Psychology Commons^™

An Analysis Of Loneliness And Contributing Factors Among College Students, Jessica Eason, Abigail Taber, Rachel Goodall, Blake Fraser, Elizabeth Moffitt, Hayden Goff, Brian Kelley

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Applied

Why Hope Matters: Fostering Resilience, Well-Being, And Success In Students, Cathleen Beachboard, Holly Deemer

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Theoretical Proposal

The Effects Of Appalachia Lifestyle On Mental Health, Physical Illness, And Overall Wellbeing, Shelby Mitchell, Lynn Bohecker

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Applied

Treatment Of Ocd In Children And Adolescents, Natasha Varnick, Karen Huttemann

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Theoretical Proposal

The Role Of Apology In The Process Of Self-Forgiveness, Camryn Kerr, Ashley Mavor, Sydney Bechtel, Jichan Kim

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Applied

Mitigating Depressive And Anxiety Symptoms With Healthier Dieting, Morgan Edmonds, Janet Brown

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Theoretical Proposal

Spirituality Among ‌College‌ ‌Students‌ ‌With‌ ‌Physical‌ ‌Disabilities:‌ ‌A‌ ‌Phenomenology‌, Andrew Clinton, Victoria Truhe, Alexa Posa, Hannah Mullins, Tessa Hansen, Elizabeth Canby Sites, Marilyn Gadomski

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Applied

Four Factors For Millennial Failure: A Qualitative Study Of Youtube Viewer Comments, Matt Ferdock, Brian Kelley

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

LUO Remote

Applied

Effect Of Mood On Humor, Virginia Randall

Senior Honors Theses

Humor is a social tool that has been documented for hundreds of years with a plethora of studies being produced to attempt to piece together a comprehensive definition of the concept. Among these studies, there have been several analyses regarding the psychological, cognitive, psychobiological, and neural effects of humor, and how they are outwardly manifested. Additionally, several social contexts have been considered. In analyses of humor, several theories have been produced, many based off of figurehead concepts within the field of psychology.

Primary interest of this research study was in whether these studies and theories can support whether there is …

Criminal Mental Health, Tabitha Oliver

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to assess and address the prevalence of mental health issues among incarcerated individuals in America. There are multiple internal and external contributing factors to the disproportionately high numbers of mentally ill inmates. Comparing the United States prison system with other countries such as Norway allows for possible paths to improving the mental health crisis that we are currently experiencing. This thesis looks at the principles and practices used in Norway's prisons as well as how they affect inmate's mental health. By comparing Norway's prison policies and design, this thesis will suggest changes in staff …

A Pilot Study For The Effectiveness Of A Forgiveness Discussion Program Among College-Age Couples, Mary Jo Oliver

Masters Theses

A forgiveness discussion guide- a self-guided intervention for affective, behavioral, and cognitive forgiveness- is a tool with preliminary evidence showing its robust effects on prosocial orientation. Here, using an 8-week forgiveness discussion intervention for college-age couples at a Christian university, this study demonstrates statistically insignificant yet meaningful attenuations in levels of forgiveness and compassionate love. Eight heterosexual couples from the Liberty University undergraduate population consented to be randomly placed in a no-contact control group or experimental group. Before random assignment, the couples completed a pretest measurement consisting of demographic questions, The Enright Forgiveness Inventory, Compassionate Love for Humanity Scale, The …

The Effects Of Ptsd Counseling On Military Chaplains, Bruce S. Kumor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The United States military has been involved in some level of active combat since 2001. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are no longer as active as they were in previous years, yet the hidden wounds of war are still carried by those that have gone forward. The psychological wounds of war, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder, have been highlighted by increased direct combat experiences of service members. To alleviate these symptoms, the military has a mental health provider network to assist those in need. Within this network, military chaplains are often called to provide immediate emotional and psychological support for …

Can Telling A Shame-Evoking Story In An Online Format Reduce Shame Experienced?, Ann Michele Gregory

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Shame is a common experience for all humans. When shame is high for an individual, it can be debilitating and even paralyzing for that person. Shame can have a negative effect on how a person feels about oneself, destroy relationships, and lead to mental health disorders. In the counseling office, shame can delay or interfere with mental health care and create a barrier in the therapeutic alliance. Shame is often about being seen and tied to a distressing secret one holds. With the increase of online communication, people have become more comfortable sharing in a digital format. The purpose of …

Animal Assisted Intervention And How It Can Improve Attention And Positive Emotion, Alexis D. Mcintosh

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine if animal-assisted intervention, known as ATT, can improve a person's attention span and assist with a better emotional state. In this study, attention is being measured by a facial recognition attention task, and emotional state is being measured by a portion of the Watson and Clark (1994) Emotional State-Adult Protocol. Animals may not have words with which to communicate; however, they can, and do, respond to emotional distress when they have been correctly trained. There have been numerous studies in which this kind of therapy has successfully helped a client to improve …

The Effects Of And Interventions For Trauma On Child And Adolescent Development, Jenna Clark

