Psychology Commons^™

Social Grief: A Grounded Theory Of Utilizing Status Updates On Facebook As A Contemporary Ritual, Celese Catania-Opris

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

The popular Social Networking Site, Facebook, offers its users the ability tocommunicate with others from all over the globe. Individuals can create a virtual identity for themselves enabling members to call, message, and locate others in a matter of seconds. The number of Facebook users appears to increase; yet, the number of members who die daily is not normally accounted. Facebook now permits the memorialization ofthe deceased’s profile. This allows members to continue commenting, sharing photos and videos, and visiting the deceased’s Facebook page. This trend led to the central question of this study, “What benefits, if any, are individuals …

What Works For Successful In-Home Family Therapists Working At Community-Based Agencies, Aleyah R. Yasin

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Resiliency is an important characteristic of successful therapists (Aponte, 1991; Aponte & Carlsen, 2009; Aponte & Winter, 2000; Clark, 2009; Hamel & Laraway, 2004; Kuiper, 2012; Protinsky & Coward, 2001; Rosenburg & Pace, 2006; Wolgien & Coady, 1997), especially those in entry-level positions that tend to involve high stress and turnover (Acker, 2004; Clark, 2009; Davis, 2013; Greenson, Guo, Barth, Harley, & Sission, 2009; Grosch & Olsen, 1994; Gupta, Peterson, Lysaght, & Zweck, 2012; Horan, 2002; Maslach & Leiter, 1997; Negash & Sahin, 2011; Rosenburg &Pace, 2006; Skovolt &Trotter Mathison, 2011). This study explored the perspectives of six therapists providing …

Daily Hassles Among College Students: The Role Of Spirituality On Risky Behaviors And Emotional Distress Indices, Kristen N. Campbell

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Stressful life events are correlated with a higher likelihood of engaging in maladaptive coping techniques (Boden et al., 2014; Kohn, Lafreniere, & Gurevich, 1990; Park, Armell, & Tennen, 2004). One type of maladaptive coping technique is engagement in risky behaviors (e.g., high-risk sports, risky sexual behaviors, illicit drug use; Fromme, Katz, & Rivet, 1997). College students are at an increased risk of engaging in these behaviors. Research demonstrates that stressful life events are also correlated with higher levels of depression and anxiety (Kohn, Lafreniere, & Gurevich, 1990). As college students are exposed to a more stressful environment, they are at …

Understanding Workday Ego Depletion And The Role Of Gratitude Recovery Techniques, Alexandria Steele

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Everyday activities require the use of self-control resources to regulate behaviors. Ego depletion is the idea that the use of self-control resources on one task results in reduced self-control resources for subsequent tasks. The current study aims to examine ego depletion as a result of a simulated workplace task, design a gratitude recovery technique for workplace ego depletion, and observe child punishment as a potential outcome of workplace ego depletion. A dual-task procedure in which participants completed a complex logic assessment while also listening to a background narrative mimicked workplace environments. Gratitude recovery consisted of recalling people, items, or events, …

The Impact Of Empathy Training On Perceptions Of Substance Use Disorders, Kelsea Magel

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Negative attitudes and stigma toward individuals with mental health disorders, particularly substance use disorders, undoubtedly exist in communities around the globe. Lund and Boggero (2014) propose that negative attitudes toward mental health disorders have existed throughout history and across cultures, and there is an ongoing concern of how individuals with mental illness are affected by these negative attitudes (Poreddi, Thimmaiah, Pashupu, Ramachandra, & Badamath, 2014). Increasing levels of empathy in individuals has shown to decrease overall magnitude of negative attitudes; most empathy training tasks, however, are extensive and last several months. The current study examined the possibility of reducing negative …

Rudeness And Ego Depletion, Daniel A. Zuardo

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The present study sought to examine the effect that rudeness would have on ego depletion by having participants engage in a task where they would build Legos with a confederate who would be rude or neutral to them. Ego depletion was measured using a typing task on a computer where participants would type A+E+I+O+U+ until they wanted to stop. The results suggest that rudeness can cause ego depletion.

