Psychology Commons^™

Social Anxiety Reduction In The Context Of Social Modeling Utilizing A Placebo Alcohol Beverage, Kyle K. Jackson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol misuse and elevated social anxiety are found to be highly comorbid, and being exposed to social models consuming alcohol can increase one’s consumption. Yet no research has thus far examined whether the internal experience of alcohol consumption (e.g., social anxiety reduction) can also be transmitted via social modeling. This bar-lab study examined the impact of social modeling behavioral cues of social anxiety on emerging adult drinkers. It was hypothesized that those exposed to a social model experiencing an apparent social anxiety reduction from drinking would themselves report lessened state social anxiety following a placebo drink, and that this effect …

Measurement Of Defusion: Further Validation Of The Drexel Defusion Scale, Christopher A. Briggs

Dissertations

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) seeks to develop psychological flexibility through the engagement of the six interrelated processes. Four processes employ mindfulness and acceptance strategies and consist of acceptance, defusion, present moment awareness, and the contextualized self. Two other processes, values and committed action, are grouped with present moment awareness and the contextualized self and are termed behavior change strategies. One issue encountered by contemporary behavioral approaches in general, and ACT in particular, is the measurement of the proposed processes. Measurement is complicated by the functional nature of some of the repertoires described making the development of instruments for assessment …

Recording System That Dramatically Increases Intellectual Productivity, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Learning, Teaching, & Researching Optimization

この記事は、録音システムを使う利点、それが具体的にはどのような活動であり、なぜそのような効果が出るのかについて説明されている。私たちの知性にはまだ多くの研究されていない潜在的な能力があり、この録音システムを使うことによって、そのように眠っている能力を知的生産性のために利用することができる。

知的生産性を飛躍させる録音システム, Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Learning, Teaching, & Researching Optimization

This article explains the benefits of using a recording system, what it is, and why it works. Our intelligence has many unexplored potentials, and by using this recording system, such latent abilities can be utilized for intellectual productivity.

Use Of The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (Moca) In A Rural Outreach Program For Military Veterans, Michelle M. Hilgeman, Eugenia M. Boozer, A. Lynn Snow, Rebecca S. Allen, Lori L. Davis

Journal of Rural Social Sciences

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a free, easily accessible screener ideal for rural areas where resources are limited. We examined administration and scoring by Veteran Community Outreach Health Workers (VCOHWs); compared positive screening rates using two cutoff scores; and examined predictors of education-adjusted scores in N = 168 rural military Veterans from the Alabama Veteran Rural Health Initiative. Accuracy of administration (95 percent) and scoring (68 percent) was calculated and recommendations are offered. Higher than expected rates of positive screens were observed (40 percent using 24/30 cutoff) in this relatively young (M = 55 years) community-dwelling sample. Age, education, …

A Rubric For Evaluating And Designing Survey Research In Neuropsychology, Emily F. Matusz, Bernice A. Marcopulos, Thomas M. Guterbock

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

The current study presents recommended guidelines for neuropsychologists in accordance with best practices used in survey research design and data reporting. Although there have been improvements in the quality of research design and data reporting of neuropsychological surveys over time, several areas are still in need of improvement. A rubric, created from these recommended guidelines, is intended to provide neuropsychologists with an easily accessible tool to help further improve the quality of of survey research in neuropsychology.

The Impact Of Experimentally-Induced Perceived Discrimination On Substance Use, Kimberlye Elise Dean

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are among the most debilitating psychiatric disorders. Although prevalence rates of SUDs are similar between White and Black adults, these groups experience differential treatment outcomes (e.g., Black adults with SUDs are more likely to report greater pre- and post-treatment substance use). Examining culture-specific correlates of racial differences in substance use is vital to improve understanding of the etiological and maintaining mechanisms of SUDs among Black adults. Perceived racial discrimination (PRD) is prospectively related to various substance use-related outcomes. Thus, some may use substances to alleviate psychological distress (e.g., anxiety) associated with PRD, which may over time …

Exploring Clinical Psychology Doctoral Students’ Knowledge And Attitudes About Older Adult Sexuality, Lindsey Horta

Doctoral Dissertations

The current study surveyed clinical psychology doctoral students’ (N=291) knowledge and attitudes about older adult sexuality. Knowledge and attitudes were measured using the Facts of Aging Quiz, the Aging Sexuality Knowledge and Attitudes Scale, Attitudes Towards Sexuality Scale, and measures to explore students’ exposure to and interests in the older adult population, as well as academic and clinical exposure (coursework, practicum opportunities and clinical contacts with older adults) to the older adult population and older adult sexuality. Generally, students’ knowledge about aging was associated with their attitudes about older adult sexuality; the more knowledge a student has about older adult …

