Psychology Commons^™

Attitudes And Preferences About The Stepped-Care Model Of Depression Treatment In Oncology: A Pilot Study, Juliana Alessandra D'Onofrio

Theses and Dissertations

The current pilot study examines the feasibility of conducting a full-scale study that utilizes a survey-based cross-sectional methodological design. The purpose was to systematically explore the attitudes about the Stepped-Care (SC) Model of depression treatment, specific treatment preferences for depression, and client characteristics of a sample of women diagnosed with breast cancer. A total of 26 women were recruited from a breast cancer clinic located in the Northeastern United States. Preliminary results indicated that participants on average rated treatments within the SC Model as acceptable, tended to prefer step three (e.g. psychotherapy, medication, or a combined approach) or step two …

Parsing The Influences Of Nicotine And Expectancies On The Acute Effects Of E-Cigarettes: A Balanced-Placebo Experiment, Amanda M. Palmer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

E-cigarette use has been increasing in recent years, and its ultimate public health impact is still unknown. In order to assess the addictive liability of these products, research is needed to investigate the roles of nicotine and other factors on psychological and physical effects of “vaping.” The goal of the current study was to investigate the role of expectancies, nicotine delivery, and their interactions on the effects of e-cigarette use via a balanced-placebo experiment. In this design, drug dosage (contains nicotine or not) was crossed with instructions (told nicotine or non-nicotine) during ad-lib e-cigarette use sessions by 128 current e-cigarette …

Translation And Validation Of An Online Suite Of Assessments In American Sign Language, Deb Guthmann, Janet Titus, Jared Embree, Josephine Wilson

JADARA

Abstract

This article reports on a National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project (DRRP; Federal Grant # 90DP0067). The project is being conducted by investigators in the Substance Abuse Resources and Disability Issues (SARDI) Program in the Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University (WSU), in collaboration with nationally recognized experts on Deaf culture and substance abuse/mental health. The goal of this DRRP is to develop and test an online suite of instruments in American Sign Language (ASL), validated for deaf consumers, assessing substance use, mental health, and occupational interests. The …

Quality Of Life And Burden In Caregivers Of Youth With Severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Monica S. Wu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heterogeneous disorder associated with functional impairment and deleterious effects at the family level. Caregivers are often enmeshed in the disorder, coping with the child’s OCD-related distress and engaging in accommodating behaviors. Given the developmental level of these youth and the impactful nature of OCD, caregivers may experience considerable burden and decreased quality of life (QoL). However, extant literature on these constructs is largely limited to caregivers of patients with chronic illnesses, and the few existing studies examining OCD samples are limited to adult patients. As such, this study sought to examine burden and QoL …

Weight Stigma, Cognitions, And Disordered Eating, Sarah E. Pelfrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Weight stigma experiences affect people of all weights and have many negative consequences; despite this, weight stigma is still an acceptable prejudice in our society. Research has established that weight stigma is predictive of disordered eating (DE) cognitions, which are, in turn, predictive of DE behaviors. The current study explored the unique contribution DE cognitions make to DE behaviors while controlling for other DE cognitions. The DE cognitions examined in the current study were drive for thinness, weight bias internalization, and perfectionism. The DE behaviors examined were emotional eating, restrained eating, inappropriate compensatory behaviors, and binge-eating. Weight bias internalization and …

Narcissistic Traits Of Police Officers In America, Paloma Moran

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The narcissistic traits of police officers aged 17 to 78 in the United States affect American citizens in various degrees. Improvements made to pre-employment psychological evaluations, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), the L (Lie) Scale, and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), may detect and screen out police officer candidates with underlying Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). It is important that candidates with NPD be screened out as, if they become officers, they may commit acts of police misconduct, which greatly affect the safety and trust of the American people.

The Impact Of Ethnic Identity On Psychological Well-Being And Perceived Discrimination Among Arab Americans, Rawan Atari

Theses and Dissertations

The current study intended to expand upon psychological research on the Arab American community, which has faced increased discrimination since 9/11 and recent ISIS-related terrorist attacks. Since perceived discrimination has been associated with greater psychological distress among Arab Americans, it is important to determine whether any protective factors are available for this community. In a sample of Arab Americans, the relationship between perceived discrimination and aspects of psychological well-being (i.e., self-esteem, flourishing, and satisfaction with life) were examined in order to gain a better overall picture of Arab American mental health. Because ethnic identity has been recognized as a protective …

The Etiology And Phenomenology Of Sexual Shame: A Grounded Theory Study, Noel Clark

