Psychology Commons^™

Both Studying And Protecting Octopuses “On Their Own Terms”, Jennifer Jacquet, Janelle Kaz, Becca Franks, Christine Webb

Animal Sentience

Cephalopods – indeed, all animals – “must be seen on their own terms,” with respect for their autonomy and their ecological imperatives. This will provide greater scientific insight along with a more ethical and accurate understanding of minds beyond our own.

Structural Equation Modeling Of Educational Factors Associated With Racial Trauma: Belonging, Efficacy, And Persistence Among Bipoc College Students, Miguel Castano, Richard Chang

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Racial trauma refers to post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms from repeated exposure to racism and racial discrimination, generally expressed as hypervigilance and lack of safety, negative cognitions causing bleak perceptions of oneself and the world, and difficulty coping through reduced ability to manage distress. Literature shows that BIPOC students encounter racism on university campuses more frequently than non-BIPOC students, suggesting they are more vulnerable to racial trauma. Racial trauma has been linked to negative mental health outcomes; however, little is known about its impact on educational outcomes. Academic belonging, self-efficacy, and persistence are key educational factors tied to academic performance and …

School Shooting Drills Across Grade Levels: What We Know And Don't Know About Student And Teacher Experiences, Katherine Cutié

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

School shooting drills have become a standard component of school safety procedures in U.S. K–12 education, yet their psychological effects remain under-researched. This literature review synthesizes findings from 39 studies published between 1999 and 2025 to describe patterns in how students and teachers experience these drills across grade levels and drill types. Across the literature, anxiety and fear were the most frequently examined student outcomes, while teachers commonly reported stress, concerns about developmental appropriateness, and increased emotional labor during drills. Lockdown procedures were most frequently examined in the reviewed studies, with less research addressing ALICE, Run–Hide–Fight, and simulation drills. Few …

Culturally Aware Mindfulness Training For Army Leaders: A Scalable Solution To Strengthen Mental Readiness, Katherine Dutler (Skowronski)

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This doctoral paper examines cost-effective, easily distributed mindfulness practices as a force-multiplier for psychological readiness in the U.S. Army. Daily mindfulness reduces symptom burden, raises distress tolerance, and sharpens performance—all without added equipment, appointments, or cost. However, stigma, long waitlists, and civilian-centric messaging still deter soldiers from adapting mindfulness practices. Rather than replacing clinicians, the program functions as preventive maintenance and a bridge while soldiers await care, thereby easing load on an overtaxed system. By embedding mental fitness alongside physical PT, the Army can advance its mandate to “deploy, fight, and win” with forces that are both mentally and physically …

Effects Of Mental Health Clinician Characteristics And Education On Willingness To Treat Child Problematic Sexual Behavior, Debra Elise Hutchison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children aged 12 and under who exhibit problematic sexual behavior (PSB) often face barriers to care due to clinicians’ limited willingness and effectiveness in treating this population. However, little is known about the factors that influence clinicians’ willingness to provide treatment. Grounded in Bowen’s family systems theory and Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, this study examined how differentiation of self (DoS), sexual intervention self-efficacy (SISE), sexual comfort, and sexual education/training affect clinicians’ willingness to treat child PSB. A quantitative, non-experimental survey design with a convenience sample of 63 clinicians with experience working with children used a multiple linear regression analysis that revealed …

Differential Substance Use Screening Approaches Among Medical Providers Based On Pregnancy Status, Ericka L. Suarez-Vella

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Exploring medical providers’ role in relation to pregnant individuals who use substances is critical. Understanding how screening practices and provider biases influence addiction treatment referrals based on pregnancy status can help address several key issues, including potential disparities resulting from provider bias. It can ensure fair referral practices, promote equitable access to treatment, and ensure timely intervention resulting in better health outcomes. It can influence changes to policy and procedure among healthcare and judicial establishments, ultimately improving the relationship between providers and patients. The purpose of this study was to explore how medical providers’ screening practices of substance use in …

The Experience Of Black Mothers Preparing Their Black Sons For Race-Related Risks, Yamilka Torres

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite progress in addressing racism in the United States, its effects remain deeply entrenched, particularly for Black families. Research on Black parenting shows that parents adapt their strategies to protect children from criminalization, discussing violence, providing safety within the home, and limiting exposure to unsafe environments while also managing their own stress. Yet limited attention has been given to how Black mothers prepare their sons for race-related risks within the modern sociopolitical climate shaped by the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore how Black mothers prepare their Black sons for race-related risks. Carter’s …

Creating A Data Processing Pipeline With Mne-Python, Lesly Vazquez, Ananda Liz Peixoto Couto

