Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Analyzing The Unique Role Of Repetitive Negative Thinking On Insomnia In College Students, Lara Fair

Honors Theses

Repetitive negative thinking is a transdiagnostic construct that conceptually covers worry and rumination, which are strongly associated with anxiety and depression. Worry is typically future oriented, whereas rumination is past oriented. RNT has been posited as a causal and maintaining factor for multiple disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and insomnia. The current study aimed to further understand the contribution of RNT in insomnia symptoms, after controlling for anxiety and depression. A self-report battery measuring anxiety, depression, RNT and insomnia was administered to 101 college students. In this sample, 52% of participants endorsed clinical levels of insomnia. Bivariate correlations found …

Examining The Relationship Between Misophonia And Depression, Mary Bishop

Honors Theses

Because research on misophonia is in its early stages, few studies have examined correlations with other disorders. Misophonia has been shown to co-occur with a variety of anxiety-related and mood disorders. Understanding the link between depression and misophonia is important because both disorders contribute to significant impairment in daily work, social, and role functioning. This study aims to examine the relation between misophonia and depression in a community sample, which would expand knowledge demonstrated by previous studies using clinical and college samples. We hypothesized that misophonia and depression would have a positive correlation and that women would experience higher levels …

Breaking Into Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center: A Lesson In (Non) Quantitative Research, Mackenzie Seward

Honors Theses

Gaps in the literature on juvenile justice and mental health within a juvenile correctional center prompted a study that focused on self-esteem, emotions, and empathy in residents living in a juvenile correctional center related to their participation in a storytelling course. First-year students from a local university visited the correctional center as part of a community-based learning component. They met with residents to swap stories about their lives. Several limitations and obstacles complicated the data collection process, forcing the researchers to pivot their study from quantitative analyses to qualitative observations. The experience of conducting a study within a juvenile correctional …

Neurotypes: Do Ocd, Adhd, And Autism Play A Role In Life Satisfaction?, Morgan Mcleod Evans

Honors Theses

OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) are neurotypes that impact every aspect of life, including daily activities and socialization, which is why they have been shown in prior studies to negatively impact life satisfaction. This study compared the levels of life satisfaction now and before the COVID-19 pandemic in young adults (n = 324) with typical neurotypes, those with only ASD (autism), with only OCD, with only ADHD, with two of the neurotypes, and with all three neurotypes. Contrary to predictions from prior research, life satisfaction did not decrease after the onset …

The Role Of Prenatal Anxiety Sensitivity On Postpartum Anxiety And Depression, Ryann Holman

Honors Theses

Pregnancy is a vulnerable period for women, with roughly 15% of women experiencing psychopathology during pregnancy and postpartum. The most common mental health concerns during this period are anxiety and depression, which have been linked to adverse outcomes on both mother and baby, such as low birth weight and preterm birth. In understanding their onset, anxiety sensitivity has been found to be a potential mechanism for the development of both anxiety and depressive disorders. The goal of the current study was to examine the association between prenatal anxiety sensitivity and postpartum anxiety and depression. Pregnant women were given a battery …

The Relationship Between The Contrast Avoidance Model And Dysfunctions Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Whitney S. Shepherd

Honors Theses

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) features excessive worry, with additional symptoms including sleep disturbances, muscle tension, concentration issues, fatigue, and irritability (APA, 2013). The Contrast Avoidance Model (CAM) posits that those with GAD maintain worry to avoid emotional shifts by engaging in contrast avoidance (CA) tendencies (Newman & Llera, 2011). Additionally, chronic worry is associated with dysfunctional outcomes of GAD such as sleep difficulties and quality of life (QoL; Henning et al., 2007; Smith et al., 2000). Although both CA tendencies and these dysfunctional outcomes of GAD have shown to be related to worry, CA tendencies have yet to be explored …

Effects Of Music Exposure On Autobiographical Memory In Alzheimer's Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Gregory Vance

Honors Theses

The progression of Alzheimer’s disease is primarily characterized by a loss of memory concerning past events, as well as a lack in ability to create new memories. While this spans across many subsets of memory, such as recognition, recall, and autobiographical memory, there seems to be a lesser impact on musical memory in those with Alzheimer’s. Multiple studies have suggested that exposure to music and introduction of music therapy can even improve other aspects of memory in Alzheimer’s patients. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to examine the relationship between music exposure and autobiographical memory specifically. A pool of electronic …

