Psychology Commons^™

Diagnoses By Gender: The Consequences Of Treatment Of The Mentally Ill In Virginia Woolf's The Waves And Mrs. Dalloway 2016, Erika Nichole Jackson

Master's Theses

“Insanity is purely a disease of the brain…The physician is now the responsible guardian of the lunatic, and must ever remain so.” Sir John Charles Bucknill (1897)

Mental illness has consistently been and continues to be a subject that is viewed as taboo by society, especially when it comes to diagnosing a patient. Instead of acknowledging a person’s actions, thoughts, and words, society continually disregards mental illness as something that is negative and to be feared. The fact that this area of medicine can be difficult and distressing makes it all the more important to continue research. It is true …

The Effects Of Whole Body High-Intensity Interval Training On Collegiate Female Soccer Players 2016, Whitney Frary

Master's Theses

Soccer is considered a high intensity sport that requires a high level of both aerobic and anaerobic fitness. A whole body high-intensity interval training adaptation has been shown to benefit both of these systems over a short period of time. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a five week whole-body high intensity interval training program on female collegiate soccer players performance in speed, acceleration, agility, vertical jump, aerobic capacity, physical self perception, and physical enjoyment. Participants were from the SUNY Cortland women’s soccer team who participated in a five- week training protocol three days a …

The Effect Of Descriptive Norms On Resistance Exercise Self-Efficacy In College-Aged Females 2016, Justin Kompf

Master's Theses

Resistance training is a form of physical activity that provides substantial health benefits. Despite these widespread benefits, participation in resistance training is considerably low, particularly among females. To engage in a skill-related activity such as resistance training, individuals need to have confidence in their abilities. Self-efficacy is a cognitive construct that is used to describe situation-specific self-confidence. Descriptive norms are a type of social norm that describes the behavior of others. Descriptive norms have been useful in positively changing health related behaviors. The exact mechanism of how descriptive norms alter behavior is unknown. However, it has been show in research …

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms As A Mediator Of The Relation Between Social Perception And Social Skills And Adaptability In Preschoolers, Brandi Michelle Ellis

Master's Theses

ADHD symptoms have been linked empirically to both social perception deficits as well as impairments in social skills and adaptability. The current study built on existing literature by examining whether social perception abilities indirectly predicted social skills and adaptability through ADHD symptoms in preschool-aged children. The sample consisted of 3- to 6-year-old children attending Head Start Programs and private preschools (N = 76). It was expected that social perception abilities would positively relate to both social skills and adaptability. It was also expected that these relations would occur indirectly through ADHD symptoms. Specifically, social perception abilities would relate negatively …

The Effects Of Errorless Compliance Training Interventions On Compliance Behavior On Students In The Home And Generalization In The School Setting, Hannah Jeanne Cavell

Master's Theses

Errorless Compliance Training (ECT) is a procedure used to lessen disruptive behavior using a gradual and noncorecive approach. In this study, parents of three school-aged children who demonstrated high levels of disruptive behavior in the home and the classroom were trained on the ECT procedure. ECT sessions took place in the home, with parents delivering requests. Generalized effects of ECT were assessed in the school setting. Baseline data were used to arrange requests into grouped Levels, ranging from Level 1 (requests of which individual is typically compliant) to Level 4 (requests in which individual is typically noncompliant). Using the ECT …

Pre- And Post-Partum Whistle Production Of A Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) Mother-Calf Dyad, Audra Elizabeth Ames

Master's Theses

Whistle use pre- and post-partum in an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) mother-calf dyad has rarely been studied. The current study is the first to investigate signature whistle production by the mother pre- and post-partum, as well as whistle use by other members of the social group during calf development, and how exposure to these whistles may affect the calf’s vocal repertoire. Findings showed that the mother increased her rates both pre- and post-delivery, while other group members produced their whistles at decreased rates until the calf’s second week of life. After the calf’s second week, whistle rates of …

Sex-Related Alcohol Expectancies, Alcohol Consumption, And Risky Sexual Behavior Among African American College Women, Danielle P. Cottonham

Master's Theses

African American college women are experiencing sex-related negative consequences (e.g., contracting sexually transmitted diseases or human immunodeficiency virus, having an unplanned pregnancy) at disproportionate rates in comparison to Caucasian college women. Furthermore, African American college women are likely engaging in risky sexual behaviors (e.g., unprotected anal, vaginal, oral sex) that may be placing them at a greater risk for experiencing sex-related negative consequences. Research suggests that increased alcohol consumption is predictive of more risky sexual behavior among college women. Additionally, sex-related alcohol expectancies, or beliefs about the effects of alcohol on sexual behavior, are positively associated with increased alcohol consumption …

Parenting Practices And Young Adults’ Emotional Distress: The Moderating Roles Of Family Structure And Race, Nathan Alexander Winner

