Psychology Commons^™

Childhood Developmental Trends In Executive Function As Measured By The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System: An Exploration Of Gender Differences., Lane Karen Dewan

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The purpose of this study is to examine the development of Executive Function (EF). Specifically, this study investigates whether there are consistent increases in EF performance on the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) from the age of 8 years to 15 years. Gender differences in the development of EF are also examined. To this end, the standardization data for eight of the D-KEFS tests were analyzed, comparing performance across age groups (8- year-olds, 9-year-olds, etc.) and gender groups. Significant age effects were found for all tests overall. However, significant change between consecutive age groups was found only for some age …

Risk Factors And Their Effects On The Comorbidity Of Asthma And Anxiety Disorders In School Aged Children, Stephanie P. Seigel

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease, characterized by attacks that make a child or adult feel like they are unable to breathe (Shohat, Graif, & Garty, 2005). Currently, nearly 6.3 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 are afflicted with asthma (EPA, 2006)

Children with asthma are also more prone to developing other disorders especially, anxiety. The prevalence of child patients with asthma suffering from anxiety disorders is found to be as high as 4.7% (Katon, Richardson, Lozano & McCauley, 2004). The current study aims to examine the risk factors that contribute to the comorbidity of …

Utilizing The Brief Symptom Inventory As A Prediction Tool For Treatment Response In Patients With Serious Mental Illness, Ryan Curtis Dix

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Current data suggest that the cost of caring for people with serious mental illness in the United States was 2.64 billion dollars in the years between 1997 and 2004. The proper utilization of these funds is an important consideration if we are to successfully address the needs of this population. To maximize the use of mental health funds, the provider must quickly identify effective and efficient treatments. Assessment can facilitate the screening process and subsequent treatment decisions. For that reason, my research question addresses the issue of effective screening measures notably the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) in predicting movement through …

Teaching Graduate Trainees How To Manage Client Anger: A Comparison Of Three Types Of Training, Shirley A. Hess, Sarah Knox, Clara E. Hill

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

The authors examined the effects of three types of training (supervisor-facilitated training, self-training, biblio-training) on 62 graduate student therapists' state anxiety, self-efficacy for dealing with anger, and helping skills (i.e., reflections and immediacy) in response to videotaped vignettes of angry clients. Training overall was rated as very helpful, and trainees increased in self-efficacy for working with client anger. Supervisor-facilitated training was rated as more helpful than, and was preferred to, self-training and biblio-training; it also led to more reflection of feelings in response to clients. Results suggest that vignettes such as these might be a helpful adjunct to training once …

Effects Of Single Versus Multiple Verbal Operant Arrangements On The Acquisition Of Mands And Tacts In Preschool Children, Tina M. Sidener

Dissertations

Verbal Behavior programs for children diagnosed with autism typically teach novel language in the context of multiple verbal operant arrangements. Commonly called "mixed verbal behavior", this involves the interspersal of various exemplars across verbal operant categories. Despite the current recommended use of this teaching procedure, only 2 studies to date have empirically evaluated its effectiveness (i.e., Arntzen & Almas, 2001; Carroll & Hesse, 1987). In both of these studies, mixed mand-tact training resulted in faster mean acquisition of tacts than tact-only training. In Experiment 1 of the current investigation, a systematic replication of previous studies was conducted with 3 typically-developing …

Perceived Smoking Environment And Smoking Initiation Among Multi-Ethnic Urban Girls, Tracy R. Nichols, Amanda Birnbaum, Sara Birnel, Gilbert J. Botvin

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Purpose

To examine associations between the perceived smoking environment and smoking initiation among urban multi-ethnic adolescent girls in New York City.

Methods

Self-report surveys completed in grades 7, 8, and 9 assessed girls’ (n = 858) smoking initiation, and perceived smoking environment (family smoking, friends’ smoking, smoking norms, and cigarette availability). Carbon monoxide breath samples were collected from girls using a variation of the bogus pipeline procedure.

