Psychology Commons^™

Mediating Effects Of Parents' Attributions In The Relationship Between Children's Temperament And Parenting Stress, Melissa Middleton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To examine the relationships among children's temperament, parents' attributions, parenting stress, and children's behavior problems, the current study investigates the responses of parents who are raising children between the ages of 3- and 6-years. Each parent completed the Dimensions of Temperament Scale-Revised for Children (Windle & Learner, 1986), the Parenting Locus of Control Scale-Short Form (Rayfield, Eyberg, Boggs, & Roberts, 1995a), the Parent Attribution Test (Bugental, 1998), the Child Trait Rating Scale (Sacco, Johnson, & Tenzer, 1993), the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (Abidin, 1995), and the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000, 2001). Using correlational and regression analyses, results …

Neuropsychological Functioning In Social Phobia, Scott Sutterby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to clarify the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying social phobia. Previous research has identified some specific group differences in neurocognitive functioning between individuals diagnosed with social phobia and nonpsychiatric controls, but has failed to administer a comprehensive neuropsychological battery to a social phobia patient group, resulting in a piecemeal understanding of the neurocognitive functioning of this population and an incomplete picture of the neuropsychological profile inherent to this group. The present research utilized a broader collection of neuropsychological tests to assess nine cognitive domains: Verbal Learning, Verbal Delayed Memory, Visual Immediate Memory, Visual Delayed Memory, …

Perceived Parental Characteristics And Neighborhood Support: How Do They Relate To Adolescents' Externalizing Behavior Problem, Rachel White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Externalizing behavior problems are related to many problematic outcomes for children and adolescents in their home, school, and community settings. Given the ramifications of difficulties related to externalizing behavior problems, the present study examines the relationships among adolescents' externalizing behavior problems, characteristics of adolescents' families, and their perceived neighborhood support in a sample of adolescents who are in the Sixth through Eighth Grades. As part of this study, adolescents were assessed one time in their school setting with a set of brief questionnaires. In particular, adolescents completed measures assessing their levels of externalizing behavior problems, characteristics of their families, their …

The History Of Psychology At Illinois State University: Expanding Opportunities, 1857-2009, David Patton Barone, John Cooper Cutting, Joseph L. French, Alvin E. House, James J. Johnson, Karen I. Mark, Mark E. Swerdlik

Department of Psychology History

From Preface: "Through our research, we have come to learn of the rich history of psychology at Illinois State Normal University (ISNU), and our Psychology Department at ISU. The history has come alive in more than a listing of degrees offered and course requirements, but through the people, both faculty and students, who have studied the discipline of psychology through the many years. Students began studying psychology in the late 1800s as part of their study of pedagogy at ISNU and the curriculum has diversified into a strong undergraduate program and graduate training in a variety of psychology specialties including …

Black Adolescent Mothers And Their Families: A Phenomenological Study Of Resilience, Robin J. Duckett

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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An Examination Of The Extended Effects Of D-Cycloserine Treatment On Fear Extinction In Rats, Rosa T. Kyek

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Risk And Protective Factors In Mothers With A History Of Incarceration: Do Relationships Buffer The Effects Of Trauma Symptoms And Substance Abuse History, Erin K. Walker

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Understanding The Black College Student Experience: The Relationships Between Racial Identity, Social Support, General Campus, Academic, And Racial Climate, And Gpa, Tonisha Hamilton

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Insensitivity To Pain In Schizophrenia: An Examination Of Sensory And Affective Pain Processing In An Animal Model, Jessica Boyette Davis

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

Patients with schizophrenia have been shown to display decreased sensitivity to pain, which can severely compound the impact of injuries and illnesses. Currently, the reasons for pain insensitivity in this population are unclear. Alterations in both the sensory and affective systems of pain processing have been observed, but the unique contribution of each of these systems has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to systematically investigate these two components of pain in an animal model of schizophrenia. Animals first underwent L5 spinal nerve ligation surgery in order to provoke a condition of ongoing pain responding. Following recovery …

The Effect Of Pag Stimulation Evoked Dorsal Root Reflexes In Neurogenic Inflammation, Pushpani Menaka Herath

