Psychology Commons^™

When Auditory And Visual Signal Processing Conflict: Cross-Modal Interference In Extended Work Periods, Stephen J. Guastello, Katherine Reiter, Matthew Malon, Anton Shircel

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Auditory and visual stimuli presented at intervals of about 300 m sec often produce miss errors in one or the other channel, which result from a bottleneck in a neural circuit associated with executive memory. The present study examined the possibility that cross-modal interference could carry over to performance units that transpire over 3 min or longer. An N-back task performed by 113 undergraduates with simultaneous auditory and visual stimuli was organised into 1-min blocks of 20 trials in 2-back and 3-back conditions. Results showed that impairment of visual processing was more frequent than impairment of auditory processing under …

A Thoughtful Discourse On Sexuality Education: A Review Of The Sexuality Curriculum And Youth Culture, Amanda E. Ramirez, Nicholas C. Heck

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The present article reviews Carlson and Roseboro's (2011) The Sexuality Curriculum and Youth Culture. The book analyzes factors that influence the sexuality curriculum within today's heteronormative culture, and it is particularly useful for teachers, school administrators, and educators in training. Overall, this book thoughtfully raises awareness about the influences of heterosexist norms and homophobia within the context of traditional education systems.

Commentary: Applying Positive Development Principles To Group Interventions For The Promotion Of Family Resilience In Pediatric Psychology, Jessica C. Kichler, Astrida S. Kaugars

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

As described in the call for this special issue, resilience is often defined as “achieving one or more positive outcomes despite exposure to significant risk or adversity” (Hilliard, Harris, & Weissberg-Benchell, 2012, p. 739). Resilience is particularly relevant to pediatric psychology, as youth and their families are tasked with overcoming risk factors simply by the nature of a child’s diagnosis of a disease/chronic illness and subsequent medical management demands. In addition to identifying key resilience factors within this population, it is critical to develop empirically supported clinical interventions to promote healthy biological, psychological, and social development; reduce youth psychopathology; and …

A Comparison Of Sexual Minority Youth Who Attend Religiously Affiliated Schools And Their Nonreligious-School-Attending Counterparts, Brandon T. Stewart, Nicholas C. Heck, Bryan N. Cochran

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Sexual minority youth are an at-risk group for negative health outcomes. The present study compares descriptive characteristics and outness of sexual minority youth who attend religious schools to sexual minorities who do not attend religious schools, and also investigates if attending religiously affiliated schools is associated with levels of alcohol use and school belonging among sexual minority youth. Results indicated that sexual minority youth attending religiously affiliated schools reported more alcohol-related problems and were less likely to be “out” to students and teachers at their schools when compared to their nonreligious-school-attending counterparts. Attendance at a religiously affiliated school was not …

Maternal Functioning Differences Based On Adhd Subtype, Kelsey Ann Weinberger, Denise M. Gardner, Alyson C. Gerdes

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: Maternal functioning differences in parenting stress, parental efficacy, and parenting behaviors were examined for mothers of children with ADHD. Method: Participants included 29 mothers of children with ADHD, Predominantly Inattentive Type (ADHD-I) and 38 mothers of children with ADHD, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive or Combined Type (ADHD-HI/C). Results: Findings suggest that mothers of children with ADHD-HI/C reported significantly greater parenting stress and engaged in more negative parenting behaviors than mothers of children with ADHD-I. Conclusion: This study suggests that tailoring behavioral parent training based on ADHD subtype may be particularly helpful for parents of children with ADHD-HI/C.

Individual Differences In The Experience Of Cognitive Workload, Stephen J. Guastello, Anton Shircel, Matthew Malon, Paul Timm

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This study investigated the roles of four psychosocial variables – anxiety, conscientiousness, emotional intelligence, and Protestant work ethic – on subjective ratings of cognitive workload as measured by the Task Load Index (TLX) and the further connections between the four variables and TLX ratings of task performance. The four variables represented aspects of an underlying construct of elasticity versus rigidity in response to workload. Participants were 141 undergraduates who performed a vigilance task under different speeded conditions while working on a jigsaw puzzle for 90 minutes. Regression analysis showed that anxiety and emotional intelligence were the two variables most proximally …

