Psychology Commons^™

Evaluating The Effects Of A Job-Aid For Teaching Visual Inspection Skills To University Students, Candice M. Jostad

Dissertations

Visual inspection is the primary method of data analysis used in behavior analysis. Thus, it is important that behavior analysts have the skills necessary for accurate visual inspection. Research has shown that visual inspection can sometimes be unreliable, which has broad implications for the evaluation of treatment effects using this method. Traditional lectures have been shown to be ineffective in teaching visual inspection skills to a satisfactory level, although improvements in visual inspection have been accomplished using statistical methods and aids such as celeration lines superimposed on graphs. However, these methods are not effective when the aids are removed and …

The Relationship Between Spirituality And Personality, Kimberly C. Koessel

Dissertations

Current literature is lacking a theoretical framework for understanding spirituality within the context of psychological functioning. Despite empirical support for the potential psychological benefits of spirituality, conceptual differences underlying definitions and measurements of spirituality have impeded theory development. Additionally, very few studies have explored spirituality from a secular perspective. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the relationship between spirituality and personality within a population of undergraduate and graduate students. This research obtains sample data through a demographic questionnaire, a measure of humanistic spirituality, and an inventory of normal personality. Quantitative statistical analyses are employed to explore a variety …

Psychometric Properties Of Diagnostic Assessment Instrumentsfor Autism Spectrum Disorders In A Community Sample Aged 2 Through 17 Years, Sheryl Lozowski-Sullivan

Dissertations

Recent estimates of the incidence and prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) indicate substantial increases over the past 20 years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009; Fombonne, 2009; Matson & Kozlowski, 2011; Schreibman & Koegel, 2005; Wing & Porter, 2002), in part because of the availability of significantly improved diagnostic assessment instruments (Lord & Corsello, 2005; Schreibman, 2005). In highly structured research settings, some of these diagnostic instruments correlate well with each other; however, few studies have examined the relation between these diagnostic tools in traditional clinical practice (Mazefsky & Oswald, 2006; South et al, 2002). This study examined …

The Effects Of Yellow Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacons (Rrfbs) Onmotorists' Yielding, Exit Lane Encroachment And Conflicts At Fire Station Exits, Erick K. Marmolejo

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to explore the extent to which yellow rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) affected motorists' yielding, exit-lane encroachment and conflicts at fire station exits. This study explored the use of RRFBs attached to sign prompts that alerted motorists to the presence of exiting emergency vehicles. These signs were activated only during an exit event. It was hypothesized that motorists would increase their frequency of safe and legal yielding in the presence of the RRFB intervention when compared to the absence of contextually activated RRFB units. This study was conducted in a midwestern town in front …

Understanding The Dimensions Of Spirituality In Caucasian Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual College Students, Michele L. Mcgrady

Dissertations

Spiritual development is a critical task for college students, but there is a paucity of information about how college students understand the construct of spirituality. Historically, organized religion has been oppressive to the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) community. Furthermore, little is known about the spiritual understandings and spiritual experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual college students. This quantitative investigation sought to understand the underlying dimensions of spirituality for Caucasian LGB college students through the use of multidimensional scaling. Sixty Caucasian LGB college students were recruited through purposeful and snowball sampling. Findings indicate three dimensions of spirituality for this sample: …

African American Experiences Of Race Relations In The Supervision Dyad, Brandi L. Pritchett-Johnson

Dissertations

Everything we do is embedded within multiple contexts of collective and individual historical events that culminate in present day encounters. As an increasing number of racial minorities have entered the ranks as mental health practitioners, the configuration of the treatment and the supervision dyad has changed (Owens-Patterson, 2002). The fundamental aim of this study explored, captured, and described the supervision experience from the nuanced perspective of African American supervisors. A qualitative approach was employed using in-depth interviews to capture the complexity of race relations within the supervision dyad through an African Centered framework, aiding in our understanding of supervised training …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of A Large Corporate Leadership Development Course, Anna A. Rice

