Psychology Commons^™

A Qualitative Examination Of Homelessness Risk Factors And Housing Histories Of Single Room Occupancy (Sro) Tenants In Chicago, Shadman Syed Saquib

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) housing is among the most affordable private market housing options and serves tenants who often have multiple oppressed identities, including economic marginalization, carceral histories, and disabling conditions. However, SRO buildings are often sold for redevelopment, displacing tenants with few alternative housing options and at risk of homelessness. Research suggests that multiple ecological factors, such as prior housing instability, predict future homelessness, which may be compounded for individuals with oppressed identities. Thus, the current study explores the housing histories and identities of displaced SRO tenants to understand their vulnerability to post-displacement homelessness. Seventeen participants who were displaced from …

How Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (Mbsr) Techniques Affect Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Literature Review, Piper Ritke

Honors Theses

This literature review examines the potential effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) as a non-invasive therapeutic intervention for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Traditional treatments for OCD, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP), are evidence-based but can be distressing for some patients. MBSR, originally developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, emphasizes nonjudgmental awareness of thoughts and may offer a less intrusive alternative. Three peer-reviewed studies were analyzed: a randomized controlled trial comparing MBSR with cognitive therapies, a technology-supported mindfulness intervention utilizing EEG feedback, and a case study documenting individualized MBSR treatment. All studies demonstrated reductions in …

Benefits Of Extended Unemployment Insurance On Post-Unemployment Outcomes, Alyssa Roche

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how unemployment insurance (UI) affects individuals during and after unemployment. Drawing on historical evidence from recent recessions in the United States, publicly available data, behavioral insights, and mathematical modeling, it argues that the benefits of extending UI outweigh the potential costs. The analysis incorporates a wide range of sources, including empirical economic studies using regression models and psychology and business research that highlight behavioral responses to financial stress and job insecurity. By combining quantitative data with behavioral context, the thesis offers a more comprehensive understanding of how extended UI influences job search decisions, wage outcomes, and overall …

The Positivity Effect In Contracts, Megan Kathryn Stricker

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The positivity effect is a noted preference for positive information over negative information in older adults’ cognition. This effect has been observed in multiple domains of cognition, including both attention and memory (Carstensen & Mikels, 2005). Evidence for the positivity effect has shown up consistently in replications across type of memory (Reed et al., 2014), and this phenomenon can be considered within the context of other trends of cognitive aging. Most if not all research in this area has been constrained to laboratory settings, and there has been limited research as to the context sensitivity of this observed effect. What …

The Impact And Perceptions Of Return-To-Office Mandates, Brooke E. Nyberg

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

In the aftermath of stay-at-home mandates that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations have reinstated mandates requiring that employees return to the office either full-time or a few days per week. Although research has been conducted on the benefits and consequences of remote work throughout the pandemic, research is lacking on the perceptions of the return-to-office mandates and how these mandates impact employees. This study aimed to comprehensively understand what employees think and feel about a return-to-office mandate as well as identify group differences and impacts of the method in which the RTO mandate was communicated. To do so, …

The Relationship Of Organizational Democracy And Psychological Safety On Organizational Citizenship Behaviors, Thomas William Rice

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between organizational democracy and organizational citizenship behaviors through the mediating effect of psychological safety. This study contributes to the organizational democracy literature in the introduction of psychological safety as a mediator through the lens of social exchange theory. An online survey was completed by 245 participants who self-reported as being full-time, English-speaking employees in the United States. The survey was composed of a demographic section and different measures of organizational democracy (i.e., perceived organizational participation and democracy questionnaire, organizational democracy scale), psychological safety, and organizational citizenship behaviors. Utilizing mediated regression analysis, results indicated that psychological …

