Psychology Commons^™

The Impact And Influence Of Sexual Interpersonal Violence And Beliefs On Barriers In Help-Seeking For College Students, Caitlin N. Bedard

Dissertations and Theses

Sexual interpersonal violence (SIPV) has significant negative impacts on college students yet there is frequent underuse of formal support resources. Consequently, understanding help-seeking for this population is vital. Current research has examined SIPV experiences, rape myth beliefs, and help-seeking barriers in isolation. However, understanding how these factors interact is crucial to understanding how to improve resources for survivors. The present study investigated the relationship among these three constructs in 89 college students who experienced unwanted sexual events after age 18. SIPV experiences, rape myth endorsement, and help-seeking barriers were all positively associated. Regression analysis revealed that four types of SIPV …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Cbt) Interventions For Group Therapy For College Students Experiencing Depression, Ty Ogren

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This group manual was created to support college students struggling with a depressive mood disorder such as Major Depressive Disorder. The instance of mental health concerns, including depression, have increased greatly over the last several years. Depression is the most common mental health concern for college students, and the rate at which they experience depressive symptoms has exceeded that of the general population. Depressive symptoms in college students can lead to many concerns like poor academic achievement, self-isolation, poor diet and nutrition, and suicidal ideation (Liu et al., 2022). This group manual aims to equip college students struggling with depression …

Two Lies And A Truth: Perceived Credibility's Effect On The Truth Effect, Zefanya Boentoro, Carter King, Josiah Rosario

Student Work

The truth effect posits that a person believes information the more they are exposed to it. This study researched the effects of perceived source credibility on the truth effect when perceptual fluency is consistent. One hundred ninety-four participants across four groups reviewed sets of information with differing repetitions and perceived credibilities; they then reported their willingness to believe the presented information. A statistically significant relationship was found between one of the sources for one set of information and the willingness to believe scores, while no relationship existed between the repetitions and willingness to believe scores.

The Relationship Between Religious Coping Styles And Eating Disorder Risk In Christians In A University Setting, Meghan E. Aubuchon

Honors Theses

Existing research on eating disorders and religion is beginning to gain momentum in the present day, but research is lacking on the topic of religious coping and eating disorder risk. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between two known styles of religious coping—positive and negative—and eating disorder risk in University of Mississippi students, faculty, and staff who identify as Christian. A survey consisting of basic demographic questions, the EAT-26, and the Brief RCOPE was distributed via emails sent by the office of IREP to students, faculty, and staff at the University of Mississippi. A total of 330 participants were …

Investigating The Impact Of Mindfulness Practice On Quality Of Life And Anxiety Levels In College Students, Ope L. Oyeyemi

2024 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Anxiety disorders are becoming more common among college students, seriously affecting their academic performance and overall well-being. This study sought to investigate how current mindfulness practices and willingness to engage in mindfulness relate to psychological outcomes in college students. Participants (N=432) were students ≥ 17 years old recruited from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Analyses compared differences in levels of anxiety, quality of life, depression symptom severity, cognitive dysfunction, and stress based on participant self-reported willingness to engage and current time spent engaging in mindfulness practices. It is expected that students who currently engage in more mindfulness will …

Physical Activity And Sport Participation: Relationships With General Life Satisfaction And Social Life Satisfaction, Clay Barker

Honors College Theses

This study investigated the impact of college student physical activity and sport participation on life satisfaction and social life satisfaction. This study used a survey with scales to assess students’ frequency of physical activity, frequency of traditional sport participation, frequency of esport participation, life satisfaction, and social life satisfaction. This study’s hypotheses attempted to assess if each involvement variable will individually and positively correlate to both life satisfaction and social life satisfaction. This study used in-person surveys given to Murray State University college students. The findings of this study could provide information on the importance of physical activity and sport …

Incorporating Meditation, Yoga, And Reiki Interventions To Reduce Stress, Anxiety, And Mood Symptoms Among The College Population, Kelly Wills

Dissertations

The purpose of this clinical research project is to examine the efficacy of mindfulness techniques and alternative therapeutic practices, specifically, meditation, yoga, and Reiki, in decreasing symptoms of anxiety among college students. The increasing prevalence of anxiety disorders among the college population warrants the need for identifying effective interventions for enhancing mental health outcomes. This review integrates findings from published studies that focus on the impact of these practices on anxiety-related symptoms within college settings. Reviewing these studies reveals consistent evidence to support the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation as it relates to anxiety reduction as well as improvements in emotional …

