Psychology Commons^™

School Teacher's Perceptions Of Twins: A Study On The Educational Experience Of Teaching Identical And Fraternal Twins, Robyn M. Lindley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored teachers' perceptions of twins' academic abilities and achievements compared to single-born students. It aimed to understand teachers' attitudes towards classroom dynamics and social interactions among twins and their peers, as well as how teachers differentiate instruction to meet the diverse needs of twins in the classroom. By employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, the research gathered comprehensive data through surveys/questionnaires and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 15 elementary school teachers with experience teaching identical and fraternal twins in primary and secondary schools in Texas and Virginia. The study identified several key themes through thematic analysis: the importance of individualized …

Predicting Loyalty & Leadership: Personalities Prone To Leadership, Length Of Service, & How Religiosity Plays A Part, Michael Joseph Camire

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study was designed to examine whether relationships exist between personality type and religiosity, with leadership and organizational commitment. The connection between these variables has not been previously explored. The purpose of researching these variables was to enhance the field's knowledge surrounding the employee selection process as well as human resources development practices for organizations of all types and in all cultures. Study participants provided information on personality, religiosity, and employment and the data was evaluated to see if a statistically significant relationship existed. The study found statistically significant evidence to support that individuals with religion in their lives …

Brain-Age Prediction: Systematic Evaluation Of Site Effects, And Sample Age Range And Size, Yuetong Yu, Hao-Qi Cui, Shalaila S Haas, Faye New, Nicole Sanford, Kevin Yu, Denghuang Zhan, Guoyuan Yang, Jia-Hong Gao, Dongtao Wei, Jiang Qiu, Nerisa Banaj, Dorret I Boomsma, Alan Breier, Henry Brodaty, Randy L Buckner, Jan K Buitelaar, Dara M Cannon, Xavier Caseras, Vincent P Clark, Patricia J Conrod, Fabrice Crivello, Eveline A Crone, Udo Dannlowski, Christopher G Davey, Lieuwe De Haan, Greig I De Zubicaray, Annabella Di Giorgio, Lukas Fisch, Simon E Fisher, Barbara Franke, David C Glahn, Dominik Grotegerd, Oliver Gruber, Raquel E Gur, Ruben C Gur, Tim Hahn, Ben J Harrison, Sean Hatton, Ian B Hickie, Hilleke E Hulshoff Pol, Alec J Jamieson, Terry L Jernigan, Jiyang Jiang, Andrew J Kalnin, Sim Kang, Nicole A Kochan, Anna Kraus, Jim Lagopoulos, Luisa Lazaro, Brenna C Mcdonald, Colm Mcdonald, Katie L Mcmahon, Benson Mwangi, Fabrizio Piras, Raul Rodriguez-Cruces, Jessica Royer, Perminder S Sachdev, Theodore D Satterthwaite, Andrew J Saykin, Gunter Schumann, Pierluigi Sevaggi, Jordan W Smoller, Jair C Soares, Gianfranco Spalletta, Christian K Tamnes, Julian N Trollor, Dennis Van't Ent, Daniela Vecchio, Henrik Walter, Yang Wang, Bernd Weber, Wei Wen, Lara M Wierenga, Steven C R Williams, Mon-Ju Wu, Giovana B Zunta-Soares, Boris Bernhardt, Paul Thompson, Sophia Frangou, Ruiyang Ge, Enigma‐Lifespan Working Group

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Structural neuroimaging data have been used to compute an estimate of the biological age of the brain (brain‐age) which has been associated with other biologically and behaviorally meaningful measures of brain development and aging. The ongoing research interest in brain‐age has highlighted the need for robust and publicly available brain‐age models pre‐trained on data from large samples of healthy individuals. To address this need we have previously released a developmental brain‐age model. Here we expand this work to develop, empirically validate, and disseminate a pre‐trained brain‐age model to cover most of the human lifespan. To achieve this, we selected the …

The Relationship Between Resilience, Psychological Capital, Burnout, And Grit In Direct Care Staff, Nicholas Stoia

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The present study examined the relationship between resilience, psychological capital (PsyCap), grit, and burnout among direct care workers. The current study assessed other fields within direct care that have not been investigated. When it comes to research methodology, the current research utilized a quantitative approach. Participants were selected and sent the survey through the online platform. The present study had a total of 195 participants between the ages of 18 - 60. Participants were workers in agency settings within the direct care field. These agencies included state agencies, private agencies, non-profits, federal agencies, and home care. Specific types of direct …