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Although sexual shame is widely present in social discourse and has previously been described clinically—as shame related to sexual thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and attitudes—it has not been defined in an operational manner that can be empirically tested. This study creates a bridge between the colloquial knowledge regarding sexual shame found in clinical practice and the way in which sexual shame is defined and measured scientifically in the psychological research literature. Grounded theory was used in this study to generate theory related to the development and experience of sexual shame. The concept of sexual shame was explored from both a personal …

Depression In College Students, Sarah Paynter

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Many studies report the prevalence of depression on campuses and the negative correlation between depression and academic success. However, no studies have previously examined how depressed students seek to succeed despite their illness. The researcher looked to explore how students used unique academic strategies. This researcher intends for the study to serve as a resource for comprehensive, quantitative studies to pose falsifiable hypotheses. All findings are tentative suggestions dependent on the confirmation and exploration of further research. The study suggests that interactive engagement, use of tutoring resources, managing breaks, and promoting positive study attitudes, among other strategies, may help depressed …

Christian Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Lucy C. Phillips

Fidei et Veritatis: The Liberty University Journal of Graduate Research

Albert Ellis was the creator of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Although Ellis opposed organized religion and religious beliefs for most of his life, this type of therapy can be adapted for use with many religious groups, including Christians. This paper will discuss biblical support for REBT as well as incongruences of Christian tenants and REBT. Christian REBT (CREBT) will be explored, including the therapeutic techniques that can be used. The efficacy of CREBT will be covered. Since there is a paucity of randomized clinical trials examining CREBT, Christian cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) will also be discussed. This paper will …

What Is The Role Of The Community? Examining Minority Stress Processes Among Gay And Bisexual Men, Brian Salfas

Theses and Dissertations

This work examines factors affecting the mental health of gay and bisexual men drawing on minority stress theory. Results indicate that community involvement has a positive effect on the mental health of men impacted by minority stress and show a significant interaction between community involvement and internalized homonegativity.

Peer Rejection And Emotion Development: The Role Of Peer Rejection And Coming Out On Emotional Health Among Gay And Bisexual Men, Joseph A. Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Gay and bisexual men experience a higher prevalence of negative mental health outcomes than their heterosexual counterparts. This study examines sexual identity milestone achievement—the age of first coming out to friends—for mediation on the association between childhood experiences of peer rejection and levels of emotion dysregulation in adulthood.

Inventory Of Legal Knowledge: An Examination Of Psychometric Properties In An Inpatient Psychiatric Setting, Kristen T. Campbell

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

An estimated 60,000 forensic evaluations are conducted annually to determine if defendants meet the legal standard of competence to stand trial (CST); that is, if defendants have the ability to consult with their attorney, as well as if they have a rational and factual understanding of their charges. Estimated rates of feigning (i.e., faking or exaggerating of deficits or symptoms) in CST evaluations have ranged from 8% to 21%. Given this prevalence, it is necessary for forensic evaluators to have access to psychometrically sound instruments that can aid in the detection of feigning. Performance validity tests (PVTs) are designed to …

A Mixed Methods Study Of A Psychoeducational Attachment-Based Intervention For Families Experiencing Separation And Loss, Kelly C. Atwood

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This mixed methods study examined foster and adoptive parents’ experience of an attachment-based psychoeducational parent education course. A semi-structured qualitative interview explored parent perceptions of the course content and the impact of the course on parental stress levels, parent-child interactions, and child behavior in a sample of parent participants, after parents completed the 8-week Attachment Security Course. Prior to and following completion of the course parents completed quantitative measures of parenting stress, parent-child interaction, and child behavior. Due to the small sample size, the quantitative results were not interpretable in aggregate form. Emphasis was placed on the qualitative data to …

I Can Thrive!: Fostering Well-Being In Adolescent Girls Via The Unified Approach, Jennifer L. Mills

Dissertations, 2014-2019

With the rise of positive psychology as a subfield of psychology, there has been increased focus and attention on the construct of well-being. Unfortunately, lack of agreement regarding the ultimate goal of positive psychology has contributed to fragmentation within the field of psychology. Thus, literature on well-being has not been integrated into a broad model for understanding psychology and human nature, as is the case with much psychological research. Connecting such research to a deep theoretical and philosophical model is important with a construct like well-being, as it is a complicated and central construct for the field, for both practitioners …

The Effect Of Journey Around The World Curriculum On Prosocial Behavior In Elementary School Children: A Pilot Study, Jae Seung Cha

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This small-scale pilot study explored the effectiveness of proposed research instruments in measuring the outcomes of the prosocial and global education curriculum, Journey Around the World (JAWD), regarding attitudes toward school, affective language, prosocial motivation and behavior of second-grade school students.