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a leadership development course for the top 100 leaders of a Fortune 500™ company using Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation and the Success Case Method. Participants' satisfaction with the training was measured through a survey given upon completion of the course and it was determined that participants were satisfied with the training. Knowledge gains as a result of training were also measured and participants' knowledge significantly increased after training. Participant behavior change due to training was discovered using the Success Case Method. Participants' top four changes in behavior that …

Short-Term Nicotine Abstinence And Decision Making, Gabriel D. Searcy

Dissertations

Research has shown that acute drug administration may affect impulsivity (i.e., choice for small, immediate rewards over large, delayed rewards) on laboratory delay-discounting tasks. Few studies have investigated how drug abstinence affects impulsivity. Investigating how drug abstinence affects impulsivity may be relevant to preventing relapse. Two previous studies have investigated the effects of short-term nicotine abstinence on impulsivity using delay-discounting tasks. The results were mixed, one study suggested that choices became more impulsive (i.e., delayed money was devalued) under nicotine deprivation. One goal of the present research was to further investigate how nicotine deprivation affects delay-discounting for money rewards. In …

Dosed Versus Prolonged Exposures: A Direct Comparison Of One-Session Treatments For Animal Phobias, Richard William Seim

Dissertations

It is widely accepted that for exposure-based therapies to be effective feareliciting stimuli must be presented continuously until there is a marked decrease in the client's anxiety (e.g., Eysenck, 1979; Foa & Kozak, 1986). However, an emerging body of research (cf. Seim, Waller, & Spates, 2010) suggests that a massed series of very brief exposures (< 150 sec) may be effective in the extinction of fear responses. The present study was designed to compare the efficacy and acceptability of two one-session treatments for animal phobias: one that utilized continuous, uninterrupted periods of exposure to a feared animal (Prolonged Exposures) and the other that utilized a massed series of brief (5-120 sec) exposure trials (Dosed Exposures). 24 adults (7 males, 17 females) between the ages of 18 and 57 years (M = 23.6) participated in this study. Each individual met DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of snake phobia or spider phobia. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two the two interventions. Both treatments required participants to gradually enter a room, approach, and eventually hold a live ball python or tarantula. Results from mixed model (between x within subjects) analyses of variance showed that the Dosed Exposure treatment performed equally well to Prolonged Exposures at decreasing behavioral avoidance, feelings of anxiety, perceptions of threat, and phobiaspecific cognitions from pre-treatment to post-treatment, and these gains were maintained at one-week follow-up. Although participants receiving Prolonged Exposures reported lower ratings of within-session anxiety, participants in the Dosed Exposure group had lower rates of treatment dropout, better compliance with procedures, and fewer safety-seeking behaviors during the treatment. These findings suggest that, contrary to popular belief, brief exposure trials can be effective in the extinction of phobic responses under certain conditions.

Soviet Holocaust Survivors: An Ethnographic Study, Marina Shafran

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to help understand the lives, worldview, and meaning making of Soviet Holocaust survivors currently residing in the United States. Ethnographic interviews were conducted to explore survivor's childhood, family life, religion, political views, work, and social life. These areas were examined during the following time periods: pre-WWII, during WWII, and post-WWII.

From the collected and analyzed data I was able to offer an insight into the experiences of five Soviet Holocaust survivors under the Soviet regime. I described the struggles that the survivors experienced during the Holocaust, the losses they had suffered, and the …

Examination Of Anxiety And Substance Use Symptoms In Trauma Exposed Versus Environmentally Stressed College Students, Theresa M. Souza

Dissertations

Anxiety is a common problem among the college population, which rarely occurs in isolation. Oftentimes, an individual abuses substances in an attempt to eliminate the short term affect of these conditions. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is the most persistent and severe type of anxiety disorder. It has been a long-standing belief within the psychological community that in order for PTSD to develop, the individual must first experience a traumatic event which meets certain criteria and must evidence a definable emotional response during the event. A recent study found PTSD in individuals who had not experienced the type of trauma …

Social Justice Advocacy And Counselor Education: A Study Of Counselor Educators' And Counseling Interns' Perceptions Of Social Justice Advocacy Training, Darryl C. Steele

