Psychology Commons^™

Do Funerals Matter? The Purposes And Practices Of Death Rituals In Global Perspective (Book Review), Kristina M. Kays

Faculty Publications - Psychology Department

Reviews the book, "Do Funerals Matter? The Purposes and Practices of DeathRituals in Global Perspective" by William G. Hoy (see record 2013-10676-000). The purpose of this book, “is to assist in acknowledging the need for those [funeral] rites and understanding them” (p. 3). In the 10 chapters in this 208-page text, Hoy examines such topics as funeral practice history, common symbols, value of community, rituals and heritage, inclusion of the physical body in ceremonies, trends in funeral practices and businesses, and clinical values of funeral practices. Hoy’s book offers a brief history of funeral rituals and traditions, with greatest emphasis …

Interdisciplinary Psychology And Law Training In Family And Child Mediation: An Empirical Study Of The Effects On Law Student Mediators, Amy Applegate, Amy Holtzworth-Munroe, Brittany N. Rudd, Ann Freeman, Brian D'Onofrio

Articles by Maurer Faculty

There is growing interest in interdisciplinary training programs for law students. The goal of these programs is to prepare law students for the real world interdisciplinary settings they will face in their careers. However, there exists little research to provide evidence of the utility of such training. This study examined the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary psychology and law training program on law students using a multi-method approach (i.e., knowledge tests and focus group discussion). Findings suggest that interdisciplinary training of law students increased law students’ knowledge of law and psychology, was enjoyed by law students, and had a beneficial impact …

Assessing Intern Impact Factors For Program Evaluation And Improvement, John Brady, Randy T. Busse, Jeanne Anne Carriere, Michael Hass, Kelly S. Kennedy

Education Faculty Articles and Research

We present the results of a program evaluation system for examining school psychology interns' impact on the academic and behavioral functioning of children. Outcome data from a variety of single-case problem-solving interventions conducted from 2008-2012 indicated overall moderate, positive effects. Global supervisor ratings indicated strong perceptions of the interns' positive impact on the children they served.

Evaluation Of Using An Interrupted Behavior Chain Procedure To Teach Mands To Children With Autism, Blair Nichole Jacobsen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Interrupted behavior chain procedures have been shown to be an effective way to teach individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism to mand for missing objects and information concerning missing objects. Research has shown that an interrupted behavior chain procedure is more effective than traditional mand teach trials, which occur at the onset of a behavior chain or in a massed trial format. However, there is a lack of research evaluating the use of interrupted behavior chain procedures to teach vocal mands for missing items and the possible generalization effects thereof. This study evaluated the acquisition of vocal mands for …

The Use Of Video Modeling Plus Video Feedback To Improve Boxing Skills, Charlsey Elizabeth Reynolds

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Video modeling and video feedback are behavioral procedures that have been shown to increase skill acquisition over time in a variety of environments. This study investigated the use of a video modeling and video feedback procedure, via a multiple baseline design to enhance skill acquisition in boxing. This study also incorporated multiple dimensions of analysis by including data based not only on a percentage of performance with a task analysis, but also the duration of each particular target behavior. The target behaviors for the study included three different boxing combinations, which were operationally defined based on component steps via …

Evaluating And Controlling For Reactivity Following Supervisor Training And Feedback, Nicole Minard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated self-monitoring and feedback procedures with preschool teachers and reactivity that occurred in a preschool classroom due to a supervisors' presence. Preschool teachers' positive interactions following the implementation of a self-monitoring and feedback procedure only slightly increased without the presence of a supervisor. Reactivity was identified with the presence of the supervisor as accurate reporting increased most in the supervisor's presence. Following the identification of reactivity, positive interactions remained at high levels during the reactivity control and maintenance conditions.

Exploring The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Everyday Cognitive Function In Older Adults: Within- And Between- Person Variability, Christine Haley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that physical activity may play a role in preserving cognitive function in older adulthood. However, the exact nature, direction, and magnitude of observed associations remain unclear. The current study utilized a microlongitudinal design to repeatedly assess cognitive function and physical activity across five days. Two studies examined relationships between physical activity, physical fitness, and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults. The first study examined associations between baseline performance in a measure of everyday cognition and multiple measures of physical activity and physical fitness. Bivariate analyses revealed that objectively measured physical activity of moderate-to-vigorous intensity, repeated chair stand time …

