Psychology Commons^™

Financial Autonomy And Happiness In College Students: Can They Coexist?, Jordyn Gerwig

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Prior research and theory suggests that happiness is often associated with charitable expenses and associated with feelings of autonomy. The present research examined how autonomy influences the happiness experiences participants have when spending money either charitably or on themselves. Participants completed the research online in an hour setting. Participants were asked to imagine situations where they have the ability to spend money freely, or where they first must seek advice or consult before making spending decisions. For half of each of these participants, they were directed to consider spending money on themselves, whereas the other participants were directed to consider …

Expressions And Attributions Of Ableism For Disabilities That Were Caused Or Congenital, Hadlie R. Daigle

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Ableism is a form of systemic oppression that prejudices disabled people. Ableist views perpetuate the idea that being non-disabled as the ideal and disability is a flaw or weakness to avoid. This research compared how different reasons for disabilities might lead to ableism toward auditory and cognitive disabilities. Some participants read about an individual who had cognitive disabilities (TBI) from congenital reasons, others due to illness, and then others due to a lack of caution leading to an injury resulting in TBI. Similarly, participants also read about individuals who had experienced an auditory deficit (deafness) due to these varying reasons …

User Experience, Motivation And Self-Efficacy Comparisons Between Virtual Reality And Conventional Pc-Based Flight Simulation Training, Tianxin Zhang, Christina Frederick, Andrew Dattel, Elizabeth Blickensderfer, Barbara Chaparro

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

The current project investigated the effect of utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) technologies for flight training by comparing user experience, motivation, and self-efficacy when using conventional desktop flight simulation versus VR flight simulation. This research employed a quasi-transfer of training experiment with 48 participants. Findings showed that VR flight simulation could provide a better user experience and generate a higher level of training motivation than traditional training technologies, while maintaining trainees’ perceptions of self-efficacy. This work contributed positive evidence that VR flight simulation has great potential to be an effective means of flight training and provided a foundation for future research …

Non-Technical Skills Proficiency In Aviation Pilots: A Systematic Review, Seda Ceken

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This systematic review aims to examine the role of non-technical competencies in pilot selection and flight operations, and explore the methods used for their assessment. It has been discerned that relying solely on technical flying skills is insufficient for a pilot; there is a growing understanding that a pilot candidate must possess and adeptly employ non-technical skills, commonly referred to as Crew Resource Management (CRM) skills. This systematic review was designed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. For this review, a systematic search was conducted across seven databases. Seventeen publications were included in …

Profiles Of Satisfaction And Frustration Of Undergraduate General Chemistry Students’ Basic Psychological Needs At The Beginning And End Of The Semester, Cara E. Worick

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The early college years represent an adjustment period characterized by motivational destabilization and academic and career-related uncertainty for many STEM majors (Robinson et al., 2019). Although students who begin college less academically prepared than their peers are at greater risk of struggling in introductory STEM courses, many still struggle in these courses despite adequate academic preparation (Perez et al., 2014). Self-determination theory proposes that motivation, optimal functioning, and psychological well-being occur through the satisfaction, as opposed to the frustration, of three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Ryan & Deci, 2020). Although many studies in educational settings demonstrate …

Knowledge, Experiences, And Perceptions Of Medications For Opioid Use Disorder Among Black Kentuckians, Paris B. Wheeler, Brittany Miller-Roenigk, Jasmine Jester, Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Opioid overdoses have continued to increase at higher rates among Black Americans compared to people from other racial groups. Despite demonstrated effectiveness of MOUD in reducing risk of opioid overdose, Black Americans face decreased access to and uptake of MOUD. the current study aimed to examine the knowledge, perceptions, and experiences with MOUD among a sample of Black adults who use prescription opioids nonmedically in order to inform tailored efforts to improve MOUD uptake.

Methods: Data were derived from a larger study assessing cultural and structural influences on drug use and drug treatment among people who use prescription opioids …

Attitude Changes Among College Students Post-Pandemic, Alex J. Goncalo, Nicholas S. Zambrotta

Modern Psychological Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic forced students across the nation to attend school virtually and thus dramatically altered the college experience for many students. Stay at home mandates and loss of social interaction may have contributed to increased isolation and poor mental health. Although mandates have been lifted, and normal college life has resumed in most places, it is unknown if a lingering social impact was left on college students. Numerous studies provide evidence through in-depth examinations indicating altered mental health and psychological behavior of adults, specifically college aged individuals. The present study measured happiness, optimism, and psychological well-being in a sample …

Is The Virtual Therapy Experience A Sufficient Means For Person-Centered Therapy? A Systematic Review, Aaron Feibush

