Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Cross-Validation Of The Validity-10 Subscale Of The Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory, Jordan P. Harp

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The present study is a cross-validation of the Validity-10 embedded symptom validity indicator from the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) for the detection of questionable response validity during evaluation for mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The sample and data derived from a three-site Veterans Affairs (VA) parent study to validate the TBI Clinical Reminder, a routine set of questions asked of all recently returned veterans at VA facilities to screen for history of TBI. In the parent study, veterans recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan underwent an evaluation for TBI with a physician and completed an assessment battery including neuropsychological tests …

An Experimental Investigation Of The Effects Of Self-Compassion And Self-Criticism On Implicit Associations With Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Laura M. Nagy

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is the intentional destruction of bodily tissue in the absence of suicidal motives. NSSI is strongly associated with self-criticism (Gilbert et al., 2010) and individuals who self-injure often report doing so to punish themselves. Conversely, self-compassion, or the tendency to be caring with oneself, is associated with psychological well-being (Neff et al., 2007). The aim of the present study was to determine whether experimentally inducing self-criticism or self-compassion would lead to changes in implicit identification with NSSI. The Self-Injury Implicit Association Test (SI-IAT; Nock & Banaji, 2007) is an assessment of the strength of the automatic associations …

Comparing The Effects Of Mindfulness Meditation And Relaxation In A Brief Laboratory Induction, Carolina A. Caldera

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Mindfulness is the practice of being nonjudgmentally aware of the present moment. Researchers often study the effects of mindfulness using brief laboratory-based mindfulness inductions in which participants are guided through mindfulness exercises, after which outcome measures are examined. However, most studies have not assessed whether participants achieved a mindful state during the induction, or whether the effects of mindfulness inductions differ from the effects of similar procedures such as relaxation. The present study compared a mindfulness exercise to a relaxation exercise and a control condition. After the induction, participants completed measures of the extent to which they attained a mindful …

Testing A Values-Based Approach To Healthcare Decision-Making In Older Adults, Paul Jefferson Geiger

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Despite natural declines in physical and cognitive function, older adults maintain good emotion regulation abilities, leading to emotional wellbeing and resilience. This phenomenon can partially be explained by socioemotional selectivity theory (SST), which posits that when time is perceived as a limited resource, older adults focus attention on positive environmental stimuli to regulate emotions. Although this positivity effect maintains emotional wellbeing, it may disrupt information processing related to healthcare decision-making. Older adults request less information from their doctors, are less likely to ask for a second opinion, make their decisions more quickly, and devote more attention to positive medical information, …

Personality And Learning Predictors Of Adolescent Alcohol Consumption Trajectories, Sarah J. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

In a sample of 1897 youth studied across the last year of elementary school to the second year of high school, we (a) characterized different developmental trajectories of drinking frequency and drinking-related problems and (b) tested an a priori risk model that predicted variation in trajectory group membership. Analyses revealed five separate trajectories for both drinking frequency and drinking problems. Wave 1 scores on impulsigenic traits, expectancies for the reinforcing and stimulating effects of alcohol, and early pubertal onset differentiated among the trajectory groups, in some cases before the groups differed in drinking behavior. We also found substantial covariation between …

Dismantling The Five Factor Form, Stephanie L. Rojas

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The purpose of this dissertation was to provide a further validation of the Five Factor Form (FFF; Rojas & Widiger, 2014). The FFF is a brief (one page) rating form that assesses for adaptive and maladaptive variants of both poles for each of six facets for the five domains of the five-factor model. Two prior validation studies of the FFF have been completed using the items as they are scored within the FFF (Rojas & Widiger, 2014, in press). However, the FFF has a unique scoring system in which each item has normal and abnormal variants at both poles (e.g., …

Optimism And Pain Interference In Aging Women, Stephanie T. Judge

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Pain interferes with people's daily lives and often limits the extent to which they can pursue goals and engages in activities that promote well-being. The present study test how optimism affects and is affected by pain interference and activity among older women. Every three months for two years, middle- and older-age women (N = 199) complete daily diaries at home for a seven-day period, reporting their daily pain, pain interference, and activity. Optimism was measured at baseline and end-of-study. Multilevel models test the between- and within-person relationships among pain, optimism, pain interference and activity. Pain best predicted pain interference …

Caars-S:L Infrequency Index Validation: A Pilot Comparison Of Paper And Online Assessments, Elizabeth R. Wallace

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

One obstacle to the accurate diagnosis of ADHD in college students is malingering, although many symptom self-report measures do not contain feigning validity scales. The Infrequency Index (CII) for the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale–Self-Report: Long Version (CAARS-S:L) was developed for this purpose, although further validation of the index is needed. Another topic of interest in ADHD malingering research is the increasing use of online assessments. Little is known about how ADHD is malingered in an online format, particularly on the CAARS-S:L. The current study aims to integrate these strands of research by examining the utility of the CII in …

