Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Mindfulness Of What? Impact Of Awareness- And Acceptance-Focused Mindful Eating Techniques On Eating Outcomes, Jennifer Battles

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Introduction: Significant debate exists over the conceptualization of mindfulness even though mindfulness-based interventions are widely utilized to treat obesity and problematic eating behaviors. Little research has directly compared these theorized components of mindfulness in the context of eating. The purpose of the current study was to understand the relative importance of two components of mindfulness (i.e., awareness and acceptance) on laboratory eating outcomes. Methods: An experiment was conducted with 103 obese participants (M_age = 22.38, SD = 6.82; 64.1% female, 44.6% White, M_BMI = 35.42, SD = 7.68) comparing two mindful eating inductions (i.e., awareness only and …

Predominantly White Institution Or Historically Black College/University: Racial Composition Of School Environment And Perceived Racism On African American Students’ College Experiences, Taylor Garland

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The current study explored perceived racism, mental health, and coping to see how those concepts might influence how African American students evaluate their college experiences. Additionally, this study explored how school environment (i.e., predominantly White institution [PWI] vs. historically Black college/university [HBCU]) impacted the hypotheses. All participants completed an online questionnaire. Findings for the key hypotheses of this study were mixed. For example, regardless if African American students attended a PWI or HBCU, they were both likely to report similar experiences of perceived racism and negative affect. Despite these and a few other relevant hypotheses not being supported, two significant …

Do Gender, Anxiety Sensitivity Level, And Timing Of Anxiety Sensitivity Assessment Predict Heart Rate Variability?, Jordan Sieja

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Anxiety sensitivity (AS), or the fear/belief that anxiety symptoms and sensations will have negative outcomes, is a strong predictor of future psychopathology. AS is divided into three factors: physical, cognitive, and social. Reduced heart rate variability (HRV), or the variation in intervals between heartbeats, is associated with various psychological disorders. Current research findings disagree as to whether AS predicts HRV outcomes. The present study sought to examine data from a previous research project as results of relationships between AS and HRV were contrary to expectations. The current study examined potential predictors of HRV, such as the relationship between high-frequency (HF) …

The Mediating Role Of Sensitivity To Criticism On The Relationship Between Vulnerable Narcissism And Negative Affect, Sneha Shankar

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Researchers have examined the interpersonal correlates of narcissistic traits through ego-threats precipitated by experiences of external rejection or criticism. However, few studies have empirically investigated the role of sensitivity to criticism in the relation between vulnerable narcissism and negative affect. This study sought to examine this relation through comparing the mediating and moderating effects of sensitivity to criticism to shame and psychological inflexibility within three feedback conditions (positive, negative, and none). Three samples were utilized to assess these trait and state associations. Sensitivity to criticism demonstrated only moderating effects on the relation between vulnerable narcissism and situational anger in the …

Motor Skill Performance And Physical Activity In Children With Features Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Morgan K. Wright

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Fifty to 100% of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit motor skills deficits. In addition to motor skill deficits, children with ASD have been reported to engage in less physical activity than their neurotypical peers. Motor skill deficits and limited physical activity may impact functioning in other domains, including physical fitness and adaptive skills. The present study examined the relationship between motor skills, physical activity, physical fitness, and adaptive skills in children with a range of ASD features. A sample of 41 children ages 7-12 years participated in the study. Participants and their parents completed assessments of motor skills, …

Maternal Factors In The Disordered Eating Of Adolescent Girls: Proposing And Evaluating A New Model, Miriam Goldstein

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Disordered eating behaviors occur at high rates among adolescent girls of all ethnicities and are associated with increased risk of eating disorders. Maternal influences such as maternal disordered eating, childhood feeding practices, and the mother-teen relationship quality have been implicated as risk factors for disordered eating in adolescent girls, but few studies have examined the interplay of these influences within a single model, controlling for adolescent age. To address this gap, the current study proposed a theoretical model and tested a series of moderated mediation pathways from maternal disordered eating to disordered eating behaviors in female adolescents. The model was …

