Psychology Commons^™

Latino Family Variables And Sexual Activity In Latino Adolescents, Brittany Nicole Barber

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

Researchers’ focused examination of Latino adolescents’ cultural values and sexual activity has yielded questions regarding the cultural- and gender-specific attitudes and practices of these youth (Deardorff, Tschann, & Flores, 2008). Cultural values include family-related variables such as different aspects of familism, parent-adolescent communication, and parental monitoring, which have been found to decrease adolescents’ engagement in other negative activities such as aggressive behavior, (Dishion & McMahon, 1998), substance use (Estrada, Rabow, & Watts, 1982), and delinquency (Clark & Shields, 1997). Research investigating these risk behaviors has often implicated Latino adolescents’ level of assimilation to White, mainstream society as a potential risk …

Cultural Influences On Sexual Activity Among Latina Adolescents, Keyona M. Jarrett

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

Early sexual activity among Latina adolescents has serious consequences (Chesson, Blandford, Gift, Tao, & Irwin, 2004; Mokdad, Marks, Stroup, & Gerberding, 2004; Schuster, 2003). Researchers have examined the influence of cultural variables such as assimilation, enculturation, gender roles, and ethnic identity on the sexual attitudes and behaviors of Latina adolescents (Benson & Torpy, 1995; Gómez & Marín, 1996; Jacobs, 2008; Kirby, 2002). Although there are some inconsistencies, the majority of the research in this area suggests that assimilation functions as a risk factor for engaging in sexual activity. Enculturation, gender roles (e.g., marianismo), and ethnic identity function as protective factors …

Effects Of Leas And Mecury On The Blood Proteome Of Children, Robert E. Birsall, Michael P. Kiley, Zaneer M. Segu, Christopher D. Palmer, Milan Madera, Brooks B. Gump

Falk College Research Center

Heavy metal exposure in children has been associated with a variety of physiological and neurological problems. The goal of this study was to utilize proteomics to enhance the understanding of biochemical interactions responsible for the health problems related to lead and mercury exposure at concentrations well below CDC guidelines. Blood plasma and serum samples from 34 children were depleted of their most abundant proteins using antibody-based affinity columns and analyzed using two different methods, LC-MS/MS and 2-D electrophoresis coupled with MALDI-TOF/MS and tandem mass spectrometry. Apolipoprotein E demonstrated an inverse significant association with lead concentrations (average being one microgram/deciliter) as …

Developing Mindfulness In College Students Through Movement Based Courses: Effects On Self-Regulatory Self-Efficacy, Mood, Stress, And Sleep Quality, Karen Caldwell, Mandy Harrison, Marianne Adams, Rebecca H. Quin, Jeffrey M. Greeson

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Objective—This study examined whether mindfulness increased through participation in movement based courses and whether changes in self-regulatory self-efficacy, mood, and perceived stress mediated the relationship between increased mindfulness and better sleep.

Participants—166 college students enrolled in the 2007-2008 academic year in 15 week classes in Pilates, Taiji quan, or GYROKINESIS®.

Methods—At beginning, middle, and end of the semester, participants completed measures of mindfulness, self-regulatory self-efficacy, mood, perceived stress and sleep quality.

Results—Total mindfulness scores and mindfulness subscales increased overall. Greater changes in mindfulness were directly related to better sleep quality at the end of the semester after adjusting for sleep …

Evaluating An Insurance-Sponsored Weight Management Program With The Re-Aim Model, West Virginia, 2004-2008, Christiaan Abildso, Sam Zizzi, Bill Reger-Nash

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Introduction: Evaluations of weight management programs in real-world settings are lacking. The RE-AIM model (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance) was developed to address this deficiency. Our primary objective was to evaluate a 12-week insurance-sponsored weight management intervention by using the RE-AIM model, including short-term and long-term individual outcomes and setting-level implementation factors. Our secondary objective was to critique the RE-AIM model and its revised calculation methods.

Methods: We created operational definitions for components of the 5 RE-AIM indices and used standardized effect size values from various statistical procedures to measure multiple components or outcomes within each index. We used chi(2) …

A Mixed-Method Evaluation Of A College Student Fitness Program Using The Re-Aim Framework, Michelle L. Bartlett, Sam Zizzi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: The consistently rising obesity rate in college student population illustrates the need for organized and effective interventions. The purposes of this study were to evaluate an eight-week fitness program implemented at university student recreation center using mixed-methods along the reach, effectiveness, and implementation dimensions of the RE-AIM framework for evaluating health-promotion programs and to illustrate how qualitative data can be used to enhance the capabilities of the RE-AIM framework to evaluate such programs via providing recommendations to improve the intervention not possible with just a quantitative RE-AIM evaluation. Methods: Quantitative (participation rate, changes in % body fat, and resting …