How Organizational Factors Reinforce Or Deter Hostile Workplace Behaviors In The Military: A Grounded Theory Approach, Christina Staebell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Organizational culture is the main predictor of hostile workplace behaviors such as discrimination, harassment, and bullying. Psychological safety, inclusive workplace culture, and bystander intervention all show promising effects on deterring hostile workplace behaviors. No research exists that explores military members' perceptions of how the military organizational culture influences the presence of these constructs and how these constructs influence one another and hostile workplace behaviors. The following grounded theory study explored military members' perceptions of how the military organizational culture influences the occurrence of hostile workplace behaviors. The role of psychological safety, inclusive workplace culture, and bystander intervention on hostile workplace …

Case Report Of A Brief Modular Anxiety Intervention For Integrated Primary Care: Addressing Clinician Feasibility Concerns And Barriers To Using Manualized Treatments, Katherine Buckheit, Robyn L. Shepardson, Luke Mitzel, Risa B. Weisberg, Stephen A. Maisto, Jennifer Funderburk

The Journal of Integrated Primary Care

Individuals with anxiety symptoms commonly present in primary care settings and prefer behavioral health (versus pharmacotherapy) treatment, but behavioral health interventions are underutilized. Primary care behavioral health (PCBH) models, in which embedded behavioral health providers deliver behavioral treatment in primary care, may help address the gap in provision of anxiety treatment. However, evidence-based anxiety treatment options feasible for delivery in primary care are limited, and clinicians often report concerns about using manualized interventions. Recent recommendations by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force to increase anxiety screening among adults in primary care may result in increased identification of individuals with anxiety …

Using Behavioral Skills Training To Promote Online Safety Skills In Individuals With Developmental Disabilities, Robert Lynn

Theses

Abstract

Children are spending more time online, which is putting them at risk of encountering online predators. There have been attempts to minimize the occurrence of these encounters, but most of these involved instructional training and parent supervision. One alternative intervention for addressing safety skills that has been shown to be effective is behavior skills training (BST), which is a procedure based on behavior analytic literature. BST involves instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of BST on the acquisition of online safety skills in adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities. In-situ …

Navigating Identity: An Examination Of Intersectional Discrimination And Suicidal Ideation Among Lgbq Latinx Individuals, Jaclyn Pachicano

Dissertations (1934 -)

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with LGBQ Latinx adults showing higher risk for suicidality and related mental health outcomes. Experiences of discrimination, including heterosexism and ethnic discrimination, are often connected to increased risk for suicidal ideation. In addition to intersectional experiences of discrimination, LGBQ Latinx people often feel an incompatibility between their sexuality and ethnic identity, known as conflicts in allegiances (CIA), possibly increasing risk of suicidal ideation. It remains unclear what mechanisms connect intersectional discrimination and suicidal ideation. The current study expands on intersectional research by utilizing the Interpersonal Theory of …

Mystical Luminosity Experience: An Initiation Of A Construct Grounded In Phenomenology, Jonathan Dinsmore

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Light of a divine or transcendent nature is widely revered in various religious and mystical traditions around the world, and luminosity with mystical qualities such as love, bliss, peace, and noetic realization is also frequently reported by contemporary experiencers. Despite being described as a profoundly significant, sacred, and transformative experience, mystical luminosity has received relatively little attention in modern scholarship and scientific study, and has only been examined empirically within isolated contexts, such as NDEs or contemplative practices. This study examines the phenomenology which binds mystical luminosity across various experiential contexts to construct a phenomenologically grounded theoretical model. A three-part …

Centering The Leader: An Investigation Of Leader-Centric Variables In The Support Provision Process, Jordyn Jan Leslie

Dissertations and Theses

Few studies to date have investigated leader-centric variables associated with the support provision process. The following dissertation includes three studies that attempt to further understand such relationships. In Study 1, the interaction between leader sleep quantity and quality on various types of leader support (e.g., general supervisor support, family supportive supervisor behaviors, and sleep leadership) is studied using both employee and leader ratings. Study 2 integrates leader-centric research with work-life supportive leadership to propose a new theoretical model that delineates leader-centric variables (e.g., health & well-being, skills, role expectations, job demands) as precursors to the provision and perception of work-life …

