Psychology Commons^™

Identifying, Increasing Awareness, And Supporting Military-Connected Adolescents In Public Schools, Amanda Bushman

Theses and Dissertations

Of the nearly 1,000,000 children of active duty members of the military, around 80% attend civilian schools not affiliated with the Department of Defense Education Activity ([DoDEA] DoDEA, 2018; Department of Defense [DoD], 2018). This creates a need for schools to be aware of the challenges that military-connected (MC) students face and understand how best to support them. Recent research indicates that the prevalence of mental health problems in MC youth populations has been rising since the war on terrorism began (De Pedro et al., 2011). MC youth experience an array of internalizing and externalizing problems, including stress disorders (Gorman …

Establishing The Public Library As An Out-Of-School Partner In Stem/Steam Education, Gwyneth Fernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The American public library is a unique community presence that positively influences the lives of families as an out-of-school partner in education. By examining the public library through a systems lens using Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory the impact of these institutions may be seen. A key characteristic of public library service is timely, relevant adaptations that meet the needs of the community served. In this project, a recent public library pilot program is evaluated. This program was created in response to the emerging trend in Science Technology Engineering Art and Math (STEAM) within schools and informal education opportunities. It was found …

A Four-Session Workshop For Parents Of Children With Autism: Understanding And Managing Challenging Behaviors, And Supporting The Development Of Children With Asd, Vanessa Huizar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research studies continue to show that being a parent of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents unique challenges for many families including understanding ASD deficits and behaviors, and identifying effective ways to manage these behaviors. Because ASD interventions generally take a behaviorally-based approach, parents tend to lack an understanding of child development, positive child guidance practices, ways to build strong parent-child relationships, and methods to engage in enrichment activities that will support their child’s overall development. The purpose of the current project was to create a parent workshop to help parents of children with ASD: 1) understand the …

The Impact Of Negative Affect On Psychological Well-Being Through Affective Commitment, Organizational Citizenship Behaviors, And Employee Burnout, Michelle Balesh

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Research focusing on organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) have highlighted how these behaviors support and aid the psychological and social environment within an organization. However, there is a gap within the literature that has not emphasized the negative consequences of engaging in OCBs. This study aims at examining the baleful consequences toward the individual, specifically, one’s psychological well-being. By examining one’s commitment to the organization, this study is interested if commitment will influence the likelihood of engaging in these discretionary behaviors. The aim of the present study is to understand the inimical effects of OCBs due to the investment of personal …

Retirement Planning Motivation From A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (Rst) Perspective, Luke Poulter

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Retirement planning is a complex issue. There are plenty of challenges that individuals and governments confront regarding retirement planning. Understanding what motivates retirement planning is a critical element for individuals and governments to understand. Therefore, the primary goal of the current study was to extend the literature on retirement planning by expanding knowledge of what influences retirement planning by incorporating Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST). RST is a neuroscientific theory of emotion, motivation, and learning, extended to personality psychology. It suggests three systems, the Behavioral Approach System (BAS), Fight–Flight–Freeze system (FFFS), and the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS). The BAS mediates responses …

The Importance Of Nutrition For Development In Early Childhood, Kaitlyn Sue Suha

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Understanding which foods contain the necessary vitamins and nutrients for a child’s health, and which ones are lacking, can decrease the likelihood of children developing nutritional deficiencies and promote their overall developmental health. It is important for parents of young children to have an understanding of nutrition and the effect that poor nutrition can have. this project presented information sessions to parents to educate them further about these important topics through four weekly online workshops. Participants were asked to complete a pre- and post-session survey. Survey results scores indicated that participants reported an increase in knowledge and understanding in regards …

The Relationship Between Automation Threat And Employee Related Outcomes Using Support As A Buffer And Moderated By Transformational And Transactional Leadership, Monica Garcia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The introduction of automation in the workforce has negative effects that go beyond technological job displacement. The process of introducing automated systems creates stress in employees, which may relate to lower performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between automation threat and employee-related outcomes such as self-efficacy, means efficacy, and employability and how social support, organizational support, and instrumental support can help buffer against this type of threat. Furthermore, transformational and transactional leadership styles of the manager/supervisor were examined, as they related to the various types of support. Two hundred sixty-nine working adults completed the study …

Measurement Of Nontheistic And Theistic Spirituality: Initial Psychometric Qualities Of The Inclusive Spiritual Connection Scale, Valerie M. Hoots

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spirituality represents a key part of life for the majority of U.S. adults and there is a growing body of research supporting relationships between spirituality and numerous health outcomes. Governing healthcare organizations have acknowledged the role religiousness and spirituality play in comprehensive and holistic patient care. While the U.S. shows documented trends towards diverse expressions of spirituality, existing theory-driven measures of spirituality are largely theocentric. The current study concludes a multiphase project that aimed at the outset to develop an inclusive measure of spirituality and establish initial psychometric evidence, validating its use across both theistic and nontheistic spiritual populations. The …

