Psychology Commons^™

Covid‑Specific Coercive Control Among Emerging Adults Attending College: A Brief Note, Heather Littleton, Katie Edwards, Kayla E. Sall, Stephanie Lim, Victoria Mauer

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a “perfect storm” with regards to risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). Abusive partners may engage in novel forms of coercive control, such as pressuring their partner to engage in activities associated with COVID-19 infection risk (e.g., attend a large gathering). However, no empirical research has focused on COVIDspecific coercive control. The current study sought to evaluate the prevalence of COVID-specific coercive control in a large sample of U.S. college students, as well as its association with other forms of IPV and depression and anxiety. A total of 2,289 undergraduate students attending eight U.S. universities who …

Differences In Covid Related Anxiety Between Those With And Without Type 2 Diabetes, Jane G. Hewes

Honors Theses

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals with diabetes may be at higher risk for experiencing negative behavioral, psychosocial, and disease-related outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to compare COVID-19-related anxiety between adults with and without type 2 diabetes. Two separate samples were recruited for this study from web-based panels of adults: 372 adults with type 2 diabetes and 259 adults without type 2 diabetes. COVID-19-related anxiety was assessed using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S)This scale includes 7 items scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Scores are summed to generate a total score with higher scores …

Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Health Behaviors And Mental Health During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review, Kara C. Middleton

Honors College Theses

The Coronavirus pandemic had many negative impacts on healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, specialist care providers closed their offices to reduce transmission. Maternal healthcare was severely impacted. Mothers were unable to receive the prenatal and perinatal care they needed. Other specialist care, such as mental healthcare was severely impacted as well. There was also a lack of prenatal care occurring due to offices being closed. There is an established link between anxiety, depression, emotional eating, and Gestational weight gain. Gestational Weight Gain is associated with a higher prevalence of behavioral health conditions that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Impact Of Social Isolation During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Personal Account Of Social Isolation, Patricia Espinal Ramos

Communication & Media Studies | Senior Theses

I am no stranger to social isolation and its effects on my mental, emotional and physical health. A variety of factors such as limited research, misconceptions associated with its impact mainly in older adults, and its interchangeability with loneliness, previously impeded people’s knowledge and understanding of the subject. This research paper is a hybrid of personal experiences as well as quantitative and qualitative data that analyzed how the restrictions shed light on the effects and misconceptions of social isolation, especially in the disabled community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Females and males survey participants (N- 68) were asked to report their …

Negative Appraisals And Experiences Of Thriving And Burnout At Work And School During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Moderating Effect Of Embeddedness, Kate Noel Warnock

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The current study examines the effects of negative appraisals of COVID-19 on thriving and burnout, and whether embeddedness moderates these effects. Specifically, I examined whether negative appraisals of COVID-19 at work and school are related to less thriving and more burnout in the respective domains, and whether the predicted effects of negative appraisals of COVID-19 on thriving and burnout were stronger among those who reported more embeddedness in their job or major compared to those who are less embedded. Additionally, I investigate potential spillover effects of negative COVID-19 appraisals in one domain into the thriving and burnout in the other …

The Effects Of Covid-19 Induced Stress, Anxiety And Depression On The Eating Behavior Of College Women, Natalie Simpson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Increases in the prevalence of disordered eating patterns have been linked to distress and poor mental well-being. Additionally, COVID-19 has been linked to both depressive and anxious symptomatology, along with increased feelings of distress (Fitzpatrick et al., 2020). Because disordered eating is particularly prevalent among college-aged women, this study sought to determine how depression, anxiety, and stress affect eating behaviors of college women in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. 179 women at Butler University, aged 18-24, gave informed consent before completing a questionnaire pertaining to their demographics, their stress surrounding COVID, and their weight change since March 2020. The …

The Effect Of Pet Ownership And Interaction On Stress During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lucinda Prettyman

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented event in most people’s lives across the entire world. There has not been an event in recent history that has affected the globe in a similar way. This has created a unique opportunity to study the stress that this global event has caused. This exploratory study sought to examine the interplay between stress experience by participants during the COVID-19 pandemic and various aspects of pet ownership. A sample of 743 adult participants was asked to complete several self-report, online measures about their experiences with stress, pets, and interpersonal closeness during the COVID-19 pandemic. …

Perceptions Of Risk, Work, And Lifestyle Changes On Mental Health Of Healthcare Workers Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Awatef Ergai, Leeanna Spiva, Lin Li, Ryan Breshears, Ginny Q. Zhan

