Psychology Commons^™

Assisted Reproduction Versus Spontaneous Conception: A Comparison Of The Developmental Outcomes In Twins, Lisa Kelly-Vance, Kristine S. Anthis, Howard Needelman

Psychology Faculty Publications

The use of assisted reproductive technology is increasing rapidly. Research, although sparse, has resulted in inconsistent findings as to the developmental prognosis for infants conceived by assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization and the use of fertility drugs. In the present study, the authors compared twins who were spontaneously conceived with those who were conceived through assisted reproductive technology. The authors found differences in birth weight and gestational age. Infants conceived by assisted reproductive technology fared worse than did those who were spontaneously conceived. The authors found no differences between the groups in mental development at 24 months …

The Association Of Blood Type On The Five Factors Of Personality In Chinese Adolescents, Kunher Wu

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify the number of personality factors in Chinese adolescents using the Chinese Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and to determine whether blood type is associated with personality. It is widely accepted by psychologists that the five-factor model can provide an adequate representation of adult personality dimensions, but there is less agreement on the number of factors observable in adolescence. A total of 3,396 11^th graders from the city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan completed the Chinese NEO-PI-R. Principle component analysis with varimax rotation showed five factors of personality in these Taiwanese adolescents, which clearly …

The Effects Of Parent's Religious Coping On Children's Functioning After Loss, Beatrice A. Tauber

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study explored how parent's religious coping styles influence their child's behavioral reactions following spousal bereavement. Fifteen participants were recruited from churches, bereavement groups, hospices, palliative care programs and from victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Individuals who lost a spouse within the past 3 years and who had a child between the ages of 7 and 14 years participated. Parents described the religious coping strategies they employed after the loss of their spouse on Pargament's Brief Religious Coping Scale as well as the symptoms of their child on the Child Behavior Checklist. Pearson correlations demonstrated a significant …

Forgiveness And Failure Of The Heart, Mary K. J. Bogle

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The extent and severity of cardiovascular disease can be measured by an angiogram. This procedure measures the degree of occlusion in major arteries of the heart. This physical measurement was correlated with patient's tendency to be forgiving of themselves and others. This measurement reflects forgiveness as a trait-like characteristic. Patients at Loma Linda University Medical Center who were undergoing angiography were given the BDHI (Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory), the FOS and FOO (Forgiveness of Self and Forgiveness of Others) scales to complete during their waiting room period. No significant correlations were found between the scales used in this study and angiogram …

Pain Experienced By Patients Using Thinner Vs. Thicker Probes During Probing, Mohamed A. Hassan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The aim of the present study, performed during periodontal recall visits, was to compare the levels of pain experienced by patients during periodontal probing using probes with tip diameters of either 0.40 mm or 0.63 mm.

Prior to the maintenance procedures, three groups of 20 adult patients were examined by 3 different therapists. Diagonal maxillary/mandibular quadrants were probed with a 0.40 mm and a 0.63 mm probe, respectively. At the completion of probing of each quadrant, the patients were asked to describe their pain using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

The results were as follows: Most patients showed low VAS …

Pain Experienced By Patients During Periodontal Examination, Mohammed A. Al-Ajmi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The aims of the present study were to determine the level of pain experienced by patients from probing during periodontal examination, and to find out to what extent the examining periodontist and the dental assistant could estimate the degree of pain experienced by the patients.

For each of three periodontists, 20 patients referred for periodontal diagnosis and treatment were selected. The periodontist carried out his examination, which included probing at six sites per tooth. Following probing, the patients rated the pain using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The periodontist and the dental assistant who helped out during the examination independently …

Functional Status In Children Diagnosed With All: Age And Gender Effects, Sean Eugene Evans

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Age and gender have been purported as important variables in predicting the outcome of children diagnosed with leukemia. This study examines the relationship between age and gender as predictors of functional status in children following the completion of the induction phase of their treatment (i.e., approximately 5-weeks following their diagnosis) for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Prior to analyses, it was asserted that boys and girls would indicate unique experiences of perceived pain intensity and would yield significant differences in functional status scores as measured by the children’s parents. A sample of 50 boys (N=33) and girls (N=17) between the ages …

Pediatric Amputations: Ptsd, Behavioral Tendencies And Quality Of Life, Adriana Macias Chamorro

