Psychology Commons^™

The Effects Of Specific Mental Illness Stigma Beliefs On Treatment Seeking Attitudes, Henry Arthur Boeh

Dissertations (1934 -)

Despite significant gains in the research base and effectiveness of psychotherapy, only thirty to forty percent of individuals experiencing mental illness symptoms seek treatment. A large barrier preventing many individuals from seeking psychotherapy is the stigma that surrounds mental illness. This study reviews the current state of mental illness stigma literature and presents a new Treatment Seeking Barriers Model (TSBM) that attempts to better explain the connection between stigma and treatment seeking. The goal of the current study was to isolate and manipulate responsibility or immutability beliefs related to depression in order to evaluate their relationship with treatment seeking stigma. …

A Parent-Child Therapy Program For Latino Families, Michael P. Fung

Dissertations (1934 -)

This study used a randomized control design with treatment and wait-list conditions to evaluate the efficacy of a culturally-adapted version of the Early Pathways program (Fox & Gresl, 2014), an in-home, parent-child therapy program with 137 at-risk Latino children under the age of six referred for severe behavior and emotional problems, such as aggression, oppositional behavior, self-injury and property destruction. Early Pathways directly engaged the parent-child dyad, emphasizing parent-directed training and child-engagement activities, such as psycho-education, child-led play, and cognitive-behavioral strategies. Cultural modifications included establishing community partnerships to identify Latino family needs, translation of materials, offering bilingual services, acculturation assessment, …

Neural Plasticity In Response To Intervention In Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Sheryl Jayne Stevens

Dissertations (1934 -)

Current theories of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) suggest that they may develop from the transactional interaction between biological risk factors and environmental processes (Dawson et al., 2009). Due to the brain’s experience-expectant nature, one’s degree of social exposure may have a significant impact on their brain development and behavioral presentation. In addition to the primary critical neurodevelopmental period identified in early childhood, recent research has demonstrated a second period of substantial neurodevelopment during the adolescent period (Sisk & Foster, 2004). This study investigated the neural and behavioral impact of participation in an empirically validated behavioral intervention (The Program for the …

Primary And Family Stigma Of Mental Illness: Comparing Perceptions Of African Americans And European Americans, Julia Rubinshteyn

Dissertations (1934 -)

Research has shown that stigma is a significant barrier to mental health treatment seeking, and that African Americans tend to have significantly lower rates of treatment seeking compared to European Americans (Wang et al., 2005). Stigma affecting the individual directly is called primary stigma (Corrigan & Kleinlein, 2005), whereas stigma affecting the individual’s family members is referred to as family stigma. In the present study, a vignette was presented to 287 undergraduate students at Marquette University. The study examined attitudes of primary and family stigma toward a target based on race (European American or African American) and type of mental …

Hope Among Resilient African American Adolescents, Jessica Briana Mcclintock

Dissertations (1934 -)

African American youth have historically been disproportionately affected by an array of environmental stressors that have put them at higher risk for poor adjustment outcomes (Adams III et al., 2003; Mcloyd, 1990). Despite their hardships, not all of these youth fall victim to negative environmental influences (Miller & MacIntosh, 1999). Many exceed expectations and their lives take positive trajectories that lead to positive adaptation (Hunter, 2012; Miller & MacIntosh, 1999). This positive adaptation in spite of significant risk is referred to as resilience (Cicchetti, 2010). While the importance of resilience has been well documented in European Americans, the majority of …

Stay-At-Home-Fathers Navigating Depression: A Consensual Qualitative Research Study, William Douglas Meyers Caperton

Dissertations (1934 -)

Evidence suggests that the practices through which men are socialized to become masculine may serve both to restrict their potential in ways that lead to psychological distress, and also to restrict the ways in which they respond to such distress (Addis & Mahalik, 2003; Mahalik, Good, Tager, Levant, & Mackowiak, 2012; O’Neil, 2008). While we are beginning to understand masculine depression (Cochran & Rabinowitz, 2000; Magovcevic & Addis, 2008) and paternal depression (Paulson & Bazemore, 2010; Ramachandani & Psychogiou, 2009), almost nothing is known about how SAHFs experience depression, nor their experiences and beliefs regarding help-seeking and psychotherapy. The trend …

Examination Of A Parent-Assisted, Friendship-Building Program For Adolescents With Adhd, Denise Marie Gardner

Dissertations (1934 -)