Faculty Articles

The COVID-19 outbreak is significantly affecting the mental health of healthcare workers worldwide. This study aims to investigate mental health outcomes of healthcare workers in a health system located in the Southeastern US during the first peak of the pandemic and examine the association of specific factors on the mental well-being of healthcare workers. A cross-sectional survey of 388 healthcare workers was conducted. Data were collected using a 79-item questionnaire, which included the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) instrument, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) instrument, and the 22-item Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety, and …

Perceived Sources Of Stress Related To Burnout Amongst Emergency Department Staff Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review, Sydney Craig

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Emergency departments (ED) are usually considered high stress environments. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying challenges such as frequent exposure to the novel virus, lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), being over worked and underpaid, and the uncertainty surrounding the overall trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in an increased level of burnout for ED staff, especially nurses. This study involves a meta-analysis of current literature surrounding ED burnout including incidence rate and causes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because studies indicate upwards of three fourths of ED staff reporting increased stress and burnout, finding ways to …

Examining The Association Between Fictive Kin Care, Parental Attachment And Emotional Distress In College Students, Roxanne Watts

Master's Theses

Having a supportive and secure relationship with parents can predict less emotional distress in college students. In addition to parental support, many families leverage fictive kin caregivers to provide support. This is especially true in communities of racial and ethnic minorities. The present study investigated the association between fictive kin care, parental relationships, and emotional distress in college students. One hundred fourteen (N = 114) college students completed measures that assessed parental and fictive-kin relationships, social support, and emotional distress. A COVID-19 pandemic-related distress measure was also administered. Three hypotheses were tested. First, it was hypothesized that fictive kin …

Psychosocial Student Adaptions To Covid-19 In Higher Education: A Mixed-Methods Approach To Covid-19 Through The Theoretical Framework Of Anomie, Grace Erika Johnson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted individuals and social institutions due to an abrupt and expansive change to norms and values, which are key characteristics of an anomic state. The purpose of this exploratory and descriptive study was to understand how students enrolled at residential university perceived educational and societal pressures associated with COVID-19. This research applied a mixed methods approach and relied upon three phrases of research: (1) Pilot questionnaire (n=54); (2) Qualitative interviews (n=14); and (3) Quantitative questionnaire (n=253). Findings suggested similarities in how university students responded to COVID-19 and how communities responded previously to other forms of natural disasters. …

Pondering Possible Psychological Pandemonium: Covid-19’S Impact On Undergraduate Students’ Distress Levels, Laura Alarcon

Student Theses

The pandemic has altered everything in its path, including a broad impact on mental health, but not everyone has been affected equally. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to examine if previously found differences in how non-Hispanic white and Latinx populations experience anxiety persist and/or were compounded. This study investigated distress levels of Latinx and non-Hispanic white undergraduate students at a public Hispanic Serving Institution both prior to and during the pandemic. A two-way ANOVA was run on a subset of an existing database to assess changes in distress levels between the two populations and timeframes. It was hypothesized that …

The Ivory Tower: An Intersectional View On Gender And Ethnicity In Academia Before And After The Transition To Online Work, Chelsea Robbins

All Theses

A substantial body of research shows that female academics have faced lower salaries, fewer promotions, and lower rates of tenure than male academics. Proposed mechanisms include higher demands for unrewarded service in the teaching-research-service ratio and significant obstacles in balancing work and family. This study proposed the ‘Academic Tetrad,’ which includes the additional facet of home life, as an alternative to the traditional ‘Academic Trinity’ perspective. The present study utilized an intersectional perspective to examine the academic tetrad, key workplace variables, and work-life balance across the COVID-19 transition to online work. The findings countered previous research by showing equality on …

On The Frontlines Of Covid-19: A Jd-R Approach To Better Understand Emergency Medicine Clinicians' Psychological Well-Being, Riley Mccallus Pegram

All Dissertations

Healthcare organizations have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with emergency departments (EDs) facing especially large burdens. Increased patient volumes, fewer opportunities to disengage from work, and the persistence of the pandemic over many months continue to place demands on emergency medicine clinicians (EMC) and may elevate their levels of psychological stress. Psychological resilience and meaningful work experiences may protect EMC from these negative effects but may also be negatively impacted by high levels of ED crowding. Using the Job-Demands Resources model as a theoretical framework, this dissertation sough to explore how ED crowding (measured objectively and subjectively), psychological …

A Global Experiment On Motivating Social Distancing During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nicole Legate, Thuy-Vy Nguyen, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. …

The Relationship Between Covid-19 Stress, Psychological Inflexibility, And Psycholoical Well-Being, Alyx Duckering

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the literature on the mental and physical health consequences of COVID-19 has expanded exponentially. Much of the published research has focused on the physical health and economic consequences of COVID-19. Research on the mental health effects of COVID-19 has primarily addressed the increase in anxiety and depression and related avoidance/safety behaviors surrounding COVID-19 (Taylor et al., 2020). Although there is an emerging literature on the COVID-19 mental health consequences, there is a paucity of research examining the processes of how people respond to COVID-19 stress and psychological well-being. Specifically, data examining potential psychological …