Results

Differences were found in smoking prevalence with white girls reporting the highest prevalence of smoking at baseline and the greatest increase in smoking prevalence from seventh to eighth grade. Black girls reported …

Pnes: Neuropsychological Impairments & Psychological Symptomatology, Adriana Macias

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The present study utilized a standardized neuropsychological evaluation and self report measures to compare 52 female patients, 18 years of age and older with a video-electroencephalogram (V-EEG) confirmed diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) (n₁=29) to a group of left temporal lobe epilepsy (L-TLE) demographically matched patients (n₂=23). In an attempt to overcome methodological confounds of previously reported studies, participants were chosen based on stringent exclusion criteria, which barred mixed etiologies. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible differences in neuropsychological functioning, mood, and personality characteristics between individuals with PNES and those with L-TLE. …

Exploring The Impact Of Rural And Urban Settings On Therapist Self-Disclosure, Katie Pierson Fruhauff

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

There has been a significant amount of research that addresses the topic of therapist self-disclosure. Issues such as what to disclose, when to disclose, the ethics of therapist disclosure, and the benefits and harm of therapist self-disclosure have been debated over the years. How self-disclosure varies among therapists has also been a focus of research. Unlike the area of self-disclosure, research on rural practice is a new and expanding field of research and there is great need for more research in this area. The hypothesis of this study proposes that therapist self-disclosure varies by setting; that rural therapists are more …

The Value Of The Awareness Of Near-Death Experiences, David San Filippo Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

A principal value of Near-death experiences may be in the telling of the stories and the effect these stories have for others to reduce their fears of and concerns about death. This E-book explores the impact and value knowing about, not having a near-death experience has on those who have heard, watch, or read reports of this phenomenon.

An Assessment Of Obese And Non Obese Girls’ Metabolic Rate During Television Viewing, Reading, And Resting., Theodore Cooper, L. Klesges, M. Debon, R. Klesges, M. Shelton

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

General And Smoking Cessation Related Weight Concerns In Veterans., Theodore Cooper, M. Dundon, B. Hoffman, C. Stoever

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Family Functioning And Coping Behaviors In Parents Of Children With Autism, Matthew J. Altiere

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

We looked at how a child with autism affects the dynamics and coping behaviors of a family. A majority of studies on families with a child with autism collect information from the mother but not the father. Therefore, this study examined the involvement of both parents from a family systems theory approach, which compares relationships among different familial variables, to determine the contributions of each individual to the developmental outcomes of the family unit. It was hypothesized that moderate levels of cohesion and adaptability would be associated with higher levels of positive coping mechanisms. Further, the more coping strategies implemented …

General And Smoking Cessation Related Weight Concerns In Veterans., Theodore Cooper, M. Dundon, B. Hoffman, C. Stoever

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of Obese And Non Obese Girls’ Metabolic Rate During Television Viewing, Reading, And Resting., Theodore Cooper, L. Klesges, M. Debon, R. Klesges, M. Shelton

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Contributions Of State Of The Art Assessment Techniques To Predicting Memory Outcome After Unilateral Anterior Temporal Lobectomy, Tara T. Lineweaver, Harold H. Morris, Richard I. Naugle, Imad M. Najm, Beate Diehl, William Bingaman

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Purpose:Although anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) is an effective treatment for many patients with medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), one risk associated with this procedure is postsurgical decline in memory. A substantial number of past studies examined factors that predict memory decline after surgery, but few have investigated multiple predictors simultaneously or considered measures that are currently in use.

Methods: This study compared the relative contributions made by presurgical neuropsychological test scores, MRI-based hippocampal volumetric analysis, and Wada test results to predicting memory outcome after ATL in a group of 87 patients.

Results: Logistic regression analyses indicated that noninvasive …

The Psychological Assessment Of Applicants For Priesthood And Religious Life, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

The recent clergy sexual abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church have focused a great deal of attention on how we evaluate applicants to the priesthood and religious life. The crisis has underscored the critical need to ensure that men who have a sexual predilection towards children be barred from entering religious life and priesthood. Additionally, men who have other significant psychiatric conditions that put them at risk of harming children or others have no place as Church leaders or clergy in positions where they have access to and power over vulnerable others.