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

The UNLV Psychophysiology of Emotion and Personality Lab (PEPLab) utilizes a MATLAB based pipeline to process electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. MATLAB is a proprietary software package, which limits the ability to analyze psychophysiological data and increases the financial burden of research. To increase the accessibility of data reduction skills, we have created and tested a new pipeline utilizing MNE-Python, an open source software package (Gramfort et al., 2013). In this pilot study, we utilized existing EEG recordings and examined the relationship between the Triarchic Model of Psychopathy and Error-Related Negativity (ERN) responses across incorrect and correct trials during a Letter Shock …

Prediction Error's Influence Of Declarative Memory: A Replication, Camila Schettini, Kevin Mohawk

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

We often have predictions about what to expect in our everyday encounters. However, not all these predictions will be accurate. Prediction error (PE) refers to the discrepancy between expectations and actual observed outcomes, and it is believed to play a role in learning, such as in classical conditioning. Yet, its relationship to one-shot declarative memory remains poorly understood. In the present study, we aimed to replicate Greve et al. (2017, Experiment 1) by testing whether PE enhances memory. Participants first learned scene-word associations in which a specific scene image was paired with one of two category labels, “positive” or “negative”. …

Examining The Relationship Between The Initial Level Of Learning And The Rate Of Forgetting, Lex De Asis, Justin Mykovich, Rhiannon N. Soriano Smith

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

It has been widely contested whether the rate of forgetting is connected to the initial degree of learning. While recent studies suggest that forgetting occurs at a consistent rate regardless of how well material was initially learned, other studies argue that this conclusion depends heavily on the analytical approach and the operational definition supplied. Additionally, emerging frameworks, such as the Representation Theory of Forgetting (Sadeh et al., 2014, 2016), propose that different brain regions support distinct types of memory representations, with each governed by separate forgetting mechanisms. This study seeks to examine how the degree of learning affects the rate …

Relationship Between Caffeine Use And Eating Disorders, Hannah Segura, Maegan Nation

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Eating disorders are a spectrum of cognitive, behavioral, and physical symptoms related to eating and compensatory weight management behaviors. Body image concerns can be a significant risk factor for various disorders, such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders. Additionally, eating disorders are commonly comorbid with other psychiatric disorders. Supplement usage such as performance enhancing supplements is becoming increasingly common, especially among younger populations. Using different supplements has been shown to put adolescents at an increased risk for body dysmorphia, disordered eating behaviors, as well as other potentially harmful health effects, like electrolyte complications, heart issues, or even death. Across the …

Capacity, Allocation And Update Dynamics Of Human Memory Systems, Shaoying Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Information is encoded and stored in three types of memory: sensory memory (SM), short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). SM has a large capacity but retains information for only a brief period. When information transfers to STM, only a limited amount can be stored. Information in STM can then be transferred to LTM, which has a much larger capacity and longer retention time. STM is often conceptualized as working memory (WM) to highlight its role in active information processing. Due to the limited capacity of STM, it is commonly believed that STM serves as the bottleneck for information processing. …

An Examination Of Disparities In Adhd Diagnosis Between Men And Women, Julia Holloway

University Honors Theses

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has become an increasingly popular area of study over the last decade. The rise in cases over the same period likely explains this trend, as does ADHD’s status as one of the most commonly encountered neurodevelopmental disorders. While much of this research has served as an invaluable asset to both practitioners and patients there are still blind spots which have yet to be addressed by the existing body of research. This progress in our understanding of ADHD has gone far in illuminating the biases which have set the precedent for treatment and diagnosis, however, widespread understanding …

Considerations And Guidelines For Clinical Training And Professional Practice In The Area Of Psychotherapy Termination, Elyssa L. Jampolsky

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Treatment termination occurs, invariably, in every psychotherapy relationship. Closing the therapy relationship is often a complex process and requires targeted training for psychotherapists to terminate treatment competently and in a way that preserves gains made and fosters continued client growth. Discontinuation of psychotherapy services requires practitioners to apply ethical knowledge, clinical expertise, and relational boundaries. Further, the nuances of forced, end-of-year termination in clinical training environments necessitates targeted supervision and explicit guidelines. Surprisingly, termination practices are underemphasized in training programs and in the literature. The current paper will review the extant literature related to psychotherapy termination broadly as well as …

Martial Arts Studies: A Commentary On The Exploration Of Consciousness In Modern Martial Arts, James H. Sutton

Journal of Conscious Evolution

The rapid globalization of martial arts has reconditioned how the beliefs, customs, and philosophies of traditionally based systems are interpreted and applied in modern practice. As contemporary scholarship struggles to accommodate the cultural histories, myths, and traditions that permeate the perception of martial arts in modern contexts, the focus of inquiry has shifted towards explaining cultural variations in practice rather than understanding the nature of self-awareness derived from self-practice. Consequently, the deeper meanings of martial arts as pathways to personal and transpersonal awareness are often invalidated in favor of objective and verifiable explications. In short, the role of consciousness is …

