Psychology Commons^™

The Neural Correlates Of Anxiety, Learning And Memory In Autism, C. Brock Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication as well as substantial behavioral rigidity. Autism often has a devastating impact on the wellbeing of affected individuals and their families, as well as in community settings such as schools and health care systems. Recent research suggests that some aspects of learning and memory are impaired in autism, but the exact pattern of impaired and spared functions remains unclear. This sponsored MEG project used cross-disciplinary methods to address two main aims: 1) the relationship between anxiety and associative learning and 2) the impact of autism on long-term declarative memory …

Loneliness And Social Isolation As Risk Factors For Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Timothy B. Smith, Mark Baker, Tyler Harris, David Stephenson

Faculty Publications

Actual and perceived social isolation are both associated with increased risk for early mortality. The objective of this meta-analytic review is to establish the overall and relative magnitude of social isolation and loneliness and examine possible moderators. A literature search of studies (January 1980 to February 2014) was conducted using MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Social Work Abstracts, and Google Scholar. The included studies provide quantitative data on mortality as affected by loneliness, social isolation, or living alone. Across studies that statistically controlled for a variety of possible confounds, the independent random effects weighted average effect sizes for social isolation OR = …

Development Of Student Research Resources And Training Material For Functional And Structural Mri-Based Research At Byu, Neal K. Bangerter, Erin Bigler, Brock Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project was aimed at providing in-depth training and mentoring for a small group of students to address the large anticipated demand for accessible research and training resources at BYU’s new MRI Research Facility. The facility opened summer of 2013, and demand has been steadily increasing by groups across campus interested in doing research using the BYU MRI machine. The resources and mentoring environment that was established with funds from this MEG have laid the groundwork for an explosion of student mentoring that is taking place at the MRI facility.

A Sequence Variant In Human Kalrn Impairs Protein Function And Coincides With Reduced Cortical Thickness, Derin J. Cobia, Theron A. Russell, Katherine D. Blizinsky, Michael Cahill, Zhong Xie, Robert A. Sweet, Jubao Duan, Pablo V. Gejman, Lei Wang, John G. Csernansky, Peter Penzes

Faculty Publications

Dendritic spine pathology is a key feature of several neuropsychiatric disorders. The Rac1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor kalirin-7 is critical for spine morphogenesis on cortical pyramidal neurons. Here we identify a rare coding variant in the KALRN gene region that encodes the catalytic domain, in a schizophrenia patient and his sibling with major depressive disorder. The D1338N substitution significantly diminished the protein's ability catalyze the activation of Rac1. Contrary to wild-type kalirin-7, kalirin-7-D1338N failed to increase spine size and density. Both subjects carrying the polymorphism displayed reduced cortical volume in the superior temporal sulcus (STS), a region implicated in schizophrenia. …

Using Video Prompting To Teach Math Skills To Adolescent Students With Specific Learning Disabilities (Sld) Via Ipad, Sean Elbert Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

A plethora of research exists suggesting video-based interventions such as video modeling (VM) and video prompting (VP) assist students with severe/profound disabilities, such as autism and intellectual disabilities, to learn academic skills. This study used a single subject multiple-baseline-across-subjects design to evaluate if a VP intervention on a functional, academic math skill had similar effects for adolescent students with mild/moderate specific learning disabilities (SLD). Five high school students (three female and two male) aged 16-17 viewed the video on an iPad to find out about how much money an item would cost if it were a certain percentage on sale. …

Perceptions Of Individuals With Disabilities In The Justice Systemabout Their Transition Preparation, Justine Nicole Howarth

Theses and Dissertations

This study gathered information about adults with disabilities who were served with special education services during high school and incarcerated after high school, on their job preparation plan and explored the effects of that preparation on the individual's perception of successful transition after high school. It also investigated what, if anything, could have been done in high school to prevent their entrance or continuation in the criminal justice system. Due to the difficulty in accessing this population, only three individuals were interviewed. However, the rich information provided from this study indicated that to help them live independently and successfully transition …

Bibliotherapy For Children Coping With A Loved One's Military Deployment: What Do Children's Books Tell Us?, Aimee Tubbs

Theses and Dissertations

This study extracted descriptive information and analyzed content in 23 children's books related to military deployment using a coding instrument entitled, “Military Bibliotherapy Coding Instrument for Children's Books,” developed for this study. Additionally, the content from the books was compared to themes found in current research literature. The books were not as racially diverse as the military population. Books for black children are underrepresented with only 8% of books having black characters compared to the 16.9% black population in active duty military service. The most prevalent response to the deployment of a loved one described is sadness with 65% of …