Implications Of Skinner's Verbal Behavior For Studying Dementia, Jeffrey Buchanan, Daniel Houlihan, Peter J.N. Linnerooth

Psychology Department Publications

Persons with dementia experience continual declines in a number of abilities. Language abilities are particularly hard hit and become increasingly impaired as the underlying disease progresses. These language impairments make verbal communication very challenging for family and professional caregivers. As a result, caregivers may inadvertently punish verbal behavior, thereby exacerbating the deterioration of verbal repertoires. Although the topography of language impairments associated with dementia have been well described, less empirical work has been conducted concerning how to minimize these impairments and their deleterious effects. In 1957 B.F. Skinner outlined his conceptualization of language and cognition in his book Verbal Behavior. …

Correlates Of Weight Concern And Control In A Hispanic College Student Sample., J. Blow, T. Taylor, Theodore Cooper, C. Redfearn

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.

Exercise Intervention, Thomas Earl Loney

Graduate Research Papers

Depression is a major cause of hardship in the U.S., both in terms of individual mental health and cost of treatment. Exercise and physical activity presents a low-cost alternative to achieve the same positive alleviation of depressive symptoms as medications and psychotherapy. There is a large body of research linking exercise to an increase in positive emotions, as well as a range of other benefits.

This paper will discuss some reasons counselors may consider exercise intervention for clients suffering from clinical depression, describe the use of this intervention, as well as leading theories explaining the mechanics behind the emotionally lifting …

Evaluation Of A Health Environment Training For Childcare Providers, Brianna Nicole Uhlhorn

Theses Digitization Project

This qualitative study sought to identify barriers for supporting preschoolers' healthy eating habits and physical activity levels. Almost 800 childcare providers throughout Riverside County were trained on Healthy Habits for Life from July 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. Centers were for-profit commercial chains, state-funded preschools, or private centers, but they were not affiliated with a school district or a Head Start program. This preschool training is designed to make preschool providers aware of their role in preventing childhood obesity, and to instill good nutrition and physical activity related to the values in young children. This study is a short-term …

Listen Carefully: The Risk Of Error In Spoken Medication Orders, Conor T. Mclennan

Psychology Faculty Publications

Clinicians and patients often confuse drug names that sound alike. We conducted auditory perception experiments in the United States to assess the impact of similarity, familiarity, background noise and other factors on clinicians' (physicians, family pharmacists, nurses) and laypersons' ability to identify spoken drug names. We found that accuracy increased significantly as the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio increased, as subjective familiarity with the name increased and as the national prescribing frequency of the name increased. For clinicians only, similarity to other drug names reduced identification accuracy, especially when the neighboring names were frequently prescribed. When one name was substituted for another, …

Correlates Of Weight Concern And Control In A Hispanic College Student Sample., J. Blow, T. Taylor, Theodore Cooper, C. Redfearn

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

Poverty Among Adults With Disabilities: Barriers To Promoting Asset Accumulation In Individual Development Accounts, Katherine Mcdonald, Michal Soffer, Peter Blanck

Public Health, Food Studies, and Nutrition

Adults with disabilities disproportionally experience poverty. We examine one novel strategy to promote economic well-being among adults with disabilities living in or near poverty, namely Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). IDAs are designed to help individuals save money and subsequently accumulate assets. Although adults with disabilities account for the majority of IDA participants, scant attention has been paid to their IDA saving performance. We describe the significance of accumulating assets, particularly as it relates to adults with disabilities. We then map the nature of IDA programs and analyze barriers to participation in IDAs and asset accumulation related to conflicting federal policies …

Qualitative Methods Can Enrich Quantitative Research On Occupational Stress: An Example From One Occupational Group, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Edwin Farrell

Publications and Research

The chapter examines the ways in which qualitative and quantitative methods support each other in research on occupational stress. Qualitative methods include eliciting from workers unconstrained descriptions of work experiences, careful first-hand observations of the workplace, and participant-observers describing ‘‘from the inside’’ a particular work experience. The chapter shows how qualitative research plays a role in (a) stimulating theory development, (b) generating hypotheses, (c) identifying heretofore researcher-neglected job stressors and coping responses, (d) explaining difficult-to-interpret quantitative findings, and (e) providing rich descriptions of stressful transactions. Extensive examples from research on job stress in teachers are used. The limitations of qualitative …

Social Interaction In Pain: Reinforcing Pain Behaviours Or Building Intimacy?, Annmarie Cano, A. C. De C. Williams

Psychology Faculty Research Publications

To date, pain research has focused almost exclusively on operant models to interpret the function and predict the consequences of pain-related interaction in chronic pain couples. However, evidence suggests that intimacy models of interaction may provide additional and alternative explanations for pain interaction. Specifically, intimacy models conceptualize verbal complaints about pain-related distress as emotional disclosure, which the partner may validate or invalidate. This review compares and contrasts models of pain-related interaction in chronic pain couples, describes limitations of the existing research, and offers directions for future research drawing upon a social support framework.

