Psychology Commons^™

Racial And Ethnic Differences In Smoking Changes After Chronic Disease Diagnosis Among Middle-Aged And Older Adults In The United States, Ana R. Quinones, Corey L. Nagel, Jason T. Newsom, Nathalie Huguet, Paige Sheridan, Stephen M. Thielke

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Middle-aged and older Americans from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds are at risk for greater chronic disease morbidity than their white counterparts. Cigarette smoking increases the severity of chronic illness, worsens physical functioning, and impairs the successful management of symptoms. As a result, it is important to understand whether smoking behaviors change after the onset of a chronic condition. We assessed the racial/ethnic differences in smoking behavior change after onset of chronic diseases among middle-aged and older adults in the US.

Methods

We use longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS 1992–2010) to examine changes in smoking …

The Persistence Of An Anti-Stereotyping Intervention, Kristan Palermo

UNF Undergraduate Capstone Projects and Honors Theses

Research demonstrates that Black people are more likely to be mistakenly shot in experimental computer programs when posing no threat (Correll, Park, Judd, & Wittenbrink, 2002; Greenwald, Oakes, & Hoffman, 2003). Additionally, when primed with a Black face, participants recognize guns faster, and are more likely to mistake a harmless object (e.g. tool) for a gun (Judd et al., 2004; Payne 2001;2006). This may be related to stereotyping of Black people as aggressive, dangerous, threatening, and criminal (Correll, Park, Judd, Wittenbrink, Sadler, & Keesee, 2007; Devine & Elliot, 1995; Hugenberg & Bodenhausen, 2003; Payne, 2001). The link between weapons and …

Self-Compassion And Personality: A Cross-Sectional Study Of Big Five Personality, Moral Reasoning, And Values, Kaylee Sisneros

UNF Undergraduate Capstone Projects and Honors Theses

Self-compassion is a relatively new construct in the psychological literature, and it is comprised of practicing self-kindness, recognizing our common humanity, and being mindful of one’s emotions. Previous research has found that individuals higher in self-compassion benefit from greater psychological well-being, less anxiety and depression, and greater clarity about their own strengths and limitations relative to those lower in self-compassion. While this construct has been investigated primarily in clinical and mental health contexts, few studies have evaluated its associations with certain aspects of personality, morals, and values. In the present research, we examined cross-sectional associations between the Self-Compassion Scale, the …

Increasing Participation And Improving Engagement In Home Visitation: A Qualitative Study Of Early Head Start Parent Perspectives, Grace S. Hubel, Alayna Schreier, Brian L. Wilcox, Mary Fran Flood, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Home visitation programs are designed to provide comprehensive services that promote parents’ abilities to create stable, nurturing care environments for their children. In order for program goals to be met, parents must participate actively and be engaged with the programs’ mission. However, promoting engagement and participation are complex processes that have been understudied in research on home visitation. The current qualitative study examined how a national, federally funded home visitation program, Early Head Start (EHS), engaged and retained families so that potentially helpful preventative interventions could be delivered. The study also identified barriers to active engagement. Semistructured interviews were conducted …

Do Pinnipeds Have Personality? Broad Dimensions And Contextual Consistency Of Behavior In Harbor Seals (Phoca Vitulina) And California Sea Lions (Zalophus Californianus), Amber J. De Vere, Malin K. Lilley, Lauren Highfill

Psychology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Personality has now been studied in species as diverse as chimpanzees and cuttlefish, but marine mammals remain vastly underrepresented in this area. A broad range of traits have been assessed only once in each of bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions, while consistent individual differences in a few specific behaviors have been identified in grey seals. Furthermore, the context component of definitions of personality is not often assessed, despite evidence that animals may show individual patterns of behavioral consistency across contexts. The current study therefore aimed to use behavioral coding to assess underlying personality factors and consistency across contexts in …

Meaning In Life As A Moderator Of Resilience And Traumatic Stress: A Study Of Protective Factors And Sex Differences In A Sample Of Mississippi Coastal Residents Seeking Mental Health Services After The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Bethany Jane Aiena

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In April of 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded, releasing millions of barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, becoming the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Disasters often lead to a decrease in psychological well-being for those affected by the disaster. Positive psychological constructs such as resilience and perceived meaning in life have been shown to be significant protective factors against the negative psychological effects of a disaster. Utilizing a sample of 1119 adults seeking mental health services along the coast of Mississippi after the spill, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between these …

Sex-Related Alcohol Expectancies And Perceptions Of Sexual Assault: Recognition Response Latency And Blame Attribution, Walter Thomas Rueff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use has often been linked with sexual violence. Pumphrey-Gordon and Gross (2007) note that “among the numerous factors that have been associated with the occurrence of sexual assault, the use of alcohol is the most reliable” (p. 476). Novel autonomy places undergraduates at a nexus alcohol use and sexual experiences, as well as the potential negative consequences of both. This confluence of factors contributes to proportionally higher rates of risky sexual behaviors and sexual assaults among undergraduates. Alcohol expectancies, beliefs about the outcomes and consequence of drinking alcohol, have been shown to influence drinking behaviors, which have, in turn, …

