Psychology Commons^™

Attitudes And Beliefs Of Christian Denominations Toward Mental Health, Javier Velez

Dissertations

This empirical study assessed common attitudes and beliefs toward mental health services in the varying denominations of Christian churches. Specifically, the objective of this study was to identify the effects of Christian denomination on attitudes toward seeking mental health treatment and to identify whether there are racial and age differences that also impact those attitudes within the church. The study sought to answer the following questions: (a) What is the difference in attitudes and beliefs between different races toward mental health services in the church among Christians? (b) Is there an age difference in attitudes and beliefs toward mental health …

The Role Of Ethgender Identity In The Relationship Between Gendered Racism And Activism Among Black Women, Maha Baalbaki

Dissertations (1934 -)

Black women face a unique intersectional form of discrimination, termed gendered racism (Essed, 1991). The purpose of this study was to determine whether experiences with gendered racism predict activism among Black women and to explore the roles of emotions and identity in this relationship. An online, national sample of 112 Black women provided self-reports of frequency of experiences with overt and covert forms of gendered racism and associated emotional responses, ethgender identity centrality, and activism. Results revealed that experiences with covert gendered racism predicted activism. Emotional responses to gendered racism were not found to predict activism. Ethgender identity was found …

Value-Aligned Behavior & Psychological Flexibility: Exploring Relationships Between Seeking Mental Health Services And Core Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Processes, Morgan Brewington

Scholars Week

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on acceptance, cognitive defusion, being present, the sense of self as context, committed action, and values (Hayes et al., 2006). Valued living, or acting in line with personal values, includes behaviors that are personally meaningful and intrinsically engaging (Smout, et al., 2014). Behavior aligning with values has been related to lower levels of anxiety and depression, as well as lower impairment for individuals experiencing posttraumatic stress symptoms, pain, or other psychological stressors (Fox et al., 2019). Psychological flexibility, particularly low experiential avoidance, aids in valued living (Fox et al., 2019). Approaches such as ACT …

Emotions & Satisfaction: Does Emotional Contagion Make The Heart Grow Fonder?, Morgan Brewington

Scholars Week

Existing research identifies strong links between empathy within couples and relationship quality, often helping to cope with difficult life events (Levesque et al., 2014). Similarly, emotional contagion is the process of mirroring the expressions and affect of others, but going further to adopt the emotions that were mimicked (Doherty, 1997). Some research identifies a positive relationship between contagious emotions and relationship quality but impacts of empathy and emotional contagion in relation to sexual and relational satisfaction are yet to be investigated (Mazzuca et al., 2019). The interpersonal theory of depression includes the contagion of negative affect, by which depressed individuals …

Factors Associated With Restricted, Repetitive Behaviors And Interests And Diagnostic Severity Level In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Esther Hong

LSU Master's Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and social interactions and the presence of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior (RRBIs). The presence of RRBIs can be detrimental to a child’s development, as RRBIs can lead to impairments in other areas of functioning, impede learning, and contribute to parental stress. Previous studies have identified several factors that are associated with RRBI severity and topography. The current study aims to assess whether impairments in adaptive functioning predict RRBI severity, using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (VABS-3) and Baby and Infant Screen for Children …

Influence Of Parent Chronic Pain History On Youth's Experience Of Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Marissa Lee Koven

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The current study examines parent factors that may relate to youth’s experiences with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). HEDS, its symptomology, and associated psychosocial and physical outcomes are reviewed. A model of transgenerational transmission of risk associated with chronic pain is presented. Parents’ own experiences with chronic pain is highlighted as an important determinant of how parents think about and respond to their child’s pain. Potential pathways through which parent factors influence a child’s own thinking about pain are investigated. The goal of the study was to learn more about parent factors that influence child pain-related outcomes and the pathways through …

Emotion Recognition In Individuals With Moderate To Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Megan Jones

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant problem in the United States. TBI often results in behavioral and psychosocial deficits. While an overall impairment in emotion recognition has been observed, some research suggests that negative emotions (anger, sadness, fear) in particular, are more difficult to recognize after sustaining a TBI. Along with impairments in emotion recognition, individuals with TBI are likely to have cognitive deficits due to increased anxiety after sustaining a TBI. The purpose of these studies was to gain a better understanding of emotion recognition after an individual has sustained a TBI. The aim of study one was …

The Impact Of Social Climate On Self-Identity, Substance Use, And Mental Health Among Lgbtq+ College Students, Laura Agnich, Liyah C. Morgan

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Substance abuse is an unfortunate but commonly used escape for many LGBT youth as they lack resources to help address anxiety and trauma. When faced with a constant state of fear of violence and identity concealment many turn to drugs or suicide. This session will provide information on addressing LGBT youth substance abuse and creating an inclusive campus climate.