Social Work Theses - Archive

Background: American psychologist Carl Rogers is considered the main originator of person-centered therapy (PCT), a psychotherapeutic approach which focuses on self-actualizing abilities of the client which emerge when engaged in an environment of three core conditions established by the therapist: unconditional positive regard, empathy and congruence. Over the last several decades there have been thousands of studies that demonstrate support for these three core conditions as necessary features of effective therapy. However, with the emergence of psychotherapy being conducted via telehealth in the last several years, in particular since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, it remains unknown …

Dentists’ Accounts Of Interpersonal Interactions Three Decades After The Postmortem Identification Of The Branch Davidians, Melissa Izuagbe

Psychology Theses - Archive

Despite extensive research on the psychological effects of mass disasters on survivors, the positive outcomes for volunteers and forensic workers, along with coping strategies to alleviate job-related stress, remain understudied. Self-disclosure and social support play pivotal roles in mitigating stress and fostering positive outcomes. This study employed interpretative phenomenological analysis to describe dentists’ experiences of self-disclosure and social support through the 31 years since conducting the postmortem identifications following the Branch Davidian Tragedy. The study was preregistered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) to promote transparency in research. We interviewed a subset (N = 14) out of the 50 dentists …

Emotional Cues Pertaining To Social Media Usage Impact On College Students, A'Maya Tatum, April Rico, Elizabeth Ann Godfrey, Scovs Majors

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Discussions about the effects of social media continue to grow in recent years, more people have become invested in how our previously exposed perceptions have influenced our perceptions of social media. Priming is the idea that implicit content can explicitly impact our perception of later topics and experiences. Priming has played a major role in how we perceive several aspects of our lives, and social media is no different. In this study, we investigate how priming with positive or negative words related to social media affects the individual’s view of social media and their perceived usage. We hypothesize that there …

Locus Of Control And Mental Health, Sisi F. Costa, Katherine Visner, Solaris Bell, A'Maya Tatum

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

The concept of Locus of Control has had significant psychological implications for decades. The two sides of internal and external locus of control have been conceptualized as the degree to which people attribute events to internal (e.g., motivation, hard work) or external (e.g., luck) causes. Despite research focusing on the implications that Locus of Control has in academics, it is not well-researched on college students, a demographic highly impacted by mental health issues. Based on previous research, we aim to validate a new scale that accurately measures locus of control, specifically regarding one's mental health. We hypothesized that our scale …

Effect Of Family-Centered Care Interventions On Well-Being Of Caregivers Of Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review, Deepalaxmi Paresh Poojari, Shashikiran Umakanth, G. Arun Maiya, Bhamini Krishna Rao, Sonia Khurana, Senthil Kumaran D., Radhika Attal, Marie Brien

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Caring for a child with long-term functional limitations can have a negative impact on the physical and psychological well-being of the caregiver. Family-centered care (FCC) interventions have the potential to empower caregivers and contribute to their well-being. This systematic review aimed to synthesize existing evidence on the effectiveness of FCC interventions in improving the well-being of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP), and identify the key components of such interventions that are most commonly practiced and deemed effective.

Methods: This review systematically searched seven databases for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of any FCC intervention on …

Effect Of Relationship Motivation On Cnm Relationship Satisfaction, Keigan Clark

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This paper explored the impact relationship formation motivation had on the satisfaction of consensual non-monogamous (CNM) relationships. Using the Self Determination Theory (SDT) concept of autonomy this study tested if more intrinsically motivated open and polyamorous relationships had higher levels of relationship satisfaction compared to more extrinsically motivated relationships. A total of 564 participants completed a web survey distributed through social media and snowball sampling. Participants filled out basic demographical data as well as completing the Couples Satisfaction Index and the Couples Motivation Questionnaire. There was no difference found in relationship satisfaction in polyamorous or open relationships based on intrinsic …

Outpatient Fall Prevention In Ambulatory Adults 65 Years Old And Over, Dorothy L. Osborne-White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: In the United States (U.S.), falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and over, resulting in 36 million falls yearly (Moreland et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), one in four older adults experiences a fall each year. Falls are the world's second most prominent cause of accidental deaths (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults (Moreland et al., 2020).

