Psychology Commons^™

The Role Of Infant Sleep In The Relationship Between Cumulative Risk And Infant Social-Emotional Development, Michelle Lobermeier

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The current study aimed to understand the effect of cumulative risk on the social-emotional functioning of infants. Additionally, this study examined sleep as a potential protective factor, which may promote healthier social-emotional outcomes despite risk. A sample of 325 caregiver-infant dyads completed established developmental, behavioral, and caregiver questionnaires as well as PediaTrac^TM, an experimental tool to track infant and toddler development. More cumulative risk exposure was not associated with typical social-emotional development but was associated with more problem behaviors at 12 months and lower sleep efficiency at 9 and 12 months. Higher sleep efficiency was also associated with …

Examining Psychological Distress In Parents Of Children With Food Allergies And Asthma During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kelsey L. Hill

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (U.S.) was anticipated to have a tremendous impact on mental health, leading to heightened anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The current study examined the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in parents of children with food allergies and asthma compared to parents of healthy children, examined associations between disease-specific measures and broad measures of anxiety, and explored moderating variables impacting the relationship between COVID-19-related stressors and psychological outcomes. A national sample of 265 parents completed an online survey between April and June 2020. Parents of children with food allergies and asthma experienced …

Predicting Treatment Response In Borderline Personality Disorder: What Can Neuroimaging Tell Us?, Christina Ann Michel

Theses and Dissertations

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental illness affecting over four million individuals in the United States alone. Emotion dysregulation is a core feature underlying BPD; however, the neural underpinnings of emotion dysregulation and how neural correlates relate to treatment response is not well understood. The present study examines BOLD activation during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task of emotion regulation to understand neural correlates of reappraisal and how this neural activity is related to treatment outcomes. Individuals with BPD (N=37) underwent fMRI at baseline and were randomized to 6-months of either dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT; N=17) or …

Down Syndrome Caregivers’ Support Needs: A Mixed-Method Participatory Approach, Katie M. Hart, Nicole Neil

Education Publications

Background

The purpose of the study was to explore the support needs of caregivers of children with Down syndrome from their perspective using a mixed‐method participatory research approach.

Methods

Concept mapping methodology was used to obtain caregiver perspectives. Twenty‐one caregivers answered the question ‘Are parents of individuals with Down syndrome supported, why or why not?’ Caregivers were involved in the analysis of the data through concept mapping procedures.

Results

Sorted data were analysed with multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. Participants generated eight thematic clusters representing the support needs of caregivers of children with Down syndrome. The themes included online and …

The Efficacy Of A Novel Facebook-Based Psychosocial Intervention For Adults With Chronic Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Bethany Danielle Pester

Wayne State University Dissertations

Social networking-based groups such as Facebook groups have become increasingly popular among people with chronic conditions, and the affordances of such groups make them a promising platform for chronic disease intervention. Yet, there have been few controlled tests of the effects of social networking-based groups. Our team developed a Facebook-based intervention that focuses on enhancing social support by connecting adults with peers who also have chronic pain. Using a randomized controlled clinical trial, we aimed to understand the efficacy of this intervention and to explore whether a professional-led support group leads to greater effects than a support group alone. The …

A Solution For Breaking The Impasse Of Burnout Measurement, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

In view of the profound problems affecting burnout’s conceptualization and measurement and because there is now robust evidence that burnout is a depressive condition, we recommend that occupational health specialists shift their focus from burnout to depression. A measure of job-related depressive symptoms, the Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI), has recently been developed. Advantageously, the ODI resolves many of the persistent problems linked to burnout while being consistent with burnout researchers’ original aim of assessing a work-attributed form of distress. The ODI includes a diagnostic algorithm that allows investigators to estimate the prevalence of depressive disorders that individuals specifically ascribe to …

Childhood Trauma And Ptsd Symptoms: Disentangling The Roles Of Emotion Regulation And Distress Tolerance, Jenna E. Russo, Deepali M. Dhruve, Arazais D. Oliveros

CAS Publications

Background: Research documents that individuals with a history of childhood trauma experience greater emotion regulation difficulties (ED), as well as lower distress tolerance (DT), two constructs that independent lines of research implicate as transdiagnostic factors in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To help elucidate how such mechanisms may influence the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of PTSD, the current study investigates the distinct mediating roles of ED and DT and explores which accounts for more unique variance.