Motivation, Athletic Identity, And Commitment To Sport In Division I Varsity Athletes And Collegiate Club Level Athletes: A Qualitative Analysis, Emily C. Karoblis

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Motivation, athletic identity, and commitment are constructs that have previously been addressed and researched in regards to their impact upon athletes. Each of these constructs has previously been addressed alongside one other construct but all three have not been addressed. In addition to this, research is lacking information regarding collegiate club sport athletes. The purpose of this study was to examine the thoughts of club level athletes and Division I Varsity level athletes as they relate to motivation, athletic identity and commitment to sport. The participants included 12 athletes, 6 at the club level and 6 at the Varsity level. …

Tackling The Transition: A Life Skills Intervention To Improve College Adjustment, College Self-Efficacy, And Transference Of Life Skills Of Freshmen Student-Athletes, Kendra Grant

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The present study explored the effects of a life skills intervention on college freshmen student-athletes’ college adjustment, college self-efficacy, and the transference of life skills. The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of implementing life skills programming to student-athletes in order to smooth the transition period from high school to college. Hypotheses were that participants would improve in college adjustment, college self-efficacy, and transference of life skills from participation in the life skills intervention. Participants included three freshman student-athletes, who played various sports at a Division 1 University located in the southeast. The primary researcher conducted a …

Do Placement And Repetition Of Information In Pictorials Affect Comprehension And Memory Of Medication Instructions?, Jessica Le

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how text and picture pairings affected comprehension and memory for medication instructions. Participants viewed instructions on how to prepare a mock oral suspension drug. These instructions either had the picture repeat the information in the text, or complement information in the text. The text instructions were also either integrated into the pictures, or were separated from the pictures. Next, participants were assessed on their comprehension and memory including memory for the order of the steps and their belief in their ability to carry out this task effectively. The results indicated that participants …

Reciprocal Relations Between Traumatic Stress And Physical Aggression During Middle School, Erin L. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

There is convincing evidence that demonstrates traumatic stress and aggressive behavior are highly related among adolescents. The evidence is less clear regarding the direction of this relation. The purpose of this study was to examine the reciprocal longitudinal relations between physical aggression and traumatic stress among a predominantly African American sample of middle school students. Support was found for traumatic stress predicting increased levels of physical aggression across the winter to the spring of the sixth grade for boys and across all waves from the fall of the seventh grade to the fall of the eighth grade for both boys …

Pathways Linking Sleep Timing To Obesity In Midlife Women, Dana R. Schreiber

Theses and Dissertations

Midlife women are vulnerable to developing obesity. Both sleep timing and negative emotion are risk factors, yet limited research has explored their role on weight outcomes in this population. The current investigation explored the association of sleep timing (i.e., mean sleep time, sleep time variability) and obesity (i.e., BMI, waist circumference) in midlife women, considering emotional pathways (i.e., depressive symptoms, anger) that might mediate this association. PROCESS parallel mediation models assessed direct and indirect pathways. In follow-up analyses, sleep duration was explored as an indirect pathway linking sleep timing to obesity. Results demonstrated that sleep timing does not directly predict …

Examining Cognitive Vulnerability Models To Borderline Personality Features In A Sample Of Emerging Adults, Danielle E. Seal

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a chronic condition that warrants further empirical investigation. Considering the potentially lethal consequences and therapeutic challenges associated with features of BPD, it is important for researchers to explore pathways that will advance theory, assessment, and interventions that target BPD symptoms. One interactive theory that may predict variation in BPD symptoms is the cognitive-vulnerability model. Examining the cognitive vulnerability model in the context of BPD symptoms is the overall goal of the dissertation project. Specifically, the current study examined the mediator effects of maladaptive schemas on the adverse event-BPD symptom relationship. Four hundred and fifteen undergraduate …

Factors Influencing Resilience Among Haematological Cancer Survivors, Katherine S. Gallager

