Psychology Commons^™

Examining The Relationship Between Alzheimer’S Disease, Depression, And Social Support, Marko Lamela

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between Alzheimer’s Disease and depression to determine whether a correlation existed and whether depression led to greater outcomes of Alzheimer’s Disease. Depression-Alzheimer’s relations have been mixed in previous research. Data from an existing data set of visitors to the Alzheimer’s Disease Centers with three or more visits (N= 19, 652) was used to test correlations between depression and Alzheimer’s, later odds of developing Alzheimer’s, and possible moderating effects of social support. A positive correlation was found between depression and Alzheimer’s Disease. Patients with depression were found to be more likely to have Alzheimer’s. There was …

Explicit And Implicit Attitudes Towards People With Disabilities, Abby Right

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Explicit and implicit attitudes play a role in disability discrimination. The purpose of this study was to look at the relationship between explicit and implicit attitudes towards people with disabilities. Method: Participants (N = 78) were asked to complete an online survey with 10 questions asking them to rate the extent to which they agree or disagree with questions measuring explicit attitudes. Participants then completed an Implicit Association Test (IAT) looking at disabilities. The IAT measured participants’ accuracy and speed when sorting pictures of either abled-body or disabled-body and words associated with “good” or “bad.” Participants’ scores on each measure …

Early Head Start Service Use By Families With Court-Substantiated Maltreatment, Alayna Schreier, Kelsey Mccoy, Mary F. Flood, Brian Wilcox, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Early Head Start (EHS) is an evidence-based intervention program for at-risk children birth through three that seeks to improve child and family well-being. There is little research to date examining the prevalence of child maltreatment among families enrolled in EHS and the extent to which maltreatment is associated with receipt of programs and services available to EHS families. This study sought to (a) identify the prevalence of court substantiated maltreatment in EHS families; and (b) determine the association between substantiated maltreatment and use of EHS program and community-linked services. To answer these questions, archival program and clinical service records and …

Executive Function Impairment And The Influence Of A Break In A Virtual Nature Environment, Kipras Varkala

Honors Undergraduate Theses

60 (44 in the final sample) full-time or part-time employed or full-time student participants at the University of Central Florida were recruited to see whether a break in virtual nature will help improve upon executive functioning (EF) processing speed; especially in an EF impaired population. The main interest is that if virtual nature breaks aid with mental performance, then the application of virtual nature break can prove beneficial to both normal and, most importantly, the cognitively impaired. The lack of methodological consistency and the limited research on the subject yields mixed results in previous literature. The present study tries to …

Sexual Assault Disclosure And Gender: Relationship Between Survivor Gender And Disclosure, Christian Thomas Clevenger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to explore whether the gender of a sexual assault survivor influenced to whom they disclosed the sexual assault. Previous research indicates that barriers to disclosure could differ based both on the gender of a sexual assault survivor and characteristics of the disclosure recipient. Examining how disclosure is influenced by survivor gender could help better identify which groups could benefit most from educational resources. Participants (n = 160) were college students who experienced a sexual assault in adolescence or adulthood. Disclosure to a range of different formal and informal supports was assessed. Findings indicated that …

Is Anybody There? Exploring The Role Of Social Presence In An Online Political Science Research Methods Class, Delton Daigle, Aaron Stuvland

Faculty Publications - Department of History and Politics

Social presence, or the “being there” and “being real” presence of others in an online learning environment, is widely considered to have a positive impact on student motivation and participation, actual and perceived learning, course and instructor satisfaction, and retention in online courses (Richardson et al. 2017; Oh et al. 2018). Several aspects of social presence remain understudied however, such as how gender, class rank, and other demographical characteristics may influence perceptions of social presence and condition the relationship between perceptions of social presence and academic performance or course satisfaction. Furthermore, although studies of the impact of social presence abound, …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Military Families, Who Have Children With Disabilities And Maladaptive Behavior, With School-Based Mental Health Personnel, Londi J. Segler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to capture the lived experiences of military families who have children with disabilities and maladaptive behavior to note risk and protective factors that might impede the mental health development of that population of student. Through interviews with at-home-caregivers, I explored their experiences with public school staff, outside mental health services, and school psychologists. Study findings revealed that participants felt they were going to battle with school staff who were not willing to incorporate culturally responsive practices when working with their children. School staff who implemented regular bi-directional communication were more likely to gain …

What Happens Next? A Grounded Theory Exploration Of The Psychological Impact Of Leaving The Gang, Alana C. Liskov