Psychology Theses - Archive

Neurogenic inflammation is defined as inflammation produced by the sensory nerves. It contributes to the cardinal signs of inflammation: rubor (redness), tumor (swelling), color (heat), and dolor (pain or itch). It suggested that neurogenic inflammation is due to dorsal root reflex (DRR) and axonal reflex, which are antidromic electrical impulses of primary afferents. However, the central regulatory mechanisms of neurogenic inflammation are still unclear. It is known that electrical stimulation of the periaqueductal gray (PAG) can induce release of GABA in the spinal cord. GABA can act on GABAA receptors on the central terminals of the primary afferents to generate …

Gender Differences In Science, Math, And Engineering Doctoral Candiates' Mental Models Regarding Intent To Pursue An Academic Career, Colette Jacquot

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

Across university departments in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, there has been a long-standing problem of underrepresentation of women at all professorial ranks. Despite efforts over the past 30 years, many obstacles remain to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in STEM fields. The present study utilized Lent, Brown, and Hackett's (1996) Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to help gain a better understanding of why female doctoral students in STEM fields choose not to pursue academic jobs by examining their conceptualization or mental model of academic work. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, males and female doctoral …

The Influence Of Contingent Self-Esteem And Self-Esteem Variability On Reactions To Ostracism, Marie C. Ramirez

Psychology Theses - Archive

This study examined whether contingent self-esteem and self-esteem variability uniquely influenced reactions to social exclusion. Despite the extensive research done on ostracism and its effects on self-esteem, previous research has not explored how contingent self-esteem or self-esteem variability influence reactions to being socially excluded. A total of 122 students from the University of Texas in Arlington (UT-Arlington) took part in this study. Participants completed a global self-esteem measure and demographic information as part of the department prescreening. Next, participants completed a series of self-esteem and personality measures in an on-line study entitled "Who Am I?." Finally, each participant arrived separately, …

Human Preferences For Facial Symmetry In Dogs (Canis Familiaris), Deborah A. Mcarthur

Psychology Theses - Archive

Previous studies on facial symmetry have documented a positive correlation between symmetry and perceived attractiveness in both human and non-human subjects. Evolutionary psychologists believe this may be evidence of a biological bias for symmetry based on the assumption that higher degrees of symmetry indicate genetic quality and a successful period of development, which is important for mate selection. The purpose of this study was to determine if this preference for symmetry would emerge if subjects were asked to assess facial attractiveness of hetero-specifics, specifically dogs, Canis familiaris. Three levels of symmetry of a frontal photograph of a dog's face were …

The Effects And Perceived Consequences Of Testing Accommodations On Math And Science Performance Assessments, Stephen N. Elliott, Thomas R. Kratochwill, Brian Mckevitt, Christine Kerres Malecki

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study examined the effect accommodations have on test results of students with and without disabilities and documented experts’ judgments about the appropriateness of testing accommodations. Test score data were collected from 218 fourth-grade students with and without disabilities on mathematics and science performance tasks and from eight testing experts who evaluated the fairness and validity of a sample of testing accommodations used with these students. Results indicated that, for most students with disabilities and some students without disabilities, packages of testing accommodations had a moderate to large effect on performance task scores. Expert reviewers rated most accommodations for …

The Influence Of Aerobic Exercise On State Anxiety In College Students, Emily Carruth, Nadine Taylor

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many college students have feelings of state anxiety, a temporary emotional response that is described by subjective, perceived feelings of concern, stress, and apprehension. The present study measured state anxiety across participants separated into a control and experimental group, which performed an exercise routine. Participants were also designated as regular or non-exercisers. Individuals in the experimental group and those who do not normally exercise were predicted to show larger decreases in state anxiety. All participants completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale at three separate sessions over a two-week time span. Results showed no …

“Riding Bareback”: Factors Involved In The Development Of A Bareback Identity, Scott Charles Musgrove

