Psychology Commons^™

Transfer Of Training Emotionally Biased Interpretations, Paula T. Hertel, A. Matthews, S. Peterson, K. Kintner

Psychology Faculty Research

Non-anxious college students first performed a semantic-judgement task that was designed to train either threat-related or threat-unrelated interpretations of threat-ambiguous homographs (e.g. mug). Next they performed an ostensibly separate transfer task of constructing personal mental images for single words, in a series that included new, threat-ambiguous homographs. In two experiments, the number of threat-related interpretations in the transfer task significantly increased following threat-related experience during the training phase, compared to other training conditions. We conclude that interpretive biases typically shown by anxious people can be established in non-anxious students in ways that generalize to novel tasks and materials.

A Comparison Of Students' Anxiety Levels While Taking Computer Versus Paper And Pencil Timed Math Tests, Angela S. Jungerman

McCabe Thesis Collection

The purpose of this research is to compare and contrast the anxiety levels of students before and after taking the computerized timed math test with the levels before and after taking the paper-and-pencil timed math test. Two second-grade classes were used in this research with each student taking each test once. The computer test, found at www .saxonpublishers.com/activities/basic fact_ sheets/, consisted of 50 addition questions to be completed in 30 seconds, and the paper-and-pencil version, adapted by the researcher from a Saxon created test, consisted of 100 addition questions to be completed in 60 seconds. The students' blood pressures and …

Research Proposal: Dogs As Reducers Of Anxiety In Social Situations, Jennifer L. Sytsma

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

For many years animals have played a large part in the average family unit. Animals become more than just pets and begin to be considered a family member or a best friend. With such close relationships developing between owner and pet it would not be far fetched to say that animals could act as a social mediator for those who suffer from chronic anxiety in social situations.

I believe that pets can greatly reduce stress and anxiety during social interactions with those who suffer from social anxiety. Since dogs are the most commonly seen pets in an outside setting most …

Depression, Anxiety, And Locus Of Control In Asthmatic Women, Elizabeth Ann Seebode

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Attachment Styles, View Of Self And Negative Affect, Amy Van Buren, Eileen L. Cooley

Psychology Faculty Publications

We investigated the relationship between attachment styles and negative affect using Bartholomew and Horowitz’s (1991) model of attachment. Attachment styles with a negative self view (i.e., preoccupied and fearful) were expected to be associated with more distress, especially the fearful style which involves negative views of both self and others. Measures of attachment, depression, depression proneness, and social anxiety were administered to 293 undergraduates. As predicted, participants with “negative self” attachment styles reported more symptoms of depression, proneness to depression, and social anxiety, but, contrary to prediction, those with a fearful style did not report more symptoms of depression and …

Evidence For Persistent Hypervigilance For Sexual Assault Survivors, Michãel Palmer

Psychology ETDs

Inhibition has been proposed as a cognitive mechanism that allows persons to screen out irrelevant information. This study investigated the effects of sexual assault on inhibition. Many sexual assault survivors experience intrusive memories of their assault that may be the result of deficient inhibitory processes. On the other hand, assault survivors often cope through avoidance which may strengthen inhibitory experience. Other hypotheses investigated the possibility that inhibitory strength changes across the healing process and that inhibition was related to trauma symptomatology. Forty-four survivors of sexual assault and seventy-nine non-assaulted controls were tested on two measures of inhibition: directed forgetting (a …

Depression And Anxiety In Roman Catholic Secular Clergy, Sarah Knox, Stephen G. Virginia, John P. Lombardo

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

A nationally selected random sample of Roman Catholic secular priests was investigated using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y. Additionally, a Self-Report Inventory requested information regarding participants' demographics as well as four categories of predictor variables (i.e., Vocational Satisfaction, Social Support, Spiritual Activities, Physical Environment) potentially associated with depression and anxiety. The study yielded a return rate of 64%. Secular clergy reported significantly greater depression and anxiety (both state and trait) than are reported in the general population. Low Vocational Satisfaction was found to be predictive of depression as well as both state …

Alcohol Expectancies And Drinking Behavior In Adults With Social Anxiety Disorder And Dysthymia, Lindsay S. Ham, Debra A. Hope, Cameron S. White, P. Clayton Rivers

