Psychology Commons^™

Relation Between Harsh Parenting Exposure In Childhood And Adult Externalizing Symptoms : Moderating Role Of The Autonomic Nervous System, Samantha Aldea Barry

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Though literature suggests that many individuals with childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) report having symptoms of the respective disorder as adults, little is known about potential predictors of adulthood externalizing symptoms. The proposed study examines the impact of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), as measured by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), as measured by skin conductance levels (SCL), on the link between harsh parenting experienced during childhood and ADHD and ODD symptoms during young adulthood. Results yielded a significant two-way interaction between harsh parenting and resting RSA, which significantly accounted for …

Perceived Racial Microaggressions And Psychological Well-Being Among African American College Students, Daniel Knauer

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among perceived racial microaggressions, social support, and indicators of psychological well-being in a sample of 155 African American college students from a stress and coping perspective. Perceived racial microaggressions were associated with greater symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, life satisfaction did not account for this relationship, as expected. Two forms of social support, general social support and social support matched for racial situations, were tested as buffers of the effects of perceived microaggressions on psychological outcome variables within a regression framework. The buffering model, which predicted that social support …

Protective Psychosocial Factors And Trauma In Multiple Sclerosis Spousal/Partner Caregivers : Intersecting Roles And Interactional Influences, Alison J. Rivers

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating, unpredictable, chronic illness for which many diagnosed individuals are cared for by their spouses or partners (e.g., McKeown, Porter-Armstrong, & Baxter, 2003). These MS spousal/partner caregivers are especially vulnerable to the deleterious outcomes of caregiving (e.g., Buhse, 2008; Corry & While, 2009). The present research examined hypothesized protective psychosocial factors and the impact of trauma in these unique caregivers through two cross-sectional studies (n=93 and n=62). Findings from Study One demonstrate that lower caregiver burden and higher dyadic adjustment were associated with improved caregiver mental health outcomes (Chapter 1). Study One also shows that …

Evaluating The Immediate Impacts Of Brief Mindfulness Versus Lovingkindness Meditation, Jamie Rae Forsyth

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Although meditation has been around for centuries, it’s only recently that the utility of such an ancient practice has gained popularity within Western psychology. A vast body of literature supports the notion that meditation can have important impacts on suffering and psychopathology; however, few studies have evaluated differential effects between various forms of meditation. The aims of this study are threefold: 1) to determine if a brief meditation can have immediate effects on an individuals’ mood, 2) to determine the validity of two different types of meditations (mindfulness and lovingkindness) and 3) to evaluate the differential efficacy of the two …

Do The Perceptions Of Supervisory Working Alliance Mediate The Relation Between Perceived Supervisors' Multicultural Competence And Trainees' Multicultural Counseling Self-Efficacy?, Arthur Ritmeester

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study tested whether the relation between supervisory multicultural competence (SMC), as perceived by the supervisee, and multicultural counseling self-efficacy (MCSE) was partially mediated by the supervisory working alliance (SWA). This study was conducted in response to (a) a mismatch in previous research between the operationalization of MCSE and the underlying theorizing, and (b) inconsistent results in previous research about the relation between the SWA and counseling self-efficacy development. Participants were 182 health service psychologist trainees in the United States receiving supervision at the time of data collection.

A Qualitative Analysis Of Clinician Attitudes And Experiences Learning And Implementing Transdiagnostic Evidence-Based Practices For Eating Disorders, Jennifer Marie Oswald

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Clinician experiences with the implementation of new practices are important factors in facilitating the use of new treatment models and evidence-based practices (EBPs). As such, they provide crucial information to behavioral health dissemination and implementation research. Qualitative interviewing allows researchers to learn from clinician experiences with greater depth and nuance. The present study qualitatively analyzed 8 clinicians’ experiences with the implementation of a new transdiagnostic treatment model for eating disorders (ED) at an intensive residential treatment center. Participating clinicians completed a semi-structured interview based on constructs from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), an organizing framework with demonstrated utility …

