Psychology Commons^™

Death Preparation: The Construct And A Proposed Predictor Of Death And Death Anxiety, Robert A. Papazian

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In previous studies, death preparation has often been narrowly defined as involving formal and informal educational opportunities (e.g., Bailey, 1976; Miles, 1980; Watts, 1977). In the present study this construct was defined as the quantity (aggregate) and quality (resolution) of experiences, cognitions, and affective processes in response to anticipatory, perceived, analog, and actual loss. A 132 item questionnaire was developed to assess experiential, cognitive, and affective preparation. Quantitative measures of exposure to death-related events as well as the qualitative measure of subjective adjustment to potential loss were evaluated. Reliability and validity for the construct were established and its relationship with …

The Relationships Of Body-Image Attitudes To Sexual Functioning And Experiences In A Normal College Population, Jill D. Hangen

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the relationships of body-image attitudes and sexual attitudes, experiences, and functioning in a college population. Sixty-five males and 120 females completed a variety of established self-report measures assessing the constructs under study, as well as two new measures developed in this study. The new measures included (1) The Sexual Experiences and Problems Survey for self-assessment of difficulties in sexual functioning, and (2) The Body Exposure in Sexual Activities Questionnaire to measure self-consciousness and avoidance of body exposure in sexual contexts. Analyses were performed in the data of those predominantly heterosexual subjects who reported a history of sexual …

Interpreting The Personal Orientation Inventory Through The Five-Factor Model, Diane Donald Anderson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study was designed to determine how the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI; Shostrom, 1974) relates to the Five-Factor Model of Personality. Four self-report personality instruments were employed; the Personal Orientation Inventory, the Comrey Personality Scales (CPS; Comrey, 1970), the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; Costa & NcCrae, 1988), and the Five-Factor Nodel Adjective Factors (AF,", Costa & NcCrae, 1985b). Data were collected from 128 psychology students aged 18 to 30 years. Scores for the Five Factors were obtained by factor analysis combining responses from the CPS, the NEO-FFI, and the AF. Pearson product-moment intercorrelations were then computed for the Five Factors …

Parallel Process: An Empirical Investigation, Thomas E. Pollack

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to conduct an empirical investigation of parallel process. The study used a cross-sectional design in which 30 therapy relationships and the corresponding supervision relationships were studied. The therapist assessed the behavior manifested by the patient during a targeted therapy session. Following the subsequent supervision session, the supervisor assessed the behavior manifested by the supervisee during the supervision session. In addition, each of the triad participants (patient, therapist, supervisor) rated the level of anxiety they experienced during the targeted therapy and supervision sessions. Measures of interpersonal style for each of the subjects were also …

Personality Variables Mediating Change In Concern Toward Environmental Issues, John Mark Davis

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have for several decades examined the relationships between personality and demographic variables, pro-environmental behaviors, and level of concern toward environmental problems. In this study, personality and selected demographic variables contributing to an increase in concern toward environmental issues were examined. Subjects included 79 females and 46 males with a mean age of 22.5 years who were enrolled in undergraduate courses at the University of Central Florida. During the first session, information concerning personality and demographic variables was obtained and subjects completed Weigel and Weigel's (1978) Ecological Concern Scale (ECS). During the second session, experimental group subjects viewed a video …

The Effect Of A Pet's Presence Upon Anxiety During A Simulated Clinical Interview, Kenneth G. Weigand

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Recognizing the importance of evolutionary parallels between humans and other animals, researchers make use of animals to better the understanding of people in various fields of study, such as history, ecology, medicine, psychology, and sociology (Levinson, 1978). Boris Levinson (1962) was an early advocate for the inclusion of pets in psychotherapeutic intervention. His theories have been frequently cited in research that has attempted to define the possible benefits associated with utilizing pets as an adjunct in the treatment of disturbed populations. The results of studies with varied populations indicate that a pet's presences can lower a person's anxiety level, positively …

The Relationship Between Needs And Interpersonal Problems Of Women In Four Interpersonal Categories, Valarie Elaine Sikes-Nova

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study empirically assessed the relationship between needs structure and interpersonal presentation in women. Proposed indices for selective attention were assessed as to their ability to detect pathology. The relationship between interpersonal presentation and interpersonal problems were also studied. The measures used were The Picture Identification Test (Chambers, 1976), The Interpersonal Adjective Scales-Revised (Wiggins, 1985), The Inventory for Interpersonal Problems (Horowitz, 1986), and The Marlowe-Crowne Social-Desirability Scale (1964).

