Psychology Commons^™

Exploring Rehabilitation Therapists' Knowledge And Perspectives On The Use Of Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning For Persons Poststroke, Hannah Clark, Mia Delvecchio, Min Hun Lee, Elena D. Brown, Kaia Mikula, Robert Halyama, Kasey Stepansky

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Research Objectives: The use of technology such as robotics, gaming systems, self-monitoring apps, or other sensor-based devices in standard practice is infrequent. Due to the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications, it is important to look at how therapists perceive AI/ML, and design applications with potential barriers in mind. to support future integration into practice. The purpose of this research project is to gain rehabilitation therapists’ perspectives on AI/ML in post-stroke assessment and intervention.Design: This ongoing study uses a mixed methods design with surveys and focus groups. Participants engaged in a 30-minute webinar to learn …

The Acute Effects Of Tetrahydrocannabivarin (Thcv) On Appetite, Caroline M. Sokol

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of the current study was to assess the acute effects of tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) on appetite. Participants (N = 28) experienced 12.5 mg THCV, 25mg THCV, and placebo in counterbalanced order across three, 3-hr experimental sessions. Following baseline procedures, participants consumed THCV or placebo and completed self-report measures every 30 minutes. A series of repeated measures factorial ANOVAs were conducted to examine potential differences in study outcomes across THCV dosing conditions as well as within session (i.e., baseline, every 30 minutes after dosing (5), end of session) with respect to self-reported hunger, mood, and perceived drug effects (e.g., …

Subjective Socioeconomic Status Moderates Self-Esteem Reactivity To Daily Stressor Exposure: Evidence From A Daily Diary Approach, Yi Jing Chua, Nadyanna M. Majeed, Verity Yu Qing Lua, Chi-Ying Cheng, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Research on self-esteem reactivity has demonstrated that self-esteem fluctuates in response to daily stressor exposure, and the strength of this relationship varies between individuals. Drawing upon the positive link between objective socioeconomic status (SES) and self-esteem, how subjective SES influences self-esteem reactivity to daily stressor exposure was explored. Using a 7-day daily diary study, the current study (N-participants = 243, N-days = 1651) adopted a multilevel analysis to demonstrate that subjective SES attenuated the within-person association between daily stressor exposure and daily self-esteem, even after controlling for demographics and objective indicators of SES. The interactions were also consistent across social …

I See Sick People: Beliefs About Sensory Detection Of Infectious Disease Are Largely Consistent Across Cultures, Joshua M. Ackerman, Theodore Samore, Daniel M. T. Fessler, Norman P. Li, Et Al

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Identifying cues to contagious disease is critical for effectively tracking and defending against interpersonal infection threats. People hold lay beliefs about the types of sensory information most relevant for identifying whether others are sick with transmissible illnesses. Are these beliefs universal, or do they vary along cultural and ecological dimensions? Participants in 58 countries (N = 19,217) judged how effective, and how likely they were to use, cues involving each of the five major sensory modalities in an imagined social interaction during a flu outbreak. Belief patterns were strongly consistent across countries (sight > audition > touch > smell > taste), suggesting a largely …

Efficacy Of Digital Mental Health Interventions For Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review Of Randomised Controlled Trials, K. T. A. Kasturiratna, Andree Hartanto, Angel Khaterina Lee, Charmaine Jiali Koh, Nadyanna M. Majeed

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that significantly impacts various facets of life. While traditional treatments such as medication and behavioural therapy are effective, they often fall short due to limited access and undesirable side effects. In response to these limitations, digital mental health interventions have emerged as a transformative approach in alleviating ADHD symptoms. The current meta-analysis investigates the effectiveness of digital mental health interventions for ADHD synthesising data across 23 randomised controlled trials, with 99 effect sizes across 1,472 participants. Results showed small, significant effects of digital mental health interventions in reducing overall ADHD symptoms …

Socioeconomic Status Shapes Dyadic Interactions: Examining Behavioral And Physiologic Responses, Jacinth J. X. Tan, Tessa V. West, Wendy B. Mendes