The Relationship Between Subtle Sexism And Women's Careers Explained By Cognitive Processes And Moderated By Attachment Styles, Patricia Carolina Rivera

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The present study investigated how experiences of subtle sexism related to women’s career outcomes. Prior research has focused on attitudes and impacts of subtle sexism, whereas this study focused on personal experiences of subtle sexism. Due to its normative nature, subtle sexism occurs often and can be difficult to classify as sexism. The study found that participants who encountered more subtle sexism reported lower levels of advancement perceptions and work engagement was indirectly impacted by subtle sexism. Interestingly, although it was expected that rumination would cause cognitive overload, participants in this study exhibited resilience which indirectly impacted their advancement perceptions. …

Dual Mechanisms Of Cognitive Control: An Eye Tracking Study, Kyle Mobly

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to attempt to provide an ocular signature for the dual mechanisms of cognitive control (proactivity and reactivity) by utilizing an eye tracker to record gaze patterns while participants were administered a modified version of the AX-CPT 40. Additionally, we sought to clarify whether context updating or maintenance was responsible for the higher Total Visit Duration (TVD) on the cue location during the ISI that was found in previous studies by providing both a short (1.5 seconds) and long (3 seconds) ISI length. This allowed us to disentangle context updating from maintenance by removing …

Spinal Cord Injury Provider Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Bacteriuria Management And Antibiotic Stewardship, Felicia Skelton, Sarah May, Larissa Grigoryan, Ivy Poon, Sally Ann Holmes, Lindsey Martin, Barbara W Trautner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Bacteriuria, either asymptomatic or urinary tract infection, is common in persons with spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D). In the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), conflicting clinical practice guidelines make appropriate bacteriuria management and antibiotic stewardship challenging.

OBJECTIVE: To explore SCI/D provider knowledge, attitudes, and teamwork around bacteriuria management during the VHA SCI/D annual examination.

DESIGN: Mixed methods.

SETTING: VHA SCI/D centers.

PARTICIPANTS: SCI/D staff providers and physical medicine and rehabilitation resident physicians.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Knowledge, safety, and teamwork scores on bacteriuria management using a validated questionnaire. Themes on barriers and facilitators to bacteriuria management during the SCI/D annual …

Validity And Diagnostic Accuracy Of An Adhd Symptom Rating Scale For Identifying Adults With Adhd, Stacy Jean Graves

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Specific rating scales of ADHD symptomatology are often included in neuropsychological assessments evaluating adults diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV (BAARS-IV) is a widely used symptom rating scale that includes four questionnaires: self-report current, self-report childhood, other-report current, and other-report childhood. In addition to ADHD symptoms, each of the forms include items that assess functional impact and developmental history of symptomatology. While similar symptom rating scales have been found to have high validity and diagnostic utility in children, it is unclear the extent to which the BAARS-IV shares substantial common variance with other …

The Mediating Role Of Emotion Dysregulation In The Association Between Intimate Partner Victimization Types And Symptoms Of Depression In Young Hispanic Women, Maria Gabriela Copeiro De Lestarpe

Theses and Dissertations

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is defined as the abuse or aggression that occurs in a close relationship. Statistics show that the most prevalent types of IPV are psychological, physical, and sexual. In the U.S. 1 in 4 women (24.4%, or 29.2 million) are victims of IPV before the age of 25. Minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged women are most likely to experience it. Depression, among others, is one of the harmful consequences resulting from IPV victimization. The present study focuses on the role of emotion dysregulation in the association between IPV and depression. It was hypothesized that emotion dysregulation mediates the …

Cyber Intimate Partner Victimization And Its Association With Depression And Alcohol Use Among Hispanic Emerging Adults: Identifying Protective Factors, Jorge I. Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

The advent of modern technology has inadvertently created newer avenues for intimate partner victimization (IPV) to transpire. This study investigated whether among Hispanic emerging adults psychological, sexual, and stalking intimate partner cybervictimization (cyber IPV) types were uniquely associated with depression and alcohol use; whether there were additive effects of cyber IPV types on depression and alcohol use; and to test whether cognitive reappraisal, self-compassion, and flourishing served as protective factors by moderating the unique effect of each cyber IPV type and the effect of cyber IPV multi-victimization on depression and alcohol use.