Cv: James Powell (Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Counselor Education And Supervision), James Powell

Psychology Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

The Initial User Experience Of A Gamified Mental Health App, Angill Lynae Oliva

Master's Theses

Despite the availability of mobile mental health apps, high dropout rates due to low user engagement and attitudes about their effectiveness remain significant challenges. The present study examined the relationship between digital therapeutic alliance (i.e., the efficacy of therapeutic quality for digitalized mental health interventions) and college students’ engagement and perceptions of use with a gamified mental health app, SuperBetter. Digital therapeutic alliance was measured using the Working Alliance Inventory-Short Revised (WAI-SR), while engagement was assessed by the total number of completed activities in the SuperBetter app. Students’ intrinsic motivation was measured using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI); and perceptions …

Understanding The Lived Experience Of Mental Health Following An Alpha-Gal Syndrome Diagnosis: A Phenomenological Study Grounded In Maslow’S Hierarchy Of Needs, Heather L. Hargis

Dissertations

Alpha-gal syndrome is a tick-borne food allergy that triggers delayed allergic reactions to mammalian products and profoundly alters daily life. While growing research examines the physiological aspects of alpha-gal syndrome, little is known about its psychological impact. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of individuals with alpha-gal syndrome to understand how the condition influences mental health through the lens of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Data was collected through semi-structured virtual interviews with adults medically diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome. Thematic analysis revealed significant challenges in meeting Maslow’s lower-tier needs—physiological, safety, and love/belonging—due to dietary restrictions, medical uncertainty, social isolation, and …

Sex Differences In Self-Medication Patterns And Stress, Darin Challacombe, Paterson Romero

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: The current study sought to find out to what degree the linkage exists between sex, stress levels, and self-medication activities. Method: We used an anonymous survey in both English and Spanish and surveyed 615 participants, of which the average age was 36.5 years. For gender, participants coded themselves as “male” (n = 350) and “female” (n = 243). We did not request participants to code ethnicity. We used a demographics questionnaire, a list of substances used for self-medication along with some questions about self-medication activities, and the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen & Williamson, 1988). Results: We found a significant …

Gender As A Moderator In The Relationship Between Crisis Call Responding And Police Job Satisfaction, Krystal Fuller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study was conducted to investigate the relationship between crisis call responding and job satisfaction among police officers and whether gender moderates this relationship. With crisis helpline calls rising over the past decade, officers face increasing emotional labor demands, particularly female officers in male-dominated environments. While past research has explored stress and gender differences in law enforcement, few studies have examined their interaction. Using the job demands-resources model and gender role congruity theory, this study employed a correlational design with simple linear regression and Hayes’ PROCESS macro to test moderation effects. Participants included 78 police officers from central Texas …

Humor As A Predictor Of Life Satisfaction And Burnout Among Firefighters, Kayla Marie Kovach

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Notwithstanding knowledge of the high stress levels experienced by firefighters, little is known about their coping strategies as compared with the general population. To address this gap, the differences in humor styles between firefighters and nonfirefighters in the prediction of life satisfaction and burnout were assessed. The study was grounded in the PERMA theory of well-being and the job demands-resources theory. A cross-sectional, correlational survey research design was used to assess if there are differences between firefighters and nonfirefighters in the types of humor (i.e., self-enhancing, affiliative, aggressive, and self-defeating) used and in the prediction of burnout and life satisfaction …

Parents’ Sustained Recovery From Substance Use During The Coronavirus Pandemic, Amanda Antis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents in recovery from substance abuse rely on social support and programs to maintain their sobriety consistently. However, specific programs crucial for their social and mental well-being, such as most 12-step groups and recovery centers, were shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite some research on the impact of substance abuse during the pandemic, little attention has been given to sustained recovery. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to explore how parents maintained recovery from substance use amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Schlossberg’s transition process model served as the theoretical framework for this study. Semistructured interviews with nine …

The Impact Of Covid-19 Related Virtual Learning On Parents Raising Children With Learning Disabilities, Ty'sheka Ne'cole Lambert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions in education as schools abruptly closed and students transitioned to virtual learning. This shift placed significant strain on parents, especially those raising children with learning disabilities who required consistent accommodations and support. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore parents’ perceptions of how COVID-19–related virtual learning affected their children’s academic performance, emotional well-being, and daily functioning. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the study examined how family, school, and community systems shaped these experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 parents of children with learning disabilities. Using Braun and Clarke’s (2013) six-step …

Stigma And Barriers To Seeking Mental Health Care Among Emergency Department Providers – A Mixed Methods Study, Shannon C. White, Charlotte H. Harris, Ravindra Gopaul, Joshua M. Smyth

