Psychology Commons^™

The Effect Of Youth Diabetes Self-Efficacy On The Relation Among Family Conflict, Disease Care And Glycemic Control, Kathryn Maher

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the current study was to examine the associations among youth diabetes self-efficacy, family conflict, disease care and glycemic control via a comprehensive path model. Data were from a baseline assessment of a longitudinal RCT of 257 adolescent/parent dyads (adolescents aged 11–14). Each member of the dyad separately completed the Self-efficacy for Diabetes Self-Management Scale, Family Environment Conflict subscale, Diabetes Family Conflict Scale, Diabetes Behavior Rating Scale, and 24-hr Diabetes Interview Blood Glucose Frequency subscale. Additionally, a biological marker of glycemic control, or HbA1c, and relevant demographic variables were collected. A mediation model found higher youth diabetes self-efficacy …

Examining The Role Of Unit Cohesion As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Warfare Exposure And Ptsd, Shaina Gulin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of warfare exposure and unit cohesion on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology among male and female National Guard and Reserve service members deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. National Guard and Reserve soldiers and female service members have been shown to be at greatest risk of psychological distress, and thus identification of resiliency factors among this population is worthy of further study. An emerging body of research has identified unit cohesion as a potentially modifiable protective factor against the deleterious effects of warfare exposure; however, such research is in its …

Present With An Uncertain Future: Dispositional Mindfulness, Covariation Bias, And Event-Related Potential Responses To Emotional Stimuli In Uncertain Contexts, Robert J. Goodman

Theses and Dissertations

Uncertainty represents a robust threat that can amplify aversive experiences and exaggerate negative expectations about uncertain future outcomes. Mindfulness – an open and receptive attention to present moment experiences -- has been shown to facilitate adaptive regulation when faced with a variety of distinct emotional threats. Reduced experiential avoidance and equanimity in the face of unpleasant emotional experiences have been theorized as central to these emotional regulatory benefits. The present study explored whether dispositional mindfulness would promote adaptive responses to uncertainty during the anticipation of, and after exposure to emotional stimuli, as indicated by self-reports and neural (event-related potential) markers …

Family Needs, Caregiver Burden, And Mental Health: Caregivers Of Individuals With Various Neurological Conditions From Colombia And Mexico, Megan Elizabeth Sutter

Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional study examined differences in family needs (informational, social, financial, health, and household support), caregiver mental health (depression, satisfaction with life, vitality, social functioning, and emotional role limitations), and caregiver burden (personal life, guilt, and psychological) among caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and dementia from cities in Colombia and Mexico (N = 343). The study also examined the connections among family needs, caregiver mental health, and caregiver burden in the combined sample of caregivers of individuals with neurological conditions. Many significant differences were identified among groups, and implications are discussed. Family …

Quality Of Life In Emerging Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Staci Carr

Theses and Dissertations

This study is focused on exploring quality of life in young adults in the autism spectrum and the factors that contribute to their own perception of satisfaction with their lives. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disability that is associated with deficits in social interaction and communication and with restricted and repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). There has been a documented increase in the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), making it to be one of the fastest growing diagnosed disabilities in children (Hartley-McAndrew, 2014). In the United States, the prevalence of ASD is approximately 1 in 68 children, …

The Community Of Practice And Safety Support (Compass) Total Worker Health™ Study Among Home Care Workers: Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Ryan Olson, Diane Elliot, Jennifer Hess, Sharon Thompson, Kristy Luther, Brad Wipfli, Robert R. Wright, Annie Mancini Buckmaster

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Home care workers are a high-risk group for injury and illness. Their unique work structure presents challenges to delivering a program to enhance their health and safety. No randomized controlled trials have assessed the impact of a Total Worker Health™ program designed for their needs.

Methods/design: The COMPASS (COMmunity of Practice And Safety Support) study is a cluster randomized trial being implemented among Oregon’s unionized home care workers. Partnering with the Oregon Home Care Commission allowed recruiting 10 pairs of home care worker groups with 8 participants per group (n = 160) for balanced randomization of groups to intervention …

The Role Of Acceptance In Headache-Related Variables, Joshua D. Hamer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Migraine is a neurologic disorder that causes impairment in many areas of functioning. Migraine sufferers frequently avoid environmental stimuli (triggers) they assume to be associated with migraine onset, which may inadvertently lead to an increase in the potency of some triggers and increase headache frequency over time. Headache patients who instead use acceptance strategies to limit their attempts to control or eliminate/avoid their pain may experience reduced distress and pain-related disability. Studies examining acceptance-based approaches in managing chronic pain conditions have shown favorable results of acceptance on pain intensity, reduced pain-related anxiety and avoidance, and less physical and psychological disability. …

Using Inoculation Messages To Protect “Stay In The Market” Beliefs During Financial Crises, Lindsay Lyles Dillingham