Children's Response To Pediatric Continuous Glucose Monitoring (Cgm) Sensor Insertion : The Role Of Intervention And Individual Differences, Kristen M. Uhl

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Research indicates that nonpharmacological interventions are effective at reducing pain and distress during pediatric procedures. Certified child life specialists often perform these interventions. However, child life delivered procedural interventions have not been well studied in outpatient settings. Additionally, while characteristics that influence pediatric distress levels are known, their impact on procedural response in the presence of nonpharmacological interventions is not fully understood. In particular, the contribution of temperamental negative affect (NA) and effortful control (EC) are relatively unstudied in this context. The present study examined procedural response in a sample of 28 diabetic children and adolescents aged 2-18 years undergoing …

Reduced Conscious Recollection And Its Detection In Three Performance Validity Tests : A Dual Task Interference Investigation, Graham Michael Silk-Eglit

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Performance validity is an essential component of neuropsychological assessment. Research suggests that examinees with specific neurological conditions cannot successfully complete certain performance validity tests (PVTs). However, very little basic research has explored the information processing underlying performance on PVTs that might explain why these examinees fail certain PVTs. The current study used a dual task interference paradigm to isolate the impact of reducing conscious recollection on the performance of three PVTs, the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), Victoria Symptom Validity Test (VSVT), and Word Memory Test (WMT). One-hundred-and-twenty-six non-clinical undergraduate research participants were administered these three PVTs as part of …

Longitudinal Examination Of Family Violence, Posttraumatic Stress, Social Skills, And Aggression : An Exploratory Analysis, Shawn Wilson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Aggression in adolescence is associated with many negative outcomes both during adolescence and later in adulthood. In order to properly prevent and treat aggression, it is important to understand what factors are associated with the development of aggression. This study examined how exposure to family violence, posttraumatic stress, and social skills were related to both parent- and adolescent-rated aggressive behavior. This study was comprised of two components. First, a series of mediation models were examined using structural equation modeling. Second, exploratory analyses of the moderating effects of adolescent race and gender were conducted using multiple regression. The sample consisted of …

Asymmetry Between Behavioral And Physiological Responses To Stress In Children And The Role Of Depressive Symptoms, Stephanie Emhoff

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Research indicates that asymmetry between behavioral and physiological indicators of stress is associated with impairment in physical and psychological health, which may be particularly problematic for child development. The present study examines the impact of depressive symptoms on the relation between behavioral and physiological responses to stress in a sample of 49 youth (ages 9-12). During exposure to an in-lab psychosocial stressor, two laboratory personnel coded participant stress behaviors. These behaviors were later categorized into factors through an exploratory factor analysis. To assess for reactivity in physiological stress response systems, saliva samples were collected at baseline and following the stressor …

Exposure To Interparental Aggression During Youth And Internalizing Psychopathology In Adulthood : The Moderating Role Of The Autonomic Nervous System, Alison J. Rivers

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The present study examines the impact of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity, and skin conductance level (SCL), an indicator of sympathetic nervous systems (SNS) activity, on the relationship between interparental aggression exposure in childhood and adolescence and internalizing psychopathology (anxiety, depression symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms) in young adulthood. Participants completed self-report questionnaires regarding youth interparental aggression exposure and current young adult psychopathology. Participants included 188 adults (mean age = 19.45 years old; 72% Caucasian/white; 55% female). Results demonstrate that co-activation of the PNS and SNS in the context of high interparental …

Burnout And Depression: Label-Related Stigma, Help-Seeking, And Syndrome Overlap, Renzo Bianchi, Jay Verkuilen, Romain Brisson, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent