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder that often contributes to impairment in multiple domains, including peer functioning. Specifically, youth with ADHD tend to have fewer friends and lower quality friendships, experience greater peer victimization, and engage in more inappropriate social behaviors than typically developing peers. Researchers have highlighted the need for long-term interventions that directly address peer difficulties, emphasize dyadic friendship-building, and include a parent component. Thus, the current pilot study will examine the effectiveness of PEERS, a parent-assisted, friendship-building program, at establishing mutual friendships and improving current peer relationships in adolescents with ADHD. Participants in the study …

Role Of Shared Care In The Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms And Self-Care In Patients With Heart Failure, Susan Cole

Dissertations (1934 -)

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic condition affecting over 5 million Americans. Heart failure accounts for over 32 billion dollars in total cost each year, and is the most common cause of hospitalization for persons 65 years of age or older. Patients with HF experience poor self-care, are at risk for depressive symptoms, and have high rates of 30-day hospital readmissions. Social support influences depressive symptoms, self-care, and hospital readmissions. Shared care was used to operationalize social support. Shared care is a system of three relationship processes communication, decision making, and reciprocity, used to exchange social support. The purpose of …

Examining Dsm Criteria For Trichotillomania In A Dimensional Framework: Implications For Dsm-5 And Diagnostic Practice, David C. Houghton, Steve Balsis, Dan J. Stein, Scott N. Compton, Michael P. Twohig, Stephen M. Saunders, Martin E. Franklin, Angela M. Neal-Barnett, Douglas W. Woods

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Diagnosis of Trichotillomania (TTM) requires meeting several criteria that aim to embody the core pathology of the disorder. These criteria are traditionally interpreted monothetically, in that they are all equally necessary for diagnosis. Alternatively, a dimensional conceptualization of psychopathology allows for examination of the relatedness of each criterion to the TTM latent continuum.

Objectives: First, to examine the ability of recently removed criteria (B and C) to identify the latent dimensions of TTM psychopathology, such that they discriminate between individuals with low and high degrees of hair pulling severity. Second, to determine the impact of removing criteria B and …

Ethnic Microaggressions, Traumatic Stress Symptoms, And Latino Depression: A Moderated Mediational Model, Lucas Torres, Joelle T. Taknint

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Although ethnic microaggressions have received increased empirical attention in recent years, there remains a paucity of research regarding how these subtle covert forms of discrimination contribute to Latino mental health. The present study examined the role of traumatic stress symptoms underlying the relationship between ethnic microaggressions and depression. Further, ethnic identity and general self-efficacy were tested as moderators between the ethnic microaggressions and traumatic stress link. Among a sample of 113 Latino adults, moderated mediational analyses revealed statistically significant conditional indirect effects in which traumatic stress symptoms mediated the relationship between ethnic microaggressions and depression while ethnic identity and self-efficacy …

Examination Of A Parent-Assisted, Friendship-Building Program For Adolescents With Adhd, Denise M. Gardner, Alyson C. Gerdes, Kelsey Ann Weinberger

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: Youth with ADHD experience significant impairment in peer functioning. Based on recommendations from the literature, the current pilot study examined the effectiveness of a parent-assisted, friendship-building program at establishing mutual friendships and improving peer relationships in adolescents with ADHD. Method: Participants included 20 adolescents with ADHD (ages 11-16 years) and their parent(s). Families completed the Program for the Evaluation and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS). Measures of friendship quality, social knowledge, social self-efficacy, get-togethers, and peer conflict were completed at baseline and post-treatment. At post-treatment, participants also reported on the initiation of a new friendship. Results: Baseline to post-treatment …

The Role Of Personality In Predicting Drug And Alcohol Use Among Sexual Minorities, Nicholas A. Livingston, Kathyrn M. Oost, Nicholas C. Heck, Bryan N. Cochran

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Research consistently demonstrates that sexual minority status is associated with increased risk of problematic substance use. Existing literature in this area has focused on group-specific minority stress factors (e.g., victimization and internalized heterosexism). However, no known research has tested the incremental validity of personality traits as predictors of substance use beyond identified group-specific risk factors. A sample of 704 sexual minority adults was recruited nationally from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning community organizations and social networking Web sites and asked to complete an online survey containing measures of personality, sexual minority stress, and substance use. Hierarchical regression models …