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Very little research exists regarding the psychological impacts of gang membership and the mental health needs of gang members. Of the few studies that have been conducted, gang members were found to have increased rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (1.77 odds), current substance abuse (2.58 odds), oppositional defiant disorder, (1.24 odds) and conduct disorder (4.05 odds) (Harris, Elkins, Butler, Shelton, Robles, Kwok, Simpson, Young, Mayhew, Brown, & Sargent, 2013). Violent ruminative thinking, violent victimization and fear of further victimization were also significantly higher in gang members and believed to account for high levels of psychosis and anxiety disorder in gang …

What Remains? An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Therapists’ Psychological Boundaries In Crisis Work, Dana Santiago

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Little attention has been given to clinicians who work primarily with clients in crisis. The current study explored therapists’ psychological boundaries in crisis work. Qualitative data was collected from two semi-structured interviews with current mental health crisis professionals (n = 5). An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to gain access into participants’ perceptions and understandings of their experiences. Findings revealed 4 superordinate themes: Professional Self, Impacted Self, Relational Self and Evolving Self along with 11 subthemes that related to psychological boundaries. Results suggest psychological boundaries are fluid and closely tied with self-awareness and support from other professionals.

Educational Achievement, Engagement, And Persistence In Choctaw Nation: A Study Of The Success Through Academic Recognition Program, Suzanne Delap

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has developed a unique initiative to support academic achievement within their tribal territory. The Success Through Academic Recognition (STAR) program is an example of an Indigenously-developed approach to supporting students from grades 2-12, with the hope of promoting achievement, persistence, and engagement. To study the STAR program, a mixed-methods approach was employed to first analyze quantitative demographic and performance data collected from a cohort of high school students from 2014 to 2018. Next, phenomenological interviews were conducted within the same cohort, to describe the lived experiences of STAR students within the Choctaw community. The database …

Perceived Quality Of Clinical Supervision And Level Of Vicarious Trauma In Therapists-In-Training, Jessica L. Mantia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between perceived quality of clinical supervision and levels of vicarious trauma (VT) and secondary traumatic stress (STS) in a sample of novice therapists who reported working with survivors of sexual trauma. The researcher included therapist’s personal sexual trauma history and history of therapy for sexual trauma as covariate variables. Results did not support the predictive value of clinical supervision in determining level of VT or STS in this population. There were no meaningful differences among groups based on personal history of sexual trauma or participation in therapy. A high percentage of participants in this sample …

A Meta-Analytic Review Of The Relationship Between Interpersonal Trauma And Committed Romantic Relationships, Geneva Polser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The effects of trauma can be wide reaching and long lasting. In effort to create more comprehensive theories for the effects of trauma, there is a focus on the association between trauma and intimate relationships. For example, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; APA 2013) is associated with deficiencies in romantic relationship satisfaction through an increase in maladaptive communication patterns, relationship instability and intimate partner violence. Furthermore, relationship satisfaction can predict decreases in an individual reliving the trauma, emotional numbness and irritability.

The focus in this study is on interpersonal trauma. This encompasses trauma enacted from one (or more) individual(s) onto another …

The Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Behavioral Outcomes, Jennifer Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study intends to explore the intersection of two vulnerable populations, early childhood development and risks associated with exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). This study examines how age plays a role in the long-term relationship between ACEs and internal and external behaviors. This study seeks to answer the question of: How does age influence the relationship between number of ACEs and internal and external behaviors? The participants in this study include those aged 0 – 16 from the National Survey of Child and adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) dataset. The NSCAW study consists of five waves of data where Wave I …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Korean Adoptees’ Multiple Minority Identities, Jared Utley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the end of the Korean War, Korean children have been placed for international adoption due to their marginalized status in South Korea. In the United States, Korean children have predominantly been adopted to White families through transracial adoption (Bergquist, 2003; Lee, 2003). Transracial adoption describes the process of children being placed in a home where there are racial differences with one or both adoptive parents. Through international transracial adoption, Korean adoptees may undergo events that impact the salience and development of multiple minority identities, including: racial, ethnic, cultural, and as an adoptee. These experiences may be shaped by interactions …

Black Minds Matter: A Phenomenological Inquiry Examining The Prevalence Of Racial Trauma Among Black Doctoral Students, Jazmyne Markeeva Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Systemic and institutionalized racism is endemic to life in the United States and contributes to the daily marginalization of Black people. While the negative psychological and physiological effects of racism have been well-documented, the notion that racism can be experienced as a trauma is a newer theory. Racial trauma has been understudied and underappreciated, though it is a theory that clinicians should incorporate when working with Black clients and other clients of color. Exploring the ways in which Black doctoral students attending a predominantly White institution (PWI) have experienced racism is an essential contribution to the existing racial trauma literature. …