Comparison Of Acquisition Rates And Child Preference For Varying Amounts Of Teacher Directedness When Teaching Intraverbals, Victoria Lynn Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The intraverbal is argued to be the most socially significant verbal operant and yet it is the least studied. Heal and Hanley (2011) suggest that different teaching strategies will lead to different rates of acquisition and child-preference with the tacting operant. This study continued this research into the realm of intraverbals, with focus on whether the embedded teaching strategy could be punishing on play or engaging in learning opportunities. The teaching strategies of discovery teaching, embedded prompting, and direct teaching were compared to see which strategy correlated with higher rates of acquisition and higher child preference. The study utilized a …

Emerging Adults : Analysis Of Learning Patterns In Collegiate Classrooms, Joan Ann Swanson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Emerging adults, who are transitioning from adolescence to adulthood, often spend a significant amount of time on college campuses preparing for their future endeavors. Today's educator is facing many options for addressing the educational needs of their students, as well as a myriad of learning resources and tremendous advances in technology. Their emerging adult students are dealing with multiple distractions, adjustments and transitions. This study examined preferred emerging adult learning styles in light of an information processing framework using grounded theory qualitative analysis. The study also explored students' reported preferences for optimal learning experiences and engagement within the collegiate classroom, …

The Relationship Between Preterm Birth, Temperament, And Psychopathology, Renata Vaysman

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The survival rates of preterm children have improved dramatically since the advent of new technologies and medical treatments. However, the long term behavioral implications of preterm birth are still being investigated. The current study sought to explore the relationships between birth status (preterm or full term), temperament, and psychopathology. A sample of preterm children and their parents, as well as a sample of age-matched controls and their parents, were recruited for participation in this study. The former group was recruited for participation through a local hospital while the latter group was recruited through flyer distributions in several local school districts. …

School Psychologists' Awareness, Involvement, And Perceptions In Servicing Gifted Learners, Monica Pires

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

School psychologists are comprehensive service providers asked to help with all students in assessing their needs, providing intervention strategies, and consulting with others. However, the role of school psychologists in gifted education is unclear, as more attention is given to students perceived to be disadvantaged. This underserved population experiences a wide-range of challenges that can be assisted by school psychologists (Brown, 1982; E.L. Robinson, 2002). To date, there has been no study to investigate school psychologists' awareness, perceptions, and involvement in gifted education. This study assessed potential service delivery differences in gifted education, examined current practices and awareness of related …

Participation In Immersion Weight Loss Treatment May Benefit, Not Harm, Young Adult Staff Members, Katherine Elizabeth Schaumberg

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

American teens and young adults are at risk for developing pathological eating patterns, which can lead to eating disorders and obesity. Despite the success of weight management programs for obese individuals, some researchers caution that participation in an aggressive approach to weight management could promote the development of eating disorders. The current study evaluated the risks of following a weight management program for healthy young adults who served as staff members in immersion treatment of obesity over the course of a summer. Participants included Wellspring staff members (n = 108) along with a comparison group of young adults with similar …

Exploring The Impact Of Behaviorally Enacted Vs. Imaginal Delivery Of An Acceptance-Based Metaphor On Acute Panicogenic Distress In Acceptance And Commitment Therapy : A Comparative Evaluation, Kristin N. Herzberg

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Metaphors, or indirect and less literal forms of communication in the therapeutic setting, can be powerful and clinically impactful components of psychosocial interventions. Metaphors are widely used in therapeutic practice, and rest at the core of newer third generation behavior therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl & Wilson, 2011). Yet, to date, systematic empirical evaluations of the effectiveness of metaphor in the treatment of anxiety disorders and other forms of psychopathology have been largely ignored. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the impact of an ACT-relevant metaphor on acute panicogenic distress (i.e., panic-like symptoms). Specifically, …

Mechanisms Of Change In Acceptance And Commitment Therapy : The Role Of Self-Compassion, Mindfulness, And Anxiety Sensitivity In Simple And Multiple Mediation, Amanda Russo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Much of psychotherapy research over the past few decades has focused explicitly on outcomes and neglected examining mediators or mechanisms of change. Not surprisingly, an abundance of outcome research focuses on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Nevertheless, very few studies have examined ACT processes in formal mediation analyses. Three potential mediators of outcomes in ACT include self-compassion, mindfulness, and anxiety sensitivity. The current experiment extends an original evaluation of the effectiveness of two self-help workbooks (traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy--CBT--and ACT) for the treatment of anxious suffering in a randomized clinical trial, examining potential simple and multiple mediators responsible for the …

Predictors Of Burnout And Vigor Among Clinical And Counseling Psychology Doctoral Students, Brett Swords