Defining Early Positive Response To Psychotherapy: An Empirical Comparison Between Clinically Significant Change Criteria And Growth Mixture Modeling, Julian Rubel, Wolfgang Lutz, Stephen Mark Kopta, Katharina Köck, Takuya Minami, Dirk Zimmermann, Stephen M. Saunders

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Several different approaches have been applied to identify early positive change in response to psychotherapy so as to predict later treatment outcome and length as well as use this information for outcome monitoring and treatment planning. In this study, simple methods based on clinically significant change criteria and computationally demanding growth mixture modeling (GMM) are compared with regard to their overlap and uniqueness as well as their characteristics in terms of initial impairment, therapy outcome, and treatment length. The GMM approach identified a highly specific subgroup of early improving patients. These patients were characterized by higher average intake impairments and …

Executive Functioning And Risk For Alzheimer's Disease In The Cognitively Intact: Family History Predicts Wisconsin Card Sorting Test Performance, Kathleen Hazlett, Christina Marie Figueroa, Kristy A. Nielson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research typically focuses on memory. However, executive functioning (EF) deficits are also common among AD patients; these deficits are associated with decreased functioning in activities of daily living, an important criterion in diagnosing AD. A classic test of EF ability, the Wisconsin Card Sort Test (WCST), has demonstrated sensitivity to differentiating individuals with AD from healthy controls, discriminating AD groups based on disease severity, and distinguishing AD from other types of dementia. Such sensitivity to AD raises the possibility that the WCST is also sensitive to very early, preclinical differences between those who have heightened risk for …

Genetic Risk For Alzheimer's Disease Alters The Five-Year Trajectory Of Semantic Memory Activation In Cognitively Intact Elders, Stephen M. Rao, Aaron Bonner-Jackson, Kristy A. Nielson, Michael Seidenberg, J. Carson Smith, John L. Woodard, Sally Durgerian

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Healthy aging is associated with cognitive declines typically accompanied by increased task-related brain activity in comparison to younger counterparts. The Scaffolding Theory of Aging and Cognition (STAC) (Park and Reuter-Lorenz, 2009; Reuter-Lorenz and Park, 2014) posits that compensatory brain processes are responsible for maintaining normal cognitive performance in older adults, despite accumulation of aging-related neural damage. Cross-sectional studies indicate that cognitively intact elders at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) demonstrate patterns of increased brain activity compared to low risk elders, suggesting that compensation represents an early response to AD-associated pathology. Whether this compensatory response persists or declines with the …

The Interchangeability Of Cvlt-Ii And Wms-Iv Verbal Paired Associates Scores: A Slightly Different Story, Indrani K. Thiruselvam, Elisabeth M. Vogt, James B. Hoelzle

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

We investigated the similarity of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) Auditory Memory Index (AMI) scores when California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II) scores are substituted for WMS-IV Verbal Paired Associates (VPA) subtest scores. College students (n = 103) were administered select WMS-IV subtests and the CVLT-II in a randomized order. Immediate and delayed VPA scaled scores were significantly greater than VPA substitute scaled scores derived from CVLT-II performance. At the Index level, AMI scores were significantly lower when CVLT-II scores were used in place of VPA scores. It is important that clinicians recognize the accepted substitution of CVLT-II …

Multimodal Sensory Integration For Perception And Action In High Functioning Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Nicole Marie Gregor Salowitz

Dissertations (1934 -)

Movement disorders are the earliest observed features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present in infancy. Yet we do not understand the neural basis for impaired goal-directed movements in this population. To reach for an object, it is necessary to perceive the state of the arm and the object using multiple sensory modalities (e.g. vision, proprioception), to integrate those sensations into a motor plan, to execute the plan, and to update the plan based on the sensory consequences of action. In this dissertation, I present three studies in which I recorded hand paths of children with ASD and typically developing (TD) …

The Effects Of Emotional Arousal On False Recognition In Alexithymia, Anthony N. Correro

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by difficulties identifying feelings, difficulties describing feelings, and an externally oriented thinking style (EOT). Further, individuals with alexithymia experience chronic physiological arousal. Prior research has shown that non-clinical participants with alexithymic traits cannot subjectively recognize increased arousal in response to viewing an arousing video. Yet, these individuals will still experience physiological arousal and will still have arousal-induced memory modulation. No studies to date have examined arousal effects on false memory in alexithymia. The Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm examines false memory by introducing words associated with a non-presented `theme' word (i.e., critical lure) as memoranda, which …