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Previous research has found a positive relationship between social anxiety disorder and alcoholism, and that certain alcohol outcome expectancies are related to drinking behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among drinking behaviors and alcohol expectancies in treatment-seeking individuals diagnosed with social anxiety disorder or dysthymia, as well as normal controls. No significant differences were found across the 3 groups in alcohol consumption. As expected, socially anxious participants had higher social assertiveness expectancies than both participants with dysthymia and normal controls. Participants with social anxiety disorder had greater tension reduction and global positive change expectancies than …

The Impact Of Television Reports Of Prison Escapes On Anxiety : A Comparison Of Two Age Cohorts, Sofia Fisher

Theses : Honours

Television has been identified as being a major contributor to anxiety and fear of crime. The major aim of this study was to compare the level of state anxiety experienced individuals after viewing one of three versions of a television report related to prison escapes. The second aim was to determine if there were any differences in levels of anxiety between two age cohorts: middle-aged (35-45 years) and older-aged (65-75 years). A total of 120 participants were recruited using a snowball technique and randomly assigned to one of three groups using a lottery method. Participants completed demographic and attitudinal questionnaires, …

Effects Of Synchronous Chat-Based On-Line Cognitive Behavior Therapy On Study Related Anxiety And Behavior, Anoushka Rassau

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Very little research is currently available about therapy conducted in chat-based Internet environments. Most of the existing research concerns therapy delivered via email or on-line support groups. For this reason, this review first presents an overview of literature concerning practical issues relevant to Internet-based therapy in general and then presents a review of the research that is available regarding therapy provided in chat-based Internet environments. The literature reviewed in this paper has been obtained from several on-line databases and Internet search engines. The available research on chat-based therapy has produced mainly anecdotal or inconclusive results. There is a need for …

Trait Anxiety As A Moderator Of Problem Structuring Effects On Solution Generation, Judith A. Wightman

Student Work

This study investigated the effects of problem structuring and anxiety on the quantity and quality of solutions generated for ill-structured, complex problems. Trait anxiety, the tendency to feel anxious across a wide variety of situations, has been shown to impair problem solving performance in certain conditions. Trait anxiety was examined as a possible moderator of the relationship between problem structuring and solution generation. Participants were 184 undergraduate psychology students. Participants completed a trait anxiety measure (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; Spielberger, 1983) and generated solutions to an ill-structured problem, with varying levels of structuring (no objectives, one-objective-at-a-time, conflicting objectives). The quantity and …

The Effects Of Group Counseling On The Self-Esteem, Anxiety, And Behavior Of Children With Deployed Parents, Nancy Taylor Mitchum

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a six-session group counseling intervention for children who had a parent experiencing military-induced deployment. Participants were 65 children (30 boys, 35 girls) of enlisted military personnel attending elementary schools near the Norfolk Naval Base. Elementary school counselors facilitated the counseling groups.

An experimental/control group pretest-posttest design was employed. Independent variables were the child's participation in the Children of Deployed Parents-Group/control group, child gender and age. Dependent variables were self-esteem, anxiety, and behavior as measured by the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), the Child …

Language Proficiency And Stress: Impact On Measured Intelligence And Anxiety For Latino Children, Marlene Baldizon De Naclerio

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Role Of Alcohol And Stress On Measures Of Depression And Anxiety Among College Students, Jeffrey F. Porter

Masters Theses

In clinical literature regarding the effects of regular alcohol use, psychological benefits of moderate consumption have been suggested (Neff & Husaini, 1982; Neff, 1984; Neff & Husaini, 1985; Neff, 1985; Neff, 1986; Neff, 1993, Lipton, 1994). Despite the diverse groups with which this theory has been examined, no published studies have lookeq specifically at the high-risk group of college undergraduates. Subjects were surveyed to assess their typical drinking behavior, the number of stressful events they had experienced within the past 12 months, their perceived social support, and depressive and anxiety symptoms they experienced within the seven days leading up to …

Adolescent Suicide: Noncontemplators, Contemplators, And Attempters, Carole Ohlendorf Dockstader

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Practical Aspects Of Emotion And Memory, Paula T. Hertel

Psychology Faculty Research

Can anyone doubt that the study of emotion and memory should have practical implications? Surely not those among us who have had emotional experiences and sometimes try to forget them, to remember them, or to remember other things while having them. Extreme examples include the witness to a robbery and the victim of abuse. Less dramatically but far more commonly, anxious or depressed people perform everyday acts that are memory dependent. Indeed, a practical or useful science of memory should have a great deal to say about how memory works under such emotional conditions.

