disordered eating or maladaptive body checking behaviors in female college athletes. This anonymous, cross sectional, online study recruited 206 participants. Participants completed screening questions, a demographic questionnaire in addition to the Eating Attitudes Test-26, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Body Checking and Avoidance Questionnaire, Inventory of Peer Influence, and Ten Item Personality Inventory. There was no significant relationship …

Clinical Interventions For Developmental Trauma Disorder: How Evidence-Based Practice And Attachment Theory Can Inform Therapeutic Approach, Victoria Deveau

DSW Capstone Projects

Approximately two-thirds of U.S. children and adolescents report having experienced a traumatic event. A posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis requires that the youth has directly experienced a traumatic event, witnessed a traumatic event occur to others, or learned that a traumatic event has occurred to someone close. The clinician is in a diagnostic quandary, however, when the youth presents with the PTSD hallmarks of hyperarousal, avoidance, and emotional dysregulation, in absence of such life experiences. The answer to this quandary lies in an understanding of developmental trauma disorder (DTD). Clinical interventions for DTD are the focus of this capstone.

Product …

Cognitive Distortions, Partisan Strength, And Authoritarianism: Exploring Potential Factors Contributing To The Current Partisan Divide, Brooke C. Singer

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Over the past two decades, the number of Americans on the extremes of the political spectrum has more than doubled, and politically motivated aggression has increased. In addition, an unprecedented division has emerged between the left and right on fundamental political values and animosity continues to rise. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that potentially contribute to political polarization and animosity in the United States, including authoritarianism, strength of partisan commitment, and distorted thinking. The participants for this study comprised 513 individuals from the general population of the United States recruited from online platforms. Participants completed an …

Risk And Protective Factors For Negative Psychological Outcomes In Lgbtq+ Individuals, Emalee Kerr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Previous research suggests that suicide is more prevalent among those in the LGBTQ+ community (Abelson et al., 2006), and they are also more likely to experience bullying and psychological symptoms while less likely to have adequate social support. Although many studies have examined risk factors for suicidality, the current study aimed to compare the impact of the risk factors among those in the LGBTQ+ community with those who are not. Further, this study examined the role of identity in conjunction with these other risk and protective factors. College students (N = 501) completed an anonymous online survey battery. Suicidality was …

A Survival Analysis Examining Risk And Protective Factors Of Foster Care Reentry For Children Aged 0 To 5 Within A Social Ecological Framework, Samantha Klaver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Although the fundamental goals of the child welfare system include establishing and ensuring the safety, permanency, and well-being of affected children, child reentry into the foster care system has emerged recently as a substantial and growing concern (Jedwab & Shaw, 2017). Utilizing archival, statewide administrative data collected from Florida's Department of Children and Families (DCF), a series of multivariate Cox regression models were conducted on a sample of young children between the ages of 0- and 5-years (N = 3,970) to examine various socioecological risk and protective factors of foster care reentry. Several individual factors (i.e., child age at initial …

Examining The Relationship Between Alcohol Expectancies And Behavioral Economic Theory, Tatiana Magri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

PURPOSE: Alcohol consumption and related problems are common among college students. Prior research links behavioral economic constructs of alcohol demand (relative valuation of alcohol; analyzed using area under the curve) and relative reinforcement (RR; proportionate reinforcement obtained from alcohol-related activities relative to other activities), as well as alcohol expectancies, with alcohol consumption and problems. However, research has yet to examine the associations between behavioral economic and expectancy theories or how they influence alcohol use outcomes. METHOD: College students who endorsed drinking in the past 30 days (n= 287) completed an online survey assessing demand, RR, alcohol expectancies, alcohol problems, and …

The Challenge-Hindrance Model Of Stress And Its Intersections With The Conservation Of Resources Theory, Divya A. Srijay, Justin Travis Dr.

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

This paper briefly summarizes the challenge-hindrance model of stress (CHM) through its basis in the transactional theory of stress, and it integrates modern theories of stress found in social psychology and management literature. In doing so, we provide a content map/process model to guide future research that can contribute to the creation of a more effective measure of the secondary appraisals of stressors.