Senior Honors Theses

Trauma is generally defined as an event that causes a lasting impact on an individual, ranging from a natural disaster or medical trauma to abuse. Traumatic events greatly impact development, especially when experienced during childhood and adolescence. These first eighteen years of a child’s life can be divided into three main stages using Erikson’s psychosocial theory and Piaget’s cognitive development theory as these theories provide comprehensive insight into the development of a child. Because of the differences in traumatic experiences and the age of the child, the effects and manifestations of a trauma’s influence will vary between these three different …

Evolution Of Confession Law, Madison Macpherson

Senior Honors Theses

Many studies have been conducted to examine how false confessions occur, and what their impacts are. Throughout its history, America has instituted standards for interrogation procedures that are aligned with research findings and that build off constitutional principles. These are designed to protect individual rights while still accomplishing the goals of the judicial system. This paper discusses false confessions, interrogation laws, and how these impact a suspect, as well as the other influences acting upon suspects including plea bargaining and psychological processes. A compilation of research findings and case law culminates in the conclusion that changes must be made to …

Tracing Relations Between Attachment, Social Media Use, Self-Esteem, Loneliness, And Depression: A Mediation Model, Meagan Patricia Sabo

Masters Theses

An extensive amount of correlational research has well-established the link between insecure attachment style and subsequent adverse interpersonal and psychopathological outcomes. Moreover, the rise of social media has precipitated a shift in the methods by which individuals communicate; consequently, this has resulted in the shifting of preexisting dispositions toward dysfunctional behaviors to a more ubiquitous route of manifestation. Given that attachment literature has indicated notable differences in both underlying mechanisms and resulting outcomes of both avoidant and anxious attachment, examination of this alongside social media use provides valuable insight into potential relationships between the two. Further, research has examined the …

My Spouse Is Amazing Like Me: The Association Between Homogamy For Narcissism And Relationship Satisfaction, Kerry Anne Marsh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study’s purpose was to better understand how narcissistic admiration and rivalry relate to relationship satisfaction and to investigate the satisfaction found in homogamous versus heterogamous narcissistic relationships. The study explored relationship satisfaction of married participants (N = 764), as moderated by their partner’s perceived level and subtype of narcissism. It also examined direct correlations between participant narcissistic admiration and rivalry and relationship satisfaction, as well as correlations between participant and perceived partner narcissism scores. An exploratory study about how relationship length moderates the association between narcissism and relationship satisfaction was also conducted. This quantitative study featured a cross-sectional online …

Attraction To Both Genders And The Link To Depression Mediated By The Big Five And Permissiveness In Relationships, Jolene Elizabeth Wyman

Masters Theses

The outcome of depression has been well established for sexual minorities. This can be seen in particular within the research regarding those who are attracted to both genders (ABG). The lifestyle choice of nonmonogamous or open relationships is commonly found in ABG relationships. These behaviors demonstrate the concept of permissiveness in relationships. The negative effect of the nonmonogamous lifestyle yields mixed results of either no developed psychopathologies and more personal satisfaction or in developed psychopathologies such as depression. Conscientiousness is often negatively correlated to ABG, permissive behavior in relationships, and depression. The current hypothesis is that conscientiousness and permissiveness in …

Identifying The Core Components Of Christian Humility, Martin Bernard Timoney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research in the field of humility has grown exponentially within the last 20 years. From being an under-explored and under-researched virtue, humility has become a subject of significant interest. Philosophical and methodological issues have hampered the field of humility research in regard to defining and measuring humility. Despite these issues, the existing literature indicates that humility has important features as both an intrapersonal and interpersonal facet. The research has shown strong indications that humility is an essential factor for successful relationships – social, romantic, and spiritual. Despite the evidence regarding the significance of humility within relationships, very little research has …

The Reentry Experience For Study Abroad Counselors-In-Training, Corinna Arndt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students often encounter difficulties upon returning home after a study abroad cultural immersion experience, but many counseling education programs provide limited or no reentry assistance. Despite this challenge, there is little research regarding the reentry process as students transition back into their home culture, as most research is focused on multicultural competency building. Thus, understanding the reentry processes can help students successfully navigate this important aspect of study abroad trips. To this end, a qualitative thematic analysis design was used to identify themes related to masters-level counseling students’ experiences upon returning home from a 3-week study abroad cultural immersion trip. …

Vegetarians Versus Vegans, Hannah Kaplan

Senior Honors Theses

There is a gap in literature related to studies that explicitly compare vegetarians to vegans, as existing studies typically group these diets together and examine carnivorous and omnivorous diets in order to identify similarities and differences. The purpose of this study is to look at vegetarian and vegan diets to see if differences in attitudes towards animals, perceptions of animal usage, consumption, and morality exist. Participants included vegetarian and vegan Liberty University students (graduate and undergraduate, online and residential) who were at least 18 years old. Overall, one hundred students took part in the study, 50 of them were vegetarian …