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Haematological cancers in bone marrow (leukaemia) and the immune system (lymphomas or myeloma) represent the sixth most common adult tumour group in Australia. These cancers often develop without warning and require intensive treatment regimes that last on average eight months, but may continue for a lifetime depending on the diagnosis. Encouragingly, advancing cancer treatments, a key accomplishment of cancer research over the past 40 years, have resulted in a growing community of cancer survivors. Approximately two in three adults diagnosed with haematological cancer (HC) can now expect to survive more than five years. However, they must attempt to navigate the …

Secondhand Exposure To Problematic Drinking: The Lingering Effects Of Family Behaviors On Emotion, Lillie M. Holcomb

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Previous research regarding alcohol-related visual cues has focused on the effects of imagery on those affected by personal alcohol use and abuse. The viewing of such imagery among these individuals provokes a number of both emotional and physiological responses and provides important information about the multiple components of addiction. This area of research is important because alcohol use and abuse is a widespread problem. Personal users, however, are not the only people to experience the consequences of alcohol. Problematic drinking behaviors pose risk to both the users and those exposed to the users. More specifically, family members exposed to drinkers’ …

The Effects Of Mortality Salience And Team Identification On Sports Fans' Willingness To Consider Anonymous Acts Of Aggression, Sagan L. Ladd

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The current study sought to understand if mortality salience and identification with the University of Kentucky men’s varsity basketball team (UK) would interact in such a way as to influence participants’ willingness to engage in anonymous acts of aggression toward fans, coaches and players of rival sport teams. A research question was also evaluated which asked if mortality salience might be a potential mediator between participants’ identification and their likelihood to engage in anonymous acts of aggression. Results indicated that mortality salience was not a significant predictor and there was no significant interaction between identification and mortality salience. As a …

Influencers And Barriers To Consumption Of Healthful Diets In Rural Youth In Context Of The Bioecological Model, Megan Bren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine influencers and barriers to healthful dietary intake in rural youth in context of the bioecological model. Four focus groups as part of Ignite, a tri-state, five-year, community based partipatory research (CBPR) intervention were conducted with 6th to 8th grade adolescents from an economically disadvantaged community of rural South Dakota. Results were categorized into the context of the bioecological model. Within the model, the process, person, context and time (PPCT) design with the three types of personal characteristics were used to describe the framework in which the systems are embedded. Focus group content …

The Impact Of Pretrial Publicity And Need For Cognition On Mock-Jurors’ Decisions And Deliberation Behavior, Christine L. Ruva

Psychology Sarasota Manatee Campus Faculty Publications

This experiment explored whether negative pretrial publicity (N-PTP) and need for cognition (NC) affect mock-jurors’ decisions and deliberation behaviors (N = 169). Jurors and juries exposed to N-PTP were significantly more likely to render guilty verdicts than non-exposed jurors/juries. There was a significant PTP x NC interaction on post-deliberation individual verdicts. High-NC jurors exposed to N-PTP were less likely to vote guilty than their low-NC counterparts, suggesting a corrective function of NC on PTP bias. Hierarchical analyses revealed a significant PTP x NC interaction for juror deliberation behavior. For N-PTP jurors, those high in NC talked more and were rated …

Familiality Of Mood Repair Responses Among Youth With And Without Histories Of Depression., Lauren M. Bylsma, Ilya Yaroslavsky, Johnathan Rottenberg, Enikő Kiss, Krisztina Kapornai, Kitti Halas, Roberta Dochnal, Eszter Lefkovics, Ildikό Baji, Ágnes Vetrό, Maria Kovacs

Psychology Faculty Publications

Affect regulation skills develop in the context of the family environment, wherein youths are influenced by their parents', and possibly their siblings', regulatory responses and styles. Regulatory responses to sadness (mood repair) that exacerbate or prolong dysphoria (maladaptive mood repair) may represent one way in which depression is transmitted within families. We examined self-reported adaptive and maladaptive mood repair responses across cognitive, social and behavioural domains in Hungarian 11- to 19-year-old youth and their parents. Offspring included 214 probands with a history of childhood-onset depressive disorder, 200 never depressed siblings and 161 control peers. Probands reported the most problematic mood …

Comorbid Substance Use Diagnoses And Partner Violence Among Offenders Receiving Pharmacotherapy For Opioid Dependence, Cory A. Crane, Robert C. Schlauch, Susan Devine, Caroline J. Easton