America Davila - Breaking The Cycle: An Examination Of Environmental, Cognitive, And Emotional Factors Of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization In Adolescence, America Davila

Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program 2014

Recently, intimate partner violence (IPV) has gained considerable attention as a significant social and public health problem affecting not only adults but also adolescents. Based on Bandura’s social learning theory, considerable research has supported a significant link between growing up in a violent home (DV) and youth dating violence. Expanding on previous studies, we explored the cycle of IPV victimization using a sample of 1,067 adolescents (ages 18-25). We examined whether parental support, dating attitudes, and self-esteem are risk and protective factors of receiving dating aggression. The findings indicate that exposure to aggression in the family, low self-esteem, and the …

Edwin Medina - The Influence Of Faith On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Mexican Americans, Edwin Medina

Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program 2014

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship faith has to the eleven dimensions that constitute psychological and social well-being. Though there is an existing body of literature concerned with the relationship between faith and well-being, the work examining this relationship among the Hispanic population is limited. With Latinos now constituting the single largest minority population in the United States, we employed data from a sample of 137 Mexican Americans from Wisconsin. We examined the relationship faith salience and religious behaviors have on six dimensions of psychological well-being (Ryff, 2014) and five dimensions of social well-being (Keyes, 1998). …

Rawan Atari - The Influence Of Multi-Sensory Environment On Physiological Response In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Children With Special Health Care Needs, Rawan Atari

Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program 2014

A research study based on the sensory integration theory was conducted to examine the effects of multi-sensory environment (MSE) on physiological arousal in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and special health care needs. Adapted environments may serve as a mechanism to treat anxiety levels in a population of children who experience more severe generalized anxiety symptoms than typically developing children. The sample consisted of children with community-based diagnoses of ASD and children with special health care needs, primarily children diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) from the Milwaukee Center for Independence (MCFI). Treatment for the autism sample was carried out …

Parent-Adolescent Communication About Health Risk Behaviors Among Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Ashley Charlene Moss

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Health risk behaviors, like drinking alcohol or using tobacco, are a common problem among adolescents in the United States. For healthy adolescents, health risk behaviors may be hazardous to their health; for adolescents with chronic illnesses, the risks associated with these types of behavior are compounded and may further impact their health status. This is particularly true for adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), whose blood sugar may be directly impacted by consumption of alcohol or use of tobacco. Parent-child communication has been found to act as a protective factor against adolescent engagement in health risk behaviors; however, this …

The Culture Of Generativity: Exploring The Manifestation Of Generativity In The Manifestation Of Generativity In The Mexican/Mexican-American Population, Mara J. Bach

Dissertations (1934 -)

Generativity is a developmental stage in adulthood where an individual makes a conscious decision to leave their mark on the world with the intent to make the world a better place for future generations. Research has shown that engaging in generativite acts benefits both the person engaging in such practices as well as the recipient, and thus generativity is positively correlated with reported wellbeing. It has also been shown that adults engaging in such practices are psychologically healthier and ease into old age with less resistance than their non-generative counterparts. Generativity is a strengths-based approach. It is shaped by one's …

Predictive Factors For Commitment To The Priestly Vocation: A Study Of Priests And Seminarians, Yulius Sunardi

Dissertations (1934 -)

The present study examined factors for priestly commitment and the relationship between priestly commitment and well-being of Catholic priests and seminarians. While evidence for the effectiveness of assessment in identifying the suitability of applicants to the priesthood and evaluating the general psychological health of priests and seminarians has been well documented, the effectiveness of assessment in predicting commitment to the priesthood remains under question. This study addressed such an issue by identifying the individual and sets of factors for priestly commitment using a sample of 120 priests and 52 seminarians. Through Hierarchical Multiple Regression analyses, the present study examined the …

Advancing The Measurement Of Violence: Challenges And Opportunities, John H. Grych, Sherry L. Hamby

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Our understanding of the causes and consequences of violence depends on accurately defining and measuring the constructs we study. Although the methods used most often in violence research have led to a wealth of important findings, the field is ripe for both reflection and innovation. The purpose of this special issue is to highlight critical measurement issues in the study of violence and to describe innovative approaches that will move this research forward. In this Introduction to the special issue, we identify 3 challenges for the valid measurement of violence—defining constructs, accurately capturing responses in scoring, and diversifying measurement methods—and …