Although psychometric and related statistical concerns regarding extant measures have been noted and discussed in the literature, our hope is that the proposed model may aid in the conceptualization of the nomological network of the stress process …

A Pathway For Inclusive Innovation In Pediatric Mental Health: Prevention And Intervention Using Technology, Kate Corinne Bennett

DSW Capstone Projects

It is no secret that access to quality healthcare is difficult for citizens to achieve in the United States. Racism, discrimination, and oppression further exist at the root of compounding social problems, including limits in minority access to mental health services. The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated mental health problems for young children, especially those who are already underserved and at risk. For these reasons, it is imperative that the social work profession emphasizes innovative approaches to equitable treatment access, including a focus on early intervention and the use of technology. Product one of this capstone engages a systematic review …

A Grounded Approach To Integral Art Therapy: Initial Reflections On Art Materials, Natalia Gómez-Carlier

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Art therapy has the power to bring healing and wholeness as it expands globally, an awareness of the integral structure of consciousness can benefit an adaptation of this profession that is both integrative and respectful of multiple perspectives and cultural views. The art-making process in art therapy can ground experience, and art materials can serve as vehicles through which different structures on consciousness are elicited, experienced, documented, and integrated. Integral art therapy can study the use of art materials to activate an integral structure of consciousness. Integrality is defined by its ability to play simultaneously from all structures of …

Aesthetic Altruism: Consciousness Of Street Artists, Melanie Cheng

Journal of Conscious Evolution

In the past few decades, many street artists have gained international recognition and now straddle the worlds of actual street art – art in the streets, art in the public domain – and fine art – art that is perceived to be of a particular quality, shown in galleries or museums. Despite perhaps “transcending” the streets, most successful street artists choose to continue creating artwork in public spaces, both legally with permission, or illegally without. Street art is different from public art, which is categorically created through a public process; while some street art, if not created aesthetically or …

Impact Of Exercise On Depression And Anxiety In Adolescents With Complex Trauma Living In Residential Treatment Centers, Candace Snodgrass

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression and anxiety disorders are two of the most frequently reported mental healthproblems for adolescents entering Residential Treatment Centers (RTCs). Many adolescents in RTCs also have a higher rate of traumatic experiences than their peers. Traumatized children frequently develop mental illness disorders of depression and anxiety. Based on the theoretical foundations provided by attachment theory and social cognitive theory, this pilot study, using secondary data, observed the relationship between exercise participation, depression, trauma, and anxiety for 11 youth in an upper Midwest RTC. Adolescents with higher initial depression and anxiety scores tended to exercise less during RTC than those with …

Non-Normative Critical Life Events: Where Dyadic Coping And Attachment Meet, Talley Mortara

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The aim of the current study was to examine both dyadic coping and anxious attachment following the experience of a critical non-normative life event. Pairfam, a nationally representative German sample, was used as a secondary data set for this quantitative study. Paired samples t-tests were used to analyze the data from 559 German couples to track statistically significant increases or decreases in the perception of dyadic coping responses and anxious attachment levels when a non-normative critical life event happened at some point in the previous two years. Results found that the partner of the anchor showed a statistically significant increase …

A Pilot Randomized Trial To Assess Motivating Operations In Delay Discounting Of Food, Breeanna Michelle Slusher

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This pilot study addresses the impact motivating operations have on delay discounting of food in the presence of real food. Six participants were recruited and randomly assigned to three food stimuli groups (donut, vegetable, and control) and assigned to either a deprivation or non-deprivation condition within the group. Participants were asked to complete a set of questionnaires and a delay discounting task. Demographics and anthropometric measurements were obtained from each participant. The pilot study showed support for previous delay discounting research that as the delay to more nutrient dense meals increases the subjective value of the delayed reward decreases. Thus, …

Bipolar Screening Among Spanish-Speaking Us Residents Using The Mood Disorder Questionnaire, Emanuel T. Recinos

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) is a self-report screening instrument used to detect Bipolar Disorder (BD). Psychometric properties of Spanish translations of the MDQ are from communities where both language and cultural differences are present. A Spanish version of the MDQ not been validated among United States individuals who identify Spanish as their preferred language of communication.

Objective

We propose that the validation of a Castilian Spanish version of the MDQ is needed for cross-cultural adaptation, determining optimal cut-off scores, and as an aid to the literature on BD prevalence, specifically BD among Spanish speakers of the United States.

Methods …

An Investigation Of The Perception Of Elderspeak Among Community Dwelling Older Adults, Abby L. Teply

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study aimed to expand the literature on the perception of elderspeak among community dwelling older adults with secondary purposes concerning how these perceptions vary across gender and region. Participants (n = 110) were presented a written vignette that depicted a nursing assistant in an assisted living facility waking a tenant from a nap and assisting the tenant to the bathroom before lunch. The nursing assistant uses elderspeak throughout the vignette. Following the vignette, participants’ reactions to the use of elderspeak and perceptions of the nursing assistant in the vignette were assessed using a series of open-ended questions, the Positive …

The Impact Of Injury On Depression In Athletes: A Systematic Review, Nergis Akkaya