Parent Perceptions Of Their Involvement In And The Effectiveness Of An Integrated Social Skills Program, Karen Burton

Theses and Dissertations

Social and emotional learning is an important element in educating the whole child. When social skills are taught and reinforced in a school-wide model, which incorporates positive behavior support, both students and faculty experience a better learning environment. The Book in a Bag intervention invites parent volunteers to teach social skills in the classroom. Supplementing this school-wide intervention, parents also receive a monthly newsletter informing them of the identified social skill and recommending associated children's picture books, which further reinforce the skill. The purpose of this study was to determine parent perceptions on the effectiveness of the Book in a …

The Effects Of A Small-Group Direct Instruction Intervention On The Reading Achievement Of English Language Learners, Laurie Ottehenning

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes the effects of a Tier 2, small group intervention developed by the Exemplary Center for Reading Instruction (ECRI) that employs direct instruction strategies (including scripted sequenced lessons, teacher modeling, and repeated practice). The reading achievement of 15 English language learners (ELLs) in the ECRI intervention was compared to the reading achievement of 12 ELLs in a computer-based reading intervention. The reading achievement of 27 ELLs was also compared to the reading achievement of 48 non-ELLs in the interventions. Repeated measures ANOVAs and independent t-tests analyzed the results of the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement-II Brief, pre- and …

Return With Trauma: Understanding The Experiences Of Early Returned Missionaries, Kristine J. Doty, S. Zachary Bullock, Harmony Packer, Russell T. Warner, James Westwood, Thomas Ash, Heather Hirsch

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

No abstract provided.

Validation Of The Intermountain Patient Perception Of Quality (Ppq) Survey Among Survivors Of An Intensive Care Unit Admission: A Retrospective Validation Study, Samuel M. Brown, Glen Mcbride, Dave S. Collingridge, Jorie M. Buter, Kathryn G. Kuttler, Eliotte L. Hirshberg, Jason P. Jones, Ramona O. Hopkins, Daniel Talmor, James Orme

Faculty Publications

Background: Patients’ perceptions of the quality of their hospitalization have become important to the American healthcare system. Standard surveys of perceived quality of healthcare do not focus on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) portion of the stay. Our objective was to evaluate the construct validity and internal consistency of the Intermountain Patient Perception of Quality (PPQ) survey among patients discharged from the ICU. Methods: We analyzed prospectively collected results from the ICU PPQ survey of all inpatients at Intermountain Medical Center whose hospitalization included an ICU stay. We employed principal components analysis to determine the constructs present in the PPQ …

Personalized Contact Strategies And Predictors Of Time To Survey Completion: Analysis Of Two Sequential Randomized Trials, Victor D. Dinglas, Minxuan Huang, Kristin A. Sepulveda, Mariela Pinedo, Ramona O. Hopkins, Elizabeth Colantuoni, Dale M. Needham

Faculty Publications

Background

Effective strategies for contacting and recruiting study participants are critical in conducting clinical research. In this study, we conducted two sequential randomized controlled trials of mail- and telephone-based strategies for contacting and recruiting participants, and evaluated participant-related variables’ association with time to survey completion and survey completion rates. Subjects eligible for this study were survivors of acute lung injury who had been previously enrolled in a 12-month observational follow-up study evaluating their physical, cognitive and mental health outcomes, with their last study visit completed at a median of 34 months previously.

Methods

Eligible subjects were contacted to complete a …

Interaction Between Helicobacter Pylori And Latent Toxoplasmosis And Demographic Variables On Cognitive Function In Young To Middle-Aged Adults, Bruce L. Brown, Shawn D. Gale, Lance D. Erickson, Dawson W. Hedges

Faculty Publications

Helicobacter pylori and latent toxoplasmosis are widespread diseases that have been associated with cognitive deficits and Alzheimer’s disease. We sought to determine whether interactions between Helicobacter pylori and latent toxoplasmosis, age, race-ethnicity, educational attainment, economic status, and general health predict cognitive function in young and middle-aged adults. To do so, we used multivariable regression and multivariate models to analyze data obtained from the United States’ National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which can be weighted to represent the US population. In this sample, we found that 31.6 percent of women and 36.2 …