Dancing Around The Fire (Book Review), Kristina M. Kays

Faculty Publications - Psychology Department

Reviews the book, "What Therapists Don't Talk About and Why: Understanding Taboos That Hurt Us and Our Clients" by Kenneth Pope, Janet Sonne, and Beverly Greene (see record 2006-03273-000). What truly hauntstherapists in private practice are not the basic countertransference issues discussed in most graduate training programs but the unspoken secrets of their inner world. Too often, therapists are preoccupied by sexual responses to clients, hostile thoughts, and desire for professional approval, but training and peer discussions rarely focus on these forbidden topics. "What TherapistsDon't Talk About and Why: Understanding Taboos That Hurt Us and Our Clients" is an updated …

Evaluation Of A Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy Program For The Treatment Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Female Juvenile Delinquents In Residential Placements, Janet Heesen Knapp

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Female juvenile delinquents have a high incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Residential treatment programs for female juvenile offenders typically lack gender-specific programming and empirically supported treatment protocols. This study attempted to examine the effectiveness of the Alternative Rehabilitation Communities, Inc., Group Therapy Program for Female Juvenile Delinquents with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Alternative Rehabilitation Community, 2004). This manual-based treatment program was conducted in 5 residential treatment agencies in Pennsylvania. Two comparable agencies served as comparison sites. Data was obtained from a larger study performed by the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development Division of Planning and Evaluation, which had …

Development Of An Internet-Based Disease Management Program For People With Diabetes , Robert L. Mailliard

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Diabetes is a chronic illness that currently has no cure. Quality of life can be improved by the person’s own adherence to treatment and motivation to manage their diabetes. Both of these factors are difficult maintain and access to patient education materials is limited. This study developed an Internet-based disease management program for people with diabetes. This diabetes disease management program followed the PRECEDE health program planning model. Focus groups and key informant interviews people with diabetes were run in order to obtain feedback for this program. Cognitive-behavioral and health behavior change theory were integrated in to the program to …

Rehabilitation After Brain Injury : Identifying Predictors Throughout Post Acute Rehabilitation, Elisabeth L. Bond

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional outcomes of clients who received post-acute rehabilitation services following a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in an effort to identify predictors affecting outcome. An archival database was used to study three different outcome measure ratings over two and or three consecutive time periods. There were 105 participants, 82 male, 23 female, 87 residential and 18 outpatient, who were 19-78 years of age. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted within subjects to identify changes across time. No significant changes were found. A between subjects MANOVA was conducted to study relationships …

Factors In Relapse Among Physicians In Recovery From Substance Dependence Disorders, Gregory K. Gable

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examines factors in relapse to alcohol and drug dependence among health professionals, seeking to identify relationships between identified conditions and relapse. The subjects are 100 health professionals, 84 male and 16 female, randomly selected from a cohort of 308, who provided data in a previous study taking place between 1995 and 1998. These subjects were broken into two groups, relapse vs. no relapse at 5 years after participation in the original study, the post-marketing survey on tramadol (Knisely J, Campbell E, Dawson K, Schnoll S, 2002). Archival data from the previous study was used. Chart review and analysis …

Effects Of Perceived Social Norms And Locus Of Control On Condom Use And High Risk Sexual Behaviors In Military Personnel, Anthony M. Kraemer

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study looked at the role of perceived social norms and internal versus external locus of control on high-risk sexual behaviors and condom use in a population of 333 U.S. Army soldiers from Combat and Non-Combat units of the Ist Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. This study showed that younger (17 -24 years of age) soldiers of lower rank (junior enlisted, E-l to E-5) displayed more misperceptions of what constitutes appropriate sexual behavior and condom use than their peers. It also showed that soldiers, in general, not only reported higher rates of high-risk sexual behavior themselves, but that internality or …

Integrative Therapeutic Approach Combining Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For The Treatment Of Recurrent Depression In An Adult Client , William J. Librizzi, Iii

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is the most often diagnosed psychiatric illness worldwide, with prevalence rates indicating that as many as 25% of the population during their lifetimes will experience symptoms of MDD (Holmes, 1997). Therapies that focus on restructuring the client's cognitions have been shown to be effective in the treatment of this disorder. For some clients, however, reoccurring depressive episodes are common and symptom reduction is infrequent. The research of Worthington (1988) suggests that the highly religious client may actually see the world in a uniquely differently way than does the non-religious. These individuals utilize more religious schema and …

Impact Of Participation In A Cognitive-Behavioral Substance Abuse Program On Recividism , Kristen Spates