On The Relationship Between Meaning And Prejudice: Examining Self-Transcendence And Value-Behavior Consistency In A Sample Of College Students, Ivonne Andrea Florez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined whether the value of self-transcendence and the degree to which individuals report behaving consistently with their values (value-behavior consistency) impact the association of meaning and racial prejudice against White and Black individuals. The study was conducted with a college population from a university located in the southern United States. The final sample was composed of 362 people, 281 females and 81 males, with a majority of participants self-identifying as White (73.8%). To assess meaning, the Purpose in Life test – Short Form (PIL-SF) and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire Presence subscale (MLQ-Presence) were administered. Social judgment …

Psychedelic Psychotherapy : Existential And Neuroscience Perspectives On The Therapeutic Journey, Arthur W. Seelig

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Psychotherapy with the use of high-dose psychedelic drugs shows immense promise in treating a myriad of debilitating psychiatric conditions. After a three-decade long suspension, regulators have allowed for new studies and re-awakened interest in the potential of psychedelics. However, while research on the topic has quickly progressed, little has been done to reinvigorate our clinical understanding of the psychedelic healing process. This thesis interprets the psychedelic state through the twin perspectives of existentialism and neuroscience with the goal of starting to develop a theoretical language.

The subjective experience of high-dose psychedelics under therapeutic conditions often results in a loss-of-self referred …

Parent-Fostered Enrichment Activities And Academic Outcomes In Middle Childhood, Princess-Melissa T. Washington-Nortey

Theses and Dissertations

Despite numerous educational reforms, elementary school children in the United States continue to lag behind their peers from other developed countries on reading, math and science outcomes. Many interventions focus on strategies aimed at increasing the amount of classroom work children undertake. However, the key to improving outcomes may lie in out of school enrichment activities that facilitate learning. Drawing from Eccles Expectancy-Value theory(Simpkins, Fredricks, & Eccles, 2012), the current study focuses on assessing the impact of parent-fostered enrichment activities on child academic outcomes in the first three years of elementary school. Using secondary data from Early Childhood Longitudinal Study …

The Prevalence And Needs Of Homeless Undergraduates At A Large, Urban University, Corissa Carlson

Wayne State University Dissertations

Empirical research has been limited with respect to homelessness among college undergraduates. Research on educational outcomes has been limited to K-12th grade, but what is known points to worse outcomes for people who are homeless. The National Coalition for the Homeless (2014) reported that 75% of homeless or runaway teenagers drop out of school. Furthermore, while federal funding though the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act has been able to help younger students, funding for homeless youth considering or attending college is minimal. Recently, some more attention has been given to this issue through the College Cost Reduction Access Act (CCRAA) which …

The Influence Of The Physical Workspace On Creative Performance: Alternative Mediation Models, Reed James Bramble

Wayne State University Theses

The present study assessed how individuals respond to stimuli in their immediate work environment. Specifically, I conducted a laboratory experiment with a student sample to test the influence of natural stimuli in the workspace on individuals’ creative performance. Additionally, I tested a series of potential mediating variables that could have driven the effect: state positive affect, state openness to experience, and self-regulation of effort. While the results indicated that the hypotheses were broadly unsupported, supplemental analyses revealed that the intervention significantly predicted effort regulation in a high-performing subgroup. Study limitations and recommendations for future directions are discussed.

Mental Health Service Utilization Among At-Risk Urban Adolescents: The Relative Contributions Of Perceived Need, Attitude, And Spirituality/Religiosity, Yi Tak Tsang

Wayne State University Theses

Adolescence has been described as “a time of storm and stress” (Arnett, 1999; Hall, 1904). In fact, a national survey in the United States estimated that adolescents were twice as likely than adults to report at least one major depressive episode in the past 12 months (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, 2016). In particular, adolescents who are poor, who belong to ethnic minority groups, and who live in urban neighborhoods are more vulnerable to mood and behavioral symptoms than their White/Caucasian counterparts who grow up in relatively affluent suburban and rural areas (Beyers, Bates, Pettit, & Dodge, 2003; …

Phylogeny, Psychology, And The Vicissitudes Of Human Development: The Anxiety Of Atavism, Frank Pittenger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This cross-disciplinary dissertation provides a missing intellectual history of an ostensibly dead idea. Once widely held and no less elegant for its obsolescence, the principle of biogenetic recapitulation is best remembered by its defining mantra, “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny.” Among psychologists and sociologists as well as embryologists, the notion that the development of any individual organism repeats in compressed, miniaturized form the entire history of its species enjoyed broad (if not uncontested) acceptance through the early twentieth century. The author reexamines the origins of this theory in the work of Charles Darwin and Ernst Haeckel, and traces its influence in psychology …