Association Between Toxocariasis And Cognitive Function In Young To Middle-Aged Adults, Bruce L. Brown, Lance D. Erickson, Shawn D. Gale, Andrew Berrett, Dawson W. Hedges

Faculty Publications

The ascarid nematodes Toxocara canis (Werner, 1782) and Toxocara cati (Schrank, 1788) may infect humans resulting in toxocariasis. A prior study associated species of Toxocara Stiles, 1905 with cognitive deficits in children. To determine if a similar association between toxocariasis and cognition exists in adults, we analysed a large dataset from the United States’ Center for Disease Control’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We used linear-regression and multivariate models to examine the association between toxocariasis as assessed by the presence of anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies and three measures of cognitive function – simple reaction time (SRT), symbol-digit substitution (SDS) and …

The Dependability Of Electrophysiological Measurements Ofperformance Monitoring In A Clinical Sample: A Generalizability Anddecision Analysis Of The Ern And Pe, Scott A. Baldwin, Michael J. Larson, Peter E. Clayson

Faculty Publications

Psychometric studies of the ERN, CRN, Pe, and Pc ERPs are increasing. Coherent integration of these results is difficultwith classical test theory because the definition of error depends on the measure of reliability. This study usedgeneralizability theory, which extends the ideas of classical test theory, as a framework for evaluating the influence ofpsychopathology and number of trials on dependability of measurement. Participants included 34 people meeting criteriafor major depression, 29 meeting criteria for an anxiety disorder, and 319 controls. For all ERPs, within-person variancewas larger than between-person variance across groups, indicating many trials are needed for adequate dependability (atleast 13). …

Trait Forgiveness And Enduring Vulnerabilities: Neuroticism And Catastrophizing Influence Relationship Satisfaction Via Less Forgiveness, Scott R. Braithwaite, Cindy M. Mitchell, Edward A. Selby, Frank D. Fincham

Faculty Publications

Two studies examine whether specific cognitive tendencies and underlying personality traits inhibit the tendency to forgive and, in turn, decrease relationship satisfaction among emerging adults in committed romantic relationships (median relationship duration 1–2 years). In Study 1 (N = 355), trait forgiveness had a positive, direct association with later relationship satisfaction and mediated the effect of neuroticism on relationship satisfaction. In Study 2 (N = 354), forgiveness had a positive, direct association with relationship satisfaction and mediated the association between catastrophic rumination and relationship satisfaction. Forgiveness mediated changes in relationship satisfaction over time, with greater trait forgiveness predicting higher relationship …

Parent–Child Connectedness Mediates The Association Between Marital Conflict And Children’S Internalizing/Externalizing Outcomes, Scott Braithwaite, Emily Steele, Kersti A. Spjut, Krista Joy Dowdle, James Harper

Faculty Publications

A number of studies of marital conflict have examined both parent- and child–reports of marital conflict and child outcomes, but additional research is needed to provide evidence for potential mechanisms of action explaining the association between marital conflict and child internalizing and externalizing outcomes. In the present study (N = 330 2-parent/child triads), we show that the connectedness of the parent–child relationship (as reported by parents, but not children) significantly mediated the effect of marital conflict on children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Our findings suggest that children’s perceptions are important when trying to understand the impact of marital conflict, but …

Does Pornography Consumption Increase Participation In Friends With Benefits Relationships?, Scott R. Braithwaite, Sean C. Aaron, Krista Joy Dowdle, Kersti A. Spjut, Frank D. Fincham

Faculty Publications

Friends with benefits (FWB) relationships integrate two types of relationships—friendship and a relationship that includes sexual intimacy but without an expectation of commitment. These relationships are often seen as less risky than other casual sexual behaviors, but they still pose a high risk of contracting an STI. Pornography consumption has been connected to increases in risky sexual behavior in other types of casual sex. In two studies (Study 1 N = 850; Study 2 N = 992), we examined the hypothesis that pornography use influences FWB behaviors, specifically through the mechanism of sexual scripts. Our results demonstrate that more frequent …

Effectiveness Of The Extended Parallel Process Model In Promoting Colorectal Cancer Screening, Wendy C. Birmingham, Man Hung, Watcharaporn Boonyasiriwat, Wendy Kohlmann, Scott T. Walters, Randall W. Burt, Antoinette M. Stroup, Sandie L. Edwards, Marc D. Schwartz, Jan T. Lowery, Deirdre A. Hill, Charles L. Wiggins, John C. Higginbotham, Philip Tang, Shirley D. Hon, Jeremy D. Franklin, Sally Vernon, Anita Y. Kinney