Reading Between The Lines: Cultural Sexual Scripts And Collegiate Sexual Behaviors, Lauren Yadlosky

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Cultural sexual scripts provide individuals with a general understanding of how to respond in sexual situations given their environment. College students navigate the college culture keeping various elements of these sexual scripts in mind. Utilizing 1,007 undergraduates, the researcher investigated the current relevance of traditional sexual scripts and the relationships between various levels of cultural sexual scripts (i.e., the collective versus individual perceptions of them) and their relation to reported sexual engagement. Researchers also explored factors that predict these relationships. Results suggested current sexual scripts still largely reflect traditional ones, depending on the sexual behavior being assessed. Individual perceptions of …

Mechanisms Of Regulation: Profiling The Impact Of Emotion Regulation On Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Samantha Ann Chesney

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Trauma survivors are at a high risk for developing symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and often experience difficulties with emotion regulation. However, there is no clear understanding of how multiple strategies may be used to effectively regulate PTS. The current study evaluates participants' use of six different strategies and investigates whether a specific profile of emotion regulation (i.e., the individual's default pattern of regulation, determined by the frequency with which s/he uses different strategies from a regulation inventory) is related to PTS. Results of a hierarchical cluster analysis indicated that four profiles of emotion regulation were present in the current …

Global Self-Worth And Perceptions Of Competence In Latino Youth: The Role Of Acculturation And Acculturation Risk Factors, Theresa Lauer Kapke

Master's Theses (2009 -)

To develop a better understanding of mental health disparities for Latino adolescents, the goal of the current study was to examine the sociocultural influences on Latino adolescents' self-esteem. Specifically, the current study investigated the effects of acculturation and acculturation risk factors on adolescents' global self-worth and self-perceptions of competence. Eighty-three Latino adolescents completed a series of questionnaires regarding behavioral and cognitive aspects of acculturation, acculturation risk factors (i.e., acculturation stress, acculturation conflict, and perceived ethnic discrimination), and perceptions of global self-worth and competence across various domains (i.e., behavioral conduct, physical appearance, and social acceptance). Results indicated that Latino orientation and …

Invariant Two Component Structure Of The Rbans, Elisabeth M. Vogt

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS: Randolph, 1998, 2012) is a brief neurocognitive instrument used to evaluate cognitive functioning in clinical settings. While this test is used regularly, investigation of the factor structure has resulted in inconsistent findings across samples. It was hypothesized that inconsistent RBANS dimensional structures are the result of methodological differences and not solely due to unique sample characteristics. The present study utilized empirically supported extraction criteria (Parallel Analysis; Minimum Average Partial Procedure) and uniformly investigated five samples. RBANS data from four samples were previously published (Carlozzi, Horner, Yang, & Tilley, 2008; Duff, …

Slim Truth: A Textual And Autoethnographic Analysis Of Celebrity Eating Disorder Coverage In People Magazine, Angela Michel

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This thesis employs textual analysis and autoethnography to examine portrayals of celebrity eating disorders in People magazine. In it I seek to accomplish two goals: first, to reveal the story told by the entertainment news outlet about anorexia and bulimia, and second, to relate that story to the lived experience of illness and recovery. I discover that the magazine's narrative is reductive and simplistic, laced with half-truths and widely held myths about eating disorders. It depicts these disorders not as complex psychological conditions, but rather as behavioral and physical "battles" triggered by celebrity activities. The illness experience is portrayed as …

The Role Of Acculturation Differences And Acculturation Conflict In Latino Family Mental Health, Kathryn E. Lawton

Dissertations (1934 -)

>In order to help address the mental health disparities that exist for Latino families in the U.S., the current study sought to examine the acculturation-mental health link within the context of the Latino family and to identify potential mechanisms for intervention to alleviate mental health problems in this population. Specifically, our goal was to examine how parent-adolescent acculturation differences were related to mental health in Latino adolescents and their parents and to understand the role of acculturation conflict and family functioning within the Latino family. Participants included 84 adolescent-parent dyads recruited through bilingual middle schools. We found partial support for …

Ambivalent Sexism And Positive Illusions Of Physical Attractiveness In Heterosexual Romantic Relationships, Michaela Engdahl

Dissertations (1934 -)