Master's Theses

Authoritarian parenting practices are more common among African American families, and appear to include fewer disadvantages in regards to child outcomes compared to White/non-Hispanic families who use these same practices. Little is known about why these racial differences occur, although family structure may play a role. The present study sought to understand the role of family structure and race in moderating the effects of parenting practices on college student mental health outcomes. College students reported on the parenting practices of their caregivers, as well as their race, family structure, characteristics of their familial environment, and socioeconomic status. Levels of depression, …

The Dark Triad And Hexaco Model Of Personality In Relational Aggression, Niki M. Knight

Master's Theses

Past research has linked relational aggression (RA) to many forms of psychological maladjustment among children and early adolescents. Although less is known about RA among emerging adults, there is a growing body of research demonstrating a number of adverse correlates. This literature has sparked an interest in examining the role of personality in RA. Most investigations to date have focused on the Five Factor Model; however, the six factor HEXACO model of personality (Ashton et al., 2004) may offer some advantages in studying RA. Moreover, the manipulative and often covert nature of RA among emerging adults has theoretical overlap with …

Congruence With College Major In Light Of Cognitive Influence And Work Roles, Erica L. Mathis

Master's Theses

Using Holland’s theory, the author examined moderators that may influence students’ academic success and satisfaction while accounting for cognitive influence. Data from 233 undergraduate students was analyzed using a series of hierarchical multiple regressions. The study sought to determine if student employment and the level of interest profile elevation were significant moderators of the relationship between congruence with college major and academic major satisfaction, as well as academic major success. Uniquely, academic major success was determined through GPA and a 10-subscale self-report measure. Cognitive influences were operationalized as positive and negative thinking and accounted for in all analyses. Correlation results …

Social Interactions Among Two Males In A Captive Group Of Rough-Toothed Dolphins (Steno Bredanesis), Pepper Reid Hanna

Master's Theses

There is relatively little known about the social behavior of rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) particularly in comparison to information on the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, (Tursiops truncates). The purpose of the current study is to describe the social behavior of two juvenile male rough-toothed dolphins housed at Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, FL. Rates of affiliative social behaviors were greater between the two males within this group compared to the other pairs of dolphins. The males exhibited a high rate of association, calculated using the half-weight index. Following aggressive behavior within the overall group, the …

Anger And Sadness Rumination And Their Impact On Momentary Changes In Impulsivity And Pain Tolerance: Implications For The Development Of Suicide Risk, Keyne Catherine Law

Master's Theses

Recent research in suicide has called for an increased focus on factors that facilitate an individual’s transition from suicidal ideation to action (Klonsky & May, 2014). Rumination, the repetitive fixation on negative emotional material, has been associated with not only increased suicidal ideation but also a history of self-injury and suicide attempts (Morrison & O’Connor, 2008), suggesting that it may contribute to the ability to inflict lethal and non-lethal self-harm. Given that past research has found physiological differences between low (ex. sadness) and high (ex. anger) arousal negative affective states, the present thesis project sought to examine the effects of …

Effects Of A Brief Mindfulness Induction On Death-Related Anxiety, David Matthew Schultz

Master's Theses

Terror management theory postulates that the behavior and beliefs of individuals are influenced on some level by an underlying aversion to death. Mortality salience, the conscious awareness of one’s own impending death, creates behavioral changes in individuals compared to non-mortality salient individuals. These changes in behavior are referred to as distal and proximal defense mechanisms. Relatively little research has investigated mechanisms to buffer effects of mortality salience. Mindfulness refers to a conscious awareness and acceptance of moment-to-moment experiences. By allowing individuals to take a regulated view of difficult situations, mindfulness may attenuate the negative effects of mortality salience. The present …

Becoming Adults: Trajectories Of Adult Identity Development Among Undergraduate Students With Implications For Mental Health, Jenna Shapiro

Master's Theses

One of the defining developmental processes that occur during the unique stage of emerging adulthood is the emergence of adult identity, or the subjective sense of adulthood. Adult identity has been hypothesized to grow gradually, linearly, and at different rates for subgroups of individuals over the course of this stage (Arnett, 2006; Côté, 2006). Differences have also been suggested to predict wellbeing and distress (Côté, 2006; Kroger, 1996; Kroger, Martinussen, & Marcia, 2010). The goals of the current study were to examine heterogeneity in adult identity development over four years in college and to examine differences in self-esteem and negative …

Measures Of Acculturation And Relations To Weight Among Mexican-Origin Youth, Dorothy L. Mcleod

Master's Theses

Risk for obesity increases dramatically for Mexican-origin immigrants and their children among upon arrival in the United States. Many studies have shown that acculturative factors play a role in this process for adults, which suggests that this could also be the case for children and adolescents. The significance and directionality of this relation may differ based on many factors, including the multitude of methods currently used for the purpose of measuring acculturation. This study examines the relations between several measures of acculturation and child weight in a sample of 6 to 11 year old, Mexican-origin youth, cross-sectionally and longitudinally over …