The Relationship Between Depression And Anxiety, And The Personality Traits Of Dependency And Self-Criticism, Douglas E. Craig

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationships between depression and the traits of dependency and self-criticism are well documented in the research literature. However, relatively few studies have investigated anxiety in relation to the two traits. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship each trait has with general anxiety and with social anxiety. Also, because depression and anxiety overlap, a multivariate analysis examined the relationships among the trait and mood constructs while accounting for the overlap between constructs. Subjects completed the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (assessing dependency and self-criticism), the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Fear of Negative Evaluation …

Personality Factors Associated With Negative Affect: Application Of The "Big Five" Taxonomy To Depression And Anxiety, Kent W. Anderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the patterns and discriminant utility of the five-factor model of personality ("Big Five," consisting of neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness factors) with depressed and anxious outpatients.

One hundred two outpatients seeking services at a community mental health center in a small western community participated in the study. Subjects were 41 clients with a depressive disorder, 31 with an anxiety disorder, and 30 in a mixed clinical control group. Subjects completed the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness to Experience Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI).

Results indicate that both depressed and anxious clients score in the "very …

The Prevalence Of Dual Diagnosis Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder And Alcoholism In The Literature: A Critical Meta-Analytic Review, Joseph B. Stone

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationship between alcoholism and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has been discussed in two research areas: research on the prevalence of GAD in alcoholics, and the prevalence of alcoholism in individuals diagnosed with GAD. Studies indicate that between 6 to 26% of alcoholics have a current diagnosis of GAD, with a lifetime prevalence rate of up 51%. In the general population, 4% would currently receive a diagnosis of GAD, with a lifetime prevalence of 8%.

This meta-analytic review of the empirical literature examines the relationship between GAD and alcoholism. The author used percentages to compare the results of various studies. …

Cognition, Emotion, And Memory: Some Applications And Issues, H. C. Ellis, Paula T. Hertel

Psychology Faculty Research

This chapter describes some ways in which the psychology of cognition, emotion, and memory can or might be applied in several practical settings. Recent years have seen a rapid growth in research on cognition and emotion and this research has been summarized in a variety of sources (e.g., Ellis & Ashbrook, 1988, 1989; Ellis, Varner, & Becker, in press; Fiedler & Forgas, 1988; lsen, 1984; Kuiken, 1989; Williams, Watts, MacLeod, & Mathews, 1988). Moreover, a new journal appeared in 1987, Cognition and Emotion, which is entirely devoted to relations among emotional states and the full range of cognitive processes …

Improving Memory And Mood Through Automatic And Controlled Procedures Of Mind, Paula T. Hertel

Psychology Faculty Research

Memory procedures and emotional states function together. Affective tone permeates episodes of memory functioning. Memory functions centrally in episodes of emotional disturbance, serving to feed the episode with fuel from past events or to repress those events when one hopes to escape or avoid the episode. When cognitive procedures are impaired by emotional states such as depression and anxiety, people do not perform the tasks and achieve the goals that could help to repair their moods. In the context of these considerations, then, we must view the improvement of memory as not merely a possible outcome of change in emotional …

Emotion, Mood, And Memory, Paula T. Hertel

Psychology Faculty Research

The ways in which we attend, learn, and remember are related to our transitory moods and to our enduring emotional states. This assertion is based on research performed by experimental and clinical psychologists who use a variety of methods. In some studies, psychologists measure differences in emotional states and determine whether those differences are associated with differences in the ways that the participants perform cognitive tasks. These studies usually focus on unpleasant emotions and moods, such as depression and anxiety. In other studies, psychologists attempt to induce either unpleasant or pleasant moods in the participants (perhaps by having them listen …

Effect Of Work Experience On Graduate Students' Anxiety For Future Work, Gila A. Azar

Theses Digitization Project

Part-time vs. full-time students -- Age range of 23 to 51 years -- Business and social work majors -- Self-efficacy -- Work apprehension.