Subjects were assigned to one of four interpersonal categories (Friendly-Dominant, Friendly-Submissive, Hostile-Dominant, Hostile-Submissive) on the basis of their self-reported IAS-R and one category on the basis of their counselor-reported IAS-R scores. Subjects …

A Validation Study Of The Grimley Personality Scale For Children, Hee-Sook Choi

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I'he purpose of this study was to examine the construct validity of the Grimley Personality Scale for Children (GPSC). The GPSC is an experimental personality test designed to measure the social/personal adjustment of a child in various social contacts. The validity of the GPSC was investigated through the association of this instrument with other measures of social/personal adjustment: the California Test of Personality (CTP), the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHCSCS), the Paired Hands Test (PHT), and the Personal Attribute Inventory for Children (PAIC) . It was hypothesized that there would be significant positive relationships between the total score on the …

Comparisons Of Adolescent Sex Offenders And Juvenile Delinquents On Human Figure Drawings And The Adolescent Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Paula F. Zindren

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of two personality tests, the human figure drawing (HFD) and Adolescent Multiphasic Personality Inventory (AMPI), in differentiating adolescent sex offenders from juvenile delinquents without a known sexual offense or victimization history. Subjects (ages 13-17) provided responses to a Structured Clinical Interview (SCI} (adapted from Becker, 1986), completed HFDs of both sexes, and completed the AMPI (Duthie, 1985). Pearson product moment correlation coefficients on each psychodiagnostic characteristic on the HFD rating scale were obtained between pairs of three independent raters. Reliable HFD psychodiagnostic indicators were subjected to a 2 x 2 …

Psychopathology, Psychotherapy And Demonic Influence, Rodger K. Bufford

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Age On Motor Preparation And Restructuring, Paul Amrhein, Noreen Goggin, George Stelmach

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Age-related decrements in motor plan restructuring were investigated. In this experiment, older and younger adults performed a discrete aiming task that involved responses that were precued and responses that were modified at the time of an imperative signal. On 75% of the trials, the precue specified the response-stimulus (valid trials) with respect to the movement parameters of the arm (left or right) and direction (toward or away). On the remaining 25% of the trials, the response-stimulus was different from the precue (invalid trials) in that the subject was required to modify a planned movement by changing the arm to be …

Demonic Influence And Mental Disorders, Rodger K. Bufford

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.

Neurological Soft Signs And School Achievement: The Mediating Effects Of Sustained Attention, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, David Shaffer, Joseph E. Barmack

Publications and Research

Citation:

Schonfeld, I. S., Shaffer, D., & Barmack, J.E. (1989). Neurological soft signs and school achievement: The mediating effects of sustained attention. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 17, 575-596. doi:10.1007/BF00917723

Introducing The Living With Illness Group: A Specialized Treatment For Patients With Chronic Schizophrenic Conditions, Thomas G. Plante, Stephanie L. Pinder, David Howe

Psychology

This paper introduces a specialized psychotherapy/psychoeducational group treatment for patients with chronic psychotic symptoms who receive only partial benefit from psychotropic medications, psychotherapy, and milieu/activities therapy. The goal of the group is to assist patients to accurately identify the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that are dysfunctional symptoms of their disability and then use the functional aspects of their brain as well as learned coping strategies to compensate for their disability. The group format, philosophy, procedures, and typical topics of discussion are detailed.

The Effect Of Sex, Gender Identity, & Sex Of Story Characters On The Assessment Of Moral Development, Cathy Frey

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study investigated the three areas associated with sex bias in Kohlberg's theory of moral development --sex, gender identification, and sex of story characters. The Defining Issues Test (DIT: Rest,1986a), a measure of moral development derived from Kohlberg's theory, was used in its original form and two revised forms (Male and Female versions) to determine the effects of sex and sex of story characters on the assessment of moral development. The Bem Sex -Role Inventory (Bem, 1981) was used to classify subjects as either sex -typed or androgynous to determine whether sex -role identification affects the assessment moral development. …