The Impact Of Early Social Factors On Trajectories Of Internalizing Behavior Problems Within Maltreated Foster Care Youth, Ethan Michael Paschall

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Children who experience maltreatment are at an increased risk for developing internalizing problems. Little is known about long-term symptom trajectories of children placed in foster care following maltreatment. This study used contemporary growth mixture modeling to assess symptom trajectories of 322 youth from the Consortium for Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect Southwest site placed in foster care due to maltreatment. Internalizing symptom trajectories were assessed using Child Behavior Checklist caregiver reports. This study examined the relationship between early social factors (i.e., social support, unpopularity, aggression, cognitive ability, trauma exposure) and trajectories of future internalizing symptoms. Results indicate a …

Comparing The Impacts Of Mentors Vs. Role Models Across Domains: A Meta-Analysis, Lilah Clevey

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Much research has been done on mentors and role models, yet there has been little consensus on whether the two are equally effective and effective across different contexts. This project was a meta-analysis examining the effect of mentors and role models on behavioral and/or cognitive outcomes within laboratory/experimental, educational, occupational, and treatment/clinical domains. A mentor is defined as an actual person who provides emotional support and guidance to a less experienced person, whereas a role model is an imagined or celebrity person that provides inspiration through real or imagined attributes. Eligible published studies beginning in 1995 to 2016, that had …

The Acculturation Gap: Investigating The Relationship Between Inter-Partner Acculturation Discrepancy And Parenting Quality, Casiana Warfield

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Parenting and relational factors have been investigated thoroughly in previous literature. However, considering the proliferation of multiracial individuals in the United States, it is concerning that many cultural components of American families have been neglected, including the impact of acculturation on parenting negotiation. In particular, the acculturation gap describes differences in acculturation and enculturation levels between family members. The acculturation-gap-distress model postulates that when members within a family context acculturate at different rates, to different degrees, or in different ways than other members, this discrepancy results in conflict. The present study evaluated the relationship between inter-partner acculturation discrepancy and perceptions …

Recognizing Addictive Disorders Through Transdiagnostic Assessment, Meagan M. Carr

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Some evidence suggests high rates of comorbidity between substance and other related addictive disorders. However, few self-report instruments adopt a transdiagnostic approach, which would be best positioned to answer questions about comorbidity as well as other related phenomenon, such as discontinuation of one type of behavior and initiation of another. The current work aimed to develop a measure that screened for seven types of potentially addictive behavior: alcohol use, drug use, tobacco use, gambling, binge eating, hypersexual behavior, and excessive video game playing. Data were collected at three time-points to develop a large pool of possible items, establish the initial …

Neural Correlates Of Nonverbal Social Communication In High-Risk Infants, Casey E. Swick

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The aim of this study was to replicate and extend a study by Grossmann and colleagues (2008), examining infant neural responses to gaze in 5-month-olds, to older and high-risk infants. Participants were 9-month-old infants (5 preterm, [3 female]; 12 full term [7 female]) who underwent fNIRS while viewing gaze paradigms. Findings revealed that hemisphere predicted peak oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO₂) across groups and conditions, with higher activation in the left hemisphere across groups. Interaction of group by condition predicted peak HbO₂ value, with an increase in activation in the high-risk group during the averted condition. Participants as random …

The Role Of Teacher Warmth In Teacher Accuracy Evaluating Child Cognitive And Executive Functioning, Heather Hennrick

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study sought to expand current knowledge about aspects of the teacher-child relationship that may facilitate accuracy in teacher reporting on children’s higher-order cognitive skills, including attention, working memory, and executive functioning (EF). The study proposed a model of children’s cognitive functioning, wherein performance-based neuropsychological measures of children’s attention, working memory, and EF and teacher-student relational warmth predicted teacher reports of children’s abilities. The final sample for this study included 37 teachers and their 8- to 12-year old students. Results found that teachers’ behavioral reports captured children’s true neurocognitive abilities, as measured by performance-based neuropsychological measures. Teacher warmth was related …