The Relationship Between Overparenting, Psychological Needs Satisfaction, And Alcohol Use On Risky Sexual Behavior, Melanie Prater

Master's Theses

Studies have shown college students to be vulnerable to negative outcomes, including engaging in risky alcohol use (Lewis et al., 2014; Kilwein & Looby, 2018; Cui et al., 2019) and risky sexual behavior (Dir et al, 2014; Trub & Stark, 2017; Kilwien & Looby, 2018). Understanding predictors and mediating variables associated with risky sexual behavior is one important means of improving prevention strategies. Parenting may be one variable associated with risky sex. Overparenting, a parenting style characterized by parental overinvolvement, has received recent attention due to its association with poor outcomes for adolescents and emerging adults, including an increased risk …

Engagement And Retention Of College Students With Anxiety And Depressive Symptoms In A Digital Mental Health Intervention Using A Brief Peer Support Model, Emily A. Kline

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) show promise in improving access to mental health care for college students suffering from depression and anxiety symptoms. Nonetheless, the usefulness of DMHIs is limited by high user attrition. Leveraging peer support among college populations may be a feasible and cost-effective option to improve DMHI engagement and improve mental health outcomes. This open pilot study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a skill-based peer support group in enhancing user engagement in a DMHI for depression and anxiety symptoms. Participants were 20 undergraduate students at a university in New Jersey with elevated depression and …

Peer Victimization In College Student Mental Health And Well-Being: Moderating Effects Of Perceived Social Support, Erica Van Overloop

Dissertations

Peer victimization is associated with several short- and long-term psychosocial consequences for both children and adults. Although there is evidence that peer victimization negatively impacts college students, the degree to which it may affect students’ mental health and well-being remains unclear. Most studies of peer victimization among college students focus only on retrospective accounts of childhood victimization, leaving many unknowns about how recent or ongoing victimization may impact students. The present study examined both retrospective and recent experiences of peer victimization in a college student sample (N = 366, 18-29 years old) while considering the moderating role of perceived …

To Each Their Own: The Relationship Among Regret, Habits, And Academic Performance In College Students, Chandler Ann Findley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The extant literature on regret as motivation for behavior presents inconclusive results, collectively. While it has often been agreed that regret motivates reparative action, most studies from the past 14 years indicate that regret may motivate either detrimental actions or, more commonly, no action at all. There also appears to be no published research about college students’ academic regrets or how these regrets affect their classroom behaviors and performance. Therefore, this dissertation seeks to understand if college students regret their academic habits, what those habits are, and how their regrets and habits contribute to their academic performance over the course …

Identity As A College Student Predicts Life Satisfaction And Personal Growth, Julia Gallo

Psychology Summer Fellows

This research study explores identity development among emerging adults at Ursinus College. Emerging adulthood is a critical time period that involves substantial identity development and identity exploration. This study examines the role college plays on identity development for college students. An online survey was sent out to students attending Ursinus College in the summer. Results show that first generation college students think differently about college than non-first-generation college students, both in the college decision-making process and during college. Additionally, results show that a combination of personal, group, and developmental factors have positive influences on personal growth & satisfaction. Finally, results …

Exploring The Literature On Art Therapy Interventions In Mitigating The Negative Effects Of Loneliness In College Students, Molly Hoekman

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Experiences of loneliness and social isolation among college students pose a concern for emerging adults’ mental and physical health, as well as greater impacts on university systems across the country. While social isolation and loneliness are subjective experiences, there are a range of factors rooted in developmental psychology and sociocultural theory that influence the rising rates and acuity of loneliness. Attachment theorists posit that secure attachment early in life can impact how individuals make lasting interpersonal connections long after their childhood. Secure and insecure attachment styles combined with the dramatic transition to college for a young adult are influencing factors …

Feeling A Little Uneasy: A Comparative Discourse Analysis Of White And Bipoc College Students’ Reflective Writing About Systemic Racism, Brett Russell Coleman, Caitlyn Yantis

Center for Urban Research and Learning: Publications and Other Works

This critical discourse analysis compares the ways in which White and BIPOC college students discuss their experiences of an educational intervention meant to promote better understanding of systemic racism. We analyzed reflective writing produced by 11 White psychology students from a private liberal arts college in the eastern United States and 17 BIPOC students from a Human Services program at a public university in the western United States. White students engaged in whiteness discourse that distanced themselves from the realities of systemic racism and/or relieved the cognitive dissonance associated with the self- and group-image threat related to learning about systemic …

Assessing The Link Between Stress, Anxiety, And Depression In College Students And Their Academic Major, Intersectionality, Support, And Demographics, Joisy A. Santa

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the relationship between academic major, intersectionality, support, and housing as predictors of stress, anxiety, and depression in college students. The subject population was Hunter College students. Results indicated differential effects of the predictor variables as a function of students’ financial situation, gender, race, and peer support.

