Psychology Commons^™

Relationship Between Psychiatric Diagnosis And Functional Outcome In Physical Therapy, Marc A. Silva

Dissertations (1934 -)

Preliminary research suggests that psychiatric illness is associated with poorer functional outcomes in physical therapy (PT), but there is scant research examining this relationship specifically. In this study, the impact of psychiatric diagnosis on functional outcome in PT was investigated. Study design was a retrospective review of medical records. Participants were 310 veterans (age: M = 72.05 years, SD = 11.86; 96% male, 74% White) admitted for inpatient rehabilitation and referred for PT. Statistical analyses included MANCOVA and ANCOVA. Independent variables were mood disorder diagnosis, substance use disorder diagnosis, and any psychiatric diagnosis. Dependent variables were the sum of Functional …

Exploratory Analysis Of The Relationships Among Different Methods Of Assessing Adherence And Glycemic Control In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Jessica C. Kichler, Astrida S. Kaugars, Kelly Maglio, Ramin Alemzadeh

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives: The present study examined four methods of assessing diabetes adherence (self-report, diary measure, electronic monitoring, and provider rating) within a population of youth with Type I Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). Methods: Comparisons were conducted among the four methods of assessing diabetes adherence. Associations among the seven different measures of blood glucose monitoring (BGM) and HbA1c were examined. An exploratory stepwise regression analysis was conducted to determine the best predictors of glycemic control (i.e., Hemoglobin A1c; HbA1c) while controlling for relevant demographic variables. Results: The adherence measures appeared to be interrelated. The relationships between many of the BGM measures and HbA1c …

Read-React-Respond: An Integrative Model For Understanding Sexual Revictimization, Jennie G. Noll, John H. Grych

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Females who have been sexually abused in childhood are at significantly higher risk to be revictimized in adolescence and adulthood. Revictimization is associated with a raft of adverse mental and physical health outcomes, and so understanding why victims of childhood sexual abuse are more vulnerable to later sexual assaults has critical implications for their development. It has been hypothesized that sexual abuse in childhood results in reduced ability to recognize and/or respond effectively to sexual threats later in life, but studies examining these ideas have produced inconsistent results. Further, this research has failed to incorporate the powerful physiological reaction elicited …

Children’S Perceptions Of Intimate Partner Violence: Causes, Consequences, And Coping, Renee L. Deboard-Lucas, John H. Grych

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Children’s appraisals of conflictual and aggressive parental interactions mediate their effect on children’s adjustment. Previous studies have relied almost exclusively on self report questionnaires to assess appraisals; consequently we know little about perceptions that occur naturally when children witness interparental aggression. This study employed a semistructured interview to assess the thoughts and feelings of 34 children (ages 7–12) whose mothers were receiving services at domestic violence agencies, and mothers reported on interparental aggression that took place in the home. Children’s thoughts centered on consequences and efforts to understand why fights occurred. They generally viewed their mother’s partner as responsible for …

An Examination Of Relational-Interdependent Self-Construal, Communal Strength, And Pro-Relationship Behaviors In Friendships, Brent A. Mattingly, Debra L. Oswald, Eddie M. Clark

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Individual differences in relational-interdependent self-construal (RISC) are associated with positive relationship characteristics. This suggests that RISC is positively associated with the degree to which individuals view their relationships as communally-oriented (i.e., governed by norms of responsiveness), which should in turn be associated with increased use of pro-relationship behaviors. Thus, the current study explored the associations between RISC, communal strength, and pro-relationship behaviors in friendships. As predicted, RISC was positively associated with pro-relationship behavior use, but this association was mediated by greater communal strength. This suggests that increased RISC is associated with greater relationship satisfaction because the manner in which individuals …

Catastrophe Models For Cognitive Workload And Fatigue, Stephen J. Guastello, Henry Boeh, Curt Shumaker, Michael Schimmels