The Effect Of Meritocratic Worldviews On Mental Illness Stigma, Andrew Newsom

Dissertations (1934 -)

Mental illness stigma is an ongoing barrier to the treatment of individuals experiencing psychiatric distress. Many individuals who need mental health services avoid treatment due to fear and shame. Understanding the determinants of mental illness stigma is an important step toward increasing treatment seeking and effectiveness. One meritocratic worldview (The Protestant Work Ethic or the belief that hard work, determination, and responsibility lead to positive outcomes) has been consistently shown to be related to mental illness stigma. The present study examines the connection between the Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) and attitudes toward mental illness. A sample of Marquette University students …

Assessment Of Performance Validity During Neuropsychological Evaluation In Patients With Epilepsy, Nichelle Rothong

Dissertations (1934 -)

Patients with epilepsy are considered a motivated population without clear incentive to perform suboptimally on neuropsychological testing. However, in the limited research exploring performance validity testing (PVT) in patients with epilepsy, the base rate of suboptimal performance has ranged from 4 (Hill, Ryan, Kennedy, & Malamut, 2003) to 28% (Loring, Lee, & Meador, 2005). These findings are concerning, as suboptimal PVT scores have been found to be associated with significantly lower neuropsychological performance across most cognitive domains (e.g., Green, Rohling, Lees-Haley, & Allen, 2001). One possible explanation for the variance in base rate of suboptimal performance is the significant cognitive …

The Role Of Friendships Among Latino Male Adolescent Immigrants Who Are Unauthorized, Marcel Hernani Tassara

Dissertations (1934 -)

It is estimated that the United States is home to three-quarters of a million immigrant Latina/o youth who do not have proper authorization to be in the country (Passell, 2011). Given their unauthorized status these youth face a bevy of constraining factors, both proximal and distal. Furthermore, migration is typically characterized by a loss of social networks and cultural practices in exchange for disorienting social and cultural changes in a new land (Hernandez & McGoldrick, 1999). The importance of friendships during adolescence, has been well documented across cultures (Hartup, 1996). While a few studies have demonstrated the positive role friendships …

Effect Of Parenting Styles On Children's Emotional And Behavioral Problems Among Different Ethnicities Of Muslim Children In The U.S., Noor A. Rosli

Dissertations (1934 -)

Parenting styles create different social environments in the lives of children within the home. Many studies have investigated the effects of parenting style on children's emotional development and behavior (Liem, Cavell, & Lustig, 2010; Pezzella, 2010; Schaffer, Clark, & Jeglic, 2009; Steward & Bond, 2002; Timpano, Keough, Mahaffey, Schmidt, & Abramowitz, 2010) as well as differences in parenting across cultures (Keels, 2009; Paulussen-Hoogeboom, Stams, Hermanns, Peetsma, &Wittenboer, 2008). Limited research has been conducted on parenting style and religion, however, and especially in Muslim families, and among Muslim American families in particular. There is also a lack of research that focuses …

Barriers And Facilitators Of Suicide Risk Assessment In An Emergency Department: Perspectives From Health Care Providers, Megan Lynn Petrik

Dissertations (1934 -)

Emergency departments (EDs) are critical sites for identifying patients with heightened suicide risk but there are no practice guidelines for the assessment of such patients. This study aimed to inform ED suicide risk assessment practices by examining ED providers' perspectives on this practice via a mixed methods approach. ED providers (n = 92) from two hospital systems completed an online survey that assessed demographic information, occupational information related to screening for suicide risk and related conditions, attitudes toward suicide prevention, and knowledge of suicide risk factors. A subset of ED providers (n = 19) completed a qualitative interview to gain …

Predicting Cognitive Decline In Older Adults Through Multi-Voxel Pattern Analysis, Nathan Hantke

Dissertations (1934 -)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is associated with cognitive and structural decline beyond what is seen in normal, healthy aging. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research indicates that prior to the onset of measureable cognitive impairment, individuals at-risk for AD demonstrate different patterns of neural activation than individuals at lower risk. Thus, differences in task-activated fMRI may be beneficial in predicting cognitive decline at a "pre-symptomatic" stage. The present study utilizes multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) of baseline fMRI task-related activation to predict cognitive decline, with the hypothesis that famous and non-famous name task activation will discriminate …

