Psychology Commons^™

Stress Exposure Training As A Means For Athletes To Prevent Paradoxical Performance, Adam M. Fulton

Student Works

Paradoxical performance has been studied for years, with an emphasis on helping athletes prevent choking under pressure. However, although progress has been made, too many athletes are still underperforming due to anticipated and unanticipated stressors (Baumeister & Showers, 1986, p. 362). Stress exposure training is suggested as a solution to choking under pressure, even though little research has been done. A review of the literature on paradoxical performance is presented, emphasizing skills that appear to be effective and could be inserted into a stress exposure training program. Skills such as self-consciousness training, positive self-talk, self-confidence, pre-performance routines, and others could …

Toxoplasma Gondii Moderates The Association Between Multiple Folate-Cycle Factors And Cognitive Function In U.S. Adults, Bruce L. Brown, Andrew N. Berrett, Shawn D. Gale, Lance D. Erickson, Dawson W. Hedges

Faculty Publications

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a microscopic, apicomplexan parasite that can infect muscle or neural tissue, including the brain, in humans. While T. gondii infection has been associated with changes in mood, behavior, and cognition, the mechanism remains unclear. Recent evidence suggests that T. gondii may harvest folate from host neural cells. Reduced folate availability is associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and cognitive decline. We hypothesized that impairment in cognitive functioning in subjects seropositive for T. gondii might be associated with a reduction of folate availability in neural cells. We analyzed data from the third …

The Effects Of Long-Term Participation In A Martial Arts Program On Self-Esteem And Bullying Victimization, Pamela Jeanne Dahle

Theses and Dissertations

Public concern over the occurrence of bullying in schools has increased considerably within the last decade. Although there are many programs in place that attempt to address the problem of bullying in schools, they have achieved only varying levels of success, with many failing to alleviate the problem. In addition, although some researchers have conducted studies on either the relationship between self-esteem and bullying victimization or the relationship between self-esteem and participation in martial arts, few have conducted studies seeking to understand the correlation between participation in martial arts, bullying victimization, and levels of self-esteem. The current study measured levels …

Psychotherapy Utilization And Presenting Concerns Among Black International And African-American Students In A University Counseling Center, Mica Nicole Mcgriggs

Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the psychotherapy utilization, presenting concerns, and outcome differences between Black international and African American university students. The aim of this research is to identify potential similarities and differences between the two groups, as well as potential differences between the aforementioned groups and white students. This study examined archival data collected over the course of a 17-year period that focused on experiences of African-American, Black international, and White students at a large university in the Rocky Mountain West, United States. More specifically, archival data were analyzed to identify differences between the aforementioned groups of students in regard …

The Relationship Between Briefly Induced Affect And Cognitive Control Processes: An Event-Related Potential (Erp) Study, Hilary Anne Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Positive affect is generally associated with improvements in cognitive abilities; however, few studies have addressed positive affect and its relation to specific cognitive control processes. Previous research suggests positive affect conditions are more flexible/distractible states, suggesting cognitive control processes are perhaps decreased in context maintenance and increased in conflict detection/resolution. To measure the cognitive control processes, specific components of the scalp-recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) called the cue slow wave (context maintenance), the N450 (conflict detection), and conflict SP (conflict resolution) were acquired in response to an affective single-trial, cued-Stroop task. Participants were presented with pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant images prior …

The Association Between Locus Of Control And Marital Satisfaction Throughout Adulthood, Matthew Elias Kahler

Theses and Dissertations

The correlation between locus of control and marital satisfaction is examined as part of a longitudinal study spanning 44 years and 3 time points. It is predicted that as locus of control has more of an external orientation marital satisfaction will be lower. Participants include high school juniors and seniors in the state of Washington from 1966 with follow-up surveys in 1980 and 2010. Using ordinary least squares regressions, marital satisfaction scores in 1980 or 2010 are predicted by locus of control scores from either 1966 or 1980 with control variables that include gender, income, educational attainment, occupational prestige, and …

A Meta-Analytic Review Of The Association Of Therapeutic Alliance, Therapist Empathy, Client Attachment Style, And Client Expectations With Client Outcome, Alberto Soto

