Psychology Commons^™

Reducing Risky Behavior With Habit Reversal: A Review Of Behavioral Strategies To Reduce Habitual Hand-To-Head Behavior, Megan R. Hienicke, Jordan T. Stiede, Raymond G. Miltenberger, Douglas W. Woods

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Habit reversal training (HRT) has been a mainstay of behavior analysts' repertoire for nearly the last 50 years. HRT has been effective in treating a host of repetitive behavior problems. In the face of the current coronavirus pandemic, HRT has practical public health importance as a possible intervention for reducing hand-to-head behaviors that increase the risk of viral infection. The current paper provides a brief review of HRT for hand-to-head habits that is designed for a broad audience and concludes with practical suggestions, based on HRT, for reducing face-touching behaviors.

Development And Open Trial Of A Psychosocial Intervention For Young Children With Chronic Tics: The Cbit-Jr Study, Shannon M. Bennett, Matthew R. Capriotti, Christopher C. Bauer, Susanna W. Chang, Alex E. Keller, John T. Walkup, Douglas W. Woods, John Piacentini

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tic Disorders (CBIT) has demonstrated efficacy in large randomized controlled trials for children (≥9 yrs), adolescents and adults with Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders. Given the early age of onset for tic disorders, a large portion of affected individuals with chronic tic disorders are less than 9 years of age and appropriate developmental adaptations of behavioral treatment have not yet been tested. The goal of this study was to adapt and evaluate the acceptability and utility of a family-based adaptation of CBIT for children under 9 years of age. Children 5–8 years of age …

Parent And Child Emotion And Distress Responses Associated With Parental Accommodation Of Child Anxiety Symptoms, Erin E. O'Connor, Lindsay E. Holly, Lydia L. Chevalier, Donna B. Pincus, David A. Langer

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

Parental accommodation contributes to the maintenance of child anxiety and related symptoms. The current study examines the contributions of parent and child factors to parental accommodation in a sample of anxious youth.

Methods

Sixty-four treatment-seeking youth (6–16 years) and their mothers, as well as a subset of fathers (N = 41) reported on parental accommodation, parental distress and emotion regulation, child psychopathology, child externalizing behaviors, and child intolerance of uncertainty.

Results

Parental accommodation was not related to parental distress or emotion regulation. Parents who viewed their child as being more symptomatic (e.g., anxious, externalizing, and intolerant of uncertainty) …

Is It Just Me, Or Was That Sexist? The Role Of Sexism Type And Perpetrator Race In Identifying Sexism, Mackenzie S. Kirkman, Debra L. Oswald

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Despite sexism occurring frequently, people often do not identify it as such. Using a vignette design, the current project explored whether sexism was identified at a different rate and intensity depending on the specific form of sexism enacted (hostile or benevolently sexist behavior) and race (Black or White) of the man perpetrating sexist behaviors. When a Black man engaged in a benevolently (paternalistic) sexist behavior he was perceived as more sexist than a White man. However, White and Black men were perceived similarly when they engaged in a hostile (overtly negative and derogatory) sexist behavior. Overall, female participants identified sexism …

Multi-Voxel Pattern Analysis Of Amygdala Functional Connectivity At Rest Predicts Variability In Posttraumatic Stress Severity, Jacklynn M. Fitzgerald, Emily L. Belleau, Tara A. Miskovich, Walker S. Pedersen, Christine L. Larson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Pediatric Prevention: Tic Disorders, Jordan T. Stiede, Douglas W. Woods

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Characteristics, Associated Behaviors, And Early Intervention, Tiffany Kodak, Samantha Bergmann

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Streamlined Prevention And Early Intervention For Pediatric Anxiety Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Armando A. Pina, Nancy A. Gonzales, Gina L. Mazza, Heather J. Gunn, Lindsay E. Holly, Ryan D. Stoll, Julia Parker, Amanda Chiapa, Henry Wynne, Jenn-Yun Tien

