Psychology Commons^™

The Impact Of Baby Sign Training On Stress Levels Of Daycare Providers, Grisel Julieta Rodriguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Proponents of baby sign claim improvements in child-caregiver interactions and reductions in parental stress as benefits of implementing baby sign. Due to research contradicting the claims, and to the rise in daycare attendance, the current study investigated the effects of a baby sign workshop on the stress perception of daycare providers. A pre-test post-test between groups design with 20 participants was conducted using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS10) and a workshop-specific descriptive survey as measures. The difference between the post-test stress levels of experimental and control groups approached significance, as did the differences between pre-test and post-test results for the …

The Rock And The Hard Place: How The Prison Psychotherapist Balances Treatment Needs With Security Needs, Elijah Paige Ricks

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Research on traditional psychotherapy suggests that the quality of the relationship between the therapist and client is the most important element of effective mental health work. In contrast, prison policies often require that staff maintain an emotional distance from offenders, and many elements of the prison environment and characteristics of the offenders may be counterproductive to the therapeutic relationship. Due to the competing demands of psychotherapy and prisons, it is important to understand how prison psychotherapists reconcile the aims of both in their work. This Dissertation examined the psychometric properties of a new measure of how prison therapists balance the …

The Effects Of Task Demands And Word Frequency On Language Source Encoding, Elva Natalia Strobach Oronoz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Source memory effects have been relatively unexplored in bilingual memory. Bilinguals have to perform certain source encoding operations to successfully determine the appropriate language from context. These operations have not been examined from a long-term memory perspective, and are not incorporated into models of source monitoring. Further, language source information is not incorporated into the major models of bilingual language processing. Five experiments examined bilingualsâ?? language source monitoring for low- and high-frequency words in English and Spanish. Each experiment placed different processing demands on participants. In Experiment 1, participants studied a mixed-language word list, then were subsequently tested for language …

Parental Problem Drinking And Children’S Adjustment: Are Associations Moderated By Patterns Of Sympathetic And Parasympathetic Nervous System Activity?, Shuang Bi

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Parental problem drinking (PPD) is associated with various forms of child psychopathology, including hyperactivity, conduct disorder, delinquency, depression and anxiety. However, not all children share the same risk for developing adjustment problems in the context of PPD. In this study, we examined patterns of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity account for differential susceptibility to the adverse effects of PPD in middle childhood. We found that reciprocal SNS activation protects against child internalizing symptoms in the context of mother problem drinking. We also found consistent interactions between PNS and SNS in predicting child internalizing problems. Coinhibition is linked to more …

The Behavioral Effects Of First-Generation Electronic Cigarettes After 24-Hour Tobacco Deprivation, Arit M. Harvanko

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Little is currently known about the ability of electronic cigarettes to manage tobacco withdrawal symptoms and their abuse liability. In the current study eight conventional cigarette smokers completed nine within-subject study sessions. In the first session participants practiced using an electronic cigarette containing 16 mg/ml of nicotine over six 10-puff bouts. Remaining study sessions were comprised of four two-day blocks (one for each condition), which assessed measures of tobacco withdrawal symptoms and abuse liability following unrestricted cigarette smoking and 24-hour tobacco deprivation. Study conditions included an electronic cigarette with 0, 8, or 16 mg/ml nicotine concentrations, or preferred brand of …

Effects Of Repeated Cue Exposure On Cannabis Craving, Jessica S. Fogel

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Craving is a key element of the cannabis withdrawal syndrome that has been associated with continued use and relapse. Although cue-induced cannabis craving has been established in single laboratory sessions, procedures to sustain craving over multiple sessions are needed. The purpose of the present study was to determine if cue-induced craving responses could be elicited in the same subjects across multiple sessions. It was hypothesized that exposure to cannabis cues would produce more robust craving responses than exposure to neutral cues and that elicited craving responses will be sustained across multiple cue exposures. Five experimental cue exposure sessions (1 neutral …

Adolescents' Gender Typicality, Psychological Well-Being, And Experiences With Teasing, Bullying, And Rejection, Jennifer A. Jewell

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The current study examined whether adolescents’ gender-based victimization experiences (i.e., teasing, bullying, and rejection) mediated the association between gender typicality and psychological well-being. The current study also investigated whether daily experiences with the three types of gender-based victimization negatively impacted adolescents’ immediate emotional reactions. Participants were 570 seventh and eighth grade students (49.5% boys, 50.5% girls). During four visits over the course of two weeks, participants completed surveys about their own gender typicality, their psychological well-being (i.e., depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and body image), their experiences with gender-based teasing, bullying, and rejection, and their emotional responses to experiencing this victimization. Results …