Gi, Pain, Anxiety, And Mood Symptoms Among Youth With Fapds, Helen Bedree

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) frequently persist into adulthood, thus developmental considerations are critical for monitoring symptom presentation and tailoring treatments. In addition to core symptoms, such as pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, mood and anxiety symptoms often co-occur as well as negative impacts on functioning and quality of life. The current study took a developmental approach to assess core pain, gastrointestinal, anxiety, and mood symptoms among youth with FAPDs (N = 105), as well as agreement across youth and their caregivers on these key symptoms. Developmental stages included early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. A cluster …

Mental Healthcare For Us: Examining Awareness Of, Barriers To, And Recommendations For Mental Healthcare Among Immigrant-Origin Chinese American Adolescents, Mengxue (Fiona) Sun

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Background. Ethnic minority adolescents face elevated mental health challenges and encounter significant barriers to accessing mental healthcare compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Despite these challenges, limited research has explored culturally responsive mental healthcare for adolescents from specific Asian American communities, and even fewer studies have actively incorporated adolescents' perspectives to inform treatment and policy. This study aimed to examine the experiences of immigrant-origin Chinese American adolescents with mental health and mental healthcare.

Method. Ten immigrant-origin Chinese American adolescents, aged 14 to 17, were recruited through community organizations and participated in semi-structured individual interviews. Open-ended questions focused on …

A Mixed Methods Survey To Highlight Retrospective Drug Spending, Dillon Peter Thorpe

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

The financial impact of substance use is poorly understood. What research has been conducted has focused on societal and medical costs, rarely on the personal finances of substance users. Less research has been conducted on the finances of people currently in recovery and abstinence. To fill in this gap, 284 current Oxford House residents completed a survey that inquired about demographics, spending habits, and reasons for staying in Oxford House. Following analysis, it was found that previous drug/alcohol spending is a highly variable metric, with a range of $0-$30,000 per month. In addition, the sample was homogenous in terms of …

The Effect Of Reading Goals On Conspiracy Believability And Memorability, Leah Patricia O'Neill

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Previous research shows that individuals who are assigned different goals for reading remember and comprehend text differently, which might also influence how individuals read texts that contain conspiracy theories. This research has revealed a connection between scores on the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief (SPQ-B) and conspiracy theory belief, such that those who score higher are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of reading goals (i.e., study vs entertainment) and different types of conspiracy theories (i.e., familiar and less familiar) on participant’s believability ratings for conspiracy texts. Participants were assigned a reading goal prior to …

The Impact Of Popularity Pressure: A Moderated Mediation Model, Molly Clare Walker

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is a critical development stage where social pressures can significantly impact interactions and behavior. One such pressure, popularity pressure, refers to adolescents’ perceived obligation to meet social expectations related to having a popular status. Prior research by Wright (2020) highlights that perceived popularity pressure, often driven by parental and peer influence, is linked to maladaptive behaviors such as relational aggression. Despite these findings, limited research has yet to explore the effect of popularity pressure on adolescents’ internalizing symptoms such as anxiety and depression, in addition to the underlying mechanisms through which popularity pressure impacts adolescents’ mental health and behavior. …

Building Media Literacy In Adolescence: A Cognitive Behavioral Clinician's Manual To Combat Misinformation And Misdiagnosis During Sessions, Patricia Sacchetti

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This paper examines the role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in countering misinformation that youth encounter on social media and other informal sources, with the goal of creating a manual for mental health clinicians. The use of CBT by clinicians working with adolescents to combat the issue of misinformation and misdiagnosis has received little attention in the literature. Mental health clinicians’ knowledge of media literacy as a psychological construct can foster an effective treatment style by building upon the foundation of well-established theory and practice, such as CBT. CBT is a multifaceted treatment that can help guide mental health clinicians …

Overcoming Barriers To Connection Between People With Schizophrenia And Their Caregivers, Sarah G. Fernandez