Cortical And Psychological Mechanisms Of Visceral Pain, Kelly L. Polnaszek

Master's Theses

Objective: Dysmenorrhea is an incapacitating type of visceral pain that affects numerous menstruating women and is defined by painful menstrual cramps and often occurs in the absence of pelvic pathology. Women with dysmenorrhea have reported higher sensitivity to experimental pain, and vulnerability to pain sensitivity may be a primary risk factor for developing chronic pelvic pain for women with dysmenorrhea. Cross-organ sensitization (COS), or the theory that uterine inflammation during menstruation can contribute to chronic pelvic pain by generating neurogenic inflammation in other organs, may be a primary mechanism associated with pelvic pain in women with dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea sufferers with …

The Relation Between Appearance Evaluation And Disordered Eating Attitudes Throughout College: Trajectories And Moderators, Amy Heard

Master's Theses

The college years are a time of increased risk for body image concerns and disordered eating in both men and women. Studies have shown that body image concerns may emerge in childhood, increase throughout adolescence, and become more stable in middle adulthood, but less is known about the changes that happen during the college years that may cause these concerns to level off. One of the most common ways of assessing body image is by measuring appearance evaluation, or global satisfaction with appearance. While problematic appearance evaluation and disordered eating attitudes are often associated with one another, all individuals who …

Understanding Academic Achievement Among Low-Income, Urban, Black Adolescents: The Role Of Father Involvement, Patrick Henry

Master's Theses

Although the Black-White test score gap has improved over time, it still persists. Furthermore, this academic risk for Black youth is compounded by the disproportionate representation of Blacks among low-income families in the U.S. Thus, the present study aims to shed light on factors related to greater academic success among adolescents in low-income, urban, Black families. Overall, this study addresses the following question. How does the presence of a biological father and positive father involvement impact the academic achievement of their adolescent children? Data from the Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study (TCS) were analyzed in order to address …

Influence Of Metaphoric Language On Juror Decision Making, Melissa Michelle David

Master's Theses

This paper examines the effects of metaphoric language on judgment, assessment and juror verdict decision making. It further examines potential interactions between the use of figurative language and defendant race on juror verdict decisions. Research has potential implications on how the recent cultural climate has changed racial biases within the realm of juror decision making.

Group-Level Differences Of Moral Foundations, Jeremy Winget

Master's Theses

Previous research has started to map the moral domain for individual actors. In particular, Haidt and colleagues (Haidt, 2007, 2008; Haidt & Graham, 2007; Haidt & Joseph, 2004) have extended the moral domain beyond the traditional notions of justice and rights concerns. From this line of research, moral foundations theory emerged, which holds moral intuitions derive from innate psychological mechanisms that co-evolved with cultural institutions and practices. However, to date, there has not been a systematic demonstration of how these moral foundations operate within intergroup settings. Janoff-Bulman and Carnes (2013) have proposed a comprehensive model of the moral landscape that …

Music And Aggression: Effects Of Lyrics And Background Music On Aggressive Behavior, Andrew Triplett

Master's Theses

Given the ever-growing popularity of music in daily life, it is of the utmost

importance to understand how it influences affect, cognition, and behavior, especially given the violence of certain genres of music. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between music and behavior, specifically to examine how the lyrics and background music interact to influence affective hostility and aggressive behavior. Data were collected from a sample of 168 students (61% Female; MAge = 19.24, SD = 2.470) at a large, private, Midwestern university to investigate this relationship. The music was manipulated by randomly assigning the participant to …

Psychological Predictors Of Community Violence Exposure In Ethnic Minority Male Adolescents, Amanda Burnside

Master's Theses

Urban, minority males are disproportionately impacted by community violence exposure (ECV). However, person-based analyses have demonstrated variability in rates of ECV, suggesting that demographic risk factors do not always result in increased ECV, and it may be important to examine the utility of psychological factors in this relationship. Research suggests that depressive symptoms may actually exacerbate the risk of ECV. The current study examines the effect of internalizing symptoms on future ECV. Data were derived from a larger longitudinal study of adolescents who had committed a criminal offense. This subset of 184 participants ranged in age from 14-18. Results indicated …

Parenting-Related Stress, Parental Distress, And Youth Health-Related Quality Of Life In Families Of Youth With Spina Bifida: Parenting Behaviors As Mediators, Colleen F. Bechtel

Master's Theses

Research has shown that youth with spina bifida (SB) have poorer psychosocial outcomes, including health-related quality of life (HRQOL), compared to typically developing youth. Demographic and illness-severity factors that may affect HRQOL have been identified, but modifiable factors affecting HRQOL have not yet been identified in this population. Potential modifiable factors include parent factors. In fact, in other pediatric populations, parent factors have been found to impact HRQOL above and beyond illness-severity. This impact may be especially salient for youth with SB, as these youth are more socially isolated and depend on parents for both medical and non-medical caregiving needs. …