Alcohol And The Resulting Consequences Of Delirium Tremens, Nicasio L. Santos

2024 Symposium

Alcohol is a depressant drug, inhibiting the function of the central nervous system (CNS) and neurons in the mind (Greenberg, 1953). This results in physiological effects that are typical of an inhibited CNS; slowing of the heartbeat and breathing, and decreasing blood pressure (Scorzelli & Chaudhry, 2009). However, this inhibition of both the CNS and the neural chemistry develops a tolerance, and in turn withdrawal symptoms (Polli et al., 2023). These withdrawal symptoms are the inverse of the inhibition caused by the depressant effects of alcohol (i.e., an overactive CNS, increased activity of neurons; Smith-Alnimer & Watford, 2004). In extreme …

How Ballot Measure Wording Affects Preference-Consistent Voting: Experimental Evidence From The United States, William M. Pierce

Political Science Honors Projects

Why do some people vote for ballot measures that are inconsistent with their policy preference while others do not? It is important to explore this question in order to understand how well direct democracy translates the will of the people into policy outcomes. Drawing on electoral theories and cognitive science, I hypothesize that people are more likely to vote against their policy preferences when the language of a ballot measure is more complex. I test this hypothesis, along with causal mechanisms and heterogeneous treatment effects, using a survey experiment on a quasi-representative sample of voters in the United States.

Framing The Path To Fitness: Age Differences In Response To Framed Exercise Messages, Iliya Sherif, David B. Taullahu, Alyssa R. Minton, Joseph A. Mikels

DePaul Discoveries

Physical activity is one of the most protective health behaviors one can engage in, yet 75% of active adults in the US, meaning those who exercise regularly, fall short of the recommended levels of physical activity, with an even greater percentage of older adults living inactive lives, meaning they exercise minimally and engage in prolonged sedentary behavior (CDC, 2019). The goal of the current study was to explore different types of message framing targeted at encouraging older and younger adults to exercise. We recruited older adults (n = 184; Mage = 69.45 years, age range: 65- 80 years) and younger …

Developing A Connection To Nature: The Role Of Pet Ownership In Childhood, Alexia Barrable, Samantha Friedman

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Connection to nature is associated with a range of benefits to well-being in both childhood and adulthood. Childhood experiences seem to play a big role in how adult nature connection develops. Among the many predictors of higher connection to nature, relationships with animals, including pets, likely play an important role in facilitating feelings of closeness with nature. In this paper we present two survey studies, one of children (n = 64, age = 6–16 years) and one of adults (n = 356, age = 18–80 years). Our aim was to find out if children who own pets have …

Bridging The Gap: Psychopharmacologic Education And Side Effect Screening For Non-Prescribing Mental Health Professionals, Elaine Fitzgerald

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The United States is experiencing a growing demand for pediatric mental health support. Surges in mental health diagnoses and psychotropic medication prescriptions have occurred, compounded by a shortage of psychiatric providers. Non-prescribing mental health professionals are well-positioned to recognize psychotropic medication side effects. However, psychologists and counselors lack formal pharmacology education.

Methods: The quality improvement (QI) initiative was guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model. The evidence-based psychopharmacologic education for non-prescribers utilized a quasi-experimental pre- and post- test design. Data collected from clinicians included knowledge, confidence, and skill concerning psychotropic medications. The Psychotropic Medication Monitoring Checklist (PMMC) screen clients …

An Orientation Towards Care In Occupational Therapy: A Theoretical Framework, Myah G. Beylotte

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

The purpose of this paper is to explore Ethic of Care (Gilligan, 1936; Noddings, 1984) in an occupational therapy (OT) setting and to determine if empathetic and relational care can provide greater patient outcomes. Ethic of Care (EoC), originally established by Gilligan (1936), is a moral orientation towards care that has been applied in the areas of education, nursing, sports coaching, and other popular professions (Fisher et al., 2017; Gano-Overway et al., 2009; Knust & Fisher, 2015; Lachman, 2012; Newton et al., 2007; Noddings, 2005; Schools, et al., 2020), but has not been widely researched in the field of OT. …