Faculty Publications

Objective: Relatives of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients are at increased risk for the disease, yet screening rates still remain low. Guided by the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) we examined the impact of a personalized, remote risk communication intervention on behavioral intention and colonoscopy-uptake in relatives of CRC patients, assessing the original additive model and an alternative model in which each theoretical construct contributes uniquely. Methods: We collected intention-to-screen and medical-record-verified colonoscopy information on 218 individuals who received the personalized intervention. Results: Structural equation modeling showed poor main model fit (RMSEA=0.109; SRMR=0.134; CFI=0.797; AIC=11601; BIC=11884). However, the alternative model (RMSEA=0.070; …

Neural Correlates Of Gender Differences And Color In Distinguishing Security Warnings And Legitimate Websites: A Neurosecurity Study, Bonnie Brinton Anderson, C. Brock Kirwan, David Eargle, Scott R. Jensen, Anthony Vance

Faculty Publications

Users have long been recognized as the weakest link in security. Accordingly, researchers have applied knowledge from the fields of psychology and human–computer interaction to understand the security behaviors of users. However, many cognitive processes and responses are unconscious or obligatory and yet still have a profound effect on users’ security behaviors. With this in mind, researchers have begun to apply methods and theories of neuroscience to yield greater insights into the “black box” of user cognition. The goal of this approach—termed neurosecurity—is to better understand and improve users’ behaviors. This study illustrates the potential for neurosecurity by investigating how …

Is A Viable Theistic Program Of Psychological Research Possible?, Michael Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores whether a viable theistic program of psychological research is possible. The importance of this exploration has to do with naturalism's monopoly on psychological science, inasmuch as naturalism prevents other worldviews from competing fairly in psychology's scientific marketplace by controlling the criteria of psychological science. Because theism is naturalism's most complete rival, considering theism's scientific potential in psychology is crucial to dismantling naturalism's monopoly. Contrary to conventional wisdom, theism encompasses a unique set of understandings about the natural events that constitute the discipline of psychology. Therefore, a robust scientific conception of theism would change how psychological researchers understand …

Paraeducators' Perceptions Of Their Responsibilities Based On The Utah Standards, Mary E. Buynak

Theses and Dissertations

Paraeducators are increasingly involved in the education of students with disabilities. In order for paraeducators to properly work with this population, they must have adequate and ongoing training. Research has shown that paraeducators do not receive appropriate training in order to work with students with disabilities. The purpose of this study is to investigate the self-perceived knowledge of paraeducators working in special education and their level of training need. The study examines paraeducators' work environment, responsibilities, knowledge based on the Utah Standards for Paraeducators and perceived training needs. Ninety-five special education paraeducators working in a large, suburban school district in …

Impact Of Peer Praise Notes Issued During Recess: Effects On Office Disciplinary Referrals, Elise Ann Teerlink

Theses and Dissertations

School recess can be a problematic setting due to inadequate safety, supervision, and structure. Peer praise notes (PPNs) is a school-wide positive behavior support strategy that was implemented during recess to address these concerns at a Title I elementary school. An ABAB reversal design across all students was employed to evaluate the effectiveness of PPNs. Overall changes in office disciplinary referrals (ODRs) in each phase of the design, an effect size that reflects a highly effective treatment, and a moderately strong and statistically significant negative correlation suggest that PPNs decreased ODRs. Results from social validity surveys completed by eight recess …

Identifying Elementary School Student Understanding Of Learning Disabilities, Michael Quinn Bair

Theses and Dissertations

This school-based study examined the knowledge level of third through fifth grade students who are not being served in special education regarding learning disabilities, personal learning styles, and their perceptions of their peers with learning disabilities. This study circumvents teachers', administrators', and parents' awareness which has been thoroughly researched and instead, directly assesses through interviews what elementary students (n=45) know about learning disabilities. The goal of this study was to gain a greater understanding of what the students' perceptions are of their learning experience in general and what their understanding of learning disabilities are more specifically through interviews to give …

Analyzing Multiple Outcomes In Clinical Research Using Multivariate Multilevel Models, Scott A. Baldwin, Zac E. Imel, Scott Braithwaite, David C. Atkins