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

There is a need to optimize the fit between psychosocial interventions with known efficacy and the demands of real-word service delivery settings. However, adaptation of evidence-based interventions (EBI) raises questions about whether effectiveness can be retained. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluated a streamlined package of cognitive, behavior, and social skills training strategies known to prevent and reduce anxiety symptom and disorder escalation in youth. A total of 109 youth (M_age = 9.72; 68% girls; 54% Latinx) at risk based on high anxiety were randomized to the streamlined prevention and early intervention (SPEI) (n = 59) or control (n …

Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors And Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: A Comparison Of Clinical Characteristics And Symptom Features, Abel S. Mathew, Taylor P. Davine, Ivar Snorrason, David C. Houghton, Douglas W. Woods, Han-Joo Lee

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) are recognized as distinct categories in the DSM-5. However, definitions and assessment of NSSI sometimes encompasses behaviors similar to BFRBs, and little data exist about their clinical differences. The current study examined clinical characteristics and symptom features associated with NSSI vs. BFRBs. The current sample included 1523 individuals who endorsed moderate to severe NSSI (n = 165) or BFRBs: hair pulling group (n = 102), skin picking group (n = 216), nail picking group (n = 253), nail biting group (n = 487), and cheek biting group …

Teachers' Impact On Psychosocial Treatment For Latino Youth With Adhd, Margaret Anne Grace

Dissertations (1934 -)

The current study examined the impact of teacher engagement in psychosocial treatment for Latino youth with ADHD and their families. Participants included sixty-one Latino youth, along with their primary caregiver and teacher. Results revealed that teachers were equally engaged in treatment regardless of the source of the referral to treatment, a finding which is encouraging as it indicates that teachers were motivated to work with their students and families. Additionally, results indicated that referral source and specific aspects of teacher engagement in treatment were related to certain child and parent/family treatment outcomes. Of note, several aspects of teacher engagement in …

A Comparison Of Training Procedures On The Emergence Of Multiply Controlled Tacts, Mary Elizabeth Halbur

Dissertations (1934 -)

Vocal exchanges are comprised of responses under multiple sources of stimulus control. For example, a picture may contain multiple components, and an instructor may ask a learner to respond differentially to questions about the picture (e.g., “who,” “what,” “where,” “color,” “number,” “shape”). Children with autism spectrum disorder frequently have difficulty acquiring these types of verbal conditional discriminations. For example, the format of training may affect the development of verbal behavior under multiple sources of stimulus control. Therefore, the present investigation compared training stimuli in isolation to training with compound stimuli on the emergence of verbal behavior to evaluate methods that …

Impact Of A Social Skills Intervention On The Structural Anatomy Of The Social Brain Of Autistic Adolescents, Alexis Arias

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to rise as researchers seek to examine the physiological links to social and communication challenges. The Social Brain, neuroanatomical structures which play a role in social cognition, is proposed to be linked to the social and communication challenges associated with ASD. An area of rapidly growing research is the evaluation of social skills interventions, which target social challenges present in Autistic individuals. Advances in technology, have allowed for these interventions to be examined in regards to physiological changes (e.g., electroencephalogram asymmetry and coherence) as outcome variables. Amongst these interventions, the Program for …

Cultural Differences In Reactions To Tics, Jordan Stiede

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The present study used parent-report data of clinical characteristics, tic severity, and reactions to tics to explore cross-cultural similarities and differences in 223 children with Tourette’s disorder (TD) from the United States, United Kingdom, and Netherlands/Norway. First, the clinical characteristics of age at onset, male to female ratio, and comorbidities of individuals from the three groups of countries were explored. Parents from the United Kingdom reported a significantly later age at onset for their children than parents from the United States. There were no differences in the other clinical characteristics among the participants from the different countries. Second, psychometric properties …

My Natural Hair Is Unprofessional: The Impact Of Black Hairstyles On Perceived Employment-Related Characteristics, Kalen Kennedy