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The present study examined children and adolescents between 11-18 years of age who had experienced traumatic amputations due to an acute physical injury (burns, severing, and crushing accidents). In order to account for variance which may have impacted the results of the study, evaluations were conducted between a group of children/adolescents with amputations and a comparison group of children/adolescents who had been hospitalized due to a non-head injury, non-death motor vehicle accident. The goal of this study was to assess symptoms of PTSD, provide a description of the internalized and externalized behaviors, and examine the quality of life (QOL)(health habits, …

Superimposition And Withdrawal Of Tangible Consequences As A Treatment For Automatically Reinforced Problem Behaviors, Tina M. Sidener

Masters Theses

Tangible superimposition and withdrawal is a reductive procedure in which a new stimulus is delivered following behavior already maintained by a different controlling stimulus. The new stimulus is then removed in an attempt to reduce behavior. The current investigation sought to extend previous research on this procedure by evaluating its efficacy and durability as a treatment for stereotypy in three children diagnosed with autism. First, automatic reinforcement functions for stereotypic behaviors were identified via functional analyses. Next, for two participants, tangible items were delivered contingent upon stereotypy and then subsequently withdrawn. When the superimposition procedure proved ineffective, environmental enrichment was …

Prosecutorial Misconduct In Death Penalty Cases: The U.S. Supreme Court Rules That The State May Not Suppress Evidence That Is Material To Guilt Or Punishment, Richard L. Wiener, Roni Reiter-Palmon

Psychology Faculty Publications

n April of 1980, police found the body of Richard Whitehead outside a small town in eastern Texas. Witnesses told police that they had seen Delma Banks in Whitehead's automobile several days earlier and had heard gunshots early in the morning shortly after the sighting. Informant Robert Farr told police that Banks was traveling back to his home in eastern Texas from Dallas, where he had visited Charles Cook, an associate of his, to secure a weapon. The sheriff stopped Banks' car and found a handgun. The sheriff then retrieved a second weapon from Mr. Cook's home and determined that …

Controversial Maternal Roles Of Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse Cases, Rhonda Elliott Mcgee

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine Child Sexual Abuse case files, to determine which "maternal role": (a) protector, (b) co-victim, (c) co-perpetrator/conspirator, or (d) perpetrator was the most common in court cases studied in this research. The researcher also sought to find: (1) The most dominant maternal role in reference to percentage; (2) The effect, if any, of certain "role types"; (3) And the consequences and/or effects of selected variables (e.g. age, race, and gender) had in family court decisions and adjudications.

The target population consisted of forty-one cases of Child Sexual Abuse cases, adjudicated by the Family …

A Case Study Using Best And Normative Treatments Related To Adjustment Disorder, Alcohol Abuse, And Sexual Abuse Of Child, Lisa Mcconnell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of normative and best therapy techniques with individuals diagnosed with Adjustment Disorder, Alcohol Abuse, and Sexual Abuse of Child using a case study format. The subject of this study was a 15 year old female who presented with a three-week onset of depressed mood. For the purpose of this study she was seen over a four month period. Treatment emphasis was on reducing depression and anxiety related to the sexual abuse. The Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children and the Children's Depression Inventory were chosen for this study. Post-testing suggested significant …

Effectiveness Of A Treatment Approach For Comorbid Panic Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, And Alcohol Dependence: A Case Study, Vera Biryukova

Theses and Dissertations

This case study evaluates the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy with a focus on therapeutic relationship in the treatment of an adult female who underwent treatment in a community mental health agency. The client was diagnosed with comorbid panic disorder, major depressive disorder, and alcohol dependence. In addition, the client experienced a variety of psychosocial stressors. The client's psychosocial assessment is presented, and the empirical treatment literature related to the client's diagnoses is reviewed. A variety of outcome measures were used. Results indicated that the treatment was effective: the client experienced a significant reduction in the severity of symptoms. However, further …

Perceptions Of Height, Attractiveness, And Power, Michelle A. Worth

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how perceptions of physical attractiveness and power changed based on an individual's height and gender. Participants were 117 Rowan University students (53 males and 64 females, mean age = 20.9 years). Students were administered a packet that asked demographic data including their age, sex, height, weight, major, hometown, academic status, and marital status. Upon completion of this data, the students were asked to complete a packet where they viewed 10 target persons that varied in height and sex, then answered a series of questions about their perceptions of the target's attractiveness and …

Psychotherapy Outcome Measures In A Client With A Childhood Disorder, Amy S. Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this case study were to: (1) complete a thorough psychosocial assessment on a psychotherapy client, (2) to attribute the most accurate diagnosis, and (3) explain the most beneficial empirical treatment through research and review. The case study consisted of a single 17-year-old Hispanic male who resided in a group home. Data was obtained through individual therapy sessions and two self-report inventories. Findings indicated that client met criteria for Disruptive Behavioral Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (DBD, NOS). Treatment research was done on Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) for two reasons: (1) due to insufficient studies on DBD, NOS, and …