Psychological Mediation Of Minority Stress And Health: Exploration Of Risk Factors In Lgbq College Students, Kyndal Grammer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Decades of research have documented pervasive physical and mental health disparities among individuals holding a marginalized identity, including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer (LGBQ). Heterosexism in the forms of harassment, rejection, and discrimination likely increases minority stress, which is theorized to contribute to documented health disparities. One group that may be particularly vulnerable to effects of heterosexist discrimination, harassment, and rejection is LGBQ college students, especially those who identify as first-generation and were raised in rural environments. The current study aimed to evaluate relationships between LGBQ discrimination, depression, and physical health outcomes at the bivariate level, …

The Intersection Of Grief And Religion: How Religious Beliefs Impact The Experience Of Complicated Grief In College Students, Brenna Snively

Psychology Honors Papers

This study evaluates how religious beliefs affect the experience of complicated grief. Students at Ursinus College were asked to complete a survey with questions relating to religious beliefs as well as symptoms of complicated grief and questions regarding the loss of a loved one. This information was utilized to evaluate the relationship between strength of religious beliefs and complicated grief. The research was unable to support the hypothesis that religion affected complicated grief however there was evidence that aspects of religion, such as believing in the afterlife, may affect experiences of complicated grief.

Accommodation And Treatment Seeking For Those With A Concealable Stigmatized Identity Disability In The Undergraduate And Workforce Environments, Sophie K. Louis

Psychology Honors Papers

The goal of the present study was to examine the influence of stigma, disclosure, and affect on treatment and accommodation seeking (uptake and confidence) in both an undergraduate and workforce population for those with an invisible disability. Invisible disability, a form of concealable stigmatized identity, lacks research in terms of the barriers and motivators for seeking help, especially within a stigma framework. To fill in this gap in the literature, two studies were conducted via questionnaires for each setting respectively, in order to understand how to navigate disability concerns across multiple contexts. Binomial logistic regressions and linear regressions revealed that …

Breaking Point: An Exploration Of The Mental Health Crisis On Campus, Melissa Wood

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

In the past several decades, the number of college students who experience mental health concerns has increased astronomically. During that time, acts of campus violence have increased as well. Unfortunately, many colleges have been unable to effectively meet the needs of students with mental disorders. This article explores the challenges surrounding the mental health and wellness of college students. It also analyzes the impact of such challenges on students and the institution. Additionally, this paper examines best practices that colleges may implement to assist students in distress and discusses implications for higher education leaders.

The Association Between Problematic Drinking And Ends Use In College Students: The Role Of Alcohol Expectancies, Nina Glover

LSU Master's Theses

Electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) use and alcohol use are prevalent among young adults and college students. Recent data indicate that ENDS use is significantly associated with alcohol consumption and hazardous drinking behavior (e.g., binge drinking). Given the perceived benefits students report that are common across ENDS and alcohol use (e.g., tension reduction), it is important to examine the role these beliefs play in the co-use of alcohol and ENDS, as both behaviors are associated with risks. In the present study, we investigated the relationship among ENDS use, alcohol use, ENDS use motives, and alcohol expectancies in undergraduate college students …

Do Professor Characteristics Influence College Students' Mental Health Disclosure?, Giselle Solorio, Kenneth Barideaux Jr.