Examining The Role Of Ethnic Identity In The Relationship Between Characteristics Of Autism Spectrum Disorders And Eating Disorders, Ashley Bojorquez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present work provides a synthetic literature review investigating the potential role of ethnic identity in the relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and eating disorders (EDs). To date, there is no literature that directly examines the role that ethnic identity may play in the relationship between these two disorders. However, there is reason to believe it may; previous literature has shown that race/ethnicity plays a role in both of these disorders, and the role of ethnic identity has been more fully explored in the ED population. Notably, there is little research that examines the role of ethnic identity on …

An Exploration Of The Relationships Among Cattell-Horn-Carroll (Chc) Theory-Aligned Cognitive Abilities And Math Fluency, Katherine D. Piselli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Math fluency, which refers to the ability to solve single digit arithmetic problems quickly and accurately, is a foundational mathematical skill. Recent research has examined the role of phonological processing, executive control, and number sense in explaining differences in math fluency performance in school-aged children. Identifying the links between these cognitive abilities and math fluency skills has important implications for screening, assessment, and intervention efforts in schools. As extant mathematics research in the context of Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory has evaluated either broad mathematics performance or math calculation skills, little is known about the specific relationships between math fact fluency and …

Indirect Bullying And Conflict Management Skills In Childhood And Adolescence, Charles Albright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, the Young Adult Social Behavior Scale (YASB) and Conflict Resolution Scale (CRS) measures were administered to students from three private middle and high schools in the mid-Atlantic US as part of a larger study regarding the effects of a group counseling curriculum in reducing forms of indirect bullying. Research questions were developed to evaluate differences according to student age and gender in relational aggression, social aggression, and interpersonal maturity, as well as relationships between relational aggression, social aggression, interpersonal maturity, and conflict resolution skills. These questions were evaluated using MANOVA, Chi-square, and multivariate regression analyses, respectively. Results …

Clients' Experiences Of Recovery-Oriented Care For Schizophrenia: A Qualitative Research Study, Sarah A. Hamilton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A recovery model of care has been widely accepted and instituted both in the U.S. and internationally, but research suggests that the model has not been employed uniformly. While existing research has focused on creating consensus regarding application of the model, the lived experience of those receiving the care has not yet been considered. In order to address this gap, the present study proposed a qualitative analysis of mental health consumers’ experiences of recovery-oriented care for schizophrenia. Potential participants were recruited through a Regional Mental Health Board and the author individually interviewed four participants in semi-structured interviews. A qualitative analysis …

The Relationship Between Religiosity And Depression Among Sampled Kenyans In The Twin Cities Metro Area, Dorcas Waite

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess whether there is a relationship between the self-reported level of religiosity and the self-reported level of depression among sampled Kenyans in the Twin Cities Metro Area, in Minnesota. The sample consisted of 63 individuals who were members or visitors at Destiny Faith Ministries and United Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

Results showed that 98.4% (n=60) of participants identified themselves with a specific religion, 90.4% (n=57) scored 40 and above on the religiosity scale, which indicated strong religiosity. Majority of participants (66.8%, n=42) indicated that they had been bothered for several days by at least …

Comparing Brief Acceptance And Control-Based Interventions: Evaluating Public Speaking Performance In Socially-Anxious Individuals, Samuel Spencer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Social anxiety disorder is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders in our society today. Although Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered a gold standard for the treatment of anxiety disorders, some individuals do not respond to CBT, and other approaches to treatment continue to be investigated. One alternative approach is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which has been used successfully to treat social anxiety, and has also tentatively been shown to be effective for increasing public speaking performance. The current study compared the effects of brief acceptance- and cognitive-control-based intervention protocols on public speaking performance in socially-anxious college students …

Evaluation Of A Mindfulness Intervention For Children With Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Stephanie Jo Pirsig

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Emotion regulation difficulties are featured in internalizing and externalizing psychological diagnoses and can be seen as a precursor for a severe and persistent mental illness, relationship, and personal problems. Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) is a non-pharmaceutical alternative and may alleviate limitations for medication, cognitive behavior therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a MBSR intervention on emotion regulation in children with emotion regulation difficulties and associated psychiatric diagnoses. Five participants, ages 6 to 13 years old, with emotion regulation difficulties were recruited through local psychiatric clinics and participated in …

The Lived Experience Of Intersectionality Among African American Women With Breast Cancer, Teri D. Armour Burton

Dissertations

African American women (AAW) continue to have breast cancer mortality rates that are 42% higher than White women (De Santis et al., 2015). Researchers suggest that an epistemological approach that integrates the biomedical and feminist models would be more effective in addressing health disparities. The concept of intersectionality, which grew out of the Black feminist movement, provides a lens in which to view the lived experiences of AAW with breast cancer. The intersectionality paradigm attempts to address the marginalized, oppressive, intersecting social existence of AAW through the examination of identity, social class, and power.