Publications and Research

We investigated whether burnout and depression differed in terms of public stigma and help-seeking attitudes and behaviors. Secondarily, we examined the overlap of burnout and depressive symptoms. A total of 1046 French schoolteachers responded to an Internet survey in November–December 2015. The survey included measures of public stigma, help-seeking attitudes and behaviors, burnout and depressive symptoms, self-rated health, neuroticism, extraversion, history of anxiety or depressive disorder, social desirability, and sociodemographic variables.The burnout label appeared to be less stigmatizing than the depression label. In either case, however, fewer than 1% of the participants exhibited stigma scores signaling agreement with the proposed …

Examination Of The Relationship Between Religiosity And Psychological Well-Being: A Multiple Mediation Analysis, Tara Katrina Luchkiw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Survivors Of Pediatric Brain Tumors: Psychosocial Outcomes And Executive Function, Lauren Elizabeth Cox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children treated with CNS-directed therapy for brain tumor (BT) are at significant risk for developing late effects secondary to both disease and treatment. Executive functions (EF) encompass those skills necessary for appropriate problem solving and other goal-directed behaviors. Although no homogenous neuropsychological profile exists in patients with brain tumors, the most affected cognitive domains include EF and related processes, with the magnitude of effect increasing over time. Deficits in EF have been implicated in the etiology of internalizing, externalizing, and social disorders suggesting that EF is a foundational cognitive process. With a growing population of pediatric BT survivors at risk …

Testing A Brief Directive Intervention To Reduce Symptoms Associated With Trauma, Fernando Trivelli Alessandri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the relative efficacy of a brief directive protocol (DP) aimed at reducing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and an expressive writing protocol (EW), which has more than a 30-year history (Pennebaker & Chung, 2011) of research showing mostly positive effects. The DP included components with research support from studies of expressive writing, prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy, and mindfulness-based therapies. Participants were primarily undergraduate students at a large public university in the southern United States who endorsed at least one traumatic experience and who manifested a minimal level of PTSD symptoms. The …

Examining Hope And Resilience Among Mississippi Adolescents, Kristie Vail Schultz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hope theory involves the way in which individuals perceive their abilities in relation to three factors: 1) clearly defined goals, 2) the specific strategies necessary to obtain those goals (called “pathways”), and 3) the sustained motivation necessary to use those specific strategies (called “agency thinking”) (Snyder et al., 1991; Snyder, Lopez, Shorey, Rand, & Feldman, 2003). Hopeful thinking is defined as a belief that an individual can find the pathways to reach a desired goal and the belief that one can use those designated pathways effectively (Snyder, 2002; Rand & Cheavens, 2009). Research shows that hope in adolescents is positively …

Adaptive Skill Trajectories In Infants With Fragile X Syndrome, Kelly Elizabeth Caravella

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined longitudinal trajectories of adaptive behavior in infants with fragile X syndrome (FXS), compared to typical development (TD) and infant siblings of children diagnosed with autism (ASIBs). Additional analysis were conducted to examine the differences in trajectories for males and females with FXS, and to identify if a profile of strengths and weaknesses appeared across domains by 24 months in males with FXS. Participants included 76 male infants assessed up to 4 times between 6 and 24 months of age. A sample of 12 females with FXS was also included for the comparative sex analysis. Infants with FXS …

Depression Among African American Midlife Women: Delineating The Role Of Stress, Heather Page

Theses and Dissertations

Recent multi-ethnic epidemiologic studies indicate an increased risk for the onset of new as well as recurrent episodes of clinical depression among midlife women. However, little is known about the risk factors that influence the occurrence, severity, and course of depression in midlife among African American women (AAW). The purpose of the current study was to statistically model three prevailing conceptual views of stress and depression: 1) life course, 2) stress exposure, and 3) stress generation). The research investigated the abilities of these conceptual models to predict depressive symptoms severity, current depressed days, and major depression among midlife AAW. Data …

“More To Life Than Mental Health”: Investigating The Roles Of Community Mental Health Case Managers In Promoting Community Integration For Adults With Psychiatric Disabilities, Betsy A. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