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

Previous studies have provided some evidence that college students may hesitate to disclose their mental health status because of social stigma; however, more research is needed to identify and understand the factors that influence students’ willingness to disclose. For example, it is unclear how professor characteristics impact the likelihood of disclosure. In the current study we examined whether the gender of the professor (male vs. female) and the professor’s teaching discipline (STEM vs. humanities) affected students' likelihood to disclose a mental health problem. Participants read a fictitious syllabus where the professor was either male or female and taught a chemistry …

What Is The Association Between Drinking To Cope With Binge Drinking And Alcohol-Related Blackouts In A College Population?, Adam Hvitfeldt-Matthews, Christina Sheerin Phd, Spit For Science Working Group

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Associations Between Personality And Neurocognitive Risk Factors For Substance Misuse With Alcohol And Cannabis Use In College Students, Kaelen Diaz, Jasmin Vassileva Phd, The Spit For Science Working Group

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Study On The Comorbidity Of Ptsd Symptoms And Alcohol Consumption Among Vcu Students, Galilea Gallardo-Mena, James Hart, Kaitlin Bountress, The Spit For Science Working Group, Ananda B. Amstadter Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Examining The Relationship Between Puberty And Trauma Symptomatology, Justina M. Harsche

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study sought to examine the relation between puberty and trauma symptomatology in young adults. More specifically, does it matter what developmental period one is in when trauma occurs? Additionally, geographical region was examined as it relates to receiving and reporting mental health services and later trauma symptoms. Using data from 362 students at Georgia Southern University, multiple analyses were conducted. A Moderation Analysis where adverse events served as the predictor, trauma symptomatology as the outcome variable, and the developmental period in which the trauma occurred as the moderator was conducted. The interactions for this hypothesis were not significant. However, …

Exploratory Actions As Mediators Of The Association Between Career Exploration Self-Efficacy And Decisional Outcomes: Does Exploration Type Matter?, Margaret M. Nauta

Faculty Publications – Psychology

This study used a short-term longitudinal design to test the social-cognitive model of career self-management's (CSM) theorized pathway in which exploratory actions mediate the association between career exploration self-efficacy and decisional outcomes. The study clarifies the role of exploratory actions in the decision-making process by distinguishing between self-exploration and environmental exploration. College students (N = 136; 77% female; mean age = 18.71 years [SD = 1.19]; 47% with undeclared majors) completed an online survey assessing self-efficacy for self-appraisal and self-efficacy for obtaining occupational information. A month later, they reported the frequency of their engagement in self-exploratory and environment-exploratory …

Microaggressions And Their Impact On The Neurodiverse College Experience, Audre J. Knecht

Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature indicates that people with invisible disabilities (including neurodiversity) are at an increased risk of ableist microaggressions, especially on college campuses. Neurodivergent college students (N=13) were interviewed about their college experiences at a midwestern university in the United States. While only a few students reported experiencing microaggressions, there were overall themes of mistreatment from their instructors, watching other students experience microaggressions, feelings of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness, and the desire to mask neurodivergent traits to feel accepted at their university.

“We Gon’ Be Alright”: How Resiliency & Africultural Coping Behaviors Factor Into African American College Students’ Intentions To Seek Mental Health Services, Taylor Garland

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Background: African Americans, apprehension toward utilizing mental health services (MHS) has a long history in the United States. The low rates of utilizing MHS can result in detrimental health consequences, both mental and physical, despite there being a developing literature base on how evidence-based treatments are effective in therapy with African Americans.

Objective: There is expansive literature on several factors (e.g., stigma, cultural mistrust) that contribute to African Americans’ hesitancy concerning seeking MHS. The current study aimed to add to this literature base. Specifically, this study sought to acknowledge both African American college students’ choices to use alternative coping strategies …

Navigating New Normals: Student Perceptions, Experiences, And Mental Health Service Utilization In Post-Pandemic Academia, Hadiza Galadima, Anne Dumadag, Cara Tonn

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

This study explores the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education, focusing on shifts in learning experiences and students’ intentions to utilize mental health services post-pandemic. Utilizing Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, this study assesses perceptions from a stratified random sample of college students on post-pandemic learning experiences and mental health service utilization intentions. Findings reveal a positive reception to university initiatives and a preference for ongoing virtual classes. There is an evident increase in, and varying intentions for, using mental health services, shaped by demographics, employment, and prior service utilization. Younger and female students showed …

Exploring The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Suicidality In College And University Students: A Systematic Review, Tatyana Aposhian

Theses and Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and suicidality are highly prevalent and increasing social problems among the college and university student population, thereby underscoring a need to better understand the relationship between ACEs and suicidal risk, ideation, and attempts during college. There is also a need to examine current suicide prevention and intervention programs for the extent to which they are ACE- and/or trauma-informed. The purpose of this quantitative systematic review with narrative synthesis is to elucidate findings regarding the relationship between ACEs and suicidality in undergraduate and graduate students across the globe and provide recommendations for future ACE-informed suicide prevention and …