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Depressive Symptoms: Protective Effects Of Dietary Flavonoids, Alison Tan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) researchers report that childhood adversity is relatively common, often co-occurs with multiple types of exposures, and has a dose-response relationship to many leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. Prolonged exposure to stress during early brain development can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress that disrupts brain functioning associated with depressive symptoms. Flavonoids may protect the brain through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and additional mechanisms to assist in the survival, maintenance, and growth of neurons. Thus, flavonoids may buffer depressive symptoms after ACEs exposure. In the current longitudinal study, we will examine the relationship between …

Nonsexual Boundary Crossings In Psychotherapy: Factors In Ethical Decision-Making, Katherine S. H. Wu

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Seminal ethics studies in psychology have evidenced significant variance among practitioners in their ethical attitudes toward and engagement in various nonsexual boundary crossings; they have also identified therapist and client factors that account for some of that variance (Borys & Pope, 1989; Pope, Tabachnick, & Keith-Spiegel, 1987). Boundary crossings, as defined by Gutheil and Gabbard (1993), are deviations from common clinical practices that are not necessarily unethical. Examples of traditional crossings include nonsexual touch and nonsexual multiple relationships. This study was designed to update the literature regarding nonsexual boundary crossings in light of contemporary study designs and demographic categories, significant …

Origins Of Self-Compassion: The Impact Of The Early Caregiving Environment, Nicoleta Dragan

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of early attachment on self-compassion in early adulthood utilizing a causal model to assess the mediating effects of emotional regulation and shame (Figure 1). Participants were 133 undergraduate students (143 females and 90 males) between 18 and 28 years old (M = 22.7 yrs.) from a Southern California university. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using EQS (version 6.1) was used to analyze the data. Results showed an indirect effect of early attachment on self-compassion through emotional regulation and shame; a direct, moderate effect of early attachment on emotional regulation and …

Feminine Gender Identification And Mother-Daughter Connectedness As Predictors And Sociocultural Buffers Against Adult Sexual Victimization In Latinas And Caucasians, Erika A. Pobee-Mensah

Theses and Dissertations

The growing body of literature on childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has highlighted increased risk for adult re-victimization and transgenerational sexual abuse such that children of adult women with CSA histories are at increased risk for being sexually abused. Despite these research trends, there is less research specific to victimization risk and transgenerational sexual abuse. Furthermore, there is limited information on ethnic/racial differences in these trends, particularly regarding Latinas. Despite research suggesting an over-representation of reported CSA among Latina children, there are apparent disparities suggesting underreporting of sexual victimization among Latinas in adulthood. The present study examines interactional effects of sociocultural …

Health Risk Perceptions Regarding Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Ends) And Secondhand Exposure Behaviors Among U.S. Student Military Veterans, Katie Alexandra Bartley

Theses and Dissertations

Student veterans are at high risk for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use and for exposing others to secondhand vape. This study examined student veterans’ health risk perceptions of ENDS use and their association with implementing vaping restrictions in their homes and vehicles. The study included 256 veterans who were 18 years of age or older, were attending higher education in the United States, and who endorsed being a current smoker (n = 105; 41%), a current ENDS user (n = 79; 30.9%), or a current dual user (n = 72; 28.1%). The sample included 187 men (Mage = 31.73), …

Examining The Cross-Cultural Validity Of The Positive Affect And Negative Affect Schedule Between An Asian (Singaporean) Sample And A Western (American) Sample, Sean Teck Hao Lee, Andree Hartanto, Jose C. Yong, Brandon Koh, Angela K. Y. Leung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The positive affect and negative affect schedule (PANAS) is a popular measure of positive (PA) and negative affectivity (NA). Developed and validated in Western contexts, the 20-item scale has been frequently administered on respondents from Asian countries with the assumption of cross-cultural measurement invariance. We examine this assumption via a rigorous multigroup confirmatory factor analysis, which allows us to assess between-group differences in both strength of scale item-to-latent factor relationship (metric invariance test) and mean of each scale item (scalar invariance test), on a large sample of 1,065 respondents recruited from Singapore (Asian sample) and the United States (Western sample). …

Association Between Lgb Sexual Orientation And Depression Mediated By Negative Social Media Experiences:National Survey Study Of Us Young Adults, Cesar Escobar-Viera, Ariel Shensa, Jaime Sidani, Brian Primack, Michael P. Marshal

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons are disproportionately affected by depression and have high social media use rates. Negative social media experiences may modify depressive symptoms among LGB persons. We sought to assess the potential influence of negative social media experiences on the association between LGB orientation and depression.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the potential influence of negative social media experiences on the association between LGB orientation and depression.