Methods: Participants (N = 385, aged 18-48) with a childhood trauma history provided self-ratings of cumulative trauma exposure, and endorsed current ED, DT, and …

Yoga As A Complimentary And Alternative Medicine Approach For Teacher Psychological Distress And Burnout: The Impact Of Online Yoga, Amber M. Sepsey

Wayne State University Dissertations

Teacher psychological distress and burn out, especially in the first 5 years of employment, has been well documented (DeAngelis & Presley, 2011; Brackett, et al., 2010; Kokkinos, 2007; Montgomery & Rupp, 2005; Kyriacou, 2001). Not only are teachers at high-risk for psychological distress, their mood and presentation have been shown to impact classroom functioning and child academic and emotional outcomes (Davis, 2003; Sutton & Wheatley, 2003). Given the robust impact of teacher mental health on their personal well-being as well as child outcomes, much work has been done to assess potential interventions aimed at reducing teacher distress and improving emotional …

The Role Of Acculturative Stress In Immigrant Mental Health, Daaman S. Lall

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Acculturative stress, the stress that originates from adapting to a new culture, is investigated for its role in immigrant mental health. Prior research shows that acculturative stress is commonly associated with adverse mental health outcomes, but this relationship is not inevitable and depends upon many in-group and individual characteristics. This survey study intended to determine whether the relationship found in the literature exists among UCF undergraduate immigrants and whether new variables can play a role in this relationship. Valid and reliable scales were used to measure acculturative stress, mental health, social support, subjective wellbeing, bicultural integration, and cultural orientation. Inconsistent …

Self-Affirmation Intervention On Eating Disorders, Stephanie Kaine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research studied the feasibility of a self-affirmation identity technique as an intervention in the treatment of eating disorders patients. Self-affirmations have been proven successful among various problems so this research examined the effectiveness it'd have on participants with eating disorders.

The Role Of Perfectionism In The Relationship Between Thin-Ideal Internalization And Body Dissatisfaction, Tanner L Wright, Mackenzie Brown B.A., Cheri Levinson Ph.D.

Undergraduate Arts and Research Showcase

Research has shown a significant relationship between thin-ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction. In addition, research suggests perfectionism is an antecedent to thin-ideal internalization (Boone, 2011). When examining subtypes of perfectionism, Maladaptive Evaluative Concerns (MEC) has been shown to be related to eating disorder (ED) symptoms (Rivière, 2017) both directly and indirectly while the relationship between Personal Standards (PS) and ED symptoms is unknown, though some research suggests it may be adaptive (Bardone-Cone, 2007). Both types of perfectionism have been correlated with thin-ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction (Boone, 2010). The purpose of the present project is to examine two subtypes of …

Sexual Orientation And The Disclosure Of Unwanted Sexual Experiences, Rebekah Kanefsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, and other non-heterosexual orientations (LGBQ+) are significantly more likely to experience a sexual assault. To date, research on barriers to sexual assault disclosure (i.e., telling someone about a sexual assault) has been conducted almost exclusively on heterosexual women. Participants ages 18 to 30 participated in a cross-sectional, online study that assessed unwanted sexual experiences, disclosure of those experiences, perceptions of the police and perceptions of belonging to the LGBQ+ community. Findings demonstrated that survivors who identified as LGBQ+ took longer to initially disclose their sexual assault and had greater negative perceptions of …

Parental Fear Of Hypoglycemia, Adherence, And Glycemic Control In Young Children With Type 1 Diabetes, Jennifer Scheurich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Background: With the rising incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) among young children, it is important to understand factors related to management and outcomes in this population. Parental fear of hypoglycemia (FOH) has been examined in relation to children's glycemic control, but findings have been inconsistent. Adherence has been offered as a potential mechanism, but this has not been examined empirically with this population. This study aimed to elucidate the relations among parental FOH, adherence, and glycemic control in young children with T1D. Methods: Parents of children diagnosed with T1D before age 6 (n = 143) completed self-report measures of …

Initiation Of Alcohol Use In College Students, Gabrielle Lynch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Alcohol use contributes to widespread harm in college students, and postponing initiation of drinking can reduce negative consequences and risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (Palmer et al., 2010). This study focused on variables related to initiation of alcohol use among new students, and maintenance of abstinence among those who chose not to drink. Data was collected from 467 first year college students, 7.5% of whom initiated alcohol use in college, 33% had never consumed alcohol, and 59.5% started drinking before starting college. Several a- priori hypotheses were supported. Perceptions of peer drinking/attitudes mediated the relationship between academic involvement …

An Evaluation Of The Differences Between Perpetrators In Completed And Averted School Shootings, Ashley Winch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