Psychology Faculty Publications

While previous studies find mixed evidence of an association between opioid use and intimate partner violence perpetration among community samples, initial evidence has detected increased rates of partner violence among individuals receiving pharmacological intervention for opioid dependence. The current study evaluated the role of current comorbid substance use diagnoses, a robust risk factor for violent behavior, on the likelihood of perpetrating partner violence among a high risk sample of offenders receiving pharmacological intervention for opioid dependence. The authors analyzed self-report data provided by 81 (55 male) opioid dependent offenders during a court-ordered substance use interview. Approximately one-third of the sample …

Validity Of Center For Epidemiologic Studies Depression (Ces-D) Scale In A Sample Of Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans, Ana R. Quiñones, Stephen M. Thielke, Michael E. Clark, Kristin M. Phillips, Christine Elnitsky, Elena M. Andresen

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objectives: Optimal depression screening necessitates measurement tools that are valid across varied populations and in the presence of comorbidities.

Methods: This study assessed the test properties of two versions of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale against psychiatric diagnoses established by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview among a clinical sample of US Veterans deployed during Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn. Participants (N = 359) recruited from two Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals completed a clinical interview, structured diagnostic interview, and self-reported measures.

Results: Based on diagnostic interview and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders …

The Impact Of Weight Bias On Psychological Functioning: The Role Of Weight Discrimination And Internalized Weight Bias, Krystal Marie Waldo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Obesity rates in the United States (U.S.) continue to rise with approximately 34.9% of adults considered obese and an additional 34% that are overweight. With the increased prevalence of obesity, there has also been a rise in weight-based discrimination and weight bias in the U.S. The present study examined the association between body mass index (BMI) and psychological functioning, and whether internalized weight bias and weight-based stigmatizing experiences moderated this relationship. In addition, the present study examined if weight bias internalization mediated the relationship between weight-based stigmatizing experiences and psychological functioning. Non-treatment seeking overweight and obese participants (N = 112) …

Exploring The Relationship Between Long-Term Memory And Attention Through Attentional Templates, Rebecca Rose Goldstein

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

It is assumed that the contents of visual working memory (VWM) guide attention. This notion has been challenged by work which has demonstrated that multiple searches for the same target changes contralateral delay activity (CDA), an event-related potential that is the putative marker of the amount of information maintained in VWM. It has been suggested that the disappearance of the CDA with an invariable target marks the transfer of the attentional template from VWM storage to long-term memory (LTM) storage. Therefore, LTM may guide attention in many situations where it has previously been assumed that VWM guides attention. However, while …

Improving Mental Health Care For Transgender Consumers: Providers’ Attitudes, Knowledge, And Resources, Hillary Gleason

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Transgender individuals may present for treatment with a variety of mental health needs, both related and peripheral to their gender identity and expression. Compounding stigma and other life stressors elevate mental health risks in transgender communities, and the barriers to mental health services are manifold. As such, the current research study was designed to determine the competency of mental health care providers to address the unique needs of transgender consumers. Online surveys gauged mental health providers’ knowledge of transgender issues, implicit and explicit transphobic attitudes, as well as treatment decisions with transgender and cisgender consumers; moreover, workplace resources and infrastructure …

Efficacy Of Three Backward Masking Signals, Robert David Sears

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Increased backward masking has been correlated with Auditory Processing Disorders (APD). An efficacious test of the backward masking function that is compatible with naïve listeners could have clinical utility in diagnosing APDs. In order to determine an appropriate probe for such a test, three 20-ms signal-types were compared for ease-of-task. Response times (RT) were taken as a proxy for ease-of-task. Seven participants used a method-of-adjustment to track threshold in the presence of a 50-ms broadband-Gausian-noise backward-masker. The signal-types yielded two comparisons: Linear rise-fall on a 1000Hz sine-wave versus a “chirp” (750 Hz-4000Hz); Linear rise-fall vs Blackman gating function on a …

The Effect Of Terminology Relating To Mtbi On Symptom And Recovery Expectations, Meredith K. Reynolds