Dissertations

Social justice and advocacy have become increasingly important topics in counselor training. The 2001 Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) training standards require counselor education programs to provide studies in social justice and advocacy processes. Moreover, 2009 CACREP standards stipulate that accredited programs must provide advocacy training specific to each specialty area. The American Counseling Association (ACA) adopted advocacy competencies, in part, to guide this training (Goodman, 2009; Lewis, Arnold, House, & Toporek, 2003). Despite training standards and frameworks such as the ACA Advocacy Competencies to help prepare students for advocacy, few studies have explored …

Assessing The Effects Of A Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon On Vehicle Speeds Along A Four-Lane Divided Highway, Michelle Van Wagner

Dissertations

In 2008, nearly 31% of vehicle fatalities were related to failure to adhere to safe vehicle speeds (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2009). Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of a Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon (RRFB) triggered by excessive speed on vehicle speed using a combined alternating treatments and reversal design. Experiment 1 assessed the RRFB's impact on speeds as compared to baseline conditions only. Experiment 2 compared the RRFB to two standard beacon configurations. Both experiments were conducted at the same site during approximately the same time period and both employed the same data collection methodology. The …

Counselor Trainees' Experience Of Analyzing Their Counseling Sessions During A Master's-Level Practicum, Abbie Vanderwege

Dissertations

One of the central goals of counselor training is to promote and ensure competence in novice counselors (Krasner, Howard, & Brown, 1998), and effective performance of counseling skills is a key source of competence for counselor trainees (Falender & Shafrankse, 2007). Previous research has separately addressed the advantages of skills-based training (e.g., Buser, 2008; Crews et al., 2005; Urbani et al, 2002); factors associated with counseling self-efficacy (e.g., Larson, 1998; Larson & Daniels, 1998); the Integrated Developmental Model (Stoltenberg, McNeill, & Delworth, 1998) of counselor development; and video review in counselor training (e.g., Pelling & Renard, 1999; Scaife, 2001). None …

Exploring The Experiences Of Living With A Controversial Illness In Patients With Fibromyalgia, Samantha L. Wheeler

Dissertations

Fibromyalgia is an illness of great controversy estimated to affect approximately 4% of the US population. There are no widely accepted etiological causes or clear physiological explanations of fibromyalgia. Only a few research studies have addressed the concept of illness uncertainty in patients with fibromyalgia. There are no current studies that examine how fibromyalgia patients experience, perceive, and understand their illness in terms of having a syndrome with an unknown etiology.

This qualitative study, using phenomenological methods, explored the concept of unknown etiology as one factor in illness uncertainty. Ten participants, diagnosed with fibromyalgia from 2-15 years were interviewed. The …

Effectiveness Of A Motivational Enhancement Group Treatment In A Community Treatment Program With A Substance Abusing Population, Matthew S. Willerick

Dissertations

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a directive, client-centered intervention to elicit behavior change by assisting clients in the exploration and resolution of ambivalence toward change. MI-inspired approaches have been used in an attempt to facilitate change in a wide variety of domains including alcohol and drug abuse, safe water handling practices, dual diagnoses, gambling, spousal abuse, health related areas, mood and anxiety disorders, and parental engagement. MI seeks to resolve ambivalence in the direction of change by increasing the client's self-efficacy. This is accomplished by combining clientcentered (e.g., reflective listening) and directive strategies (e.g., attending selectively to change statements). The origins …

The Experiences Of Married International Graduate Students And Their Accompanying Non-Student Spouses In The Us Culture: A Qualitative Study, Adriana Yellig

Dissertations

Many studies document the experiences of single international students in the U.S. culture. However, little is known about the experiences of married international students, their marital relationships, and the experiences of their accompanying nonstudent spouses in the U.S. culture.

This qualitative phenomenological study focused on the experiences of married international graduate students and their accompanying spouses in the U.S. culture. Additionally, the study explored the impact of cultural influences on the participants' marital relationships, as well as the impact of marriage on their adjustment to the culture.