The recovery movement in the field of community mental health has brought attention to more holistic outcomes of services for adults with psychiatric disabilities, including community integration. However, there is a lack of empirical investigations of the roles that service providers, and case managers (CMs) in particular, can play in promoting such outcomes for their clients. The present study took an exploratory, hypothesis-building approach to describing the ways in which CMs supported the community integration of their clients with serious mental illness. A cross-sectional design was used with qualitative and quantitative data collected from 6 CMs and a sampling of …

Getting To Outcomes® In Clinical Practice An Empirical Exploration Of A Framework That Supports Quality For Graduate Student Therapy Training, Jennifer Castellow

Theses and Dissertations

Getting To Outcomes® in Clinical Practice is an innovation being developed and disseminated in a clinical training center for psychology doctoral students. The innovation is a step-wise framework posited to enhance clinical practice by supporting the planning, implementation, and evaluation of specific evidence-based practices in psychology. The current study introduces and defines the innovation and uses a multiple case study, mixed method analysis to evaluate current innovation use behaviors as well as attitudes about the innovation. The guiding research themes for this study include: (1) innovation use behaviors, (2) attitudes about the innovation, and (3) influential contextual factors that impact …

Exploring Teacher Readiness: What Features Of Professional Development Enhance Motivation To Implement Technology Innovations?, Robert S. Markle

Theses and Dissertations

Several studies suggest that if evidence-based school innovations are to be successful, schools must possess adequate capacity to implement them with quality. This paper utilizes a framework of organizational readiness called R=MC2, positing that readiness to implement with quality consists of three components: general capacities, innovation-specific capacities, and motivation. Specifically, this paper investigates whether certain key characteristics of professional development (active learning, integration, time for practice, collaboration, tailoring, coaching, and provision of feedback) can impact teacher motivation to implement novel educational practices. The paper answers two major research questions: 1) Which characteristics of quality professional development (PD) are related to …

Exploring The Relationship Between Church Level Predictors Of Status And Obesity Risk In African American Women Of Faith, Kinjal Pandya

Theses and Dissertations

Although obesity is a nationwide epidemic, there are large racial, gender, socioeconomic, and geographical disparities in the rates of this condition. Specifically, African American women are more likely to be classified as obese as compared to all other gender and racial groups. Scholars have targeted African American churches to implement dietary and physical activity interventions in an attempt to combat the racial disparity in obesity rates. One of the main correlates studied in regards to obesity has been individual level markers of status such as socioeconomic status and subjective social status. Even though we focus on churches as a place …

Perfectionism And Eating Disordered Psychopathology: Examination Through A Stress Generation Perspective, Sarah A. Mello

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Current research on eating disorders identifies a close correlation with perfectionism. However, little is understood about the complexities of this relationship, and some studies have demonstrated a stronger relationship between these variables when compared to others. This research sought to investigate the role of stress, in particular adverse life events, as a mediator in order to more robustly explain the relationship between eating disorder features and self-evaluative perfectionism, a higher order component of perfectionism consisting of concern over mistakes, need for approval, rumination, and perceived parental pressure. Three hundred and five college women volunteered to complete a series of self-report …

Examining Cognitive Vulnerability Models To Borderline Personality Features In A Sample Of Emerging Adults, Danielle E. Seal

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a chronic condition that warrants further empirical investigation. Considering the potentially lethal consequences and therapeutic challenges associated with features of BPD, it is important for researchers to explore pathways that will advance theory, assessment, and interventions that target BPD symptoms. One interactive theory that may predict variation in BPD symptoms is the cognitive-vulnerability model. Examining the cognitive vulnerability model in the context of BPD symptoms is the overall goal of the dissertation project. Specifically, the current study examined the mediator effects of maladaptive schemas on the adverse event-BPD symptom relationship. Four hundred and fifteen undergraduate …

I Feel Your Pain: The Influence Of Pain Catastrophizing And Perceived Threat On Pain Severity Congruence In Couples, Shannon Clark