Methods: We performed a web-based survey of a national sample of US young adults aged 18-30 years. We assessed the respondents’ LGB orientation, negative social …

Empty Cribs: Infertility Challenges For Orthodox Jewish Couples, Itay Kohane

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation discusses an issue that is of importance to many people throughout their lifetime—infertility. One in every eight couples (12%) is incapable of carrying a pregnancy to term after one year of natural attempts. This paper further examines the prevalence of infertility among couples, bringing into focus more common variables such as gender and age. But, going beyond these, the present study will demonstrate that other variables including stressors such as social factors, interpersonal dynamics, and personal judgment affect couples in a manner which indirectly reduces their chances of conceiving a child. This research will touch on a number …

Examining The Impact Of Illicit Drug Use On Prescribed Psychotropic Medication Adherence, Lauren Natalie Stroker

Theses and Dissertations

The ever-increasing rates of prescription drug utilization in the United States, coupled with the high rates of non-adherence to psychotropic medications by patients, makes this area of research an increasingly important field of study. Previous studies have elucidated the critical factor medication adherence plays in the effectiveness of treatment and overall clinical outcomes for patients and the deleterious effect of non-adherence; one of them being substance (ab)use. The present study was conducted in an effort to add to the existing literature examining medication nonadherence and substance use. The current study looked to expand the research examining the relationship between substance …

Training Issues Related To Touch In Counseling, Jonathan D. Wright

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Touch is considered by many to be the most important of the five senses for optimal human development and has been used in healing and medical practices throughout history. Touch also plays a key role in human communication but maintains a position detached from other forms of verbal and nonverbal communication within the field of counseling. Most counselors receive little training in the role of touch in counseling, and there are no ethics codes specific to the use of touch available to guide counselors. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of historical and current issues related …

How Does Autism Affect The Processing Of Child Sexual Abuse Trauma?, Jose Carbajal, Regina T. Praetorius

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Children in general are a vulnerable population, but children with neurodevelopmental disorders are even more vulnerable. This case study, which uses secondary qualitative data to focus on a survivor of sexual abuse who has autism, explores how a child with autism interprets and processes being sexually abused. We contrast how a child with autism experiences child sexual abuse with the experiences of children without autism; major differences emerged in terms of how a child with autism normalizes and interprets sexual abuse. The findings of this study indicate mental health professionals need more training regarding the complications autism adds to the …

The Dyadic Dance During Deployment: Veteran And Partner Romantic Attachment, Warren Ponder, Jose Carbajal

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

A strong family unit and dyadic relationship can buffer against the possible development of depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A growing body of literature has been investigating how couples communicate during a combat separation. However, there has not been a robust framework to conceptualize the findings; this paper posits that attachment theory can fill this gap. This study was a cross-sectional retrospective design that included twenty-two heterosexual dyads. Nine modes of communication were assessed: letters, care packages, email, telephone, text with phone, social networking, Skype, instant messenger and instant messenger with video. Also, frequency of communication was examined for …

Mediation Among Maladaptive Perfectionism, Maladaptive Emotion Regulation, And Distress, Jennifer L. Woodrum

Theses and Dissertations

Perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by high standards for performance (Frost, Marten, Lahart, & Rosenblate, 1990) and a striving for flawlessness (Flett & Hewitt, 2002). Maladaptive perfectionism, which has to do with self-critical thoughts (Dunkley, Zuroff, & Blankstein, 2003) and feelings of falling short of high standards (Slaney, Rice, & Ashby, 2002), is often associated with maladaptive strategies of emotion regulation (Aldea & Rice, 2006; Dunkley et al., 2003; Rudolph, Flett, & Hewitt, 2007). Additionally, research has shown that general use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies mediates the relation between maladaptive perfectionism and distress (Aldea & Rice, 2006; Di …

Mediation Among Childhood Sexual Abuse, Self-Objectification, And Risk Recognition, Michelle Maria Coventry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between childhood sexual abuse (CSA), self-objectification, and risk recognition in a sample of freshman, college women. Self-objectification was expected to interfere with the ability to readily identify risk (risk appraisal) and respond effectively (risk response), particularly for survivors of CSA. Participants were 335 freshman women ages 18 to 25, with 47.8% reporting a history of CSA. Participants completed an online survey that assessed demographics, abuse history, and indicators of self-objectification (body surveillance, body shame, and appearance anxiety). Participants also completed a task to assess risk recognition which included reading …

Motivation Matters: The Interaction Of Approach And Avoidance Alcohol Motivation And Self-Control Demands In College Drinkers, Becky K. Gius

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Failure in self-control has long been identified as a risk factor for problematic alcohol use among college students, as individuals who are less equipped or less able to regulate their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors use alcohol more frequently and are at greater risk for binge drinking. Recent findings suggest self-control depletion and motivation interact to determine performance on subsequent tasks that require self-control. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the ways self-control exertion and desires to use alcohol (approach inclinations) and desires to avoid using alcohol (avoidance inclinations) impact subsequent alcohol use behavior. Using ecological momentary assessment, …