Participants were 1,129 Hispanic emerging adults in the …

Everyday Challenges To The Practice Of Desirable Difficulties: Introduction To The Forum, Paula T. Hertel

Psychology Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

The Impacts Of Race And Video Angle On Judgments Of Police Interactions, Shelby Gabrielle Wynn

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

With the invention of video recording on cell phones and the increased use of social media, the ability to record and distribute instances of police misconduct has become much easier. In recent years, such videos have captured White police officers using extreme force towards black citizens, many times leading to their deaths. Despite the increase in access to these videos, many of the officers involved are not convicted (or even indicted) of any crimes. Researchers have begun to examine variables that impact how people judge videotaped police/civilian interactions. For example, it has been found that when viewing interrogation videos, people …

Stress, Burnout, And Experiential Avoidance In Clinical Psychology Doctoral Students, Katie Marie Connor

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that clinical psychology doctoral students experience stress and burnout, with attempts to moderate their experience utilizing various coping skills. The current study aimed to expand the literature on stress and burnout in clinical psychology doctoral students and the impact of experiential avoidance as a coping style. The current study surveyed clinical psychology doctoral students on their integration of experiential avoidance, as well as various coping styles, to mitigate stress and burnout. COVID-19 data and descriptive statistics were gathered as well. A correlational analysis and dependent sample t-test were conducted to understand the relationships between variables. The results …

Communion, Agency, And Authenticity: How Gendered Expectations Influence Trust In Leaders, Allyson Day Pagan

Theses and Dissertations

While there are a great many benefits to increasing female numbers in leadership positions, organizations still struggle to find a place for women leaders. More research is required to examine leader skills and mechanisms through which they operate in order to facilitate women’s empowerment. The purpose of the current study was to examine leadership skills (political skill), behaviors (impression management and emotion management) and their outcomes (authentic leadership and trust in leader) in the context of gender. This study examined interpersonal emotion management as an increasingly important construct for leadership and social influence, incorporating it as an outcome of political …

Disparity And Applicant Faking Behaviors: How Comparison With The Ideal Applicant Affects Faking?, Yadi Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Applicant faking behavior (AFB) on personality measures remains a major concern in selection context. This study introduces a new construct of “disparity” which captures the difference between individuals’ self-evaluation personality score and the perceived ideal applicants’ personality score. Based on the Perceptual Control Theory (PTC), applicant will generate intention to fake in order to close the perceptional gap between an ideal applicant and themselves to increase their chances of getting hired. The study distinguishes intention to fake and actual faking behaviors as two separate constructs. Specifically, the study empirically examined the effect of disparity on applicant faking behaviors through intention …

Tracing Relations Between Attachment, Social Media Use, Self-Esteem, Loneliness, And Depression: A Mediation Model, Meagan Patricia Sabo

Masters Theses

An extensive amount of correlational research has well-established the link between insecure attachment style and subsequent adverse interpersonal and psychopathological outcomes. Moreover, the rise of social media has precipitated a shift in the methods by which individuals communicate; consequently, this has resulted in the shifting of preexisting dispositions toward dysfunctional behaviors to a more ubiquitous route of manifestation. Given that attachment literature has indicated notable differences in both underlying mechanisms and resulting outcomes of both avoidant and anxious attachment, examination of this alongside social media use provides valuable insight into potential relationships between the two. Further, research has examined the …

Feedback And Social Comparison: The Effects Of Comparing One’S Performance To The Group, Ryan Joseph Walz

Theses and Dissertations

Although feedback has been shown to improve performance, few studies have examined the effect of feedback containing information on peer performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of feedback on individual performance and feedback containing information on peer performance. Three participants were exposed to a no-feedback baseline condition, a standard individual feedback condition, and an individual feedback condition with information on the group’s average performance. The dependent variable was the rate of correct responses on a computer-based simulated work task. Withdrawal designs were used to evaluate the effect of the two types of feedback on performance. …

Investigating The Psychological Impact Of Covid-19 Among Healthcare Workers: A Meta-Analysis, Kavita Batra, Tejinder Pal Singh, Manoj Sharma, Ravi Batra, Nena Schvaneveldt

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Previous meta-analyses were conducted during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, which utilized a smaller pool of data. The current meta-analysis aims to provide additional (and updated) evidence related to the psychological impact among healthcare workers. The search strategy was developed by a medical librarian and bibliographical databases, including Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for studies examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health of healthcare workers. Articles were screened by three reviewers. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed by I2 statistic. The random-effects model …

Reducing Suicide By Providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Suicide Prevention, Wendy Larkin

Student Scholarly Projects

Veteran suicide is a serious and persistent national problem, which demands an effective treatment intervention. This Evidence-Based Practice project (EBP) addressed the question: Do patients with a psychiatric in-patient diagnosis of suicide ideation, who after discharge self-elect outpatient Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP) treatment over a 6-week time frame, reduce the likelihood of hospital readmission for suicidal ideation vs. patients who decline CBT-SP treatment and elect Treatment as Usual (TAU)? The literature is prolific in validating that CBT-SP is successful in determining the effectiveness of CBT-SP vs. TAU in reducing suicidal behaviors in adults.