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

We reconceptualised several problems concerning the measurement of cognitive workload – fixed versus variable limits on channel capacity, work volume versus time pressure, adaptive strategies, resources demanded by tasks when performed simultaneously, and unclear distinctions between workload and fatigue effects – as two cusp catastrophe models: buckling stress resulting from acute workload, and fatigue resulting from extended engagement. Experimental participants completed a task that was intensive on non-verbal episodic memory and had an automatically speeded component. For buckling stress, the epoch of maximum (speeded) performance was the asymmetry parameter; however, anxiety did not contribute to bifurcation as expected. For fatigue, …

Brain Mechanisms Supporting The Modulation Of Pain By Mindfulness Meditation, Fadel Zeidan, Katherine Martucci, Robert Kraft, Nakia S. Gordon, John Mchaffie, Robert Coghill

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The subjective experience of one’s environment is constructed by interactions among sensory, cognitive, and affective processes. For centuries, meditation has been thought to influence such processes by enabling a nonevaluative representation of sensory events. To better understand how meditation influences the sensory experience, we used arterial spin labeling functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the neural mechanisms by which mindfulness meditation influences pain in healthy human participants. After 4 d of mindfulness meditation training, meditating in the presence of noxious stimulation significantly reduced pain unpleasantness by 57% and pain intensity ratings by 40% when compared to rest. A two-factor repeated-measures …

Racial Identity Development And Psychological Adjustment In Biracial Individuals Of Minority/Minority Racial Group Descent, Kizzie Paule Walker

Dissertations (1934 -)

Based on the theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism and race as a social construct, individuals with biological parents racially distinct from each other have biracial identity options (i.e., Singular, Border, Protean, and Transcendent) (e.g., Rockquemore and Brunsma, 2002). The purpose of the current study was to examine factors that influenced biracial individuals' level of racial/ethnic identity development and the impact on biracial identity and psychological adjustment (i.e., self-esteem and psychological well-being). A total of 199 biracial individuals, who ranged in age from 18 to 55 years, completed an online survey that measured factors such as the rule of hypodescent (i.e., …

Emotional Responses To Gender-Based Inequality: Justifications And Consequences, Erin Quasney

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This paper examines the interaction between exposure to gender inequality and commonly-held sexist beliefs and effects on participants' emotional reactions and behavioral intentions to address that inequality. Male and female participants were exposed to gender disparities where women are disadvantaged or to a control condition and then primed with hostile or benevolent sexism. No difference existed in men's reports of guilt in response to gender inequality if offered a benevolently sexist justification. Women were more likely than men to report moral outrage, although the difference was larger when participants also considered female disadvantage. When reminded of both gender inequality and …

Student Mental Health Curriculum For Teachers: A Proposal, Weneaka D. Jones

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

It is estimated that only one fifth of children who need mental health services receive them, primarily through school-based services (Burns et al., 1995). The current research proposal seeks to gain a better understanding of what teachers need to know about student mental health in order to affectively aid efforts to connect underserved children to mental health services. The overall goal of the proposed study is to develop a student mental health curriculum for teachers that can be used to educate current teachers and better prepare teachers-in-training. Proposed methods include running both mental health professional and education professional focus groups …

Development Of Bicultural Competence, Jessica L. Scheunemann

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

This inquiry looks at factors facilitating the development of bicultural competnece in internationally-adopted youth in America. Bicultural competence is the extnesion of ethnic identity defined as having knowledge of language, lifestyle characteristics, and patterns if interpersonal behavior of two cultural groups. Being competent in two cultures is an extremely difficult task for youth, largely impacted by socialization and parent mediation. Major factors discussed include: parent characteristics/styles/access to resources, youth/parental exploration of ethnicity, bicultural stress, and youth perceptions. Bicultural competnece leads to many benefits and is an important topic for counselors to understand and continually educate themselves on!