Burnout In Psychiatric Nursing: Examining The Interplay Of Autonomy, Leadership Style, And Depressive Symptoms, Renee Madathil, Nicholas C. Heck, David Schuldberg

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

It is important to consider ways in which nurses can be protected from experiencing the effects of burnout. This study examined the relationships between leadership style of psychiatric nurse supervisors, work role autonomy, and psychological distress in relation to psychiatric nurse burnout. Eighty-nine psychiatric nurses from Montana and New York hospitals completed an online survey that assessed their work-related experiences. Overall, results of this study indicate that the participants were experiencing high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization when compared to a normative sample of mental health workers. Results also showed that leadership style and work role autonomy are likely …

Brain Areas Associated With Force Steadiness And Intensity During Isometric Ankle Dorsiflexion In Men And Women, Tejin Yoon, Marnie Lynn Vanden Noven, Kristy A. Nielson, Sandra K. Hunter

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Although maintenance of steady contractions is required for many daily tasks, there is little understanding of brain areas that modulate lower limb force accuracy. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine brain areas associated with steadiness and force during static (isometric) lower limb target-matching contractions at low and high intensities. Fourteen young adults (6 men and 8 women; 27.1 ± 9.1 years) performed three sets of 16-s isometric contractions with the ankle dorsiflexor muscles at 10, 30, 50, and 70 % of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Percent signal changes (PSCs, %) of the blood oxygenation level-dependent response were extracted …

Catastrophe Models For Cognitive Workload And Fatigue In A Vigilance Dual Task, Stephen J. Guastello, Matthew Malon, Paul Timm, Kelsey Ann Weinberger, Hillary Gorin, Megan Fabisch, Kirsten Poston

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: This study investigated two cusp catastrophe models for cognitive workload and fatigue for a vigilance dual task, the role of emotional intelligence and frustration in the performance dynamics, and the dynamics for individuals and teams of two participants.

Background: The effects of workload, fatigue, practice, and time on a specific task can be separated with the two models and an appropriate experimental design. Group dynamics add further complications to the understanding of workload and fatigue effects for teams.

Method: In this experiment, 141 undergraduates responded to target stimuli that appeared on a simulated security camera display at three rates …

Alexithymia Impairs The Cognitive Control Of Negative Material While Facilitating The Recall Of Neutral Material In Both Younger And Older Adults, Déborah Dressaire, Charles B. Stone, Kristy A. Nielson, Estelle Guerdoux, Denis Brouillet, Olivier Luminet

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

We investigated the moderating impact of the personality construct alexithymia on the ability of younger and older adults to control the recall of negative and neutral material. We conducted two experiments using the directed forgetting paradigm with younger and older adults. Participants studied negative (Experiment 1) or neutral (Experiment 2) words. Participants were instructed to forget the first half and remember the second half of an entire list of words. Overall, we found that alexithymia impairs the ability of both younger and older adults to cognitively control negative material (through both recall and inhibition). The “externally oriented thinking” factor of …

The Effects Of Acute Stress Exposure On Neural Correlates Of Pavlovian Conditioning With Monetary Gains And Losses, Andrea H. Lewis, Anthony J. Porcelli, Mauricio R. Delgado

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Pavlovian conditioning involves the association of an inherently neutral stimulus with an appetitive or aversive outcome, such that the neutral stimulus itself acquires reinforcing properties. Across species, this type of learning has been shown to involve subcortical brain regions such as the striatum and the amygdala. It is less clear, however, how the neural circuitry involved in the acquisition of Pavlovian contingencies in humans, particularly in the striatum, is affected by acute stress. In the current study, we investigate the effect of acute stress exposure on Pavlovian conditioning using monetary reinforcers. Participants underwent a partial reinforcement conditioning procedure in which …

Motor Variability During Sustained Contractions Increases With Cognitive Demand In Older Adults, Marnie Lynn Vanden Noven, Hugo M. Pereira, Tejin Yoon, Alyssa A. Stevens, Kristy A. Nielson, Sandra K. Hunter