The Value Of Education: School Policy Decisions During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Elika W. Somani

Individually Designed Interdepartmental Major Honors Project

During the COVID-19 pandemic, lacking national U.S. policies, wide variation and conflict over chosen public school policy decisions emerged. What factors and guidelines informed the decision-making process in K-12 public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic and who were the key stakeholders? This study examines three school district types – a large city, medium city, and small-town – across Minnesota as case studies to unpack how policy decisions were made during the pandemic. Stakeholder interviews uncovered that the school decision-making process was a) connected to a district's political opinions, b) made by the superintendent and school board, c) primarily influenced by …

Demographic Disparities In College Students’ Psychological Adjustment During Covid-19, Anna Marston

Honors Theses

The goal of the present study was to explore psychological adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic in undergraduate college students. Since March 2020, undergraduates have endured extended lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing efforts that may affect mental health, especially for historically marginalized groups such as women and people of color. Furthermore, research on coping styles suggests that those who cope with a stressor such as a pandemic in healthy, adaptive ways may be protected against psychological difficulty. In February/March 2021 (Time 1) and again in April/May 2021 (Time 2), college students (N = 277) from two residential liberal arts institutions were …

Pandemic Issues: Faculty Value Alignment And Burnout, Eu Gene Chin, Brooke Hildebrand Clubbs

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Burnout among faculty members impacts physical, cognitive, and emotional functioning and has negative socioeconomic consequences downstream. Prior to the pandemic, faculty members were already reporting high levels of burnout, which is characterized by depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and a lack of personal accomplishment. Previous research reported that value incongruence functions as one of the strongest predictors of depersonalization (and subsequently) turnover intention. This study provides a snapshot of the value alignment and burnout of faculty at a regional public university in the months following the pandemic-induced pivot to remote learning. Results from our survey of faculty members (N = 58) suggest …

Typologies Of Stress Appraisal And Problem-Focused Coping: Associations With Compliance With Public Health Recommendations During The Covid-19 Pandemic., Justin F. Landy, Aya Shigeto, Daniel J. Laxman, Lawrence M. Scheier

Faculty Articles

BACKGROUND: Given prior research finding that young adults are less likely to engage in recommended public health behaviors (PHBs) than older adults, understanding who is and is not likely to engage in PHBs among young adults is crucial to mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping, this study examined how typologies of stress appraisal (SA) and problem-focused coping (PFC) among young adults were associated with compliance with public health recommendations during the pandemic.

METHODS: An online sample of young adults in the United States, ages 18-35, was recruited during the early …

The Ethics Of Care And The U.S. Covid-19 Pandemic Response, Samantha Treveline Barrett

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Throughout the pandemic, many conservatives like President Donald Trump lacked emotional sensitivity in regards to the millions of lives affected by COVID-19. They believed themselves to be too strong for the virus to take them down, and viewed those who wore masks as weak and afraid. Unlike Democrats, Republican governors entrusted their constituents to take necessary safety precautions and avoided statewide mask mandates, vaccine requirements, and lockdowns. Their policies and rhetoric demonstrated the overlap in harmful masculine traits and the conservative values of self-sufficiency and independence. Using a case study method, this paper analyzes the role of gender in a …

Examining The Impact Of Political Identification And Morality On Compliance With Covid-19 Public Health Measures, Jessica Stump

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

COVID-19 provides a unique opportunity to study the influence of individual and group differences on beliefs and behavior. In the present work, we examine COVID beliefs and behavior as a function of morality, ideology, and emotion. Data were collected in the spring of 2021 and the fall of 2021, allowing for distinct snapshots of an undergraduate sample at two periods of the pandemic. Of primary interest was the relationship between political ideology, moral foundation endorsement, and COVID-19 behaviors and beliefs. The results reveal that ideology drives COVID-19-related beliefs and behaviors. The results from Study 2 suggest that political liberals were …

An Analysis Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Students At The University Of South Dakota, Alexandra J. Buss

Honors Thesis

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly took over the United States (US) in the beginning of 2020. Nationally, damages to finances, housing, and mental health have impacted many. Despite being one of the least densely populated states, South Dakota quickly rose to some of the highest rates in the nation and was identified as a national hotspot. While there have been significant reports on the effects of COVID-19 on certain communities (healthcare workers, small business owners, parents), more research is needed on the effects on university students. In this report, I aim to assess damages based on financial status of students, mental …

Examining American Adult’S Mental Well And Ill-Being During The 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic Using A Self-Determination Theory Perspective, Lauren N. Jordan, C. Veronica Smith