Identifying The Trauma Recovery Needs Of Maltreated Children: An Examination Of Child Welfare Workers' Effectiveness In Screening For Traumatic Stress, Adrienne Whitt-Woosley

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Children in the child welfare system comprise a group characterized by their exposure to trauma via experiences of maltreatment, under circumstances presenting multiple risk factors for traumatic stress. High rates of posttraumatic stress have been observed in this population. However, there is currently no standard for the universal screening of children in child welfare for trauma exposure and traumatic stress. The purpose of this study was to analyze the trauma experiences of a sample of maltreated children and examine whether child welfare workers are effective screeners of traumatic stress symptoms with children from their caseloads. Method: A sample of children …

How Therapists Use And Choose Mindfulness To Treat Trauma, Jessica M. King

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

This qualitative study used the phenomenological method to examine how therapists use mindfulness therapies and interventions to address trauma-salient issues with their clients. Specifically, it explored therapists’ use of and choices about mindfulness-based treatments when addressing post-traumatic stress symptoms, and trauma-relevant emotion dysregulation and attachment injury. Informants were associate and fully-licensed local therapists, recruited using convenience sampling and snowball sampling by word-of-mouth referrals. Data was collected by semi-structured interviewing. Interview data was analyzed with Moustakas’ (1994) recommended procedures for analysis of phenomenological data. Results, Discussion, Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research are described at the end.

An Alternative Approach To The Singer's Breath: Method And Workshop, Bradley S. Williard

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This research endeavors to stretch the boundaries of vocal training, a field defined by its century-old techniques and teachings, to include the cultivation of a relationship with the breath, body, and Self. The paper reviews the contributions of Ilse Middendorf and Carl Stough’s work with the breath and body and outlines a new method, Unlock Your Breath (UYB) – Performance Breathwork, which integrates the greatest strengths of those methods. UYB Performance Breathwork teaches the singer’s breath as a way towards deeper embodiment of Self (mind-body-voice relationship), while creating a stronger breath-body-voice connection with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. This …

Investigating The Role Of Social Support, Cardiovascular Reactivity, And Self-Regulation Skills Training In Response To Thermal Stimuli, Tracey Christine Kniffin

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Persistent pain conditions are a major health problem throughout the world and are one of the primary reasons that people seek medical treatment (Gureje, Von Korff, Simon, & Gater, 1998; Verhaak, Kerssens, Dekker, Sorbi, & Bensing, 1998). These conditions are characterized by complex interactions between cognitive, emotional, and physiological disturbances and are often associated with comorbid psychological disorders (Gatchel, 2004). Though previous studies have examined the effect of interventions targeting persistent pain, such as physical self-regulation interventions, few studies have examined the complex interaction between such interventions and other variables such as psychological and physiological …

Validity Of Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment And Cognitive Testing (Impact), Lisa Mason Koehl

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Sports concussions have been recognized as significant injuries among young athletes with research demonstrating that return-to-play prior to becoming asymptomatic can have significant repercussions, including risk of sustaining cognitive deficits. In tracking and monitoring concussions during sports seasons, many programs have begun utilizing computerized testing rather than traditional neuropsychological tests to 1) determine baseline scores, 2) track symptoms, and 3) measure cognitive deficits following concussion.

Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) is one such instrument. The current study examined ImPACT’s convergent, discriminant, and diagnostic validity by comparing scores from post-concussion athletes (SPORT) to those from non-concussed controls (CONT). SPORT …

Utility Of The Caars Validity Scales In Identifying Feigned Adhd, Random Responding, And Genuine Adhd In A College Sample, Brittany D. Walls

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Due to increased concern about malingered self-report of symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in college students, there is a need for instruments that can detect feigning. The present study provided further validation data for a recently developed validity scale for the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS), the CAARS Infrequency Index (CII). The sample consisted of 139 undergraduate students; 21 individuals with diagnoses of ADHD, 29 individuals responding honestly, 54 individuals responding randomly (full or half), and 35 individuals assigned to malinger. The CII demonstrated modest sensitivity to malingering (.31-.46) and excellent specificity to ADHD (.91-.95). Sequential application of validity …

Deep Brain Stimulation For Parkinson's Disease: An Investigation Of Post-Surgical Self-Regulation And Executive Functioning, Hannah L. Combs