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

To expose cortical involvement in age-related changes in motor performance, we compared steadiness (force fluctuations) and fatigability of submaximal isometric contractions with the ankle dorsiflexor muscles in older and young adults and with varying levels of cognitive demand imposed. Sixteen young (20.4 ± 2.1 year: 8 men, 9 women) and 17 older adults (68.8 ± 4.4 years: 9 men, 8 women) attended three sessions and performed a 40 s isometric contraction at 5% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force followed by an isometric contraction at 30% MVC until task failure. The cognitive demand required during the submaximal contractions in each session …

Factors Predicting Development Of Opioid Use Disorders Among Individuals Who Receive An Initial Opioid Prescription: Mathematical Modeling Using A Database Of Commercially-Insured Individuals, Bryan N. Cochran, Annesa Flentje, Nicholas C. Heck, Jill Van Den Bos, Dan Perlman, Jorge Torres, Robert Valuck, Jean Carter

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Prescription drug abuse in the United States and elsewhere in the world is increasing at an alarming rate with non-medical opioid use, in particular, increasing to epidemic proportions over the past two decades. It is imperative to identify individuals most likely to develop opioid abuse or dependence to inform large-scale, targeted prevention efforts.

Methods

The present investigation utilized a large commercial insurance claims database to identify demographic, mental health, physical health, and healthcare service utilization variables that differentiate persons who receive an opioid abuse or dependence diagnosis within two years of filling an opioid prescription (OUDs) from those who …

Physical Activity Reduces Hippocampal Atrophy In Elders At Genetic Risk For Alzheimer's Disease, J. Carson Smith, Kristy A. Nielson, John L. Woodard, Michael Seidenberg, Sally Durgerian, Kathleen Hazlett, Christina Marie Figueroa, Cassandra Kandah, Christina D. Kay, Monica Matthews, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

We examined the impact of physical activity (PA) on longitudinal change in hippocampal volume in cognitively intact older adults at varying genetic risk for the sporadic form of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Hippocampal volume was measured from structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans administered at baseline and at an 18-month follow-up in 97 healthy, cognitively intact older adults. Participants were classified as High or Low PA based on a self-report questionnaire of frequency and intensity of exercise. Risk status was defined by the presence or absence of the apolipoprotein E-epsilon 4 (APOE-ε4) allele. Four subgroups were studied: Low Risk/High PA ( …

Who Confronts Sexual Prejudice? How Gender And Ideologies Are Related To Heterosexual Allies Challenging Hate Speech, Kelly L. Lemaire

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Sexual prejudice and discrimination are extremely prevalent throughout society and previous research suggests that there are a multitude of negative consequences associated with being the target of this prejudice. One way of reducing prejudice is by confronting the perpetrator; however the majority of previous research examining confrontation has focused on the target's response to racism or sexism. The current study utilized a 10-condition experimental design in order to examine how the gender of the perpetrator, target, and non-target witness of heterosexist prejudice affected the witness' responses. Attitudinal variables and past allied behaviors were also examined in order to determine if …

Using I Cubed Theory To Predict The Perpetration Of Violence In Adolescent Romantic Relationships, Christina Caiozzo

Master's Theses (2009 -)

No abstract provided.

Performance Variability During A Multitrial List-Learning Task As A Predictor Of Future Cognitive Decline In Healthy Elders, Michael Sugarman, John L. Woodard, Kristy A. Nielson, J. Carson Smith, Michael Seidenberg, Sally Durgerian, Andria L. Norman, Nathan Hantke, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction: In clinical settings, neuropsychological test performance is traditionally evaluated with total summary scores (TSS). However, recent studies demonstrated that indices of intraindividual variability (IIV) yielded unique information complementing TSS. This 18-month longitudinal study sought to determine whether IIV indices derived from a multitrial list-learning test (the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) provided incremental utility in predicting cognitive decline in older adults compared to TSS. Method: Ninety-nine cognitively intact older adults (aged 65 to 89 years) underwent neuropsychological testing (including the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) at baseline and 18-month follow-up. Participants were classified as cognitively stable (n = …