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The purpose of this doctoral project is to bring together existing literature on relational barriers between patients and caregivers, and strategies for overcoming them, for one reason: to help clinicians facilitate connection within families and households where one person has schizophrenia. It is therefore comprised of two parts: this paper containing a three-part literature review on barriers to connection including social skill deficits characteristic of the disease of schizophrenia, environmental factors, and caregiver burden and expressed emotion within families, as well as protective factors and strategies for overcoming them. The second component of this project is a psychoeducational module geared …

The Motivating Factors Of A Multigenerational Workplace Based On Work Values And Reinforcements, Alaina Lister

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are currently four generations in the workplace—Generation Z, millennials, Generation X, and baby boomers—each having its own values and motivations due to different life experiences. Leaders are facing new challenges regarding how to motivate each generation in relation to rewards, recognition, and work values. It was unknown whether there are empirical differences in motivation and leadership preferences based on generational cohort. The purpose of this study was to examine how the members of four different generations are motivated based on their preferred rewards and recognition, and the work values they hold. The targeted population were members of Generation Z, …

Minority Stressors And Internalizing Symptoms In Sexual And Gender Minority Adolescents: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Anni R. Subar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents are at elevated risk for internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, due in part to chronic exposure to minority stress. To provide a comprehensive synthesis of this literature, we conducted a meta-analysis of 32 studies, yielding 162 effect sizes from 41,360 participants aged 8– 22. All included studies examined the association between minority stress, defined as stigma-related stressors such as discrimination, victimization, and internalized stigma, and internalizing outcomes in SGM youth. The random-effects meta-analysis revealed a small but significant association (r = .25) between minority stress and internalizing symptoms, consistent across stressor …

Collaboration Across The Silos: Consultation As A Means For Integrating Services For Twice-Exceptional Learners, Kimberly Bowers Yoshino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Twice-exceptional (2e) learners are underserved in American schools. As students who demonstrate both giftedness and disabilities, 2e learners maintain profiles that warrant tailored educational services across special and gifted education programs. Yet, these programs are considered institutionally mutually exclusive as legal mandates create de facto isolation — the antithesis of what is recommended for the students’ optimal development. School psychologists have been identified as professionals critically positioned to support 2e learners because of their specialized skill set, namely in consultation. However, little is known about their consultative practices with the educators who serve 2e learners or how they traverse school …

Young Adults’ Metaperceptions Of Their Childhood Caregivers’ Appraisals And Young Adulthood Mental Health, Cassandra Svelnys

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early experiences and relationships have enduring impacts on the development of self and later mental health and wellbeing. In social relationships and interactions, the developing individual is continuously assessing how they view themself, how they view the other person, and how they believe the other person views them. Metaperceptions represent the latter construct: how an individual thinks another person perceives them. Childhood self-esteem, parent-child attachment, and metaperceptions are foundational constructs for the developing individual, yet metaperceptions have not previously been tested as a predictor for adulthood mental health while also accounting for childhood self-esteem and parent-child attachment. This study introduced …

Who Gets To Be A Child And When? The Pervasive Yet Contextually Shaped Nature Of Racialized Adultification Across Perceivers And Contexts, Kevin M. Summers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Racialized adultification is a pervasive bias in which individuals tend to judge Black children as older and more adult-like than White children of the same age. This racial bias is discussed across many scientific domains in addition to popular media, yet there is relatively little empirical work documenting its existence, consequences, and boundary conditions. In the current work, I aim to develop an empirical foundation that advances scientific understanding of racialized adultification and in turn contributes to a growing model that elucidates the conditions under which individuals are disproportionately likely to express this pernicious bias. In the current work, I …

Effect Of Ipv On Latino Children's Perspectives Of Fatherhood, Elizabeth Berks

University Honors Theses

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can be found in many cultures throughout the world, with varying levels of acceptability, victimization, and perpetration. Approximately one in five couples report experiencing at least one instance of IPV in a given year. Women are victims of IPV more frequently than men, and experience more severe injuries. 20% of women report a lifetime history of physical IPV victimization by their current or past partners. Further, women are also ten times more likely to be killed due to IPV than men are. Presently, empirical research literature surrounding the dynamics and impacts of IPV is heavily focused …