Effect Of Individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy On Depression And Anxiety In Older Adults With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease : A Feasibility Study, Eileen Lightner

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in older adults has been associated with a high prevalence of depression and anxiety (Kunik et al., 2005). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a COPD-specific individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention on depression and anxiety in older adults with COPD. Three older adult patients with moderate to severe COPD and comorbid depression and anxiety were recruited from a large hospital affiliated pulmonary practice to participate in this single subject multiple baseline feasibility study. Pre-test-post test assessments were conducted utilizing the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), the State …

Factor Structure And Psychometric Characteristics Of The Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen In A Sample Of Patients With Pain, Robin L. Carosella

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to extend previous literature of the BDI-FastScreen and demonstrate a more empirical clinical utility within a sample of patients with pain. This study utilized existing data found in a large, multiphysician, multilocation pain management practice. The sample consisted of 328 male and female patients with pain. Various psychometric analyses were performed. Results pertaining to the internal consistency of the BDI-FastScreen determined the items most highly correlated were pessimism and loss of pleasure. A factor analysis revealed 49.18 % of the variance of the factor structure of the BDI-FastScreen was comprised of one factor. …

Community-Based Psychosocial Interventions Improve Psychosocial Outcomes For Children And Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus And Their Families: A Systematic Review; And, Community Mental Health Nursing For Children/Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus And Their Families, Caris Bailey

Theses : Honours

Background: Research indicates an increased prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus in comparison to their peers. As a result, psychosocial community-based services are sometimes available to those who are experiencing psychosocial problems. Several reviews have examined the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for children/ adolescents living with type 1 diabetes mellitus, however the psychosocial outcomes of psychosocial interventions being conducted in the community specifically, have yet to be systematically reviewed. Objective: To systematically review the psychosocial outcomes of community-based psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and their families. Subjects …

Understanding The Impact Of Physical Functioning On The Experience, Desire, And Satisfaction Of Physical, Emotional And Social Intimacies In Persons With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als), Jamie Lee Rodriguez

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The understanding of intimate relationships in persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is not yet understood. A review of the current literature, including an overview of ALS and the development and maintenance of intimate relationships using psychological theory, is included. Comparisons to multiple sclerosis, acquired physical disability, and older adults are included to gain a greater understanding of how changes in physical functioning may impact an intimate relationship. This study used archival data, in which participants completed the following measures: ALS Functional Rating Scale–Revised, Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships, and ALS Specific Quality of Life Measurement–Revised. Results suggest high …

School Accommodations To Support Psychosocial Functioning And Self-Esteem In Adolescents With Long Qt Syndrome, Betsy E. Feinberg

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current manuscript, as part of a larger program of research, intended to examine whether long QT syndrome (LQTS), a chronic and life-threatening genetic cardiac illness, impacts adolescents' psychosocial functioning. After 2 1/2 years of involvement in the study and 13 months of attempted data collection, it was determined by the research team that the benefits of proceeding with an intervention plan outweighed the costs of waiting for data. Although the study was not able to be conducted within the anticipated time frame due to unforeseen logistical challenges, the study hypothesized that adolescents with higher ratings of self-reported social and …

Adhd: Culture, Treatment Strategies And Their Relevance To Preschool Children, Nelson M. Bean

CMC Senior Theses

In recent decades a growing number of individuals in preschool, middle childhood and adolescence have been diagnosed with ADHD. Accompanying increasing rates of diagnoses is an increase in the use of stimulant medication in preschool populations, a practice not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This paper reviews the current literature pertaining the social and developmental consequences of ADHD, its effect on the child and family, treatment strategies with and without the use of stimulants, and cultural and diagnostic trends which may be contributing to the rising number of diagnoses. A review of the literature suggests that there is …

Moving To The Beat Of Djembe Drums: African Dance And Reported Feelings Of Depression, Jacquilyn D. Anderson

CMC Senior Theses

Depression is a disabling mental disorder that has huge impacts on one’s life and is therefore considered a global health concern. Efforts to find the most effective treatments have led to the development of antidepressants and cognitive therapy treatments. However, exercise as a form of treatment for depression has been growing in popularity. Recently, Dance Movement Therapy has gained exposure as a possible form of exercise treatment. Therefore, in the current study, West African dance was studied in order to determine its effects on depression. It was hypothesized that West African dance would target and alleviate symptoms of depression as …

Preschool Teachers' Perceptions Of Obesity At Ages 3-5 Years, Jessica D. Mackinney