The study included twenty participants (ten couples) from a range of countries, most …

Familial Factors And Attachment Styles Of Male And Female Adult Children Of Alcoholics, Kristina M. Decker

Masters Theses

In the United States, alcohol use disorders represent some of the most prevalent mental health disorders. Research has begun to explore parental alcoholism and its impact on children and families. The present study sought to examine the relationship between parental alcoholism and adult attachment styles in adult children of alcoholics (A CO As), as well as the relationship with several familial factors such as gender of the alcoholabusing parent, family cohesion, family satisfaction, parent-child attachment, physical abuse, and verbal abuse. A sample of 223 college students completed a series of measures on parental alcoholism, family cohesion, family satisfaction, parent-child attachment, …

Knowing Whose [Sic] Calling: Telephone Telepathy, Clint Harvey

Masters Theses

This study focuses on the possible role of mental telepathy in perceiving the identity of telephone callers before the caller is known through the normal senses. Many people report that this phenomenon occurs frequently in their day-to-day lives prompting controlled laboratory experimentation. The data was collected during the summer of 2010. One of the most important goals in determining the existence of mental telepathy involves the replication of different modes of research in different laboratory settings. This research attempts to replicate data Rupert Sheldrake collected during the beginning part of this century, in which he reported significant findings from studies …

Submissive And Dominant Sexual Cognitions Of College Women With A History Of Sexual Abuse, Jisun Kelly Park

Masters Theses

The study investigated the effect of timing of sexual abuse on sexual cognitions of submission and dominance. Female college students completed questionnaires containing reports of history of sexual abuse, sex guilt, social desirability, and sexual cognitions. The results show that the childhood and the adulthood abused group have more frequent positive sexual cognitions, more frequent arousal to sexual cognitions, and higher intensity of sexual arousal to these sexual cognitions. The frequency of overall cognitions was the most significant predictor in predicting all submission and dominance sexual cognitions variables. This study while replicating previous findings that survivors of sexual abuse tend …

Behavioral Risk Factors Of Non-Suicidal Self-Injurious Behavior In A Community Sample Of Adolescents, Sarah Ritter

Masters Theses

This study examined group differences of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents on four behavioral risk factors: risk behaviors, peer victimization, substance use, and weight related behaviors. It was hypothesized that adolescents who engaged in NSSI within the past year would endorse more risk behaviors than adolescents who did not engage in NSSI. It was further hypothesized that the higher the frequency with which an adolescent engaged in NSSI, the more risk factors they would report. Frequency was divided into three groups: "more frequently" (6 + times in the past year), "less frequently" (1-5 times in the past year) and "no …

Finding The Path Within The "Ego Tunnel": A Buddhist Approach To Tackling The Problems Of A Western Self, Bryan James Hinman

Masters Theses

If many of the problems associated with a Western sense of self stem from its penchant for distorting reality, it follows that to free ourselves from its grasp we would need to implement an alternative way to view our experience accurately, such as that described in the Buddhist doctrine of no-self. The dangers of becoming attached to the Western self are outlined, as well as the means of transcending them through accurate self-assessments gained from insights of no-self. In addition, considerable research is reviewed that supports this idea by suggesting that Western constructs similar to no-self, like the "quiet" ego, …

Relationship Between Indirect Aggression And Social Anxiety In A College Sample, Jennifer A. Kusy

Masters Theses

Indirect aggression, a nonphysical form of aggression, has received increased attention in research because of the manipulative nature of the act. While it usually occurs during the preadolescent and adolescent years, research has started to examine its effects in young adult and adult populations. This study examined the link between indirect aggression and social anxiety and social avoidance in a sample of college students. Four distinct groups of aggressors were identified (perpetrator, victim, both, neither), with the majority of students indicating they have had no experience with indirect aggression. Results indicated that those who experienced indirect aggression in some form …

Effects Of Statewide Training On Functional Behavioral Assessment (Fba) Knowledge, Kendra L. Brading

Masters Theses

Positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) is a 3-tiered approach to eliminating problem behaviors by replacing them with appropriate behaviors. PBIS implementation differs depending on the tier. Implementation at Tier 1 focuses on school-wide prevention of problem behaviors. Tier 2 involves diminishing current problem behavior cases at the classroom-level. In Tier 3, a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is conducted, which evaluates the problem behaviors and determines antecedents and consequences of the behaviors so that an intervention can be planned. Training educators to conduct FBAs is linked to appropriately and accurately implementing FBAs. This study examined pre and posttest scores to …