Theses and Dissertations

The therapeutic alliance has consistently been associated with improved client outcomes across numerous psychotherapy outcome studies. Previous systematic reviews have, however, evaluated the univariate association of the alliance with client outcome. The present meta-analytic review examines the association of the alliance with improved client outcomes after accounting for the presence of therapist empathy, client attachment styles, and client expectations. Across 23 independent studies, the alliance, adjusted for the presence of the other variables, remained as the most robust predictor of improved outcomes r = .258 (SE = .01, p < .001), with a 95% confidence interval of r = .18 to r = .33. After accounting for …

The Group Readiness Questionnaire: A Practice-Based Evidence Measure?, Mindy Judd Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

In recent decades, psychologists have increasingly turned to evidence-based practice (EBP) to guide their treatments with clients. Practice-based evidence (PBE) is one type of EBP that allows clinicians to treat their clients in a flexible, but effective way. PBE treatments are those that use information gathered about the client through measures or questionnaires to inform the clinical decisions therapists make in the process of treating the client. The use of PBE in group psychotherapy is increasing and there are many measures that can potentially be used to aid therapists by gathering client information or feedback in the areas of group …

Discovery Of The Oxytocin Receptor Gene In Titi Monkeys, Esther Page, James Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Titi monkeys, are a new world monogamous nonhuman primate that bonds for life. Their monogamous nature makes them an ideal model for studying parenting behavior as well as social partner relationships (i.e., husband and wife). Non-human primates are comparable to humans genetically and, perhaps as a consequence of their genetic similarities, they show many behavioral parallels (Bales et al., 2007). Studies in humans show that variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR1) impacts the strength and type of a mother-infant relationship (Bakermans-Kranenburg & van IJzendoorn, 2008; Carter, 1992). While the OXTR1 has been found in a number of nonhuman primates …

Fast Food, Slow Brain: The Effect Of Diet On Brain Volume, Kayla Alder, Dr. Brock Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The hippocampus is a brain structure in the medial temporal lobe that mediates the encoding of sensory information into long-term memory (Squire, Clark, & Stark, 2004). Studies have found a relationship between the volume of the hippocampus and behavioral memory tests; that is, the smaller the volume of the hippocampus, the less accurate the performance on memory tests (Rajah, Kromas, Han, & Jens, 2010). Previous research also demonstrates that a high fat and sugar (HFS) diet impairs the hippocampus and affects memory (Francis & Stevenson, 2011).

Social Anxiety Disorder In College Students And Its Differing Treatments, Taylor Hubbert

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

• Approximately one in six College Students report having anxiety or being treated for anxiety
• Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is defined as anxiety that is caused by social experiences, and an individuals fear/ phobia of social situations
• Research available to us on Social Anxiety Disorder is extensive. This review examined the symptomology and prevalence of SAD, and compared both individual therapy and group therapy as treatments for college students.

Strength-Based Assessment For Children With Autism And Related With Disabilities In Kosovo, Ari Kokol, Blake Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Kosovo was a focal point of conflict in the wars in Yugoslavia in the late 1990s. In 2008, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia leaving Kosovo partially recognized as an independent state today. Due to the combination of war, ethnic conflict, and poverty, Kosovo has been left with little resources available to meet the needs of parents and educators. Caring for children with these types of disabilities puts a heavy strain on Kosovar Families. “For parents of children with autism, identifying positive characteristics of the child and the relationship may be particularly beneficial because the stressors associated with the disability are …

Western Philosophy For A New Generation, Sondra Sasser, Dennis Packard

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As planned, Dr. Packard and I finished researching and writing our textbook, Western Philosophy for a New Generation. We are still editing some things and getting advice from other academics, but we deem the book to be a great success, and so do the classes who have used it for two semesters at BYU. Students who were initially uninterested in philosophy made comments like, “I finally understand what before was totally unintelligible,” and “Now I see how it could be valuable for me.”

The Benefits Of Culturally Adapted Mental Health Treatments: A Meta-Analysis, Juan Valladares, Madeleine Coenen, Niyeli Herrera, Yoojin Kim

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Cultural values, ideas, beliefs and word views may affect the way a mental intervention is received and therefore how effective it is. Historically, research has not focused on cultural minorities and these groups tend to have poorer success rates in treatments (Gonzalez et al., 2010). The purpose of this meta-analysis is to establish the aggregate effect of those mental health interventions that have been adapted to clients' cultural or ethnic backgrounds.

