Psychology Commons^™

Male Caregiver Strain: The Mental Effects Of Being An Informal Caregiver For A Family Member With Dementia And Alzheimer's Disease, Alessandra M. Barillas, Elijah Rammel B. Borja

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Caregivers are vital in fulfilling patients' primary care needs, and families prefer them over sending their loved ones to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia are prevalent conditions necessitating continuous assistance due to memory and cognition impairments. As a result, support is essential for tasks like mobility, feeding, bathing, and perineal care, as well as emotional and physical challenges inherent in caregiving. Purpose: Upon diving into the mental health impacts of serving as an informal caregiver for individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia, a notable research gap becomes evident, especially concerning male caregivers. This lack of information …

How The Lockdown Of Covid-19 Influenced The Neurocognitive And Psychosocial Development Of Preschoolers, Kay Picson

Nursing | Senior Theses

COVID-19 caused schools to turn to online learning through platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet. The influence and effects caused by the transition to online lessons and quarantine were seen across all patient populations and demographics, but none more so than preschool children, who are regarded as one of the more vulnerable populations due to their susceptibility to change. This research aims to fill gaps in the existing literature by evaluating the similarities and differences of the neurocognitive and psychosocial development of preschoolers exposed to the pandemic and those who were not. This study involves a comparative cohort approach …

Developing Resilience In Early Adolescent Females, Laura Fleetwood

Doctor of Leadership

American stress levels are rising in almost all age groups, especially in females. The medical and mental health response is largely reactionary as practitioners scramble to address the resulting negative impacts on bodies and minds. Traditional avenues for help are overwhelmed and increasingly difficult to access. As a result, there is opportunity for Christian organizations to help communities deal with the impact of the stress epidemic.

The scale of addressing stress-related issues is initially overwhelming, but starting small and supporting a targeted group provides significant opportunity for the development of self- leadership skills and habits to proactively address it. Resilience …

Senior Mental Health Clinicians’ Understanding Of Their Self-Efficacy While Providing Services At Community-Based Agencies, Rukiya Symister

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many mental health clinicians strive to provide their clients with rehabilitative and psychotherapy services resulting in a client gaining stable income and housing. However, the role of a senior mental health clinician (SMHC) is not without its challenges of trying to balance their well-being while dealing with increased coworker turnover, demanding caseloads, and limited access to community resources to provide clients with getting their lives back on track, thereby impacting clinicians’ understanding of their self-efficacy. Much of the research on self-efficacy has focused on mental health clients, mental health graduate students, and mental health trainees, often leaving out the lived …

Rhythms That {Bind}: Emerging Through Dissonance, Tessa Hailu

Dance (MFA) Theses

This thesis aims to interrogate systematic approaches to organization(s) and our innate desire for control to achieve a balanced “rhythmic” flow of life to ultimately preserve a sense of security. This investigation challenges the comforts of habits, routine, and order to push up against the binding effects of these predictable cycles that remain structured for reassurance. This research also considers what happens when one doesn’t have the choice to bind themselves TO safety but are otherwise bound BY rhythms of which they have no control. Taking into account our anatomical existence, the ecological systems in which we operate, and life’s …

Suspected Vs. Diagnosed Mental Illness, Race, And The Ngri Plea, Alexa Roudabush

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

Hohenschönhausen As A Tangible Representation Of The German Democratic Republic’S Development Of Operative Psychology, Zoe Werth

Honors Theses and Capstones

Located in Lichtenberg, Berlin (part of the former borough of Hohenschönhausen), Gedenkstätte Berlin-Hohenschönhausen stands today as a memorial for the thousands who were killed and imprisoned there, from its construction in 1939 until its closure in 1990. This paper will trace the evolution of Hohenschönhausen from a physical space of confinement, to a sophisticated psychological apparatus designed to exert control over its political prisoners through the development of “Operative Psychology” (OP). Through an architectural and historical analysis of the prison, alongside a review of prisoner testimonies, this paper works to reveal how the environment of Hohenschönhausen was methodically designed to …

Assessing Alexithymia In Adolescents: Psychometric Properties Of The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire In High School Students, Annette C. Trimble, Ken Robinson, David A. Preece

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Conceptually, alexithymia is a key transdiagnostic risk factor for the development of numerous psychopathologies across the lifespan. However, to date, most alexithymia research has focused on adults, with adolescent work limited by a lack of validated age-appropriate assessment tools. Recently, the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) was introduced to enhance the comprehensiveness of alexithymia assessments, but its psychometric properties have only been tested in adults. In this study, we address this by examining the psychometric properties of the PAQ in a sample of English-speaking high school students (N = 225, aged 11 to 18), and use the PAQ to further establish …