Children's Emotion Regulation And Social Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety, And Depressive Symptoms, Monica Renee Karsai

Masters Theses

Emotion regulation is necessary for a child to adapt to and function well in the environment. Problems in child emotion regulation have been linked with numerous negative outcomes. This paper reviews the current literature linking child social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and depression to emotion regulation. In addition, the relationship between parent symptomatology and child emotion regulation is discussed. A mediated model that examines the association between maternal social anxiety and the three symptom clusters (i.e., social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and depressive symptoms), with child emotion regulation as a mediator, was tested. Contrary to the hypotheses, child emotion regulation did not …

Do You "Like" Your Body?: The Effect Of Facebook Investment On Self-Objectification, Body Shame, And Disordered Eating, Chandra Feltman

Masters Theses

The model derived from objectification theory proposing that body shame mediates the relationship between self-objectification and disordered eating has been empirically supported in numerous past studies. The present study extended the research on objectification theory by first examining this model in a sample of 71 female undergraduates and then investigating what effect Facebook investment had on the study's variables. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing selfobjectification, body shame, disordered eating symptoms, and Facebook investment. Results demonstrated that body shame fully mediated the relationship between selfobjectification and disordered eating. Analyses also revealed Facebook investment to be a significant predictor of self-objectification in …

Panic!: Anxiety Sensitivity, Perceived Stress, And Social Support As Predictors Of Uncued Panic Attacks In College Students, Julie Lynn Kaspar

Masters Theses

Uncued panic attacks are prevalent in the college student population. In the current study, anxiety sensitivity, perceived stress, and social support were explored as predictors of uncued panic frequency. Additionally, family support and close friend support were compared. A sample of 117 college students from Eastern Illinois University were assessed using an online survey that included a one-item uncued panic frequency measure, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale-College Version (College CASSS). Results indicated that all three predictors were significant when tested independently. When placed in a hierarchical regression, …

Role Of Exercise On Psychological Health Of College Students, Shannon L. Goering

Masters Theses

Campus recreation centers have been gradually developing within the past decade to not only serve as recruitment tools for perspective students, but to promote better physical health in college students. Also throughout recent years, researchers have linked participation in physical activity to improved mental health. Targeting the college-aged population, the present study examined the relationship between physical activity and psychological well-being in college students, specifically those who use the student recreation center (SRC) on campus. A sample of 210 university students completed various measures to assess overall psychological well-being (i.e., level of mood, selfesteem, stress, & life satisfaction) and regular …

Perceptions Of Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Treatment Acceptability: Cultural Trends, Sarah Girresch

Masters Theses

A survey study, usmg a convenience sample, was conducted to assess relationships between adult perceptions of childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and treatment acceptability. Trends in perceptions about ADHD were also examined among African Americans, European Americans, and Hispanics. Ninety (90) participants completed questionnaires developed by the authors that evaluated beliefs about the etiology of ADHD, sources of information used to learn about ADHD, perceptions of stigma associated with ADHD, trust in the system, and attitudes about treatments. Participants overwhelmingly expressed a neutral perspective regarding ADHD-related perceptions. However, beliefs about etiology, endorsement of nonprofessional information sources, and trust in the system …

The Experiences Of Indigenous Australian Psychologists And Higher Education, Shaun Cameron

Theses : Honours

Disparities exist between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians on indicators of life expectancy, alcohol and drug use, adult and juvenile incarceration, and rates of hospitalisation for self-harm, suicide, and mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2008; Commonwealth of Australia, 2011). Psychology is a discipline that can assist in remedying these issues, yet disparities are evident in Indigenous participation in higher education generally, as well as within tertiary psychology education specifically (Jones, Dudgeon, & Kelly, 2010). Ten Indigenous Australian psychologists were interviewed to investigate possible barriers and enablers for Indigenous students studying psychology. Hermeneutic …