Investigation Into The Comorbidities Of Disordered Eating And Social Anxiety Disorder In College Students, Alice Mccraney

Honors Theses

In recent years, psychiatrists have reported a trend that individuals with social anxiety disorders are more likely to also have disordered eating and vice versa. Research into this connection has suggested that risk factors, such as stress reactivity, negative self- esteem, perfectionism and fear of negative evaluation are potential links. This is important because understanding the correlation between the two disorders could help develop better treatments plans for people who suffer from these disorders. This study investigates the relationship between the two. A total of 257 college students between ages 18-22 completed a questionnaire using the Disordered Eating Attitude Scale …

A Survey Of The Presentation Of Pharmacogenomic Testing For Psychotropic Medications In Rural Areas, Laken Hancock

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to assess the knowledge and opinions of the general public in rural areas in regard to genetic testing and pharmacogenomics. 40 people from self-identified rural areas participated in this study by completing an online Qualtrics questionnaire and an in-person or online semi-structured qualitative interview. The Qualtrics questionnaire measured demographic information, as well as depression, anxiety, stress, positive affect, and negative affect using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) measures. The semi-structured qualitative interview included questions pertaining to the decision support tool (DST) presented to participants, …

The Interaction Between Anxiety Sensitivity And Sleep Disturbance In Relation To Alcohol Use Among Adolescents, Gabrielle Meshell Armstrong

Honors Theses

Both substance use and sleep disturbance are common in adolescence. Additionally, alcohol use specifically is positively associated with a number of sleep disturbances. However, little to no research has examined factors that may influence the relation between problematic alcohol use and sleep disturbances among adolescents or adults. One factor that may be particularly important to consider in this regard is anxiety sensitivity (AS; i.e., the tendency to interpret unpleasant physiological sensations as dangerous). Among previous studies, anxiety sensitivity has been found associated with both increased alcohol consumption and sleep disturbances. The current study evaluated the main and interactive effects of …

Barriers To Care, Depressive Symptoms, And Moderating Factors Among Patients With Esrd, Amarachukwu O. Nwangwu

Honors Theses

End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is the fifth and final stage of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and has been reported to have the highest prevalence rate in the United States, with about 2,242 cases per million in the total population in 2017 (Johansen et al., 2021). Current studies document a high prevalence of depression among patients with ESRD which may lead to increased mortality (Shirazian et al., 2017). Additionally, barriers in access to care, which may be understood as the barriers that prevent individuals from seeking mental health services, has been linked to increased levels of undertreatment (Clement et al., 2012). …

The Relationship Between Ptsd-Related Symptoms And Skin Disease Symptom Severity In A Dermatological Sample, Kristin Barnett

Honors Theses

Previous research has demonstrated associations between stress and physical health conditions, including skin disease. The stress cycle, including its associated hormonal responses and stress behaviors, contributes to more severe skin disease symptoms. Psychological stress and anxiety-disorder symptoms are known to be associated with skin disease severity; however, research has yet to examine the relationships between stress disorders and skin disease severity. Therefore, stress disorders (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) are hypothesized to have a similar relationship with skin disease severity, wherein greater severity of PTSD-related symptoms would be positively associated with skin disease severity. Participants from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (N …

The Association Between Appearance Related Safety Behaviors And Anxiety Symptoms In Adolescents, Emily Olson

Honors Theses

The goal of the current study is to examine the associations between appearance related safety behaviors (i.e., behaviors aimed at preventing humiliation or embarrassment associated with appearance, such as mirror checking or skin picking) and anxiety symptoms during adolescence. Adolescence is considered a core risk period for the onset of many psychological disorders (e.g., social anxiety disorder). Critically, adults with these psychological conditions report engaging in higher levels of appearance related safety behaviors than adults without these disorders. Further, initial, promising evidence, suggests that reducing engagement in appearance related safety behaviors is associated with reduced symptoms of anxiety. To date, …

Examining Race And Anxiety Sensitivity As Predictors Of Electronic Cigarette Use And Dependence, Carson Schmitz

Honors Theses

Electronic Cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have gained popularity among U.S. adults with rates of use significantly increasing over the past decade. As such, the current literature has begun to explore factors associated with e-cigarette use in significantly affected populations. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), the fear of the sensations associated with the experience of anxiety, is a known transdiagnostic risk factor for tobacco use. Additionally, higher AS has been shown to be associated with higher levels of e-cigarette use, greater perceived benefits of use, greater positive outcome expectancies, greater perceived risks of use, more quit attempts, and more difficulty quitting. Further, preliminary research focusing …