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study utilizes archival data from a cognitive-behavioral substance abuse program for offenders. Substance abuse often is linked to criminal involvement and it was expected that treatment of substance abuse problems would result in a decline in recidivism. The study includes all adult male offenders who completed the Offender Substance Abuse Prerelease Program (OSAPP) through Volunteers of America, from January of 2001 through September of 2003. Participants are described in terms of their severity of substance abuse problems and risk of recidivism. It was expected that differences in program participation, as measured by changes from pre test to posttest …

Relationship Between Discontinuation Of Anti-Depressant Medication During Pregnancy And Development Of Postpartum Depression, Maria Palombo Murphy

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious and potentially debilitating disorder that frequently goes undetected due to stigma and a lack of understanding about its course and etiology. The factor of particular interest to this study concerns the relationship between discontinuation of anti-depressant medication in pregnancy and the development of PPD. The study examined how the variables of pregnancy mood, child care stress, emotional support, instrumental support, marital satisfaction, history of depression, baby temperament, birth experience, and medication status affect symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) in a sample of 202 patients at the six-week postpartum check-up. In addition to a demographic …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With A Depressed Outpatient: Assessing Change In Cognitive Distortions As Measured By The Inventory Of Cognitive Distortions, Detta S. Tate

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This single subject case study was conducted to determine the usefulness of a new measure, the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions (lCD). The main purpose was to determine the effectiveness of the ICD in noting changes in dysfunctional thinking during cognitive behavioral therapy. Because of the high incidence of depression in the population, a subject diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder was determined to be the most appropriate choice for assessing the effectiveness of this measure in the clinical setting. The cognitive behavioral treatment implemented was a manualized approach using Gilson and Freeman's (1999), Overcoming Depression. This treatment was a collaborative effort …

The Quality Of The Sibling Relationship Of Children Diagnosed With Autism, Kelly C. O'Laughlin

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Seldom has the quality of the sibling relationship between children with disabilities and their siblings without disabilities been explored, particularly via firsthand accounts from the non-disabled sibling, rather than from parental observations and reports. Furthermore, research has shown mixed results regarding whether or not the siblings of children with disabilities have increased internalizing (anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder) or externalizing (attention deficits, hyperactivity, and oppositional) behaviors, psychosocial maladjustment, or impaired developmental stages, as opposed to siblings of children without disabilities. This study attempted to determine whether or not there was a correlation between the severity of autism disability; as …

Invitation To The Table Conversation: A Few Diverse Perspectives On Integration, Natalia Yangarber-Hicks, Charles Behensky, Sally Schwer, Kelly Schimmel Flanagan, Nicholas J.S. Gibson, Mitchell W. Hicks, Cynthia Neal Kimball, Jenny H. Pak, Thomas G. Plante, Steven L. Porter

Psychology

This article represents an invitation to the "integration table" to several previously underrepresented perspectives within Christian psychology. The Judeo-Christian tradition and current views on scholarship and Christian faith compel us to extend hospitality to minority voices within integration, thereby enriching and challenging existing paradigms in the field. Contributors to this article, spanning areas of cultural, disciplinary, and theological diversity, provide suggestions for how their distinct voices can enhance future integrative efforts.

Suicidal Behavior In Incarcerated Men In The Pennysylvania Department Of Corrections, Gregory John Estadt

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Suicide is a well-documented problem, ranking high in causes of death in the US and internationally. National and international programs have been designed to address the problem, as well as approaches targeting prison populations. Within these programs, knowledge of local risk factors is viewed as essential in identifying potential suicide completers. The current study expands existing knowledge of these risk factors in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections by a) collecting descriptive data of completers and b) conducting a retrospective case control study. The descriptive data is utilized to create a profile of typical suicide completers in the PA DOC. The …

Older Adults And Depression : The Relationships Between Distorted Thinking, Quality Of Life And Depressive Themes, Carissa Y. Ferguson

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study analyzed the relationships between depression, distorted thinking and quality of life in an elderly population. Ninety non-depressed and 72 depressed individuals were interviewed and administered 3 self report measures. The study results demonstrate that: (a) Those who reported greater numbers of cognitive distortions, reported lower quality of life than those who reported less cognitive distortions; (b) depressed individuals reported lower quality of life than non-depressed individuals; (c) depressed individuals endorsed more distorted thinking phrases than non-depressed individuals and (d) depressed individuals reported more subcategories of cognitive distortions than nondepressed individuals. The results of this study support the ideas …