While considerable research has been devoted to the impact that the mainstream media and parents have on body image, less is known about how romantic partners' beliefs and perceptions impact individuals' evaluations of both their physical selves and their relationships. This study examined the influence of individually-endorsed cultural sexism on romantic partners' tendency to hold positive illusions about their significant others' physical appearance and the impact of sexism and positive illusions of physical attractiveness on body esteem and relationship satisfaction. Evidence of positive illusions of physical attractiveness was found, but there was no significant association between gender and positive illusion …

Substance Use Among Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Clients Entering Substance Abuse Treatment: Comparisons To Heterosexual Clients, Annesa Flentje, Nicholas C. Heck, James L. Sorensen

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: This study evaluated whether sexual orientation-specific differences in substance use behaviors exist among adults entering substance abuse treatment. Method: Admissions records (July 2007–December 2009) were examined for treatment programs in San Francisco, California receiving government funding. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons (n = 1,441) were compared to heterosexual persons (n = 11,770) separately by sex, examining primary problem substance of abuse, route of administration, age of first use, and frequency of use prior to treatment. Results: Regarding bisexual males, the only significant finding of note was greater prevalence of methamphetamine as the primary substance of abuse. When compared …

Parent And Family Outcomes Of Peers: A Social Skills Intervention For Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jeffrey S. Karst, Amy V. Van Hecke, Audrey M. Carson, Sheryl Jayne Stevens, Kirsten A. Schohl, Bridget Dolan

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Raising a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with increased family chaos and parent distress. Successful long-term treatment outcomes are dependent on healthy systemic functioning, but the family impact of treatment is rarely evaluated. The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS) is a social skills intervention designed for adolescents with high-functioning ASD. This study assessed the impact of PEERS on family chaos, parenting stress, and parenting self-efficacy via a randomized, controlled trial. Results suggested beneficial effects for the experimental group in the domain of family chaos compared to the waitlist control, while parents …

Measuring The Plasticity Of Social Approach: A Randomized Controlled Trial Of The Effects Of The Peers Intervention On Eeg Asymmetry In Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Amy V. Van Hecke, Sheryl Jayne Stevens, Audrey M. Carson, Jeffrey S. Karst, Bridget Dolan, Kirsten A. Schohl, Ryan J. Mckindles, Rheanna Remmel, Scott Brockman

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This study examined whether the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS: Social skills for teenagers with developmental and autism spectrum disorders: The PEERS treatment manual, Routledge, New York, 2010a) affected neural function, via EEG asymmetry, in a randomized controlled trial of adolescents with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and a group of typically developing adolescents. Adolescents with ASD in PEERS shifted from right-hemisphere gamma-band EEG asymmetry before PEERS to left-hemisphere EEG asymmetry after PEERS, versus a waitlist ASD group. Left-hemisphere EEG asymmetry was associated with more social contacts and knowledge, and fewer symptoms of autism. Adolescents with …

College Students’ Perceptions Of Individuals With Anorexia Nervosa: Irritation And Admiration, Danielle M. Geerling, Stephen M. Saunders

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Stigmatizing attitudes against anorexia nervosa (AN) may act as barriers to treatment.

Aims: Evaluated college students’ perceptions of AN as compared to major depressive disorder (MDD).

Method: One-hundred two female undergraduates read vignettes describing targets with mild or severe MDD or AN, then rated biological, vanity, and self-responsibility attributions; feelings of admiration, sympathy, and anger; and behavioral dispositions toward coercion into treatment, imitation, and social distance.

Results: AN was perceived more negatively than MDD in terms of vanity attributions, self-responsibility attributions, and feelings of anger, but more positively in terms of admiration and imitation.

Conclusions …

Discrepancy Between Parents And Children In Reporting Of Distress And Impairment: Association With Critical Symptoms, Laura Bein, Megan Lynn Petrik, Stephen M. Saunders, James V. Wojcik

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background: We examined discrepant parent–child reports of subjective distress and psychosocial impairment.

Method: Parent–child pairs (N = 112 pairs) completed the Health Dynamics Inventory at intake for outpatient therapy.

Results: Average parent scores were significantly higher than average child scores on distress, impairment, and externalizing symptoms, but not internalizing symptoms. There were significant associations between parent–child discrepancy (i.e. children who reported greater distress or impairment than parents or vice versa) and child endorsement of several notable symptoms (rapid mood swings, panic, nightmares, and suicidal ideation).

Conclusion: Parents tended to report more externalizing symptoms, distress, and impairment than children reported; …