Psychology Commons^™

Editorial Message

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Mass Shootings In The United States, Sydney Livingston

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

High rates of mass shootings are becoming a uniquely American problem; the US makes up 73% of the world’s mass shootings, yet makes up only 4.25% of the world’s population. School shootings, in particular, have increased dramatically in the US since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, an event many perpetrators have since drawn upon as inspiration. There is a strong divide of opinions in the nation regarding how firearm deaths should be reduced, which has complicated and slowed progress in identifying effective solutions. Each mass shooting causes additional shootings to occur, and each one takes a toll on …

Does Internalized Weight Bias Affect Reported Physical Activity In Adolescents?, Caroline Simmons, Brennen Till, Chad Jensen, Monica Martinez

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Background: Negative internalized weight bias is associated with poorer mental health, while physical activity (PA) has been shown to have protective mental health benefits. Previous research with teens has not explored whether weight bias predicts PA participation. We evaluated weight bias internalization as a predictor of total minutes of PA, hypothesizing that greater weight bias would predict less PA participation.

Methods: One hundred participants ranging (14-18 years) have completed the study. Participants completed the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS) and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A). Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between scores …

The Effects Of Period Poverty On Women Around The World, Sagelyn Shoell

Student Works

Period poverty involves girl’s and women’s lack of access to menstruation supplies, clean and private facilities, and education due in large part to negative attitudes surrounding the female menstrual cycle (Mann & Byrne, 2023). It is estimated that up to 500 million women around the world live in period poverty (The World Bank, 2022). Period poverty can adversely influence a women’s physical health, mental health, and educational opportunities and is usually associated with hostile sexism (at worst) and misunderstanding (at best) (Eyring et al., 2023; Marvan et al, 2013). Women who are experiencing period poverty often resort to unsanitary products, …

Therapeutic Benefits Of Psychedelics: Effectiveness For Addiction Treatment, Mental Health Issues, And End-Of-Life Care, Emma Roberts

Student Works

As more research is done, psychedelics are increasingly recognized as a viable option for addiction treatment, mental health issues, and end-of-life care. Studies have hit roadblocks in the past due to the stigma surrounding psychedelics that formed in the 1960s. Since then, regulations have loosened, and psychedelic therapy has become a possible alternative for those who do not find their current treatments effective (Al-Harbi, 2012, as cited in Gardner, 2019; Gardner, 2019). Psychedelics can help individuals abstain from addictions (Sharma et al., 2023). Additionally, psychedelics can be a viable treatment for mental illnesses (Nygart et al., 2022) and can be …

Cmv And Brain Volume, Scott Maclean, Ashley Catchpole, Ethan Coulter, Elijah Davis, Bethany Richmond, Thomas Farrer, Dawson Hedges, Shawn Gale, Lance Erickson

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

In a sample of UK adults aged 40-69, we conducted multivariable regression analysis on the relationship between cytomegalovirus (CMV) and brain volume accounting for several health covariates. Although no main effects emerged, we found that socioeconomic status moderated the relationship, such that in low socioeconomic groups, CMV predicted lower thalamic and hippocampal volumes.

Intrinsic Vs. Extrinsic Religiosity: Implications For The Parasympathetic Nervous System, Sydnee Bond, Hannah Hornberger, Parker Mckasson, Patrick Steffen Phd

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Background

Intrinsic religiosity is a deeply rooted connection to one's faith. Individuals with high intrinsic religiosity find purpose and meaning through their spiritual connections. Extrinsic religiosity is primarily driven by social or other superficial factors. Intrinsic religiosity has demonstrated associations with lower self-reported stress, however, associations between intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity and baseline heart rate variability (HRV), a proxy measure of the parasympathetic nervous system, have not been studied. We hypothesize that higher self-reported stress will be associated with a lower baseline HRV, higher intrinsic religiosity will be correlated with higher baseline HRV, and intrinsic religiosity will serve as a buffer, such …

Breaking The Silence: Family Conversations On Suicide, Alexa Diaz

Student Works

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth in the United States. Suicide remains to be a stigmatized topic. There is a necessary need for families to openly communicate about suicide as well as knowing what measures they need to take to prevent them from occurring. Providing a child with a secure attachment and an authoritative parenting style decreases the likelihood of suicidal ideation as well as engaging in suicide-related behaviors (Diamond et al., 2022). Media exposure may serve as a resource for parents to enhance their knowledge on mental health literacy (Abesinghe et al., 2023; Cingel et …

Nonprofits Should Adopt A User-Centric Change Model To Scale Corporate Environmental Action Faster, Doug Miller

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Pollution levels and ecosystem degradation continue to worsen, suggesting the insufficiency of current approaches to reverse these problematic trends. For environmental nonprofits, the current theory of change revolves around developing techno-economic analysis about environmental problems and available solutions, building public awareness around this analysis, and motivating decision makers to set goals. Given present environmental realities and the limited success of their current theory of change, environmental nonprofits should transform how they execute their work, what they produce, and how they coordinate with each other. Instead, nonprofits should begin putting the user—business decision makers as well as policymakers—front and center as …