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

With more opportunities for diverse interactions, little is known about how social interactions involving people of different socioeconomic status (SES) may unfold. We investigated social attunement patterns in dyadic interactions involving SES. Unacquainted individuals recruited from the community interacted with similar-or-different-SES partners in the lab (Ndyads = 130). Attunement was assessed throughout the interaction by examining physiological linkage—how much a person’s physiological change is predicted by another’s physiological change, over time. Overall, low-SES participants showed stronger physiological linkage—indicating greater attunement—to partners across SES. Participants also appeared more comfortable when interacting with low-SES partners. There were no SES differences in dominance …

A Lifespan Perspective On Positive Affect Fluctuations On Purpose In Life: Findings From A 9-Year Longitudinal Study, Jonathan L. Chia, Verity Y. Q. Lua, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Existing research has examined how static or average levels of positive affect (PA) influence purpose in life (PIL), but theoretical work suggests PA fluctuations may also play a role, potentially undermining PIL, especially in older adulthood. To this end, the present study examined the longitudinal association of PA fluctuations on PIL and the moderating role of age among 1,294 midlife and older adults in the United States, over a 9-year period (between 2004 and 2014). Results revealed a conditional effect of PA fluctuations on PIL – particularly among older individuals, and greater PA fluctuations were associated with a poorer sense …

Longitudinal And Bidirectional Relations Between Problematic Social Media Use And Cognitive Failures, K. T. A. Sandeeshwara Kasturiratna, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

With social media becoming increasingly pervasive in our daily lives, there have been heightened concerns that the distractions caused by compulsive and problematic social media use may lead to cognitive failures. While some preliminary work have explored the link between problematic social media use and cognitive functioning, most are cross-sectional, leaving it uncertain whether cognitive failures are a precursor or consequence of problematic social media use. To address this gap, the current study examines the bidirectional relationship between problematic social media use and cognitive failures. A sample of 252 young adults completed the Problematic Social Media Use Scale and the …

Understanding The Physical Health Associations Of Intra-Individual Variability In Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults, Frosch Y. X. Quek, Kenneth Tan, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

It is well established that inter-individual differences in life satisfaction positively predict health, but it is less clear how intra-individual variability in life satisfaction across time could influence health, particularly across individuals with different satisfaction levels. To address this gap, we analysed a large panel dataset from a national sample of 8,674 older adults, aged 50–70 (M = 59, SD = 5.42) in Singapore who completed surveys over 53 consecutive months. Results from multi-level modelling showed an interaction between variability in life satisfaction and life satisfaction mean on physical health. Specifically, there was no association between variability and health among …

Language Brokering Conditions The Indirect Association Between Mexican‐Origin Adolescents’ Academic Discrimination And Educational Expectations, Su Yeong Kim, Yayu Du, Chantal Alvarado, Wei Xiang Sim, Wen Wen, Tianlu Zhang, Jingyi Shen

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Mexican‐origin adolescents, a significant portion of the US Latino population, often experience a decline in educational expectations from early to late adolescence. Contextual factors such as academic discrimination and language brokering for parents may contribute to this decline. This study investigates the indirect effect of academic discrimination experienced in middle school on educational expectations in young adulthood through high school grades and engagement, and the moderating role of language brokering experiences in these relations. Data were collected from 604 Mexican‐origin adolescents across four waves from 2012 to 2023. Academic discrimination experiences in middle school were negatively associated with school grades …

Experiences Of Discrimination During Pregnancy Predict Altered Neonatal Hair Cortisol At Birth, Kimberly D'Anna-Hernandez, Lillybelle K. Deer, Özlü Aran, Kenia M. Rivera, Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, Jenalee R. Doom, Benjamin L. Hankin, M. Camille Hoffman, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

Prenatal glucocorticoids (e.g., cortisol) are a widely proposed prenatal programming mechanism, yet few studies directly measure fetal cortisol. Neonatal hair provides a non-invasive method to assess fetal cortisol. The current studies test the association between maternal exposure to discrimination and fetal cortisol, as measured in neonatal hair, in two cohorts.