Theses and Dissertations

There are nearly 500,00 collegiate and professional athletes in the United States, and studies have shown how physical and mental demands of practice and competition (e.g., overtraining, exhaustion, injury) in addition to other external elements (e.g., trauma, retirement) adversely impact mental health. Injuries create a variety of emotional responses some of which can negatively affect athlete well-being. The focus of this systematic review was to build connections between mental health and sport and address two primary research questions:1. In what ways do injuries impact athlete depression? 2. How is depression experienced among athletes as a result of an injury? A …

Validity Evidence For The Male Depression Risk Scale-22 (Mdrs-22) In Younger And Older Adult Males, Montgomery T. Owsiany

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Men are two times less likely to be diagnosed with major depressive disorder than women. However, suicide rates are nearly four times higher in men than women, increasing to six times when comparing older men to older women. Given that affective disorders are present in most individuals who die by suicide, investigators have begun researching the possibility that depression presents differently in individuals who adhere to traditional masculine norms, leading to the conceptualization of masculine depression. Presently, one assessment for masculine depression shows strong reliability and validity evidence: the Male Depression Risk Scale-22 (MDRS-22). Despite burgeoning validity evidence for the …

Interactions Of International Pilots' Stress, Fatigue, Symptoms Of Depression, Anxiety, Common Mental Disorders And Wellbeing, Marion Venus, Martin Grosse Holtforth

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Objective

This study Investigates more dimensions than previous studies simultaneously: pilots’ duty rosters, stress, sleep difficulties, fatigue levels, wellbeing, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and common mental disorders (CMD), and how they are interrelated.

Background

Several scientific studies have confirmed that fatigue can pose a significant risk to flight safety. Other studies reported positive depression screening results for more pilots, compared with the general population.

Method

A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 406 international pilots, who reported their duty rosters of the last two months. Pilots also self-assessed their stress-levels, sleep problems, fatigue, wellbeing, and mental health.

Results

Although pilots …

A Risk-Averse Mechanism For Suicidality Assessment On Social Media, Ramit Sawhney, Atula Tejaswi Neerkaje, Manas Gaur

Publications

Recent studies have shown that social media has increasingly become a platform for users to express suicidal thoughts outside traditional clinical settings. With advances in Natural Language Processing strategies, it is now possible to design automated systems to assess suicide risk. However, such systems may generate uncertain predictions, leading to severe consequences. We hence reformulate suicide risk assessment as a selective prioritized prediction problem over the Columbia Suicide Severity Risk Scale (C-SSRS). We propose SASI, a risk-averse and self-aware transformer-based hierarchical attention classifier, augmented to refrain from making uncertain predictions. We show that SASI is able to refrain from 83% …

A Multi-Method Evaluation Of Parent And Child Factors Associated With Child Abuse Potential, Lindsay R. Druskin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Child abuse is a pervasive, global problem impacting millions of children (Stoltenborgh et al., 2015). Researchers have largely relied on the use of parent-report questionnaires to examine a variety of risk factors for child abuse (see Azar, 2002; Stith et al., 2009), leaving a gap in the research regarding the link between observed parent and child behaviors and child abuse potential. Utilizing a sample of families clinically referred for child behavioral problems, the proposed study pursued a multi-method approach to explore relations between parent factors (parent attachment, emotion regulation, harsh behaviors, and stress), child factors (child disruptive behaviors), and the …

Zonulin As A Mediator Of Psychological Stress And Periodontal Disease, Casey D. Wright

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The prevalence of chronic inflammatory diseases is on the rise. Some have posited the permeability of tight junctions in gastrointestinal epithelium tissues as a potential mechanism for precipitating inflammatory processes throughout the body. Zonulin is the only known modulator of tight junction permeability and has been implicated in numerous chronic inflammatory processes (e.g., proinflammatory cytokine production) and diseases, more generally. The role of zonulin in oral inflammation, however, has yet to be explored. Periodontal disease is the most common oral inflammatory condition and primary perpetrator of tooth loss. Periodontal disease also is associated with a number of other health problems …

Capitalizing On Stress: Improving Affect And Self-Efficacy Through An Arousal Reappraisal Intervention, Angel Long

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Stress is a non-specific reaction to the body (Jamieson et al., 2018), defined as a feeling of tension when one’s personal resources are taxed or exceeded (Folkman & Lazarus, 1985). Coping mechanisms for stress often focus on reducing associated features (Connor-Smith & Flachsbart, 2007). However, stress can produce challenge states, mindsets where individuals perceive personal resources as greater than situational demands (Jamieson et al., 2013). Challenge states are more likely to elicit positive behavior (Jamieson et al., 2018) and improved cognitive performance (Jamieson et al., 2010). One prospective mechanism to foster challenge states is arousal reappraisal, a cognitive mechanism …