Parental Health, Parenting Behavior And Externalizing Behavior Problems Among Low-Income African American Preschool Children, Cassandra Lynn Esposito

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Externalizing behavior problems are highly prevalent in the preschool years. These behaviors are particularly common and problematic among children who are from low-income, minority backgrounds. There is evidence in the literature that describes parental health and parenting problems as risk factors for child externalizing behavior problems. The primary objective of this study was to better understand the relationship between parental health factors, parenting, and child behavior problems. Utilizing data from a low-income African American population, this study examined whether observed measures of parenting behaviors mediated the relationship between measures of parental health (e.g., depression, stress, and BMI) and child externalizing …

An Examination Of Attribute Trade And Weight Stigma In Online Dating, Rachel Sienko

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Weight stigma refers to biased treatment or attitudes based on weight. This has been documented to occur in a variety of settings (including relationships) and can result in many negative consequences, but its impact in the contemporary online dating arena is largely unexplored. Therefore, Study 1 of this project examined who experiences weight stigma in online dating and what factors predicted weight stigma. It was hypothesized that a) women would be more likely than men to experience weight stigma; b) compassion, beliefs about obese persons, attitudes toward obese persons, social dominance orientation, narcissism, objectification, self-classification of overweight status, and internalized …

Motor Functioning In Childhood Survivors Of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Kaitlin Oswald

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can cause a multitude of neuropsychological sequelae, or late effects, in children following intensive medical treatment. Late effect research has focused primarily on non-motor related sequelae; however, recent studies have begun to highlight evident impairments in motor functioning during and following medical treatment. The following study aimed to further characterize multiple domains of motor functioning in children treated for ALL compared to healthy controls, as well as investigate the relationship between motor impairments and other areas of functioning, including academic and psychosocial. The study included a cross-sectional design with a sample of 13 children treated for …

An Exploration Of The Aspects Of Physical Activity And Exercise Motives That Confer Risk Versus Protection From Disordered Eating Outcomes, Megan Pejsa-Reitz

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A long-standing health initiative has been the recommendation for individuals to engage in regular physical activity because of its numerous physical and mental health benefits. However, engaging in “excessive exercise” is a compensatory behavior found in eating disorders. The present study sought to better understand exercise as both a health- and risk-behavior. Undergraduates (N = 1010) completed an online survey assessing disordered eating and exercise behavior. Results revealed that among individuals who engaged in a low level of physical activity, exercising for socializing reasons conferred risk for disordered eating, whereas higher socializing exercise motives were associated with lower disordered …

Assessment Of Family Impact In Pediatric Chronic Pain, Lauren E. Harrison

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Pediatric chronic pain causes significant interference in daily functioning for children and their families. While parents and families have been examined in previous research, gaps exist in the current literature base, particularly related to accurate conceptualization and assessment of family functioning. The current study sought to develop a measure of family impact of pediatric pain and examine the effects that pain severity, functional disability, and parent and child psychosocial functioning have on family functioning. Results indicated parents of children with chronic pain appear to be impacted across several domains, with psychological distress in the child and parent being a significant …

Where Does The Time Go? An Investigation Of Self-Reported Time Allocation, Cory Stanton

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Depression is recognized as a substantial contributor to the global burden of disease, as well as economic productivity. Behavioral activation has been shown to be an efficacious treatment for depression, drawing on the work of early behavioral theorists and research on the quantitative matching law. Recently, scholars have called for increased theoretical rigor in conceptualizing psychological health, as well as increased conceptual and methodological dialogue between basic and applied researchers. The present study examined the validity of a novel self-report measure of time allocation, an extension of the matching law. A cross-sectional sample of 204 undergraduate psychology students completed measures …