This qualitative study applied a descriptive …

Front Matter

Modern Psychological Studies

No abstract provided.

The Problem With Online Data Collection: Predicting Invalid Responding In Undergraduate Samples, Patricia Al-Salom, Carlin J. Miller

Modern Psychological Studies

The popularity of online research is increasing but the validity of the results obtained is not yet clear. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence the validity of computerized data collection in an undergraduate sample. Participants were 99 university students randomly assigned to one of three data collection conditions: online survey platform, in-person computerized survey platform, and in-person pencil-and-paper survey. Results from statistical analyses suggest self-reported inattention symptoms, exposure to more stressors, and computerized platforms predict more invalid responding. In contrast, personality, self-reported impulsivity symptoms, and shorter completion times do not predict invalid responding. Overall, …

Age And Gender Differences In Particpation Rates, Motivators For, And Barriers To Exercise, Margot E. Hickey, Susan E. Mason

Modern Psychological Studies

Participants completed a questionnaire about their involvement in exercise and the motivators for and barriers to their participation in physical activities. There was a significant age difference in the total number of barriers reported. There were also significant gender differences in several aspects of exercise, within both a college sample and a sample of community residents. Because of the numerous health benefits of exercise for men and women of all ages, it is important that we understand what motivates individuals to be active. The findings of the present study suggest that the individual’s age and gender are important factors to …

Self-Efficacy And Gender In Stem Majors, Katie Jordan, Randy Carden

Modern Psychological Studies

This study investigated self-efficacy in men and women studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors at a small private university in order to determine whether women had lower self-efficacy scores than men, as has been suggested by previous research. The study also investigated the possibility of a negative correlation between femininity and self-efficacy. The participants (N=67) were evaluated using the College Academic Self-Efficacy Survey created by Owen and Froman (1988) to find self-efficacy scores, and the women (N=37) were also given the Bem Sex Role Inventory (Bem,1974) to determine femininity scores. The results found no relationship between gender and …

Hope, Life Satisfaction, And Motivation, Haley K. Mcconnell, Laura G. Stull

Modern Psychological Studies

This study examined three types of motivation—autonomous, controlled and impersonal (Deci & Ryan, 1985)—in relation to life satisfaction and hope in a sample of persons living in transitional housing in central Indiana. It was hypothesized that life satisfaction and hope would be positively related to autonomous motivation and negatively related to impersonal motivation. Further, the relationship between life satisfaction, hope, and controlled motivation was explored. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analyses. While hypotheses were not supported, other important relationships were found in the data, such as interesting directional differences and correlations. How these findings may be particularly relevant to …

Psychological Distress, Attachment, And Conflict Resolution In Romantic Relationships, Julie Petersen, Benjamin Le

Modern Psychological Studies

Understanding the correlates of psychological distress has important implications for enhancing clinical treatments and promoting well-being and mental health in daily life. The present study examines the associations between attachment avoidance and anxiety, conflict resolution, and psychological distress in romantic relationships in a large sample (N = 697) recruited online. Anxiety and avoidance were associated with heightened psychological distress, and maladaptive conflict resolution strategies were found partially mediate these associations. Future directions and clinical implications highlighting attachment and conflict resolution are discussed.

The Caregiver’S Burden: Psychological Distress In The Younger Adult Caregiver, Kelsey C. Bacharz, Leilani B. Goodmon

Modern Psychological Studies

Research reveals that informal, adult caregivers (25 years of age and older) of chronically ill loved ones incur psychological stress from the caregiving experience. However, there is little research on the psychological impact on the younger adult caregiver (ages 18-24). Therefore, the focus of this study was to explore the psychological effects of being a younger adult caregiver and what factors contribute to, or insulate the younger adult caregiver from the distress of caregiving. The results indicate that younger adult caregivers are unique in that different factors contribute to or insulate them from distress compared to adult caregivers.

From Solitary To Solidarity: Belonging, Social Support, And The Problem Of Women’S Recidivism, Erin M. Schnappauf, Theresa E. Didonato

Modern Psychological Studies

This paper addresses the relation between belonging and social support and recidivism of formerly-incarcerated women by reviewing existing literature on their experience re-entering into society. Drawing on recent evidence, this paper considers that belonging and social support, in the form of frequent, positive interactions, may help formerly-incarcerated women overcome obstacles of successful reintegration. Specifically, the review paper supports a hypothesis that if formerly-incarcerated women have more social support as they re-enter into society, the recidivism rate for this population could decrease. The review also examines how different demographics intersect with the experience of reintegration and addresses gaps in the literature …