Personality And Coping, Alyssa Seely

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Criminal Embeddedness On School Violence In Brazil, Braulio Figueiredo Alves Da Silva, Silvio Segundo Salej Higgins, Elenice Desouza Oliveira

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study examines the influence of criminal embeddedness on the intensity of criminal behavior among primary and secondary school students in a large Brazilian city. A database conceived by the Center for the Study of Crime and Public Security at the Federal University in Minas Gerais is used to analyze the involvement of youths displaying delinquent behavior at home or at school and how school performance and peer relationships are effected. Based on differential association and learning theories, the main hypotheses are (1) the greater the criminal embeddedness, the lower the degree of school satisfaction as well as future expectation …

Digital Addiction: A Conceptual Overview, Amarjit Kumar Singh, Pawan Kumar Singh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

Digital addiction referred to an impulse control disorder that involves the obsessive use of digital devices, digital technologies, and digital platforms, i.e. internet, video game, online platforms, mobile devices, digital gadgets, and social network platform. It is an emerging domain of Cyberpsychology (Singh, Amarjit Kumar and Pawan Kumar Singh; 2019), which explore a problematic usage of digital media, device, and platforms by being obsessive and excessive. This article analyses, reviewed the current research, and established a conceptual overview on the digital addiction. The research literature on digital addiction has proliferated. However, we tried to categories the digital addiction, according …

Personal Standards But Not Maladaptive Evaluative Concerns Perfectionism Predict Exercise Dependency Over Time, Sarah E. Ernst, Irina A. Vanzhula, Cheri A. Levinson

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Exercise is generally thought to be beneficial for physical and mental health; however, when done in excess, exercise can lead to damaging physical, psychological, and social health consequences. This type of exercise is known as exercise dependency and is frequently associated with eating disorder pathology. Perfectionism (high or personal standards and maladaptive evaluative concerns) is a risk factor for eating disorders and is also associated with exercise dependency. However, no studies have examined longitudinal relationships between perfectionism and exercise dependency. The current study used a sample of adolescent females (N = 444) from a Southeastern United States high school, …

Mental Health On Campus: What Barriers Are There To Seeking Help?, Lindsay Thomas, Michael Bordieri

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Previous research has found that mental health disorders on college campuses have become increasingly prevalent, and many college students are not seeking help for their psychological health. This study examines college students’ views on seeking help for mental health problems, as well as their knowledge about mental health resources on campus. In addition, the study aims to identify what barriers are preventing students from seeking treatment for their mental health problems and what college students believe are the benefits of seeking mental health treatment. Participants (N = 95) in this study were asked to complete questionnaires that measure both their …

Epidemiology Of Chronic Pain In Ukraine: Findings From The World Mental Health Survey, Anna Xu, Elizabeth Hilton, Riley Arkema, Nathan L. Tintle, Luralyn M. Helming

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Chronic pain can pose a serious challenge in everyday life for many individuals globally, especially in developing countries, but studies explicitly exploring risk factors of chronic pain beyond demographic characteristics using survey data have been scarce. To address this problem, this study analyzed World Health Organization data on chronic pain in Ukraine to explore demographic, psychological, and treatment perception-related risk factors to chronic pain. We replicated previous reports of older age, female sex, married status, inadequate financial resources, and comorbidity of other physical conditions as significant demographic risk factors for chronic pain diagnosis but not necessarily for severe pain. We …

The Effect Of Viewing Advertisements Depicting Information And Communication Technology On Older Adults' Technology Self-Efficacy, Hollie Brianne Coleman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are an important part of society today. Older adults often report ICTs as difficult to use and unhelpful; however, ICTs can support older adults’ ability to stay in touch with family and friends across long distances and help increase their quality of life. Unfortunately, training programs targeted at teaching older adults to use ICTs are often costly and time-consuming. The current study attempts to determine whether advertisements depicting older adults using ICTs can be used to increase self-efficacy without the use of training programs.