Faculty Publications

Objective—Multilevel models have become a standard data analysis approach in intervention research. Although the vast majority of intervention studies involve multiple outcome measures, few studies use multivariate analysis methods. The authors discuss multivariate extensions to the multilevel model that can be used by psychotherapy researchers. Method and Results—Using simulated longitudinal treatment data, the authors show how multivariate models extend common univariate growth models and how the multivariate model can be used to examine multivariate hypotheses involving fixed effects (e.g., does the size of the treatment effect differ across outcomes?) and random effects (e.g., is change in one outcome related to …

Using A Shared Parameter Mixture Model To Estimate Change During Treatment When Termination Is Related To Recovery Speed, Scott A. Baldwin, Nisha C. Gottfredson, Daniel J. Bauer, John C. Okiishi

Faculty Publications

Objective—This study demonstrates how to use a shared parameter mixture model (SPMM) in longitudinal psychotherapy studies to accommodate missing that are due to a correlation between rate of improvement and termination of therapy. Traditional growth models assume that such a relationship does not exist (i.e., assume that data are missing at random) and will produce biased results if this assumption is incorrect. Method—We use longitudinal data from 4,676 patients enrolled in a naturalistic study of psychotherapy to compare results from a latent growth model and a shared parameter mixture model (SPMM). Results—In this dataset, estimates of the rate of improvement …

Indigenous Women College Students’ Perspectives On College, Work, And Family, Jennie L. Bingham, Aaron P. Jackson, Quintina Bearchief Adolpho, Louise R. Alexitch

Faculty Publications

Native American and First Nations (herein collectively referred to as Indigenous) women college students are faced with the challenge of balancing their cultural imperatives and the demands of the dominant Western culture in family, school, and work/employment roles. In order to explore these women’s experiences and perspectives, this study analyzed unstructured qualitative interviews of 11 Native American and 9 First Nations female college students. The themes that resulted from the hermeneutic analysis were (a) honoring Indigenous culture and community, (b) living in two worlds, (c) pursuing individual fulfillment and goals, and (d) acknowledging the importance and influence of family.

The …

Screening And Diagnostic Validity Of Affinity 2.5, Heather Lynn Stephenson

Theses and Dissertations

Affinity 2.5 is a computer-based instrument designed to assess sexual interest using viewing-time measures. Viewing-time measures of sexual interest have been developed to identify individuals with deviant sexual interest. The purpose of this study is to examine the validity of Affinity 2.5 in screening and diagnosing individuals with sexually deviant interests. This study used viewing time profiles of known sexual offenders compared to norm-referenced profiles of an exclusively heterosexual, non-pedophilic college population. Participants were 155 males and 3 females who had sexually offended against children and 63 male and 84 female non-offender college students. Results show that 43.7% of offenders …

Serotonin Transporter Genotype Modulates Hpa Axis Output During Stress: Effect Of Stress, Dexamethasone Test And Acth Challenge, Andrea N. Sorenson, Erin C. Sullivan, Sally P. Mendoza, John P. Capitanio, James Dee Higley

Faculty Publications

Background—Studies show that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is dysregulated in depression. Some studies suggest that variation in the serotonin transporter genotype (hereafter 5HTT) modulates both risk for depression and psychopathological HPA axis responsiveness. Rhesus monkeys are well suited to model such relationships. Rhesus macaque models of human psychopathology have assessed the effect of the serotonin transporter (rh5HTT) on levels of cortisol in stressed subjects. These studies show that that under conditions of stress, heterozygous females (Ls) reared under adversity exhibit high levels of cortisol. Studies have not to our knowledge, however, assessed the potential additive effect on the cortisol response …

Serotonin Transporter Genotype Modulates Hpa Axis Output During Stress: Effect Of Stress, Dexamethasone Test And Acth Challenge, Andrea N. Sorenson, Erin C. Sullivan, Sally P. Mendoza, John P. Capitanio, James Dee Higley

Faculty Publications

Background—Studies show that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is dysregulated in depression. Some studies suggest that variation in the serotonin transporter genotype (hereafter 5HTT) modulates both risk for depression and psychopathological HPA axis responsiveness. Rhesus monkeys are well suited to model such relationships. Rhesus macaque models of human psychopathology have assessed the effect of the serotonin transporter (rh5HTT) on levels of cortisol in stressed subjects. These studies show that that under conditions of stress, heterozygous females (Ls) reared under adversity exhibit high levels of cortisol. Studies have not to our knowledge, however, assessed the potential additive effect on the cortisol response …