Relationship Quality As A Predictor Of Eating Disorder Symptoms And Body Image Perception In Women, Jordan Sgro, Dr. Wendy Birmingham

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Eating Disorders (ED) are recognized as an important cause of morbidity and mortality in adolescents and adults and are much more common in women than in men. Women may exhibit ED symptoms but not be clinically diagnosed. Research has shown that individuals who exhibit sub-clinical eating disorder symptoms may eventually develop full syndrome. Thus, sub-threshold ED women are at increased risk but remain undiagnosed. Our culture often values women for their appearance, and this message is continually sent via media and other social institutions (e.g., religion), but having a supportive spouse can help buffer the negative messages women receive. While …

Neural Networks Of Eye-Movements During Reading, Trenton D. Jackman, Benjamin Carter, Steven Luke

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Reading is an important part of normal life. We move our eyes 2-4 times per second. Each movement is called a saccade, and each pause is called a fixation. Progress has been made understanding saccade control during deliberate tasks. Not much is known about saccade control during more automatic tasks like reading. Using fMRI concurrently run with eye-tracking we looked at BOLD MRI response compared to amplitude of saccades, for 43 participants performing a simple paragraph reading task.

Literature Review Of Animal Hoarding, Corina L. Schroeder

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

This paper reviews the characteristic features, origin, and treatment of animal hoarding. It evaluates the similarities and differences of hoarding disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, showing that it seems to be more closely related to object hoarding. This disorder often originates with a traumatic life event, which triggers a psychological vulnerability to compulsively collect animals. In some cases, the hoarder was neglected by parental figures at a young age, so he or she developed relationships with animals to cope. Other theories for the origin include addiction models, delusional disorders, and dementia models. Several theories are reviewed to explain the characteristic lack …

Language Acquisition With English Language Learners Who Have Developmental Delays, Eliza Racquel Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the effects of language instruction with two preschool age students who are English language learners who have developmental delays using the incidental teaching method. Language targets were randomly chosen according to the language level of each student and the targets were either in Spanish (L1) or English (L2). The students were in a special education classroom and researchers worked with them one-on-one, using the natural learning environment to teach and to better implement learning objectives. Targets were withheld during play and students had to mand, tact, or use intraverbal skills to receive the item. Their reward …

Parenting Skills As A Predictor Of Youth Externalizing Outcomes In Routine Community Mental Health Services, Corinne Elizabeth Ruth

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between perceived parenting skills and youth externalizing symptoms throughout the course of routine treatment of youth receiving services in a community mental health setting. Specifically, this study investigated whether changes in parenting skills were associated with changes in three dimensions of youth externalizing behaviors (behavioral dysfunction, interpersonal relations, social problems). Participants were 401 youth (aged 4-17, mean aged 10.7, 48% female) and their parents/guardians. At regular intervals throughout treatment, parents completed the Treatment Support Measure (TSM) to assess perceived parenting skills along with the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (Y-OQ) to assess youth externalizing symptoms. Hierarchical linear …

Evaluation Of A Social And Emotional Learning Curriculum Integrated Into A Middle School Health Classroom, Stephanie Susan Skiba

Theses and Dissertations

Although approximately one-fourth of adolescents have a mental health disorder only half of them receive treatment. The goal of this study was to determine if Strong Kids, a social and emotional learning curriculum, implemented over a 4-week period could help decrease internalizing symptoms and increase resilience in middle school students, something not previously investigated. This study also measured social and emotional knowledge as measured by the Strong Kids questionnaire. Additionally, treatment fidelity and social validity were measured. The study used a non-equivalent, control group design. The sample consisted of 148 students: 70 in the treatment group and 78 in …

The Development Of A Short Form Of The Clinically Adaptive Multidimensional Outcome Survey, Peter William Sanders

Theses and Dissertations

The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) movement has gained considerable influence in the healthcare industry, including psychotherapy. The American Psychological Association's (APA) official stance on EBP encouraged clinicians to used standardized outcome measures in routine practice in order to establish the efficacy of their interventions. Routine Outcome Measurement (ROM) systems were designed specifically to accomplish this purpose, and have been shown to improve client outcomes and provide valuable aggregate data that contributes to empirical literature. Despite this research and the endorsement of the APA's official EBP stance, these measures have not been widely adopted by clinicians. Several studies have found that clinicians …

To Study Or Not To Study: The Influences Of Procrastination, Self-Esteem, And Self-Efficacy On Self-Handicapping Among College Students, Tiatia Filemoni

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Many college students have ambitions to succeed, graduate, and find a career. Despite their ambitions, many are choosing to replace study time with Netflix, social media, partying, drugs, alcohol, and other non-homework related activities. Approximately 30%-60% of college students report procrastination as a regular interruption of their undergraduate studies.