Mapping The Landscape: Surf Therapy Program Delivery, Mary Brennan, Helen J. Stain, Jamie Marshall

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Surf therapy is a structured intervention which utilizes surfing as a vehicle to achieve therapeutic benefit (International Surf Therapy Organization [ISTO], 2019). Surf therapy is presently delivered internationally within a diverse array of contexts and populations. Despite the publication of many internal evaluation studies, little research has examined themes common to the process of surf therapy across programs. The present study recruited a sample of ISTO-affiliated surf therapy programs (n = 33) to engage with an online survey, Mapping the Stoke, examining core aspects of surf therapy structure and process internationally. Findings indicated both similarities across current program delivery internationally, …

At-Risk Children: Adult Perception And Recognition Of Mental Health Concerns, Abby D. Lucas

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Approximately 20% of children ages nine to 17 in the United States struggle with mental health concerns each year (Gamm et al., 2010). Early identification of child and adolescent mental health concerns is crucial for initiating treatment to prevent recurrence or persistence of pathology into adulthood (Logan & King, 2001). Children are primarily dependent upon adults in their lives (e.g., parents/caregivers, education professionals, healthcare providers) to recognize mental health concerns and seek services (Sayal et al., 2010). Providing these adults with guidance on how to appropriately identify and recognize these mental health needs in children is critical (Crouch et al., …

Development Of A Novel Measure To Assess For Alcohol Misuse In Older Adults: The Alcohol Misuse Scale For Older Adults (Amsoa), Nathan Jensen

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Alcohol is the most regularly used intoxicating substance in most geographic locations. Alcohol use in the United States specifically is well over global averages. While alcohol misuse is generally considered to be understood as a problem for younger adults, it is often unrecognized and understudied older adult populations. Currently, there is an absence of a comprehensive tool measuring for developmentally salient behaviors, symptoms, and features of alcohol misuse in older adulthood, which blocks researchers’ ability to measure alcohol misuse well. The purpose of this study is to develop a psychometrically valid and reliable assessment of alcohol misuse for older adult …

The Relation Between Disordered Eating And Perceived Stress, Tori E. Byars

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Disordered eating behavior encompasses a spectrum of maladaptive eating patterns, including emotional eating, binging, restricting, and other similar behaviors. Perceived stress is the extent that an individual perceives their demands exceed their ability to cope. Existing research has demonstrated a positive relation between high ratings of perceived stress and disordered eating behaviors (King et al., 2009; Skead et al., 2018). The current study aimed to expand this research by examining the relation between disordered eating and stress in students, workers, and those who partake in both commitments. Utilizing a single survey, participants completed assessments including the Perceived Stress Scale, the …

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, …

Mental Health On The Go: Navigating Travel And Travel Eligibility, Fangli Hu, Jun Wen, Weng M. Lim, Haifeng Hou, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The 21st century has seen tourists from various source markets significantly impacted by non-communicable diseases, including mental disorders. Yet, research and practice frequently overlook tourists with mental disorders. Building on Buckley’s discussion in the Journal of Travel Research about tourism and mental health, this study examines the travel eligibility of tourists diagnosed with four prevalent mental disorders: major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), schizophrenia, and dementia. We present preliminary recommendations for accommodating these tourists and highlight the urgent need for collaborative efforts between stakeholders in tourism, hospitality, and medicine. © The Author(s) 2023.

The Personality Profile Of Nobel Laureate Pearl Buck, Sophia Geng, Aubrey Immelman

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper presents the results of a psychodiagnostic case study of Nobel laureate Pearl Buck, 1938 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature “for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces.” Guided by the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon, psychodiagnostically relevant data about Buck were collected from biographical sources and media reports and synthesized into a personality profile using the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC). Then, the personality profile yielded by the MIDC was analyzed in accordance with interpretive guidelines provided in the MIDC and Millon Index of Personality …

The Influence Of Financial Literacy, Environmental Literacy, And Environmental Concern On Green Preferences Among Young Adults In Brunei Darussalam, Siti Rafhanah Binti Haji Nor Hasnul, Shaista Wasiuzzaman

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

This study aims to assess the green preferences in Brunei Darussalam among young adults evaluate the level of environmental and financial literacy among Brunei’s young adults and investigate the influence of financial literacy, environmental literacy and environmental con- cern on the green preferences of young adults in Brunei. A survey questionnaire was distrib- uted to youths between the ages of 15 to 40 years old, out of which 192 responses were gath- ered. Various statistical analyses were carried out to achieve the aims. It is found that green preferences were moderate among Bruneian young adults. Environmental literacy is found to …

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Of Dementia In Those With And Without A Recorded History Of Psychological Trauma: A Comparative Study From An Australian Dementia Support Service, Monica Cations, Mustafa Atee, Thomas Morris, Daniel Whiting