Summertime Sleep And Bmi In Urban Minority Girls: Relations To Physical Activity And Executive Functions, Carolyn Rose Bates

Master's Theses

Urban minority youth, particularly females, are at high risk for increased weight gain during the summertime months, and may also experience insufficient sleep at this time. Few studies have objectively measured summertime sleep in this population or related sleep to weight gain during this season. The current study draws on a sample of 66 urban minority girls aged 10-to-14 who participated in a community-based summer day camp program promoting physical activity (PA). The study objectively characterizes sleep in this sample, both in unstructured and structured contexts. Additionally, the study examines potential pathways underlying summertime relations between sleep and weight, including …

Examining The Effects Of Coping Strategies Specific To Community Violence Exposure Among African American Adolescents, Suzanna So

Master's Theses

Variability in exposure to community violence (ECV) and aggressive behaviors in African American youth from urban communities can be attributed to general coping, but these studies have been inconclusive. Recent qualitative research identified four types of coping that are specific to ECV; however, quantitative research is needed to understand the adaptiveness of these strategies. The current study examined the factor structure of a measure for ECV-specific coping strategies. The current study also assessed how ECV-specific coping was associated with ECV and externalizing behaviors. Data from the current study were derived from an archival dataset comprised of 594 African American adolescents. …

Risk And Resilience Factors Among Low-Income Latino Adolescents: The Impact On Daily Ratings Of Mood, Stephanie Andrea Torres

Master's Theses

Given that Latino adolescents endorse more negative mood when compared to their counterparts of other backgrounds (CDC, 2012), it is especially advantageous to evaluate the impact of risk and resilience factors on mood among this population. The current study uses daily diary methodology to examine the impact that daily economic stress, daily family stress, familism, and ethnic identity commitment and exploration have on daily ratings of mood among 58 (M =13.31, 47% female) low-income Latino adolescents. Results show that daily family stress was strongly linked to daily mood while familism emerged as a salient resilience factor. Contrary to predictions, ethnic …

The Moderating Role Of Emotion Regulation On Longitudinal Associations Between Stress And Mental Health In College Students, Evan Zahniser

Master's Theses

Emotion regulation is consistently linked to subsequent wellbeing, but little research has examined the moderating role of emotion regulation in associations between mental health and other relevant factors. Patterns of gender differences in emotion regulation also remain somewhat unclear. The present study targets these gaps by examining two specific emotion regulation strategies in interaction with stress and gender in predicting internalizing symptoms among college students, a population for whom emotion regulation may be particularly important given the high-stress nature of the college transition. A large sample of students (N = 1,130) provided self-report data at three time points over their …

Child Routines And Self-Regulation As Mediators Of Parenting Practices And Externalizing Problems In Preschoolers, Lovina R. Bater

Master's Theses

Studies clearly indicate that parenting practices relate to child externalizing behaviors, although the mechanisms underlying this relation are less well understood. Researchers suggest that daily routines are one way through which parenting practices relate to externalizing behaviors, allowing children to regulate their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors accordingly, potentially promoting development of appropriate self-regulatory behaviors. Self-regulation is also a possible route through which child routines inversely relate to externalizing behaviors. These relationships have been tested in school-age and older children, yet self-regulatory abilities are known to develop during the preschool period. This study examined child routines and self-regulation as serial mediators …

Development And Validation Of A Survey Of Knowledge Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Laura Katherine Hansen

Master's Theses

As autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more commonly diagnosed, having knowledge of the disorder becomes increasingly important for educators, parents, and the general public. Previous research regarding knowledge of ASD, focused mainly on knowledge possessed by those in the educational field, has found that individuals may perceive themselves as possessing average knowledge regarding ASD but have low actual knowledge (as defined by the researchers) regarding specific aspects of the disorder (Williams et al., 2011). Studies support the notion that there is a general lack of knowledge of different aspects of ASD among teachers; however, there has been little research regarding …

A Comparison Of Two Function-Based Interventions: Ncr Vs. Dro In A Preschool Classroom, Zachary C. Labrot

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative efficacy of non-contingent reinforcement (NCR) and differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) after behavioral functions have been identified through indirect, descriptive, and experimental assessment. Participants included three preschool-age children in center-based classrooms (Head Start) in a southeastern school district. Functional assessment data were used to inform treatment procedures, which were examined with an alternating treatments design. This study examined (1) relative differences in the efficacy of NCR and DRO in decreasing problem behaviors in preschool children, (2) relative differences in the efficacy of NCR and DRO in increasing appropriate behavior, …