Sexual Dimorphism In 2d:4d Digit Ratio Is Linked To Anxiety In Rhesus Macaques (Macaca Mulatta), Alexander Baxter, E. K. Wood, J. P. Capitanio, J. D. Higley

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

In humans, administering androgens exogenously reduces anxiety. Because prenatal androgen exposure (PAE) has organizational effects on the brain, and because it is higher in males, this may explain why, on average, females are more likely than males to develop anxiety. To assess PAE, the pointer-to-ring-finger digit ratio (2D:4D ratio) is frequently used. Though this phenotype is sexually dimorphic across primate species, preliminary research in a small number of species indicates that PAE's effect on digit ratio may be in the opposite direction when comparing nonhuman primates and humans. in humans, males typically show lower 2D:4D ratios than do females, whereas …

Goal Setting And Goal Achievement In Marathon And Half-Marathon Runners, Adam M. Fulton, Jared Richardson, Kyler Griffith

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

In this study, we looked at how different variables predicted goal specificity, goal achievement, and finish time for marathoners and half-marathoners. These variables had to do with experience, confidence, and motivation for running, as well as goal specificity. Among the results was the finding that goal specificity was predictive of finish time for half-marathoners and close to predictive for marathoners. These findings could help runners prepare better for races.

Depression, Religiosity, And Parenting Styles Among Mormon Adolescents, Courtney Kinneard, Mark Ogletree

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

We examined how religiosity and the parent-child relationship are associated with depression in 12-14 yr old teenagers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint. A random sample of 493 revealed three correlations: girls who have a strong connection with their mother have a negative correlation with depression; daily spiritual experiences are negatively correlated with depression, and negative religious coping is positively correlated with depression symptoms.

David And Goliath, Jacob Thorpe

Marriott Student Review

Book review of David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell.

In Defense Of The Self-Help Book, Owen Barrott

Marriott Student Review

"In Defense of the Self-Help Book" explores the relationship between behavioral economics and the effects that self-help and management books have. It explores loss aversion and the optimism bias paradox and applies it to those who use success literature to improve their own abilities.

The Effects Of Fluency Training On The Acquisition And Retention Of Secondary Students' Fraction Skills, Jani Dawn Ashbaker

Theses and Dissertations

Secondary students, especially those with learning disabilities, often lack an understanding of computations involving fractions. Much of the secondary math core, especially algebra, requires an understanding of fractions to be able to successfully complete core classes. Instruction on fraction concepts in not part of the secondary core standards. These students are expected to already have this knowledge. There is a need for students with learning disabilities who struggle with fraction computations to receive instruction on fraction concepts in addition to their core instruction. This study used direct instruction and fluency practice as an intervention to teach basic fraction skills to …

Communication Patterns, Spousal Influence, Relationship Quality, And Genetic Testing In Regards To Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Kaitlynn Wright, Wendy C. Birmingham

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancer types in the United States. Having CRC in one’s family history is one of the strongest risk factors for this cancer, suggesting a genetic influence in developing CRC. While this cancer can be deadly, many steps can be taken to reduce one’s risk of getting CRC by making healthy lifestyle choices such as improving one’s diet, maintaining a healthy BMI, and engaging in an exercise regimen. Receiving CRC screening is a highly effective method for reducing one’s risk for the disease, however many with CRC in their family histories do …

The Effects Of A Buddy Bench On Students' Solitary Behavior At Recess, Andrew Alan Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

Students with internalizing behaviors are often overlooked in terms of receiving interventions that could change academic outcomes and prevent problems that could have serious implications, including social withdrawal, social isolation, and suicidal ideation. Recent research has found the use of social emotional learning (SEL), school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS), and social skill instruction, to be effective in treating students with both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The use of peers has also shown promise in helping students with behavior problems. In this study, a multiple baseline across participants' design was used across two playgrounds to evaluate a buddy bench intervention, …