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To compare the number and severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and associated caregiver distress between those with and without a noted history of psychological trauma among those referred to a specialised national dementia NPS support service. Methods: This was a 5-year retrospective observational study of records from the Dementia Support Australia NPS support service. NPS were reported by formal or informal caregivers at service entry using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home version or Questionnaire version. A history of psychological trauma was recorded in the person's social or medical history and/or endorsed as a contributor to NPS by a trained …

"The Only Disability In Life Is A Bad Attitude": A Quantitative Exploration Of The Impacts Of Inspiration Porn, Anna H. Burt, Megan Mccarty

Modern Psychological Studies

Inspiration porn is a social media representation of visibly disabled individuals performing physical activities accompanied by short motivation captions meant to inspire viewers. Critics of inspiration porn hold that it misrepresents the reality of disability and negatively impacts disabled people. This study aimed to quantitatively explore the impacts of inspiration porn on various disability-related variables, as there is limited research on this topic. We hypothesized that exposure to inspiration porn would increase system justification and belief in a just world, decrease support for disability-related policies, and cause viewers to view disabled individuals as sources of inspiration. We also had several …

The Impact Of Parent-Child Interactions On Emotion Regulation In Adulthood, Bridget Burgoyne, Holly Grant-Marsney

Modern Psychological Studies

Childhood is a time where emotional skills are formed. These skills often reflect the primary caregiver(s) modeling and interactions which may shape emotional intelligence. This research aimed to assess if specific parenting approaches have lasting effects on a person’s ability to emotionally regulate. The sample included 141 adults, who responded to questions reflecting the parenting approaches they observed, and their current state of emotional regulation. Results from our regression analysis showed when controlling for age, parental warmth in childhood predicted one’s later ability to use cognitive reappraisal skills. Results from our correlational analysis showed strong positive associations between overindulgence, cognitive …

Motivated Gifts: A Self-Determination Perspective, Sharise Love, Liudmila Titova

Modern Psychological Studies

Gift-giving can strengthen relationships and facilitate favor requests. Previous researchers have found that 'motivated gifts' (gifts given with the intention of asking a favor) decrease recipients' satisfaction and willingness to help. The current study investigated the role of basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) in this effect. BPNS is said to facilitate the integration of autonomous motivation, which was hypothesized to mediate the relationship between motivated gifts and prosociality. In the current study, a sample of 426 undergraduate students was randomly given a hypothetical scenario in which they imagined receiving a motivated gift or not, while also being asked a favor. …

A Historical Analysis And Evaluative Review Of Performance Validity Tests, Lena J. Hull, Jodi B.A. Mckibben

Modern Psychological Studies

Invalid performance on tests, which detect neurological symptoms, is a prevalent issue that disrupts neuropsychological evaluations; therefore, validation of tests which detect invalid performance is critical. This review summarizes eleven performance validity tests (PVTs) and reports two aspects of accuracy, sensitivity and specificity, as these metrics are commonly reported and act as standardized metrics. PVTs are grouped into three categories: the Rey tests, simple forced-choice tests, and complex forced-choice tests. Rey tests were the first to be developed and, though they provided a good foundation for future tests, they yield low sensitivities and specificities. Simple forced-choice tests establish the forced-choice …

The Impact Of A Pandemic On Education And Mental Health, Jack R. Nadrowski, Susan E. Mason

Modern Psychological Studies

The present study was exploratory in nature. The main goal was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education and mental health of students. A questionnaire was used to test whether college students felt their mental health needs were being met, whether they thought schools were safe, and whether their attitudes about online learning changed during the pandemic. Students indicated that they had mental health concerns that were not adequately addressed. They also express concerns about school safety and online learning. The data suggest that more needs to be done to address students’ mental health, to make …

Perceived Educational And Entertainment Value Of Positive And Negative Portrayals Of Racial Minority Characters In Films, Hallie Filan, Evan F. Edwards, Kate E. Hembree, Tammy Sonnentag

Modern Psychological Studies

Racial/ethnic minority characters are increasing in films; yet, despite increasing representation, less than half (39.7%) of all films in 2020 cast a main character who was a racial/ethnic minority. Because media representations can perpetuate racial/ethnic stereotypes, the present study examined if negative (compared to positive) racial/ethnic representations of Black and Chinese characters (and their cultures) in films impact individuals’ evaluations of the educational and entertainment value of the content. One hundred and eight undergraduate students were randomly assigned to view scenes portraying African American and Chinese characters (and their cultures) positively or negatively from two popular animated films—The Lion King …

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Trafficking In Persons Survivors: A Systematic Review, Gavin C. Newberry