Wayne State University Theses

I FEEL YOUR PAIN: THE INFLUENCE OF PAIN CATASTROPHIZING AND PERCEIVED THREAT ON PAIN SEVERITY CONGRUENCE IN COUPLES by

SHANNON CLARK August 2016

Advisor: Dr. Annmarie Cano Major: Psychology

Degree: Master of Arts

The present study examines the extent to which partners were congruent on multiple ratings of participants’ pain severity during a cold pressor task and how pain catastrophizing and perceived threat may moderate participant-partner congruence over time. Undergraduate couples in a romantic relationship (N = 106 dyads) participated in the study. Both partners rated the participant’s pain in writing several times over the course of the task; thus, …

Ambivalence Over Emotional Expression, Social Constraints, And Trauma As Moderators Of Emotional Awareness And Expression Training And Relaxation Training For Individuals With Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Hannah Holmes

Wayne State University Theses

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a central sensitization gastrointestinal disorder that affects 10-15% of the population. Psychosocial factors, including stress, social support, emotional processes, and trauma, have been shown to play a role in the development of IBS and the severity of symptoms. Effect sizes for psychological treatments are modest, indicating individual differences in effectiveness. A subset of patients with IBS may benefit from Emotional Awareness and Expression Training (EAET), a novel intervention that encourages the awareness and expression of emotions. In this study, 106 participants with IBS were randomized into one of two interventions—Relaxation Training or EAET—or a Waitlist …

Detection Of Malingering In Bona Fide Traumatic Brain Injury And Simulated Traumatic Brain Injury: Combining Response Time With Pvt Accuracy Results, Robert John Kanser

Wayne State University Theses

Threats to performance validity test (PVT) security and utility have increased efforts to develop covert measures of performance validity. Response time (RT) is a promising covert measure to distinguish between honest and feigned performance; however, research investigating RT patterns on PVTs is sparse and troubled by methodological problems. This study examined the incremental utility of RT variables on a computerized version of the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM-C) in distinguishing adults with verified traumatic brain injury (TBI) and healthy adults coached to feign neurocognitive impairment. Participants were 45 adults with moderate to severe TBI, 45 healthy adults coached to feign …

The Effects Of A Trauma-Informed Care Training Program On Mental Health Professionals Knowledge, Skills, And Attitudes With The Smi, Angelina Pelletier

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Trauma has been found to be highly prevalent among individuals diagnosed with SMIs. Mental health professionals have been reported to misdiagnose or avoid addressing trauma in this population. There is a need to provide information about trauma and to foster awareness among mental health professionals who are treating individuals diagnosed with SMIs. With a TIC approach, operating from a recovery-oriented philosophy, there have been interventions created to address trauma and SMIs with the aim of developing awareness about trauma and the impact it may have on someone’s life. With these factors in mind, mental health professionals should be competent in …

Predicting Attitudes Towards Telemental Health Therapy Among U.S. Military Veterans, Rebekah L. Gingras

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The recent U.S. military conflicts have brought to light the destruction of war. The amount of stress involved in deployment and exposure to combat has been found to increase the risk of mental health disorders. Many veterans are at risk for mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injuries. The purpose of this study was to examine age, education level, computer technology skills, personality, and barriers to seeking treatment to determine if these variables would predict attitudes towards the use of telemental health (TMH) treatment. Participants from student veterans’ organizations across the country …

Mand Training: An Examination Of Response-Class Structure In Three Children With Autism And Severe Language Delays, Erik Drasgow, Christian A. Martin, Laura C. Chezan, Katie Wolfe, James W. Halle

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Our primary purpose in this study was to examine the structure of a response class when new members are acquired through mand training. To do this, we replaced existing mands (e.g., reaching) in three children with autism with two new functionally equivalent mands. Next, we examined their responding under immediate- and delayed-reinforcement conditions. Then, we assessed generalization to novel social partners. We employed a reversal design to examine the effectiveness of mand training and to assess responding under both immediate- and delayed-reinforcement conditions. Our results suggest that all children acquired the new mands and that two of the children emitted …