Overall, the results of this study support the research methodology. Specifically, the proposed measures demonstrated the capacity to detect the positive changes following the Journey Around the World program in the attitudes toward school, learning motivation, affective vocabulary, and prosocial behavior and motivation. Furthermore, the results demonstrated the sensitivity of the proposed method to reflect the children’s growing appreciation …

Incorporating Visual Communication Desensitization In The Treatment Of Depression In Women With Sexual Trauma Histories, Nino Chkhaidze

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Depression is a complex condition which requires a multi-faceted approach and adjustment of the treatment method depending on the etiology of the disorder. One of the possible causes of depression is trauma experienced by an individual, especially when the traumatic event involves an interpersonal component. An innovative interview/therapeutic technique called Visual-Communication Desensitization (VCD) aims to help individuals process their traumatic experience and cope with negative effects of trauma by means of a line graph, which allows visualization of the event on timeline. In the current study, our goal was to identify VCD’s effects on depression in women with sexual trauma …

Ruminative Exploration In Late Adolescence And Its Relationship To Depression, Self-Esteem, And Parental Autonomy Support, Kelsey A. Redmayne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ruminative exploration is considered a maladaptive dimension of identity development that appears to be at its highest during emerging adulthood (Luyckx, Klimstra, Duriez, Petergem, & Beyers, 2013a). Previous studies have assessed the relationship between ruminative exploration and well-being in populations in Dutch speaking populations of university students in Belgium (Luyckx, Gossens, & Soenens, 2006a; Luyckx, Gossens, Soenens, & Beyers, 2006b; Luyckx et al., 2007a; Luyckx et al., 2008; Luyckx et al., 2013a). Following the Dutch research, it was predicted that ruminative exploration will be positively correlated with symptoms of depression and low self-esteem among US college students. Beyond replicating the …

A Study Looking At How Youth’S Self- Perception Is Affected By Their Temperament, Emily K. Anderson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Self- perception is defined as the “distinctive combination of personality characteristics and social style by which one defines oneself and by which one is recognized by others” In children, self-perception can influence how they will approach a new situation, whether that is in school, at home, or a public outing with their family. Our study aims to expand on this research by defining the relationships between proximal influences, global self- worth, self- perception, behavioral conduct and how youth’s temperament influences these variables. We will be using the Rothbart Temperament Questionnaire and the Susan Harter Self- Perception Profiles to obtain …

The Development Of Sexually Abusive Behavior In Adolescent Males Who Have Been Sexually Victimized, Brittany S. Sharma

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The abused-abuser hypothesis posits that a history of sexual victimization may increase the risk of engaging in sexually abusive behavior for some victims. Although many researchers have discovered a higher prevalence of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in sex offenders in comparison with non-sex offenders, less research has considered how specific characteristics of prior sexual abuse may contribute to how these individuals sexually abuse others. For the present study, archival data were collected from 243 youths receiving residential treatment for sexually abusive behavior and self-reported data were collected from university students with no known history of sexual offending. The present study …

The Effect Of Gender And Veteran Status On The Level Of Perceived Stigma Surrounding Ptsd, Ryan E. Lubock

Master's Theses

This paper explores how gender and veteran status effects the level of stigmatization around Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Participants were randomly assigned to one of four vignette conditions, which were distinguished by gender and veteran status. Participants were then asked to rate how they perceived the individual depicted in the vignette. The researchers analyzed the results by examining how the participants own report of gender, and masculinity, effected how each of the vignettes were judged. This paper addresses the stigma surrounding mental health in general, and more specifically how that stigma affects individuals suffering from PTSD across multiple domains. For …

Individual Difference Variables And Social Learning: An Investigation Into Expectancies, Philip Andrew Wiliamson

USC Aiken Psychology Theses

Bandura (1969, 1985) proposed social learning theory (SLT) as a theoretical framework through which behaviors can be predicted. SLT offers an explanation to thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are learned. Alcohol outcome expectancies (AOEs) are defined as the physiological or psychological consequences that are anticipated following the consumption of alcohol (Goldman, Boca, & Darkes, 1999). Expectancies enhance or diminish a person’s willingness to engage in drinking behaviors. SLT and AOEs converge as children watch adults and the media either consume and glorify alcohol or conversely vilify alcohol and shun its consumption. This study investigated whether individual difference variables (i.e., suggestibility, prior …

The Social Progression Of Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder: Post Vietnam And September 11th Attacks, Ellie Mcdonald