Nourish: Promoting Body Acceptance Through Christ-Centered Identity In Female Collegiate Cross Country Runners, Kirsten E. Howland, Melinda B. Smith

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Competitive runners are at increased risk for developing eating disorders (EDs), which can have serious effects on both sport and life. Clinical and psychological treatments for EDs are largely ineffective; therefore, to reduce the incidence of disordered eating in young runners, there is a need for preventative programs focused on shifting cultural attitudes and mindset. The purpose of this study was to implement and evaluate Nourish, a Biblically-based pilot program designed to promote body appreciation and a holistic view of the self through rooting identity in Christ. Seven members of the women’s cross country team at a private Division …

Adults With Avoidant Attachment Styles And Their Online Dating Experien, Amber Mae Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adult attachment style can influence how individuals communicate with each other and how they deal with conflict, both of which may influence the formation and maintenance of romantic relationships. Research suggested, that attachment style influenced the level of relationship security individuals experience and the level of intimacy in which they are comfortable engaging. The convenience and popularity of online dating may present unique struggles and benefits for adults with avoidant attachment styles; exploring their online dating experiences may provide insight into the benefits and pitfalls as avoidant individuals pursue romantic relationships. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore …

Understanding Hope From Indian Young Adults’ Perspective, Mimansa Khanduri, Ketoki Mazumdar

The Qualitative Report

Despite the long-understood importance of Hope in the lives of individuals, few studies have investigated how Hope is understood from an Indian perspective. Furthermore, the focus on understanding the interpretations and experiences of Hope in the young adult population has been low. The current paper explores the phenomenon of Hope from Indian young adults’ perspective. The sample consisted of 10 participants, who were in the age range of 21 to 22 years and were pursuing their undergraduate or postgraduate studies. The study utilized in-depth interviews to understand the experiences and perspectives of Hope in the participants. Data were analyzed through …

Experiences Of Food Insecurity Among Single Mothers Pursuing Secondary Education, Amber Bernard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of single mothers continues to grow across the nation, and many are at a socioeconomic disadvantage. Little research focuses, however, on how single mothers describe their experiences of balancing motherhood, work, and pursuing higher education, all while undergoing food insecurity. Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional theory of stress and coping was used to formulate the research design. Semistructured interview questions were used to answer the question of how single mothers with food insecurity describe their experiences pursuing higher education. A generic qualitative research approach was utilized in this study. Interviews were conducted with 10 single mothers pursuing postsecondary education …

Exploring The Social Processes Influencing The Well-Being And Social Integration Of Systemically Marginalized Students In Higher Education: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Zeinab Abbas Hachem

Dissertations and Theses

Comprising two manuscripts, this dissertation employs a mixed-methods approach to comprehensively examine the intrapersonal and interpersonal processes influencing the socioemotional well-being and social integration of systemically marginalized students. The first manuscript quantitatively explored the relationship between ethnic identity commitment and indices of well-being, the mediating role of social relationships, and the moderating roles of gender and immigrant generation status among Latinx college students (N = 707). Results suggested that ethnic identity commitment was positively associated with socioemotional well-being. Although both types of relationships were significant mediators on their own, maternal (vs. peer) relationship quality was the stronger mediational influence. Furthermore, …

Dynamic Social Ecologies Of Students' Motivational Resilience: The Complex Relationship Between Family, Teacher, And Peer Support, And Students' Academic Coping And Reengagement, Kristen Elizabeth Raine

Dissertations and Theses

Drawing upon self-determination theory (SDT) based models of motivational resilience, the following dissertation contains three studies that expand upon the current literature by investigating how processes of motivational resilience, or children's general capacity to handle the everyday academic stressors they encounter at school, are connected to the complex social ecologies created by the intersecting contexts of school and home. Study 1 examined whether family motivational support predicted increases in student reengagement through its effect on subsequent levels of students' self-system processes of relatedness, competence, and autonomy in a sample of 590 early adolescents from an urban middle school in the …

Hormonal Differences In Perpetrators Of Intimate Partner Violence, Arturo L. Cantos, Gabriela Ontiveros, Robert K. Dearth, K. Daniel O'Leary

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Objective: In order to gain a better understanding of the individual and joint impact of testosterone and cortisol on behavior, the present study was developed to test the differences in each hormone alone and conjointly between perpetrators of IPV and non-violent controls.