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Researchers in the area of HIV prevention have long been aware of the rising incidence of unprotected sex among men who have sex with men (MSM). In recent years researchers have witnessed the emergence of the behaviors, attitudes and practices that discriminate between those of the MSM community who strictly and consistently adhere to safer sex practices, those who inconsistently practice safer sex, and those who eschew protected sex altogether. Understanding the factors that motivate the development and adoption of a "barebacker identity" in spite of serious potential for HIV infection may well help support the efforts of public agencies …

Change In Intimate Partner Violence: The Domestic Couple's Perspective On Perpetrator Change, Troy Fenlason

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Recent meta-analytic studies, looking at outcome research of perpetrator intervention programs for intimate partner violence, have concluded that treatment has little to no effect on recidivism. There is a lot of skepticism about the effectiveness of treatment for perpetrators of intimate partner violence, and some are even skeptical that these perpetrators are capable of change. There is a need for a new, more-in-depth approach to the study of change in intimate partner violence. To get a better picture of change, this research study breaks with the prevailing quantitative approach focused on recidivism, and returns to a qualitative, grounded-theory approach focused …

Confronting The Unknown: Mothers’ Reactions, Challenges, And Ways Of Coping With A Child's Diagnosis Of Long Qt Syndrome, Twain Gonzales

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a life-threatening inherited cardiac condition. It is caused by a disturbance in the ion channel genes that control cardiac repolarization, resulting in ventricular arrhythmias that can lead to syncope, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), or sudden cardiac death (SCD). Most deaths occur in children, adolescents, and young adults. Although congenital LQTS occurs in 1/3000 to 1/5000 individuals, to date, little research has been conducted on the psychosocial effects of LQTS. Mothers who are confronted with a new diagnosis of their children’s LQTS are likely to have never heard of the disease prior to diagnosis, and few …

Does Alcoholics Anonymous Participation Decrease Learned Helplessness And Increase Self-Efficacy? , Philip John Pellegrino

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has long been the major treatment of choice in the United States for individuals with alcohol related problems. Research on AA has had methodological problems and there is no clear evidence that AA in and of itself is effective in treating alcohol problems. Treatment studies on alcohol and substance users have found that abstinence self-efficacy and approach coping skills have been related to improved drinking outcomes. Also, depression and alcohol problems have been shown to be highly correlated with each other. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between participation in AA and improvements in abstinence self-efficacy, learned …

Teachers' Understanding Of Components Of Response To Intervention (Rti) In Pennsylvania, Gabrielle Wilcox

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Since recent regulations allow the use of response to intervention (RTI) for specific learning disability determination, many districts have implemented RTI. This study surveyed a stratified random sample of 2,000 teachers in Pennsylvania with 141 usable responses. The purpose of this study was to ascertain teacher understanding of components of RTI in districts using and not using RTI and to determine if district implementation procedures impacted perceived effectiveness. Overall, the groups were similar in understanding and perceived importance of RTI components; however, there were small but notable differences. Respondents with higher levels of perceived effectiveness indicated greater support from a …

The Psychometric Properties Of The Mahan And Ditomasso Anger Scale (Mad-As) And Its Relationship To Cognitive Distortions And Attitudes Among Adults Who Experience Symptoms Of Anger, Dorothy Latella-Zakhireh

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The influence of cognitive schema on negative emotions such as depression and anger has been investigated in a number of prior studies. This study sought to assess the relationship between anger and various components of anger with cognitive distortions, and dysfunctional attitudes in a nonclinical sample. Subjects were 128 adult males and females who completed several measures related to anger and cognitive distortions. The measures were the Mahan and DiTomasso Anger Scale (MAD-AS), the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions (ICD), and the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS). It was hypothesized that cognitive distortions including depressogenic cognitions, as reflected in various subscales of …

An Investigation Of The Knowledge And Beliefs Held By Teachers And Parents In A Parochial School System Regarding Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And The Variables That Predict Their Knowledge, Kendra-Lee Yvonne Pearman

Dissertations

Problem

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent childhood disorders affecting 3 to 5% of school populations in the United States and other countries. Due to the behavioral and/or academic challenges of children with ADHD, they are at risk for grade retention, dropping out of high school, and teenage delinquency, which can lead to negative consequences in society. Children with ADHD are found in every school setting, including parochial schools. Past studies have found teachers and parents have inadequate knowledge about ADHD, which can negatively affect these children. This study investigated what teachers and parents of children in …

Homeschoolers' Perspectives On Homeschooling , Olivia Carson

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

No abstract provided.