A within subjects experimental design was completed using an independent variable …

Exploring The Effects Of Age In A Drosophila Melanogaster Model Of Traumatic Brain Injury, Andrea Maria Briseño

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and can lead to immediate and long-term behavioral, physical, and cognitive deficits. Our laboratory has previously characterized the neuropathological and behavioral consequences of mild-to-severe TBI in rodents of varying ages. To develop a high-throughput platform upon which to test the effects of therapeutic interventions, we have recently begun to assess behavior and physiological parameters in a Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) model using a simple spring-loaded high impact trauma (HIT) device as a model of blunt force trauma. Drosophila (young, middle, and old) received either TBI or a …

Planning For Healthcare Quality Using Procurement As A Strategy: A Case Study Exploring An Outcomes-Oriented Approach To Healthcare Procurement, Kassandra A. Alia

Theses and Dissertations

The United States has one of the most costly healthcare systems in the world, yet also ranks lower in patient outcomes in comparison with many other developed countries. A focus on quality implementation may help accelerate ongoing efforts to improve healthcare quality. The overall purpose of this study was to explore outcomes-oriented contracting as a mechanism for embedding quality implementation planning proactively into the process for procuring healthcare services. A single case study methodology was utilized to examine changes in procurements over time following implementation of an outcomes-oriented contracting approach within an organization that provides funding for behavioral health and …

The Impact Of Alcohol- Related Consequences On Alcohol Use Behaviors, Amy Cuccuro

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Primary objectives of the present study include (1) exploring the impact of alcohol-related consequences on current drinking behaviors, and (2) examining perceptions of consequences and their relationship to current drinking behaviors. Method: Original data collected through online self-report surveys from 579 participants (Mage = 28.0 years) was utilized for the present study. Each participant answered brief questionnaire about their current alcohol use (quantity and frequency) using the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and follow up questions about their prior alcohol related experiences and subsequent perceptions. Results: There was a significant association between AUDIT scores and prior experiences of …

The Effects Of Historical Alcohol Use On Neuropsychological Functioning In Older Adults Following A Traumatic Brain Injury, Ryan Sever

Dissertations

The present study aimed to determine the effects of alcohol abuse and dependence in long term functioning of older adults who have experienced a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. The research question being answered in the current study was if a history of alcohol abuse or dependence would worsen neuropsychological functioning in older adults who experienced at least one moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Participants of the study were selected from the more extensive database provided by the Brain Aging in Vietnam War Veterans (DOD-ADNI) database. All participants were Vietnam War veterans between the ages of 61 and …

Coming Out Experiences Of Lgb Latinos/As, Camilo Posada Rodriguez

Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ)

The coming out process is a fundamental part in the lives of LGB individuals. Research suggests that there are factors that might make coming out detrimental to the mental health of an individual. This study aims to better understand the coming out experiences of LGB Latinos/as and the possible relations to cultural values such as religion, familismo, and conservative points of view. Participants were 9 self-identified Latino/a lesbian, gay, or bisexual adults currently living in the U.S. recruited through public and online advertisements. The author engaged in thematic analysis to identify relevant patterns about the participants’ coming out experiences. …

Dermatoglyphic Measures In Relation To Depressive Symptoms Among Non-Clinical Adolescents And Young Adults, Yosefa A. Modiano

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Depressive disorders are highly prevalent and can be devastating. Increasingly, depressive symptomatology is understood from a dimensional perspective such that non- or sub-clinical presentations may share a similar etiology. Depression etiology is believed to include genetic and environmental factors that may contribute to underlying vulnerability (diathesis) by way of neurodevelopment. Birth cohort studies have provided empirical evidence of the relationship between prenatal insult and later experience of adverse outcomes, including increased risk for depressive disorders. Retrospective investigation of the possible influence of prenatal disturbance on later experience of depressive symptoms has methodological limitations. Dermatoglyphic measurements offer a more methodologically viable …

Does Ethnic Identity, In-Group Preference, And Acculturation Protect Latinas With A History Of Interpersonal Trauma From Developing Symptoms Of Ptsd?, Evelyn M. Ramirez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Previous research suggests ethnic identity, a sense of belonging to a particular cultural group, may be protective against symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the role of ethnic identity, in-group preference (i.e., an individual’s preference for interactions with members of their own ethnic group) and acculturation (i.e., the level of comfort with the mainstream culture) have not been investigated as protective factors for Latinas with a history of interpersonal and sexual trauma. In this study, ethnic identity, in-group preference and acculturation were assessed via self-report on the Scale of Ethnic Experience in two samples of undergraduate Latina and non-Latina …

Examining The Use Of Hebephilia And Paraphilia Non-Consent In Sexually Violent Predator (Svp) Evaluations, Nicole Graham

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Sexually violent predator (SVP) legislation requires, in part, that an individual has a mental abnormality which causes difficulty in controlling sexual behavior. Previous research has found paraphilia not otherwise specified (NOS) to be one of the most prevalent diagnoses proffered in SVP evaluations. Since these studies, however, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) has updated the paraphilia NOS diagnosis in two ways. First, this diagnosis has been divided into two new diagnoses—other specified paraphilic disorder (OSPD) and unspecified paraphilic disorder. Second, OSPD requires an added specifier to indicate the individual’s source of sexual arousal. To date, no study has systematically …

The Impact Of Mentalization And Self-Compassion On Psychological Adjustment In Adolescents, Jaleh Hamadani

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The following study was designed to look at the impact of Mentalization (or Reflective Functioning (RF)) as well as Mentalized Affectivity (MA) [comprised of Identifying, Processing, and Expressing] and Self-Compassion (SC) on psychological adjustment in adolescents. Psychological adjustment in this study was measured utilizing measures of psychological symptoms (internalizing and externalizing symptoms) and well-being.

