Psychology Commons^™

A Radical Ethnography Of Asian American Mental Health, Sofia Huang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anti-Asian racism and violence in the U.S. both historically and currently impacts the Asian American community, leading to widespread fear and negative mental health consequences for Asian Americans. This has been widely discussed in the media due to the rise in anti-Asian rhetoric and attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, psychological literature does not typically address the effects of the history and politics of Asian America on Asian American mental health. In particular, psychological literature does not engage with radical political perspectives which situate Asian American mental health within the broader context of structural oppression and processes of racialization. This …

Examining The Effectiveness Of The Parent Implemented Functional Communication Training Through The Use Of Zoom In Children With Developmental Disabilities At Home Setting In Ksa, Abdulrhman Ashgar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies showed that children with Developmental Disabilities (DD) have communication and social difficulties; consequently, they are more likely to display disruptive behaviors. During daily interactions, disruptive behaviors can pose difficulties for individuals such as siblings, peers, parents, and educators. In KSA, parental involvement in school-related activities is overall insufficient. Also, parents were dissatisfied with their children's progress in academic and life skills. Those factors evoked the importance of having parents implement evidence-based practice to increase their competence, knowledge, and independence. Furthermore, teaching children meaningful communication ways through FCT may benefit school readiness and the development of social relationships and overall …

The Impact Of Kangaroo Care (Kc) On Parent Stress, Infant Neurobehavioral Regulation, And Parent-Infant Attachment In Very And Extremely Preterm Infants, Justine Vecchiarelli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the high-risk population of infants born atinfants, developmental delays in infants, and parent-infant relationship disruption. Kangaroo care (KC) has shown promise as an intervention to buffer these adverse effects, however, KC engagement in NICUs is obstructed by lack of clear guidelines. Furthermore, limited research exists on KC including infants born atoutcomes, infant behavioral/developmental outcomes, and parent-infant relationship outcomes conjointly. The aim of this study was, therefore, to examine the impact of kangaroo care engagement on precursors of adverse outcomes including parent stress, infant neurobehavioral organization, and parent-infant bonding with the intent of informing clinical practice. Data was …

Effect Of A Systematic Mindfulness Intervention On Student Internalizing, Externalizing, And Adaptive Behaviors, Akshita Nayyar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to Bouchrika (2020), on a scale of 10, American teens rated their stress rate at an average of 5.8, whereas the average stress rate for adults is 3.8. Children with more school problems tend to have more negative and fewer emotions at school and at bedtime (Bai & Repetti, 2017). The most common stressors reported by school-aged children include excessive homework, unrealistic expectations from parents and coaches, peer pressure, standardized testing, and after-school activities (Ryan-Wenger et al., 2005). Schools can address these concerns by providing mental health services within their school settings by collaborating with community agencies within their …

Lateral Others In The Trauma Narrative: The Place Of The Sibling In Accounts Of Abuse And Neglect, Michelle Browne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study aimed to investigate the place of the sibling in narratives of developmental trauma as well as the sibling relationship’s impact on the formation of sense of self. Another area of interest was the impact of congruence versus incongruence in the narrative between siblings. In other words, this study sought to illuminate the impact when the sibling is understood to have reached different conclusions about shared experiences of abuse and neglect.

This study is grounded in the literature on siblings from psychoanalytic, attachment, and family systems perspectives. A series of narrative interviews were conducted with participants who identified …

Buddhism, Daoism, And Jeet Kune Do: A Contemporary Analysis Of Nondual Traditions In A New Age Martial Art, James H. Sutton

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Traditional martial arts are known for their focus on spiritual cultivation through a combination of self-defense training and contemplative practices like meditation. Traditional martial art systems tend to utilize nondual traditions commonly associated with Buddhism and Daoism; however, modern martial art practices, particularly those of MMA, no longer place a strong emphasis on such traditions. In turn, this has led to the development of high-performance sport athletes who emphasize self-defense efficiency in combat (usually combat sports) over all other attributes while also mixing “arts” or “styles” as necessary for the individual’s own self growth. I dub these as “new age” …

Coping With Loneliness (Part 3): Focus On What You Can Change, Melanie Dabb, Jared Hawkins, Christina Pay, Eva Timothy, Cindy Jenkins, Christine Jensen

All Current Publications

The U.S. surgeon general named loneliness a top public health issue in the U.S. In response, Utah State University (USU) Extension faculty developed four fact sheets to describe some of the most effective ways to reduce loneliness. This third fact sheet describes both actions and ways of thinking to help you focus on what you can change. These include using social media intentionally, reaching out for support, avoiding unhealthy relationships, focusing on helpful thoughts, adopting a growth mindset, and practicing gratitude.