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The media has multiple examples of Black women experiencing negative outcomes at the hands of their potential employers and the employers’ biases against particular hairstyles. Research has demonstrated that several within-race variables such as skin tone and Afrocentric facial features influence how Black individuals are treated across a number of contexts. The present study investigated hairstyle as a potential within-racial variable that effects Black women negatively in the employment context. Utilizing the Princeton trilogy methodology, researchers empirically documented the stereotypes associated with Black hairstyles (i.e., afros, dreadlocs, straightened hair). Participants were instructed to generate traits they were aware of that …

Sexual Minority Behavioral Health Outcomes: The Role Of Social Stressors And Self-Regulation, Zane B. Ballard

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer individuals have been shown to experience significantly more negative health outcomes than do heterosexuals. The current study examined the effects of identity authenticity on problematic alcohol and drug use and sexual compulsivity. The current study also tested whether this relationship between identity authenticity and negative behavioral health outcomes is mediated by self-regulation depletion, as well as internalized homonegativity and rejection sensitivity. Identity authenticity was associated with self-regulation depletion, internalized homonegativity, problematic alcohol use, and sexual compulsivity. Identity authenticity did not predict rejection sensitivity or problematic drug use. Evidence supports the role of self-regulation depletion in …

The Role Of Ethgender Identity In The Relationship Between Gendered Racism And Activism Among Black Women, Maha Baalbaki

Dissertations (1934 -)

Black women face a unique intersectional form of discrimination, termed gendered racism (Essed, 1991). The purpose of this study was to determine whether experiences with gendered racism predict activism among Black women and to explore the roles of emotions and identity in this relationship. An online, national sample of 112 Black women provided self-reports of frequency of experiences with overt and covert forms of gendered racism and associated emotional responses, ethgender identity centrality, and activism. Results revealed that experiences with covert gendered racism predicted activism. Emotional responses to gendered racism were not found to predict activism. Ethgender identity was found …

Ethnic And Sexist Discrimination Among Women Of Color: Exploring The Roles Of Cognitive Vulnerabilities Of Depression, Felicia Mata-Greve

Dissertations (1934 -)

Rates of major depressive disorder are consistently twice as high for women of color compared to men across racial/ethnic groups. Some researchers posit that these doubled rates are due to increased life stress, such as ethnic discrimination and sexism. The current study explored the ability of ethnic and sexist discrimination to predict depression among women of color. The current study also sought to better understand underlying cognitive mechanisms, namely hopelessness and self-silencing beliefs, that explain the relationship between discrimination and depression symptoms among women of color. Furthermore, scholars suggest a call to research protective factors that buffer the relationship between …

Malleability Of Neural Activity In Response To Treatment: Fmri Biomarkers Across Intervention For Autistic Adolescents, Alana J. Mcvey

Dissertations (1934 -)

Autistic adolescents frequently experience clinical levels of anxiety which exacerbate social difficulties. Those that receive a well-validated social skills intervention, the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®), have shown improvements in both social behavior and anxiety. Prior literature has demonstrated neural changes in response to this intervention using EEG, and recent literature highlights the importance of using neural markers to assess for intervention response in autism. No study to date, however, has examined changes in neural activity via fMRI and links with social behavior and anxiety across the PEERS® intervention for autistic adolescents. Thus, the present …

An Evaluation Of Parent Preference For Prompting Procedures, Mary Elizabeth Halbur, Tiffany Kodak, Raven Wood, Erin Corrigan

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Parent participation in intervention can enhance intervention efficacy and promote generalization of skills across settings. Thus, parents should be trained to implement behavioral interventions. The purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate parent preference for and acceptability of 3 commonly used prompting procedures. We trained parents of children with disabilities to use 3 empirically validated prompting strategies (i.e., least‐to‐most, most‐to‐least, and a progressive‐prompt delay). Once the parent reached the mastery criteria with each prompting procedure, we evaluated his/her preference for each of the procedures using a concurrent‐chains arrangement. We also measured treatment acceptability of all procedures throughout the study. …