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Social Progression of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Post-Vietnam and September 11^th Attacks is an examination on the infrastructure of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’and of the Department of Defense’s lack of clarity and misinformation of the challenges and effects of mental illness within military ranks. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) made the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) after Vietnam. Since then, PTSD has been reevaluate numerous times, to properly define it. This research is a comparative analysis of the misconceptions of PTSD as experienced by Vietnam veterans and the first responders of the September 11^th tragedy. My research charts …

The Effects Of Meditation On Brain Organization And The Implications For Treating Adhd, Talia Gibson

Honors Projects

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has recently become increasingly diagnosed for children and adolescents. As of now, the most common treatment method is medication, with the purpose of changing brain organization. Recently, however, there has been increasing interest in the use of mindfulness meditation to treat the symptoms associated with ADHD. In this paper, eleven different studies, which have introduced mindfulness meditation as a treatment method for ADHD, are analyzed. The studies measure the degree to which mindfulness meditation improves common symptoms associated with ADHD. These symptoms include attentional problems, reduced mindful awareness, externalizing and internalizing problems, reduced self-control, impaired social behavior, …

Comparison Of Suicidality Among Heterosexual And Sexual Minority Individuals, Ashley R. Pate

Honors Theses

Previous research suggests that sexual minority individuals have a higher risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than do heterosexual individuals. Little research has been done to determine what may cause these differences and how living in a conservative region may contribute to it. This study sought to compare risk factors for suicidal ideation among heterosexual and sexual minority college students in southern Mississippi. To do so, suicidal ideation was examined, as well as thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB) – two robust predictors of suicidal ideation. It was hypothesized that sexual minorities would have elevated TB, PB, and …

Relations Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Current Maladaptive Beliefs In A College Sample, Ilana Starr Berman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cumulative childhood trauma has been associated with both symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. However, few studies have examined these relations with normative young adult populations nor have they explored the relation between childhood adversities and cognitive distortions as an outcome variable. The current study aimed to: 1) replicate and extend research on the relations between cumulative adversity, using a broad measure of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; Felitti et al., 1998), which assesses both maltreatment (e.g., physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect) and exposure to elements of household dysfunction (e.g., caregiver substance use, witnessing maternal abuse), and mental health …

A Longitudinal Investigation Of The Effect Of Violent Video Game Play On Capability For Suicide, Claire Houtsma

Master's Theses

According to the interpersonal theory of suicide, for an individual to be capable of engaging in suicidal behavior they must be fearless about death and possess elevated physical pain tolerance. It is believed that such capability is developed through exposure to painful and/or provocative events, which serve to habituate the individual to fear and pain. The current study sought to expand on previous studies to examine the impact of video game play on capability for suicide. Participants (n = 63) were randomly assigned to a violent or non-violent video game condition and fearlessness about death and pain tolerance were assessed …

Attribution Of Blame In Rape: The Role Of Race, Alice Genna

Student Theses

Reports have shown that about 18 percent of women and 1 percent of men in the United States reported experiencing rape in the past (Center for Disease and Control Prevention, 2011). In addition, a previous study has shown that victims of rape are often reluctant to report the incidents, because they fear society’s perceptions of rape (Deming, Covan, Swan & Billings, 2013). Given this, it is important to study factors influencing individuals’ attribution of blame in rape. While many studies have focused on the role of gender, sexual orientation, and alcohol influence in perceptions of rape, research on the role …

Spirituality And Suicidal Behavior: The Mediating Role Of Self-Forgiveness And Psychache, Benjamin B. Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Growing evidence for protective factors of spirituality against physical and mental health related outcomes has led to the consideration of spirituality as a protective factor for suicidal behaviors. Although initial support for this association is promising, spirituality has yet to be explored as it relates to psychache. Additionally, self-forgiveness has emerged as an important protective factor of suicidal behavior, but has not been explored in the context of psychache. Following a model developed by Webb, Hirsch, and Toussaint (2015), the current project explores the protective role of spirituality on suicidal behavior based on three dimensions of spirituality: ritualistic, theistic, and …

Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression And Suicidal Behavior In College Students: Conditional Indirect Effects Of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury And Self-Compassion, Andrea R. Kaniuka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Young adults of college age are at particular risk for psychopathology, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and consequent suicidal behavior, perhaps in a continuum of increasing severity. However, not all persons who experience psychopathological symptoms, or who self-harm, go on to engage in suicidal behavior, perhaps due to protective factors such as self-compassion that buffer this progression. We examined the mediating effect of NSSI on the relation between anxiety/depressive symptoms and suicide risk, and the moderating role of self-compassion on these linkages. Our collegiate sample (N=338) completed: Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Self-Harm Inventory, Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire-Revised, and the Self-Compassion Scale. …