Method: Perpetrators of IPV on probation were compared to a control group of non-aggressive males from Hidalgo County in the Rio Grande Valley on baseline testosterone and cortisol, as well as several relevant questionnaires measuring aggression and trait anger. Differences in cortisol following exposure to a stressful event were also examined. Procedures included two laboratory visits consisting of …

Examining Psycho-Social Factors Of Foster Parents Who Engage In Contact Sexual Abuse, Heather Lee Manning

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous work has been done to identify psych-social factors of criminals, although no work currently exists to identify the specific type of sexual offender identified within this study- foster parents who sexually offend foster children. This qualitative study focused on pre-determined psycho-social factors of both male and female offenders. The study reviewed nine cases which met the inclusion criteria and where sufficient data was able to be collected. Results of the study revealed that most offenders were male, most were married or in an otherwise committed relationship with a consenting adult during the time of their offending behaviors. These finding …

Impact Of Parental Attachment On Family Communication Patterns About Sex And Intimacy, Trish Mook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Risky sexual behaviors in adolescence continue to be a social problem that impacts individuals, families, and communities across the United States. Previous research showed that parents who actively talk with their adolescents about sex and intimacy topics reduce their likelihood of engaging in these behaviors. Still, less is known about what motivates a parent to engage in these discussions. This correlational quantitative research study aimed to apply Bowlby’s attachment theory and McLeod and Chaffee’s family communication patterns theory to identify if a relationship exists between parental attachment style and the family communication patterns that a parent employs when discussing sex …

Multimorbidity And Associated Informal Care Receiving Characteristics For Us Older Adults: A Latent Class Analysis, Ruotong Liu, Corey L. Nagel, Siting Chen, Jason T. Newsom, Heather G. Allore, Ana R. Quiñones

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Older adults with varying patterns of multimorbidity may require distinct types of care and rely on informal caregiving to meet their care needs. This study aims to identify groups of older adults with distinct, empirically-determined multimorbidity patterns and compare characteristics of informal care received among estimated classes. Methods Data are from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Ten chronic conditions were included to estimate multimorbidity patterns among 7532 individuals using latent class analysis. Multinomial logistic regression model was estimated to examine the association between sociodemographic characteristics, health status and lifestyle variables, care-receiving characteristics and latent class membership. …

An Investigation Into Loneliness And Solitary Drinking In A University Sample, Daniel C. Faraci

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol consumption tends to occur in social contexts and has been shown to increase prosocial behaviors and facilitate social connection. Simultaneously, socially excluded drinkers tend to increase or continue problematic levels of alcohol consumption when alone, possibly consuming alcohol as a replacement for desired but unavailable social connection. This investigation attempted to examine the relationship between loneliness (i.e., lack of perceived social connection) and subsequent alcohol consumption in solitary versus social contexts using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) techniques. University students recruited through a research subject pool who drank at least once per week were asked to respond to 28 short …

Crossover Of Supervisors' Perceptions Of Co-Worker Support To Employees' Well-Being, Shalene Joyce Allen

Dissertations and Theses

This study expands scholarly understanding of the positive impact of supervisors' perceptions of support on employee work-family and well-being experiences. Specifically, this study examines the role of resource-based positive crossover from supervisors' perceptions of co-worker support behavior to their employees. The current research draws on Systems Theory to understand the context, Conservation of Resources Theory to understand the type of resource purported to position individual resource gains, and crossover-spillover theory to understand the process through which resources crossover from supervisor to employee. Based on prior theory, this dissertation investigates a positive crossover effect of supervisors' perceptions of co-worker support at …

Social Structural Differences In Qualitative Perspectives On Well-Being, Jennifer Morozink Boylan, Monica Adams, Julia K. Boehm

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Well-being (WB) is associated with healthier and longer lives, more social connections, and workplace success. However, assessment of WB is primarily based on self-report measures. This mixed-methods research examined how diverse adults described the sources of their WB and whether such views differed by education, race, and gender. Data came from midlife and older adults from the Midlife in the United States Study who responded to the question “What do you do to make your life go well?” (N = 2,118; 54% some college or less; 19% Black). We used directed content analysis to develop a codebook comprising 20 …

Sing Sing, John C. Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Sing Sing (2023), directed by Greg Kwedar.