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Work-related burnout, although connected to many negative outcomes (Kahill, 1988), has not been thoroughly studied in the graduate student population. The goal of the present study was to examine burnout and vigor among clinical and counseling psychology doctoral students. Based on conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll & Freedy, 1993; Hobfoll & Shirom, 2001), five variables were selected as predictors of burnout and vigor: two types of general work-related stress (i.e., pressure and threat; Stanton et al., 2001), the supervisory working alliance, financial strain, and conflict with others in the workplace. Seven hypotheses were tested about the expected relation between burnout …

The Automaticity Of Emotion V. Emotion-Laden Word Processing : Findings From Unmasked And Masked Priming Approaches, Stephanie Ann Kazanas

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

A lexical decision task (LDT) was used to determine if there are differences between emotion word types when they are processed, both explicitly (Experiment 1) and implicitly (Experiment 2). For example, prime-target word pairs contained either emotion (e.g., love, fear, anxious) or emotion-laden (e.g., puppy, chocolate, hospital) words. Previous experiments within this area of research have investigated how emotionality, concreteness, and abstractness affect word processing (Altarriba & Bauer, 2004; Altarriba, Bauer, & Benvenuto, 1999). As Bleasdale (1987) first argued, abstract words were, in many ways, different from concrete words. Research has continued along this vein, confirming that emotion words are …

The Degree Of Conation On Neuropsychological Tests Does Not Account For Performance Invalidity Among Litigants, Graham Michael Silk-Eglit

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Conation has been defined as the ability to focus and maintain intellectual energy over time. Prior research has shown that conation contributes to the magnitude of differences in test scores among brain-damaged and nonbrain-damaged examinees. The purpose of the current investigation was to determine if conation might similarly account for differences in test scores among performance valid and performance invalid examinees. An archival analysis was therefore carried out on 52 examinees administered the Halstead Reitan Neuropsychological Battery (HRNB) and several Performance Validity Tests (PVTs) in a medico-legal context. Analyses revealed that conation had no impact on the magnitude of test …

Workplace Gossip As A Way Of Coping With Occupational Stress, Urszula Kakar Maria

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between workplace gossip and occupation stress. Gossip has been recognized as a ubiquitous and influential, yet seriously under researched phenomenon in the workplace. It has been acknowledged that research on workplace gossip is of great value because it constitutes a big part of organizational communication, it serves important functions, and it has serious consequences for members and organization itself. The small number of studies may be in part explained by the lack of agreement among researchers on the definition of gossip.

Developing A Typology Of Juvenile Sex Offenders, Creaig Anthony Dunton

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Understanding juvenile sex offenders is of the utmost importance in order to ensure effective treatment and reduce recidivism. A more thorough recognition of this population is the best option in preventing future offending, because most adult sex offenders began their criminal careers in adolescence. Extant typologies of this population have been limited to be only descriptive or not empirically verified and thus of limited use. Hierarchical cluster analysis is used to develop a taxonomy based upon the content of case files from two juvenile treatment programs, based upon demographic information, offense details, psychological and behavioral issues, and participation in treatment. …

Target Uncertainty Does Not Lead To Greater Singleton Distractor Interference When Target Shapes Are Not Interchangeable With Nontarget Shapes, Jacquelyn Berry

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Visual search research investigates whether attentional capture is driven by topdown processes, that is, experimental goals and directives, or by bottom-up processes, that is, the properties of the items within a search display. Some research has demonstrated that participants cannot avoid attending to a task-irrelevant salient item,such as a singleton distractor, even when the identity of the target item is known.Research has also shown that repeating the target feature across successive search displays will prime the visual pop out effect for a unique target (Priming of Pop Out). However, other research has shown that participants can strategically guide their attention …

Exploring U.S. Imperialist Influences On Bicultural Koreans' Identity Negotiation : A Critical Theory Study, Minsun Lee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Bicultural identity has traditionally been studied in a contextual vacuum, with little attention to how asymmetrical power dynamics between two cultures influence the negotiation of a bicultural identity. This critical theory study used a focus group and follow-up individual interviews to illuminate how five adult bicultural Koreans residing in the U.S. negotiate their sociocultural identities within the context of U.S. imperialist influences. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (Smith & Osborn, 2008) and methods drawn from feminist research (Anderson & Jack, 1991) were employed to analyze the data.