Methods

Study 1: Pregnant individuals (N = 65) and their neonates (61.8 % female) participated in study 1 between 2017 and 2021. Participants self-identified as Asian (6.2 %), Black (21.5 %), Latinx (35.4 %), Multiracial or Multiethnic (35.4 %), and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (1.5 %). Experiences …

Diversity Training In Clinical Child And Pediatric Psychology Programs: Results From A Survey Of Training Directors., Mary Louise Cashel, Shalonda Brooks, Trista Perez Crawford, Omar G. Gudiño, Sharnita Harris, Astrida S. Kaugars, Noriel Lim, Jerlym Porter

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This survey study presents satisfaction ratings completed by training directors of graduate, predoctoral internship, and postdoctoral programs in clinical child and pediatric psychology with respect to their culture and diversity training. The approaches to training and areas of diversity focus are also reported. All respondents (n = 42, 71% response rate) were from member programs of the Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology Training Council, in geographical locations ranging from small towns to large cities across the United States. Over 90% of directors of graduate programs indicated that completing a course on multicultural psychology was a requirement for the program. …

Seeking Existential Meaning In The “Sea Of Trees:” A Qualitative Exploration In The Depths Of Japan’S Aokigahara “Suicide” Forest, Sophia Bates

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis explores the intercultural perceptions of suicidality and the role that these perceptions have on meaning of life in Japanese culture through an exploratory, autoethnographic analysis of my journey walking through Japan’s Aokigahara “suicide” Forest. In June 2024, I traveled to Fujikawaguchiko, Japan to conduct an autoethnographic analysis of my experiences walking through Aokigahara Forest using shinrin-yoku and mindful walking (Jung, 2014) as supplemental research methodologies to make empirical observations and take notes on my journey walking through suicide forest as an embodied sensory experience. Drawing upon the research and ideas of cultural anthropologist and existential philosopher Ernest Becker, …

Positive Psychology And Positive Education: A Strengths-Based Approach To Sen, Michelle Y. Tytherleigh

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

This paper, originating from the ‘Power of Us!’ conference held in June 2025, reflects on the session titled: Positive psychology and positive education: a strengths-based approach to SEN, which looked at how positive psychology and positive education can be applied to better support students, and with a particular focus on those with SENs.The paper offers an insight into the session, sharing reflections from the discussions and research findings, and calls for action to create a truly inclusive educational system.

On Becoming A Hero: Insights From An Unexpected Experience, Christina Maslach

Heroism Science

In 1971, shortly after earning my Ph.D. at Stanford, I found myself unexpectedly drawn into the events of the Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE). Although I was not involved in the study’s design, my reaction to the disturbing behaviors I witnessed led me to confront my partner, Philip Zimbardo, about the ethics of continuing the research. That conversation ultimately led him to end the study. In this personal reflection, I revisit my experience as an unintentional “outsider ombudsperson,” exploring the psychological and ethical challenges that unfolded within the SPE. I reflect on what I learned about dissent, disobedience, and how stepping …

Flex-Spatialities: Interior Spaces, Play, And Fantasy, Camilo Lozano-Rivera

Interiority

This article examines how interior spaces in the digital age have evolved into flexible, adaptive environments shaped by technological mediation and shifting everyday practices. Focusing on smart homes and home offices, this article introduces the concept of flex-spatiality to describe how these spaces continually reconfigure in response to changes in needs and digital interfaces. Grounded in Gregory Bateson’s (1972) theory of play and fantasy, the study explores how interior spatiality operates on two levels: as a locus for expressing identities and as a structure for organising social interaction. Through Bateson’s distinction between metalinguistic and metacommunicative functions, flex-spatiality is framed as …

“Medication Is Only 10% Of Recovery”: A Mixed-Method Analysis Of Facilitators And Barriers To The Equitable Implementation Of Medications For Opioid Use Disorder Treatment, Alexandra Hernandez-Vallant

Psychology ETDs

Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), the gold standard treatment for OUD, are underutilized. Yet, research on MOUD clinical encounters is limited. Attention to social determinants of health (SDOH) can help improve engagement and retention in MOUD treatment. This dissertation project describes development of a clinical vignette-based survey using a two phase exploratory sequential design to examine the extent to which SDOH influence clinical decision-making among MOUD providers. Study 1 included interviews with 23 providers to learn their perspectives on facilitators/barriers to MOUD treatment and the clinical and social determinants most influential to their clinical decision-making. Study 2 involved development …