Methods: A quality improvement project that included a fall bundle was implemented in a primary clinic. A …

Differentially Unwell: On Mimi Khúc's "Dear Elia", Seo-Young J. Chu

Publications and Research

[...] Inviting readers to reclaim the stigma of unwellness and collectively to "tend to our unwellness, together," Khúc approaches unwellness as a crucial resource for subverting the "wellness and unwellness" dichotomy entirely. After all, the opposite of "wellness" is not "unwellness"; the opposite of "wellness" does not exist. The opposition itself is an artificial framework, one that reductively harms more than it dialogically helps. We need to move away from these simplistic dualisms, Khúc suggests, and towards more generous, trauma-informed epistemologies. [...]

An Open-Source Template For Introducing A Technical Supplement, John D. Mayer, David R. Caruso

UNH Personality Lab

An open-source template on the relationship between an article and its accompanying technical supplement.

The Experiences Of Religious Students In Counseling Theories Courses, Brian A. Mesimer, Matthew Lyons, Candace Park

Journal of Faith Integration Counseling (JFIC)

We explored the experiences of 10 religious counseling students in their theories course. Analysis using transcendental phenomenology showed that the theory acquisition process is multifaceted, consisting of a variety of affective and cognitive experiences which further student growth.

An Exploratory Study Of Anti-Black Racism In Social Media Behavior Intentions: Effects Of Political Orientation And Motivation To Control Prejudice, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Samantha A. Wilcox, Justine K. Brace, Melissa Anderson

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Considering the widespread prevalence of racist content and opinions on social media, there is a pressing need to understand how users react to such content in ways that might lead them to be drawn into echo chambers of racism, hate speech, and potentially even violence. We conducted an online study to investigate how two individual differences—political orientation and motivation to control prejudice (MCP)—may predispose people to accept anti-Black racism expressed in social media messages. Non-Black participants viewed racist and egalitarian mock social media posts and reported how likely they would be to respond favorably and/or engage in supportive social media …

Household Chaos Relates To Cortisol Levels For Children In Head Start Preschool, Mary Ann Blumenthal

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Poverty and related stressors have been demonstrated to negatively impact child development. Few studies to date have investigated the relationship between one such poverty related stressor, household chaos, and its impact on cortisol levels-a biomarker for stress- throughout the day. The present study investigated the relationship between household chaos and cortisol in a diverse sample of 288 children attending Head Start preschool. Household chaos was measured by a standardized parent report measure of chaos in the home. Salivary cortisol samples were obtained during four time points across the preschool day on two days at the beginning of the preschool year. …

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Inhibitory Control Among Emerging Adults, Lindsay Zavislak

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) include household dysfunction, abuse, and neglect, which can significantly impact mental, emotional, and physical health. 61% of the US population have experienced at least one ACE, and one in five adults have endured at least three or more ACEs before the age of 18 (Felitti et al., 1998, CDC, 2021). ACEs may also impact cognitive processes such as executive functions, attention, problem-solving, and language (Dye, 2018). Inhibition as an executive function supports self-control and impulse control, which can range from blocking an unwanted thought, to stopping oneself from engaging in a risky, potentially dangerous behavior (Diamond, …

Cognitive Functioning In Well-Controlled Asthma, Erin Walsh

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Asthma is a common lung disease that impacts lung functioning through inflammatory based mechanisms. Past research suggests that decreased blood oxygenation due to asthma attacks may impair cognitive capabilities (Irani et al., 2017). Moreover, the observed differences in cognition between those with and without asthma may be associated with disease severity or asthma control respectively in asthma populations. The current study explored differences in cognitive functioning between college students with and without self-reported asthma. Sociodemographic data, self-reported asthma severity, and measures of asthma control were collected. The current study did not find significant differences in measures of cognitive efficiency between …

Cortisol And Executive Functioning For Young Children Attending Head Start Preschool, Zachary Weaver

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Poverty circumstances impact the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal or HPA axis. Early childhood dysfunction in the HPA axis, marked by irregularities in cortisol, poses risk for the development of key executive functioning (EF) abilities. No studies have investigated the relation between cortisol and performance-based measures of EF in settings such as Head Start preschool that aim to promote positive outcomes for children facing economic hardship. This pilot study examined EF and cortisol for 50 children ages 3 to 5 years, who attended a Head Start preschool. This study was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a sample size less than half …

Exploring Perceptions Of Self-Compassion In Individuals With Complex Trauma Symptomology: A Qualitative Approach, Brooke Roseman

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The aim of the present study sought to explore the perceptions of self-compassion through the perspectives of individuals who experience complex trauma symptomology and low rates of self-compassion to inform and enhance trauma treatment. Despite a growing accumulation of studies implicating self-compassion as an integral construct for alleviating symptoms associated with complex trauma, most research designs were quantitative and did not investigate the internal processes occurring within the individual. Based on this gap, the current study expanded the scope of the current literature to include a qualitative thematic analytic approach to better understand the nuances of how this population relates …