Stigma, Shame, And Narcissism: A Literature Review, Alex Gaither

University Honors Theses

This thesis is a literature review of 12 peer reviewed journal articles accessible through the Portland State University library database on the relationship between stigma, shame, and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). This thesis discusses ideas brought up in these articles regarding the classification and conceptualization of NPD as a disorder, the role that shame plays in the pathology of NPD, the ways that shame is addressed through treatment, and public and practitioner held bias resulting from the stigmatization of the disorder. New and upcoming ways of conceptualizing the disorder are also briefly discussed as there has been a push to …

Changing Minds, Changing Modes: Optimizing Public Perception Strategies For Urban Cycling Through Behavior Change Theory, Brandon Barnhart

University Honors Theses

This thesis addresses the recent decline in bicycle mode share in cities like Portland, Oregon, despite decades of investment in cycling infrastructure. While the "build it, and they will come" approach succeeded through the early 2000s, it no longer meets targets for bicycle use or broader goals related to sustainability, congestion, health, and safety. A new approach is needed that effectively rebuilds the cultural and behavioral components of cycling. This research asks: What role can behavior change theory play in increasing the effectiveness of public perception campaigns to promote urban cycling? Using a qualitative methodology, this study draws on behavior …

The Intersection Of Education And Empowerment: How Comprehensive Sex Education Equips Adolescents To Navigate Complex Relational Dynamics, Joleigh Wood

University Honors Theses

This thesis examines the impact of comprehensive sex education (CSE) on adolescents' understanding of consent, personal boundaries, and relational competence. Drawing upon social learning theory, intersectionality, and relational-cultural theory, the study employs a multidisciplinary framework to analyze how CSE functions as both an instructional practice and a sociocultural intervention. Utilizing an integrative thematic review of empirical studies, policy analyses, and national curriculum standards, the research evaluates the extent to which CSE promotes emotional literacy, fosters ethical relationship skills, and addresses structural inequities in educational access. Findings indicate that well-implemented, inclusive CSE contributes to healthier developmental outcomes by enhancing students' emotional …

Longitudinal Relations Between Self-Esteem And Depression: A Continuous Time Analysis With Exploration Of Sleep Duration Effects, Mackenzie Cummings

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Adolescents and young adults face elevated risk for depression. While poor self-esteem and sleep disturbance are known risk factors, few studies have examined their unique and interactive contributions. Longitudinal research often overlooks unequal intervals and multiple sources of variance (e.g., between- and within-person). This study used continuous time structural equation modeling to address these gaps and examine relationships between self-esteem, sleep duration, and depression from adolescence into adulthood. Drawing on four waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 6,184), I tested whether sleep duration moderated the self-esteem–depression link and explored gender differences. …

Understanding The Roles Of Individual And Family-Based Resilience Resources And Mechanisms In Youth With Painful Disorders Of Gut-Brain Interaction, Corinne Taylor Evans

All ETDs from UAB

Background Children living with chronic pain are at risk for many negative physical and mental health consequences. However, certain positive attributes and factors can help lessen or prevent such consequences. Children with painful disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) experience deficits in social, emotional, and physical functioning. However, it is unknown whether a combination of individual and family-based resilience factors may lower these risks and contribute to improved physical and mental health responses. Methods 120 children with painful DGBIs were recruited from a pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Children and caregivers completed a series of questionnaires measuring individual and family-based resilience resources (e.g., …

Investigating Momentary Body Image Disturbance, Affect, And Disordered Eating Among College Students, Allison T. Cunning