Working Memory And Symptoms Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Children, Alison Margaret Colbert

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder mainly characterized by high levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Although ADHD is a topic of great interest in multiple domains, much remains to be explored before a thorough understanding will be possible. Recently, working memory (WM) has gained attention as a potential core deficit of ADHD. Therefore, theories of ADHD and WM may provide guidance for increased understanding of ADHD, and continued research on ADHD, guided by WM theory, will maximize the effectiveness of assessment and treatment for this disorder. The current study utilized a model integrating WM measurement and symptoms …

The Impact Of Racial Identity On Perceived Microaggressions, Racial Socialization And Psychological Outcomes, Terrence Harper Ii

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The negative psychological consequences of racial prejudice and discrimination in the lives of African Americans have been well documented. Recently, researchers have investigated how racial identity status attitudes may influence the perception of discrimination (i.e., it has been suggested that racial identity may act as a buffer against experiencing negative affect as a consequence of exposure to racial discrimination). While this hypothesis has received increased attention in the literature of late, current studies testing said hypothesis have not examined this association by using the recent advances in the conceptualization of subtle discrimination (i.e., microaggressions). As such, the purpose of this …

Can Videogames Be Addicting? An Investigation Into The Specific Game Features And Personal Characteristics Associated With Problematic Videogame Playing, Gregory Pouliot

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The number of individuals who play videogames has increased dramatically in recent years. Unsurprisingly, the frequency with which patients seek psychotherapeutic services to help cope with problematic videogame playing (PVGP) behaviors has also risen. Thus, explorations into the specific characteristics of PVGP are essential now more than ever before. However, the current state of the literature primarily relies on comparisons between PVGP and pathological gambling, utilizing modified measures of the latter to assess the former. To date, no studies have attempted to adapt the diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder (SUD) in an effort to understand PVGP within the context …

The Impact Of Experiential Avoidance On The Relationships Among Military Sexual Trauma, Excessive Behaviors, And Health-Related Outcomes In Female Veterans, Natalie Kate Nugent

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) as defined in United States Public Law, refers to inappropriate sexual conduct, assault, or harassment experienced by a military service member during his or her course of active duty or active duty for training (38 U.S.C. § 1720D). MST has emerged as a distinct form of trauma, resulting in different and often more severe sequelae than other forms of civilian sexual assault and/or non-sexual trauma. This study sought to explore the potential moderating and mediating roles of experiential avoidance on the relationship between MST and health outcomes in an attempt to identify a unifying mechanism through …

Measurement Invariance Between Genders On Two Measures Of Borderline Personality Disorder, Amy Paggeot

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Gender bias in the diagnosis and assessment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) has been the subject of much controversy in the psychological research literature. Evidence regarding differential prevalence rates and diagnostic rates in clinical settings between genders has been mixed, and measurement bias is one potential explanation for these mixed findings. Measurement invariance (MI) is considered a prerequisite for comparing group means on any measure or latent construct. Two structured clinical interviews of BPD were subjected to sequential CFAs to evaluate MI between genders. The SCID-II BPD Scale (First, Gibbon, Spitzer, Williams, & Benjamin, 1997) was found to be measurement …

Impact Of Co-Occurring Psychiatric Disorders And Traumatic Brain Injury On Speech-Language Treatment: Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perspectives, Janis Whitney Neal

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Previous studies have associated traumatic brain injury (TBI) with higher rates of psychiatric disorders. This study investigated speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs) perspectives on the prevalence of co-occurring psychiatric disorders in the TBI population and its impact on speech-language treatment. Interviews were conducted with twelve SLPs working with a TBI population. Results revealed a lack of standard measures to assist SLPs in distinguishing between the symptoms of psychiatric disorders versus the neuropsychiatric symptoms of TBI. Also, results indicated the heavy reliance on a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive and individualized treatment for the TBI clientele, and the negative consequences of untreated psychiatric …