The Acquired Preparedness Model And Impulsivity Moderated Expectancies : Examining Predictors Of Marijuana Use, Jamie Rae Bolles

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The Acquired Preparedness Model suggests that links between personality and substance use are mediated by expectancies. Expectancy-moderated links between personality and substance use also have support in previous research. The current study sought to extend the Acquired Preparedness Model to a diverse sample of frequent marijuana users. Tension-reduction expectancies, impulsivity, and ounces of marijuana used per month were assessed in 5,996 participants recruited from a marijuana policy listserv. Tension-reduction expectancies partially mediated the relation between impulsivity and marijuana use. Additionally, expectancies and impulsivity interacted to predict marijuana use, with impulsivity showing a stronger link to use when expectancies increased. These …

A Case Study Of The Adoption And Implementation Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) Tier 2 In Two Elementary Schools, Kathleen Emma Affigne

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study was designed to explore four primary research questions. Why do schools and districts adopt PBIS? Which stakeholders were included in the decision-making process to adopt PBIS? Do these adoption dynamics influence PBIS Tier 2 implementation? With PBIS Tier 2 implementation fidelity as a desirable outcome, what are the relevant facilitators, constraints, and obstacles?

Effects Of Construal Level On The Reliance On Affect Versus Substance, Ellen O'Malley

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The influence of construal level on judgment and decision-making is often seen in consumer research. However, the effect of construal level on preferences for evaluative inputs rather than final products is less explored. Two experiments were conducted to examine whether construal level affects the degree to which individuals rely on either affective or substantive information when making evaluative judgments; specifically, that abstract construals increase reliance on affective information, whereas concrete construals increase reliance on substantive information. Experiment 1 provided evidence for a relative preference for affective versus substantive information when engaged in abstract and concrete construals, respectively. Experiment 2 replicated …

The Effects Of College Self-Efficacy And Belongingness On Adjustment To College In First-Generation College Students, Christopher Connacher

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Previous research suggests that, compared to students whose parents attended college, first-generation college students experience obstacles as they transition to college including lesser academic preparation (Horn & Nunez, 2000), lesser access to financial and informational resources (Bui, 2002), greater likelihood of disparities between home and collegiate cultural values (Stephens et al., 2012), lower levels of college adjustment (Brown, 2008) and greater likelihood of not completing a college degree (Chen, 2005). The present study assessed the relationship between college generational status and college adjustment, and examined the possibility that college self-efficacy and belongingness may mediate that relationship.

The Impact Of Demographics, Resources, And Training On The Quality Of School Crisis Plans, Erin Elizabeth Gurdineer

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

As our nation has become more aware of severe, yet usually rare, crisis events in schools, the need for crisis planning is more evident. Although the severity of crises can differ greatly (e.g., school shooting versus physical assaults), crisis preparedness is an essential component of schools' responsibilities in order to effectively respond to a variety of situations. A total of 70 participants, from multiple states across the United States, completed an online questionnaire about demographic characteristics, resources for school crisis planning, and training on crisis topics. Participants also submitted a copy of their school's crisis plan to be evaluated using …

Effects Of Third Party Observation Behind A One-Way Mirror On Neuropsychological Tests With Varying Conative Load, Jessica Stenclik

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study investigated the effects of third party observation with a one-way mirror on tests that differ in conative load from the Halstead Reitan Neuropsychological Battery (HRNB). Additionally, the California Verbal Learning Test- II (CVLT-II) was examined, as this is a popular measure of memory with which the effects of third party observation is unknown. Examinees (n=93) were recruited from an undergraduate research pool of a large State University. All were administered the Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT), Finger Tapping Test (FTT), Digit Span from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale- 3rd edition, Trail Making Test A and B, CVLT-II, and …

The Effect Of Environmental And Psychological Coping Resources On Unemployed Adults' Well-Being, Robert Paul Carnicella

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Gowan and Gatewood's (1997) theory of coping with job loss provided a framework for studying how individuals cope with the stress of unemployment. Previous empirical evidence identified social support and financial resources as predictors of unemployed adults' coping outcomes. McKee-Ryan, Song, Wanberg, and Kinicki (2005), however, noted the need for further research to better understand the environmental and psychological coping resources used by unemployed adults. Savickas (2005) hypothesized that individuals who endorse greater amounts of adaptable thinking about their careers will also report a greater sense of well-being during career transitions. Thus, the present study examined how environmental and psychological …

Effect Of Brief Mindfulness Meditation On Expressive Writing, Alvin Poon

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

An impressive body of research indicates that expressive writing, which encourages participants

Investigating The Main Effects And Interactions Of Induced Mood And Emotional Urgency On Self-Report Cannabis Craving And Consumption, Joseph Anthony De Leo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The current research investigates the role of induced mood states and emotional urgency - a mood-based facet of impulsivity, on cannabis use behaviors. Specifically, this research aims to extend previous work linking impulsivity and substance use behaviors by examining the relation of `emotional urgency' on cannabis craving and consumption.