Caballerismo In Latinx Men In Higher Education, Victor Carrasco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Latinx men continue to be marginalized in higher education, and more research is needed to understand how to retain them using anti-deficit frameworks (Cook et al., 2012). Studies have investigated caballerismo as a protective factor for LatinX men. Caballerismo is defined by egalitarian beliefs, affiliation, positive family relationships, and empathy (Arciniega et al., 2008; Neff, 2001). Despite its promise as an anti-deficit framework, little is known about how caballerismo informs Latino students’ experiences in higher education. Therefore, this study addresses the following research questions: a) How does caballerismo manifest in Latinx men in higher education, b) how does caballerismo intersect …

Is The Reliability Of Objective Originality Scores Confounded By Elaboration?, Shannon Marie Maio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increased use of text-mining models as a scoring mechanism for divergent thinking (DT) tasks has sparked concerns about the ways in which automated Originality scores may be influenced by other dimensions of DT, especially Elaboration. The debate centers around the question of whether too much variance in automated Originality scores is accounted for by the number of words a participant uses in a response (i.e., Elaboration), and, thus, how the influence of Elaboration can affect the reliability of Originality scores. Here, a partial correlation analysis, in conjunction with text-mining and psychometric modeling, is conducted to test the degree to …

Measuring The Connective Action Of Black Lives Matter Activists: A Psychometric Investigation Into Twitter Data, Paige Alfonzo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many protest movements from the last twenty-first century have become increasingly networked and personalized. Several scholars have tapped into this change coining terms such as participatory action, digitally mediated action, computer-mediated communication, issue-based organization, and what I focus on in this project, connective action. Building on the ideas percolating across the literary landscape at the time, Bennett and Segerberg (2012) introduced the logic of connective action based on emergent characteristics they observed in post-2010 large-scale social movements. Both the logic of connective action and related work have become deeply ingrained in today's social movement scholarship. As such, I felt it …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Counselors In Training When Discussing The Existential Factors Of Death, Isolation, Freedom, And Meaning In Life With Their Clients, Sabina Musliu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grounded in the theoretical framework of existential therapy, this study aimed to uncover the lived experiences of counselors in training when addressing existential factors of death, isolation, freedom, and meaning in life with their clients. To have a better understanding of this phenomenon and address the research questions, data was primarily collected via semi-structured interviews. The obtained data was analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The data analysis process revealed six superordinate themes from the participants’ experiences: the emotional experience in the session and during the interview; transference/ countertransference; perspective on existential factors; factors that influenced counseling effectiveness in …

System Update: Technology Based Intervention For Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Marisa C. Simoni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Post-school outcomes are unfavorable to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Despite these outcomes and significant academic challenges, students with IDD have the potential to learn adaptive and life skills that lead to a more independent and fulfilling life through intentional intervention strategies. This dissertation explores technology-based interventions for students with IDD. Manuscript 1 presents a synthesis of literature related to technology, IDD, and a system of supports that schools utilize for tiered intervention delivery. Based on the findings, a new framework, Systems of Support for Technology Intervention (SSTI), is introduced to help guide school psychologists in choosing appropriate …

Identification Of Gifted Characteristics Using The Behavioral Assessment Scale For Children—Third Edition, Kristine Zytka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children who are gifted are at-risk for being misidentified with emotional and behavioral disorders (Daniels & Piechowski, 2009; Mullet & Rinn, 2015; Webb, 2016). Challenges exist in conclusively defining giftedness, assessing giftedness, and understanding common behavioral patterns among gifted individuals (Bracken & Brown, 2006; McClain & Pfeiffer, 2012). Because gifted children typically exhibit common behavioral patterns, it is important for school psychologists to understand gifted behavioral characteristics, how to assess these characteristics, and how to differentiate between common gifted behavior and maladaptive behavior (Daniels & Piechowski, 2009; Webb, 2016). This study examined the value of the BASC-3 in identifying gifted …

Xylo-Bot: A Therapeutic Robot-Based Music Platform For Children With Autism, Huanghao Feng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication skills, including motor control, emotional facial expressions, and eye gaze / joint attention. This Ph.D. dissertation focuses on studying the feasibility and effectiveness of using a social robot, called NAO, and a toy music instrument, xylophone, at modeling and improving the social responses and behaviors of children with ASD. In our investigation, we designed an autonomous social interactive music teaching system to fulfill this mission.