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

This paper focuses on the problem of collapsed “stay in the market” (SIM) beliefs during financial crises. The primary purpose of this investigation was to ascertain whether or not inoculation messages represent a viable communication strategy to preemptively protect SIM beliefs during forthcoming financial crises. Ancillary purposes of this study were to further investigate the role of print and video crises, explicit instructions regarding post-inoculation talk (PIT), and gain and loss frame inoculation messages on the inoculation process. This study used a between subjects factorial design (3 x 2 plus four additional conditions) to explore ten hypotheses. Data collected from …

Do Angry Birds Flock Together? The Effects Of The Aggressive Personality Trait On The Development Of Mutual Cooperation, Adam W. Stivers

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Two studies investigated the relationship between aggression and Social Value Orientation (SVO), a trait like predisposition to maximize Cooperative, Individualistic or Competitive goals. In Study 1, which was correlational, participants’ aggression was measured via questionnaire and SVO by a series of decisions in which points are allocated to self and an anonymous other. It was found that participants with a Cooperative SVO scored lower on aggression than those with either an Individualistic or Competitive SVO. In Study 2, using an experimental design, participants were randomly assigned to receive information that their partner was high in aggression, or low in aggression …

Utilizing Instant Communication Technology To Express Gratitude: A Brief Intervention Study, Margaret L. Hindman

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Serotonergic Modulation Of Glutamate Neurotransmission As A Strategy For Treating Depression And Cognitive Dysfunction, Alan Pehrson, Connie Sanchez

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Monoamine-based treatments for depression have evolved greatly over the past several years, but shortcomings such as suboptimal efficacy, treatment lag, and residual cognitive dysfunction are still significant. Preclinical and clinical studies using compounds directly targeting glutamatergic neurotransmission present new opportunities for antidepressant treatment, with ketamine having a surprisingly rapid and sustained antidepressant effect that is presumably mediated through glutamate-dependent mechanisms. While direct modulation of glutamate transmission for antidepressant and cognition-enhancing actions may be hampered by nonspecific effects, indirect modulation through the serotonin (5-HT) system may be a viable alternative approach. Based on localization and function, 5-HT can modulate glutamate neurotransmission …

The Ebb And Flow Of Performance Feedback, Chris Thompson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Researchers have suggested differences between mindfulness and flow in their attentional breadth or focus. Being high or low in attentional breadth is more desirable depending on the situation or the focal task. I sought to better understand mindfulness and flow by seeing how they lessen negative emotional reactions to negative feedback, a process which can hinder performance improvement. In a laboratory experiment 92 Butler University undergraduate students underwent a Tetris performance task; where all participants received the same negative feedback. Measuring for emotional reactions and interest after the negative feedback I did not find significant findings in light of my …

Effects Of Tylenol And Social Rejection On Memory, Karina Ashley Hamamouche

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Individuals tend to describe physical pain and social pain with the same terminology (DeWall & Baumeister, 2006; Eisenberger, et aI., 2003; Way, et aI., 2009). There is a neurobiological overlap between the systems that control physical pain and social pain. During both physical pain and social rejection, the same brain areas (insulae in the central cortical fissure) are active. DeWall (2011) found that individuals who received a dose of acetaminophen had less activity in the bilateral anterior insula and bilateral posterior insula during a social rejection stimulation. Because social rejection also increases memory (Pajkos, et aI., 20 I 1), subjects …

From Passive Receptacles To Active Contenders: Ovulation And Intrasexual Competition In Human Females, Andres E. Munoz 14

Honor Scholar Theses

Recent evidence has suggested that ovulation in humans might be accompanied by subtle cues. Furthermore, several studies have suggested that women engage in intrasexual competition, or competition with members of the same sex, with the aim of obtaining high quality mates. This competition involves the use of complex strategies including self-promotion and rival derogation. The link between ovulation and intrasexual competition remains largely underexplored, although a few studies have suggested that intrasexual competition might become intensified during ovulation. This paper explores the relationship between ovulatory cue detection and intrasexual competition and outlines two research proposals for future analysis of this …

Intention To Screen For Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Terror Management Health Model Perspective, Bernadette Jones

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The present studies assessed intention and willingness to screen for sexually transmitted infections from a Terror Management Health Model perspective. TMHM proposes that when facing a health decision, people tend to cling to what increases their self-esteem rather than behave in a way that would actually minimize the health threat. The first study hypothesized that exposure to a brochure rife with reminders of “creatureliness” would increase death thought accessibility, while a control brochure would not. No significant difference was found. The second study hypothesized that those with low body-esteem would cling more to what todays culture deems an acceptable body …

Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention For Autism: Is It Actually More "Intensive" Than A Typical Child's Day?, Caitlyn B. Sorensen