The Feasibility Of Utilizing The Open Dynamic Interaction Network (Odin) App To Assess Rema Data Across 30 Days Among Those Recovering From Alcoholism, Dennis E. Mcchargue, Bilal Khan, Jesscia Phelps, Patrick Duryea, Kimberly A. Tyler, Arthur Andrews, Ellie Reznicek, Lucy Napper, Mohamed Saad, Hsuan-Wee Lee

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

About ~4 million people with an alcohol use disorder receive treatment annually, and frequent relapse has produced a rapid revolving door between recovery and use. This paper presents preliminary data from a prospective micro-longitudinal study (30 days) that examines co-evolution of relapse risk processes of people with alcohol use disorders who entered a short-term residential substance use treatment. The primary goal of the current data was to assess the feasibility of using the open dynamic interaction network (ODIN) responsive ecological momentary assessment (rEMA). rEMA collected daily estimates on affect, urges, sober-support engagement, and use. The ODIN app administered twelve questions …

Virtual Reality And Higher Education Sporting Events: Social Anxiety Perception As An Outcome Of Vr Simulation, Kyu-Soo Chung, Chad Goebert, John David Johnson

Faculty Articles

Background: This study investigates the relationship between Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) and social anxiety in sport environments. Social anxiety is a mental health condition that manifests people’s intense fear of being watched and judged by others and worrying about humiliation It is important to research potential tools like VRET that could help to mitigate the impact of social anxiety as people with social anxiety often avoid attending live events due to the venue’s sensory stimuli and the social encounters they anticipate. VR simulation could allow socially anxious individuals to fully experience a sporting event simulation minus the anxiety induced …

"We Are In A Complete Crisis": Navigating The Lack Of Resources To Mental Health Care For Individuals With Idd, Abby Julian, Lindy Strand

Student Research Symposium

IDD and Mental Health

●What is IDD?

●Approximately 7.3 million Americans with IDD (University of Minnesota)

●59% of people with IDD have 1+ mental health conditions (Reichard et al., 2019)

●Many Utah families experience significant difficulty

Personality Profile Of Rural-Dwelling Older Adults With Hoarding Disorder, Mary E. Dozier, Caitlyn A. Nix, Hilary L. Deshong

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Hoarding in late life represents a major barrier to aging in place, particularly for rural-dwelling older adults. One risk factor for hoarding disorder in late life may be underlying personality factors. However, there has not yet been an investigation of late life hoarding and possible maladaptive personality factors from the continuous five-factor model perspective in a sample of individuals diagnosed with hoarding disorder. Thus, we evaluated the five-factor personality profiles of older adults enrolled in treatment studies for hoarding disorder in rural Mississippi. Raw scores on the International Personality Item Pool-NEO-60 were converted into categories of Low (<1SD from …

Online Trolling, Harassment, Misinformation: The Psychological Predictors Of Dark Participation, Randy Kim

Master's Theses

This study aims to examine the reasons why certain individuals engage in “dark participation”, antisocial social participation online involving behavior such as trolling, hate speech, harassment, and spreading disinformation. Online toxicity has increasingly destabilized our ability to engage in socially important discourse online, and trolling has such a strong effect on our environment to the point where the 2016 presidential election was, in part, influenced by online trolls. We theorize that dark participation (DP) will be predicted by high levels of moral disengagement (MD), need for chaos (NFC), and meaninglessness in life (MLN) and self concept clarity (SCC). A series …

Identifying Potential Underreporting Of Alcohol Use Among U.S. Military Members, Jeong Hong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Understanding the dynamics of alcohol reporting among U.S. military members is crucial for promoting their well-being and for developing effective support programs. Yet current research often overlooks the issue of potential underreporting of alcohol use among U.S. military members. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring the phenomenon of underreporting alcohol use among military personnel. This qualitative study utilized an ethnographic research method to investigate the experiences of 35 U.S. military members with various military statuses. The research questions explored the perception of the prevalence and causes of underreporting of alcohol use and possible remedies for underreporting, framed …

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Survivors: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Post-Traumatic Growth, Quality Of Life, And Unmet Mental Health Needs, Carla Horton Gray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to investigate levels of PTSD, PTG, QOL, their relationships, and unmet mental health needs of triple-negative breast cancer survivors diagnosed between stages 2b-4 and 2-5 years post-treatment. Participants were recruited through two cancer organizations, breast health navigators, TNBC support groups, and online breast cancer support groups. Sixty-one participants completed the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B). Thirty participants completed the optional short answer questions about unmet mental health needs. Participants’ mean score of 48 (SD=12.22) on the PCL-C was higher than 44, PTSD scores …

Parental Stress And Perceived School-Based Support Amongst Parents Of Children With Autism, Julia Unger