While deficiencies in RF have been associated with increased psychological symptoms in clinical sample of adolescents, studies examining RF in community sample of adolescents have shown a mixed picture. Furthermore, no study to date has examined the impact of MA on psychological adjustment in …

Electroencephalographic Asymmetry, Emotion Regulation, And Their Relationships With Depression Risk, Aliza Jacob

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Research investigating patterns of electroencephalographic (EEG) brain asymmetry aids our understanding of neural systems involved in the processing of emotion, motivation, and psychopathology. Withdrawal-motivated negative emotions characteristic of depression are associated with relative right prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity, whereas approach- motivated positive emotions are associated with relative left PFC activity. Styles of emotion regulation (ER), or modulation of the intensity and duration of emotional responses, are also associated with presence (e.g., suppression, or maladaptive ER) versus absence (e.g., cognitive reappraisal, or adaptive ER) of depression vulnerability. Most PFC asymmetry studies of emotion, depression, and/or ER rely upon EEG recorded …

Getting The Benefit Of The Doubt: The Effect Of Randomization Ratio On The Placebo Response, Taiki Matsuura

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Placebos are commonly employed in clinical trials as inactive treatments to which experimental treatments are compared against in order to control for psychological “noise.” Randomized double-blind placebo control studies are considered the “gold standard” in epidemiologic research because they can provide the strongest possible evidence of causation if designed correctly (Hulley, Cummings, Browner, & Grady, 2007). One phenomenon that poses a threat to the integrity of this evidence is the placebo response (PR), or referred to as the “placebo effect.” Expectancy is considered a central PR mechanism and boasts the most empirical support among all proposed mechanisms. Expectancy is not …

Perceptions Of Sexual Violence: An Investigation Of Sexual Harassment, Sexual Coercion, And Sexting, Jennifer J. Mcmahon

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Perpetration of sexual violence is a serious concern in the US, with research indicating that a substantial portion of the population has experienced some type of sexual victimization. There is sparse research that examines perceptions and judgments of sexually inappropriate behaviors, and existing research does not take into account the impact of individual differences and contextual factors. This study examined whether individuals recognize different forms of sexual harassment, sexual coercion, and sexting as inappropriate, and how these perceptions are affected by sex, age, and relationship status. A mixed sample of undergraduate students and adults within the community completed an online …

Internal And External Attention In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tehila Eilam-Stock

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental condition affecting individuals throughout the lifespan. Sensory hypersensitivity and superior perceptual acuity are well documented in individuals with ASD, and may indicate heightened orientation of attention to external stimuli, as attention can augment sensory perception. Recent evidence from mind-wandering research suggests that the ability to disengage attention from the external environment and direct it internally to self-generated mentation is crucial for adaptive cognition and behavior, as it allows for incorporation of past knowledge and experience in the interpretation of novel situations. We hypothesized that ASD is related to an imbalance between externally …

The Complexity Of The Bilingual Experience: Linguistic Variables Predict Cognition In Older Adults, K'Dee D. Elsen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: It has been estimated that more than half of the world’s population is bilingual. With the rates of bilingualism exponentially growing, researchers have been increasingly interested in the effects of bilingualism on the brain. Although the literature continues to expand, it remains limited in its understanding of how the complex bilingual experience impacts cognition. Objective: The current study, therefore, will focus on investigating how the bilingual experience affects cognition, specifically the cognitive domains of executive functioning and linguistic processing within an older adult population. Methods: Participants were 144 healthy older adults (67% female) between the ages …

Fatalism And Pain Experience In Hispanic And Non-Hispanic White Patients With Chronic Pain, Esmeralda Ibette Nuñez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore fatalistic beliefs about pain among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients with chronic pain in order to assess the assertion that fatalism is a uniquely important cultural determinant of pain experience among Hispanics. Hypotheses were that across both Hispanic and NHW patients, lower socioeconomic status and lack of access to a usual source of healthcare for chronic pain, rather than ethnicity, would relate to greater pain fatalism. Secondly, it was hypothesized that greater pain fatalism would relate to higher pain severity and pain interference for both groups. Pearson product-moment correlations were used …