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that attacks the basal ganglia and contributes to a range of motor, cognitive, and behavioral impairments (e.g., tremor, rigidity, and executive dysfunction). This dysfunction may contribute to self-regulatory impairment across several domains, including cognitive skills, thought processes, and emotion. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical procedure that allows for direct and reversible manipulation of brain activity in patients with PD. The procedure is growing in popularity and is commonly used as an adjunct or in some instances an alternative to dopaminometic medications. Preliminary studies suggest mild executive dysfunction follows DBS but …

Understanding Alcohol Use Trajectories From Adolescence To Young Adulthood: A Bioecological Approach, Jacqueline A. Bonsu

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The current study sought to better understand how alcohol use patterns develop over the transition to young adulthood by taking a bioecological approach in examining the joint influence of contextual and individual factors on drinking behaviors. Using a longitudinal design to include many factors that likely play key roles in this highly sensitive developmental period (e.g., peer norms, social activities, personality traits, access and exposure to substances), both mean levels of these variables and their change over time were considered in relation to alcohol use trajectories (AUTs). Participants were 525 students ages 18 to 25 recruited from the introductory psychology …

Ovarian Hormones, Adhd, Risk-Taking, & Impulsivity, Bethan A. Roberts

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a highly impairing disorder of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that is more frequently diagnosed in males versus females at a ratio of 3:1. However, females with the disorder become highly impaired during adolescence, perhaps due to the onset of cycling ovarian hormones at puberty. The present study empirically assessed the role of the major female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, in the presentation of ADHD symptoms, impulsivity, and associated risk-taking behaviors (e.g., risky sex, substance use and abuse) in a non-clinical sample of young adult women. 32 healthy young adult women who were screened for hormonal …

Decision-Making Processes, Driving Performance, And Acute Responses To Alcohol In Dui Offenders, Walter Roberts

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Alcohol-impaired driving is a major cause of motor vehicle accident and death in the United States. People who are arrested for DUI (Driving under the Influence) are at high risk to reoffend; approximately one in three of these individuals will commit another DUI offense in the three years following their first conviction (Nochajski & Stasiewicz, 2006). This high risk for recidivism in these individuals suggests that cognitive characteristics may contribute to a pattern of pathological decision making leading to impaired driving. Indeed, individuals with a history of DUI report higher rates of impulsiveness and behavioral dysregulation compared to their nonoffending …

Effectiveness Of Psychotherapy For Youth In Poverty: A Benchmarking Study Of A Public Behavioral Health Agency Using A Client Feedback System, Jonathan Kodet

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a public behavioral health (PBH) agency that had implemented continuous outcome feedback as a quality improvement strategy.

Method: I investigated the pre-post treatment outcomes of 4,389 ethnically diverse youths (6 to 17 years old) at or under the poverty line participating in treatment (from January 2008 to March 2014) for a broad range of primary diagnoses including depression and anxiety disorders (23%); adjustment disorders (27%); Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (13%), various V-codes (18%); bipolar disorders (3%); and substance use disorders (2%). I also investigated the treatment outcomes …

Improving Depression Care For Older Home Health Patients, Sarah R. Schirmer

DNP Projects

Rates of depression in older home healthcare (HH) patients are highly prevalent. Although depression in this population is associated with increased rates of re-hospitalization, falls, and suicides, it is frequently under diagnosed and under treated. This Capstone Report examined this problem through three interrelated manuscripts. The first manuscript explored the problem through a review of the literature. This review determined that while there are many barriers to adequate depression care, programs that train clinicians to screen for depression and connect patients to depression care encourage adequate evaluation and treatment and can result in clinically significant changes in depression scores. This …

Factors Influencing The Association Between Religiosity And Drinking Behavior In Underage College Students, Hayley Cole

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Research has consistently demonstrated a negative association between religiosity and college students’ alcohol consumption. However, few studies have explored the unique roles religious beliefs and behaviors might play in this relationship. Using 283 underage college students, we investigated the influence of internal and external factors on drinking behaviors for students with differing combinations of religious beliefs and religious behaviors. Tests of mediation and mediated-moderation were used to help explain the unique influences beliefs and behaviors have on alcohol consumption. Results indicated that religious beliefs only functioned as a protective-factor against underage drinking when accompanied by religious behaviors; students with high …

The Five-Factor Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory: An Item Response Theory Analysis, Jennifer R. Presnall-Shvorin

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Arguments have been made for dimensional models over categorical for the classification of personality disorder, and for the five-factor model (FFM) in particular. A criticism of the FFM of personality disorder is the absence of measures designed to assess pathological personality. Several measures have been developed based on the FFM to assess the maladaptive personality traits included within existing personality disorders.