The Balloon Analogue Risk Task And Behavioral Correlates In Pigeons, Aaron P. Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Individuals experience risk ubiquitously, but measuring risk taking is difficult. The balloon analogue risk task (BART) was developed in order to assess risk taking through having subjects press a key that accrues reward but also risk losing all reward with each press. In humans, greater responding in this task is associated with other maladaptive risk taking behaviors. The present research modeled this relationship in pigeons due to their previously shown propensity towards risk taking behavior. Experiment 1 used an unsignaled balloon task in which losing could only occur after 5 pecks. Results showed below optimal performance with greater pecks associated …

The Effects Of A Multi-Layer Accountability System On Teacher Self-Efficacy And Classroom Goal Orientations And Its Impact On Student Performance, Christine Poindexter-Harris

Dissertations

The Effects of a Multi-layer Accountability System on Teacher Self-efficacy and Classroom Goal Orientations and its Impact on Student Performance

There are multiple factors that affect student academic achievement, including student, parent, and teacher factors. The present research studies the relationships among teacher self-efficacy, classroom goal orientations and structures, and student performance. Previous studies have shown a strong correlation between teacher self-efficacy and classroom goal orientation. Although much research has been done on both issues, very little research has taken into account the role of organizational education structure and its impact on how teachers may or may not change to …

I'M Not All That: A Look At The Imposter Phenomenon In Intimate Relationships, Chante Alvarado

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"This study was conducted to examine the possible relationships between individuals experiencing the imposter phenomenon and their attachment styles within intimate relationships. The hypothesis was that individuals who score high on the Clance Imposter Phenomenon (IP) Scale (Clance, 1985) would perceive their relationship as less stable and that they were unworthy of their partner. Individuals who score high on the Clance IP Scale would also show an insecure attachment style. The sample population consisted of Eastern Washington University students who filled out several questionnaires that pertain to the imposter phenomenon, attachment styles, and relationship experiences. Results suggested that individuals with …

How Do Grateful People Cope?: Exploring The Mechanism Of Positive Reappraisal, Debra Elise Hutchison

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"After one has experienced a trauma, an important aspect of recovery is posttraumatic growth. Posttraumatic growth helps people move past negative life events with good mental health. Research has indicated a relationship between post-traumatic growth and gratitude. However, there has been little investigation into the links between gratitude and post-traumatic growth. The current study asked participants to write about three different types of negative life events. These writing samples were then coded for the use of positive reappraisal. In addition to the writing samples, participants were asked to complete questionnaires assessing their gratitude, coping style and satisfaction with life. Results …

A New Measure Of Math Shame And A Synthesized Theory Of Math Anxiety, Leah M. Parker

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Research on math anxiety has historically explored cognitive and emotional factors independently. This study attempted to connect these areas of research through the lens of math shame. While discussing a more integrated approach to understanding mathematics anxiety, this research explored math anxiety through a formal validation of the newly developed Math Shame Scale (MSS). Data were collected from 489 volunteers at a regional university in the inland northwestern United States. Online questionnaires completed by the participants were used to assess the validity and reliability of the MSS. The results supported the reliability and validity of two separate scales ofthe MSS, …

Effects Of Early Intervention On Pragmatic Language In Children With Autism, Charlotte L. Tomevi

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Autism appears in the first three years of a child's life, involving impairments in social and verbal and nonverbal communication. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder with core deficits in social and communication, struggle to effectively accomplish social interactive goals through pragmatic language. Early intervention programs may strengthen expressive communication and increase functional communication by some children with autism. The current study examined if participation in an intensive early intervention program increases functional communication in social situations with children with autism. I hypothesized that participation in an early learning program would increase functional communication in social situations for children with autism. …

Comparison In Personality Profiles Between Child Abusers Versus Child Neglectors, Jodi R. Cuneo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children who suffered parental abuse or neglect can be returned home if their safety can be ensured following offender treatment. However, some caregivers will continue to abuse or neglect their children upon return home, leading to additional treatment, state involvement, and harm to the child. This study assessed personality differences between child abusers and neglectors who were caregivers by applying a binary logistical regression analysis to the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI-2) scores sampled from archival data for 215 caregivers. Analysis showed that the abusers had statistically significant higher scores on the F Scale ('Faking Bad'), but significantly …

Working Memory And Symptoms Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Children, Alison Margaret Colbert