Chronic Pain Interventions: Considering Hypnotherapy As A Viable Treatment Option, Madelyn Isom

Student Works

Chronic pain is a widespread and debilitating condition, demanding advancements in current interventions. Conventional medical paradigms have traditionally treated the mind and body separately, but advancement has advocated shifts toward more integrated mind-body approaches to address holistic health. Despite prevailing skepticism and friction within patient-doctor relationships surrounding hypnosis, there is substantial support for its use as a pain management tool (Declercq, 2023; Thompson et al., 2019). This analysis explores the potential of hypnosis as a viable treatment for chronic pain, highlighting its merits and addressing current research limitations. Noteworthy findings underscore hypnosis’ distinctive influence on the physical body through mental …

Positive Effects Of Conservative Religion On The Mental Health Of Sexual Minorities, Jaxon Jessup

Student Works

Sexual minorities often struggle to navigate their sexuality and conservative religious beliefs. Conservative religion is often thought to be toxic for sexual minorities because of the emphasis on traditional marriage (Anderton et al., 2012), and often, the LGBT community will reject sexual minorities that choose to remain in religion (O'Brien, 2007). Conservative religion, however, provides many resources that could benefit sexual (and other) minorities. Religion can help create a sense of identity through teachings and community involvement that may strengthen positive self-perception; it may also create a sense of belonging within a supportive community, especially when individuals are raised among …

Ethnic-Racial Socialization Experiences Of Mexican American Youth, Katherine J. Bingham, Elizabeth A. Cutrer-Párraga, Timothy B. Smith

Faculty Publications

Research has shown that ethnic–racial socialization (ERS) predicts education and mental health outcomes for adolescents. However, limited research has evaluated the ERS experiences of Latinx students. The current study examined ERS experiences of Mexican American youth in four focus group interviews that were transcribed and analyzed at both the individual and group level using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Main themes included feeling like an outsider, navigating discrimination, encountering social/emotional difficulties, and achieving a positive identity. Each theme contained two to three subcategories that provide further insight into the Mexican Americans' ERS experiences. Participants reported within-group discrimination, motivation to disprove stereotypes, and …

Review Of Tyler Lefevor And Lisa Tennsmeyer-Hansen Presentation, Peder Schillemat

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Review Of Wendy Ulrich's Presentation, Joseph Chamberlain

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Review Of Stacy Jones, Spencer Bradshaw, Rodney Limb Presentation, Brianna Holmes

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Review Of Alan Hansen's Presentation, Jacob Larson

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Finding Peace After Betrayal By Healing Shattered Trust Schemas, Ashly Leavitt

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Review Of Terry Warner's Presentation, Jacob Tubbs

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Ethically Managing Theories Of Agency In Counseling And Psychotherapy, Jeffrey S. Reber, Jacob D. Tubbs, Jacob A. Larson

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

Informed by personal and professional cultures, clients and therapists inevitably hold various assumptions and attributions about the possibility of free will. Given that these “theories of agency” may not always align, and in light of the ethics codes for psychotherapists and counselors, it is imperative, as a matter of cultural competence and responsivity, that therapists seek training in understanding different cultures of agency. To that end, and to help therapists navigate cultural differences and mitigate the risk of personal and professional values imposition, this article provides a conceptual framework for organizing the common formal and informal theories of agency that …

Review Of Christy Kane's Presentation, Benjamin Chamberlain

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Parenting Techniques On Anxiety In Children, Amber Burton

Student Works

As anxiety among children becomes more prevalent, understanding how parenting styles affect its development may become more relevant. Anxiety affects various aspects of individuals' lives (socially, intellectually, physically, and spiritually), adding extra challenges. Anxiety can be influenced by genetics but is also potentially impacted by the child’s environment. Evidence suggests that children whose parents display higher levels of warmth through acceptance and caring behaviors tend to experience lower levels of anxiety (Butterfield et al., 2021). Additionally, lower levels of anxiety have been found in children with parents who utilize increased levels of autonomy, giving their children the freedom to make …

Eating Disorders And Adolescents: A Plea For Early Childhood Intervention, Abby Smiley

Student Works

According to Gerbasi et al. (2014), eating disorders are considered a global health crisis, if not a worldwide epidemic. Early intervention in adolescence may be effective in slowing the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors in this at-risk demographic. Bills et al. (2023) concluded that physical complications may come from participating in disordered eating and may eventually attribute to the development of an eating disorder; these complications may include diminished brain function and health, as well as diminished heart function and health. It was also concluded that eating disorders may be linked to suicidal ideation and other mental health issues (Bills …

Where Do I Fit In God’S Plan? Mixed-Orientation Marriages In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Camron Angell