The Treatment Of Test Anxiety Using Stress Inoculation Training, James L. Mason

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a stress inoculation training package based on recommendations provided in the Meichenbaum and Butler feedback loop model of test anxiety. The variables under investigation included the Test Anxiety Scale, the Study Habits scale of the Survey of Study Habits and Attitudes, and academic test scores (converted to standard scores). These measures were administered pre- and posttreatment. The sample consisted of 54 introductory psychology students who were self-identified as test-anxious. Through a randomization process, 26 students were assigned to the stress inoculation training group and 28 students were assigned to …

A Review Of Surveys Of Professional Practice In Psychology Since 1961: Trends And Future Challenges, Geoffrey E. Buck

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Psychology has enjoyed tremendous growth and increasing professionalization in the years following WWII, with the major thrust of this growth being in professional practice. This period has also witnessed a rapid transformation in the educational and sociopolitical underpinnings of professional training and practice. Many authors have studied the growth of practice by periodically surveying practitioners and commenting on a wide variety of demographic, professional and practice-related characteristics. This paper reviews these surveys, noting trends in the characteristics of the human resource pool and the factors both within and external to the profession that have contributed to the shape of those …

Self-Labeling Of Body Weight: Relationships With Body Image Eating Behaviors And Well-Being, Karen Hicks

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This research consists of two studies. Study I compares normal-weight subjects self-labeled as overweight (NSLO, 99 females, 65 males) and weight matched subjects self-labeled as normal weight (NSLN, 99 females, 65 males), and examined the differences between these groups in their body-image, eating behaviors, and well-being. Results indicated NSLO versus NSLN subjects felt more body-image dissatisfaction, less attractive, fit, and healthy, were more likely to report binge eating and dietary restriction to lose weight, and reported poorer psychosocial well-being. Study 2 compared self-labeled overweight subjects who were overweight (OSLO, 56 females, 53 males) versus normal weight subjects self-labeled as overweight …

Sociometric Categorization Of Children: An Empirically Based Method, Robert S. Falk

Theses and Dissertations

The use of sociometric assessment as a method for investigating the social competence of children and the prediction of future adjustment difficulties was reviewed. Recent methods used to form up to five sociometric groups (Popular, Average, Rejected, Neglected, and Controversial) were surveyed.

Various combinations of raw scores, standard deviation units, standardized scores, and binomial probability scores have been used in classification procedures. lnclusion/exclusion criteria, or cutoff scores, have been based on arbitrary statistical decisions regarding the ”extremeness" of children’s statements (positive and negative nominations) regarding their peers. These aspects of sociometric categorization result in limitations on the validity and generalizability …

0482: Dr. Walter Freeman's Papers From Huntington State Hospital, 1897-1984, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

Please note: this collection does not contain individual patient hospital records or records about individuals who stayed here. The items in this collection come from a specific doctor who worked here and his research.

This collection consists of historical materials from the Huntington State Hospital during the period 1897 through 1984. The collection includes correspondence of hospital personnel and patients, administrative records, newspaper clippings, and a large number of photographs. Significant to the collection are files relating to transorbital lobotomies performed by Dr. Walter Freeman in the early 1950's as part of a larger lobotomy project in West Virginia. The …

Sense Of Humor And Social Anxiety, James E. Fischer

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

In utilizing humorous intervention within the psychotherapeutic milieu, researchers have indicated that there is a relationship between an individual's sense of humor and stressful emotions, specifically anxiety. However, the nature of this relationship is uncertain. While some scientists propose a direct relationship between humor and anxiety, others hypothesize an inverse relationship. This study was designed to investigate this relationship, hypothesizing that the greater an individual's sense of humor, the more likely the individual would experience anxiety in social situations. The subjects were 143 male and female undergraduates. These volunteers were administered the Situational Humor Response Questionnaire (SHRQ) and the Interaction …

A Profile Analysis Of The Scl-90-R For Aggressive And Nonaggressive Adolescents With Conduct Disorder : A Comparison Of Aggression And Nonaggression In Relationship To Psychoticism And Depression, Hostility And Anxiety, Janet M. Rice

Dissertations

Problem. Dissatisfaction with the DSM-III classification of conduct disorder has led the editors of the DSM-III-R to group the socialized and undersocialized, aggressive and the undersocialized, nonaggressive conduct-disorderd youth together in the same category (Solitary Aggressive Type). However, the symptoms and behavior of aggressive and nonaggressive youth are so diverse, they should be placed in totally separate categories. The implications of misdiagnosis are serious for rehabilitation and treatment.