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder mainly characterized by high levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Although ADHD is a topic of great interest in multiple domains, much remains to be explored before a thorough understanding will be possible. Recently, working memory (WM) has gained attention as a potential core deficit of ADHD. Therefore, theories of ADHD and WM may provide guidance for increased understanding of ADHD, and continued research on ADHD, guided by WM theory, will maximize the effectiveness of assessment and treatment for this disorder. The current study utilized a model integrating WM measurement and symptoms …

Examining Biopsychosocial Factors In The Drive For Muscularity And Muscle Dysmorphia Among Personal Trainers, Beau J. Diehl

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted to assess the presence of muscle dysmorphia (MD) and a drive for muscularity (DFM) in 1,039 personal trainers using the Muscle Dysmorphia Inventory (MDI) and the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS). Muscle dysmorphia is considered a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder that can be exacerbated by an intense DFM, which may in turn lead to negative psychobehavioral outcomes. Because personal trainers are an unresearched population with regard to these 2 constructs, a multidisciplinary framework was used to ground the present research study. Independent variables were structured using a biopsychosocial foundation where the biological dimension …

The Tower Of Hanoi In Dynamic Creative Problem Solving, Lia Harrington

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Creativity and emotions are well-studied constructs, and there is much work on their interrelations. However the empirical application of dynamical systems analysis to them is still relatively rare. For these reasons, a study was conducted on the dynamics and interrelationships of creativity, emotion, and psychopathology using state space grids (SSG) in 33 young adult participants assessed for autism spectrum and negative schizotypy traits, using a computerized Tower of Hanoi (ToH) creative problem-solving task. An overview of the dual importance of convergent and divergent thinking styles to creativity is provided as a context for the experiment. The hypothesis that participants with …

Obtaining Sponsorship In Organizations By Developing Trust Through Outside Of Work Socialization, Katie Kirkpatrick-Husk

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

Sponsorship, defined as a relationship that produces objective career benefits for the person being sponsored, has recently grown in popularity in the media. This study sought to examine antecedents to sponsorship by testing the hypothesis that socializing outside of work with another individual leads to increased affect-based trust, which in turn positively affects the willingness to sponsor him or her. A dual-experimental design was employed to test this proposal in which the independent variable was manipulated in one experiment, and the mediator was manipulated in the second.

The study included 492 participants from the United States, 35% were female, and …

Generational Differences In The Interaction Between Valuing Leisure And Having Work-Life Balance On Altruistic And Conscientious Behaviors, Sandeep Kaur Chahil

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

This study examined generational differences in the interaction between valuing leisure and having work-life balance to predict the extra-role behaviors of altruism and conscientiousness. I predicted that Millennial’s (b. 1981-2000) higher value of leisure and desire to have work-life balance would negatively influence their willingness to engage in organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). Specifically, I hypothesized that a) Millennials would report valuing leisure more yet have less work-life balance compared to Baby Boomers (b. 1946-1965) and Gen Xers (b. 1966-1980); b) Baby Boomers would report higher levels of altruistic and conscientious behaviors and c) Millennials who showed a negative interaction of …

Managing Work And Life: The Impact Of Framing, Hilary G. Roche

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

The frame of mind with which one approaches work-life challenges can impact the decisions made, the roles a person invests in, and satisfaction with one’s decisions. The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) to review and compare the three traditional work-life frames of conflict, enrichment, and balance; 2) to introduce a new frame for work-life management, proactive reflection or “proflection,” and; 3) to test whether approaching work-life management with a particular frame differentially affects an individual’s work-life satisfaction when presented with a scenario with multiple role demands. It was hypothesized that enrichment, balance, and proflection frames will lead to …

Women With Disabilities Who Have Been Sexually Assaulted: What Responders Need To Know, Kaitlyn Mccarthy

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Information about women with disabilities who have been sexually assaulted is vastly missing from psychological research and literature. This gap in literature is very concerning as more information is needed to ensure that women with disabilities are receiving care, and that prevention and care giving programs are tailored to meet their needs. Women with disabilities encounter unique sexual assault experiences that at times go unnoticed because their experiences are not often discussed in the literature, nor are they appropriately assessed. Through a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, the present study attempted to respond to these issues by modifying an existing …

Barriers To Group Psychotherapy For Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual College Students, Sarah Peters

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

While research has been conducted into the utilization and efficacy of group therapy with college students and with individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB), there is very limited research on their intersection. The purpose of this study was to determine barriers to group psychotherapy with college students who identify as LGB. Twenty-eight LGB undergraduate and graduate students from colleges and universities nationwide were recruited to complete an online survey including: a modified version of the Barriers Scale (Harris, 2013), which examined willingness to participate in group therapy, expectations of group psychotherapy, expectations of group members, expectations of …

Culturally Sensitive Social Work And Mental Health Practice With The Amish, Julissa J. Coblentz Ms.