Family Risk Factors Related To Adolescent Adjudication, Jennifer M. Del Russo

Theses and Dissertations

Family and social relationships have been identified as risk-factors for adolescent adjudication. Ninety-five participants between the ages of 13 and 19 were recruited from the Youth Empowerment System (YES) Shelter & Residential Treatment Facility, Camden Day & Residential Treatment Center, and Camden Catholic High School in Camden County, New Jersey. The participants were administered a survey designed by the experimenter and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Chi-square analyses showed significant relationships between adjudication and who the legal guardian was, marital status of their biological parents and legal guardian, their relationship with their legal guardian, biological parents' criminal record and drug/alcohol …

The Relationship Between Racial Identity Attitudes And The Experience And Expression Of Anger, Kirsten Cristinziani

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the racial identity attitudes of African-Americans and experience and expression of anger. For several decades, theories of racial identity development have been postulated (e.g. Cross, 1971; Helms, 1990). Affective correlates of differing statuses of racial identity development have been hypothesized and widely studied. However, the affect of anger has not been given much systematic attention in the literature, though theoretical models of racial identity development do include assumptions of the role of anger. Specifically, in Helms' model of racial identity development (1990), which this thesis adheres to, anger is …

Coming To Your Senses: The Use Of Sensory Appeals In Magazine Advertising, Emily Rae Mullranin

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Evaluation Of A Multi-Modal Treatment Approach For Adjudicated Youth, Jennifer K. Swingle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to examine the effectiveness of multi-modal treatment on an adolescent with comorbid mental disorders in residential treatment using a case study format. The subject of this study was a 16-year-old girl who suffers from Reactive Attachment Disorder, Conduct Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder as well as multiple traumatic incidents in her childhood. For the purpose of this study, she was seen over a nine-month period. Major emphasis was on reducing aggression and depression and on increasing client participation in treatment. Depression and maladjustment were pre-tested and post-tested using the Beck Depression Inventory II …

The Effects Of Rejected Job Offers On The Costs And Benefits Associated With The Use Of Banding Strategies For Employee Selection, Joshua Daniel

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Among the available selection strategies (e.g., top down selection), sliding bands with minority preference selection was shown to be the most effective at striking a balance between reducing adverse impact with minimal test utility loss. Unfortunately, all previous research into selection strategy effectiveness failed to model job acceptance rates, a variable shown to decrease overall test utility (Murphy, 1986). In this study we compared the utility and adverse impact ratios obtained from strict top down and sliding bands with minority preference selection strategies in which we varied selection ratios, job acceptance rates, and sample sizes. Across all conditions, utility and …

The Effects Of Self-Monitoring And Religious Self-Discrepancies On Negative Affect, John Parker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

According to Higgins's (1987) self-discrepancy theory, an individual's selfesteem is based upon fulfilling one's self-expectations or the expectations of significant others (e.g., spouse or parent). Failure to live up to these expectations results in greater levels of depression, anxiety, and lower self-esteem. Previous research has also found that those low in Snyder and Gangestad's (1986) self-monitoring construct are more influenced by their own expectations, while those high in self-monitoring are more influenced by others' expectations. It was predicted that Christians who are low in self-monitoring will have greater levels of depression and anxiety and lower self-esteem if they fail to …

Accident And Injury Prevention: The Effects Of Job Factors And Employee Behaviors, Suzaane Dobbs

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Virtually all organizations are concerned about employee safety and the prevention of workplace accidents, but maybe unaware that most accidents are the cause of unsafe employee behaviors. In this study, one company in particular wanted to know where, when, how, and why accidents were occurring in its plant. Accidents of the past three years were content analyzed. The results show that 87.4% of the accidents were due to unsafe behaviors. The highest absolute frequency of accidents occurs in the die cast area, while the highest relative rate of accidents occurs in the furnace room. The type of accident that occurs …

Using Social Stories To Teach Social And Behavioral Skills To Preschool Children With Autism, Melissa Jean Herrin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

There is limited research support for the use of Social Stories with elementary and secondary-aged students. However, there is even less research support for the effectiveness of Social Stories with preschool-aged children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Social Stories with three preschool-aged children diagnosed with autism. Using a multiple baseline design across subjects, Social Stories were implemented in the home setting. The children’s parents were responsible for daily implementation of the Social Story, as well as recording data daily. Direct observations were conducted once a week during the identified times the target behavior occurred. …