School shootings have received a substantial amount of media attention and there have been a variety of explanations proposed as to their cause. While completed school shootings have been evaluated extensively, little research has been done into school shootings that have been averted, and even fewer studies have evaluated between group differences between completed and averted school shootings. The purpose of the present study was to assess the differences in completed and averted school shootings primarily with respect to the age of the perpetrators, the number of perpetrators, and participation in leakage warning behaviors. Additional demographic variables were assessed with …

Understanding Developmental Trajectories Of At-Risk Adolescents Transitioning Into Emerging Adulthood, Cara A. Struble

Wayne State University Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine change across key outcomes of substance use, psychological distress, physical health symptoms, and deviant behaviors in an at-risk sample from adolescence into emerging adulthood. A number of predictors were identified based on models of development, including the Social Interactionist Model, the Risk Amplification Model, and the role of self-efficacy. A sample of 401 (n=251 homeless adolescents) at-risk adolescents from the metropolitan Detroit area were recruited between 1997-2000 and followed for up to seven years. Multilevel modeling was used to examine baseline predictors of change in each of the four outcomes, to …

Depression And Time Spent On Facebook Predicting Facebook Usage And Social Support, Donald W. Kincaid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media is a medium of communication worldwide, but it is not clear whether there is a relationship between depression and the use of social media. The purpose of this research was to explore this possible relationship. The stress generation hypothesis of depression (SGHD) states that people with depression encounter higher rates of stress than their nondepressed counterparts. In the context of social media, people with depressive symptoms may use social media in ways that increase their stress and worsen their depressive symptoms. To test this hypothesis, this study was designed to determine whether a higher level of maladaptive Facebook …

Lived Experiences Of Pakistani American Women Who Sought Mental Health Treatment, Marriam Ashraf

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDespite the research on how mental illness manifests in the United States, there is more to be known about mental health in the Pakistani American population. The goal of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of Pakistani American women who sought mental health treatment. Ecological theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from semi structured interviews with 10 participants via telephone and face-to-face conversations. Data were analyzed using managing, reading, memoing, describing, classifying, interpreting, representing, and visualizing techniques. Findings indicated that seeking help for mental health played a positive role in participants being …

Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games And Their Effects On Life Satisfaction And Social Skills, Heidi Mccreary

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adult massively multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMORPGs) gaming is a popular trend that is often perceived negatively, including having a lack of social adaptation skills and low life satisfaction. This quantitative study explored whether life satisfaction and social skills were influenced by gaming by comparing MMORPG gamers (casual and avid) and nongamers. This quantitative survey study was built upon the limitations listed in previous research. The hypothesis was that there would be no difference between MMORPG gamers and nongamers regarding life satisfaction and social skills. To conceptualize the influence MMORPG may have, this study used Diener’s conceptualization of the pursuit …

Understanding Resident-To-Resident Conflicts In Long Term Care Settings From The Perspective Of Administrative Staff, John F. Walker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Assisted living facilities are expanding in response to the growing population of older adults in the United States. Assisted living facilities offer a wide array of services including memory care. Research has shown that a majority of assisted living facilities have residents with cognitive impairments living along with non-cognitively impaired individuals (i.e., mixed populations). Little is known about the conflicts that may arise between cognitively and non-cognitively impaired residents in a mixed population. The present study hoped to better understand what conflicts occur, how direct care staff are trained to handle these conflicts, from the perspective of assisted living facility …

Examining The Dunning-Kruger Effect In Autism Knowledge, Information Sourcing, And Endorsement Of Vaccination Policy, Alexandra Reed

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to further examine the Dunning-Kruger effect as it relates to knowledge of autism, source of information, and endorsement of vaccination policy. Specifically, the study assessed the relationship between confidence in autism awareness and the belief that vaccines cause autism. It also examined the relationship between the source of information regarding autism and vaccines and vaccination attitudes. Last, it assessed whether individuals with higher confidence levels in the internet would be more likely to have both anti-vaccination attitudes and lower awareness of autism facts. Adult participants (N = 199) were surveyed on various social media …

Executive Functioning In Persons Undergoing Hemodialysis, Alexandria Diguiseppe

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition in which damaged kidneys cannot properly filter blood throughout the body. This results in excess fluid and waste products to remain in the bloodstream, which can lead to other health complications if not treated. Kidney failure occurs when an individual has 10-15% of optimal kidney functioning, resulting in toxic levels of waste in the bloodstream. Recent literature has demonstrated that individuals receiving dialysis have poorer cognitive functioning compared to the general population, especially in regard to executive functioning. The purpose of the current study was to identify the executive functioning abilities in a …