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The terms mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion may evoke different expectations for people who sustain such an injury. Expectations are important because previous researchers have demonstrated that expected symptoms at the time of injury were the best predictors of actual symptoms post-injury. The current study investigated the effect of terminology on various outcome expectations. Participants also reported their familiarity with the terminology. Participants read a vignette depicting a person sustaining an mTBI in a motor vehicle accident. A relevant diagnosis – concussion or mTBI – was relayed at the end of the vignette. No diagnosis was relayed for …

A Latent Profile Analysis Of Drinking Patterns Among Nonstudent Emerging Adults, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Abby L. Braitman, Amy L. Stamates, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research indicates that nonstudent emerging adults, as compared to their college-attending peers, are at higher risk for experiencing alcohol-related problems, including alcohol use disorders. The present study sought to extend the limited research on nonstudent drinking by (1) identifying sub-groups of nonstudent drinkers based on their drinking patterns and (2) determining the extent to which social-cognitive between-person factors related to drinking (i.e., social expectancies, perceived drinking norms, social drinking motivations) distinguish these sub-groups. Participants were 195 (65.1% men) nonstudent emerging adult heavy episodic drinkers recruited from the community. Mean age was 21.88 (SD = 2.08) years and 45.4% were unemployed. …

Effects Of Various Seating Arrangements On Disruptive Classroom Behavior, Natalie Marie Robichaux

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Both class-wide behavioral interventions and antecedent strategies are commonly used to target disruptive behavior problems and improve classroom management. Typically, antecedent strategies precede behavioral interventions due to their proactive nature. Antecedent strategies, such as altering the classroom seating arrangement, may be more desirable to teachers than behavior interventions due to their simplicity and ability to be easily incorporated into existing routines. Past research, though limited, has demonstrated that row and column seating arrangements are associated with lower disruptions during independent work activities compared to group seating arrangements. In the first study, a multi-element design was used to compare rates of …

Beliefs And Expectancies In Legal Decision Making: An Introduction To The Special Issue, Bradley D. Mcauliff, Brian H. Bornstein

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This introduction describes what the co-editors believe readers can expect in this Special Issue. After beliefs and expectancies are defined, examples of how these constructs influence human thought, feeling, and behavior in legal settings are considered. Brief synopses are provided for the Special Issue papers on beliefs and expectancies regarding alibis, children’s testimony behavior, eyewitness testimony, confessions, sexual assault victims, judges’ decisions in child protection cases, and attorneys’ beliefs about jurors’ perceptions of juvenile offender culpability. Areas for future research are identified, and readers are encouraged to discover new ways that beliefs and expectancies operate in the legal system.

Rearing Environment Differentially Modulates Cocaine Self-Administration After Opioid Pretreatment: A Behavioral Economic Analysis, Rebecca S. Hofford, Joshua S. Beckmann, Michael T. Bardo

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Research has shown that previous experiences during development, especially if stressful, can alter an organism’s response to opioids later in life. Given the previous literature on opioid modulation of cocaine self-administration, the current study raised rats in either an enriched condition (EC) or isolated condition (IC) and employed behavioral economics to study the effects of naltrexone and morphine on cocaine self-administration.

Methods: EC and IC rats were trained to lever press for cocaine using a within-session demand procedure. This procedure measured cocaine consumption under changing cocaine price by decreasing the dose of cocaine earned throughout a session. Rats were …

Use Of Video Games In Patients' Self-Management Of Pain: A Feasibility Study, Janet Donnelly Phd(C), Rn-Bc, Acns-Bc, Pccn

Dissertations

Background: Pain affects more than 75 million Americans and is the primary reason people seek medical attention. Pain is a common cause of disability and diminished quality of life. While anecdotal evidence exists regarding nurses’ use of distraction therapy activities in pain management, little empirical research data is available.

Purpose: To examine the effects of video game use (VGU) on pain perception, pain interference perception and perceived self-efficacy in pain management in adult inpatients.

Conceptual Model: The conceptual model is based on Self-efficacy Theory (Bandura, 1995). The antecedents of the concept of distraction therapy with use of VGs in patients’ …