A novel modular robot-music teaching system consisting of three modules is presented. Module 1 provides an autonomous self-awareness positioning system for the …

Sex, Love, And Masturbating: A Touchy Subject, Gabrielle Kaminsky-Bayer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The topic of female masturbation has long been considered taboo and this has impacted the sparse research on female masturbation. In addition to the limited literature that exists on women’s reasons for masturbating in general, there are even fewer studies regarding the motivation for women to masturbate while in a relationship or how masturbating in a relationship impacts relational and sexual satisfaction. To date, there has been no study that specifically looks at early adult women (25-35 years old) in relationships that assesses the attitudes and behaviors of masturbation on relational and sexual satisfaction. Additionally, this paper was structured …

Cultural Wealth Of First-Generation College Students And Its Effects On Well-Being, Persistence, And Major Satisfaction, Eve M. F. Sussman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although understanding of FGCS’s success in higher education has been enhanced over the last decade, less is known about their career and educational development, and how their strengths and assets promote college success. The purpose of this study was to explore the relations between first-generation college student (FGCS, [N= 130]) cultural wealth variables, work volition, and outcomes (i.e., academic major satisfaction, persistence, and well-being) using the Critical Cultural Wealth Model (CCWM; Garriott, 2020). Results of regression analyses partially supported CCWM propositions. Significant, positive correlations were observed between resilience and work volition, academic major satisfaction, and well-being. Significant, positive …

Finding The Middle Path Between Dependence And Autonomy: Recent Trainee Experiences In Dialectical Behavior Therapy Supervision, Helen Valenstein-Mah, Joyce Yang, Jennifer Staples, Elizabeth Neilson

Psychology

Originally published in DBT Bulletin Volume 3, Issue 1 pages 28-32 (2020). The DBT Bulletin is published by DBT California.

Cruzando Fronteras: Liberation Psychology In A Counseling Psychology Immersion Program, Daniela Domínguez, Belinda Marie Hernandez-Arriaga, K. P. Sharon

Psychology

Using testimonio research, this study explores the immersion experiences of 15 counseling psychology students enrolled in an immersion program in Huejotal, Huaquechula. Based on core concepts of Liberation Psychology, this immersion program sought to increase students’ critical consciousness through conscientization, deideologization, denaturalization, and problematization. A thematic analysis of written testimonios includes coding, checks for internal validity, and the generation of important themes across student participants. Results revealed six themes: reclaiming identity; journeying with “nuestros ancestros and familias [our ancestors and families]”; “los niños [the children] as teachers”; cultural wealth; “comunidad como familia [community as family]”; and “cruzando fronteras [crossing borders]” …

Hostile And Benevolent Sexism In India: Analysis Across Cultures, Suparna Jain, Manpreet Kaur, Shradha Jain

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Society often fails to acknowledge that gender inequality, or the disparity in status and power between men and women, continues to exist today. However, rising incidents of crime against women and victim blaming by politicians and higher officials in Indian society make it important to acknowledge the rampant prevalence of hostile and benevolent sexism. The present research focuses on benevolent sexism as displayed by participants from India. It aims to assess the prevalence and consequences of Benevolent sexism in India. Cross-cultural studies by Glick et al. (2000) are based on Ambivalent Sexism theory and provide the means of such comparison. …

The General Population’S Understanding Of Mental Illness, Iris Walker-Tjepkes

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The goal of this study was to show to what extent people understand different mental illnesses and what ideas they have about mental illnesses are right or wrong. The study also attempted to compare differences in responses for different names of the same disorders. The mental illnesses examined were major depressive disorder (MDD), dissociative identity disorder (DID), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia. Method: Participants (N = 80) took a Qualtrics survey that asked questions about different mental illnesses. Each disorder had open response questions regarding the criteria for that disorder. For each disorder, there was no prior information about …

Academic Success And Its Relation To Academic Habits And Motivation, Sam Ebert

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Many factors contribute to academic success. Previous research has produced inconclusive results when identifying which factors play the largest role in predicting academic success. This study focusses on the relationships between academic success, motivation, and academic habits. I hypothesized that college students who report being highly motivated will have greater academic success than those who report being less motivated. I also hypothesized that there would be a strong positive relationship between college students engaging in good academic habits and high academic success. My two other hypotheses included that motivation score would be positively correlated with academic habit scores and that …

Is There A Difference Between Democrat And Republican States In The Percentage Of Male High School Students Who Carry Weapons On School Property?, Stephen Church, Wayne L. Davis

Lincoln Memorial University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Compared to other industrialized countries, America is a relatively violent country. The impact of violent crime on America’s youth is alarming and there is no clear solution. School violence is a serious problem that threatens American youth, and politicians are concerned about the high number of violent crimes committed by teens. However, Democrats and Republicans have very different policy platforms on dealing with violent crimes. On the one hand, Republicans support Stand-Your-Ground laws and believe that individuals have a right to protect themselves. On the other hand, Democrats oppose Stand-Your-Ground laws and believe the government is the best source for …