Self-Perception And Faith Maturity , Ryan Dale Thompson

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

No abstract provided.

The Phenomenology Of Self -Injurious Behavior, William Hosmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Self-injurious behavior (SIB; e.g., wrist-cutting, burning) is a pervasive coping phenomenon that may be indicative of dysfunctional affect regulation and complex developmental trauma. Previous research findings identify the incidence rate of SIB to be approximately 10% to 15% of the general population with 5% to 10% of those engaging in repetitive or recurring SIB. Other sources identify approximately 2 million individuals active in this behavior within the United States; 70% of those individuals are female. However, limited research has used internet technology as a data gathering tool to access individuals who have engaged in SIB and are apprehensive to participate …

Spiritual And Religious Diversity: Implications For Counselor Education Programs, Sharon R. Gough

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVC) identifies 9 core competencies for integrating spirituality/religion into practice. Previous research indicates that some mental health professionals have experienced discomfort when considering the balance between religious ideology (RI) and scientific orientation (SO) in their practice. However, no research exists assessing this potential for cognitive dissonance among mental health professionals nor has there been a test of the relative influence of RI/SO on approval of ASERVC competency integration into counselor training. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was first to assess RI/SO cognitive dissonance and, second, to test RI/SO …

Locus Of Control And Adjustment To Vision Loss Among People With Age Related Macular Degeneration, Delinda Stinnette

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

People aged 65 and older account for 12.8% of the population and for 30% of all visually impaired individuals. Age-related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) has been identified as a significant public health issue, with a potential 8 million Americans at risk. While the literature supports a connection between LOC and adaptation to ARMD, there is a gap in the current literature supporting this relationship even when other factors are controlled (i.e. age, sex, education, type of ARMD, when diagnosed, the use of medical treatments, the use of visual assistance devices, participant engagement in rehabilitation, and depression). The present survey study used …

Apolipoprotein Status And Cognitive Functioning In Adulthood: Role Of Physical Health And Social Network Characteristics, Jennifer Lee Silva

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the relationships among cognitive function, physical health, social network characteristics, and apolipoprotein (APOE) genotype in participants from the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study. Prior literature has shown that the ε4 allele of APOE is associated with cognitive deficits (Wisdom, Callahan, & Hawkins, 2009). This study failed to find any relation between APOE genotype (ε4 carrier vs. non-carrier) and cognitive ability after controlling for age and education level. Tests for physical health mediation and social network moderation did not alter the ε4/cognition null results. This finding conflicts with prior research suggesting that physical activity and health modify the association …

Predicting Performance On High Stakes Testing: Validity And Accuracy Of Curriculum-Based Measurement Of Reading And Writing, Marie Young Henderson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the current investigation was to determine which curriculum-based measures of written expression demonstrated adequate technical characteristics and provided useful information towards predicting performance on a state-standardized assessment. Data collected from 124 third grade students was used for the study. Curriculum-based measures of reading and writing collected three times within the school year were utilized as the independent variables for predicting the dependent variables. Writing samples were scored using 9 indices of writing. Results from a state standardized assessment (iLEAP) were used as the dependent variables. The study found reliability coefficients for writing indices to be consistent with …

Analysis Of Progessive Lag Reinforcement Schedules And Environmental Cues On Verbal Response Variability, Brian Esteve

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of progressive lag reinforcement schedules to increase novel and appropriate verbal responses to academic skills for three children with language delays. The effect of visual cues on verbal responses was evaluated in conjunction with progressive lag reinforcement schedules using a multiple baseline with an embedded alternating treatments design. Basic research utilizing lag reinforcement schedules have shown to increase variable behavior in both animal and human participants; however, little research has been conducted to evaluate lag reinforcement schedules in applied settings. The results of this study preliminarily indicate that progressive lag reinforcement schedules are an effective …