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With the growing number of Amish in the United States today, it is important for social workers and mental health practitioners serving this population to do so in a way that is sensitive to their culture. Even though the Amish live a unique, simplistic lifestyle which enables them to focus on the things which they value such as church membership and family, occasionally, they do have mental health and social service needs. This study attempts to explore specific culturally sensitive behaviors which social workers and mental health practitioners can utilize in striving to meet these needs. The researcher compiled a …

The Relationship Between Critical Consciousness And Subjective Well-Being, Lauren E. Bosley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The premise of this research examined the relationship between critical consciousness and subjective well-being in college aged men and women between 18-25 years old. Critical consciousness is the ability to critically evaluate forms of oppression and privilege, as well as actively seeking to implement change. Past research has found that forms of oppression can impact ones thoughts, behaviors, and worldview. Subjective well-being pertains to one’s personal outlook on their level of happiness. The hypothesis states that lower levels of critical consciousness will be negatively related to well-being, while higher levels of critical consciousness will be positively related to well-being. Examining …

Social Class As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Normative Male Alexithymia And Relationship Satisfaction, Deanna L. Hoagland, Ronald F. Levant

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

No abstract provided.

The Psychological Benefits Of Animal Assisted Therapy On Elderly Nursing Home Patients, Sophia M. Elliott

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This literature review of the benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is centered on four scholarly articles published in major psychological journals discussing the reduction of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments as well as the increase in well-being and happiness in the elderly nursing- home population. Many time these residents are abandoned by family and experience little- to- no interaction with others due to understaffing at these homes. My goal through this literature review was to bring attention to an alternative form of therapy for these patients. Often patients grow sick from depression and lose their sense of self-worth …

Why Social Pain Can Live On: Different Neural Mechanisms Are Associated With Reliving Social And Physical Pain, Meghan L. Meyer, Kipling D. Williams, Naomi I. Eisenberger

Department of Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications

Although social and physical pain recruit overlapping neural activity in regions associated with the affective component of pain, the two pains can diverge in their phenomenology. Most notably, feelings of social pain can be re-experienced or "relived," even when the painful episode has long passed, whereas feelings of physical pain cannot be easily relived once the painful episode subsides. Here, we observed that reliving social (vs. physical) pain led to greater self-reported re-experienced pain and greater activity in affective pain regions (dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula). Moreover, the degree of relived pain correlated positively with affective pain system …

The Efficacy Of A Crisis Intervention And Resilience Building Training Program For Counselors-In-Training, Sameerah Sue Davenport

Wayne State University Dissertations

Because of the prevalence of potentially traumatic events, counselors-in-training may have to assist individuals in crisis, as early as the internship phase of their counseling program. However, counselors-in-training receive minimal training in crisis intervention, which may be deleterious to the counselor as well as the client. Similarly, counselors-in-training receive minimal training on resilience building, a key component of crisis intervention. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a crisis intervention and resilience building training program, grounded in REBT, for counselors-in-training.

This study used a quasi-experimental, switching replications design consisting of two groups and three waves …

Psychometric Issues Related To The Tinker Toy Test, Daniel Guzman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An evaluation of executive functioning is a critical component of a comprehensive assessment of higher cerebral functioning. The Tinker Toy Test (TTT) was introduced in 1982. This test allows an individual to demonstrate the extent of their executive capacities by permitting them to initiate, plan, and structure a potentially complex activity and carry it out independently in an unstructured fashion and administration is simple. This is a departure from more complex and structured tests of executive function. There is a dearth of research on the TTT and this study seeks to examine some of the psychometric properties of this instrument; …

Human Behavior During Spaceflight - Evidence From An Analog Environment, Kenny M. Arnaldi, Guy Smith, Jennifer E. Thropp

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Spaceflight offers a multitude of stressors to humans living and working in space, originating from the external space environment and the life-support system. Future space participants may be ordinary people with different medical and psychosocial backgrounds who may not receive the intense spaceflight preparation of astronauts. Consequently, during a mission, a space participant’s mood and behavior could differ from a trained astronaut. This study was an exploratory research project that used an artificial habitat to replicate an orbital environment and the activities performed by humans in space. The study evaluated whether the type of environment affects mood and temperament. Two …