Does Motor Development Influence Language Development?, Melissa Behrens, Jaimie Hauch

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

The emergence of language in infants is one of biggest achievements in their first two years of life. At the present, there is a great deal of information available regarding the precursors that influence the onset of language in both typically and atypically developing children. It is commonly acknowledged that achievements in cognitive development during these stages of life widely influence the emerging language system. However, one of the other precursors that require additional attention is motor development. The implications that this system has on future language development is something that needs further consideration in the study of both typically …

Helpful And Harmful Religious Beliefs In Therapy, Suzie Ceplina

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

Presentation of information for counselors working with religious or spiritual clients. Learning objectives include: strengths and limitations, assessment of spiritual or religious beliefs, identification of harmful religious or spiritual belifs, and techniques in addressing harmful religious/spiritual beliefs in counseling.

Research Exchange, Jesse R. Wynn

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

Social interaction theory: Social interaction theory provides an explanation of aggressive acts motivated by higher level goals. Hostile aggression may have some rational goal behind it. Social interaction theory provides understanding that aggression is often the result of threats to high self esteem (i.e. Smart condition eliminating quicker than dumb condition), (Anderson and Bushman, 2002).

Neuroticism: According to Big Five Inventory; individuals who are high in Neuroticism show the following traits: Anxiety, angry hostility, depression, self-consciousness, impulsiveness and lack of self confidence (John & Srivastava, 1999).

Conscientiousness: Individuals who are high in conscientiousness exhibit the following traits: Competence, order, …

Can Parents Create Alcoholics?, Scott Lang, Paul Boellner

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

Background: Research has shown a definitive genetic component to alcoholism, with children of alcoholic parents being much more likely to become alcoholics themselves when compared to children of non-alcoholics. Just because alcoholism runs in an individual's family does not guarantee that said individual will become an alcoholic. This paper tries to discern if the way a parent raises their child can have an effect on the likelihood of the child being an alcoholic later in life.

Results: A review of the literature suggests that there may be a correlation between a how a child is raised and the likelihood of …

Cecp Gso Research Exchange Conference 2011, Kathryn Johnson

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

The following literature review discusses potential non-medical benefits that may result from child and adolescent interaction with animals, and the practitioner or educator preferences regarding animal species used in Applied Animal Therapy. Discussed below are a variety of research study findings regarding the potential relationships between human-animal interactions and the various social, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and personality developmental aspects in children and adolescents. These studies looked at human-animal interactions in the school setting, in therapy settings using AAT, and in the family home settings regarding companion animals/pets. The animals involved in these studies include horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, and …

Child Behavior Resulting From Single Mother's Usage Of Social Technology, Jessica L. Scheunemann, Alicia Bunnell

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

We will present what we have found in a literature review of related topics and our research design for this study. It is hoped we can get feedback to further our research ideas in this area and for us to compile a final paper to be submitted at the end of the semester.

We will then discuss practicalities of our design thus far and implications for practicing counselors.

The Effect Of Military Deployment On The Parents Of Those Deployed, Ashley Hinkamper, Cody Carson, Erica N. Johnson

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

This study proposes to examine the psychological effects of military deployment on the parents of those deployed. Questionnaires will be administered to parents of active-duty and recently discharged marines via the internet. Whether deployment is to an area where there is substantial risk of injury or death or to an area without such risk will be assessed. Parents’ personal distress, efforts to cope with stress, and attitudes towards mental illness and its treatment will be evaluated. We hypothesize that parents of those deployed in danger zones will report greater distress, and that distress will be influenced by media exposure and …

The Effects Of Smoking And Memory In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Proposal, Kathryn Kalvoda, Andrew D. Ronquillo

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

The Effects of Smoking and Memory in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Proposal