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was not only to investigate the knowledge of preschool teachers on the topic of obesity, but also to determine whether or not they find obesity to be a significant problem facing 3-5 year old children. Results indicate that preschool teachers agree that obesity is a concern; however, they are unclear on the causality of obesity. Preschool teachers feel the long-term consequences of being obese at ages 3-5 years affect future academic, social, and physical growth, but they do not feel intervention should take place at the preschool level. This study contributed to a better understanding …

The Relationship Between Cognitive Distortions And Psychological And Behavioral Factors In A Sample Of Individuals Who Are Average Weight, Overweight, And Obese, Christina Berchock Shook

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study was designed to investigate the relationship between the frequency of cognitive distortions, as measured by the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions (ICD), and psychological and behavioral factors, as measured by the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD), which includes negative health habits, psychiatric indications, and treatment prognostics among a sample of individuals who were average weight, who were overweight, and who were obese. The sample of 385 men and women was recruited primarily from a health and fitness center. The results of this study indicated that negative health risk behaviors such as inactivity and overeating, as well as depression …

Associative / Dissociative Cognitive Strategies In Sustained Physical Activity: Literature Review And Proposal For A Mindfulness-Based Conceptual Model, Paul Salmon, Scott Hanneman, Brandon Harwood

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

We reviewed and summarize the extant literature on associative/dissociative cognitive strategies used by athletes and others in circumstances necessitating periods of sustained attention. This review covers studies published since a prior publication by Masters and Ogles (1998), and, in keeping with their approach, offers a methodological critique of the literature. We conclude that the distinction between associative and dissociative strategies has outlived its usefulness since initially proposed in an earlier era of ground-breaking research by Morgan and Pollock (1977) that was influenced to some extent by psychodynamic thinking. In recent years there has been an evolutionary shift in concepts of …

Psychosocial Concerns And Childhood Overweight In Pediatric Primary Care Clinics Serving Rural Appalachia., Suzanne Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To examine the prevalence of psychosocial concerns presenting in 3 pediatric primary care clinics serving rural Appalachia. The association between pediatric weight status and psychosocial concerns was examined. Methods: Caregivers of children presenting in one of 3 pediatric primary care facilities completed a demographic questionnaire and the Pediatric Symptom Checklist. Results: Approximately 21.4% of children were identified as having a clinically significant behavioral health concern. Among children with available weight status data, ~53% of the children were identified as overweight. Children identified having significant behavioral concerns were more likely to have a lower weight status than those with nonsignificant …

An Examination Of Body Dissatisfaction And Media Exposure, Richard H. Kirchmeyer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The goal of the current study was to examine the relationship between muscle magazine consumption and body dissatisfaction. The study also examined the relationship between muscle magazine consumption and the amount of disparity between ideal and real body shape. Participants (N = 108) were recruited via study board, and also on a volunteer basis, from a mid-Western university with a population of 20,674 students. The first hypothesis stated that men with greater exposure to muscle magazines would indicate that their actual body shape falls further away from their ideal body shape, in terms of both muscularity and fat level, than …

Evaluating The Reliability And Validity Of The Muscle Dysmorphia Inventory, Rebecca Sue Cubberley

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Throughout the years, women have been the focus of eating disorders and body image research. With women being the focus of research in these areas, disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) have caught the eyes of researchers. With this new discovery, there has been a recent surge of research on body image issues and men. Originally termed reverse anorexia or bigorexia, Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) has gained the attention of researchers for about a decade (Grieve, 2007; Pope, Katz & Hudson, 1993; Pope, Gruber, Choi, Olivardia & Phillips, 1997).
The Muscle Dysmorphia Inventory (MDI) …

An Evaluation Of A Sexual Assault Education Program, Angela P. Hatcher

Dissertations

Sexually aggressive behavior, especially on college campuses, is an issue of major concern. Previous research has found that 54% of college women report being sexually victimized (Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987). Given the scope of this problem, effective prevention strategies are necessary. Sexual assault prevention programs have included those targeting a mixed gender audience as well as gender specific programs. Research examining the effectiveness of these programs, at both post-intervention and follow-up, have provided mixed results.

The goal of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of a video-based sexual assault education program in decreasing rape myths, increasing victim …

Descriptive Experience Sampling Of Individuals With Bulimia Nervosa, Sharon Jones-Forrester

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite 30 years of research, much remains unknown about inner experience in individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN); yet attaining a clearer understanding of inner experience in BN may prove to be crucial in uncovering the nature of this profoundly disruptive disorder. The present study used Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES) to examine inner experience in 13 participants with BN, replicating to some degree Doucette (1992) and Jones-Forrester (2006). Results in the present study were largely consistent with Doucette (1992) and Jones-Forrester (2006) but substantially different from beliefs about inner experience from the extant non-exploratory DES BN literature. Specifically, the present study …