Sense Of Humor And Social Anxiety, James E. Fischer

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

In utilizing humorous intervention within the psychotherapeutic milieu, researchers have indicated that there is a relationship between an individual's sense of humor and stressful emotions, specifically anxiety. However, the nature of this relationship is uncertain. While some scientists propose a direct relationship between humor and anxiety, others hypothesize an inverse relationship. This study was designed to investigate this relationship, hypothesizing that the greater an individual's sense of humor, the more likely the individual would experience anxiety in social situations. The subjects were 143 male and female undergraduates. These volunteers were administered the Situational Humor Response Questionnaire (SHRQ) and the Interaction …

Psychological Counseling For Law Students: One Law School's Experience, Faith Dickerson

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Volunteer Activity On Psychosocial Adjustment Among The Elderly, William R. Criss

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This research was carried out to determine if psychosocial adjustment improves for elderly persons engaged in volunteer activity. Questionnaires were completed by 27 persons aged 60 or over before and two months after beginning volunteer activity at one of 33 Florida community hospitals. A control group of 37 persons without hospital volunteer experience also completed these two questionnaires, which covered several aspects of psychosocial adjustment, including self-esteem, life satisfaction, sense of control, optimism, anxiety, depression and somatization. An analysis of covariance with repeated measures indicated that there was no significant improvement in subjective well-being associated with volunteer activity after accounting …

Speech Anxiety As A Self-Handicapping Strategy, Gerald Macon Travis

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study tested the hypothesis that trait speech-anxious females use reports of speech anxiety symptoms and self-statements reflecting speech anxiety as a self-handicapping strategy to preserve their self-esteem when confronted with an evaluative threat situation. Forty-eight college females, classified into high and low speech anxiety groups on the basis of their responses to the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker (PRCS; Paul, 1966), served as subjects, It was predicted that trait speech-anxious subjects would report more speech anxiety symptoms and self-statements reflecting speech anxiety in an evaluative setting in which speech anxiety could serve as an explanation for …

Effects Of Stress Management Instruction And Anxiety Monitoring In Adult Day Treatment Population, Jack Blanton Wills

Dissertations and Theses

This study examines the effectiveness of a particular stress management intervention with adult outpatients diagnosed as chronic schizophrenics. The setting for the study was the Portland, Oregon, Veteran's Administration, Outpatient Clinic, Day Treatment Center. The intervention was composed of two factors; 1) stress management training and 2) Behavior-Graph Instruction. Both of these were presented using a psychoeducational model of classroom instruction, role play, and discussion.

The Psychological And Social Consequences Of Htlv-Iii Infection: Homosexuals In Orange County, Ca, Kenneth Burton Kaisch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to identify the psychological and social consequences experienced by homosexual men who learn that they have positive results on the HTLV-III antibody test, but who have not yet developed AIDS or ARC. Employing a census survey of the membership of three California homophile organizations (n=1905), 30 HTLV-III positives and 55 negatives completed a biographical questionnaire, the IPAT Anxiety Scale Questionnaire, the IPAT Depression Scale, and the Coping Strategies Inventory. Results indicate that HTLV-III positives show considerable disorganization after hearing test results, have clinically high levels of anxiety (n=10), and clinically high levels of depression …

Beta-Endorphin And Running Addiction: Use In The Treatment Of Schizophrenia, Mania, Depression, And Anxiety, James Glenn Rogers

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Neither Glasser's (1976) survey data nor popular magazine articles (which seldom cite references) have provided conclusive evidence regarding the existence of running addiction or established causality between this addiction and Beta-endorphin. An integration and summarization of research on the effects of opiates, Beta-endorphin and running will answer the following question, or indicate where evidence is insufficient and explore avenues that require further research.

• Question 1: Is distance running addictive and if so, what is the role of Beta-endorphin in this addiction?

Secondly, prior reviews of research of the effects of opiates and Beta-endorphin on psychopathological illnesses will be combined with …