Childhood Externalizing Behavior Problems, Maternal Depression, And Father Involvement In Low-Income African American Families, Sara Johns

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Data indicate that up to 25% of preschoolers are exhibiting clinical levels of externalizing behaviors. Among children in at-risk populations, such as those attending Head Start preschools, estimates of clinical levels of externalizing behavior problems are as high as 30%. Studies of early childhood externalizing behavior problems indicate the potential for stability of elevated externalizing behaviors over time and the association of these behaviors with a variety of negative outcomes. Maternal depression and father involvement may be important predictors of externalizing behavior. The current study investigated the nature of the relationship between maternal depression, father involvement, and child externalizing behaviors …

Anxiety Sensitivity As A Moderator For Ptsd Mediated Combat Exposure In Predicting Suicide Risk In A Military Sample, Barry Donovan Eye

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Suicide took almost 40,000 U.S. lives in 2011, with military rates exceeding the general population (and rising). Anxiety sensitivity (AS; the fear of fear) includes three components: physical, cognitive, and social. Recent studies indicate a connection between AS and suicidality through the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS). Separate research has proposed that the development of severe psychopathology, like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide, may be moderated by AS. The present study considered this mechanism from an IPTS perspective with a cross-sectional sample of veterans and active duty members from a Veterans Affairs clinic database. Regression models tested whether physical …

Validation Of The Adapted Cogstate Brief Battery In Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Patients, Bethany Gourley

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A small literature has documented cognitive deficits in adult hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) survivors across the transplant trajectory, primarily occurring in memory, executive function, attention, and processing speed. Although HCT-associated cognitive decline occurring within one year of transplantation is well documented, only two studies have longitudinally investigated cognitive function in HCT survivors beyond one year. Furthermore, studies demonstrating neuropsychological decline have made use of numerous measures and varying impairment criteria, making the compilation of findings across studies challenging. Another difficulty with the current literature base is the use of traditional neuropsychological tests that are susceptible to practice effects and thus …

Analysis Of Beta-Band Meg Coherence In Asd During Direct Gaze Processing: Relationship To Social Cognition, Aimee Marie Moore

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Gaze-following is a rudimentary behavior that forms the foundation of social communication, where aberrant social orienting is a defining feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD; Hoehl et al., 2009; Nummenmaa & Cal der, 2009). Recent neuroimaging research has demonstrated increasing precision at identifying aberrant brain response patterns in individuals with ASD, but no studies have employed a more holistic neural network approach analyzing coherence (i.e., synchrony of neural oscillations) during direct gaze processing. The current study examined coherence between each pair of 54 brain regions and the relationship between average coherence and psychometric measures of social cognition in eleven participants …

The Association Between Attachment-Related Trauma And Adult Representations Of Attachment And The Role Of Maternal Mental Health, Syreeta Scott

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Despite longstanding theoretical associations in the attachment literature between early experiences of trauma, unresolved attachment representations, and mental health symptoms, few studies have explored associations between these variables, and findings amongst current studies are inconsistent. This study aimed to examine these relationships in a high-risk sample of mothers. It also explored relationships between aspects of trauma, such as type, severity, and age of exposure in relation to unresolved attachment representations. Possible moderating effects of mental health were also examined. Data for the study were collected as part of a larger longitudinal study on women’s transition to motherhood. The present study …

The Development Of A Self-Report Questionnaire To Measure Problematic Video Game Play And Its Relationship To Other Psychological Phenomena, Anatol Tolchinsky

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Problematic video game play is becoming a more frequent clinical presentation, and currently there is no standard way of measuring this phenomenon. This study operationalized this construct in a way that accurately reflects the existing literature and attempted to construct a valid measure based on this information. This new assessment instrument was evaluated by analyzing its factor structure on both 375 college-age participants and 314 online participants who endorsed being a regular video game player.

This area of research is still in its infancy, especially in regard to comorbid psychopathology. Consequently, this study surveyed participants’ subjective experience of depression and …