Spiritual And Religious Interventions For Medically High-Risk Adults: A Systematic Review, Nathanael J. Strissel

Senior Honors Theses

This systematic review is an update and expansion to the population and methods of a previous systematic review concerning spiritual and religious interventions for the well-being of terminally ill adults. After expanding the criteria to incorporate a more diverse population and including non-randomized experimental studies that contained relatively few concerns of bias, the results of the review are inconclusive due to insufficient data. The lack of usable data in the field highlights the ethical and theoretical issues with the use of experimental trials in analyzing the efficacy of spiritual and religious interventions. The development of spirituality in healthcare will remain …

Parental Nurturance In Childhood And Adolescence Correlated To Anxiety In College Students, Julianne R. Urban

Senior Honors Theses

Parental nurturance is important for individuals in childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. In general, high levels of parental nurturance helps individuals to be well-adjusted. However, anxiety disorders are prevalent among emerging adults, so the present study investigated a potential correlation between parental nurturance and college student anxiety. Participants consisted of undergraduate students who were at least 18 years old and enrolled in at least one psychology course. They were asked to complete the Parental Nurturance Scale and Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale. The results indicated a significant negative correlation between the two variables. Specifically, increases in parental nurturance were …

Check One Box And One Box Only: Christianity And Biracial/Bi-Ethnic Identity Development, Carina Schiro

Senior Honors Theses

A phenomenological overview showed the current understanding and conceptualization held by biracial and bi-ethnic individuals of their racial identity development. While the literature on biracial identity development recently expanded, there is little research done on the various coping mechanisms and mindsets used to create a solidified sense of racial identity in biracial and bi-ethnic individuals. Additionally, there is no research investigating Christianity’s influence on biracial identity development. Such research could bring greater understanding to the various ways double racial consciousness has impacted the lives of multicultural individuals. Furthermore, investigations have brought greater understanding of the different identity resolutions individuals have …

College Student Perceptions Of Adhd: Links Between Prior Knowledge And Stigma, Caterina Langlois

Senior Honors Theses

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by persistent inattention, which might or might not accompany hyperactivity and impulsivity, that noticeably interferes with functioning and development in at least two settings. It is a commonly diagnosed childhood mental health disorder. Public knowledge and attitudes towards ADHD are an important consideration for those who are going to potentially be working with that population. Research has shown older children and parents may attribute ADHD behavior to poor social skills or immaturity. Teachers often report feeling unprepared to have a student with ADHD and would like more training. Some research has shown the …

The Origins Beliefs Of Christian College Students, Emily Wilkinson

Senior Honors Theses

Many studies have focused on creation and evolution in academia, origins beliefs and biblical interpretation, and how students respond to origins challenges. The author then conducted a phenomenology of Christian college students’ origins beliefs, factors that influence those beliefs, and impacts that the beliefs have on students’ lives. Methods included a 44-Item Big Five Inventory and semi-structured interviews. Participants were eight residential undergraduate students at a Christian university who were currently or previously in a creation studies course. Results indicated that all participants held to young-earth creationism, and that family, Christian faith, education, personality, and academic major influenced the development …

Growing Grit To Produce Doctoral Persistence: A Grounded Theory Study, Melanie Denise Moran Hudson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this systematic grounded theory study was to generate a model explaining how grit and a growth mindset develop and influence doctoral persistence in doctoral completers. The theories guiding this study were Tinto’s (1975) student integration theory of college persistence, Duckworth’s (2016) theory of grit, and Dweck’s (2016) theory of mindset. Interview and reflective journaling data, as well as scores on the Short Grit Scale (Duckworth, 2016) and the Dweck Mindset Instrument (Dweck, 2016), from 12 doctoral completers were analyzed using systematic coding consistent with a grounded theory research design. The central research question of the study was, …

Stress Perception And Measurement In Missionary Populations, Laurie A. Tone, Fernando Garzon, John C. Thomas, Brigitte Ritchey, Mike Malek-Ahmadi

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Christian missionaries experience numerous stressors across multiple domains. To understand their unique experiences, a targeted assessment is required. There is no known psychometrically tested measure that captures the nuances of stress for this population. To that end, as part of a larger study, the quantitative CHOPS Stress Inventory, a new tool for measuring missionary stress was developed and showed good initial psychometric qualities when compared to an established stress measure. Furthermore, the Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of survey findings on 267 cross-cultural evangelical missionaries noted that both age and sex demonstrated significant effects on perceived stress scores. Implications for missionary …

Autism Spectrum Disorders And Positive Familial Effects, Genevieve Weaver

Senior Honors Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have been found to significantly impact familial structures and outcomes in various studies. The majority of the impact, however, has been primarily negative; effects like increased stress, marital discontentment, and stigmatization are commonly expressed by families. In this study data from a questionnaire, interview, and picture presentations were analyzed and triangulated to identify the positive familial effects of having a child or sibling with ASD. Parents and siblings shared that having a child or sibling with ASD has bettered their life through learning to enjoy the identity of the individual with ASD, through personal growth, and …