The Change In Classification Of Asperger Syndrome: An Exploration Of Its Effects On Self-Identity, Stephany Huynh, Adam Mccrimmon, Tom Strong

The Qualitative Report

Recently, the American Psychiatric Association eliminated Asperger Syndrome (AS) and introduced the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic framework. This change in nosology socially implicates people who self-identify with and derive personal meaning from their AS diagnosis. The current study explored the opinions of adults with AS regarding their identity related to the diagnostic terminology of ASD. Twelve adults with AS completed a semi-structured interview that was transcribed and analyzed qualitatively using Thematic Analysis. The analysis revealed six themes: (a) Derived Meaning, (b) Knowledge and Understanding, (c) Perceptions and Labels, (d) Social Identity, (e) Opinions and Reactions to ASD, and (f) …

Threat-Induced Alterations In Cognition And Associations With Disinhibited Behavior, Julia B. Mcdonald

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When a threat is detected, brain networks associated with threat processing are activated while other processes are deprioritized. While this resource allocation is adaptive, it makes it especially difficult to effortfully direct thoughts, emotions, and behaviors (use cognitive control) during situations of high stress. Further, this threat response is most efficient in response to short-term or predictable stressors (“threats”) but loses its efficiency for ambiguous or unpredictable threats. Despite research that suggests that threat induces psychological states associated with breakdown in cognitive control processes, no study has directly examined how predictability of threat impacts neurocognitive indicators of cognitive control processes. …

Parents As Pimps: Survivor Accounts Of Trafficking Of Children In The United States, Jody Raphael

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This article discusses four survivor accounts of survivors of being sold for sexual exploitation by their parents for monetary gain. These narratives, supplemented by other accounts from 100 newspaper stories between 2012 and 2018, reveal the fact that many survivors were sold as very young children, and the abuse continued through their teen years, blurring distinctions between pedophilia and the sex trade industry. In their accounts, survivors described the motivations of their parents as well as the buyers, who used excessive force and violence. Some researchers are beginning to document the existence of parental pimping and its prevalence, which ranges …

Evaluation Of Unm's Parental Leave Policy, Julia Fulghum, Karlyn A. Edwards, Charlie Christian, Steven Verney, Lisa A. Marchiondo, Teagan Mullins

ADVANCE Reports

Experiences with UNM’s parental leave policy C215 have been evaluated using the ADVANCE 2018 Main Campus Faculty Climate Survey, a series of junior faculty interviews, and concerns brought to the ADVANCE leadership. Key findings are:

• Women and STEM faculty are more hesitant to use family-leave policies, and perceive greater disadvantage in using them than men and non-STEM faculty
• Sharing of information about, and implementation of, parental leave varies significantly between units
• The attitude of the department chair and senior faculty strongly influence the experience of faculty who use parental leave
• Appropriately implemented, the parental leave policy contributes to faculty recruitment …

Relationship Between Body Image Dissatisfaction And Disordered Eating: Mediating Effect Of Selfesteem And Depression Among Female University Students, Agatha Teni Wunyala-Bukari

Psychology Theses

The objectives of this study were to examine the relationship between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating and to examine whether depression and self - Esteem mediate the relationship. The sample consisted of 186 undergraduate and post graduate female university students. Data collection tools were the Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire (BIQ), the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26), the Rosenburg Self-Esteem Scale (SES) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The Linear Structural Relations (LISREL) software and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used for the analysis of data. The findings of this study showed a significant positive correlation between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. In …

Applying A Metacognitive Framework In The Neuropsychological Assessment Of Subjective Cognitive Decline And Mild Cognitive Impairment, Susan Y. Chi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The characterization of the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a topic of major research interest because it is critical for early diagnosis and emerging interventions. Metamemory, or knowledge about memory, including awareness of one’s own memory functions, has been investigated in AD especially in relation to how impairment in memory and executive functions contribute to unawareness of cognitive deficits, termed anosognosia. Previous research, however, has not systematically investigated metamemory functioning in older adults with prodromal dementia conditions. Therefore, we investigated metamemory accuracy in cognitively healthy older adults (HC) and those with subjective cognitive decline but intact neuropsychological test …

Defining An Adult Screener For Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Study Of Court Populations, Allison Mushlitz

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Very little information is known about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) within corrections populations, yet research suggests higher prevalence rates among these populations compared to the general population (Burd, Selfridge, Klug, & Bakko, 2004). In order to evaluate FASD within a corrections population, an established behavioral screener, FAS BeST (Robins & Andrews, 2009), was adapted for adults along with a selected protocol of cognitive and neuropsychological testing. The study aimed to identify testing performance and response patterns unique to individuals with an FASD in order to develop a cognitive and behavioral profile, and to evaluate the Self-Report and Adult Other …