Family Functioning In Latinx Families Of Children With Adhd: The Role Of Parental Gender And Acculturation, Anne Malkoff, Margaret Grace, Theresa Lauer Kapke, Alyson C. Gerdes

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives:

It has been well-established that parents of children with ADHD report significantly higher levels of parenting stress and home chaos, and lower levels of parental efficacy than parents of children without ADHD. Unfortunately, most of the extant ADHD literature has focused on European American children and families, resulting in a paucity of research focusing on ethnic minority families of children with ADHD. The current study aimed to expand what is known about Latinx parents of children with ADHD by exploring contextual and cultural factors, such as parental gender and acculturation, which may account for variations in parenting experiences within …

Comparing Skill Acquisition Under Varying Onsets Of Differential Reinforcement: A Preliminary Analysis, Alexandra M. Companaro, Jason C. Vladescu, Tiffany Kodak, Ruth M. Debar, Kasey C. Nippes

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of implementing differential reinforcement at different times relative to the onset of teaching new skills to learners with autism spectrum disorder. Specifically, we first determined the most efficient differential reinforcement arrangement for each participant. Using the most efficient arrangement, we evaluated if differential reinforcement from the immediate onset, early onset, or late onset is the most efficient for learners to acquire a new skill. Three children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who have a history of receiving intervention based on the principles of applied behavior analysis participated in this …

Improving Accepting And Giving Compliments With Individuals With Developmental Disabilities, Stephanie Hood, Atalie E. Olsen, Kevin C. Luczynski, Fracesca A. Randle

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Individuals with developmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder, typically exhibit conversation skill deficits, with two prevailing deficits including giving and accepting compliments. The current study used an individualized approach to assess and teach accepting and giving compliments specific to performance, possession, and appearance with three adolescents and young adults with developmental disabilities. We taught these skills using behavioral skills training and prompting during conversations utilizing a multiple-baseline design across participants. We also observed generalization and treatment extension of the participants' skills in conversations with adults not associated with teaching and in the absence of any teaching procedures. The results …

The Relationship Between God’S Gender, Gender System Justification And Sexism, Simon Howard, Debra L. Oswald, Mackenzie S. Kirkman

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Behavioral scientists and feminist theologians have long theorized that religions that primarily conceptualize God (and other divine authority figures) as male can legitimatize the social and political authority of men in society, as well as legitimatize and rationalize gender inequality. In the current study, we examined the relationship between gendered God concepts, Gender Specific System Justification and Ambivalent Sexism. In Studies 1 and 2 we found that individuals with male God concepts were higher in Gender Specific System Justification, hostile sexism (Study 1 and 2) and benevolent sexism (Study 2). In Study 3 we explored the causal relationship between gendered …

College Students’ Feelings Of Campus Connectedness, Party Safety Behavior And Intervening To Prevent Sexual Assault And Intimate Partner Violence, Ernest N. Jouriles, Alison Krauss, Kelli Sargent, John H. Grych, Michele Cascardi, K. Daniel O'Leary, Christina Murphy, Jamie Nguyen, Renee Mcdonald, David Rosenfield

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: This research examines associations between college students’ feelings of campus connectedness and two types of prosocial bystander intervention behavior to prevent sexual assault: party safety behavior and intervening in high-risk situations. Method: Short-term longitudinal associations between college students’ feelings of campus connectedness and bystander intervention behavior were examined in three studies. Study 1 (n = 213) examined these associations over a 1-month period. Study 2 (n = 557) was designed to replicate findings from Study 1 in a larger, more diverse sample. Study 3 (n = 730) was designed to replicate and extend findings with party …

The Chivalrous Bystander: The Role Of Gender-Based Beliefs And Empathy On Bystander Behavior And Perceived Barriers To Intervention, Kristen Yule, Jill C. Hoxmeier, Kevin Petranu, John H. Grych