Observation And Detection Of Adhd Malingering In College Students, Zoe Tenner

Honors Theses

The rate of college students attempting to obtain Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses in order to gain access to prescription stimulant medications has shown a large increase over the past 20 years. Research has also shown that college students are frequently able to convincingly present themselves as meeting clinical criteria for ADHD with relative ease, meaning that the barrier to false presentation for the purpose of obtaining inappropriately prescribed medication is minimal. There is a need for more concise, accurate tools to detect these efforts in clinical settings, which is an area of research pursued by members of the University of …

Out Of Mind: Undergraduate Predictors Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms, Michael S. Lanzaro

Honors Theses

Demographic factors associated with anxiety have been studied extensively and are often characterized by interconnected relationships. These associations between variables provide insight into the predictive ability of anxiety in undergraduate populations. However, few studies if any have investigated the relationships between class level, sex, honors status, and undergraduate specialization as predictors of anxiety among an undergraduate American university sample. The results of this study provide key insight into the psychopathological development of undergraduate students and anxiety levels as it pertains to academic and demographic variables. By using a multiple linear regression analysis, demographic variables of American undergraduate students are compared …

Twinks, Jocks, And Bears, Oh My! Differing Body Ideals Among Gay Male Subcommunities, Samuel Fogarty

Honors Theses

Recent studies have focused on disordered eating psychopathology among gay men, particularly when oriented towards thinness or muscularity. Gay men are at increased risk of eating disorder symptoms when compared to heterosexual men and exhibit similar rates to women (Feldmen & Meyer, 2007; Frederick & Essayli, 2016; Siconolfi, Halkitis, Allomong, & Burton, 2009). However, the results remain muddled surrounding the topic of thinness- or muscularity-oriented eating psychopathology; the current study provides a potential response in subcultural gay appearance ideals. The present study examined the relationship between three gay subcultural appearance identities (twinks, jocks, and bears) and disordered eating attitudes and …

The Influence Of Publicized Suicides On Depressive Symptoms, Kallie R. Stephens, Andrew Terranova

Honors Theses

The aim of the current study was to examine how media influences cognitions and emotions. It was hypothesized that those who viewed a media report on suicide would have higher levels of death thought accessibility, while also displaying a more negative mood. Gender differences were also considered. The study consisted of 71 participants, predominantly White (84.5%) with an average age of 19.93 (SD = 5.41). The design of the study was experimental in nature. Participants viewed either a neutral news report or a news report on suicide. After reading, participants completed a word completion task to measure death thought accessibility …

Neuro-Exergaming For Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment (Mci): A Single Bout Of Interactive Physical And Cognitive Exercise (Ipaces V2.5), Alexa Puleio

Honors Theses

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) poses a serious risk to the older population. This disease may be a precursor to a more debilitating dementia, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), and it affects the cognitive abilities as well as overall quality of life of those who suffer from it (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014). Finding preventative ways to combat these neurodegenerative illnesses is imperative for our increasing older population at risk. Prior research has shown benefits to cognition from physical exercise (Colcombe & Kramer, 2003); however, only a fraction of older adults actually achieve recommended levels (Chodzko-Zajko et al., 2009). Some researchers have explored …

The Impacts Of Discrimination On Mental And Physical Health, Mahal Alvarez-Backus

Honors Theses

The present studies investigated the role of campus climate and discrimination on college students’ mental and physical health. Young adults completed measures that assessed their perceptions of campus climate, sense of belonging, depressive symptoms, anxiety levels, sleep quality, physical health symptoms, and experiences with discrimination. Despite the fact that there were not any differences in physical health or sleep quality, there were significant differences in phycological health, specifically with depressive symptoms. Across both studies, there were significant group differences in mental health, particularly that students of color reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than white students. Having empathetic faculty was …

Cognitive And Emotional Correlates Of Improved Gait Distance During The Course Of Physical Therapy Treatment For An Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury, Danielle Miller

Honors Theses

Objective

The focus of spinal cord injury rehabilitation over the past four decades has shifted from medical management to issuses that affect quality of life and community participation (Gómara- Toldrà, Sliwinski, & Dijkers, 2014). However, the care team for spinal cord injury patients still need to collaberate in order to design and implement interventions that result in maximum participation to provide an individual with a spinal cord injury an effective rehabilitation program. In order to create such a rehablitation program, the care team must know how certain psychological and cognitive aspects, such as depression and implict memory, are related to …