Student Works

Mixed-Orientation marriages (MOMs) are a complex reality of many Latter-day Saints. A MOM is when one or both partners in a relationship are either lesbian, bisexual, or gay (Kort, 2015). This paper overviews the effects on mental health and the sustainability of MOMs. Research suggests that MOMs have a negative effect on mental health, and LGB members are much less likely to get help from mental health professionals due to stigma and fear of rejection (Dyer et al., 2023; Legerski et al., 2016; McGraw et el., 2023). MOMs are also up to 30% more likely to end in divorce (Dehlin, …

Moving On: An Overview Of Approaching Trauma Through Dance/Movement Therapy, Eliza Barber

Student Works

Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT), an approach meant to facilitate holistic integration, has been historically associated with treating symptoms of trauma. Because it is a relatively new field, many questions still remain regarding appropriate interventions. In this extensive review of existing literature on the topic, I explored how DMT is applied in relation to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, culture-specific trauma and oppression, multigenerational trauma, and developmental trauma. Additionally, I delved into interventions with specific populations including refugees and young people. To identify the 26 items of literature referenced in this review, I conducted searches with appropriate terms on two scientific databases and filtered …

Impairing Stress On College Students In The United States, Rachel J. King

Student Works

The purpose of this literary review is to explore how psychological and acute stress affect the academic abilities of college students. We will explore the effects of stress and how they directly impair the academic, social, emotional, and mental well-being of college students in the United States.. This can be seen as you observe and study what stress looks like on a college student. It is found that over 1⁄3 of most universities have students that struggle with intense stress. Often, students do not know or understand how to cope. This lack of knowledge can stem from their childhood, where …

Video Games For The Win: Examining The Net Positive Impact On Emotional, Cognitive, And Social Aspects Of Mental Health In Today’S Youth, James Sanford

Student Works

Video games are becoming an integral part of society, as more than 90% of adolescents play them often, and the industry is growing in revenue every year (Granic et al., 2014). However, many mainstream media outlets portray video games as detrimental to mental health and damaging to cognitive abilities, with initial research into video games initially corroborating such claims and finding correlations to violent behavior (Ferguson, 2020). These early research methods could have been more robust; moreover, focusing on only the negative aspects of gaming research significantly reduced their ability to properly understand gaming’s full impact. Video games typically encourage …

God, Can You Help Me? Effects Of Religious Coping On Patients With Anxiety And Trauma, Camron Angell

Student Works

Historically, religion has been overlooked in psychology as a method of coping due to stigma and an apprehension to bring up religious beliefs. Recent literature suggests positive religious coping can help patients with anxiety and PTSD (Anastasi & Newberg, 2008; Areba et al., 2018; Plante et al., 2000; Starnino et al., 2019; Yazici et al., 2020). Religious coping, both positive and negative, appears to affect patients with anxiety and PTSD. Positive religious coping is thought to have a positive effect on both anxiety and PTSD and can lead to greater mental health outcomes (Areba et al., 2018; Harris et al., …

Coaching Elementary Teachers In Literacy: Does Feedback Type Matter To Low And High Implementers?, Elizabeth Cutrer, Erica Ellsworth Miller, Erjola Gjini, Melia Fonoimoana Garrett

Faculty Publications

For literacy coaches and teachers, feedback is an integral component of effective coaching. Yet, little is understood

about the interaction between feedback and high/low implementing teachers within coaching sessions. This multiple

case study explored the types of feedback literacy coaches provided both high and low implementing teachers over a

two-year period. In the first year, the literacy coaches provided at least twice as much instructional feedback as

emotional feedback to low-implementing teachers. Those teachers not only received more feedback in general, but the

feedback they received was primarily what they needed to do to improve. In contrast, during the same …

The Facilitative Role Of Workplace Anxiety In Increasing Motivation And Preparation Fueled By Self-Regulation, James Hayes

Student Works

As anxiety in the workplace continues to affect a substantial percentage of employees, an understanding of the facilitative aspects of anxiety may become increasingly relevant (American Psychological Association, 2009, as cited in Cheng & McCarthy, 2018). Anxiety in the workplace is generally disadvantageous, but significant evidence supports the idea that anxiety may benefit employees in various ways (Chandra et al., 2020). Notably, anxious feelings may spark increased motivation within employees, unlocking a greater focus on future goals (Spielberger, 1985, as cited in Cheng & McCarthy, 2018). In pursuit of these goals, anxious employees may find a greater capacity for self-regulation, …

Introduction To Chigen-Iku (Universal Performance Improvement Method), Yoshihiko Ariizumi

Spiritual Proficiency

This brief article introduces a universal performance improvement method called Chigen-iku, which has been developed carefully and extensively over more than 25 years through more than 100 individual and group projects based on the principles that were selected through my doctorial study in the field of Instructional Psychology and Technology.