By Kathryn E. Kalvoda and Andrew D. Ronquillo

Many individuals suffer with high stress and life-changing memories. These memories are hard to erase and many are forced to deal with them for the rest of their lives. These experiences can cause an increase in vulnerability to a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder, a disorder in which recurrent thoughts of traumatic events detrimentally influence an individual’s quality of life. One particular source of stress reduction is to engage in smoking cigarettes. Smoking in general leads to many health problems. …

Research Exchange. Reactive Attachment Disorder: Developing A Developmental Perspective, Johnathan M. Sumpter

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

Reactive Attachment Disorder is a relatively young disorder. Researchers are just beginning to hash out the implications of this disorder on current children and future generations. However, there is much needed from criteria setting and researching leadership to mediate the process of gaining ground in assessing and treating this disorder. This meta-­‐analysis will provide an overview that will point out the diagnostic ambiguities, theoretical conflicts, and disjointed research of the previous decade’s work on RAD.

Effects Of Mental Illness Characteristics On Stigmatizing Attitudes, Mariclare Kanaley, Jena J. Gomez, Erica N. Johnson, Andrew W. Newsom

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

Background: In this study, we build on previous work by evaluating whether stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness are affected by illness characteristics. Based on modifications to a survey that was developed by Corrigan (2003), we examined undergraduate participants’ responses to a character, described in a brief vignette. Method: “Joe” was described as having problems associated with either schizophrenia or depression. We examined whether indications of dangerousness towards self or others (dangerous versus not) and controllability via medications (controllable versus not) influenced perceptions in a 2 x 2 x 2 (illness type vs. dangerousness vs. controllability) ANOVA design. After reading one …

Nonlinear Dynamical Systems Applications To Psychology And Management, Stephen J. Guastello

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Neuropsychological Evaluation Of Blast-Related Concussion: Illustrating The Challenges And Complexities Through Oef/Oif Case Studies, Nathaniel W. Nelson, James B. Hoelzle, Kathryn A. Mcguire, Amanda G. Ferrier-Auerbach, Molly J. Charlesworth, Scott R. Sponheim

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background/objective: Soldiers of Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF) sustain blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) with alarming regularity. This study discusses factors in addition to concussion, such as co-morbid psychological difficulty (e.g. post-traumatic stress) and symptom validity concerns that may complicate neuropsychological evaluation in the late stage of concussive injury.

Case report: The study presents the complexities that accompany neuropsychological evaluation of blast concussion through discussion of three case reports of OEF/OIF personnel.

Discussion: The authors emphasize uniform assessment of blast concussion, the importance of determining concussion severity according to acute-injury characteristics and elaborate …

Comparison Of Wechsler Memory Scale–Fourth Edition (Wms–Iv) And Third Edition (Wms–Iii) Dimensional Structures: Improved Ability To Evaluate Auditory And Visual Constructs, James B. Hoelzle, Nathaniel W. Nelson, Clifford A. Smith

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Dimensional structures underlying the Wechsler Memory Scale–Fourth Edition (WMS–IV) and Wechsler Memory Scale–Third Edition (WMS–III) were compared to determine whether the revised measure has a more coherent and clinically relevant factor structure. Principal component analyses were conducted in normative samples reported in the respective technical manuals. Empirically supported procedures guided retention of dimensions. An invariant two-dimensional WMS–IV structure reflecting constructs of auditory learning/memory and visual attention/memory (C1 = .97; C2 = .96) is more theoretically coherent than the replicable, heterogeneous WMS–III dimension (C1 = .97). This research suggests that the WMS–IV may have greater utility in identifying lateralized memory dysfunction.