Postpartum Experiences Of Arab Women And The Educational Role Of The Mother, Diana Ikki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women in the Arab world traditionally observe a 40-day postpartum rest period, during which they rest, follow specific rituals, and learn to care for their newborn under the guidance and care of a family matriarch, typically their mother. Despite the prevalence of this practice, there is limited empirical research exploring the educational role of Arab mothers during their daughters' postpartum period; this qualitative study addressed this gap. Foundational to this study’s theoretical framework was Ramona Mercer’s theory of maternal role attainment. The study addressed two research questions: how Arab women describe their postpartum experiences and the educational role their mothers …

More Schooling Can Delay The Onset Of Dementia Later In Life, Vikesh Amin, Jere R. Behrman, Jason M. Fletcher, Carlos A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, Iliana Kohler, Hans-Peter Kohler, Shana D. Stites

Employment Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Shared Themes Among Teachers And Students On The Impact Of Teacher Well-Being On Student Wellbeing And Academic Success, Brian Duncan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers have experienced increasing burnout and high attrition rates, alongside a parallel decline in student well-being and academic success. Prior research has linked teacher well-being to student outcomes; however, little is known about whether teachers and students perceive this relationship similarly. This phenomenological qualitative study explored the shared perceptions of teacher well-being’s impact on student well-being and academic success among 10 high school teachers and 10 students from public schools in the southwestern United States. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and Bowlby’s secure base theory, the study employed semistructured interviews and Saldana’s two-cycle coding to identify themes across both …

Logged Out Or Logged In? Stress, Burnout, And Job Satisfaction Between Remote And In-Person Workers, Ryan H. Nguyen

McNair Scholars Research

There is an increasing concern about job-related stress, burnout, and satisfaction. This study explores stress, burnout, and job satisfaction patterns among remote and in-person workers. The sample for this study comprised 88 adults recruited through social media who voluntarily completed a 40-item Google Forms survey. The survey included 10 demographic items and incorporated items from three inventories: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), and Aggregate Job Satisfaction Scale (AJSS). The data were analyzed quantitatively using Pearson correlation and independent samples t-tests to assess the relationship among burnout, work-related stress, and job satisfaction, and to determine the influence of …

Data-Driven Approach To Dynamic Resting State Functional Connectivity In Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: An Enigma-Pgc Ptsd Study, Jacklynn M. Fitzgerald

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been associated with aberrations in brain networks in the absence of a given cognitive demand or task, called resting-state networks. Prior work has focused on disruption in the static functional connectivity (FC) among specific regions constrained by a priori hypotheses. However, dynamic FC, an approach that examines brain network characteristics over time, may provide a more sensitive measure to understand the network properties underlying dysfunction in PTSD. Further, using a data-driven analytic approach may reveal the contribution of other larger network disturbances beyond those revealed by hypothesis-driven …

• Social Media Use Among Undergraduate Women: Associations With Body Image, Disordered Eating, And Well-Being, Kirsten P. Peterson

Psychology ETDs

Though prior research has identified a range of negative impacts associated with social networking site/app (SNS) use, these effects vary and are often attributed to specific aspects of SNSs rather than time spent on them. The current study examined relations between SNS use and various psychological outcomes (i.e., body appreciation, body dissatisfaction, eating pathology, depression, and self-esteem) and how these may differ by platform, proportion of image-based content, image subjects, and passive (relative to active) use. Worse outcomes were anticipated for individuals who primarily used appearance-focused platforms and those with greater exposure to image-based content, self or celebrity images, and …

Cultural Risk And Protective Factors Associated With Sexual Assault Among Hispanic And Non-Hispanic White Women, Daisy Ramos

Psychology ETDs

There is a paucity of research on sexual assault among Hispanic college women. Existing studies indicate that Hispanic college women report similar mental health sequelae as non-Hispanic White women following a sexual assault; thus, factors that protect or increase their risk is an area worthy of further investigation. Latino cultural values, such as familism, may serve as a protective factor for sexual assault among Hispanic college women, while acculturation with mainstream culture may function as a risk factor. This study examined whether ethnicity moderated the effects of cultural protective and risk factors on sexual assault experiences among Hispanic and non-Hispanic …