Faculty and Student Publications

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic is an international health crisis that has caused unprecedented shifts in people’s environments and has threatened people’s wellbeing. The current study uses self-determination theory (SDT: 10) to understand how people were handling the pandemic, which proposes three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) are vital for human growth and thriving. Furthermore, we examined how people’s wellbeing and ill-being changed over the course of the pandemic. Methods: A sample of 193 American adults from around the country reported on their need satisfaction and frustration as well as well and ill-being at three time periods during the …

A Mixed-Methods Assessment Of Human Well-Being Related To The Presence Of Companion Animals During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Bindi Bennett, Suzie Cosh, Jack Thepsourinthone, Amy Lykins

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

COVID-19 and the measures used to curb the pandemic (e.g., lockdowns, isolation) have significantly impacted mental health and well-being. This study sought to investigate the role of companion animals in alleviating stress and improving mental health during the pandemic. In this study, 250 Australian adults completed measures of well-being and life satisfaction, animal dependency, perceived emotional support from animals, and animals’ effect on mood. Employment and living with others were the strongest predictors of positive life satisfaction and well-being, while greater dependency on companion animals for emotional support and companion animals’ negative effects on mood were associated with reduced life …

The Relationship Between Leader-Member Exchange And Citizen Willingness To Comply With Governmental Public Health Mandates Concerning Covid-19 In Dougherty County, Georgia: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Travis H. Goodson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As of February 8, 2022, more than 394,381,395 individuals across the globe have contracted COVID-19; and from this number, reportedly more than 5,735,179 have died due to the virus (World Health Organization, 2022). Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, local, state, and federal governments have fielded a host of public health mandates in an attempt to curtail the spread of the virus; however, little is known about the efficacy of such mandates and how willing compliance is obtained through perceived high-quality leader-member exchanges. Compliance is best defined as willing conformity to official requirements; here, compliance is examined through the lens of relational …

Youth-Led Resilience Promotion During Disaster Recovery: A Proposed Framework, Innovative Program, And Lessons Learned, Shane Mccarty, Kyle Pacque, Alyssa J. Gatto, Kaylynn Hill, Ruby Charak

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Objective: Disasters, such as a school shooting or a global pandemic, harm psychological health and necessitate recovery. To complement adult-led disaster recovery and traumaspecific approaches, we propose a Youth-Led Resilience Promotion (YLRP) framework focusing on: 1) multi-tiered change, 2) resilience goals, 3) a promotion mindset, 4) youth strengths, 5) prosocial behaviors, and 6) capacity building through partnerships. The YLRP framework guided the development of a YLRP program in the aftermath of the Chardon High School shooting in Chardon, Ohio, which is detailed in a case study.

Method: As part of a Community-Academic Partnership, twenty college student trainers delivered a …

Covid-19 & Mental Health: The Impact On The Future Of Younger Generations, Greyson A. Fox Tran

Senior Theses

The aim of this research is to identify any existing correlations between the COVID-19 pandemic and negative mental health outcomes in younger populations. This paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of those younger than 25 years of age, specifically focusing on students. It will investigate how various factors of the pandemic have affected people and how they have coped with psychological distress induced by the pandemic. Through a review of scientific data and scholarly literature, the impacts of the pandemic on mental health will be assessed. Coping mechanisms and the effects of physical activity …

Extending Psychological Reactance Theory To Include Denial Of Threat And Media Sharing Intentions As Freedom Restoration Behavior, Noel H. Mcguire, Hannah Ball

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

This study extends psychological reactance theory by examining denial of a public health threat and resistance toward media sharing as two novel types of freedom restoration. Participants (N = 220) were randomly assigned to watch a video advocating COVID-19 guidelines and completed an online survey assessing corresponding perceptions and behavioral intentions. Results of structural equation modeling supported the two-step model of reactance: greater perceived freedom threat was related to greater reactance, which in turn was linked to lower intentions to comply with COVID-19 guidelines, lower intentions to share the video with one’s online social network, and greater denial of COVID-19 …

Examining Covid-19 Long-Haulers Along Gender, Race Stress And Social Support Variables, Brianna Mabie

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Unfortunately, the United States has experienced approximately 620,000 deaths as a direct result of COVID-19, with elderly, Hispanic, and Black Americans experiencing the greatest risk (CDC, 2021). Although most individuals recover from mild to moderate COVID-19 infections within a few weeks, some may experience lingering symptoms for many months (Mayo Clinic, 2020). These individuals are commonly known as COVID-19 long-haulers. In order to properly assist in the well-being of COVID-19 long-haulers, more needs to be understood in terms of how gender, race, stress, and social support impact symptomatology within this population. The present study seeks to address this gap in …