Comparison Of Suicidality Among Heterosexual And Sexual Minority Individuals, Ashley R. Pate

Honors Theses

Previous research suggests that sexual minority individuals have a higher risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than do heterosexual individuals. Little research has been done to determine what may cause these differences and how living in a conservative region may contribute to it. This study sought to compare risk factors for suicidal ideation among heterosexual and sexual minority college students in southern Mississippi. To do so, suicidal ideation was examined, as well as thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB) – two robust predictors of suicidal ideation. It was hypothesized that sexual minorities would have elevated TB, PB, and …

The Relation Of Adolescent Narcissism And Prosocial Behavior With Cooperative And Competitive Attitudes, Erin V. Moran

Honors Theses

Narcissism has been correlated with prosocial behavior in adolescents (Kauten & Barry, 2014, 2016). However, whether adolescents with high levels of narcissism use more egoistic (i.e., self-serving) or altruistic (i.e., helping others with no direct personal benefit) prosocial behaviors has not been investigated. This issue was addressed in the present study, and attitudes of cooperation and competition were also examined as moderators in these relations. The current study involved 147 at-risk adolescents, ages 16 to 18 (113 males, 34 females) who were enrolled in a residential program. The data were collected through self-report questionnaires which assessed narcissism (i.e., non-pathological, grandiose, …

Cognitive Functioning As A Moderator In The Relation Between Externalizing Behavior Problems In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Stress Among Their Parents, Robyn M. Riley

Honors Theses

It is known that externalizing behavior problems among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are related to parental stress among parents. This study examined how cognitive functioning levels of children with ASD may moderate this relation in a group of 27 children (ages 7 to 16 years) with a diagnosis of ASD. Children were tested on a brief measure of intelligence to estimate their cognitive functioning. Parents completed measures of the children’s ASD symptom severity and externalizing behaviors as well as a measure of their own levels of parental stress. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that ASD symptoms and cognitive functioning …

Affect Recognition And Adhd Symptoms In Preschoolers: A Serial Mediation Model Of Social Cognition, Annalise M. Hays

Honors Theses

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been addressed in a few studies as it relates to social cognition deficiency. Throughout these studies, it seems as if affect recognition may be linked to ADHD through deficits in the development of social skills. The current study tests to see if this mediation may also involve the influence of adaptability in children. It was hypothesized that poorer affect recognition would relate to ADHD symptoms in preschoolers and that this effect would occur indirectly by influencing the children’s adaptability and social skills. A heterogeneous sample of 71 three to five year-old preschoolers participated. Children were …

The Influence Of Normative Feedback On Stigma Of Mental Health, Carly A. Taylor

Honors Theses

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI; 2012) reports that the greatest barrier preventing college students from seeking help for a mental illness is stigma. Previous research has yet to develop an effective stigma reduction intervention targeting college students.Therefore, the purpose of the following research was to examine whether the administration of personalized normative feedback (PNF) could reduce personal stigma and correct the perception that others stigmatize mental illness. It was hypothesized that participants at baseline would expect others to hold more stigmatizing views compared to themselves. In order to correct this misperception and reduce stigma, half of the participants …

Thwarted Belongingness In Relation To Face-To-Face And Online Interactions, Fallon B. Moberg

Honors Theses

Suicide has become an increasing problem, and it is ranked as the tenth leading cause of death for all ages (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Joiner’s (2005) interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide states thwarted belongingness - the feeling of being alienated from others - and perceived burdensomeness - the feeling of being a liability to others – are the primary proximal factors leading to suicidal desire. The current study focuses on thwarted belongingness and examines its relationship to face-to-face interactions and online interactions. We hypothesized that negative face-to-face and online interactions would independently predict higher levels of thwarted belongingness. …

No, I’M Really, Really Bad At Math: Competition For Self-Verification, Alexandra E. Wesnousky

Honors Theses

In their theory of self-verification, Swann and Read’s (1981) postulate that people like feedback that is consistent with their self-concept. Researchers have yet to examine what happens when two individuals are both seeking feedback from each other to verify their self-concept on the same domain. When individuals are competing against someone to verify a similarly held self-concept, they should try to seek more polarized feedback, especially when the domain is highly important. In two experiments, participants expected to receive computer feedback on their responses to identity-related questions, either based on their own responses or on how they compared to the …

Clinical Psychology, Nancy Adams

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.