Review Of Social Competency Training For Pre-School And Elementary School Age Students At Risk For Developing Or Classified With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Cristine C. Sosa

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Social competency training is a common intervention for students at risk for developing or classified with emotional/behavioral disorders. However, a review of research indicated that it is only mildly effective in producing significant outcomes for these students. A number of factors have been identified as possibly impacting the success of social competency training, including: the intervention setting, the timing of intervention, characteristics of participants, characteristics of interventions and the outcome measurements ~d. A review of literature was conducted to evaluate these factors. Findings of the review indicate that there are not significant differences between interventions conducted in regular education and …

Cognitive Ability Testing And Selection: A Review Of Court Decisions Since 1991, Leslie Pedigo

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cognitive ability testing is utilized by many organizations in the selection process. Historically, cognitive ability testing has resulted in group differences in scores, particularly between Caucasians and African-Americans. Such group differences can result in adverse impact. This impact can lead to legal ramifications for the organization utilizing the cognitive ability test. The present study examined ten factors to determine their relationship to the findings of the courts in cases involving cognitive ability tests. The factors examined were gender of the plaintiff, reason for the lawsuit, workplace setting, group or individual plaintiffs, standardadized versus unstandardized tests, validation of the tests, development …

Interpersonal Dynamics Of Volunteers For A Simulated Prison Study, General Psychological Study, And A Helping-Behavior Study, Thomas Carnahan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE) is one of the most studied and celebrated studies within social psychology. The results have long been attributed to the power of the situation and the roles that were given to the participants. The present study was based on research concerning how personality variables influence interest in volunteerism. The research hypotheses center around the belief that individuals who volunteer for a study on prison life (similar to the advertisement for the SPE) would differ on personality variables (Machiavellianism, narcissism, social dominance, authoritarianism, aggression, empathy, and altruism) from individuals who volunteer for a generic psychological study …

Physicians' Health Promotion Practices For Mexican American Patients At Risk For Type 2 Diabetes, Holly Day Mcfarland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationship between physicians' perceptions of Mexican American patients at risk for Type 2 diabetes and the subsequent care they provide was studied. Primary care providers responded to questionnaires about their health promotion practices. A 2x2 analysis of variance was used to identify differences in reported treatment of patients that accounted for both ethnicity and risk. Results indicated Hispanic patients received less time with their providers than Caucasian patients regardless of risk for Type 2 diabetes. Both groups received about the same reported care in terms of information gathered for diagnosis, diagnosis made, and treatment regimen prescribed. Data also suggested …

The Effectiveness Of Peer Tutoring Programs In Elementary Schools, Melinda Gee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present review examined the effectiveness of three peer tutoring programs: cross-age peer tutoring, Classwide Peer Tutoring (CWPT), and Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS), for elementary students in the academic areas of math and reading. The research reviewed indicates students who participated in cross-age peer tutoring and CWPT had improved test scores on basic math facts as well as increased math scores on standardized assessments. Students also showed improvement in reading fluency, reading comprehension, spelling, and reading level after participating in cross-age peer tutoring and CWPT. High-, average-, and low-achieving students as well as students in special Ill education benefitted from …

The Use Of Stress Management In Combination With Parent Training: An Intervention Study With Parents Of Preschool Children, Theresa L. Gunderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many preschool children exhibit a number of problematic, acting-out behaviors. Parents of preschoolers exhibiting behavior problems often experience a great deal of stress associated with these problem behaviors. Consistently robust improvements have been found in the use of stress management for adult stress, pain, and medical wellbeing. Likewise, studies have shown parent training decreases the severity of child behavior problems. However, only a few studies have examined effects of parent training on both child behavior and parent stress. Some studies have found that parents who complete parent training also report lowered stress levels commensurate with improvement of child behavior. It …

Predictors Of Graduation And Rearrest In A Contemporary Juvenile Drug Court Program, Anthony Phillip Tranchita

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research on the efficacy of drug courts for substance-abusing criminal adult offenders has generally found reduced recidivism rates, and both actual and potential cost savings to the public. However, outcome research on juvenile drug courts has been limited. Furthermore, little research has examined variables that may be predictive of outcome in this population. This study reports graduation and rearrest rates for a sample of juvenile drug court participants in Salt Lake City, Utah. Also, this research assessed whether demographics, prior arrest history, attendance at drug education classes, serving detention time, or a preprogram measure of degree of substance abuse (SAS …