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Despite substantial evidence demonstrating a relation between gender-based beliefs and violence against women, there has been little research examining whether sexist attitudes are related to prosocial bystander behavior. Understanding psychosocial influences on bystanders’ behavior could inform bystander training programs on college campuses, and so the current study examined the unique and joint effects of three gender-based attitudes (rape myth acceptance, hostile sexism, and benevolent sexism) and empathy in predicting bystander behavior and perceived barriers to intervention in situations that undergraduates (N = 500; 70% female; M_age = 18.86 years) had experienced in the prior year. Benevolent sexism was …

Do Instructions Intended To Reduce False Positives Improve The Measurement Of Physical Partner Violence Victimization Among Adolescents And Young Adults?, Kelli Sargent, Kristen Yule, Kate Bridges, Ernest N. Jouriles, John H. Grych

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: We examine how instructions to exclude behaviors occurring in playful or joking contexts influence the measurement of physical partner violence victimization. Specifically, we demonstrate how such instructions influence the prevalence and validity of self-reported victimization. Method: Study 1 used a Think Aloud procedure to evaluate thoughts of college students (n = 451) reporting victimization experiences that occurred during high school. Participants were randomized to report on physical partner violence victimization with or without instructions to exclude playful acts. Study 2 experimentally evaluated whether the instructions affect the criterion validity of victimization scores with measures of depressive symptoms and emotion …

Depression And Perceived Stress As Mediators Between Racial Microaggressions And Somatic Symptoms In College Students Of Color, Susan Torres-Harding, Lucas Torres, Elaine Yeo

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The current study examined the ability of mental health indicators, namely depression and perceived stress, to mediate the relationship between racial microaggressions and health among a racially/ethnically diverse sample of 467 college students of color. Consistent with what was hypothesized, the main findings revealed that depression and perceived stress mediated the relationships between types of racial microaggressions, specifically low-achieving, invisibility, and criminality, and somatic symptoms. The study results suggest that there may be multiple pathways by which specific racial microaggressions might be associated with psychological and somatic health indicators.

A Review Of Minority Stress As A Risk Factor For Cognitive Decline In Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender (Lgbt) Elders, Anthony N. Correro, Kristy A. Nielson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults comprise a unique and growing subset of the aging population. The historical context in which they came of age was imbued with victimization and discrimination. These experiences are subjectively stressful and collectively known as minority stress. Older LGBT adults continue to face stressors related to their gender and sexual identities in their daily lives. Importantly, chronic minority stress (CMS), like other forms of chronic stress, is harmful to health and well-being. CMS contributes to LGBT health disparities, including cardiovascular disease and depression, conditions that in turn increase risk for premature cognitive decline. …

Catastrophe Models For Cognitive Workload And Fatigue: Project Log 2012-2020, Stephen J. Guastello

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Many real-world tasks require people to forecast chaotic events in order to take adaptive action. This ability is considered rare, and less understood than other cognitive processes. The present study examined how the performance dynamics in a chaotic forecasting task would be affected by stressors such as cognitive workload and fatigue using two cusp catastrophe models. Participants were 147 undergraduates who were shown graphs and brief chaotic number series for which they needed to forecast the next four values. Performance data were complemented by variables known to represent cognitive elasticity versus rigidity, compensatory abilities for fatigue, and NASA TLX ratings …

Adaptive Functioning In High-Risk Preschoolers: Caregiver Practices Beyond Parental Warmth, Kristen Yule, Christina Murphy, John H. Grych

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives: Prior research on caregiving behaviors associated with resilience in children exposed to adversity has focused primarily on broad constructs, such as parental warmth and supportiveness, as protective factors. In an effort to provide more precise analysis of caregiver behaviors related to adaptive functioning in high-risk preschoolers, the present study used a multi-method design to examine the unique and joint relations of specific emotion socialization behaviors and parental warmth with adaptive functioning in preschool-aged children.

Methods: Participants were 124 children aged 3–6 years from Head Start programs and their primary caregiver. Caregivers and teachers reported on preschoolers' functioning across multiple …