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction, communication, and excessive ritualistic and repetitive behavior. Numerous treatments for autism devised over the last half-century have proven ineffective, or have never been scientifically evaluated. Despite the state of the research, the most demonstrably effective treatment, Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI), has been a target of much criticism, including accusations of being too intense. A large number of learning trials in relatively short periods of time supposedly induce children to have disordered stress responses. To explore the intensity of EIBI, behavior samples from children engaging …

Employee Pronoun Use In Verbatim Comments As A Predictor Of Job Attitudes And Turnover Intentions, Amy E. Sund

Wayne State University Dissertations

It is common in employee attitude surveys to collect open ended comments from employees, yet this data remains largely under-utilized. In the present study, it is hypothesized that employee pronoun use is related to job attitudes and turnover intentions, such that the use of "we" type pronouns is higher among more satisfied employees; and that the use of "non-we" type pronouns is higher among less satisfied employees. Results largely did not support hypotheses - although "non-we" use was negative related to job attitudes, "we" use was also negative related. It is believed that the reason for the lack of findings …

Everyday Memory: An Expanded View Of Autobiographical Memory Functions, Jana Ranson

Wayne State University Theses

The current study investigated an expanded set of everyday autobiographical memory (AM) functions as proposed by developers of the 7-function Child-Caregiver Reminiscence Scale (CRS) (Kulkofsky & Koh, 2009). The current study adapted the theoretical CRS for use with diverse, adult samples. Participants (N = 1841) from a large, urban university completed the CRS-A online over the course or two academic semesters. Validation analyses included EFA using principal axis factoring, CFA, MGCFA invariance testing, and MTMM tests of construct validity (convergent and discriminant) and method effects. Results yielded evidence for a 6- function (Conversation, Perspective-Taking, Relationship Maintenance, Behavioral Control/Teaching/Problem-Solving, Emotion Regulation, …

Designing And Structuring Action Learning, David Coghlan, Paul Coughlan, Denise O'Leary, Clare Rigg

Conference papers

The question driving learning in this paper is how to organise and structure a complex action learning research network of practitioners and researchers in a pan-European network of traditional food producers. The context is an EU’s Seventh Framework Programme of a multidisciplinary, multi-sectoral collaborative project supporting a network of traditional food producers in dairy, meat and bakery sub-sectors. The project is aiming to establish a network for the effective transfer of innovative knowledge, processes and technologies with a view to improving traditional food production by providing training to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship. While much of the literature on action learning …

Sexual Violence And Relationship Abuse Among College Students: The Bystander Intervention Process, Elizabeth J. Wible

Honors Theses and Capstones

This project investigated how college students describe bystander intervention in the context of sexual violence and relationship abuse compared to intervention in a general helping situation. The participants were 53 undergraduate students at a New England University. Prior to graduation, all of the participants were asked questions via audio controlled, face-to-face qualitative interviews that related to their helping behaviors during their time in college. The participant responses revealed that general helping is often a simple, one-time event if time permits it. However, helping in the context of sexual violence or relationship abuse revealed many serious barriers for the bystander due …

What Makes It Moral? Measuring Differences Between Moral And Non-Moral Attitudes, Ciara Katelyn Kidder

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Moral attitudes have unique behavioral consequences. Theory predicts that moral attitudes are uniquely different than non-moral attitudes on a variety of dimensions. Of particular interest to the current study are two cognitive characteristics: objectivity, the belief that one's moral attitudes are factual and universality, the belief that one's moral attitudes ought to apply to everyone. These constructs have only been informally examined by a handful of studies. The aim of the current research was to examine the associations of morality to objectivity and universality using idiographic Implicit Association Tests. There were two primary hypotheses. The first hypothesis was that there …

The Effect Of Organizational Violence Prevention Climate And Workplace Aggression Within Schools: An Investigation Of Burnout Syndrome In Teachers And The Moderating Effect Of Locus Of Control, Communal Orientation, And Violence Prevention Climate, Niambi Maia Childress

Wayne State University Theses

In accordance with the Job Demands-Resources model (Demerouti et al., 2001) and other related research (e.g. Bakker et al., 2006), the effect of overwhelming job demands to contribute to burnout can be mitigated by the presence of organizational resources and personal resources. This study examined the direct effects of three types (different perpetrators) of psychological and physical workplace aggression on burnout in teachers; as well as the moderating effects of teacher perceptions of violence prevention climate dimensions, LOC, and communal orientation in these relationships. Findings indicated that ambient physical aggression and Type III psychological aggression were significant predictors of overall …

Friend Or Foe: The Effect Of Shared Group Status On Aggressiveness And Testosterone In Response To Provocation, Eric William Fuller