Guardian Perceptions Of Living In Group Homes Versus Family Homes For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilties, Gail Roberts Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The living environment of group homes and family homes offer different qualities of life for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Guardian perceptions may shed light on how individuals with intellectual disabilities perceive their experiences, environments, and daily lives. Exploring and examining this social problem may positively impact policies, processes, and procedures, and have an impact on the lives of parents, families, and individuals with intellectual disabilities while driving positive social change. The purpose of this qualitative study using narrative inquiry was to explore, examine, and better understand guardian perceptions. The quality-of-life theoretical framework and Saldana’s process of color coding were used …

From Backstage To Front Stage : Understanding Dramaturgical Work Behavior In The Workplace, Yufei Cheng

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Modern organizations often reward “looking busy” rather than genuinely contributing, prompting employees to engage in superficial displays of productivity. This type of behavior can be considered as a previously unexplored yet important form of impression management. While impression management research has predominantly examined outcome-oriented tactics, it has not fully captured the subtler, non-contributory forms of performative behavior that permeate everyday work life. To address this gap, this dissertation introduces Dramaturgical Work Behavior (DWB), a concept grounded in Goffman’ s dramaturgical theory, which outlines how employees enact symbolic “front-stage” performances—such as feigned urgency or exaggerated busyness—to signal conformity without adding real …

The Effect Of A Therapy Dog On Pressure Pain Threshold In Healthy Individuals, Lydia L. Haak, Rhonda L. Verdegan

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Pain is the most common reason for healthcare consultation in the United States. Pain affects every area of life; biologically, psychologically, and socially. These three constructs make up every individual and thus contribute to their perceived quality of life. The use of therapy dogs (TD) has been widely researched as a source of non-pharmacological pain management. Studies have proven that a dog can reduce perceived pain in people with a variety of comorbidities. The purpose of this study was to prove that pain is modulated biologically by dogs and not just by human perception. Methods: This was …

Generative Ai–Powered Mental Wellness Chatbot For College Student Mental Wellness: Open Trial, Jazmin A. Reyes-Portillo, Amy So, Kelsey Mcalister, Christine Nicodemus, Ashleigh Golden, Colleen Jacobson, Jennifer Huberty

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Colleges have turned to digital mental health interventions to meet the increasing mental health treatment needs of their students. Among these, chatbots stand out as artificial intelligence–driven tools capable of engaging in human-like conversations that have demonstrated some effectiveness in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of using Wayhaven, an artificial intelligence chatbot, among college students with elevated depression or anxiety symptoms. We also aimed to examine the preliminary effectiveness of Wayhaven in improving symptoms of anxiety and depression, hopelessness, agency, and self-efficacy among students.

Methods: Participants were 50 racially …

Testing The Utility Of The Three Good Things Intervention For Cannabis Misuse Among College Students, Paige Morris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

College students experience high rates of cannabis use and use-related problems. Existing brief online interventions for cannabis misuse among college students do not significantly reduce cannabis use and use-related problems relative to control conditions. This may be due to limited consideration of the role of affect, given that cannabis is frequently used for managing affect, especially among individuals with greater depression and social anxiety. The present study sought to improve the efficacy of brief online interventions for cannabis misuse among college students by testing the efficacy of the Three Good Things (3GT; Seligman et al., 2005) intervention, a daily exercise …

Understanding User Behaviors: Impact Of A 28-Day Intervention On Screen Time And Problematic Internet Use, Cade T. Campigli

Master's Theses

This thesis examines a 28-day self-monitoring intervention to reduce problematic internet use among undergraduate Instagram users. A quasi-experimental factorial mixed design with a repeated measures component was used, with participants split into an experimental group (daily Instagram screen time logging) and a control group (reporting Instagram interactions). Problematic Internet use was measured using the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2). Results showed no reduction in problematic internet use in the experimental group compared to the control, nor a correlation between screen time changes and problematic internet use. However, the experimental group showed a modest decrease in mean screen time …