Predictors Of Postdeployment Distress In Female Veterans, Shalonda C. Griffin

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The female veteran population is expected to increase over the next few decades, representing approximately 16.3% of the living population by the year 2042. Although research exists in regard to the entire veteran population, research relating to female veterans is lacking. The purpose of this study was (a) to identify factors associated and predictive of postdeployment distress and (b) to identify and explore stressors specific to female veterans’ experiences once they separate from the military. Findings from the study revealed significant relationships between the predictive factors (i.e., Life Events, Support, and Family Experiences) and criterion variables (i.e., Perceived Stress and …

The Relationship Between Locus Of Control, Affective Disorders, And Weight Loss Expectations In Adults Seeking Bariatric Surgery, Rachel Brookland

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Bariatric surgery is the most effective long-term treatment for severe obesity. Although bariatric surgery results in significant weight loss for many patients, variability exists in expectations surrounding postoperative outcomes. Therefore, this study examined two psychosocial factors that may contribute to variability in weight loss expectations among adults seeking bariatric surgery: affective disorders and locus of control. Specifically, it was hypothesized that individuals scoring higher on external measures of locus of control would report lower weight loss expectations for surgery than those scoring higher on internal measures of locus of control (as measured by the Levenson’s Multidimensional Locus of Control Scale, …

The Association Between Sluggish Cognitive Tempo, Big Five Personality Factors, And Comorbid Clinical Syndromes In Adults Seeking Treatment For Adhd, Lauren Truskey

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is a cluster of symptoms, including daydreaming, mental confusion, slowed thinking, and hypoactivity, that are believed to overlap and be frequently comorbid with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Research examining the relationship between personality and symptoms of SCT in adults with ADHD is limited. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether a relationship exists between SCT, Big Five personality factors, and ADHD, after accounting for comorbid anxiety and depression in a clinical adult sample. Archival data from a university-based outpatient clinic specializing in the assessment and treatment of adult ADHD were collected from an …

The Effects Of Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (Care) Training In Reducing Restraints And Staff Injuries, Pali Payne-Storey

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Inpatient hospitalization provides a way to treat and stabilize children and adolescents with mental health issues, including externalizing behavioral problems. However, little research exists concerning effective evidence-based approaches to treating externalizing behaviors in inpatient psychiatric settings. Physical restraints, chemical restraints, and seclusion are often used to calm violent outbursts by patients, despite evidence indicating such measures cause psychological and physical trauma to patients and employees. The Child–Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) program is an alternative approach designed to reduce externalizing behaviors by fostering better relationships between patients and staff. CARE is based on the premise that when adults create positive interactions …

Military Wives’ Perspectives Of The Impact Of Deployment On Marital Satisfaction, Karla A. Morton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the inception of the Global War on Terror in 2001, over one and a half million United States military soldiers have deployed overseas to combat zones. Consequently, soldiers and their spouses have undergone numerous psychological challenges as well as a shift in the marital dynamics during a deployment. Difficulties in relationships created by the demands of deployment may lead to the dissolution of a marriage. Hence, the purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine the impact of military deployment on marital satisfaction as experienced by military spouses. This study was grounded in the family systems theory and involved …

Relationship Between Social Media Screen Time, Sedentariness, And Bmi Among Young Adults, Helen Golod

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity has quickly become an epidemic that affects adults and youth not only in the United States, but also increasingly elsewhere in the global community. Research suggests that most children and adolescents spend a significant amount of time indulging in screen-based leisure, especially on social media. Such behavior may also be linked to sedentary lifestyle, which can impact an individual’s body mass index (BMI). There is a lack of understanding concerning how sedentary behavior moderates the relationship between screen time spent on different types of social media and BMI among young adults in the United States. To address this research …

Psychological Effects Of Testosterone Replacement Therapy For Secondary Hypogonadism, Minerva Spurlock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypogonadism negatively impacts various psychological aspects of a male’s life. Males under the age of 50 who experience symptoms of depression or a decreased sense of well-being may not be aware that secondary hypogonadism might be the underlying cause. A gap exists in the literature regarding the psychological effects of testosterone replacement therapy used to treat hypogonadism. The current research project was framed by Engel’s biopsychosocial theory, which encompasses the biological, psychological, and social aspects of a client’s life. The research objective was to determine the relationship between testosterone replacement therapy and the psychological effects of depression and quality of …

Examining Crying Frequency And Duration In African American Women Dealing With Racism, Anika Fonson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research concerning adult crying is limited, and no studies have been conducted using African American women. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental study was to explore if crying acts as a coping mechanism for African American women faced with racism and if crying is related to positive mental health outcomes. Past research has indicated that women experiencing racism may seek out support as described by the tend and befriend theory. Crying has been described as a form of release when people are in positions in which they find it hard to cope. A sample of 140 African American women …