Modern Psychological Studies

This systematic review examines post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence in adult and child trafficking in persons (TIP) survivors through analysis of 17 studies, including cross-sectional, cohort, and retrospective studies, from PubMed and PTSDpubs. 4,738 participants yielded an overall median PTSD prevalence of 32.63% (IQR = 20.78–54.42). Age stratification revealed median prevalences of 26.45% in children and 31.87% in adult survivors. Sex stratification indicated 22.68% in males and 38.07% in females, aligning with documented sex differences in PTSD prevalence. Further stratification by trafficking type showed 41.60% in commercial sexual exploitation and 30.67% in labor exploitation survivors. Limitations include methodological heterogeneity and …

Effects Of Gameplay Context On Visual Search Performance, Cecelia Stoll, Shannon Proksch

Modern Psychological Studies

Games of all modalities have been found to improve different cognitive skills. This experiment examined the cognitive skills of visual attention and search, and explored whether different modalities of one game would have different effects on visual search abilities. Specifically, we asked whether playing a game alone or with a partner, or playing an analog or digital version of this game would have measurable effects on visual attention and search. Participants (N = 30) completed a visual search task before and after playing the card game SET in three different experimental conditions. SET was chosen because of its focus on …

More Than Sleep Problems? Testing Five Key Health Behaviors As Reasons For Quality Of Life Issues Among Shift Workers, Yuxin Chen, Kaiyi Deng, Ian M. Hughes, Claire E. Smith, Hongdao Meng, Minh Quan Le, Min Sun, Xianyan Zhang, Danping Liu

Psychology Faculty Publications

The shift work schedule is a common work arrangement that can disrupt typical sleep-wake rhythms and lead to negative health consequences. The present study aims to examine the effect of shift work on health-related quality of life (QoL) and explore potential behaviorial mediators (i.e., sleep, eating, exercise, smoking, drinking). A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4,449 petroleum workers in southwest China. Data on shift work status, health behaviors, and physical and mental health QoL were collected. We tested our model using path analysis and the Monte Carlo approach among 2,129 included participants. After adjusting for covariates, shift work did not …

Patient Perspectives On Chronic Rhinosinusitis In Cystic Fibrosis: Symptom Prioritization In The Era Of Highly Effective Modulator Therapy, Christine Liu, Ethan J. Han, Jakob L. Fischer, Jess C. Mace, Jose L. Mattos, Karolin Markarian, Jeremiah Alt, Todd Bodner, Naweed I. Chowdhury, Multiple Additional Authors

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is common in people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF). Rhinologic symptom prioritization and areas that influence CRS treatment choices, including pursuing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), remain understudied.

Methods

Adult PwCF + CRS were enrolled at eight centers into a prospective, observational study (2019–2023). Participants were administered the 22-SinoNasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) survey and a modified SNOT-22 instrument examining symptom importance. We determined importance rankings for individual symptoms and SNOT-22 symptom importance subdomains in two sets of subgroups—those pursuing ESS versus continuing medical management (CMT), and those on elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) versus not on ETI.

Results

Among 69 participants, …

Intercultural Competence And Personality In Study Abroad Students, Wilkes W. Jones

Honors College Theses

This study aimed to replicate and extend on previous research demonstrating that international study-abroad experiences can alter a plethora of culturally related views and attitudes associated with intercultural competence. Moreover, studying abroad has been shown to make students more knowledgeable of, compassionate toward. and skilled when working with people from other cultures. Additionally, previous research has provided evidence that some Big Five personality traits can predict scores on intercultural competence measures, suggesting that some individuals may be more open to the potential benefits of studying abroad more than others. For this study, I hypothesized that from before to after studying …

Correlates Of Celebrity Worship And Materialism, Caitlin T. Davis

Honors College Theses

The proposed study will further examine the relationship between celebrity admiration and narcissism. The proposed study will also examine the relationship of the variables to materialism. Finally, this study will examine how the extent to which one perceives themselves to be similar in some respect to their favorite celebrity correlates with the aforementioned variables. We expect that there will be positive relationships among the variables such that greater celebrity worship is associated with higher narcissism, materialism, and perceived similarity with one’s favorite celebrity.

Exploring Social Inclusion And Community Participation Opportunities For Adults With Developmental Disabilities, Arilyn Jewel Baldowski

Honors College Theses

Social Inclusion and community participation among adults with developmental disabilities (DD) have remained critically underexplored, despite their essential role in promoting equal opportunities and access to fulfilling lives. This study addressed a significant gap in the literature by investigating the experiences of individuals within the population. The research aimed to explore social inclusion and community participation opportunities on adults with DD. Participants were recruited through an organization that offers residential camp programs to adults with developmental disabilities, and an online survey was used to collect data on the availability of opportunities, the extent of involvement, and the perceived impacts on …