Method. One hundred-thirty male adolescents labeled aggressive and nonaggressive conduct-disordered were administered the SCL-90-R. The Chi-square test determined what percentage in each group scored at the 70th percentile or above in the …

A Comparison Of The Symbolic Function In Delicate Self-Mutilators With Joyce Mcdougall's Conceptualization Of The Symbolic Function In Psychosomatic Illness And Sexual Perversion, Thomas Richard Negron

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The syndrome of delicate self-mutilation is reviewed with emphasis on the psychoanalytic interpretations that have been offered to explain this behavior. These interpretations generally find a symbolic meaning in this symptom, while also noting the pre-verbal level of development that is a marked aspect of these patient's functioning. The alternate hypothesis is offered that delicate self-mutilators suffer from a deficit in their capacity to create symbolic symptoms.

The work of Joyce McDougall with patients manifesting sexual perversions and psychosomatic symptomology is reviewed. She hypothesizes that these patients suffer a deficit in their capacity for symbolic functioning, and she coins the …

Effects Of Informed Consent On Client Behaviors And Attitudes In A Pro-Life Pregnancy Counseling Center, Kathryn Lynn Mardirosian

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Although current professional and public opinion support the right of the client to make an informed decision about entering and continuing in a psychotherapy or counseling relationship, research studying the effects of informed consent on client behaviors and attitudes in the medical, research, and mental health fields has resulted in equivocal findings. This study looked at the effects of an informed consent procedure on client behaviors and attitudes in a pro-life pregnancy counseling center where the center's primary goal is to reduce the number of abortion decisions among clients. Thirty of the center's clients (Experimental Group) were given an Informed …

Category Test And Wais Scores: Sex And Age Inter-Relationships, Julia Ann Shelton

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The current study investigated sex and age differences on the WAIS and Category Test in a sample of 218 persons, half male and half female, between the ages of 16 and 39. The sample was composed of well educated diabetics without neurological symptomatology and of above average intelligence.

Three types of statistical analyses were performed. The first of these were factor analyses of structural composition of WAIS and Category tests as influenced by sex. Results suggested that males and females exhibit different patterns of performance. The second analyses were regression analyses to predict Category Test performance from WAIS scores and …

Counseling In The Church : A Proposed Strategy For Ministering To Mental Health Needs In The Church, Rodger K. Bufford, Robert E. Buckler

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.

Wheat And Tares: Responding To Vande Kemp And Other Revisionists, James D. Foster, Mark F. Ledbetter

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

In her reaction, Hendrika Vande Kemp ( 1987) joins other critics of psychology in arguing for a new psychology. The authors believe, however, that psychology developed as a science because it was productive and that more subjective methods will gain respectability only through similar productivity. In her critique, Vande Kemp creates a circular argument by suggesting that the authors' position Jacks a proper historicaVphilosophical perspective, and she underestimates the sophistication of those with whom she disagrees. Finally, the authors disagree that there is no point in arguing with the most conservative anti-psychologists, since they may be having a disproportionate influence …

Initiation Of Sexual Behavior In The Marital Relationship, Nancy Roberts-Cruce

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

While traditional beliefs and some research show that men have been more likely than women to initiate sexual activity, recent research indicates that traditional patterns of sexual initiation may be changing especially for married couples. Also, patterns of initiation seem to be related to sexual satisfaction. Specifically, women who always take the initiative and those who never do are the least satisfied with their sex lives. Conversely, those wives who initiate sex half the time are very happy with their sex lives. Since it appears that initiation of sexual activity is related to satisfaction with sex, information regarding why a …

Vasectomy: A Literature Review With Implications For Pre-Vasectomy Counseling, Annette Thrift Wing

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Soap Opera Viewers' Perceptions Of The Real World, Gayle Seese

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The frequency of occurrence on typical soap operas of incidents such as homicide, infidelity, and mental breakdown is much greater than is the case in real life. Also, various occupations (e.g., medical profession, legal profession) are overrepresented in these programs. The present study investigated the extent to which heavy soap opera viewers are influenced by these representations. Specifically, the differences between long term soap opera viewers’ and non-soap opera viewers’ perceptions about people and events in the real world were investigated. The subjects’ perceptions of the frequency of occurrences in the general population of such events as divorce, extramarital affairs, …