Wayne State University Dissertations

Previous research has found that individuals display behavioral and hormonal differences when engaged in competition with natural and experimental ingroup and outgroup members. The current work expands on this line of research by examining the impact of shared group status on reactive aggression in response to provocation. Using a previously validated measure of reactive aggression, participants were provoked by and given a chance to aggress on to either a racial ingroup or outgroup member. Participants also provided saliva samples to allow for monitoring changes in testosterone. It was hypothesized that behavioral aggression would be predicted by changes in testosterone and …

Supporting Toddlers’ Transfer Of Word Learning From Video, Gabrielle Strouse, Georgene Troseth

School of Education Faculty Publications

Young children frequently do not transfer information from video to real-world situations. We provided perceptual and conceptual supports to help children transfer a new word from video to physical objects and photos. An on-screen actress labeled one of two novel objects; then 24-month-olds were asked to identify the ‘modi.’ Children failed to demonstrate word learning after holding the objects while viewing (comparison condition). In a two-step transfer condition, children correctly identified the modi on a test video image but did not identify the real matching object. However, when parents pointed out that the real objects were “the …

Perceptions Of Domestic Violence: Leaving Vs. Staying In Abusive Relationships, Katherine M. Arenella

Scripps Senior Theses

This study examined whether participants’ attributions of blame and responsibility toward a victim of domestic violence were influenced by whether or not the victim left her abuser. It also looked at whether or not educational information regarding the difficulties of leaving a violent partner would affect these attributions. Participants, all adults from the United States, either read a vignette in which a woman victim of domestic violence stayed with her abusive husband, or left him. Prior to reading the vignette, some participants were given information about the problems associated with leaving a violent partner, and some were not. All participants …

The Role Of Authoritative Parenting In Type 1 Diabetes Adolescent Outcomes, Zach Radcliff

Theses and Dissertations

Due to psychosocial and hormonal changes, adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) are at risk for poorer regimen adherence, quality of life (QOL), and glycemic control (HbA1c). Authoritative parenting (AP) supports youth development during the transition into adolescence. To date, the mechanisms behind authoritative parenting and better HbA1c are yet to be examined. Parent-youth dyads completed measures of authoritative parenting, adherence, and QOL. As hypothesized, more authoritative parenting related to higher socioeconomic status (SES; β = -.13, p = .04) rather than ethnicity. Further, more authoritative parenting related to better glycemic control via the mechanisms of higher youth QOL (β …

Mother's Experience Of Social Media: Its Impact On Children And The Home, Abe Van Hatch

Theses : Honours

With the prevalence and accessibility of social media within the last 15 years it has become possible for children to have constant access to their friends and social networks. It is relatively unknown what impact adopting social media has on children and how mothers interpret this. There are gaps in the literature investigating the pervasive effects of modern technology and what meaning mothers ascribe to their children using social media as a method of connecting with the world. The present research aims to explore this phenomenon by investigating the experiences of mothers who have children that have recently adopted social …

The Effect Of Camera Angle And Investigator Bias On Perceptions Of Eyewitness Evidence, April Roll Gaudios

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Police departments are increasingly videotaping lineup identifications with eyewitnesses. This study investigated the effects of videotaping lineups on mock-juror perceptions of eyewitness evidence. Seventy-five participants watched a video depicting a lineup between an investigator and a witness and subsequently answered questions designed to measure their perceptions of the witness, the investigator, and the lineup. Two variables were manipulated. Participants watched a videotaped lineup that did or did not depict investigator bias, and participants watched the lineup from one of three camera angles: witness focus, investigator focus, or equal focus. The results of this study provided strong evidence that mock jurors …

Teacher Training In Opportunities To Respond And Positive Feedback: Effects On Student Engagement, Yevheniy Sukovskyy

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study investigated the impact of a brief teacher training combined with use of a MotivAider that sought to simultaneously manipulate rate of opportunity to respond and positive feedback on students’ on-task behavior during a classroom activity. The goal of the training was to increase the percentage of time the learner stayed on task during the class activity. Three elementary teacher-student dyads took part in this study. An A-B-A-B withdrawal design was employed to evaluate the function of relation between independent and dependent variables. Results showed low effectiveness of brief training and MotivAider as a strategy of increasing teachers providing …

Understanding Whites' Colorblind Racial Attitudes : The Role Of Intergroup Anxiety And Psychological Flexibility, Alexa Hanus

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Colorblind racial attitudes are described as the denial or minimization of race and racism (Neville et al., 2000), which may silence accounts of racial discrimination and lead White Americans to ignore their racial privileges, ultimately supporting and reproducing racial inequality in the US (Bonilla-Silva, 2001). Alarmingly, colorblind attitudes are the dominant racial ideology among White Americans (Lewis, 2004), and inform the way White adults talk to their children about race (Schofeild, 2007). The current study explored the development and maintenance of Whites' colorblind attitudes, using ideas from Stephan and Stephan's (1985) theory of intergroup anxiety, Helm's (1995) theory of White …