One such example is the Five-Factor Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (FFOCI). The current study applied item response theory analyses (IRT) to test whether scales of the FFOCI are extreme variants of respective FFM facet scales. It was predicted that both the …

The Rewarding Nature Of Anger Rumination In Borderline Personality Disorder: An Fmri Investigation, Jessica R. Peters

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Anger rumination, or persistently dwelling on feelings of anger, is associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and related features, such as aggressive behavior and cognitive distortions. To develop more effective treatments, it is crucial to understand why individuals with BPD engage in anger rumination despite its negative outcomes. The activation of energy associated with anger, as well as feelings of justification and validation, may be experienced in the short-term as rewarding. This may prevent individuals with BPD from attempting to reduce their rumination.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and behavioral methods were utilized to examine this theory in a sample …

Distinguishing Among Within-Person Variability: Affective Intra-Individual Variability, Affective Psychological Flexibility, And Health In A National Us Sample, Jaime Hardy

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Affective intra-individual variability (IIV) and affective psychological flexibility (PF) are both types of within-person variability. Affective IIV is defined as the range of emotions experienced by an individual assessed at multiple time points. PF is defined as the ability to vary one’s responses in a contextually dependent manner in order to appropriately meet situational demands. Currently, there are no comparisons between affective IIV and PF demonstrating how these constructs might be uniquely different from each other. The current study proposed to examine affective IIV and PF in order to establish discriminant and convergent validity, and stability data for each construct. …

Purpose In Life In Als Patient-Caregiver Dyads: A Multilevel Longitudinal Analysis, Natasha E. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Despite the debilitating nature of this disease, some evidence suggests patients maintain their quality of life (QOL). Caregivers, on the other hand, experience decreased QOL. Evidence suggests existential aspects of well-being such as purpose in life (PIL) may be unique and stable sources of well-being for patients and caregivers. Furthermore, patients’ and caregivers’ well-being may impact one another. The present study examined the variance structure, trajectory, and dyadic relationship of PIL and QOL in patients with ALS and their caregivers (N = 110 dyads). Data from the Seattle ALS Patient …

The Reciprocal Predictive Relationship Between Personality And Risky Behaviors: An 8-Wave Longitudinal Study In Early Adolescents, Elizabeth N. Riley

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

While the overall stability of personality across the lifespan has been well-documented, there is also evidence of meaningful personality change. This is particularly true when individuals are going through periods of developmental transition. Over time, one sees incremental changes not just in behavior but in basic personality as well. 1,906 early adolescents were assessed for urgency scores, levels of maladaptive behavior engagement (drinking, smoking, and binge eating), and pubertal status every six months for four years. Zero-Inflated Poisson structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the model of reciprocal influence between behavior and personality. Across most six-month intervals over …

Development Of A Measure Of Craving Suppression, Brian T. Upton

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

While there is evidence to support the efficacy of mindfulness-based treatment for substance use, the mechanisms through which they lead to therapeutic outcomes have received less attention. A growing body of literature suggests that the ways in which people respond to cravings may be an important mediator of change. Individuals with substance use problems may use them to cope with or avoid negative experiences, which could include the experience of craving itself. Thought suppression in particular has been investigated as a specific form of experiential avoidance, and findings suggest that thought suppression strategies may interfere with attempts to quit using …

Moderated Mediation Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) Symptoms And Peer Relations, Christine A. Lee

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience frequent and persisting peer rejection, yet current social skills training is ineffective. The current study focused on emotion dysregulation as a possible mediator between ADHD symptoms and poor peer outcomes with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms as a moderator. Participants included 145 elementary-age children ranging from 8-10 years old. Parents and teachers rated children’s ADHD and ODD symptoms as well as their social skills. Parents also rated children on their emotion regulation abilities. Children then participated in a three-hour playgroup with unfamiliar peers in six structured and unstructured tasks. Research assistants provided global ratings …

Bidirectional Relations Of Impulsive Personality And Alcohol Use Over Two Years, Alison J. Kaiser

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Impulsive personality traits have been found to be robust predictors of substance use and problems in both cross-sectional and longitudinal research. Studies examining the relations of substance use and impulsive personality over time indicate bidirectional effects, where substance use is also predictive of increases in later impulsive personality. The mechanism(s) accounting for the impact of substance use on later personality remain unknown. The present study sought to explore the bidirectional relations of alcohol use with the impulsive personality traits over three time points, and to examine two potential mechanisms that could account for the impact of alcohol use on personality: …

Affective Instability Across Diagnostic Models, Whitney L. Gore

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) Research Domain Criteria (RDoC; Insel et al., 2010; Sanislow et al., 2010) were established in an effort to explore underlying dimensions that cut across many existing disorders as well as to provide an alternative to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; APA, 2013). The present dissertation aimed to study one major component of the RDoC model, negative valence, as compared to other models hypothesized to be closely related, as well as its relationship to a key component of psychopathology, affective instability. Participants were adult community residents …