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite evidence that eating disorders are associated with elevated mortality rates, increased risk of suicide, and societal and financial burden, treatment outcomes for individuals with eating disorders remain poor. Body image disturbance has emerged as a robust risk factor for the development and maintenance of disordered eating (e.g., overeating, binge eating, purging, restriction) and theoretical and clinical perspectives most commonly operationalize body image disturbance as a trait construct. However, empirical evidence suggests body dissatisfaction may fluctuate, and these fluctuations may play an important role in the relationship between risk factors and disordered eating. The current study employed ecological momentary assessment …

Is She Being “Fast?”: Exploration Of African American Women’S Experience With Sexual Objectification, Alaigra V.R. Usher

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Issues of sexual objectification have been intertwined in America’s history since enslavement. This phenomenology study aimed to explore African American women’s lived experiences with sexual objectification and to understand the essential themes and conceptualizations that African American women attribute to sexual objectification. Through semi-structured interviews with a criterion sampling of African American women, the research sought to identify core themes surrounding sexual objectification experiences. In the results of this study, it was found that this population conceptualizes their sexual objectification experiences through seven themes: Earliest Sexual Objectification Experiences (SOE), SOE, Responses to SOE, Parental Protection, Reasons for SOE, SOE places, …

Attitudes Toward Pig Islet Xenotransplantation For Type 1 Diabetes: A Scoping Review, Daniel J Hurst, Daniel Rodger, Luz A Padilla, Fernando Ovalle

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Over 8 million people globally have type 1 diabetes. Islet allotransplantation offers an alternative to insulin therapy but is constrained by donor availability. Genetically modified pig islet transplantation presents a potential solution, yet understanding stakeholder attitudes is crucial before clinical adoption.

METHODS: This scoping review followed Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA guidelines. CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, PsychINFO, and SCOPUS were searched for studies examining attitudes toward pig islet xenotransplantation among patients, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders.

RESULTS: From 199 sources, 16 met eligibility criteria, spanning ten countries from 2003 to 2023. The 23,780 participants included 1,535 (6.5%) patients/family members, …

Social Perception Of Bipolar Disorders On Employment Outcomes, Mary E. Henson

Student Theses and Dissertations

An important component to quality of life in those living with bipolar disorders is employment. Employment gives people an opportunity to provide for themselves and others, granting them the ability to live bountiful lives. For those with mental health diagnoses, it also provides them with economic access to affordable treatment. Literature agrees that many people with these diagnoses, specifically people with bipolar disorders, are less likely to be employed and maintain employment. It is likely that a lack of employment is due to stigma faced from employers and colleagues. Many studies have investigated internal stigma of bipolar disorders, but there …

The Relative Strength Of Help-Seeker Stereotype, Help-Seeking Self-Stigma, And Self-Esteem In Predicting Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Help, Souad Torjani Azim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasing prevalence of mental health issues among college students is a critical concern. Disorders such as depression and anxiety are becoming more common, with depression notably a major risk factor for suicide—the second leading cause of death in this age group. Despite this troubling trend, significant barriers to accessing mental health services remain. While research has explored various factors contributing to students’ reluctance, such as stigma, distrust in the mental health system, lack of social support, and mental health literacy, none to date has examined the relative strength of help-seeker stereotype, help-seeking self-stigma, and self-esteem in predicting attitudes toward …

As Good As It Gets? Comparing Clients’ And Treatment Providers’ Perceptions Of Engagement Barriers And Facilitators For Exposure And Response Prevention Ocd Treatment, Samuel Mutschler-Aldine

University Honors Theses

This mixed-methods study compared clients' and providers' sentiments toward research-based themes on barriers and facilitators of client engagement in treatment. For individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), engagement in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is a crucial ingredient of successful treatment and symptom remission. Therefore, it is imperative to thoroughly understand the perspectives on engagement barriers and facilitators of people with field experience: ERP patients and therapists.

The researcher administered two Qualtrics surveys to thirty current providers and six current or former clients of ERP for OCD. Each survey contained five-point, Likert-style scales to measure the level each participant agreed …