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

High levels of psychological distress and depression are common among clinicians working in US emergency departments [ED], yet treatment-seeking remains rare, contributing to burnout and negative well-being. Reluctance to seek care often reflects concerns about negative consequences (e.g., stigma, negative professional impact). We sought to characterize the availability of mental health resource availability, beliefs about seeking care, and barriers faced by emergency department healthcare providers. A sequential mixed-method design was employed. Phase 1 included a survey of ED physicians, advanced practice providers (APPs; i.e., nurse practitioners and physician assistants) and medical residents at an academic medical center. The survey assessed …

Parentcoach: Designing An Mhealth Parenting App To Enhance Parental Involvement In Adhd Support, Franceli L. Cibrian, Nancy Herrera, Jesus A. Beltran, Lucas M. Silva, Mikaela Pulse, Kayla Anderson, Cassie Zeiler, Luc Rieffel, Daniel I. Lee, Sabrina E. B. Schuck, Kimberley D. Lakes

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction: Parents play a vital role in supporting self-regulation and managing behaviors in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, many face barriers to accessing consistent, evidence-based support. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer a promising way to deliver flexible, low-burden guidance for parents on best practices and strategies to support their children's self-regulation. However, designing them is non-trivial.

Objective: This paper introduces ParentCoach, a mobile application designed to support parents of children with ADHD through brief daily lessons, reflection prompts, and skill-building activities.

Methods: ParentCoach was developed in two phases: (1) secondary analysis of qualitative data from over 30 families …

Measuring Human Ability To Detect Emotional Energies In Transpersonal Fields Of Consciousness, Carol Richardson Phd, Mdiv, Mph

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This research presents original data from an online research survey with 111 respondents regarding their ability to detect emotional energies in transpersonal fields of consciousness in crowds and dyads. The data show that a majority of respondents, from 90% to 96.4%, reported experiencing different emotions “in the air,” such as excitement, tension, anxiety, anger, and love. Personal data responses include age, gender or gender identity, and worldview. Examples of possible worldviews include: “scientific, not religious, not spiritual”; “spiritual and scientific”; “religious”; and “religious and scientific.” Respondents were given two free-answer essay options: one in which they could describe their personal …

Our Teens Are Not Okay, But They Can Be: An Application Of The Family Firo Method To Improve Parent-Adolescent Communication About Suicide, Janene Pack Lpc, Cmhc, Peder Schillemat

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

This article explores the critical role of parent-teen communication in the mental well-being of teenagers, with a particular focus on its connection to suicide risk. A particular focus is on teens who live in Utah as the suicide rate for Utah teens and young adults is almost twice the national average. Despite the focus on families and religion in Utah, a significant number of teens continue to struggle with loneliness, hopelessness, and even thoughts of suicide. One key contributing factor to this struggle is the lack of open, supportive communication between Utah teens and their parents. The absence of effective …

Scrupulosity Ocd And How It Can Affect Our Clients’ Relationship With God, Annabella Hagen

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

This article explores various aspects of scrupulosity OCD, starting with the misconceptions about OCD that persist in society and their impact on treatment, along with a discussion of the disorder’s prevalence. It examines common OCD themes, provides a deeper understanding of religious scrupulosity, and clarifies how individuals become trapped in the scrupulosity OCD cycle. Specific triggers within the LDS Church are highlighted, alongside religious considerations such as distinguishing scrupulosity from genuine religiosity and discerning between spiritual promptings and OCD-driven thoughts. The article also addresses barriers to care unique to the LDS community and offers clinician recommendations, including an overview of …

Parental Grief And Loss After Gender Transition: Navigating Ambiguous And Disenfranchised Loss In Latter-Day Saint Families, David Haralson, Chelsea Johnson, Jeff Bennion, Orion Maxfield

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

Parents of transgender or gender nonconforming children sometimes experience profound grief and loss, particularly within religious communities that hold specific doctrines regarding gender. This article examines the unique challenges faced by parents in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) when a child undergoes gender transition. By exploring the concepts of ambiguous loss and disenfranchised grief, we aim to provide a framework for understanding these parents' emotional experiences. The intersection of LDS doctrines and policies on gender with contemporary gender theories creates complex emotional environments for families to navigate. We present the Integrity and Investment Model as …

Helping Clients Grieve The Loss Of Their "Happily Ever After", Karen J. Gilmore, Joseph Chamberlain

Issues in Religion and Psychotherapy

ABSTRACT

Helping Clients Grieve the Loss of Their “Happily Ever After”

One of the most prominent attacks on marriage comes in the form of pornography and sex addiction. In this article I will explore what pornography and sex addiction is, why it can be highly addictive, how pornography and sex addiction can impact the marriage and lead to betrayal trauma, and how to understand the losses that can come from this type of trauma as well as the ensuing grief which may accompany this process. Additionally, I will identify ways to understand how grief presents in betrayal trauma, how to …