Hospital readmission data were collected on …

Stress Levels In Cal Poly Student-Athletes Versus Non-Student-Athletes, Anthony Dean Mattle

Social Sciences

Comparative study between Cal Poly student-athletes and non-student athletes examining perceived stress levels and the prominence of six specific stressors (Schoolwork, money, future success, family, extracurricular, and time management). The data found no statistical significance between perceived stress levels and status as either an athlete or non-athlete. However, the data did show that status as an athlete or non-athlete had a statistical significance on where students ranked extracurricular activities among the six stressors.

Predicting Personality Type From Writing Style, Tanay Gottigundala

Master's Theses

The study of personality types gained traction in the early 20th century, when Carl Jung's theory of psychological types attempted to categorize individual differences into the first modern personality typology. Iterating on Jung's theories, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) tried to categorize each individual into one of sixteen types, with the theory that an individual's personality type manifests in virtually all aspects of their life. This study explores the relationship between an individual's MBTI type and various aspects of their writing style. Using a MBTI-labeled dataset of user posts on a personality forum, three ensemble classifiers were created to predict …

Sensitive Periods For Psychosocial Risk In Childhood And Adolescence And Cardiometabolic Outcomes In Young Adulthood, Jenalee R. Doom, Kenia M. Rivera, Estela Blanco, Raquel Burrows, Paulina Correa-Burrows, Patricia L. East, Betsy Lozoff, Sheila Gahagan

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Greater psychosocial risk in childhood and adolescence predicts poorer cardiometabolic outcomes in adulthood. We assessed whether the timing of psychosocial risk from infancy through adolescence predicts cardiometabolic outcomes in young adulthood. Young adults and their mothers participated in a longitudinal study beginning in infancy in Santiago, Chile (N = 1040). At infancy, 5 years, 10 years, and adolescence, mothers reported on depressive symptoms, stressful experiences, support for child development in the home, father absence, parental education, and socioeconomic status (SES) to create a psychosocial risk composite at each time point. Young adults (52.1% female; 21–27 years) provided fasting serum samples …

The Resilience Of Female Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence In Southwest Nigeria: An Interdisciplinary Analysis, Tobi F. Oloyede

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Nigeria endure harsh and traumatic experiences that affect their rights as women and their well-being. As the phenomenon of IPV persists in Nigeria, it is not only a family problem but a critical social and psychological problem. This study examined Nigerian female survivors’ hidden strength, agency, and resilience, rather than their powerlessness and vulnerability. Analysis of survey questionnaires, interviews, and secondary scholarship reveals that some Nigerian female survivors of IPV are able to cope whilst navigating stressful and traumatic experiences. The results also show that survivors’ ability to thrive and cope under …

Analysis Of Sex Offender Subgroups Using The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory- Second Edition- Restructured Form (Mmpi-2-Rf), Isabella Campanini

Theses and Dissertations

The current study aimed to expand the existing literature on sex offenders with regards to personality and psychological dysfunction, by comparing specific subgroups of sex offenders using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory- Second Edition- Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). Archival data from a sample of N = 244 adult male sex offenders was grouped based on four characteristic variables: offense type (contact vs. noncontact), relationship to the victim (familial vs. nonfamilial), victim age (younger vs. older), and the presence or absence of a personality disorder diagnosis or features. MANOVA and ANOVA results demonstrated that contact offenders scored significantly higher than noncontact offenders …

Mathematics That Clarify Slope & Scale, Help Set Standards, And Improve Interrater Agreement On Time-Series Graphs, Chad Erick Liming Kinney

Theses and Dissertations

This paper introduces new mathematic equations that clarify slope and scale and help overcome difficulties with visually interpreting slopes (or trends)--a significant culprit of poor interrater agreement (IRA) of graphed data. Three experiments tested applications of the equations and demonstrated the following results: (a) Graphic Variability Quotient (GVQ) manipulation strongly predicts viewer ratings (and accuracy) of behavior change, β = .895, R2 = .801, (b) mathematical standards that control the inherent variability in non-standard graphs can be empirically based (to facilitate reliable visual comparison), and (c) visual aids posted on graphs, such as angles of inclination and a simple slope …

Let's Talk About Death: An Open Forum For Challenging And Changing Uri’S Response To Student Bereavement, Molly Beluk

Senior Honors Projects

When my father passed away in March 2020, I felt discord and inconsistency in how the faculty responded to my grief. This project is designed to understand how the University of Rhode Island currently supports students after they have experienced a death loss and determine ways we can improve student support moving forward. This project’s praxes include a faculty survey on current supports; study of other universities’ student bereavement policies; and facilitation of a forum with faculty, staff, and administrators. Students who experience a loss in their college years “are at risk for decreased academic performance and dropout” (DeSpelder and …