Culturally-Modified Recruitment Strategies For Latino Families In Clinical Child Research: A Critical First Step, Lauren M. Haack, Alyson C. Gerdes, Bethdalie Cruz, Brian W. Schneider

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The goals of the current study were to develop and employ culturally-modified recruitment strategies utilizing flexibility and creativity to combat practical and cultural barriers to Latino participation in clinical child research, as well as to quantitatively examine individual and cultural factors related to the different recruitment strategies. In total, 45 Latino parents were successfully recruited and primarily included married mothers of Mexican origin with varied socioeconomic backgrounds. To address the first study goal, an initial culturally-modified recruitment strategy (i.e., postcard strategy, n = 23) was developed to combat both practical and cultural barriers; an augmented strategy (i.e., face-to-face strategy, n …

A Survival Guide For The Creativity Economy, Review Of "The Dark Side Of Creativity," Edited By David H. Cropley, Arthur J. Cropley, James C. Kaufman, And Mark A. Runco, Stephen J. Guastello

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Reviews the book, The dark side of creativity by David H. Cropley, Arthur J. Cropley, James C. Kaufman, and Mark A. Runco (see record 2010-16278-000). Theory and research on creativity clearly address how breakthrough ideas are formed and what happens to them next, but the present state of creativity research needs a few breakthrough ideas of its own. The Dark Side of Creativity , edited by David Cropley, Arthur Cropley, James Kaufman, and mark Runco, has hit that target. It also resonates with contemporary concerns about creativity and technology. There is a long-standing ethic in engineering that a technology itself …

Advancing Our Knowledge Of Adhd In Latino Children: Psychometric And Cultural Properties Of Spanish-Versions Of Parental/Family Functioning Measures, Lauren M. Haack, Alyson C. Gerdes, Brian W. Schneider, Gabriela Dieguez Hurtado

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The lack of available Spanish versions of assessment measures contributes to insufficient research and underutilization of mental health services for Latino children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Thus, the goal of the current study was to examine the psychometric and cultural properties of several Spanish versions of parental/family functioning measures commonly used in comprehensive ADHD assessments (i.e., the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, and Confusion, Hubbub, and Order Scale). Participants included 68 Spanish-speaking, Latino parents in Southeast Wisconsin. In general, the Spanish translations of the measures demonstrated good reliability and validity. Furthermore, the psychometrically-sound measures were significantly related …

Parental Functioning In Families For Behavioral Parent Training And Importance Of Clinically Meaningful Change, Alyson C. Gerdes, Lauren M. Haack, Brian W. Schneider

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective/Method: Statistically significant and clinically meaningful effects of behavioral parent training on parental functioning were examined for 20 children with ADHD and their parents who had successfully completed a psychosocial treatment for ADHD.

Results/Conclusion: Findings suggest that behavioral parent training resulted in statistically significant improvements in some domains of parenting behavior for both mothers and fathers and in reductions in most domains of parenting stress for mothers. Importantly, clinically meaningful change also was noted for these parental functioning areas, as well as for other domains of parental functioning that did not result in statistically significant findings. Clinical implications …

Comprehensive Creativity When We Need It, Review Of "The Cambridge Handbook Of Creativity," Edited By James C. Kaufman And Robert J. Sternberg, Stephen J. Guastello

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Reviews the book, The Cambridge handbook of creativity edited by James C. Kaufman and Robert J. Sternberg (see record 2010-21837-000). The title suggests that The Cambridge handbook of creativity is an encyclopedic collection of all the major chunks of knowledge connected to creative behavior. Although it does not disappoint in that regard, the contributing authors do a superb job of capturing the coherence and the theoretical and thematic developments of their respective areas. Overall the reviewer would recommend The Cambridge handbook of creativity to serious researchers in creativity and anyone who wants to be seriously creative. Psychologists and educators are …

Evaluating The Impact Of Service Learning On Student Outcomes In A Health Psychology Course, Astrida S. Kaugars

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Although positive effects of service learning have been demonstrated for personal, citizenship, and social outcomes there is a need to target specific outcomes in psychology course design and to incorporate appropriate service learning experiences (Conway, Amel, & Gerwien, 2009). The purpose of the present study was to examine how aspects of an undergraduate Health Psychology course, which included a project-based model of service learning, may contribute to changing students’ perspectives on public service, community engagement, and social justice.