The Role Of Reward Probability And Dispositional Mindfulness On Substance Use In Trauma-Exposed Individuals, Sam Wayne

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Background: In 2020, 93,331 people died from drug overdoses (CDC, 2021), a 32% increase from the year prior and the largest figure recorded in a single year. Understanding the risk and resilience factors are crucial to taking steps towards slowing this trend. Robust research identifies trauma exposure as a risk factor for substance use. Emerging research suggests that dispositional mindfulness and reward probability as risk-resilience factors for substance use. The current study examines two of these potential factors: dispositional mindfulness and reward probability. Method: In a cross-sectional design, residents of a drug rehabilitation program who endorsed opioid use (n …

Perceptions Of School Shooters: How The Race Of A School Shooter And His Video Game Playing Habits Influence Observers’ Explanatory Attributions About His Crime, Brian Beaupre

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The current experiment is an exploration of how people arrive at causal explanations for instances of mass school shootings in the United States. Specifically, this study utilized a fictitious shooter vignette approach with a 2 (White vs. Black shooter) x 2 (shooter played violent vs. nonviolent video games) between-subject ANOVA to determine if these variables would differentially influence the participants’ levels of agreement with various causal attributions about why a mass shooter would engage in such an act of violence. In particular, this study explored participants’ utilization of internal (e.g., innate characteristics like the shooter’s race or gender) or external …

The Effect Of Background Colors And Associations On Perceived Attractiveness, Help-Seeking, And Helping Behavior, Zeina Y. Ghanem

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The objective of this study is to understand how background colors influence an individual's perception of another person's interpersonal attractiveness, along with how these factors affect an individual's social support giving and seeking behavior for each presented image. The study aims to explore the effects of color, attractiveness, color associations, and prosocial behaviors. Participants (N = 278) consented to take a 10-minute online survey. The background colors used were red and blue with varied saturation levels (light, medium, and dark) and a white control background. There were no significant effects of background colors and saturation lightness levels found for …

Does Health Oriented Leadership And Access To On-Demand Mental Health Therapists Via Employee Assistance Programs Improve Employee Well-Being And Engagement?, Amber Rachelle Davis

Masters Theses

"Employee mental health effects are informally relevant in all facets of working adults’ lives. Considering the life-altering effects of the 2019 pandemic on work and society, mental health and work share applicability in conversations related to organizational outcomes. Based on the job demands-resource theory, personal demands are high in organizations where workers must adjust to returning to onsite work, in settings occupied by varying personalities, and ever-present political tension. These adjustments can be stressful for people and add new workplace challenges.

Work stress was found to be an antecedent for burnout (Tummers & Bakker, 2021), and leaders play an essential …

Enduring Memories From The Covid Pandemic, Matthew Fajfer

Psychology Honors Papers

The Covid pandemic brought with it a cascade of effects that drastically altered each of our lives. The liminality and uncertainty of this crucial period for students during this time are certain to have long-lasting implications on psychology and personality. The purpose of this study was to examine the enduring memories of students and identify trends among these memories. The research design was correlational, using online questionnaires and multiple correlations. Participants were 97 college students aged 18-24, who provided two of their most significant memories from the Pandemic, followed by responding to questionnaires including prompts that assessed affective qualities of …

Psychological And Psychosocial Effects Of Contemplative Practices In The Athletic Population: A Systematic Review, Victoria Baker

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Mental health concerns in athletes are becoming a primary focus for institutions, companies, coaches, and more. An athlete carries an abundant load of stressors due to their lifestyle. The stressors can negatively impact an athlete by producing anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other mental health issues. Previous studies have found a connection between the use of contemplative practices on psychological and psychosocial effects in athletes, creating an opportunity to evaluate the research of contemplative practices in the athletic population. A systematic review was conducted using nine electronic databases. Seven studies were included in this review, each assessing how contemplative practices affect …

Neuroticism And Rumination As Mechanisms By Which Adverse Childhood Experiences Increase Vulnerability To Depression In College Students, Christopher Popielarz

West Chester University Master’s Theses

There is a high prevalence of depression among college students, and the consequences of untreated depression negatively impact those students’ academic and life outcomes. The following study analyzes the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the development of depression in college years as potentially mediated by neuroticism and rumination factors. The purpose of this research is to fill a gap in the current literature to determine whether neuroticism and rumination act together as mechanisms in conferring depression in college students following ACEs. Data from four questionnaires administered to undergraduate students at West Chester University (n = 127, 55.5% female, …