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience stress due to the wide range of social, emotional, and behavioral challenges their child may exhibit (Ali Nathwani et al., 2021; Goldrich Eskow et al., 2018). Children with ASD receive school services that can be impactful on their performance (Goldrich Eskow et al., 2018; Rosen et al., 2019); however, parent perspectives are also impacted by services (Zagona et al., 2019). Overall, current literature contains gaps in the exploration of patterns between school services, ASD child presentation and severity, and parental stress and perceptions. This study intends to explore the relationship between …

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Supporting Students With Adverse Childhood Experiences, Jordan Phipps

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

While adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can occur through the age of 18, there is minimal research on how to support adolescents in the school setting. This study examined teacher perceptions at a local middle school on trainings they have received, supports in place for students, and a potential identification system for students at risk. Data were collected through completion of a Qualtrics survey (n=4) and a brief interview (n=1). It was found that teachers mainly received trainings through professional developments. While they have used information they have learned through trainings, they did not feel prepared to support students nor did …

Exploring Sexual- And Gender-Minority Adolescent's Use Of Online Spaces As A Potential Socio-Ecological Protective Factor, Courtney Hassan

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of online resources for support in SGM youth with the goal of informing the potential use of these supports as tools for suicide prevention in this population. Six students from a high school in a large school district in Southern New Hampshire who identify as LGBTQ+ participated in a focus group exploring what their lived experiences are in the context of using online spaces for support, as presented using a socio-ecological model. Qualitative data from the focus group session was analyzed using thematic analysis and eight themes emerged from the …

Teaching Reading Comprehension To English Language Learners In A System With A Low Proportion Of Language Minority Students, Chutikarn Cotham

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This study investigated reading instruction for English language learners (ELLs) by examining teachers' experiences and perspectives on teaching ELL students reading comprehension in an educational system with a low proportion of language minority students. The study addressed the prevalent concern of reading comprehension difficulties among ELLs and the need to bridge the gap between research-based strategies and practices in public schools. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four educators actively engaged in teaching ELLs at the upper elementary through high school levels. Thematic analysis of the data revealed several themes that were sorted into four main categories: training, curriculum, experience, and …

School Psychological Practices Within Personality Assessment Of Non-Binary Youth, Christian Fary

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The following analysis provides the school psychology community with a discussion pertaining to the assessment of personality, particularly with Gender Non-Conforming and Non-Binary students. This student population faces greater mental health concerns and faces a higher amount of discrimination. Emerging research has shown that this population faces a higher risk for developing both mood disorders and harmful behaviors to themselves. The use of personality assessments provides practitioners with a vast look into many facets of mood, personality, and behavior. These measures can look deeper into behavior, especially internalizing behaviors, which can be useful for students with depression and other mood …

Teacher Wellness: Cognitive-Behavioral, And Mindfulness Techniques (Cbm), Jacob Nadler

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of participating in a teacher wellness program on teachers’ self-reported stress, well-being, mindfulness, and burnout. Participants included a small group of teachers from a primary school and elementary school in a small school district in rural Virginia. Self-reported stress as it relates to inadequate school-based support and teaching-related demands decreased from pre- to post-test completion, however none of these changes were significant. Teacher subjective well-being as it relates to school connectedness and teaching efficacy increased slightly yet was not significant. Teacher mindfulness defined by aspects of calmness, clarity, and kindness …

Investigating Help-Seeking Behaviors Of Adult Children With Parents With Mental Health Conditions, Logan Dasher

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This study intended to address the topic of mental health and help-seeking behaviors in college-aged children of a parent with a mental health condition. For this study a locally developed survey was administered on three different days with six different sessions that participants were able to sign up for. Participants were all volunteers from a preexisting subject pool at one southeastern public university who received course credit for participating. In total, 34 college-aged children signed up and completed the entirety of the survey. From their response, descriptive statistics and frequency analysis were run and open-ended qualitative questions were explored for …

Emotional Response In Working Memory Of Individuals With Latent Toxoplasmosis, Antonella Quimbayo

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Toxoplasma gondii is a prevalent parasite that infects about 30% of the world population. House cats and other felids serve as definitive hosts and acquire Toxoplasma by consuming infected prey, which are intermediate hosts. This includes rats and avians, but also large mammals such as wolves and deer. Toxoplasma gondii is known to manipulate prey behavior to enhance its transmission. For example, infected rodents demonstrates attraction to and curiosity around cat urine. Wolves infected with Toxoplasma were 11 times more likely to disperse from their pack and start a new pack. The manipulation of intermediate host behavior observed in rodents …

Help Seeking Experiences Of Asian American Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mellanie Kristelle Roxas De Guzman

Doctoral Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has become more widely understood and accepted by the general and professional populations. However, self and social stigma related to ASD persist and continue to negatively impact help-seeking behaviors. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews guided by an ecological systems model, to explore the lived experiences of 11 Asian American (AsAm) parents residing in the greater San Francisco Bay Area with a child with ASD. A thematic analysis framework was utilized. A total of six themes and six subthemes emerged from this study and included: (1) comparisons, (2) stigma, (3) resilience, (4) support for services, (5) …

Development Of A Multidimensional Measure Of Wellbeing For Emerging Adults Utilizing A Convergent Parallel Mixed Method Design, Kelley Marie Wick

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Attempting to conceptualize wellbeing is difficult, and the current research literature does not offer a standard definition that encapsulates the complexity of this construct, nor has there been a thorough consideration the impact of culture and societal standards of behavior on wellbeing. Additionally, the emergence of a new developmental period between adolescence and true adulthood (emerging adulthood) offers an additional layer of nuance, as many of the traditional scales currently used to measure wellbeing are inappropriate for emerging adults. A major gap in the current research literature is the reluctance in developing measures with the help of the target population. …

Remote Work And The Desire For Meaningful Work: The Unexpected Moderating Effects Of Age And Childrearing, Adriana Rae Meredith

Master's Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic sent the world into lock down. Since then, organizations have been wrestling with how to navigate the many opinions, as well as research-backed advantages and disadvantages of in-office work, hybrid work, and remote work. In addition to shaking up the ways in which work is done, the pandemic shutdowns caused some to re-evaluate why they do the work they do. The current study aimed to examine the relationship between remote work and an employee’s desire for meaningful work to increase understanding of how remote work can be used as a strategic element of job design rather than …

Self-Efficacy’S Mediating Role On The Relationship Between Personality And Depression In The Unemployed, Christina Tran

Master's Theses

Depression affects 1 in 5 unemployed individuals, holding rank as one of the most prevalent negative effects of unemployment in the United States. Personality is often considered a predictor of the development of depressive symptoms during unemployment however, there is little research to explain the relationship between personality and depression. The purpose of this study was to expand on the relationship between personality and depressive symptoms in the American unemployed population by testing self-efficacy’s mediating effect between personality and depressive symptoms in the American unemployed population. A sample of 121 participants, who were either currently or recently unemployed, completed an …

Anticipatory Grief Narratives Of Caregivers Of Children With Cockayne Syndrome, Emily T. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Knowledge of the impending death of a loved one has been connected with experiences of anticipatory grief. Specific grief experiences such as caring for a parent with dementia and caring for a child with cancer have been explored. Other rarely occurring anticipatory grief experiences have yet to be explored. The occurrence of Cockayne syndrome (CS) is 2.7 births in 1,000,000 worldwide. CS caregivers begin grieving the moment they learn of their child’s diagnosis, and counseling professionals are ill prepared to counsel the bereaved in even the more typical post death situations. Therefore, this qualitative, narrative study asked the question: what …

The Lived Experiences Of Cisheteronormativity By Nonbinary Sexual Assault Survivors, Emma Jackson Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender minorities experience higher rates of sexual assault (SA) victimization and psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than their cisgender counterparts. Nonbinary individuals, in particular, face elevated levels of victimization, post assault distress, and unique barriers to receiving competent care both in general and specific to their assault experiences. Current research highlights the need for culturally competent care for nonbinary and transgender individuals, as well as for SA survivors. Although the experiences of SA survivors have been previously explored, specific information regarding the experiences of nonbinary survivors remains scarce. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study, grounded in Heideggerian …

Differences In Stress Among Healthcare Workers In Rural And Urban Healthcare Settings--The Role Of Spirituality, Lisa Yancey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In recent years, stress has become an unspoken epidemic that has affected many working adults. Many adults spend much of their waking hours working, contributing to their stress. This quantitative study examined the relationship between spirituality and stress among rural and urban healthcare workers. The data for this study was collected through social media platforms, email, and word of mouth. An online survey consisting of ten demographic questions, twenty questions from the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and ten questions from the Perceived Stress Scale was administered to healthcare workers at least 18 years old through an anonymous survey. Pearson correlations were …

Perspective-Taking, Self-Talk, And Social Connection: A Phenomenological Study Of How Individual Practices Reduce Loneliness During The Menopausal Years, Sarah Joy Groff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Menopause is a stage of the life cycle known for physical, mental, and emotional changes. Many women report feeling isolated and lonely during this time due to changes in hormones and physical appearance, lack of sleep, uncertainty about their role after raising children, and cultural pressures to remain thin and beautiful. Due to the lack of education and normalization of this life change, women often withdraw and become increasingly depressed or anxious, as a result. Loneliness is associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, suicidality, premature death, and a variety of other physical ailments. However, previous research suggests that the …